First Book of Homilies. Paraphrase of Erasmus. Second Book of Homilies. Its Doctrine upon Regeneration mis- represented. The same explained and vindicated. Opin- ions of those who compiled the Office of Adult Baptism ...46. Infant Baptism. Theory of the other Party. Principally grounded upon a supposed Disposition in Infants to fulfil, when capable of so doing, their baptismal Engagements. Theory rejected. A Passage in the Catechism urged in Position of a peculiar Disposition, abstractedly considered, in certain Infants, untenable. Defectibility of grace, the Doc- trine of our Liturgy. Addition to the Office of Private Bap- tism at the Restoration-Introduced to silence the Cavils of That all Infants without exception are regenerated in Baptism, the Doctrine of our Church. The same Doctrine holden by the Lutherans and Zuinglians. English Articles of 1536. Latin Articles. Bishops' and King's Books. First Book of OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND UPON THE EFFICACY OF BAPTISM. CHAP. I. Preliminary Remarks. Dr. Mant's Tract on Baptismal Regeneration. Mr. Scott's Reply to it. Evangelical Party. Limited View of the present Discussion. IT may perhaps appear singular that a controversy should still exist respecting the true sense of certain passages in the Baptismal Services of our Church, after a lapse of more than two centuries from the period of their original compilation; particularly as the language in which they are expressed seems to have been studiously adapted to popular comprehension and instruction. But this appearance of singularity ceases, when we recollect the natural anxiety of every writer upon the subject to prove that the doctrine of the Church to which he professes attachment and his own private opinion perfectly coincide. Yet ought this anxiety always to be indulged? Private opinion, it is indeed true, no man can control; but every man may control the public display of it and surely when its conformity with the doctrine of the Church cannot be clearly and satisfactorily demonstrated, concealment is preferable to disclosure, and silence to justification. To support an ideal conform B ity by a line of argument evidently strained and distorted, may suit the obliquities of party spirit, but can never promote truth, and produce conviction. The Calvinistical, or, as they rather wish to be termed, the Evangelical, Clergy, have been always forward in advocating the cause of their own consistency. But no attempt at an accommodation of principle has been attended with more labour and difficulty, or has given birth to greater refinement of reasoning, and to less solidity of argument, than that which they have hazarded upon the subject of the efficacy of Baptism. The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge' recently circulated a tract, composed by Dr. Mant, one of the Chaplains to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, upon the doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. This tract, as might have been conjectured, from the credit and connection of its Author, as well as from the mode of its circulation, has proved highly offensive to the Clergy alluded to; and Mr. Scott, Vicar of North Ferriby, in justification of his own conformity, and that of his party, has since published an elaborate and well written answer to ita. It is not my intention to interfere in the personal contest which has taken place on this occasion. But as the principal subject in dispute is one to which I have myself already alluded in some of my former publications, I embrace the opportunity, which Mr. Scott's book affords me, of stating and discussing more a The title of his work is, An Inquiry into the Effect of Bap'tism, &c. By the Rev. John Scott, M. A. Vicar of North Ferriby,' &c. In the Bampton Lecture of the year 1804, and in a Sermon upon Baptismal Regeneration preached at Christ Church, Oxford, Jan. 29, 1815. 6 6 correctly than I could otherwise have done, the true ground upon which Calvinistical conformity is maintained, and of pointing out its untenability. That the reasoning of this writer may be identified with that of the party which he espouses (I do not mean to use the word 'party' offensively) will not, I presume, be controverted. Indeed he himself represents his sentiments as supported by something more than his own individual authority. Our views of Regeneration,' he remarks, (if, without any preten⚫sions to be the accredited advocate of a party, I may presume to speak on behalf of many of my brethren as well as myself,) are surely more definite. 'consider the term as equivalent, &c. 6 We Such I believe 'I may venture to state are the sentiments of those 'who are reproached, as the self-denominated Evan 6 6 gelical party. Whose views, theirs or their oppo nents', best agree with Scripture, and the authorized 'writings of our Church, is to be the subject of fur ther inquiry? Again: This language perfectly suits the ideas, which we entertain upon the subject. We hold the change of Regeneration to be indispens' able to salvation in every child of fallen Adam. How Dr. Mant will make it accord with his sentiments, it is for him to considerd' Both sides maintain their respective opinions by different interpretations of the same passages in Scripture. But I do not propose, unnecessarily, as it appears to me, to drag Scripture into the contest: for the true question at issue is, not what Scripture, but what the Church of England, has inculcated upon the subject. Besides, to commence with ascertaining the precise sense of Scripture upon it is to commence c P. 16, 17. d P. 95. See also p. 60, and 201. with a bias on the mind, which must unavoidably influence subsequent investigation. I shall not, I am persuaded, be misrepresented as entertaining the slightest doubt respecting the conformity of the doctrine of our Church with Scripture; because it is evident, that I am only contending for the propriety of first deciding what the doctrine of our Church really is, before any attempt be made either to establish or refute that doctrine by the Word of God. CHAP. II. The Evangelical Clergy in their principles Calvinistical. Strictures upon the Conduct of the Controversy-Principal Point at issue stated. Misconception and Misapplication of the word Regeneration. If those, whose opinions I propose to consider, prefer the denomination of the Evangelical, to that of the Calvinistical, Clergy, it is not, I presume, because they disapprove the tenets of Calvin; but, probably, because they are better pleased with a general, than an apparently sectarian, denomination. For reasons indeed best known to themselves, the open avowal of their creed upon the dogma of absolute Predestination seems to be studiously avoided; but indications of it, too plain to be mistaken, are occasionally betrayed. Thus the following observation occurs in a note; Both this ' author (Womack) and Dr. Mant would fain have the ' words, Acts xiii. 48. as many as were ordained to 'eternal life, to mean, as many as were fit, or well disposed for the kingdom of heaven. They do not however venture to assert, that ráoσeolaι ever expresses inward disposition of minde.' And in a few pages after, when what is conceived to be an inexpli 6 6 e Scott's Inquiry, &c. p. 263. |