SECTION XI.

Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.JER. XXXI. 18; with Deut. xxx. 6.

SINCE God promises to circumcise the heart, and Ephraim here, being under afflictive providences, which had not such an effect upon him as to turn him heartily and effectually to the Lord, prays that he would take the work into his own hands more immediately, believing that then he should be thoroughly converted; we conclude, that the circumcision and conversion of the heart are the works of God in us, in which we are passive; that they are wrought by his powerful grace, without which all means are insufficient to produce them. Now,

1. In answer to such texts as these, in general, this is laid down as a most certain rule*: "that when God doth require us to do what he himself doth promise, and hath made it our duty to perform, his promise is only to perform what is requisite, on his part, towards the work." But this author should have informed us what that is which is requisite on God's part, and what that is which is man's duty to perform, towards the work of conversion. Whereas nothing is more certain, than that God does both require of us to do, and he himself promises to do, the whole work of conversion; which he does not by persuasion, or laying before us inducements to it, as is suggested, but by unfrustrable influence. And yet his command to do it does not imply that we are gods, or have equal power with him, as is intimated; nor does praying to him for the performance of what he requires of us, and he has promised, suppose a desire to be excused from obeying his commands. The commands of God show his authority, and man's duty; the promises of God discover his grace and power, and are a relief to man's weakness, which no way lessen his obligation to duty.

2. It is observed†, that "the same God, who promiseth to circumcise the hearts of his people, requires them to circumcise their own hearts, Deut. x. 16, Jer. iv. 5. And it is suggested, that the promise is conditional, namely, if they would call to mind the blessings and curses he had pronounced, ver. 1, and turn to the Lord, ver. 2, and that it is made to all their seed, to nations, and not particular persons. I reply, that the passages referred to have been considered in the former part of this performance; and as to the conditions mentioned, if they are conditions, they are not conditions of the circumcision of the hearts of God's people, but of turning their captivity. And though this promise is made to their seed, as well as to themselves, yet not not to all their seed, much less to nations. Besides, it particularly regards the time of the Jews' conversion, when all the elect of God among them shall be saved.

* Whitby, p. 286, 287: ed. 2. 279, 280.

Ibid. p. 287; ed. 2. 280.

Sect. xviii.

3. It is said, that "seeing God so frequently requires of the same persons, that they should turn themselves from their transgressions, promising life to the penitent, and threatening those that would not with death; and seeing he complains so oft of his own people, and of that very Ephraim which made this prayer, that they would not turn to him; it must be absurd to urge this prayer to excuse men from a duty required by God under such dreadful penalties." To which may be returned: that the duty required by God, in the places referred to, does not design internal conversion, but external reformation; which latter, men may be capable of effecting, though not of the former. Though admitting internal conversion is meant, God's requiring it does not suppose man's ability to perform it, but his need of it; and is done with a view to bring him to a sense of his state, and that he may apply to God for it, as Ephraim did. Nor does such a prayer for conversion excuse men from obligation to turn to the Lord, or any duty respecting the outward walk and conversation; so far from it, that converting grace, when obtained, puts men into a capacity, and engages them to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this world. And whereas it is added, "that by comparing this prayer with the preceding chapter, in which God promises so oft to turn their captivity, it appears this is only a prayer that God would bring them out of that thraldom, like that of the Psalmist, Psal. cxxvi. 4." Let it be observed, that this is a sense which the Jews themselves, who are ready to explain scriptures this way whenever they have the least opportunity, do not give into. The Targum paraphrases the words thus, 7, turn us to thy worship. Kimchi observes, that it is as if it was said nawna bap, receive me by repentance. Besides, it is plain, that what Ephraim here prayed for, he quickly had, as appears from ver. 19, upon which followed true repentance; and being a dear son, and pleasant child to God, ver. 20, he comforts him by assuring him that he would have mercy on him; and as an evidence of it, bids him turn again to his cities, which indeed designs the turning of his captivity: but then this is manifestly distinguished from the turning Ephraim prayed for, and which he enjoyed before he had this encouragement to turn to his cities.

4. The Remonstrants+ formerly paraphrased the words thus: "As thou hast chastised Ephraim, O Lord, so chastise me; for though I am in part chastised, yet chastise me more and more:" and they farther suggest, "that they do not intend first conversion; since he being converted prays." In which may be observed, that this sense of the text introduces another person, speaking to the Lord, besides Ephraim, contrary to the express words, and plain reading of them: nor is the word w, here translated turn, ever used for affliction or chastisement in all the word of God, though sometimes for deliverance from it: nor is there any command, or example of men's praying for affliction; for though they sometimes pray, that afflictions may be sanctified, and that they may be supported under or delivered from them, yet never, that they may be brought upon them, or Whitby, p. 288; ed. 2. 281. † In Coll. Hag. art. iii. iv. p. 266.

increased. And as to what is intimated, that the text is not to be understood of first conversion, being the prayer of a converted man; it may be replied, that it does not appear that Ephraim (for no other person can be meant) was then converted, at least in his own apprehensions, but afterwards, see ver. 19. Moreover, Ephraim is to be understood not of a single person, but of a body of men; many of whom, and it may be the greatest part, were not converted: nor is his praying a sufficient evidence of his conversion; since a natural man is capable of praying, and of praying for conversion, under some awakenings of conscience. But be it so, that Ephraim was converted, and that he prayed not for the first work of conversion, but for the farther progress and carrying of it on, or for a renewal of it after backslidings; yet if this could not be done by himself, but required the grace and power of God; much less can the first work of conversion be wrought by a graceless creature; and much more must that work require the powerful and efficacious grace of God.

SECTION XII.

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.-JER. Xxxi. 33.

THESE phrases of putting, and writing the law of God in the inward parts of the heart, do not mean barely a making known the nature of the moral law, as to the spirituality and perfection of it, or the glory and excellency of the gospel, its truths and ordinances; but a creating in the soul a real and hearty affection for these things, and a subjecting of it to them by the power of divine grace; and indeed, are expressive of an internal work of the powerful grace of God upon the soul, in which man is as passive as a vessel is, in which any thing is put; or as paper and parchment on which any thing is written. Now, to this the following things are objected.

1st. That "these promises are made expressly to the whole house of Israel, to all with whom the old covenant was made, and whom God brought out of Egypt, and would bring again out of captivity; and therefore can be no covenant made with the elect of the house of Israel and Judah; because then the whole nation of the Jews must have been elected and converted; and because it is made with those who kept not his former covenant; whereas the elect always persist, say these men, in their covenant with God; this therefore can be no new covenant with them." To which I reply, that these promises are not made to the same individual persons, not to all, nor to any, with whom the old covenant was made, whom God brought out of Egypt, and whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, but their posterity; for it is expressly said in ver. 32, that this new covenant is not according to the covenant that God made with their fathers in the day he took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. And though they are *Whitby, p. 288, 289; cd. 2. 281, 282.

made to the house of Israel, yet they are not said to be made to the whole house of Israel, and to all the children of Israel and Judah; and therefore might be made to the elect of the house of Israel. Whence it does not follow, that the whole nation of the Jews must have been elected and converted; nor was it made with those who kept not the former covenant; nor do we say that the elect always persist in their covenant with God; for we know that the covenants, vows, and promises they make, are often broken; but we say, that they always abide in God's covenant with them, and are always his people, and he their God; and which notwithstanding is a new covenant to them, especially under the gospel dispensation, to which these promises refer, being under a new mode of administration, and always new in perpetual force and vigour. Besides, the house of Israel, and the house of Judah, may be taken literally or figuratively; if literally, this prophecy concerning them was accomplished in the times of Christ and his apostles, who first preached the gospel, and made known the new covenant of grace to the Jews; many of whom were converted under it, the gospel being the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek *: they may be taken figuratively, and design the elect of God, whether among Jews or Gentiles; for as there was an Israel after the flesh, so there was one after the Spirit even the whole Israel of God, the chosen vessels of salvation, to whom the new covenant and all the blessings of it peculiarly belong.

2dly. It is saidt, that "these words, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, import two things:

:

1. "That he would clearly make known his will to them, so that they need not be at much pains to find it out, as in Deut. xxx. 11— 14, Rom. x. 8, and ii. 14." To which I answer, that though these words import a clear and plain discovery of God's will, yet that is not all; for there may be and is a clear and plain revelation of God's will externally made in the Scriptures, and by the ministry of the word to some persons, in whose hearts nothing is internally put or written whence it follows that putting and writing the law of God in the heart, is something more, and what is distinct from, a bare making known the will of God, though never so clear and plain; and must intend an internal operation and application of God's grace. Moreover, where the knowledge of God, of his grace, mind and will, is spiritual, experimental, and saving, that follows upon, and is the fruit and effect of the putting and writing the law in the heart, as appears from the following verse; and is owned by the author of this exception. Once more, when the gospel, which is the grand revelation of God's will, has a place in the hearts of any, it is owing to the powerful and efficacious grace of God that accompanies it, opens the heart, and lets it in; where it is not only clearly known, but affectionately received, experimentally felt, and truly believed.

2. "An inculcating them on the soul by the Holy Spirit, so as that they may be still fresh upon the memory; so Deut. vi. 6, and Whitby, p. 289; ed. 2. 282. Ibid. p. 290; ed. 2. 282.

Rom. i. 16.

*

xi. 18, Prov. iii. 1, 3, and vii. 1, 3. Whence it follows, that these promises cannot be so understood, as if God by them engaged to do the whole work, which he hath engaged us so expressly to perform." To which I reply, that the persons spoken to in the cited passages were not unconverted persons, but such who had been under the first work of conversion: and the phrases of laying up and writing the laws of God in their hearts intend more than a bare remembrance of them, even a strong affection for them, and close attachment to them; so the sin of Judah is said to be graven upon the table of their heart, which does not intend their consciousness of it, and the keeping of it in their memory; but on the contrary, stupidity, insensibility of it, indolence about it, and a stiff tenacious adherence to it, as well as affection for it. And should these phrases intend no more here, can it be supposed, that there should ever be an affection for the law of God, or a close adherence to the gospel of Christ, in such whose carnal minds were enmity to God, and not subject to the law of God, nor could they be, without the powerful operation of God's mighty grace? Since then these words import, besides a clear knowledge of the law and gospel, and an imprinting the eternal truths of both in the mind, a hearty affection for them, which issues in a professed subjection to them; this must be owing, not to the power and will of man, but to the unfrustrable and insuperable grace of God. And this objector owns, that the inculcating them on the soul is by the Holy Ghost, and in that the soul must be purely passive. The passage in Jer. xxxii. 49, will be considered under the head of the saints' perseverance.

SECTION XIII.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.-EZEK. xxxvi. 26.

THESE words, with those chap. xi. 19, 20, prove that conversion is the work of God, and not of man; that man is passive in and cannot contribute to his regeneration and renovation, his heart being like a stone, hard and inflexible, on which no impressions are made until this hardness is removed; which man is incapable of, and is done by God, when he gives a heart of flesh, a soft and sensible one, or a new heart, and a new spirit, in which are new principles, affections, and resolutions; and which can be ascribed to nothing less than the omnipotent and unfrustrable grace of God. Now it is saidt, that the arguments, taken from both these places, have two of the general faults which render all arguments of this nature null. As,

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1st. That they speak of all the whole house of Israel, chap. xi. 15, and xxxvi. 21, 22, to all that were gathered out of all countries, and brought to their own land, ver. 24, and so belong not to the elect only." But it should be observed, that all the whole house of Israel, and Whitby, p. 292; ed. 2. 284.

*Jer. xvii. 1.