when that which is affirmed or denyed is evidently contrary to truth and the other when the thing so asserted is injurious and pernicious to them that beleeve it And truely both these may justly bee charged on the Lyars in the Text for they denyed that which was in it self manifest yea which they themselves had been convinced of and that which they denied tended to no lesse than the utter subversion of the Christian faith and the destruction of those who adhered to it and therfore no wonder if St. John by way of question accuse the Hereticks in his time of Lying who is a Lyar c. That which I shall briefly observe from both these titles is the zeal of this holy Apostle in reproving these Hereticks Lyars are execrabile hominum genus a most execrable sort of men hated and abhorred of all nor is a Lyar more odious among all men than an Antichrist is among all Christians so that our Apostle could not well have branded them with names more odious than these The truth is two sorts of sinners are severely to bee rebuked Hypocrites and Hereticks an example of the former wee have from Christ himself who reprehending the Hypocritical Pharisees calls them fools and Vipers and of the latter in St. John who gain-saying the Heretical Teachers of his time calls them Antichrists and Lyars Indeed in one of those Titles is a latent reason of his bitternesse against them namely because they were against Christ Had they been onely his Antagonists no doubt hee would have been milde and gentle but his masters honour was concerned in the quarrel no wonder if hee bee so zealous Moses the meekest man upon earth in his own concernments is so inraged against the Israelites for their Idolatry that hee breaketh the Tables of the Law The Historian observeth of Caesars souldiers that they pursued their Generals Engagements with vigour whilest they were cool and temperate in their own concernments and surely though towards our own Adversaries wee must show meeknesse yet when they are not onely ours but Christs enemies it becomes us to testify our love to Christ by our Indignation against them It was an excellent saying of Guevara in an Epistle to the Emperour Charls the fifth Christianus nullâ re magis dignosci potest quam si Deâ— factas contumelias et blasphemias severissime ulciscatur suas obliviscatur there is no better Character of a right Christian than to forget the injuries done to himself but to be angry at the blasphemies against God and Christ And which serveth so much the more to justify our Apostles severity in reproving those false Teachers is that they were not obliquely but directly opposers of Christ they were such who did not onely indeavour to lop off the branches of Christianity but to pluck it up by the roots to deface the building of Religion but to destroy the foundation as there is a difference in sins so in errours all diseases are not alike malignant nor all errours equally pestiferous every Heterodox opinion is not a sufficient warrant to brand a man with these Appellations of Lyar and Antichrist but when they were so heretical as to deny Jesus to bee the Christ no marvail if this holy Apostle not out of a rash bitternesse but a well-grounded zeal use these harsh invectives It is a frame of spirit which wee finde in other servants of God as well as S. John The Apostle Paul having to do with Elimas spares him not but calls him a Childe of the Devil an enemy of all righteousnesse and writing to the Philippians concerning heretical teachers calleth them the concision and compareth them to dogs no lesse Satyrical was that of Polycarpus to Marcian Agnosco te primogenitum diaboli I know thee to bee the Devils first-born Let the same spirit bee in us in oppugning the Authors and Abetters of damnable heresies The visible descending of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles was in fiery tongues such tempers had they yea all their successors the Bishops and Pastors of the Church ought to have tongues set on fire from heaven which may flame forth in vehement increpations as of notorious sinners so of venomous hereticks 2 From the Appellations proceed wee to the Accusations I. The first whereof we find to be denying that Jesus is the Christ in which words there is A Truth implicitely asserted by the Apostle Jesus is the Christ An heresy explicitely charged on the false Teachers namely the denial of this truth he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ. 1 When our Apostle saith who is a Lyar but hee that denyeth what doth hee but tacitely assirm this to bee a truth That Jesus is the Christ and because it is a fundamental truth upon which the whole Fabrick of Christian Religion standeth give mee leave a while to insist upon it not as questioning but for the further streng thening your assent to it so much the rather because of the multitude of Jews which are at this time crept in among us whom though I have little hope to convince yet I would strive to prevent in those secret indeavâ—rs which probably they use to seduâ—e Christians from the faith of Christ That there was such a man as Jesus of Nazareth born and living among the Jews is an history so authentical that there will bee no need of spending time about the proof of it It is acknowledged by the Jews themselves witnesse Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities where he maketh an honourable mention of him in these words At that time was Jesus a wise man if it be lawful to call him man c. It is confessed by Pagans Suetonius in the life of Claudius speaketh of him by the name of Chrestus Tacitus and Pliny the younger acknowledged him by the name Christus and surely that which not onely his followers but his enemies confess may well be taken for granted The only difficulty is to make it appear that this Jesus that then lived is the Christ that is the person whom Moses and the Prophets foretold to bee the Messiah To this end the onely thing to bee done is an inquiry into the Praedictions concerning the Messiah which if they bee found verified in this Jesus and no other person can bee assigned in whom they are verified it will bee clearly manifest that Jesus is the Christ This way of arguing I so much the rather make choice of because it is that to which Christ himself directs us when he bids the Jews to search the Scriptures that is the Old Testament which then was the only written word upon this account for they are they that testify of me therby putting the controversy to this issue that if he were not the person of whom the scripture did testify as the Messiah let him be accounted an Impostor and Deceiver Accordingly it is that his Apostles in their discourses concerning him still have recourse to the Prophetical writings Thus St.
Epiphanius and Irenaeus informs us Such also were those hereticks who confounded the Father and the Son as if they were one and the same persoÌ„n to whom Tertullian applyeth this very clause where hee saith Negant patrem dum cundem et filium dicunt et negant filium dum eundem patrâ—â— credunt dando illis quae non sunt auferendo quae sunt they deny the Father in asserting him to bee the Son they deny the Son in affirming him to bee the Father ascribing to both what they are not and taking from them what they are To this may bee referred those fabulous things which were broached in those heretical schools of Simon and others concerning God introducing a multitude of Rulers under the names of Barbel Abrakan Karlakan c. by whom the World was governed which was indeed to deny the father 2 But that which seemeth to me most rational is to look upon this clause as an aggravation of the former charge letting us see what followeth upon denying Jesus to bee the Christ namely a denial of the Father and the Son and consequently how pernitions this Antichristian doctrin is for whereas levius videri poterat it may seem a small thing to deny Jesus who appeared in the form of a Servant to bee the Christ addit quid gravius hee addeth that which might justly startle them that how little account soever they made of it it was no other than to deny the Father and the Son and so in effect the denying this man to bee the Christ is to deny God himself To open this distinctly in its full latitude wee shall finde a threefold charge in this one 1 Hee that denyeth Jesus to bee the Christ denyeth the Son of God I begin with the Son though the Father be the first person because hee is most directly denyed This will bee the more easily understood if wee consider what our Apostle taketh here for granted that Christ is no other than the Son of God How and in what respect hee is the Son of God I shall have more full occasion to discusse at the ninth verse of the fourth Chapter it shall suffice here to take notice that the Messiah was looked upon as having the neer relation to God of a Son S. Peter in that excellent confession of his Faith puts these two together Thou art the Christ The Son of the living God nay the very Devils who came out of them that were possessed â—cknowledging him to be the Christ do withall declare him to bee the Son Thou art Christ the Son of God and that this was a received opinion among the Jews appeareth by that question which the High Priest put to him art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed yea as Grotius well observeth apparet hoc cognomen vulgo Messiae datum it appeareth to have been a name of the Messiah well known among the vulgar by that of the very Seamen who beholding the miracle wrought by him on the winds cryed out of a truth thou art the Son of God that is the Messiah Suitable to this it is that the Ancient Hebrews did mystically interpret those words in the Psalmes Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee of the Messiah by which it is evident that to deny him who is the Christ is no other than to deny Gods Son 2 Hee doth not only deny the Son but the Father For 1 The relation between the Father and the Son is very neer no wonder if the injury done to the Son reflect upon the Father it is thus among men much more in the Deity where the Son is consubstantial and coeternal with the Father Being the Son hee is the brightnesse of his fathers glory and expresse Image of his person So St. Paul characterizeth him for which reason it is that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father So our Saviour himself expressely asserteth and thence inferreth He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father 2 The Father it is who sends his Son into the World and to deny him who is sent what is it but to deny him who sendeth To deny saith Grotius is sometimes as much as authoritatem alicui detrahere to detract from ones authority and to deny the Person sent is in effect to deny the Authority of the sender in this respect it is that in the Scripture but now quoted those words are added that sent him and to this purpose that of our Saviour elsewhere is very apposite Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee to wit because they were sent by him and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee to wit the father by whom Christ was sent 3 The Father having sent his Son was pleased to give Testimony to him They are Christs own words The Father himself which sent mee hath born witnesse of mee accordingly if you look into St. Matthews Gospel you shall finde that at his baptisme a voice was heard from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and again at his transfiguration on the Mount behold a voice from the clouds which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him to which last St. Peter alludeth where he saith of Christ Hee received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came forth a voice to him from the excellent glory so that God having given this testimony than which what can bee more full or immediate of the Messiah that he was his Son whosoever denyeth the Christ the Son of God giveth the Father the Lye according as our Apostle more fully expresseth in the close of this Epistle Hee that beleeveth not God hath made him a Lyar because hee beleeveth not the Record that God gave of his Son 3 Lastly Though it bee not expressed yet it would bee supplyed hee denyeth not onely the Father and the Son but the Holy Ghost for as in the first Chapter where out followship is said to bee with the Father and his Son the Holy Ghost is included so here doubtlesse the third Person is implyed who is no lesse denyed than the other two by them who deny Jesus to be the Christ The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth from the Verb which signifieth to annoint now to this annointing all the three persons did concur there is persona ungens uncta and unctio the Father annointing the Son annointed and the Holy Ghost the ointment and therefore hee that denyeth the Christ denyeth all three persons it was by no other than the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ did all his glorious miracles his mighty works in which respect the Pharisees denying Jesus to bee the Christ became guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost and thus this heresy is no lesse than a denial of the blessed Trinity To shut up this clause learn wee hence when wee receive any Doctrins to
assured he keepeth them may know and be assured that he knoweth Christ I shut up all with one Caution In your indeavours after the reflex forget not the direct acts of Faith Look upon Christ as he who is your righteousness to justifie you and then look upon your Obedience as that which may testifie to you that you are justified by him even then when you cannot clearly discover inherent qualifications cast not away wholly your confidence in Christs Merits and when you do discover them rest not in them but only in Christs Merits ever remembring that it is the being in Christ by Faith which intitleth you to justification and salvation and your keeping the Commandments and walking as Christ walked is that which manifesteth the truth of your Faith by which you are in Christ by whom you are justified and shall at last be saved THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 7 8 9 10 11. 7. Brethren I write no new Commandment unto you but an old Commandment which you had from the beginning the old Commandment is the Word which ye have heard from the beginning 8. Again a new Commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth 9. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even untill now 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him 11. But he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes IT was St Pauls sage and sacred advice to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Where these words Faith and Love are by some and not unfitly referred to the manner of holding these being the two hands by which we hold fast the truth but by others and no less probably they are refered to the forme of sound words which he heard of him the matter of the form the substance of those words being reducible to those two heads suitable hereunto is that Paraphrase of Theophilact in Faith and Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is My words and discourses are conversant about Faith and Love what he saith concerning St Pauls we may concerning St Johns words in this Epistle all of which tend either to the enlightning of our Faith or inflaming of our Love the latter of which our Apostle beginneth with at these Verses Brethren I write no new Commandment c. Which words consist of two generall Parts A Preamble inviting in the 7 and 8 Verses A Doctrine instructing in the 9 10 and 11 Verses Our Apostle intending to spend a great part of this Epistle in a discourse of Love doth not unfitly begin it with a Preface especially considering that the end of an Exordium is captare benevolentiam to gain love both to the Orator and his matter In this Preamble there are two things considerable The kind Appellation our Apostle giveth those to whom he wrote in the first word Brethren The large Commendation he giveth of the Doctrine about which he was to write in the rest of the words That which first occureth to be handled is the kind Appellation Brethren The vulgar Latine following the Syriack read it Charissimi dearly Beloved and Grotius finds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one Greek Manuscript Indeed either is very suitable To shew that he himself was not a stranger to that love he would teach them he might fitly call them dearly Beloved and being to treat of Brotherly Love he no less aptly useth the stile of Brethren so that it is not much materiall which way we read it but because the other phrase of dearly Beloved is used afterward and the most Greek Copies here read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall handle that reading which our Translation following renders Brethren It is a title that is very considerable upon severall accounts especially these foure Inasmuch as it is a word of Verity of Humility of Charity of Dignity There was really such a relation between St John and those to whom he wrote The mentioning it by the Apostle argueth in him a Spirit of love and lowliness and much advanceth the honour of those to whom he wrote 1. It is a word of verity indeed it is somewhat strange how this should be true If you cast your eyes on the first verse of this Chapter you find him calling them children and how is it possible they should at once be his brethren and his children If they were his brethren he and they must be children of one Father if they were his children he must be their Father and these two cannot consist together The truth is these relations in a natural way and a proper notion are altogether incompatible between the same persons and yet this hinders not but that in a spiritual and Scripture-sence both these are verified of S t John in reference to those to whom he wrote Know then that the sacred penman of this Epistle may be considered under a three-fold latitude as an Apostle as a Christian as a Man 1. Consider him as an Apostle invested by Christ with authority to publish the Gospell whereby they were converted to the Faith so he was their Father and might therefore call them his Children But 2. Consider him as a Christian embracing the same Faith with them which he Preached to them so he and they were Bretheren They who have the same Father and Mother are undoubtedly Brethren now the Apostles as Christians had God to their Father and the Catholick Church to their Mother and therefore Brethren to all even ordinary Christians In this respect it is that St Peter giving thanks to God for this mercy of Regeneration useth a Pronoune of the first person Plurall Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten not me or you or me and you but us again to a lively Hope thereby intimating that he and they were all the Children of God and that by the same meanes of the new Birth and St Paul writing to the Corinthians maketh himself one of the number when he saith We being many are one body and again By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body thereby implying that he and they stand in the same relation to the Church This Relation is that which is not between every Minister and his People On the one hand sometimes the Minister himself is not a Brother because a prophane wicked Person yea in this respect he may be able to say my Children and yet not my Brethren for since the Spirituall Birth dependeth upon the energie of the Seed which is the Word accompanied with the Spirit not at all upon the goodness of him that dispenseth it it is not impossible for
of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us Thus did St Ambrose love his charge when he declareth how much he was troubled at his absence from them though upon just occasion It were easie to multiply instances of this nature Oh let all Pastors take fire at these flames and learn by these examples indeed there is no relation in which Ministers stand to their people but it cals for this duty if they look on them as their Sheep their Schollars their Children their Brethren all ingage them to Love And surely Magnes amoris amor Love is the Loadstone of Love if we love you you must love us as Brethren so did those converts who bespake the Apostles with this very title Men and Brethren Tell me I beseech you why should we be accounted as your enemies who watch for your souls If you think scorne to honour us as Fathers yet however own us as Brethren In a word Since we are Brethren let us sweetly live and love as Brethren Oh how pleasant a thing it is for Ministers and People like Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Oh that both Priest and People when any contentions arise between them or when their love to each other begins to faile in them would remember this relation so should the meditation hereof be both as water and fire as water to coole the heat of contention as fire to kindle and cherish the heat of affection 4. It is a word of dignity That he who was in the highest office belonging to the Christian Church should call the despised Christians to whom he wrote his Brethren as it is a dignation in him so it must needs be an exaltation to them The greater the Persons to whom we are related and the nearer the relation is the greater is the honour To be a Servant a Kinsman but much more to be a Brother of a Lord or Earl but much more of a King is a very great Dignity such honour have Christians they may claim Brotherhood to the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the Noble army of Martyrs the sacred Hierarchy of the Apostles yea the head of the Church Christ himself for so saith the Author to the Hebrews concerning him He is not ashamed to call us Brethren Oh let us walk worthy of these high relations which Christianity confereth upon us and so much the rather because by our unanswerable behaviour to these relations we shall not only dishonour our selves but them to whom we are related If one that is Brother to a King should make himself a companion of Thieves doth it not redown to the dishonour of the King to whom he is so nearly allyed And if we who by our Christian profession pretend at least alliance to the Apostles yea Christ himself shall live no better nay worse then Turks Pagans Infidels how must they suffer to whom we pretend so near a relation And therefore to imitate the Apostles exhortation Let our Conversation be such as becometh the Brethren of those holy Apostles who were the first Publishers of the Gospell of Christ And so much be spoken of the Compellation given to the Persons Pass we on to the commendation which our Apostle here giveth the matter whereabout he was now to write which is drawn from three heads The Authority of it as being a Precept both old and new in those words I write no new but an old Commandment c. and Again a new Commandment I write to you The Conformity of it to the Pattern which Christ hath set in those words A thing which is true in him The Congruity of it to the state of the Gospell the truth of Christianity in those words And in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth The Authority of that which our Apostle here commendeth is that which we are to begin with And that inasmuch as it is 1. An old Commandment This is that which is both propounded and proved the former in those words I write not a new but an old Commandment to you the latter in those Which you heard from the beginning the old Commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning 1. The proposition is set down with a great deale of Emphasis not only Positively but Oppositively Affirmatively but Negatively The Apostle doth not content himself to say I write to you an old Commandment but knowing as Calvin well noteth how suspected novelty is and deservedly hatefull and because as Didymus observeth the brand of novelty both by Jews and Pagans was cast on Christianity and withall because many things are old which yet in truth are but old Innovations as I shall hereafter discover he doth expresly vindicate his Doctrine from any such aspersion by this addition not a new but an old Commandment It is somewhat debated by Interpreters what our Apostle intends by this old Commandment whilst Some understand it generally of the whole Evangelicall Doctrine Others referre it to the preceding Verse where is a speciall command of walking as Christ walked Others to that particular command of Love which immediately followeth This last I incline to and so much the rather because I find St John himself so expounding it in the Eleventh Verse of the next Chapter wherein he cals loving one another the message from the beginning and at the Fifth Verse of the next Epistle where he saith Not as though I wrote a new Commandment and this concerning the precept of loving one another That I may the better dispatch this clause be pleased to proceed with me by these steps â— The Doctrine which our Apostle was now about to propose is called a Commandment whence observe 1. Generally That as the Law had Gospell so the Gospell hath Law in it and as it publisheth promises so it obligeth by Precepts It is the difference between promises and commands that the one importeth some good to be done for us and the other some good to be done by us the one informeth us what God will do and the other what we should do Now though the principall end of the Gospell be to declare the one yet so as that it teacheth the other For this reason it is no doubt that the Gospell is sometimes called by the name of Law as where we read of the Law of Faith and the Law of Christ and the Law of Liberty and the Law of the Spirit of Life and upon the same account the Apostle Paul cals it a Canon or a rule to which our lives must be conformed and by which our waies are to be directed and St Peter stileth it the holy Commandment from which Apostates turn and the grace of God which many interpret by a Metonymy of the Object to be the Gospell is said to teach being as well a Schoolmaster as a Comforter Finally In this respect it is that we read not only of believing the Gospell which layeth hold
of darkness yea it is the strict charge he layeth upon the Thessalonians Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly we ought as much to hate familiarity with the wicked as to dread upon burning coals or go into an infected house and therefore this kind of hatred is not here intended 4. Once more All hatred of enmity in respect of others is not to be condemned if they be enimies not so much to us as to the Church yea God himself and this not out of ignorance but malice and so implacable we may we ought to be enemies to them Holy David hath set us a pattern hereof when speaking to God he saith Do not I hate them oh Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee I bate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Hence no doubt are those imprecations and curses which we meet with in the Psalmes wherein we finde that holy man wishing not only disapointment to the hopes inâ—atuation to the counsels but destruction to the persons of Zions adversaries And surely thus far we may and ought to imitate him as in generall to pray against and wish the ruine of all the Churches irreconciliable adversaries though as to particulars we must take heed of going too far in this way it being difficult if not impossible for us determinately to assert concerning any one that he is an implacable enemie of God and Religion and yet when we see one who with Julian hath professed himself to be a Christian Brother and so far Apostatizing as openly to prosecute Christianity with utmost fury notwithstanding manifold convictions or who still pretending to be a Brother oppugneth with no less virulency though more subtilty the Christian Religion in its Orthodox profession swallowing up her revenues forbidding her publique services stopping the mouths of her Preachers suffering blasphemies and heresies to obscure her plucking up the pillars which should uphold her and persecuting all that embrace her and all this against clear convictions which he either hath or might have did he not shut his eyes together with frequent and multiplyed admonitions since we can have very little or no hopes of such a mans conversion we may and ought to desire of God if he will not please to convert him to confound not only his devices but his person and to cut him off from the land of the living only we must take heed to the frame and temper of our spirit that this our hatred of and wishing ill to him purely proceed from a love to Gods Church and a zeal for his glory not out of any personall or private respect to our own revenge 2. Having thus dispatched the first way â— proposed to tread in Namely the restriction and exclusion I shall now step into the other path and let you see the extent and enlargement of this sin in these following assertions 1. There are two sins namely envy and malice which are as it were the ingredients of this hatred St Paul seemeth to intimate so much when he first mentioneth malice and envy as the species and then hatred as the genus living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another And indeed since hatred being opposed to love is both a nilling good and willing evill to our Brother it must needs include in it both these For 1. Envy is as Aquinas from Damascen well defineth it Tristitia de alienis bonis a sorrow for the good of another To this purpose Gregory Nyssen putting the question what is the cause of this disease answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Brothers prosperity for which reason Plutarch compareth it to a bleare eye which is offended with the light and the envious man is fitly resembled to an Archer who hath still some white paper or cloth for his marke at which he shooteth now whence doth this sorrow arise but from the act of hatred which consists in nilling since because I nill the good to my Brother which he hath therefore I am troubled that he hath it and hence it is that the Aegyptians envying the Israelites multitude in Aegypt is called their hating them when it is said He turned their heart to hate his people Indeed envy is an affection made up of griefe and hatred griefe for the thing and hatred of the person and the hatred of the one is the cause of griefe at the other Malice is as Justinian well expresseth it Improba adversus proximum cogitatio a wicked thought against our Neighbour or if you will have it in fewer yet fuller words it is nocendi desiderium a desire to hurt and injure our Brother in any kinde and this is the proper act of hatred which as it doth connote a nilling good so it doth principally note a willing evill This is observable in Esau of whom the Text saith he hated Jacob and if you will know how that appeareth the end of the Verse tels you I will stay my Brother Jacob. In this regard the Fish among the Aegyptians is made an Hieroglyphicke of hatred because of all Creatures it is most greedy to devoure and hatred fils the minde with injurious and devouring desires 2. Though the speciall Object of our love be our Brother by the second Adam yet the prohibition of hatred extends to our Brother by the first Adam we must not think that if we be kind to those of the Christian Religion we may exercise hostility towards Turks and Pagans It is true the Jews were enemies to the Nations round about them yea did puâ—sue them to an utter extirpation but they had an express warrant from Heaven for it and therefore their practice is no pattern till we can shew the like warrant we cannot without breach at once both of equity and charity under any pretences whatsoever invade the possessions or destroy the persons of the most barbarous Savages But yet still in this as in other sins the quality of the Object addeth to the quantity of the offence and though it be a sin to hate any man it is a greater sin to hate a Christian and the more of Christianity there is in him the more malignity there is in our hatred since the better the Object the worse the act and yet further though it be an haynous sin to hate a Christian upon any account yet to hate him because he is a Christian or because he is a more exact and conscientious Christian then our selves is the highest degree of this hatred and that which borders upon the unpardonable sâ—n against the holy Ghost 3. This hatred of our Brother which is here forbidden is not only of him whilst he is our friend but when he becometh our neâ— Indeed it is an high aggravation of our hatred when it is of oâ—â— that loveth us but it is no
the damned shall never be inflicted and whatsoever miseries and afflictions may befall a pardoned sinner though they are materially yet they are not formally punishments because not for satisfaction of offended justice And thus with what brevity this weighty point would admit I have discovered to you the nature of this mercy and surely by what hath been said we may easily see how precious a blessing it is as being eminently the Queen of mercies the Ocean of blessings the Quintessence of comforts and vertually all blessings whatsoever we can stand in need of or long after Till sin be forgiven no good can be expected and therefore they are put together Take away all iniquity and do us good either God withholds mercy or else the mercy proveth a curse to the unpardoned sinner sin being forgiven there is no evill which we need to fear not Gods wrath not the Laws curse not Satans malice not Hels torments when the Angell said of Jesus He shall save his people from their sins he implyeth salvation from all evils which are the proper effects of sin since according to that known Maxime Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus the cause being removed the effects cannot but cease And as there is no evill which we need feare so neither is there any good which we may not hope Zanchy observeth upon the Text that by a Synecdoche forgiveness of sins is here put for all blessings sure I am all good goeth along with pardoning mercy it is not so in mens pardons the forgiven malefactor is not therefore received into favour or advanced to honour but grace and glory yea all blessings attend those whom God forgiveth Indeed it is only sin which stops the current of mercy no wonder then if sin being removed mercy flows in a pace Reconciliatioâ— to acceptation with God both of our persons and services freedome of access to the throne of grace and a mercifull audience of our Prayers supplies of all needfull comforts and a turning of all afflictions to our good Finally the sonship now and the inheritance hereafter do all belong to him whose sâ—ns are forgiven Excellently Fulgentius to our present purpose Non de re parvâ disserimus nec vile aliquid quaerimus cum de remissione peccatorum disputamus it is not a light matter an unworthy Subject we discourse of when we speak of Remission of sins by this we are freed from eternall punishment that we may enjoy eternall bliss by this that weight of â—â—n which either by nature or life hath been contracted is removed and Christ giveth ease to the weary and laden by this the ungodly is freely justiâ—â—ed his faith being accounted to him for righteousness Finally by Remission of sins men are graciously differenced from those who shall be eternally tormented with and by the Devill and joyned to those who shall eternally reign with Christ Oh then according to Ferus his pious counsell Hoc ipsum pro maximo dono gratiâ repetimus let us esteem this the highest favour and the greatest gift whereof we can be partakers and withall labour we to be among that number to whom this priviledg belongs And so I am fallen on the Propriety of the Persons in the word your Forgiveness of â—â—ns as you have already heard is a great but withall it is a speciall blessing There are some benefits which are common to elect and reprobate good and bad such is that whereby God doth spare sinners and withholds the execution of punishment from them for so St Paul speaketh of goodness and forbearance to those who dâ—spâ—se it But then there are peculiar benefits which are the portion only of the good so confer'd oâ—â— as that they aâ—â— confined to the regenerate among which is this oâ— â—â—rgiveness and therefore it is said here your sins Forgiveness of sins may be considered three waies 1. In the decree and purpose of it which was before the begining of the world from all eternity In the plenarâ— completion and open publication of it which shall not be till the end of the world when time shall be no more In the particular application of it to severall persons which is time by time in this present world and is not vouchsafed to any till they are regenerated To unfold this more fully take this your both exclusivè and inclusivè by way of restriction and inlargement yours that is none but yours yours that is all your sins are forgiven 1. Yours and none but your sins are forgiven This bread of life is for Sons not Slaves this kiss of Love is for Favourites not Rebels this Sunbeame of mercy for the Children of the Day not the Night Indeed we must distinguish between the collation and the oblation the conferring and the offering of this benefit forgiveness of sins is offered to all upon the condition of believing and repenting but bestowed only upon them who actually believe and repent and therefore in the publication of this mercy Ministers must write a bill of divorce to all wicked sinners that so according to Gods command they may seperate the precious from the vile and in the Applicaâ—ioâ— of it every one must take heed lest he too rashly hastily and presumptuously lay hold upon it Blessed is that man saith the Psalmist whose sins are forgiven ey but miserable is that man who thinketh his â—â—ns forgiven when they are not yea he is so much the more miserable because he thinketh himself happy We need to be very cautelous how we pass the sentence of absolution and you have no less reason to be carefull how you â—pply the promises of pardon least a vain presumptioâ—â—f â—f mercy betray you to endless misery 2. Yours and all your sâ—ns are forgiven you whither Fathers or young Men or little Children That is 1. In a literall sense liâ—tle Children having received Baptismall regeneration are cleansed from their Originall sin young Men turning to God have the folliâ—s of their Childhood pardoned yea to Fathers repenting the sins of their former ages shall not be mentioned 2. In a spirituall notion not only strong but weake Christians are capable of this benefit I will remember their iniquities no more is a branch of the nâ—w Covenanâ— and truth of grace entituleth us to the Covenant Indeed we must distinguish between the collation and the manifestation of this mercy Christians whilst they are but novicâ—s are weake in faith nor can they clearly apprehend that their sins are forgiven but still the benefit no less truly belongs to them then to groâ—n Saints As then before I disswaded the wicked from presumption so now I must warne the weake of despaire those are too apt to lay hold upon and these are too ready to refuse pardon nor is it more hard to drivâ— these from then to draw those to eate of this tree of life But tell me oh drooping soul Why dost thou frowardly put that comfort far from thee
strength and the little Children for their knowledg of the Father A fit pattern for all Ministers for all Superiours yea for all to follow Indeed to flatter bad men in their sins is abominable God pronounceth a curse against such Prophets who daube with untempered Morter and by their smooth language strengthen the hands of evill doers but to commend good men for their graces is commendable and hath not only the pattern of the Apostle but of Christ and God himself to warrant it The truth is Praise is a due debt to Virtue and therefore it is an act of Justice it is not unfitly observed that our Apostle joyneth these two together If there be any virtue If there be any praise to intimate that praise ought to attend on virtue Nor is it only a debt but a spurre and therefore an act of prudence When a good man is commended others are incouraged and si non amore virtutis at dilectione laudis accenduntur many have been allured with the Love of praise whom the Love of virtue could not perswade however the person himself being commended is thereby animated nor is it unlawfull for men to be Moved in a subordinate way with a desire of praise and much respect St Bernard upon those words in the Proverbs Hast thou found honey Eate so much as is sufficient for thee saith Potest in hoc loâ—o non incongrue mellis nomine favor humanae laudis intelligi in this place by honey may be understood not unfitly the favour of humane praise Meritoque non ab omni sed ab immoderato edâ—lio prohibemur nor are we prohibited all but only an immoderate desire of glory No wonder then if the Ministers of Christ whom he hath appointed Fishers of men among others make use of this bait of praise that commendation may make way for their commands and a well done may encourage their Auditours to do better This no doubt was the designe of St John that by this Artifice of praise his instructions might have the stronger influence upon them to whom he writeth Come we now to the severall Reasons by which he bespeaketh the severall Ages 1. The first respects the Aged Fathers to whom he wrote because they knew him who was from the beginning as it is expressed in the thirteenth and fourteenth Verses In handling of this Character I shall consider the goodness and the fitness of it the goodness of it in it self by inquiring what it meaneth and the fitness of it both to the Subjects to whom and the Objects about which our Apostle wrote 1. Consider we this Character in it self and we shall finde it not only good but excellent Indeed in this one there are two Characters to wit of Christ and the Christian which offer themselves to our view of Christ that he is from the begining of the Christian that he knoweth him who is from the begining of each in order 1. Our Apostle here affirmeth concerning Christ that he is from the begining Indeed Illyricus refers this to God who is said to be from everlasting to everlasting and to inhabit eternity and is called by Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most ancient of all things because before all things yea the Creator And sutably Plato putting the question What is the most ancient thing answereth God But I conceive it is most sutable to the Apostles scope to understand it with Calvin Aretius and the most nay best Interpreters of Christ And thus as Zanchy well observeth this may be asserted of him in a double respect quo ad virtutem salviâ—â—cam and quo ad personam in respect of virtuall efficacy and personall subsistence 1. Christ is from the begining to wit ordained and purposed to be the Mediatour of his Church in which sense he is called the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world Whence it is that though he dyed in the fulness of time yet the virtue of his death as it extendeth forward to the end so backward to the begining of the world 2. But principally Christ is said to be from the beginning inasmuch as his subsistence is from eternity to wit in respect not of his humane but divine nature Thus St Austin appositely novus Christus in carne sed antiquus in divinitate Christ as to his manhood is new but as to his Godhead ancient and Oecumenius expressely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is it that is from the beginning but God the Word In this respect justly is the Messiah called by the Prophet Isay the everlasting Father and the Prophet Micah saith of him who was to be born in Bethlehem that his goings forth have been of old from everlasting Upon this account the Authour to the Hebrewes asserts him to be yesterday to day and the same for ever where saith Anselm by yesterday is denoted the time past and the vast space of eternity preceding by to day the time present and by for ever that which is to come Finally unto this that metaphoricall Character which our Apostle giveth of Christ is plainly to be referred where he saith his head that is his Divinity so Pererius and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow to which in regard of its antiquity for so Daniel calling God the ancient of dayes presently addeth the hair of his head was like pure wooll namely for whiteness which is the badge of old age Not to enlarge upon this point because it is only collateral in the Text I shall in a few words discuss these two propositions which are plainly intimated in this clause and clearly expressed in Scripture 1. That Jesus Christ had a being before he was born of the Virgin Mary indeed he then began to be man but he did not then begin to be when his Mother conceived and brought him forth into the world It was our blessed Saviours positive assertion concerning himself Before Abraham waâ— I am and if he had a being before Abraham certainly he did not begin to be when he was made man That this was the meaning of our Saviour is clear in that it is returned by him as an Answer to the Jewes Objection which is manifestly drawn from the short date of his personall existence Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham to which Christs words cannot be a full Answer if they intend not that he had a personal being before Abraham and so no wonder if Abraham were known to him and that the Jewes so understood him is evident in that they took up stones to cast at him as conceiveing him a blasphemer in so saying upon which accounâ— the Father saith excellently Ecce Judaei intellexerunt quod non intelligunt Arriani Behold the Jewes understood that which the Arrians will not but fondly and impiously endeavour to obscure Very conâ—â—derable upon this account is that of St
Christ is not meerly notionall but experimentall such a knowledge of him as is accompanied with a sense of his love to us not barely speculative but practicall such a knowledge of him as is attended with our love to him let us show it by love to our Brethren To close up this discourse It is an excellent advice of St Hierome discite â—am scientiam in terris cujus cognitio perseverat in caelis seek after that knowledg on earâ—h which will persevere in Heaven let us now begin and not only begin but according to St Peters counsell Grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ who is from the begining which shall be consummated in the end when we shall enjoy that beatificall vision which shall need no increase and know no end THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. 13 14. VERS I write unto you Fathers because yâ— have known him that is from the begining I write unto you young Men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father I have written unto you Fathers because you have known him that is from the begining I have written unto you young Men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one AMong others there are two speciall qualifications of a good Minister the one that he be faithfull and the other that he be prâ—dent His faithfullnesâ— consists in delivering those things that are true and his prudence in making choice of such things as are fit The fitness of a Ministers discourse lyeth chiefly in a double reference To the season and the persons All both words and works receive â— great deale of beauty from their opportunity it was not without reason that he said Omnium rerum est primum the chief in all actions is the fit time and Solomon concerning a word spoken in due season mentioneth the goodness of it with a question as if it were beyond any positive expression How good is it Nor is there â—ess regard to be had to the condition of the Auditors then the fitness of the season since hereby a discourse becometh not only seasonable but sutable Physitians though unless necessity enforce they have a regard to the season yet especially and alwaies they have respect to the different constitution of the patients in administring their poâ—ions and no less doth it befit us who are spirituall Physitians to accommodate our Doctrines to the condition and disposition of those to whom we preach Excellent to this purpose is that of an Ancient Pro-qualitate audientium formari debet sermâ— doctorum ut per singulâ— singulis congruat à commuâ—i â—dificationis arte nunquam recedat The Preachers Sermon ought to correspond to the Auditours condition so as may best tend to edification Look as in Musick all the strings of the Instrument though they are touched with the same hand yet not with a like stroake so in Preaching all sorts of persons are to be dealt with but not in the same way Aliter admonendi sunt viri aliter faeminae aliter in opes aliter locupletes aliter juvines aliter senes as he excellently goeth on one admonition is fit for Men another for Women one for the Rich another for the Poore one for the Young another for the Old This discreet Application of our instructions is that whereof the holy Apostles set us a pattern and among the rest St John especially in these Verses wherein we may observe him bespeaking severall ages and that in severall addresses sutable to those ages I write to you Fathers c. 2. The reason by which our Apostle inculcateth his writing upon the Fathers being already handled that which we are next in order to insist upon is that by which he presseth his writing upon the young Men as it is mentioned in the thirteenth and again both repeated and amplified in the fourteenth Verse To put them both together as expressed in these words You are strong and have overcome the wicked one and the word of God abideth in you You may please to consider them two waies Absolutely as a commendation and Relatively as an incitation Consider the words as a commendation and so that I may make use of the metaphor in the Text be pleased to observe these foure particulars The Enemy The Conquest The Aids and The Combatants The Enemy is Characterized by that term the wicked one The Conquest is Ingeminated in that phrase have overcome The Aids are specified in these words strong and the word of God abideth The Combatants are included in the you who are just before expressed to be young men 1. Begin we with the Enemy who is called The wicked one There are three grand adversaries of our salvation and all of them have this Epithet given to them the world is called by St Paul an evill world and the flesh which is the corruption of our nature is called the evill treasure of the heart and the Devill frequently the evill one the wicked one in this respect Zanchy conceiveth by the wicked one here to be understood Synecdochtically all our spirituall enemies but I rather incline to that exposition which interpreteth the wicked one here mentioned to be the Devill he it is who not only here but twice more in this Epistle is so called by our Apostle and no doubt he learned it from his Master who giveth him this title in the parable of the Tares yea St Chrysostome and others of the Fathers are of opinion that the evil from which our Saviour teacheth us to pray that God would deliver us is the Devil and accordingly Tertullian renders several places of Scripture which mention the Devil by malus malignus nequam evil wicked malignant It is a name which no doubt is given to the Devil antonomasticè by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Illyricus is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth one who is exercitatissimus in omni malitiae genere exercised in all kind of wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth one who is insigniter improbus infamously notoriously wicked As though holiness be a quality communicable to the creature yet God and Christ are emphatically called in Scripture the holy one because according to Hannahs saying there is none so holy as the Lord â—o though there be many evil and wicked persons in the world yet the Devil is the wicked one because there â—â— none so evil as the Devil and therefore St Chrysostome gâ—eth this reason of the appellation Christ calleth hiâ— the wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becaâ—e of that hyperbolical wickedness whereof he is guâ—y â—r the better explanation of this I shall briefly resolv these two Queries How he came to be so â—hereâ—n he appeareth to be so It â—ould be a little enquired into how the person
as that 1. We will at no time forbear the totall use of them though yet the strength of nature will bear it no not for Religious ends 2. We indulge to our selves a liberall use of them at such time when the Churches distress calls for fasting weeping and mourning 3. Finally We expend too great a part of our time on them with the rich glutton Faring deliciously every day feasting too often with those Princes Eating in the morning beginning too soone and with those Israelites rising up early that we may follow strong drink and continuing till midnight staying too long It is very observable that not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excess of wine but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 banquetings and drinkings are reckoned among the lusts in which the Gentiles walked though we do not eate till we are so pursie that we cannot go or drinke till we are so giddy that we cannot stand yet if we delight so much in and have such a desire after that it causeth us to spend too much time in comessations and compotations it is a lust of the flesh Solomon blameth them who tarry long at the wine when men dine all day and sup all night eate and drinke away a third part nay the better halfe of the time These men according to the vulgar translation of the wisemans forementioned expression Student calicibus epotandis make their cups their books and drinke their business meditate nothing but their Trenchers and lock up their Souls in the Kitchin and the Cellars according to St Gregory Nyssens phrase they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their reason in their throat or to use Tertullians phrase Agape in Cacabis fervet fides in Culinis calet spes in ferculis jacet Their love boyleth in their Caldrons their faith is warme in their Kitchins and their hope lyeth in their Dishes Like the Serpent to allude with St Ambrose they creep upon their bellies yea with that Fish whereof Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh they have their heart in their belly as if like Bonosus they were borne not to live but to drinke or like the Megarenses they did not eate to live but live to eate 3. Besides these which are the principall branches of this arme Ebullitions of this lust of the flesh there is yet a third which must not be passed over in silence and that is idleness a lust which renders men lyable to temptations of the former kinde incontinence and intemperance are no strangers to an idle bosome The Poet gives this as the reason why Aegistus was an adulterer In promptu causa est desidiosus erat because he was sloathfull standing water putrifieth so doth the lazie person he that loves to doe nothing will soone doe worse then nothing Now this lust of idlenesse expresseth it selfe two waies by an inordinate desire of sleep of play of each a word 1. It is a true saying of St Austin God hath given to man sleep Quo reparentur membra corporis ut pâ—ssint vigilantem animam sustinere by which the strength both of body and minde may be repaired Indeed sleep loveth mans nature chearing refreshing coroborating it but yet man must not love sleep too affectionately it is the cry of the sluggard in the Proverbs Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep which the Syriack readeth Ponit manum super pectus he puts his hand upon his breast shewing how dear and pleasing his sleep is to him If more particularly you would know what love of sleep is immoderate I answer â— When we are so greedy of that we will not sometimes interrupt it for acts of devotion after the example of David Who rose at midnight to give thanks to God and of Christ who sometimes prayed all night nay we suffer sleep to interrupt us whilst exercised about Religious duties like Eutyches upon whom an heavy sleep fell whilst Paul was preaching and an heavy hand of God whilst he was sleeping a sad warning for all Church-sleepers to all whom me thinketh Christ saith as he did to Peter Could you not watch with me one houre 2. When we give such way to sleep on our Couch by day or our bed by night that it is rather sepultura suffocati then requies lassi a suffocating then a refreshing of the spirit a dulling then a quickning of the body It is St Ambrose his assertion of the blessed Virgin Mary Non prius dormire cupidit as quam necessit as fuit she was rather inforced then willing to sleep Indeed vigilancy teacheth not to sleep sooner nor longer then â—eed requireth and it is Chrysologus his advice Indulgendum somno ut corpus reparet non resolvat ut vires revocet non enervet Sleep must be indulged to so far as may repaire nature and recall not weaken strength or else it is a lust of the flesh 2. As to sports and pleasures it is not to be gain said but that there is a convenient use of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle truly It is impossible that the bow should be alwaies bent and therefore Pindar fitly calls play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best â—ureâ— of our labours but yet excessively to love it is a lust of the flesh in which respect saith the Greek Father excellently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not forbid relaxation but I condemn want of moderation Now our lust after sport is inordinate 1. For the matter or Object of it whenas we love to sport with things unlawfull which are impious or cruell or dishonest or of bad report among judicious and sober Christians Ludus noxius in culpâ they are fools saith the wiseman and justly who make sport of sin and they are unwise who prefer their sport before their credit 2. For the manner when as men pursue their play with too much earnestness and unrestrained enlargement as if it were to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of their desire It is a good advice of St Ambrose Caveamus ne dum relaxare animum volumus solvamus omnem harmonians we had need take care least by letting the strings down too loose we spoile the harmony we may take recreation as sauce but not be as greedy of it as if it were our meat it is excellent to make our busâ—ness a play but infamous to make play our business 3. For the Time when men are so eager that according to Seneca's phrase Agitur vita per ludum they play away their lives squandâ—ing dayes and nights moneths and yeares in play and take so much time that they rob God of his due neglect their calling play when they should pray and sport when they should work Cicero saith divinely we must not indulge to our sports Priusquam gravibus seriisque rebus satisfecerimus till we have discharged more serious and weighty affaires in which respect Aristotle adviseth
be denied but that there is a lawfull desire of power and place St Paul saith He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke and no doubt it is a worthy desire if rightly qualified But it is then the pride of life 1. When as it is only praeesse but not prodesse that we may be great but not that we may do good only of the dignity and not of the duty which attends it Or 2. When men of low deserts have high desires of grasping that Scepter which they are not fit or worthy to manage soaring high when yet they want wings Or 3. When no place will content us but the highest so that we will not indure either superior or equall as Alexander who told Darius the Heaven had but one Sun and the Earth must have but one Alexander this being the temper of a proud man when he is got up to the top to pull up the Ladder that none may come after him but that he may rule alone and have all in his own hands 4. Or which is yet worst of all when this desire puts men upon evill waies and unlawfull meanes of attaining making that of the Poet their principle Violandum est jus regni gratiâ right may be dispensed with where it is to gain a Kingdome 2. The other branch of this pride is the desire of vain glory from which the Apostle dehorts the Galathians Indeed it is one thing to desire glory and another to desire vain glory great men may lawfully expect that honour and respect from others which is due to the place and station in which God hath set them Every man may desire praise and commendation from others for those good actions that are done by him St Paul plainly alloweth it when he assureth eternall life to them who by welldoing seek for honour and glory But if you will know when it is a desire of vain glory and so pride of life I answer with the Casuists that the sinfullness of this desire is considerable three waies 1. Ex parte ejus qui in regard of him who desireth it Whenas 1. He maketh it his principall aime terminating in himself it is one thing to do good workes so as they may be seen another to do them that they may be seen it is one thing to do them that they may be seen for our own glory it is another to do them that they may be seen for Gods glory Finally It is one thing to make our own honour a subordinate incouragement to and another to set it up as the ultimate end of our good actions the former is allowable but the latter abominable 2. His desire after it is accompanied with a peevish anger at those who give him not the praise and honour he expects like Haman who was mad because he could not have Mordecays knee and Achitophell who is so discontented as to hang himself because his wisdome was undervalued in the not following his counsell Indeed the proud man contrary to St Pauls rule of giving is altogether for taking honour and which is very absurd though he will not give honour to others yet he taketh it very ill if others give it not to him 2. Ex parte ejus de quo in regard of that for which he desireth glory Thus 1. When men according to St Pauls expression glory in their shame expect to be applauded for their evill deeds and gather the grapes of praise upon the thornes of vices 2. Or when they desire more commendation then their actions though good deserve thinking that others should value them as they do themselves as if not the merit of our workes but the estimation we have of them were to be the rule of others judgement 3. Ex parte ejus à quo in regard of him from whom we desire praise And thus 1. When according to the Character which is given of the Hypocriticall Jew Our praise is not of God but of men we regard more to approve our selves to the world then to God whereas our aime should be to find approbation first in the Court of God then of Conscience then of Men. 2. When among men we desire praise not of the learned but the ignorant who are no competent judges not of the good but of the bad whose praise indeed is a dispraise and by speaking well of us disparage us And thus I have given you an account of the first kinde of pride which I proposed to handle namely internall by which it appeareth that her Charret is drawn with foure Horses selfe-estimation arrogant presumption haâ—ghty ambition and vain-glory 2. Pass we on to the other sort which is called externall pride Not to enlarge in all those waies whereby pride doth manifest it self I shall only insist on two which are most usuall and to which indeed the word in the Text prompts us namely in Language and Apparell 1. Pride having her imperiall throne in the will commands the whole man especially the tongue to vent her swelling words One of the Characters which St Paul giveth of the men of the last times is that they shall be boasters where the word is from the same root with this in the Text Sutable to which it is that the Greeks tell us he is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who useth stately language and a vain pomp of splendid words in proclaiming his own worth and abilities Now this is either in praising or promising 1. To praise our selves for what we either have or do except when it is in way of a just and needfull apologie is no other then the language of pride and therefore it was good counsell of Solomon Let another mans mouth praise thee and not thine own In the Law every open vessell which had no covering found upon it was unclean an embleme of the proud person Qui per studium ostentationis patens nullo velamine taciturnitatis operitur who hath an open mouth to vent and vaunt his own virtues though hereby he doth not nay undoth what he is doing discommending himself by his self-comendation Those words of holy Job If my mouth hath kissed my hand are not unfitly moralized to this purpose Our mouth kisseth our hand when like Hens which Cackle when they lay our tongue blazons our own actions Indeed sometimes pride puts men upon dispraising and undervaluing themselves but even then they put praise to usury it being for this end that they may receive it from others with advantage 2. It is no less evidently a badge of pride when men are golden tongued and leaden handed make large promises of things which they are no way able to performe learning herein of their Father the Devill who showing Christ the Kingdomes and glory of the world told him all these will I give thee when yet none of them were in his power to give To this as Vlpian tells us the signification of the Greek word here used extends indeed
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
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
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
extraordinary unction upon some eminent persons whereby they were able to dive into the very hearts of men and could positively conclude them as the Apostle Peter did Simon Magus to bee in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity notwithstanding their fair professions and specious pretences The other more general and to which all Christians by vertue of this unction were enabled namely to know all men by their fruits according to that rule our Saviour giveth concerning false Teachers who being ravenous Wolves came in sheeps clothing by their fruits that is by their works and conversation or rather by their fruits that is by their doctrins and positions you shall know them A gift which if every Christian might not in some measure attain to that counsel of trying the spirits which our Apostle giveth in this very Epistle would bee in vain But the Greek Lection is our best rule which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly our English version is most genuine you know all things for the fuller opening of which take notice of the extent of the Object All things and the intent of the Act You know 1 Begin wee with the extent of the object and this is set down in a word of the utmost latitude all things but yet a limitation must bee annexed to this latitude and this universal particle restrained It is the observation of a Learned Divine that God admits into his own names and attributes that addition of universality omne as though hee would especially bee known by that thus he is said to bee omnipresent omnisussicient omnipotent and omniscient and indeed as an ubiquitary existence illimited fulnesse infinite power so an universal knowledge is reciprocal with the Deity and therefore incommunicable to any creature so that though there be not expressed yet it must bee supplied a qualifying word They are quaedam omnia some certain all things which Christians do know by vertue of this unction More particularly there is a threefold limitation of this all things 1 All divine things We are not to imagine that this unction maketh all Christians acquainted with the secrets of Nature Mysteries of Trades Axiomes of Arts Idioms of Languages for then every Christian should bee an Orator Philosopher Artificer expert in all manner of knowledge Indeed if the Spirit pleased hee could inspire such a knowledge into the minds of beleevers and wee finde particular instances of those to whom he hath extraordinarily given knowledge in humane things when it hath been in subserviency to some divine ends So Bezaleel is said to bee filled with the Spirit and skilled to do the work of the Sanctuary thus the illiterate fisher-men were furnisht with the gift of tongues to speak to the people in their several Languages the mysteries of the Gospel but yet this is not the Spirits ordinary way who leaveth humane knowledge to the acquisition of humane industry and consequently it is onely the knowledge of divine things which is here meant 2 All divine things revealed That speech of Moses secret things belong to God revealed things to us and to our children plainly intimateth that there are some things which God in wisdome keepeth hid from the sons of men and as hee in Plutarch answered the man which asked him why his basket was covered because he should not look into it so hath God therefore concealed those things that wee should not pry into them It was the fault of our first Parents that they desired to know more than God would have them as wee do not so wee must not desire to know hidden mysteries Indeed the Psalmists expression is The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him but what that secret is appeareth in the very next verse hee will show them his Covenant which is revealed in his word and is onely secret because hid from them that perish True it is where this unction is extraordinarily conferred upon Prophets and Apostles they have been so inspired as to discern and accordingly to utter strange things such as were to come to pass many ages after but still the ordinary influence of this unction enableth only to know those things which God hath revealed in his word 3 All Divine things revealed that are necessary to bee known Omnia necessaria cognoscendis antichristis et cavendis illorum insidiis so Beza and Grotius All things necessary for discovering these Antichrists and avoiding their snares Omnia quae ad salutem pertinent so Bernard and Ferus All things which are necessary to salvation We are not to imagine that this unction inlightneth every Christian to understand the whole Scripture so far as to interpret its dark sentences aenigmatical phrases abstruse prophecies but â—o far as is needful in order to preserve us from damnable Heresies and the attaining of eternal salvation this Unction enableth to apprehend the will of God revealed in his word With these limitations wee may very well enlarge the all things to God Christ our Selves Sin Satan the Law the Gospel Grace and Glory Christians know God his unity and Trinity his Mercy and Faithfulnesse Power and Wisdome Justice and Goodnesse they know Christ his Person his Nature his Offices his Benefits and that Love of his which passeth knowledge they know themselves how Wretched and Miserable Poor Blinde and Naked they know the sinfulnesse of sin the devices of Satan the deceitfulnesse of their own hearts they know what it is God requireth of them and what hee hath promised to them they know the things that are freely given them of God and the things that are mercifully prepared for them in a word whatever things pertain to Life and Godlinesse â—o Glory and Happiness are in some measure made known to them and thus you have a short account of the large extent of this object pass wee on to the 2 Intent of the act you know Now that knowledge which this unction effects in the mindes of beleevers hath these three properties it is 1 Certain and establishing it is not a conjectural opinion but a Confident perswasion which Christians have of divine truths Non levi quâdam et perfunctoriâ sed solid â cognitione rerum imbâ—ti est is so Grotius glosseth it is not a sleight and perfunctory but a solid and evident knowledge so that neither the subtilties of Antichristian Teachers nor the violences of Antichristian persecutours can withdraw such an one from the truth hee hath embraced Wee beleeve and are sure saith S. Peter in the name of himself and the rest of the Disciples That thou art that Christ the son of the living God Indeed there are different degrees of this certainty according to the different dispensation of this unction but every one who is taught of God and annointed with the Holy Ghost hath some measure of certainty as to fundamental verities when perhaps his head is too weak to grapple with some kinde of heretical Arguments yet
of God than that which wee are here put in minde of And This is the Promise which he hath promised us Even eternal life In which words wee have four particulars worthy our observation An excellent benefit eternal life A sure conveyance hath promised An Eminent Author Hee The peculiar persons us All which when I have severally unfolded I shall joyntly apply and that especially with reference to that which our Apostle here intends the duty of perseverance 1 The excellency of the benefit though it bee last in the verse would first be considered as it is delineated in those words eternal life If wee here examine the Grammer of the Greek Text wee shall finde it incongruous the accusative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for the Nominative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that which is called in Rhetorick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting of one case for another is not unusual and withall it is very frequent to put the Antecedent in the case of the Relative as appeareth by those two Instances among many others the one Virgils Urbem quam statuo vestra est and the other Terences Populo ut placeâ—ent quas fecissent fabulas so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emphasis of the Article prefixed before both the Substantive and the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not bee passed by since as one well magnum pondus addit orationi it addeth a great deal of weight to the expression intimating that it is not an ordinary kinde of life but that which is most transcendent whereof the Apostle speaketh and withall that the eternity is that which addeth much to its excellency That which is especially to bee inquired into is what is the benefit which is represented under these Characters and why it is so represented 1 That happy and glorious estate which shall hereafter be enjoyed is without all doubt that which is here and else where intended by this phrase eternal life It may perhaps bee here objected that eternal life in a strict and proper notion may bee affirmed of the miserable condition of the wicked as well as the blisseful state of the godly for the Resurrection shall bee general and the term of that Resurrection shall bee an union of soul and body and that union shall bee inseparable which denominateth it eternal in which respect St. Austin saith expresly of the damned In eternum cruciari non poterint nisi vixerint in eternum they could not be for ever tormented if they did not live eternally But to this it is well answered that this word life is not alwaies taken pronudâ existentiâ a bare existing in but foelici conditione an happy condition of life non magnum est din vivere aut semper vivere sed magnum est beaté vivere saith St. Austin It is no great matter to live long or alwaies but to live happily That Loyal prayer Let the King live in every Language imports a prosperous estate when the Psalmist saith Who is the man that would see life hee explaineth himself presently after by good daies vivere among the Latines is sometime as much as valere to live is as much as to be well and upon this account it is that as on the one hand the Scripture calls the state of the damned an eternal death because their life is onely a continuance in misery so on the other the state of the blessed an eternal life because it is a perpetual abode in felicity 2 Having found out what is the benefit intended I shall now go on to inlarge in the description of it Indeed eternal life is a subject so sweet and pleasant that you cannot want patience to hear of it though withall it is so sublime and transcendent that I want a tongue to speak of it acquiri potest exprimi non potest it is our comfort wee may attain it but our defect that wee cannot conceive much lesse expresse it when wee come to the fruition of this life wee shall not say with those in the Psalm as wee have heard so wee have seen but with the Queen of Sheba the one half was not told us all that can bee said of that joyful eternity being but as Stilla Mari a drop to the Ocean or scintilla igni a spark to the flame But though a perfect discovery of this blisse bee impossible at such a distance as earth is from heaven yet in the Scripture lineaments we may behold it and that so much of it if wee seriously view it as that wee cannot choose but bee enamoured with it nor shall I go further than my Text wherein wee finde a description consisting of two words A word of quality and praelation life A word of quantity and duration eternal Because men love to live promissa est illis vita saith St. Austin life is promised to them and because they most fear death promissa est illis aterna eternal life is promised What doest thou love To live this thou shalt have what doest thou fear to dye this thou shalt not suffer it is life eternal of each a word 1 That future state is described by life and if you please to examine it you shall finde two things shadowed forth by it namely Wherein that blisse consists and how far it surpasseth all other injoyments 1 Inasmuch as it is called Life it intimateth wherein that happinesse consists to wit in the Beatifical vision To clear which you must know that 1 Natâ—ral life is the union of the soul with the body and accordingly supernatural life is the union of the soul with God and look as the body being united to the soul liveth because the soul is the principle of life so the soul â—nited to God must needs live much more because God is the living God the fountain and Original of life 2 This union of the soul with God is double and accordingly with St. Austin wee distinguish of a double supernatural life â—na fide altera specie una in tempore peregrinationis altera in eternitate mansionis there is a mediate union wee have with God in this Pilgrimage by faith and there is an immediate union wee have with him in that mansion by sight that is the life of grace this the life of glory when S. Paul saith wee Walk by faith and not by sight hee expresseth the former and withall intimateth the latter life when wee shall walk by Sight and not by faith Thus whereas God himself told Moses No man can see mee and live it may in this respect bee inverted no man can live without seeing God since by seeing it is the Saints have an union with and fruition of God and so live to which those words of the Psalmist are fitly applicable Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy 2 In that it is called life it inferreth its surpassing worth and value To illustrate
Apostles are silent in this particular and those other Apostles St. Peter and St. Jude though they are large and sharp in their invectives against those Hereticks yet they name not any The reason of this is not unfitly given by Lorinus upon the text to wit ne magis irritarentur to avoid all exasperation and it is a good note hee inferrs upon it Abstineudum quoad fieri potest à cujusquam publicâ not â. As much as may bee wee must abstain from throwing dirt in the faces of particular persons though they bee flagitious in life or erroneous in doctrin very apposite to this purpose is that gloss of Theophilact on these words of St. Paul many walk of whom I have told you often c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee intimateth who they were in saying I have told you often but he doth not nominate lest hee should provoke them In that parabolical narration of Dives and Lazarus the rich mans name is not mentioned The Reason whereof is generally conceived to bee that our Saviour thought him not worthy the naming upon which account Ignatius would not insert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faithless names of certain Hereticks in his writings But that note of Maldonate may very well be allowed and is very suitable to the present matter it was the prudent moderation of our Saviour Ut pauperem quem laudaret nominaret divitem quem vituperabat non nominaret to mention the beggars name whom hee did commend but to conceal the rich mans whom he did condemn That rule which is given though not so well observed by the Epigrammatist is fit to bee followed by all Preachers and Writers Parcere personis dicere de vitiis To reprove sins and spare persons to confute errours and conceal names That Character of the Philosopher insectatur vitia non homines he inveighed against vices not men well befits a Preacher When wee praise and commend the good it should bee with reflexion on persons and that by name for their greater incouragement but when wee reprove or condemn the evil it should bee unlesse for some weighty reasons without naming persons to avoid provocation whilest those who on such an occasion are named are apt to suppose it as an argument of ill will and so instead of being bettered by the reproof to be imbittered against the reprover 2 Their office to which probably some of them were called and which no doubt all of them pretended was to teach and instruct the people Thus in all ages there have not wanted seducers among the Teachers of the Church God complained by his Prophet Isaiah The leaders of this People caused them to err so by Jeremiah I have seen folly in the Prophets of Samaria they have prophesied in Baal and caused my people Israel to erre upon this account the Pharisees are called by our Saviour blinde guides and those Seducers by St. Paul false Apostles and both by St. Peter and St. John False Prophets And truely though this bee too common it is very sad what more incongruous than blindnesse in a guide injustice in a Judge ignorance in a Scholar and Heresy in a Teacher Those sheep must needs wander which either are without a Shepheard or whose Shepheard misleads them Oh what need is there of earnest Prayer that God would give us Pastours after his own heart which may feed us with wisdome and understanding and so much for the Who. 2 That which next commeth to bee considered is the Whom you that is saith Grotius Judaeos ex quorum gente vos estis many of the Jews whose Country-men you are who were seduced by them but more rationally say others you that is you who have received the Unction and abide in the faith to whom I have written this Epistle But if those were the You how is it that these false Teachers are challenged with seducing them since they were not seduced but continued stedfast in the faith The solution of this objection is presently made by distinguishing between the intent and event the indeavour and the effect These false Teachers did seduce them in design who yet were not actually seduced by them and because they did indeavour to do it therefore they are charged as if they had done it It is a Note not unworthy our observation before we go any further That whatsoever evil is inchoated by a resolved indeavour and onely impeded by divine prevention is aâ— if it had been consummated by a compleat execution True it is the sin is the grosser and the guilt the greater when a wicked attempt is accomplished but still the very intent much more the attempt denominateth a man guilty Hee that solliciteth a womans chastity though he never commit the outward act is an Adulterer Hee that contriveth and striveth to take away a mans life though hee do not kill him is a murtherer and hee that preacheth false Doctrin to the people with an intent to deceive them is a seducer though his Hearers are not infected by him We see in mans law hee that breaketh open a mans house though his stealing bee prevented is looked upon as a Theef Hee that plotteth a treason against his Sovereign though hee do not execute it is adjudged as a Traitor and surely it must much more hold true in Gods Law which is therefore more strict because more large in its extent than mans Nor is it without just reason that thus it should bee since he that endeavoureth would accomplish were he not hindred and that the act is not correspondent to the design is not for want of will but power it was no thanks to Balâ—c or Balaam that the people of Israel were not cursed nor to Saul that David was not destroyed nor to Haman that the Jewes were not cut off now that wherein the sinfulnesse of sin consists is in the voluntarinesse of it and therefore as where the act is done against the will it is excusable so where the will is bent though the act be not done it is culpable who would not be enraged at him who knowing himself to have a Plague-sore running about him should run into every house and thrust himself into every company and censure him as worthy of punishment though perhaps through Gods mercy none were infected by him Oh let us repent not only of our evil deeds but our wicked attempts and accuse our selves as well for what we would have done as what wee have done And withall it is that which holds true on the other hand and would be taken notice of for the comfort of the good Mens boni studâ—â— ac pii voti eâ—iamsi effectum non invenerit habet tamen praemium volunt at is saith Salvian excellently in all honest and pious endeavours though the work bee not effected the will shall bee rewarded when the Childe taketh the Bow into his hand puts the Arrow into the Bow draweth it as farre as he can the
Copies is in the future tense of the indicative and so rendred you shall abide and in the imperative mood and rendred abide in him and accordingly it may be looked upon either as a promise or a precept according to the former it lets us see the efficiency of the School master and according to the latter the duty of the Scholar but because I finde this given as a precept in the very next verse I shall here only consider it as a promise and so a further commendation of this unction Those words you shall abide are conceived by some to be only verba sperantis words of one that hopeth well concerning them but I rather take them to be a promise assuring them of the vertue of this unction which being received by and abiding in them would enable them to abide as it had taught them The pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of the verse may be construed in a double reference either to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the thing or the person and so may be read you shall abide in it that is in the unction or you shall abide in him that is in Christ from whom you received the unction Indeed in the next verse it is manifestly belonging to the person the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being no doubt the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that shall appear but here it may very rationally bee referred to both and accordingly I shall speak a word of each 1 Even as it hath taught you you shal abide in him That which this unction chiefly teacheth is to abide in Christ suitably the Arabick readeth it as it hath taught you to abide in him and in this sense it lets us see the excellency of this School-master above all others they may teach what to doe but cannot enable to doe what they teach but this unction as it hath taught you so you shall doe it hath taught you to abide and you shall abide in him this voyce saith behind us This is the way walk in it and it withall giveth us feet to walk in that way Look as when our blessed Saviour said to Lazarus Come forth there was a power accompanying that voyce which enabled him to come forth so when this unction as it were saith to us abide in him there is grace communicated strengthning us to abide in him Very congruous to this purpose is that Discourse of St. Austin against Pelagius and Celestius Sic docet Deus eos qui secundum propositum vocati sunt simul donans quid agant scire quod sciunt agere God so teacheth those who are called according to his purpose that they both know what to doe and doe what they know whence St. Paul thus speaketh to the Thessalonians You are taught of God to love one another and that he might prove they were taught of God hee presently addeth for indeed you doe it towards all the brethren Tanquam hoc sit certissimum signum quod a Deo didiceritis si id quod didiceritis feceritis as if this were the most sure sign of being taught of God to doe what they were taught after this manner were all the called according to purpose as it is written in the Prophets taught of God but he that knoweth what he ought to doe and doth it not hath not yet learned of God according to grace but to the law not according to the Spirit but the letter and a little after bee addeth Of this manner of teaching our Lord saith Whosoever hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me he therefore that doth not come to him it is not truly said he hath heard and learned for if as hee who is the truth saith Every one who hath learned cometh he that cometh not hath not learned so that as hee presently addeth not only the power but the will is assisted by this teaching for if it had been only an ability were conferred our Lord would have said Every one that hath heard and hath learned of the Father can or may come to me but it is he cometh Ubi jam possibilitatis profectus voluntatis affectus actionis effectus est by which is intimated a câ—llation of power an affection of the will and the effect of the action Hitherto the words of St. Austine whose expressions both here and a little before in this Discourse as also St. Gregories I have the more largely rehearsed that the Doctrine of the necessity and efficacy of the Spirits grace may appear to bee no new doctrin nor shall I need to adde much more in this particular Indeed that prayer of the Spouse would not be omitted Draw me and we will run after thee whereby is intimated that when the Spirit of Christ draweth though it be not a forcible yet it is an effectual operation it is not such a drawing as maketh us goe whether we will or no but as maketh us of unwilling willing not only to goe but run the way of Gods Commandements Agreeable to which it is here not only said you may but you shall abide in him 2 Nor would the other reading bee left out even as it hath taught you you shall abide in it that is in the Doctrine which this Unction hath taught you whereby is intimated that the grace of this Unction is not only iâ—uminating but corroberating and as it teacheth us so it strengthneth us to continue in what it teacheth As oyled Paper doth not only let in the light of the Sun but beat back the violence of the Wind so doth this Unction not only enlighten its Scholars whereby they understand the truth but also enable them to withstand the opposition of errours This confirming energie of the Spirit St. Paul hath elegantly set forth by several Metaphors where hee saith Hee which est ablisheth us with you in Christ and annoynteth us is God who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts manifestly comparing the Spirit to an earnest to a seal to an oyntment and as the earnest assureth the bargain the seal confirmeth the grant and the oyntment strengtheneth the part so doth the Spirit stablish the heart in a firm expectation of Divine promises assurance of Divine love and a stedfast adherence to Divine truth And now putting all together what great cause of gratulation and ground of consolation doth this verse afford us wee are infinitely beholding to our blessed Jesus in that hee shed his bloud for us and wee are no lesse engaged to him for giving his Spirit to us since as by the one hee purchased Salvation for us so by the other it is hee preserveth us to salvation Had not this Unction revealed the things wee are to know in order to Salvation wee must have continued ignorant but blessed bee God this Unction teacheth us of all things Though wee bee instructed in the things
of our peace yet wee are very apt to bee with-drawn from them especially by the cunning of Seducers but blessed bee God this Unction abideth with us and enableth us to abide Oh let us herein rejoyce that the wisdome of our Saviour hath so fully provided for our safety and let it bee our daily prayer that this holy Unction would still vouchsafe to remain with us so as wee may bee instructed confirmed and preserved by it to everlasting life Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 28. And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear wee may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his comming MAny are the Diseases to which the inward as well as the outward man is subject The Feaver of Luxury the Surfet of Gluttony Meagrom of Drunkennesse Lethargy of Sloath and Ague of Idlenesse all which are involved in the Lust of the flesh the Itch of Curiosity and the Dropsy of Covetousnesse which are the lusts of the Eies the Tumor of Arrogancy and the Timpany of Ambition which are the Fride of Life are not more common than dangerous sicknesses no wonder if our Apostle being a spiritual Physician cautioneth us and prescribeth in this Chapter an excellent Antidote against them of not loving the World and the things of the World But besides these the Consumption of Envy the Frenzy of Malice the Giddinesse of Inconstancy and Falling-sicknesse of Apostacy are no lesse deadly and farre more spreading for this cause it is that our Apostle throughout this whole Epistle very much insisteth upon brotherly love the only cure of malice and envie and in the latter part of this Chapter earnestly perswadeth a firm adherence to the Christian Faith the proper remedy of inconstancy and Apostacy the close of which Discourse is in the words of the text And now little children abide in him c. In which verse there are three things offer themselves to our observation â—â—e Manner the Matter the Motive The manner â—â—â—â—et The matter serâ—us The motive strong The manner Rhetorical The matter Theological The motive Logical The manner vehement The matter important The motive urgent Finally The manner in the Compellation Little Children The matter in the Exhortation And now abide in him The motive in the Incitation That when hee shall appear we may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming of each of which with brevity and perspicuity 1 Begin we with the Compellation which having had occasion once and again to handle shall bee quickly passed over only I cannot but with Ferus take notice of the excelleat Artifice of our Apostle who calleth them to whom he wrote Little Children Ut oftensione affect us sui fortius moveat thatby discovering the dearness of his love towards them they might bee the more easily perswaded by him St. Paul writing to the Romans concerning false Teachers saith they did deceive the simple by fair and smooth words Surely the Ministers of Christ should be no lesse artificial in perswading than they are in deceiving and to that end use smooth and fair words Me thinketh those words of our Saviour to his Disciples when so many forsook him carry in them a great deal of passion Will you also goe away and no doubt they made a suitable impression on them witnesse Peters answer Lord whither shall wee goe what affectionate straines are those of St. Paul and St. Peter I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God so St. Paul Dearly beloved I beseech you so St. Peter and if wee well weigh it wee shall finde as much nay more in this of St. John And now little children the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek is not only an adverb of time but a particle of beseeching and this title Little children seemeth to intimate that our Apostle beseecheth them Per eam Paternam benevolentiam by the love of a Father yea by the bowels of a Mother You that are Parents know with what tender affections you speak to your Children when you disswade them from evil or perswade them to good the same Spirit was in this holy Apostle Mira sollicita de suorum salute cura it was a strange solicitous care and desire which he had of their Salvation which put him upon this earnest way of exhorting them to perseverance Oh that all the Ministers of the Word would learn to fellow this pattern I told you in the last Lecture it is only God that can speak to the heart inwardly and effectually but certainly that Minister shall soonest convey as it were his words into the heart who speaketh with his heart yea rather speaketh his heart whose expressions manifest his affection as to the things concerning which so to the persons to whom he speaketh and this shall suffice for a brief account of the Compellation 2 Proceed we to the Exhortation in those words And now abide in him Before I discusse the nature of the duty it will not be amisse to observe that what is assured in the end of the former verse You shall abide in him is prescribed in the beginning of this abide in him Abiding in Christ is the matter of both a promise and a precept it is that which wee shall finde verified in other duties as well as this I will put my fear in their hearts so runs the Promise Fear the Lord so frequently the Precept A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you so God promiseth make you a new heart and a new spirit so hee commandeth The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love him is the promise and in the same Chapter I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God Indeed there may seem some kind of incongruity in this at the first view for what need is there of commanding us to doe what God promiseth hee will enable us to doe but in truth there is a sweet harmony between precepts and promises of this nature whilst these serve to strengthen our confidence and those to quicken our diligence when on the one hand we are exhorted to abide in Christ wee may be ready to say but How shall I bee able to perform this duty my enemies are so strong and grace so weak that I fear I shall let goe my hold and as David once said I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul so the weak though willing Christian is apt to say I shall one day fall by the power and policy of the Devil and notwithstanding all my resolutions and endeavours I fear my deceitful heart will bee with-drawn from Christ But loe for our comfort and encouragement here is a promise that by the vertue of this Unction wee shall abide On the other hand when we meet with these and such like promises of perseverance we may be ready to flatter our selves