The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-21 00:00:00

THE EXETER SYNOD.

The following circular (says the Western Tinos)
has been addressed by the bishop to the deans rural :
June 12, 1341.

Hennaed Sir,—l subjoin a copy of the Declaration on
Sabina which will be proposed to the Diocesan Synod,
together with two other copies of the same, which I request
you to give to the two presbyters who may be deputed by
your deanery.
I send the declaration thus early, in order that there may
be due eonalderation of it before we meet, and thus that the
discussion on this main particular at the synod may be
abridged.
With this view, I further request that, if any important
objection to any part of it suggest itself to yon, or any of the
clergy to whom you may (as I much wish) communicate
this paper, it may be stated to me es soon as shall be con-
venient.
I trust that I shall not be misunderstood when I add that

you will probably think it not advisable to urge any objec-
Um which you do not deem important, for it is manifest
that the consideration of other objections proceeding from
so many quarters, might be very burdensome. All objec-
tions which you deem important shall be duly weighed.
I request that this paper be not suffered to reach the
public press. The communication of it to you at this time
is for the sake of ensuring to yourself and others of the
clergy an opportunity of fully considering it before it shall
be finally proposed for adoption.

I am, Rey. Sir,
Your faithful friend and brother,
H. Enna.

DECLARATION,

Adverting to the eirenostaneas of the time in which we
are called to minister in this !Armed 13:anch of the church
of Christ, we deem it merssary to declare our firm and im-
moveable adherence to that great article of the faith—" One
baptism for the remission of sans," affirming it as it is autho-
ritatively set forth in the Nicene Creed 11. Oecumenical
Council, and as it is taught unequivocally by our own church
in its authorised formularies, especially in the offices of bap-
tism, and in the catechism ; and we are the rather induced
to make this declaration, because we hope that many who
are now divided from us may be brought to agreement by
thus knowing the real meaning and extent of the doctrine
which we hold.
1. Acknowledging "one baptism for the remission of sins,"
we hold as of faith, that persons duly baptised are not only
baptised once for all, but also are baptised with the one
baptism of Him who " baptiseth with the Holy Ghost,"
and who thus making us to be " born again of water and the
spirit," delivered us thereby from the guilt and bondage of
all sins original and actual.
Was bold, as implied in the aforesaid article of the Creed,
all tins graces ascribed to baptism in our Catechism. For—
" Brine spirit we are all baptised into one body," even the
bo4iir Jesus Christ. We are all made to be " His body,"
-mile in particular of " His body," " members of
Clahr—oesi being than baptised into them, we are " bap-
tist* bib by death " who " died for our sins." We are
"ball with Him," " dead unto sin," " buried by baptism
wig IL, wherein also we are risen with Him," " quick-
ened togralsor with Him," „set together in heavenly places
la Christ kass." Believing that the Holy Ghost so given
as in baptism by Jesus Christ, that we are in Him "created
anew.' We believe, also, that we are children a( God in
Him, and "if children, then heirs,—heirs of Cad, said
*at heirs with Christ," inheritors of the Kinston; of
Heaven.
2. We hold accordingly that all infants presented either
in church or privately, according to the book of Common
Paper, and baptis, with water in the " name of the
Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," being
spiritually engrafted and incorporated into His mystical
body; original sin being so fir from an obstacle to the
right reception of baptism, that as St. Augustine says, "In-
fants, because they are not as yet guilty of any actual sin,
have the original sin that is in them remitted through the
grace of Him who saveth by the washing of regeneration."
And as our own church declares that the baptised child,
" being born in original sin, and in the wrath of God, is by
the laver of regeneration in baptism received into the num-
ber of the children of God, and heirs of everlasting life, for''
our Lord Jesus Christ doth not deny His grace and mercy
unto such infants, but most lovingly calls them unto him."
And in accordance herewith, the 27th article expressly says
that the baptism of young children is most agreeable with
the institnUon of Christ.
3. Without presuming to define whether it may not
please God to live a la ger measure of grace in bapusnl to
some infants, in answer to the snore earnest prayer of those
who bring them, we hold that if many shall affirm that the
imparting of the aforesaid graces in the baptism of young
children is hypothetical, depending either on the sincerity
of those who present them, or any other conditions (where-
upon it follows, that in cases in which the said conditions do
not take place, both the form of baptism itself, and the ar-
ticle " One Baptism for the Remission of Sins," must be
understood not as true, but as false and unreal) ho doth
greatly err, contradicting an article of the creed, and also
the commission and promise given to the Apostles by Our
Lord Himself.

4. Lastly, we hold, and would earnestly impress upon
all Christians, that the foregoing statements, rightly under-
stood, so far from disparaging the need of conversion and
amendment, arc a most powerful incentive to holiness of
life, and especially to fervent prayer for renewed or con-
tinued grace, as long as the term in this life shall last. For
baptism, being the ordinance and instrument of Christ, by
which we are born again of the spirit, John 111., 3,5, st
binds m to do that which it enables us to do, " to walk in
the spirit, and not to fulfil the lusts of the Scab, for if we
live after the; flesh, we shall die ; but if through the spirit
we do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Bap-
tism makes our bodies to be temples of the Holy Ghost,
which is in us, which we have of God, and if any man
defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,--for the
temple of God is holy, wherefore it follows that they who
having in baptism received the Holy Spirit to dwell in
them, live not after the spirit, but after the flesh, do there-
by draw on themselves greater damnation, unless by the
grace of God they arise again and amend their lives.