Tracts of the Anglican Fathers. No. I. HOLY BAPTISM. A SERMON, SET FORTH BY THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, THOMAS CRANMER, ARCHBISHOP AND MARTYR. Reprinted from the First Edition of his "Catechismus" of 1548. vidual. We will remark, however, that if we had to choose a master from among our Reformers, we certainly should not select Cranmer, while we might listen to the more consistent, and inflexible, and catholic, though not more honest, Ridley. Viewed in this respect, indeed, it is fortunate that the Sermons, now reprinted, were not originally composed by the Archbishop himself, but merely translated, under his direction, from the Latin of Justus Jonas, and "set forth by his authority," for the special instruction of the people. This was done at the very time, however, when the English Prayer-book was in preparation. The "Catechismus" was set forth in 1548, and the Book of Common Prayer was sanctioned by authority in the same year, and published early in 1549; and the Consecration and Ordination Services were added a few months afterwards. So that it will follow, either that the English Archbishop sent forth, at the same time, two totally different sets of doctrines, and put his Archiepiscopal sanction to both at once; or else, the plain and unequivocal teaching of these Sermons from the Catechismus, will afford, we think, a striking exposition of the CHURCH's meaning, and a most satisfactory refutation of the modern attempts to explain away the strong catholic language in our Reformed Offices. OXFORD, The Feast of St. James. 1. Ridley's words, on the Reformed doctrine and practice of some Churches, made use of towards the close of his life, are sufficiently remarkable to deserve a place here-and in the memory of every English Churchman: "Sudden Changes, and the heady setting forth of extremities I did never love." To Ridley (under providence), we may attribute, among other blessings, the primitive integrity of our Service for the Holy Communion. He calls the consecration of the Elements "A change such as no mortal man can make, but only the omnipotency of CHRIST'S Word !"-See his Life, p. 20. Tracts of the Anglican Fathers. No. I. HOLY BAPTISM. A SERMON, SET FORTH BY THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, THOMAS CRANMER, ARCHBISHOP AND MARTYR. Reprinted from the First Edition of his "Catechismus" of 1548. ADVERTISEMENT. The following is a plain reprint of a Sermon, set forth at the time of our English Reformation, by the chief of our Fathers, Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. It will be observed that this Sermon was originally published a short time after Cranmer's Sermons of Salvation, Faith, and Good Works (in the Homilies), and in the same year as the first Prayer Book of Edward the Sixth; and in that book the Office for the Public Baptism of Infants is essentially the same as at present. CAMBRIDGE, The Feast of the Resurrection. R. A SERMON OF BAPTISM. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, good children, in the Gospel of Saint John, saith thus: "Except a man be born again of the water and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD." Now we ought to direct our whole life to come to the kingdom of heaven. For the LORD saith, "First seek the kingdom of GOD." And you have heard heretofore, that we daily make this petition to GOD, "Thy kingdom come." Wherefore it is very necessary for us to know how we must be born again, and what this second birth is, without the which we cannot enter into the kingdom GOD. But when we speak of a second birth, you shall not so grossly understand this saying, as though a man which is once born, should enter again into his mother's womb, and so be born again as he was before. (For it were great foolishness so to think.) But here we mean of a second birth, which is spiritual, whereby our inward man and mind is renewed by the HOLY GHOST, so that our hearts and minds receive new desires, which they had not of their first birth or nativity. 1 And the second birth is by the water of Baptism, which Paul calleth the bath of regeneration, because our sins be forgiven us in Baptism, and the HOLY GHOST is poured into us às into GOD's beloved children, so that by the power and working of the HOLY GHOST we be born again spiritually, and made new And so by Baptism we enter into the kingdom of creatures. 1 "The fountain of our regeneration is there [in the Church] presented unto us.”—The Homily for repairing and keeping clean of Churches. Homilies, edit. 1587. See also The Homily of Fasting |