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, the absolute promise gives it (Acts
5:31). The conditional promise calls for faith, the absolute promise
gives it (Zeph 3:12; Rom 15:12). The conditional promise calls for a
new heart, the absolute promise gives it (Eze 36:25,26). The
conditional promise calleth for holy obedience, the absolute promise
giveth it, or causeth it (Eze 36:27).
5. And as they harmoniously agree in this, so again the conditional
promise blesseth the man, who by the absolute promise is endued with
its fruit. 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 followeth, saying, “Blessed is every one that feareth 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 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 their
harmonious agreement.
Now, the promise under consideration is an absolute promise. “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 heart, without which they cannot come? Why, Shall-come answereth
all this, and all things else that may in this manner be objected. And
here I will take the liberty to amplify things.
[Objections to the absoluteness of this promise (the force of
SHALL-COME) answered.]
Object. 1. But they are dead, dead in trespasses and sins, how shall
they then come?
Answ. Why, 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, they
shall live.
Object. 2. But they are Satan’s captives; he takes them captive at his
will, and he is stronger than they: how then can they come?
Answ. Why, Shall-come hath also provided an help for this. Satan had
bound that daughter of Abraham so, that she could by no means lift up
herself; 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 of him to turn
them? No, he will do it freely, of his own good will. 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 let12 him, for coming 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 was come that Shall-come was to
be fulfilled upon her, they give place, fly from her, and she comes
indeed 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.”
Object. 3. They shall, you say; but how if they will not; and, if so,
then what can Shall-come do?
Answ. True, there are some men say, “We are lords; we will come no more
unto thee” (Jer 2:31). But as God says in another case, if they are
concerned in Shall-come to me, they “shall know whose words shall
stand, mine or theirs” (Jer 41:28). Here, then, is the case; we must
now see who will be the liar, he that saith, I will not; or he that
saith, He shall come to me. You shall come, says God; I will not come,
saith the sinner. Now, as sure as he is concerned in this Shall-come,
God will make that man eat his own words; for I will not, is the
unadvised conclusion of a crazy-headed sinner; but Shall-come was
spoken by him that is of power to perform his word. “Son, go work
to-day in my vineyard,” said the Father. But he answered, and said, I
will not come. What now? will he be able to stand to his refusal? will
he pursue his desperate denial? No, “he afterwards repented and went.”
But how came he by that repentance? Why, it was wrapped up for him in
the absolute promise; and therefore, notwithstanding he said, “I will
not, he afterwards repented and went.” By this parable Jesus Christ
sets forth the obstinacy of the sinners of the world, as touching their
coming to him; they will not come, though threatened: yea, though life
be offered them upon condition of coming.
But now, when Shall-come, the absolute promise of God, comes to be
fulfilled upon them, then they come; because by that promise a cure is
provided against the rebellion of their will. “Thy people shall be
willing in the day of thy power”(Psa 110:3). Thy people, what people?
Why, the people that thy Father hath given thee. The obstinacy and
plague that is in the will of that people, shall be taken away; and
they shall be made willing; Shall-come will make them willing to come
to thee.
He that had seen Paul in the midst of his outrages against Christ, his
gospel, and people, would hardly have thought that he would ever have
been a follower of Jesus Christ, especially since he went not against
his conscience in his persecuting of them. He thought verily that he
ought to do what he did. But we may see what Shall-come can do, when it
comes to be fulfilled upon the soul of a rebellious sinner: he was a
chosen vessel, given by the Father to the Son; and now the time being
come that Shall-come was to take him in hand, behold, he is
over-mastered, astonished, and with trembling and reverence, in a
moment becomes willing to be obedient to the heavenly call (Acts 9).
And were not they far gone, that you read of, (Acts 2) who had their
hands and hearts in the murder of the Son of God; and to show their
resolvedness never to repent of that horrid fact, said, “His blood be
on us and on our children?” But must their obstinacy rule? Must they be
bound to their own ruin, by the rebellion of their stubborn wills? No,
not those of these the Father gave to Christ; wherefore, at the times
appointed, Shall-come breaks in among them; the absolute promise takes
them in hand; and then they come indeed, crying out to Peter, and the
rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” No
stubbornness of man’s will can stand, when God hath absolutely said the
contrary; Shall-come can make them come “as doves to their windows,”
that had afore resolved never to come to him.
The Lord spake unto Manasseh, and to his people, by the prophets, but
would he hear? No, he would not. But shall Manasseh come off thus? No,
he shall not. Therefore, he being also one of those whom the Father had
given to the Son, and so falling within the bounds and reach of
Shall-come, at last Shall-come takes him in hand, and then he comes
indeed. He comes bowing and bending; he humbles himself greatly, and
made supplication to the Lord, and prayed unto him; and he was
entreated of him, and had mercy upon him (2 Chron 30:10).
The thief upon the cross, at first, did rail with his fellow upon Jesus
Christ; but he was one that the Father had given to him, and,
therefore, Shall-come must handle him and his rebellious will. And
behold, so soon as he is dealt withal, by virtue of that absolute
promise, how soon he buckleth, leaves his railing, falls to
supplicating of the Son of God for mercy; “Lord,” saith he, “Remember
me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Matt 27:44; Luke 23:40-42).
Object. 4. They shall come, say you, but how if they be blind, and see
not the way? For some are kept off from Christ, not only by the
obstinacy of their will, but by the blindness of their mind. Now, if
they be blind, how shall they come?
Answ. The question is not, Are they blind? But, Are they within the
reach and power of Shall-come? If so, that Christ that said, they shall
come, will find them eyes, or a guide or both, to bring them to
himself. “Must is for the king.” If they shall come, they shall come.
No impediment shall hinder.
The Thessalonians’ darkness did not hinder them from being the children
of light; “I am come,” said Christ, “that they which see not might
see.” And if he saith, See, ye “blind that have eyes,” who shall hinder
it? (Eph 5:8; John 9:39; Isa 29:18; 43:8).
This promise, therefore, is, as I said, a big-bellied promise, having
in the bowels of it, all things that shall occur to the complete
fulfilling of itself. They shall come. But it is objected, that they
are blind. Well, Shall-come is still the same, and continueth to say,
“They shall come to me.” Therefore he saith again, “I will bring the
blind by a way that they know not, I will lead them in paths that they
have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked
things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake
them” (Isa 42:16).
Mark, I will bring them, though they be blind; I will bring them by a
way they know not; I will—I will; and therefore “they shall come to
me.”
Object. 5. But how, if they have exceeded many in sin, and so made
themselves far more abominable? They are the ringleading sinners in the
county, the town, or family.
Answ. What then? Shall that hinder the execution of Shall-come? It is
not transgressions, nor sins, nor all their transgressions in all their
sins, if they by the Father are given to Christ to save them, that
shall hinder this promise, that it should not be fulfilled upon them.
“In those days, and in that time,” saith the Lord, “the iniquity of
Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of
Judah, and they shall not be found” (Jer 50:20). Not that they had
none, for they abounded in transgression, (2 Chron 33:9; Eze 16:48),
but God would pardon, cover, hide, and put them away, by virtue of his
absolute promise, by which they are given to Christ to save them. “And
I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned
against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have
transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise,
and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall bear all
the good that I do unto them; and they shall fear and tremble for all
the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it” (Jer
33:8,9).
Object. 6. But how, if they have not faith and repentance? How shall
they come then?
Answ. Why, he that saith, They shall come, shall he not make it good?
If they shall come, they shall come; and he that hath said, they shall
come, if faith and repentance be the way to come, as indeed they are,
then faith and repentance shall be given to them! for Shall-come must
be fulfilled on them.
1. Faith shall be given them. “I will also leave in the midst of thee
an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the
Lord.” “There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign
over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust” (Zeph 3:12; Rom
15:12).
2. They shall have repentance. He is exalted to give repentance. “They
shall come weeping, and seeking the Lord their God.” And again, “With
weeping and supplication will I lead them” (Acts 5:31; Jer 31:9).
I told you before, that an absolute promise hath all conditional ones
in the belly of it, and also provision to answer all those
qualifications, that they propound to him that seeketh for their
benefit. And it must be so; for if Shall-come be an absolute promise,
as indeed it is, then it must be fulfilled upon every of those
concerned therein. I say, it must be fulfilled, if God can by grace,
and his absolute will, fulfil it. Besides, since coming and believing
is all one, according to John 6:35, “He that cometh to me shall never
hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst,” then, when he
saith they shall come, it is as much as to say, they shall believe, and
consequently repent, to the saving of the soul.
So then the present want of faith and repentance cannot make this
promise of God of none effect; because that this promise hath in it to
give what others call for and expect. I will give them an heart, I will
give them my Spirit, I will give them repentance, I will give them
faith. Mark these words: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature.” But how came he to be a “new creature,” since none can
create but God? Why, God indeed doth make them “new creatures.”
“Behold,” saith he, “I make all things new.” And hence it follows, even
after he had said they are “new creatures,” “and all things are of
God;” that is, all this new creation standeth in the several
operations, and special workings of the Spirit of grace, who is God (2
Cor 5:17,18).
Object. 7. But how shall they escape all those dangerous and damnable
opinions, that, like rocks and quicksands, are in the way in which they
are going?
Answ. Indeed this age is an age of errors, if ever there was an age of
errors in the world; but yet the gift of the Father, laid claim to by
the Son in the text, must needs escape them, and in conclusion come to
him. There are a company of Shall-comes in the Bible that doth secure
them; not but that they may be assaulted by them; yea, and also for the
time entangled and detained by them from the Bishop of their souls, but
these Shall-comes will break those chains and fetters, that those given
to Christ are entangled in, and they shall come, because he hath said
they shall come to him.
Indeed, errors are like that whore of whom you read in the Proverbs,
that sitteth in her seat in the high places of the city, “to call
passengers who go right on their ways” (Prov 9:13-16). But the persons,
as I said, that by the Father are given to the Son to save them, are,
at one time or other, secured by “shall come to me.”
And therefore of such it is said, God will guide them with his eye,
with his counsels, by his Spirit, and that in the way of peace; by the
springs of water, and into all truth (Psa 32:8; 73:24; John 16:13; Luke
1:79; Isa 49:10). So then he that hath such a guide, and all that the
Father giveth to Christ shall have it, he shall escape those dangers,
he shall not err in the way; yea, though he be a fool, he shall not err
therein, (Isa 35:8), for of every such an one it is said, “Thine ears
shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it,
when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isa
30:21).
There were thieves and robbers before Christ’s coming, as there are
also now; but, said he, “The sheep did not hear them.” And why did they
not hear them, but because they were under the power of Shall-come,
that absolute promise, that had that grace in itself to bestow upon
them, as could make them able rightly to distinguish of voices, “My
sheep hear my voice.” But how came they to hear it? Why, to them it is
given to know and to hear, and that distinguishingly (John 10:8,16;
5:25; Eph 5:14).
Further, The very plain sentence of the text makes provision against
all these things; for, saith it, “All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me;” that is, shall not be stopped, or be allured to take up
anywhere short of ME, nor shall they turn aside, to abide with any
besides ME.
[Import of the words TO ME.]
“Shall come TO ME.”—To me. By these words there is further insinuated,
though not expressed, a double cause of their coming to him. First.
There is in Christ a fullness of all-sufficiency of that, even of all
that which is needful to make us happy. Second. Those that indeed come
to him, do therefore come to him that they may receive it at his hand.
First. For the first of these, there is in Christ a fullness of
all-sufficiency of all that, even of all that which is needful to make
us happy. Hence it is said, “For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fullness dwell” (Col 1:19). And again, “Of his fullness have
all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). It is also said of
him, that his riches are unsearchable—“the unsearchable riches of
Christ” (Eph 3:8). Hear what he saith of himself, “Riches and honour
are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better
than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I
lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of
judgment; that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance. And
I will fill their treasures” (Prov 8:18-21).
This in general. But, more particularly,
1. There is that light in Christ, that is sufficient to lead them out
of, and from all that darkness, in the midst of which all others, but
them that come to him, stumble, and fall and perish: “I am the light of
the world,” saith he, “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Man by nature is in
darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, for
darkness hath blinded his eyes; neither can anything but Jesus Christ
lead men out of this darkness. Natural conscience cannot do it; the ten
commandments, though in the heart of man, cannot do it. This
prerogative belongs only to Jesus Christ.
2. There is that life in Christ, that is to be found nowhere else (John
5:40). Life, as a principle in the soul, by which it shall be acted and
enabled to do that which through him is pleasing to God. “He that
believeth in,” or cometh to, “me,” saith he, as the Scripture hath
said, “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).
Without this life a man is dead, whether he be bad, or whether he be
good; that is, good in his own, and other men’s esteem. There is no
true and eternal life but what is in the ME that speaketh in the text.
There is also life for those that come to him, to be had by faith in
his flesh and blood. “He that eateth me, even he shall live by me”
(John 6:57). And this is a life against that death that comes by the
guilt of sin, and the curse of the law, under which all men are, and
for ever must be, unless they eat the ME that speaks in the text.
“Whoso findeth ME,” saith he, “findeth life;” deliverance from that
everlasting death and destruction, that, without me, he shall be
devoured by (Prov 8:35). Nothing is more desirable than life, to him
that hath in himself the sentence of condemnation; and here only is
life to be found. This life, to wit, eternal life, this life is in his
Son; that is, in him that saith in the text, “All that the Father hath
given me shall come to me” (1 John 5:10).
3. The person speaking in the text, is he alone by whom poor sinners
have admittance to, and acceptance with the Father, because of the
glory of his righteousness, by and in which he presenteth them amiable
and spotless in his sight; neither is there any way besides him so to
come to the Father: “I am the way,” says he, “and the truth, and the
life; no man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). All other
ways to God are dead and damnable; the destroying cherubim stand with
flaming swords, turning every way to keep all others from his presence
(Gen 3:24). I say, all others but them that come by him. “I am the
door; by me,” saith he, “if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John
10:9).
The person speaking in the text is HE, and only HE, that can give
stable and everlasting peace; therefore, saith he, “My peace I give
unto you.” My peace, which is a peace with God, peace of conscience,
and that of an everlasting duration. My peace, peace that cannot be
matched, “not as the world giveth, give I unto you;” for the world’s
peace is but carnal and transitory, but mine is Divine and eternal.
Hence it is called the peace of God, and that passeth all
understanding.
4. The person speaking in the text hath enough of all things truly
spiritually good, to satisfy the desires of every longing soul. “Jesus
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and
drink.” And to him that is athirst, “I will give of the fountain of the
water of life freely” (John 7:37, Rev 21:6).
5. With the person speaking in the text is power to perfect and defend,
and deliver those that come to him for safe-guard. “All power,” saith
he, “is given unto me in heaven and earth” (Matt 28:18).
Thus might I multiply instances in this nature in abundance. But,
Second. They that in truth do come to him, do therefore come to him
that they might receive it at his hand. They come for light, they come
for life, they come for reconciliation with God: they also come for
peace, they come that their soul may be satisfied with spiritual good,
and that they may be protected by him against all spiritual and eternal
damnation; and he alone is able to give them all this, to the filling
of their joy to the full, as they also find when they come to him. This
is evident,
1. From the plain declaration of those that already are come to him.
“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace
wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:1,2).
2. It is evident also, in that while they keep their eyes upon him,
they never desire to change him for another, or to add to themselves
some other thing, together with him, to make up their spiritual joy.
“God forbid,” saith Paul, “that I should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith
of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil 3:8,9).
3. It is evident also, by their earnest desires that others might be
made partakers of their blessedness. “Brethren,” said Paul, “my heart’s
desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” That
is, that way that he expected to be saved himself. As he saith also to
the Galatians, “Brethren,” saith he, “I beseech you, be as I am; for I
am as ye are;” that is, I am a sinner as you are. Now, I beseech you,
seek for life, as I am seeking of it; as who should say, For there is a
sufficiency in the Lord Jesus both for me and you.
4. It is evident also, by the triumph that such men make over all their
enemies, both bodily and ghostly: “Now thanks be unto God,” said Paul,
“which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” And, “who shall
separate us from the love of Christ” our Lord? and again, “O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 2:14; Rom
8:35; 1 Cor 15:55,56).