Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; Advantages To The Man That Comes To Christ, 275

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684

Suppose that one man had the sins, or as many sins as a hundred, and another should have a hundred times as many as he; yet, if they come, this word, “I will in no wise cast out,” secures them both alike.

Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved, and for that purpose, he is coming in truth to Jesus Christ; but he, by his debauched life, has damned many in hell; why, the door of hope is by these words set as open for him, as it is for him that hath not the thousandth part of his transgressions. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be saved, and hath nothing but sin, and an ill-spent life, to bring with him; why, let him come, and welcome to Jesus Christ, “And he will in no wise cast him out” (Luke 7:42). Is it not this love that passes knowledge? Is not this love the wonder of angels? And is not this love worthy of all acceptance at the hands and hearts of all coming sinners?

Second, That which is implied in the words is, 1. The coming souls have those who continually lie to Jesus Christ to cast them off. 2. The coming souls are afraid that those will prevail with Christ to cast them off. For these words are spoken to satisfy us and to keep up our spirits against these two dangers: “I will in no wise cast out.”

1. For the first, coming souls have those that continually lie to Jesus Christ to cast them off. And three things thus bend themselves against the coming sinner.

(1.) There is the devil, that accuser of the brethren, that accuses them before God, day and night (Rev 12:10). This prince of darkness is unwearied in this work; he doth it, as you see, day and night; that is, without ceasing. He continually puts in his caveats against you; if so, he may prevail. How did he apply it against that good man Job, if possibly he might have obtained his destruction in hellfire? He objected against him, that he served not God for naught, and tempted God to put forth his hand against him, urging, that if he did it, he would curse him to his face; and all this, as God witnessed, “he did without a cause” (Job 1:9–11; 2:4,5). How did he apply it to Christ against Joshua, the high priest? “And he showed me, Joshua,” said the prophet, “the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zech 3:1).

To resist him; that is, to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christ to resist him; objecting to the uncleanness and unlawful marriage of his sons with the Gentiles; for that was the crime that Satan laid against them (Ezra 10:18). Yea, and for all I know, Joshua was also guilty of the fact; but if not of that, of crimes no whit inferior; for he was clothed with filthy garments, as he stood before the angel. Neither had he one word to say in vindication of himself, against all that this wicked one had to say against him. But notwithstanding that, he came off well; but he might for it thank a good Lord Jesus, because he did not resist him, but contrariwise, took up his cause, pleaded against the devil, excusing his infirmity, and put justifying robes upon him before his adversary’s face.

“And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. Is this not a brand plucked out of the fire? And he answered and spoke to those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him; and unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of garment” (Zech 3:2-4).

Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; Advantages To The Man That Comes To Christ, 274

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684

Reader, if thou loves thy soul, take this caution kindly at the hands of Jesus Christ. Thou sees thy sickness, thy wound, and thy necessity of salvation. Well, go not to King Jareb, for he cannot heal you nor cure your wound (Hosea 5:13). Take the caution, I say, lest Christ, instead of being a Saviour unto thee, becomes a lion, a young lion, to tear you and go away (Hosea 5:14).

There is a coming, but not to the Most High; there is a coming, but not with the whole heart, but as it were feignedly; therefore, take the caution kindly (Jer 3:10; Hosea 7:16).

“And him that cometh TO ME;” Christ as a Saviour will stand alone because his own arm alone has brought salvation unto him. He will not be joined with Moses, nor will John Baptist be tabernacled by him. I say they must vanish, for Christ will stand alone (Luke 9:28–36). Yea, God the Father will have it so; therefore, they must be parted from him, and a voice from heaven must come to bid the disciples hear only the beloved Son. Christ will not suffer any law, ordinance, statute, or judgment, to be partners with him in the sinner’s salvation. Nay, he saith not, and him that cometh to my WORD; but, and him that cometh to ME. The words of Christ, even his most blessed and free promises, such as this in the text, are not the Saviour of the world; for that is Christ himself, Christ himself only. The promises, therefore, encourage the coming sinner to come to Jesus Christ, and not to rest in them, short of salvation by him. “And him that cometh TO ME.” The man, therefore, that comes aright, casts all things behind his back, and looked at, nor hath his expectations from ought, but the Son of God alone; as David said, “My soul, wait for thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He is only my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved” (Psa 62:5,6). His eye is to Christ, his heart is to Christ, and his expectation is from him only.

Therefore, the man who comes to Christ, has deep considerations of his own sins, slight thoughts of his own righteousness, and high thoughts of the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ; yea, he sees, as I have said, more virtue in the blood of Christ to save him, than there is in all his sins to damn him. He, therefore, set Christ before his eyes; there is nothing in heaven or earth, he knows, that can save his soul and secure him from the wrath of God, but Christ; that is, nothing but his personal righteousness and blood.

“And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” IN NO
WISE: by these words, there is [First,] Something expressed; and
[Second,] Something implied.

First, That which is expressed in Christ Jesus, his unchangeable resolution to save the coming sinner; I will in no wise reject him, or deny him the benefit of my death and righteousness. This word, therefore, is like that which he speaks of the everlasting damnation of the sinner in hellfire: “He shall by no means depart thence;” that is, never, never come out again, no, not to all eternity (Matt 5:26; 25:46). So that as he that is condemned into hell-fire hath no ground of hope for his deliverance thence; so him that cometh to Christ, hath no ground to fear he shall ever be cast in thither.

“Thus saith the Lord, If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saith the Lord” (Jer 31:37). “Thus saith the Lord, If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then will I cast away the seed of Jacob” (Jer 33:25–26). But heaven cannot be measured, nor the foundations of the earth searched out beneath; his covenant is also with day and night, and he hath appointed the ordinances of heaven; therefore, he will not cast away the seed of Jacob, who are the coming ones, but will certainly save them from the dreadful wrath to come (Jer 50:4,5). Therefore, it is manifest, that it is not the greatness of sin, nor the long continuance in it, nor yet the backsliding, nor the pollution of thy nature, that can put a bar in against, or be a hindrance to, the salvation of the coming sinner. For, if indeed this could be, then would this solemn and absolute determination of the Lord Jesus, of itself, fall to the ground, and be made of no effect. But his “counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure,” that is, his pleasure in this; for his promise, as to this irreversible conclusion, arises of his pleasure; he will stand to it, and will fulfill it, because it is his pleasure (Isa 46:10, 11).

Works of John Bunyan: The Greatness of The Soul And Unspeakableness of the Loss Thereof; Advantages To The Man That Come To Christ, 273

by Thomas Sadler, oil on canvas, 1684

1. In Peter. Peter denied his master, once, twice, and three times, and that with an open oath; yet Christ receives him again without the least hesitation or stick. Yea, he slips, stumbles, falls again, in downright dissimulation, and that to the hurt and fall of many others; but neither of this doth Christ make a bar to his salvation, but receives him again at his return, as if he knew nothing of the fault (Gal 2).

2. The rest of the disciples, even all of them, did backslide and leave the Lord Jesus in his greatest straits. “Then all the disciples forsook him and fled,” (Matt 26:56), they returned, as he had foretold, everyone to his own, and left him alone; but this also he passes over as a very light matter. Not that it was so indeed in itself, but the abundance of grace that was in him did lightly roll it away; for after his resurrection, when first he appeared unto them, he gave them not the least check for their perfidious dealings with him, but saluted them with words of grace, saying, “All hail! Be not afraid, peace be to you; all power in heaven and earth is given unto me.” True, he rebuked them for their unbelief, for which you also deserve the same. For it is unbelief that alone Christ and his benefits come to us (John 16:52; Matt 28:9–11; Luke 24:39; Mark 16:14).

3. The man who, after a large profession lay with his father’s wife, committed a high transgression, even one that, at that day, was not heard of—no, not among the Gentiles. Therefore, this was a desperate backsliding; yet, at his return, he was received and accepted again to mercy (1 Cor 5:1, 2; 2 Cor 2:6–8).

4. The thief that stole was bid to steal no more; not at all doubting but knowing that Christ was ready to forgive him for this act of backsliding (Eph 4:28).

Now all these are examples, particular instances of Christ’s readiness to receive the backsliders to mercy; and, observe it, examples and proofs that he hath done so are, to our unbelieving hearts, stronger encouragements than bare promises that so he will do.

But again, the Lord Jesus has added to these, the encouragement of returning backsliders, to come to him. (1.) A call to come, and he will receive them (Rev 2:1-5; 14-16; 20-22; 3:1-3; 15-22). Therefore, New Testament backsliders have encouragement to come. (2.) A declaration of readiness to receive them that come, as in the text and many other places, is plain. Therefore, “Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps,” of the golden grace of the gospel, “set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou went.” When thou didst backslide; “turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities” (Jer 31:21).

“And him that cometh.” He saith not, and it was him that talked, professed, that made a show, made a noise, or the like; but, him that came. Christ will take leave to judge, who, among the many that make a noise, is indeed coming to him. It is not him that saith he comes, nor him of whom others affirm that he comes; but him that Christ himself shall say doth come, that is concerned in this text. When the woman who had the bloody issue came to him for a cure, there were others as well, as she, who made a great fuss about him, touched him, and yes, thronged him. Ah, but Christ could distinguish this woman from them all; “And he looked round about” upon them all, “to see her that had done this thing” (Mark 5:25–32). He was not concerned with the thronging, or touching of the rest; for theirs were but accidental, or at best, void of that which made her touch acceptable. Wherefore Christ must be the judge of who they are that in truth are coming to him; Every man’s ways are right in his own eyes, “but the Lord weighs the spirits” (Prov 16:2). It stands therefore for everyone in hand to be certain of their coming to Jesus Christ; for as thy coming is, so shall thy salvation be. If thou come indeed, thy salvation shall be true; but if thou come but in outward appearance, so shall thy salvation be; but of coming, see before, as also afterward, in the use and application.

“And him that cometh TO ME.” These words to me are also well to be heeded; for by them, as he secured those that come to him, so also he shows himself unconcerned with those that in their coming rest short, to turn aside to others; for you must know, that everyone that comes, comes not to Jesus Christ; some that come, come to Moses, and to his law, and there take up for life; with these Christ is not concerned; with these, his promise hath not to do. “Christ becomes of no effect unto you; whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4). Again, some that came, came no further than to gospel ordinances, and their stay; they came not through them to Christ; with these, neither is he concerned; nor will their “Lord, Lord,” avail them anything in the great and dismal day. A man may come to, and also go from the place and ordinances of worship, and yet not be remembered by Christ. “So I saw the wicked buried,” said Solomon, “who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done; this is also vanity” (Eccl 8:10).

“TO ME.” These words, therefore, are by Jesus Christ very carefully put in, and serve for caution and encouragement; for caution, lest we take up in our coming anywhere short of Christ; and for encouragement to those that shall in their coming, come past all; till they come to Jesus Christ. “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”