John 10:24-29
Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
"Tis evident, that the Words are expressive of this, that there Persons believed not, because they were not of the Number of such, who were made the Care and Charge of Christ, and in Consequence of that, hear his Voice, follow him, to whom he gives eternal Life, do not perish, and whom none can pluck out of Christ’s Hand, nor out of the Father’s Hand. This is clear from the very Scope of the Place. However , says he [the Baxterian] , your Conclusion from there Words , is directly contrary to the Intention of them . For , when the Jews demand an open and direct Declaration from Jesus , whether he was the Christ, v.23 [24] . he blames their Unbelief in there Words , v. 24 [25] . I told you , and ye believed not : The Works that I do in my Father’s Name bear Witness of me . And pray let it be observed , that it is one and the same Object of Faith , viz. Christ Jesus in his Character of the promised Messiah , which is here spoken of ; which one Sort are blamed for not believing in , and which the Sheep of Christ did believe in. And therefore the Duty must be one and the same to both . I answer, the Jews Question is, whether Christ was the Messiah, he observes he had told them that he was, and that his Works testified it, and ye believed not, i.e. ye did not think it true that I am the Messiah, which they might have done without special Faith. Special Faith includes common, but common Faith includes not special. And then he asserts, that they believed not, because they were not of his Sheep, in which Words special Faith is intended, or more than common Faith, as appears by what follows; but in the preceding Faith is put for common Faith, or a bare Persuasion of his being the Messiah, so that this is no Proof, that it was the Duty of these Jews to exercise special Faith."
