which they have found in him, to suffer and endure what the devil and
hell itself hath or could invent, as a means to separate them from him.
Again, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword? as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the
day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39).
“Shall come TO ME.” Oh! the heart-attracting glory that is in Jesus
Christ, when he is discovered, to draw those to him that are given to
him of the Father; therefore those that came of old, rendered this as
the cause of their coming to him: “And we beheld his glory, as of the
only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). And the reason why others
come not, but perish in their sins, is for want of a sight of his
glory: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom
the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:3,4).
There is therefore heart-pulling glory in Jesus Christ, which, when
discovered, draws the man to him; wherefore by shall come to me, Christ
may mean, when his glory is discovered, then they must come, then they
shall come to me. Therefore, as the true comers come with weeping and
relenting, as being sensible of their own vileness, so again it is
said, that “the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion
with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy
and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” That is, at the
sight of the glory of that grace that shows itself to them now in the
face of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the hopes that they now have of
being with him in the heavenly tabernacles. Therefore it saith again,
“With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought; they shall enter
into the King’s palace” (Isa 35:10; 51:11; Psa 45:15). There is
therefore heart-attracting glory in the Lord Jesus Christ, which, when
discovered, subjects the heart to the Word, and makes us come to him.
It is said of Abraham, that when he dwelt in Mesopotamia, “the God of
glory appeared unto him,” saying, “Get thee out of thy country.” And
what then? Why, away he went from his house and friends, and all the
world could not stay him. “Now,” as the Psalmist says, “Who is this
King of glory?” he answers, “The Lord, mighty in battle” (Psa 24:8).
And who was that, but he that “spoiled principalities and powers,” when
he did hang upon the tree, triumphing over them thereon? And who was
that but Jesus Christ, even the person speaking in the text? Therefore
he said of Abraham, “He saw his day. Yea,” saith he to the Jews, “your
father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad”
(Col 2:15; James 2:23; John 8:56).
Indeed, the carnal man says, at least in his heart, “There is no form
or comeliness in Christ; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty
that we should desire him,” (Isa 53:2); but he lies. This he speaks, as
having never seen him. But they that stand in his house, and look upon
him through the glass of his Word, by the help of his Holy Spirit, they
will tell you other things. “But we all,” say they, “with open face,
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18). They see glory in his
person, glory in his undertakings, glory in the merit of his blood, and
glory in the perfection of his righteousness; yea, heart-affecting,
heart-sweetening, and heart-changing glory!
Indeed, his glory is veiled, and cannot be seen but as discovered by
the Father (Matt 11:27). It is veiled with flesh, with meanness of
descent from the flesh, and with that ignominy and shame that attended
him in the flesh; but they that can, in God’s light, see through these
things, they shall see glory in him; yea, such glory as will draw and
pull their hearts unto him.
Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter; and for aught I know,
had been king at last, had he now conformed to the present vanities
that were there at court; but he could not, he would not do it. Why?
What was the matter? Why! he saw more in the worst of Christ (bear with
the expression), than he saw in the best of all the treasures of the
land of Egypt. He “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect
unto the recompence of the reward. He forsook Egypt, not fearing the
wrath of the king.” But what emboldened him thus to do? Why, “he
endured;” for he had a sight of the person speaking in the text. “He
endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” But I say, would a sight of
Jesus have thus taken away Moses’ heart from a crown, and a kingdom,
&c., had he not by that sight seen more in him than was to be seen in
them? (Heb 11:24-26).
Therefore, when he saith, shall come to me, he means, they shall have a
discovery of the glory of the grace that is in him; and the beauty and
glory of that is of such virtue, that it constraineth, and forceth,
with a blessed violency, the hearts of those that are given to him.
Moses, of whom we spake before, was no child when he was thus taken
with the beauteous glory of his Lord. He was forty years old, and so
consequently was able, being a man of that wisdom and opportunity as he
was, to make the best judgment of the things, and of the goodness of
them that was before him in the land of Egypt. But he, even he it was,
that set that low esteem upon the glory of Egypt, as to count it not
worth the meddling with, when he had a sight of this Lord Jesus Christ.
This wicked world thinks, that the fancies of a heaven, and a happiness
hereafter, may serve well enough to take the heart of such, as either
have not the world’s good things to delight in; or that are fools, and
know not how to delight themselves therein. But let them know again,
that we have had men of all ranks and qualities, that have been taken
with the glory of our Lord Jesus, and have left all to follow him. As
Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, David,
Solomon; and who not, that had either wit or grace, to savour heavenly
things? Indeed none can stand off from him, nor any longer hold out
against him to whom he reveals the glory of his grace.
[THE PROMISE TO THOSE COMING TO CHRIST.]
“AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I will in no wise cast out.”
By these words our Lord Jesus doth set forth yet more amply the great
goodness of his nature towards the coming sinner. Before, he said, They
shall come; and here he declareth, That with heart and affections he
will receive them. But, by the way, let me speak one word or two to the
seeming conditionality of this promise with which now I have to do.
“And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Where it is
evident, may some say, that Christ’s receiving us to mercy depends upon
our coming, and so our salvation by Christ is conditional. If we come,
we shall be received; if not, we shall not; for that is fully intimated
by the words. The promise of reception is only to him that cometh. “And
him that cometh.” I answer, that the coming in these words mentioned,
as a condition of being received to life, is that which is promised,
yea, concluded to be effected in us by the promise going before. In
those latter words, coming to Christ is implicitly required of us; and
in the words before, that grace that can make us come is positively
promised to us. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and
him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” thence. We come to
Christ, because it is said, We shall come; because it is given to us to
come. So that the condition which is expressed by Christ in these
latter words is absolutely promised in the words before. And, indeed,
the coming here intended is nothing else but the effect of “shall come
to me. They shall come, and I will not cast them out.”
“AND HIM THAT COMETH.”
He saith not, and him that is come, but him that cometh. To speak to
these words, First, In general. Second, More particularly.
[First.] In general. They suggest unto us these four things:—
1. That Jesus Christ doth build upon it, that since the Father gave his
people to him, they shall be enabled to come unto him. “And him that
cometh.” As who should say, I know that since they are given to me,
they shall be enabled to come unto me. He saith not, if they come, or I
suppose they will come; but, “and him that cometh.” By these words,
therefore, he shows us that he addresseth himself to the receiving of
them whom the Father gave to him to save them. I say, he addresseth
himself, or prepareth himself to receive them. By which, as I said, he
concludeth or buildeth upon it, that they shall indeed come to him. He
looketh that the Father should bring them into his bosom, and so stands
ready to embrace them.
2. Christ also suggesteth by these words, that he very well knoweth who
are given to him; not by their coming to him, but by their being given
to him. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh,” &c. This him he knoweth to be one of them that the Father hath
given him; and, therefore, he received him, even because the Father
hath given him to him (John 10). “I know my sheep,” saith he. Not only
those that already have knowledge of him, but those, too, that yet are
ignorant of him. “Other sheep I have,” said he, “which are not of this
fold,” (John 10:16); not of the Jewish church, but those that lie in
their sins, even the rude and barbarous Gentiles. Therefore, when Paul
was afraid to stay at Corinth, from a supposition that some mischief
might befall him there; “Be not afraid,” said the Lord Jesus to him,
“but speak, and hold not thy peace—for I have much people in this city”
(Acts 18:9,10). The people that the Lord here speaks of were not at
this time accounted his, by reason of a work of conversion that already
had passed upon them, but by virtue of the gift of the Father; for he
had given them unto him. Therefore was Paul to stay here, to speak the
word of the Lord to them, that, by his speaking, the Holy Ghost might
effectually work over their souls, to the causing them to come to him,
who was also ready, with heart and soul, to receive them.
3. Christ, by these words, also suggesteth, that no more come unto him
than, indeed, are given him of the Father. For the him in this place is
one of the all that by Christ was mentioned before. “All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me;” and every him of that all, “I will
in no wise cast out.” This the apostle insinuateth, where he saith, “He
gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we
all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:11-13).
Mark, as in the text, so here he speaketh of all. “Until we all come.”
We all! all who? Doubtless, “All that the Father giveth to Christ.”
This is further insinuated, because he called this ALL the body of
Christ; the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. By which
he means the universal number given; to wit, the true elect church,
which is said to be his body and fullness (Eph 1:22,23).
4. Christ Jesus, by these words, further suggesteth, that he is well
content with this gift of the Father to him. “All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out.” I will heartily, willingly, and with great content of mind,
receive him.
They show us, also, that Christ’s love in receiving is as large as his
Father’s love in giving, and no larger. Hence, he thanks him for his
gift, and also thanks him for hiding of him and his things from the
rest of the wicked (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21). But,
Secondly, and more particularly, “And HIM that cometh.”
[Import of the word HIM.]
“And him.” This word him; by it Christ looketh back to the gift of the
Father; not only in the lump and whole of the gift, but to the every
him of that lump. As who should say, I do not only accept of the gift
of my Father in the general, but have a special regard to every of them
in particular; and will secure not only some, or the greatest part, but
every him, every dust. Not a hoof of all shall be lost or left behind.
And, indeed, in this he consenteth to his Father’s will, which is that
of all that he hath given him, he should lose nothing (John 6:39).
“And him.” Christ Jesus, also, by his thus dividing the gift of his
Father into hims, and by his speaking of them in the singular number,
shows what a particular work shall be wrought in each one, at the time
appointed of the Father. “And it shall come to pass in that day,” saith
the prophet, “that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the
river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O
ye children of Israel.” Here are the hims, one by one, to be gathered
to him by the Father (Isa 27:12).
He shows also hereby that no lineage, kindred, or relation, can at all
be profited by any outward or carnal union with the person that the
Father hath given to Christ. It is only him, the given HIM, the coming
him, that he intends absolutely to secure. Men make a great ado with
the children of believers; and oh the children of believers! 13 But if
the child of the believer is not the him concerned in this absolute
promise, it is not these men’s great cry, nor yet what the parent or
child can do, that can interest him in this promise of the Lord Christ,
this absolute promise.
AND HIM. There are divers sorts of persons that the Father hath given
to Jesus Christ; they are not all of one rank, of one quality; some are
high, some are low; some are wise, some fools; some are more civil, and
complying with the law; some more profane, and averse to him and his
gospel. Now, since those that are given to him are, in some sense, so
diverse; and again, since he yet saith, “And him that cometh,” &c., he,
by that, doth give us to understand that he is not, as men, for picking
and choosing, to take a best and leave a worst, but he is for him that
the Father hath given him, and that cometh to him. “He shall not alter
it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good,” (Lev 27:10);
but will take him as he is, and will save his soul.
There is many a sad wretch given by the Father to Jesus Christ; but not
one of them all is despised or slighted by him. It is said of those
that the Father hath given to Christ that they have done worse than the
heathen; that they were murderers, thieves, drunkards, unclean persons,
and what not; but he has received them, washed them, and saved them. A
fit emblem of this sort is that wretched instance mentioned in the 16th
of Ezekiel, that was cast out in a stinking condition, to the loathing
of its person, in the days that it was born; a creature in such a
wretched condition, that no eye pitied, to do any of the things there
mentioned unto it, or to have compassion upon it; no eye but his that
speaketh in the text.
AND HIM. Let him be as red as blood, let him be as red as crimson. Some
men are blood-red sinners, crimson-sinners, sinners of a double die;
dipped and dipped again, before they come to Jesus Christ. Art thou
that readest these lines such an one? Speak out, man! Art thou such an
one? and art thou now coming to Jesus Christ for the mercy of
justification, that thou mightest be made white in his blood, and be
covered with his righteousness? Fear not; forasmuch as this thy coming
betokeneth that thou art of the number of them that the Father hath
given to Christ; for he will in no wise cast thee out. “Come now,”
saith Christ, “and let us reason together; though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa 1:18).
AND HIM. There was many a strange HIM came to Jesus Christ, in the days
of his flesh; but he received them all, without turning any away;
speaking unto them “of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had
need of healing” (Luke 9:11; 4:40). These words, AND HIM, are therefore
words to be wondered at. That not one of them who, by virtue of the
Father’s gift, and drawing, are coming to Jesus Christ, I say, that not
one of them, whatever they have been, whatever they have done, should
be rejected or set by, but admitted to a share in his saving grace. It
is said in Luke, that the people “wondered at the gracious words which
proceeded out of his mouth” (4:22). Now this is one of his gracious
words; these words are like drops of honey, as it is said, “Pleasant
words are as an honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones”
(Prov 16:24). These are gracious words indeed, even as full as a
faithful and merciful High-priest could speak them. Luther saith, “When
Christ speaketh, he hath a mouth as wide as heaven and earth.” That is,
to speak fully to the encouragement of every sinful him that is coming
to Jesus Christ. And that his word is certain, hear how himself
confirms it: “Heaven and earth,” saith he, “shall pass away; but my
words shall not pass away” (Isa 51:6; Matt 24:35).
It is also confirmed by the testimony of the four evangelists, who gave
faithful relation of his loving reception of all sorts of coming
sinners, whether they were publicans, harlots, thieves, possessed of
devils, bedlams, and what not (Luke 19:1-10; Matt 21:31; Luke 15;
23:43; Mark 16:9; 5:1-9).
This, then, shows us, 1. “The greatness of the merits of Christ.” 2.
The willingness of his heart to impute them for life to the great, if
coming, sinners.
1. This shows us the greatness of the merits of Christ; for it must not
be supposed, that his words are bigger than his worthiness. He is
strong to execute his word. He can do, as well as speak. He can do
exceeding abundantly more than we ask or think, even to the uttermost,
and outside of his word (Eph 3:20). Now, then, since he concludeth any
coming HIM; it must be concluded, that he can save to the uttermost
sin, any coming HIM.
Do you think, I say, that the Lord Jesus did not think before he spake?
He speaks all in righteousness, and therefore by his word we are to
judge how mighty he is to save (Isa 63:1). He speaketh in
righteousness, in very faithfulness, when he began to build this
blessed gospel-fabric, the text; it was for that he had first sat down,
and counted the cost; and for that, he knew he was able to finish it!
What, Lord, any him? any him that cometh to thee? This is a Christ
worth looking after, this is a Christ worth coming to!
This, then, should learn us diligently to consider the natural force of
every word of God; and to judge of Christ’s ability to save, not by our
sins, or by our shallow apprehensions of his grace; but by his word,
which is the true measure of grace. And if we do not judge thus, we
shall dishonour his grace, lose the benefit of his word, and needlessly
fright ourselves into many discouragements though coming to Jesus
Christ. Him, any him that cometh, hath sufficient from this word of
Christ, to feed himself with hopes of salvation. As thou art therefore
coming, O thou coming sinner, judge thou, whether Christ can save thee
by the true sense of his words: judge, coming sinner, of the efficacy
of his blood, of the perfection of his righteousness, and of the
prevalency of his intercession, by his word. “And him,” saith he, “that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” “In no wise,” that is, for no
sin. Judge therefore by his word, how able he is to save thee. It is
said of God’s sayings to the children of Israel, “There failed not
aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of
Israel; all came to pass” (Josh 21:45). And again, “Not one thing hath
failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning
you, all are come to pass unto you; and not one thing hath failed
thereof” (Josh 23:14).
Coming sinner, what promise thou findest in the word of Christ, strain
it whither thou canst, so thou dost not corrupt it, and his blood and
merits will answer all; what the word saith, or any true consequence
that is drawn therefrom, that we may boldly venture upon. As here in
the text he saith, “And him that cometh,” indefinitely, without the
least intimation of the rejection of any, though never so great, if he
be a coming sinner. Take it then for granted, that thou, whoever thou
art, if coming, art intended in these words; neither shall it injure
Christ at all, if, as Benhadad’s servants served Ahab, thou shalt catch
him at his word. “Now,” saith the text, “the man did diligently observe
whether anything would come from him,” to wit, any word of grace; “and
did hastily catch it.” And it happened that Ahab had called Benhadad
his brother. The man replied, therefore, “Thy brother Benhadad!” (1
Kings 20:33), catching him at his word. Sinner, coming sinner, serve
Jesus Christ thus, and he will take it kindly at thy hands. When he in
his argument called the Canaanitish woman dog, she catched him at it,
and saith, “Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from
their master’s table.” I say, she catched him thus in his words, and he
took it kindly, saying, “O woman great is thy faith; be it unto thee
even as thou wilt” (Matt 15:28). Catch him, coming sinner, catch him in
his words, surely he will take it kindly, and will not be offended at
thee.
2. The other thing that I told you is showed from these words, is this:
The willingness of Christ’s heart to impute his merits for life to the
great, if coming sinner. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out.”
The awakened coming sinner doth not so easily question the power of
Christ, as his willingness to save him. Lord, “if thou wilt, thou
canst,” said one (Mark 1:40). He did not put the if upon his power, but
upon his will. He concluded he could, but he was not as fully of
persuasion that he would. But we have the same ground to believe he
will, as we have to believe he can; and, indeed, ground for both is the
Word of God. If he was not willing, why did he promise? Why did he say
he would receive the coming sinner? Coming sinner, take notice of this;
we use to plead practices with men, and why not with God likewise? I am
sure we have no more ground for the one than the other; for we have to
plead the promise of a faithful God. Jacob took him there: “Thou
saidst,” said he, “I will surely do thee good” (Gen 32:12). For, from
this promise he concluded, that it followed in reason, “He must be
willing.”
The text also gives some ground for us to draw the same conclusion.
“And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Here is his
willingness asserted, as well as his power suggested. It is worth your
observation, that Abraham’s faith considered rather God’s power than
his willingness; that is, he drew his conclusion, “I shall have a
child,” from the power that was in God to fulfil the promise to him.
For he concluded he was willing to give him one, else he would not have
promised one. “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised he was able also to perform” (Rev 4:20,21).
But was not his faith exercised, or tried, about his willingness too?
No, there was no show of reason for that, because he had promised it.
Indeed, had he not promised it, he might lawfully have doubted it; but
since he had promised it, there was left no ground at all for doubting,
because his willingness to give a son was demonstrated in his promising
him a son. These words, therefore, are sufficient ground to encourage
any coming sinner that Christ is willing to his power to receive him;
and since he hath power also to do what he will, there is no ground at
all left to the coming sinner any more to doubt; but to come in full
hope of acceptance, and of being received unto grace and mercy. “And
him that cometh.” He saith not, and him that is come; but, and him that
cometh; that is, and him whose heart begins to move after me, who is
leaving all for my sake; him who is looking out, who is on his journey
to me. We must, therefore, distinguish betwixt coming, and being come
to Jesus Christ. He that is come to him has attained of him more
sensibly what he felt before that he wanted, than he has that but yet
is coming to him.
[Advantages to the man that is come to Christ.]
A man that is come to Christ hath the advantage of him that is but
coming to him; and that in seven things.