I can admit that this liar has been listened to, and is listened to; and that men may enter into such communion with him--may become so penetrated with his false and mendacious spirit, that they shall become in very deed his children, entirely fashioned into his likeness, understanding no lessons but his. Our Lord speaks of the Jewish people--of the most religious part of them especially--as having passed, or as rapidly passing, into this condition. He declares, in the words which I have taken as my text--and which embody, I think, some of the deepest lessons of the chapter--that they could not '_understand His speech_;' that that sounded strange, monstrous, deranged to them, because they '_could not hear His word_'--because their hearts and consciences were closed against that which was every moment knocking and craving for admission there. They did '_not hear God's words, because they were not of God_'--because their whole minds and wills were given up to another God, because they had become Devil-worshippers. '_Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth._' It is certainly most unfortunate that our translators--who had just rendered Διάβολος by Devil, in our Lord's discourse--should take the same word for δαιμόνιον, in the discourse of the Jews. I need not say that they did not mean what He meant, or anything like what He meant. They called Him a Samaritan,--evidently alluding to the Samaritan passion for enchanters. He was a possessed man, like one of those who appeared so often among the worshippers on Gerizim, and drew so many disciples after them. The reply of Jesus is, that He had not a dæmon; that He was speaking the words of no subordinate spirit or angel; that He was '_honouring His Father_'--Him whom they called their God, the Father of spirits. He did not seek His own glory, as those did who came boasting that they were possessed by a spirit or dæmon, of which no others could partake. He came seeking His Father's glory, promising to make all partakers of His Spirit.