John 7:20

Christ is interrupted in his Apology by the multitude, who being ignorant of the Rulers plots (which others knew better, verse 25.) and seeing him get liberty to preach, and none molesting him, they cry out that he was madde and possessed, that should apprehend any such thing. Whence learn, 1. Albeit persecutors have many on their side, to be enemies to Christ; yet they are but few of them who are made privy to their plots and cruel projects; As here we see the people, or multitude, ignorant of all this, who goeth about to kill thee? Many who are on persecutors side, are to be pitied, and not to be suspected as accessory to all the machinations of their leaders. 2. It is great want of charity, when men do not onely taxe a particular fact, which they suppose to be wrong; but do also reflect upon the person who doth it, and passe hard censures upon the principles from which it floweth, for, albeit his apprehension had been false (as it was not, and men are bound to trust Christs verdict rather then their own sense and reason) yet it was hard measure because of this to assert, thou hast a devil. This was a very frequent designation among them of one that was distracted, and erred dangerously; for, whereas they could acknowledge Gods fatherly hand in moderate chastisements, they looked upon grosser distempers, as an evidence that a man was delivered over to the Executioners hand. Which however it be not still true, and is very sad when it is true; Yet a Saint may be exercised with a messenger of Satan, 2 Cor. 12.7. and yet be in his Fathers hand still. Onely it is to be marked, that they are affected with what they think to be a visible possession, who yet were little troubled with a spiritual possession, under which many of them were kept in bondage. 3. It is the lot of Chist and his followers, to lie buried under the most horrid of calumnies, even to be looked on as acted, guided and directed by an evil spirit; And Christ himself submitted to this, that he might sanctifie such a lot to his followers; as here we see, and frequently elsewhere in the Evangelists