According to which principle (or hypothesis)
all the objections against the universality of
Christ's death are easily solved; neither is it needful
to recur to the ministry of angels, and those
other miraculous means, which, they say, God
makes use of, to manifest the doctrine and history
of Christ's passion, unto such who (living in those
places of the world where the outward preaching
of the gospel is unknown) have well improved the
first and common grace; for hence it well follows,
that as some of the old philosophers might have
been saved, so also may now some (who by providence
are cast into those remote parts of the world,
where the knowledge of the history is wanting) be
made partakers of the divine mystery, if they receive
and resist not that grace, a manifestation
whereof is given to every man to profit withal.
991 Cor. xiii. 7.
This certain doctrine then being received (to wit) that
there is an evangelical and saving light and grace
in all, the universality of the love and mercy of God
towards mankind (both in the death of his beloved
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the manifestation
of the light in the heart) is established and
confirmed against all the objections of such as deny
it. Therefore Christ hath tasted death for every man;
1010Heb. ii. 9.
not only for all kinds of men, as some vainly talk,
but for every one, of all kinds; the benefit of whose
offering is not only extended to such, who have the
distinct outward knowledge of his death and sufferings,
as the same is declared in the scriptures,
but even unto those who are necessarily excluded
from the benefit of this knowledge by some inevitable
accident; which knowledge we willingly
confess to be very profitable and comfortable, but
not absolutely needful unto such, from whom God
himself hath with-held it; yet they may be made
8 partakers of the mystery of his death (though ignorant
of the history) if they suffer his seed and
light (enlightening their hearts) to take place (in
which light, communion with the Father and Son
is enjoyed) so as of wicked men to become holy,
and lovers of that power, by whose inward and
secret touches they feel themselves turned from
the evil to the good, and learn to do to others as
they would be done by; in which Christ himself affirms
all to be included. As they then have falsely and
erroneously taught, who have denied Christ to
have died for all men; so neither have they sufficiently
taught the truth, who affirming him to have
died for all, have added the absolute necessity of
the outward knowledge thereof, in order to the
obtaining its saving effect; among whom the
Remonstrants of Holland have been chiefly wanting,
and many other assertors of Universal redemption,
in that they have not placed the extent of this
salvation in that divine and evangelical principle of
light and life, wherewith Christ hath enlightened
every man that comes into the world, which is
excellently and evidently held forth in these scriptures,
Gen. vi. 3.
Deut. xxx. 14.
John i. 7, 8, 9.
Rom. x. 8.
Tit. ii. 11.