as if we cannot miscarry and once being in Christ we shall abide though we be never so carelesse and secure and therefore to prevent this supine lazinesse here is a precept annexed to the promise which minds us that something is to bee performed on our part as well as Gods This unction enableth to abide in Christ but withall wee are required to make use of the grace which this unction giveth for that end and as the Promise assureth us of the one so the Precept puts us on the other It is a known saying of St. Austin Hee that made us without our selves will not save us without our selves wee can doe nothing without him hee will not doe it without us The Unction teacheth and that so as to give strength to fulfill yet still our part is to put forth that strength for that end for which it was given us and though it is the grace of this unction which doth not only prevent us by giving ability but excite us to and assist us in actuating that ability yet it is incumbent on us by the help of preventing exciting and assisting grace to exert those acts of faith and courage and constancy whereby we abide in him This being premised come wee now to consider the Duty to which wee are exhorted and here wee finde something substantial and something circumstantial that in the verb abide this in the adverb now 1 The substance of the duty is in the word abide a word which as Lapide well observeth our Apostle very much delighted to use no lesse than seven times wee meet with it in this Chapter nor is it any wonder since it was his Masters word and that in his last dying farewell Sermon if you cast your eyes on the fifteenth Chapter of St. Johns Gospel you shall finde this phrase of abiding in him used by our Saviour five several times in four verses and as hath been already observed this holy Apostle loved to tread in his Masters steps yea to speak in his Masters language He that exhorts to walk as he walked will not only doe so but talk also as he talked No doubt as hee was his Lords darling so hee had a dear affection to him and those whom wee love wee would resemble not only in greater but lesser matters in garb and gesture in discourse and language And as for this reason he maketh so frequent use of the phrase so likewise he so often inculcateth the duty because it was his Masters counsel to him and the rest of the Disciples Hee well knew he could not give better counsel to the people than Christ had given to him hee followed it himself and found it good advice no wonder if hee commanded it to others Abide in him For the unfolding of this duty know 1 There is a three-fold abiding which is required of every Christian in the Church of Christ in the Doctrine of Christ and in Christ himself all of these we meet with in this Chapter the first in the nineteenth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had continued with us to wit the Apostles of Christ who were then the Rulers and Representatives of the Church The second in the four and twentieth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let that which you have heard from the beginning abide in you to wit the Evangelical Doctrine and the last in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abide in him By all of these no doubt one and the same grace of perseverance is meant yet not without some difference one rising higher than the other the lowest stâ—p is abiding in the Church which is opposed to a Schismatical separation higher than that is abiding in the Doctrine which is opposed to Heretical defection the highest is abiding in Christ himself which is opposed to an Hypocritical profession A man may abide in the Church and â—et fall from truth to error he may abide both in the Church and in the Doctrin of Christ so farre as to outward profession and yet not be really united to and abide in Christ himself But on the other hand Hee who spiritually abideth in Christ cannot but abide in his Doctrine and Church If you abide in me and my words abide in you saith our blessed Saviour where the latter is joyned with the former Christs words cannot but abide in them who abide in him nor will he who hath a real union with Christ make a wilful separation from his Church since the members which adhere to the head cannot forsake the body no wonder if our Apostle adde this to the two former as that which will both engage and enable us to them and accordingly that wee may continue with the Orthodox Christians and that which we have heard from the beginning may remain in us let us abide in him 2 In regard of this union and communion which wee have with Christ there is a three-fold phrase which wee meet with very frequently in the New Testament comming to him being in him and abiding in him coming to him is St. Peters phrase to whom coming as to a living stone Being in him St. Pauls If any man bee in Christ Abiding in him St. Johns both here and before in this Chapter And here we may observe a gradation coming to him is the beginning being in him the progresse and abiding in him the perfection of Christianity we must come to him or we cannot be in him wee must be in him else we cannot abide in him it is not enough to come to but we must be in nor to bee in but wee must abide in him To come to Christ is renouncing our selves to embrace Christ as our Lord and Saviour to be in him is to trust in him whom wee embrace for salvation and to Abide in him is to persevere in this adhaesion to the end 3 If yet you desire a more plain account of the true meaning and full latitude of this phrase of abiding in Christ I answer it is when as having received Christ Jesus our Lord and that both as our Lord and Jesus we doe not will not suffer our selves either by the allurements or affrightments of the world solicitations of the flesh and temptations of the Devil to be with-drawn from the profession of his name observance of his precepts recumbency on his merits imitation of his graces and communion with his person 2 Having given you this account of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abide in him it will not bee amisse to cast an eye upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now though it may be looked upon only as formula concludendâ— a winding up of the Discourse as if he had said in Salomons language this is the conclusion of the whole matter yet since the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly an adverb of time we shall so consider it and finde a great deal of emphasis in it in as much as this now seemeth to have a double aspect
THE First general EPISTLE OF St. JOHN THE APOSTLE Unfolded Applied The Second PART In Thirty and seven Lectures on the Second Chapter from the third to the last Verse Delivered in St. Dionys BACK-CHURCH By NATH HARDY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Parish LONDON Printed for Joseph Cranford and are to bee sold at his shop at the Castle and Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. To the Right Honourable Lady Christian Countesse Dowager of Devonshire Madam I Finde this Holy Apostle directing his Second Epistle to an Elect Lady whereby hee conferr'd no small Honour upon her I am bold to dedicate this Second Part of my weak Labours on his first Epistle to your Ladyship as esteeming it and that justly a great Honour to mee St. John dignifieth the Person to whom hee wrote with the Title of a Lady it seemeth hee was of another spirit than our Levelling Quakers who denying a Civil difference of Superiour and Inferiour refuse to give those Respects both in Gestures and Titles which are due to some above others And as he calleth her a Lady in reference to her external Quality so an Elect Lady in regard of her choice internal qualifications as being to use St. Hieromes Language concerning a prime Lady in Rome Non minus sanctitate quam genere Nobilis no lesse good than great An Amiable sight it is when these two entwine each other Piety in a mean one is like a Mine of Gold in the earth Nobility in a bad one is like a blazing Comet in the Aire But Piety in a Noble person is like a bright star in the Heavens Honour without Vertue is as a Cloud without water Vertue without Honour is as a Room without Hangings But Vertue and Honour is as a Golden Apple in a Silver Picture or rather as a Pretious Diamond in a Golden Ring Both these were conspicuous in St. Johns Elect Lady and I may no less truely say are met together in you Should I give the World a true account of those Intellectual Moral and Spiritual endowments which God hath conferred upon your Honour I easily beleeve what St. Hierome saith in reference to a Noble Lady Si quacunque virtutibus ejus congrua dixero adulari putabor I shall bee censured as a Flatterer Besides to speak St. Ambrose his phrase in an Epistle to the same Lady I am justly fearful Nâ— verecundiae tuae onerosa foret etiam vera laudatio lest I should offend your Ladyships Modesty by expressing a Character of your worth though never so consonant to truth I foresee also how needlesse any Enconium will bee of your Merit The Lives of great persons being as Cities built upon an Hill generally obvious I am withall sufficiently sensible what an arrogance it is ut tuis praedicationibus ingenium meum par esse praesumam as the same Father in the same Epistle elegantly that I should think my rude pensil fit to draw the Lineaments of your better part upon all which considerations I have resolved against that common custome of a Panaegyrick Onely after St. Johns pattern I beseech you Madam that you would abound yet more in all vertue so as the light of your good works may shine more and more to the perfect day To this end Let those excellent counsels which are given by him in this Chapter and though I cannot say fully yet I dare say faithfully expounded by mee in this Book bee firmly engraven upon your Noble Breast Account it your Highest Honour with Mary to sit as it wete at Christs feet not onely that you may hear but keep his Commandements and to make good your Christian profession by treading in his footsteps and walking as he walked By imploying as you do this Worlds goods for Pious Hospitable and charitable uses let it appear that you have learned to Love your Brother and not to love this world Go not forth to those Antichristian Lying Teachers who by Heresy and Schisme are gone out of the Church of England that according to the Motto of your Honours Armes Cavendo tutus your pretious soul may bee still safe from errour by bewaring them and their poysonous doctrins Finally As you know so abide in him whom you have beleeved and let those truths which you have heard from the beginning and hitherto embraced abide in you to the end of your life I must not Right Honourable conclude this Epistle without fulfilling the chief End of its Dedication namely to confesse my Obligation and professe my gratitude to your Ladyship for those kinde aspects and benigne influences which in these black and cloudy daies the bright beams of your goodness have vouchsafed as to many of my Reverend Brethren so in particular to my self the unworthiest of them all I have nothing more to adde but my Devotions That the great God would accumulate upon your own person with all that are descended from and related to you the blessings of Life Health and Wealth of Love Grace and Peace of Joy blisse and Glory is and shall bee the uncessant Prayer of Madam Your Honours greatly Obliged and Humbly devoted Servant NATHANAEL HARDY To the Reader THis Epistle which I have undertaken by divine assistance to unfold is as it were a goodly Fabrick consisting of five Rooms being divided into so many Chapters Among those this Second is the most spatious and specious by reason of which this Volume is swelled far bigger than the former I need not tell thee how well worthy this Room is of thy most serious view Thus much I dare assure thee the more often thou lookest into it the better thou wilt like it At the entrance into it is as it were the Effigies of Christ as an Advocate for thy Consolation and a pattern for thy Imitation Towards the further end is the portraiture of Antichrist with all his cursed crew spitting fire out of their mouths against the Holy Jesus denying him to bee the Christ against whom the Apostle giveth a seasonable Caveat On the right hand hang the lovely Pictures of those Virgin graces Knowledge Obedience Love of God and of our Neighbour and perseverance in the faith On the left hand are represented those mis-shapen Monsters of Malice and Envy in hating our brother of worldly love with all her Brats the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the Pride of Life Finally there are in it several partitions one for Fathers another for young men and a third for Children for Men for Christians of all ages and sorts These following discourses are as so many windows to let in light to this Room whereby thou mayest the better view it and whatever is contained in it I have not made use of painted glass which though it may adorn obscureth but rather that which is plain and clear as affecting not the ostentation of my own wit in high language but thy edification by significant expressions I have
by him are very imperfect in comparison of the Gospell Revelations 3. If you like to retain the common signification of true as opposite to false you must take in the Verb shineth and so the sense will be clear the true light shineth only in the Gospell and therefore the Law is called darkness True there was a light a true light in the Law but it did not shine forth it was as it were hid under a Bushell and so a state of darkness in comparison of the shining light in the Gospell It is very observable to this purpose that all things were covered and wrapt up to the Jews when they carryed the Brasen Altar in the wilderness they covered it with a Purple Cloth when they carryed the Ark it was covered with three coverings a Vail a Badgers skin and a Cloth of blew the Table of the Shew Bread had three coverings and except the laver every thing was covered in the Temple Yea the Temple it self had a Vaile When Moses came from the Mount his Face was vailed the Priests bare the things which they might not see and all this to signifie what a concealment there was of divine knowledg under the Law To this purpose St Gregory allegorizeth these words of the Psalmist Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus Dark water in the Clouds that is Occulta scientia in Prophetis the darkness of knowledg in the Law and Prophets It is true Eternall life Salvation by Christ and those other sublime truths are to be found in the Law but as a Face under a Mask as a Sun in a Cloud Heavenly wrapt up in Earthly promises Christ involved in Types and Figures There were but few that knew any thing of these truths in comparison of the multitudes now and that they did know was but obscurely in comparison of the clearness now Divine knowledg was then as an Oyntmennt kept close in an Alablaster Box now the savour thereof perfumeth the whole house Then it was at best but as the dawning of the Day now it is full Noon and those Doctrines which were velata inveteri folded up in the Old are revelata in novo unfolded in the New Testament To this tends that expression used by St Paul concerning Christians We all with open face behold the glory of the Lord. The Jews faces were vailed ours are open they according to the Apostles phrase elsewhere saw afar of and so darkly we as it were near hand and so clearly To summe it up Look as the true shining light of the Gospell in comparison of that beatificall Vasion so the typicall instruction of the Law in comparison of Evangelicall teaching is but darkness or at best a shadow Indeed the Triumphant Church is in intimis the holy of holies The Christian Church Militant in atrijs the holy place But the Jewish in extimis the outward Court When God gave the Law the second time he commanded the people to stand at the foot of the Mount Aaron Nadab Abihu and the Seaventy Elders of Israel to worship afar off in the middle of the Mount and Moses ascends to the top of the Mount even within the Cloud by which three one hath represented the three states of the Church By those who stood at the bottome the Jewish By them who worshipped in the middle the Christians And by Moses the glorified Church In one word to use St Ambrose his phrase Umbra in lege imago in Evangelio veritas in Cael◠the Truth is in Heaven the Image in the Gospell but in the Law only the shadow 2. The just fitness of those Metaphors darkness and light in reference to the Law and Gospell being manifested that which next is more briefly to be considered is that which is predicated concerning both Namely That the one is past and the other now shineth Indeed the word for passing is in the Present Tence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth pass away for when St John wrote this Epistle it was only in fieri passing not past those Legall Ceremonies began to dye at Christs Passio◠then in signification thereof was the Vail of the Temple not only perforatum or attritum or laceratum worn or torn a little but rent in twain from the top to the bottome but they were not dead and buried till the destruction of the Temple it self so that during the space between Christs Passion and Jerusalems desolation they were passing away and the Evangelicall Administration did more and more display it self Thus as when the house is built the Scaffold is pulled down when the Sun ariseth the Starrs disappear when the Prophet himself came the staffe was taken off and when Christ increased John the Baptist decereased so when the Gospell was published the Legall Administrations vanished away And surely the Consideration hereof should teach us on the one hand to bewaile the hardned Jews who though the darkness be past and the true light now shineth shut their eyes against the light and love to abide in darkness St Hierome very aptly compareth the Jews before Christ to those that eat the flesh Christians under the Gospell to those who eat the Marrow but the Jews now to the dogs that gnaw the bone Indeed those Legall observances at the best were only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shadow but now they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness exitiall to those who still embrace them Oh let us pitty and pray for the blinded Jews that the vaile may be taken from their faces and they may behold the light which shineth so brightly nor is there less cause of gratulation in respect of our selves then lamentation in regard of the Jews It was a great benefit to learning when the obscure hyeroglyphicks of the Aegyptians were changed into letters and Platoes dark writings were brought down to more easie conceptions by Aristotle but surely farre greater is the benefit which the Church hath now the Evangelical Administration suceeding in the room of the legall Oh how fitly may that expression of the Psalmist be taken up by us Christians God is the Lord which hath shewed us light a clear full glorious light let us be glad and rejoyce in it To winde up this first Interpretation by considering the words in this sense as an argument why this command of love ought to be true in us Namely Because we live under the Christian dispensation Indeed hatred and malice were not tollerable in the Jews but they are abominable in us Christians who should live in love if not we to whom the love of God and Christ is so clearly revealed Oh my brethren how sad is it to think though the shadow as some read it the darkness as others be past and the true light now shineth yet we may too truly complain that the shadow remaineth nothing but shadows of grace fancies of godliness found among us nay the darkness of envy and hatred and all uncharitable walking prevaileth among us Oh be we exhorted since we
and Nephews Parents and Children or grand-Children whether naturall or civill all which are manifestly forbidden by the divine Law and repugnant to natures Dictates Nor are they the less filthy but rather the more odious when they are covered with the vaile of matrimony to which purpose St Ambrose disswading the marriage of a Brother with his sister's Daughter though by another Mother thus reasoneth Interdictum est naturae jure interdictum est lege quae est in cordilus singulorum interdictum est immutabili praescriptione pietatis necessitudinis It is forbidden by natures Law by the Law within every mans heart by the inviolable praescription of Piety and that regard which is due to propinquity Nor will either the necessary examples of the first men when Brothers and Sisters were inforced to marry for the propagation of mankinde or the example of the Jews in Brothers marrying their Brothers Wife to raise up seed by vertue of a speciall Law or those heroicall examples as Luther calleth them of any of the Patriarchs in any of these kindes which being dissonant from the Law are not to be imitated by others be found sufficient warrants or excuses for them who shall give way to any incestuous conjunctions 2. When the Object is such as doth privare ordinem virtutis transgress the order of the virtue of chastity such are all lusts after any person whom we may not justly call our own And thus 1. If it be after any more then one though in a matrimoniall way which is polygamy it is unlawfull as being against the Primitive institution by God of one woman for one man which the Prophet Malachy saith was because he sought a godly seed and therefore not justifiable in the Patriarchs much less excusable in us by their pattern 2. If it be without Matrimony any lust after any persons whether one or more married or unmarryed is a lust of the flesh And in the pursuit of any one of these 1. When the one party is altogether dissenting it is a rape wherein only the Agent is the guilty sinner and the patient is an innocent sufferer 2. When either both or one of the parties is marryed it is adultery in that party A lust so much the more vile because it is a willfull shipwrack abroad when there is an harbour and safe remedy provided at home 3. When one of the persons is sâ—ngle it is in that person fornication and when both it is that which is called simple fornication Indeed it is questioned by some whether this latter be a lust of the flesh or no and the most plausible argument which they alledge is that in the decree of that Apostolicall counsell fornication is reckoned with things strangled and bloud which are in themselves of an indifferent nature But how invalid this consequence is will easily appear if we consider that as Aquinas hath well observed the reason of joyning these together is not as if there were no more morall guilt in fornication then the rest but because the rest would be offensive to the Jews as well as fornication and so equally cause a Rent in the Christian Church which consisted of converted Jews and Gentiles The truth is though both persons are single it is a breach of chastity and consequently a lust of the flesh nay yet more though the persons are not only resolved upon marriage but contracted each to other yet the desire of carnall copulation is a fleshly lust for contract is but Jus ad rem it is Matrimony giveth Jus in re contract bindes to marriage but alloweth not to touch before contract is like Articles agreed upon but marriage puts to the seal so that it is as the taking of possession of a mans own without due course of Law and therefore unwarrantable 2. You have seen the principall outgoings of this lust but withall you must know that the Object may be right and our desire in this kinde a lust of the flesh when it is though between persons lawfully married either intempestive or intemperate in a season prohibited in a measure not moderated or a manner not ordained or for an end not warranted upon this account it is that St Hierome saith quoting the speech of a Pythagoraean Physopher Adulter est in suam uxorem amator ardentior an excessive lover of is an adulterer with his Wife and St Austin quoteth it as a saying of St Ambrose Uxoris adulterum esse qui in usu conjug ali verecundiae temperantiae honestatis nullam rationem habeat that he is an adulterer who useth the marriage delights without regard to modesty decency and temperance I confess these are harsh expressions since a man can no more be an adulterer with his own wife then a thief with his own goods and adultery according to the notion of the Latine word is Ad alterius thorum accessus the coming to anothers not his own bed But yet it is thus far true that its a breach of the seaventh Commandment which is exprest by that phrase Thou shalt not commit adultery for though conjugium purum marriage be an undefiled estate yet conjuges impuri the marryed persons may be uncleane and so guilty of the lust of the flesh 2. The second sort of fleshly lust is intemperance which is the excess of the appetite in reference to meat and drinke and is called by St Paul Gluttony and drunkenness Very fitly is this annext to the former since the satiating of intemperate is the exciting of incontinent lusts according to that of the Israelites They did eate and drink and rose up to play Irrigata corporis nostri terra spumis libidinum germinabit the soyle of our body being too much â—atred sends forth the weeds of luxury Venter benè pastus cito despumat in libidinem the full fed belly boyleth over with the sâ—umme of uncleanness Isidore Pelusiota being asked by Thalassâ—us the Monke why S. Paul seemeth to call Esau fornicator when no such thing is mentioned in the old Testament answereth that he is branded for a glutton and thence we may easily infer he was a fornicator Indeed fasting spittle is the best cure of this itch according to that known saying Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus if you will know where Lady Venus liveth it is at the signe of the Ivye bush Gula vestibulum luxuriae intemperance is her gallery through which she walketh to her bed of sensuall pleasure And now as the former respecteth the pleasure of the touch so this of the taste and because the inordination of this lust is in most things of the same nature both in regard of eating and drinking I shall handle these two sins of gluttony and drunkenness together Among all these secular things none are more necessary for mans preservation then meat and drinke since without them we are not able to subsist a few daies hence it is that nothing is more
meet with this construction but I shall not refuse to take up a Pearl though I finde it in a Dunghil and as I shall never receive so neither will I reject any exposition because of the person that bringeth it Besides him that learned Mr. Mede occasionally speaking of these words conceiveth it to bee the last hour of Daniels seventy weeks and so consequently of the Jews Common-wealth Suitable whereunto is the Annotation both of H. Grotius and Dr. Hammond to whom for their excellent illustrations of many Scriptures this age is and future will bee much beholding The only objection that can lye against this interpretation is that this Epistle was written after the destruction of Jerusalem but this can only be said not proved True St. John out-lived that desolation but this Epistle might bee written before it yea this text renders it very probable and accordingly Mr. Mede conceiveth it might be written in the last of Daniels weeks about which time Jesu Ananiah began that woful cry Woe to Jerusalem woe to the Temple Taking the clause in this construction the emphasis of this word Hour will prompt two things to our meditation That the time of the Jews ruine was a set time and a short time 1 An hour is a measured part of time consisting of a set number of minutes whereby is intimated that the time of Jerusalems ruine was fixed and her years numbred it is that which would be considered in a double reference to wit as the Jews were a Nation and a Church 1 Consider them as a Nation and People and wee may see in them this truth exemplified That to all Nations there is an appointed time how long they shall continue hee that sets bounds to the Sea hithertâ— shalt thou passe and no further sets periods to all the Kingdoms of the earth thus long they shall flourish and no longer The signification of that word Mene which the hand wrote upon the wall concerning Belshazzar God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it carrieth in it a general truth concerning all Monarchies Kingdoms States the number of the years for their continuation and the term of time for their expiration is determined by God What is become of the Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires whose glorious splendor in a certain space of time vanished away Indeed according to the Poets expression Momento permagna ruunt summisque negatum Stare diâ— Though some Nations flourish longer than others yet all have their Autumn as well as Spring Winter as well as Summer and when the time registred in Heaven is accomplished on earth the most potent Politick Kingdoms moulder away in a moment 2 Consider them as a Church and Gods people it lets us see that as Kingdoms so Churches have their periods indeed the universal Church shall not fayl God will have if not in one place yet in another an Orb wherein the light of his truth shall shine though not always with the same clearnesse to the Day of Judgement but still particular Churches have their doleful eclipses yea their dismal settings by the removing of the Sun of the Gospel from them Those seven Churches of Asia are deplorable instances of this Doctrin who though once golden candlesticks holding forth the word of life are now inveloped in Mahumetan darknesse Oh see my Brethren what sin will doe to Nations to Churches for though it is God who determineth yet it is sin which deserveth their ruine That which moveth God to remove the Candlestick from a Church is their contempt of the light That which provoketh God to put a period to a Kingdoms prosperity is their heightned iniquity and therefore when we behold as wee of this Land at this day sadly doe a flourishing Church withered a goodly Kingdom overturned oh let us so acknowledge Gods hand as to blame our own demerits since it is upon fore-sight of a peoples transgression that God prefixeth a time for their destruction 2 An hour is a short space of time there are many parts of time longer days weeks moneths years Jubilees Ages but there is only one shorter to wit minutes nay the shortest time by which men commonly reckon is the hour with its several parts so that where our Apostle saith it was the last hour he intends that it was but an hour that is a very short time and Jerusalem should be destroyed Look as when the duration of an affliction is set forth by an hour it noteth the brevity of its continuance so when the coming of an affliction is measured by an hour it noteth the celerity of its approach in the former sense we read elsewhere of an hour of temptation and here in the latter that it is the last hour Indeed if wee look upon the Jewes at this very time we shall find they were very secure not dreaming of so neer and great a destruction The Characters which St. James giveth of the rich Jewes are that they heaped treasure together they lived in pleasure were wantâ—n and nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter they indulged to their covetous and voluptuous lusts putting the evil day farr from them and yet those were the last days as that Apostle calls them nay the last hour in our Apostles language In this respect it is that our Saviour speaking of this destruction fore-telleth it should be then as it was in the days of Noah when they ate and drank married and gave in marriage till the day that Noah entered into the Ark as being over-whelmed with a general security when ready to bee over-whelmed with the floud Thus may Judgement be at hand when men think it farre off and the Judge stand at the door when the thief imagines hee is many miles distant when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they cannot escape is the sad threatning which Saint Paul utters against presumptuous sinners wicked men are never more secure than when destruction is nearest and destruction is never nearer than when they are most secure Indeed when men through infidelity contemn it is high time for God to execute his threatnings that by hastening his wrath he may justifie his truth It is but reason that they who will not beleeve should feel and what they would not learn by the Word they should finde in their own sad experience take we heed therefore how wee look at the wrong end of the Perspective which makes the object seem at a greater distance than it is Alas how soon may the brightest skie bee over-cast Voluptuous Epicures saith Job spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment they goe down to the grave When Judgement cometh it cannot be avoyded and too often it surprizeth men before it is expected Whilst the wicked Jewes were encompassed with plenty and promised themselves tranquillity St. John fore-tells their misery and that as approaching It is
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
before If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him it is as true the love of his Mother the Church is not in him Indeed in the Primitive times it so fell out that by reason of Persecution they could not cleave to the Church unless they were willing to leave the world and no wonder if the love of the world caused many of them to leave the Church 2 But more particularly 1 The lust of the flesh was a special cause of their Apostacy the Churches bounds were too narrow her Lawes too strict for those licentious Antichrists Indeed it is frequently observable that the great Rabbies against the Church are extraordinary Chaplaines to the Trencher St. Paul describing those false Teachers saith they were such as did serve their owne bellies nay more whose God is their belly St. Peter characterizeth them to bee such as did count it a pleasure to ryot in the day time having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin such as did allure through the lust of the flesh through much wantonnesse in a word hee compareth them to Doggs and Swine and calls them the Servants of corruption Finally St. Jude affirmeth of those Separatists that they were sensual so great affinity hath Epicurisme with Antichristianisme and Sensuality with Heresie 2 The lust of the eyes and that in both notions is no less an incentive of this sinful departure For 1 Curiosity hath ever been a nurse of error Prurigo sciendi scabies ecclesiae the itch of knowing more than wee should proveth too often an Heretical scab when men are not content with truths revealed no wonder if they wander into by-paths and lose themselves in a maze of folly Melior est fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria scientia was a good saying of the Master of the Sentences a modest ignorance is better than a presumptuous knowledge as we must not be too credulous in receiving what is delivered so neither curious in prying into what is concealed it is not seldome seen that as Thales gazing on the Starres fell into a pit so men that meddle with Divine secrets fall into the pit of errour 2 But that which hath ever proved the most usual source of Apostacy is Avarice observe the Apostolical character of the Antichristian Teachers and you shall still finde this to be one they are destitute of the truth saith St. Paul to Timothy supposing that gain is godlinesse and again the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith They teach things which they ought not saith the same Apostle to Titus for filthy Lucres sake Through covetousnesse they with feigned words make Merchandize of you saith the Apostle Peter and again an heart they have exercised with covetous practices which have forsâ—â—k the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Beor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse Thus Ignatius St. Johns contemporary complained of some that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather Merchants of Christ than Christians indeed carrying about the name of Christ fraudulently handling the Word of Christ deceitfully mingling with smooth words poysonous errours Thus St. Cyprian accused that Apostatizing Heretick Novatus of whom he saith that hee was avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus not only covetous but ravenous and insatiably greedy of gain And Isidorus observing that the Novatians stiled themselves the pure saith Mundams se potius quam mundos vocarent they should have called themselves not Puritans but Mammonists And however the Antichristian Apostates of our age have other pretences to wit of purity and godlinesse yet who so diveth into the bottome of their departure from the Church shall finde it to be the enriching themselves especially with the Sacrilegious spoyls of her Lands and Revenues It is a notable saying of Salust concerning avarice that it subverts fidelity and honesty it teacheth men to neglect God and make sale of every thing and what he found true in the Common-wealth we may in the Church that the love of gain causeth men to renounce the faith and they stick not to sell their Religion their Consciences their Souls for money 3 Adde to the two former that which must by no means in this case be left out as having a great hand in it namely The pride of life and that double 1 An arrogant self-conceit too often causeth men to depart from the Church one sort of the Hereticks in the Apostles time were the Gnosticks who were so called from their vain affectation and opinion of their owne knowledge no wonder if St. Pauls advise is not to think of our ownselves more highly than wee ought It is the observation of the Reverend and Learned Hooker that the chief cause of those Heresies which infected the Easterne Church was the restlesse wits of the Graecians ever more proud of their owne curious and subtile inventions which having once contrived they knew how plausibly to vent and Eusebius informeth us of that fore-mentioned Heretick Novatus that he was a man blown up with pride and self-conceit and Vincentius Lyrinensis of Nestorius that such was his scelerata presumptio daring boldnesse as to boast himself the first and only man Thus doe Hereticks and Schismaticks go out from because they account themselves above others above Fathers Councils Antiquitie Authority Church Scriptures all according to that proud speech of Abailardus Omnes alii sic ego autem non sic All others think thus but I think not so 2 An haughty desire of Honour and greatnesse which because they cannot obtain in the Church they seek after by going out of it That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius calls him ring-leader of Heresy Simon Magus would bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one and therefore broached those hellish doctrines Diotrephes loved the preheminence and that opens his mouth in prating against S. John It were easy to instance in Donatus Arrius and others who aspiring after dignities and being discontented the one that Cecilian Bishop of Carthage the other that Alexander Bishop of Alexandria were preferred into those seats which they aimed at did thereupon desert the Catholick Church look as through ambition it was that the Devil himself stood not in the truth so hee still carrieth his instruments to this pinacle whence hee throweth them down into errours And thus I have given you a brief portraicture both of the crime and its causes of which these Antichrists are accused They went out from us This heinous charge is that which the Papists at this day draw up against us because wee have deserted them condemning us as Hereticks Schismaticks Apostates and such as have forsaken the communion of the Christian Catholick and Apostolick Church But how causless and unjust thâ—s accusation is hath been both of old and
I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me They that have been baptized in her Font educated by her Pastors and sucked what knowledge and grace they have if yet they may be said to have any from her breasts have now forsaken her yea are risen up against her Viper-like eating out her bowels Oh what sad breaches have been made in the Doctrine and Disciplins of the Church by those wilde beasts Socinians Familists Anabaptists Quakers and such like who being made to goe out of the field have trampled down the hedge endeavouring to lay all waste And now I would to God that all Sectaries would at length sadly consider these two things how causelesse yea how cursed this their departure from the Church of England is 1 How causelesse their going out is were easie to make appear by an induction of the several particulars which are alledged as pretences such as are Infants Baptisme Episcopal Ordination and Jurisdiction Administration of the Lords Supper to all baptized persons of age not convicted of any scandalous offences which they call mixt Communion as also those harmlesse yea useful because significant Ceremonies which our Church retained all which though by them declaimed against as Popish will be found upon due inqniry some of them Apostolical all of them ancient institutions and practices of the Catholick Christian Church though yet should wee grant some of them to bee pollutions and spots in our Church it would only inferre a lawful desire and endeavour of reformation not warrant a Schismatical separation since no corruptions in any Church can give allowance of going out of it unlesle they be such as strike at the very foundation of Christian Doctrine and Worship It may perhaps bee here pleaded that as wee forsook the communion of the Roman Church because we apprehended it guilty of such erroneous Doctrines and practices with which wee could not communicate without sin so doe the Sectaries upon the same apprehension of the like in our Church forsake ours and therefore if their separation from us bee causelesse ours from the Papists may seeme to be as unjust But to this we return that neither have we given them the like cause as the Church of Rome gave us not have they the like rational conviction as wee had Wee impose nothing to be beleeved in Doctrine as necessary to Salvation which wee doe not demonstrate to have been the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and the Catholick Church and so ought to bee beleeved wee require nothing to be done in matter of practice which is not of ancient usage in the Christian Church and in its owne nature is at least indifferent and so may bee done without sin and therefore it is not a just conviction but at best a deceiving perswasion at worst a wilfulresolution which causeth their separation and so it is in truth causelesse 2. Adde to this that other consideration namely how cursed it is which is evident in several respects 1 Of Christ and his Spirit who is hereby grieved It is very observable that they who are said in this verse to goe out from the Apostles are called in the verse before Antichrists whilst wee goe from Christs Church wee goe against Christ and by rending from his Body wee grieve his Spirit and therefore St. Ambrose calls Schism a sin against the Holy Ghost 2 Of the Church which is hereby weakned the taking of any stones out of the building lesseneth the strength of the whole fabrick if one Souldier break his rank the whole company is disordered by it thus doe they who goe out of the Church ruire the Church it self interrupting her unity which is at once her strength and beauty upon this account it is well observed that whereas other sins are contra sngulos against particular persons this of Schisme is contra universos against a generality so that as much as community is above a person so much is Schisme above other sins yea as much as a sacred is better than a civil command so much this sin is worse than that of Sedition 3 Of others in as much as by this means 1 Those that are malicious enemies against the Church have their mouthes opened to calumniate her and all that are strangers without the Church are hindred from coming in to her Clemens Alexandrinus repeateth the saying of one to this purpose who cryed out You Christians have so many Sects let my soul bee with the Philosophers 2 Those who are within the Church in as much as some to wit the weak are stagger'd and ready to question which is the true Church nay whether there be any Church at all and others to wit the strong are sadded whilst for these divisions of Ruben are great searchings of heart 4. Lastly of themselves who by their back-sliding separation hasten upon themselves perdition a branch plucked from the root must needs wither a member â—â—â— off from the body dyes and those that leave the Church perish Nos tentat Dâ—abolus ut lupus ovem a grege saith St. Cyprian As the Wolf tempts the sheep from the Fold so doth the Devil men from the Church and why this but that he may worry and devour them Discedentes â—â— Ecclesiâ— saith Ireneus de fonte Spiritus sancti non pâ—tant They that leave the garden of the Church cannot drink of the fountain of the Spirit What became of those who were out of the Ark when the â—loud came they must needs perish in the waters no lesse miserable is their condition who goe out of the Church Yea which renders their condition so much the more desperate is that they who once goe out of the Church doe seldome return to it That of the Poet Quis peccandi sibi finem possuit is as true â—rrandi both sin and errours are boundlesse in this respect among others the wandring as of Sinners so Hereticks is like that of a lost sheep which strayeth from pasture to pasture but never of it self goeth back to the fold the path of errour is a going down hill in which men goe nay run from errour to errour till at last they fall into the pit of destruction And now my Brethren think I beseech you that the Church of England bespeaketh you this day in those words of our Saviour upon a like occasion Will you also goe away nor can we return a better answer than that which St. Peter in behalf of himself and the rest gave to Christ Whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternal life in this Church is the Orthodox dispensation of the Gospel the faithful administration of the Sacraments and the Primitive Apostolical Discipline established and therefore whither shall we goe Here it is that Christ feedeth his Flock in green pastures by still waters why should we be as they that turn aside Oh let us pitty the seduced multitude who have left Churches for Conventicles judicious preaching for ignorant
prating their learned Pasters for illiterate Mechanicks and their true Baptisme in the Font for a vain dipping in a Pond yea let us not only weep over but pray for them as our Mother the Church hath taught us in her excellently composed Letany that God would bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived However if they will not return to us let us take heed we goe not forth to them rather let us blesse God that hath caused our lot to fall within the bosome of so pure a Church and let us earnestly beseech him to strengthen us by his grace that we may continue in her communion to the end so may we confidently and comfortably take up those words of the Author to the Hebrews But wee are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 19. 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 THat general assertion of God himself by the Prophet Isaiah My ways are not as your ways neither are my thoughts as your thoughts is not unfitly exemplified in the state of the militant Church our thoughts are That the Church of God even on earth should be without spot or wrinkle without fear of danger That Gods House should neither bee infected with the contagion of errour nor infested with the breach of Schisme That Christs flock should bee securely free from Wolves or though the Sheep be among Wolves yet that there should bee no Goats among the sheep But see how farre distant Gods thoughts are from ours who so ordereth it that the Churches splendor here below shall not be like that of the Sun but the Moon borrowed and imperfect that her condition should bee like that of a ship tossed with the waves of persecution yea sometimes like the earth rent asunder with the winde of division And surely to use S. Pauls expression The foolishnesse of God is wiser than the wisdome of man and therefore let us give him leave to know what is fitter for his Church than wee far bee it from us to repine at his purposes because they agree not with our projects rather let us subseribe to the prudence of his determinations as in governing the World so in ordering his Church whilest for excellent and admirable ends hee permitteth heretical and schismatical Apostates to obscure her Doctrin and disturb her peace A pregnant instance whereof wee finde in the Primitive Church even whilest S. John lived by reason of those many Antichrists which did arise concerning whom hee saith here They went out from us but they were not of us c. Having dispatched the concession which intimateth what was the occasion of the scandal They went out from us pass wee on to the correction which removeth that occasion by discovering it to bee no just cause and that two waies 1 By a negation in respect of the persons who went out that indeed they never were members of the Church which is Asserted in those words but they were not of us Proved in those for if they had been of us they would have continued with us 2 By an affirmation which declareth that the going out of those Antichrists was permitted by God for a very good end to wit that they might appear to bee but Hypocrites But they went out that it might bee manifest they were not all of us 1 Begin wee with the Negation And before I enter upon the particulars I cannot but take notice of that injurious interpretation which Socinus puts upon this clause on purpose to evade that Argument which is drawn hence for the doctrin of perseverance and amounts to this sense that whereas these Antichrists though gone out of the Church might pretend that they were still of the same faith with the Apostles S. John lets them know that though they had been yet now to wit a little before or about the time of their going out from them they were not of them of which their leaving communion with them was a sufficient argument In opposition to which interpretation I shall offer these three things 1 It doth not appear nor is it probable that these Antichrists when gone out from the Apostles did still pretend to the Orthodox faith and therefore no need for the Apostle to make any provision against it Nay it is plainly intimated by the following discourse that these Antichrists being gone forth did set themselves expresly directly against the Orthodox denying that Jesus whom they did professe to bee the Christ and therefore the design of this clause is most rationally conceived to bee the prevention of that scandal which their horrid Apostacy might give to weak Christians nor could any thing more effectually prevent or remove it than to let them know that these Antichristian Apostates were never true Stars in the firmament of the Church but onely blazing Comets as their falling away did evidently demonstrate 2 That the words they were not of us import an absolute denial so that to put a limitation is to put a sence upon them and if that which this interpretation offereth were the Apostles meaning it had been more proper for him to have said because they ceased to be of us than to say they were not of us nor will that slender Grammar prop of the preter-imperfect-tense support this glosse nothing being more usual than even by that tense to take in the whole time past and look as when a man speaking of any place saith I was not there he is understood to mean not that hee was not there just before or that when hee left the place hee was not there but that hee was not there at all So when our Apostle saith they were not of us his meaning doubtlesse is not they were not of us at the time when they left us but they were not at all of us 3 That if this which hee pretends were the Apostles meaning the addition of a reason to confirm it were supervacaneous it being as needlesse to prove that these Antichrists were not about the time when they deserted the Apostles of the same spirit and faith with them as to prove that they who run from their colours were not just as they run away of the same minde and for the same cause with those who valiantly fight Having thus blown away that light and empty exposition come wee now to handle the clause as it is both generally and rationally interpreted To this end consider wee the negation 1 As asserted in those words But they were not of us For the right understanding of which clause it will not bee amiss to make use of that distinction of Zanchy between these two phrases Esse in et de Ecclesia
to bee in the Church and to bee of it the former being of a far larger extent than the latter since though all that are of the Church are in it Yet all that are in the Church are not of it All that take upon them the profession of the true Christian faith and communicate with the visible Society of the faithful in Evangelical administrations are justly said to bee in the Church onely they who being before all time graciously elected are in due time effectually called and so united to Christ by a lively faith to their fellow-Christians by a cordial love are truely said to be of the Church This will the better appear by taking notice of another phrase which we meet with in this very Epistle namely to be of the world Aliud est esse in mundo aliud esse de mundo There is a vast difference between these two to be in the World and of it all who live and move and have their being in the World are said to be in in it onely those who delight in and set their hearts on the World are said to bee of it look then how good Christians are said to bee in the World and yet not of it So wicked Antichrists may bee said to bee in the Church but not of it no not even whilest they continue in it for that no doubt is our Apostles design to acquaint us that even before they went out whilest yet they were among they were not of them according as St. Austin excellently glosseth quando videbantur in nobis non erant ex nobis when they seemed to be they were not of us Look as on the one hand it may bee said of many who are not among us they are yet of us because their names are written in the book of life in which sense Paul was of the Church whilest a Persecutor against it because a chosen vessel separated as hee saith himself from his Mothers womb So on the other hand it may bee said of many who are among us they are not of us Quia non erant in Christo electi ante mundi constitutionem saith S. Austin because they are not eternally elected nor effectually converted Indeed to use Spalatensis his phrase they may be said to bee de ecclesiá praesumptivè sed non realiter non veraciter of the Church in their own and others opinion but they are not so really So long as they outwardly professe the true faith without open Scandal Charity presumeth them to be of the Church but verity denyeth them to be so The Learned Davenant well argueth Nothing is that truely and formally which it is said to be with the addition of a term of diminution as a dead man is not a man but a carkasse now wicked men whilest yer in the bosome of the Church they are but dead members branches in Christ not bearing fruit according to our Saviours expression they are not partes but pestes not membra but mali humores So S. Austin not parts but pests of the Church not members of but ill-humores in the body Very apt to this purpose is that Similitude which the same Father borroweth from an house in which there are rubbish and Cobwebs but they are none of the materials which constitute the fabrick of it In one word what St. Austine saith concerning Judas Unâ—â— erat numero non merito specie non virtute commixione corporali non vinculo Spirituali he was one of the Apostles in number not merit by corporal conversation not spiritual conjunction that may no lesse justly bee asserted of all Hypocrites of whom Bellarmine himself saith in St. Austines language Adecclesiam pertinent numero non merito they fill up the number of visible Professors but want the reality of true beleevers Thus as the Romans said of that Traytor to the City Iste non est noster non est Romanus sed Paenus hee is none of ours hee is not a Roman but a Carthaginian or as Homer of the cowardly Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh Gracians you are not Gracians so here the Apostle of degenerate Christians they were no Christians they were not of us as being destitute of a true and genuine faith And now what should the consideration hereof teach us but 1 Not to content our selves that wee are received into the Church by Baptisme and partake of its external priviledges Multi qui non ex nobis recipiunt Sacramentum c. saith St. Austin upon the place many that are not of us doe yet communicate with us St. Paul saith of a Jew He is not a Jew that is one outwardly nor is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh The like may I say of a Christian he is not a Christian that is one outwardly nor is that Baptisme which is outward in the body Frustra miscetur caetui Sanctorum in Temple manufactâ— qui submotus est à consortio Dei ab universo corpore mystico Christi saith St. Cyprian excellently in vain is he joyned to the society of visible Professors who is dis-joyned from Christs mystical body and hath not communion with God 2 Not to be much offended when we see some within the Church going out of it Indeed it should bee our grief but not our scandal mourn wee ought for their sin in going out from the Church but still so as to comfort our selves with this meditation they never were true members of the Church Avolent quantum volent paleae leves eò purior massa frumenti in herdeum domini reponetur so Tertullian let the light chaffe fly away whither it will the good corn will bee layed up so much the purer in Gods Barn Quandâ— evomuntur mali humores relevatur corpus so St. Austin when the ill humours are vomited up the stomack is eased and the body releeved The departure of wicked men from the Church is like the flying away of the chaffe and the casting out of bad humours and though it bee a woeful decession to them it is a good riddance to the Church nor doth she lose any from her but those who were never of her the truth of which will more evidently appear if you take a view of 2 The argument annexed whereby this Negation is proved in those words For if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us The strength of the proof is obvious to every capacity that there will bee no need to insist upon it for if they who are of the Church doe continue in it it must necessarily follow that they who doe not continue but goe out of the Church were never of it That therefore which we are a little to inquire into is the truth of the point That they who are of the Church doe undoubtedly continue in it It is a Doctrine I shall have frequent occasion to discusse in my progresse through this
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
little after Tune verò sunt quod appellantur si manserint in eo propter quod â—ic appellantur then and then only are they that which they are called Christs Disciples if they abide in that for which they are so called 2 Let all true members of the Church rejoyce in this comfortable Doctrin that phrase of St. Paul The grace of God wherein wee stand is taken notice of by S. Chrysostome as very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very aptly it is said wee stand for the grace of God knoweth no limits hath no end and whereas earthly dignities are quickly lost because the favour of Princes is changeable yea however though none else death will put a man out of the highest Office by the Grace and Favour of God wee stand so fast that nothing can wholly divest us of this glorious priviledge to bee a member of the Church Herein it is that our estate by conversion is far better than Adams by creation hee indeed was in a state of perfect purity but with all in a state of mutability and though placed in Paradise yet so as that hee might nay did forfeit it to the utter ejection of himself and his Posterity wee being through regeneration grafted into Christ attain by his grace though not exact innocency yet a kinde of immutability and are so planted in the garden of the Church that wee cannot be plucked up This consideration is that which should inlarge our spiritual joy but yet not diminish our prudential fear and therefore wee should do well according to the Psalmists advice to rejoyce with trembling It is not to bee denyed but that this Doctrin being abused may become to some an occasion of security but withall it is onely so to them whom it concerneth not the false not the true members of the Church and it is onely so because mis-understood not in its own nature Indeed were this the Doctrin that they who are of the Church shall continue in it though they live never so loosely and go on in their sin impenitently it would bee not onely an occasion but a cause of presumptuous security but the intent of this Doctrin is onely to assure those who are of the Church that through the spirit of Christ by the use of those means God affordeth and exercise of those duties hee requireth they shall bee so far preserved as that either they shall not at all go out of or if through the Enemies subtilty and their own infirmitie and inanimadvertency they are seduced they shall at length return by weeping-cross into the bosome of the Church and what place is here left for sloth and negligence for presumption and security 1 The truth is it is no easy matter on good ground to assure our selves that we are of the Church many not only in others but their own opinion are of the Church and yet are not in reality and if wee bee not indeed of the Church wee cannot continue In this respect that counsel of St. Paul is very needful examine prove your selves whether you bee in the faith use all diligence and faithfulnesse in searching out your spiritual estate 2 If wee bee of the Church wee are not so secured but that wee may fall scandalously and for a time go out from her communion sad experience maketh it good at this day in many who have wretchedly forsaken the truth and the Church for whose return wee pray and of which wee are not altogether without hope since wee trust some of them are gone astray not through wilfulnesse and contempt but ignorance and weaknesse and therefore not onely hee that thinketh hee standeth but hee that doth stand had need to take heed lest hee fall 3 Finally There is no assurance of continuance to the true members of the Church but in the use of means wee are kept by Gods power to salvation but it is through faith and so likewise through fear and watchfulnesse and humility and obedience and prayer and attending on the word and Sacraments and therefore they who are real Christians will not dare to neglect their duty in a fond presumption of Gods upholding mercy The summe of all is our first work must bee to make it sure on good grounds that wee are indeed members of the Church being in some measure assured of that our next care must bee to apply our selves to a conscientious use of all the waies and helps which may preserve us in it and then though still wee must bee diffident in regard of our selves as being conscious of our own impotency yet in regard of God wee may wee ought to bee confident that hee who hath begun his good work in us will perfect it to the day of Jesus and having effectually called us into his Church militant that he will mercifully conduct us to his Church triumphant 2 Having dispatched the Negative it now remaineth that wee proceed to the other way of removing the scandal taken at the Apostacy of these Antichrists to wit the affirmative which assigneth the end for which God permitted it But they went out from us that it might be manifested that they were not all of us These words They went out from us are not expressed in the Original but are necessarily implyed and therefore fitly supplyed by the Translator These words They were not all of us seeme to intimate that some of these Antichrists who went out were of us but the true sense of that clause will bee easily understood if either according to the Hebrew manner of speaking wee read non omnis nullus they were not all that is none of us suitable to which is that of St. Paul to the Romans fetched from Davids Psalms All flesh shall not bee justified that is no flesh or if after they wee adde who were among us for so it amounts to this that all who are joyned to the society are not of the number of the faithful and that they who were not so might bee discovered was the reason why God suffered them to go out Congruous to this is St. Austins gloss upon this text intus cum sint non ex nobis sunt non tamen manifesti sed exeundo manifestantur whilst they were among us they were not of us but they were not manifested till they went out so that by their going out they did not so much fall away from what they were as make known what they were not and that they were far otherwise than what they seemed to be Indeed there is a double manifestation which God aimeth at in permitting the Apostacy of Hypocrites 1 The one of the sincere-hearted that their integrity and constancy may the better appear this S. Paul asserts where hee saith There must bee Heresies that they which are approved may bee made manifest That Question of our Saviour to Peter and the rest Will you also go away seemeth to intimate that then when so many went from him was a
time of discovering what metal they were made of and then their true-heartednesse to their master had an opportunity to show it self Had it not been for those Heretical and Schismatical Apostates of Old those Ancient Fathers both of the Greek and Latine Church had not been such illustrious stars in the firmament of the Church were it not for those of our latter daies and here among us our Church would not have had so much to glory of her Cranmer Latimer Ridley Jewel Whitaker Whitgift and the rest who were so famous in their Generation for their magnanimity in maintaining the truth against Apostatical opposers 2 The other of the false-hearted who by going out shew themselves in their colours This is that which divine Providence bringeth about for a double end 1 For the shame of themselves ut quod occultaverunt ingenium nudarent so Lorinus that their evil disposition which before lay hid may bee laid open to their disgrace whilest these men are in the Church as gilded postes painted sepulchers whited walls they seem beautiful but when they go out the gilt and paint and white are as it were washed off whereby their shameful rottenness appeareth and according to S. Pauls phrase Their folly is made manifest to all men This is that which must fully bee accomplished at the last day when the separation between the sheep and the goats the Orthodox and the Here tick godly and wicked shall be most perspicuous and shame shall cover the faces of all Apostates but sometimes it is that which divine providence ordereth to fall out in this World and that as for their greater ignominy So 2 For the safety of others ut à fidelibus vitari possint so Estius ne alios corrumpant so Daneus that being discovered they may bee avoided and their infection prevented whilest the wolf is covered with a sheep skin hee is not so easily discerned but when the skin is plucked over his ears the true sheep can far better beware him To winde up this learn wee hence 1 To adore admire and extol the Wisdome Mercy and Justice of our God in discovering Hypocrites by their Apostacy It is that wee have so much the more reason to take notice of because wee see it so much fulfilled in our daies The times wee live in have been times of Tryal God hath as it were by a fan winnowed us whereby the chaffe is discovered as by a winde shaken us so that the rotten boughs and fruit fall off How many who whilest the Church had the reigns of government in her hands embraced her doctrin reverenced her Clergy conformed to her discipline have now made manifest that though among they were not of us their factious schismatical spirits which fear then bridled having now had an opportunity show themselves openly Oh let us blesse that divine providence which hath suffered it thus to be as in justice to them for their detection so in mercy to the Church for her purgation 2 To beware how wee please our selves with hypocritical shows Nemo diu ingenium abscondit wee cannot long conceale our temper though the Ape bee dressed up in a mans habit it will upon any opportunity discover its apish nature cito ad naturam ficta redierunt what is feigned is forced and cannot bee lasting besides it is the just judgement of God on all Hypocrites sooner or later to discover them they may for a time couzen men but God cannot bee deceived whilest yet they remain in the Church they are known to him as Judas was to Christ and though hee wink at them for a time yet in due time hee will pluck off their mask and so order it that they shall be made manifest for so it fell out here with these Antichrists who saith the Apostle went away from us that it might be manifest they were not of us THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 20 21. VERS 20 But yee have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things 21 I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lye is of the truth IT is not unfitly observed that in those colder and frosty Countries of the East there are plenty of Beasts which afford furrs to keep mens bodies warm That in the beginning of the spring when Serpents peep out of their holes the ash puts forth which is a present remedy against their sting and teeth no lesse yea far more considerable is the care of God in reference to his Church who as hee permits Heresies and Schismes to disturb her so hee hath provided helps to perserve her For this end hee hath appointed her his written word as a sure canon a safe guide and an unerring rule for this cause hee hath given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers to build her up in the Orthodox faith Finally to this end above all he hath given her his holy Spirit whose illuminating and sanctifying grace is sufficient for her of which it is our Apostle here mindeth the Christians But you have an unction from the holy One c. In these two verses we have two Generals A Remedy prescribed or rather described against the Antichristian poyson But you have an unction from the holy One and know all things An Apology annexed whereby an objection is prevented which otherwise might have been made I have not written unto you because yee know not the truth but because you know it and that no lye is of the truth Begin wee with the Remedy as it is set down in the twentieth verse concerning which wee may take notice of four particulars The Quality what it is an unction The Community whose it is you have an unction The Originality whence it is from the Holy One. The efficacy what it doth and you know all things If you please to reduce the four to three take notice of The Nature of the Antidote it is an unction The Author of it who is called the Holy One. The worth of it by it wee know all things Once more reduce the three to two and then here is observable Doni collatio A gift conferred You have an unction from the Holy One. Beneficii illatio A benefit inferred and you know all things In the handling of the former of these wee shall consider these three things The matter or thing given an unction The Recipients to whom it is given you have The Donor by whom it is given the Holy One. 1 The thing given as an Antidote or remedy against the poyson of Antichristian Doctrin is an Vnction A Metaphorical and allusive expression Annoynting most properly is with oyl or else with Oyntments in which usually oyl is the chief ingredient but metaphorically annoynting is with the Spirit which is as oyl and oyntment Thus wee finde the Prophet saying concerning himself literally and Christ mystically The Spirit of the
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
argument lesse valid Hee by whose name you are called is holy be you holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be you holy for I am holy How unsuitable are unholy members to an holy head and therefore how abominable must prophane Christians be to this Holy Jesus certainly the Holy one is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity to wit without fury in any and much lesse in his own followers and as Moses saith God will bee sanctified in those who draw nigh to him so let me tell you Christ will bee sanctified by those who professe his name and therefore either disclaim Christianity or embrace sanctity that you may be in some measure like him who is here stiled The Holy one 2 Having given you this view of the title by which Christ is called be pleased now to look upon this person so called as he is affirmed to bee the donor of the Vnction for so the text runs You have an unction from the holy one that is from Christ It is that which is true of Christ in a double causality 1 Meritorious in as much as hee was at the cost to purchase this unction and that at no lesse a rate than his own bloud the Apostle Paul speaking of Christ saith not only that in him wee have redemption through his bloud but a little after in whom you were sâ—aled with that holy Spirit of promise the donation of the Spirit being one of those precious benefits which Christs death hath procured for us 2 Efficient in as much as having on the Crosse purchased this Unction for us he rose from the grave and went up into Heaven for this cause among others that he might actually conferre it on us It is said there was in Rome at the day of Christs birth a Fountain of Oyl which sprang forth sure I am this Unction of the Spirit is given to Christ not only for himself but his Church and as the Oyntment trickled down from Aarons head to the very skirts of his garment so the oyl of the Spirit is diffused from Christ to all his members Those two Olive branches mentioned by the Prophet Zachary are by some expounded of Christ his two Natures and of them it is said they empty the golden oyl out of themselves to note that communicative influence from Christ to the Christian whereby he partaketh of this unction It pleased the Father saith the Apostle that in him should all fulnesse dwell not only plenitudo abundantiae but redundantiae vasis but fontis an abundant fulnesse as in a vessel filled up to the brim but a redundant fulnesse as in a fountain whose streams make glad the City of God Thus as it is said in the Psalms he received gifts so in the Epistle hee gave gifts intimating that he received gifts not only for himself but his Church that as he received from his Father the Spirit without measure so we might receive from him the Spirit by measure no wonder if the Spirit be called in Scripture the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ Jesus and the Spirit of the Lord. If any shall ask why the Apostle did not say you have an unction from him or from Christ but from the Holy one the answer may probably bee returned that it is to intimate the nature of this unction which is an holy oyntment and for that end it is chiefly given by Christ namely for the renewing and sanctifying of our natures that as the oyntment which God appointed to be made by Moses did sanctifie the things and persons which were annoynted with it so doth this unction confer holiness on those to whom it is given upon which account it is called the Spirit of holinesse and thus it is universally given to all beleevers for the preserving them both from sin and errour To end this point and so this discourse You who are Christians only in name and want this Unction you who are Christians indeed and would have this Unction more abundantly learn whither to repair for it It is our Saviours advice to the Laodicean Church and in her to all Christians I counsel thee to buy of mee this choyse commodity is no where else to be had and though it cost him dear yet he sells it us cheap our buying is only begging our paying praying and therefore acknowledging as all our comfort to be in him so grace to be from him let us continually depend on him earnestly seek to him that as he hath shed his bloud for us so he would shed his Spirit on us Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 20. But yee have an unction from the holy One and yee know all things THE Christian Religion as it imposeth difficult precepts so it proposeth pretious prâ—mises and though it put the Professors of it upon frequent dangers yet it withall assureth them of glorious priviledges Among those many Promises and Priviledges none of more special concernment than this of the Holy Unction the Spirits Donation by which wee are enabled to all duty and confirmed against all perils There are two things especially by which the Christian Church and her members are endangered namely violent Persecutions and virulent Heresies these corrupt our mindes those perplex our hearts these cheat us of those affright us out of truth but this spiritual Unction is both our consolation and illumination the latter of which it is that our Apostle acquaints us with in the Text But you have c. The second part of this verse is that which I am now to handle namely Beneficii illatio the Benefit conferr'd on all true Christians by vertue of this Unction as it is set down in those words And you know all things For the fuller discussion whereof bee pleased to consider it both absolutely and relatively inclusively and exclusively by the one wee shall see the Nature of the benefit wherein it consists how far it reacheth and by the other its Original whence it floweth and on what it dependeth namely the Holy unction 1 Begin wee with the absolute consideration of the benefit and inquire what is involved in this You know all things There is some little difference in the reading of one word in this clause which would not bee omitted The Syriack reads it as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know all men and so the benefit here intended is that which is called by S. Paul discerning of spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophilact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to know who is spiritual and who is not who is a Prophet and who is a deceiver nor is this reading here unsuitable because the Apostle just before speaketh of Antichrists between whom and the Orthodox S. John might look upon the Christians to whom hee wrote as able to judge Now this gift in the primitive times was double The one more special onely conferred by the Spirits
and the very name Immanuel by which hee is to bee called intimateth as much it being a name too high for any person except the Messiah What in this Prophecy Isaiah spake plainly in the fifty third chap. hee utters allusively where speaking of the Messiah for that that Chapter is to be understood of him is so evident that hee who runs may read it hee saith He shall grow up as a tender plant in a dry ground that is say some not improbably of a Virgin without the help of a man Now that Jesus was born of Mary whilest yet a Virgin the Evangelical History plainly affirmeth nor need it seem impossible either to Jew or Pagan As for the Jew why may hee not beleeve that the same Divine power which caused Old Sarah to conceive and bring forth when shee was as good as dead which made Aarons rod to bud blossome and bring forth Almonds yea which formed the first man Adam without the help of woman could enable a Virgin to conceive and bring forth without the help of man As for the Pagans they affirm that Venus was engendred of the froth of the Sea animated by the warmth of the Sun that Pallas came from Joves brain and Bacchus from his thigh that some of their Heroes were begotten by their Gods upon mortal creatures Hercules on Alemena by Jupiter Pan on Pâ—nelope by Mercury Romulus on Rhea a Virgin by Mars and why is it not credible that Jesus should bee born of the Virgin Mary by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost And thus I have given you a brief account of the parallel between the Prophecy of the Messiah and the History of Jesus as to his birth 2 The Prophet Isaiah speaking concerning the Messiah tells us that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdome and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might and the Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that this Spirit did rest on Jesus appeareth both by the Oracles hee spake and the Works especially by the Miracles hee wrought It was the testimony the people gave of him that never man spake like him by which it appeareth that the Spirit of Wisdome and Knowledge did rest on him never did any so clearly reveal the Will of God to the people as hee The Glorious Promises were never so unveiled as by him and by him the Precepts of the Law were most exactly interpreted That the Spirit of Might did rest on him eminently appeared in his wondrous Miracles which were not done in a corner but openly before the people who cryed out wee never saw it on this fashion That Miraculous works were expected by the Jews from the Messiah when hee should come appeareth by the Question when Christ commeth will hee do more Miracles than those which this man hath done and accordingly when John sent to Jesus Art thou hee that should come or do wee look for another hee returneth this Answer Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see The blinde receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear and the dead are raised up all which could not have been done by him if hee had not been annointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power 3 Concerning the Messiah we finde a Three-fold Office to which he was annoynted to wit of King Priest and Prophet Moses fore-tells him to be a Prophet where he saith A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren David mentioneth him under the Offices of a King and a Priest Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion and thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck This was that which was peculiar to the Messiah for though David was a King and a Prophet Samuel was a Prophet and a Priest and Melchisedeck was a King and a Priest yet only the Messiah was a King Priest and Prophet accordingly it is that we finde Jesus as a Prophet teaching the Mysteries of the Kingdom as a Priest praying yea dying for the people and acknowledged by the Magi to be King of the Jews Once more it is fore-told in the Psalms and the Prophets concerning the Messiah that hee should bee a man of sorrows despised and rejected of men yea that he should bee cut off from the land of the living that hee should be taken from Prison and Judgement that having drunk of the brook in the way hee should lift up his head that hee should not see corruption and sit at the right hand of God And now that all these things which were written concerning the Son of Man were accomplisht the Evangelical Histories doe abundantly testifie it were easie to trace out an exact Parallel not only as to substance but circumstances concerning the humiliation and exaltation of Christ As for that pretence of the Jewes opposing our Saviours Resurrection that his Disciples stole him away it is so frivolous and absurd that no rational man can beleeve it yea that Dilemma of St. Austine abundantly confuteth it If the Souldiers were not asleep when the Disciples stole his body why did they permit them to doe it if they were asleep how could they affirm it to be done By all these considerations put together it cannot but appear an undeniable truth that Jesus is the Christ and however it may bee alleadged that some Prophecies which concern the glory and power of the Messiahs Kingdome seem not yet to bee accomplished the Answer is justly returned that it is not an outward and visible but an invisible and spiritual glory and power which is in those Prophecies intended and that is continually fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel and withall they may very rationally be extended to his Second coming when he shall appear in glory to Judge the World and when every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confesse what now perhaps it denieth that Jesus is the Lord the Christ to the glory of God the Father and so I have given a dispatch to the truth implicitly asserted passe we on more briefly to the 2 Heresie explicitly charged on the false teachers namely denying that Jesus is the Christ If wee render the words exactly according to the Greek text it is Hee that denieth that Jesus is not the Christ but yet the not is justly left out in our translation because according to our way of speaking Hee that denyeth that Jesus is not the Christ is he who affirmeth Jesus is the Christ which is the truth whereas in the Greek Language Gemina negatio fortiùs negat A double negation denieth more vehemently Parallel to this is that speech of our Saviour to Peter The Cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me where in each clause the Greek useth two Negatives for the greater emphasis Wee cannot better expresse the force
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
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
Catholick Religion but yet even these are falsely pretended by hereticks and by the feigned semblance of these it is that they indeavour and oft times with too much success to seduce their auditors from the faith These Seducers have been more or lesse in all ages but I think I may safely say never more than in this and if you mark it you shall finde the Old cheats still practised The Papists on the one hand pretend to the Church Traditions Miracles and a formal sanctity The Socinians boast much of Reason The Antinomians of Liberty The Anabaptists Quakers and such like of Enthusiasms a light within breathings impulses and discoveries of the Spirit All Sects have some mixtures of truth and would father their Errours upon the Scriptures And now being encompassed as it were with such subtle Sophisters crafty Seducers what need is there of a prudent vigilancy lest wee bee insnared by them according to that excellent advice of St. Peter Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse Behold saith our blessed Saviour to his Disciples I send you forth as sheep among wolves bee yee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves wise as Serpents to defend themselves innocent as Doves in not offending others or as Prosper to our present purpose innocent as Doves in not circumventing any and wise as Serpents in not suffering themselves to bee circumvented and surely this Serpentine wisdome is that which concerneth all Christians in some measure to attain so much the rather because these wolves as our Saviour elsewhere speaketh come in sheeps cloathing for this reason saith Optatus Ut prius ovis mordentem lupum sentiat quam praesentiat venientem that they may seize upon the sheep before it can perceive them comming Hee that walketh among snares had need bee cautelous and no less reason have we to bee circumspect who are in the same danger which those Christians were in of them that would seduce then and so much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first General namely the mischievous design of the false Teachers I go on to a more brief dispatch of the other which is The Pious care of true Apostles These things have I written to you concerning them For the full discussion whereof I shall look upon the writing here mentioned in a double reference namely as it was a result of the Spirits dictate and as it was an argument of St. Johns care 1 As a result of the Spirits dictates for St. John and the other holy men of God spake and wrote as moved by the Holy Ghost and so wee are here to take notice that the Divinely inspired writings are of excellent use against Seducers Indeed as a straight line discovers what is crooked and the clear light dispells darknesse so the word of God serveth to discover who are Seducers and to dissipate their clondy errours you erre saith our blessed Saviour to the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures tacitly teaching us that the Scriptures well known and rightly understood are a guard against errour The whole Scripture saith St. Paul is of divine inspiration and is profitable as for reproof of sin so for the correction of errour Let it therefore bee our business especially in such erroneous times as these to study the Scriptures and not onely to bee well versed in the letter but acquainted with the meaning of them that as our Saviour refelled the tempter so wee may bee able to refute seducers with a scriptum est No darts pierce so deep as those which are taken out of the Lords armory no arrows hit the mark like those which are drawn out of Gods quiver nor is any sword so sharp as that of the Spirit and therfore as David hid Gods word in his heart that hee might not fall into sin so let us that we may not run into errour 2 But that which would bee chiefly taken notice of is that his writing these things concerning Seducers was an argument of his care that the people might not bee deceived by them It is that which wee finde to have been not only the care of this but the other holy Apostles the greatest part of St. Judes Epistle and of St. Peters second Epistle is concerning these Seducers frequent caveats wee meet with in St. Pauls Epistles to the same purpose witnesse his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Colâ—ssians Beware lest any man spoil you nay his threefold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Philippians beware of Dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision and to name no more his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Romans beseeching that they would mark and avoid such It were easy to let you see how the Fathers of the Church have in this particular traced the footst eps of the Apostles Ignatius bespeaketh the Christians of Antioch in words much like those of St. Paul to the Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beware of Dogs Serpents Dragons Aspes Bazilisks Scorpions St. Cyprian in his Epistle to all the people is very urgent with his â—râ— vos fratres and again with his admoneâ— pariter et consulo advising admonishing intreating that they would not beleeve the smooth words of false Teachers lest they did mistake darknesse for light night for day and poyson for a remedy Irenaeus in his Preface to his first book against Heresys saith this was the reason of his writing those books that the wolves might not devour the sheep of Christ through his default for the same cause were those things written by Epiphanius Athanasius St. Augustin and many others which are extant concerning heresies Nor was it without a great deal of Reason that those holy men were and in particular here St. John was so careful to write concerning Seducers and that both respectu populi in regard of the people for the preservation of their safety and respectu sui in regard of himself for the discharging of his own duty 1 In respect of the people St. John well knew 1 That all men are naturally prone to errour their understanding as well as will being corrupted yea that the best being but men may through want of judgement and partiality of affection bee led aside The bad through wickedness and the good through weaknesse sometimes like sheep have gone astray 2 That the errours to which these Antichrists did indeavour to seduce them were in things fundamental for so it appeareth by the charge hee laietâ— against them which is that they denyed the Father and the Son that they denyed Jesus to bee the Christ a doctrine upon which the whole Christian Religion is founded St. Hierom upon that oâ— our Saviour Bee wise as Serpents observeth Serpentis astutia ponitur in exemplum quia toto corpore occulâ—at capuâ— ut illud in quo vita est protegat the Serpent is therefore mentioned as an Example of Wisdome
here we have something supposed and something proposed that which is supposed is his presence The annoynting which you have received of him that which is proposed is his residence Abideth in you 1 That which is here supposed concerning this unction cometh first to be considered and shall be dispatched in three Propositions 1 That this annoynting is not in us of our selves but received by us from another It is St. Pauls Question and though it be occasioned by a discourse of those extraordinary gifts yet it holds true in reference to all What hast thou that thou hast not received the sins which wee commit are our own but the grace to subdue them is received though wee are sometimes subdue into errour yet wee are apt to fall into them our selves but the unction which armeth us against those errours is received It is a meditation which should keep the best Christians lowly in their own eyes Hast thou this annoynting whilest others want it or hast thou it in a greater measure than others be not proud but humble for though it be in thee subjectively yet it is not from thee effectively and therefore no just cause of Self-exaltation it is St. Pauls inference upon the fore-mentioned question If thou doest receive it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Where the manner of proposal by way of question intimateth as Musculus well glosseth the impudence of this arrogance Ridiculum planè est de alienis bonis superbire It is a ridiculous thing with Aesops Crow to bee proud of borrowed feathers in one word as to boast our selves of what wee have not is abominable so it it little less odious to boast of what wee have as if it were our own when as it is only received 2 That this annoynting is received of him that is Christ it was at first received by Christ himself to wit as man in his Human nature but he received it not so much for himself as us Voluit accipere ut potuit tribuere he would as Man receive that as Mediator hee might convey it to us Indeed it hath pleased the Father saith St. Paul that in him should all fulnesse dwell to wit as water in the Fountain light in the Sun Wine in the Grape and oyl in the Olive and accordingly saith St. John of his fulnesse wee all receive and that grace for grace What the Head is to the Body that is Christ to the Church and as the members receive sense and motion from the Head so doth the Church this unction from Christ Learn hence 1 How greatly we are beholding to Christ of whom it is that we receive whatsoever measure wee have of this Spiritual unction the truth is whatsoever Spiritual benefit we receive it is only in and through Christ The Remission of sins and Adoption of Sons the Justification of our persons and Sanctification of our natures the Donation of his Spirit and acceptation of our services the Redemption of our bodies and Salvation of our Souls are all received through Christ so justly doth St. Paul say He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus 2 What need wee have to bee ingrafted into Christ since as wee can receive nothing but of him so neither can we unlesse we first receive him To as many as received him saith the Evangelist to them he gave power to become the Sons of God and to as many as receive him it is that hee giveth his Spirit no wonder that St. Paul praying for the Ephesians that they might be strengthened with the spirit of Christ prayeth also that he might dwell in their hearts by faith since it is by our faith in Christ that wee receive him and consequently his Spirit which is this annoynting 3 Lastly This receiving of the unction from him is by way of gift Indeed receiving in its largest extent is the correlative both of debitum and donum a debt and a gift what is duly paid and what is freely given both are said to bee received But when it is used in reference to God and Christ it cannot relate but onely to a gift since whatever wee receive of him and much more the annointing of the Spirit is given of his meer mercy Indeed in respect of himself it may bee called a debt hee having pleased by his Promise to make himself a debtor and accordingly it is that the Spirit is called the Spirit of Promise because promised both by the Father and the Son for so wee finde the expressions varyed the Comforter whom my Father will send and I will give you But still in respect of us it is a free gift it was love moved him at first to promise this unction to and since to confer it on us in which respect it is called the gift of the holy Ghost True it is this annointing was received by Christ from his Father as purchased by his pretious blood but it is received by us from Christ as bestowed by his free grace It is a consideration which should so much the more oblige us to thankfulnesse for this unction it being but reason that when wee receive wee should acknowledge the Donor and that what is received freely should bee acknowledged the more gratefully wee have received the Spirit of God saith the Apostle that wee may know the things which are freely given us of God among which the Spirit himself is not the least and who so knoweth them to bee freely given cannot but bee greatly thankful Holy Jesus wee could do nothing that is good nor avoid what is evil did wee not receive this Unction from thee nor do we receive this Unction as a reward of our merit but a fruit of thy bounty Wee are unworthy to receive the annointing from thee but thou art worthy to receive from us glory and honour and praise now and for ever 2 That which is next in order to be discussed and is more directly expressed is the Residency of this Schoolmaster the abiding of this Unctioâ— Things that are â—â—id in Oil are most lasting this sacred annointing is prmanent It is that which is true in respect of the Church in general and each Christian in particular 1 This Annointing abideth in the Church That Holy Spirit who is here set forth under the notion of a Teacher is by our Saviour described as a Comforter concerning whom hee tells his Disciples that hee shall abide with them for ever which Promise was made to them as the then representatives of and so in them to the whole Church accordingly it is that the Spirit hath been resident in all Ages with the Christian Church to teach and comfort and perform all other Offices whereof shee stands in need Christs presence with his Disciples was temporary in which respect St. Johns word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee dwelt among us so our Translation reads it but as in a Tabernacle
things are not taught simultaneously but successively fully but gradually the Disciples themselves were taught by degrees and did not know all things at first nay indeed not exactly at the last it is but a partial knowledge the best have of these all things but yet all those things which conduce to the strengthening us against error and the guiding us in the way of truth are in some though not the same measure taught by this Unction 2 The chief thing here to be discussed is the quality of the act what kind of teaching it is that is here attributed to the Spirit whereof all Christians participate For the better understanding hereof take notice of a double distinction 1 The teaching of this unction is either extraordinary or ordinary that peculiar to some this common to all Christians in reference to the extraordinary teaching it is that St. Gregory saith excellently Ungit Spiritus iste sanctus Citharaedum Psalmistam facit ungit pastorem Prophetam facit ungit Piscatorem praedicatorem facit ungit persecutorem doctorem gentium facit ungit publicanum facit Evangelistam the annoynting of this holy Spirit maketh an Harper so was David a Psalmist a Shepherd so was Amos a Prophet a Fisher-man so was St. Peter a Fisher of men by preaching a Publican so was St. Matthew an Evangelist finally a Persecutor so was St. Paul a Teacher of the Gentiles But it is the ordinary not that peculiar and extraordinary way of teaching which is here intended 2 The ordinary teaching of the Spirit is either external or internal and both these are no doubt included 1 The outward teaching of the Spirit is by the Ministry of the Word and preaching of the Gospel which is contained in the holy Scriptures look as the holy Writings were at first inspired by the Holy Ghost so by them he still teacheth his Church Accordingly it is that all saving truths were dictated by the Spirit to the Pen-men and are fully faithfully delineated in sacred Writ It is a form of sound words every way compleat explicating as Gregory the great saith all the Divine mysteries of Religion and delivering all precepts for Moral practice Quibus quidem duabus partibus omnis nostrae salutis faelicitatis ratio continetur in which two consists the whole doctrine of attaining true happinesse and therefore in this respect this of the Apostle is verified The annoynting teacheth us of all things to wit in the external ministration of the Word 2 Besides this outward there is an inward teaching which the Spirit vouchsafeth to the Church and every true member of it and is here principally aymed at This is that teaching which being the secret work of Gods Spirit is not so visibly discernable the more things are abstracted from sense the more mysterious they are no wonder if it be difficult to apprehend what this teaching is which according to St. Gregory is Allocutio intimae inspirationis an inward inspiration or Spiritual allocution It is a Question much controverted in the Schools how the Angels being Spiritual substances impart their conceptions to one another and surely it is much more hard to know how the Spirit imparts his Divine learning to the soul even they who are thus taught are sure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so it is but are not able to unfold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so And yet that wee may in some measure apprehend what we cannot fully conceive I shall in a few words acquaint you with that notion of this teaching which the Scripture is pleased to give us and accordingly if you ask what this inward teaching is whereof the Apostle speaketh I shall return the answer in the words of the Prophet Jeremy or rather God by the Prophet It is the putting his Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts Indeed as we say in general the Scripture is the best interpreter of it self so in this particular the Prophet is the best Commentator on the Apostle and therefore that wee may more clearly understand the one it will bee needful more particularly to comment on the other and let you see what this putting this Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts meaneth by which wee shall the better perceive what this teaching is in reference to which I shall lay down a double conclusion 1 That which the Spirit teacheth inwardly is the same with that hee teacheth outwardly and therefore that which he is said to write in the heart of man is no other than that Law which is written in the Book of God As the minde of the Spirit in one parcel agreeth with the minde of the Spirit in another parcel of Holy Writ so the impressions of the Spirit on the soul answer to the dictates of the Spirit in the Scriptures It is very observable that Christ tells his Disciples the Spirit should bring all things to their remembrance as if the chief end of the miraculous descension of the Holy Ghost upon them were not to teach them any new doctrine but to bring to remembrance what Christ had before taught them surely then the inward teaching of this Vnction whereof all Christians participate doth not reveal any new mysteries which are not already delivered in the Word Among other resemblances the Spirits working upon the Soul is said to be a sealing and among other reasons for this because as the seal maketh no stamp upon the wax but what is answerable to that which is upon the seal so whatsoever the Spirit teacheth the heart is answerable to what it teacheth in the Word 2 The inward teaching or writing of the Spirit is the imprinting of Scripture-truths upon the soul Conceive then the soul as the paper the truths revealed in Gods Word as the Letters the Spirit of God as the Scribe and the ayl of his grace as the Inke by which there is an impression made of the letters upon the paper truths upon the soul For the more particular opening hereof know 1 That this teaching is not a naked motion but a real impression not a superficial wetting but a deep soaking Many there are to whom the Spirit vouchsafeth some taste yet never drink a full draught who have some gliding aspects but no direct beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining on them it is one thing to hear the voyce of the Spirit speaking another to find the Pen of the Spirit writing that teaching which is here meant is such as confirmeth against error and therefore doth not glide off like water but abide like oyl slightly move but strongly work upon the soul 2 That this impression of the Spirits teaching is upon the whole soul more especially the two chief faculties of the soul the Understanding and the Will so much seemeth to be intimated by that double character of the subject the inward parts and the heart which wee finde in the Prophet as of
old the Law was literally written by Gods Finger in two Tables of Stone so it is spiritually written by Gods Spirit in two Tables of flesh the mind and the heart This annoynting then teacheth 1 Illuminando intellectum by enlightning the understanding to see and discover those things which are revealed in the Word the first work of the Spirit in conversion answereth that first word and work of God in the Creation Let there be light by this light it is that the darknesse of ignorance is expelled and the eyes of the minde are opened to apprehend Divine Writings in their own lustre and beauty It is observed of Paper that being oyled it is thereby made bright and so fitter to receive the beams of the Sun and conveigh the light into the room so is it with our minds which being annoynted with this oyl are thereby fitted to receive that heavenly light of Evangelical Doctrin and whereas the oyl which is put to the Lamp feeds it when it is kindled but cannot give light to it such is the excellency of this Unction that it giveth the light of saving knowledge to them who are altogether destitute of it Nor is this all but further 2 Inclinand◠voluntatem by inclining the will to embrace the goodnesse and taste the sweetnesse of those truths which are understood this oyl doth not only cherish the light of the Lamp but softens the hardnesse of the tumor remove the darknesse of the understanding but mollifie the perversnesse of the will As for the manner of the Spirits operation upon the will it is not to bee disputed many Controversies which trouble the Church would easily be reconciled were the Modus layed aside I suppose none will deny but he who made the will knoweth how to perswade it without coaction and incline it without compulsion and therefore we need not fear to affirm that the annoynting teacheth by inclining the will the truth is were it not that this teaching had an influence upon the will as well as the understanding it could not guard against Error and preserve from Apostacy nothing being more usual than for those who are taught outwardly and not inwardly to reject those truthes whereof they have been fully convinced for want of a kindly influence upon the will by which they should constantly adhere To summe up this point and there-with this Discourse See the excellency of the Spirits teaching beyond all others other School-masters set only truths before us but cannot put them into us they present them to our eyes or ears but cannot write them upon our hearts only this School-master can and doth not only by his Word speak to our ears but by his Grace to our souls oh therefore let us implore this sacred Unction that he would vouchsafe to become our Teacher let us begge of him that he would first give us flexible spirits and decible mindes whereby wee may bee willing to bee taught which is to take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and then that he would make us to know and embrace Divine Truths which is to write his Law in our hearts And withall take we heed how we grieve this School-master by a carelesse neglect of his instructions If at any time hee bee pleased to put any good motions into our mindes let us cherish them and let us beseech him that to those motions hee would adde his powerful impressions and if wee be thus taught of him we are well taught so well that we need no other teacher which leads me to the other branch of the sufficiency of his instruction in the negative expression You need not that any man teach you But the time being expired denyeth any further progresse at present and therefore the discussion of that with the other parts of the verse must be referred to the next opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 27. But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him THis whole World may not unfitly bee resembled to a Book whereof the cover is the Heavens whose Gilded imbossements are the glittering stars letters are the elements words are the several creatures compounded of those elements sentences are the motions and actions of those creatures and periods are its various ages This is the Book which Almighty God hath given all mankind to read and there is in every man a natural reason which serveth as a Candle whereby wee may discern the characters engraven on it and as a Schoolmaster whereby wee are instructed in the lessons to bee learned from it But besides this School of the World in which the Creator hath appointed to train up all men there is another School of the Church which our Redeemer hath designed for the education of Christians in which respect one of the names by which they are frequently called is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Disciples or Scholars of Christ The Book wherein they are to learn is no other than the Holy Scriptures of the Old and more espeoially of the New Testament The Ushers or Inferiour Teachers are the Ministers whose lips are therefore said to preserve knowledge and at whose mouth wee must seek the Law And if you would know who is the Head-master in this School let St. John give you the answer in the words of the text it is no other than the Holy Spirit of God here called the Annointing But the Annointing which you have received of him c. The sufficiency of this unction in teaching Christians is that part of the Text I am now in handling and having discussed the Affirmative assertion in that it is said to teach all things I am now in order to proceed to the Negative amplification which is expressed in those words And you need not that any man teach you The Apostle Peter speaking of the unlearned and unstable telleth us that they did wrest as many things in St. Pauls Epistles so likewise in other Scriptures to their own perdition where the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gerard well observes is a metaphor borrowed from those who put men upon the Rack whereby they oft times force them to speak things against their knowledge and conscience for so do Hereticks impose upon the Scripture a sense contrary to what the Spirit of God intended An instance hereof wee have in this Text particularly in this clause which together with those parallel words of the Prophet Jeremy quoted by the Apostle Paul They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord is wrested by the Quakers and such like Sectavies among us as it was by the Enthusiasts heretofore to the undervaluing of the Ministry as needlesse in the Church yea of the
consists 140 143 Love of the World see World Lust three-fold 338. that which was in us by Creation was not prone to irregularity 432. forbidden as well as the outward act 406. after worldly things many times disappointed and if fulfilled soone glutted 448 Lye threefold 23 580. Lyars the vilest of men 597 M. MAlice see Hatred Marriage may bee unlawfully used 348 Memory apt to forget Divine things 593. wee must not onely hear â—ut remember 640 Ministers how they and the people brethren 79 286. must have a futherly affection to the people 203 c. they are watch-men and shepheards 200. must be faithful and prudent 274. must preach particularly 220 220 387. seasonably suitably to their Auditors conditions capacities 275. make a distinction between hearers 593. warn the people of seducers 597 690. commend what is good in their people 134. must win upon them by expressing love 735. their endeavour shall bee accepted 677. no need of them in Heaven 716. they are instituted by Christ to continue in the Church to the end of the world 719. their teaching cannot avail without the Spirit 717. they must bee constant in the faith 644. their peoples constancy their honour at the last day 753. they must live their Sermons 120 121 Miracles by true ones the Gospel was confirmed 580. the shew of them made a prop of heresy 686 Multitude no note of a true Church 499 N. NAme its several acceptions 249. when changed in Scripture some spiritual gift conferd 615 the names of those whom wee reprove not to be mentioned 257 673 Necessity twofold 647 Neutrality and lukewarmness condemned 425 Novelty a badge of errour affecting it dangerous 91 to 94 100 101 O. OBedience cannot bee without knowledge 22. the way to increase knowledge 4 5. it is according to our knowledge 17. Negative not sufficient 11 474. must bee universal 14 15 464. cheerful 465. by it wee know our interest in Christ 71 72. it cannot be exact 16. a bare command should bee enough to oblige to it 429. it is the best tryal of our love to God 472 473. and perfects it 33 35 Old-men why called Fathers 208. to bee reverenced 209. they had need to bee good 212. not too old to learn 221. ignorance in them inexcusable 269. they must labour to know Christ 267 268 tOvercome in what sense wee are said to overcome the Devil now 285. wee are not compleat victors in this life 286. how it is to be done 283 284 P. PArdon of sin see Forgiveness Perfection twofold 33. perfect Christians compared to Fathers 204. b. Perseverance in adhering to Christ the Church the truth received 641 738. it must bee to the end 740. most commendable in Apostatizing times 635. it is not by our selves but Gods sustentation 529. the doctrine of it upon what grounds built 531 532. no true cause of security 535. an attendant of true grace 633 Play how unlawful 356 Polygamy a lust of the flesh 347 Prayse due to Virtue 134 259 578 Preacher see Minister Predictions the verity of those which are Divine 496. especially concerning Christ 603 604 Presumption of an interest in Christ 74 75. of our own abilities 394 Priviledges the enjoyment of them should not content us 526 Pride loveth to show it self 389. why called pride of life 390. its several kinds 390 to 394 a general sin 402. maketh a man like the Devil 404. it is attended with shame 405 Promises Divine are sometimes matter of precept 736. suitable to our necessities 648. most faithful 666. The promise is Eternal life 663. first promised and then given 665. to them that persevere 670. promised before Christ but not so clearly as by him 665. Humane oft-times larger than their performances 399 661 Protestants injustly charged by the Papists as Schismaticks 512 513 Q. QUakers how irrationally they decry the Ministry and blasphemously they wrest Scripture 721 722 R. REason of what use in Divine things 577 insufficient without an higher light 575. pretended to by Hereticks 686 Regeneration compared to light 131 Remission of sin see Forgiveness Repentance abstaineth from all sort of lusts 406 407. the delay of it dangerous 304 Repetition of one and the same thing frequently used in Holy Writ and why 131 to 135 Reproof ought to bee with expression of love 205. a. and yet sharp against notorious sinners 599. but yet without naming the persons 257 673 Resolution necessary in a Christian to his combat with the Devil 290 Riches when got and kept sinfully 376 to 381 S. SAcrament of the Lords Supper what gesture was used by Christ is not certain if it were wee are not bound to follow it 49 50 Saints their security dignity and felicity by reason of the Annointing 550 Schism the causes of it 508. a great sin 518. un ustly charged upon the Protestants by the Papists 512. justly by us upon the Sectaries 514 Scripture why God would have his Word written 216. man the Pen-man Gods Spirit the Author 219. to bee read by and to all 224 225. with reverence 220. quoted and wrested by the Devil 299. by Hereticks 589 722. a special weapon against seducers 689 Sectaries justly accused as Schismaticks 514 Security greatest when Judgement is neerest 490 Seducers they often prove such who should be Teachers 675. the several wayes of seducing 689. c. Sights wanton forbidden 363. as also such as curiosity prompts to 367 368 Signes three sorts of them 499 Sin God cannot bee the Author of it 433 434. men are apt to transfer it on God 436. it maketh us like the Devil 282 484. it ruineth Churches and Kingdoms 489. How many waies to bee considered 237 238 Sleep when a lust of the flesh 355 Soul no proportion between it and the world 454. hath its diseases as well as the Body 733 Son of God Christ was in such a way as proveth him higher than men nay Angels yea the high God 625 626. hee that denieth Christ denieth Gods Son 617. how much God is offended with it 624 625 Spirit of God compared to Oyl and why 514 c. given by Christ 557 701. the Author of Scripture 219. is not onely illuminating but confirming 731. his grace needful to overcome the Devil 91 his teaching extraordinary and ordinary internal and external 707 708. his inward teaching agreeeth with that in the word 709. it is faithful 727. effectual 729. how hee concurreth to assurance 73 74 Strength spiritual needful to our fight with the Devil 288. wherein it consists 290 strong Christians compared to young-men 210 211 Superfluity what measure of Riches is so 372 373 Superiours ought to bee exemplary 38 T. TEaching see Spirit Ministers Tempting God a great sin 367 Types fulfilled in Christ 579 Truth of the Gospel proved 580 581 V. VAin-glory a branch of pride 396 Victory see Overcome Unction of the sick in the primitive times for another end than that of the Papists 696. in Baptisme ancient but not Apostolical 695. Spiritual is