regenerated and saved, though, neither sacrament has ever been received. The Lutherans and Romanists, on the other hand, hold that the sacraments are necessary means of grace, in the sense that the grace which they signify is not received otherwise than in their use. There is no remission of sin or regeneration without baptism ; no reception of the body and blood of Christ to our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace, without the Lord's Supper ; and, according to Romanists, no forgiveness of post-baptismal sins without priestly absolution ; no grace of orders without canonical ordination ; and no special preparation for death without extreme unction. This question is of importance chiefly in reference to baptism, and will therefore come up when that sacrament is under consideration. At present it is only the general teachings of these several churches that need be referred to. The " Consensus Tigurinus " is the most carefully considered and cautiously worded exposition of the doctrine of the Reformed in relation to the sacraments, belonging to the period of the Ref- ormation. It was drawn up to settle the differences on this sub- ject between the churches of Geneva and those of Zurich. It contains the statements in reference to the sacraments to which both parties agreed. It teaches1 (1.) That the sacraments are " notse ac tesserae " of Christian fellowship and brotherhood ; incitements to gratitude, faith, and a holy life, and " syngraphae " binding us thereto. They were ordained especially that therein God might testify, represent, and seal to us his grace. (2.) The things signified are not to be separated from the signs. Those who by faith receive the latter receive also the former. (3.) That respect is to be had rather to the promise to which our faith is directed ; for the elements without Christ " nihil sint quam inanes larvaa." (4.) The sacraments confer nothing " propria eorum virtute ; " God alone works in us by his Spirit. They are organs or means by which God efficaciously operates. (5.) They are sometimes called seals, but the Spirit alone is properly the seal as well as the beginner and finisher of our faith. (6.) God does not operate in all who receive the sacraments, but only in his own chosen people. (7.) Hence the doctrine is to be rejected that the sacraments convey grace to all who do not oppose the obstacle of mortal sin. The grace of God is not so bound to the signs, that all who have the latter have the former. (8.) Believ- ers receive without the sacraments the blessings which they re- ceive in their use. " Extra eorum usum fidelibus constat, qua9
* Niemeyer, Collectio Confessionum, Leipzig, 1840, pp. 193-195.
518 PART III. Ch. XX. — THE MEANS OF GRACE.
illic figuratur Veritas." Paul received baptism for the remission of sins ; but his sins were remitted before he was baptized. Bap- tism was to Cornelius the laver of regeneration, but he had re- ceived the Spirit before he was thus externally washed. In the Lord's Supper we receive Christ, but Christ dwells in every be- liever, and we must have faith before we can acceptably approach the table of the Lord. (9.) The benefit of the sacraments is not confined to the time in which they are administered or re- ceived. God often regenerates long after baptism those baptized in infancy ; some in early youth, some in old age. The benefit of baptism, therefore, continues through the whole life, because the promise signified therein continues always in force.
As to the Lutheran doctrine on this subject, Guerike says that the three churches, the Greek, Roman, and Lutheran, " are agreed in holding that in the sacraments the visible signs as such really convey the invisible divine things, and therefore, that a participa- tion of the sacraments is necessary in order to a participation of the heavenly gifts (gottliche Sache) therein contained. While on the contrary the Reformed Church teaches that the visible signs as such do not convey the invisible grace, and that the Christian can by faith receive the same divine benefits without the use of the sacraments, and consequently that the sacraments are not ab- solutely necessary, much less the middle point of the Christian plan of salvation." 1 The language of the Lutheran Symbols justifies this strong language of Guerike. Thus the signers of the Augsburg Confession,2 " Damnant Anabaptistas qui impro- bant baptismum puerorum et affirmant pueros sine baptismo salvos fieri." And in the comment on that article in the " Apology for the Confession," it is said,3 " Nonus articulus approbatus est, in quo confitemur, quod baptismus sit necessarius ad salutem, et quod pueri sint baptizandi, et quod baptismus puerorum non sit irritus, sed necessarius et efficax ad salutem." The Lutheran theologians, however, in treating of the necessity of baptism, make a distinction between adults and infants. With regard to the former, regeneration should precede baptism. In reference to them, the design of baptism is to seal and confirm the grace already received. In regard to infants it is the organ or means of regeneration. Thus Baier says : 4 " Hie autem, quod ad finem proximum attinet, diversitas occurrit, respectu subjectorum
i Symbolik, p. 374,
2 Par. i. ix. 3; Hase, Libri Symbolici, 3d edit. Leipzig, 1846, p. 12.
» Apologia, iv. 51; Ibid. p. 156.
* Compendium Theologies Positives, in. x. 10; edit. Frankfort and Leipzig, 173S), p. 648.