Objections 16 & 17: Writing Laws on the Heart – Whitby’s refutation of Arguments in favor of irresistible grace
OBJECTIONS SIXTEEN and SEVENTEEN. "God promises to 'write his law in the hearts of his people, and to put it into their inward parts; (Jeremiah 31:33) that he will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear him forever, and will make an everlasting covenant with them; that he will not turn away from them to do them good, but will put his fear in their 'hearts that they shall not depart from him'." (Jeremiah 32:39-40)
ANSWER. These promises are made expressly to the whole house of Israel, and to 'all the children of Israel and Judah' to all with whom the old covenant was made, and whom God' brought out of Egypt,' and would bring again ' out of captivity' it therefore, by the second general rule, can be no promise made to, or covenant made with, the elect of the house of Israel and Judah.
(i.) Because then the whole nation of the Jews must have been elected and converted, (ii.) Because it is made with those who "kept not his former covenant, and therefore he regarded them not;" whereas the elect always persist, say these men, in their covenant with God, and he doth always regard them; they always are his people, and he is still their God; this therefore can be no new covenant with them.
And therefore, ANSWER SECOND. These words, "I will put my law or my fear into their hearts, and write it in their inward parts," import two things; First, 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 these words; "the commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee, neither is it far from thee, the word is near unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou should do it; see, I have set before thee life and death;" and so, says the apostle, is it with the ' word of faith which we preach,’ it is nigh to the Christian in his mouth to confess, and in his heart to believe it. (Romans 10:8-9) And the law written "in the hearts of the Heathens," (Romans 2:15) is the law so plainly taught them, that their own consciences inwardly condemn them when they do transgress it. Hence the effect of writing this law in their hearts, here, and Hebrews 8:11, is this, that "they should all ' know him from the least to the greatest." So Jerome, Christostom, Theodoret, and Cyril of Alexandria. See the note on Hebrews 8:13.
Secondly. An inculcating them on the soul by the Holy Spirit so as that they may be still fresh upon the memory. So Deuteronomy 6:6 '"these words that I command thee this day shall be in thy heart:" ' that is, 'says B. Uiael, 'they shall be written, upon the table of your hearts'. So Proverbs 3:1-3 "my son, forget not my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments; write them upon the table of thine heart." And again, chapter 7:1-3, "my son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee, bind them upon thy finger, write them upon the table of thine heart." Thus the sin of Judah is said to be written 'upon the table of their hearts' (Jeremiah 17:1) as if their memory of, and affection to, it could scarce be obliterated. And Clemens gives this commendation to the church of Corinth, that "the commandments of the Lord, WERE WRITTEN UPON THE TABLES OF THEIR HEARTS."
And seeing God so expressly required of his people that they should ' lay up his words in their hearts and souls,' (Deuteronomy 11:18) that they should " write his commandments upon the table of their hearts," and by this prophet Jeremy, that ' law should not depart from their hearts' (2 Maccabaeus 2:3) it follows by the rule laid down in answer to the former objection I.) that these promises cannot be so understood as if God by them engaged to do that whole work which he hath engaged us so expressly to perform.
And therefore, 2. The promise made Jeremiah 32:39-40, is plainly conditional. "I will gather them, if they will diligently learn the way of my people. Chap. 12:16. I will give them one heart, and one way that they may fear me." That is, when they shall return to me with their whole heart, chap, 24:7, and not feignedly, as chapter 3:10. See Gataker there.
And then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, verse 40, if they will call him Father and not turn away from them. (Jeremiah 3:19) Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. (Isaiah 45:3) I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me' Jeremiah 32:40. This doubtless was God's end, as it was also of his punishments; "for," he says, "they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity, that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me." (Ezekiel 14:10-11) But this was not the event; for God says in this very prophet "I have caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel, and the house of Judah; but they would not hear'. (Jeremiah 13:11)
3. This text only contains a promise that when the Jewish nation shall be converted at the close of the world, they should never fall off any more from being his people, as they had done before. See Gataker and the note on Hebrews 8:13.
ANSWER. These promises are made expressly to the whole house of Israel, and to 'all the children of Israel and Judah' to all with whom the old covenant was made, and whom God' brought out of Egypt,' and would bring again ' out of captivity' it therefore, by the second general rule, can be no promise made to, or covenant made with, the elect of the house of Israel and Judah.
(i.) Because then the whole nation of the Jews must have been elected and converted, (ii.) Because it is made with those who "kept not his former covenant, and therefore he regarded them not;" whereas the elect always persist, say these men, in their covenant with God, and he doth always regard them; they always are his people, and he is still their God; this therefore can be no new covenant with them.
And therefore, ANSWER SECOND. These words, "I will put my law or my fear into their hearts, and write it in their inward parts," import two things; First, 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 these words; "the commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee, neither is it far from thee, the word is near unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou should do it; see, I have set before thee life and death;" and so, says the apostle, is it with the ' word of faith which we preach,’ it is nigh to the Christian in his mouth to confess, and in his heart to believe it. (Romans 10:8-9) And the law written "in the hearts of the Heathens," (Romans 2:15) is the law so plainly taught them, that their own consciences inwardly condemn them when they do transgress it. Hence the effect of writing this law in their hearts, here, and Hebrews 8:11, is this, that "they should all ' know him from the least to the greatest." So Jerome, Christostom, Theodoret, and Cyril of Alexandria. See the note on Hebrews 8:13.
Secondly. An inculcating them on the soul by the Holy Spirit so as that they may be still fresh upon the memory. So Deuteronomy 6:6 '"these words that I command thee this day shall be in thy heart:" ' that is, 'says B. Uiael, 'they shall be written, upon the table of your hearts'. So Proverbs 3:1-3 "my son, forget not my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments; write them upon the table of thine heart." And again, chapter 7:1-3, "my son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee, bind them upon thy finger, write them upon the table of thine heart." Thus the sin of Judah is said to be written 'upon the table of their hearts' (Jeremiah 17:1) as if their memory of, and affection to, it could scarce be obliterated. And Clemens gives this commendation to the church of Corinth, that "the commandments of the Lord, WERE WRITTEN UPON THE TABLES OF THEIR HEARTS."
And seeing God so expressly required of his people that they should ' lay up his words in their hearts and souls,' (Deuteronomy 11:18) that they should " write his commandments upon the table of their hearts," and by this prophet Jeremy, that ' law should not depart from their hearts' (2 Maccabaeus 2:3) it follows by the rule laid down in answer to the former objection I.) that these promises cannot be so understood as if God by them engaged to do that whole work which he hath engaged us so expressly to perform.
And therefore, 2. The promise made Jeremiah 32:39-40, is plainly conditional. "I will gather them, if they will diligently learn the way of my people. Chap. 12:16. I will give them one heart, and one way that they may fear me." That is, when they shall return to me with their whole heart, chap, 24:7, and not feignedly, as chapter 3:10. See Gataker there.
And then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, verse 40, if they will call him Father and not turn away from them. (Jeremiah 3:19) Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. (Isaiah 45:3) I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me' Jeremiah 32:40. This doubtless was God's end, as it was also of his punishments; "for," he says, "they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity, that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me." (Ezekiel 14:10-11) But this was not the event; for God says in this very prophet "I have caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel, and the house of Judah; but they would not hear'. (Jeremiah 13:11)
3. This text only contains a promise that when the Jewish nation shall be converted at the close of the world, they should never fall off any more from being his people, as they had done before. See Gataker and the note on Hebrews 8:13.
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