cause of Christ's institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men. Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally being found guilty, by just judgement be deposed.

Notes. "In the visible Church: "-the Church in this world;-in the invisible Church within the veil it is not so.

The evil be ever mingled with the good. Christ foretold this in the Parable of the Tares and the Net and the Marriage Feast; see Article xix.

They do not the same in their own name. This is the root of the matter. The grace of God's Word and the grace of His Sacraments comes not from the Minister, but direct from God. The Montanists and Donatists, refusing to recognize Baptism at the hands of heretics, argued "How can grace be given by one who has it not?" The Church answers, “The grace is from God, not from the Minister." It was not the Apostles by their " own power or holiness" that worked the miracles, but "His Name, through faith in His Name." Paul may have "planted, and Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” († Cor. iii. 6, 7). Paul and Apollos were but "ministers by whom men believed, even as the Lord gave to every man." The treasure was in earthen vessels, that the excellency might be of God, and not of them (2 Cor. iv. 7).

ARTICLE XXVII.

Of Baptism.

Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened, but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.

Notes.-Regeneration or new Birth. A sacrament must contain two things, an outward visible sign, and an inward spiritual grace. The Article asserts that Baptism has not only an "outward visible sign," distinguishing the Christian from the not-Christian; but it has also an inward spiritual grace, and this grace is defined to be, in one word, Regeneration. What is meant by Regeneration? It is our Lord's word (John iii. 5), and it is St. Paul's word (Tit. iii. 5), and it is St. Peter's word (1 Pet. i. 3, 23), for that change which takes place in us in Baptism. It is not a moral change, but a spiritual change. A moral change (that is, a change of heart and disposition) may or may not accompany it ;--in the adult it may and ought, in the

infant it cannot. But the spiritual change (that is, a change in the spiritual conditions of our life) may take place in the infant no less than in the adult. We shall see this still more clearly when we have explained to ourselves the nature of this spiritual change. It is threefold. Just as we are baptized into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; so the grace is threefold :

1. We are made children of our heavenly Father. 2. We are translated into the kingdom of His dear Son.

3. We are brought under the influences of His Holy Spirit.

Let us consider each of these blessings separately.

1. Adoption to be God's children. "To them gave He power to become the sons of God" (John i. 12). "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (1 John iii. 1). "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father" (Rom. viii. 15). And this implies forgiveness, remission of all past sin in the case of the adult, remission of the blame and displeasure under which our fallen race lies in the case of the infant. "Be baptized for the remission of sins" (Acts ii. 38). "Be baptized and wash away thy sins" (Acts xxii. 16). So in this Article, "the promises of the forgiveness of sins are signed and sealed." Thus in Baptism we are pardoned, justified, restored to favour, brought into covenant, made God's children. This first.

2. Baptism translates us into Christ's kingdom, makes us (in other words) members of His Church; and if so, then members of Himself, for His Church is called in Scripture His Body. "By one spirit are we

all baptized into one Body;""ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular" (i.e. individually) (1 Cor. xii. 12, 27). "The Church, which is His Body" (Eph. i. 26). "Thou being a wild olive-tree wert grafted in" (Rom. xi. 17). So in this Article, "grafted into the Church." This second.

Of that

3. Baptism brings us under the influences of the Holy Spirit. For of this Body of which we are made members the Holy Spirit is the Soul. This Church into which we are translated is His Temple. Vine into which we are grafted He is the vital sap. Therefore the promise of His blessed influence accompanies Baptism. In the case of the adult, we doubt not the Holy Spirit is there and then given, according to St. Peter's words, "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts ii. 38). In the case of the infant, we do not say that there is what the schoolmen called "an infused habit of grace;" such language would be inapplicable to infants. But we say rather that, from that day forward, in God the Holy Ghost "he lives and moves and has his being." The Holy Spirit is the new element in which he henceforth lives. If we might venture to use the metaphor, he is transplanted into a new spiritual atmosphere, which is sure to strengthen him so soon as he begins to inhale it. Surely this breathing of a new breath of life may well be called new birth.

or

Such is the threefold privilege of Baptism, its inward spiritual grace, called "regeneration" 66 new birth," on purpose to show that it is the free gift of God, not won by any effort of our

own, but God's gift just as much as natural birth is God's gift.

And if it be so, if it require no effort on the part of the baptized, then clearly infants are as capable of it as adults. Just as an unconscious plant may be conveyed from one master to another, may be grafted into a new stock, may be transplanted into a more genial climate, --so may the unconscious babe change masters, be grafted into Christ, and brought under the Holy Spirit's influence.

Some may say, "Nay, but is not Baptism of the nature of a covenant? and does not the Catechism tell us that faith and repentance are required? How then can it be right to baptize infants?"

The answer is a very simple one: Baptism is of the nature of a covenant, and repentance and faith are required. But so gracious and merciful is our heavenly Father, that He is satisfied with an engagement to repent and believe on our part: the adult engages, the infant is engaged, to renounce evil and embrace the faith. We enter on our new life" under this engagement or obligation; and if in after years we fail to fulfil this engagement, just in that proportion do we forfeit these privileges of our new birth.

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Most rightly therefore does the Article affirm in its last clause that "the Baptism of young children is most agreeable with the institution of Christ."

One only question remains. This "regeneration" being the inward and spiritual grace, how is it connected with the outward and visible sign? How can one be said to be the means of the other? The Article

The Scripture proofs of this are given in Manual II.