John 6:43–44

Christ, in his reply, doth not (as was also marked on ver. 32.) enter to debate with them, or refute their ignorant Sophistry; But 1. He sheweth, that the root and true cause of their unbeliefe was not in his doctrine, nor from any just ground of exception they had against it, but from somewhat in themselves, to ver. 47. 2. He repeats and inculcates the former doctrine that life is to be had only through faith in him, and that he is the true bread of life, and cleareth yet more distinctly, in what respect he is the true bread and spiritual food, to ver. 52.

In these verses. 1. Christ sheweth that he took notice of their murmuring, and doth disswade them from it, as having given no just cause thereof by his doctrine, ver. 43. 2. He confirmeth this, by pointing at the root of their unbeliefe and murmuring, even their natural impotency and aversenesse from him, which also is the condition of all men, till such time as divine power be interposed to draw them, and then all who are drawen, come, and Christ undertakes to be accountable for such. And by this way of preaching, Christ would draw them from their idle debates, and would terrifie them, by letting them see that their unbeliefe proved they were lying, still in nature, and that God had yet wrought no change upon them, but had lest them to themselves; And withal he would let them see their losse, who by not embracing him, were secluded from his care.

From ver. 43. learn. 1 Christ knowes and takes notice of most secret murmurings, and mutterings and repineings against God, his Word, or Servants, were they never so closly or handsomely conveighed; for, albeit, it seemes, they spake not out these things, but whispered them among themselves, as the text hath it, and the word in the Original imports; yet Christ knoweth it, and tells them of it. 2. Murmurings, and repining against God, and divine truth, upon whatsoever pretence, are displeasing to Christ, as being a causlesse distemper, reflecting injuriously upon God; Therefore doth he prohibite it as a thing displeasing to him, Murmure not among your selves.

From ver. 44. learn. 1. What ever be the pretences of murmures against Christ and his truth; yet the true cause thereof is in themselves, and not in him nor in it; Therefore doth he lead them from that carping at his doctrine, to see their own natural disposition, which bred such a distemper. 2. Men, by rejecting Christ, and murmuring at his offers, do bewray so much of their own corrupt dispositions, and that they are so far left to themselves by God, as might be matter of horrour unto them, if their eyes were open; for, this is the scope of this doctrine here, to let them see, not only that they are corrupt, but that God hath not wrought on them as he doth on these who are his elect, as ver. 37. that so he may let them see, what sad things their condition spake to them. And Christ doth often recurre to this with these contentious Jewes, not to make them sit down upon this as an excuse (which is not); But partly, to shew, that, however the Lords purposes concerning men be hid and secret; yet, by their own carriage they may bring out strange evidences of it, and (however the reprobation of any particular person, cannot be certainly known by any meer man, so long as the person is within time, yet) mens perverse carriage doth prove a reprobate disposition for present, and being preserved in, is a black mark of their deplorable state. And partly, to shew that Christ will not take an affront at the hand of any, but as they who love him, shall finde that they were first beloved of him; so they who reject him, and persevere in it, will finde (to their eternal confusion) that he did give them up to their own hearts, to walk in these wayes, in punishing whereof he will manifest the glory of his justice. 3. Albeit it be the duty of all who hear the Gospel, to embrace Christ; and albeit it be justly commanded, to discover our inability, and as a mean which God maketh use of to work thereby upon his own: Yet no man hath naturally any liberty or power to receive Christ, or come in faith to him; But every man by nature, (whatever his inclination, education, or moral vertues, be) hath lost all power to do any spiritual good by Adams fall, and remains dead in sinne; for, no man can come to me, saith he, to wit, of himselfe, as is after cleared. 4. This natural impotency in man cannot be cured by meer moral swasion, or holding out of the offer of Christ in the Gospel; But with this, there must be a powerful and effectual work of God, in changing and renewing of mens nature, infusing of the habits of grace and faith, quickening them from their deadnesse, and exciting of these graces which he infuseth, and effectually inclining their heart and minde to embrace Christ, and close with him, and adhere to him; for, this is the only remedy of mans impotency, that the Father draw him. To ascribe unto God no more but moral swasion in this work, is to allow him no more hand in good, then Satan hath in evil; and consequently, to ascribe unto man as much praise of doing good, as he is reproveable for evil. And it ascribes unto man the glory of making himselfe to differ from another, who had the same offer with him, but would not be perswaded. See 1 Cor. 4.7. 5. Divine power, in curing and recovering of lost men, hath not only to do with impotency, but with aversenesse, with a corrupt will, strongly inclined to evil, and with corruptions, which will resist and oppose him in his working; for, so much doth this drawing import 6. The powerful grace of God is invincible, and will effectuate his purpose over all impediments. He will not only bear down the resistance and opposition that corruptions make, but he, who is Lord of the will, will sweetly incline, and powerfully allure it, and make the man most willing to come to Christ; for, if none can come, except the Father draw him, then certainly they whom he draweth, do come, and so Christs promise subjoyned, and the following verse do clear. 7. This drawing is ascribed to the Father which hath sent Christ, not secluding the rest of the persons, seeing every work of God which relateth to the creatures, is common to the whole blessed Trinitie, and Christ hath an hand in this same work, ver. 46. with Matth. 11.27. See Joh 12.32. Nor yet is this expression only used to shew, that the Father is first in order of working this work, as he is first in order of subsistence. But it points out further. 1. That the father, who entred in a Covenant with the Sonne, and sent him into the world to obey his will; and performe these duties he had voluntarily undertaken, is in a special manner obliged, by vertue of that paction, to bring unto his Sonne the promised seed and reward of his sufferings. 2. It serveth to shew, that, however he be a righteous God, and will have justice satisfied, for the sinnes committed even by his elect; Yet, as the Sonne did voluntarily submit to that dispensation, to pay the price, though he was also the party offended: So the Father doth also so love them, as he drawes them to Christ, that his justice may be satisfied in him, and that his love toward them may let forth it selfe in comfortable and sensible effects. And this will teach us, so to magnifie the tendernesse of the Mediatour, as not to entertain wrong thoughts of the Father. Doctrine. 8. The great misery of these who are not wrought upon to come to Christ, is clearly to be seen and read in the warme useage they meet with, who embrace him; Therefore doth Christ hold out his undertaking for them who are brought to him, that he may let these murmurers see their great losse. 9. Time will certainly come to an end, and all perfection and contentment which men imagine in the things of it, will have a period; for, dayes do, at last, come to the last day. 10. Whatever believers finde in Christ within time, yet their eyes are chiefly fixed upon eternity, and upon the expectation of settled happinesse there; Therefore do they need to have a promise concerning the last day so often repeated unto them. 11. Such as are brought to Christ by the Father, he will never abandon them till he have raised them up at the last day, and presented them blamelesse and compleat before the Father, that they may forever be with him; for, saith he, and I will raise him up at the last day.