baptism was not inconsistent with the views of the primitive church; but he finds no satisfactory evidence of the practice of the rite in the first two centuries. He admits that it was practised in the time of Cyprian and of Tertullian, and that in the fourth century it had become general.-Dogmengeschichte ii. th. iii. abschn. s 1208, 9. "Hahn contents himself with the assertion that there is no clear example of infant baptism to be found either in the scriptures or during the first hundred and fifty years of the Christian era.' He makes no comment upon the examples on record, nor does he inform us what he re ceives as a clear example. But he justifies infant baptism as a useful institution, which ought to be retained.-Christlichen Glaubens, s. 123, s. 557. "Such, then, are the views of some of the most distinguished German scholars of the present day. But enough. Authority is not argument, nor is an ostentatious parade of names of any avail either to establish truth or refute error. These authors themselves generally admit the validity of the testimony of the early fathers; nor does it appear that, with all their research, directed even by German diligence and scholarship, they have essentially varied the historical argument drawn from original sources in favour of infant baptism."-Pp. 116, 117. in a question of history, if we deny the True, authority is not argument. But existence of a practice which others assert to have been prevalent, it is worthy of notice that " German diligence and "De Wette, in commenting upon 1 Cor. vii. scholarship" have been expended in the 14, allows that in the time of the apostles chil-investigation without being able to disdren were not baptized, but alleges this same passage as scriptural authority for receiving them to this ordinance.-Geschichte der Kindertaufe, th. Stud. u. Kr. 1830; s. 671. "Neander also agrees with De Wette on this point.-Geschichte der Pflantzung, p. 141. According to Rheinwald, p. 41, traces of infant baptism appear in the western church after the middle of the second century, i. e. within about fifty years of the apostolic age; and towards the end of this century it becomes the subject of controversy in Proconsular Africa. Though its necessity was asserted in Africa and Egypt in the beginning of the third, it was, even to the end of the fourth century, by no means universally observed, least of all in the eastern church; and finally became a general ecclesiastical institution in the age of Augustine.--Archæologie, s. 111, s. 313, vgl. Tafel. i. Kirchliche Sitte. 66 cover it. Mr. Coleman, however, hav- "The foregoing are the most important historical authorities in favour of infant baptism "Gieseler simply says that in the first period as a usage of the primitive church. They have of his history, from A.D. 117 to 193, the bap-long been before the public. They have been a tism of infants was not a universal custom, and thousand times summoned and marshalled for was sometimes expressly discountenanced.' For the onset, and a thousand times contested, and his authority he quotes Tertullian, De Baptismo, still the conflict continues as undecided as ever. c. 18, as given in the sequel.-Kirchengeschichte, There they are, however, on the records of history, unchallenged, unimpeached, and there they will be for ever—the unhappy subject of controversy and division to kindred in Christ, s. 52, s. 175. “Siegel maintains that infant baptism is of apostolical authority.-Handbuch der Christlich-Kirchen Alterthümen, bd. iv. 476. who else had been one in sentiment and in name, as they still are in all other essential “Neander concludes, from the late appear-points of faith and practice.”—P. 119. ance of any express mention of infant baptism, and the long-continued opposition to it, that it So melancholy a view of the future was not of apostolical origin.-Geschichte der does not belong to our creed: we do ch Kirche durch die Apostel. i. bd. 140. not believe that the controversy respectAgain he says, "the ordinance was not estab-ing the subjects of baptism will be everlished by Christ, and cannot be proved to have lasting. Already we can look on these been instituted by the apostles."-K. Gesch. "records of history" undismayed; and bd. ii. abth. ii. s. 649. in process of time others may learn to contemplate them with equal serenity. But this we cordially concede: " They have long been before the public. They have been a thousand times summoned and marshalled for the onset, and a thousand times contested." Mr. Coleman, with the results of German industry at his feet, has not been able to add one to those with which all theologians have long been familiar. The section on the "mode and form of baptism" we will present to our readers entire, without note or comment. "To this head belong-1. The manner in which the candidate for baptism received the appointed element, water. 2. The ceremonies observed by the officiating persons in administering the ordinance. In regard to both of these points, considerable difference of opinion and usage prevailed in the ancient church, from a very early period; nor are the eastern and western churches to this day agreed in this matter. This difference, however, has uniformly been treated as of less importance by the latter than by the former church. "1. Immersion, or dipping. In the primitive church this was undeniably the common mode of baptism. The utmost that can be said of sprinkling in that early period is, that it was, in case of necessity, permitted as an exception to a general rule. This fact is so well established that it were needless to adduce authorities in proof of it. The reader will be directed to them by references elsewhere; but there are some points in connexion with this rite which require particular attention. "It is a great mistake to suppose that baptism by immersion was discontinued when infant baptism became prevalent. This was as early as the sixth century; but the practice of immersion continued until the thirteenth or fourteenth century. Indeed, it has never been formally abandoned, but is still the mode of administering infant baptism in the Greek church. "Trine immersion was early practised in the church. The sacramentary of Gregory the Great directs that the person to be baptized should be immersed at the mention of each of the persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Tertullian says, "We receive the water of baptism not merely once, but three times, at the mention of each of the persons of the Holy Trinity;' and again, We are plunged thrice in the water of baptism.' Basil the Great, Jerome, and Ambrose, believed this custom to have been introduced by the apostles, though no authority for this supposition is found in the New Testament. Other of the fathers supposed the practice of trine im mersion to refer, not to the three persons in the godhead, but to the three great events which completed the work of our redemption-the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. "Single immersion was at times considered valid. This decision was given by Gregory the Great, in a controversy with the Arians in Spain, who maintained that trine immersion denoted three gradations in the godhead. Gre gory, on the contrary, declared baptism by single immersion to be valid, and aptly significant of the unity of the Deity. This division was afterwards confirmed by the Council of Toledo. "In the early centuries, all persons who received baptism were completely undressed, without distinction of age or sex. This circumstance was thought to be emblematical of the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new-the putting away of the defilements of the flesh, &c. A sense of decency at length prevailed against this unaccountable superstition, and it was by degrees discontinued. "2. Aspersion or sprinkling. After the lapse of several centuries, this form of baptism gradu. ally took the place of immersion, without any established rule of the church, or formal renunciation of the rite of immersion. The form was not esteemed essential to the validity of the or dinance. "The eastern church, however, in direct opposition to these views, has uniformly retained the form of immersion as indispensable to the validity of the ordinance, and repeated the rite whenever they have received to their communion persons who had been previously baptized in another manner. "In defence of the usage of the western church the following considerations are offered: "1. The primary consideration of the word cannot be of great importance, inasmuch as the rite itself is typical, and therefore derives its importance, not from the literal import of the phrase, but from the significancy and design of the ordinance. "2. Though no instance of baptism by sprinkling is mentioned in the New Testament, yet there are several cases in which it is hardly possible that it could have been administered by immersion, Acts x. 47, 48; xvi. 32, 33; ii. 41. "3. In cases of emergency, baptism by aspersion was allowed at a period of high antiquity. Cyprian especially says, that this was legitimate baptism when thus administered to the sick. When performed in faith on the part of the minister and the subject, he maintains that the whole is done with due fidelity, and agreeably to the majesty of the divine character. "This form was also admitted when the bap tismal font was too small for the administration | baptism, the sacrament continued to be adminof the rite by immersion; and generally, considerations of convenience and of health and climate are mentioned as having influence in regard to the form of administering the ordi nance. 66 'Aspersion did not become general in the west until the thirteenth century, though it appears to have been introduced some time before that period. Thomas Aquinas says, it is safer to baptize by immersion, because this is the general practice. Tutius est baptizare per modum immersionis, quia hoc habet communis usus."-Pp. 122, 123. us, istered to all who had been baptized, whether infants or adults. The reason assigned by Cyprian and others for this practice was, 'that age was no impediment; that the grace of God bestowed upon the subjects of baptism was given without measure and without any limitation as to age.' Augustine strongly advocates this practice, and for authority appeals to John vi. 53, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you.' "The custom of infant communion continued for several centuries. It is mentioned in the third Council of Tours, A.D. 813, and even the Council of Trent, A.D. 1545, only decreed that Respecting confirmation, Augusti tells it should not be considered essential to salva "At the stated baptismal seasons the bishop was chiefly occupied with the rites of confirmation; but he sometimes administered also the rites of baptism and unction. When this ordinance was administered in the absence of the bishop, confirmation was solemnized at some convenient season afterwards, either by the bishop or by his representative. Accordingly, confirmation was at times delayed for several years after baptism, especially in large dioceses, which were seldom visited, either on account of their great extent or of the indolence and neglect of the bishop. "Even after the general introduction of infant baptism, confirmation immediately succeeded baptism. In the oriental churches, baptism, confirmation, and the Lord's Supper, are administered in immediate succession; which is strong evidence that such was the ancient cus tom. "The permanent separation of the rites of confirmation from those of baptism cannot probably be assigned to an earlier date than the thirteenth century."-P. 130. The custom of infant communion, coeval with infant baptism, is described by Augusti thus : tion. It is still scrupulously observed by the Greek church.”—P. 138. The following is part of the information given respecting the institution of deaconesses, a subject to which the attention of the churches in many parts of this country is at present directed: “The terms διάκοναι, χῆραι, πρεσβύτεραι, in many passages, distinctly indicate that they were appointed to perform the same offices towards the female sex as the deacons discharged for their sex, Rom. xvi. 1, 2, 12; 1 Tim. v. 3, seq.; Titus ii. 3, seq.; 1 Tim. iii. 11. No satisfactory explanation has yet been given of the origin of this office; some suppose it to have been derived from the Jews; others, that it was peculiar to the Christian church. Paul's commendation of Phebe, Rom. xvi. 1, 2, however, refutes the hypothesis that they were appointed to administer exclusively to their own sex. "Hugo Grotius, in his commentary on that passage, says, that in Judea the deacons could administer freely to the female sex. The office of deaconess was accordingly unknown among the Jews; but in Greece no man was allowed to enter the apartment of that sex, which custom gave rise to two classes of female assistants, one called πρεσβύτιδες, οι προκαθήμεναι, who devoted their attention to the department of the women; the other diákova, Latin diaconissæ, whom Pliny, in his epistle to Trajan, calls ministra, attended to the poor and the sick of their own sex, and provided for their wants.' Others give a different explanation of this matter; and, indeed, it must be admitted that from the second to the fourth century the office was known in many churches in various countries, though it was never universally adopted."-P. 53. Agreeably to all the laws and customs of the church, baptism constituted membership with the church. All baptized persons were legitimately numbered among the communicants as members of the church. Accordingly, the sacrament immediately followed the ordinance of baptism, that the members thus received might come at once into the enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of Christian fellowship. But in all these instances the baptized person is of necessity supposed to have been of adult age, "Their duties were, 1. To take the care of capable of exercising faith, according to the in- the poor and the sick. This in the apostolic age junction, Believe, and be baptized.' was their principal office-a service so com"After the general introduction of infant mendable, that, in imitation of it, even Julian that they in their turn became troublesome aspirants after the prerogatives of office, just as the abbotesses and prioresses of later times assumed all the offices of the bishop, preaching, administering the communion, absolving, excommuni it required all the authority of councils and of the pope himself to rectify. In a word, the order was abolished because it was no longer necessary. Cessante causâ, cessat effectus."P. 54. the Apostate required the same. Under this head may also be classed the duty of ministering to martyrs and confessors in prison. 2. To instruct catechumens and to assist at their baptism. They instructed female candidates in the symbols, and other things, preparatory to their bap-cating, and ordaining, at pleasure; abuses which tism. Their attendance at the baptism of candidates of their own sex was requisite to assist in divesting them of their raiment, to administer the unction, and to make arrangements for the administration of the ordinance with all the decency becoming a rite so sacred. 3. To exercise a general oversight over the female members of the church. This oversight they continued, not only in all the exercises of religious worship, of the sacrament, and of penance, but in private life imparting needful admonition, and making due reports of them to the presbyters and bishop. "This office ceased in the church at an early period, but the precise time cannot be determined. It was first abrogated in France by the Council of Orange, A.D. 441. But it continued for some time after this, and gradually disappeared from the western church. In the Greek church it became extinct in the twelfth century. "Morinus offers several reasons for the abrogating of this office in Syria, which were, briefly, that the services of these women became less important after the cessation of the agape of the primitive church; that the care of the sick and the poor, which had devolved upon the church, was in the time of Constantine assumed by the state; that after the introduction of infant baptism, their attendance at this ordinance became of less importance; and finally, Very few works have been published recently which deserve better than this the attention of studious Christians. To transcribe the titles of the chapters will be to show the interesting nature of its contents. They are as follows: A general view of the organization and worclasses of Christians-the ministers of ship of the primitive church-names and the church the inferior officers of the church-appointment to ecclesiastical offices-rank, rights, privileges, and costumes of the clergy-ordination churches and sacred places-prayers and psalmody of the church-use of the holy scriptures in religious worshiphomilies catechetical instructions baptism-confirmation-the Lord's supper-discipline of the ancient churchdomestic and social character of the primitive Christians-marriage--funeral rites and ceremonies-sacred seasonsfestivals and fasts-sacred seasons of the Puritans-the Armenian church. A valuable chronological index, from Rhein| wald, is appended. BRIEF NOTICES. The Portable Commentary. The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments: with the most approved marginal references, and explanatory notes, selected from the most distinguished biblical writers. By the Rev. INGRAM COBBIN, M.A. London: Price 10s. cloth. A small type and thin paper have enabled the publisher to include in a volume not too large for a moderate sized pocket, in addition to the sacred text according to the common version, a central column of marginal references and various readings, nearly fifteen thousand explanatory notes, six maps, and some other aids to the understanding of the scriptures. The whole has been executed under the superintendence of an editor who has had more practice in the compiling of commentaries, we believe, than any other living man, and whose sentiments are thoroughly evangelical. Though as few words as possible are used in the notes, they are not too brief to be useful. To many of the young the volume will prove, we doubt not, a favourite companion; while some who are more advanced in life, when they look at it, will remark with a sigh, that there was no such thing in existence in those days in which their sight was such as to permit an enjoyment of its advantages. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, by Dr. A. THOLUCK, Consistorial Counsellor, and Professor of Theology in the University of Halle. Translated from the German, by JAMES HAMILTON, M.A., Professor of Modern Languages in the University of Durham. With an Appendix, comprising two Dissertations by the same author, translated by J. E. RYLAND, Esq. Edinburgh: Two volumes, pp. 297 and 301. An exposition by such a man as Tholuck of an epistle so important and beautiful as that to the Hebrews, cannot fail to excite the attention of all who take delight in biblical criticism. They will be gratified to find that it is a work on which the author has expended much time and thought it might seem, indeed, to have been the labour of a life. It is absolutely surcharged with learning; so much so that the mind of the writer appears sometimes to be oppressed with its stores, and to bave lost a part of its elasticity. To the mere English scholar the work will not be of much value: the quotations in various languages with which it abounds, and the technical phraseology pervading it, will render it to him a sealed book. To competent critics it will be very interesting; though, on some important points, Tholuck's opinions will not be found to coincide with those which are most generally received among us. He argues against the ascription of the epistle to Paul; but when he discusses the question, "If Paul be not, who is the author?" he gives no decided opinion, though he inclines to attribute it to Apollos. We had hoped that Moses Stuart had set the question of its authorship at rest, by his copious induction of internal evidence in favour of its Pauline origin. To this Tholuck adverts, but endeavours to set it aside by charging it with "mechanism." It is however on internal evidence almost exclusively that he relies in rejecting Paul as the author: he acknowledges that "the historical evidence in favour of the Pauline origin, especially as that evidence is drawn from the eastern church, decidedly preponderates." These volumes are the thirty-eighth and thirtyninth of the Biblical Cabinet. The Deacon's Office. A Sermon delivered, by appointment, before the Ministers and Messengers of the Baptist Western Association, assembled at Wellington, May 18, 1842; adopted by them, as their Circular Letter for the Present Year, and now, to gratify the wishes of a few friends, publish din an unabri ged form, as at first delivered. By HENRY TREND, Minister of the Gospel, Bridgewater. London: Houlston and Stoneman: 8vo. pp. 28. The reality and perpetuity of the deacon's office-the origin of the deacon's office-the scriptural qualifications required for using the office of a deacon well-the mode in which deacons are to be invested with their office-the duration of the deacon's office-the design for the accomplishment of which the deacon's office was instituted-and the propriety of females being appointed to the deaconship, are the principal topics discussed in this sermon. These are subjects of great importance; and, if the vote of the Western Association were not a FOL. V.-FOURTH SERIES. Mary Lundie, the eldest daughter of the parish minister at Kelso, became the wife of a young Scotch clergyman in 1836, and died in 1840, aged twenty-five years. Her amiable disposition, fervent piety, and highly cultivated intellect, of which this volume furnishes abundant evidence, in prose and verse, endeared her to her connexions; and strangers, especially young mothers, will derive from its records both pleasure and profit. Birds. London: 16mo. square, pp. 160. The Nest-the Egg-the Feather-the Song Bird-and Instinct of Birds,-five small publications issued separately by the Religious Tract Society, are here included in one neat volume, in cloth, with gilt edges. RECENT PUBLICATIONS Approved. Account of the Proceedings of the Thirtieth Annual Session of the Baptist Union, held in London, April 25, 26, 28, & 29, 1842; with the Report of the State of the Denomination, and an Appendix. London: Houlston and Stoneman. 8vo. pp. 72. The Second Annual Report of the Bible Translation Society. Presented to the General Meeting, New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, April 29, 1842. With a List of Contributors, &c. London: Houlston and Stoneman: 8vo. pp. 28. Not a Labourer wanted for Jamaica: to which is added, an Account of the Newly-erected Villages by the Peasantry there, and their beneficial results; and of the Consequences of re-opening a New Slave Trade, as it relates to Africa, and the Honour of the British Government in breaking her Treaties with Foreign Powers: in a Letter addressed to a Member of Parliament, appointed to sit on the West India Committee. By THOMAS CLARKSON. London: Ward and Co. 8vo. pp. 15. The Teacher's Farewell: a Parting Gift to Elder Scholars, on their leaving the Sunday School. By the Author of "Little Robert's First Day at the Sabbath School.” With an Address to the Reader, by HENRY ALTHANS. London: Snow. 18mo. pp. 162. The Christian Mother; or Maternal Duties exemplified in the Narratives of the Old and New Testaments. By MARY MILNER, Author of the "Life of Dean Milner." Second Edition. London: 12mo. pp. 167. Price 28. Essays on Justification by Faith. By the late Rev. THOMAS ROBINSON, M.A., Vicar of St. Mary's, Leicester. London: (Tract Soc.) 18mo. pp. 69. Instinct of Birds. London: (Tract Soc.) Square 16mo. pp. 32. Price 4d. The Eclectic Review, July, 1842. London: Ward & Co. |