CHAP. IV.

Inaccuracy in the Definition of Regeneration. Doctrine of Luther upon the Subject. Dawn of our own Reformation under Henry the VIIIth. Doctrine maintained in a book of Articles published 1536. Latin Articles, from which our established ones were partly derived, perfectly conformable with the preceding.

CHAP. V.

p. 32.

Same subject continued. Reign of Edward. Cranmer. His influence in the Reformation. Principal author of the first book of Homilies and the Liturgy. His opinion upon Regeneration as taught in his Catechism, and his two tracts upon the Sacrament of the Lord's Sup→ per. Latimer not inconsistent with Cranmer.

mus.

CHAP. VI.

p. 52.

First Book of Homilies. Paraphrase of ErasSecond Book of Homilies. Its Doctrine upon Regeneration misrepresented. The same explained and vindicated. Opinions of those who compiled the Office of Adult Baptism.

p. 78.

CHAP. VII.

Infant Baptism. Theory of the other party. Principally grounded upon a supposed disposition in infants to fulfil, when capable of so doing, their baptismal engagements. Theory rejected. A passage in the Catechism urged in support of that theory. Altered at the Restoration to exclude the very sense imputed P. 107.

to it.

CHAP. VIII.

Position of a peculiar disposition, abstractedly considered, in certain Infants, untenable. Defectibility of grace, the doctrine of our Liturgy. Addition to the Office of Private Baptism at the Restoration - Introduced to silence the Cavils of the Non-conforming party-Proving Baptismal Regeneration absolute and universal. p. 129.

CHAP. IX.

That all infants without exception are regenerated in Baptism, the doctrine of our Church. The same doctrine held by the Lutherans and Zwinglians. English Articles of 1536. Latin Articles. Bishops' and King's Books. First

b

book of Homilies. Proclamation of Edward to the rebels of Cornwall and Devon. Cran

mer.

CHAP. X.

p. 141.

Recapitulation. Office of Infant Baptism. Salvation of unbaptized Children. Comparison between the respective offices of Adult and Infant Baptism. Inconsistent reasoning of the Calvinistical party. Present Controversy no Logomachy. Uniformity of Opinion unattainable.

p. 163.

CHAP. I.

Preliminary remarks.

Dr. Mant's tract on

Baptismal Regeneration. Mr. Scott's reply to it. Evangelical party. Limited view of the present discussion.

IT

may perhaps appear singular, that a controversy should still exist respecting the true

sense of certain passages in the Baptismal Services of our Church, after a lapse of more than two centuries from the period of their original compilation; particularly as the language in which they are expressed seems to have been studiously adapted to popular comprehension and instruction. But this appearance of singularity ceases, when we recollect the natural anxiety of every writer upon the subject to prove, that the doctrine of the Church to which he professes attachment and his own private opinion perfectly coincide. Yet ought this anxiety always to be indulged? Private opinion, it is indeed true, no man can control; but

every man may control the public display of it and surely when its conformity with the doctrine of the Church cannot be clearly and satisfactorily demonstrated, concealment is preferable to disclosure, and silence to justification. To support an ideal conformity by a line of argument evidently strained and distorted, may suit the obliquities of party spirit, but can never promote truth, and produce conviction.

The Calvinistical, or, as they rather wish to be termed, the Evangelical, Clergy, have been always forward in advocating the cause of their own consistency. But no attempt at an accommodation of principle has been attended with more labour and difficulty, or has given birth to greater refinement of reasoning, and to less solidity of argument, than that which they have hazarded upon the subject of the efficacy of Baptism.

The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge recently circulated a tract composed by Dr. Mant, one of the Chaplains to his Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury, upon the doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. This tract, as