One Hundred Select Sermons, New Testament · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
JOH. 6.37.
All that the Father hath given me ſhall come unto me; and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.
The World's rejection of Chriſt, and of the Doctrine which is delivered by him, it is no diſparagement either to Chriſt himſelf, or to his Doctrine which was delivered, but to thoſe rather which reject both Him and it; which is that which by way of prevention he does intimate here in this Scripture. Our bleſſed Lord and Saviour had in ſome Verſes going before ſhewn who and what he was, and the Excellencies and Commodities which were in him. Now becauſe the Jews might perhaps have objected, That for all this he was not generally ſo embrac'd, but there were many ſtill which held off from him: For this he tells them, That the Truth of God not withſtanding has that honour given it which belongs unto it; for, let others be that which they will be, thoſe which are Choſen and Elected of God, they are ſure to have benefit by it, and to make a profitable improvement of it. All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come unto me, &c.
IN the Text it ſelf we have two General Parts obſervable of us. Firſt, An account of the perſons that come to Chriſt, All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come unto me. Secondly, Chriſts Entertainment of thoſe that come to him, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wiſe caſt out. We begin with the firſt, viz. an account of the Comers,All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come, &c. Before we come to handle the main Doctrine, which is here exhibited to us, there are two Terms in this paſſage to be opended and explained by us. Firſt, what is meant by coming to Chriſt. Secondly, what is meant by being given to Chriſt by the Father. When we have underſtood both of theſe, we ſhall the more eaſily proceed in the points which ſlow from them.
For the firſt, Coming to Chriſt; it hath a various ſenſe in it, and may be diverſly taken by us, but we will reduce it to two Heads. Firſt, an Outward coming, in application of our ſelves to the means; we are then ſaid to come to Chriſt, when we come to the Ordinances of Chriſt. This is that which we often meet withall in Scripture, a coming thus. Mark 10.14 Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not. And ſo in many other places beſides in the Goſpel. There were divers which came to Chriſt, that is, they had acceſs to his perſon, and did repair unto him; this we cannot do now in the Letter, and directly; but we may in the Analogy, and that is, by our attendance upon the external means of Salvation; ſo long as we come to them, we do in a ſort come to Him. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, Matth. 10.40. And, Since ye ſeek a proof of Chriſt ſpeaking in me, 2 Cor. 13.3. But this is not all the coming which is intended here in this place, there is ſomewhat more in it than ſo.
Therefore, ſecondly, Coming to Chriſt, is as much as cloſing with Christ, embracing him, and believing on him, and ſubmitting to him; it is a coming, not onelyonly of the feet, but eſpecially of the heart, of the Soul and inward man. This is the coming which is here principally aimed at, when we ſo come to Chriſt, as that we do yield up our whole ſelves to be at his diſpoſing. When we come off to him, and comply with him, and reſign our ſelves to him; then we come to him, and come to him to purpoſe, and not before. And that's the firſt term to be explained, what's meant here by coming, foreign, ſhall come unto me.
The ſecond is, What by Given; All that the Father hath given me.] Now for this we muſt know, that there is a double Gift of us to Chriſt: Firſt, In God's Eternal Purpoſe, and Counſel, and Decree. We are given to Chriſt, when we are deſign'd and ſet apart for him. That's the Gift of Election. So, All that the Father hath given me; that is, All that he hath ſeparated for me, that he hath made choice of as Members of me. Secondly, We are given to Chriſt in the drawing of our hearts unto him, in our effectual Calling and Vocation; when God by his Spirit does perſwade us to cloſe with Chriſt in thoſe terms which he offers to us in the Goſpel, then he is ſaid to give us to him. And this Giving, it is mutual and reciprocal; Christ, he is given to us, and we are given to him; and ſo there is a Marriage-knot, which is drawn and contracted betwixt us. And this now for the meaning of the words, what we are to underſtand by Coming, and what by Given.
Now to come to the main Doctrine it ſelf which is here exhibited to us, All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come unto me. This it hath a double force or emphaſis with it; either, firſt of all, as an expreſſion of Latitude and Ʋniverſality; or ſecondly, as an expreſſion of Confinement and Reſtriction. According to the first ſenſe, ſo there is this in it, That whoſoever are Elected, ſhall be Converted. All that God has given unto Chriſt, that is ordained and ſet apart for him, they ſhall be converted and brought home unto him. According to the ſecond ſenſe, ſo there is this in it, That none can come to Chriſt, but thoſe which by God himſelf are given to him. All that the Father hath given me, as excluding any other beſides from this Condition.
We begin with the firſt, viz. as it is an expreſſion of ſome Latitude and Univerſality, Whoſoever are Elected ſhall be Converted; Whoſoever are appointed to Glory, they ſhall be made partakers of Grace. Rom. 11.7. The Election hath obtained it, but the reſt were blinded. And, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. So, 2 Theſs. 2.13. God hath choſen you to ſalvation, through ſanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. This muſt needs be ſo, becauſe the End and the Means, they ſtill go both together according to Gods manner of diſpenſation; and, the foundation of the Lord is ſure; and, his counſel it muſt needs ſtand; and, the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Such Points and Doctrines as theſe do we meet withall in Scripture, which all hang together, and have a dependance one upon another, and concur to the making good of this Concluſion which we have here now before us, All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come unto me.
The improvement which we may make of this Point to our ſelves is manifold and various. Firſt, we ſee here againſt the Arminians, that Election it is peremptory and irreverſible, there is no deſeating or fruſtrating of it; for, whoſoever is given, ſhall come. Chriſt ſhall loſe none of thoſe which are c…nferr'd upon him, but they ſhall be certainly, and without all doubt, brought home unto him. Not onelyonly Glory, but Grace, it is the fruit and effect of Gods Decree, and accordingly ſhall be ſure to obtain its effect in us. Therefore we ſee how may, which have for a long time gone on in ſinful courſes, yet at laſt they have been wrought upon and reduced: Why? how has this come bout? namely, as the fruit of Gods good-will and purpoſe concerning them. Thus, Epheſ. 1.4, 5. According as he hath choſen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predeſtinated us unto the adoption of children by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf, according to the good pleaſure of his will. And, Rom. 8.28. The called according to his purpoſe.
Secondly, we have here alſo an account of the continuance ſtill of the world, and the procraſtination of the day of Judgment, which is namely for this reaſon, that ſo thoſe who are clected may have a time and ſeaſon to be converted; that all which the Father has given Chriſt, may by this means come in unto him. This is plainly ſigniſied unto us by the Apoſtle Peter, 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men count ſlackneſs, but is long ſuffering to us ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. Not any, that is, not any of his Elect, whom he hath appointed and ſet apart to ſalvation, theſe he is not willing they ſhould periſh for want of ſpace and time of repentance and converſion to God, but that they ſhould have a full and large opportunity in this particular afforded unto them: that's the meaning of it.
Thirdly, We learn from hence likewiſe, how to make our Calling and Election ſure, which the Apoſtle Peter does adviſe us unto; and that is, by making ſure our cloſing with the conditions of the Goſpel. We may know whether we are given unto Chriſt, by conſidering whether or no we are come to him; foraſmuch as all which are given to him, they come. If any of us ſhall hang off from him, and reſuſe to cloſe with him, we cannot for the preſent conclude, that we are in the number of his Elect Children, which is known to us no otherwiſe than by the effects of our Converſion and turning to him; and by theſe is known certainly. Whoſoever of us can find in his heart a willingneſs to accept of Chriſt, we may be ſure that we are given unto Chriſt, and that we are in the number of thoſe which ſhall hereafter be ſaved by Chriſt.
But againſt this which hath been ſaid, may be objected that which our Saviour himſelf has of Judas, Joh. 17.12. Thoſe that thou gaveſt me I have kept, and none of is them loſt, but the ſon of perdition. The ſon of perdition is given to Chriſt, and yet loſt; therefore all which are given to him do not come, or at leaſt come in good earneſt; but in ſuch a ſort, as they may depart from him again, which is as good as nothing. What ſhall we ſay to his?
To this we anſwer, That we muſt here diſtinguiſh of being given to Chriſt. There is a giving to him to be a Member, and there is a giving to him to be a Miniſter. Thoſe which are given to Chriſt in the firſt ſenſe, they ſhall certainly ſtick by him, and cleave unto him, and never depart; but thoſe which are given to him onelyonly in the ſecond ſenſe, they may be loſt and fall away from him. Now in the number of this laſt was Judas; he was given to Chriſt for an Apoſile, one of his Family, and external Society; but as a Believer, ſo he was not given: He was not a veſſel of Election, but a ſon of perdition; and being ſo, he might very well be loſt, and ſo he was, though given to Chriſt. According to that of the Apoſtle John alſo in another place, 1 Joh. 2.19. They went out from us, (ſpeaking of ſeducers and falſe teachers which were externally joyned to the Church) becauſe they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have (no doubt) continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifeſt, that they were not all of us. So much for that Point, by taking the words in a way of Latitude; All that are Elected, ſhall be Converted.
Secondly, They may be likewiſe taken in a way of Reſtriction, All that the Father hath given me, as excluding any other beſides from this Condition. There's none can come to Chriſt, but thoſe which are given to Chriſt. Take notice of this. Thus expreſly, in Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath ſent me, draw him, &c. And, 2 Cor. 3.5. Our ſufficiency is of God. And, Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure. Would we know the true ground and reaſon of it, why none can come to Chriſt, but thoſe whom God does give to come to him? we may take it thus: Firſt, becauſe all others, they are quite ignorant of him; without the knowledge of Chriſt, there's no coming to Chriſt. The fick man dares not go to that Phyſician whom he does not know. Now Chriſt, he is unknown to the world, and none is able to reveal him to it but God alone. Matth. 11.27. No man knoweth the Son but the Father. And becauſe no man does ſo, therefore either he muſt reveal him, or none will come to him. This is clear from the reply of Chriſt himſelf to Simon Peter, there in that place, Matth. 16.16, 17. when Peter had made there a glorious confeſſion of him, Thou art Chriſt, the Son of the living God, Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, Bleſſed art thou Simon Bar-Jona, for fleſh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. There is naturally a blindneſs in mens minds and underſtandings, whence they know not Chriſt unleſs the Father reveal him.
And then, ſecondly, there's a perverſneſs alſo in their Wills and their Affections, that though they know him, yet they hang off from him. Light is come into the world, & men loved darkneſs rather than light, &c. Joh. 3.19. To make men come to Chriſt, there muſt not be onelyonly an enlightning of their underſtandings, but likewiſe a drawing of their hearts. And this is the work of God alone alſo. It is He onelyonly who can ſo frame mens ſpirits, as that they ſhall be willing to come off to Chriſts terms, and to take upon him his own Conditions in which he is offered unto them.
Therefore let us learn from hence to give him the honour and glory of all, and to acknowledge his free grace and goodneſs in this particular. If any of us have been brought home to Chriſt, and perſwaded to cloſe with him, we ſee from whence it hath been ſo; not from the power of Nature, but from the free grace and goodneſs of God. As all which the Father hath given Chriſt ſhall come to him, ſo none ſhall come to him but thoſe whom the Father hath given him.
There are ſome other points, which by the by might be gathered, from theſe words; as, Firſt, From the word Come, we may take notice, How all men by Nature are diſtant from Chriſt, they are remote and ſeparate from him; Therefore when they are Regenerated and Converted, they are ſaid to come unto him; and they never come to him to purpoſe till they come ſo, till they come in a way of cloſing and compliance with him.
Secondly, From the word Given, I might obſerve alſo this, That all men are in the hands of God, to be diſpoſed of by him as he pleaſes, whether to Salvation, or elſe to Deſtruction; thoſe whom he will to ſave, and thoſe again whom he will to paſs by, and leave in a ſtate of death and damnation. Becauſe no man can give that which is not his own and proper to him to give. But theſe I do but onelyonly name unto you, not intending to inſiſt upon them, as being not ſuch as are chiefly propounded. So much may ſerve for the firſt General, viz. An account of the Comers to Chriſt; All that the Father hath given me.
The ſecond, (which I mainly drive at) is Chriſts entertainment of thoſe that come unto him; Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. This is Chriſts gracious promiſe to all thoſe that come unto him. And there are two things implied in it, as the parts and branches of it: Firſt, Admiſſion, or Reception, he will not caſt them out; that is, he will not keep them out, but he will receive them, and take them into friendſhip and familiarity with himſelf. Secondly, Cuſtody, or Preſervation; he will not caſt them out, that is, he will not drive them out, but he will keep them, and make much of them, and preſerve them, that they ſhall no depart or fall away from him.
Firſt, (I ſay) in this expreſſion we have intimated Chriſts Admiſſion or Reception of thoſe that come to him, he will take them into friendſhip and familiarity with himſelf: Whoſoever they be that leave their ſins to cloſe with Chriſt, they ſhall be ſure to be welcome to Chriſt; he will not ſhut the door upon them, but will very readily and heartily entertain them. This is one thing which we may here take notice of, and it may be cleared and made good unto us from all the Gracious Evangelical Invitations wherein he does call upon poor ſinners to come unto him, and does promiſe to deal thus with them: Mat. 11.28, 29. Come unto me all ye that labour, &c. So Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, &c. So Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? In all which places, and the like, there is a tender of peace and reconcilement, upon condition of mens returning and coming in. And this is that which is here offered to us in like manner in this preſent Text.
Thus it is (as we may take notice of it) indefinitely and univerſally, none excepted: Let him that is athirſt come, &c. Rev. 22.17. There's no condition whatſoever of thoſe that come, which does exclude them from acceptance, though never ſo improbable. That which ſeems to make moſt againſt it, is the greatneſs of mens ſins themſelves; but this is no obſtruction hereunto, if it be rightly conſidered: It is not the greateſt ſins, that is, being repented of which does debar men from Gods mercy in Chriſt, that it ſhould not be extended unto them. This the Scripture does declare unto us; Iſa. 1.18. Come now, and let us reaſon together, &c. Paul ſays of himſelf, 1 Tim. 1.15. that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, &c. The chiefeſt ſinners, they are capable of ſalvation by Chriſt, whoſoever they be; and the Apoſtle Paul himſelf was an inſtance and example of this diſpenſation, as he alſo ſignifies there in that place, in the Verſe immediately following, For this cauſe I obtained mercy, that in me firſt Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering, for a pattern to them that ſhould hereafter believe on him to life everlaſting. Foraſmuch as what he did for Paul, he is ready likewiſe to do for all others, which are in the ſame terms and circumſtances with him.
The Uſe of this Point ſeves as an encouragement therefore to all men, to embrace the Conditions of the Goſpel, and to cloſe with Chriſt. What can be ſaid more to perſwade them than this, that they may be ſure to be accepted: Him that comes, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Do but come, and there's no queſtion to be made of it. There's no other condition but that which is required of them. Indeed we muſt ſtill know and remember what this coming is, that we may not be miſtaken; where the meanning is not only this, that we repair to Chriſt for ſalvation, deſiring him to pardon and to redeem us; but that we do reſign and give up our ſelves to him, and forſake our former evil ways which we have at any time heretofore walked in, and given our ſelves to. If we do ſo, we may expect mercy from him, and there's nothing which can poſſibly hinder us, whatſoever it be. Firſt, not the nature of the ſins themſelves committed by us. It is not that which God ſtands upon; Paul a Elaſphemer and Perſecuter, Manaſſeh a Sorcerer and Murtherer, Mary Magdalen an unclean perſon, the Jaylor a barbarous enemy of the Apoſtles, Matthew a Publican and Extortioner; yet all of theſe, upon their repentance and confeſſion, were accepted with God. Therefore we muſt not make this to be a plea and excuſe for our ſtanding out againſt the Goſpel, in the offers and propoſals of it; if we do ſo, we ſhall forſake our own mercy, and be guilty of a far greater ſin than any of thoſe which have been now named, as this ſin of unbelief indeed is. If we look into the Scripture throughout in all the bulk and volume of it, we ſhall never be able to find out one place or ſhadow of it, wherein the greatneſs of the ſins themſelves ſimply conſidered, is made to be an hindrance and impediment of the mercy of God; neither have the ſervants of God, upon this point, been any thing diſheartned from acceſs unto him; ſee it in David, Pſal 25.11. For thy names ſake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. Mark, it is great, therefore pardon it; ſo far is he from refuſing pardon upon this conſideration, as that upon this he does therefore deſire it; and that upon a double account, in reference to himſelf, and in reference to God; in reference to himſelf, pardon it, becauſe it is great, and ſo I have more need of pardon: in reference to God pardon it, becauſe it is great, and ſo thou ſhall have the greater honour in pardoning of it.
To ſatisſie us fully in this point, we may conſider thus much, That the ground of Gods pardoning of ſin, or not pardoning it, it is not the greatneſs or ſmalneſs of the ſins, but his own free grace and goodneſs conſidered in himſelf: as Iſa. 43.24, 25. Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, and wearied me with thine iniquities; yet I am he that blotteth thy tranſgreſſions for my names ſake. It is for Gods names ſake that he pardons ſin; and whilſt he does ſo, it is not the greatneſs of the ſin which will keep him from it, nay, it is this which will rather put him upon it, as delighting hereby ſo much the more to magnifie his bounty towards us. So ſecondly, as not the greatneſs of the ſins in their nature or kind, ſo neither the multiplications of them neither; there is no hinderance from this. God promiſes to heal even the apoſtaſies and backſlidings of his people, and to love them freely, Hoſ. 14.4. And, Jer. 3.1. Thou haſt played the harlot with may lovers, yet now return unto me, ſaith the Lord. God has mercy even for the renewals of ſin, upon the renewing of our repentance and turning to him; He is a great Phyſician, which can cure great diſeaſes, and following relapſes, that ſo we may not deſpair in our acceſſes and our approaches to him. Therefore let us not ſtand upon this, as that which ſhould keep us off from converſion and coming to Chriſt; for of it ſelf it is no hindrance at all. It is not the ſins themſelves, but the holding of them, and making much of them, which does make men uncapable of favour and mercy from God, ſo long as they remain and continue in ſuch a condition.
Again, Thirdly, it is not the want of ſuch a meaſure or degree of Humiliation which does exclude neither. There are many think they may not come to Chriſt (and are ſometimes taught ſo to think) becauſe they are not humbled in ſo deep and large a manner as ſome others are. Now for this we muſt know, that this is a very great miſtake in them, and it is contradicted by this preſent Text before us; Him that cometh, I will in no wiſe cast out. When the Promiſe is made to the coming, not to the preparations; he that is ſo far humbled as to come, he ſhall find grace and acceptance with Chriſt, and may expect it, and look for ſo much from him. As for the preparatory work of Humiliation, it is different in ſeveral perſons, according to their ſeveral tempers, diſpoſitions, converſations, and future employments. That which we are principally to mind, and to apply our ſelves to, is the thing it ſelf, which is the ſight of our own vileneſs, and emptineſs, and inſufficiency; an apprehenſion of the neceſſity of Chriſt, and grace by him; a willingneſs to leave our ſins, and to cloſe with Chriſt upon his own conditions. Where theſe things are really and in good earneſt wrought in us, we need not much to trouble our ſelves about any thing elſe.
This is that which undoes many people in this particular, in that they think to be accepted with Chriſt from ſomewhat in themſelves; the ſmalneſs of their ſins, and the greatneſs of their humiliation, and their Legal performances. Whereas alaſs, this is not the matter, nor that which God does ſo much look at. The Lord does not pardon any ſin becauſe it is ſmall, but becauſe he delights in pardon, and becauſe ercy pleaſes him, Mic. 7.18. No, the Lord does not pardon any ſins, becauſe he has ſo much forrow, and grief, and trouble of ſpirit upon him, which is a thing which God does not delight in; but for his own Names ſake, out of the largeneſs and infiniteneſs of his Attributes, as we hinted and intimated before.
And ye for all this we do not ſay (with the Arminians) that there is no Qualification at all required in us; that God pardons an Adulterer, or Murderer, or Drunkard, ſo remaining, for that he does not do: He forgives thoſe that come to him; but now ſuch as theſe, they do not come. To ſay or think that any one may come to Chriſt in the allowance and approbation of his luſts, and reſolution to live ſtill in them, is to ſpeak and hold thoſe things which are contradictory the one to the other. Look how far any man does favour and allow himſelf in any evil courſe, ſo far does he withdraw from Chriſt, and does forbear to come unto him, and ſo in concluſion does expoſe himſelf to eternal ruine.
The great cauſe of that Errour which is in many in this reſpect, is the miſtake of the true nature of coming; for many think this to be all the coming to Chriſt which is required, to repair to him for mercy and forgivneſs, and to deſire to be ſaved by him. Now this, 'tis true, any may deſire, though never ſo vile, and wicked, and abhiminable. They may come to Chriſt, and deſire him to ſave them; yea, but this is further the coming here ſpoken of, and intended in this preſent Text to come to Chriſt, and deſire him to rule them, to caſt off thoſe ſinful affections, and deſies, and complacencies which are in them, and to be willing to have better hearts beſtowed upon them. Thoſe that come to Chriſt thus, it is no matter what they have been formerly, he will in no wiſe caſt them out. This is the ſcope of the Goſpel, and that which in the preaching of the Goſpel we are to make known, and to preſs upon you, That whoſoever in this ſenſe comes, he may have grace and mercy by Chriſt, and ſhall certainly be received by him without any denial. And he that does not come thus, he ſhall remain and die in his ſins. This is that which we are to believe about this Doctrin of our coming unto Christ. Therefore let us lay hold on it, and make much of it, and improve it all we can to our beſt uſe and advantage, as it becomes us to do. Take heed of that cenſure which our Saviour paſſes upon the Jews, Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life, Joh. 5.40. Whilſt it is ſo with us, we can have nothing to ſay for our ſelves. That man that chuſes rather to hold his luſts, and his baſe affections, than to ſerve Chriſt, though he might ſave his Soul by it; who can pity him, or think charitably of him?and how is he not indeed guilty of his own deſtruction?
To ſet home this Point yet a little more effectually upon us, we may conſider (beſides the willingneſs which is in Chriſt to receives us, upon condition of our coming to him) the great benefit and advantage which will accrue unto us upon our coming it ſelf. To come to one who is willing to entertain us, and when we come, hs nothing at all to entertain us with; this is but ſmall encouragement for our coming. But now in Chriſt it is far otherwiſe; whoſoever comes to him, they ſhall not repent of their coming to him, they ſhall be no loſers at all by it, but be very great gainers from it in ſundry reſpects. There are three benefits eſpecially, which I will name and inſtance in.
Firſt, Pardon and Forgivneſs, the life of Sentence and Juſtification. Thoſe that come to him, they ſhall have this by him. Thus in the place before cited, Iſa. 55.7. He will abundantly pardon. Is not a Pardon worth coming for to a man which is condemned to die? and ſhall he not get well by it, who upon his coming does procure and obtain it. This is our caſe in our coming to Chriſt: Do but ſubmit to him, acknowledge our miſcarriages, engage our ſelves for time to come againſt them, and we are ſure to receive pardon of them. If we turn, he'll turn and forgive us, and have compaſſion upon us, Mic. 7.19. If we do not retain our ſins, he will not retain his anger. That's one benefit we have by it.
Secondly, Power againſt ſin, the life of Holineſs and Sanctification. Thoſe that come to Chriſt, they ſhall have virtue from him; as it was with the Woman that had the bloudy iſſue in the Goſpel, he ſends none empty away from him, but beſtows ſome grace or other upon them. He inſtamps and imprints his own likeneſs and image upon them. He ſubdues their iniquities for them, and heals their backſlidings.
Thirdly, Comfort and Peace of Conſcience. Come unto me, and I will refreſh you, or give you reſt. Chriſt takes off the burden of their ſins from thoſe that are oppreſſed with them, and are deſirous to leave them. As long as men hold any affinity or correſpondence with their corruptions, they can never have true peace in themſelves. (There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God) The way to true peace and comfort is to abandon and to take our leave of ſin, and to take Chriſts yoke upon us, which is eaſie, and his burden light.
Now further, we may enlarge this Point concerning our coming to Chriſt, a little beyond what we have hitherto ſaid of it; and that is not onelyonly to our coming in Converſion, but likewiſe to our coming after it. There is a coming to Chriſt at firſt, in our beginning of living to him; and of that we have ſpoken all this whil: thoſe that come to him thus, he will in no wiſe reject, but will receive them. Again, there's a coming to Chriſt afterwards, when we are already brought home and converted; and it holds true likewiſe of this: Thoſe that come to him here in this ſenſe, he will net reject them, nor caſt them out neither, but they ſhall have favour and acceptance with him. Thoſe that come to him for aſſurance of his love, for greater meaſure of grace, for ſtrength againſt corruption, they have good hope to ſpeed and to proſper in their acceſſos to him, upon this Promiſe which we have here before us. It is a part of Gods gracious Covenant which he has made with his people, that where he has beſtowed grace upon them already, he will beſtow alſo upon them more, upon their ſeeking and repairing to him for it.
Therefore let us not be wanting to our ſelves in this particular; let us never ſpare to ſpeed for ſparing to ſpeak, but let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 4.16. Chriſt keeps open houſe for all true comers to him, he refuſes none, though never ſo mean, as to their outward and worldly condition; and therefore when he does not exclude us, let us take heed we do not exclude our ſelves, or neglect ſo great ſalvation. And eſpecially now upon this occaſion, that we are to come to the Lords Table, let us put this point in practice here more eſpecially, to come to Chriſt indeed, for this is the main end and ſcope of this preſent Ordinance. We are in the nature and inſtitution of it invited to Chriſt, that we would repair to his Dainties and Preparations; Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. It is coming which is here call'd for.
But yet (by the way) we muſt not take it abſolutely and indefinitely in any faſhion whatſoever; it is not ſuch a coming which will ſerve the turn: Thoſe that come in their ſins, and their vanities, and their ignorances, and their non-attendances, they cannot expect acceptance in their coming. Thoſe that come thus, Chriſt will caſt them out; as we ſee he did in the Goſpel with the man that had not on his Wedding-garment; Friend, how cameſt thou hither? Matth. 22.12. ſo he will ſay to many more in ſuch addreſſes as theſe are; thoſe that come unpreparedly, and negligently, and remiſly, without fear and reverence, he will not onelyonly deny them the benefits which he does hold forth in the Ordinance it ſelf to worthy Receivers and Comers, but he will likewiſe challenge them, and call them to an account for their very coming it ſelf, as having nothing at all to do with ſuch ſacred things as theſe are, being themſelves wicked and prophane; but do eat and drink to themſelves their own judgment, as St. Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 11.29. And ſo much for the firſt thing impli'd in this expreſſion, viz. Admiſſion or Reception; Christ will receive all that come to him.
The ſecond is Cuſtody and Preſervation, I will not cast him out; that is, I will keep him, and preſerve him ſtill by me. I will not caſt them out, i. e. I will not drive them out. Thoſe which are once admitted into Chriſts ſervice, and ingrafted and incorporated into his Body, they ſhall always ſo abide and continue, he will never caſt them out. Thoſe which are his children and Servants once, they ſhall be his Children and his Servants always. This is that which is here ſignified to us, and it is the Doctrine likewiſe of other Scriptures beſides. Thus, Hoſ. 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever. and Jer. 32.10. I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, &c. and Joh. 8.35. The Son abides in the houſe for ever.
This is a great incouragement to the Servants of God, that they have to deal with one who is unchangeable, one that does not upon every turn withdraw his affection, but abides conſtant in his love unto them; he does not turn them out of doors upon every miſcarriage, but though he maintains the Authority of a Maſter, yet he ſtill keeps the tenderneſs of a Father and Husband unto them, which is, not to caſt them out. And as he does not cast them out himſelf, ſo neither does he ſuffer any thing elſe to do it for him. They ſhall not cast out themſelves, for he puts his fear into their hearts, that they may not depart from him, Jer. 32.40. and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.8. neither ſhall Satan or any of his Inſtruments pull them away from him. Joh. 10.28, 29. I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of mine hand. My Father that gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand.
But farther, when 'tis ſaid here, He will not caſt them out, we muſt not take it as a meer Negative, ſignifying what he will not do to them; but as a Poſitive and Affirmative likewiſe included in it, that is, that he will by all means nouriſh them, and preſerve them, and watch over them: He will not onelyonly receive and admit them when they come to him, but likewiſe afterwards when they are come, and with him, he will moſt kindly entertain them. As Chriſt is the beſt Gueſt and Inhabitant to be entertained where he comes, ſo likewiſe he is the beſt Host and Landlord to entertain thoſe that come unto him; Him that cometh unto him, he will in no wiſe caſt out. So much for the ſecond General, which is Chriſts Entertainment. And ſo much of the Text.