Page images
PDF
EPUB

typical and preparatory, to be considered as substantial, and the life and death of the Messiah to be reduced to an empty shade? Why do not Christians now then offer up bulls and goats as sacrifices? St. Paul shall give the answer; read the whole of those two striking chapters, the tenth and eleventh, of his Epistle to the Hebrews, where the Doctrine of Atonement is so clearly set forth, that not all the ingenuity and abilities of man can rationally controvert it.

I will conclude with St. Paul's affectionate address to his countrymen, after he had fully explained to them the great truth, "Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated to us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised."

May you, my friend, may all those who are still wilfully blind, as well as the worldly, who have hitherto not attended to this important subject, embrace with joy and gratitude, with faith and repentance, this gracious and free Redemption. If this be rejected, there remains "no more remission of sins."

"How then shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

LETTER IV.

On Regeneration.

WHAT is Regeneration?

It might have been imagined, that any one having received a liberal education, would reply to this question without doubt or difficulty.

And such would be the case, if all possessed singleness of heart, an understanding spiritually inclined, and capable of comprehending the whole tenor of Scripture. A perverted interpretation of this Doctrine has arisen from persons more inclined to a quibbling about words and terms, and feeling a vanity in disputing about the plainest expressions, or, in one word, delighting in logomachy.

Such love to "minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith," and disregard the injunction of

N

St. Paul to Timothy, "Charge some that they teach no other Doctrine." That there is another Doctrine taught than that which is taught by the Church of England, is too well known by the confused mass of controversy that has issued from a certain description of the clergy. Those who deny the great Doctrines of the Trinity and the Atonement, will be naturally expected to deny the minor spiritual Doctrines; for, if the two great Doctrines be not true, the minor ones fall to the ground; and their opinions being fundamentally erroneous, can excite no surprise; but those, who not only acknowledge these great truths, but have actually given their assent to all the Doctrines of the Church of England, can, in no rational or honorable way, account for their secession from any part of those Doctrines: it cannot, therefore, but be a circumstance to be lamented, that all are not Israel who are of Israel :" they enlist under the banners of the Church,

66

accept the emoluments, and then contradict the assent which they had before given, and endeavour to undermine that Christian citadel, which they were bound by their solemn oaths to defend.* That

As the clergy, to whose works I allude, are those who have denied the propriety of that interpretation which the Church of England affixes to Regeneration, I wish, in pure Christian charity, merely to defend our Doctrine, and to shew to them, that they are guilty of no small error in endeavouring to create a schism in that Church to which they professedly be long.

I respect both the abilities and the private character of many of these clergy, whom I well know; but I cannot approve, or respect, their conduct in raising objections without any rational grounds, and contributing to unsettle the faith of those who are but little acquainted with scriptural truths. As, however, Mr. Wall has expressed my feelings in better language than I might possibly adopt, I beg to draw the attention of those who deny that Regeneration constantly accompanies Baptism, when rightly administered and rightly received, (for that is the position of the Church of England,) to the following quotation from the work of Mr. Wall's History of Infant Baptism, Vol. II. page 407.

[ocr errors]

False doctrine on fundamental points (such as the Trinity and the Atonement) put a bar to our com

« PreviousContinue »