generation  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel,'  though  he  did  it  with  an
imperfect  heart.  The  Egyptian  midwives,  when  they  saved  the  chil
dren  of  the  Israelites,  though  it  were  by  a  lie,  the  Lord  multiplied
them  and  blessed  them :  Exod.  i.  20,  '  Therefore  God  dealt  well  with
the  midwives ; '  and  ver.  21,  '  It  came  to  pass,  that  because  the  mid-
wives  feared  God,  that  he  made  them  houses.'  So  Austin  observes
that  the  Komans,  as  long  as  they  did  excel  in  justice  and  temperance,
were  rewarded  by  God  with  victory  and  prosperity ;  as  long  as  that
empire  kept  honest  in  civil  virtues,  it  had  eminent  success,  and  their
commonwealth  prevailed  and  overtopped  the  nations  ;  but  when  they
degenerated  into  beasts  for  impiety,  all  went  to  ruin.
(2.)  There  will  be  some  serenity  of  mind  resulting  from  the  recti
tude  of  your  actions.  Look,  as  the  heathens,  when  '  they  did  by  nature
the  things  contained  in  the  law,'  they  had  the  approbation  of  their  con
sciences,  '  Thoughts  excusing,'  Kom.  ii.  15.
(3.)  It  is  some  advantage  to  grace ;  it  is  like  the  priming  the  post,
that  maketh  it  receptive  of  better  colours.  At  least  they  do  not  aggra
vate  their  condemnation,  nor  increase  their  weakness,  nor  draw  upon
themselves  penal  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart  and  utter  despair.
