that declarations made generically, should be interpreted specifically; the Church of England, borrowing the principles and following the steps of the early Church, "in the systematic official adoption of generic as contradistinguished from specific phraseology, duly guarded by careful explanation and strict limitation against any abuse of her language on the part of individuals, and thence, for the purpose of preventing error, resorted to explanation and limitation." Hence, holding, as she does in the case of adult baptism, that grace only attends a worthy reception, she distinctly maintains that moral regeneration is by no means limited to outward baptism.

Again, she speaks, in the XXVIIth Article, of faith and grace in worthy adults as existing previous to baptism, and as capable of increase through baptism. And lest she should be considered in the case of any or all to limit regeneration to the sacrament, as its sole channel, she informs us that it is "A means whereby we received the inward and spiritual grace, and a pledge to assure us thereof." "Why not (asks Mr. Faber) the mean and the pledge?" Why, but because she would leave room in her specific teaching

*Note by Mr. Faber: "The principle of genericism pervades all the offices of the Church of England: and, in her seventeenth article, it is, even by name, inculcated.

"Promissiones divinas sic amplecti oportet, ut nobis in Sacris Literis generaliter, propositæ sunt.

"The reader will observe, that, in the Latin article, the word employed is generaliter, not plerumque.

"Many, I believe, who have not consulted the unambiguous Latin article, understand the ambiguous word "generally," of the English article, in the sense of plerumque, or for the most part. But this is not its import. It denotes generically, as opposed to specifically. The Church, as a body corporate, can speak officially in no other manner. See my "Primitive Doctrine of Elect." book ii. chap. 9. § I. 1. (2.) She cannot perpetually vary her public language to suit the case of each individual; nor, in truth, would it become her, who is no infallible searcher of the heart, to pronounce at baptism an unwarrantable and presumptuous sentence of reprobation and condemnation against any person. "So inherent is this phraseological necessity, that we find the language of genericism constantly employed by the inspired apostles themselves. When St. Paul, for instance, writes to the Romans, he generically addresses himself to ALL that be in Rome, as beloved of God, called saints. He does not specifically except, as unworthy of the name, Appius, or Valens, or Crispus. Yet, I suppose, in the strict sense of the term, we are not thence to conclude, that every Roman Christian by profession was a saint beloved of God, demonstrated to be such both by his principle and by his practice.

Nay, even a greater than Paul, even Paul's divine Master himself, uses the language of genericism, when he addresses his twelve apostles collectively or collegiately; though, at the very time, he unerringly knew that one of them was a devil and would betray him. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, Yet Judas, specifically, answered not to any such description."

for the insisting upon other ways and channels by which may be conveyed the inward grace of regeneration.

In fine, follow the Anglican Church all through her Liturgy, throughout her Homilies,* and throughout her Articles, and we shall find that generically and officially she recognizes all her members as regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's Church.

"But her plan," as our author observes, "is entirely and remarkably changed, when in a sermon she solemnly appeals to the conscience of the individuals themselves. She then calls upon each baptized person specifically to prove and examine his own self, by those tests of regeneration which have been divinely laid down by St. John, and which have been incidentally pointed out by St. Paul under the aspect of the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh. Officially she will not judge him; but she exhorts him, not lightly and after the manner of a dissembler with God, to judge himself. The glass of the gospel she holds up before his eyes; and, after having fully described what moral regeneration really is, she plainly tells him, that by his inward disposition and his outward practice he must determine whether he has or has not received the Holy Ghost; in other words, whether he has or has not been spiritually and morally regenerated. To these she refers him as affording the only sure evidence of his new creation; and she concludes with assuring him, that he does but deceive himself, if, without such evidence of his regeneration, he ventures to think well of his religious condition."

But

Hitherto we have spoken of moral regeneration, and shown that it is to be understood in the largest and fullest sense. we must not forget that though this can only be predicated of the newly baptized by the Church's judgment of charity, there is, nevertheless, a sense in which she most clearly and unconditionally declares that they are regenerate.

As yet we have only mentioned the scheme of St. Augustine, without entering upon the important question to which it leads us. We must now however, though briefly, do so, in order to exonerate our Church from the charge of expressly declaring as a fact that which she only supposes to be so in the judgment of charity. It is very true, that to assert generically is one thing, and to assert specifically is another; and we are prepared to show that our Church does the first with regard to moral regeneration, and the second with regard to federal regeneration. That Christ is formed in the heart of the baptized person, she asserts with reference to the class into which he has entered; trusting that, in answer to her prayers, it may be so with the individual.

* Vide Sermon for Whitsunday, 1 Homil, b, 11, pp. 389, 391.

That the baptized person has commenced a new relation both with regard to God and the Church, having become a son, however disobedient, of the one-a member, however unworthy, of the other; that, in other words, he is federally regenerate-she asserts, not generically, but specifically-not in the judgment of charity, but as an undoubted and incontrovertible fact.

Now if this federal change of condition were all that the Church contemplated in the passages so often discussed, there would be an end of the difficulty; but she has done more than this, for she has spoken of spiritual benefits inseparably connected with baptism. We have already seen that these spiritual benefits do not consist in moral regeneration; for the Church acknowledges cases in which this blessing is not conferred at baptism, and points out certain other channels for its conveyance. She commands us to "acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins." This passage in the Nicene Creed is founded upon two assertions of the evangelists: Mark i.4, and Acts ii. 38. This latter is as follows: "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." The primitive Church, in accordance with this Scripture, taught the remission of sins at baptism: to those who faithfully received that sacrament complete remission and moral regeneration; but to all, remission and federal regeneration. That this doctrine was much misunderstood and grossly abused, we freely acknowledge. Nay, to such an extent was the misunderstanding and abuse carried, that many refused baptism till they were on their death-beds, trusting thereby to obtain, without any sacrifice, the kingdom of heaven. Constantine the Great was one who did thus. Still, as we are not entitled to argue against any doctrine from the abuse of it, the errors of Constantine and others do not help us over the apparent difficulty by giving us a right to reject the tenet altogether. There is one view which may be taken which at once justifies the Church, reconciles her with Scripture, and acquits her, on the one hand, of making moral regeneration inseparable from baptism, and, on the other, of denying any inseparable spiritual benefit in that sacrament.* This view is, that the guilt of origi

A very important proof that the Church never declares what she has not the full right and the full intention to declare, may be seen in her use of absolution considered as we considered it in our last number, in the article entitled "Defenders of the Faith." Those who entertain any doubt on the orthodoxy of those views will do well to consult " Bingham's Christian Antiquities," book xix. chap. 1, sec. vi; Wheatley on the Common Prayer (on the absolution

nal sin is invariably remitted, though alas, the moral corruption of human nature remains. Now, as this original sin is the only guilt which can attach to an infant; and as the baptismal water, by a modus operandi of which we can know nothing, is the means of its remission, the whole guilt of the child is removed, and a spiritual as well as a federal blessing invariably conferred. But, on the other hand, as an adult has not only the guilt of Adam, but that of his own personal sins, to answer for: it is evident that neither the federal regeneration nor the remission of original sin can be sufficient for his salvation. She requires also a moral regeneration. Hence, the infant dying without baptism, is left to the uncovenanted mercies of God-mercies, which we know to be infinite, and which we humbly trust will be exercised towards it. At the same time, how great is the guilt of those who neglect to secure for their children God's covenanted blessings.

We might follow Mr. Faber throughout the whole of his interesting and masterly assertion (we will not call it defence) of the Church's principles: but we have said enough to exhibit, we think, with sufficient clearness, the ground he has assumed; and we can only earnestly press upon all who have ever thought the subject worthy a moment's consideration, immediately to procure his book, and to allow themselves no rest till they have made themselves masters of its contents. The result may be one, by God's blessing, of incalculable benefit to the Church. One more brief quotation from him in conclusion, which we beg to inscribe to all cavillers at the Church's services without her pale, and to all within her pale, who may think them corrupted and unscriptural, and wish them altered :

"So perfect is the resemblance of the Anglican doctrine to the primitive doctrine in every particular, that no one who knows how to value the attesting judgment of the early Apostolic Church, would wish, that, even in a single iota, the baptismal offices and other allied documents of the Church of England, should ever be made to feel the officious hand-officious and not valiant-of ignorant, and therefore unskilful alteration."

to the sick); Bishop Fell, in Cyprian de Lapsis; Dr. Hammond (note on John xx. 23); Archbishop Potter, on same passage (in his treatise on Church Government, chap. v. p. 345); Marshall on Penitential Discipline, p.219-220; Tertullian de Poenitentiâ, ch. 10.

33

ART. II.-Preferment; or, My Uncle the Earl. By Mrs. GORE, Authoress of " Mrs. Armytage," "Stokeshill Place," &c. 3 vols. London: Colburn. I840.

2. The Prelate: a Novel. 2 vols. London: Boone. 1840.

IT is not, for obvious reasons, our practice to make any lengthened remarks upon the ephemeral productions usually denominated "novels." "A novel," observes Pollok, "is a book three volumed and once read," and though it cannot be denied that many works of fiction exhibit ability of far too high an order to be forgotten after a single perusal, yet an attention, however slight, to the thousand volumes sent forth season after season by Messrs. Colburn, Bentley, and others, will convince us that the poet's description is at all events not far wrong. It would be a strange revelation should Mr. Hume, in some patriotic moment, move (and succeed in carrying his motion) for a return of all novels published within the last ten years, with the alleged grounds of their claim to popular favour.

What a recapitulation would there be of paragraphs from newspapers without number, announcing the terror of dukes and earls, of duchesses and countesses, at the "forthcoming disclosures in high life"-how many promises of "a most piquant and personal narrative"-how many scarcely veiled sketches of "distinguished living characters "-how many "revelations involving the reputation of more than one noble house!" and when the whole mass was before the reader, with what disgust would he perceive that a large portion was almost liable to a prosecution from the "Society for the Suppression of Vice; and that nine-tenths of the remainder was a farrago of the most contemptible trash possible.

We have no intention of discussing the expediency of novel reading, or the laudability of novel writing-neither is it our purpose to enter into the literary merits of any novels, not even those at the head of the present article. We shall take a glance at them as what they pretend to be-pictures of the world, and notice their reflected working upon society. To do this at length would, however, lead us further than either we should wish to go, or our readers to follow us: we shall, therefore, limit our observations to one point, viz., the Church, as depicted in the fashionable novel. It might be supposed that if the merit of this class of works be so small, their effects must be proportionately so; but when it is remembered that though only "once read," there is yet a perpetual succession emanating from the

VOL. IX.-D