blifhed laws of controverfy ; and that it is just as fair, and jult as fignificant, as it would be to infer, from his ftronger expreffions refpecting human agency, that at the bottom he must be a Socinian.

Here then we might well reft our whole question. The Church of England, we have feen ftrong reafon for concluding, is moderately Calvinific. The chief fubjects of our Apology are profeffedly the fame. This circumftance, therefore, might at once decide, who have adhered to, and who have departed from, the original and genuine doctrines of the Articles, as none but those accused of Enthusiasm even profefs to hold any tenet that is Calviniftic.

It will however abundantly fuffice to our prefent purpofe, to proceed upon a still broader bafis. Many fincere Christians, we believe, are prepared to join in the fongs of heaven, in afcribing their whole "Salvation to God and the Lamb," and hold the above doctrines effentially, who difown the name we have affixed to them. With thefe perfons we would by no means quarrel, for the fake of a term, which we only adopt in the want of one to express our fentiments more perfeâly. But, what is of more weight in the confideration, it is not either the name or the nature of Calvinifmi, as fuch, to which our opponents confine their attack. It is the doctrine of Salvation by Grace, through faith in the Redeemer, under whatever form or name it is profeffed, to which, in reality, they at the bottom object. Several of the late popular Works which have endured the direct attack, or the invidious fneer, contain nothing that is peculiarly' Calvinistic. Other Writings and Sentiments which have experienced this treatment, are profeffedly Arminian".

Whether, therefore, the Church of England has determined this way, or the other, or neither, on fome of the abftrufe points agitated between the Calvinifts and Arminians, is not

(g) See Dr. Hey, Vol. i. p. 411. (h) See Mr. Clapham's Sermon; Dr. Croft's Thoughts; and Mr. Daubeny's Works,

G 3

our determining point: On this circumftance we do not found the truth of our main pofition; But thus much we muft infift upon; this every Perfon, fufficiently acquainted with thefe fubjects, will fee it impoffible not to allow us; that in proportion as Calvinifm prevailed when our Articles were established, and as the private jentiments of the Compilers, Revifers, and Impofers of thefe Articles were Calviniftic, a ftrong argument is furnished, in favour of our interpretation of them, and in oppofition to theirs whofe ingenuity is employed in explaining them away.

We have now taken a very comprehenfive view of our fubject; we have examined our different Forms of doctrine and worship, as they explain and illuftrate each other; the Title which the Articles bear; and the Preamble which is annexed to them: We have further inveftigated, the Circumstances in which our reformers were placed, and the object they had in view; their other authentic theological Writings; the Authorities they refpected; and their own private Sentiments; and from the whole, it appears moft unquestionably,

That on the points of doctrine now under confideration, they meant at least to establish ALL THEY HAVE EXPRESSED; that on many occafions they wENT BEYOND what is neceffarily implied in the letter of the Articles, and discovered fentiments ftill further from the divinity we oppofe; but that they never, by any means, ABRIDGED or RESTRICTED the full and natural fenfe of their Words, and most certainly never intended they should be fo interpreted.

And hence, it follows, as unquestionably, That all who in any degree EXTENUATE, or EVADE the plain, literal, and full meaning of these Articles, on the doctrines in question, do NOT teach them as they were firft delivered by our Reformers." But this, in a very notorious degree, it has appeared in a former chapter, is undeniably the conduct of

Our Opponents. One part of their pofition is therefore again overturned.

But hence alfo, on the other hand, it clearly follows, That they who teach according to this plain, literal, and full meaning of the Articles, DO TEACH them in their true and pri mitive fenfe; and that they who, to a certain extent, exceed this literal meaning on the fide of Divine Agency, do not teach more than was taught by our Reformers. -And here we call upon our accufers to fhow, by fair quotation, from the Writings of Milner, Hawker, Scott, from the Practical Review, the Strictures on Education, the Scripture Characters, or Venn's complete Duty of Man, works they have particularly attacked, any doctrine that exceeds this standard; any thing that in its natural tendency, and by fair conftruction, means more than what is plainly taught in our Articles, Homilies, and Liturgy, and illuftrated by the known fentiments, and the other writings of our Reformers. Until they do this, we must conclude that the other part of their pofition is alfo groundless, and that it is equally certain that we have, as that they have not, adhered to the true and original doctrines of these forms.

(1) See above, p. 13-15.

m

(m) See Ibid.

G4

CHAP. III.

An Examination whofe teaching most resembles that of our Church and her Reformers, in respect to the USE made of the peculiar Doctrines of the Gospel, and the neceffity of

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY.

IT is a fact of which it is impoffible to doubt, that our Reformers did not teach the doctrines in queftion, as mere speculative and uninterefting opinions, which it is fufficient barely to affent to, and contemplate at a distance; but as truths of the very highest importance, truths which it becomes every Chriftian to know practically. They confidered them of more worth than their exalted stations in the church, their most admired worldly poffeffions, their country, their liberty, or even their lives. Their own characters and behaviour, at once, convincingly fhow on what doctrines they laid the greateft ftrefs; and how effential they believed the practical knowledge of their tenets. Their exertions in the propagation of these doctrines, their invincible conftancy, patient refignation, exalted charity, triumphant faith; under the moft trying provocations, the heaviest present facrifices, and in the midst of the flames, afford a ftriking proof both what the genuine efficacy of their principles is, and that it was experienced by themfelves. No where, except in the exhibitions of the Bible itself, can we fee more that is truly Chriftian, both of doctrine and practice, than in the dying fentiments and behaviour of those among them who fealed the fincerity of their profeffion with their blood. They were unanimous, at this folemn season, in excluding all merit from themselves; in building all their

hopes of falvation upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus; in rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fuffer for his fake; and, in expreffing a moft firm and unfhaken confidence of poffeffing eternal life, through him. And, with precifely the fame views, did thofe depart, who furvived this ftorm, and went from earth to heaven by a more ordinary way, in the fucceeding reign.

It was not, in the judgment of thefe "divine men the part of " Ambaffadors of Chrift" to omit, and generally feem to forget, the peculiar doctrines of the gospel, in their public difcourses, any more than to difavow them. They did not barely ftate, in general terms, the outlines of the Christian systein; make little or no more use of it; and confider it their chief bufinefs "to be the apes of Epictetus," Plato, or Seneca. The diftinguishing tenets of Chriftianity ever conftituted the prominent features of their religious inftructions, and are their reigning theme in the forms of doctrine and worship they provided. "The fum of their doctrine," as we are affured from their own mouths, is, "to fet forth Chrift crucified to be the only Lord and Redeemer; giving all glory unto God, the only worker of our falvation, and removing all merit from man; and commending and teaching fuch good works of all men diligently to be done, as God in his word has prescribed "." Accordingly, every view of this gracious Redeemer's character is presented; every part of his aftonishing work is enumerated, in our creeds; while to his crofs and fufferings there is a conftant reference throughout the public fervice. Every rite points to him for its efficacy; every petition is presented in his name; every expectation is founded upon his merits; every endeavour is directed to his glory; every acceptable work

d

(b) See Strype's Lives of Hurd thus denominates the

Reformers, Sermon 11. Vol. iii. p. 206. (d) See Articles subscribed in the first year of Elizabeth, Strype's Annals, p. 117.