wardly to the foul, regenerates the man; or in other words, the Holy Ghoft, in and by the use of water baptifm, caufes the new birth. And the words regeneration and new-birth are never used in the New Teftament, or in the writings of our church, as equi valent to converfion or repentance, independent of baptifm."

Before we close this chapter, we muft beg leave to recommend a paffage in St. Matthew to the confideration of our Right Reverend author. It is in the 28th verse of the XIXth chapter.

Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὑμεῖς οἱ ἀκο λουθήσαντές μοι ΕΝ ΤΗ ΠΑΛΙΓΓΕΝΕΣΙΑ, ὅταν καθίσῃ ὁ γιὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ θρόνου δόξης αὑτοῦ, καθίσεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους, κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τῶ Ἰσραήλ.

In our verfion it is thus translated :

"And Jefus faid unto them, verily I fay unto you, that ye which followed me IN THE REGENERATION, when the Son of Man fhall fit in the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael."

In the New Teftament, ΠΑΛΙΓΓΕΝΕΣΙΑ occurs only in this place, and in the Epiftle to Titus. III. v. In our tranflation the correfponding word is REGENERATION in both paffages. The Bishop has quoted a valuable note from Dr. Nicholls's Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer; [Bapt. of Infants, pag. penult;] but neither the Bishop, nor Dr. N. have mentioned St. Matthew, though both have illuftrated the διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγενεσίας in Titus.

*

It may not be useless to obferve, that in the Gospel, all' the manufcripts and editions, and we believe commentators agree univerfally in giving Παλιγενεσία. No exertion of critical fagacity is demanded to establish this reading; but doubts may be, and have been, entertained about the meaning of the word, and refpecting the punctuation of the paffage. Scripture affords little help, and profane writers fill lels; but from the early Fathers much may be gleaned.

As to the punctuation, it should be recollected by those, who publil ἐν τῇ παλιγΓενεσίᾳ διαν—as if ὅταν were to be interpreted and joined to the latter part of the verse; that St. Matthew ufes lav preceded by ev with the article and a substantive, only in one other place. In the MSS. and in the editions, (and the fame variations are obfervable in the verfions,

So it appears from Mills, Wetftein, and Griefbach.

and

and in the Commentators) fome punâuate thus-μοι, ἐν τῇ παλιγΓενεσία ὅταν-others μοι ἐν τῇ παλιγΓενεσίᾳ, ὅταν—and others place a comma both before and after ἐν τῇ παλιγγενεσία. Let thofe, who favour the first mode, be careful not to allign a meaning to παλιγενεσία, which they cannot defend by inftances of found authority.

We must not dwell, however, on this difficult paffage. In examining it, and in fearching for its true meaning, these flight hints may be of fome fervice to the inveftigator. In order ftill further to affift him, a lift is fubjoined of the paffages, in which Gregorius of Nyffa, who flourished about the year 370 after the Chriftian era, employed the word ΠΑΛΙΓΓΕΝΕΣΙΑ, in two diftina works, which he wrote exprefsly on the subject of BAPTISM. One or two of these pallages, as the book is before us, we infert at length.

Vol. III. p. 375. c.

Ως δὲ Παύλῳ τῷ θεσπεσίῳ δοκεῖ, καὶ ὁ λαὸς αὐτὸς τὴν ἐρυθρὰν περαιωθεὶς θάλασσαν, τὴν ἐξ ὕδατος σωτηρίαν εὐηΓγελίσατο. παρῆλθεν ὁ λαὸς, καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ Αἰγύπτιος μετὰ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἐβυθίσε θη, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ μυστήριον διὰ τῶν ἔργων προεφητεύετο. καὶ νῦν γὰς, ἡνίκα ἂν ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῷ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας ὕδατι γένηται, φεύγων τὴν Αἴγυπτον, τὴν μοχθηρὰν ἁμαρτίαν.

Vol. III. p. 373. c.

Εὑρίσκω γὰρ ὅτι τὴν τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν οὐ μόνον τὰ μετὰ τὸν σαυρὸν ἐκήρυξεν εὐαγγέλια· ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ κυρίου πανταχοῦ ἡ παλαιὰ γραφὴ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας ἡμῶν προετύπωσε τὴν εἰκόνα.

Vol. III. p. 374. D. 9.

Ἐπέκειτο τοίνυν τῷ φρέατι ὁ λίθος ὁ νοητὸς Χριστὸς, κρύπτων ἐν βάθει καὶ μυστηρίῳ τὸ τῆς παλλιγγενεσίας λουτρὸν, ἔτι χρόνου πολλοῦ δεόμενον εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ὡς σχοινίου μακρού.

Vol. II. p. 220.

Vol. III. p. $73. p. 377. A. 6. C. 7.

A. 6. p. 221. B. 6. p. 224. A. 3, C. 4. p. 374. D. 11. p. 375. C. 7. p. 378. C. 8..

The Firl is entitled, Πρὸς τοὺς βραδύνοντας εἰς τὸ βάπτισμα. Vol. 2. p. 215.

The fecond, Eis τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν φώτων, ἐν ᾗ ἐβαπτίσθη ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν. Vol. III. p. 566.

P.

The next chapter in the Bifhop of Lincoln's work, is at chapter of uncommon excellence. The powers of the au

thor appear to rife in proportion to the increase of difficulty in the fubjects which he difcuffes.

We fhall pursue our former plan.

The heads of chapter third are-JUSTIFICATION, FAITH, and GOOD WORKS.

CALVIN'S opinions on thefe topics are given in the REFUTATION, from these works

"CALV. in Rom. III. 27. Refut. p. 546. in Epift. ad Ephef. 1. 4. Refat. p. 555."

The FATHERS quoted on thefe points are,→→

ON JUSTIFICATION:

CLEM. ROM. 289. IRENEUS, 303. TERTUL. 318. BROSE, 379. JEROME, 401. AUGUST. 425, 429, 434, 435. 446. CHRYSOST. 475.

ON FAITH AND GOOD WORKS:

IGNATIUS, 287. CLEM. ALEX. 315, 316. CYRIL OF JERUS. 350, 352, 353. HILARY, 357, 360, 361, 362, 363, 3646 BASIL, 370, 370. GREG, NAZ. 370, 371, 374. АMBROSE, 381, 383. JEROME, 383, 385, 392, 406, 410. AuGUST. 415, 419, 438, 442, 443, 444, 448. CHRYSOST. 449, 450, 453, 455, 456, 459, 460, 464, 471, 481, 485, 488, 494, 496, 497, 501. THEODOR. 504.

In the chapter on JUSTIFICATION, FAITH, and GOOD WORKS, the Bishop obferves, that

"Though there must be the most perfect harmony between au thors who are influenced by the Divine Spirit, yet that there is fome appearance of inconfiftency in the different books of the facred volume; and feemingly contradictory texts have occa fioned many of the contefts, which have harraffed the Chriftian church. The paffages which relate to Juftification, Faith, and Works, have always produced eager difputes. The true doc trine upon them"

the Bishop thus explains:

"Firft, he enquires in what fenfes the words JUSTIFICATION and FAITH are used in the New Teftament, and in the public formularies of our church.

"Juftification is a forenfic term-to be juftified before God, fignifies to be declared and accounted as juft or righteous in his fight. In the New Teftament it is not confined to Chriftians.

૨૬

BRIT. CRIT. VOL, XXXVII, JUNE, 1811.

It

It speaks of the juftification of Abraham; of the Jews +; of the Heathens; and of all mankind. When juftification is ap plied to Chriftians exclufively, in the Apoftolical Epiftles, it always refers to the prefent life, or juftification in this world, as in Cor. c. ! 6. v. 11. Rom. c. 5. v. 1. and v. 9.”

The word is ufed in the fame manner, in our XIth, XII h, XIIIth, and XIVth Articles.

"The Homily On the Salvation of Mankind,' in ftrict con formity to the 12th article, fpeaks of Good Works neceffarily to be done afterwards,' [Part the first, p. 19. ed. 1810,] that is, after a man is juftified; and the fame Homily, ufes the expreffion, baptized or juftified,' confidering juftification as taking place at baptifm, and confequently in this life. [P. iii. p. 24.]"

The Bishop then proceeds to FAITH; and examines its fignification, when applied in the New Testament to CHRIS

TIANS.

"In the Corinthians, c. xiii. v. 2. Faith is declared to be, in fome cases, an ufelefs qualification; but in the Ephefians, St. Paul fays, By grace are ye faved through faith ;' it is declared to be nothing less than the power of attaining falvation, through the grace of God. The word confequently is ufed by this infpired writer in different fenfes. The faith, which a man may poffefs, and yet be nothing,' is a bare belief of the gofpel, without gratitude to God for its bleffings, or practical regard to its duties."

So St. James, c. ii. v. 17. declares that faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone; and St. Peter exhorts his converts to add to their faith, virtue, temperance, and charity. II. c. i. v. 5.

"The faith, which is the means of falvation, is that belief of the Gofpel, which produces obedience to its precepts, and is ac companied by a firm reliance upon the merits of Christ."

At the end of an excellent note, p. 102, on the Hebrews, c. xi. the Bifhop refers to Calvin, Lib. III. cap. 2. fect. 13.. as acknowledging, "that the word faith is ufed in fcripture in various fenfes.' To this authority, we fhall beg leave to add the words of a more illuftrious voucher: St. Chryfoftom, Homil. xxvi. in Epift. ad Hebræos, XI.-H richs vàg πολύσημός ἐστι λέξις. Vol. XII. p. 236. C.

"Our 12th article fpeaks of a true and lively faith,' which

+ Rom. c. 2. v. 13.

"Rom. c. 4. v. 2. Jas. c. 2. v. 21. Gal. c. 3. v. 8. Matt. c. 12. v. 36 and 37.

v. 8."

Eph. c. 2.

epithets

epithets imply, that there is a faith which is not true and lively; and our Homilies are very full in their difcrimination between these two forts of faith."

It must be fufficient to refer to the Homily" of a true and lively faith," p. 27; and to Bishop Bull's Harmonia Apoftelica, p. 11. as our limits will not allow fufficient room for the infertions of the Bithop's quotations.

"This limited fenfe of the word justification, and the twofold meaning of the word faith, when applied to Chriftians, will reconcile all the paffages, both in fcripture and in our formularies, in which these words occur.

"The fubject of juftification is mentioned in feveral of the Apoftolical Epiftles, but it is difcuffed at the greatest length in the Romans. St. Paul thews that all Jews and Gentiles were under fin, and liable to punishment by that God whofe laws they had violated, Rom. c. 3. v. 21-28. From this paffage, the general doctrine of juftification may be refolved into three parts: First, The meritorious caufe on account of which we are justified: Secondly, The condition to be performed by ourselves, to render that caufe efficacious: and, Thirdly, The motive which led to the appointment of this mode of Juftification. FIRST, God is faid, by St. Paul, to have fet forth Chrift as our propitiation for the remif fion of fins: that is, the atonement made by his death is the meritorious caufe of the remiffion of our fins, or of our juftification. This fatisfaction for fin is the characteristic bleffing of the Chriftian religion, to which it has an exclufive claim: by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which they could not be juftified by any previous difpenfation*. SECONDLY, This caufe does not operate neceffarily, and produce. our juftification as its unavoidable effect; but through faith in his blood; that is, the means by which it operates is our faith in the death of Chrift. If we have not that faith, if we do not embrace the Gospel when propofed to us, Christ is not our propitiation; and confequently, faith is the condition to be performed by ourselves, to render the death of Chrift effectual to our juftification. The fame thing is alfo expreffed in Rom. iii. 22. THIRDLY, The motive for appointing this mode of juftification, is contained in thefe words, being juftified freely by God's grace' it was God's mercy and good will which alone induced him to it. He did it 'freely' and gratuitously, without merit or claim on our parts; we were all finners in the fight of God, and muft otherwife have perished everlaftingly. Where is boafting then?. It is excluded. By what

*

[Acts, xiii. 39.-In the note is a good and found quotation from Dr. Barrow: we wish that the part of his works, in which it occurs, had been fpecified.-Rey.]

law?