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Sermon LXXIX.
[CXXIX. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, John v. 39, “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that
in them ye have eternal life,” etc. Against the Donatists.
1. Give heed, Beloved, to the lesson of the Gospel which has just sounded in our ears,
whilst I speak a few words as God shall vouchsafe to me. The Lord Jesus was speaking to
the Jews, and said to them, “Search the Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life,
they testify of me.”3852 Then a little after He said, “I am come in My Father’s Name, and ye
have not received Me; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”3853 Then
a little after; “How can ye believe, who look for glory one from another, and seek not the
glory which is of God only?”3854 At last He saith, “I do not accuse you to the Father; there
is one that accuseth you, Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would
haply believe Me also, for he wrote of Me. But seeing ye believe not his words, how can ye
believe Me?”3855 At these sayings which have been set before us from divine3856 inspiration,
out of the reader’s mouth, but by the Saviour’s ministry, give ear to a few words, not to be
estimated by their number, but to be duly weighed.
2. For all these things it is easy to understand as touching the Jews. But we must beware,
lest, when we give too much attention to them, we withdraw our eyes from ourselves. For
the Lord was speaking to His disciples; and assuredly what He spake to them, He spake to
us too their posterity. Nor to them only does what He said, “Lo, I am with you alway even
unto the end of the world,”3857 apply, but even to all Christians that should be after them,
and succeed them even unto the end of the world. Speaking then to them He said, “Beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees.”3858 They at that time thought that the Lord had said this,
because they had brought no bread; they did not understand that “Beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees” meant, “beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees.” What was the doctrine of
the Pharisees, but that which ye have now heard? “Seeking glory one of another, looking
for glory one from another, and not seeking the glory which is of God only.” Of these the
Apostle Paul thus speaks; “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according
to knowledge.”3859 “They have,” he says, “a zeal of God;” I know it, I am sure of it; I was
3852 John v. 39.
3853 John v. 43.
3854 John v. 44.
3855 John v. 45–47.
3856 Divinitus.
3857 Matt. xxviii. 20.
3858 Matt. xvi. 6.
3859 Rom. x. 2.
On the words of the Gospel, John v. 39, ‘Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life,’ etc. Against the Donatists.
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On the words of the Gospel, John v. 39, ‘Ye search the Scriptures, because…