easily know, it is a common resolution among all his own school doctors, The grace of God is not tied to any sacraments. The meaning thereof is this that God is able to work salvation, both with them and without them. St. Augustine saith, as it is before alleged, Now ye are clean, because of the word that I have spoken unto you. But why saith he not, Now are ye clean, because of the baptism wherewith ye are washed; saving, because that in the water it is the word that maketh clean? Take away the word, and what is the water more than water? Therefore he saith, The water giveth us outwardly the sacrament of grace. And this is

the

power and virtue of the sacrament.' 'We must consider that the learned fathers, in their treatises of the sacraments, sometimes use the outward sign instead of the thing itself which is signified; sometimes they use the thing signified instead of the sign. As for example, sometimes they use Christ's blood instead of the water. Sometimes they name the water instead of Christ's blood. This figure is called Metonymia; that is to say, an exchange of names, and is much used among the learned, especially speaking of the sacraments.'1

It is certain and most manifest by Irenæus,

1 Has it been a candid procedure to withhold the decisive language of this eminent Divine, and the authorities which he has produced from the ancient Fathers?

that, as Christ's body is the one part of the sacrament, so is material bread the other. Likewise in baptism, as the one part of that holy mystery is Christ's blood, so is the other part the material water. Neither are these parts joined together in place, but in mystery; AND THEREFORE THEY OFTENTIMES SEVERED, AND THE ONE IS

BE

RECEIVED WITHOUT THE OTHER.

His (God's) word declareth his love towards us, and that word is sealed and made good by baptism. Our faith, which are baptized, and our continuance in the profession which we have made, establish in us this grace which we receive. As it is said, True baptism standeth not so much in washing of the body, as in the faith of the heart.

'As the doctrine of the Apostles has taught us, saying, (Acts xv), By faith purifying their hearts. And in another place, Baptism saveth us, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the examining of a good conscience before God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore St. Jerome saith, They that receive not baptism with perfect 1 faith, receive the water, but the Holy Ghost they receivė not.'

A variety of other extracts, to the same purpose, might have been made from the voluminous writings of this most able divine, which were held in so

1 Perfect, i. e. sincere faith.

high estimation by the whole Protestant world, that they were translated into almost all the languages of Europe. But the extracts here given are sufficient to prove that, notwithstanding the strong figurative language which our Reformers have sometimes used, they meant not to affirm, nor did the Catholic fathers, in their opinion, ever mean to affirm, a necessary connexion between baptism and internal regeneration, or that baptism is, exclusively and inclusively, the vehicle of spiritual grace. The high metonymic language of the Greek and Latin fathers of the primitive church, when speaking of the two sacraments, gave rise to the twofold error of Popery, viz. that of spiritual regeneration as inseparably connected with water baptism, and that of transubstantiation as connected (and that also inseparably) with the celebration of the eucharist. It appears to me that these must stand or fall together.

The sentiments of the judicious Hooker, on the point at issue, appear in the following extract from his Eccles. Polity, book v. sect. 57.—Sacraments ' are not physical but moral instruments of salvation, duties of service and worship; which unless we perform as the Author of grace requireth, they are unprofitable for all receive not the grace of God, which receive the sacraments of his grace,'

I might have produced passages of a similar import from the remains of the martyrs-Tindal and

Frith; from the catechism of Dean Nowell, and from various other sources. But I forbear. I must have exhausted the patience of my young friend by the length to which I have already carried my quotations.

U.

Indeed I am not wearied; but I fear that you, my dear Sir, have exhausted your own strength in thus contributing to my satisfaction.

C. I am glad to hear you use the word 'satisfaction,' in relation to the evidence I have brought before you, on the momentous point to which your attention has been drawn.

U. I have used the term very advisedly; and I cannot understand how such evidence can fail of affording it to other minds besides my own.

C. We must now drop the subject for the present. In some future conversation we may advert to it again.

106

DIALOGUE III.

U. I am almost ashamed, though I am fully persuaded of the kind interest you take in my present and future welfare, to trouble you with such frequent visits, and so many solicitations for instruction. And yet I should pay a bad compliment to my early tutor, did I doubt his willingness to complete the work he has begun.

C. Rest assured, my young friend, that I am always glad to see you, and that you are, and ever will be, heartily welcome to any services that I can render you. I hope that you will always repose the utmost confidence in my friendship for

you.

U. With these assurances, I feel freedom in reminding you of what you said at the close of our last conversation-that you had yet some further observations to make on the important subject of Baptismal Regeneration.

C. I have; and I shall be happy to comply with your request by making them.

U. Will you allow me then to ask, how you