gift namely the holy one By which some understand the third Person in the sacred Trinity to whom this character so fitly agreeth that he is usually set forth by this title the Holy Ghost but the Scripture phrase is not annoynting from but with the Holy Ghost by which is intimated that the Holy Ghost is the unguent itself and therefore it is more rational to understand by the Holy one Christ from whom it is wee have the unction of his Spirit so that in the handling of this part I shall first give you an account how fitly and fully it agreeth to Christ and then reflect upon the unction how justly it is affirmed to be from Christ 1 It would not be passed by that the Apostle mentioning Christ describeth him by holinesse it is the title by which he characterizeth himself in the beginning of his Epistle to the Church of Philadelphia These things saith he that is holy and that he spake no more than truth of himself you may hear the same from the mouth of his and our grand Adversary the Devil I know thee who thot◠art the holy one of God Our Apostle here sets it down very emphatically The Holy one that is singularly eminently perfectly holy or in Daniels phrase the holy of holies which our Translators fitly render by the superlative degree the most holy one look as a little before the Devil is called The wicked one because hee is extreamly wicked so Christ is called the Holy one as being transcendently holy It is that which is true of Christ in reference to both his Natures as God and as Man 1 Holinesse is the inseparable property of a Deity it is as it were the excellency and perfection of the God-head and Crown of all the Attributes now Christ is Gods own Son to whom hee communicateth himself and so this holinesse The Angels in Isaiah and the Beasts in the Revelation giving glory to God three times iterate Holy Holy Holy with reference as some conceive to all the three Persons Holy Father Holy Son and Holy Spirit and thus Christ as God is holy in his Nature in his Decrees in his Word and Works and eternally holy in all he is and willeth he saith and doth according to that of the Psalmist He is holy in all his works 2 As man he is the holy one and that both in respect of his conception and conversation 1 His conception was holy because of the Holy Ghost who over-shadowed the Virgin purifying that part of her substance of which Christ was born whereby hee was free from all that corruption which is by Adam propagated to his posterity To this probably referrs that phrase the holy childe Jesus and certainly that of the Angel to the Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God True it is Christ took upon him the reality of frail flesh but only the likenesse of sinful flesh and though he assumed our natural yet not our vitious defects 2 His conversation was holy Indeed how could any impure stream flow from so pure a spring his nature being holy his life could not be unholy and there being an exact integrity in the one there must needs be a spotless innocency in the other on the one hand he was to bee a pattern of holinesse after whose copy all Christians are to write good reason it should be exact without the least blot on the other hand he was to be a sacrifice for sin which he could not have been if hee had not been without sin and therefore it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnesse by a full conformity to that exact rule of Gods Law Nor is he only Holy but the Holy one in respect of both his Natures 1 In regard of his Divine Nature in as much as he is essentially infinitely originally and immutably Holy essentially because his holiness is not an accident to him but his very essence infinitely because his holiness is not only without imperfection but limitation originally because his holiness is from himself he is the cause of all holinesse in the Creature immutably because it is altogether impossible he should cease to be holy for then he must cease to bee God well might Hannah say None holy as the Lord and indeed this phrase is most properly verified of him in this regard for as Aristotle though he call other things good yet when he speaketh of the chief good he calleth it by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Good so though the Creature may bee said to bee holy yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy one most properly belongs to God though yet Secondarily and in a comparative sense not only with all other men but Angels Christ in respect of his Humane nature is the Holy one and that upon a double account The one because the holinesse of his Humane nature farre surpasseth that which is in any other creature and that in as much as it was presently to bee united with the God-head and if some measure of holinesse bee required in all that approach God how unmeasurable and perfect must be that holinesse of Christs Humane nature which is united with God and in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily The other because whereas all other Creatures have holinesse only for themselves and cannot convey it to others in which respect St. Austine saith of holy Parents they beget their children Non è principiis novitatis sed è reliquiis vetustatis not from the principles of the new man but the remainders of the old man and so cannot communicate their holinesse to their children Christ is a Son of righteousnesse imparting holinesse to his Church a root of holinesse as the first Adam was of wickednesse giving the sap of grace to all his branches in which regard St. Paul saith expresly he is made to us of God sanctification O then let us learn to magnifie Christ in and for his holinesse That phrase in Moses his Hymn Who is like to thee O Lord glorious in holinesse what doth it intimate but that holinesse calls for glory and praise Worthy then is he who is the holy one to bee honoured and adored by us That expression of the Psalmist Holy and reverent is his name plainly teacheth us that sanctity calls for reverence oh let us reverence the Person and hallow the name of Christ because he is the holy one what the Romanists doe parasitically to the Pope Christs pretended Vicar calling him superlatively Most Holy Father and abstractively his Holinesse that we need not fear to doe Religiously to Christ himself And since we call our selves Christians oh let us account our selves engaged to the study and exercise of holinesse it is St. Peters reasoning since hee which hath called you is holy nor is the
ergo vult audita intelligere festinet ea quae jam audire potuit opere implere Whosoever therefore will understand let him first make hast to do what he heareth 2. Again Would we keep his Commandements let us know him These two Knowledg and Practice are necessary attendants the one upon the other Those two Sisters Leah and Rachell are fit Emblems of Contemplation and Action Contemplation like Rachell is Beautifull Action like Leah is Fruitfull And as those two sisters were Marryed to Jacob so are these two Graces concomitant in every Christian Those Cherubims which the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh of are described to have hands under their Wings The Wings saith St Gregory are an Embleme of Knowledg whereby we flye in our thoughts to Heaven the hands of Practice whereby we do good on Earth and all true Christians like these Cherubims have hands under their Wings That is Operation attending Meditation This that Father looketh upon as resembled by those two sisters of whom we read in the Gospell Martha and Mary whereof Vna intenta operâ— altera contemplatioâ—â— the one was intent upon doing the other upon hearing Indeed these two are not only as two sisters but as the Mother and the Daughter Divine Knowledg both engaging and inabling to Obedience so as it doth not only follow upon but flowe from it The true Knowledg of Divine things is not otiosa but officiosa a loyterer but a labourer As her principall Object Christ is Incarnate so is Shee having Eyes of Charity Bowels of Mercy Hands of Bounty and Feet of Obedience Indeed you may as well sever the Beams from the Sun heat from the fire motion from life as practice from a right Knowledg to which purpose is that note of Calvin upon the Text. He admonisheth us that Christian Knowledg is not idle but active by its efficacious vertue producing Obedience So that they who know him really will nay cannot but keep his Commandements To illustrate this Truth the more clearly I shall briefly resolve these two Queries what it is to know him and what it is to keep his Commandements whereby we shall learn both why a right Knowledg of Christ enableth to keep the Commandements and what keeping the Commandements floweth from this Knowledg 1. The full Explication of this Knowledg and its Influence upon keeping the Commandements will best appear by considering both the Object whereabout it is conversant and the Acts which it puts forth 1. The Object of this Knowledg is insinuated in that Pronoune Him and if you ask whom the answer is to be given from the first Verse where we read of the Father and Jesus Christ the Advocate According to this it is that our blessed Saviour maketh the Object of saving Knowledg to be the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent It is not then that Knowledg we have of God by his Works by his Law but by his Gospell whereof St John here speaketh So Beza upon the Text. Agitur hic de cognitione Dei in Evangelio The Apostle here speaketh of Evangelicall Knowledg which must needs engage to Obedience Inasmuch as it is a Knowledg of the Love of God and Christ towards us and those choise benefits he hath wrought for us and certainly he that knoweth how much Christ hath done for his Salvation cannot but be ready to do whatever Christ requireth for his Service Indeed that naturall knowledge we have of him as a Creator carrieth in it an Argument of Obedience It is the acknowledgment of the Elders Worthy art thou O Lord to receive glory and honour for thou hast created all things It being most equall that to him we should return service from whom we receive our being Yet further that legall knowledg we have of him as our Law-giver and Judge is an enducement to obedience Inasmuch as the breach of his Law cannot but provoke him to inflict the curs but still the knowledg we have of God as a Father of Christ as an Advocate and propitiation is both the sweetest and the strongest Obligation nothing being more rational then that our Father our Redeemer should be our Lord and that we should be wholly devoted to him who is so dearly affected to us Especially considering this is the very end of his delivering us out of the hands of our enemies that we should serve before him without fear in righteousness and holiness all the daies of our lives 2. The Acts of this knowledg will the better appear by observing that various acceptation of this word know which may fitly be accomodated to our present purpose Among others there are three constructions of this word 1. To know is sometimes as much as to acknowledg When we read of a Pharaoh risen in Aegypt which knew not Joseph Of God complaining concerning Israel that she did not know he gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl And again of Christs answer to many at the last day I know you not It is plainly manifest that to know is as much as to own acknowledg And in this sense that Latin word is used by the Poet Cognoscere for Agnoscere Dominum cognoscite vestrum This acceptation is here made use of by Tirinus and not unfitly If we know him that is acknowledg him as our Lord and Jesus and own him as our Prince and Saviour And thus knowing him we cannot but account our selves obliged to keep his Commandements It is very observeable to this purpose what Christ saith in St Johns Gospel concerning his Sheep They know my voice and they follow me True Believers acknowledging Christ to be their Shepherd and owning it to be his voice which they hear in the Scriptures follow him by an active conformity to his Precepts It is Gods own reasoning in the Prophecie of Malachy If I be a Father where is my honour If I be a Master where is my fear And therefore Christians acknowledging him to be their Father their Master cannot but give up themselves to the honour fear and service of him 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to know the same with to believe It were easie to multiply Instances of this kind but one may suffice instead of all where God saith concerning Christ By his knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie many Which is no doubt to be construed by Faith in him he shall justifie according to that of St Paul being justified by Faith And believing is called knowing upon a double account 1. Partly Because Knowledg is a necessary ingredient of Faith It is the Apostles assertion concerning himself I know whom I have believed and his question concerning the Heathen How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard thereby asserting it impossible and the reason is because they cannot believe on him whom they have not known Indeed Faith formally considered is an assent
is plainly meant of the faculty and act of willing which in God is the same with his essance But in all those places where the Scripture speaketh of doing Gods Will it must be referred to the Object of his will and meaneth a doing of the thing which God willeth to be done 2. In respect of the things which God willeth to be done Know further that his will is secret or revealed Gods secret will is his eternall counsell and purpose either of permitting or effecting either immediately or mediately whatsoever is done in the world This is that which is called by the Schools voluntas efficax that will of God which is alwaies done according as he saith himself My counsell shall stand I will do all my pleasure Indeed in this notion these two are convertible whatever God wils is done and whatever is done God wils if it be evill he wils to suffer it if it be good he wils either by himself or his Creatures to effect it And the reason is plain because if any thing could be done Deo nolente against Gods will it must be either because he did not know of the doing it and then he were not omniscient or because he did know and could not hinder the doing of it and then he were not omnipotent to deny either of which is to deny him to be a God According to this construction the truth is even wicked men do Gods will whilst their designe is to fullfill their own mischievous lusts they accomplish Gods righteous pleasure whilst they intend to oppose the will of God which they know they effect his hidden counsell But since as God saith of the King of Assyria he meaneth not so it is against their will that they do Gods yea their intention is to cross his even when they do it such a doing his will is no virtue and therefore not the secret but the revealed will of God is here intended 3. Be pleased further to take notice That the things which God revealeth to be his will are of two sorts either such as are to be done de nobis upon us or a nobis by us 1. Gods revealed will concerning the things to be done upon us is either pro or contra for or against us and is manifest either by the predictions of his word whither promissory or minatory or by the execution of his workes whither in mercies or judgements and this will of God calls for the practice of severall graces according to its various dispensation both in regard of good and evill 1. The Revelation of Gods will for us is considerable either as it is in the promise or the performance as it is in the promise it is that we are to hope and pray for to trust in and rest upon Thus David I have hoped in thy word and again Deale bountifully with thy servant according to thy word that is thy promise which is a revelation of Gods gratious will As it is in the performance it is that we are to praise him for and walke worthy of nothing being more equall then that when it pleaseth God to do us good we should give him thankes ascribing what we enjoy not to the worthiness of our worke but the goodnesse of his will according to that Angelicall hymne when the pleasure of the Lord was accomplished in the incarnation of Christ Glory to God on high good will towards Men. 2. The revelation of Gods will against us is likewise to be considered either as it is in the threatning or in the inflicting As threatned it is that we are to feare when inflicted it is that we are to beare Before we know it to be his determinate pleasure we may pray against it so soon as it appeareth to be his pleasure we must submit to it Thus did Ely when upon that dolefull message iterated by Samuell in his eares he saith It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his sight Thus did Job when being spoiled of all he saith The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord yea thus did that divine Philosopher Epictetus when he said I have submitted my will to Gods if he will have me burne with a feaver or labour with any misery I am willing Indeed the name of that Deacon to whom St Austin wrote Quod vult Deus ought to be the temper of every Christian what God will that we may be able to say in his severest dealings with us what Harpalus said when he was invited to a feast by Astyages whereof one dish was the head of his Son baked and the King asked him how he liked it what pleaseth the King pleaseth me But this is the will of God which we are to suffer with patience and chearfullness And therefore 2. It remaineth that the will of God here intended is his revealed will of those things which are to be done by us that will in regard of which we are not to be Passive but Active to which we owe not patience but obedience a voluntary submission but ready subjection This is that will of God which is called voluntas imperans or praeceptiva Gods prescribing or commanding will because it is revealed in his commands and these both Affirmative and Negative enjoyning what is good that we may practice it and inhibiting vvhat is evill that vve may avoid it so that if you vvill explaine one vvord by another that vvhich in this and such like Scriptures is called the will of God is the same with that which is called the Law of the Lord and so much in Answer to the first Question 2. That which cometh next in order to be inquired is what doing of Gods will is required â—n answer to which take notice 1. That it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that knoweth but he that doth the will of God Indeed we cannot do Gods will at least not as Gods will till vve know it in vvhich respect that Apostolicall counsell is very necessary Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is and to this end vve must according to our Saviours advice search the Scriptures vvhich are the Records of his will and for this reason no doubt David so often prayeth Teach me thy statutes shew me thy waies make me to understand the way of thy precepts But still the end of our knowing must be doing and therefore God bids Moses teach the Israelites his commands that they might do them and our Saviour tells his Disciples If you knâ—w these things happy are you if you do them it is St James his caution Be not hearers but doers of the word deceiving your own souls Sitting Mary and stirring Martha are emblemes of contemplation and action and as they dwell in one house so must these in one heart beautifull Rachell and fruitfull Leah are Emblemes of knowledg and obedience and as Jacob was Married
and the very name Immanuel by which hee is to bee called intimateth as much it being a name too high for any person except the Messiah What in this Prophecy Isaiah spake plainly in the fifty third chap. hee utters allusively where speaking of the Messiah for that that Chapter is to be understood of him is so evident that hee who runs may read it hee saith He shall grow up as a tender plant in a dry ground that is say some not improbably of a Virgin without the help of a man Now that Jesus was born of Mary whilest yet a Virgin the Evangelical History plainly affirmeth nor need it seem impossible either to Jew or Pagan As for the Jew why may hee not beleeve that the same Divine power which caused Old Sarah to conceive and bring forth when shee was as good as dead which made Aarons rod to bud blossome and bring forth Almonds yea which formed the first man Adam without the help of woman could enable a Virgin to conceive and bring forth without the help of man As for the Pagans they affirm that Venus was engendred of the froth of the Sea animated by the warmth of the Sun that Pallas came from Joves brain and Bacchus from his thigh that some of their Heroes were begotten by their Gods upon mortal creatures Hercules on Alemena by Jupiter Pan on Pâ—nelope by Mercury Romulus on Rhea a Virgin by Mars and why is it not credible that Jesus should bee born of the Virgin Mary by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost And thus I have given you a brief account of the parallel between the Prophecy of the Messiah and the History of Jesus as to his birth 2 The Prophet Isaiah speaking concerning the Messiah tells us that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdome and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might and the Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that this Spirit did rest on Jesus appeareth both by the Oracles hee spake and the Works especially by the Miracles hee wrought It was the testimony the people gave of him that never man spake like him by which it appeareth that the Spirit of Wisdome and Knowledge did rest on him never did any so clearly reveal the Will of God to the people as hee The Glorious Promises were never so unveiled as by him and by him the Precepts of the Law were most exactly interpreted That the Spirit of Might did rest on him eminently appeared in his wondrous Miracles which were not done in a corner but openly before the people who cryed out wee never saw it on this fashion That Miraculous works were expected by the Jews from the Messiah when hee should come appeareth by the Question when Christ commeth will hee do more Miracles than those which this man hath done and accordingly when John sent to Jesus Art thou hee that should come or do wee look for another hee returneth this Answer Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see The blinde receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear and the dead are raised up all which could not have been done by him if hee had not been annointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power 3 Concerning the Messiah we finde a Three-fold Office to which he was annoynted to wit of King Priest and Prophet Moses fore-tells him to be a Prophet where he saith A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren David mentioneth him under the Offices of a King and a Priest Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion and thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck This was that which was peculiar to the Messiah for though David was a King and a Prophet Samuel was a Prophet and a Priest and Melchisedeck was a King and a Priest yet only the Messiah was a King Priest and Prophet accordingly it is that we finde Jesus as a Prophet teaching the Mysteries of the Kingdom as a Priest praying yea dying for the people and acknowledged by the Magi to be King of the Jews Once more it is fore-told in the Psalms and the Prophets concerning the Messiah that hee should bee a man of sorrows despised and rejected of men yea that he should bee cut off from the land of the living that hee should be taken from Prison and Judgement that having drunk of the brook in the way hee should lift up his head that hee should not see corruption and sit at the right hand of God And now that all these things which were written concerning the Son of Man were accomplisht the Evangelical Histories doe abundantly testifie it were easie to trace out an exact Parallel not only as to substance but circumstances concerning the humiliation and exaltation of Christ As for that pretence of the Jewes opposing our Saviours Resurrection that his Disciples stole him away it is so frivolous and absurd that no rational man can beleeve it yea that Dilemma of St. Austine abundantly confuteth it If the Souldiers were not asleep when the Disciples stole his body why did they permit them to doe it if they were asleep how could they affirm it to be done By all these considerations put together it cannot but appear an undeniable truth that Jesus is the Christ and however it may bee alleadged that some Prophecies which concern the glory and power of the Messiahs Kingdome seem not yet to bee accomplished the Answer is justly returned that it is not an outward and visible but an invisible and spiritual glory and power which is in those Prophecies intended and that is continually fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel and withall they may very rationally be extended to his Second coming when he shall appear in glory to Judge the World and when every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confesse what now perhaps it denieth that Jesus is the Lord the Christ to the glory of God the Father and so I have given a dispatch to the truth implicitly asserted passe we on more briefly to the 2 Heresie explicitly charged on the false teachers namely denying that Jesus is the Christ If wee render the words exactly according to the Greek text it is Hee that denieth that Jesus is not the Christ but yet the not is justly left out in our translation because according to our way of speaking Hee that denyeth that Jesus is not the Christ is he who affirmeth Jesus is the Christ which is the truth whereas in the Greek Language Gemina negatio fortiùs negat A double negation denieth more vehemently Parallel to this is that speech of our Saviour to Peter The Cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me where in each clause the Greek useth two Negatives for the greater emphasis Wee cannot better expresse the force
which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise which he hath promised eternal life Begin wee with the Duty which wee shall finde to bee in order the seventh step of that lightsome walk the delineating whereof I have once and again told you is the principal design of this Epistle The first word wee meet with in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth here to be superfluous as also in the beginning of the seven and twentieth verse but whether wee look upon it as transposed or put absolutely it will bear a good construction By way of transposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus our Translators here read it Let that therefore which you have heard and also in the other verse The annointing which you have received Absolutely taken both here and there it is an Ellipsis and the sense is as much as As for you therefore as if hee should have said however others fallaway yet let that which you have heard abide in you These Antichrists with their followers forsake but do you continue in the Apostolical Doctrin nay therefore because they are fallen do you stand the more firmly In this sense the Apostles counsel is much like Joshuahs Resolution But as for me and my house wee will serve the Lord. Indeed it is the glory of a Christian like fish to keep fresh in salt waters to professe Christs name where Satans throne is and like stars in a dark night to shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation the truth is to bee Antichristian among Antichrists is usual to bee a Christian among Christians is laudable to bee Antichristian among Christians is abominable but to bee a Christian among Antichrists is admirable no such Tryall of Constancy as in times of Apostacy Vertue is never more amiable in Gods eies than when shee is out of fashion in the World It is said of Noah that hee found grace in the eies of the Lord and the next verse tells the reason He was perfect and upright in his Generation Grace though onely in the heart finds grace in Gods eies but especially in the life and more especially when like Noah it is in a degenerating generation had Peter done as hee said though all me◠should bee offended yet will not I hee might well have challenged the priviledge of being Christs beloved Disciple Oh let us fix in our mindes this holy purpose of cleaving to Christ and his Truth though others leave it yea let their defection by a kind of Antiperistasis corroborate our resolution of continuing in the Doctrin wee have received More particularly in the Exhortation wee shall take notice of the Object which it concerneth and the duty which it requireth the object proposed is that which they had heard from the beginning the duty required is that it abide in them 1 The matter spoken of is That which they had heard from the beginning By beginning in this place is to be understood the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel to them ex quo institui coepistis so Beza glosseth since you began to bee instructed in Christianity for it is not said Let that abide in you which was from the beginning then the date might have been taken from the beginning of the World since so soon as Adam fell the Gospel was Preached but that which you have heard from the beginning and though at the seventh verse the phrase of an Old Commandement gave just occasion to refer that from the beginning to a further distance and so of interpreting there you by your Ancestors yet here there being no such reason enducing wee are not to recede from the most plain meaning of the letter especially when wee consider that the Exhortation Let that abide in you most rationally refers to what they themselves had heard and therefore in this place those words from the begnining refer to the time of their first reception of the faith If you ask what it was that they heard from the beginning the Answer is returned either particularly Primarium dogma de Christi divinitate So Justinian the fundamental verity of Christs Divinity or Generally The Whole Evangelical Doctrin of Salvation by Christ which had been Preached to them by the Apostles If you ` ask ' why it is thus phrased not let that which the Gospel revealeth but that which you have heard from the beginning I Answer upon a double account to let us see 1 What is the true Doctrin namely that which was delivered from the beginning for though it is possible for falshood to bee Ancient yet Truth is alwaies first The Envious man may sow his Tares in the field where the good seed was sown and possibly the tares may grow so fast as to hide the Wheat but still the good seed was first sown prime Antiquity is a sure note of verity The Primitive times and truths were of all other the purest like the clear water at the spring-head but of this I have spoken heretofore 2 By what means they received the Evangelical Doctrin namely by hearing Among those several senses with which God hath invested man I know not any more needful than that of hearing in what capacity soever you consider him especially as hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature a reasonable by converse a sociable and may be by grace a new a divine creature 1 Reason is the perfection of man and hearing is the improvement of Reason Auris say some quasi hauris ab hauriendo the ear being the sense by which wee suck in knowledge in which respect the Son of Syrach saith God hath given man ears and an heart to understand Knowledge is as the liquor the soul the vessel and as the tongue is the tap to let it out so the ear is the tunnel to let it in Whence it is that Learners are called Auditores Hearers Upon this account perhaps it is that whereas other parts have their shuts sometimes to close them up the eies lids like Curtains to draw over those Christaline windows and the Tongue encompassed with an Ivory wall of teeth only the nostrils and the ears be alwaies open those for breathing these for hearing that man which is ever learning might be ever hearing 2 Society is the delight of man and hearing is the sense of Society Auribus alienas sermones admittimus mente recondimus saith a Rabbin by hearing wee have converse each with other wee injoy the comfort one of anothers advice discourse conference A deaf man is as a dead man to others and liveth onely to himself as being unfit either for company or traffique or Magistracy and therefore the Ancients though they painted their Judges without eies because they should not respect persons and without hands because they should take no bribes yet not
this it would bee considered that life is the most pretious treasure and choicest pâ—â—rl in the Cabinet of nature though a Lyon bee a farre more noble bruit than a Dog yet such is the excellency of life that a living Dog is better than a dead Lyon though the Sun bee so glorious and splendent a creature yet musâ—â—â—nimae praestantior sole the little fly in respect of its life is more excellent than the Sun And as life is in it self so is it in mans estimation among all outward blessings of greatest worth skin for skin or as it may bee better rendred skin after skin one thing after another and all a man hath till hee bee stript to his skin will a man give for his life saith the Father of Lies truely a man will part with his Honours his Wealth suffer bondage and pain to save his Life The Woman in the Gospel spent all shee had upon Physitians and why but to perserve her life Had Hamans design been onely to make the Jews staves Hester would have been silent but when their lives were concerned shee resolveth to petition the King This was the singular boon which the King requested of God Hee asked life of thee and thou gavest it him In a word who is the man that would see life saith David and who is the man that would not see Life scarce any man if not besides himself but would choose to live though it were in poverty exile trouble and misery rather than not to live at all By all this the pretiousness of life appeareth and in that respect how fit an emblem of the state of blisse which is infinitely beyond all earthly comforts yea in comparison of which this life which I have told you is of so great a price is yet vile and base and therefore it is that this life is sometimes called life without any additament So by our blessed Saviours answering the young mans question what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life saith If thou wilt enter into life as if there were no life besides that or at least as if this life were not worthy to bee called so in comparison of that It is well observed by an Ancient that cum varia et multa seculi sint bona illorum usus et participatio variis nominibus exprimitur so great is the variety of the good things of happiness that it is expressed by several names and those you will finde allusive to what things are most amiable and desirable on earth thus it is called a rest for the people of God the joy of the Lord the glorious liberty of the Sons of God it is stiled Paradise a Crown a Kingdome an Inheritance a weight of glory but of all expressions none so frequent as this that it is called Life yea as if this were the weâ—ghtest and choicest thing by which the worth and value of that blisse could bee set forth when it is compared to other things still Life is annexed If to water it is the water of Life to a Tree the Tree of Life to light the light of Life to a Crown a Crown of Life Finally if to an inheritance it is of the grace of life The sum is this so manifold are the comforts of that state that all similitudes are too narrow to expresse it and therefore the Scripture useth not one but many and among all these things to which it is compared Life is to bee preferred far before them and therefore not once but often I think I may say more often it is called by this name Life than by any other 2. As the state of blisse is called Life so this Life is said to bee eternal for the opening whereof I shall briefly discuss three things In what sense this Life is eternal Why it must be eternal Why so often called eternal Life In answer to the first you must know that there is a double eternal life The one that which is so both à parte ante and à parte post having neither beginning of daies nor end of time and in this notion it is the incommunicable property of the Deity who liveth from everlasting to everlasting and as himself is the beginning and end of all things so hee hath neither beginning nor end The other that which is so à parte post but not à parte ante hath a beginning but no ending and this is that life which is communicabâ—e to the Holy Angels and glorified Saints the greatnesse of this life is unmeasurable the worth of it inestimable the joies of it innumerable so the duration of it is interminable vitae illius cursus erit sine termino usus sine fastidio refectio sine cibo adjutorium sine defectu saith the Father elegantly that Life shall bee maintained without any aliment sustained without any defect retained without any loathing and once obtained shall know no ending 2 That this life must bee in this sense eternal there needs no other medium to prove than that it is a state of blisse which could not bee were it not eternal This will easily appear by a double argumentation the one of St. Austin the other of Aquinas 1 St. Austin thus argues If that life should end it must bee either with or against or neither with nor against the will of him that enjoyeth it that hee should lose it with his will is not imaginable because hee had it not against his will yea it is impossible that life should bee happy which hee that injoyeth desireth to be rid of nor can hee lose it against his will since that life is not to bee accounted happy which though it bee in a mans will yet it is not in his power to keep nor yet is it to bee imagined that a glorified person should bee indifferent whether hee have it or no since if good bee that which all de sire the chief good which is blessednesse must bee desired with vehemency of affection and therefore he that is once is for ever possessed of this life 2 Aquinas thus reasoneth Beatitudo debet quietum reddere appetitum that onely is a blessed state which quieteth the appetite and satiateth the desire which no state can do though never so glorious if it bee not eternal it is not the meer fruition of the most splendid condition which contents the minde without an assurance of its continuance since the very thought and fear of future losing would much take off the joy and blisse of present enjoying no wonder if happinesse bee defined by Boetius to bee interminabilis vitae tota simulet perfect a possessio a total siâ—â—ultancous perfect and interminable possession of life 3 It is not unworthy our observation that by whatsoever resemblance that future state of happinesse is illustrated eternal and everlasting is still annexed as the adjunct Thus wee read of an house eternal in the heavens an everlasting
Jewes to search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternal life doth he not plainly intimate that in the Law of Moses and Scriptures of the Prophets Eternal Life is made known together with the way that leads to it In one word the Resurrection of the dead the term whereof is eternal life is expressely called by the Apostle Paul the Promise of God made unto the Fathers This then is the Promise which hee hath promised not that it was not at all promised before but not so fully so clearly eternal life was promised in the Old Testament rather typically than litterally in general phrases than in expresse terms and hence it is that they were but a few comparatively who understood any thing by those Promises concerning it whereas now according to St. Pauls expression Christ hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel which plainly maketh it manifest to us in which respect the Promises of the Gospel are called by the Author to the Hebrews better promises not as to the things promised which are the same for substance but as to the easiness of the condition and chiefly the clearnesse of the Revelation It will not now bee amiss to consider a while who this Hee is by whom this promise is so punctually promised nor need wee any further character of him than what is given before in this very chapter It is hee that is righteous and therefore cannot deceive It is hee that is the Holy one and therefore cannot lye so that since it is hee that hath promised it must bee performed It is hee who is an advocate with the Father to plead for our admission into heaven who is the Propitiation for our sins to wit by his blood which is also the purchase of this life It is hee who is the Christ annointed to the office of a Prophet that hee might reveal to of a Priest that hee might obtain for and of a King that hee might confâ—r on us this eternal life Finally it is hee who is the Son and being the Son is the Heir and being the Heir hath a title to this Life not onely to injoy it himself but impart it to us By all which it appeareth that whereas men oftentimes promise those things which they have no power or right to give yea sometimes they promise what they never intend to give and hence it is that their Promises are vain lying and deceitful Hee that hath promised hath Power and Will to give it hee saith nothing but what hee really intends and will certainly fulfil and now if you would know to whom this promise belongs go on to a view of the next and last particular which is the 4 Propriety of the persons in the pronoune us It is that which may be looked upon both in a way of inlargement and of restriction 1 In a way of inlargement us not me onely the Proâ—ise was not peculiarly to the Apostles but to all true Christians upon this account St. Paul elsewhere speaking of this benefit under the name of a crown of Righteousness saith it is that which the Lord the Righteous Judge will give mee at that day and not me onely but all them that love his appearing In other Races though never so many run yet only one obtains the prize but this prize is given to all Christian runners that which intituled St. John to this life was not his new office of an Apostle but his new birth as a Christian so much the Apostle Peter implyeth when hee saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us to a lively hope to an inheritance and the meanest Christian is begotten of God as well as any of the Apostles it is not Grace in strength but Truth which is the condition of Glory and therefore this us taketh in all those sorts of Christians before mentioned not onely Fathers but Young men nay little Children 2 In a way of restriction us not all but us who are thus and thus qualified and if you please you may take in all those who are before expressed in this Chapter us who keep his Commandements for the promise and the precept are knit together nor can any partake of the one who do not keep the other us who walk as Christ walked for wee cannot expect to attain the end which hee hath promised if wee do not walk in the way which hee hath walked in and which leads to the end us who love our brother this being the Old and the New Commandement must bee obeyed if wee will enter into life us who love not the World nor the things of the World for hee is unworthy of the Life in that World to come who doteth with the love of this us who acknowledge the Son since onely hee that hath the Son hath Life Finally and principally us in whom that abideth which wee have heard from the beginning Indeed if you mark it you shall still finde the Promises of Eternal Life made to perseverance To them whâ— by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life so St. Paul to the Romans I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for mee a crown of Righteousnesse so the same Apostle concerning himselfe not to multiply instances in those seven Epistles to the seven Angels of the Churches of Asia we find eternal life promised under several metaphors but still the condition prefixed is to him that overcommeth not to him that fighteth but who continueth fighting till hee overcome so true is that of St. Bernard whereas all the vertues run in the race it is perseverance alone which carrieth away the reward And thus I have given you an account of all the parts of the Text. I close up all in one word of Application and that 1 In General is there an Eternal Life promised why then do wee not beleeve it and if wee do beleeve it why do we not prize it and if we prize it why do we not seek after it Were it possible that men should be so much in loveâ— with this Life did they beleeve there were another or could they dote so much on a frail fading Life did they beleeve there were one that is Eternal If we view the practises of the Sons and Daughters of men wee may sadly observe that this Life is ever providing for as if it should never end and that Life is never prepared for as if it should never beginne whereas this Life shall soon end but that never We see saith St. Austin the Lovers of this present Life using their utmost care and cost to preserve it and all they can doe is onely ut differant non auferant mortem to delay that Death which they cannot prevent if men are solicitous ut aliquantulum plus vivatur that they may live
then sit upon thy face If therefore thou wouldst stand then doe not run away now if you would then lift up your heads doe not now turn your backs now abide in him that you may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 2 There is only one thing remaineth to bee dispatched and that is the extent of the Persons in that the verb is in the first person plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee may have I and you whereby the Apostle intimateth that his confidence or shame at Christs coming did much depend upon their abiding or not abiding in him On the one hand the Peoples constancy shall then bee the Pastors glory in which respect St. Paul calleth the Philippians his joy and his crown and hee saith of the Thessalonians For what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoycing are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for yee are our glory and our joy they were not only his joy but his glory not onely his glory but his crown of glorying for so the Greek is best rendered of whom hee should glory at the last day as his crown Labor discipuli in opere bono coronam dat Magistro judice Christo saith St. Ambrose the Scholars labour shall bee the Masters honour in the Judgement of Christ On the other hand the Peoples Apostacy shall then be the Ministers ignominy A foolish Son saith the Wise man is a calamity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint reads it a disgrace to his Father so are a foolish giddy People to their Spiritual Father indeed if the Minister discharge his duty he shall not have any cause of shame as to himself as if he had been negligent or unfaithful but he shall be ashamed of the People and as it were unwilling to own them The barren tree reproacheth the Gardner the ignorant Scholar disgraceth his Teacher and though the righteous Judge will not lay the Peoples Apostacy to the charge of the faithful Minister yet thereby his glorying is made voyd And therefore my dearly beloved if you have any reverence to the Judge before whom you must appear if you have any respect to your Minister who would gladly then have cause to boast of you and if you have any regard to your own comfort honour happinesse in that day when you shall appear before Christ I exhort intreat beseech you that you would adhere constantly to and abide firmly in him whom you have beleeved to the end of your days And thus through Divine assistance I am come to the end of this excellent period There is indeed another verse in this Chapter but as Beza well glosseth it is Transitio ad sequentem exhortationem a passage to the following exhortation and begins that Discourse which is prosecuted in several verses of the next Chapter and therefore with Cajetan I shall look upon it rather as the first verse of that than the last of this Nothing therefore now remainteh but that as I trust you have hitherto so to beg of you that you would still renew your prayers to God for me that if it be his will and may be for his glory and the Churches good I may make further progresse and in due time finish this work of expounding this Epistle And may both you and I so walk in those steps of this way namely confessing and forsaking our sins keeping Christs commandments and imitation of his pattern Love of our Brother contempt of the World and perseverance in the faith of Christ that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Amen Amen An Alphabetical Table of the chiefest things handled in the Book A THE Abuse of a thing is no just reason of a total disusâ— Page 229 Abiding in Christ See Perseverance Adultery a lust of the flesh 347 The Affections are in themselves indifferent 325. The Age of man threefold 214 In what sense Be leevers know All things 562 Ambition a great sin 395. one cause of Heresy 509 Gods Anger against forgiven sinners is not judicial but paternal 246 To desire what is Anothers how lawful and unlawful 371 Annointing See Unction Antichrists foretold by Christ 495. two sorts of them 497. many of them in the Apostles time 499 who is so most properly 492 493 Antiquity is that which is from the beginning 91 94 99 Apostacy its causes 508. how far incident to the true members of the Church 528 529. if total an argument of hypocrisie 574. by it men are discovered to bee Hypocrites 578. it is either from the Faith or Communion of the Church 507 508. wee should not bee much dismayed although we behold men apostatizing 527. Apostates shall bee ashamed at Christs coming 751 752. Apparrel in it self indifferent 400. when too costly too fashionable sinful 401. a base thing to bee proud of 399 Appearing of Christ see Coming when hee shall appear wee must all appear before him 745 746 Arrogancy puffeth men up with self-conceit 392 393. a cause of heresie 510 Assurance a reflex knowledge 62. is onely in respect of our selves 63. it is not meerly conjectural nor yet perfect 64 65. many have it not who yet are in Christ 66 it is attainable and being attained exceeding comfortable 68 69. by what means 71 72 73 B. BOasting of our selves an effect of pride 398 Blasphemy worse than Atheism 436 Brother in what sence all men and more especially all Christians are Brethren 143 144. more particularly Ministers and People 79 80 Brotherly Love see Love C. CHildren how great care ought to bee taken for their instruction 222 223 312 313. ought to know their Heavenly Father and why 310 315. in what respects wee must bee like them and in what not 206 207 Christ a perfect pattern of grace 51. in what sence the Image of God 622. how from the beginning 261 to 264. The Holy one 554 555. his great Love to us 118 119 Christians how said to bee in Christ 40. and to abide in hâ—m 43 739. the faelicity of their being and abiding in him 42. They are in vain so called who are not like to Christ 58. they are of different degrees 205. b they have an unction 553. their state far better than that of the Jews 7â—3 Church many in it who are not of it 524 525. many in it who depart from it 504 505. the degrees of casting out of it 506. particular Churches have their periods 488. multitude no note of a true one 499 Commands given by Christ as well as promises 12. they must bee obeyed because they are his 13 14. in what sense impossible to bee obeyed 16. why they are called his word 31. Coming of Christ three fold 743. his personal double 744. one end of his first is to bee an example 52. the difference between his first and second coming 745 Company evil to bee avoided 322 360 681.