or adults, who made profession of their "faith," as, also, that it is said to be administered in order to signify and attest internal absolution from or remission of sin by the blood of Christ: but it is opposed to that view, in that it is added, "and at the same time to commence renovation or regeneration through the Spirit." On the Lord's Supper, it states, that "both the earthly and heavenly parts are in a different way, but each most truly, really and presentially exhibited to us, viz., the earthly, in a natural, corporeal, earthly manner; the heavenly, in a spiritual, mystical, and heavenly, which, being inscrutable to sense and reason, we hold by faith only, whereby we apprehend the words of promise and the thing itself promised, viz. Christ crucified, with all His benefits" So much a Zuinglian, perhaps, might admit, affixing his own meaning to the words; but then they proceed to state, (as in the Leipzig Colloquy) that the "Sacramental union, consisted, not in the bare signifying, nor only in the sealing, but also in that united and simultaneous exhibition and communicating of the earthly and heavenly part of the Sacrament, although of diverse manners." Again, in half Zuinglian language, they add, "we by no means maintain that they are bare, empty, void signs, but rather exhibiting that, which they signify and seal;" but then they subjoin instantly, "as most certain means and efficacious instruments, whereby the Body and Blood of Christ, and even Christ Himself, with all His benefits, is exhibited or offered to all who partake of the element, but is conferred, given, to believers, and received by them as a salutary and life-giving food of the soul." They say again, that "not only the virtue, efficacy, operation, or benefits of Christ, are presented and communicated to us, but especially, the very substance of the Body and Blood of Christ, or that very Victim, who was given for the life of the world, and slain upon the Cross, so that by a faithful communion of this Victim, and by the union with Christ Himself, we are, consequently, partakers of the merits and benefits obtained by His sacrifice, and as He in us, so we remain in Him;" which, again, is opposed to the Zuingli-Calvinist view.
This use of the Reformed language, though not in the sense of the Reformed, may help to explain a remarkable phenomenon in our own Articles. Whereas, namely, the language of our Baptismal service, is entirely formed upon the model of the ancient Church, and altogether pure from modern theories (see Note M); and again, our Catechism says, that by the "inward and Spiritual grace of Baptism," "we being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, are made children of grace;" both which statements the Zuingli Calvinist denied; much of the language of our Article on Baptism resembles that of the Calvinist school, although none of the peculiar marks of that school, above-enumerated, (p. 225,) occur in it. It is clear, that our Articles also, do not express that view, inasmuch as they assert, (Art. 25,) "that the Sacraments of Christ are effectual signs of
