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Church teaches, that fuch as die in their Infancy, may be and are of the Number of thofe that are faved; and yet fuch Infants can't be faved exactly in the Method and Order above defcribed; particularly, because it can't be faid of them, that they walk religioufly in good Works. 2. The Church does not hereby exclude all thofe from Salvation, who die in invincible Infidelity. Doubtless God did from everlafting know, whether any fuch Infidels fhould be faved. And therefore, if any of them be faved, there was a Predeftination of them to Life; which Predeftination of them to Life, was the everlasting Purpose of God, whereby (before the Foundations of the World were laid) he hath conftantly decreed by his Counsel, fecret to us, to deliver them from Curfe and Damnation, and bring them to everlafting Salvation. And if this be at all done, I prefume, the Merits of Chrift are applied to them in an uncovenanted Manner. But I fay, the Church fpeaks nothing at all of their Cafe; fhe determins nothing concerning them; as fhe does not acquit them, fo neither does the condemn them: fhe confines her felf to the Cafe of those Elect, whom God faves by actual Faith in Chrift, and who alone are capable of being fav'd in fuch Manner and Order as fhe defcribes.

The Third and Fourth Propofitions are felf evident.

The Fifth Propofition imports, that we must apply general Promifes to our felves; not doubting, but that if we perform the Condition, we fhall enjoy the Mercy. The Reafon is, because all Particulars are included in Univerfals; and confequently a general Promife is made a particular one to my felf, if I be fuch a Perfon as that general Promife is made to.

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The Sixth Propofition guards against Enthufiaftic Imaginations, and teaches us to make God's Word the Rule of our Lives. This needs no Proof.

The EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE.

Of obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Chrift.

I Say

HEY alfo are to be had accurfed, that prefume to Say, that every man shall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame bis life according to that Law, and the Light of Nature. For Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us only the name of Jefus Chrift, whereby men must be faved.

This Article contains Two Propofitions.

1. They are to be had accurfed, that prefume to fay, that every Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, so that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature.

2. Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us only the Name of Jefus Chrift, whereby Men must be faved.

The First of thefe Propofitions depends on the Second, in which there feems to be an Allufion made to Acts 4. 12. where St. Peter faies, Neither is there falvation in any other for there is none other name under beaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.

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Now whether that Text ought to be understood of eternal Salvation, or of healing Diftempers, it may be worth while to confider. See Dr. Whitby on H 2

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the Place. The Compilers of the Articles feem to have understood it of Eternal Salvation, and to have grounded this Article upon that Interpretation of it. However, they have not obliged us to fubfcribe that Interpretation; but left us at liberty to explain the Text otherwife; provided we acknowledge the Truth of what they affert, viz. that Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us only the Name of Fefus Chrift, whereby Men must be faved.

This Second Propofition therefore, whatever be the Senfe of Ads 4. 12. is manifeftly true. For that the Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us the Name of Jefus Chrift, whereby we must be saved, is notorious in a thousand Places. And that it doth not fet out unto us any other Name, whereby we must be faved, is equally notorious in a negative manner. For let any Man find out, if he can, another Name, by which the Scripture fays Men muft be faved. Wherefore the Holy Scripture doth fet out only the Name of Jefus Christ for that Purpose. And confequently,

The First Propofition is, true. Because we can learn who fhall be faved, no otherwife than from Scripture; in which we are no where affured or informed, that every Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature. Those therefore who affert, that every Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature, are to be had accurfed; that is, condemned, as Spreaders of falfe (because groundless) Doctrin. For, 1. they pretend to declare, That thofe fhall be faved, of whofe future Condition they can have no Knowledge. 2. Thereby they depreciate the Gofpel;

fpel; pleading for equal Certainty of Salvation to Chriftians and Infidels, and that a Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, even as furely as by Chriftianity; which implies that they have a Right and Claim to Salvation by that Law, as we Chriftians have by our holy Religion, which is a folemn Covenant with God himfelf.

But then it must be obferved, that tho' our Church juftly cenfures fuch as prefume to fay, that every Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature; yet the doth by no means teach, that none Thall be faved, unless they actually believe in Chrift. Tho' fhe will not allow, that they shall be faved by (that is, by virtue of, or in confequence of their own Law or Sect; yet the does not fay, 'tis impoffible for them to be faved in their own Law or Sect, as it their continuing, even thro' invincible Ignorance, in their own Law or Sect, would render them abfolutely uncapable of God's Mercy. She leaves Infidels therefore to the Judgment of that God, who will certainly do Right. Whether the Merits of Jefus Chrift may be applied to fuch as live in invincible Infidelity; whether fuch Perfons, if faved at all, must be faved by that Method; whether God will actually vouchfafe to use that Method of bringing them to Salvation; and whether he affifts them with his Grace to purify their corrupted Nature, to weaken the Power of Sin, and prevent their becoming abfolute Slaves to it; Thefe are Questions which we are not obliged to determin. Infidels are at the Difpofal of a Gracious Master, who may (for ought we know) extend that Mercy to them, which they have no Covenant Right to, but which they are not by any Revelation of his Will excluded from, or made abfolutely uncapable of.

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The NINETEENTH ARTICLE.

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Of the Church.

HE Vifible Church of Chrift is a congregation of faithfull men, in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly miniftred, according to Chrift's ordinance, in all those things that of neceffity are requifite to the fame.

As the Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria and Antioch have erred: So alfo the Church of Rome bath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.

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This Article contains Three Propofitions.
I. The Vifible Church of Chrift is a Congrega
tion of Faithful Men, in which the pure Word
of God is preached, and the Sacraments be
duly miniftred according to Chrift's Ordi-
nance, in all thofe things that of neceffity are
requifite to the fame.

2. The Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria and An-
tioch have erred.

3. The Chur

The Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their Living, and manner of Ceremonies, but alfo in matters of Faith.

For the better understanding of the First Propofition, I must premife what follows.

The whole number of living Chriftians are the Catholic Church of Chrift upon Earth. The Chriftians of any one Nation, District or Congregation, are Branches of the Catholic Church, and are commonly called particular Churches.

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