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This remark is just as applicable to the text last quoted as to the present one, and therefore from neither of them can any thing be deduced favourable to Mr. Simeon's purpose. But how was it he did not give us the whole of the passage he here refers to, which expressly tells us that, though Jesus baptized not, yet his disciples did under his direction: and does not Mr. Simeon know that, "qui facit per alium, facit per se"? It farther informs us, when stated without mutilation, that our Lord was thus the means of baptizing such multitudes of converts that his success in that way induced him, from prudential considerations, to change for a time the scene of his ministry: "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John," (and how many John baptized see in Matt. iii. 5, 6.)→ ("though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee." John iv. 1, 2, 3..

NOTE 15. to p. 51, note 1.-Mr. Simeon is guilty of the same unfairness in his "Appeal." In one place speaking of "some distinguished characters," as he calls them, he says, "they assert that all persons do necessarily by a divine appointment receive the Holy Ghost (in Baptism): in such a manner and degree, as really to be changed in the spirit of their minds into the very image of God in righteousness and true holiness, and so to partake of the divine nature that they never need afterwards to seek so great a change again." (p. 48, 7. 21.) Now though, in this particular passage, he may seem to confine the opinion, of the sufficiency of Baptism to salvation, to certain individuals,* yet, in another, he indi rectly charges it upon all who identify Regeneration with Baptism. Of this we complain as an act of extreme injustice, for we defy Mr. Simeon, or any one else, to prove that the

*Whether or not these opinions are justly chargeable even on the writers, to whom Mr. Simeon may here be supposed to allude, is a question which we decline entering into, because it is altogether irrelevant to the purpose in hand.

See the last quotation from Mr. Simeon in note 33.

former of those tenets is in the most remote degree connected with the latter, or any how deducible from it. We have already in the preceding sermons (p. 50. 51. 54. 55. 90) expressed our own sentiments pretty fully on the nature of the spiritual effects of Baptism, (which we call Regeneration ;) and those sentiments we believe to be the same that are generally held by those of our clergy, who, according to the phraseology introduced by their opponents, must be called, by way of distinction, unevangelical. To prevent, however, any miscon ception of those opinions in future, (unless it be wilful,) we will here endeavour to explain them somewhat more minutely and connectedly. Baptism may be divided, according to the age of the subjects of it, into infant Baptism and adult Baptism: infants universally must be under the same circumstances as to their qualifications for this holy ordinance; adults may differ from each other in those respects, according as they possess the necessary qnalifications required in them for the worthy reception of this Sacrament, namely, repentance and faith, or as they possess them not. Thus we shall have three distinct classes of persons, who may cach become the subjects of Baptism, and in all of them we believe that Baptism produces a change of state, or that it brings those who receive it, under due administration, into covenant with God, and admits them to the privileges of the Gospel covenant; that is, that it gives them such an interest in the merits of Christ as entitles them to salvation on observing the terms of the Christian covenant, and, if they shall at any time have forfeited those blessings by sin, to an assured acceptance of their sincere repentance and renewed obedience, and of their consequent restoration to the favour of God. Again, (to follow Mr. Simeon's own distinction,) with regard to the change of nature effected in Baptism, we believe, first, that infants receive at that time a covenanted right to that degree of spiritual assistance, which is necessary for them in the outset of their Christian course; which will be infallibly conferred upon them as soon as they are able to use it, that is, as soon as the powers of the understanding develope themselves; and which will be increased, as

occasion requires, if it be not systematically neglected, and voluntarily opposed. Secondly, we believe that adults, who worthily receive that holy Sacrament are also in the reception of it endued with such a portion of grace, as will enable them to perform the engagements which they then undertake. Thirdly, with respect even to unworthy partakers of the laver of Regeneration, we believe that though, if they continue in that state to the end of life, their Christian circumcision will become uncircumcision to them, yet that, whenever they turn to the Lord in sincerity of heart, they become entitled to the benefits, which the Christian covenant, and that alone, authoritatively offers to unfeigned repentance, and to a capacity of salvation on the same terms as other Christians. But, lastly, we believe that in all cases, and under the most favourable circumstances, so far are men from being changed by Baptism into the very image of God," that we hold they never can attain it by any means in this life; and so far are we from thinking that they never nced afterwards to seek any farther change in the way of improvement, that we contend those persons utterly falsify their baptismal profession who do not endeavour" continually to mortify all their evil and corrupt affections, and daily to proceed in all virtue and godliness of living," thereby studiously aiming at a still nearer degree of conformity with the divine image, as pourtrayed in "the example of our Saviour Christ.” So widely different then are our real opinions from those which are frequently attributed to

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NOTE 16.-to p. 54, line 36.-"Regeneration."-A few other passages, than those already noticed in the text, are produced by Mr. Simeon, (p. 40, and 54,) in favour of his opinions on the subject of the new birth. They are as follow: "He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God.” (Rom. ii. 28, 29.) And again: "all are not Israel who are of Israel." (Rom. ix. 6.) The sense of these two

passages is extremely evident; they were intended to correct the erroneous notions of the Jews, who supposed themselves necessarily and exclusively entitled to all the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom, because they were God's peculiar people, and the children of Abraham, to whom the promise was made; and to convince them that God must be spiritually worshipped and obeyed by all who would serve him acceptably. This is a truth, which no one will doubt who has ever read the New Testament, but one which can afford no foundation for the modern tenets concerning the new birth, unless the main fact in dispute be once more taken for granted-that Christians, who have not experienced this birth, are Christians by external profession merely.-The remaining texts are these: "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, or, a new creation." (Gal. vi. 15.) And If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." (2 Cor. v. 17.) The epistle to the Galatians was written expressly, aud those to the Corinthians principally, for the purpose of defending the authority and doctrine of St. Paul against the Judaizers, who contended that the Mosaic law was still binding upon Christians, and that Christianity, without it, would be ineffectual to salvation. In the first of the texts now cited the Apostle is opposing those errors directly, and in the second somewhat more remotely ;* and for that purpose he asserts that the local and temporary dispensation of the Law, together with all its peculiar immunities, rights, and privileges, had been abrogated by the Gospel, which might therefore be properly called a new creation, for it introduced both Jews and Heathens, who embraced it, into a perfectly new state; it gave them new doctrines, new principles of action, new motives. to obedience, new hopes and prospects, new promises and blessings. But the Gospe! cannot be a new thing in all these respects, nor therefore in the same extent, to those who have

* See the verse immediately preceding.

been brought up from their infancy in the profession of it, as it was to those, who never heard of it, and to whom it was never offered, till they had arrived at maturity or old age. Whether indeed they, who in modern times have been educated in the religion of the Gospel, and have made an external profession of it, have complied with its obligations, is another and a distinct question. If not, a change, (perhaps a considerable one,) is certainly required of them, and the state, into which they are brought by undergoing it, may be called, (though not without inconvenience,) by any one who thinks fit to call it so, a new creation; only it must be remembered that the words will then be used in a more confined sense, and therefore, so far in a different one from that, in which they must be necessarily taken in the passages now before us.

NOTE 17.-to p. 55, 1. 9.-" of Christ."-Mr. Simeon asks; "shall we perish because we were fearful that we had not yet attained that new birth, and continued with all diligence to seek it after we had actually obtained it?" (p. 53, 7.6.) Certainly no one will hazard his salvation by the mere endeavour to make himself better than he is, but he very probably may by taking up enthusiastic notions and practices, such as the modern theories of the new birth are very likely to engender in weak minds; for, however that doctrine may be understood and acted upon by its more rational advocates, it will always have the effect of giving a wrong bias to the spirit of religion among ignorant people, by inducing them to estimate their religious proficiency rather by their feelings than their conduct, which latter is the only proof of advancement in holiness recognized by the Scriptures.

NOTE 18.-to p.55, last line.-"hand of God."-Mr.Simcon "in order to be made meet for heaven, man must be made says: spiritually good, that is, he must love what God loves, and hate what God hates, and be and do what God commands." (p. 38, 1. 5.) and he adds: whenever this great work is truly effected, then we say that the man is born again, and born of the spirit; and the change that has taken place within him we call The New Birth." (p. 39, l. 26.) Hence it appears that the doctrine

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