resolution to save the coming sinner; I will in no wise reject him, or
deny him the benefit of my death and righteousness. This word,
therefore, is like that which he speaks of the everlasting damnation of
the sinner in hell-fire; “He shall by no means depart thence;” that is,
never, never come out again, no, not to all eternity (Matt 5:26;
25:46). So that as he that is condemned into hell-fire hath no ground
of hope for his deliverance thence; so him that cometh to Christ, hath
no ground to fear he shall ever be cast in thither.
“Thus saith the Lord, If heaven above can be measured, and the
foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all
the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith the Lord” (Jer
31:37). “Thus saith the Lord, If my covenant be not with day and night,
and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then
will I cast away the seed of Jacob” (Jer 33:25,26). But heaven cannot
be measured, nor the foundations of the earth searched out beneath; his
covenant is also with day and night, and he hath appointed the
ordinances of heaven; therefore he will not cast away the seed of
Jacob, who are the coming ones, but will certainly save them from the
dreadful wrath to come (Jer 50:4,5). By this, therefore, it is
manifest, that it was not the greatness of sin, nor the long
continuance in it, no, nor yet the backsliding, nor the pollution of
thy nature, that can put a bar in against, or be an hindrance of, the
salvation of the coming sinner. For, if indeed this could be, then
would this solemn and absolute determination of the Lord Jesus, of
itself, fall to the ground, and be made of none effect. But his
“counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure;” that is, his
pleasure in this; for his promise, as to this irreversible conclusion,
ariseth of his pleasure; he will stand to it, and will fulfil it,
because it is his pleasure (Isa 46:10,11).
Suppose that one man had the sins, or as many sins as an hundred, and
another should have an hundred times as many as he; yet, if they come,
this word, “I will in no wise cast out,” secures them both alike.
Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved, and for that purpose is coming
in truth to Jesus Christ; but he, by his debauched life, has damned
many in hell; why, the door of hope is by these words set as open for
him, as it is for him that hath not the thousandth part of his
transgressions. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be saved, and hath nothing but
sin, and an ill-spent life, to bring with him; why, let him come, and
welcome to Jesus Christ, “And he will in no wise cast him out” (Luke
7:42). Is not this love that passeth knowledge? Is not this love the
wonderment of angels? And is not this love worthy of all acceptation at
the hands and hearts of all coming sinners?
[Hindrances in coming to Christ.]
Second, That which is implied in the words is, 1. The coming souls have
those that continually lie at Jesus Christ15 to cast them off. 2. The
coming souls are afraid that those will prevail with Christ to cast
them off. For these words are spoken to satisfy us, and to stay up our
spirits against these two dangers: “I will in no wise cast out.”
1. For the first, Coming souls have those that continually lie at Jesus
Christ to cast them off. And there are three things that thus bend
themselves against the coming sinner.
(1.) There is the devil, that accuser of the brethren, that accuses
them before God, day and night (Rev 12:10). This prince of darkness is
unwearied in this work; he doth it, as you see, day and night; that is,
without ceasing. He continually puts in his caveats against thee, if so
be he may prevail. How did he ply16 it against that good man Job, if
possibly he might have obtained his destruction in hell-fire? He
objected against him, that he served not God for nought, and tempted
God to put forth his hand against him, urging, that if he did it, he
would curse him to his face; and all this, as God witnesseth, “he did
without a cause” (Job 1:9-11; 2:4,5). How did he ply it with Christ
against Joshua the high-priest? “And he showed me Joshua,” said the
prophet, “the high-priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and
Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zech 3:1).
To resist him; that is, to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christ to resist
him; objecting the uncleanness and unlawful marriage of his sons with
the Gentiles; for that was the crime that Satan laid against them (Ezra
10:18). Yea, and for aught I know, Joshua was also guilty of the fact;
but if not of that, of crimes no whit inferior; for he was clothed with
filthy garments, as he stood before the angel. Neither had he one word
to say in vindication of himself, against all that this wicked one had
to say against him. But notwithstanding that, he came off well; but he
might for it thank a good Lord Jesus, because he did not resist him,
but contrariwise, took up his cause, pleaded against the devil,
excusing his infirmity, and put justifying robes upon him before his
adversary’s face.
“And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the
Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. Is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire? And he answered and spoke to those that stood
before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him; and unto
him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee,
and I will clothe thee with change of raiment” (Zech 3:2-4).
Again, how did Satan ply it against Peter, when he desired to have him,
that he might sift him as wheat? that is, if possible, sever all grace
from his heart, and leave him nothing but flesh and filth, to the end
that he might make the Lord Jesus loathe and abhor him. “Simon, Simon,”
said Christ, “Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as
wheat.” But did he prevail against him? No: “But I have prayed for
thee, that thy faith fail not.” As who should say, Simon, Satan hath
desired me that I would give thee up to him, and not only thee, but all
the rest of thy brethren—for that the word you imports—but I will not
leave thee in his hand: I have prayed for thee, thy faith shall not
fail; I will secure thee to the heavenly inheritance (Luke 22:30-32).
(2.) As Satan, so every sin of the coming sinner, comes in with a voice
against him, if perhaps they may prevail with Christ to cast off the
soul. When Israel was coming out of Egypt to Canaan, how many times had
their sins thrown them out of the mercy of God, had not Moses, as a
type of Christ, stood in the breach to turn away his wrath from them!
(Psa 106:23). Our iniquities testify against us, and would certainly
prevail against us, to our utter rejection and damnation, had we not an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1,2).
The sins of the old world cried them down to hell; the sins of Sodom
fetched upon them fire from heaven, which devoured them; the sins of
the Egyptians cried them down to hell, because they came not to Jesus
Christ for life. Coming sinner, thy sins are no whit less than any;
nay, perhaps, they are as big as all theirs. Why is it then, that thou
livest when they are dead, and that thou hast a promise of pardon when
they had not? “Why, thou art coming to Jesus Christ;” and therefore sin
shall not be thy ruin.
(3.) As Satan and sin, so the law of Moses, as it is a perfect holy
law, hath a voice against you before the face of God. “There is one
that accuseth you, even Moses,” his law (John 5:45). Yea, it accuseth
all men of transgression that have sinned against it; for as long as
sin is sin, there will be a law to accuse for sin. But this accusation
shall not prevail against the coming sinner; because it is Christ that
died, and that ever lives, to make intercession for them that “come to
God by him” (Rom 8; Heb 7:25).
These things, I say, do accuse us before Christ Jesus; yea, and also to
our own faces, if perhaps they might prevail against us. But these
words, “I will in no wise cast out,” secureth the coming sinner from
them all.
The coming sinner is not saved, because there is none that comes in
against him; but because the Lord Jesus will not hear their
accusations, will not cast out the coming sinner. When Shimei came down
to meet king David, and to ask for pardon for his rebellion, up starts
Abishai, and puts in his caveat, saying, Shall not Shimei die for this?
This is the case of him that comes to Christ. He hath this Abishai, and
that Abishai, that presently steps in against him, saying, Shall not
this rebel’s sins destroy him in hell? Read further. But David
answered, “What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye
should this day be adversaries unto me? Shall there any man be put to
death this day in Israel, for do not I know, that I am king this day
over Israel?” (2 Sam 19:16-22). That is Christ’s answer by the text, to
all that accuse the coming Shimeis. What have I to do with you, that
accuse the coming sinners to me? I count you adversaries, that are
against my showing mercy to them. Do not I know that I am exalted this
day to be king of righteousness, and king of peace? “I will in no wise
cast them out.”
2. But again, these words do closely imply, that the coming souls are
afraid that these accusers will prevail against them, as is evident,
because the text is spoken for their relief and succour. For that need
not be, if they that are coming were not subject to fear and despond
upon this account. Alas, there is guilt, and the curse lies upon the
conscience of the coming sinner!
Besides, he is conscious to himself what a villain, what a wretch he
hath been against God and Christ. Also he now knows, by woeful
experience, how he hath been at Satan’s beck, and at the motion of
every lust. He hath now also new thoughts of the holiness and justice
of God. Also he feels, that he cannot forbear sinning against him. For
the motions of sins, which are by the law, doth still work in his
members, to bring forth fruit unto death (Rom 7:5). But none of this
needs be [a discouragement] since we have so good, so tender-hearted,
and so faithful a Jesus to come to, who will rather overthrow heaven
and earth, than suffer a tittle of this text to fail. “And him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
[Import of the words TO CAST OUT.]
Now, we have yet to inquire into two things that lie in the words, to
which there hath yet been nothing said. As, FIRST, What it is to cast
out. SECOND, How it appears that Christ hath power to save or cast out?
[WHAT IT IS TO CAST OUT.]
FIRST. For the first of these, What it is to cast out. To this I will
speak, First, Generally. Second, More particularly.
[First, Generally.]
1. To cast out, is to slight and despise, and contemn; as it is said of
Saul’s shield, “it was vilely cast away,” (2 Sam 1:21), that is,
slighted and contemned. Thus it is with the sinners that come not to
Jesus Christ. He slights, despises, and contemns them; that is, “casts
them away.”
2. Things cast away are reputed as menstruous cloths, and as the dirt
of the street (Isa 3:24; Psa 18:42; Matt 5:13; 15:17). And thus it
shall be with the men that come not to Jesus Christ, they shall be
counted as menstruous, and as the dirt in the streets.
3. To be cast out, or off, it is to be abhorred, not to be pitied; but
to be put to perpetual shame (Psa 44:9; 89:38; Amos 1:11). But,
Second, More particularly, to come to the text. The casting out here
mentioned is not limited to this or the other evil: therefore it must
be extended to the most extreme and utmost misery. Or thus: He that
cometh to Christ shall not want anything that may make him
gospelly-happy in this world, or that which is to come; nor shall he
want anything that cometh not, that may make him spiritually and
eternally miserable. But further, As it is to be generally taken [as
respecteth the things that are now], so it respecteth things that shall
be hereafter.
I. For the things that are now, they are either, 1. More general: Or,
2. More particular.
1. More general, thus:
(1.) It is “to be cast out” of the presence and favour of God. Thus was
Cain cast out: “Thou has driven,” or cast “me out this day; from thy
face,” that is, from thy favour “shall I be hid.” A dreadful complaint!
But the effect of a more dreadful judgment! (Gen 4:14; Jer 23:39; 1
Chron 28:9).
(2.) “To be cast out,” is to be cast out of God’s sight. God will look
after them no more, care for them no more; nor will he watch over them
any more for good (2 Kings 17:20; Jer 7:15). Now they that are so, are
left like blind men, to wander and fall into the pit of hell. This,
therefore, is also a sad judgment! therefore here is the mercy of him
that cometh to Christ. He shall not be left to wander at uncertainties.
The Lord Jesus Christ will keep him, as a shepherd doth his sheep (Psa
23). “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
(3.) “To be cast out,” is to be denied a place in God’s house, and to
be left as fugitives and vagabonds, to pass a little time away in this
miserable life, and after that to go down to the dead (Gal 4:30; Gen
4:13,14; 21:10). Therefore here is the benefit of him that cometh to
Christ, he shall not be denied a place in God’s house. They shall not
be left like vagabonds in the world. “Him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out.” See Proverbs 14:26, Isaiah 56:3-5, Ephesians 1:1922,
1 Corinthians 3:21-23.
(4.) In a word, “To be cast out,” is to be rejected as are the fallen
angels. For their eternal damnation began at their being cast down from
heaven to hell. So then, not to be cast out, is to have a place, a
house, and habitation there; and to have a share in the privileges of
elect angels.
These words, therefore, “I will not cast out,” will prove great words
one day to them that come to Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:4; John 20:31;
Luke 20:35).
2. Second, and more particularly,
(1.) Christ hath everlasting life for him that cometh to him, and he
shall never perish; “For he will in no wise cast him out;” but for the
rest, they are rejected, “cast out,” and must be damned (John
10:27,28).
(2.) Christ hath everlasting righteousness to clothe them with that
come to him, and they shall be covered with it as with a garment, but
the rest shall be found in the filthy rags of their own stinking
pollutions, and shall be wrapt up in them, as in a winding-sheet, and
so bear their shame before the Lord, and also before the angels (Dan
9:27; Isa 57:20; Rev 3:4-18, 15, 16).
(3.) Christ hath precious blood, that, like an open fountain, stands
free for him to wash in, that comes to him for life; “And he will in no
wise cast him out;” but they that come not to him are rejected from a
share therein, and are left to ireful vengeance for their sins (Zech
13:1; 1 Peter 1:18,19; John 13:8; 3:16).
(4.) Christ hath precious promises, and they shall have a share in them
that come to him for life; for “he will in no wise cast them out.” But
they that come not can have no share in them, because they are true
only in him; for in him, and only in him, all the promises are yea and
amen. Wherefore they that come not to him, are no whit the better for
them (Psa 50:16; 2 Cor 1:20,21).
(5.) Christ hath also fullness of grace in himself for them that come
to him for life: “And he will in no wise cast them out.” But those that
come not unto him are left in their graceless state; and as Christ
leaves them, death, hell, and judgment finds them. “Whoso findeth me,”
saith Christ, “findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But
he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me
love death” (Prov 8:35,36).
(6.) Christ is an Intercessor, and ever liveth to make intercession for
them that come to God by him: “But their sorrows shall be multiplied,
that hasten after another,” or other gods, their sins and lusts. “Their
drink-offerings will I not offer, nor take up their names into his
lips” (Psa 16:4; Heb 7:25).
(7.) Christ hath wonderful love, bowels, and compassions, for those
that come to him; for “he will in no wise cast them out.” But the rest
will find him a lion rampant; he will one day tear them all to pieces.
“Now consider this,” saith he, “ye that forget God, lest I tear you in
pieces, and there be none to deliver” (Psa 50:22).
(8.) Christ is one by and for whose sake those that come to him have
their persons and performances accepted of the Father: “And he will in
no wise cast them out;” but the rest must fly to the rocks and
mountains for shelter, but all in vain, to hide them from his face and
wrath (Rev 6:15-17).
II. But again, These words, CAST OUT, have a special look to what will
be hereafter, even at the day of judgment. For then, and not till then,
will be the great anathema and casting out made manifest, even manifest
by execution. Therefore here to speak to this, and that under these two
heads. As, First, Of the casting out itself. Second, Of the place into
which they shall be cast, that shall then be cast out.
First, The casting out itself standeth in two things. 1. In a
preparatory work. 2. In the manner of executing the act.
1. The preparatory work standeth in these three things.
(1.) It standeth in their separation that have not come to him, from
them that have, at that day. Or thus: At the day of the great casting
out, those that have not NOW come to him, shall be separated from them
that have; for them that have “he will not cast out.” “When the Son of
man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be
gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” (Matt 25:31,32). This
dreadful separation, therefore, shall then be made betwixt them that
NOW come to Christ, and them that come not. And good reason; for since
they would not with us come to him now they have time, why should they
stand with us when judgment is come?
(2.) They shall be placed before him according to their condition: they
that have come to him, in great dignity, even at his right hand; “For
he will in no wise cast them out”: but the rest shall be set at his
left hand, the place of disgrace and shame; for they did not come to
him for life. Distinguished also shall they be by fit terms: these that
come to him he calleth the sheep, but the rest are frowish goats, “and
he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his
sheep from the goats;” and the sheep will be set on the right hand—next
heaven gate, for they came to him—but the goats on his left, to go from
him into hell, because they are not of his sheep.
(3.) Then will Christ proceed to conviction of those that came not to
him, and will say, “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in,” or did
not come unto me. Their excuse of themselves he will slight as dirt,
and proceed to their final judgment.
2. Now when these wretched rejecters of Christ shall thus be set before
him in their sins, and convicted, this is the preparatory work upon
which follows the manner of executing the act which will be done.
(1.) In the presence of all the holy angels.
(2.) In the presence of all them that in their lifetime came to him, by
saying unto them, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels”: with the reason annexed to it.
For you were cruel to me and mine, particularly discovered in these
words, “For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in;
naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me
not” (Matt 25:41-43).
Second, Now it remains that we speak of the place into which these
shall be cast, which, in the general, you have heard already, to wit,
the first prepared for the devil and his angels. But, in particular, it
is thus described:—
1. It is called Tophet: “For Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the
king,” the Lucifer, “it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large;
the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a
stream of brimstone, doth kindle it” (Isa 30:32).
2. It is called hell. “It is better for thee to enter halt” or lame
“into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell” (Mark 9:45).
3. It is called the wine-press of the wrath of God. “And the angel
thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the
earth,” that is, them that did not come to Christ, “and cast it into
the great wine-press of the wrath of God” (Rev 14:19).
4. It is called a lake of fire. “And whosoever was not found written in
the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15).
5. It is called a pit. “Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into
heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also
upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. Yet thou
shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isa 14:13-15).
6. It is called a bottomless pit, out of which the smoke and the locust
came, and into which the great dragon was cast; and it is called
bottomless, to show the endlessness of the fall that they will have
into it, that come not, in the acceptable time, to Jesus Christ (Rev
9:1,2; 20:3). . 7. It is called outer darkness. “Bind him hand and
foot—and cast him into outer darkness,” “and cast ye the unprofitable
servant into outer darkness,” “there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth” (Matt 22:13; 25:30).
8. It is called a furnace of fire. “As therefore the tares are gathered
and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The
Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of
his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and
shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth.” And again, “So shall it be at the end of the world:
the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing
and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13:40-51).
9. Lastly, It may not be amiss, if, in the conclusion of this, I show
in few words to what the things that torment them in this state are
compared. Indeed, some of them have been occasionally mentioned
already; as that they are compared,
(1.) To wood that burneth.
(2.) To fire.
(3.) To fire and brimstone: But,
(4.) It is compared to a worm, a gnawing worm, a never-dying gnawing
worm; They are cast into hell, “where their worm dieth not” (Mark
9:44).
(5.) It is called unquenchable fire; “He will gather his wheat into the
garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt
3:12; Luke 3:17).
(6.) It is called everlasting destruction; “The Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power” (2 Thess 1:7-9).
(7.) It is called wrath without mixture, and is given them in the cup
of his indignation. “If any man worship the beast, and his image, and
receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink
of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture,
into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence
of the Lamb” (Rev 14:9,10).
(8.) It is called the second death. “And death and hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the second death. Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no
power” (Rev 20:6,14).
(9.) It is called eternal damnation. “But he that shall blaspheme
against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of
eternal damnation.” Oh! these three words! Everlasting punishment!
Eternal damnation! And For ever and ever! How will they gnaw and eat up
all the expectation of the end of the misery of the cast-away sinners.
“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and
they have no rest day nor night,” &c., (Rev 14:11).
Their behaviour in hell is set forth by four things as I know of;—(a.)
By calling for help and relief in vain; (b.) By weeping; (c.) By
wailing; (d.) By gnashing of teeth.
[THE POWER OF CHRIST TO SAVE, OR TO CAST OUT.]