Ye Will Not Come to Me
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.*’ — John ▼. 40.
There is nothing more sad, and nothing more strange than that when there is a Saviour that is enough for all the world, so few should come to him to be saved. If a life-boat were sent out to a wreck, sufficient to save all the crew, and if it came back with less than half of them, you would inquire, with anxiety, why the rest had not been saved by it. Just so, when Christ has come to seek and save that which was lost, and yet the vast majority are unsaved, it behoves us to inquire why so many are not saved by Christ. We have the answer in these words: “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
Doctrine. Sinners are lost, not by reason of anything in Christ, but by reason of something in themselves. They will not come to Christ, that they might have life.
L Show that it is not by reason of anything in Christ that sinners are lost* 1. It is not because Christ is not sufficient to save all.
“he whole Bible shows that Christ is quite sufficient to sre all the world — that all the world would be saved, if n the world were to come to Christ: ‘’ Behold the Lamb i God that taketh away the sins of the world.” The meanng of that is, not that die sins of the whole world are now aken away. It is quite plain that the whole world is not biyyen at present (1.) Because the whole world is not ATed. (2.) Because God everywhere calls sinners to repentance, and the first work of the Spirit is to convince of on — of the heavy burden that is now lying on Christless iouls. (3.) Because forgiveness in the Bible is everywhere ittached to believing. When they brought to Jesus a man nek of the palsy, Jesus, seeing his fisiith, said unto him: •^Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee.” Believe yn the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. The ample truth of the Bible is, that Christ hath suffered and died in the stead of sinners — as a common person in their stead; and every man that is a sinner hath a right to come.
Christ is quite sufficient for all, and I would prove it by lihis argument: If he was sufficient for one sinner, then he must be sufficient for all. The great difficulty with God (I speak as a man) vras, not how to admit many sinners into his favour, but how to admit one sinner into his favour. If that difficulty has been got over in Jesus Christ, then the whole difficulty has been got over. If one sinner may omne unto God clothed in Christ, then all sinners may. K one sinner may have peace with God, and God be yet just and glorious, then every sinner may have peace with him. If Christ was enough for Abel, then he is enough &r all that come after. If one dying thief may look to him and be saved, so may every dying thief. If one trembling jailer may believe on Jesus, and rejoice believing, so may e?ery other trembling sinner. 0 brethren! you may doubt and wrangle about whether Christ be enough for your soul, Init if you die Christless, you will see that there was room enough under his wings, but you would not.
2. Sinners are lost not because Christ is unwilling’ to save all. The whole Bible shows that Christ is quite willing and anxious that all sinners should come to him. The city of refuge in the Old Testament was a type of Christ; and you remember that its gates were open by night and by day. The arms of Christ were nailed wide open, when he hmg upon the cross; and this was a figuie oC lioA Nndi
T willingness to aaye all, as he said: ^’ I, if I be lifted n from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Bat thougjL his arms were firmly nailed, they are more firmly nailel wide open now, by his love and compassion fipr psshing sinners, than ever they were nailed to the tree.
There is no imwillingness in the heart of Jesus Chiist When people are willing and anxious about something, thflf 1 do everything that lies in their power to bring it to pass. Gb ] did Jesus Christ: “What could have been done more fo my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” But if they an very anxious, they will attempt it again and again. So did Jesus Christ: ‘^ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often wooU I have gathered your children as a hen gathereth het chickens under her wings, and ye would not! ‘But if they are still more anxious, they will be grieved if they are dis* appointed. So was Jesus Christ: “When he came ntatf he beheld the city, and wept over it.” But if they are veiy anxious, they will suffer pain rather than lose their objects So did Jesus Christ: The good Shepherd gave his life for the sheep. Ah! dear brethren, if you perish, it is not because Jesus wishes you to perish.
A word to anxious souls. How strange it is tfaaft J anxious souls do most of all doubt the willingness of Chiiit I to be their Saviour; yet these should least of all doubt him. ‘If he is a willing Saviour to any, O surely he is a wiUiiiff Saviour to a weary soul! Remember the blind beggar oc Jericho. He was in your case — blind and helpless-and he cried: *’*’ Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy ioii me.” And when the crowd bade him hold his peace, he cried so much the more. Was Jesus unwilling to be that beggar’s Saviour? He stood still, and commanded him to be brought, and said: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” He is the same willing Saviour still. Cry after him; and, though the world may bid you hold your peace, cry after him just so much the more.
A word to careless sotUs. You say Christ may be a willing Saviour to others, but surely not to you. O yes! he is quite willing for you too. See him sitting by the well of Samaria, convincing one poor sinful woman of hcf sins, and leading her to himself. He is the same SaTiomr toward you this day. If you do perish, it is not because Christ is willing. He wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. He pleads with yon* and says: ‘^ Turn ye, tvim ye why will ye die? wamonx xLuu SM
nt0 reaiom why men do not coma to Jestu ChviH*
auae they will not come. The reason is not in
at in themsdlTea.
lorance ofJeiUi Christ is one reaeon why einnere ome to mm. So it was with the Jews. Thej, oiant of God’s righteousness, and going about to their own righteousness, would not submit them the righteousness of God. And so it is with many mongst us. Thej will not come to Jesus Christ, iiey do not know him. It is quite amaaing the orance which exists in the midst of us. Some i lived under the preached Word for years, yet LOW who Jesus Christ is. He is an utter strange Some do not know from whence he came, or le has gone, or who sent him into the world, or une, and why he suffered and obeyed. Many more personal knowled of Jesus Christ. They hare revelation of Chnst made to them. They are of his beauty and fitness to their own case as a
and therefore they will not come to Christ to
In a shower of rain, you would not turn aside
lelter unless you knew that there was a shdter
‘hough you had lived at the time of the flood, if
in complete ignorance of the ark, it is plain you t have fled to it; or even if you had Imown it, it, and heard of it, yet if you did not know the
you would never have fled to it. So is it with
»w. Many do not know about Jesus Christ, though
only ark; and therefore they will not come to iny know something about Jesus Christ, but they LOW the use of him to their perishing souls; and BO will not come to Christ to have life. i live in ignorance of him, dear souls, I beseech ik for him as for silver, yea, search for him as »sure8. Do not say you are too old to learn. If
be your teacher, he can make it quite easy. He
of the things of Christ, and show them unto
not say you are too young to learn. Happiest
know him soonest! Happy lambs, that are soon
into the Saviour’s bosom 1
titer reason why sinners do not come to Christ is have no sense that they need him. If you had in, but had no sense that the blood-avenger was rouy you would not flee to the city of tefa^. !L your Tessel were sinking, but you did not perceive it, yoa would not get into the life-boat If you were sick and dying, but had no sense of it, you would not send for the physician. Just so, if you have no sense of being under the wrath of Grod, and exposed to hell, you will not come to Christ, that you may haye life. If you look aroimd, you will see that the most of men have no feeUng o£ anxiety about their souls. You will find men anxious about their families — about their money or their goods — about their character in the world; but, ah! where do you find men anxious about their souls? If you ask me why so few come to Jesus Christ, I answer, Because so few aie anxious about their souls. Now, if a man be never awakened to flee from wrath, it is plain and certain that he will never come to Jesus Christ. The three thousand were pricked in their hearts, and then inquired aflter Christ The jailer trembled for his soul, and then was brought to rejoice in Christ Jesus. But no one was ever brought to Christ without being convinced of sin.
Careless persons, you should seek these convictions — ^yoa should cry to God for them — you should try to get your heart made alive to the sadness of your natural condition; for if you are never awakened, you will never come to Jesus Christ — you will never be saved.
Anxious persons, you should seek to keep up these cxxor I victions. They are easily lost. You should cry to Grod to make them deeper on your heart. If you lose them, thcf may never come back. You may become another LoA wife — a pillar of salt. If you lose them, you will ne?er come to Christ, and never be saved.
3. A third reason why sinners do not come to Christ iff that the heart rises against him. Many are brought, in * some measure, to a sense of their sin and lost condition, who yet cannot be persuaded to come to Jesus Christ It is not anything in Christ that prevents them — it is something that rises up in their own heart. Christ is quite open — he is a door which no man can shut; and they would fain be at rest in him, and yet their proud heart rises up against him*
There may be two reasons for this: (1.) Perhaps your anxiety has set you upon establishing your own rightsnsness; and, therefore, you are too proud to come to Jesus Christ. This was the way with the Jews. They were not only ignorant of God’s righteousness, but they went aboot to establish their own ligjiteousnees; and therefore they
8BRM0N xin. 293
would not submit to the righteousness ‘of God. Perhaps on thought, when you were first awakened, that jou would soon find your way to peace. You thought, by tears, and prayers, and amendment of your life, to blot out past sin. You have been making a false Christ to yourself, and that is the reason you do not like the true Christ; and Christ says of you: ^’Ye will not come to me, that ye might hare life.*’ To come to Christ, you would need to forsake your own righteousness — to confess that your wisdom is folly — to lie down empty, and yile, and without praise, and to consent that Jesus Christ shall have all the praise; but your proud, self-flattering heart rises against this; and this b the reason you perish: “You will not come to me, that you might have life.” (2.) Another way in which anxious Bonis keep away from Christ is this: You have been shaken off from all dependence on your own repentance, or prayers, or amendment, to make you righteous in the sight of God. You have laid you down in the dust, and confessed that, if ever you are to be justified, it must be through the obedience and suflerings of the Son of God. Now, you have lain so long thus emptied, that you think Jesus Christ should have been revealed to you by this time. In a word, you have been humbling yourself to make yourself worthy of Jesus Christ. Alas! this is a still prouder thought than the one before. You are not seeking to buy forgiveness from God by your humblings and by your tears, but you are seeking to buy Christ from God by these humblings. You think that your humblings and tears deserve Christ; so that you have been attempting to buy that which buys forgiveness. This is a deep snare of the devil, which hinders many anxious souls from coming to Jesus Christ without money and without price.
There is reason to think that many souls perish in this way. They fulfil this sad word of Christ: “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” I would leave two directions with anxious souls. (1.) You must be made willing to come to Jesus Christ, if you would be saved. You cannot be saved against your will. Some people have hopes that they shall be lifted into Christ against their will. This is impossible. Noah was not lifted into the ark, but God said: “Come in.” So Christ’s people are a willing people. They come willingly — with all their heart and soul. Not only do they flee willingly from wrath, but they flee willingly to Jesus Christ — they choose to be ^7e&. >>j him rather than any other way. If there were ten thou sand other sayiours, they would still choose Christ; for he is the chiefest among ten thousand, and they fbel it sweetest and hest to he nothing and have nothing, that Christ may he all in all. (2.) God only can hend your will to come to Jesus Christ: ‘^ No man can call Jesus Lord, hut by the Holy Ghost.” “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” It is Qod that must heat down all your proud imaginations. It is he that must reveal your guilt and nakedness. He must make you feel the emptiness and sin of all your self-righteousness. He must reveal the heauty of Christ unto you — his comeliness — his desirahleness. He must convince you that it is sweetest to have no praise, and to let Jesus have Ihe whole. Oh! seek the teaching of God. The teaching of man is a mere dream, if you have not the teaching of God. Cry night and day for the inward teaching of the Spirit “Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me;” and, “Him that oometh unto me I will in no wise cast out”
III. The sinfulness of not coming to Jesus Christ, The words of Jesus are full of pathos — enough to break
the proudest heart:” Ye will not come to me, that ye
might have life.”
1. The greatness of the Saviour shows the sinfulness of not coming to him. He is the eternal Son of G^ whom sinners are despising. John hore witness of him — his miracles hore witness to him — his Father hore witness of him — the Scriptures, on every page, testify of him; yet ye will not come to him, that ye might have life. It is the Son of God that hath undertaken the doing and dying of all in the stead of sinners; and yet you, a trembling sinner, will not honour him so much as to trust your soul upon his finished work. Ah! how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
2. The loveliness of the Saviour shows the sin of not coming to him. Methinks there is a touch of heavens melody in these words: “Ye will not come to me.” I know not whether they more express the high indignation of an insulted Saviour, or the tender compassion of him that wept upon the Mount of Olives, over Jerusalem. It is as if he said: I have left the bosom of the Father, to suffer, and bleed, and die, for BixmexB^ en the chief; yet, O sin-
4IERM0N XLin. 295
ner! ye will not come unto me. I have sought the lost sheep orer mountain and hill — I hare stretched out mj hands all the day to the gainsaying and disohedient — I hare cried after sinners, and wept over sinners; and yet ye will ilot come to me, that ye might have life. Ah! dear brethren, if sin against love be the blackest sin under the blue ▼ault of heaven, this is your sin, because ye trample under foot the blood of the Son of God, and do despite unto the gentle Spirit of grace.
8. The very anxiety of some sinners increases their sin. Some sinners are very anxious about their souls, yet will not come to Jesus Christ. They are in search of a saviour, but they will not have Jesus Christ. Are there not some of you who would do anything else to be saved: “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” If we would bid you pray and weep, you would do that — if we would bid you fast and use the shirt of hair, you would do that — if we would bid you afflict your soul and body, and make ^Ugrimage to the Holy Land, you would do that — if we would bid you live as monks and nuns, you would do that, as thousands are doing this day; but when we say. Come to Christ, ah! you will not do that. Ah! proud, sinful, self-ruining heart, you would choose any balm but the Balm of Gilead - — any saviour but the Son of God.
Oh! that these words of the sweet Saviour, whom you thus despise, would pierce to the very bottom of your soul; “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
St PeUr July 30, 1837.