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
they have one upon another Consider 1. In handling them severally begin we with 1. The Being of a Christian It is that which is Characterized by two phrases to wit being in and abiding in Christ both of which are the same in substance and yet each of which hath its proper Emphasis That which is intended by both is the spirituall and mysticall Union which is between Christ and a Christian that which is peculiar in either is that by being in is noted the neerness and by abiding in is intimated the firmness of this Vnion 1. Every true Christian is in Christ Accident is esse est inesse saith the Philosopher the being of an accident is to be in his Subject Christiani esse est inesse saith the Divine the Being of a Christian is to be in Christ Indeed all Creatures have their Being in God and are said to consist in Christ in a generall notion because of their necessary dependance upon him as their Preserver â— but all Christians are in Christ after a more peculiar notion because of that neare and close Union which they have with him as their Redeemer The intimacy of this Union cannot be expressed by a fuller phrase then this of being in it is one thing adhaerere and an other inhaerere it is more to be in then to be with by or about a thing We do not only belong to but we are in Christ not that there is any confusion or transfusion of the substance or person of a Christian into the Substance or Person of Christ but that there is a solid substantiall and personall Conjunction between them Indeed it may seem strange how Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth we should be in him but it will be easily understood if we consider that it is not a locall or corporall but a Spirituall Union which no distance of place can hinder We have an Embleme of this in that of Marriage the knot whereof is indissoluble though the Husband be in the Western and the Wife in the Eastern part of the World No wonder if this spirituall contract unite Heaven and Earth Christ and a Christian together The nature and quality of this Union is that which the holy Ghost hath been pleased to represent in Scripture by various similitudes When St Paul speaketh of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he implyeth that a Christian is in Christ as the Body is in the Garment which covereth and incompasseth it but this is the most remote allusion the same Apostle useth a fitter metaphor when he compareth Christ to the Head and Christians to the Members for as the Head and Members are so neerly united that they make but one Body so is it with Christ and the Church in which respect the very Name of Christ is given to the Church in those words of the Apostle so also is Christ. For which cause Origen saith Per unum Christum multi Christi by one Christ many Christs are made and St Austin Caput Corpus unus est Christus the head and the body Christ and the Church make but one Christ Parallel to this is that comparison our Saviour himself maketh use of when he saith I am the Vine you are the Branches look as the Branch is in the Vine so as that its very being depends upon its being in the Vine without which it dyeth and withereth so is a Christian in Christ And therefore he telleth his Disciples a little after without me you can do nothing Not to multiply similitudes of all carnall Unions that between a Man and Wife is nearest and by that is this Union shadowed in which respect St Paul cals Marriage a Mystery and let us see that even this resemblance cometh short of expressing this Union for whereas the Man and Wife are but one flesh He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit To end this See hence both the excellency of Faith and the felicity of a Believer 1. The excellency of Faith Inasmuch as it is by Faith we come to be in Christ sometimes we read that Christ is in us and sometimes that we are in Christ If we would know how Christ is in us the answer is by his Spirit which he conferreth upon us and therefore saith our Apostle Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Again If we would know how we are in Christ the answer is by believing so much our Apostle intimateth here for these two clauses Hereby we know that we know him and hereby we know that we are in him seem to be Synonymous and plainly intimate that we are in him by knowing which is believing him indeed both the graces of knowing and loving him before mentioned concurre to our Union with Christ Inasmuch as the morall union of hearts is by love and the mysticall of persons by Faith Oh how efficacious is this grace which tyeth the knot between a Christian and Christ and maketh them one 2. The felicity of Believers A Christian besides his naturall hath another more noble being to wit in Christ it is that which is both magnum privilegium and magnum solatium A great priviledg it is to have so near a relation to Christ As it is the honour of Christ as God that he is Ens independens hath his being of himself So it is the honour of a Christian that he hath his immediate dependance on and being in Christ nor is there only honour but comfort in it Since we being in Christ have thereby a participation as of his person so of his merits and benefits That fellowship with Christ whereof the Apostle speaketh in the former Chapter and all the comforts attending on it whence flow they but from this spring Our Union with Christ by being in we have a title to Communion with and so Wisdome Righteousness Redemption Sanctification yea all through him That grand Objection against the comfortable Doctrine of the imputation of Christs Righteousness How can a man be made righteous by another mans Righteousness is hereby answered and the riddle of it unfolded we are in him and one with him by whose Righteousness we are made Righteous And as the husband marrying the wife endoweth her with all his worldly goods so Christ uniting the Christian to himself invests him with his spirituall goods Look asâ— all men being naturally in Adam have the guilt o sin so all Christians spiritually in Christ have the merit of his righteousness imputed to them so much the rather because that whereas we were but virtually in Adam we are actually in Christ Adam was only a publick person representing Christ was not only our representative but surety by whose payment we must needs be discharged yea indeed it were Blasphemy to imagine there should be more demerit in Adams sin to condemn then merit in Christs Obedience to justifie those who are in him Hence that mellifluous Aphorism of St Paul
to exclaime against the madness of this Generation Mirari satis nequeo said Lyrenensis of the men in his daies we may no less truly of those in ours I cannot enough wonder at the impiety of those blind minds which not being contented with anciently received truths are alwaies either adding or detracting or changing some way or other introducing somewhat that is new that which here St John sets down as a commendation is now become an accusation he preacheth nothing but what is old the voice of those in the Psalms is Quis ostendet bonum who will shew us any good the cry of this age Quis ostendet novum who will shew us any thing that is new our proud Women are not more for new fashinos then both Men and Women for new fancies But surely if that which our Apostle wrote was not new but old they who vent not old but new are false Apostles upon this account it was that Ireneus inveighing against Hereticks maketh this one Character of them Affectant per singulos dies novum quicquam ad invenire quod nunquam quâ—squam excogitavit they affect to broach somewhat new which was not heard of before and to the same purpose St Austin giveth a Definition of a Heretick He is one Qui alicujus temporalis commodi vanae gloria causâ novas opiniones vel gignit vel sequitur Who for secular advantage or vain-glories sake doth either invent or uphold some new Doctrine and to name no more Origen observeth concerning Hereticks that they Marry themselves extraneo verbo to a Forraign and so some new word altogether alyene from that which is conteined in the holy Scriptures And therefore my Brethrer take ye heed of them who publish according to Tertullians phrase concerning Marcion hesternum Evangelium a Gâ—spell that is of yesterday who change their Faith and Doctrine with the Moon every Moneth and are as it were Skepticks in Divinity Remember I beseech you who it is that soweth the new Tares among the good Corn Even the envious man observe I pray you whither those men wander who as Ghislerius his phrase is Antiquâdimissâ per novam gradiuntur viam Leaving the ancient path seek new waies it is seldome that he who is taken of his old and sure basis sâ—tleth any where but is tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine falling away from truth to eâ—ror from error to heresie from that to Blasphemy and at last to Atheism Remove nâ—â— then the ancient Land-marks it is Solomons ingeminated counsell no doubt to be understood literally but yet such as is applyed allusively by the ancients to this present matter Terminos antiquos dicit terminos veritatis fidei quos statuerunt ab initio Catholici Doctores he calls the old Doctrines embraced by the Chatholick Doctors the ancient Land-marks saith Salazar let us not dare to remove them yea if an Angel from Heaven as St Paul speaketh shall Preach any other Gospell let him be accursed In one word let the obedience which we yield to the Commandments be a new Obedience but the Commandments to which we yield Obedience must be not new but old such was this concerning which the holy Apostle here writeth 2. In Speciall Yet further and lastly take notice that the Commandment of Love is not a new but an old Commandment many indeed are the Topicks whence this Commandment of Love might justly be commended and among others this is not the least that it is gray-headed and of ancient institution There are some things to which oldness is a disparagement an old Garment past mending an old house past repairing an old ship past rigging but then there are other things of which oldness is a praise old Coynes Manuscripts Monuments Buildings have a face of honour upon them it is a great dignity for a man to be descended of an ancient house no wonder if this command of love be therefore honourable because it is an old Commandment The truth of this which is here attributed to Love will best appear by the proofe which is annexed and is next to be handled For the present we will take it for granted and let the improvement of it be to render this command of Love the more amiable and acceptable to us Indeed were it a new Precept and the imposition of it but of Yesterday we might have some reluctancy against it Haud facilè insuetum jugum suscipimus saith Calvin well men do not easily undertake a yoke to which they are not accustomed but this yoke is no other then what was of old imposed It is well observed by an Historian the Laws which at first were exceeding harsh and heavy by force of custome become not only tolerable but light and easie Hereupon one compareth customes to a King and Edicts to a Tyrant because we are subject voluntarily to the one but upon necessity to the other To this purpose Herodotus reporteth that Darius having under his dominion certain Grecians of Asia who had a custome of burning their dead friends and certain Indians who used to eat them he called the Grecians and would have them to conforme to the Indians afterward he called the Indians and would have them to conforme to the Grecians but found both very unwilling to leave the usage of their countrey so tenacious are men of old customes Oh then my Brethren since this command is such as hath alwaies been a custome among the Saints and hath upon it the stamp of antiquity let it be embraced and practiced by us with the more readiness and alacrity And so much for the Point it self It remaineth I now proceed to the proofe it is from the beginning But the time being past commands me to end and reserue that to the next opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. Vâ—RS 7 8. 7. Brethren I write no new Commandment unto you but an old Commandment which ye had from the beginning the old Commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning 8. Again a new Commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth EVery Scribe instructed for the Kingdome of Heaven saith our blessed Saviour is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasury things new and old an excellent similitude representing to us the properties of a good Preacher The Housholder hath his Treasury where provision is laid up The Preacher his storehouse of divine knowledg The Housholder doth not hoard up but bring forth what he hath in his Treasury for the use of his Family The Preacher being furnished with abilities employeth them for the Churches good The things which the Housholder bringeth â—orth out of his Treasury are both new and old all sorts of provision both of the present and former years growth The Doctrines which
which were for sometime affixed to the gates of the Temple for the people to read and afterward taken down and laid in the treasury and it is expresly asserted concerning God himself that after he had given the Law speaking the ten words with his own lips he wrote them with his own fingers in two tables of stone If you shall inquire a reason why God would have his word not only spoken but written and his Apostles not only Nephtalies to give goodly words but Zebulons to handle the pen and not only Orators but Secretaries I answer upon a threefold ground drawn from themselves their people and the truth they had delivered 1. In regard of themselves Inasmuch as writing was a supply of their absence The Mother cannot be alwaies present with the Babe to suckle it with the dug and therefore she provideth a sucking bottle to refresh it in her absence thus the Apostles because they could not be in many places at once and consequently not alwaies present with their scattered flock vouchsafed to write to them that their wrightings might be instead of vocall instructions 2. In regard of the people Since these writings were an excellent means both of strengthning their memories and confirming their faith 1. The writing did bring to the peoples remembrance what the Apostles had formerly taught them This St Peter asserteth as the end of his writing to stir up the pure minds of the people by way of remembrance it being a great prop to memorie when those truths which have been sounded in the eare are afterwards presented to the eye whilst what was lost to the one is restooed to the oâ—her and so truth secured to the memory 2. These writeings were no small confirmation of the people in the faith by speaking the Apostles did as it were lay the foundation and by writeing they reared the Fabrick by Preaching they planted and by writeing watered Finally by speaking they converted Heathens to and by writeing they corroborated the Christians in the faith 3. Once more In regard of the truths themselves that they might hereby be perpetuated to posterity To this purpose Rivet asserteth the writings of Gods Word as not only profitable but necessary Labili memoriae posterorum successioni as to help the weakness of memory so to transmit revelations to after ages Aelian reporteth of certain frogs which taking a kind of reed into their mouths save themselves from the water serpents that would devoure them thus the holy Apostles by taking a Pen into their hands have preserved those pretious truths which the Devill indeavoureth to swallow up By which it appears that the sacred writings though they were directed to them who then lived yet they are intended for us St Paul saith of the writings of the Old Testament That the things which were written aforetime were written for our learning the like may we say of the writings both of the New and Old Testament they are for our use and instruction And surely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cals for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reading is the end of writing and since the Apostles took the pains to write it is but just we should bestow the time to read It was a sad complaint of God himself against Israel I have written to them the great things of my Law and they have accounted them as a strange thing Oh that the like accusation might not be charged by Christ upon us I have written to them the great things of my Gospell but they have counted them as a strange thing and are strangers to them How sad is it to think that whereas Davids blessed man meditateth on Gods Law day and night with many of us daies and nights nay weeks and moneths pass away without reading and meditating on the sacred writings Oh let us wipâ— of the dust of contempt from the cover of our Bibles and recall them from the land of forgetfulness whither our neglect hath banished them 2. It would yet further be taken notice of that here is not only a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write in the thirteenth but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have written in the fourteenth Verse the sense whereof is fitly rendred by Estius to be Scripsi iterumque scribo I have written and again I write Our Apostle doth not only adde precept to precept but line to line concerning the same precept and though he had written just before yet he writeth again nor are we to imagine it was through want of matter but abundance of zeal that our Apostle striketh a second time upon the same string That workman who would fasten the naile in the wall must drive it home to the head by repeated blows many times as second thoughts are better so sâ—ond admonitions are stronger and have a more prevailing influence some indeed awake at the first call but the most have need of a second nay a third Calvin too rashly judgeth these repetitions in the fourteenth Verse to be superfluous yet I would to God they were but St John knew it otherwise and we cannot but observe it in our own experience there is a great necessity and therefore just reason that we should write and speak the same lesson once and again and surely if it concerneth us to write it behoveth you to read the same writings again and again the one must not be grievous to us nor the other tedious for you some things need to be read once and again that we may understand them or if reading once we understand let us read again that we may remember and if we understand and remember let us read again that we may finde our affections inlivened 2. Having viewed the Absolute pass we on to the Relative consideration of this Act and that in reference 1. To the Agent That which here this holy Apostle taketh to himself is onely the writing not the enditing he was the Scribe but the Spirit of God dictated or if you will he was the Pen but the Spirit the hand that guided it It is St Peters generall assertion The holy men of God spake as being moved by the holy Ghost And St Paul is no less express when he saith All Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of divine inspiration the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspiring is Gods part and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing was the Apostles Indeed we finde two expressions which seem directly opposite one to the other whenas in the tenth Verse of the seaventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians the Apostle saith I command you not I but the Lord and in the twelfth Verse speake I not the Lord. But it will be easily salved if we consider that St Paul refers to the Doctrine which the Lord Christ delivered himself concerning divorces wherein though there is a generall prohibition except in case of fornication yet there is nothing in particular concerning the case of
Children incourage Schoolmasters to the discharge of their calling which though conversant about little Children is of great use and benefit Finally Advertise Ministers to take care for Catechizing the little Children as well as instructing young Men and Fathers Our blessed Saviour had so great a respect for little Children that he blamed those who would have kept them from him embraced them in his arms and blessed them David though a King disdaineth not to be a teacher of Children many of the Ancient Fathers Clemens Origen Cyrill of Jerusalem Gregory Nyssen were Cathechists whose office is to instruct little Children yea here this holy Apostle leaveth not out in his writings little Children and so much for the second The last reference of this act is to the Obâ—ect whereabout this writing is conversant It is that which is not expressed in the Text and therefore is supplyed by Expositors yet not without some differenâ—e I â—inde among Interpreters a threefold construction of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write as to the matter of it 1. Some enlarge it as extending to the whole Epistle and so these Verses are a digression from the prâ—ceding matter and they may well be called the Epistle Dedicatory wherein St John giveth an account to whom his Epistle is written all Christians in generall and in particular to Fathers young Men and Children 2. Others refer these Verses to the duty of Brotherly love before mentioned and having commended the worth he here showeth the fitness of it to all ages of men I write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Commandment of Love to you Fathers young Men Children according to which construction these Verses look backward and are a close of the preceding discourse That which strengthens this reference is that it manifestly appeareth a great part of this Epistle insisteth upon the duty of Love and therefore no wonder if our Apostle when first he speaketh of it both prefixeth a proaemium declaring its antiquity and affixeth a peroration discovering its congruity to all sorts of Christians Finally Others refer these Verses to that prohibition of worldly Love which followeth in the fifteenth sixteenth and seaventeenth Verses and so it looketh forward and is as it were an exordium to make way for that inhibition which he knew would be so unwelcome to the most though it concerned them all And now though by what is already said I conceive the middlemost of these most rational yet since none of them are either improbable or unprofitable I shall handle each 1. If we extend this writing to the whole Epistle that which would be observed is the community of the holy Scriptures This Epistle was written by St John not only to strong but weak Christians to old but young men nay little children and if it was written certainly it was intended that it should be read to them publikely and by them privately for their edification Nor is this less true of the other writings of this Apostle of the writings of the other Apostles and of the Prophets and therefore Vorstius layeth it down as a general doctrine from this Text Sacra Scriptura â—mnibus fidelibus cujusconque aetatis aut conditionis dummodo capaces doctrinae est destinata The Holy Scripture is written for all ages and conditions of Christians who are capable of instruction It is very observable to this purpose what care Saint Paul took for the publike reading of his Epistle to the Colossians and not only to them but the Laodiceans what a solemn charge and adjuration by the Lord he gives that his first Epistle to the Thessalonians be read to all the holy Brethren This practice of publike reading was used by the Jewish Church who had Moses and the Prophets read in their Synagogues on the Sabbath day and accordingly it was followed by the Christian Church in the primitive times Justin Martyr assureth us that in the publike Assembly on the Lords day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of the Apostolical and Prophetical writings were read to the people and Tertullian saith Convenimus ad literarum divinarum commemorationem one end of our meetings is the commemoration of the Holy Scriptures Rhenanus quoting this passage in his Annotations upon another Book of that Fathers breatheth forth that pious wish Utinam redeat ad nos ista consuetudo Oh that this custome were in use among us That note of St Hierome upon those words of the Psalmist The Lord shall count when he writes up the people as translated by him would not be passed by Dominus narrabit in Scriptura populorum The Lord shall declare in the writings of the people so he renders it that is in Scripturis sanctis in the Holy Scriptures so he glosses it and presently adds Quae Scriptura populis omnibus legitur hoc est ut omnes intelligant The Scripture is read unto all the people to the end all may understand it Nor are the sacred writings only to be read to but by the people of what age and condition soever It is very observable to this purpose how the Psalmist inviteth every man and as St Basil notes upon the place he doth not exclude the woman to meditate day and night which supposeth reading on the Law of God by a promise of blessedness Nay St John in the beginning of that obscure Book of the Revelation asserts Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophesit as if by that assurance of bliss he would invite every man to the reading of it Indeed there want not express precepts in this kind it is our Saviours command concerning the Old Testament Search the Scriptures and saith St Cyrill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ gives this charge to the people of the Jewes nor is his assertion without plain proof For those to whom Christ speaks these words were they who sent to John and they who sent the Priests and Levites to John were the common people of the Jewes nor are we to imagine this as a peculiar indulgencâ— to the Jewes at that time because of their incredulity unless a preceding prohibition can appear denying the search of the Scriptures to them which since it is not to be found we truly affirm it to be a general mandate And Origen inferreth thence an affectionate desire concerning Christians Utinam omnes faceremus illud quod scriptum est scrutamini scripturas I would to God we would all follow that command Search the Scriptures Sâ— Paul speaking of the New Testament which is most peculiaaly the Word of Christ adviseth the Colossians and in them all sorts of Christians Let it dwell in you richly in all wisdome and Sâ— Hierome notes on that place In hoc ostenditur verbum Christi non suffitienter sed abundanter etiam Laiâ—os habere debere Hereby is asserted that the Laity ought to have the Word of Christ in them not only
sufficiently but abundantly and Sâ— Chrysostomes exhortation upon those words is very generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hear all you that are employed in the things of this life get Bibles at least the New Testament nor are we to think that the Fathers zeal transported him so far as to press that as a duty which yet was not consonant to reason or to put the people upon doing what the Church forbad them Both these to wit the reading of the Scriptures to and by all sorts and ages of Christians being clear it will be needless to insist upon the necessity of translating them into the languages of several Countries since otherwise the reading of them to the unlearned would be in vain and by them impossible Indeed when the Church was confined to the nation of the Jewes in whose language the Old Testament was written there was no need of translating it but since the Christian Church spread over all the world there have been various translations of particular parcels yea the whole Bible into several languages that those writings which belong to may be in some measure understood by all Indeed when we seriously weigh those several metaphors to which the Word is compared especially those of a light and food and a sword we may easily discern of how necessary use it is for all Christians David cals it a lanthorn to his feet and a light to his paths and surely then there is no traveller to that celestial Canaan but hath need of this light to direct him in his journey and discover to him his way What food is to the body that is the Word to the soul yea it is such as affoards both meat for men and milk for babes according to Sâ— Pauls distinction Est in illis saith Saint Austin of these writings quod perfectus câ—medat est etiam quod parvulus sugat there is in them what the perfect Christian may eat and what the weakling may suck No wonder if that diviâ—e Poet saith of the Holy Scripture Nullis animis nullis non congruit annis it befits all minds and years Finally Sâ— Paul reckoning up the pieces of our spiritual armour calleth the Word of God the sword of the Spirit and of all weapons none more common then the sword no warriour from the Generall to the meanest Officer nay common Souldier goeth without his sword and since all of all ages are engaged to the Christian warfare there is great reason why this spiritual sword should be affoarded to them By what hath been said the practice of the Church of Rome in withholding the free use of the Scriptures from the common people appeareth very unjust and impious Look as it is Tyranny in the Commonwealth to use Chamier's comparison which causeth jealous Rulers to deprive the people of their Armor so is it superstition in the Church which denyeth ordinary Christians the reading of the Word which is their best piece of Armour Indeed what do they by this meanes but render the Bible useless whilest it is a fountain sealed or a Treasury locked up whence no benefâ—t can be expected The only plausible argument which the Papists urge in defence of this practice is that abuse which ignorant and prophane persons are apt to make of the Scriptures for the patronizing both of errours and vices whereby it is that they wrest them to their own perdition That thus it too often falls out is not to be denyed but that therefore the free use of the Scriptures is to be interdicted cannot be granted When Sâ— Peter tels us that unlearned and unstable souls did wrest many things in St Pauls Epistles and other Scriptures to their own perdition he plainly intimateth that there was then given a liberty to the unlearned of reading the Scriptures else how could they have wrested them nor doth he from the wresting infer a prohibition of reading but only an advice to those to whom he writes that they were not led away with the errour of the wicked To clear this further you may please to know that 1. This perverting is only an accidentall consequent not a necessary or naturall effect of reading the Scriptures St Paul saith expresly The whole Scripture is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction and for instruction in righteousness for these ends it is intended by God to these it tends in its own nature and if any contrary use be made of these Books it is an eveut but not an effect and they only a occasion but no cause 2. That the accidentall evill of what is in it self good and by its proper efficacy produceth a good greater or as great as the evill is no just ground for the denegation of the good True it is evill must not be done that good may come of it but it is as true that good must not be left undone though evill come of it The practice of that King was no way commendable who cut down all the Vines in his country because some men were drunk with the wine It would be a mad edict which should forbid men their meat and drink because many surfeit through excess Hezechiahs destroying the brasen Serpent because some men idolized it had not been justified if there had been the like benefit by and use of it in his as in Moses his time It is an excellent rule of Tertullian Multum differt inter causam culpam statum excessum non institutio bonae rei sed exorbitatio reprobanda est to give you the sence of it in short English The evill abuse of a good thing is no sufficient cause for the totall dis-use especially where the use counter vaileth the abuse That so it is in this present case is evident the good which men generally reap by reading the Scriptures being far greater then the evill which some men occasionally draw from it If then this sword which is put into the hand of any Christiah for his defence against his spirituall adversaries be by some mad men turned upon their own and others breasts the guilt must lye upon the wicked abuser of this sacred weapon nor must the rest of Christs Souldiers be debarred of it Indeed This liberty which I have now pleaded for must be both given and taken with a restriction by putting a difference between the reading and interpreting of Scriptures every one may read the Bible and every one must labour to understand what they read but every one may not ought not to undertake the expounding of it none may be wise above what is written nor must weak novices think themselves so wise as to interpret what is written little Children and young Men must ask the Fathers private Christians must enquire of the Pastours and Doctors of the Church whom God hath appointed in a peculiar manner for that end Just therefore is that complaint which St Hierome made of his times and I would to God it did not fit this present
age whereas in secular matters every man followeth his particular occupation Tractant fabrilia fabri as the Poets expression is The Smith meddleth with his Anvill the Carpenter with his Rule the Shoomaker with his Last Sola Scripturarum arâ— est quam sibi omne vendicant The profound art of opening Scripture is that which all sorts presume to assume to themselves Every pratling Gossip and doting Foole and malapert Boy will be medling with the Scriptures and instead of deviding mangle it expounding wrest it taking upon them to teach whilst yet they have more need to learn Politicians say that Anarchie is worse then Tyrany and it were better to live where nothing then where all things are lawfull and truly in the Church it is hard to determine which is worse the Papisticall Tyrannie of forbidding all to read or the Anabaptisticall Anarchie of allowing all to expound the Scriptures To clâ—st up this How great is our happiness did or would we know who live in the bosome of such a Church which as she denyeth an unjust so she indulgeth to us our just liberty and how great is both our unhappiness and wickedness whilst some boldly intrench upon the one and more carelesly neglect the other Let it then be the practice of all both old and young to read these holy writings thinke it not enough to hear them read in the Church but In domibus vestris aut uos legite aut alios legentes requirite at home either read them your selves or cause them to be read to you let not any excuse themselves saying Non sum monachus I am no monke seculars are bound to this duty Non novi literas I am not book-learned the greater thine and thy Parents negligence and however thou maist obtain to have them read to thee And when in reading or hearing these sacred Books you meet with difficulties repaire to the Priest whose lips preserve knowledg knock once and again by Prayer for the spirit of illumination and in this case make use of Solomons counsell leane not to thy own understanding These things are written to you Fathers be not you strangers to them exercise your selves in these Books make them with David your delight and your counsellers they are written unto you young Men follow the Psalmists counsell and by taking heed to this word learn to clense your waies They are written to you little Children do you begin to acquaint your selves with them It is recorded for the praise of Timothy that from a Childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his first years wherein he was capable of learning and instruction he knew the holy Scriptures It is observed that the 119th Psalm is disposed according to the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet perhaps to intimate that Children when they began to learn their Alphabet should learn that Psalm The Jews as a learned Popish Bishop hath noted Filios suos quinquennes ad saera Biblia adaptabant began to acquaint their Children at five years of age with the Bible and pudeat Christianos what a shame is it for Christians not to begin as early as the Jews It was the charge Ignatius gave to the Parents that they should bring up their Children in the nurture of the Lord and to that end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should teach them the holy Scriptures What if Children cannot for the present understand yet they can remember what they read in the Scriptures and the reading of them maketh such impressions upon their minds which are of singular use to them afterwards nor is it any prophanation of those holy writings for Children to take them into their mouths though they cannot read them with that knowledg and consequently devotion as is required in and expected from young Men and Fathers It is very unlikely that those Children knew the meaning of Hosanna whom yet Christ forbade not to utter it It is both piety and prudence to deal with little Children according to their capacity let them first be accustomed to read and then to remember and by this meanes in due time they will be brought to understand and affect those holy writings Though withall prudence adviseth that in reading there be a graduall order observed beginning with such parcels of holy writ as are most necessary and easie to be known The Lords Prayer The Commandments The Sermon of Christ upon the Mount many of the Psalms of David Proverbs of Solomon and such like Portions of Scripture would first be taught to Children and young Men would be advised to be conversant in not attempting to look into the more darke and mysterious parts of Scripture till they have attained by being Catechized by hearing Sermons and other godly helps some good measure of divine knowledg and then in reading what they cannot understand with humility to admire and modesty to enquire into the sense and meaning of such Scriptures 2. But further If we refer this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write to that command of Love which is prescribed in the preceding Verses that which is here intimated is that Love is such a command as belongs to all sorts of Christians and ages of Men. 1. It belongs to all sorts of Christians little Children weake Christians are obliged to Love patience under the Cross joyfullness in tribulation spiritualness in duty and such like qualifications are not attained till we come to be young men nay Fathers but Brotherly Love is to be Practised by and is expected of them who are but little Children in Christianity Indeed this is one of the first graces which discovers it self in a Saint and even then when a weak Christian cannot say I beleeve in Christ yet he can say I Love my Brother Nor is this duty to be laid aside when we come to be young Men yea Fathers strong yea perfect Christians since as we abound in other graces so especially we must abound in this and the perfecting of a Christian consists much in the perfecting of his Love Indeed when many other graces shall cease Love shall remain the great employment of glorified Saints being to praise God and Love one another 2. It belongs to all ages of Men none but ought to practice and have need to be admonished of it The poyson of anger and hatred is apt to creep into us betimes little Children are prone to fall out and quarrel and fight one with another and young Men being in heat of blood very often boyle over with rage yea old Men are apt to be peevish and froward so that every age stands in need of this bridle of Love to restrain their passion one of the first lessons a little Childe is capable of learning is Love and old Men when they can do nothing else yet may Love it is that grace which is never out of season it is that grace which will fit all Sexes all sizes all Ages and is never out of fashion 3. Lastly If we take
world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world THe passions of the soul in their own nature are neither in their exercise are either morally good or bad Look as a Painters Colours according to the severall Pictures which they draw represent a chast Matron and a wanton Strumpet or as the winds according to the severall corners whence they blow serve to drieve the ship forward and backward so the affections according to the Object whereabout they are conversant become either helps or hinderances virtues or vices yea what the Astrologers say of the Planet Mercury in the Horoscope of mans nativity if it be in conjunction with a fortunate Planet it is the better if with an Ominous the worse is more truly affirmed of the passions when they are joyned to good Objects they advance virtue and when to bad they increase vice No wonder then if the holy Scripture take so much care about regulating our affections Indeed the Stoicks would banish and extirpate them and therefore say to them as Abimelech to Isaack Go from us for thou art much mightier then we but the Christian Religion would only confine or rather refine them by defining their proper Objects There is no need of draining up these waters only of diverting them into their right channell of plucking them up only planting them in a good soile We must not use them as Joshuah was to deale with the Amalekites wholly cut them off but as he did by the Gibeonites make them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the House of God Indeed as one wittily man fallen is the Anagram of man created his affections like letters misplaced so that there is no need of blotting them out only placing them in their right order Upon this account it was that we finde in sacred writ both precepts and prohibitions commands and caveats exhortations and dehortations in reference to the same affections sometimes in the same Verse So Christ to the Disciples Feare not but feare to the Women at the Cross Weep not but weep ofttimes in the same Chapter as in this concerning the affection of love if you cast your eyes in the foregoing Verses you shall finde those two Objects which we are to love God and our Brother and here in this Verse that single though comrehensive Object which we must not love Love not the world nor the things that are in the world c. Having dispatched the generall proposition in the begining of the fifteenth Verse we are now according to the proposed method to descend to the particular exposition as it is set down in the former part of the sixteenth All that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life This clause which I call the Exposition you see is a distribution intended no doubt for a further and fuller explication of that prohibition but whether of the Object or the Act is somewhat questionable since on the one hand the word world refers to the Object and on the other the word lust refers to the Act. Interpreters conceive that lust is taken metonymically for the Object lusted after and so account it a distribution of the Object but withall it is of the Object in reference to the Act. And when I observe that this all is positively denied to be of the Father I thinke it more rationall to construe this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all to be every lust that is in the world and so take it as a distribution of the act discovering the severall channels in which worldly love runeth It is inquired by the Schoolmen whither this distribution do compleatly enumerate the causes of all sin and it is affirmatively resolved Calvin upon the Text conceiveth it not much materiall whether it be exact or no no doubt these are the principall and all sins may some way or other be reduced to one of these If you please take a short view of the severall references of these lusts whereby they are differenced one from another Serrarius upon the Text hath thus ranked them that good which is immoderately desired is either such as is really received into us about which is conversant the lust of the flesh or which is only transmitted by species to the sight and so the Object of the lust of the eyes or which is neither received by it self or by species into us but is altogether without us and to this tends the pride of life Alexander Hales out of St Austin goeth another and in some respect a contrary way asserting exorbitant lust to be either about bonum inferius some inferiour sensuall good which is the lust of the flesh or exterius some externall visible good which is the lust of the eyes or interius some inward opinionated good which is the pride of life Aquinas distinguisheth the inordinate appetite of man to be after good either as considered absolutely or as it is attended with difficulty the former is the inordination of that which is called the concupiscible appetite and this is either in respect of those things that please the body which is concupiscentia naturalis the naturall desire but in the excess the lust of the flesh or of those things which by sight delight the imagination which is concupiscentia animalis an animall desire and in the excess the lust of the eyes the latter is the irregularity of the irascible apetite and is the pride of life Some not unfitly allude to that distinction of sins into carnall spirituall and of a mixt nature those sins which take sensible delight in sensible Objects are purely carnall and these belong to the lust of the flesh those which take mentall delight in mentall Objects are purely spirituall sins and belong to the pride of life those which take an inward delight in outward Objects are of a mixed nature and belong to the lust of the eyes The most plain and usuall reference of them is of the lust of the flesh to sensuall pleasures of the lust of the eyes to riches and of the pride of life to honours and so the voluptuous covetous and ambitious are the sinners guilty of these lusts This Grotius looketh upon as the genuine meaning and so much the rather because he conceiveth this sentence to be borrowed from the ancient Hebrews whence Pythagoras received it and from him Clynias who mentioneth these three as the cause of that unjustice among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 correspondent to which is that of Philo on the Decalogue asserting it is the Fountain of all wars among men to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evill lust either of wealth or honour or pleasure But what the large extent and withall the principall intent of these
things of God which a natural man may know but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the Spirit of God to wit the truths which are purely Evangelical hee receiveth not nor is it said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not finde them out but when they are found out and revealed to him hee doth not receive them nor is it only a reception of them into his will but understanding which is intended for it followeth hee cannot know them nor is it onely said hee doth not but hee cannot it being impossible for him meerly by the help of natural reason to attain the knowledge of them and this because they are spiritually discerned that is the Spirit of God which revealeth them must also inable to discern them Indeed Socinus would explain the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out the things of the Spirit of God but this notion of the word findeth no parallel in the New Testament nay is against the nature of the thing for receiving supposeth some thing offered which when it is applied to Doctrins the offering is the revealing them nor is it lesse incongruity to interpret this of St. Paul hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out than if one should expound that of S. James receive the ingrafted word that is finde it out which will so much the more appear if you observe the reason annexed why the natural man receiveth them not to wit because they are foolishnesse to him and if these things were to bee found out how could the natural man apprehend them to bee foolishnesse I have been so much the longer in the Explication of this Scripture because it is an explication of the Text and the truth in hand For the prevention of those Objections which may bee made against and the further confirmation of this position be pleased to know that 1 The Reasonable Creature is the subject of Evangelical Doctrin this Spirit doth not bestow his Oile upon Trees and Plants Beasts or Birds nor doth hee raise up of stones and blooks children to Abraham all Divine knowledge is grafted upon the stock of Natural Reason 2 By that Native light of reason within us wee may attain the knowledge of many things delivered in the Gospel those I mean which are common to the Holy Scripture with other writings How many things Historical Moral Speculative Practical are there in the sacred books which wee meet with in Heathen Authors Our gracious God would not so over-whelm humane infirmity in the patefaction of Evangelical mysteries that there should bee nothing for reason to fix upon and yet withall hee would not have all things so suitable to reason that there should be no need of faith 3 The litteral sense of the Scripture words may through industry bee attained to by the help of Reason Skill in the Tongues though it was for a time immediately and extraordinary conferred upon illiterate persons by the Holy Ghost yet is such a gift as may bee attained to by common helps and the same industry which renders a man expert in giving the Grammatical sense of other Authors may no doubt inable him to do the like in reading the books of the sacred Pen-men nay more the Spirit of God in Scripture doth not affect that obscurity of Language which some other writers do and so the sense of it may more easily bee gathered 4 The Spirit of God inlightening us to understand those truths which are purely Evangelical maketh use of Reason this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flower of the soul is not blasted but rather the more opened by the blowing of the blessed Spirit when a man commeth to bee initiated into the School of Christianity hee is not commanded to throw away his Reason onely to subjugate it Indeed every Christian must deny his Reason but that is as hee must deny his affections as it is not the extirpating but the moderating of his affections so it is not the casting away but the captivating of his Reason to the obedience of faith which Christian Religion requireth In one word whilest the Spirits grace is acknowledged to bee principium the principal efficient cause I shall not deny Reason to bee instrumentum an instrumental cause whereby wee come to the knowledge of Divine things 5 And therefore lastly this still remaineth as a sure maxim That Natural Reason by what helps soever improved is altogether insufficient without the Spirits grace to the savoury apprehension of those supernatural and purely Evangelical verities which are revealed in the Holy Scriptures It is not unfitly observed that as nature hath its Secrets and Arts their crafts so all Religions have their mysteries which are not known but to them who are brought up in them It were easy to instance in the Persians Indians Syrians Grecians Egyptians Romans who had their mysterious rites which the Devil taught them and accordingly were taken up in imitation of the true Religion which both in the Jewish and Christian Church never wanted its mysteries such as none can comprehend neither can any apprehend but those who are taught by the blessed Spirit This is expresly asserted by Christ himself when hee saith to his Disciples It is given to you to know the mysterys of the Kingdome vobis datum non vobiscum natum this knowledge is not born with you but given to you if then innate reason were sufficient what need it bee given nor is it onely by outward revelation for so it was to those Scribes and Pharisees the wise and prudent from whom yet those things are said to bee hid to wit because their eies were not spiritually inlightened to discern them if you would know what it is that was given to these Disciples let one of them the beloved Disciple inform you and that in this very Epistle where hee saith The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true so that not onely the Revelation of that we are to know but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding it self whereby wee know was given by Christ and this as a peculiar grace conferred on some whilest it s denied to others To this purpose tend those metaphors of opening the eies and opening the heart plainly intimating that in the work of Conversion there is not onely an outward but an inward work nor are Evangelical truths onely revealed by the Word but the rational faculties are rectified by the Spirit what more pregnant instance of this truth than Nicodemus to whom the Evangelical Doctrin of Regeneration was preached by Christ himself and yet by whom it was not understood for want of the Spirits illumination no wonder if Gods Promise to his people runs I will give them an heart to know mee without which though hee had showed his Word and Statutes to them they would still have continued ignorant as to any
inlighten inliven and rejoyce it if that Philosopher when hee had gained a new notion in Astronomy was so ravished that he cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found it I have found it how much greater joy hath the Christian knowing supernatural truths In a word this knowledge is not onely that which leads to grace and joy but glory S. Paul hath put them together when he saith God would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth that they may bee saved no wonder if St. John account those Christians praise-worthy for this that they did know the truth And now I would to God that wee could say the same of all our hearers but I fear in regard of too many wee may instead of commending condemn of praising complain that they are not such as do know the truth but do not know it Our Language may not be this of S. Johns but that of S. Paul Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame indeed a shame it is that any among us should bee ignorant for to allude to the Apostles phrase Have they not heard yea the sound is gone throughout all the Land All means of knowledge Preaching Catechising writing are plentifully afforded God may say to us as he did to his People of Old Have I been a Wildernesse to the house of Israel a land of darknesse and yet how many remain destitute of saving knowledge It might have been said of this Land for these many years in regard of the Gospel what is said of Rhodes in regard of the Sun Semper in sole sita est Rhodos it is alwaies in the Sun-shine The light of truth hath shone gloriously among us And yet how many Owls fly up and down in this bright-firmament how many Beetles in this Goshen Land of Light Lactantius observeth that there was never lesse Wisdome in Greece than in the time of the seven wise men and they say of the Indians among whom all the Gold is that none are more meanly clad than they Oh that even in this Land which hath equallized if not excelled all other parts of the Christian world for perspicuous instruction there were not to bee found many grosly ignorant The truth is 1 Some though they bee strangely ignorant are highly conceited of than which no greater enemy to their knowledge The opinion of having attained knowledge as it is an argument that a man hath not attained and therefore saith St. Paul He that thinketh hee knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as hee ought to know so it keepeth a man from endeavouring to attain and therefore saith Solomon Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool than of him 2 Some who are sensible of their ignorance are yet ashamed to discover it and therefore they seek it not at the Priests lips hence it is that whilest you frequently consult with the Lawyer to know the certainty of your evidences and with the Physician to be informed in the state of your body yet you seldome or never repair to the Minister to inquire of and be informed by him in the things that concern your souls 3 Too many look upon divine knowledge as a thing to which onely the Divine is obliged they need not trouble themselves about it If the Merchant can but know how to keep his accounts how to import and export his wares if the Trades-man can but skill how to buy and sell and get gain If the Husbandman can but learn how to mannure his ground it matters not for the mystery of godliness and knowledge of the truth 4 Nay I would to God there were not some who do not only neglect but reject this knowledge saying with those Prophane Atheists to God wee desire not the knowledge of thy waiss and that they may continue in their ignorance they either content themselves without any or with some blinde guide who instead of teaching others had need himself to be a catechumenist Suffer I beseech you the Word of Exhortation to answer the means with some measure of knowledge Philip rejoyced that Alexander was born in the daies of Aristotle Let us blesse God that wee are born in the times of light and since God is not awanting to us let not us bee awanting to our selves wait at the Posts of Wisdomes house sit at the feet of your Teachers and inquire what you know not from their mouths diligently peruse the holy Scriptures the rich cabinet in which this jewel the knowledge of the truth is to be found purge your hearts of arrogant self-conceit taste the sweetnesse of divine truths obediently practise what you know so shall you more and more know what to practise above all according to Solomons advice Cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding what St. Paul praies for the Ephesians beg of God for thy self that the eies of thy understanding may be inlightened And when thou hast attained the knowledge of the truth bee not proud but humble still acknowledging thy need of further helps by the tongues and pens of Gods ministers as St. John here intimateth in that hee saith I have written unto you because you know which leads to the Anticipation of an objection which might arise in their mindes from that which is asserted in the preceding verse If wee have an Unction by which wee know all things to what end might they say or at least think is your writing which objection hee prevents by adding I have not written to you because you do not know the truth but because you know it Some Expositors conceive these words to bee an Apology for his writing so little alioqui largiore vobiscum usus sum sermone so Grotius If you had not known the truth I would have written more largely to you but verbum sapienti sat est a word is enough to the wise and doubtlesse it is a peece of prudence in a Minister to make a distinction between Auditories when they speak to the simple and ignorant to use more plain large and loose expressions but when to intelligent Christians more concise pithy and exact The Generality of Interpreters conceive this an Apology for his writing at all which might seem supervacaneous to those who by vertue of a Divine Unction knew so much already wherein our Apostle lets them know that notwithstanding the knowledge they had attained it was still needful to write to them and that because they had attained this knowledge In particular there might bee a threefold reason of St. Johns writing to those knowing Christians 1 In memoriam revocare to bring that truth to their memory which had been already imprinted in their understanding upon this account as St. John here so elsewhere the other Apostles expresly Apologize for themselves I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once knew this So St. Jude I will not
Paul saith of himself that hee was separated unto the Gospel of God which he had promised afore by his Prophets in the Holy Scriptures and concerning his Doctrin that hee said no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come for this Reason it was no doubt that St. Peter wills those to whom hee writeth that they should take heed to the sure word of Prophecy as to a light that shineth in a dark place In this comparing of the Prophecies concerning the Messiah with the History of Jesus I shall not mention all nor yet largely insist on thâ—se I shall mention so as to vindicate them from all cavils since then this one discourse would swell to a volume and besides it hath been abundantly done by the Learned already onely I shall run over the principal and that in such a way as I hope will strengthen the Christian if not convince the gainsayer The Prophecies of the Messiah which wee meet with in the Old Testament are such as concern his Birth Doctrin Miracles Offices Sufferings and Exaltation all which will upon due search be found true in Jesus 1 Concerning the Messiahs Birth there are four forts of Predictions referring to the time the place the tribe the manner 1 The first prophecy we meet with concerning the time of the Messiahs comming into the world is that of Jacob where he â—aith The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come and unto him shall the gathering of the people bee That by Shiloh is meant the Messiah may appear in that it is so rendred by the three-fold Targum of Oâ—kelos Jonathan and Hierusalem and withall the periphrasis annexed to him shall bee the gathering of the people can agree to none but him Now that which Jacob asserteth concerning the Messiah is that there should not be a total extirpation of all Civil power in the tribe of Judah before the Messiah came and thence it necessarily followeth that the extirpation of the Civil power is a sure note of the Messiahs being come Another Prophecy concerning the Messiahs advent wee meet with in Daniel and it is uttered by an Angel Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse and to seal up the â—â—sion and Prophecy and to annoint the most holy know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the Commandement to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall bee seven weeks and threescore and two weeks shall the street bee built again and the wall even in troublesome times and after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah bee cut off but not for himself and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shall bee with a floud and unto the end of the war desolations are determined where the Angel plainly assirmeth among many other things that the Messiah should come and bee cut off before the destruction of the City and the Sanctuary whence it is naturally inferred that the actual overthrow of the City and Sanctuary is an undoubted sign of the Messiahs being come Parallel to this are those two Prophecies the one in Haggai and the other in Malachy The Prophet Haggai brings in God himself thus saying Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory yea the glory of this latter house shall bee greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hoasts That this is a prediction of the Messiah will appear among others by this one irrefragable argument The latter house which is here spoken of was far short of the former and in particular there were five things awanting in it The Urim and Thummim The Ark of the Covenant The Schechinah The fire from Heaven and The spirit of Prophecy Now there cannot any thing bee rationally affirmed as that which notwithstanding those defects should render this latter house more glorious than the former but onely the Messiahs presence Finally the Prophet Malachy in the name of God saith Behold I will send my messenger and hee shall prepare the way before mee and the Lord whom you seek shall suddainly come to his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom you delight in behold hee shall come where those words The Lord whom you seek are no other then a periphrasis of the Messiah whom the Jews expected whom this last of the Prophets fore-tells not onely to come but to come suddainly and that with a double behold to intimate both the certainty and propinquity of his comming by both these predictions it is elearly manifest that the Time of the Messiahs comming was to bee whilest this latter Temple was standing and therefore the destruction of the Temple is an undeniable note of the Messiahs being come By what hath been said from these Prophecies one would think the Jew might bee convinced of his folly in still looking for a Messiah when as it is so many hundred years since the Jewish Government together with the City and Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed And that the Jesus whom we professe to be the Christ was born before this utter dissipation is an History so clear that I suppose none will question it Indeed many Learned Christians have taken great pains and to good purpose exactly paralleling the time of the comming of Jesus with the Prophecies of Christ and especially with that which is the most punctual Prophecy to wit Daniels referring the going forth of the Commandement not to that which was given by Cyrus but by Artaxerxes Longimanus in the twentieth year of his reign yea some among the Jews as Rabbi Nâ—hemiah who lived fifty years before Jesus did affirm that the Messiah should come at that time when Jesus was born Nay Porphiry that bitter enemy of Christians saw the History of Jesus so clearly corresponding to the Prophecy in Daniel that his last refuge is to deny those Prophecies to bee Daniels But not troubling my self or you with Chronological computations It is enough for our present purpose if it bee granted which I see not how it can bee denyed that Jesus was born whilest yet the Temple and City of Jerusalem was standing and about the time of the utter departure of the Civil Government from Judah Besides the Sacred History of the Gospel the Testimony of Josephus the Jew and the Letter sent by Pilate a Roman to Tiberius to which both Tertullian and Justin Martyr appeal do sufficiently evince that there was such a person at that time born and living in Judea and at last crucified by the Jews 2
and St. Jude observed in these Antichrists of whom the one saith they did promise to the people liberty and the other that they did turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousnesse 3 The Plea of Tradition is much used by Hereticks all Nations and Persons both Jews and Gentiles being very tenacious of those things which they have received from their Ancestors By traditions it was that the Pharisees in Christs time indeavoured to make the Law of God of none effect and with traditions it was that the Hereticks in the Apostles time did spoil the people of the Truth for so much St. Paul intimateth when hee giveth that Caveat Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit after the traditions of men Not that all sorts of Traditions are to bee sleighted yea the Traditions which have been delivered and received in the Universal Church from age to age are to bee regarded by us next to the written word but not in opposition against or in competition with it such vain superstitious traditions were those which the Apostle condemned and which the Hereticks made use of 4 A show of Miracles is that which is sometimes made by these Deceivers Look as of Old when Moses and Aaron wrought Miracles Jannes and Jambres the Aegyptian Sorcerers imitated them So in the beginning of Christianity as God confirmed it by real Miracles so the Devil opposed it with Lying wonders This was our Saviours prediction concerning these Antichristian Seducers wherof my Text speaketh There shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew signes and wonders so St. Mark Great signes and wonders so St. Matthew to seduce and deceive if it were possible the very Elect and thus the comming of the man of sin is said by St. Paul to bee after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders where that Epithite of Lying would not bee passed by those wonders which the Devil worketh by Hereticks being lying not onely because they accompany doctrins of Lies but likewise because they are for the most part delusions not realities nor are the greatest of those wonders above the power of nature and therefore though they are matter of wonder to us who oft times cannot understand how they are wrought yet they are not so in themselves But surely there is no device more subtle and prevailing than this men being very apt to beleeve that their words are Oracles whose works are Miracles and indeed were they so really it were a sufficient ground of beleef but as they are to wit onely so in appearance they have too great an influence upon the vulgar 5 A veil of Religion is many times put on by these Cheaters their garb their look their Language speak nothing but holinesse whilest their doctrins breath nothing but Heresy As too many of the Orthodox dishonour their teaching well by living ill so do many Hereticks credit their ill-teaching by well-living It is one of St. Pauls characters of Seducers Having a shew of godlinesse and Gregory Nazianzen saith of the Macedonians that their life was admirable whilest their Doctrin was abominable Thus as Harlots paint their faces and perfume their beds to allure Hereticks feign godliness and profess Religion to seduce 6 A vernish of Reason is drawn over false opinions by these Seducers because that is very taking with a rational creature This St. Paul intimateth in that fore-mentioned Caution Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit Accordingly Tertullian observeth that the Ancient Heresies concerning the Aeâ—nes were fetched from Plato's Ideaes the equality of the first matter with God from Zeno the death of the Soul from Epicurus and the denial of the Resurrection of the Body de unâ omnium Philosophorum Scholâ from the Schools of all the Philosophers Upon this account it is that the Father elsewhere asserts Philosophers to bee the Patriarks of Hereticks and that all Heresies are founded upon and supported by the rules and dictates of Philosophy not that Philosophy and natural Reason is to bee rejected by the Orthodox as of no use nay indeed it is an help to Divinity when in its right place but our Divinity must not bee regulated by Philosophy and our Religion bounded by reason The Orthodox use her as an handmaid to wait but the Heterodox make her a Mistress to seduce 7 The colour of a Revelation is oft times used to set off lying Doctrin When St. Paul saith If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel let him bee accursed hee intimateth that some might pretend to bring another Gospel from heaven and indeed such there were who broached fictitious Gospels as if they had been divinely inspired Simon Magus pretended himself to bee the Holy Ghost so did Montanus and vented the Dreams of his Whores Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla for prephecies Indeed Divine Revelation is the proper ground of Faith No wonder if Hereticks that they may gain credit and so seduce the people lay claim to it 8 The Glosse of Scripture is very oft times put upon false opinions by the assertours of them to delude the people In this as St. Hierome well observeth they trace the Devils footsteps who quoted Scripture thereby fondly imagining hee might delude Christ himself Thus the Judaizing false Teachers in the Apostles time made use of the Old Testament Scripture quoting Moses and the Prophets and Irenaeus observeth of the Hereticks of those times that they dealt by the Sacred Writings as a Graver doth by the goodly image of a King which by altering the form hee turneth into the likenesse of a dog or wolf and then affirmeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the lovely image of the King they take the words of Scripture and put upon them their own sense and then say it is Scripture it is so indeed materially but not formally as the metal is the Kings but the stamp is a Wolf so the words are Scripture but the sense the Hereticks 9 To all these I may add the name of a Church is no small bait whereby Hereticks allure and catch the simple in their snares our Saviour tells us what their sayings should bee Lee here is Christ and there is Christ in this conventicle and that meeting by which they withdraw many from the Apostolical assemblies In this respect St. Judes Character of them is that they did separate themselves to wit from the Apostles and which must needs follow they no doubt assumed to themselves the title to the true Church of Christ and thus did the Novatians in St. Cyprians time and the Donatists in St. Augustines time fighting against the Church under the name of the Church By all this wee see how Antichristian hereticks abuse the best things to the worst designs Truth Liberty Tradition Miracles Holinesse Reason Revelation Scripture the Church are all of them of singular concernment and advantage to the Orthodox Christian
mentioned but inlarged upon in these words But the annointing c. The right understanding of this whole verse depends upon the genuine notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointing once and again here spoken of In order to which it will bee needful to inquire to what this annointing alludeth what it doth import and wherein the Analogy holdeth The Jesuits in their Comments would have us beleeve that St. John alludeth to the Annointing which is used in their Church at the Sacrament of Baptism before in the breast and between the shoulders and after on the top of the head But though I cannot deny that the use of Annointing in Baptism is very ancient as finding it mentioned not onely by St. Augustine but St. Cyprian and Tertullian yet sure I am it is no where spoken of in the New Testament as either instituted by Christ or Preached by the Apostles in which respect it cannot rationally bee conceived that St. John alludeth to it Indeed wee finde in St. James an annointing of the sick with Oil to bee then practiced though by the way that of a far different nature from the Popish extream Unction for wheareas the Papists annoint the sick in order to their better passage out the annointing then used was in order to their recovery and longer continuance in this World But as there is no reason to imagine that St. John had any eye to St. James his Unction so much lesse can hee bee supposed to allude to an Vnction which was not at all used in his time If therefore you would know from what this phrase is borrowed the Answer is that very probably the Apostle had an eye to that unction which was in use under the Law the ingredients and composition whereof you have set down at large by Moses and so much the rather because as that is called the Holy Oil so this annointing is said before to be from the Holy One. 2 The Socinians inquiring into the meaning of this Metaphor understand by it the Evangelical Doctrin construing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointing in this by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hat which you have heard at the four and twentieth verse and conceiving it to bee called the Unction because that by that wonderful effusion of the Holy Ghost the Apostles were inabled to publish it for which reason they suppose it is elsewhere called the Spirit and the ministration of the Spirit with this interpretation some of our late Orthodox writers accord though upon a far different reason For whereas the Socinians falsely denying any need of the Spirits illumination to bee conferred upon every Christian but onely of that Revelation which was at first vouchsafed to the Apostles and by them to the World endeavour to evade the argument which is brought against them from this Scripture by this Exposition The Orthodox justly denying any new Revelation or extraordinary inspiration now to bee expected answer the argument which Euthusiasts bring from this Scripture by this interpretation For my own part I am very unwilling without great cause to recede from the Generally received exposition of any scripture And as to this particular text 1 I finde the annointing by the far greatest part both of Ancient and Modern Protestant and Popish Commentators to be expounded the Holy Spirit suitable to which it is that the latter annoynting is read Spirit in the Aethiopick version his Spirit teacheth you of all things 2 There are several considerations which render the common exposition most rational in as much as 1 Usually where the Scripture speaketh of annoynting it is meant of the Spirit as appeareth in the former discourse upon the twentieth verse 2 It is not here said the annoynting which wee to wit Apostles have received of him for then it might most probably have referred to the visible descension of the Holy Ghost upon them nor yet is it said the annoynting which you have received of us for then it might justly have been construed as the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which you have heard this Evangelical Doctrine which was delivered by the inspired Apostles but in as much as it is the annoynting which you have received of him it is most rationally construed of that Spiritual illumination which every Christian receiveth in some measure from Christ. 3 Adde to this that our Apostle in this verse manifestly intends to mind the Christians what a singular help Christ had provided for them against seducers whereby they might be enabled to continue in that which they had heard and therefore it cannot rationally be looked upon as one and the same with that which they had heard but rather the enlightning grace of his Spirit is to bee understood than which there cannot be a stronger antidote against errour Finally as by this exposition this Scripture becometh a sharp sword against the Socinians so as shall appear in the handling it will not hereby become a buckler for the Anabaptists and therefore I shall acquiesce and adhere to it as most genuine 3 As to the last enquiry how fitly the Spirit of God is compared to and resembled by oyl and annoynting the answer hath been already returned in the discourse upon the former clause of the twentieth verse whither I referre the Reader nor shall I adde any thing further but only that as the holy Oyntment was made of several Spices mixed with the oyl whatsoever things or persons were annoynted therewith were legally sanctified by it so we are here to understand by this annoynting not the illumination of the Spirit which is oft-times found alone and is vouchsafed to the unregenerate but that which is as it were made up of the several graces of the Spirit whereby not only the minde is enlightned but the whole man is sanctified Having given you this account of the annoynting which is as it were the hinge upon which the whole verse turneth it now remaineth that I goe on to consider what is here affirmed concerning this Unction and because I have already traced the metaphor of oyl and our Apostle is pleased to insist upon another similitude of teaching I shall follow that and accordingly you may conceive the Spirit of God who is the annoynting to bee likewise here represented as a School-master whose excellency is set forth by four Characters namely his Residency Sufficiency Fidelity and Efficiency His 1 Residency permanent in those words The annoynting which you have received of him abideth in you 2 Sufficiency abundant in those words And you need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things 3 Fidelity eminent in those words and is truth and is no lye 4 Efficiency evident in those words and as it hath taught you you shall abide in him Begin we with the Residency of this School-master as it is set forth in the beginning of the verse The annoynting which you have received of him abideth in you and
things are not taught simultaneously but successively fully but gradually the Disciples themselves were taught by degrees and did not know all things at first nay indeed not exactly at the last it is but a partial knowledge the best have of these all things but yet all those things which conduce to the strengthening us against error and the guiding us in the way of truth are in some though not the same measure taught by this Unction 2 The chief thing here to be discussed is the quality of the act what kind of teaching it is that is here attributed to the Spirit whereof all Christians participate For the better understanding hereof take notice of a double distinction 1 The teaching of this unction is either extraordinary or ordinary that peculiar to some this common to all Christians in reference to the extraordinary teaching it is that St. Gregory saith excellently Ungit Spiritus iste sanctus Citharaedum Psalmistam facit ungit pastorem Prophetam facit ungit Piscatorem praedicatorem facit ungit persecutorem doctorem gentium facit ungit publicanum facit Evangelistam the annoynting of this holy Spirit maketh an Harper so was David a Psalmist a Shepherd so was Amos a Prophet a Fisher-man so was St. Peter a Fisher of men by preaching a Publican so was St. Matthew an Evangelist finally a Persecutor so was St. Paul a Teacher of the Gentiles But it is the ordinary not that peculiar and extraordinary way of teaching which is here intended 2 The ordinary teaching of the Spirit is either external or internal and both these are no doubt included 1 The outward teaching of the Spirit is by the Ministry of the Word and preaching of the Gospel which is contained in the holy Scriptures look as the holy Writings were at first inspired by the Holy Ghost so by them he still teacheth his Church Accordingly it is that all saving truths were dictated by the Spirit to the Pen-men and are fully faithfully delineated in sacred Writ It is a form of sound words every way compleat explicating as Gregory the great saith all the Divine mysteries of Religion and delivering all precepts for Moral practice Quibus quidem duabus partibus omnis nostrae salutis faelicitatis ratio continetur in which two consists the whole doctrine of attaining true happinesse and therefore in this respect this of the Apostle is verified The annoynting teacheth us of all things to wit in the external ministration of the Word 2 Besides this outward there is an inward teaching which the Spirit vouchsafeth to the Church and every true member of it and is here principally aymed at This is that teaching which being the secret work of Gods Spirit is not so visibly discernable the more things are abstracted from sense the more mysterious they are no wonder if it be difficult to apprehend what this teaching is which according to St. Gregory is Allocutio intimae inspirationis an inward inspiration or Spiritual allocution It is a Question much controverted in the Schools how the Angels being Spiritual substances impart their conceptions to one another and surely it is much more hard to know how the Spirit imparts his Divine learning to the soul even they who are thus taught are sure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so it is but are not able to unfold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so And yet that wee may in some measure apprehend what we cannot fully conceive I shall in a few words acquaint you with that notion of this teaching which the Scripture is pleased to give us and accordingly if you ask what this inward teaching is whereof the Apostle speaketh I shall return the answer in the words of the Prophet Jeremy or rather God by the Prophet It is the putting his Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts Indeed as we say in general the Scripture is the best interpreter of it self so in this particular the Prophet is the best Commentator on the Apostle and therefore that wee may more clearly understand the one it will bee needful more particularly to comment on the other and let you see what this putting this Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts meaneth by which wee shall the better perceive what this teaching is in reference to which I shall lay down a double conclusion 1 That which the Spirit teacheth inwardly is the same with that hee teacheth outwardly and therefore that which he is said to write in the heart of man is no other than that Law which is written in the Book of God As the minde of the Spirit in one parcel agreeth with the minde of the Spirit in another parcel of Holy Writ so the impressions of the Spirit on the soul answer to the dictates of the Spirit in the Scriptures It is very observable that Christ tells his Disciples the Spirit should bring all things to their remembrance as if the chief end of the miraculous descension of the Holy Ghost upon them were not to teach them any new doctrine but to bring to remembrance what Christ had before taught them surely then the inward teaching of this Vnction whereof all Christians participate doth not reveal any new mysteries which are not already delivered in the Word Among other resemblances the Spirits working upon the Soul is said to be a sealing and among other reasons for this because as the seal maketh no stamp upon the wax but what is answerable to that which is upon the seal so whatsoever the Spirit teacheth the heart is answerable to what it teacheth in the Word 2 The inward teaching or writing of the Spirit is the imprinting of Scripture-truths upon the soul Conceive then the soul as the paper the truths revealed in Gods Word as the Letters the Spirit of God as the Scribe and the ayl of his grace as the Inke by which there is an impression made of the letters upon the paper truths upon the soul For the more particular opening hereof know 1 That this teaching is not a naked motion but a real impression not a superficial wetting but a deep soaking Many there are to whom the Spirit vouchsafeth some taste yet never drink a full draught who have some gliding aspects but no direct beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining on them it is one thing to hear the voyce of the Spirit speaking another to find the Pen of the Spirit writing that teaching which is here meant is such as confirmeth against error and therefore doth not glide off like water but abide like oyl slightly move but strongly work upon the soul 2 That this impression of the Spirits teaching is upon the whole soul more especially the two chief faculties of the soul the Understanding and the Will so much seemeth to be intimated by that double character of the subject the inward parts and the heart which wee finde in the Prophet as of
old the Law was literally written by Gods Finger in two Tables of Stone so it is spiritually written by Gods Spirit in two Tables of flesh the mind and the heart This annoynting then teacheth 1 Illuminando intellectum by enlightning the understanding to see and discover those things which are revealed in the Word the first work of the Spirit in conversion answereth that first word and work of God in the Creation Let there be light by this light it is that the darknesse of ignorance is expelled and the eyes of the minde are opened to apprehend Divine Writings in their own lustre and beauty It is observed of Paper that being oyled it is thereby made bright and so fitter to receive the beams of the Sun and conveigh the light into the room so is it with our minds which being annoynted with this oyl are thereby fitted to receive that heavenly light of Evangelical Doctrin and whereas the oyl which is put to the Lamp feeds it when it is kindled but cannot give light to it such is the excellency of this Unction that it giveth the light of saving knowledge to them who are altogether destitute of it Nor is this all but further 2 Inclinand◠voluntatem by inclining the will to embrace the goodnesse and taste the sweetnesse of those truths which are understood this oyl doth not only cherish the light of the Lamp but softens the hardnesse of the tumor remove the darknesse of the understanding but mollifie the perversnesse of the will As for the manner of the Spirits operation upon the will it is not to bee disputed many Controversies which trouble the Church would easily be reconciled were the Modus layed aside I suppose none will deny but he who made the will knoweth how to perswade it without coaction and incline it without compulsion and therefore we need not fear to affirm that the annoynting teacheth by inclining the will the truth is were it not that this teaching had an influence upon the will as well as the understanding it could not guard against Error and preserve from Apostacy nothing being more usual than for those who are taught outwardly and not inwardly to reject those truthes whereof they have been fully convinced for want of a kindly influence upon the will by which they should constantly adhere To summe up this point and there-with this Discourse See the excellency of the Spirits teaching beyond all others other School-masters set only truths before us but cannot put them into us they present them to our eyes or ears but cannot write them upon our hearts only this School-master can and doth not only by his Word speak to our ears but by his Grace to our souls oh therefore let us implore this sacred Unction that he would vouchsafe to become our Teacher let us begge of him that he would first give us flexible spirits and decible mindes whereby wee may bee willing to bee taught which is to take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and then that he would make us to know and embrace Divine Truths which is to write his Law in our hearts And withall take we heed how we grieve this School-master by a carelesse neglect of his instructions If at any time hee bee pleased to put any good motions into our mindes let us cherish them and let us beseech him that to those motions hee would adde his powerful impressions and if wee be thus taught of him we are well taught so well that we need no other teacher which leads me to the other branch of the sufficiency of his instruction in the negative expression You need not that any man teach you But the time being expired denyeth any further progresse at present and therefore the discussion of that with the other parts of the verse must be referred to the next opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 27. But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him THis whole World may not unfitly bee resembled to a Book whereof the cover is the Heavens whose Gilded imbossements are the glittering stars letters are the elements words are the several creatures compounded of those elements sentences are the motions and actions of those creatures and periods are its various ages This is the Book which Almighty God hath given all mankind to read and there is in every man a natural reason which serveth as a Candle whereby wee may discern the characters engraven on it and as a Schoolmaster whereby wee are instructed in the lessons to bee learned from it But besides this School of the World in which the Creator hath appointed to train up all men there is another School of the Church which our Redeemer hath designed for the education of Christians in which respect one of the names by which they are frequently called is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciples or Scholars of Christ The Book wherein they are to learn is no other than the Holy Scriptures of the Old and more espeoially of the New Testament The Ushers or Inferiour Teachers are the Ministers whose lips are therefore said to preserve knowledge and at whose mouth wee must seek the Law And if you would know who is the Head-master in this School let St. John give you the answer in the words of the text it is no other than the Holy Spirit of God here called the Annointing But the Annointing which you have received of him c. The sufficiency of this unction in teaching Christians is that part of the Text I am now in handling and having discussed the Affirmative assertion in that it is said to teach all things I am now in order to proceed to the Negative amplification which is expressed in those words And you need not that any man teach you The Apostle Peter speaking of the unlearned and unstable telleth us that they did wrest as many things in St. Pauls Epistles so likewise in other Scriptures to their own perdition where the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gerard well observes is a metaphor borrowed from those who put men upon the Rack whereby they oft times force them to speak things against their knowledge and conscience for so do Hereticks impose upon the Scripture a sense contrary to what the Spirit of God intended An instance hereof wee have in this Text particularly in this clause which together with those parallel words of the Prophet Jeremy quoted by the Apostle Paul They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord is wrested by the Quakers and such like Sectavies among us as it was by the Enthusiasts heretofore to the undervaluing of the Ministry as needlesse in the Church yea of the
Holy Scriptures themselves whilest pretending to a light within them which is communicated by this Unction they think they need no light without them no not that which shineth from the sacred writings For the proof whereof they thus argue from this Text. All who are taught by the Unction need not that any man should teach them and consequently not the holy men of God But all Christians are taught by the Vnction which they receive from Christ Therefore c. That this Syllogism how rational soever it may seem is but a Paralogism and particularly that Sophism which is called by Logicians Fallacia à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter a fallacy arguing from that which is spoken onely as to some respect as if it were to bee construed in its utmost latitude will plainly appear in the following discourse And that I may at once both refell this argument and unfold the clause I shall first demonstrate that those words you need not that any man teach you cannot with any show of Reason nor yet without apparent contradiction bee intended by S. John as an absolute negation and then I shall acquaint you with those constructions which are probable and which of them I conceive most natural 1 In pursuance of the negative part of the Explication I shall promise something by way of prevention and then propose somewhat by way of confutation 1 By way of prevention take notice of these particulars which cannot but be granted 1 Without doubt there will bee a time when Gods annointted ones shall not need the teaching of any man and that is in the other life when Glorified Saints shall behold in the vision of Gods face all things which may conduce to their happiness It is a true rule in Divinity Promissiones novi futurâ Evangelical Promises have some impletion in this life but their completion in the other Accordingly it is that those words They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest are by some of the Fathers understood of that knowledge which wee shall have in the Countrey and though I look not upon this as the genuine scope of these words yet doubtless then then only it is that those words shall most exactly be fulfilled To the two states of this and that other Life no doubt St. Paul referreth under the resemblance of a Child speaking doing and understanding as a Child and of a mans putting away childish things intending not differrnt degrees of grace but the difference between grace here and glory hereafter We are not such grown men whilest on earth that wee should look upon the external means of grace as childish things to bee put away it is the sole priviledge of heaven where wee shall know as wee are known that there all helps of humane instruction shall bee supervacaneous Indeed as Aquinas excellently argueth It is a sign of perfect knowledge acquisitâ scientiâ and therefore in that state of perfect knowledge no wonder if all teaching cease 2 In respect of our present state in this life know further that 1 On the one hand it is an undoubted truth that notwithstanding wee are taught by men there is great need of the teaching of this unction so great that without it all other teaching is in vain Every Instructor saith to his Auditors in words much like those of the King to the woman How can I help except God help how can I teach except the Spirit teach St. Gregory upon those words of our Saviour concerning the Spirit Hee shall lead you into all truth inlargeth very excellently to this purpose Vnlesse that Divine Spirit bee present to the heart of the Hearer the Word of the Teacher is to no purpose Let therefore no man attribute it to the man who teacheth that hee understandeth what hee saith because nisi intus sit qui doceat doctoris lingua exterius in vacuum laborat Except there bee a Teacher within the Preachers Tongue laboureth outwardly in vain Behold saith that Father you all alike hear the same voice of him that speaketh and yet you do not alike perceive the sense of what is spoken cum ergo vox dispar non sit cur in cordibus vestris dispar est vocis intelligentia seeing therefore the same voice sounds in all your ears why is there not the same reception into all your hearts were it not that there is a master within who is pleased peculiarly to teach some the understanding of what is generally spoken to all Whereupon hee quoteth this very Text with this glosse per vocem non instruitur quando mens per Spiritum non ungitur When the minde is not annointed by the Spirit it is not instructed by the voice To the same pupose and no lesse full is that discourse of St. Austin upon this place Behold my brethren a great mystery the sound of our words beateth the ear the Master is within Do not think that any man learneth any thing from any man wee may admonish by the noise of our voice but in vain if the Spirit teach not inwardly you all now hear my Sermon and yet alas how many go away untaught Quantum ad me pertinet omnibus locutus sum sed quibus unctio illa intus non loquitur quos Spiritus sanctus intus non docet indocti redeunt so far as concerneth mee I have done my part in Preaching to all but to whom the unction doth not speak whom the Spirit doth not teach they go home untaught The Instructions and admonitions of men are extrinsical helps Cathedram in coelo habet qui docet cor his Chair is in heaven who teacheth the heart therefore hee himself saith in the Gospel Call no man your master on earth one is your Master Christ And a little after The words which wee speak outwardly are to you as the Husbandman to the tree who planteth and watereth and pruneth it but doth hee form the fruit or cover the Tree with leaves who doth that Hear that Husbandman St. Paul and see what wee are and hear who is the internal Master I planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase neither is hee that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth any thing but he that giveth the increase is God that is his Unction teacheth you of all things Thus as the Prophets staff could not revive the Childe but the Prophet must come himself so mans teaching cannot instruct but this Vnction must teach us and therefore whensoever wee come to hear the word let us withall pray for the Spirit that the ministration of the one may bee accompanied with the operation of the other that of Ferus being most true Docet Spiritus sanctus sed per verbum docent Apostoli sed per co-operationem Spiritus sancti The Spirit teacheth but by