{"number":18,"title":"Of obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ","part":null,"questions":[],"paragraphs":["18.1"],"clauses":[],"items":[],"text":"> They also are to be 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.\n\nThe Impiety that is condemned in this Article, was first taug htby some of the Heathen Oraters and Philosophers in the Fourth Century, who in their Addresses to the Christian Emperors for the Tolerance of *Paganism,* started this Thought, that how lively soever it may seem, when well set off in a piece of Eloquence, will not bear a severe Argument: That God is more honoured by the Varieties and different Methods of worshipping and serving him, than if all should fall into the same way: That this diversity has a Beauty in it, and a suitableness to the Infinite Perfections of God; and it does not look so like a mutual agreement or concert, as when all Men worship him one way. But this is rather a Flash of Wit, than true Reasoning.\n\nThe *Alcoran* has carried this matter further to the asserting, That all Men in all Religions are equally acceptable to God, if they serve him faithfully in them. The infusing this into the World, that has a shew of Mercy in it, made Men more easy to receive their Law; and they took care by their extream Severity to fix them in it, when they were once engaged; for though they use no Force to make Men *Musselmans,* yet they punish with all extremity every thing that looks like Apostacy from it, if it is once received. The Doctrine of *Leviathan,* that makes *Law* to be *Religion,* and *Religion* to be *Law,* that is, that obliges Subjects to believe that Religion to be true, or at least to follow that which is enacted by the Laws of their Countrey; must be built either on this foundation, That there is no such thing as Revealed Religion, but that it is only a Political Contrivance; or that all Religions are equally acceptable to God.\n\nOthers having observ’d that it was a very small part of Mankind that had the advantages of the Christian Religion, have thought it too cruel to damn in their thoughts all those who have not heard of it, and yet have lived morally and virtuously, according to their Light and Education. And some, to make themselves and others easy, in accommodating their Religion to their secular Interests, to excuse their changing, and to quiet their Consciences, have set up this Notion, that seems to have a largeness both of good Nature and Charity in it; looks plausiable, and is calculated to take in the greatest Numbers; They therefore suppose that God in his Infinite Goodness will accept equally the Services that all his Creratures offer to him, according to the best of their skill and strength.\n\nIn opposition to all which, they are here condemned, who think that every Man shall be saved by the *Law* or *Sect* which he professeth: Where a great difference is to be observed between the words *saved by the Law,* and *saved in the Law*; the one is condemned but not the other. To *be saved by a Law or Sect,* signifies, That by the virtue of that *Law* or *Sect* such Men who follow it may be *saved:* Whereas to be *saved in a Law or Sect,* imports only, That God may extend his Compassions to Men that are engaged in false Religions. The former is only condemned by this Article, which affirms nothing concerning the other. In sum; if we have fully proved that the Christian Religion was delivered to the World in the Name of God, and was attested by Miracles, so that we believe it’s Truth, we must believe every part and tittle of it, and by consequence those Passages which denounce the Wrath and Judgments of God against Impenitent Sinners, and that promise Mercy and Salvation only upon the account of Christ and his Death:[^1] *We must believe with our hearts, and confess it with our mouths: We must not be ashamed of Christ or of his words, lest he should be ashamed of us, when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels.* This I say, being a part of the Gospel, must be as true as the Gospel it self is; and these Rules must bind all those to whom they are proposed whether they are enacted by *Law* or not: For if we are assured that they are a part of the *Law of the King of Kings,* we are bound to believe and obey them whether Human Laws do favour them or not; it being an evident thing, that no subordinate Authority can derogate from that which is superior to it: So if the *Laws* of God are clearly revealed, and certainly conveyed down to us, we are bound by them, and no Human Law can dissolve this Obligation. If God has declared his Will to us, it can never be supposed to be free to us to chuse whether we will obey it or not, and serve him under that or under another Form of Religion, at our pleasure and choice. We are limited by what God has declared to us, and we must not fancy our selves to be at liberty after he has revealed his Will to us.\n\nAs to such to whom the Christian Religion is revealed, there no question can be made, for it is certain they are under an indispensable Obligation to obey and follow that which is so graciously revealed to them: They are bound to follow it according to what they are in their Consciences persuaded is its true sense and meaning. And if for any Secular Interest they chuse to comply with that which they are convinced is an Important Error, and is condemned in the Scripture, they do plainly shew that they prefer Lands, Houses, and Life, to the Authority of God, in whose Will, when revealed to them, they are bound to acquiesce.\n\nThe only difficulty remaining, is concerning those who never heard of this Religion, Whether, or How can they be saved? St. *Paul* having divided the World into *Jews* and *Gentiles,* called by him those who were in the Law, and who were without Law; he says, Those *who sinned without Law,*[^2] that is, out of the *Mosaical* Dispensation, *shall be judged without Law,* that is, upon another foot. For he adds, when *the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature things contained in the Law,* (That is, the Moral parts of it) *these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves*; (that is, their Consciences are to them instead of a Written Law); *which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.* This implies that there are either Seeds of Knowledg and Virtue laid in the Nature of Man, or that such Notions pass among them, as are carried down by Tradition. The same S. *Paul* says, *How can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?*[^3] *and how can they hear without a Preacher?* Which seems plainly to intimate, that Men cannot be bound to believe, and by consequence cannot be punished for not believing, unless the Gospel is preached to them. St. *Peter* said to *Cornelius, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons;*[^4] *but in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him.* Those places seem to import, that those who make the best use they can of that small measure of Light that is given them, shall be judged according to it; and that God will not require more of them than he has given them. This also agrees so well with the Ideas which we have both of Justice and Goodness, that this Opinion wants not special colours to make it look well. But on the other hand, the Pardon of Sin, and the Favourof God, are so positively limited to the believing in Christ Jesus, and it is so expresly said, That *there is no salvation in any other*;[^5] and that *there is none other name* (or Authority) *under Heaven given among Men, whereby we must be saved*; that the distinction which can only be made in this matter, is this, That it is only on the Account, and in the Consideration of the Death of Christ, that Sin is pardoned, and men are saved.\n\nThis is the only Sacrifice in the sight of God; so that whosoever are received into mercy, have it through Christ as the Channel and Conveyance of it. But it is not so plainly said that no Man can be saved, unless he has an explicit Knowledge of this, together with a belief in it. Few in the Old Dispensation could have that: Infants, and Innocents, or Ideots have it not, and yet it were a bold thing to say that they may not be saved by it. So it does not appear to be clearly Revealed, That none shall be saved by the Death of Christ, unless they do explicitely both know it, and believe in it. Since it is certain, That God may pardon Sin only upon that score, without obliging all Men to believe in it, especially when it is not Revealed to them. And here another distinction is to be made, which will clear this whole matter, and all the difficulties that arise out of it.\n\nA great difference is to be made between a Foederal certainty of Salvation, secured by the Promises of God, and of this New Covenant in Christ Jesus, and the extent to which the Goodness and Mercy of God may go. None are in a Foederal State of Salvation but Christians: To them is given the Covenant of Grace, and to them the promises of God are made and offered; So that they have a certainty of it upon their performing those conditions that are put in the promises. All others are out of this Promise to whom the Tidings of it were never brought; but yet a great difference is to be made between them, and those who have been invited to this Covenant, and admitted to the outward Profession, and the common Privileges of it, and that yet have in effect rejected it: These are under such positive denunciations of Wrath and Judgment, that there is no room left for any charitable Thoughts or Hopes concerning them: So that if any part of the Gospel is true, that must be also true, that they are under Condemnation,[^6] for *having lov d darkness more than light,* when the Light shone upon them, and visited them. But as for them whom God has left in Darkness, they are certainly out of the Covenant, out of those Promises and Declarations that are made in it. So that they have no Foederal Right to be saved, neither can we affirm that they shall be saved: But on the other hand, they are not under those positive denunciations, because they were never made to them: Therefore since God has not declared that they shall be damned, no more ought we to take upon us to damn them.\n\nInstead of stretching the severity of Justice by an Inference, we may rather venter to stretch the Mercy of God, since that is the Attribute which of all others is the most Magnificently spoken of in the Scriptures: So that we ought to think of it in the largest and most comprehensive manner. But indeed the most proper way is, for us to stop where the Revelation of God stops: And not to be wise beyond what is written; but to leave the secrets of God as Mysteries too far above us to examine, or to sound their depth. We do certainly know on what terms we our selves shall be saved or damned: And we ought to be contented with that, and rather study *to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,* than to let our minds run out into uncertain Speculations concerning the Measures and the Conditions of God’s uncovenanted Mercies: We ought to take all possible care that we our selves come not into Condemnation, rather than to define positively of others, who must, or who must not, be condemned.\n\nIt is therefore enough to fix this according to the Design of the Article, That it is not to free Men to chuse at pleasure what Religion they will, as if that were left to them, or that all Religions were alike; which strikes at the Foundation, and undermines the Truth of all Revealed Religion. None are within the Covenant of Grace but true Christians, and all are excluded out of it, to whom it is offered, who do not receive and believe it, and live according to it. So in a word, all that are saved, are saved through Christ; but whether all these shall be called to the Explicite Knowledge of him, is more than we have any good ground to affirm. Nor are we to go into that other Question; Whether any that are only in a state of Nature, live fully up to its Light? This is that about which we can have no certainty, no more than whether there may be a Common Grace given to them all, proportioned to their State, and to the Obligations of it. This in general may be safely believed, That God will never be wanting to such as do their utmost endeavours in order to the saving of their Souls: But that as in the Case of *Cornelius,* an Angel will be sent, and a Miracle be wrought, rather than that such a Person shall be left to perish. But whether any of them do ever arrive at that state, is more than we can determine, and it is a vain attempt for us to endeavour to find it out.\n\n[^1]: Rom. 10.9, 10. Mark. 8.38.\n[^2]: Rom. 2.12, 14, 15.\n[^3]: Rom. 10.14.\n[^4]: Acts 10.34▪ 35.\n[^5]: Acts 4.12.\n[^6]: Joh. 3.19."}