The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Shewing more particularly the bounds of that Rule and Government, which is ſet up by Chriſt in the natural conſcience, together with the anſwer of a good conſcience thereunto, in thoſe that are under this firſt diſpenſation.
IT is moſt evident by the Scriptures, that amongſt the nations who are ſaid to be without law, as diſtinguiſhed from the Jews that were under the law, there were found doers of the law by nature, who ſhewed the work of the law written in their hearts, their conſciences bearing them witneſs, and their thoughts mean while accuſing or excuſing one another, Rom. 2. 14, 15.
Of ſuch Peter ſpeaketh, Acts 10. 34, 35. where he ſaith, Of a truth I perceive that God is no reſpecter of perſons: but in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteouſneſs, is accepted with him: according as David alſo expreſſeth, Pſalm 34. 12, 14, 15, 16. What man is he that deſireth life, and loveth many daies that he may ſee Good? let him depart from evil and do good; for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. But the face of the Lord is againſt them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth; and this without reſpect of perſons; for as many as have ſinned without law, ſhall alſo periſh without law: and as many as have ſinned in the law, ſhall be judged by the law, Rom. 2. 12.
And on the contrary, as many as have approved themſelves faithful unto God without law, in a dutiful and chaſte obſervance of the judgements, which by him are given to all nations, Ezek. 5. 6, 7. are alike accepted, Acts 10. 35. as thoſe that under the law have approved themſelves righteous, in walking in all thoſe commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameleſs, Luke 1. 6. and are equally rewarded by God, according to their anſwerableneſs to the light they live in, who will punctually perform what lies on his part, in giving to the righteous man, the righteous mans reward; according to the tenor of the promiſes, covenant, and light they live under. For the Lord is a God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible one, which regardeth not perſons, nor taketh reward, but judgeth righteouſly the whole world, and all the nations in it; Deut. 10. 17. though he was pleaſed to delight ſo far in the fathers of the Jewiſh ſeed, as to chuſe their ſeed after them, above all people of the world beſides, to take them neerer to him and make them a habitation, more immediate for himſelf. Yet, as to the main, which is the grace of being made new creatures, the Scripture ſaith expreſly, neither circumciſion nor uncircumciſion availeth any-thing, or hinders at all either of them, from being taken into the RIGHTEOUSNES OF FAITH, and life of the new and everlaſting covenant.
The nations then of the world, conſidered as thoſe that are without law (comparatively with the Jews) are not left by Chriſt without a witneſs of God, kept up amongſt them, nor without Judgements, Ordinances and Laws proper to them in that ſtate, ordained by God to bring them unto life, and to the knowledge of the truth: accompanied alſo with ſuitable and ſufficient means, to lead to that end.
And therefore immediately after the flood, God declares himſelf, as making a kind of ſtipulation and covenant with all nations, in the perſon of Noah, and his family, giving them ſtatutes and ordinances, upon the obſervance whereof, he promiſeth his reward and bleſſing; referring the ſum of all to this, that in the image of God did he make man: which perfection, he requires and expects ſtill, that man ſhould be aiming at, and endeavouring the attainment of, in all his operations; as intimating thereby, the obligation under which all men are by nature (eſpecially conſidering the extent of Chriſts death) to yield obedience to that law, which was written out in mans nature at firſt: the ſeeds and principles whereof, are renewed freely by gift from Chriſt, in that enlightning wherewith he enlightens every man that comes into the world; making the ſpirit of man, in a leſſer or higher degree and meaſure, the candle and lamp of the Lord, that is fed with oil out of the holy candleſtick from Chriſt (through a work in their natural conſcience by the miniſtry of Angels) enabling them to a diſcerning of good and evil, according to the light and principles of that natural righteouſneſs wherein they were at firſt created; and requiring them to exerciſe and improve this talent and ability of mind, freely given unto them, promiſing to have his eye for good upon them, in their being faithful according to that little they have received, and to accept them according to what they have, and not according to what they have not: and to keep his ears open unto their cry, if they want wiſdom or ſtrength to go forward and improve what they have received; cauſing them alſo to meet with protection and encouragement under the miniſtry of the good Angels, in counter-ballance to the diſcouraging aſſaults of the wicked ones; to the end that by being thus aſſiſted and ſtrengthned, in willing and reſolving on a holy and righteous courſe of life and operation, and putting the ſame in practice, they may the better bear up againſt the degenerated part of nature in them, and all the power and influence of Satan joyning therewith, until the fault manifeſtly appear to be in their own free-will and determination, by rebelling againſt the Rule and government which Chriſt hath given them to walk by, and detaining the manifeſtation of the truth communicated to them, in unrighteouſneſs.
And beſides this inward ſtrengthning and encouragement, afforded by God unto them: there is alſo a viſible and outward Teſtimony of his acceptance accompanying them, as in the caſe of Job; where the devil takes notice, that as a reward unto Iob in his faithful and upright walking with God, in fearing God, and eſchewing evil, God made a hedge about him, and about his, and about all that he had, and bleſſed the works of his hands, giving herein his Angels charge over him, being as yet but under this firſt diſpenſation, though withall he had a ſeed of immortal life underneath.
The ſum then of what God requires, by the Rule and judgements he gives unto all nations, is, that they depart from evil and do good, in the exerciſe of the natural abilities of their mind, rectified and enlightned through the benefit of Chriſts blood, and ſo made improveable by the uſe of the means which he affords them in preſent, and is yet further willing to reveal to them in future, in order to their growing out of all natural filth and pollution of fleſh, in conformity to that primitive purity wherein man was at firſt created: and to their being delivered out of the kingdom of Sathan and power of darkneſs, in which the deſign of the devil is, to fix and detain them for ever.
Now the good anſwer of this natural conſcience unto this Rule and theſe judgements and ordinances of Chriſt, conſiſts firſt, in the fear and aw of God which ſuch have in them, that keeps them from ſinning againſt him, or thwarting the dictates of their own enlightned judgement, ſhewing itſelf in accuſing them for evil doings, and excuſing them in good, eſpecially when ſtrengthned herein by inward good motions and impreſſions, that are the effects of the miniſtry of the good Angels, to perſwade and encourage hereunto.
Secondly, in a vigilant care and induſtry to walk up faithfully to this light, not ſlighting or neglecting any proper and ſuitable means conducing thereunto.
Thirdly, in an experimental ſenſe of the emptineſs and inſufficiency of the good works by them done, to juſtifie and preſent them faultleſs before God (before whom the Angels themſelves are aſhamed and hide their faces) which made Iob to ſay; if I juſtifie my ſelf, my own mouth ſhall condemn me: if I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my ſoul, I would deſpiſe my life, Iob 9. 20, 21.
Fourthly and laſtly, In a forwardneſs and readineſs of mind to forget and leave behind all their preſent attainments, and to be in a poſture to receive words, whereby they may be ſaved: with which Peter came to the Centurion, who ſeems to have had all theſe four particulars very viſible and eminent in the good conſcience he exerciſed, whilſt as yet he was neither under the law nor a believer, but in the top-perfection (as it were) of this firſt diſpenſation, waiting for that greater light and mercy to be revealed and communicated to him, words whereby he might be ſaved.
Through the exerciſe of this natural good conſcience and uſe of the means accompanying the ſame, there is no man that comes into the world, wherever he be born or educated, but is in a capacity of being reſpected by God, as a natural righteous man, and ſo to be accepted with him in his alms and prayers, which with the Centurion, he may put up to God, and thereby be taught how to eſcape the filthineſs and groſs corruptions of nature, and to arrive at that ſtate wherein he may find the like grace from God, which the Centurion did, that is, to have the means ſent unto him, whereby he may be ſaved. Thus by Chriſt, is every man in the way of ſeeking the Lord, if peradventure feeling after him he may find him, who is not far from every one of us.
By this work of Chriſt in the conſcience, there is ſet up an enlightned moral principle of judgement and will, oppoſite to, and warring with the corrupt and degenerate part: according to which, Paul, Rom. 7. ſaid, that he was alive once, to wit, in the exerciſe of ſuch a moral good conſcience, and therefore in the Acts made it a part of his Confeſsion, that he had lived in all good conſcience to that day; that is to ſay, in all the ſorts of good conſcience, which men may live in.
Firſt, in ſuch a one wherein he lived before the Law came to him, in the life and power thereof. Secondly, in that, wherein the life and power of the Law conſiſted. And thirdly, in that, which is the obedience of Faith, which Paul experienced, after that blameleſs righteouſneſs he lived in, according to the Law.
And though the firſt of theſe be the loweſt and weakeſt, yet it brings, forth a very beautifull and good change in naturall men, under this firſt diſpenſation, heightning their faculties and operations according to the meaſure of light and life they have attained unto, and keeping up ſuch righteouſneſs which God thinks fit to reward, and to carry himſelf favourably and propitiouſly towards thoſe in whom it is found, through the blood of Jeſus the Mediator; wherein, that ſort of men at this day that go under the name of Quakers, are a moſt notable inſtance and lively witneſs. For through a diligent and faithful improving of this very light within the conſcience, it is ſaid, Rom 2. that thoſe that were without law, did ſo become doers of the law by nature, that they outſtript the formal Jew and viſible profeſſour of God, under the law. In which caſe the uncircumciſion are accounted by Paul, when they keep and fulfill the righteouſneſs required by the law, to be equal with thoſe that are under the law, yea, ſo far to ſurpaſs, as to judge ſuch of them, who by the letter and circumciſion becoming formal, do tranſgreſs the law and not anſwer the end of it.
And indeed, in the judgement and acceptation of God, the natural man, that is found by God, doing the work of the law, by nature, working the righteouſneſs and good therein required, is (according to his meaſure, and anſwerable to what he hath received) as much reſpected and regarded by God, as he that is under the law, ſerving and walking with God, according to the ordinances and judgements thereof. So the Apoſtle concludes, Rom. 3. 28, 29, 30. when he looks upon both theſe ſtates, as comprehended under the law, and equally falling ſhort of the glory of God, and righteouſneſs that is by faith; which comes alike to the one and to the other, making no difference.
And yet, comparing one with the other, there is a very great difference, by reaſon of the diſpenſations they are reſpectively under. For, ſo conſidered, the Jew is firſt, and then the Gentile: the Jew is above and is neer, the Gentile is below and afar off. The Jew hath the ORACLES OF GOD committed unto him, hath Gods viſible ſanctuary and preſence: to Iſrael pertains the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the ſervice of God, and the promiſes, and of them, as concerning the fleſh, Chriſt came.
Through the want of all theſe priviledges, the reſt of the nations are called Gentiles, aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the covenants of promiſe, ſo as the light of the witneſs ſhining amongſt them, is but as the inferiour light appointed to rule the night, in compariſon of that by the law, which is the greater light that rules the day. In reſpect whereof, the difference between theſe two generations of righteous men, and ſorts of good conſcience, under this firſt and ſecond diſpenſation, is very material and conſiderable. For thoſe that are doers of righteouſneſs by nature, as the former, are not tranſplanted out of the firſt Adam, but are rather healed of their deadly wound, reſtored in principles to ſome meaſure and degree of the exerciſe of right reaſon and free will expecting in the way of their own perſonal righteouſneſs and holineſs, as Adam did before thefall, to live and pleaſe God, until they be admitted unto ſuch farther manifeſtation of his counſel, as he yet reſerves to communicate unto them.
But thoſe that are doers of righteouſneſs by the Law, and as they are made under the power of the Law are taken out of that ſtock of the firſt Adam, tranſplanted into the good Olive-tree (the man Chriſt Jeſus) and made to partake of the fatneſs thereof, Rom. 11. becoming thereby wholly a right ſeed, Jer. 2. 21. a holy and righteous fleſhly ſeed, in the principles and operations of their mind, anſwerable to the holy and righteous fleſh of Chriſt, and are taught to ſee the need of coming to God, and of being accepted with him in the ſacrifice or death of Chriſt, who conſidered as coming in the fleſh, is given to them for a new head or root, (and ſo, the root being holy, in like manner are the branches; and the firſt-fruits being holy, ſo is the whole lump) yet hereby they have no more ſecurity or freedom from the danger of falling away, and being broken off again, then the Gentile, but ſtill abide under works, or the righteouſneſs required by the Law, wherein they may, not only be ignorant of the righteouſneſs of the faith of the Son of God, but become oppoſers of it, and exalters of this their legal righteouſneſs againſt the excellency of the knowledge of the croſs of Chriſt, which brings in his everlaſting righteouſneſs.
The ſons of Adam then, which we are to acknowledge under this firſt diſpenſation of light and righteouſneſs, are all mankind, one or other, amongſt all the Nations of the world, in their meaſure and degree, from the loweſt to the higheſt, from the ſmoaking Flax to the moſt ſhining Flame of that witneſs which God and Chriſt think not fit to leave themſelves without, in the very region of darkneſs, and night condition of the world, under the firſt adminiſtration of Chriſts Kingdom: which witneſs in the natural conſcience, is in order to lead men unto the true day-break and dawnings of Chriſt, either in the face of his firſt or of his ſecond appearance.
Examples of the gradual meaſures and growths unto which men may arrive in this ſtate (beſides what we have mentioned, as appearing in our times) have been very obvious in all ages (as well from the record of God in the Scriptures, as from other teſtimonies) who, whether they came to the knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures, or not, did approve themſelves faithful to the light they had, in fearing God and eſchewing evil, exerciſing themſelves in righteous operations, to the condemning of the corrupt evill world wherein they lived. Some of theſe have been ſo eminent in their times, as hath been to the ſhame and reproach of many viſible profeſſors, as well before the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, as ſince.
As for thoſe ſince Chriſts coming, there hath been nothing more familiar to obſervation, then ſuch a generation of men, who have walked in a practical witneſs of morall righteouſneſs, and exerciſe of right reaſon (even under the formal name and profeſsion of Chriſtians) which, however branded with reproachful names, and ſlighted by profeſſors, whoſe knowledge puffs them up, yet they are thoſe for whom Chriſt dyed, and unto whom they may live under their diſpenſation, as to the Lord, and therefore ought not to be judged and caſt off with this ſaying, ſtand by your ſelves, we are holier then you; ſince they are in a lawfull and acceptable way of working righteouſneſs unto the Lord, as well as others that are but under works, and not under grace; and to their own maſter they ſtand or fall. Who therefore art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? or, that condemneſt another, and doſt the ſame things?