Exposition of John, Chapter 6 · Verse 26
Verſe 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that ſent me.
39. And this is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day.
40. And this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son; and beleeveth on him, may have everlaſting life: and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.
Chriſt confirmes this promiſe, of entertaining them who come to him, by ſhewing the end of his Incarnation and coming into the world, and by rehearſing a part of his Commiſſion unto them. He declareth in general, verſe 38. that his errand into the world, is, to do his Fathers will who ſent him, and not his own. Which is not to be underſtood that, as God, he hath a different and contrary will to the Fathers, (though as man, he hath a diſtinct and ſubordinate will to his) but the meaning is, he came not to do his own will onelyonly (as the Jewes alleadged of him) but the Fathers alſo, and that in this work, he was the Fathers Commiſſioner, ſent to do what he had entruſted to him, and not, as the Jewes gave out, one who did that for which he had no warrant. Next, he declareth more particularly (verſe 39.) for confirmation of the promiſe, what this will of the Fathers is which he came to do; to wit, That theſe, that are given him, ſhould be preſerved from periſhing, and be raiſed up at the laſt day. This is again repeated, verſe 40. not onelyonly for further certainty and comfort, but in the repetition, it is explained who they are that are given to him, even ſuch as ſee and beleeve in him; and what is the benefit they ſhall reap at the reſurrection, even everlaſting life.
From verſe 38. Learn, 1. Chriſt, in entertaining them that come to him, is not onelyonly led thereunto by his own mercy and bounty, and love toward them as the reward of all his ſufferings; but doth alſo ſtand obliged thereunto, by vertue of a Commiſſion and truſt laid upon him by the Father, and accepted and undertaken by him; Therefore doth he mention the will of him that ſent me, as a reaſon of his fidelity in this matter. 2. Chriſt hath given an ample proofe of his love, and pledge of his fidelity in his truſt, in his ſtooping to take on our nature, and aſſuming it in a perſonal union to himſelf, on earth; for, ſaith he, I came down from heaven, of which, ſee verſe 33. And this he mentions here, not onelyonly to ſhew how much it coſt him to exalt us; But to be a confirmation, and pledge of his tenderneſſe, and fidelity, in welcoming ſinners who come to him. For who can ſuſpect him who made himſelf like his brethren, (yet without ſinne) that he might be a fit High Prieſt? and to aſſure us that as he ſtooped to our low condition, and to be humbled with us, ſo he would have us exalted with him. What aſſurance may it afford us, that he would come down from heaven, to dwell with us? that the beloved Sonne would make himſelf the But of all the wrath due to our ſinnes? that the ſovereign Lord of the creatures would endure their oppoſition and enmity, that they might be friends to us? and, that he took on the form and condition of a ſervant, and continued ſo, till he had perfected what concerned us? 3. Such as are employed in any ſtation by God, ought to have a conſtant look to the will of God, and the end ſet before them in that ſtation, that ſo they may aime at it; for, ſo doth Chriſts example teach, who looked to the will of him that ſent him, that he might do it. It is as ſure that Chriſt will warmly cheriſh them that come to him, as it is certaine he is faithful in his truſt; for, ſuch is the force of the confirmation, I will in no wiſe caſt him out, for I came, not to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent me. If he do his Fathers will, as he ſtill doth, then ſuch ſhall not be caſt out. 5. The Fathers will and good pleaſure is the laſt and ultimate ground, that faith can ſeek to ſettle it ſelf upon; And particularly, it is ſufficient to anſwer all our reaſonings againſt Chriſts rich offers, that it is the Fathers will ſuch mercies ſhould be conferred; for, ſo is alſo imported here, that they have not onelyonly Chriſts fidelity engaged to make them welcome, but it is the Fathers will they ſhould be accepted ſo, and that may ſilence all doubtings.
From verſe 39. Learn, 1. It doth commend the Goſpel to us, that it contains an Extract of the deep counſels of God, and of the eternal tranſactions betwixt the Father and the Sonne, concerning, 1. Loſt man, in ſo farre as is for our good; for, he brings out and reads, in the Goſpel, his very Commiſſion, and ſome Articles of the Covenant paſt betwixt the Father and him. 2. The firſt fountain and riſe of the ſalvation of any of loſt mankind; is in the abſolute and ſovereign will and pleaſure of God; for, here he mentions the will of him that ſent him, as the firſt Original of all, from whence their giving to Chriſt, their coming, and ſafety do flow. 3. Theſe whoſe ſalvation the Father willeth, are given over to Chriſt in his eternal purpoſe, to be brought to him in due time; for, ſo is here held out. 4 Such as are given to Chriſt by the Father, and do in time come to him, are put in his keeping, and he hath a charge of them, not to loſe any the leaſt of them; for, this is the will of him that ſent me, that of all he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing. Wherein the Father doth ſo commit the truſt unto him, as he ſtill keeps them in his own hand alſo, John 10.28, 29. 5. Chriſts charge and care of theſe that are given to them, extends even to the very day of their reſurrection, that there he may make a good account of them, when all perils and hazards are now over, and that he may not ſo much as loſe their duſt, but gather it together again, and raiſe it up in glory, to be a proof of his fidelity: for, ſaith he, I ſhould loſe nothing but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day, and ſo death and diſſolution proves no loſſe.
From ver. 40. Learn 1. It is a truth that needs much and often to be inculcate upon us, that all ſpiritual advantages and benefits come to us, and are to be had, onelyonly in Chriſt, and that in him they are all very ſure; Therefore doth he againe repeat this doctrine, concerning what is to be had in him; and that they will ſurely get it, who come to him; About this truth we have naturally many doubts, and are averſe from ſubmitting to it; And when we cloſe with it, it begets love, it moderates all our cares and fears, and ſtrengtheneth us to endure all hardſhips. 2. However ſuch as flee to Chriſt in the ſenſe of their miſery, are prone to doubt of Gods will to accept them, rather then of anything elſe; yet it is out of all controverſie, that his will is to do good to ſuch; Therefore it is againe repeated, this is the will of him that ſent me, &c. to remove all doubts and fears. 3. Such as are given to Chriſt, to be under his charge, and participate of his benefits, are drawn to beleeve on him; And it is the Fathers will, and a part of the tranſaction betwixt him and the Sonne, that faith be the way to partake of theſe benefits, and not the fulfilling of the impoſſible condition of the works of the Law: for, they who are given to Chriſt, are expounded to be they who beleeve on him, and it is the Fathers will, that ſuch partake of theſe benefits here mentioned, as of the reſt of his purchaſe. Albeit mortification, holineſſe, &c. do prepare for the poſſeſſion of theſe benefits, and do evidence a right thereunto, and the begun poſſeſſion thereof; Yet it is onelyonly faith in Chriſt that giveth the right and title, that ſo it may be of grace. 4. A ſpecial mean of begetting faith in Chriſt in men, is, to ſee and know him ſpiritually; to have him revealed unto them, and to get open eyes that they may ſee and contemplate him, till they ſee beauty in him, which may allure them to renounce themſelves and flee to him, and till they ſee fulneſſe and alſufficiency, to anſwer all their doubts: for, they ſee (or, contemplate) the Sonne, who beleeve on him. 5. It is covenanted betwixt the Father and the Sonne, that beleevers ſhall (beſide his tender dealing and care within time) be made partakers of everlaſting life; for, it is explained that not to loſe them, verſe 39. is, that they may have everlaſting life. 6. For the further aſſuring of beleevers of their eternal happineſſe, it is alſo covenanted, that they ſhall have this life in preſent poſſeſſion, in the earneſt and firſt fruits thereof; for, they have everlaſting life, even here, and before their raiſing up. 7. Chriſt, having given an earneſt-penny of ſalvation, will not ſuffer it to be loſt by any difficulty or impediment in the way; but will carry beleevers through all difficulties, till he deſtroy death and the grave, and raiſe up their very duſt, that in body and ſoul they may partake of that bliſſe, and that he may make it manifeſt that death and rotting in the grave doth not make void his intereſt, nor cauſe his affection to ceaſe: Therefore it is added, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. 8. Albeit beleevers are not all of one growth or ſize, but ſome are weak, and ſome ſtrong; ſome little children, ſome young men, and ſome fathers; Yet all of them, without exception, have right to the benefits conferred by Chriſt, and the weak, as well as the ſtrong, are under his care and charge; Yea, and may expect the more tender uſage from him who carrieth the lambs in his boſome, &c. Iſa. 40.11. Therefore is the charg… and promiſe univerſal, that every one which beleeveth on him may have everlaſting life.