The application is so obvious, I fear to be tedious in drawing it out ever so briefly. But, for Parliament read, Church; for The Ten Hour Factory Bill, read The Formularies bearing upon Baptism; for Doubledealing and Cruelty read False Doctrine and Heresy: and if in both cases, there be an ambiguity, and yet we charge no such double-dealing or cruelty on the one, as believing no such animus existed, or need be suspected in the parties who framed the one document, may we not equally acquit of false doctrine or heresy those who drew up the others because, though these may perchance be latent in the wording of them, no such animus is shown, or need be suspected in their authors: i.e. the Church which has sanctioned and used them. There is another point in this analogy which will carry us a step further, and in a most practical direction. If the legislature now, knowing all these circumstances, and having the power to correct the error, if so it regard that to which the ambiguous or careless wording of the Act of Parliament has led, yet take no measure for correcting it, and for re-asserting the humane principle which we are told it was intended to embody, this conduct will surely commit parliament now to the adoption of the bill as last interpreted. It would be too much to say even so, that it would convict p. 17the framers of the measure some four or five years ago, or the then parliament of either fraud or cruelty: but it might well fasten those charges upon the present parliament if they believe the act was intended to work otherwise but will not restore it to its efficiency. And so now, in our parallel case. If the Church of this our day, knowing all the circumstances of such an interpretation as we have been supposing in the matter of baptismal regeneration, do not use the powers she may have to correct the ambiguity which permits heresy to be lodged within her, she will acquiesce in and adopt that heresy as her own. It would indeed here again be too much to say that such conduct now would prove there had been a double-mind; an intended ambiguity for an heretical purpose in those who drew up our formularies; for they might still have no more intended heresy, than Lord Ashley and the late Mr. Fielden cruelty to the factory children. But this, however it might clear the respective characters of men of another day, would be nothing at all as to establishing a claim to soundness now, or preserving the Church of England as a living branch of the Church of Christ. If we now adopt the heretical interpretation: if we now knowingly and wilfully continue the ambiguity; if we do not strive to remove the blot on the face of the Spouse of Christ; we shall be answerable as a body for the heresy, and must take the consequences both here and hereafter. What then is the practical thing to be done in this exigence, supposing the decision now about to be given to be one admitting heresy?