A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 40
XL. The Gentiles, or Heathens.
THAT the Gentile nations, or those Heathens who live out of the pale of the Christian church, and are ignorant of the Word and name of the Lord, are nevertheless in a salvable state, as well as those who are acquainted with divine revelation, cannot be doubted by any who believe, that "the tender mercies of the Lord are over all his works." The Gentiles are men, as well as they who are called Christians: indeed they form a very great proportion of the human race; and it cannot be imputed to them as a crime, that tidings of redemption never reached their ears. They have the same capacity of understanding what is true, and of willing what is good, as Christians have, consequently the same capacity of conjunction with heaven. And the Great Parent of all, who gave them this capacity, gave it for the purpose of rendering them happy for ever. He has moreover in his divine mercy provided, that all the nations of the earth, as well Mahometan and Pagan, as those that bear the name of Christian, should be in possession of some kind of religion, and consequently that they should have some sense of a God, and of the duty incumbent upon them to pay respect to him in their life; these being the things inculcated by every religion.
To acknowledge a God, and to live in conformity to his will, according to the dictates of conscience, bring heaven into the human mind, and therefore must qualify the man so living, whatever be his name, his country, or his creed, for the enjoyment of future happiness. Now it is well known, that many of the Heathens lead as moral lives as Christians, and that many of them excel professing Christians in this particular. But morality may be practised either with a view to meet the divine approbation, or to gain the applause of men. The former is called the spiritual life, because a spiritual principle is within it: not so the latter. Both outwardly appear alike, but inwardly and in reality they are very different; the one being profitable to salvation, while the other is not. For he who leads a moral life, as commanded by God, and out of religious respect to him, is guided by a heavenly and divine influence: but he who does the same only from human considerations, is actuated by a worldly and selfish principle. This may be illutrated by an example: If a person forbear to injure his neighbour, because it would be acting contrary to religion, and consequently to the divine will, such forbearance is from a spiritual origin: but if he refrain from doing the like merely through fear of the law, loss of character, honour, or advantage, such restraint from outward evil, being dictated by selfish and worldly motives, has nothing of virtue or religion in it. And so in other cases.
From these observations may be clearly seen what it is that constitutes the heavenly life, and that this life may be cultivated by men of every religion in the known world. For the internal or invisible church of the Lord is universally extended, however narrow may be the limits of the external or visible church; including all, wherever dispersed, who live conscientiously and uprightly, according to the best of their understanding and judgment. But at the same time it must be admitted, that the heavenly principle is not the same in one as in another, but that it differs according to the difference of affection, which each one bears to what is good and true. With the Christian, who is blessed with a more direct knowledge of the true God, it may be more pure and genuine, than with the Heathen, who is ignorant of him. And yet there is reason to believe, that many of the latter description will find a more ready entrance into the kingdom of heaven hereafter, than some who have been better instructed, but who, knowing their Master's will, have neglected to do it. This is also plainly declared by our Lord in these following words: "I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness," Matt. viii. 11, 12. Luke xiii. 28, 29.
We may therefore safely conclude, and rejoice in the prospect thus opened to the mind, that adequate means of salvation are, by the divine mercy and providence of the Lord, extended to all of the human race without exception; and consequently that men of every persuasion or denomination upon the face of the earth, whether they be Christians, Jews, Mahometans, or Pagans, may be saved, if they live in mutual love and charity from religious motives, according to the best of their knowledge and understanding. But nevertheless it results from the whole evidence of divine revelation, that the new and true Christian religion, inasmuch as it is more immediately derived from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is the One Only God of heaven and earth, is of all religions the most capable of effecting close and intimate conjunction with him; and on that account is to be esteemed more excellent, more heavenly, and more divine, than any other.
