John 12:39–40

In these verses this their unbelief is further amplified; That not only they did not, but could not beleeve; And, That not only the means wrought not upon them, to draw them to Christ, but they were more hardned in their obstinacy thereby, according to another prediction of Isaiah, Chap. 6.10. The pertinent citation whereof is cleared, ver. 41. Now for clearing this purpose, and the text cited, Consider, 1. As for this impotency that they could not beleeve, albeit it be true that all men naturally are unable for it; Yet this place speaks principally of a further degree of impossibility, through contracted obstinacy, and judicial obduration, of which the following text speaks, Consider, 2. As for this inference from the prediction, and the comparing of the event with it, they could not beleeve, because Esaias said; If we look to the simple prediction, it tends to the same purpose with the former, and to shew that the event was according to the prediction, for the ends mentioned on, ver. 37, 38. But if we look to the matter of the prediction, the obduration and blinding mentioned have a further hand in the matter of their unbelief, as may be cleared. Consider, 3. As for the matter of this citation; albeit if we compare this place with Isa. 6.10. Matth. 13.15. Acts 28.27. we will finde some diversity in words; Yet the purpose is the same. For the grossenesse and fatnesse of the heart, is the same with the hardnesse thereof. And albeit the other places adde the making their cares heavy, or dull of hearing, to the other two here mentioned; Yet the scope of these places and this is the same, to shew that all passages were obstructed, whereby the Word might enter, to work conversion which brings salvation and healing with it. And for the words here in particular, albeit their not understanding with their heart, may seem to import that their heart is to be understood of their minde and understanding, and the same with their eyes, not bodily, but inward; And so the plague of blinding their eyes, and hardening their heart shall be the same: Yet it is more full and clear to understand the words of distinct plagues on the several faculties of their soul, that the eyes of their minde were blinded, and their will (signified by their heart) hardened. And so their not understanding, added to their not seeing, is to be understood, not of a simple act of knowledge, but such an understanding as produceth sutable effects upon the will and affections, to work conversion, which is subjoyned to it: And so, to understand, signifieth frequently so to know a thing, as to approve and esteeme of it, to be affected with it, or drawn to the enjoyment of it. Consider. 4. As for the author and efficient of these plagues, if we compare the places before cited, we will finde divers named, in Matth. 13. and Acts 28. the closing of the eyes (and consequently the rest) is ascribed unto the sinners themselves. In Isa. 6. The Prophet is sent out to make their heart fat, &c. And here it is ascribed to Christ, even to him whose glory Isaiah saw, ver. 41. who in the beginning of this verse is spoken of in the third person, and in the end thereof, speaks of himself in the first person, as is usual in the Scripture. These are easily reconciled; for as men do sinfully harden themselves, so the Lord by a judicial stroak gives them up thereunto as a punishment, and the Messengers of Christ do not only carry and intimate this sad sentence, but their doctrine is an occasion of mens stumbling and hardning of themselves, as it is of hewing and slaying, Hos. 6.5. Consider, 5. As for this judicial act of God, in blinding and hardning sinners, that we may understand it rightly. 1. As we must not conceive that God doth approve this sinful hardness and blindness in men, though, as a just judge, he inflict the punishment; So we are not to conceive of it, as if he made them blinde who did see, or hardened them who were soft and tender, but that by witholding of his grace (which he is bound to give to none) he leaves them to their own blindness and hardness, or gives them up to augment it, which is most properly a punishment. 2. This judicial blinding and hardning of sinners, here mentioned, may be called Gods act, partly, in so far as he sent to them the preaching of the Gospel, which was an occasion they took hold of to harden and blind themselves, through the irritation of their corruptions thereby; And, partly, in that, to punish this their abuse, he witholds his efficacious grace, gives them to a reprobate minde, and to the power of Satan, to harden and blinde them more and more. And this exhausts the meaning in this place, that as they were hardened and blinded by Christs doctrine and miracles, so he gave them up to be punished with more and more of it.

From this purpose thus explained, Learn, 1. Men by nature are lying in a woful and miserable deadly condition, full of deadly wounds and sores; for, they need to be healed. 2. Whatever course men take to rid themselves of their miseries, yet there is no curing of their sores, till God put to his hand; for, it is I that must heal them. 3. However men flatter themselves, yet none are indeed cured of these diseases by God, but they who finde grace to turn to him by true regeneration and repentance; which is the only way to cure their soul diseases, to sanctifie and sweeten their other miseries, and to ensure eternal salvation to them; for, this, and this only, is the way, that they be converted, and I should heal them. 4. Let men have never so many flourishes, yet none are truly converted, but they who get open eyes, to discern their own condition, and the true remedy thereof, and whose hearts, will, and affections, are touched with what they see, to draw them to answerable practice; for, they must see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, who are converted. 5. Whatever convictions, practices, or other changes, are wrought in men by the Word; Yet they must also flee to Christ, and close with him by faith, before they can prove they are truly converted; for, to beleeve, ver. 39. is explained by this in the testimony cited, ver. 40. to be converted. 6. As all men are naturally unable to beleeve or turn to God; So this impotency is still the greater, the more we are dealt with by the Word, and do not hearken to it; for, so was it here, they could not beleeve, and they had blinded eyes, and hard hearts, opposite to the seeing eye, and understanding heart. 7. As mens increase of blindnesse and hardnesse, under the means of grace, is their great sin; So it is also Gods judgement upon them, who, as a righteous judge, punishes sin with sin, and giveth them a [surfeit] of what they so much affect; for, he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart. Thus Saints are justly put to groan under in their partial obduration, when their bands lie on to humble them, after they are sensible of them. As Isa. 63.15. 8. As Christ is free to convert and save whom he pleaseth; So when wicked men are most afraid of any thing, lest the Word should be effectual to their conversion, and therefore do obstruct all passages whereby it might enter: It is just with him to reject them, and to give them up to multiply such impediments; for, when they shut their eyes, lest they be converted, Matth. 13.15. he justly blindeth their eyes, &c. that they should not be converted. 9. The Scriptures are a compleat store-house for all cases, and for clearing all events, that may occurre; for, as before, their not beleeving, so here, that they could not beleeve, hath a Scripture to clear it, because that Esaias said againe, &c.