The doctrine of impanation was afterwards, in the Reformation period, but wrongly, attributed to Osiander by Carlstadt. Some Roman Catholic ^vriters, e. g. Bel- larmine (Disnert. de impan. et consubstanf. Jenoe, 1677), Du Cange, and others, accused Luther of having revived the old error of impanation. The Formula Concoi-dim (1577) declares that the "mode of union between the body of Christ and the bread and wine is a mystery," and does not decide positively what that mode is, but only negatively what it is not. '• It is not a personal union, nor is it consubstantio ; stUl less is it a union in which change of substance is ^\Tought {transubstantia- tio), nor a union in which the body and blood of Christ are included in the bread and wine {impunaiin'), but a union ^v]uch exists only in this sacrament, and there- fore is called sacramentalis." See Hcrzog, Pcid-Enq/- klop. vi, 6M ; Knapp, Theology, § 140 ; and the articles Lord's Supper ; Consubstantiation ; Transubstan- tiation.
Impeccabiles, a name given to certain heretics in the ancient Church, who boasted that they were in- capable of sin, and that there was no need of repent- ance ; such were some of the Gnostics, Priscillianists, etc. See I.aipeccability.
^ Impeccability, the state of a person who cannot sin, or who, by grace, is delivered from the possibility of sinning. Some speciUations have ajipeared in the world upon the supposed peccability of the human na- ture of Christ, founded chiefly on certain expressions in
the Epistle to the Hebrews (iv, 15) and elsewhere, as- serthig that Christ was " in all points tempted like as we are." It is argued, on the other hand, that as the Scripture has been silent on this point, it is both need- less and presumptuous to attempt to draw any infer- ences from such expressions as that above cited; and that we should acquiesce iu, and be satisfied with, the declaration that "in him is no sin" (1 John iii, 5). See Art. XV of Church of England, " Of Christ alone without sin." Impeccability, or, at least, sinless perfection, has also been claimed for every true child of God upon the authority of 1 John iii, 9, though improperly, the word " cannot" reqiuring to be taken (as in many other pas- sages of Scriptiure) in such a latitude as to express, not an absolute inipossibilitij of sinning, but " a strong dism- clination," in the renewed natiure, to sin " in such a man- ner and to such a degree as others." — Eden, Theol. Did. s. V. ; Ullmann, Sinlessness of Jesus (Edinb. 1858, 12mo), p. 46 ; Haag, Hist, des Dogmes Chret. (see Index). See Christ, Sinlessness of; Perfection; Sanctifica-
TION.
Imperiali, Laurent, a Roman Catholic prelate of whose early life nothing is known, was born about the year 1012, and was created cardinal in 1052 by pope In- nocent X. He died Sept. 21, 1673. — Migne, Encyclop. Theol. xxxi, 1094.
Imperiali, Joseph Rene, an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, was born at Oria, April 20, 1651. Descending from a high family, and enjoy- ing the intercession of great prelates, he took orders in his Church, and was rapidly promoted. In 1690 Inno- cent XI created him cardinal, and he was sent as ambas- sador to Ferrara. At the papal conclave in 1730 he came within one vote of being elected the incumbent of the papal throne. He died Jan. 15, 1737. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Getierale, xxv, 833 ; Migne, Encyclop. Thiol, xxxi, 1094 sq.
Implicit Faith. See Faith.
Impluvium, anciently a large area or spot of ground between the great porch of the church and the church itself. Because uncovered and exposed to the aii-, it was called atrium or imj)luviuni. Eusebius called it atSfffiov. " In this court or church-yard was the station of the energumens (q. v.), and that class of penitents called TTpoaicXaiovTte or flentes. These persons were commonly entitled ^f'/tn^oi'T-fC or %£(/xa4'V"'''''' ^'''^™ the circumstance of their standing in the open air, ex- posed to all changes of the weather" (IMddle, Christian Antiq. p. 725 sq.). The practice of burning their dead in the impluvium was initiated in the 4th century, but it did not become general until after the 6th century. There were also frequently buildings auxiliary to the church edifice placed in the impluvium, such as the baptisteries, places where the candidates of the Church were instructed and prepared for baptism, etc. See Far- rar, Eccles. Diet. s. v. (J. H. W.)
Importunity (nvaiceia) in prayer, an important element of success (Luke xi,8), as evincing earnestness, a faith that takes no denial, and especially a persever- ance that continues to intercede until the request is granted (compare Luke xviii, 1 ; 1 Thess. v, 17). See Prayer.
Imposition of Hands, a ceremony used by most Christian churches in ordination, and by others in con- firmation. The expressions generally used in the Scrip- tures for the rite of imposition of hands arc: D'^b, or n'^d (-"CD), with T^, hv, etc., in the O. T.; and tTri- riBrjin, ri'^jz/zt xapot Tiin, tiri Tiva, tiriBiffig x^'poix/ ill the K T. See Hand.
I. 0?-igin and symbolical Meaning of the Act. — The practice of the imjiosition of hands as a symbolical act is of remote anticpiity. It is " a natural form by which benediction has been expressed in all ages and among all people. It is the act of one superior either by age or spiritual position towards an inferior, and liy its very form it appears to bestow some gift, or to manifest a de-