Christians after baptism, and enforce the duty of repentance and amendment, the word Regeneration is not once used. Whence we may conclude, that our Reformers, who were perhaps more accurately acquainted with the doctrines and language of the New Testament, than the Divines of any other age or country since the days of the Apostl did not think it consistent with the principles of the Gospel to require Regeneration from those who were already baptized. Nor do they ever apply the word Regeneration to any operation of the Holy Ghost, except at the time of baptism.

In the 9th Article, those "that are regenerated" and those "that believe and are baptized are mentioned as the same persons. The 15th Article speaks of all Christians as being "baptized. and born again in Christ." And the 27th Articlesays, that "baptism is a sign of Regeneration or new-birth," meaning, that the external form is a sign of the internal effect. These are the only instances, in which the word Regeneration, or any expression of the same import, occurs in the Articles.

In the Homilies we find the following passages; in speaking of Churches, "wherein be ministered the sacraments and mysteries of our redemption," it is said, "the fountain of our Regeneration is there presented unto us; the partaking of the

body

body and blood of our Saviour Christ is there offered unto us (n)," signifying Baptism and the Lord's Supper: "Our Saviour Christ altered and changed the same [the practice of frequent washing among the Jews] in his church into a profitable sacrament, the sacrament of our Regeneration or new-birth (o)," that is, baptism. "He saved us by the fountain of the new-birth, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he poured on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that we, being once justified by his grace, should be heirs of eternal life, through hope and faith in his blood (p)."

Hence it appears, that neither Scripture, nor the writings of our Church, authorize us to call upon those who have been baptized, whether in their infancy, or at a mature age, to regenerate themselves, or to expect Regeneration through the workings of the Holy Ghost. It is highly proper to exhort them to repent and to reform (q), to preserve or to repair that regenerate state which the Spirit once gave them; to remind them, as St. Paul (n) P. 229. (0) P. 243. (p) P. 345. (9) "Though inculcating perpetually, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, is indispensably needful; yet preaching the necessity of being regenerated, as a thing still absolutely wanting to a great part of those who call themselves disciples of Christ, is using a lan

guage

St. Paul reminded his converts, that" they were buried with Christ by baptism into death, and that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so they also should walk in newness of life (r)." But this is very different from teaching them to wait for a second Regeneration-a sudden conversion-a sensible operation of the Holy Spirit effecting a total and instantaneous change in their hearts and dispositions. Let them rather be admonished to take a serious, strict, and impartial review of their past lives; let them compare their conduct with the unerring rule of God's written cominandments; let them consider the folly and danger of continuing in sin; let them determine to abandon their wicked ways; let them earnestly and faithfully pray for spiritual aid; let them thus renew their minds, and they may rest assured that their pious resolutions and virtuous exertions will be strengthened and promoted by " power from on high." Regeneration of those, who are already baptized, by the forcible operation of the Spirit, is one

of

guage not conformable to that of Scripture, nor indeed of the primitive Fathers, or the offices of our own Liturgy; which declares every person who is baptized, to be by that very act, regenerated and grafted into the body of Christ's church." Secker's Sermons, V. 5. p. 390. (r) Rom. c. 6. v. 4.

of the doctrines, by which the weak credulity of unthinking persons is imposed upon in the present times. It is a dangerous illusion, calculated to flatter the pride and indolence of our corrupt nature. It is an easy substitute for that “ " Godly sorrow which worketh repentance;" for that real amendment of life which consists in mortifying our carnal lusts, in forsaking "the sin which doth most easily beset us," and in an active and conscientious endeavour to obey the revealed will of God. Men, who fancy that they have received this second birth, consider themselves full of divine grace, are too often regardless of the laws both of God and man, affect to govern themselves by some secret rules in their own breasts, urge the suggestions of the Spirit upon the most trifling occasions, and pretend the most positive assurance of their salvation, while perhaps they are guilty of the grossest immoralities, and are treading under foot the Son of God by the most palpable departure from the plain and simple rules of his pure and holy religion; or at least by boasting of the peculiar favour of Heaven, they imitate the persons spoken of in the Gospel, who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others ($)."

(s) Luke, c. 18. v. 9.

Regeneration

Regeneration then in its true sense signifies an inward effect produced by the Holy Ghost through the means of baptism, whereby the person baptized exchanges his natural state in Adam for a spiritual state in Christ (†). 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 by the use of water baptism, causes the new-birth. And the words Regeneration and New-birth are never used in the New Testament, or in the writings 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

(t) 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 iť 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 carnestly recommended,