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 ]gS il,-a m ems.,L. [Boo 11 r. but it bto be mmght in the divine i-tution, and the proper ramfro and end of the ncrtments themselvse. Besides, though we do not deny, nay, we believe, that the internal grace of' Christ, which can be called, in a sober sense, a apirimal mark or character impressed on the soul, my be conerred by the Spirit of' God, in administering ncrumems, yet we believe that this apirittml energy' does not accompany one ncrament to the exclusion o; the other. Bellarmine e supports the eight following pmposiLious in treating on r: 1. That it is a certain spiritual mark impremind on the soul in some sacraments. 2. It is not a relation, but an absolute quality. 3. It hath three offices, namely, it fits us for divine worship, it con= forum us to Christ, and distinguishea us from others. 4. It exists in the soul only as in its subject. 5. It is indelible. �t is impressed only in three sacraments. 7. The sacraments of the old law did not impress a character. 8. No character was created in Christ. �et us now see how Roman Catholics prove their doctrine character. It is to be ranged among their anicles of faith, and no proof short of' direct, uneqvocnl .Scripture authority  say it is in./mmr in Scripture, con by the fathom, and at !enlt nJ nnd emr by the councils, and ought to be admitted 88 doAmM, or article of' faith. But we will survey their proofs. (1 .) ,cptr .proofs. The following texts are quoted to support the doctrine of the indelible character: "Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also seale us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts," 2 Got. i, 2 "In whom also, after that you believed, ye were sealed with the Holy' Spirit of promise," Eph. i, 13, c. Some quote the name texts to prove that, in baptism and confirum- tion, this character is impressed: for orders their divines generally* find not even an insinuation to prove their dogma. (2.) 7'r/on. The doctrine which was in.yntmd in Scripture is said to be en by tradition, a8 being prSnmy of more authority than Scripture itself. So Liebermnnn says, alter declaring that Scrip- ture was not wanting which could (commo() conveneJy be employed to provo the poipt, accedente imprimis tradtionis auctoritate, riry of trjrg of a aa'ein'. And after quoting Eph. i, 13; iv, 30, and 2 Car. i, 21, he says: Verum gravissimum pondus, ut  mus, in ecclesim traditione eat: Bu zb 8rear. rag weA, a,v we Aave so/ds g ks t/ gradit/mJ of tJ e, Am'. Much might be said here to show that the authority from the ancient f.ather for the popish indelible character is se slight as that which can be derived from Scripture. The senti- ment of Liehermann is that of the church, though st derent one is sometimes divines. in (o3.r) Tb some The testimony o� these has been given already quotations from the decisions of Trent and Florence. To Re* manisM their decision must pass for infallible; to Protestants it will palm f.or nothing. �Xd). it, de heram., c. 19. See Gerhtn], de her., p. 9. t Collet, de Sacram., c. 5, art. 2. Iilud dogmina tdm:tti debet, qued et in ris ilminuum, et confirmsturn �traditione, tandem dermature eat ab ecclemia. Tom. iv, !mt i, p. S81.  Sea tbir quotmmms in Odlet, Baiily, Liebermnn, 1

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