American Lutheranism Vindicated Part 11

3. The minister who believes in baptismal regeneration, cannot with Paul proclaim, "If any man be in Christ Jesus and is a new creature, old limits are pa.s.sed away, behold all things have become new;" for his unG.o.dly baptised hearers are all new creatures by baptism, and yet their old sinful habits _have not pa.s.sed away_, and all things have not become new to them.

4. He cannot consistently preach, that those who have put on the new man (Ephes. iv. 24,) are created in righteousness and true holiness; for the majority of those said to be regenerated, or to have put on the new man by baptism, continue in sin and are dest.i.tute of righteousness and trim holiness.

5. He cannot, with the blessed Master, preach, "by their fruits ye shall know them; for here, on his theory, are regenerate souls bringing forth the fruits of death, good (regenerate) trees bringing forth rotten fruits," which is as incredible as thorns producing grapes, and thistles yielding figs.

6. The believer in baptismal regeneration cannot consistently preach, that "not every one who saith, "Lord, Lord," shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who also do the will of our heavenly Father; for here are regenerate men who have the germ of eternal life in them (by baptism) who do not the will of G.o.d. Now as these on his theory are regenerate men, the bible promises them salvation. But according to the Saviour they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The apostle James Inquires, [sic] "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Will his (dead) faith save, him?" Or we may add, can his dead baptismal regeneration do it? As the apostle of the Gentiles declares, that circ.u.mcision is nothing and uncirc.u.mcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of G.o.d: so as baptism occupies the place of circ.u.mcision, baptism is nothing and the want of it nothing, unless accompanied with a sincere, universal and irrevocable purpose to keep the commandments of G.o.d.

If any one responds, we do not mean regeneration in its proper sense, when we ascribe it to the influence of baptism; then do not deceive yourselves and others by employing the name, when you do not mean the thing. The Saviour uses it for an entire, and radical change, and we have no right to use it for anything else.

Or does any one say, by baptismal regeneration, we understand an inferior kind or degree of regeneration, the beginning of the change. If so, then do not mistake the beginning for the completion of this great spiritual renovation; nor ascribe to the one, the precious promises and spiritual benefits which belong only to the other.

In short, if the word regeneration, in connexion with baptism, be employed to signify anything resembling its proper meaning, its influence on the preached gospel must be baneful; and just in proportion as we use it in a sense approximating to its legitimate import, does it obscure, confuse and derange the ideas of men as to the great and glorious plan of salvation in the gospel, which represent all men as either for or against Christ, and appeals to their works as decisive of their actual, spiritual character, as friends or as enemies of the Redeemer.

Such being the deleterious influence of this doctrine, it is important to show, that it finds no sanction from a just interpretation of the Word of G.o.d.

By baptismal regeneration is properly meant the doctrine that baptism is necessarily and invariably attended by spiritual regeneration; and that such water baptism is essential to salvation.

In the case of all adults, the Scriptures represent _faith in Christ_ as the necessary prerequisite to baptism, and baptism as a rite by which those who had already consecrated themselves to Christ, or been converted, made a public profession of the fact, received a pledge of the divine favor, or of forgiveness of sins, and were admitted to members.h.i.+p in the visible church. The same inspired records also teach, that if men are dest.i.tute of this faith, if they believe not, they shall be d.a.m.ned, notwithstanding their baptism. "He that _believeth_ and is baptized shall be saved, and he that _believeth_ not, shall be d.a.m.ned,"

Matt. xvi. 16. And Philip said to the eunuch, "If thou _believest_ with all thy heart, thou mayest be baptized," Acts viii. 37. "_Repent_ and be baptized," Acts ii. 38; viii. 62; xviii. 8. Hence if baptism required previous faith and repentance, or conversion in adults, and if, when they were dest.i.tute of this faith or conversion, they were d.a.m.ned, notwithstanding their baptism; it follows that baptism was not, and is not, a converting ordinance in adults, and does not necessarily effect or secure their regeneration.

Now that baptism cannot accomplish more in infants than in adults, is self-evident; hence if it is not a converting ordinance in adults, it cannot be in infants.

The effects of baptism on _infants are nowhere specified in Scripture;_ hence we must suppose them to be same as in adults, so far as children are naturally capable of them. Of _regeneration_, in the proper sense of the term, infants are incapable; for it consists in a radical change in our religious views of the divine character, law, &c.; a change in our religious feelings, and in our religions purposes and habits of action; of none of which are children capable.

Again, as regeneration does not destroy but merely restrains the natural depravity, or innate, sinful dispositions of the Christian, (for these still remain in him after conversion,) it must consist mainly in a change, of that _increased predisposition to sin arising from action, of that preponderance of _sinful habits_ formed by voluntary indulgence of our natural depravity, after we have reached years of moral agency. But infants have no such _increased_ predisposition, no _habits_ of sin prior to moral agency, consequently there can be no change of them, no regeneration in this meaning of the term. Hence, if baptism even did effect regeneration in adults, which we have proved not to be the case; still it could have no such influence on infants, as they are _naturally incapable_ of the mental exercises involved in it. The child, on its first attainment of moral agency, has merely natural depravity, until by voluntary indulgence in sin, it contracts personal guilt, and forms habits of sinful action. If the child, by the grace of G.o.d and proper religious instruction, continues to resist the solicitations of its depraved nature, its continued obedience will form holy habits, and this preponderance of holy habits, when established, const.i.tutes its regeneration. If the growing child, as its powers of moral agency are developed, for any reason indulges its innate sinful propensities, it becomes a confirmed sinner, and its subsequent regeneration, if it take place, will be the more striking, as its change of habits must be greater.

Baptism in _adults_, is a means of making a public profession, of previous faith, or of being received into the visible church, as well as a pledge and condition of obtaining those blessings purchased by Christ, and offered to all who repent, believe in him, and profess his name by baptism.

Baptism in _infants_, is the pledge of the bestowment of those blessings purchased by Christ for all. " As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." And "The promise is to you and your _children_," Acts ii. 39. These blessings are forgiveness of sins, or exemption from the penal consequences of natural depravity, (which would at least be exclusion from heaven on account of moral disqualification for admission,) reception into the visible church of Christ, grace to help in every time of need, and special provision for the nurture and admonition in the Lord, to which parents pledge themselves.

The language of the Saviour to Nicodemus, John iii. 6, "_Unless a man be born of water and the spirit_" doubtless refers also to baptism, which had been known to the Jews, and practiced by John the Baptist, before the ministry of Christ, as a mode of _public reception_ of proselytes, who were then said to be new born. Its import is to inform Nicodemus, that he must _publicly_ profess the religion of Jesus by baptism, and also be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, if he desired to enter the kingdom of heaven. Thus, also, the words, Acts xxii. 16, "_Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins_," were addressed to Paul _after_ he had surrendered himself to Christ, and signifies: "Arise, and publicly profess Christ by baptism, and thus complete your dedication of yourself to his cause, the condition, on the sincere performance of which, G.o.d will for Christ's sake, pardon your sins."

Baptismal regeneration, either in infants or adults, is therefore a doctrine not taught in the Word of G.o.d, and fraught with much injury to the souls of men, although inculcated in the former symbolical books.

At the same time, whilst the doctrine of baptismal regeneration certainly did prevail in our European churches, and is taught in the former symbolical books, it is proper to remark, that the greater part of the pa.s.sages in the symbols relating to this subject, are explained by many in the present day, to signify no more than we above inculcate, and therefore a not teaching baptismal regeneration.

Note 1. Luther's Works, Vol. xii., p. 339.

Note 2. Ibid.

Note 3. Ibid. Vol. xxii., p. 139.

Note 4. Melanchthon's [sic] Works, Koethe's edit., Vol. iv., p. 234.

Note 5. Ibid. pp. 251, 242.

Note 6. Died in 1643.

Note 7. Gottheil's Translation, p. 187.

Note 8. Ibid. p. 188.

Note 9. Ibid. p. 193.

Note 10. Loc. Com. Vol. iv., p. 260.

EXAMINATION OF THE LUTHERAN SYMBOLS.

CHAPTER X. THE LORD'S SUPPER.

That the doctrine of the _real presence_ of the body and blood of the Saviour in the eucharist, is taught in the symbolical books, is acknowledged by the Plea of the Rev. Mr. Mann, and indeed generally admitted, though variously stated and explained. It would therefore be unnecessary to quote those symbols in proof, were it not that many of our readers have not access to them elsewhere, and that the completeness of our representation, as well as the plan of our work require it. The following pa.s.sages will suffice to explain this view:--

_Augsburg Confession_, Art. X.

OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

"Concerning the holy Supper of the Lord, it is taught, that the _true body and blood_ of Christ are truly present, under the form of bread and wine, in the Lord's Supper, and are there administered and received."--_Symb. Books_, p. 112.

_Apology to the Confession_, Art. VII., VIII. (IV.)

"Our adversaries (the Romanists,) do not object to the tenth article (of the Augsburg Confession,) in which we confess that the _body and blood_ of Christ our Lord, are _truly present_ in the holy supper, and administered and received with the visible elements, the bread and wine, as. .h.i.therto maintained in the (Romish) church, and as the Greek Canon shows."--_Symb. Books_, p. 227.

_Smalcald_, Article VI.

"Concerning the Sacrament of the Altar, we hold that the bread and wine in the Eucharist, are _the true body and blood_ of Christ, which are administered and received, not only by pious, but also by impious Christians."--_Symb. Books_, p. 384.

_Luther's Smaller Catechism_.

"_What is the Sacrament of the altar?_

"_Ans_.--It is the _true body and blood_ of our Lord Jesus Christ, with bread and wine, inst.i.tuted by Christ himself, for us Christians to eat and drink."--_Symb. Books_, p. 124.

_Form of Concord_, Pt. I., Art. VII.

"We teach that the _true body and blood_ of our Lord Jesus Christ, are truly and essentially, or substantially, present in the Lord's Supper, administered with the bread and wine, and _received with the lips by all_ those who use this sacrament, be they worthy or unworthy, good or evil, believing or unbelieving; being received by the believing unto consolation and life, but by the unbelieving unto judgment."-_Symb.

Books_, p. 570.

"We believe, teach, and confess, that the words of the testament of Christ, are not to be understood otherwise than according to their _literal_ sense, so that the bread does not signify the absent body of Christ, and the wine the absent blood of Christ, but on account of their sacramental union, _that the bread and wine_ ARE _truly the body and blood of Christ_." (Sondern da.s.s es wahrhaftig um sacramentlicher Einigkeit willen der Leib und Blut Christi sei. Sed ut propter sacramentalem unionem panis et vinum _vere sint corpus et sanguis Christi_.)--_Idem_., p. 571.

"We believe, teach, and confess, that not only the truly believing and the worthy, but also the unworthy and the unbelieving, _receive the true body and blood of Christ_."-Page 572.

"In addition to the above clear pa.s.sages, incontestably teaching the real presence, it deserves to be ever remembered, that only fourteen years after the Form of Concord was published, when Duke Frederick William, during the minority of Christian II., published the VISITATION ARTICLES OF SAXONY, in 1594, in order to suppress the Melancthonian tendencies to reject this and other peculiarities of the symbols, the Article on this subject which was framed by men confessedly adhering to the old symbols, and designing to re-enunciate their true import, and which was enforced upon the whole church in Saxony as symbolic, gives the most objectionable view of this doctrine, viz.: I. 'The pure doctrine of our church is, that the words, '_Take and eat, this is my body: drink, this is my blood_, are to be understood _simply and according to the letter_.' II. That the body (which is received and eaten,) is the _proper_ and _natural body_ (der rechte natuerliche Leib) of Christ, _which hung upon the cross;_ and the blood (which is drunk) is the _proper_ and _natural blood_ (das rechte natuerliche Blut) _which flowed from the side of Christ_.' Mueller's Symb. Books, p. 847. Now we cannot persuade ourselves, that this is the view of a single minister of the General Synod, or of many out of it; and yet these are the views that those are obligated to receive, who avow implicit allegiance to the former symbolical books of our church in Europe. If any adopt the modification received by many of our distinguished divines, such as Reinhard Storr, Knapp, and others, they do not faithfully embrace the symbolical doctrine, and cannot fairly profess to do so."

In regard to the arguments against this view of the _mode_ of the Saviour's presence, we shall merely add an enumeration of the princ.i.p.al, and refer the reader for a more full and detailed discussion of the subject to Discourse IV. contained in our History of the American Lutheran Church, pp. 120 to 154, 5th edition.

The Reformers justly rejected the Romish error, that the bread and wine were transformed and transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ. But they still adhered to the opinion, that the real body and blood of the Saviour are present at the Eucharist, in some mysterious way, and are received by the month of every communicant, worthy and unworthy. This view of the subject appears inconsistent with the Word of G.o.d, for various reasons:-

(_a_) When Christ uttered the words, this (bread) is my body, his body was not yet dead, but living and reclining, at their side at the table.