Ezekiel Hopkins (1634–1690) on the Saveability of All Men by the All-Sufficient Death of Christ

None of you are excluded from a possibility of being saved. The Covenant of Grace runs in most large and comprehensive terms: Whosoever believeth shall obtain eternal life. The death of Christ and his blood is a most sovereign medicine, applicable, not only to all maladies, but to all men, if they will believe. Though it is true, that none shall be saved but the elect; yet is it true also, that a possibility of salvation extends farther than election. Election gives the infallibility of salvation, as reprobation doth the infallibility of damnation: but, yet, as there is a possibility for those, that shall infallibly be saved, to perish if they do not believe; so is it possible for those, that shall infallibly perish, to be saved if they will believe.

The possibility of salvation, therefore, stands, not upon election, but upon Two other grounds.

(1st) The Meritorious and All-sufficient Procurement of Christ.

Whereby he hath procured salvation for all the world, and for all in the world, upon condition of their faith; for that must still be taken in: for, were it not so, how could we preach remission of sins in his name to every creature, were not his death applicable to all? then, though some should believe, yet, for want of a sacrifice offered up and a price paid down for them, they should not be saved, though they should believe. How then is it, that we seriously call all men to repent and believe, that their sins may be pardoned and their souls saved? certainly, unless the death of Christ hath procured salvation for all men upon condition of faith and repentance, such calls would be false in us, and vain to them: for so, we should promise salvation upon believing, to those, to whom, though they should believe, salvation should be denied, because they want a covenant made with them, and a surety to undertake for them. Therefore, I say, Christ’s procurement is general so far, that whoever believes shall receive the benefit of his death.

(2dly) As the death of Christ is applicable to all for salvation if they believe, so Faith, that alone applies this death, is attainable by you all, if you be not wanting to yourselves.

None of you are under an impossibility of believing; and, therefore, not under an impossibility of salvation. Though it be certain, that some shall infallibly persevere in infidelity; yet there is no one, that hears the sound of the Gospel and the outward call of God in his word, but may believe and obey, if he be not wanting to himself. Neither is this doctrine Arminianism; nor is it prejudicial to the efficacious grace of God, whereby the will is powerfully swayed to faith and obedience: for the converting grace of God is not given to make men capable to believe and to be converted, but it is given to make them actually believing and actually converting. The most wicked man that is, without the converting grace of God, is capable to be converted even in his state of unregeneracy; and converting grace gives not any new power to enable us to be converted, but it gives us an actual conversion. Some shall never believe, and why? not because they are under an impossibility, but because they will not believe: it is not because they cannot, but because they will not; unless we would so gratify their sloth, as to call their obstinacy an impossibility. It is true they are obstinate, and that obstinacy can never be cured without efficacious grace; but yet that obstinacy is not properly called an impossibility.

Since, then, salvation is a thing possible, why do you not labour for it, that your souls may be eternally happy? Christ hath the key of David, and he openeth, and no man shutteth, and he hath opened the everlasting gate to you all, and bids you all enter and take possession. There stand no grim guards to keep out you, or you. You cannot complain that you are excluded by a forcible decree: no; you shut the doors upon yourselves, and refuse to enter.

Ezekiel Hopkins, “Practical Christianity, Recommended, Urged, and Encouraged, in Working out Our Own Salvation (Phil. 2:12, 13),” in The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Ezekiel Hopkins, D.D., ed. Josiah Pratt, 4 vols. (London: C. Whittingham, 1809), 3:184–86.

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John Mayer’s (1583–1664) Explanation of the Redemption of All Mankind in the Catechism

Quest. What doest thou chiefly learn out of these articles of thy Faith?

Answ. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed me, and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy ghost, who hath sanctified me, and all the elect people of God.

Explain. In this, one thing must be warily understood, viz. How Jesus Christ the Son of God, may be said to have redeemed all mankind: otherwise, every man’s estate shall seem good enough, sith by him all are redeemed. Understand it therefore, as other like phrases in the Scriptures, as that to the Romans: As by the offense of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation: so by the justifying of one, the benefit abounded towards all, to the justification of life, &c. By which statement is meant, That all men which attain to the Justification of life, are made partakers of this benefit, by no other means, either in Heaven, or in Earth, within themselves, the observation of the Law; or without them, the merits of others, holy men, or Angels; but only by the righteousness of Christ. So according to Saint Augustine’s [Aug. de predest. Sanct. lib. 174.8] like exposition of another Scripture-phrase tending hereto: Christ may be called the Redeemer of all mankind: not because all are actually redeemed by him; but because no man is redeemed by any other but Christ only.

When we say, he redeemed all Mankind, the meaning is, he is the only Redeemer of all men, who attain this great benefit of redemption and salvation, by no other, according to that memorable saying, There is none other name given under Heaven, whereby to be saved, but the name of Jesus [Acts 4:11]. Such as like better of the distinction (viz. He redeemed all men, that is, in regard of the sufficiency of that he did, and suffered; but not of the efficacy thereof) may follow it if they please: For the passion of Christ was suitable to his person, his person of infinite excellency could not be so abated, without infinite merit, accruing by such humiliation: his dying was more than equivalent to all the world’s perishing everlastingly in Hell. Whereupon in giving himself a ransom for sinful man, he is rightly said to have redeemed all mankind, for so much as he paid the full price of an universal redemption: And this is the same in sense with that saying of John, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. John 1.29. Wicked men and unbelievers are not hereby secured; but more justly and deeply damned, as treading under foot the Son of God, and profaning his blood.

John Mayer, The English Catechisme Explained. Or, A Commentarie on the Short Catechisme set forth in the Booke of Common Prayer […] (London: Printed by Aug. Mathewes for Iohn Marriot, 1623), 20–21. Also in John Mayer, The English Catechism Explained […], 4th ed. (London: Printed by Aug. Mathewes for Iohn Grismand, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Gun in Ivy lane, 1630), 20–21. [some spelling changes made.]

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