Journal: Journal of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies
Volume: JIRBS 01:1 (NA 2013)
Article: ‘That Strong Hold Of Their Common Faith’: Salvation In Christ Alone Among Seventeenth-Century Baptists
Author: James M. Renihan

JIRBS 1 (2014) p. 69

‘That Strong Hold Of Their Common Faith’:
Salvation In Christ Alone Among Seventeenth-Century Baptists

James M. Renihan*

* James M. Renihan, Ph.D. is Dean and Professor of Historical Theology at the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies, Escondido, CA.

Perhaps the greatest of all seventeenth-century heresy-hunters was Thomas Edwards, the man known to us by the nickname ‘Gangraena Edwards’, drawn from his famous books. In the first part of Gangraena, published in 1646, Edwards incorporates a letter from one ‘R.B.’, purporting to be the transcript of a personal interview held with the Baptist leader Henry Denne. This correspondence states:

Mr. Henry Denn, in conference with me Novemb. 20. delivered:

1. That Christ did only satisfie for the sins committed against the first Covenant, quoting for it Hebr. 9.15. and being asked, if there were no sins against the second Covenant? He answered, onely unbelief. And being further asked, Who then satisfied for this unbelief? He answered, Every man did satisfie for himself, because he that believes not, the wrath of God abides upon him: so that for a years unbelief, a man bears a years wrath, and for a moneths unbelief, a moneths wrath; and professed, This was all the satisfaction God did require.

Denne seems to intend this: The ‘first covenant’ is the covenant of works made with Adam. As a federal head, Adam represented humanity and his fall into sin brought corruption and guilt upon all of his descendants. Christ’s atonement removes this guilt from all men, so that their only remaining deficiency is unbelief. And each man in unbelief currently endures the wrath of God. It (i.e., wrath) is a present act against sinners, lasting for as long as unbelief lasts. Back to the report:

JIRBS 1 (2014) p. 70

2. Being then urged with the Heathen, That they must then all be saved, because their sins against the first Covenant were pardoned, and they had never sinned against the second, which was never revealed to them. He answered, The Heathen had Christ and the Gospel preached to them in the creatures, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, which he proved from that place, Col. 1.23 ἐν πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει and in them revealed the knowledge of Christ crucified and pardon of sin by him, if they had eyes to see it.

Denne’s interrogator, R. B., followed Denne’s initial statement by asking for its implications for the salvation of the heathen–presumably those in nations without a gospel witness. The reply is clear–general revelation, as a universe created by God, presents Christ and...