But these things are not only liable unto many just exceptions, but do indeed overthrow the whole nature of the new covenant, and the text is not expounded but corrupted by them ; wherefore they must be removed out of the way. And,—
1. The exposition given can no way be accommodated unto the words, so as to grant a truth in their plain literal sense. For whereas God says, “He will put his laws in their mind, and write them in their heart, and they shall all know him,’—which declares what he will effectually do; the sense of their exposition is, that indeed he will not do so, only he will do that which shall move them and persuade them to do that themselves which he hath promised to do himself, and that whether they ever do so or no! But if any one concerning whom God says that he will write his law in his heart, have it not so written, be it on what account it will,—suppose it be that the man will not have it so written,—how can the promise be true, that God will write his law in his heart? It is a sorry apo- logy, to say that God in making that promise did not foresee the obstruction that would arise, or could not remove it when it did go.
2. It is the event, or the effect itself, that is directly promised, and not any such efficacy of means as might be frustrated. For the weakness and imperfection of the first covenant was evidenced hereby, that those with whom it was made continued not in it. Hereon God neglected them, and the covenant became unprofit- able, or at least unsuccessful as unto the general end of continuing the relation between God and them,—of his being their God, and they being his people. To redress this evil, and prevent the like for the future,—that is, effectually to provide that God and his people
VER. 10-12.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 145
may always abide in that blessed covenant relation,—he promiseth the things themselves whereby it might be secured. That which the first covenant could not effect, God promised to work in and by the new.
3. It is nowhere said nor intimated in the Scripture, that the efficacy of the new covenant, and the accomplishment of the promises of it, should depend on and arise from the switableness of its precepts unto owr reason, or natural principles; but it is universally and constantly ascribed unto the efficacy of the Spirit and grace of God, not only enabling us unto obedience, but enduing us with a spiritual, supernatural, vital principle, from which it may proceed.
4, It is true, that our own wills, or the free actings of them, are required in our faith and obedience ; whence it is promised that we shall be “willing in the day of his power.” But that our wills are left absolutely herein unto our own liberty and power, without being inclined and determined by the grace of God, is that Pelagianism which hath long attempted the church, but which shall never abso- lutely prevail.
5. The putting the laws of God in our minds, and the writing of them in our hearts, that we may know him, and fear him always, is promised in the same way and manner as is the forgiveness of sin, verse 12; and it is hard to affix such a sense unto that promise, as that God will use such and such means that our sins may be par- doned, which yet may all of them fail.
6. As this exposition is no way suited unto the words of the text, nor of the context, or scope of the place, so indeed it overthrows the nature of the new covenant, and the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which comes thereby. For,—
(1.) If the effect itself, or the things mentioned are not promised, but only the wse of means, left unto the liberty of men’s wills whether they will comply with them or no, then the very being of the covenant, whether it ever shall have any existence or no, depends absolutely on the wills of men, and so may not be. For it is not the proposal of the terms of the covenant, and the means whereby we may enter into it, that is called the making of this covenant with us; but our real participation of the grace and mercy promised in it. This alone gives a real existence unto the covenant itself, without which it is
not a covenant; nor without it is it properly made with any.
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(2.) The Lord Christ would be made hereby the mediator of an uncertain covenant. For if it depend absolutely on the wills of men whether they will accept of the terms of it and comply with it or no, it is uncertain what will be the event, and whether ever any one will do so or no; for the will being not determined by grace, what its actings will be is altogether uncertain.
(3.) The covenant can hereon in no sense be a testament ; which
_ our apostle afterwards proves that it is, and that irrevocably ratified
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146 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
by the death of the testator. For there can, on this supposition, be no certain heir unto whom Christ did bequeath his goods, and the inheritance of mercy, grace, and glory. This would make this testament inferior to that of a wise man, who determines in particular unto whom his goods shall come.