410 A TREATISE ON EE-BAPTISM.
the power of the name of Jesus invoked upon any man by
baptism might affordto him who shouldbe baptizedno slight
advantageforthe attainmentof salvation,as Peter relatesin
the Acts of the Apostles,saying: " For thereisnone other
name under heaven given among men whereby we mustbe
saved."1 As also the Apostle Paul unfolds,showing that
God hath exaltedour Lord Jesus, and given Him a name,
thatitmay be above every name, thatin the name of Jesus
allshouldbow the knee,of thingsheavenly and earthly,and
under the earth,and every tongue shouldconfessthatJesus
isLord in the glory-of God the Father. And he on whom,
when he should be baptized,invocationshould be made in
the name of Jesus,althoughhe might obtainbaptism under
some error,stillwould not be hindered from knowing the
truthat some time or another,and correctinghis error,and
coming to the church and to the bishop,and sincerelycon
fessingour Jesus beforemen; so thatthen,when handswere
laidupon him by the bishop,he might alsoreceivetheHolj
Spirit,and he would not losethat former invocationofthe
name of Jesus,which none of us may disallow,althoughthis
invocation,ifitbe standingbareand by itself,couldnotsuffice
foraffordingsalvation,leston thisprinciplewe shouldbelieve
thateven Gentilesand hereticswho abuse the name ofJesus
could attainunto salvationwithoutthe trueand entirething-
Yet itisextremelyusefultobelievethatthisinvocationofthe
name of Jesus,togetherwith the correctionof errorandthe
acknowledgment ofthebeliefofthetruth,and with theputting
away of allstainof past conversation,if rightlyperformed
with the mystery of God among men of thiskind,obtainsa
placewhich itwould not have had, and finally,in thetrue
faithand forthe maintenance of the integrityof thesign,is
no hindrance,when itssupplementwhich had been wantingis
added ; and that itisconsistentwith good reason,withthe
authorityof somany years,and somany churchesand apostles
and bishops; even as itisthevery greatestdisadvantageand
damage toour most holymother church,now forthefirsttime
suddenlyand withoutreasontorebelagainstformer decisions
1Actsiv.12.