"things, that ye have prayed for; which promise he for "his part will most surely keep and perform." In the Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum likewise this point is directly noticed: "Plures item," it is there observed, "ab aliis cumulantur errores in Baptismo, quem " aliqui sic attoniti spectant, ut ab ipso illo externo cre"dant elemento Spiritum Sanctum emergere, vimque ejus "nomen et virtutem, ex qua recreamur, et gratiam et reliqua ex eo proficiscentia dona in ipsis Baptismi "fonticulis enatare. In summa totam regenerationem "nostram illi sacro puteo deberi volunt, qui in sensus "nostros incurrunt. Verum salus animarum, instau"ratio Spiritus, et beneficium adoptionis, quo nos Deus "pro filiis agnoscit, a misericordia divina per Christum "ad nos dimanante, tum etiam ex promissione sacris "in Scripturis apparente, proveniunt." Cap. de Bap

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tismo.

Page 176, note (12).

It is certain by God's word, that children, which are baptized, dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly saved. Rubrick after the Office of public Baptism.

Page 177, note (13).

The work referred to is "The Institution of a Chris"tian Man," published in 1537. "Item, that the pro"mise of grace and everlasting life (which promise is "adjoined unto this Sacrament of Baptism) pertaineth "not only unto such, as have the use of reason, but "also to infants, innocents, and young children, and that "they ought therefore, and must needs be baptized, "and that by the Sacrament of Baptism they do also "obtain remission of their sins, the grace and favour of "God, and be made thereby the very sons of God. In"somuch as infants and children, dying in their infancy, “shall undoubtedly be saved thereby, and else not.” p. 35. The same publication likewise contemplates faith

and obedience in maturer years, not as the conse quences, but as the causes of election. "There is, "and hath been ever from the beginning of the world,

and so shall endure and continue, a certain number, "society, communion, or company, of the elect and "faithful people of God, of which number our Saviour "Jesus Christ is the only head and governor, and the "members of the same be all these holy saints, which "be now in Heaven, and also all the faithful people of "God, which be alive, or that ever heretofore have "lived, or shall live in this world, from the beginning "unto the end of the same, and be ordained, for their "true faith and obedience unto the will of God, to "be saved, and to enjoy everlasting life in Heaven.” p. 13.

Page 178, note (14).

When our Church maintains the actual regeneration of all infants dedicated to Christ in Baptism, it is evident, that at the same time she inculcates the universality of grace. That she equally holds its defectibility, not only follows as a consequence of the preceding position, but is itself distinctly and explicitly alluded to: "Grant, that this child, now to be bap"tized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace, "and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and "elect children." Office of Baptism. "That as he is "made partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also "be partaker of his resurrection; so that finally" (not for a period only) "with the residue of thy holy Church, "he may be an inheritor" (or heir)" of thine everlast"ing kingdom." The same. "Defend, O Lord, this "thy child with thy heavenly grace, that he may con"tinue thine for ever." Order of Confirmation.

Page 179, note (15).

Although Heaven is the gift of Christianity, and by

becoming Christians we become entitled to it, yet are its rewards solely conferred on persevering virtue: "Grant, that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by "our office and ministry, may also be endued with "heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded." Office of Baptism.

Page 180, note (16).

The impossibility of reconciling the doctrine contained in our Liturgy and Homilies with the Calvinistical predestination, has been so frequently and ably demonstrated, that a repetition of that argument seems unnecessary. There is, nevertheless, a paragraph in our Burial service, of much importance to the controversy, which I have never seen fully elucidated. It is the following; "Suffer us not, at our last hour, for "any pains of death to fall from thee." The Calvinists endeavour to get rid of the difficulty, which these expressions oppose to their system, by asserting, that they only relate to a fall from a fictitious faith. But the contrary appears to be the fact, if we trace them to their real source. The passage, in which they are found, was taken from a German Hymn of Luther, composed as a kind of poetical paraphrase upon another very ancient one in the Offices of the Romish Church. The words of Luther in the latter part of this Hymn are "Heiliger Herre Gott, heiliger star"ker Gott, heiliger harmbertziger Heyland, du ewi"ger Gott, lass uns nicht entfallen von des rechten "glaubens trost." Geistliches Handbuchlein, p. 136. "O Holy Lord God, O holy mighty God, O holy "merciful Saviour, thou God eternal, suffer us not to "fall from the consolation of true faith." To ascertain, therefore, the precise meaning of the terms in our own Liturgy, nothing more seems requisite, than to compare them with the original. Indeed, to consider a fall

from God as meaning a fall from an ideal faith in God, is a species of forced interpretation, in itself not easily admissible.

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But the language, as well as sentiments, of our Reformers on this occasion, may be further illustrated by the publications of the preceding reign. In the Bishops' Book it is said; "Keep us from the inticements "of the devil, that, we consent not to any of his tempt"ations or persuasions. Keep us, that he by no sug"gestion bring us from the right faith, neither cause us "to fall into desperation, now, nor in the point of death." p. 91. And in the King's Book, thus still more directly to the point. "Whether there be any special, particular knowledge, which man by faith hath certainly of himself, whereby he may testify to himself, "that he is of the predestinates, which shall to the end "persevere in their calling, we have not spoken; nor "can in Scripture nor doctors find, that any such faith "can be taught or preached. Truth it is, that in the "Sacraments instituted by Christ we may constantly "believe the works of God in them to our present com"fort, and application of his grace and favour, with assurance also, that he will not fail us, if we fall not "frim him." Art. of Faith. "Albeit in this assembly "of men called by the word of God, and received by "faith and baptism, be many evil men, many sinners, 66 many that turn by true penance to grace, and yet "sometimes fall again, some, after they turn by true "penance, still persevere, and increase in goodness; "many, that fall, and never rise again, &c." 9th art. of the Creed. Perhaps likewise a reference to the Creed of Cranmer, respecting the possibility of perishing in the dreadful hour of affliction and death, may not be deemed unimportant. "In this petition (deliver 66 us from evil) we must learn both wisdom and pa"tience: wisdom to beware of sin, when it provoketh

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"us, and in no wise to follow the same; and patience, "to suffer willingly the cross, and such afflictions as "God shall send unto us, and to pray God with fervent "desire, that he suffer as not to perish in the same; but mercifully defend us, until such time as it shall please "him clearly to deliver us, which shall be, when we shall "die..... At that hour we be in the most danger of "all evils and temptations. Wherefore it is most neces66 sary for us, even from our tender age, to pray to our "Lord, that at that last hour he will be good and gra"cious to us, delivering us from all manner of evil.” Catechism, p. 210.

Page 180, note (17).

The individual opinions of Cranmer upon the subject of predestination, probably because little known, have been seldom adduced. That he thought very differently from Calvin respecting universal redemption, the extracts, which I have given from his writings, in p. 329. will perhaps be admitted as complete evidence, even by those, who may not esteem them fully satisfactory upon the collateral question, for the illustration of which they are there quoted. Neither is it difficult to shew, not only that he further differed from the Reformer of Geneva on the point of final perseverance, but that he held the same doctrine of regeneration and an election in Christ through Baptism, which is so conspicuous in the Offices of our Church. In his Catechism his sentiments are thus delivered: "And we "Christian men, although by Baptism we be made the "children of God, and receive the Holy Ghost, &c." p. 192. "Here we mean a second birth, which is spiritual, "whereby our inward man and mind is renewed of the "Holy Ghost, so that our hearts and minds receive "new desires, which they had not of their first birth or nativity. And the second birth is by the water of "Baptism, which Paul calleth the laver of regeneration,

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