Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/504

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294
RESEMBLANCE OF SOCINIAN AND REFORMED
Eph. v. 26—(continued.)
Zuingli-Calvinist. Socinian.
"had already believed, should be dipped in water, not as if He meant, that in this way the soul should be cleansed, for how should an incorporeal substance be cleansed by a corporeal element?"

Willett Contr. ii. Q. 2. "The outward element doth send and refer us back to the word and promise of God, whereof it is a seale."

Calvin Institt. iv. 15.2. "Paul did not mean that our washing and saving (Tit. iii.) took place in the water, or that the water had the power of purifying, regenerating, renewing—for he unites the word of life and Baptism of water; as if he said, that by the Gospel, the tidings of ablution and sanctification were brought to us, and by Baptism were sealed: and Peter immediately adds, that that Baptism is 'not the putting away of the filth,' &c."

Vorstius, Anti-Bellarm. ad t. iii. Contr. 1. Thes. 6. § 5. p. 356. "It were absurd to imagine, in bare elements, a divine virtue; of penetrating, namely, into the very soul of man, and of washing away sins."

Zuingli de vera et falsa relig. t. ii. f. 198. v. "Sacraments are signs and ceremonies (with deference to all, moderns and antients), whereby a man proves himself to the Church to be a candidate or soldier of Christ; and they assure the whole Church of thy faith rather than

"God,' therefore he mentioned the bath of 'water,' and that 'in the word,' i.e., which bath takes place through the word of the Gospel, which is wonderfully confirmed by the death of Christ." Id. Opp. Exeg. t. i. p. 276. "Washing of water, which is His word or teaching, for he explains that 'washing of water' by apposition." F. Socinus, in 1 Ep. D. Johann. c. 5. Opp. t. i. p. 237. "The meaning, to any unprejudiced person, is, that the word, i.e., the doctrine of Christ, has the power of cleansing us from all our sins and stains, no less than water has the power of cleansing our bodies from all their defilements. They, then, are very far from the Apostle's mind, and the meaning of the words, who, deceived by the mention of 'water,' think that the Baptism of water is mentioned here; whereas, no one is so dull, as not to see and acknowledge, that a Baptism of water cannot effect such a cleansing."

Socinus de Bapt. Aq. c. 3. "Which cleansing (so to speak) takes place through the word, i.e., through the preaching of the Gospel, which produces faith (quoting Vatablus.")

"What can be better understood (under Baptism) than true repentance, which is the washing of the soul and spirit? Or the pubhc profession of the Gospel, and of the name of