EZEK. 36. 26, 27.
I Shall now make an end of this Text, whose matter like our Saviours loaves hath multiplied and increased in the breaking and distributing of it. The last thing observable is the manner of the conveyance and bestowing of it, which is by an absolute free promise, I will do thus unto you, here is nothing spoken of what they should do, but what God will do; here is no speech of their preparatory dispositions, but Gods gracious operation. Now although it be true, that immediately and directly this promise is made to the exiled Jews; therefore with the promise of Justification and Conversion, is joyned that of restitution into their own Land again, with all their former temporal mercies; yet the Apostle Paul makes it plain, that this is an evangelical promise, or the Covenant of Grace for all ages in the Church, Heb. 10. 16. So that this promise is not to be understood of those only in the Captivity, as the Remonstrants would evade, whom God should convert, but of all that in successive ages, shall be brought home unto God. So that as Isaac is said to be a childe of the promise, because he was not born by natural power, but by the meer promise and power of God, so all the godly are in this sense as well as in another, like Isaac, the children of the promise, being not born by the power of flesh and bloud, but by vertue of this promise. It is this Text that giveth spiritual life to all that receive it. It is because of this promise that the word of God hath any succesful effect at any time.
Doct. That the Promise of Conversion and Regeneration is an absolute free Promise.
Thus you see the Text runneth without any Ifs; God will take away the heart of stone, nothing shall frustrate his intention. The Lord hath said it and it will come to passe. Iter ad gratiam is per gratiam, perque ipsam venitur ad ipsam. Grace makes way for it self. As by the light of the Sun, we come to see the Sun, God doth not only offer grace to the heart, but sanctifieth the heart to receive it. He doth not only give the oil but the cruise to receive it. He giveth the bread of life, and the stomack also to eat it.
To open this Doctrine, Consider
First, That a promise is a farre more comfortable thing then a meer prediction. God doth many times meerly fore-tell what he will do, but at other times he doth also promise what he will do: a prophecie of what will be, and a promise differ very much. This Text is not a meer prediction, or a meer prophecie, but it is a gracious promise: Now a Promise is only of that which is good, either temporal or spiritual, but a Prophecie or Prediction may be of that which is evil, as well as what is good: All the desolations and calamities that came upon Jerusalem, were prophesied of; but we cannot say they were promised, for Promises are to be imbraced, as Paul excellently expresseth it, Heb. 11. 13. to shew how hearty, joyful, glad and ready the heart should be, to receive them: Oh remember, thou that art exercised with diffidence and discouragement, a promise is to be imbraced, as thou wouldest the dearest, welcomest friend in the world! Again a Promise doth induce some tie and obligation in him that promiseth, but so doth not a meer Prediction; and because God promising cannot properly be said to be bound to us, or tied to us; Therefore he is by his Promise a debtor to his own fidelity; he cannot deny himself or his own word, Reddis debita nulli debens, so that the soul urging God with a promise, may say, O Lord, it was in thy choice whether thou wouldst do such a thing or no, but since thou hast promised it, and the word is gone out of thy mouth; Thy truth, thy constancy, thy fidelity must needs make good thy Promise.
Secondly, The Promises of God as for the matter of them they are two fold, some1 are temporal, and some are spiritual; so for the manner they are either Absolute or Conditional; Absolute Promises are such as God hath made, and he will fulfill, though we believe not at all. Such Promises doe not depend upon any Grace in us fore-going, neither doe they suppose any good qualification in us; Thus that temporal promise, that God will not drown the world, is absolutely determined, though men do not believe it, yet God will make it good: So Isa. 9 The promise of sending a Christ, a Messias into the world, was an Absolute Promise. The calling of the Gentiles, and the calling of the Jewes again after the destruction of the Gentiles: These are absolutely promised. For as God hath some absolute Threatnings for a destruction of a people; and then though there were Noah, Job and Daniel, they were not able to deliver that Land; so he hath many absolute Promises, which all the wickednesse and unbelief of men shall not make void; and of these Absolute Promises it is that Paul saith, He is faithfull and cannot deny himself, 2 Tim. 2. 13. and that our unfaithfulnesse shall not make void the faith of God, Rom. 3. 3. For it is plain in many Promises, if we doe not believe God doth not fulfill them; as if we do not believe, we cannot be justified: but he speaks there of such absolute Promises, as God will certainly accomplish, taking away all obstructions that hinder.