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Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2011 witii funding from 
 
 Princeton Tiieoiogicai Seminary Library 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/wordofgodcliurclioO'Opark 
 
NOTICED. ■ * 
 
 Pkkhaps the Author will be pardonc'd for giving the followring out 
 of a mass of testimony in favour of this publication, spontaneously 
 forwarded within the last few weeks by several of the Nobility 
 and Gentry, as well as Clergy, and which could not have been in any 
 degree the dictate of j)ersona/ predi/ecf ion, since to no one of them is 
 he known, except by name. 
 
 D^c. 12, 1846. 
 
 TO THE REV. EDWARD PARKER. 
 
 " Rev. and dear Sir, 
 " I send you a post-Office order for 100 copies of your valuable 
 work on Baptismal Regeneration. " 
 
 " This is the best refutation of the error in a few pages that has 
 yet appeared : I hope to distribute Five pounds' worth. " 
 
 " Will you forward me, by post 50 of your truly orthodox Sermons 
 on Baptismal Regeneration." 
 
 " We have read with much gratification your work, on Baptismal 
 Regeneration, and shall be glad of 100 copies. " 
 
 " Your Sermon, so admirably adapted for general distribution, refutes 
 an error unhappily taught in this neighbourhood ; please to put aside 
 50 for me. " 
 
 " Accept the thanks of all here, for so ably refuting the pernicious 
 doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration, in the pamphlet, which we shall 
 do our very best to circulate. " 
 
 " I hope you will not consent to curtail the Sermon a single syllable, 
 nor omit a word of the notes; oblige me by forwarding 100. " 
 
 " I desire to thank God for having put it into your heart to write 
 this Sermon, which contains no one sentiment in which I do not fully 
 agree : will you send me 100 for distribution. " 
 
I have recently met with thefuUowiny notices. 
 
 "This is a neat and cheap little tract containing some most excel- 
 lent matter ou the most important subjects referred to. The insidious 
 progress of the Tractariaus requires the boldest aud most decisive 
 maintenance of the Protestant principles of the Reformation, — and 
 the Author battles herein, for those great ])riuciples, like a true 
 soldier of the faith. His refutation of the Baptismal Kegeneration 
 dogma, is absolute and incoutrovertible, and his exposure of Tractarian 
 duplicity, and equivocation, and falsehood, is sufficient to cover the 
 whole sect with confusion." — Western Times. 
 
 " The two Sermons which this little publication comprises, are 
 devoted to the consideration of two very important topics. The first, 
 to the refutation and condemnation of the Romish doctriue of Baptis- 
 mal Regeneration; the second to the full justification of the Church 
 Catechism. To those, many we know there are, who wish for an able 
 argumentation and eloquent vindication of the doctrines of the Church 
 of England, on these very important points, we confidently recom- 
 mend these pages. They have already attained a very extensive cir- 
 culation, and won the energetic approval of many of the brightesl 
 ornaments of our Establishment. In the Rlv. Author, the Tractariaus 
 have found a polemic, master of his weapons, and fully capable of 
 exposing their most intricate sophisms. We had marked some beau- 
 tiful aud argumentative passages for quotation : but as we find the 
 book published at a merely nominal price, aud therefore within the 
 reach of the most humble in society, we shall restrict ourselves to 
 one, after rccom:aendiug the w^ork to the earnest attention of our 
 Protestant friends, aud confidently assuring them that its perusal will 
 contribute in no small degree to their pleasure and edification."— 
 National Protector. 
 
 " We much regret that press of matter prevents our quoting at 
 great length from this most excellent, well-timed, iuteresting, and in- 
 structive work ; its low price, however places it within the reach of 
 every person ; and published, as it is, with a desire to be useful ' in 
 those uuhap])y localities infested with Tractarian heresy, oi- where the 
 plague-spot of Popery is spreadiug,' we should be waating in duty to 
 our Church aud the cause .of Gospel truth, did we not strongly recom- 
 mend it to our readers for their perusal, and wish it a wide circulation 
 and abuadaut success." — Church Sentinel. 
 
 " Mr. Parker's adversaries plainly feel aud own the force of these 
 Sermons, for they have left them unanswered, and prefer making a 
 querulous appeal to the Bishop, which he has treated with the neglect 
 that so cowardly a step deserved. It reminds one of Jupiter in Lueian, 
 when being at a loss for an argument with Meuippus, he threatens to 
 strike him with a thunderbolt, ' Thou aj)pealest to the thunderbolt, 
 tiicu own thvsclf conquered,' is the reply." M,A., Oxon. 
 
THE WORD OF GOD, 
 
 THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, 
 
 AND RIGHT REASON, 
 
 DIRECTLY OPPOSED TO THE 
 
 TRACTARIAN DOGMA OF 
 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 
 
 Bl XUJfi 
 
 EEV. EDWARD^^AEKEE,; 
 
 VICAR OF STOKE GIFFORD. 
 
 J. NISBET & CO. BERNERS' STREET, LONDON 
 JONES, BRISTOL: SHEPHERD, CLIFTON. 
 
 1850. 
 
JOHN WRIGHT, STEAM PEESS, BRISTOL. 
 
I^X:,; 
 
 "Furorem judicabat, quod uou intelligas,'sUlini tirpre eCs^c&rp." 
 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LAY MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 ]\[y Christian Friends. 
 
 In the year 1830 I attended a course of Lectures, 
 the object of -which was to show that the Creed of the 
 Church of Rome is anti-scriptural — her worship idola- 
 trous — and her precepts, as well as practices, immoral. 
 The enormities charged upon her were of a character 
 so gross as to engender incredulity. Notwithstanding 
 that the Lecturer was well-known as a gentleman of 
 education, of high moral bearing, and of distinguished 
 abilities, I could not believe but that some of his state- 
 ments were (however unconsciously) exaggerated. It 
 appeared to me, at that time, to be impossible for a 
 religion so contrary to all that is true — so opposed to all 
 that is rational — and so darkened by crime, to exist for 
 a single hour amid the light of civilized nations, even in 
 a world so fallen as ours. But I now know that the 
 Rev. W. Ts charges were and are capable of a full 
 substantiation, that his accusations were rather below 
 the mark than above it, that the case is even wone than 
 he represented. During the last twenty years I have 
 diligently investigated the Canons, Creeds, and 
 acknowledged Authorities of that Church, for the 
 purpose of ascertaining with accuracy what her Princiides 
 
IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and Doct?i?ies really are. I have also traced her blood- 
 stained footprints upon the World's history, and there 
 found her Practices just such as must have been antici- 
 pated by any one competent to perceive the relation 
 between cause and effect, for the tree can bear no other 
 fruit than its own, and the tiger as occasion offers, will 
 evince his ferocity. That she is thoroughly anti-Chris- 
 tian — the dire opponent of the Redeemer's true Church 
 — " The mystery of iniquity" — the great " Apostacy" 
 foretold and fore-doomed in the Word of God, is to my 
 mind as certain as that two and two make four. There 
 is I verily believe nothing, without the Infernal Regions, 
 that can for a moment be compared with the depths of 
 iniquity to be found in this impious, blaspheming, 
 idolatrous, and soul-ruining system. Deliberately and 
 advisedly do I adopt the language of the immortal 
 Reformer (and if you, reader, are half as well acquainted 
 with the subject as he was, you will do the same,) and 
 say, " If my voice were thunder and every word I spoke 
 a thunderbolt, I would employ them all against a system 
 the most dark and deadly — the most corrupt and errone- 
 ous — the most unchristian and tyrannical — the most vile 
 and abominable — the least like God, and the most like 
 Satan, my eyes ever witnessed." Referring to the 
 enormities of the same godless community. Hooker says5 
 " If I open my mouth to speak in their defence, if I 
 hold my peace and plead not against them so long as 
 health is within my body, let me be guilty of all the 
 dishonour that ever hath been done to the Son of (rod." 
 The fact is so well known as to render it hardly neces- 
 sary for me to state, that, owing, among other causes, to 
 the patronage of Governments, the apathy of Protestants 
 
TiNTRODUCTION. Y 
 
 the defection of certain Clerfrymen, and her own subtle 
 and strenuous efforts, this deadly lieresy " to he al^horred 
 of all faithful Christians," has within the last fifteen years 
 made astonishing and alarming progress in this our 
 beloved Country. As a specimen, look at the three 
 hundred per cent increase of Chapels, Priests, and those 
 " Decoys" the Sisters of Mercy, in thi^ second City of 
 the Empire. 
 
 Distinctly commanded in the Scriptures of truth, and 
 in accordance therewith solemnly pledged at Drdination 
 to be " ready with all faithful diligence, to banish and 
 drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary 
 to God's Word" (more especially referring, as no one can 
 doubt, to the teaching of the *' False Prophet" of Rome,) 
 I have, as far as my limited sphere allowed, felt it an 
 imperative duty to obey a command so explicitly 
 enjoined, and to redeem a pledge so unreservedly given. 
 Among other means to this end, " Fifth of November" 
 sermons have been preached, and sometimes printed — 
 tracts of the Reformation and Protestant Associations 
 distributed — and where circumstances required — anti- 
 popish meetings have been called together and addressed. 
 Thinking however that Popery bearing its own title, 
 and therefore undisguised, at least to a considerable 
 extent, could make but little way in an age and nation 
 blessed with so much intellectual and scriptural light — 
 that none except the most besottedly ignorant could be 
 sufficiently befooled to embrace a scheme so revolting, 
 my aim has more particularly been to strip " the mother 
 of harlots" of her mask when advancing under the 
 specious and deceptive forms of Tractarianism and hyper 
 High-Churchism ; involving as these do principles, and ex- 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 hibiting as they do practices, admirably calculated to pave 
 the way for Romanism, by reducing personal and spiritual 
 religion to something little more than ritual and ecclesias- 
 tical.* In the April of 1845, the Sermon, Heb. xiii. 9. was 
 preached, and by request of two congregations, printed. 
 Shortly afterwards at the suggestion of a very eminent 
 Clergyman it was placed under the same cover with 
 that on Matthew xiii, 30., and the two have reached a 
 fourteenth edition. A Clergyman of the Church of 
 England recently found a copy in a poor man's cottage, 
 and declaring he would have no such erroneous publica- 
 tions in his parish, committed It to the (Does not this 
 savour of Smithfield ?) flames ! Perhaps he had read 
 that sentence, " the power of Superstition is strong, but 
 the power of Reason is stronger ; if you would support 
 the former, you must enchain the latter." Firmly con- 
 fident that Right must eventually prevail, that all such 
 attempts at suppression are vain, nay, that they are the 
 very means to accelerate its progress, that although the 
 adversaries may rage, and strike, and burn, yet, like 
 Antfeus, Truth will rise stronger from every blow, and 
 brighter from every flame, under this pei'suasion I am 
 tempted to say to my neighbour, 
 
 Ure meos libros, qui nou' intelligis, illinc 
 Est tamen m tenebras lux oritura tuas. 
 How the matter will be estimated as it becomes known 
 to the inhabitants of Protestant Britain, in the light of 
 
 * Let rae urgently recommend to your perusal " Provincial Letters," and 
 " Tractariau Secession to Popery", by the Kev. G. S. Fabcr, Prebendary 
 of Salisbury. And should you, Header, be led thence to study tliis gentle- 
 man's more voluminous works, you will have a rich treat, whether as a 
 Christian or a Scholar. There is no writer living to whom Protestant 
 England owes so deep a d6bt of gratitude. 
 
INTRODUCTION. Vll 
 
 the nineteenth century, it will possibly be more easy 
 than pleasurable for the Rev. Gentleman himself to 
 guess. The only instances resembling it, which occur 
 at once to the mind, are those of '' Jehoiakim," of which 
 you read in Jeremiah xxxvi. and the Romish Priest 
 " Molloy," who last year burnt the Bible in Birmingham. 
 We all know that as " Cannon is the last logic of kings," 
 so fire is the darling logic of Rome, the Jehoiakim method 
 of suppressing truth, which (having the power) she has 
 adopted in all ages and nations, burning and consuming 
 whatever opposed her, whether books or their authors. 
 I was credibly informed yesterday, that an inhabitant of 
 Leicester, meeting with these sermons, which appear to 
 elicit the venom of heretics as the red rag does that of 
 the serpent, had imitated the wicked king to the very 
 letter, first using the knife and then the flame. Verily, 
 the dispositions of Satan's children are always alike, and 
 sometimes, as here, there is an extraordinary coincidence 
 in their actions. 
 
 That there are points in connection with this deed of 
 a Brother Clergyman, which admit of extreme severity of 
 remark without even bordering on injustice, is obvious ; 
 but I forbear, gladly forbear. Having, thank God, no 
 hostile feeUng to indulge, entertaining towards the agent 
 no one unfiriendly sentiment, (wherefore should I ?) I 
 carefully abstain from all that might bear the interpreta- 
 tion of personal, and speak of the act itself, only so far as 
 the interests of Religion, the general good, and a vindica- 
 tion of my own conduct seem to demand. 
 
 It must be remembered that this gentleman and I are 
 ministers of the same " Reformed Church" — Have sub - 
 scribed the same " Articles," articles too, " intensely 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 charged with Protestantism" — Profess the same " Creed" 
 
 ■ — Use the same Liturgies" — And are in the same 
 
 " Diocese." Surely then it will be reasonably expected 
 
 that we observe the same ministerial conduct, that we be 
 
 found unitedly offering resistance to any prevailing error 
 
 or heresy ; and where, as here, this is so far from being 
 
 the case, that what the one employs the pulpit and press 
 
 to promulgate, the other burns to ashes, the unavoidable 
 
 inference is, that one of the two must be a heretic or 
 
 something very like it. The question upon which 
 
 judgment is asked, the point to be decided, is, wTiich of 
 
 the two ? Was the Vicar right in 'printing these sermons^ 
 
 and the Rector lorong in hiirning them, or, was the Vicar 
 
 wrong in printing them, and the Rector right in hurning 
 
 them ? In order to arrive at a just conclusion it will be 
 
 necessary for you to consider what the Bible commands 
 
 — what our Church teaches and requires — what we two 
 
 have severally promised — the circumstances of the 
 
 Church and Nation — what Popery is — her gigantic 
 
 advances — and the aid and encouragement she has 
 
 received, from the writings and apostacy of the 
 
 Tractarian Priests against one of whose errors the 
 
 sermons are levelled. 
 
 In order that your verdict may be in accordance with 
 truth and equity, you must next please to examine these 
 two Sermons for yourselves : do me the favour, let me 
 say the justice, diligently to test and try them by that 
 only decisive standard the Wo7'd of God, also by the 
 lower standards which the Church of England and Right 
 Reason afford. To give you the opportunity, they 
 are herewith reprinted, for my christian friends to read 
 
INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 if they will, and my Tractarian opponents to refute if 
 they can. 
 
 Whether the " Initiated," and more acute promoters of 
 ■what are falsely enough termed "Church Principles" "will 
 deem it discreet thus early to revive the burning process, 
 I of course cannot say ; whether they w ill approve of the 
 step as ^ise, or pronounce it rash and but too likely to 
 open the eyes of Laymen to the chains that are forging 
 for their liberties, and the spiritual tyranny that awaits 
 them, I pretend not to determine. It may possibly call 
 to mind that individual who went out to commit murder, 
 but alas, unskilful in the use of fire-arras, committed 
 suicide. One design of the New Sect undoubtedly is to 
 " take away the Key of Knowledge," my own opinion is, 
 that it will 7wt subserve that end, inasmuch as in all 
 human probability it will call increased attention to the 
 subject, and give to the writings subversive of their 
 views a still wider circulation than they have yet obtain- 
 ed ; an anticipation, which, should it be verified, will 
 afibrd another instance of a man's burning his own 
 fingers when burning something else, Daniel iii. 22. 
 Looking off the unlaw^fulness of the transaction, and only 
 on the probable result, I beg then to tender the Rector 
 my hearty thanks for rendering me perhaps the very best 
 assistance in his power ; he has, if I mistake not, helped 
 forward the spread of principles antagonistic to his own, 
 right well. 
 
 What the High Church Clergy, or what I may think, 
 is however comparatively of little moment ; the question 
 of absorbing interest is, what my Lay friends do you 
 think of acts such as this ? I mean not of this in par- 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ticular, but of the advance of a scheme which is clearly 
 indicated ? It is, believe me, a matter in which you are 
 most deeply concerned, since., if the effort now making 
 by a self-aggrandizing and domineering faction should 
 succeed, it is you who will be the victims, it is you who 
 will be exhibited to the world as fettered dupes to adorn 
 the triumph of priestcraft. Napoleon addressed the 
 Pope in these words " Priests were not made to govern," 
 and woe, woe, woe to the Nation under the cruel 
 pressure of their sway. Aristotle writes, " The worst of 
 tyrannies is the tyranny of a multitude of tyrants ; " had 
 he seen, as we have, the iron despotism of Papal Rome, 
 he would have written, " the worst of tyrannies is tlie 
 Rule of a Priesthood." Now it is certain that neither 
 individuals nor nations can be reduced to such grinding 
 slavery until they have been reduced to ignorance ; the 
 process is, first darken the intellect, then put on the 
 collar ; degrade to the brute, then mount and ride. 
 England is now, thank God, intelligent, and the ruthless 
 tyrant of the Tiber can never more priest-ride her 
 population, and trample her religious liberty in the dust, 
 until that intelligence has been obscured, or greatly 
 dimmed, her sons deprived of knowledge, and their 
 understandings blunted into stupidity. Aware that the 
 lights of Scripture and reason are instant death to the 
 creed of Rome, the first object of her advocates will of 
 course be to cloud with error and darken the mind of 
 our people. The question in the Vatican is, in what 
 manner can this be best efi^ected ? In Popery's own name 
 the thing is next to impossible ; the crackling of the 
 fagot is heard, and Smithfield rises at once to view, " in 
 vain the net is spread in the sigJit of any bird." She 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 must creep in and on by stealth — must have a new title — 
 wear a mask — employ a svihiXe pio7ieer — and thus if possible 
 carry back the people to the dark ages, to the gloom in 
 which the old Harlot can live and riot. And has not 
 such been her policy, for that the Tractarian movement 
 is a Jesuit movement will be doubted least by those who 
 know most of the acts of the one party and the princi- 
 ples of the other. Those unhappy few of the Clergy 
 who have in the last fifteen years been playing their 
 pranks before the British Public, are little else than the 
 mere puppets of men, still more subtle than themselves, 
 moving and directing the wires from behind. They are 
 in a greater or less degree the unconscious agents of the 
 mystic Babylon; employed gradually, cautiously, and 
 almost imperceptibly to introduce her dark enslaving 
 system ; to urge " reserve" — to deny the right of private 
 judgment — to depreciate preaching — to decry controversy 
 — to burn books — any thing in short, to prevent thought 
 and the acquisition of knowledge : and all, that the lady 
 in '* scarlet and purple" may take her seat on the 
 stultified beast, even on that " ignorance," which she 
 declares to be '" the mother of devotion." One can almost 
 hear as it were "jthe Man of Sin" whispering to those of 
 his masked Missionaries who are in the secret^ " Do 
 everything by little and little — restore the Churches 
 according to our model — replace- the crosses — set up 
 the images — paintings — altars — screens — go on to adorn 
 the altars with laurel and ivy crosses — with the crown 
 of thorns — flowers, and such like gew-gaws. Let the 
 folks have abundance of intonings — chaunting — and 
 " all kinds of music" — nay, if they are sufliciently per- 
 verted to endure it, bring kettle-drums, trumpets, and 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 regimental bands into the Churches — and don't interfere 
 with their worldliness, such as masquerades, balls, but 
 on the contrary, go yourselves as capital " polka dancers" 
 if you like : only take care to attend, and also urge 
 their presence, at " Matins," and on " Saints' days," by 
 way of set off; in a word, be diligent to observe and 
 do whatever is best calculated to deaden spirituality — 
 banish thought — lull suspicion — induce formalism — and 
 so advance the interests of your friend the Pope." 
 
 It is an enquiry which thousands put with anxiety — 
 will the inhabitants of this great and free country be so 
 imposed on ? TVill they be so gulled by a clique of 
 Priests, many of whom are themselves the mere dupes 
 and tools of still deeper designers ? Will they permit the 
 advance of principles and practices which upon a former 
 occasion subverted their Church — desolated their Homes, 
 and rendered tenantless their Throne ? Principles which 
 make the Clergy everything, the Laity nothing ? Will 
 they, through pure indifference, become the victims of a 
 tyranny which operates not to manacle the body, but to 
 fetter the mind; not to enchain the limbs, but to enslave 
 the soul ? Will they sacrifice personal security, which 
 is always involved in the sacrifice of true religion ? Will 
 they surrender God's blessed truth, and their own 
 spiritual freedom } I tJdtik not. The indignation of 
 Protestant Britain will by and by be aroused, and she 
 will in that hour have a heavy account to settle with 
 these Romanizing gentlemen. Swift as their advance has 
 been, their fall will be swifter. At England's awakening, 
 there must be a renunciation of their false teachings and 
 superstitious ceremonies, or an abdication of their pulpits; 
 unless indeed they would have them emptied without 
 
INTRODUCTION. xiii 
 
 consul tinjT the Incumbents, or, it may be troubling the 
 Authorities. May it be the former. May they repent, 
 believe, and be saved ; and that the time may soon come 
 Avhen a God of love and mercy shall strike the fetters of 
 " Sin, the Pope and the Devil" off a captive world, and 
 so all worship Ilim in Spirit and in truth, is the sincere 
 prayer of 
 
 3Iy Christian Friends, 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 EDWARD PARKER. 
 
 P. S. The prefatory remarks which occupy the 
 next few leaves had been written for the press before I 
 beard of the " burning ;" and although, added to this 
 letter, they make the Introduction somewhat lengthy, 
 and perhaps tedious ; yet must I crave indulgence, and 
 beg you to let it pass, inasmuch as just now I have 
 not time to alter and re-arrange for the purpose of 
 condensing. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following Sermons and Letters have arisen out of 
 the circumstances of the times ; are indebted for their 
 existence to the revival of a Faction, which in the days 
 of the first Charles attempted to foist Romish tenets 
 upon the Church of England, and by this means to 
 restore the errors, superstitions and blasphemies of " the 
 Man of Sin." They have had the privilege of passing 
 through much " evil and good report," have been cen- 
 sured by the party whose censure the Author values as 
 praise, and approved of by those whose approbation is 
 abundantly encouraging. 
 
 That so plain an avowal of sentiment upon this matter 
 would elicit a good deal of rancorous feeling in a certain 
 quarter, and cause even some old friends to look coldly, 
 it was not very unreasonable in one who knows some- 
 thing of the world's enmity to truth, its hollowness and 
 hypocrisy, to anticipate ; accordingly that " cost had been 
 counted." That so much (as it is believed) scriptural 
 and therefore conclusive evidence would stagger, perplex, 
 and confound the adversaries — that the boldest would 
 shrink from any attempt at a reply — that the most acute 
 having a wholesome dread of being reasoned down, 
 would not dare to enter the fair and open field of argu- 
 mentative discussion,^ (John iii. 20. ) was not altogether 
 unexpected. But that recourse would be had to the 
 unchristian, uugentlemanlike, and unmanly weapons of 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 abuse, perversion, slander, and even paltry menace, 
 certainly was not counted on ; the cost of which has been 
 a smile at their threats — pardon of their slander — com- 
 passion for their weakness — sorrow for their sin — and 
 prayer for their conversion. AVith regard to the threata 
 that have been and yet may be employed, let not 
 the most powerful of the opposite party imagine for a 
 moment, that such will in the slightest degree daunt or 
 deter ; for even if unsupported by what must always 
 inspire a sufficiency of christian courage, namely, con- 
 scious rectitude and the strongest confidence in the 
 scriptural character of one's own principles and creed, 
 there would be ample protection against the oppressor in 
 the fact, that the day has long since passed away where- 
 in authority could put down what argument could 
 not answer, and, mark it Reader, freedom will be 
 lost ere it ever return. Darkened as the world is 
 by error, yet is it partially enlightened by truth; and 
 the Author has gratefully to acknowledge the very 
 favourable reception given to his pages by the Protestant 
 portion of the community, who have rapidly passed them 
 through numerous editions, and given them a very 
 extensive circulation in the shape of pamphlets. The 
 request has been frequently and strongly urged that a 
 new edition be allowed to issue in a somewhat better 
 type and form. So far from there appearing any objec- 
 tion to such a proposal being acceded to, consent is 
 readily given, for the following among other reasons. 
 
 It affords the Writer an opportunity of distinctly and 
 explicitly contradicting a report which has been actively 
 circulated, viz., " Mr. Parker's views on Baptism have 
 undergone a considerable change." Were this state- 
 
XYl PREFACE. 
 
 ment as correct, as it is false, what then ? Men changing 
 their opinions affect not the truth — that being immutable. 
 This is however a very stale trick employed for the pur- 
 pose of blunting the edge of publications which it is 
 found inconvenient to answer, and the nature of it is 
 plainly indicative of its origin, " speaking lies" being the 
 never failing characteristic of Rome, and of whatever or 
 whoever appertains or assimilates to that " harlot'' 
 Church. Let my own parishioners, and if it concerns 
 them at all, the friends of Evangelical truth generally, 
 be assured, that as the infallible Word (and not that 
 false, deceptive thing, " Tradition") is my sole " Rule 
 of faith," there is not (thanks be unto God) the shadow of 
 a shade of change in my opinion respecting the initiatory 
 sacrament; from the position first taken not one step 
 have I receded, of Protestant truth not one iota has 
 been surrendered. The longer I live, the more closely 
 and prayerfully I study the Bible, and the nearer I 
 approach to an everlasting state of existence, the more 
 (if possible,) deep and complete is my conviction, that 
 Satan has not a more fatal and powerful engine for the 
 destruction of the immortal soul than the false and 
 delusive dogma of Baptismal Regeneration ; and my 
 earnest prayer to Almighty God, is, that He will of His 
 infinite mercy open the eyes of those who preach it 
 to a consciousness of their guilt and danger, and fast 
 close the hearts of those who hear it against its 
 reception. 
 
 Another reason why I would take advantage of any 
 and every legitimate means for placing before the public 
 mind arguments which disprove the unconditional 
 efficacy of the sacrament, is, the conviction that this per- 
 
PREFACE. XVll 
 
 version of Baptism forms the base and supj)ort of the 
 new Oxford scheme, it is the very key-stone of their 
 arch, the root of the evil ; if then it falls before the artil- 
 lery of Heaven, i. e., Scripture and right reason, their 
 whole system falls with it ; the foundation is gone, and 
 the unsightly Vatican-like edifice of false doctrines, 
 and popish ceremonies, and carnal ordinances, and 
 superstitious observances must come down with a crash, 
 like that of Jericho at the blast of the divinely appointed 
 instrumentality. 
 
 Again — the situation in which we are placed as a 
 Church appears to require that every Evangelical Min- 
 ister of our religion should make it broadly manifest, 
 " whose he is, and whom he serves ; " his declaration of 
 adherence to the religious principles and doctrines of the 
 Reformation should be of the most open, explicit, and 
 unshrinking character. He must hold in scorn that 
 truckling time-serving policy, which some few among us 
 -with the profession, though loithout the p'inciple of 
 Evangelical religion, adopt : these gentlemen manage 
 some how or other to accommodate themselves to any 
 and all circumstances, keeping a keen eye upon the 
 quarter in which the wind sits and trimming their sails 
 to suit their interests. For instance, they will stand upon 
 the platform and plead for the Missionary or Bible 
 Society, and to keep upon terms with the other side, will 
 "restore their Churches" after the Popish model : such 
 " blowing hot and cold" is as contemptible among men 
 as their being "neither hot nor cold" is offensive and 
 disgusting to that Omniscient Being who will shortly 
 judge them. Surely just at this time there is a loud, and 
 not to be neglected call for a decided answer to the 
 
 B 
 
XVlll PREFACE. 
 
 question, " Who is on the Lord's side — %vho.? " For 
 have not the Tractarian heretics perverted some in 
 authority? Has not the sword of persecution been 
 drawn ? And is not a Minister of Jesus Christ at this 
 hour being refused induction to a benefice simply upon 
 the ground of his denying that there is any necessary 
 connection between the outward and inward parts of a 
 Sacrament? A dogma strenuously maintained by the 
 Romish Apostacy, but which no branch of Christ's true 
 Church ever held or ever can hold, inasmuch as it 
 cannot be proved from Holy Writ, and in our day we 
 find that none, save the very weakest of its advocates are 
 rash enough to rest it on that proof. Is it not then a 
 clear and imperative duty that we stand firmly by our 
 brother in the faith ? Ought we not to unite our voices 
 with his and in a tone of thunder exclaim: — We are 
 Christians^ the Bible is our only Rule, and we will not 
 have this papal falsehood imposed on us — we are Minis- 
 ters of England's Church, and as '' Watchmen," set for 
 the defence of Zion — as " Stewards," who must give 
 account — as " Shepherds" to whom our Flocks look for 
 "bread," and not "husks," we will not permit this 
 erroneous and soul destroying doctrine to be promulgated 
 among the people? To our Heavenly Father — to the 
 blessed Redeemer — to the true Church — to our own 
 souls — to the cause of truth — to the world at large, we 
 are responsible for oft'ering it our most stern, determined, 
 uncompromising opposition. 
 
 That we shall meet with some things calculated to dis- 
 courage, there is no doubt ; it is well that it should be 
 so, may I not say, necessary? We have already wit- 
 nessed desertion from our ranks, have seen the truth 
 
PREFACE. xix 
 
 abandoned at the beck of preferment, " the loaves and 
 fishes" proving too strong a temptation for men with 
 heads partially enlightened, but hearts totally unchanged ; 
 affording additional evidence to the fact, that nothing 
 short of the new principle of spiritual life implanted in 
 the soul by the Holy Ghost, can in the hour of trial pre- 
 serve from apostacy. fl John ii. J 9.) 
 
 We must likewise expect to be considered intemperate 
 — termed over-zealous — shunned as injudicious — nay, 
 perhaps declared to be " beside ourselves," and even 
 some of those with whom of late we walked as friends, 
 who in smooth and less trying times, when a test of 
 character was Avanted, seemed with us, Avill now evince 
 their indecision (you know the part the " Bat" acted in 
 the quarrel between the Birds and Beasts) and lack of 
 principle, pass by on the other side, and exhibit the 
 utmost carefulness not to offend the opponent powers to 
 the prejudice of their earthly interests ; for it is in unison 
 with all experience to anticipate that a bold and decided 
 course will present an almost insuperable barrier to pro- 
 fessional advancement. We must nevertheless quietly, 
 faithfully, and firmly act (and be prepared for the con- 
 sequence,) upon the assured conviction that the principles 
 of the Gospel are not the principles to rise by. No 
 temporal loss, no worldly privation, no earthly concern, 
 no amount of ridicule, obloquy, or assault upon charac- 
 ter, must for one moment be allowed to weigh in this 
 matter; our hands have been put to the plough, and 
 woe unto him that looks back, our testimony has been 
 borne to the truth, and woe unto him that turns aside 
 to lies. 
 
 If however the discouragements are considerable, it 
 should be borne in mind the encouragements vastly 
 
XX PREFACE. 
 
 exceed them ; the former are all of a sublunary and com- 
 paratively trifling character, the latter bear the stamp of 
 everlasting, " the things which are seen are temporal, 
 the things which are not seen are eternal." What more 
 powerful stimulus to the performance of duty can be 
 needed than the thought of that glorious and blessed 
 Redeemer, who has done, is doing, and will do, all /or us 
 and in us, " the Friend born for adversity," "the Friend 
 that sticketh closer than a brother," " the chiefest among 
 ten thousand, and altogether lovely?" Dwell also upon 
 the lofty distinction conferred upon such poor, weak, 
 guilty, sinful, unworthy creatures as we are, in being 
 employed as the instruments of making known " the 
 great salvation," and extending a kingdom, one day to 
 be universal as it is endless. Often too may we profit- 
 ably meditate and be encouraged by the thought, that 
 through the Captain of the Lord's host, there is for every 
 faithful soldier victory in the battle and a crown in the 
 triumph. May God of His mercy give to each and all 
 of us grace to be humble, thankful, believing, hol}^, and 
 resolute followers of our Divine Master, who having 
 redeemed us to God by his blood, expects that we be 
 faithful to His cause at all times, and doubly strenuous 
 in trying ones. 
 
 E. P. 
 
 December, 1849, 
 
THE DOCTRINE 
 
 OF 
 
 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, 
 
 REFUTED AND EXPOSED. 
 
 dFourtMHtlj ffiHttion. 
 
Hebrews XIII. !). 
 
 " Be not earned about with divers arid slranr/c'dootrinf^."' 
 
 Dearly-Beloved Brktiiren, — If the Christians of 
 England ever needed this exhortation, they surely need 
 it now; now, when erroneous creeds, issuing in unholy 
 practices and superstitious observances, are deluging this 
 portion of Protestant Cliristendora ; when "divers and 
 strange doctrines " are abounding on every side ; when 
 thousands, and tens of thousands, are being carried 
 hither and thither upon the shifting wind of false 
 opinions ; when the seamless robe of Christ is all rent 
 and torn — the Church divided — the body mangled — the 
 members separated — unity sacrificed — charity gone : 
 when souls are lost — saints lament — angels weep — and 
 devils triumph. To pass by the schisms and heart burn- 
 ings among those of whom better things might have 
 been hoped, what dire and enormous heresies have, 
 within a few years, swept, like poison winds over our 
 land, more defiling to its soil than were the vermin to 
 Egypt, more destructive to man than the sirocco of the 
 desert. We have seen " Irvingisra," with horrid impiety, 
 impugning the holiness of the Holy One ; '* Socialism," 
 with a creed so filthy that the Pagan would shudder at 
 it : and " Tractarianism," mth its unscriptural dogmas, 
 puerile frivolities, and Popish trumpery. The Church of 
 Scotland, with a decision and energy that were worthy 
 of her, at once expelled the heresiarch. and ''Irvingism" 
 may be considered defunct. The common decency of 
 mankind has indignantly remanded the abominable 
 tenets of an "Owen" to those infernal regions whence 
 they had issued. But modified and modernised Popery, 
 ycleped " Tractarianism," seems to think itself more 
 than a match for Episcopal authority; with the language 
 of submission on its lips, virtually sets at defiance our 
 
24 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 ecclesiastical rulers; and from this apparent power — 
 from its lofty assumptions — carnal character — and re- 
 markable subtlety, is blinding the mind, and blighting 
 the piety, of England ; the Oxford teaching " eats as 
 doth a canker ; " yes, to the delight of Romanists and to 
 the joy of Infidels, it is gradually undermining the reli- 
 gious principles of the Reformation, aiming to deprive 
 us of the blessed truths and invaluable privileges, for 
 which our martyred forefathers wrote — and prayed — and 
 struggled — and bled — and died. Among the "divers 
 and strange doctrines" w'hich this sect has the hardihood 
 to inculcate, are the following : Scripture is not the sole 
 rule of faith ! We are justified hy the Sacraments ! Sjpi- 
 ritual regeneration^ of necessity takes place at Baptism ! 
 Christ is personally and bodily present in the Eucharist ! 
 The Gospel is to he preached with reserm I The Laity are 
 without the right of private judgment I Sin committed after 
 Baptism cannot he forgiven in this world! The very exis- 
 tence of a Church depends upon the Apostolical succession 1 
 Prayers are to he offered for the dead J ~ These, and 
 " many other such like things," do they say and teach, 
 thus impiously " laying aside the commandment of God 
 and holding the tradition of men." Love to their souls 
 dictates the prayer, " Father, forgive them, for they 
 know not what they do,'* nor, " whereof they affirm." 
 You have only to compare all this with the Romanist's 
 faith to perceive that they agree together like the two 
 edges of an indenture : whereas, if you place such a 
 creed alongside the Word of God, and the soul-saving 
 truths of our Protestant Church, it will on the instant 
 appear that they are more than inconsistent, that they 
 are incompatihle ; the contrast is not only strong, but 
 violent. And this easily accounts for that laud and love 
 of Rome, and that abuse and hate of Protestantism, Avith 
 which the M'orks of Tractarians abound. AVith such 
 principles, it is all explained why they assign to the 
 Saviour a " holy home " in that Church which is 
 headed by ■•' the man of sin " and " drunk with the 
 blood of the saints ; " why they aftectionately term her 
 
REFUTED AND EXPOSED. ZO 
 
 their " motlier and sister," whom the Bishop of Oxford 
 has recently denounced as " the opponent system of 
 Christianity," and whom our homilies declare to he " so 
 far AN-ide from the nature of a true Church, that noUi'unj 
 can be more'' 
 
 It is a question that naturally arises, and one of f^rave 
 import, what is the duty of the ministers of Christ under 
 these circumstances ? A p;reat part of our bishops have 
 pfiven a practical reply to that question by publicly con- 
 demuinjT, and as publicly warning, their clergy against 
 the new opinions. Surely, then, it well becomes the 
 clergy, in their turn and place, to caution and earnestly 
 exhort their flocks against the being " carried about with 
 these divers and strange doctrines." We hear much in 
 this day of '' charity " and " peace : " the former is a 
 principle most heavenly, the latter, its lovely offspring : 
 may grace implant the one in all our hearts, then will 
 the other be assuredly exhibited in all our lives. There 
 is, however, such a thing (and, alas, a very common 
 thing) as a spurious charity, resulting in a false peace ; 
 compromise and cowardice are among its ingredients : 
 it may be recognised by its lazy indifference to truth — 
 its infidel disregard to the glory of God — and its GalHo- 
 like carelessness as relates to the highest interests of 
 man. Of a liberalism so sickly — of a sentimentality so 
 puling — of a principle so ruinous — let us beware : a 
 great man has well said, " Charity is an angel, while she 
 rejoiceth in the truth ; a harlot, when she rejoiceth in 
 iniquity," To become an Ithuriel's spear is not pleasant : 
 the clangor of controversy is a sound not musical ; never- 
 theless, the rose is defended by the thorn — the atmos- 
 phere is purified by the hurricane — the shepherd must 
 sometimes kill a bear or a lion — and the minister of 
 Christ must not only feed the flock, but also refute 
 heresy^ and sternly rebuke error ; ever bearing in mind 
 that there is a limit, up to which lorn tcill concede, but 
 beyond which truth must contend. We know one, who 
 when that limit was passed by the " false brethren," 
 ''gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the 
 
26 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 truth of the Gospel might continue with " his hearers ; 
 neither was it more necessary for him to " fight with 
 beasts at Ephesus," than it is for us to fight with 
 " the beast '' at Rome. Another Apostle exhorts us to 
 " contend earnestly for the faith which was once deliv- 
 ered unto the saints ; " and, moreover, we have most 
 solemnly pledged ourselves to be " ready with all faith- 
 ful diligence, to banish and drive away all erroneous and 
 strange doctrines contrary to God's word." How, then, 
 he can be considered " a good minister of Jesus Christ," 
 who neglects to sound the alarm, to " put the brethren 
 in remembrance of these things," I am at a loss to un- 
 derstand. In my estimation, such apathy is treachery^ 
 and such silence sin. 
 
 I am not aware that it has been specially alluded to 
 in any of the Episcopal charges, and it is also held by some 
 who do not go all lengths with the Tractarians ; but as 
 it is, perhaps, the most specious, the most common, and 
 certainly not the least destructive, of these " strange 
 doctrines," I shall this morning, call your attention to 
 that Popish figment, — '' Baptismal Regeneration." 
 
 " Strange " indeed, since both name and thing are 
 alien to the Bible, and unknown to the Church. You 
 may search the Scriptures, and ransack the authenticated 
 documents of the English establishment, and there is 
 nothing about " Baptismal Regeneration," either in the 
 one or the other ; no such term, no such doctrine ; it is 
 a foreigner, and one too that never can be naturalized, 
 never can be invested with the privileges that appertain 
 to those blessed truths which ore natives of the Bible, 
 and home-born subjects of the Church of Christ. The 
 term, '' Baptismal Regeneration," is at this time employ- 
 ed by a class of persons who entertain the peculiar view, 
 — that every individual who i'eceives the rite of Baptism^ 
 at the hands of a duly authorized jjiinister, is thereby spi- 
 ritually/ regenerated ; that when the water is sprinkled^ 
 and the words uttered, the baptized invariably becomes a 
 lively member of Christ's mystical body ; and has no right 
 to date his conversion from any other point of time ^ ichelher 
 
REFUTED AND EXPOSED. 2/ 
 
 before or after ; this beiiig^ not onli/ the certain mcans^ hut 
 that whercbi/ alone the heavenly principle can be implant- 
 ed.* Now, my dear brethren, you and I are, by nature, 
 " dead in trespasses and sins," for " in Adam all die," 
 and unless, throupjh the influence of the Holy Spiiit, are 
 " made alive in Christ," we can never escape the tor- 
 ments of the damned, never enter the realms of bliss. 
 It is then of vital and eternal moment, of the very last 
 importance, to ascertain whether this is or is not true, 
 whether this is, indeed, the means h/ ichich^ and the 
 time at which^ spiritual regeneration is eftocted ? Need 
 I say, that a question, involvinf]j such vast consequences, 
 demands to be considered apart from prejudice, with 
 
 * It is one thing to deiii/, another to disprove .- the Tractariau 
 party are sufficiently apt at the former, bnt woefnlly reluctant to at- 
 tempt the latter. Baptismal Regeneration, as here defined, is objected 
 to, as misrepresenting their views. Although tolerably conversant 
 with their writings, thank God I abhor their principles, and therefore 
 would not 'knoxoinghj speak or write anything but truth. The " sim- 
 ple " and " saintly " Dr. Newman, as that gentleman is styled by Dr. 
 Pusey (the only praise they get is from each other and from Rome,) 
 lays down for himself the following rule of action — " He both thiuks 
 and speaks truth, except when consideration is necessary : and then, 
 as a physician for the good of his patients, he will be false, or utter a 
 falsehood, as the sophists say "Ml Not having adopted so very sim- 
 ple and saintly a rule, I embrace the opportunity afforded me in this 
 second edition, of giving the following quotations from the " Tracts 
 for the Times," as a full and complete justification of the statement 
 refen-ed to, as demonstrative evidence that their own pernicious prac- 
 tice of misrepresenting has not beeu resorted to : — " Regeneration is 
 in Scripture connected with baptism ; it is no cohere disconnected 
 from it. Baptism is spoken of as the source of our spiritual birth ; as 
 no other cause is, save God." " There is no hint that regeneration 
 can be obtained in any other loay, but by baptism." " Holiness is 
 actually conferred on us in baptism, as members of the holy Son of 
 God, and clothed with him." " IFJiosoever — has been baptized, was 
 thereby incorporated into Christ, and so being made a portion and 
 member of the Son of God, partakes of that Sonship and is himself a 
 child ; so that henceforth the Father looks upon him, not as what he 
 is in himself, but as in and a part of, his well beloved Son." To 
 quote farther is unnecessary : I merely tell the author of the last 
 passage, Dx. Pusey, that when he dared to pen that man could be a 
 "partaker of Christ's Sonship," he dared to pen a blasphemous im- 
 possibihty. 
 
28 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 calm deliberation, in a prayerful frame, and with a deep 
 consciousness that the everlasting all of ourselves, and of 
 thousands, is suspended upon the tremendous enquiry ; 
 for be it observed, that if its advocates are in error^ they 
 are assigning to their hearers a character and privileges 
 which they never really possessed^ thereby chanting a 
 lullaby over souls that are unregenerate — wrapping them 
 in the folds of a false security — and rocking them into the 
 death-sleep of a dark delusion. I do not more consci- 
 entiously believe, I am not more thoroughly persuaded 
 of the existence of a God — that the Bible is His Word — 
 that the Lord Jesus is man's Saviour — and that sinners 
 are justified through his merits received by faith — I say, 
 my conviction is not more deep, and fixed, and firm, 
 that all this is irue^ than it is that " Baptismal Regenera- 
 tion" is false. So flatly does it contradict Scripture — so 
 completely does it thwart tlie main design of a Sacrament 
 — so directly is it at issue with our Church's teaching — 
 so easily is it overthrown by an appeal to facts — and so 
 unmerciful and immoral is its principle, that were I 
 ignorant of the devices of Satan — of the blinding in- 
 fluence of sin — and of the power which self-love and 
 superstition exert over the human mind, it would require 
 a stretch of charity, amounting to compromise or weak- 
 ness, to give any man credit both for honesty and dis- 
 cernment who could continue in our Church and hold it 
 — who could claim to be rational and contend for it— 
 who could beUeve the Bible and maintain it. Let us 
 now proceed to consider some of the grounds for object- 
 ing to this " strange" doctrine. 
 
 I. " Baptismal Regeneration " flatly contradicts 
 THE Scripture. 
 
 This is the test of truth, the only standard of right 
 and wrong : " to the law and to the testimony ; if they 
 speak not according to this word, it is because there is 
 no light in them." Examine then the cases of baptism 
 given us in the New Testament, and you find not a sin- 
 
REFDTEI) AND EXPOSED. 29 
 
 gle trace or vestige of this stranc(or. But not merely is 
 it unwarranted by the page of inspiration, it is openly 
 and directly at variance therewith ; not only nothing/or 
 it in the written word, but every thing arjaind it. 
 The great change, essential to salvation, is distinctly 
 declared in this only rule of a Christian's faith and 
 practice to be effected by another and widely different 
 means or i??strume?it, viz,, the Gospel. Ol^serve the fol- 
 lowing passages : — " Now ye are clean throiujh the Word 
 which I have spoken unto you." — " fcfanctify them 
 through thy truth, thy Word is truth." — '* Being born 
 again, not of corru])tible seed, but of incorruptible, 
 hy the Word of (?o^."— " And this is the Word 
 which by the Gospel \s>j)reached unto you." — " In Christ 
 Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.'^ — " Of 
 his own will begat he us ■with the Word of iruth.''^ Is it 
 possible for language to be more explicit and decisive 
 than this ? Does it not at once and for ever establish 
 the truth, that the means of producing spiritual re- 
 generation is the preached Word? Accompanied by 
 the Spirit, it is the Heaven-appointed instrument of con- 
 version, of giving the new life to those whom God 
 effectually calls, and therefore the Apostle says, " I am 
 not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power 
 of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ;" and 
 in another place, " the preaching of the cross is to them 
 that perish, foolishness ; but unto us which are saved it 
 is the power of God.'' If nothing else could be adduced 
 to overturn this fiction of the priests, the declarations of 
 God's eternal and unchangeable truth that it is effected 
 by another means would be amply Bufi&cient ; this alone 
 is proof decisive of the question, and sets it for ever at 
 rest in the mind of the true believer. But in addition 
 to this, on examining the inspired record you will find 
 it consistent with itself, in placing preaching, hearing, 
 repenting, and believing, before baptizing : it supplies 
 you with numerous instances of a change of heart pre- 
 ceding baptism. Saul was baptized at Damascus, he was 
 converted on his way thither. The Holy Ghost operated 
 
30 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 upon the minds of three thousand of Peter's hearers, 
 and they received the rite after they had been pricked in 
 their hearts. In one chapter we have Lydia and the 
 Phihppian Jailor converted by the preaching of St. Paul, 
 and subsequentJi/ receiving Christian baptism. The Eu- 
 nuch of Candace said to Philip, " see here is water^ 
 what doth hinder me to be baptized ?" he replied, " If 
 thou beiievest with all thine hearty thou mayest." Corne- 
 lius the Centurion — Peter's hearers in his house — the 
 believers in Samaria — and the thief on the cross (who 
 was never baptized at all !)* may be named as affording 
 similar testimony. These /ac^5 make it abundantly evident 
 that the Apostles baptized such as were, or were 
 supposed to be already regenerate ; which sacrament 
 they received just as Abram did the corresponding rite 
 of circumcision, '' a 8eal of the righteousness of the 
 faith, they had^ or professed to have, yet being unbaptized. 
 Again : if the implantation of the new principle in 
 the soul were inseparably connected with this ordinance, 
 would it not be made of transcendent importance in 
 Scripture ? Would not the Redeemer have instituted it 
 earlier than he did ? Would he not have directed his 
 Apostles to go and baptize every where, instead of go 
 and preach every where ? Would not Saint Paul have 
 said, " Christ sent me not to preach the Gospel, but to 
 baptize," rather than what he did say, " Christ sent me 
 not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel V And had it 
 been certainly efficacious to the spiritual renewal of man, 
 is it possible that one so zealous for the conversion of 
 his fellows, could have thanked God because he baptized 
 only two in the Corinthian Church, Crispus and Gaius ! 
 
 * Mr. Maskcll, Chaplain to the Bishop of Exeter, makes an effort 
 to get over this difliculty by supposing the penitent to have been bap- 
 tized by the water w hieh issued from the Saviour's side ! ! This is at 
 least new and indicative of the Rev. gentleman's fertility of invention. 
 It calh to mind the ehihl who thought rain to be angel's tears wept 
 over a sinful worhl. The difference is, that whilst the philosophy 
 of the infant connects with it a beautiful idea, the theology of the 
 clergyman is most disgustingly absurd. 
 
REFUTKD AND KXI'OSED. 31 
 
 The supposition is absurd. AVh.it tlieri becomes of 
 "• the strauge" and pernicious doctrine that this Sacra- 
 ment is the certain and only means of imparting; sj)iritual 
 life ? It falls before the Word of God like Dagon did 
 before the ark. No wonder its advocates wish to keep 
 the people in ij^norance — deny the right of " private 
 judgment" to the laity — urge the doctrine of " reserve" 
 — and consider too wide a circulation of the Scriptures 
 injurious. Error has ever shunned to grapple with truth, 
 and darkness fled away from light. 
 
 II. '• Baptismal Regeneuation" is directly opposed 
 TO THE Teaching op our Church. 
 
 The characteristic feature of the Church of England 
 is, that she is scriptural ; this constitutes her glory and 
 her beauty, and is the cause of her utility. Her Articles, 
 Liturgy, and Services are in close accordance with the 
 revelation from on high, and therefore is she Apostolical. 
 Hence it is that she has ever been held in such high es- 
 teem by the sister Churches of Christendom, and hence 
 also is it that she has the high honour to be vilified and 
 opposed by the Romish apostacy and its Tractarian ad- 
 herents : she feels " their censure to be praise, as their 
 praise would be censure." In nothing is her conformity 
 with that Word, which is her only rule and guide, more 
 striking than in the point under consideration : the 
 coincidence is exact ; and the closer is the scrutiny the 
 more evident will it appear. She positively requires of 
 candidates for baptism to be the subjects of renewing 
 grace ; she demands as qualifications for the rite that 
 which evidently implies regeneration ; and she neither 
 can nor wall admit them to the font unless they already 
 have, or profess to have, that spiritual life, the existence 
 of which is invariably presupposed in her services. Ob- 
 serve her " Catechism." " What is required of persons 
 to be baptized ?" " Repentance, whereby they forsake 
 sin, and Jaith, whereby they steadflistly believe the pro- 
 mises of God made to them in that Sacrament." Here 
 
32 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 we have the qualifications of such as propose to become 
 partakers of this rite ; and what are they ? *' Re- 
 pentance and faith," both of which result from regenera- 
 tive grace, and can no more be where that is not, than 
 effect can be where there is no cause. They are Christian 
 graces which invariably /oZZoze? that life implanted in the 
 soul from on high ; they are the consequences of spiritual 
 vitality, and they are the pre-requisites to baptism ; sub- 
 sequent to the former, antecedent to the latter. The 
 order is, 1st, regeneration ; 2nd, repentance ; 3rd, faith ; 
 4th, baptism. Now, if baptism be regeneration, the 
 fourth must be the first and the first must be the fourth ; 
 the cause and the consequence of " repentance and faith" 
 must be the same, their parent and their offspring, so to 
 speak, identical ; the grandfather is the grandchild, and 
 the grandchild the grandfatlier, the distinction between 
 ancestor and descendant lost ! Verily, if the reasoning 
 of the new sect upon natural things resemble in any 
 way that upon spiritual, the age will doubtless feel won- 
 derfully indebted to them for their intellectual as well as 
 their moral attainments and discoveries; and I presume we 
 may conclude that their philosophy is akin to their divin- 
 ity. The '■'"Articles" of the English Church speak the same 
 language as her " Catechism ;" assuring us that persons 
 not duly qitaliffed can receive no benefit whatever from 
 either of the Sacraments. " In such only as icorthily ," 
 i.e. ^'' by faith and rightly" "receive the same," they 
 have " a wholesome effect or operation ;" and they further 
 state that in such instances the Sacraments, " by virtue 
 of prayer, strengthen and confirm faith, and increase 
 grace;" all three of which terms necessarily suppose the 
 existence of gracious principles in the soul, they are 
 wholly inapplicable to that which has no being, you 
 cannot augment a non-entity. In the Baptismal Service 
 for Adults, it is expressly enjoined that " due care must 
 be taken for the examination of the persons oftering 
 themselves, in order to ascertain whether they are "" suf- 
 ficiently instructed in the principles of the Christian 
 rehgion," and if they be *' found y^V," i.e. having 'Te- 
 
REFUTED AND EXPOSED. 33 
 
 pcntanco nnd faith, the sponsors may present them ; thus 
 qnaUjU'd they are entitled to the ordinance. The same 
 principle of procedure is observed in the case oi hi funis. 
 Althougli the children of Christian parents are included 
 in the covenant, yet will not the Church dispense with 
 the qitaHJicatiom for baptism even in their case. The 
 child is brouj^ht into the con;^regation, prayers clothed in 
 language of utmost earnestness are offered up to heaven 
 in its behalf ; the people are called upon not to doubt, 
 but firmly believe that God will hear and answer their 
 petitions, upon the promise that '' whatsoever ye ask, 
 believing, ye shall receive :" the child next makes its 
 profession of faith through the sponsois ; not that it is 
 cajiable of exercising the Christian graces of believing 
 in Christ, holding communion with God, renouncing the 
 world, the flesh, and tiie devil, &c., at the present mo- 
 ment; but supposing the heavenly principle to have been 
 implanted, it is certain that, in due time, these features 
 of the new nature will develop themselves, if the seed 
 has been sown, by and by the plant will appear and 
 progressively advance to maturity. It is after this pro- 
 fession of faith that the child is received at the font and 
 baptized ; first, charitably* supposed to be regenerate 
 
 * Christianity, the religion of love teaches us to put the most 
 favourable interpretation upon the sentiments and conduct of our 
 neighboui-s of which a regard to truth and a consideration of the cir- 
 cumstances will admit. Keepiug tliis as distinctly as possible before 
 the mind, and sincerely desirous of acting in accordance therc\vith, I 
 nevertheless lind it absolutely impossible to believe that the more acute 
 portion of the high Church party {i\iQ feeble-minded and if/nor ant, are 
 of course prepared to assent without doubt or enquiry to anything, 
 however preposterous, which their leaders choose to tell them is " a 
 Church principle" or a " Catholic truth,") are so utterly blind and un- 
 disceming, as not to perceive that the baptismal, and every other 
 service of the Establishment without exception is constructed upon the 
 broad principle of a charitable hope, and that the language in- 
 volves nothing whatever beyond this. In exact harmony with the 
 page of inspiration, which lays it down that men are to be dealt with 
 according to their own profession, and not according to the judgment 
 of others, our Church gives those who are or would become her mem- 
 bers credit for sincerity, administers the sign to such as declare they 
 c 
 
34 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 '* by virtue of prayer," and tlien incorporated, or grafted, 
 into the body of Christ's Church. It is indeed true, 
 that the terra " regenerate" is not applied until the 
 ceremony has been performed, neither is it in the case 
 of adults ; the Church would not be justified in thus 
 denominating any one who had not made an open 
 profession ; she does not know them until they have 
 declared themselves and are acknowledged to be her mem- 
 erbs. Thus the Catechism, Articles, and Services, of 
 our Church, beautifully harmonize with each other, and 
 with the Scriptures, in the Apostolic doctrine, that Bap- 
 tism presupposes spiritual life, and avails nothing where 
 it finds the subject not so prepared for its reception.* 
 
 have the thing signified, and in marriage or sickness read to and at 
 death over, those who call themselves believers, the suitable Cliristian 
 formularies. Nowhere however is she found teaching that all these 
 ahsokdehj are, what in the judgment of charity they are hoped to he -. 
 on the contrary, her Liturgy, Articles, &c. abound with the language 
 of cautious discrimination, and constantly urge upou men to "examine 
 themselves whether they be in the faith." But what must be thought 
 of the consistency and common sense of those, who, because in the 
 baptismal service it is said "seeing now that these persons are re- 
 generate," contend that o2l the baptized are spiritually renewed ; and 
 yet when in the funeral service over the departed professor it is declar- 
 ed that "it has pleased God of his great mei-cy to take unto himself 
 the soul of our dear brother," chny that all such arc saved ! ! ! How 
 sadly, alas, are the principles of the Reformed Protestant Church of 
 our land misunderstood, misrepresented, and abused : to those who 
 would anticipate eternal "wisdom and begin weeding at once, she says 
 " Judge nothing before the time," "Let both grow together until the 
 harvest ; " and to the popishly inclined who confouud the many called 
 with the few chosen, and cannot distinguish between being christened 
 and being christianized, she says, in the field of the Church on eai-th 
 there are " wheat and tares," on that floor "corn and chaff/' and in 
 that net "good fish and bad." 
 
 * Should any be of opinion that the second answer in our Catechism, 
 and similar passages of the Liturgy seem to favour Baptismal Regene- 
 ration ; a perusal of the Sermon which accompanies this will, I think 
 satisfy them that such is not the fact. 
 
IIEFUTED AND EXPOSED. 35 
 
 III. '' Baptismal Regeneration" sets aside thk 
 MAIN Design op a Sacrament. 
 
 The " Sacramentum" was a military oath adminis- 
 tered to the Roman soldier, in taking which he solemnly 
 pledged himself to be faithful to his country and his 
 commander. He was supposed previously to possess the 
 requisite qualifications, such as health, courage, pa- 
 triotism, allegiance; and if he did, the sacred engage- 
 ment would have a tendency to stimulate and encourage ; 
 hut if he did not, it was certainly altogether beside the 
 design, and beyond the power, of the Sacramentum to 
 confer them ; it changed his condition from a citizen to a 
 soldier, but not his character from bad to good, that re- 
 mained defective as before. The term has been adopted 
 ])y the Church as suitable to, and greatly explanatory of, 
 the two Christian rites, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 The Sacrament of Baptism is administered to all who 
 enter the ranks of the Cross ; it is the means of their 
 enlistment beneath the banner of Christ ; thereby they 
 put on the badge of profession, the regimentals of 
 Christianity, and most solemnly engage " manfrilly to 
 fight against sin, the world, and the devil, and to con- 
 tinue Christ's faithful soldiers unto their lives' end." In 
 this, as in the other case, the prerequisites are supposed ; 
 and if the person to be baptized has already/ been made 
 ilive in Christ, if he come to the font with incipient life 
 in his soul, there is no doubt but he receives an aug- 
 mentation of grace in the appointed means of his en- 
 grafting into the Church ; in that case, his faith is 
 " strengthened and confirmed," and the blessings of the 
 covenant " signed and sealed." But if, on the other 
 iiand, he should be " dead in trespasses and sins," then, 
 although he sustains a change of state or condition (from 
 a non-professor to a professor), he derives no benefit, 
 receives no grace ;* it not being the office of a Sacrament 
 
 * By this I mean, that although admitted to the external privileges, 
 which are great and many, he is not made the subject of interval or 
 reucwin^c grace. 
 
36 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 to give life, but to cherish it — to implant principle, but to 
 foster it — to bestow faith, but to help it — to gain the pro- 
 mise, but to seal it. The rite requires a preparedness in 
 the recipient, and where that is wanting, is inefficacious, 
 useless ; the unploughed field receives not the seed, and 
 the cover must be removed from the vessel or no water 
 can descend into it. It is utterly to misunderstand the 
 nature of a Sacrament, to imagine that it can confer 
 benefit where there is no spiritual life antecedent to the 
 administration : a man is not baptized that he might 
 become a new creature, but, because he is one ; and 
 wherever that is the case, it is a sign of what has been 
 given, and the instrument of conveying more ; the cere- 
 mony is then, and then only, spiritual; the covenant 
 then, and then only, ratified ; both parties then, and 
 then only, consenting. Baptism is a sign, and the thing 
 it signifies must precede it ; it is evidential^ not causal ; 
 shows a man to be a Christian, does not make him one ; 
 on the death of his father the Prince of Wales is lawful 
 king, his coronation only manifests it ; you hire a servant, 
 he is in your service before the livery makes it evident. 
 All other views of this ordinance partake, more or less, 
 of the old Popish " opus operatum" principle, which 
 Christian Churches have ever rejected, contending (with 
 the Bible for their witness) that it is to the right dispo- 
 sition of mind the promised blessings are annexed. Bishop 
 Burnet says : " We, of the Church of England in oppo- 
 sition to the Church of Rome, look on all Sacramental 
 actions as acceptable to God, onli/ with regard to the 
 temper and inward acts of the persons to whom they are 
 applied." Hooker too : '"' The Sacraments are not phy- 
 sical, but moral instruments of salvation, which, unless 
 we perform as the Author of Grace requires, they are 
 unprofitable ; for all receive not the grace of God, which 
 receive the Sacraments of his grace." Clearly, then, to 
 represent Baptism as the "certain and only means" 
 whereby spiritual life is imparted, not only thwarts the 
 design, but is at issue with the very nature of a Sacra- 
 ment, which ought not to be administered unless under 
 
REPUTED AND EXPOSED. 37 
 
 the hope and persuasion that vitality had preceded it, 
 every true Church teachin|T, because the Word teaches, 
 that to a person Lacking this, it is oF no more benefit 
 than food to a corpse. 
 
 IV. " Baptismal Regeneration" is overthrown 
 BY an Appeal to Experience. 
 
 The testimony of myriads may be adduced to prove 
 it false. Its refutation is written in broad and blazing 
 characters upon the history of Christendom. So utterly 
 is the strange doctrine annihilated by an appeal to facts 
 and observation, that to insist upon it involves a gross 
 insult to the common sense of mankind. We read in 
 Scripture that the regenerated has been '" born of the 
 Spirit" — "born of God" — "and whatsoever is born of 
 God overcometh the world" — ■■' he is a new creature, old 
 things are passed away, all things are become new" — 
 " put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the 
 new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image 
 of him that created him" — " quickened with Christ, 
 raised up together, and made to sit in heavenly places 
 in Christ Jesus" — " God hath shined in his heart to give 
 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
 face of Jesus Christ ;" and the fruit of the Spirit is de- 
 clared to be " love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle- 
 ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." These 
 are the characteristic features of the child of God, 
 these the effects consequent upon regeneration, but are 
 they consequent upon baptism ? Do the partakers of 
 this rite generally manifest such fruits ? Do they bear 
 the image of God — evince a new creation — walk above 
 the world — exhibit spirituality — shun sin — and lead 
 holy lives ? It is as notorious as the sun at noon-day 
 that they do not ; so far from it, almost every liar — 
 swearer — thief — drunkard — sabbath -breaker — adulterer 
 — blasphemer — and murderer — in England has been 
 baptized ; will any one with an open Bible, and in pos- 
 session of reason, have the hardihood to assert that suck 
 
38 BAPTISMAL REGENEUATION 
 
 have been regenerated ? Moreover, if this doctrine were 
 true, every member of the great foretold and foredoomed 
 apostacy, of that mass-house community which has ever 
 been the dire oppressor and blood-stained persecutor of 
 the Church of Christ, must have been renewed in the 
 spirit of his mind ! Monstrous supposition ! ! The 
 abettors of this miserable scheme faintly reply, the per- 
 sons who are now " serving divers lusts and pleasures, 
 living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one 
 another," did nevertheless at baptism " pass from death 
 unto life," but have since forfeited the privilege through 
 sin. So far are the Scriptures from intimating such 
 an apostacy, that they pronounce it an " everlasting life^* 
 and positively declare that the subjects of it '■'shall not 
 come into condemnation." Did time permit, it were easy, 
 most easy, to meet and crush the fallacious statement 
 upon this ground, but a simple assertion is sufficiently 
 met by a simple denial; the claim for ^^roof is upon the 
 assertors, who may be assured that unsupported affirma- 
 tions have very little weight in the nineteenth century. 
 In the dark ages, the credulity of the people rendered 
 the impositions of priestcraft anything but difficult ; but 
 this is an era of light — the Bible is abroad — the Popish 
 blinds are off — men read and think, the certain conse- 
 quence of which is^ that they will not believe a doctrine 
 which claims assent, not only without evidence, but 
 against it ; they will not admit that the most powerful, 
 active, and influential of all principles can exist in the 
 soul and yet be without life — without operation — with- 
 out results — die and make no sign. Let not Romanists 
 then, and a few Romanising Protestants, ^' lay the 
 flattering unction to their souls" that their bare ij)se 
 dixit can, or Avill, produce such a conviction. The infants 
 and children of P^edobaptists and of the Society 
 of Friends (who have no baptism) are seen to- 
 gether, and is there generally a great 7noral differ- 
 ence between them? Are not the former as 
 petulant — and as passionate — and as proud — and as 
 quarrelsome — and as prone to sin, as the latter ? Would 
 
REFUTED AND EXPOSED. 39 
 
 this be po.ssil)le, if in evert/ instance the Omnipotent 
 power of God, the Holy Ghost, had been exerted to re- 
 generate the souls of the one, whilst the others were 
 still left, without exception^ the carnal, unchanj^ed children 
 of the devil ? Is it credible that so mi^lity an agency 
 could fail to effect a distinction broad and obvious? 
 Would it not be read, and seen, and known of all men ? 
 Who then will believe that a fact^ of which there is no 
 evidence — that there is a cause^ where there is no effect — 
 that there is a principle^ where there is no practice ? 
 Such an assent could result only from fatuity, and would 
 exhibit a glaring instance of egregious folly. 
 
 V. " Baptismal Regeneration" is a Doctrine at 
 ONCE Unmerciful and Immoral. 
 
 It is Unmerciful. That no man can enter Heaven 
 except he be " spiritually" renewed is certain ; if the 
 change can only be effected through this means ; then it 
 follows, that no unbaptized person can, under any cir- 
 cumstances whatever, be saved ! Consequentl}', the 
 whole body of the Society of Friends are ever- 
 lastingly lost ! The children and youth of Baptists, 
 as well as thousands of infants among ourselves, 
 are in the same awful condemnation ! And, be 
 it observed, that as far as the "little ones" are 
 concerned, their eternal ruin has been caused by 
 the neglect of others ! Moreover, every man, woman, 
 and child, the whole human race from the birth 
 of Adam to the time of Christ, have hopelessly and 
 helplessly sunk down into remediless perdition ! ! Truly, 
 this is a most benign and charitable doctrine ! How 
 honourable to God ! How consolatory to man ! How 
 very consistent with the justice of Jehovah I How 
 extreviiehj like the tender mercy and loving kindness of 
 our blessed Redeemer ! The affection of a mother is 
 proverbial ; how attached must they be to Tractarian 
 preaching ! What a tendency it must have to soothe 
 and comfort the afflicted heart of the parent under be- 
 reavement ! Oh, my dear hearers, is this " good news " 
 
40 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 — is this '' glad tidings " — is tJiis a " message of mercy " 
 — is this the Gospel ? No, nor aught resembling it. I 
 should like to hear by what argument the new sect at- 
 tempt to justify the postponement of this rite for a 
 monih. Upon their principle, it ought not to be defer- 
 red for a mw^^^e / But in this, as in other matters of 
 eternal moment, they are at issue with our Church, 
 which rejects the merciless, unchristian, and " strange " 
 thing, and declares baptism to be only " generally neces- 
 sary," and ** tchere it may he had." 
 
 It is Immoral. Men may live as they list, revel in 
 every kind of iniquity, and successfully plead this doc- 
 trine in their defence. I say successfully, as far as the 
 Tractarian teacher is concerned, since in holding it, he 
 surrenders the only ground upon which reproof can be 
 effectually administered and conviction produced. The 
 sinner would reply to his remonstrance, '' I read that 
 God regenerates, and justifies, and will save his children ; 
 that calling, and justification, and glorification, are insep- 
 arahly connected ; You have constantly taught me in 
 the Sunday-school, and more especially in the congrega- 
 tion (for holy baptism.^ and holy Churchy are the staple 
 commodities of your sermons), that I was regenerated 
 and justified when the cross was marked upon the fore- 
 head of my infancy ; no moral qualification was required 
 to 7'eceive the rite, none to evidence it ; your doctrine has 
 ever been that, no matter what I was before, and no 
 matter what I was after, irrespective of the one or the 
 other, the work, the mighty work, was done, the new 
 creation efifected ; and as this certainly did take place, I 
 as certainly am a child of God ; for if the bad passions 
 of my infancy, the going astray and speaking lies as 
 early as I could lisp, and the many sins that stained 
 childhood and youth, afforded no proof of my lacking a 
 renewal of nature, upon what principle can my present 
 lewdness or drunkenness be adduced as evidence against 
 me ? If the bad fruit of the young tree was not de- 
 clarative of its kind, how can that of the old be urged 
 as decisive ? If I could have the leprosy without being 
 
REFUTED AND EXPOSED. 41 
 
 a leper at that period^ why not noic ? If the poison 
 constiintly emitted in youthful 7/ears did not evince me 
 to be still of the old ISerpent's brood, how can it in the 
 more advanced ? The justice of your reproof is inad- 
 missible ; my creed is the result, the necessary result, of 
 your own teach inj^, and if I perish, my blood will be on 
 your head — see you to that." I aflirm that such a line 
 of argumentation would be unanswerable on the princi- 
 ples of Tract in ity. 
 
 I will not trespass upon your time by additional 
 proof, it would be a work of supereroj^ation. You can- 
 not but reject as fallacious, a tenet which flatly contradicts 
 the Scriptures of truth — is diametrically opposed to our 
 Protestant Church — subversive of the nature of a Sacra- 
 ment — at issue with universal experience — and in the 
 highest degree unmerciful, immoral, and delusive, God 
 knows, dear brethren, that my delight is to dwell in this 
 sacred place upon " Christ and him crucified," upon 
 man's emptiness and wants, upon the Redeemer's merits 
 and fulness ; you, too, can testify that sin, and salvation 
 from it have formed the suliject of my discourses, the 
 burden of my song. But unusual circumstances call for 
 an unusual line of procedure ; and I have felt it my 
 duty within these last few years, to obey the canon by 
 occasionally preaching anti-Popish sermons, and this 
 because tiiat dire heresy is employing the most strenuous 
 eiiorts without the Church and within it, once more to 
 enshroud our beloved country in darkness, again to 
 cover England with the black pall of ignorance, idolatry, 
 and death. jMay God in his infinite mercy avert the 
 dreaded evil, and shield us from the destroyer ! You 
 will join in that prayer, and oh, let your strenuous en- 
 deavours to resist its subtle advances evince the sincerity 
 of your petitions. 
 
 Before we part, let me add a word by way of caution. 
 And this is necessary, inasmuch as we are all but too apt 
 to run into extremes: Whilst, then, others are over- 
 estimating the rite, let us not under-Muna it. In shun- 
 ning Charybdis, l)ut too many make shipwreck upon 
 
42 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION 
 
 Scylla. Some there are who make baptism everything ; 
 and some there are who make it nothing. One party 
 would obscure the cross by the font ; and another omit 
 to make the latter subservient to the former. Let it be 
 our aim to lay neither too great nor too little stress upon 
 this Sacrament ; but to attach to it the importance which 
 the Scripture attaches. It is rightly defined by our 
 Church, to be " an outward and visible sign of an in- 
 ward and spiritual grace :" not only a badge of 
 Christianity, but an appointed channel of grace to the 
 gracious, " a means whereby we receive the same, and 
 a pledge to assure us thereof;" faith having united to 
 Christ, baptism spiritually unites to Christ's Church ; a 
 jirivilege which w^e should highly prize, and for which 
 it becomes us to be deeply thankful. And sure I am, 
 that were parents and God-parents more awake to their 
 responsibility, and, as a consequence, more solicitous to 
 perform their duty, the results of baptism would be 
 widely different to what they now are; the "inward 
 and spiritual grace" more frequently accompany *•' the 
 outward and visible sign." If earnest and believing 
 prayer preceded the ordinance, the ground would be 
 prepared, the subject regenerated, the " fulness" of 
 God's grace vouchsafed, and there would be a " death unto 
 sin, and a new birth unto righteousness ;" " the old Adam 
 would be so buried, that the new man would be raised 
 up ;" and the consecutive duty of bringing the baptized 
 up " in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," being 
 duly and conscientiously discharged, '^the rest of his 
 life would be a godly and christian one, according to 
 this beginning." Strongly, then, as I would urge you 
 against being " carried about with divers and strange 
 doctrines," solemnly as I would warn you not to " follow 
 the pernicious ways of those false teachers who are 
 bringing in damnable heresies," lest, in the end, " Jesus 
 and the resurrection" seem " strange" to you ; I would, at 
 the same time, entreat you not to disparage, by neglect or 
 under- estimate, the ordinances which a kind and gra- 
 cious God has afforded us. You cannot be too attentive 
 
RKFUTEl* AM) EXPOSED. 43 
 
 to rituals, if, in the observance, you overlook not 
 spirituals : view thcin, as sciiffolding to the building, 
 meiuis to an end, and nought save benefit can accrue ; 
 to him ^vho rests not in, but looks through them, they 
 are incalculably precious. Let the members and ministers 
 of our Establishment thus act ; let them ever unite the 
 decencies of external worship with heart devotion — the 
 outward form with the inward spirit — ecclesiastical order 
 with evangelical truth — and still shall our beloved 
 Church stand, the glory of England and the buhvark of 
 Protestant Europe; instead of the cry, "Doun with 
 her ! down with her, even to the ground !" shall be 
 heard from all quarters, the exclamation, " Destroy 
 her not, for a blessing is in her !" In her Articles and 
 Homilies are the truths of the everlasting Gospel — in 
 her vaults are the ashes of Zion's defenders — in her 
 Services is the spirit of the martyred dead — she is a 
 " crown of glory and a royal diadem in the hand of her 
 God." Let her but " hold fast the profession of her 
 faith -without wavering," and she may laugh to scorn the 
 assaults of her open enemies, and the treachery of her 
 pretended friends, since He, who has the shields of the 
 earth, will be her protector ; and he is near ; the 
 " Captain of her salvation" is advancing ; the brightness 
 of his coming approaches ; and, ere long, shall be ad- 
 dressed to her " Arise ! shine ! for thy light is come ; 
 and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee 1" thy 
 righteousness shall go forth as brightness ; and thy sal- 
 vation as a lamp that burneth :" " many daughters have 
 done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Then — 
 
 " Long be our Fathers' temple ours ; 
 "Woe to the hand by which it falls ! 
 A thousand spirits watch its towers ; 
 A host of angels guard its walls." 
 
THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 FULLY JUSTIFIED. 
 
Matthew XIII. 30. 
 " Let both grow together until the hardest T 
 
 You have not forfrotten the promise made by me on the 
 last SablKith, and arc doubtless anticipating its fulfil- 
 ment. The text has been selected in reference thereto, 
 and accordingly your attention will be mainly directed 
 this morning to that passage in our Catechism, which, 
 to some, has presented difficulties; and an attempt to 
 vindicate and clear it of objection, will, it need hardly 
 be added, involve a performance of my engagement. "^^ 
 There are, it appears, among the Sunday-School Teachers 
 those who cannot conscientiously instruct a child to de- 
 clare that in baptism he " was made a member of Christ, 
 the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of 
 Heaven ;" such persons consider this language wholly 
 indefensible, inasmuch as the young respondent is re- 
 quired to affirm that which, in their estimation, is not 
 true. Allow me to say that I am rather pleased than 
 
 * This Sermon was preached and printed upon the occasion of 
 several Teachers in .the Sunday School couscientiously refusing to in- 
 struct the children in oar Catechism, on account of the somewhat 
 obscure clause which it aims to justify : and the Author has the 
 gratification of adding, that the effect was to give to one and all of 
 them perfect satisfaction. The hope is eutertained that it will help 
 to remove the difficulty which others may have experienced in refer- 
 ence to that and similar passages of the Litm-gy ; and also be of use 
 to a class (the high church) who at present seem utterly blind to the 
 broad, intelligible, and transparent fact, that between a Regeneration 
 merely ecclesiastical, so to speak (Deut. xxxii. 18, Titus iii. 5.) and a 
 truly spiritual, quickening, life-giving Regeneration, (Ezek. sxxvi. 
 25 — 6, 1 Jno. iii. 9, v. 1^^.) there is all the difference in the world. 
 That the discourse might be rendered more lucid and convincing, is 
 readily acknowledged ; and shoidd sufficient strength be granted and 
 another edition called for, some improvement may at a future period 
 be attempted : meanwhile, may the Lord, who works by humble 
 means, vouchsafe to bless the perusal of it, to the check of error — the 
 spread of truth — the good of souls — and the glory of His own Great 
 Name. 
 
48 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 surprised at your starting this objection, since it not 
 only argues integrity, but shows also that you add 
 thinking to reading, that you look through words for 
 ideas ; and this is almost infinitely preferable to that 
 indifferentism and carelessness which gives an unintelli • 
 gent assent to Avhatever authority might impose ; a 
 course, which leaving the intellect unexercised, and the 
 heart unaffected, locks up its victim in a senseless for- 
 mality, and reduces public worship to a mere routine of 
 services unfelt, uninteresting, and worse than useless. 
 Nevertheless the objection to this, like those to certain 
 other portions of our Prayer-book, is, I am persuaded, 
 strong in exact proportion to the misunderstanding ; and 
 should it remain at the end of the Sermon, it will, I 
 verily believe, be, not from its incapability of a full and 
 ample justification, but either because my explanation is 
 not clear, or because your prejudices are not removed ; 
 may our God help me and help you, and give us to 
 have " a right understanding in all things," whilst we 
 meditate upon the injunction Jbefore us according to the 
 following arrangement : we ought not, and we cannot 
 separate the tares from the wheat — it is a work at once 
 without the sphere of man's duty, and beyond the reach 
 of his power. 
 
 I. To SEPARATE THE TARES FROM THE WHEAT IS 
 WITHOUT THE SPHERE OP MAN'S DUTY. 
 
 Limits are prescribed to whatever is created, and to 
 keep within them is as wise as rare ; some transgress the 
 bound in thought, and some in deed ; the former will 
 dare to explore undisclosed mysteries whilst overlooking 
 revealed truths, and the latter will attempt what is pro- 
 hibited whilst neglecting what is enjoined. Thus but too 
 many, unconscious of their ignorance, pass on to sub- 
 jects beyond the compass of their knowledge, or unaware 
 of their weakness, aim at the accomplishment of that 
 which exceeds their ability ; it is with this evil we have 
 to contend, this arrogance to expose. That which de- 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIED. 49 
 
 raands proof under the present head of the discourse, 
 is, that it is obligatory upon man not to overstep his 
 assigned province in the matter of the text : that the 
 command of Heaven renders it incumbent on him to 
 "judge nothing before the time," but to " let l)oth grow 
 togetlier until the harvest ;" and as this will, I think, be 
 satisfactorily made out in establishing the fact, that the 
 much controverted passage of the Catechism just now 
 read is strictly scriptural and proper, upon it let the 
 proof, or rather the confirmation, depend. And since it 
 •will be desirable to clear the way by a few preparatory 
 observations calculated to throw light upon the succeed- 
 ing argument, to them your attention is first requested. 
 
 If Adam had retained his original innocence, the 
 spotless beauty in -which he was created, the whole world 
 would have been peopled by the true worshippers of 
 God ; between the descendants of the first man there had 
 been then no moral distinction ; universal had been the 
 lioliness, and as a consequence, universal the happiness. 
 He fell ; the image and favour of his Maker — the 
 security and peace of his soul — the joy of Paradise — 
 and the hopes of Heaven were gone ; and, but for the 
 intervention of boundless power, and love as boundless, 
 for ever gone. The sinner lay helpless in his blood, his 
 apostac}^ had placed an usurper upon the throne of earth, 
 and all seemed lost ; when mercy as unexpected as un- 
 merited broke forth, and there was heard in the courts 
 above, *■*■ Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have 
 found a ransom." The covenant of works had been 
 broken, the covenant of grace was revealed, the church 
 of Christ was planted, and from that time to the present 
 the population of the globe has been divided into two 
 classes — the Cainites and the Abelites ; the one ranged 
 under the black banner of rebellion, the other marching 
 along beneath the blood-red standard of the cross ; the 
 one professedly alienated from God, the other professedly 
 reconciled ; the one taking the Prince of Darkness for 
 their leader, the other the Prince of Light ; the one 
 openly declaring themselves the subjects of Satan's 
 
50 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 kingdom, the other as openly avowing their allegiance 
 to Christ. Now you are aware that the soldiers of hos- 
 tile nations are distinguishable from each other by their 
 regimentals ; there is the scarlet uniform of England, 
 and the blue of France ; and m like manner there has 
 ever been a mark legible and distinctive upon the fol- 
 lowers of the Lamb, those who have enlisted under the 
 " Captain of our Salvation" have invariably worn a 
 badge peculiarly their own. In former times the Jews 
 were the professing people of God, and that by which 
 they were known and recognised amid the heathen 
 nations around was the heaven-appointed sign of Cir- 
 cumcision ; since the birth in Bethlehem, Christians are 
 the soldiers of the cross, and the badge which severs 
 them from the Pagan in his idolatry — the Mahommedan 
 in his imposture — the Jew in his obstinacy — and the 
 Infidel in his unbelief, is Baptism. 'The outward and 
 visible church of the Redeemer was in early days, cir- 
 cumcised ; in more recent, baptized ; one and the same 
 church, difiering only in external mark or cognizance, 
 Avhilst exactly similar in character ; declaring their belief 
 in, and adherence to, the same Lord Jesus; and although 
 the faith of the one was prospective, and that of the 
 other retrospective, they have nevertheless been ranged 
 under the same leader — professed to be animated by the 
 same principles — holding the same doctrines — united by 
 the same bonds — and in pursuit of the same objects. 
 You will have learnt from Avhat I have said, that from 
 the Fall to the present hour there has been a clearly 
 marked church of God, that the inhabitants of our 
 world have been and are made up of those who avow 
 themselves servants and worshippers of Jehovah, and 
 those who make no such avowal ; those who profess 
 Christianity, and those Avho do not. 
 
 As there is a twofold division of the world, so also is 
 there a twofold division of the church. Omitting to 
 notice farther that portion of mankind who are openly 
 arrayed under the ensign of Satan, I must now confine 
 my observations and your attention to that body, or 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIED. 51 
 
 society, whose distinctive mark is iiuptism, which is the 
 rite appointed hy our Saviour for admission, and gives 
 the title to membership and communion. AVIiat I wish 
 you especially to note, is, that within the pale or enclo- 
 sure of" the outward and visible church of Christ, there 
 are to be found two classes of persons, diftering as widely 
 from each other, as does that outward church from the 
 nations of the earth not professing Christianity, and the 
 all-penetrating glance of Jehovah can and does as easily 
 discern between the true and false professor, as can you 
 and I between the l)aptized and unbiiptized. The not 
 considering this distinction is a fruitful source of error ; 
 the not keeping in mind this broad line of demarcation 
 is the ruin of multitudes. The visible church includes 
 all who "surname themselves by the naTiie" of 
 Christian — declare the Bible to be their rule of faith — 
 profess to believe in Christ — to rest their hopes of 
 Heaven upon his merits — and meet together upon stated 
 occasions to pray to, to praise, and to hear His word. 
 Among these, within the outward border, there is what 
 is sometimes called, the invisible or spiritual church ; to 
 determine with certainty who these are, is not the office 
 of the creature, but belongs only to him whose preroga- 
 tive it is to read tiie heart and scan the reins of the 
 cliildren of men ; suffice it to say, that such have been 
 regenerated by the Holy Spirit — made new creatures in 
 Christ Jesus — exercise a lively, active, influential faith — 
 hold communion with their head — and aim to glorify 
 God ; these are aclually wliat the whole body seem to 
 be, /. e. spiritual worshippers, it will then be at once 
 manifest to you, that the outward or visible church is 
 much more comprehensive than the inward or spiritual, 
 since it embraces all without exception who bear the 
 name of Christian, as well those who, having a name 
 to live are dead, as those who are alive to God through 
 the Spirit. In Scripiure, this church, containing both 
 genuine and spurious professors, is frequently termed 
 " the kingdom of Heaven," and is likened to " a net 
 cast into the sea, in which are good fish and bad ;" also, 
 
52 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 to a " floor," on which lie mingled the " corn and the 
 chaff;" also, to a " field," in which are growing " wheat 
 and tares" — and that net is not to be opened, and that 
 floor is not to be Avinnowed, and that field is not to be 
 weeded, until judgment: the separation between the 
 children of God and the children of" the wicked one is 
 not to be effected until the final audit. Some there are 
 indeed who would anticipate eternal wisdom, and at 
 once " cast the bad fish away," and *' burn up the chaff," 
 and "root up the tares:" the command is, " let both 
 grow together until the harvest ;" do not thou, pre- 
 sumptuous man, pretend to decide upon thy neighbour's 
 state ; if he has not renounced Christianity, it is no part 
 of your duty to unchurch him : if you see him incon- 
 sistent, warn, reprove, instruct, pray for, and then leave 
 him to God ; " Vengeance is mine, I will repay," saith 
 the Lord. Having made these few preparatory remarks 
 in order to render the point to be proved as lucid, and 
 the reasoning as forcible as may be, I will now redeem 
 my pledge by endeavouring to establish the following 
 proposition : — 
 
 Every individual who belongs to the Redeemer's 
 visible church, is rightly termed " a member of 
 Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of 
 
 THE kingdom of HEAVEN." 
 
 Perhaps you expect that my references will be to the 
 great writers of our church, that I shall quote from the 
 Reformers in support of this statement, if so, you are 
 mistaken ; for although no man reveres and admires 
 more our Cranniers, Ridleys, and Latimers, nor feels 
 more largely indebted to those giants in theology, 
 Hooker, Hall, Hopkins, and Horsely, for their masterly 
 expositions on questions of difficulty, this among others, 
 yet do "I call no man master on earth :" whilst thank- 
 ful for their help, and aiming to follow them as far 
 they followed Christ, I tenaciously reserve the heaven- 
 bestowed right of thinking and judging for myself. It 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIED. 53 
 
 is the lot of the poor Papist, and not mine, to wear 
 the blinds imposed hy human authority, to permit him- 
 self to be led about like a dumb beast, to be re luced by 
 priestly craft and priestly tyranny to the pitiful condition 
 of a raind-manack'd slave. You and I are meml)ers of the 
 pure Protestant Church of Enf,dand, the fundamental prin- 
 ciple of which, is, that " Holy Scripture containeth 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 the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary 
 to salvation." From this infallible source my proofs will 
 be drawn, nor shall I yield my claims to be a sound 
 churchman because I make that Word, which is change- 
 less as the sun in the heavens, my rule of faith : to an 
 authority which is indisputable I shall alone appeal : nor 
 am I afraid or ashamed of being cliarged with biblio- 
 latry, since '' the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the reli- 
 gion of Protestants."* 
 
 * As this discourse makes the Bible the sole rule of faith, it will of 
 coarse eucounter opposition from the Papalizing party iu our Church. 
 It is to be hoped they will adopt a very differeat conduct to that ex- 
 hibited on a late occasion : that instead of imitating the skulking 
 assassin by stabbing in the dark, by anonymous assaults upon character, 
 some one of them at least will have the gentlemanly feeling and 
 Christian manliness to throw aside the lion's skin, avow himself and 
 come forth openly in defence of what he professes to believe. AVliat 
 must be thought of a cause the advocates of which lacking argument, 
 have recourse to slander, and substitute defamation for reasoning ? I 
 have been informed in several quarters that they have not attempted 
 an answer to the Sermon on "Baptismal Regeneration," from the 
 dread of thereby giving it increased 'piMlcitij. Now although where 
 veracity is concerned great allowance must be made for the followers 
 of Dr. Newman,* yet in this instance it is probable that one real reason 
 
 * This Apostle instructs his Tractarian pupils to " utter a false- 
 hood" as occasion may require ! ! ! Can Dr. Newman have the least 
 regard for his reputation ? If principle had not, it might have been 
 expected that prudence would, have restrained him from thus publicly 
 renouncing all claim to veracity. To what a pitiful state of moral 
 degradation must the lying wiles of Popery have reduced that in- 
 dividual's mind, who has hardihood sufficient, and impudence daring 
 
54 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 The term holy or holiness is used in two very different 
 senses in the Scriptures of truth : there is a sanctifica- 
 tion that is outward^ and there is a sanctification that is 
 inward: hy the one is meant the setting apart a person 
 or thing unto God, by the other the infusion of grace 
 into the soul: the Aaronic priesthood — the first-born — 
 the tabernacle — and the temple, were, in the former 
 sense, holy unto the Lord ; and every converted soul is 
 sanctified in the latter sense ; the one changes the posi- 
 tion^ the other the character ; though in a different way 
 and to a different end, yet are hoih dedicated unto God 
 and properly called holy. We read in St. John, in the 
 Ephesians, and in Titus, of the being " born of water" 
 — " the washing of regeneration" — and " the washing of 
 ■water," Avhich several phrases can refer I apprehend to 
 nothing but that rite of admission into Ciirist's Church, 
 
 has been assigned : in addition to which they are of a generation wise 
 enough I suspect to perceive that their cause would suffer even more 
 from an imbecile reply than it does from the conscious weakness im- 
 plied hy their silence. To prevent the Laity's reading it, is however 
 utterly out of their power : no artifice for its suppression shall avail 
 them ; no legitimate means shall be left unemployed in order that it 
 may find access to the abodes of the wealthy ; and it is printed in the 
 clieapest form for distribution among the middle and lower classes. As 
 the Tractariaus have banded together in a godless confederacy to hood- 
 wink the people, let them be well assured that a goodly number are 
 united in a phalanx close and firm, with the unalterable determination 
 to prevent, if possible, their becoming the dupes of priestcraft and the 
 slaves of Eome. 
 
 enough, to prefer so astounding a charge against the hohj religion of 
 Jehovah ! Is he ignorant of the fact that Englishmen love honesty, 
 that ours is a Bible-reading population, and that principles such as his 
 cannot fail to elicit the reprobation and contempt of every honourable 
 man ; whilst for their annihilation ai-e called forth the remonstrances 
 and i)rayers of every Christian man ? And how does he think the 
 system of Tractarianism will stand when " a God of Truth'' comes to 
 " lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the iilummet." ! ! The 
 poor, shuflling, ])revaricating man, has, long since this note was first 
 written, gone over to the Roniish Church, and is said to be quite a 
 pet with the Pope, who being able, according to the tying principles 
 of that iniquitous system, (1 Tim. iv. 2.) to appreciate, will doubtless 
 reward his morality. — Morality ! ! 1 
 
FULLY .JU.STIFIEU. OO 
 
 baptism : and it is declared to have a cleansing efF.-ct, 
 which is that outward sanctification we have just been 
 speaking of, it is this at leasts and sometimes more^ viz. — 
 when the subject is qualified for its reception. I do not 
 for a moment deny that a great part of those who have 
 been baptized are still in a state of unconversion, for 
 " many are called, but few chosen ;" I affirm, neverthe- 
 less, that as they have been abstracted from the world 
 and introduced into the church, quitted the army of the 
 aliens and entered the ranks of the cross, they not only 
 with all propriety may, but ouglit^ to be denominated 
 " members of Christ, the children of God, and inheritors 
 of the kingdom of Heaven:" that as they have been 
 " baptized into the church of Christ, and put on the 
 name of Christ," that since they wear the badge of the 
 cross, no man living can with justice deny them the title 
 of Christian, and for any to do so is equally presumptu- 
 ous and ?<«5(?;*//?/^wraL- I repeat " unscriptural," and beg 
 of you (as professing to believe what the Bible teaches, 
 to be rights and what it condemns, to be tcrong.) to mark 
 the word, since I now refer you '* to the Law and to the 
 Testimony" in proof of my proposition, which you must 
 receive as true, or reject as false, according to the evidence; 
 the point is important, pray attend. 
 
 Genesis vi. 2. " The sons of God saw the daughters 
 of men." With these ungodly and profane persons they 
 intermarried, apostatized, and became idolaters ; the act 
 intimated, and the result proved, that they were nothing 
 more than mere professors; never truly regenerate, never 
 spiritually adopted into the saved family of the Redeemer, 
 and yet they are styled " the sons of God." 
 
 Exodus V. 1. "Let my people go.' Deut. xiv. 1. 
 '' Ye are the children of the Lord your God." No one 
 can read the history of this people and deny that in the 
 ranks of rebellious and idol-loving Judah were to be 
 found sinners of no common stamp, to so low a point of 
 moral degradation had they sunk, that God saw good to 
 overthrow them in the wilderness by the infliction 'of 
 temporal judgments. Vast numbers of them were mere- 
 
56 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 ly outward members of the church : still as such, having 
 been circumcised, they are spoken of in a body as " My 
 people^'^ and spoken to tvitJiout exception^ as " the cJdldren 
 of the Lord your God.'' 
 
 Isaiah i. 3, 4. " My people doth not consider," " a 
 people laden with iniquity." Jer. ii. 13, 32, "My people 
 have forsaken me," "my people have forgotten me;" 
 iv. 22, '' My people is foolish, they have not known me;" 
 V. 31, "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests 
 bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it 
 so ; " XV. 7- " I will destroy my people since they return 
 not from their ways;" Hosea iv. 6, 12. " My people are 
 destroyed for lack of knowledge," "my people ask 
 counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto 
 them;" Amos ix. 10. " All the sinners of my people shall 
 die by the sword." Here we have a people, inconsider- 
 ate, reckless, unpardoned, corrupters, ignorant of God, 
 forgetters of God, forsakers of God, apostates from God, 
 about to perish, still called his people ! And why ? be- 
 cause they had been admitted in infancy into his visible 
 church by circumcision, and professed to belong to that 
 church, and neither Moses, nor Joshua, nor Isaiah, nor 
 Jeremiah, nor any other heaven-taught man, dared to 
 make the distinction ; "both" were to "grow together 
 witil the harvest." 
 
 In the New Testament we find the inspired Apostle 
 proceeding upon the self- same principle. There were in 
 the church of Corinth those stained by vices and crimes 
 of the darkest and deepest hue ; impiety and impurity 
 abounded among them: the Apostle writes and "rebukes 
 them sharply," nevertheless, his letter or epistle is ad- 
 dressed to the whole church as " sanctified in Christ Jesus, 
 called to be saints'' The church of Galatia had eried, 
 deviated widely from the truth, had many Tractarians 
 among them, men who insisted rather upon ceremonial 
 observances than spiritual worship, as prone to Judaize 
 as some among us are to Romanize ; and yet St. Paul 
 does not root these tares out, but says, "ye are all the 
 children of God by faith in Christ Jesus;" he dares not 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIED. 57 
 
 turn heart-searcher, hut leaves the Omniscient Jehovah 
 to separate thr chatt* from the wheat on the winuowinf^ 
 day, wliich is still future. The same mode of procedure 
 is ohserved in the other epistles, to which, as time 
 prohibits my referring, I trust you will examine for 
 yourselves. 
 
 Still further, do we not read of certain professors "de- 
 nyinjT the Lord that bought them," " accounting the 
 blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an 
 unholy thing!" In what sense may such professors be 
 termed sanctified ? Not by the infusion of grace, but by 
 their outward dedication to God in the initiatory rite, for 
 had they heen really renewed they would not have 
 trampled upon the hlood of the Everlasting Covenant. 
 Examine Romans ix. and xi. wherein we are taught that 
 to the Israelites " pertained the adoption," i. e. the being 
 made the children of God, and yet were many of them 
 "broken off," thereby demonstrating that the adoption was 
 ecclesiastical, not spiritual. The Saviour declares " every 
 branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away : " 
 here we see " members of Christ" who are to be finally 
 removed, because never savingly united to the stock, 
 grafts that did not take, professors that withered away 
 from lacking gracious nutriment. And again the Re- 
 deemer assures us that some of *' the children of the 
 kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness." What king- 
 dom ? Not the kingdom of glory, but of his visible church 
 on earth, which is over and over again thus termed, as 
 the better informed among you are aware, and this is one 
 of the senses in which it is employed in the clause we 
 are justifying ; it is not written that we are in baptism 
 made heirs of the future mansions of bliss, but ^''inheritors 
 of the kingdom of heaven," i. e. in present absolute pos- 
 session of the privileges with which the outward church 
 invests. 
 
 I might go on quoting — it would be easy to accumu- 
 late text upon text, and argument upon argument, but 
 deem it unnecessary : for is it not clear from the passages 
 already cited, that in the visible church on earth there are 
 
58 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 two kinds of persons, the genuine and the counterfeit, the 
 true professors and the false, and that they are constantly 
 and tmitedly addressed as though they toei'e what they ^ro- 
 fess to be. The mark or sign of God's outward church in 
 Old Testament times, was circumcision, and all the 
 members w^ere denominated "■' sons of God," " children 
 of God," " My people," and ""the lot of His inheritance;" 
 the sign or symbol of God's outward church in New 
 Testament times, is baptism, and all the members are 
 denominated " saints," '' the sanctified in Christ Jesus," 
 and " children of God by faith." In our catechism those 
 belonging to the same visible church are denominated 
 '' members of Christ, the children of God, and inheritors 
 of the kingdom of heaven." Thus then speak the 
 Patriarchs, thus speak the Prophets, thus speak the 
 Apostles, thus speaks the Saviour, and thus speaks the 
 church of England ! Some in our day speak a different 
 language ; that they will iiave your approbation I cannot 
 believe, but on the contrary expect and hope that you 
 will aim to convince and also warn such gainsayers, that 
 their zeal in this instance against the teaching of our 
 Church is equally against the 2co)'d of our God ; that in 
 contending witli the one they are virtually contending 
 with the other ^ since both give us the same truth in nearly 
 the same language. 
 
 Supposing you convinced (as without presumption I 
 may) that to separate the tares from the wheat is no part 
 of man's duty., I go on to show, 
 
 2. That to separate the tares from the wheat 
 IS beyond the reach of man's power. 
 
 If corroboration the Scriptures needed, corroboration 
 they might have, since they contain no declaration which 
 experience has not, does not, or will not confirm : what- 
 soever is therein written must be infallibly true, and 
 facts, and observation, and time are continually afibrding 
 their demonstrative evidence of that truth. Upon the 
 Sacred Page it is inscribed that man has been reduced 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIED 59 
 
 by sin to a poor, weak, ignorant imljccilc ; that upon 
 scriptural matters more especially, upon concerns of 
 highest and eternal moment, he is as stupid as the '' foal 
 of a wild ass," his mind enveloped in prejudice, his un- 
 derstanding obscured in darkness. And that sueh is the 
 case, that the fine gold has become dim, the conduct of 
 a God-forgetting, Saviour-despising, soul-neglecting, sin- 
 loving. Heaven-losing world incontrovcrtibly proves. It 
 is difficult, perhaps, to say whether it is wonderful or 
 not wonderful, that a being thus characterized should 
 seek and claim to be as wise, nay wiser than that 
 Omniscient God at whose dealings in providence and 
 grace he dares to cavil. This is no libel, for that in 
 hundreds of instances he so acts is but too capable of 
 proof: he would not only aim to get "wise about what 
 is written," and thus " darken counsel by words without 
 knowledge;" but would fain be as God, "knowing good 
 and evil ; " not only presumptuously pry into the unreveal- 
 ed mysteries of Heaven, but daringly assert to himself the 
 prerogative of Deity, and become an heart-searcher! We 
 see this in the parable before us : the servants wished to 
 go and at once gather out the tares, but the householder 
 forbade them saying, ''• Nay, lest while ye gather up the 
 tares, ye root up also the uheat with them ; let both 
 grow together until the harvest." Just so in our own day, 
 there are but too many who take upon themselves the 
 office of distinguishing between the righteous and the 
 unrighteous ; they forsooth can read the heart — decide 
 positively upon character— and determine each person's 
 real state before God. I ask these self-commissioned 
 reapers to bear in mind what has been already proved, 
 that the church on earth is made up of converted and 
 unconverted; that the Lord could if he chose remove the 
 tares no7t\ but he permits them to reniain until the judg- 
 ment, that then, and 7iot tintil then^ will He bind the one 
 in bundles to burn and gather the other into his heaven- 
 ly gamer. I ask them to observe also that as Jehovah 
 has not designed that there shall be a perfect church in 
 this world; that although her saints and sinners are in- 
 
60 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 vested with similar privileges, mingled together under 
 one -common name, yet at another day the sheep will be 
 divided from the goats by One who makes no mistakes, who, 
 " looking upon the hearty' knew David and Peter to be his 
 children even in the agony of their grievous falls, and the 
 young ruler, who lacked the one thing needful, to be a 
 child of the devil in spite of all his morality ; whereas 
 man, who " looketh only upon the outicard appearance^'' 
 would have reached an opposite and therefore a false 
 conclusion. My object in alluding to this, is, not to 
 show that a real Christian solicited by the tempter may 
 fall into sin, whilst the mere moralist (who being already 
 his own, Satan does not trouble) may maintain a decent 
 outside, but to evince man's liability to err in the 
 judgment of character. Let us therefore forbear the 
 attempt. I do not mean to say that persons in authority 
 are not to judge according to evidence, or that we may 
 not all entertain our opinions as to actions, but that to 
 pronounce upon an individual's future state, and to pretend 
 an acquaintance with the secret springs of conduct, is an 
 undertaking to w^hich the creature is wholly incompetent. 
 To determine what are the thoughts, feelings, designs, 
 and desires of another's mind, is to man forbidden, and 
 by man impossible. Before he can accomplish such a 
 work a twofold change is required ; one in the object and 
 one in the agent ; there must be a window 4n his neigh- 
 bour's breast, rendering legible all that is within, and he 
 himself must be qualified by a perception that is un- 
 clouded and a judgment that is infallible ; in short, he 
 must be a Deity, the attributes of which are virtually 
 claimed by that person who has the hardihood to decide 
 upon actuating motives and principles of action. An 
 assumption to " discern the thoughts and intents of 
 the heart," is to sit upon that seat of judgment which 
 belongs not to man ; it is to invade the prerogative and 
 usurp the throne of the alone Omniscient, who de- 
 clares, Jer. xvii. 10. *' / the Lord search the heart, / 
 try the reins, even to give every man according to 
 his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." 
 
FULLY JISTII'IKD. fJl 
 
 Then, my hearers, "be not many masters;" ''jud^o not, 
 that ye be not jucl<;etl:" be assured that He who only 
 has the rujld and the ahilibj will one day disclose the 
 secrets of all hearts, and brini^^ to li[,dit the things that 
 are hidden ; to anticipate liini is but too indicative of an 
 unhumbled and unchristian spirit: the man who is given 
 to peep over the fence and find fault with his neigh- 
 bour's tillage, generally overlooks his own field choked 
 with weeds. Examine yourselves. There is work enough 
 at home. 
 
 I will now hope that it is clear to you, that to separate 
 the tares from the wheat is equally Avithout the sphere 
 of your duty and beyond the reach of your power ; that 
 you ouijlit nol if you could, and you cannol if you would, 
 make the distinction between the merely ecclesiastical 
 and the truly spiritual children of God : then be it your 
 wisdom not to attempt what is at once forbidden and 
 impracticable, but rather submit to the authority, and 
 obey the injunction of Scripture, by " letting both grow 
 together until the harvest." 
 
 Although not immediately involved in the text, yet as 
 it may appear intimately connected with our subject, I 
 will take leave to deny in her behalf another and some- 
 what similar cliarge but too frequently preferred against 
 the Church of England, and which I regret to say, but 
 too many of her own members are ignorant enough to 
 believe just, and arrogant enough to assume in her behalf, 
 but which she in explicit language repudiates and dis- 
 owns. The doctrine I am about to name, which some 
 in weakness, and some I fear in wickedness, would fasten 
 upon our Church, never was and never will be taught 
 by any Christian community on earth; and none, however 
 heretical, have ever contended for it, except " the man 
 of sin" and his mass-house priests, together with a few 
 whom he has at different times spawned at Oxford and 
 other places. The doctrine I allude to is that of 
 " Baptismal Regeneration." There are thousands who 
 declare^ and I suppose believe^ that our Reformed Pro- 
 testant Church embodies in her services this Popish 
 
62 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 figment ; that her teaching upon this point is, that every 
 baptized person, whether adult or infant, necessarily 
 receives the grace of the Spirit, and is born again of God 
 the Holy Ghost. Now 1 most deliberately assert that 
 she teaches no such tiling ; that so far from it, a compari- 
 son of her articles and services will demonstrate that she 
 never positively declared the spiritual regeneration of 07ie 
 single soul ! The articles affirm that those, and those 
 only, derive any spiritual benefit, who receive baptism 
 " rightly and worthily." Compare then this positive 
 statement in her articles with the charitable and incidental 
 statement in her baptismal service, and say, does she 
 pronounce all who partake of this rite to be spiritually 
 regenerated? No, she does not assert absolutely that one 
 is; leaving it upon the hypothesis if they received it 
 " rightly and worthily ;" i. e. if they possessed that pre- 
 vious qualification* without which neither sacrament can 
 be of any avail. I add no more hereon at present, it 
 being my intention shortly to preach a Sermon in refuta- 
 tion of this unscriptural and delusive dogma, f 
 
 It may be objected, perhaps, that the services of our 
 English Church are not sufficiently 'plain^ and that the 
 very fact of an explanatory discourse affords proof of it. 
 My reply is, that a similar objection will lie against the 
 Bible itself: neither can be understood without study, — 
 the latter not without prayerful study : religious know- 
 ledge will never be acquired where diligence is wanting, 
 any more than heaven where effort is absent ; and 
 sermons illustrative of what their Church teaches would 
 not be necessary, if the flock would examine and think 
 for themselves^ comparing one part with another^ instead 
 of forming a judgment upon isolated passages; the adop- 
 
 * By " previous qualification" I mean that incipient grace which is 
 first earnestly prayed for to jit the candidate for a due reception of 
 the rite ; and unless granted, the sacrament qftencards administered is 
 no sacrament to him. It is in the spiritual as in the natural hirlh, life 
 xawii 2}'>'C(^ede it, otherwise the one born is, and can be, only still-born. 
 Our Church evidently keeps up the analogy. 
 
 The sermon referred to, is the one now bound up with this. 
 
FILLY JUSTIFIED. (13 
 
 tion of which latter mode must render eceryllti/Kj (divine 
 and Immun) liable to misconstruction. I will add that 
 it would pve clearness and intilli^Mhility to many of its 
 parts, were the principle upon which our liturgy is con- 
 structed allowed to claim that consideration which it 
 merits, but which is, alas, too frequently withheld. It 
 proceeds throughout upon the supposition that those 
 assembled in the courts of the Lord really are what they 
 appear to be, charitably concludes that the expression of 
 the lip coincides with the feeling of the heart, gives them 
 credit for sincerity; and no oiher hope can the Church 
 Ibrm, and no other opinion can she entertain, without 
 violating Scripture and presumptuously claiming super- 
 natural discernment and infallibility of judgment, attri- 
 butes which belong not to her, but to her Head. 
 Professors of Christianity must worship the God of. 
 Christians, and all will readily admit the indispensable 
 necessity of every service framed for their use being 
 suitable to their circumstances, adapted to and in accord- 
 ance with their professed character, principles, qualifica- 
 tions, objects, and wants. It would be the height of 
 absurdity to have a liturgy, articles, and catechism for 
 the use of a Christian congregation ■which would suit 
 rather the lips of a pagan : — the man who declares the 
 Apostles' Creed to express what he believes could not 
 possibly join the idolator of India, or the follower of 
 Mahomet, or the unbelieving Jew, or the superstitious 
 Papist, in their several services ; neither could they unite 
 with him : such an one can pubhcly or privately serve his 
 God 07ili/ in a form and after a manner fitting his posi- 
 tion and character as a professing Christian; and it is 
 upon this common-sense and legitimate principle that all 
 ages, nations, and people, embracing the revealed religion 
 of Jehovah, have invariably acted. Our public service 
 accordingly begins on the part of the congregation with 
 a most humiliiting " confession" of sin, and an earnest 
 petition for pardon ; the minister then, in the " absolu- 
 tion" declares upon the high authority of Heaven, that 
 if they are what they call themselves, /. e. penitent and 
 
64 THE CHURCH CATECHISM 
 
 believing, their sins are remitted and their offences 
 pardoned : to this they say " Amen," and immediately 
 proceed to address the God of Heaven as their reconciled 
 " Father" in Christ Jesus. I need hardly say that this 
 rule is observed through the whole subsequent service ; 
 the hymns, the psalms, the praise, the prayer, all take it 
 for granted that the worshippers are what they declare 
 they are ; and it being in strict harmony with the page 
 of ini=piration that they should be dealt wath according to 
 their oton professions, and not according to the judgment 
 of others^ our Church's complete justification in the 
 employment of language fitting their supposed character 
 is at once manifest, and the objections on the part of 
 those who dissent from us to the marriage, sick, sacra- 
 mental, funeral, and other formularies, are (I speak with 
 deliberation) annihilated ; and could the unhappy pre- 
 judices which cement, daub, and keep up the wall of 
 separation be subjected to the same process, the noncon- 
 formists would come back to that pure and apostolic 
 church, which is ready to give them a hearty welcome, 
 and hail their return with delight. God grant that the 
 hour may be near, when all his true worshipping people 
 shall be united in externals, as they now are and ever 
 will be in the sacred bonds of spiritual truth. 
 
 I have brought the subject of this morning before you, 
 brethren, not because it is pleasing to me, but with the 
 hope that under existing circumstances, it may he profit- 
 able to you. We live in a day when everything hitherto 
 held dear and sacred is attacked, when the Reformed 
 Protestant Church of our country is the object of bitterest 
 malevolence; enemies from without, and traitors within, 
 are aiming at her destruction; the one attempting to fix 
 the stigma of Popery upon her from misunderstanding 
 her doctrines, the other from jperverthuj them, and yet so 
 sound are her articles of faith, and so pure and devotional 
 is her liturgy, as to have called forth, not only the 
 unqualified admiration of the Continental Churches, but 
 also the praise of the most eminent Dissenters this land 
 ever produced, one of whom (the great Robert Hall) 
 
FULLY JUSTIFIKI). 6*5 
 
 siiys, tliat her PiiUlic Service " stands in the very first 
 rank of uninspired ctunposition." And is it matter of 
 surprise that whilst " many dauj^hters have done virtu- 
 ously" she should have " excelled them all," when we 
 consider the extent of knowledge — solid piety — and deep 
 heart-felt devotion which chiiractcrized the compilers of 
 her forms ? The profound wisdom — and holy walk — 
 and eminent usefulness of those distinpjuished individuals 
 who purified England's ritual, will live in the memory 
 of true Christians while the world lives : yes, when the 
 Papist who hates them, and the Puscyite who abuses 
 them, shall be forgotten as dead men out of mind, lUey 
 " shall be had in everlasting remembrance," who for the 
 glory of God — in defence of the truth — and from love to 
 souls, preached, and prayed, and wrote, and finally, 
 through grace, sealed their testimony with their blood, 
 and sang the song of triumph in the flames of mar- 
 tyrdom. 
 
 To dismiss you, dearly beloved, without some practical 
 improvement of our subject, would be to fail in ray duty. 
 You belong to Christ's visible Church upon earth — have 
 been enrolled among its members — are distinguished by 
 the sign of the croi;S — and entitled upon the authority 
 and sanction of Scripture^ to be called, " members of 
 Christ, the children of God, and inheritors of the king- 
 dom of Heaven." The question I would have you put to 
 yourselves, is this, — " to wldch div'mon of professors do I 
 belong ?" The separation is not to take place here : the 
 tares and wheat are to grow side by side until the great 
 harvest-home : / am not your judge ; you are explicitly 
 forbidden to "judge one anotJier ;"" but you are as 
 expressly commanded to " prove your ownselves." Are 
 you then mere outicard Christians, or are you among the 
 reimoed portion of Jehovah's worshippers ? It is a ques- 
 tion of awful import, of deep and everlasting moment ; 
 then '' examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith." 
 Take the Bible and prayerfully read what it says about 
 the new birth, and let conscience say whether you have 
 experienced that great change. See also the nature of 
 
 E 
 
66 THE CHURCH CATECHISIM 
 
 a saving faith as there recorded, and ask yourself, am I 
 in possession of that grace? Observe in the same Sacred 
 Page, the Jioly requirements of God's law, and test your 
 character by a review of your life, walk, and conversa- 
 tion. If you are really what you claim to be considered, 
 you have certainly been renewed in the spirit of your 
 minds — have a Godly sorrow for sin accompanied by a 
 forsaking of it — an influential reliance upon the atone- 
 ment ot Christ — are clothed in His spotless righteousness 
 — and now live as becomes the saved and sanctified 
 followers of the Lord Jesus. Is it so, or is it not so ? 
 Scrutinize your thoughts, words, and deeds. What do 
 you iJdnk most about, talk inost about, and act most for 
 — God or the toorld? I beg you not to postpone these 
 enquiries, not to flatter yourselves, not to be self-com- 
 placent, but as immortal beings in the presence of a 
 heart-searching God, seriously, solicitously, and at once 
 to try "• what manner of spirit ye are of." You mud be 
 either bad fish or good — chaff or corn — tares or wheat — 
 false professors or true disciples; the net will soon be 
 dragged to land — the floor will be winnowed — the tares 
 and the wheat divided — the goats separated from the 
 sheep ; what, oh what will be your destiny ? Whither 
 will you be sent for eternity ? Will you be tied in 
 bundles to burn, or gathered into the garner of bliss? Will 
 you be consigned to heaven or to hell ? Go home, ye 
 inhabitants of Stoke, ye who are in the field of the 
 Church, and without delay institute a serious, solemn, 
 candid, anxious, prayerful self-examination. Take the 
 advice, neglect it not. Be wise in time. Should the 
 result be favourable, let it elicit your gratitude and praise 
 for distinguishing grace and mercy ; should it be un- 
 fiivouraijle, should you discover that the features of God's 
 spirit tial children are not your features, that although 
 having a name to live you are dead ; then remember that 
 you are as yet on praying ground, pardon and purity are 
 still oftered, you may even noio, although in the eleventh 
 hour, be rescued, for " it is written," and let earth be 
 grateful for the sentence, "" Christ Jesus came into the 
 Avorld to save sinners." 
 
 1 
 
THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE 
 
 TO j 
 
 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. ' 
 
My dear Friend, 
 
 In reply to your interesting communication of the 21st, 
 take the assurance, that to he instrumental in removing 
 the difficulty of which you complain, would artbrd me 
 unfeigned satisfaction. Laid aside from all active duty, 
 the heing ptrmitted to contribute in tlie least degree to 
 the elucidation or defence of truth, ought to, and 1 trust 
 will, be matter for gratitude to Him who in wisdom and 
 mercy orders all things for His own glory and our good. 
 To come at once to the point. The passage of your letter 
 to which you would have my attention directed is as 
 follows : — " That no such doctrine as Baptismal Regene- 
 ration* has place in that only Ride of faith ^ the inspired 
 
 * In my two sermons ou this subject (to which this letter might be 
 cousidered as supplemental), I have shown the sense in which the 
 Tractariaus employ this term, amply quoting from their writings to 
 justify the detiuition. They teach as follows. "'Every individual who 
 receives the rite of Baptism at the hands of a duly authorized (by 
 which they mean episcopal! 1/ ordained) minister, is Iherebij spiritually 
 regenerated ; when the water is sprinkled and the words uttered, the 
 baptized invariably becomes a lively member of Christ's mystical body, 
 and has no right to date his conversion from any other point of time, 
 whether before or after ; this being not only the certain means, but that 
 xcherehy alone the heavenly principle can be imj)lauted." AVhat a 
 tenet ! Surely the prince of darkness never suggested, and his victim, 
 man, never adopted an error more pernicious, a means better calculated 
 to ruin souls than this. The poor priestridden Papist, having surren- 
 dered his right to think, is compelled to believe a sacrament " the sure 
 and certain means of bringing grace into the soul ; " but the marvel 
 is that any one with an open Bible, common sense, and the power to 
 use it, should for an hour endure to be so grievously imposed on. And 
 it is still more surprising to find men in our scriptural church, hardy 
 enough or ignorant enough to preach that which is at once so outrage- 
 ously false — grossly insulting — and eminently destructive. To tell the 
 formal and the ungodly that they have been made " new creatures in 
 Christ Jesus," is like telling the sick man that he is well — the pauper 
 that he is rich — the negro that he is white : it is telling them that, 
 which powerful bribe as it is upon self-love, they will doubtless be very 
 ready to believe, and if equally ignorant, must lead to their perishing 
 " with a lie in their right hand." 
 
70 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 Word of God, I hold in common with almost every pro- 
 fessing Christian in this country; but that it is not found 
 in the baptismal services of our Church, does not seem to 
 me quite so manifest." Among the chief scriptural 
 grounds upon which you most properly reject this dogma, 
 I presume to be — because the sign may be received with- 
 out the thing signijied. Acts viii. J 8, — because the thing 
 signified may be received without the sign, Luke xxiii. 42, 
 43, — because the thing signified is required as pre- 
 paratory to the sign, Acts viii. 36, 37, — because it is 
 imparted through another raeans, 1 Peter i. 23, Ezekiel 
 xxxvii. 1 — 14, Romans x. 17- Quotations in support of 
 these and other reasons subversive of the error may, as 
 you are aware, be extended to almost any length, and 
 our Sixth Article calling upon us to believe 07ili/ what 
 the Bible reveals, you are amply justified both as a 
 Christian and a Churchman in renouncing Baptismal 
 Regeneration. 
 
 Now don't be startled at my asserting that the Church 
 of England protests as directly and decisively against this 
 invention of the priests as does the Word of God itself. 
 The statement may to you and some others appear 
 strong, but condemn it not as exaggerated until you 
 have examined the proof adduced in its support and 
 maintenance. Were it possible to substantiate this 
 charge so impudently and perseveringly alleged on the 
 part of Tractarians, and other Dissenters, it would at 
 once stamp our beloved Zion with the brand of an 
 heretical church, and render it incumbent upon all 
 Christian men to quit her communion. But, thank 
 God, it is not possible^ and you might just as easily prove 
 the sun's presence to be creative of darkness, and his 
 absence creative of light, as make good such an allega- 
 tion. My impression is, that your doubt as to our 
 orthodoxy on this point, has arisen from considering the 
 services (to which alone you allude) ajmrt frorn the 
 Articles. I suspect you are in some measure the victim 
 of a very common and a very successful manoeuvre of 
 the new sect, which is to withdraw attention from the 
 
BAPTISMAL RKGENliUATlO.V- 71 
 
 latter and fix it exclusively on the former. Like another 
 class of heretics who treat the Hil)lt' just as these do the 
 Prayer-hook, passing hy those texts which estahlish the 
 Godhead, they insist only upon sucli as prove the Man- 
 hood of our hlessed Redeemer. Did you ever know a 
 Socinian who upon the Deity of Christ fled not the 
 writings of St. John ? And did you ever meet with a 
 Tractarian who upon Baptismal Regeneration ran not 
 away from the Articles? They designate them "the 
 oftspring of an un-Catholic age," and the Prayer-hook 
 itself "a judgment on the Church :" I presume because 
 these scriptural Articles are within its covers, and culprits 
 you know are not commonly attached to their judge. 
 Heresy has ever owed its existence to some subtraction 
 from — some addition to — or some perversion of, the 
 Rule ; and it is well you should bear this in mind, since 
 the question here presents itself — lioio are we to deter- 
 mine wliat the Church of England teaches upon this 
 momentous point ? To what must we have recourse ? 
 Happily, this enquiry can be most satisfactorily answer- 
 ed. Whilst the ultimate appeal is to the Bible, the 
 standard by which all controversies among ourselves 
 upon points of doctrine mud be tested, the one only 
 legitimate criterion, is the Jrtlcles. They, and not the 
 services contain and exhibit the dogmatic, definite teach- 
 ing of our Church upon matters of faith. The doctrine 
 which from the days of the traitor Laud to those of the 
 apostate Newman, Jesuits, Romanizers, and hyper-High 
 Churchmen have attempted to foist upon the creed and 
 formularies of the Establishment, is, that every baptized 
 person is spiritually regenerated,* and that no person can 
 
 * The word •'"Regeneration" occurs but twice in the New Testa- 
 ment, and in both instances refers I apprehend rather to a change of 
 state than a change of nature. I liowevcr attach to the term the sense 
 ivitli which the usage of ages has invested it, and which it so well ex- 
 presses, viz. — the implantation of a new principle in the soul through 
 the Holy Spirit's inlluence, whereby is effected that radical change 
 which is essential to salvation ; the subject of it is made the partaker 
 of a new life ; the qualification for heaven is begun ; tlicre is a " new 
 man," " a new creature," " a heart of flesh," a participation of the 
 
72 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 be spiritually regenerated avIio has not been baptized !! 
 In examining this monstrous proposition, in defending and 
 clearing our Protestant and truly scriptural Church from 
 so grievous and unjust a charge, let us enquire 
 
 (1.) What is a Sacrament ?* 
 
 Let the Church of England answer. " An outward 
 and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, given, 
 &c." You perceive there are two parts, the external 
 and the internal — a heavenly gift under an earthly sym- 
 bol — a visible sign of an invisible grace. The outward 
 emblems are water, bread, and wine ; the inward graces 
 are, a death unto sin, a new birth unto righteous - 
 
 divine nature ; the image of God, lost at the fall, is re-stamped on the 
 soul ; the restoration to his likeness is commenced, and being a " Hfe 
 eternal," ■^\ill in eveiy individual instance go on to a perfect transfor- 
 mation. Old things pass away, all things become new ; the under- 
 standing is enlightened — the conscience is rectified — the will has a 
 heavenly bias given to it — the affections are purified aud set upon things 
 above — repentance, faith, and holiness become the never failing cha- 
 racteristics of him who is the happy subject of this gracious, new, and 
 almighty creation in Christ Jesus unto good works. Reader, have you 
 any experimental acquaintance with such a change as this ? If not — 
 the Bible tells you now, and judgment will tell you hereafter, that 
 your religion is vain, and your profession of Christianity either 
 delusion or hypocrisy. 
 
 * Tractarians and High Churchmen don't know. It is a point 
 upon which they evince the most deplorable ignorance ; wholly mis- 
 understanding its nature and design, the sacred rite is by these parties 
 perverted and degraded. They not only make the sign to involve the 
 thing signified, declare it to possess an intrinsic efficacy, and to stamp 
 a character ; but they assert its force to depend upon the administration 
 by one episcopalli/ ordained. According to their notions, the sacra- 
 ment is a kind of charm, the elements are invested with a magic 
 power, like the amulet, which Hindoo fable says and Hindoo minds 
 believe, is rendered preservative or remedial by the incantations of the 
 enchanter. Popery has been termed " Paganized Christianity ;" and 
 there is certainly a very striking resemblance between the creeds and 
 ceremonies of the Pagan, the Papist, and the Puseyite. By a little 
 mutual concession in a change of tiames, might they not merge their 
 diflferences and unite ? 
 
lUrnsMAL KEGENERATION. /3 
 
 ness, and the .strenj:;thuning Jind refreshing of our 
 souls. As water, hroad, and wine when taken or 
 applied, cleanse, refresh, and sustain the body; so 
 when received by faith do the body and blood of Ciirist, 
 and the operations of the Holy Ghost, justify, cleanse, 
 and sanctify the soul. Thus they refer to, and are ex- 
 pressive of, man's urironl need and (rod's f,'racious pro- 
 vision, the sinner's guilt and pollution, and the way in 
 which the one can be pardoned and the other removed. 
 "To administer a sacrament, is," says the Homily, ''by 
 the outward word and element to preach'^ to the receiver 
 the inward and spiritual grace of God ;" and neither this 
 nor any other preaching, nor any other means, can be 
 effectual unless •' mixed with faith in them that hear it." 
 The sign is received at the hands of the minister, the 
 substance conies from God, and comes to none but to 'His 
 believing people ; the condition is repentance and faith, 
 
 * 111 the "Word we are commanded to preach " Christ ;" but the 
 Oxford sect (commissioned by what authority I really cannot say) tell 
 us to " preach the Church," and lo " preach the Sacraments !" which 
 in both instances is nothin!? in the world else than preaching them- 
 selves ; for they maintain that the clergy alone compose the former, 
 and they clauu also to be the onlj/ dispensers of divine life in ad- 
 ministering the latter. That " holy Church," "holy Baptism," and 
 "the blessed Eucharist" should form the prominent subjects of their 
 discourses, cannot therefore surprise any one who knows self-love to 
 be among the most powerful of all principles : astonishment however 
 cannot but be created among thinking men that the hearers should 
 continue l)liud to that priestly aggrandizement, that " lording it over 
 God's heritage," at which these gentlemen are aiming. It is written 
 in lines of light upon the page of history, that an undue elevation of 
 the clei'gy loas never dissociated from the depression and vassalage of 
 the laity. And whether my countrymen w ill believe it loithout ex- 
 perience, or not, it is true, that far preferable is the condition of the 
 poor African beneath the gang driver's lash, to that of the man who 
 is the miserable victim of spiritual domination ; yes, almost incalcu- 
 lably less degraded and less a sufferer is he, whom the man-stealer 
 compels to toil through Hfe in chains of bondage, than the wretched 
 being who hears, and helplessly hears the imperative mandate of an 
 ecclesiastical tyrant, enjoining a sister, \vife, or daughter to whisper 
 in his licentious car every act, every word, and even (horril)ile dictu) 
 every thmiijht, in the fouJ, filthy, brutalizing confessional. 
 
74 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 and wherever that is iackinf]^, a reception of the rite is 
 worse than unprofitable, it is injurious, a privilege 
 abused, an intended blessing converted into a curse. A 
 sacrament then, is a representing or setting before our 
 minds spiritual things by sensible objects, and as the 
 body receives the sign, so does the 8oul (of the believer') 
 the thing signified, and the dead unregenerate unbeliev- 
 ing soul can no more become a partaker of the one part, 
 than can a dead body of the other. 1 Pet. iii. 21. 
 You will not fail to bear in mind that this description 
 applies equally to hotli sacraments, they being essentially 
 alike^ in nature the very same : so that were it possible, 
 which it is not, to prove the one in every case effica- 
 cious, the same arguments would infallibly prove the 
 same thing of the other ; if at the font the sign and the 
 thing signified are inseparably connected, then also at 
 the table the same is true ; if in every individual re- 
 ceiving the rite of baptism there is " a death unto sin 
 and a new birth unto righteousness," then too does 
 every individual partaking of the Lord's supper, ''feed 
 on Him in his heart by faith with thanksgiving:" the 
 evidence (if any could be adduced) which would estab- 
 lish the inward part of the earlier sacrament to be neces- 
 sarily allied to the outward, Avould certainly hold good 
 in the matter of the Lord's supper ; both are always 
 ''certain sure witnesses and effectual signs," or both are 
 not. Successfully to controvert this position is impossi- 
 ble, and all the subtlety and perversion of the Tractarian 
 sect cannot evade the argument which it involves, and 
 ■which of itself cuts up the untenable doctrine of Bap- 
 tismal Regeneration root and branch. 
 
 Baptism is called " A si(/u," which must of necessity 
 be distinct from the thing it symbolizes ; the map repre- 
 sents., but is not really the country. It is called also, "^ 
 seair We place such upon legal instruments, but they 
 are neither the deed nor the property conveyed by it, 
 and certainly cannot render valid an invalid title. So 
 here, the seal of the covenant of grace is not the 
 covenant of grace, and without faith in Christ the bene- 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 75 
 
 fits of that covenant can never bo realized, because there 
 is no title, and the merely apptndinjT a seal cannot give 
 one. It is likewise called " A witncas.'" The witness of 
 grace is not grace itself, but something wholly different. 
 In the character of a witness the rite affords evidence to 
 none but penitent believers, or it would be a false wit- 
 ness : and moreover its testimony being borne to things 
 spiritual would be unintelligible to those who have no 
 spiritual discernment. 1 Cor. ii. 14. It is called, too, 
 " A nif/fiierj/.'' That is, not open to the inspection of our 
 senses. This therefore refers not to the bare sign, but 
 to that inward and unseen grace of which the confiding 
 child of God becomes partaker in this as well as in the 
 other ordinances of religion. Having offered these few 
 remarks explanatory of the nature and design of a 
 sacrament, let us go on and see how plainly the Church 
 of England denies, and how effectively she throws from 
 her, the figment of Baptismal Regeneration. For this 
 purpose we inquire, 
 
 (2.) WUAT SAY THE ARTICLES? 
 
 I would again remind you that to them, and not to 
 the services, differing sentiments among Churchmen 
 must, in order to determine their orthodoxy or other- 
 wise, be brought. This is a fact so unquestionable that 
 no writer worth attending to will dispute it. They were 
 *' agreed upon in convocation for the avoiding diversities 
 of opinions, and for establishing consent touching true 
 religion." It is, they vihich. hxq authoritative^ s^nA "con- 
 tain the true doctrine of the Church of England agree- 
 able to God's "Word ;" and it is to them the " Declara- 
 tion" refers, " No man hereafter shall either print or 
 preach, to draw the article aside any icay, but shall sub- 
 mit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof; and 
 shall not put his own sense or comment to be the mean- 
 ing of the article, but shall take it in the literal and 
 grammatical sense." Now to this summary of Bible 
 doctrines, to these fixed laws of the Church of England, 
 
76 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 the Tractarian does not, and dares not come, and for a 
 sufficient reason ; they cover him with confusion, and 
 render his condemnation infallibly certain. What, my 
 friend, would be your opinion of the man who should 
 pretend to explain and decide upon British law without 
 an allusion to the statutes, or upon Jewish law without 
 a reference to the ten commandments ? you would 
 naturally and justly suspect that some imposition was 
 intended. Why do these gentlemen fight so shy of the 
 Articles ? We shall soon see. 
 
 Those which relate to the sacraments are the 25th and 
 five following. The first of these treats of hotli^ and the 
 concluding words of it are, " In mcli only as wortJdly re- 
 ceive the same they (the two) have a wholesome effect or 
 operation : but they that receive them (either of \kv^ two) 
 x/wworthily purchase to themselves damnation^ as St. 
 Paul saith." This is sound doctrine, because strictly in 
 accordance with Scripture, and the language is so ex- 
 press, explicit, and unequivocal, as to be perfectly deci- 
 sive of the question ; in its use our Church utterly 
 repudiates the false dogma against which I am contend- 
 ing, and effectually clears herself of the unmerited 
 stigma which the Oxford and other Dissenters dare at- 
 tempt to fasten upon her. If words have any determi- 
 nate meaning, she is not guilty of the vile heresy which 
 the partisans of Rome on the one hand, and certain 
 Nonconformist preachers on the other, allege against 
 her. The declaration of the articles is certainly true, 
 but were the error of Baptismal Regeneration true also, 
 then it would, and must follow, that an administration 
 of the same rite, at the same time, to the same person, 
 could benefit and injure — bless and curse — impart rege- 
 neration and damnation ! ! ! He who pretends to ex- 
 plain or reconcile such things deserves either a patent for 
 his ingenuity — reverence for his miracle — rebuke for his 
 presumption — or punishment for his fraud. 
 
 The 26th Article declares that the administration of 
 the sacraments by evil ministers does not render them 
 ineffectual to such as hy faith and rightly (rite) do receive 
 
BAPTISMAL RKGENERATION. 77 
 
 them. TNTiich clearly implies that either a want of faith 
 and proper state of mind on tlie part of the recipient, or 
 lack of administration aeeording to Christ's ordinance, 
 would reduce them to mere empty sij^ns. 
 
 The t27th Article treats but of one sacrament, baptism, 
 and teaches us that it is not rcfjeneration, but a "sign" 
 of it ; that unless received " rightly" (recte), i. e. by 
 repentance and faith, it does not really graft into the 
 Church, does not entitle to the promises of forgiveness 
 and adoption. And how is it possible that it should ? 
 The promises of God are indeed annexed to the sign or 
 symbol, but they are annexed conditionally ; they cannot 
 be made good, except to faith, in the absence of which 
 grace the rite is ineftectual. Baptism is the seal ap- 
 pended as it were to the letter from Heaven, the Word 
 of God, the Charter of life ; but where there is no 
 qualification, and no reliance upon the contents of that 
 Word, the impression is not received, no character is 
 legible, and to the unprepared and unbelieving no bles- 
 sing accrues. The next clause of this article says, "faith 
 is confirmed^ &c." You will not fail to notice that such 
 terms necessarily suppose the premous existence of these 
 graces in the soul, since yoa cannot add to nothing, you 
 cannot augment or increase that which has no being. 
 Here again the receiving it •"' rightly" is made alto- 
 gether to depend upon the person to whom it is ad- 
 ministered being a penitent believer. And it is observ- 
 able also that the gracious influences are 7iot said to be 
 increased by virtue of the sacrament, hut " by virtue of 
 prayer!' 
 
 Not to dwell. Let me beg of you diligently to read 
 these six articles, carefully weighing the terms " rightly," 
 "worthily," "with faith," "spiritual manner," "whole- 
 some effect," — and also — " unworthily," " void of a 
 lively faith," "in no Avise are they partakers," "pur- 
 chase to themselves damnation," — and also — " quicken," 
 {i.e. excite, stir up) "increase," "strengthen," "con- 
 firm," and surely you will reach the certain, and but for 
 prejudice unmistakable conclusion, that a reception of 
 
78 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 either sacrament may be a blessing or a curse, and which 
 it will be, entirely depending on the suitable or unsuit- 
 able state of the recipient's mind. 
 
 Before quitting the articles, allow me to direct your 
 attention for awhile to them generally, and more espe- 
 cially to the 13th and 17th. To my mind these two 
 supply an irrefragable argument, one in itself perfectly 
 conclusive against the doctrine in question.* Examine 
 them ; consider the great and important truths they in- 
 culcate ; their total incompatibility with Baptismal 
 Regeneration ; and you will admit that to suppose the 
 framers of them to have held such a dogma, is to suppose 
 them the veriest children in understanding, and the 
 veriest babes in theology : whereas we know them to 
 have been eminently distinguished as men of powerful 
 intellect — profound learning — extensive attainments — 
 solid scriptural divinity — and better than all, the 
 blessed subjects of that deep, devoted, heaven-implanted 
 piety, which enabled them to embrace with cheerfulness 
 the martyr's stake. And now 
 
 (3.) What says the Catechism ? 
 
 Although not the expressly appointed umpire for 
 settling controversy, and not therefore of equal authority 
 with the Articles, yet do the name and design of the 
 Catechism clearly show that it contains the very teach- 
 ing of our Church. The first answer declares baptism 
 to be '"'generally' necessary to salvation (i. <?., ''where 
 it may be had,") the Tractarian party make it ahcays so, 
 inasmuch as according to their creed there can be no 
 spiritual regeneration, and therefore no heaven, without 
 it. One might have supposed it sufficient to name the 
 thief on the cross, for if the opponents have not utterly 
 
 * The Rev. \V. Goode, recently presented to a valuable living by 
 the Archbishop of Canterbury, has, within the last year, enriched the 
 Church of Christ with an unanswerable work on this branch of the 
 subject. It has a very strong claim upon the attention of Christians, 
 and will be found amply to repay a diligent aud repeated perusal. 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 79 
 
 discarded all logic and common-sense, they must be con- 
 scious that the force of a " contradictory" is irresistible, 
 that this s'uKjIe instance therefore overthrows at once and 
 for ever the false tenet to wliich they so tenaciously ad- 
 here. With them too, nothing; is right, nothinr; valuable, 
 nothing; true, which cannot boast of its antiqnitt/ (upon 
 which principle, by the way, evert/thing must liave been 
 wrong at the hecjinmng) ; but they can hardly be ignorant 
 of the fact, that the early Church baptized but twice a 
 a year, thus evincing a total want of sympathy with 
 their Romanizing notions. The second clause of the 
 Catechism teaches the sacrament to be a not the means 
 of conveying spiritual grace ; it is one among many. 
 Proceed to the fifth answer, and it tells us what the 
 "inward and spiritual grace" is, viz., "a death unto sin 
 and a new birth unto righteousness." This language 
 has I believe been frequently misunderstood, a wrong 
 interpretation has been given to it, wrong ideas attached 
 to it, and the resulting evil has been more or less to 
 foster the error of Baptismal Regeneration. Some have 
 explained it to signify the first work of the Spirit on the 
 soul, the imparting of spiritual life, the implantation of 
 that new and holy principle which makes the subject of 
 it a living child of the living God. A comparison with 
 other parts of the Prayer-book will show that this is not 
 the meaning which our Reformers affixed to it, they 
 used the phrase in no such sense. As Christian men 
 they understood Rom. vi., and well knew that, although 
 on believing the sinner is entirely exonerated from the 
 (/uilt of sin, yet is the \sork gradual whereby he is freed 
 from its power. Justification is instantaneous, sanctifi- 
 cation progressive. There is in the use of means and 
 ordinances a crucifying process. The old nature is daily 
 mortified, the new fostered. There is a dying to the 
 world and living to Christ. The old man waxes weaker 
 and weaker, the new stronger and stronger. Every act 
 of repentance is " a death unto sin," every act of faith 
 " a new birth unto righteousness." Tiie real believer 
 grows in grace, and in the knowledge of his Lord and 
 
80 
 
 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 SaTiour. That we are so to understand the passage of 
 the Catechism now under consideration is evident from 
 the baptismal service for adults — " merciful God, 
 grant that the old Adam in these persons may be so 
 buried, that the new man may be raised up in them, 
 that all carnal affections may die in them, and that all 
 things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in 
 them." " As Christ died, and rose again for us ; so 
 should we who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again 
 unto righteousness ; continually mortifying all our evil 
 and corrupt aifections, and daily proceeding in all virtue 
 and godliness of living." In the burial service, the 
 Christian mourners around the grave, pray, " "VVe meekly 
 beseech Thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of 
 sin, unto the life of righteousness." You can refer to 
 several other parts of the Prayer-book in confirmation of 
 the fact that this inward grace of the sacrament does not 
 mean the first operation of grace upon the soul, but 
 rather a repeated vouch safement of the same ; it is not 
 the " Semel regeneratus," but the " Sape renovatus," 
 it is not the new creation in Christ Jesus, hut that which 
 " increases, strengthens, and confirms." You learn also 
 in this clause that it is 7iot by the " sign," but " hereby," 
 i. e. by repentance and faith we are made the children 
 of God. The next sentence is highly important : not 
 merely as confirming the view we have taken of the 
 " death unto sin, and the new birth unto righteousness," 
 but as distinctly stating that "repentance and faith" 
 must precede the baptism which is efi*ectual and a sure 
 witness. Without these graces none can receive a com- 
 plete sacrament, i. e. the two parts ; the " sign" they 
 may, but not " the thing signified," lacking as such un- 
 converted persons do, the essential qualification. The 
 Israelites were the people of God before they passed 
 through the Red Sea, and you were a man before you 
 were an Englishman. It is with the other sacrament 
 exactly as with this, in order to a beneficial reception 
 such as partake must "repent them truly of their former 
 sins," and " have a lively faith in God's mercy through 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 81 
 
 Christ." How striking the coincidence, how beautiful 
 the harmony between the Articles and Catechism of our 
 Church, and liow perfect the agreement between them 
 and the eternal Word ! Some have been perplexed and 
 led to think there arc other parts of our Prayer-book 
 inculcating a difterent and less scriptural view of this 
 matter. And this brings us to enquire, 
 
 (4.) What say the Services ? 
 
 I pretend not to deny that at first sight there does 
 appear to be some discrepancy between the Articles 
 and Catechism on the one hand, and the Baptismal 
 Services ou the other ; but it is only at first sight. Let 
 prejudice^ that feature of weakness and extinguisher of 
 light be banished, and the more strict is the scrutiny, 
 the closer the examination, the more perfectly reconcil- 
 able will they appear. J beg however to be distinctly 
 understood in repeating, that were it capable of demon- 
 stration that the Services imply this doctrine, still it 
 would not be the doctrine of the Church of England, 
 inasmuch as the Articles which present the criterion 
 whereby the soundness or unsoundness of such a point 
 is to be ascertained, flatly contradict it, and in the event 
 of a collision, to them the services must give way. Of 
 their coming into hostile contact we need not be appre- 
 hensive , for whilst interpreted upon the principles of 
 the fifteen-year-old scheme of Oxford, the Prayer-book 
 must appear among the most perplexing and inconsistent 
 publications that ever issued from the press ; let it only 
 be explained upon the principles of the Reformation, 
 and the proportions are admirably harmonious through- 
 out. 
 
 Although the difficulty you complain of, is, I ap- 
 prehend more immediately connected with the service 
 appointed for Infants, yet an observation or two on that 
 for Adults will not be out of place. You notice its 
 exact conformity to the Articles and Catechism in de- 
 manding that the candidates be found " fit," i. e. having 
 
82 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 repentance and faith before being allowed to partake of 
 the rite ; and I need not inform you or any true believer 
 that spiritual regeneration miist of absolute iiecessity pre- 
 cede not only these two but every other Christian grace, 
 just as vitality must precede the acts of life, or cause be 
 anterior to effect. Now the address and two first 
 petitions are the same as for the infant, wherein prayer 
 is offered that these persons, described as " truly repent- 
 ing and coming unto Him by faith" " may receive 
 remission of sins by spiritual regeneration." How is 
 this to be understood, since no man can be either re- 
 generated or justified more than once ? There are two 
 ways in which I think the difficulty may be solved. 
 Individuals ai-e received into the Church, not upon the 
 ground of what they really are (that being known only 
 to the Heart-searcher and themselves) but upon what 
 they profess to be : they may therefore be the victims of 
 delusion, or they may be hypocrites, self-deceivers, or 
 impostors. Under such circumstances who can object 
 to the course here taken, to the additional secuiity which 
 the Church provides against their coming in an unpre- 
 pared state ? Surely the cautionary proceeding must be 
 approved of by all those who are conscious of human 
 responsibility. But most probably the compilers of the 
 form used the terms in the sense of " a death unto sin 
 and a new birth unto righteousness" as already explained, 
 for we find them praymg that the " fulness" of God's 
 grace may be therein granted. They are not pronounced 
 to be regenerate until the ceremony has been performed, 
 and for a sufficient reason, the Church could not ac- 
 knowledge them, before admission within her pale, when 
 she publishes the fact. St. Paul was pardoned on be- 
 lieving, but that he was a regenerate and penitent sin- 
 ner, and that his sins were washed away was not declared 
 until by baptism he " put on Christ," joined the Church, 
 and thereby openly avowed his new character : he was 
 not united to the visible community that he might become 
 a Christian, but to develop and manifest that he was 
 one. The correct translation of Acts ii. 47, is, " The 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 83 
 
 Lord added them that were saved daily to the Church." 
 They >verc enlisted brfore they put on the rej^imentals, 
 just as you had life before you had birth, and Abraham 
 was a believer before he was circumcised. 
 
 We will now proceed to the formulary for the intro- 
 duction of Infants to the Cliurch visible. Neither this 
 nor any other of our Liturfjies was drawn up for the 
 profane or the hypocritical; nor were they ever intended 
 for cold, heartless, self-satisfied formalists ; and as little 
 do they suit the deluded votary of superstition, whose 
 religion consists mainly of priests, altars, Church archi- 
 tecture, crosses, pictures, painted glass, sing song in- 
 tonings, bowings, genuflexions, and other grimaces. 
 No : they are not adapted to the Pagan system of Rome, 
 nor to that harlot's little sister, ycleped Tractarianism ; 
 but they exactly meet the requirements of the spiritual, 
 holy, practical, self-denying believer in Jesus Christ. 
 You will agree with me that such a one, the real Christ- 
 ian may well be termed " the highest style of man." 
 As his prospects are more brilhant, so are his motives 
 more lofty, and his objects more noble than the princes 
 of this world ever contemplated. " Born not of blood, 
 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
 of God." The grace-adopted son of the King of kings 
 — the blood-bought child of a Heavenly Father, his guilt 
 washed away and his person accepted through the 
 righteousness of his Redeeming Lord — sanctified, led, 
 and comforted by the Holy Ghost — anticipating that 
 blessed and eternal future when his every faculty and 
 sense will be absorbed in unutterable delight — is it any 
 wonder that he should be carried fiir above all that is 
 called great and all that is called little in this earthly 
 scene — is it matter for surprise, that animated by love 
 to God and love to man his chief ends should be, the 
 manifestation of Jehovah's glory and the salvation of his 
 fellow sinners ? Such a one knows and has felt sin to 
 be a bitter and an evil thing — knows that it leads direct 
 to irremediable ruin, to everlasting wretchedness — but 
 he knows also that a way of escape has been opened, an 
 
84 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 abundant remedy provided, that Christ has died and sin- 
 ners may live. Heartfelt compassion for the misery of 
 his race is therefore mingled with the cheering hope 
 that they may be rescued — with the consciousness that 
 every brand snatched from the burning diminishes the 
 kingdom of Satan and augments the kingdom of Christ, 
 a decrease of eternal misery, an increase of eternal hap- 
 piness — I ask you, will not the man imbued with such 
 knowledge, principles, motives and desires, be deeply 
 solicitous, and from his heart offer the prayer of con- 
 fiding and expecting faith in behalf of the young im- 
 mortal about to be united to the visible Church ? Can 
 you for a moment doubt it ? Now be it observed that 
 the Baptismal, as well as every other service of our 
 Church vi2is formed for the use of such characters as this ; 
 the congregation, it is assumed, are what they profess 
 to be, the saved and sanctified followers of the Lamb. 
 
 Next let me request you to consider the circumstances 
 of the Infant about to be " received into the congrega- 
 tion of Christ's flock." That it is capable of grace can- 
 not be denied, since Jeremiah and the Baptist were 
 sanctified in the womb. You remember also the de- 
 claration that it is not the will of their Heavenly Father 
 that one of these little ones should perish. Accordingly 
 the Saviour desired that they might be brought to Him, 
 asserting that of such is the Kingdom of God. You 
 must also consider that as the ofl'spring of those profess- 
 ing themselves to be penitent believers, they are already 
 in the covenant. Gen. xvii. 10, Acts ii. 38, 39, con- 
 sidered throughout scripture as in and part of their 
 parents, pronounced in 1 Cor. vii. 14, to the " holy." 
 Consult Gen. xvii. 14, Gal. v. 3. It is children thus 
 circumstanced, thus entitled, having these rights, whom 
 our Church invites into the congregation and applies to 
 them the seal of the covenant. 
 
 And now will you read attentively the scriptural form 
 of administration which the Prayer-book presents ; and 
 supposing your mind to be divested of that blinding, 
 darkening thing, prejudice, my firm persuasion is that you 
 
HAPTISMAL REX3ENERATI0N. 85 
 
 will fully acquit our Church of teaching the false doc- 
 trine of Baptismal Regeneration. You will notice that 
 tlic earnest petition is grounded on the " bounteous 
 mercy" of God as revealed in Christ, and moreover that 
 it is a spiritital blessing which is sought and therefore 
 cannot but be in accordance with the will of Jlim who 
 desireth not the death of a sinner. You will observe 
 also, that the hope and expectation are made to rest 
 only upon his *' great and precious promises ;" " ask, 
 and ye shall have, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it 
 shall be opened unto you," " what things soever ye de- 
 sire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye 
 shall have them." See also, Jno. xvi. 23, 24. The 
 congregation are urgently called upon to exercise faith 
 in these promises, " earnestly to believe" that their 
 prayer will be heard and answered in behalf of the one 
 to be baptized ; *' If tuo of you shall agree on earth as 
 touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done 
 for them of my Father which is in Heaven." " All 
 things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye 
 shall receive." See also Heb. xi. where you find the 
 promises are to be " obtained through faith." The 
 assembled Christians are also strongly warned not to 
 doubt : called upon to " ask in faith, nothing wavering,'' 
 since " without faith it is impossible to please God." 
 See James i. 6, 7, Rom. iv. 20 — 22. Again, can any- 
 thing be more vivid, appropriate, and scriptural than the 
 language of prayer selected in this service ? And what 
 is more influential ? " The efifectual fervent prayer of a 
 righteous man availeth much," it moves the hand that 
 moves the world ; and Matt. xv. 22 — 28, decides that 
 such intercession wdll not be in vain. Assuming that 
 the prayer of faith has been offered by the Minister, 
 Parents, Sponsors, and Congregation, and assured that 
 God will perform His part of the Covenant, the child is 
 now required to promise through the sureties (who 
 answer in its name) repentance, faith, and a renuncia- 
 tion of the Avorld, which on reaching a proper age it is 
 bound to perform. And if the petitions in its behalf 
 
86 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 have been presented at a throne of grace in humility, sin- 
 cerity, earnestness, and faith, (as the Church supposes and 
 bound to suppose) there is no doubt but that these 
 graces will, *'in due season" appear, as fruits of the 
 seed now sown by the Holy Ghost, and obtained " by 
 virtue of prayer." Gal. iv. 19. The Child is theu bap- 
 tized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 and the declaration follows that it is regenerate, accom- 
 panied by " hearty thanks to our most merciful Father" 
 for having granted the blessing.* And here I presume 
 is your difficulty. This is what stumbles you. The 
 question is, ought it to do so ? Does it not admit of an 
 easy solution ? I think it does. Viewed (as in fairness 
 it must be) with the positive declaration of the Articles 
 that a person may receive this sacrament to his damna- 
 tion, and the p7'erequisites of repentance and faith taught 
 in the Catechism and insisted upon here being also 
 considered, I conceive it impossible to attach a wider or 
 fuller meaning to this language of the service, than the 
 charitable hope which under the circumstances faith is 
 amply justified in entertaining. Considering the infant's 
 
 * Take the following illustration. Suppose a King about to levy 
 an army. He requires those who euter his service to have certain 
 qualificatious ; say, loyalty, courage, and obedience. They are pre- 
 sented by their friends on a certain day for admission, and then and 
 there in the presence of aud before all, declare themselves to be 
 characterized as above. Ou this profession of their principles, they 
 are enlisted, the King promises, on condition of their being ime men, 
 to confer ou them the great benefit of being victors in the combat. 
 "Whether they are true men or not can and will only be known to 
 others in the approaching campaign, the future fields of fight must 
 decide that as yet doubtful point. Now the question is, were the 
 friends of these recruits, well knowing the King never to have 
 failed in his promise, were they wrong iu thanking liim for 
 the benefit? And were they also wrong in giving those they pre- 
 sented credit for sincerity ? Could they have done otherwise without 
 grossly insulting both parties, the Kiug and their newly enlisted 
 friend ? Study well our baptismal aud other services, keeping this iu 
 view : and remembering too, that the high Church notion is, that a 
 disloyal, disobedient, undisciplined dastard, receives the benefit iu 
 common with the right principled, orderly, patriotic, aud undaunted 
 
 I 
 
BAPTISMAL REQENERATKJN. 87 
 
 abiliti/ to profit by and rlijkt to recoive the Siicramont, 
 supposing the congregation to be Avhat tliey profess to 
 be, Christians — supposing therefore the promises of God 
 to have been pleaded in believing prayer — assured that 
 such prayers will be answered — and having the profession 
 and promise of repentance and faith, I assert tliat so far 
 from its being presumptuous to believe the blessing grant- 
 ed, it would be presumptuous to doubt it. Nothing more 
 is involved than a reliance upon the promises of God, 
 and a belief in the efficacy or -virtue of prayer. Still 
 however must it be borne in mind that the language of 
 the Articles is absolute^ this of the service, contingent — 
 that is positive, this is incidental — the one states an un- 
 questionable fact, the other expresses only a Christian 
 hope — that baptism may be received unworthily is cer- 
 tain^ who they are that receive it worthily is uncertain^ 
 that depending upon the qualifications of the baptized, 
 which cannot be known, since the heart cannot be read; 
 the sacraments are administered upon a declaration of 
 fitness on the recipient's part, and not upon a positive 
 knowledge of that fitness on the part of him who minis- 
 ters the rite. 
 
 Were we conversing upon this subject, I think it 
 probable that you would raise some such objection as 
 the follomng. " Fully agreeing with you that if the 
 statement in the service of the child being regenerate is 
 to be understood as absolute^ it must stand in direct and 
 irreconcilable opposition to the articles and other parts 
 of the Prayer-book; whereas if understood as contingent, 
 expressive of the charitable hope which faith cannot but 
 entertain, all is consistent and harmonious ; still there is 
 to my mind a very considerable difficulty connected with 
 even the latter interpretation, and it is this — if in only 
 the majority of the baptized, regenerating grace had 
 been given in answer to the prayers of the congregation, 
 in all which cases a beneficial reception of the rite " a 
 death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness" must 
 have resulted from their having been duly prepared — 
 how comes it to pass, that not one in one hundred of 
 
88 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 these persons exhibits in their after lives a tittle of 
 evidence to prove their claim to Christianity valid? 
 The doctrine of final perseverance so clearly laid down 
 in the 17th Article adds ten-fold force to this objection." 
 I reply — " Every formulary of every Church in the 
 world, every hymn sung in the dissenting meeting, is 
 framed upon the principle that those assembled really 
 are what they declare they are, Christians ; by this rule 
 public worship must, and by no other rule can it, be 
 conducted. From lack of discipline and other causes, 
 true believers among us are rarities, great rarities, faith 
 seems hardly to be found upon earth. No penalty 
 attaches to, no persecution follows, no trial awaits the 
 confession of Christ, on the contrary it rather adds to a 
 man's respectability and promotes his worldly interests. 
 "What therefore do we \vitness ? Exactly what might 
 have been expected ; to say nothing of the christened 
 reprobates who set common decency at defiance, the 
 Church is almost overrun with careless indifferentism, 
 cold formality, rampant worldliness, " and superstitious 
 observances : and if this may be said of perhaps the 
 purest Church in Christendom, what must be the con- 
 dition of the others ! You cannot be surprised that 
 under such circumstances a sacrament should prove a 
 mere empty sign ; to expect a blessing will be granted 
 where no such thing is really desired, its very character 
 perhaps unknown, where no faith is exercised, and no 
 heart-felt prayer offered, would argue ignorance gross as 
 that of a heathen." Are you ready to say — '^ Then the 
 liturgies of the different Churches are not suited to the 
 circumstances of the people, and ought to be altered." 
 It is sufficient to answer. — '* It cannot be our duty to 
 reduce the standard to the practice^ on the contrary we 
 must attempt to elevate the latter to the former. More- 
 over to talk of constituting a Church for unbelievers, is 
 (excuse me) to talk nonsense. 
 
 But upon the doctrine we are combating, we have still 
 to enquire. 
 
baptismal regeneration. 89 
 
 (5.) What say the Reformers ? 
 
 If in the perusal of a book you found a mistiness of 
 phraseolof^y, such as a term employed liavin^' more than 
 one sense, and not defined ; you would naturally have 
 recourse to any other work of the author in which he 
 was reputed to have dealt with the subject in a style 
 more clear and explicit, and you would get at his mean- 
 ing by interpreting the more obscure by the more 
 perspicuous statements. We are indebted to those en- 
 lightened and devoted men, the martyred and murdered 
 Reformers, for that incomparable Prayer-book which 
 Cranmer and Ridley had the chief hand in compiling. 
 I have already shewn that a fair comparison of its 
 difterent parts eifectually repels the charge of heresy 
 which the two extremes, /. e. those who have a church 
 without a religion, and those who have a religion with- 
 out a church, allege against our Zion, that the testimony 
 of the formularies against Baptismal Regeneration is 
 direct and indisputable ; for even admitting that there 
 is somewhat of ambiguity in the services, when con- 
 sidered apart and alone, yet a reference to the articles 
 and catechism at once removes it. It will however be 
 confirmatory to cite a few passages from their other 
 writings, and as authors must know their ovm. meaning 
 best, let them interpret their own language. 
 
 " Therefore, as in baptism, those that come feignedly, 
 and those that come unfeignedly, both be washed with 
 the sacramental water, but both be not loasJiecl lo'ith the 
 liohj Ghost, and clothed with Christ .- so in the Lord's 
 supper, &c." — Archbishop Cranmer. 
 
 " Sacraments do bear the names of the things whereof 
 they be sacraments, both in baptism^ and the Lord's 
 table ; even as we call every Good Friday, the day of 
 Christ's passion : when in very deed there was but one 
 day wherein he suffered." — Bishop Ridley. 
 
 " Christ saith ' except a man be born again from 
 above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' He must 
 have a regeneration, and what is this regeneration ? 
 
90 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 It is not to be christened in water as these firebrands 
 (the Papists,) expound it, and nothing else. By the 
 word of God preached and opened, thus cometh in our 
 new birth." — Bishop Latimer. 
 
 " External baptism was but an inauguration or external 
 consecration of those th.-<\X first believed and were cleansed 
 of their sins" — Bishop Hooper. 
 
 " The grace of God is not tied to any sacraments ; 
 God is alile to work salvation with and without them. 
 St. Augustine saith, ' ye are clean through the loord, not 
 through baptism, take away the word, and what is the 
 water more than water ? ' To ascribe remission of sin, 
 which is the inward work of the Holy Ghost, unto a7iy 
 outward action whatever, is a superstitious^ a gross^ and 
 a Jewish error." — Bishop Jeavell. 
 
 " Are all they that are partakers of the outward 
 wfisliing of baptism, partakers also of the inward wash- 
 ing of the Spirit ? Surely no'' — Archbishop Usher. 
 
 " It is a certain and true doctrine of all such as pro- 
 fess the Gospel, that tlie outward signs of the sacrament 
 do not contain in them grace ; neither yet that the grace 
 of God is of necessity tied unto them." — Archbishop 
 Whitgift. 
 
 " It is not the water, but the faith : not the puttina* 
 away the filth of the flesh, but the stipulation of a good 
 conscience ; for who takes baptism without a full faith, 
 takes the water, takes not the spirit. That spirit which 
 works by means will not be tied to means." — Bishop 
 Hall. 
 
 " We, of the Church of England, in opposition to the 
 Church of Rome, look on all sacramental actions as ac- 
 ceptable to God, only with regard to the temper and 
 inward acts of the persons to whom they are applied." — 
 Bishop Burnet. 
 
 " The sacraments are not physical, but moral instru- 
 ments of salvation, which unless we perform as the 
 author of grace requires, they are uuprofitable ; for all 
 receive not the grace of God, which receive the sacra- 
 ments of his grace." — Hooker. 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 01 
 
 *' Sacraments are neither empty signs to thou I hat he- 
 lievi\ nor cftcctuul causes oF grace to them that believe 
 not." — AuciimsHop Lkkmiton. 
 
 Tlie present Bishop of Lincoln in reference to adult 
 candidates, thus writes, " Sacraments according to our 
 Church, are not empty signs, but effectually convey the 
 grace which they signify, provided that there be on our 
 part a incetuess to receive it. For they do not act 
 mechanically on the soul : they produce ?wt their effect, 
 unless there be a concurreuce of the will.'' 
 
 It is unnecessary to quote farther. I will however 
 just give you a list of the authorities cited in a work 
 dedicated to the Arch])ishop of Canterbury, by that able 
 and excellent man the late Rev. T. T. Biddulph, of 
 Bristol : being strictures on a publication of Dr. Mant, 
 who vainly attempted, some thirty years since to fasten 
 this untenable and delusive doctrine upon the Word of 
 God, and the Church of England. You will readily 
 acknowledge them to be among the greatest scholars, 
 the soundest theologians, and the most brilliant writers 
 Avhich this or any other country ever produced ; and on 
 a reference you will find them bearing their united, 
 powerful, and overwhelming testimony against Bap- 
 tismal Regeneration. — Five Archbishops. — Cranmer, — 
 Usher, — Leightou, — Tillotson, — and Seeker. Twenty • 
 four Bishops. — Latimer, — Ridley, — Hooper, — Jewell, — 
 Andrews, — Davenant, — Hall, — Taylor, — Reynolds, — 
 Pearson, — Hopkins, — Kidder, — Beveridge, — Bull, — 
 Williams, — Burnet, — Fleetwood, — Bradford, — Mann, 
 — Wilson, — Sherlock, — Greene, — Law, — and Horsley. 
 The following Twenty-three celebrated Divines. — Frith, 
 — Tindal, — Turner, — Fulke, — Hooker, — Noel,-- Rogers, 
 — Mede, author of the Whole Duty of Man, — Barrow, 
 — Scougal, — Kettlewel],—AYall,— Woodward,— Burkitt, 
 Nelson, — South, — AVhitby, — Ostervald, — Stebbing, — 
 Rotherham, — Stonhoiise, — and Paiey. Mr. Biddulph 
 has also given passages from about thirty of the pub- 
 lications adopted by ''■ I'he Christian Knoivledfje Society, ^^ 
 equally subversive of this figment. 
 
92 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 You need not to be informed that the above list may 
 be greatly extended ; and perhaps too you are aware 
 of the reply which the hyper- High-Church an d Tracta- 
 rian party consider sufficient to neutralize such satisfac- 
 tory and crushing evidence. They say, " The passages 
 you have adduced to overthrow Baptismal Regeneration, 
 are not more decisive than w'e can adduce from many of 
 these writers to establish it." That no two views upon 
 this, or any other subject, can be more diametrically op- 
 posed,* than that held by the new sect on the one hand, 
 and that held by sound Evangelical Churchmen and all 
 Orthodox Christians on the other, cannot be disputed ; 
 that it is a question of such moment as to render an ex- 
 aggeration of its importance almost impossible, is also a 
 fact ; if then it were capable of proof, that the Re- 
 formers and eminent v/riters of our Church maintained 
 both, the same proof would establish the position that 
 they were lamentably defective either in ability or in- 
 tegrity, neither of Avhich qualities were ever denied 
 them even by enemies. And that they did not teach 
 this heretical tenet, that the charge is false and calum- 
 nious^ they know best, who best know their works ; 
 either as true or as theirs, this doctrine can only be im- 
 posed on such as trouble not themselves to investigate, 
 and consider it pains thrown away to think ; it is the 
 ignorant and ill-informed who become the easy dupes of 
 every impudent impostor. By omissions and dislocated 
 quotations the false brethren pretend to make the author- 
 ities speak for or with them, and the infidel does the 
 same by the Bible, when he writes " there is no God," 
 " go and sin." To ascertain with accuracy and fairness 
 
 * The one graud difference is, that whilst the heretical parties baptize 
 in order to make men Christians, the Cliurch of Christ baptizes to mani- 
 fest tliat they are snch. And this, not less in the case of infant tlian 
 adult baptism. Repentance and faith are equally insisted upon as prere- 
 quisites in both classes of candidates ; and were it otherwise, there would 
 in reality be two sacraments, one demanding qualifications, the other not. 
 And supposing for the sake of consistency, the Eucharist to be also thus 
 multiplied, why we should be more tlian lialf way to Rome. Which 
 Church, by the way, altliough she has seven things wliich she calls sacra- 
 ments, has no scriptural sacrament wliatever. 
 
BA1»TISMAL UEOKNERATION. 93 
 
 the sentiments of any person or cla.ss, we must compare 
 one part of their writings with another, and Iiave no- 
 tliing to do with any shufHlnL,% (|uib]>Hnp^, or equivocatinf; 
 whatsoever. Now, the following paraf^raph (which I 
 undertake to say, no Tractarian ever referred to or cited), 
 from the preface to Cranmcr's Discussion with that 
 wretched man the Bishop of Winchester, is sintrularly 
 valuable as shovvinj^ the dilf'erent senses in which the 
 Reformers and Christians of the previous ages spoke of 
 a sacrament, and it clears them in a most satisfactory 
 manner of even the appearance ot inconsistency : — 
 
 " I think it good, gentle reader, liere in the beginning, 
 to admonish thee of certain words and kinds of speeches, 
 which I do use sometimes in this mine answer to the 
 Bishop of Winchester's book, lest in mistaking thou do 
 as it were stumble at them. First, this word " sacra- 
 ment," I do sometimes use (as it is many times taken 
 among Avriters and holy doctors), for the sacramental 
 bread, water, or wine : as when they say, that sacra- 
 mentum est sacrce rei signum. " a sacrament is the sign 
 of an holy thing." But where I use to speak some- 
 times (as the old authors do), that Christ is in the 
 sacraments, I mean the same as they did understand the 
 matter ; that is to say, not of Christ's carnal presence in 
 the outw^ard sacrament, but sometimes of his sacramental 
 presence. And sometimes by this word " sacrament" I 
 mean the whole ministration and receiving of the sacra- 
 ments, either of baptism, or of the Lord's supper : and 
 so the old writers many times do say, that Christ and the 
 Holy Ghost be present in the sacraments ; not meaning 
 by that manner of speech, that Christ and the Holy 
 Ghost be present in the water, bread, or wine, (which 
 be only the outward visible sacraments), but that in the 
 due ministration of the sacraments according to Christ's 
 ordinance and institution, Christ and his Holy Spirit be 
 truly and indeed present by their mighty and sanctifying 
 power, virtue, and grace, in all them that worthily re- 
 ceive the same." 
 
 You observe he sometimes speaks only of the sign. 
 
94 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 i. e., water, sometimes of the sacrament Jis employed for 
 the " 20kole administration^' i. e., the two parts the 
 water and the grace ; so does St. Peter speak of it, 
 1 Peter iii. 21, and the Archbishop adds, that the thing 
 signified accompanies the sign onli/ to the worthy reci- 
 pient. The above passage is very important, not only 
 as explanatory of the language used by Cranmer and his 
 contemporaries, and thereby repelling any insidious 
 attempts to screw Baptismal Regeneration out of their 
 sentences, but also as showing us that " the old authors," 
 are to be understood in the same way ; and that the best 
 of them diftered in toto from the modern heretics, it 
 would, -were this the fitting place, be easy to prove.* 
 
 Your letter, my dear friend, expresses the conviction 
 that this doctrine has no place in the Word of God ; 
 the limits within which this correspondence must be 
 confined, prohibit my entering more at large into the 
 proof that neither has it place in the Church of Eng- 
 land. Enough however has I trust been said to set you 
 upon examining and reflecting ; and if so, there is not 
 in my mind the shadow of a doubt but that you will rise 
 from the investigation, equally convinced that so far 
 from sanctioning, she distinctly repudiates it. The case 
 then stands thus, not a single text of Scripture can be 
 produced to prove the dogma — it is not, it never has 
 been, and it never will be, recognised by any Christian 
 community on Earth — the history of Christendom — the 
 facts of a iiundred generations — the experience of man- 
 kind — all authority that is valid — all testimony that 
 can be relied on — whatever has the nature of evidence 
 and argument — conspire to demonstrate it false, and 
 pronounce it delusive. 
 
 Are you ready to ask, who does or can really believe 
 this doctrine ? The so called religious system of the 
 Prince of Italy embodies it most fully : and surely the 
 intelligent Christian will at once acknowledge this fact 
 
 * There are now before me the European confessions of faith ; I shall 
 not quote, but rather refer you to the Rev. Peter ilall's edition, for proof 
 that they too are unanimous in the condemnation of tliis dangerous deceit. 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 95 
 
 alone to afFonl ample {ground for !K'sit;ition and dou!>t as 
 to its truth, considerinf^, as he will, the mountainous 
 errors, and frightful enormities which the '' man of sin" 
 maintains in conjunction therewith. That the battle of 
 the Reformation is to be fou<;ht over again,^ that the 
 Prince of Light under the banner of Protestantism, is 
 about to enter upon a tremendous conflict with the 
 Prince of Darkness beneath the standard of the Papacy, 
 is now manifest even to the undiscerning : and as tlie 
 error I have been combating stands immediately con- 
 nected with the " Apostacy," I sliall not close this 
 letter without briefly adverting to a few of the Doctrines 
 and Practices of that idolatrous Church. 
 
 Papists have five Perso)is in the Godhead. Boniface 
 the 8 th writes, " Christ took Peter (of whom the Popes 
 pretend to be the successors), into the partnership of the 
 undivided Trinity 1" The Virgin is, in the breviary, 
 termed the " Queen of Heaven." And on some of their 
 Churches (one in Rome), is written, " Sacred to Mary, 
 equal to God the Father !" One of their great authors, 
 and a saint, (saint!!) says, "Those whom the Son's 
 justice might condemn, the mercy of the Mother fre- 
 Cjuently delivers ! ! ! " However awful, it is no marvel, 
 that they who have multiplied two sacraments into 
 seven, should multiply three Persons into five. The 
 Papal Supremaci/. This is a fiction of the seventh cen- 
 tury, and has resulted in fraud, violence, bloodshed, and 
 blasphemy; a supremacy of wickedness. The Pope 
 claims to be universal Bishop — head of the Church — 
 pretends to pardon sin — like another Herod, is addressed 
 as the Deity and worshipped. Thus demonstrating him- 
 self to be " the man of sin," who " exalts himself above 
 all that is called God." He also pretends to be In- 
 fallible. Exempt from the possibility of error. " Never 
 erred, never erreth, never can err." Bellarmine says, 
 " If the Pope should err in commanding vices and for- 
 bidding virtues, the Church would be bound to believe 
 that vices are good and virtues evil, unless she wished to 
 sin against conscience I !" A mistake into which we 
 
96 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 may presume he has fallen at times, since a blacker 
 catalogue of ruffians, a list of more degraded miscreants, 
 than can be selected from among their Holinesses 
 (Wickednesses) the annals of mankind fail to give. 
 Another Romish doctrine is Transubstantiation. " A 
 Monster," mocking at all Scripture, reason, common 
 sense, and decency. That man can make God vnW be 
 received only by those " whose faith is credulity, and 
 whose creduhty is faith." It is infinitely absurd. Pur- 
 gatory. By far the most successful scheme ever invented 
 for picking men's pockets in this world, and filching 
 them out of their souls in the next. It has been well 
 defined by one of their own priests, to be " a bill drawn 
 upon another world, for cash paid in this, without any 
 chance of such bills returning protested." How is it 
 that men do not open their eyes to the fact, that pur- 
 gatory, indulgences, and their infamous concomitants, 
 unite to exhibit " the greatest insult ever offered to 
 God, and the grossest fraud ever practised upon man." 
 How can they be so befooled as to believe that " the 
 gift of God can be purchased mth money !" And how 
 is it that they are so blind as not to read the infamous 
 character of a priesthood, who refuse by humming 
 masses to deliver the departed and heloved (!!!!) mem- 
 bers of their flocks from the scorching flame, until paid 
 for it ! f I might lay before you Rome's many medi- 
 ators — Invocation of Saints — Worship of Images — 
 Sacrifice of the Mass — Withholding the Scriptures — Un- 
 written traditions — Baptismal Regeneration — Extreme 
 Unction — Prayers for the dead, &c., &c. But observe 
 one or two of her Practices. There is Persecution, which 
 makes it a virtue on the part of that meek, mild, merci- 
 ful pagan — titled Pontifex Maximus, the Pope of Rome 
 and his myrmidons, unsparingly to employ the fagot, 
 the thumb-screw, the pulley, the wedge, the wheel, and 
 other implements of their blood extorting Inquisition, 
 in snapping the tendons — dislocating the joints — tearing 
 the flesh — crushing the bones — and roasting the frames 
 of the poor, helpless, unoffending, agonized Christians 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 97 
 
 who may fall into their infernal clutches. Go to the 
 fires of SmitlifieM, Gloucester, Bristol, &c., Sec, and to 
 the dungeons of Spain, Portugal, and Italy for the 
 truth of it. And go, ye drowsy, sleeping, sluggard sons 
 of England, go to their Authorized Staudarda, and there 
 learn that the sanie bloody game will shortly be played 
 over again on British soil unless ye awake, and arouse, 
 and defend yourselves. To prove that Lyituj, in the 
 forms of mental reservation, equivocation, and perjury, 
 is taught and practised in that Church, I refer you to 
 *' Awful Disclosures," by Blakeney. In France and 
 Spain alone they exhibit Jive arms of St. Matthew. The 
 Archbishop of Paris declares that he has lately dis- 
 covered the nails, the lance, the sponge, and the reed, 
 used at the crucifixion. They shew also a feathei of 
 Gabriel's wing — the tail of the ass on which Christ rode 
 — some of the Virgin Mary's hair, and many other pre- 
 tended relics too disgusting to mention. These and 
 a thousand other * abominable lies, such as the false 
 miracles of idols going on foot, bells ringing alone, 
 images snuffing candles, &c., do the poor deluded 
 Romanists embrace as true I ! To what a state of 
 mental and moral degradation must sin have reduced 
 man, when priests can be such knaves and their flocks 
 such fools. And what a claim have these poor creatures 
 on our pity and our prayers. But what shall we say of 
 Rome's Impurity ? She " forbids marriage" to the 
 priests. Declares that " he who lives with a harlot is 
 more chaste and holy than he who has a wife," that 
 " marriage is the worst kind of incontinency." In the 
 17th century, Macgavin tells us that "the Pope autho- 
 rized public stews, and a woman was required to com- 
 municate with the Church in order to qualify her to 
 practise as a harlot ! " A regard to morality almost 
 precludes ray even naming the licentious, dark, and 
 damnable Confessional, for it is a shame even to speak of 
 the things done of them in that secret place. Chrysos- 
 tom, as early as the fourth century, says, " Rome is in 
 all wickedness, chief of the world." And Jewell in 
 
98 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 speaking of one only of her abominations, writes, " It 
 is a gul^ it is a sea, it is a world, it is a hell of iniquity." 
 Surely in foul, licentious, demoralizing Rome, is the" 
 prediction verified, " And upon her forehead was a 
 name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the Mother of 
 Harlots^ and of the Abominations of tbe Earth. 
 
 You find it difficult perhaps to account for the fact of 
 one hundred millions of your fellow men placing im- 
 plicit confidence in a system replete with such super- 
 stitious, idolatrous, impure, and impious blasphemy, a 
 system of consecrated wickedness. Yom think it strange 
 that beings walking erect and claiming to be rational, 
 should thus virtually discard all that is pious, reject all 
 that is reasonable, and trample on all that is decent. 
 Remove Satanic influence from the consideration, and 
 truly there is not upon earth, anything so wonderful as 
 that Popery should exist even for an hour : you must 
 however remember that the Papist, in matters of re- 
 ligion, is allowed no exercise or interference of the 
 understanding. He prostrates his reason to the dictum 
 of another. Bound in the adamantine chains of dark- 
 ness and ignorance, he falls at the feet of a priest and 
 promises under pain of damnation never to think or 
 judge for himself; a willing, degraded, mind-manacled 
 slave, he follows with the inertness of a corpse the direc- 
 tions not of God but of man. The question with him is 
 not, what says the V7ord, but Avhat says the Pope? He 
 listens not to the voice of the Good Shepherd, but to the 
 howl of the Tibrine Wolf; not to Christ, who is " over 
 all," but to the head of a false and idolatrous Church. 
 And when we find that should that awful usurper pro- 
 nounce virtue to be vice, and vice to be virtue, the 
 Church must assent to it, who can be surprised at any- 
 thing the poor Romanist believes or anything he does. 
 How earnest and persevering should the petitions of 
 God's people be, that these perishing victims of a blind 
 credulity may become the happy subjects of an enlight- 
 ened faith. I will ask you to read 2 Thess. ii. 3 — 12, 
 and 1 Tim. iv. 1 — 7> Jind say had the Pope " sat to St. 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 99 
 
 Paul for his profile" could it have been more like ? And 
 was not Lord Bacon right in the declaration, " Were 
 * the man of sin' put in the hue and cry, every body 
 would arrest" his wickedness of Rome ? Among other 
 things, you will also find it there stated (what all in- 
 telligence must infer) that the Devil is the author of 
 Popery — that the jNIinister's duty is to put the people iu 
 remembrance of these things, to guard them against the 
 delusion of believing a lie — and (awful consideration) 
 that destruction, and not conversion, awaits this " son 
 of perdition" " whom the Lord shall consume with the 
 Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the bright- 
 ness of His coming," yes, 
 
 " Rome shall perish, wTite that vvord. 
 In the blood that she hath spilt, 
 Perish hopeless and abhorred, 
 Deep in ruin as in guilt." 
 
 Whilst no Christian Church * ever held Baptismal 
 Regeneration, a fe^v individual members of different 
 communions, deluded by Rome, and rejecting the 
 Word, have adopted it ; for there " must be heresies" 
 to manifest who are the true disciples; the moon 
 shines brightest when breaking from beneath the 
 dark cloud. The present English advocates of this 
 grievous error, and as the stealthy disguised precursors of 
 Popery, the most dishonest body of men now in the eye 
 of the world, are by others denominated " Tractarians," 
 or " Puseyites, by themselves " Conspirators," (! !) and 
 " Ecclesiastical Agitators," avowedly having for their 
 object " the unprotedantlzimj of the National Church ! !" 
 And verily had the plan been decided on in the councils 
 of the Vatican, (and who shall say that it was not* ?) 
 
 * It is a well known and very successful trick iu tliat system, which 
 maintains the infernal priuciple that " a good end \\ill justify bad 
 means," for their priests to get access to our pulpits under the guise 
 and semblance of Protestant ministers, and a more effectual method 
 whereby to distil their poison can hardly be conceived. That notorious 
 advocate of lying. Dr. Newman, iu excuse for having written some 
 things against Romish doctrines whilst in the pale of the Establish- 
 
100 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 and these gentlemen immediately commissioned by the 
 Pope himself, a better means could not have been in- 
 vented for the accomphshment of their purpose than that 
 w^hich they have chosen. These covert assailants of our 
 civil and religious privileges have painted and bedizened 
 the old Romish harlot so successfully that Protestants 
 are coquetting with her, and they have so masked and 
 disfigured the chaste spouse of Christ that men see not 
 her moral loveliness ; they array falsehood in robes of 
 light, and beauty and truth in the garb of darkness and 
 deformity ; they laud the system of the mystic Babylon, 
 and traduce the assemblies of the Redeemer's heaven- 
 born children; they have the unblushing effrontery to 
 praise the Church of Rome, and abuse the Church of 
 
 ment, says, " mch. yicws wove necessary to otir position f " Can any 
 one doubt his being a Jesuit after tbis ? Having done all tbe mischief 
 in his power, and probably finding it impossible much longer to elude 
 detection, he throws oif the mask and goes to his own place. And let 
 me ask, do we not hear some of his adniirers and former associates as 
 loudly disclaimiug all connection with Popery as he did ? And why ? 
 It is equally necessary to t/iei)' present position, they are well aware 
 that a recognition of their real principles, would create the deepest dis- 
 gust among a people not yet sufficiently prepared for a development, 
 and therefore some dust must be thi'own in the eyes of the pubhc. 
 "WTiilst they hope that a very gradual and almost imperceptible approxi- 
 mation to Rome, may escape notice and finally accomplish the object ; 
 they also know that a premature disclosure would be followed by the 
 more acute and crafty of their agents being shunned and scorned for 
 their dishonesty, and the more weak and simple of their tools pitied 
 and laughed at for their folly ; therefore it is, that stone altars — crosses 
 on tombstones, and over Church porches — paintings — processions, and 
 other gewgaws are chosen to form the thin end of that popish wedge, 
 which they are waiting and watching the opportunity to drive home; 
 and then farewell to civil and religious liberty. Aud Englishmen are 
 you prepared for this ? Then " make peace, if you will with Popery ; 
 receive it into yom- Senate ; shrine it in your Church ; plant it in your 
 hearts ; but be certain — certain as there is a heaven above you, and a 
 God over you, that the Popery honoured, embraced, is the very Popery 
 that was degraded and loathed by the holiest of your fathers ; the very 
 Popery — the same in haughtiness, the same in intolerance — which lord- 
 ed it over kings, astuuied the prerogatives of Deity, crushed human 
 liberty, and slew the saints of God." 
 
 1 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 101 
 
 England ! Hear what these friends of crosses, hut 
 enemies of the Crucified say of the " Apostacy." " It 
 becomes us rather to unitate than to criticize the Roman 
 Church, who in her worst times has heen on most points 
 a firm and consistent witness in act and word for ortho- 
 dox doctrine !" " Rome was our mother through whom 
 we were horn to Christ !" " Lacking visible communion 
 with the Church of Rome, we forego ^ great privilege f^ 
 " We are estranged from her in presence, not in heart ! " 
 " She has high gifts and strong claims on our admiration, 
 " reverence^ love, and gratitude! ! /" ^ Hear next what these 
 " false brethren" say of the Reformed Church of England 
 whereof they are not ashamed to be the double-faced 
 traitor ministers. " We have been since the Reformation 
 in a position of servitude, and our prayer-book corresponds 
 to that state !" " Our communion service, is 2i judgment 
 on the Church ! ^' As for the Reformers I think 7oorse and 
 worse of them 1" " That deplorahle schism the Reforma- 
 tion ! " " The present Church system is an Incubus on 
 the country ! " The members of the Church of England 
 are " in bondage," " in chains" because disunited from 
 Rome, and for the same reason the principles and for- 
 mularies of our Church are " a body of death^' " the 
 pe7ialty of si?is" "inherited from a preceding age," mean- 
 ing the Reformation!! That the principles, doctrines, 
 worship, and practices of these "enemies of all right- 
 eousness" should be in accordance with Popish error, 
 and adverse to Protestant truth, is what you would 
 anticipate ; and it is so as to Tradition — Apostolical Suc- 
 cession — Baptismal Regeneration — Sacrifice in the Sup- 
 per — Prayers for the dead — Supremacy of the Pope- 
 Purgatory — Invocation of Saints — change of the Elements 
 — Inherent justification — Celibacy — Reserve in preach- 
 ing the Gospel — Lying — Decking Churches — Intonings 
 — Evolutions — Turning about east, west, north, and 
 south in the services, and other mummeries and childish 
 frivolities. I cannot enlarge so as to give extracts and 
 name places, but refer you to a penny tract of the 
 
102 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 Reformation Society entitled "Romanism and Tractarian- 
 ism Identical." * Upwards of eighty of these clerical 
 apostates have abjured the faith and gone over to the 
 mass-house, whilst the more brazen-faced and dishonest 
 still continue within our pale, subverting whole houses, 
 insulting the bishops, and bringing authority into con- 
 tempt. TVe foster the hope that their mouths will soon 
 be stopped ; they have already received a " first and 
 second admonition," and judging from the Protestant 
 character of the recent appointments, their " rejection" is 
 not far off. Some (especially the continental writers) have 
 expressed surprise at the patience with which their false- 
 hoods and follies have been borne; the question has been 
 asked and heard over Europe " Is there any executive 
 power in the English Episcopate ?" But is not the tame 
 endm-ance of the Laity at least equally astonishing? 
 That amid the light of the nineteenth century any 
 one intelligent member of our communion should with- 
 out indignation listen to such eiToneous doctrines, and 
 without remonstrance witness all the grimaces and tom- 
 fooleries of the old shaveling monks enacted over again, 
 is indeed to be wondered at and deplored. I have just 
 received a letter containing the following words. " We 
 have a Tractarian Clergyman here; and as you may 
 suppose, the darkening influence of the pulpit is fast 
 spreading the gloom of spiritual death over this 
 unhappy parish. Teaching so Popish, and grimaces so 
 ridiculous, I never expected to hear and see in our pure 
 scriptural Church. The poor man in aping Rome, unites 
 the pride of a priest with the antics of a monkey. Our 
 congregation is greatly thinned, and the inhabitants 
 rapidly passing to dissent. When will our rulers stand 
 forth and with Christian courage do what they can to 
 
 * I would especially recommeud the Anti-tractariau publications of 
 that devoted Cbristiau and true son of the Reformation, the Rev. J. 
 Spurgin, Vicar of Hockham, Norfolk. (Nisbct & Co.) These very cheap 
 tracts arc distinguished by a degree of accuracy, clearness, and force, 
 rarely met with, and ought to be circulated wide as the empire. To 
 their able and excellent author I am much indebted — His trial of 
 Archbishop Laud should be in everj^ man's baud. 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 103 
 
 stay the soul-killing plajrue?" How wide awake are 
 men in general to others' faults, how blind to their own. 
 If instead of censuring the authorities, tliis complainant 
 were to do his duty, it would be greatly better. Why 
 does he not call for the interference of the Churchwctj-dem? 
 In the event of their refusing to act, he might himself 
 respectfully remonstrate with his minister upon the in- 
 novations. Should that step prove ineffectual, the next 
 and decisive one is to solicit the interposition of the 
 Diocesan, who, it should be remembered, cannot possibly 
 " stay the plague" unless inforvied of what is going on, 
 which his Lordship naturally expects to be by those "who 
 (their own souls being jeopardized) are even more in- 
 terested in such a matter than himself. It requires but 
 07ie firm intelligent, uncompromising churchman in a 
 parish to check the evil ; and many instances might be 
 given of individuals within the last few years having 
 nobly performed their duty to their God, their country, 
 their neighbour, and themselves, by an opposition at once 
 determined, persevering, and successful. That the adop- 
 tion of this means will shortly be of frequent occurrence 
 we may reasonably expect; for rest assured there is a deep 
 love of freedom, much sound Protestantism, much true 
 religion still existing among our population, and sooner 
 or later men -will awake to a consciousness of their 
 danger, and a sense of their duty. Devoutly too is it 
 to be hoped that such indications of a people's sentiments 
 and feelings will not be trifled with or lightly regarded, but 
 meet with the attention which they demand. Murmurs 
 and menaces have been already heard so loud, and long, 
 and angry, as to intimate that a neglect of them is peril- 
 ous; like the rumbling of the distant thunder and the 
 plashing drop, they are harbingers of the tempest. That 
 the Reformation may be maintained without such an 
 interference — that for an expedient so terrific there may be 
 no necessity — that God in his mercy may influence and 
 direct the minds of those over us to stem the evil in time, 
 to crush the cockatrice in its shell, at once to expel the 
 Roraanizers, ought to be the daily earnest prayer of every 
 
104 THE PRAYER BOOK HOSTILE TO 
 
 christian man, of every one who would prefer to witness his 
 country convulsed from north to south from east to west, 
 rather than see her become the apostate slave of man's 
 chiefest earthly oppressor. A thousand times better that 
 dear old England should be the battle field of a contending 
 world, her every wife a widow, her every child fatherless, 
 than that she should sink the victim of a tyrant who 
 would cover her with the black-pall of spiritual and 
 everlasting death ; for what is the body to the soul, what 
 is time to eternity ! Better be desolate of inhabitants, 
 than desolate of truth — better be a lion-haunted desert, 
 a wilderness wherein the wild beast may roam at his 
 pleasure, than teem with human beings wrapped in 
 deadly delusion, among whom the beast of the seven hills 
 may and would prowl like an evil spirit amid the 
 sepulchres of the dead. 
 
 Coming events cast their shadows before. The eccle- 
 siastical horizon wears a lowering aspect. Around us 
 are the presages of a struggle, and I believe it will be a 
 severe one, a resisting unto blood. For whilst the world- 
 ly minded are as usual looking on with indifference, and 
 many of whom better things might have been hoped 
 exhibiting a disgraceful supineness, there are, thank God, 
 a goodly number who think that not to contend for is as 
 bad as to stifle truth, and these with minds to compre- 
 hend and hearts to appreciate Gospel principles are 
 buckling on the armour and preparing for the conflict. 
 It is most encouraging for such to consider, that what- 
 ever may be the result nationally^ it will and must be 
 well with them «.s individuals. The foundation of God 
 standeth sure, the Lord knoweth them that are His: 
 they are the rescued Church placed on the immovable 
 rock, against which the gates of hellshall never, neverpre- 
 vail. It pertains to those whose religion is formalism 
 and whose profession is hypocrisy to fall a prey to Romish 
 and Tractarian delusion, real believers are above and 
 beyond its reach ; the vulture swoops not on the march- 
 ing host, but on the field of the slain ; feeds not on the 
 living, but on the dead. Let us, my dear friend, be 
 
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. 105 
 
 thankful to distinguishing mercy for preservation amid 
 such wide defection ; let us petition hard still to be kept 
 " faithful among the faithless ; " and let us persevere in 
 offering the most strenuous, determined, and undisguised 
 resistance to that unhappy sect who, " mad upon their 
 idols," would deprive the Church of all U(jht by ** re- 
 serve"— of all salvation by " legalism" — of all holiness by 
 baby ceremonies, and superstitious observances. That 
 you and I, may have grace to " stand fast,'^ to ''''figJd the 
 good fight,'' to " keep the faith," that we may listen to, 
 love, and obey Him who says " be thou faithful unto 
 death, and I will give thee a crown of life," is the 
 sincere prayer of. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 And I would humbly trust in the best bonds, 
 EDWARD PARKER, 
 
 ]^)igsdown, 
 
 March YiiK 1848. 
 
1 
 
REFUTATION 
 
 OF THE EURONEODS DOCTRINES TAUGHT IN THE 
 
 REV. W. G. TODD'S TWO PAMPHLETS 
 
 ON 
 
 BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION, 
 
TO THE REV. W. G. TODD. 
 
 Rev. Sir, 
 
 In the past year you published two pamphlets, one 
 on Baptism, the other on Confirmation, and sup- 
 posing your declarations in the pulpit to accord with 
 your statements in the press, there can be no apology 
 needed for the remark, that those of the St. James's con- 
 gregation who are not altogether indifferent as to what is 
 preached, must either have very little discernment, or a 
 great deal of patience. Some would go much farther, 
 and pronounce it to be absolutely impossible for any 
 person, characterized both by intelligence and a serious 
 concern for the soul's welfare, to tolerate or endure such 
 teaching for a single hour. That instruction so favour- 
 able to the advance of Romish error should issue from a 
 Minister of the very Church, wherein the distinguished 
 " Biddulph" of late preached the Gospel in all its ful- 
 ness, the patronage too of w^hich was obtained at great 
 personal sacrifice for the express purpose of perpetuating 
 among the people Evangelical Truth, is deeply to be de- 
 plored. The Tracts in which you have been bold enough 
 to set forth doctrines so pernicious, and I may presume 
 too after " a calm and patient investigation," were some 
 months since left at my door accompanied by this 
 challenge, '•''Answer them if you can !" I merely say to the 
 writer of those five words, that in my estimation pub- 
 lications such as yours will then and only then be em- 
 answerable when the folly and weakness of man shall 
 have successfully contended with the wisdom and power 
 of God — when error shall have prevailed over truth — 
 and the light of Heaven have been eclipsed by the dark- 
 
110 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 ness of Earth. A few days ago I received the following 
 note ; — 
 
 « Rev. Sir, 
 
 " Mr. Todd, Curate of St. James's, has sent into the world 
 treatises upon Baptism and Confirmation. That they ex- 
 hibit doctrines contrary to our Church, and agreeable to the 
 Pope's Church, cannot be truthfully disputed. Many have 
 been patiently waiting with the expectation (and as members 
 of our Reformed branch of the Catholic Church of Christ 
 such expectation is just) that something would be done to 
 hinder the spread of his errors. And it seems we may wait. 
 Thousands feel already indebted to you for defending the 
 Protestant truths held and died for by our pious forefathers ; 
 and the object of this is to ask the favour (do not refuse us) 
 of a few lines from your pen in the way of laying open and 
 refuting Mr. Todd's injurious doctrines. 
 
 " With respect and gratitude, yours, &c., 
 
 " Layman." 
 
 Finding upon inquiry that the Tracts in question have 
 been industriously circulated, and therefore likely to do 
 mischief among the young and uninformed, I see good, 
 though somewhat late, to accept the challenge to 
 " Answer^' and making the Word of God — the Church 
 of England — and Common Sense, the standards of ap- 
 peal, with the hope that it may satisfy the author of the 
 note, and many others, as a ''refutation." The notice 
 I propose to take of some few of the statements will be 
 brief, inasmuch as I understand the expectation is not 
 given up that you Avill yet receive a well-merited casti- 
 gation from an abler pen than I am qualified to wield. 
 This may sound severe, but it is not so meant. To alter 
 one's style is not an easy matter, and moreover there is 
 the danger of an undue modification of terms ; do not 
 therefore judge me harshly on account of a fear lest in 
 too much whetting, the knife may lose all its steel. 
 Although I would avoid all acrimony of expression, yet 
 were it in my power, it would be contrary to my in- 
 clination to employ that soft, silky, unmeaning language 
 which serves so well to render ideas indistinct. My 
 
 I 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. Ill 
 
 custom is to call things by their proper names, for in- 
 stance, '*a spade, a spade," f^eatly preferring the accu- 
 sation " tu loqueris lapides" to adopting as appiicaljle 
 " Ego hyssina verba reponam." Contending not against 
 men but against principles, entertaining not one atom of 
 hostility towards you or any one brcatliing, but most 
 determinedly antagonistic to that iniquitous and soul 
 ruining system of which I believe you to some extent 
 the unconscious victim, my phraseology will be unam- 
 biguous and perhaps strong. Still let me assure you 
 that it is indeed remote from my wish and intention to 
 write one word that is personal or calculated to wound 
 your feeling-^. Subjects awfully solemn and all im- 
 portant are in debate, whilst therefore I shall aim to 
 take all care of you, your Theology will have to take 
 care of itself, and be dealt with in that *' plainness of 
 speech" which in commenting upon writings professedly 
 " plain," would seem to be not only harmonious but 
 even complimentary. 
 
 A preliminary remark or two seems to be required 
 upon the subject of " Controversy/' There are those 
 who would have this to be like "Irish reciprocity," all on 
 one side. Having no very strong confidence in the truth, 
 and validity of their own principles, there exists (all 
 but impercpptible it may be to themselves) something 
 like a consciousness that they will not bear the test of a 
 rigid examination. This it appears is not your reason for 
 shunning discussion; though the Author of writings which 
 in these days cannot but be considered controversial, 
 you think such contention is " unloving," (allow me to 
 refer you to Lev. xix. 17, James iii. 17, Jude 3, Jer. vi. 
 1 4, with the Bishop's fourth question and your ansioer at 
 Ordination). I, on the other hand, look upon it as the 
 very course which true love dictates and true religion 
 requires. When it is proved " unloving" to warn the 
 blind of a precipice, it Avill be time enough to apply the 
 term to those who refuse to hold their peace Avhen they 
 see thousands around, entertaining full hope of Heaven, 
 but w^hora they conscientiously and upon scriptural 
 
112 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 grounds believe to be still in the darkness of spiritual 
 death, mere ceremonialists, without " light or life," 
 teachers and taught passing onward to irremediable 
 destruction. When you were so thoughtless (to use a 
 mild term) as to print " It is impossible for those living 
 in the uncharitable atmosphere of controversy to pre- 
 serve true spirituality of mind" it must have escaped 
 your memory that " The Prophets" — " The Apostles" — 
 " The noble army of Martyrs" — and The Redeemer Him- 
 self were controversialists ! Were the declaration true, 
 not only would the performance of a duty (and one to 
 which you and I are pledged) induce carnality, but the 
 Blessed Redeemer Himself must have been so far un- 
 spiritual! In the spirit of deepest love, and yet with 
 all firmness, did He and His Apostles rebuke the Phari- 
 sees and Judaizing teachers, the Tractarians of that age ; 
 and his followers ever since, have as occasion required 
 " contended earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the 
 Saints." The Minister of the Gospel is set as a " Watch- 
 man," and it is as much his duty to confront falsehood 
 as to preach truth, to protect the flock from poisonous, 
 as to provide them with wholesome food. Take the 
 assurance therefore that you and your new school will 
 be grievously disappointed in " laying the flattering 
 unction to your souls" that you will be allowed to 
 " daub the wall with untempered mortar," to pro- 
 mulgate deadly errors, without remonstrance, opposition, 
 and exposure. The cry is •"' let us alone" — yes, when 
 you let the Truth of God alone, but never, never until 
 then. 
 
 I proceed to examine a few of your statements on 
 
 BAPTISM. 
 
 Your Tract upon this subject commences with an ex- 
 pression of regret that there should be " disputes among 
 Christian people upon this doctrine." Now you cer- 
 tainly make these disputes to hinge upon the question 
 as to whether Baptism is to every infant in every indi- 
 
 1 
 
TAUGHT O.V BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. I 13 
 
 vidunl Instance ctficacious to the pardon of sin and the 
 implantation of spu'itual life in the previously dead 
 soul ; and if (as it may be presumed from other parts 
 of your puljlications) you employ the term Christian in 
 its hi;j;hest and best sense, then I deny the truth of your 
 assertion. The awakened — enlightened — converted — 
 justified — and sanctified Church of the livinir God have 
 among theniselces had no controversy upon the point. 
 Tliey know from the teaching of the Word — the teach- 
 ing of the Spirit — and the standards of their several 
 Churches, that what you contend fur is a mere Romish 
 figment somewhat diluted, an unscriptural and ruinous 
 delusion ; and accordingly there has been and there still 
 is, a difference of opinion upon this matter wide as the 
 Antipodes, but between whom ? Between the Early 
 Christians — the Reformers — and all in every age and 
 nation who take the Bible alone as their Rule of Faith 
 on the one side, and the wretched victims of Romanism 
 — Tractariauism — Anglicanism — Hyper-high- church 
 ism, and all other isms which dishonour the Redeemer 
 by exalting the Church, and make Tradition their guide 
 rather than the Scriptures 07i the other. Nor ought this 
 controversy to cease until all shall spiritually know God, 
 neither will ic, unless the Church of Christ become un- 
 faithful to her trust, or the poor Papists and their no 
 longer questionable allies become converted to the truth. 
 \Vere I asked — What is the most momentous, and 
 what therefore ought to be the most interesting question, 
 which an immortal being can propose to himself, I 
 should unhesitatingly reply, it is this — Am I regenerated 
 by the Holy Ghost ? Because upon this must depend, 
 not such trifles as health, wealth, and prosperity in this 
 world, but everlasting salvation in that which is to come. 
 Admitting (and who will controvert it?) the justness of 
 such an answer, it necessarily follows that it is of equal 
 moment to ascertain the means by which this great ^vork 
 is effected. I am glad to find that we are perfectly 
 agreed as to the nature and the importance of Regenera- 
 tion, although we differ altogether as to the instrumental 
 H 
 
114 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 means whereby it is wrought. We both corsider it the 
 implantation of spiritual "light and life" in the soul 
 which in the previous instant was destitute of '• light and 
 life," " dead in trespasses and sins ;" and that the efficient 
 cause in producing this mighty change is God the Holy 
 Ghost. Thus far ue coincide, but here we separate ; our 
 opinions are as wide asunder as the poles, irreconcilably 
 opposed as to icliat is the Lord Jehovah's appointed means 
 for effecting the " new creation." You, backed by the 
 Eomish Apostacy, say — the divinely appointed instru- 
 ment is BAPTISM. I^ backed by Reformed Christendom, 
 say — the divinely appointed instrument is THE WORD. 
 My object being rather to show the groundlessness of 
 your views than to establish my own, as regards the latter 
 I merely refer the Reader to Ezek. xxxvii. 1 — 14. 1 Pet. 
 i. 23. Rom. x. 17. John xvii, 17. James i. 18. Eph. v. 
 26. 1 Cor. i. 14. 
 
 You acknowledge that a person may receive the visible 
 sign without the inward grace of Baptism. A concession 
 this of vast importance, since it gives up the point of the 
 unconditional efficacy of the Sacrament, and admits that 
 regeneration does not al^cays accompany it. When I 
 "wrote against this heresy four years since, it was with the 
 firm conviction that such ground could not be maintained, 
 accordingly it is by you and others surrendered. And if 
 I mistake not, no long period has to elapse before your 
 present views will be declared equally untenable. Among 
 them is — that every " converted'' adult, being already in 
 possession of " Earnest Repentance" and '' True Faith'' 
 receives in Baptism Spiritual Regeneration, in other 
 words, is made partaker of Spiritual 'Might and life," and 
 moreover has his " sins remitted." You have elsewhere 
 stated that " It is in holy Baptism God Jirst l^estows upon 
 us the gift of his grace, and gives life to the dead soul." 
 You have also Avritten that up to that time " we are 
 children of God's wrath — under his curse — subject to 
 condemnation — l^elong to the wicked world — in darkness 
 — in death — no light or life in us." This is a very true 
 description of man's fallen state ; but will you kindly in- 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 1J5 
 
 form us how these guilty — coiuleinned — wicked — accurs- 
 ed worldlinj;s, witliout one sinpjle spark of spiritual light 
 or life, can yet at ike very same time be " converted" and 
 exercise the graces of "" Repentance towards God," and 
 ''Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ!" Such is your 
 doctrine. This is what you have taught the St. James's 
 people, iuid, verily, expecting them to believe it, is draw- 
 ing rather strongly upon their credulity. You would be 
 exceedingly perplexed, not to say utterly confounded, 
 were any one of ihem to call upon you (as you say, and 
 correctly say, it is their r'ujlit and duty to do) to explain, 
 reconcile and prove this. The more intelligent can, and 
 I hope will, teach you that the spiritual graces (the more 
 prominent of which are Repentance and Faith) always 
 follow, are always t/ie result of spiritual life, just as bodily 
 exertions are constcutive to bodily life. There must be 
 vitality in the animal part of us before we can eat, 
 drink, or move ; and the mental and moral part of us 
 must be regenerated, have " light and life" imparted by 
 the Spirit before we can repent and believe : there must 
 of necessity be life in one case as well as in the other 
 antecedently to motion and action. But if Baptism is^;;'6- 
 ceded by Repentance and Faith, and Repentanc<' and 
 Faith are preceded by Regeneration — what becomes of 
 your doctrine ? The fact that the Bible and the Church 
 of England demand, that the Candidate for Baptism be a 
 penitent believer does of itself overthrow at once and for 
 ever Baptismal Regeneration. As far as the Scripture is 
 concerned, the whole seven passages which you quote (I 
 say nothing of your mmiuotatiom) in the first and second 
 pages prove this to demonstration, and you seem to have 
 searched for language to make it, if possible still more 
 clear. Let the Reader consult them, and he will find 
 Repentance and Faith in every mstB.nce precediny Baptism. 
 Mark xvi. 15, 16. Matt, xxviii. 19. Acts ii. 38. viii. 37. 
 X. 44.-48. xvi. 30—33. xxii. 16. X need only refer 
 you to the Catechism, sixth question and answer on the 
 Sacraments, to show that our Church teaches the same, 
 and insists upon these two graces as prerequisites to ad- 
 
116 A REFUTATION OP THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 raission into the visible Church.* The truth is that 
 neither Baptism nor the Lord's Supper ought ever to be 
 administered to any but true Christians, nor by virtue 
 of a Sacrament ever were they or ever will they be to any 
 others ciBcacious to the conveyance of grace. You en- 
 tirely misunderstand the nature of a Sacrament. The 
 word was borrowed from the heathen. The oath of 
 allegiance and fidelity on enlistment into the armies of 
 pagan Rome was termed " Sacramentum." It did not 
 confer qualities^ but changed ^^osition — altered not the 
 nature but the 8tate. The regimentals did not make, but 
 mau'ift'sied the soldier. He was, or he was supposed to 
 be, brave, faithful, and healthy before he entered the ser- 
 vice of his Country. Exactly so is it in the Sacrament 
 of Baptism, the candidate either is or is supposed to be a 
 Christian before he can be enrolled as a member of the 
 visible Church. He makes an open profession of his 
 principles by receiving the rite, but he did not get those 
 principles in tbe act of reception. As the military 
 ■' sacramentum " or vow did not give courage and 
 honour, so neither does the ecclesiastical sacramentum 
 give the Christian graces ; although in both cases, sup- 
 posing those offering themselves to be true men^ it would 
 strengthen, encourage, and afford every opportunity of 
 evincing tlieir qualifications. 
 
 In writing professedly to correct " the mistakes " of 
 others, (may God give you grace to correct your own^ 
 Matt. vii. .3 — ."),) you lay it down also that every Infant 
 " receives in Baptism spiritual Regeneration and Remis- 
 sion of sin." Our Church requires the same qualifi- 
 
 * There arc several parts of Mr. Todd's pamphlets, which show that 
 there is no very disliuct idea in his miud as to what is to be understood 
 by '' The Church." He seems to conluund the Spiritual with the 
 Visible. The words translated Church (Ekklesia) and called (klctoi) 
 are, as school-boys can tell, radically allied. Turn to 1 Cor. i. 24, and 
 you will find the klctoi to be there the imcardhj called ; whereas the 
 kletoi, in Matt. xxii. 14, are the outwardly called. Both are called, 
 both in the visible church, both entitled to the name of Christian, but 
 both are not spiritual, for " they ai-e not all Israel, who are of 
 Israel." 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 117 
 
 cations in the infant candidate for the rite, as in the 
 adult. Yon may see this in the objection raised in the 
 seventh question of the Citecliism on the Sacraments, 
 and there answered, compared Avith the child's profession 
 made he/ore admission to baptism in tlie service. Let 
 the Reader examine and meditate on the words *' Dost 
 thou m the name of this child, St'c. ? " — " Dost thoti 
 believe, &e.?" — " Wilt tJiou be baptized in tliis faith ?" 
 i. e. the faith it had just professed. It is ihe child 
 speakinp; ; the sponsors or persons supplying the infimt 
 with a tongue, had been admitted to the visible Church 
 by Baptism years i)efore, and therefore could not be 
 asked whether thei/ would be baptized a second time. 
 In this case then as in that of the adult, the sign is not 
 added imtil the candidate has declared a renunciation of 
 the world, Faith in Christ, and obedience to his com- 
 mands. And did we not find this principle maintained 
 in her ritual, the Church would be guilty of teaching 
 two kinds of Baptism, one to transform a child of Satan 
 into a child of God, the other (which is the true doc- 
 trine) to strengthen and give additional grace to a person 
 already so transformed. 
 
 I have neither time nor space to enumerate half the 
 objections which are fatal to your scheme. Permit me, 
 however, to give you one or two. Entertaining such no- 
 tions as you have propagated, how is John i. 13, to be 
 interpreted ? If your theology be sound, if the people 
 are to believe what the minister says rather than what 
 God says, all is well, for you have instructed them to 
 believe that "the will of man," " the will of the flesh," 
 does select the time and place, the when and where sinners 
 are to be born of God ! Let me also direct atten- 
 tion to the fact that the self-righteous ritualist, the de- 
 cent moralist, in common with the most abandoned 
 characters, the very candidates for the gallow^s, have been 
 baptized, and will you dare to maintain that these 
 '' children of wrath," " having no hope, and without 
 God in the world," have been one and all " renewed by 
 the Holy Ghost," " quickened with Christ," " saved by 
 
118 A REFUTATION OP THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 grace," and " bom of God ?" Will you and can you 
 have the weakness or the hardihood to contend before 
 the inhabitants of Bristol, with the Bible in their hands, 
 and common sense to use it, that such flagrant trans- 
 gressors have been made '* Temples of the Holy Ghost ?" 
 Are you ready to say— They have forfeited it through 
 sin ? I reply, " they went out from us^ but they were 
 not of us^ for if they had been of us they would no 
 doubt have continued with us." The new birth of the 
 soul can never be annihilated ; it is indestructible^ de- 
 clared to be an etefnal life. Christ loses " none" of his, 
 or how could He say to the goats at the last day, " I 
 never knew you." Those thrice blessed ones who ad- 
 dressing God can say " Abba Father" to-day, do not 
 become the children of the Wicked One to-morrow ; 
 the foundation standeth sure, the Lord knoweth thera 
 that are His, and neither men nor devils can pluck tliera 
 out of His hands, as you may see by turning to Eph. i. 
 4. 1 Pet. i. 3 — 5. Read also the I7th Article of the 
 Church of England, with the proofs. 
 
 You have supplied us with thirteen passages as the 
 Scriptural evidence for Baptismal Regeneration, and 
 openly and before the world declared in reference 
 thereto, that " The whole Church from the beginning 
 until now has understood them in the one uniform sense 
 of connecting the New Birth and Remission of sins with 
 the visible substance of Baptism." Were this your 
 statement as true as I shall presently demonstrate it to 
 be false, you would indeed have a strong case. But 
 assertion is one thing, proof quite another; the fonner 
 you have recklessly indulged in, the latter you do not 
 even attempt, and I tell you mth all plainness that your 
 affirmation must be withdrawn^ unless, indeed, you are 
 more indifferent to public opinion than perhaps any 
 other man living of the same rank in society. I beg 
 the reader to accompany me in tlie examination of these 
 texts, the first of which is — John iii. 3 — 5. According 
 to your own showing, when these "words were spoken, 
 Christian Baptism had not been instituted; they ought 
 
 •! 
 
AUGIIT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 119 
 
 not therefore, as nuinj will tliiiik, to be quoted for the 
 purpose of maintiiining or defon(lin<y a controverted 
 poiut. But if we admit, what I shall not dispute, that 
 they do refer to • that rite, still they make nothing for 
 your case. The passage clearly proves the necessity of 
 the new birth, but says 7iot o?ie word of the " necessary 
 connection" between the sign and the thing signified 
 for which you vainly contend. It is written " water 
 and the spirit." The former is useless without the 
 latter. Simon Mngus was baptized with tcater^ but not 
 with the Spirit ; the thief on the cross was baptized with 
 the Spirit, but not with water. How fatal to your doc- 
 trine. How you could think of using these words in 
 the effort to establish the Romish view of the question 
 is most extraovdiuary, since at the foot of your tenth 
 page we iind you thus writing — "" We cannot indeed deny 
 that Baptism has an inward as well as an outward grace, 
 (grace outward! ! ) lest we deny it to be a sacrament at 
 all. "VVe cannot question what that inward grace is, be- 
 cause the Scriptures declare it to be a new birth of water 
 (water inward ! I J and the Holy (xhost ! !" Marvellous ! 
 Here we have you not only turning the sacrament inside 
 out and outside in, but moreover in the seventh page 
 citing the Word of God in a particular sense, and in 
 the tenth flatly denying that it has any such sense ! 
 Sawing off the very branch on which you sit ! Actually 
 cutting the throat of your own interpretation from ear 
 to ear ! This is suicide with a vengeance. — Acts i. 5. 
 The veriest tyro in divinity can teach you that this por- 
 tion of the word has no more reference to Baptism as 
 now administered than it has to the History of England. 
 Here is a contrast between John's Baptism and the pro- 
 raised outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, 
 in this place termed the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, 
 until which the Apostles were directed to remain in 
 Jerusalem. You have appealed to it, and (mii-abile 
 dictu) declared " the whole church" to have done the 
 same, in support of your pretended '' necessary connec- 
 tion" between the sign and the thing signified ! Such 
 
]20 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 an advocate for connection should pay at least a little 
 attention to context. — Acts ii. 38. This is utterly de- 
 structive to your theory, inasmuch as Repentance pre- 
 cedes a participation of the rite. — Acts xxii. 16. The 
 same may be said of these words. The outward sign of 
 profession is applied to one already in Christ., the seal is 
 added. Baptism was to St. Paul just what circumcision 
 was to Abraham, they had both been regenerated by the 
 Spirit, and justified by Faith before receiving that rite 
 which manifested the fcict to the world by admitting 
 them to the Church visible. — Rom. vi. 3, 4. Read the 
 context^ and you at once perceive the Apostle is urging 
 Christians to holiness, and in doing so reminds them of 
 the profession they had made in Baptism, when tliey 
 received the sign of dying and living with Christ. Read 
 also the exhortation to Sponsors at the end of our Bap- 
 tismal Service, and see how Scriptural it is. The keenest 
 discernment must fail to perceive in, and the utmost in- 
 genuity cannot wrest from this Scripture, the meaning 
 you would attach to it. — Col. ii. 11, 12. The Epistles 
 of St. Paul are addressed as to real Christians, he, not 
 being the Heartsearcher, was not, and could not be, their 
 judge, and therefore, took them on their own profession. 
 Accordingly he supposes these Colossians to have the 
 " circumcision" of the heart — " the circumcision of 
 Christ," or the Spirit's regenerating influences ; and then 
 afterwards to have received the sign. He charitably 
 concludes that they are what they term themselves, and 
 recalling to their memory the having been baptized, 
 founds thereon an exhortation to consistency of " walk 
 in Christ." The passage is very similar to Rom. vi. 
 3, 4, just considered, and affords not a particle of 
 evidence in support of your *' necessary connection." — 
 Gal. iii. 27- This declares the main office of Baptism, 
 namely, to admit such as have been "justified by faith" 
 (see the preceding verses) to the visible Church — to put 
 on the profession of Christ — to assume the regimentals 
 — openly to acknowledge themselves the soldiers and 
 servants of a heavenly Master — henceforth to be owned 
 
TAUr.HT ON irVPTISM AM) CONFIRMATION. 121 
 
 and accountt'd mi'iiihcrs of the l)ody — hut not a letter ol' 
 any " necessary connection." — Titus iii. 5. Eminent 
 commentators translate llie '"'■ kai" in its very usual 
 meaning ''''even" thus making,' " the ^vasllinf:;" an emblem^ 
 and a very aj)t one it is, of the Spirit's work to clearise 
 and purify. — Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 27- They give as similar 
 instances, E])li. v. 2(), 2/. John iii. 5. But suj>poso 
 the " kai" to i)e translated " and^" then is the very dis- 
 tinction kept up "svhich you Avisli to he rid of. I sec not 
 a hint given of your " necessary connection," hut the 
 contrary. Nothing farther appears to he taught us here 
 than the new birth of the soul of which Baptism is the 
 sign ; the implantation of the spiritual life preparatory 
 to a gradual renewal in holiness after the image of God. 
 Compare 1 Peter iii. 20, 21, and you perceive that there, 
 as here, the sacrament saves figuratively when rightly 
 received, but without " the answer of a good conscience," 
 in the absence of the great spiritual change, it is of no 
 avail to salvation. Interpreted either way it makes 
 nothing for your dogma. — ] Cor. xii. 1 3. A perusal of 
 the context (you do not appear to consider this of any 
 importance) at once decides, that it is the Baptism of 
 the Spirit uniting in one mystical body the universal, 
 sanctified, saved Church of Christ its Head, which is 
 here spoken of. There is no allusion whatever to the 
 sacrament of Baptism, the offi.ce of which is to admit to 
 the visible Church on Earth, in which are tares as well 
 as wheat. — Rom. viii. 16, 17. It v;ould be an insult to 
 the Reader's understanding to do more than refer to this 
 passage, reminding him that you adduce it in proof of 
 a " necessary connection" between the outward and in- 
 ward parts of Baptism ! And, which is still worse, 
 declare that the "" whole Church has so explained it ! 1" 
 — Acts ii. 41, 47. Did the Bible contain nothing more 
 upon this subject, this would be amply sufficient to over- 
 throw your anti-scriptural notion, since it positively 
 states that the persons baptized had been " pricked in 
 their hearts" — " gladly received the w^ord" — and were 
 " saved." You must know that the words " should be" 
 
122 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 47th verse are not in the original. You fall by your 
 own chosen weapons, the quotation from St. Augustine 
 is one among the many instar?ces. — 1 John v. (5, 7, 8. 
 The sixth verse teaches that the Redeemer entered on 
 His ministry by Baptism, and concluded it by pouring 
 out His blood on the cross ; and that the Spirit of truth 
 testifies to the great atonement and its sanctifying effi- 
 cacy on such as rely thereon. The seventh verse names 
 the Glorious Trinity as attesting the same, as at Christ's 
 Baptism. Matt. iii. 16, 17. The eighth verse tells us 
 that the continued Avitnesses of this on Earth, are, the 
 Spirit in His influences and operations, and also the two 
 ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. But 
 where is there one single word declaring or implying 
 the fatal doctrine of an " inseparable connection " 
 between the sign and the thing signified in the one or 
 the other of those ordinances ? I cannot indeed deny 
 that it may be perceptible to such gifted mortals as can 
 see the sound of a voice and the acts of the mind, those 
 to whom "prayer "is '^ visible !" — 1 Peter iii. 20, 21. 
 These words are not merely not /or, they are against 
 you ; directly subversive of the doctrine you have been 
 promulgating. The ark is Christ — the door of entrance 
 Faith — such zi'^ profess to have this Faith are baptized, 
 which is a sign of their security, of their being " saved," 
 that is supposing them to be what as candidates for the 
 rite they called themselves, Christians ; they were saved 
 through Faith in the lledeemer before the pledge was 
 given, or they doubled their damnation in receiving it. 
 The Apostle Peter expressly and strongly warns us 
 against confounding the sign with the thing it represents; 
 " not " he says " the putting away of tlie filth of tJie fleshy 
 hilt the answer of a good conscience toward God.'* He 
 urges, take care not to mistake a mere mechanical 
 process, an outward washing, for gracij ; the heart and 
 life must agree with the profession, or you are not saved. 
 See Rom. ii. 28, 29. 
 
 Sucli is your emdence^ such your scriptural authority, 
 upon these texts you have rested your dogma. I beg 
 
TAUGHT ON IJ\PTISM AND CONFIUMATTON. 123 
 
 the rciulor carefully to consult thorn in conjunction with 
 their contexts and parallel passan;os. and he will then 
 he ahle to juduje of the utt(!r futility of your end«'avour 
 to estahlisli this article of the Tractarian creed. In the 
 awfully responsible character of a Christian minister, in 
 your position as a professed public expounder of the 
 Everlasting^ Word, you have instructed not only your 
 own flock, but your fellow sinners at large, to believe 
 that the above thirteen passages of that Word were 
 designed to teach an "inseparable connection " between 
 the two parts of Baptism, and that " grammatically and 
 literally" they can be understood and explained no other 
 way ! ! No wonder you shun discussion — no wonder 
 you decry " controversy." But you have gone farther, 
 much farther, than even this ; and with an infatuation 
 almost incredible, not merely said, but printed^ (litera 
 scripta manet,) published a-s afact^ that "The WHOLE 
 CHURCH from the beginning until now has attached 
 this sense to them ! ! !" Now, Sir, I calmly and 
 deliberately assert, that it would be difficult, if not 
 impossible, to select from any author a sentence how- 
 ever false and foolish, that would not sink into truth 
 and common sense alongside this of yours. How could 
 you write it ? Have you lost all regard for your repu- 
 tation ? You could not mean the apostate church of 
 Rome, because that Harlot in upholding her iniquitous 
 system refers not to Jehovah's Standard of orthodoxy, 
 but to her own, to herself, to her lying creed and infa- 
 mous canons, from which she allows of no appeal, upon 
 which she permits no discussion, cannot, will not, 
 endure " controversy." John iii. 20. Her only logic is 
 that of the fagot or the thumbscrew, which she vigo- 
 rously employs whenever she has the power against any 
 and all who oppose her "" sic volo, sic jubeo, stat pro 
 ratione voluntas " principle. To talk of the " whole 
 church" having pronounced a unanimous judgment 
 upon any subject, is to talk of a thing among the 
 imjpossihles, is to talk of that " nondescript something to 
 be found nowhere^ termed Catholic consent^' and the 
 
124 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 attempt to induce persons to believe it is an imposition 
 at once f^ross and delusive. Individual writers have 
 expressed their opinions upon different points, but you 
 cannot produce even one of these to second your state- 
 ment concerning the " whole church." Suppose how- 
 ever you were able to name t^n thousand uninspired men 
 contending for Baptismal Regeneration, a single oppo- 
 nent sentence from the pen of Inspiration instantly 
 refutes and defeats them all^ " Unus Paulus pra3 mille 
 Augustinis." It is not, what do men or churches say, 
 but what says "the Word." That is the test of truth 
 among Christians. Isaiah viii. 20. 
 
 One word as to the doctrine of " Remission of sin" 
 in Baptism. Here you agree exactly with Dr. Newman, 
 late a Leader among the Tractarians, but now gone to 
 his own place, Rome. He writes, " It is the essence of 
 sectarian doctrine to consider Faith and not the sacra- 
 ments^ as the instrument of justification." Whatever 
 Romanists and their dishonest abettors among ourselves 
 may hold, the truth can never be shaken that " Justifi- 
 cation by Faith," and by Faith alon<'^ is inscribed as 
 with a sunbeam upon the page of Inspiration, and ever 
 has been, is, and ever will be, the standard doctrine of 
 the Church of Christ. Among a multitude of others, 
 see the following texts: Gal. ii. 16. Romans i. 17- v. 1. 
 X. 3, 4. 2 Pet. i. i. And thank God our own true and 
 lovely branch of the Apostolic Church has an eleventh 
 article, and her every ritual and creed, in strict accord- 
 ance therewith. If you would adduce the injunction 
 given to St. Paul, "arise and be baptized and wash 
 away thy sins," as conflicting with this fundamental 
 truth, it is a sufficient answer that the Apostle had been 
 regenerated by the Holy Ghost — repented of his sins — 
 and believed in the Lord Jesus to justification before 
 his Baptism, which was an exhibition to the Church and 
 world of his being " a chosen vessel." But the fiict is, 
 and I feel compelled for the sake of others to state it, 
 you are as much in error as to the character of true 
 Faith and its olficc, as you are to the character of a 
 
TAUGnX ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 125 
 
 -KTainent and its <lesi<i;n; havinij laid it down tliat 
 •The principle of real, true, child-like, undoubtinn;, 
 heavenly Faith is brou;^ht into exercise whenever the 
 inward part of Baplhm is neither doubted nor denied !! " 
 It' this were true, almost every ungodly sinner in 
 Christendom, and perhaps too, every trembling Devil in 
 Hell, would be in possession of that saving faith to 
 which you have applied such a string of epithets ? For 
 who questions the inward part of a sacrament ? None, 
 or next to none. I repeat, that if an intellectual assent 
 given to a proposition upon sufficient evidence, be sav- 
 ing, the lost spirits need not despair. It is painful to 
 rind a professed ambassador of Christ confounding a 
 heartfelt reliance upon the merits of the Son of God, 
 with the acknowledgment that Baptism has an inward 
 and spiritual grace as well as an outward and visible 
 bign. That you do not understand the nature of Faith 
 is farther obvious from your investing the sacrament with 
 its peculiar and legitimate office, for you say Baptism 
 justifies, whereas the Bible says Faith justifies. Before 
 leaving this subject, I will advert for a moment to what 
 is written at the top of your fifth page. Alluding clearly 
 10 your opponents, you say " The outward part of Bap- 
 tism is conceded, it is the inward which is now^ ques- 
 tioned, doubted, or denied." This is an abominable mis- 
 representation, and calls for severity of remark, but I 
 forbear. If I am to understand the words in their 
 "literal and grammatical" signification, allow me dis- 
 tinctly to assert that they are untrue. Those who repu- 
 diate your error, hold and believe most firmly that the 
 sacraments (only iivo I) have a spiritual grace as well as 
 a visible sign, and of this I can hardly persuade myself 
 that you are not aware. JVliat they deny is the Romish 
 and your, " necessary connection," contending that mil- 
 lions have had the sign, who never afforded a shadow of 
 evidence that they had the thing signified, and as many 
 may have the thing signified, die, and be saved, without 
 the opportunity of receiving the sign. 
 
 I now go on to notice your sentiments upon 
 
12b* A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 CONFIRMATION. 
 
 A want of perspicuity in the arrangement of your 
 ideas and sentences puts it out of my power always to 
 give the former in your exact words, a perusal of the 
 Tracts will however satisfy the Reader that I have 
 neither wilfully misrepresented, nor, I believe, miscon- 
 strued you. The following will be found a fair summary 
 of your views relative to the subject in hand : — " The 
 visible sign of confirmation is prayer and the laying on 
 of hands ; it makes us Complete Christians ; and is de- 
 signed to seal us God's own children for evermore^ that 
 Satan may be afraid to assault us, seeing us marked with 
 the visible sign of Christ.'" The Saviour instituted two 
 sacraments, his Apostles, none. The univeroal Church 
 of Christ, therefore ha,s two and only two. Matter as a 
 visible sign is essential to the nature of a sacrament, that 
 of Baptism is " water," that of the Lord's Supper 
 "bread and wine." The Roman ''Anti-Christ" ha^seven 
 sacraments, one of which is Coiifirraation. She has in- 
 vented for matter a mixture of olive oil and balsam which 
 she calls '* chrism,'' and applies it to the foreheads of 
 her deluded victims in the form of a cross accompanied 
 by the words, " I confirm thee with the chrism of salva- 
 tion." Now it is an important and ought to be an 
 interesting question both to you and to those with whom 
 you are connected as Pastor, whether your views accord 
 Avith the Church of England or with the Church of 
 Rome V' — you apply to this rite the term '" visible sign,"" 
 
 * Let the Reader procure at llic Catholic Depot, St. Augustine's 
 Back, price oue-half peuuy, the " Instructions on Confirmation," by 
 the Romish Church, and he will sec that Mr. Todd, dissatisfied with 
 the prayers of the Church of England, has put into the mouths of the 
 Protestant Children of Bristol, not merely the ideas, but in many 
 instances the very toords of the Harlot of Babylou. There will, I 
 ventm-e to say, be no doubt upon the mind but Mr. T. composed 
 these petitions with the said " Instructions" before him. Parenis 
 and Guardians of Youth can you and will you endure this ? Arc 
 these sly, subtle, Jesuitical means for '" uuprotestant!zing" the juve- 
 nile members of uui" Reformed Church to be permitted V It ic iiigh 
 
 I 
 
TAU(jMT on HAl'TIS.M AND COM'IUM ATION. 127 
 
 which is distinctive of a Sncrament. Part of this 
 *" visihie" s\'^n it seems (listen ye Philosophers!) is 
 "Prayer!" This is sometimes au(Iil)le, hut to make it 
 '* visible," involves a discovery in optics ior which some 
 one of the institutions should bestow a medal. You 
 also say that it *' stands between the two (/reat sacra- 
 ments of tlie gospel." Are there then 7)wre than 
 two? This would seem to imply as much. You teach 
 next that it " makes us complete' (it is manifest from 
 the connection in Avhich this term is employed that you 
 do not mean thereby giving a title to all church privi- 
 leges) Christians. The Church of Rome writes it '"^per- 
 fect" Christians. The Church of England, as may be 
 seen in the service, maintains an altogether different 
 view of the matter. ''It seals us God's own children 
 for evermore^' is your tenet, and the Church of Rome is 
 with you, " leaves on the soul a character which can 
 never be effaced." In common with the Papacy you 
 invest it with a seal, and refer to 2 Cor. i. 21, 22, and 
 Eph. iv. 30. It is only to read these passages with 
 their contexts, and the conviction will be produced that 
 you might as well have cited Job xiv. 17, or Rev. xx. 3, 
 in proof of your position. And now comes out the 
 " chrism," not indeed the word but the ihing. In Con- 
 firmation we are '• marked with the visible sign (what is 
 that ?) of Christ." The Church of England uses a 
 gesture and words, but no "" mark," no '* matter.'' She 
 denies it to be a sacrament. You must unsay what you 
 have said before you can agree with her. Your novel 
 sacrament was not ordained by Christ, it wants therefore 
 
 time that the Laity should awake and arouse themselves. We may 
 have the hrutaliziug "Confessional" next, and then ye Hushands, 
 Fathers, J^rothers, where will be the purity of your hearths and 
 homes? Think of it. Give the check in time, it is novj in yom- 
 power, and let it be characterized by a firmness of jjurpose bordering 
 on the stern. Your C^ivil and Religious Liberty is at stake, then 
 adopt and act upon the famous motto of 1688, " No Surrender of our 
 Privileges." Remember too Bishop Hall's apothegm, " No peace unth 
 
128 A REFUTATION OP THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 another essential, viz., Institution. To be consistent you 
 must go all the way, must believe the "man of sin" who 
 a month since to avoid strangling by his own (not the 
 Lord's) regenerated and confirmed saints, ran away in 
 the dress of a livery servant, and afterw^ards it is said 
 changed it for that of an old woman ; I say you must 
 believe this poor, miserable, mob- hunted " son of per- 
 dition" to be Omnipotent ! Must make the Pope God ixs 
 Institutor, and then you need not hesitate to name the 
 " Chrism." All this is very bad, but there is if possible 
 something still worse to come. You declare one design 
 of Confirmation to be that " Satan may be afraid to as- 
 sault us, seeing us marked with the visible sign (I sup- 
 pose ?/ou to mean of the cross) of Christ." Here you 
 out-herod Herod, and cast the Church of Rome into the 
 shade, her instructions upon this subject at least betray 
 nothing half so foolish. And are you really of opinion 
 that the Evil Spirit who w^as not afraid to rebel against 
 (iod in Heaven, and to assault and tempt Him when on 
 Earth, is to be daunted by a symbol? What an attach- 
 ment you have for sig}is, and with -what power do you 
 array them ! We Protestants think the Gospel requires 
 us to bea?'^ not wear the cross ; and we also desire to 
 bless God that our security against the foe is to be found, 
 not ill crosses, but in having " underneath us the ever- 
 lasting arms," in being equipped as Christian Warriors, 
 in having on that panoply of Avhich you may read. 
 Eph. vi. 10 — 18. If the word had not so taught, com- 
 mon sense would we apprehend have dictated that our 
 protection against a spiritual and unseen adversary, 
 must be soujrht in a spiritual and unseen power, and that 
 power we know to be " the power of the Holy Ghost." 
 It is reported that some persons wish, not to elevate the 
 Host, but to erect a cross, in College Green. Now, if 
 your judgment is to be relied on, and the Wicked One 
 dreads a cross of stone as much as one '' marked" with 
 the awful finger of a priest, what a retreat will that 
 favoured place be for the tempted ! If your notions are 
 just, these " Demonifuges" should be placed not merely 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 129 
 
 on tombsfones, but at every turn and corner of our streets, 
 and tlien we may look forward to be perfectly rid of Sa- 
 tanic assaults in the course of time. I repeat my ques- 
 tion, do you really believe the sii/n of the cross (if 
 that is what you mean by the sign of Christ ?) to be 
 efficacious, as you have described it to be ? If yoic do, 
 be assured that such superstitious trash and Popish 
 trumpery will elicit but one feeling from a discriminating 
 Christian pul)lic, — that of unqualified disgust. You have 
 not in so many words pronounced Confirmation to be a 
 sacrament, but you have virtually so taught ; let any 
 person read the Confirmation service of the Church of 
 England, and the " Instructions" upon the same subject 
 in the Church of Rome, and it is instantly perceptible 
 with which yoic coincide. Now, what is your design ? 
 What are you about ? What is your ultimate object ? 
 Is this to turn out an instance of *' progressive develop- 
 ment ? " Are you acting upon the suggestions of the 
 Oxford men to introduce the poisonous tenets of Rome 
 hy little and little ? Are you a pupil in that school of 
 self-styled '* Conspirators" which recommends the steal- 
 thy step and gradual advance in effecting the object of 
 " unprotestantizing" the Nation ? Are we to have the 
 thing in disguise first, and with the mask off by and by ? 
 Is the substance to be preceded by the shadow — a dim 
 and confused recognition only permitted until the public 
 mind is ripe for the disclosure .'' Are c?'osses to be fol- 
 lowed by crucifixes as soon as the people can endure 
 them, and bowing with the j)riest towards the altar to 
 prepare the way for the transubstantiated victim ? 
 Would you restore Romish tyranny ! Would you re- 
 place the yoke of Priestcraft upon the necks of the 
 freeborn ? Believe me the thing is impossible, and the 
 attempt, madness. The present leaning of the world is 
 towards another, and a hardly less pernicious extreme. 
 That the teaching of your sect must have a direct ten- 
 dency to weaken the Church, will be doubted only by 
 the innovators themselves. Let me request you, as a 
 professed friend of that Church, to meditate upon 
 
130 A REFUTATION OP THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 the subjoined statement, which has been recently 
 given to the public, and if arguments fail to convince 
 or affect, many facts show you, that the disgust 
 occasioned by the false doctrines — ceremonial antics 
 — and superstitious trumpery of the new sect, has 
 afforded fresh pretexts to the cause of Dissent. " At 
 the late Meeting at Plymouth, to receive the reply of 
 the Primate to the memorialists who prayed for relief 
 from the Pusej-ite transactions of the Diocese a state- 
 ment of the effects produced in various parishes of 
 the said diocese of Exeter was made by Mr. J. Bennett, 
 and he pledged his veracity for its accuracy. We select 
 some of the cases for the information of our readers, 
 the names of the parishes were withheld from motives 
 of delicacy. — ^nd Case. The morning congregation 
 at present averages eighty individuals ; formerly it 
 amounted to about 1800. Communicants are about 
 eighteen ; they used to be from 160 to 200. — Zrd Case. 
 Before the introduction of Tractarianism there was 
 scarcely a Dissenter in the parish. A large Dissenting 
 Meeting-house has been recently built, which is full, 
 while the Church is nearly deserted. — Ath Case. Here 
 Puseyism has emptied the Church. Before its advent 
 there was a congregation of 400 to 500; now it con- 
 sists of thirty or forty. Wi Case. A large Church 
 nearly emptied ; the congregation have found refuge in 
 the Wesleyan Chapel. — ^th Case. A capacious Church 
 in an agricultural parish. It used to be attended by a 
 congregation of many hundreds ; now it has dwindled 
 away to about forty. — \hth Case. Church deserted. 
 Population 1400; attendants fifteen to twenty indi- 
 viduals. It is difhcult to see how the Church in the 
 diocese of Exeter can bear up against such proceedings. 
 The Churches are being emptied, and the ]\ieeting- 
 houses filled. The walls and the steeples may re- 
 main (though not long); but the Church, the living 
 community, for whom bishops and presbyters exist, are 
 leaving in crowds the desecrated walls. And in many 
 cases they can scarcely be blamed ; for these Tractarian 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 131 
 
 teachers are not feeding the flock withr the pure doc- 
 trine of our Reformed Church, hut with the garhage 
 of Popery." I cannot but thank God that we have a 
 Laity awake to the aggressions of that deadhest foe to 
 their temporal and eternal happiness, Romanism, and 
 for every wise and strenuous efibrt in resisting it, would 
 say, well done ije men of Devon, the country owes you 
 a deep debt of gratitude. I am far however from 
 consenting to the propriety of quitting our Church's 
 Communion, on the ground of a few " false teachers" 
 having skulkingly crept in with their " damnable here- 
 sies."* Oh, leave her not, it is the hour of her trial, 
 
 * Rev. xvi. 13, 14. "The three spirits and they are actively 
 abroad at this time, are Infidelitij — Anarchy — and Poperi/, whether 
 Tridentiue or Tractarian." The latter on going forth to deceive under 
 the specious name of "Anglican," is supposed by the Author to speak 
 as follows : — 
 
 " We three must go forth as the foes of mankind, 
 A cord that is threefold is hard to unbind ; 
 Now thirsting for glory to England / go, 
 The strength and the craft of my father to show ; 
 ril work ou their love of subjcctiou, and teach 
 The doctrines a son of my father should preach, 
 Disguised as the frieud of religion I go. 
 The seeds of delusion and error to sow. 
 In modified form, and in subtle disguise, 
 The poisou of Popery soon shall arise. 
 I'll set as the model, and greatly applaud. 
 The tenets and teachings of prelates like Laud ; 
 I'll say the true Church must her principles draw 
 No longer direct from the Book of the Law, 
 But pore on the pages of Fathers ; and then 
 The Scriptures make void with traditions of men ! 
 I'll boldly atfirm that the truth had not been 
 Develop'd in full till the age of Nicene, 
 "When the priest, and the altar, and sacrifice rose, 
 So timely the progress of truth to oppose, — 
 When relics, and crosses, and bones of the dead, 
 Through churches in soleimi procession were led. 
 The priests, I will teach, against reason and sense. 
 Never fail the new birth and true life to dispense ; 
 That life and salvation divinely are chain'd 
 To sacraments done by the rightly ordain'd : 
 
132 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 the day of her trouble, and she needs, she asks, your 
 assistance. She is not changed, but has the very same 
 Creed, Articles, and Liturgy, %vhich have given her 
 foremost rank among the churches, made her praise 
 heard throughout Christendom, and her blessings felt 
 throughout the world. As her highly privileged mem- 
 bers, pray for grace, wisdom, strength, direction ; and 
 then w^ill He who supports all that make Him their 
 stay, enable you to Protest against error with due 
 Christian firmness. 
 
 But I must stop. It was not my intention, on taking 
 up the pen, to exceed ten or at most twelve pages ; 
 but they have rapidly and insensibly grown under hand, 
 and even now your productions are not answered half 
 as well and fully as they might be, if the Writer had 
 time and space. Should you, or any of those who think 
 with you, reply to this in such a manner as to permit of 
 and require notice, an opportunity will be afforded of 
 enlarging upon points, which from want of room have 
 as yet been little more than adverted to. I trust, how- 
 ever, that through grace the scales of a darkening preju- 
 dice may fall off, when you will distinctly perceive your 
 doctrinal and other statements to be utterly indefensible^ 
 whether viewed in the light of Revelation or in that of 
 
 Whatever the state of the soul that receives, 
 
 'Tis the power of the priest, not the heart that believes ! 
 
 Lo, laughing the dreams of its martyrs to scorn, 
 
 In Oxford's old crypts I'll deposit my spawn. 
 
 And then the young fry from its halls shall go forth, 
 
 From east unto west, from the south to the north. 
 
 Amoag the learu'd prelates my vot'ries shall be. 
 
 Who call but my produce to swim in their See. 
 
 With doctrines so specious, — vitality fled. 
 
 Dumb show and cold form through the churches shall spread ; 
 
 For posture, imposture, dead form, and grimace. 
 
 Shall force the vex'd spirit of life from her place. 
 
 Thus England, untrue to her God and her Crown, 
 
 And trampling her Protestant principles down, 
 
 Shall fall from her station so high, and become 
 
 As vile as the carcase that's dragg'd from the tomb ! 
 
 I see her destruction : her strength and renown, 
 
 Like chatf of the threshing-floor, scatter'd and strown." 
 
TACGHT ON UAPTIS.M AND CONFIRMATION. ]'V.\ 
 
 Reason. I say " utterly indefensible," and to convince 
 you, if possible, that the language is not stronger than 
 the occasion justifies, take the following epitome ot 
 what you have printed, and that too avowedly and quite 
 in the ex-cathedra style for the correction of error and 
 the instruction of ignorance. — That controversy is to be 
 avoided, and yet writing to rectify " the misconcep- 
 tions" of your neighbours upon controverted subjects — 
 which is Inconsistent. In one place, that water is the 
 outward and grace the inward, and in another that 
 water is the inward and grace the outward, part of 
 Baptism — which is (to say no more) Contradictory. 
 That all notorious transgressors, having been baptized, 
 were thereby made " temples of the Holy Ghost," 
 which is Incredible. That " saving " faith is exercised 
 in assenting to the inward part of a sacrament — which 
 is Erroneous. That there is a " visible sign of Christ " 
 — which is Chimerical. That the " connection " between 
 the two parts of a sacrament is " inseparable;" and yet 
 that the one may be received without the other — which 
 is Impossible. Tliat " the whole Church " has unani- 
 mously interpreted certain given passages as teaching 
 Baptismal Regeneration — which is at once Contrary to 
 fact and Impossible. That adults are regenerated after 
 Repentance and Faith, and infants before, which implies 
 two kinds of Baptism — and is Heretical. That in Con- 
 firmation we are marked with a " visible sign," made 
 "Complete" Christians, and God's own children "for 
 evermore " — which is Popish. That the soul when wholly 
 destitute of light and life, can exercise the spiritual 
 graces of Repentance and Faith — which is Absurd. 
 That man can determine the birth of the Sons of God 
 — which is Anti-scriptural. That your opponents doubt 
 or deny the inward part of Baptism — which is Slander- 
 ous. That a sign can daunt Satan — which is Supersti- 
 tious. That Prayer is " visible " which is No7isertse. 
 Such is a summary of your Theology and Philosophy as 
 propounded in the Tracts. That your zeal at least 
 equals your judgment will not I apprehend be contrO' 
 
134 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 verted ; that you present a striking instance of the will 
 usurping the reason, is to my mind indisputable. Will 
 you enter upon a defence of the above extraordinary 
 positions ? If you so determine in the form of an 
 answer to this letter, I shall of course expect your name 
 to be appended. And let me be distinctly understood 
 in saying, that should there be any revival of those 
 anonymous (there is always sufficient ground to suspect 
 principles which those who hold them are afraid or 
 ashamed openly to avoio) and scurrilous assaults which 
 appeared upon former occasions, my intention is to 
 notice them no farther than by adopting the following 
 method of dragging into the light such as have found it 
 far easier to rail at than to reply to an opponent, viz., 
 by giving to the public (probably in the second edition) 
 the names of those Gentlemen who have in the very 
 strongest possible manner expressed their Banction and 
 approval of your sentiments, and made themselves 
 responsible for the same by aiding in their circulation. — 
 Whether the Parents of those Children and young Per- 
 sons into whose hands your Tract on Confirmation has 
 been put, will peremptorily demand an explanation of 
 the proceeding, remains to be seen. It may be said in 
 reference to this, that such as evince a careless indijQPer- 
 ence to the character of the spiritual instruction with 
 which their little ones are supplied, plainly demonstrate 
 to all around that they themselves are in the dense dark- 
 ness of spiritual death. 
 
 In conclusion — let me assure you that I write not in 
 anger, but in sorrow. And " Is there not a cause ?" Is 
 it not a fitting subject for regret deep and painful, to 
 behold one who professes to believe the Bible, one who 
 has subscribed the Articles of the Church of England, 
 setting forth doctrines so fearfully erroneous ? Do not 
 blame me for thus speaking out, do not deem me your 
 enemy, " because I tell you the truth." I dare not say 
 " God speed'* to heresy, and in my estimation it is as bad 
 to betray the truth by an indifference to the spread of 
 error, as to deny it. Let me entreat you, Sir, to recall 
 
TAUGUT ON ItAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. l.*^5 
 
 these Tracts. You luive done wluityou oufjht not to have 
 done, leave not undone wluit you can and ought to do. 
 Consider what may be the cons(.'(|uences here, and what, 
 without Kepentance, will be the consequences here- 
 after. Suppose they should fall into the hands of the 
 Clerical Othcers connected with the Diocese, can you 
 have any doubt, but that these Gentlemen holding as 
 they do appointments under a Protestant Bishop would 
 feel it their duty at once to present them to tliat Bisliop? 
 The result of such a procedure, it can hardly be pleasur- 
 able to anticipate." In the comparison however this is 
 as nothing. You and I are rapidly passing onward to 
 Judgment, must shortly render an account to the Great 
 Shepherd of the bread or husks we have supplied to the 
 Flock, of the truth or error we have placed before our 
 people. If in that day found to have been faithful dis- 
 pensers of His blessed Word, a brilliant crown, with 
 perhaps souls for our hire, will await ; but if otherwise, 
 if we have taught the " Traditions" of men, doctrines in 
 contrariety to the Revealed Word, how terrible the re- 
 compense ! It is true, though one almost trembles to 
 wTite it, the unfliithful minister, the teacher of falsehood, 
 will be recognised in Hell by the extremity of his tor- 
 ments. I write under a lively sense of these things, 
 deeply impressed by the conviction that one or the other 
 must be the lot of you and of me ; and therefore pardon 
 my earnestness, forgive my strongly urging an immediate 
 suppression of your publications. Oh ! compassionate 
 the souls of others, have a regard for your own. I know 
 indeed that your Avritings can do no harm to the con- 
 verted Children of God, but they can do infinite mischief 
 to the careless worldling, to such as will hazard life for 
 the gold of California, but will not read the AYord or 
 bend the knee to obtain the treasures of Eternity. Your 
 creed will be rejected by the Christian, but is likely to 
 be received as true by the unrenewed, and thus deceive 
 and rivet yet faster the chains of darkness in which the 
 ungodly are held. It will be indignantly repelled by 
 every enlightened man, whdst the self-righteous and the 
 
136 A REFUTATION OF THE ERRONEOUS DOCTRINES 
 
 ill-informed will probably arise from a perusal with the 
 fetters of spiritual death more firmly bound. Oh ! then, 
 whilst time is granted and life spared undo as far as 
 possible what you have done, to a great extent I doubt 
 not unwittingly, for I will believe you to be a conscien- 
 tious man, at the same time, let me beg you to remember 
 that it is common enough to l)e that without being a 
 Christian. Saul of Tarsus was conscientious when he 
 persecuted Christ, and verily thought he ought to oppose 
 Jesus of Nazareth. Prov. xvi. 25. The Hindoo acts in 
 obedience to his conscience in burning the widow upon 
 the funeral pile, and throwing his aged parent or helpless 
 infant into the Ganges. Conscience unless enlightened 
 and directed by the Word of God never has been and 
 never will be anything but a blind guide. Our thinking 
 wrong to be right does not, cannot, make it so. The 
 opinions of men alter not the nature of things, and there 
 will be a deadly antagonism between truth and error 
 through time and through eternity, however man in his 
 ignorance may confound thera. It is clear enough that 
 your difficulty and your danger lie in adherence to a 
 party. Break away from it for the sake of your own 
 immortal interests and those of others. That party has 
 long stood before an indignant world as the known caterers 
 of the Papacy, the recognised jackals to Rome. Above 
 half a hundred of these clergymen with a Newman at their 
 head have plunged into the vortex dragging scores of the 
 Laity with them. Allured by the Syren's music, deluded 
 by her lying pretensions to Catholicity, Unity, Sanctity, 
 and Apostolicity, to not one of which has she the shadow 
 of a claim, they have apostatized from the truth, and 
 embraced what the Church of England calls " the filthy 
 old withered harlot" of the seven hills ; like the poor 
 birds, magnetized as it is said by the rattlesnake, thoy 
 have madly rushed into the voracious jaws of the Roman 
 Anti-Christ : and are now the acknowledged members of 
 a Church in reference to which even that worldly paper, 
 the London Times, speaking in a late number of Italy, 
 thus writes, it has " the most abject and demoralized 
 
TAUGHT ON BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION. 137 
 
 population of the world. Can it be the religion of God 
 which produces such a state of things ?" 
 
 I now bid you adieu. The public will judge between 
 us, and Jehovah's Word being the Test, their verdict 
 I calmly await. My views upon all important and funda- 
 mental doctrines have been long before the world, and 
 though they agree with those of the glorious Reformation, 
 yet therein is not my confidence, but in the fact that 
 they will be found I believe to accord with that one only 
 standard of Divine Truth, the Inspired Word of God. 
 That we may both have grace to study it more diligently 
 — understand it more fully — pray over it more fervently 
 — believe it more firmly — and obey it more perfectly, is 
 the sincere desire of 
 
 Yours, in all faithfulness and friendliness, 
 
 EDWARD PARKER. 
 
 Kitigsdown, January 20th, J 849. 
 
FALSE CHARGES 
 REBUTTED AND EXPOSED 
 
Dearly Beloved Brethren, — 
 
 I last week read a letter by ^Ir. Greenfield, Inde- 
 pendent JNIinister of Salisbury, animadverting in no 
 very measured language upon two sermons publish- 
 ed by me in 1845, and now in the tenth edition.* 
 
 If this gentleman's object is controversy (clearly not 
 his vocation), he will be disappointed, since were there 
 nothing else to prohibit a descent into that arena, my 
 state of health would, as you are aware, present an in- 
 superable barrier. There are however several very 
 cogent reasons exclusively of this. In the first place the 
 arguments employed are old^ and have been refuted over 
 and over again by abler pens than mine. We know too 
 that an objection capable of being couched in a single 
 sentence, often requires a dozen pages fully to answer ; 
 the result would in the present instance be an octavo 
 volume at least, which few could, and fewer still would, 
 procure and read : a suitable motto for the Dissenter's 
 tract might be *' De omnibus rebus, et quibusdam aliis." 
 Moreover at this time the pens as well as tongues of all 
 Christians are imperatively demanded for the discharge 
 of a far more pressing and important duty, namely, to 
 check the rapid progress of the " man of sin " in this 
 kingdom. In addition to which, I am compelled to say, 
 than even if physically equal to a contest, I should most 
 decidedly refuse to enter the lists with Mr. G- as my 
 opponent ; for without intending offence, I must state 
 my deliberate opinion of this production to be, that were 
 it as strongly characterized by candour, fair dealing, and 
 
 * Attacked as these sermons have repeatedly been by the Tractarian 
 sect on the one side, and now by Dissent on tlie other, the presumption is 
 in their favour, truth generally lying between the extremes. That is a safe 
 ship to sail in which is held on her course eciually distant from the rock 
 of Scylla on the right hand, aud the whirlpool of Charybdis on the left. 
 In medio tutissiraus ibis. Some one has said, Papists have a Churcli but 
 no Religion, Dissenters a Religion but no Church. In the Establishment 
 we have both, the rich blessing of Evangelical truth united with Ecclesi- 
 astical order. 
 
H2 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 discernment, as it assuredly is by dogmatism, self-suffi- 
 ciency, and, unless it can be ascribed to mental defect, 
 disingenuousness, it would be entitled to very considera- 
 ble respect : and how a man can be sincere in praying to 
 be " guided into all truths" whilst having recourse to the 
 means here employed, is to me altogether inexplicable.* 
 
 But although I cannot if I would, and with such an 
 antagonist would not if 1 could, discuss the points upon 
 which the Apostolic Church of England is at issue with 
 Dissent : yet inasmuch as my interpretation of God's 
 word in the very matter of the text itself, is by this 
 Avriter pronounced to be " a gross and mischievous per- 
 version," and the sermon declared to instil a most per- 
 nicious practical error, you to whom it was preached, 
 and for whom it w^as more especially printed, and others 
 too into whose hands it has fallen, may possibly have a 
 claim upon me for a few, and they must and will be a 
 very few, lines. Publications such as the one before me, 
 cannot affect the intelligent part of one's hearers and 
 readers, those shielded by scriptural knowledge, but 
 they are sufficiently specious to confound the ignorant, 
 perplex the weak, and perhaps lead astray the unstable. 
 Entertaining then no apprehension whatever on account 
 of the better informed, a remark or two by way of anti- 
 dote, may be needful for others. 
 
 The two charges on w^hich I purpose very briefly to 
 touch, are those just adverted to, one of which I must 
 be permitted to say is too grievous not to be atrocious 
 
 * The style, plan, &e., of this pamphlet, though somewhat unusual, are 
 not quite peculiar. The exclamations " utterly astonislied " — " amazed " 
 — " surprised beyond measure " — are mere " claptraps," which can im- 
 pose only on the weak and ignorant ; but the hundred times repeated 
 " Sir," (breathing a spirit rather combative and conceited than Christian 
 and courteous) the form of the index, and the objections to certain of our 
 rites and ceremonies, more especially Sponsorship, so vividly recal the late 
 Mr. Towgood, bear so striking a resemblance to his work, that had that 
 gentleman lived after Mr. G., he might have been suspected of plagiarism, 
 and regarded ratlier as a transcriber than an author. This Vlx. Towgood 
 lias in more than one (quarter been charged with Sociuianism ; one prin- 
 ciple of which is, to consider as "inteqiolations" certain passages which 
 overthrow the heresy. A short method of establishing error, and a mar- 
 vellously easy one of getting over a difficulty. 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 143 
 
 unless it can be substantiated. From tbe fact of their 
 being Jinst introduced vrc may presume the author con- 
 siders them of high importance (as indeed they are) and 
 probably too as the most difficult to l)e encountered. 
 Should I succeed then, in showing the language " gross 
 and mischievous perversion " of the Word to be wholly 
 iinjustitiable, and that the other allegation is also with- 
 out a vestige of truth, you will be able to judge the 
 amount of confidence to be placed in this writer's state- 
 ments generally, and will probably draw the legitimate 
 inference that his other objections may be met and over- 
 thrown by any one who has no better employment for 
 his time — chooses to incur the expense — and thinks it 
 worth while to take the pains. 
 
 As in the order of things the text precedes the ser- 
 mon, I shall first offer an observation or two in defence 
 of my interpretation thereof, which Mr. G. asserts to be 
 a " gross and mischievous perversion " of its meaning, 
 and assigns as a reason, that I have '' in effect," taught 
 " the field " in which the tares and wheat grow toge- 
 ther to be " the Church," whereas in the 38th verse it is 
 written " the field is the world." If the all-important 
 word "■ visible " had not been lefi out^ his statement 
 would have been accurate ; for I have preached and 
 published what I fully and firmly believe to be the doc- 
 trine of the Bible and the meaning of that parable, 
 which is that the wheat and tares grow together in the 
 vmhle Church ; a truth questioned in early days by the 
 Donatist Schismatics, by some few in more recent times, 
 and among them by an Independent Minister of Salis- 
 bury. 
 
 The first charge is made to rest upon the 38th verse, 
 *■' The field is the world," in reference to which I would 
 observe, that one of the most common figures of speech, 
 is that whereby a part is put for the whole and the 
 whole for a part : a better example of which we could 
 scarcely have selected than the term " World " as pre- 
 sented to us in the Scriptures, wherein it is sometimes 
 employed in the most extensive and sometimes in a very 
 
144 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 limited sense ; in Matt. xxiv. 21. it signifies the whole 
 material world, in Matt. iv. 8, only a part of it ; in 
 Rom. V. 12, all mankind, in John xii. 19, only a 
 number of persons; in John xv. 18, 19, the ungodly of 
 mankind, in 2 Cor. v. 19, ih.e godly of mankind. Con- 
 sult also, Rom. xi, 12, 1 Cor. yii. 31,1 John ii. 15, &c. 
 &c., and I think you will perceive that very little can 
 be inferred from the mere employment of the ivord 
 world, used as it is in such wide and also in such 
 restricted senses. 
 
 No one denies that the Church was planted in the 
 world, and that its locality, so to speak, had been pre- 
 viously of the world ; what I maintain, in unison with 
 almost all Christians in all ages, is, that the^«r^ of it in 
 which the wheat and tares or true and false professors 
 of Christianity are found together, is the visible Church, 
 or as it is termed in this chapter, " The Kingdom of 
 Heaven ;" that Kingdom which was given (Dan. ii. 44, 
 vii. 13, 14) to the "Son of Man," and which, as the 
 pious and learned Doddridge whites, " was to subsist 
 first in more imperfect circumstances on earth, but was 
 afterwards to appear complete in the Kingdom of Glory. 
 In some places of Scripture, the Kingdom of Heaven 
 more particularly signifies the former of these, and de- 
 notes the state of it on earth. See Matt. xiii. through- 
 out, especially verses 41st, 47th, and Matt. xx. 1. 
 Sometimes ' the Kingdom of God' signifies only the 
 state of glory, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, xv. 50, Gal v. 21, but 
 generally both the one and the other expression includes 
 both.'' The Saviour explicitly declares that to this 
 '' Kingdom of Heaven" the parable refers, and verse 
 41st that out of it the angel reapers will at the appointed 
 time gather all that offend, that is the tares, all such as 
 by an inconsistent profession cause others to stumble in 
 the ways of God and concerns of the soul. 
 
 In this, as in the preceding parable, spiritual truths 
 are imparted by a comparison with the processes of 
 agriculture. We know the field to be in the county or 
 parish just as the Church is in the world, and the 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 145 
 
 husbandmnn senrls his labourers not to weed the lands 
 of others, hut his own. The very term " field" then, 
 would seem to convey the idea of a place within certain 
 limits, -fenced oil" as it were from the open common of 
 the world, the vineyard in which are the plants of the 
 Lord, together indeed with many cumber-grounds, that 
 cultivated portion of the wilderness, which, through the 
 good seed of the Word ])eing so^^^l there, has been 
 turned more or less into a fruitful place, and is one day 
 (God hasten the time) to lengthen its cords and 
 strengthen its stakes until it reach earth's extremest 
 bound. 
 
 The SURPRISE expressed by the servants, is to my 
 mmd satisfactory proof that the field is the visible 
 Church. '' Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field ? 
 from whence then hath it tares?" They very well knew 
 that the godly and the ungodly would be mingled to- 
 gether m the loorld, but never anticipated such a thing in 
 the Church ; and were evidently astonished to witness 
 the wicked and the righteous side by side in what they 
 imagined was to be " without spot or wrinkle or any 
 such thing." Their Master undeceived them, and 
 taught (which is the expre8% design of the parable) that 
 such would be his Church's condition throughout her 
 earthly pilgrimage; that as in the individual Christian 
 there is a mixture of good and bad, so also in this 
 Kingdom of Heaven" there would be genuine and 
 counterfeit professors, and therefore expressly forbid their 
 doing what tyrants on the one hand, and schismatics 
 (who vainly expect a perfect community here below) on 
 the other, have been doing ever since ; namely, attempt- 
 ing to root out the tares, which in most cases has been 
 in effect, the tares rooting out the wheat. 
 
 Our Lord's Prohibitory Injunction, " nay • lest 
 while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat 
 with them. ' affords still further evidence that by the 
 field IS meant the visible Church. The tare bears a very 
 striking resemblance to wheat; so much so that certain 
 writers have contended (though with little shew of 
 
146 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 truth) that it Is a kind of bastard wheat, degenerate and 
 fruitless through want of culture, as in the case of 
 plants, trees, and other things among ourselves. It was 
 then it seems in some instances and for some persons 
 not only not easy, but not possible to distinguish the one 
 from the other, though they might know weeds more 
 marked and dissimilar in character and appearance. 
 Thus the ministers and servants of the Lord can, with- 
 out difl&culty, perceive the 2oide difference between an 
 idol-worshipping pagan and a baptized and professed 
 follower of the Redeemer, but they cannot^ with any 
 certainty, separate the specious hypocrite from the de- 
 fective though true believer : to make that distinction 
 requires the all-piercing eye of Him who alone reads the 
 heart. If the field then were the world, " those that 
 are without," where exists the necessity of the caution ? 
 What chance. Avhat fear, nay, what possibility was there 
 of mistake ? Though the servants might not know a 
 wheat from a tare, they would unerringly discern a 
 thistle from either. 
 
 Again — that these servants should request permission 
 to weed the Church, seems natural enough ; but to sup- 
 pose that there was in their minds the desire to " ex- 
 terminate"* the whole human race, excepting only the 
 
 * When Mr. G. saw good to let off a little of his dissenterish ran- 
 cour by connecting the Church of England with Rome as a persecutor, 
 it would have been but fair to state, that when the latter persecutes 
 she acts in accordance with her principles, whereas such an act on the 
 part of any Protestant community, is a violation of, a departure from 
 theirs. But how eagle-eyed are men to others' faults, how owl-eyed 
 to their own ; he forgot, left out the good Dissenters altogether ! Let 
 me then shew, from the page of history, what merciful, kind, tender, 
 loving, gentle, creatures they are when in power! " The voluntary 
 Indei>cndents in the days of Cromwell, made a wonderfully successful 
 effort at swallowing deaneries and chapters, at turning other men out 
 of endowments and turning themselves into their places." — //. Cooke, 
 B.B., Presbyterian Bliuister. "■ On the 23rd of August, 1645, an 
 order was issued, forbidding the use of the Common Prayer, in any 
 church, chapel, or place of public worship, or in any private place or 
 family, under a penalty of £5 for the first ottunce, £10 for the second, 
 and for the third a year's iraprisoument. Not only all the prisons 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 147 
 
 professed adherents of the Lord Jesus, is to ascribe to 
 them a decree of /o//y and ignorance, which, considering 
 tlieir previous instruction, is no way justifiable ; for to 
 say notliing of the somewhat arduous nature of the 
 undertaking, there would have been none left to convert, 
 the Church could never more extend her border, and 
 therefore to " add to it daily such as should be saved," 
 no longer possible. 
 
 Were it not inconsistent with the brevity which I am 
 compelled to observe, there are other reasons that might 
 be adduced in support of my interpretation. There is 
 the beautiful karhianrj between tliis and x>ther por- 
 tions of God's word. See Matt. iii. 12, xiii. 47 5(), 2 
 
 Tim. ii. 20. There is also the fact of the tares being 
 sown after the wheat, viewed in connection with the two 
 other facts, that the parables refer not to the world, hut 
 to the Gosipel Dispensation, and that Satan is the especial 
 enemy of the " Son of Man." We learn too from the 
 page of history, and it is worthy of notice, that per- 
 secutions have not been carried oji against Pagans:* it 
 
 about London were quickly filled with persons of honour and great 
 reputation, but new prisons were made for their reception, and of 
 which was a uew and barbarous inventiou. Very many persons of 
 good quality, both of the clergy and laity, were committed to prison 
 on board the ships in the river Th imes, where they were kept under 
 decks, and no friend sufl'ered to come near them, by which many lost 
 their hvesr— Clarendon. " No fewer than 7,000 clergymen were 
 ejected from their livings. The treatment of the loval clergy was to 
 the last degree inhuman. Some were actually murdered, and others 
 perished m consequeuce of brutal usage, or of coulincmmt in close 
 and unwholesome prisons."— &?«^/^^y. And Bramhall informs us, 
 tliat " the tynmny and oppression exercised by Dissenters towards 
 Churchmen smce the Keformatiou, has doubled that of Churchmen 
 towards Dissenters." This was somewhat delicate and dan-^erous 
 ground for the Independent Minister t ) take ; to invite retort is°some- 
 times uusafe, and most especially so for him on the point of per- 
 secu/ion. Let him beware then, for we all know that whilst the 
 Popes m the plenitude of their power have " set their sandall'd feet 
 on Prmces," we also know, that the Dissenters, when lords of the 
 ascendant, set their hob-nailed shoes in the same place. 
 
 * AVe must except indeed the Romish apostacy, for rather than not 
 be mtoncated with blood that drunken harlot would almost perse- 
 
148 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 has ever been one branch of the yisible Church trying to 
 cut off some other branch. These and others that will 
 occur, you can prayerfully examine and work out for 
 yourselves, the employment will be profitable, bearing in 
 mind that what the Lord hides from the wise and pru- 
 dent, he reveals unto babes. 
 
 When that sermon came from the printer's hands, I 
 had not consulted a single commentator upon either the 
 text or the parable. On receiving Mr. Greenfield's letter, 
 I turned to a few, or rather not a few ; and it is cer- 
 tainly both gratifying and confirmatory to find the best 
 and the greatest, in the different ages of Christianity, 
 agreeing with me, that by the field we are to understand 
 the visible Church. As Scott, Henry, Doddridge, and 
 Burkitt* are among the most eminent, best known, and 
 also within your reach, I take the liberty of refening 
 you to those devoted men and able expositors of the 
 Word, and really think they will have at least as much 
 w^eight wdth you as Mr. Greenfield, it may be a trifle 
 more. 
 
 ^o much for the charge of " a gross and mischievous 
 perversion" of the text. Whether there is any ground 
 for it, whether such language is in any degree defensible, 
 and whether it does not rather apply to the accuser him- 
 
 cute the brute creation. She has a day for blessing the pontiff's nags 
 mules, &c., there is no reason therefore why she may not appoint one 
 for cursing those of other people. "What a mercy it is, reader, that we 
 Protestants are able so rightly and justly to estimate the benediction 
 cr the anathema of this " Balaam of the Seven Hills," that we know 
 neither the one nor the other to be worth the spark of a flint ; that 
 the False Prophet's blessing tan avail nothing for good, that his curse 
 can avail nothing for evil. WHli the Bible in our haiv^, we can and 
 do indignantly reject the one, and contemptuously smile at the other. 
 
 * The Prince of Expositors Calvin thus writes. "Quanquam 
 autem Christus postea subjicit mundum esse agrum, dubiuni taraen 
 non est, quin proprie hoc nomen ad Ecclesiam aptare voluerit, de qufi 
 Exorsus fuerat sermonem. Sed quoniam passim aratrum suum duc- 
 turus crat per omnes munSi plagas, ut sibi agros cxcoleret in toto 
 mundo, ac spargcret vitre semen, per synechdochcn ad mundum 
 transtuiit, quod parti tantum magis quadrabat." 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 149 
 
 si'lf, is for your consideralion. It is sctircely necessary 
 to say, that as far as I am concerned, Mr. G.'s censure 
 in this instance or in any other, is not esteemed at the 
 price of a stra\v. Associated as I am in thus expounding 
 the passage, with men of the most powerful intellect — 
 the most enlarged intelligence — the highest theological 
 standard — the most unquestionable piety, if consolation 
 under the reproof were needful, I should undoubtedly 
 have abundant support. But it is not needed in a case 
 where despotical interpretation and the total absence of 
 self-distrust characterize him who prefers the accusation. 
 
 I will now, for a moment, glance at the only remain- 
 ing calumny of this writer which it is my intention to 
 notice ; and would just preface my remarks by saying, 
 that I perfectly coincide with him in the opinion that 
 between opponents, " candour" in the very strictest 
 sense, is absolutely indispensable ; the lack of it not 
 only rendering discussion worse than useless, but being 
 fatal also to the writer's moral character. More than 
 once is it insinuated that I am defective in this quality ; 
 with what truth and justice, is most confidently left for 
 others to determine ; whether Mr. G. can call attention 
 to Jus pages with an equally firm reliance upon a favour- 
 able verdict, is not my affair, but his. 
 
 This gentleman unblushingly asserts that I am 
 " bound by ray own principles and words, to admit to 
 the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in one company and 
 at the same table, men of all creeds and of every kind of 
 character^ Papists, Socinians, drunkards, &c., no man 
 forbidding them." ! ! !* No light imputation to cast 
 
 * In the second edition of the " Church Memher's Guide," written 
 by an eminent Dissenting ^Minister, and speaking of what takes place 
 in their chapels, we have the following statements : — " Gossips and 
 tattlers disturb our churches." "Some members are card players and 
 Sunday travellers." " Discipline is relaxed to admit wealthy members 
 of unsanctified dispositions." " Some (members) there are who 
 betray their Master far a less sum tluin that which Judas set upon 
 his blood"!!! Now mark it. — These "Gossips," "Tattlers," 
 " Card players," " Sabbath-breakers," and " Judases," being members, 
 are, in Dissenting places of worship, allowed to partake of the sacra- 
 
150 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 upon one whom he knows to be a minister of the Gos- 
 pel and professes to believe a Christian man ; and unless 
 it is capable of substantiation by fair and satisfactory 
 evidence, will only pass for " a railing accusation," or 
 be looked upon as resulting from an impression on the 
 writer's mind, that the ninth commandment has been 
 repealed. If I ever have, either by tongue or pen, in 
 the pulpit or press, taught anything so insulting to com- 
 mon sense, so revolting to decency, and, what is infi- 
 nitely worse, so utterly opposed to God's eternal truth, 
 as the enormity here alleged, there certainly ought to 
 have been, and I doubt not there certainly would have 
 been, an interference on the part of the proper authori- 
 ties, to shield yoii, ray friends, from so pestilential and 
 damnable a doctrine. To accuse, however, is one thing, 
 to convict, another : any one \vho is unprincipled 
 enough can spread a slander ; it is a totally different 
 thing, to make good a charge. Now please to observe, 
 that the odious accusation of this person is either true 
 or false ; if true, I am worthy of suspension ; if false, 
 he is either unworthy of credit from the want of vera- 
 city, or unworthy of notice from the want of under- 
 standing. 
 
 I can fearlessly appeal to you, the inhabitants of 
 Stoke Gifford, as to my practice in this particular, dur- 
 ing a ministry of fifteen years. Excepting those who 
 had been communicants antecedently to my taking 
 charge of the Parish, I have never knowingly allowed a 
 single individual to partake of that ordinance without 
 previous, and if necessary, repeated examination and 
 counsel. You can also testify to the fact of my having 
 preached many sermons explanatory of that sacrament, 
 
 ment ! ! ! Did Mr. G. get his idea hence ? Did this suggest to his 
 miud the charge which he has had the audacity to prefer against me ? 
 "We know men are apt to measure others by tlicir own standard, to 
 judge by what they see at home. Here again he may perceive that to 
 provoke retaliation is a somewhat perilous step. AYe read of certain 
 philosophers of whom it was said, " habcnt gladiura, sed non habent 
 scutum;" a very free translation of which might be, "those who live 
 in glass-houses ought not to throw stones," 
 
 1 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 151 
 
 delineating therein the not merely moral hut spiritual 
 characters, who alone ouf^ht to approach the Lord's 
 table ; and not only upon such occasions, but at almost 
 every administration, in language as strong and pungent 
 as possible, solemnly warned the worldly-minded not to 
 aggravate their condemnation by partaking of those 
 holy mysteries. That I should then have preached 
 to you and printed /o/* yo« a discourse so thoroughly at 
 variance with, so diametrically opposed to, my well 
 known principles and practice, is, to say the least of it, 
 
 IN THE VERY HIGHEST DEGREE IMPROBABLE. 
 
 Again, that sermon has had a very extensive circula- 
 tion, thousands upon thousands have been sold, and not 
 the slightest intimation has ever been given, either by 
 friend or foe, that it contained so monstrous and hateful 
 a tenet. Tractarian and High-Church Reviewers, unable 
 to overthrow the arguments have assailed it with the 
 bitterest rancour, but not one of them has been so 
 unjust or such a blunderer, as to fix upon it this dis- 
 graceful brand. Protestant editors, of the most com- 
 manding talent, have reviewed it in language of strongest 
 approbation, and I have received upwards of fifty letters 
 (some of which are penned by Clergymen of the greatest 
 eminence), wishing it all success, and tendering me 
 their thanks. The unavoidable inference from which is, 
 that Mr. G. is either 'preternaturally sharp -sigJded^ or 
 (unless a still more unfavourable conclusion be drawn) 
 that he is most deplorably dim-sighted. 
 
 But let us turn to the discourse itself, and endeavour 
 to ascertain whether this gentlemen is really so acute as 
 to see what nobody else can see, endued with such a 
 miraculous penetration as to discover that of which no 
 others can perceive a trace. The error (and it is a 
 mountainous one) is either to be found therein, or we 
 must charitably presume Mr. G. the subject of one of 
 those mental illusions so often the result of a prejudiced 
 imagination, and the not infrequent ofi*spring of a 
 church-hating bigotry. Is it then a fact, or is it a fancy ? 
 Let the occasion upon which, and the design with which it 
 
152 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 was preached be duly considered. Let the parties (not 
 persons in authority, not ministers, but the laity) for 
 whose instruction and guidance it was written, be kept 
 distinctly before the mind. Let one part be fairly com- 
 pared with another. Let the statements be examined 
 not apart from but loith their contexts. Let these jmt 
 requirements be complied with, and let any dozen or 
 twelve dozen men of ordinary understanding and inte- 
 grity, sit down and thoroughly search and sift it, from 
 beginning to end, and I stake my reputation for judg- 
 ment upon the issue, that they will rise from the inves- 
 tigation, unanimously declaring that no such sense as 
 Mr. G.'s can, with the least show of justice, be affixed 
 to it, that the stigma is on my part as unmerited, as it 
 is on his discreditable. 
 
 A perusal will demonstrate that it had no reference 
 whatever to the excommunication of notorious offenders 
 nor the most distant allusion to what qualifies or disquali- 
 fies for the sacrament. Neither of these was its object, 
 neither of them is its subject. It has no more to do 
 with church discipline, or the exercise of ecclesiastical 
 authority than it has with the corn-laws. Such matters 
 are wholly foreign to its meaning, altogether without its 
 design ; and this is as apparent as anything which plain 
 language can render so, as evident as anything which 
 exphcit terms can convey. I conscientiously believe 
 that an intelligent third class Sunday-school child must 
 see, that the oljject of the composition is to combat the 
 too common evil oi private Christians judging one ano- 
 ther ; the whole scope and drift of it, is to expose and 
 condemn the presumption of such as pretend to decide 
 upon their neighbour's state before God, thus daring to 
 invade the prerogative of the Omniscient, who being 
 the alone Heart-searcher, is alone secured from mistake 
 in separating between the trtihj spiritual and the appa- 
 rently so. The sermon has nothing in the world to do 
 with the propriety of forming an opinion upon a pro- 
 fessor's external conduct, but points out and warns 
 against the folly and arrogance of assuming to form an 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 153 
 
 accurate j udf^ment upon his internal condition^ inasmuch 
 as the Churc'ii mystical, or body of Christ, is " all glo- 
 rious within^" not open to the inspection of man, just 
 because it is mystical, which signifies not perceptible by 
 the liuman senses : faith, which unites the members to 
 the head being a spiritual act, cannot possibly be within 
 the cognizance of dodili/ organs : we may know who are 
 in the temple of God, but cannot tell who amongst them 
 are temples of the Holi/ Ghost, ylll the virgins had the 
 same name., though five in an inferior sense, all carried 
 lamps, and all had light, but all had not oil ; the speech- 
 less one sat down at the marriage supper; now, by 
 whom., let me ask, and at xohat time was the lack of the 
 former discovered, and the latter detected as wanting 
 the wedding garment, which is worn 7iot on the body 
 but on the heart., even the imcard adornment of the 
 "new man?" the answer is, — By the Bridegroom, at 
 his approach, by Him who alone " trieth the hearts '* 
 and " knoweth them that are his." All that I have 
 taught and insisted upon, as you well know is, that no 
 man is qualified (unless by miracle) to be a discerner of 
 spirits : that to attempt it is at once foolish, vain, and 
 wicked ; that to distinguish between the decent forma- 
 list, and 'the inconsistent, though real child of God, is to 
 the creature forbidden, and by the creature impossible. 
 But for the fact then, it would have seemed almost in- 
 credible that an adult member of Society, should volun- 
 tarily step forth and jeopardize his character either for 
 sense or honesty, by declaring this sermon to teach a 
 most impious doctrine, to anything connected with or 
 leading to which it contains not a particle of allusion, 
 nor, except by the most contemptible distortion can be 
 made to involve. And I have no hesitation in affirming 
 it to be " a gross and mischievous perversion " of my 
 meaning, and that if not toilful., it exhibits a mind either 
 blunted by prejudice into perfect dulness, or to the last 
 degree feeble in its powers of discernment. One of the 
 world's greatest writers says, " In hot constitutions zeal 
 is a sort of drunkenness, which so disorders the mind, 
 
154 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 that a man sees everything double and the wrong 
 
 But if nothing else had opened his eyes to such injus- 
 tice, it might have been expected that the following 
 sentence (page 60,) would. " / do not say that 'persons 
 in autliority are not to judge according to evidence^ or that 
 we may not all entertain our opinions as to actions^ but 
 that to pronounce upon an individual's future state, and 
 to pretend an acquaintance with the secret springs of 
 conduct, is an undertaking to which the creature is 
 wholly incompetent." Did Mr. G. overlook this? He' 
 observes tcords and tYew particles when they afford room 
 for cavil. One could have wished that a sentence in 
 page 61, had not also escaped his notice. "The man 
 who is given to peep over the fence and find fault with 
 his neighbour's tillage, generally overlooks his own field 
 choked with weeds. Examine yourselves. There is 
 work enough at Jiome.'" Had this led him to the con- 
 templation of Matt. vii. 3 — 5, coupled with a knowledge 
 of facts in Dissenting Chapels, an assault upon the 
 Church of England might have been obviated. 
 
 Before concluding, I have, my friends, a small favour 
 to solicit at your hands, and which I doubt not will be 
 readily granted. It is that you will study the parable 
 with prayer^ and the sermon with attention. You will 
 thus be qualified to decide whether or not there is " the 
 shadow of a shade " of truth or propriety in this gen- 
 tleman's allegations. Should it be your conviction that 
 they are entirely wanting in that important thing proof, 
 and therefore no better than baseless slanders, you will 
 be put on your guard, and know exactly how^ much 
 reliance to place on the performance at large. Ab uno 
 disce omnes. 
 
 The intention of closing here I take leave to alter, it 
 having occurred to me as possible that an additional page 
 might be considered due to Mr. G. as also to my own 
 church. Having asslgiied|several reasons for declining 
 controversy in general, you may think it but just that I 
 should state the grounds for objecting to discuss the dis- 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 165 
 
 putcd points with him in particular. This opens a very 
 wide field, upon which however I shall hut just enter, 
 inasmuch as minutely to investigate or at any length to 
 dwell upon the ^ross deformities of an author is never 
 afjreeahle, and in the piesent case not necessary. Some 
 will look upon his pamphelet as the result of an inhorn 
 love of cavil — others as the mere ebullition of a strong 
 and deeply seated principle of church hate* — a third and 
 more charitable class may ascribe it to a severe attack of 
 " scribendi cacoethes," — and it is perhaps indebted for 
 existence to the threefold stimulant. Be this as it may, 
 an extreme and unbridled eagerness to snarl and find 
 fault even to the snapping at misprints, or something 
 else, has rendered this gentleman at once careless of in- 
 justice to me, madly regardless of his own character, and 
 callous to any injury which the cause of truth might 
 receive. Can it be believed that he (a man so miraculous- 
 ly shrewd as to see, when it suited his purpose^ what 
 nobody else can see,) really misunderstood the sense 
 in which the terms " useless" " avails nothing" and 
 " inefficacious" were employed by me in pages 34, .36 ? 
 Did " The main design of a sacrament" and the numer- 
 ous other plain and explanatory sentences escape his 
 wondrous penetration ? And were his eyes fast closed to 
 the many places in which the external privileges of the 
 
 * That the Pope aud his emissaries in their present strenuous efforts 
 to overthrow that bulwark to their progress, the English Church, will 
 have recourse to means which proved so successful in days of old, we 
 may reasonably expect. ^Vho then shall say, how many of Rome's 
 conscious tools are at this very time disguised in dissenting and church 
 pulpits? And beyond a doubt, all who have for their object the des- 
 truction of the Establishment are either the mlful or the vMConsciovs 
 instruments and puppets of that mother of harlots. Dissenters should 
 ponder the words of Ireland's cleverest man, " Let us but succeed in 
 overthrowing the Church of England, and we will ride rough-shod 
 over the nonconformists." Well and truly too has it been lately said, 
 " The wily Romanists will unite with you Dissenters in Politics, will 
 make you the stepping stones to their advancement, but once in the 
 ascendant, and they will not merely kick down the ladder but stamp 
 it in the dust; " whence you will not be permitted even to "peep and 
 mutter," which it seems is the present privilege of some among your 
 ministers. 
 
156 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 rite are also spoken of or alluded to ? Taking the most 
 favourable view of the matter, his mind must be of a 
 very peculiar construction, and supposing, as we fairly 
 may, his powers of reasoning to resemble his powers of 
 perception, why we must not be surprised to find him 
 doubting where he ought to believe, and believing where 
 he ought to doubt ; his faith strong where the evidence 
 is weak, and his faith weak where the evidence is strong ; 
 receiving as true what he is bound to reject as false, and 
 rejecting as false what he is bound to receive as true ; 
 ignorantly denominating the arguments of others " falla- 
 cies," and fondly thinking his own fallacies to be argu- 
 ments. The censure of such a mind is surely the highest 
 praise, and as such it is received. 1 shall advert but to 
 one other of Mr. G's tactics, which is — The forcibly 
 
 TEARING sentences FROM THEIR CONNECTION, THEN 
 STRINGING THEM TOGETHER SO AS TO GIVE A TOTALLY 
 
 DIFFERENT SENSE, (by which anything might be made 
 to mean anything, and it is repeatedly done, see page 13, 
 &c.) and exclaiming "I am amazed at your proposition," 
 which is in fact His own ! ! ! Such conduct can elicit 
 but one opinion and one feeling, and I really dare not 
 trust myself to designate it in merited terms, but assert 
 without fear of contradiction that every honest man in 
 England, be he Churchman or Dissenter, will without 
 a moment's hesitation decide that it eifectually bars the 
 door to discussion, and cuts off the possibility of any and 
 all communication. It is matter for regret, and will I 
 trust be for deep repentance on the part of this Avriter, 
 that so much so very much of this (which some will call 
 Jesuitical trickery,) is to be found in his letter; for whilst 
 it must necessarily cause distrust to rest upon the state- 
 ments, doubt upon the arguments, and discredit upon the 
 author, it cannot but have the effect of aniiing the minds 
 of the ungodly and unbelieving Avith prejudice against 
 religion where they see its ministers using such weapons. 
 I can say in the room of sickness, in the prospect of 
 death, and in the presence of God, that if I set ever so 
 high a value upon the things of time, \vith a due regard 
 
REBUTTED ANU EXPOSED. 167 
 
 to my character for common sense and intefrrity, I would 
 not he the writer of that pamplilet to occupy the richest 
 tlirone in Cliristendom. If indeed it can he ascrihed to 
 feebleness of apprehension ; if the plea of unconscious- 
 ness can be entered, and there are parts capable perhaps 
 of allowing; an excess of charity so to conclude, then is it 
 for far more excusable : but even in that case controversy 
 is out of the question, for as wilfal misinterpretation is 
 an act whicli reduces a man to contempt, so weakness 
 of understanding is a misfortune which makes him as an 
 author insignificant, and against arguing with such 
 Solomon dissuades us, Prov. xxvi. 4 
 
 Whatever might have been Mr. G.'s motive, the ten- 
 dency of his htter is, beyond a question to depreciate and 
 bring into disrepute that Church of which I am a 
 minister. For the purpose then of counteracting any 
 little influence which it might be destined to have, 1 
 shall place before you the opinions not of obscure indi- 
 viduals, but the sentiments entertained and felt towards 
 our beloved Zion by some of the most powerful minds 
 and most devoted hearts that ever graced the ranks of 
 nonconformity. 
 
 '' I freely and cheerfully attend the divine service of 
 the church, knowing nothing in the prayers but what I 
 can heartily say 'amen' to." — Mattheto Henry. 
 
 " Let us give God praise for the national establishment 
 of our religion." — Matthew Henry. 
 
 " I conform to the Liturgy as a private person to hear 
 it read in public assemblies, in order that I may bear my 
 testimony against hidependency '' — FJdlip Henry. M. A. 
 
 " The constant disuse of forms is apt to breed giddi- 
 ness in religion, and it may make men hypocrites, who 
 shall delude themselves with conceits that they delight 
 in God, when it is but in those novelties and variations 
 of expression that they are delighted." — Uichard Baxter. 
 
 " I believe the church of England comes nearer the 
 scriptural plan than any other national church upon 
 earth."— /o/m JVedey. M.A. 
 
 " I consider it the purest national church in the world." 
 
158 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 " I reverence the Liturgy next to the Bible." — Adam 
 ClarJce, L. L. B. 
 
 "Tiie public Liturgy of the established church is a 
 public blessing to the nation ; nor is there a church upon 
 earth that so much promotes the abundant reading of the 
 Word of GoiXr— Rowland Elll M. A. 
 
 " The evangelical purity of its sentiments, the chasten- 
 ed fervour of its devotion, and the majestic simplicity of 
 its language, have combined to place it (the Liturgy) in 
 the very first rank of uninspired compositions" — Robert 
 HalL 
 
 " I am charmed and delighted beyond measure, with 
 the reflection, that when pouring out my soul before 
 God, in the appropriate and beautiful language of the 
 church of England, I am actually addressing ray heavenly 
 Father in precisely the same words which were used by 
 the holy apostles and primitive disciples of Christ." — 
 W. Thorpe. 
 
 '• Its scriptural doctrines are the themes with which 
 Luther and Cranmer, and Calvin and Knox assailed the 
 papacy and effected the Reformation ; its divines have 
 covered its altars with works more precious than the 
 purest gold of the ancient sanctuary of Israel ; its litera- 
 ture is the boast and glory of the civilized world ; its 
 armoury is filled with the weapons of etherial temper, 
 which its host have wielded, and with the spoils they 
 have won in the conflict with infidelity, popery, and 
 heresy ; and its martyrology is emblazoned with names 
 dear and sacred to every Protestant." — John Angell 
 James. 
 
 You will not fail to observe that the above is the 
 testimony not of Clergymen, tiot of Churchmen, but of 
 eminent Dhsentinjj Ministers : and it is a very small 
 part indeed of what is now before me and omitted from 
 want of space. Oh, dear brethren, how ought you and 
 I to value the privilege of l)elonging to that church of 
 which even those; who differ from it speak so highly ! 
 and well they may, for *' Walk through the breadth and 
 length of the Christian world, and place in opposition 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 159 
 
 to her that church or party which has given so pure a 
 fiible, so sound a Creed, so holy a Litur<ry ; which has 
 been honoured by so noble an army of martyrs, bj so 
 goodly a fellowship of teachers and evangelists, by so 
 glorious a company of the faithful servants of Jesus 
 Christ." Then '" walk about Zion, and go round al)out 
 her ; tell the towers thereof. JMark ye well her bul- 
 warks, consider her palaces." ** Pray for the peace of 
 Jerusalem : they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be 
 within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces ! 
 because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek 
 thy good." 
 
 Ever ready to offer the right hand of fellowship to 
 any and all who hold the Head, I much regret that Mr. 
 G.'s unprovoked attack should require me to call your 
 attention to the following not very inviting picture of 
 Dissent as drawn and presented to the world by that 
 well known Dissenting Minister and Writer, the Rev. 
 John i\jigell James, who will not deny that the quota- 
 tions are fairly made and convey his meaning, as found 
 in the second edition of his book, " The Church Mem- 
 ber's Guide." 
 
 " Distraction and division frequently result from the 
 election of ministers." " Secret canvassing," " cabals, in- 
 trigues" and " the most disgusting exercise of the most 
 disgusting tyranny, take place." '^ A defective education 
 not unfrequently prepares a minister to be the cause of 
 much uneasiness." " One half of our church quarrels 
 which take place, originate in lazy, loitering ministers." 
 '■''Many ministers spend one half of their time in running 
 about the country to attend public meetings, and the 
 other in gossipping at the houses of their friends; the 
 natural consequence is, that their sermons are poverty 
 itself." " Some ministers plunge themselves in debt, or 
 involve themselves in politics, or marry unsuitable per- 
 sons;" " others are of a bad temper," — "so that a fire 
 of contention is soon kindled, and the whole church is 
 enveloped in flames." " Others are immoral," " yet 
 attaching themselves to a party, th(y introduce the 
 
J 60 FALSE CHARGES 
 
 greatest disorder and confusion." " It does not un- 
 freq^iiently happen, where two or more churches of the 
 same denomination exist in a town, that a most unhappy, 
 un scriptural, disgraceful temper is manifested toward 
 each other." ••' The affairs of religious societies have 
 been carried into chancery, and strife, ill-will, confusion, 
 and every evil work, have sprung up in the church." 
 " Some deacons make kindness and assistance a cloak 
 for their own tyranny, or a silken web to wind round 
 the fetters they are preparing for their pastor." " What 
 is the deacon of some of our dissenting communities ? 
 The patron of the living, the bible of the minister, and the 
 wolf of the flock ,-" " who, upon the least symptom of 
 opposition to his toill, f'owns like a tyrant upon the spii'it 
 of rising rebellion among his slaves.'^ " It is not unusual 
 for the pulpit to be converted into a source of the 
 most disgusting adulation." The members of dissenting 
 churches " atxe frequently hasty in the choice of a pastor, 
 and soon grow tired of 'the man they choose." They 
 love their minister dearly with their lips, but hate him as 
 cordially with their pockets."' '''•They treat him like wild 
 beasts, who are kept humble by being kept poor." " In 
 many of our churches the pastor is depressed far below 
 his level." " He may flatter like a sycophant, beg like 
 a servant, or woo like a lover, but he is not per- 
 mitted to enjoin like a ruler." ^'' His opi?iion is 
 received with no deference, his person is treated with 
 no respect, and in presence of some of his lay tyrants, 
 he is only permitted to peep and mutter in the 
 dust.''* '' The relaxation of discipline may be mentioned 
 
 * I think you will agree with me, reader, that to prate of the 
 Clergy beiug " bound hand and foot," (which is false) comes with a 
 very bad grace indeed _/>-o;« such a quarter ! According to their own 
 showing dissenting ministers are bound, hand, foot, eye, mind, and 
 tongue, " treated like wild beasts," (encaged ?) and by the lordly 
 " deacons" and other " lay tyrants" only permitted to peep and 
 MUTTER FROM THE DUST ! ! ! !" Poor fellows ! surely they would 
 gladly exchange mth us ; for who would not vastly prefer the dis- 
 cipline of a man of war to the almost irresponsible tyranny which may 
 be exercised in a merchant ship ? In the one, all arc free and all is 
 fair, inasmuch as nothing can be done contrary to known lav) ; in the 
 
REBUTTED AND EXPOSED. 161 
 
 as another source of evil. For the sake of its glitteriiif]^ 
 exterior, many a dissenting; churcli has taken a serpent 
 to its bosom.'' "Alas ! alas 1 how viany of our churches 
 present at this moment the sad spectacle of a house 
 divided apjainst itself!" " Church meduigs have exhibited 
 scenes oj confusion little recommendatory of the democratic 
 form, of church-government." " Opposition commences ; 
 — ^a church is divided into factions ; — the minister be- 
 comes involved in the dispute; — and division finishes 
 the scene !" " Lamentable state of things ! Would to 
 God it rarely occurred ! !" — John Angell James. 
 
 Believing as I do the English to be the purest branch 
 of Christ's Church beneath the canopy of heaven, still 
 I deny not and never have denied that she has faults, 
 and what on earth is without them, even the sun has 
 spots. But are there no evils to deplore in dissent ? 
 Has the boasted purity of that system any existence ? 
 Ask the Rev. John Angell James: and if, reader, you 
 happen to be a dissenter, perhaps that able and good 
 man may reply, " Leave those church people alone, and 
 help me to cleanse the Augean stable of dissent, to cor- 
 rect what is amiss among ourselves ; the task is Hercu- 
 
 other, there is but too often grinding oppression from the lack of such 
 fixed regulations to restrain each man from doing "what is right in his 
 own eyes. Here we have another instance of this gentleman's rash- 
 ness in- " throwing stones ;" and should any one see good fully to 
 answer his letter, I really fear that there will hardly be a pane left 
 whole in his own brittle tenement. A dissenting minister in conver- 
 sation with a clergyman lately said, " alas, we have several bishops, 
 whilst you have but one and he is a gentleman." " I once happened 
 to ask a dissenting minister to what denomination he belonged : he 
 replied that he was an Independent : so called, he added, though we 
 are the most dependent creatures on the face of the earth." — R, 
 Southey, Esq. " I pity a priest-ridden people wherever they are to 
 be found ; but a people-ndden priest is a much greater object of com- 
 passion." — Roiolattd Hill, A.M. I do sincerely regret that good and 
 useful men should be thus hampered, and from my heart wish they 
 could but experience the liberty which we enjoy in the church of 
 England, for I thank God that " our provident constitution has taken 
 care that those who are to instruct presumptuous ignorance, those 
 who are to be censors over insolent vice, should neither incur their 
 contempt, nor live upon their alms." 
 
 K 
 
162 FALSE CHARGES REBUTTED AIsD EXPOSE©. 
 
 lean, and it will be time enough to be searching for the 
 mote when our own eyes are cleared by a removal of 
 the beam." 
 
 And now, dearly beloved brethren, I bid you farewell. 
 Whether we are ever to meet again as pastor and people 
 still remains very uncertain. There have been times 
 during the last two years when a little revival has enabled 
 me to entertain the hope ; such times however, have 
 been few and far between. But we slaill meet again, 
 and where / must give an account of ivhat has been 
 preached, and you of how it has been heard. ]May we 
 severally do it with joy and not with grief. Though 
 amid much very much weakness, and very many infirm- 
 ities, yet, as far has I have known it, the gospel, Christ, 
 and Him crucified, has been ray theme : the instructive, 
 practical, and consolatory truths of the eternal word, so 
 beautifully epitomised in our articles, it has ever been 
 ray aim to set forth among you ; nor am I conscious of 
 having preached or printed anything, which, were there 
 a needs be, and health granted, I do not feel able to 
 defend and establish by an appeal to that one only 
 standard of right and wrong — the inspired word of 
 God. Let me entreat you daily to study and pray over that 
 precious revelation of mercy, and ray earnest petition in 
 your behalf, is, that when I am gone, our blessed Lord 
 may give you a far more able and efficient minister of 
 the New Testament than has Ikllen to your lot in. 
 
 Yours very faithfully and affectionately, 
 
 EDWARD PARKER. 
 
 Kiufjsdown^ 
 
 October ^sL 1847. 
 
 By applying through the post to the Author (37, St. James's place, 
 Kingsdowu, Bristol), any of the preceding letters or sermons may be 
 obtained at twopence each for distribution among the jwor, and 50 or 
 more being taken, the carriage will be paid to any part of the kingdom. 
 
N T E S 
 
 * Since this volume was sent to the press, a pamphlet has appeared 
 from the pen of a clergyman residing at Clifton. It may safely be 
 pronounced altogether unanswerable, inasniuch as addressing the feel- 
 ings rather than the judgmr.ut, and moreover dealing in assertion 
 rather than argument^ there is nothing to answer. AVe might justly 
 say to the Author, ••' H <Tia)7ra, rf Xeye a^i^ivova^' or " Quod si 
 deraonstrasse sit, quis nou quidvis demonstrabit?" It cannot, how- 
 ever, he affirmed that there is nothing to contradict, expose, and cen- 
 sure ; and should any Christian have a liUle time to spare, and think 
 it well thus to employ it, he will find the task one of very easy accom- 
 plishment: for although in some degree veiled by a tolerable style, and 
 very much better English than appeared in Mr. "W.'s late tract 
 on the Education Question, yet the extreme feebleness of the pro- 
 duction, as well as its grossly false charges (Eph. iv. 25), dis- 
 graceful imputation of motives (Matt. vii. 1, 2) and Popish 
 theology are sufficiently obvious. I have a uear neighbour, one-tenth 
 of whose ability and scriptural knowledge exercised 12 hours hereon, 
 would assuredly toll the knell of the Kev. Edward Walford's pain- 
 phlcteeriug notoriety, and perhaps the timely check might save that 
 gentleman much future mortification, by preventing his appearance 
 any more in print. But as my friend " M." will probably look upon 
 the thing as unworthy the trouble and expense of so formal a notice, 
 I shall embrace the opportunity which here pi-esents itself, and very 
 briefly advert to one or two of its darker features; so dark indeed 
 that if this clergyman expects writings such as his to make perverts 
 from among an intelligent and religious people, he is doomed to be 
 grievously disappointed. The subject is. Baptismal Regeneration — the 
 object to entice persons to believe it — and the mode selected for effeC- 
 ing the end, is by an appeal to the parental sensibilities, by working 
 upon those tender affections which a God of love has implanted in 
 man towards his offspring. Such a method of victimizing may suc- 
 ceed in the cases of a few individuals, remarkable alike for weak 
 minds and strong feelings — for sympathetic hearts united to defective 
 intellects — for the power to love but not to learn — these characters so 
 susceptible without being sensible, are likely to become dupes ; the 
 intelligent and discerning will, however, perceive that this writer 
 suppresses the fact, that not one of his opponents denies that all 
 children who die before guilty of actual sin are saved ; whilst the 
 
] 64 NOTES. 
 
 dogma of Mr. Walford and the new sect, involves the horrible idea, 
 that every unhaptized child is eternally lost ! ! Such is Tractarian 
 comfort — ye parents, mark it well. In the third page, this gentle- 
 man bewails the " bitter strifes, false doctrine, heresy, and schism." 
 Such a complaint is suicidal. Who have made the Church of Christ 
 " a by-word and a jest?" Not Evangelical Churchmen, but Tractarian 
 Apostates, who ought to appropriate that page to themselves, and say, 
 
 " De me 
 Tabula narratur." 
 
 He next proceeds with laying down general principles, which no one 
 denies, and thus, with an outset of truth, throws his readers off tlieir 
 guard, to lead them the more easily into error Most will contend 
 that his motto text on page 5 is decisive of the question ngainst him- 
 self : they will argue — if the children do not believe in Christ, they 
 are not intended ; and if they do, the distinction is made by 
 their faith, and not by the Sacrament of Bsptism. Jortin 
 remarks, " When theie is a scarcity and poverty of texts to 
 confirm a doctrine, it is iuconvenieut to give up those which are 
 nothing to the purpose." An inconvenience under which Mr. 
 ^Yalford appears to labour. In the sixth page, this Author 
 has the audacity, or rather the mendacity, to state as follows : — ■ 
 " Through the effects of his (Calvin's) teaching, men (clearly 
 adverting to his opponents), have been led to think that they do 
 lionour to an Almighty Creator, when they deny that any secret or 
 mysterious power can be attached to, or conveyed to man through, 
 outward and visible means." I think it is Scott who says, there are 
 some persons, who, like ladies' maids, are so apt at noticing, as to 
 discover what never existed ; and the Rev. Gentleman is hereby 
 publicly challenged to prove, by fair cjuotation, that Calviu ever 
 tauglit anything so monstrously unscriptural. That eminent man, 
 in common with the Church ot Clirist (not the Church of Konie) 
 in all ages and nations, disclaims any " secret efficacy perpetually 
 
 inherent in them (the sacraments) without the agency of 
 
 the Spirit." And does not our Church say the same, in affirmiug 
 that they have a wholesome oijuration in those 07ili/ who receive 
 them worthily ? (Art. 25.) But INlr. "Wallbrd's language re- 
 futes itself by its own absurdity. For if his position were true, 
 the "secret or mysterious power" of the sacraments would annihi- 
 late the very faculty of sinning in every receiver: infants would 
 be placed beyond its power by baptism, and adults by tiie Lord's 
 Supper. But, alas! nearly all the Christian world, so called, 
 "lieth in wickedness" notwithstanding. lie is also publicly 
 charged with having knoion this shamefid accusation against the 
 miuistei's of the gospel in England's Church, to be false at the very 
 time he v;rote it ! This will be manifest to all who are iu any degree 
 
NOTES. 1 65 
 
 familiar with the subject, for in another page he speaks of the " hypo- 
 thetical" principle and "charitable expressions;" which terras are 
 fully declarative of our belief in a doctrin:; which he is wicked enough 
 to say we repudiate. Surely common prndencc miirht have dictated 
 restraint, and thouirh such a one must be almost too burdened for re- 
 proof, and too bad for correction, I cannot forbear recommending to 
 his consideration the ninth commandment, and also that injnuction of 
 the Ciitechism, " Keep thy tongue from evil speaking, lying, and 
 slandering." He rings the changes on the name of Calvin. Let 
 him learn that this same Calvin obtained the praise, in the highest 
 term*, of Hooker, Andrewes, Sanderson, and u host of others, whom 
 the Tract-men would gladly quote. That most eminent critic. Bishop 
 Horsley (termed the Giant Horsley), says, " 1 hold the memory of 
 Calvin in high veneration ;" and the same distinguished prelate, in 
 his last charge to the clergy of St. Asaph, thus writes — " Take espe- 
 cial care before you aim your shafts at Calvinism, that you know what 
 
 f> Calvinism, and what it is not lest when you mean only to fall foul 
 
 of it, you should unwarily attack something more sacred and of a 
 
 higher origin so closely is a great part of that which is now igno- 
 
 rantly called Calvinism, interwoven with the very rudiments of 
 Christianity. Better were it for the Church if such apologists (Hear 
 it Mr. AValfordj could withhold their services." "Non tali auxilio, 
 nee defensoribus istis." 
 
 But this priest waxes still bolder as he proceeds, and in page 1 2 daunt- 
 lessly declares, that those ministers of the Church, who, consistently with 
 her code of faith, reject his t-graent of Baptismal Regeneration, " deli- 
 berately intend to practise hypocrisy in the sii^ht of God, and purpose 
 deceit to their neighbour," whenever they administer the rite ! I ! Now 
 when we consider that the " Noble army of Martyrs" — every Protest- 
 ant Church in the world— the vast mnjurity of our country's great Theo- 
 logians — the two present Archbishops of England — probably too all 
 the Bishops, except bis Lordship of Exeter, and it may be four or 
 five others — at least tive-sixths of the clergy — to say nothing of 
 nearly the whole of the laity (whom by the way he seems to regard, 
 page 14, as a set of honest, sincere, susceptible, selfish set of 
 idiots) differ from him, this affords a tolerable specimen of what the 
 men of this school toill say, and to what Icugths a detected, desperate, 
 and fallino; party will dare to go. But as the over-charged Cannon falls 
 short of the enemy's lines, and is destructive to the engineer alone ; 
 so over-wrought and malicious accusations, are not only powerless and 
 unavailing as regards the accused, but they recoil with fearful and 
 fatal power upon the slanderer, shutting him out from respect and 
 attention, and sinking him into insignitieanee and contempt. I can- 
 not in a mere note observe farther upon this most discreditable pro- 
 duction than just to add, that among its theological beauties, besides 
 the main error, may be seen, that parents atone for giving birth to 
 sinful children by having them baptized ! I that " the sacramental 
 
166 NOTES. 
 
 system of the Churcli is but the extension of the Tncaiiiation ! !" If 
 by this is meant, as may be tairly supposed, something far beyond the 
 sjnritual pi*eseiice of Christ in the sacrament of the Supper, 1 can 
 only say, and I boldly say, that were any Bishop of our Protestant 
 Church, being cognizant of Mr. Walford's sentiments, to admit him 
 to a cure of souls, such would be an act of treachcy to the Truth of 
 God, and an act of treachery to the Church of England. But there 
 is no such fear; our Episcopal Rulers are conscientious and dis- 
 cerning men, and therefore will not place in the situation of Teacher, 
 the Author of what must elicit the indignation and pity of honest 
 and Christian men. 
 
 ^ To these Romish tenets is given the "tripping title" of "Church 
 Pnnciples" ! ! Artfully chosen, however, as is the term, it will fail ta 
 give them currency ; since, thank God, we live in a day when evea 
 the child in a Sunday-school can distinguish between names and things. 
 But principles are followed by practices, and accordingly we find these 
 gentlemen agreeina; also with " the man of sin" in disfiguring our 
 places of worship with stone altars — credence tables — piscinas — sedilia 
 "lecterns — faldstools — hagioscopes — crosses — candlesticks — surplices 
 in the pulpit — bendings — bowings — orientation, &c. &c. Surely Trac- 
 tinity has been well defined " a system of Posture and Imposture; " 
 and true also is the declaration, that it is about as rational and Scrip- 
 tural to "bow to the east," as it would be to "curtsey to the west" ! 
 The minister or member of our Protestant Church who resists these 
 Papal encroachments is termed by the new sect " a low Churchman." 
 This "cuckoo cry" would be heard less frequently were those who use 
 it but aware that every intelligent person knows its titter inapjiUcalilitgy 
 andtJHtt the teaching and preaching of the Evangelical Clergy, when 
 compared ivith the Articles, lioniilies, and Services of ov.r Establish- 
 ment, prove them the only consistent men; whilst an appeal to the 
 same standards on the part of the Tractnrian body, not only ensures- 
 their discomfiture, but covers them with disgrace. Let the doctrines 
 promulgated in the " Tracts for the Times" be compared with the 
 creed of apostate Rome on the one hand, and with the faith of our 
 Sciiptural and Protestant Church on the other, and it is instantly clear 
 as the sun at noon-day that they harmonize with the former, whilst 
 with the latter they cannot associate upon any terms. What an un- 
 worthy position do these persons maintain ! What must honest Hr-tons 
 think of them .^ ^^hatan abandonment of all right princi))le has beea 
 exhibited in the declaration, " I, a minister of England's establifhment, 
 hold every doctrine of Rome" ! ! These arc the " men who have sub- 
 scribed the articles of Cranmer in a «ow-uatural sense, but believe the 
 articles of Pope Pius the Fouith in a natural sense — men whose 
 bodies have been in Oxford whilst their souls were in Rome — 
 men who are satisfied to eat the bread of Protestantism, and to do the 
 %'ork of Romanism — whose voice is the voice of Jacob, but whose 
 
NOTES. ] 67 
 
 hands are the hnnds of Esau." vSharne, shame upon such mental and 
 moral pravify. The followiu|; choice of horns is presented to the 
 founders and ahettors of this nefarious scheme. If the Tractarians do 
 not perceive their creed to accord with Popery, and to be at variance 
 with the Church of England, they lack flisrcnnnent : if they do, and yet 
 remain pockctinp; the emoluments and fattening upon the resources of 
 the Establishment, they lack /lonesii/: but they eitlicr do or do not; 
 therefore they are either wanting in ahiUtij, or wanting in intcgrify. 
 Who then will trust them? And what Christian is there, who, whilst 
 he may lind it ditlicult altogether to repress his indignation, ought not 
 and will not let their awful condition elicit his pity and call forth his 
 most earnest prayers that their understandings maybe enlightened and 
 their hearts converted ; and then most assuredly they will make God's 
 "Word, and not Tradition, their Kulc — God's Son, and not the Church, 
 their Saviour — God's Spirit, and not the Fathers, their Teacher — His 
 glory their object — His service their delight — and their everlasting 
 salvation will be the certain blessed result. 
 
 ' Such gigantic strides is Popery making in our land, so frightfully 
 rapid is its advance, that never was there a more urgent claim upon 
 Protestants to bestir themselves than at the present time. So loud is 
 the call for defensive exertion that it might well uigh awaken the very 
 dead, reanimate the sleeping dust of our Craumers, Latimers, Ridleys, 
 and Hoopers, Daily and hourly are Protestants being shorn of their 
 strength, the Philistines are all but upon them; yet still do they slum- 
 ber on, and unless they can be aroused from their unprincipled apathy, 
 civil and religious liberty are lost ! If the stand be not soon made, 
 every thing purchased at the dear cost of our martyred forefathers' 
 blood and hitherto held valuable, must be surrendered at discretion ; 
 the slave's collar is being slipped on the free and fair neck of England, 
 and ere long the lock will be snapped. Fifty-four years ago there were 
 only thirty mass-houses in Great Britain, now there are near seven 
 hundred ! At that time there was not one Romish College, now there 
 are ten, and sixty Seminaries ! There are little short of 800 Priests 
 in England alone, and the Jesuits are swarming, how many of them 
 disguised in the University of Oxford time will show. There are too 
 the decoys called " Brothers of Charity," and " Sisters of Mercy," 
 Monasteries, Nunneries, " et geavs omne^ The political poiver o( 
 the Papists may be judged of from the facts, that many of them hold 
 high offices in tiie State — they reckon forty members in the House of 
 Commons — twenty-two Peers of the Realm — seventeen Baronets — 
 and forty-eight leading families, of whom several have an income of 
 forty thousand pounds a-year ! Add to this that our Government has 
 endowed Maynooth, is about to establish diplomatic relations with 
 Rome, and will of course rather extenuate its evils than expose its 
 idolatries — the Dissenters are the Pope's political ally — a consider- 
 able body in the Church are hardy enough to contend for the worst 
 
168 NOTES. 
 
 abominations of the Papacy — and of the remainder, it is to be feared 
 that not one in ten, whether in Parliament or out, kyioios what 
 Romanism is, and not one in fifty cares ! And xchence this appalling 
 ignorance and indifference ? I verily believe that it has mainly resulted 
 from the neglect and unfaithfulness of us ministers, and that in the 
 event of the superstition again becoming dominant in this country, the 
 Clergy will, with but too much justice, be pointed at as the chief 
 cause, inasmuch as they (though " set as watchmen") have not v)arned 
 the people against its insidious approaches. As I have elsewhere 
 written, "things would not have been as they are, had the Pastors 
 acted up to the require! uents of their Church." The Catholic Eman- 
 cipation Bill, that " healing measure which made Ireland sore," and the 
 endowment of Maynooth, that act disgraceful to any but idolaters, with 
 other such like anti-Protestant and anti-British evils had never re- 
 ceived the sanction of the Legislature, if the Peers and Representatives 
 of the people had learnt through the pulpit, the features of that dire 
 and desolating heresy of which they have evinced themselves so utterly 
 ignorant. The fact is, the ministers of religion themselves have been, 
 and I fear but too many of them still are, to a great extent unaware of 
 the evil with which we have to contend, and therefore saw not, and it 
 may be even now see not, the necessity of constantly warning their 
 flocks against the unscriptural, anti-social, and disgusting code of the 
 Prince of Italy. Hence the apathy and insensibility which now alas 
 seem the substitutes of that deep religious feeling and unbending integ- 
 rity which have in past times given to the truth-lonng Islanders to 
 stand highest in the estimation of the kingdoms. The people of this 
 country are to a most extraordinary degree ignorant of the real charac- 
 ter of the papal system, and while they remain so, must, as a conse- 
 quence, remain indifferent to the progress of their foe ; just as the 
 infant dreads the approach of the tiger no more than the approach of 
 a sheep, being unconscious of the animal's propensities and of his own 
 peril. Whilst every true Christian will offer to Popery the most 
 strenuous opposition on account of the dishonour it does to the cause 
 of God, and the ruin it brings upon the soul of man, there is at the 
 same time not an individual in tliis realm, be his creed what it may, 
 that woiJd not present to it his sternest resistance were he but aware 
 of its deadly antagonism to his temporal interests and social happiness. 
 Let Britain's population only know ivhat it is ; lay open to their view 
 its principles, polic//, and history, — nay, give them but a glance at the 
 true portrait of "the Man of Sin," and the men of every city, county, 
 class, and creed, will doggedly withstand the efforts now being made on 
 the part of treacherous statesmen, fawning priests, and winning sisters, 
 to delude them into becoming the victims of so intolerant, bloodthirsty, 
 and pickpocket a scheme. The one only effectual, and at the same time 
 most legitimate, simple, and easy mode of checking the advance of 
 Italy's nefarious devices, is, to instruct the jteople. And be it observed, 
 that it is a means which has never failed either in this or any other 
 
NOTES. 1 f)9 
 
 country. No nation and no generation can be named as having em- 
 braced Popery with a knoioledye of its real character, tendencies, and 
 results; just because uo nation and no generation will voluntarily and 
 wilfully become the miserable dupes and priestriddcn slaves of a 
 degrading superstition. It is impossible to read the annals of our race 
 without perceiving that Rome's agents and missionaries have been 
 most successful, where they have found the mind of man the least 
 enlightened ; and the reason is obvious, it is among such they can best 
 conceal the monstrous features and ultimate objects of their principles 
 and acts. And here is England's danger : yes, I repeat it, EikjUukCs 
 danger. There is not one in one hundred of the population, whether 
 among rich or poor, high or low, educated or uneducated, who can 
 give any//'// and intellUjent reason why they are Protestants ! They 
 have no adequate conception of the iniquities and enormities of that 
 system wtiich Christianity repudiates. And of this advantage has been 
 taken ; the wily subtle old harlot, using Tractarianism as her Tire- 
 woman, has donned her holiday costume, painted her face, and by her 
 blandishments and meretricious smiles is now perverting the unwaiy; 
 " the cat-footed beast of Rome is indulging us with the velvet of her 
 paws, iintil she have an opportunity of striking in her talons." This 
 opportunity, however, she will never have, if the Christians of this 
 country will be but faithful to their God — if the subjects of this 
 country will be but loyal to their sovereign — if the men of this country 
 will be but true to themselves, and regardful of their hearths and 
 homes. And that they may be, means vmst be used and that prompt- 
 ly. The inhabitants of every large town can hold public meetings and 
 invite a deputation of the Reformation Society to attend and give in- 
 formatiou. — Lectures upon Popery can be delivered weekly, in school 
 and other rooms, either by the clergy or the more intelligent of the 
 laity. — Congregations can be shown the monster evils of that idolatrous 
 church from the pulpit. — Suitable tracts can be largely distributed 
 among the mass of the population. — Fathers, husbauds, and brothers, 
 can read and meditate upon " Michelet's Priests, Women, and 
 Families." — And every elector can sternly refuse his vote to any man 
 who is prepared by future concessions to Rome, to betray his Queen, 
 his country, and his God. 
 
 * No Protestant can, without stultifying himself, consider the 
 Church of Rome any part of the Church of Christ ; such an admission 
 would write schismatic upon his own forehead, and put it out of his 
 power to vindicate the Reformation. Her presumptuous claim, indeed, 
 is that she aloyie has right to the title ; and that, out of her pale is no 
 salvation : but then she is her own vntness, no one else will testify in 
 her favour ; all true Churches denounce her as eminently heretical, and 
 with horror and disgust, repudiate her principles, doctrines, worship, 
 and practices. They acknowledge her to be a Church in the same sense 
 as Satan is an angel, but they neither do, nor can, nor will, allow the 
 
1 70 NOTES. 
 
 Harlot of the Seven Hills to be identical with the Chaste Spouse of 
 Christ. Some one in his ignorance, said — " There is only a paper wall 
 between the Papists and the Pj'otestants ; " the reply was — " But the 
 whole Bible is written upon it," The Church of Christ makes the 
 Bible the rule of faith ; the Church of Home makes umoritten iradi- 
 tio7is the rule of faith. The Church of Christ has Ihree persons in the 
 Trinity ; the Church of Home hn?, Jive, for she deities the Pope and the 
 Virgin Mary. The Church of Christ makes ITnn its head ; the Church 
 of Rome makes the Pope its head. The C^hurch of Christ teaches 
 justification hj faith ; the Church of Rome pronounces a curse upon 
 her for the act. *The Church of Christ says, " INTarriage is honourable 
 in «//;" the Church of Rome says, " Priests must not marry — and 
 women had better not.'' The Church of Christ has one mediator ; 
 the Church of Rome has vianij. The Church of Christ worships God 
 alone : the Church of Rome worships saints, amjels, images, and even 
 a hit of paste. The Church of Christ is persecuif^f/; the Church of 
 Rome is the persecu^for. The Church of Christ has tv:o Sacraments ; 
 the Church of Rome has seven. The Church of Christ ministers both; 
 the Church of Rome refuses the cup to the laity. The Church of 
 Christ makes the Eucharist commemorative and spiritual ; the Church 
 of Rome carnal and expiatory. The Church of Christ says, Baptism 
 is a; sign; the Church of Rome that it is the thing signified. The 
 parallel might easily be lengthened, were it necessary, and the un- 
 scriptural, irrational, and eveu indecent character of her other juggle- 
 ries and enormities be exposed. Reader, how can such a community 
 be a part of the Redeemer's holy Church ! ! The Bible designates her 
 *'The mystery of iniquity" — "Babylon, the great" — "the man of 
 sin" — "the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:" and calls 
 God's people to " come out of her, that they partake not of her sins, 
 and receive not of her plagues." The Church of England designates 
 her " ungodly and counterfeit" — " Anti-Christ" — " reprobate" — 
 " idolatrous — " the great strumpet of all strumpets" — " the mother of 
 whoredom" — " the universal tyrant" — " the promoter of rebellion" — 
 " an oppressor" — "covetous" — and "the Babylonical beast of Rome." 
 The Bishop of London has recently pronounced her a " schismatic" — 
 " superstitious" — " idolatrous" — " the mystery of iniquity : " declared 
 her " principles" to be " hideous ; " her doctrines " fatal and extrava- 
 gant ; " " as b:id now as at the Reformation," being " retained by her 
 unchanged — unmitigated — unqualified." The Bishop of Bath and 
 Wells writes her " the opponent system of Christianity." And we 
 must not imagine that it is wrong thus to call things by their right 
 names, a zeal for God's truth requires it. St. Paul calls the Galatians 
 "fools;" the Cretans, "liars" — " evil beasts" — "slow bellies: "the 
 Saviour denominates the Pharisees " blind guides" — " fools" — " painted 
 sepulchres" — " hypocrites" — " serpents" — " generation of vipers" — 
 " a corrupt and wicked generation ;" and the false prophets ai-e called 
 " dogs," and " crafty workmen." It is a reigning evil among us that 
 
NOTES. 17^ 
 
 truths are not plainly spoken, hard things are called by soft nawfs, 
 FlanJer's lace is put on clovcu feet, ami thus the distinctiou between 
 right and wrong is lost, or so dimmed as to be imperceptible. In spite, 
 however, of this faithlessness, this sacrifice of principle, this pandering 
 to a meretricious rcfiuement,we can, thank God, dearly enough perceive, 
 that the Church of Rome is no part of the Church of Christ ; there is 
 so much d/J/hy/ice hulwccn what Scripture teaches, and what Scripture 
 condemns — between what it approves and what it dcuounccs — between 
 worshipping God and worshipping idols — between light and darkness 
 — truth and error— holiness and sin — between the clear mouutaiu 
 stream and the fdthy sewer — between the chaste spouse of Christ and 
 the harlot of Babylon — between the body of which lie is the head, 
 and that " man of sin" of which Satan incarnated in the Pope is the 
 head, as to render the distinction wide as the antipodes, broad as 
 eternity. We are compelled, in this particular, to be as exclusive as 
 Rome herself; and shall so continue, unless we become living instances 
 of her tenet, that " ignorance is the mother of devotion," or have the 
 hardihood to encounter the wee denounced against those who " call 
 evil good, and good evil ; put darkness for light, and light for darkness; 
 bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." 
 
 ^ Having seen what these gentlemen think of Rome, perhaps it may 
 be interesting to the Reader to know what the Papists think of them. 
 In the " Rambler," of January, 1850, a Roman Catholic periodical, 
 appears the following, "First of all come your unblushing Roman- 
 izers, and a most dishonest set I take them to be. A good many 
 of them have tm-ned^ Papists, and saved their characters for con- 
 sistency ; but as for the rest, they arc the most impudent rascals 
 breathing. Denounced by their own Church, and anathematized by 
 Rome, they copy the Papist wherever they dare, edit Romish books, 
 visit Romish Churches abroad and sometimes in England, call the 
 Church of Rome their Sister, talk about Catholic saints and ceremo- 
 nies, avow their belief in Trausubstantiation, revile the Reformation, 
 hate to be called Protestants, and even get up a sort of sham High 
 ^lass in their Churches and Chapels. Por these men I have no 
 respect. I don't mean to say that they are all consciously scoundrels, 
 far from it ; but I do mean, that, with tneir views, it is monstrous for 
 them to refuse to submit to the commands of Rome. Then we have 
 the Anglo-Catholics ; men who really and heartily dislike Popery I 
 believe, though, lor my life, I cannot see how it is that their views do 
 uot lead to Popery. These persons devoutly believe that the Reforma- 
 tion was conducted on what they call " Church Principles." They have 
 a set of dogmas, which are a sort of Popery and water ; some notions 
 or other about the Real Presence and the Sacramental character of 
 ordinances, fasting, absolution, and all the rest of it. They don't 
 thoroughly like the Uuion of Church and State, yet they dare not de- 
 nounce it." The statements of this writer cannot be gaiusayed, but 
 
172 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 what is his ohjed ? To drag or drive tliese unhappy men into that 
 golf of perdition, the Church of Kome. 
 
 ^ In this " day of rebuke and blasphemy," we are told that the 
 Bible is unintelli[j;ible without the Church's interpretation, and that, 
 excluding private judgment, putting our understandings in our pockets, 
 we are bound to abide by that which it offers. The advocates of this 
 project refer us to the " Fathers" as safe and sufficient guides, and 
 their writings are dignified with the title of "The Commentary of ihs 
 Church;'^ a designation which, thus applied to individual authors, 
 involves " a pious fraud," or rather an impimis one. However valu- 
 able they may be as witnesses to facts, we reject them as sound or safe 
 expositors for the following reasons: — 1. Because they are locked up 
 in the dead languages, and it would moreover require a life to read 
 them. 2. " Because it is difficult if not impossible to distinguish the 
 genuine from the spurious. 3. Because even their genuine works have 
 been altered and corrupted, something suppressed or something added. 
 4, Because their real meaning is hard to come at from obscurity of 
 style, difference of idiom, and oratorical flourish. 5. Because they 
 contain enormous falsehoods, and a vast deal of pernicious doctrine. 
 6. Because they differ from each other on points of fundamental im- 
 portance. I am prepared to produce from the "Fathers," as they are 
 called, and leading Roman Catholic Writers, Eleven different interpre- 
 tations of Matt. V. 25. Fifteen different interpretations of 1 Cor. iii. 
 10 — 15, and Eighteen different interpretations of the Lord's Prayer! 
 This will serve as a specimen of that unanimiti/ which is now being 
 drummed into people's ears, but will be rejected by their understand- 
 ings. 7. "Because the same writers have often altered their opinions." 
 Truly this is a lucid guide! Uncomeatable — unintelligible — incon- 
 sistent — full of dissensions — often absurd — and as often false. Whilst 
 the Bible is to be had — clear — consistent — harmonious— true — and 
 infallible ! Can any man, without a blush upon his cheek, tell me that 
 the former is easier to understand than the latter? That my " private 
 judgment" (for to that is, and must he, the final appeal) is less likely 
 to err upon the interpretations of the Fathers than upon the declara- 
 tions of the Apostles? "When it shall be proved that the walls of 
 Windsor Castle can be more readily seen through than a lady's veil ; 
 when it shall be demonstrated that the human eye can with greater 
 facility penetrate a rock of granite, than a pane of glass ; then, and not 
 till then, shall I distrust the faculty of reason upon what i^ plain and 
 intelligible, and rely upon it in what is obscure and difficult, nay, im- 
 possible to be understood. The Scripture declares itself to be a 
 sufficient, perfect, and the only rule of faith ; a Divine Teacher too is 
 therein promised to remove the scales of ignorance from our eyes, the 
 darkness from our understandings, and to lead us into all truth ; and 
 this is just what we need, since the cause of the obscm-ity is in us, and 
 not iu the "Word ; it is vision in the agenty and not Aisibility in the 
 
 ^ 
 
NOTES. 1 73 
 
 object, that is wantincj. " The pac^e of Ucvclatioii is as dear as ever it 
 will he ; let our perceptive orgaus be chirilicd, iiuJ all will be intelligi- 
 ble. It is with us iu this particular as with the Jews; on their con- 
 versioa the Scripture will uot be altered, but the veil will be taken 
 away from their minds, and then will they read and understand, and 
 believe what now their blindness conceals from tlicm." Let us, dear 
 reader, pray fur this spiritual illumination, assured that the more large- 
 ly we partake of it, the greater will be our comfort and usefulness, and 
 the more competent shall we be to try man's fallible works by God's 
 »« fallible ^Vord. 
 
 ' When a Bishop is unfortunate enough to accord with the new sect, 
 he is termed by them " God's Viceirercnt," and nothing must be done 
 " without him ;" but should he do his duty, and oppose this mis- 
 chievous faction, then forsooth he is " appointed by the AVhigs" and 
 " no Churchman." In like manner, when Sir 11. J. Fust iu the " stone 
 altar" case, gave judgment against the Tractarian party, his decision 
 was declared by Dr. Pusey and others to be of uo force, to have no 
 weight, he being only a Layman. Now that in the matter of Baptism 
 bis judgment is for them, it is, say they, " all important," " very 
 satisfactory," " quite decisive." Is it possible for these men to ima- 
 gine that they are not seen through ? Such inconsistency is trans- 
 parent to children. The Bishop of Newfoundland (whose sneers, I, 
 as a minister of Christ, consider it right to bear rather than to re- 
 tort), in a feeble and wretched attempt to warn (rather to prejudice) 
 bis clergy against my sermons on Baptismal Regeneration, has of late 
 thus written — " I might content myself with informing or reminding you 
 that the Judge of the Court of Arches (whose learning and impar- 
 tiality have never, I believe, been impugned), has recently decided 
 judicially, that Baptismal Regeneration is certainly held by the Church 
 of England. His judgment was given, as you are aware, after having 
 the subject most fully and ably discussed, and upon a careful review 
 and comparison of the arguments and authorities. He has decided, 
 I say, that Baptismal Regeneration is held by the Church of England, 
 that a Bishop is justitied in refusing institution to any clergyman 
 who denies it. It might be sufficient, and perhaps would be safer to 
 refer you to this judgment, and to ask you to weigh it against Mr. 
 Parker's, &:c." "When the Bishop penned the above, did he not 
 KNOW that the question was still open, still unsettled, still sub 
 judice ? Is it possible that he could be ignorant of the fact that an 
 appeal was at once lodged against the decision of the Dean of Arches ? 
 Can he be without the knowledge that it is even now before a higher 
 Tribunal ? And verily, should the six stcperior Judges, aided and 
 advised by the Archbisliops of Canterbury and York, and the BisJwp 
 of London, reverse the judgment, I see not how the Bishop of New- 
 foundland or his brother of Exeter, can with any show of consistency, 
 or even decency, continue to preside over a Diocese within the 
 
] 74 NOTliS. 
 
 Protestant Church of England. The one intiuiatc^s that he would 
 refuse institution to a clergyman not holding; this dogma, and the 
 other has done so : if then the liighest ecclesiastical and civil author- 
 ities should pronounce the error to be on their side, surely they \\\\\ 
 resign, nor madly await the indignant thunder tones of 'a nation's 
 voice, demanding, and justly demanding that the same measure be 
 meted to them, as they would have meted to others. Moreover, as 
 far as a See is of more importance than a Parish, precisely so far 
 must it be more important that a Bishop be sound in the faith, than 
 that an Incumbent be so : the mistake of a Captain in the field of 
 battle is as nothing to the mistake of a General. If, upon more 
 mature consideration, the Bishop's circular should seem to call for so 
 itmch notice, I shall address a )-espectful letter to his lordship ; and 
 therefore at present only farther observe, that the decision of the Dean 
 of Arches was 7iot the result (as Dr. Field affirms) of " a careful re- 
 view of the authorities," that gentleman himself hanng declared that 
 there was a " physical impossibility" in the way of his consulting 
 them : which declaration, together with the astounding preponderance 
 of argument and evidence in favour of Mr. Gorham, leave little doubt 
 but that the verdict will be in his favour, and that he must and 
 will be inducted to Brampton Speke. 
 
 Gorham v. the Bishop of Exeter. 
 
 Thanks be unto God. True " Church Principles" have triumphed ! 
 The Romanizing party have suffered a defeat so signal, that from it 
 they can never recover, if the Laity and the sound portion of England's 
 Clergy be but faithful to themselves — their Country — their Queen — 
 their Church — and their God. The news has just reached Bristol, that 
 the Judicial Committee of her Majesty's Privy Council, consisting of, 
 and representing the Laliij (be it well noted) as well as the Clergy, 
 the highest, Civil and Ecclesiastical Authorities of the Kealm, have 
 expressed the Judgment, that Mr. Gorham, in teaching that there is 
 no necessary connection between the two parts of the Sacrament of 
 Baptism, has taught nothing " Contrary or repugnant to the declared 
 doctrine of the Church of England." Then it follows, that the Bishop 
 of Exeter and his adherents, whose opinions are diametrically opponent 
 to those of Mr. Gorham, do hold and tea(;h what is contrary and oppo- 
 nent to the declared doctrine of our Scriptural, Evangelical, and 
 Protestant Church. Oppositcs or contradictious cannot be hoth true ; 
 the Church cannot by any possibility be at the same time " the pillar 
 and ground of tridh^' and the pillar and ground oi falsehood. Com- 
 mon honesty therefore demands that these gentlemen do at once quit 
 her pale, openly declare themselves, what they leally are. Dissenters, 
 and cither go to Home, or form a community of their own, as the 
 Southcotians, Jumpers, Irviugites, and other fanatics have done before 
 them. The people of our land prefer truth, common scusc, and 
 
NOTES. 1 7') 
 
 religion, to the raaildeued phrensy of supcTstition ; and the next step 
 looked I'c.r and required on the part of true Churchnu'n, is, that in- 
 duction he refused to such caiulidates for urdcrs as hold Baptismal 
 Kegeneratiou : for otiicrwisc, what respect will he entertained for a 
 Church which tolerates error h\ the admission of kuowu aud convicted 
 heretics? "Whether this troublesome faction will sulfer expulsion, 
 voluntarily depart, or he " lawless aud disobedient" enough to resist 
 the decision, remains to be seen. One thing is certain, and ought 
 especially to encourage; it is, that this calm, lucid, beautifully expres- 
 sed, and just judgment, supplies a rampart of all but impregnable 
 power in defence of that freedom which Englishmen know so well how 
 to value, inasmuch as it establishes the prmciple that Laymen equaHy 
 with (Sleryijinen are members of the Church. And let them never, 
 under any circumstances, on any account, concede their lUyht to have 
 a voice in Ecclesiastical matters ; for let them be well assured that in 
 the hour of such surrender, they will become the tRme, trampled upon, 
 abject slaves of a haughty, tyrannical, domineering hierarchy. "With the 
 exception of "minister-ing God's ^Vord and the Sacraments," Laymen 
 are to the full as much Churchmen as their brethren in orders, and 
 every whit as competent to be members of a spiritual court ; and 
 it must be an age vastly darker than this, wherein an insignificant 
 knot of priestly incendiaries, will succeed in cajoling them out of, or 
 wresting from them, these their Mights as Christians and Freemen. 
 
J. "Wright, Steam Press, Thomas Street, Bristol.