this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write as a Preface to the following dehortation it implyeth the generall concernment of avoiding worldly Love 1. It concerneth all sorts of Christians the first part of that duty which the grace of God teacheth is to deny all ungoâ—â—â—iness and worldly lusts Self-deniall which includeth a renouncing of the world is the first step in the ladder of Christianity which Christ hath erected and yet withall it is that which even young men and fathers grown perfect Christians have need to be minded of It is very hard to walk upon snares and not be intangled nor have the best Christians their conversations so in Heaven but they are apt to be enamoured with earth and whilst they find strength to deny ungodliness they still find cause to complain of worldly lusts no wonder if St John write to all sorts Love not the world 2. It concerneth all ages Love of the world is that which begins betimes to take hold of our hearts little Children no sooner begin to know any thing but they are taken with these present visible sensuall Objects young men that are as it were entring upon the world have much to do in it and no marvell if they be too much taken with it nay which is both strange and usuall old Men though they are going out of the world do yet cling in their affections about the world herein their minds resemble their bodies which the older they grow still they bow down more towards the earth one wittily compareth them to the Rivers which the nearer they come to the Sea which is their end the broader they are and the more water they suck oh how greedy are many old Men of this world as if they were to run a new race of fourscore years longer when they are ready to drop into the Grave Quo minus viae restat eo plus viatici quaerunt the lesse way they have to go the more provision they crave for their journey Good reason then had our Apostle writing about this sinne to admonish all ages to beware of it And thus I have given a dispatch to the second Generall part of this Scripture the Act performed The last and greatest part yet remaineth to be diseussed in the following discourses THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 12. I write unto you little Children because your sinnes are forgiven you for his Names sake IT was the peculiar prerogative of the Disciples that they were fellows of Christs Colledg It is the common priviledg of all Christians that they are Students in Christs Church The studies wherein they are chiefly to be conversant are two namely of Faith and Repentance how to obtain pardon of sin past how to attain strength against sin for the fature These studies are each of them very choice and excellent and withall of that nature that they cannot be severed in vain doth he study for pardon who striveth not against sin and yet it is not future Obedience will satisfie for former guilt As therefore we must be solicitous for grace that sin may be prevented so we must be studious for mercy that guilt may be absolved To help us in both these studies namely To quicken our Repentance and to strengthen our Faith is the great designe of our Apostolicall Tutor in this Epistle in reference to the former he saith in the first Verse These things I write to you that you sin not and in regard of the latter he saith in the twelfth Verse I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven The Reasons of our Apostles writing to all Christians in generall and each age in particular are now to be handled 1. That with which I am to begin is the Reason of his writing to the little Children the Christians in generall as it is expressed in the close of the twelfth Verse Because your sins are forgiven you for his name sake For the further discussion whereof I shall consider it two waies As a Consolatory Assertion Your sins are forgiven you for his names sake As an Hortatory Reason enducing them to observe what he wrote to them in the word because These words Your sins are forgiven you for his name sake contain in them an excellent comfort a singular blessing concerning which we are to take notice of its Quality sins are forgiven Propriety your sins Efficiency for his name sake Of each in order with all perspicuous brevity beginning with 1. The Quality of the blessing here assured forgivness of sins it is the Subject which I have already had occasion to discourse of in the former Chapter but considering both the sweetness and the largeness of it I could not here pass it by Remission of sins is so sweet a comfort that like a pleasant tune it affects the more by the iteration and yet withall it is a Doctrine of such ample extent that notwithstanding what hath been already said there is somewhat still remaining to be said yea when I have said all I can I must confess my self unable fully to explicate the nature of it That I may give you a further account concerning this excellent benefit you must know that sin is to be considered three waies in it self in reference to God and to the sinner 1. There are two things observable to our present purpose in sin absolutely considered to wit its essence and its property the one whereof is constitutive and the other consecutive if it be allowable to make use of those phrases when we speak of a privation That wherein sin doth primarily consist is the breach of the Laws prescription that which doth inseparably attend upon it is its desert of the Laws curse now neither of these are properly the Object of forgiveness and the reason is plain because it is impossible ex naturâ rei and such as implyeth a contradiction that a sin should not be a breach of the Law or being a breach should not deserve the curse Indeed it is with the forgiven person in some respects and as to some accounts quasi as if his sin were no sin as if the Law had never been violated nor the penalty deserved the breach shall not be imputed to so as that the penalty shall be inflicted on him but the forgiven sin is in it self as truly a sin and as deserving punishment after as before it is one thing to acquit a malefactor as not guilty and another thing to absolve him from the punishment due to him for his guilt when God forgiveth a sinner he cannot be it spoken with an holy reverence peccatum non peccatum facere make a sin to be no sin and therefore those phrases which express forgiveness to be a taking away iniquity so as though sin be sought for it cannot be found yea a making Crimson Scarlet sins to be white as Snow and wooll are not to be pressed too rigidly but construed with a tanquam sin forgiven is as if it
before If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him it is as true the love of his Mother the Church is not in him Indeed in the Primitive times it so fell out that by reason of Persecution they could not cleave to the Church unless they were willing to leave the world and no wonder if the love of the world caused many of them to leave the Church 2 But more particularly 1 The lust of the flesh was a special cause of their Apostacy the Churches bounds were too narrow her Lawes too strict for those licentious Antichrists Indeed it is frequently observable that the great Rabbies against the Church are extraordinary Chaplaines to the Trencher St. Paul describing those false Teachers saith they were such as did serve their owne bellies nay more whose God is their belly St. Peter characterizeth them to bee such as did count it a pleasure to ryot in the day time having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin such as did allure through the lust of the flesh through much wantonnesse in a word hee compareth them to Doggs and Swine and calls them the Servants of corruption Finally St. Jude affirmeth of those Separatists that they were sensual so great affinity hath Epicurisme with Antichristianisme and Sensuality with Heresie 2 The lust of the eyes and that in both notions is no less an incentive of this sinful departure For 1 Curiosity hath ever been a nurse of error Prurigo sciendi scabies ecclesiae the itch of knowing more than wee should proveth too often an Heretical scab when men are not content with truths revealed no wonder if they wander into by-paths and lose themselves in a maze of folly Melior est fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria scientia was a good saying of the Master of the Sentences a modest ignorance is better than a presumptuous knowledge as we must not be too credulous in receiving what is delivered so neither curious in prying into what is concealed it is not seldome seen that as Thales gazing on the Starres fell into a pit so men that meddle with Divine secrets fall into the pit of errour 2 But that which hath ever proved the most usual source of Apostacy is Avarice observe the Apostolical character of the Antichristian Teachers and you shall still finde this to be one they are destitute of the truth saith St. Paul to Timothy supposing that gain is godlinesse and again the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith They teach things which they ought not saith the same Apostle to Titus for filthy Lucres sake Through covetousnesse they with feigned words make Merchandize of you saith the Apostle Peter and again an heart they have exercised with covetous practices which have forsâ—â—k the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Beor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse Thus Ignatius St. Johns contemporary complained of some that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather Merchants of Christ than Christians indeed carrying about the name of Christ fraudulently handling the Word of Christ deceitfully mingling with smooth words poysonous errours Thus St. Cyprian accused that Apostatizing Heretick Novatus of whom he saith that hee was avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus not only covetous but ravenous and insatiably greedy of gain And Isidorus observing that the Novatians stiled themselves the pure saith Mundams se potius quam mundos vocarent they should have called themselves not Puritans but Mammonists And however the Antichristian Apostates of our age have other pretences to wit of purity and godlinesse yet who so diveth into the bottome of their departure from the Church shall finde it to be the enriching themselves especially with the Sacrilegious spoyls of her Lands and Revenues It is a notable saying of Salust concerning avarice that it subverts fidelity and honesty it teacheth men to neglect God and make sale of every thing and what he found true in the Common-wealth we may in the Church that the love of gain causeth men to renounce the faith and they stick not to sell their Religion their Consciences their Souls for money 3 Adde to the two former that which must by no means in this case be left out as having a great hand in it namely The pride of life and that double 1 An arrogant self-conceit too often causeth men to depart from the Church one sort of the Hereticks in the Apostles time were the Gnosticks who were so called from their vain affectation and opinion of their owne knowledge no wonder if St. Pauls advise is not to think of our ownselves more highly than wee ought It is the observation of the Reverend and Learned Hooker that the chief cause of those Heresies which infected the Easterne Church was the restlesse wits of the Graecians ever more proud of their owne curious and subtile inventions which having once contrived they knew how plausibly to vent and Eusebius informeth us of that fore-mentioned Heretick Novatus that he was a man blown up with pride and self-conceit and Vincentius Lyrinensis of Nestorius that such was his scelerata presumptio daring boldnesse as to boast himself the first and only man Thus doe Hereticks and Schismaticks go out from because they account themselves above others above Fathers Councils Antiquitie Authority Church Scriptures all according to that proud speech of Abailardus Omnes alii sic ego autem non sic All others think thus but I think not so 2 An haughty desire of Honour and greatnesse which because they cannot obtain in the Church they seek after by going out of it That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius calls him ring-leader of Heresy Simon Magus would bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one and therefore broached those hellish doctrines Diotrephes loved the preheminence and that opens his mouth in prating against S. John It were easy to instance in Donatus Arrius and others who aspiring after dignities and being discontented the one that Cecilian Bishop of Carthage the other that Alexander Bishop of Alexandria were preferred into those seats which they aimed at did thereupon desert the Catholick Church look as through ambition it was that the Devil himself stood not in the truth so hee still carrieth his instruments to this pinacle whence hee throweth them down into errours And thus I have given you a brief portraicture both of the crime and its causes of which these Antichrists are accused They went out from us This heinous charge is that which the Papists at this day draw up against us because wee have deserted them condemning us as Hereticks Schismaticks Apostates and such as have forsaken the communion of the Christian Catholick and Apostolick Church But how causless and unjust thâ—s accusation is hath been both of old and
of Sacrifices Those Gnosticks in the Primitive times are Characterized by St Paul to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despisers of those that do good and so void of Christian love nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection to wit towards their fleshly relations to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fierce and cruell in their attempts yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very Devils for the malice of their tongues and notwithstanding they were such as had a form of godliness in regard of externall observances and so no doubt thought themselves in the light 3. He may mistake his hatred of his Brother for zeal his furious persecution for a just prosecution and no wonder if he think in this respect his very hatred to be an argument of his being in the light when those wicked Jews hate and pursue Christ even to the death they plead Blasphemy as the cause and so justifie the fact when Saul breathed forth threatnings and made that havock of the Church he saith of himself that it was in his opinion an act of zeal concerning zeal persecuting the Church our blessed Saviour acquaineth his Disciples That whosoever did kill them should think he did God good service and when men do inâ—â—â—â—re câ—â—-ratiâ—ne nay religione rage against their Brother not only out of rationall but religious principles to wit in their apprehensions no wonder if their rage grow very high and notwithstanding their opinions of themselves be very good 2. And surely this being his opinion no marvell if it be his Profession wherein he glorieth whereof he boasteth saying it to others that he is in the light Indeed some there are who say this in profession contrary to their own opinion their consciences tell them they are in the darkness of wickedness and yet they say they are in the light of grace and why this but that hating their Brother they may with the more certainty and secrecy accomplish their malicious designs against him But though I hope the number of these is very small yet many very many there are who whilest themselves are black with hatred glitter in showes of holiness and make great brâ—gs of their sanctity Ficta sanctitos oculas omnium perstring it interim neglecta jacet charitas â—aith Calvin upon this Textâ—â— â—â— their fancied piety â—â— glorious in the eyes of all whilest charity lyeth neglected We shall do no wrong either to the Papists on the one hand or Anabaptists on the other if we assert them to be haters of their Brethren the bloudy practices of both do loudly cry it in the ears of God and Man and yet many of these think all of them boast themselves to be in the light of sanctity and that they are the Churches of Christ You have heard what this hater of his Brother saith be pleased now to hear what he is as his state is really â—aithfully delineated by our Apostle in three characters And yet before I enâ—er upon the particulars it will not be amiss to take notice in generall how contrary the Apostles desciption is to this Hypocrites opinion â—â—e saith he is in the light the Apostle saith He is in and walketh in darkness whereby it appeareth that his opinion is very false because contrary to the judgment of truth and hence the Greek Scholiast here supplyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St Cyprian mentitur he that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother lyeth whence it is easie to observe That the estate of a man may be desperately bad when yet in his own opinion it is excellently good A man may account himself silver whilst God rejects him as dross he may in his own opinion be a Member of Christ and yet in Christs esteem a Childe of the Devill and whilst he dreameth that he is in the Book of Life he may be in Gods account a Reprobate Weake Christians erring on the right hand condemne themselves as if they were in the darkness of unregeneracy when yet God seeth the light of his grace shining in them Presumptuous Hypocrites on the other applaud themselves as if they were in the light of grace when yet God seeth them in the darkness of unregeneracy The Pharisee justifieth himself and condemneth the Publican Christ justifieth the Publican and condemneth the Pharisee Men may be good in the estimation of other yea and that of good men whilst in truth they are bad So the Angell of the Church of Sardis had a name that he lived and was dead Men may be Saints in their own apprehensions and yet Devils in Gods sight So the Angell of the Church of Laodicea said He was rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing when as he was wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Take we heed how we give credit either to the faire applauses of men or the smooth dictates of our own hearts which being deceitfull sooth us up as if we were in the light when yet we are and walk in darkness This being promised come we to a particuler view of the severall Characters given to him that hateth a Brother by which three things are represented to us His wicked Disposition He is in darkness even till now and again He is in darkness His vitious Conversation And walketh in darkness His miserable Condition And knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. That which first occureth is his wicked Disposition wherein we have two things considerable The Quality He is in darkness and the Duration even untill now 1. The Quality of his Disposition is described by that ingeminated expression He is in darkness for the fuller handling of which take notice first of the emphasis and then of the meaning of the phrase 1. The emphasis of the phrase is double 1. It is observable That our Apostle doth not content himself to say he is not in the light but as Zanchy well observeth exaggerationis gratia useth an exaggerrating expression He is in darkness Indeed the one doth necessarily inferre the other he that is not in the light must needs be in darkness since the remotion of the light is the position of darkness and as the one goeth the other cometh but yet this latter is more full and the Apostle that he might let us see how grosly such a man is deceived let us know that he is so far from being in the light that he is in darkness and therefore he is as much mistaken as if a man in a darke night should say it were noon-day 2. It would yet further be considered that it is not only said of such a man darkness is in him but he is in darkness even he that loveth his Brother is not so in the light but that there is a mixture of darkness but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and so without any light A man is then said to be in the water when he is covered
that our Apostle useth it in a Metaphoricall construction and his design in it is double Namely that this Appellation might be both a testimony of his affection towards them and a monitor to them of their duty and in both these considerations there was a great deale of reason why our Apostle should use this title of little Children 1. He calls them little Children to testifie that Fatherly affection which he did bear to them and this no doubt that hereby he might gain a filiall affection from them towards him and an affectionate regard to his Doctrine It is no small piece of policy in an Orator to make way for his instruction by giving evidence of his affection what appeareth to be spoken is commonly taken in love no wonder then if St John Ad majorem benevalentiam induâ—endam filiolos appellat as Justiuian appositely for the gaining of their good will to him declareth good will towards them by calling them little Children And truly so much the more cause had our Apostle to endeavour this in respect both of what he had and was to deliver He was now about to disswade them from loving the world a lesson to which they might probably be very averse it being so hard for us while we are in the world not to be intangled with the love of it nay perhaps they might think he was an enemy to them in requiring them to be enemies to the world it being strange he should will them to contemn that whereof they had continuall use Now by calling them Children and thereby insinuating that he spake to them as a Father they might justly perswade themselves that he advised them to nothing but what was for their good Our blessed Saviour strongly argueth from the Love of a Father If his Son ask bread will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a Serpent A question intending a negation doubtless he will not nay rather if he ask him stones or a serpent he will give him bread or â—â—sh Fathers do not use to give nor yet to advise their Children what is hurtfull but usefull for them and therefore by calling them little Children he would let them know that how prejudiciall soever this counsell of not loving the world might seem to them it was given by him as a Father and that which he knew would be beneficiall to them Again He had but now sharply reproved those among them who did hate their Brethren and least they should account him guilty of the sin he reproved as if his reprehension of them proceeded from hatred he presently manifesteth his love by this sweet appellation little Children There is never more need of insinuating into Auditors an opinion of our candid affection towards them then when we use bitter invectives against their sins men being very apt to misconstrue our hatred of their sins as if it were malice against their persons and truly what expression could more represent affection then this of Children Solomon saith The wounds of a Friend are better then the kisses of an enemy and good reason since there is more love in the ones wounds then the others kiss and if the wounds of a Friend much more the reproofs of a Father are from love if it be a rod the Childe must kiss it because it is virga Patris the rod of a Father and surely then though it be a sharp rebuke the Childe must embrace it because it is verbum Patris the word of a Father amor saith the old man in the Poet est optimum salsamentum love is that sauce which giveth a relish to things that are otherwise most distastefull and loathsome Brotherly love saith St Austin and it is no less true of Fatherly Sive approbet me sive improbet me diligit me whether it approve or reprove me it still loveth me and where love is the sweet spring though the waters be the waters of Marah I may chearfully drinke them That therefore our Apostle might render his severe reprehension the more acceptable he would have them know it was from that sincere and tender respect he bare to them and that he might convince them of this cordiall respect he bespake them as a Father with this affectionate title little Children 2. He stileth them little Children to minde them of that duty which concerneth all Christians in becoming as little Children and according to his masters Precept whose language he much delights to follow Indeed it is that which is not to run parallel in all respects and therefore saith Jansenius the imitation of little Children is either good or bad according to the things wherein we resemble them St Paul in one place bids us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew our selves men not women by cowardize no nor yet Children by inconstancy nay he expresly forbids Be not Children in understanding and again Be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine we must then be unlike and like to little Children We must not think like little Children for they only minde what is present whereas wisdome teacheth to look afar off and think of hereafter and yet we must think as little Children for their thoughts are not carking and distrustfull about what they should eat or drink or wherewith they should be cloathed we must not desire as little Children do for they ofttimes desire things that may prove hurtfull and destructive to them and yet we must desire as little Children for their desires are earnest and important after the dug we must not understand as little Children for they are but weak and defective in knowledg and yet we must understand as little Children for they are docile and facile to learn we must not speak as little Children for they speak rashly and yet we must speak as little Children for they speak truly we must not like them speak all we think and yet like them we must speak nothing but what we think In few words would we know wherein especially we ought to be as little Children look backward and forward to the sins here forbidden and we shall finde little Children fit monitors of avoiding both and perhaps therefore our Apostle maketh choice of this appellation as very sutable to these instructions 1. Little Children are innocent and harmeless free from hatred and malice they do not plot nor act mischief to others they seek not revenge upon others and this is that wherein chiefly we must resemble little Children To this purpose St Jerome Christ doth not require of his Apostles that they should be little Children in years but innocency and Theodoret on that in the Psalms Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength asking the question Who are those Babes and Sucklings answereth Qui lactentium puerorum innocentiam imitati sunt they who imitate the innocency of Sucking Children what need we a better Expositor
especially that of Hereticks 681 Confidence whence that ariseth which persevering beleevers shall have at the last day 748 Self-Conceit see Arrogance Concupiscence see Lust Confession of Christ when called to it necessary and why 627 629 630 Constancy see Perseverance Contempt of the world required of Christians 328. Contentation with our condition a choice virtue 385 Covetousnes why called a lust of the eyes in what it consists 374 to 378. an universal disease 378 379. insatiable 380 381. enslaving 382 opposed to all the Beatitudes 383. breaketh all the Commandements 424 425. a cause of Heresies 509 Creatures all of them may be our teachers 201. b. Curiosity of knowing of seeing condemned 364. c. one cause of Heresy 509 D. DEath puts an end to all worldly lusts 449. befalleth the righteous as well as the wicked 467. ought to bee daily meditated on and that by the youngest 491 Delights the difference between spiritual and carnal 448. they end in misery 456 Denial of Christ how many waies 617 614. it is a denial of the whole Trinity 618. how denied as the Son of God 626 627 Desire after the things of this world when inordinate 326 The Devil is subtil as well as malicious 362 363. his aim is to hinder us from the word 293. hee taketh advantage against us from our selves 363. hee stirreth up evil lusts in men 437. hee is the wicked one how hee came to bee so and in what respects hee is so 277 c. wee ought to fight with him 287. our best weapon against him is faith 289 Doctrines must bee examined in their consequences 620 621 Drunkenness a lust of the flesh wherein the sin consists 350 351 E. ENvy see Hatred Epicures please all their senses 366 Epistle the first of St. John a Touch-stone 1 2 Eternity puts a value upon things 477 704. this world so much the more transitory when compared with it 475. Christians of all others obliged to seek after it 478 Eternal Life two fold 657. why that life must bee so 658. it is the choice excellency of that life 659. it is the promise 665. made by Christ most clearly 665. to them that persevere 670 Examination of our selves is that in which wee ought to bee very serious 75 Examples we are apt to follow bad ones 437 Excelling when the desire of it is sinfull 794 795 F. FAith why called knowledge 8 9. it uniteth us to Christ 41. it produceth three sorts of effects 72. in exercising its reflex act wee must not neglect its direct 77. of great use in resisting the Devil 290 opposed by the Devil 634. it cometh by hearing 638. Falling away see Apostacy Father God cannot bee now rightly worshiped but as the Father of Christ 622. in denying the Son the Father is denied 616. several sorts of Fathers 208. perfect Christians compared to Fathers 204 b. Flesh a three-fold acception of it 343. several lusts of the flesh 344 to 358 Forgiveness of sin taketh off the obligation to punishment 241 242. may bee considered three waies 244. a special mercy 245. a great honour to God 248. hee is engaged to it by promise 249. it is for Christs sake 250 251. an obligation to repentance and love 252 to 254 Fornication a sinful lust of the flesh 348 G. GLuttony a sinful lust of the flesh 349 God from the Beginning 260 Gospel hath Law in it 88 89. the true light and why 122 123. the Truth 580 of Divine Original 583. leadeth us to Christ and by him to God 649 Grace if true cannot consist with the dominion of any sin 544. it is of great worth 545. to bee preserved and imployed by us 552 557 705. wee must concur with it 7â—7 it is not alwaies discerned by them who have it 76. it may be known whether true or counterfeit 71 72. all graces are connexe 60 61. wee must not bee proud of it 405. a little must not content us nor yet discourage us 213. wee must grow in it 217 218 H. HAppiness of that other life cannot bee expressed 654 Hatred of our Brother an hainous sin wherein it consists 166 to 178. he that is guilty of it may yet think his estate good 180. but hee is really very bad 184 Heresy the cause of it 509. those which are fundamental are to bee most opposed 600 Hereticks being erroneous themselves seduce others 679. they are cunning to seduce 682 683. very tenacious of their errours 645. they are lyars and Antichrists 597 Hearing the sense of knowledge faith 637. it must be with our heart and foot as well as eare 639 Humility wee are obliged to it both as men and Christians 405 Hypocrites pretend to great measures of illumination 21 22 I. IDleness a sinful lust of the flesh 355 Jesus that such a person there was 601. that hee is the Christ 602 to 612 Ignorance several kinds of it 588 589. the causes of it 591. most odious in old men 269 Illumination of the mind no less needful than the outward Revelation 568 570 Imitation of Christ hath a Limitation 45 46. how far extended 52. it cannot bee exact 53. ought to bee endeavoured 54 55. our relation to and union with Christ obligeth to it 56 57 Imputation of Christs righteousness to us how it cometh to pass 42 Incest a sinful lust of the flesh 346 Inconstancy in Religion bemoaned Interpretation of Scripture not to bee attempted by every men 236 Joy three things concur to it 68 Judgements God giveth warning of them before he sends them 501 K. KIngdoms have their periods 388 Knowledge very amiable 19 590. especially that of Christ 20 266. what it imports to know Christ 7 8. twofold 265 24. how differenced 25. if onely speculative it is not right and will but aggravate our condemnation 25 27. it must bee joyned with obedience 23 24 463. if right it is the mother of obedience 5. puts us on love to Christ 23 273. in what sense Christians know all things and with what knowledge 564 565. the means of attaining it 592. wee still need instruction 593 L. LAst Times those from the first to the second comeing of Christ 484 485. we must look upon every day as our last 491 Law in comparison of the Gospel darkness 124 Life why that future bliss so called 653. that far excels this 659. this transitory 450. too much doted on 659. three-fold 256 Love the nature of it in general 325 Love of God twofold 28. the effect of a right knowledge 29 30. it renders our obedience acceptable 32. what perfection of it is attainable 33 34. hee is to bee loved chiefly as a Father 415. it cannot consist with but casts out the love of the world 416 417 Love of our Brother the old Commandment 89 94. nothing added to it by Christ 105 to 110. in what sense a new Commandment 110 to 114. it prevents many sins and scandals 153 to 155. he that loveth is in the light 151. wherein Brotherly love