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John
6:44
No
man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw
him: and I will raise him up at the last day. -- John vi. 44
1. THIS passage of
Scripture is no inconsiderate proof of the doctrine of the
powerful and efficacious grace of God in the work of faith and
conversion. To come to Christ, is to believe in him. This is not
to be attributed to the free will and power of man, but is owing
to the Father's drawing; which is to be understood not of moral
suasion, but of the internal and powerful influence of his grace.
This act of drawing, is an act of power, even almighty power; as
appears from its being something distinct from and superior to
both doctrines and miracles. The Capernaites had heard the
doctrine of Christ, which was taught with authority, and had seen
his miracles, which were full proofs of his being the Messiah;
and yet believed not, but continued murmuring at his person and
parentage. This gave occasion to Christ to observe to them, that
something more than these was necessary to their coming to him,
or savingly believing in him, even the powerful and efficacious
grace of the Father in drawing. Besides, if this act of drawing
was only an act of moral suasion, and not of almighty power, then
a lesser action is ascribed to the Father who sent Christ, than
is to Christ himself; though he is here spoken of as Mediator;
since he takes to himself the power of raising such up at the
last day who come unto him, which must be allowed to be an act of
omnipotence; when moral suasion is what belongs to every ordinary
minister of the word. Add to this, if it be considered what men,
in conversion, are drawn off from and to, from
their beloved lusts and darling righteousness, to look unto and
rely upon Christ alone for salvation; from what was before so
very agreeable, to that which, previous to this work on their
souls, was so very disagreeable; to what else can this be
ascribed, but to unfrustrable and insuperable grace? But then,
though this act of drawing is an act of power, yet not of force:
God, in drawing of unwilling, makes willing in the day of his
power; he enlightens the understanding, bends the will, elves
a heart of flesh, sweetly allures by the power of his grace, and
engages the soul to come to Christ, and give up itself unto him;
he draws with the cords of a wan, with the bands of love.
Drawing, though it supposes power, yet not always co-action, or
violence. Music draws the ear, love the heart, and pleasure the
mind, trahit sua quemque voluptas. The Jews have a saying,
that the proselytes in the days of the Messiah shall be all of
them proselytes drawn, that is, such as shall freely and
voluntarily become proselytes.
2. In answer to
this sense of the word it is said, "that to be drawn of God,
cannot import our being moved by any inward and irresistible
impressions to believe in Christ; for then no man could come to
Christ without this irresistible impression; and then no other
person could be blame-worthy for not believing on him, because
they could not do it without that powerful attraction which God
was not pleased to afford them; nor could it be praiseworthy to
believe in him, because they only did so when they could not
choose but do it, as being moved in so doing by a force they were
not able to resist." To which I reply, that if by an
irresistible impression, is meant such an internal influence of
the grace of God upon the soul, which, though opposed, cannot be
resisted so as to be overcome, and rendered ineffectual, we
affirm, agreeable to these words of Christ, that without this no
man can come to him; yet, notwithstanding this, persons may be
blame-worthy, as the Jews were, for not believing on him as the
Messiah; though without this powerful attraction they could not
come to him, and believe in him to the saving of their souls.
Besides, though the ability of coming to Christ in a spiritual
manner is owing to the powerful grace of God in drawing; yet the
disability of coming to Christ does not arise from a
defect, or want of that powerful attraction, but from the corruption
and vitiosity of nature, which being blameworthy, what springs
from it must be so likewise. Moreover, we readily allow, that it
is not praiseworthy in men to come to Christ, and believe in him,
but that all the praise is due to God, and to his efficacious
grace, by which they are what they are in conversion; since faith
is the gift of God, and of his sole operation: nor could any come
to Christ, unless it were given unto him of the Father; and
therefore he ought to have all the praise and glory.
3. Whereas it is
affirmed, that to be drawn of God can only signify,
(1.) "To be
persuaded and prevailed upon to come to Christ, by the
consideration of the mighty works which God had done to justify
that he was the true Messiah; to which Christ appeals as divine
testimonies of him, and by which the unbelieving Jews became
inexcusable." I answer, it is true, that miracles were
proofs of his Messiahship, and which left the Jews, who rejected
him, without excuse; but then these works, properly speaking,
were done by Christ himself, and the conviction of his being the
Messiah from them, and the persuasion to come to him, and believe
on him, on the account of them, were from the Spirit; and neither
of them the acts of the Father, and so not intended by this act
of drawing. Besides, multitudes of souls, both under the Old and
New Testament, before, and since the coming of Christ, have been
enabled to come to him for life and salvation, who never were
persuaded and prevailed upon so to do, by the consideration of
miracles. And many who did see the miracles of Christ, did not,
in a spiritual manner, come to him, and believe in him. Wherefore
our Lord ascribes faith in him to a superior power, to the
unfrustrable influences of divine grace, which are here signified
by the Father's drawing. Or,
(2.) It is said, to
be drawn by the Father signifies "to be moved by the great
promise of eternal life confirmed by these miracles to do it; for
where there is a firm belief and lively sense of that inestimable
blessing, it must strongly engage to come to Christ, from whom it
is only to be expected." To which I answer, eternal life is,
indeed, only to be expected from Christ; and when there is a firm
belief and lively sense of it, as in him, and to be had from him,
persons will be strongly engaged to go to him for it: but then,
what is it that gives that firm belief, and fixes that lively
sense of this blessing, so as strongly to engage to come to
Christ for it, but the powerful and efficacious grace of God? The
bare external revelation of the promise, though confirmed by
miracles, will not do it. Instructions by the ministry of the
word are not sufficient, unless accompanied with the
demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. The following
words are not a proof of it, It is written in the prophets,
And they shall be all taught of God; every man therefore that
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, comes unto me: which
do intend mere external instructions, or objective teachings, for
multitudes are in that way instructed who never come to Christ;
but special teachings, such as are attended with the energy of
divine grace, with the laws and doctrines of Christ put into the
inward part, and written on the heart. Add to all this, our Lord
himself explains what he means by the Father's drawing, ver. 65,
where he says, No man can come unto me, except it were given
unto him of my Father; which is more than affording means and
motives, it is giving faith itself. What is said to answer to the
argument from Matt. vii. 18, and Rom. viii. 7, will be considered
hereafter in the next chapter.