-- CHAPTER VI: What are the principles from whence all this virtue and moral actions in unregenerate
Tim 3:5, 'Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.'
And, 3dly, though in the primitive times there were no such instances of a mere moral man's professing Christ for the reason aforesaid, yet we find those who, though they went further than this, and not only abstained from the pollution of the world (though a work from natural principles), but escaped them through the knowledge of Christ, yet had not true grace, for they fell away and apostatized: 2 Peter 2:20–22, 'For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.'
CHAPTER VI:
What are the principles from whence all this virtue and moral actions in unregenerate men do proceed.
Natural conscience.—A common work of the Spirit in restraining grace.—Natural wisdom, a principle of modesty and the fear of shame.—Good education, a common knowledge of the principles of religion by the word preached, whereby a natural devotion is stirred in men I come now to the διοτι, viz., to demonstrate to you those principles which in corrupt nature produce all this righteousness that civil men
build upon, the discovery whereof will discover that all of it falls short of grace.
1. There is by nature in men's* understanding and natural conscience, which hath many sparks of moral light concerning duties, both towards God and toward men, raked up in it: Rom. 2:14,
15, 'The Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, their conscience excusing or accusing.' The Lord, seeing man's nature to be wholly corrupted, hath put a viceroy of his (viz., conscience) into their hearts, to rule and curb their spirits, which conscience he hath put into the very heathen; which principle (as that place shews) is not only appointed merely as an overseer, or a witness against them, to take notice of the evil of their actions, but also it hath some stroke and power in men to restrain and curb them from many sins, and to make them do many things agreeable to the law, for it is said, they are 'a law unto themselves;' that is, suppose there were no laws of men to constrain or restrain them, yet the principle of conscience would and did make them do many things, and had the power of a law over them: and that it might be of force to carry them on thus, it hath, as a law, power to dispense both punishments and rewards, for it doth accuse them for evil, and excuse them for good, as it is said there; which two effects of it cause men to do much, as it had such an influence on the Gentiles, therefore it is said, they did the things of the law. It was not only a light to discover what to do, but so strong a convincing light as to cause them to do what the law required in many particulars.
2. To back this light, and that the authority of it may be further obeyed, the Lord Christ, besides this, hath a work upon the wills of men, though remaining still corrupt, a work that is suitable to this light of conscience, and which makes them also in their wills and affections somewhat more conformable to the light of their consciences, stamping such impressions upon them as it shall become more easy for them to do what conscience dictates to them, to abstain from gross sins, to be temperate, just, and sober. And though indeed the will be left more to its corruption than the
understanding, yet there are impressions from God upon it; and look as conscience, in the light of it, hath a double effect, so suitably hath
God upon the will also. As, 1st, Whereas conscience doth check and rein a man in from many sins, the Lord comes also with a restraining work upon the wills of men, and takes off their hearts from being inclined to many sins. He bridleth up and tameth the wild and headstrong lusts of men, by allaying and driving in their inclinations to some sins, even as in like manner he did promise to do to the heathens about the Israelites' land: Exod. 34:24, 'For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year.'
God promiseth there, that when the people should all go up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord thrice in a year, that then none should desire their land. Here was a work of God's Spirit upon the hearts of the nations round about, yea, upon their wills, whereby he did take away their desire at such a time, when all the males were to go up to Jerusalem; when otherwise there was a fair opportunity for them to seize upon their land, for they might know the set time of their going up, and so take their advantage; but God undertook to take away the desire after it. So that we see there is a restraining work upon the wills of men who yet have not grace, whereby God doth rebate the strength of their inclinations to many sins; such a work whereby he doth not only work by speaking instruction, as working upon their reason, or by terrors, &c., and so by this work upon their wills, as he did upon Balaam, and Laban, and Abimelech, warning them by night. No, that is not all, but he influenceth men by more real, silent, powerful, secret acts upon them, making their wills listless unto such an object, so that he restrains the inclinations of corrupt nature, as when he kept in the rage of the fire from hurting of the three children, Dan. 3:27. The like work he wrought in Esau, when he came against Jacob,—he turned his heart to love him. It was not such a work as was upon Laban, for that to Laban was by a speaking act, warning him by night, which Laban was sensible of, and therefore says that God appeared to him; but that on Esau was
an undiscerned act in the working of it, yet efficaciously restraining his wrath against Jacob. And although that impression upon Esau's will was but for that one particular act, and so was transient, yet what God did to him and those others in these particular cases he may do and doth in some others for continuance, by the same kind of working, in a permanent gift, restraining sin, which men call a virtue.
Thus Paul calls it the gift of continency, 1 Cor. 7:7; Mat. 19:11, 12, where Christ says there were some chaste who were born so. And thus it may seem he dealt with Abimelech, not only restraining him by his conscience and acts of reason, but by a secret act and hand upon his heart, keeping his lust from the breaking forth of it upon Sarah, though taken into his power and (as it is thought) into his bed: Gen. 20:6, 'I kept thee,' says God, that is, held in or kept back, as the word signifies, implying the impetuousness of his lust of itself; and 'I suffered thee not,' and agreeable to the Hebrew it is, non dedi, or non tradidi te tibi, that is, 'I left thee not unto thyself.' And this was such a work as Abimelech discerned not till God told him it, that he might acknowledge it. So it is, too, in Ps. 76:10, 'Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.'
The meaning is, take the enemies of the church, so much of their wrath as shall make for the good of the church and the glory of God, so much will he let out and suffer them to manifest and vent, and execute it upon his people; but the dregs of their wrath, the remainder of it, so much as will be for the hurt of his church, and not make for his glory, that he will curb and restrain, and will not suffer the dregs of it to be broached. Now, if he restrains some degrees of a lust in regard of the working of it, he can and doth restrain it altogether in some, and works so upon their wills, that the abstinence from such a lust shall be very easy; and this he doth without putting in a new principle of grace, but by a common work of the Spirit upon the hearts and wills.
2dly, God doth not only cut short their spirits from desiring too many evils, but works in them desires to many things morally good, and against things morally evil.
(1.) He touches their hearts with many inclinations to what is morally good; there is an impression made by God's Spirit upon their wills which doth incline them to many things morally good, as to justice, temperance, and obedience to superiors, and piety to parents, &c., 1
Sam. 10:26. When God had anointed Saul, one of the smallest tribe and family, to be king over his people (whereas the hearts of men are naturally inclined as much to rebellion as to anything else, and men by nature are impatient to have others rule over them, especially such an one as was raised out of so mean a condition from among them), it is said that 'there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched.' The Lord, by a common work of his Spirit, did incline their hearts to be subject to Saul, he did put into them an habitual disposition of obedience to him. As the loadstone toucheth the knife, and there is a virtue left behind it, so God's Spirit doth touch men's hearts, and put into them many moral dispositions, as of obedience, &c. So he did touch the heart of Saul then, when David spared his life in the cave; he was overcome with kindness, the text says he wept, he had an ingenuity in him, 1 Sam. 24:16. By the like reason he toucheth men's hearts with a disposition of heroicness, as he did Saul's also, which is the meaning of that scripture, 2 Sam.
10:9. When he was king, he had another heart, and it was girded over with heroical and kingly dispositions, which for two years lasted in public aims for the good of his country, and often appeared in his following reign. The like is that put into children towards their parents, which the heathens called pietatem in parentes. So also he gave the Israelites favour in the Egyptians' eyes (a people who otherwise hated them), to lend them their ear-rings, which they might suspect they would carry away from them, Exod. 12:35, 36.
What a work was this! And a like work is it when God makes men friendly to their neighbours, &c. So the barbarians, when Paul and all the men with him were shipwrecked, they kindled them a fire, and shewed them kindness, as the text says, Acts 28:2.
(2.) So he sets their hearts against what is morally evil. This we may see in Saul when he was king, 1 Sam. 11:6. There was Nahash the Ammonite came, and would have subdued the people of Jabesh-
Gilead, and would have this base covenant from them, that he might thrust out all their right eyes—a barbarous cruelty! Now, Saul being their king, though a wicked man, yet the Spirit of God came upon him, and his anger was kindled greatly. God's Spirit wrought in that affection such a disposition, whereby he was exceedingly provoked with indignation of so inhuman a fact. There was an heroicness of spirit fell upon him, whereby he did detest such a fact, and his spirit boiled within him to revenge it, which was from God's Spirit. So Hazael, a heathen, had such dispositions in him, that he did then detest those cruelties that the prophet told him of, though they were wrought out afterwards; but he then said, 'What, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great wickedness?' 2 Kings 8:13. He accounted him that should do so a dog, a beast, not a man, the basest and vilest of men. Yet concerning this let it be added, that this disposition is rather a looking at such courses as contrary to principles of humanity
(as his speech implies) than as contrary to God. Men see a baseness, an inhumanness in them, which they are conscious to be in them, and so out of heroic generosity rather scorn them than hate them as sins.
Now, if it be asked, How these can stand and be symbolical in man's nature, who is nothing but full of love to himself? I answer, That though it be granted that this common work is a winning of some ground (as I may so express it) of self-love, that whereas a man loves none but himself, if corrupt nature be left to itself; God by such dispositions elevates corrupt affections, so as self-love affords to others something of its love, and takes not all to itself, but lets others have a share in its affections, friends, and parents, &c., yet so as though it suffers others as sojourners to have some room in the heart, yet self is king still, and hath custom out of all. But as good nature is winning ground from self-love towards men, so grace is deposing it, and subjecting it to God; for till it be deposed, the kingdom of sin stands, though these virtues enjoy many boons and favours under it. So that we see there is a common work of the Holy
Ghost upon men's wills, suitable to the light of their consciences, whereby he doth restrain men from much evil, and whereby he doth
put in them some heroic dispositions to what is morally good, all which falls short of grace.
Now for God's end in this work: it is, first, for the elect's sake; and, secondly, that the world might stand.
1st, For the elect's sake it is; and, therefore, we shall find, Gen. 20:3, that God restrained Abimelech; he did put into him an integrity of heart, that he did follow his conscience; and also he restrained and kept him from Sarah for Abraham's sake; for that is the reason given:
Ps. 105:14, 15, 'He suffered no man to do them wrong; yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed,' &c.
It hath reference to that story of Abimelech; it was for Abraham's sake, and so for the seed of Abraham's sake; because if men were left to the villany and wickedness of their nature, they would leave no man upon the earth, much more would they all fall upon the elect, and encompass the holy city. For their sakes, therefore, that they may 'lead a peaceable life in regard of honesty and godliness,' God doth put such moral dispositions in men. And,
2dly, For the world's sake, for indeed without this the world could not stand, for the wickedness of the world would be so great that men would devour one another. Therefore as God doth give gifts to rebellious men in the church, Ps. 68:18, to build up the church, or that it may stand to be built up, so he gives men that live in the world, principles and virtues that may fit them to live in the world, that it may stand. And therefore in this relation thanks are to be given for all men, as well as prayers made for them: 1 Tim. 2:1, 'I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.' And yet again, while men are thus respected by one another, and mutually by each other, by reason of these impressions made upon their corrupt nature; yet lest he that made the world should have no respect given to himself, nor the world be sensible of any duty they did owe to him, and so he should be clean shut out of the world, therefore he did not leave himself without witness; but they should know there was a
God, that even his enemies might have some respect to him, acknowledge him, and reverence himself, and do some offices of respect to him, as well as one towards another, therefore he hath put some sparks of the knowledge of a deity into all men's hearts, Rom
1:19, 20. And withal, he hath implanted in their wills and affections some impressions of fear and reverence, as appeared in all the heathens, of whom some were naturally devout, as those women that yet opposed Paul: Acts 13:50, 'But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.' They are called devout persons, which natural devotion is a third principle whereby self-love doth naturally acknowledge
God as king, and hath a motive of doing some homage to him, and to acknowledge it due; yet so as it is but as those kings, or free states, who, though they may acknowledge another state their protector, yet live by their own laws, and dispose of all by their own authority, while they thus acknowledge some respect to another. And all these three principles, of conscience, moral virtue, and devotion towards
God, are internal more or less in every man.
But further, unto these God hath added some assistance to strengthen conscience in what it dictates, and to help forward the practice of virtues.
As, 1, natural wisdom, which doth both assist conscience, and help to strengthen these moral dispositions, and assists against many sins.
So Haman, though his revenge began to boil, and was ready to break forth, and he was exceedingly wroth with Mordecai, yet notwithstanding he was kept by his wisdom from present revenge, for he thought to a take fitter opportunity for it afterwards: Esther
5:10, it is said, 'he refrained himself.' So Saul, his natural wisdom moved him to moderation, 1 Sam. 10:27; for though a band of men whose hearts God had touched, followed him, yet there was a company of the children of Belial, who said, 'How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents; but he held his peace;' that is, Saul winked at this, and did not go about to
revenge it, for his natural wisdom told him that it wan best for him to be silent until he had made his party good. So as though there was no conscience, yet natural wisdom makes men abstain from many sins, because it will make for their credit and preservation of their name amongst men, and the like. Fleshly wisdom is a great principle by which the world is guided; therefore we shall find that when Paul would clear himself, that his conversation was sincere before God, he saith, 'We have not walked by fleshly wisdom, but we have had our conversation in the world, by the grace of God,' 2 Cor. 1:12. He puts these two as contradistinct principles which guide men. Some carry themselves fairly, yet out of fleshly wisdom, which makes them subject themselves to duties, to conform themselves to religion, which makes them just, sober, and temperate; but there was another principle beyond this in Paul: 'We have had our conversation not with fleshly wisdom.' Men see it is their wisest and best way, both for their own safety, and the preservation of the world, to be sober, &c.
For all the laws of the second table are made especially for the good of men in their several relations here in this world, and this makes men generally subject themselves unto them.
2. The second assistance by which natural conscience is helped, is modesty, whereby men are ashamed to do evil; this restrains as well as conscience and wisdom. God hath left shame to accompany the consciousness of the baseness of evil courses; as in Hazael, who blushed when the prophet looked on him, 2 Kings 8:11. 'It is a shame,' says the apostle, Eph. 5:12, 'to speak of that which is done of them in secret.' Hence sometimes the Gentiles did not so much as name such vile actions. This principle is yet left, as we see in Adam and Eve when fallen, who were ashamed, Gen. 3. This Tamar urged to Amnon, 'Thou shalt be a fool in Israel; and I, whither shall my shame go?' 2 Sam. 13:12, 13. Modesty and fear of shame is virtue's keeper, and overlooks corrupt nature, and keeps men from being notoriously bad.
3. Education being added to all these is an help to civility, and to dispose men to religion; for all these former principles men have by
nature, and out of the church; and, if so, we must not think God is less liberal in bestowing all these upon them who live in the church, where himself is to be worshipped, and where his elect live; he giving these gifts to these ends, that he might be acknowledged, and they live peaceable lives. And men having been brought up in such places where religion is professed, where such sins are punished; and seeing the daily example of those amongst whom they live, to be against the practice of such sins, this doth mould many to the outward practice of godliness. Example hath a great stroke and sway amongst men; therefore, saith Solomon, Prov. 22:6, 'Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' What made
Paul a pharisee so strict? He was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, a pharisee of the pharisees; this helped him exceedingly. Education hath a great stroke to carry us to evil or good.
(1.) To evil. An example of this we have in Rehoboam. What made him so wickedly to cast off the counsel of the old men? It is said, 1
Kings 12:8, he consulted with those that were grown up with him.
Those that he lived withal, and conversed with, had a great deal of authority over him, and therefore he took their counsel.
(2.) To good. So in good families the power of education works much upon men: 2 Kings. 12:2, there it is said, that 'Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, all the days that Jehoiada instructed him.' He having brought him up from eight years old, moulded him to a good conformity; so that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the while that Jehoiada lived; but afterwards, as it was the force of company, and example, and education, that carried him on, so when the courtiers came and bowed to him, and flattered him, he was carried away with that stream to idolatry. This good education, therefore, being added to light of conscience, and those impressions that God makes upon men's wills, and unto natural wisdom and modesty, doth prevail with men to keep them from gross sins, and to carry them on to holy duties.
4. The light of the word being added to all this, must needs work more upon the mere natural light in men; for they, by living in the church, have the light of the word added to the light of conscience and moral virtues. This must have a greater power upon men, and though it doth not prevail to convert, yet at least they shall smell of it; for when men shall find in the word of God the same things commanded and forbidden that natural conscience doth forbid or command, natural conscience comes to have more strength, and is the more backed; for the word gives it a new and double commission, and furnisheth it with distincter and greater threatenings of hell, and promises of heaven, to persuade men to obedience. It furnisheth conscience with a new commission, and enlargeth it; for it not only says the same to men that conscience said, but enlighteneth it further with many duties, which, when known, agree to the principles of conscience; or, as conclusions further drawn out, to the principles of reason; so, as the pharisees had a form of knowledge of the law,
Rom. 2, and answerably to that form of knowledge, the virtues in their wills are enlarged much also, and they come to have a form of godliness, 2 Tim. 3. And that this light of the word, or living where the ordinances are administered, do strengthen and help moral virtues, appears by the instance of the kings of Israel. Why were the kings of Israel said to be merciful above all the kings of the nations?
Because they had the ordinances. Therefore Ahab, though wicked, yet was a merciful man, because he was a king of Israel.
5. Some particular ingredients in education, as the laws of men (which are part of education), do mightily help forward to civilize men. The respect to superiors doth keep men in awe; so Esau was restrained, for he would have killed his brother, but he did put it off till the days of his father's death, and till mourning for him was past.
What is the reason he did it not then presently? The respect to his father, whilst alive, restrained him. Accordingly the apostle says,
Rom. 13:4, that the magistrate 'bears not the sword in vain, but is a terror to those that do ill;' so that the laws of men being added to the word, help exceedingly to civilize men, and are remedies to corrupt nature.
6. And, in the last place, by living thus in the church, both assent is wrought to the truths delivered in the word, and also natural devotion is stirred up towards the true God in the duties of his own worship.
1st, To assent to the principles of religion, is upon that ground wrought, so as to profess them. Thus, as they in John 4:42, believed in Christ at the relation of the woman, so do men profess religion by a human faith. That which the papists say of believing as the church believes, might be brought up much upon the experience of this, that many, and the most, have no further ground of their faith than what this amounts to. Thus, when Mordecai was exalted, many of the nations became Jews also, and professed the same religion, Esther
8:17. So there went, too, a mixed multitude out of Egypt, who afterwards fell off and murmured. And thus we see that men's opinions in all the churches are fashioned by the received profession among them; as Lutheranism among Lutherans, and popery, where and when men are educated in it, as we see in private families amongst us.
2dly, And thus is natural devotion stirred up towards the true God, and in his worship; for as there is natural conscience in men, so there is natural devotion in them. The heathens had stamps and impressions of the power of God upon their hearts; for it is said,
'That which may be known of God is manifest in them,' Rom. 1:19.
There was and is a fear and reverence of a God in the heathen. Now, if men live in the church, where the true God is known, that natural devotion begins to be stirred and guided to the true Deity and worship; yet so as it remains, for the principle itself, but mere nature, only directed to the right object, as being the God of the place and nation they live in. A pertinent instance to this purpose is 2 Kings
17:24–41. There the heathens being removed by the king of Assyria from the cities of the Medes to the land of Israel, it is said, at the first when they dwelt there, they feared not the Lord, therefore he sent lions amongst them, which slew some of them. Upon this they send to the king of Assyria, to send them some of the priests that might