A Vindication of the Moral Law and the Covenants, Moral treatise · Lecture 10
LECTURE X.
ROM. 2. 14.
For if the Gentiles doe by nature the things of the law, &c.
WE have already poſitively and plainly (ſo farre as wee conceived neceſſary) declared and proved the truth about the power and ability of a man by Nature to doe that which is good: now it remaineth we ſhould antidote againſt thoſe Objections that doe militate againſt this truth, and that indeed with much ſhew of reaſon; for never have men been more witty, then when they have undertaken to be the patrons of Nature. But Auſtin well called it vitreum acumen: the more it glitters, the eaſier it's broken. The Heathens are very obſtinate in propugning mans power. OnelyOnly ſluggards need Gods help, Ignavis opus est auxilio divino, ſaith Seneca the Tragedian; and ſo the other Seneca: It is the giſt of the gods that we live, but our own doing that we live well, Deorum quidem munus eſſe quòd vivimus, noſtrum verò quòd bene ſancte que vivimus: and that of Tully is very arrogant, lib. 3. de nat. deorum, Quia ſibi quiſ que virtutem acquirit, neminem è ſapientibus unquam de ea gratias Deo egiſſe: and (ſaith he) Wee are praiſed for our vertue; which could not be, if it were the gift of God, and not of our ſelves. But how different are the holy men in the Scripture, from theſe wiſe men of the world, who when they have been enabled by God to doe any good thing, have not taken the glory of it to themſelves? And, as Joab did about Rabbah, when he had taken it, ſent to David to come and take all the glory; ſo doe they ſay, Not I, but the grace of God, 1 Corinth. 15. foreign, is to be underſtood, which was preſent with mee, not which did work There is in mans nature a paſſive capacity of grace, which is not in ſtones and beaſts.with mee.
Finſt therefore they ſay, If ſo be we are not able to doe any thing towards our ſalvation, this is to turn men into ſtockes, and ſtones, or beasts, and ſo no difference between them and us. But we ſay, Although thoſe ſimilitudes the Scripture holds forth doe prove our inability for that which is good, yet they muſt not be made alike in all things. It's true, to convert men, is to make children unto Abraham out of ſtones; yet we muſt not think that is therefore an univerſall likeneſſe between men and ſtones: For firſt, conſider this vaſt diſſimilitude; In ſtones and beaſts there is no paſſive capacity of grace, but in man there is. We ſay, there is a power for grace in a mans nature; and the Papiſts ſay, there is a power: only they ſay it's an active power, though remote; we ſay, only a paſſive. There is a power to be converted to God, which is not in ſtones or beaſts: they ſay, there is a power to convert or turn to God; here is a great difference.
Beſides, wee may conſider theſe degrees in the creatures: 1. There is an inclination to ſuch an act, as in the fire to burne. 2. A ſpontaneous inclination to ſome acts accompanied with ſenſe, and ſenſible apprehenſions, as in beaſts. 3. A willing inclination accompanied with reaſon or judgement, and this is in man: Now, becauſe man is thus affected, therefore God in converting, though he doth it by a potent work, yet by arguments, which we never uſe to horſes, or brute beaſts: and although man hath loſt that rectitude in his will and mind, yet hee hath not loſt the faculties themſelves; therefore though he be theologically dead, yet hee is ethically alive, being to be wrought upon by arguments. Hence is that ſaying, To will is of nature, To will well of grace, To will ill of corrupt nature. Hence wee may grant thoſe objections, that if a man had not this free-will (if you doe not extend it to good things) there could be no converſion or obedience; for grace doth not deſtroy, but perfect nature.
2. This putteth men upon ſpeaking and preaching contradictions: To preſſe a duty, and yet to acknowledge Gods grace or gift to do it, is no contradiction.For ſo ſome have ſaid, that the Calviniſts; though they be Calviniſts in their Doctrines, yet they are Arminians in their Uſes. And they ſay, How incongruous is it, to tell us we can doe nothing of our ſelves, and then to make this uſe, Therefore let us ſeek out for the grace of Chriſt? But to anſwer, 1. This contradiction may be caſt as well upon Chriſt and Paul: Take Chriſt for an inſtance, John 6. in that Sermon, he bade the Jewes labour for that meat that periſheth not, and yet at the ſame time ſaid, None can come unto mee, except my Father draw him. Might not the Arminian ſay, How can theſe two things ſtand together? So John 15. our Saviour telleth them, Without him they can doe nothing, and yet at the ſame time he exhorteth them, to abide in him, and keep his commandements: So Paul; take two inſtances from him, Rom. cap. 9. & cap. 11. The Apoſtle there ſheweth, God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and that it is not of him that runneth or willeth, but of God that calleth; yet he bids them that ſtand take heed lest they fall: and, Be not high-minded, but feare. So Phil. 2. 12, 13. Work out your ſalvation with feare and trembling; for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to doe. This reaſon, in their ſenſe, would quite overthrow the former. Nay (ſay they) it being attributed thus to God, and to man, it ſeemeth both doe it How this may be anſwered, wee ſhall ſee anon. But to make u… ſpeak contradictions, becauſe we preſſe a duty, and yet acknowledge Gods grace or gift to doe it, is to make a perpetuall diſcord between precepts and promiſes: For the ſame things which God commands us to doe, doth hee not alſo promiſe to doe for us, as, to circumciſe our hearts, and, to walk in his commandements How much better is that of Auſtius, O man, in Gods precepts acknowledge what thou oughteſt to doe, in his promiſes acknowledge that thou canſt not doe it? But 2. we may returne upon them, that their Sermons and Prayers are contradictions; they ſay, they can doe it, and then they pray God they may doe it: They ſay, the Will may receive the grace of God, and may obey God calling; and then they pray, God would make them obey his calling; as much as to ſay, O Lord, make me to obey if I will.
3. This evacuateth the whole nature of Gods precepts and commands: Mans inability to obſerve Gods precepts, maketh not vo…d the nature of the precepts, becauſe this in ability proceeded from mans owne fault. A thing ſaid to be impoſſible three waies.For, ſay they, Is not this to make God mock us, as if wee ſhould bid the blind man ſee; or tell a dwarfe, if hee would touch the heavens with his ſinger, he ſhould have ſo much mony? Now, to this many things are to be ſaid: as, firſt, If theſe things were abſolutely and ſimply impoſſible, that which they ſay would be true; but a thing may be ſaid to be impoſſible three waies:
1. Simply and univerſally, even to the power of God: and ſo all thoſe things are, that imply a contradiction; and this impoſſibility ariſeth from the nature of the thing, not from any defect in God: Yea, wee may ſay with one, Potentiſſimè hoc Deus non poteſt.
2. There may be a thing impoſſible in its kind; as for Adam to reach the heavens, for a man to work above naturall cauſes.
3. That which is poſſible in it ſelf to ſuch a ſubject, but becomes impoſſible accidentally through a mans fault. Now for a man to be commanded that, which through his own fault he becometh unable to do, is no illuſion or cruelty. If a creditor require his debt of a bankrupt, who hath prodigally ſpent all, and made himſelf unable to pay, what unrighteouſneſſe is this? Therefore they are but odious inſtances, of touching the skies, of bidding blind men to ſee; for this Rule obſerve, Whatſoever is ſo impoſſible, that it is beyond a duty required, or power ever given, extra officium debitum, and potentiam unquam datam, that indeed were abſurd to preſſe upon men. Again conſider, that the commands of God doe imply if any power, then more then they will acknowledge; for they ſuppoſe a man can doe all of himſelf without the grace of God, and therefore indeed the old Pelagian, and the new Socinian ſpeak more conſonantly then theſe, that divide it between grace, and the power of man.
Laſtly, The commands of God are for many other ends, as to convince, Gods commands, though they be not a meaſure of our power, may ſerve to convince, humble, &c.and humble, though they be not a meaſure or rule of our power. That place, Deut. 30. 11. is much urged by the adverſary, where Moſes ſeemeth to declare the eaſineſſe of that command: and certainly it hath a very great ſhew; for, as for that anſwer, That Moſes ſpeaketh of the eaſineſſe of knowing, and not fulfilling, Calvin doth not ſtand upon it; and indeed of our ſelves we are not able to know the Law of God. The anſwer then to this may be taken out of Rom. 10. 11. That howſoever Moſes ſpeaks of the Law, yet Paul interprets it of the Goſpel. What then? Doth Paul pervert the ſcope of Moſes? Some do almoſt ſay ſo; but the truth is, the Law (as is to be ſhewed againſt the generall miſtake) if it was not in it ſelf a covenant of grace, yet it was given Evangelically, and to Evangelicall purpoſes, which made the Apoſtle alledge that place: and therefore the Antinomian doth wholly miſtake, in ſetting up the Law as ſome horrid Gorgon, or Meduſa's head, as is to be ſhewed.
4. How can God upbraid or reprove men for their tranſgreſſions, Neceſsity of ſinning hinders not the delight and willingneſſe man hath in ſin, and conſequently God may reprove him for his tranſgreſſions.if they could doe no other wayes? This alſo ſeemeth very ſtrange, if men can do no otherwiſe. Is not this as ridiculous to threaten them, as that of Xerxes, who menaced the ſea? I anſwer, No, becauſe ſtill whatſoever man offends in, it's properly his fault, and truly his ſin; for whatſoever he ſinneth in, he doth it voluntarily, and with much delight; and is therefore the freer in ſin, by how much the more he delights in it. And this Auſtin would diligently inculcate, that ſo no man might think to caſt his faults upon God. There is no man forced to ſinne, but he doth it with all his inclination and delight. How farre voluntarineſſe is requiſite to the nature of a ſinne, at leaſt actuall, though not to originall, is not now to be determined; for we all acknowledge, that this neceſſity of ſinning in every man, doth not hinder the delight and willingneſſe he hath in it at the ſame time.
Nor ſhould this be thought ſo abſurd, for even Aristotle ſaith, *Cap. 5. l. 3. Ethic. ad Nicom.that though men at firſt may chooſe, whether they will be wicked or no, yet if once habituated, they cannot but be evil: and yet for all that, this doth not excuſe, but aggravate. If an Ethiopian can change his skin, ſaith the Prophet, then may you doe good, who have accuſtomed your ſelves to doe evil. The Oake, while it was a little plant, might be pulled up; but when it's grown into its full breadth and height, none can move it. Now if it be thus of an habit, how much more of originall ſin, which is the depravation of the nature? And howſoever Auſtin was ſhye of calling it naturale malum, for fear of the Manichees; yet ſometimes he would doe it. Well therefore doth the Scripture uſe thoſe ſharp reproofes and upbraidings, becauſe there is no man a ſinner or a damner of himſelf, but it is by his own fault: and withall, theſe ſerve to be a goad and a ſharp thorn in the ſinners ſide, whereby he is made reſtleſſe in his ſin.
5. To what purpoſe are exhortations and admonitions? Though Though God works all our good in us, yet exhortations are the inſtrument wherby he works it.the other anſwers might ſerve for this, yet ſomething may be ſpecially anſwered here, which is, that though God work all our good in us, and for us, yet it is not upon us as ſtocks or ſtones; but he dealeth ſutably to our natures, with arguments and reaſons: And if you ſay, To what purpoſe? Is it any more then if the Sun ſhould ſhine, or a candle be held out to a blind man? Yes, becauſe theſe exhortations and the word of God read or preached, are that inſtrument, by which God will work theſe things. Therefore you are not to look upon preaching, as a meere exhortation, but as a ſanctified medium, or inſtrument, by which God worketh that he exhorteth unto. Sometimes indeed we read, that God hath ſent his Prophets to exhort thoſe, whom yet he knew would not hearken: Thus he ſent Moſes to bid Pharaoh let the people of Iſrael go, and thus the Prophets did preach, when they could not beleeve, becauſe of the deafneſſe and blindneſſe upon them. But unto the godly theſe are operative meanes, and practicall, even as when God ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; or, when Chriſt ſaid, Lazarus, come forth of the grave. And this by the way ſhould keep you from deſpiſing the moſt plain miniſtery or preaching that is; for, a Sermon doth not work upon your hearts, as it is thus elegant, thus admirable, but as it is an inſtrument of God, appointed to ſuch an end: Even as Austin ſaid, The conduits of water, though one might be in the ſhape of an Angel, another of a beaſt, yet the water doth refreſh as it is water, not as it comes from ſuch a conduit; or the ſeed that is thrown into the ground fructifieth, even that which comes from a plain hand, as well as that which may have golden rings or jewels upon it: not but that the Miniſter is to improve his gifts, Qui dedit Petrum piſcatorem, dedit Cyprianum rhetorem, but onelyonly to ſhew whence the power of God is. Bonorum ingeniorum inſignis est indoles, in verbis verum amare, non verba. Quid obeſt clavis lignea, quando nihil aliud quaerimus, niſi patere clauſum?
6. The Scripture makes converſion and repentance to be our acts, How converſion and repentance may be ſaid to be our acts.as well as the effects of Gods grace. And this cannot be denyed but that we are the ſubject, who being acti▪ agimus, enabled by grace, do work; for, grace cannot be but in an intelligent ſubject: As before the Manna fell upon the ground, there fell a dew, which (ſay Interpreters) was preparatory to conſtringe and bind the earth, that it might receive the Manna; ſo doth reaſon and liberty qualifie the ſubject, that it is paſſively capable of grace: but when enabled by grace, it is made active alſo. Theſe be places indeed have ſtuck much upon ſome, which hath made them demand, Why, if thoſe Promiſes of God converting us do prove converſion to be his act, ſhould not other places alſo, which bid us turn unto the Lord, prove that it is our Act? The anſwer is eaſie: none deny, but that to beleeve, and to turn unto God, are our acts; we cannot beleeve without the minde and will. That of Auſtin is ſtrong and good, If, becauſe it's ſaid, Not of him that willeth and runneth, but of him that ſheweth mercy, man is made a partiall cauſe with God, then we may as well ſay, Not in him that ſheweth mercy, but in him that runneth and willeth.
But the Queſtion is, Whether we can doe this of our ſelves, with grace? Or, Whether grace onelyonly enable us to doe it? That diſtinction of Bernards is very cleere: The heart of a man is the ſubjectum in quo, but not à quo; the ſubject in which, not from which this grace proceedeth: Therefore you are not to conceive, when grace doth enable the mind and will to turn unto God, as if thoſe motions of grace had ſuch an impreſſion upon the heart, as when the ſeal imprints a ſtamp upon the wax, or when wine is poured into the veſſell, where the ſubject recipient doth not move, or ſtirre at all: Nor is it as when Balaam's Aſſe ſpake, or as when a ſtone is thrown into a place, nor as an enthuſiaſticall or arreptitious motion, as thoſe that ſpake oracles, and underſtood not; Nor as thoſe that are poſſeſſed of Satan, which did many things, wherein the minde and will had no action at all: but the Spirit of God inclineth the Will and Affections to their proper object.
Nor is the Antinomians ſimilitude ſound, that (as you heard) makes God converting of a man, to be as when a Phyſician poureth down his potion into the ſick-mans throat, whether he will or no: For it is moſt true, that the Will, in the illicite and immediate acts of it, cannot be forced by any power whatſoever: It's impoſſible that a man ſhould beleeve unwillingly; for to beleeve, requireth an act of the Will. The School-men diſpute, Whether fear, or ignorance, or luſt do not compell the will; and they do rightly conclude, that it cannot: Therefore, though a mans converſion be reſiſted by the corrupt heart & will of a man, yet when it is overcome by the grace of God, it turneth willingly unto him. Therefore this argument, though it ſeem ſtrange, yet we may ſay of it as he in another caſe, Hoc argumentum non venit à Dea Suada.
7. Then men may ſit ſtill and never ſtirre, onelyonly expecting when Gods working upon the heart of a ſinner for converſion, excludes not mans working.grace ſhall come; for, if we have no power, why are men exhorted to come to Christ, and reade the Word? And indeed, this hath ſo wrought upon ſome, that they have not uſed any meanes at all, but expect Gods providence to be a ſupplyer of all, as Brentius (if I miſtake not) relateth of an Anabaptiſt woman, who invited many to ſupper, and never provided any thing, expecting God would do it. Now this Queſtion is built upon a falſhood, as if a mans working were wholly excluded; whereas you are to know, that there are two kinds of holy things:
1. There are holy things that are internally and eſſentially ſo, and theſe we cannot doe without God, John 15. Without me ye can do nothing. Auſtin obſerves the emphaſis; he doth not ſay, No hard thing, but nothing: and he doth not ſay Perficere, perfect; but Facere, you cannot doe it any way.
2. There are holy actions externally ſo, as to come to heare the Word preached, to reade and meditate upon the Word: experience teacheth, that men have a naturall power to this; witneſſe thoſe many Comments and learned Expoſitions, that men without any grace have made upon the Scripture. Now it's true, to doe any of theſe holily is Gods act, The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God: and, God opened Lydia's heart. But yet God converteth in the uſe of theſe meanes. He will not ordinarily change the heart of any, that doth not wait at the gates of wiſdome. Therefore God doth not work upon the heart, as the Artificer uſeth his inſtrument, but he commands to reade and hear; and this is the organ, or the meanes by which the Spirit of God will change his heart. Now indeed, when a man readeth or heareth any naturall or philoſophicall truth, he is able by theſe foreign, ſtrength left in nature, to comprehend them, but he cannot in the ſame manner bring forth any thoughts or affections of heart ſutable unto thoſe ſpirituall myſteries laid open before him. But now the patrons of Nature ſpeak otherwiſe; they ſay it is, as if a man, almoſt ſpent by a diſeaſe, ſhould receive phyſick, and ſo that phyſick doth repaire and increaſe ſtrength, not infuſe ſtrength: Or, as a bird tyed by a ſtring, that hath a power to flye, onelyonly is outwardly hindered, ſo that they ſuppoſe a latent power in Nature to be excited and ſtirred up by grace: we ſay, the power muſt be firſt infuſed.
8. If they thus neceſſarily ſin, then they were not bound to pray, nor Though wicked men cannot but ſinne in praying and hearing, yet they are bound to theſe duties.to come to hear the Word of God preached; for then alſo they ſin and no man is bound to ſin. Now to this the anſwer is clear, that though a wicked man cannot but ſinne in praying and hearing, yet he is bound to theſe things: and the reaſon is, becauſe, that he ſinneth in them, it is meerly accidentall, but the duty is a duty eſſentially in it ſelf; and a man muſt not omit that which is per ſe requiſite, for that which is accidentally forbidden: ſo that his reſolution ſhould not be, not to pray, or to heare, but deponere peccatum, to lay down his ſin, which corrupteth, leaveneth, and maketh ſowre all he doth. Beſides, there is leſſe judgement to him that prayeth, then to him that prayeth not, although in ſome particular conſideration his aggravation may be the greater.
9. The Scripture doth ſay, To him that hath, ſhall be given, God doth not bind himſelf to this way.and, when God distributed his talents, it was to every one as he was able, Matth. 25. If we anſwer to this, that theologia ſymbolica non est argumentativa, that is denyed, and is now a-late queſtioned; although Auſtins and others compariſons about parables muſt needs be granted: which are, As in a picture there are lineaments and eſſentials of it, but, beſides theſe, the ſhadowes and colours, which are for meer ornament; ſo in Parables: Or, as others, As in the muſicall inſtrument, onelyonly the ſtrings touched make the noiſe or tune, yet they could not do ſo, unleſſe faſtened unto the wood; ſo onelyonly the ſcope of the parable is that which is argumentative, though this principall have many acceſſaries joyned to it: And thus we may ſay of that paſſage, foreign, that it's taken from the cuſtome of men, and goeth to make up the parable. But let us conſider it otherwiſe, and Theophylact referreth it dangerouſly to our preparations and diſpoſitions. In the veſſell (ſaith he) which I am to bring to God, he poureth in his gift: If I bring a little veſſell, he giveth a little gift; if a great veſſell, he giveth a great gift: But, ſeeing that under the name of theſe talents, be underſtood not onelyonly dona ſanctificantia, but ministrantia, and the Apoſtle ſaith expreſly, that the Spirit of God giveth theſe diverſity of gifts, as he pleaſeth, this wholly overthroweth that expoſition. Therefore the Papiſts, Barradius and Maldonat, do confeſſe it makes onelyonly ad ornatum, non ad rem per parabolam ſignificatam; and that it's taken from the cuſtome of men, who uſe indeed to look to the gifts of men, their prudence and fidelity: but we know by experience, God did not ſo. But if we make an argument of it, then this diſpoſition or capacity muſt be either ſupernaturall, and then it's the gift of God; or if of naturall capacity, as ſometimes to him that hath excellent parts, a prompt wit, an happy memory, God giveth the habit of Divinity (for there is ſuch a thing that is diſtinct from the habit of faith) and a gift of interpreting Scripture, although that naturall dexterity be a gift of God alſo, but in another kind; and then God doth not tye or bind himſelf to this way: and therefore, if we ſhould ſay, as ſome do, God gave the ſpirit of government to Moſes, becauſe by nature he was moſt prudent and meek; yet it's not univerſally ſo, becauſe God gave to Saul a ſpirit of government from his own meere good will, without any reſpect to Saul. And how many men of parts have been ſo farre from being bleſt, becauſe of theſe naturall endowments, that they have turned their wedge of gold into an idoll, to worſhip it?
Uſe 1. To extoll the work of grace for the initiall, progreſſive, and conſummative work of converſion: for by all that hath been ſaid, you have ſeen the weakneſſe of nature, and the power of grace; the ſtrength of our diſeaſe, and the neceſſity of a phyſician. How uncomfortable will it be when thou dyeſt, to commit thy ſoule to that grace, which thou haſt diſputed againſt? And be not content with giving ſomething to it, unleſs thou give all to it; Grace that juſtifieth, Grace that ſanctifieth, Grace that ſaveth.
Uſe 2. Not to abuſe the doctrine of grace to idleneſſe or negligence. You ſee how both theſe promiſes and precepts, grace and duties, may be reconciled. And as not to negligence, ſo not to curious diſputes: doe not ſo trouble your ſelves about the doctrine of grace, that you feel not the power of grace in your hearts; and doe not ſo farre diſpute about your naturall corruption, and how deep you are in it, as not to labour to get out of it. Austin compareth this to one, who being fallen into a great pit, his friend asked him how he came in; Nay (ſaith he) rather ſeek how to get me out. And thus doe ye in theſe matters of ſin, wherein you are wholly plunged.