_Answ._ This question being fitter for another place, what hope there is of the salvation of the people that are not christians, I have purposely handled in another treatise, (in my "Method. Theologiæ,") and shall only say now, 1. That those that receive not Christ and the gospel revealed and offered to them cannot be saved.[408] 2. That all those shall be saved (if such there be) who never had sufficient means to know Christ incarnate, and yet do faithfully perform the common conditions of the covenant of grace as it was made with Adam and Noah; and particularly all that are truly sanctified, who truly hate all known sin, and love God as God above all, as their merciful, reconciled, pardoning Father, and lay up all their hopes in heaven, in the everlasting fruition of him in glory, and set their hearts there, and for those hopes deny the interest of the flesh, and all things of this world.[409]
3. But how many or who doth this abroad in all the kingdoms of the world, who have not the distinct knowledge of the articles of the christian faith, it is not possible for us to know.
4. But (as Aquinas and the schoolmen ordinarily conclude this question) we are sure that the church hath this prerogative above all others, that salvation is incomparably more common to christians, than to any others, as their light, and helps, and means are more. The opinions of Justin, and Clem. Alexandr. Origen, and many other ancients, of the heathens' salvation, I suppose is known. In short:
1. It seems plain to me, that all the world that are no christians, and have not the gospel, are not by Christ's incarnation put into a worse condition than they were in before; but may be saved on the same terms that they might have been saved on before.[410]
2. That Christ's apostles were in a state of salvation before they believed the articles of Christ's dying for sin, his resurrection, ascension, the giving of the Holy Ghost, and Christ's coming to judgment, as they are now to be believed.[411]
3. That all the faithful before Christ's coming were saved by a more general faith than the apostles had, as not being terminated in this person, Jesus, as the Messiah, but only expected the Messiah to come.[412]
4. That as more articles are necessary to those that have the gospel, than to those that have it not, and to those since Christ's incarnation that hear of him, than to the Jews before, so before, there were more things necessary even to those Jews, (that had a shorter creed than that which the apostles believed before the resurrection,) than was to the rest of the world that had not promises, prophecies, types, and laws, so particular, distinct, and full as they had.[413]
5. That the promises, covenant, or law of grace, was made to all lapsed mankind in Adam and Noah.[414]
6. That this law or covenant is still of the same tenor, and not repealed.[415]
7. That this covenant giveth pardoning mercy, and salvation, and promiseth victory over Satan, to and by the holy seed.[416]
8. That the condition on man's part, is repentance, and faith in God as a merciful God, thus pardoning sin, and saving the penitent believer. But just how particular or distinct their belief of the incarnation of Christ was to be, is hard to determine.[417]
9. But after Christ's incarnation, even they that know it not, yet are not by the first covenant bound to believe that the Messiah is yet to be incarnate, or the word made flesh; for they are not bound to believe an untruth, and that as the condition of salvation.[418]
10. Men were saved by Christ about four thousand years before he was man, and had suffered, satisfied, or merited as man.
11. The whole course of God's actual providence since the fall, hath so filled the world with mercies contrary to man's demerit, that it is an actual universal proclamation of the pardoning law of grace; which is thereby now become even a law of nature, that is, of lapsed, pardoned nature, as the first was the natural law of innocence.[419]
12. Christ giveth a great deal of mercy to them that never heard of him or know him: and he giveth far more mercy to believers, than they have a particular knowledge and belief of.[420]
13. There is no salvation but by Christ the Saviour of the world; though there be more mercy from Christ, than there is faith in Christ.[421]
14. No man could ever be saved without believing in God as a merciful, pardoning, saving God, though many have been saved who knew not the person of Christ, determinately. For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; who is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.[422]
15. All nations on earth that have not the gospel, are obliged by God to the use of certain means, and improvement of certain mercies, in order or tendency to their salvation. And it is their sin if they use them not.[423]