Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 11
John 17.2.
To as many as thou haſt given him.
AND thus far of the thing it ſelf to be diſpenſed by virtue of the power and the authority of Jeſus Chriſt with which he is inveſted by his Father, and that is life, yea, it is Eternal life. As alſo of the manner or the way of diſpenſation, it is to be diſpenſed as a gift, in the nature of a gift, in a way of free donation, That he ſhould give eternal life.
The objects of this diſpenſation, or the perſons to whom this life here mentioned is to be diſpenſed, comes now in order to be handled, and they are ſuch, only ſuch, and all ſuch, as God the Father hath beſtowed on Jeſus Chriſt, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him. My text you ſee is ſtill upon a ſtrain of giving, God gives the Son power, that the Son may give life to thoſe whom God gives him; to as many as God hath given him.
I do not hear that Jeſus Chriſt hath power to give Eternal life to all the world, to all men, but only to a certain, pitcht, ſelected Company of men. And they my brethren, are ſo far from being all, that they are not ſaid expreſly to be many, but as many, and they may be no great number. That he ſhould give Eternal life to as many as God hath given him, who are comparatively, but a few. Many are called indeed, but few are choſen, and conſequently few are ſaved. They are not many then, if you compare them with the reſt that are not made partakers of this glorious priviledge to have life from Jeſus Chriſt, but yet they are as many as God hath given him.
So the perſons are deſcribed who are to have this life from Chriſt, not by their own internal quality or diſpoſition, not by their own external action, but by the act of of God upon them, or concerning them, his giving them to Jeſus Chriſt. Let them be what they will in all conſiderations and reſpects beſides, it matters not in this regard; of what Nation, or of what condition, or of what ſtation, or of what diſpoſition, or of what converſation, if God have given them to Jeſus Chriſt, they ſhall in his appointed time have life from him:
But then we muſt diſtinguiſh of the Fathers giving to the Son. The Father gives men to his Son Chriſt, either for outward miniſtration, or elſe for inward Union and incorporation; either to be his ſervants, or to be his members.
In the firſt ſenſe Judas himſelf was given to the Lord Chriſt to be his Miniſter, and his Apoſtle, as Chriſt himſelf acknowledgeth expreſſedly to his Father in the 12th. verſe of this very Chapter. Thoſe whom thou gaveſt me I have kept, ſaith he, and none of them is loſt but the Son of Perdition. Now they who in this ſenſe are given to the Lord Chriſt, to be his Miniſters and ſervants only, not his members, have not eternal life from him, as is apparent from the former inſtance. Judas was given to him ſo, and yet he was a loſt Creature, yea, he is ſtiled in the fore-alledged place the Son of perdition. None of them whom thou gaveſt me is loſt, but the ſon of perdition. One of them was loſt then, though there were but one loſt. The Father gave him to the Son, and he loſt him. And therefore he, Iudas I mean, though he were given him, had not eternal life from him.
But now there are another ſort, whom God the Father gives to Jeſus Chriſt for inward union, and incorparation, whom he beſtows upon him to be members of his body, and they muſt needs have life from him, or elſe how ſhall they be his members? If there be union with him, there muſt be animation from him. As many as are given thus to Chriſt, ſhall certainly be quickned by him, he hath received authority and power for this End. As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give Eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him.
You ſee the meaning of the words: the points ſuggeſted here are two. Firſt there are a certain company of men, whom God the Father, in a ſpecial manner gives to Jeſus Chriſt. And ſecondly, That Jeſus Chriſt hath power to give eternal life to ſuch and all ſuch as are beſtowed upon him by his Father, but he hath no power at all to give this life to any other. At this time of the firſt of theſe.
DOCTRINE. There are a certain company of men whom God the father in a ſpecial manner gives to Ieſus Chriſt.
Some have this priviledge above the reſt of loſt mankind, that God the Father gives them to his ſon Chriſt: and gives them to him in a ſpecial manner, as I ſhewed you even now, not to be his ſervants only, but his members too. He beſtows them upon Chriſt to be his own peculiar people. And this is cleerly intimated in that profeſſion of our Saviour, Iohn 6.39. this is my Fathers will, ſaith he, that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing. The thing admitted there is cleer by this, that ſome are given him by his Father, and given him ſo that they are not to be loſt. And conſequently, in another way then Iudas was, who was beſtowed on Chriſt as you have heard, and yet he was the ſon of Perdition. So, in the 37. verſe he hath the ſame. Expreſſion, where he ſpeaks of all thoſe whom his Father gives him. And on this ground it is that Jeſus Chriſt laies claim to ſuch viz. by vertue of donation from his Father: Here am I, and the children which thou haſt given me. Thine they were ſaith Jeſus Chriſt, Iohn 17.6. Mark that Expreſſion, Thine they were, as who ſhould ſays, Now they are thine no longer. They have been thine, I muſt acknowledge, but now the property in ſome reſpect is altered, they are no longer thine, but mine. Why, which way came you by them? might the Father ſay. The Son replies, by thy own free gift. Thine they were, and thou gaveſt them to me.
So that you ſee there are a company of men whom God the Father gives to Jeſus Chriſt.
And further yet, They are a certain company of men: they are juſt thus many, not a perſon more or leſs, That he ſhould give eternal life to as many as God hath given him, ſo that the number of them is preciſely and exactly known to God: he knows how many there be of them to a man. He hath determined abſolutely, and unalterably with himſelf, that Chriſt ſhall have ſuch a number, ſo many millions, or the like. And he hath alſo peremptorily reſolved, that ſuch particular and individual perſons known to him from everlaſting, ſhall make up the number. Whom he fore-knew, them did he predeſtinate, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.29. Thoſe very men and no others. And hence our saviour ſpeaks of ſuch as if he knew them every one by name. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou haſt given me, Iohn 17.9. So that our Saviour Chriſt diſtinguiſhes, you ſee, he knows who are his own by free donation of his Father, and for them he prayes. He knows who are not given up to him, but continue in the world & of the world, and for them he prayes not.
The point is plain you ſee, and needs no further confirmation. There are a certain company of men, &c.
Reaſon. If you deſire to know the reaſon why God the Father gives them to his Son Chriſt, it is very manifeſt: becauſe elſe he could not have them. He could have none to be his own peculiar people, he could have none to be his members unleſs he had them by donation from the Father; For you muſt know that primitively and originally all the world, and all the people in it, are the Fathers. Jeſus Chriſt as he is man, and as he is Mediator and Redeemer, hath not right to one perſon, unleſs it be devolved over to him from the Father. Indeed he made the world as he is God, or God the Father made it by him, as the Scripture-phraſe is: but as the Mediator of the Church he is not the Creator of the world. Creation is moſt properly the act of God the Father, as Redemption of the Son, and conſequently all the world are primitively God the Fathers. His they are, for he made them. It is the greateſt reaſon in the world that he that makes a thing ſhould own it too, that it ſhould be his that made it. That he that gives a thing being, ſhould have a title to it, while it hath a being, unleſs he voluntarily and freely make it over to another. But how ſhall Chriſt as he is a Mediator have a people then to be his members, and to make up the Church a body for him, if all originally be the Fathers? Why truly either he muſt create new people, and that as man he cannot do: as God incarnate and manifeſted in the fleſh he is not come to do: or elſe he muſt have ſome conſiderable number, that are already made, from God the Father. And thus the Father is content to yield to him; rather then he ſhould want a company of men to be his members, he will ſpare him ſome of his, and others he will keep for other purpoſes to execute his wrath, and manifeſt the glory of his Juſtice on. God will prepare a body of him, and beſtow a body on him, of thoſe that appertain to him: Which is perhaps in part the ſence of that Expreſſion of our Saviour, Heb. 10.5, When he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared me, not only a Natural but a Myſtical body.
Well then, you ſee, my brethren, how the matter comes about; Chriſt muſt have ſome to be a body and to be a people to him, or wherefore did he take our fleſh upon him, why did he come into the world? As man and Mediator he hath none originally of his own. And therefore God the Father gives him ſome. There are a people for thee, ſaith the Father, thou ſhalt have ſuch and ſuch, and ſuch, I give them freely to thee that thou maiſt give Eternal life to them. So many thou ſhalt have among the Jews: and if that be not ſufficient, thou ſhalt have as many more as thou wilt ask among the Gentiles, Pſal 2.7. Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. And hence our Saviour ſpeaking of his people acknowledgeth they were his Fathers firſt, and that they came to him by his gift. Thine they were; They were thine, though the caſe be altered now, for thine are mine, as you may ſee, John 17.10.
Now is it ſo, my brethren, that there is a certain company of men, Ʋſe 1 &c. Then in the firſt place here is matter of aſtoniſhment, that God the Father ſhould beſtow upon his Son ſuch a gift as this: that he ſhould have no better thing to give him then a Company of poor wretched loſt creatures, That Jeſus Chriſt ſhould accept of ſuch a gift as this is: truly, my brethren, there is ſo much wonder in it, that it is able to amaze the man that thinks upon it. Why, who are we, that God the Father ſhould think us fit to be made over by a deed of gift to Jeſus Chriſt? What worth is there in us that we ſhould be ſo much as thought upon for ſuch a purpoſe? As if Chriſt ſtood in need of us, as if we might be an addition and advantage to him any way. Whence is it that our Saviour ſhould receive us at his Fathers hands? that he ſhould have the leaſt regard to ſuch poor inconſiderable ſtuff as we are, ſo far as to accept of us? hath he not got a great purchaſe?
And yet the Father ſeems to value us ſo far that Jeſus Chriſt is fain ſo ask us too, before he have us: Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thy own poſſeſsion, otherwiſe I will not. And Chriſt is very well content to ſtoop to this, to begg us a ſpecial boon of God the Father, to become a Suitor to him, that he may have ſuch and ſuch to be his people. Good Father give me ſuch a man or ſuch a woman: I reckon not of others: take them who will for me: but theſe I am deſirous of, and therefore I beſeech thee to beſtow them on me. And having gotten us, he ſeems to glory in us, and to be ſo tender of us, as if we were ſome rich purchaſe, as if we were of very great uſe to him, as you may ſee in this Chapter all along. Sometimes he ſhows the Father what a high eſteem he hath of thoſe whom he hath given him: how carefully he teacheth them, and ſhoweth them all his Fathers name, how tenderly he keeps them, how dearly he affects them, and how his heart is ſet upon them. Sometimes he beggs his Father for them to preſerve them, to ſanctifie them, to make the world know that he loveth them, even as he loveth Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, to make them one among themſelves, and one with him; to bring them to the ſame place where Chriſt is, as if he could not live in Heaven without them. Ah, my beloved, did we follow on this mercy, as far as we could reach it in our thoughts, we ſhould at length (finding no end or bottom in it) cry out as the Apoſtle, Oh the depth of the riches &c.
Are there a certain company of men whom God the Father gives to Jeſus Ʋſe 2 Chriſt? then ſurely they that have the happineſs to be of this ſelected company, are in a very good caſe. It is impoſſible that they ſhould periſh, and that upon a double ground. For,
Firſt, If God the Father give them to his Son Chriſt, you may be ſure that Chriſt will have them; the gift of God the Father ſhall not be in vain to him, he will not loſe his end in this buſineſs. If he give them to his Son, he will ſee his Son ſhall have them. If he beſtow them upon Chriſt to be his members, he will ſee they ſhall, in his appointed time, be joyned to him, and nothing in the world ſhall keep them off from him. It may be many of them who belong to Chriſt, in the eternal Counſel and decree of God, are yet without; but God will ſurely bring them in, in his ſeaſon. Let them be as averſe from Chriſt and from his wayes as it is poſſible for men to be: let them ſtand never ſo far off, the Father who hath given them to Chriſt, will certainly take care that they ſhall come in to him, or elſe his gift were nothing worth. And this is that which Chriſt himſelf takes notice of, Iohn 6.37. all that the Father giveth to me, ſhall come to me. Let them be never ſo unwilling of themſelves by nature, let them be never ſo entangled in the ſnare of Sathan, ſo mightily withheld by him, yet however they ſhall come. But what if Chriſt ſhould not receive them when they come? then they may periſh notwithſtanding. Yes, if the Father give them, and cauſe them thereupon to come, Chriſt will certainly receive them, All that the Father giveth me ſhall come to me. And what follows? And him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.
Secondly, If God the Father give them to his Son Chriſt, as you may be confident that Chriſt will have them, ſo may you depend upon it that he will keep them when he hath them. What do you think that Chriſt will loſe that which his Father gives him? That he will not be chary of us for his ſake that beſtowed us on him? We would not loſe the gift of a friend, eſpecially if he be dear to us: and much leſs would we loſe a Fathers gift: we would keep ſuch a thing with all care, eſpecially if he beſtow it on us with this Condition that we keep it for his ſake; If he tells us that his will and pleaſure is we ſhould not loſe it, we will be very wary how we part with it. Now God hath given us to Chriſt on theſe terms, as he himſelf acknowledges, Iohn 6.39. This is the Fathers will, ſaith he, That of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing. And he came down into this Lower world, to do the will of him that ſent him, as he profeſſeth very often; and therefore certainly he will be carefull of this ſpecial charge of his, he will obſerve it very ſtrictly. He will be infinitely wary that he loſe not any of his Fathers things which he hath given him to keep. So that if we be given to the Lord Chriſt, however of our ſelves we are apt to fall away, we may reſolve that he will have us, and keep as unto life eternal.
DOCTRINE. That Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator hath power to give eternal life to ſuch and all ſuch as are beſtowed upon him by his Father, but he hath no power at all to give this life to any other.
The point holds forth both the extent, and limitation of the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, in this reſpect. The former is expreſly mentioned, the latter is apparently inſinuated in my text.
Firſt you have here expreſly mentioned the extent of the authority of Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator of the Church: It is that he may give Eternal life to as many as God hath given him. Be they as many as they will, be they more, or be they leſs, he hath power to quicken them, to raiſe them from the death of ſin to the life of grace and glory. This he can do de facto, as he is God, and this he may do de jure, as he is God and man, as he is Mediator, to as many as are beſtowed upon him by his Father.
And then we have apparently ſuggeſted too, the limitation of the authority of Jeſus Chriſt in this reſpect: For when it is affirmed here that Chriſt hath power to give Eternal life to as many as God hath given him, it is implyed that he can give it to no more. There are the bounds of his authority, the reſtraint of his Commiſſion; So far it reaches, and no further. I ſhall endeavour to evince and clear them both in order.
Firſt Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator, hath power to give eternal life to ſuch, to all ſuch as are beſtowed upon him by his Father. He hath received commiſſion from his Father, to forgive their ſins and heal their natures, and to become the Prince of Life to them, by giving them the life of Juſtification, and the life of Sanctification, and the life of Glorification. He came into the world for this end as you may ſee, Joh. 10.10. I am come that they might have life. They, Who? why, his ſheep, as he explains it, both before and after. I am the door of the ſheep. I am come that they may have life: and at the 27th. verſe, My ſheep hear my voice, and I give unto them Eternal life. But how comes Chriſt by theſe ſheep? Why by his Fathers own gift. And therefore it is added in the very next words, My Father which gave them me, is greater then all. So that it is as if our Saviour Chriſt had ſaid, I am come down into the world to give life to the ſheep my Father hath beſtowed upon me. To all them, and no others. The Father loves the Son, ſaith John the Baptiſt, and hath given all things into his hand, John 3.35. You muſt conceive it, all things of one ſort he hath beſtowed upon him, ſo that he hath put them into his hand, to honour them, to keep them, and preſerve them, all his elect and choſen people. For all things of another ſort, he hath (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) put under his feet, to ſhame them, and to ruine, and deſtroy them. But what doth Jeſus Chriſt with thoſe his Father gives him in the former way? Why he beſtows eternal life upon them, as it is added in the following words, He that believeth on the Son, (as they do all, and only they whom God the Father gives him, as before) hath everlaſting life.
This ſhall ſuffice in brief for confirmation of the former member of the point, That Jeſus Chriſt hath power to give eternal life to all ſuch as are beſtowed upon him by his Father. The ſecond follows; He hath no power at all to give this life to any other. It is not in the power of Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator to ſave a man who is not given him by his Father. If he have not bequeathed them over to the Lord Chriſt, it is beyond the reach of his authority as Mediator to infuſe this life into them. The execution of his power in this regard, you ſee, is confined to ſuch only. As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many, and but as many as God hath given him. Thou ſhall call his name Ieſus ſaith the Angel unto Ioſeph, Mat. 1.21. for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins. Thoſe whom his Father gives him for a people by Election thoſe he is deſigned to ſave, and no others. Our Saviour Chriſt, as he is man is not to chooſe whom he will quicken to the life of Grace and Glory, (For if he had been free in this regard, there is no doubt he would have pitched upon his own Countrey-men, his own Allies, his own Kindred before others; whereas, as the Evangeliſt obſerves, he came to his own, among them he began his Miniſtry, and his own received him not) but he muſt take ſuch as his Father chooſes, and gives him to be quickned by him. Thoſe whom his Father gives him, only thoſe and all thoſe, he muſt keep and raiſe up and give them everlaſting life, as you may ſee, Iohn 6.39.40.
So that you ſee as Mediator Chriſt hath no power to give Eternal life to any but thoſe who are beſtowed upon him by his Father.
Reaſon. And it muſt needs be ſo, becauſe as Mediator he is ſent out by the Father; he is the Fathers Miniſter, the Fathers Servant: ſo he calls him, Iſa. 42.1. Behold my ſervant whom I uphold. And ſervants are to do their Maſters will, and not their own. No doubt the will of Jeſus Chriſt as he was man, would have carried him to ſave thoſe whom his Father and himſelf as God had appointed to deſtruction. But he muſt ſtood in this to the will of him that ſent him; he muſt be ſatisfied with thoſe his Father hath appointed for him to become a people to him. It is to be conſidered that the Father having called him Servant, ſpeaks of him ſo as one that would in every thing be ordered by him, Mat. 12.18. which is indeed a Parallel of that in Iſa. 42.1. Behold my ſervant whom I have choſen (ſpeaking of our Saviour Chriſt) he ſhall ſhew judgement to the Gentiles, he ſhall not ſtrive, nor cry, neither ſhall any hear his voice in the ſtreet. A bruiſed read ſhall he not break, and ſmoaking flax he ſhall not quench. This and this he ſhall do, and this he ſhall not do, ſaith God the Father; he is my ſervant, and I will order him at my pleaſure: And ſo our Saviour Chriſt himſelf profeſſeth upon all occaſions, that he will be obedient to his Father, and that he can do nothing otherwiſe then he will have him. And hence it is that he can quicken none but thoſe that are beſtowed upon him by his Father to be quickned by him.
It is not that he hath not power as he is God to quicken whom he will, as his own Expreſſion is, Iohn 5.21. In this reſpect he is equall to his Father. For as the Father raiſeth up the dead, and quickneth them, ſo the Son quickneth whom he will. It's act that he hath not in himſelf enough of merit, or enough of Spirit to raiſe up all the people in the world, to the life of grace and glory. It is not that his grace is not ſufficient to ſubdue and overcome the greateſt obſtinacy and rebellion in the hearts and wills of men, the moſt extream indiſpoſition: though they be as dry tones, yet he can gather them together, and make them to ſtand up and live: but it is becauſe as Mediator he is a ſervant to the Father, and muſt do his Fathers will, and he will have him give this life to none but thoſe whom he makes over to him by a deed of gift to be his members, whom he elects in him, as the Expreſſion is, Eph. 1.4. Our Saviour puts all this together, in that place ſo often cited, Iohn 6.37, 38. All that the Father giveth me ſhall come to me, and I will raiſe them up, and give them everlaſting life, as afterwards, all them, and only them. And why ſo? For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent me: My own will, as I am man, would carry me to give life to a greater number, but I am come to do my Fathers will, and not my own. And therefore I muſt be content with thoſe whom he is pleaſed to allot to me, to quicken them, and make them living members of my body myſtical, and no others. And this for clearing of the obſervation. Proceed we to the Application, according to the branches of the point in order.
Is it ſo, that Ieſus Chriſt hath power to give eternal life to all that are Uſe 1 beſtowed upon him by his Father? This then may ſerve to comfort us, at leaſt to keep our hearts from ſinking with reference to thoſe who yet are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. It may be ſome of them are near us in the fleſh, they are our parents, or they are our Children, or they are our kindred and acquaintance: they are it may be in our beds, and in our boſoms, and when we look on ſuch dead ſouls, our bowels even turn within us, we pitty them, and melt upon them. They have been in their graves ſo long, and Chriſt hath called ſo long upon them in the preaching of the Goſpel, and yet they come not forth to this day. There have ſo many powerfull and effectual means been uſed in vain, that we are out of hope of them, and this even breaks our very hearts with ſorrow. Why my beloved, it may be they belong to Jeſus Chriſt in the eternal Counſel and decree of God; they are beſtowed upon him by the Father in election, though yet they are not given to him by real union, and incorporation. And if they appertain to Jeſus Chriſt, though they be never ſo untoward and indiſpoſed and averſe, depend upon it, he hath power to give Eternal life to them; I ſay to every one of you, my brethren, that hath ſuch a wife, or ſuch a husband, or ſuch a child, or ſuch a friend, as Chriſt to Martha, when he had told her that he was the reſurrection and the life, that he could raiſe up any man, though he were dead, and make him live, Iohn 11.26. Believeſt thou this? It may be you will ſay, as ſhe: Alas, my Brother, or my Father, or my Child hath been dead ſo many dayes, ſo many years, he hath laid buried in his grave of ſin a long while, ſo that by this time he ſtinketh. Why yet believe that Jeſus Chriſt can raiſe him up, and make him live the life of grace and glory. He hath received power to give eternal life to all that are beſtowed upon him. If they belong to that number, be they as dead as it is poſſible for men to be, and as averſe from being quickned, the power of Jeſus Chriſt ſhall maſter them, and overcome them, and raiſe them up out of their graves of ſin: that you ſhall ſay with admiration, See what Ieſus Chriſt can do upon a poor dead Creature! And therefore when you look upon ſuch ſouls as thoſe, and ſeem to have the queſtion put you that the Prophet had, when he ſaw the dry bones, Ezek. 37.3. Can theſe dead ſouls live? do you give the ſame anſwer, O Lord God thou knowſt. If they belong to Ieſus Chriſt, he hath power enough to raiſe them, and he will ſurely do it in his own time.
Uſe 2 Is it ſo that Ieſus Chriſt hath power to give eternal life to all that, &c. This then ſhould teach us two things. Firſt, Not to be lifted up upon the contemplation of our high condition; and Secondly, Not to be caſt down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world. You ſee the men who are to have this life from Chriſt, are not deſcribed to be of ſuch a quality, of ſuch a ſtation or condition, but only to be given to him by the Father. So that let them be what they will, in all conſiderations and reſpects beſides, if God have given them to Chriſt, they ſhall aſſuredly have life from him. He hath received power for this End, that he ſhould give, &c. So that it matters not in this reſpect whether we be high, or low, rich or poor, bond or free, we are not any whit the nearer to the life of Chriſt, my brethren, for the one, nor any whit the further from it for the other.
Be not lifted up upon the contemplation of your high Condition in the world. Admit that you be wealthy, admit that you be noble, learned, honourable, and the like, admit that you be any way advanced, and raiſed above your brethren, you have no cauſe at all to ſwell with theſe prerogatives, or to be proud of theſe things. Indeed they have their uſe and worth, and therefore are not utterly to be contemned; but yet we muſt withal conſider that be their excellency what it will, they are of no avail at all, to bring us to the life of grace and glory. In that which is the point of higheſt conſequence, matter of life and death, yea of eternal life and death, they will not ſteed us in the leaſt degree; and therefore certainly there is no cauſe at all why they ſhould be ſo magnified, and admired as they are. If outward wealth and pomp, or dignity did further us: if outward baſeneſs did hinder us in this buſineſs, how is it that the baſe things of this world and things that are deſpiſed are choſen? and that the poor in purſe as well as ſpirit, do receive the word of life? when yet not many mighty, not many noble in the world are called, 1 Cor. 1.25. If outward wiſdom, learning, policy did further, or weakneſs or unlearnedneſs did hinder us in point of having life from Chriſt, how is it that the weak and fooliſh things are choſen many times, and that the Law of God gives underſtanding to the ſimple, that the unlearned riſe, and take the kingdom as it were by force, that is, with earneſtneſs and with affection: when yet not many wiſe, not many learned men are called? Why are we ſo exalted upon theſe outward priviledges and preferments in the world? What is it that you ſtand upon? What, that which will promote or further you to life Eternal? Alas they are of no avail in this reſpect. All theſe prerogatives with which men ſwell even till they burſt again, are ſuch as they may carry with them into Hell.
Let us not be caſt down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world. You that are ſimple, poor and mean, that have not any outward thing to glory in, no wealth, no parts, no honour, or preferment any way: be not dejected and diſheartened; for as external priviledges and advancements are of no avail to further you, ſo outward means and abaſure is of no avail to hinder you from receiving life from Chriſt. He gives it to as many as God hath given him, let them be of what condition or eſtate they will. There is no other thing required in this reſpect, but that they be beſtowed upon him by the Father. And he beſtows upon him poor and weak men many times: yea, moſt times. And therefore be not out of heart; for hadſt thou all the wealth and honour in the world, thou wert not any whit the nearer to this life of Chriſt, nor art thou any whit the further from it by thy low condition: That will be no impediment, but that he may give thee life; the life of grace in this world, and the life of glory in the world to come.
Is it ſo, that Jeſus Chriſt hath no authority to give Eternal life to any but thoſe who are beſtowed upon him by his Father? They are miſtaken then, who Uſe 3 hold that he came into the world to give life to all men. He came as you have heard to do his Fathers will, and this is his Fathers will, that he ſhould give Eternal life to as many as he hath given him, and not to a man more. This he hath given him authority and power to do: further then this his Commiſſion doth not reach. So that it is not in the power of Jeſus Chriſt to quicken all and ſave all, it is apparent that he cannot do it. Indeed as God he can do all things but thoſe that are impoſsible; Either abſolutely being ſuch as are not to be done; or elſe impoſsible upon condition, by reaſon of a contrary Decree, by which he hath confined-himſelf. But as man and Mediator, he can do no more then God will have him, he can ſave no more then God hath given him, and put into his hands to ſave. And therefore you ſhall find it in his ſtory, that as man he was extreamly troubled at the unbelief and hardneſs of the peoples hearts. He wept over Jeruſalem with many tears: Why, you will ſay, perhaps what needed this? he might have wrought upon them, and put the life of Grace into them. No my Beloved, he could not work on many of them; he could not raiſe them to the life of Grace, they were not given him by his Father, and yet as man he pittied and lamented their condition, as we ſhould do in ſuch a caſe, he being in all things like unto us, ſin only excepted. And this methinks ſhould melt the hearts of Reprobates themſelves to Chriſt, and make them to relent towards him. Alas, he pitties you, and mourns over you, his very bowels yearn towards you, He delights not in your ruin and deſtruction; No, it is troubleſome and grievous to him. But why then doth he not relieve and help us, you will ſay? Why, if you be not given him by the Father, it is not in his power to do it. Its ſaid indeed that he gives life unto the world, as it is in his own expreſſion, Iohn 6.33. But that is but in oppoſition to the Jews; not to the Jews alone, but to the world, to men of all conditions, and of all Nations in the world. But to the world in general he doth not, nay, he cannot give it. So that the fault is not in him, if any of you periſh, and that you have not life from him; you ſee he is confined and bound up by his Father to a certain number, to give this life, but to as many as the Father gives him.