Exposition of John, Chapter 5 · Verse 31
Verſe 43. I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receive me not: if another ſhall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
The third fault chalenged, is their not embracing him; who is come in his Fathers name, whereas they would receive a ſeducer coming in his own name: wherein their great perviſitie and injuſtice toward him, and Gods judgement on them, appeared. Whence learn, 1. Albeit Chriſt be God over all, equall with the Father, and Lord over his own houſe, and ſo acts in his own name; Yet it pleaſed him to condeſcend as Mediatour… not only to purchaſe life to them that come to him, but to be at paines, and come into the world cloathed with a commiſſion and authority from the Father, to make offer of this purchaſed life; that by his condeſcendence, he might commend his love to his people, and teach them humility, and not to run on a calling unſent; and, that we might look on him as approven of the Father, and that ſuch as come to him, the Father will accept them; for, ſaith he, I am come in my Fathers name, See Phil 2.5, 6, 7. &c. Matth. 3.17. Heb. 5.4, 5. 2. Chriſt thus coming, is to be received; his doctrine to be heard; himſelfe to …e acknowledged for ſuch in his perſon, offices, commiſſion, and benefits, as he declareth himſelfe to be; to be reſted on and embraced, to be employed and ſubmitted to as ſuch; for, ſo is imported in that they ſhould receive him. 3. Albeit Chriſt be the great Ambaſſadour of the Father, not a ſervant, but the Sonne, Matth. 21.37. And albeit he was ſingular in his adminiſtration of his office, and all tending to the good of ſinners: Yet ſuch is the perverſeneſſe of the world, as not to make him welcome; for, it is the peculiar priviledge of the elect, to be drawn to him, and others, they neither ſee his excellency, nor feele their need of him; Therefore, ſaith he, I am come in my Fathers name, and ye receive me not. 4. Such as reject Chriſt and receive him not, are deſtitute of the love of God, nor have they any evidence of reſpect to him, ſince Chriſt is the cleareſt image of the Father, and cometh in his name, and the Father will not be acknowledged but in and through him; Therefore, by this doth he prove that chalenge, ver. 42. 5. When Chriſt manifeſts himſelfe to the world, it is uſual with Satan to hound out ſeducers and falſe teachers, to ſtudy to beare him down, to ſeduce ſouls, and by their courſes, to make the way of truth odious; for, ſo is imported that another ſhall come, pretending either to be the Chriſt, or to hold him out to others, See Matth. 24.5, 24. Act. 5.36, 37. 6. Albeit falſe-teachers pretend to come in God and Chriſts name, Matth. 24.5. Yet they do but come in their own name, as having no commiſſion when they runne, as making themſelves, their reputation and advantage, their chiefe aime in their undertaking, and as ſpeaking the imaginations of their own heart and brain, without any warrant from God; for, another ſhall come in his own name. 7. Such as love not God, nor embrace Chriſt or his ſent ſervants, may take worſe in their roome, and will eaſily receive and embrace falſe-teachers and ſeducers. Mens nature is propenſe to evil courſes, and is readieſt to be affected with what is wrong; And ſeducers are more ready to ſerve mens humours, then faithful Miniſters may be; and withall; it is Gods juſt judgement on the world, to give them up to ſuch, ſince they will not receive the love of the truth, 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11, 12. Therefore, ſaith he, if another come in his own name, him ye will receive. This is the hainous ſinne of men, to affront Chriſt, to reſpect Satan in his meſſengers, before God in his Sonne, as to preferre lies to truth: And it is their dreadful puniſhment, to be given up to ſuch deluſions, becauſe they will not ſee the light, or do receive it only as it may ſerve their turne, or weary of the light, and walk not anſwerable to it. And men ſhould be aſhamed of their errours, as being their plague, and a proclamation that they have not received the love of the truth.