,transcribed from the #ahdb ,j4 ,hatchard and ,son edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,,the ,,true ,,ministers ,,of ,,christ ,,accredited ,,by ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,sermon1 ,,preached ,,at ,,the ,,visitation ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,the ,,archdeacon ,,of ,,derby1 ,,in ,,all ,,saints' ,,church1 ,,on ,,the #ba,,st ,,june1 #ahdb ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,philip ,,gell1 ,m4,a4 ,,minister ,,of ,,st4 ,,john',s1 ,,derby1 ,,and ,,rural ,,dean4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,published ,,at ,,the ,,request ,,of ,,the ,,clergy4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,j4 ,,hatchard ,,and ,,son1 #ahg1 ,,piccadilly2 ,,and ,w4 ,,bemrose1 ,,and ,w4 ,,rowbottom1 ,,derby4 #ahdb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,s4 ,j4 ,,palmer1 ,,printer1 ,,savoy-,,street1 ,,strand4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,to ,,the ,,venerable ,,walter ,,augustus ,,shirley1 ,m4,a4 ,,archdeacon ,,of ,,derby1 ,,and ,,to ,,the ,,reverend ,,the ,,clergy1 ,,assembled ,,at ,,the ,,visitation ,,held ,,in ,,derby1 ,a4,d4 #ahdb1 ,,this ,,sermon ,,is ,,dedicated1 ,,with ,,true ,,respect ,,and ,,affection1 ,,by ,,their ,,faithful ,,servant1 ,,and ,,brother ,,in ,,christ1 ,,the ,,author4 ,derby1 ,june #ba1 #ahdb4 ,,sermon4 #b ,,cor4 ii4 #ag1 and iii4 #a-f4 8,for we are not as many1 which corrupt the word of ,god3 but as of sincerity1 but as of ,god1 in the sight of ,god1 speak we in ,christ4 ,do we begin again to commend ourselves8 ,or need we1 as some others1 epistles of commendation to you1 or letters of commendation from you8 ,ye are our epistle1 written in our hearts1 known and read of all men3 forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of ,christ ministered by us2 written1 not with ink1 but with the ,spirit of the living ,god2 not in tables of stone1 but in fleshly tables of the heart4 ,and such trust have we through ,christ to ,godward2 not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves2 but our sufficiency is of ,god2 who hath made us able ministers of the ,new ,testament2 not of the letter1 but of the spirit3 for the letter killeth1 but the spirit giveth life40 ,to 8speak the same thing10--to 8be of one mind in the ,,lord10--to be altogether one in the ,,father1 and in the ,,son1 as they are one1 is the proper habitude of all the members of the church1 and especially of all ministers of the word1 of ,,god4 ,because1 however1 of human imperfections1 differences have arisen in the church1 even from the earliest and holiest days4 ,wherefore controversy in the present day need not surprise us2 nor should we shun it as if it were necessarily unchristian2 nor is any man obliged to take part in it with any other feelings than such as are holy and benignant4 ,with good will may we withstand or intreat one another1 or earnestly contend for the faith against an adversary4 ,did not the apostle ,paul withstand ,peter to the face1 with feelings anything but personally hostile1 because he was to be blamed for his dissembling example3 and does not the silence of the story most eloquently speak the silent and affectionate concession of the brother who was blamed8 ,do not the words1 which ,i have just read1 bring before us another early conflict in holy times3 when 8many0 teachers of the word of ,,god 8corrupted0 it1 and the apostle had to maintain the truth against them as 8false apostles0 #b appealing in his own behalf to sanctions given to him by ,,god ,himself8 ,and are we not safely to conclude that his zeal and charity in the contest obtained a blessed recompense in the preservation of many from those ruinous corruptions4 ,now it is observable that the apostle concentrates the strength of his defence1 in this particular passage1 in an appeal to the work of the ,,holy ,,spirit of ,,god attending his ministrations4 ,whatever might be the truths or errors brought into question1--whether concerning the ,,holy ,,ghost ,himself1 or other subjects of a different nature1--there were such effects of his labours to be seen1 as would prove the presence of that ,,divine ,,spirit with his ministry1 and not with the contrary4 ,and hence we may infer1 that though all teachers among ,christians will assert their possession of the ,,spirit1 all may not possess ,him2 and the teaching of some may want this remarkable and distinguishing evidence of being from ,,god4 ,we need not dissemble that our own ,church is ,corinthian in this respect in the present day4 ,we clergy are so4 ,we cannot--7and in my heart ,i feel deeply what ,i say7--we cannot all be right4 ,and it is my honest and heart-rending conviction1 that some of our differences are such1 as will separate us for ever1 if we die in them4 ,but come now1 and let us reason together4 ,we have all1 by our outward vocation1 one common interest in one common and most momentous work4 ,we have to save our own souls1 and the souls of them that hear us4 ,our responsibilities reach into eternity6 ,may we by love so serve one another that we may all be workers together with ,,god in the immense design1 for which ,his ,son our ,saviour died upon the cross2 that in the great day of ,his appearing many converted souls may be our 8epistles of commendation0 before ,his throne in glory6 ,concerning the great controversy1 which at present pervades our church1 some things relate to the ,holy ,ghost ,himself1 some more especially to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 some to the ,holy ,scriptures1 some more particularly to the church4 ,whatever of these ,i may notice1 ,i wish to keep the ,,holy ,,spirit prominently in our view1 and to make our truth or error1 as bearing upon ,him1 the main matter of our discourse4 ,the general subject will be ,the sanction of that ,,divine ,,person in the ,,holy ,,trinity1 attending one sort of doctrine and ministry1 and not another1 and the evidences to be observed of the fact3 and it will involve this question1 namely1 ,who are the true ministers of the ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ1 accredited by the ,,holy ,,ghost8 ,if ,i state things which some of us well know1 ,i feel confident that they will admit the importance of my bringing them before others1 who may not be aware of the position at which we are already arrived in the matters we have to speak of4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i4 ,the first thing which ,i have to propound is this3 ,that the ,,holy ,,ghost is the essential ,agent in the right administration and reception of divine ordinances4 ,in this1 taken generally1 we are all agreed4 ,none of us doubts that the words of the apostle to the presbyters of ,ephesus would now apply to all true presbyters of ,,christ3 8,take heed to yourselves1 and to all the flock1 over which the ,,holy ,,ghost hath made you overseers1 to feed the church of ,,god1 which ,he hath purchased with ,his own blood40 #e;a ,so1 the seven deacons were 8men full of the ,,holy ,,ghost and wisdom40 #e;b ,the word also is said to be 8preached with the ,,holy ,,ghost sent down from heaven30 to come to those hearing it aright1 8in power and in the ,,holy ,,ghost1 and in much assurance20 #e;c and to be received with 8joy of the ,,holy ,,ghost20 and 8in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power40 #e;d ,and so1 both in regard to ministers and members of the church1 it is declared1 that 8to one is given by the ,,spirit the word of wisdom1 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,,spirit1 to another faith by the same ,,spirit20--all these more ordinary gifts1 as well as those which were miraculous1 8worketh that one and the self-same ,,spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will40 #f;a ,and when it is also solemnly declared--8,i give you to understand1 that no man can say 7aright7 that ,,jesus is the ,,lord1 but by the ,,holy ,,ghost10 #f;b--and that 8if any man have not the ,,spirit ,,of ,,christ1 he is none of ,his20 #f;c--how clear and unquestionable is the conclusion1 that the ,,holy ,,ghost must be the essential ,agent in the right administration and reception of divine ordinances2 and that in fact there can be none without ,him1 in the minds both of ministers and people4 ,hence it was that1 in the words before us1 the apostle declared his 8sufficiency to be of ,,god20 that it was of ,,god that he ministered the word without corrupting it1 as some did2 and that the beautiful lineaments of the living christian character1 which he had been the means of producing in them1 were actually produced by the ,,holy ,,ghost1 thus divinely authenticating the office and instrumental ministrations of the apostle4 ,here was the writing of his recommendatory letters4 ,this view of things carries in it the point1 that no man can be a true minister of ,jesus ,christ1 unless the ,,spirit of ,,christ be with him4 ,and so general is the conviction of this as a fact1 that strange indeed would it be to find a single bishop1 priest1 or deacon of our church1 who should not feel it essential to his integrity to lay claim to this holy authentication of himself from ,god to men4 ,now here is the question6 ,let us calmly and seriously examine it4 ,can we all have the ,,holy ,,ghost1 who lay claim to ,his presence and power with us8 ,i propose to meet this question negatively1 and therefore1 99 99 99 99 99 ,,ii4 ,my next position is the following3 ,that it is impossible to suppose that we ,,all have the ,,holy ,,ghost1 who lay claim to his presence and power in our ministrations4 #a4 ,the awful ungodliness of some of us too plainly proves the truth of this1 believe it who will4 ,it is fearful to think of their standing as they are in the sanctuary of the ,most ,,holy ,,god6 8,to the wicked ,,god saith1 ,what hast thou to do1 to declare my statutes1 and to take my covenant in thy mouth8 ,seeing thou hatest instruction1 and castest my words behind thee40 #g #b4 ,but1 alas6 ,it is not only the unholy beyond dispute that may fail of the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,what say the habits of vain conversation in many2 their ease and pleasure in worldly occupations and amusements2 their constraint under sacred employments1 their gladness when such works are done8 ,must their hearts be the temples of the ,,holy ,,ghost8 ,will ,he make the word to be 8the power of ,,god10 to honour their preaching of it2 or the sacraments means of grace1 to own their administration8 ,may ,he not1 does ,he not refuse to do so8 ,where is the fruit of their labour8 #c4 ,but even were we questionable in nothing but points of doctrine and religious practices which we teach1 this were enough1 not only to raise the question1 whether we minister by the ,,holy ,,ghost1 but also to determine it4 ,for the ,,spirit cannot testify to both of two systems differing from one another in many fundamental points4 ,such are the two systems at present in agitation4 ,that of ,protestant ,evangelical ,christianity on the one hand1 and that of ,anglo-catholicity on the other3 the one rejecting ,romanism in all its peculiarities2 the other sympathizing with it1 and avowedly rejecting the principles of the ,protestant faith4 #h;a ,the controversy is not new1 though it has seldom been so vigorously conducted on either side as now4 ,the same spirits were in active warfare some forty years ago4 #h;b ,but1 in fact1 it has been fairly said by one of the chief writers on the ,anglo-catholic side1 that there have ever been these two principal parties in the ,church of ,england1 whom he calls the ,apostolical and the ,puritan2 introducing a third also1 7not now in the controversy17 namely1 the ,latitudinarian4 #i;a ,in point of doctrine1 the terms ,apostolical1 ,laudian1 ,orthodox1 and ,anglo-catholic1 have more or less of connexion with each other2 and the terms ,evangelical1 ,puritan1 ,calvinistic1 and ,protestant1 have a similar affinity4 a4 ,now it has often been acknowledged by the opposite party1 that the compilers of our ,articles were not only ,protestant1 but ,calvinistic1 and what we now call ,evangelical1 in their religious views4 ,it has often been felt and allowed1 that1 in the plain and full meaning of these ,articles1 according to their literal and grammatical sense1 which the royal ,declaration peremptorily claims for them1 without admitting of any new sense whatever1 they favour less the ,laudians and the ,arminians1 than the ,puritans and ,calvinists4 #i;b ,in this sense they are freely and confidently appealed to by the latter2 and the appeal is ever most happily and strongly sustained by other appeals to the writings of the ,reformers1 in proof of what they meant4 ,the true ,protestants1 therefore1 are perceived to have always had the best of the controversy1 when conducted by sustaining the full and literal sense on the one hand1 and softening it down on the other3--wherefore it is now attempted1 with a determination never shown before1 not merely to incline the ,articles to speak a softer ,protestantism2 but at once to seize them violently1 and force them to an absolute recantation2 or1 to stifle them under the reiterated pressure of directly antagonist opinions2 affirming1 against evidence1 that those opinions were intended by the compilers to be admissible into the meaning6 #aa ,they thus1 in purpose1 completely take away the old1 and substitute a new confession of faith1 whatever care may seem to be taken to retain the form of words4 ,and1 casting out the ,writings of our ,reformers also1 as a ,court of ,appeal1 and proposing extraordinary additions to our ,formularies1 and various ceremonial innovations1 they declare it to be their intention to unprotestantize #ab the ,church of ,england altogether1 and to re-unite her1 in due time1 with the ,church of ,rome4 ,and they are steadily and gradually advancing4 ,while they are labouring with most devoted assiduity at this achievement1 we1 on the other hand1 are firmly maintaining our old ,church of ,england ground1 standing by our old appeals as resolutely as ever1 and humbly believing that the same ,,god1 who has for years been gradually and steadily increasing our numbers and our strength1 will still go on to increase them1 until the ,church of ,england shall stand in the full and undisputed possession of the sons of her reforming fathers2 and true ,anglo-catholicity shall be the share which the ,english ,protestant ,church shall enjoy in ,catholic ,christianity throughout the world4 ,but now1 the question is1 how can we possibly imagine that the ,,holy ,,ghost can accredit both these opposing systems1 and the advocates of both1 so essentially differing from each other8 ,for1 either the whole system of the ,protestant ,reformation1 and of our ,church as ,protestant1 is one enormous1 awful1 and tremendous error2 or ,anglo-catholics are doubly dishonest1 first to the ,church of ,england1 which they still subscribe to2 and secondly to the ,,truth of ,,god according to our confession of faith4 ,the decision of the question may be suspended for a moment4 b4 ,the more we inquire into this subject1 the wider will the difference appear to be4 ,there is one most vital part of it1 on which ,i will not say much2 because it is so generally heard of1 and amongst ourselves so easily understood4 ,i mean the union1 by the ,anglo-catholics1 of tradition with ,holy ,scripture as the ,rule of ,faith1 #ac;a in direct contradiction 7as ,i think7 to our sixth ,article4 ,it is contradictory also to testimony upon testimony from their own favourite ,fathers and ,divines1 #ac;b as well as the ,reformers2 and even to the plainest testimony of ,holy ,scripture itself4 8,from ,i child10 says the ,,spirit of ,,god by ,st4 ,paul to ,timothy1 8thou hast known the ,holy ,scriptures1 which are able to make thee wise unto salvation though faith which is in ,,christ ,,jesus4 ,all ,scripture is given by inspiration of ,,god2 and is profitable for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness2 that the man of ,,god may be ,,perfect1 ,,thoroughly ,,furnished unto all good works40 #ad ,here1 in particular1 an opposition of sentiments appears upon a vital point1 in which the ,,holy ,,ghost1 in the very nature of things1 can only take one side4 ,but they want the tradition1 and therefore they must have it4 ,it supports superstitions1 which ,scripture will not4 ,and the difficulty of explaining ignota per ignotiora aggravates the importance of a present priesthood to explain both1 as may seem good to them1 without the possibility of popular private judgment being exercised on their interpretations and conclusions4 c4 ,again2 their doctrine of mystery in religion1 putting1 7by a strange mutation17 the most obvious things for the deepest1 is made particularly to produce a comparative silence respecting the atonement of the ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,it is remarkable that they should choose for the example of this mysterious reserve1 the very subject concerning which the ,apostle ,st4 ,paul declares to the ,corinthians1 8,i am determined not to know anything among you1 save ,,jesus ,,christ1 and ,him crucified30 8,we preach not ourselves1 but ,,christ ,,jesus the ,,lord30 8,we preach ,,christ crucified60 #ae;a ,but then1 their ,christ crucified1 by a painful perversion1 is shown to be self-crucified2 tears1 and penances1 and mortifications constituting their substitution for sin1 7atonement ,i cannot call it27 while ,,christ is kept back1 chiefly for mere sacramental exhibition4 #ae;b ,that glorious name of ,jesus1 8,,the ,,lord ,,our ,,righteousness10 they almost veil from our sight1 as far as ,his obedience to the law for us is concerned2 and ,his sole justification1 wrought for us1 they actually displace by another thing4 ,the ,lutheran doctrine upon the subject1 which is that of our eleventh ,article1 is called radically and fundamentally monstrous1 immoral1 heretical1 and antichristian4 #af;a ,and justification1 instead of being by the works and deserving of ,,christ accounted unto us1 and received by faith1 is said to consist in the 8habitation of ,christ in us10 or 8of ,,god the ,,father1 and the ,,word incarnate1 through the ,,holy ,,ghost30 8the ,,spirit',s work1 not ,,christ',s30 8an imparting of righteousness20 #af;b 8not imputation merely1 but the act of ,god imparting ,his divine presence to the soul through baptism1 and so making us temples of the ,,holy ,,ghost40 #af;c ,but something also is said about our being able to 8obey unto justification10 #af;d in opposition to ,luther2 which intimates clearly that human works1 resulting from this indwelling1 are to be the substantial justifying material2 and faith is to be the first of those works4 ,for when they refer to the ,article1 asserting that 8we are justified by faith only10 they say1 8,faith1 as being the beginning of perfect or justifying righteousness1 is taken for what it tends towards1 or ultimately will be4 ,it is said by anticipation to be that which it promises2 just as one might pay a labourer his hire1 before he began his work40 #af;e ,and thus1 their ,christ justifying seems to be made much like their ,christ crucified in us2 self imitating ,,christ in another part of ,his work4 ,a more complete removal of the ,,saviour out of ,his place in the great work of redemption1 with a specious introduction of the ,,holy ,,ghost to aid in the removal1 that man may do the work of his own justification1 it is not easy to conceive4 ,whether this be right or not1 judge ye4 ,but that the ,,holy ,,ghost should testify both to this justification1 and to that which is by faith only in the righteousness of ,,christ1 which is the justification of the ,protestant ,reformers and their ,evangelical descendants1 it is clearly impossible to suppose4 d4 ,the ,,holy ,,ghost himself1 and all that religion which consists in spiritual experience1 are expressly removed from full and ordinary teaching1--the glory and excellency of them being consigned to reverential reserve6 #ag ,the new birth of the soul by the ,,spirit1 7except as in baptism17 the fruits of the ,,spirit in holiness1 the comfort of the ,,spirit1 the witness of the ,,spirit1 the seal1 the earnest1 the fellowship1 the indwelling1 the anointing of the ,,holy ,,spirit1--,his work as a ,,spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of ,,christ1 and the deep things of ,,god1--a ,,spirit of intercession1 a ,,spirit of adoption1 a ,,spirit of glory1 and all other subjects of ,christian experience1 are to be said little about1--while it is the very fear of others that they should grieve and dishonour this glorious ,person in the ever-blessed ,trinity by not fully declaring them4 ,they are deeply impressed by the fact that ,his work is equally essential to their salvation with that of ,,jesus ,himself1 and full of consolation and delight4 ,and some perhaps may be the more intent upon preaching all that ever appertains to ,him from a spirit of holy jealousy1 knowing that it is a subject in which so many of us halt4 ,and what is their substitute8 ,mere morality with some3 devotions1 fastings1 and almsgiving1 with our brethren who are more in earnest2 all busy in suspending fruits upon the evil tree1 to make it good2 instead of 8first looking to the ,,spirit of ,,god to make the tree good1 that his fruit may be good also40 #ah e4 ,the sacraments are a subject in which the difference and the controversy exhibit remarkably strong characteristics4 ,our ,anglo-catholics1 it is evident1 use the very term sacrament as if the spiritual grace signified thereby constituted the substantial meaning of the term3 but our twenty-ninth ,article shows at once that our ,reformers applied it to the outward sign2 8,the sign ,,or sacrament of so great a thing30 and they there apply the term to the bread and wine1 in contra-distinction to the body and blood of ,,christ4 ,in the twenty-fifth ,article the sense is carried out1 and the term is applied to the ceremony1 still having reference to that1 which is ordained of ,god indeed1 but perceived by the outward senses4 ,and these are essential matters3 for there is no sacrament1 by the same article1 where there is no visible sign or ceremony ordained of ,,god4 ,baptism is called a sign of regeneration1 whereby they that receive it rightly are1 as by a significant process or instrument1 not regenerated1 but visibly 8grafted into the church10 as already regenerated2 #ai and 8have the promises of forgiveness and adoption10 not then first brought home to their souls1 but 8visibly signed and sealed0 to them2--8faith10 not first imparted1 but 8stirred up0--and 8grace10 not first given1 but 8increased1 by virtue of prayer to ,,god40 ,and if the ,liturgy and ,catechism speak of the inward and spiritual grace signified as part of the sacrament1 or seem to say that the sacrament of baptism1 as much as that of the ,lord's ,supper1 is a mean of receiving that particular grace which is signified1--they should be explained so as to harmonize with the ,articles1 which do already harmonize with ,holy ,scripture4 ,it is a part1 not as tied to the ,form in time and place1 but as the distinct reality1 on which all the value of the formal representation is founded1 and which therefore should always be steadily eyed in it4 #bj ,it is evident that our twenty-seventh ,article contemplated1 in the body of it1 the baptism of adults1 spiritually born4 ,and though our ritual prefers to pray for the ,,holy ,,spirit1 that they may then surely have ,his regenerating grace1 to presuming on the previous certainty of its experience2 yet the certain answer to this prayer is assuredly taken for granted as the ceremony proceeds2 inasmuch as the acts of living souls are forthwith required of the subjects before they are baptized2 namely1 that they can speak spiritually1 and deliver 8the answer of a good conscience before ,god0 in the exercise of repentance and faith1 and the avowal of them4 ,and so it is observable1 that though our form of infant baptism prefers to implore regeneration then1 to presuming certainly that the infant is regenerated ere he comes1 yet the fact is presumed to be granted previously to the answers being made2 for they are the answers of a new-born soul4 ,charity afterwards hopeth all things1 though often disappointed4 ,and thus our church uniformly goes upon the apostolic rule1 given in answer to the question1 8,what doth hinder me to be baptized80 viz41 8,if thou believest with all thine heart1 7which is the fruit of regenerating grace1 #bb;a7 thou mayest40 ,a heart1 even in infants1 that would show faith1 if organs served1 is presumed to be2 for 8except they be born again1 they cannot see the kingdom of ,,god40 #bb;b ,the law has no exception4 ,the terms baptize and baptism are used in ,scripture to express the spiritual regeneration as well as the mystical4 ,on the one hand1 we hear of 8the ,baptism of ,john20 8,i indeed baptize you with water20 8he that believeth and is baptized1 shall be saved20 8,,christ sent me not to baptize20 8there is one baptism20 8they were baptized in the name of ,,jesus20 8baptizing them in the name of the ,,father1 and of the ,,son1 and of the ,,holy ,,ghost20 and many other instances1 having reference only to baptism with water4 ,on the other hand1 we read1 with reference to spiritual baptism1 8,he shall baptize you10 saith ,john1 concerning ,jesus1 8with the ,,holy ,,ghost and fire20 #bc;a where water is not contemplated3 8,by one ,,spirit are we all0 8baptized into one body40 #bc;b 8,so many of us as were baptized into ,,jesus ,,christ1 were baptized into ,his death4 ,therefore we are buried with ,him by the baptism unto death1 that like as ,,christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the ,,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life4 ,our old man is crucified with ,him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed20 and that we should 8yield ourselves unto ,,god1 as those that are alive from the dead40 #bc;c ,and ,st4 ,peter1 speaking of the salvation of ,noah through the flood1 says1 8,the antitype1 or counterpart1 of which1 even baptism1 doth also now save us2 not the putting away of the filth of the flesh10 7which is of water baptism17 8but the answer of a good conscience towards ,,god10 7which is of spiritual baptism17 8by the resurrection of ,,jesus ,,christ from the dead40 ,you have it #bd;a also1 where the apostle speaks of the ,colossians as 8circumcised with the circumcision made without hands10 and 8buried with ,,christ in baptism1 wherein also they were risen with ,him through faith of the operation of ,,god1 and quickened together with ,him40 #bd;b ,now1 whether this latter baptism is1 or is not1 ever without the former1 and the washing of the ,,spirit only synchronous1 or not1 with that of water2 it is unquestionably evident that the two things are perfectly distinct1 the one from the other4 ,proceed1 however1 a step further1 and observe that it is not water baptism which the ,,holy oracles speak of as the mean1 instrument1 or channel1 of spiritual baptism or regeneration1 but the ,holy ,scriptures themselves without it2 and immediately the general separation of the two is as clear as the distinction between them4 8,of ,his own will10 saith ,st4 ,james1 8begat ,he us with the word of truth40 #bd;c 8,being born again10 saith ,st4 ,peter1 8not of corruptible seed1 but of incorruptible1 by the word of ,,god1 which liveth and abideth for ever40 8,and this is the word1 which by the ,gospel1 7not water-baptism17 is preached unto you40 #be;a ,and add to this1 concerning the thousands of outwardly baptized sinners1 the testimony of ,st4 ,john1 that 8whosoever is born of ,,god doth not commit sin2 in this the children of ,,god are manifest1 and the children of the devil1 whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of ,,god20 #be;b and the proof is conclusive1 that in the formal baptism of these thousands upon thousands1 who do so commit sin1 no regeneration of ,,god was ever experienced at all4 ,the separation is clear4 ,men are born1 without water-baptism1 by the ,,spirit and the word2 multitudes have it1 and are never born of ,,god at all4 #be;c ,against all this1 however1 the system of the ,anglo-catholics speaketh on this wise3--8,the ,scriptures1 the ,church1 and the ,fathers declare1 with united voice1 that regeneration takes place at baptism4 ,but they go farther2 they tell us very definitely what regeneration is2 they tell us that it is an engrafting into ,,christ2 a new creation in ,,christ2 and by consequence1 that all the gifts of grace are actually and really imparted to us in baptism2 that in short we are justified1 sanctified1 quickened1 crucified with ,christ1 planted together in the likeness of ,his death1 risen with ,him by the power of ,his resurrection1 and seated with ,him in heavenly places2 and that all this is effected by baptism40 #bf ,this is in a sermon entitled 8,nehushtan1 or an ,attempt to break the ,trifle of ,brass40 ,and this ,nehushtan is the doctrine of justification by faith2 concerning which ,i refer you to the glory of our ,articles1 the eleventh2 and then ,i close this point with the plain question1 ,who are the true members of the ,church of ,england2 and with whom is the ,,spirit of the ,holy ,scriptures1 the ,,spirit of the martyrs of the ,reformation1 the ,,spirit of the living ,,god1 the ,,holy ,,ghost8 ,he cannot be with both4 f4 ,the assigning of regeneration and remission of sins to outward baptism gives immediate occasion to many other errors3 but to one in particular1 of a very lamentable character4 ,i mean the deplorable1 and all but hopeless condition of those1 who sin away their regeneration1 and their plenary remission received in baptism2 as innumerable multitudes are held to do4 8,the great majority10 say the ,anglo-catholics1 8die under the bond of their sins20 yet so far 8under ,,god',s favour10 that if they pray1 and fast1 and give alms1 and confess1 mourn1 and judge1 humble1 afflict1 and abhor themselves1 they may peradventure obtain pardon somewhere1 plenary pardon2 though it cannot be granted them any more in this life6 #bg;a ,and that somewhere1 is ,purgatory1 plainly avowed6 #bg;b ,all this ministers strongly to the authority of a priesthood1 in confessions1 partial absolutions1 and penances2 #bg;c but our ,church 7,art4 #bb7 seems to us to say that it is plainly repugnant to the word of ,,god3 and so we believe4 ,certainly1 therefore1 the ,,holy ,,ghost is not with one portion of us in this matter4 ,we know of no condition1 except that of blaspheming against the ,,holy ,,ghost1 in which1 8if we confess our sins1 ,,god is0 not 8faithful and just to forgive us our sins1 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness20 and1 8if any man sin1 we have an advocate with the ,,father1 ,,jesus ,,christ the righteous2 and ,he is the propitiation for our sins40 g4 ,i shall not go over the same ground again1 with reference to the sacrament of the holy ,communion1 as ,i have done with respect to ,baptism1 but state little more than that the way1 in which the ,anglo-catholics treat it1 is precisely similar4 ,spiritual communion in the body and blood of ,,christ1 which we hold that believers always may enjoy by faith in the living words of ,,christ1 the ,anglo-catholics bind inseparably to the sign or sacrament thereof2 namely to the bread and wine1 and the sacred ceremonial4 ,their body and blood of ,,christ is the bread and wine made so by their priests1 and given only by their means to the people4 8,the sacraments10 to the exclusion of other ordinances1 8are 7with them7 the sources of divine grace40 #bh;a ,one is the very and only womb of regeneration itself2 the other the only breast that nurses the child of ,,god with the very body and blood of ,,christ4 ,these forms their clergy can handle and talk about1 and they reservedly hint at the work of the ,,spirit of ,,god in them3 howbeit of spiritual life and spiritual communion1 as things distinct from them1 and much more large1 and of other times and places1 and means also1 they profess to believe nothing4 ,they hold the ,,spirit of ,,god mostly within their own sources2 and the body and blood of ,,christ quite at their own disposal4 #bh;b ,now1 when our ,,saviour says1 8,except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood ye have no life in you10 and it is held that the baptized have life1 though they have not come to the table of the ,,lord2 it will needs be granted that eating the flesh and drinking the blood of ,,christ is a thing previous to coming to that holy table3 therefore it may be1 as no doubt it is1 after coming thither also2 of course in other places and by the use of other means4 ,,jesus says1 therefore1 8,whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life30 and when ,he would save them from the delusive idea of eating ,his carnal body and blood1 ,he tells them 8it is the ,,spirit10 that is1 the ,,holy ,,ghost taking of the things of ,,christ1 and showing them unto us spiritually1 8that quickeneth10 ministereth life2 and then he refers them for the means1 not to any contemplated sign or sacrament1 but to ,his words attended by ,his ,,spirit3 8,the words that ,i speak unto you1 they are spirit1 and they are life40 ,in them believers have their constant food4 ,the very flesh of ,,christ itself1 if they could have it in a literal sense1 would profit them nothing2 all that is effective being the 8ministration of the ,,spirit40 ,even in the sacrament1 the ,,word1 thought of1 and received by faith of the operation of the ,,holy ,,ghost1 is that medium by which the ,,spirit most properly conveys the ,,saviour to the soul4 ,the bread and wine have no more in them than the character of the most beautiful1 significant sign or sacrament of so great a thing3 just as the king's letters1 and not his picture1 even in the most affecting transactions of his life or death1 would really convey the presence of his mind and attributes to his people4 ,it is1 however1 habitually true of this sacrament1 though not so of the other1 that it is ,a means 7not ,,the means7 whereby the inward and spiritual grace signified is received by the faithful4 ,but if the same precision were used in a review of our ,liturgy and ,catechism1 as was exercised in the framing of our ,articles1 we might avoid asserting anywhere1 as well as in the latter1 that the sacraments are means of the grace signified1 without the loss of anything essential2 and so we should be saved from predicating that in the definition of a thing1 which is proved not to be universally true of it4 ,we might be saved from seeming to affirm that we are made children of ,,god spiritually by formal baptism1 when in fact it is only formally that we are thereby made so2 or by baptism are regenerate4 ,that sacraments are signs and seals to the faithful of the inward and spiritual grace signified is universally true1 and therefore proper in a definition of them3 that they are means thereof1 or pledges1 #cj is not universally true1 and therefore improper in a definition1 though true in part4 ,and our conflicts upon the subject will never be put an end to until our church clearly expresses herself agreeably to the distinction and separability between things spiritual and things formal4 #ca;a ,it does not appear that any of the principal ,protestant ,confessions of faith affirm the sacraments to be means of the special grace signified by them1 except the ,augsburg1 which is the ,lutheran4 ,and if it is generally to this that the ,english articles are to be traced1 the difference of the latter from the former upon this particular point can scarcely be otherwise than purposely intended4 #ca;b ,when our ,anglo-catholic brethren seem as if they would 8not oppose anything existing10 #ca;b or touch so much as an iota of our ,anglican ,confession in verbal alterations1 and yet hesitate not deliberately to sharpen their weapons1 and at a few gashes to embowel it of its vitals2 7,i allude to the ninetieth ,tract27 if they describe our church as 8teaching with the stammering lips of ambiguous formularies10 and as 8incomplete in her formal doctrine and discipline10 and would totally change her ,protestant character by introductions from the ,roman ,breviary and ,missal2--with all this havoc of change before us1 it is a small matter to desire merely a clearer distinction between formal and spiritual things1 or any other sanatory touch of like character1 which would fulfil the work of the ,reformation1 instead of thoroughly undoing it1 #cb;a as they design to do4 ,in such a process we should be casting off the last frontlet of our ancient grave-clothes1 and putting a crown of pure gold upon our head4 ,rome would have done with us for ever1 and we with ,rome2 and our separated brethren of other communions would see the way opening for re-union to an unlimited extent4 g4 ,the essentials of the ,,office and ,,work of the ministry1 as propounded on either side1 constitute another very material ground of difference4 #cb;b ,we are1 ,i suppose1 agreed that the first essential of the ,,office is1 that we be clearly called to it1 and effectually sustained in it1 by the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,but when we come to the outward and visible proofs of this call and this supporting power1 then we differ4 ,the ,anglo-catholics consider it essential to be ordained by bishops receiving their appointment in regular succession from the apostles2 as that1 without which no benefit of sacraments or other ministrations can be imparted1 nor1 in fact1 any church exist4 ,the ,anglo-protestants1 on the other hand1 attach not the same importance to the apostolical succession of bishops2 and will say with ,melancthon1 8,when bishops do not teach the truth1 an ordinary succession avails nothing to the church20 #cc;a and they hold that the appointment of a bishop by presbyters among themselves is valid4 ,they consider the laying on of the hands of a bishop and others of the presbytery1 to be the most scriptural ,ordination of presbyters1 and best for their own church2 #cc;b yet not so essential to the being of a church but that ,ordination without a bishop may be valid1 and is so in other churches1 and has scriptural succession in its ,presbytery4 ,by the former1 it is assumed1 that the ,,holy ,,ghost is given in ordination to all who are thus ordained1 for the custody of the good deposit1 the fundamentals of doctrine and practice1 and all other parts of their office2 and that through these ministers alone the people can derive sacramental grace2 and if this ordination once be given1 it is of itself the grand1 essential1 and sufficient proof of a true minister1 and of the abiding of the ,,holy ,,ghost1 with him continually4 ,now1 it is true that we hold1 that an evil minister1 incurring even deposition by our discipline1 does not necessarily prevent the communications of divine grace to the souls of men in the ministration of the word and sacraments4 ,but we hold also that he is to be deposed1 and that there is something vastly contrary to the true system of things in his being where he is2 though ,,god has acted with inscrutable wisdom in having suffered it4 ,but unless ministers continually prove by all the 8fruits of the ,,spirit10 that the ,,spirit of ,,god is with them1 their ordination does nothing for them in our esteem1 but load them with extraordinary sin and guilt4 ,it is expected1 that they be 8not of the world20 though it is not by monasteries that they are to go out of it2 but by keeping themselves unspotted from the sins and vanities and pomps of it2 while their light shines before men in doing good in it1 for the glory of their heavenly ,,father4 ,their love of souls dictates zeal and labour and self-denial and holy co-operation4 ,they weep and pray and wrestle with ,,god for blessings on their unworthy ministrations2 they reprove1 rebuke1 exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine2 they humble the proud to penitence without penance2 they comfort the feeble-minded1 and heal the broken-hearted1 without the unhallowed domination of confessionals1 or absolutions other than declarative or merely ecclesiastical2 #ce and they are conscious of maintaining1 7without forced explanations17 an honest consistency1 in doctrine and practice1 with the plain meaning of their own articles and of ,holy ,scripture4 ,these and all other fruits of the ,,spirit1 love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance2--these are their essential proofs of office2 without which the form of ,ordination would be nothing but a heavy grief to them4 ,it always has been1 moreover1 and ,i believe it ever would be1 did circumstances lead to it1 the blessedness and glory of these men to die as martyrs for their faith4 ,the love of ,,christ would constrain them to do it joyfully4 ,few indeed are the clear instances of any other kind of religious persecutions unto death2 while the thousands upon thousands of those who have been the usual martyrs for ,,christ1 have been1 not of the ,anglo-catholic1 but of the ,evangelical faith4 ,the ,reformers are granted to us3 the ,huguenots1 the ,waldenses1 the ,lollards and ,hussites1 the ,paulicians1 the martyrs of ,lyons and ,vienne1 c41 have all been of the same confession of faith and the same character4 ,but1 alas6 if the likeness of the ,anglo-catholic creed and practices to ,popery be considered1 how near are the professors of that creed most fearfully coming to the character of the accusers of the brethren1 the persecutors of the saints1 the very crucifiers of the ,,lord ,,of ,,glory6 ,with whom then is the ,,holy ,,ghost to be supposed to be8 ,so1 with respect to the essentials of ministerial ,,work1 they say that 8the ,church10 i4e4 the ,clergy1 and her sacraments1 are the ordained and visible means of conveying to the soul what is supernatural and unseen4 #cg 8,the sacraments1 not preaching1 are the sources of divine grace40 ,we do not disparage the sacraments2 but we say that in holy ,scripture preaching has the pre-eminence2 preaching the ,gospel of ,,christ1 8the everlasting ,gospel10 8the ,gospel of salvation10 8the glorious ,gospel of the blessed ,,god40 ,and ,i am anxious that we should all feel this1 understand it well1 and study to be 8able ministers of the ,new ,testament40 ,the ,anglo-catholic doctrine of the wonderful importance of sacramental grace and of the mysterious dignity and power of the priesthood in connexion with it1 is a comparative nullifying of the great commission of ,,christ1 8,go ye into all the world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature2 he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved2 and he that believeth not shall be damned40 ,,christ also sent the apostle ,paul1 8not0 with a commission1 8to baptize10 though he did baptize2 8but to preach the ,gospel40 ,and his triumphant argument for preaching1 as the grand mean of grace1 and faith1 and salvation1 will never be overcome4 8,whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 ,how then shall they call on ,him in whom they have not believed2 and how shall they believe in ,him of whom they have not heard2 and how shall they hear without a preacher2 and how shall they preach except they be sent8 ,as it is written1 ,how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the ,gospel of peace1 and bring glad tidings of good things60 #ch;a ,of regeneration itself as produced by the special instrumentality of the word1 we have already heard3 and so also the remission of sins2 for 8be it known unto you10 says ,st4 ,paul to the people of ,antioch in ,pisidia1 8that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins2 and by ,him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses40 #ch;b ,the ,acts of the ,apostles1 in fact1 are full of it4 ,by the foolishness of preaching it has always pleased ,,god to save them that believe1 incomparably more than by any other means4 ,and forasmuch as the ministers and stewards of ,,god',s mysteries 8cannot10 7as our ,ordination ,service speaks17 8by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a work1 pertaining to the salvation of man1 but with doctrine and exhortation taken out of the ,holy ,scriptures1 and with a life agreeable to the same10 the assiduous study and preaching of the ,holy ,scriptures have been the main subject of the charge given to them1 from the days of ,timothy to the present4 ,with ministering 8the ,holy ,sacraments0 they have been most solemnly intrusted2 but with preaching the word ,,chiefly3 and to this has the 8success0 of their ministry been consigned4 #ci;a ,this is that which1 7as ,anglo-catholic teachers affirm17 8to say the least1 ,scripture has never much recommended20 an assertion very much to be blamed1 as very untrue4 #ci;b ,now they who are not sensible of the inconceivable importance of preaching1 will not seek the ,,spirit of preaching1 neither will they have ,him1 if they do not ask for ,him to be given them4 ,the word1 to be 8the power of ,,god unto salvation10 must be 8preached with the ,,holy ,,ghost sent down from heaven10 #ci;c 8not in the words of man's wisdom1 but in the demonstration of the ,,spirit and of power40 #ci;d ,i feel convinced1 that after all this1 my main position will be generally admitted to be extremely probable1 if not certainly proved2 that we cannot on both sides1 have the ,,holy ,,ghost in the ministrations ,i have described1 though both lay claim to ,his presence and power in them4 #ci;e 99 99 99 99 99 ,,iii4 ,i now1 therefore1 intreat your permission briefly to press a third position on your serious consideration1 namely1 that whoever of us have ,him ,,not1 they are under most ,,fearful ,,guilt in ,,pretending to ,his presence4 ,we all make the pretension4 ,we are guilty therefore1 it is to be feared1 on one side or the other3 deeply guilty6 a4 ,the guilt is that of being false2 of lying in some things concerning the ,,holy ,,ghost1 and in some things unto ,him1 when false before ,his saints in whom ,he dwells4 ,are we incurring then the very guilt of ,ananias and ,sapphira8 ,let us fear their condemnation4 b4 ,our guilt is also that of resisting the ,,holy ,,ghost1 in ,his truth1 in ,his work1 in ,his people4 ,if we have not known the ways of ,,god aright1 we have erred in our hearts and hardened them1--against what the ,,holy ,,ghost saith1 8,harden not your hearts20 and hereby ,he is grieved3 and the result is that ,,god swears in ,his wrath1 that we shall not enter into ,his rest4 #dj c4 ,our guilt is that of substituting another spirit for ,him3 the ,anti-spirit in league with ,anti-christ4 ,it may be said that ,i go nigh to affirm that our work may possibly be the working of ,satan1 if it be not of the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,my brethren1 ,i mean quite to say it4 ,for of all evil men1 who are instruments of ,satan for seduction1 false apostles and ministers are the most so4 ,and the more apparently holy they are1 the more diligent to put on the form of godliness when they have not the power1--the more they imitate the love1 the meekness1 the humility1 the self-denial of ,,christ1--and profess1 at the same time1 that it is by the ,,holy ,,ghost that hereunto they have attained2 the more awful is their reception of ,satan for the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,am ,i not right in saying1 that errors in principle and in doctrine are quite as full of guilt in the sight of ,,god as sins of the flesh8 ,they are sins of the mind1 it is true3 but are the sins of purely intellectual evil spirits less than the sins of men1 because they are sins of minds and not of fleshly bodies8 ,and is ,satan to be gently dealt with1 and not rather the more indignantly repulsed1 when1 and because1 he comes as an angel of light8 ,he is the very best imitator in the universe1 and will be amiable in commending heresies to men4 ,and you may take him to your hearts in the very resemblance of the ,,spirit of ,,god ,himself1 and assume that you possess the holy anointing of that blessed ,,spirit2 and hence may issue the most deadly perversions of the truth of ,,god1 under the most amiable guise4 ,you may be making an unction to yourselves1 like unto the holy anointing oil1 under that curse of ,,god1 that you 8shall be cut off from ,his people40 #db ,consider the guilt and danger6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,iv4 ,we are now prepared to come to the consideration of our fourth point2 ,that the possession of some accrediting proofs of the presence of the ,,holy ,,ghost is essential to our most important interests4 ,am ,i a true minister of ,,jesus ,,christ1 or am ,i not8 ,and if ,i am1 is all as it should be with me8 ,have ,i full proof that my ministry is a participation in the 8ministration of the ,,spirit10 or have ,i not8 ,is ,he present with me at all8 ,is ,he present with me in all that fulness and power1 that is most justly and rationally and earnestly to be desired8 ,what are the most certain credentials or proofs of this8 ,two are all that ,i shall refer to3 one is in my text2 the other1 which ,i advert to first1 is elsewhere found2 ,i mean the scriptural ,character of the true minister of ,,christ4 ,you find it concisely expressed in #b ,tim4 iv4 #a-e1 8,i charge thee therefore before ,,god and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and ,his kingdom1--,preach the word1 be instant in season1 out of season2 reprove1 rebuke1 exhort1 with all long-suffering and doctrine4 ,watch thou in all things1 endure afflictions1 do the work of an evangelist1 make full proof of thy ministry40 ,and in #a ,tim4 iv4 #ab1 8,be thou an example of the believers1 in word1 in conversation1 in charity1 in spirit1 in faith1 in purity4 ,take heed to thyself and to the doctrine3 continue in them3 for in so doing1 thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee40 #dc ,as to integrity in doctrine1 enough has been said1 we should imagine1 to prove the true servant of ,,christ from the false1 the ,holy ,scripture in its plainest sense being taken for our guide4 ,and who1 you ask1 is to say what the standard of ,scripture doctrine is1 and so to determine what we ought to teach8 ,you must decide for yourselves4 8,i speak as unto wise men2 judge ye what ye say40 8,wisdom is justified of her children40 ,nothing can possibly be plainer than ,holy ,scripture4 ,pray for the ,,holy ,,spirit to be your guide in understanding it4 ,we shall soon see1 if we have ,him indeed1 8who is the ,,lord',s1 and who is holy10--without his judgments to convince us4 ,we must do the same with regard to ascertaining who have that true consistency of ministerial character and conduct which is laid down in ,scripture1 and are therefore those1 whom we should 8follow2 considering the end of their conversation1 ,,jesus ,,christ1 the same yesterday1 to-day1 and for ever40 ,consider1 brethren1 what and where the power of godliness really is1 and where the form2 what and where is the most honest self-abasement1 and where1 on the other hand1 the exaltation of man by means of office3--consider whether it be right to say1 where the human commission is1 there1 and there only1 all is right as to the ,,spirit2 and not rather1 where the ,,spirit is vitally proved to be1 there1 and there only1 all is right as to the human commission3 consider what is that dominion over the people's faith1 which is to be unselfishly repudiated2 and who is their true servant1 for ,,jesus sake1 and the fellow-helper of their joy4 ,think whether it is indeed and beyond a doubt the fact1 that you have yourselves 8passed from death unto life10 and know what a wounded spirit is1 and what the godly sorrow of a broken and contrite heart1 and the agonizing conviction of being a sinner deserving eternal condemnation4 ,i will add nothing concerning the happier experience of a sure interest in ,,christ1 of that holiness without which no man shall see the ,,lord1--and all the work of the ,,spirit in the soul of the believer2 and of the love of ,,christ shed abroad in the heart4 ,but such as this1 is the personal character of the true minister of ,,christ1 which ought to be a discriminating credential of the presence of the ,,spirit of ,,god with us4 ,o that we may have it in all its fulness and excellency6 #b4 ,the other point1 which ,st4 ,paul appeals to in the text1 is the effectual blessing of ,god upon ministerial labours4 8,ye10 says the apostle1 speaking of souls brought out of death into life by his means1 8,ye are our ,royal letters1 which we carry out in our hearts1 as ambassadors for ,,christ1 to be read by1 and spoken of unto1 all men4 ,,jesus ordained them on my behalf2 ,i was the ministering hand by which ,he wrote2 the ,,holy ,,ghost was with me1 and indelibly impressed them on the tablets of your hearts2 the character1 and language are those which pourtray the new creature1 the children of the living ,,god1 the heirs of everlasting glory40 ,he disclaims all sufficiency1 not only to write1 but even to conceive1 what was written1 except as it was given to ,him by ,,god1 7a point they would readily admit17 and thus1 in their conversion by his means1 he had the clearest and strongest evidence that ,,god was with him of a truth4 ,so he says in another place1 8,the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the ,,lord3 are not ye my work in the ,,lord80 ,and it is evident that this is a most essential1 decisive1 and therefore desirable1 proof of our ministry being of ,,god4 ,i do not think we should by any means rest and be satisfied without it4 ,i know that a minister may be a true prophet without always having this testimony2 and though the ,israel of ,,god be not gathered by his means1 his work is with the ,,lord1 and his judgment with his ,,god2 and ,isaiah says1 8,,lord1 who hath believed our report1 and to whom hath the arm of the ,,lord been revealed80 ,but this is the exception and not the rule4 ,what are pastors and teachers for8 ,truly 8for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,,christ2 opening men's eyes1 turning them from darkness to light and from the power of ,satan unto ,,god2 that they may receive forgiveness of sins1 and inheritance among all them which are sanctified1 by faith that is in ,,christ40 #df ,if these holy and heavenly purposes be not evidently answered by us1 what are we better than others8 ,if they be but feebly and equivocally answered1 why are we not afraid1 and put upon inquiry as to the cause1 and upon prayer1 most earnest prayer1 that we may not be disowned both of ,,god and man8 ,what letters have we to show that we are not thus disowned8 ,o that our gracious ,,lord and master may give us all imperishable seals of our apostleship in great numbers6 ,let us earnestly see to it that we obtain them4 ,the double testimony of scriptural character1 and of such seals given to our ministry1 is irresistible4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but it may be asked1 have not even false apostles their disciples1 and sometimes many2 ,theudas1 four hundred2 ,judas of ,galilee1 much people8 #dg ,they have3 but not of such sinners converted into saints1 as evidently prove the operation to be of ,,god2 not such as would glorify ,,god on the racks of persecuting torture2 not such as would die martyrs in the flames1 if called to it2 nor such as1 in peaceful departures1 could triumph through faith in the ,,son of ,,god1 and rejoice in the certain hope of a glorious immortality4 ,the happy and heavenly deaths of those who had lived upon the doctrines of ,evangelical ,protestantism are immortal and irresistible testimonies in favour of that sort of ,christianity1 as the truth of ,,god4 ,they constitute an evidence1 which ,anglo-catholics will never be able to produce4 ,what were the latter days of ,froude1 their modern proto-saint1 if not their proto-martyr8 ,where are their dying witnesses8 ,what do they in the formation of such characters as ,i speak of8 ,here1 my honoured fellow-labourers in the ,church of ,,god1--the questions which ,i would put concerning them1 allow me to put pointedly to you all4 ,what are you really doing in the work of the ministry you have received of the ,,lord8 ,are you answering the purposes for which you were called to it8 ,what can you do1 by the grace of ,,god8 ,can you convert a sinner from the error of his way8 ,can you give me the heart of stone broken down and melted into the humble and contrite heart8 ,can you display a compassionate and crucified ,,saviour1 till men love ,him fervently1 and mourn for their sins which pierced ,him8 ,can you heal a wounded spirit8 ,can you beautify disciples with ,christian graces8 ,can you help the saints of ,,god in their preparations for death and eternal glory1 when ,,jesus shall come and receive them to ,himself8 ,shall you then have any1 of whom you will be humbly able to say1 8,behold1 ,i and the children whom ,thou hast given me6 ,these are my letters of commendation6 ,these are my joy and crown of rejoicing3 while all the supreme and sovereign glory1 ,o ,,christ1 is thine60 ,thus let us examine and prove both ourselves and our work4 ,and may ,,god indeed make us able ministers of the ,new ,testament2 that we be not ashamed1 but may rejoice before ,him1 at ,his appearing and ,his kingdom4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,end4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,g4 ,j4 ,,palmer1 ,,printer1 ,,savoy ,,street1 ,,strand4 ,,footnotes4 #b #b ,cor4 xi4 #ac4 ,see also ,rom4 xvi4 #ag4 ,gal4 i4 #g1 c4 ,phil4 i4 #af1 iii4 #ah4 ,col4 ii4 #h4 #a ,john iv4 #a4 #e;a ,acts xx4 #bh4 #e;b ,acts vi4 #c4 #e;c #a ,thess4 i4 #e1 #f4 #e;d #a ,cor4 ii4 #d4 #f;a #a ,cor4 xii4 #a1 #h1 #aa4 #f;b #a ,cor4 xii4 #c4 #f;c ,rom4 viii4 #i4 #g ,ps4 l4 #af4 #h;a ,tracts #ga1 #gg1 and #hf2 ,froude's ,remains1 i4 #cbb1 #chj1 #cid1 #dbe1 #dcc2 ,british ,critic1 ,july #ahda1 p4 #de1 #fi4 #h;b ,see ,overton's ,true ,churchman ,ascertained4 ,see also ,goode's ,divine ,rule of ,faith1 ,preface1 p4 #af1 referring to two centuries ago4 #i;a ,newman's ,lectures on ,romanism1 c4 p4 #bc4 #i;b ,see ,,overton1 p4 #ga1 #gb1 #hb1 #ib4 ,,robertson observes1 in his ,history of ,america1 p4 #afc1 8,of all the ,reformed churches1 that of ,england has deviated the least from the ancient institutions 4 4 4 ,though the ,articles to be recognized as the system of national faith were framed conformable to the doctrines of ,calvin1 his notions with respect to church government and the mode of worship were not adopted40 ,see the same testimony in ,mosheim1 ,eccles4 ,hist4 vol4 iv4 p4 #hg1 #hh4 ,bishop ,burnet says1 8,in ,england1 the first ,reformers were generally in the sublapsarian hypothesis2 but ,perkins and others asserted the supralapsarian way40--,exposition of the ,articles1 p4 #aea4 ,dr4 ,heylin1 a zealous ,arminian1 has the following testimony4 8,of any men who publicly opposed the ,calvinian tenets in this ,university0 7,oxford7 8till after the beginning of ,king ,james's reign1 ,i must confess that ,i have hitherto found no good assurance40 ,buckridge1 tutor to ,abp4 ,laud1 and ,houson1 are all he can name4 ,quinq4 ,hist4 ,works1 p4 #fbf4 ,when ,laud preceded about suppressing ,calvinistic doctrines1 he could not 8venture the determining of those points to a ,convocation10 so general was the disposition of the bishops and clergy in favour of them4 ,heylin's ,life of ,laud1 p4 #adg4 ,bishop ,burnet's honest observations1 in the close of his discussion of the ,seventeenth ,article1 will not be forgotten4 8,it is not to be denied1 but that the ,article seems to be framed according to ,st4 ,austin's doctrine40 4 4 4 8,since the ,remonstrants do not deny but that ,,god1 having foreseen what all mankind would1 according to all the different circumstances in which they should be put1 do or not do1 ,he upon that did by a firm and eternal decree lay that whole design in all its branches1 which ,he executes in time2 they may subscribe this ,article without renouncing their opinion as to this matter4 ,on the other hand1 the ,calvinists have less occasion for scruple2 since the ,article does seem more plainly to favour them40 #aa ,tract #ij1 p4 #hb4 ,they affirm that their interpretation of the ,articles was intended to be admissible1 though not that which the authors took themselves4 ,this is the old way of putting darkness for light further carried out4 ,dr4 ,powell1 ,archdeacon of ,colchester1 and ,master of ,st4 ,john's ,college1 ,cambridge1 preached a sermon some forty years ago to instruct the ,university in the matter of subscribing to the ,articles4 ,and he says1 8,where the original sense is one1 and the received another1 the subscriber is at liberty to use them in either40 ,but he never went so far as to say that the subsequently received sense was intended to be admissible by the compilers4 ,and ,dr4 ,hey1 the ,norrisian ,professor1 speaks of 8a religious society changing its doctrines1 and yet retaining the expressions by which they were defined20 and says1 8,in whatever degree the ,articles grow obsolete1 the ,injunction1 7that is1 the ,royal ,declaration17 must grow so10 notwithstanding it commands interpretation in the literal sense2 and 8that a man1 by speaking according to the literal sense1 may speak falsehood40--,lectures1 vol4 ii4 p4 #fh1 #gb1 #gd4 ,this mode of dealing with the ,articles1 when strongly carried out1 as in the present case1 issues1 of course1 in a total change4 ,see ,overton1 p4 #bb-bf4 #ab ,british ,critic1 ,july1 #ahda1 p4 #de4 #ac;a ,tracts for the ,times1 ,no1 #ga1 p4 #h1 ,no4 #gh1 p4 #b4 #ac;b ,justin ,martyr1 ,irenus1 ,cyprian1 ,jerome1 ,augustine1 ,chrysostom1 ,jewel1 ,hooker1 ,morton1 ,hall1 ,laud1 ,ussher1 ,taylor1 ,stillingfleet1 and many others4 ,see ,goode's ,divine ,rule1 ii4 #dhd1 c4 ,the importance of this question1 according to the testimony of ,roman ,catholics themselves1 is evident from such passages as the following from ,lumper1 ,hist4 ,theol4 vol4 iii4 p4 #cfb4 8,if ,protestants would admit that the complete ,rule of ,faith is ,scripture joined with ,divine ,tradition1 all the other controversies between us and them would soon cease40 ,see ,goode1 i4 #ajc4 #ad #b ,tim4 iii4 #ae-ag4 #ae;a ,cor4 ii4 #b1 and i4 #bc4 #ae;b ,in ,tract #ha1 p1 #ge1 adverting to expressions including the terms ,christ crucified1 they say1 8,it may be seen by an attention to the context in all the passages1 where these expressions occur1 that it is a very different view1 and in fact the opposite to the modern notion1 which ,st4 ,paul always intends by it4 ,it is the necessity of ,,our being crucified to the world2 it is ,,our humiliation together with ,him2 mortification of the flesh2 being made conformable to ,his sufferings and death4 ,it was a doctrine which was foolishness to the wise1 and an offence to the ,jew1 on account of the debasement of the natural man which it implied40 #af;a ,brit4 ,crit4 for ,april1 #ahdb1 p4 #ddf4 #af;b ,newman's ,lectures on ,justification1 p4 #afj1 #bcf1 #bdg4 #af;c ,pusey's ,letter to the ,bishop of ,oxford1 p4 #ga4 #af;d ,newman's ,lecture on ,justification1 p4 #fh4 #af;e ,tract #ij1 p4 #ac4 #ag ,tract #hj and #hg4 #ah ,that ,aristotle should teach that we are to become right-minded by acting rightly1 is not to be wondered at4 ,he knew nothing of the work of the ,spirit of ,god1 or of the love of ,christ1 or of the impossibility 7see ,acts x4 and xii47 of our acting rightly without the grace of the ,holy ,spirit to give a right mind first4 ,but that ,oxford ,divines should teach so is to be wonderfully 8dark amidst the blaze of noon60 #ai ,to be grafted into the church is to be outwardly admitted into the enjoyment of church privileges and ordinances4 ,rightly means1 not as hypocrites1 but with the repentance and faith of the regenerate4 ,the wicked1 and such as be void of a lively faith1 do receive the sacrament of so great a thing as regeneration to their condemnation4 ,not receiving baptism rightly1 they have no true part in the privileges and ordinances of the church1 which are thereby sealed to the faithful4 #bj ,when the invitation is received1 8,arise1 and be baptised1 and wash away thy sins1 calling on the name of the ,lord10 7,acts xxii4 #af17--our church has guided us at once to say1 it is the mystical1 that is1 the significant1 washing away of sins1 that is then accomplished2 but so signifying the true1 that a lively recollective enjoyment of it is excited in the mind4 ,when we are called to obtain the true remission of sins1 it is thus1--8,repent10 7there is the spiritual operation17 8and be baptized1 every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ10 7there is the outward sign7 8for the remission of sins20 or1 without any notice of the sign at all1 8,repent1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out40 ,but repentance1 and faith1 and conversion1 are the fruits of regeneration4 ,baptism was no more intended to impart the spiritual cleansing from sin1 than was the offering of the blood of bullocks and goats2 and yet the people are spoken of as purged by that blood1 and remission of sins as received by it4 ,it was only a mystical ceremony4--,circumcision was the same3 the thing itself was mystical3 ,and ,baptism is its counterpart2 and both of them are significant of the remission of sins1 8the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh10 a death unto sin1 and a new birth unto righteousness in ,christ ,jesus1 effected by the ,holy ,spirit of ,god implanting the seed of the ,word of ,christ in the soul and vivifying it2 before even it is proper that baptism should be administered4 #bb;a #a ,john v4 #a4 ,whosoever believeth that ,,jesus is the ,,christ is born of ,,god4 #bb;b 8,except a man be born of water and of the ,,holy ,,ghost1 he cannot enter the kingdom of ,,god40 ,of the ,,holy ,,ghost comes the spiritual birth1 and thereby the entrance into the spiritual kingdom or church of ,,god3 if the water of baptism be meant1 then also figurative birth1 and concurrently the visible kingdom or church to which baptism is the only door3 a proper parallelism of idea being sustained4 ,but probably1 as the expression 8baptize with the ,,holy ,,ghost and with fire10 means1 baptize with the ,,holy ,,ghost as a spirit of burning1 so 8born of water and of the ,,holy ,,ghost0 means1 8born of the ,,holy ,,ghost as a ,spirit of washing10 the real 8washing of regeneration40 ,this last expression is most frequently understood1 and by ,archbishop ,whitgift and ,bishop ,hopkins amongst others1 to refer to the sacramental washing1 not the spiritual4 ,but why the force of the term regeneration should not preponderate over that of washing1 ,i cannot see4 ,so 8the washing of water by the ,word10 wherewith ,,christ sanctifies and cleanses ,his church1 is the ablution1 like as of water1 that is by the ,word1 when the ,,holy ,,ghost uses that ,word in the hearts of men4 #bc;a ,matt4 iii4 #aa4 #bc;b #a ,cor4 xii4 #ac4 #bc;c ,rom4 vi4 #c1 #d1 #f1 #ac4 #bd;a #a ,pet4 iii4 #ba4 #bd;b ,col4 ii4 #aa1 #ab1 #ac4 #bd;c ,james i4 #ah #be;a #a ,pet4 i4 #bc1 #be4 #be;b #a ,john iii4 #i1 #aj4 #be;c ,see ,scott's ,remarks on ,bishop ,tomline's ,refutation of ,calvinism1 vol4 ii4 p4 #aig4 8,there may be in divers cases10 says ,hooker1 8life by virtue of inward baptism1 where outward is not found40 ,b4 v4 #fj4 ,the same may be argued concerning the real 8forgiveness of sins10 and the mystical forgiveness4 ,there is one spiritual baptism for the actual1 and one sacramental baptism1 significant of the same thing1 for the significant remission4 ,equally distinct and separate1 and even more so1 if possible1 is justification2 of the possession of which by means of baptism the ,scriptures say not a word1 neither the ,church of ,england1 nor any other church1 but the ,church of ,rome4 #bf ,sermons for the ,times1 p4 #bi1 #cj4 #bg;a ,the revival of 8stations0 for confession1 of 8the rod of discipline10 and 8the robe of shame10 with other matters of penance1 is wishfully inquired after1 and may possibly ere long be brought about4 ,see ,wordsworth's ,sermon on ,evangelical repentance4 #bg;b ,tract #gi1 p4 #e4 #bg;c ,wordsworth's ,sermon1 p4 #db4 #bh;a ,tracts1 vol4 i4 ,advt4 #bh;b ,tract #d1 p4 #e4 ,theirs is stated to be 8the only church in this realm1 which has a right to be quite sure that it has the ,,lord',s body to give to ,his people40 #cj ,a pledge has respect to a thing future4 ,the proper order of regeneration is to precede baptism1 which cannot correctly therefore be a pledge of it8 ,where does ,scripture so represent it8 ,circumcision was not a pledge to ,abraham of the righteousness he had3 a 8seal0 it was4 ,it is easy enough to state and explain the sound meaning belonging to our ritual and catechism4 ,but it should be quite clear and obvious at the first glance1 without explanation4 ,the verbal expressions should be such1 as that the right meaning only should present itself to the mind of the reader4 #ca;a ,where our twenty-fifth ,article says1 that by the sacraments ,god doth not only quicken1 but also confirm our faith in ,him1 8the ,latin has nostramque fidem in se non solum excitat1 7not vivificat7 verum etiam confirmat40--,see the ,latin ,articles in ,burnet4 #ca;b ,pusey's ,letter to the ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 p4 #ea4 #cb;a ,tract #ij1 p4 #c4 #cb;b ,the sermon is printed almost entirely as it was written2 but in preaching1 the whole of this section1 to the end of the second head1 was omitted1 on account of the time4 ,a few other paragraphs were also shortened in the delivery1 but the sense universally preserved4 #cc;a ,melancthon1 ,loci4 ,com4 ,sig4 de ,monstr4 ,eccles4 #cc;b ,st4 ,paul adverts to the laying of the hands of the presbytery upon ,timothy1 and the laying of his own hands upon him2 most probably referring to the same thing4 ,st4 ,paul1 himself a presbyter1 possessed an actual superiority1 like other apostles1 among many presbyters2 which1 by ,divine ,providence1 was continued in the church3 and they who were advanced to it had the name of ,bishop 7once general among the presbyters7 assigned and limited to them4 ,in the ordination of ,deacons1 our ,church appoints the laying on of the hands of the ,bishop only4 ,for more of her views respecting ordination1 see ,burnet on the twenty-third ,article4 ,and note the liberal style of the article itself4 #ce ,hooker1 7,book ,,vi47 shows that with respect to sin generally1 the ,church1 or the ministers thereof1 can only declare the divine absolution of the truly repenting sinner believing in ,jesus4 ,she actually remits only such outward sins as she can take ecclesiastical cognizance of1 and can retain and censure until openly repented of and confessed4 ,our ,church expresses herself better in her ,liturgical ,absolution1 than in that for the ,visitation of the ,sick1 which might be improved4 #cg ,tracts1 vol4 ii4 ,advt4 #ch;a ,rom4 x4 #ac1 c4 #ch;b ,acts xiii4 #ch1 #ci4 #ci;a ,collect for the ,ordering of ,priests1 8,most merciful ,father10 c4 #ci;b ,tract #hg1 p4 #ge4 #ci;c #a ,peter i4 #ab4 #ci;d #a ,cor4 ii4 #d4 #ci;e ,i have said nothing of many other grounds of revived difference asserted by the ,anglo-catholics2 such as the ,eucharistic sacrifice for the quick and dead1 the invocation of saints1 the worshipping of images and relics1 and the spiritual supremacy of the ,pope3 it is enough to mention them4 ,if those who assert all these things have the ,holy ,ghost1 those who deny them have ,him not4 #dj ,heb4 iii4 #g-aa4 #db ,exod4 xxx4 #ca-cc4 #dc ,see also ,col4 i4 #bh1 #bi4--8;,,christ--whom we preach1 warning every man1 and teaching every man in all wisdom2 that we may present every man perfect in ,,christ ,,jesus3 whereunto ,i also labour1 striving according to ,his working1 which worketh in me mightily40 #df ,ephes4 iv4 #ab4 ,acts xxvi4 #ah4 #dg ,acts v4 #cf1 #cg4