be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God."

he decreed "before the foundations of the world were laid." This must needs be true, because his purpose was everlasting. Fourthly, he thus decreed to "deliver those whom he had chosen in Christ out of mankind from curse and damnation into which original sin had plunged them."

ARTICLE XVIII.

Of Obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ.a

THEY also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to the law, and the light of nature.

a This article is to be considered as directed against those who maintained that it was a matter of indifference whether men embraced the Gospel or not; that all religions were equally acceptable to God; and that all men would obtain salvation, although they rejected the Gospel, provided they observed the rules of the religion they professed, and acted in conformity to the dictates of reason.

b It was a custom to condemn errors in this form. If any one holds such an error, anathema sit; which we translate, let him be accursed. This practice seems to have been derived from some expressions of Scripture. Rom. ix. 3; 1 Cor. xvi. 22; Gal. i. 8. This anathema excluded persons from communion with the church of Christ.

NATURAL RELIGION NOT SUFFICIENT FOR SALVATION.

It is important to observe the exact words here used, that

For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.a

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every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth;" that is, by virtue of his religion, whatever it may be without the merits of Christ. Let it not therefore be supposed, that this article confines salvation to one sect of Christianity, for it has no reference whatever to the unhappy divisions which have always subsisted among Christians. Nor let it be supposed that it excludes from the benefit of Christ's redemption all to whom the Gospel has not been made known. Concerning such it is silent, and it only declares those men to be anathematized, who hold all religions to be indifferent matters, as if God regarded them all alike; whereas the religion of Christ is still the only way God has instituted to salvation. The impiety that the article thus condemns, was first broached by some of the heathen orators and philosophers in the fourth century, in their addresses to the Christian emperors for the tolerance of Paganism. Rom. iii. 9. Both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. Ver. 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Ver. 20. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.

CHRIST THE ONLY MEANS OF SALVATION.

d John xiv. 14. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Acts iv. 12. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." And, 1 John v. 11, 12. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

ARTICLE XIX.

Of the Church.a

THE visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is

a We now enter upon the fourth and last division of the articles, namely, those which relate to Christians as members of a religious society; and the first point to be settled upon this subject in the meaning of the word "church." This article, together with some that follow it, relates to the fundamental difference between us and the Roman catholics. They asserting that we are to judge of doctrines by the authority and decision of the church; whereas we affirm, that we are first to examine the doctrine, and according to that, to judge of the purity of the church.

CHURCH AS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE.

b Since it is religion that makes a church, and not the church that makes religion, the church is to be tried and discerned by religion, and not religion by the church. And the visible church (for the invisible one, which consists solely of the elect, is not here spoken of,) is that which maintains the religion of Christ, and professes its belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by baptizing its members in their names, and celebrating the holy supper, as Christ hath appointed. These things are essential to a church; and as long as these are preserved, a church does not cease to be, though in some other things it may err. For every error does not subvert the foundation of a church. But particular churches may not only err, but also fall off entirely from Christ. For that saying of Christ, Matt. xvi. 11. "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," is to be understood only of the Catholic, or universal church.

preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.

c Rom. x. 17. "So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

d Acts ii. 42. "They continued stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

e The latter part of this article relates to the pretended claim of infallibility in the Church of Rome: and the compilers of our articles have very wisely taken the first opportunity, which the plan of their arrangement allowed, to deny this claim; since, if it were admitted, all the other doctrines of popery would be at once established; an infallible church could not maintain an untrue doctrine. The churches of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, are here mentioned, because they were the most famous ones, and were advanced to the dignity of being patriarchal churches, as well as that of Rome. Jerusalem was governed by two of our Saviour's Apostles successively, Alexandria and Antioch are said to have been founded by St. Peter, either in person or by proxy.

ARTICLE XX.

Of the Authority of the Church."

b

THE Church hath power to decree rites or cere

a The meaning of the word "church" having been settled in he preceding article, the next thing to be determined is, what

monies, and authority in controversies of faith.

And authority belongs to every particular church? And this inquiry naturally divides itself into two parts: namely, external forms, and matters of faith; both of which are treated of in this article.

THE POWER OF THE CHURCH AS TO RITES.

b By the church, we are here to understand those that are vested with ecclesiastical authority. It is not meant to exclude such as have nothing to do with the government of the church, from being a part of the church: for if the governors of the church be included in the definition of the church, as every one grants they are, then any part of ecclesiastical authority, which of right is exercised by these governors, may properly and consistently be said to be exercised by the church. And since it is their business to take care that "every thing be done (in the church) decently and in order." 1 Cor. xiv. 40; and to take care that the true faith be preserved, as appears from Tit. iii. 10; "a man, that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition reject ;" and from 1 Tim. i. 3; "as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine: " it follows, that they must have a right to decree rites and ceremonies, without which nothing can be done in public assemblies that is decent and orderly; and that they must have authority in controversies of faith, that the peace of the church be not disturbed by contentious disputations, and that the minds of the faithful be not corrupted by the sophistry of heretics.

THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH IN MATTERS OF FAITH.

As to the church's authority in controversies of faith, it appears from the preceding article that it is not here intended to ascribe to the church an infallible authority. The words of this article are, 66 controversies of faith ;" and this expression, perhaps, alluded to disputes which may arise between the members of any church; and it may be designed to assert, that the governing part of the church has authority to take cognizance of such disputes, and to deliver their judgment concerning the points in controversy. Acts xv. 5, 6, 22—41.