the Place. The Compilers of the Articles seem 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 Jefus Chrift, whereby Men must be saved. This Second Propofition therefore, whatever be the Senfe of Acts 4. 12. is manifeftly true. For that the Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us the Name of Jefus Christ, whereby we must be faved, is notorious in a thoufand 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 must be saved. Wherefore the Holy Scripture doth fet out only the Name of Jefus Chrift for that Purpose. And confequently, Because we can The First Propofition is true. learn who fhall be faved, no otherwise 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 groundlefs) Doctrin. For they pretend to declare, 1. That thofe fhall be faved, of whofe future Condition they can have no Knowledge. 2. Thereby they depreciate the Go fpel fpel; pleading for equal Certainty of Salvation to Christians and Infidels, and that a Man fhall be faved by the Law or Sect which he profeffeth, even as furely as by Christianity; 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 himself. But then it muft be obferved, that tho' our Church justly cenfures fuch as 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; yet the doth by no means teach, that none fhall be faved, unless they actually believe in Christ, 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 fhe does not fay, 'tis impoffible for them to be faved in their own Law or Sect, as if 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; These are Questions which we are not obliged to determin. Infidels are at the Difpofal of a Gracious Mafter, 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. The The NINETEENTH ARTICLE. T Of the Church. HE Vifible Church of Christ 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. This Article contains Three Propofitions. 2. The Church of Jerufalem, Alexandria and Antioch have erred. 3. 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 premise what follows. The whole number of living Chriftians are the Catholic Church of Christ upon Earth. Earth. The Chriftians of any one Nation, District or Congregation, are Branches of the Catholic Church, and are commonly called particular Churches. L Now Now Chriftians are partly good and partly evil. Both the good and the evil are outwardly Members of the Church, whether Catholic or particular; and the whole Number of them is therefore commonly called the visible Church. Whereas those only who are good, are inwardly united to Chrift; and because none can judge who they are, by reafon of the Hypocrify of Profeffors, therefore the whole number of them are commonly called the invifible Church. Now the vifible Church of Chrift, or any particular Branch of it, is either a true or a falfe Church. I confefs, every Church, as 'tis a Church, must needs be a true Church in one Senfe, according to the known Maxims of the Schools, omne ens vere eft id quod eft, & omne ens eft verum; that is, a Church, as a Church, muft have the effential Properties of a Church; because thofe effential Properties conftitute its Nature, and without them it cannot be a Church. But this is only a Metaphyfical Verity. Whereas there is alfo a Moral Verity belonging to a Church, that is, its Agreement to the Rule which is fet it; its having, not only what is effential to, but also what is perfective of, its own Nature; its having what is neceffary, not only to its effe, but alfo to its bene esse. Thus, as every Subject, tho' a bad one, is a Subject notwithstanding, and confequently a true Subject by Metaphyfical Verity; whereas he only who discharges the Duty of a good Subject, is a true Subject by Moral Verity: Even fo the Catholick Church, or a particular one, is a true Church by Metaphyfical Verity, tho' never fo grofly corrupted; whereas by Moral Verity 'tis then only true, when it keeps to the Rule which Chrift has fet it, and really is what it is required to be. And accordingly, tho' there can be no Degrees of Metaphyfical Verity, yet there are Degrees of Moral Verity; and a Church is more or less true, according to its greater or lefs Conformity to Chrift's Rule. So that that Church which is lefs falfe or corrupt, is a more true Church, than that which is more corrupt or falfe. 'Tis therefore no Inconfiftency or Contradiction for a Man to fay, of the very fame Church, at the very fame time, this is a true Church, meaning by a Metaphyfical Verity; and this is a falfe or corrupt Church, meaning by a Moral Verity. Let us now inquire into the meaning of this Propofition, The Visible Church of Chrift is a Congregation of faithful Men, in which the pure Word of God is preach'd, and the Sacraments be duly miniftred according to Chrift's Ordinance, in all those things that of Neceffity are requifite to the fame. 'Tis plain, that this Propofition neither is, nor was intended to be, the Definition of a true Visible Church, whether Catholic or Particular, with refpect to its Metaphyfical Verity. For Corruptions in Doctrin and Sacraments are certainly confiftent with the Metaphyfical Verity of a Church, whether Catholic or Particular. For the whole Number of Christians, or a particular Quantity of them, ftill continues a Christian Society, or part of such a Society, tho' they be never fo much deprav'd, provided the bare Effentials of the Nature of a Chriftian Society do remain; that is, fo long as they continue in that outward Union with God and each other, which is made by Baptifm: even as a Man continues a Man, whilft Body and Soul continue united, tho' both Body and Soul be never fo much polluted by Diseases and Sin. And that this is our Church's Notion, is most evident from her fo fre quently |