The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 420

'l'ho ottraction of Christ's character and life, of his gracious language, and above all of his sacrifice upon the cross, is the mightiest moral force the world bas ever felt. "I," snid he," if I am lifted up, will draw all men unto myself." 'J'hus in many ways, ndaptcd by his own wisdom to the nature and circumstances of men, is the Father dmwing men unto Christ. 3. The manner in which the Father draws the soul unto himself. (1) This attraction is not of a physical, mechanical, forcible kind. Such compulsion would be out of oil character, would not harmonize with man's moral freedom. And, indeed, it would not be the drawing of the soul. (2) It is a moral, spiritual 11ttraction, in accordance with the nature both of him who draws and of those who are drnwn. 'l'he Holy Spirit of God is the power to whom we owe the action of those moral constraints which are the chief and most beneficent factors in the moral life of mankind. (3) Mighty though this drawing be, it is for the most part gentle and gradual. Its influence is not always at once apparent; it becomes manifest with tbo growth of experience and the lapse of time. It is continuous, la.sting in the case of many from childhood to old age. (4) The power and efficacy of this agency is not to be disputed. The Father calls, and the child answers. The magnetism is exercised, and the soul flies to the attracting power. The light shines, and the eye turns towards the welcome ray. II. THE COMING OF TIIE SOUL TO CHRIST. 1. There is an indispensable condition without which no soul can come to Christ. Christ must first come to the soul. The gospel must be preached, and must be received, for it is the Divine call, which alone can authorize the approach of sinful man to the Holy One and Just. 2. The soul's method in coming. It is easy enough to understand how when Jesus wa.s on earth men came to him; they ea.me actually, bodily, locally. Yet the principle of approach is ever the same ; for our Lord said indifferently," Come unto me," a.nd " Believe on me." The coming of the bodily form was useless apart from spiritual approach, sympathy, and trust. As it is the soul which the Father draws, Bo it is the soul which, being drawn, finds itself near the Saviour and in fellowship with him. 3. The soul's purposo in coming. It is impelled by conscious need of the Redeemer, as the Prophet, the Priest, the King, divinely appointed. It hopes to :find in him that full satisfaction which, sought elsewhere, is sought in vain. 4. The soul's experience in coming. (1) There is welcome and acceptance; for be who comes is never, in any wise, cast out. (2) '!.'here is a perfect response to the desire and need. The hungry is fed, the thirsty finds the water of life, the weary meets with rest, and the man who longs to serve has revealed to him the law and rule of consecration. (3) There is the eternal abiding; for the soul that comes to Jesus neither leaves him, nor is left by him. 5. The soul's obligation in coming. (1) Gratefully to acknowledge the infinite mercy by which this attractive inflnenco has been exercised, and to which the fellowship with Christ is due. (2) Diligently to act as the Father's ngent in bringing other souls to Jesus. We can trace the Divine power in the human agency which wa.s employed to lead us to the Saviour, The same God can still use the same means to the same result.-T. Ver. 62.-17ie .Ascension foretold. The aim of our Lord's conversation with the Jews was to convince those who were prepared for the revelation, that he wa.s the Divine Mediator, and that union with him was the one hope of salvation for sinful men. An inferior claim he could not have made. Yet this assertion of his power :mcl dignity was nn offence to many who heard the Saviour's language, a.nd who could not believ0 that the lowly Nazarene occupied a place Bo exaltecl in the counsels of the Eternal. Jesus, perceiving that both the cavillers and the disciples were perplexed by bis state- ments and demands, instead of withdrawing anything that he had said, asked them how they would be impressed should they witness his ascension to his proper abode ? Although the evangelist John doos not record the Ascension, this is not the only pnssage in which be attributes to Christ language referring to that great ennt; a fa.et in favour both of the actual occurrence of the Ascension and of John's acquaintance with it. This great and finnl event in our Lord's earthly ministry was- I. A SUITABLE CONCLUSION TO ms CAREER ON EARTH. As his birth had been super- natural and bis ministry likewise, as his resurrection from the dead had in this respect corresponded with all that had gone before, it was proper that his final departure from earth should be distinguished by what was more tl::.an human in incident and in power.  288 TRE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'l'O ST. JOI.I~. [CII, VI. 1-71.