Holy bee Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God," and it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant," are the very reverse of general language. And what necessity was there to lead the authors of our Liturgy to reject the latter, and to choose the former mode of expression, to adopt the pretended charitable construction, when the general language would not have been uncha ritable, except that their sentiments harmonized with their language?

"If indeed the compilers of our Liturgy had thought that only some infants are born again in baptism, they were nien of too much honesty and simplicity of character to employ what cannot be called ambi guous, but delusive and dangerous language. They were not tied down to technical forms, or what has been called baptismal phraseology, but were at full liberty to frame these offices upon their own principles, and to couch them in such language as was best calculated to express their real sentiments. This they have done with perfect simplicity and good faith, and have set forth their own belief, and the belief of their forefathers in Christianity, without verbal ambiguity, or mental reserve." P. 127.

It is further alleged, that the doctrine is unreasonable, an objection which, as Dr. Bethell fully shews, arises from an imperfect and partial theory of regeneration, and from an indistinct view of the gifts of God, which are not all equally simple and gratuitous. He also maintains, that this doctrine is founded on the Scriptures; that it harmonizes with the analogy of other institutions, and that it is properly a doctrine proposed to our faith, and not a problem to be demonstrated by the evidence of reason and of sense: and there is no good and pious man, who will not cordially assent to the conclusion of his argument.

"Our regeneration in baptism, implying this close connexion between the grace bestowed, and the sign which denotes it, is an act of tenderness and mercy, not less worthy of God's infinite benevolence, than analagous to the whole course of his deal ings with men. Goodness, indeed, I am persuaded, is the leading feature of his

government, and the key to his mysterious dispensations, and those theological systems which straiten his goodness, and de, pend principally upon abstract views of his sovereignty and glory will be found on in vestigation to have no foundation in his word, nor in the history and experience of mankind. But if man, considered as an alien from God, and a child of wrath, had been left to collect the assurance of adop favour, in the best way that he was able, tion into his family, and restoration to his without any specific form or positive consig nation of these privileges and blessings, he would have been placed, as it were, without chart or compass, in a troubled sea of doubt, suspense and anxiety and would have been tempted to resort to fanciful and fanatical criterions of sonship and re conciliation. But on the principles which our Church deduces from Scripture, he receives in the sacrament of baptism such comfortable assurances of God's favour and

loving kindness, as are sufficient, if duly prized, and religiously pondered, to bring peace to his mind, and to invigorate his soul to duty. For on these principles the convert to the faith of Christ, who receives baptism rightly, may assure himself, that as certainly as God is true, and his promises in Christ are yea and amen, so surely he is released from the bond and penalty of his sins, endowed with the earnest of the Holy Ghost, as a principle of new life and holy endeavour, and enrolled among the children of God, and the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. On the same princi

ples the parent will not doubt but earnestly believe,' that his child who was born in sin, and in the wrath of God, is by the laver of regeneration in baptism, received into the number of his children, and heirs of everlasting life.' Here we rest on sure ground; and the very fact that our regene ration in baptisin, (supposing the truth of goodness and condescension to fallen man, the doctrine,) is a strong evidence of God's forms a probable presumption of its truth, since it proves, that it is reasonable in itself, suitable to our wants, and analogous to the general course of the divine economy." P. 159.

The ninth chapter is highly interesting and important, comprehending a detailed and extended view of the brief summary, which is given by Waterland in the conclusion of his discourse, of the history of the several changes, which the word regeneration has undergone. The seve ral stages of this history, from the

time of the Reformation, are; the prejudices of the Reformers against the opus operatum of the Romanists; the stress laid upon faith; the new theory founded upon the doctrine of indefectible grace; the indistinctness which Melancthon introduced in treating of justification and regeneration; Calvin's own doctrine of regeneration; the doctrines of his followers; the misuse of terms by the Calvinists and the schoolmen; the separation of regeneration from baptism, by some who nevertheless held right notions of baptism; the fanatical conceit of a regeneration, which might be sensibly felt; the distinction between baptismal and spiritual regeneration; and lastly, the Arminian doctrine of regeneration. All these deviations, for which the truth has been successively abandoned, are clearly and distinctly exhibited by Dr. Bethell, and an important argument is reduced to the form of an interesting history.

The same method is pursued in respect of the Calvinistic theory of regeneration, as in respect of the less exceptionable theories, the doctrine is fairly stated, and the exceptions to which it is liable, are examined.

"We have seen that according to the theory stated in a preceding chapter, rege. neration is a pure act of God's special grace, immanent in himself, and terminating in man, limited and determined to a particular time, and incapable of latitude and increase. But the theory, whose merits we now propose to examine, proceeds upon totally different principles; for it represents regeneration as a kind of general revolution in the moral nature and reason able faculties of man, effected by the sole power of God's Holy Spirit, in the way of creation, or miraculous operation; is an implantation of new qualities or habits; or is that turning point from evil to good, in which a radical change of all the parts and aculties of the soul takes place. Such a change, however confidently asserted and ingeniously defended, will be found, if I mistake not, on a more exact inquiry to be inconsistent with the reason of the thing, the experience and history of mankind, and the drift and purposes of natural and re vealed religion." P. 208.

The author then shews, that the Calvinistic doctrine is inconsistent with the three standards, by which. he proposes to try its merit, and he also shews, that it is founded upon exaggerated views of the Fall, that in its various modifications it involves the doctrine of Necessity, and that it is justly chargeable with making God the author of sin, with weakening the force of Christian doctrine, with exciting the spirit of enthusiasm, and with ministering to spiritual pride.

"There is another consequence resulting from this theory of regeneration, inimical to the main purposes of religious instruction and discipline. For religious instruction is intended to operate on the

inward frame and moral principles of man, through the medium of his eonscience, by bringing home its admonitions and reproofs, its pictures of human nature, its general views and special descriptions of sin, to the heart and bosom of the individnal. But

it is impossible that those tragical representations of the depravity of our common nature which are the props and supports of this theory can be brought home to the conscience of the sinner. When his evil habits are described and delineated, and the several specialties of his transgression pointed out to him; when he is charged with an inherent proneness to sin, and an aversion from holiness and moral discipline, and on these grounds is impleaded as a sinner, and a fallen creature, the appeal is made to his conscience, and he acknow ledges the truth of the indictment. But when he is taught that he is a compound of beast and devil*, and a mere mass of depravity and loathsome corruption; that he is utterly devoid of all good principles and affections, and entertains a fierce and bitter hatred of God, and a violent antipathy to the principle of holiness; and when the necessity of regeneration is placed upon this footing, his conscience cannot acquiesce in these charges, because they do not. contain a true statement of the case, ang sucir exaggerations naturally tend to weaken the force of Christian doctrine,

the

*This is an expression which has fallen more than once from Dr, Bethell, and is, nd doubt, imputed upon evidence with which he is acquainted. But it is expedient upon all occasions to specify the source frons which such expressions are drawn; it pro vents general offence, and anticipates the exceptions of the disputant.

conviction which results from the internal and practical evidence of its truth.

"But this is not the whole extent of the evil; for unfortunately these exaggerated descriptions of human corruptions, whilst they fail of acting upon the conscience, have a powerful effect upon the passions of the weak and unreflecting, and naturally serve to kindle and encourage the maladies of religious enthusiasm and self imposture. For when men are taught that a sense of their own utter and unmixed depravity is the first, or rather the sole qualification for regeneration, they endeavour to throw themselves into that posture of mind, which the lesson they have heard seems to require. Hence they give themselves up to certain vague and desultory feelings of unworthiness, which they mistake for religious convictions, and establish within themselves a kind of factitious conscience, which taxes them with utter depravity, and a determined hatred of God, whilst it overlooks the specialties of sin; and calls them off from the task of self-inquiry, and the pursuit of self-knowledge. But the transition from this state of mind to a state directly opposite to it, is easy and natural. For he who can persuade himself that he is exactly such a creature as these views of original sin represent, will find no difficulty in persuading himself, that he has experienced that mystical change and revolution of soul, on which the corresponding theory of regeneration insists. Such in fact is the history of the most prevalent kinds of enthusiasm: and it plainly confirms an observation, made in a former part of this treatise, that the speculative errors of divines naturally slide into practical errors and fanaticism, when they fall into the hands of the weak, the passionate, and the injudicious." P. 254.

The chief points of doctrine, which it was the author's intention to exhibit, and which he has succeeded in establishing in this general view of regeneration in baptism, are,

1. That in Scripture, baptism is considered as the commencement of a new period, as an era of the religious life, from whence the Christian dates a new state of spiritual existence, carrying with it new privileges, capacities of action, and expectations; or in other words, a state of salvation.

2. That the sacrament of baptism is not only the symbol and seal, but the channel and organ of that inward grace, of which it is in a strict and sacramiental sepse the outward and visible sign.

"3. That the grace conferred in baptism, and expressed in Scripture by a variety of phrases and figures of speech, is not, strictly speaking, a moral and practical, but a mystical change; a change of state and relative condition, accompanied with an earnest and promise of such spiritual power, as may enable the recipient to continue in this state of salvation, and to carry on that moral and practical change, which the mystical change implies and. requires.

"4. That this change, whose theory has been stated and described in the course of this treatise, was usually denominated regeneration by the whole body of the antient Christians, in strict accordance with Scriptural language.

"5. That in this head of doctrine our Church has kept close to the language and sentiments of Christian antiquity, distin guishing the sacramental grace from the qualifications which it requires, and the effects which it is intended to produce, and using the word regeneration in its articles and liturgy, to signify solely and singly the grace conferred on Christians in baptism.

6. That the Scriptures uniformly contemplate the moral and practical change of the human sonl as effected through the medium of moral instruments, and never suppose that spiritual habits, are formed in another manner, or follow another order than such habits as are purely and exclusively moral.

"7. That it is of importance to observe this distinction between mystical and moral changes, because the notion of a moral change effected in a mystical manner, is at variance with the reason of the thing, the experience of mankind, and the drift and purposes of all true religion, and in course weakens the internal evidences of the Christian revelation,

"8. That consequently the theory which contemplates regeneration as an infusion or implantation of habits, or as a turning point from evil to good, attended with an entire change of mind, or a radical change of the parts and faculties of the soul, is not only inconsistent with the reasonable and moral constitution of man, but contradictory to the nature and purposes of revealed religion; and that it is built on metaphysical positions, which will not bear the test of examination, and on such exaggerated views of man's sinfulness and degraded condition, as have no foundation in experience or Scripture, and involve consequences injurious to the cause of truth, and the interests of pure and unadulterated Christianity." P. 262.

The only purpose which it remained for Dr. Bethell to execute, was, to shew that the theory for which he contends corresponds and harmonizes with the scheme of revealed religion. This purpose he fully accomplishes, and his enquiry is concluded with a convincing and eloquent argument, that if the doc trine of Regeneration in Baptism be but fairly and candidly examined, it is not liable to the objections which are unjustly imputed to it.

"I am confident that no man who really understands this doctrine, and is not prejudiced against it either by a strange misapprehension of its drift and nature, or by an attachment to some favourite hypothesis, can discover in it any dangerous or immoral tendency, or any aptness to produce formality, security, presumption, or self-conceit. With us, at least, in our public formularies, it is guarded against every misconstruction, and intimately connected with the probationary life, and the necessity of religious exertion and grow. ing holiness. Such, too, is the use to which it is applied by the ministers of our Church in public and private, in the school, the pulpit, and all their parochial instructions. A variety of practical lessons are built upon it in their addresses to parents and children, to the young, the old, the sinner, the penitent, and the confirmed Christian; and it is

pressed on the memories and consciences of their bearers as a motive to vigilance, self-jealousy, resistance to temptation, repentance, exertion, and perseverance. They firmly believe, and thankfully acknowledge, that the children, whom they have baptized, have been grafted into Christ's body, and constituted and declared children en of God; and their labours are directed to these points-that they may be reared and educated as spiritual and im mortal creatures; that the children of God

may not become children of wrath, and

children of the devil; and that those Christians, who have fallen away from God's grace, and forfeited the hopes and privileges of their calling, may be renewed again to repentance, and restored to the household and family of Christ.

"Whilst the Christian minister makes this use and practical application of it, he need not fear to advocate a doctrine, grounded on the sure basis of Scripture witnessed by all antiquity, and unequivocally asserted by our own Church. Se

carity, presumption, self conceit, and the other vices, which have been strangely characterized as its natural consequences, he must expect to find in abundance. They are owing to the want of that religious education, which forms an important part of our Christian trial, where the interests of the young are intrusted, according to the known analogy of God's natural and moral government, to the care of other persons, and their spiritual welfare must necessarily be involved in the good conduct and fidelity of their parents and instructors, without the continual interference of miraculous causes. They are occasioned by evil habits and bad examples, by the cares of this world and the lusts of the flesh, by inattention to the concerns of religion, and by an imperfect acquaintance with the nature of Christianity, and of the privileges and obligations of the baptismal covenant; and not unfrequently by those practical notions of Regeneration, which are no uncommon fruits of a departure from orthodox opinion. But I am persuaded, that he will seldom, I may almost say, will never, within the sphere of his own duties, find them grounded on any misconstruction of this important doctrine." P. 278.

The doctrine, which Dr. Bethell has maintained, is primitive and apostolical; it is a doctrine of the Church of England; plainly asserted in her Articles, and yet more plainly recognized in the Offices of Baptism; it is a doctrine, which cannot be suppressed, it is a doctrine, which is brought from day to day into public notice. It is, therefore, at all times, important that it should be rightly apprehended and understood; and it is yet more important, at the present moment, that correct notions should be entertained concerning it, when it is made the subject of a popular controversy, on which many are prepared to mislead others, and many have been themselves misled, and when the faithful minister will be anxious to recal into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived. In this important office he will derive considerable assistance from the labours of Dr. Bethell; and all, who have not the means or the leisure to consult the several treatises, which