Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 3 · Subsection 56
56. Quest. Whether the naturall knowledge, which the Heathen had of God, was sufficient vntounto saluation.
1. It was neuer doubted of among Christians, whether a man by his naturall strength, without Gods supernaturall grace, might be iustified before God, and so attaine vntounto euerlasting life:for this were to ascribe all vntounto mans free will, & to denie the grace of God: But this hath bin called into question, whether that this naturall knowledge of God, without any supernaturall instruction or reuelation, had not beene sufficient (concerning knowledge) vntounto saluation.
Chrysostome affirmeth, hom. 37. in Matth. that of those which died before the comming of Christ, fides Christi, qui nondum venerat, non petebatur, the faith of Christ, which was not yet come, was not required, &c. likewise Iustin. Apolog. 2. qui cum ratione olim vixerunt, Christianos esse appellandos, &c. they which liued in time past according to the rule of reason, are to be called Christians, although they knew not Christ: such as were among the Grecians, Socrates, Heraclitus, with others. Clemens Alexandrin. lib. 6. stromat. saith, that they which were before Christ, were made iust either by the law of Moses, or by Philosophie, but they wanted onelyonly faith in Christ: and therefore they expected the comming of Christ and his Apostles in hell, eorum que ibi praedicatione Christi fidem percepisse, and there by their preaching they attained vntounto faith, and so were saued. And further these reasons may be alleadged for this opinion, that this naturall knowledge was sufficient:
1. God requireth not things impossible: but it had beene impossible for the Gentiles, beside their naturall knowledge, to attaine vntounto faith, which commeth by hearing the word, which they had not.
2. To know that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him, had bin sufficient, Heb. 11.6, but this they might hauehave attained vntounto by nature.
3. The Gentiles by their naturall knowledge of God, might hauehave beene able to lead their life aright, and to direct their actions both toward God, and man: and therefore it might hauehave beene sufficient.
Contra. 1. Though it be impossible to attaine vntounto faith without the ordinarie meanes, yet it is not to be doubted, but that, if the Gentiles had thankfully acknowledged their Creator, and not abused their naturall knowledge, God would hauehave giuen them further instruction:as he did afterward in sending the Apostles to preach the Gospel to all the world.
2. To beleeue that God is, and a rewarder of them that seeke him, is the worke of faith: and not of naturall knowledge, as the Apostle there sheweth.
3. Some morall ciuill duties the light of nature might hauehave directed them vntounto, but to order their waies aright toward God and men, their naturall direction had not sufficed without the grace of God: for then some might hauehave beene found among them, who had attained vntounto this sufficiencie, by their naturall light onelyonly.
2. Now on the contrarie side: that beside our naturall knowledge, faith in Christ is necessarie, and that without it there is no saluation, thus it appeareth by the Scriptures. 1. Christ saith, Ioh. 14.6. I am the way, the truth, and the life: and Ioh. 10.9. I am the doore: so that none can enter into life, but by this way and doore: he is the lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world, Ioh. 1.29. he is the Mediator betweene God and man, 1. Tim. 2.5. And S. Peter saith, Act. 4.12. that among men there is giuen none other name vnderunder heauen, whereby we must be saued: all these places doe euidently testifie, that without the knowledge of Christ there is no saluation. 2. Further the necessitie of faith also appeareth. 1. because by faith we are iustified:as the Apostle alleadgeth here out of the Prophet, the iust shall liue by faith, and without iustification there is no saluation: 2. invocation and calling vponupon the name of God, is necessarie: but they cannot call vponupon him, vponupon whom they hauehave not beleeued, Rom. 10.14. 3. without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. and where God is not pleased, there can be no saluation. 4. the knowledge of life to come, and of those things which God hath prepared for them which louelove him, is necessarie vntounto saluation: But those things are apprehended by faith, Which is the euidence of things, which are not seene, Heb. 11.1.
3. Therefore, the former assertions of Chrysostome, Iustinus, Clemens, are vnsound:vnlesse they be vnderstood to speak of perfect, distinct, and complete faith, which was reserued for the times of the Gospel, that such an exact faith was not required of the fathers: otherwise the Scripture generally imposeth necessitie of beleefe in Christ, in some degree and measure, vponupon all: Angustines iudgement herein is much to be preferred, who thus writeth, quod scriptum est, non esse aliud nomen sub coelo, &c. that which is written, there is no other name vnderunder heauen whereby we must be saued, &c. since that time preuailed for the saluation of mankind, when in Adam all mankind was corrupted, &c. epist. 157. ad Optat.