passe we on to the Negative in these words and do not the truth this phrase of doing the truth is very rare I find it not used in the new Testament but only by the Master and the beloved disciple it is Christs phrase in his speech to Nicodemus he that doth the truth cometh to the light and here St. John having learned it from him maketh use of it we do not the truth An expression which at first view seemeth harsh and incongruous since truth more properly refers to the Judgement then the life and is the object rather of contemplation then action hence it is that truth is that which we are said to know and beleeve that which we are said to do is good and this is the most uâ—uall phraise of the scripture But if we looke a little more narrowly into this expression it will appeare apt and significant to which end we must know that according to the Philosophers there is a three fold truth Metaphisicall Logicall and Ethicall the first is in being the conformity of a thing to the idea by which it was framed the second is in knowing the conformitie of the understanding with the thing the third is in signifying the conformitie both sermonis and facti of our words to the things and our actions to right reason by which distinction it manifestly appeareth that there is a practicall as well as a speculative truth and so this phrase of doing the truth very sutable To open it a little more fully be pleased to know that doing the truth may be construed two waies and both here be made use of to wit by considering truth either as the object or the manner of this doing 1. To do the truth considered objectively is to conforme in doing to the truth that is the word of God the rule and square of truth and so this phrase may be expounded by that of Ezekiel doing that which is lawfull and right to this purpose is the exposition which St. Cyrill and Tollet give of the phrase in the Gospell to do the truth is to do according to the law of Justice rightly and honestly to make the law of God the rule of our conversation whereby we may be come acceptable to God 2. To do the truth considered modally is to do what we do heartily sincerely and so it may be explained by Hezekiahs phrase of walking in truth and with a perfect heart for as to doing good it is not enough that we do what is good but that we do it well so to doing the truth it is not sufficient that we do what is right but that we do it truly with a good and upright heart and no wonder if our Apostle here declayming against hypocrites whose devotion is but a stage play a meere fained representation and whose conversation is after their own lusts not Gods waies chargeth them that they do not the truth But if we put these two expressions togeather we lie and do not the truth there may seem yet a further incongruity it would have been more sutable one would thinke to have said we lie and speak not the truth since lying refers to the tongue and so this would have been fitly annexed as a proofe of the lying in that they speak not truth but if we consider upon what account the Apostle chargeth these hypocrites with lying we shall find this phrase was fitly made choice of not doing rather then not speaking truth The reason why this saying is asserted to be a lie is because their walking was not answerable to their talking their doing to their saying no wonder that he saith they lie and that is because they do not the truth To cleare this more plainly you must know that though in a strict proper sence a lie is the dissonancy betweene the tongue the heart the words the thoughts when a man speaketh one thing thinketh another yet in a large no lesse reall notion it is a dissonancy between the tongue and the hand the words and the workes when a man speaketh one thing doth another To this purpose St. Ambrosse excellently noteth that there is a lie as well in respect of deeds as words for a man to call himselfe a Christian and not to do the works of Christ is a lie and thus Estius glosses on these words we do not the truth that is we prove by our deeds that what we say is not true Indeed they are alike bad when the life as when the heart giveth the tongue the lie may in respect of men the former is far more discernable then the latter when a man speaketh what his heart thinketh not I cannot presently say he lyeth because I know not what he thinketh but when a man speaketh that which his actions confute I can easily see and boldly say that he lyeth That then which our Apostle would intimate to us by this phrase is the contrariety between an hypocrites profession and his conversation his voyce is Jacobs but his hands are Esaws like silver he looks white but draweth blacke lines audi nemo melius specta nemo pejus loquitur ut Piso viuit ut Gallomus Heare him talking you would thinke him an Angell see him walking you will finde him a Devill like that stage-player who cryed oh caelum and pointed with his finger to the earth his tongue talketh of heaven whilest his fingers are defiled with the earth he speaketh much of the spirit but he walketh after the flesh the discourse of his lips is holy the course of his life profane in a word his profession is angelicall his conversation diabolical his words are spirituall his works carnall he saith he hath fellowship with God but he lyeth for he doth not the truth To apply this when I read this Text and consider the Times I am ready to believe that the one was in a speciall manner intended for the other so fully is this charge of lying verified in this generation it was the complaint of God by the Prophet Ephraim Compasseth me about with lyes and the house of Israel with deceit may he not take up the same against us England compasseth God about with lyes and London with deceit Let our ungodly abominable unjust practices speak if our fastings and prayers and profession be not a loud notorious lye Oh that I could cry aloud this day in the ears of these lyars to awaken them out of their security Trust not in lying words was the caution of the Prophet to the Iews it is no less needfull for us let us not content our selves with false shows nor rest on vain hopes it was the charge of the Prophet against the people concerning their King that they made him glad with lyes and what else do hypocrits whilest make themselves glad with false presumption Oh that this lying generation would sadly consider what a kind of lye this is whereof they are guilty The Schools
that no evill can come from the good God no darknesse from him who is light Indeed there are two attributes of God wherein he especially delights his mercy and his holinesse Oh let us take heed how we diminish the one or deface the other when we speak of God after the manner of men as we represent his power by the arm his mercy by the bowels his justice by the hand so his holinesse by the face Oh how great an injury must he needs account it if we shall throw dirt in his face and therefore remember the caution of S. Iames let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for God tempteth no man neither can he be tempted 3. Lastly let us learn of whom to seek whatsoever light we stand in need of Every good and every perfect gift saith the forementioned Apostle commeth down from above we must shine in his beam be kindled at his flame and be lighted by his torch Like the moon we are dark bodies till the glory of the Lord arise upon us if we lack any light of wisdom of grace of comfort we must ask it of and onely expect it from God And therefore in a sense of our own darknesse let us sue to him for that spiritual illumination which may guide and conduct us through the wildernesse of this world till we come to the heaven of heavens where God in an especial manner is the light of it and in his light we shall see light even the light of his face in glory for ever THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth IT is an undoubted truth that all parcels of holy Writ are alike in respect of their divine authority and un-erring verity But it is as true that there is some difference between them in respect of clear perspicuity and beneficiall utility some parts of Scripture being as more plain so more useful then others Such no doubt are those upon which the Holy Ghost hath as it were set a mark and to which he hath affixed an asterisme Thus when we meet with a Selah in the close or a verily verily in the beginning of any sentence and yet when we find any dignifying clause placed in the front or rere of any discourse it is no doubt the spirits intention to put us hereby on a more serious consideration on such Scriptures as containing somewhat in them of more then ordinary importance No doctrine more fundamentally necessary to be beleeved then thaâ— of salvation by Christ incarnate and therefore St. Paul doth not barely assert it but prefixeth an encomium before it This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation no lesson more needful to be learned by a beleever then that of maintaining good works and therefore the same Apostle calling upon beleevers to learn it annexeth a Preface This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly And surely upon this very account we have a great deal of reason to look upon this present Text as neerly concerning us since we find the doctrines of it ushered in with an Exordium This is the message which we have heard of him and declare to you c. 3. Having already led you through the porch and given you a view of the foundation I hope I shall not need to go back and take a re-view passe we therefore into the rooms of this fabrick which are a Reproof and a Promise the one in the sixth the other in the seventh verse that is as it were on the left hand inhabited by those whom Christ will one day place on his left hand to wit presumptuous hypocrites and the other on the right iâ—habited by those who shall be set on Christs right hand namely sincere and holy Christians 1. The Reproofe is that I am now to beginne with concerning which before I fall upon particulars it will not be amiss to observe in general that it is at once both sharp and milde discovering those two graces to be sweetly conjoyned in this Apostle which it is pity they should in any be severed zeal discretion the one making him faithful and the other gentle in framing his reprehension 1. On the one hand it is very considerable what plainness of speech St. Iohn useth in this reproof he is not meal mouth'd but sharp tongued in home and down right language he telleth these sinners their own It might have sufficed the Apostle to say They who walk in darkness can have no fellowship with God but see he useth more harsh terms giving them the lye who say they have fellowship with God and walk in darkness we sâ—y in our English proverb a lye deserveth the stab it is accounted by all Nations an high offence to tell a man he lyeth but the zeal of this holy man maketh him bold and sharp in his expressions How well doth fervent vehemency become a Minister in all his addresses to the people but especially when he reproveth Some in dealing with sinners and rebuking their sins are like men that handle thorns as if they durst not touch them they are loath to rub too much upon their Auditors sores and dare not peirce them to the quick but surely as a cold and heartless Petitioner beggeth a deniall so a cold and heartless reprover doth but harden and hearten the sinner in his evill ways St. Paul bids Titus not onely to reprove but to do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharply so our Translators cuttingly so the force of the originall like good Chyrurgions that lance and search the sore to the bottom indeed a pittifull cruelty is far better than a cruell pitty yea and there is found health in those smart wounds And indeed if we consider with whom our Apostle had to do we shall find it was not without just reason that he is so bitter against them It is the counsell of St. Iude concerning offenders of some have compassion making a difference but others save with fear pulling them out of the fire we must put a difference in the persons whom we reprove and accordingly put a difference in our reproofs those who offend through infirmity and declare themselves penitent are to be rebuked with lenity least they be swallowed up of grief and dispair but others we must save with fear that is by terrifying them with threats and with a loving violence plucking them out of the fire of those destructive courses Such are all obstinate trangressors who offending hainously are to be checked severely to whom when they spurn at our rebukes we returne St. Austins answer When you amend your lives we shall mend our language More especially of this kinde are presumptuous hypocrites a sort of men with whom our Apostle had here to do and which of all others deserve to be roughly handled and that
that punishment which belonged to us we must needs be thereby acquitted and cleansed to this purpose he is called by the Authour to the Hebrews a surety and look as the surety paying his debt for whom he is bound dischargeth him from his creditor so Christ suffering our punishment freeth us from the obligation to it which is all one with cleansing from the guilt of sin and the reason is plain for since the guilt of sin is its binding the sinner over to the punishmenâ— Christ taking that punishment upon himself and suffering it in our roome must needs thereby cleanse us from that guilt so that in few words Christs blood being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a laver became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price satisfactory for our debt hath obtained the forgiveness of it to us and so we are cleansed Having in some measure according to the scriptures explained the genuine notion of this causality I shall not much trouble my selfe nor you with those farfetched and ieiune inventions of the Socinians whereby they endeavour to elude these truths and yet I cannot passe by one evasion because it is that Socinus annexeth to this very scripture as if this saying the blood of Christ cleanseth from sin were no more but that his blood declareth us to be assureth us that we are cleansed so that what the Orthodox attribute to the Sacrament instituted by Christ in commemoration of his blood that these Hereticks attribute to the blood it selfe but how incongruous it is to expound this of a declarative cleansing appeareth in that the Apostle who could best interpret his own language in the very next verse save one unfolds it by forgiving besides this construction maketh cleansing from sin to antecede Christs blood for if it did not praeexist there not be could any declaring or confirming of it whereas the scripture both here else where plainly positively asserteth this cleansing to flow from come through the blood of Christ the consideration hereof no doubt forced Socinus to the finding out of other solutions and there fore he sometimes asserts that Christs blood cleanseth inasmuch as it perswadeth us to a beleefe hope of eternall life whereby we are induced to holiness of life and so our sins are cleansed but all which is hereby ascribed to Christs death is only a morall causality nay rather a meere antecedency sure it is Christs resurection rather then his death which ingenders that faith and hope in us and it is not imaginable that the scripture should so often attribute that to the death which cheifely depends on the resurrection of Christ adde to this which is very considerable how remote if any at all an influence it is which Christs blood according to this sence hath upon this cleansing for as Grotius hath well observed the thread must be drawn out to this length Forgiveness and cleansing from sin is conferred upon them that live holily to live holily we are induced by a certaine faith and hope of the reward the example of Christ raised from the dead and exalted to glory for the holinesse of his life is a way to beget this faith hope that glorifying and rising his death did necessarily antecede and thus our cleansing from sin is obtained by his blood but how credible it is that the scriptue should so frequently so positively so expresly attribute this cleansing to Christs blood and yet the dependance of these one upon the other to be at so remote a distance and of so slender an energie let any one who hath but a competent use of his reason Judge 3. I proceed therefore to the answer of the last question nor need we go further then the text it selfe to finde that if you would know how this blood becometh so effectuall to cleanse from sin the answer is because it is the blood of Iesus Christ his son I shall not altogether passe by nor yet insist upon that note which Estius hath upon the blood of his son that in them there is a confutation of three heresyes at once the Mâ—â—ichees who deny the truth of Christs humane nature since as Alexander said of his wound clamat me esse hominem it proclaymeth me a man we may say of his blood for had he not beene man he could not have bled have dyed the Ebionites who deny him to be God since being Gods naturall son he must needs be of the same essence with himselfe and the Nestorians who make two persons which if true the blood of Christ the man could not have been called the blood of Christ the son of God That which I conceive here chiefly to be taken notice of is that our Apostle contents not himselfe to say the blood of Jesus Christ but he addeth his son to intimate to us how this blood became avaâ—leable to our cleansing to wit as it was the blood not meerly of the son of Mary the son of David the son of Man but of him who was also the son of God Indeed that it was the blood of an innocent pure unsinnâ—ng man did much conduce to this worke since had he beene himselfe a sinner he could not have cleansed us from our sins and therefore our Apostle in the next chapter joyneth these two together Jesus Christ the righteous the propitiation for our sins and the Apostle Peter puts these together as of a pretious lambe without spot and blemish to this purpose it is St. Austin saith the blood because it was the blood of him who had no sin himselfe was shed for the remission of our sins and Leo sutably the powring out of a just mans blood for the unjust was effectuall to our redemption But though this was a necessary qualification in this person who did shed his blood for this end yet that which gave the efficacy and merit to his blood was the fullness of the Godhead which dwelt in him personaly thus Damasen speaking of his deity addeth thence his passion became of a saving and quickâ—ning virtue and St. Cyrill expresly his blood had not been a price for the worlds sin if he had been only man Indeed Socinus asserts that the dignity of his person added nothing to the value of his sufferings because the divinity it selfe did not suffer but though the Godhead did not suffer yet Godman did suffer and he who endured the punishment was God though he did not indure it as God in these respects it is said they crucify'd the Lord of Glory and God is said to purchase his Church with his blood and here it is called the blood of Iesus Christ his son and we may as well say it is all one to kill a King as a beggar a Father as a stranger because the mortall wound is directed against the body not the dignity or affinity The summe then is this Christs deity being personally united to his manhood giveth an efficacy to his sufferings hence
self-deceâ—t It is at first view a strange assertion that a man should deceive himself if a man would deceive it were more probable he should deceive an enemy than a friend a stranger than a kinsman one that is afarre off then near to him nay there is inbred in every man a love of himself yea proximus quisque sibi every one is nearest to himself and is it to be imagined that he would deceive himself for a man to kill another may sometimes be at least be accounted valour but to kill himself can be thought no other then madnesse for a man to deceive another may by worldlings at least be esteemed craft policy wisdom but for a man to deceive himself must needs be adjudged meer folly and yet thus it is with all wicked men to whom by reason of corruption it is natural to be unnatural whilest by doing what is sin they kill themselves and by saying they have no sin they deceive themselves Indeed as the Prophet Jeremy saith The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked there being a mystery of iniquity in our corrupt minds the heart is sometimes in Scripture metaphorically described by the belly and truly there are not more twistings and foldings in the guts of the belly then there are turnings and windings in the heart of man by which we are too too witty to cozen our selves no wonder if the wise man saith he that trusteth to his own heart is a fool and that it was the prayer of St. Austin Custodi libera me de meipso Deus Lord deliver me from my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an excellent rule remember to distrust especially thy self and ever keep a narrow watch and a jealous suspicion over the dictates of thy own heart which is so prone to deceive thee Among those many things whereby we are apt to deceive our selves none more frequent then this which our Apostle here specifieth whereby we are well conceited of our own innocencie the truth is we have such an inordinate self-love that it is no wonder we fall into self-flattery they say in Optickes that if the object be too near the eye we cannot rightly discern it we are very near and dear unto our selves and therefore it is we discern not the sins that are in our selves Every way of man saith Solomon is right in his own eyes indeed therefore it is right in his own eyes because it is his own way The eye which seeth all other things beholdeth not it selfe hence it is that whilest we spye moats in others we see not the beames in our own eyes and so deceive our selves in saying we have no sin Indeed there want not other impostors who are ready enough to put tricks upon us The devâ—ll that old Serpent that grand Jugler is very busie to delude us and that in this kind it is his great design to make us beleeve those things not to be sin which are so and to think our selves not to have those sinnes we have Besides the world a cunning deceiver is very willing to sooth us up in a good opinion of our selves Nay there want not false teachers cheaters rather who perswade their followers at least that they are the Saints the pure the godly partie whereas they act those things which even Heathens would blush at But the truth is were it not for our selves none of these could deceive us were we faithful to our own soules they could not betray us we are willing to be deceived yea to deceive our selves in the matter of our own goodnesse and that because 2. The truth is not in us Indeed where ever there is deceit there is falshood since to be deceived is to apprehend a thing otherwise then it is or to take a thing to be that which it is not True there must be some shew of truth it must seem to be that which we take it to be or else how shouâ—d we be cheated but there is no reality nor truth of the thing else it could not be a cheat will you know then how men come to say they have no sin they seem so in their own eyes and thereby deceive themselves but indeed it is not so there is no truth in their conception and so it must needs prove a deception Look as when a man deceiveth another it is by a verbal or a reall lye presenting that which is not so it is when a man deceiveth himself in which respect one expounds this negative by the positive of lying the truth is not in us that is we lye to our selves in saying we have no sin It is not unfitly here taken notice of that our Apostle doth not say There is no humility but there is no verity in us Indeed one cause why we deceive our selves in saying we have no sin is the pride of our spirits a proud man hath onely one eye open both in respect of his neighbour and himselfe of his neighbour he hath one eye to see his spots but not his beautie his faults but not his gifts of himselfe he hath an eye to see his beauty but not his spots his gifts but not his faults and so becometh a selfe deceiver In this regard our Apostle might justly have said there is no humility in those who say they have no sin Indeed as St. Austin occasionally speaking of those words Be not righteous overmuch and understanding it of a selfe conceited righteousnesse truly asserts it is not justitia sapientis but superbia praesumentis The righteousnesse of the wise but the pride of a presumptuous man but that it may appeare that that which causeth even the holyest to accuse themselves of sin is not onely the lowlynesse of their minds but the truth of the thing and that according to St. Cyprians speech he that thinketh himselfe innocent is not onely proud but foolish yea in plain termes a lyer therefore he saith there is no truth in us It is the question of the wise man Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin and such a question to which none can returne an affirmative answer who can say it and say it truly and not be untrue in saying it since both to ascribe that purity which we have to our selves and to ascribe that purity to our selves which we have not are manifest and odious untruths To this purpose it is what Beza observes that these words are spoken by St. Iohn not onely for modesty but truths sake yea a councill hath pronounced an anathema against any who shall assert that this was spoken onely in humility but not because so in truth sutable to which is St. Austins note upon these words St. Iohn doth not say If we have no sin we extoll our selves and there is no lowlynesse in us but we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us since thus to say is not onely to lift up
sin because Christ is in them and they in him whom the Apostle according to this construction here plainly contradicteth and indeed it cannot be otherwise since where ever Christ is there is his Spirit and where the Spirit of Christ is there is a divine light discovering to a man the darkness that is in him and effectually convincing him of his own sinfulnesse But though this be a truth I doe not conceive it the truth of this clause and therefore with the generality of the best interpreters I understand it in the proper and usuall sence not for Christ the word but for the word of Christ not the word which is God but the word of God And thus it will not be amisse to consider this clause both in iâ—s selfe and in its reference 1. Consider this clause in its selfe and that which we have to inquire is what our Apostle meaneth by this phrase negatives are best known by the affirmatives as privations are by habits and therefore by knowing what it is for the word of God and Christ to be in us we shall learne what this meaneth the word is not in us The word is then said to be in us when according to Christs phrase in the Gospel it doth take place in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being there according to Camerarius as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and finde entertainment with us and surely then it taketh place in us when it taketh place in our hearts as it did in David who saith Thy word have I hid in my heart The word is then said to be in us when according to St. Iames his phrase it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ingrafted word and that is when as the tree being opened a graft is set deep into it and so becometh one with it or rather it one with a graft so our hearts being opened as Lydias was the word is deeply imprinted in it and it sweetly closeth with the word If yet more perticularly you ask how this is done I answer in one word by beleeving when the minde giveth a cleare assent and the will a full consent to the word then it is received by and dwelleth in us so interpreters paraphrase Non amplectiâ—r non intelligimus non retinemus veram ejus doctrinam His word is not in us that is we doe not understand and imbrace by faith the true Doctrine of his word And that this is S. Johns meaning in this place we need no other expositor then himself in his Gospel where he bringeth in Christ saying yee have not his word among you For him whom he hath sent you beleeve not thereby plainly intimating that to have his word abiding in us is to beleeve in his word Look how Christ himselfe is said to be and to dwell in us So is his word now the Apostle Pauls expression is full of Christs dwelling in our hearts by faith indeed on Christs part the Spirit and on our part Faith maketh the union between him and us and both these concurre to the inbeing of the word when the word is received as St. Paul saith of the Thessalonians in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance to wit of faith To end this be pleased to know that there is a great deale of difference between these two his word among us and his word in us his word is among us when published and made known to us but it is not in us unlesse received and beleeved by us and therefore my brethren let us not content our selves with the former but labour to find the latter It is very observable what St. Paul saith of of the Colossians The Gospell is come unto you and bringeth forth fruit in you which it could not doe were it not ingrafted and therefore the Authour to the Hebrews saith of the Iews The word did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Oh beloved it may be truly said of us that Gospel is come to us but is it in us doth it bring forth fruit in us St. Austin excellently compareth the word to an hooke which then taketh the fish when it is taken into the fist so the word when it is taken into us by faith then taketh us and that not to our ruine but safety and St. Iames when he speaketh of the word as able to save our soules calls it the ingrafted word to teach us how necessary it is to our spirituall and eternall profit by the word that it should be in us the truth is it were farre better never to have had the word among us then not to have it in us that this light had never shone in the midst of us if it be not set up in the candlestick of our hearts and therefore let it be our prayer that the Gospel may come to us not in word onely but in power that the seed of the word which is sowne and scattered among us may be hid in us Finaly that it may please God to give unto us increase of grace that we may heare meekely his word receive it with pure affection and bring forth the fruits of the spirit 2. But further consider this clause in its reference and ye shall find according to a severall reference severall things not unworthy our observation It is not amisse to compare the end of the eighth and of the tenth verse together in the one it is said the truth is not in us the other his word is not in us and if as doubtlesse we may we look upon these as synonimous phrases we may observe that what he calleth truth in the one he stileth Gods word in the other and so it amounts to that which our blessed Saviour himselfe elsewhere asserts Thy word is truth in which respect it is called by St. Paul and St. Iames the word of truth and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eminently and primarily indeed it may be said of many words that they are true but onely Gods word is the word of truth yea truth it selfe consonant to this it is that the psalmist calls the words of the Lord pure words and compareth them to Silver purified in the fire seven times that is fully perfect so as there is not the least drosse of errour in them Indeed when we consider whose word it is namely his word who as he is the first being so he is the first truth we cannot but conclude that it must needs be altogether true therefore if we would have an answer to Pilates question what is truth the text giveth it it is Gods word and if you would know when doctrines are true this word is the onely sure touchstone and therefore the prophet Isay calleth to the lawe and to the Testimony If they speake not according to these it is because there is no light to wit of truth in them 2. If we put these two clauses together We
1. Some interpreters make faithful and just to be synonima's therefore he is faithful and just because it is just he should be faithful in this respect the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth truth is by the Septuagint translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth righteousnesse nor is it without reason because it is a righteous thing to be true before a man maketh a promise he is free to make it or not but when he hath made it he is not free to keep it or not by promise a man becometh a debtor and for one to pay his debt is no more then just Indeed this is not exactly true in regard of God because we never so fully perform the condition but it is justly lyable to exception yet after a sort it is that which he accounts himself engaged to in point of justice to perform all his promises and therefore though it is meer mercy which maketh it is justice which fulfilleth the promise This interpretation Socinus layeth hold on hereby to evade the doctrine of satisfaction which this word according to its proper sense doth clearly â—avour But the designe of the Holy Ghost being in these words to strengthen our weak faith in beleeving the pardon of sin I conceive we shall do best to expound the words in that way which may most â—onduce to this end and that is as affording not only a single but a double prop to our faith from a double attribute in God and therefore I waâ—e this interpretation 2. Others there are who distinguishing these two understand by justice mercy so Grotius here saith I interpret just to be good gentle and Illyricus observeth that righteousnesse is sometimes taken for benignity and clemency in this respect iâ— is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth mercy is sometimes by the Sepâ—uagint rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth righteousnes agreeable hereunto the Greâ—k word for almes is by the Syriach rendred righteousness the merciful mans bounty is by the Psalmist and St. Paul called righteousnesse yea upon this account mercy and righteousnesse gracious and righteous are joyned together and David promiseth if God would deliver him from blood guiltinesse he would sing aloud of his righteousnesse And now according to this interpretation we see another impulsive cause of forgivenesse namely the grace mercy clemency of God Among others there are two Greek words by which pardon is set forth that excellently confirm this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former by St. Paul which comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to forgive freely and intimateth free grace to be the spring of pardon the latter by the Authour to the Hebrews in that quotation of the Prophet I will be merciful to their sins and their transgressions which is by shewing mercy to the sinner in the forgivenesse of his sins so that we may hence learn to what we are to ascribe the pardon of our sins meerly the good will and grace and mercy of God Indeed we shall still find all those benefits especially spiritual which we receive attributed to mercy the regeneration of our nature according to his mercy he hath begottâ—n us the salvation of our soules according to his mercy he saved us and the remission of our sins through the tender mercy of our God oh let us admire the bowels of love the riches of grace the treasures of mercy which are manifested in pardoning and cleansing our sins 3. But though this interpretation may be received yet since it is a good rule in expounding Scripture to keep to the proper meaning of the words if there be not very good reason to the contrary and there being no reason why we should here recede from I have chosen rather to adhere to the litterall sence of the word Iust. For though it be true that 1. The commission of sin deserveth punishment and therefore justice which giveth every one their due calls for the punishing not the remitting of sin and 2. The confession of sin cannot as hath been before asserted deserve pardon because it is no proportionable compensation of the offence Upon which grounds it appeareth that this justice which forgiveth cannot be in respect of us yet it still is a truth in regard of Christ God is just to forgive so that a Gualtâ—r well he cannot but forgive unlesse he will be unjust to his own Son and inasmuch as our Apostle in the foregoing verse save one expressely attributes this cleansing to Christs blood this interpretation of justice is doubtlesse most genuine and congruous To clear briefly and perspicuously this sweet truth of pardoning justice be pleased to know that 1. The mâ—ledictory sentence of death denounced by the law against sinners was inflicted by God upon Christ this is that which the Prophet Esay positively asserts where he saith the chastisement that is the punishment called a chastisement because inflicted by a father and onely for a time of our peace was upon him and again he was oppressed and he was afflicted which according to the genuine sence of the original is better rendred it was exacted to wit the punishment of our sin and he was afflicted or he answered to wit to the demand of the penalty It may be here enquired how it can stand with Godâ— justice â—o inflâ—ct punishment upon the guiltles and if this doubt be not cleared we shall stumble at the threshold and the foundation of this pardoning justice will be layed in injustice and truly when we find God saying the soul which sinneth shall die and asserting those who condemne the righteous as an abomination to him it is hard to imagin how he can himself justly punish the innocent for the nocent To remove this scruple consider 1. That God did inflict death on Christ is undeniable and who may question the justice of his actions when as things are therefore just because he wills them to be done whose will is the supream rule of justice 2. There cannot be a more necessitating reason of Gods afflâ—cting Christ by death then this so that if it be not just for God to inflict it upon him on this ground it is much lesse upon any other That Christ should die for the confirmation of his doctrine was needless it was done sufficiently by miracles To make way by death to his glory was not necessary he might have been translated as were Enoch and Eliah To dye only as an example of patience and fortitude to his followers is a far less cogent cause then to dye as an example of Gods justice and severity against sin nor need he have died for that end since the death of any of his Apostles might have been exemplary in that kind Finally had he died only for the declaration of Gods immense love to us and not for the demonstration of his severe justice against sin whilest he had been so
them on as well as an internal assistance enabling them to this holy work In this respect it is that St. Augustine saith expresly whatsoever God would have us know concerning his word and his works he gave in charge to those sacred amanuenses to write and therefore let none of us be wise above what is written but humbly and meekly confine our selves to that which his goodness and wisdom hath allotted for us to walk by the writings of his Prophets and Apostles beseeching him that as he hath caused his truths to be written that they may be read with our eyes so he would write them in our hearts and thereby we may have a comfortable evidence that our names are written in the book of life And thus I have given a dispatch to the first general part to wit the Apostles care of their duty pass now on to the other General which is the Gospels excellency and therein to the Eminency of its object in the close of the first and part of the second verses in those words the word of life the life that was manifested that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us all which is spoken concerning Christ. But before I enter on the handling of these words in this which I conceive to be the most genuine interpretation there is another exposition which being neither improbable nor unprofitable I shall not pass by and it will be all I can discuss at this time It is of those who understand these words concerning the Gospel it self as if that were here called the word of life wherein this eternal lâ—fe is manifested though even according to this construction the encomium is of the Gospel with reference to its matter where about it is conversant This Exposition is that which is alleadged by Calvin asserted by Grotius and assevered by Vorstius nor is it dissonant to the analogy of faith according to it here are two things to be considered namely the appellation given to the Gospel it is the word of life and the reason of that appellation because in it the life eternal life is manifested to us 1. The appellation here affixed to the Gospel is choice and comfortable it is the word of life a title which is made use of by St. Paul when he required of the Philippians that they should shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life and by the Angel when he commands the Apostles to speak in the ears of the people all the words of this life suitably hereunto it is that it is called else where the word of salvation and the Gospel of salvation and the Grace of God that bringeth salvation and the ingrafted word which is able to save our souls and yet once more that word of Gods Grace which is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among them which are sanctified 2. The reason of this appellation is fit and pregnant because those words eternal life is manifested to us are such a confirmation that they ate withall an explication of the Title in both the branches of it For 1. Would we know what this life is whereof the Gospel is the word the answer is it is eternal life in which respect St. Peter saith to Christ thou hast the words of eternal life In these two expressions is contained a short description of felicity it is a life for since life is the highest of all created excellencies it is aptly used to set forth a state of happiness especially if we take vivere as comprehending in it valere and so denoting an hayle vigorous and prosperous life But that which crowneth life it self and maketh it an happiness is its eternity since as the Schools well true bliss must be able to give satisfaction to the appetite which it cannot do if there be any fear of losing or expiring the truth is neither of these two can be severed in an happy condition were it eternal if it were not life there could be no bliss since it is true of the damned that they shall exist eternally and were it life if it were not eternal it could not be happy since a transitory fading life is rather a death than a life and therefore that the Gospel may appear a means of happiness it is said to reveal to us eternal life And 2. Would we know in what respect the Gospel is the word of this life the answer is because this eternal life which was with the Father is by it manifested to us indeed we must here distinguish between data and manifestata the giving and the manifesting of this life nor is it mine but St. Pauls own distinction where he informeth us that salvation or life eternal was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began but is now made manifest by Christ who hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel The truth is eternal life before the time of the Gospel was with the Father that is did latere quodâ—mmodo apud patrem lie hid in the Fathers bosome unrevealed to the world As to the Gentiles it was altogether unknown who therefore are said to sit in darkness and the shadow of death as being wholly strangers to this life and as to the Iews it was hid as Learned Davenant hath observed ex parte comparativè the greatest part of the Iews looked no higher than an earthly Canaan and dreamt onely of a temporal happiness to be accomplished by the Messiah the discoveries of life were so dark that few could spell them and that manifestation which any of them had was very obscure in comparison of what is by the Gospel It is true eternal life was so far revealed in the old Testament that the believing Iews attained to some knowledge of it so as that they looked for it and no doubt are in their souls possessed of it upon this account St. Paul tells Timothy that the holy Scriptures to wit of Moses and the Prophets were able to make him wise to salvation and Christ bids the Iews to search the Scriptures because they thought which yet Christ reproveth not as a bare surmize in them to have eternal life but stil those discoveries were very imperfect in comparison of that knowledge which the Gospel imparts and therefore one observeth an Emphasis in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us not to the Patriarchs not to the Prophets was this life to wit so clearly manifested as to us the Apostles of Christ and by us to the Saâ—nts throughout the world in which respect St. Paul writing both to the Ephesians and the Colossians stiles not onely the calling of the Gentiles which is as much spoken of by the Prophets as any other evangelical truth but the whole doctrine of life in the Gospel a mysterie which hath been hid from ages and generations nor was in other ages made known to the sons of
is Christ. 2. But further the speech of the lips is that to which most properly this term word belongs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dico to speak and truly there wants not a fit analogy in this metaphor it is true there are many things wherein this external word is unlike to Christ as its extrinsicalness to the person its temporary continuance and the like but there is one thing wherein it seemeth aptly to shadow forth Christ to us for as a man maketh known himself to others by his word so is the Father by Christ revealed unto the world some observing the various acceptance of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have taken hold of the signification of definitio and applied it to this present purpose for as the definition doth explicate the thing defined so doth Christ make known the Father but the common signification of the word seemeth sufficiently to illustrate the same truth and so accordingly is taken notice of by the Fathers Irenaeus and Augustine who tell us he is therefore called the Word because by him the Father is made known and through him we come to the saving knowledge of God in this respect it is that Christ is called by the Author to the Hebrews the brightness of his Fathers glory and express character of his person and again by St. Paul the image of God quia patrem suum nobis conspiciendum praebet because he manifesteth his Father to us And yet more particularly as that which a man maketh known of himself by his word is his will intent and purpose so hath the Father by Christ imparted to the world his eternal purpose and counsel concerning mans salvation It is observable that Christ is called the power of God and the wisdom of God and the word of God in Scripture and all fitly he is the wisdom of God because Gods decrees and counsels are as it were made by him the power of God because they are made good and accomplished by him and the word of God because they are made known and promulged by him this is Epiphanius his notion of word he is called saith he the word because he is the interpreter of his Fathers counsels and minde to men and that we may expound Scripture by Scripture me thinketh that of the Author to the Hebrews is a Comment upon this title when he saith God in these last dayes hath spoken to us by his Son who therefore is the word because God by him hath spoken and that most clearly to us It is a distinction not unusual nor irrational which is made between sonus vox and verbum a sound a voice a word a sound being any kinde of noise a voice an artiâ—ulate sound and a word a significant voice The application of it to this present business is very fit the Prophets of the Old Testament they were as a sound Iohn Baptist Christs immediate forerunner was as a voice he is called so the voice of one crying in the wilderness but it is Christ and he onely who is the word distinctly and fully signifying to us the will of God concerning our salvation How great is our happiness beloved who live in these last dayes and how great will be our misery if we be deaf to the word by which in these last dayes God speaketh to us and therefore let that Apostolical counsel be acceptable See that you refuse not him that speaketh rather let us hearken to him learn of him and seek from him divine knowledge The truth is brethren thus the case now stands Eternal life to wit the only way to it is to know the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent no man knoweth the Son but the Father nor the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him This onely begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Yea he counselleth us to buy of him that eye salve by which onely we may see and the voice from heaven chargeth us with This is my welbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him and therefore as Peter said to Christ Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life So let us say Blessed Iesus whither shall we go whom should we hear but thee thou art the word of life 2. I have done with the metaphoricall a word of the metonymical construction and so Christ is called the Word in as much as he is the subject matter of the word and this we shall finde true both in a general and a speciall consideration 1. In general The whole word either mediately or immediately in a proxim or remote way points at Christ to him all the Prophets as well as the Apostles give witness the Scriptures are as the field and Christ is the treasure hid in this field they as the ring and Christ as the diamond of great price which giveth the lustre to it he is the center in which all the lines in holy writ do meet and this word of life is the very soul and life of the word oh let us in the reading of this sacred book break the bone that we may suck the marrow crack the shell that we may feed on the kernel open the Cabinet that we may finde the pearle search the Scriptures that we may meet with Christ in them since as that devout Antient said he found no relish in Tullies Oratorical writings because he could not read Iesus there So the very sweetnes and excellency of the Bible lyeth in this that we may read Iesus as it were in every line of it But 2. In special word is as much as promise when Synecdochically taken and thus as the spirit is sometimes called the promise so Christ is called the word quasi eum dicas de quo locâ—tus vel quem pollicitus est dominus to wit he of whom God speaketh or whom he promised should come into the world in this respect those words of St. Paul fitly explicate the phrase where he tells Agrippa I continue witnessing no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Christ is therefore the word because it is he whom they say should come or to use Zachary his expression he is that horn of salvation which God raiseth up in the house of David as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Moses his great Prophet Balaams star Esaiahs tender plant Jeremies branch Zacharies horn Malachie his Sun are all of them mystical Prophecies and promises of the Messiah It lets us see at once both the goodness and faithfulness of God his goodness in that before he gave his Son he gave the promise of him he was promissus priusquam missus first assured verbally then sent actually and his faithfulness in that as he promised so
hated of all men for Christs names sakes they forsook father mother friends they were exposed to hunger thirst cold nakedness tortures and most of them to death it self nemo gratis malus est no man will be wicked for nothing nay invent and maintain and stand in a lye when no benefit but a great injury redounds to him by it and therefore we may justly conceive that it was nothing but the force of truth that prevailed upon them and the Spirit of God burning as a fire in their bosomes which could not be concealed 2. As to the second These three things are very considerable 1. That where the object is sensible if there be a fit organ an apt medium and a convenient distance the sense is not cannot be deceived nor is there any demonstration more certain now these things of which the Apostles bear witness were things placed within the compass of sense as being concerning a man his birth death resurrection and the like all which are sensible objects and they who tell us they saw these things were the companions of this man alwayes neer to conversing with him nor did ever any deny them to be men of perfect sences and therefore there is no reason to suspect a deceit 2. That it was not one or two or a few but many who had this sensible experience there were twelve who did continually attend upon Christ after his resurrection he was seen of above five hundred Though one mans sense might be bad or fallible yet it is not imaginable that so many were deceived especially considering that all they who testifie to us what they saw agree for substance in one and the same testimony not varying from not jarring against one another 3. And yet once more it is plurium sensuum experimentum they had the proof of many senses and if one yet it is not likely that all should be deceived if the eare yet sure not the eye if the eare and eye yet not the hand if any yet not all of these and therefore it is very improbable nay impossible they should be deceived 3. As to the last the contrary will plainly appear if we consider these two things 1. The proving those prophecies which were made concerning the Messiah to be fulfilled in him is an evident proof that he was the Messiah but by their sences they might and did prove these things to be accomplished in him for they saw him borne and dying and rising according to the Scriptures the greatest part of those things which are foretold being within the reach of sense 2. The proving him to be a worker of glorious miracles such as never any before nor since did nor could do unless by his power and in his name proveth him to be the Messiah the great Prophet which should come into the world But by sence they were able to prove that such and such miracles were wrought by him and therefore it is very observable that when Iohn sent to Christ to know whether he was he or they must look for another the answer Christ returneth is an argument drawn from sense Go tell Iohn what things ye have seen and heard how that the blinde see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised and to the poor the Gospel is preached And therefore all these considerations being laid together it remaineth as a clear truth that Christian Religion is very reasonable and the sensible experience which the Apostles those first planters of Christianity had concerning the things they declared and wrote is a strong and undeniable reason why we should give credence and obedience to their writings 3. To draw to an end here is in the last place matter of Exhortation and that double 1. That before we declare things or truths to others we look that we be fully convinced of their verity our selves surely if he that doth any thing which he doubteth whether it be lawfull sinneth much more he that declareth any thing which he doubteth whether it be true and especially doth this concerne the Ministers of the Gospel who being to speak as the oracles of God must speak the word of truth Indeed there are two things every good Minister should be careful to do in respect of the things he declareth To work the goodness of them on his own affections To imprint the verity of them on his own understanding The truth is what we take onely upon hear-say or is only a fiction of our own brain and an invention of our own fancy we can never confidently maintain or however not solidly and the true reason why so many recant deny the truth they have declared is at least for the most part because they were never throughly stablished in the faith and sufficiently convinced of its verity 2. That so far as is imitable by us we follow these holy Apostles in hearing seeing looking on and handling the Word of life It is true we cannot now hear Christ speaking to us with his own mouth but we may hear him speaking to us by his faithfull messengers We pray you in Christs stead saith the Apostle and again it is Christ that speaketh in us Oh then let him that hath eares hear and let us all pray for that hearing-eare whereby we may attend to what Christs Ministers speak from as if it were spoken by him to wit with all humility and sincerity Again we cannot now see him in his person but we may see him in his Ordinances St. Paul saith that in the Gospel Iesus Christ is before our eyes evidently set forth crucified among us and that in the holy Sacrament we shew forth the Lords death till he come oh therefore let us in these holy ordinances see and so see as to look upon and rejoyce in him Finally we cannot handle him corporally in himself but we may handle him sacramentally in the pledges of his love the bread and wine we may handle him though not literally yet metaphorically by faith believing on him Indeed it is faith that can do all these acts hear and see and look on and handle Christ it is the Christians eare and eye and hand let us so make use of it by faith attending to him beholding and embracing him till at last the time come of his second manifestation when with these eyes and no other we shall see him coming in the glory of his Father and to the endless joy of our hearts hear him pronouncing the sweet sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 1. part first That which was from the beginning Ver. 3. part middle That ye also may have fellowship with us CHRISTIAN RELIGION hath ever met with contradiction it is true as St. Paul saith without controversie it is a great mysterie but it is as true that because it
and remotus the proxime and immediate end is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred fellowship the remote end which is indeed the effect of the former is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual joy The first of these is set down in these words That you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ wherein this end of the Gospel and the declarers of it is propounded and expounded that in the former and this in the latter clause which is inclosed in a parenthesis 1. The proposition is That you also may have fellowship with us which that we may handle in its fullest latitude we shall consider it both absolutely as a benefit and relatively as an end 1. You have fellowshâ—p with us is a choice benefit and such as may be construed two wayes That you and we may have fellowship together That you may have the same fellowship which we have Zanchy expounds it of the former Gagnetus of the latter Marlorate taketh in both so shall I the one indeed following upon the other since being in fellowship with the Apostles they became partakers of the same priviledge that they had though this latter is that which I conceive the most genuine sence and therefore I shall especially insist upon 1. The benefit here understood may be the joyning of these converted Christians into one body with the Apostles whilest they by embracing the Apostles writings and acknowledging the truth of what they declare became members of the Church whereof the Apostles were the Planters And surely this is no small comfort that all believers how different soever in offices and degrees how distant soever in place and habitation have yet a spiritual fellowship with one another to wit in as much as they are fellow worshippers of the same God fellow Subjects of the same Lord fellow souldiers under one Captain fellow sheep in the same fold fellow servants under one Master fellow brethren of the same Parents fellow stones in the same building fellow members in the same body And look as in corporations and societies though the particular members are never so remote one from the other yet in as much as they all belong to the same society they are said to have fellowship each with other So is it in the Christian Church and this relation is that which as it carryeth in it dignity it being in Theodosius his opinion and not unjustly a greater honour to be membrum Ecclesiae then Caput Imperii a member of the Church then Head of an Empire so also manifold duties of mutual love and amity one towards another of earnest and devout prayer one for another of sympathy and fellow feeling one with another of imparting all manner of talents one to another because they are members one of another But 2. The more genuine construction of this benefit is to interpret it the intituling of them to whom he wrote to the same fellowship and partaking to wit of God and Christ as it followeth in the next words which he with the rest of the Apostles had as if he should say these priviledges which hitherto we enjoyed alone we now by writing the Gospel communicate to you we are the first members of the Church but not the whole body and therefore you as well as we are capable of the same benefits And it is a tacite prevention of an objection which might be made for whereas when the Apostle saith we write the things we have seen concerning Christ they might say or think what is this to us we have not cannot see or handle him it is a priviledge not possible for us to attain to this these words implicitly return an answer that by the Apostles writing what they saw they to wit believing the truth of what was written might have fellowship with them and thus it is true of all Christians who by faith have fellowship with Christ as well as the Apostles though they never saw him because the same interest in his person his merits and those good things which are purchased by him Excellently to this purpose St. Austin on this very place they saw and we do not and yet we are partakers of the same benefits with them because we believe in Christ as well as they It is very observable in this respect that our blessed Saviour himself as in one place he tells his disciples blessed are your eyes for you see so in another place he tells them blessed are they which have not seen and yet have believed we then who are there no doubt pointed at are as well happy as the disciples and as they had they not believed in Christ would have been miserable though they saw him so we believing in him are blessed though we cannot see him yea eo magis beati in credendo quo minus expediâ—i in videndo the want of sight evidenceth our faith so much the more amiable Oh let us set an high estimate upon this grace of faith which giveth us an interest in Christ as well as the Apostles it is very observable what the Apostle Peter saith of those to whom he wrote that they had obtained the like pretious faith with him and the rest of the Apostles indeed of all divine gifts faith is not of the least price and their faith which saw not Christ is a like pretious with them that did because it instateth them in the same fellowship and therefore how should we Christians value our faith But 2. That you may have fellowship argueth these words to be set down as the end which the Holy Ghost aimed at in declaring and writing to them not onely that they might know those things to be true but that they might reap the same benefit by them which the Apostles had thus as the Sun shineth that others may partake of the same light with it self and the fountain sends forth water that others may participate of it so do these Apostles write that the people might relish the same sweetness in Christ which they had tasted It is that which is observable in the Apostles considered under a double notion as Pastors as Christians 1. As Pastors we see in them what is the aim of a true Minister of the Gospel not so much his own as his peoples benefit St. Iohn doth not say we write that we may participate with you to wit in your temporals but that you may participate with us in our spirituals true this is the peoples duty to the Pastor according to that Apostolical precept let him that is taught communicate to him that teacheth in all good things but this is not that the Pastor aimeth at in declaring the Gospel to the people but rather that he may be an instrument to communicate those better things to them Indeed as St. Paul observeth false teachers suppose gain to be godliness minding nothing more than their own carnall
because they miss the way that leadeth to it would you then beloved enjoy that joy you so earnestly desire and partake of the content you so industriously strive for turn in hither follow the Apostles dictates who wrote this Epistle that it may be subservient to this very end for so he telleth us himself These things we write that your joy may be full I find in the Greek Copies a double reading of the pronoun in this clause whilest in some it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those a pronoun of the second person referring to them to whom the Apostles wrote to which accords our translation your joy in these a pronoun of the first person respecting the Apostles who did write and so may be rendered our joy both of these constructions are both agreeable to the analogy of Faith and sutable to the scope of the Apostle and therefore I shall omit neither 1. The most and the best Copies read it your and therefore on this I shall chiefly insist but before I enter upon the sence of this clause it would not be passed by that the phrase is such as our blessed Lord himself was pleased to use once and again If you cast your eyes upon that large and excellent valedictory Sermon of Christ to his Disciples in the Gospel of S. Iohn you shall find this expression twice mentioned These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy might be full and again ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full and now as Scholars use to imitate their Masters language and one freind affecteth those forms of speech which the other is frequent in so doth this beloved disciple in that stile in which Christ spake to his disciples He speaketh to his children indeed it is not only observable in this but those other phrases of keeping Christs Commandements of loving one another of abiding in Christ and the like which as you find them to be Christs in the Gospel so here they are used by S. Iohn in the Epistle thus lying in his Masters bosome he sucked in as it were the phrases which dropped from his lips and here mellifluously poureth them out To let go the phrase that we may take in the sence and scope of the words be pleased to look upon them in a double reference either to the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth verse 1. Refer this clause to the end of the former verse and then the choice truth here insinuated is that by fellowship with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ Beleivers have fulness of joy or if you please take it thus the joy which Beleevers have in fellowship with God and Christ is a full joy For the better explication of which assertion I shall demonstrate it to be true in a double notion to wit de praesenti de futuro both here and hereafter for of both I find Expositors interpreting these words 1. The joy which Beleevers have for the present in this fellowship is a full joy The truth of which will the better appear if we consider it not only positively but oppositively assertively but exclusively it being true of this joy and no other that it is a full joy What ever we have in fellowship with the creature is a false a vain an empty joy a shadow nay to use the Greek Poets phrase a dream of a shadow reall substantial solid full joy is onely to be found in fellowship with God in Christ more particularly to illustrate this truth be pleased to know that this joy and this alone is a full joy in respect of its adjuncts effects objects 1. There are two adjuncts peculiar to this joy which demonstrate its fulness to wit the sincerity and the permanency of it 1. This joy is a sincere cordial joy a full showre of rain is that which doth not onely wet the surface but sink into the ground be-dew the branches but go down to the root That is a full joy which doth not onely fill the face with laughter but the heart with comfort and such yea such alone is this joy Caeterae hilariâ—ates non implent pectus sed frontem remitâ—unt saith Seneca worldly joy smooth the countenance but have no influence upon the soul nay many times to use Guadulupensis his comparison as sweet juicy plumbs have stones with a bitter kernell within them so to give the reddition in Solomons words even in laughter the heart is sorrowful wicked worldly men for the most part do but counterfeit a mirth like a Commander in a desperate battel to borrow Seneca his similitude who lest his Souldiers should run away sets a good face on it speaks cheerfully whilest yet his heart akes but this joy is such that it doth not onely with oyle cause the face to shine but with wine make the heart glad the blessed Virgins expression is my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour and David saith thou hast put gladness in my heart Indeed Hilaris cum pondere virtus The Ioy of Religion is not a lâ—ght joy which onely swimmeth at the top but weighty and sinks down to the bottom of the heart so as it exhilarateth the inmost parts it maketh the minde like the upper region of the air without any clouds of sorrow or if you will like heaven it self where there is nothing but light of joy in a word this spiritual fellowship maketh the heart merry which as the Wise man saith is a continual feast 2. This joy is a permanent lasting joy that is most truly said to be full which doth not fail and such onely is this Divine joy other joyes are such as before they come we make great account of but when they are come we cannot keep nay we quickly grow weary of and as the flower often sheds before the leaf fade so the joy vanisheth whilest yet the thing remaineth in this respect we may say of worldly joy it is satiating but not satisfying glutting and yet not filling like some meats which nauseat the stomack and do not fill the belly but Christian joy is that which we can never have enough of of this society and the joy in it there is no satiety and though it be a full joy yet we are never so full of it here but we desire more whilest both the desire obtaineth fruition and the fruition increaseth the desire indeed this water quencheth our thirst as to any thing else all other joyes seeming vain worthless to him that hath this but in respect of it self it is still kindling new flames of love excellently hath St. Gregory to this purpose observed the difference between corporal and spiritual delights those when we want them are coveted when we have them are loathed those are onely loathed by those who want them but still coveted by those who taste them Besides
renders it as also Beza and the vulgar Latine version according to which Grotius tells us in one manuscript it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socinus would have us beleive a mistake in the scribe of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the noun of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the verb our Apostle useth here for declaring But the usuall reading in the Greek Copie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in its most known acception signifieth a promise nor though I confesse I am almost alone in it do I see any reason why we should decline the word or its usual signification nay indeed at least to me it seemeth very congruous and sutable For 1. It is the word which out Apostle afterwards useth when he speaketh of the same thing that which they had heard from the beginning presently addes this is the promise which he hath promised and so we have heard 2. But chiefly it is that which very aptly agreeth with the context whether you look backward or forward 1. In the former verse the Apostle acquaints the people that his end in writing these things was that their joy might be full and here he tells us what those things were that would bring this fulnesse of joy to which purpose he calleth them not barely a message but a promise which is a message of glad tidings able to fill our joy 2. If you look on what immediately followeth God is light and in him is no darknessâ— though for this reason that signification of promise is rejected because those words are assertory not promissory yet a late Writer hath observed ingeniously though not so solidly a congruencie even in these words because light represents the communicative goodness of God here is a tacite virtual promise assuring us that God is ready to cast forth the beames of his grace and mercie on us 3. But I conceive in this lieth the mistake of interpreters that they understand this message to consist in the words immediately subsequent whereas if we examine it more narrowly we shall find the substance of the message to be laid down in the seventh verse to which the term of promise fitly agreeth it being a manifest promise of fellowship with God and cleansing by Christ to them who walk in the light and this is illustrated in the sixth verse by a redargution of that lying promise which presumptuous sinners who walk in darkness make to themselves of having fellowship with God And as for those words in the fifth verse God is light and in him is no darkness they are apparantly premised as a proof of the promise and confirmation of the message for which reason I call them in the division the foundation of the building accordingly that Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being as well causall as declarative may be fitly and is so rendred by the vulgar Latin quoniam because and the sence will amount to this Because God is light and in him is no darkness therefore they and they onely who walk in the light being thereby like to him can or shall have fellowship with him cleansing by his son and this is the promise which have heard of him This word and thereby somewhat of the sense of the whole being thus cleared to us I cannot pass it over without a double note wel worthy our serious consideration 1. The nature of the Gospels message it is a promise 2. The tenure of this promise it is conditional 1. The Syriack word here used signifieth Gospel the Greek promise indeed the Gospel in its chief design is promissory it is not only an historical narration of something done but of this as done for us and so a promissory declaration of Gods good will towards us the Protâ—vangelium first Gospel preached by God to fallen Adam is a plain promise The seed of the wooman shall break the Serpents head nor is there any promise now made to man but what is contained in the Gospel The Law is a denunciation of wrath of a curse against us because of trangression onely the Gospel is an annunciation of mercy and forgivenes that breatheth forth only a cold blast a Northwind of threatening this sendeth forth a warm gale a South-wind of promise A promise it is and that not of paying a debt but bestowing a gift mans promise is ofttimes an act of justice but Gods of meer grace and free love and therefore it is that his purpose of which the Gospel-promise is the counterpane is joyned with Grace and that speciall promise of the Gospel forgiveness of sin is said to be according to the riches of his grace yea one appellation given to the Gospel is that it is called the word of Gods grace because it manifesteth his free grace to sinners And indeed if we beleive the Greek critick this truth is wrapt up in the very word there used this being the difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the latter is onely a promise of what is due but the former of what is free A promise it is and that such as hath many promises in the womb of it and those as the Apostle Peter calls them exceeding great and precious not of temporals but spiritualls nay eternals Fellowship with God remission adoption eternal life what not are the choice and precious benefits which this promise revealeth and offereth to us indeed it is a treasury of divine riches a store-house of the soules provision a cabinet of heavenly pearles all things truly good and justly desireable being contained in and conveyed to us by this promise Oh let us learn to set an high value upon Evangelical doctrine Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name saith the Psalmist thou hast magnified thy Gospel above all thy word may we say and that upon this ground because it is promissory revelation surely if the whole word of God be as milk the promising part is as the cream of that milk if that be as a Firmament of Starres this is as the Sun in that firmament Finally if that be as a Feast this is the sweetest dish in that Feast Desire saith the Apostle Peter the sincere milk of the word meaning the Gospel if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious indeed we may taste the verity of God in all his words the equity of God in his commands the severity of God in his threats but we onely taste the mercy of God how gracious he is in the Evangelical promises and surely tasting we cannot but singularly esteem and fervently desire it 2. Calvin and Grotius make the sense of these words this is the promise to intend thus much The promise which we bring to you hath this condition annexed to it to wit of walking in the light and therefore it is expressed with an if an hypothetical conjunction That
light doth resemble the nature and attributes of God And there are severall Attributes of God which are aptly delineated in the various properties of light 1. The light of all bodies is the most immateriall and incompounded whereby the simplicity and spirituality of Gods nature may be insinuated which is void not onely of all matter but of all composition 2. The light is the first of all the Creatures which we find mentioned in the beginning of Genesis the first thing that God said on the first day of the Creation was Let there be light and this shadoweth forth the eternity of Gods being who is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the last before all other things whatsoever 3. The light shâ—neth in all parts of the world East West North South every way scattering its rayes and what is this but an emblem of the ubiquity of Gods presence who is in all places filling heaven and earth 4. The light is a Creature of a resplendent beauty and lustre by reason of which it is apt to dazle the eyes of the beholder and this sets forth Gods transcendent majesty and glory in which respect he is said to cover himself with light as with a garment and to dwell in the light which no man can approach unto 5. The light is of that nature that it cannot but impart it self for the good of others shining upon the just and unjust and this characterizeth the diffusive goodness of God whereby it is that as he is good so he doth good and that to all But there are more particularly two attributes which light doth clearly discover and which may agree to the scope of the Apostle especially the latter 1. The light is of a discovering nature so that nothing can be hid from the heat thereof it pryeth into every corner it peepeth in at every crevis so that all things are made manifest by it in which respect it mindeth us of Gods Omniscience whereby it is that all things are naked and open to him even things that are most secret To thee saith David the darkness and the light are all one because God seeth in the dark as plainly as in the light by his own light he revealeth the deep and secret things he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him saith Daniel finally I try the reins saith God of himself our minds being as apparent to him as the intrailes of a beast are to us when the body is ripped up It is a truth well worthy our meditation that we may be hereby admonished to take heed to our wayes indeed in this respect that which is appropriated to good men is true of all men they walk in the light to wit of Gods omniscience and oh then how carefuâ— should we be of our walk Alas how vainly do hypocrites please themselves in the secrecy of their actions and perhaps perswade themselves that God himself taketh no notice of their doings whereas his eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings there is no darknes nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves saith Elihu concerning God Indeed as St. Ambrose excellently If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun which is Gods Minister of light how impossible will it be to hide thy self from him whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun 2. But to draw neer the Apostles scope light is a pure defaecate body a bright spotless splendor though it shine upon filthy dunghils it contracts no pollution but still retaineth its pure lustre And by this aptly is represented the holiness and purity of God That expression of the Prophet Malachy concerning Christ giveth much light to this truth when he calleth him A Sun of righteousness since what the Sun is in sensibles that is God among inteligibles and what light is in the Sun that is righteousness and holiness is in God this is that attribute by which God is often called in Scripture the holy God and the holy One yea the Angels double nay treble it Holy holy holy it is an attribute so essential to God that every thing so far as it hath relation to God is said to be holy his name holy his word holy his works holy his day an holy day his temple an holy place his Ministers holy persons and all because he is a pure and holy God 2. For the better illustrating of this perfect purity and sanctity of God it is that our Apostle goeth on and to his affirmative addeth a negative in him is no darkness at all Zanchy hath observed concerning this clause that it may be referred both to the predicate and the subject of the former proposition and so may be rendred in it or in him In it to wit the light there is no darkness and so it is as much as if said God is a most bright lâ—ght for look as the darkness which hath no light at all is a thick AEgyptian Cymmerian darkness so that lâ—ght which hath no darkness must needs be a most a clear splendid lâ—ght but I rather refer it with our Translators to the subject God though the difference is not materiall in him is no darkness at all Before I proceed a stumbling block would be removed that seeming contradiction of the Psalmist to this of St. Iohn where he saith concerning God he made darkness his secret place but it is easily reconciled since that darkness onely noteth the inscrutable and incomprehensible majesty of God and it is to be understood of him in reference to us not himself In respect of us because we cannot comprehend him darkness is his secret place but in regard of himself the purity of his own nature he is light and not darkness as the Sun though it be sometimes hid from us by dark clouds remaineth still in it self most light some And now if you would know the intent of this negative it is but the more strongly to affirm the contrary this is an usuall way of expression in the Hebrew as Beza observeth from that speech of Isaiah to Hezekiah Thou shalt dye thou shalt not live and of David concerning himself I have preached and have not refrained I have not hid I have declared and it is a form of speaking very usual with St. Iohn as you may find in the very next verse and several other places of the Epistle which it shall suffice because it here first appeareth once for all to take notice of This appearing to be the scope the meaning is no more but this God is light and in him is no darkness that is God is so pure that not the least the smallest spot can cleave to him so holy that not any sin at all can be found in him as there is no defect in his knowledge so there is no default in his nature and to
path of uprightness to walk in the way of darkness Hence it is that as it there followeth they rejoyce to do evil and the wayes of sin are pleasant to them for this reason no doubt it is that the acting of sin is compared to eating and drinking and sleeping as well as to walking nor doth the hungry man take more delight in eating the thirsty in drinking the weary in sleeping than the wicked man doth in sinning 2. Walking is a continued motion an iteration of many steps one after another this intimateth the most characterizing property of a wicked man he is one who repeateth and multiplyeth sinfull actions the cup of iniquity is never from his mouth his imaginations are onely evill and that continually the special bent of his heart and the generall current of his life is vile and wicked I have spread out my hands all the day saith Almighty God unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good the length of Gods patience argueth the continuance of their provocations and to note this it is expressed by the phrase of walking It is one thing for a man to fall and another to lie one thing to step and another to walke in any way The Moralist saith truly una actio non denominat any one evill action denominateth a man a sinner but not wicked men good men may sometimes step into an evill way he only is to be adjudged bad who frequently reneweth his sins and maketh it his constant practise to do iniquitie 3. Walking is a progressive motion wherein we set one foote before another and so are still going forward till wee come to our journies end And this is a fit embleme of a wicked disposition which still addeth sin to sin and groweth from bad to worse The Prophet Jeremy saith of the wicked they proceed from evil to evil and againe they weary themselves to commit iniquity they walke so long till they are weary And when they are weary they will not give over walking St. Paul saith concerning Hereticks they waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived indeed wicked men never come to their maximum quod sic in sinfull growths sin like the sea never will set bounds to it selfe This darke walke is a descent wherein men go lower and lower never staying of themselves till they come to the bottome And as in walking a man is every step further of the terme from which and neerer to the terme to which hee moueth So sinners every day go further and further off from God and draw neerer and neerer to the suburbs of Hell By this time I doubt not but the meaning of this clause appeareth and if we looke upon those whom our Apostle may be probably supposed here principally to intend to wit the Gnosticks we shall finde this fully verified concerning them They were a sort of people that did constantly wallowe in notorious wickednesse and counted it pleasure to live in all manner of impiety Epiphanius writing of them saith it loathed him to delineate what darknesse of wickednesse they lived in and I tremble to mention what he there relateth concerning their impure and flagitious practices in which respect it was that as both he and St. Austin observe they were among other names called Borboritae the signification of that name being fully verified in them who were a Generation of filthy unclean persons And as this was in a very high degree to be charged upon them So is it more or lesse true of all wicked and ungodly persons Wickednesse is their way darknesse is their walke in which they willingly give thâ—mselves up to a course of sin in some kind or other To apply this what other use should wâ—e make of this part then that which the Chuâ—ch exhorteth to let us search and try our waâ—es And oh that every one of us would deale impartialy with our selves passe a right censure upon our owne condition according to this discription It is a sad truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man will acknowledge himselfe wicked though he be so We willingly accuse our selves to be sinners but we would excuse our selves from being wicked But alas what will it availe us not to thinke our selves so if yet in truth we be so Oh therefore let us bring our selves to the test and faithfully examine whither we do not walke in darkenesse Set thy selfe oh sinner in the presence of God and aske thy conscience this question inâ— perhaps oh sinner thou doest not walke in chambering and wantones I but doest thou not walke in strife and envying Is there not some deed of darkenes or other to which thou art addicted with which thou art enamoured and from which thou wilt not be diverted And now if upon dilligent enquiry thy conscience accuse thee and thine owne heart condemne thee oh then be further and that even from this very expression convinced of thy deplorable and miserable estate lugere say Etymologists is quasi luce egere surely we have great reason to mourne over our selves because we walke in darkenes One of the plagues of AEgypt was a thicke darkâ—nes it is the plague of all wicked men oh that they were sensible of it And if you please a little further to trace the metaphor you shall finde this phrase of walking in darknes to denote as well the calamity as the iniquâ—ty of transgressours There are three no lesse sad then common attendants on walking in darknes casus error terror falling wandring trembling all which are in a spirituall sence sadly true of ungodly sinners 1. Darknesse is casus inductiva apt to cause stumbling and falling these two are joyned together by the psalmist in his curse let their way be darke and slippery in the darke men stumble at every stonâ— fall into many a pit so that many have lost their limbs nay lives by walking in darknesse thus do wicked men by walking in sin wound their consciences hazard their soules whilst their table becommeth a snare everything they enjoy a stumbling block and they are continually ready to fall into the pit of perdition 2. Darknes is erroris productiva apt to make men wander and lose their way how many hath the night inclosed within some desolate wood exposed to cold and raine upon some spacious heath whilest missing the right path they have not knowne whither to go thus do wicked men walking in the darke misse their way to blisse and wander up and downe in folly in this respect the Psalmist saith of them they are all gon out of the way and the Prophet compareth them to stray sheepe 3. Darknes is timoris incussiva that which maketh men prone to feares and terrors in the darke a man is in continuall feare of some danger or other to befall him because he cannot see his way nay he is apt to fall into pannick feares whilest every bush is in his fancy a
theef and the least noyse causeth a commotion in his brest Thus is it with wicked men many times they feare according to the Psalmists expression where no feare is though withall the truth is they have alwayes reall cause of feare in respect of the danger that deservedly hangs over their heads Indeed as men in the darke sometime not seeing Feare not the perill which they are very neere to So wicked men being secure are feareles and not considering what they deserve feare not till they come to feele but when once their sleepy conscience is awakened oh what horrid feares perplexing terrours invade them whilest the cloud of vengence is ready every moment to raine fire haile and brimstone upon them To end all what now remaineth but that this discourse of darknes serve as a light to discover to you where you are what you do and whither you are going That so being enlightened to see your utter darkenesse you may walke no further but with incessant cries beseech him who is the Father of lights that he would send his spirit to plucke you out of Sodom and by his mightie working deliver you from the power of darknes translate you into the kingdome of his deare sonne Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth THat Preface which I find in the beginning of one of Salvians books concerning Gods Government of the world I may here aptly make use of I suppose yea I am confident my discourse of this Scripture will be unwelcome to many auditors and that because it is a smart and sharp reprehension men naturally love to be tickled with applause not scratched with reproof we relish well the honey of commendation but know not how to digest the wormwood of increpation But beloved the diet which is not so toothsome may be wholesome that potion which is very bitter to the taste may prove healthful to the body and faithful rebukes though they be not so pleasing yet I am sure are profitable especially when they are seasonable and sutable such as this was to those in St. Iohns time and I would to God it were not as truly agreeing to many very many in our dayes who will be found one day among the number of those lyars If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we lye and do not the truth Having already dispatched the impiety of those mens practice in that they walk in darkness that which followeth next in order is the eminency of their profession implyed in that supposition If we say we have fellowship with him for in this supposition there is a position couched namely That many who walk in darkness say they have fellowship with God For the better explication of which in its fullest latitude I shall briefly premise a double distinction and then pursue a double proposition The distinctions to be premised are of 1. A double Having this fellowship to wit in spe and in re in a confident expectation and in a reall possession 2. A double Saying we have it namely a saying within our selves and a saying to others that is inward in respect of our thought and opinion this outward in respect most properly of our words and not excluding gestures and all other wayes of external expression The propositions to be prosecuted are two 1. Many say they have fellowship with God in hope who yet walk in darkness they promise to themselves the future vision of Gods face whilest they go on in the wilfull breach of Gods Law This is that which they say in their hearts perswading themselves that their condition shall be happy though their conversation is wicked of such an one it is Moses speaketh who blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart This is that they say with their lips impudently laying as full claim to happiness as the uprightest and exactest Saint If you inquire whence this comes to pass I answer from the false reasonings which are in the minds of men concerning The freeness of Gods grace in electing The fulness of his mercy in forgiving The worthiness of Christs blood in redeeming 1. When presumptuous sinners hear that Gods election is without respect to any worthiness or qualifications in us they presently fancy to themselves that their names may be written in the book of life as well as any other yea they fondly imagine that being elected they shall have fellowship with God let them live as they list and hence they are emboldned to presume and boast of a future well-being not considering that Gods election though it be not conditional yet is ordinate to wit to the end by the means to happiness by holiness 2. When wicked men look upon the extent of Gods mercy whereby it is that he desireth not the death of a sinner that he is a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin not onely few but many small but great all sorts of sin they promise to themselves a facility of obtaining forgiveness whilest yet they indulge to their sins not considering that God is just as well as merciful righteous as well as gracious and he is ready to pardon the penitent so he will by no means clear the guilty Finally when secure sinners hear of the infinite merit of Christs blood how satisfactory it is for the sins of the whole world and therefore much more of a particular person they are willing to perswade themselves of an interest in that blood and thereby of reconciliation and fellowship with God not considering what our Apostle saith in the very next verse the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth from all sin but it is onâ—ly those who walke in the light Thus is the sweetest hony turned into gall by bad stomachs the most wholsome antidotes become poyson to wicked men and the pretious supports of a lively faith are abused to be props of presumption by arrogant hypocrites by reason whereof it is that they are so impudent as to say they hope to have fellowshâ—p with God though they walk in darkness 2. Many who walk in darkness say they have actually this Divine fellowship and are in a state of grace As for the grossest sort of hypocrites who make pretences of religion and holiness a cover of their wickedness they cannot say it in their hearts because their consciences must needs tell them they are wicked and odious in God sight but they say it to the world that they may walk in the dark and accomplish their wicked designs the more secretly speedily and effectually But as for others they say it both in opinion and profession they think and accordingly boast themselves to have communion with God though they walk in the darkness both of sin and error Instances of this nature there want not many in all times of the
Church The Prophet Isay speaketh of the Israelites in his time that they did swear by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousness They call themselves of the holy City and stay themselves upon the God of Israel And again God himself concerning the people saith that notwithstanding their transgressions and sins in which they lived they would seek him dayly as a nation that did righteousness yea that they took delight in approaching to God and what was this but to say they had fellowship with him of this sort were the Pharisees in Iohn the Baptists time though they were a Generation of vipers yet they would say within themselves they had Abraham to their Father and so in effect that God was their God such were those in Phylodelphia of the Synagogue of Satan and yet they said they were Jews the people in covenant with God Against this generation of men it is that St. Paul declaimeth where he saith they have a form of godliness by which they say we have fellowship with God and yet deny the power of it to wit by walking in darkness and again they profess they know God and so have communion with him whilest in their works they deny him by walking in darknesse Indeed so far hath the presumption of some carried them that though they were impure hereticks and at once both in respect of doctrine and manners walked in darkness yet they have said not onely that they had fellowship with God but that they were the onely people that had fellowship with him This did the Gnosticks a people as you have already heard that lived in all manner of impurity pretend that they onely were the people who had the knowledge of God and his Son Iesus Christ which is eternal life and therefore gave themselves that title Such was Novatian with his followers whom St. Cyprian compareth to an Ape dissembling it self to be a man because being an enemy against he assumed to himself the authority and verity of the Catholick Church Not to expatiate in this large feild at this day on the one hand the Papists appropriate to themselves the title of Catholicks assert theirs the only true Church wherein alone fellowship with God is to be had and out of which there is no salvation to be obtained and yet they walk in the darkness of idolatry superstition and impietyes and on the other hand the Schismaticks among our selves account themselves the onely Saints the pure Churches those that alone have communion with God in pure ordinances whilest their pride and arrogance malice and oppression cruelty and bloudshed sedition and rebellion testifie to their faces that they walke in darkness To apply this all then is not gold that glistereth nor are faire shewes a sufficient argument of realitie the truth is there are many sincere hearted Christians who make conscience of their waies and walke in the light that have not so far attained as to say they have hope for fellowshâ—p with God being very jealous and timerous about their spirituall and eternall estate And yet many base hypocriticall wretches who indulge to themselves in knowne wickednesse are strongly confident of felicitie yea make large professions of pietie Take heed therefore how you give credit to pretenses esteeme not a pharisee the holier for the breadth of his phylacteries or depth of his fringes every man is not presently a scollar that weareth black nor a Gentleman that is arrayed in scarlet nor a Christian that is so in name and profession well meaning persons thinke all men speake as they meane and are as they seeme but the wiseman tels us it is the word· Indeed because many who walke in darkness say they have fellowship with God to infer All who say they have fellowship with God walke in darkness would argue too little charity But to conclude that all who say they have fellowship with God have so indeed argueth too much credulity It is true if I know not a mans conversation charity bids me thinke well of his profession and hope well of his hopes but with all prudence advâ—seth me that I be not presently drawne aside with smooth words and faire pretences The summe is neither rashly censure nor yet hastily credit them who say they have fellowship with God lest as by the one you may contemne the good so by the other you may beleeve a liar For if they who walke in darkness say it they lie And so I am fallâ—n on the last and maine part of this scripture The Incongruity of these two the hypocrites profession and practice one to the other they lie and do not the truth Here are two characters given of these hypocrites the one affirmative the other negative the one of lying the other of not doing the truth Aquinas conceiveth by these two a double sin charged upon them the one of commission in speaking a lie the other of omission in not doing the truth Aretius better refers the lie to their sayings The not doing the truth to their walking therefore their saying is a lâ—e because their walking in darkness is a not doâ—ng the truth and so the latter is added by way both of explication and confirmation to the former 1. Begin we with the affirmative expression and therein inquire how this saying appeareth to be a liâ— To which end be pleased to know that there are two things considerable in a lie to wit the materiall and the formall part the matter of a lie is a falsehood the forme of it is an intentionall asserting it to be true 1. As to the first of these we lie is as much as we say that which is false indeed every falsehood is not a lâ—e but in every lie there is a falsehood It is true a man may tell a lâ—e and yet speak truth but it is then when he thinketh it to be false and comonly the matter of a lie is that which is false in the nature of the thing Such is the matter of this saying in the text that a man who walketh in darkness hath fellowship with God I grant a man who hath fellowship with God may fall into darkness do some particular worke of darknesse but he cannot walke in it It is not to be denyed but that a man who doth walke in darkness by changing his course may come to have fellowship with God and a man that now hath fellowship with God may be one that hath walked in darkness but to say that he who doth walke in darkness hath fellowship with God is materially a lie because a notorious falsehood That this may more fully appeare consider this double demonstration 1. That saying which is not according to nay directly against the saying of God must needs be a lie for if God be the God of truth his must needs be the word of truth so whatsoever is dissonant to it
distinguish of three kind of lyes according to the several ends at which they aim to wit jeasting for mirth and pleasure officious for profit and advantage pernitious tending to injurie and hurt all of these are condemned but the latter is justly accounted the most abominable and of this sort is this lye my text speaketh of a pernitious hurtfull lye That you may see the injury which commeth by it consider it in reference to God and his Gospell to others and to our selves 1. To say we have fellowship with God and wâ—lk in darknesse is such a lye as tendeth much to the dishonour of God and disgrace of Religion St. Paul speaking to the hypocritical Iews tells them the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you the like may be said to licentious Christians the name of God is blasphemed among Turks and Pagans through you when the Indians were so barbarously used by the Spaniards who called themselves Christians they cryed out quis malum Deus iste what God doth these men serve when the enemies of the reformed Church hear what perjury oppression bloodshed they who would pretend to the strictest profession of it commit are they not ready to say what a Religion is it these men profess that can dispence with such wickedness It was no small though a just disgrace to the Pope when the King of Hungary having taken a Bishop prisoner in battel sent his armour to him and onely this in writing Vide num haec sit vestis filii tui Is this your Sons coat And it is a sad though unjust reproach which the bad lives of Christians cause to fall on God himself whilest profane wretches are apt to say These are your Saints and thus by our wicked conversation our being called Christians brings a reproach to Christ and Christianity 2. Besides this which is the highest injury to Religion it is hurtfull to others when they who pretend to have communion with God lead wicked lives how are strong Christians grieved the weak staggared and they that are without kept back from embracing Religion yea encouraged in their licentious actions nay if these that say they have fellowship with God do such abhominable things what need we trouble our selves are profane wretches ready to say our lives are little worse than theirs why should not our condition be as good 3. This lye will prove no less pernitious to our selves he who is the eternall truth cannot endure lying lips vident rident demones Devils see and rejoyce God seeth and is incensed against such dissembling wretches every such hypocrite may well think God bespeaketh him in the Psalmists words What hast thou to do to take my name into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and refusest to receive instruction and must expect no other answer at that day when they may plead their outside devotion and large profession but depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Brethren you may for a time cozen men but you cannot deceive God and as St. Cyprian excellently it is a meer madness not to think and know that lyars will at last be found out Diogenes seeing a vitious young man clad in a Phylosophers habit plucked it off as conceiving that it was defiled by him and God will one day pluck off the hypocrites vizor of piety that he may appear in his colours and in that day how far more tollerable will it be for professed enemies of God and religion than for such persons It is very observable that other sinners are doomed to have their portion with hypocrites as if hypocrites were the tenants and the rest as it were inmates of hell certain it is the fornace of torment shall be seven times hotter for a carnall Gospeller loose professor then for licentious Pagans since their condemnation shall be so much the greater by how much their profession hath been the holier and the higher they have lifted themselves up to heaven in their religious pretences the lower they shall be cast down to hell for their impious practices Let then every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity it was St. Cyprians advice to those who took on them the name of Confessors that they would keep up the honour of their name it is mine to all who take upon them the name of Professors For shame let us not so palpably give our selves the lye quid verba audiam cum facta videam what avail good words when our works are bad tace linguâ loquere vitâ either say less or do more In one word let our actions speak what our expressions pretend to and our conversation be answerable to our profession so shall we be found true men and not lyars and not onely knowers and professors but doers of the truth and so be blessed in our deed THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin RIghtly to divide the word of truth is the charge St. Paul gave to Timothy and a special part of every Ministers office To give every Auditor his due and proper portion as a Master of a feast doth to every guest is according to some expositors the right dividing the word of truth for which reason no doubt it is that among other similitudes Ministers are compared to Stewards whose work is to provide for and distribute to every one in the family their convenient food What St. Paul requireth of all Christians in respect of their neighbours and Superious Render to all men their due Tribute to whome Tribute custome to whome custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour belongeth That by way of analogy is required of all Ministers in regard of their people to give to every one their due reproof to whom reproof threatning to whom threatning instruction to whom instruction and comfort to whom comfort appertaineth A manifest example hereof we have given by this holy Apostle in this place expressely reproving and implicitly threatning in the former verse those to whom it belongs such as walk in darkness and here sweetly comforting those to whom promises belong such as walk in the light in this verse But if we walk in the light c. This is that room on the right hand into which we are now to enter wherein if you please you may take notice of three Partitions here is the Christians Practise to walk in the light Pattern as he is in the light Priviledge we have fellowship c. Or if you please to reduce the three to two here is considerable The duty required and the mercy assured Or The qualification premised walking in the light as he is in the light The Collation promised of Communion with God we have fellowship one with another Iustification by Christ
we may admire him ouâ— own impurity that we may abhorre our selves no wonder if St. John having acquainted us with the one here minds us of the other If we say we have no sin c. After the Preface contained in the first verses we entered into the body of the Epistle wherein we have taken notice of the Text and the Commentary The Text wherein is comprized the main subject of the whole Epistle is set down in the three preceding verses That being handled we are now to enter upon the Commentary as it is enlarged in the remaining part of the Epistle There are three principal termes in the Text to wit fellowship with God through Christ which is denied to them who walk in darkness and assured to them who walke in the light To one of these three as will appear by the handling every thing in the following part of the Epistle belongs But that which our Apostle begins with and most insisteth upon is walking in the lâ—ght his chief drift being to chalk out the steps of this way to divine communion in which he often collaterally describeth them who walk in darknes The words which I have now read contain one and that which is both the first and the last step of a Christians walking in the light namely an acknowledgment of his sins contrary to which they who walk in darknesse instead of acknowledging their faults justify themselves as if they had no sin For the more methodical handling of the words be pleased to tade notice in them of two general parts A confutation of the arrogant begun in the eighth ingeminated and amplifyed in the tenth verse A consolation of the penitent briefly but fully laid down in the ninth verse Begin we with the confutation wherein we have considerable The truth implicitely asserted The errour explicitely confuted The first of these will justly take up this houres discourse it is that which is though implicitely yet manifestly asserted and since accords to that Geometrical maxime Rectum est index sui obliqui that which is straight discovereth not only it self but that which is croâ—ked so by the clear apprehension of this truth we shall the better discover the odiousnesse of this errour The truth plainly layed down in these two verses is That all men are sinners and that not only before but after conversion for if there be no truth nay Gods word is not in them who say they have no sin it must nâ—eds be a true saying and consonant to Gods word That all men have sin It is a truth which you see consists of two parts though the latter be principally here aimed at and chiefly to be insisted upon 1. All men before conversion are in a state of sin thus S. Paul saith expresly that the Scripture hath concluded all men under sin nor can we understand this note of universality too largely it being true not onely of all sorts of men but all men of all sorts that either have are or shall be Indeed all men by corrupted nature are so far from having no sin that they have no good and therefore that complaint of the Psalmist is enlarged by the Apostle as true of all both Iews and Gentiles they are all gone out of the way they are become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one but the truth of this is so evident that I shall not need to expatiate upon it All men even after conversion continue sinners indeed by grace we cease to be wicked but not to be sinners It is the note of St. Hilarie upon these words thou hast trodden down all them that erre from thy statutes that we are not by them that erre to understand all sinners but wicked Apostates for if God shall tread down all sinners he must tread down all men because there is no man without sin That this truth is here intended and asserted by St. Iohn in these words will appeare if we consider 1. The connexion of this with the precedent verse which evidently seemeth to lye thus The Apostle there affirmeth that the bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth them who walk in the light from all sin Whereas it might be objected on the one hand that they who walk in the light have no sin and therefore need not the bloud of Christ to cleanse them our Apostle here tacitely returneth answer letting them know that even they who walke in the light are not altogether free from sin and therefore have continual need of cleansing by Christs blood and whereas it will be said on the other hand if the benefits here mentioned stand upon such termes of walking in the light as he is in the light We who have darknesse mixed with our light cannot hope to be partakers of them our Apostle here preventeth it by acquainting us that it was far from his intent by this phrase to exact unspottâ—d purity or a perfect freedome from all sin 2. The persons in respect of whom he maketh this supposition to wit himselfe and the rest of the holy Apostles Indeed I do not deny but that the aime of our Apostle in these words was to confute those in his time who living in wickednesse thought themselves pure but withall it is manifest that the argument by which he confuteth them is drawn a majori ad minus from the greater to the lesse If wee our selves St. John and the other Apostles cannot say much lesse might the Gnosticks say that they had no sin for doubtlesse the Apostle would never have made the supposall in such persons if it were not thus far true that supposing even they should say they had no sin they did but deceive themselves and as his meaning at the 6. verse by putting the reproof in his own person is to assert that if he or any of the Apostles should walk in darknesse and yet say they have fellowship with God even they would be found lyars so it is his intention here to affirme that if he or any of the Apostles should challenge to themselves this immunity from sin they would be found selfe coseners yea injurers of God himselfe This truth which I am now to handle hath met with many Antagonists and therefore I shal the more largely and distinctly unfold it in these ensuing propositions 1. This non exemption from sin is affirmed not onely de praeterito but de praesenti in respect of time past but present indeed we finde both tenses used by our Apostle in this matter the present in the 8. the preterperfect in the 10. Vorstius and Grotius in this as in too many other places tracing the footsteps of Socinus would expound the former by the latter as if the present tense used in the 8. verse were to be understood of the time past the tense of which is expressed in the 10. and so refer both to the state of Christians before their conversion to the fayth but I know no
God thou thinkest thy self faire as Absolom he seeth thee foule as Thersites whilest thou esteemest thy self amiable thou art in his sight a Leper a Lazar full of sores the truth is thou art never a whit the lesse nay thou art the more sinful in Gods because thou art sinlesse in thine own besides it is no less then thy soules welfare that is endangâ—red by this deceit and how great is that danger we account that Patient desperate on whom a mortal disease is seized and yet he saith he is not sick is not this thy case thy soul is spiritually sick and thou knowest it not this conceit is that which at once both hindreth our repentance pardon therefore must needs be exitial he that is not sensible of his sicknes will not seek after a remedy nor wil he that saith he hath no sin look out for a pardon All reproofs threatnings admonitions have no influence upon his spirit he feareth no punishment but goeth on securely and indeed by this means he is without the compass of pardon as St. Augustine and St. Bernard excellently presumption of our own dignity excludeth divine mercy and he that denieth he hath sin doth not make himself the less sinful but the less capable of forgivenâ—ss nay let me adde this that though thou mayest thus deceive thy self for a while yet the time is comâ—ng when thou shalt be undeceived to thy shame and horrour and confusion It is the threatning of Almighty God to the sinner that thought God was like him sinfull and it belongs as well to him that thinketh he is lâ—ke God sinless I will set thy sins in order before thee Who can expresse what horror seized upon ruined Babylon which had said I sit as a Queen I shall see no evill the like shame shall sit upon the face of hypocrites which say they have no sin when God shall set their sins in order before them Oh then be not so injurious to your selves as to harbour this self-deceit you think it self-love but indeed it is self-hatred there being no worse enemy then a seeming friend a base flatterer and that you may no longer be thus deceived be true to your own selves and labour to have your minds enlightened your judgements rectified that you may passe sentence upon your selves according to truth be much in examining your selves searching your hearts trying your wayes and that impartially the truth is we deceive our selves because we do not see our selves we do not see our selves because we do not search our selves and we cannot search our selves unlesse we have the candle of divine illumination pray we therefore that the eyes of our understandings may be opened and thereby the truth of saving knowledge conveyed into us that we may no longer be such fooles as to deceive our selves by saying we have no sin and this so much the rather because it is not onely an injury to our selves but to God which leads me to the 2. Second argument which is the impiety of this opinion in that hereby we make God a lyar and his word is not in us and this is represented by a double character to wit the blasphemy and the infidelity of those who say thus their blasphemy in that they make God a lyar and infidelity in that his word is not in them 1. We make him a lyar a very vehement and urgent expression how earnest is our Apostle in confuting this errour Indeed this phrase at first reading may seem harsh the thing which it asserts being in a proper sense impossible we make him a lyar it cannot be God is not a man that he should lye or son of man that he should repent saith Balaam and again it being impossible for God to lye saith the Authour to the Hebrews Indeed If God should either do what is evill or speak what is false he could not be a God but beloved though God cannot be a lyar we may be said to make him so no really but interpretatively when we do as much as lyeth in us to make him so look as an Adulterer looking upon a woman to lust after her though she be not defiled is said to commit adultery with her in his heart and as Apostates are said to crucifie the Sonne of God afresh not that he who is possessed of his crown can again be brought to his Cross but that such sinners do what in them lyeth to bring him to it so self-justitiaries though they cannot justly fasten the least lye upon God yet they do what they can to make him so perhaps indeed this is not that which they directly intend but yet it is that which must necessarily follow upon their saying and therefore this brand is justly fastened upon them This will further appear if we consider what God hath said both in his laws and in his Gospel his law accuseth all men of sin his Gospel offereth pardon of sin to all men so that law and Gospel affirm at least implâ—citely that all men have sin if therefore as they say they have no sin God must be a lyar in both indeed the dilemma is manifest either they must be lyars or God their saying must be false or Gods since there is an apparent contradiction between them God saith all men have sinned and they say we have not sinned no marvaile if our Apostle charge them with making God a lyar See hence at once both the pride and the danger of these pharisaical hypocrites their pride in that rather then accuse themselves of sin they dare to accuse God with lying and lest any blot should lye upon their purity they go about to stain Gods veracity Thus as it were inverting those words of St. Paul Let God be true and every man a lyar they say Let God be a lyar so we may be pure and true How dishonourable and therefore provoking this must needs be to God we may guesse by our selves our proverb saith the lye deserveth a stab we cannot in words offer a man a greater injury then to give him the lye and can we think that God himself doth not take it as an high affronts from those who go about thus to make him a lyar Yes certainly and all such proud wretches shall know it is an evill thing to cast so great a dishonour upon God and whilest they condemn God unjustly as a lyar he will one day condemn them justly as lyars in deceiving themselves and having no truth in them yea as blasphemers in making him a lyar and as unbelievers in that 2. His word is not in them by word here some understand Christ who is called at the first verse the word of life and so his word is not in us is as much as Christ is not in us if we thus say this is the rather observable because many who say they have no sin pretend to have Christ in them and be in Christ yea that therefore they have no
happened rather by chance then art and there were little or no fault in him but the temper of a tâ—ue paenitent is far otherwise he looketh upon his sins as the greatest enemies nor can a malicious person so spightfully set forth the faults of his enemy as he will his own besides he knoweth that extenuating sin aggravates and aggravating extenuateth it that as a charitable man gathereth by scattering so a penitent lesseneth his sin by acknowledging it great Hence it is that the confessions recorded in Scripture are full of exaggerating expressions as may appear in those of David and Ezra and Daniel setting forth not onely the nature but the greatnesse of their sins 3. Finally in confession we must acknowledge the guilt and desert of our sins not onely what we have done unjustly but what we deserve to suffer justly thus we must confesse as our sins so the punishment due to us by reason of those sins how we deserve to be stript of all Gods mercies and to have all the curses written in his book inflicted on us this is that the Scripture calls a Judging our selves when we do not onely arraigne and accuse our selves unto God by a confession of the fault but judge and condemne our selves by a confession of the punishmenâ—t and so we finde in Daniels acknowledgement not onely we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly but to us Oh Lord God belongeth confusion of face as it is this day 3. Once more as sins many sins so our sins must be confessed it is St. Austins note upon those words of David I acknowledge my iniquity non intueor alios I do not pry into other mens faults to publish them but I acknowledge my own offences To enlarge this in a threefold consideration we must confesse 1. Our own sins principally Indeed we finde the people of God confessing publique as wel as private sins the sins of their princes their priests as well as their own not onely the sins of their contemporaries but their progenitors we have sinned with our Fathers but stil they chiefly insist upon their own sins When Gods Servants confesse the sins of others it is upon one of these two reasons either because they have been theirs or lest they should be theirs sometimes other men sins become ours and fit it is that as we have been partakers with them in their sins we should be in repentance and if they do noâ— yet we must confesse their sins inasmuch as our hand hath been in them again The sins of others when publick if not confessed and bemoaned by us become ours it is not enough for us that we doe not joyne with but we must mourne for the abominations of others but still principally our own sins must be ouâ— greatest trouble and the matter of our confession 2. Our sins to be our own Many in confessing oft times transfer their sins upon others These brats are so ugly that when they are brought forth we are loath to own them but lay them at others doores Eve chargeth her sin upon the Serpent the Serpent beguiled mee Adam upon Eve nay in plain termes upon God The woman which thou gavest me St. Austin upon those words of David confitebor adversus me iniquitates meas domino I will confesse my sins against my selfe unto the Lord observeth â—hat many confesse their sins not against but for themselves not to but against the Lord how usuall is it with wicked men to accuse not onely the devill but God for the sins which they commit laying them upon fate and destiny upon the stars and clymate upon their constitution and complexion and the like but the truth is as Agamemnon said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither Jupiter nor the destinies nor the furyes but it is a mans selfe that doth him the mischiefe and therefore the true penâ—tent layeth his sins at his own door and taketh shame upon himselfe by reason of them 3. Those sins which are most especially our own The prophet Isay saith of himselfe and the people We have all like sheep gone astray and turned every man to his own way thereby intimating that as all men go in a wrong way so every man hath his own way in which he wandereth It were easy to instance in countries in persons how there is some sin which is as it were more especially beloved and practised by them Pliny writeth of some Families that had privy marks on their bodyes peculiar to those of that line and every man hath as it were a privy sin which is most justly called his but if we will confesse our sins aright we must not leave out that sin nay our chiefest spight must be against it according to Davids resolve I will declare mine iniquity and be sorry for my sin And so much shall suffice in answer to the first question which respects the object of our confession Quest. 2. To whom confession of sinnes is to be made is that which next in order calls for a solution True it is we have no expresse and direct but yet we have a collaterall and implicite answer in the text and though it is not said If we confesse our sins to God yet it will easily appeare that it is so intended Indeed it cannot be denyed but that 1. Our sins against the second Table as they are wrongs and injuries to our neighbour ought to be confessed to him in this sence St. Augustine interprets that of St. James confesse your faults one to another and without doubt it is implicily required by our blessed Saviour when he bids a man before he offer his gift to goe and be reconciled to his brother if he have ought against him to wit by at least making an acknowledgment of the wrong he hath done him 2. Our sins having been open and so become scandalous ought to be acknowledged to the Church where of we are members this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was used in the primitive times of which Tertullian and others of the antients speake A piece of discipline which it were heartily to be wished were still in use that notorious offenders might be brought to a publique acknowledgment of their sinnes 3. Our sins when they are not onely in themselves grosse but to our consciences burdensome may nay ought to be confessed to a faithful pious discreet minister The truth is There are many excellent benefits which hereby accrue to the penitent as Zanchy hath wel observed such as are the helping forward of his humiliation faith repentance the obtaâ—ning from the minister more suteable particular and direct counsels more spirituall and fervent prayers both for and with him and withall upon the signes of his true contrition accompaning that confession the comfortable sentence of absolution and therefore though I doe utterly dislike the doctrine of the Romish Church which asserts a particular enumeration of all our sinnes to the
come But though the Text contain a promise and the promisâ— a blessing of so great a value yet if it were not as sure in the performance as it is sweet in the promise we could not with joy draw water out of it And therefore he lets us see this Well of salvation is dâ—gged so deep that the water cannot fayle this fabrick of comfort is founded so strong that it cannot fall if we be not a wanting to our selves in fulfilling the condition Gods justice fidelity will not suffer him to be a wanting to us in performing the promise for if we confess our sins he is faithfull just to forgive c. It is that part of the Text I am now to handle the certainty of the mercy in those words he is faithfull and just To assertain us of the effect our Apostle mindeth us of the causes and here are two sorts of efficient causes set before us the principal in the word he and the internal impulsive in those words faithful and just and surely when we consider both quis who it is that conferreth this benefit and qualis how faithful and just he is we may certainly conclude the accomplishment of it of each therefore in their order The principal efficient cause of remâ—ssion is He and if you ask who this he is you must look back and you shall find it to be him with whom we havâ— fellowship who is light 〈◊〉 self and so no other then God himself And indeed such is the nature of this blessing that if he did not do it none else could it being not only his act but his prerogative and so his onely act to cleanse and forgive a sinner I even I am he saith God himself that blotteth out thy transgressions by which reduplication he intendeth an appropriaâ—tion as if he had said I and none but I Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity saith the Prophet by which is no doubt intended both an affirmative and a negative the one that whosoever pardoneth must be a God the other that there is no God like to him for pardoning and therefore indeed whatever else besides him is called God is no God In this doubtlesse those Pharisees spoke truth though with a malicious intention against him who is the truth when they said who can forgive sins but God alone and therefore from that very position S. Ambrose proveth the Deity of the holy Ghost and S. Cyrâ—l most properly the Deity of the Son of God And indeed iâ— must needs be onely in Gods power to forgive because it is onely against him that the offence is commâ—tted it is no doubt a clear truth that only he to whom the injury is done can remit the doing of it now David saith and most fully Agaâ—nst thee against thee only I have sinned nor is that only true because he being a King was accountable to none but God for what he had done but because sin properly so called is only against him of whose law it is a breach and that is God himself Thus S. Cyril argueth It belongeth only to God to loose men from their sins for who can free from the transgression of the law but the Authour of it and accordingly S. Cyprian let no man cheat and delude himself only God must shew mercy since the servant cannot grant an indulgence for the fault which is done against his Lord. Sin is a spot in Gods sight and none can hide it from him unless he pleaseth to turn away his face It is a debt in Gods Book and who dares to blot any thing out of his Book but himself If any man shall pretend to forgive anothers debt he offereth a double injury to the debtor by deceiving him with false hopes and to the creditor by usurping his power hence it is that we find those exclusive propositions frequent in the ancients S. Chrisostom often none can forgive sin but God alone to forgive sin belongeth to none other to forgive sins is possible to God alone And Gregory the great Thou who only sparest thou who alone forgivest And Optatus It is only Gods act to cleanse and make white our scarlet sins this is a part of Gods name which is incommunicable because an expression of his nature he is the Lord forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin an emanation of that glory which he saith he will not give to another That which may seem to contradict this truth is that power which the ministers of the Gospel have in the point of forgiveness insomuch that our blessed Saviour expressely saith Whose sins you remit they are remitted To cleare this scruple be pleased to know that 1. Whatever power the priest hath of forgiving it is then onâ—ly effectual when the person is rightly qualified we are stewards and must not be like the unjust steward strâ—ke out our Masters debt without his leave or otherwise then according to his prescription we are Ambassadors therefore have not power to proclaim war or conclude peace between God and man according to our own discretion but his direction to wit upon the testification of that which we at least probably conceive is unfained repentance and therefore saith Tolet well quod in terra sacerdos in coelo Deus What the Priest doth on earth is ratified in heaven but clave non â—rrante not when he turneth the key the wrong way so that if the confession of the penitent be not sincere the absolution of the Priest is invalid 2. But further the power which a Priest hath upon penâ—tent confession of forgiving is but ministerial not magisterial ministri sunt pro judicibus baberi nolunt they are only Ministers not Judges so St. Austin it is the King that grants the pardon they are only Officers that bring it If you desire more particularly to know how far the power of a Minister extends to forgiving I answer briefly 1. They have power by vertue of their office to intercede with God for sinners and therefore the sick person is to call for the Elders of the Church that they may pray for him that his sins may be forgiven him 2. They have the word of reconciliation committed to them wherein the promise of pardon is revealed and exhibited by them the holy Sacraments are administred which are the means of conveying pardon to those that are rightly qualified to which purpose it is that Fâ—rus saith appositely Mâ—nisters forgive sins inasmuch as they are instrumental in those several Ordinances by which God remitteth sin 3. They have authority of releasing those censures which have been past upon sinners for the scandal given by their flagitious practices to the Church 4. Finally they have power particularly to declare that God hath forgiven their sins in whom they observe the signs of repentance as they pray us to be reconciled to God so they may assure us upon our contrition that
confessions our prayers our tears our purposes may be hypocritical it is our actuall forsaking of sin which evidenceth the truth of all the rest True repentance doth not only decline the Accusative case by acknowledging sin and the Vocative by calling upon God for pardon but the Ablative by putting sin away and thus according to Origens phrase as it healeth those wounds that have been made so it taketh care that the soul be not wounded again Indeed this is the great mistake of very many they content themselves with a generall confessing sin and formal asking of pardon and still they add sin unto sin but alas this is only fingere not agere poenitentiam to pretend not practice penitence optima poenitentia vita nova the repentance of the life by dying to sin is the very lâ—fe of repentance 3. Lastly In the eighth verse of the former Chapter our Apostle saith if we in which number he includeâ— himself and consequently the holyest men say we have no sin we deceive our selves and yet here he writeth to them not to sin two clauses which seem irreconcileable but may be solved up by a double answer Either thus sin not that is indevour that you may not sin at all hereafter though this cannot be the event let it be your intent the successe let it be your design in execution let it be in intention sin not saith Bede that is let us take heed how we adde to the frailty of our flesh by our neglect and therefore let us strive to the utmost we can that we may be free from all sin and to this purpose is Calvins glâ—sse when he saith by not sinning he meaneth that as far as humane weaknesse will permit we should abstaine from all sin 2. Or thus sin not that is be sure you sin not de futuro again as you did de preterito in the dayes of your unregeneracy as if he would say though you cannot but sinne still yet sinne not so as you did before To inlarge this in a double reference 1. Quoad genus not in the same kind Sin not that is beware of those grosse sins scarlet iniquities in which before you lived And thus though it is possible a regenerate person may commit some great sin in which he formerly wallowed yet it is not impossible for him wholly to avoid sins of that nature nay this is that which God expects and requireth of us that though our garment will be spotted yet it may not be rent in pieces and though we cannot be without failings yet that we should be without scandalous falls 2. Quoad modum not in the same manner as before you did not with that fulness of deliberation freenesse of consent strength of resolution frequency of action which you sinned with in times past We cannot but sin but we must not delight in give up accustome our selves to the commission of sin it was Davids prayer keep back thy servant from presumptuous sin and it is every good mans practice to keep himself by Gods grace from sinning presumptuously And thus much shall serve to be spoken of the matter Proceed we now to the motive enforcing this admonition and that is because this was the end of his writing these things The prosecution of this lieth in the various reference of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things here spoken of Indeed we may very well understand it both in a general and a particular reference 1 It may have a general respect to the whole Epistle and so we are to take notice of one principal end why he wrote this Epistle that he might take them off from their sinnes And thus here is intimated both finis scribentis and finis Scripturae the end of the writer and the end of the writing and that one and the same their not sinning 1. I write these things that you sin not that was his ayme and scope in his writing nor was it only his but that which all the men of God in all their writings and preachings aymed at and therefore you still find them harping upon that string repent and shooting their forked arrowes at sin Indeed the false Prophets as God complaineth by Jeremy did strengthen the hands of evill doers but the true Prophets endevour was to restrain them the false Prophets as Ezechiels phrase is did sow pillowes under their arm-holes but the true plucked them away Go up and prosper was the voyce of the lying Prophets to Ahab If thou return in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me saith Micaiah flattering Ministers lull the people asleep but faithfull ones awaken them out of their sins oh let us herein approve our selves sincere by striking at and labouring to beat down sin in all our discourses 2. These things I write unto you that you sin not this was the end of all that he wrote nor is it only the end of his but all the writings of the Apostles and Prophets so that the whole Scripture is given us among others for this end that we might not sin If we look into holy writ we shall find precepts reproofs threatnings promises hystories and sin not is that to which they all tend The precepts are clear as glasses to discover sin The reproofs as faithful monitors to mind us of sin The Threats as strong cords to bind us from sin The promises as gentle antidotes against sin and The Histories as memorable monuments of the sad effects of sin To this purpose it is that Gods word is compared to a fire which purgeth away the drosse to water which cleanseth away the filth and to a sword with a double edge the one whereof is to cut the heart of a sinner for sinne and the other to cut sin in the heart of a sinner Oh my brethren as these things are written by those sacred penmen so let them be read heard pondered and observed by us for this end that we may not sinne These things are written in Gods book that we may not and if these things be written in our hearts we shall not erre The Psalmist proposeth it to young men and in them to all men as an excellent help against sin wherewith shall a young man cleanse his wayes by taking heed thereto according to thy word and presently after he sets down a probatum est from his own practice and experience I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee When therefore we are to encounter with any sin let us go to the brook of holy writ and thence choose out five smooth stones a precept a reproof a threat a promise an history put we them in the scrip of our hearts Let us throw them with the sling of faith against the forehead of Goliah our lust whatsoever it be so shall we be enabled to overcome for these things are written that we sinne not Besides thls general there may be a more particular
word world God so loved the world God was in Chhist reconciling the world and again in this Epistle Him hath God sent to be the Saviour of the world and yet as if this were not large enough to this extensive substantive is here in the text annexed an universall adjective whilest he saith not onely the world but the whole world That this is so must be granted or else the Scripture must be denied which hath so frequently and plainly asserted it The onely thing to be inquired is in what sence this is to be understood and how it is verified I well know there is much dispute among learned and Godly men about the interpretation of this and such like Scriptures For my own part I have a reverend esteem of many of them who hold the severall opinions and I could heartily wish that such questions having much to be said either way both from Scripture and reason might be more calmely debated then they are by some and the assâ—rtâ—rs on either hand lesse censorious each of other That which I shall now indeavour is according to the measure â—f light I have received by prayer reading meditation and conference positively to acquaint you what I conceive to be truth and show you how far we may safely extend and so how we may genuinely expound this clause He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world To this end Let your attention go along with me whilest I shall prsoecute two or three distinctions 1. This assertion Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world may be understood either exclusively or inclusively and in both considerations it is in some respect or other true 1. To say Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world exclusively imports thus much That there is no propitiation for the sins of the whole world but onely by Christ and thus we may take the whole world in its full latitude pro omnihus singulis and need not feare to assert that there never was nor will be any man from the first Adam to the end of the world who did shall or can obtain propitiation for his sins except through Christ. Indeed God according both to Moses and Pauls phrase is a consuming fire and all mankind being fallen in Adam is as stubble and straw to that fire which must needs be consumed by it if Christs blood did not prevent that consumption by quenching the fire of his displeasure Hence it is that S. Paul saith expressely God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe thereby intimating That were it not for Christ the world could not be reconciled to him To this purpose it is that the Apostle Peter speaking of Christ useth a negative proposition neither is there salvation in any other and inforceth it with a strong confirmation for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved where that expression under Heaven is very observable as comprizing in it the whole earth which is under Heaven with all the inhabitants therein It is the promise of God to Abraham That in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed that seed St. Paul expounds mistically of Christ and Lyra's glosse is quia nullus consequitur salutem nisi per Christi benedictionen because none can attain eternal life but through Christs benediction and not much unlike is Bezas note on this place Christ is the propitiation for the whole world ut noverimus nusquam esse salutem extra Christum that we may know salvation is not to be had any where without Christ. From hence it is that may be inferred which elsewhere is expressed that since there is no propitiation but by Christ none can pertake of this propitiation but by faith in him and the strength of the inference is built upon this foundation Whosoever have propitiation by Christ must bee in Christ and therefore St. Paul saith of the Ephesians whilest Heathens they were without Christ and presently addeth in the same verse having no hope as if he would say There is no hope of Salvation for them that are without Christ. None but they who beleeve in Chirist are in Him and therefore the Apostle saith Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and those two phrases being in the faith and Christ being in us are used by him in one verse as one expository of the other The result of both which propositions is that seeing there is no propitiation without Christ and without being in Christ none can obtain that propitiation but they who beleeve in Him agreeable to which it is that St. Paul saith God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith in his bloud Indeed this must be rightly understood and to that end qualified with these distinctions of seminall and actuall of implicite and explicite faith and of faith in Christ as to come and as come Christ is no doubt a propitiation for all circumcised and baptised children dying in their infancy who yet cannot actually beleeve in him but they have after an extraordinary way the spirit of Chrâ—st conferred on them and so the seed of faith and all other graces in them Christ was no doubt a propitiation for those before his coming as well as us all of whom only beleeved in him as to come and many of whom had but only an implicite not a clear and distinct faith in the Messiah nor will I undertake to determine what degree of knowledge is necessary to that Faith in Christ which is necessary to an interest in this propitiation but still I say with the Authour to the Hebrewes without faith it is impossible to please God and that faith is not only to beleeve that God is but to beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that seek him which cannot be without some knowledge of Christ since it is onely in an Evangelical sense that he is a rewarder and as he is no rewarder of any that seek him but for Christs sake so none can rightly beleeve him a rewarder who is altogether ignorant of Christ. Indeed when our blessed Saviour saith This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ Christ whom thou hast sent what doth he but as it were define eternal life by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ this knowledge being both the way and the end that wherein it consists and that whereby it is obtained and more fully when he saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish what doth he but set down beleeving in Christ as the way whereby the whole world must escape perishing Finally when St. Paul speaking of Iew and Greek maketh calling on the name of the Lord Christ the means of salvation and annexeth beleeving in as necessary to the calling on him what doth he