ART. VIII. ON THE EFFECTS OF REGENERATION.

IT has been with many a matter of no small speculation how that so large a portion of the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches could have been induced, within so short a period, to renounce the doctrines of original sin and regeneration, the two fundamental truths of the Christian system. Doubtless, a number of causes might have conspired to produce the result, but we think that we can name two which has a most decisive influence, and which are alone sufficient to account for the effect.

First, a spirit of bold speculation on theological subjects had infected the church. Dr. Thomas Scott had predicted that this alone would lead to infidelity. The writings of President Edwards had doubtless produced a taste for metaphysical discussions, but ere long those discussions became presumptuous. Subjects were attempted which were evidently beyond the powers of human reason. Divines attempted to tell how sin came into the world, almost as circumstantially as at the present day. But this was not enough; to carry out some favorite positions, the first principles of common sense and theology were assailed, the great principle of Hume's Scepticism was adopted by Christian divines, and the human soul made out to be a mere series of perceptions and exercises. But still these men had a high respect for the great evangelical system, but they were fostering a spirit of bold speculation among their pupils, exalting human reason as a source of truth at the expense of the Bible, and leading Christians to defend the doctrines of revelation with the same weapons, and the same spirit with which heretics opposed them. And it is remarkable that men who had the highest respect for the truths of the Gospel, have furnished the fundamental principle of the new heresy. The New Haven divines acknowledge that their's is what is called the "exercise system." It is at least true, that they borrow most of their reasoning from Dr. Emmons, as they obtained most of their early ad

herents from his followers, but they reject with abhorence his views of the divine efficiency in the production of holiness. It was not till reason had been to a very great extent substituted for revelation as a means of attaining theological truth, that the new system ventured to make a public appearance.

The reason above assigned may account for the appearance of these bold speculations, but it is far from accounting for their rapid and extensive circulation. We believe that the influence of partial and unscriptural views of regeneration tended to prepare the way for the reception of these errors, by producing spurious conversions and spurious revivals, and thus changing the character of the church itself. Such an undue proportion of attention had been directed to the doctrine of divine sovereignty to the exclusion of other points of Christian doctrine, that it had entirely changed the face of practical religion. All religion was resolved into submission to the divine will, and Christianity seemed to have become a purer kind of Stoicism. We say that these subjects received not so much an undue as a disproportioned attention, which threw other subjects into the shade. Other truths and branches of Christian character were almost overlooked. Long before the new views in theology began to prevail, it had become very common to present the most distorted and defective views of regeneration from the pulpit. Of the revivals of those days, we say that they differed entirely from the scenes of artificial excitement, and deliberate and systematic deception and delusion which have of late prevailed; but still, in conversing with those who entertained hopes, we were compelled to entertain and express our fears that a very great portion were deceived, and deceived by the preaching too often, and subsequent events have given too much confirmation of the justice of our suspicions as to a great portion of those conversions.

With regard to those who have secretly renounced the doctrines of original sin and regeneration, as the church has always understood those truths, we believe that the direct and only tendency of their preaching, is to delude and ruin immortal beings. But even among those who have not given up these precious truths, we believe that there exists either great unfaithfulness, or great obscurity in presenting Scriptural views of the effects of regeneration.

It is not enough, in general terms, to teach that regenera

tion must be the work of divine power-a supernatural work. This may be taught in words, and instantly denied again, by describing conversion as something which requires no such influence-something which every man of common sense will instantly pronounce to be quite within human powers, something in harmony with the corrupt principles of the natural heart, and which almost any man may have who will but set about it, and this without any remarkable exertion of his powers.

We believe that he, who, while he gives orthodox views of the nature and efficient cause of regeneration, fails to make it a radical change, manifesting itself by an entire new life and conversation, is guilty of ruining souls. Or, if in his private instructions and conversation with those who are seeking a hope, the preacher contradict his public ministrations, if he consult his feelings at all or his interests; if he fail to encourage, guide, and assist the person to selfexamination; if he do any thing calculated to send a soul into eternity with a false hope, he is accessary to his ruin, and incurs a guilt which no imagination can measure. Much more criminal is he who habitually in the pulpit sets aside the Scripture views of conversion, and gives such a modified and reduced standard of piety as must allure immortal beings to eternal perdition. What will be the condemnation of him who has abused the office of ambassador of Christ to co-operate with the enemy of souls, who has been supported by a confiding people, and spent his days in deluding and ruining them? But we have reason to fear that this is a criminality which is common, we had almost said general. We believe that even where the true doctrine of regeneration by the Holy Spirit is taught, that the most partial and delusive ideas of the nature of the change are exhibited; that there is great unfaithfulness in dealing with anxious sinners; that such exhibitions ruin immortal beings, and by corrupting the church, eventually make way for the admission of heresy.

We have been compelled to come to this conclusion, partly from the fact that so large a portion of professing Christians have so readily, and even greedily, embraced fundamental error, but chiefly from observation of the present condition of the church. Is not family prayer greatly neglected, secret prayer, perhaps, commonly, are not family government, family instruction in religion fallen into dis

use? Do we see a contrast, or even much difference between the church and the better part of the community as respects their dealings, their spirit, temper, as to detachment from the world, and interest in things which may properly be called spiritual? Is there not the most conclusive evidence that professors do not give proof that they possess the Spirit of Christ, and that ministers cannot point to them as their epistle of commendation from Christ known and read of all men?

We are aware that very few entertain any doubts of their spiritual state, that still fewer experience any anxiety from such a source, and we can scarcely promise ourselves a hearing on the evidences of a change of heart, but we feel it our duty to present the subject.

It was an unfortunate discovery of certain divines, that conviction of sin, or that preparation of mind by which the Holy Spirit prepares the minds of sinners to receive a Saviour was unnecessary. It was common to call it a part of the waiting system. It was said that such a representation palsied the conscience; that men must be made to feel that faith and repentance are duties; something that man must do, and do now. This was a neonomian spirit, and prepared the way for the doings of the present evangelists; it was giving the impression that faith and repentance alone were duties, whereas the Holy Spirit in conviction, shows the sinner that the whole law is duty, places the justice of its whole claims, and its whole penalty, in such a light as to satisfy the mind forever on the points. One ray of his divine light does more than a thousand volumes on natural and moral ability.

Whatever may be said of conviction of sin as being unnecessary as a preparation for conversion, we believe that the sinner learns nothing in it but what is an essential part of the knowledge of every true Christian; these convictions of the justice of the demands and penalty of the law continue and increase through life.

We believe that the preaching of the law and extended views of its nature and spirituality, produce a sense of obligation, and affect the conscience much more than metaphysical discussions on the obligation of faith and repentance only. A man will not repent till he sees the justice of the demands of the law, and this, not by the light of the understanding to which these divines addressed most of their reasonings, but

by the light of conscience-neither will a man believe in a Saviour till he sees by the light of his conscience, not his understanding, the justice of the penalty of the law with regard to him, and the insufficiency of his own works to justify him.

In conviction of sin, a ray of light shines in upon the conscience-shows a man fully his obligations to have all the spiritual affections which the law demands, and at the same time the sinfulness of his own moral feelings, and his need of the aid of the Holy Spirit; it shows the man at the same glance, his obligation, his corruption, and his dependence; he sees the harmony of things which to carnal reason seem to stand in direct opposition.

By learning his obligation to the law of God, he knows his obligation to faith and repentance, also his obligation to submit to God's sovereignty. All the peculiar tests which some divines have set up, are contained in the Divine Law, and should have been insisted on as a part of it, and not been suffered to exclude it.

The sinner who has once learned his corruption from the Divine Law, will find no language adequate to express the value of those influences which alone must purify him.

A view of the justice of the penalty of the law, and his own inward corruption, show him fully that all his own works will be insufficient for his justification, that there is no hope for him but in the atoning blood of Christ.

We believe that these views of the insufficiency of his own strength for any good works, and the insufficiency of any good works for his justification, are something possessed by every Christian, something which cannot be produced by bare metaphysical reasoning, or reasoning from the Bible, it is produced by the influence of the Holy Spirit, increasing the light of conscience which alone gives us the sense of obligation.

In conviction of sin, a person sees his true condition; what the law of God is, and what are his own relations to it. Men do not come into the world with a conscience which recognizes in full the claims of the law, and the sinfulness of their moral affections: and they live in a constant process of still farther blinding conscience. No reasoning whatever can resist the sophistry of a carnal heart. reasoning can make men acknowledge the justice of the claims and the penalty of the law. By the teaching of the VOL. V. 43