Regeneration then in its true sense signifies an inward effect produced by the Holy Ghost through the means of baptisin "rightly received," whereby the person baptized exchanges his natural state in Adam for a spiritual state in Christ (t). The indiscriminate use of the expressions Regeneration and Renewal of the heart as synonymous, has been productive of much confusion and error. By recalling these terms to their original signification, according to Scripture, the writings of the Fathers (u), and our Liturgy, all misunderstanding will be avoided, and the two primitive doctrines of baptismal Regeneration and progressive Renovation will retain their proper and distinct places and characters. Water applied outwardly to the body, together with the grace of the Holy Ghost applied inwardly to the soul, regenerates the man; or in other words, the Holy Ghost, in

and

(1) I think it right to warn young Students in divinity, that they will sometimes find the words Regeneration and Regenerate not used in their true sense, even by Authors whose principles are not Calvinistic. This want of precision is the more to be lamented, as it may not only lead into error upon this important subject, but may produce an inattention to the genuine doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptism, so strongly marked in the offices of our Church. Accuracy of language, as well as clear and distinct ideas, upon the points discussed in this chapter, cannot be too earnestly recommended.

(u) This will appear afterwards.

and by the use of water baptism, causes the newbirth. And the words Regeneration and Newbirth, are never used in the New Testament, or in the Formularies of our Church, as equivalent to conversion or repentance, independent of baptism. The instantaneous conversion of persons already baptized, by the resistless and perceptible power of the Holy Ghost, and their being placed in a state of salvation from which it is impossible for them to fall, are unfounded and mischievous tenets, utterly irreconcileable with Scripture and the doctrines of the Church of England. The design of Christianity is indeed to remedy the corruption and depravity of human nature, and to restore it to that image of God in which Adam was created, and which by transgression he lostbut this is not done by sudden and violent impulses of the Spirit-it must be, as I observed in the former Chapter, the progressive result of calm and serious reflection, firm resolution, zealous exertion, and constant vigilance, aided by the cooperation of Divine grace. The frame and temper of the mind will thus be gradually improved; the force of sinful temptations will grow less and less we shall "daily proceed in all virtue and godliness of living (u)," "till we come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (x)."

(u) Bapt. Service.

(x) Eph. c. 4. v. 13.

[97]

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

OF JUSTIFICATION, FAITH, AND GOOD WORKS.

ALTHOUGH there must really and ne

cessarily be a perfect harmony between authors who write under the immediate influence of the Divine Spirit, yet it is certain, that there is some appearance of inconsistency in the different books of the Sacred Volume. To the improper interpretation of seemingly contradictory texts, we may justly attribute many of the errors and contests, which have divided and harassed the Christian Church. No passages have given rise to more eager disputes among Divines, both in the present and in former times, than those which relate to Justification, Faith, and Works, which, like the subjects of Original Sin, Free-will, and Grace, considered in the first Chapter, are closely connected with each other; and I shall now endeavour to explain the true doctrine upon these controverted points (r).

My

(x) Osiander narrat viginti discrepantes sententias de Justificatione, Bellarminus, Lib. 2. de Just. cap. 1. Salmeron 22 discrepantes de Justificatione sententias Lutheranis tribuit. Cent. Magd.

H

My first inquiry shall be, in what senses the words Justification and Faith are used in the New Testament, and in the Public Formularies of our Church.

Justification is a forensic term-to be justified before God, signifies to be declared and accounted as just or righteous in his sight. The application of this word in the New Testament is not confined to Christians. St. Paul and St. James both speak of the Justification of Abraham (y). The for mer Apostle says of the Jews, "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (2);" and of the Hea+ then he says, "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham (a);" and speaking both of Jews and Heathen, he says, "It is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by Faith, and uncircumcision through Faith (b)." In the following passage the word is applied to all mankind at the day of final retribution, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (c)."

(y) Rom. c. 4. v. 2. Jas. c. 2. v. 21.

Such

(*) Rom. c. 2. v. 13.

(a) Gal. c. 3. v. 8.

(b) Rom. c. 3. v. 30.

(c) Matt. c. 12. v. 36 & 37-This declaration was

addressed

Such is the extensive use of the word justify; but our more particular concern is, to ascertain its exact meaning when applied to Christians exclusively. For this purpose, we must have recourse to the Apostolical Epistles; and I have to observe, as a very important consideration, that when thus applied it always refers to the present life. Justification of Christians means Justification in this world, as in these passages, "And such (namely thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers and extortioners) were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (d):" here St. Paul represents' the Corinthian Christians as having been formerly guilty of great sins, but as being now washed, sanctified, and justified; that is, as having been baptized, as having abandoned their former wickedness, and as having been justified from their former guilt, in the name of Christ, and through the operation of the Divine Spirit at the time of baptism: it is evident that in this passage nothing is spoken of as future; the washing, the sanctification,

(d) 1 Cor. c. 6. v. II.

addressed by our Saviour to the Pharisees, who blasphemously asserted that he cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils, and seems intended to admonish us, that words, as well as actions, will be the subject of judicial inquiry at the last day.