The Saints' Everlasting Rest

The asserting of any more is proper to the Enthusiasts, if the spirits teachings did without Scripture or tradition reveal Christ, surely some of those millions of poor blind Pagans would have before this believed, and the Christian faith have been propagated among them: Or if the Spirit did teach them any step toward Christ, upon the receiving whereof, he would teach them more, and so more and more till they resist this teaching (which is the evading doctrine of some) then sure some of those Kingdoms of Infidels would have harkened to the spirits teaching, and being taught would have taught others; especially if there be a sufficiency in that grace for the obtaining of its end. Therefore how to apprehend a verity in their doctrine of universal sufficient grace to believe, I know not: Yet will I not affirm that the faith that is absolutely necessary among poor Indians, is of the same extent in all its acts and dimensions, with that required among us; no more then that required of the world before Christs coming, was. Upon what terms then God will deal with those dark parts of the world, I cannot yet reach to know. The scripture speaks of no other way to life but Christ, and of no way to Christ but faith: But we are not their Judges, they stand or fall to their own master: But sure that great difference betwixt them and us, must arise from Gods own pleasure: For they have not abused Christ and Gospel, which they never heard of:¹ nor can it be, that they should be judged by that Gospel, which neither before nor since the fall was taught them: Christ himself saith plainly, that if he had not come to them and spoke the words that no man else could speak, and done the works that no man else could do,² they had not had sin: He saith not, (as some would pervert the sense) your sin had not been so great; But none at all; not speaking of their other sins, but their unbelief which he had now in hand; teaching us clearly, That where there is not competent means to convince men of the truth of the Gospel, there not believing is no sin: For it was to them never forbidden, nor the contrary duty ever required. And the Apostle tells us those that have sinned without Law, shall be judged without Law. That place therefore Rom. 2.16.

The asserting of any more is proper to the Enthusiasts, if the spirits teachings did without Scripture or tradition reveal Christ, surely some of those millions of poor blinde Pagans would have before this believed, and the Christian faith have been propagated among them: Or if the Spirit did teach them any step toward Christ, upon the receiving whereof, he would teach them more, and so more and more till they resist this teaching (which is the evading doctrine of some) then sure some of those Kingdoms of Infidels would have harkened to the spirits teaching, and being taught would have taught others; especially if there be a sufficiency in that grace for the obtaining of its end. Therefore how to apprehend a verity in their doctrine of universal sufficient grace to believe, I know not: Yet will I not affirm that the faith that is absolutely necessary among poor Indians, is of the same extent in all its acts and dimensions, with that required among us; no more then that required of the world before Christs coming, was. Upon what tearmes then God will deal with those dark parts of the world, I cannot yet reach to know. The scripture speaks of no other way to life but Christ, and of no way to Christ but faith: But we are not their Judges, they stand or fall to their own master: But sure that great difference betwixt them and us, must arise from Gods own pleasure: For they have not abused Christ and Gospel, which they never heard of: