Exposition on John 5, John 5 · Verse 45 – Verse 47
Verſ. 45.
Doe not thinke that I will accuſe you to my Father: there is one that accuſeth you, euen Moſes in whom yee truſt.
AFter that our Sauiour had reprooued theſe Iewes for their vnbeliefe, and laid downe the cauſes thereof, viz. their ignorance, obſtinacy, want of louelove, and ambition, hee comes in the next place to the euent and iſſue, that will follow vponupon this their incredulity; telling them (in theſe words) that condemnation remaines for them, they ſhall be accuſed, and ſo as that they ſhall be condemned. It is then a very ſeuere Commination againſt them, wherein obſerue; firſt, who ſhall accuſe them; firſt, negatiuely, one is remooued [Think not that I.] Secondly, affirmatiuely, another is declared who it ſhall be, viz. Moſes.
Secondly, for what they ſhall be accuſed. Firſt, in generall, from the manner of Chriſts proceeding, how that after hee had firſt ſoundly prooued the point in queſtion, viz. that hee was God, and alſo reproued them for their incredulity; now ſeeing them ſtill to remaine obſtinate, and that nothing would worke vponupon them, hee can no longer forbeare, but hee threatens this …eauy iudgement vponupon them. Hence we learne,
Doct. That when men will not be moued with ſoundneſſe of argument, or with reproofes, they muſt bee more roundly dealt withall, by denouncing the iudgements of God againſt them. This was the practiſe of Chriſt againſt all obſtinate men, as the Phariſes, Mat. 23. Many woes denounced. Of Moſes with Corah and his company. Of Iohn Baptiſt with the ſame Phariſes, Mat. 3.7. Tit. 1.13. For when milder meane… will not preuaile this may worke vponupon them, Iud. verſ. 23. Therefore as lenity and mildeneſſe doth become the ſeruant of God, ſo doth alſo ſeuerity beſeeme him according as hee hath perſons to deale withall. Theſe cautions obſerued, firſt, that he hauehave a calling to doe it: for then doth the threatnings terrifie: as if a child be threatned by his father, a ſubiect by hi… Prince. Secondly, that the perſon be certainely found to bee obſtinate. Thirdly, that it be done without paſſion, in a holy zeale with meekeneſſe. Fourthly, that it be done without reſpect of perſons to one, as well as another, ſparing none. Fiftly, that it be for weighty cauſes, not for trifles, as Excommunication is now vſed, which makes it ſo lightly eſteemed of. Sixtly, it muſt be vſed in the laſt place, after all other gentler meanes ſought·
In particular, firſt, conſider the occaſion of theſe words [Doe not thinke] implying that this obſtinacy aroſe in them, becauſe they cared not for Chriſt, nor eſtemed what he ſaid, whom they accounted but as a meane man like vntounto others; yea, worſe then others, holding him for a blaſphemer, prophaner of the Sabbath, &c. but as for them, they had Moſes for their Patron, whom they truſted in. This their thought being not yet vttered, Chriſt preuenteth, telling them, that euen Moſes, whom they ſo highly magnified, ſhould be their accuſer.
Of this dealing of Chriſt, we hauehave many examples, how hee doth preuent the thoughts of his hearers, ſo meeting with ſinne at the beginning, before it breake out further.
A patterne for Miniſ…ers to follow, teaching them to diue into mens hearts as farre as they can. W…ich they may doe,
1. By d…ligent obſeruing of t…eir owne diſpoſition, their owne temptations, &c. and to thi…ke the ſame may bee in others, &c.
2. By obſeruing what hath been the quality and diſpoſ…tion of his Hearers, what their conceits and opinions, …ir excuſes and pretences, &c.
3. By the Word which can ſearch further then any other meanes. Thus ſhall they meet with ſinne in time, and ſuffer no roote of bitterneſſe to ſ…ing vp.
2. The parties accuſing.
Not Ch…t, but M…ſes, [Thinke not that I.] But how may this be, doth Chriſt accuſe a…d …ndemne vnbel…euers?
Anſw. This may be taken two wayes, either litterally, and that, firſt, in regard of that proper and maine end, for which Chriſt came into the world, viz. not to condemne and accuſe ſinners: for this the Law had done before, but to ſaue. Secondly, in regard of his high Office, to be a Iudge to heare and giuegive ſentence, and not to be an Accuſer.
2. Or figuratiuely; firſt, by way of conceſſion; as if hee ſhould ſay, Though I ſhould hold my peace, and ſay nothing of you to my Father, yet ſhould you not be acquited: for euen Moſes, whom you hold for your Patron, ſhall accuſe you. Secondly, by way of amplification, as if he had ſaid, Thinke not that I alone will accuſe you, there is another alſo that will accuſe you, euen Moſes.
From the connection of theſe two, obſerue,
Doct. They that beleeue not Moſes and his writings, ſhall hauehave Moſes to be their accuſer. So they that beleeue not the Prophets, hauehave the Prophets for their accuſers. The ſame may be applied to the Apoſtles, and all faithfull Miniſters of the Word: for they all bring not their owne, but the meſſage of God, whoſe Word cannot goe backe in vaine, but it either breeds faith, or makes moe obſtinate, it is either a ſauour of life, or of death, 1. Cor. 6.
Vſe. It teacheth vsus to be very carefull in reading of Moſes, the Prophets, Apoſtles, &c. in hearing the Miniſters of the Word, to take heed how we reade and heare, viz. ſo that wee apply both threatnings and promiſes to our ſelues, that we beleeue all doctrine of Faith, follow after all graces whereunto we hauehave been ſtirred vp, auoide all vices, from which wee hauehave been dehorted. Elſe e…ery Chapter and verſe that wee hauehave read, eueryevery Se…mon … …ſtruction that wee hauehave heard, ſhall be a witneſſe againſt vsus to accuſe vsus.
In whom yee truſt.] Firſt, note here the erroneous and hereticall collection of the Papiſts from hence; therefore, ſay they, the ancient Fathers beleeued in Moſes, truſted in him, adored him, and called vponupon him: wherefore ſo may we doe vntounto the Saints.
The vanity of this appeares, firſt, becauſe theſe here ſpoken of, are ſuch as Chriſt condemnes, and who had Moſes to bee their accuſer. So that they truſted in Moſes, and Moſes would accuſe them for it; and what doth this make for the Papiſts? Secondly, by Moſes is meant here Moſes doctrine, and not his perſon; and ſo they are here ſaid to truſt in Moſes, as before they are ſaid to truſt in the Scriptures. Thus in Exodus, they beleeued the Lord and Moſes, foreign that is, they gaue credence to Moſes. So 2. Chron. 20.20. So it is in the Vulgar.
Secondly, from this obſerue, that whereas it is laid downe, to ſhew their high account and good opinion that they had of Moſes, who yet notwithſtanding, ſhould be their accuſer.
Doct. The high account that people hauehave of Miniſters, ſhall not keepe them from being their accuſers, if they beleeue, and obey not their doctrine.
For it is onelyonly faith and obedience to their doctrine that can free vsus from the accuſation of our Miniſters: for ſo they ſhall not hauehave to accuſe vsus, but to pleade for vsus; Heb. 13.8, 17.
Verſ. 46.
For had yee beleeued Moſes, yee would hauehave beleeued me, for he wrote of me.
IN this verſe is laid downe the cauſe why Moſes would accuſe them, which is their incredulity: not directly expreſſed, but laid downe vnderunder a proofe, and … the more ſtrongly affirmed.
Now this is ſtrange that they ſhould not beleeue in Moſes, in whom, as is ſaid before, they truſted, whoſe diſciples they profeſſed themſelues to be, whom they knew to be inſtructed of God.
To …are this, we muſt conſider, that there is a double faith▪ firſt, … generall faith, whereby we beleeue the Miniſters of God to be his ſeruants ſent of him, and that which they deliuer, to be t…e Word and truth of God.
2. A particular faith, whereby we vnderſtand, and conceiue the true meaning of that which is deliuered, and accordingly apply it to our ſelues. Herein failed theſe Iewes, for they vnd…rſtood not, that Moſes ſpake of Chriſt, and therefore they beleeued him not.
The proofe ſtands thus; Yee beleeue not me, therefore yee b…leeue not Moſes.
Doct. They that beleeue not in Chriſt aright, beleeue not Mo…es ▪ the Prophets, the Apoſtles, the Scriptures, or the Miniſters preaching out of the Scriptures. For all doe declare Chriſt.
Vſe· So to reade and heare all, as that we may find matter to ſtrengthen our faith in Chriſt, otherwiſe all will bee our accuſers.
A confirmation of this proofe is in theſe words [for he wrote of me.] Whence we learne, firſt, that Chriſt was made knowne euen from the beginning. Secondly, that if we beleeue not the doctrine that is deliuered, we doe not beleeue the Miniſters: if we beleeue not Moſes writings, we beleeue not Moſes.
Verſ. 47.
But if yee beleeue not his writings, how ſhall ye beleeue my words.
A Further confirmation proouing their incredulity, wherein note a double compariſon, firſt, betweene Mo…es and Chriſts pe…ſons: ſecondly, betweene Moſes writings and Chriſts words: as is hee ſhoul… ſay, If yee reiect Moſes, whom yee t…i…ke ſo well of, whoſe writings are recorded vntounto you, no ma…ll, yea, how can you but reiect me, whoſe words are only ſ…unded in your eare…, and of whom yee eſteeme ſo meanely, an… ſo baſely, [from th…ir conceit.]
Doct. If we will no… b…leeue the written Word of God, we wi… not beleeue any …uide…c… whatſoeuer. Marke Abra…ms anſwer to the Rich man, Luk. 16.31.
For the Scriptures hauehave been approoued from time to time to be the Word of God, and the ground of all writing, ſpeaking and preaching, hauing fully declared the whole will of God.
Vſe 1. That wee ſeeke not any other meanes to breed Faith beſides the Word.
Secondly, that this be a ſtrong motiue to ſtirre vp to hauehave it in high account.