Sanctum, quo peccata dimitterent et baptizarent (a power to remit sins in baptism) et filios Dei facerent et spiritum adoptionis largirentur." St. Ambrose, in his book "De Pœnitentia," though he would apparently on some occasions incline to support the Church's practice of ejecting and restoring to her communion by this text, yet at other times, moved by the force of truth, he understands it of baptism.* St. Chrysostom, in his tract "De Sacerdotio," declares christian priests to be above the legal, inasmuch as they have received a power to purge souls of their filth; for which he cites St. John xx. 23; and these things, he adds, they do not only when they regenerate people (i.e. after instruction bring them to baptism), but subsequently, that they are authorized συγχωρεῖν ἁμαρτήματα, to move men to repentance by their doctrine and admonition, and thus dispose God to be reconciled to Christians that sin: in confirmation of which doctrine, he adduces St. James v. 14, 15, “ Is any sick among you? let him send for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." 66 To these, let us add Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, who flourished at the end of the same century, who, in his commentary upon this text, has this double interpretation; "The vεvμaτopópot, the apostles, or ministers that received the Holy Ghost, remit or retain sins, according to my judgment, two ways:-First, when they call such to baptism whose serious life and approved faith render them deserving of it, or forbid and repel those from this divine grace whom they deem unworthy. Secondly, when, as St. Paul did in the case of the Corinthians, they remit or retain, by correcting those sons of the Church that sin, or sparing those that are penitent." By this time, the better to oppose the Novatians, they used to interpret this text, of the Church's discipline towards offenders. But still, we perceive that they carefully preserved the primary sense, as it related to baptism. There were others who thought this power of remission related, or was confined to preaching the word. Thus St. Ambrose§ says, "Remittuntur peccata per Dei verbum, cujus Levites interpres, et quidem executor est." And in the same sense, St. Jerome|| observes, "Solvent peccata apostoli sermone Dei, et testimoniis scripturarum, et exhortatione virtutum." And to conclude this enumeration of authorities, St. Augustine,¶ in his treatise against the Donatists (for his Commentary upon St. John does not extend so far as chap. xx.), maintains similar opinions. The book is written against the Epistle of Parmenian, a Donatist bishop, who held several strange opinions respecting baptism. One he mentions (lib. xi. 11), "That carnal administrators of baptism cannot beget spiritual sons to God." To which it is replied, "Quasi nos dicimus, per semetipsum quemlibet hominem spirituales filios generare, et non per Evangelium, in cujus prædicatione Spiritus Sanctus operatur." Then giving Parmenian's distinction in this point, viz. That man bap tizeth only when the baptizer is manifestly good, but Christ or an angel when the baptizer is secretly bad.—St. Augustin retorts, in that case, one would choose to be baptized by a bad man, that he might be sure to receive Christ's baptism. There is no escaping the horns of this dilemma, but by confessing that Christ baptizes by every ordained minister who uses christian baptism, of whom alone it is said, "Hic est qui baptizat in Spiritu Sancto." Parmenian appears to have adduced this very text as confirmatory of his opinion respecting the ministers of baptism; and confessedly it was received among the Donatists, that it related to baptism and preaching the gospel. If St. Augustine had thought that Christ intended it in another sense, he could easily have replied, that they mistook the meaning of the text, in applying it to baptism. Instead of this obvious course, however, he allows the foundation, but denies the superstructure of the argument erected thereupon; and demonstrates that, whether the officiating minister be good or bad, the efficacy of his ministry, both in baptizing and preaching, was the same to others, through the operation of the Holy Spirit on those functions of his office, though the case was very different as to his own reward. This then being proved, that both Catholics and Donatists in St. Augustine's time-both the Orthodox and Novatians in St. Cyprian's time-agreed in interpreting the power of remitting sins, by baptizing for remission of sins, or by preaching the gospel of repentance and remission of sins, we have sufficient authority from the ancient Church for understanding this text in the same sense. Nor is it to be doubted, that they were induced to adopt this interpretation, by collating St. John's account of the mission of the apostles with the other evangelists. S. I. THE HAMPDEN CONTROVERSY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER. SIR, Dr. Hampden having for nearly three months refused to take the slightest notice of Mrs. Davison's letter, which appeared in your September Number, and which was copied into the Times; I feel, as a friend of the late Mr. Davison, that I should not be discharging the duty I owe to the memory of that excellent man, were I to permit the matter to rest here. Dr. Hampden has not only made an assertion unfounded in fact, but has acted an unmanly and highly unbecoming part towards a desolate widow, who first privately, and then through the medium of your pages, merely requested that a solemn act of justice should be performed towards her departed husband. I assure you, I am not singular in my view of the subject; in several of the common rooms, the question has been warmly discussed; and men of all parties declaim against the unwarrantable arrogance, which denied a lady that, which common courtesy demanded. The impression which this conduct of our Regius Professor of Divinity has made is any thing but favourable to himself or his patrons; and has aroused a spirit of indignation, which in all probability will shew itself, ere long, in a manner at once unexpected and unpalatable to the offending party. For my own part I consider myself bound on all occasions to denounce the assertion respecting Mr. Davison's approbation of the Doctor's tenets, as false, and unless he produces written proof to the contrary, I am quite sure the enlightened members of this Uuiversity, and all indeed who have seen Mrs. Davison's very proper expostulation, will agree that I am right in demanding from Dr. Hampden a plain. answer to a plain question, in which the orthodoxy and consistency of a departed friend is compromised. I am, Sir, Your obliged and humble Servant, Christ Church, Oxford, Nov. 24, 1838. THE BISHOPS OF DURHAM AND NORWICH. D. D. In our last Number we made a few observations on the subject of the above Prelates having subscribed to a Unitarian publication, and we therefore think it our duty to lay before our readers, without comment, the letters that have since appeared in the daily papers from their lordships. THE BISHOP OF DURHAM. College, Durham, Oct. 24. My dear Lord Bishop,-I feel it my duty to call your attention to the observations which are very generally made in the public prints upon your Lordship's subscription to Mr. Turner's sermons, and in particular to several successive articles which have appeared in the St. James's Chronicle in condemnation of it, and which were sent to me by a neighbour in this town. Perhaps in any case I should have thought it right to name the subject to you, however painful the office may be, but I can scarcely avoid the mention of it under present circumstances, seeing that a strong feeling has been excited by the subscription among the clergy of the archdeaconry, which has been expressed in various ways to me. I need not say to your Lordship how deeply I am grieved by the circumstance. But it is better that the matter, which now assumes so serious a form, should be brought under your notice. I am, my Lord, with much respect, your faithful and obliged servant, CHARLES THORP. To the Lord Bp. of Durham. Auckland Castle, Oct. 25. Dear Mr. Archdeacon,-I feel obliged to you for the letter which I received this morning, and for the manner in which you have called my attention to the paragraphs which have been circulated in the newspapers, as well as to the information that a strong feeling has been THE BISHOP OF NORWICH. Lowestoff, Oct. 30. My dear Lord,-The paragraph inserted by authority in the county newspapers of this diocese, relative to Mr. Turner of Newcastle, has been read by many with much satisfaction, but I have good reason to believe that a more full statement of the circumstances would be still more satisfactory. Generally I am far from thinking it desirable to notice any of the various anonymous attacks upon individuals with which, in these days, newspapers abound, but it is now clear that, in this case, the clergy and members of the Church have taken a warm interest in a matter connected with the religious views of one of their bishops. It is gratifying to witness this anxiety on such a subject, and to me it appears not only justifiable, but to call for that full explanation which, in answer to anonymous assailants, I should be the last to recommend or request. Will your Lordship allow me to insert in the newspapers that account of the whole matter which I know you have given to many friends in private? I remain, my dear Lord, very sin cerely and respectfully yours, C. N. WODEHOUSE. To the Lord Bp. of Norwich. Palace, Norwich, Nov. 1. My dear Mr. Wodehouse,-I am quite of your opinion that, however unbecoming it would have been in me to notice the misrepresentations and calumnies of anonymous writers, and the malignity of excited among the clergy of the archdeaconry on account of my subscribing to a volume of sermons about to be published by Mr. Turner. I beg you to understand that I gave my name on this occasion in courtesy to an eminent person, for whom, setting aside his religious views, I had been taught to entertain much respect. I had also his assurance that the topics which would be handled in the sermons were of a practical, not controversial, nature; and I could not but know that a dissenting minister, how much soever he differs from the Church, might find ample matter in the illustration of evidence-in the examination of critical points unconnected with articles of faith-and in enforcing the practice of morality, without touching upon interpretations and opinions peculiar to his sect. Nevertheless, I have no hesitation in assuring you, although I feel perfectly justified in my own mind, yet if I could have foreseen that it would give offence to my brethren, or that it would have been considered in the light of giving sanction to error, I would have abstained from subscribing. I acceded to the wish expressed by Mr. Turner as a personal compliment to him, but nothing could be further from my mind than conveying approbation of his opinions. I never have intentionally countenanced any doctrine which is at variance with those of our Church, still less could I have thought of countenancing errors so grievous as I hold those of the Unitarians to be. Yet this feeling, as to the extent of their error, ought not to prevent us from showing all possible charity to their persons; and that, I again assure you, was all that I contemplated by this act of courtesy, which has drawn upon me, I cannot help thinking, much unmerited censure. Yet I need scarcely remind you that Dr. Lardner's works, edited by Dr. Kippis, also an Unitarian, were published by subscription, and that almost all the bishops of that day, with the leading men of the Church, were subscribers. Dr. Lardner's works contained not merely his masterly labours on the Credibility, but various sermons and tracts, including his celebrated, but heterodox letter on the Logos. Now I am not aware, and certainly I do not expect, that either you or I shall find any offensive matter in the forthcoming volume of Mr. Turner. Surely, then, I am at least as much justified in subscribing to it as the bishops and divines of our Church were in 1788 in prefixing their names to the works of the public press, a full explanation is due to the clergy, who may very naturally wish for information respecting the charges so industriously circulated against the character of their diocesan. I annex, therefore, with great pleasure, a statement of facts, of which you are at liberty to make any use you please. For many years the character of Mr. Turner had been well known to me, through a common friend, as an individual of considerable talents and acquirements, and of a peculiarly amiable, peaceable, and uncontroversial disposition, full of works of charity and benevolence, and holding a high place in the esteem and regard of all around him. I became personally acquainted with him in an accidental meeting at the British Association at Cambridge, and found him there, and in the few subsequent opportunities of intercourse I have had, exactly what he had been represented to me. About two months ago, he sent me a prospectus of a volume of sermons about to be published at the request of those whom he had served for fifty-seven years. As a personal compliment to an old man of eighty, whom I had every reason to respect, I readily consented to take a copy, but with a distinct request that my name should not be inserted in the list of subscribers, for the obvious reason, that by those who did not know the circumstances of the case my motives might be misrepresented, and my respect for the individual construed into an approval of his doctrines. The moment my attention was called to the statement in The Times, I wrote to Mr. Turner to express my regret and surprise; in reply he informed me that my name had been inserted in one of the lists, contrary to my express desire, and without his knowledge, by an oversight, and that, on being made aware of the fact, he had it immediately erased. To the clergy, to whom the principles I hold have been so recently given in my late Charge, it can scarcely be necessary for me to repeat my steadfast belief and earnest persuasion of those essential doctrines of Christianity so utterly at variance with the fundamental errors of the Unitarian creed. To that Charge, and to that parish in which my ministerial life has been passed, I would refer for what I have believed myself, and what I have preached to others; but I do not conceive that there is any inconsistency in being at the same time sensibly alive to the merits of an individual, in whose persevering devotion to the happiness and Dr. Lardner, which contained the avowal and defence of all his erroneous opinions. I do hope, Mr. Archdeacon, that what I have written, however hastily, may appear to you and our brethren a reasonable and satisfactory explanation. You are at liberty to give any publicity to this letter which may be necessary, and I beg you will believe me, Dear Mr. Archdeacon, Your faithful friend and brother, The Ven. Archdn. Thorp. welfare of all within his sphere of action I could not but recognise the practical workings of the gospel of peace and goodwill to man, however defective and erroneous his views of that gospel. With this impression, I confess that the propriety of refusing this act of courtesy did not occur to me, nor yet the possibility of such a construction as my anonymous accusers have put upon it. If it had, I need hardly say that I should not willingly have given pain or needless cause of offence to any real Christian. It only remains for me to thank you, and the many clergy who have taken so lively an interest in ascertaining the real facts of the case. Trusting that this explanation will be perfectly satisfactory to every candid mind, I remain, yours faithfully, Rev. C. N. Wodehouse. THE NEW BIRTH, BY A COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. SONS of the earth, of God,* of heaven,† Enslaved to death and vanity- Compare throughout, Rom. viii. 15-26. + Luke xx. 36. Matt. xix. 28. οὐ μόνον ἐνταῦθα δοξάσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ παλιγ γενεσίᾳ τῆς θεοπτίας αξιώσει. Theodor. in Ps. liv. Compare the names given to Baptism by the ancients, Bingham, book xi. 1.—The regeneration of the soul," Cyril. "Water of life," Justin Martyr. "The garment |