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the individual wants of every one, interpreters and advocates appear before them; but God, to whom nothing is hid, needs no advocates or informants, but simply an humble heart.', "Again: 'They now bestow such names and honor upon the images,-as they would never have dared to give to the living person, namely, divine honor; and this, when they are dead.' Thus Ambrose reproves the image worship of the Roman church, and (on Col. 1) positively asserts that 'neither elements, nor saints, nor angels should be honored or worshiped, but Christ alone.', " 'It seems,' says he, 'that Ambrose, too, would seek antichrist at Rome;' for he says that 'antichrist shall restore to the Romans their freedom, under his name,' and calls the city of antichrist 'the city of the devil.' He says further, that 'antichrist shall be revealed after the downfall of the Roman Empire, or when the Emperors shall have lost their power;' and history shows that the decline of the Roman Emperors was the augmentation of the power and dominion of the Popes or antichrists., "Ambrose says, further: 'The violence of worldly opponents must not be overcome with worldly, but with spiritual weapons; and heretics must be punished only by exclusion from the church, for the champions of Christ seek neither weapons nor iron balls:, "Again, in regard to marriage he says: 'Purity of the body is something to be desired by us, and I commend it by way of advice, but do not enjoin it as a command; for the virgin state may be advised, but not commanded.' Hist. Tripart., lib. 7, cap. 8. Adolphus Tectander Apol., fol. 163. Casp. Swinch, Epist. 1, fol. 877. Hier. Zanc., fol. 65. D. Anth. 1., fol. 116., "Again: The words of Ambrose clearly indicate that he means that the sacrament (the Lord's Supper), should be received under both forms, that is, with bread and wine. Lib. 9, cap. 30. Seb. Fr., fol. 50., "Again: 'The body of Christ is not material or earthly food, or bread, but a spiritual, eternal bread, which feeds believing souls. Regenerated men belong to this table, of which the ungodly cannot partake.' Chron. Seb. Fr. on Ambrose., "Again: Ambrose says also: ' We are in duty bound to examine the churches, and if there is one which,rejects the faith, and does not hold to the foundation of the apostolical doctrine, we must leave it."' In Lucam, lib. 6, cap. 9. P. J. Twisck, Chron., 4th book, page 114, col. 2 and 115, col. 1, 2. A. D. 364.-It is recorded that in or about the second year of Julian, the Apostate, there lived and wrote the very learned, yet humble, Ephrem, surnamed Syrus, who, in writing of baptism, relates that in his time it was customary for people, when they were baptized, to renounce with express words the devil and all his works. Jac. Mehrn. in Ba¢t. Hist., 2d part, page 328. Ephrem (Lib. de Poenit., cap. 5) also enumerates the works of Satan which we renounce in baptism, as fornication, adultery, uncleanness, lying, stealing, envy, etc. Page 336. He also states (Orat. 3, de S. Lavacro) that it is customary for the candidates for baptism to confess their sins. And from his book on Repentance, chap. 5, it appears that those who were thus baptized confessed their faith before many witnesses, and said, "I renounce thee, O Satan, and all thy works." Page 324. hicecome (Lib. 1, cap. 20) quotes the following from Ephrem Syrus, "This declaration of renunciation, as it is called, which we make in baptism, seems to be a small matter, but it has a deeper meaning, and he that observes it rightly is truly blessed; for with these few words, namely those spoken in baptism, we let go all that is called evil, and is hated of God, and renounce the same; and these things are not one, two, or ten, but everything that can be called evil, for you say: 'I renounce Satan and all his works."'"This," writes Jac. Mehrn.,"is certainly not a meaningless or frivolous performance that can be imposed on infants." A. D. 365,-About the beginning of this year, Gregory of Nyssa is mentioned, who, observing, it seems, how some came to baptism, unprepared and with an ungodly mind, wrote the following for their instruction, "When we pass through the sacramental water of baptism, we must mortify in the water all that is evil and vicious, such as unchastity, rapacity, luxury, frivolity, pride, vanity of the mind, envy, and the like. We must also drown and forsake in the water, as much as is possible, not only the gross vices, with their operations, but also the emotions and pollutions of the mind which, in some measure, cleave to human nature." Grey. Nyss., lib. de vita Mosis. Also, Jac. Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., page 328. When at this time some thought it was needful to be baptized in consecrated water, he declared in a certain sermon, that this was not necessary, but that faith and the blessing of the minister were all that a person needed for baptism; for every place is the Lord's, and all kinds of water may be used for baptism, if God only finds faith, for this He accepts, and the blessing of the minister, which sanctifies. Bapt. Hist., 2d part, page 376, from hicecom., lib. 1, cap. 14, from Greg. Nyss. In another place he very earnestly admonishes some persons who deferred their baptism, that they should have their names registered among the catechumens, in order that, having been truly examined and instructed in the faith, they might receive baptism. Concerning this, I find the following annotation (Bapt. Hist., page 476, from hicecom., lib. 2, cap. 12), "Gregory of Nyssa says in a sermon, to those who had long deferred their baptism: 'Come, ye who are burdened to your sanctification; give me your names, that I may write them with ink in
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