Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 25
Verſe 37. All that the Father giveth me, ſhall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.
Chriſt, having thus pointed out their obſtinacy in unbelief, doth (to verſe 41.) comfort himſelf, and ſtrengthen the weak, who might ſtumble at the unbelief of ſo many, by aſcending up to the fountain of faith and converſion; aſſuring himſelf that the Elect would come unto him, and promiſing all tender uſage and welcome to them; which he confirmes by reading over his Commiſſion unto them. And by this means alſo, he layeth before them their ſad caſe, and that their practice ſaid much to it, that they did not belong unto him; Yet ſo as he doth not terrifie, but warmly invite any who had a minde to come to him. In this verſe, 1. He comforts himſelf, that, misbeleeve who would, yet, undoubtedly all theſe that were given unto him, would come unto him. 2. He aſſureth all theſe who come, of tender and warme acceptance. Whence learn, 1. Albeit many who ſleight Chriſts call, may yet be elect, and at laſt embrace him; And albeit we cannot certainly conclude the Reprobation of any in this life, by any mark in them, if it be not found that they have ſinned unto death; Yet to reject Chriſt after conviction, is an evidence of a reprobate condition, and ſuch as continue in it, have ſad cauſe of fear, leſt they be indeed Reprobates: And whatever be Chriſts purpoſe toward any, yet it is a ſpecial mean to terrifie ſinners from their refuſing of Chriſt, to afright them with Reprobation: for, ſo doth Chriſt here deale with theſe unbeleevers, pointing out unto them what their way might portend of them. 2. However Chriſt and his ſervants have oft-times cauſe to complain of the ſmall fruit of their labours; yet this is matter of comfort, that all the Elect will, in due time, be brought in; for, ſo doth Chriſt comfort himſelf here. See Rom. 11.7. 3. Albeit the offer of the Goſpel be made generally to all, to all who hear it: Yet the ſpeciall purpoſe of God for good is toward ſome onelyonly, and not others; for, there are who are given by the Father, and not others. 4. It is the great dignity and happineſſe of the Elect, that they are from eternity given to Chriſt in the Covenant of Redemption, as the reward of his ſufferings, to come to him in due time: And that they are given to him in truſt, to be accountable and forth-coming for them; for, ſo is here declared, that there are whom the Father giveth him. Wherein is imported, that they were the Fathers firſt, not onelyonly by vertue of his general right in all creatures, Pſal. 24.1. but by particular Election; and that being the Fathers, they are given to Chriſt, both from eternity, to be redeemed by him, and as the reward of his ſufferings; And in time, to be drawn to him, and therefore both the Father giveth them, in the preſent time, and, hath given, them of before, verſe 39. See John 17.6. Iſa. 53.10. Pſal. 22.30. 5. As theſe who are thus given unto Chriſt, are many, how many ſoever reject him; So they are high in his eſteeme, and as much as if all were given unto him: Therefore are they called All that the Father giveth, not onelyonly to ſhew their number, but the word in the Original is more emphatick, and importeth as much as, all things, to ſhew, that, indeed they are his all, and that he accounts of them as much as, and above all things beſide And thus the expreſſion is more clearly, Eph. 1.10. 6. The Elect, and ſuch as are given to Chriſt, may, for a time, be, and really by nature are, as farre away and eſtranged from him, as any other; for, they are given, and yet are to come to him. This may make them thankful, humble, and charitable, when they are converted. 7. Such as are elected and given to Chriſt, will certainly, in due time, come to him; Their being given from eternity produceth their being given and coming in time, for God is faithful, who will not fruſtrate Chriſt of what he hath purchaſed, and the power that draweth them, is invincible and irreſiſtible: Therefore ſaith he, all that the Father giveth me, ſhall come to me. 8. Converſion, and coming unto Chriſt, is not a cauſe, nor is the foreſight thereof antecedent to Election, but it is onelyonly a fruit following thereupon; for, ſuch is the order here, they are given by the Father, and upon that, their coming neceſſarily followeth. See Acts 13 48. 9. It is not mens moral changes, nor their following external ordinances, that proves them given to Chriſt, but their coming to him, and cloſing with, and embracing of himſelf, as Mediatour; for, ſo are we taught here, They who are given, come to me ſaith he. 10. Such as really come to Chriſt, and embrace him, have not onelyonly the preſent comfort of communion with him; but are warranted from this to gather their eternal election, and that they have been given over to Chriſt, and committed to his charge and care; Therefore is their coming put as an effect and evidence of their being given. 11. Such as are come to Chriſt, have warrant to expect welcome and warme entertainment, whatever they have been before; for, ſo much doth the promiſe ſubjoyned, teach, which is made to all without exception. See Jer. 3.1. And particular notice and care is taken of every one, as if there were no moe; And therefore, albeit the former ſpeech was generall, all that the Father giveth, yet the promiſe is more particular, him that cometh, &c. 12. Such as come to Chriſt, are put into a ſtate of much familiarity, and comfort, and may expect more from him then can be well conceived or expreſſed; for, albeit this promiſe be expreſſed onelyonly in a negative, I will not caſt him out, yet it imports much more of his warme entertainment; and namely, that they are taken into his family; are brought neare him by reconciliation and friendſhip; have all their conditions reſpected by him; enjoy much of his preſence, have him to be accountable for them, and to make all their lots, by his gracious providence, tend to their good. All things ſhall be theirs (and not they ſlaves to their idols) and Chriſt to the advantage; Nothing ſhall diſcommend their perſon to him; Their condition ſhall plead rather for pity, then wrath; Wants ſhall not render them unacceptable, but rather a conceit of fulneſſe; Under afflictions, and in performing duties, he ſhall be undertaker, to work all their works in them and for them; And all of them ſhall finde the doore kept open, till they be entered in glory, without the reach of all their enemies, where they ſhall feede on the light of his countenance, ſhall follow and enjoy him, and be made like unto him. All this and much more is imported in this promiſe. 13. It is the great comfort of ſuch as come unto Chriſt, that as their allowances are rich, ſo their ſtate is ſafe and ſecure; And whatever their fears, miſtaks, or quarrellings, may be; yet they ſhall never be again deprived of that happy condition; for, ſo much is expreſſed in this promiſe, I will not caſt him out, that is, they are taken into that ſweet eſtate, not to be caſt out or rejected again. Saints do indeed ofttimes complaine of caſting off, but they are the words of ſenſe, and not of faith; They may ſeeme to be caſt off, when really it is not ſo; They may loſe degrees of fellowſhip for a time, but cannot be deprived of it totally, and for ever; They cannot be ſecluded from his favour and love, and an intereſt in him, though ſometime they may be deprived of ſome effects and manifeſtations, and fruits thereof; They may be deprived for a time of what contributes to their welbeing, but not of what is neceſſary for their being in grace; Yea, he will not permit them to caſt out themſelves, Jer. 32, 40.14. Chriſts promiſes to theſe who come to him, are very ſure, and ſuch as (whatever doubts or jelouſies they may have, yet) he would have them on no tearmes to queſtion, eſpecially in what concerns his purpoſe not to reject them finally or totally; Therefore doth he ſo vehemently aſſert this, I will in no wiſe caſt him out, where the doubled negatives, in the Original, ſerve to make the aſſertion ſtrong, and to carry their faith over all their doubts and feares.