Secondly, and more particularly, “And HIM that cometh.”
“And him.” By this word “him,” Christ looked back to the gift of the Father; not only in the lump and whole of the gift, but to every him of that lump. As who should say, I do not only accept the gift of my Father in general, but have a special regard for every one of them in particular; and I will secure not only some, or the greatest part, but everyone, every dust. Not a hoof of all shall be lost or left behind. And, indeed, he consents to his Father’s will, which is that of all he has given him, he should lose nothing (John 6:39).
“And him.” Christ Jesus, by thus dividing the gift of his Father into him, and by speaking of them in the singular number, shows what a particular work shall be wrought in each one, at the time appointed of the Father. “And it shall come to pass in that day,” saith the prophet, “that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.” Here are the times, one by one, to be gathered to him by the Father (Isa 27:12).
He shows also hereby that no lineage, kindred, or relation, can at all be profited by any outward or carnal union with the person that the Father hath given to Christ. It is only him, the given HIM, the coming him—that he intends absolutely to secure. Men make a great ado with the children of believers; and oh, the children of believers! But if the child of the believer is not concerned with this absolute promise, it is not these men’s great cry, nor yet what the parent or child can do, that can interest him in this promise of the Lord Christ, this absolute promise.
AND HIM. There are diverse sorts of persons that the Father has given to Jesus Christ; they are not all of one rank or one quality; some are high, some are low; some are wise, some are fools; some are more civil, and comply with the law; some are more profane and averse to him and his gospel. Now, since those that are given to him are, in some sense, so diverse; and again, since he yet saith, “And him that cometh,” &c., he, by that, doth give us to understand that he is not, as men, for picking and choosing, to take a best and leave a worst, but he is for him that the Father hath given him, and that cometh to him. “He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good,” (Lev 27:10); but will take him as he is, and will save his soul.
There are many sad words given by the Father to Jesus Christ, but not one of them is despised or slighted by him. It is said of those that the Father hath given to Christ that they have done worse than the heathen; that they were murderers, thieves, drunkards, unclean persons, and whatnot; but he has received them, washed them, and saved them. A fitting emblem of this sort is that wretched instance mentioned in the 16th of Ezekiel, that was cast out in a stinking condition, to the loathing of its person, in the days that it was born; a creature in such a wretched condition, that no eye pitied, to do any of the things there mentioned unto it, or to have compassion upon it; no eye but his that speaks in the text.
AND HIM. Let him be as red as blood, let him be as red as crimson. Some men are blood-red sinners, crimson sinners, sinners of a double die; dipped and dipped again, before they come to Jesus Christ. Art thou that readest these lines such? Speak out, man! Art thou such a one? And art thou now coming to Jesus Christ for the mercy of justification, that thou mightest be made white in his blood, and be covered with his righteousness? Fear not; forasmuch as this thy coming betokeneth that thou art of the number of them that the Father hath given to Christ; for he will in no wise cast thee out. “Come now,” saith Christ, “and let us reason together; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa 1:18).
AND HIM. There was many a strange HIM came to Jesus Christ, in the days of his flesh; but he received them all, without turning any away; speaking unto them “of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing” (Luke 9:11; 4:40). These words, AND HIM, are therefore words to be wondered at. That not one of them who, by virtue of the Father’s gift, and drawing, are coming to Jesus Christ, I say, that not one of them, whatever they have been, whatever they have done, should be rejected or set by, but admitted to a share in his saving grace. It is said in Luke, that the people “wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth” (4:22). Now this is one of his gracious words; these words are like drops of honey, as it is said, “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Prov 16:24). These are gracious words indeed, even a faithful and merciful high priest could speak them. Luther said, “When Christ speaks, he has a mouth as wide as heaven and earth.” That is, to speak fully to the encouragement of every sinful him that is coming to Jesus Christ. And that his word is certain, hear how himself confirms it: “Heaven and earth,” saith he, “shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away” (Isa 51:6; Matt 24:35).
It is also confirmed by the testimony of the four evangelists, who gave faithful relation of his loving reception of all sorts of coming sinners, whether they were publicans, harlots, thieves, possessed of devils, bedlams, and whatnot (Luke 19:1–10; Matt 21:31; Luke 15; 23:43; Mark 16:9; 5:1-9).
This, then, shows us, 1. “The greatness of the merits of Christ.” 2. The willingness of his heart to impute them for life to the great, if coming, sinners.
