1. Whither is not Neigbour to be taken in the same latitude when it is said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour and again Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours If this be denied that will be enough to evince it that the particular commands of the second Table are but severall Explications of the generall command Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and therefore it is the same Neighbour to whom we must express our Love by not bearing false witness against him and the like and if it be granted then certainly Neighbour must include Stranger nay Enemy Since the Jews were not to bear false witness against their Enimies or to covet unjustly what belonged to them To this purpose is the note of a Rabbin upon these words of the Psalmist He that doth no evill to his Neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his Neighbour understanding it of enemies as well as friends 2. When our blessed Saviour repeateth this Law of Moses whither did not Christ understand it in the same sense with Moses If he did noâ— then he affixed another sense to Moses his words then what he intended which is not to be imagined if he did then either Moses meant them universally or else Christ did not and so Christ hath added nothing in this particular to Moses As for that passage in our Saviours Sermon Thou shalt love thy neighhour and hate thine enemy it is doubtless to be understood as Abulensis hath well noted only as a Tradition of the Scribes and Pharisees Indeed St Austin and St Hilary seem to be of opinion that hatred was allowed in the Old Testament Yea Oecumenius in this place harpeth upon the same string but by the leave of those Reverend Fathers upon what ground it doth not appear since it is no where written in the whole Body of the Law Thou shalt hate thy Enemies and therefore it is well observed that our blessed Saviour doth not say You have heard that it hath been said by Moses or in the Law but You have heard that it hath been said to wit by the Scribes and Pharisees those corrupt Interpreters of the Law To all this for the further Confirmation I may add That Solomon expresly requireth in his Proverbs and St Paul from him enjoyneth in his Epistle If thine Enomy â—e hungry give him Bread to Eat And if he be thirsty give him water to drink so shalt thou heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward thee That God in the Law gave strict charge concerning the beast even of our Enemy If thou meet thine Enemies Oxe or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him Again If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help him And certainly he that required them to assist their Enemy in rescuing his beast did not allow them hatred and malice to his Person Nay yet once more in the forementioned place where Moses saith Thou shalt love thy Neighbour is prefixed Thou shalt not avenge nor bear grudge which refers to an Enemie that hath done one an injury As for that lex talionis Law of retaliation though as appeareth by our Saviour it was otherwise construed by the Pharisees yet doubtless it was only intended by God as a rule for the publique Magistrate in his Administrations of justice and is no less in this sense allowable now And though they were to exercise acts of Hostility towards the Nations about them in making no peace with the Ammonites casting out the Cananites and cutting off the Amalekites yet this was by a speciall command from God which both then and now may dispence with a generall Precept and withall their being the Instruments of Gods vengance upon the Heathen did not hinder but that they might be free from any private revenge and so fulfill the generall Precept as well as any Headsman who notwithstanding he is the Executor of Justice may yet love that Person whom he doth execute 2. That Love which the Law requireth may very well in some cases be raised up to that heighth of suffering death Briefly to clear which know That laying down our life in reference to our neighbour is only required in one of these two cases the one when the publique the other when the spirtuall good of others necessitateth to it To lay down a mans life for the publique good is so far from being purely Christian that even Heathens have done it and therefore is no doubt included in the Mosaicall Precept which we may the rather believe because we find himself willing to be blotted out of the Book of Life for the preservation of the People and if it be said that this is to love our Neighbour more then our selves I answer It is not if we take Neighbour Distributively and if we take it Collectively for the Generality even nature teacheth us and surely then Moses his Law did require to prefer the puhlique before the private Wellfare a Generall before a Particular good 3. But that dying which is especially an act of Love is when we are willing to lose our own temporall life for the eternall good of others An example of this we have in the Old Testament What else meant Davids wish in regard of his Son Absalom when he said Would God I had died for thee Desiring no doubt to prevent that eternall death into which he had reason to think his Son dying in Rebellion against his King his Father was now plunged by the loss of his temporary life And in truth though this be to love our Neighbours Souls better then our Body yet it is not to love our Neighbour better then our selves and therefore exceeds not the Mosaicall Precept Caeâ—eris paribus let there be an equality every way and a Christian is as much bound now to prefer himself before his Neighbour as a Jew was and in way of inequality a Jew was bound to dammage himself for his Neghbours good as well as a Christian I am not to love my Neighbours Soul more then my own Soul nor his Body more then my Body nor his Estate more then my own Christian charity in this respect as well as Jewish begins at home only when it is my Estate or Body and my Neighbours Soul which come in Competicion this must be valued above those and this is required by Moses as well as Christ In one word That addition as thy self was certainly intended not as a Limitation or Restriction but rather as an Amplification and Inlargment of this duty of love that look how dear and entire and cordiall that love is which men bear to themselves the same they ought to have towards their Neighbours And therefore I shut up this
commendation of these Children that they know the Father To winde up this 1. It is that which should be in the first place an item to Parents that they be carefull to traine up their Children in the knowledge of the Father Oh Parents you are industrious to provide wealth and riches for your Children but why are you not more solicitous to obtain grace and knowledge for them You take a great deale of care to enrich their bodies but why so little for the adorning of their souls what is this but to use Plutarchs comparison as if one should be very curious about the shooe and neglect the foote or exact id triming the glove whilst the hand is foule perhaps you endeavour that your Children may attaine some kinde of knowledge to wit in the tongues or arts and sciences in a trade and calling and herein you do well learning being a far better portion then riches without which the wealthiest heire is but an Ass laden with gold but oh Parents why stay you here there is one thing more needfull then either of the other and that is the knowledge of the Father what difference is there between a Pagan and a Christian Parent if your only care be to acquaint Children with secular affairs or educate them in Philosophicall studies oh let it not suffice that your Children are instructed in humane whilst they are ignorant of divine learning Tell me I beseech you is it not a sad thing and yet I would to God it were not too common that little Children through your negligent education should swear so soon as they ean speak and learn to blaspheme that God whom yet they have not been taught to know such Parents saith Sâ— Chrysostome are worse then Homicides nay then Parricides for these take away only the bodily life of their Parents but those do what in them lyeth to cast the souls and bodies of their Children into Hell and whilst by generation they were the instruments of their temporall life through neglect of good education they become at least the occasion of their eternall death It is a dolefull story which is reported by Gregory the great to this purpose of a Childe of five years old which being carelesly or rather wickedly brought up was given to blaspheming Gods holy name and being a little after smitten with death the poore Childe cryeth to the Father Help help the Moors are come to take me away and so blaspheming God it died no doubt to the horrour and perplexity of the wicked Father It is a sad thing when Children in their old age shall have cause to complaine that their Parents had no care to bring them up in learning but is it not far more sad that Children in Hell shall cry out against their Parents because they had no regard to instruct them in the knowledg of God Let then all Parents be admonished of this necessary duty which they owe to their Children Children are sometimes called pignora pledges so they are of Gods love to us in bestowing them on us so they ought to be of our love to God in consecrating them to him They are compared to Arrows as they are at first directed so afterwards they flyâ— Oh let it be your endeavour that they may be directed upwards towards Heaven by divine knowledg It much conduced to Alexanders prowess and victory in his wars that his Father Philip caused him to be brought up as it is were from his radle in Military discipline Oh let it be the prudent piety of all Parents to teach their Children betimes the knowledge of the Christian warfare and to that end to begin with the knowledg of the Father 2. But secondly Let me turn my counsell from the Parents to the Children whom I cannot better bespeake then in Davids words Come ye Children hearken unto me and I will teach you the knowledg and fear of the Lord. You know your earthly Parents I but labour to know your Heavenly you know the Fathers of your Flesh ey but strive to know the Father of your Spirits you are expert it may be in Homers Odes Virgils Eclâ—gs Cicero's Orations oh but strive to get understanding in Davids Psalms Solomons Proverbs and the other plaine Books of holy writ Manna was to be gathered in the morning the Orient pearl is generated of the morning dew Aurora musis amica the morning is a friend to the muses Oh remember thy Creator know him in the morning of thy Childehood When God had created the Heavens and the Earth the first thing he did was to adorne the world with light and seperate it from the darkness happy is that Childe on whom the light of saving knowledg begins to dawn early God in the Law required the first born and the first fruits so he doth still our first daies to be offered up to him They are Wisdomes own words They that seek me early shall finde me Where a Rabbin observeth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to the Verb more then usuall which in numbring goeth for fifty with this note that early seeking hath not only twenty or thirty but fifty nay indeed an hundred sold recompence attending on it He that is long before he seeketh God I will not say he shall not at all but it may be long ere he finde him oh begin early whilst yet you are Children to seek the knowledge of God The better to enduâ—e you hereunto consider my good Children 1. You were in your very Infancy almost as soon as born dedicated to the Father being baptized in the name of the blessed Trinity Father Son and holy Ghost and will you not now that you begin to have the use of your understanding endeavour to know the Father you are already his sworne servants and souldiers will you be ignorant of him to whom you are sworne 2. If you do not now begin to know the Father you will be less docible hereafter alas how hard is it to instill knowledg into old years Can it be imagined that that tree which doth not bud nor blossome in the spring should bring forth fruit in Autumn or should flourish in Winter Now in your Childhood your wits are fresh your apprehension quick oh imploy them in studying and gaining the divine knowledg so much the rather because hereby you shall put to shame those ignorant old ones who have lived long and yet with the Ninivites know not the right hand from the left 3. Your Parents may prove unnaturall and forsake you however they are mortall and when death comes must leave you but your Father in Heaven liveth for ever and if you know and serve him he will love you and take care for you he will never leave you nor forsake you The Hen is not more tender of her Chickens nor the Sheapheard of his Lambes then this universall Father as Clemens Alexandrinus cals him is of his little ones towardly and hopefull Children You may
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
Kingdome an eternal glory and everlasting joy an eternal inheritance and everlasting salvation and very frequently eternal and everlasting life nor is it without good reason that this Epithete is made so much use of and that especially on a double account 1 Propter eminentiam to advance the excellency of this Life St. Austin enlarging in the praises of this life heapeth up a multitude of excellencies The Life saith hee which God hath prepared for them that love him is vita vitalis beata secura tranquilla pulchra munda casta sancta a lively happy secure peaceable amiable pure chaste and holy life but stil that which crowneth all is its eternity and therefore the Father goeth on ignaramortis nescia tristitiae it is a joy which cannot be interrupted with any sorrow and a life which is altogether ignorant of death it is sine labe sine dolore sine anxietate sine perturbatione corruptione et mutatione without spot or wrinkle without sorrow or vexation without change or corruption Look as in respect of Divine attributes eternity is that which runs through and puts a lustre upon them all so that it were little to say of God hee is holy wise just good nay that hee is omnipotent omniscient omnipresent unlesse wee could say hee is eternally all these so is it in respect of the excellencies of that other life they could afford little comfort were they not eternal 2 Propter differentiam to difference it from and set it in opposition against this present life This life how sweet soever is but short that life is not onely sweet but lasting yea everlasting This life as to many acts of it is suspended by sleep and at last wholly taken away by death that life knoweth no cessation nor interruption but shall bee one continued act Here Orimur morimur wee no sooner begin to live but wee hasten to death our life is like an hour-glass which is no sooner turned up but it begins to run out or like a Lease which is no sooner taken but it begins to expire the longer our time past hath been on earth that to come is so much the shorter and the more wee grow in Life the nearer wee are to Death But there the Sun riseth and never setteth continually shining in its full spendor that estate is not a Lease for years but an inheritance for ever This Life is a fading flower a flitting shadow a vanishing vapour but that is a flourishing laurel an induring substance a fixed Star Finally This Life is so short that it may bee measured by months by daies by hours but that is so long as it cannot bee measured by Years nor Jubiles nor Ages since when those happy Saints have lived so many millions of ages as there are piles of grasse on the earth drops of water in the Ocean sands upon the Sea-shore or stars in the firmament their life shall bee as new to begin and as long to continue as at the first moment when they entered into the possession of it and thus I have given you an account of the excellency of the benefit pass we on to the Certainty of the Conveyance in those words This is the Promise promised The Explication of this branch will be dispatched in two Queries What this meaneth that eternal life is said to be promised Why it is so emphatically called The Promise 1 Inquire wee a little into the import of this word promised and this will the better appear by considering it in a fourfold opposition to wit twofold in reference to him by whom and twofold in respect of us to whom it is promised 1 In regard of him by whom it is promised wee may very well consider it as opposed to a bare intention and a meer declaration 1 Eternal Life is promised not onely purposed I confesse in one Scripture promised is no more than purposed to wit where St. Paul to Titus saith of eternal Life it was promised before the World began but according to the common notion and usual acception promised is more than purposed A Purpose is onely the thought of the heart a Promise is the fruit of the lips A purpose is secret and hidden a promise is open and manifest Finally A Purpose is onely an intention of the minde but a Promise is the revelation of the intention This Eternal Life was from all eternity purposed and being purposed could not but bee accomplished for the Decrees of God must stand but had it not been promised as well as purposed wee might at last have injoyed it but in the mean time could not have known it it would have been as a treasure hid a fountain sealed a spring shut up Gods purpose then is the emanation and his promise is the signification of his will whereby it becomes manifest unto us Nor yet is this all but 2 Promised is more than declared it is one thing to reveal and another to promise that onely mâ—keth known but this maketh sure that giveth notice of but this an interest in when therefore eternal Life is said to bee promised it doth not onely mean that it is intended but that it is manifested yea not only that it is manifested but that it is assured God hath not onely set before the Sons of men this eternal life as a thing in it self real and excellent no nor yet onely as that which may possibly yea probably bee attained but hee hath promised that is he hath in his word given an undoubted assurance that hee will bestow it and this is the meaning of hath promised Nor yet is it a simple naked promise but such as is attended with an oath so the Author to the Hebrews expresly God willing more abundantly to show unto us the heirs of Promise the immutability of his counsel confirms it by an Oath that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before us which hope is no other than the thing hoped for eternal life yea more than this both the word and oath are upon record in Holy Writ and all this hath a seale annexed to it both the privie seal of the Spirit and the broad seal of the holy Sacraments for our further confirmation If then you will have the import of these words be hath promised in reference to God it is that hee hath not only resolved but spoken it not only spoken of such a life but said hee will give it us yea not only spoken but sworn and this not only with his lips but it is as is were under hand and seal 2 In respect of us to whom it is promised wee may look upon it in a double opposition to actual possession and due desert Eternal life is promised yet not possessed the promise is past it is the preterperfect tense hath the possession to come St. Paul useth the future tense shall give It is not unfitly observed that it is the wisdome of Divine dispensation
not commanded nor forbidden by any law need not be imitated by us nor doth this walking as he walked extend to them 3. But lastly Christ walked in a way of Obedience to the Morall Law humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the Death and these footsteps of his Morall Actions we are to tread in For the fuller Explication of this be pleased to know that 1. Our Lord Christ is to speak in Ennodius his phrase Clara Epitome virtutum an exact Epitome of graces in St Bernards language Cardinalium virtutum exemplum a spotless example of the Cardinall virtues or if you will in Tertullians stile cumulata perfectionis massalis summa an accumulated heap of spirituall perfections Suitable hereunto it is that Cresolius cals him a Seminary of graces Temple of Religion Tabernacle of goodness and Habitation of Virtue Indeed there is no grace nor duty either towards God or our selves or others whereof Christ hath not set us a coppy Those graces of trust feare love and obedience which we are to exercise towards God those Virtues of loyalty to Kings Subjection to Parents equity and Charity which are due to man Finally those Ornaments of Humility Temperance Patience by which we possess our selves were all eminent in him as it were easie to demonstrate would the time permit or did the Text require it What he in Lucian said concerning Solon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In seeing Solon you see all that is good may more truly be affirmed of Christ in whom are all treasures of graces as well as knowledg That of the Apostle concerning himself and the rest of the Saints our Conversation is in Heaven may not unfitly be applied to this duty of the imitation of Christ he hath his Conversation in Heaven who leads it according to Christs example and good reason since as Athanasius excellently Christ whilst on earth did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry Heaven about with him This Sun of Righteousness went through the Libra of justice Leo of fortitude Virgo of chastity Taurus of industry Gemini of love to God and man Indeed the Firmament is not more full of Starres then he is of Graces It is a rule in Philosophy Primum in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum that which is the first in any kind is to be the measure of the rest and Christ being the first the grand exemplar of virtue no wonder if we are required to walk as he walked 2. One singular end of Christs comming into the world was that he might become a pattern of duty Indeed the chief and primary end of his advent was to be a Saviour but a Secondary was to be an example Upon this account is it that St Basil saith one end of Christs coming was that in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a picture we might behold the lineaments of all virtues and accordingly learn to order our Conversation aright When Christ had washed his Disciples feet he saith to them I have given you an example and truly for this cause he lived that he might give yea according to St Peter for this end he dyed that he might leave us an example that we should follow his steps 3. To endeavour as far as we can that all those graces which Christ practised may shine forth in our Conversations is to walk as Christ walked so that this as here specified admits both of an extent and a restraint 1. Of an Extent As that is in all those morall steps wherein he walked thus Tertullian saith To walk as Christ walked is to observe the Discipline of that Piety and Patience Justice and Wisdome which flourished in Christs life And Prosper putting this Question What is it to walk as Christ walked returneth this Answer it is Contemnere omnia prospera quae contempâ—it non timere adversa quae pertulit libenter facere quae fecit c. To contemn what he contemned suffer what he suffered and do what he did Indeed to imitate Christ but in some things is only to step as he stepped but to walk as he walked is to imitate him in all not onely to be lowly but holy just but charitable as he was go about doing good but suffering evill as he did it is to imitate him in his active and in his passive Obedience to follow him in his Life yea in his Death For as St Austin observeth when Christ was fixus in cruce fast nailed to the Cross he walked in the wayes of constancy courage patience charity towards his enemies which we must practice when at any time we are called to suffer we cannot have a better Expositour of the Disciple then the Master and Christ saith to follow him is to deny our selves and take up our Cross 2. Of a restraint It being an as not of equality but quality nor doth it require an exactness of performance but only a sincerity of purpose Christs phrase is following and coming after him which we may do though non passibus aequis we come far behind him Excellent to this purpose are those Expressions of an Ancient Proderit imitari et si nemo valeat adaequare persequi debemus et si consequi non possimus non eisdem passibus sed eodem tramite eisdem vestigijs insistendum Made equall we cannot conformable we may be to him to attain to his measure is impossible to press hard towards it is necessary to go with the same speed and evenness is not expected but to go in the same path tread in the same steps is required In one word those graces which did flame forth in Christs life must at least sparkle in ours which did shine bright in his must twinkle in ours which were perfectly in him must be sincerely in us so shall we fulfill this Apostolicall dictate to walk as he walked I end this Naturale homini alium imitari Man is naturally a Mimicke and loves to follow and what fuller fitter better pattern can be made choyce of then this here set before us Oh then as Moses did all things in making the Tabernacle according to the pattern which God shewed him in the Mount so let us order all our actions according to the pattern Christ taught in the Mount and as he taught so did in the course of his life Iâ—â—s the command of God to Abraham in the Old Testament walk before me it is the voice of Christ to his Disciples in the New come after me and both very usefull we must walk before God by a continued remembrance of his eye we must come after Christ by a due observance of his steps and so walking as having God to be our Spectatour and Christ to be our guide we cannot wander This is that which hath still been the practice of holy men to set Christ before them as their example this did St Paul who adviseth others to follow him as he did Christ thus did
preparing them to receive the command by various Arguments which are aptly couched in this oratoricall Proaeme I write not a new but an old Commandment And Again a new Commandment I write to you which is true in him c. Having dispatched the Compellation and the first branch of the Commendation we are now to proceed to the second which is drawn from that conformity this duty hath to Christs pattern intimated in those words Which thing is true or a thing which is true in him I am not ignorant that some learned men refer all that followeth in this Verse to those words in the beginning of it A new Commandment I write to you as if it were only a Confirmation of that part of the commendation and so those words Which thing is true are thus to be Paraphrased which thing Namely That this Commandment of Love is a new Commandment is true both respecâ—u Christi nostri in regard of Christ who hath himself fulfilled it and so given us a new pattern of it and in respect of us Christians who by reason of the true light shinining have a new grace enabling us to performe it our selves But I rather incline to take these words as affording new Topicks for the commendation of love and so the laudatory Character we are now to handle is that this grace which is enjoyned to Christians is no other then what was true in Christ The Clause as it is set down in the Greeke carrieth with it no small difficulty Gagneius upon this place ingeniously professeth that he could not find out the true sence and meaning of it Some Expositors render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it self as if the sense of these words were only to assert the verity of the thing concerning which he discourseth but this to me seemeth jeiune and unbeseeming the fullness of Scripture Expressions besides if we observe the phrase of this holy Apostle and that in this Epistle we shall find it very usuall with him to speak of Christ under those phrases of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we may observe in the latter end of this and the beginning of the next Chapter look as Mary Magdalen having her own thoughts so full of Christ conceived there was no need of nameing him only to say Tell me where thou hast laid him so St John burning with love to Christ not doubting but that he was well known to them to whom he wrot and therefore supposing they would easily guess of whom he wrote thinketh it enough to say only him so that we may very well expound this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators readit in him to wit Christ But the greatest difficultie of construing this Clause lyeth in the first particle â— since being of the neuter Gender it cannot agree with the feminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Substantive immediately preceding but it is no strange or unusuall thing for an Adjective of the neuter gender to be taken Substantively and so quod which is as much as quae res which thing Thus it is rendred in our Translation and is not unfitly expounded by Grotius to be that thing namely Love which is the matter of the old and new Commandment and indeed though the phrase may seem somewhat harsh yet the sense is most fitly thus expressed since the Commandment it self referrs to us not Christ but the thing or matter of the Commandment was true in Christ himself and so layeth a greater obligation upon us to performe the Commandment nor need we stick at this Construction when we find the same in the former Chapter where in the second and third Verses after the feminine substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put a neuter Adjective â— as that forementioned Author observes And now according to this interpretation the plain sense of the words appeareth to be this A thing which is true in him that is This grace of love which I enjoyn you is no other then what was verified in Christ himself So that as before he lets them see it is a Commandment both old and new so here he acquaints them further it was such a Commandment as had Christ himself an Example of it Ipse enim prius charitatem ostendit saith Ferus For he himself did practice Love ratum ac reipsa invenitur primum quidem in illo ut capite saith Beza In him as being the head of the Church and having received the Spirit without measure was this primarily accomplished And this interpretation I so much the rather assent to because it so aptly suiteth with what our Apostle had before delivered when he calleth upon them to express the reality of their interest in Christ by keeping his Commandments and walking as he walked whilst he lets them see that the duty of Love which he was about presently and did intend chiefly to inculcate upon them was the only way to performe both these By Love they should keep the Commandments for it is both the old and the new Commandment and by Love they should walk as Christ walked for it is a thing which was true in him And now That this was true in Christ is a truth so clear that there will be no need to prove it Indeed it is tanquam radio solis scripta written as it were with a Sun beam so that he which runs may read it It is a Subject I might very well dilate upon but that I shall have more full occasion to discuss both the Love of Christ and God to us in the following Chapters That it is so cannot be denied yea should we be so ungratefull as to deny or doubt it the Manger and the Cross would testify against us If either confering benefits on us or suffering injuries for us can assure his love to us our Apostle she weth it to be true in both when he saith To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God the Father How legible are the Characters of his love in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention Intercession and all those advantages of Redemption Remission Adoption Justification Salvation which by those accrue to us Which who so knowingly considers must needs say with St Paul The love and kindness of God our Saviour hath appeared with St Peter The Lord is gracious and with St Bernard his love to us was dignitatis nescius dignatione dives affectu potens suasu efficax full of condescention and affection Indeed that it should be so though it cannot be gainsaid may well be admired especially when we look upon our selves What were we the rebellious off-spring of degenerate Parents Slaves of Satan Servants of sin Children of wrath that Christ should cast an Eye towards and place his Love on us The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is manifest that he loved us and you if he ask the