A Vindication of the Moral Law and the Covenants, Moral treatise · Lecture 9
LECTURE IX.
ROM. 2. 14.
For the Gentiles doe by nature the things of the law.
WE have handled thoſe things that concern the light and conduct of Nature: now we ſhall ſpeak of that which belongs to the ability and power of Nature; for herein are two extreme errours: one of the Pelagian, Papiſt, and Arminian, with others, who lift up this power too high, The enemies of grace lurk under the praiſes of nature, Sub laudibus Naturae latent inimici gratiae; and the other of the Antinomians, who ſeem to deny all the preparatory works upon the heart of a man; holding, that Chriſt immediately communicateth himſelfe to groſſe ſinners abiding ſo: and though they hold us paſſive at the firſt receiving of Chriſt, which all orthodox do; yet they expreſſe it in an unſound ſenſe, comparing God unto a Phyſician, that doth violently open the ſick mans throat, and poure down his phyſick whether he will or no; whereas God, though he doth convert fortiter, yet he doth it alſo ſuaviter. Now for the full clearing of our inability to any good thing, we will lay down theſe Propoſitions:
1. There is a naturall power of free-will left in us. Free-will is There is in man a natural power, by the help of Reaſon, to chuſe or refuſe this or that thing.not indeed a Scripture name, but meerly eccleſiaſticall, and hath been ſo abuſed, that Calvin wiſhed the very name of it were quite exploded: but if we ſpeak of the quid ſit, and not the quid poſſit, the being of it, and not the working of it, we muſt neceſſarily acknowledge it. The neereſt expreſſion to the word Free-will, is that 1 Cor. 7. 37. having foreign, power over his own will: but generally the Scripture uſeth the word foreign, and foreign, which is as much as we intend. There is in all men naturally that power, whereby, through the help of Reaſon, he chooſeth this, and refuſeth another-thing; only this muſt not be extended to the things of grace. Now to ſay what this Free-will is, is very hard: Perkins, following ſome Schoole-men, maketh it a mixed power of the Underſtanding and the Will; others a third reall diſtinct power from them: but it may probably be thought, that it is nothing but the will in electing or refuſing ſuch things; ſo that we call it the Will in thoſe things it's neceſſarily carried out to, as to will what is good, and not ſin as ſin: and then Free-will, when it's carried out to thoſe things that are not neceſſarily connexed with it: Even as in the Underſtanding, while the Underſtanding doth conſider firſt Principles, it's called Intellectus; while Concluſions that are gathered from them, it's called Ratio. Therefore our Adverſaries do but calumniate us, when they ſay, we turn men into beaſts; for we hold the Underſtanding going before, and the Will after: and this is more then a meere ſpontaneous inclination in things naturall. Therefore it is, that we do not bid the fire burn, or perſwade an horſe to goe, becauſe there is not Underſtanding or Will in theſe things, as there is in a man.
2. This which is left in us is not able to performe naturall actions, This naturall power in man not able to performe naturall actions without Gods generall aſſiſtance.without the generall help of God. That which we have acknowledged to be in a man naturally, muſt ſtill be limited to his proper ſphere, to naturall, and civill actions, or ſome externally religious duties: but even then we muſt acknowledge a generall help, or aſſiſtance of God, without which we could not doe any naturall thing; ſo that place in the Acts, In him we live, and move, and have our being: by which we prove, that God doth not onelyonly give us the principles of being and moving, but we move in him, i. e. by him. Therefore Hierome did well reprove the Pelagians, that thought, without the generall aide of God, a man might move his finger, or write, and ſpeak. There have beem ſome who have thought, that all which God doth for us in our naturall actions, is onelyonly to give the principles and power o… actions; and then afterwards we need no further aide, then mee… preſervation of our being, no concourſe or aide of God helping us in the action: Thus Durand of old, and one Dodo of late, who hath written a Book onelyonly to that purpoſe: but the place aboveſaid doth evidently convince it; and we ſee, that God did hinder the fire from burning the three Worthies, though he did preſerve the fire at the ſame time in the power of burning, which could not be otherwiſe, then by denying his actuall aide to the working of the fire: For, to ſay that the reaſon was becauſe of Gods doing ſomething upon their bodies, were to make the miracle there, where the Scripture doth not lay it. If you aske then, why this may not be called a ſpeciall help of God, as well as that whereby we are inabled to beleeve, or repent; I anſwer, there is a great deal of difference:
1. Becauſe this generall aide is neceſſary to wicked actions, in regard of their poſitive nature, as well as to good.
2. God doth this in the way of his Providence, as a Creatour, the other he doth in the way of Predeſtination, as a Father in Chriſt.
3. The other aide may be ſaid to be due, as our Divines ſpeak of originall righteouſneſſe, upon a ſuppoſition that a man is made a creature to do ſuch actions; yet not properly a debt, but that for our ſin we are deprived of it: but this ſpeciall help of grace cannot be called ſo.
3. It is wholly unable to work any good thing. All this while we have conſidered the power of man but as in the lower region; Man by the power of nature wholly unable to performe good actions.and if you doe conſider him, in reference to good things, ſo he hath no power, or will, or free-will at all; but, as Austin ſaid before Luther, it's ſervum arbitrium, a ſervant, and inſlaved will to ſin onelyonly. Indeed we have not loſt our underſtandings or our wills, but to know or will that which is good, is wholly loſt: Though we have not loſt the will, yet we have the rectitude in that will, whereby we ſhould encline to good. And this may be proved from many Arguments:
1. From all thoſe places of Scripture which declare our eſtate 1. Becauſe our natures are full of ſin and corruption.to be full of ſin and corruption, and altogether wicked. Now, Doe men gather grapes of thornes, or figs of thistles? Hence the Father compareth us well to the ſhip in a tempeſt, that is deſtitute of a Pilot: we are daſhed continually upon rocks, though this ſpeak of the negative onelyonly, not the poſitive corruption.
2. All thoſe places, which ſpeak of grace, and converſion, and 2. Becauſe grace and converſion are the work of God.regeneration, as the work of God. As for thoſe places, where we are ſaid to repent, and to turn unto God, in time we ſhall cleare; only theſe Texts prove, that all the good things we do, they are the works of the Lord: not that God beleeveth or repenteth in us, but he worketh thoſe actions in us efficiently, which we doe formally and vitally.
3. All thoſe places whereby glory and praiſe is to be given unto 3. Becauſe glory is to be given to God onelyonly, not to our ſelves.God onelyonly, and not unto our ſelves. What hast thou thou haſt not received? We are to glory in nothing, becauſe no good thing is ours. Therefore, we bring forth good things, as Sarahs dead womb brought forth a child; it was not a child of nature, but a child of the meere Promiſe: thus are all our graces. And, indeed, if we could either in whole or part work our own converſion, we might thank God, and our wils: But how abſurd would this be, Lord, I thank thee for the turning of my heart, when I was willing to turn it?
4. It cannot prepare or dispoſe it ſelf for the grace of justification Nature of it ſelf cannot diſpoſe for juſtification, or ſanctification: and the reaſons why.or ſanctification. As it cannot immediately work any good thing, ſo neither can a naturall man diſpoſe, or prepare himſelf for the great works of grace. There is no truth in ſuch an aſſertion. Let man do what he can naturally, God will meet him graciouſly: and the reaſons are plain:
1. Becauſe no naturall thing is in it ſelf an order or a diſpoſition to a ſupernaturall thing; for they differ in their whole kind and nature. Hence it is, that we never read of any Heathens, that, by the improvement of a naturall light, had ſupernaturall vouchſafed unto them.
2. Thoſe places that ſpeak of our totall corruption, intenſively onelyonly evil, and extenſively, all the thoughts of a man are evil, and protenſively, continually, do ſufficiently declare, that we cannot prepare our ſelves to meet God.
3. If we could prepare, or diſpoſe our ſelves to grace, then the greateſt cauſe of glory would ſtill be in a mans own ſelf For, Why doth Peter repent, and not Judas? Becauſe, may ſome ſay, he diſpoſed and ſet himſelf to repent, and not Judas. But ſtill here is the Queſtion, Why did Peter ſet himſelf to repent and not Judas? Here it muſt be ultimately reſolved either into the grace of God, or the will of man.
4. All thoſe ſimilitudes that the Scripture uſeth, do illuſtrate this thing. We are not ſaid to be blind, or lame, but dead in ſin: now did Lazarus prepare himſelf to riſe? So it's called Regeneration. Can a man diſpoſe himſelf to have life? I know theſe compariſons muſt not be extended too far; yet, the Scripture uſing ſuch expreſſions to declare our utter inability, we may well preſſe thoſe breaſts of the Scripture ſo farre, and bring out no blood. The parched earth doth not diſpoſe it ſelf for the rain, nor doth the cold ice of it ſelf thaw, which is the Fathers Similie.
Yet fifthly, We may hold truly ſome antecedaneous works upon the heart, before thoſe graces be beſtowed on us. This take to antidote There are, and may be ſome preparatory and antecedaneous works upon the heart before juſtification or ſanctification.againſt the Antinomian, who ſpeaks conſtantly of the ſoul taking Chriſt, even while it's a grievous polluted ſoul; as if there were no poliſhing of this crooked timber and rough ſtone, but even taken out of the quarry, and ſo immediately put into the building. Thoſe in the Acts that were pricked in heart, were yet bid to repent; and ſo they cried out, What ſhall we doe to be ſaved? The ſick feeleth his burden before he cometh for eaſe, ſo that a groſſe ſinner is not immediately put out of his vile wayes into Chriſt; onelyonly theſe limitations you muſt take:
1. That all theſe things, ſight of ſin, trembling for fear, confuſed deſires, they are the works of Gods grace moving us, they do not come from our own naturall ſtrength.
2. Theſe are not abſolutely neceſſary in every one. We know how Matthew and Lydia did follow Chriſt; and God ſaith, he was found of ſome that did not ſeek him. Paul was in a moſt curſed indiſpoſition when the Lord called him: but generally God takes this way.
3. Theſe are not neceſſary antecedents, ſo as the grace of converſion doth neceſſarily follow. Wee reade of Cain and Judas troubled for ſin. These are a wilderneſſe that a man may dye in, and never goe into Canaan: There may be throes and pangs, when yet no childe, but wind is to be delivered. Hence a people that have been civill, have not been called: but Publicans and Harlots. The object of election is for the moſt part few for number, infirme for power, and ſinfull for converſation: though in the godly theſe are needles that will draw in the threed, yet this ſtate muſt not be called a third middle eſtate between regenerate and unregenerate, as ſome feigne.
Laſtly, none of theſe workings can be called ſo properly preparations, or diſpoſitions in themſelves, but onelyonly intentionally in God. Our Saviour looked on a young man, and loved him, and ſaid, hee was not farre from the Kingdome of heaven: that is, the life hee lived was not farre from the Kingdome of heaven; yet this was no preparation in it ſelfe to it: nay, he may be further off, as two high hills may be neer in the tops to one another, but the bottomes ſome miles aſunder. And this is ſo great a matter, that great ſins are made by God a preparation to ſome mans converſion, which yet of themſelves they could never be: As a childe, whoſe coat is a little dirty, hath it not preſently waſhed; but when he falls wholly all over in the dirt, this may be the cauſe of the waſhing of it: ſo that they are preparations only ſo far as God intendeth them.
6. All determination to one doth not take away that naturall liberty. Determination to one kind of acts takes not away liberty.This will further cleere the truth: for it may be thought ſtrange, that there ſhould be this freedome of will in a man, and yet thus determined to one ſin onelyonly; whereas it's plaine, a determination to one kind of acts, good or evill, doth not take away liberty. God can onelyonly will that which is good, and ſo the Angels and Saints confirmed in happineſſe; yet they doe this freely: and ſo the Divels will that which is wicked onelyonly. It's true, ſome exclaime at ſuch paſſages, but that is onelyonly becauſe they are prepoſſeſſed with a falſe opinion about liberty; for a determination to one may ariſe from perfection, as well as naturall imperfection. It is from Gods abſolute perfection that hee is determined to will onelyonly good; and when Adam did will to ſin againſt God, it did not ariſe from the liberty of his will, but his mutability. There is a naturall neceſſity, ſuch which determineth a thing to one; and that is imperfection: but a neceſſity of immutability in that which is good, is a glorious perfection. The Learned ſpeak of a three-fold liberty: 1. From miſery, ſuch as the Saints ſhall have in heaven. 2. From ſin, to which A threefold liberty.is oppoſed that freedome to righteouſneſſe, of which our Saviour ſpeaketh, Then are yee free indeed, when the Son hath made you free; and of which Auſtine, Tunc eſt liberum, quando liberatum. 3. From naturall neceſſity, and thus alſo man, though hee be neceſſarily carried on to ſin, yet it is not by a naturall neceſſity, as beaſts are, but there is Reaſon and Will in him when he doth thus tranſgreſſe: onelyonly you muſt take notice, that this determination of our Will onelyonly to ſin, is the loſſe of that perfection we had in Adam, and doth not ariſe from the primaeve conſtitution of the will, but by Adams fall, and ſo is meerly accidentall to it.
7. Nor doth it take away that willingneſſe or delight in ſin, which Determination to ſinne, takes not away that delight in ſinne which man is inevitably carried out unto.we are inevitably carried out unto: For now, if man were carried out to ſin againſt his will and his delight, then there might be ſome ſhew of pleading for him; but it is not ſo, he ſinneth as willingly, and as electively in reſpect of his corrupt heart, as if there were no neceſſity brought upon him. Therefore that is good of Bernards, The neceſſity takes not away the willingneſſe of it, nor the willingneſſe of it the neceſſity. It's both an hand-maid, and ſo free, and, which is to be wondered, eo que magis ancilla, quò magis libera. Hence therefore no wicked or ungodly man can have any excuſe for himſelfe, to ſay the fates or neceſſity drove him: for, beſides that by his fault he hath caſt himſelfe into this neceſſity, and ſo is, as if a man in debt, who was once able to pay, but by his wilfull prodigall courſes hath ſpent all, ſhould think to be excuſed becauſe he cannot pay. Beſides (I ſay, this juſt and full anſwer) this alſo is to be ſaid, that no man ſins conſtrainedly, but every one is carried on with that delight to ſin, as if he were independent upon any providence, or predefinitive permiſſive decrees of God, or any ſuch corrupt neceſſity within him. Hereby he pitieth not himſelfe, hee ſeeth not his undone eſtate, & nihil miſerius miſero non miſerante ſcipſum. Hence it is, that a mans whole damnation is to be aſcribed to himſelfe. Wee ourſelves have deſtroyed our owne ſoules, wee cannot caſt it upon Gods decrees. And this is neceſſarily to be urged, becauſe of that naturall corruption in us with Adam, to caſt our ſinne upon God.
8. A man may acknowledge grace and give much to it, and yet Much may be aſcribed to grace, and yet the totall efficacy not given unto it.not give the totall efficacy unto it. This is a maine particular to conſider; for Pelagius, and Arminius, and Papiſts, all doe acknowledge grace. Pelagius, it's noted of him, that hee did foure times incruſtate his opinion, and held grace in every one of them: Hee did gratiae vocabulo uti ad frangendum invidiam, as you heard before; yea, by this meanes hee deceived all the Eaſterne Churches, and they acquitted him when he ſaid thus: If any man deny grace to be neceſſary to every good act wee doe, let him be an anathema. So Papiſts and Arminians, they all acknowledge grace, but not grace enough; Gratia non eſt gratia, niſi ſit omni modo gratuita: As for example; Firſt, they acknowledge grace to be onelyonly as an univerſall help, which muſt be made effectuall by the particular will of man: ſo that grace is efficacious with them, not by any inward vertue of it ſelf antecedaneous to, and independent upon the Will, but eventually only, becauſe the will doth yeeld; and therefore Bellarmine compareth it to Sol & homo generant hominem: one as the univerſall cauſe, the other as the particular cauſe. Thus grace and free-will produce a good action; grace as the generall cauſe, and free-will as the particular: but how derogatory is this to grace? how can our actions be ſaid to be the fruit of grace? For, If I ſhould aske, Who is the father of ſuch a man? it would be very hard to ſay, The Sun in the firmament: ſo it would be as abſurd to ſay, Grace regenerated and converted this man. Again, they make grace a partiall cauſe only; ſo that it ſtirreth up our naturall ſtrength to work this or that good thing: and therefore we are ſynergiſts or co-workers with The outward act of a commandement may be preformed by the power of Nature.God in the work of converſion; but this ſuppoſeth us not dead in ſinne.
9. Men may naturally performe the outward act of a commandement. Now though we be thus corrupt, yet for all that, men by nature may doe that outward act which is commanded by God, or abſtaine from the matter prohibited. Thus Alexander abſtained from the Virgins hee took captives, which is ſo much related in ſtories, and many other famous inſtances of the Heathens, though ſome indeed think they had a ſpeciall helpe and aide from God to doe that: but here the Apoſtle in the Text is cleare, They doe by nature the things of the law. Some doe not like that dictinction, They may doe the ſubſtance of the work, but not the manner of a good worke, becauſe they think the ſubſtance doth comprehend that indeed which makes a good work; howſoever, they agree that the externall act may be done. Thus Ahab hee externally humbled himſelfe, and ſome think that Uriah, which Eſay calls, The faithfull witneſſe he took to him, to be the ſame with him that brought in the Altar of Damaſcus: ſo that, though he was an idolater, and an ungodly man, yet hee was reputed a faithfull man in his word. And certainly this is ſomething, to make many men inexcuſable. They may forbeare thoſe acts of groſſe impiety which they doe, ſuppoſing they have not cuſtomarily, or by the juſt judgement of God throwne themſelves into the power of ſuch ſins; not that this will helpe to ſave them, onelyonly their puniſhment will be leſſe. Thus Fabricius and Camillus (ſaith Austin) will be leſſe puniſhed then Verres or Cataline, not becauſe theſe were holy, but becauſe they were leſſe wicked, & minora vitia virtutes vocamus. I know it's a queſtion, Whether a godly man can doe more good then he doth, or leſſe evill then he doth: but this may be handled in the controverſall part; we ſpeak now of a wicked man, who can doe no good at all, unleſſe in the externall act.
Yet 10. All that they doe is a ſin before God. This is an antidote Whatſoever meere naturall men doe, is ſin before God; becauſe 1. The act wants faith, the perſon reconciliation with God. 2. It proceeds not from a regenerate nature.to the former: Whatſoever they have done, though for the matter glorious, yet they were but glorious ſins; for,
1. They could not come from faith, or one reconciled with God: and the perſon muſt be firſt accepted before the action, Heb. 11. Without faith it's impoſſible to pleaſe God.
2. It could not come from a regenerate nature: and therefore the tree not being good, the fruit was alſo bad. It's not in Divinity, as in Morall Philoſophy, where justa, & juſtè agendo fimus juſti; but we have the eſſe or being firſt, and then the operari. It's a queſtion worth the diſputing, Whether the grace of God works the act of beleeving and other graces in us first, and then by them we receive the habits. The Papiſts, and Arminians, and ſome others go that way; but it is not conſonant to Scripture, as may be ſhewed hereafter.
3. They could not be good, if you regard the end: They could do 3. 'Tis not done in reference to Gods glory.nothing for the glory of God. This made Theophylact ſay, Wee could not instance in one good Heatken; for, that which they did was for their vain-glory, & carnalis cupiditas non aliâ fauatur, one divell did but caſt out another: and if they did intend ſome particular good end, as to relieve the miſerable, to help the commonwealth, this was not enough; for the ultimate and chief end ought to be intended by them.
Laſtly, There is no promiſe of God made to any thing a man doth, 4 There is no promiſe annexed to any act that wants faith.that hath not faith. Ahab indeed, and Nebuchadnezzar had temporall rewards, but in what ſenſe, I ſhall ſhew in anſwering the Objections.
Uſe. To bewaile the wofull condition of man by nature. How is every bird in the aire, and beaſt in the field in a better naturall condition then they are? This is worſe then to be blind, to be lame; for our ſoules are all blind, lame, deafe, yea and dead in ſin. What a ſad thing is it, to be all the day and yeare long damning our ſoules? If we eat or drink, we ſin; if we buy or ſell, we ſin. And conſider, that ſin is the greateſt evill, and that onelyonly which God loaths and abhorres. Let all thou doeſt therefore terrifie thee, and make thee to tremble; let this make thee cry for grace, as the poore, blind, and lame did, that they might be healed: And, becauſe you doe not feele this, or are unwilling to be heard, therefore you are the more miſerable; Nolunt phrenetici ligari, & lethargici excitari.