destroy it". This is that which makes the least sin in ministers appear and be bigger than the greatest in the people. Their motes are beams in comparison of others', and others' beams are but motes in comparison of theirs. Others may sin themselves, and only themselves sin; but if a minister sins, others commonly sin with him; he cannot fall but he draws many after him. For when the people see one lying in sin himself, that tells men they must not sin, they presently think he is not in earnest when he speaks of God, or grace, or sin, or glory; for did he really believe all he saith concerning these and the like things, he could not but walk more answerably to them than he doth and thus his lying in one sin is the occasion of others falling into many. And hence it is that the church of God hath in all ages inquired after evil ministers, and hath deposed such from the ministry that have not walked worthy of it. It would be an endless thing to recite the many canons that have been made both by œcumenical and provincial councils for the suspending, excommunicating, and deposing of sinful and loose ministers. I shall instance but in some few. The Eliberine council decreed, That bishops, priests, and deacons, if, being placed in the ministry, they be discovered that they have committed adultery, for the scandal and atrocious crime, even to the end, they ought not to receive communion.' Nay, the fifth council of Carthage was so severe against the scandalous sins of ministers, that they deter

ἔπειτα καν

Η Ου γὰς ἐστιν, οὐκ ἐστι τὰ τῶν ἱερέων κρύπτεσθαι ἐλαττώματα· ἀλλὰ καὶ μικρότατα ταχέως κατάδηλα γίνεται.— Chrysost. de Sacerdotio, lib. iii. Οι δὲ ἐν τῇ κορυφῇ ταύτης καθήμενοι τῆς τιμῆς πρῶτον μὲν πᾶσιν εἰσι κατάδηλοι· ἐν τοῖς μικροτάτοις σφαλῶσι, μεγάλα τὰ μικρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις φαίνεται. Ου γὰρ τῷ τοῦ γεγονότος μεγέθει, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ διαμαρτόντος ἀξίᾳ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μετροῦσιν ἅπαντες. -Ibid.

1 Διὸ χρὴ πάντοθεν αὐτοῦ τὸ κάλλος ἀποστίλβεῖν τῆς ψυχῆς (τοῦ ἱερέως), ἵνα καὶ εὐφραίνειν ἅμα καὶ φωτίζειν δύνηται τὰς τῶν ὁρώντων ψυχὰς τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν τυχόντων ἁμαρτήματα ὥσπερ ἐν τινὶ σκότω πραττόμενα τοὺς ἐργαζομένους ἀπώλεσε μόνους· ἀνδρὸς δὲ ἐπιφανοῦς καὶ πολλοῖς γνωρίμου πλημμέλεια κοινὴν ἅπασι φέρει βλάβην. Ibid.

* Episcopi, presbyteri, diaconi, si in ministerio positi detecti fuerint quòd fint mochati, placuit ut propter scandalum et propter nefandum crimen nec in fine eas communionem accipere debere.--Concil. Eliber. Can. 18.

mined', 'That if a clergyman, of what degree soever, is condemned for any crime by the judgment of the bishops, it may not be lawful for him to be defended either by the church he was placed over, or by any man whatsoever, the punishment of the loss of money and honour being interposed, from which we command, that neither age nor sex be excused.'

The fourth council of Carthage made many canons also against evil ministers; amongst the rest", Every clergyman that is a slanderer or reviler, especially amongst the priests, let him be forced to beg pardon; if he will not, let him be degraded, neither let him be ever called again to his office without satisfaction. And that a scurrilous clergyman, and one that jesteth with obscene words, should be deposed from his office and a clergyman that swears by the creatures must be sharply reproved, and if he still continue in his sin, excommunicated.'

At a council at Agatha" it was also decreed, that' Before all things, drunkenness should be avoided by the clergy, which is the fomenter and nurse of all vices; therefore any one that appears to have been drunk (as order suffers), we appoint that he be either removed from communion for the space of thirty days, or else undergo bodily punishment.' And it was one of the canons of the third council at Orleans, If any clergyman commits any theft or falsity,

Et illud statuendum, ut si quis cujuslibet honoris clericus judicio episcoporum pro quocunque crimine fuerit damnatus, non liceat eum sive ab ecclesiis quibus præfuit, sive à quolibet homine defensari, interpositâ pœnâ damni pecuniæ atque honoris, quo nec ætatem nec sexum excusandum esse præcipimus.-Concil. Carthag. quint. Can. 2.

m Clericus maledictus, maximè in sacerdotibus, cogatur ad postulandam veniam. Si noluerit, degradetur; nec usque ad officium absque satisfactione revocetur. Concil. Carthag. quart. Can. 57. Clericum scurrilem et verbis turpibus joculatorem ab officio detrudendum.-Ibid. Can. 60. Clericum per creaturas jurantem acerrimè objurgandum, si perstiterit in vitio excommunicandum.-Ibid. Can. 61.

n Ante omnia clericis vitetur ebrietas, quæ omnium vitiorum fomes et nutrix est. Itaque eum, quem ebrium fuisse constiterit, ut ordo patitur, aut triginta dierum spatio communione statuimus submovendum, aut corporali subdendum supplicio.-Concil. Agath. cap. 41.

• Si quis clericus furtum aut falsitatem admiserit, quia capitalia etiam ipsa sunt crimina, communione concessâ ab ordine degradetur. De per

because they also are capital crimes, communion being granted him, let him be degraded or deposed from his degree. But concerning perjury, we have thought good it should be observed, that if any clergyman, in such causes which are to be ended by an oath, shall swear, and afterwards, by evident testimony, shall be discovered to have sworn falsely, let him be driven from communion for the space of two years.' I shall conclude with that.comprehensive canon of the first council of Orleans P: If a deacon, or a presbyter, shall commit a capital crime, let him be driven both from his office and communion.' So then our church was not the first that determined that evil ministers should be deposed, it being no more than what others before have done.

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 PROMISE OF THE 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, VIRTUE OF PRAYER UNTO GOD. THE BAPTISM OF YOUNG CHILDREN IS IN ANYWISE TO BE RETAINED IN THE CHURCH, AS MOST AGREEABLE WITH THE INSTITUTION OF CHRIST.

BY

As it was by circumcision that the Jews were distinguished from all other people in the world, so it is by baptism that jurio autem id censuimus observandum, ut si quis clericus in causis quæ sub jurejurando finiendæ sunt præbuerit juramenta, et post rebus evidentibus detegitur perjurâsse, biennii tempore à communione pellatur. Concil. Aurel. tert. cap. 8.

Si diaconus aut presbyter crimen capitale commiserit, simul ab officio et à communione pellatur.-Concil. Aurel. prim. cap. 11.

Christians are distinguished both from Jews and others: for all that are baptized are Christians, and none are Christians but such as be baptized. And so baptism is a mark of difference, whereby Christians are discerned from such as be not christened. But though this be one effect of baptism, it is not all. For it is not only a sign of our profession, but also of our regeneration, and therefore is it called "the washing of regeneration," Tit. iii. 5. So that by it we are grafted into the church, and made members of that body whereof Christ is the head; for "we are baptized into one body," 1 Cor. xii. 13. have a promise from God of the forgiveness of those sins we have committed against him. And therefore Peter said unto them," Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins," Acts, ii. 28. That so, "being justified by his grace, we we should be made [not only sons, but] heirs, according to the hope of eternal life," Tit. iii. 7. And so in baptism our faith is confirmed, and grace increased, by virtue of prayer to God, not by virtue of the water itself, but by virtue of prayer, whereby God is prevailed with to purify our souls by his Spirit, as our bodies are washed with the water that as the water washeth off the pollutions of our bodies, so his Spirit purgeth away the corruptions of our souls. But all these things will be made more clear and firm by the testimonies of the fathers, and therefore I shall immediately pass on to them.

And truly, if we consult the fathers in this case, they will unanimously tell us, that we are not only distinguished from others, but regenerated by God in baptism; yea, that in baptism our sins are pardoned to us, and our corruptions subdued under us. Thus Origen, Thou descendest into the water dead in sin; thou ascendest quickened in righteousness.' And presently, And because by the sacrament of baptism the filth of our nativity is purged away.' Chrysostom saith, But our circumcision, I mean the grace

• Mortuus in peccatis descendisti, et ascendis vivificatus in justitia.— Origen. in Luc. 2. Hom. 14. Et quia per baptismi sacramentum nativitatis sordes deponuntur.-Ibid.

» Ἡ δὲ ἡμετέρα περιτομή, ἡ τοῦ βαπτίσματος λέγω χάρις, ἀνώδυνον, ἔχει τὴν ἱατροίαν, καὶ μυρίων ἀγαθῶν πρόξενος γίνεται ἡμῖν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἡμᾶς ἐμπί

of baptism, hath cure without pain, and brings us innumerable good things, and fills us with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and hath not a set time, as it was there (under the law); but it is lawful for any man in his infancy, middle age, or old age, to receive this circumcision made without hands, wherein we do not undergo labour, but lay aside the burthen of our sins, and find the forgiveness of our faults committed at all times.' For, as the same father elsewhere: 'As the body of Christ, being buried in the earth, brought forth the fruit of the world's salvation, so also our body, being buried in baptism, brought forth fruit, even righteousness, sanctification, adoption, and innumerable other good things.' Augustine saith, that Renovation in baptism is made in a moment, by the forgiveness of sins, for there is not so much as one, be it never so great, that remains, but may be pardoned.' Yea, Gregory saith, He that saith sins are not quite forgiven in baptism, may as well say, the Egyptians were not truly dead in the Red Sea.' And Augustine again, That in the baptismal washing, not only the pardon of such sins as are committed, but of such as shall be afterwards committed, is granted to such as believe in Christ.' And presently, It is so, I say, to be taken, that by the same washing of regeneration, and the word of sanctification, all the sins of regenerate men are

πλησι χάριτος, καὶ οὐδὲ ὡρισμένον ἔχει καιρὸν, καθάπες ἐκεῖ, ἀλλ ̓ ἐξεστι καὶ ἐν ἀπρω ἡλικίᾳ, καὶ ἐν μέσῃ, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ γήρᾳ γενόμενον τινα, ταύτην δέξασθαι τὴν ἀχει ροποιητὸν περιτομὴν, ἐν ᾗ οὐκ ἔστι πόνον ὑπομεῖναι, ἀλλ ̓ ἁμαρτημάτων φορτία ἀποθέσθαι, καὶ τῶν ἐκ πάντι χρόνῳ πλημμελημάτων τὴν συγχώρησιν ἑυςέσθαι.-Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 40. Καθάπες γὰρ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ταφὲν ἐν τῇ γῇ καρπὸν τὴς οικουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν ἤνεγκεν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον ταφὲν ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι καρπὸν ἤνεγκε τὴν δικαιοσύνην, τὸν ἁγιασμὸν, τὴν υἱοθεσίαν, τὰ μυρία ἀγαθα. Id. in Rom. Hom. 11. • Sicut momento uno fit illa in baptismo renovatio remissione omnium peccatorum; neque enim vel unum quantulumcunque remanet quod non remittatur. Aug. de Trinit. lib. xiv. cap. 17.

d Qui dicit peccata in baptismate funditus non dimitti, dicat in Mari Rubro Ægyptios non veraciter mortuos.-Greg. Epist. lib. ix. ep. 39.

• Quod baptismali lavacro non solùm patratorum, verùm etiam posteriorum, peccatorum venia Christi fidelibus impetretur. - Aug. de Nuptiis et Concupis. ad Val. lib. i. cap. 33. Sic inquam accipiendum est, ut eodem lavacro regenerationis et verbo sanctificationis omnia prorsus mala hominum regeneratorum mundentur atque sanentur, non solùm peccata quæ omnia nunc remittuntur in baptismo, sed etiam quæ posteriùs humanâ ignorantiâ vel infirmitate contrahuntur.-Ibid.