An Apology for the True Christian Divinity. Robert Barclay

Ephes. v. 13. And teacheth all Temperance, Righteousness, and Godliness; and this Light enlighteneth the Hearts of all, for a Time, in order to Salvation; and this is it which reproves the Sin of all Individuals, and would work out the Salvation of all, if not resisted. Nor is it less Universal than the Seed of Sin, being the Purchase of his Death, who tasted Death for every Man. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, 1 Cor. xv. 22.

[54] Ezek. 18. 32. & 33. 11.

      PROPOSITION VI.

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 useth to manifest the Doctrine and History of Christ’s Passion unto such, who, living in Parts of the World where the outward Preaching of the Gospel is unknown, have well improved the first and common Grace. For as hence it well follows, that some of the Old Philosophersmight have been saved, so also may 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, [55]A Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal.This most certain Doctrine being then received, 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 [56]Christ hath tasted Death for every Man; not only for all Kinds of Men, as some vainly talk, but for every Man of all Kinds: The Benefit of whose Offering is not only extended to such who have the distinct outward Knowledge of his Deathand 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 Partakers of the Mystery of his Death, though ignorant of the History, if they suffer his Seedand Light, enlightening their Hearts, to take Place; in which Light Communion with the Father and the 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 have then 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 obtain 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 cometh into the World; which is excellently and evidently held forth in these Scriptures, Gen. vi. 3. Deut. xxx. 14. John i. 7, 8, 9, 16. Rom. x. 8. Titus ii. 11.

[55] 1 Cor. 12. 7.

[56] Heb. 2. 9.

      Absolute Reprobation, that horrible and blasphemous Doctrine, described.Hitherto we have considered Man’s fallen, lost, corrupted, and degenerated Condition. Now it is fit to enquire, How and by what Means he may come to be freed out of this miserable and depraved Condition, which in these two Propositions is declared and demonstrated; which I thought meet to place together because of their Affinity, the one being as it were an Explanation of the other.

      As for that Doctrine which these Propositions chiefly strike at, to wit, absolute Reprobation, according to which some are not afraid to assert, “That God, by an Eternal and Immutable Decree, hath Predestinated to Eternal Damnation the far greater Part of Mankind, not considered as made, much less as fallen, without any Respect to their Disobedience or Sin, but only for the demonstrating of the Glory of his Justice; and that for the bringing this about, he hath appointed these miserable Souls necessarily to walk in their wicked Ways, that so his Justice may lay hold on them: And that God doth therefore not only suffer them to be liable to this Misery in many Parts of the World, by with-holding from them the Preaching of the Gospel and the Knowledge of Christ, but even in those Places where the Gospel is preached, and Salvation by Christ is offered; whom though he publickly invite them, yet he justly condemns for Disobedience, albeit he hath with-held from them all Grace by which they could have laid hold of the Gospel, viz. Because he hath, by a secret Will unknown to all Men, ordained and decreed (without any Respect had to their Obedience or Sin) that they shall not obey, and that the Offer of the Gospel shall never prove effectual for their Salvation, but only serve to aggravate and occasion their greater Condemnation.”

      I say, as to this horrible and blasphemous Doctrine, our Cause is common with many others, who have both wisely and learnedly, according to Scripture, Reason, and Antiquity, refuted it. Seeing then that so much is said already and so well against this Doctrine, that little can be superadded, except what hath been said already, I shall be short in this Respect; yet, because it lies so in Opposition to my Way, I cannot let it altogether pass.

      §. I.

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      This Doctrine a Novelty.First, We may safely call this Doctrine a Novelty, seeing in the first four hundred Years after Christ there is no Mention made of it: For as it is contrary to the Scriptures Testimony, and to the Tenor of the Gospel, so all the ancient Writers, Teachers, and Doctors of the Church pass it over with a profound Silence. The Rise of it.The first Foundations of it were laid in the later Writings of Augustine, who, in his Heat against Pelagius, let fall some Expressions which some have unhappily gleaned up, to the establishing of this Error; thereby contradicting the Truth, and sufficiently gainsaying many others, and many more and frequent Expressions of the same Augustine. Afterwards was this Doctrine fomented by Dominicus a Friar, and the Monks of his Order; and at last unhappily taken up by John Calvin (otherwise a Man in divers Respects to be commended) to the great staining of his Reputation, and Defamation both of the Protestant and Christian Religion; which though it received the Decrees of the Synod of Dort for its Confirmation, hath since lost Ground, and begins to be exploded by most Men of Learning and Piety in all Protestant Churches. However, we should not oppugn it for the Silence of the Ancients, Paucity of its Assertors, or for the Learnedness of its Opposers, if we did observe it to have any real Bottom in the Writings or Sayings of Christ and the Apostles, and that it were not highly injurious to God himself, to Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer, and to the Power, Virtue, Nobility, and Excellency if his blessed Gospel, and lastly unto all Mankind.

      §. II.

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Highly injurious to God, in making him the Author of Sin.First, It is highly injurious to God, because it makes him the Author of Sin, which of all Things is most contrary to his Nature. I confess the Assertors of this Principle deny this Consequence; but that is but a mere Illusion, seeing it so naturally follows from this Doctrine, and is equally ridiculous, as if a Man should pertinaciously deny that one and two make three. For if God has decreed that the reprobated Ones shall perish, without all Respect to their evil Deeds, but only of his own Pleasure, and if he hath also decreed long before they were in Being, or in a Capacity to do Good or Evil, that they should walk in those wicked Ways, by which, as