Three Reasons Why There Must Be Such a Preparation

First let the testimony of the Scriptures be heard which will evince it; and secondly the force of argument which will conclude it undeniable.

The Scriptures are pregnant which speak to this point, I shall insist mainly upon three.

When our Savior had in the foregoing verses discovered the unteachable stiffness of the hard-hearted and rebellious Jews, that though they had the preaching of John the Baptist who was a shining and a burning light to point out our Savior to them; they saw the works of our Savior daily before their eyes that might convince them; indeed, [illegible] the Scriptures the records of the counsels of God, which might show them the way to life in Christ and persuade their hearts to embrace it; yet our Savior upbraids their rebellion to their faces, "You will not come to me that you might have life" (verse 40). But the question might grow what might be the cause of this incorrigible perverseness of their spirits, for if another came in his own name they would hear him, but though he came in his Father's name they would not receive him (verse 43). He answers therefore in verse 44 (John 5:44): "How can you believe who receive honor one of another, but seek not the honor that comes from God only?" Where these two things are plain.

First, when the poise of corruption and the body of death so far prevails, that we seek ourselves, and set up our own persons, in the eyes and hearts of others: when we would study to please men, and to seek applause and approbation from them, and satisfy ourselves therein, and so set up ourselves in their esteem — our Savior professes and that peremptorily, "How can you believe?" — that is, it is impossible you should believe, as if he should say, these two are so contrary, as heaven and earth one to another, they cannot meet together in one heart. And therefore this is made the first step to Christianity, "If any man will be my [reconstructed: disciple], let him deny himself and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Where there is no denying of a man's self, there can be no following of Christ.

That God should give all to me, work all by me, and take all from me, this is to seek the glory that comes from God only, this is my honor, when I am willing that God should honor himself upon me and by me.

Second, if seeking honor from man and faith cannot stand together, then the sovereignty of this sinful distemper must be renounced, as cross to grace and Christ, before we can receive faith or Christ by faith.

The like place you have (John 6:44), uttered and expressed upon the same ground and occasion, and tending to the same end: when the Pharisees despised the person and quarrelled with the word of our Savior Christ, "Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose father and mother we know, how is it that he says I came down from heaven?" (verse 42). That which they saw not, understood not, that they would not entertain; our Savior shows the reason of this wretched rebellion of heart, "No man can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draw him" — unless the Father who has called our Savior, and committed the great work of salvation to him, and sent him to that purpose, by a holy constraint draw the rebellious [illegible] out of himself to Christ, he will not, he cannot come to him. Coming is believing; drawing is preparing; when God the Father lets in his heavy displeasure into the soul of a sinner to force him to seek out to Christ for present relief, there is else no way but perishing — this is that which causes him to go out to Christ. It is hence plain.

- 1 Unless a man be drawn there is [reconstructed: no] coming. - 2 He that is drawn will certainly [reconstructed: come.] Without preparing there is no believing, and he that is prepared will undoubtedly come and believe.

It is the scope of that [illegible], and the very aim of the parable: "No man can enter into a strong man's house before he first bind the strong man, and then [reconstructed: take] possession of the house" (Matthew 12:29). The house is the heart, the strong man is Satan, who takes possession thereof, and rules in the soul by means of [illegible]. The binding of this strong man is the taking away of the overruling claim and challenge that Satan by [illegible] lays to the soul, and by virtue whereof he acts it and carries it to the commission of evil. [illegible] [illegible] while our Savior by a superior right of [illegible], by [reconstructed: his] precious blood, lays claim to the soul — "this soul is mine" — he binds Satan's hands, brings to nothing and annuls his claims, and so spoils him of [reconstructed: all] that rule and tyranny he exercises in the soul.

It is the meaning of that order appointed by God in the work of conversion and [illegible] the soul to himself (Acts 26:18): "To [reconstructed: turn] them from darkness [reconstructed: to] light, from the power of [reconstructed: Satan] to God" — first from the one, then to the other.