no sufficient enquiry into the qualifications of the persons whom they ordained; and that they even enjoined laymen to perform the sacerdotal functions. 221 Those passages of his writings in which he appears to claim for Christians in general the right of administering the sacraments, on the ground that the priestly character is, if I may use the term, inherent equally in all Christians, refer only to cases of necessity.

The prevalent, perhaps the universal, opinion of the early Christians was, that Baptism was absolutely necessary to salvation. This opinion they grounded upon the words of Christ to Nicodemus-" Except a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In those days cases must frequently have occurred in which persons, suffering under severe illness, and expecting the near approach of death, were anxious to receive Baptism; but could not procure the attendance of a regularly ordained minister. What then was to be done? The answer of reflecting men at the present day would probably be, that when

221 See de Baptismo, c. 17. De Exhortatione Castitatis, c. 7. quoted in Chap. iv. note 6. De Monogamiâ, c. 12. quoted in the same chapter, note 8.

a sincere desire exists to receive Baptism, as well as the devout frame of mind necessary to its worthy reception, the unavoidable omission of the outward act will never constitute, in the sight of a merciful God, a reason for excluding a believer from the benefits of the Christian covenant. But Tertullian and the Christians of his day reasoned otherwise:-they were impressed with the belief that the external rite was absolutely necessary to salvation. In cases, therefore, such as I have now described, they thought it bettter that the rite should be performed by a layman, than that it should not be performed at all; and they justified this deviation from the established discipline of the Church, by the notion that the priestly character is impressed upon all Christians indifferently at their Baptism. Still our author's reasoning clearly proves his opinion to have been, that this latent power, if it may so be termed, was only to be called into actual exercise in cases of necessity. Laymen, who in the present day take upon themselves to administer the rite of Baptism, in cases in which the attendance of a regularly ordained minister can be procured, must not appeal to the authority of Tertullian in defence of their rash assumption of the sacred office.

222

Were it not for a passage in the Tract de Baptismo, in which the inherent right of the laity to baptise is expressly asserted, we should have been inclined to regard Tertullian's reasoning as an argument ad hominem of the following kind. "It is a favourite notion with you (laymen), that all Christians are priests, and may consequently exercise the sacerdotal functions. Be consistent with yourselves. If you assume the power of the clergy, conform yourselves to the rule of life prescribed to them. Do not say, the clergy may not contract a second marriage, but the laity may. The distinction between the clergy and laity is a distinction of office, and does not affect the relation in which they stand to the great rules of morality. These they are both alike bound to observe; and what is criminal in the clergy, is also criminal in the laity." Viewed in this light, Tertullian's reasoning is correct, though it proceeds upon the erroneous assumption that a second marriage is forbidden to the clergy.

With regard to the twenty-fourth Article, although our author does not expressly tell us in what language the service of the Church was performed, the necessary inference

66

223

from his writings is, that it was performed in a language with which the whole congregation was familiar. In order to remove the distrust with which the Roman governors regarded the Christian assemblies, he states, in the Apology, the object of those meetings. "We form," he says, "a body; being joined together by a community of religion, discipline, and hope. We come together for the purpose of offering our prayers to God; and as it were extorting, by our numbers and united supplications, a compliance with our desires. Such violence is pleasing to God. We pray also for the emperors, for their officers, for all who are in authority: we pray that the course of this world may be peaceably ordered, and the consummation

223 Corpus sumus de conscientiâ religionis, et disciplinæ unitate, et spei fædere. Coimus ad Deum, ut quasi manu factâ precationibus ambiamus. Hæc vis Deo grata est. Oramus etiam pro Imperatoribus, pro ministris eorum ac potestatibus, pro statu seculi, pro rerum quiete, pro morâ finis. Coimus ad Literarum Divinarum commemorationem, si quid præsentium temporum qualitas aut præmonere cogit aut recognoscere. Certè fidem sanctis vocibus pascimus, spem erigimus, fiduciam figimus, disciplinam præceptorum nihilominus inculcationibus densamus, c. 39. quoted in Chap. iv. p. 222. The expression quasi manu factá precationibus ambiamus, implies that all present joined in prayer. See also the second Tract ad Uxorem, c. 6. Quæ Dei mentio ? quæ Christi invocatio? ubi fomenta fidei de Scripturarum interjectione? ubi Spiritus? ubi refrigerium? ubi divina benedictio?

of all things be deferred. We come together for the purpose of reading the Holy Scriptures; when the circumstances of the times appear to call for any particular admonitions, or for the careful discussion of any particular topics. Of this at least we are sure, that our faith will be nourished, our hope elevated, our confidence confirmed, by listening to the words of Scripture; and that the Christian rule of life will be impressed upon us with increased effect, through the inculcation of holy precepts." It is evident that none of the objects which Tertullian here enumerates could have been obtained, if the prayers had been offered, or the the Scriptures read, in a tongue to which the majority of the persons assembled were strangers.

224 The

contro

English

We now proceed to the twenty-fifth Article-De Sacramentis. versy between the Romish and Churches, respecting the number of Sacraments, seems in a great measure to have arisen from the laxity with which the Latin Fathers used the word Sacramentum. In classical writers sacramentum means an oath or pro

224 Now that the word Sacrament has been strictly defined, the case is very different; and the question between the two Churches respecting the number of sacraments becomes of great importance.