CHRIST HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE

"Jesus said, Will ye also go away?" —John 6:67 [KJV]

This, O soul, is the voice of thy Beloved. Thy Friend put this question to His own disciples. Our Captain keeps no pressed men [i.e., drafted] in His service. All His subjects enter as volunteers. They are made willing to come to Him (Psalm 110:3), believe on Him and greatly esteem the day of His power, to follow and cleave to Him. Force, restraint, and compulsion act not on their ingenuous minds. But what they find in Jesus now, present peace; what they expect from Jesus hereafter, glory and salvation, endears Him to their souls. 

Daily observation furnishes with instances of many who profess to own Christ and to follow Him for a season; but anon, through not understanding His doctrine, not seeing their own misery and wretchedness, and not knowing His love, they are offended, forsake Christ, His truths and His ways. They go back again to the world, to the enjoyment of their lusts, and take up with carnal preachers, who cry peace, peace unto them. Thus they make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, which they professed to have; and the last end of such is worse than their first. They forsake their own mercies, by turning their backs upon precious Jesus; and are left to perish without hope or remedy. 

But a true disciple, who knows Jesus in spirit and truth, our Saviour keeps from such folly. The sight of others falling off and leaving Him is made of blessed use to such. It excites humility and gratitude—quickens to holy jealousy and godly watchfulness. Such a tender expostulation put to the soul, "Wilt thou also go away?" O how it kindles a spark of fire, and blows up a flame of love in the poor sinner's heart! As when a tender, indulgent parent says to his dear little child, Wilt thou go away and leave ME? How does it draw forth the love and affection of its heart! and the little thing, with eager embraces, clings the faster to its parent. O, by this question our dear Saviour has often roused my sluggish heart: and called forth a holy fear; and excited an earnest cry, "Lord keep me—O never, never let me forsake Thee!" 

When the aged Polycarp was joyfully going to seal the truth of his faith with his blood, being threatened by his proconsul with death in various shapes, answered, 'Why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt; we Christians are fixed in our minds not to change from good to evil.' Then the proconsul promised him liberty if he would reproach Christ. (O, the affecting reply! how ingenuous! how full of love!) 'Eighty and six years (said he) have I served my Lord Christ, and He has never done me the least wrong: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?' How victorious is faith! how powerful is love! Lord, increase our faith! Jesus inflame our love! "To whom should we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."—John 6:68.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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