into, namely, How it appears that Christ hath power to save, or to cast
out. For by these words, “I will in no wise cast out,” he declareth
that he hath power to do both. Now this inquiry admits us to search
into the things: First, How it appears that he hath power to save;
Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out.
First, That he hath power to save, appears by that which follows:—
1. To speak only of him as he is mediator: he was authorized to this
blessed work by his Father, before the world began. Hence the apostle
saith, “He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world”
(Eph 1:4). With all those things that effectually will produce our
salvation. Read the same chapter, with 2 Timothy 1:9.
2. He was promised to our first parents, that he should, in the
fullness of time, bruise the serpent’s head; and, as Paul expounds it,
redeem them that were under the law. Hence, since that time, he hath
been reckoned as slain for our sins. By which means all the fathers
under the first testament were secured from the wrath to come; hence he
is called, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev 13:8;
Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4,5).
3. Moses gave testimony of him by the types and shadows, and bloody
sacrifices, that he commanded from the mouth of God to be in use for
the support of his people’s faith, until the time of reformation; which
was the time of this Jesus his death (Heb 9, 10).
4. At the time of his birth it was testified of him by the angel, “That
he should save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).
5. It is testified of him in the days of his flesh, that he had power
on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-12).
6. It is testified also of him by the apostle Peter, that “God hath
exalted him with his own right hand, to be a prince and a Saviour, for
to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
7. In a word, this is everywhere testified of him, both in the Old
Testament and the New. And good reason that he should be acknowledged
and trusted in, as a Saviour.
(1.) He came down from heaven to be a Saviour (John 6:38-40).
(2.) He was anointed when on earth to be a Saviour (Luke 3:22).
(3.) He did the works of a Saviour. As, (a.) He fulfilled the law, and
became the end of it for righteousness, for them that believe in him
(Rom 10:3,4). (b.) He laid down his life as a Saviour; he gave his life
as “a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim 2:6). (c.) He
hath abolished death, destroyed the devil, put away sin, got the keys
of hell and death, is ascended into heaven; is there accepted of God,
and bid sit at the right hand as a Saviour; and that because his
sacrifice for sins pleased God (2 Tim 1:10; Heb 2:14,15; 10:12,13; Eph
4:7,8; John 16:10,11; Acts 5:30,31).
(4.) God hath sent out and proclaimed him as a Saviour, and tells the
world that we have redemption through his blood, that he will justify
us, if we believe in his blood, and that he can faithfully and justly
do it. Yea, God doth beseech us to be reconciled to him by his Son;
which could not be, if he were not anointed by him to this very end,
and also if his works and undertakings were not accepted of him
considered as a Saviour (Rom 3:24,25; 2 Cor 5:18-21).
(5.) God hath received already millions of souls into his paradise,
because they have received this Jesus for a Saviour; and is resolved to
cut them off, and to cast them out of his presence, that will not take
him for a Saviour (Heb 12:22-26).
I intend brevity here; therefore a word to the second, and so conclude.
Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out. This appears
also by what follows:—
1. The Father, for the service that he hath done him as Saviour, hath
made him Lord of all, even Lord of quick and dead. “For to this end
Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of
the dead and living” (Rom 14:9).
2. The Father hath left it with him to quicken whom he will, to wit,
with saving grace, and to cast out whom he will, for their rebellion
against him (John 5:21).
3. The Father hath made him judge of quick and dead, hath committed all
judgment unto the Son, and appointed that all should honour the Son,
even as they honour the Father (John 5:22,23).
4. God will judge the world by this man: the day is appointed for
judgment, and he is appointed for judge. “He hath appointed a day in
the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man” (Acts
17:31). Therefore we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that every one may receive for the things done in the body,
according to what they have done. If they have closed with him, heaven
and salvation; if they have not, hell and damnation! And for these
reasons he must be judge:—
(1.) Because of his humiliation, because of his Father’s word he
humbled himself, and he became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” This hath respect to his being
judge, and his sitting in judgment upon angels and men (Phil 2:7-11;
Rom 14:10,11).
(2.) That all men might honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.
“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto
the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the
Father” (John 5:22,23).
(3.) Because of his righteous judgment, this work is fit for no
creature; it is only fit for the Son of God. For he will reward every
man according to his ways (Rev 22:12).
(4.) Because he is the Son of man. He “hath given him authority to
execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (John 5:27).
[SECOND, THE TEXT TREATED BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.]
Thus have I in brief passed through this text by way of explications.
My next work is to speak to it by way of observation. But I shall be
also as brief in that as the nature of the thing will admit. “All that
the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
And now I come to some observations, and a little briefly to speak to
them, and then conclude the whole. The words thus explained afford us
many, some of which are these. 1. That God the Father, and Christ his
Son, are two distinct persons in the Godhead. 2. That by them, not
excluding the Holy Ghost, is contrived and determined the salvation of
fallen mankind. 3. That this contrivance resolved itself into a
covenant between these persons in the Godhead, which standeth in giving
on the Father’s part, and receiving on the Son’s. “All that the Father
giveth me,” &c. 4. That every one that the Father hath given to Christ,
according to the mind of God in the text, shall certainly come to him.
5. That coming to Jesus Christ is therefore not by the will, wisdom, or
power of man; but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. “All
that the Father giveth me shall come.” 6. That Jesus Christ will be
careful to receive, and will not in any wise reject those that come, or
are coming to him. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out.” There are, besides these, some other truths implied in the words.
As, 7. They that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily
afraid that he will not receive them. 8. Jesus Christ would not have
them that in truth are coming to him once think that he will cast them
out.
These observations lie all of them in the words, and are plentifully
confirmed by the Scriptures of truth; but I shall not at this time
speak to them all, but shall pass by the first, second, third, fourth,
and sixth, partly because I design brevity, and partly because they are
touched upon in the explicatory part of the text. I shall therefore
begin with the fifth observation, and so make that the first in order,
in the following discourse.
[COMING TO CHRIST NOT BY THE POWER OF MAN, BUT BY THE DRAWING OF THE
FATHER.]
OBSERVATION FIRST. First, then, coming to Christ is not by the will,
wisdom, or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the
Father. This observation standeth of two parts. First, The coming to
Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man; Second, But by the
gift, promise, and drawing of the Father.
That the text carrieth this truth in its bosom, you will find if you
look into the explication of the first part thereof before. I shall,
therefore, here follow the method propounded, viz: show,
First, That coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of
man. This is true, because the Word doth positively say it is not.
1. It denieth it wholly to be by the will of man. “Not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man” (John 1:13). And again,
“It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth” (Rom 9:16).
2. It denieth it to be of the wisdom of man, as is manifest from these
considerations:
(1.) In the wisdom of God it pleased him, that the world by wisdom
should not know him. Now, if by their wisdom they cannot know him, it
follows, by that wisdom, they cannot come unto him; for coming to him
is not before, but after some knowledge of him (1 Cor 1:21; Acts 13:27;
Psa 9:10).
(2.) The wisdom of man, in God’s account, as to the knowledge of
Christ, is reckoned foolishness. “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom
of this world?” (1 Cor 1:20). And again, The wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God (2:14). If God hath made foolish the wisdom of
this world; and again, if the wisdom of this world is foolishness with
him, then verily it is not likely, that by that a sinner should become
so prudent as to come to Jesus Christ, especially if you consider,
(3.) That the doctrine of a crucified Christ, and so of salvation by
him, is the very thing that is counted foolishness to the wisdom of the
world. Now, if the very doctrine of a crucified Christ be counted
foolishness by the wisdom of this world, it cannot be that, by that
wisdom, a man should be drawn out in his soul to come to him (1 Cor
3:19; 1:18,23).
(4.) God counted the wisdom of this world one of his greatest enemies;
therefore, by that wisdom no man can come to Jesus Christ. For it is
not likely that one of God’s greatest enemies should draw a man to that
which best of all pleaseth God, as coming to Christ doth. Now, that God
counteth the wisdom of this world one of his greatest enemies, is
evident, (a.) For that it casteth the greatest contempt upon his Son’s
undertakings, as afore is proved, in that it counts his crucifixion
foolishness; though that be one of the highest demonstrations of Divine
wisdom (Eph 1:7,8). (b.) Because God hath threatened to destroy it, and
bring it to nought, and cause it to perish; which surely he would not
do, was it not an enemy, would it direct men to, and cause them to
close with Jesus Christ (Isa 29:14; 1 Cor 1:19). (c.) He hath rejected
it from helping in the ministry of his Word, as a fruitless business,
and a thing that comes to nought (1 Cor 2:4,6,12,13). (d.) Because it
causeth to perish, those that seek it, and pursue it (1 Cor 1:18,19).
(e.) And God has proclaimed, that if any man will be wise in this
world, he must be a fool in the wisdom of this world, and that is the
way to be wise in the wisdom of God. “If any man seemeth to be wise in
this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For the wisdom
of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Cor 3:18-20).
3. Coming to Christ is not by the power of man. This is evident partly,
(1.) From that which goeth before. For man’s power in the putting forth
of it, in this matter, is either stirred up by love, or sense of
necessity; but the wisdom of this world neither gives man love to, or
sense of a need of, Jesus Christ; therefore, his power lieth still, as
from that.
(2.) What power has he that is dead, as every natural man spiritually
is, even dead in trespasses and sins? Dead, even as dead to God’s New
Testament things as he that is in his grave is dead to the things of
this world. What power hath he, then, whereby to come to Jesus Christ?
(John 5:25; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13).
(3.) God forbids the mighty man’s glorying in his strength; and says
positively, “By strength shall no man prevail;” and again, “Not by
might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord” (Jer 9:23,24; 1
Sam 2:9; Zech 4:6; 1 Cor 1:27-31).
(4.) Paul acknowledgeth that man, nay, converted man, of himself, hath
not a sufficiency of power in himself to think a good thought; if not
to do that which is least, for to think is less than to come; then no
man, by his own power, can come to Jesus Christ (2 Cor 2:5).
(5.) Hence we are said to be made willing to come, by the power of God;
to be raised from a state of sin to a state of grace, by the power of
God; and to believe, that is to come, through the exceeding working of
his mighty power (Psa 110:3; Col 2:12; Eph 1:18,20; Job 23:14). But
this needed not, if either man had power or will to come; or so much as
graciously to think of being willing to come, of themselves, to Jesus
Christ.
Second, I should now come to the proof of the second part of the
observation [namely, the coming to Christ is by the gift, promise, and
drawing of the Father], but that is occasionally done already, in the
explicatory part of the text, to which I refer the reader; for I shall
here only give thee a text or two more to the same purpose, and so come
to the use and application.
1. It is expressly said, “No man can come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). By this text, there is not
only insinuated that in man is want of power, but also of will, to come
to Jesus Christ: they must be drawn; they come not if they be not
drawn. And observe, it is not man, no, nor all the angels in heaven,
that can draw one sinner to Jesus Christ. No man cometh to me, except
the Father which hath sent me draw him.
2. Again, “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my
Father” (John 6:65). It is an heavenly gift that maketh man come to
Jesus Christ.
3. Again, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught
of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the
Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:45).
I shall not enlarge, but shall make some use and application, and so
come to the next observation.
[Use and Application of Observation First.]
Use First. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ not by the will, wisdom,
or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father?
Then they are to blame that cry up the will, wisdom, and power of man,
as things sufficient to bring men to Christ.
There are some men who think they may not be contradicted, when they
plead for the will, wisdom, and power of man in reference to the things
that are of the kingdom of Christ; but I will say to such a man, he
never yet came to understand, that himself is what the Scripture
teacheth concerning him; neither did he ever know what coming to Christ
is, by the teaching, gift, and drawing of the Father. He is such a one
that hath set up God’s enemy in opposition to him, and that continueth
in such acts of defiance; and what his end, without a new birth, will
be, the Scripture teacheth also; but we will pass this.
Use Second. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ by the gift, promise,
and drawing of the Father? Then let saints here learn to ascribe their
coming to Christ to the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father.
Christian man, bless God, who hath given thee to Jesus Christ by
promise; and again, bless God for that he hath drawn thee to him. And
why is it thee? Why not another? O that the glory of electing love
should rest upon thy head, and that the glory of the exceeding grace of
God should take hold of thy heart, and bring thee to Jesus Christ!
Use Third. Is it so, that coming to Jesus Christ is by the Father, as
aforesaid? Then this should teach us to set a high esteem upon them
that indeed are coming to Jesus Christ; I say, an high esteem on them,
for the sake of him by virtue of whose grace they are made to come to
Jesus Christ.
We see that when men, by the help of human abilities, do arrive at the
knowledge of, and bring to pass that which, when done, is a wonder to
the world, how he that did it, is esteemed and commended; yea, how are
his wits, parts, industry, and unweariedness in all admired, and yet
the man, as to this, is but of the world, and his work the effect of
natural ability; the things also attained by him end in vanity and
vexation of spirit. Further, perhaps in the pursuit of these his
achievements, he sins against God, wastes his time vainly, and at
long-run loses his soul by neglecting of better things; yet he is
admired! But I say, if this man’s parts, labour, diligence, and the
like, will bring him to such applause and esteem in the world, what
esteem should we have of such an one that is by the gift, promise, and
power of God, coming to Jesus Christ?
1. This is a man with whom God is, in whom God works and walks; a man
whose motion is governed and steered by the mighty hand of God, and the
effectual working of his power. Here is a man!
2. This man, by the power of God’s might, which worketh in him, is able
to cast a whole world behind him, with all the lusts and pleasures of
it, and to charge through all the difficulties that men and devils can
set against him. Here is a man.
3. This man is travelling to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the
city of the living God, and to an innumerable company of angels, and
the spirits of just men made perfect, to God the Judge of all, and to
Jesus. Here is a man!
4. This man can look upon death with comfort, can laugh at destruction
when it cometh, and longs to hear the sound of the last trump, and to
see his Judge coming in the clouds of heaven. Here is a man indeed!
Let Christians, then, esteem each other as such. I know you do it; but
do it more and more. And that you may, consider these two or three
things. (1.) These are the objects of Christ’s esteem (Matt 12:48,49;
15:22-28; Luke 7:9). (2.) These are the objects of the esteem of angels
(Dan 9:12; 10:21,22; 13:3,4; Heb 2:14). (3.) These have been the
objects of the esteem of heathens, when but convinced about them (Dan
5:10,11; Acts 5:15; 1 Cor 14:24,25). “Let each [of you, then,] esteem
[each] other better than themselves” (Phil 2:2).
Use Fourth. Again, Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the
will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing
of the Father? Then this shows us how horribly ignorant of this such
are, who make the man that is coming to Christ the object of their
contempt and rage. These are also unreasonable and wicked men; men in
whom is no faith (2 Thess 3:2). Sinners, did you but know what a
blessed thing it is to come to Jesus Christ, and that by the help and
drawing of the Father, they do indeed come to him; you would hang and
burn in hell a thousand years, before you would turn your spirits as
you do, against him that God is drawing to Jesus Christ, and also
against the God that draws him.
But, faithless sinner, let us a little expostulate the matter. What
hath this man done against thee, that is coming to Jesus Christ? Why
dost thou make him the object of thy scorn? doth his coming to Jesus
Christ offend thee? doth his pursuing of his own salvation offend thee?
doth his forsaking of his sins and pleasures offend thee?
Poor coming man! “Shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians
before their eyes, and will they not stone us?” (Exo 8:26).
But, I say, why offended at this? Is he ever the worse for coming to
Jesus Christ, or for his loving and serving of Jesus Christ? Or is he
ever the more a fool, for flying from that which will drown thee in
hell-fire, and for seeking eternal life? Besides, pray, Sirs, consider
it; this he doth, not of himself, but by the drawing of the Father.
Come, let me tell thee in thine ear, thou that wilt not come to him
thyself, and him that would, thou hinderest—
1. Thou shalt be judged for one that hath hated, maligned, and
reproached Jesus Christ, to whom this poor sinner is coming.
2. Thou shalt be judged, too, for one that hath hated the Father, by
whose powerful drawing this sinner doth come.
3. Thou shalt be taken and judged for one that has done despite to the
Spirit of grace in him that is, by its help, coming to Jesus Christ.
What sayest thou now? Wilt thou stand by thy doings? Wilt thou continue
to contemn and reproach the living God? Thinkest thou that thou shalt
weather it out well enough at the day of judgment? “Can thine heart
endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal
with thee,” saith the Lord? (Eze 22:14, John 15:18-25; Jude 15; 1 Thess
4:8).
Use Fifth. Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will,
wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the
Father? Then this showeth us how it comes to pass, that weak means are
so powerful as to bring men out of their sins to a hearty pursuit after
Jesus Christ. When God bid Moses speak to the people, he said, “I will
give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee” (Exo 18:19). When God
speaks, when God works, who can let it? None, none; then the work goes
on! Elias threw his mantle upon the shoulders of Elisha; and what a
wonderful work followed! When Jesus fell in with the crowing of a cock,
what work was there! O when God is in the means, then shall that
means—be it never so weak and contemptible in itself—work wonders (1
Kings 19:19; Matt 26:74,75; Mark 14:71,72; Luke 22:60-62). The world
understood not, nor believed, that the walls of Jericho should fall at
the sound of rams’ horns; but when God will work, the means must be
effectual. A word weakly spoken, spoken with difficulty, in temptation,
and in the midst of great contempt and scorn, works wonders, if the
Lord thy God will say so too.
Use Sixth. Is it so? Doth no man come to Jesus Christ by the will,
wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the
Father? Then here is room for Christians to stand and wonder at the
effectual working of God’s providences, that he hath made use of, as
means to bring them to Jesus Christ.
For although men are drawn to Christ by the power of the Father, yet
that power putteth forth itself in the use of means: and these means
are divers, sometimes this, sometimes that; for God is at liberty to
work by which, and when, and how he will; but let the means be what
they will, and as contemptible as may be, yet God that commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, and that out of weakness can make
strong, can, nay, doth oftentimes make use of very unlikely means to
bring about the conversion and salvation of his people. Therefore, you
that are come to Christ—and that by unlikely means—stay yourselves, and
wonder, and, wondering, magnify almighty power, by the work of which
the means hath been made effectual to bring you to Jesus Christ.
What was the providence that God made use of as a means, either more
remote or more near, to bring thee to Jesus Christ? Was it the removing
of thy habitation, the change of thy condition, the loss of relations,
estate, or the like? Was it thy casting of thine eye upon some good
book, thy hearing of thy neighbours talk of heavenly things, the
beholding of God’s judgments as executed upon others, or thine own
deliverance from them, or thy being strangely cast under the ministry
of some godly man? O take notice of such providence or providences!
They were sent and managed by mighty power to do thee good. God
himself, I say, hath joined himself unto this chariot: yea, and so
blessed it, that it failed not to accomplish the thing for which he
sent it.
God blesseth not to every one his providences in this manner. How many
thousands are there in this world, that pass every day under the same
providences! but God is not in them, to do that work by them as he hath
done for thy poor soul, by his effectually working with them. O that
Jesus Christ should meet thee in this providence, that dispensation, or
the other ordinance! This is grace indeed! At this, therefore, it will
be thy wisdom to admire, and for this to bless God.
Give me leave to give you a taste of some of those providences that
have been effectual, through the management of God, to bring salvation
to the souls of his people.