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tion to the internal positive proofs to the same purpose which have been adduced in the first 'four chapters of this work, it may be proper to ' remark a circumstance of a negative kind, which seems to deserve attention, and to carry great weight with it: There is not in any part of our 'book of Common Prayer, or in our Articles, a single expression which can fairly be interpreted as asserting or recognizing any one of the pe'culiar doctrines of Calvinism. Redemption is never declared to be irrespectively partial; hu'man co-operation is never excluded where the 'influence of the Spirit is mentioned; divine grace is never considered as irresistible or indefectible; good works are never represented as unnecessary to salvation; sudden conversions ' and sensible operations of the Spirit are no where acknowledged. These assertions, being of a negative nature, admit not of regular proof; but "it has been shewn, that doctrines opposite to 'those just mentioned, are contained both in our Liturgy and Articles: and therefore, if we admit 'that our Liturgy and Articles are consistent with 'themselves and with each other, the truth of 'these assertions necessarily follows. It is scarcely possible to imagine, that Calvinists would draw up a set of prayers to be daily used in the church, 'together with the form of administering the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, a 'catechism for the instruction of youth, an order "for confirmation, for the visitation of the sick, 'for the burial of the dead, and all other offices relating to Christian worship, in which the sub'jects of grace, faith, good works, and redemption,

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'must of necessity frequently occur, without once ' unequivocally declaring or indicating their sen'timents upon any one of those points; and I call upon the supporters of Calvinism to produce a passage from our Common Prayer Book, the plain and obvious sense of which is decidedly 'Calvinistic.'1

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'The circumstance of a negative kind which 'seems to deserve attention, &c,' and which is brought forward with great confidence; when ascertained by logical rules, may be thus stated : Major. That which cannot fairly be interpreted, as asserting or recognizing any one of the pecu'liar doctrines of Calvinism,' cannot be Calvinistic:' Minor. No part of our Book of Common Prayer, or of our Articles, contains a single expression, which can fairly be interpreted as asserting or recognizing any one of the peculiar 'doctrines of Calvinism :'

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Conclusion.

Therefore our Common Prayer and Articles are not Calvinistic.' Or, in fewer words, That which contains nothing of Calvinism 'cannot be Calvinistic.' If this be not the whole amount of the argument, let the contrary be logically shewn: and how much such an argument proves let the logicians determine.-It is plain from the following statement, however, that it was not meant that those doctrines, which in common language are called Calvinistic, are in no way contained or implied; but only that re'demption is no where declared to be irrespec'tively partial; that human co-operation is never excluded where the influence of the Spirit

Ref. 585-587.

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' is mentioned;' that divine grace is never con'sidered as irresistible or indefectible; that good 'works are never represented as unnecessary to 'salvation;' that sudden conversions and sen

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sible operations of the Spirit are no where ac'knowledged.' But, if all this were undeniable, the conclusion would only be, that these appendages of the doctrines called Calvinistic (some of which are, and some are not, found in Calvin, and to some of which Calvin would strongly object,) form no part of the doctrine of our church. 'As'sertions being of a negative nature admit not of a regular proof;' and therefore men are more prompt to venture such assertions: because it is not expected that they should prove them; but multitudes implicitly believe them on their ipse dixit; especially if they are men of rank, talents, authority, or influence. These assertions, however, though they do not admit of a regular proof, may admit of a very regular confutation, if they be not well grounded. And, with a confidence equal to that of his Lordship, I maintain that I have already disproved by far the most material things contained in the assertion; and so disproved them, that I have no expectation of any fair and adequate answer being given to my arguments from scripture, and from our authorized books.

[It has already been repeatedly admitted that not every thing held by Calvin is to be found in our Liturgy and Articles: but it would lead to a needless repetition if I should formally attempt to prove, that every where in our Liturgy, as well as in our Articles, the doctrine of original sin, and of man's total depravity by nature, is inculcated

in the most decisive language. There is no health ́in us,' 'We are by nature born in sin and the 'children of wrath.' 'Forasmuch as all men are 'conceived and born in sin,' Grant that the old

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Adam in this child may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in him.' These expressions alone, expounded by the ninth Article, are sufficient for our purpose.-It is equally needless to undertake a formal proof, that special preventing grace, putting into our hearts good desires, and continual help enabling us to bring the same to good effect,' is constantly implied in every part of our worship. The inclining of the will, the rectifying of the judgment, the beginning of the work, as well as assistance to the willing, is every where ascribed to God; and the liturgy is framed in perfect consistency with the tenth Article, concerning free will.-Regeneration by the Holy Spirit, as well as by water, and daily renewal by the same Spirit, constantly meet our attention, especially in those baptismal services which are supposed to limit regeneration to the act of baptizing. This I must think has been fully proved in the remarks on the second chapter.-It could not be expected that the several particulars concerning justification by faith, some of which require distinctions and explanations more suited to didactic discussions than to the breathings of devotion, should be particularly expressed in the Liturgy. The doctrine is clearly stated in the eleventh Article, and the two following Articles, with a reference to the Homily on justification; in which it is copiously and most ably explained and defended, and guarded against misapplica

tion. Now every thing in the liturgy accords with these. All our confessions of sin, all our cries for mercy, all our intreaties that God would not deal with us after our sins, neither reward us according to our iniquities; and, especially, our constantly presenting our prayers, intercessions, praises, and thanksgivings, in the name, and through the mediation, and for the merits of Jesus Christ our Mediator and Advocate :-for what are his merits, but his righteousness, in becoming obedient to the law for man? "He was "made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we

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might be made the righteousness of God in "him." In being taught always to approach the Father, not in our own name, but disclaiming our own righteousness, and pleading the name and merits of the Son, our Advocate and Mediator, we are constantly reminded of justification by grace, in Christ, and through faith, as far as the nature of devotional exercises requires, or even with propriety admits.-Every thing, which so confesses our total depravity by nature, as to ascribe all holy desires, all good counsels, and 'all just works' to God alone; and to give him all the glory of inclining our hearts unto him, implies the doctrine of personal election. The doctrine is found, so to speak, in the lump, in the seventeenth Article; but it cannot be expected that we should find it thus in the liturgy, at least not frequently. The liturgy is a kind of infusion ; and every part of it sufficiently tastes of that which constitutes a main ingredient in that infusion.— They through grace obey the calling; they be 'justified freely; they be made the sons of God

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