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who lives by faith. His is that inspiring promise of the Redeemer, He that be lieveth in me shall never die.' United to that Saviour whom in holy faith he has served, the believer commends to his Divine Lord his departing spirit. He who holds the keys of death and hell,' is with him to redeem him from death, to ransom him from the power of the grave.' In this last conflict he is supported by the grace of his Divine Lord, and he passes through the grave and gate of death to a joyful resurrection." Vol. II. pp. 79-82. With the delightful emotions arising from such passages still fresh upon us, the work of censure must be indeed "a strange work." And it is only because we are already committed, not only to our readers, but to our excellent Bishop himself, by our previous remarks, that we proceed to say, that in the two sermons which precede these; the Sermons on the Victory through Christ, and on Justification; we, as before, find ourselves dissentient from certain of the preacher's statements; that we consider him as at variance, not so much with us, which were little, as with himself also in many of his other animating delineations of true holiness; and that we have not without cause complained of certain passages in the preceding volume, will, we think, appear from the following passage in the second sermon, where indeed the victory is made any thing but complete in our view, and the manner of completing it any thing but clear and perspicuous.

Christ not only hath freed us from the guilt of sin, but from its dominion.

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"He hath unfolded, in a most clear and perspicuous manner, the will of God, enlightening our understandings by express precepts, often repeated and inculcated and appealing to our imagination and hearts by parabolic and figurative instructions. And he hath rendered our duty still more clear, impressive, and affecting, by the exhibition, in his own spotless life, of all the graces and virtues which he inculcated. Not only hath he enlightened

us in our duty, but enabled us to perform it; and thus completed our victory over sin. For the conditions of our acceptance are no longer unsinning obedience, absolute holiThrough his gracious mediation, obedience that is sincere and persevering, however imperfect it may be, is accepted. Through his gracious mediation, the fol

ness.

lowing after holiness-following after it with the utmost vigour and perseverance, of which our frail nature is capable, and the consequent attainment of it in the bent of our affections towards God, and the general conformity of our life to his commands, are accepted, instead of that rigorous and absolute holiness which the law demanded. And these conditions of acceptance, thus mitigated, he enables us to perform, through the quickening and sanctifying power of his Holy Spirit. Insufficient of ourselves, our sufficiency is of him; and his strength is made perfect in our weakness.' This Holy Spirit, which transforms us by the renewing of our minds;' and 'creates us anew unto good works,' and enables us to abound in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,' and all its other holy fruits, is granted to our earnest supplications, is conveyed through the sacraments, and ordinances, and ministrations of his church, which, as his body,' he animates with its life-giving power. enables us to subdue in that degree which And every sinful passion this Holy Spirit is necessary to our deliverance from the bondage of sin;-every virtue this Holy Spirit enables us to acquire in that degree in holiness;-every duty this Holy Spirit which is necessary to our establishment enables us to discharge, so far as is neces sary to constitute us the accepted disciples of our Lord and Master;-and from every temptation this Holy Spirit enables us to escape; so that in all things we are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us.'Greater is he that is

in us, than he that is in the world.

Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'" Vol. II. pp. 24-26.

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Could the very spirit of Antinomianism, so abhorrent from the mind of our author, have desired more than the sanction of such a passage as this, which, mutatis mutandis, might really pass for the comfortable" allowances of the celebrated " prop against all despair?" And then as if every extreme were doomed to meet in a statement, which, however common, seems to us unsafe and unscriptural, not only is the lowered morality of the semi-Antinomian, but the very virtue of the heathen himself, to be rendered acceptable to God.

"Through the efficacy of his blood, the sincere and pious, who lived under the dispensation either of the law as proclaimed by the light of reason, nature, and tradition, or as delivered to the Jewish nation, were accepted; however imperfect

their obedience, however inadequate it might be to the rigorous claims of the law." Vol. II. p. 30.

Here then are we swept in one wide circle of embrace from the virtues of the temporising Christian, to the virtue of a Socrates; the former of whom we think it far better to leave to the stings of his own modifying and mitigating conscience; the latter, and all other heathens of similar character, where they are left most properly, and with the truest application of the terms, to the unrevealed mercies of God. On the subject of justification, in the following sermon, we think it the less necessary to be diffuse, as we must be anticipated in our observations, no less than the bishop must have been anticipated in his statements from all that has preceded. The subject, perhaps, is also less our creditor at this moment from a memorandum very appropriately given us at the foot of the second page; namely, of the similarity of the views given with those of Dr. Waterland on the same subject, as lately edited in his works by the Bishop of Llandaff; and, consequently, of the claim that this republication of a writer so eminent, and so familiar to all English divines, seems to urge on our more particular notice at a future period. Suffice it then to say, without reference to Dr. Waterland

at present, that Bishop Hobart, if a true, does not appear to us a very favourable, expositor of so very clear a writer. In stating faith to be the condition of our justification, (for bere alone our difference commences with this otherwise excellent discourse,) Bishop Hobart tells us, that " is the condition, the only condition, is the condition, the only condition, of our salvation," quoting, amongst of our salvation," quoting, amongst a variety of passages, in proof of faith alone, (sola, but not solitaria,) justifying, that remarkable passage

of St. Paul:

FAITH

"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.' We conclude that a man is justified

by faith, without the deeds of the law.' Vol. II. p. 39.

So far, so good; and if sola this faith remained, we should be happy to find it were not solitaria; even as happy as the Bishop himself so to state it. But what does he? To avoid making it solitaria, he, in the next paragraph denies it to be sola. He actually includes, in the office of justification, works with his faith. "But they are included in faith as the condition of justification;" not as they ought to be the fruit and effect of justification. And in a subsequent paragraph, St. Paul and St. James are attempted to be reconciled by saying, that

"St. Paul, declaring faith to be the only condition, and excluding the deeds worketh by love, which is lively and of the law, means that faith which operative, which is made perfect by works; and the deeds of the law which he excludes are not those evangelical works faith, but those works which are opposed which proceed from a true and lively to the Gospel,- works of law,' which are not wrought through faith, and which are rested on as the meritorious cause of our acceptance. The Apostle James,

insisting on good works as necessary to justification, means not those works of the law which St. Paul excludes, but works wrought through faith. And when he also affirms that we are not justified by faith lively faith, a faith working by love, which only, he has in view not the true and St. Paul lays down as the sole condition of salvation, but that faith which is dead, being alone.'" Vol. II. p. 40.

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The amount of this, we consider to be, that faith is nominally the condition of justification, but that really faith and works are so; not only a faith producing works, but works produced by faith. The Apostle Paul is made to exclude from the business of justification only works of the law, not evangelical works. Consequently erangelical works unite with faith in the office of justifying. And this faith which is thus forcibly compelled to receive works on the same level, fairly expelled from her elevation in is, as we might have well expected,

sequel faith is made to justify, as being the *This is entirely confirmed when in the principle from which good works proceed. (p. 47.)

a still subsequent paragraph, and made of no consequence whatever, where it cannot be had; namely, in the case of the poor heathen; of whom he says as the condition of justification,——

"The faith required of those to whom the dispensation of the Gospel is not revealed, is confidence in the Supreme Being, and obedience to his will, [we cannot understand how obedience can be faith,] as far as his attributes and will are made known to them, either by the light of nature or by tradition derived from revelation, or by the secret inspirations of his grace." Vol. II. p. 43.

Now we state all this, not from an intention of personally condemning Bishop Hobart, or, indeed, any really pious, and otherwise orthodox Christians and churchmen, who hold the same views, at home or abroad. And to those who have arrived at these views, in company with so many amiable, excellent, and devout qualities as Bishop Hobart, we do not portend that practical mischief from holding them to which they might seem likely to give rise. But we do dread their influence on the world at large; we do fear them as connected with a very widely spread laxity of moral feeling and Christian faith, with which they are too often united. We do dread them as generally arrived at with little thought or study, and little comprehension of the real meaning and bent of Scripture in its own peculiar and mysthe same terious dictations subject. We do dread them as essentially not scriptural, and as doing injury to the real freedom of the grace of the Gospel. And, we would not say above all, but we highly dread them as a departure from the first vital principles of our own Protestant Church, and Protestant Reformation, and an approximation-we by no means speak personally or offensively-in these dangerous times, to some of those principles of Popery, which our forefathers died to exclude from the English church.

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To say, in one word, where our notion of the error lies, it is in this:

that a proper distinction, a broad, tangible, and we might say impassable, line is not placed between faith and every other act of the mind or life in the article of justification.

Such we entirely be

lieve to be the case in the memorable statement of our own homilies, which must be familiar to our author: "Faith is the hand, &c." And such is the distinction of Him from whose pure source our homilies themselves have drawn the streams of truth and life. "Abraham being not weak in faith, staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith,' giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform; and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

That the sincere and honest zeal felt by our author for the advancement of his audience in all holiness and godliness of living, lies at the bottom of his statements; that this induces a mitigation of demand in respect to holiness, as well as a mixture of it with justifying faith, as if in order that men may be so much the better disposed to look at and attempt both; we have And this no manner of doubt. same practical view leads doubtless, in this same sermon, to some remarks on regeneration which would have more of our assent, if we deemed them strictly according to the letter of our baptismal service. Without taking advantage in this sermon of the primitive practice of infant baptism, like some, for the purpose of discarding personal faith altogether in the act of regeneration, the Bishop, indeed, without reserve, declares in terms to which we fully subscribe,—

“By baptism, on our professing sincere faith, we are placed in a justified state, that is, in the language of the Church, 'called unto a state of salvation." According to the declaration of the Apostle, As many of us as were baptized into Jesus Chrift, were baptized into his death ;' that is, not only into a profession of his laws and doctrine, but into a conditional participation of the merits of his death." Vol. II. P. 44.

But he proceeds, in the next paragraph, to make this state of justification or regeneration entirely different from that renovation, or" renewing of the Holy Ghost," which

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Means that change of heart and life, through the operations of the Divine Spirit, which is necessary finally to secure to us the privileges of our baptismal justification. The Apostles do not call on baptized Christians to be regenerated, but to be transformed by the renewing of their mind,'-and thus to 'make their calling and election sure;' -to secure the blessings of that state of salvation or justification into which they are called by baptism. And thus our church, while in all her services she considers baptized Christians as 'regenerated,' as called into a state of salvation,' as made members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven,' prays that they may be renewed by God's Holy Spirit ;' and exhorts them to 'die unto sin, and to rise again unto righteousness,' that they may finally secure the privileges of their justification, may inherit God's everlasting kingdom. The error would be fatal which would suppose that no other spiritual change is necessary than that which takes place in baptism." Vol. II. pp. 45, 46..

Now the respected Bishop here plainly perceives, and honestly avows his perception, that some other spiritual change must take place than what takes place in baptism; that is, we should say, than what necessarily takes place in baptism. But surely he would not limit the operation of Divine grace from producing an actual spiritual change, analogous to sanctification in the baptized infant: and surely he must allow that the whole tenor of our baptismal prayers goes to identify the regeneration we pray for, not only with "remission of our sins by spiritual regeneration," but also with "washing and sanctifying with CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 289.

the Holy Ghost," so as to make the joyful in hope, and rooted in chaperson baptized "stedfast in faith, rity." Regeneration, in the language and meaning of our church, seems to imply both pardon of sin and

creation unto holiness. Then if renewal be a word separate from regeneration at all, which we very much doubt, in general tenor of apostolic use, it means at least only fresh measures of the same grace formerly bestowed, not any new spiritual change, different from that which constituted original regeneration.

us.

We are aware we can but give hints upon this or any topic before And we are the less disposed to pursue the present topic, because we see the preacher himself convinced of, and confessing, the fatal nature of an error, too congenial to less practical and reflective minds; the error of making all sanctification, as well as justification, universally centre, or rather merge, in the waters of baptismal regeneration. How such persons as these last named can sincerely preach and command, "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, put on the new may," &c.; which they believe to have been universally put on at baptism, is to us quite inconceivable; whilst to make baptism only justification in any case, seems to limit it beyond the warrant of Scripture, and of our own plain baptismial service; and that, even though Waterland may say otherwise.

The ease with which our worthy Bishop settles, at the conclusion of this same prolific sermon, that "there is no election of individuals to everlasting life;" and that the plain Scriptural view of our Seventeenth Article is for an election of the whole body of Christians, not of individuals, as the Article seems to express it, "chosen in Christ out of mankind, to be delivered from curse and damnation," is an ease truly enviable, and one which we are sure we would not interrupt, H

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further than to say, that we think it advisable to admit difficulties where they exist, in order to strengthen our authority where we assert what is plain, and "without all controversy. The bottom, in this case, may be very sound when reached; but the traveller may be plunged deeply in the mud before he reaches it. For ourselves, we value our own neutrality on this subject too dearly, to press the Bishop with all the consequences which might be deduced in application to this very point, from his own principles rather unguardedly expressed, in a subsequent sermon on the "truths of Revelation being incomprehensible."

"If the whole circle of religious truths were level to our comprehension, there would be no circumstance calculated to repress a proud confidence in our own powers and attainments. The virtues of submission and resignation would be stripped of their highest merit, if all the councils and ways of God were perfectly clear and agreeable to our reason. As our Sovereign Lawgiver, God possesses a supreme claim, in the judgment even of human reason, to our obedience and our

trust. And these virtues are most meritorious in the exercise, when his exactions are most mysterious, and his dispensations most dark." Vol. II. p. 137.

Our notice of the remaining series, which completes the eccle siastical calendar, as well as of what follows in this volume, we fear, must be very cursory.

Sermon VI. is a most admirable specimen of expository address, being wholly a running comment on the 68th Psalm, very beautifully and spiritually applied to Christian times. The next sermon, on the subject of judgment, is free from what we presume to consider unscriptural blemishes, as to expression, in some preceding discourses on the terms of acceptance, and contains the remarkable expression, amongst many similar statements, that our best works need to be repented of." How alien this is from a notion of conditions, in any shape, with the Almighty Judge, we need not remark.

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The concluding and the largest

series of the whole collection commences with Sermon X. and ends with Sermon XXIV.; of which we shall give the titles and a reference to the texts. Sermon X. On the Truths of Revelation being incomprehensible; Job xi. 7, 8;-Sermon XI. The Trinity; Rev. iv. 8;-Sermon XII. The Only-begotten Son, as set forth in the Nicene Creed; 1 John iv. 9;-Sermon XIII. The Son, the Creator and Ruler of the Worlds; Hebrews i. 1-12;-Sermon XIV. TheWord; John i. 1—14 ;

Sermon XV. Christ in the Form of God; Phil. ii. 5—11;- Sermon XVI. By Christ all things created; Col. i. 15—17; Sermon XVII. Christ-the Mediator; 1 Tim. ii. 5;

Sermon XVIII. Christ-a High Priest; Heb. iv. 14-16;--Sermon XIX. Christ-sacrificed for us; 1 Cor. v. 7, 8;-Sermon XX. The Holy Ghost-his Nature and Offices; Acts ii. 4;-Sermon XXI. The Process of Salvation by the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of God; 1 Cor. vi. 11;

Sermon XXII. The Son delivering up the Kingdom to the Father; 1 Cor. xv. 24-28;-Sermon XXIII. The Practical Importance of the Doctrine of the Trinity; Ephes. ii. 18;-Sermon XXIV. Our Knowledge here and hereafter contrasted; 1 Cor. xiii. 12.

On this large mass of Scriptural and truly orthodox Trinitarian divinity, it is totally impossible for us now to enter. That the excellent author has bestowed unwearied pains, deep consideration, long reading, and much prayer, on these important investigations it would be impossible for us a moment to doubt. And a most invaluable antidote we consider them to the numerous errors and vagrancies of the times upon this all-important subject; a subject, the importance of which can vary with no time, nor yield to any other in its practical bearing and effect, when drawn out into all its parts. This the Bishop has fully done, declining no statement whatever on Scriptural authority, tending to the high and full

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