"The appointed means of restoring the soul to health": Perceval and Old High Church sacramental vitality

From Arthur Philip Perceval's 1836 sermon 'The Case of Naaman' (preached in the Chapel Royal), a rather good example of the sacramental vitality of the Old High Church tradition. Such teaching and piety (and see other examples here and here) exposes how ridiculous it is to suggest that a "drab and spiritually barren environment" preceded the Oxford Movement.

Oh thou afflicted soul, the fountain of Baptism is open for thee; wash, and the leprous spots shall disappear, and thy soul shall be clean: thou shalt cease to be the child of wrath, and shalt become the child of God, an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven . "Wash and be clean;" the fountain of repentance is open to thee. If, after being admitted by baptism to the title of their inheritance, thou hast done ought by sin to weaken thy title, "wash and be clean;" let the salt tears of sorrow fall upon those spots; God will have mercy upon thee, thou shalt be forgiven. "Wash and be clean;" the fountain of thy Saviour's blood, through which alone either repentance or baptism can avail, is open to thee: in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the blood of the covenant is verily and indeed offered to thee, to repair the injuries and breaches which sin may have made. Whatever sins you have committed, however foul the leprosy of thy soul, there is a virtue in that blood, through the mercy of God, sufficient to make all clean: as the Apostle says, "The blood of Jesus Christ the Righteous cleanseth us from all sin" ...

So let the Christian, in humility and faith, make use of the appointed means of restoring the soul to health: of the waters of baptism, which admit to covenant with God; of the waters of repentance, which lead to amendment of life; of the blood of the covenant, received at the Baptismal Font; of the blood of the covenant received in the holy Eucharist; by faith in God's mercy through Christ; and it will happen to him, in regard to the leprosy of his soul, like as it happened to Naaman, in regard to the leprosy of his body.

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Why I support the ordination of women: a High Church reflection

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