Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/218

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210 8APTISm. [Boox 1I. of Rome in fayour of comp?dsory baptism. The reader, however, can now judge how far this nominal condition of voluntar,j con?ent, in order to receive baptism, is counteracted by force or compulsion, when this is necessary to promote the extension of mother church. He will also see how this double doctrin? is calculated to promote the interests of pure religion. (2.) The second condition, in order to receive baptism, is faith. "Besides a wish to be baptized, in order to obtain the grace of the sacrament, faith, for the same reason, is also necessary."'* (3.) The third disposition necessary in adults, who, with original sin, are also guilty of some personal mortal sin, is penitence, or graf for sins committed. This is an article of faith. "Another necessary condition is compunction for put sins, and a fixed determination to refrain from their future commission: should any one dare to approach the baptismal tbnt a slave to vicious habits, he should be instantly repelled; for what so obtrusive to the grace and virtue of baptism as the obdurate irapeni- tence of those who axe resolved to persevere in the indulgence of their unhallowed passions ?"?' If this salutary doctrine were observed in the Latin church, it would be well for Clu'istianity; but, alas ! it is entirely untaught to those who love sin, so that they may continue therein with- out any serious apprehensions of losing their souls. Let the following testimony be considered in proof of this :- The Council of Trent, as explained by the Latin doctors,:]: teaches that attrition, or/mperj%t �ontr/tion, is sufficient in order to receive baptism. "Now, in order to obtain grace and righteousness, penance was always necessary for all men who had defiled themselves with mortal sin, even for those who sought to be washed in the sacrament of baptism."�ain; the cmmcil says, "When they, perceiving that they are sinners, and moved by that t?ar of divine justice with which they are salutarily smitten, they are by the consideration of God's mercy encouraged to hope, trust that he will be propitious to them for Chriast's sake, begin to love him as the fountain of all righteousness, and conse- quently regard sin with a certain hatred and abhorrence, that is, with that penitence which must necessarily exist before baptism?l[ Divines maintain that the council teaches that barely to begin to love God, or to have attrition or imperfect contrition, is sufficient, and that charity or the love of God is unnecessary; nay, that it ought not or cannot exist, non de/?t es?e c/utr/t?.�re there is a distinction made between repentance that precedes baptism, and that which follows it; whereas the Scripture requires all sin, withore exception, to be re-' pented of. ? Catechi?n, p. 166. t Idem. See Ferraris on the word Ba. pt/tmut, art. v, n. 27. ? "Fuit quidem lx?nitenti? umversis hominibu?, qui se morl?li alkluo ..? imlui- hassent, quovis tempore ad gr?tiam et justitiam assequandam nec?saria, mm etmm, qui I?ptistni s?cramento nblui pet/vissent."?C?. Tr/d., sess. x/v, c. 1. I? ".E? dum peccnw. res se esse intelUg?ntes, i divinm justRim timore, quo concutmnmr, ?1 �onssdet?ndam Dei misericordJam so eonvertendo, in slmm eriguntm, i. dentes .D. eum si.bi propter Christurn propitium foro; illumquo tamqu/m omni? justitie !on?m, di.!?gem ? .neipiunt; ?c proptere/. tnov. entur ?uivors?ts .Ime?. ta per o?i.'mn diquod, zt det?tattonem, hoe e?t, p?t e?m pa?mt?nUam, quam ?mte I?ptmmum ?' Dens, Tm?t. d, ihl?is., No 27, p. 200. I 14'