Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 25 – Verse 28
Verſe 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the luſts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, becauſe there is no truth in him. When he ſpeaketh a lie, he ſpeaketh of his own: for he is a lier, and the father of it.
Secondly, in this reply Chriſt doth clearly and poſitively ſhew unto them who is their ſpiritual father of whom they are, even which is the Devil, of which ſee what is ſaid on verſe 38. This he proves, in general, from their earneſt following and endeavouring to execute theſe wicked luſts which reign in him, and their writing after his copie, and imitating of him, being acted by him. Then he inſtanceth this general in two particulars, of murther, and oppoſition to, and defection from the truth; Which as it appeared in Satan from the beginning of the creation, in deceiving our firſt parents, and oppoſing the truth God had delivered to them, and in drawing them under the ſtroak of temporal and eternal death; So it was to be ſeen in them alſo, in ſeeking to kill him, verſe 40. and oppoſing his truth; which he had hinted at, verſe 43. and doth more clearly proſecute in the following verſes. Laſtly, he clears God of all theſe luſts of Satan, ſhewing that they ſlowed from his own defection, and that all his lies are his own invention, and ſo they who followed theſe practices, could not father themſelves on God. Doctrine 1. It ſhould be counted no abſurdity, but the ſound doctrine of Chriſt, to aſſert that not onelyonly they who boaſt much of pripiledges, but theſe who indeed are members of a true Church are nothing in reality and in Gods account, but limbs and children of Satan; ſo long as they are unconverted, and live in a wicked courſe; for, ſaith Chriſt of theſe Jewes, ye are of your father the devil. 2. Such as will not take with a reproof when it is mildly given by Chriſt, do provoke him to tell it out in ſharper termes; for, they would take no notice of what Chriſt formerly ſpake in general, of their ſpiritual parentage, and now he ſpeaks it out, ye are of your father the devil. 3. Mens practices will prove that they are Satans children, let them ſay what they will; And theſe do prove themſelves to be eminently his children, in whom he works the greateſt conformity to himſelf; for, Chriſt proves his own aſſertion, and refutes all they had to ſay againſt it, with this, the luſts of your father ye will do; and according as they were eminent imitators of him, accordingly did they prove how eminent they were among his children. 4. Satan is full of raging wicked luſts, wherein his children, being acted by him, do imitate him; for, there are the luſts of your father, wherein they do reſemble him. 5. Albeit Satan and his children do very often get many of their luſts fulfilled in the world; yet through the reſtraining power of God, and Chriſts watchful providence over his own, many of their hot attempts are fruſtrated; for, ſometime they prove but luſts, vexing chiefly themſelves who have them, and ye will, or, deſire to do them, but can get no further. 6. God will not judge of Satans children by their actings and ſucceſſe onelyonly, but by their deſires and endeavours; And albeit they be ofttimes ſtopped in their courſe, yet he will account them Satans children, becauſe of their obſtinate and wilful endeavours; for Chriſt proves the point by this, as ſufficient, ye will do, or, deſire to do the luſts of your father; for as yet they had gone no further then deſires and endeavours in perſecuting him. 7. As all unrenewed men are Satans children; So, in particular, all liers, deceivers, double minded and bloody men, and eſpecially, deſpiſers and oppoſers of Chriſts truth, and bloody perſecutors, are Satans chief children; for, theſe are the particular luſts, whereby he proves them eminent children, even murder and lying, of both which they were guilty. 8. This doctrine delivered by Chriſt, concerning Satans fall and practices, doth hold forth ſeveral uſeful Inſtructions, which I ſhall point out in this order. 1. The moſt excellent and perfect of creatures, being left to themſelves, and the guidance of their beſt perfections, will not be able to ſtand, or keep their integrity; for, ſo much appears in this example of Satan, who being one of the moſt excellent creatures, yet being left to himſelf, he abode not in the truth, or, in his original ſtation and holineſſe, and in his cleaving to God, but turned aſide to a vain lying courſe, and to be a deceiver of others, as is afterward cleared. And he was in this defection, from the beginning, to wit, of mans fall; So that however he was created perfect in one of the ſixe dayes, yet before the fall of man he had left his firſt habitation. 2. The cauſe of Satans fall was in himſelf, who of his own accord left his original holineſſe and ſtation; for, be abode not in the truth, but forſook it. 3. As ſince Satans fall, there is no ſpark of goodneſſe, holineſſe, or truth in him, (for, there is no truth in him;) So this depravation proves, that he is fallen from that condition wherein he was created; therefore doth this come in by way of reaſon, that ſince God made all his creatures good and perfect in their kinde, therefore it muſt neceſſarily follow, that he abode not in the truth, becauſe now there is no truth in him. And ſo the Lord is cleared of his fall. 4. Satan ſince his fall is a great enemy to man, and full of malice that man ſhould fill that roome from whence he fell; So much appears in his being a murderer and liar, and that from the beginning. He did begin ſoone, and continues long; ſo that Gods people are to remember that they dwell in a world where Satan is going about, full of rage. 5. Whatever mask Satan put on, in dealing with men; Yet he is but ſeeking their deſtruction, both of ſoul and body; for, he is a murderer. 6. Satans attempt and ſucceſſe upon our firſt parents, is a clear evidence of his deſignes againſt the children of men, and a ſad document, ſhewing how farre he may prevaile with the beſt, if they be left to their own free-will; Therefore is it peculiarly marked, that he was a murderer from the beginning, as a clear warning to all, from what he did to Adam and Eve, hazarding the deſtruction of their, and all their poſterities, ſouls, and bringing them all under the ſentence of bodily death. 7. Satans great engine, for bringing about his bloody deſignes, is, lying and deceits; Therefore is it ſubjoyned, he is a liar; And by this he prevailed with our firſt parents, ſubtilly calling the truth of God in queſtion. So that to give heed to his lies againſt the truth, is, in effect, to give up our throat to the murderer. 8. As Satan is a very ſubtile and crafty adverſary, full of cunning and ſleight to entrap the ſimple; (ſee 2 Cor. 2.10, 11. Eph. 6 11) So he is, in all he ſaith, a liar and not to be truſted; for, ſo ſaith Chriſt, there is no truth in him, he is a liar. Therefore, though he transforme himſelfe in an Angel of light, and busk up his projects; Yet men are not to be taken therewith; And though he ſometime ſpeak truth (as ſometime he did commend Chriſt, Mark. 1.24. Luke 4.34. and his ſervants, Act. 16.17. and may bear in true challenges upon beleevers;) Yet he is ſtill to be rejected, as intending thereby to deceive. For by his commendation of Chriſt and his followers, he intended either to make them be ſuſpected, or to draw perſecution on themſelves by caſting him out, as befel Paul. And when he pleads Gods cauſe againſt his people, it is but to drive them from God; and when he chargeth upon them what they deſerve, his ſcope is to deprive them of all hope of remedy, and perſwade them that they ſhall be dealt with only according to deſerving. 9. Satans ſinne is of himſelfe, and all the evil that is in the world, God is free of it, and only Satan, as the enticer, and we, as the conſenters, are to blame for it; for, when he ſpeaketh a lie, he ſpeaketh of his own: he is the father of it, or, the inventer and beginner of it, in himſelfe and his followers.
Ver. 45. And becauſe I tell you the truth, ye beleeve me not.
Here Chriſt doth confirme his aſſertion, concerning their being of Satan; And, as before he had proven they were of him, and imitaters of him, in murder; ſo, here he proves the ſame in the matter of lying, ſhewing that they were like Satan in that alſo, becauſe they will not believe him and his doctrine, even becauſe it is truth. And upon this followeth the other, of their ſeeking to kill him becauſe he told the truth, verſe 40. Doctrine, 1. Rejecting of truth, and wilful and malicious contradiction thereunto, is the great trade of Satan the lyar, and their practice who are his children, and acted by him; for, in this doth he inſtance Satans lying, and their ſinning like him. 2. As Satan ſince his fall hath caſt off all aw of God, and neither fears his juſtice, nor hopes for mercy, and doth maliciouſly, oppoſe truth, becauſe it is truth and croſſeth him in his deſignes: So Chriſts enemies, being acted by Satan, will oppoſe truth for no other reaſon, but becauſe it is truth. They will beleeve any thing but truth, and the more true the doctrine be, the more will they oppoſe it; for, becauſe I tell you the truth, ye beleeve me not. 3. Let wicked men oppoſe Chriſts doctrine as they will, yet it is truth, and any doctrine they embrace beſide, is but a lie, which will diſappoint them in end; for, however they believe not, yet ſaith he, I tell you the truth.
Ver. 46. Which of you convinceth me of ſin? And if I ſay the truth, why do ye not beleeve me?
In the third place, Chriſt in this reply, doth vindicate himſelfe, and ſo prevents an objection, and aggravates their infidelitie; For whereas they might object againſt the former challenge, in ver. 45. wherefore ſhould we beleeve thee, and leave our own Religion for thy ſaying whom we know not? Chriſt anſwers, that ſince none of them could convince him of any ſin, and his doctrine was the very truth, therefore they could not but ſinne hainouſly, in not giving him credite, whoever he were. Whence learn, 1. As Chriſts publike Meſſengers are obliged to be irreprehenſible, and true in their doctrine; ſo this was eminently and ſingularly true of Chriſt, who was the ſpotleſſe Lamb of God and infallibly true in all his doctrine; for he was without ſinne, and ſaid the truth. 2. It is not ſufficient to condemne any, that malicious men do calumniate and traduce them, unleſſe they can alſo argue and make it out; for Chriſt requires of his accuſers, that they convince him of ſinne, or, by arguing make it clear, that what they aſſert is true. 3. Chriſt was ſo perfectly ſpotleſſe and innocent, that albeit he lay buried under calumnies, yet none of his moſt malicious adverſaries could ever make it good that he was guilty of one ſinne; for, ſaith he, which of you convinceth me of ſinne? 4. Albeit the blameleſſe carriage of men doth ſerve much to make away for their doctrine, and doth aggravate their ſinne who deſpiſe it; Yet ſhould not be a ſnare to draw others to receive any thing they ſay, unleſſe it be made clear that it is truth; Therefore, in grounding this challenge, Chriſt adds this to that of his ſinleſneſſe, I ſay the truth. 5. As the doctrine of innocent and infallible Chriſt ought, without contraverſie, to be credited; ſo their conſciences may look for a ſad account and challenge, who will not do ſo: for, ſaith he, If I ſay the truth, why do ye not beleeve me? And it holds out alſo this general, that no prejudice ſhould hinder men from embracing that which is held out to be truth.
Ver. 47. He that is of God, heareth Gods words: ye therefore heare them not, becauſe ye are not of God.
In the laſt place, Chriſt concludes the diſcourſe with a ſad note upon them; And doth himſelfe anſwer that queſtion he had propounded, verſe 46. ſhewing, that the true cauſe why they did not beleeve, nor hear his word, was, becauſe they were not of God, which he illuſtrates from the contrary, and ſo leaves them again to conſider of whom they were. This aſſertion, as it muſt neceſſarily be underſtood of grown up perſons; (for infants are ſtill to be excepted in theſe ordinary rules) So albeit to be of God, be frequently underſtood of mens being elected from eternity; Yet here it is chiefly to be underſtood of regeneration, becauſe even the elect of God, ſo long as they are unregenerate, may be guilty of the ſame ſinnes with the reprobate, and particularly, in ſleighting the Word. Only, if we conjoyne theſe two, to reſiſt known truth, and to do ſo maliciouſly, (which was the ſinne of many of theſe Jewes) it cannot befall any elect: For though Peter ſinned wittingly, yet not maliciouſly, and though Paul ſinned maliciouſly, yet he did it ignorantly, and in unbeliefe, 1 Tim. 1.13. Doctrine 1. Mens reſpect to the Word of God is a true touchſtone, whereby they may try their own condition and ſtate; for, ſo doth Chriſt here teach us. 2. Men have nothing in them by nature, that can entertain or receive the Word of God with any due reſpect, but what they attain to of that kinde, is of God, and not of themſelves; for he muſt be of God, by election and regeneration who will hear Gods words. 3. An elect child of God being renewed, as he is begotten by the ſeed of Gods Word, ſo in his progreſſe he will not reſiſt the known light thereof, but will receive and feed upon it; And whatever may be his fits of tentation, yet he will never reject it maliciouſly: for, he that is of God, heareth Gods words: He heareth it with faith, ſubmiſſion, and fruitfulneſſe; for, ſo it is oppoſed to not beleeving, ver 46. See 1 Pet. 1.23. and 2.1, 2, 3. 4. Whoever they be that do not regard the Word of the Lord, but do maliciouſly reject it after conviction, they prove themſelves to be unregenerate, if not alſo reprobates; for, ye heare them not, becauſe ye are not of God. 5. Conſequences ſoundly and ſolidly deduced from Scripture, are Scripture, and as valid a ground of faith, as the ground from whence they are deduced; for, ſo doth Chriſt here teach us by his own practice, deducing from that ground, He that is of God, heareth Gods words, this neceſſary and infallible conſequence, ye therefore here them not, becauſe ye are not of God. And this pen-man is full of ſuch deductions, warranting this way of arguing. 6. Whatever affront men think to put upon Chriſt, by rejecting his doctrine: Yet the real ignominy redounds to themſelves; Therefore, however they laid all the indignitie of this oppoſition on Chriſt himſelfe, and on his doctrine; Yet he tells them it flowed really from this, ye are not of God, but lying in a reprobate unregenerate condition.