BOOK VI: That the work of grace wrought in us by the Spirit of God in regeneration, is a different
BOOK VI That the work of grace, wrought in us by the Spirit of God in regeneration, is a different and higher principle than natural conscience in its greatest elevation of light.—The deficiency of natural conscience shewed, and the mistakes of men about it detected.
CHAPTER I
That all men being under a covenant of works, or a covenant of grace, there are two principles of actions, viz., conscience alone in its natural light in the one, and supernatural grace with its light in the hearts of the other, who are regenerate.—
The two texts, Rom. 2:14, 15, and Jer. 31:31–33, explained.—That the principle by which the law of God reigns over men is conscience.—
What notions the philosophers among the heathens had of it.
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.—ROM. 2:14, 15.
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt
(which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord); but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put
my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.—JER. 31:31–33.
HAVING opened the nature of the true work of grace, I shall now, for the fuller and larger illustration hereof, subjoin the discovery of its counterfeit, which is the work of the law written in the heart by nature, or the powerful effects which a natural and enlightened conscience hath in the hearts of men remaining unregenerate; which men in all professions of religion do ordinarily mistake in themselves for true and inherent holiness. The use and necessity of this discourse is to shew more clearly the nature of true sanctification, by the detection of its counterfeit. For things come to be distinctly known, as well by discovering the difference of what usually pretends to be, or is commonly and generally taken, and goes for current among men, to be such or such a thing, when it is not, as by defining positively what the thing itself is, in the genuine nature of it. We learn truths with an advantage (especially spiritual truths) when we compare them with the appearance of errors, and sever them from, and extract them as spirits out of that dross, and mixture of a deceiving likeness that cleaveth to them. It will also serve to remove practical mistakes about regeneration, which are of infinite moment, and yet generally incident unto men.
Now as the sum of our religion is reduced by the apostle to these two, 'Faith, and a good conscience,' 1 Tim. 1:19, faith, which is principium credendorum, the principle of things to be believed; and conscience, which is principium agendorum, the principle of things to be done by us; for as the object matter of all religion is reduced to credenda and agenda, so the principles within us are answerably thus generally expressed by these two, faith and conscience. Faith looks upward to the things of the gospel, and takes in all supernatural truths, with application to a man's soul. Conscience looks both inward, to our own actings within; and outward, to the law or rule which is to guide us. And it also is the spring to all the wheels, and the mover in all provocations to duties, or avocations from sins. Now as these two are the two principles (when true and good) of all true religion; so all the
imperfect works and counterfeits of the true, which are to be found in unregenerate men's hearts and lives, must be reduced unto these two also, both as to the principles thereof in their hearts, and to the effects of them all in their lives. As there is a false common faith, which men do generally mistake for true (and therefore the apostle distinguisheth, terming the true, 'unfeigned faith,' 1 Tim. 1:5), so there is a 'pure heart,' and a 'good conscience' in the same place also opened. It is a conscience good, with such a goodness as qualifies the heart, and this by way of distinction and difference from conscience, which is but natural, and the low effects thereof in men unregenerate, which they ordinarily do in little matters mistake for sanctification. So then all counterfeit religion (I speak of such as is any way serious, and not grossly and merely hypocritical) are either,
1. The effects and workings of conscience, as it is a natural principle, and though still remaining defiled in a heart unregenerated, yet elevated and enlightened by the word and Spirit; or, 2. The effects of supernatural light in matters of faith joined therewith, and shining into an unrenewed understanding, and affecting self-love, with what is suitable to it in the things that are revealed.
Again, all men's conditions falling to be either under the covenant of works, or the covenant of grace, hence all that are enlightened and carried on with any powerful effects in the profession of religion, are either acted therein by conscience, as the predominant principle, which is the seat of the dominion of the law and covenant of works; or by faith, which is the inlet or receptive of the dominion of grace.
That all men are under one of these covenants is evident by the whole current of the apostle's writings,* who still distinguisheth between works and grace as the only two possibly to be supposed ways men take unto salvation, 'Not of works (says he), 'but according to grace;' and 'you are not under the law, but under grace,' Rom. 7.
He makes this distinction as that which takes in and divides the whole of mankind. And the reason is evident from Rom. 7:1, 4, 6. For every man having been born under the law and covenant of works, the law continues to have dominion over him, either in commanding
or inciting, yea, often in acting and carrying him on unto what is commanded thereby, or else binding him over unto condemnation.
And no man is freed from this until he is married to Christ, and so come to have a new nature, together with the privilege of being a subject of grace. And therefore he continues under it so long as he lives in that first estate, for the law's right over him was not forfeited by the fall. Now suitably, that every man might come to be subject to and sensible of this several dominion over him, according as his condition is, there are two principles planted within man, by God suited hereunto, and suscipient of each of these. The one is in every man by nature (since every man's condition is to be under the law), and that is conscience. The other is a supernatural grace, and that is faith. Eph. 2:8, 'By grace ye are saved through faith.' Now Jews and heathens were under the dominion (as explained) of both these,* and also ignorant Christians. But if man that remains unregenerate be enlightened by the gospel and the knowledge of the grace of God, although it may be a while doubtful unto himself or others unto which covenant or dominion he belongs or is the subject of, yet in the issue and event his spirit doth fall, and will act or be acted according as his condition is, and he will lean either to the one or the other as his lord and sovereign. If a man that is under the covenant of works takes in the present over-powering light of the doctrine of grace, and the truth thereof, which hath good and blessed news for every man to listen to, yet in the issue and event he will fall into one of these two cases or conditions. He will either come to abuse the grace of God to wantonness through self-love, which remaining unsubdued to the dominion of grace, makes use of the knowledge of grace underhand to back and strengthen that corruption in him, in which the power of sin doth lie, and so self-love, in a way of presumption (which hath the appearance of the strength of faith in that man), eats out the active power of conscience in him, and so he comes to fall under the dominion or stroke of the covenant of works more strongly than ever; and the law comes to bind him over to a deeper condemnation when conscience shall come again to be awakened; and even the gospel itself, which he knew, will be turned into a sorer avenger than the law of itself would have been. And this is the case of such as
swallow down the gospel whole, and so make shipwreck of conscience through their presumption on the principles about the doctrine or application of it to themselves.
Or 2. The case of one that is enlightened will be, that his conscience being enlightened and awakened by the law, continues to act and provoke him unto doing in religion in a legal strain and way, and carries on duties upon the wheels of legal motives, and so the law becomes the predominant principle, to over-top and over-sway evangelical faith. And that it doth so is but suitable to the state of the man; for as he is still under the covenant of works (self not being broken, nor Christ having slain the law to him) so answerably the best and most active swaying principle in him is that which is the seat and throne of the law's dominion, namely conscience; and so the best of that man's religion is but the actings of a legal conscience.
And how he compounds with the gospel, and subordinates his apprehensions of it, is too long here to insert.
So then (that I may set out that subject I mean to treat of), it is not my purpose here to treat of temporary faith, the counterfeit of true saving faith, but singly and simply an enlightened natural conscience and the effects thereof, as they are or may be mistaken for true sanctification, and the effects of it. And the eminent distinction and difference between these two is, by these two texts, Rom. 2:14, 15, and Jer. 31:31–33 compared, clearly held forth, both for the ὅτι and the δίοτι thereof; the one speaking of the effect of the law written in the heart by nature (thus, Rom. 2), the other (Jer. 31) of the writing the law in the inward parts, as the eminent and proper fruit of the covenant of grace, and that in distinction from the other.
The first text, Rom 2, gives instance in the Gentiles (whom all acknowledge under wrath and unregeneracy), and their having the effects of the law written by nature. And above all other effects of the law, he instanceth in conscience accusing and excusing, as that which of all other argues the law written there; yea, and his scope in bringing in this example of the Gentiles is in the coherence of it to
convince the carnal Jews, whom he had taken to task to convince them in this chapter that they were unregenerate and in their natural condition, as he had done in the former, who rested in the law, and the effects thereof upon them for their justification and acceptation with God, thereupon 'making their boast of God,' ver. 17. Having proved the Gentiles to be under wrath, chap. 1, he then comes upon the Jew therewith, and improves their example as a special engine to unsettle and overthrow the Jew in his carnal boast, by giving him to consider,— 1. That even the Gentiles, whom they accounted unholy, though they had not the law delivered by revelation from God to them (for God dealt not so with any nation, &c.), yet had the effect or substance of the outward precepts of the law written in their hearts.
2. Those letters of the law were so powerful and prevailing in many of them, that the prints of them were published and stamped in fair characters in their lives; that is, they acted according to it: ver. 14,
'They do by nature the things contained in the law;' and, ver. 15, 'shew' or give demonstration that the effect of the 'law is written there.'
And 3. The eminent principle or seat of this effect of the law he makes to be their consciences, ver. 15. For he gives that as the eminent instance of the law written in their hearts, that it did μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων, excuse and accuse; that is, by course and alteration* between themselves singly or in their own breast (as the margin also hath it), it did some while excuse and approve, pronounce a sentence of absolution and justification, both to their actions and persons, when they do well; as also when they do ill, it again at other times accuseth.
4. Now from this instance of the Gentiles he would have the carnal Jews themselves reflect that they had indeed the advantage of having the law and word of God outwardly revealed to them, over and above the bare light of nature, and so more fully and clearly than the
Gentiles had; and had also the 'more excellent things' thereof: ver.
18, 'Thou approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.' All which came to pass, because they had the same principle of conscience, he had spoken of, which the Gentiles had; which principle was apprehensive of the righteousness of the law, revealed to them of God, and so approved of it, and received it from God, and was apprehensive of its subjection thereunto, and thereupon had set them a-work to act according to that eternal word. But yet in all this (says he) thou that art a Jew actest, at the best, but in the same sphere, and upon the same foundation in nature, that is found in the heathens by nature. And though thy conscience comes to know more excellent things by revelation from the word, and so to act outwardly more gloriously from thence, yet the inward principle is one and the same in thy heart that is in the others, namely, natural conscience enlightened, for magis et minus non variant speciem. These are but further degrees within the same kind, and internally and ultimately it is but the nature in both that all is resolved into.
Yea, and 5thly, he urgeth them from the 21st verse, Thou that art a Jew (says he) in thine obedience and conformity to that law given thee, fallest more short, according to the compass of thy principles and light of conscience, than the Gentiles do, according to what they know by the light of mere nature in their sphere. Yea, and oftentimes some things (which their consciences keep them from) thou sinnest against thy light therein. Now then his conclusion is, Be thine own judge: ver. 26, 27, 'Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law' (that is within his compass of light, so far as he knows, as really and as conscientiously from a principle within him, as thou canst be supposed to do thy law, whilst but from the same principle), shall not he, by the analogy and proportion of that rule by which thou dost judge of thy estate before God, 'be also justified?'
And 'shall not his uncircumcision be counted circumcision,' and so in his measure and proportion be accepted of by God as well as thou? It is not that Paul affirms this, as if a heathen should be saved; but he useth and urgeth it as a conviction to the
Jews, according to the principles they judged of themselves by, leaving it to them to judge of themselves by analogous reason. And therefore his last conclusion and resolution is, ver. 29, that it is none of these principles mentioned that is true holiness, but regeneration or circumcision of the heart, as the apostle elsewhere termeth conversion: Col. 2:11, 'In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.' And 'he is a Jew' (says he)
'that is one inwardly: and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit,' which is a principle beyond both natural conscience in the heathen, or enlightened conscience in the Jew, and all the works or effects thereof in either. And this, says Paul, you will find all true (as the 16th verse hath it, which comes after that parenthesis of verses
13–15), 'In that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ,' who by discovering the secrets of all hearts, will make a full discovery of these things, and the practical differences between them, and thereupon difference in men's estates.
2. The other place, Jer. 31, is most adequate to this general scope of mine; for the full direct and professed intent thereof is to hold forth this very distinction and broad difference that is between the entertainment of the law in the heart of a carnal Jew, with the effects thence ensuing, and the writing the law in the heart by grace. And you may observe that he contents not himself nakedly with setting forth the effects of the covenant of grace, that it is a writing the law in the heart; but sets by it, for illustration thereof, the consideration and remembrance of the former covenant by Moses in giving the law, with the effects thereof, ver. 32. Yea, he brings it in by express distinction from this other, 'Not according' (says he) 'to the covenant
I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.' Now the effects of that covenant upon the most, or on the generality of the Jews (though secretly the new covenant, which was conveyed with it in the types, did then work in many of the elect), you have lively deciphered at the very first giving the law, unto which very transaction Jeremiah most aptly refers, and sends us to understand this difference. You have it, Deut.
5 (where the story of giving the law is rehearsed from ver. 5), at verses 24–27, &c., you find how their consciences made them sensible of the greatness and glory of God who gave the law: ver, 24,
25, 'And they said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that he doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now, therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.' And these apprehensions of theirs did work up unto resolutions to 'do whatever God should say.' 'I have heard' (says God thereupon, ver. 28), 'the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.'
And yet, at ver. 29, you read how the main was wanting, 'Oh that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!' Now the thing that was wanting was the law written in the heart (as Jeremiah discovers it to be), as that which, with respect to the more general and more apparent and professed workings of it in men, was reserved for the days of the New
Testament, as the fruit of the covenant of grace. Now this writing the law in the heart, spoken of by Jeremiah, the apostle (Heb. 10:16) doth genuinely interpret of the work of saving sanctification, as it is distinct from that of justification, and is peculiar to them that are justified.
So then upon all accounts these texts do fully warrant, and give bottom to the proposed subject; namely, the distinction of the effects of the law in natural conscience, from the writing of the law in the heart by regeneration. The main and more substantial difference it holds forth to be this, that God, in giving the old covenant, came upon and took man's natural old heart without renewing it, and gave the law thereunto, and tried how it would work upon it; but in this new covenant he gives a new heart and a new spirit, writing the law in the very inwards, and makes it the groundwork of all his other workings.
Further, ere I come unto these particular heads which are to fill up the bulk of this intended discourse, I must premise one thing as introductory to what follows.
That which I premise is this assertion. That principle or faculty in the heart of man, which is the seat, throne, or sceptre, by which the law of God comes to rule over and to have these effects in the hearts of men, is conscience, by means of which it is said, that 'the law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives'; that is, whilst he lives in his natural condition, Rom. 7:1 compared with ver. 4. This faculty is the Zion or Tower of David in the soul, from whence the law goes forth to the outmost ends thereof. To this purpose, you may observe how the apostle here, when he speaketh of the law written in the Gentiles' hearts, maketh especial, yea, only mention of this, and of no other faculty, because this faculty of conscience is that first and most immediate seat or subject of this writing of the law by nature, and is also the great officer of state, betrusted with the executive power of that law, to see it done and performed. Which accordingly both urgeth the heart of man thereto, as well as after that actions are done, it hath the office of a witness, under the great judge, to accuse, or excuse, and to serve his writs upon a man.
You that are versed in the writings of the wisest philosophers for morality, viz., Plato and the Stoics, Seneca, Epictetus, Hierocles, and Marcus Antoninus, &c., you find them still to cry up and magnify in man as his supreme guide and judge, ὄρθος λόγος, recta ratio, right reason, which they term a branch of God, and σκήπτρον τοῦ Θεοῦ, the Sceptre of God, yea, God in a man, and many such eulogies they give forth of it. Now by right reason they meant primarily that practical part of reason in the mind, which guides a man in his actions according to the eternal law of God (as they speak) or the mind of God, which they termed the principal and primary law. So Tully* expressly speaks in his second book De Legibus, in the name of all the wisest philosophers. And Hierocles upon Pythagoras his verses speak answerably ὁ λογισμὸς τοὺς Θειους νόμους ὑποδεξάμενος. It is reason taking in the divine laws of God; and so it
is δικαστὴς ἄγρυπνος ἐαυτῷ γίνεται. It becomes the most vigilant judge to a man's self. And although these heathens sometimes used the word conscience even as we Christians do, yet more sparingly; and when they did, it was usually intended by them of one part of its office, viz., that after actions are done by us, it doth accordingly torture and disquiet, or refresh and rejoice a man, as he doth good or evil. Thus Tully‡ deciphers his sense of recta ratio, or right reason, to be a true and certain law within us, which calls upon us to what is our duty, and pricks us on to do well by commanding us, and restrains from evil by forbidding us with terrors; which, said he, the wisest of the heathen took to be the mind of God himself, who by that reason in men did order men by commands or restraint, as by a supreme or sovereign law.
Hence therefore, in their usual language, to obey God, and to live according to right reason, were all one; which they also termed living according to nature, as they accounted right reason to be. And what is all this, but as the learned Selden makes the interpretation of these and the like speeches (citing of them) but that which in other terms themselves, and we Christians do call conscience. And Chrysostom afore him, 'When God formed man at first,' saith he, 'he put into him a natural law; and what that law of nature is, conscience hath explained it unto us, and of itself hath made manifest to us the cognisance both of things honest and that are otherwise.' Conscience is that only principle in a man, under whose cognisance comes all that hath the notion of what is morally good or evil, and which with one and the same eye vieweth a rule or law forbidding evil or commanding good; and together therewith do we take a glance of God, as the supreme judge, giving that law, and backing it with threatenings or promises of rewards. And this the etymology of the name denotes, Conscientia, quasi cum alio sciens, viz., with God, and from this knowledge of God, which it carries about with it, together with its being a rule or law, it is that that obligation, power, or force of it doth arise which binds a man, though no creature doth look on to be a witness of his sin, and so he becomes 'a law unto himself.'
And conformably to this, as being the truth, the apostle speaks, 'Be
subject for conscience sake,' Rom. 13:5, which is elsewhere rendered, to obey God. And hence also Paul termeth the leading of a good and regular life a 'living in all good conscience before God,' Acts 23:1. The having done which Paul doth attribute to himself, even whilst he was under his pharisaism, and he terms it living in good conscience, because this conscience was that principle which took in the law from God, and be did provoke him to act outwardly according to it, which hath a goodness in its kind, and therefore is termed good. And it is said to be living in a good conscience, because no man doth make conscience of anything at any time, but it is with an eye to a deity more or less, as he is enlightened, be he a Jew or Gentile, or a professor of Christianity. And in all these it is conscience, whether truly sanctified or not, which is that τὸ ἡγουμὸνικον, which, as Hierocles'* word is, is the suscipient of the divine laws. It is that province of reason, which lies open unto light from God to come in at, and to urge and enforce obedience, and which is capable and apprehensive of what God shall in that kind speak. It is the judge of good and evil moral, not only of right and wrong between man and man, as Gallio spake, but of things honest and wicked. It is communis intelligentia, qua non solum jus et injuria dijudicantur, sed omnino omnia honesta et turpia, as Cicero speaks. And it judgeth of them with application to all particular actions, to direct, provoke, restrain, or if the action be done, to excuse or accuse according to its judgment, and that in the name of a deity or god. Insomuch as I may apply here what Paul says in another though like case, 'What things soever the law says, it saith to them that are under the law,' Rom.
3:9. I may add, whatever the law saith without us, is a conscience within us, the principle capable, according to the light received from thence, to urge it upon the rest of the faculties, so as these phrases are equivalent, to be under the law, and to be under conscience: to be
'concerning the law blameless,' and to 'live in all good conscience.'
And the goodness of conscience there spoken of by Paul, is but a conformity of his outward conversation to the light of the law in his conscience.