every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth," is declared Anathema by the xviiith article of the Synod of London, A.D. 1562.

The catechism of Dean Nowell, which was approved by several bishops and theologians in the time of Queen Elizabeth, speaks as follows: "Is there no hope of salvation out of the church? Without it there can be nothing but damnation, destruction, and perdition. For what hope of life can remain, when the members are torn or severed from the head or body? Those therefore who seditiously excite discord in the church of God, and cause strife and dissent therein, and disturb it with factions, such men are cut off from all hope of salvation through the remission of sins, until they agree and are re-united with the church "."

I shall only cite the words of Bishops Pearson, Beveridge, and Wilson, in further confirmation of this doctrine. The first writes thus: "The necessity of believing the Holy Catholic Church appeareth first in this, that Christ hath appointed it as the only way unto eternal life. We read at the first that the Lord added daily to the church such as should be saved' (Acts ii. 47.); and what was then daily done, hath been done since continually. Christ never appointed two ways to heaven; nor did he build a church to save some, and make another institution for other men's salvation. 'There is no other name under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus;' and that name is no otherwise given under heaven than in the church. As none were saved from the deluge, but such as were within the ark of Noah, formed for their reception by the command of God: as

m Noelli Catechismus, p. 108. ed. Oxon. 1835.

none of the first-born of Egypt lived, but such as were within those habitations whose door-posts were sprinkled with blood, by the appointment of God, for their preservation; as none of the inhabitants of Jericho could escape the fire and sword, but such as were within the house of Rahab, for whose protection a covenant was made; so none shall ever escape the eternal wrath of God, which belong not to the church of God "."

Bishop Beveridge on those words, "the Lord added daily to the church such as should be saved," says, "This being the way and method that he hath settled in the world for the saving of souls, or for the applying that salvation to them which he hath purchased for them, we have no ground to expect that he should ever recede from it." And afterwards: "Seeing therefore that the Holy Ghost hath so positively affirmed that the Lord added to the church such as should be saved, and likewise hath given us such extraordinary instances of it, it is no wonder that the Fathers so frequently assert, that there is no salvation to be had out of Christ's Holy Catholic Church; but that whosoever would be a member of the church triumphant in heaven, he must first be a member of the church here militant on earth." Bishop Wilson says: "If God addeth to this church such as shall be saved, then if I for my wicked life shall deserve to be separated, cut off, or excommunicated out of any particular church, which is a true member of this Holy Catholic Church, then am I most assuredly deprived of the ordinary means of grace, and out of the way of salvation P."

OBJECTIONS.

I. The doctrine of salvation in the church only is a popish and intolerant doctrine.

Answer. (1.) The Romanists are orthodox in maintaining this doctrine in the abstract, but they err in identifying the church exclusively with their own societies. (2.) Intolerance might with equal justice be objected to the doctrine of salvation through Christ only: it is therefore a frivolous objection.

II. The church under, the law was limited within the province of Judea, yet salvation was obtained by some who were not Jews, as for instance by Job, and by others of the Gentiles.

Answer. (1.) The church of the Jews was only instituted for a particular people, and not for the world generally, as the Christian church was; therefore there was no obligation on other nations to adopt the Jewish polity. (2.) Job, and other righteous men of the Gentiles, who were not called to unite themselves with the Jewish church, we know from Scripture itself to have been acceptable to God through faith. But the Scripture does not enable us to judge in general of the state of those who have died in ignorance of Christ, even after the Gospel was preached throughout the world; all, however, who believed not when they heard it, were condemned.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE NOTES OF THE CHURCH IN GENERAL.

If it be true, as I have endeavoured to prove in the last chapter, that Christ's church was always to continue, even to the end of the world, and that it is the only way of salvation, it is evident that nothing deserves our attentive examination more than the signs by which we can distinguish the church of Christ at present existing. Surrounded by a vast multitude of contending societies calling themselves Christian, and all alike claiming to be churches of Christ, there is an apparent necessity for the discovery of some method, by which, without any extreme difficulty or labour, we may discriminate the church of God from its rivals.

It cannot be requisite to prove that all societies calling themselves Christian, are not necessarily what they pretend to be; nor is it probable that the multiplied "denominations" around us, should be all alike faithful and obedient to our Divine Master. The unanimous opinion indeed, of professing Christians, is, that some of these societies belong not to Christ but to Antichrist. Every particular doctrine and duty of Christianity is made a matter of dispute, and denied or corrupted by

some community; and it seems irrational to suppose that God could have instituted "a kingdom divided against itself" on every point, torn by irreconcilable divisions and mortal enmities, and exhibiting a chaotic confusion even in the most elementary principles of religion. It is incredible, if Revelation be indeed from God, if it be designed for perpetuity, if all men be bound to receive it, and if means be provided by Divine Providence for enabling them to receive it; it is incredible, I say, when all its doctrines and precepts are made matters of dispute, and denied by some, that all professing Christians should be equally included in the ehurch of Christ. Besides this, Christ himself and the Apostles predicted, that, after their departure, there should be false Christs and false prophets, Antichrists, and false teachers, who should privily bring in damnable heresies; and that many should be deceived by their

These evils were to continue even in the latter days of the world; and therefore there is a very great probability, that some of the communities calling themselves Christian, may have arisen in this manner, and are not to be reckoned as any part of the church of Christ.

By what means then can we determine with certainty, which, among these communities, are indeed portions of the church of God? All declare that they are themselves within its pale: all assert that their doctrines and practice are in accordance with Scripture, and with the commandment of Christ. A hundred different societies present their respective claims to our adherence, on the ground of their peculiar purity and sanctity. The mind is perplexed at their number, and the positiveness of their assertions. The labour of investigating all, or many, of these cases in detail, is