PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. THE kindness with which the former Edition of this Work has been received, and the early call for another Edition, render it unnecessary for the Author to offer more than a very few remarks in this place. He desires, however, to express his thankfulness at the reception given to the Work, as it encourages him to hope that it may be of use, with God's blessing, for the promotion of the cause of truth, and the manifestation of the true doctrine of the Church of England, on the momentous subject of which it treats. Late events in our Church have given the long-standing controversy among us on this point a more than ordinary degree of importance. The attempt has been made to force upon the Church, as a standard of faith, an interpretation of her Services which would place them in direct antagonism to the doctrine of the very men who drew them up, and to eject from her ministry all who hold a different view. It was quite time, therefore, that the claims of such an interpretation should be fully investigated, and the true doctrine of our Church set forth and proved. To do this, is the object of the following Work. And while it fully investigates the important and conclusive internal evidence afforded on the subject by our Formularies themselves, the Author has more especially directed his attention to what may be called the historical part of the argument. Nothing can more fully show the weakness of the claim set up by those who call themselves "High Churchmen" among us, to the exclusive admissibility of their interpretation of our Book of Common Prayer, than the fact of its contrariety to the doctrine of our Reformers and early divines. To say nothing of the sentiments of those who drew up the Prayer Book of Edward VI., the notorious facts that the compilers of the Elizabethan Prayer Book (which, with a few alterations not affecting the present question, is that now in use) were, of what is called the "Calvinistic" School, and that the Primate who first issued and earnestly pressed the Canon for subscription to the Prayer Book was a High "Calvinist" (Archbishop Whitgift), ought to silence forever the assertion that a "Calvinist " cannot consistently subscribe to that Book. And if a "Calvinist" can without difficulty subscribe to it, then certainly it does not assert that spiritual regeneration is the universal and unconditional effect of Baptism in all infants. And here lies the importance of the historical argument in elucidating the meaning of our Formularies. We do not point to the "Calvinism" of our early divines as showing that a Calvinistic interpretation must be given to our Formularies, or as identifying a denial of the "High Church" doctrine as to the effects of Baptism with Calvinistic views,-for Arminians are found equally denying it,—but we adduce the fact of the "Calvinistic" doctrine of those to whom we are indebted for our Formularies as irrefragable evidence against the attempt made to fix upon those Formularies an exclusive interpretation, framed by men of a directly opposite school. Apart from any consideration of the peculiar circumstances under which the subject is now discussed in our Church, it is impossible to overrate its importance as connected with sound views of doctrine on other points. False views as to the effects of Baptism in the case of infants introduce confusion and error into the whole system of doctrine connected with them. If it is supposed that the Clergy can dispense God's grace and the best blessing of the Gospel Covenant to anybody they please in infancy, there is an end to all sound theology. The doctrines of the necessity of God's gift of prevenient grace, and justification by faith, as laid down in our 10th and 11th Articles, are almost nullified. And the whole scheme of doctripe embraced, partakes of the consequences of this primary false principle on which it is built. One effect however may result from the present controversy, and the consequence be of great benefit, if it please God, to the interests of truth in our Church, namely, that the minds of men will be more drawn to the importance of sound and clear views on this subject. The present Edition of this Work has been carefully revised throughout. I must add, however, that I have certainly found no reason at present, from any remarks made on the Work, to withdraw or alter a single position, argument or authority, advanced in it. A few additional remarks and authorities will be found interspersed here and there; and a translation has been given of the Latin quotations. The latter forms the major part of the matter added. It remains only for the Author again to commend it to the Divine blessing. 31, Charter House Square, Dee. 7. 1849 W. GOODE. ON THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY TO WHICH OUR RE- CHAPTER IV. ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CONFESSIONS OF THE FOREIGN CHAPTER V. THE DOCTRINE OF MARTIN BUCER AND PETER MARTYR, § 1. The doctrine of Martin Bucer § 2. The doctrine of Peter Martyr b 27-37 38-142 143-161 162-178 162-174 174-178 page CHAPTER VI. ON THE CHARACTER OF THE WORKS ISSUED BY PUBLIC HENRY VIII., AND THEIR DOCTRINE ON THE SUBJECT CHAPTER VII. THE DOCTRINE OF OUR LEADING REFORMERS AND DI- During the reign of Edward VI. : Testimonies of Catechism of 1553 (p. 209);-Abp. Cranmer (211);-Bp. Ridley (225);-Bp. Latimer (226);—Bp. Hooper (227);-John Bradford (231);—Archdeacon Philpot (238);— Bp. Coverdale (239);-Thomas Becon (240); -Dean Turner (242);-Lancelot Ridley (243) ;--John Olde (243);—Roger Hutchinson (244);-Short Catechism, 1550 (245). During the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.:Testimonies of Works having public sanction: --Bishop Jewell's Apology, &c. (p. 246);-Dean Nowell's Catechism (254); - Bullinger's Decads (262) Testimonies of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Regius and Margaret Professors of Divinity at Cambridge and Oxford:-Abp. Whitgift (275);—Abp. Sandys (278);-Bp. R. Abbot (278);-Bp. J. Prideaux (285);-Bp. Westfaling (287);—Dr. Calfhill (291);—Dr. Benefield (291); -Dr. Whitaker (293);—Bp. Davenant (300) Testimonies of various other Bishops :-Bp. Geste (308) ;— Bp. Alley (310);-Bp. Cooper (311):-Bp. Babington (315); -Bp. Bridges (319);-Bp. W. Barlow (322);-Bp. L. Andrews (326);-Bp. Parry (330);-Bp. Lake (330);—Bp. Carleton (334); Bp. Downame (338);-Abp. Usher (342);— Bp. Bedell (349) . 179-207 208-389 209-246 246-274 274-308 308-356 TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi Testimonies of learned Divines and Laymen:-Dr. W. Haddon (356);-Dr. R. Some (359);-Dr. Prime (364);– Dr Fulke (366);-R. Hooker (368); - Dr. A. Willet (372); -T. Rogers (380);-Dr. Sparke (383); -Lord Chancellor Bacon (385) page 356-389 CHAPTER VIII. THE DOCTRINE OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES, AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER ON § 1. Examination of the Baptismal Services for infants, and proof of the principle on which they are constructed, by a comparison of them with the other Services in the Book of Common Prayer 413-456 413-428 § 2. The judgment of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr, upon our Baptismal Services for infants 428-432 § 3. Luther's Service for Infant Baptism expressed in similar terms to ours, and understood by him in the hypothetical sense 432-435 § 4. The meaning of the Baptismal Service demonstrated by a comparison of it with a similar Formulary, drawn up by Bucer himself, in a Liturgy from which our own Office is admitted to be "freely borrowed" 435-456 CHAPTER X. THE DOCTRINE OF THE CATECHISM ON THE SUBJECT CHAPTER XI. ON THE SAVOY CONFERENCE, AND THE SUBSEQUENT 457-476 |