George Hutcheson
36 But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and beleeve not.
In this ver. Christ doth sadly regrate, and discover their hypocrisie, and that, notwithstanding all their faire pretences, ver. 34. yet, they were but wilful despisers of him; in that, however they had not only seen him, but were convinced what he was, ver. 14. yet, they would not beleeve. And this he declares to be the more odious, that he had told them of it before, and yet they had not amended it. Whence learn. 1. When Christ is manifesting himselfe, by his Word or working, unto a people, then his eye is upon them, marking how they profit; So much doth he intimate unto them here. See, Ezek. 33.31. 2. Christ will not be deceived with faire shewes in a people, but can discover a rotten and perverse heart, under plausible pretences and professions; for, whereas they seemed to be so earnest, ver. 34. that there needed no more but to discover and offer that bread unto them, and they would embrace it; he sheweth that it was far otherwise, and that it was not ignorance, or want of opportunity, but perversenesse, that kept them back. 3. It is no wonder that Christ be much greeved with, and have many sad complaints of unfruitful and hypocritical hearers; considering their deceitful hypocrisie, the great injury they do to him, by sleighting of him, and, that they deprive themselves of so sweet advantages by him; Therefore doth he, who knew them well enough, and what a sweet offer of life they sleighted, break out in this sad rebuke, the manner whereof sheweth that it came from a grieved spirit. 4. As men may come a great length in conviction and knowledge, who yet do not beleeve; So whatever they attain by hearing, Christ will account it all nothing, if they come not to close with him by faith; without which, neither is he honoured, nor do they reap profit; for, Christ grants they had seen him, and yet that avails not, since they beleeve not. 5. The more conviction and light men have in the matters of Christ and the Gospel, their unbeliefe is the more odious; for, thus doth he aggreage their sinne, ye also have seen me, and beleeve not. See Joh. 12.37. and 15, 22, 24. 6. It doth also aggravate the sinne of unbeliefe, and prove the unsoundnesse of men, that they have been often told of their fault, and yet do not amend it; for, this addes unto the challenge, that he had told them of it before, But I said unto you, &c. And albeit we finde it not directly mentioned before, yet we are not to doubt of it, since he asserts that he had said it, and we finde it insinuate, ver. 26. where he tells them they followed him for carnal ends, even after conviction, ver. 14. 7. So long as sinners are not ashamed to continue in their courses of unbeliefe, and sleighting of Christ, Ministers should not weary to tell them of it, over and over again; for, so much doth Christs example teach, who having reproved this fault, doth not faile to inculcate it again.
