since it was part of Baptism, a Sacramental act also'. And as the language of St. John and St. Paul is connected, and St. Paul

1 See Note (G) at the end. The close connexion of Confirmation with Baptism is remarkably attested by the very fact of the extension of the word "seal" to the gifts of the HOLY GHOST in Confirmation. For it is unquestionable that the primary use of the word "seal" both among the Fathers, (see above, p. 139. and Note E.) and the Liturgies,(see above, p. 141, sqq.) relates to Baptism. In the Greek Liturgies also, Confirmation continues, as it originally was, embodied in the Baptismal service, so that a part of the Baptismal service is sung after the Confirmation has been bestowed. For upon the thanksgiving for Regeneration, and prayer for "the seal of the gift of the Holy, and Almighty, and Adorable "SPIRIT," and that GOD would "confirm him in the true faith," there follows the marking with the Cross with the words, "The seal of the gift of the HCLY "SPIRIT, Amen ;" and then follow the Baptismal hymn, "All ye, who have "been baptized into CHRIST, have put on CHRIST, Alleluia;" and the Baptismal lesson, (Rom. vi. 3—11.) and another from St. Matthew, xxviii. 16–20. (Goar Eucholog. p. 355, 6.) In two other arrangements of this office, this "sealing" takes place during the baptismal hymn, " All ye who have been, &c." and there follows the 32nd Psalm, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are for"given," which was by the Ancient Church universally understood of Baptism, (ib. 358, 9. and 362.) as also in a third in which the "sealing "is performed by the priest. (p. 360.) In like manner in a Gellone Sacramentary (Martene de Eccl. Rit. i. 1. 18. ordo 6.) that of Rheims, (ib. ord. 8.) Chelle, (ord. 10. p. 70.) St. Germain's, (ord. 11.) Moisac, (ord. 12.) Jumiège, (ord. 13.) the confirmation, (administered with the words, "The mark of CHRIST to eternal life,") is included in the Baptismal Office. It is to be remarked, that these passages (which have been carefully brought together in a valuable series of papers in the Brit. Mag. vol. xi. p. 421. 543. xii. 56. 663.) are altogether distinct from those in which the name "seal" is applied to the immediate rite of Baptism; but as Baptism, as a whole, is "the seal," so actions preparing for it, or confirming it, are included under it, as in their degree, also "seals." This is confirmed by those fathers who speak most strongly of confirmation, and whom Romanists most employ in proving it to be a proper Sacrament. For when St. Cyprian says, that imposition of hands is not sufficient for those who have received heretical baptism, but that they "will then only be fully sanctified, and be the sons of GOD, if they be born of each sacrament," (Ep. 72. ad Steph.) it is plain that he regards Confirmation as a part of Baptism, since the new-birth is the gift of GOD in Baptism, and was never thought to be conferred by Confirmation. (The same language is used by Nemesianus, Concil. Carth. ap. Cyprian, quoted by Bingham, 12. 1. 4.) In like manner, but yet further, Tertullian de Resurr. Carnis, c. 8, separates the sealing from the anointing, as well as from the imposition of hands, "Caro ungitur, ut anima consecretur; caro signatur, ut et

himself connects the "anointing" and the "sealing" in Baptism, so does Christian Antiquity (as was shown) continually use the word "seal" of the several acts of " anointing," which took place during that sacrament. But whether St. John (as seems to me most probable) referred to a specific act at Baptism, or to Baptism itself, as "making us kings and priests to GOD," thus far makes no difference. What I would now advert to is this, that Christian Antiquity interpreted these passages of Holy Baptism, as being the source of our illumination, as of our sanctification; while moderns find, under the term "anointing," the gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT, or grace, or wisdom, or the Blessed SPIRIT Himself, as anointing Christians either immediately, or mediately through the ministry of the word,-any thing in short rather than the institution of our Blessed SAVIOUR. And I would wish persons to consider whether this do not imply a changed feeling, a less vivid

"anima muniatur; caro manus impositione adumbratur, ut et anima Spiritu "illuminetur ;" and yet no one would argue from this, that he regarded the anointing, the marking with the cross, and the imposition of hands, as, strictly speaking, three different sacraments, though they are three different sacramental rites. So that whereas Bellarmine (de Sacr. Confirm. c. 6.) argues, from this description occurring between that of the act of Baptism and the participation of the Holy Eucharist, that Confirmation is a distinct Sacrament, equal to the two great Sacraments, it would better prove five distinct Sacraments. See further, Bingham, 1. c. where he shows in like way, that Optatus, so interpreted, would make three Sacraments of Baptism, Unction, and Imposition of hands, and Pacian, of Baptism, Chrism, and the words of the Priest. Other expressions, whereby Confirmation is most frequently entitled, as "the complement of Baptism," imply the same, since no one would call a distinct Sacrament the complement, filling up, perfecting, of that of which it is not a part. No one ever, for instance, called the Holy Eucharist so. The above view is, I see, stated in so many words by Haimo, (ap. Bingham, 1. c.) “The gift of the HOLY SPIRIT is given in

Baptism by the imposition of the Bishop's hands." It is plain also that those passages of the fathers, which speak of the gift of the SPIRIT, as belonging peculiarly to Confirmation, are to be understood (as indeed their words convey) of an especial strengthening and confirming grace, (which our Church holds) not as though Baptism conferred simply remission of sins, and the gift of the SPIRIT were altogether reserved for Confirmation; both because they hold Baptism to be "the birth of water and the SPIRIT," and themselves repeatedly affirm the SPIRIT to be given in Baptism. See above, p. 21, 30, 36, &c. and (on the passages of St. Cyprian) Bp. Bethell on Bapt. Regen. c. 6. p. 85, note. ed. 2.

recognition of the value of the "means of grace," and an independence of ordinances, which is less humble than the frame of mind of the early Christians.

ii. 3. It was remarked on the above passages, wherein mention is made of our "sealing" and "anointing," that they are spoken of as having taken place at a definite past time. This would obviously be the mode of speaking of privileges or gifts solemnly bestowed at one period of the Christian life, however their effects may and ought subsequently to endure. Birth is one gift, though it would not profit us to have been born, unless the being, thus bestowed, were afterwards upheld by His Fatherly care; there is but one commencement of life, although that life must afterwards be matured, sustained, guarded, strengthened; one engrafting of the weak and sickly scion into the health-giving stock, although it must ever after "abide in the vine," if it is to "bear fruit," and not "be cast forth as a branch and withered;" one adoption into the family, though it be by His mercy that any is enabled to "walk worthy of that adoption," and is retained in it; one fountain of life, though, unless it flow on, our life will be dried up; one rising of the sun, although His rays must continually lighten our path, else should we "walk on in darkness." And so, while we bear in mind the continued gifts of His goodness, in the life which He upholds; the fatness of the olive-tree, which He imparts; the membership of the family, which He continues: the stream, or the light, which He pours within us; still there is eminently one date, from which all these present blessings are derived, differing from them in so far as it is one, the sun rising, the engrafting, the adoption, the birth; one act, transitory as an act, although abiding in its effects. Now this is precisely the mode of speaking which Scripture uses in making mention of our Christian privileges. When it speaks to individuals, it uniformly refers them back to that act, from which their present privileges were derived; it speaks of the gifts, as having been conferred in the past, though they are continued on to the present to such as have not forfeited them. But this is not the way in which the school of Calvin, having unlearned the value of the Sacraments, would speak. To them, Justification must of necessity be simply pre

sent; it cannot have any date, except in the opinion of such as hold that every real Christian must be able to assign the precise moment of his conversion; and these are now comparatively few. For since they reject justification through the Sacrament of Baptism, and hold it to be simply the result of the act of faith apprehending CHRIST, laying hold of His merits, and applying them to itself, this justification must necessarily consist in a number of repeated acts, each separately wrought in the soul by the agency of the HOLY SPIRIT, but none differing in kind from another, so that the one should be the cause, the rest the result. Justification then must be to them continually and simply present; not as the result of any thing past', but as consequent upon their present act of casting themselves on the Redeemer's merits: they have been, they trust, and are, justified; but their present justification is the result, they think, simply of their present faith; and so at each former time their then act of reliance on His merits was the means of their justification, it was then to them the present source of justification; and in like manner, in such as

This is the more remarkably illustrated in a recent very popular work of a Dissenting missionary, in that the writer, when called upon to minister, in a case of extreme distress, seems to have no notion that Baptism made any difference at all in a person's state. A mother sent to him in great agony on her death-bed, on account of the infanticides of which she had been guilty, when an heathen. "I began to reason with her, and urged the consideration, that "she had done this when an heathen, and 'during the times of ignorance, which "GOD winked at;' but this afforded her no consolation. I then directed her "to the 'faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that CHRIST "JESUS came into the world to save sinners.' This imparted a little comfort; "and after visiting her frequently, and directing her thoughts to that Blood "which cleanseth from all sin, I succeeded, by the blessing of GOD, in tranquil"lizing her troubled spirit; and she died about eight days after my first inter"view, animated with the hope, that her sins, though many, would all be for"given her.' And what but the Gospel could have brought such consolation ?" -Williams's S. Sea Islands, p. 480, 1. Consolation is not the main object of the Gospel, yet the Gospel would have brought much more consolation, had this teacher known it all, and could have told her of the "one Baptism for the remission of sins," that she "had been washed, had been cleansed ;" and so could he have declared authoritatively, without altering our LORD's own words, "Thy "sins are forgiven."

persevere to the end. These would take up the words of St. Paul, as they stand in our English Bibles, and would be interpreted according to our present idiom', "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with GoD;" "much more then, being now justified by His blood;" "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the LORD JESUS;" as exactly expressing their meaning. It is then very remarkable, in contrast with these views, that Holy Scripture never speaks of justification with regard to individuals, simply as present; it never says strictly, "ye being justified," but uniformly "ye having been justified," and so refers to a past act, whereby they were justified once for all, or placed "in a state of salvation" or justification, wherein they were to abide or to be kept. And this usage is the more remarkable, in that the other form "being justified" is used, as often as Scripture would speak of God's method of grace in the abstract, without reference to individuals. Thus St. Paul to the Romans, "Therefore having been justified "(dikaшlévтeç) by faith, we have (Exoμev) peace with God, through

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our LORD JESUS CHRIST, by Whom also we have received (¿oxn"Kaμɛy) access into this grace, and rejoice (кavxwμɛła) in hope, "&c." So again, (ver. 9.) "Much more then having now been "justified (dikaiwoévτes) by His Blood, we shall be saved." "If "being enemies we were reconciled (karnλλáynμɛv) much more "having been reconciled' (Karaλλayévres) shall we be saved." (ver. 10.) "By whom we have now received (λáßoμev) the "atonement." (ver. 11.) But as soon as St. Paul has to declare this as a general statement of God's dealings with regard to His whole purpose of mercy, and without respect to individuals, the present is used. Thus in ver. 17. "they which receive (λaμßávovtes)

1 The words, "being justified," meant, according to the translators, "being "in a justified state," just as in the Collect for Christmas Day, they translated "renati," "being regenerate," meaning "being persons regenerated or re-born," which is equivalent to "having been regenerate." The controversy some years back, which would interpret this as a prayer for regeneration, is a curious illustration of the effect of modern notions in altering the meaning of ancient language.

2 E. V. “being justified” (throughout), “have access," "being reconciled."