is as with the Father so with the Son but likewise a discovery of the means whereby we come to have this fellowship with the Father and that is by having fellowship with the Sonne according to which notion we may fitly conceive the Father to be the terminus and the Son the medium of this societas the Father is he with whom and the Son is he by and through whom we have this fellowship with the Father and therefore it is else where said he hath made us accepted in his beloved and we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and to name no more they who were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ that amity and communion which we have with God being onely in and through a mediator Iesus Christ. The Heathens were in part sensible of this truth who conceiving that the supream Gods were defiled by the unhallowed approaches of mortals invented Heroes and half Gods a kinde of middle powers to be as mediators between those Gods and them but this doctrine of a mediator the Gospel fully revealeth and this to be no other than Iesus Christ by whom we are brought to communion with God Indeed there was a time to wit in innocency when man stood not in need of a Mediator but injoyed a fellowship of perfect amity with his Creator but now man being fallen from that integrity and thereby having lost the favour of God there is no other way of reconciliation but by Christ. So that as TheThemistocles when Admetus was incensed against him brought the Kings son in his armes and implored his favour so we can by no means obtain a fellowship of reconciliation with the Father but by his Son Iesus Christ in this respect it is that Christ saith concerning himself I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me and upon this ground he is not unfitly resembled to that ladder in Iacobs vision which reached from earth to heaven by whom alone we climb to heaven so that if we will pervenire ad Deum we must ascendere per hominem to come to God we must ascend by the man even the man Christ Iesus There is onely one thing further to be enquired for the full explication of this clause and that is why the Apostle having mentioned two doth not annex the third person and with the Holy Ghost In answer to which you must know that the third person though he be not expressely mentioned is necessarily implyed for the truth is we can neither have fellowship with the Father nor with the Son but by the Holy Ghost by the spirit it is that God begets us again unto himself and therefore it is called the renewing of the Holy Ghost by the spirit it is that we participate of Gods holiness and therefore he is called the spirit of holiness not onely because he is so in himself but it is he that communicateth it unto us finally by the spirit it is that the Father and the Son dwell in us and have communion with us in which respect our Apostle saith we know he abideth in us by the spirit he hath given us and therefore it is that we finde this elsewhere directly expressed concerning the Holy Ghost to wit in that solemn benediction to the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God the Father is joyned the communion or fellowship of the Holy Ghost Though then he is not here named we are not therefore to imagine he is excluded Indeed it is a rule in Divinity which St. Ambrose hath observed to my hand qui unum dixerit Trinitatem signavit when any one of the persons is nominated in any external operation all the rest are implyed and therefore as when we find onely mention of the fellowship of his Son Iesus Christ we must take in the Father the spirit and when we read onely of the fellowship of the spirit we must conceive it as well of the Father and the Son so when here we find the Father and the Son expressed we must not exclude the holy spirit and look as our blessed Saviour when he speaketh of that knowledge which is the way to eternal life though he only mention the Father and his Son Iesus Christ is to be understood as including the holy Ghost so are we here to interpret S. Iohn and therefore may very well adde by way of explication our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ and with the holy spirit nor yet doth there want a reason as Iustinian hath well observed why the Apostle maketh no expresse mention of the Holy Ghost as he doth of the Son of God namely because as for the communion of the Holy Ghost they to whom he wrote could not be ignorant of it as having no doubt had experience themselves of the effusion of his gifts upon them and therefore it needed not to name him but because the divinity of the Son of God was oppugned by the Hereticks of those times therefore he thought it fit with the Father to mention the Son And thus much or rather thus little of this unconceivable much more unspeakable benefit the fellowship which Believers have with the ever blessed and glorious Trinity what now remaineth but that I bring it home by some comfortable application to our selves There are onely three inferences which are plainly deducible from hence for our practice 1. Whatever men do either for or against any Christian reflects on God and Christ with whom they have fellowship Christ shall say to those at the last day who releive his members now In as much as you did it unto them you did it unto me and it was his saying to Saul in the vision when he breathed forth threatenings against the Church Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and why this but because of the fellowshâ—p which is between Christ and his Members Take then heed O ye sons of Belial how you scoffingly deride at proudly insult over and maliciously persecute the servants of God and members of Christ. Haman notwithstanding all his greatnesse durst not but honour Mordecai because he was the man whom the King delighted to honour and dare you abuse such whom God vouchsafeth to honour know you not that they are his jewels and will you deface them the apple of his eye and will you touch them his temple and will you seek to destroy them Are they not to speak it with an humble modesty all in all with God his bosome friends his daily associates and dare man whose breath is in his nostrils do any injury to them or can he do it and hope impunity Let none deceive themselves Qui insurgit in Christum Domini insurgit in Dominum Christi he that riseth up against the Lords anointed riseth up
represented Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou Son of God nor is there less verity than dignity in these sayings that as the one cannot but attract our love so the other may engage our faith this holy Apostle and the rest had good ground for clear evidence convincing proof of what they uttered for it was no more than what sensible experience did assure them of That which we have heard c. It is that part of the Text I am now to handle the commendation of the Gospel from certain tradition as being that which the Apostles had heard and had seen with their eyes and their hands had handled of the word of life Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established so runs St. Pauls maxime loe here no less than three witnesses to wit three sences hearing seeing handling produced by St. Iohn to assert the truth of what he writeth some Expositors restrain it particularly to the resurrection of which the Apostles first heard by Mary Magdalen afterwards they saw him themselves and one of them handled him putting his hand into his side yea Christ bids them all to see and handle him indeed the special work of the Apostles was to be witnesses of the resurrection and therefore it is not improbable that St. Iohn might have a singular eye to it but yet we shall do best to take Scripture in the fullest latitude and so refer this ad totam verbi incarnati oeconomiam to the whole oeconomy of the word incarnate thus according to the several wayes whereby Christ was pleased to manifest himself to them he was heard seen and handled by them he manifested himself in flesh and so was handled in his miracles and so was seen in his words and so was heard That we may the better understand both the intent and extent of these phrases let us consider them severally 1. That which we have heard of the word of life it is a clause which admits of several references To Moses and the Prophets that which we have heard out of their writings concerning the Messiah for it is mentioned of both that they were read in the Iewish synagogues every Sabbath-day whither the Apostles often repaired 2. To the Scribes and Pharisees that which we have heard from their mouths in their expositions upon Moses and the Prophets the Pharisees themselves preached those things concerning the Messiah that were fulfilled in him and so against their wills gave testimony to him whom they rejected 3. To Iohn the Baptist that which we heard from him who was Christs harbenger to go before him and pointed at him with an ecce Behold the Lamb of God 4. To the voyce from heaven that which we heard when we were with him in the holy mount This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased the Father himself by this extraordinary way testifying of him 5. Or lastly and as I conceive most suitably to the Apostles meaning to Christ himself that which we heard from his own mouth for so it seemeth to be expounded at the fifth verse the message that we heard of him not from others at second hand but immediately from his own lips we read in the Gospel that he opened his mouth and spake and as generally to the multitude so more especially to his disciples unfolding to them the mysteries of the Kingdom aperuit os suum qui prius aperuit or a prophetarum he that opened the mouthes of the Prophets at last openeth his own mouth and oracula quasi auracula those sacred oracles which like hony drop'd from his lips were distilled into their eares who continually sate at his feet to receive instruction from him nor was it a naked hearing which the Apostle here intends but an hearing so as to understand and believe for it is such an hearing as put them upon declaring which could not have been unless they had understood nor would have been except they had believed themselves this is that which perhaps the iteration of it at the third verse may insinuate they heard and heard to wit with the ear and with the heart and that is the right hearing when there is internus fidei assensus as well as externus auris auditus an inward assent accompanying our outward attention that which Christ spake to his disciples he many times spake to many others but as when the instrument sounds a multitude hear it yet only the musical eare understands and taketh delight in it so onely the Apostles heard with a divine religious ear by which means it affected their hearts and inclined them to declare and write that they had heard 2. That which we have seen with our eyes that which we have looked upon The next sense which is brought in as a witness is their sight and it is set forth with abundance of emphasis to unfold which observe the extensiveness of the object and intensiveness of the act 1. This that the object is of a large extent and may be taken in reference to both his natures to wit humane and divine 1. The Apostles saw his humanity beheld him a man altogether like to themselves sin onely excepted they saw him eating drinking walking and thereby expressing the actions of an humane body yea they saw him in weariness hunger thirst and so subject to the defects of our frail nature 2. They saw his divinity to wit in the effects of it those powerful miracles which were wrought by him such works may well challenge our aspect They saw him cleansing the Lepers curing the sick opening the eyes of the blind the eares of the deaf nay raising the dead and this Interpreters conceive St. Iohn especially to aime at expounding him by himself in the Gospel where he saith we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth yea besides those miracles which he wrought among men whilest on earth they saw his glorious transfiguration on the mount his raising himself from the grave and his wonderful ascending into heaven when from mount Olivet a cloud received him out of their sight all this and what ever else conduced to declaring either his manhood or his God-head may be very well comprehended in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we have seen 2. The act is set forth with a great deal of advantage to express the intensiveness of it For 1. It is not barely that which we have seen but that which we have seen with our eyes an addition which may seem a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since if we do see it must be with our eyes but is indeed an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since as Chrysostome well observeth concerning the like phrase of hearing with our eares it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usuall custome of men when they assert any thing whereof they are fully assured and that to those who
and bread and wine common ordinary creatures to be the pledges of his love and conduit-pipes of his grace to the Church and as common things so ordinary persons are thought fittest by him to be imployed in his work indigent ignorant fishermen must be the publishers of his Gospel to the world It is that which lets us see the freeness the strangeness and the wisdom of divine dispensations 1. The freeness in that as the Apostle speaketh there is no respect of persons with God it is not external qualifications that Christ looketh at the poor as well as the rich the simple as soon as the wise the base as easily as the noble are accepted of him nay many times he passeth by these and chooseth those 2. The strangeness in that it is so contrary to the dictates of carnal reason who would not have thought it the most probable way of spreading the Gospel if Christ had imployed the Scribes that were learned in the Law and the Rulers of the people to have been the publishers of it but Gods wayes are not as our wayes neither are his thoughts as ours he loves to tread in uncouth paths and for the most part such as are crosse to our reason 3. The wisdom in that this serveth much to magnifie his own name look as the lesse aptitude there is in the matter so the lesse energie there is in the instrument so much the greater doth the skill power and causality of the efficient appear the less there is of men in any work the more of God is seen To do so great a work as the publishing and promoting of Christian Religion by such weak instruments as the Apostles were cannot but highly advance the honour of Christ since as S. Paul speaketh hereby the excellency of the power is manifested to be of God and not of man 2. And thus I have given you a view of the porch be pleased now to go into the house and therein to take a survey of the 1. Foundation as it is laid down in those words God is light and in him is no darkness at all if we consider these words in their utmost latitude they are both a position and a probation but this latter I shall defer to the following words For the more full handling of this clause as a position be pleased to observe something both more general and more speciall 1. In generall the words are a metaphoricall description of God For beloved when the Apostle saith God is light we must not think that the nature of God is the same with that of light indeed as St. Austin well observeth the Sun is light and the Moon is light and the other Stars are light but far be it from us to imagine that the Creators essence is the same with the Creatures but something far more choice and excellent only by light as a similitude the Apostle would represent something of God to us and thus it is not unworthy our consideration That 1. The metaphor which St. Iohn maketh choice of is drawn from a thing very obvious and familiar to us Indeed as one saith well light is that then which nothing is more unknown and yet nothing more known being that which is visible to every eye and in this respect the fitter to illustrate God by that by what we do know we may be instructed concerning him whom we do not know It is a fit pattern for all Ministers to follow whose work is not to make plain things hard as too many do but to make hard things plain and therefore to draw their similitudes from common and manifest things such as may not cast a vail over but give a lustre to the truth they deliver Indeed the end of these similitudes is chiefly to help the minde in conceiving and the memory in retainning what is by them represented now familiar comparisons are both more quickly understood and easily remembred and therefore ought espeoially to be used 2. The Apostle endeavouring to instruct us concerning the Creator borroweth a resemblance from the Creature Indeed as the Apostle Paul speaketh there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something to be known of God by the Creatures the earth and every pile of grass that groweth out of it but much more the heavens and the beams of light that flow from it declare the glory of God God hath vouchsafed somewhat of his excellencies to the Creatures and therefore in them we may nay ought to read something of God and that not onely in respect of his being but attributes Oh let us study this divine Art learn this spiritual Alchimy to extract heaven out of earth God out of the Creature that as we behold the works of his hand so we may in and by them see the excellency of the worker It is a known maxime in Philosophy Omnis cognitio fit per sensum All naturall knowledge entereth into the minde by the sense and it is thus far true in Divinity that spiritual knowledge may be helped by the sense happy is that man who maketh the things which he seeth as so many stayres by which his contemplation goeth up to God whom he doth not see 2. In particular this metaphoricall description of God is set forth both affirmatively God is light and negatively in him is no darkness at all and both may be construed two wayes to wit as spoken of God considered either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself or in his influences 1. In himself And that 1. Affirmatively God is light And thus 1. This metaphor of light though but darkly shadoweth forth the Trinity the Father being as the body of light the Son as the beams the Holy Ghost as the Splendor of both Dyonisius illustrateth it by the similitude of three candles enlightning one and the same room Damascen of the parelii when there appear as it were three and yet it is but one sun some have observed a resemblance of it in the Hebrâ—w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine Lux which signifie light all of which are monosyllables consisting of three letters and in the Hebrew word they observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the spirit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the middle letter may aptly represent the Son which is the middle person especially being neer of kin to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first letter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Son but as I would not altogether contemn so neither do I much delight in such kind of observations and besides it is no doubt aliene from the Apostles scope to intend by this metaphor a resemblance of the Trinity 2. That therefore which is to be considered is in what respects this metaphor of
passe we on to the Negative in these words and do not the truth this phrase of doing the truth is very rare I find it not used in the new Testament but only by the Master and the beloved disciple it is Christs phrase in his speech to Nicodemus he that doth the truth cometh to the light and here St. John having learned it from him maketh use of it we do not the truth An expression which at first view seemeth harsh and incongruous since truth more properly refers to the Judgement then the life and is the object rather of contemplation then action hence it is that truth is that which we are said to know and beleeve that which we are said to do is good and this is the most uâ—uall phraise of the scripture But if we looke a little more narrowly into this expression it will appeare apt and significant to which end we must know that according to the Philosophers there is a three fold truth Metaphisicall Logicall and Ethicall the first is in being the conformity of a thing to the idea by which it was framed the second is in knowing the conformitie of the understanding with the thing the third is in signifying the conformitie both sermonis and facti of our words to the things and our actions to right reason by which distinction it manifestly appeareth that there is a practicall as well as a speculative truth and so this phrase of doing the truth very sutable To open it a little more fully be pleased to know that doing the truth may be construed two waies and both here be made use of to wit by considering truth either as the object or the manner of this doing 1. To do the truth considered objectively is to conforme in doing to the truth that is the word of God the rule and square of truth and so this phrase may be expounded by that of Ezekiel doing that which is lawfull and right to this purpose is the exposition which St. Cyrill and Tollet give of the phrase in the Gospell to do the truth is to do according to the law of Justice rightly and honestly to make the law of God the rule of our conversation whereby we may be come acceptable to God 2. To do the truth considered modally is to do what we do heartily sincerely and so it may be explained by Hezekiahs phrase of walking in truth and with a perfect heart for as to doing good it is not enough that we do what is good but that we do it well so to doing the truth it is not sufficient that we do what is right but that we do it truly with a good and upright heart and no wonder if our Apostle here declayming against hypocrites whose devotion is but a stage play a meere fained representation and whose conversation is after their own lusts not Gods waies chargeth them that they do not the truth But if we put these two expressions togeather we lie and do not the truth there may seem yet a further incongruity it would have been more sutable one would thinke to have said we lie and speak not the truth since lying refers to the tongue and so this would have been fitly annexed as a proofe of the lying in that they speak not truth but if we consider upon what account the Apostle chargeth these hypocrites with lying we shall find this phrase was fitly made choice of not doing rather then not speaking truth The reason why this saying is asserted to be a lie is because their walking was not answerable to their talking their doing to their saying no wonder that he saith they lie and that is because they do not the truth To cleare this more plainly you must know that though in a strict proper sence a lie is the dissonancy betweene the tongue the heart the words the thoughts when a man speaketh one thing thinketh another yet in a large no lesse reall notion it is a dissonancy between the tongue and the hand the words and the workes when a man speaketh one thing doth another To this purpose St. Ambrosse excellently noteth that there is a lie as well in respect of deeds as words for a man to call himselfe a Christian and not to do the works of Christ is a lie and thus Estius glosses on these words we do not the truth that is we prove by our deeds that what we say is not true Indeed they are alike bad when the life as when the heart giveth the tongue the lie may in respect of men the former is far more discernable then the latter when a man speaketh what his heart thinketh not I cannot presently say he lyeth because I know not what he thinketh but when a man speaketh that which his actions confute I can easily see and boldly say that he lyeth That then which our Apostle would intimate to us by this phrase is the contrariety between an hypocrites profession and his conversation his voyce is Jacobs but his hands are Esaws like silver he looks white but draweth blacke lines audi nemo melius specta nemo pejus loquitur ut Piso viuit ut Gallomus Heare him talking you would thinke him an Angell see him walking you will finde him a Devill like that stage-player who cryed oh caelum and pointed with his finger to the earth his tongue talketh of heaven whilest his fingers are defiled with the earth he speaketh much of the spirit but he walketh after the flesh the discourse of his lips is holy the course of his life profane in a word his profession is angelicall his conversation diabolical his words are spirituall his works carnall he saith he hath fellowship with God but he lyeth for he doth not the truth To apply this when I read this Text and consider the Times I am ready to believe that the one was in a speciall manner intended for the other so fully is this charge of lying verified in this generation it was the complaint of God by the Prophet Ephraim Compasseth me about with lyes and the house of Israel with deceit may he not take up the same against us England compasseth God about with lyes and London with deceit Let our ungodly abominable unjust practices speak if our fastings and prayers and profession be not a loud notorious lye Oh that I could cry aloud this day in the ears of these lyars to awaken them out of their security Trust not in lying words was the caution of the Prophet to the Iews it is no less needfull for us let us not content our selves with false shows nor rest on vain hopes it was the charge of the Prophet against the people concerning their King that they made him glad with lyes and what else do hypocrits whilest make themselves glad with false presumption Oh that this lying generation would sadly consider what a kind of lye this is whereof they are guilty The Schools
and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin The first of these is all I can dispatch at this time wherein you may please to observe The Path and the Guide whom we are to follow The walk and the footsteps which we are to trace The matter of the duty wherein it consists walking in the light The manner of the duty how it is to be performed as he is in the light Let me crave your patience whilest I shall by the light of divine truth lead you through both these The matter of the duty which qualifieth a Christian is said to be walking in the light There is a phrase used by St. Paul of walking as in the day which cometh somewhat neere this of walking in the light and if we should construe light here literally and perfix an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before in the light it would excellently instruct us in the nature of a truly Christian conversation They who walke in the light walke visibly to the eyes of all beholders walke carefully that they may not behave themselves unseemingly nor do any thing which may be offensive 1. Thus must Christians walke as in the light to wit Exemplarily according to the counsell of our saviour let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works it is not enough to do good works in secret but we must shew them openly and though we must abhorre to do our works for this end that they may be seen yet we must so do them as they may be seen 2. Exactly in such sort as may become the Gospell we beleeve and religion we professe we must walke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is St. Pauls phrase to the Romans honestly so our translators decently so the sence of the originall as befits those that call themselves Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Apostles phrase to the Ephesians circumspectly so our translators accuratly so the force of the word that we may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonnes of God without rebuke as the same Apostles expression is to the Philippians so that even a carping momus cannot spie a fault But this cannot be the right way of interpreting this clause since wee finde the As in the next and therefore we are to understand light metaphorically and so our cheife worke is to enquire what the Apostle intends by this metaphor of light I shall not trouble you with the various acceptions of the word in holy writ let it sufice to know There is a three-fold light ad quod per quod in quo To which by which and in which we are to walke 1. There is a light to which we walke namely the light of glory and happines Those two cheefe excellencies life light are not unfitly made choyce of in scripture to shaddow forth the future estate of the glorifyed St. Paul calls it the inheritance of the saints in light to shew how pleasant glorious and amiable that inheritance is this light is the terminus ad quem terme of a Christians motion to which the course of his life tendeth and in which at last it endeth 2. There is a light by which we walke and this is double to wit externall and internall of the word and of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lex lux the law is a light the commandment a lampe saith the sonne and he learnt it of his father who saith thy word is a light to my feet and a lanthorn to my paths it being Gods word that discovereth to us the way wherein we should walke and yet this is not enough without the other though adest lumen the sunshine never so bright yet if desunt oculi eyes be wanting to make use of the light it will be in vaine to us There must not only be a light before the eyes but a light in the eyes if we will see to go and therefore St. Paul prayed that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightned since it is only by the direction of the word joyned with the illumination of the spirit that we are enabled to walke in our spirituall journey 3. Lastly and to our present purpose there is a light in which we are to walke and that is the light of sanctity and holinesse this being the path in which every Christian must tread and when we remember that the light spoken of God in the fifth verse intends his holinesse that the darkness mentioned in the former verse is put for wickednesse we may rationally conclude that by light here we are to understand holinesse Having found out the meaning it will not be amisse to enquire a little further into the Analogy of the metaphor which will the better appeare if we consider the originall and the properties of light 1. Light is of a celestiall extraction springs of water arise out of the earth but the fountaine of light is in the heavens those flowers of light are found in no garden but the supernall firmament so is holinesse of an heavenly parentage as prudence so pietie is that which is from aboue That of our Saviour except a man be borne againe may according to a double signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be read except a man be borne from above and indeed St. Cyrill doth so interpret it our Generation is in some sort from below but our regeneration is only from above and for this reason partly though not principally is holinesse called by the Apostle Peter the divine nature because of a divine originall indeed Christ calls it our light when he saith to his Disciples let your light shâ—ne before men and so it is subjective but not effective our light because in us but not from us and therefore it is so ours as that it is primarily his from whence we receive it 2. Light among others hath two speciall properties namely claritie and beautie the one following the other light is of a cleare bright splendent nature and by reason hereof it is of a very beautifull and lovely aspect yea it is the great ornament of the world putting a beautie on all things els since without it the redness of the rose the whiteness of the lilly all naturall and artificiall beautie were as good be not existing because not appearing By these two properties are represented those two parts of holinesse which consists in purgamento and in ornamento cleansing and adorning in holinesse there is puritie which answereth the splendour and there is conformitie which answereth to the beautie of light holinesse is expulsive of all sin and thereby maketh the soul bright holinesse restoreth Gods image and thereby maketh the soule beautifull indeed it is holinesse that puts a beauty upon all other excellencies our naturalls morals our intellectualls are then ornaments when like the diamond to the ring holinesse is superadded to them You see what this light is and how fitly
God is so in the light that in him is no darkness and our lives like the Israelites cloud have a darke side as well as a light Gods holinesse is perfect and unspotted ours is imperfect and defective so that if this be the condition this supposition can never be a position and not only few but none shall be saved But how harsh so ever this which is here mentioned may seeme yet it is no more then what is necessary indeed when we finde St. John not once but againe not only in Metaphoricall but plaine terms calling on us to be pure and righteous as God is yea Christ himselfe requiring us to be perfect as his Father is perfect and God himselfe to be holy as he is holy we have reason to looke upon this addition as of waighty needfull concernment and therefore to remove this objection and cleare the genuine sence of this as be pleased to observe this threefold solution 1. There is a double as to wit of likeness and of a quality the one respects the kinde the other the degree that the nature this the measure of the thing our light in which we are to walke must be like to that in which God is though the light in which God is be infinitely brighter then ours looke as it is between the streame and the fountaine the branch and the root the aire and the sun so it is between God and a Christian the same water is in the streame that is in the fountaine the same sap in the branch that is in the roote the same light in the aire that is in the sun though the water and the sap and the light are primarily most plenarily in the fountaine the root the sun indeed to speak Exactly we cannot call the holiness of a Saint the same with Gods holinesse because this as all his attributes is his essence which is in communicable to any creature besides his holinesse is infinite and ours finite and infinite and finite must needs toto genere distare differ generically but the holinesse in us is the image of that holiness in God and as it were the stampe and impression of Gods holiness upon us in which regard holiness is one of those attributes of God which the schooles call communicable because God is pleased to communicate the likeness of it to his Saints and therefore they are truly said by the author to the Hebrews to partake of his holinesse and here by the Apostle John to walke in the light as he is in the light 2. We must distinguish inter effectum affectum actum conatum between an effectuall performance and an affectionate endeavour as for the walking in the light you have already heard it must not be only in affection but action But so to walke as God is in the light is that which because we cannot fully attaine to it will suffice to desire and endeavour after To this purpose is that glosse upon the text he is said to walke as God is in the light who striveth to imitate divine purity When a Master sets his schollar an exact coppy and bids him write as that is written his meanâ—ng is not that he should cut all his letters with the same dexterity and transcribe the lines with the same evenness that he hath done but that he should endeavour to come as neere it as may be the same no doubt is the intention of the Holy Ghost in this and the like scriptures to put us upon a cordiall study of following God in the footsteps of his purity and holiness 3. Besides these no lesse true then apt solutions there seemeth to me yet a plainer answer in the words themselves by observing the difference between these two expressions of walking and being in the light it is not said we must be in the light as he is in the light but we must walke as he is looke as he is in the light so that there is not the least darkness of sin in him so we must walk in the light and not indulge our selves in any sinful work of darkness so that to walk in the light as God is in the light is so to walk in the light as that we do not walk in though we be not wholly free from darkness he then that liveth not in a course of known sin that leadeth a conversation without any raigning iniquity as God is without any sin at all he walketh in the light as he is in the light and who will not acknowledge but this is that which every one not only may but must attain to who expects these glorious priviledges And now to what should the meditation of this clause serve but to 1. Humble us for our spiritual pride How usual is it with most of us to have overweening conceits of our own worth to think our selves better then indeed we are and by reason of self-sufficiency to make a stop in our proficiency one special cause whereof is that we measure our holiness by a false standard and do not weigh our selves in the ballance of the sanctuary we look upon the prophane rabble of the world and presently judge our selves holy enough and because we wander not in their Cimmerian AEgyptian darkness conclude our selves to walk in the light but tell me thou that pleasest thy self as if thou wert holy enough art thou as holy as Paul who calls to the Philippians and in them to all Christians be ye followers of me nay art thou as holy as the Angels when yet thy prayer is that thou mayest do Gods will on earth as they do in heaven nay once more art thou as holy as Christ as God whom here the Apostle sets before thee as a pattern Alas thou that lookest on thy left hand them that are worse then thy self with scorn didst thou look on thy right hand those examples that so farre excell thee hast more reason to tremble thou that castest thine eyes onely behind thee and standest still didst thou look before thee couldest not choose but haste forward starres are glorious things in comparison of candles but alas how is their splendor obscured when the Sun ariseth compare thy light with that of the Apostles Angels God himself and be not high minded but fear 2. Enflame us with a spiritual ambition though our minds must be lowly yet our aimes should be high only with this caution not to be great but good It was indeed the haynous crime of the fallen Angels as is probably supposed of our first parents as is clearly manifest that they desired to be as Gods but it was in point of knowledge of Majesty not of holiness and truly we their unhappy progeny are too much of the same mind we would walk in the light of knowledg and glory as he is in the light but far be those thoughts and desires from sincere Christians let us make him our pattern for walking in the light
God with all his heart with all his soule with all his might and with all his strength ex hoc vitio noÌ„ est justus super terram by reason of this defect no man can be perfectly just upon earth for though a negative imperfection such as there was in Adam as created by if compared with God be no sin yet a privative imperfection such as is now in our best righteousnesse undoubtedly is It is no fault for a thing not to be so perfect as another is but it is a fault for a thing not to be so perfect as it ought to be and therefore because no grace existing in us ariseth to that degree no duty performed by us is exactly according to the manner which Gods law requireth it must needs be a sin where then it is said of any person by God himselfe that they are righteous as of Noah Job and others it is to be conceived saith the learned Chamer as a testimony given of them according to the indulgence of mercy not the rigour of justice and where the works of godly men are called good works though they are absolutely called good works yet they are not absolutely good since as St. Gregory saith of himself so may every Saint My â—vill actions are purely evill but not so my good actions indeed we must distinguish of sins per se per accidâ—ns the good actions of wicked men are not sins in themselves but as performed by them we must further distinguish between sinful actions and sin in an action the good works of the godly are not sinful works but yet they have sin in them so that to summe it up the best actions of bad men are turned into sin and the best actions of good men are accompanied with sin so that none can say no not in respect of their good duties We have not sinned And yet I do not hereby assert what some do too rigidly that a man sinneth in every action he doth there are some actions done by men that are not humane but natural and those cannot be said to have sin in them besides there may be in a renewed man some suddain emanations of the will as regenerate antecedencies to the conflicts and lustings of the will as corrupt and those may be conceived as sinlesse but still all deliberate actions must needs have some sin cleaving to them As for those doctrines therefore which assert a possibâ—lity of keeping the law of an unsinning estate in this life I say as Jeremy upon Hananiahs prophesie of the speedy deliverance to the Jews Amen the Lord do so Oh that we might be so perfect but still I must assert with St. Austin it is a state magis optandus quà m sperandus to be desired yea and endeavoured but not to be hoped for in this life and here with St. John If we say we have no sin if we say we have not sinned we deceive our selves To apply this doctrine It is worthy to be considered by three sorts of persons The wicked the weak the strong 1. Let wicked men take heed how they abuse this doctrine it is too usual a consectary which ungodly wretches draw from these prâ—mises If the best cannot say they have no sin no wonder if we commit sin and they think it a sufficient excuse for their flagitious wickedness every man hath his faults would you have us chaster then David soberer then Noah have not the godliest fallen into sin so that as we may say of many rich men It were happy for them if they did beleeve that errour of Pelagius to be true an impossibility of rich mens salvation since it would divert them from Earth to Heaven whereas because they may lawfully care for the things of the earth they care for nothing else the like we may say of many wicked men It were happy for them they did beleeve Pelagius his errour in this particular to be true That men might be without sin sure because they hear no man can be without sinne they think themselves safe enough though they live in sin But oh thou foolish sinner knowest thou not that though no man can be without moats yet good mâ—n are without beams they have infirmities but they are free from enormities knowest thou not that though no man can be altogether without sin yet he is best that hath the least and every good man striveth to his utmost against all sin and therefore take heed how thou cheat thy self with these false reasonings 2. Let weak Saints hence comfort themselves against the stirrings of their lusts the sense of their infirmities and their daily frailâ—ies which they find accompanying them it is too usuall with tender consciences to be too harsh to themselves and because they find much sin to conclude that they have no grace Indeed it is good to be jealous of our own hearts still to suspect our graces our duties lest they be counterfeit but withall we must take heed how we censure them to be counterfeit because they are imperfect There may be good gold where there is much drosse burning fire hid under many ashes and the truth of grace may be in that heart which is sensible of various and strong lusts indeed these burres of sinfull corruption as they cleave to us so they should prick us our manifold imperfections and infirmities should be the matter of our griefe but not of our despair we cannot be too bitter against our sins even the least yet we must not be too severe against our selves because of those lesser sins which we cannot be rid of if the holy Prophets Apostles Martyrs could not whilest on earth say they had no sinne no wonder if thou groan under the weight of many sins 3. Let strong Saints be hence admonished to be 1. Lowly in their own eyes That God will not have his Saints altogether free from sinne in this life is not opus impotentiae but sapientiae from want of power but abundance of wisdome and one special reason why the godly have sinne still adhering to them is to keep them humble and poor in spirit Indeed Pelagius scoffes at this as a great absurdity that sinne should be a meanes to prevent sinne as if fire could put out fire but St. Austin answereth him fully that it is no unusuall thing for a Chirurgion to cure a griefe by causing grief puting his patient to pain that he may remove his pain and we may answer him in his own instance That fire is the way to fetch out fire The truth is it is not the remainder of sin but the sence of those remainders which is a means to humble us and abate that spiritual pride which is too apt to arise even from our graces and look as grace accidentally causeth the sin of pride so our sins accidentally cause the grace of humility when therefore we are at any time apt to pride our selves in our gay feathers
boasting of the wickednesse they act it is a confession which is attended with dedolent impâ—nitency but the penitent confession is of a contrary nature ever accompanied with a shamefull griefe and loathing 4. Beleeving and fiduciall that must be like the confession not of the malefactor to the Iudge but of a sick man to the Physitian wee read of Cain and Iudas confessing but it was rather a desperate acâ—usation then a penitent confession Daniel as he acknowledged to them belonged confusion so that to God belongeth mercy thus must our most sorrowfull acknowledgment be joyned with some comfortable hope of and trust in divine mercy 3. The consequent of this confâ—ssion must be dereliction were it onely to confesse our fault when we have done it it were an easie matter but if Solomon may be St. Iohns expositor it is not onely to confesse but forsake sin and therefore interpreters truly assert that confession is here put synecdochiâ—ally for the whole worke of repentance it being not enough for us to confesse the sin wee have committed but wee must not commit again wilfully the sins wee confess indeed it is very sad to consider how generally defective mens confessions are as to this particular Many as Fulgentius â—xcellently being pricked in conscience confess that they have done ill and yet put no end to their ill deeds they humbly accuse thmselves in Gods sight of the sinnes which oppresse them and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heape up those sins whereof they accuse themselves The very pardon which they beg wâ—th mournfull sighs they impede with their wicked actions they aske help of the Physitian and still minister matter to the disease thus â—n vaâ—n endeavouring to appease him wâ—th penitent wordâ— whom they goe on to provoke by an impenâ—tent course â—ookâ— how Saul dealt with Davâ—d one whiâ—e confessing hiâ— injustice towards him and soone after persecuâ—â—ng him in the wildernesse so doe men with God you know the story of Pharaoh who one day saith I have sinned and promiseth to let Israel goe and the next day hardâ—neth his heart and refuseth to let them goe and this practice is too too frequent our repentance is a kind of cheâ—ker worke black whâ—te whâ—te and black we sin and then we confess we confess then again we sin But oâ— beloved what will it availe you to vomit up your sins by confession if you do it onely with the drunkard to make way for pouring in more drinke committing new sins nay with the dog you returne to your vomit and lick it up again It is excellent councell that is given by St. Ambrose oh take we heed that the devâ—ll have not cause to triumph over our remedy as well as our dâ—sease and that our repentance be not such as needs a repentance Indeed as Fulgentius appositely Then is Confession of sin Availeable when it is accompanied wâ—th a separation from sin and the practice of thâ— contrary duty and therefore what our Apostle saith of Loving let mee say of confessing confesse not in tongue or in word onely but indeed and in truth by endeavouring to forsake those sins which wee confesse not onely saying I have done iniquity but cordially aâ—ding I wâ—ll doe so no more I end this with that note of St. Austin upon those words of the Prophet Wash you make you clean He onely washeth and is clean who sorrowfully acknowledgeth past and doth not again willingly admitt future sins and so much shall serve in dispatch of the third question 4. Come we now in a few words to the last which is who they are that must thus confessâ— that is intimated in the word we To confesse 〈◊〉 is that which belongs not onely to wicked and ungodly men but to St. Iohn and such as he was good nay the best Christians and that in a respect of their 1. Past enormities True penâ—tents love still to rub upon their old sâ—res David in his psalm deprecateth the sins of his youth our old sins call for new confessions and this holy men doe upon severall considerations 1. To keep down the swellâ—ng of spirituall pride which is apt to arise in the best saints King Agathocles by drinking in â—arthen vessels to minde himselfe of his orâ—gâ—nall which was from a potter kept himsâ—lfe humble so doe good Christians by remembring and acknowledging their hainous sins before conversion 2. To gain further assurance of the pardon of these sins Faith in the best is apt to faint and feares to arise in their minds but the renewing of confession and contrition supports faith and expels fear 3. To strengthen themselves the more against relapses into those sins The best men want not temptations to the worst sins especially those which before conversion they were accustomed to lived in but every new confession is as it were a new obligation upon a man not to doe it any more 4. To enflame their souls with greater measure of love to God and Christ. The sence of sin is a great indearment of mercy and the confession of sin renewâ—th the sence of it indeed wee must not commâ—t sâ—n abundantly that grace may abound the more but we may and ought to confesse sâ—n abuâ—dantly that grace may abound be the more precâ—ous to us for these reasons it is that good Christians are frequent in confessâ—ng their old sâ—ns but besides they have new matter of coâ—â—ession in respect of 2. Their present infirmâ—tâ—es not onely all that are wicked but all that are sinners are bound to confesse their sins and as you formerly heard the best whilest they continue here are sinners whilest the ship is leaking the water must be pumped out as the room continually gathereth soyle so it must be daily swept and the stomack which is still breeding â—ll humours must have vomits administred The line of confession must be drawn out as long as the line of sinning and that is as long as the line of living To shut up therefore we may by this see what kind of Saints those are who are altogether for high raptures of gratulation and admiration but think themselves past confession and humiliation and therefore you shall observe their prayers to have little or no mixture of acknowledgment of sin To all such I shall say as the Emperor did to the Arch-Puritan Acesius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erect thy ladder and climb alone upon it to heaven for our parts my brethren let confession of sins be as the first so the last round in that ladder to heaven by which we expect and endeavour to ascend that Celestial Habitation THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 9. If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness THat Covenant which Almighty God hath made with fallen man in Christ Jesus is not unfitly called by Divines a Covenant of Grace free grace
come But though the Text contain a promise and the promisâ— a blessing of so great a value yet if it were not as sure in the performance as it is sweet in the promise we could not with joy draw water out of it And therefore he lets us see this Well of salvation is dâ—gged so deep that the water cannot fayle this fabrick of comfort is founded so strong that it cannot fall if we be not a wanting to our selves in fulfilling the condition Gods justice fidelity will not suffer him to be a wanting to us in performing the promise for if we confess our sins he is faithfull just to forgive c. It is that part of the Text I am now to handle the certainty of the mercy in those words he is faithfull and just To assertain us of the effect our Apostle mindeth us of the causes and here are two sorts of efficient causes set before us the principal in the word he and the internal impulsive in those words faithful and just and surely when we consider both quis who it is that conferreth this benefit and qualis how faithful and just he is we may certainly conclude the accomplishment of it of each therefore in their order The principal efficient cause of remâ—ssion is He and if you ask who this he is you must look back and you shall find it to be him with whom we havâ— fellowship who is light 〈◊〉 self and so no other then God himself And indeed such is the nature of this blessing that if he did not do it none else could it being not only his act but his prerogative and so his onely act to cleanse and forgive a sinner I even I am he saith God himself that blotteth out thy transgressions by which reduplication he intendeth an appropriaâ—tion as if he had said I and none but I Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity saith the Prophet by which is no doubt intended both an affirmative and a negative the one that whosoever pardoneth must be a God the other that there is no God like to him for pardoning and therefore indeed whatever else besides him is called God is no God In this doubtlesse those Pharisees spoke truth though with a malicious intention against him who is the truth when they said who can forgive sins but God alone and therefore from that very position S. Ambrose proveth the Deity of the holy Ghost and S. Cyrâ—l most properly the Deity of the Son of God And indeed iâ— must needs be onely in Gods power to forgive because it is onely against him that the offence is commâ—tted it is no doubt a clear truth that only he to whom the injury is done can remit the doing of it now David saith and most fully Agaâ—nst thee against thee only I have sinned nor is that only true because he being a King was accountable to none but God for what he had done but because sin properly so called is only against him of whose law it is a breach and that is God himself Thus S. Cyril argueth It belongeth only to God to loose men from their sins for who can free from the transgression of the law but the Authour of it and accordingly S. Cyprian let no man cheat and delude himself only God must shew mercy since the servant cannot grant an indulgence for the fault which is done against his Lord. Sin is a spot in Gods sight and none can hide it from him unless he pleaseth to turn away his face It is a debt in Gods Book and who dares to blot any thing out of his Book but himself If any man shall pretend to forgive anothers debt he offereth a double injury to the debtor by deceiving him with false hopes and to the creditor by usurping his power hence it is that we find those exclusive propositions frequent in the ancients S. Chrisostom often none can forgive sin but God alone to forgive sin belongeth to none other to forgive sins is possible to God alone And Gregory the great Thou who only sparest thou who alone forgivest And Optatus It is only Gods act to cleanse and make white our scarlet sins this is a part of Gods name which is incommunicable because an expression of his nature he is the Lord forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin an emanation of that glory which he saith he will not give to another That which may seem to contradict this truth is that power which the ministers of the Gospel have in the point of forgiveness insomuch that our blessed Saviour expressely saith Whose sins you remit they are remitted To cleare this scruple be pleased to know that 1. Whatever power the priest hath of forgiving it is then onâ—ly effectual when the person is rightly qualified we are stewards and must not be like the unjust steward strâ—ke out our Masters debt without his leave or otherwise then according to his prescription we are Ambassadors therefore have not power to proclaim war or conclude peace between God and man according to our own discretion but his direction to wit upon the testification of that which we at least probably conceive is unfained repentance and therefore saith Tolet well quod in terra sacerdos in coelo Deus What the Priest doth on earth is ratified in heaven but clave non â—rrante not when he turneth the key the wrong way so that if the confession of the penitent be not sincere the absolution of the Priest is invalid 2. But further the power which a Priest hath upon penâ—tent confession of forgiving is but ministerial not magisterial ministri sunt pro judicibus baberi nolunt they are only Ministers not Judges so St. Austin it is the King that grants the pardon they are only Officers that bring it If you desire more particularly to know how far the power of a Minister extends to forgiving I answer briefly 1. They have power by vertue of their office to intercede with God for sinners and therefore the sick person is to call for the Elders of the Church that they may pray for him that his sins may be forgiven him 2. They have the word of reconciliation committed to them wherein the promise of pardon is revealed and exhibited by them the holy Sacraments are administred which are the means of conveying pardon to those that are rightly qualified to which purpose it is that Fâ—rus saith appositely Mâ—nisters forgive sins inasmuch as they are instrumental in those several Ordinances by which God remitteth sin 3. They have authority of releasing those censures which have been past upon sinners for the scandal given by their flagitious practices to the Church 4. Finally they have power particularly to declare that God hath forgiven their sins in whom they observe the signs of repentance as they pray us to be reconciled to God so they may assure us upon our contrition that
Father Jesus Christ the rightâ—ous wherein there are two things observable The quality what it is we have an advocate The efficacy how prevalent it is in respect of The person with whom the Father The person who Jesus Christ the righteous The first thing to be discussed is the Quality of this Ingredient and to that end we must enquire what this meaneth that Christ is called an Advocate The more clearly to unfold this comfortable truth I shall proceed by these steps 1. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used is attributed in Scripture both to Christ and the Spirit but when it is attributed to the spirit it is rendered by comforter when to Christ by advocate and not without reason since the spirits work is to speak comfortably to us and Christs to plead powerfully for us indeed whensoever this title is given to the holy Ghost it is either in respect of the world and then it noteth his pleading for God with men by way of conviction or in respect of beleevers and then it noteth his incouraging them in all their distresses and enabling them by strong groanes to plead with God for themselves but when it is given to Christ it importeth his taking our cause upon himselfe and undertaking to intercede with God in our behalfe 2. This will the better appeare if we consider that advocate is verbum forense a judicial word so that look as in all such proceedings there is the guilty the accuser the Court the Judge and the Advocate so is it here Heaven is the Court man is the guilty Satan the accuser God is the Iudge and Christ the Advocate and look as the advocate appeareth in the Court before the Iudge to plead for the guilty against the accuser so doth Christ before God in heaven to answer whatsoever the devil can object against us 3. But further as Christ is here called an advocate so is he elsewhere a Iudge thus St. Peter saith that Christ commanded the Apostles to preach and testify that it is he whom God hath ordained to be Iudge of quick and dead Indeed both these in respect of different times and his several offices are aptly verified of him 1. Now being ascended to heaven he is an advocate at the last day when he descends from heaven he shall be a Iudge how comfortable is this meditation to beleevers that he who is now their advocate is hereafter to be their Iudge and if he vouchsafe to plead for them at the barre he shall certainly passe sentence for them upon the Bench. 2. There is a twofold office which Christ undertaketh in respect of which these are truly attributed to him the one Regal and the other Sacerdotal as King he shall one day sit as a Iudge as Priest he now stands as an advocate at Gods hand by his Kingly power he shall execute the one but of his Priestly goodnesse he vouchsafeth the other and thus whilest as a King he can and will himself confer yet as a Priest he obtaineth of the Father remission of our sins 4. It is not unworthy our observation that as Christ is here called by S. Iohn an advocate so by S. Paul a Mediator unus utriusque nominis sensus saith Gualter the sence of both is one and the same but yet there is somâ— difference to be observed between them Christ is a mâ—diator both in respect of his person and office both bâ—â—cause he is a middle person and because he mediateth bâ—â—tween God and man whereas he is an advocate onely respect of his office Again he is a mediator in respect of all his offices an advocate only in respect of his Sacerdotal Finally a mediator inasmuch as he doth both deal with God for man and with man for God pacifying God towards man bringing man to God obtaining favour with God for us and declaring Gods will to us but an advocate onely inasmuch as he intercedeth with God and pleadeth our cause in heaven Mediator then is as it were the genus and advocate the species it being one part of his mediatorship that he is an advocate I shall end this with Bezaes distinction who observeth that Christ is called a Iudge in respect of our adversaries a mediator in reference to God and an advocate in regard of us judging our enemies mediating with God and pleading for us 5. We may not unfitly here distinguish between a patron and an advocate between a defender and an interceder the one undertaketh to justifie the fact the other only to prevent the punishment of the fault If any man sinne far be it from Christ to be a patron to defend the fault but he is an advocate to deprecate the guilt In the end of the verse he is called Iesus Christ the righteous and therefore non nisi justam causam suscepit he cannot maintain a bad cause but though he abhorres to plead for the sin yet he will for the sinner and though he dare not excuse the commission yet he intercedes for the remission of the offence 6. Lastly when Christ is said as an advocate to intercede we are not to fancie a supplicating voyce and bended knees no it suiteth not with the Majesty of Christ in heaven But that which Christ doth as an advocate is according to the Apostolical phrase his appearing for us in that coelestial Court as an Advocate doth for his Clyent in humane Iudicatories To open this more fully be pleased to know that the advocateship of Christ consists in a fourefold presentation 1. Of his person in both natures divine and humane his and ours as our Sponsor and Mediator in this respect he liveth in heaven saith the Apostle to make intercession as he lived on earth to dye so he liveth in heaven to intercede for us presenting himself as one that hath made satisfaction for our offences hence it is that there is not only a ptesentation of himself but 2. Of his merit as the High Priest entered into that holy of holies with the blood of the sacrifice so is Christ entered with his own blood and as there was once for all an oblation of it upon the Crosse so there is a continual presentation of it in heaven in this respect his blood is said to speake better things then Abels for whereas Abels blood did from the earth imprecate Christs in heaven deprecates vengeance indeed quot vulnera tot ora how many wounds so many mouths to plead for sinners thus action is the best part of this Oratour who intercedeth by shewing his wounds his pierced hands and feet his opened side his bruised body As a Mother intreating her sonne openeth her dugs and brest so this Son interceding with his Father presenteth his blood and his wounds When AEchylus the tragedian was accused his brother Amyntas coming into the Court opened his garments shewed them cubitum sine manu an arme without an hand lost
for you the Father himself loveth you as if there were scarce any need of this mediation however no doubt but that this being the pleasure of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand and Gods heart being prepared Christs suit must needs be granted To shut up this first consideration Iacob the younger brother obtained the blessing from his Father in the garments of Esau the elder Christ the elder obtaineth â—he blessing at the Fathers hands for his younger brethren no wonder if the brother pleading for brethren and that with the Father become an effectual Advocate and so much the rather considering 2. The person who it is and how fitly he is qualified for this office being Iesus Christ the righteous This word righteous is capable of various acceptions which accordingly Interpreters make use of 1. Righteous is somâ—times as much as merciful and thus Iesus Christ the righteous that is gracious and therefore ready to become an advocate for us to this puâ—pose it is that the authour to the Hebrewes calls him a merciful High Priest one who having compassion on us and our infirmities is willing to plead our cause before God 2. Righteous is sometimes as much as faithful and so Iesus Christ the righteous that is in performing his promise when he was on earth he promised his disciples I will pray the Father and now he is in heaven to perform it 3. Righteous is as much as just and so Iesus Christ the righteous that is in doing us right if we retain him for our advocate he will not be withdrawn from pleading our cause by any means what ever 4. But lastly Righteous is as much as holy innocent so we find them joyned together concerning Christ whom the Apostle Peter calls the Holy and just one and so Jesus Christ the righteous is as much as pure and innocent And this both in respect of himselfe and us 1. In himself he is righteous because blameless one who is altogether free from sin It is well observed by the learned Chamier That the Apostle saith not we have a righteous advocate Jesus Christ but we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous And therefore this terme righteous signifieth not so much rationem fungendi officii as ipsius officii fundamentum the manner of performing this office as a qualification rendring him fit to undertake it and so is most properly referd to his innocency since he could not have been an advocate If he had not been in this sence righteous In this respect it is that Ferus saith truly verè necessaria condâ—tio this is a condition necessarily requisite since If he had had any sin of his own to answer for he could not have pleaded for us neque enim idoneus advocatus qui ipse sit reus as Estius saith excellently He can be no fit advocate for another who himselfe is guilty But yet this is not all he is Jesus Christ the righteous or innocent not onely in himselfe but also 2. In respect of us Inasmuch as he maketh us righteous cleansing us from the guilt of our sins To this purpose saith Illiricus he is called â—he righteous not so much in a passive as an active sence and Cajetan observing the following words he is the propitiation saith ecce justitia Jesu Christi herein is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ our advocate that he maketh us by his propitiation righteous so is inabled to plead our cause To this effect it is that Lorinus observeth He is such an advocate as satisfieth the judge not onely by reason but reality interceding by vertue of a price payd And hence it is that though he findeth both us and our cause unjust yet which no other advocate can doe he maketh both us and it righteous so that though we by reason of our sins are unworthy of pardon yet Christ pleading his satisfaction rendreth us worthy and our cause just And no wonder if being thus every way righteous he become an effectual advocate and thus much shall suffice for the Explication of this choyce ingredient in this divine remedy We have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous To end it in a brief application and that by way of 1. Consolation the Greek word here used as Vorstius well observeth may be rendred either advocate or comforter since inasmuch as Christ is an advocate he is a comforter to all penitent sinners If you please read over the Text againe and take the words asunder and you shall find that every word breatheth comfort 1. Wee it is not you but wee St. John includeth himselfe in the number of those sinners who need Christ an advocate and therefore we may be the lesse discouraged in the sence of our infirmities And again it is not I but wee he excludeth not others from having an interest with himselfe in Christ the advocate and therefore every penitent moy apply this comfort to himselfe which is so much the more comfortable because it is wee Have it is not we may but we have a burdened conscience cannot be satisfied with a perhaps nor will it hang upon uncertainties this comfort of Christs intercession is certain and therefore positively asserted nor is it spoken of as a thing past but present not we had but we have and indeed it is so in the present tence that we now may as truly say we have as St. John then yea so long as there shall be penitents on earth there will not want this advocate in heaven so true is that of the Author to the Hebrews he ever liveth to make intercession that is to be An advocate It is true we want not accusers that will be ready to lay our sins to our charge Satan without and our own consciences within ready to bring an endictment against us nor have we any merit of our own to plead before God for us but we have an advocate to stand and appear for us and that With. Many times a cause miscarrieth in humane courts by reason of the advocates absence but of this their is no feare in our advocate for he is at the Judges right hand and so stil ready upon all occasions as it were to put in a word for us to the Father not the Judge but the Father to render our hope of prevayling so much the more firme this sweet word of Father implying not onely a passibility but a facility of obtaining so much the rather considering that it is The Father and so capable of a reference both to Christ and us hee that is our advocate is not a servant a friend but a Son and so the Judges chiefest favorite wee for whom he is an advocate are not slaves or strangers or enemies or onely servants but Sonnes though too dificient in our obedience and can we imagine that the suite should not speed nay further this advocate whom we have with the Father is Iesus that
against us Christ taketh the chastisement of our peace upon himself whereby Gods wrath was pacified and he who wrought this reconciliation on earth it is that appeareth for us in heaven and therefore let us not doubt of the power of this advocate who cannot but effectually prevaile because he was the propâ—tiation for our sins Having viewed the context let us look upon the clause it self wherein there is a double truth the one implicâ—te the other explicite to wit sins provocation and Christs pacification Our sins incense the wrath of God against us that is implied Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins that is expressed Of the former briefly because it is but intimated of the latter more largely and fully 1. Sins provocation is manifestly couched in this clause and accordingly taken notice of by Interpreters since there were no need of a propitiation for if there were no provocation by our sins it is the note of St. Chrisostome upon the phrases of reconciling and making peace in the Colossians that the one implyeth an enmity the other a war the same may be made here the propitiation supposeth wrath And as it is here intimated so it is elsewhere asserted by S. Paul to the Romans when he saith the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men and consequently against men for all their unrighteousnes and ungodlines in this respect it is that he calleth all men by nature children of wrath and why this because they are born in sin Indeed God made man as Solomons phrase is upright and so long as he stood in that integrity there was pax amicitiae a peace of amity and friendship between God and man but they sought out many inventions by which God was most justly provoked to anger Thus at first and ever since sin hath proved the make-bate the kâ—ndle-coale that incendiary between the Creatour and his creature And how can it be otherwise since there cannot but be enmity where there is contrariety and there is nothing more contrary to God then sin nay there is nothing contrary to him but sin it is opposite to him in his pure nature it robbeth and spoyleth him of his glory it transgesseth and rebelleth against his Law and therefore must needs incurre his displeasure It is observable in Scripture that as members so senses are after the manner of men attributed to God and sin is represented as offensive to every one of them It grateth his eares and therefore he complaineth of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah it disrelisheth his taste in which respect it is compared to leaven and that especially for its sowernesse it oppresseth his feeling according to his own expression I am pressed under you as a Cart is under sheaves it disgusteth his smell for which cause sinners are said to be corrupt where the metaphor is borrowed from a rotten carcase which stinketh in the nostrils of a man Finally it offendeth his sight and therefore he is said to be of purer eyes then to behold iniquity to wit without fury It is a meditation that should convince us of 1 The odious nature of sin Are any persons more abominable then the contentious Solomon justly declameth against him that soweth discord among brethren that beatitude of our Saviour carryeth in it according to the rule of contraries a curse Cursed are the peace breakers for they shall be called the children of the Devil But oh my breathren how accursed and hatefull a thing is sin which hath broke the peace not between man and man onely but God and man and hath sowne discord between not onely brother and brother but father and sonne Oh that this thought might stirre up in us a zealous indignation against sin God forbid that that which is his hate should be our love that that should find favour with us which provoketh his wrath against us nay rather since sin displeaseth God let it displease us and let our anger wax hot against that which causeth his wrath to wax hot against us 2 The miserable estate of a sinner because he is under the wrath of God coelestis ira quos premit miseros facit Divine anger is an unsupportable burthen the sinning Angels are not able to stand under it but fall immediately from heaven the great men the mighty men cannot abide it but cry to the mountains fall on us and to the hils couver us no wonder if the Psalmist put the question Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry And now tell me sinners have not we most justly incurred this sore displeasure hath not God both by the sin of our nature transgressions of our life been provoked against us from our mothers wombe to this day If one sin be sufficient fuel for this fire what a flame of wrath burneth against us whose sins have been numerous or rather innumerous All which being serously pondered me thinketh greif and anguish trembling and astonishment horrour and amazement should take hold of us David feeling some drops or sparks of this anger saith there was no rest in his bones by reason of it truly if we doe not feele we have cause continually to be in feare not onely of drops but flouds sparks but flakes of this vengeance how can we be secure and quiet And if there be any awakened conscience wounded soule which cryeth out what shall I do I answer Gods wrath is unsupportable but not unavoydable it cannot be indured but it may be prevented we are not able to stand under it we may flye from it And that by flying to him whom my text speaketh of as the propitiation and so I am fallen on the Explicite veâ—ity which is here plainly and directly laied downe 2. Christs pacification He is the propitiation for our sins It is both assertive and exclusive carrying it both an affirmative and a negative He is and none but He or He onely is the propitiation of both which in order 1. He is the propitiation Gods wrath towards man sinning is pacified by Christ suffering the Rabbins say of the Messiah that when he commeth he shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reconciling man and the Apostles assertion is expresse We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord it is the Testimony which the Father gave concerning Christ at his Baptism This is my beloved sonne in whome I am well pleased by which latter clause is according to Euthymius Cajetan and others expressed that favour which God in Christ beareth towards us as he is in himselfe beloved so in him God is with us well pleased According to that of St. Paul He hath made us accepted in the beloved and therefore accepted because reconciled wel-pleased in him because his wrath is appeased by him towards us Among other resemblances by which Christ is set forth in Scripture that of a
word world God so loved the world God was in Chhist reconciling the world and again in this Epistle Him hath God sent to be the Saviour of the world and yet as if this were not large enough to this extensive substantive is here in the text annexed an universall adjective whilest he saith not onely the world but the whole world That this is so must be granted or else the Scripture must be denied which hath so frequently and plainly asserted it The onely thing to be inquired is in what sence this is to be understood and how it is verified I well know there is much dispute among learned and Godly men about the interpretation of this and such like Scriptures For my own part I have a reverend esteem of many of them who hold the severall opinions and I could heartily wish that such questions having much to be said either way both from Scripture and reason might be more calmely debated then they are by some and the assâ—rtâ—rs on either hand lesse censorious each of other That which I shall now indeavour is according to the measure â—f light I have received by prayer reading meditation and conference positively to acquaint you what I conceive to be truth and show you how far we may safely extend and so how we may genuinely expound this clause He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world To this end Let your attention go along with me whilest I shall prsoecute two or three distinctions 1. This assertion Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world may be understood either exclusively or inclusively and in both considerations it is in some respect or other true 1. To say Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world exclusively imports thus much That there is no propitiation for the sins of the whole world but onely by Christ and thus we may take the whole world in its full latitude pro omnihus singulis and need not feare to assert that there never was nor will be any man from the first Adam to the end of the world who did shall or can obtain propitiation for his sins except through Christ. Indeed God according both to Moses and Pauls phrase is a consuming fire and all mankind being fallen in Adam is as stubble and straw to that fire which must needs be consumed by it if Christs blood did not prevent that consumption by quenching the fire of his displeasure Hence it is that S. Paul saith expressely God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe thereby intimating That were it not for Christ the world could not be reconciled to him To this purpose it is that the Apostle Peter speaking of Christ useth a negative proposition neither is there salvation in any other and inforceth it with a strong confirmation for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved where that expression under Heaven is very observable as comprizing in it the whole earth which is under Heaven with all the inhabitants therein It is the promise of God to Abraham That in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed that seed St. Paul expounds mistically of Christ and Lyra's glosse is quia nullus consequitur salutem nisi per Christi benedictionen because none can attain eternal life but through Christs benediction and not much unlike is Bezas note on this place Christ is the propitiation for the whole world ut noverimus nusquam esse salutem extra Christum that we may know salvation is not to be had any where without Christ. From hence it is that may be inferred which elsewhere is expressed that since there is no propitiation but by Christ none can pertake of this propitiation but by faith in him and the strength of the inference is built upon this foundation Whosoever have propitiation by Christ must bee in Christ and therefore St. Paul saith of the Ephesians whilest Heathens they were without Christ and presently addeth in the same verse having no hope as if he would say There is no hope of Salvation for them that are without Christ. None but they who beleeve in Chirist are in Him and therefore the Apostle saith Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and those two phrases being in the faith and Christ being in us are used by him in one verse as one expository of the other The result of both which propositions is that seeing there is no propitiation without Christ and without being in Christ none can obtain that propitiation but they who beleeve in Him agreeable to which it is that St. Paul saith God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith in his bloud Indeed this must be rightly understood and to that end qualified with these distinctions of seminall and actuall of implicite and explicite faith and of faith in Christ as to come and as come Christ is no doubt a propitiation for all circumcised and baptised children dying in their infancy who yet cannot actually beleeve in him but they have after an extraordinary way the spirit of Chrâ—st conferred on them and so the seed of faith and all other graces in them Christ was no doubt a propitiation for those before his coming as well as us all of whom only beleeved in him as to come and many of whom had but only an implicite not a clear and distinct faith in the Messiah nor will I undertake to determine what degree of knowledge is necessary to that Faith in Christ which is necessary to an interest in this propitiation but still I say with the Authour to the Hebrewes without faith it is impossible to please God and that faith is not only to beleeve that God is but to beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that seek him which cannot be without some knowledge of Christ since it is onely in an Evangelical sense that he is a rewarder and as he is no rewarder of any that seek him but for Christs sake so none can rightly beleeve him a rewarder who is altogether ignorant of Christ. Indeed when our blessed Saviour saith This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ Christ whom thou hast sent what doth he but as it were define eternal life by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ this knowledge being both the way and the end that wherein it consists and that whereby it is obtained and more fully when he saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish what doth he but set down beleeving in Christ as the way whereby the whole world must escape perishing Finally when St. Paul speaking of Iew and Greek maketh calling on the name of the Lord Christ the means of salvation and annexeth beleeving in as necessary to the calling on him what doth he
from Gods pleasure not any want of dignity and sufficiency in the price which was payed by him 2 But when the schooles speak of Christs dying for all sufficiently and accordingly some Expositours interpret this expiation sufficient for the sins of the whole world it is as the Learned Davenant hath excellently observed solidly proved another kind of value to wit such as ariseth from divine ordination and thus though we must exclude Angels and consider men onely as viatores whilest they are in the way since as S. Bernard truly The blood of Christ which was shed on earth goeth not down to hell yet we are by the whole world to understand omnes singulos all and every man that hath been is or shall be in the world so that we may truly assert It was the intention of God giving Christ and Christ offering himselfe to lay down such a price as might be sufficient and so upon Gospel termes applicable to all mankind and every individuall man in the whole world To unfold this truth aright I shall briefly present two things to your consideration 1. A price may be said to be sufficient either absolutely or conditionally a price is then absolutely sufficient when there is nothing more required to the participation of the benefit but onely the payment of the money and thus we are not to conceive of Gods ordination that Christs death should become an actuall propitiation without any other intervenient act on our part He dyed not in this sense for any much lesse for all when therefore we say God would that Chrâ—st should lay down a prâ—ce sufficient and so applicable to every man it is to be understood in a conditionall way upon the termes of faith and repentance And hence it is that though Christ dying suffered that punishment which was designed to be satisfactory for the sins of every man yet God doth justly inflict the punishment upon the persons of all them who are not by faith partakers of Christs death because it was intended to satisfy for them onely upon condâ—tion of beleeving 2. Know further that though God intend Christs propitiation conditionally applâ—cable aequè as well to every as any man yet he did not ex aequo aequally intend it for every man it is one thing to say He is a propitiation not for our sins onely but for the sins of the whole world and another thing to say He is a propitiation as fully for the sins of the whole world as He is for ours It is observable in Scripture that some places speake of Christ laying down his life for his sheep and giving himselfe for his Church and others of Christs dying for all and tasting death for every one in one place He is called the Saviour of the body and in another the Saviour of the world nor will it be hard to reconcile these if we distinguish of a general a speciall intention in God that the fruit of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to mankind this of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good will to some particular persons by the former he intends Christs propitiation applicable to all by the latter He decreth it to be actually applyed to some according to this it is that S. Ambrose saith Christ suffered generally for all and yet specially for some and Peter Lumbard Christ offered himselfe on the Altar of the Crosse for all as to the sufficiency of the price for the elect onely as to efficacy because he efâ—ects salvation onely for them that are praedestinaâ—ed Sutably hereunto it is â—hat Divinâ—s conceive a double covenant to be intimated iâ— Scripture the one universall and condâ—tionall the other speciall and absolute the one made with all and every man upon these termes Whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall not perish the other made with Christ concerning a seed which He should see upon makâ—ng hâ—s Soule an offering for â—in to whom He promiseth not onely Salvation by Christ upon condition of beleeving but the writing his law in their hearts whereby they are inabled to performe the condition and so infalâ—â—by pertake of that salvation By all which it appeareth that notwithstanding Gods speciall affection and dâ—crâ—e of election whereby he hath purposed this propitiation shall be actually conferd upon some we may tâ—uly assert God hath a generall love whereby He hath ordained the death of Christ an universall remedy applicable to every man as a propitiation for his sins â—f he beleeve and repent And hence it is that this propitiation as it it is applicable so it is annunciable to every man Indeed as God hath not intended it should be actually applyed so neither that it should be so much as aâ—â—ually revealed to many men but yet it is as applicable so annunciâ—ble both by virtue of the generall covenant God hath made with all and that generall mandate He hath given to his Ministers of preaching the Gospel to all so that if any Minister could go through all the parts of the world and in those parts singly from man to man He might not onely with a conjectural hope but with a certain faith say to him God hath so loved thee that he gave his onely son that if thou beleeve in him thou shalt not perish and that this is not barely founded upon the innate sufficiency of Christs death but the Ordination of God appeareth in that we cannot may not say so to any of the fallen Angels for whom yet as you have already heard Christs death is intrinsecally sufficient And now what should the meditation of this truth afford us but matter of 1 Admiration at the riches of divine love to all mankind and which rendereth it so much the more wonderfull that whilest it is conferd on the whole world of men it is denied to Angels That God should cause his wrath to smoake against those spiritual and noble creatures the Angels and appoint a propitiation a ransome for such crawling wormes sinful dust and ashes as men are is it not to be admired at St. Ambrose speaking of these words the whole earth is full of thy mercy puts the question Why is it not said the heaven as well as the earth and returneth this Answer because there are indeed spiritual wickednesses in high places sed non illae ad commune jus indulgentia Dei remissionemque pertinent peccatorum but the remission of God and propitiation of Christ belongs not to them well may we in this consideration take up those words of the Psalmist quoted by the Authour to the Hebrewes upon this very occasion Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him 2. Consolation to all despairing soules it is an excellent saying of Leo The effusion of Christs blood is so rich and availeable that if the whole multitude of captive sinners would beleeve in their Redeemer not one should be detained in the tyrants chaines