Christ, are saved, not by the vague possibilities of uncovenanted mercy, but under the guarantee of promise, covenant and oath. The covenant of grace goes with the word of God, and reaches wherever that word is received into the faith of re

newed hearts. It is not circumscribed by the walls of a visible church, especially as those walls are built by the architects of this restrictive theory. It covers with its divine palladium every believer in Jesus who, having that word in which it is revealed, clasps it to his heart, and lives on its assurance. Every such one has, by those two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, a strong consolation; he is among those 'heirs of promise' to whom God hath more abundantly shown the immutability of his counsel,' in that he confirmed it by an

6

oath. Such an one hath fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before him;' and this hope he hath as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high-priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.'-Heb. vi, 17-20. Every such believer, I repeat, is saved, not by chance, or by possibility, or by peradventure, but by promise, and under the oath of the covenant, whether he fall within or without those walls of the visible church, which are drawn and reared by the hands of this limitarian theory. God hath not two revealed ways in which he extends remission of sins to the disciples of Jesus; he hath but one such way; this way excludes every other, wherever the knowledge of the Savior comes; and this way is thus marked out : God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'". -pp. 312-314.

This is large hearted, noble Christian charity, such as the gospel ever inspires in those who partake largely of its spirit. We commend it as a feast of charity to the New York Churchman and the Bishop of New York to be inwardly digested.

Here again, our readers may ask, Is this extraordinary liberality, worthy of uncommon praise? It seems to us, mere common Christian charity. True. It is mere common Christian charity, out of the pale of the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches. But in the Episcopal church, it is by no means common, but very extraordinary charity, to acknowledge the cove

nanted title to salvation, of all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In all our Episcopal reading we recollect but few acknowledgments of this kind, and none so full, decisive, and unqualified. For Episcopal charity it is extraordinary, and therefore deserving of uncommon praise. We have felt so often grieved, and insulted, and disgusted by the bigotry, arrogance, and impudence of Episcopal writers-by their exclusive appropriation of the title," the church," ("the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these"- "" no doubt but ye are the people")-by the declarations, that "where the Gospel is proclaimed, communion with the church by the participation of its ordinances at the hands of the duly authorized priesthood is the indispensable condition of salvation"*-that "what means the goodness and mercy of God may provide for the salvation of those who have never heard of the Gospel, or of those whose ignorance or prejudice has induced them to reject it, is not for us to know, but the revelation of God offers salvation only through the (Episcopal) church"t" that the alone want of communion with the bishop, makes persons aliens from the covenants of promise and the commonwealth of Israel," and that "the condition of those who are disunited from Christ, by being disunited from his visible representative (the bishop) is the same with that of the damned" that non-Episcopalians are des. titute of the sacraments, destitute of a scriptural ministry, destitute of the church"-that Episcopal ministers are "the sons of Aaron," and non-Episcopal ministers "the sons of Korah," that we are delight

*

66

Bishop Hobart's Companion for the

Altar.

+ Bishop Brownell's Charge. + Dodwell.

§ Missionary Sermon preached in Trinity Church, New Haven.

Coxe's Revivalism and the Church,

fully surprised when we read any Episcopal writer who values the inward more than the outward, faith more than forms, the kernel more than the shell-who manifests an enlarged Christian charity. It seems to us, as Bishop Brownell says the Episcopal church does among the "dissenting sects," like " an oasis in the desert;" and we rejoice over it more than over "ninety and nine" manifestations of non-Episcopal charity. We heartily thank Dr. S. for his free and eloquent reciprocation of that Christian fellowship, which we ever delight to extend to all of every name, who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. It has really refreshed us, and quite soothed our wounded Christian sensibility. And we place it on our pages in honorable contrast with the insolent and wretched bigotry with which we have been so mourn. fully familiar.*

But we must pass on. The book is truly impartial. Our author has indeed, presented the errors which he refutes in all their real deformity. But he has done it by presenting them, not in his own, but in the language of their advocates. And, quoting the language of the authors whom he opposes, (he quotes chiefly from Dr. Pusey, Mr.

High church Episcopalians have become so habituated to this kind of insolence, that they have come to think that they have a right (proscriptive we sup pose) to be insolent, and indeed do not seem to know that they are insolent, so that when their insolence is exposed and rebuked with a tithe of the severity which it deserves, and the public health demands, they cry out against our dis courtesy and think themselves marvellously ill used. They start with an air of injured innocence and inquire what "the church" has done that it should be an object of general attack and discourtesy. They put us out of the church of Christ, and out of our hopes of heaven, and consign us to uncovenanted mercy among aliens and heathen; they turn us out of the company of "the children" among "the dogs," and this habitually, by word, and by practice, and on theory.

Newman, and the Oxford Tracts,) he quotes fairly, and puts their theories in such a light as they themselves must acknowledge to be just. We have seen no instance in which he has endeavored to force a meaning on a passage, which his opponent did not really intend.

The work is also able, thorough and true. It denies baptismal regeneration and the real presence, scatters to the winds all arguments in their favor, and brings an irresis tible array of arguments both from Scripture and reason, against them. It denies the Puseyite and high church opinion that the sacraments are "sources of grace." It flies in the face of the doctrine so common among Episcopalians, that the lit urgy and the sacraments read and administered by the duly author. ized priesthood, are more important than preaching, and maintains that preaching is the grand instrumentality, chosen by Divine wisdom, for the salvation of the world. But we prefer to let Dr. S. speak for himself. The following view of the nature and importance of the question which re ally involves all the questions that he discusses respecting the sacra ments, is very just.

"To say that the difference between the two views which have been taken of baptism is important, would be weak

And then when we, thus assailed and calumniated, begin, not to retaliate, not to deny their standing in the church of Christ, and their right in the covenants of promise, but simply by Scripture and reason, to defend our spiritual birthright and privileges, and our title to a name and a place in the Christian church and to covenanted salvation, and thus to expose and rebuke their uncharitableness and arrogance, they think us, forsooth, very uncourteous, and themselves greatly abused! Poor injured souls! Oh! the blindness of bigotry! They are like a man so accustomed to crowd other people off the walk, that he thinks he has a right so to do, and when an individual, without attempting to retaliate, simply ex poses to him his rudeness, he thinks himself very uncourteously treated and grossly abused.

speech. It is fundamental; involving the vital interests of the kingdom of Christ, and auguring, as the one theory or the other shall prevail, either the return of a dun eclipse to the Sun of truth and life, or the shining on to a still more perfect day of that glorious light of the Gospel which the best fathers of the English and American Protestant Episcopal churches have held forth ever since the time of the blessed Reformation. It is in the view ta

ken of baptism that the seed was planted which, in the middle ages, produced the fruit of that giant error, in later times named Transubstantiation; the poison of which, it may well be feared, hath made her who hath tasted it sick unto death.

And it will be in our views of baptism, if

we are indeed destined to so sad a retrogression, that we shall replant the same seed of error, and reproduce the same fruits of death!"-pp. 246, 247.

The sum of what is said in the work, is thus briefly but truly stated.

"The sole end of God, in all his gracious dealings with us, is the renewal and sanctification of our sinful natures: the sole agent of this necessary change is the Holy Spirit: the sole instrument which the Spirit uses in this work is divine truth while both preaching and the sacraments are but channels of equally divine appointment, through which, in their proper places, order, and degree, that Spirit pours the energy of truth, in all its renewing and sanctifying light, upon waiting, inquiring and obedient minds."—pp. 391, 392.

66

Keep these principles in view," adds he," and the church will be to us full of life, and the way along which she conducts us to heaven, luminous with safety. Lose sight of these principles, and the church herself is in danger of becoming but a body of death and the way along which she leads us begins to be overhung with the darkness of error, superstition, and fearful peril to our souls."-p. 392.

The volume is divided into three parts, the first, on the design and relation of preaching, and the sacraments; the second, on the nature of baptism; the third, on the nature of the Lord's supper.

His first chapter is on the Christian's new birth; a subject which he rightly deems fundamental, and therefore first in order in the discussion. This, which he holds to be a radical change in moral character, consisting in repentance and faith, he declares to be wrought by the

agency of the Holy Spirit, and yet in such a manner as not to conflict with moral freedom and responsibility.

passive substances. He acts by inclining "He (the Spirit) acts not on merely living spirits to action. He infuses not holiness in quantity into a motionless soul, as men pour clean water into a standing vessel. He puts the soul in mo

tion toward the attainment of holiness, as a skillful master teaches his pupil how to "The soul acquire useful knowledge." becomes holy by thinking of holiness, longing for holiness, and laboring for holiness; but it is the Spirit of God that moves it to think, to long, and to labor." -p. 23.

He then shows that the Spirit works this change by the sole instrumentality of the truth. Says he—

"How the Spirit uses this truth in renewing and purifying the soul, is a different question, and one which I purpose hereafter to examine. For the present, I am concerned simply with the fact that, strictly speaking, this truth is the instru ment, and the only instrument, employed in his work. I say the only instrument, because the church, her ministry, her sabbaths, her worship and her sacraments, are not, in strictness, instruments. They are so only as they hold the instrument in their hands. They are but the scabbard, in which is sheathed that heaven-tempered 'sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,' the truth of the Gospel. Unsheathe-not for use, but to cast awaythat sword; withdraw, so as to lose, this truth; or even, in any way, virtually deprive her of the word of God, and the church, her ministry, her sabbaths, her worship and her sacraments, would be lifeless things. They could exert no renewing and purifying power over the soul. In vain would you then go to them for life and cleansing. You might as well go for knowledge to a book, the covers of which inclosed only blank leaves, without the imprint of a syllable or a letter. Except as channels through which the Spirit pours God's truth upon the mind, the external things of the church are powerless for spiritual good. Take this truth out of them, and they could make no more impression on the soul, than could a man's naked hand, or a literal sword of steel. The soul can not feel them; it can feel only the truth, when it comes through them."-pp. 25, 26.

Dr. S. then, in irresistible opposition to the Puseyite or high church doctrine, which he quotes from the

Oxford Tracts, "that the sacraments, not preaching, are the sources of Divine grace," proves, that " preaching is the right hand of the Spirit, in wielding the sword of the word," by showing, that, "in the New Testament, the main stress in the work of saving men is laid on preaching, whether we look at Christ's own ministry, or at his various commissions to the twelve, or at their action under those commissions, or at the language of the New Testament writers when speaking of preaching, or the sacraments, whether separate. ly or in connection." We can only give this outline of the argument and quote one sentence as a specimen of the point and power with which it is executed.

"Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.' That is, administering the sacraments is not the main thing for which I am sent. This is the preach ing of the Gospel."-p. 48.

The conclusion of the argument is well expressed thus.

"The principal results, then, which have now been reached are these two: that the sacraments were intended, not for the instrumental origination of the new life in the soul, and the conveyance of pardon or justifying grace, but for administration to those who, through the preaching of the Gospel made effectual by the Spirit, have previously been brought to repentance and faith in Christ; or who, if infants, are in baptism placed amid the means of their subsequent renewal unto righteousness and true holiness; but, that the preaching of the Gospel of Christ crucified, in season and out of season, in the face of persecution and death, with boldness and fidelity, in love and long suffering, was the one mighty labor to which the first ministers of Christ were devoted, and in which they wore out their lives for the conversion and salvation of their fellow men."-p. 51.

This is very good, and what the Episcopal church especially needs to hear. For, the idea is quite too common in that denomination, not only that salvation comes by the sacraments rather than by preaching, but also that "faith comes" not "by hearing," but by reading (the liturgy.) And verily, when we have

heard some high church moral essays about fifteen minutes long, we have not wondered at the preva lence of this opinion. And on the other hand, when we have heard in Episcopal churches, Dr. S. and Bishop Mcllvaine and others like them, we have thought, not only that they realized that preaching is the right hand of the Spirit, but also, that if their hearers would endure for any considerable time the faithful operation of this right hand from these "Presbyterians in disguise," (as they have been frequently called in pla ces which we wot of,) they verily would believe and realize it also, and prize such ministrations beyond

measure.

The conclusion quoted above, is then confirmed by a chapter on the sacraments, in which the author shows a correspondence between this view and facts in the history of

the Christian church.

Having thus demolished the idea that the sacraments, not preaching, are the sources of divine grace, and placed these in their true relative position, Dr. S. proceeds to the se cond part of the work, the nature of baptism.

He states in the language of their advocates, the errors on this subject which he opposes, which for the sake of those of our readers who have not access to the Oxford Tracts, we transfer to our pages.

of the incarnation,' being 'baptized into one body, the body of our incarnate Lord.'* The pardon of sins is the direct provision in baptism.' Baptism gives life.'t 'Herein are we justified, or both accounted and made righteous;' 'have a new principle of life imparted to us; since, having been made members of Christ, we have a portion of His life or of Him, who is our life.' 'In baptism two very different causes are combined: the one, God himself; the other, a creature' (water) which He hath thought fit to ballow to this end.'§ Faith and repentance are the conditions on which God gives it. Water, sanctified by our Lord's baptism, is the womb of our new birth. In baptism, the old man is laid aside, the new taken; he entereth a sinner, he ariseth justified.' 'Regeneration is the being born of water and the Spirit, or, by God's Spirit moving again on the face of the waters; sanctifying them for our cleansing, and cleansing us thereby." One of the chief writers on this subject calls baptism this miracle.'tt The baptized, by way of expressing the reality of this miracle, used to be called 'Christophori, Theophori,' Christbearers, Godbearers. And, finally, That oneness with Him in His Son,' which is alleged to be wrought through the sacraments, is called the perfection of eternal bliss, where will, thought, affections, shall be because we shall be, by communication of His divine nature, one.' "§§-pp. 82, 83.

one,

**

In giving a summary of the meaning of these passages, Dr. S. says:

"In short, by this miracle,' 'this communication of the Divine nature,' we lay aside the old man and take the new; we enter the water sinful flesh, and rise from it as from an overwhelming mystery,' 'Christophori, Theophori.'

"Such is the theory: the Holy Spirit imparted to the water; in that water meeting the infant, and imparting to it Christ; and then, as it leaves the font, presenting it justified in the twofold senso of being both accounted and made righteous, the subject of a virtually miraculous communication of the Divine nature."p. 85.

Tracts, vol. ii, p. 44. t Dr. Pusey's sermon, p. 6. Tracts, vol. ii, p. 24. Ibid., vol. ii, p. 26. Ibid., vol. ii, p. 43. Ibid., vol. ii, p. 47. ** Ibid., vol. ii, pp. 47, 48. tt Ibid., vol. ii, p. 68. #Ibid., vol. ii, p. 44.

§§ Dr. Pusey's sermon, p. 8.

Penetrating to the foundation of this theory, our author shows that it rests on "a correlative notion of what at first constituted original righteousness and of what still constitutes original sin," which he thus expresses in his own words.

"God at first created, not a mere perfect man-a man in the divine image, because of a moral and rational nature, and perfect in his kind; but a perfect man with a divine addition to his perfection; a literal Theophorus-a created being with an endowment uncreated. And then, by the fall, man not only lost his "actual inherent holiness," but also forfeited his supernatural investment; in which forfeiture-not in the loss of holiness-consists original sin."-p. 88.

This he proves to be a mere figment, utterly unscriptural and impossible. Of course, he argues, we are left not only at liberty, but under obligation, to reject the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, which is founded on it. He then declares, that whatever may be God's act and the soul's experience in baptism, it can not be the great moral change which the Scriptures assert to be necessary to salvation.

"For," says he, "in the case of all adults, this change is required in order to baptism, (see Acts viii, 37; also the Church Catechism on Sacraments.)"... "While, in the case of infants, this change can not be wrought. It is a change, the steps in which are, 'repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ;" leading us out into the life of holy love and holy obedience, with every other affection of a sanctified nature. We can have no other idea than this of the change required in us. But how can we