Exposition on John 5, John 5 · Verse 43
Verſ. 43.
I am come in my Fathers Name, and yee receiue me not; if another ſhall come in his owne Name, him will yee receiue.
IN theſe words Chriſt laies downe a confirmation of the former point, namely, that theſe Iewes had no louelove of God in them; his proofe is drawne from their affection and diſpoſition towards himſelfe, that came in the Name of God, and towards others that came not in the Name of God. Now that the ſtrength of this proofe may appeare, obſerue the meaning of the words.
I am come] This is ſpoken of that voluntary ſubiection whereunto Chriſt did abaſe himſelfe, to become our Mediator, our Prieſt, and our Prophet, to reueale his Fathers will vntounto vsus.
In my Fathers Name] This implies three things: firſt, that he came with authority and commiſſion from his Father. Secondly, that he came to bring a Meſſage from his Father, to declare his will. Thirdly, that he came to ſet forth, not his owne, but his Fathers honour and glory.
Yee receiue me not,] Yee reiect my doctrine, and hate my perſon.
If another come in his owne name,] Of his owne head, declaring his owne conceites, or doctrines receiued from other men, ſeeking his owne praiſe and honour.
Him yee receiue.] Such yee honour, louelove, follow, and emb…ac….
The Argument then is thus: They that louelove God, louelove thoſe that come in Gods Name, and reiect the other that come in their owne name:
But yet doe cleane contrary:
Therefore yee hauehave not the louelove of God in you.
Obſerue here then, firſt, a deſcription of thoſe who are the obiect, whereby our louelove to God may be diſcerned, namely, of Miniſters, who are either ſent of God, or come in their owne names; that is, are either faithfull Miniſters, whereof Chriſt doth here ſet forth himſelfe as a patterne.
[I am come, &c.] (But of this diuers times before) or falſe teachers and vnfaithfull, here ſet downe by the example of the Phariſes, of whom it is plaine, that they were not ſent of God, who preached their owne Traditions, and ſought onelyonly their owne glory. Hence we learne,
Doct. That it is a certaine note of a true Miniſter, to come in Gods Name, and of a falſe Miniſter to come in his owne name: the one hath an eye vntounto God, and runnes not before he be ſent; and being ſent, obſerues what his will is, and according to it, doth all things for his glory: the other hath an eye onelyonly to man, to pleaſe him, to ſeeke honour and preferment, &c. This difference wee ſee plainely betweene Michah the Prophet of the Lord, and Chenaanah, and the reſt of the falſe Prophets: 1. King. 22.11, 12, 14. betweene Ieremiah: Ier. 42. who perſwaded the people to obey the King of Babel: and Hananiah: Ier. 28.10, 11.
See Ier. 23.16, 17.
Vſe. This is a ſpeciall meanes to try the ſpirits, 1. Ioh. 4.1. whether they be of God, or no, if they ſeeke themſelues, or the Lord.
2. It ſhewes that many among vsus, although they hauehave an outward Calling, yet comes not in Gods Name, in that they aime not at the edifying of the Church by preaching, but their owne maintenance, eaſe and honour; or if they preach, they preach themſelues to ſhew learning, not for inſtruction of the people.
Secondly, obſerue in this verſe the peoples carriage and affection towards the Miniſters, either receiuing, or reiecting of them.
Doct. 1. They that receiue not ſuch as come in the Name of God, it is plaine they hauehave no louelove of God in them: for they that louelove not him that is ſent, louelove not him that ſendeth: 1. Ioh. 5.1. Iob. 13.20. This appeareth by the different carriage of godly men, and of hypocrites from time to time towards the faithfull Miniſters; as of Abab and good Iehoſhaphat towards Micah: 1. King. 22.8. of the good Princes, and the hypocriticall call Prieſts againſt Ieremiah: Ier. 26.11, 16.
Note this, that we may examine our ſelues, with what mind wee hauehave entertained thoſe faithfull Miniſters, that God hath g…uen vntounto vsus in this land, &c.
Doct. 2. They who receiue ſuch as come in their owne name, louelove not God: for there is a maine oppoſition betweene this, the ſeeking of mans ſelfe his honour and eaſe, and the ſeeking of the Lord: Phil. 2.21. and therefore they that delight in ſuch as ſeeke not the Lord, aſſuredly louelove not God. For it is a property of true louelove, to louelove thoſe whom God loueth, and hate thoſe whom he reiecteth: Reuel. 26. Pſal. 139.21, 22.
Doct. 3. From the ioyning of theſe together, learne. That thoſe who reiect true and faithfull Miniſters of the Lord, are ready to embrace falſe teachers. Pharaoh hated Moſes, but receiued Iannes and Iambres. Ahab hated Michaiah, but liked the falſe prophets. So the Iewes did flocke after Theudas and Iudas of Galilee, Act. 5.36, 37. yet they reiected Chriſt and his Apoſtles. The like they did in the laſt deſtruction of Ieruſalem, as Ioſephus reports; and now doe they highly eſteeme their Rabbins. Which commeth to paſſe, firſt, through the iuſt iudgement of God, who giueth them vp to the blindneſſe of their heart to beleeue ſtrong deluſions: 2. Theſ. 2.10, 11. Deuter. 28. Secondly, through the corruption of nature, becauſe we are naturally diſpoſed vntounto error, rather then vntounto truth, into which alſo wee eaſily doe fall, if wee bee not reſtrained by the Spirit of God. Whence it is, that there neuer was any heretike, were his opinions neuer ſo groſſe and damnable, but had many followers: 2. Pet. 2.1.2.
Vſe. This teacheth vsus not to cloſe our eyes againſt the truth, &c.