"It is to be feared that we have been over-near certain celebrated Protestant teachers, Puritan and 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 spiritual contemplation, or (what is called) communion with God, in contradistinction to the primitive view, according to which the church and her sacraments are the Iordained and the direct visible means of conveying to the soul what is in itself supernatural and unseen." Pusey, quoted by Doane, p. 53.

BISHOP M'ILVAINE.

tification-and yet baptism, as having any such relation, is not hinted at?" P. 378.

"Bishop Hooper writes a sermon on justification, in which he speaks freely and very strongly of faith as the only mean of justification. In this sermon, the good Bishop gets so near to baptism as to speak of Nicodemus (whose case is associated with baptismal regeneration) and yet not a word about baptism occurs in the whole sermon." p. 379.

"According to Jewel, the Church has always held a baptism of the Spirit, independently of the outward sacrament of baptism by water." p. 386.

"In the Homilies, Justification is expressly limited to faith, as its only instrument of reception. p. 374.

"The Article of Justification contains not a word about baptism. The only instrument it knows is faith." p.

372.

"In the Catechism it is never hinted that justification is limited to baptism, as its only instrument." p. 374.

"We positively assert that it is the doctrine of our church, that whenever a sinner repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, before baptism, at baptism, or after baptism, his sins are perfectly and freely remitted, he is freely and completely justified, through the righteousness of God by faith." p. 370.

"The opus operatum has ever been considered among Protestants, a dark and deadly plague-spot of Popery. But is not this precisely the doctrine of Oxford divinity as to the efficacy of bap. tism?" p. 217.

This High Church view of the Sacraments, held by Dr. Pusey and his confederates is justly characterized by Bishop M'Ilvaine as a "dark and deadly plague-spot." Bishop Burnet, on the 39 Articles, also maintains "we have just reason to detest it as one of the depths of Satan; and "that it looks more like the incantations of Heathenism, than the purity and simplicity of the Christian religion." Another evidence of the opus operatum doctrine at Baptism, appears in THE ENTIRE DIFFERENCE made by Oxfordism and Roman. ism BETWEEN THE SACRAMENTS OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS in regard to saving efficacy.

"Nothing is more notorious than the fact that the old, as well as the modern, divines of the Church of England, have regarded the sacrament of the two dispensations, Circumcision for example, as standing upon precisely the same footing with Baptism in regard to the spiritual part of the covenant sealed; in other words that the only vital difference was in the sign; the inward, spiritual grace, being precisely the same in both. . . . . But there is great inconvenience in this identity of circumcision and baptism, to those who hold the latter to be the only instrument of justification. Abraham was justified, being uncircumcised, says Paul. Consequently, if Circumcision and Baptism be the same, a sinner may be justified being unbaptized. Hence results a most inconvenient argument against baptismal justification; and how is it to be obviated? Very easily. Our Oxford divines deny that Circumcision and Baptism, do bear the spiritual resemblance mentioned above; and holding fast the exclusive instrumentality of Baptism, they maintain that since the Old Testament Saints were not baptized, they were not justified, but were in bondage, under the law and not under grace, and received not justification, until Christ came, and with him, the grace and gift of baptism. To this general rule, Mr. Newman makes Abraham and Elijah exceptions." Bishop M'Ilvaine, p. 223, 24. BISHOP DOANE.

[Bishop D., after alluding to the "sacraments" of the ark and the rainbow, says:] "Was not the covenant made with Moses sacramental? The rite of circumcision established as its seal; the Paschal Lamb, that bleeding picture of our Passover;' the daily sacrifice, the blood of atonement, all fulfilled and realized, when He entered in once' by his own blood; the manna, which was spiritual meat,' the water in the wilderness, their ' spirit ual rock.'. . . Not that any of these were, in the true sense, SACRAMENTS OF SALVATION, which the two sa craments of the Gospel are; but that they were all figures of the true.' p. 50.

6

BISHOP M'ILVAINE.

"The Flood and the Red Sea, are by Dr. Pusey, put on a level, as ordinances, with circumcision, in point of grace. [Just as the ark, rainbow, daily sacrifice, &c., are by Dr. Doane.] All are mere types. From this it is manifest not only that the sacramental character is denied to circumcision, which St. Paul says was a seal of the righteousness of faith, which Abraham had being uncircumcised;' but that all those who lived before the gospel, from Adam downwards, with some favored exceptions, were without regene ration, without justification, without any promise or acceptance of Heaven, and did not receive any, till Christ came." p. 226.

"The reader [says Bishop M'Ilvaine] may very reasonably enquire here what, in view of those who thus think concerning the Old Testament Saints, did become of their souls after death-did they go to Heaven? Romish divinity answers Nay-and reasonably, because they were not regenerated nor justified, since Christ had not died, and Baptism was not given. Where then? To Limbus Patrum, answers Romanism. Whether that Limbus is distinct from that in which infants that die without Baptism, are now believed by the Romish Church to be received, the divines do doubt, says Maldonat. The more common opinion, says Usher, is that these be two distinct places,-that of the Fathers now being emptied of its inhabitants.' That our Oxford divines have said any thing directly on this subject, we know not. But how they can escape a Limbus Patrum, substantially the same as that set apart for the accommodation of the Romish doctrine of Baptismal regeneration, we cannot conceive.... As to the multitude of Old Testament Saints that believed-all those, for instance, who are mentioned in Heb. 11, the great cloud of witnesses' who 'all died in faith,' it must follow that they did not enter Heaven. But certainly they did not go to a place of torment. It remains that they must have gone to some place intermediate between that of the impenitent, and that of the justified, waiting the coming of Christ, and from which they were delivered when he had accomplished that, of which all their religion had been, in view of this system, but an inoperative, inefficacious shadow." p 232-234.

The Oxford Tractarians clearly teach, with the Romanists, the regeneration of the sinner by Water Baptism. The Baptismal Font is their gate of Heaven. Bishop Doane appears to agree with them fully in their views of the sacraments. In what mode this wonderful efficacy is conveyed, the Tractarians have some "reserve " in declaring. "Our Lord joined the two together-the high, mysterious and spiritual doctrine of the Trinity, with the no less mysterious communication of grace by water baptism." In the dispute at the Council of Trent between the Dominicans and Franciscans, whether the sacraments operated by a grace-conferring efficacy that was inherent in the elements, or by an efficacy supernaturally attached to them of God, the Oxfordians would have probably given the casting vote in favor of their brethren of St. Francis ;-unless, indeed, by their tact at distinctions, they had cut out a "Via Media," which passed straight up through antiquity to the Apostles.

It is evident that these Divines have very mistaken views of the nature of a Sacrament. Baptism, according to the view of Protestants generally, is a sign, or seal, of regeneration. But Dr. Pusey resolutely declares that "Baptism is not a sign but the putting on of Christ-wherefore Baptism is a thing most powerful and effica. cious." In other words, Baptism is not the sign, but regeneration itself. This is near enough to Rome; but far away from Scripture !

The texts which Bishop Doane and others quote to sustain their extravagant views, will be readily understood in a different sense, if we remember that "the language of the New Testament was constructed with reference to adult baptism, which was almost exclusively witnessed in the first conversions to Christianity;" and moreover, that the persons, who became the subjects of baptism, were clearly understood to profess a change of heart. Baptism was to them "the seal of the righteousness of faith "-the covenanted pledge, that-if truly God's children, as they professed to be-their sins were forgiven, and they should be made partakers of the eternal inheritance. The opus operatum hypothesis is utterly irreconcilable with Scripture, and tends to death rather than to life.

With Bishop M'Ilvaine, we "conclude with a solemn CAUTION against such an idolatry of the Sacrament of Baptism, such a resting on the outward seal, such identification of the spiritual grace with the invisible sign, such a losing of the real nature of spiritual regeneration in our zeal for the honor of its type and shadow, as is shown in OXFORD DIVINITY-to the great peril of immortal souls.” p. 441.

IV. Sin after Baptism. Penance.

Having examined the fundamental doctrine of Oxfordism (justification by inherent righteousness) and seen its effects upon the doctrine of Faith and of the Sacraments, "we proceed (says Bishop M'Ilvaine) to further ramifications;-in evidence that the tree of Romanism, planted in the classic soil of Oxford, is bringing forth Ro

mish fruit, and is going on to do so more and more, and may thus be known to be good or evil, according as any one may consider the spreading shade of Popery to be good or bad. Tendimus in Latium." Bishop M'Ilvaine, p. 237.

In the Roman Catholic Church, sin after baptism can only be remitted through the "Sacrament of Penance." This is consistent ground. Sins before baptism are remitted, or taken away, by the infusion of grace at baptism. But sin after baptism, how shall that be remitted? The true Protestant says, " Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ." No, says the Romanist; remission can come again only through some Sacrament, as it came at first. But what sacrament? The Romish church invents one, called Penance, comprising contrition, confession, satisfaction and absolution. When the Priest says, "I absolve thee in the name of the Father" &c., then the sin after baptism is remitted." p. 245.

How does Oxfordism get along in this emergency?

BISHOP DOANE.

"The Church has no second baptism to give, and so she cannot pronounce a man altogether free from his past sins. There are but two periods of absolute cleansing, Baptism and the day of Judgment." Pusey, quoted by Doane. p. 95.

"This modern [evangelical] system, which by an artificial, wrought-up peace, checks the deep and searching agony, whereby God, as in a furnace of fire, was purifying the whole man by the Spirit of Judgment, and the Spirit of burning-this is altogether a spurious system."2 do. p. 94.

"This system [the evangelical, which removes the burden of sin by "repentence and faith"] "is searing men's consciences now, as much as the 'Indulgences' of the Romish system did before." do. p. 99.

The Oxford divines make no provision for the remission of sins after Baptism. They say "the fountain (of the Redeemer's blood) has indeed been opened for sin and for uncleanness; but it were to abuse the power of the keys entrusted to us, again to pretend to admit them thus; now there remains only the baptism of tears.' On which the (Episcopal)" Christian Observer " remarks: "May God forgive men who thus awfully presume to limit the virtue of the Redeemer's atonement, who substitute the penance of tears for the blood of Christ."

2 The attention of the reader is requested to the following. from Owen's works, vol. 11, p. 105. "The contest of the Reformers with the Roman Church, was about the way and means whereby the consciences of convinced, troubled sinners might come to rest and peace with God. For at that time, they were no otherwise instructed, but that these things were to be obtained, not only by works of righteousness which men did themselves, in obedience unto the com

BISHOP DOANE.

"Even while holding out the most solemn form of absolution, as a means of relieving the troubled conscience, our Church confesses the incompleteness of her own act." do. p. 96.

"If the Romish church had but the dregs of the system of the ancient Church, stale and unprofitable though they were, they yet had something of the strength of the bitterness of the ancient medicine; they, at least, testified to a system, when men made sacrifices for the good of their souls, accused and condemned themselves. . were grieved and wearied .... turned to God in weeping, fasting and praying, ... acknowledged and confessed their offences, and sought to bring forth worthy fruits of penance; and in cases of notorious sins, were put to open penance and punishment in this world, that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord." do. p. 99.

BISHOP M'ILVAINE.

"Oh, calumniated Church! that one of thine own children and pastors should teach such doctrine for thine!" p. 250.

"Dr. Pusey's eye is upon degrees and continuance of external bodily penances-what he elsewhere calls the bitterness of the ancient medicine.'.. A broken heart, with faith in the blood of Christ, are not enough. The grand question in Dr. Pusey's sight, is how much penance, as distinct from repentance, is necessary for pardon.. The mind that fully sympathizes with such views, is penetrated with the essential virus of Romanism, and only needs an exciting cause, to break out all over, with a full eruption of Romanism in active development." p. 349. 352.

....

Oxfordism is thus in full pursuit of Penance.

It robs the Chris

tian of his "peace and joy in believing," and turns him out into the desert of Roman mortifications, without a star to guide him, from Baptism to the Judgment !

mands of God, but also by the strict observance of many inventions of what they called the Church; with an ascription of strange efficacy unto the same ends, unto missatical sacrifices, sacramental absolutions, penances, pilgrimages, and other the like superstitions. Hereby they [the reformers] observed that the consciences of men were kept in perpetual disquietments, perplexities, fears and bondage, exclusive of that rest, assurance and peace with God through the blood of Christ, which the Gospel proclaims and tenders. And when the leaders of the people in that [Roman] church had observed this, that indeed the ways and means which they proposed and presented, would never bring the souls of men to rest, nor give them the least assurance of the pardon of sins, they made it a part of their doctrine, that the belief of the pardon of our own sins, and assurance of the love of God in Christ, were false and pernicious. For what should they else do, when they knew well enough, that in their way, and by their propositions, they were not to be attained? Hence the principal controversy in this matter, which the reformed divines had with those of the Church of Rome was this, whether there be according unto, and by the Gospel, a state of rest and assured peace with God to be attained in this life. And having all advantages imaginable for the proof hereof, from the very nature, use, and end of the Gospel, from the grace, love and design of God in Christ, from the efficacy of his mediation in his oblation and intercession, they assigned these things to be the especial object of justifying faith, and that faith itself to be a fiduciary trust in the especial grace and mercy of God, through the blood of Christ, as proposed in the promises of the Gospel."

The "Christian Observer" remarks: "The doctrine of the church of Rome, though it is in the spirit of these Tracts, is less terrific, because it makes repentance a sacrament; so that an authorized avenue of sacramental grace' is still afforded for the solace of the trembling penitent. The Tract doctrine is PROTESTANTISM REJECTED AND POPERY SPOILED."