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.