Trollope on Article XVIII: Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ

It is not asserted in this Article that Salvation will not be extended to anj who are not members of the Christian covenant ; but, without presuming to enquire how far the divine mercy may be shewn to those who have not embraced the religion of Jesus, either because thev have not heard of him, or refused to accept him, our Churcn simplv denounces the pla<isible assumption, that all religions will find e(}ual fiivour with God, it men be diligent to frame their lives according to the law which they profess, and the light of nature.

2. With whom did the doctrine condemned by this ’ Article originate ; and has it been widely maintained ?

In the fourth Century, after the establishment of Christi- anity by Constantino as the religion of the Roman empire , the advocates of Paganism pleaded for the toleration of the old religion, on the ground that it was a matter of indiffer- ence what faith a man professed, and that the Deity was more highly honoured by the greater variety of the forms of

bis worship. By a like affectation of liberality Mahomet sought to encrease the number of his followers; and the same principle has never been without advocateaeven among^ professing Christians.

3. Upon what grounds, and by whose authority, is this opinion denounced ?

The Article declares, in the words of Scripture, that

• there is none other name under heaven given among men, ’ whereby we must be saved, but only the name of our Lord ’ Jesus Christ* (Acts iv. 12.). To tne same effect our Lord himself assured Nicodemus, that ’ he that believeth on the ’ Son hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not, shall ’ not see life : but the wrath of Gk)d abideth on him’ (John iii. 36.). Thus also he said to bis disciples, * I am the way, ’ and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the

• Father, but by me’ (John xiv. 6.); and, in his parting commission to them, he declared, * He that believeth, and is

• baptized, shall be saved ; and he that believeth not shall ’ be damned’ (Mark xvi. 16.). Hence St. Paul taught that ’ the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto Salvation to

• every one that believeth’ (Rom. i. 16.) ; and St. John bare reoora ’ that God hath eiven to us eternal life, and this life ’ is in his Son : he that nath the Son hath life ; and he that

• hath not the Son of God hath not life’ (1 John v. 11, 12.).

4. Does not this exclusive belief militate against St. Peter’s declaration to Cornelius, that God is no respecter of persons j but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is ac- cepted of Him (Acts x. 34, 35.) ?

No. The Article proceeds upon the supposition that the Gospel has been preached, and rejected. After his conver- sion Cornelius became at once a member of the covenant of God ; and that he was thereby endued with greater privi- leges is manifest from the commission which Peter received •to instruct him in the fai^. Having been invited to embrace the Gospel he had no alternative but to do so ; for Christ would have died in vain, if men could be saved by any o ther Law.

5. What then are we directed by our Church to

believe respecting those who have not embraced the Gospel covenant ?

Instead of curiously inquiring either into the manner, or the degree, in which the mer();y’ of God may be exerted towards those among whom Christ has not been preached, it is enough to know that they are not included in his covenanted promisea, and cannot therefore be placed upon a level with the Church of Christ. Charity requires us to ho^ that the benefits of Christ’s death and passion, by which alone they can be saved, will be extended to them. On this subject however the Article is silent ; merely affirm- ing that *they are to be had accursed’ who re^^ard the Gh)spel as useless, by placing it on the same footing with other creeds.

6. Explain the import and origin of the express- ion, to be had accursed.

To be had aecureed is merely a technical term, applied by the primitive Christians to persons excommunicatea, or excluded from communion with the Church, either on account of their wicked Uves or dangerous opinions. The original form of condemning an error was by denouncing the person who held it, in the words Anathema sit : or, as in the Latin version of this Article, anathematizandus est : and it seems to have been built upon certain expressions in the Apostolioal Epistles. See Rom. ix. 3. 1 Cor. xvi. ^, Gal. i. 8. Those may well be shut out from the privileges of the Church, who undervalue and reject them.

7. What do you mean by the privileges of the Church J and do the Articles say any thing respect- ing them ?

It is in the Church onlv that Christ has chosen to dispense the means of gnice, by which those, who hope for Salvation through faith in his name, are enabled to attain to it ; so that uiey who do not become members of the Church, exclude themselves from a participation in the Gk)spel privilqres. Bp. Pearson observes {on the Creed^ Art. 9.) that ’ Christ never appointed two ways to heaven ; nor did he build a Church to save some, and make another ‘institution for other mens’ Salvation.’ In the Articles, which have been already examined, the docti*ines, and

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privileges of Christianity have beea considered with refer- ence to individual Christians ; and we now come to those points of doctrine and discipline, which relate to them collectively f as members of the Church.

8. Shew that the early Fathers speak of Salva^ tion by Christ only, and as attainable only in the Church.

Iffnathis maintains (£p. ad Smym. c. 6.) that all beings visible and invisible, are ob7wxious to judgment, unless they believe in the efficacy qf the bood qf uhrtst: and again (ad Phil. G. 9.) that Christ is the door qf the Father , by which Abraham, and Isaac, and the Prophets, and the Apostles, and the Church, all enter, Ireuseus (Hser. iii. 19. 1.) says that alj, nfho acknofvledge not him that ntas bom of’ the Virgin, even JEmmanuel, are deprived qf the gift qfever- lastinq life. And Cyprian (Test, ad Quirin. III. 24.) affirms that tnere is no eomtfig to the Father but by his Son, Jesus Christ, as he MmselfMbs declared in John xiv., 6. The same writer (Epist. 4.) hdds that there is Salvation to no one eoDcept in the Church : Ireueeus (Hser. ill. 40.). asserts that those, who do not enter the Church, cannot be partakers of the Holy Spirit, and therqfore cheat themselves of eternal life : and Augustine (lit. Pet. 0. 38.), that iw one can have Crodfor his Father who has not the Church for his Mother, See also Barnab. £p. Cath. c. 12. Ignat. ad Ephes. c. 5. Trail. CC. 7. 9. Origen. in Josh. Horn. 4. Cyprian. Epist. 69. Jexom. in Ephes. o. 5.