more than his whole life, which the covenant of baptism CHAP. engageth? XXIV. fession of the faith of the § 2. Heretics are so wise in their own conceit, that they [The prosee nothing in baptism but the washing of the flesh by water, baptism to on man's part. Did they consider the profession, which is be made in made with a good conscience by him that is baptized, they and unity would see the grace of Christ in undertaking it; they would Church] see the condition of the covenant in rewarding it. And, [1 Pet. seeing this profession is formed by every heresy and schism iii. 21.] according [to] their several fancies, they would see, that the salvation of the world was not provided for, till the catholic Church was founded, that this profession might be measured by the faith of it, and made in the unity of it. For, the Church being founded by God to conduct those that have made the profession of baptism in the performance [of it], he, that violates the unity of it, forfeits his reward by hindering the salvation of all, that the unity thereof might have saved. from the § 3. It is true there was no law from the beginning in [Baptism the Church, that the children of Christians should be bap-v invariably required by tized infants. But there was a law, and extreme care was the Church always taken by virtue of that law, that no man should die beginning.] unbaptized. It was desired, that they should understand what they did, when they undertook their baptism. But what Church, what authority, ever promised salvation without it? When all came to be Christians, and the Church could not presume that all would do their duty and be ruled, as when they were fewer, [and] necessity forbad, that all should be trusted with so great a concernment; all were provided for at once, by baptizing all infants. Pelagius would have answered, as Socinus does, that baptism is only a sign of purging those that had been defiled as Jews or Gentiles; if it would have served his turn. They, that saw the catholic Church united in the observation which they had received from the apostles, would have cast out Socinus as well as Pelagius, and Fanatics as well as both; had they then, as now, promised salvation without baptism. • See Epilogue, Bk. II. Of the Cov. of Gr., c. iv. § 6, c. xix. § 12; Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. viii. § 1, sq. P See ibid. See ibid., Bk. II. Of the Cov, of СНАР. [Two ques tions made concerning the Pre sence in the Eucharist; by what means, CHAPTER XXV. [OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST; AND THE CAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST IN THE ELEMENTS.] As for the sacrament of the eucharist; in which both the manner of the presence and the reason of a sacrifice are questioned, how near they concern the salvation of Christians: it is to be considered, that there may be two several questions made; and that it would first be resolved, how and by and what means, and then how and in what manner, the Body and Blood of Christ becomes and is present in the sacrament". § 2. For though they, that maintain transubstantiation, determine no more than the manner; yet those of the Reformaof the Cal- tion, that in opposition to it resolve that it is present by faith, may be two ways understood. For they may mean, that it becomes present by the faith of the Church, which celebrates the sacrament in confidence of the institution of our Lord, and of the promise which it containeth. But they may also mean, and so are understood, that it becomes present by the faith of him that receives, and to him alone, not to them that receive without a living faith. In neither of these meanings is there any answer to the question, in what manner the Body and Blood are present; but only to the question, how they become present in the sacrament. vinists may be two ways understood.] [Answers of the Lutherans.] § 3. They, that hold consubstantiation, do seem to answer no otherwise than they, that hold transubstantiation: how they are, not how they become, present; concerning the formal, not concerning the effective, cause. But they are become divided within themselves. And some of them will have their consubstantiation to be effected by the hypostatical union; so that the Body and Blood of Christ are no more present in the sacrament, than they are every where: others" will not have the hypostatical union to communicate the ubiquity of the Godhead to the Body and Blood of Christ, but by the means of God's will, appointing where See Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the See ibid., c. i. § 3, note g, c. ii. § 8, sq., c. iii. § 1-6. See ibid., c. iii. § 7-9. "See ibid. § 10, sq. XXV. they shall be present, where they shall not. And this dif- CHA P. ference makes the dispute to be, between themselves, by what means their consubstantiation is effected; agreeing, that by consubstantiation the Body and Blood of Christ are present in the sacrament. crament the Cal § 4. Now all, that hold transubstantiation, believe that [The sathey become present by consecration: but those, that will no way nehave them present by the faith of him that receives, had cessary on need to consider, how they receive them in the sacrament vinistic any more than out of the sacrament; and, consequently, theory.] how they will maintain the sacrament to be any way necessary. For the discourse of our Lord in the sixth of St. John's gospel, as it was held before the sacrament was instituted, so is it to take place as well without the sacrament as in it. And therefore the faithful do eat the Flesh of Christ and drink His Blood, when they receive not the sacrament, when the time and occasion of receiving the sacrament is not. What reason then will they give, why they celebrate the sacrament, why God would have it celebrated; that have the whole effect of the sacrament without celebrating it? Why are they Socinians and Fanatics, that tread it under foot upon that account? Why is not all bread the Body, all wine the Blood of Christ, to them that receive it with faith? For if once they have recourse to the institution of Christ, they have recourse to the consecration by which it is executed, and to the faith of the Church in which the sacrament is celebrated. the Luthe ran, unless course to tion of § 5. And so must all they have, that will have their con- [Nor on substantiation depend upon the will of God, which makes the hypostatical union to take place where and when it it has reappoints. For where or when can he imagine that God the instituwill have it take place, but where the sacrament is cele- Christ.] brated by virtue of His institution that His Body and Blood may be received? And so must all say, that will have the Body and Blood of Christ to be by consubstantiation present every where as much as in the sacrament. For what reason will they give, why they celebrate the sacrament, the Body and Blood of Christ being every where present without celebrating of it? See ibid. § 10: Just Weights and Measures, c. xiv. § 5, 6. XXII. CHAP. the Law, then is Christ dead in vain:" the righteousness of the Law being the work of nature, setting the grace of Christ aside. But the merit of glory by grace signifies no more, than a grant of everlasting life upon the condition which the covenant of grace requireth. And therefore it is grounded upon God's mere grace, which moved Him both to tender the covenant, and to provide helps to perform the condition of it. Therefore that is condemned by the Church for the very ground of Pelagius his heresyd; this is owned by St. Augustine on every turn, and by the rest of the Church in terms of the same value. [Jesuit doctrine of merit of commu tative jus tice.] § 2. It is true, the Jesuits of late, to oblige the see of Rome, do hold in their courses of divinity, that the works upon terms of grace merit glory upon terms of commutative justice. But the worse divines the better Christians; allowing them to contradict themselves (as others do, when they run from the Church of Rome without reason or measure), in imagining commutative justice in obliging God by that, which His own grace furnishes, and valuing the works of corrupt nature by the incorruptible principle that works them. Besides, this doctrine is so new, that it cannot be said to have passed into the decrees of the council of Trent §. [School merit of and con § 3. As for the School, which usually hath made a difference doctrine of between the merit of congruity and condignity, allowing satiscongruity faction to the works of repentance merely in the way of condignity.] gruity (because no man can properly merit while he is out of the state of grace, and yet it is agreeable to the grace of God to receive them to pardon that seek it as He requires), but to the works of grace the merit of glory, [that is,] of condignity: they should have considered, that the works of repentance are under the promise of the gospel towards the recovering of grace, as well as the works of grace towards the attaining of glory; and therefore the condignity, which has no ground but God's free promise, will never bring any reason of commutative justice into that merit, which is grounded upon nothing else. And therefore no man need d See Epilogue, ibid., c. xix. § 19. See ibid., c. xxvi. § 20, 24, c. Xxxiii. § 12, 13. See ibid., c. xxx. § 21. note u; c. xxxiii. § 15, 16: Just Weights and Measures, c. xi. § 4. See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxx. § 22, c. xxxiii. § 15. See ibid., c. xxxiii. § 16. XXII. to consider, that the works of grace proceed from the Spirit CHA P. of grace, inhabiting all that are in the state of grace, as their own: the works of repentance, from the same Spirit, as moving and acting them, that have forfeited, to recover the gift and endowment of it again. For, both being held by virtue of the same promise, there is no difference in the consideration, whereupon they are granted. And this, I hope, deserves to make the true notion of justifying faith recommendable, as well in reconciling, as determining this controversy. For all that depends upon the covenant, which proceeds from God's mere grace, derogates nothing from His grace, while it maintains His holiness. CHAPTER XXIII. [OF PRECEPTS AND COUNSELS.] life and retirement world are THE difference between precepts and counsels, between [Single works of debt and of supererogation, comes from the same source'. The law, which the covenant of grace enacteth, re- from the quires only things essentially good. Retirement from the net perworld, single life, and all that conduces to the service of God, fection, but are not such; for they are not commanded all Christians, to it.] They, who, moved by God to keep the Christianity which they profess, undertake such a course of life, that so they may do; think you they are not under the same promise, that all Christians are under, of grace and help to fulfil that which they undertake? Then would not our Lord have en- [Matt. xix. couraged it then would not St. Paul have advised virgins 1 Cor. vii. to it: then would not the Church from the beginning have 25-28, 36-38.] used and frequented it. Tertullian's book De Velandis Virginibus shews, that virgins were under their bishops' charge from St. Paul's time. The virginity of our Lord's mother', as it is a warrant that the curse of barrenness by the Law is turned into a blessing by the gospel, so was it an example for the Church to follow. And the example, having been followed by all ages of the Church, shews the effect of the promise. : 1 See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxxii. § 34 -42 Just Weights and Measures, c. xi. § 2, 3. * See Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. xxxii. § 9, note q. See Mill, Christian Advocate's Publication for 1843, Accounts of our Lord's Brethren in the N. T. vindicated against Mythical Interpreters, pp. 301 -310. Camb. 1843. 11, 12; 1 |