Objection 8: Drawn of the Father – Whitby’s refutation of Arguments in favor of irresistible grace
OBJECTION EIGHT. 'No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him' (John 6:44) Now he that is drawn, is passive."
ANSWER. To this I answer, (First,) that to be drawn of God, cannot import our being moved by any inward and irresistible impressions to believe in Christ; for then no man could come to Christ without this irresistible impression, and then no other person could be blameworthy for not believing on him, because they could not do it without that powerful attraction which God was not pleased to afford them; nor could it be praise-worthy to believe in him, because they only did so when they could not chose but do it, as being moved in so doing by a force they were not able to resist.
Therefore to be drawn of God can only signify:
First. To be persuaded and prevailed upon to come to Christ, by the consideration of the mighty works which God had done to justify that Christ was the true Messiah, or that prophet which he had sent into the world. To these Christ still appeals as divine testimonies concerning him, by saying, "the works that my Father has given me to; bear witness of me;' (John 10:25) and hence he represents the unbelieving Jews as inexcusable, that he had done ' those works among, them which never man did.' (James 1:14) See the note there.
Or, Secondly, It is to be moved by the great promise of eternal life, confirmed by these miracles, to do it; for where there is a firm belief and lively sense of that inestimable blessing, it strongly must engage us to use the means by which we may obtain it, and so to come to Christ, when from him only this blessing is to be expected; and this is a familiar sense of the word 'draw,' both in the scripture and in other writings. Thus God is said to ' draw them to himself by the cords of lore,' (Hosea 11:4) who yet were ' bent to backsliding from him,' (verse 7) and men are said to be ' drawn aside by their own lusts;' (or trahit sua quem que volitptas,) ' every man's pleasure draws him to a compliance with it:' See the note there. And that we are only said to be drawn thus by the Father to Christ, (viz. by his miracles and divine instructions,) is evident from the words following; as a proof of this, ' it is written they shall all be taught of God, he therefore that hath heard (these things from) the Father (there is God's teaching) and learned, that is, perceived that it is even he that speaks and does these mighty things by me, (there is man's duty and his action) he comes to me.' Without this drawing, none can come to Christ; for God alone can give this promise of eternal life to encourage us to do so, and no power but that of God could work those miracles which confirmed this promise and the commission of our Lord.
ANSWER. To this I answer, (First,) that to be drawn of God, cannot import our being moved by any inward and irresistible impressions to believe in Christ; for then no man could come to Christ without this irresistible impression, and then no other person could be blameworthy for not believing on him, because they could not do it without that powerful attraction which God was not pleased to afford them; nor could it be praise-worthy to believe in him, because they only did so when they could not chose but do it, as being moved in so doing by a force they were not able to resist.
Therefore to be drawn of God can only signify:
First. To be persuaded and prevailed upon to come to Christ, by the consideration of the mighty works which God had done to justify that Christ was the true Messiah, or that prophet which he had sent into the world. To these Christ still appeals as divine testimonies concerning him, by saying, "the works that my Father has given me to; bear witness of me;' (John 10:25) and hence he represents the unbelieving Jews as inexcusable, that he had done ' those works among, them which never man did.' (James 1:14) See the note there.
Or, Secondly, It is to be moved by the great promise of eternal life, confirmed by these miracles, to do it; for where there is a firm belief and lively sense of that inestimable blessing, it strongly must engage us to use the means by which we may obtain it, and so to come to Christ, when from him only this blessing is to be expected; and this is a familiar sense of the word 'draw,' both in the scripture and in other writings. Thus God is said to ' draw them to himself by the cords of lore,' (Hosea 11:4) who yet were ' bent to backsliding from him,' (verse 7) and men are said to be ' drawn aside by their own lusts;' (or trahit sua quem que volitptas,) ' every man's pleasure draws him to a compliance with it:' See the note there. And that we are only said to be drawn thus by the Father to Christ, (viz. by his miracles and divine instructions,) is evident from the words following; as a proof of this, ' it is written they shall all be taught of God, he therefore that hath heard (these things from) the Father (there is God's teaching) and learned, that is, perceived that it is even he that speaks and does these mighty things by me, (there is man's duty and his action) he comes to me.' Without this drawing, none can come to Christ; for God alone can give this promise of eternal life to encourage us to do so, and no power but that of God could work those miracles which confirmed this promise and the commission of our Lord.
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