either to errour of Doctrin or evil of manners and surely if they who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Sun in Heaven they who turn many from it to errour and wickedness shall burn as coals in Hell But I fear seducing Hereticks whilest they have open mouths and nâ—mble tongues to the perverting of others have their ears heavy nay closed lest they should bee converted themselves and therefore though I shall not cease to pray for I shall forbear any longer to speak to them The Improvement that should be made of this doctrin by the godly and Orthodox is 1 That wee take heed of going amongst or conversing with Hereticks lest wee be seduced by them Indeed it were ground enough of abstaining their society lest wee should bee thought such but much more lest we should prove such This Holy Apostle would not stay in the bath with that Arch-heretick Cerinthus out of a just indignation against him we should not frequent the company of such out of a wise circumspection in reference to our selves The Orthodox hearers of Athanasius forsook the Church when Lucius the Arrian Bishop came to Preach both the private society and more publique meetings of Hereticks should bee avoided by us it is ill coming within the breath of such rotten persons There is not more danger of being burned by comming too neer the fire of being defiled by touching pitch or dirt and of being infected by comming neer one that is sick of the plague than of being seduced by hearkning to and having familiarity with Hereticks It is that indeed which may bee extended and I would to God were observed as a general rule in regard of all wicked company Come out from among her my people saith God concerning Babylon lest thou bee partaker of her sins Depart from me you evil doers saith David for I will keep the Commandements of my God Wicked men will strive to make us like themselves nor have wee any promise of assistance against their inticements if wee needlesly associate with them The Psalmist saith Blessed is the man that walketh not after the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners Indeed he that would not walk in the wickeds counsel must not stand in his way lest if the wicked finde him in his way hee entice him to go along with him 2 That they obliquely imitate these seducers in striving to make others as sound in the faith and conscientious in their lives as themselves why should and yet how often is it so the Devils instruments be more forward than Christs Servants his messengers more active than Christs Ministers Did Heliogabalus take care to make his Son like himself luxurious and shall not religious Parents endeavour that their children may serve the Lord did the Pharisees compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite and shall not Christs Apostles do as much to make Christians Are the Wolves ranging up and down to worry and shall not the Shepheards bee watchful to preserve the sheep Are Hereticks industrious to seduce from and shall not the Orthodox be solicitous to reduce to the truth God forbid Oh let the heavenly stars as readily give forth their light to guide the people into the way of Truth and Peace as those fiery meteors are to lead them into the bogs and ditches of sin and errours Them that seduce you But this is not all that our Apostle intends by this expression The word here rendred seduce is elsewhere in this Epistle yea generally through the New Testament translated deceive and accordingly Planus which is derived from it is used by the Latine Poet to signify an Impostor now decipimur specie recti wee are deceived by specious pretences and accordingly such a kinde of seducing which is by making us beleeve wee are in the right when we are in the wrong way is that which is here meant It lets us see what is the cunning of Heretical seducers St. Paul saith of them that by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple like the Hyaena which when shee intends to devour feigneth a mans voice St. Austin observeth that the Devil seeing his Temples forsaken Altars demolished and Oracles silenced by Christs comming into the world to make a new supply of his Kingdome stirred up certain Hereticks of whom Christ himself foretold and whom no doubt our Apostle here meaneth qui sub vocabulo Christianae doctrinae resisterent Christianae who under the name of Christian doctrin should oppose Christianity like Pyrates who hang out their colours whom they mean to surprize Indeed it hath ever been the practice of false Teachers to lead into errour by a pretext of truth like those to use Irenaeus his comparison who give lime mixed with water instead of milk deceiving by the similitude of the colour herein as St. Paul observeth learning of their Master the Devil who though the Prince of Darkness oft times transformeth himself into an Angel of Light The truth is as the forementioned Father observeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 errour loveth not to appear naked as being foul and ugly no wonder if she cover her self with borrowed robes that she may be the more amiable It will not I suppose bee a digression from the Text nor losse of time to inquire into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use St. Pauls language sleights and methods of errour whereby these Seducers lye in wait to deceive and these wee shall finde to bee of many sorts Hereticks Proteus like make use of several shapes under which they delude many In particular we my observe them seducing by the mixtur of some truths the Promise of much Liberty the Plea of long Tradition and the shew of glorious Miracles under the veil of an outside religion the vernish of humane reason the colour of divine Revelation the glosse of sacred Scripture the name of the true Church 1 A mixture of truth with errour is an usual trick of these impostours herein doing like those who put off lead or brass in Coines with the mingling of silver or who convey poyson in milk or some such wholesome food This St. Gregory took notice of when hee saith of Hereticks miscent recta perversis ut ostendendo bona auditores ad se pertrahant et exhibendo mala latenti peste corrumpant They joyn right Doctrines with perverse that by an open publication of the one they may secretly instil the other even these Antichrists did acknowledge some truth Preaching a Christ that came from heaven but withall denying Jesus to be the Christ 2 A Promise of Liberty is another cheat of these Jugglers as well knowing how suitable liberty is to mans corrupt nature Hereticks how rigid soever they may bee upon design in their personal Practice yet are commonly libertines in their doctrin indulging to their followers a lawlesse licentiousnesse This St. Peter
and St. Jude observed in these Antichrists of whom the one saith they did promise to the people liberty and the other that they did turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousnesse 3 The Plea of Tradition is much used by Hereticks all Nations and Persons both Jews and Gentiles being very tenacious of those things which they have received from their Ancestors By traditions it was that the Pharisees in Christs time indeavoured to make the Law of God of none effect and with traditions it was that the Hereticks in the Apostles time did spoil the people of the Truth for so much St. Paul intimateth when hee giveth that Caveat Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit after the traditions of men Not that all sorts of Traditions are to bee sleighted yea the Traditions which have been delivered and received in the Universal Church from age to age are to bee regarded by us next to the written word but not in opposition against or in competition with it such vain superstitious traditions were those which the Apostle condemned and which the Hereticks made use of 4 A show of Miracles is that which is sometimes made by these Deceivers Look as of Old when Moses and Aaron wrought Miracles Jannes and Jambres the Aegyptian Sorcerers imitated them So in the beginning of Christianity as God confirmed it by real Miracles so the Devil opposed it with Lying wonders This was our Saviours prediction concerning these Antichristian Seducers wherof my Text speaketh There shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew signes and wonders so St. Mark Great signes and wonders so St. Matthew to seduce and deceive if it were possible the very Elect and thus the comming of the man of sin is said by St. Paul to bee after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders where that Epithite of Lying would not bee passed by those wonders which the Devil worketh by Hereticks being lying not onely because they accompany doctrins of Lies but likewise because they are for the most part delusions not realities nor are the greatest of those wonders above the power of nature and therefore though they are matter of wonder to us who oft times cannot understand how they are wrought yet they are not so in themselves But surely there is no device more subtle and prevailing than this men being very apt to beleeve that their words are Oracles whose works are Miracles and indeed were they so really it were a sufficient ground of beleef but as they are to wit onely so in appearance they have too great an influence upon the vulgar 5 A veil of Religion is many times put on by these Cheaters their garb their look their Language speak nothing but holinesse whilest their doctrins breath nothing but Heresy As too many of the Orthodox dishonour their teaching well by living ill so do many Hereticks credit their ill-teaching by well-living It is one of St. Pauls characters of Seducers Having a shew of godlinesse and Gregory Nazianzen saith of the Macedonians that their life was admirable whilest their Doctrin was abominable Thus as Harlots paint their faces and perfume their beds to allure Hereticks feign godliness and profess Religion to seduce 6 A vernish of Reason is drawn over false opinions by these Seducers because that is very taking with a rational creature This St. Paul intimateth in that fore-mentioned Caution Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit Accordingly Tertullian observeth that the Ancient Heresies concerning the Aeâ—nes were fetched from Plato's Ideaes the equality of the first matter with God from Zeno the death of the Soul from Epicurus and the denial of the Resurrection of the Body de unâ omnium Philosophorum Scholâ from the Schools of all the Philosophers Upon this account it is that the Father elsewhere asserts Philosophers to bee the Patriarks of Hereticks and that all Heresies are founded upon and supported by the rules and dictates of Philosophy not that Philosophy and natural Reason is to bee rejected by the Orthodox as of no use nay indeed it is an help to Divinity when in its right place but our Divinity must not bee regulated by Philosophy and our Religion bounded by reason The Orthodox use her as an handmaid to wait but the Heterodox make her a Mistress to seduce 7 The colour of a Revelation is oft times used to set off lying Doctrin When St. Paul saith If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel let him bee accursed hee intimateth that some might pretend to bring another Gospel from heaven and indeed such there were who broached fictitious Gospels as if they had been divinely inspired Simon Magus pretended himself to bee the Holy Ghost so did Montanus and vented the Dreams of his Whores Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla for prephecies Indeed Divine Revelation is the proper ground of Faith No wonder if Hereticks that they may gain credit and so seduce the people lay claim to it 8 The Glosse of Scripture is very oft times put upon false opinions by the assertours of them to delude the people In this as St. Hierome well observeth they trace the Devils footsteps who quoted Scripture thereby fondly imagining hee might delude Christ himself Thus the Judaizing false Teachers in the Apostles time made use of the Old Testament Scripture quoting Moses and the Prophets and Irenaeus observeth of the Hereticks of those times that they dealt by the Sacred Writings as a Graver doth by the goodly image of a King which by altering the form hee turneth into the likenesse of a dog or wolf and then affirmeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the lovely image of the King they take the words of Scripture and put upon them their own sense and then say it is Scripture it is so indeed materially but not formally as the metal is the Kings but the stamp is a Wolf so the words are Scripture but the sense the Hereticks 9 To all these I may add the name of a Church is no small bait whereby Hereticks allure and catch the simple in their snares our Saviour tells us what their sayings should bee Lee here is Christ and there is Christ in this conventicle and that meeting by which they withdraw many from the Apostolical assemblies In this respect St. Judes Character of them is that they did separate themselves to wit from the Apostles and which must needs follow they no doubt assumed to themselves the title to the true Church of Christ and thus did the Novatians in St. Cyprians time and the Donatists in St. Augustines time fighting against the Church under the name of the Church By all this wee see how Antichristian hereticks abuse the best things to the worst designs Truth Liberty Tradition Miracles Holinesse Reason Revelation Scripture the Church are all of them of singular concernment and advantage to the Orthodox Christian
wooden vessels of which sort were Hymineus and Philetus To end this therefore It is a consideration which indeed may bee matter of sorrow that there should bee such chaff among the Wheat such Canaanites among the people of Israel such vipers in the bowels of the Church but yet it is no more than what hath been in all ages God in wisdom permits it the Devil in malice contriveth it that Antichristian teachers should grow up among the Christians non mirandum quod exurgant sed vigilandum ne noceant is St. Austins excellent advice wonder not that they do arise beware that they do not hurt and though they are mingled with us let us take heed wee bee not partakers with and so infected by them 2 But that which is here expressed and would chiefly bee considered is that these Antichristian teachers went out from the Apostles for the unfolding whereof I shall discuss these two things What this going out imports Whence it comes to pass 1 The first Question to be resolved is what this going out imports to which end observe 1 It is one thing to go out by vertue of a Commission and another to go out in a way of desertion Wee read of the King that hee sent his servants and bid them go out into the high waies to wit to invite guests to the wedding thus did the Apostles go forth from Christ as being sent by him to Preach the Gospel but in this sense it cannot bee here understood as if these Antichrists went forth Commissioned from the Apostles because that to these words they went out from us are opposed those They would have continued with us Now continuing with the Apostles if taken in opposition to going out from them with Commission had been a crime and would have deserved that check why stand you idle whereas nothing clearer than that this continuing with them is here intended as that which was their duty to have done and consequently the going out can bear no other sense than their forsaking the Apostles 2 It is one thing to bee cast out and another to go out the former is a punishment or censure of the Church consisting of various degrees according to the quality of offences some being â—ast out è coetu participantium of the number of the communicants others not only so but è coetu procumbentium from prayers as well as Sacraments others è coetu audiâ—ntium nay fidelium not suffered so much as to hear the Word or to converse with the faithful These Censures though none more deserve them than those my text speaks of may for some gross mis-demeanours be inflicted on those who yet are true members oâ— the Church indeed this judicial casting out is that which is done by the governours of the Church not onely as an act of Justice but mercy with charitable and compassionate intentions that the casting out may prove the casting down of the delinquent and that casting down may tend to the raising up and receiving in again of the penitent But this going out is the act of wicked Apostates a sin of a very deep dye and hainous nature nor can they who thus cast themselves out ever call themselves in yea they are seldome if ever called in again 3 This sin of Apostacy in going out from the Church is committed two waies viz. by Heresy and Schism a going out from the faith and from the fellowship of the Church Indeed Heresy and Schism like abortive twins in many particulars are coincident and like Jacob and Esau one holds fast by the others heels Haeresies in point of faith do easily produce a separation in the use of Ordinances and formes of worship So the Arrian Heresy brought in a different doxology and schism in point of communion frequently induceth into Heretical Doctrins ut rectè ab ecclesiâ discessisse videantur as St. Hierom excellently that the Schismatick may thereby the better maintain his unlawful separation and by both these waies did the Antichrist go out 1 They went out that is they Apostatized from the faith which was once delivered and had been by them professed That expression of the Apostle The door of Faith intimateth that faith is the door of the Church so that by embracing we enter in by deserting the faith we go out of the Church Thus St. Paul saith of Hymeneus and Philetus that concerning the faith they made shipwrack that is as Marriners in a storm cast their wares over board so did they cast away the Orthodox Doctrine of Christianity such were those whom the Apostle Peter chargeth for bringing in damnable Heresies destructive to the foundamentals of Religion and the salvation of the people against whom therefore the Apostle Jude exhorteth sincere Christians to contend earnestly 2 They went out that is they departed from the fellowship of the Apostles with whom they had held communion before Having endeavoured to deprave the Churches Truth by Heresy they disturb the peace by schism rending themselves from that body of which they professed themselves members such were those some whose manner St. Paul tells us was to forsake the assembly and this is one of those brands which St. Jude marketh the false teachers with that they did separate themselves not willing to bee confined within the limits and bounds of the Churches Communion 4 Once more this phrase they went out from us is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more being intended than is expressed not only that they went out from but that being gone out they did set themselves against the Church and therefore hee calls them in the former verse Antichrists which is far more than Apostates their separation was not onely negatively a nen-communion but positively a direct opposition gathering to themselves parties erecting as it were a Church against a Church an Altar against an Altar they did not onely forsake their colours but did fight under the enemies banner and charge desperately in their forlorn in one word not onely a falling from the doctrine and communion but a rising against both through an internal malicious dâ—testation is that which is the extent of the accusation which our Apostle intends by these words They went out from us 2 The next question which would bee resolved is how this came to pass that these schismatical Hereticks went out from the Church nor need we goe further for an answer than the fore-going verses where the Apostle first dehorts in general from the love of the world and particularly from the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life all of which wee shall find to have a great influence upon Antichristian Apostates 1 They went out from the Church because they loved the world it was St. Pauls charge against Demas hee hath forsaken us having loved this present world That heart which is tenacious of the world will easily let goe its hold of truth Our Apostle saith a little
Epistle and therefore I shall so handle it as to reserve something to bee said hereafter For the present I shall propose and resolve these two Queries How farre or in what sense this is verified Vpon what ground the truth of it is founded 1 To unfold the meaning of the Position know 1 That continuing with us is here to bee construed in opposition not to all going out but that which is malicious and impenitent for such was the apostacy of those Antichrists They who are of the Church may bee for a time seduced from the Church from her truth to errour from her unity to Schisme but 1 They goe not out totally though from a particular yet not from the Catholick Church though from some truths which are as superstructures yet not from those which are at least fundamentally and absolutely necessary to salvation and though perhaps sometimes they may doubt of them yet not so as to deny them or if sometimes out of fear and infirmity to deny yet not wilfully and resolvedly to oppose them Those instances of Peter and Judas doe very well illustrate the difference in this particular between the departure which is incident to a true Christian and an Hypocrite Peter indeed sadly Apostatized when he not only forsook but denied his Master but it was against the bent of his heart which was to professe Christ though all others forsooke him as appeareth by his owne expression in which regard Tertullian saith of him Fidei robur fuit concussum non excussum fides mota non amota the strength of his faith was moved and shaken but not the truth of it removed and thrown down and St. Gregory that his faith that herb of Grace was not withered but rather trodden down with the foot of fear and to the same purpose the Greek Father though the wind of Satans assault had blown down the leaves the root was alive whereas Judas betrayed his Master out of a deliberate and wilful resolution as appeareth by the contract hee made about it before hand thus whilst Hypocrites wilfully make shipwrack of the faith true beleevers are against their wills through the violence of temptation dashed upon a rock 2 They goe not out finally so as never to return to the truth and unity of the Church vel rarò cadunt vel dei beneficio resurgunt saith Daneus they seldome fall into grosse errors and when they do they rise again by repentance though these sheep may sometimes wander out of the fold the shepheard brings them back again Very suitable to this purpose is that allusion of S. Cyprian to the Dove and the Crow both of which went forth from the Ark but the Dove returned whereas the Crow never did The Ark is a fit embleme of the Church the Dove of a seduced Catholick and the Crow of an obstinate Heretick and whereas the Heretick having left the Church goeth still downward to the gates of destruction the Catholick though he may go out returneth with prayers and tears In this respect that observation of Cicero concerning the Corinthian brass that it doth not gather rust so soon as other and is more easily scoured than other is fitly applicable to the true members of the Church who are not presently with-drawn and speedily recalled 2 That continuing with us which is here asserted is to bee understood not in reference to their own strength but Divine power they that are of the Church if left to themselves would soon leave her Temptations from the World and the Devil are so frequent and violent grace in the best so weak and defective that were is not for that manutenentia Dei Gods upholding mercy it were impossible they should not bee drawn aside surely if the Angels and Adam who yet had no inherent cortuption to by as them soon left that state of integrity in which God created them the best Christians having the remainder of sin must needs bee more apt to turn aside from God but saith the Apostle Peter wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation that effectual grace saith Austin quae facit ut accedamus facit ne discedamus which causeth us to draw neer keepeth us from drawing back so that as in regard of our own weaknesse it is impossible wee should continue of our selves so in regard of divine power it is impossible but we should continue By all which the meaning of our Apostle in these words appeareth to bee briefly this that they who are true members of the Church are undoubtedly so far preserved by Gods power that either they shall not go out or if they do they shall return and so continue to the end This is that truth which is shadowed forth in the Psalmist by the resemblance of a tree planted by the Rivers of waters which bringeth forth fruit in its season whose leaf shall not fade in the Gospel by the similitude of an house built upon the rock which falls not though the winds blow storms rage and the waves beat against it We read concerning the Temple of Solomon that it was made of the wood of Lebanon which they say never corrupts upon which S. Gregory thus moralizeth secundum praescientiae suae gratiam sanctam ecclesiam de in aeternum permansuris sanctis constituit the materials of the spiritual Temple are persevering Saints according to which is the promise of Christ to every true beleever under the title of a Conquerour Him that overcommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and hee shall go no more out 2 Having unfolded the genuine sense of this position it now remaineth that wee inquire into the grounds upon which the truth of it is established which wee shall find to bee four Two in regard of God and two in regard of Christ 1 In regard of God the certain continuance of the true members of the Church depends upon the love of his Election and the fidelity of his Covenant 1 It is impossible that any of those whom God hath from all eternity chosen to salvation should perish now out of the Church there is no salvation and therefore it is impossible they who are of the number of the faithful and chosen of God should utterly go out of the Church this is that which our Saviour himself speaking of those false Christs and false Prophets which should arise and shew great signs and wonders intimateth as that which secureth true beleevers from being seduced by them because they are elected for when hee saith insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect hee manifestly implyeth that since they are elected it is impossible that they should bee deceived to wit so as utterly to renounce the Christian faith Indeed look as the passing of that bitter cup of the passion was impossible not simply in it self but in respect of Gods Decree so the seduction of the elect to
gift namely the holy one By which some understand the third Person in the sacred Trinity to whom this character so fitly agreeth that he is usually set forth by this title the Holy Ghost but the Scripture phrase is not annoynting from but with the Holy Ghost by which is intimated that the Holy Ghost is the unguent itself and therefore it is more rational to understand by the Holy one Christ from whom it is wee have the unction of his Spirit so that in the handling of this part I shall first give you an account how fitly and fully it agreeth to Christ and then reflect upon the unction how justly it is affirmed to be from Christ 1 It would not be passed by that the Apostle mentioning Christ describeth him by holinesse it is the title by which he characterizeth himself in the beginning of his Epistle to the Church of Philadelphia These things saith he that is holy and that he spake no more than truth of himself you may hear the same from the mouth of his and our grand Adversary the Devil I know thee who thot◠art the holy one of God Our Apostle here sets it down very emphatically The Holy one that is singularly eminently perfectly holy or in Daniels phrase the holy of holies which our Translators fitly render by the superlative degree the most holy one look as a little before the Devil is called The wicked one because hee is extreamly wicked so Christ is called the Holy one as being transcendently holy It is that which is true of Christ in reference to both his Natures as God and as Man 1 Holinesse is the inseparable property of a Deity it is as it were the excellency and perfection of the God-head and Crown of all the Attributes now Christ is Gods own Son to whom hee communicateth himself and so this holinesse The Angels in Isaiah and the Beasts in the Revelation giving glory to God three times iterate Holy Holy Holy with reference as some conceive to all the three Persons Holy Father Holy Son and Holy Spirit and thus Christ as God is holy in his Nature in his Decrees in his Word and Works and eternally holy in all he is and willeth he saith and doth according to that of the Psalmist He is holy in all his works 2 As man he is the holy one and that both in respect of his conception and conversation 1 His conception was holy because of the Holy Ghost who over-shadowed the Virgin purifying that part of her substance of which Christ was born whereby hee was free from all that corruption which is by Adam propagated to his posterity To this probably referrs that phrase the holy childe Jesus and certainly that of the Angel to the Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God True it is Christ took upon him the reality of frail flesh but only the likenesse of sinful flesh and though he assumed our natural yet not our vitious defects 2 His conversation was holy Indeed how could any impure stream flow from so pure a spring his nature being holy his life could not be unholy and there being an exact integrity in the one there must needs be a spotless innocency in the other on the one hand he was to bee a pattern of holinesse after whose copy all Christians are to write good reason it should be exact without the least blot on the other hand he was to be a sacrifice for sin which he could not have been if hee had not been without sin and therefore it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnesse by a full conformity to that exact rule of Gods Law Nor is he only Holy but the Holy one in respect of both his Natures 1 In regard of his Divine Nature in as much as he is essentially infinitely originally and immutably Holy essentially because his holiness is not an accident to him but his very essence infinitely because his holiness is not only without imperfection but limitation originally because his holiness is from himself he is the cause of all holinesse in the Creature immutably because it is altogether impossible he should cease to be holy for then he must cease to bee God well might Hannah say None holy as the Lord and indeed this phrase is most properly verified of him in this regard for as Aristotle though he call other things good yet when he speaketh of the chief good he calleth it by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Good so though the Creature may bee said to bee holy yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy one most properly belongs to God though yet Secondarily and in a comparative sense not only with all other men but Angels Christ in respect of his Humane nature is the Holy one and that upon a double account The one because the holinesse of his Humane nature farre surpasseth that which is in any other creature and that in as much as it was presently to bee united with the God-head and if some measure of holinesse bee required in all that approach God how unmeasurable and perfect must be that holinesse of Christs Humane nature which is united with God and in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily The other because whereas all other Creatures have holinesse only for themselves and cannot convey it to others in which respect St. Austine saith of holy Parents they beget their children Non è principiis novitatis sed è reliquiis vetustatis not from the principles of the new man but the remainders of the old man and so cannot communicate their holinesse to their children Christ is a Son of righteousnesse imparting holinesse to his Church a root of holinesse as the first Adam was of wickednesse giving the sap of grace to all his branches in which regard St. Paul saith expresly he is made to us of God sanctification O then let us learn to magnifie Christ in and for his holinesse That phrase in Moses his Hymn Who is like to thee O Lord glorious in holinesse what doth it intimate but that holinesse calls for glory and praise Worthy then is he who is the holy one to bee honoured and adored by us That expression of the Psalmist Holy and reverent is his name plainly teacheth us that sanctity calls for reverence oh let us reverence the Person and hallow the name of Christ because he is the holy one what the Romanists doe parasitically to the Pope Christs pretended Vicar calling him superlatively Most Holy Father and abstractively his Holinesse that we need not fear to doe Religiously to Christ himself And since we call our selves Christians oh let us account our selves engaged to the study and exercise of holinesse it is St. Peters reasoning since hee which hath called you is holy nor is the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why he loved us there can no reason on our part be given of it And surely since his love was not deserved no nor so much as desired by us fit it is it should be acknowledged with admiration and retaliated with gratulation and followed by imitation This last our Apostle here aimeth at in which respect he fitly addeth and in you it being most rationall that what was true in the Head should be true also in the Members what was true in the Root should be true in the Branches that as Christ loved us so we Christians should love one another Before I proceed to this which is the next part I shall in a few words mind you of one reading of these words in which they have reference to this second part Grotius tels us that in one Manuscript it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St Hierom in his translation reads it nobis A thing which is true in him that is Chriâ—t and in us that is his Apostles who write and publish this Commandment to you The Originall Copy was drawn by Christ his Disciples transcribed it in their own practice and have commended it to all Christians to write after both him and them This Cup of Love was begun by Christ his Apostles pledged him and it must go round all Christians are to drink of it And here I cannot but take notice of that which I would to God were seriously laid to heart by all who succeed the Apostles in the work of the Ministry Namely that as St John in the behalf of himself and the other Apostles saith I write to you a Commandment concerning a thing which is true in us so we may be able to say that that which we enjoyn the people is verified in our selves This is according to Isidores phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to joyn living with dead instruction when our life as well as our tongue preacheth this is according to Primasius his Exposition rightly to divide the word of truth when we confirme our Doctrine by our practice Finally This is according to Playfers allusion to lift up the voice like a Trumpet which must be held with the hand as well as blown with the mouth when we not only report the truth by a lively Preaching but support it by a Preaching life Indeed then only can Ministers publish commands with authority so as to gain belief with boldness so as not to be ashamed with efficacy so as to perswade when they joyn patterns to their Precepts 1. Men are very apt to question the truth of that Dectrine to which the Preachers practice giveth the lye the way to imprint an instruction upon the Hearers heart as well as ear is to speak by our works as well as words It is said of our blessed Saviour He spake as one having authority and St Gregories morall is Cum imperio docetur quod prius agitur quam docetur he only Preacheth with authority who doth what he teacheth 2. When a Ministers Conversation confuteth his instruction blushing may well sit upon his cheeks and his ears tingle to hear that of St Paul Thou that teachest another shall not steal dost thou steal The Leper in the Law was to cover his lips which one morally applyeth to Leprous Ministers who may well stop their mouths for shame 3. A speech not accompanied with action saith Isidore truely for the most part is liveless and ineffectuall if the Heavens that is the Preachers are as Brass only tinckling with sound of words no marvell if the Earth to wit the People are as Iron obdurate to all their counsels since Cujus vita despicitur restat ut ejus praecatio contemnatur his Preaching is usually despicable whose life is contemptible in which regard St Bernard saith truly of such an one Verendum ne non tam nutriat doctrinâ verbi quam sterili vitâ noceat It is to be feared his vitious life more infects then his pious Doctrine instructs That Preacher wi ll both find most comfort in himself and do most good to others who can say in the words of a devout Abbot Nâ—n aliquem docui quicquam quod ego prius ipse non fecerim I never taught any man any lesson which I did not first learn my self as here St John saith of this Commandment it is true in us And so much for this second commendatory Character of this grace of Love its conformity to the pattern of Christ and as you see by some readings his Apostles I now hasten to the 3. Last That conformity which this duty hath to the state of the Gospell and the truth of Christianity in these words And in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth In these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you is implyed a Substantive Verb which may be put either Indicatively or Imperatively is or let it be true in you according to a different construction of the following words Whilst some by darkness and light understand the Legall and Evangelicall administration so the Imperative rendering best suiteth Let this Love be true in you because the darkness of the Law is past and the light of the Gospell shineth And others by darkness understand the state of unregeneracy and by light the state of regeneracy and so the Indicative best fits this thing which is commanded the duty of Love is true in you because you are brought out of the darkness of nature into the light of grace Each of these constructions are consonant to the Analogy of Faith agree well with the scope of the Apostle want not the concurrence of judicious Expositors and therefore I shall neglect neither 1. In handling these words according to the first interpretation we shall loook upon them two waies as an Assertion and as an Argument 1. As an Assertion we have considerable in them A double Subject darkness and light A double predicate of the darkness that it is past of the true light that it now shineth 1. It would in the first place be here considred that the Gospell is set forth by light and the Law by darkness Suitable to this it is that St Paul as some expound those words The night is far spent the day is at hand compareth the one to the day and the other to the night and St Ambrose interprets these words of the Psalmist Day unto day uttereth speech and Night unto night sheweth knowledg the one of the Christian and the other of the Jew 1. That the Gospell is most fitly described by light is out of question and the Analogy may easily be demonstrated in severall parables The Fountain of light is the Sun and Christ the Son of righteousness is the Author of the Gospell in which respect it is called the word of Christ The nature of light is pure the Doctrine of the Gospell is holy in which regard it is called the mystery
more there is in this word Brother implyed a modification of that love which we must express towards Christians to wit that it must be such as that which is between Brethren and that more properly in two things the instancy and the constancy the fervency and the permanency of it 1. Brotherly love is fervent it is a relation of the greatest indearment partly as its naturall not founded in choice as it is between Man and Wife and between Friends and partly as it is between Equals not like that between Parents and Children whose love towards their Parents hath more of neverence then sweetness in it hence it is that as no discord so neither is any love like to that which hath been found among Brethren such ought our love to be towards Christians a bright shining an hot flaming love That exhortation of St Paul is very observable to this purpose Be you kindly affected one to another with Brotherly Love where the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Tertullian affecâ—uosâ— both which note an eminent measure and degree of affection such is Brotherly such ought to be Christian love very affectionate Memorable in this respect was the example of the Primitive Christians of whom that forementioned Father saith they did love one another ad stuporem Gentilium to the astonishment of the Heathen so much that the Heathen cryed out with admiration Vide ut invicem se diligunt see how they love one another 2. Brotherly love is lasting it is naturall and therefore perpetuall it is a relation that ceaseth not till death and therefore the affection may well remain A Brother if not very unnaturall will own his Brother in rags and love him in his lowest estate such must Christian love be towards a Brother of low as well as high degree in persecution as well as prosperity when he wants us not we him nor must our love cease to act towards him till he cease to be amongst us This was that no doubt which the Apostle aimed at when he saith Let Brotherly love continue thereby minding what the love of Brethren is and what the love of Christians ought to be a continuing and enduring love And now what other use should we make of all this discourse upon the nature of this grace but hereby to examine our selves whether our love be of the right stampe to wit such a love as is ready to every good word and worke as extendeth it self to our very enemies as is chiefly fixed upon Christians and that because they are so and so much shall suffice to bespoken of the first part the Subject of the Thesis I now proceed more briefly to the 2. Praedicates Which are plainly two describing the benefit of this grace the one in regard of the condition and the other of conversation of such a person his condition is happy for he abideth in the light his conversation is sweet for there is no occasion of stumbling in him 1. He that loveth his Brether is said to abide in the light it is not unfitly here taken notice of by Zanchy that as in the Eighth Verse our Apostle argueth à causa ad effectum from the cause to the effect this thing is true in you namely the pracâ—ice of love because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth to wit of grace so in this Verse he reasons ab effecto ad causam from the effect to the cause He in whom this is true that he loves his Brother is brought out of that darkness and abides in the light Light is a Metaphor variously applied in Scripture we may here take it three waies 1. This Metaphor of light is sometimes attributed to Christ so by our Apostle in his Gospell when he calleth him the light of whom John the Baptist did beare witness by himself when he saith I am the light of the world and thus abiding in the light is the same with that of abiding in him Thus it is an undoubted truth He that loveth his Brother abideth in Christ that Branch which participateth of the juyce and sap of the root must needs abide in it Love is the sap that was in Christ and therefore he that partaketh of love from Christ must abide in him that Member which suffereth with the rest of the Body declareth it self to be in the Body he that by loving sympathizeth with his Brother manifesteth himself to be a Member of Christ 2. Sometimes by this Metaphor of light the Gospell together with the saving knowledge of it are represented Both these we meet with in one Chapter whilst St Paul expresly mentioneth first the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ and presently the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Indeed in the one is the light without and the other is as the light within and he that loveth his Brother adideth in this light hereby declaring that he hath indeed learned and is rightly acquainted with Evangelicall Doctrine to this purpose is Justinians note Eo lumine dignum se ostendit qui luminis ductum sequitur by following the conduct of this light he sheweth himself in some measure worthy of it because answerable to it 3. But lastly This Metaphor of light is used to set forth grace and holiness in this sense no doubt St Peter is to be understood when he saith of Believers that they are called by God out of darkness into his marvelous light and thus the light in which he that loveth his Brother is said to abide is the same with that in the former Chapter where we have the phrase of walking in the light and the meaning of the word is briefly this He that loveth his Brother is in a state of grace Charity is an evident demonstration of sanctity St Paul reckoning up the fruits of the spirit placeth love in the front as if there were no clearer fruit of the spirits residence in us then the exercise of this duty of love Indeed there is a love which only argueth good nature such is that of a Kinsman a Friend but to love an enemy and that because it is an Evangelicall injunction and to love a Christian because he is a Christian is such a Flower as groweth not in natures garden but is a fruit of the Spirit and so a Testimony of grace But because I shall have more full occasion of discussing this in the next Chapter I pass on to the 2. Next benefit which attends upon Brotherly love as it is expressed in those words and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Not to insist on the severall acceptions of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is used by the 70. in the Old Testament and by the sacred Writers in the new this being already done by the late learned Annotator It may suffice to know that here according to its derivation
of Sacrifices Those Gnosticks in the Primitive times are Characterized by St Paul to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despisers of those that do good and so void of Christian love nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection to wit towards their fleshly relations to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fierce and cruell in their attempts yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very Devils for the malice of their tongues and notwithstanding they were such as had a form of godliness in regard of externall observances and so no doubt thought themselves in the light 3. He may mistake his hatred of his Brother for zeal his furious persecution for a just prosecution and no wonder if he think in this respect his very hatred to be an argument of his being in the light when those wicked Jews hate and pursue Christ even to the death they plead Blasphemy as the cause and so justifie the fact when Saul breathed forth threatnings and made that havock of the Church he saith of himself that it was in his opinion an act of zeal concerning zeal persecuting the Church our blessed Saviour acquaineth his Disciples That whosoever did kill them should think he did God good service and when men do inâ—â—â—â—re câ—â—-ratiâ—ne nay religione rage against their Brother not only out of rationall but religious principles to wit in their apprehensions no wonder if their rage grow very high and notwithstanding their opinions of themselves be very good 2. And surely this being his opinion no marvell if it be his Profession wherein he glorieth whereof he boasteth saying it to others that he is in the light Indeed some there are who say this in profession contrary to their own opinion their consciences tell them they are in the darkness of wickedness and yet they say they are in the light of grace and why this but that hating their Brother they may with the more certainty and secrecy accomplish their malicious designs against him But though I hope the number of these is very small yet many very many there are who whilest themselves are black with hatred glitter in showes of holiness and make great brâ—gs of their sanctity Ficta sanctitos oculas omnium perstring it interim neglecta jacet charitas â—aith Calvin upon this Textâ—â— â—â— their fancied piety â—â— glorious in the eyes of all whilest charity lyeth neglected We shall do no wrong either to the Papists on the one hand or Anabaptists on the other if we assert them to be haters of their Brethren the bloudy practices of both do loudly cry it in the ears of God and Man and yet many of these think all of them boast themselves to be in the light of sanctity and that they are the Churches of Christ You have heard what this hater of his Brother saith be pleased now to hear what he is as his state is really â—aithfully delineated by our Apostle in three characters And yet before I enâ—er upon the particulars it will not be amiss to take notice in generall how contrary the Apostles desciption is to this Hypocrites opinion â—â—e saith he is in the light the Apostle saith He is in and walketh in darkness whereby it appeareth that his opinion is very false because contrary to the judgment of truth and hence the Greek Scholiast here supplyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St Cyprian mentitur he that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother lyeth whence it is easie to observe That the estate of a man may be desperately bad when yet in his own opinion it is excellently good A man may account himself silver whilst God rejects him as dross he may in his own opinion be a Member of Christ and yet in Christs esteem a Childe of the Devill and whilst he dreameth that he is in the Book of Life he may be in Gods account a Reprobate Weake Christians erring on the right hand condemne themselves as if they were in the darkness of unregeneracy when yet God seeth the light of his grace shining in them Presumptuous Hypocrites on the other applaud themselves as if they were in the light of grace when yet God seeth them in the darkness of unregeneracy The Pharisee justifieth himself and condemneth the Publican Christ justifieth the Publican and condemneth the Pharisee Men may be good in the estimation of other yea and that of good men whilst in truth they are bad So the Angell of the Church of Sardis had a name that he lived and was dead Men may be Saints in their own apprehensions and yet Devils in Gods sight So the Angell of the Church of Laodicea said He was rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing when as he was wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Take we heed how we give credit either to the faire applauses of men or the smooth dictates of our own hearts which being deceitfull sooth us up as if we were in the light when yet we are and walk in darkness This being promised come we to a particuler view of the severall Characters given to him that hateth a Brother by which three things are represented to us His wicked Disposition He is in darkness even till now and again He is in darkness His vitious Conversation And walketh in darkness His miserable Condition And knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. That which first occureth is his wicked Disposition wherein we have two things considerable The Quality He is in darkness and the Duration even untill now 1. The Quality of his Disposition is described by that ingeminated expression He is in darkness for the fuller handling of which take notice first of the emphasis and then of the meaning of the phrase 1. The emphasis of the phrase is double 1. It is observable That our Apostle doth not content himself to say he is not in the light but as Zanchy well observeth exaggerationis gratia useth an exaggerrating expression He is in darkness Indeed the one doth necessarily inferre the other he that is not in the light must needs be in darkness since the remotion of the light is the position of darkness and as the one goeth the other cometh but yet this latter is more full and the Apostle that he might let us see how grosly such a man is deceived let us know that he is so far from being in the light that he is in darkness and therefore he is as much mistaken as if a man in a darke night should say it were noon-day 2. It would yet further be considered that it is not only said of such a man darkness is in him but he is in darkness even he that loveth his Brother is not so in the light but that there is a mixture of darkness but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and so without any light A man is then said to be in the water when he is covered
then St Paul who admonisheth the Corinthians In malice be you Children And in this respect as Tertullians phrase is he would have the oldest men repuerascere grow young again and so in an excellent sense be twice Children Indeed as Clemens Alexandrinus observes concerning the prohibition of distrustfull care so may I concerning this of hatred and revenge he that indeavours to fulfill it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Childe both in Mens and Gods account the World thinketh him a Childe yea a fool to put up injuries and God esteemeth him as a Childe yea such a Childe of whom is the Kingdome of God 2. Little Children are not covetous nor ambitious nor luxurious they affect not variety of delicacies they are not greedy of gain nor puffed up with titles Si verberantur non afficiuntur odio nec si laudantur arrogantiâ if corrected they hate not if commended they swell not thus ought Christians to deny worldly lusts and to conquer all inordinate desires Holy David comparing himself to a Childe saith My soul was even as a weaned Child which is no more greedy of the dug so ought every good man to have his heart weaned from all the honours and pleasures and profits of this transitory world And surely well were it if even Parents would in this regard go to Schoole to their little Children and by their behaviour learn their own duty the truth is to a wise and understanding Christian every Creature is a Preacher and every day a Sabboath with the Bee he sucketh honey out of every flower above the Starrs beneath the fruits abroad the beasts at home the little Children are his instructors of whom he learneth these excellent lessons to contemn the world and to abborre malice which that our Apostle might the more strongly inculcate upon those to whom he wrote he cals them little Children and so much be spoken of the generall denomination in the twelfth Verse passe we on to the Particular Enumeration As it is set down in the thirteenth Verse Fathers young Men little Children I find among Expositors a double reference of these expressions by some to severall degrees of grace by others to severall ages of life according to the former construction the words are to be interpreted Metaphorically according to the latter literally Oecumenus upon the place asserts that our Apostle intends by these titles to express the different sorts of Christians who were to receive his Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose different progress in Christianity he sets down with allusion to the increase of naturall life Origen is express both in a Negative and Positive way Non corporales aetates sed animae perfectionem differentia ponit by this phrase the Apostle designeth to difference Christians not according to the ages of their bodies but the growth of their souls in grace and in another place he saith this is so evident a truth that he thinketh none ever doubted it Though I am so far from excluding with this allegoricall Father the literall construction that I conceive it is most congruous yet I shall not altogether wave the Metaphoricall sense And thus there is a threefold degree of grace which is shadowed by these three-ages of life 1. Incipieâ—tes They who are â—â—vices in Christianity incipients in grace are represented by little Children and if we look into the Metaphor we shall find the parallel fit and full 1. Little Children are weak in body they cannot go with strength rnu with swiftness act with vigour but what they do they do it weakely so is it with beginners in Religion they complaine of deadness dulness weakness in performing holy duties instead of running it is as much as they can do to go the way of Gods Commandments and in going they often slip nay fall though not through willfullness yet weakness 2. Little Children are low of stature so are beginners in Christianity dwarfs in piety To have our conversation in Heaven is a lesson long in learning we cannot presently nor easily mount up with the wings of an Eagle even they who loath sin know not how to part with the world and it is by many steps that they ascend to an Heavenly life 3. Little Children are fed with milk their stomacks being not fit to digest more solid food thus beginners in Religion are to be instructed in the rudiments of Christianity as being uncapable of higher mysteries Christs Disciples before the descensâ—on of the holy Ghost were but incipients and therefore out Saviour tels them I have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet St Paul speaking of those Christians among the Corinthians who were Babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto you were not able to bear it neither yet now are you able Those little Children in the Text had some divine knowledg but it was very dimme and imperfect and as yet they had but suckt in the first principles of Christianity 4. Little Children are fickle and inconstant now this liketh them and by and by it distasteth them whatever you put into their hands they quickly let it fall takeing no fasthold of it thus are weake Christians carried to and fro with every winde of Doctrine now this opinion pleaseth them and anon it displeaseth them and though the verities of Christian religion are inculcated upon them they hold them not fast but suffer themselves easily to be spoyled of them 5. Finally Little Children are full of fears easily affrighted with any thing so are spirituall Babes their faith being little doubts arise fears prevaile Wicked sinners are presumpteous weak Christians are timorous and as the Devill luls those asleep in security so he dismaies these with anxiety 2. Proficients Those who have made some progress in Christianity are compared to young Men For 1. As youngmen have good stomacks whereby they both earnestly desire and easily digest solid meats so it is with growing Christians they receive the manna of the ordinances with attention retaine it by meditation and so turn it into good nutriment by practise they are able to chew and feed upon evangelicall verities to digest them in their understandings and memories in which respect our Apostle saith The word of God abideth in them 2. Young men are active and vigorous having strong bodies and nimble joynts whereby they fulfill their imployments without weariness thus are spirituall proficients ready to every good word and work divine commands are not grievous Christs yoake is easie to them and they do the will of God with alacrity for which reason our Apostle saith of them they are strong 3. Young men are fit by reason of their strength for military employments and upon all occasions are called forth to service so are strong Christians fit to encounter with temptations afflictions persecutions and through divine assistance to conquer them upon which account it is said of these young
which were for sometime affixed to the gates of the Temple for the people to read and afterward taken down and laid in the treasury and it is expresly asserted concerning God himself that after he had given the Law speaking the ten words with his own lips he wrote them with his own fingers in two tables of stone If you shall inquire a reason why God would have his word not only spoken but written and his Apostles not only Nephtalies to give goodly words but Zebulons to handle the pen and not only Orators but Secretaries I answer upon a threefold ground drawn from themselves their people and the truth they had delivered 1. In regard of themselves Inasmuch as writing was a supply of their absence The Mother cannot be alwaies present with the Babe to suckle it with the dug and therefore she provideth a sucking bottle to refresh it in her absence thus the Apostles because they could not be in many places at once and consequently not alwaies present with their scattered flock vouchsafed to write to them that their wrightings might be instead of vocall instructions 2. In regard of the people Since these writings were an excellent means both of strengthning their memories and confirming their faith 1. The writing did bring to the peoples remembrance what the Apostles had formerly taught them This St Peter asserteth as the end of his writing to stir up the pure minds of the people by way of remembrance it being a great prop to memorie when those truths which have been sounded in the eare are afterwards presented to the eye whilst what was lost to the one is restooed to the oâ—her and so truth secured to the memory 2. These writeings were no small confirmation of the people in the faith by speaking the Apostles did as it were lay the foundation and by writeing they reared the Fabrick by Preaching they planted and by writeing watered Finally by speaking they converted Heathens to and by writeing they corroborated the Christians in the faith 3. Once more In regard of the truths themselves that they might hereby be perpetuated to posterity To this purpose Rivet asserteth the writings of Gods Word as not only profitable but necessary Labili memoriae posterorum successioni as to help the weakness of memory so to transmit revelations to after ages Aelian reporteth of certain frogs which taking a kind of reed into their mouths save themselves from the water serpents that would devoure them thus the holy Apostles by taking a Pen into their hands have preserved those pretious truths which the Devill indeavoureth to swallow up By which it appears that the sacred writings though they were directed to them who then lived yet they are intended for us St Paul saith of the writings of the Old Testament That the things which were written aforetime were written for our learning the like may we say of the writings both of the New and Old Testament they are for our use and instruction And surely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cals for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reading is the end of writing and since the Apostles took the pains to write it is but just we should bestow the time to read It was a sad complaint of God himself against Israel I have written to them the great things of my Law and they have accounted them as a strange thing Oh that the like accusation might not be charged by Christ upon us I have written to them the great things of my Gospell but they have counted them as a strange thing and are strangers to them How sad is it to think that whereas Davids blessed man meditateth on Gods Law day and night with many of us daies and nights nay weeks and moneths pass away without reading and meditating on the sacred writings Oh let us wipâ— of the dust of contempt from the cover of our Bibles and recall them from the land of forgetfulness whither our neglect hath banished them 2. It would yet further be taken notice of that here is not only a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write in the thirteenth but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have written in the fourteenth Verse the sense whereof is fitly rendred by Estius to be Scripsi iterumque scribo I have written and again I write Our Apostle doth not only adde precept to precept but line to line concerning the same precept and though he had written just before yet he writeth again nor are we to imagine it was through want of matter but abundance of zeal that our Apostle striketh a second time upon the same string That workman who would fasten the naile in the wall must drive it home to the head by repeated blows many times as second thoughts are better so sâ—ond admonitions are stronger and have a more prevailing influence some indeed awake at the first call but the most have need of a second nay a third Calvin too rashly judgeth these repetitions in the fourteenth Verse to be superfluous yet I would to God they were but St John knew it otherwise and we cannot but observe it in our own experience there is a great necessity and therefore just reason that we should write and speak the same lesson once and again and surely if it concerneth us to write it behoveth you to read the same writings again and again the one must not be grievous to us nor the other tedious for you some things need to be read once and again that we may understand them or if reading once we understand let us read again that we may remember and if we understand and remember let us read again that we may finde our affections inlivened 2. Having viewed the Absolute pass we on to the Relative consideration of this Act and that in reference 1. To the Agent That which here this holy Apostle taketh to himself is onely the writing not the enditing he was the Scribe but the Spirit of God dictated or if you will he was the Pen but the Spirit the hand that guided it It is St Peters generall assertion The holy men of God spake as being moved by the holy Ghost And St Paul is no less express when he saith All Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of divine inspiration the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspiring is Gods part and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing was the Apostles Indeed we finde two expressions which seem directly opposite one to the other whenas in the tenth Verse of the seaventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Corinthians the Apostle saith I command you not I but the Lord and in the twelfth Verse speake I not the Lord. But it will be easily salved if we consider that St Paul refers to the Doctrine which the Lord Christ delivered himself concerning divorces wherein though there is a generall prohibition except in case of fornication yet there is nothing in particular concerning the case of
strength and the little Children for their knowledg of the Father A fit pattern for all Ministers for all Superiours yea for all to follow Indeed to flatter bad men in their sins is abominable God pronounceth a curse against such Prophets who daube with untempered Morter and by their smooth language strengthen the hands of evill doers but to commend good men for their graces is commendable and hath not only the pattern of the Apostle but of Christ and God himself to warrant it The truth is Praise is a due debt to Virtue and therefore it is an act of Justice it is not unfitly observed that our Apostle joyneth these two together If there be any virtue If there be any praise to intimate that praise ought to attend on virtue Nor is it only a debt but a spurre and therefore an act of prudence When a good man is commended others are incouraged and si non amore virtutis at dilectione laudis accenduntur many have been allured with the Love of praise whom the Love of virtue could not perswade however the person himself being commended is thereby animated nor is it unlawfull for men to be Moved in a subordinate way with a desire of praise and much respect St Bernard upon those words in the Proverbs Hast thou found honey Eate so much as is sufficient for thee saith Potest in hoc loâ—o non incongrue mellis nomine favor humanae laudis intelligi in this place by honey may be understood not unfitly the favour of humane praise Meritoque non ab omni sed ab immoderato edâ—lio prohibemur nor are we prohibited all but only an immoderate desire of glory No wonder then if the Ministers of Christ whom he hath appointed Fishers of men among others make use of this bait of praise that commendation may make way for their commands and a well done may encourage their Auditours to do better This no doubt was the designe of St John that by this Artifice of praise his instructions might have the stronger influence upon them to whom he writeth Come we now to the severall Reasons by which he bespeaketh the severall Ages 1. The first respects the Aged Fathers to whom he wrote because they knew him who was from the beginning as it is expressed in the thirteenth and fourteenth Verses In handling of this Character I shall consider the goodness and the fitness of it the goodness of it in it self by inquiring what it meaneth and the fitness of it both to the Subjects to whom and the Objects about which our Apostle wrote 1. Consider we this Character in it self and we shall finde it not only good but excellent Indeed in this one there are two Characters to wit of Christ and the Christian which offer themselves to our view of Christ that he is from the begining of the Christian that he knoweth him who is from the begining of each in order 1. Our Apostle here affirmeth concerning Christ that he is from the begining Indeed Illyricus refers this to God who is said to be from everlasting to everlasting and to inhabit eternity and is called by Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most ancient of all things because before all things yea the Creator And sutably Plato putting the question What is the most ancient thing answereth God But I conceive it is most sutable to the Apostles scope to understand it with Calvin Aretius and the most nay best Interpreters of Christ And thus as Zanchy well observeth this may be asserted of him in a double respect quo ad virtutem salviâ—â—cam and quo ad personam in respect of virtuall efficacy and personall subsistence 1. Christ is from the begining to wit ordained and purposed to be the Mediatour of his Church in which sense he is called the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world Whence it is that though he dyed in the fulness of time yet the virtue of his death as it extendeth forward to the end so backward to the begining of the world 2. But principally Christ is said to be from the beginning inasmuch as his subsistence is from eternity to wit in respect not of his humane but divine nature Thus St Austin appositely novus Christus in carne sed antiquus in divinitate Christ as to his manhood is new but as to his Godhead ancient and Oecumenius expressely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is it that is from the beginning but God the Word In this respect justly is the Messiah called by the Prophet Isay the everlasting Father and the Prophet Micah saith of him who was to be born in Bethlehem that his goings forth have been of old from everlasting Upon this account the Authour to the Hebrewes asserts him to be yesterday to day and the same for ever where saith Anselm by yesterday is denoted the time past and the vast space of eternity preceding by to day the time present and by for ever that which is to come Finally unto this that metaphoricall Character which our Apostle giveth of Christ is plainly to be referred where he saith his head that is his Divinity so Pererius and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow to which in regard of its antiquity for so Daniel calling God the ancient of dayes presently addeth the hair of his head was like pure wooll namely for whiteness which is the badge of old age Not to enlarge upon this point because it is only collateral in the Text I shall in a few words discuss these two propositions which are plainly intimated in this clause and clearly expressed in Scripture 1. That Jesus Christ had a being before he was born of the Virgin Mary indeed he then began to be man but he did not then begin to be when his Mother conceived and brought him forth into the world It was our blessed Saviours positive assertion concerning himself Before Abraham waâ— I am and if he had a being before Abraham certainly he did not begin to be when he was made man That this was the meaning of our Saviour is clear in that it is returned by him as an Answer to the Jewes Objection which is manifestly drawn from the short date of his personall existence Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham to which Christs words cannot be a full Answer if they intend not that he had a personal being before Abraham and so no wonder if Abraham were known to him and that the Jewes so understood him is evident in that they took up stones to cast at him as conceiveing him a blasphemer in so saying upon which accounâ— the Father saith excellently Ecce Judaei intellexerunt quod non intelligunt Arriani Behold the Jewes understood that which the Arrians will not but fondly and impiously endeavour to obscure Very conâ—â—derable upon this account is that of St
Paul where he saith that being or according to the force of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subsisting in the forme of God he took upon him the forme of a servant whence it plainly followeth that before he took upon him the forme of a servant he had a subsistence It is not unworthy our observation to this purpose that Christ when he was incarnate is said to come down from heaven and to come forth from the Father whereby is manifestly implyed that before his incarnation he was in heaven and in the bosome of his Father Thus when we read The Word was made flesh and God sent his Sonne into the world it is evident that he was the Word and the Sonne before else how could he be capable of assuming flesh and being sent into the world It is a clear maxime nothing can be predicated of nothing so that if he were not at all till he was made flesh and sent it could not be predicated of him that he was made flesh or that he was sent by the Father 2. But further That being which Jesus Christ had before his incarnation was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the begining which we cannot better expound then by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning which we meet with in the Gospel and so the sense is that when the world began to be Christ was and so consequently from eternity because before all time Express to this purpose is that prayer of our Saviour Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was the genuine plain doctrine whereof is that Christ had a glory â—nd therefore a co-existence with his Father before the world was I am not ignorant how that Samosatenian and Socinian Hereticks interpret this only of Gods eternal purpose to glorifie his Sonne after he had finished his work upon earth And truly it is worth our noting how absurdly these pretended Masters of reason construe as others so this Scripture whilest they would have us to believe that when Christ positively saith he had this glory with his Father before the world was he only meaneth by it that his Father decreed before the world was he should have this glory and so that which is averred of actual possession must only signifie an intentional preparation when yet it had been as easie for Christ to have said if he had meant no more the glory which thou hast prepared for me before the world was yea whenas both Christ and his Apostles where they would express the decree of glory still use the phrases of prepared and layed up and such like No less doth it tend to the confirmation of this truth that the Evangelist saith concerning Christ All things are made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made and therefore St Paul having asserted that all things were created by him and for him presently addeth and he is before all things Indeed as Tertullian strongly argueth Non potuit câ—rere substantiâ quod tantas substantias feâ—it he that gave being to all things could not himself want a being and if all creatures receive their essence and existence from him he must needs be before them It would not be passed by to what a shift the forenamed Hereticks are put to for evading the force of these Texts whilest they would expound the making and creating all things to be the making of new men and the creating of a Christian Church for besides that the Apostle manifestly speaketh not only of persons to whom the new creation belongs but things yea all things whatsoever and therefore the Evangelist joyneth a negative to the affirmative without him nothing and St Paul maketh a distribution of the all into things visible and invisible in heaven and earth whereby it appeareth the first creation is intended It would yet further be considered that the Evangelist and Apostle speak of this making and creation as a thing already past yea as the context in the Gospel sheweth done in the beginning which compared with Moses his in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth appeareth to be the beginning of the world whereas the new creation was then nay is still but in fieri not in facto nor shall be finished till the end of the world To end this Let the meditation hereof confirme us in the faith of our Saviours Deity which must necessarily follow upon the preceding doctrine for if Christ is so from as that he was before the beginning of the world and so is eternall he can be no other then the true Jehovah the most high God eternity being one of those incommunicable Attributes of the Deity which cannot in its proper and adequate notion be predicated of any thing besides or below the Godhead And so much shall suffice to be spoken of the Character which is here given of Christ pass we on to the 2. Character by which the aged Christians to whom our Apostle writeth are described and that is that they know him which was from the begining What it is to know Christ I had occasion heretofore to discuss and therefore shall not insist upon it only be pleased in brief to take notice That there is a threefold knowledg of him who is from the begining Comprehensive Intuitive and Apprehensive 1. The Comprehensive knowledg is that which is peculiar to himself he who is from the begining can only know himself from the begining Indeed it is impossible for any finite Creature to comprehend the infinite eternity of Christ himself as man could not comprehensively know himself as God 2. The Intuitive knowledg of Christ in his person natures offices is reserved for Glory when we shall see him as he is so far as created nature is capable of 3. That which then is here meant is an Apprehensive knowledg whereby it is we are enlightned to discern the excellency of Christ together with the need we stand in of and benefit we receive by him That expression which we finde used by St Paul To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg is seemingly contradictory but easily reconciled by this distinction as Christ so his Love passeth knowledg because the infiniteness of it is incomprehensible and yet we both may and ought to know that is in some measure to apprehend the Love of Christ to us Now this Apprehensive knowledg is either nuda or conjuncta naked only scituate in the understanding when we know what Christ is and what he hath done or else such as is conjoyned with Faith Love Obedience So to know him as to trust him to prize him to imbrace him and to obey him This is that knowledg which as it is here the commendation so ought to be the endeavour of every Christian Indeed knowledge considered absolutely is a rare and precious endowment and that which a rationall nature cannot but set an high value upon and
the world is meant sometimes the things and sometimes the persons of the world and both these constructions Expositors make use of here Some by the world understand the men of the world and so conceive that which followeth the things of the world to be distinct from the world and that this Act of Love is here forbiden about a double Object Others by the world understand the things of the world and accordingly conceive the latter to be an explication of the former that whereas when he said love not the world it might have been inquired What oh blessed Apostle is this world which we must not love to prevent this Objection he presently addeth nor the things of the world 1. The former of these interpretations is neither improbable nor unprofitable and therefore I shall not wholly pass it by Love not the world that is Love not the Men of the world for the right understanding of which prohibition observe these three things 1. Though world be here taken for the men in it yet this must be construed not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally for all men but with restriction to wicked and ungodly men for in this sense it is frequently used by this Writer as it were easie to instance in severall places of his Gospell and in some of this Epistle especially the first Verse of the next Chapter wherein I shall God willing enlarge upon this appellation as given to the wicked for the present it may suffice to know that if we here interpret the world of persons it must be confined only to the unregenerate and ungodly of the world 2. This world of the wicked men which we are not to love is not to be understood of the men but their wickedness when the Devill is said to be the Prince of this world by our Saviour and the God of this world by St Paul it is no doubt intended as only of the wicked of the world so in regard of their wickedness and in the same restraint it must be here taken when we are enjoyned not to love them Look as when the Apostle Paul forbids us to be conformed to the world his meaning is that we should not conforme to their sinfull manners vitious practises so when the Apostle John forbids us to love the world if we refer it to men it is to be unnerstood as intending to forbid a love to their sins not to their nature The truth is as men they are the works of Gods hand and so to be loved on his score they are our own flesh and so to be loved upon our own account only as wicked they are the Devils Children and so not to be loved but hated Very observable to this purpose is that expression of St Paul to the Ephesians Have no fellowship with the unfruitful workes of darkness he meaneth have no fellowship with the workers but yet he very aptly saith the works since it is in reference to their works that we ought to avoide fellowship with the workers 3. Once more we must distinguish of a double love to wit Amor benevolentiae complacentiae a love of benevolence whereby we wish well to and a love of complacency whereby take delight in another The love of benevolence is commanded and that in regard of wicked men toward whom we must exercise compassion for whom we must make supplication desiring and endeavouring their eternall wellfare But the love of complacency is forbidden since we ought to avoid nay abhorre all familiar society with the ungodly and so this love not may very fitly be expounded by that have no fellowship not that all kinde of commerce and communion with the wicked is prohibited but that this commerce must be a matter of necessity not of choice we cannot but live among them but we must not delight in them we may upon just occasion have society but we must not love the company of the wicked This is that Precept whereof holy David hath set us a pattern when he saith All my delight is in the Saints and the excellent of the earth again I am a companion of all them that feare thee and again Depart from me you evill doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God Upon which the gloss well Abigit tanquam muscas molestas He driveth them away as so many troublesome flies Thus must we keep at a distance from wicked men and shun all familiar intimacy with them And surely would we seriouslyâ—onsider â—onsider the great danger of loue to and familiarity with the wicked not only in regard of suspition that we are as they which brings a scandall upon our names but of infection and destruction since we can hardly escape without being involved in their iniquities and calamities it could not but be a strong inducement to the observation of this Apostolicall Canon Love not the world that is the wicked men of the world But not to insist on this exposition proceed we to the other which to me seemeth more genuine and that because both the distribution of this worlds love into severall sorts of lusts and likewise the arguments by which it is disswaded especially that of the worlds passing away with its lusts are most congruous to this latter construction Love not the world that is not the things of this world In the unfolding whereof I shall plainly proceed by these five steps 1. When we are forbidden to love the world and the things of it it is to be restrained to this sublunary and terrestiall world Mundi nomine intellige quicquid ad presentem vitam spectat So Calvin aptly By the things of the world we are to understand those things which belong to this present life We cannot have a better expositor of St John then St Paul and then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elsewhere the things of the world that is the things which are upon the earth those things which appertain to our animall and sensitive life in opposition to Heavenly and Spirituall things and if you please to distinguish the world and the things of it you may with one upon the place by the world understand this life or our abode in this world and by the things of it all those contentments which this life can afford to us 2. It is not unfitly taken notice of by Ferus that the Apostle doth not say Exite mundo but Nolite diligere mundum Leave the world but do not love it Excellent to this purpose is that of St Gregory Sic teneamus ea quae sunt hujusmodi ut tamenper ea non teneamur We must so possess the things of this world that we be not possessed by them Indeed for the leaving of the world and the things of it we must have a just and speciall call or else it becomes sinfull we must not go out
here especially observed is that our Apostle speaking of the love of God calls it the love of the Father nor is it without good reason and that upon a double account 1. To informe us under what notion chiefly God is the Object of love True indeed in himself he is good nay goodness which is loves Object but yet this goodness is known to us by its communication and it is good as known which causeth love so that we love God chiefly under those mercifull relations in which he stands to us nor is there any relation of greater goodness towards man then that of a Father He is our King our Master our Judge but under these notions he is especially to be feared as he is our Father principally he is to be loved 2. To insinuate how greatly we are obliged to love God rather then the world The world at the best is but a servant at the worst our enemy as our servant it is to be used not loved at least not with a choice love as our enemy it is to be not loved but hated and trampled on Now God is our Father and there is a naturall affection due from Children to their Parents whom should we love if not our Father so that to love the world before God is as if one should preferre his Servant nay his enemy before his friend his Lord his Father then which what can be more monstrous And when I find the Apostle here disswading from worldly love upon the account of its inconsistency with the love of God I am apt to believe that he purposely phraseth it the love of the Father to render the love of the world which is so repugnant to the love of God so much the more odious to us But to let go the phrase The design of this proposition is manifest there is no positive love of God in him in whom there is a Superlative love of the world he that loveth the world chiefly doth not love God truly he that is a lover of pleasure or wealth or honour more then God is not at all a lover of God Indeed a worldling may be in shew a Saint and as farre as words will go a friend of God so may an Harlot seem kinde to her Husband but as she who giveth her heart to another beareth no reall love to her Husband so he who loveth the world hath no sincere affection to God Upon which account St James calleth worldly sinners Adulterers and Adulteresses so that to speak after our Apostles phrase elsewhere He that saith he loveth the Father and yet loveth the world is a lyar and there is no truth in him It is that indeed which holds true both waies as it is with a paire of scales the one goeth up the other goeth down so it is with these two Loves 1. On the one hand The Negation holds firme the proposition being inverted If any man love the Father the love of the world is not in him Moses rod swallowed up the Magicians so doth the love of God all other loves It is observed of the Sun beames that if they shine bright and hot upon the fire they put it out so do Heavenly affections extinguish Earthly Postquam Amarillis nos tenuit Galatea reliquit When divine love enters in carnall goeth out The command of love to God is of a large extent Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might and if the love of God take up the whole there is not so much as a corner for left worldly love St Bernard commenting upon that precept thus expounds it and that aptly to our present purpose thou shalt love God withall thy heart soul might that is dulciter prudenter fortiter sweetly wisely strongly and where this love is predominant as that Father hath excellently observed there is no roome for worldly lusts he that loveth God sweetly withall his heart tasteth no sweetness in carnall things which is the lust of the flesh he that loveth God wisely with all his soul is not curicus or covetous of temporall things which is the lust of the eyes he that loveth God strongly so as to indure all things for him regards not honours which is the pride of life Nor is it less true in the direct then in the inverted notion If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Indeed one who hath been a lover of the world may be won to be a lover of God yea he who loveth the world in the second may love God in the first place but as St Gregory hath pithily and aptly exprest it Utraque sâ—mul aequaliter amari non possunt both cannot together be equally loved when the inferior sensitive powers of the soul are vehemently affected the superior rationall faculties are hindred in their operations so is spirituall love by carnall The trees which spread in breadth grow not in height those who extend their love to the things below ascend not in love to the things above Pharaohs leane Kine did eate up the fat so doth the pining love of the world devoure the love of God which is the Fat and Marrow of the soul It is very observable that St Paul describing the wicked conversation of false teachers brands them with these three lusts whose belly is their God the lust of the flesh who glory in their shame or as some read it whose glory is their shame the pride of life who minde earthly things the lust of the eyes to all which he opposeth that one character of himself and the rest of the teachers but our conversation is in Heaven thereby intimating that they who give themselves to worldly lusts are strangers to an Heavenly conversation and consequently to divine affection by which especially we climbe to and converse with God in Heaven To give you yet more fully the sense of this proposition if you compare it with parallel Scriptures you shall finde it will admit of a double enlargement to wit in regard of the predicate and the copula the thing denied and the manner of denying it 1. The love of the Father is not in him nay The hatred of the Father is in him so St James his assertion runs Know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God and that he might bring the charge home to their consciences he repeats it with the change of the Abstract into the Concrete Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God It is true as hath been already intimated he may be a seeming friend but he is a reall enemy and so much the worse enemy because a seeming friend I know if this Question were put to many lovers of the world Do you hate God they would say in Hazaels language Am I a dead Dog that I should do this thing I say my Prayers frequent the Church and thinke
3. Be pleased then to remember what I have already told you that world may be either understood of persons or things and accordingly both constructions may here not unfitly be made use of 1. Of the world that is saith St Austin Ab hominibus mundi dilectoribus of those men who are the worlds darlings and thus these lusts are said to be of the world as a pattern or exemplary cause inasmuch as to walke in them is according to the Apostles phrase To walke according to the course of the world The truth is we are very apt to learn of and conforme to the corrupt lusts and practises of the world We do not with the Pelagians farre be it from us say that sin came in only by imitation but yet withall it is an undeniable truth that imitation is a cause of much sin that corrupt nature which is with in us rendring us prone to follow others in their evill waies This is that which those Dehortations both of St Paul and St Peter plainly intimate This I say and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke so St Paul For the time past of our lives may it suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles So St Peter Both imply that we are very ready to walke in the way do the will of the wicked among whom we live 2. But that interpretation which I look upon as most genuine is by the world to understand the things of the world and therefore these lusts are said to be of the world because by reason of our inbred corruption these worldly things become occasions and inciters of lust To this purpose it is that St Paul calls these lusts worldly lusts not only because they are conversant about the world but because the world is in some sense a cause that is an externall moving cause of them The Father of these lusts is the Devill their Mother the flesh the world is a Midwife to bring forth and a Nurse to bring up these monstrous brats no wonder if upon this account it is reckoned as one of the three grand enemies of mans salvation Learn we then that excellent admonition of St James To keep our selves unspotted of the world The truth is mundus immundus the world is uncleane and filthy and if we take not heed it will defile and besmeare us if we be not very carefull where we tread we shall soon step into a dirty puddle if we be not very wary where we walke we shall quickly be caught in a snare Oh how hard is it to looke upon these things and not long after them to use them and not love them to have them in our eye or hand and yet keep them out of our heart Oh therefore watch and be sober so often as you are engaged about worldly things keep a godly jealousie over your hearts least they go out too much after them for the world is very insinuating and too often creepeth into our hearts the presence Chamber of the King of glory in which respects these lusts are most truly said to be of the world And so much for the two branches of this clause Absolutely considered 2. Pass we on now to a Relative view and thus it may have a double reference 1. Some conceive it as an Argument why we should not love the world and the things of it and truly whither we understand the Subject of this proposition All that is in the world is not of the Father but is of the world of the things themselves or the lust after them it will hold good 1. Love not the things of the world because these things are not of the Father but of the world Qualia sunt haec saith Zanchy aptly how low poor things are these how unworthy of a Christian love These are from an earthly extraction an inferiour principle Set your affections saith St Paul on the things that are above and not on the things that are upon the earth if you will love let it be those things above that are of the Father of a noble divine originall not these earthly things which are of the world 2. Love not the things of the world because those lusts which are conversant about those things are not of the father but of the world the strength of which argument will better appeare if we consider who they are namely Believers such as are not of the world but of the father to whom this dehortation is given it being very unreasonable that they who are not of the world but of the father should harbour those lusts which are not of the father but of the world When therefore oh Christian any desires arise in thine heart put these two questions to them whither tend they and especially whence are they if they be of the father and so consequently tending upwards embrace them but if of the world and so necessarily bending downwards refuse them 2. But though I do not reject these Interpretations yet I rather adhere to that exposition which looketh upon this clause as a reason of the reason preceding why the love of the world and the love of the Father are inconsistent and the strength of the Argument may be drawn out two waies 1. These worldly lusts are not of the Father and therefore not to the Father Things move in a circle where they begin there they end Rivers come from and return to the Sea These lusts the being not of the Father cannot be toward him nay indeed are against him and therefore cannot consist with the love of him The love of the Father carrieth the heart towards him these lusts being not of the Father turn away the heart from him how can they agree together 2. Where there is a love of the Father only that which is of the Father will finde acceptance yea whatever is not of the Father the soul that loveth him cannot choose but abhorre he that loveth God truly hath a sympathy and antipathy correspondent to his what God loveth he loveth what God hateth he hateth and therefore since these lusts are so far from being of the Father that they are of the world yea the Father instead of an Authour or an Abettour of them is an abhorer and opposer of them no wonder if there be no sincere love of the Father where the love of the world is predominant And this shall suffice to have been spoken of the first branch of the Argumentation drawn from the love of world its repugnancy to the love of God It now remaineth that we proceed to The other branch which is taken from the world it self its short continuance as it is set down in the seaventeenth Verse For the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God indureth for ever where there are two generall parts occurre to our observation to wit A Thesis or proposition For the world passeth away and the
houre but you can never reckon how much Eternity is longer then a Million so that our Apostle could not have found out a fitter way of illustrating this truth then this There are many things which he might have compared the world to we meet with them often in Scripture and indeed they are very significant but this that he compareth the present world with that to come serveth farre more clearly to represent it Indeed as a Dwarfe placed by a Gyant seemeth exceeding little or as a Mite weighed in the Ballance with a Talent is exceeding light so these worldly when set by Heavenly things appeare exceeding base vile and transitory Oh then let it be our frequent practice to meditate on the things above deliberately to ponder their excellency eternity that so the things below may seem so much the more perishing and contemptible in our eyes The first thing God made in this circular world was the Heavens and the last was Man in a Circle the beginning and the end meet and close together so should Man and Heaven and as to him that stands on an high Hill Giants seem Dwarfes so to the Man whose conversation is in Heaven the greatest things of earth cannot but appear small It is observed of Abraham that addressing himselfe in Prayer to God he calleth himselfe Dust and Ashes no doubt in consideration of the divine glory and majesty and to him who duly considereth that incorruptible inheritance immarcessible Crown and never fading Paradice all the riches honours and pleasures of this world must needs seem of a short very short continuance such indeed as is not worth the naming 2. And as the worlds fugacity so the worldlings folly becometh hereby the more manifest To build upon the Sands is foolish but to preferre the Sands before the Rock is yet farre more foolish to settle upon that which is flitting argueth want of wisdome but to do it with the contempt of that which is lasting argueth most desperate folly yet thus doth the worldling an happy eternity is offered to him upon the termes of doing Gods will and yet to fullfill his own lusts he maketh choice of this temporall prosperity Like that wretched Duke who would not change Paris for Paradice he had rather have a short life and as he calleth it a sweet one on Earth then an happy and everlasting life in Heaven In one word to use Gregory Nazianzens comparison he fixeth upon that which is transient and passeth by that which is permanent and can there be a greater madnesse Indeed it discovereth him void not only of grace but reason that whereas the Apostle saith a little before If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him we may adde If any man love the world the reason of a man is not in him And more truly may every such man take up that concerning himselfe which Agur said I am brutish and have not the understanding of a man Angustum est cor saith Gillebertus that heart is too narrow which confineth it selfe within the bounds of temporall pleasures but that is too narrow an expression it is an Argument not only of a narrow heart but a frantick braine to dote on toyes and neglect Pearls Oh then learne we at last to be wise and set a right value upon things Seneca saith excellently it is a matter of no small concernment Pretium rebus imponere to put a just estimate upon things and one nay the chief rule by which the worth of things is to be measured is their durance Id bonum cura saith the same Author pithily quod vetustate fit melius covet that good which the older it is the better it is Who would not prefer golden and silver before earthen and glassie vessels and that as for others so this reason that these are soon broken in pieces but those are little the worse for using Oh that this reason might sway with us to take off our affections from Earth and place them in Heaven Whenas Lysimachus being very thirsty had parted with his Kingdome for a little water he cryeth out Ob quam brevem voluptatem summam amisi faelicitatem how great a treasure have I lost for a short pleasure Could you but lay your eares to Hell you might heare the like despairing moanes from those damned spirits What an eternity of bliss have we lost for a momentany contentment fools mad men that we were to pursue those delights which are now ended in torments and neglect those joyes which we might now have possessed for ever But oh how much better were it for us now to be convinced of and reclaimed from this brutish simplicity Excellent to this purpose is that of St Bernard Ne casuri gloriam mundi quasi stantem aspiciatis verè stantem amittatis c. Oh you mortals do not look upon the glory of the world as abiding and in the mean time lose that which abideth for ever Let not your present prosperity so far bewitch you as not to regard that future felicity nor yet to take notice of that endless misery which is the end of it That Bruits which are led only by sense should minde nothing but what is before them is no wonder but God forbid that men whose reasonable souls are capable of seeing a far off should only regard what is present That Pagans who know little or nothing of the future eternity should busie their thoughts desires and endeavours about these perishing comforts is no wonder but as Leo well Ad aeterna prae electos peritura non occupent far be it from us Christians to regard these Objects who are not only acquainted with but ordained to eternall bliss When Alexander heard of and was resolved for the riches of India he divided Macedonia among his Captaines and shall not we who hear of and hope for a glorious mansion contemne these worldly cottages When Serapion read in the Bible of the joyes of Heaven he left his earthly possessions saying hic liber me spoliavit this book hath spoiled me In that his zeale was too rash but the assurance we have of those eternall joyes should engage us though not wholly to relinquish yet not to love these temporall contentments Quis alius noster finis saith St Austin quam pervenire ad regnum cujus non est finis What is our ultimate end but to come to that Kingdome whereof there is no end And shall we so live in this world which shall have an end as if the world were to be our chief end farre be it from us So often therefore as the vanities of earth affect us let our meditations flye upwards to the glories of Heaven and according to the Fathers counsell Let us begin to be there now in our thoughts and desires where we hope at last to be in our Persons To draw to an end In this Scripture our Apostle seemeth to put us to our
choice setting before us vanity and verity instability and premanency nay in effect perishing misery and abiding felicity And now to use St Austins Interogation Quid vis what wilt thou Whither wilt thou love the temporals and pass away with time or not love this world and live for ever with God The truth is as that same Father elegantly Talis est quisque qualis est dilectio every man is such as his love is if he loveth earth earthly if Heaven Heavenly if the perishing world thou shalt perish if the eternall God thou shalt live eternally Love is an uniting mingling affection and according to that with which it is mingled it is either pure or impure so that look as silver if mingled with lead is debased if with gold advanced so thy soul if by love mingled with the world must perish but if united to God for ever happy Oh therefore let it be the serious purpose of every one of us from henceforth to leave the world and cleave to God to abhore the lust of the one and do the will of the other that so in the end of this life we may have the inchoation and in the end of the world the consummation of that happiness which though it have a beginning shall know no ending And thus I have at length through divine assistance finished this golden period worthy to be engraven upon the Tables of Epicures the Chests of Mammonists and the Palaces of great Ones And though I have done with handling yet I trust you will not with reading remembring and pondering it yea I would to God that every Morning before you go about your worldly affairs you would revolve this Scripture in your minde with a Prayer to God to imprint it on your hearts Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 18 19. VERS Little children it is the last time and as yee have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us THis present World is not without just cause branded as one of the greatest enemies of our Salvation and that especially upon a double account in as much as the things of this World by alluring our wills lead us into vice and the men of this world by perverting our judgements draw us into errours Both of these are so dangerous that it is hard to determine which is the worst St. Pauls Epithites of lusts are foolish and hurtful St. Peters character of Here sie is damnable these as well as those drowning men in perdition and destruction no wonder if this holy Apostle caution those to whom he wrote of both these Rocks and as in the fore-going verses hee warneth them of being defiled with the mud of worldly lusts so in these he taketh care that they might not be infected with the venoâ—e of Antichristian doctrins Little children it is the last time c. The subsequent part of this Chapter from the eighteenth verse to the nine and twentieth hath a special reference to and dependance on the exhortation which is mentioned in verse the four and twentieth iterated verse the eight and twentieth and is in order the seventh step of that light some walk which our Apostles chief design is to delineate in this Epistle namely a stedfast perseverance in the Doctrin and faith of Christ in order to this it is that here are three things discussed 1 Periculum the great danger they were in of being with-drawn from the truth by reason of the many Antichrists which this being the last hour were now among them who taught abominable lyes denying both God and Christ and this is handled in the eighteenth nineteenth and again in the two and three and twentieth and again in the six and twentieth verse 2 Auxilium the chief help which God had afforded them against this danger that sacred unction which did inform them fully of the truth and thereby was able to preserve them from errour and this is in the twentieth and one and twentieth and again inculcated in the seven and twentieth verse 3 Motivum The strong inducements to perswade their constancy in the faith that hereby their fellowship with God and Christ might bee continued the promise of eternal life obtained and their confidence at the comming of Christ strengthened and this is enlarged in the four five and eight and twenty verses In these two verses which I have now read the scope of our Apostle is double namely To discover a danger that they might not be ensnared by To prevent a scandal that they might not he offended at those false teachers which were among them the former in the eighteenth and the latter in the nineteenth verse In handling the eighteenth verse which is the discovery of the danger that we may proceed according to the order of the words be pleased to observe these three parts An Appellation Little children An Affirmation It is the last time A Confirmation in the rest of the verse And as you have heard c. A word of the first the Appellation or Title here used Little children It is sometimes used as a word of imperfection whether in regard of age denoting such as are not come to maturity of years or in regard of grace such as are weak in faith and in this sence Beza here construeth it indeed this Caveat is very needful for such who being children are apt to bee tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrin but yet not only for such and when I finde the Apostle commending and that doubtlesse without flattery those to whom he writeth for their knowledge of the truth I cannot imagine that he intends the word Children in this notion Rather with Danaeus as I conceive Omnes cujuscunque atatis hic monet he speaketh to all of all ages in Christianity not only to children but young men and Fathers and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is of the same notion with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of the Chapter Suitable whereunto it is that the Syriack useth the same word in both places and as Grotius well observeth it is blanda appellatio a word of affection by which our Apostle would let us see that Parents are not more desirous of their little childrens safety and studious of their
a total and final apostacy is though very possible in respect of the Devils power and policy of the elects infirmities and corruptions yet is impossible in regard of Gods decree to glorify them and in order to that to preserve them To this purpose is that of St. Paul who having mentioned the woful Apostacy of Hymeneus and Philetus presently addeth for the comfort of sincere Beleevers Nevertheless The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his where by foundation is not improbably understood that decree of election which is unchangeable and they who are his that is in a peculiar manner as being chosen by him are known to him to wit by a special knowledge so as to take care of them that they shall not make such a ship-wrack of their faith as to sink into perdition 2 The Covenant which God hath made with the elect in Christ doth not only promise a reward to them which continue but the grace of continuance and not onely the grace whereby they may continue if they will but that grace whereby they shall at once bee both able and willing to continue what can bee clearer to this purpose than that of God by the Prophet Jeremy to the Elect Jews and in them to all his chosen I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Indeed these last words they shall not are not directly according to the Hebrew yet they expresse the sense which can amount to no lesse than a certainty of the event for since the grace of fear promised is a sufficient means of not departing and the promise of putting his fear into them for that end argueth that it was his intention they should not depart this event could not but infallibly be produced in as much as Divine intention seconded with sufficient means to produce the effect cannot possibly miscarry 2 In regard of Christ the certain continuance of all the true members of the Church depends upon the energie of his death and the efficacy of his intercession 1 Though the design of Christs death was in some respect general namely to purchase a possibility of Salvation for all upon the conditions of faith and repentance yet I doubt not to assert that besides this there was a particular design of his death which was to purchase a certainty of Salvation by faith and repentance for some to wit the elect this being the most rational way of reconciling those Scriptures which doe enlarge Christs death to the whole world with those that restrain it to his Church Indeed if there be not some who shall be actually saved by Christs death his death will be in vain if there bee not some for whom Christ hath purchased more than a possibility of Salvation upon condition it is possible none should bee actually saved by it especially if as those who deny this peculiar intention affirm the performing of the condition depends so on the liberty of our will that notwithstanding the influence of grace a man may chuse or refuse to doe it for then it is as possible that every man may not beleeve as that he may and consequently it is possible no man may bee saved by Christs death and so Christs death in vain as to that which was its primary end and consequently his intention frustrated it remaineth then that as Christ intended his death to be sufficient for all so that it might bee efficient to some in order to which it was necessary that for those persons hee should purchase grace yea not only grace but perseverance in grace till they come to glory 2 Among those many things for which Christ intercedeth with the Father in behalf of his members this is not the least that they may be preserved to his heavenly Kingdom and to that end that the Holy Spirit may be conferd on them That Prayer of Christ on earth is generally acknowledged as the summe of what he intercedeth for in Heaven and if you peruse it you shall finde him praying not only for the Apostles but all that shall beleeve through their word that the Father would keep them through his owne name from the evil to wit of this world so as they may be with him where he is to wit in Heaven and behold his glory That promise which Christ made to his Disciples on earth hee made good in Heaven I will pray to the Father and hee shall give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever nor is this prayer made only for the Apostles but for the whole Church and every particular member on whom by vertue of Christs intercession the Spirit is in some measure bestowed and that for this end to bee an exhorter a comforter an instructer an upholder of them in the way till they come to the desired end so that now put all together since all sincere members of the Church are such whom God hath freely predestinated to Salvation by Sanctification and with whom he hath made a gracious Covenant in Christ to give them grace and glory since they are a purchased people for whom Christ hath given himself to redeeme them from all iniquity to bring them to felicity and glory to which end as he once shed his bloud so still hee maketh intercession for them and communicateth his Spirit to them well might the Apostle assert that if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us To apply this 1 Doe we see any who having made though never so glorious profession of the truth degenerate into blasphemous Heresies and impieties and utterly fall away we need not fear to conclude that they never were what they seemed to bee if the seed which is cast into the ground doe not fructifie we may safely inferre it is not the good ground if the house fall through the violence of the storms we may truly deny that it was ever built upon the rock if when the wind of Persecution cometh any Professors vanish by an utter Apostacy wee may justly assert they were not Wheat but Chaffe It was our blessed Saviours plain assertion If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed whereby is implyed that total and final Apostacy is an argument of Hypocrisie and therefore whereas it it said many of his Disciples went away from him St. Austine saith Discipuli appellanâ—ur tamen non erant verè discipuli quia non manserunt in verbo ejus secundum id quod ait si manseritis in verbo meo verè discipuli mei estis Though they were called Disciples they were not so indeed because they did not continue in Christs word according to that in the Gospel If you continue in my word you are my Disciples indeed in reference to which it is that he saith a
our own eies taking nothing to our selves but ignorance and fâ—lly and wickednesse 3 Of dignity Glorious things are spoken of beleevers by the Apostle Peter where he saith They are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people and these priviledges they partake of by vertue of this unction Greater honour there cannot bee than those of Royalty and Priesthood Kings are honourable and Priests are venerable Kings are the greatest of men Priests are men of God such honour have all they to whom this sacred Unction is given Wicked men have low thoughts of beleevers it is because they perceive not this Unction but it matters not to bee despicable in the worlds whilest wee are honourable in Gods eies 4 Of Hilarity Indeed this Oile is called by the Psalmist The Oile of gladnesse in as much as it fills the heart with spiritual joy There is as Bellarmine well observeth an Oile of Sadnesse which is used at Funerals and there is an Oile of gladnesse which is used at Festivals and to this is the Spirit compared none are more chearful in all conditions than the annointed ones this oile so mitigateth the asperity of affliction that those who have it are exceeding joyful in all their tribulations in which respect St. Jerom saith excellently Multi vident crucem nostram sed non vident unctionem nostram Many see our affliction but not our unction our troubles but not our comforts our tribulation but not our consolation which far exceeds them 5 Of Felicity Indeed as the annoynting of David by Samuel assured him of the possession of the Crown and Kingdom in due time so doth this Unction ascertain all beleevers of the Kingdom which was prepared for them from the beginning of the world to this purpose it is that the Spirit which here is called the Unction is elsewhere by St. Paul stiled the earnest of our inheritance and as receiving the earnest entituleth to the inheritance so doth the receiving of the Spirit Thus by what we have wee conclude what wee shall have and the participation of the Unction giveth a firme expectance of the Coronation 6 Of Duty which lyeth in two things 1 Making use of this Unction for those choyse and excellent ends to which it is designed It is not the oyntment in the bon but applied to the part which becometh effectual what will the most precious unguent avail him that hath it but doth not use it oh therefore Christians be wise to improve this Unction to the best advantage When then at any time we feel our Consciences wounded our spirits dejected have recourse to this unction for benefit and comfort if as oh how oft thou perceivest in thy self an bardnesse and dulnesse rendring thee unprofitable under the means of grace and unfit for holy services make use of this Unction to soften and quicken thee 2 Walking worthy of and answerably to this Unction It is an undoubted truth where much is received much is expected the greater helps are afforded the greater performances are required God looketh for more from them to whom he hath given his written word than from those who have only the light of Nature and he looketh for yet farre more from them to whom he giveth an internal Vnction than those who have only an external Revelation and therefore as St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to walk worthy of their high and heavenly calling so let me exhort Christians to walk worthy of this high and heavenly Unction and so much for the matter of the gift passe we on to 2 The Recipients of this gift in the pronoun You not only we Apostles but you Christians and so this appeareth to be a priviledge belonging to all that are effectually called to Christianity It is St. Pauls universal negative If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his in which is included that universal Affirmative All that are Christs have his spirit To open this briefly you must distinguish 1 Between the miraculous and the gracious Unction some Expositors conceive our Apostle here referres to that Unction of the Apostles in the day of Pentecost with extraordinary gifts whereby the truth of Evangelical Doctrin was confirmed but had this been his meaning hee should rather have said wee have an Unction for though the sent and perfume of that Unction filled the whole Church and so it was for the benefit of all Christians establishing them in the faith yet the oyl it self was poured upon the Apostles and therefore that sense of that phrase seemeth much strained You have an Unction that is we have an unction for your good It is true that in the Primitive times the miraculous Unction was not only conferr'd upon the Apostles but upon many Christians but yet since our Apostle affirmeth it indefinitely of those to whom he wrote I rather conceive that here he intends that Unction of illuminating and sanctifiing grace which every Christian is partaker of and by which he is enabled to know and beleeve to salvation for though every beleever is not annoynted with the Holy Ghost and power yet hee is annoynted with the Holy Ghost and grace 2 Between the possession and the manifestation of this Unction it is one thing to have it and another to know we have it there may be a presence of the Spirit and yet not a sense of that presence a man may have a treasure in his field and not know it all Christians have this Unction from their first conversion though perhaps they are not presently apprehensive of its vertue and operation 3 Between the droppings and the pourings out of this unction it is one thing to have the Spirit and another to be filled with the Spirit This Unction is variously distributed to some in a greater to others in a lesser but to all Christians in some measure it is not for every Christian like St. Stephen to bee filled with the Holy Ghost and yet there is no Christian of whom it can bee said as St. Jude of those false teachers not having the Spirit To wind it up if we pretend to Christianity where is our Vnction where are the vertues and efficacies of our Unction The Holy Ghost who is here called an Unction is elsewhere compared to a seal and as men use to set their seals on their own wares so doth God his Spirit upon them that are his Oh let this bee the chief of our desires and endeavours that God would make us his sealed his annoynted ones and whilst others count it their happinesse when they can say we have Lands and Houses and riches wee have Swords and Scepters and Robes we have Dainties and Musick and all sort of delights let us esteem it our blisse and make it the height of our ambition to say we have an unction and so much for that 3 The last particular remaining to be discussed in this General is the Donor of this
spiritual and saving knowledge It is a known Axiome in Philosophy that there must be a due proportion between the faculty and the object and therefore as sense cannot apprehend the things of reason so neither can reason the things of the Spirit there being no proportion between natural Reason and spirtual verities Indeed Reason in it self is a thing spiritual as spiritual is opposite to material but not as it is opposed to natural and it must bee a spiritual that is a supernatural quality infused by the Spirit which can inable us to apprehend supernatural objects suitable hereunto is that distinction in the Schools of a three-fold light of Nature of Grace of Glory one whereof is far short of the other and as the light of Grace is not proportionable to those beatifical objects of Glory so neither is the light of nature to the spiritual objects of grace and therfore most justly is this affirmative You have an Unction and know all things construed as including the negative if you had not this Unction you could not know any thing To conclude then let the consideration hereof learn us a double lesson to wit of Humility and Prayer 1 Let it abase us in our own estimation notwithstanding our choicest natural or acquired abilities vain man saith Eliphaz would bee wise though hee bee born like a wilde Asses colt men would bee Masters not onely of natural but Divine Knowledge but they become vaine in their Imaginations In reason as corrupted there is a direct enmity against the Gospels simplicity yea the line of reason at the best is too short to fathome the depth of evangelical mysteries and therefore if any one would bee wise let him according to S. Pauls Counsel become a fool that hee may bee wise he only is in a fit capacity for divine knowledge who humbly acknowledgeth his own inability of himself to attain it 2 As wee desire to know all things needful to salvation pray wee for the Spirits Illumination it is strange and yet true to consider how simple Idiots are able more divinely to discourse of Gospel verities than some learned Clerks and whence this but from this special Unction of the renewing Spirit and when wee hear wicked Christians sometimes fluently uttering divine knowledge whence is it but from the common Unction of the illuminating Spirit There is no unfolding Samsons riddle unlesse wee plow with Samsons Heifer no understanding the things of the Spirit but by the grace of the Spirit and therefore I shall end my discourse with the beginning of that excellent Hymn Oh Holy Ghost into our wits send down thy heavenly light Kindle our hearts with servent love to serve God day and night Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 21. I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the truth THis Verse may well bee called a Religious Complement inserted by the Apostle no doubt for this end that hee might the better gain upon those to whom he wrote That piece of Oratory which teacheth captare benevelentiam to seek the good will of Auditors is of good use in Divinity They are too morâ—se and rigid who account all Civil Language in a Pulpit daâ—bing with untempered mortar St. Paul doubtlesse did not court Agrippa with a falshood when hee saith Beleevest thou the Prophets I know thou beleevest them nor did hee gild rotten posts when hee saith to those Hebrews I am perswaded better things of you though I thus speak far bee it from St. John who declaimeth against hars at the same time to bee guilty of flattery which is no better than lying To sooth up our hearers in their wickedness is abominable but to smooth them with oyly Language and silken words that they may bee more pliable to what is good is allowable whilest herein wee trace the footsteps of the penmen of holy writ particularly S. John and that in this verse which is as it were an insinuating parenthesis I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth c. In which words there are three General Observable I A Delineation of the Gospel by a double character 1 Principal and â—rect â—n that it is called the truth 2 Collâ—â—eral and Coâ—sequeâ—â—ial when it is said no lye is of the Truth II A Commendation of the Christians to whom the Apostle wrote by removing ignorance from them attributing knowledge to them in those words not because you know not the Truth but because ye know it c. III An Anticipation of an objection which might be made against his writing to them who were thus knowing in those words I have not written unto you c. Begin we with the Delineation and therein 1 The Principal Character which though comprized in that one word Truth carrieth in it a great deal of weight Not to trouble you with the Philosophical distinctions of Truth be pleased to know to our present purpose 1 As there is a double word so there is a double truth to wit personal and doctrinal our blessed Saviour saith of himself I am the truth and some Interpreters conceive that by truth here the Apostle meaneth Christ when our Saviour prayeth for his Disciples sanctify them through thy truth hee presently addeth Thy Word is truth and accordingly others expound Truth here to bee the Evangelical Doctrin To this latter interpretation I rather adhere because it is most probable that St. John understands the same by truth in this verse which he intends by all things in the former and those are all things revealed in the Gospel 2 Truth may bee construed in a double opposition either to that which is Typical or that which is false 1 Sometimes the truth is opposed to Types and Ceremonies thus when wee are required to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth as the former is opposed to hypocritical so the latter most rationally to ceremonial worship and when it is said The Law came by Moses but grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ wee may probably conceive the sense to bee that whereas Moses onely delivered precepts to bee done Christ giveth by his Spirit grace to do them and whereas the Ceremonial Law consisted onely of Types and Shadows the Truth that is the impletion of all those is now performed by Christ Accordingly the Gospel is the truth because it revealeth the body of those shadows the mystery of those figures the substance of those Types and to this Zanchy conceiveth the Apostle Paul might have respect when hee calls it The word of truth 2 Sometimes the truth is opposed to falshood and lies for that is the most genuine signification of the Word and withall the most rational interpretation of it in this place where wee finde a lye expressely set in opposition to it upon this account no doubt it is that the Gospel is so
frequently stiled the word of truth and the way of truth and the truth To this purpose is that metaphoricalâ—hrase â—hrase of S. Peter where he calls it the sincere milk of the Word to wit without any base mixture of falshood Indeed there are some doctrins of the Gospel which are nor verisimilia probable to our reason but still all of them are verissima of most certain verity For the clearer manifestation whereof which was never more needful than in this Sceptical yea Atheistical age and that in opposition to all other doctrins whatsoever bee pleased to consider the matter the witnesses the Miracles and the success of the Evangelical doctrin 1 The matter of the Gospel proclaimeth it to be the truth inasmuch as it layeth down surer principles purer precepts and higher Promises than any other doctrin whatsoever This is that Doctrin which maketh full provision for our comfort by teaching us how God and man may bee brought together how justice and mercy may meet each other by proposing to us such a reward which for its excellency and perpetuity is every way adaequate to a rational desire This is that doctrin which giveth full direction for our obedience by injoyning such duties as are most just and pure and so most consonant to right reason 2 The Testimony given to the Historical part of this Doctrin especially that of Christs resurrection which if acknowledged true there will bee no reason to deny the truth of any thing revealed in the Gospel is so valid that there need not could not bee a clearer evidence For however they were persons tenuioris fortunae of a mean estate yet they were incâ—lpatae famae of unblemished credit nor was it onely one or two but a great number of men and women who testifyed the truth of it and this not upon hear-say but as that which they had seen with their eies and their hands had handled nor which would not bee left out was there any hope of profit or preferment which might induce them to attest a falshood 4. The Miracles which accompanied those Oracles were such as abundantly confirm their Truth for though it is true the publishers of lying doctrines have by the Devils help wrought wonders yet either they were as St. Paul calls them lying wonders meer delusions making things appear which are not by corrupting sometimes the fancy sometimes the sense sometimes the air and sometimes the object or if they were true wonders yet they were not Miracles properly so called because not above the power of nature onely the Devil either by his agility removing of or bringing on objects upon the stage in a moment as it was probably in the Magicians imitation of Moses when hee turned Rods into Serpents or by his sagacity discovering the secrets of nature oft times effects such things as to us being unknown are wonderful though indeed they are but natural But the wonders which were wrought by the preachers of the Gospel plainly appear to bee such as either no created power can at all effect as raising the dead curing the blind lame and deaf which were so out of a natural defect in the Organ and are reckoned among those total privations which in course of nature admit of no return to the habit or which if a natural virtue can effect yet not in that way and time as the healing of the sick by a touch by a word at a distance in an instant and therefore were no other than divine Miracles So that unless were will suppose that the true God would confirm a lye by signs and wonders wee must needs acknowledge the Truth of the Gospel 4. Lastly The wonderful success which this Doctrine hath had in the world may very rationally evince its Truth It is a known saying veritas magna praevalebit the power of Truth is unconquerable and though sometimes it may bee suppressed yet it cannot bee extinguished Indeed it is not true reciprocally that though Truth will preval at last yet every Doctrine which prevaileth for a time is Truth If this plea were sufficient nakedly considered the Mahumetan Doctrine would challenge this Title of Truth as having gained upon the greatest part of the habitable world for many hundred years It is not therefore simply the strength but the strangeness of the Gospels prevalency which argues its verity That the Mahumetan Doctrine should bee generally embraced is no wonder partly because it is a Doctrine congruous to mans corrupt inclination it was at first propagated and is still maintained by force of arms But that the Evangelical Doctrine which teacheth Lessons contrary to flesh and blood liberality to a covetous humility to a proud piety to a prophane and righteousness to a cruel world which was so much opposed and persecuted by the wise and great men the Princes of this world should bee published by twelve illiterate unarmed men who had not spears but onely staves in their hands not swords but scrips by their sides and were as a few Sheep among a multitude of ravenous Wolves and yet the publishing should bee so effectual as to gain a multitude of Disciples in all parts and those such as did many of them lose their liberties states and lives in defence of it is so strange a success as may very well bee a strong Argument to testifie the Truth of the Gospel by all which it appeareth what good reason St. John had to call the Gospel the Truth in opposition to falsehood But yet this is not all which this type prompts us to for in that the Apostle doth not say the true Doctrine in the concrete but the Truth in the abstract so that whereas there are many other Truths which every Art and Science teacheth hee seemeth to appropriate it to the Evangelical Doctrine as if that onely deserved the name of Truth is very Emphatical and no doubt his intention hereby is to let us see that the Gospel is eminently and transcendently true Indeed veritas consistit in indivisibili one thing cannot bee truer than another but yet one Truth may bee of greater eminency than another Such is the Doctrin of the Gospel whose excellency will appear if you consider that it is a Divine an Universal and an effectual truth Well may the Gospel bee called the truth in as much as it is 1 The Divine truth which was dictated to those who published it by the Spirit of God I grant as St. Ambrose saith omnis veritas à spiritu sancto all even humane truth is from the Divine Spirit in which respect Truth is called by the Greek Poet the daughter of God but still it is onely Scriptural truth which is of immediate inspiration all truth calls God Father but this is his Reuben his first-born These things saith hee that is true and again These things saith the Amen the faithful and true witnesse so run the Prefaces of the two Epistles to Philadelphiae and Laodicea and accordingly St. Peter They
spake as moved by the Holy Ghost Indeed if you please to review three of the fore-mentioned Arguments to wit the matter the miracles and successe of this Doctrin you shall find them proving as well the Divinity as the verity of the Gospel 2 An Universal truth such as containeth in it all truth needful to bee known in order to salvation Indeed there are many natural truths which are below the Majesty and beside the Scope of the Gospel and therefore are not contained in it but all saving truths either formaliter or reductivè in expresse words or plain necessary consequences are revealed by the Gospel hence it is that this Doctrin is as it were a rule or standard by which all Doctrines must bee tryed so that If an Angel Preach any other Gospel he is acâ—ursed for which reason no doubt it is called a Canon by St. Paul where hee saith As many as walk according to this rule or Canon peace bee upon them and upon the Israel of God 3 Lastly An effectual truth the truth which of all others hath the most powerful operation indeed as it was first inspired by so the Preaching of it is still accompanied with the Holy Spirit whereby it hath a far greater efficacy than any other truth whatsoever for whereas other truths have onely an influence upon the understanding this together with the understanding hath an influence upon the Will and Affections other truths may make us wise but this will make us both wise and better Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou coelestial truth The truth shall make you free sanctify them through thy truth they are Christs own words â—â— his own good will begat hee us by the word of truth So St. Peter all truth is Gods daughter but this is as it were his Spouse by which hee begets Sons and Daughters to himself In one Word it is this truth and this alone which doth so inlighten the minde as to incline the will regulate the passions comfort the conscience renew our nature and sanctify our whole man No wonder if our Apostle call it abstractively Truth and emphatically the Truth Having given you this Account of the Principal it will bee easy to infer the Collateral Character of the Gospel where it is said No lye is of the truth In the Greek it seemeth to bee a particular proposition Every lye is not of the truth but it is equivalent to an universal and therefore is fitly rendred no lye is of the truth To open the sense briefly There is a threefold Lye verbal practical Doctrinal verbal is an untrue narration when wee either affirm what is false or deny what is true Practical is an unsuitable conversation when wee unsay with our lives what wee say with our lips Doctrinal is an erroneous position concerning matters of faith or practice and though it bee true of all sort of lies yet no doubt it is the doctrinal lye which is here chiefly intended 2 Whereas it is possible upon false hypotheses to inferr true conclusions whence it is usual in Astronomy by supposing things that are not to demonstrate the truth of things that are it is impossible from true positions to infer a false conclusion Indeed too often wicked Hereticks fasten their lyes upon the Evangelical truth and for this reason probably St. John inserted this clause which at first may seem supervacaneous that whereas the Antichristian Teachers might pretend to boast of the Truth our Apostle assureth those to whom hee wrote that the truth did not could not father any such lyes The truth is when Hereticks indeavour to prove their Doctrines by Scripture they deal by it as Caligula did by the Image of Jupiter Olympiacus when hee took from it its own head which was of Gold and put upon it one of Brass they spoil Truth of its genuine sense to put upon it a corrupt glosse it being as possible for cold to come from heat or darknesse from light as any lye from the Truth 3 Nor yet is this all that this clause imports minus dicit plus volens intelligi saith Estius our Apostle intends more than hee speaketh for whereas he saith No lye is of the truth hee meaneth every lye is against the truth Indeed some Lies have a semblance of Truth and are so bold as to claim kindred to it but notwithstanding their seeming consonancy there is a real repugnancy and they are so far from being of that they are contrary to the truth To close up this first general since the Gospel is the truth and consequently no Lye is of it learn wee to embrace it with those two Armes of faith and love 1 Let us stedfastly beleeve it The Heathen had an high opinion of their Sybils as appeareth by that of the Poet Credite me folium vobis recitare Sybillae and shall not wee yield a firm credence to the Gospel St. Paul saith of the Thessalonians that the Gospel came not to them onely in Word but in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurrnce intimating that they had not onely a conjectural opinion but a full perswasion of the truth of the Gospel let the same confidenee be in us It is the truth and therefore wee may infallibly venture our souls upon it Heaven and Earth shall pass away before the least jot of it shall be found false and lying 2 Let us affectionately love it so as not onely to yield obedience to but contend in the defence of it whensoever wee are called to it The Heathen in their sacrifices to Apollo cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth is sweet Let us say with David of this Truth Oh how sweet is it to my taste it is sweeter than the honey and the honey combe Veritas Christianorum incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum saith St. Austin The Christians truth is incomparably fairer than the Hellen of Greece and if the Grecians so hotly strove for the one how zealously should wee contend for the other wee may venture our souls on it and we must be willing to venture ouâ— states and bodies for it and as he said though upon another account Amicus Plato Amicus Aristoteles sed magis amica veritas Plato and Aristotle are my friends but truth much more so let us in this my Liberty my Life is dear to mee but the truth of the Gospel is far dearer And that wee may thus beleeve and love let us bee careful to know it for which it is that our Apostle praiseth these Christians and so I am fallen on the Commendation Not because you know not the truth but because yee know it whence it will not bee amiss to observe 1 In General that this holy Apostle is not awanting in just praises of those to whom hee writeth very often in this Epistle hee calls them Little Children and in this hee dealeth with them as with Little Children who are best won upon by
incouraging commendations It was one of St. Jeromes counsels to Laeta about the bringing up of her daughter Laudibus excitandum est ingenium that shee should excite her by praises When the School-master by commending his Scholar for doing well le ts him see that hee hath a good opinion of him it is a notable spur to put him upon preserving and increasing that good opinion by doing better what the blowing of the horn is to the hounds in their chase and the sounding of the Trumpet to the Horse in the battel that is praise to men in their prosecution of vertue and opposition against vice And therefore let all Ministers learn to take notice of and incourage the forwardnesse of their people and let them be no lesse careful to extoll their virtues than to reprove their vices when the people do what is commendable it is but just wee should commend what they do and if they finde matter let not us want words in giving them their deserved praises according to the pattern which here St. John sets us 2 In special take a view of the commendation here given which is first by way of remotion acquitting them from ignorance they were not like St. Pauls silly women which were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth not like those Hebrews who whereas for the time they ought to have been Teachers they had need that one teach them again which bee the first Principles of the Oracles of God they were not such as did not know the truth And then by way of attribution asserting that they were such who did know the truth yea that they had a distinct knowledge of it whereby they were able to distinguish between truth and falshood for that you know is very fitly by interpreters supplyed in the last clause you know that no Lye is of the truth Our blessed Saviour speaking of his sheep saith they know his voice and that so as to distinguish it from the voice of strangers for so it followeth and a stranger will they not follow thus doth S. John here commend these Christians not only for a true but a clear knowledge whereby they were able to judge aright and discern between things that differ Indeed according to that known maxim rectum est index sui et obliqui that which is true discovers not only it self but that which is false and therefore he that knoweth the truth knows that no lye is of it That it may the better appear how high a commendation this is it will bee needful to discusse a little on the one hand the evil of ignorance and on the other the good of knowledge 1 Not to know the truth is a sin sadly to bee bemoaned and such as contracts not onely guilt but shame upon the person Indeed this is not true of all kinde of Ignorance There is an Ignorance which is commendable not to know what God hath kept secret because hee would not have us know it s no shame for a man not to know that which is not in his possibility and such are all those things which God hath not been pleased to reveal There is an Ignorance which is excusable to wit 1 when it is of such truths which are without our sphere and therefore have no need to know them 2 when it is of such truths as are polemical problematical which partly by reason of the difficulty of the matter and partly by reason of the imbecillity of our understanding wee cannot attain to a full knowledge of 3 when though it be of the Evangelical Truth yet it is either through a defect of Revelation which is the onely means whereby wee can know it as in Pagans who never heard of the Gospel and therefore shall not bee condemned for not knowing and beleeving it or through a natural incapacity as in infants and fools and mad-men who being not able to make use of their reason cannot attain to this knowledge But not to know in some measure the necessary truths of the Gospel notwithstanding the opportunities and means of knowledge afforded to us is an ignorance deservedly blameable Indeed it is negligentia non impotentia incuria non incapacitas not an impotent incapacity but a retchlesse negligence it is not an invincible but a vincible not a negative but a Privative not an involuntary but a wilfull ignorance not of one who would but cannot but of one who may but will not know the truth And now to bee thus ignorant is our sin our shame our ruine what a travellor is without his feet a workman without his hands a Painter without his eies that is a Christian without knowledge unable to do the will of God What danger a ship is in that wants a Rudder Ballasse Anchors Cables Sails the like is hee in who wants knowledge How easily is hee tossed up and down with every winde of Doctrin how unable is hee to stear a right course towards heaven how quickly is hee overturned into a gulf of errors and vices no wonder if God complain by the Prophet Hoseah My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Our proverb saith The blinde man swalloweth many a flye and catcheth many a fall it is no lesse true of an Ignorant Christian hee swalloweth many an errour and falls into many a sin this jaw bone of an Asse I mean Ignorance hath slain its thousands laying heaps upon heaps In a word Almighty God is so far provoked with affected ignorance that hee threatneth by his Prophet It is a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will not have mercy on them and hee that formed them will shew them no favour and by his Apostle that the Lord Jesus shall beerevealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God 2 To know the Truth and that no Lye is of it is a virtue highly to bee commended Indeed there is an excellency in all kinde of knowledge it is a pearl despised of none but fools Knowledge having no enemy but the Ignorant Alexander was wont to say hee had rather excell in knowledge than bee great in Power Indeed what the eie is in the body that is knowledge in the minde that the choycest member of the one this the noblest ornament of the other but surely this knowledge whereof my Text speaks is far more excellent than all other knowledge whatsoever for wheras by knowledge it is that a man differeth from a beast by this knowledge it is that a Christian differeth from other men nullus omnino cibus suavior quam cognitio veritatis saith Lactantius no sweeter food to the minde than the knowledge of truth and especially of this truth What the foundation is to the building the root to the tree that is this knowledge to the Soul the beginning of all grace and goodnesse what the Sun is to the world that is this knowledge to the minde to
bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though yee know them and bee established in the present truth So St. Peter And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that yee also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another neverthelesse brethren I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort as putting you in minde because of the grace that is given to mee of God so St. Paul The truth is wee are very apt to forget what wee know yee have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children saith the Apostle our memories are like sives that let go the flower and retain the branne wee remember what is to bee forgotten and forget what is to bee remembred need there is wee should bee minded 2 Scientiam aâ—gere to increase our knowledge the truth is the greatest part of the things wee know is the least part of what wee do not know No Truths are so well but they may bee better known Every command is exceeding broad and every Article very deep noâ— can any say There is nothing contained in either which I do not fully know disce docendus adhuc was good counsell bee still willing to learn Luther confest himself Catechismi Discipulum a Scholar to the Catechisme The most knowing Christian hath need to bee instructed even in the things he knoweth 3 In veritate confirmare to confirm us in the truth we know notitiam vobis concedo sed de constantiâ vestr â sollicitus sum so Aretius glosseth I grant you are knowing Christians but I am sollicitous for your constancy in the faith wee are but too prone to waver in our profession and too weak hold-fasts in spiritual truths Etiam currentibus addenda sunt calearia though wee run well wee need spâ—rring to make us â—old out or else wee should grow dull and weary so that in all these respects there appears sufficient reason why our Apostle wrote even to them that knew the truth I end all Take heed how any of you vilify the Ministry of the word either Preached or Written They are words too often in many mens mouths I know as much as the Preacher can tell mee doest thou so I rejoyce in it but still the Preacher may remember thee of and confirm thee in what thou knowest and perhaps thou mayest learn from him to know it better beleeve it there is use of Evangelical Preaching and Apostolical Writing not only to inform the simple and instruct the Ignorant but to minde the forgetful strengthen the Weak and supply defects either of knowledge or affection or both in the most knowing Christian which made our Apostle thus be-speak the Christians in his time I have not written unto you because you know not the truth but because you know it THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 22 23 VERS Who is a Lyer but hee that denieth that Jesus is the Christ hee is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also THe Knowledge of the disease is the better part of the cure and therefore the Physicians skill is more seen in discovering the malady than in prescribing the Remedy The greatest danger of a ship at Sea is by reason of unseen shelfs unknown rocks and therefore the Pilots chiefest care is by his own and others experience to learn upon what coast they lye Finally An enemy discovered is half vanquished and therefore it is the saying of Chabrias in Plutarch hee is the best General who is most acquainted with the designs and motions of his enemy Upon this consideration no doubt it is that our Apostle having before in general admonished those to whom hee writeth of these Antichristian enemies doth here more particularly discover their heresies to us whereby they might at once bee more easily discerned and avoided who is a Lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ In these two verses wee have two generals A Description of the Hereticks in St. John daies in the two and twentieth verse Who is a Lyar c. An Amplification of that description as to the latter part of it in the three and twentieth verse Whosoever denieth the Son c. 1 In the description wee shall consider a 1 Double Appellation with which he brandeth them in those words Who is a Lyar and he is Antichrist 2 Double Accusation which hee chargeth upon them of denying that Jesus is the Christ and denying the Father and the Son Begin we with the Appellations which are two Lyar and Antichrist 1 The latter of these is that which hath been discussed alrâ—â—dy from the eighteenth verse and therefore shall now bee only touched That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not here design that person or party to which this title is by Divines particularly attributed will sufficiently appear by what is already said in the forementioned verse and accordingly Calvin is express The Apostle speaketh not here of that man of sin who shall sit in the Temple of God So that it is most rationally conceived as a Title given to those many Heretical Teachers which were Apostatized from the Church even in the Apostles daies There are Christiani sine Christo Christians without Christ such are all they who professing his name have no real interest in him but here are Christiani contrae Christum Christians against Christ so far degenerated from their christian profession as to set themselves in direct opposition to Christ That the Jews and Heathens should bee Antichrists is no wonder but that such who had been Baptized into Christ yea had Preached Christ should Apostatize to a renouncing of him â—enders them so much the more Antichristian and perhaps for this reason the Apostle prefixeth the Emphatical Article for whereas the Jews and Heathen were Antichrists because not knowing they never owned but opposed him these were such as knowing had professed him but either through fear of men or love of the World or which is worst of all desperate malice not onely deserted but rejected him 2 The former of the titles is not onely asserted but as Gualter well observeth by way of Interrogation amplified it is not hee is a Lyar who denyeth but who is a Lyar but hee that denyeth which is as much as to say If hee bee not a Lyar none is according to that expression which wee sometimes use as Estius well observeth by way of Aggravation what is wickednesse if this bee not so that our Apostle hereby affirmeth of these Antichristian Teachers that they were Egrâ—giâ—â—â— notâ—rious Lyars for so Beda glosseth In hujus comparatione mendacii câ—tera aut parva videntur aut nulla in comparison of this Lye others are small or none at all There are two things which denominate a man an odious Lyar the one
when that which is affirmed or denyed is evidently contrary to truth and the other when the thing so asserted is injurious and pernicious to them that beleeve it And truely both these may justly bee charged on the Lyars in the Text for they denyed that which was in it self manifest yea which they themselves had been convinced of and that which they denied tended to no lesse than the utter subversion of the Christian faith and the destruction of those who adhered to it and therfore no wonder if St. John by way of question accuse the Hereticks in his time of Lying who is a Lyar c. That which I shall briefly observe from both these titles is the zeal of this holy Apostle in reproving these Hereticks Lyars are execrabile hominum genus a most execrable sort of men hated and abhorred of all nor is a Lyar more odious among all men than an Antichrist is among all Christians so that our Apostle could not well have branded them with names more odious than these The truth is two sorts of sinners are severely to bee rebuked Hypocrites and Hereticks an example of the former wee have from Christ himself who reprehending the Hypocritical Pharisees calls them fools and Vipers and of the latter in St. John who gain-saying the Heretical Teachers of his time calls them Antichrists and Lyars Indeed in one of those Titles is a latent reason of his bitternesse against them namely because they were against Christ Had they been onely his Antagonists no doubt hee would have been milde and gentle but his masters honour was concerned in the quarrel no wonder if hee bee so zealous Moses the meekest man upon earth in his own concernments is so inraged against the Israelites for their Idolatry that hee breaketh the Tables of the Law The Historian observeth of Caesars souldiers that they pursued their Generals Engagements with vigour whilest they were cool and temperate in their own concernments and surely though towards our own Adversaries wee must show meeknesse yet when they are not onely ours but Christs enemies it becomes us to testify our love to Christ by our Indignation against them It was an excellent saying of Guevara in an Epistle to the Emperour Charls the fifth Christianus nullâ re magis dignosci potest quam si Deâ— factas contumelias et blasphemias severissime ulciscatur suas obliviscatur there is no better Character of a right Christian than to forget the injuries done to himself but to be angry at the blasphemies against God and Christ And which serveth so much the more to justify our Apostles severity in reproving those false Teachers is that they were not obliquely but directly opposers of Christ they were such who did not onely indeavour to lop off the branches of Christianity but to pluck it up by the roots to deface the building of Religion but to destroy the foundation as there is a difference in sins so in errours all diseases are not alike malignant nor all errours equally pestiferous every Heterodox opinion is not a sufficient warrant to brand a man with these Appellations of Lyar and Antichrist but when they were so heretical as to deny Jesus to bee the Christ no marvail if this holy Apostle not out of a rash bitternesse but a well-grounded zeal use these harsh invectives It is a frame of spirit which wee finde in other servants of God as well as S. John The Apostle Paul having to do with Elimas spares him not but calls him a Childe of the Devil an enemy of all righteousnesse and writing to the Philippians concerning heretical teachers calleth them the concision and compareth them to dogs no lesse Satyrical was that of Polycarpus to Marcian Agnosco te primogenitum diaboli I know thee to bee the Devils first-born Let the same spirit bee in us in oppugning the Authors and Abetters of damnable heresies The visible descending of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles was in fiery tongues such tempers had they yea all their successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Church ought to have tongues set on fire from heaven which may flame forth in vehement increpations as of notorious sinners so of venomous hereticks 2 From the Appellations proceed wee to the Accusations I. The first whereof we find to be denying that Jesus is the Christ in which words there is A Truth implicitely asserted by the Apostle Jesus is the Christ An heresy explicitely charged on the false Teachers namely the denial of this truth he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ. 1 When our Apostle saith who is a Lyar but hee that denyeth what doth hee but tacitely assirm this to bee a truth That Jesus is the Christ and because it is a fundamental truth upon which the whole Fabrick of Christian Religion standeth give mee leave a while to insist upon it not as questioning but for the further streng thening your assent to it so much the rather because of the multitude of Jews which are at this time crept in among us whom though I have little hope to convince yet I would strive to prevent in those secret indeavâ—rs which probably they use to seduâ—e Christians from the faith of Christ That there was such a man as Jesus of Nazareth born and living among the Jews is an history so authentical that there will bee no need of spending time about the proof of it It is acknowledged by the Jews themselves witnesse Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities where he maketh an honourable mention of him in these words At that time was Jesus a wise man if it be lawful to call him man c. It is confessed by Pagans Suetonius in the life of Claudius speaketh of him by the name of Chrestus Tacitus and Pliny the younger acknowledged him by the name Christus and surely that which not onely his followers but his enemies confess may well be taken for granted The only difficulty is to make it appear that this Jesus that then lived is the Christ that is the person whom Moses and the Prophets foretold to bee the Messiah To this end the onely thing to bee done is an inquiry into the Praedictions concerning the Messiah which if they bee found verified in this Jesus and no other person can bee assigned in whom they are verified it will bee clearly manifest that Jesus is the Christ This way of arguing I so much the rather make choice of because it is that to which Christ himself directs us when he bids the Jews to search the Scriptures that is the Old Testament which then was the only written word upon this account for they are they that testify of me therby putting the controversy to this issue that if he were not the person of whom the scripture did testify as the Messiah let him be accounted an Impostor and Deceiver Accordingly it is that his Apostles in their discourses concerning him still have recourse to the Prophetical writings Thus St.
of the Greek phrase in our English Language than by supplying a word after denieth namely thus who is a lyar but hee that denieth saying that Jesus is not the Christ and surely if the affirmative be the truth as hath been already proved hee must needs be a Lyar who asserteth the negative That this then is a lying Heresie appeareth by the preceding Discourse that which only remaineth to bee inquired is the truth of the charge that these false teachers did deny Jesus to be the Christ indeed as Justinian well Hoc maximè faciebant Judai this was that which the Jews did most expresly deny but yet withall there were Judaizing false teachers among the Christians such was Simon Magus Menander Ebion and Cerinthus with others upon whom this was justly charged Simon Magus taught that it was he who appeared among the Jews as the Son in Samaria as the Father and to the rest of the Nations as the Holy Ghost Menander that he was sent from the invisible Powers a Saviour for the redemption of men and so affirmed themselves to be the Christ and in that denied Jesus to be the Christ Valentinus Ebion and Cerinthus affirmed Jesus to be a meer man begotten by Joseph conceived and born of Mary after the ordinary way and that Christ was another Person who descended on him in the shape of a Dove when he was thirty years of age and that it was not Christ but Jesus who dyed upon the Crosse and was buried and rose again and what did these but in effect deny Jesus to be the Christ And now if any shall say this concerneth not us for wee doe heartily acknowledge and openly professe that Jesus is the Christ I shall desire such to consider that there is a direct and a collateral a dogmatical and a practical denying Jesus to be the Christ 1 Hee who acknowledging Jesus to bee the Christ doth yet detract from any of his Offices to which he was annoynted vertually and collaterally denieth him to bee the Christ upon this account both Socinians and Papists are justly charged by the Orthodox as Antichristian Lyers The Socinians indeed acknowledge Christs Regal Prophetical and Sacerdotal Offices but yet they confound the Regal and the Sacerdotal they detract from the Regal taking the rise of it from his Resurrection when as the Angel saith of him as soon as born hee is Christ the Lord and chiefly from his Sacerdotal whilest they acknowledge his intercession but deny his Sacrifice and assert his death to bee onely a consecration of him to his Priesthood which say they hee only exerciseth in Heaven The Papists likewise do ascribe those three Offices to him and yet they detract from every one of them from his Prophetical by denying the written Word to be a sufficient and perfect rule of Faith and manners from his Sacerdotical in both the parts of it by their Superstitious sacrifice of the Masse and praying to Saints and Angels to bee their Intercessours Finally from the Regal by setting up the Pope as Head of the Church and giving him that power of supremacy and infallibility which hee never derived from Christ 2 But to bring it yet a little nearer to our selves he who professedly assents to this truth that Jesus is the Christ and yet is not guided by him as a Prophet governed by him as a King and rests not on him as his Priest practically denyeth him to bee the Christ Very apposite to this purpose is that of St. Austin Quiescat paululum linguâ— interroga vitam quisquis factis negat Christum Antichristus est let thy life speak rather than thy tongue whosoever denyeth Christ in his works is an Antichrist If any provide not for his house saith St. Paul hee hath denyed the faith that is done an act inconsistent with the Christian faith whereof he maketh profession which is in effect to deny the faith thus hee whose life dishonours Christ who giveth not up himself to the rule and government of Christ who sayeth in his actions I will not have this man to reign over mee in truth denyeth Christ and is no better than an Antichrist and oh how many Antichristian Christians then are there In one word whatever profession wee make of Christ and our faith in him Whilest by our Envy and Malice pride and Covetousnesse Rapine and oppression Intemperance and Prophanenesse wee walk directly contrary to the Law and Life the Command and Example of our holy humble peaceable and charitable 〈…〉 s we do that in our actions which the false Teachers did in their Doctrins deny Jesus to be the Christ and thus much shall suffice for the dispatch of the first-branch of the accusation the time being expired I shall put off the further prosecution of the charge against these Antichrists till another Sessions THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 22 23 VERS Who is a Lyer but hee that denieth that Jesus is the Christ hee is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also OVr blessed Saviour calling those two sons of Zebedee James and John to bee his Disciples gave them the Sur-name of Boanerges which signifieth a Son of thunder mutatio nominis dâ—ni alicujus spiritualis significationem habet where names are changed some spiritual gift is conferred it was so no doubt upon those Apostles to whom Christ gave eminent abilities of asserting truth confuting errours reproving sin perswading repentance in such a way as might like thunder awaken the dull and drowsy world That St. James was such a Thunderer appeareth by his sufferings it being very probable that his powerfull Preaching of the Gospel was the occasion of Herods malitious persecution and that the liberty of his tongue cost him his life That St. John was one who did not onely lighten in his conversation but thunder in his Doctrines appeareth by his writings and more particularly this Epistle wherein hee cryeth aloud and lifteth up his voice like thunder against both the Hypocrites and Heretickes of his time against those in the former chapter these in this and more especially in these verses Who is a Lyar c. The latter branch of the accusation against the Antichrists in S. Johns daies is that which now commeth to bee discussed as it is propounded in the end of the two and twentieth and proved in the three and twentieth verse 1 Begin wee with the charge it self Hee is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son These words are looked upon by Expositors in a double notion either as a distinct accusation or as an aggravation of the former charge 1 Serrarius upon this clause saith Altera haeresis est negantium patrem et filium in these words another sort of Hereticks are charged who denyed the Father and the Son inasmuch as they feigned another father so did Basilides and Saturnius as
consider what consequence do naturally flow from them I have so much charity as to think that many of the Jews and some of the followers of those Antichrists did not think that by denying Jesus to bee the Christ they were guilty of such a blasphemy against the Deity as to deny the Father and the Son but yet so it was as appeareth by what hath been already said I have the same opinion of many seduced persons in this age who are not so considerate to weigh the evil inferences which are justly deducible from such praemises which they embrace as truth Indeed we must distinguish between natural and forced deductions some like Spiders suck poyson out of flowers like bad stomacks turn the best nutriment into ill humours perverting the soundest Doctrins by fallacious paralogismes If wee are made sinners by one mans disobedience then say some God is unjust in charging Adams posterity with his guilt If Justification bee by Faith alone then say others what need of good works If Christ bee the Propitiation for the sins of the world then say others wee need not fear though wee adde sin to sin and thus the most pretious Doctrins of the Gospel are abused to patronize horrid conclusions but how irrationall they are easily appeareth to any who shall judiciously examine them Nor doth this hinder but that many specious doctrines have a sting in their tayl and how amiable soever they seem in their direct aspects yet they will bee found very detestable in their reflection The Antinomian in denying that God seeeth any sin in justified persons or is at all displeased with them when they sin denyeth that hee is Omniscient not knowing all things and that he is a Pure and Holy God hating sin where-ever hee findes it The Socinian in denying that Christ did expiate sin and satisfy justice denyeth the merit of his death the dignity of his person and justification by faith in his blood Many instances of this kinde might bee brought in several erroneous positions both of these and other Hereticks the truth is according to that known saying uno dato absurdo mille sequnntur one absurdity being granted a thousand follow and such as were they apprehended would doubtlesse be abhorred though not by those who broach yet by many of them who entertain such positions and therefore let it bee our Wisdome to examine whither this or that Doctrin tends to what it leads and what must necessarily follow upon it for so doth S. John here in which respect hee chargeth them who deny that Jesus is the Christ with denying the Father and the Son 2 The Proof of this latter part of the charge is that which now followeth in the next verse Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father but hee that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also I call this a proof and not without Reason since the Argument is strong Hee that hath not the Father denyeth him hee that denieth the Son hath not the Father and therefore he denieth the Father and the Son The verse consists of two clauses the latter whereof is not in our ordinary Greek Copies and therefore is left out by Calvin and is conceived by Daneus to have crept out of the glosse into the Text. But Beza assureth us that hee saw it in two Greek manuscripts it is also in the Syriack and vulgar Latine and inserted though in another Character by our Translators If wee peruse the writings of this Apostle wee shall finde no way of illustration more frequent than that which is by contraries whilest sometime the Affirmative is amplified by the Negative and then again the Negative by the Affirmative in which respect it is not improbable that this affirmative might here bee annexed by the Apostle But since I shall have a more fit occasion of handling the duty of confessing Christ when by Gods grace I shall come to the second and thirteenth verses of the fourth Chapter and withall there being the same reason of contraries the unfolding of the one is virtually an explication of the other I shall not inlarge in a distinct handling of these clauses That which would here bee principally inquired into is the notion of this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have the Father of which Interpreters give a threefold construction 1 That phrase in the first Commandement of having none but Jehovah to bee our God may give some light to this for as there habendi verbum pro credere intelligere usurpatur the word having is as much as knowing and beleeving So here and then the design of our Apostle in these words is to let us know that all Jews and others who deny the Messiah however they pretend to beleeve in and give worship to and have the knowledge of the true God in truth they are ignorant of him and so neither beleeve nor worship him aright because they do not know beleeve and worship him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Indeed this is to bee understood as to the explicit notion with a limitation in reference to Christ already come As for the Jews before Christ though the godly among them had some glympse of this for otherwise they could not have beleeved in the Messiah which was to come yet it was not expresly required of them to invocate God as the father of Christ but God having now sent his Son into and by him revealed himself unto the World hee can no other waies bee rightly adored and invocated but as his Father To this purpose it is that Christ is called by the Apostle the image of the invisible God which though it bee true of him as hee is the Son of God in respect of his eternal Generation by which the Divine essence being communicated to him hee is the Image of God that is personally taken God the Father yet in that the Apostle saith not onely the Image of God but of the invisible God there seemeth to be a tacit Antithesis and so it is to bee understood of the Son of God made man who by his incarnation is become a visible Image of the invisible God for this reason it is hee saith himself elsewhere if yee knew mee you would know the father also and indeed as wee cannot comfortably see the Sun with a direct aspect but in its reflexion so neither can wee rightly know the father but in Christ who is his visible Image Suitable hereunto it is that our Saviour expressely saith No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and hee to whomsoever the Son will reveal him and among other constructions of those words you beleeve in God beleeve also in mee this is one That if they did not beleeve in him they could not beleeve in God so that from hence wee may infer that not onely the Barbarous Pagans who worship the Sun the fire or any other creatures of Gods
shall assault us as once they did Peter to deny him let us remember what he is in himself and what hee hath done for us let us consider his greatnesse and bee afraid his goodnesse and bee ashamed for fear or shame or any cause whatsoever to deny him 2 That I may drive the nayl to the head let us often set before our eyes that dismal commination so often denounced in the Gospel by the Son of God himself against those who shall deny him Whosoever shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven and again inculcated by St. Paul if we deny him he will deny us a threat then which none more just and yet withall none more terrible just it is in that it is the retaliation of like for like what more rational than that despisers should bee despised forsakers should bee forsaken and denyers should bee denyed and how terrible it is will soon appear if you consider that the Son of God will then deny us when he shall appear in his glory that he will deny us not only before men but Angels nay his Father that if he pronounce upon us an I know you not which is to deny us wee are the cursed of the Father he will not acknowledge them for his adopted children who durst not here own his begotten Son and whom his Son will not then own for brethren yea which consummateth the misery of such Apostates they must have their portion with Hypocrites having denied Christ and being denyed by him they must depart from him into that fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels there being no reason that they should bee neer to Christ hereafter who follow him a far off nay run away from him here With these meditations let us arm our selves against this heinous sin that we may be the better strengthened 1 Labour wee to be throughly established upon good grounds in this fundamental doctrin that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God He that imbraceth Christian Religion upon the account onely of the Publike Law or private education will in time of tryal renege it Let therefore our assent to this Doctrin rest upon these sure Pillars primarily the authority of Scriptures and secondarily the Catholike Church and then we shall not easily deny it nor let us content our selves with a Conjectural opinion but strive for a firm and settled perswasion a stake in the ground may bee quickly plucked up but a tree rooted in the ground abideth unmoveable he that doubteth may soon be brought to deny but a well grounded perswasion will not quickly bee moved much lesse removed 2 Learn we according to our Saviours precept to deny our selves since oft times self and Christ come in competition so that one must be denyed and if we have not in some measure taken out this excellent lesson of self denial we shall soon deny him No wonder if an Ancient saith ingenuously Christiani praludium sui repudium the first step in the ladder of Christianity is self-denial 3 Nor must we forget that advice of St. Paul to deny Worldly Lusts for if wee take not our hearts off from the World the World will take them off from Christ it is very observable that our Saviour had no sooner threatned this sin of denying him but hee presently forbids Loving Father or Mother Son or daughter more than him intimating how prone the inordinate love of worldly things is to alienate us from him 4 Finally strive for a real union to Christ by a lively faith hee who is but a visible Christian may cease to be so much as visible but the spiritual union will not endure a dissolution much lesse an abnegation maintain and increase familiar communion with him that thou maiest more and more taste the sweetnesse that is in him and then no allurement or affrightment shall cause thee to deny him I end all as we desire not to be found deniers of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as wee desire to have the Father propitious towards us and Christ to own us before the Father at the last day let us dread to deny let us be ready to acknowledge with our hearts lipes lives Jesus the Christ the Son of God to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 24. 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise that hee hath promised to us even eternal life ZEal Sincerity and Perseverance are not so much particular graces as each of them necessary ingredients to every grace Zeal being the fervor sincerity the truth and perseverance the duration of all graces of these three the last is not the least needful since constancy is the best evidence of sincerity nor will fervour avail without permanency no wonder if it be called by Bonaventure conditio annexa cuilibet virtuti an inseparable condition of every vertue and by Aquinas donum que caetera servantur dâ—nae that gift which preserveth all the rest without perseverance our Love will prove not a Star but a Comet our Devotion not a flame but a flash our Repentance not a River but a Pond our Hope not a Staff but a Reed and our Faith not a sub stance but a shadow And since this grace of Faith last mentioned is indeed the First the Root the Mother Grace constancy is not more needful in any than this The truth is there is no Grace more oppugned by the Devil than our faith hee well knoweth that if hee can undermine the foundation hee shall soon overthrow the building for which reason having obtained leave to sift S. Peter our Saviour prayeth for him that his faith may not fail Upon this account it is that more or lesse in all ages the Devil hath raised up false Teachers in the Church whose indeavour it is to with-draw the people from the Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Faith and for this cause no doubt it is that one of the chief designs of the holy Apostles in all their Epistles is to stablish Christians in the faith A pregnant instance whereof wee have in this Epistle particularly in these verses whose scope is by most obliging arguments to perswade a stedfast adherence to the truth which they had embraced Let that therefore which you have heard from the beginning c. Which words do plainly part themselves into two generals a mandate and a motive a command and a comfort an exhortation and an incitation The Exhortation enjoyneth a needful duty Let that therefore abide in you which ye heard from the beginning The Incitation adjoyneth a powerful motive drawn from the present comfort and future blisse of persevering Saints If that
without ears nay with both ears because they were to hear both parties so needful is this sense for all civil transactions 3 But lastly Hearing is not onely sensus discipline et societatis but fidei et Religionis the sense of Discipline and Converse but of Faith and Religion in which respect St. Paul is expresse Faith commeth by hearing Aurium sensus ideo datus est saith Lactantius ut doctrinam Dei percipere possimus for this cause chiefly is our hearing given us that wee may receive Divine truths suitable to which is that of Tertallian Vera ornamenta aurium dei voces Gods Words are the best Jewels wee can hang at our ears indeed such is our present state that wee receive the greatest spiritual advantages by hearing oculus organum patriae auditus viae when wee come to our Country wee shall use our eies but whilest wee are in the way our chiefest use is of the ear faith saith the Apostle is the evidence of things not seen and wee are most properly said to beleeve what wee do not see but still wee beleeve what wee hear and by hearing wee come to beleeve at S. Pauls Conversion there was a light seen and a voice heard the light astonished but the voice converted him and in this respect wee may call the Ear the in-rode and thorough-fare of grace the souls custome-house for her spiritual traffique in Divine Wisdome the matrix or wombe of our New-birth the pale into which is put the milke of the Word the still or limbeck of the dew of heaven the window to let in the light of the Gospel the channel of the water of Life the Pipe for the conveyance of Faith in a word the Orifice or Mouth of the Soul by which it receiveth spiritual food for by this means it was these Christians did partake of the Gospel That which you have heard But yet this is not all that is intended in this phrase for in as much as by Hearing we are brought to Beleeving therefore Hearing is used to connote Beleving Thus Timothy heard the form of sound words from the Apostle Paul that is so as to embrace it and therefore he exhorts him to hold it fast in this sense no doubt it is here to bee understood for in that our Apostle would have it to abide it intimateth they had heard so as to receive it so that wee are here implicitely taught wee must so hear with our Ears as to beleeve with our hearts Evangelical Doctrins This is the Character which our Saviour giveth of the good ground that it heareth the word with a good and honest heart which is when the heart doth firmly assent and consent to that which is heard It is the Counsel of Solomon keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and bee ready to hear the latter words in the Hebrew are and near to hear which being joyned with the former clause seem to intimate that the foot should bee near to hear and indeed hee onely heareth aright who heareth with his foot and his heart as well as his ear hee heareth with his foot who so heareth as to obey and hee heareth with his heart who so heareth as to beleeve I shut up this with that usual close of the Epistles to the Churches of Asia He that hath an ear to hear let him hear though all men have ears yet all have not ears to hear there are too many Idol hearers of whom it may bee said as the Psalmist saith of Idols ears have they but they hear not audientes videlicet corporis sensu non audiunt cordis assensu as St. Austin elegantly hearing with the sense of the body they hear not with the assent of the mind Oh let us beg of God that which Solomon telleth us is onely in his power to give the hearing ear Indeed whether we understand it in a corporal or a spiritual notion it is Gods gift hee rightly disposeth the Organ and it is hee who fitly qualifieth the minde the former whereof maketh it an hearing ear in a natural and the latter an hearing ear in a supernatural sense our ears in reference to the Word of God and Christ are stopped not with wax or wool or frankincense but earth let us beseech God to open them they are dull and heavy let us pray him to awaken them that wee may bee diligent and attentive hearers and having by the door of our hearing admitted the Gospel into the closet of our souls that which will be most needful to press upon us is the 2 Duty here required Let that which you have heard abide in you A duty which may bee capable of a double notion either as injoyning a careful remembrance of or 2 resolute adherence to that which they had heard from the beginning 1 Let that which you have heard abide in you by a faithful recordation To this St. Jude exhorts But beloved remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Our memories must bee store-houses and r Teasuries of pretious Truths and holy instructions and like books in a Library must bee chained to them with this agreeth that advice of our Saviour to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast by hearing wee receive and by remembring wee retain and hold fast Evangelical Doctrins Nor is this exhortation needlesse when wee consider the badnesse of our memories in Divine matters we ought to give saith the Author to the Hebrews the more earnest heed to the things which wee have heard lest at any time we should let them slip tacitly resembling our crasy memories to leaking vessels out of which the water of life soon slips if they bee not stopped Perhaps like sieves whilestthey are in the water they are full but no sooner are they taken forth but all runs out presently we can remember somewhat whilest wee are hearing but soon after we are gone out of Gods house what wee heard is gone out of our minds in this sense therefore it is needfull counsell Let that abide c. 2 But that which I conceive is the Duty here perswaded is Let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning by a constant adhesion to the end ad fidei constantiam hortatur is Calvins glosse it is an exhortation to constancy in the faith wee may very well expound it by that of St. Paul to the Colossians If you continue in the faith grounded and settled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you have heard where the two words grounded and settled are metaphors borrowed the one from building the other from a Chair so that as buildings which are upon rocky and firm foundations are not quickly thrown down or as men that are fixed in their Chair are not easily moved out of their place no more
Jewes to search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternal life doth he not plainly intimate that in the Law of Moses and Scriptures of the Prophets Eternal Life is made known together with the way that leads to it In one word the Resurrection of the dead the term whereof is eternal life is expressely called by the Apostle Paul the Promise of God made unto the Fathers This then is the Promise which hee hath promised not that it was not at all promised before but not so fully so clearly eternal life was promised in the Old Testament rather typically than litterally in general phrases than in expresse terms and hence it is that they were but a few comparatively who understood any thing by those Promises concerning it whereas now according to St. Pauls expression Christ hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel which plainly maketh it manifest to us in which respect the Promises of the Gospel are called by the Author to the Hebrews better promises not as to the things promised which are the same for substance but as to the easiness of the condition and chiefly the clearnesse of the Revelation It will not now bee amiss to consider a while who this Hee is by whom this promise is so punctually promised nor need wee any further character of him than what is given before in this very chapter It is hee that is righteous and therefore cannot deceive It is hee that is the Holy one and therefore cannot lye so that since it is hee that hath promised it must bee performed It is hee who is an advocate with the Father to plead for our admission into heaven who is the Propitiation for our sins to wit by his blood which is also the purchase of this life It is hee who is the Christ annointed to the office of a Prophet that hee might reveal to of a Priest that hee might obtain for and of a King that hee might confâ—r on us this eternal life Finally it is hee who is the Son and being the Son is the Heir and being the Heir hath a title to this Life not onely to injoy it himself but impart it to us By all which it appeareth that whereas men oftentimes promise those things which they have no power or right to give yea sometimes they promise what they never intend to give and hence it is that their Promises are vain lying and deceitful Hee that hath promised hath Power and Will to give it hee saith nothing but what hee really intends and will certainly fulfil and now if you would know to whom this promise belongs go on to a view of the next and last particular which is the 4 Propriety of the persons in the pronoune us It is that which may be looked upon both in a way of inlargement and of restriction 1 In a way of inlargement us not me onely the Proâ—ise was not peculiarly to the Apostles but to all true Christians upon this account St. Paul elsewhere speaking of this benefit under the name of a crown of Righteousness saith it is that which the Lord the Righteous Judge will give mee at that day and not me onely but all them that love his appearing In other Races though never so many run yet only one obtains the prize but this prize is given to all Christian runners that which intituled St. John to this life was not his new office of an Apostle but his new birth as a Christian so much the Apostle Peter implyeth when hee saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us to a lively hope to an inheritance and the meanest Christian is begotten of God as well as any of the Apostles it is not Grace in strength but Truth which is the condition of Glory and therefore this us taketh in all those sorts of Christians before mentioned not onely Fathers but Young men nay little Children 2 In a way of restriction us not all but us who are thus and thus qualified and if you please you may take in all those who are before expressed in this Chapter us who keep his Commandements for the promise and the precept are knit together nor can any partake of the one who do not keep the other us who walk as Christ walked for wee cannot expect to attain the end which hee hath promised if wee do not walk in the way which hee hath walked in and which leads to the end us who love our brother this being the Old and the New Commandement must bee obeyed if wee will enter into life us who love not the World nor the things of the World for hee is unworthy of the Life in that World to come who doteth with the love of this us who acknowledge the Son since onely hee that hath the Son hath Life Finally and principally us in whom that abideth which wee have heard from the beginning Indeed if you mark it you shall still finde the Promises of Eternal Life made to perseverance To them whâ— by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life so St. Paul to the Romans I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for mee a crown of Righteousnesse so the same Apostle concerning himselfe not to multiply instances in those seven Epistles to the seven Angels of the Churches of Asia we find eternal life promised under several metaphors but still the condition prefixed is to him that overcommeth not to him that fighteth but who continueth fighting till hee overcome so true is that of St. Bernard whereas all the vertues run in the race it is perseverance alone which carrieth away the reward And thus I have given you an account of all the parts of the Text. I close up all in one word of Application and that 1 In General is there an Eternal Life promised why then do wee not beleeve it and if wee do beleeve it why do we not prize it and if we prize it why do we not seek after it Were it possible that men should be so much in loveâ— with this Life did they beleeve there were another or could they dote so much on a frail fading Life did they beleeve there were one that is Eternal If we view the practises of the Sons and Daughters of men wee may sadly observe that this Life is ever providing for as if it should never end and that Life is never prepared for as if it should never beginne whereas this Life shall soon end but that never We see saith St. Austin the Lovers of this present Life using their utmost care and cost to preserve it and all they can doe is onely ut differant non auferant mortem to delay that Death which they cannot prevent if men are solicitous ut aliquantulum plus vivatur that they may live
the Word and the Apostles taught not but by the co-working of the blessed Spirit 2 On the other hand it cannot bee denied but that as mans teaching is nothing without this unction so this unction can nay hath taught without the help of man There is no question but that hee who at first created man after his own Image could have repaired the decaies of that Image in man without the ministry of man Humane teaching is not a necessary but arbitrary Instrument of the Spirit not without which hee cannot but ordinarily hee will not teach us This unction needs not the teaching of any man to joyn with it Those first planters of the Gospel were immediately taught by this unction and had it sâ— pleasâ—d God all Christians might still have been taught by an inward inspiration without any outward instruction look as in governing the World God vouchsafed to make use of second causes but not out of any necessity as if hee could not govern without them so in teaching the Church the Spirit of God maketh use of men as his ministers but not as if hee could not teach without them 2 These things being premised that which I shall by way of confutation assert and prove is that this unction doth not will not ordinarily teach Christians so as that whilest they are in this world they shall not need the help of mans teaching Though mans teaching is ineffectual without the presence of the unction yet the unction doth not exclude the presence of mans teaching For the clearing whereof in few words you must know 1 In General 1 That our Lord Christ hath instituted a certain order of men in the Church whose office it is to teach and instruct men in the faith This is plainly implyed in that Commission given by Christ to his Apostles of discipling all Nations by baptizing and teaching them to which is annexed a Promise of being with them alway even to the end of the World both which considered together inform us that that Commission was not to expire with the Apostles but that they should have successors in those sacred offices to the end of the World with whom Christ would bee present by his Spirit Congruous hereunto it is that St. Paul expressely saith faith commeth by hearing of the Word of God and that from a Preacher who is sent for that end But most apposite and clear is that of the same Apostle to the Ephesians where hee saith Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers which surely hee would not have given had there been no need of them Very observable to this purpose it is that at the conversion of Cornelius in the vision which hee had hee was directed to send for Peter that hee might tell him what hee â—ought to do and whereas the Spirit might himself have opened Isaiahs prophecy to the Eunuch hee giveth Philip command to go and interpret it and preach Jesus to him yea though Christ himself converted Saul by an immediate appearing yet hee sent Ananias to the finishing of the work and surely if to extraordinary much more to ordinary conversion the teaching of man of those men whom Christ hath for that end appointed in his Church is necessary 2 That the Pastors and Doctors of the Church are not only designed for initiating but the perfecting of the Saints they are St. Pauls own words in the forementioned place For this cause it is that they are resembled not onely to Fathers who beget and Mothers who bring forth but Nurses who bring up the Children not only to Planters but to Waterers till the Tree come to its full growth And they are as so many builders not only to lay the foundation but to rear up the fabrick of grace and knowledge in the hearts of Christians surely then till we come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which shall not be till we come to heaven we have need that man should teach us 2 In particular As to this Scripture it cannot bee St. Johns intention by these words how express soever they may seem to exclude mans teaching Excellently St. Austin to this purpose If this be true you need not that any man teach you why do we teach you if that Annointing teach you all things wee labour as it were without cause why do wee not leave you to that unction that it may teach you But now I put the Question to my self Et illi ipsi Apostolo facio I may put it to the Apostle himself Let the Holy Apostle vouchsafe to hear a little one inquiring of him They to whom thou writest had this unction thou hast said it The unction which you have received teacheth you of all things ut quid talem Epistolam fecisti quid illos tu docebas quid instruebas quid aedificabas why hast thou written this Epistle to them why doest thou instruct and edify them Indeed it cannot be imagined that St. John should teach them by writing to them if hee did intend by these words to assert all mans teaching uselesse And therefore Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas take wee heed of spiritual pride in fancying to our selves such a measure of the Spirits unction that wee need not the Ministers instruction Our blessed Lord himself who had the Spirit above measure was very lowly and bids us to learn this vertue of him surely then the greater measure wee have of this unction wee should bee so much the lesse conceited of our selves The good Spirit doth affâ—are breathe grace into us but it is the evil spirit which doth inflare puff men up with the winde of pride it is the poyson of the Serpent swells us not the Oil of the Spirit of God and truely there cannot bee an higher degree of pride than to undervalue the means of instruction Hee who is thus arrogant argueth himself greatly ignorant of the delusions of Satan and the deceitfulnesse of his own heart It is very observable how St. Paul joyneth those two caveats together Quench not the Spirit despise not prophecying the latter being the ready way to the former If thou hast received this unction it is as that Apostle tells the Galatians by the hearing of Faith and by the same means it abideth with and is increased in that it was first conveyed to us The plain truth is hee that is above ordinances is below grace nor can there bee a worse fool than hee who thinketh himself so wise as not to need the Ministers teaching Nor would it be passed by that those very Sectaries who deny the Ministry and scriptures do yet teach one another all the rest attending whilst any one of them who pretends to a Revelation speaketh and therefore I shall not need to spend time in confuting them who by their own practice confute themselves 2 Having in some measure cleared the Quid non what is
provided it bee not out of flattery and for base ends we may upon just occasion not onely commend but inlarge and as it were Hyperbolize in the Commendations of them that are good Indeed to flourish with Rhetorical exaggerations in laying open the faults of others except of such crimes as are very open and hainous is uncharitable but to expatiate though it bee with Hyperboles in the praises of others for their vertues is very allowable as being that which this Holy Apostle giveth as a pattern of in this high Eâ—comium you need not that any man teach you 2 There is yet another way of giving the sense of this clause which to mee seemeth most genuine and that is by construing those words you need not that any man teach you with the following but as the sume Annointing teacheth you of all things which being put together doe onely deny any need that any man should teach them any other Doctrin than what this Annointing had taught them All things to wit necessary to Salvation this Unction had taught them and therefore no need of any man to teach them any thing besides these all things To this purpose is that glosse of Heinsius who conceiveth that the conjunction But is to be here taken in the same notion in which it is used by the Chaldee and Syriack Those words there is no God besides mee are read by the Chaldee There is no God but I. Thus in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you need not that any man teach you but as that is except those things which the same Annointing teacheth you With this sense that gloss agreeth in effect which I finde among some Expositors who refer the man here mentioned to the Seducers before spoken of There is no need of any new Masters that any of those seducers concerning whom the Apostle had discoursed should teach them any new Doctrin Very Apposite to this purpose is that excellent saying of Tertu Nob is curiositate opus non est post Jesum Christum nec inquisitionâ— post Evangelium nil desideramus ultra credere hoc enim prius credimus nil esse quod ultra credere debemus Christ being now revealed in his Gospel it is curiosity to make further inquiry wee desire not to beleeve any thing more for this wee first beleeve that there is nothing more to be beleeved There is need indeed that the Orthodox teachers should inculcate upon the people what this Unction teacheth but as for any Doctrin besides there is no need of nor regard to bee had to it or him that bringeth it It is very probable that those Seducers did teach their new Doctrins as things necessary to bee known and beleeved in reference to whom our Apostle assureth them that whatever those Hereticks might pretend they were already sufficiently instructed in all things needful for them to know According to this notion this very Scripture which is made use of by Euthusiasts as a buckler to defend proveth a Sword to cut asunder their opinion for what other must their pretended Revelations bee but vain and foolish if there bee no need of any thing to bee taught us by any man but what this Unction teacheth to wit as it hath been already explained outwardly by the Word and inwardly by Grace The truth is wee need not that any man no nor yet any Angel should teach us and if any Angel from Heaven should come and teach any other doctrine than what this unction hath already taught the holy Apostles and by them us let him bee accursed nor is this more than what St. Paul hath given us warrant for and let this suffice to have been spoken of the sufficiency of this Schoolmaster Passe we on to the 3 Next Character which is his Fidelity as it is set down in those words and is truth and is no lye The first which is the affirmative expression according to the Greek is to be read in the Concrete and is true and the latter which is the negative in the abstract and is no lye our Translators finding the latter to be the abstract read the former so too though it may seem more rational to read the latter as if it were a Concrete finding the former to be so But as to the rendring it it is not much material whilest the sense is the same which is that this annoynting is true without the mixture of any falshood in his teaching The more fully to expresse this it is that our Apostle speaketh the same thing twice first by affirming and then by denying the contrary that look as when in the former Chapter he would set forth Gods purity to the full as being free from the least pollution he saith He is light and in him is no darknesse so here that he might expresse the veracity of the Spirits dictates as being without the least errour he saith it is truth and is no lye The Devils answers which he gave those who consulted him were so dubious that they could not tell which way to construe them and so were deluded by them but the Spirits dictates are certain and infallible The Devil is a lying Spirit the Father of Lyes and his suggestions are lyes and no truth but the Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth so our Saviour calls him once and again yea he is truth and no lye True it is Hereticks the Devils instruments doe sometimes speak truth but it is in order to the advancing of some lye yea it is usually mixed with lyes But the Spirits Pen-men deliver truth and nothing but the truth so that wee may venture our souls upon their writings Indeed it is not so with us who expound and preach upon their writings since we have not so full a measure of this unction as they had in which respect St. Hier ome saith Aliter habere Apostolos aliter reliquot tractatores illos semper vera dicere istos ut homines in quibusdam aberrare that there is a great deal of difference between the Apostles and other Preachers those alwayes write truth but these erre in many things but withall it is then when they are not led by the Spirit who being wisdome cannot be deceived and being truth cannot deceive Keep wee therefore close to the dictates of this unction and that as they are set down in the Word Since they are truth and no lye let us beleeve and not doubt trust and not waver left if we receive not the truth in the love of it God give us over to beleeve a lye it being just that they who will not bee taught by this unction which is truth and no lye should bee fooled by delusions which are lyes and no truth 4 There is only one clause of the verse to be dispatched in those words and even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him where the verb abide according to the different Greek
inlighten inliven and rejoyce it if that Philosopher when hee had gained a new notion in Astronomy was so ravished that he cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found it I have found it how much greater joy hath the Christian knowing supernatural truths In a word this knowledge is not onely that which leads to grace and joy but glory S. Paul hath put them together when he saith God would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth that they may bee saved no wonder if St. John account those Christians praise-worthy for this that they did know the truth And now I would to God that wee could say the same of all our hearers but I fear in regard of too many wee may instead of commending condemn of praising complain that they are not such as do know the truth but do not know it Our Language may not be this of S. Johns but that of S. Paul Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame indeed a shame it is that any among us should bee ignorant for to allude to the Apostles phrase Have they not heard yea the sound is gone throughout all the Land All means of knowledge Preaching Catechising writing are plentifully afforded God may say to us as he did to his People of Old Have I been a Wildernesse to the house of Israel a land of darknesse and yet how many remain destitute of saving knowledge It might have been said of this Land for these many years in regard of the Gospel what is said of Rhodes in regard of the Sun Semper in sole sita est Rhodos it is alwaies in the Sun-shine The light of truth hath shone gloriously among us And yet how many Owls fly up and down in this bright-firmament how many Beetles in this Goshen Land of Light Lactantius observeth that there was never lesse Wisdome in Greece than in the time of the seven wise men and they say of the Indians among whom all the Gold is that none are more meanly clad than they Oh that even in this Land which hath equallized if not excelled all other parts of the Christian world for perspicuous instruction there were not to bee found many grosly ignorant The truth is 1 Some though they bee strangely ignorant are highly conceited of than which no greater enemy to their knowledge The opinion of having attained knowledge as it is an argument that a man hath not attained and therefore saith St. Paul He that thinketh hee knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as hee ought to know so it keepeth a man from endeavouring to attain and therefore saith Solomon Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool than of him 2 Some who are sensible of their ignorance are yet ashamed to discover it and therefore they seek it not at the Priests lips hence it is that whilest you frequently consult with the Lawyer to know the certainty of your evidences and with the Physician to be informed in the state of your body yet you seldome or never repair to the Minister to inquire of and be informed by him in the things that concern your souls 3 Too many look upon divine knowledge as a thing to which onely the Divine is obliged they need not trouble themselves about it If the Merchant can but know how to keep his accounts how to import and export his wares if the Trades-man can but skill how to buy and sell and get gain If the Husbandman can but learn how to mannure his ground it matters not for the mystery of godliness and knowledge of the truth 4 Nay I would to God there were not some who do not only neglect but reject this knowledge saying with those Prophane Atheists to God wee desire not the knowledge of thy waiss and that they may continue in their ignorance they either content themselves without any or with some blinde guide who instead of teaching others had need himself to be a catechumenist Suffer I beseech you the Word of Exhortation to answer the means with some measure of knowledge Philip rejoyced that Alexander was born in the daies of Aristotle Let us blesse God that wee are born in the times of light and since God is not awanting to us let not us bee awanting to our selves wait at the Posts of Wisdomes house sit at the feet of your Teachers and inquire what you know not from their mouths diligently peruse the holy Scriptures the rich cabinet in which this jewel the knowledge of the truth is to be found purge your hearts of arrogant self-conceit taste the sweetnesse of divine truths obediently practise what you know so shall you more and more know what to practise above all according to Solomons advice Cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding what St. Paul praies for the Ephesians beg of God for thy self that the eies of thy understanding may be inlightened And when thou hast attained the knowledge of the truth bee not proud but humble still acknowledging thy need of further helps by the tongues and pens of Gods ministers as St. John here intimateth in that hee saith I have written unto you because you know which leads to the Anticipation of an objection which might arise in their mindes from that which is asserted in the preceding verse If wee have an Unction by which wee know all things to what end might they say or at least think is your writing which objection hee prevents by adding I have not written to you because you do not know the truth but because you know it Some Expositors conceive these words to bee an Apology for his writing so little alioqui largiore vobiscum usus sum sermone so Grotius If you had not known the truth I would have written more largely to you but verbum sapienti sat est a word is enough to the wise and doubtlesse it is a peece of prudence in a Minister to make a distinction between Auditories when they speak to the simple and ignorant to use more plain large and loose expressions but when to intelligent Christians more concise pithy and exact The Generality of Interpreters conceive this an Apology for his writing at all which might seem supervacaneous to those who by vertue of a Divine Unction knew so much already wherein our Apostle lets them know that notwithstanding the knowledge they had attained it was still needful to write to them and that because they had attained this knowledge In particular there might bee a threefold reason of St. Johns writing to those knowing Christians 1 In memoriam revocare to bring that truth to their memory which had been already imprinted in their understanding upon this account as St. John here so elsewhere the other Apostles expresly Apologize for themselves I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once knew this So St. Jude I will not