respecting that of the Holy Eucharist; and so they would remedy her error on the latter, not in the modern way, by lowering both Sacraments, but by showing that Baptism had the same glorious privileges belonging to it, on which Rome would build up its carnal explanation of our LORD's presence in the Holy Eucharist. Thus Bp. Jewell', "Are we not par"takers of the same Divine Substance in the Sacrament of Baptism? St. Augustine saith, 'By Baptism we "are incorporate into Christ, and are made one Body with His Body.' Leo saith, 'The Body of "him that is new born in Baptism, is made the flesh "of Christ crucified,' that is to say, 'Flesh of His

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Flesh, and Bone of His Bone?' Yet nevertheless, "the very substance of water remaineth still. Even "so, notwithstanding we be made partakers of the "Divine Substance of Christ, in the receiving of the holy Mysteries, yet the substance of bread therein "remaineth still. And forasmuch as ye would prove

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by these words of St. Ambrose, that Christ is pre"sent in the Sacraments, the same St. Ambrose also "saith, that Christ is likewise present in the water of

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Baptism. Thus he saith, &c." And in another place he explicitly brings this charge against the Romanists, "Forasmuch 2 as these two Sacraments being both of force alike, these men [the

1 Defence of Apologie, p. 22. See also Replie to Harding, 285. and further references in "Scriptural Views of Holy Baptism," p. 179. sqq. ed. 1.

2

Reply, p. 249, 50. quoted more at length. Ibid.

"Romanists] to advance their fantasies in the one,

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by comparison so much abase the other, I think "it good, briefly and by the way, somewhat to touch "what the old Catholic Fathers have written of "God's invisible workings in the Sacrament of Bap"tism. The Fathers in the Council of Nice say “thus:"

So then this school, while they think they have been opposing Romanist tendencies, have abandoned the strongest argument against them, and the most likely to recover them from their errors as to the Holy Eucharist.

But although in reality Rome has not, as to this Sacrament, admitted any positive statement, (at least none of any greater moment,) un-Catholic and unPrimitive, great and main points there are in the doctrine of Baptism, which by those who have followed an "extreme reformation," have ever been accounted part of the corruptions of Popery. It was one of the objections of the Non-Conformists to our Liturgy, at the Savoy-Conference, and held to be "sinful," that the Minister was "obliged to pronounce all baptized infants regenerate;" and modern Dissenters continue the charge'. Those, however, in our Church, who in this and other doctrinal points, have followed the teaching of the Non-Conformists, (since they cannot, as Ministers of the Church, blame the Liturgy,) throw the blame upon those who understand it as the

1 See Scriptural Views of Holy Baptism, p. 176, ed. 1.

Non-Conformists out of the Church, and the Bishops within it, at that time equally did. It is, indeed, not one of the least strange phenomena of the day, that a truth should be by newspapers and periodicals branded in members of the Church as a modern "heresy," which eighty years past, it is acknowledged, was held by almost every minister of the Church', which is still held probably, at all events by all her Bishops; nay, that it should have been (until of late when the field has been widened) denominated as "the Oxford heresy," and placed as the head and front of our offending.

I own, my Lord, I have myself shrunk from stating fully the degree of evidence which there is, that Baptismal regeneration is the doctrine of the Church of England, lest in these days, when men hold so laxly by their Church, and are ready to quit her upon any ground of difference,—ready to suspect her, and very slow to suspect themselves,-the result of proving that Baptismal regeneration is the doctrine of our Church, would be that men would rather forsake their Church than embrace her doctrine. It seems to be looked upon as a first principle, that the duty of a Minister is to preach what he thinks the Gospel any how; and so if one discovers that he cannot consistently preach in the Church, he forthwith increases some old schism, or forms a new one, instead

"Romaine states, that among the whole of the clergy, about 10,000 in number, of his time, there were not seven that preached the Gospel of Christ."-Travels in Town, t. ii. p. 105.

of remaining still, until he should see his way more clearly. Our schisms already threaten to make us a bye-word and a reproach, throughout the whole world; we carry our disgrace with us wherever we go; and are in danger of becoming a plague-spot to the Christian name, instead of being (as we might have been) one of the largest Communions, and the most flourishing of all collective Churches. The English nation is in the way to become the very type of schism. Rent as we are, I would not willingly contribute to make the rent worse. Those who wish to pursue the subject calmly, might be amply satisfied by the very clear and full statement in the valuable work of Bp. Bethell1; for myself, I had rather continue to be termed "heretic" by those who know me not, than give occasion to any to become a "schismatic." It was the fault of the Church, in the last century, or rather of those who had the mastery over the Church, that her Ministers, by preaching her doctrines negatively or coldly, gave occasion to many whose spirit GOD had stirred, to seek instruction rather in the writings of those not of her Communion-the old Non-Conformists-than within herself. They were reproached in their day, as their successors now in turn reproach those who would build up the ancient doctrine. Their forefathers' was the happier lot. As however it has been sown, so must we reap; the true leaven will, we hope, in time

1 General View of the Doctrine of Regeneration in Baptism, c. 6. ed. 2.

leaven the whole lump, not by expelling any particles of it, but by converting them into itself; Moses' rod will swallow up the rest; meanwhile, while it is our duty to teach our own people that sound doctrine, one would rather endeavour to gain access in some other way to those whom we are not obliged to instruct, and not, upon a topic on which they are least inclined to be patient, urge upon them the words of a mother, whom they reverence not enough to obey against their own views, and whom possibly they might forsake. Others may do it, who could do it with less invidiousness. Not as if I entertained any doubt, my Lord, that we speak with our Church in this point, and that every syllable of her teaching in her services for Baptism, Confirmation, and the Catechism goes the same way; and that her Articles imply the same; (many who held otherwise, have seen this, when they came to study their Church's services dispassionately;) but that it seems useless and ungracious for us to press upon them, that their Church holds the doctrine, until their prejudices against it shall first be, as those of many are being, somewhat softened. And then the teaching of their Church will be plain to them. We would wish to gain, not to exasperate them. And in turn we might perhaps claim so much courtesy that the name of "heretic" or "heresy" should not be so freely used of doctrines, which, themselves confess, certain expressions1 in the services of the Church

1

See above, p. 112. "This one ordinance, Baptism, is made with many the point on which every thing turns. This probably