tian perfection does not imply, as some men seem to have imagined, an exemption either from ignorance, or mistake, or infirmities, or temptations; indeed it is only another term for holiness: thus every one that is holy, is in the Scripture sense 'perfect.' We may yet observe that neither in this respect is there absolute perfection on earth."*"If the Scriptures are true, those who are holy or religious in the judgment of God himself, those who are endued with the faith that purifies the heart, that produces a good conscience; those who live by faith in the Son of God; those who are sanctified by the blood of the Covenant may nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly, therefore let him who thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." "In strictness neither our faith nor our works justify us, i. e., deserve the remission of our sins, but God himself justifies us of his own mercy through the merits of his Son only."+

merely results from a faulty style. Scripture does not anywhere warrant us in saying "the moment a penitent sinner," &c.; but requires from us a proof of this belief by actions conformable to it. God has promised us immortality through his Son, only if we not merely believe, but "do that which is lawful and right."

*Wesley censured some of his preachers for pushing the doctrine of perfection too far.

Wesley's Works, vol. viii. p. 219; and vol. xi. p. 415.

LETTER V.

GENERAL BAPTISTS, MORAVIANS, SWEDENBORGIANS,

PLYMOUTH BRETHREN.

AMONG the sects which arose about the period of the Reformation of the church in the sixteenth century, we find the Anabaptists* playing rather a conspicuous part, by exciting political tumults in Saxony and the adjacent countries. For this, Munzer, their leader, after the defeat of his forces, was put to death, and the sect generally was proscribed, and the profession of its doctrines punished capitally. What those doctrines were is not easy, nor is it essential now, to state, since the modern sect, which we now term Baptists, retain only so much of them as relates to baptism by immersion, and of adults only, and the rejection of episcopal church government.

The more modern sect is subdivided into General and Particular Baptists. The General or Arminian Baptists admit "much latitude in their system of religious doctrine, which consists in such general principles, that their communion is accessible to Christians of almost all denominations, and accordingly they tolerate in fact, and receive among them persons of every sect, who profess themselves Christians, and receive the Holy Scriptures as the source of truth, and the rule of faith." They agree with the PARTICULAR BAPTISTS in this, that they admit to baptism adults only, and administer that sacrament either by dipping or total immersion; but they differ from them

* So called from their habit of rebaptizing those who entered their communion. They were afterwards called Antipædobaptists, from their objection to pado or infant baptism; and finally, the English habit of abbreviation of words at all commonly used, contracted the word into Baptist.

+ Mosheim, Ecc. Hist., Cent., XVI., Sect. iii. Part 2.

in another respect, for they repeat the administration of baptism to those who had received it, either in a state of infancy, or by aspersion instead of dipping: for if the common accounts may be believed, the Particular Baptists do not carry matters so far.

The General Baptists consider their sect as the only true church; in baptism they dip only once and not three times as was the practice in the primitive church: and they consider it a matter of indifference whether that sacrament be administered in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, or in that of Christ alone:* they adopt the doctrine of Menno with regard to the Millenium; many of them also embrace his particular opinion concerning the origin of Christ's body. They look upon the precept of the apostles prohibiting the use of blood and of things strangled, as a law that was designed to be in force in all ages and periods of the church: they believe that the soul, from the moment that the body dies until its resurrection at the last day, remains in a state of perfect insensibility: they use the ceremony of extreme unction, and finally, to omit matters of a more trifling nature, several of them observe the Jewish as well as the Christian Sabbath.‡ In some of their churches they have three distinct orders separately ordained, i. e., messengers, elders, and deacons; and their general assembly (where a minister preaches, and the churches are taken into consideration), is held annually in London on the Tuesday in Whitsun week, and they afterwards dine together. They have met thus for upwards of a century.

The propriety of the exclusive application of the term "Baptists" to those who baptize adults by immersion, has been questioned; and for this reason they are by many styled Antipædobaptists, § namely, opposers of in

* Milton belonged to the class of Anti-Trinitarian General Baptists.

That the body of Jesus was not derived from the substance of the blessed Virgin, but created in her womb by an omnipotent act of the Holy Spirit.

V. Mosheim's Ecc. Hist.

All who baptize infants may be termed Pædo-baptists; the

fant baptism; but the term Anabaptist should not be applied to them, it being a term of reproach.

The old General Baptists have been on the decline for many years; their churches are principally in Kent and Sussex. The English and most foreign Baptists consider a personal profession of faith, and immersion in water, essential to baptism: this profession is generally made before the church at a church meeting. Some have a creed, and expect the candidate for baptism to assent to it. and give a circumstantial account of his conversion: others only require him to profess himself a Christian. The former generally consider baptism as an ordinance which initiates persons into a particular church, and they say, that without breach of Christian liberty, they have a right to expect an agreement in articles of faith in their own societies. The latter think that baptism initiates into the Christian religion generally, and therefore think that they have no right to require an assent to their creed from such as do not join their churches. They quote the baptism of the Eunuch in Acts viii. in proof.

The first mention of the Baptists in English History, is as the subject of persecution in the reign of Henry VIII. During that of Edward VI., a commission was issued to bishops and other persons "to try all Anabaptists, heretics, and despisers of the common prayer," and they were empowered, in the event of their contumacy, to commit them to the flames. The same inhuman policy was persisted in under Elizabeth. The last Baptist martyr burned in England was Edward Wightman; he was condemned by the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry,* and burned at Lichfield, April 11, 1612.†

The celebrated Whiston became a Baptist towards the close of his life, retaining nevertheless his Arian belief.

word is derived from the Greek was a child or infant, and BàπTW to baptize.

* Yet the bishop ought to have known that baptism by immersion was practised in the church for many centuries, and the rubric of our common prayer leaves the option of immersion or aspersion.

+ Condor's View, p. 380.

The MORAVIANS are supposed to have derived their origin from Nicholas Lewis, Count Zinzendorf, a German nobleman, who died in 1760. The society, however, assert that they are descended from the old Moravian and Bohemian Brethren, who existed as a distinct sect sixty years prior to the Reformation. No sooner had these Moravian Brethren heard of Luther's bold testimony to the truth, and of the success which attended his labors, than they sent in the year 1522 two deputies to assure him of the deep interest which they took in his work;" giving him, at the same time, an account of their own doctrine and constitution. They were most kindly received; and both Luther, and his colleague Bucer, recognized the Moravians as holding the same faith; and bore honorable testimony to the purity of their doctrine, and the excellence of their discipline. The chief doctrine of the Moravian society is, that "by the sacrifice for sin made by Jesus Christ, and by that alone, grace and deliverance from sin are to be obtained for all mankind:" and they steadfastly maintain the following points:

1. The divinity of Christ.

2. The atonement and satisfaction made for us by Jesus Christ; and that by his merits alone we receive freely the forgiveness of sin, and sanctification in soul and body.

3. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and the operations of his grace. That it is he who worketh in us conviction of sin, faith in Christ, and pureness of

heart.

4. That faith must evidence itself by willing obedience to the commandments of God from love and gratitude.

The internal constitution of the ancient church of the Moravians, which is still substantially adhered to, was originally adopted in 1457, and more definitely settled in 1616 by the Synod of Zerawitz. Its principal peculiarities are,

1. Every church is divided into three classes, i. e., 1. Beginners or Catechumens. 2. The more advanced or communicants, who are considered as members of the church.