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his part, of that believer's personal acquittal or pardon; so significant and so expressive, that when the baptized believer rises out of the water, is born of water, enters the world a second time, he enters it as innocent, as clean, as unspotted as an angel." Debate with Mr. M' Calla, as reported by A. Campbell, p. 137. The following illustration will make it manifest that these extracts do not misrepresent the views of this sect on the subject before us.

"In religion a man may change his views of Jesus, and his heart may also be changed towards him, but unless a change of state ensues, he is still unpardoned, unjustified, unsanctified, unreconciled, unadopted, and lost to all christian life and enjoyment." "Begotten of God he may be, but born of God he cannot be, until born of water."-" Lavinia was the servant of Palemon, and once thought him a hard master. She changed her views of him, and her feelings were also changed towards him; still, however, she continued in the state of a handmaid. Palemon offered her first his heart, and then his hand, and she accepted them. He vowed, and she vowed before witnesses, and she became his wife. Then, and not till then, was her state changed. She is no longer a servant,-she is now a wife. No change of views and feelings led to this change of state; for Maria, who was another handmaid of Palemon, changed her views of him, and her feelings towards him, as much-nay, -than did Lavinia; yet Maria lived and died the servant maid of Palemon and Lavinia." Extra, No. 1.

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We might greatly extend these extracts, but think it best to permit the foregoing pathetic "analogy" to conclude them, that the impression may remain in full force upon the reader's mind. There is one other topic, however, in connection with this subject, that we must here introduce, to place the system fully before the reader's mind.

(4) The Campbellites declare that immersion in water, and regeneration, are two names for the same thing.

However inconsistent this may be with the foregoing statements, we, of course, are not answerable. The inconsistency will be seen upon perusing the subjoined extracts, if the preceding passages have not already made it apparent.

In Mill. Har. Ex. No. 6. p. 360, Note, Mr. Campbell thus speaks: "We contend that being born again, and being immersed, are, in the apostle's style, two names for the same thing." and "When we speak in the exact style of the living oracles on

this subject, we must represent being born again (John 3: 5), and regeneration (Tit. 3: 5), as relating to the act of immersion alone."

He says, however, at the same time, that he does not, by regeneration, mean all that evangelical Christians mean by it.* But it is sufficient for us to know, that he professes to mean by immersion, or the act of immersion, all that the New Testament means by regeneration, or being born again.

In Extra, No. 1. p. 27, 28: "Being born again, and being immersed, are the same thing." "Regeneration and immersion are, therefore, two names for the same thing." "Immersion and regeneration are two Bible names for the same act."

In showing the amazing power which immersion in water exerts upon the soul, and illustrating the velocity which it thereby acquires, Mr. Campbell remarks: "Like a strong impulse given to a ball, which puts it into motion, immersion for the forgiveness of sins carries the mind forward, far beyond all the experiences formerly demanded as preparatory to immersion. A change of state so great, so sensible, so complete, so sudden, operates more like the ancient cures, than the cold, dark, and tedious mental regenerations of the philosophising theologues." And then we have the "analogy," or illustration, which is as follows: "He that passes from Virginia into Pennsylvania, passes over a mere imaginary geographical line, without scarcely perceiving the transition; but he that passes from Virginia into the state of Ohio, by swimming the river, the natural and sensible boundary, iminediately realizes the change."

These quotations are surely more than sufficient to give the reader an idea of this ridiculous travesty of the gospel. We would, however, before leaving this topic, remind Mr. Campbell that his claim to originality in this discovery of a method to cleanse the soul from sin, is not so clear as to be indisputable. For we recollect that shortly after "the dark ages," there was a certain old gentleman at the head of a denomination, who made the same discovery, and affirmed that, "If any one shall say that baptism is indifferent, that is, not necessary to salvation, let him be accursed." He affirmed many other things in re

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His words are: "Our opponents deceive themselves and their hearers, by representing us as ascribing to the word immersion, and to the act of immersion, all that they call regeneration." Ut supra, p. 369.

+ Si quis dixerit, Baptismum liberum esse, hoc est non necessarium ad salutem; anathema sit. Conc. Trid. Les. VII. die Mart. 111. 1547. Can. 5. de Baptismo.

lation to it, which have been summed up by the Roman Catholic bishop Hays, in his Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine, approved by archbishop Maucal; and some of them are as follows: "Baptism brings to the soul sanctifying grace-washes away the guilt of original and actual sin-gives a new and spiritual birth-makes us Christians-entitles us to actual gracepreserves the sanctity gotten at baptism,-and gives a right to eternal happiness."

We are not sure but Mr. Campbell must also yield to another claimant. One of our missionaries some time ago meeting an old Brahmin, aged eighty, asked him: "Do you know how your sins are to be pardoned, and what will be your state after death?" He replied: "My hope is in the Ganges." And when further pressed, he confessed that " If the Ganges could not take away his sins, he knew not what could." See Miss. Her. Vol. XXIX. p. 97. It would be amusing to speculate upon the manner in which a Campbellite would have treated the subject with the aged priest.

We should be sorry to take away from Mr. Campbell all merit of originality in relation to his illustrious discovery; but as he has so boldly ventured his claim, it may be proper to introduce to his acquaintance one other old gentleman, who, previous to Mr. Campbell's having advanced his pretensions to originality, published the same discovery in a work entitled "A Refutation of Calvinism." The reader can compare the following extracts, and then decide for himself, to whom belongs the palm. "Those who are baptized are immediately translated from the curse of Adam to the grace of Christ. They become reconciled to God-heirs of eternal happiness,-acquire a new name, a new hope, a new faith, a new rule of life. This great and wonderful change in the condition of man is as it were a new nature, a new state of existence; and the holy rite by which these invaluable blessings are communicated is by St. Paul figuratively called regeneration, or new birth. The word regeneration, therefore, is in Scripture solely and exclusively applied to the one immediate effect of baptism once administered," etc.

These, then, are the great fundamental, or distinctive doctrines of Campbellism. If we have been prolix in our citations, it was to avoid misrepresentation, and because we wished to hold up the system in every point of view, in which it is presented by its advocates.

As the remaining sentiments of this sect, which it is our intention hereafter to notice, are not so strictly distinctive as the foregoing, we shall treat them in a historical, and not a controversial manner. We propose, however, first, to subject the foregoing principles, and especially those relating to regeneration, to a somewhat thorough examination. The views entertained of this last subject, especially, constitute the difference between this sect and other sects of Unitarians, as we shall show hereafter. Mr. Campbell himself admits that these views of faith, forgiveness, and regeneration, are essential to the very existence of his system. Hence, if they are proved to be erroneous, or destitute of support, this whole theological fabric, confessedly, falls to the ground.

The foregoing Views Examined.

We observe, 1. That the faith which the Campbellites contend for, has, confessedly, no connection whatever, with regeneration. They are truly separate. A man may exercise this faith truly, and properly, and yet be entirely unregenerated; as much a child of hell as the vilest infidel. The proposition, therefore, that "we are justified by faith" is to this sect intrinsically absurd.

2. They teach that faith has no real connection with the pardon of sin. For a man may exercise it in the fullest manner, and yet be unpardoned.

3. From the preceding extracts it further appears that, agreeably to Campbellism, a sinner believes to the saving of the soul, without the agency of the Spirit of God; by his own unaided efforts alone. In fact Mr. Campbell repeatedly ridicules the idea of the agency of the third person of the Trinity either in the exercise of saving faith or in regeneration.

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How very opposite all this is to the whole tenor of the gospel will be seen by a mere allusion to such passages as the following. "He that believeth hath everlasting life," John 5: 24. 3: 16, 36. "With the heart man believeth unto justification," Rom. 10: 10. By grace ye are saved, through faith," Eph. 2: 8. "Sirs, What must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house," Acts 16: 30, 31. "Being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we

stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God," Rom. 5: 1, 2. 66 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham?" Gal. 3: 7. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John 1: 8. With multitudes of kindred passages which will immediately occur to the memory of all who are familiar with the word of God.

The folly of the Campbellite view of this subject might be further exhibited, by entering into a discussion of the nature of faith. But this is not here called for. And we pass on, for the present, to consider the leading or distinctive principle of the sect-regeneration by immersion into water.

From the foregoing extracts we learn, 1. That Mr. Campbell and his sect believe that no person can be saved unless regenerated or born again.

2. That immersion in water is essential to regeneration.That no person can possibly be regenerated without being im

mersed.

3. That immersion in water is the medium through which sins are remitted.

4. And, however inconsistent with the foregoing, that immersion is regeneration itself. "Being born again, and being immersed, are, in the apostles' style two names for the same thing."

Hence nothing can be clearer, than that, according to the Campbellites, immersion in water is indispensably necessary to salvation. It follows syllogistically, thus:

1. Regeneration is essential to salvation. But immersion in water is essential to regeneration, inasmuch as no one can be regenerated without being immersed therefore immersion in water is essential to salvation. Or thus:

2. "Immersion and regeneration are, in the apostles' style, two names for the same thing:" so that being immersed, is itself being regenerated. But no one can be saved without being regenerated. Therefore no person can be saved without being immersed.

COROLLARY. Infants who die in infancy, are either lost, or if saved, they are saved without being regenerated. Even the infants of the Campbellites; for they do not baptize their children.

3. The same conclusion follows in another way.

Immersion

is essential to remission of sins. But no one can be saved without remission of sins. Therefore, no one can be saved without being immersed.

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