(5.) Absolute promises are therefore sufficient to bring about their own fulfillment; the conditional has not so. The absolute promise is therefore big-bellied because it hath in itself a fullness of all desired things for us; and will, when the time of that promise comes, yield to us mortals that which will verily save us; yea, and make us capable of answering the demands of the conditional promise. Wherefore, though there be a real, yea, an eternal difference, in these things, with others, betwixt the conditional and absolute promise; yet again, in other respects, there is a blessed harmony betwixt them; as may be seen in these particulars. The conditional
promise calls for repentance, and the absolute promise gives it (Acts 5:31). The conditional promise calls for faith, and the absolute promise gives it (Zeph 3:12; Rom 15:12). The conditional promise calls for a new heart, and the absolute promise gives it (Eze 36:25–26). The conditional promise calls for holy obedience and the absolute promise gives it or causes it (Eze 36:27).
5. And as they harmoniously agree in this, so again the conditional promise blessed the man, who is endowed with its fruit by the absolute promise. As, for instance, the absolute promise maketh men upright; and then the conditional follows, saying, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord” (Psa 119:1). The absolute promise giveth to this man the fear of the Lord; and then the conditional followed, saying, “Blessed is every one that feared the Lord” (Psa 128:1). The absolute promise giveth faith, and then this conditional follows, saying, “Blessed is she that believed” (Zeph 3:12; Luke 1:45). The absolute promise brings free forgiveness of sins; and then it says the condition, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” (Rom 4:7). The absolute promise says, that God’s elect shall hold out to the end; then the conditional follows with his blessings, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (1 Peter 1:4-6; Matt 24:13).
Thus do the promises gloriously serve one another and us, in this harmonious agreement.
Now, the promise under consideration is absolute. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.”
This promise therefore is, as is said, a big-bellied promise, and hath in itself all those things to bestow upon us that the conditional calleth for at our hands. They shall come! Shall they come? Yes, they shall come. But how, if they want those things—those graces, power, and hearts—without which they cannot come? Why, Shall-come answer all this, and all things else that may in this manner be objected. And here, I will take the liberty to amplify things.
Object. 1. But they are dead, dead in trespasses and sins, how shall they then come?
Answ. Shall-come can raise them from this death. “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.” Thus, therefore, is this impediment by Shall-come removed out of the way. They shall heal, and they shall live.
Object. 2. But they are Satan’s captives; he takes them captive at his will, and he is stronger than them: how then can they come?
Answ. Shall-come has also provided help for this. Satan had bound that daughter of Abraham so, that she could by no means lift herself up; but yet Shall-come set her free both in body and soul. Christ will have them turned from the power of Satan to God. But what! Must it be, if they turn themselves, or do something to merit him turning? No, he will do it freely, of his own goodwill. Alas! Man, whose soul is possessed by the devil, is turned whithersoever that governor listeth, is taken captive by him, notwithstanding its natural powers, at his will; but what will he do? Will he hold him when Shall-come puts forth itself, Will he then let him come to Jesus Christ? No, that cannot be! His power is but the power of a fallen angel, but Shall-come is the Word of God. Therefore, Shall-come must be fulfilled; “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
There were seven devils in Mary Magdalene, too many for her to get from under the power of; but when the time has come that Shall-come was to be fulfilled upon her, they give place, fly from her, and she indeed comes to Jesus Christ, according as it is written, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.”
The man that was possessed with a legion, (Mark 5), was too much by them captivated for him by human force to come; yea, had he had, to boot, all the men under heaven to help him, had he that said, He shall come, withheld his mighty power: but when this promise was to be fulfilled upon him, then he comes; nor could all their power hinder his coming. It was also this Shall-come that preserved him from death; when by these evil spirits he was hurled hither and thither; and it was by the virtue of Shall-come that at last he was set at liberty from them, and enabled indeed to come to Christ. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.”
No comments:
Post a Comment