worst of crimes. Thus the Almighty himself declares to St. John the apostle, "But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death," Rev. xxi. 8. If, therefore, Almighty God has sworn that unbelievers shall not enter into his rest, and if he declares that their portion shall be in hell, one must shut his eyes on purpose not to see that true belief, true faith in Jesus Christ and his words, namely, that faith, without which it is impossible to please God, is absolutely required by Almighty God as a condition of salvation.

(8.) The word of God assures us, that, antecedently to faith in Christ, all mankind are under sin, and that it is impossible to be justified from their sins but by faith in Jesus Christ, which is set forth by God as the means for obtaining justification.. Thus we have charged both. Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin, as it is written, There is not any man just," Rom. iii. 9. But the justice of God is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe in him; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned, and do need the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood,” Rom. iii. 22. Also, "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Gal. iii. 22.

(9.) These sacred testimonies of the word of God are so manifest and convincing, that the Church of England admits and embraces the Athanasian Creed, as containing nothing but divine truths, and

what may be proved by the most evident texts of Scripture, as is declared in the 8th of the Thirtynine Articles. Now, the Athanasian Creed begins thus: "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith, which faith, except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly." Then after explaining the great mysteries of the Catholic faith, concerning the Unity and Trinity of God, and the Incarnation and Death of Jesus Christ, it concludes in these words: This is the Catholic faith, which, except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved." This speaks plain indeed, and needs no application.

Now, seeing the true faith, or the firm belief of those truths which Jesus Christ revealed, is thus. absolutely required as a condition of salvation, it follows as a necessary consequence, that, out of the true Church of Christ there is no salvation, because this true faith can only be found in the true Church of Christ; to her the sacred charge of the truths of eternity was committed; the words of Jesus Christ were first put in her mouth, and an express covenant made by God, That they should never depart from her mouth. It is therefore from the pastors of the Church alone we can learn the true faith, since they alone are authorized to preach it, and, in hearing them, we hear Christ himself. Hence St. Paul says, "How shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach unless they be sent?" Rom. x. 14. Now, the pastors of the Church were ordained and sent by Jesus Christ to "teach all nations, and to preach the gospel to every creature," consequently, it is only from them that the truths of the gospel can be learned.

SECTION III

PROOFS, WITH REGARD TO THOSE WHO ARE
SEPARATED FROM THE CHURCH.

IN this section we are to consider what judgment the Scriptures pronounce upon all those who are separated from the Church of Christ by teaching and believing doctrines contrary to hers; and, for the greater clearness, we shall first consider those who begin such separation, and teach false doctrine, and then those who follow such leaders. With regard to the former:

(1.) Our Blessed Saviour, foretelling the coming of false teachers, says, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves; by their fruits ye shall know them;" and then he tells us, going on with the similitude of a tree, what shall be the por tion of such false prophets.. "Every tree," says he, "that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire," Matth. vii. 15, 19. Such is the fate of false teachers, according to Jesus Christ. St. Paul describes them in the same light, and exhorts the pastors of the Church to watch against them, that they may prevent the seduction of the flock. "I know," says he, "that, after my departure, ravening wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch," Acts xx. 29. Such is the idea the word of God gives of all those who depart from the doctrine of the Church of Christ, and teach falsehood, that they are ravenous wolves, seducers of the people, who speak perverse things, and whose end is hell fire..

(2.) St. Paul concluding his epistle to the Romans, cautions them against all such teachers in these words: "Now, I beseech you, brethren, to mark them who cause dissensions and offences contrary, to the doctrine which ye have learned, and to avoid them: for they that are such serve not Christ our Lord, but their own belly, and by pleasing speeches, and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent," Rom. xvi. 17. Can such as these, who cause dissensions contrary to the old doctrine, and seduce the souls redeemed by the blood of Jesus, who are not servants of Christ, but his enemies, and are slaves to their own belly; can these, I say, be in the way of salvation? Alas! the same holy apostle describes their fate in another text, saying, "That they are enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame," Phil. iii. 18.

(3.) In St. Paul's absence, some false teachers had come in among the Galatians, and persuaded them, that it was necessary for salvation to join. circumcision with the gospel; on this account, the apostle writes his epistle to them to correct them from this error; and though it was but an error in one point, and in appearance of no great importance, yet, because it was false doctrine, see how the holy apostle condemns it: "I wonder how you are so soon removed from him that called you to the grace of Christ, unto another gospel; which is not another; only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you, besides that which we have preached to you,, let him be accursed. As we said before, I say now. again, if any one preach to you a gospel besides.

that which ye have received, let him be accursed," Gal. i. 6. This shews, with a witness, indeed, the great crime, and dismal fate of false teachers, though but in one only point of false doctrine!

(4.) St. Peter describes these unhappy men in the most dreadful colours: "There shall be among you," says he, "lying teachers, who shall bring sects of perdition, (or, as the Protestant translation has it, damnable heresies,) and deny the Lord who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction," 2 Pet. ii. 1.; and going on to describe them, he says, "Their judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not," verse 3.; the Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented; and especially them who... despise governments, audacious, pleasing themselves, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming," verse 9.; "leaving the right way, they have gone astray,' verse 15.; "these are wells without water, and clouds tossed with whirlwinds, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved," verse 1.; good God! what a dreadful state to be in!

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(5.) St. Paul, speaking of such as are led away by what St. Peter calls damnable heresies, says, A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid; knowing that he that is such an one, is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment," Tit. iii. 10. Other offenders are judged, and cast out of the Church, by the sentence of the pastors of the same Church; but heretics more unhappy than they, run out of the Church of their own accord, and, by so doing, give judgment and sentence against their own souls,

(6.) St. John brands all such false teachers who go out from the true Church of Christ, with the horrid name of Antichrists: "Even now," says he,,