Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 290

OBSERVATION SECOND.—I come now to the second observation propounded to be spoken to, to wit, That those who are coming to Jesus Christ, are often heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them.

I told you that this observation is implied in the text, and I gather it,

First, From the largeness and openness of the promise: “I will in no wise cast out.” For had there not been a proneness in us to “fear casting out,” Christ needed not to have, as it were, waylaid our fear, as he doth by this great and strange expression, “In no wise;” “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” There needed not, as I may say, such a promise to be invented by the wisdom of heaven, and worded at such a rate, as it were on purpose to dash in pieces at one blow all the objections of coming sinners, if they were not prone to admit of such objections, to the discouraging of their own souls. For this word, “in no wise,” cut the throat of all objections; and it was dropped by the Lord Jesus for that very end, and to help the faith that is mixed with unbelief. And it is, as it were, the sum of all promises; neither can any objection be made upon the unworthiness that thou find in thee, that this promise will not assoil.

But I am a great sinner, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I am an old sinner, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I am a hard-hearted sinner, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I am a backsliding sinner, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I have served Satan all my days, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I have sinned against light, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I have sinned against mercy, say thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ. But I have no good thing to bring with me, sayest thou. “I will in no wise cast out,” says Christ.

Thus I might go on to the end of things, and show you, that still this promise was provided to answer all objections and does answer them. But I say, What need it be, if those that are coming to Jesus Christ are not sometimes, yea, oftentimes, heartily afraid, “that Jesus Christ will cast them out?”

Second, I will now give you two instances that seem to imply the truth of this observation.

In the ninth of Matthew, in the second verse, you read of a man that was sick of palsy; and he was coming to Jesus Christ, being borne upon a bed by his friends: he also was coming himself, and that upon another account than any of his friends were aware of; even for the pardon of sins, and the salvation of his soul. Now, as soon as he has come into the presence of Christ, Christ bids him “be of good cheer.” It seems then, his heart was fainting; but what was the cause of his fainting? Not his bodily infirmity, for the cure of which his friends did bring him to Christ; but the guilt and burden of his sins, for the pardon of which himself did come to him; therefore he proceeds, “Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.” I say, Christ saw him sinking in his mind, about how it would go with his most noble part; and therefore, first, he applies himself to him upon that account. For though his friends had faith enough as to the cure of the body, he had little enough as to the cure of his soul: therefore, Christ takes him up as a man falling down, saying, “Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

What about the Prodigal seems pertinent also to this matter: “When he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father.” Heartily spoken; but how did he perform his promise? I think not so well as he promised to do; and my ground for my thoughts is because his father, so soon as he has come to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him; implying, methinks, as if the prodigal by this time was dejected in his mind; and therefore his father gives him the most sudden and familiar token of reconciliation. And kisses were, in old times, often used to remove doubts and fears. Thus, Laban and Esau kiss Jacob. Thus Joseph kissed his brethren; and thus also David kissed Absalom (Gen 31:55; 33:1-4; 48:9,10; 2 Sam 14:33). It is true, as I said, that at first setting out, he spake heartily, as sometimes sinners also do in their beginning to come to Jesus Christ; but might not he, yea, in all probability he had, between the first step he took, and the last, by which he accomplished that journey, many a thought, both this way and that; as whether his father would receive him or not? Thus, I said, “I would go to my Father.” But how, if, when I come at him, he should ask me, Where have I all this time been? What must I say, then? Also, if he asks me, what is the value of the portion of goods that he gave me? 

What shall I say, then? If he asks me, Who have been my companions? What shall I say, then? If he also shall ask me, what has been my preference in all the time of my absence from him? What shall I say, then? Yea, and if he asks me, Why do I come home no sooner? What shall I say, then? Thus, I say, might he reason with himself, and being conscious to himself, that he could give but a bad answer to any of these interrogatories, no marvel if he stood in need first of all of a kiss from his father’s lips. For had he answered the first in truth, he must say, I have been a haunter of taverns and ale houses; and as for my portion, I spent it in riotous living; my companions were whores and drabs; as for my preference, the highest was, that I became a hog-herd; and as for my not coming home till now, could I have made a shift to have staid abroad any longer, I had not lain at thy feet for mercy now.

I say, these things considered, and considering, again, how prone poor man is to give way when truly awakened, to desponding and heart misgivings, no marvel if he did sink in his mind, between the time of his first setting out, and that of his coming to his Father.

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Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 289

 

And wilt thou judge him that doth thus? Art thou almost like Elymas the sorcerer, that sought to turn the deputy from the faith? Thou seek to pervert the right ways of the Lord. Take heed lest some heavy judgment overtakes thee (Acts 13:8-13). What! teach men to quench convictions; take them off from serious consideration of the evil of sin, the terrors of the world to come, and how they shall escape the same? What! teach men to put God and his Word out of their minds, by running to merry company, running to the world, and gossiping? &c. This is as much as to bid them to say to God, “Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways;” or, “What is the Almighty that we should serve him? Or what profit have we if we keep his ways?” Here is a devil in grain! What! bid man walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2:2).

Two objections answered.

Object. 1. But we do not know that such are coming to Jesus Christ; truly we wonder at them, and think they are fools.

Answ. Do you not know that they are coming to Jesus Christ? then they may be coming to him, for aught you know; and why will ye be worse than the brute, to speak evil of the things you know not? What! Are ye made to be taken and destroyed? Must ye utterly perish in your own corruptions? (2 Peter 2:12). Do you not know them? Let them alone then. If you cannot speak good of them, speak not bad. “Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38,39). But why do you wonder at a work of conviction and conversion? Know you not that this is the judgment of God upon you, “ye despisers, to behold, and wonder, and perish?” (Acts 13:40,41). But why wonder, and think they are fools? Is the way of the just an abomination to you? See that passage, and be ashamed, “He that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked” (Prov 29:27). Your wondering at them argues that you are strangers to yourselves, to conviction for sin, and to hearty desires to be saved; as also to coming to Jesus Christ.

Object. 2. But how shall we know that such men are coming to Jesus

Christ?

Answ. Who can make them see that Christ has made them blind? (John 2:8,9). Nevertheless, because I endeavor thy conviction, conversion, and salvation, consider: Do they cry out of sin, being burthened with it, as of an exceeding bitter thing? Do they fly from it, as from the face of a deadly serpent? Do they cry out of the insufficiency of their own righteousness, as to justification in the sight of God? Do they cry out after the Lord Jesus, to save them? Do they see more worth and merit in one drop of Christ’s blood to save them, than in all the sins of the world to damn them? Are they tender to sinning against Jesus Christ? Is his name, person, and undertakings, more precious to them, than is the glory of the world? Is this word more dear unto them? Is faith in Christ (of which they are convinced by God’s Spirit of the want of, and that without it they can never close with Christ) precious to them? Do they savor Christ in his Word and leave all the world for his sake? And are they willing, God helping them, to run hazards for his name, for the love they bear to him? Are his saints precious to them? If these things be so, whether thou sees them or not, these men are coming to Jesus Christ (Rom 7:914; Psa. 38:3-8; Heb 6:18-20; Isa 64:6; Phil 3:7,8; Psa. 54:1; 109:26; Acts 16:30; Psa. 51:7,8; 1 Peter 1:18,19; Rom 7:24; 2 Cor 5:2; Acts 5:41; James 2:7; Song 5:10-16; Psa. 119; John 13:35; 1 John 4:7; 3:14; John 16:9; Rom 14:23; Heb 11:6; Psa. 19:10,11; Jer 15:16; Heb 11:24-27; Acts 20:22-24; 21:13; Titus 3:15; 2 John 1; Eph 4:16; Phile 7; 1 Cor 16:24).

Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 288

 

Nay, I have known some that have been made to go to hear the Word preached against their wills; others have gone not to hear, but to see and be seen; nay, to jeer and flout others, as well to catch and carp at things. Some also to feed their adulterous eyes with the sight of beautiful objects; and yet God hath made use even of these things, and even of the wicked and sinful proposals of sinners, to bring them under the grace that might save their souls.

Use Seventh. Doth no man come to Jesus Christ but by the drawing, &c., of the Father? Then let me caution those poor sinners, who are spectators of the change that God has wrought in them that are coming to Jesus Christ, not to attribute this work and change to other things and causes.

Some poor sinners in the world plainly see a change, a mighty change, in their Neighbours and relations that are coming to Jesus Christ. But, as I said, they being ignorant, and not knowing whence it comes and whither it goes, for “so is every one that is born of the Spirit,” (John 3:8), therefore they attribute this change to others causes: as melancholy; to sitting alone; to overmuch reading; to their going to too many sermons; to too much studying and musing on what they hear.

Also, they conclude, on the other side, that it is for want of merry company; for want of physic; and therefore they advise them to leave off reading, going to sermons, the company of sober people; and to be merry, to go gossiping, to busy themselves in the things of this world, not to sit musing alone, &c. But come poor ignorant sinner, let me deal with thee. It seems thou art turned counselor for Satan: I tell thee thou knowest not what thou dost. Take heed of spending thy judgment after this manner; thou judges foolishly, and sayest in this, to every one that passed by, thou art a fool. What! count convictions for sin, mourning for sin, and repentance for sin, melancholy? This is like those that on the other side said, “These men are [drunk with] full of new wine,” &c. Or as he said Paul was mad (Acts 2:13, 26:24). Poor ignorant sinner! can't thou judge no better? What! Is sitting alone, pensive under God’s hand, reading the Scriptures, and hearing sermons, &c., the way to be undone? The Lord open thine eyes, and make thee to see the error! Thou hast set thyself against God, thou hast despised the operation of his hands, thou attempts to murder souls. What! Can't thou give no better counsel touching those whom God hath wounded, than to send them to the ordinances of hell for help? Thou bid them be merry and lightsome, but dost thou not know that “the heart of fools is in the house of mirth?” (Eccl 7:4).

Thou bid them shun the hearing of thundering preachers; but is it not “better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools?” (Eccl 7:5). Thou bid them busy themselves in the things of this world; but dost thou not know that the Lord bids, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness?” (Matt 6:33). Poor ignorant sinner! hear the counsel of God to such, and learn thyself to be wiser. “Is any afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms” (James 5:13). “Blessed is the man that hears me” (Prov 8:32). And hear for time to come, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40). “Search the Scriptures” (John 5:39). “Give attendance to reading” (1 Tim 4:13). “It is better to go to the house of mourning” (Eccl 7:2,3).

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Use Sixth. Is it so? Doth no man come to Jesus Christ by the will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the Father’s gift, promise, and drawing? Then there is room for Christians to stand and wonder at the effectual working of God’s providences, which he has used to bring them to Jesus Christ.

For although men are drawn to Christ by the power of the Father, yet that power puts forth itself in the use of means: and these means are divers, sometimes this, sometimes that; for God is at liberty to work by which, and when, and how he will; but let the means be what they will, and as contemptible as may be, yet God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and that out of weakness can make strong, can, nay, doth often make use of very unlikely means to bring about the conversion and salvation of his people. Therefore, you that are come to Christ—and that by unlikely means—stay yourselves, and wonder, and, wondering, magnify almighty power, by the work of which the means hath been made effectual to bring you to Jesus Christ.

What was the providence that God made use of as a means, either more remote or more near, to bring thee to Jesus Christ? Was it the removing of thy habitation, the change of thy condition, the loss of relations, estate, or the like? Was it thy casting of thine eye upon some good book, thy hearing of thy neighbors talk of heavenly things, the beholding of God’s judgments as executed upon others, or thine own deliverance from them, or thy being strangely cast under the ministry of some godly man? O take notice of such providence or providences! They were sent and managed by mighty power to do thee good. God himself, I say, hath joined himself unto this chariot: yea, and so blessed it, that it failed not to accomplish the thing for which he sent it.

God blessed not everyone with his providences in this manner. How many thousands are there in this world, that pass every day under the same providences! but God is not in them, to do that work by them as he hath done for thy poor soul, by his effectually working with them. O that Jesus Christ should meet thee in this providence, that dispensation, or the other ordinance! This is grace indeed! At this, therefore, it will be thy wisdom to admire, and for this to bless God.

Give me leave to give you a taste of some of those providences that have been effectual, through the management of God, to bring salvation to the souls of his people.

(1.) The first shall be that of the woman of Samaria. She must need to go out of the city to draw water, not before nor after, but just when Jesus Christ her Saviour was comes from far, and set to rest him, being weary, upon the well. What a blessed providence was this! Even a providence managed by the almighty wisdom, and almighty power, to the conversion and salvation of this poor creature. For by this providence was this poor creature and her Saviour brought together, that that blessed work might be fulfilled upon the woman, according to the purpose before determined by the Father (John 4).

(2.) What providence was it that there should be a tree in the way for Zaccheus to climb, thereby allowing Jesus to call that chief of the publicans home to himself, even before he came down therefrom (Luke 19).

(3.) Was it not also wonderful that the thief, which you read of in the gospel, should, by the providence of God, be cast into prison, to be condemned even at that session that Christ himself was to die; nay, and that it should happen, too, that they must be hanged together, that the thief might be in hearing and observing of Jesus in his last words, that he might be converted by him before his death! (Luke 23).

(4.) What a strange providence was it, and as strangely managed by God, that Onesimus, when he was run away from his master, should be taken, and, as I think, cast into that very prison where Paul lay bound for the Word of the gospel; that he might there be by him converted, and then sent home again to his master Philemon! Behold “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

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But, I say, why offended at this? Is he ever the worse for coming to Jesus Christ, or for his loving and serving of Jesus Christ? Or is he ever the more a fool, for flying from that which will drown thee in hell-fire, and for seeking eternal life? Besides, pray, Sirs, consider it; this he doth, not of himself, but by the drawing of the Father. Come, let me tell thee in thine ear, thou that wilt not come to him thyself, and him that would, thou hinders—

1. Thou shalt be judged for one that hath hated, maligned, and reproached Jesus Christ, to whom this poor sinner is coming.

2. Thou shalt be judged, too, for one that hath hated the Father, by whose powerful drawing this sinner doth come.

3. Thou shalt be taken and judged for one that has done despite to the Spirit of grace in him that is, by its help, coming to Jesus Christ. What sayest thou now? Wilt thou stand by thy doings? Wilt thou continue to contemn and reproach the living God? Thinks thou that thou shalt weather it out well enough at the day of judgment? “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee,” saith the Lord? (Eze 22:14, John 15:18-25; Jude 15; 1 Thess 4:8).

Use Fifth. Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father? Then this showed us how it comes to pass, that weak means are so powerful as to bring men out of their sins to a hearty pursuit after Jesus Christ. When God bid Moses speak to the people, he said, “I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee” (Exo 18:19). When God speaks, when God works, who can let it? None, none; then the work goes on! Elias threw his mantle upon the shoulders of Elisha; and what a wonderful work followed! When Jesus fell in with the crowing of a cock, what work was there! O when God is in the means, then shall that means—be it never so weak and contemptible in itself—work wonders (1 Kings 19:19; Matt 26:74,75; Mark 14:71,72; Luke 22:60-62). The world understood not, nor believed, that the walls of Jericho should fall at the sound of rams’ horns; but when God will work, the means must be effectual. A word weakly spoken, spoken with difficulty, in temptation, and amid great contempt and scorn, works wonders if the Lord thy God will say so too.

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Use Third. Is it so, that coming to Jesus Christ is by the Father, as aforesaid? Then this should teach us to set high esteem upon them that indeed are coming to Jesus Christ; I say, high esteem on them, for the sake of him by whose grace they are made to come to Jesus Christ.

We see that when men, by the help of human abilities, do arrive at the knowledge of, and bring to pass that which, when done, is a wonder to the world, how he that did it, is esteemed and commended; yea, how are his wits, parts, industry, and unweariedness in all admired, and yet the man, as to this, is but of the world, and his work the effect of natural ability; the things also attained by his end in vanity and vexation of spirit. Further, perhaps in the pursuit of these achievements, he sins against God, wastes his time vainly, and in the long run loses his soul by neglecting better things; yet he is admired! But I say, if this man's parts, labor, diligence, and the like, will bring him to such applause and esteem in the world, what esteem should we have of such a one that is by the gift, promise, and power of God, coming to Jesus Christ?

1. This is a man with whom God is, in whom God works and walks; a man whose motion is governed and steered by the mighty hand of God, and the effectual working of his power. Here is a man!

2. This man, by the power of God's might, which worketh in him, can cast a whole world behind him, with all the lusts and pleasures of it, and charge through all the difficulties that men and devils can set against him. Here is a man.

3. This man is traveling to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God, and to an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, to God the Judge of all, and to Jesus. Here is a man!

4. This man can look upon death with comfort, can laugh at destruction when it cometh, and longs to hear the sound of the last trump and to see his Judge coming in the clouds of heaven. Here is a man indeed!

Let Christians, then, esteem each other as such. I know you do it but do it more and more. And that you may, consider these two or three things. (1.) These are the objects of Christ's esteem (Matt 12:48,49; 15:22-28; Luke 7:9). (2.) These are the objects of the esteem of angels (Dan 9:12; 10:21,22; 13:3,4; Heb 2:14). (3.) These have been the objects of the esteem of heathens, when but convinced about them (Dan 5:10,11; Acts 5:15; 1 Cor 14:24,25). "Let each [of you, then,] esteem [each] other better than themselves" (Phil 2:2).

Use Fourth. Again, Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father? Then this shows us how horribly ignorant of this such are, who make the man that is coming to Christ the object of their contempt and rage. These are also unreasonable and wicked men; men in whom is no faith (2 Thess 3:2). Sinners, did you but know what a blessed thing it is to come to Jesus Christ, and that by the help and drawing of the Father, they do indeed come to him; you would hang and burn in hell a thousand years, before you would turn your spirits as you do, against him that God is drawing to Jesus Christ, and also against the God that draws him.

But, faithless sinner, let us a little expostulate the matter. What hath this man done against thee, that is coming to Jesus Christ? Why dost thou make him the object of thy scorn? doth his coming to Jesus Christ offend thee? doth the pursuit of his own salvation offend thee? doth his forsaking of his sins and pleasures offend thee?

Poor coming man! "Shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?" (Exo 8:26).

Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 284

 

3. Coming to Christ is not by the power of man. This is evident partly,

(1.) From that which goes before. For man's power in the putting forth of it, in this matter, is either stirred up by love, or sense of necessity; but the wisdom of this world neither gives man love to, or sense of a need of, Jesus Christ; therefore, his power lies still, as from that.

(2.) What power has he that is dead, as every natural man spiritually is, even dead in trespasses and sins? Dead, even as dead to God's New Testament things as he that is in his grave is dead to the things of this world. What power has he, then, whereby to come to Jesus Christ? (John 5:25; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13).

(3.) God forbids the mighty man's glorying in his strength; and says positively, "By strength shall no man prevail;" and again, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord" (Jer 9:23,24; 1 Sam 2:9; Zech 4:6; 1 Cor 1:27-31).

(4.) Paul acknowledged that man, nay, converted man, of himself, hath not a sufficiency of power in himself to think a good thought; if not to do that which is least, for to believe is less than to come; then no man, by his own power, can come to Jesus Christ (2 Cor 2:5).

(5.) Hence we are said to be made willing to come, by the power of God; to be raised from a state of sin to a state of grace, by the power of God; and to believe, that is to come, through the exceeding working of his mighty power (Psa. 110:3; Col 2:12; Eph 1:18,20; Job 23:14). But this needed not, if either man had power or will to come; or so much as graciously to think of being willing to come, of themselves, to Jesus Christ.

Second, I should now come to the proof of the second part of the observation [namely, the coming to Christ is by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father, but that is occasionally done already, in the explicatory part of the text, to which I refer the reader; for I shall here only give thee a text or two more to the same purpose, and so come to the use and application.

1. It is expressly said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). By this text, there is not only insinuated that in man is want of power but also of will, to come to Jesus Christ: they must be drawn; they come not if they are not drawn. And observe, it is not man, nor all the angels in heaven, that can draw one sinner to Jesus Christ. No man comes to me, except the Father who sent me draws him.

2. Again, "No man can come unto me, except it was given unto him of my Father" (John 6:65). It is an heavenly gift that makes a man come to Jesus Christ.

3. Again, "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, cometh unto me" (John 6:45).

I shall not enlarge but make some use and application, and so come to the next observation.

Use and Application of Observation First. Use First. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ not by the will, wisdom, or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father? Then they are to blame that cry up the will, wisdom, and power of man, as things sufficient to bring men to Christ.

There are some men who think they may not be contradicted when they plead for the will, wisdom, and power of man about the things that are of the kingdom of Christ; but I will say to such a man, he never yet came to understand, that himself is what the Scripture teaches concerning him; neither did he ever know what coming to Christ is, by the teaching, gift, and drawing of the Father. He is such a one that hath set up God's enemy in opposition to him, and that continuity in such acts of defiance; and what his end, without a new birth, will be, the Scripture teaches also; but we will pass this. Use Second. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father? Then let saints here learn to ascribe their coming to Christ to the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. Christian man, bless God, who hath given thee to Jesus Christ by promise; and again, bless God for that he hath drawn thee to him. And why is it thee? Why not another? O that the glory of electing love should rest upon thy head, and that the glory of the exceeding grace of God should take hold of thy heart, and bring thee to Jesus Christ!

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These observations lie all of them in the words, and are plentifully confirmed by the Scriptures of truth; but I shall not at this time speak to them all, but shall pass by the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth, partly because I design brevity, and partly because they are touched upon in the explicatory part of the text. I shall therefore begin with the fifth observation, and so make that the first in order, in the following discourse.

Coming to Christ not by the power of man, but by the drawing of the Father.

OBSERVATION FIRST. First, then, coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. This observation consists of two parts. First, the coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man; second, it is by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father.

If you examine the explanation of the first part of the text, you will discover that it contains this truth. I shall, therefore, here follow the method propounded, viz: show,

First, coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man. This is true because the word does positively say it is not.

1. It denies it wholly to be by the will of man. “Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man” (John 1:13). And again, “It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs” (Rom 9:16).

2. It denies it to be of the wisdom of man, as is manifest from these considerations:

(1.) In the wisdom of God, it pleased him, that the world should not know him. Now, if by their wisdom they cannot know him, it follows, by that wisdom, they cannot come unto him; for coming to him is not before, but after some knowledge of him (1 Cor 1:21; Acts 13:27; Psa. 9:10).

(2.) The wisdom of man, in God’s account, as to the knowledge of Christ, is reckoned foolishness. “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Cor 1:20). And again, The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (2:14). If God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world; and again, if the wisdom of this world is foolishness with him, then verily it is not likely, that by that a sinner should become so prudent as to come to Jesus Christ, especially if you consider,

(3.) That the doctrine of a crucified Christ, and so of salvation by him, is the very thing that is counted foolishness to the wisdom of the world. Now, if the very doctrine of a crucified Christ is counted foolishness by the wisdom of this world, it cannot be that, by that wisdom, a man should be drawn out in his soul to come to him (1 Cor 3:19; 1:18,23).

(4.) God counted the wisdom of this world as one of his greatest enemies; therefore, by that wisdom, no man can come to Jesus Christ. For it is not likely that one of God’s greatest enemies should draw a man to that which best of all pleases God, as coming to Christ doth. Now, that God counts the wisdom of this world as one of his greatest enemies, is evident, (a.) For that it castes the greatest contempt upon his Son’s undertakings, as afore proved, in that it counts his crucifixion foolishness; though that be one of the highest demonstrations of Divine wisdom (Eph 1:7, 8). (b.) Because God had threatened to destroy it, bring it to naught, and cause it to perish; which surely he would not do, was it not an enemy, would it direct men to, and cause them to close with Jesus Christ (Isa 29:14; 1 Cor 1:19). (c.) He hath rejected it from helping in the ministry of his Word, as a fruitless business, and a thing that comes to naught (1 Cor 2:4, 6, 12, 13). (d.) Because it causes perish, those that seek it, and pursue it (1 Cor 1:18–19). (e.) And God has proclaimed, that if any man will be wise in this world, he must be a fool in the wisdom of this world, and that is the way to be wise in the wisdom of God. “If any man seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool so that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Cor 3:18–20).

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Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 282

 

I intend brevity here; therefore, a word to the second, and so conclude.

Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out. This appears also by what follows:—

1. The Father, for the service that he hath done him as Saviour, has made him Lord of all, even of quick and dead. “For to this end Christ both died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living” (Rom 14:9).

2. The Father hath left it with him to quicken whom he will, to wit, with saving grace, and to cast out whom he will, for their rebellion against him (John 5:21).

3. The Father made him judge over those who have been born again and those dead in their trespasses. He entrusted all judgment to the Son, and appointed that all should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father (John 5:22–23).

4. God will judge the world by this man: the day is appointed for judgment, and he is appointed to judge. “He has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man” (Acts 17:31). Therefore we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive for the things done in the body, according to what they have done. If they have closed with him, heaven and salvation; if they have not, hell and damnation! And for these reasons, he must be judged:—

(1.) Because of his humiliation and his Father’s word, he humbled himself, and he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” This hath respect to his being judge, and his sitting in judgment upon angels and men (Phil 2:7-11; Rom 14:10,11).

(2.) All men might honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. “For the Father judged no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father” (John 5:225:22–

23.) Because of his righteous judgment, this work is fit for no creature; it is only fit for the Son of God. He will reward every man according to his ways (Rev 22:12).

(4.) Because he is the Son of man. He “hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (John 5:27).

Thus have I in brief passed through this text by way of explications. My next work is to speak to it by way of observation. But I shall be also as brief in that as the nature of the thing will admit. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).

And now I come to some observations, and a little briefly to speak to them, and then conclude the whole. The words thus explained afford us many, some of which are these. 1. That God the Father, and Christ his Son, are two distinct persons in the Godhead. 2. That by them, not excluding the Holy Ghost, is contrived and determined the salvation of fallen mankind. 3. That this contrivance resolved itself into a covenant between these persons in the Godhead, which stands in giving on the Father’s part, and receiving on the Son’s. “All that the Father giveth me,” &c. 4. That everyone that the Father hath given to Christ, according to the mind of God in the text, shall certainly come to him. 5. That coming to Jesus Christ is therefore not by the will, wisdom, or power of man; but by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. “All that the Father giveth me shall come.” 6. That Jesus Christ will be careful to receive, and will not in any wise reject those that come or are coming to him. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” There are, besides these, some other truths implied in the words. As, 7. They that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid that he will not receive them. 8. Jesus Christ would not have them that in truth are coming to him once think that he will cast them out.

Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; The Power Of Christ To Save, Or To Cast Out, 281

 

SECOND. And now we come to the second thing to be inquired into, namely, how it appears that Christ has the power to save or cast out. For by these words, "I will in no wise cast out," he declares that he has the power to do both. Now this inquiry admits us to search into the things: First, How it appears that he hath power to save; Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out.

First, That he has the power to save, appears by that which follows:

1. To speak only of him as he is a mediator: he was authorized to this blessed work by his Father before the world began. Hence the apostle saith, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4). With all those things that will produce our salvation,. Read the same chapter, with 2 Timothy 1:9.

2. He was promised to our first parents, that he should, in the fullness of time, bruise the serpent's head; and, as Paul expounds it, redeem them that were under the law. Hence, since then, he has been reckoned as slain for our sins. which means all the fathers under the First Testament were secured from the wrath to come; hence, he is called, "The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8; Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4,5).

3. Moses gave testimony of him by the types of shadows, and bloody sacrifices, that he commanded from the mouth of God to be in use for the support of his people's faith, until the time of reformation; which was the time of Jesus his death (Heb 9, 10).

4. At the time of his birth, it was testified of him by the angel, "That he should save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21).

5. It is testified of him in the days of his flesh, that he had power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:5–12).

6. It is testified also of him by the apostle Peter, that "God hath exalted him with his own right hand, to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31).

7. In a word, this is everywhere testified of him, both in the Old Testament and the New. And there is a good reason that he should be acknowledged and trusted as a savior.

(1.) He came down from heaven to be a savior (John 6:38–40).

(2.) He was anointed when on earth to be a savior (Luke 3:22).

(3.) He did the work of a Savior (a.) He fulfilled the law and became the end of it for righteousness, for those that believe in him (Rom 10:3,4). (b.) He laid down his life as a Saviour; he gave his life as "a ransom for many" (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim 2:6). (c.) He hath abolished death, destroyed the devil, put away sin, got the keys of hell and death, is ascended into heaven; is the acceptance of God, and bid sit at the right hand as a Saviour; and that because his sacrifice for sins pleased God (2 Tim 1:10; Heb 2:14,15; 10:12,13; Eph 4:7,8; John 16:10,11; Acts 5:30,31).

(4.) God hath sent out and proclaimed him as a Saviour, and he tells the world that we have redemption through his blood, that he will justify us if we believe in his blood, and that he can faithfully and justly do it. Yea, God doth beseech us to be reconciled to him by his Son; which could not be, if he were not anointed by him to this very end, and also if his works and undertakings were not accepted by him as a Saviour (Rom 3:24,25; 2 Cor 5:18-21).

(5.) God has already received millions of souls into his paradise because they have received this Jesus as a Saviour; and he is resolved to cut them off, and cast them out of his presence, which will not take him for a Saviour (Heb 12:22-26).

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