John xii. 42, 43. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him ; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue : for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
IT seems astonishing to those who have ever con- sidered the evidences of Christianity, that any one should hesitate to embrace it, or to acknowledge any one of its fundamental truths. But reason is by no means a certain guide, even in the things which come within its proper and legitimate sphere : it is too frequently biassed in its decisions, even when the
568 JOHN, XII. te,48. [1676.
person himself is unconscious of any undue influence upon his mind. Evidence does not carry the same conviction to all : one is persuaded, whilst another doubts: the prejudices and passions of mankind operate to a great extent, and often leave demon- stration itself almost without effect. Hence we find, that all the credentials with which our Lord confirmed his divine mission, were insufficient to produce con- viction on the minds of many: as it is said, " Though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on hima." But by this the Scriptures themselves were fulfilled: for "Isaiah had said, Who hath believed our report ; and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" Yea, he had also declared, that on account of the perverseness and obstinacy with which many resisted the evidence set before them, they should be given over to judicial blindness and obduracy, so as to be incapable of estimating truth aright, or of embracing it when proposed to themb. Even when reason is convinced, it does not always carry the affections along with it ; but is often constrained to yield to the superior in- fluence of some predominant lust. Thus it was with those spoken of in our text; who believed indeed that Jesus was the true Messiah, yet could not find in their hearts to acknowledge him in that character.
We propose to consider,
I. The conduct they pursued —
They had seen the miracles of our Lord, and were persuaded that he was the person spoken of in the prophets : yet, because the Pharisees had agreed to excommunicate any who should receive him as the Messiah, they dared not to confess him openly. Now this conduct was exceeding sinful. Of its con- stituent evils we may notice,
1. The disingenuousness —
[The use of knowledge is to direct our ways : for the sake of our practice therefore we should be careful to acquire just sentiments. If our opinions be doubtful, we should try them ;
a ver. 37. b ver. 38 — 40.