the want of "a godly discipline," by which notorious finners might be more openly distinguished; and while she cannot fee men's hearts, and therefore decides not in refpect to the state of individuals; in the most folemn manner, the exhorts all her visible members to judge themselves by the standard of God's word; forewarns them of the awful punishment that awaits the wicked and mere formalists; and affures fuch, that their abused Christian privileges will aggravate this punishment".

2. And now, whatever all this accords with befides, it is notoriously the doctrine of thofe for whom we are apologizing. It is that which is avowed by themfelves; it is that for which they are fpecifically condemned by their opponents. This conftant, all-important ufe of the Saviour; this neceffity of a perfonal and practical acquaintance with his doctrines, in order to falvation; this confequent diftinction between real and merely nominal Christians, constitutes the moft ftriking of their peculiarities, and, in the judgment of fuch Divines as Dr. Paley, Dr. Croft, Mr. Daubeny, and Mr. Polwhele, the very effence of their guilt. In these particulars, even more, it is conceived, than in the theoretic articles of their refpective creeds, the difference between the two parties confifts. In the fyftem of the one, the Redeemer is the Sun, the grand fource of light, life, motion, comfort, and every thing that is beautiful and excellent; in that of the other, he has only the place of fome inferior luminary. The one makes fomething real and internal, a certain ftate of heart and character, effential to real Chriftianity; the other, as will appear presently, treats all as real Chriftians, who affume the Chriftian name, and comply with the external forms of

(s) Commination Service; fee alfo Archbishop Secker's Inftructions to Candidates for Holy Orders. (t) See Ibid; and Note (o)

above.

(v) See below, § 3.

(0) Ibid.

our religion. They cannot, confiftently, difown the latter fyftem, who ridicule the former.

WE, however, certainly do thus dwell on the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, in our administrations. And we think we have the best grounded reason for this conduct w Yet, let it not be unjustly infinuated that we exalt one part of the Chriftian fcheme to the deftruction of another. They alone, we ftrenuously maintain, "rightly divide the Word of Truth," who afcribe their due importance to all its parts; and who "fhun not to declare all the counfel of God." The doctrines in question are pregnant with duties both to God and man. Thefe duties are to be explained and enforced. But to conftitute them Chriftian morality, they must be enforced from Chriftian motives. So that in the very act of inculcating the moral duties, the principles peculiar to Christianity are our reigning fubject; and we have the authority of the Apostle, not lefs than that of our church, for determining comparatively "to know nothing" elfe, in the execution of our high commiffion.

And thus alfo do we maintain the neceffity of practical Christianity. We neither "omit nor misreprefent," nor by any means depreciate, the true "doctrine of baptifm." There is, we conceive, "much profit" attending it; and as the profeffed Jews had, fo more especially the profeffed Christian hath, every way, many diftinguishing advantages and privileges in respect to his falvation. But a fimilar kind of reafoning, it is understood, is applicable to this Divine Ordinance, with that which the Apoftle ufes refpecting circumcifion. "Circumcifion verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcifion is made uncircumcifion." And as "they

(w) See below, Ch. 9. Conclufion. (b) Acts xx. 27.

(d) 1 Cor. ii. 2.

(a) 2 Tim. ii. 15. (e) See Romans ii. 25;

and iii. 1, 2.

were not all Ifrael, who were of Ifraelf;" as all were not Ifraelites in a spiritual and higher fenfe, who were circumcifed and Ifraelites by defcent and profeffion, but they only who followed the steps of Abraham in believing and obeying; fo neither can all those be confidered Chriftians in a true and spiritual sense, who are born in Chriftian countries, and enjoy many valuable Christian privileges, but they only who are in reality, what, in the language of our church, they profefs to be, who in reality embrace Chriftian doctrines, and lead a Chriftian life.

Our Church, for inftance, fupposes, in strict conformity with the fcriptures, that all real Chriftians are regenerate by God's Holy Spirit: In proportion therefore as her adult members really poffefs the views, difpofitions, and conduct, which invariably characterize the regenerate children of God in fcripture, they may conclude themfelves real Chriftians.Our Church supposes that all her fincere members really confider themselves "miferable offenders," that they "do not prefume to come unto God, trusting in their own righteousness, but in his manifold and great mercies;" that they "have a lively faith in God's mercy, through Chrift;" and that this faith neceffarily produces obedience, and is incompatible with a courfe of allowed fin: In proportion therefore as the characters of her profeffors correspond with these circumstances, they are her true members. Our church fuppofes that all her real and fpiritual children are engaged in a continual warfare against fin, the world, and the Devil. These they folemnly engage to renounce at their baptism; against thefe the expects them to fight manfully under Chrift's banner to the end of their lives: In proportion therefore as her visible members are actually engaged in this conflict, and victorious in it; as "the old Adam is fo buried, that the new man is raised up in them; as all carnal affections die in them, and all things belonging to the spirit live and grow in

(f) Rom. 9. 6. (g) Collect at the Nativity. Confeffion, Catechism, and Com. Ser.

(b) See general

(i) See Baptifmal Service. H

them; as they have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph over" these grand enemies of their falvation, they anfwer to her notion of true Chriftians.-Our church teaches, that the real children of God find in themselves a principle "mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things," and that this they believe to be "the spirit of Chrift:" In proportion, therefore, as her nominal profeffors are acquainted with these fanctifying and cheering effects of our religion, they approach to her ftandard of real Christianity.

All this then is very diftinct from the mere profeffion of the national religion, or from a Chriftian profeffion connected with mere outward decency of character. To renounce the vanities of the world, and to carry on a daily warfare against it, muft mean something very different from barely not difgufting it with fcandalous immoralities. And is there then any impropriety in denominating what has thus its root in the heart and affections, fpiritual and internal religion, in oppofition to that which merely respects the external behaviour? Is it improper when the Redeemer thus "bleffes men, by turning them away from their iniquities," delivering them from the condemnation and dominion of fin, and enabling them to "ferve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of their life'," to style it a present falvation? Or, Is it abfurd and unintelligible to call these various exercifes of the Chriftian's mind, and states of his conduct; his conflicts with thefe enemies of his peace; his attainments in humility, faith, hope, love, and other Christian graces, his experience? Name it, however, what men please, this undeniably is the nature of the Christianity taught by our Church.

The affirmation however is falfe, which represents us to teach that no one knows Chrift, or is a true Chriftian, until he can specify the precife time and hour of his converfioum.".

(k) Art. 17.

74, 75.

(1) See Acts iii. 26; Rom. vi. 14; v. 1; Luke i. (m) See Antijac. Rev. April, 1799, p. 369. See also Mr. Polwhele's Letter to Dr. Hawker, p. 14,

What we infift upon is, that Profeffors of Christianity fhould have fcriptural ground for concluding that they have, in fact, turned unto God by true repentance, and that, in fact, they poffefs the difpofitions and characters of his faithful people. Yet furely, there is no abfurdity in the fuppofition that a wicked man may know fomething of the time "when he turneth away from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right". There is furely no abfurdity in putting to a profeffed Chriftian an inquiry like this: Did you at the time of your confirmation, when you profeffed to do it, really enter upon the faithful obfervance of your baptifmal engagements; and have you, in the general and habitual tenour of your life, been acting confiftently with these engagements ever fince? If not: Have you done this at any other period, either previous or fubfequent to this ordinance? Have you now the character of a true Chriftian? It is furely very conceivable, that thofe who once lived in a firm alliance with thofe powers against which they now wage irreconcileable war; that those who once lived in bondage to fin, and to the fear of death and judgment, and have now a lively faith in God's mercy through Chrift, and power over their corruptions; that thofe "whofe minds were once only on earthly things," and are now "drawn up to high and heavenly things," fhould not only be aware of the change that has taken place, but also at what period of their life, and by what means, this change efpecially commenced, or has been efpecially promoted.

Our Church declares and pronounces all thofe to be in a pardoned and abfolved condition," that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the gofpel." "They," the alfo fays, "who in act or deed fin after their baptifm, are washed by Chrift's facrifice from their fins, when they turn again to God unfeignedly."-All, therefore, who do this, have her warrant

(n) Ezekiel, xviii. 27. Hom. on Salva. p. 12,

(0) See her forms of Abfolution, and