do willingly and ex animo fubfcribe to thefe three articles abovementioned, and to all things that are contained in them.”

Be pleafed now to recollect, Sir, that you yourself have performed every part of what is here required of all candidates for the miniftry; that is, you have given it under your hand, that you allow of all the thirty-nine articles-that you believe they are agreeable to the word of God-that they are to be understood in the literal and grammatical fenfe -and that your fubfcription was willingly and from the heart. After having fubfcribed to the articles in this ftrict and folemn manner, how can you reconcile it with integrity and fincerity, to deny, and even ridicule the doctrines of regeneration, and the neceffity of the influences of the Holy Ghost? Think, Sir, I befeech you. It can avail

you nothing to fay, as you generally do, when confronted with the articles, and reminded of your fubfcription to them, that the articles are erroneous, and want to be altered. How long have they wanted an alteration? If it was before you entered the miniftry, how came you to fubfcribe that they were true? If you have discovered this fecret fince, what induced you to give it under your hand that they were true, when

you

you did not know whether they were true or falfe?

But, Sir, it is a mistake in you, to fay that they want alteration; and you seldom appear in your public character without difcovering it. When you read the office for baptifm, you declare before the affembled congregation, "Dearly beloved, forafmuch as all men are conceived and born in fin, and that our Saviour Chrift faith, none can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerated and born anew of water and the Holy Ghoft; I befeech you to call upon God the Father through our Lord Jefus Chrift, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to this child that thing, which by nature he cannot have; that he may be baptised with water and the Holy Ghoft, and received into Christ's holy church, and be made a lively member of the fame." Here is a plain declaration of the two doctrines in queftion; namely, the abfolute neceffity of regeneration, and of the influences of the Holy Ghoft; and, moreover, a proof that by regeneration we are to understand fomething more than mere reformation, and that wrought in our own ftrength; which is the true meaning of the word according to the opinion of many. We may fee that it fignifies a change of difB 5 pofition

pofition, from evil to good, worked in us by the power of the Holy Ghoft. And this is confirmed by part of a prayer in the fame office, which you have frequently offered to God in behalf of children; "Give thy holy Spirit to this infant, that he may be born again." It is amazing that you should entirely forget these paffages.

You have alfo been pleased to declare, that the operations of the Holy Ghost, both ordinary and extraordinary, have long fince ceafed. I pray, Sir, how long? You have made no fcruple to fay, ever fince the beginning of the fourth century; when Chriftianity being acknowledged by the civil power, under the Emperor Conftantine, there was no more occafion for them; for the rule of faith being established, the work of Chriftianity is to be carried on by the force of reafon. If this is true, how happens it, that there is even one immoral man in your pa→ rifh? This implies either a great neglect, or the infufficiency of reafon for fuch a work. Indeed, Sir, there is not the leaft fhadow of argument to fupport this notion. Scripture, reason, and experience all prove the contrary. The heart of man is the fame in all ages. Men are as prone to evil, and as much attached to the things of the

world

now,

now, as they were in the days of the apoftles; and it requires as ftrong a power now, as it did then, to change them from evil to good; to raise their affections from things below, and set them on things above. Multitudes are ready to bear witness, that "Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God only can give an increafe." But if your

opinion is true, how can you poffibly reconcile it with fome declarations you formerly made? When you was a candidate for deacon's orders, this question was put to you: "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this office," &c. To this you answered, in plain terms, "I trust fo." According, therefore, to this declaration, the operations of the Holy Ghoft had not ceafed thirty years ago; for you have within that time declared, that you was inwardly moved by him, to take upon you the office of a deacon. But, Sir, I doubt not you have long fince the above-mentioned period, acknowledged the neceffity of them. If I mistake not, you have, within a month, been heard to say, and that publicly, "Wherefore let us befeech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this prefent, and that

the reft of our life hereafter may be pure and holy." [Abfolution.] And further folemnly to addrefs God, "That it may please Thee, to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to thy holy word." [Liturgy.]

Whenever you catechife the children of your parish, you fuffer it to be faid, that the inward and spiritual grace of baptism is, "a death unto fin, and a new birth unto righteousness." And when you ask the child what he chiefly learns from the articles contained in the Belief; you do not tell him he is wrong, when he fays, among other things, I learn to believe in "God the Holy Ghoft, who fanctifieth me, and all the elect people of God."

To deny, therefore, the doctrines of regeneration, and the influences of the Holy Ghoft, what is it, but to condemn yourself out of your own mouth? To teach, as truths neceffary to falvation, what you believe to be falfe; to appear before God in behalf of a people; offering up petitions, for which you acknowledge there is no neceffity; and pretending to pray for things, which you declare have no existence.

Let our people now judge between us. I readily fubmit to their determination, who is the