Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 17
Verſe 27. Labour not for the meat which periſheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlaſting life, which the Sonne of man ſhall give unto you: for him hath God the Father ſealed.
In the next place; Chriſt, having thus reproved them, doth alſo direct them how to amend their fault, by employing their paines and care, chiefly about the ſpiritual good of their ſouls, and not about theſe periſhing things. And this he preſſeth upon them, partly, from the conſideration of the one and the other food; and partly, from his promiſe to give that ſpiritual food unto them, if they ſeek it ſincerely; which he confirmeth, further, from his being authorized, furniſhed and manifeſted to be the Meſſiah, the Saviour and helper of loſt ſinners. Whence learn. 1. Chriſt doth not reprove the faults of men out of malicious ſplene; but he is ſo ready to cheriſh deſires of ſeeking himſelf, that even when men are unſound in ſeeking him, he reproves them, not to put them away, but to cure them, and make them ſound; Therefore, doth he ſubjoyne this direction, and warme encouragement, to the former reproofe. 2. As unſoundneſſe in ſeeking Chriſt is a diſeaſe that muſt be cured, otherwiſe it will draw on perdition; So even that is a diſeaſe which Chriſt is ready to cure, and hath medecine for; So much appeareth in this pains taken on theſe ſeekers. 3. Men will never employ themſelves rightly in ſeeking Chriſt, till firſt their hearts be weaned from earthly things, and fall moſt in love with what concerns their ſouls eternal welfare; and till the things of the world ceaſe to be their principal labour and end, and they ceaſe to follow Chriſt and religion, for worldly ends and advantages; for, ſo much is imported in this direction, Labour not for the meat which periſheth, but for that meat, &c. Which prohibition is not to be underſtood abſolutely, as if it were ſimply unlawful to labour, or take pains about the things of the world, for that is contrary to Scripture rules, Gen. 3.19. 2 Theſ. 3.10. 1 Tim. 5.8. And if the World were kept in it's own roome, it would prove no enemy to grace: But it is to be taken comparatively (as in the like phraſe, Matth. 9.13.) that they ſhould not only, or chiefly be taken up with the world, neglecting what is better, as all mankinde is ſince Adam fell from God to the creature; and, that they ſhould not make the world their aime in ſeeking him, as they did. 4. Albeit men can merit no more by their works, then the beggers craving merits the almes; Yet men are not to expect, that they will come to the enjoyment of ſpiritual things, with idleneſſe, or wiſhes only; But they muſt be at pains for them, and ſuch pains, as fleſh and blood will finde it hard labour; for, ſaith he, labour not — but for that meat, &c. where he diverts their affections and eagerneſſe from off theſe earthly things, and ſets them upon the right object. 5. It may help to wean our hearts from the world, when we conſider that, however natural hearts feed upon the things of the world, and their ſoules imagine ſatisfaction in them; Yet, if they had the world at their will, they will get no more of it, but their bit meat, which the pooreſt may attain unto: Therefore, doth he comprehend all earthly things under the name of meat, not only, becauſe it was their meat they were now moſt taken up with; but to point out what was the moſt they might expect of the things of time, let them have what dreams they pleaſe; and, to ſuggeſt an argument why they ſhould not toile ſo much for that which could afford them ſo little. See, Eccleſ. 5.11. 6. It may alſo coole our affections to the world, when we conſider, that, however men want not enough of toile, when they embrace the world for a portion, (for, they labour for this meat:) Yet, all they labour for, is but of a periſhing nature, and periſheth in the uſeing, Matth. 15.17. It ſerves but to uphold a periſhing life; and cannot prevent it's periſhing at laſt, 1 Cor. 6.13. And, where ſouls get no better, and men do only and mainly labour for it, it will cauſe them periſh eternally; for, this is another ground of diſſwaſion, it is the meat which periſheth. 7. Chriſt doth here commend himſelfe and his ſpiritual graces, to be laboured for, under the name of meat. 1. Becauſe now they were earneſtly ſeeking for meat, therefore he points out himſelfe as excellent and better meat; Thus to the woman of Samaria, coming for water, he points out himſelfe as living water, chap. 4.10. And ſo it teacheth, That whatſoever men ſeek in the creature, th…y will finde it more eminently and excellently in Chriſt, if they will come to him. 2. To ſhew the neceſſity ſinners have of Chriſt, and his uſefulneſſe to them; for, as meat is the mean of preſerving life, ſo not only unrenewed ſinners continue dead without him, but the ſouls of theſe who have any life, will be in peril of ſtarving without him: and if they feed upon him, their ſouls ſhall live, and be refreſhed by him. 3. To ſhew his love, who, as meat is prepared for eating, by fire; ſo he was content to be roſted in the fire of Gods diſpleaſure, that he might be fit food for ſtarving and pining ſouls. 4. To ſhew the neare conjunction that muſt be betwixt Chriſt and them who reap ſpiritual benefit by him; for, as food muſt be eaten, and digeſted, and turned into our ſubſtance, before it can nouriſh, ſo muſt we apply Chriſt, and have him dwelling in us, before we draw forth of his refreſhing vertue. Doctrine 8. It doth commend Chriſt, and may quicken our appetite and deſire after him, that he is food which neither periſheth in uſing, nor diminiſheth, how manyſoever partake of it, and maketh them who partake thereof, to endure and be happy for ever: and therefore ought to be eſteemed of above other food, as much as our ſouls are better then our bodies, and our eternal welfare to be preferred to our temporal life: for, it is another argument preſſing this labour, he is that meat which endureth unto everlaſting life, both in himſelfe, and in his effects in believers. 9. Albeit, oft-times, ſuch as labour moſt for earthly things, may ſtarve and want, for all their pains; Yet it may encourage men to ſeek Chriſt, that none ſhall do it in vain, but however he may ſee it fit to ſharpen their appetite with delay, yet he will at laſt ſatisfie them; Therefore doth he quicken them yet more with a promiſe, that what they labour for, ſhall be given. 10. Chriſt is ſo liberal and faithful in rewarding them who ſeek him, that even carnal hypocrites will not be refuſed, if they quit their unſoundneſſe, and put him in the roome of the Idol they are ſeeking; for, on theſe tearmes, the promiſe is made, even to theſe whom he had reproved, to you. 11. Whatever pains men are bound to take, or do take in ſeeking Chriſt, yet all the reward they receive, is of free gift, and ſinners ſeekers will ſee it to be ſo; for, he ſhall give it unto you, ſaith he. 12. As Chriſt is the true food of ſouls, ſo is he the giver thereof, and all of it muſt come through his hand; for, the Sonne of man ſhall give it, not only by giving himſelfe to death, that he might purchaſe life, and become fit food, but by the actual application of himſelfe, and his purchaſed benefits, to every hungry ſinner. 13. Chriſts aſſinitie to us, and his being our kinſman, and of the ſame nature with us, is a pledge to them that ſeek him, that he will tenderly and faithfully ſupply their neceſſities; Therefore doth he take the name of the Sonne of man in this promiſe, to ſhew that he whoſe delight was among the ſons of men, Prov. 8.31. and delighted to deſigne himſelfe often by this name, and he who took on our nature, and ſtouped to ſubject himſelfe to our ſinleſs infirmities, will be tender of them who come to him, and need him. 14. Chriſt is to be acknowledged to be he whom the Father hath authorized, and furniſhed to be the Saviour and Redeeme… of loſt ſinners, and the ſtorehouſe from whence they are to expect their ſpiritual good: And the Father hath made it undeniably manifeſt that he is the true Meſſiah, who was to be expected; for, ſo is imported in this, him hath God the Father ſealed. Whereby we are to underſtand, partly, that as King, give ſealed warrants and commiſſions to their Miniſters of ſtate, who are ſent out or employed in great affairs. 1 King 21.8. Eſt. 3.12. and 8.8. So Chriſt is the Fathers great Ambaſſadour, authorized and ſent out by him to this work; partly, that as a ſeal repreſents on waxe that which is engraven on it; So the Father hath communicate to him his divine eſſence and properties, and ſtamped and filled him with all divine perfections, for carrying on that work; having the fulneſſe of the Godhead dwelling in him; all knowledge, to reveal his Fathers will, and direct his people; affection, to come down from heaven for ſinners good, and to love them who abhorred him; the ſpirit without meaſure, to refreſh, power, to ſuſtain them, &c. And partly, that as a ſeal annexed to a commiſſion is a publike evidence of the perſons authority; So Chriſts endowments are viſible mark …s whereby to know him, and the miracles wrought by him, and that voice from heaven, Matth. 3.17. and 17.5. with the accompliſhment of all the prophecies in him, were cleare evidences that he was the true Meſſiah, and of the Fathers inſtalling him in that office. 15. Chriſts being thus ſealed by the Father, is a ſure pledge that ſeekers of him will obtain ſpiritual food from him; Therefore it is ſubjoyned as a reaſon of his giving this meat, for him hath the Father ſealed, for we may aſſuredly gather, that the Father would not ſeale a commiſſion, but to one who could be anſwerable; H…s fulneſſe, being God, and ſealed by God, doth aſſure us of great abundance and liberality in him; And, he who is the Sonne, will be faithful in his truſt, ſince Moſes the ſervant was ſo, Heb. 3.2, 3, 4, 5, 6.