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FOUNDATIONS*85**Griffith*Thomas*comments*that,*“Baptismal*Regeneration*is*twofold.*Regen:eration*is*birth*into*the*visible*Church;*conversion*is*birth*into*the*Church*invisible...*So*that*Baptism*is*the*introduction*of*the*recipient,*whether*adult*or* child,* into* a* new* condition* or* relation.* It* must* not* be* overlooked* that*since* the* Puritan* age* Regeneration* has* come* to* mean* renovation* or*conversion.*But*this*was*not*the*meaning*of*the*Reformers,*nor*has*the*idea*been*changed*in*the*Prayer*Book.” 84 *Nineteenth*century*commentator*T.P.*Boultbee*outlined*four*schools*of*thought*on*this*subject:*A1*was*the*Tridentine*ex#opere#operato*view;*A2*was*a*more*high*church*Anglican*view,*similar*but*not*identical*to*that;*A3*was*this* objective* covenant* view.* All* of* these* saw* baptism* as* actually* doing*something* in* and* of* itself,* though* how* that* thing* was* conceived* was* very*different,*depending*on*what*was*meant*by*“regeneration.”*Boultbee’s*fourth*category,* B,* was* the* hypothetical,* conditional* view.* He* claimed* that* the*majority*of*evangelicals*were*of*this*view,*but*“not*a*few*of*them,*including*men* of* considerable* learning,* belong* to* the* class* A3.” 85 *He* may* have* been*thinking* of* H.C.G.* Moule,* or* the* great* Charles* Simeon,* who* wrote* of* an*objective*covenant*in*baptism*but*also*of*the*need*for*a*truly*spiritual*regen:eration:*“We*are*indeed*received*into*covenant*with*God*in*baptism;*but*it*is*regeneration* that* really* makes* us* his* children.” 86 *Boultbee* is* quick* to* add*that* we* must* be* careful* to* ask* always* what* is* meant* by* regeneration* and*what*precisely*is*thought*to*be*conveyed*invariably*by*baptism.*“Failing*that,”*he* warned,* “it* is* apparent* that* such* a* gross* absurdity* might* result,* and* in*fact* has* resulted,* in* ignorant* or* careless* minds,* as* the* confusing* of* an*extreme*Tridentine*divine*with*a*moderate*English*Churchman*of*the*class*A3;* for* each* of* them* teaches* invariable* baptismal* regeneration,* but* each*means*a*widely*different*thing.” 87 *This*is*no*less*true*in*2012*than*it*was*in*1875.*The*idea*that*baptism*automatically*produces*a*spiritual*new*birth*is*a*problem*within*a*particular*conception*of*salvation.*When*it*is*understood*that*salvation*from*God’s*right*judgment*on*us*due*to*our*rebellion*against*him,* purchased* by* Christ* on* the* cross,* is* applied* to* us* by* the* Spirit* in* the*new*birth,*there*are*two*views:*Evangelicals*want*to*link*that*new*birth*with*election* and* faith;* Rome* links* it* to* the* sacraments.* But* the* salvation* thus*********************************************************************84*Griffith*Thomas,*The#Principles#of#Theology,*385.*He*draws*attention*here*especially*to*the*phrase*in*the*Catechism*which*speaks*of*“Baptism,*wherein*I*was*made*a*member*of*Christ.”*He*adds*on*page*387*that*“the*reformers*in*their*own*books*and*also*in*the*Formularies*for*which*they*are*responsible,*did*not*intend*to*condemn*all*doctrine*of*Baptismal*Regeneration,*but*only*the*sense*it*has*come*to*have*to:day.”*85*Boultbee,*An#Introduction#to#the#Theology#of#the#Church#of#England,*230:235.**86*Charles*Simeon,*Helps#to#Composition;#or,#Six#Hundred#Skeletons#of#Sermons*(Philadelphia,*1810),*3:92.*See*the*similar*fivefold*taxonomy*of*Neil*and*Willoughby,*The#Tutorial#Prayer#Book,*374:375*which*quotes*from*H.*C.*G.*Moule,*who*seems*also*to*have*held*this*view.*87*Boultbee,*An#Introduction#to#the#Theology#of#the#Church#of#England,*235.*!