at least, of the Schoolmen: and perhaps all, favourably interpreted, mean this; that however a good disposition, i.e. faith and repentance, is required in the adult candidate for baptism, and in the worthy communicant a thankful remembrance also of Christ's death, and charity towards all, yet neither did faith, any more than repentance, or thankfulness, or charity, constitute the Sacrament, but that it had its efficacy from God only. Without faith the human soul was like a closed vessel, so that the influences to be poured therein through the Sacrament could not enter; but by faith, only the obstacle was removed, the grace came fully and entirely (ex opere operato,) from the work wrought by God, not in any way (ex opere operantis,) from the quality or merit of the receiver. In this sense, which Bellarmine asserts to be the true one, the doctrine of "conferring grace ex opere operato" contains nothing which our Church, as well as the Lutheran[1], does not equally hold, whereas the school of Zuingli and Calvin cannot; and against these and the like sacramentarian errors, (produced by the unbelief generated through the opposite errors of the Church of Rome,) the canons of the Council of Trent were, in this instance, probably directed.
At least we ought never to forget, that in the great commotion of the Reformation, there were brought to the surface not only treasures which had long lain hid, but froth and scum also: would one might say, froth and scum only! Every thing, which before had lain concealed under the thick veil of outward conformity, was laid bare: the Gospel was again eminently a savor of life and a savor of death,—to those who embraced it with an honest and true heart, life; others profited by the security given, only to manifest the unbelief or heresy which lurked within. To others, death and life were mingled in the cup. "Protestantism" then, as now, was often as negative as its very name; Protestant was often another name only for
"infidel." The deadly, stupifying heresy (if it may even be called such) of Socinus was, we must recollect, one produce of
- ↑ Chemnitz Examen Conc. Trid. P. 2. Can. 7, 8, and Gerhard Loci de Sacram. § 86. fully admit this sense, although they do not think it the general sense of the Schoolmen.
