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%\i Sacrament of llegtiitration ;
TllK DOCTRINE OF HOLY BAPTISM.
BY
Rev. CHARLES B'OREST, M. A..
(Bishop's College, Lenaoxville.)
Late Rector of Williamsburgh, and Canon of St. George's Cathedral, Diocese of Ontario, Canada.
PUUMSHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE
ST. LAWRENCE CLERICAL UNION
/I:
('^
r'// /o
Sll'I'LKMKNTTO THE CIIL'KCII Kd.lXTIC - N
•yl'iOl)
TIIK SACKAMKNT OF KEGKNKHATKtN:
OR,
TIIK DOCTIIINK dF IK^LY BMTisM,
HV THK
Kkv. ( MAHLKS FoKKST. M. A..
iHiNixip's ( ollfKt, l.tnnoxville.)
I.rtt*- K«<l<'rfit VVilli;lln^llllr^;h, ;iii<l (anon of St (icorf;«''s (atluilra;, I )iii i sc i.| ' tnt..rii., Ciiinda.
Tlie Sacraint'iit <tt I)fi)itism holil.s CMUifcsstilly a Hist place in the
Cliiistiaii Systt'in. It is constitutiMl l»y the Divine Finiihlcr Himself
an essential to atlmis.sixn into 'tlu' Kinj^dom nt Heaven." HnlditiLij
this j»hiee it niijjht nMsona'iIy lu; supptsfMl t lint all \v!i.t are ot' th«
faith of Christ would he of "one tnind'" in re^anl to the (»tKce wl.ich
this saciatnent has to fulfil ; ami oi: common l^iomihI, stand pre-
pared intelli^HMitly to uphold its uecessity, and to vindicate the
^'tace or benefit wliioh is its projier tonscipient rnhai>f)ily this is
tar fr<»m l>eini^ the case. The seltislmoss, inijc'i'iity and scepticism
of men have heen I'xei-ci.sed on iUlu a.s on other 'firHt principits," and
the results have been divisioii, strife and what, if possilile, is worse
— amis-apprehension, if not actual n(!^ation, of the :^race of ( io(i
as conveved liv this sacrament. It is the duty "f every (Miristian
man to lahor, so far as his \\Kyw ahilify may serve, for the remedy-
ing of this evil ; which cari he met oidy Itv a fair, dispassionate
Ntatenietit of ihe facts utideilyini; an<l connected with the doctiino
in discussiiiu. To such a staiement, therefire, the followinj^ pa^^es
are dedicated. If the ciain of thou^dit an<l of tr-Htimony therein
contained shall have, under <lod, the etfect of aroMsiuir any to a
relij^rioiis study of tins ini[)ortant mattei , and to more correct views
of tids holy Sacrament, he wlm otfers them will Ite, indeed, amply
repaid.
Am a startitiif point, then, we ^ive the eli arand I'liiphatic declar-
ation of St. Paul, respectiiijL^ the iKjcndi's employed l»v Christ in
the salvatioti of men
" Accoidine' to His mercy He saved us Ity the Wdsk'nif/ of rei/cn-
enttiov. and renetvimj of the Holy Ohtist. " Titus iii : 5.
in which (h'claration, so far as it sets forth the notidiuin. throui,'h
wnich reeeiieration is ertected, it is diHicult to discover a causo
Worthy of that bitttT <ii.Hs<M>sion which. <mi this point, |>rt'vails to o
jifr:'at an cxttMit ainoni^st |)roft'ss(Ml h('li«'V('rs in thi' <|octiint^ and din-
cipliiic of C/hiist. For the rxpros.sioifs of t,ht'a?>ostle in tht'ins«'lv»»s,
an* n'Mth^r inv-<t<!?ious nor involved. They do not contain any-
tliinLj wliich can, <'vcn in tlie rmiotcst d<!;jrec be con.^trued hh ex-
pository, either of tlie pro|)erti«',s of '•eiri'neratinij j^iaet\ or of its
inod«( of operation. He i.s uvnAy s\tviik'ii)>j; h istoricd/ly, i.e. ot facts
known and L^enerally acknow leilu.'d, us the basis ()f ('hristian ex-
pedience. He is r •mindinii; Titus, an<l thronifh liiin the ('rt'itan
Converts of tli>' evi ience.s of their new birth to (io i ; which new
birth, he declare.s, was erf"-cted by " WiinkiiKj ," and then, as a con-
sequence, made availing; unto salvation " by the t'e.nvwliuj of tfie
Holy Gkod ." He ascribes the savin^^ of the soul, first, to the
mercy i>f (}od, as the niovin>j; and etfieient cause; secondly, to the
Wd'^hiiuj of t'('ifi>,nf,)'(itioy\ as the mcanf*, sacrament or sii^n. by which
that tnercy was convcycMi ; and thirdly, to the renewinij; of the Holy
Gh)St, as the Messin'..^ which succeeds and perfects that which in
baptism is be<^un. It becomes nec<^ssary, theiefore, ti» impure into
this distitiction and to be guided, in so doing, by the order set
down by the apostle himself
r [I.] With respect to the first, (i. e. the movitig cause, etc.) there
is no diffcMcMice of opinion. It is admitted by ail |>arties, that the
})lau of human re<li^mption was devised by an«i proceeded from (Jod
Hims«df : — that by virtue of His infinite perfections, it was carried
out to Its consummation, — that He extends the benefits of }fi»
mercy to all who, in the apjiointeil way. sul)mit thems(^lv(is to His
will ; — and lastly, that these benefits consist in trec^dom frou) the
power, ilominion, and cons<'(piences of sin and in the fruition of
th. favor, protection, and blessini; of God. Tims far all are ajireed —
but
[2] Touching the second point, / e. the rne<li.afi' a(jency, by which
this salvation is effected, opinions are very diverse. Tlie chief of
the differences, however, may be h'soIvimI into these three classes : —
(a) Those who ascribe to the men; visible instrument, or water,
an inhertiiU power of regenei-ation.
(/?) Tiiose who, dej)reciating the spiritual efficacy of the in-
strument, limit th<; baptismal rite to a simple passport to exiermd
Chun^h privileges ; and
{f) Tlios(5 who hold that, neitlnM* in the mere instrument itself,
riiU" in uhe faith of man, ought the eificacy of baptism to be placed ;
but, .solely in the ()fvZ/'/if*mje of God ; and further, that the V)lessing
consecpitMit on l)aptism is not simply extei'nid, snch as admission to
the miiiistfations or olticjis of an or^aniz^l body, l)ut also .s/)i/'i/it*i^,
inasmuch as the Church is the organ ^^ Eph. iii :0, 10, etc.) of com-
munication l)etw<f(ui God ami the souls of men.
[3] As to the thin! point — the agency of the Holy (ihost —
till- oidy (piestion agitatetl is this, Does the "renewing" here spoken
of involve the restoring of the facnitu's of the; soul to tiieir |)rop<}r
order, or more than to wit, th<! invigoration and ptufecting of
those faiiulties, 'vhen .lered i One class of disputants inchnies the
latter as welljas tht; former, in the term "renewing;" a 8ecou<I class
3
set's n(» iifOt'ssity for thus oxf<Ti(iin<; tlu^ torm. or imlcc^fl for at all
assuinifiLT. from St. J^aiil'M fxpri-ssions, itn connection will, tin* bap-
tismal l»l('Hsin'4. Till' A|)ostl«*, saytht'V, <lo»'s mtf cftupic tin' "rcncwin:^"
of the Holy Ghost witli the i'lt-a (tt "n'ljf'ncrafion," hut with the
ultimate consiMjmMict' of the J)ivine mere}', our heiny '•SAVKD." Iht
speaks not of the 'n-'w hirth" astliou'jh it were synonomons with
spiritual reriovatitMi, — hut maki-s ihem huth i. c *'re;^'eneration" an<l
"renewitief," in their rfi-spccfive places, essential to salvatiofi.
Fron) tii»'se ditierences of opinion, therefi)r»i arises a v<'ry natural
iiKjuiry, — what ih]litnte i'lca diil the inspireii writer desiLjn to con-
vey hy the j»!irfisc "washinij of Te'^iMieiation ?" J)iil lie assume
that the new hiith here linked to haptistn, was identical with that
Work of the Spirit, wliiiih in the sentence imnu!<liately succeeds it. ?
Or, does tile fact of its heitiL; mentioned separately from, and sub-
sequently to, retieneratioii, compel us to preserve a distinction be-
tween thrin ? Or as the question may be otherwise <^iven; [a
baptism, accordinj^ to St. Paul's teachiui^, a sppci'il means of trrace ?
If so, is the ;frace which it conveys spii'itiuilJ And if spiritual
(seeiuL,' the siniu.'r, in his natural or birth state, has no liff within
himself, or capacity to receive ^riac(,', nor can have uiitd he find ic
in Christ, into whom he is admitted by baptism, (Gal. iii : 27 ) is not
the grace then received actually, — that new life or "new birth," which
l)y the Apostle is styled "regeneration?" The solution of thi«
question can pro|)erly be fi)und only, *
First, In the authoritative lanijuage of Holy Scriptun;. of which
the passa<4t^s which are most explicit, are lawfully interpreters of
thosi; less clear; auil— -
Secou'lly, in a propei- under.stan<Iing of the doctrine of baptism it-
self: i. e of what xs, exsent'idl ov noii-es>^eiitial to its etiicacv, as an
oidi nance of Christ.
1st. Tiik Warrant of Holy Scripurk.
Now taking the words of St. Paul to Titus, in the obvious and
ijjrammatical sense, i\n whicb it was natural Titus should receive
themj it cannot honestly Ixmi "'ireii that, to his mind, baptism was
an office simply pre pari if ovy i . . ^vJn^equenf act of "j'egeneration."
St. Paul .says not by "washing," /// ot'iler to regeneration ; or by
"washing" and rege)ier<iflou, by the "retu.'wing of the Holy Ghost."
The contrary Keems rattier *'^e cast;, for the connecting |)article {*ue)
effectually N'nrrs the ofHce 1. ascribeil to the S.i(;rt!d Spwit in re-
newing, from that which is spoken of in the preceditig clause of
the sentenc( So that, in eti'ect, St. Paul keeps th(Mn diMinct, not
to the exch i of the Spirit's intlui'rice in the work ol" th>i "new
birth," but '. e jiin.'servation intact, and as a nfftirrafe ofti ,<), of
that "r(!newiw_, which follows in the sentiMice. As to the effect
proper to baptism, this is spoken of in immediate, and, as it were,
necessary connection with the means employed — as though, by
* I say "onlv" — l)e(ausc' the Church, whether in primitive or inolerii times, is
not the sourco or foiindaiion,— but the DiviiielyappoiiUed keeper and interpreter
of truth. Her testimony will appear in another place.
Divine a|»|>oiiitini;iit, the blesNiii;^ wa.s indivisibly united lu tin- act
of "wasliing."
Af^ain, — in the P^pistle to the Kphesians (V 25, 2(5) the sanio
A|»«)NtU', speak inj^i^eneifillv, and theret'ure in such manner as all
ini^lit under.stand, makes this |ii»inted declaiation : ■'C.'ini.st lnved
the C'AarcA, an<l ;^ave Him.ieir for it, th«t He mij^dit sanctify an»i
ch'anse it with (by ) tlie washini^ ot* watei- by ( in) the word"
{T(fj MiOT/iifj ii' (irjfiuTi,) Here the objt ct of His love is distinctly
Htateii to lie "the t'kaich" niid the means of iis rlt-ansin;^' "wasliiti;^
of (l'tlt.1'1'.'
It is true, a constiuction has been sonietinn-s |iut u|)«)n "the
word " which would set ni to obviate all necessity of attacliin*;
efficaey to baptism. If has bf»'ii so rendered as to Miynit'y Christ
Himself, the incarnate Wokd. But. not to arui"' that such a n-n-
deriujL; is liarsh an<l unnatnral,amountin:(,in fact, to this-C'hrist loved
the; Church, and yave Himself for it, that He ntit^ht save it ... . by
Himself, [an al»solute tauiolou^y,] it s enoui^h to meniioii that the
(jieek term, in this place translated "word," is not /op>-, tiie secoml
Peisoii in the Clodhead, oi- — as it sometimes siiiuities, the ^^ospel or
doctrine of Christ, l)ut /'yz«, which propeily means a si'utence, a
commantl, or appointment, and in this CfUim ciioii, (ioubtless, that
paiticular appointment or ordinance wliich natuially associates it-
self with Z(fj /.ouTfXfj or "the washinj;." Taken in th's sense, which
properly, is the correct one, the expression ii/ fTj/i,, i clearly sets
i'oith ///(«< wliich, throuwii the meiils ofi'hiist, t^ives etlicacy to
bapti.^nl — vi/., the divine appointment ov authority, by virtue of
which i'a|)lism l)econies a sacrament ; — while, at the same time, the
jiariicle "with," or more c(»rrectly, "by," [xafiaocnac rep /M'JTtnv] un-
equivocally determines the iiices.saiy concomitance of "water" to
tilt icceptinii of th»' spiritual blessing;'.
But luiihei — the same conclusion i.s attainable, not ^imply fiom
othei- similaiiy plain texts, e.^. John iii : .S — 5. Acts ii :.*{7 — >VJ. <Jol.
2 — 12. ICoi. X:l — 11. but liy collation of jiassaijfes less diit-ct
than these. In the Kpisile to tin- (Jalatiaiis, ( iii : 27, 2.S,) the Apostle
writes, "As many of you as have been ha^ttiztd info (Mnist, have
put oil Christ ye are all one itt Christ." In 2 Cor. v: 17,
howevej-, he establishes this C(tncIusion, 'If any man be in Chnat,
he is a luw ciiiifoir; old things aie passed away," etc.; which
"passin<i away" and absolute leiiewal. cannot Ijv any means, apply
to the evil pioptiihit ns and indweliiuLj coiiuptions oi' our nature,
since these n main, ami aie afterwards nctit'r , ( Rom. vii, and Art.
Any Chh. ix. ) evt'ii in tliost- that aie re^fi-ntiale: hut rather to
that tiansition from Ueaih unto life, which is characteristic (»f the
"new liinli.' l''ol it the "ui'W iieatuie," here alluoed to. does in-
deed imply the absence tit <i/l furnni lusts aiei passions and the
ejciiuxiiM' indwelliiio of things belnniiinn- ttt the Spirit — then, no
one who has not attaiiied to the hnjlusl sia<^e of /(i>/i iii\s,s, [ a siaio
of peilection not claimeo [Biiilip iii : 12, l.Sj even \>y 8t. I'aul him-
self, ) is jiroperly a "new creature," or n-^t ni rale, aiul the baptismal
blessing is made a6.su/ /(^^ s<indific.tiliini, a fonelusi.in imf sustained
by Holy Scriptures. i)n llu- ctmiiaiy, vNf know that being "in
Christ," foffothtT with the instant ami ru'Ci'SMary oflTict. new cn-ation.
dii»'.s 7ioi sti|)|)()so lODiph'ff v}(tnil rotiovatioii, innch Lesn /ifrft'cf ><>n,
as th<' ex|»<'ri(Mic«' »)t" the (} ilatiaiis, (juiinthians, niid .sum'- of the
ApnstU^s, testitit's. The ehaiiLjc, thorcfon', whicli IoUkws ii|i iii liap-
tism must ho h'Hs that) this retifwiii'j;, yet not h'ss than ih" |iissiii<r
into a new stat«' of heiiig. It is hcinj^ in Christ, ((iil. ii : 20. the
hi-inrj hroiiirht into a new covenant ri'latioti to (i nl ; flic |»ussfssini^
wi»hin US His "sjtirit of life "(Rom. viii : 2, !). ) i li<' lieiir: i| 'lekciu'd
to receive an<l prntit by the (rracf of (rt.l, of which in mu- natural
or hirth state we are ineapaltle, ( 1 Cm. ii : 14; ) in short, the Iteing
in our spiiitiial capatritie-;, n* horn tVo-n ni »ral Icith
in further support of this position, it may he oV)seive(l that as
there is l)n'r "one Ixxli/" an<i ''(tm> sph'ity so hy haptisin, ( 1 C^or.
xii : 13. ) we are all aihnitteti into that one hoily, ami ma<ie to
<irink of that spiiit. 7'A^//. therefore, which tie' Apostujie t'jiristians
ai«' known to have receivecj, hy admission "into Christ." ( (Jal. iii :
27.) ujay l»e r(!asonahly assiinieij as the lilessin-^ common to all suc-
ceediriL; Christians, viz: — ' flic sfiirif of itdopfioii." a new filial re-
lation t(» (}o(l, wherehv they (and conse(pieiitly. we j call Him
*'Amha, Father." — in otlier words, "/v n-erjeration."
Many other pas,saL,'es of Holy writ, corrolioralive of this view,
iniicht l>)> adduced, (tor which see 'Sacrament of Responsibility' />fw-
ftiin,) yet we will cite but one more, and that one is takcMi from
tlu' Iio(»k of Acts, chap, xxii : 1(5, in which St. i^nke thus s^dves the
commanil of Ananias t(t Saul — Ananias, it will be remembered,
admitted Saul into the coinmunion of the Church of Christ — "And
now why tarriest tiiou f Arise, and be Ixi/ifizi'il , and iiuink aivay
■th jj niiis, calling upon the name of th(> Lord,"
Kiinlred to this is the instruction of St Peter to the Pentecostal
Converts, as jriven in Acts li ; 37 39.
In these as in former quotations, an intimate connection is seen
t<t subsist between the external act, atel the internal or moral effect
of this "washin!^,'' — an etlect, in these instances, umpiestionably,
made a consecpience of that ordinance. How far it is a ner.e.Hxary
consequenct^ will be seen shortly when the doctrine itself of bap-
tism is considered. Suffii^e it here, that wertMnirk the similarity of
expression us(;d by the inspired penmen whenever they toucti upon
this subject, and their evident ajtfreementof opinion as it re»^ards its
«jtiritwU ett'ect. ,
'2 The Doctiunk.
F'rom the testimony of Holy Scrif)ture — above briefly quoted —
the mind is naturally led onwards to an incpiiry into the doctrine
(or, in other words, the reasonableness, the busls, and the ndiure )
of sacramental "new biith."
And here, as a first principle, it may be observed that, in the
economy of grace, whether Mosaic or Apostolic, no m^'ilmte, ordi-
vance, or institution, by which man isadmitted to communion with
•Ood, has, or can have, more than a relative necessity of being. It
holds its place, and serves its purpose, not because it possesses An
6
iriht'irnf virtiw! udrthv of. or Hnit»'<| to, its office of aid iiii,' >>r saviriij
tlu' Houl ; hiif lneaiis»' tli»- (In-at H<'a<l of tlu- ( 'liurcli lias scmi i^'cml
to «'stal)Iisli and (|iiHlity it as a eliaiiiiel nr means of Ljiacc ; and 'tis
this «'stal>lislmicnt alone whicli makes it availiiii; to its apjiointed
end. Tliis is true, as well of th<iseacts in svliicli (he lieiitt is exer-
cised, as in those wluch are hut outward and visihle, or even inenriij.
Take e.<.f., |irt acliinu, wideh >|teaks to tlie juMLinient, or the ;icl of
heru'Vin;; that which is preached ; ueithei' of iht-.se can claim in-
triiisic power, morally, to impress, or to rnnke iinpre.ssiidi availiiiii ; *
neither can ae('oinpli>h aii<,dii hy itself They seive metelv as the
Huliservient msti nnn nis i.f a higher- pov\er, and that power- is of
God. All-sutticieiicy is from Him, whom it pleases, hy the foolish-
ness of preaehiiii;, lo >ave t 'se that heii.v<". ,1 Cor. i::il.i 'I'he
same may he said of all in' ■ ■>*, vehicle.s ni' ai.;eiieie.>s (»f yrace, from
the Chnich herself, considered as Chi'i.st's orujanized and visiU
H|rent, ( Hph. iii : 10 et al. ) on earth, to the lowest ordinance whu-h
charaeteri/es her-. Nothiriij is p«».sse.ssed of i iil ri hhU- value ; nothing
can, of it-^clf, henetit or save.
This admitied. an important conelusion f )llows, wliich may Im of
use in this iiKjiiiry, .sr/7. — that it is an reason ii hie in man to r<Ject
any mediate a<;ericy which is hy authority, ih'clarc^l to 1>" ctHcacious,
and to convey hlessini'. simj>ly hecause it ha« luti of itsrif, ii<.,'nity
f)r power forth// of its ojpir And if this he applied to our ai'^u-
nx-nt, th(^ iid'ert-nce mu>t he C'.nvincin;(, fjiat. ahlio' tli<' mere
"washing' of water" as such sim|»ly, can possihiy have iio etl'ect upon
the soul to chaniic its coiiditiofi, yet this same washin<,', when or-
dained and Messed of (!od. ^ in fact , appointed as a means to a
special I'lid,) may nad il y roncty to as ijriicr, and oerom fdish to
the fall, bhat which the Divim- "mei'cy' desii,Mied to woik hy it.
The as.iumption of a x[n-r'ial grace, as cou.secpient on !ta|)tism,
however i^ratuitions or unwarranted it may seem at Hist si^ht, loseji
nothiii'; tVoin the consid«'iation that every ordinance of (}od
has its piofter ttfve, arid In-nerits peculiar' to itself. Thus, e.^;.,
preaching iias its place ami purpose ; pr'ayer is also single in intluence
and operation ; so also is the Holy Eucharist peculiar arid dis-
tinctive in its u.ses and etfects. Yet all these ma}' heoFlKN nitrated
because the henefits which they insure, to wit, faith, jiistitieatiou,
and s[iiritual aid, are open required. But haptism is moie sin^^ular
than these. Jf may not he repeated ! why this ne«j;ative, unless it
be that the ^raee which it conveys can and need, he implanted in
the soul l)Ut once ; that il« olject can only once he attained ? And,
if the inquiry may he pressed further, — what grace is there, ( if we
exce|)t faith, justitication, and spiritual aid,) which, pidpeily suitin|^
the character and time of the baptismal act, can he ascrihed to it,
unless it he that life, that new being which pr-epai'es and lays a
foundation for all suhse«juent. graces ? This much, at least, will he
evident, viz, that the henetit of haptism is not merely external, or
to external |)rivileges, but sinritwxl, atf'ecting the hooI, and this so
peculiarly that it may never be repeated. Were it otherwise, I.e.
to iiMTe outward ••(•••U'sijistical ptivilt';^»',s. or acoss to nin;i.iis wliieh
(tH'fi a possibility '»♦" nttaiiiidjj tu '^racf, — tlM'ti. tvrrv secession fioin
th»- < 'li'iicli w-iiilii .!t'inaii'l a i<'|M'titioii of the nif, on flu- pt'ivorf's
riMiistat«'iiit'r)t in his form, r |>laf«'. A iiractice tH-vt-r y't oliHcrvtsl
or jMrmiitrd in rhf CliriHtian ('liurcli*
In additioii to this it may In- note I, that tlM-vi-iy 'I' imnt rtn|iIoy«'<i,
watti. in tlif a|>|>lii-at ion htic muilf ot if, is s|._Miifiranl ot" llic < Jl't-ct
whicli il is (ltsi;^nif(| to work. It.s |M'fnliur proptMty is to irmove
driilcnuiif.- tVoni any l>o<ly to whicrli, iti '•wasliiii;^'," it is applit-d.
And in a sacrannrit it is tMiif't sst-dly 'an ontwjiiil sij^Mi" nf some
"t It iranl mill sjinit iKil ifruir." Now, to appn ciatc this cM'tct or
oijfct <»r Itaptism. it slioiiM I'c nincmltt'U'd, that tlu're is no moral
iiiiptdimi nt ( ot which tin' Script iin-s makt- mtiiti in j to oiir h»;inLj,
fvcn Ity i.amial hirth, childivn oi (J«id, as Adam was, ( Luke iii;
3h ) — aiMl thus heirs ot' His l.lfs»,inLj and protcclion, lajt this (»nc,
r/ /I, sin del ivcd from sintwl parmtauc, otherwise called 'original.'*
And this sin, or lathei s'mfuliiisH. ( Art. ix. ) is not [j't'ilt. hm simply
a "c«»rriipti.in oi- taint of nature ." ati impurity iMijUeathed to us ami
inherent in us. This irimiveJ — 'Wv liefome a^ain adinissihie to
Covenant with (lod, and l>\ c-oveiiaut "children,' and children of
grace, inasinuch as it is hy the mercy oi <Jid. we possess this priv-
ilege of n-iiistateinent to the |)ivine favor.
if theietore, there he any conj^iuitv ln-trteen the type and its
ant i-ty pe, Id't werii the "uutwaid sij;n" and tin- inward heiiefit
bhoiild there not also he a suiiaMe correspondence in th«ir respective
woi kiiiL.'^ and I'tiects ' And \\, prtor to hapHsm, it be admitted
that iheiite is si.rnificant of "'spiritual wa>hinL,'," "'.Ay, afterwards,
bh"uld it i>e denied that such washing has taki;n place (
To atlmit the lo;,;ical seipience. in this place, is to admit the doc-
trine of lia[itismal, oi sacramental, "neir hi rth' 'f-
A farther proof is to I'c found in the Kun^tiiKj 'Or hasisi, of the
Ufn>stt>lic<il cDinniissiun, "Go ye . . . . <//>*(<'/>/f' all nations, hufilLsin;/
th'M) ....... teach iii}^' them." In which commi.ssioti, (in the words
fiaHi^zvjttv^ l^a7:Ti^£tv, iiidaoxeiu) three facts are plainly set forth, viz.,
that men mi^ht he fiiscipied (which implies eoz/rr/'s/'o//) from .Juda-
ism, or id'ilativ, to the faitli ot ('hrist, who. nevertln-hrss, rcipiiie I
b(i/ttisin ere they could he admitted into Him; ami that (thinllv) ,i
full discharge otChrisiian duly did let immetliat.ely follow, inasimich
as t.he haptised yet needed iiistriic;:ion. IJaptism, evidently, servi d
to initiate int(» Christ tho.se who were already converts. If, thei''-
I'ore, the Itein;; iniiiateu "into Christ' inpli(!s no more than a(lini->-
sion to oiilvvard ( 'hurcli fi'llowwhip, then haptisin, heiiij^ void .f
"spiritual I'enetits," cea.ses i<» he a svmh<>l or sacrament. Itbecooi -s
Merely a viaticum t(» communion with man, not irith Chr'tHt. Hit
if to he '• in ( 'hrist" is to We a " in'.ic creature ;" if the hoiii;,^ a Chri^
tian involves a iiciv relation to Uini, a pi».sse8«ion of the Spii it.
* The practice of the Novatians is not in point, since they, in re baptizing, ,is-
sumed ihe invaliiiity of the baplinn. as by the Catholics administered.
•f If such cleansing be at all atiinitlt-d, it must be a cleansing from original ^in,
since infants who are eligible candidates for, and subjects of, baptism, have no
"actual sin."
(Run. viii:f>,) and, tlicrcfon', hciirsliip with (^hrist, (R >iu. viii : 17,
tln'ii this c!lall;^'»^ aixi these hetiefit.H, must he inwroui^ht, ere a legiti-
ijutte chiiiu <M»i t»(f iiiHtituted to the title Christian — a title certainlj
conferred and secunMl by the ordinance of baptism. " For as many
of you as have been huplised intoChrij^t, have pat on (Vinnt
yt' are all o//^in Christ .Jesus." [Gal iii :87, 28, comp. 1 Cor. xii : 13,
on the won! "-.no."— Eph. 1 : 22. 23.]
lint, not only the wordinfj ^ti' this commission — the a////'ori/y,
also, from which it emanated ar;^ues the spirituality of th<' l)a|>ti.smal
etiiet. Foi'. in wliatever way we hold the will of the Triune (}(ui
to intluence man. whether collectively, or otdy as individuals, by
baptism, incorpoiated into His (^hurch, t':e influi-nce and effVct of
this (fill must operate (li/rfenhly with, the cluiracter and ofjUcea of
e<(<li pcraoii in the a lorable Ti inity. Tlu' ^^ather, e.i^.. docs not ren-
der satisfaction to Himself, the Son does not mediate or intercede to
Himself, the Holy Spirit iieith»'r satisfies nor mediptcs, l>ut oidy
vivifies, .sancH ties and perfects those for whom atonement has already
been made, and to whom G<>*\ on His part, is reconciled. Tiiua
faeh I'erson has a separate office, and exercises a particular i^rac*?.
Now, this connuission to baptiz'', beiui^ i^iveu in the conjoint Nain«
as80*i(iti's. in the effect of baptism, the influence and acts which are
j)rop<'f fn ('iit:h PevHiyii in the Trinity, in the effectinij of human sal-
vation Ael since baptism, to man, is admission to the covenant,
V)\ which that salvation is insured, an<l therefore a strictly reliyioua
act ; we can hardly suppose that the beneflt conse(pient on the co-
hiit'Vt'st and co-dcthm of the Godhead, in the ordinance, can bft
otherwise than spiritual: and if spiritual — then such as, harmoniz-
i;ii with the phtn of salvation, involves the action of th" wh(de
Tnnity.
Till' niert' admission t<t ejrte.r)nil communion, (»r to the possiliilitj
of ieceiviiijj[ grace at some after-time, is not consistent with the iin-
pditanee and digidty here imjiarted t<» thi-» rite. The former in
" hix/ij (I'illiout spirit," and therefore dead , — th<' lattei' privileL,'e all
nien ina\ claim, even those wdjo are ino.st remote fnun baptism
liut in " regeneration' rea.sonabh' place is foun<l for all that has
bei n here assumed. In eflectint^ it the wlio'e Trinity is en;^a«^ed —
the Son making atonement, and propitiating G^d ; — the Father,
through the Son, receiving the sinner back to favor; — and the Holj
Olioat, in consequence of this reconciliation, certified and sealed by
an ordinance of the Divine af>pointment, rv-'iiixp'triiKi with life, th«
hiilierto deadened faculties of the soid, and rendering them capable
of grov\ th in grace, and in the knowledge atid love of God. Man
tin iicetorti. is "alive from, the d^dd," or, as St. Paul expresses it " a
■neir credture."
But supposing — for argumt iit's sak*'^ — it were atlmitted that bap-
tism is solely ai introduction tn the visible Church of (Mirist, doe»
this, in any way, detract frosn the doctrine in qtjestion ? Quite th«
ciMitraiy — that adndssion only puts the subjiict in a clearei light ;
since there are not tivo Churcht's o\' (j\\r'\'^t upon earth, (one prepara-
tory to the other,) but only one Church. "As tht^ body is one, and
liatli many members, anu all themi-ml)ers being many, a,yi^ otte tuxiy.
■m
viii : 17,
a Ii'tifiti-
certaiiilj
as inanj
)i. xii : 1.3.
uifhoriti/,
)a|)ti.sinal
iniM' Odd
liials, hy
•'ffet of
offices of
■< not rt^i-
^Tcedo to
Imt only
IS ahvaiiv
id. Tims
lar i^rac*?.
int Nauift
*'liicli are
iinaii sal-
covctiant,
• II tht' GO-
•', can be
inrnioniz-
h" wlidle
"'H.siliilitj'
h tht' im-
foiiiKM in
vil(>yr<' all
itisni
that han
MjrHirtMl ■
• Father,
the Hnlj
S(»ah'(! by
// liff, thft
1 capable
"1. Man
Hes it " a
hat ba|)-
rist, (loe«
^uitt' th«
er lijfht ;
propara-
one, aud
)tte body.
9
.so ALSO IS Chkist." And a;^ain, by one S/>lrlf we are all IxiptrHcd
into one hod// [R<»;n. xii — , 1 Oor. xii : 12, 13] Neither are Christ
and the Cimrch twain, but one* the seveial members of tlie Church,
by Spiritual bainls lyeiriL^ united to Him as " tlio Head," and them-
selves constituting^, so far as the body is conceiMed. [Pjph. 1, latter
part of 22. and vis. 28] " the fullness'. .f Him that tilleth all in all "
It follows, then^fore, that whatever (pialifieation is necessary in
Older to admission into this Christian (.hurch — oi- what is eqnh'n-
lent to if, ' into Clirist " must be imparted eitliei- /trcrionHft/ to, or
at the time of, such admission. Such qualiHcrttiof\ prior to com-
munion with Christ, consistently with Holy Scripturt', or the Arti-
cles o' the Churdi. (Art. xiii.) we cannot recoyruize. We are, there-
foie, driv,^) to the other conclusion, viz. : — that, however hi<^h or
p(>culiar it may be, it v.s'infuseil into Ids soul at the 7)iomeiit, and f>y
the ritr of odrnhfiiotrf into (^'hrisf
in view, then, of the fact that there is but one Church, the opin-
ions of those who oppose the doctrine of baptismal regeneration,
wh»Mi duly weigheil, instead of weakenin^' ad<l streuijth to its claims.
They l)elieve the " initiatory rite" to be of Divine appointment, and
nece.ssary to the continuance of a visible Cliurch ; in otlier words,
there can be no Church without baptisiu ; and they further assert
the neres.ntij of " regeneration," in onier to communion in ChristJ**
7n>j!itlcal Cliurch. Their thtories, on the ground of fact, contradict
each other; and admit of reconciltMuent onlv on the ground of " one
Catholic and Apostolic Church," in which spiritual communi(»n —
wheth»'r exercised or not — i- the ecpial privilege of ail. Here their
two-fold admission is abundantly I'ealizi'il, in th<' tnjo-fold priulleye
of h'i/>tiwi, i. e , external fellowship with bi'lievers, and communion
with Christ. And the synchrornsm involved in the idea, that " rci-
geiieration" supposes spiritual communion tallies exactly with the
truth of the doctrine now at issue.
By the f )rmer ot thtur conceits, however, they conccle a |)oirit of
no small imjiottance in the elucidation of th«> argum(>nt. Tiiey say
that men, by baptism, are admitted to 'he ponsihiiifij of hring sKivra,
but not to the salvation its(df ; and thus, unconsciously, tlu^y admit
the independence of baptism on ftlfh ; f«r faith, say they, saves.
* Holy Scriptures set forth but one body, the Church, which in the Apostolical
age. was unquestionably visihl,-. There miaiht be unworthy menribers in it, but
these were to be admonished, (Titus iii : lo,) and. if incorrigible, rejected, uttrrly
cast out, like the useless branch, (John xv : 6,) from the parent vine And these
were no longer of the Church. But ///////thus formally and judicially ejected,
they were. I'o other Church is ever spoken of or hinted at.
+ The oi)jertion, founded on the subsequent ((//>/></ 'v;//) lifc/i'/a.ttes.'i of Christians,
does not militate against the above conclusion. For although it speaks a just cen-
sure. — in its general application it goes beyond all warrant of truth. It is right t»
conclude that fruits of holiness should characterize those in whom dwells the "life
of God " Hut it is also right to remember, that God cotupclx no man to use " hi*
talent ;" and a talent it still is, thoui^h it lie buried in the tioth So soon, therefore,
as men presume to fix upon any degree of profiting in Divine things as the test of
man's having grace " in trust," they run counter to the Word of G(xl For, so
long as the principle of life be in a man, however feeble may ba the degree, he
cannot be said to be destitute of Christian grace. Nor have we authority for sup-
posing that this grace once given, is ever wholly withdrawn, save in the case oi
those who openly apostatize, or are wilfully reprobate.
10
Oil the t)tl.er liarnl, they assort that faith, in a«lults, is ahHolutdy
essential, since then; fulluws in theui " an inward and s|tiriiual
giace," i. t'.. a heirinnins^r of that very salvation wiiich, just het'oie,
they hail ah'>L'etiier dissoeicited fVoni this ordinance. Beinij unahie
to deny tlie eH'ect, in tins hitter cawe, they ascribe it to a t'lirtlier
cause, fdifh. It will l)e necessaiy, therefore, to ascertain whether
faith d'K's possess, t iiliertnihj, \\\tv in a distinction diawn IteLweeii
" means" and "acts," the wliolt' (jueslion r/t«.s/ turn upon this,) any
power ca|»al«le of [)ioducinjjf this tli'ect.
I.-i faith, tht II, an ixsvulud prt-irqaWUe to baptism ?
Answer: — To the inducing in t!ie lieart, of an adult a sense of its
necessity, (i. e., the oriiinanci,) and to tlie sul)duin;4 *'^ ihul carnal
enmity which would keep iiim from (,'hiist — it <« essential; Imt to
the efficacy of <iii;/ riwan^ which Ood has appointed, strictly sj)eak-
ini;, it is iioi ('sseiit'iitl* Thesi' imaus cannot receive anything' finiu
TTcdii. Their cpihlitications or Htness aif liom a higher, and uufail-
inj^ source. To establish this, no futther argument is necesfsaiy,
than soiiM' clear and pointe(i example, «jccurring under the immediate
appointiiHiit and direction of (iofl Himself, and sucli an exam|>lft
we have in Acts, ch.ip xxii.
Saul ot'Taisus, on his way L<i J)eniascus, to persecutf the Chris-
tians, is arrested in his course, and concerted to the faith of JesuS.
This conversion he hiiustilf ascril)es to tlie miraculous testimony
huine to the truth of (.-hristianity \\\ our Lord Himself A' ^ that
his conversion was sincere and real is sufhciently attested t, he
wou(ieiful change and Christian devotedness, ever after oliseiV{d)le
in his life and laiiois. From the nioineht. when .Ksus revesiled
Himstlf to 'aim, and those mysteiious communications — utdieard
(i. e., uol undi-rstoodj by his ali'rigiii d companion.s — found entrance
,to his soul, he assnineil a new character. He no longer coiiteinneJ
or breathed out threatenings against the follov\eis of the Cruci-
iied ; but. suliinissively, he bends to tlie direction of Heaven, and
being instiuctetl, he willingly acknowledges, and submits to, the
Hoveri'ignty of the once dead, but now living and exalted, Saviour.
Here, then is the exercise of an iindoubtcd faith, faith tounded
on the most uiKpiestionable and convincing testimony ; a faith,
which amounted to an admission of the truth, and to an humlile
obedience to it-> power. \'et to this faith no ansircr is revurn"tl.
It asserted no c«)nnection with the " new birth" of the l)eliever. He
was Convicted, subdued, contrite ! yea, more, for three days did he
(the canverted Saul,) in faith and prayer address hiiusell to Cod,
(Acts ix : 11.) iritlnnit cjpeiienci n<j the loiiged-fi>i V)le.ssing. That
blessing came at last; — luit when it did come, it was made eon^e-
queni — not on faith, but on the Divine " mercy ' in I)tii>tl.s7n.'\'
" And now, why tarriost thou i
* In asserting this, I do not, nor wouUI I, depreciate faith, God fcrliid! " For
without faith it is impossible to please Him, &c." But viewing the sul)jectfts an ab-
stract one, I am led to ascribe other olhces to faith — olTices of appiihtttdinf^ and
retaining, not of (omtnunimting, grace. And this view the non-exercise of faith in
infants, very much supports.
\ Chapter ix (of the Acts,) which stales the purpose of Ai.anias's visit, viz —
"Thai Saul might receive his sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost," says
e<l
T
lisoluttly
.spiriiual
ig u liable
I ruitiic!'
ullctluT
liet\V«.-fli
liis,) any
ise i»f its
at cai tial
1 ; lull to
\y sj)o.ik-
liiio' fimu
[111 iiutail-
iKCL's.sarv,
iiitiifiliHie
I (xainiile/
-ln' Chris-
)f JesL'S.
lestiiiKMiy
A- ' that
led i.^ ihe
>l»sei V{il)k*
"i rt'Vt'filt'd
— uiilu.'aril
1 fiiLi'ance
.'otitt'iimcJ
In- ( 'luei-
■aveii, and
its to, tlio
I, Saviour,
ii tiiiiiiiit'd
a taitli,
in Iniiiilile
iff.urnt'd.
tivvv. He
lys did lie
I tt ) (j lid ,
II U. Til at
iidt' fon^i'-
hiii>fls7ii.'\-
bid! "For
fci As an ab-
'ii /it/i>it,' and
e uf faith in
1 visit, viz —
Ihost," say*
.11
Arise, and be bii/ziised, and 'irash aicny thi/ sins." Acts xxii : 16.
But, settin*^ aside this exam|ile, it may fairly be a.-^ked — upmi
whitt (jruaiid can faitli elaiin tiiis nt'cessai v connection with the
Di\ine idl't in bai>tism ? Or, what do tlu- obicctors ''ain by advaiic-
iiiL' t'lr it such fi claim ?
What {k fdifh ! Can it, by any n-asoiiinLr. be otherwise consider-
ed, than as either an "</ or a rmuns, vehicle or instruiiifnt, of
fjfiacr ^
Snj)|)osr it to be an act; then, in order to ^ive it any necessary
advaitt;t<.re over " means," in the insuiMiej of spiiitual i^'if's we must
allow it to be either a xt'lf-siiffu-'ifnt oi' a hieiifuvioas act — one
which, inherently, of its own proper natuie, possesses soinethiiiLj
(hv that "hat it will) which, as distini^niished fi'oiii "washiuL;"
may challeiiH-e " icLjeiietalion" as its leiiitiiiuite i^siie ; all which
HUppositiorts ai'e directly counter to the tenor of Christianity. And,
b<'sides this, they involve the (to them) unforfinate contradiction,
that faitli is. at oie- atjtl the same time, a j^ood work, ami jiu essi-n-
tial f)n--ir(inisite to dl </ood works; i c, tiiat it is, to iiself, Ixtth
cause and effect. For which reasims, it is rejected by the xiii Ait.
of the AuLilican Church.
If, on die other hand, faith is taken as a " in*'./ /(,"*," the eiMpiiiy
8Ui,'^ests itself — Is it, as such, availinu' to spiritual ends, otherwise
than l)y the vull awA ordl mince oi God? And if its fassumed)
efHcacy is founded solc/i/ on this ordination, and the i^ood pleasure
of Deity may and does, im|iart a saving,' power to acts or elemenis,
which, in their o/c/< /*((/(//<■, have it not; tle-n, seeiii;; there is not
more con^juity between faith and regeneration, t'lan tliei'e is be-
tween baptism ami rej^eneiatioii, why is it more irasonable to con-
temn the act of " iVdsliin;/' than the act of " btdieviiiif ?'" Or, why
may m-t b,t,ptisnuil rei^ein ration be l>otli /losslhli; txiui tvne I
It is ol jcctt d here, that fciith is sometimes, in Hidy Scripture,
mentioned as precMlliii/ baptism.
AllowihL' that it is, w hat then ? Does this aft'ect the ar'nimeot ?
It merely proves that, in certain cases, e i^r, of adults, a persuasion
of the iieciissity of a moi'al chanL;e, must predispose men to apply
for it. It by no means touches the (Hjencif by wdiich reijfeneratioii
is effected. The dispu'e is not as to whether faith may not, under
certain conditions, be necessaiy to baptism, /. «., to brin^' one to it;
but whetheT' that faith has anythin;^' to do in the eflectim^f of rej^eii-
eration wImmi m<'n are once />/•(*//<//*/ fo it. So that, although it be
nothing of the necessity of baptism. Nor does it fix or determine the time, at
which the Divine gift was aclu:illy received. To be guided by the clearer and more
explicit text, in this case, is the duty of every reader. To act otherwise, were to
give up that which is expressly stated, on account of a (supposed) something which
is tiOi stilted.
Rasselas, chap. 48: — " Me who will determine against what he knows because
there may be something which he knows not is not to be admitted among
reasonable beings "
t)bjectors are "ery fond of pleading the case mentioned in Acts x : 44, 47, in oppo-
sition to the doctrine of baptism, as given in the Church Haplismal office We
will nvjst readily submit to their arguments, so soon as they can furnish us, in
any candidate for this holy ordinance, with such miraculous proofs of the indwell-
ing of the Divine Spirit as were manifested in Cornelius and his company.
" They heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God."
12
said, witliont mention of tliin onlinaiicc. " whosoevor bdifveth shall
he Hav<'<l," still the j)nsjti(iii now assnnioil remains nnshakon, for
this truth is elsowhore more ninph/HtfitvA, and the aihl 'if u)V.(d rnat-
icr points directly to l»ai»tisrn ; in fact, exj^ressly asnures us that
the a^J'ncy to which that faith has reference, is " hy iixifer and the
Hohf Gliofif ;' by water, as the appointed visible medium, — by the
Holy Ghost, as the active, (»fficient cause
It is to be seriously laint'nted that men are not <»f " one mind"
on this deeply important subject — this radical lioetrine in the
(Miiistian system. Their ditfenMices of opinion, however, are not
charnjeable aj^ainst the doctrine itself They spriuLT rather from a
n)is-a|'prehension and mistise of theolorrical terms on the part of
those who differ from u^. The plan of salvation is ilifiniii' and
(lisfiiicf in all its jinrts. The (.'hurch would pres(^rve that distinct-
ness, by caicfully aitachinLj to each act of j; race, that peculiar char-
acter and consequence which ri'ditiv belorii's to it — not coid'usini''
the effect of the Divine woi-kinu;, by mis-r('ceivin<jf ret^eneration for
Conversion, or either for justitication. That they have been thus
mis-received and confounded cannot be denied ; for such, unhappily,
is the case still.
One man, e.uj., believes that the term implies no more than a
mere " chanij;e o1 station" — althou'jfh very fifth' examination miujht
have satisfied him that, in this interpretation there is nothiti<j: found
of the essence, (or, essential meaniriLr,) of the word. Foi', as a coin-
jtound, the idea conveyed iti its simple, must — in some kindn'd
sense— be iterated in its duplex form. The above interj)retation
conveys no such impression.
Anollier man construes it in such a way as to include within it,
not 3nly a chan^^e of station, but a moraf chaiiLje ; and not content
with this, hoMs it to exp?'ess,also, iVw^ rerjijiaiflov a,u(\ stfujiflshinrnt
of the heart in all i^odliness ami truth. Here, the meanini» of the
figure has been carried out in a moral change — the eipiivalent to
new life — l)ut inst«'ad of restinj.1 satisfied with this, other conse-
quences of grace, not end^odied in the term " regeneration," have
been suj)er-added to the tigun», and this a.ddition to the truth, by
destroyingthe exijUisiteness of its outline and character, serves but to
mislead the mind, and make it conceive wrongly of an AU-wlne
Ood.
The one interpretation falls Ahnrf of the scriptural doetrin<'; — the
other goes /rir hcifoiid if. Tl'e first admits that onlv which mav be
Mtyletl an " accidental" of regeneration ; the second, couples with it
the sulisequent acts of " renewing" and " sanctifying," Against
the one, the words of our Lord, " born of luafev and of the Spirit,"
may be urged as a sufiieient correction ; — -the other carries its own
refutation with it, if it beoidy remember(»d that the work of salva-
tion is a fhreefohl act, or rather a process divided into three mark-
edly distinct ac^s : —
(1.) That of vivifying or restorini; to life.
(2.) That of rectifying the pow<Ms and faculties thus revived ;
and
(3.") That of stnMigthening and purifying them <t.ffer they have
been reduced to order:
lit
• •votli sliall
shaken, toi*
'(Hill I maf-
ps us that
tcr and the
m, — by the
()n(» mind"
M«> in th(i
IT, arc not
her from a
ho |)art of
fill if I' and
at distinct-
luWm char-
confiisin<r
eration f<tr
l)een thus*
iitihapi>ily,
)]'(> tlian a
,tion miLjht
hing f<»un(i
•, as a Coni-
ne kincired
erpretation
p within it,
(lot content
(thliskmoit
diiy of the
ivalent to
her conse-
ion," have
=> truth, hy
I'ves but to
n A 1 1- wine
irine; — the
ich mav be
)h's with it
A'^ainst
Jie Spirit,"
ies its own
•k of salva-
hvee mark-
< revived ;
thev have
And further, that these three acts, in their very nature, are essen-
tially and necessarily separate, one frijin the (^ther — the one follow-
iiiij the other, in regular and appointed order.
That, e.g., cannot be rectified which is not in being; nor can the
impress of beauty — the beauty of holiness — be afti.ved to that which
is all confusion and mis-shape. To expect, tht-nfore, of the second,
that which should ehuracterize the thiid, must be incoii.sistent ; and
eipially inconsistent is it to reipiiie fn.m the ///w^ (regeteration) ihat
uhich belongs to the others.* Now, t(Mit"e/'.sdo/<, justitication ami
sanctirication, are workings (or, if you please, »'rtects) easily dis-
tinguished fium " re!4t'neration," by ihr fact, that they art- the privi-
lege o/i/// of mans iiudiLie. ijcurs; whereas the baptismal Ifenerit is
the privilege of uitants; who, being incapable t)f actual sin, can
have no guilt from which to be ja.sfijieil ; and for the same rea-son,
no need oi con irrsiun. In infants, tlu'iefore, this beni tit must lu- a
Divine grace, taking i>rt:ci'i fence, in point "f time, of all i»iher effects
of God's Sacred Spirit.
It is the /i/'.s^ even as sanctification is the last.
Before Concluding this (the 1st Part) of the subject, it may be but
fair to anticipate, and put out of the Hi-liI, another soinewluit popular
error, viz.: — that Spiritual life and religious action, l»y the system
of Chiist, are co-instant in the regenerate. This is not the fact.
Holy Scri[»ture gives no warrant for such a l)elief. On the con-
trary, it ieach»'s us that a " talent" may be fully given an<l received,
and yet prove attcrli/ lin^trnil actice. (Luke .\ix:!i(>.; Its being im-
planted, infused, or inwrought ill the soul, is an <jii>ir<tid«'et\\;il'\t
will, or mufst neetls, be ripenetl into lioliiieMs of life on earth, or per-
fected into life eternal.
As the pi-inciple of life in an infant (newly born) ^'.•gues not,
necessarily, the exertion of either physical or moial stren^^th,
altlioiigh, if theie be no fatal himleiunce, l)oth will follow in their
pio[)ei season ; so the mere possession of S[)iiitual lite requires n<)t
nece.ssarilv, the outward manifestation (»f ir, although, in tiiis
case, too, proofs of its indwelling will show themselves in due time.
And as, in the case (»f the iiilant, an hundred ills tuay impede the de-
velojiiiieiitof this hidden principle, and cause even death to follow ; so
may the young Christian — the new bom — be hin<lered in his moral
growth \<y sin, and even tlespoiled of the principle of life itself.
Yet the ijtnii uuiij exist where the ijrou'ffi. hds itot taken place; for
growth, strength, and activity are only accidents of birth. And as
thes'^ result fV<»m coiicurience with, and obedience to, natural laws
aiul can only in this way be attained ; so are good works depeiuli-nt
on Conformity to a xpiritaal law — the law of Christ ; nor can they
be exhibited .save in pioporiioii to this conformity. Hence it fol-
lows, that the ecidences of Christian growtii and strength (whether
we take the liuddiiigs of promise, or the fruits of faith) are not, nor
* " By ret^tneration we uiulerstaiid a spiritual chatn^e ; by conversion, a spiritual
mo7e»uiit. In regeneration \\\>ix^\% ti poiver conferred ; conversion is the exercise
of ihat power. In regeneration there is given to us jl principle to turn ; conversion
is ii\x\ actual turning. Regeneration is the act of God ; conversion, the act oj man,"
(prompted by grace). — A". C, Dillons Sermon, Jan. 41A, 1624, I'ulpil Xo. 38.
u
can lie, coeval with the "new l.irth" — an«l if not coRval, they must
Ite nonKequcnccfi, an<l hsmich, distinct from the baptismal j^race.
This tlien is the ai'Ljumcnt from ll<>ly Soriphire, and from ri^ason,
in snpport of the tloctritu^ of baptismal re^'cncration More than
any other it suits the weakness of nian, anil niai,'ii!ties the " mercy"
of (nir God. It empties man of all vain conceit, deprives him of
merit even in helievint,', ijives him no room for gloryiti'^, save in
those "infirmities," wjiicli constituted him fif to he the suhject of
such grace; — while to the KIiil: Eternal, Immortal, [nvisilile, even
tlie Triune God, who in this sacrament of His mercy, deiirns once
more to Wreathe into man the ' breath of life"- unfo Him is ascribed
all ylory in the Church, by (!hkist Jesus. tlirouyfhout all ai^'es.
And niay that Church, while ovei- the renjenerate of 1 cr Heavenly
Lord, she offers prayer and holy supplication, that their i^ood beijin-
nin<^ may be piospered from above, and that they may b^ strength-
ened by His spirit in the inner rnan ; — may she. comuKMiding them
to His grace, liave evej cause to icjoice that, by the indulgence of
that God, it has been permitteci to hi-r to believe, and through be-
lieving to be saved by, "one baptism, for the remission of sins."
SECOND PART.
1 1 ■•'
(\
The argument from Holy Scripture, and that also which founds
itself upon honest criticism and reason, have (so fai) been advanced.
But, perchance, the |)roofs adduced, howevei- satisfactory in their
characterto impartial minds, may still jiroviMnconclusi veto those who
come to the encpiiry with pre-conceive(i views, or whf) receive the
teaddngs of inspiration through a party-colored medium.
Men, in this age of .^elf-mpiciencij, differ in their views respecting
the doctrine before us. Kvi'iy man lias hisoK?/< " private inteipreta-
tioQ," (2 Peter i : 20,) his wn view of " mysteries," his own system
of deciding upon the' " welijhficr niafters' of Christian faith and
obedience — for both are involved. They forget that "evantrelical
truth" is not the peculiar or exclusive jtroperty of thf last three
centuries. It is the common heiitage of ('hristianity. It has l)een
transnntted to us — hande<I down by members of the Christian Body,
who, in point of tune, stood nearei- to the Head than we do.
Can we then act more wisely than to refer our difficidty to the
judgment of those who 'vvei'e liefore us," and e([ually with us,
" mend)ers of Christ," and compaie with each otlu>r, and with our-
selves, the testiuioines which have been recorded by them, on this
n(»w Controverted point. Surely an Ai'bitAM", which spt-aks from a
general and compr<'liensiv(! exjteric^nce, and which embraces evi-ry
age, from the Apostolic to the present, may — without injustice — be
fieemed sale, and well (pialified to pass sentence. And if, l^i'vond
this, that arbiter's unvarying testimony relativt^to l)aptism, through
all aws, harmonizi'S. both with the atuilogy and text (»f the Sacred
Scriptures, and can be traced, continuously, up to tliose days in
which the fdAujht of the Apostles wei-e themselves teachers in the
Cimrch, then, to such testimony, it were vain to oppose one man's
judgment, or the mei-e dicta of one i)arty. Coming, too, from times m
, tliey must
^race.
roni i-oason,
Moce than
lie " rucrcy"
ives him of
W'^, save in
>. Sulijt'Ct of
isilih', even
h'iijjns once
is ascribed
ai,'es.
r Heavenly
;oo(i h(!^in-
H^ strenijth-
ilirii^ them
iiil;j;ence of
htoMii;h be-
"sins."
ich founds
advanced.
' in their
those who
eceive the
respecting;
nteipreta-
vn svstem
faith and
^'angelical
last three
. has l)eea
ian Body,
:lo.
ty to the
with us,
with our-
n, on this
ks I'rom a
:!('s every
stice — be
, bi'yond
, through
le Sacretl
<lays in
rs in the
ne man's
times ill
which this (juestion (]>aptisnial regeneration) was not agitate;^, s\ich
testimony must act without jxirt'iallty, and render equal justice to
disjtutants in this.
Such an Arbiter is the Clnu'ch, in hor character of " witness" for
the iruth — of whose evidence, however, it must be pivnnsed, that
it is not necessary it should come to us in words a^ comment on the
Apostolical writings: — it is enough if thry are j>rf)fessei|ly based
iipon tlie ockiwivledtjed prdctice an<l received doctrine of (christians,
at the timi'S, respectively, when suph evifUuice was given. For it
.should be remembered that the doctrine and practic" were not the
result, but the cau.s*' and foandnfion of the New Testament Epistles.
What, then, is the judgment of the Church ?
Ker evidence — f )r convenience sake — uiav b*- divided into
(a.) The testimony of t,he primitive and Ajxistolical ages;
(b.) That of the early champions of the Rtdoiined Anglican
Church ; and
(c.) That contained in the " Book of Common Prayer," Articles,
etc., which, from its present (»bligation, may be called the testimony
of to-day.
And as the truth is one aw] immutahle, these several ages of the
Cliurcli hould profess one and the same doctrine. They should
agree with one another, atid with the written word of Christ. Do
th<^y thus agree ? Is there this hai'raony among them ? We let
them spcdk for fhemfielves.
(a.) The testimony of the primitive and Apostolic ages. Did
they recognize — and (much more) h-'Jiere in the " new birth" as
consequent on baptism, or — as opposed t > their teaching — is it one
of the novelties, which disturb our peace ?
First, then, we have before us ./</,.s//n Muriyr, who wrote A. D.
14<(), onhj fovtii ijea fH <ifter the time of lite Apostle Si. John. In his
second Apology, |)resented to the Emj)eror Antoninus Pius, he thus
speaks of the ordinance now under review :
'• W(^ will relate in what manner we d«Mlicate ourselves to God,
l)tMng renewed in Christ, lest by omitting this, we should appear to
act unfriirly in this account. Whoever (ire per^iuaded* und helieve,
that those thinij!^ arc f rue. (uhlch (ire t(i>i(jlil dad said by uh. and
promise to lire ((.(jreeoJjly to Ih.em. (ire instructed to projj, <ind dsk
God with fistinif the remission of their f )riner sins then they
are led down by us to a [)lace where then^ is water, and they are
reyenerdted in the same manner as we onrsclves were reyenerdteA ;
for they are washel in the name of the Fathei-. and Lonl of all, and
of our Saviour Jesus Chuist, and of the Holy Uhost." [Justin
Martyr, Apol. 2, p 1)8 ]
What importance he attached to this washing, and in what sense
lie received it is sufficiently ajjparent from a sentence which iin-
iu<Miia'<^Iy follows— "for Ohrist sdid, if ye be not rejjenerated, ye
shall not ent(!r," etc., etc.
* Those who prefer the original to the tninslalion — or have not Justin's work at
command — may satisfy their curiosity, as to the italicized portion of the extract,
by referring; to a note at the bottom of page 656, Vol. i, Hooker Ecc. Pol. Oxford
Edit. 1S43.
10
I '■
Now JnHtiri, we know, was n'rnoved fnxii the Apo.stle liy only
one link, mo that his testimony may ahin»st be calluil Apostolical.
In it howfver, we rin«l two important admissions — 1st. That, in hi.s
<hiy, the eMVct consf(jU(.'nt on baptism was <ieeuie\l strictly Hpiritudl ;
and secomlly. That this opinion was not confin.'d to li breasts itf
a tew, but was the commoidy lecfii'ed belief. [See, Hls<»,'rh('i>p|,ilus
ot Antioeh, to Autolycns.j
Next in succession conifs Ircneun, l-'.ish<»ii (-t" Lyons, A. D. 17^,
the disciple of the veneral)le I'olycaip, who was Cunteinpuiaiy with
St. .lohn. His evidtiice, in substance, is the .same as that of .lust in.
His woi'ds are these: " ro'j fio~zcano.zo^ rjjc ti^ rov Heou
dvayewiauo^ x. r. /." [the baptisn» of iryciieiut'ion htirurd (lof/.j
The Spiritual »tKcacy of the ordinance is hej-e plairily niaiked, the
|)hras»' beitii^ — not c^c txxh^crcaii, toward tlie (Jliuieh, but fi/c '^'^'•v,
toward CJod.
After him Mp»>aks 7'f'/-^<///c(7«, Presltyter of Carthage, A. D. "HA).
"The waters," says he, "are made the sacrament of sanctitication,
invocato Deo," etc. And anain, "Caio aiiluitur at ti.ninni emascu-
letur'." I 'The Hesh is waslieti that tha ftoul may be uncarnalizt'd ]
Tertul. de Carji, Resuncc. cap. 8.
Then follows (Jrlgen, of Ale.xandria, A. D. li.'JO, declaring tliat
even " jiarvuli baptizantur in rfrnti^sione f)ectatora7it." ['little
children are l)aptized unto the rendssion of sins."]
Cyprian next, the celebiated Bishop of Carthage, A. D. ii4H, to the
same purpose:
"A baptismo at(jue a gratia nemo j)rohibetur : (pianto ma^is pro-
hiV)eri non ilebet i iifa us ad mmissioncm [x ccatorn ::i acci-
piendam hoc ipso faeilius accedit, (juod illi rendttuntur non j»ropiia
sed alieiia peccata." ['From baptism and from ^race no one should
be withhelil; mucii less shctidd an itdant be kept back from receiv-
ing the 7r7//i.s'.s7'o7( o/ .s'(t^«, which accrues to it the more reaiiily,
since to it are remittal, not peisotial, hut forelyn {I.e. oi'lyliud or
derived) .s<7y.s.] Epis. Ixiv : p. 158.
Nor is Cyprian without du(.' support, for we find it asserted by all
the fathers of the Couiicil of Carthage. In-ld A. D. 21-9.
"Aijua sanctificata ahluit peccata," ['water sanctified ( i.e. conse-
crateii ) washes away sins J ami again in their sixth canon : *
"Placuit de ini'antibus, ([uotics non inveniuntur certissime testes,
qui eos baptizatos esse, sine <lubitatione testentur, ncfpn; ipsi sunt
per aetatem idonei de tiaditis sibi sacranuMitis respondere al)S(pie
ullo sciiipulo eo> esse baplizandos, ne ista tit^pidatio eos faciat .S(»L!/(r.-
nientuiam puryatiofie privari. ['It pleases us, as it regards infants
— that soofleii as witnesses are not to be found wlio can, without
* ; iUans, A. L). 251 They assumea the name Kutiajioi, { pure,) and
obliged such as came over to ihem from the t;eneral body of Christians, lo submi^
to l)e bapli.:ed a .seco/n^ tiine. For such deep root had their favorite o()inion con"
ceriiing the irrevocable rejection of heinous offenders taken in their minds . . that
they considered baptism, administered in those Churches which received the lapsed
tc^heir communion, even after the most sincere and undoubted repentance, as
absolutely divested of the power of imparting the ''remission oj sins." There was
fill diffe rem e \n point of docttine between the Novatians and other Christians."
Mosheim, Ecc. Hist , Cent, iii, chap, iv, sec. 18.
ill
tie hy only
A|)ust()li(;al.
That, in his
/ HpiritUid ;
I breasts of
, Tht'uphiltis
, A. D. ITS,
poiary with
it of .f iisi in.
EfC Tou fieou
iiiird. Gixf]
ijiarkt'il, the
III ere *^cou,
V. D. 2C().
nctitication,
iiKi ciiia^cn-
icainaiizt'il ]
daring tliat
n,:' ['little
. 24,S, to the
nia^is |»io-
'jrii;:i acci-
lon |)roj»iia
ont' should
voux receiv-
i"e rcaiiily,
u'iyuKiI or
ivted by all
i.e. conse-
n:*
<inie testes,
■ ipsi sunt
eM't' al»s(|ue
iciat .SdCid-
nils inlants
It. without
and
IS, to subnii^
opinion con"
inds . . that
ed the lapsed
:pentance, as
There was
Christians."
17
doubtfulneH.s, certify that they have been baptized, seeing they
themselves ( i.e. the infants) are not competent, because of their
age, to give assurance of their reception of the sacraments, — that
without any scuiple, they be bapti^'.ed, lest this vt-ry uncertainty
( trepidatio ) cause tlu-m to be deprived of the cUansliiy of the
sacrament. Con. Caith. Can. G.
In the next generation, Easih'ma, Bishop i»f Cesarea, sets forth
the doctiine of his day, ( A. D. 81.5. ) and his ti-stiindii}' is to us the
more valuable, as it constitutes part of a solemn protest, against
what was then det ined a here.^y by the Church.
'"Homo per acpuim liaptismi licet a toris idem esse videatur, irdua
tanu-n <iHus ifficifur cum peccato natus, sine ftecciUu reiKiscilar ; *
prioribus perit, siux deiitibus proficit ; tleterioribus exuiiur, in
meliora inimvatur; persona tingittiret natavd ncatatur." ['ultliough
a man ( who has passed ) tliiough the water of baptism may seem
outwanily the same man, inwinlly, however, he has bec.jme
anothei' ; born with sin, he is nyeiterafid trithoat sin. To his
former state, he dies: in that which succeeds, he thrives; — he i.w
stripped of the lower and the worse : he is clothed upon with the
new and the better ; his person i.>s batlie<l, his nature is changed."]
Euseb. Emis. de Kpi|)han., Homil. 3.
A few years later, ( A. 1). .S+M, ) Cyril, of Jerusalem, denominates
this (ordinance, as '' Tzdkcfyivzffia '/''>»;f)jc," ['The regeneration of
the soul.']
OptatuK, Bishop of Milevi, in Nunudia, (A. D. 370,) is still
more explicit, — "Renascentur spi ritual der Deo. Sic tit hoiniiiuiu
pater Deus, saucta dt Ecclesia mater." [They are ■'^pirdt.udly re-
born to God. Thus God becomes the Father of men, and the Holy
Church their motliei-. ] Opt. eont. D(»n.
Doubtless, by this pa.ssa^e, he believed that this two-li)ld relation
to (jTOti and to the Church, vs'as secured by the one act of baptism;
and that the grace which constituted him a son of the Church,
made him, at the same time, a son of God. He expressly .says, "he
wa born ag.iin to God, through the agency, i.e. as a mother — of
the Church."
Contemporary with this last witness wrote the celebrated Gregory
of Nazianzen: —
xac d'jva[j.cv, oo xon/jiou xazax/.ua/ibu (o; ~d/.ai, r;^c <5£ tou xad ixaazov
^puitzia^ xdfta(j<7ii'.^ lY^uoaa."
['The word recognizes in us three generations, (or births,) that of
the body, that by tiaptisDi, and that of the resurrection. That
which is hy hapti.siu has (or exeicises) grace and power, — not, in
the deluging of a woild, as of old; but, in this case, in the paryiag
away of individual sin "] — De Sane. Bap. Grat. IfO ad init
* Compare Hooker, Ecc. Pol. lib. v. c. Ix, passages beginning, respectively,
"Baptism is a sacrament which God has instituted," down to "newness of life"—
and, a little further on, "For, as we are not naturally men" — to — "maketh us
Christians."
B
« 1
18
I fc
AVmut thf» aaint^ timo, /?'Wj7 the (jrioat, of Oa^narea, adjoins thin
toHtiinony: — *' ^'/'J ,'<"' ^"*^i' ^" ^UTtre^na.' ['Tlie begiruiirji^ to
mo of life is hapt-isin.'j — 1)< S/>irit. Sane. Gap 10.
A few years later, (A D. :J7k) J m '>/*(»»«, of Milan, propounds the
same doctrine: — "N'mho,'^ — says this celebrated Bisnop — "ascendit
in n'i^nuni c;eli»nini, nisi p>'r sacranientnni haptisnmtis." ['No one
ascends t(j the Kin.,' loin of Heaven, Have hy the, SiMi'dny.nt of Bap-
t'lHni.']
After him comes An^Mistine, of Hippo, (A. D. 30S :) "Baptisinnra
vtM'o (piod <Mt saeramentnin rfiuilxnioi)}x pccci forum, etc." And
further: "Nos piscicnii secnndnni lyH'ju nostrum .Itjsum Chris-
tum, in a({ua nascimur." ['Tiuly, haptisni wliich is the sacrament
of the remission of sins.etc. — "We little fishes, accord iui; to /A Til VS
our liOr<l Jesus (Jhrist, are l)oi-n in wate,r.''\ — Bop. lib. vi:3l. And
again, still m )re expressly; —
"Baptismuni tpiod contra ori<jhiale. pncc.iiiiim (ionatum
eat, et (juod generatione attractum est, regenerafione detrahatur.*
['Baptism is that which is i^iven aijainst (or to moet) oriiriual sin, —
so that that whicli is derived to us by generation may be removed
by re(jenerii('u)>i."]
Fntm thcise words, there surely can be no doubt but that Aui^us-
tine, (and before him the Christians of A. D. 37 4-, ) hehi the essen-
tial spirituality of the baptismal beiu'tit,, since that rite was re-
<jai'(led as the sacrami'nt for tlie remission ot sins — (sacrainentuiu
renjissionis peccatorum) — and the si<^n and seal of rhe"new birth"^
"in aqua nascimur."
The testimony of ^.Vi/\y.so.<?^)?n, successively Bishop of Antioch and
Const 'Mtinople, is of the same <iate as that of AuL,'ustine ; — the one
expi<!s.iing the doctrine of the East, the other, that of the VVestera
Church. Here agaiti, the spiritiiallfy of the baptismal i^race is un-
equivocally maintained.
'^ boTo) xac mva TO fiarrvKJua Ixxdfla'.ozTa: auaovnuara nsra novofj
TtoXXo'j x(u xatiaTivi."
And, if we atlvance a little furtlier — ^in the middle ol the fifth
century, we fiml PmsptM', of Aquitain, inculcatin^j; the same belief.
"Neque credi fas e.st, eos qui rej^enerationis non adepti sunt saera-
mentnin ad ilium beatorum pertinere consortium, etc." ['Nor is it
lawful to b(di(^ve that those who have not received th(j sacra-
ment of reijfeneration belonij to the society of the blest, etc 'j
And in another place : —
"Una est nativitas de terra, alia lie c;elo ; una de carne, alia de
Spiritu ; una de aeternitate. alia de mortalitate ; una de mascnio et
femina, alia de Dim) et Ecclt;sia. Sed ipsae duae sin^Milaressunt; quo
modo enira utero non potest re|)eti, sic nee baptisinas itevdri."
['Tiitu'e is one nativity of the earth, another of heaven; one of the
liesh, another of the spirit; one of eternity, the other of mortality ;
* Oonpare Ambrose and Augustine wiili Hooker Ecc Pol. lib v., sec. 6o. be-
ginning at "If Ohrist Himself, which giveth saWation," down to "means for their
baptism;" also, with "Quoniam in potestate Dei est prater ista hominem salvare,
serf in potestate hominis non est sine istis ad salutera pervenire," (Hugo de
Sacramen. lib. i. cap. 5.)
adjoins this
)t'(ritiuin<j to
•pounds the
» — "ascendit
['No one
■mt of Bap-
BHj)tisrnnm
etc." And
"iuin Cliri.s-
sacrainent
i:2l. And
I <ioriaturn
<M,rahatur.*
final sin, —
e removed
^t Ani^irs-
the essen-
J was re-
ranienfcuiu
V birth"—
itioch and
; — the one
' VV(istera
ace is ua-
itza Tzouofj
the rtfth
fie Ifelief.
Hit sacra-
'Nor is it
he sacra-
aha de
asculo et
itmt; quo
iterari."
le of the
irtality ;
:• 60. be-
i for their
n salvare,
[Hugo (le
11)
one of male and female, the other of O )d ami the Church. And
thesf are sin^'iilir in this resjx'ct — that as man cainot bf bi>rn
attain in the womb, so neither can baptism be repeated.'] — Prop
beaten., 33 1.
We now come to Oregori/ the Oreat, Bishop of Rome, (A. D. OGO.)
from wliost* time, down to the "lleformatiofi," the doctrine of bap-
tism rt'mainiMl unchariLjed. Hn coiis(!(|ii(!ntly will be our last persotial
witness. In perfect harmony with the evidence alrttady ad(]uced,
he '^ivi'.s his jiidijmi'nt :
"SacramtMitum tvs/ per (piod sub tej^imento rerum visibilium divina
rittis sifJateni Hcrrrfiiii* operdfur."
['A sacramtMit is that by which, under a coverini,' of visible thin^jH,
a Diviiitioj'dinance the more secretly works salvation.']
VVc have thus traced the testimony of the Churcli from A. D.
l+O, down to the days of Grci^ory of Rome. W(; have seen that,
in all its parts it has a decided beariu'jf on, atid in behalf of "htip-
tlsni'd rrijenerat ion" Ri-vert we now to that period, which connect?*
Justin Martyr, our rirst witness, to the Apostles themst?lv(!s. The
chain is unljrokiMi and i)erfect, so far as we have e.Kamined it ; let
us add the one link which must inakt^ it complete, and unite in one
bond and oni* spirit, all the witnes.ses on this point, from St. Paul
to the "R.'formation."
That link is furnished us by the Kpistle of li'irnahai^, the fellow
Worker of St. Paul, and himself an Ajiostle f ide Acts, xiii : '2, 4,
comp. xiv : 2, 14-] in tlie Church of Clirist. ai section lo, of that
Epistle, we h ivt! tnis passage;
" Wt' are led down to the water, full of sin and pollution, but come
up ajjain bcariiiLf f)rth fruit — havintr in our hearts the fear and
hope which IS in Christ .lesus, by the H )ly Giiost." — [Apos. Fathers,
Wake s translation.]
In this passage, ('tis worthy of remark,) the Apostle does not re-
gard it as an initiatory rit<» or passi)ort to external |)rivileg<'s, but
sfr iff/ 1/ a^ a uhr,in<, of I J race to f lie .sv)/i,/,^as the apj>')intel agency
for transmitting to that soul thu si^ed of a "new life." He makes
no mention of any prior efficacy of faith, but simply declares, that
the candidate's wentdown into the water "full of sin," and as simply
asserts the chanufo wliich, by this sacfamcnt. had passfid upon them.
"We come uj) again bringing forth fruit etc., etc." Tlius theckanje
was inwrought, not before, nor (ift)'r, but at the time of loasJdtKj. *
*The baptism of Constantine the Great. The Emperor deferred this rite till,
what he believed to be, the hour of his death, — in the belief that "baptism would
save him " He erred — not in his appreciation of that ordinance, as designed to
convey "inward grace," — but in his heart forgetfulness of what should character-
ize faith Had he possessed a true faith, he would never have deferred obedience
to a command of Christ. If, therefore, he was not regenerated, it was not because
God's institution failed, or was imperfect, but because, as an adult, he was Jis~
qualified \.o be benetitted by it.
The case of Theodosius, [Sozomen, lib. vii, c : 4| of whom Gibbon says, sneer-
ingly, that he "ascended from the font, glowing with the warm feelings of regfnet-
20
I
After they "went down," aii*l l>efore they "came up," even while
they were in the water.
Here, this portion of th»' evidence iniyht .safely be closeil, for, if
the .lumeroas quotationM which have been adchice*! are not .sutfic
cientto rt'inovr the imputation that rei^etieration by bapti.sm is a
noveltij, no multiplication of testimonies wouM have that rtfect. It
may bj; permitted, however, to advance (nic, furtlicr imiof, in cor-
roboration of this ar<,nam»-nt, U) which it would Ite hard, fur eren
2))'('jit(/icc., to object. 'Fas est ab h<»ste doceri." The honesty of the
Church is doubted, even where She simply declares her own doc-
trine. A Bisliop, or Priest, or Historian, is set aside — accounted
incompetent to i^ive evidence, even on a (piestioti familiarized to
liim \)y the hal)its and duties of his very ottice — simply because he
haj»pen« to be a Bishop or a Priest.
\Vell — what will the objectors .say to that which to the same
j)oint, proceeds "ab hoste {" Fr<»m on** who was a determiiieil foe,
not only to Bishops and Piesbyters, but to Chrisdanilj itsilf '. from
one who was interested in thwarting all the plans, purposes, and
teachinj^s of the Church ; will the "fas est duceri," from such a
quarter be admitted ?
Allow me, then, to intr(j«luce the Apostate Julian! (/ D. 380.)
who.se policy, and hatrt-d t»»ward the faith, would induce lum to at-
tack such doctrines (wdy as he knew mare generally cotdessed, and
coidessed as tsficntialx of the relajion. Bur, (asks the't)bjector) was
Julian iiuleed convf-rsant with the priiicijiles of the Cliiistian hiith?
H<! wax, most thoruinjltly .so! * It is known ( from Z izoiueii, Ecc.
His., lil). v. c : 2 ) that he wa.s l>aj»tize(l into, and brouj^ht u|> in, that
faith, [See also Socrates, lib. iii. c: 1] and, therefoi'e, in cord'oiuiity
with estal>li>he(l discipline, must have att-ended the catechc leal lec-
tures, which Were invariably delivered to all candidates for i)aptism,
even as the niystaii<»gicHl lectures were to the aspirants to tlie Holy
PiUcharist. And of these lectures, (in which he was retpiired to be
proHci(Mit, the tiist t/ut'e related ex|»iessly to the nature of the bap-
tismal ordinance, and its consecjuent <iuties.
Now, armed with this knowledt,'e connuon to all the bapti.se(i,
Julian attacks Christiamty and ridicules, as one, amoM>( the
pecidiar tenets of Cluistians, the doctiine of beiuL;' horn a new, l»y
the mere element of water in baptism. [Falter, Dithculties lioiii. vi^
The testimony troni the primitive aLjes must here close. It sjieaks
for itsel''. It i.-s ot a chaiaeter not to l>e li^hfly de.spised ; and [tro-
ation" — while it further asserts the i^enetal belief of thai day, in baptismal new-
birth, may also be treated like that of Conslwntine.
In his Decline and Fall. vol. ii cap. xx, p. 271, Gibbon, speaking of tlie notorie-
ty of this doctrine, A I). 338, says "The Sacrament of Hapiisni was supposed to
contain a full and absolute expiation of sin. and the soul was instantly ri-siored to
its original purity, and entitled to the promise of eternal salvation. CJibbon em-
ploys a wrong term — 'e,\piation,' — which the • hurch never ascribed to any but
I hrist Himself — &s 'man's alontmant — yet the doctrine of a spiiilual benefit is
strongly declared.'
* Julian himself, [Epis. 51, p. 434,] tells the Alexandrians ihui he was a Chris-
tian till he was 21 years of age.
21
c<*oHs fiom mo'i — tho last oxcopted — of intt'Ljrity, and illustrious
f>r their thon^nj^h ac(inaijitaticft with the truth. It is, luort-KVcr,
handed down to us by a continuous chain of testiniotiv, ♦^h"' several
parts (if which are lini\e(l most surely atul haruiotiioiislv tnirrthrr,
from the tiin<s of che Ajxtstles. "All speak tlie smui thin-, <ill are
perfectly joined together in t\w same miml, and in sa judLiuient."
Til" next step V»riri;;s us to
[Hj The testimony of the fiuily Champions of the HrformtMJ Ani{]i-
can Ciiiircli — whose doctrines, it is hut rea>on;ih|e to i-xpcft. shouM
a<Mee with thathehl hv the pi'iniitive ( 'liristians — for the rrsforafioti
<»f tli»' Chnrch to her orii^dnal |)urit3', was the profcsseif ohjict of
these Reformers.
In the acconiplishmont, however, of this L,n-eat purpose, they ven-
tured not to act witliout a |»i'oper an<l snttii-ient guidance. They
reverted to the earliest and purest ai;es of the faith, and, from the
doctrine an<l discipline then revere<l, took their stau'lartj of leforma
tion. Hy studious n'search, they familiarized themselv« s with the
wiiHnifs of those from tht; inspiration of the Apostolic a^je had
scarct'ly passed away. And these writi?i}^s, with the aililitional
satet;uar'l of H(ily Scri|)ture, supp''ed them with a model of p-jre,
perf'-ct and Apostolical Christiaidty.
As thi'ti, tlie faith of tlit» Reformers is. professedly, none other
tlian that "once fleliveit'd to the saints ;" — we are, in eveiy way,
jiistitit'd in reijuirini;- that it should harmonize with the doctrine of
the tiist aijes of the Church.
• • •
Befoi-e, howevei', their evidence is adluc*^!, and toi^uard a'^ainst
any imputation of singularity, or undue ottdcli nicnf to Romish
€n»>r, it may be |)ru<l<Mit to brin;;; in other testiincuiy, from ijuarters
to which, even t>y the most fastidiou> objectois, tio such suspicion
has been attached. We call to the bar, then, the Helvetic, Bel^ic,
Bohemian, aiul other Churches.
Isr, 'j'he Htdvetic :
" Baptizari est purgari a sordibus peccatorum et donari veri Dei
jjratia ad vitam novam et innocentem." ["To be baptized is to be
j)ur;ied from ..le impurities of sins, and — by the (Trace of the true
CJr<Kl — to be giV(Mi (oi' dedicr I) to a new and innocent life.']
Cojifess. Helvet. cap. 20.
^'Aicanum rerum syujbola non nudis signis, sed ftiguis aivDcl e
rehuft consftif.^' ['The secret, or hidden reality, of these things, i.e.
the symbol, consists not of mere signs, but in the very things them-
selves together with the signs.] Confess. Helvet. prior. § 20.
"Sacramenta constant verbo, signis et rebus sigidticatis." ['Sacra-
ments consist in word, signs, and in the things signitieiJ.] Confess.
Helvet. post., c: 19.
2nd, The Belgic and B ' mian.
' Sacrameuta sunt signa t syiaboia visibilia rerum internarum et
invisibilium, per quae ceu per media, Deus virtute S/dritus Sa vfi
■in nobiH aglt," ['Sacraments are signs and visible syml^ - >> thitjgst
22
■i
I
internal and invisible, through which, as it were l»y instninients^
G(td works in us, Vty the efficacy of the Holy Spiiit.] Confess.
Bel^,,Art. 3S., et item Bohem. Confess., cap. 11.
For the following extracts, the writer of this article is indebted
to the researcli of that scholarly and most amiable of men, Geijrge
Jehoshaphat Mountain, late LoJd Bishop of Quebec. With other*
of similar character ant-l conclusiveness, they niay be found in the
notes a])pended to his "Charge, deliveied to the cleigy," A. 1). IS^H.
"De Ba])tismate itaque contiteniur, id quod passim script lua de
illo praedicat eo sepeliri nos in mortem Christi, coagmentari in
unum cor})us, (Jhristnm inducre; esse lavacriim regeneratlonis, pcc-
caia ahliure, nos salvare." ['Therefore we confess C(jnceining Ijap-
tihUi that which the scripture eveiywheie predicates ot it, — that
we are l:)uried int(» the death of Christ, are glued (or eeineiitcd) into
one body, — j)Ut (»n Christ ; it is the laver of ngoicratiou, tn wash
away ^'nr sins, to save us.] Confession. Slrasliurg, etc., A. I). 1.j8().
"Et dati S|)iritum Sanctum in baptismo, adtirmat ad Tituni cum
ait ;• — Per lavacrum rcgoierationis et renovationis per Spirituni Sanc-
tum ; et in Joanne dicitur, nisi (piis roiatus fuerit ex aqua it Spir-
itu, nc^n j)otest intrare in regnum cadorum." And that the Holy
Spiiit is given in baptism is attijined wlit-n he says to Titus ; 'by
the laver of n'ljevri-at ion and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" And
it is said in John, "Unless a man be veborn of water and the Spirit
he cannot enter into the kingtlom of heaven] Conf Sax. A. D. lool.
"De virtute tt tfficacia sacri Baptismi creiio et confiteor, libt-ros
Lostios ci'uentae mi^tis Donuni nostri .Jesu Christi, o)itnla7)i
ejus honoruw quae Illemorte sua acqaisivit, paiiiclpes ferl , id(|ue
hoc modo, quod queniadinodnn. externum sigillum sacrosancLuui
sacramentum, nempe L'leinentarem a<[iiam a ministrt) veibi Divini,
extrinsccus in coipore rrcipiniit. ita (|Uu(pii! .slnial a (Jhristo Ipso,
epUKo il/iufi mvijuhie, in animabus suis, lioc est Interne baptlzan-
tur et per S. iSa')jc'/K''A/(i,de integro.seii, in )ioc(is creaturas regcneran-
tur." ['Touching the virtut- ami efficacy of baptism, I belirve and
I confe.s.s tha^ «iur cliil(hen become pai ticipatoi\s in the bloody death
of our Loril Jesus Christ, — of all the l)enetits which by His d<»ath
He purchased ; and this after the following manner — that like as
they icceive the ouiwanl sign, the Holy Sacrament, to wit, the ele-
mental 'Water, from the Minister of the Divine W'ord, outwardly on
theii' bodies, so they, at the same tinne receive frotn Christ Jlintstlf,
the virtue of His (»ut jioured blood, in their souls, i. fi.,they are in-
wardly baptized, antl by the Holy S})iiit ycgtticnitcd afresh , or —
into new creatuies'] Conf Fred, iii, Count. Palat., published A. D.
1577.
'Baptism is a saci anient of the New Testament, ordained by
Jesus Christ, //o/ o7//// for the solemn admissio'; of the party bap-
tised into the visible Chunh, but, also, to be unto him a sigit and
mal of the Covenant of grace, of his iiigraftiinj into Christ, of re-
geiieratioii, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God,
thn»ugh Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life." Westunnster
Confess. Faith, cliaj), xxviii, g 1.
23
othera
in the
, 18-t8.
"God of eternal truth and love,
Vouch safe the promised aid we claim,
Thine own great ordinance approve,
The f^iVi/ baptized into Thy name,
Partaker oj Thy nature make.
And give him all Thine image back."
Father, if such Thy sovereign will
If Jesus did the rite enjoin,
Annex Thy hallowing Spirit's seal.
And let the grace attend the sign;
The seed of endless life impart
Take for Thine o-wn this aijant's heart."
Weslkv's Hymns. — Hymn 740:
Couimei't is nnneceasary ! It could add iiothiug to the signiti-
cancy or force of the langimye quoted. Nor couUl we easily, in the
whole compass of the early writinys on thin subject, find the truth
more tersely, or with luoie clearness, expressed, as setting forth a
8'pir'daid benefit , than we tiiid it in the "Baptizaii est pnrgati etc."
of the above Confessions.
The disci})les of Jerome, of Carl, and Zuin^le, do not 7ww, it is
true, suVjscribe the articles 1 The march of "fiee incjuiiy" has phiced
a wide and unretraceable ^^u]) between tlie "liberti" of the piosetib
age and those venerable men, wlio — distrustful of self — dared to reg-
ulate theij- faith by a higher wisdom than that of man ; and the
gap, alas ! is widening ! The |)resetit age boasts itself free. It ap-
proves or condemns what it will. It owns no rule but self! It is
strictly in things Divine, as in thbig.s human.
"Nullius addictus jurare in verba niagistii."
[To no man's woid disposed its laith to bow."]
It acknowledges no King ! Be it so ! oidy let the consequence
of a like assuni|)tioii,"no King — but C.esar," [ie. nought but what ive
choose to hold as King.] speak some word of ivarniiKf, lest — as was
then the case — and as it has liappentni since, even to the descend-
ants tjf the Helvetic Chuich, — they |>roceed, even to the "denying
of the Lord whicli bought them." We return to
[B] The testimony wf the early Champions of the Reformed An-
glican Church.
I. We begin with Tindal, whose translation of the Scri[»tures,
into the English tongue, has embalmed his memory in the best af-
fections of the (yhiistian heart. In his prolixjae to the Book of
Lcvilleas, (printed with his translation of the Pentateuch, A. D.
la.SO,) treating of the Sacraments, as distiiiiruished from the "opus
operatum of the Romish Church, he thus writes ;
"riHiugh God make a promise, yet it saves none fit)ally, but them
that long for it, and pray Cod, with a strong faith, to fidhl it for
His mercy and truth ordy, and acknowledge their unworthiness.
And even .so our .sacraments, if they be t'udy ministere<l, pieach
Christ unto us, and lead our faith to Christ; by which faith our
Kins are done away, and n<Jt by the cleed or work of the sacrament.
For, as it is impo.ssible that the blood of calv(>s shoidd [)Ut away sin,
even so is it impossible that the water of a river should cleanse our
hearts. Nevertheless, the sacraments cleanse and absolve us fron\
2+
I
''I
oi<r «/»«, as the priests do, iji preachini; repentance and faith, for
which (U I am either of them were ordained.''
Now, it must be borne in mind, that Tiiidal is cnmhattin^ the
doctrine, then almost universally hehl, in the West, of "Salvation
by works." He denies spiritual efficacy to the "opus operatum."
Ht' admits of no inherent merit in the act of the communicant ; nf>r
does he allow of any intrinsic virtue iti the mere elcmevfx, or mat-
ter of the sacraments. All their efficacv he ascriV»es to the special
grace atid merits of Christ, which arc, to the <t<1 alt the immeciiate
object, of faith : — to the adult, foi' in the case of infants, who are
admissible to Itaptism, it is otherwise. Tlwji, (i. e. infants) are in-
caf>able of faith, aii'. if, in that sacrament fit suV)jects of Divine
grace, must l)e so altogether in<lependently of any act of their own.
M<tre(»vei-, Tindal is speaking i>f the (inctrine ot the sacrantents
generally,— to the second of which, the Lord's supper, none but the
intcdligetit believer should approach. Yet, even in this place, he
recognizes \\\(^ precedence of sacramental grace, before any |)etsonal
communion with Christ. "Then* preach Christ to us — and lead U3
to Christ." While, fuither on, he asserts the singular influence of
these "outward and visiltle si^'us," "in cleansinrr us, and absolving
us from sin" — "f >r winch caufie" lie continues, either of them, ('Hot
the L(»rd's Suppt'r otily.) vas ordained."
It is very evident, theiefnie, fVom the extract, that Tindal enter-
tained higher views of sacraments than coti'^ist with the vague
notions which some, at this day, both chei-ish atul defend. His
views are undisguisedly i>ox)t'n:e — not iiegative. He gives us jilain-
Iv to understand, that in tlieii- desi m and effects, he recnoidzed
nothing that was not strictly spiritual; that, in shoit, theii olject
was (no* the extertial discipline of the Church, but) the eternal in
terest and well-being (if tlie soul. And that we ar(» right in thus
speaking of Tindal, is abundantly certified by another passage in
the same prologue :
" As circumcision was a token certifying them (i. e. the Jews)
t\\».{ tticy were received into the favor of Cud, and O.q'w ^\\\h forgiven
them ; even sto baptism certijicd to us that we are wnshed in the
Blood of Christ, and received, into favnr, foi- His sake."
Children but eight days old were eligible candidates for circum-
cision, — infants as young were fit subjects for baptism, at the time
the aV)i>ve-giv(Ui woi'ds W(>re penned. Such infants could neither
exercise faith, nor perform intelligent acts of repentance or of spon-
sion. On the ground, therefore — the alone ground of God's sover-
eign " mercy" in baptism can Tindal's language l:)e understooil or
applie<l in the cases specified.
Crainner, in his Catechism — published A. D., lo-l-S, states the
doctrine in these words:
" Without the word of God water is wat(^r, and not baptism ; but
wh<!n th(! word of the living God is joined to the water, then it is
baptism, an(i water of wonderful wlLolesortie.nem, and the hath of
regener<ition." {» 101.
And ajjain, on page 182.
" The second birth is by the water of baptism, which Paul calls
faith, for
fi')',' the
vilvatiou
x'ratuin."
ant; nf)r
or mat-
special
HiK^diatp
^^'ho are
aro iri-
Divirie
'ir dwri.
raiiients
•>nt the
lacp, he
»<'»sonaI
l<'a(i us
• Mice of
solvit I or
1, ^MOt
en*-er-
va<^'ne
I. His
' plaiii-
oi.jt^Ct
lal in
thu.s
ge in
Jow.s)
given
n the
cunj-
time
ither
pon-
iver-
><1 or
the
hilt
t is
'0/
dh
25
the bath of re;L,'eneration, because our sinf* he forgiven us in hipfisvft,
and the Holy Ghost is poured into us as God's behtved children."
" Throuf:jh baptism in this world the body is washecl and the soul
is ivafihed \ the body outwardly, the soul inwardly; the work is
one . . ." Vol. iv, p. 39.
" That doctrine is not to be suffered in the Church, which teacheth
that we are nnt joined to Chrisf by baptism." Ibid. j). 4-1.
Cnnteiuporary with Ci'anmer was Ridle/j, the most learned of
the P]iiL^lish Reformers. From a discourse of his on the Eucharist,
wiitteii in prison, A. D., looo, immediately before his martyrdom,
•we take the foilowine; extract :
" Fo)' the change of use, office, and dignity, of the bread — the
bread is indeed sacramentally changefi into the Body of Ghrist, as
the v'lift'r iv hapfi-^w is sacramentally changed into the fountain
of reijeiierntion, ami yet the natural substance remains as it was
before."
Riilley's works, Park Sue p. 12.
"The water in baptism hath grace promised, and by that grace
the Holy Sjtirit is given ; not that grace is included in water, l>ut
that grace cometh V)y water." Il)id. |). 2+0.
In the former of these i)assages, both in the expression " f >untain
of regeneration," and in the first clause — we have another evi<lencb
in ffivoi- of our general assertion. For, by the very wonls, as well
as by tile spiiit of the argument, both sacraments are placed on the
same grounds, and their effects are declared to be wrought by super-
natural erace, and through sintilar {i.e., material) au^ency. If, there-
fore, the blessing atten<lani on the Lord's Supper be spiritual, [and
Ridley says, the partakintr of Christ's body, and of His Blood, unto
the faithful find godly, is the partaking or fellowship of life and
immortality^ how much more ,so must he the effect o^ baptism Jrnn
the certain spirituality of which the Reformer argues in behalf of
the Eucharist For, in this discourse, the first sacrament, in its in-
stitution atid matter, is made the premise or key to his conclusion
respecting the second.
Leaving the age of .Martyrs, pass we over to the reign of Elizabeth,
and from a "cloud of witnessess," select the judicious Hooker.
" Baptism," writes he, [Eec. Pol lib. v., caj). 60 §2] " is a sacra-
ment, wiiich God has instituted in His church, to the end that they
who rt'ceive th" same, might thereby be incorporated into Christ,
and so, through His most precious merit ol)tain, as well that saving
grace of imputation, which taketh away all former guiltiness, as also
that infused Divine virtue, which giv'th to the powers of the soul
t\\^''\x first disposition toivards future newness of lifer
Again, ' Unless as the spirit is a neces.sary inward cause, so water
"wen- a necessary outxvard mean to our regeneration, what construction
should we give to those words, wherein we are said to be new born,
and that ic SrJa^o;-, even of water? Why are we taught — Eph.
V : 2(5 — that with water God doth purify and cleanse His Church?
Wherefore doth the Apostle — Titus iii :5 — term l)aptism a bath of
regeneration? What purjxise had they in giving men advice to re-
ceive outward baptism, and in persuading them it did avail to re-
mission of sins?"
26
And still tiKiie |)lai!ily . — "As we are not naturally men without
birth, so neither are we Christian men, in the eye of the (Jhutch of
Clod, hut by uew hiith, nor according to the manifest ordinaiv
course of Divine dispensation new bcjrii, hut by baptism xvliich both
declareth aud makcth us Christians" " 'n which respect, we justly
hold it to be the d{»oi' of our actual entrance into God's house, the
first a[>|)areut begin)iing of life — a st-al, perlia]>s to the grace of »'lec-
iiJn before received ; but Loour sanctitication here, a step Oiut hatk
not any before it."
Of necessity — so far as the ordinance itself is concerned — " a .>tep
that hath not any before it ;" no, not even faith ; although the ab-
Bence ol taith, in the adtdt candidate, pie determines his uujitiiesa
to be a recipient of grace. For, wheie theie is a capacity to a|»pre-
ciate the Diviue mercy in Christ, or the importance of the means
l)y which that mercy is conveyed, there God exacts all those dispo-
sitions which are involved in .such aj>pi'eciation — zeal, gratitude,
reliance, repentance. These acta, however, un man's part, add
nothitifj to the etlicacy of God's oidinance. Its place, purpose, and
working, are C(»niplete in themselves. Faith may be exercised, and
repentance may justify that faith, yet, standing at the' font — before
baptism receiv«i.l — so far as Un hle.s.^iiKj is coiieenieil, the repenUint
believing candidate, stands as wanting as he was before. He is
still " without" the covenant, still an " alien" to the Chiistian com-
monwealth, albeit ati alien appieciating its piivileges.and studying
confoiinity to its laws.
Chiist lias aiijiointed one, and only one door of admission to Hi.s
covetjant. lie has left but one rule, by which, in this behalf, to
judge of our own, or of others' initiation into His Church. And by
this lule we are, in (/uedience, bound. Our principles, our acts, yea,
our veiy charity, umst be confoniuible to His rcijuireuient.
But, although we are contiiusd within pre-tixed limits, and nuist
— in everything — be exercised ivUhln them ; God Himself hs not, of
necessity, so bound. It is possible He may, in cases of pceidiar
ditlieulty, or of ignoiance, save tvilhoiit l>aptism ; oi', it nuiy Ix- i.hab
of His sovereign will, He can save, under any circumstances, inde-
pendently of the laws and precepts to us given; but, for th's belief
i/y; hace no .saiiction in His revealed woid ; aiid, tlu'ietore, > c'ner-
ish such belief, still inoi'e to act upon it, cannot be other ihaii uiost
lUii^iXvvoun pn'suwptio/L Deut. xxix : !^!)
Hooker, it is true, has been cited b^ many as hohling views op-
posed to the tloetrine of iieces.saiy spiiitual grace in buptism. His
adnnssion of la} baptism, of baptism by wouieii, and even by ln-ie-
tics, has been const! ued into an aieuiuent, on his part, advei>e to
the dognui of baptismal regeneration — inasmuch as, by lovvering
the dignity, he seetned to lessen thi- efHcacy, of this sacied rite.
That which everybody can achieve, say they, can surely not !»♦' the
giving of new life to tlie soul, but ratiiei' a mere admission to the
visible Church. And again, children dying unbaptised, HooktT
deems eligible for everlasting life, tit candi<lates for heaveidy joys ;
bHptism, therefoie, cannot l)e the inipariation of that giace of new-
birth, without which none can enter the Kingdom (»f God.
w
til
v\
tU
ml
ml
til
r<l
27
^'^"jjch of
oiiiinary
hich both
^<' jiJ.-stJy
^"•^•^ the
•t t-'lec-
^'«/ hath
tlif ah-
I'jit nesa
' H|)|)re-
fntntia
' 'iispo-
ifiLufie,
t, (tc/^^
■'^♦', uud
<'. and
-before
'•niant
Ho is
I cutii-
t-o His
lie. to
Ml by
«, yea,
llllist
'>/, of
■uliar
t-liafc
'iide-
ulief
:iier-
ilo.st
"P-
Hi.i
ere-
j to
illir
i(e.
the
the
vcr
,'.s;
The latter objection is siifficieiitly an.'^wered by our Lord's own
express word=» (twice repiiated) John iii : .S, .'>, and bv the prc'^cedin:^
remarks concernini,' tlie "s(!cret thi til's of (Jod." (Dent. xxix.:29.)
Utiba))tised infants may, or may not be saved. We have no direct
authority, in (jod's word, authorizing us, in such a case, to say yea
or nay. We h'ave tliem to the All-wise, All-mt^rciful ! If salvation
be fi(>s»il)h' tt) such, must assniedly will they •Mijoy it, for God
" willeth not that any .sihould [»eiish " More than this no man ha.s
warrant to a.ssert with respect to the oth»;r objecti<tii — a careful di.s-
tinction must be ob.served l)etween the sacrament itself and the
persons who have the ministcrim.; of it. The ministration is not here
the (piestion. Takinii; even the la.xtist view, the oniinance itself re-
mains the same The sacrament is a thin^j, |)er .se. Men do but
minister it. And what it is in ifyieff, that nujst it remain, eveu
thouLfh it were [which, in our poor juilt^ment, it is not] lawful to
receive it at the hands of laics oi' women.
One point, howev(^r, is clear, vi/. — that Hooker t/oes reci\^iii.ze the
doctrine of neio birth in baptism, — and baptism as the Divinely ap-
pointed means of attain in;^ to the new hirth. Beyond this it is not
neces.sary to press his argument, since; this admi.ssion involves every-
thing,' essential to the truth at issue.
Arch-Bisliop Ijchildoii, may be next cited. He thus ;^ive his
" witness :" —
"— — -That baptism has a power is chiar, in that it is ■>() expressly
saiti, "it doth .save us," wiiich kind (ft' power is as clear, in the way
of it, he»e i-xpressed ; not by a natural force of the element, thouj^h
adapted atid sacramentally used, If can <»nly wash away the filth of
the body ; its physical power or elliciency reaches ni; fuitln-f ; but
it is in the hands of tiie Spirit ot God, as other sacrann-nts, to
purify the conscience, to convey ^'■/vja' and salvation to the 8oul, by
the referenct' it hath to, and aiiloih ivitk that ivh'nli it rfifjrcscnfs
Thus, then, we have a trut; accoutit (»i' this, and so of other
Haci'aments si<^ns they are, but jnore than signs, mtMvly repre-
senting,', they are meatiM exhlhitl n;/. ami seals coiijii'iiiimj, grace to
the faithftd" [C«miment 1 Peter iii : 21]
After Leit,'hton conu's Harroiv, fthe celebrated Isajic,) A. D. l(i.')2
—70.
In his tractate on the iloctrine of the sacraments, treatin*' of the
bles.siiii^ coiise(|nent on baptism, he speaks as follows:
"The benefits which God then signifies, an< I — up<jn due terms —
eni^aLCeth to confer upon us, ari; these:
1st The purii;ation or absolution of us from the guilt of past
offences, Ity a frte ami fall rcniimion of them ("the which, washing
bv water, cleansing away all stains, doth most appi»sitely represent,)
an<', conseijuently, (Jod's being reeoncded to us, His receiving ua
into a staff of (/rcu-e and furor. His fn^ely justifying us that
these benerits are cotiferred in baptism, many places in Holy Scrip-
tures most |)lainly show. Acts xxii : l(> ; ii : .'JS ; Hph. v : 2(> ; I Cor.
vi : 11.
" It may be demanded how childr,en, by reason of their innocent
age, are capable of these benefits ; how t}tey can be pardoritd, who
TMWn
28
novor offended ; hnw fhey can be justified, who never were capaV)le
of beiii^ unjust? I brictly answer, tha*' because they came from
that race, which, by sin, had forfeited God - favor, and had alienated
itself from Him ; because, also, they have in them those sins of
[)ravity from which afterwards, certainly, life contirming, (without
God's restrainiufy grace ) will sprout forth innumerable evil actions ;
therefor*! God. overlookinj; all the defects of their nature, both rela-
live and absolute, or p(M-sonal, doth assume them into His especial
favor, is no small benetir to them, answerable to the remission of
•actual sin, aiui restitution from the state consequent thereon in
others.
2. In bdpiUm, the gift of God's Holy Spirit is conferred, qualify-
ing ufi for the state into which we then come, and enabling us to
perform the duties we then undeitake, etc.,. etc.
3 W^ith these gifts is connected the benefit of regeverafion, im-
plying our entrance into a new state an(i course of life ; being en-
d(»wed with neiv faculties, dispositions, and capacities of soul, be-
coming }iew creatures and tiew men, as it were renewed after the
likeness of God, in righteousness and true holiness.
" Whence ba[)tism is, by St. Paul, called the 'laver of re-
generation'; and our Lord saith that, ' if a man be not born again of
water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God'; i. e.,
every one becoming a Christian is by baptism regenerated, or put
into a new state of life, etc. — "ye are all (says St. Paul,) the children
of God, by faith iti Christ Jesus";" i. e., by embracing His doctrine,
ami submitting to His law |)rofessedly, in baptism.
Thus clearly and forcibly speaks the leai'ned Dr. Barrow, a writer,
from whose ju<lgment on points of faith, few — if any — would turn
carelessly away.
It is due, however, to this ai'gument, to state, that an admission
of all the poitits, mentioned in this extract, as " benefits" connected
with baptism, is not necessary to the conclusion aimed at by thiii
treatise. For, whether all or but few, of these benefits connect
themselves with this ordinance of Christ is not so much the ques-
tion, as whether — in the opinion of the divines of the Reformation
— "an inward and spiritual grace" accompanies the outward sign in
baptism.
Next follows Pearson, from whose Exposition of the Creed, the
subjoined extract is taken :
'• It is certain that baptism, as it was instituted by Christ
wheresoever it was received with all (jualifications necessary in the
person accepting, and conferred with all the things nece.ssary to be
performed by the persons administering, was most infall ihly ej^eu'
cious, as to this particular, i. e. to the remission, of all sins committed
before the administration of this sacrament." [Ai'ticle, Forgi vt*nes3
of sins.]
Here — as in former cases — a distinction must be drawn between
the adult and infant subject of this sacied ordinar>ce.
In the one, certain <lispositions of mind and heart are, doubtless,
required ere he can be a fit candidate for Divine mercy. The habits
of sin and unbelief must give place to faith, and a desire after holi-
nesi-
mat
ed
and I
Cli
ificsl
act (J
cerij
ha>
seb
Thj
II-
mi
iapahle
le from
enated
sin.s of
'ithout
ctioii.s ;
1 rela-
pecial
ion of
on in
MS to
29
ness of life. And as God accepteth only according to that which a^
man hath, the adult bein<^ capable of uuderstandinij what is requir-
ed of hitn, must so believe as to do justice to the claims of Christ,
and so desire holiness as to submit himself wholly to the law of
Christ.
The infant candidate, on the other hand, has neither the disqual-
ification consequent on practical sin, nor the capacity to perform
acts of piety or faith.
The words of Pearson, therefore, so far as " qualifications" are con-
cerned, must be understood of adults, inasmuch as they only can
have need of such qualifications, or in any way so exercise them-
selves as to attain them.
Many other authorities might be cited, but these shouM suttiee.
The years intervening between A. D. 1.330 and the reign (jt Charles
II — to any reasonable man — should be amply sufiicient to deter-
mine what was the tloctrine of the Reformation.
Such then, is the te.^timony of the Reformers, the eaily cham-
pions of the Anglican Church — testimony possessing every e.ssen-
tial requisite to insure it a cordial reception at our hands. It is
clear and explicit, and raised on the imperishable monuments of
primitive zeal, sell, the recoids of Catholic antiquity. And that
the tloctrine, which is thus transmitted to us, is the doctrine of the
Apostolic and purest ages, is evident from the strict and undeviat-
in(j harvLony which subsists between them. Moreover, it is assert-
ed by these Reformeis, iu the same connection, to the same end,
and almost in the same words, as 't is set forth in the Holy Scrip-
tures. Where inspiiation draws a lii.e betv/een iharelative influences
of this Divine ordinance, and its properly essential efficacy, as bap-
tism, thei-e the /lefoi'mers are studiously cautious. They retail the
same distinctions. But where, in the Holy Sciiptures, the intimate
connection between the ordinance and itt^ spirit ual grace is declared,
there, on the other hand, they choorte ratlier to renounce the vain
conceits of human wisdom, and to follow, with humility, the sure
direction of theii' All- wise Lord.
This section of the subject may be fitly closed by the following
remarks, quoted from Bishop Jolly's address on Baptismal regener-
ation :
" Our lestoratiou from "death to life, from the death of sin to the
life of righteousness, which is called a new ci'eation of us, we ceuld
no more efiect, than we could make ourselves at first. To impress
this humbling conviction upon our mind, that in this, nature has
nothing to do, as being jterfectly unable to do anything, our Lord
bestows our new life, or second birth, or regeneration, by a Dicitiely
instituted ordinance, which has no natural virtue to produce such
anert'ect; but which He renders effectual by His grace, tU.xl He
may be all in all It is not, then, by nierit in ourselves, but by
means of God's appointment, that we first receive our right and title,
and constantly keep up our claim, to this high lelicity."
Vide, also, Bp. Jewel's Apology, part 2.
30
The preceding paj^es set forth the stronir and norvou'< lani^uage
of tlie Apostolical and primitive Fathers, as well as those of the
Reformation, in support of ha[)ti8mal rejii^eneration. It remains to
be ascertained [C] whether the (Church of EiiLfland -as a Church —
and authoritatively, as such — does, or does not, teach that the "new
V)irth" 1.9 efedoAl and insured hy baptism.
Our business, thereftre, is exclusively, with the eviilc.nce which,
from the ackrK)wledL^ed standards and offices of the Church, may be
adducible or\ this point. Which evidence, jn justice to the com-
pilers, and to the Convocajtions, which set forth these standards and
offices, it is simi)ly just to inter])ret l)y the rule which aj)pli('s equally
in all matters of written testimony, whether ancient or modern, to
wit, by the plain (tnd grammatiGdl sense of the words which they
employ.
Oi-, should there in any case be a difficulty, or possilih; aj)|ilication
of two interpretations, the one <liverse from the other; thi'ii — as
these compilers avowedly took for their models, the venerable
formularies of the primitive Church, we are boumi to receive that
sense of their words which best tallies with, atiil breathes the spiriu,
of tlie primitive age.
What then is the teachingof the Church, in her Common Prayer,
her Articles, her Catechisni, etc.
1st. Then, in the introductory a(Mress of the baptismal service,
we have a declaration, not only of the necessity of baptism to sal-
vation, (.lohn iii : o) but also of the benolit or end especially design-
ed to be wrought by it. This benefit is expressly stated to be such,
thit tnan in his voJural sfafecanvot <i.ffaiii to or possess it, "vhich
thing 6// nature he cuniwt hitve" — wonis whereby is meant for
more than mere external communion or outward pi'ivileges, since
all these, man, l)y natuie, can have, and thousands have had, who
from igiiorance or neglect, or other circumstance, have yet never
be(Mi baptised. It is, mor(>ov(!r, designated as a particular biMiefit,
"that thing," as if to mark the, al^solute Ofi'^n-f^ss' of tlu; grac*; con-
ferred. It is mentiouei], too, as a benefit which ensures membership
in the Church of Christ, — not in what some are pleased to call the
visiltle, as distinouislu^d from the invisible Church, — (which last to
them is the mystical and sacred " body" of the Lord,) but into the
Holy Church itself: and, therefore, into Christ ;t— and in Christ, not
inei'ely by outward profession, but as " I'lv el ij member s" lively or
living — which certaiid}' none, who are naturally dead in sin. can
be, until they are (juickened into life, or are new horn by the opera-
tion ot the Holy Ghost.
Evidently, therefore, in all these particulars, the Church sets
forth the highest and most sacred view of the l)aj)tismal ordinjuice,
— yet, were tlu'se particulars not so many, oi- so marked — still the
very fact of her holding as no unfit j)reface to the act of baj^tism,
that solemn declaiation of our Ijord, (John iii : 3, -5) which all allow
to be siginticant only of the new hirth, in its spiritual acceptation,
Would constrain us to admit that the blessing-sought was, not of
man, nor by the will of man, but — of God ; was, in fact, something
without which the soul could hold no covenant '-elationship to
Chi
not
tici
stil
ne\
no
mis
fro I
are
Gh
wh
o1
th.
tv
81
Christ, or ri'^htful h<tpf» of accoptanco arvl salvation. But, we are
not Itjft to one presiimptivn an^inntint, howovr stroag. Tiie par-
ticnlan above stated are express, anrl their sii^nificaiice b^'cotnes
still more conclusive when we reflect, that, placin:^ the dictrine of
new birth by water, at the very openinir of her ad'iress. the Church,
now on the point of employini^ wafer a^ the sacrament of man's a'l-
mission into Christ, seeks the blesninir proper to such a'lmission
from that "mercy" of Gd, according to wliich, says St. Paul, we
are .saved by the washing of writer, ami renewing of the H >ly
Gil' 'St.
In the prayer which imm "liately follows, w-^ fi'id the same viewi
which are propounded in the prefice.
1st. The SiUnatioa of N oali and his fa nily, and the s ife pai^fi-ifje
of the Red Sea by Israel, (to neither of which iocs an aiimission to
the rwre pof^i^ihlliti/ of (jraee stand a paralln*!) are set bef )re us as
types of our ''holv baptism" Now, in the cas(> of N »ah, the change
effected was evidently one from a world condemned to a world
restored; and in that of Israel, it was frotn the bondage of oppres-
sion to the gloi'iims fn^eiiom of a chosen anii fivored people.
V%'t these were ty}) vs of better things to come ((Jor. .k : 8 ; 1 Peter
iii : 20, 21). If tVien the typr» reveals itself in the anti-type, and
the shadowy foreshowing in the full and perfect r-^ality, when come,
surely we may exjiect.i/r //i-t^ /•« ci'Vy, a blessing orresp )n lent to,
only higher and more spiritual in cliaracter, than that which in
thi- type is made the basis of Ciiristian hope.
Th<' figures s]ieak of a work complete, — "ol<i things passed away
and all things bt>come new." Have we, in the " substance" to which
they point, a blessing — a j)res(Mit, perfect and abiding grace to the
soul, at all correspondent to the grace shown to Noah and to Jacob?
In the ordinary, but low, view of the baptismal benefit no such
correspondence can be traced. It recognizes no salvr.oion, no deliv-
eraTicc, no translation to a new covenant, no actual arel abiding
moral change, no ground for the assurance (I P<'ter iii ; 20, 21) that
th(( likti figure whereunto — i. e., the Church h\j Ijdptium, doth even
now f^iive a.t — much less confer upon us the grace of freedom, and
the dignity of sons of G » 1. Tin' doctrine of baptismal re-
geneiation, on the contrary, meets fully the deep si..jniticince of the
figures u 'ed, since, in baptism, it [)iofess>s to give us life from the
dea<i ; (Rom. viii : 2 ; 1 Cor. xii : LS,) makes us heirs of the new
covenant, an<i brings us into the lilierty of the children of God,
(Rom viii : lo, 1(), 17 ; 1 Cor. xii : 12, 13).
But more than this — theClmrch un-viuivocally maintains that the
intent of baptism is " the mtj^tiad w tfikinfj <Lway of.'iiii," and further
teaches us how, by the baptism of our Great Representative, the
second A lam, in the river Jor^ian, water became, by Divine appoint-
ment, an element consecrateil to this important end. Words so ex-
press can hardly be construed to mean only a change of station, as
opposed to a change of state. But if any will ho lurei^t them, what
think they of the declaration in the lu^xt prayer (bi^ginning " Al-
mighty and Imuiortal God") that regeneration is not the consequence
of remission of sins, but remission of .sins, in baptism, the cou.se-
32
«
queuce of regeneration? " We call uf»on Thee for this infant, that
he, coining; to Thy holy baptism, may leceive remission of his sins
by spiritual re<jeHeration."
That, certainly, which is "hij" another, must be dependent, either
absolutely or relatively, on that other. And although both, in their
respective places, may be of equal imfjcrtance as it regards man's
salvation, yet must one, in the oi'der of its operations, stand toward
the other, as cause towaid effect. In the judj^^ment of the Church,
therefore, it is evident that a spiritual blessing, given in baptism,
precedes or lays the foundation for the " remission of sins.' The
judgment of the dissenting v\ oild would reverse the ordej, and pro-
pound, as true doctrine, that " remission of sins" is the caa.se (jf re-
f'eneration.
Passing by the exj)ression " heaverdy washing" — although it, by
itself, points aii once to the high spiritual significance ot" tiie act —
we note the strong confidence of the Church, that the burilen of her
prayer will be realized in the baptised. She makes it no hypothe-
tical case. Far Crom it. Alter joining in the prayeis of her child-
ren that the "Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive" the
candidate, now at the font, "to release him of his sins, to sanctify
him with the Holy Chost, to give him the kingdom of heaven, and
everlasting life;" [not one word as to outward piivileges, oi- uiere
access to some future possibility of attaining to giace ] — she pro-
ceeds to assure them that all these things, for which they have
prayed, will, since they have been promised by Christ, most assur-
edly be perfornwd ; only she forewarns them that the " beginrnng"
of new life, now entered t)pon, must be faithfully followed uj) ; thus
plainly implying that, in the event of unfaithfulness to the grace ov
life received, even the regenerate must fail to keep the piivilege of
their new-birth.
In the third piay^'i", the words "Give Thy Holy Spirit U\ this
infant, that he may be born again, and made an heii of everlasting
salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord," are too delinite and
emphatic, as to the grace contemplated and sought, to requiie, ut
even justify, explanation or entuvcement.
Next comes the prayer t)f Consecration. " Almighty Everlasting
God whose most dearly beloved Sou Jesus Christ, for the forgive-
ness ot our sins, did shed out of His most precious side both water
and blood Sanctify this zvater to the mystical zvashing away
of sin y and grant that this child, now to be baptized therein, may
receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain, etc., etc.
It must be admitted that, sometimes, human language is so fi'anied
that meaning other than its literal impint may be deduce I from i* ;
but surely, in a solemn address to the most High God, we have reason
to expect, if ever such exi)e('tation can be justified, an huiient ex-
pression of pur|)ose and desire. True, even here, man's purj)ose
may be a wrong one, and his desire ill-founded. His petitions may
involve matters adverse to the truth of Christ. But it can hardly
be that, in so awlul an exercise as prayer, a man (much less a (church)
can deliberately and intentionally approach the Almighty, in the
use of words of double or contradictory signification. When, there-
33
fore, the Church here prays that the wator may be sanctified, or
consecrated, qiiallHed "to the rriiisticid vMsldng (iwiuj of sin" it is
but reasonahlc^ to holieve she has confidence that such remis^iion will
and does actually, follow upon this wa'^hin;^; and that she uses the
water sulely uottk reference to that ewl. — Else, why "sanctify the
water T or, why no mention of any otlier, even adjiictitious benefit,
beside that wliich is sj)iritual ?
But were the solemnity of the occasion not a sufficient ;^uarantee
for the sinc(!rity of the lans^nage ein))lo3'ed in this prayer, it might
Htill b<? proved — even to the satisfaction of the objector — that slio
•trietly meant that which, honestly taken, her words import.
The Compilers of the "Common Prayer" professedly wrouj^lib
their work aftt-r the model of the primitive liturgies. And one of
the bapt-isuiBl prayers at their comman<l, was that f )und in the
Apostolic Constitutions; a work which, tiiough not so old as the
Apostles, was certainly of the earliest ami most venm-able date — of
a date when no question obtained in the Church as to the end and
offices of baptism. It was (century second and third) univ(irsally
allowed to be regeneration.
We subjoin the prayer:
"Look down from heaven and sanctify thin water, give it (jvaa:
and poiwr, that he who is baptised thennn, according to the com-
mand of Christ, may be crucified with Him that d>/in;j tit
rmhe may live to rUjhteoti^n'S'^s.'"
Now bearing in mind the fact that when these Constitutions were
written, the Church held the doctrine of the new-liirth in ba])tism,
we j)ass to notice two or three points in the j)rayer, which (if col-
lateral evidence were wanting, which it is not,) would, of them-
selves, convince us that a change of heai't, not of station, was the
end which the Church had in view.
1st. The water, heretofore common, is solemnly set a|)art and con-
iecrated to a religious work.
2d. The character of that work is S'st forth as unetpiivocally
i)iyi'n<:^ since it is wrought solely by the virtue of God's grace and
power, — auxiliaries these, and especially the latter, seai'cdy necessa-
ry, unless a moral change was intended to he wrought. For, what-
ever place may be found for "grace" in man's mere change of sta-
tion, there can be none for "power," the very mcintion of which in-
volves, not only a permisHion that man may be saved, but sointj
aperation or ivork, on tho part of God, whereby he is saved. Tiiat
work is very plainly indicated in the extract from the Constitu-
tions, to wit :"a dying unto sin and a life unto righieousness" bless-
ing equivalent to "regeneration."
This prayer the Com})ilei's of our baptismal office had at com-
mand, and that they approved its teaching is very evident from the
similarity — might it not be said identity — of the language in the
Common Prayer and in these Constitutions,
The last clause, however, in the consecration prayer, as found in
our office, seems to determine the question, if question there can be.
It assumes the fact that the baptized is no longer a child of wrath,
an heir of condemnation, but one of God's faithful and elect chil-
dren. For it prays that he may "ever remain" in this state of grace
«>♦
— a woixi wholly <'iif of plaC'- a> woji as a thinj^ impoHsi' le, unless
it be allowed timt tliat position ha<l been attained, in wliicii it was
liis privile^p to "leniain." ilen cann')t "remain '^ where they
iievei weic, and to suppose the attainment of that blessiuijf is to
admit the doctrine ot "baptismal refj<iieration."
Lastly, crjuies the ^Vf/r///_y rj;^//v>.vf'// jnd^^nient of tin- Church on
the state (tf the individual irrtriiPjJiniily api'V baj»tism. And that
her lanj^njige may not, by any, be deemed the mere product of an
hour, oi' (ven of one confcrential session, it may be allowed to cjive,
in conjiinetion with if. a form of words whicli oi)taincd iti tho bap-
tismal service dovii to I he thiw of Edward V'l, — a form, be it ob-
served, which was set aside solely and confessedly because the
'auction, whieli till tht-n was jiractised was not Ibuud warranted by
the word of God. We say. s(jlely, (as they also thems< Ivis jiro-
fessed) lieeausc the only otluti doctrine involved in that torm, wan
scrupulously retained — to wit, the doctrine of regeneration by bap-
tism, as now set forth in our Common Prayer.
These fire the words of the m-av<;r a.s it stood in the rci'.'n of P>1.
VI: "Almi;;lity God, the /atner of our Lord .lesus Clirist, who
faith rcjjeneratcd tliee by wafer and the H0I3' Ghost and hath given
thee remission of thy sins; — vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unc-
tion of His H0I3' S|.nit, and bring thee to tlie inheritance of ever-
lasting life. Amen."
Nou so far as it respects the d>)Ctri;ie '>r t;he new-birth, th^^ lan-
guage of our jircscnl service, 'a .service in force since Kd. Vi.) is
equally express.
"Seeing now," i. e., immediately after baptism — "that this child
is regenerate, and graced into thtr body of Christ's Church let us
giv(>. thanks unto God.'
And then, after the Lord'.-- |)ra\-er. f«r»llows the thanksgiving: —
"\\\i yield Thee hearty f batiks, most merciful Father, tliat \thath
pleased Thee in rcijcn.erdfe tins infant liy Thy Holy Spirit, to re-
ceive him for Thine own child grant that he being dead unto
.s'i/i, and living unto ilgldcofi-snesft may crucify the old man
and vfferli/ aliolish tiio whole body of sin, etc., etc.
Than these, .surely no woids can be more express, or nioi'e em-
phatically set forth, that man is new-born to G()d in baptism. Wo
refi'ain, therefore, f >rm comment.
Fo)' the same reason, to wit: — the clear, undisguised and telling
signilie:.;c.e o!' the language — ic is enough that the Chui-e!i ("'ate-
chisni speak for itself: —
Q. — "What is the. outivar<J, ' i.>-t///e sign or form in baptism ?"
Ans. — Water, wherein tiie person is bapti>ed In the name, etc."
Q. — "What is the invJard an.l spiritual grace ?"
Ans. — 'A (!■ :ith uiiLo sin and a -Jie?/; life unto righteousness, for
being by nature born in sin, anil the children of wrath, we are
hereby made tlie children of grace."
The xxvii Article (on baptism.) when read in the light of the
xxvth, is equally explicit and conclusive — Baptism is the first, of
the two great fundamental sacraments of the Christian system.
And "sacraments," saj's the xxv Art., "be not only badges or tokens
of Christian men's profe.jsion," i. e., not only inlets to outward or
"vi-l
effcl
in )|
'l|
aftii
birtl
to il
the]
pro I
son]
tiv(j
jtroj
jtcr
no
"visible,' fellowship, but rather tiiL-y be certain •^nj'e witnesses, and
etfecfudi si^Mis of oiiAfK by the which fie < loth vorl,' inrlsihly
in us, and doth tjuid'cn etc."
The xxvii Art. iterates the ne<j;a'ive of the xxvth and, as it«
affirmative, asserts tliat ba)itism is a sii,'n (»f re^jeneration or new-
birth .... It further a Ids intensity to that assertion l)v ininart^nor
to it a le^'al character or force, "whereby, a.s bj/ mi iiiHtrnment,
tliey tliat receive lm])tisrn ri^dilly are j^raftod into the Church, the
|>ronjise of the /i)r//iy(^Uf'-.s'.^ of Nlnf>, and of our adoption to be the
sons of Ood, arc visihl/j signed ajid sfahuf." Tlie liin:,'ua;^fe is po.si-
tive. No room is left for contiiii^ency or specidation. (Christ's
promise and work ("He for His part will nios* nurch/ keep and,
j)crfoi'm")iivc assumed to have been fully ruidunquestionalily reali/iOd.
The spiritual, benefit is unetpiivMcall}' declared. It is needles.**,
therefore, to multiply words by way of elucidatinfj that wliich ia
already clear. If any seek a more extent. (J treatment of the arti-
cle, it may bo found in Browne on the Articles, Art. xxvii. ^ iv.
The whole subject ma}' be concluded, and not unaptly, by a
(juotation from Bishop .b)l]y's "Friendly xVdvlress :" —
"That spiritual regeneration is then^ understood (i, c. in the Cat-
echism) and lauijht to be the result of baptism, cannot be doubte-d ;
baptism as a sacrament, is declared to be a means of grace, and a
"ledge to assur(^ us of it, by an outward and visible sign. And the
inward grace of this holy sacrament is declared to be "a death unto
sin and a new birth unto right(M>usiiess, for being by nature born in
sin and the children of wrath, we are h'reb'/ vi'ide tlie children of
grace." In consequence of which every child is taught to say,
ivithoid any (p.mlifgin g reserce, that in baj)tism he was madf^ "a
member of Christ, a child of God etc."
"The office of baptism itself mak'\s all this as cli^ar as day ....
lnd(-'e(i, in all the liturgical forms for the admiuistiation of bap-
tism, East and West, Latin and Greek ; from that in the ancient
collections, called the Apostolical Constitutions, down to the excel-
lent ortice in the Book of Common Fv^yc'.r,re;j('nerafioii is insepar-
(iblij connected with the reception of bapltsm, in the act of which
the recipient is passive, for he could no more have activity in giv-
ing life to himself, more than a nonentity, a mere nothing, could
create or produce itself into being, which is tlie work of the Al-
mighty Creator alone.
"We umst receive life before we can live, and be born before wo
can breathe, and so it is in our new-birth.
"In the Ancient Church, long time was spent, and much paina
used, in the instruction of the Catt;chumens, especially when they
became competents, or Candidates for baptism Now, we here
find, that all this long and careful preparation, with tiio hoiy di.s-
jiositions, resolutions, and views, in consequence of it, had nothtTig
to do, as of ef^eacy, toward their regeneration Their utmost at-
taintnents in thi,s respect did not, and could not, regenerate them,
could not give them life, that supernatural life of grace, and hope
of glory, which wc lost in Adain but have regained in Christ, He,
of His unspeakable love and kindness, saves us, by fhe washing of
regeneration, giving us new life and birth, a mere gratuity, in at-
36
taining which, our best dispositions have no desert ; and conferred,
therefore, that wo mit^ht be tlie more deei)ly impressed with such a
eense by a sacramental mean, that has n( nati.tral virtue toward the
effect, wliich is the work of God alone. The best disposed Candidate
was still understood to come to the font in hia-unyegeiierate state.
"St. Cyril, accordingly, in his second mystagogic catechism, in-
■tructs the Candidate, in terms alt<\gether similar to our own [)rim-
itive-spi "king Church, that in the very act of baptism, in the
water, he in the .same moment died, and began to live by new birth,
by the Divine efficacy of the Sacrament.
"Greatly, therefore, do they misunderstand, and mis-rej)resent
the design and virtue of regeneration, who would separate it from
baptism, either in old or young, and make it the result of any sanc-
tity in man.
Indeed, the words of the Church in her homily of justification or
•alvation, to which reference is made in the eleventh article of I'e-
ligion, are equally applicable to the doctrine of regeneration ; "al-
though we have faith, ho})e, charity, repentance, dread, and fear of
God within us; yet must we renounce all our saiil virtues, etc., and
trust only in Gotl's mercy." In persons of riper years, all these
good dispositions are necessarily requisite as preparatory to baptism;
and the Church, accordingly, in her Office, provides and orders that
due examination and exhortation may give good presumption of
their attainments, and exercise by prayer and fasting.
"But still .she regards them as un regenerate, regarding none of
these virtues as their new birth, .... and therefore, in re-
peated supplication, she begs that they may obtain spiritual re-
generation, niay tjc born again, — and not till they are baptized
asserts their regeneration, but then points it out as a manifest truth;
"Seeing now that these persons are rcgcuerate •" and gives thanks,
for that they are notv born again, and made heirs of everlasting
salvation. Most evident, thence, it is that the Church considers
baptis7n and regeneration the samexw design and institution."
Thus stands the doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. Through
every period of its history, it has preserved its original characteris-
tics, without addition or diminution. In the writings of the Fathers,
in the works of the Reformers, in the Offices of the Church at the
present day, it retains the fulness and sim})licity which distinguished
it in the records of insj)iration. What it tJicn zaas, such it nozv is,
"the wisdom and the power of God ;" and as then, so now, the
Christian, in his own behalf, and in that of the Cliurch Catholic,
may exceedingly rejoice in admission t'l the love of Christ, "dy the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Only ,
let him as an individual, and the Church, as a body, remember the
obligations. consequent on that satired ordinance. And let all who
have partaken of its blessing, seek that "Christ may dwell in their
hearts by faith, that they l:)eing rooted and grounded in love, may
be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the br(!adth antl
length, and dej)th and height ; and know the love of Christ, which
passeth knowledge; r' ' ' ^ filled with the fulness of God."
This is their privilege — their birthright ! Let them give diligence
that they 'receive not the grace of God in vain."
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