UNIVERSALISM, in church history, were originally those reformers who taught a kind of middle doctrine, be tween the systems of Calvin and Armi nius. They were denominated hypothe tical Universalists, because they main tained, that God is willing to shew mercy to all mankind ; and because they held, that faith in Christ is a necessary condi tion, to render them the objects of the divine mercy. These opinions were in tended to be opposed to the harsh and cruel notions of Calvin, concerning elec tion and reprobation, on the one hand ; and to the opinions of Pelagius, concern ing the merit of good works, on the other. The doctrines of the hYpotheti Cal Universalists were propagated with success by John Cameron ; and were fur ther illustrated and defended by Moses Amyrant, a man of great learning and Sagacity. The opinions he maintained, and which produced no small changes in the doctrine of the reformed in France, are briefly summed up in the following propositions : That God desires the happiness of all pen ; and that no mortal is excluded by any divine decree from the benefits that are procured by the death, sufferings, and gospel of Christ : That, however, none can be made a partaker of the blessings of the Gospel, rid of eternal salvation, unless be believe ip Jesus Christ : 'That such, indeed, is the immense and Itiniversal goodness of the Supreme Be ing, that he refuses to none the power of believing; though he does not grant un to all his assistance and succour, that they may wisely improve this power to the attainment of everlasting salvation : And that, in consequence of this, multitudes perish through their own fault, and not from any want of goodness in God.
It does not, indeed, appear, how this litigated view of the doctrine of predesr fination,can effectually destroy the heart appalling thoughts, occasioned by the more open and direct notions of Calvin and his adherents ; but such were the opinions taught by the hypothetical Uni yersalists ; and they were not without their good effect, in softening down many of the rigours of high Calvinism. But the term Universalists has now ob tained a far more extensive signification ; as it is used to designate, those Christians who hold the doctrine of the future re storation of all men to eternal life and happiness. This sentiment was embrac ed by Origen in the third century ; and, in more modern times, by the Chevalier Ramsay, Dr. Cheyne, Dr. Hartley, and others. The most popular advocates for this doctrine, were Dr. Chauncy and the
late Rev. Elhanan Winchester.
Dr. Chauncy held, that as Christ died, not for a select number of men only, but for all men universally, that therefore all men shall finally partake of the benefits of his death ; if not in this state of ex istence, yet in another. He held, that, as a mean, in order to man's being meet for salvation, God will, sooner or later, bring them all to a willing and obedient subjection to his moral government.
This doctrine is maintained by many, not so much, as they say, because it ap pears to be indicated by some passages of Scripture ; but because it is strictly agree able to the spirit and genius of the dis, pensation of universal goodness displayed in the Gospel of Christ. They contend, that the doctrine of eternal punishments is not only a cruel and hateful doctrine, but subversive of all proper ideas of the benevolent and wise character of the Al mighty, as well as destructive of the true use and design of all punishment. And as. punishment cannot proceed from a vindictive spirit on the part of the Al mighty, it must be designed so to correct the offenders against his moral laws, as to destroy the necessity of eternal pun ishment, and restore the sinner to obe dience, and a desire after reformation ; which reformation,- when effected, must render all further punishment both un merciful and unjust. In defence of this reasoning they say, that the scriptural words rendered everlasting, eternal, for ever, and for ever and for ever, are f're quently used to express things of limited duration ; and that, when they refer to the future state of punishment, they are always to be so understood ; because to interpret these words otherwise, would be to reason contrary to the analogy of faith, the ideas of the divine goodness, the design of the Gospel, and the plain. dic tates of right reason. This doctrine,has to boast of having, among its advocates. and defenders, the names of Origen. 414 his disciples ; of many of the German Baptists, prior to the reformation ; and, in latter times, of Petitpiere, a learned Swiss ; of Dr. Rust, Bishop of Dromore, in Ireland ; of Archbishop Tillotson ; as Well as of Bishops Burnet and Newton.
This doctrine is also generally main tained by those Christians who profess the Unitarian faith, whether Arians or Humanitarians. It has, however, been ably opposed by many learned men ; though the controversy is now pretty much at rest.