'A gradual work, not instantaneous, or suddenly completed': conversion and the Anglican pastoral ethos

In his 1817 description of how the grace of regeneration in Holy Baptism is to be followed by what other authors routinely termed 'renovation', Warner summarises what we might term the Anglican pastoral ethos, an abiding character of Anglicanism, in which 'enthusiasm' is distrusted as ineffectual distraction, with the slow, sober work of grace identified as the means of ongoing conversion:

Hence it appears, that the change which takes place at Baptism can take place only at that time, and in consequence of that rite; for, as a wise and holy man (Jeremy Taylor) observes, "we are but once to change our whole estate of life, from the power of the Devil and his entire possession, from the state of sin and death, from the body of corruption, to the life of grace, to the possession of Jesus, to the kingdom of the Gospel; and this is done in the Baptism of Water, and the Baptism of the Spirit, when the first rite comes to be verified by God's grace coming upon us".

And hence, also, appears the difference between regeneration and conversion, which, in these times, are so frequently confounded together, and understood one for the other. Regeneration, as we have seen, is a change of nature, taking place only at Baptism: conversion is a change of life, a turning from sin to holiness; and may occur at any period.

Regeneration is operated at once, when the rite of Baptism is administered: conversion, if sincere, and likely to be durable, is a gradual work, not instantaneous, or suddenly completed; but, growing step by step, from a conviction of sin, to a life of holiness, virtue, and sobriety; from bad habits, to a pious and religious conversation in the world, by the gentle operation of God's grace upon our hearts; who will, day by day, infuse into them greater portions of the Holy Spirit, in proportion as He sees that we properly value and apply what He has already given to us.

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