{102a} That is; Many who have departed and joined the sects in sincerity and ignorance, may be attributing to human causes that re-invigoration of spiritual life, which is but the forgotten Baptismal grace of Christ, mercifully “_in them_, springing up to everlasting life.” (John iv. 14; John vii. 38, 39.) This may be also, one of GOD’S means of humbling and reforming His too careless Church. {102b} John iii. 5.—The ordinary “entrance to the Kingdom.” {103a} Matt. xx. 22.; and perhaps 1 Cor. xv. 29. {103b} Rom. x. 10. (which conveys the principle); and Luke xxiii. 42. {103c} Our own Church recognizes this doctrine; speaking in her Baptismal Office of the “great necessity of the Sacrament _where it may be had_;” and in the Catechism of its “_general_ necessity.” CHRIST affirmed generally the necessity of being “born of water,” as the preliminary of “entrance to His kingdom,” yet He promised admission thereto to the dying thief, who _confessed_ Him with a penitent heart. {105a} Acts x. 35. {105b} See, on this subject, and generally, on the danger of Schism, S. Jerome’s Ep. 69, &c. And concerning the peril of departing from the Bishops Catholic, see S. Ignatius ad Smyrn. ad Trall, et ad Phil. {106} Ephesians iv. 8–12. {107} 1 Cor. xi. 10. {109} The Feast of St. Thomas. {111} See the former series of “Parochial Lectures,” On The Holy Catholic Church, Lecture IV. p. 113, &c. in which I have explained this more fully. {113} See Lect. I. page 27. {120} Of course there were some that disputed even in their own days the Power of the Apostles themselves.—See 2 Tim. iv. 10, 16; 3 John 10. The Apostles shrank not from asserting their own “POWER which the Lord had given them to edification”—“A Spirit of POWER and of love”—“Not that I have not POWER,”—said St. Paul, (2 Thess. iii. 9.) {121} The manner in which modern sectarians sometimes profess to recognise “only the kingship and headship of CHRIST,” affords a striking proof of this; for no one misunderstands _them_, as some did the Apostles, by supposing them to be establishing a temporal rule. The Apostolic system evidently had that in it, which furnished some apparent ground for such a mistake; and so also the Catholic Church is sometimes charged with “interfering with the State.” {123} Apost. Can. 37. Ed. Coloniæ, 1538. {128} See the Homily of our Church, on the Common Prayer and Sacraments. And Notes No. II. {134a} Called, therefore, “the συναξις” in the early Church. {134b} A similar principle seems hinted, John vii. 22.