he gave him sicut promissus sic missus he was not more mercifully promised than faithfully sent It did not seem good to his wisdome to confer this jewel presently but in the mean space that the Church might have somewhat to support her he vouchsafed the promise of it divine promises are as sweet bits to stay our stomachs before the full meal of his actual performances the promise of Christs first coming was that which comforted the Iewes and the promise of his second coming is that which now reviveth the Christian Church and since we have found him making good his word in the one we may assure our selves he will fulfill it in the other since as he was so good as to give a word so he will be so good as his word and give the thing whatsoever it is that he is pleased to promise for so it was in that singular eminent promise of Christ who is therefore not unfitly called the word and so much for that 2. The other substantive yet remaineth to wit life which is in the place of an adjective and may be rendred as an Epithete the living word and look as Christ when he is compared to bread to a stone it is with this addition the bread of life a living stone to difference him from other stones from common bread so he is here called the word of life to distinguish him from and advance him above other words for whereas other words though spoken by living persons yet have no life in themselves this word is the living word personally subsisting or else as he is called the bread of life because he giveth and communicateth life to them that feed on him so here the word of life because he is the author of life to them that receive him but the discussion of this falleth more fitly in in the next part to which therefore I pass on namely The particular exemplification in which Christ is characterized as God-man as God as man as God-man he is stiled the life and the eternal life as God he is said to be the life which was with the Father as man he is the life which was manifested Of each of which with all possible brevity and perspicuity He is called the life that eternal life If you ask in what respect this agreeth to him the answer is already hinted but shall now be more largely prosecuted He is the life and that eternal two wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formaliter and efficienter in himself in respect of us as being both vivus and vivificus living giving life 1. Christ is the life and that eternal life because in himself he liveth for ever this is true of him primarily as God this being one of his choice attributes that he is the living God inasmuch as divine attributes are better expressed by the abstract than the concrete he is fitly said not onely to be living but life it self and this life is most properly said to be eternal because it is so both a parte ante a parte post from everlasting to everlasting Secondarily this is true of him as Mediator God-man since though there was a time when thus he began to live to wit at his assumption of our nature and likewise his life on earth did expire to wit at his passion yet now he dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him but he is alive for evermore and that to make intercession 2. But that which I conceive most suitable to the Apostles meaning is that Christ is said to be the life because he is the original of life to us in this respect the abstract fitly agreeth to him because life is in him as sap in the root water in the fountain to convey it to all that believe on him in this sense it is that Christ useth it concerning himself as appeareth by his own Commentary I am the life whosoever believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live hence it is that he is called by the Apostle Paul expressely our life nor is he onely life but eternal life that life which as Mediator he vouchsafeth to believers being eternal indeed all creatures are beholding to him for their natural life in him we live move and have our being but the life which believers have by him is an eternal life according as he saith himself I give to them eternal life This is that life which as the learned Davenant observeth 1 Christus promisit Christ promised to his disciples and in them to all Christians where he saith it is my Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome 2 promeruit by his own death he purchased for all believers in which respect eternal life is said to be the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord 3 praeparavit being now ascended into heaven he there maketh ready for us according as he saith himself I go to prepare a place for you and yet more 4 inchoat he begins by the work of grace in the hearts of all the faithful in which respect he that believeth on him is said to have everlasting life and finally 5 reddet he will at the last day consummate by glory Indeed then it is that our bodies being raised our persons shall be glorified and this eternall life actually conferred therfore our blessed Saviour joyneth these two together in that forementioned place I am the resurrection and the life thus as the oyntment ran down from Aarons head to his beard and thence to his skirt so that eternal life which Christ rising from the grave personally enjoyeth shall be communicated to all his members To sum it up Christ God-man Mediator is the life that eternal life in respect of his threefold offices of King Priest and Prophet as Prophet he is the life by way of Revelation discovering this eternal life to us as Priest by way of impetration procuring this eternal life for us as King by way of collation conferring this eternal life on us and as the fulness of water is dispensed by the Sea to the Earth and the fulness of light is communicated by the Sun to the Air and the fulness of Corn was divided by Ioseph among the people so the fulness of grace and glory of life even eternal life is conveyed by Christ to his Church and therefore very justly doth this character belong to him And now what should this consideration teach us But 1. To bewail our sad condition whilest we are without Christ for if Christ be the life all that know him not or believe not in him must needs be in a state of death and damnation It is observable that St. Paul speaking of the Ephesians whilest in the state of unregeneracy saith they were dead in sins and trespasses and a little after renders this as the reason because at that time they were without Christ indeed as
them on as well as an internal assistance enabling them to this holy work In this respect it is that St. Augustine saith expresly whatsoever God would have us know concerning his word and his works he gave in charge to those sacred amanuenses to write and therefore let none of us be wise above what is written but humbly and meekly confine our selves to that which his goodness and wisdom hath allotted for us to walk by the writings of his Prophets and Apostles beseeching him that as he hath caused his truths to be written that they may be read with our eyes so he would write them in our hearts and thereby we may have a comfortable evidence that our names are written in the book of life And thus I have given a dispatch to the first general part to wit the Apostles care of their duty pass now on to the other General which is the Gospels excellency and therein to the Eminency of its object in the close of the first and part of the second verses in those words the word of life the life that was manifested that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us all which is spoken concerning Christ. But before I enter on the handling of these words in this which I conceive to be the most genuine interpretation there is another exposition which being neither improbable nor unprofitable I shall not pass by and it will be all I can discuss at this time It is of those who understand these words concerning the Gospel it self as if that were here called the word of life wherein this eternal lâ—fe is manifested though even according to this construction the encomium is of the Gospel with reference to its matter where about it is conversant This Exposition is that which is alleadged by Calvin asserted by Grotius and assevered by Vorstius nor is it dissonant to the analogy of faith according to it here are two things to be considered namely the appellation given to the Gospel it is the word of life and the reason of that appellation because in it the life eternal life is manifested to us 1. The appellation here affixed to the Gospel is choice and comfortable it is the word of life a title which is made use of by St. Paul when he required of the Philippians that they should shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life and by the Angel when he commands the Apostles to speak in the ears of the people all the words of this life suitably hereunto it is that it is called else where the word of salvation and the Gospel of salvation and the Grace of God that bringeth salvation and the ingrafted word which is able to save our souls and yet once more that word of Gods Grace which is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among them which are sanctified 2. The reason of this appellation is fit and pregnant because those words eternal life is manifested to us are such a confirmation that they ate withall an explication of the Title in both the branches of it For 1. Would we know what this life is whereof the Gospel is the word the answer is it is eternal life in which respect St. Peter saith to Christ thou hast the words of eternal life In these two expressions is contained a short description of felicity it is a life for since life is the highest of all created excellencies it is aptly used to set forth a state of happiness especially if we take vivere as comprehending in it valere and so denoting an hayle vigorous and prosperous life But that which crowneth life it self and maketh it an happiness is its eternity since as the Schools well true bliss must be able to give satisfaction to the appetite which it cannot do if there be any fear of losing or expiring the truth is neither of these two can be severed in an happy condition were it eternal if it were not life there could be no bliss since it is true of the damned that they shall exist eternally and were it life if it were not eternal it could not be happy since a transitory fading life is rather a death than a life and therefore that the Gospel may appear a means of happiness it is said to reveal to us eternal life And 2. Would we know in what respect the Gospel is the word of this life the answer is because this eternal life which was with the Father is by it manifested to us indeed we must here distinguish between data and manifestata the giving and the manifesting of this life nor is it mine but St. Pauls own distinction where he informeth us that salvation or life eternal was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began but is now made manifest by Christ who hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel The truth is eternal life before the time of the Gospel was with the Father that is did latere quodâ—mmodo apud patrem lie hid in the Fathers bosome unrevealed to the world As to the Gentiles it was altogether unknown who therefore are said to sit in darkness and the shadow of death as being wholly strangers to this life and as to the Iews it was hid as Learned Davenant hath observed ex parte comparativè the greatest part of the Iews looked no higher than an earthly Canaan and dreamt onely of a temporal happiness to be accomplished by the Messiah the discoveries of life were so dark that few could spell them and that manifestation which any of them had was very obscure in comparison of what is by the Gospel It is true eternal life was so far revealed in the old Testament that the believing Iews attained to some knowledge of it so as that they looked for it and no doubt are in their souls possessed of it upon this account St. Paul tells Timothy that the holy Scriptures to wit of Moses and the Prophets were able to make him wise to salvation and Christ bids the Iews to search the Scriptures because they thought which yet Christ reproveth not as a bare surmize in them to have eternal life but stil those discoveries were very imperfect in comparison of that knowledge which the Gospel imparts and therefore one observeth an Emphasis in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us not to the Patriarchs not to the Prophets was this life to wit so clearly manifested as to us the Apostles of Christ and by us to the Saâ—nts throughout the world in which respect St. Paul writing both to the Ephesians and the Colossians stiles not onely the calling of the Gentiles which is as much spoken of by the Prophets as any other evangelical truth but the whole doctrine of life in the Gospel a mysterie which hath been hid from ages and generations nor was in other ages made known to the sons of
that punishment which belonged to us we must needs be thereby acquitted and cleansed to this purpose he is called by the Authour to the Hebrews a surety and look as the surety paying his debt for whom he is bound dischargeth him from his creditor so Christ suffering our punishment freeth us from the obligation to it which is all one with cleansing from the guilt of sin and the reason is plain for since the guilt of sin is its binding the sinner over to the punishmenâ— Christ taking that punishment upon himself and suffering it in our roome must needs thereby cleanse us from that guilt so that in few words Christs blood being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a laver became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price satisfactory for our debt hath obtained the forgiveness of it to us and so we are cleansed Having in some measure according to the scriptures explained the genuine notion of this causality I shall not much trouble my selfe nor you with those farfetched and ieiune inventions of the Socinians whereby they endeavour to elude these truths and yet I cannot passe by one evasion because it is that Socinus annexeth to this very scripture as if this saying the blood of Christ cleanseth from sin were no more but that his blood declareth us to be assureth us that we are cleansed so that what the Orthodox attribute to the Sacrament instituted by Christ in commemoration of his blood that these Hereticks attribute to the blood it selfe but how incongruous it is to expound this of a declarative cleansing appeareth in that the Apostle who could best interpret his own language in the very next verse save one unfolds it by forgiving besides this construction maketh cleansing from sin to antecede Christs blood for if it did not praeexist there not be could any declaring or confirming of it whereas the scripture both here else where plainly positively asserteth this cleansing to flow from come through the blood of Christ the consideration hereof no doubt forced Socinus to the finding out of other solutions and there fore he sometimes asserts that Christs blood cleanseth inasmuch as it perswadeth us to a beleefe hope of eternall life whereby we are induced to holiness of life and so our sins are cleansed but all which is hereby ascribed to Christs death is only a morall causality nay rather a meere antecedency sure it is Christs resurection rather then his death which ingenders that faith and hope in us and it is not imaginable that the scripture should so often attribute that to the death which cheifely depends on the resurrection of Christ adde to this which is very considerable how remote if any at all an influence it is which Christs blood according to this sence hath upon this cleansing for as Grotius hath well observed the thread must be drawn out to this length Forgiveness and cleansing from sin is conferred upon them that live holily to live holily we are induced by a certaine faith and hope of the reward the example of Christ raised from the dead and exalted to glory for the holinesse of his life is a way to beget this faith hope that glorifying and rising his death did necessarily antecede and thus our cleansing from sin is obtained by his blood but how credible it is that the scriptue should so frequently so positively so expresly attribute this cleansing to Christs blood and yet the dependance of these one upon the other to be at so remote a distance and of so slender an energie let any one who hath but a competent use of his reason Judge 3. I proceed therefore to the answer of the last question nor need we go further then the text it selfe to finde that if you would know how this blood becometh so effectuall to cleanse from sin the answer is because it is the blood of Iesus Christ his son I shall not altogether passe by nor yet insist upon that note which Estius hath upon the blood of his son that in them there is a confutation of three heresyes at once the Mâ—â—ichees who deny the truth of Christs humane nature since as Alexander said of his wound clamat me esse hominem it proclaymeth me a man we may say of his blood for had he not beene man he could not have bled have dyed the Ebionites who deny him to be God since being Gods naturall son he must needs be of the same essence with himselfe and the Nestorians who make two persons which if true the blood of Christ the man could not have been called the blood of Christ the son of God That which I conceive here chiefly to be taken notice of is that our Apostle contents not himselfe to say the blood of Jesus Christ but he addeth his son to intimate to us how this blood became avaâ—leable to our cleansing to wit as it was the blood not meerly of the son of Mary the son of David the son of Man but of him who was also the son of God Indeed that it was the blood of an innocent pure unsinnâ—ng man did much conduce to this worke since had he beene himselfe a sinner he could not have cleansed us from our sins and therefore our Apostle in the next chapter joyneth these two together Jesus Christ the righteous the propitiation for our sins and the Apostle Peter puts these together as of a pretious lambe without spot and blemish to this purpose it is St. Austin saith the blood because it was the blood of him who had no sin himselfe was shed for the remission of our sins and Leo sutably the powring out of a just mans blood for the unjust was effectuall to our redemption But though this was a necessary qualification in this person who did shed his blood for this end yet that which gave the efficacy and merit to his blood was the fullness of the Godhead which dwelt in him personaly thus Damasen speaking of his deity addeth thence his passion became of a saving and quickâ—ning virtue and St. Cyrill expresly his blood had not been a price for the worlds sin if he had been only man Indeed Socinus asserts that the dignity of his person added nothing to the value of his sufferings because the divinity it selfe did not suffer but though the Godhead did not suffer yet Godman did suffer and he who endured the punishment was God though he did not indure it as God in these respects it is said they crucify'd the Lord of Glory and God is said to purchase his Church with his blood and here it is called the blood of Iesus Christ his son and we may as well say it is all one to kill a King as a beggar a Father as a stranger because the mortall wound is directed against the body not the dignity or affinity The summe then is this Christs deity being personally united to his manhood giveth an efficacy to his sufferings hence
as lyable to the penalty so is the forgiven sinner from the punishment it selfe which is the remote term and the obligation to it which is the proxime term of pardon in this respect it is that Anselm saith to forgive sinne is not to punish it and St. Austin to the same purpose it is Gods not marking inquity so as to inflict the penalty due to it and the Schooles to remit the sinne is not to impute it so as to punish it For the fuller opening this truth know 1 On the one hand there is a great deale of difference between these two to withhold the execution off and to withdraw the obligation to the punishment it is one thing for a creditor to give day of payment and another thing to cancell the bond indeed the phrase used by Moses of Gods forgiving his people from Egypt untill now seemeth chiefely to intend his sparing to punish them but that is forgivenesse in a larger and improper sence according to the genuine notion there is a vast difference between forgiving and forbearing mercy As learned Davenant upon those words forbearing forgiving one another hath observed that there is far more in the latter than in the former since a man may forbear revenge meerly for want of ability or opportunity so is it true though not upon the same ground in respect of God his forgiving is farre more then his forbearing and therefore this latter hee vouchsafeth even to those who goe on in sinne but the former onely to them who confesse theâ—r sin since whereas by the one it is onely hee doth not as yet by the other it is that he will not at all punish 2 On the other hand there is a great deal of difference betwixt afflâ—cting for sin and punishâ—ng for sin properly so called for though the meritorious cause of both be the same to wit sin yet the impulsive cause from within is different that from an anger mixed with love this from meer anger and purely judiciall wrath besides the finall cause is far differenâ— that is for emendation of the person this is for satisfaction of the law and so whereas that is medicinall this is exitiall That God doth afflict his own people for sin yea for sinne after it is forgiven is a case so cleare that it cannot upon any just reason be denied The Antinomians doe but discover their owne blindnesse whilest they deny that God seeth sinne so as to correct it in justified persons that instance of David is pregnant whom the prophet tels as it were with one breath that God had forgiven his sinne and yet for that sinne the childe must dye that of the Psalmist concerning the Isralites is very plaine Thou wast a God that forgavest their sinne though thou tookest vengeance of their iniquities finally that of the Corinthians is no lesse apposite who though they were forgiven and therefore should not be condemned with the world yet were judged and chastized of the Lord for their sinne of unworthy receiving the holy sacrament But still though God doe afflict yet hee doth not punish for sinne those whom hee forgiveth unlesse as all afflictions may in some sort bee called punishments and the reason is plain because punishing for sinne is in a war of revenge and Satisfaction which are direâ—tly opposite to forgivenesse and wee may as well say that â— judge can at the same time pardon a malefactor and exâ—â—ute him as that God can punish when hee forgiveth indeed because those eternall miseries have most properly in them rationem paenae the nature of satâ—sfactory punâ—shment therefore forgiveness chiefly consists in taking off the obligation to that according to St. Pauls Phrâ—se There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus but yet it is no less true that the oblâ—gation to temporall as well as eternall punishâ—enâ— is taken off so that though the same ouâ—ward miseries seize upon pardoned as well as unpardâ—ned sinners yet nâ—t in the same way as hath been already iâ—timated and therefore though God doe inflict many miseries of life yea death it self upon forgiven sinners to make them feel the smart of sinnâ— watchfull how they run into sinne and to declare his justice against sinne yet not in the least to satisfy his justice upon them for sinne that being already most fully as I shall hereafter shew performed by Christ. 2 You see the significancy of the first word and thereby the nature of the thing passe wee on to the second which though the same as to the thing with the former yet wants not its peculiar emphasis That distinction of Divines concerning remissio culpe paenae the remission of the fault and the punishment may not unfittly bee made use of for a distinct reference of those two expressions the former of forgiving more properly refers to the remission of the punishment though yet it includeth the fault as a creditor cancelleth the bond doth thereby remit the debt it selfe this latter of cleansing chiefely refers to the remission of the fault which defileth though it include the punishment because it is of that defilement which is contracted through the guilt of sinne And now as in the former so in this expression wee have two things considerable what unrightâ—ousnesse doth and what pardon doth 1 What unrighteousnesse dothâ— it maketh the sinner filthy and polluted in Gods sight sinnes as they are debita debts so they are said to bee remitted and blotted out and as they are sordes filthy so they are said else where to bee covered and here to bee cleansed Oh then how odious is an unpardoned sinner in Gods sight It is very observable how Almighty God describing the sinfull state of rebellious Israel borroweth a metaphor from a châ—ld that is not swadled but lieth polluted in its bloud the Psalmist speaking of wicked men saith They are corrupt â—nd become abominable where the former word iâ— borrowâ—d from a dead carkass and truely â— child in its bloud is not more loathsome to our eyes a carkasse on the dunghill is not more nâ—isome to our smell then a sinfull wretch is in Gods eyes and to his nostrils 2 What forgivenesse doth it cleanseth the sinner An expression that must not be strained too much as 〈◊〉 according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome the pardoning of sinne were an utter extinction and aboâ—â—tâ—on of it as cleansing doth wholy take away filthâ— truâ— it is where sinne is forgiven the filth of sinne is in some measure and shall at last bee wholly removed but that is onely the effect of glorification not of justification or sanctification and indeed as if our Apostle would prevent any such inference from this Phrase wee finde him subioyning if wee say wee have not sinned as before whâ—n hee speaketh of Christs cleansing he addeth if wee say wee have no sinne so that sinne is therefore said to bee cleansed not that the
give us grace for that little inch of our candle which is yet to burn so to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven To this end we pray thee enlighten our blind minds incline our crooked wills soften our hard hearts compose our distempered passions mortify our earthly members sanctify our whole man Spirit Soul and Body and preserve us blamelesse to the coming of our Lord Jesus Implant oh God and increase all the graces of thy holy Spirit in us confirm our faith stablish our hope strengthen our patience enlarge our love enflame our zeale quicken our obedience put thy fear into our hearts that we may never depart from thee and do thou never leave nor forsake us but be our God our Guard our Guide even to the death and after death receive us to thy self in that glory which is everlasting Not to us oh Lord not to us alone but to thy holy Catholick Church be thou propitious she is the Vine which thine own right hand hath planted let her be for ever preserved and suffer not Good God suffer not either the wild Boar out of the Forrest to pluck up her root or the many pestilent Foxes that are within her to pluck off her grapes Plant thy Gospel where yet it is not restore it where it is lost continue and enlarge it where it is especially in these Realmes Remit our crying sins Remove thy heavy judgements Restore our wonted blessings Settle all things once again amongst us upon their right and ancient Foundations that Glory may dwell in our Land Let the cry of the Fatherlesse and the Widow ascend into the eares of the Lord God of Hosts that he may give them beauty for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse Blesse all sorts and degrees of men among us Let the Gold of our Nobility excell in Grace as they do in Honour purify the Silver of our Gentry from the drosse of vice Engrave upon the brasse of our Commonalty the fear of thy holy Name and preserve thine earthen vessels in whom is laid up and by whom is dispensed thy heavenly Treasure the Pastors and Ministers of thy Church Comfort all the sonnes and daughters of sorrow poure oyle into wounded consciences succour tempted souls settle distracted minds heale diseased bodies releeve impoverished families release imprisoned persons those especially who suffer for the Testimony of a good conscience Oh thou that hast a Salve for every sore a Cure for every crosse a Remedy for every malady apply thy self suitably to all the necessities of thy children And now in Blessing Blesse that Word of all thy Grace which goeth forth throughout all Congregations lawfully and duly assembled in thy fear this day this in particular Oh thou that standest at the door and knockest be pleased to open Open the Preachers lips that his mouth may shew forth thy praise and declare thy message with power and plainnesse open the peoples ears that they may hear thy Word with reverence and diligence open all our hearts that with faith and love we may receive with care and conscience we may obey thy sacred truth so as it may become the power of thee our God to the illumination of our judgements the renovation of our natures the reformation of our lives and the salvation of our soules through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Redeemer for whom we bless thee To whom with thy self and blessed Spirit of Grace we give all praise and glory and in whose most absolute Form of Prayer we further call upon thee saying Our Father which in Heaven c. THE FIRST Epistle General OF St. IOHN HISTORY PROPHECY and DOCTRINE are the three Channels in which run the Streames of Sacred Writ from whence ariseth the division of its BOOKES into Historical Prophetical and Doctrinal Not but that all the Bookes of Scripture are Doctrinal in which respect the Apostle saith it is profitable for Doctrine but because some Books are chiefly concerned in narrations of things past others in the predictions of things to come and some are chiefly if not only conversant about Dogmatical Truths and Practical Precepts they are not unfitly thus distinguished Of this latter sort are the Epistolary Writings and therefore in this regard the fittest to be discussed among the people The Prophetical Books are most congruous to the Schooles but the Doctrinal most suitable to the Pulpit those for exercising the Learned these for feeding the Vulgar Upon this account I have made choice of an Epistle and in particular not without serious and mature deliberation nor yet I hope without the blessed Spirits instigation of this First Epistle General of S. JOHN to be the subject of my Postmeridian discourses If any shall be inquisitive to know why among all the Epistles of the Holy Apostles I have pitched my thoughts upon this I shall returne this threefold answer which as a threefold cord and that saith Solomon is not easily broken enduced me to this Work One though indeed the least is that I finde not any English Expositor upon it nor yet many among the Latine except those who have undertaken Comments upon all the Epistles whereas either in Latine or English or both I finde several excellent Interpreters upon each of the rest and truly I shall esteem it an high honour conferred upon me by my God if through his gracious enablement by a though imperfect dilucidation of this Epistle I may cast a Mite into the Churches-Treasury A second and more perswading reason is the congruency of it to the age wherein we now live since there is the same occasion as to general if not particular considerations now given to Ministers of handling which St. John had then of writing this Epistle To clear this you may be pleased to know that there were two sorts of men in St. Johns dayes to wit Antichristian-Hereticks and Carnal-Gospellers those expressely denied the fundamentalls of Christian Religion these whilest they had Divine phrases seraphical expressions flowing from their lips were sensual and diabolical in their lives talking of Communion with God dwelling in God knowing the truth and what not and yet practising envy malice hatred and all uncharitablenesse in their actions against both these this Boanerges for so he with his brother James are called by Christ thundereth and accordingly as appeareth by the several Chapters his Scope is double in this Epistle 1. To warne the Orthodox that they were not withdrawn from their Christian profession by the wiles of Hereticks this our Apostle himself expresseth to be one special end of his writing where he saith These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you Indeed wherein can the shepherd more expresse the care of his flock then in keeping off the wolves a Minister of his charge then in arming them against Hereticks And is there not as great
manifestly intendeth the grave and its forerunner death the last but not the least nay the greatest of all temporal evils When the prophet Isaiah mentioneth One that feareth the Lord and obeyeth his voyce walking in darknesse and seeing no light no doubt he is principally to be understood of the darkness of spiritual desertion when God withholdeth the light of his countenance from the soul. Finally when we frequently read in the New Testament of utter darkness the mist of darkness blackness of darkness what else do those phrases mean but the damneds everlasting misery in being wholly deprived of the beatifical vision 3. Of iniquity in this respect it is that the power of sin ruling in mens hearts is called the power of darkness and the works of sin which they act in their lives are called the works of darkness especially flagitious enormities such as rioting and drunkenness chambring and wantonness strife and envying which are enumerated by the Apostle as the works of darkness If you ask in which of these acceptions it is here to be construed some Interpreters answer in two of them namely for ignorance and iniquity but doubtless more sutably the latter is to be understood namely sin and wickedness and chiefly gross notorious sins because the Apostle speaketh of the conversation the darkness of ignorance is that in which men are said to sit but that in which they walk is most congruously construed to be the darkness of sin And indeed so truly nay fully doth this term of darkness agree to sin that it taketh in all the other acceptions under some notion or other each of which may serve as a several reason why this appellation of darkness is given to it 1. Sin hath relation to the darkness of nature as a concomitant which it most delights in most sins are such as flie the light and love to be covered over with nights canopy St. Paul saith of drunkards that they are drunk in the night and Solomon of the young man that he goeth to the harlots house in the evening in the black and dark night and Iob of the adulterer the thief the murderer that they rebell against the light and the morning is to them even as the shadow of death To this purpose it is that Clemens Alexandrinus observeth of the Carpocratians that they appointed their meetings in the night Indeed the night being a cover to wickedness maketh men secure and shameless in committing it no marvell if they make choice of that time and there works are therefore deservedly called the works of darkness because acted in the night 2. Sin hath relation to the darkness of ignorance both as an effect and as a cause in which respect it is called by wickedness 1. No sin is committed but the Iudgement is first infatuated and therefore it is the wisemans question Do not they erre that devise mischief and the Phylosophers assertion every offender erreth there is upon the heart of every sinner atra nubes caeca nox to use the Poets expression a black cloud a dark night which causeth him to wander and the blindness of our mind is that which misguideth our feet in which respect sin is an effect 2. The commission of sin as it hardneth the heart so it blindeth the minde what mists and fogs and clouds are to the aire that are corrupt affections and flagitious actions to the soul darkning and obscuring whatever light of knowledg shineth in it in this notion we may very well understand that of the wise man when he saith the way of the wicked is as darkness the darkness of ignorance increasing upon men as they go on in sinfull wayes and in this respect sin is as a cause and because sins are caused by and withall are the causes of darkness and ignorance in the mind very fitly is this brand of darkness set upon it 3. Sin hath reference to the darkness of misery as a cause and that in its full latitude Wherefore doth the lâ—ving man complain saith the Church in respect of temporal afflictions man suffereth for the punishment of his sin all the miseries of life yea death it self being the bitter fruits of sin for so the Apostle saith expressely death entred into the world by sin It is the interposition of sin between God and us that eclipseth his loving kindness towards us so saith the Prophet Isay Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you finally it is wickednâ—ss that brings eternall wrâ—tchedness that being the doom denounced by our blessed Saviour against the wicked servant Cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashâ—ng of teeth so that in this respect is sin most justly called darkness because it brings so great a darkness of sorrow and calamity upon the sinner And thus I have given a dispatch to the first of these metaphors 2. The other of walking is no less considerable a word that is very frequently used in Scripture and that to signifie in generall a course of life Indeed what is our life but a walk and all the actions of our life as so many steps and as walking in a way leadeth to some place or other so doth the course of every mans life tend to some end either of felicity or misery To this purpose is that metaphor of sowing which we so often meet with in holy writ because sowing bringeth forth some harvest or other according to the seed that is sown And I would to God that all men might hence learn so to look upon themselves as sowers as travellers therefore to make choice of their seed and take heed to their wayes more particularly this word is used both in respect of a good and an evill course of life and an instance of both we have in this and the next verse there it is applyed to a godly and here to a wâ—cked conversation That then which we are now to inquire into is what this phrase of walking imports concerning a state of sinfull living the answer to which will appear by taking notice of three properties in the motion of walking as being motus voluntarius continuus progressivus a voluntary constant and a progressive motion 1. Walking is a voluntary motion it is one thing to be drawn and another thing to goe the one is an act of violence the other of voluntariness walking is a free willing act so willing that it is an act of choice and is never done but upon a preceding delâ—berate resolution nor is it onely voluntary but delightful running is painful but walking a pleasant motion and it is a great deal of content and pleasure men take in walking All this representeth the temper of wicked men who not onely act sin but affect it a good man may be sometimes drawn into sin but bad men walk in it yea as Solomons expression is They leave the
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Junil in Bibl. pat T. 1. 2 Tim. 3.16 Eccles. 4.12 Mark 3.17 1 John 2.26 Nemo non lectu dignam scitu necessariam hanc Epistolam judicare possit maximè hisce temporibus quae haereses schismata cum magno Ecclesiae detrimento invexerunt Fer. proaem in Epist. Joh. Cap. 2.1.3.11 Sanctus Judas totus est in fide Orthodoxâ Jacobus in oratione patientia Petrus in sanctitate Johannes in charitate fidelibus commendandâ Lap. proaem in Ep. Cathol Succendi cor nostrum in
upon a double ground the hainousness of their sin and the highness of their self conceit 1. Hypocrites are the worst of sinners we may wrong a wicked man in calliing him an hypocrite but we cannot injure an hypocrite in calling him a wicked man what the moralist saith of the ungratefull is as true of the hypocriticall person he is a very sink of all filth Hypocrites are not onely the children of the Devill but as it were his first born Malus ubi bonum se simulat tunc est pessimus a bad man is then really worst when he is seemingly best No wonder if such sinners find what they so well deserve tart and severe rebukes from the mouths of Gods messengers 2. Besides hypocrites though the worst of men have the best conceits of themselves and it is no easie matter to take them off they are pure in their own eyes though they be not washed from their filthiness and being miserably poor account themselves rich and increased with goods they lull themselves asleep sing a requiem to their souls soothing up themselves with an omnia benè so that there is need of loud cryes to awaken them Indeed penitent sinners are sharp to themselves and therefore Gods Ministers must use lenitives to them but arrogant hypocrites are indulgent to themselves and therefore they must apply corrasives to them no man needs a more severe reprover then the self flatterer It is then a fit Item for all Ministers when they have to do with hypocrites to rebuke them sharply True indeed though none more need reproof yet none are more unwilling to hear and bear it than they This sort of men commonly have bryars hanging at their ears to scratch those who deal roughly with them condemn the feigned showes seeming professions of hypocrites and they will presently decry you as a scoffer at Religion Railer against the godly party and an enemy to the Saints But we must not neglect our duty what misconstruction soever they are pleased to put upon it we have the pattern of Christ himself who speaking to the Scrâ—bes and Pharâ—sees hypocrites useth upbraiding language whilest he compareth them to wolves in sheeps cloathing to whited sepulchres yea to serpents and vipers denounceth severe woes against them and in his Epistle to Philodelphia mentioning those who were dissembling Iews he accounts them worthy of no better names than lyars and the Synagogue of Satan This was the practice of his forerunner Iohn the Baptist who observing the hypocritical Pharisees to come to his Baptism resembleth them to the most venemous creatures and calleth them a generation of vipers finally this is the example which this other Iohn his beloved disciple here sets us giving hypocrites and that no less justly than sharply the lye 2. On the other hand it is no less observable that St. Iohn in directing his reproof useth not the second but the first person saying not if you but if we by which his intent no doubt is to demonstrate the impartiality of his spirit that if He or any other of the Apostles could or should be guilty of this fault he would be no less severe to himself and them then he was to these hypocrites by this means he plainly lets them see that these words were not written in passion much less out of any hatred to their persons but onely to their practice since he is no more violent against them than he would be against himself upon the same occasion hereby the edgâ— of his reproof was much taken off which otherwise might have been too sharp and the potion sweetned which else might have proved too biâ—ter It is a singular skill and prudence in a reprover so to qualifie his severest censures as they may appear to be free from either wrath or malice Indeed froward and much more malicious reproofs do not corrigere but corrodere instead of healing fret the sore like too much winde instead of increasing put out the flame of devotion To take off all such suspicions and to render reproof the more acceptable it is that the messengers of God have found out several wayes of mitigating their reproofs for this end it was that Moses composed his tart reprehension of Israels ingratitude in the form of a Song that Nathan coming to David upon an harsh errand begins it with a parable Finally that St Paul rebuking the faction of the Corinthians transfers it in a figure to himself and accordingly here St Iohn useth the first person if we say c. Having thus taken a survey of this room at large come we now to the several partitions contained in it And there are three things which our Apostle discovereth in this reprehension concerning these hypocrites The impiety of their practice they walk in darkness The eminency of their profession they say they have fellowship with God The incongruity of their profession to their practice they lyâ— and their practice to their profession they do not the truth These are the three paths through which my discourse and your attention must walk beseeching God for the light of his holy spirit that I may speak you may hear all of us may do the truth and so none of us come under the censure of the text for walking in darkness and not doing the truth 1. The impiety of their practice is that which is described by that metaphorical phrase of walking in darkness for the right understanding whereof we shall take a short view of both the metaphors to wit darkness and walking there being in both an emphatical significancy 1. For the better illustrating of this term darkness be pleased to take notice that there is a fourfold darkness namely naturae ignorantiae miseriae nequitiae of nature of ignorance of misery and of iniquity 1. Darkness of nature properly and litterally so called is the absence of light when the Sun taketh its leave of our horizon and all things are envellopped in the sable mantle of the night then we justly say it is dark of this darkness Moses speaketh when he sayeth God made two great lights to divide the light from the darkness and this was the curse Iob wished upon the day wherein he was born that it might be darkness 2. Darkness when used in a borrowed sense serveth to represent in Scripture a state 1. Of ignorance in divine matters when the minde is destitute of spiritual knowledge unacquainted with the mysteries of salvation What is it but as it were wrapt up in darkness in this darkness the Gentiles before the coming of Christ are said to sit and in this respect the Ephesians are said to be sometimes darkness to wit in their unregeneracy 2. Of misery and that of all sorts temporall spiritual and eternal When the Psalmist speaketh of some who sit in darkness he presently explaineth himself of those who are bound in affliction and more especially when Iob speaketh of a land of darkness he