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THE

ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

ARTICLE XVIII.

Of Obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ.

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 that law, and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

With this Article the Church concludes her statements of Christian doctrine, in relation to the individual salvation of men. Having declared her belief on the chief points of practical religion, as contained in the Word of God, she deems it right to add one brief, but decided assertion, to the effect, that no other faith than that which the Gospel teaches, can lead us to eternal life. Hence the title of this article, of obtaining salvation only by the name of Christ-in avowed opposition to those who think that men may yet be saved, although refusing to believe in Jesus.

They also are to be had accursed. It is not often that the Church of England employs such strong expressions. Unlike Rome, who in her Trentine decrees is incessantly fulminating her anathemas against all who in the least degree differ from her peculiar dogmas and institutions, the Church of England refrains from all such language, except when, as in this article,and in the creed of St. Athanasius, she has to deal with those who openly contradict, not merely her teaching, but the distinct declarations of Almighty God, upon matters in which He has required their submission to his will. In such cases let it be remembered, that the anathema falls not from the lips of man, but from the tribunal of God; Mark xvi. 15, 16; Gal. i. 8, 9. Here it is not to be denied, that God pronounces those to be accursed, who set up notions of their own in opposition to his Gospel, and solemnly foretells their damnation, if they persist in resistance to his authority. The question then is, in regard to the Article before us,-Is such the position of those against whom it is directed? They are those,

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

that law, and the light of nature. The assertion is one which has never wanted for advocates, especially among those who affect what are too often miscalled liberal views. They contend that however a man may decline to receive the specific truths of Divine revelation, if only he is sincere in his opinions, and follows in his conduct the dictates of nature as to what is right and wrong, he cannot fail of being acceptable to his Maker. In other words, they would have it conceded, that men may obtain their salvation in a course of actual opposition to the will of God; thereby involving the Almighty Himself in the inconsistency of approving by his acts a state of mind which his Word condemns; as well as of having failed to give to honest inquirers sufficient light to guide them into truth. Every devout mind will shrink at once from any such impiety, seeing that it gives a denial to Christ's own declaration of the sufficiency of the light of his Gospel for all who are in earnest to serve God: John vii. 16, 17; viii. 12; and sets at nought his most explicit forewarnings of the consequences of not believing in his name: John iii. 18; and hence this Article concludes with a simple reference to the testimony of scripture on the point.

For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved. Allusion is evidently made to Acts iv. 12. And no statement can be more conclusive on the question at issue. God has opened but one way for our approach to Him; John xiv. 1. If therefore, we believe not in Jesus, we cannot be saved; John iii. 36. Consequently, to affirm, that men may obtain salvation, although rejecting the only hope which God has given to them in Christ, is clearly to contravene the Divine Word, and to incur thereby the awful malediction which Jehovah has issued against all who venture to set aside the Gospel of his Son.

It is to be observed, that the Church in this article has not taken on herself to affirm any doctrine touching the possibility of salvation in the case of those to whom the Gospel has never been made known; neither does she deny that God, in his sovereign grace, might act upon the minds of some among them by his Spirit, and under the light which they have, prepare them for his kingdom. It is a question, however, upon which the Church is silent. Her statement relates to those who have the Gospel; and respecting them, her Article declares, as God has done, that they must believe that Gospel, or be lost. And here the man of humble and practical piety will rest, solicitous only that he may be found, by faith in Jesus, a sure partaker of eternal life.

J. H.

HOW TO WORK EMBLEMS.

Example the Second.

THE first example we offered to our fellow-teachers on the treatment of Scripture Emblems, will be found at page 324 of our last Volume. It was our object there to show how such Emblems as have been usually employed to convey merely moral instruction, or "the rudiments of the world," may become the familiar basis of much higher teaching, and impart the full knowledge of truth as revealed to us by the Lord.

In general, the sacred writers use Emblems after this spiritual manner, especially the Prophets.

Our former examples were from the field of Nature; we now propose to make a selection from the province of Art. The operations of human skill, art, and science, are chosen in the following Emblems:

:

THE SILVER DROSS.-Jer. vi. 29, 30.
THE BURNT CAKE.-Hosea vii. 8.

I. THE SILVER DROSS.

"Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them." Jer vi. 29, 30.

"The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the Lord trieth the hearts." Prov. xvii. 3.

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Malachi. iii. 3. 1. The art of getting such beautiful and precious metals as gold and silver, out of the earthy substances called ores, in which they are contained, is very astonishing. The ore itself when first dug up, generally does not differ in appearance from common earth or stone; sometimes, however, it is bright, shining, and brittle, something like coal.

In order to find if there is any silver in the ore, and to get it out, and as it were to turn it into silver, separating it from the earthy part which is called the alloy, the Refiner, or Founder puts it into the fire with other things, such as lead, to make it melt sooner; and then he blows up the fire with bellows, or in some other way, to make the heat strong enough.

It is very beautiful to see the pure silver flow, and come out. At the table where I now write, I have sometimes done this on a small scale, only to look at the extreme beauty of the new made silver. It appears like a large round drop, then; and seems to simmer in the heat, and to throw off a dull covering; and after that, it

resembles a very beautiful pearl, only ten times as bright, and being red hot, it looks like a large dazzling pink pearl. As soon as it gets cool it is fit to be made into all kinds of useful and beautiful things, such as cups, and ornaments. There is left behind a heavy brittle substance, which, though it looks bright, cannot be melted and turned into silver: this is the SILVER DROSS. Thus the art and skill of man is employed to get silver out of the earthy ore, and as it were, turn it into silver.

2. Now, my dear children, you are like this ore. Having been dug out of the earth, as it were, you are no longer regarded by God as in a state of nature, for you were born of Christian parents, submitted to Christian rites, brought up with Christian discipline, nurtured with Christian instruction, and it is to be hoped-especially of such as have confirmed your sponsors' vows, and been partakers of the Lord's Supper,—that there is some silver in you; some fear of God, dread of sin, and beginnings of true faith at least; for you cannot do less than "believe that God is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. xi. 6; and this is true, though not mature faith.

3. God has but one intention in permitting you to live in this world for your allotted time. It is in order to get the silver out pure and bright; and to destroy the alloy of sin in your hearts, such as deceitfulness, selfishness, hatred, impure desires, and pride; and this will be the consequence of this wise, and kind, and gracious treatment, if it be not your own fault.

4. As the skill of the founder employs methods to get gold and silver out of the ore, so God takes means to make us good. He has tried all men, in all ages; but He especially tries our hearts now Christ is come, "and the true light," on all subjects, of our condition and duty, of sin and holiness, judgment and mercy, "now shineth." 1 John ii. 8.

God never does, and never will take means that will hurt us. We need never be afraid in his kind hands; for as the Proverb says, "He tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," and how much more tenderly, kindly, and gently will He treat you.

(a). The means God takes with you, is speaking to you; for you only, of all his creatures, have a mind and understanding. In the Bible is what and all He says; its truths, doctrines, precepts, statements, and declarations--some of them full of unspeakable comfort, others very awful-reach your heart and conscience, and search you through and through. This is why God's Word is compared to a fire, "Is not my Word like as a fire, saith the Lord ?" Jer, xxiii. 29. Fire

D

If you reflect, you

penetrates all things, even the hardest. will see that God's Word—what He says, has got into your heart and mind long since. "The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart," Rom. x. 8.

By what God has said to you, you know what you have done; what your state is, and ought to be; how to get into a good state, if you are in a bad one, by repentance and faith; and in a word, how to save your soul alive. Ezek. xviii. 27.

(b). If you have done any wickedness, or do not attend to the voice of conscience, which is the transcript of that Word; or if you mistake that Word, and learn it wrong; then God interferes by his Providence, and sends warnings of many kinds, and chastisements, and trouble of mind, to " open your ears (to the Word) and seal his instructions." If any one will then attend, he shall be restored, and be like a happy and innocent little child again, Job xxxiii. 17, 25.

5. Then after this, when you begin to know God's ways-value God's favour-hate sin and love the souls of men; you are fit for God's service and shall be employed in it, and be in God's house for ever, like the refined SILVER made into some beautiful cup or ornament in the house of a rich nobleman; for "in God's house there are vessels of silver and vessels of gold, made to honour and meet for the Master's use." 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21.

6. Oh, how good is God! Oh, how stupid are sinners. The most stupid are those "that have the form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof." These Christians, (such in name only,) are persons who do not really believe the supernatural part of the Gospel history at all. Though written in their minds and memories, it has no effect on them to make them live to God; but they spend their time as if there were no resurrection of the body, or future award: these are the SILVER DROSS. God is trying them too, every moment. Job vii. 18. But for all their shining qualities, there is no SILVER in them, because there is, as yet, no faith. They are like the Jews Jeremiah lamented over, for whom "their Founder," had done his utmost ; (Compare Is. v. 4; "What could have been done more &c.) for through the very great heat of the fire their refiner had made, "the bellows were burnt," that were used in the blowing; and "the lead was consumed" that was used in the melting, (verse 29), and all to no purpose; they would not be turned from sin; and so "the Lord rejected them," and said that "men should ever after call them reprobate silver, or SILVER DROSS, (verse 30th.) So you see, SILVER DROSS is an Emblem that represents those who shut their eyes and "harden their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, and believe with their hearts, and be converted, and God should heal them." Matt. xiii. 15.

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