as the cause is not the same as the effect; or imparting life is not synonymous to the subsequent activity, enjoyment, or suffering;-yet they imply an' operation of the Holy Ghost upon the human 'mind' separable from baptism, and in many cases subsequent to it: unless all, in every age, who have been baptized on a formal or hypocritical profession of faith, are to be consigned to hopeless perdition, as the enemies of God, whatever evidence they may have afterwards given of repentance, faith, and holiness.

The latter part of this quotation, (by which his Lordship unites the two parts of the subject,) is taken from Wall's History of infant-baptism, and may properly introduce the subject of the present section. The use of the words' regenerate' and 'born again' is allowedly of great antiquity in the Christian church: but the clause'continue the use of it' is not correct, because the language of the sacred writers is far from sanctioning it. In no one instance is it at all intimated in the New Testament, when the baptism of converts is recorded, that they were then regenerated. The two subjects are kept entirely distinct; except as in two or three instances the outward sign is alluded to in speaking of regeneration. From what source the language of the early fathers originated is a distinct question: but it is certain that we cannot at the same time "speak accord"ing to the oracles of God," and according to the phraseology of Justin Martyr. For instance: "Whoever are persuaded, and believe, that those 'things which are taught and said by us are true, ' and engage that they can live agreeably to them,

' are directed to fast and pray, and intreat from God forgiveness of their former sins; we praying ' and fasting with them. Afterwards they are conducted by us to a place where there is water; ' and they are regenerated, according to the same "mode of regeneration by which we ourselves were ' regenerated: for they are then washed with water in the name of the Father of the universe and the Lord God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost. For Christ said, Except ye 'be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.""-Can this language be paralleled from any record of baptism in the New Testament?

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Yet, in fact, it is far more guarded than many statements in modern divines are.2 The previous profession required, and the prayers and fasting which preceded their baptism, all implying, that the right reception, and not merely the right administration, was considered as essential to the blessing and in fact Justin himself, in another passage, in good measure avows this.- What ' advantage is there in that baptism which makes 'clean flesh and body only Wash your souls from wrath, and from covetousness, from envy, from hatred; and behold the body is pure.' 3— This at least clearly shews, that in Justin's opinion baptism might be rightly administered, and yet be ' of no advantage,' if not rightly received.

It has been the opinion of persons, eminent for wisdom, learning, and piety, both in the church of England, and elsewhere, that the reformers from

' Ref. 297.

2 Ref. 83, 85.

3

Ref. 298.

popery in general, by appealing to fathers and councils of the first four centuries as authority, and not decidedly and consistently adhering to their own grand principle as stated in our Article ; 1 gave their opponents an immense advantage, in all the subsequent controversies with papists; as it still does to such as oppose their doctrine, though called protestants. An amiable humility, and a deference to characters of established reputation in the church in former ages; a fear of needlessly innovating, and some remaining prejudices of education; very reasonably account for this, without deducting in the least from the high veneration in which they should be held for wisdom and piety. But if, even in the apostle's days," the mystery of iniquity did already work," it may well be supposed, that in four centuries, and indeed in far less time, it made rapid and destructive, but silent, progress.

In respect of the quotations from the fathers, in the Refutation, (the remarks on which I do not mean, in general, to republish ;) I shall intreat the reader's candid attention to the following thoughts on their character, writings, and authority.

Our Article maintains, that 'holy scripture con'taineth all things necessary to salvation; so that 'whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it 'should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary unto salvation.'2 There is no truth or doctrine necessary for our 'justification and everlasting salvation, but that

is, or may be drawn out of that fountain and well ' of truth.'-And a Homily thus exhorts us; 'Let 'us diligently search for the well of life, in the 'books of the New and Old Testament, and not 'run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions, 'devised by men's imagination, for our justifica'tion and salvation.' The concluding words of this quotation refer to the pernicious traditions of the papists: but what was at length called popery began very early to work in the Christian church; and very many traces of it may be discerned in the quotations adduced in a chapter of the Refutation which occupies 224 pages. Our appeal is therefore" to the law and to the testimony;"" the "law of the Lord, which is perfect, converting "the soul; and the testimony of the Lord, which "is sure, making wise the simple."3 The decisions of our Church are authority to the whole body of the clergy, without exception; and the evangelical clergy are more disposed to appeal to it, than from it. But other human authority we peremptorily disclaim. We do not indeed put even the authority of our church on the same footing as that of the sacred scriptures. So long as we voluntarily officiate as ministers of the establishment, we are amenable to its tribunal; yet our responsibility would cease by our receding from it but the authority of scripture must remain, and our responsibility for our conduct, as men and ministers, continue the same through life, notwithstanding any change in our situation

or sentiments. The authority of the church is vested in its rulers, and enforced only by temporal sanctions: except as, by continuing to act as her ministers, while men disbelieve her doctrine, and disapprove her worship, they become chargeable with gross hypocrisy, in the sight of God and, if they do it for the sake of emolument or distinction, they are guilty of base venality, and a corrupt ambition; for which also they are responsible to God. But the authority of the scriptures is the authority of God: to him we are responsible for our refusal to submit to it; and the sanctions are spiritual and eternal.

The ancient fathers of the Christian church may be read with benefit in various ways; their persons ought, in general, to be venerated; even their supposed mistakes are entitled to our candour; but they have no authority over our creed, any more than we have over the creed of our remote posterity. We are, therefore, in the chapter referred to, cited before a tribunal, the authority of which we altogether disclaim: we are to be tried by a jury, every individual of which we challenge, and against whom we can bring most valid exceptions. So little agreement in sentiment is found among these fathers, that it would be a very easy task to bring together a long catalogue of their mutual discordances: and so inaccurate were they, as to historical facts, that it would be equally easy to make a long list of their most undeniable mistakes. Their comments upon the scripture were often such as would be almost universally rejected, nay despised, in these days. They were uninspired men, and fallible as others are: few of them had