that the baptismal water, in what way soever consecrated, possesses after consecration that which it did not before possess, any virtue of this description, would be little better than to represent the Holy Spirit (to use an expression of Cranmer) as inaquate, when sacramentally joined to the water ' in Baptism.' But I will not do so much injustice to the good sense of the writer quoted, as to conceive that any love of adherence to the mere letter of Scripture could lead him to adopt so singular a position c. Defence of the Sacrament, &c. p. 33. c No precise opinion upon the nature of Regeneration, or upon the mode in which it is effected, is distinctly stated in the Tracts for the Times.' It seems, as it is there described, that we should attribute it to what has been usually denominated, but in the best sense of that denomination, the opus operatum. In the advertisement, or preface, to the second volume (p. 5.) occurs the following passage; Rationalistic, or (as they may be more properly called) 'carnal notions concerning the Sacraments, and, on the other hand, a superstitious apprehension of resting in them, and a slowness to ' believe the possibility of God's having literally blessed ordinances with invisible power, have, alas! infected a large mass of men in 6 our communion. There are those whose "word will eat as doth 6 a canker ;" and it is to be feared, that we have been over-near cer⚫tain celebrated protestant teachers, puritan or latitudinarian, and ⚫ have suffered in consequence. Hence we have almost embraced the doctrine, that God conveys grace only through the instrumentality ' of the mental energies, that is, through faith, prayer, active spi• ritual contemplation, or (what is called) communion with God, in ' contradiction to the primitive view, according to which the Church and her Sacraments are the ordained and direct visible means of conveying to the soul, what is in itself supernatural and unseen. For example, would not most men maintain, on the first view of the subject, that to administer the Lord's Supper to infants, or to the dying and insensible, however consistently pious and believing To rationalise, it is true, upon the obvious language of Scripture, by giving it an overstrained signification, inconsistent with its evident one, must inevitably end in error; but how are we to decide that its language is in any case obvious, and that the evidence of its meaning lies upon the surface, except by the exercise of those reasoning faculties, which God has conferred upon us? Investigation, I trust, is not heresy, nor Critical acumen folly and presumption. Scripture indeed must be searched for the revealed will of God: but that will is conveyed to us in the language of man; a language, which necessarily partakes of human imperfection, and which is liable to all those verbal casualties that attend its transmission to us through a lapse of centuries. At the same time however, if we maintain, that no doctrine of Scripture can be true, except human reason sanctions it by a previous approbation, we try scripture at the bar of a tribunal, to which, as a revelation from God, it is not amena ' in their past lives, was a superstition? And yet both practices ' have the sanction of primitive usage. And does not this account for the prevailing indisposition to admit that Baptism conveys 'Regeneration?' Does the sanguine writer of this preface flatter himself, that although most men must at first view think such an administration of the Lord's Supper superstitious, yet that on a second view, when they are told by him that the usage was primitive, they will change their opinion, and believe, that, if restored, it would prove the mean of conveying grace, in some incomprehensible manner, to a soul unconscious of its application, and insensible of its efficacy? ble; and if we admit that Scripture is of Divine authority, yet that upon the truth of the doctrines which it reveals reason alone must decide, and that it often accommodates itself to vulgar opinions and prejudices, by propagating falsehoods; it appears, I confess, to me, that we assert inconsistent absurdities. Reason has its province and its boundary, which if it exceeds, it degenerates into personal conceit and mental presumption; but let us not control its energies, where God and nature have given full scope for its exertions. Having ascertained by it what is and what is not, the meaning of Scripture, let us there rest, and re'ceive with meekness the engrafted word, which ' is able to save our souls.' To this third edition is added an Appendix, containing extracts from the formulary of Baptism, used in the Church of Rome, with the formularies adopted by the Lutheran and our own Church; as also further remarks upon the opinions of the Writer already alluded to; from whom, as I agree with him upon many points, in opposition to the Calvinistical doctrine of Regeneration, I grieve to differ upon any. b СНАР. І. The 'Evangelical' Clergy in their principles Calvinistical. Strictures upon the Conduct of the Controversy-Principal Reasoning from Adult to Infant Baptism incorrect. Efficacy of Adult Baptism as dependent upon the Assumption of sincerity. Opinion that Regeneration exists before and without Baptism controverted. Inconsistent with the ex- Inaccuracy in the Definition of Regeneration. Doctrine of established ones were partly derived, perfectly conformable |