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Rh leads us to think of a public profession of faith, such as that made at Baptism. And so also the Latin Church, in the 2d cent. "Conscientiæ bona interrogatio." Vulg. S. Gregory of Nazianzum, among the titles given to Baptism, mentions it thus, "enlightening, brightness of souls, change of life, interrogation as to the conscience towards God," omitting the word "good," and thereby laying the stress more upon the "interrogatory" (Orat, 40, de Baptismo. init.): so St. Augustine (ap. Jewel's Defence of Apologie, p. 217.) quotes the passage in proof that "Baptism does not consist so much in the washing of the body, as in the faith of the heart;" whence "the enquiry into a good conscience" must be "enquiry into faith:" and, in the passage above cited (note F), Hom. 80, in Joann., St. Augustine quotes it, in proof of the efficacy of the "word of faith"—i.e., the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, then professed and believed, and to be guarded and kept, by help, through life. Again (c. Crescon. Donat. L. 4. § 16.), St. Augustine refers this enquiry expressly to the period of Baptism. "But if there be not the interrogatory of a good conscience in the recipient, and faith itself, either in part or altogether, be tottering, you will not say that the Sacraments are to be annulled." So also c. Don. iv. § 3, 4. So also of moderns: Hooker, (B. v. § 63, end) paraphrases "an interrogative trial of a good conscience towards :" Jewel's Defence of Apologie, p. 218, "the examining of a good conscience before :" Bucer de vi et efficacia Baptismi Christi (Scripta Anglic, p. 597), "the Apostle by a figure places the 'interrogation' for the whole Sacrament, wherein the persons to be baptized are interrogated, and answer as to their faith in the death and resurrection of the ; which, if they do with a good conscience, they receive salvation through Baptism. For Baptism does not save adults, unless they be believers. Salvation, indeed, is oftered unto all in Baptism; but adults do not receive it, except by faith: infants by the secret operation of the, whereby they are sanctified to eternal life:" add Cave's Primitive Christianity, L. 1. c. ii. p. 306. Bingham, B. ii. c. 7. § 3. Lyranus, Gagnæus, Joannes a Lovanio (quoted by Bellarmine, de Controv. T. iii. p. 65.), Grotius, Hesselius, Estius, Tirinus, ad loc, Parkhurst Lex. s. v. (ed. Rose), and others quoted by them. Other renderings of, are very unsatisfactory, except as far as they come round to this: thus Œcumenius, interpreting "a pledge and earnest," speaks of persons "who longed for a holy life, enquiring after Baptism, as the means of purification, and so it was a pledge of sincerity." This comes to the same result, that "Baptism received in sincerity (i.e., its holy efficacy not thwarted by our hypocrisy, or unbelief), saves us." J. Gerhard obtains the sense, that Baptism saves us, by assuring us of mercy: thus, "Baptism is an interrogatory between  and the sinner who is baptized, which