is as with the Father so with the Son but likewise a discovery of the means whereby we come to have this fellowship with the Father and that is by having fellowship with the Sonne according to which notion we may fitly conceive the Father to be the terminus and the Son the medium of this societas the Father is he with whom and the Son is he by and through whom we have this fellowship with the Father and therefore it is else where said he hath made us accepted in his beloved and we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and to name no more they who were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ that amity and communion which we have with God being onely in and through a mediator Iesus Christ. The Heathens were in part sensible of this truth who conceiving that the supream Gods were defiled by the unhallowed approaches of mortals invented Heroes and half Gods a kinde of middle powers to be as mediators between those Gods and them but this doctrine of a mediator the Gospel fully revealeth and this to be no other than Iesus Christ by whom we are brought to communion with God Indeed there was a time to wit in innocency when man stood not in need of a Mediator but injoyed a fellowship of perfect amity with his Creator but now man being fallen from that integrity and thereby having lost the favour of God there is no other way of reconciliation but by Christ. So that as TheThemistocles when Admetus was incensed against him brought the Kings son in his armes and implored his favour so we can by no means obtain a fellowship of reconciliation with the Father but by his Son Iesus Christ in this respect it is that Christ saith concerning himself I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me and upon this ground he is not unfitly resembled to that ladder in Iacobs vision which reached from earth to heaven by whom alone we climb to heaven so that if we will pervenire ad Deum we must ascendere per hominem to come to God we must ascend by the man even the man Christ Iesus There is onely one thing further to be enquired for the full explication of this clause and that is why the Apostle having mentioned two doth not annex the third person and with the Holy Ghost In answer to which you must know that the third person though he be not expressely mentioned is necessarily implyed for the truth is we can neither have fellowship with the Father nor with the Son but by the Holy Ghost by the spirit it is that God begets us again unto himself and therefore it is called the renewing of the Holy Ghost by the spirit it is that we participate of Gods holiness and therefore he is called the spirit of holiness not onely because he is so in himself but it is he that communicateth it unto us finally by the spirit it is that the Father and the Son dwell in us and have communion with us in which respect our Apostle saith we know he abideth in us by the spirit he hath given us and therefore it is that we finde this elsewhere directly expressed concerning the Holy Ghost to wit in that solemn benediction to the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God the Father is joyned the communion or fellowship of the Holy Ghost Though then he is not here named we are not therefore to imagine he is excluded Indeed it is a rule in Divinity which St. Ambrose hath observed to my hand qui unum dixerit Trinitatem signavit when any one of the persons is nominated in any external operation all the rest are implyed and therefore as when we find onely mention of the fellowship of his Son Iesus Christ we must take in the Father the spirit and when we read onely of the fellowship of the spirit we must conceive it as well of the Father and the Son so when here we find the Father and the Son expressed we must not exclude the holy spirit and look as our blessed Saviour when he speaketh of that knowledge which is the way to eternal life though he only mention the Father and his Son Iesus Christ is to be understood as including the holy Ghost so are we here to interpret S. Iohn and therefore may very well adde by way of explication our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ and with the holy spirit nor yet doth there want a reason as Iustinian hath well observed why the Apostle maketh no expresse mention of the Holy Ghost as he doth of the Son of God namely because as for the communion of the Holy Ghost they to whom he wrote could not be ignorant of it as having no doubt had experience themselves of the effusion of his gifts upon them and therefore it needed not to name him but because the divinity of the Son of God was oppugned by the Hereticks of those times therefore he thought it fit with the Father to mention the Son And thus much or rather thus little of this unconceivable much more unspeakable benefit the fellowship which Believers have with the ever blessed and glorious Trinity what now remaineth but that I bring it home by some comfortable application to our selves There are onely three inferences which are plainly deducible from hence for our practice 1. Whatever men do either for or against any Christian reflects on God and Christ with whom they have fellowship Christ shall say to those at the last day who releive his members now In as much as you did it unto them you did it unto me and it was his saying to Saul in the vision when he breathed forth threatenings against the Church Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and why this but because of the fellowshâ—p which is between Christ and his Members Take then heed O ye sons of Belial how you scoffingly deride at proudly insult over and maliciously persecute the servants of God and members of Christ. Haman notwithstanding all his greatnesse durst not but honour Mordecai because he was the man whom the King delighted to honour and dare you abuse such whom God vouchsafeth to honour know you not that they are his jewels and will you deface them the apple of his eye and will you touch them his temple and will you seek to destroy them Are they not to speak it with an humble modesty all in all with God his bosome friends his daily associates and dare man whose breath is in his nostrils do any injury to them or can he do it and hope impunity Let none deceive themselves Qui insurgit in Christum Domini insurgit in Dominum Christi he that riseth up against the Lords anointed riseth up
against the Lord by whom he is anointed and he that offereth any indignity unto them that have fellowship with the Father and his Son offereth it to the Father and the Son with whom these have fellowship and therefore must in due time expect the sure vengeance of the Almighty upon so great impiety 2. Great is the dignity of Beleivers who have fellowship not with Kings the best of men not with Angels the best of creatures but with God himself the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and therefore let them not debase this dignity dishonour this fellowship by conversing too much with creature-comforts When Augustus the Roman Emperour saw Saracen Ambassadours sporting with dogs he asketh them if there were no women in their countries when wicked men see Beleevers swallowed up of earthly contentments will they not question whether there be any such divine fellowship as is pretended since then we have a fountain of living waters why do we digge to our selves broken Cisterns and if we have fellowship with God let us scorne to be familiar with the world rather let us say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth I desire in comparison of thee Oh blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost to converse with 3. How amiable and desireable must this fellowship needs be which is with the Father and his Son and therefore to be earnestly endeavoured after for this it was Christ prayed in the behalfe of his Church and not onely of them but all that should beleive in his name that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and surely this we both may and ought to pray for in our own behalf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that you may have was S. Johns desire for these to whom he wrote and it ought much more to be our desire and endeavour for our selves that we may have and if we have attained any degree already that we may have yet greater measure of this fellowship This is the note of Lapide upon the Text that you may have that is that you may continue to have and have more fully this communion because he writeth to Beleivers in whom this was already begun indeed this participation being qualitative doth Suscipere magis minus admit of degrees All have fellowship with God and Christ as well as the Apostles but not in the same degree Christ tells the Jewes I come that they may have life and that they might have it more abundantly So doth S. John write to these that they might have fellowship and have it more abundantly in the same fulnesse that the Apostles had If then as yet thou art a stranger now labour to acquaint thy self with God and be at peace and if thy acquaintance be begun endeavour that it may grow to an indeared intimacy indeed who would not hunger and thirst after who can be sufficiently satisfied with this fellowship Fellowship in it self is a thing very delectable the wise man much enlargeth in the commendation of it when he saith two is better then one and pronounceth a vae soli woe to him that is alone indeed as the Greek Proverb runs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one man is no man and as Euripides one hand can make but a weak defence in all undertakings society is helpful Fellowship is amiable to all creatures even the dove will mourn when she hath lost her Mate but especially to man who is therefore called by the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature born for society indeed for this reason banishment is accounted next to death because it depriveth of civil society it is observable how sadly this hath been bemoaned not onely by a Cain Thou hast this day driven me out from the face of the earth but by a Iob I am a companion to owles and a brother to Dragons and by a David I am as a Pelican in the wilderness and an owle in the desert I am as a sparrow alone upon the house top And if fellowship be so lovely to all men how much more religious fellowship to good men if fellowship with men be delightful how much more this fellowship with God himself the Father and the Son This this beloved is the only good fellowship There is indeed a fellowship called by that name which is the cover of many enormities the devourer of large patrimonies the bane of many hopeful wits yet is the darling of a great number in the world I mean the riotous fellowship of luxurious companions But alas how unlike are the thing the name how catachrestical an expression is it when drunkenness is stiled good fellowship Oh turn in hither behold that which truly deserveth this name this fellowship with God and Christ in which there is all good of honesty utility and of jucundity a fellowship in which all safety liberty pleasure and contentment is to be found no wonder if the Psalmist saith Blessed is the man whom thou choosest causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts he shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple This is that fellowship to which God calleth us in his Gospel and of which by Faith in the Gospel we participate Indeed as Beza well observeth upon the text This is the very scope of the Gospel to make God and us at one and as Naogorgeus appositely Faith is the key which opens the door and admits us into the presence-chamber of the King of Glory Oh therefore let us cordially embrace the Gospel and daily strenghen our faith in it so as we may have and that every day more and more of this heavenly fellowship till at last we come to heaven where our faith being turned into sight we shall have the greatest reason to say in the language of the Apostle truly our fellowship is now not onely with Saints and Angels with Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs but with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 4. part last And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full I Am now come by divine assistance to the end of the beginning the conclusion of the Exordium of this Epistle namely the last clause of the fourth verse a close full of sweetness the subject whereof is that sweet Monosyllable joy the sound of which cannot but charm our eares and ravish our hearts indeed the thing which this word expresseth is the wheel upon which all mens projects and motions turn the mark at which all their designes and endeavours ayme Those various designâ—s of men in getting wealth grasping honour purchasing lands building houses planting vineyards do all meet in this one center of joy and contentment the truth is this is that prize for which all run and yet to which few attain
in our estimation The three persons in the sacred Deity God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost their Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity The three-fold state of man to wit deformed reformed and transformed corrupt regenerate and glorified The three-fold coming of Christ in the flesh by his Spirit and at the day of judgement Those three grand enemies of mans salvation the flesh world and the devil The three Theological graces Faith Hope and Charity The three principal duties of Religion Prayer Hearing and Almes are plainly set before us in this parcel of Holy Writ Nay yet once more Those three things which every Christian man ought to be acquainted with for his souls health to wit the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments are here at least summarily comprized Our blessed Saviour telleth us the whole Law is reducible to these two great Commandments the love of God and our neighbour both which are here amply taught us The Lords Prayer is intimated in that we must aske according to Gods will which cannot be unlesse according to that patterne yea in that we are called sonnes of God it teacheth us to cry Our Father and that chief Petition in it Forgive us our sins is once and again inculcated Finally if you please we may out of this Epistle compile a Creed not much unlike that of the Apostles no lesse justly then commonly heretofore received amongst us though now almost forgotten by us in these or the like words I believe in God the Father invisible just holy pure and faithful who knoweth all things and is no lesse Almighty to do all things who is love it self whereby he vouchsafed to make the heaven and earth And in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son who came in the flesh to wit by being conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and laid down his life for us being crucified dead and buried and having life in himselfe rose from the dead and ascended to heaven where he sitteth at Gods right hand is our Advocate with the Father and at that day of judgment shall come and appear again to wit to judge the quick and dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the fellowship or communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins and eternal life By this time you cannot but see beloved what a body of divinity what a treasury of spiritual knowledge this Epistle is well might Fâ—rus say Ipsam Evangelicae Doctrinae summam brevissimam complectitur the summe of Evangelical Doctrine is succinctly and yet distinctly comprehended in it and now me thinketh every one is ready to say with that Father Adoro plenitudinem sacrae Scriptura I adore and admire the fulnesse of Holy Scripture wherein every drop is as it were a rivulet every rivulet a great river and river an Ocean every branch a tree every tree an orchard an orchard a field I mean every Verse as it were a Chapter every Chapter an Epistle every Epistle a Volumne for the abundance of precious truths contained in them and yet more particularly by these considerations sufficient reason cannot but appear as for my discussion so your attention and thus this discourse serveth to make way for the following But before I begin I have one request to make to you and that from my very soule that as I hope you have not are not so you will not be wanting in your requests to God for me and what you should aske for me I shall not go out of this Epistle to tell you even that unction from the Holy One whereby we may know all things that anoynting which teacheth us all things and is truth and no lie Let this be the matter of your prayer both for me for your selves that it may teach me how to expound apply you how to hear receive both you me how to understand and obey the sacred saving truths which are delivered to us in this First General Epistle of St JOHN I shall not at this time enter upon the Epistle it self only in a few words take notice of the Title which is prefixed wherein we have two things considerable Namely The pâ—nman John and the writing which is set down for the nature of it to be an Epistle for the order the first and for the extent of it a general Epistle First The Epistle is asserted to be St. JOHNS Indeed we do not finde him setting down his Name in any part of the Epistle the other Apostles are express in this particular Iames and Peter and Iude and Paul in all Epistles except that to the Hebrewes but Saint IOHN in this Epistle is altogether silent in the other two he only giveth himself the common title of an Elder when he hath any occasion to mention himself in his Gospel and that in things much tending to his dignity it is done in a third person by way of circumlocution only in his Apocalypse he specifieth his Name but that without any addition of honour or dignity It lets us see in general the humility of this holy Apostle who thought so meanly of himself that he accounts himself not worth the naming Indeed on the one hand though it s often too true of many who arrogantly affect to blazon their own names and titles we are not to imagine that when the other Apostles prefixe their namâ—s and most of them their high calling that it is done out of vain glory But on the other hand we may justly conclude it a testimony of great humility in this Apostle that he suppresseth his Name his Office by silence Thus whilest he was high in Christs he became lowly in his own eyes whilest he was rich in grace his veâ—y Name carrying as it were grace as Benjamines sack did money in its mouâ—h he was poor in spirit scarce thinking himself worthy of a name Oh let us learn by his pattern not to affect our own praises nor speak high things of our selves ever remembring that as artis est celare artem it is an art to conceal our art so to neglect our own names and honour is the best way to true honour and a good name Besides this notion of humility it may further be conceived and not improbably that this concealment of his Name was an act of prudence especially considering the time when it is most rationally conjectured to be written to wit as the learned English Annotatour hath observed to my hand not long before the destruction of Ierusalem when as the Church was under a sharp persecution occasioned no doubt by those many Antichrists then arising in which S. IOHN was peculiarly involved yea of which he warneth those to whom he writeth and therefore wisely forbeareth to publish his Name which might have been prejudicial to him There is no doubt a policy consistent with piety which as all Christians so Ministers may use in persecuting times It was that our Saviour at least allowed his
the body without the soul is corporally so the soul without Christ is spiritually dead and alas whilest we are in this estate we are without all hope of life being under the sentence not onely of the first but second death and therefore Iohn the Baptist saith expressely he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him oh heavy load and unsupportable weight which upon whomsoever it abideth must needs crush him to peices and sink him to the depth of Hell Oh labour we then both in respect of our selves and others to be sensible of our natural estate and if we mourn over our friends dead bodies much more should we mourn over theirs and our dead soules 2. To seek after this life because it is eternal and to seek it by union with Christ who is the life Indeed this temporal life may be used but onely that eternal life is to be sought the life that now is is a fleeting shadow a vanishing vapour a day which though never so pleasant cannot be long but the life which is to come is a light ever shining a leaf never fading and such a day as shall know no evening and now tell me which is most rational to seek after that life which is lost almost as soon as it is found or after that life which being once found can never be lost to catch after that which being got we cannot hold or that which being once got we cannot lose and therefore that I may allude to our blessed Saviours expression labour not for that which perisheth but for that life which endureth to eternity To this end let it be our continued care to gain to assure our interest in and union with Christ the Shunamite went to the Prophet for raising her dead childe we must to Christ for the quickning our dead souls it is very observable what St. Peter saith to this purpose To whom coming as to a living stone we also are built up as lively stones so that if you know how we become living stones it is by coming to and being built upon Christ as our foundation the soul cannot enliven the body till infused into and united with it nor can we receive life from Christ but by an interest in him he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith Christ himself hath eternal life there is life eternal life in the flesh and blood of Christ but then we must eat and drink it that so this spiritual food may be incorporated into us and we made one with Christ. 3. Lastly to set an high value upon Christ and give him the glory of this great mercy even eternal life of all the Titles that do express the personall excellencies of the Lord Christ that of the word is most glorious and of all those that do express the priviledges we have by him none so comprehensive as this of eternal life To you who believe saith the Apostle concerning this living stone he is pretious and well he may since he bestoweth so rare a Iewel and so invaluable a pearle as eternal life upon us indeed all our good and comfort is wrapt up in Christ he is the bread to nourish us the light to guide us the life to save us are then any beginnings of this life wrought in us any hopes of it assured to us let us look upon our selves as vessels filled by this fountain stars enlightned by this Sun carcases enlivened by this spirit acknowledging what we have and hope for to be onely and wholly from Christ that as we have life from him he may have thanks from us Now to him who is the life that eternal life be praise and glory in the Church throughout all ages Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 2. 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the father and was manifested unto us AMong the mystical interpretations of those four living creatures mentioned in Ezekiel and the Apocalyps that of resembling by them the four Evangelists is the most usual among the Antients and St. Iohn is compared to the Eagle by them all except Iraeneus who likeneth him to the Lion St. Hieroms reason is from the Eagles wing which soareth highest of any bird St. Gregories from the Eagles eye which is able to look upon the Sun and both very apposite for so doth St. Iohn in his Gospel look upon the Sun of righteousnes and so are high in contemplation of his Divinity nor is this lesse observable in this Epistle than in his Gospel which both beginneth and closeth with the Deity of Christ Indeed we have here in this beginning both the God-head and Man-hood of the Messiah and the union of both in one person set before us when he saith That which was from the beginning c. The second Character here given and which now followeth to be handled is of Christ as God in those words which was with the Father It is the same no doubt in sense with that in the Gospel and the word was with God and to this purpose Theodoret applyeth that of the Psalmist With thee is the fountain of Life For the better explanation of it we must take notice of the Noun the Praeposition and the Veâ—â— â—ather with the Father was with the Father 1. By the Father we are here no doubt to understand the first person in the sacred Trinity Indeed it is a word that is taken in Scripture both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially and personally essentially it is common to all the persons personally it is onely true of the first when it is used of God in respect to the Creatures it is to be understood essentially and our Apostle so intends it when he saith Behold what manner of love the Father hath showed that we should be called the Sons of God But when of God in order to the persons it is to be construâ—â— personally as here and in the next verse it is manifestly so used And the first person is called the Father say some because he is the original of the Trinity as connoting the relation he hath both to the Son and the Holy Ghost but â—hy others more properly the first person iâ— the Father onely in relation to the second who is his begotten after the most perfect way of Generation and so he only a Father in regard of him But further 2. The chief thing considerable is what this meaneth that Christ the life is said to be with the Father The answer to which I shall lay down both negatively and affirmatively 1. Negatively we must not strain the expression too far as noting either an inferiority or separability between those two persons of the Father and the Word 1. Not a separability as if Christ were so with that he were without the
theef and the least noyse causeth a commotion in his brest Thus is it with wicked men many times they feare according to the Psalmists expression where no feare is though withall the truth is they have alwayes reall cause of feare in respect of the danger that deservedly hangs over their heads Indeed as men in the darke sometime not seeing Feare not the perill which they are very neere to So wicked men being secure are feareles and not considering what they deserve feare not till they come to feele but when once their sleepy conscience is awakened oh what horrid feares perplexing terrours invade them whilest the cloud of vengence is ready every moment to raine fire haile and brimstone upon them To end all what now remaineth but that this discourse of darknes serve as a light to discover to you where you are what you do and whither you are going That so being enlightened to see your utter darkenesse you may walke no further but with incessant cries beseech him who is the Father of lights that he would send his spirit to plucke you out of Sodom and by his mightie working deliver you from the power of darknes translate you into the kingdome of his deare sonne Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth THat Preface which I find in the beginning of one of Salvians books concerning Gods Government of the world I may here aptly make use of I suppose yea I am confident my discourse of this Scripture will be unwelcome to many auditors and that because it is a smart and sharp reprehension men naturally love to be tickled with applause not scratched with reproof we relish well the honey of commendation but know not how to digest the wormwood of increpation But beloved the diet which is not so toothsome may be wholesome that potion which is very bitter to the taste may prove healthful to the body and faithful rebukes though they be not so pleasing yet I am sure are profitable especially when they are seasonable and sutable such as this was to those in St. Iohns time and I would to God it were not as truly agreeing to many very many in our dayes who will be found one day among the number of those lyars If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we lye and do not the truth Having already dispatched the impiety of those mens practice in that they walk in darkness that which followeth next in order is the eminency of their profession implyed in that supposition If we say we have fellowship with him for in this supposition there is a position couched namely That many who walk in darkness say they have fellowship with God For the better explication of which in its fullest latitude I shall briefly premise a double distinction and then pursue a double proposition The distinctions to be premised are of 1. A double Having this fellowship to wit in spe and in re in a confident expectation and in a reall possession 2. A double Saying we have it namely a saying within our selves and a saying to others that is inward in respect of our thought and opinion this outward in respect most properly of our words and not excluding gestures and all other wayes of external expression The propositions to be prosecuted are two 1. Many say they have fellowship with God in hope who yet walk in darkness they promise to themselves the future vision of Gods face whilest they go on in the wilfull breach of Gods Law This is that which they say in their hearts perswading themselves that their condition shall be happy though their conversation is wicked of such an one it is Moses speaketh who blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart This is that they say with their lips impudently laying as full claim to happiness as the uprightest and exactest Saint If you inquire whence this comes to pass I answer from the false reasonings which are in the minds of men concerning The freeness of Gods grace in electing The fulness of his mercy in forgiving The worthiness of Christs blood in redeeming 1. When presumptuous sinners hear that Gods election is without respect to any worthiness or qualifications in us they presently fancy to themselves that their names may be written in the book of life as well as any other yea they fondly imagine that being elected they shall have fellowship with God let them live as they list and hence they are emboldned to presume and boast of a future well-being not considering that Gods election though it be not conditional yet is ordinate to wit to the end by the means to happiness by holiness 2. When wicked men look upon the extent of Gods mercy whereby it is that he desireth not the death of a sinner that he is a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin not onely few but many small but great all sorts of sin they promise to themselves a facility of obtaining forgiveness whilest yet they indulge to their sins not considering that God is just as well as merciful righteous as well as gracious and he is ready to pardon the penitent so he will by no means clear the guilty Finally when secure sinners hear of the infinite merit of Christs blood how satisfactory it is for the sins of the whole world and therefore much more of a particular person they are willing to perswade themselves of an interest in that blood and thereby of reconciliation and fellowship with God not considering what our Apostle saith in the very next verse the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth from all sin but it is onâ—ly those who walke in the light Thus is the sweetest hony turned into gall by bad stomachs the most wholsome antidotes become poyson to wicked men and the pretious supports of a lively faith are abused to be props of presumption by arrogant hypocrites by reason whereof it is that they are so impudent as to say they hope to have fellowshâ—p with God though they walk in darkness 2. Many who walk in darkness say they have actually this Divine fellowship and are in a state of grace As for the grossest sort of hypocrites who make pretences of religion and holiness a cover of their wickedness they cannot say it in their hearts because their consciences must needs tell them they are wicked and odious in God sight but they say it to the world that they may walk in the dark and accomplish their wicked designs the more secretly speedily and effectually But as for others they say it both in opinion and profession they think and accordingly boast themselves to have communion with God though they walk in the darkness both of sin and error Instances of this nature there want not many in all times of the
state of sin nothing we do can please much lesse pacify he Almighty The truth is to use Ferus his similitude All the works we do are in themselves but as a ring of iron and could not so much as gain acceptance were it not for faith which sets into them as it were the precious gemme of Christs merits 2. He must be capable and able to bear the punishment of our sins There can be no propitiation for without expiation of sin the expiation of sin is by suffering the punishment and the sin being committed against an infinite Majesty the suffering by which it is expiated must be of infinite value in these respects it is impossible that any or all the Angels though holy and just should propitiate God for out sins since as Angels they were not capable of the punishment and though they should have assumed humane nature yet being but finite creatures the worth of their sufferings could not be infinite only Christ in himself being altogether pure and therefore called Iesus Christ the righteous in the end of the former verse and being both God and man and so able as God and capable as man of undergoing such a penalty as should by reason of the infiniteness of his person be of infinite merit is the propitiation for our sins To end this The propitiation here spoken of may be considered several wayes and accordingly it may have several causes as decreed published applyed purchased The decree and intention of this propitiation is the work of the whole Trinity though especially attributed to the Father The declaring and publication of it is the work of Christs Ministers to whom is committed the word of reconciliation The effectual application of it to every one in particular is done principally by the Spirit and instrumentally by faith But still the purchase and procuration of it is only by the blood of Christ nemo praeter illum nemo cum illo there was none besides him there was none to joynâ— with him he alone did undertake and accomplish the work of reconciliation Having briefly and I trust in some measure clearly explicated the explicite truth of this clause give me leave in a few words to apply it 1. In the sense of Gods wrath for our sins whither should we go but to Christ for reconciliation far be it from us to think we can pacify God for our sins by our prayers or teares or almes in all which Gods severe eye of justice would find matter of provocation far be it from us to place our hopes of Gods favour towards us in the merits and mediation of Saints or Angels who themselves are beholding to this Mediatour the truth is Propter filii meritum mater invenit gratiam The Mothers peace was made by the Sonnes blood and therefore to him and him alone let us have recourse as our only Peace-maker And would you know how to go to him I answer by faith accedit qui credit he cometh to who beleeveth on Christ and as there is no propitiation but through him so there is no propitiation through him to us but by laying hold on him in which respect the Apostle doth not only say God hath set forth Christ a propitiation through his blood but through faith in his blood and therefore being sensible of divine pleasure let us embrace Christ in the armes of our faith that God for his sake may be propitious to us 2. In the confidence of this propitiation wrought for us by Christ how infinitely should we account our selves obliged to our blessed Jesus the more to imprint this meditation upon us consider 1. What the benefit is which Christ hath procured propitiation for our sins a benefit which hath many blessings to attend upon it such as are acceptation of our persons and performances nearnesse of union and fulnesse of communion with God boldnesse of accesse to the throne of Grace peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Christ saith to every beleeving soul that hath an interest in his propitiation in words much like those to his disciples Be of good cheer I have pacified the Fathers wrath towards thee God saith to every such person for whom he hath accepted Christs propitiation in words much like those to Ephraim It is my dear Son it is my pleasant child though I spake against thee I do earnestly remember thee I will surely have mercy on thee and 2. Who are we for whom Christ vouchsafed to become a propitiation Jonathan stood between Sauls fury and David a good reason Sauls rage was causelesse David was innocent but Gods anger was just and we were offenders the people mediated between Saul and Ionathan when he tasted of the honey but Ionathan had offended ignorantly we have been wilful presumptuous Rebels Abigail pacified Davids wrath against Nabal but he was her husband Hester diverteth Ahasucrus his rage from the Iewes but they were her countreymen but loe Christ becometh a propitiation for our sinnes who were strangers not allies enemies not friends enemies to him as well as the Father and yet for our sins he propitiateth 3. When there was no other way left of propitiation he undertaketh it I looked saith Christ and there was none to help I wondred that there was none to uphold therefore mine own arm brought salvation If all those glorious Angels had with united endeavours sought to reconcile God to man it could not have been accomplished As God faith in another case Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in the land they should deliver but their own soules they shall deliver neither sonnes nor daughters so he seemed to say in this Though Gabriel Michael yea all the Myriads of Angels had not only intreated but in assumed bodies suffered they should not have propitiated my wrath towards one man for the least sin And as Elishah said to Ahab Were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat I would not look towards thee nor see thee so God saith to us Were it not that I regard the passion and intercession of my Son I would not vouchsafe the least look of grace or favour towards you 4. That Christ might be the propitiation for our sinnes he was pleased to offer himself a sacrifice our blessed Saviour appearing to his disciples after his resurrection Said Peace be to you and shewed them his hands and his feet as if he would say See how dear your peace cost me Thus the case stood we had offended God was provoked wrath was ready to strike us Christ steps in and taketh the blow upon himself and so by his suffering God is pacified towards us And now putting all these together that when none could Christ would and that undertake so great a work as the reconciling offended justice and when no other means would prevaile but blood and death Christ should be willing to lay down his own life and this for our sinnes who were so
need in this age as ever of such a caution wherein such a multitude of deceivers swarme to the endangering of ignorant and unstable Christians 2. To perswade in general a practise agreeable to Christian profession in reference to which he saith These things I write to you that you sin not and in special the practise of that most truly Christian-grace Love which therefore he calleth the message from the beginning It is observed of precious stones that each of them hath a several and peculiar excellency the like is taken notice of in sacred Bookes and the splendour of this is that it is much conversant in describing and prescribing the grace of charity For this reason St. Gregory adviseth those who would be enflamed with this heavenly sire to read St. John whose words are altogether as it were colour'd with love And St. Augustine taking notice of this affirmeth that Charity is the chief thing commended by Saint John in this Epistle And can any admonition be more seasonable to this licentious and malicious Generation That prediction of our Saviour The love of many shall waxe cold was never more verified then in these dayes The best of us need this advice as oleum in flamma oyle to nourish and increase the flame and the most as flamma ad fomitem a coal fetched from the Altar to kindle or recover this fire in us Indeed canting-language affected formes of Religious-speech were never more in use but the reality of a Christian and charitable conversation was never lesse in fashion And if as without doubt that of Solomon be true a word spoken in due season how good is it The discussing of this Epistle which was written for these ends so neerly concerning us cannot but be profitable for and so acceptable to us But 3. Lastly the chief argument which incited me to this undertaking is the comprehensive excellency and utility of the matter contained in this Epistle St. Hierome speaking of all the Catholick Epistles calls them breves pariter longas breves verbis long as sententiis Short and yet long short in phrase but long in sence This is singularly true of this Epistle which as in situation it is the middle so for matter the fullest of them all at once enriched with weight of matter and elegancy of words in which respect Lorinus is bold to say no other Epistle is more divine then this of him who is by the Church called the Divine The truth is a world of heavenly matter is contained in this little Map which that it may the better appear give me leave in few words to delineate it before you The Globe of Divinity parts it self into two hemispheres to wit credenda agenda the things we are to know and believe and the things we are to do and performe both which are here described and therefore those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the second ver of the first Chap. are by Justinian considered as referring to those two heads the bearing witnesse to matters of faith and the showing or declaring to matters of practise Out of this Epistle we may gather an abstract of the things to be known and that concerning God our selves and Christ. 1. Concerning God we may hence be instructed in his nature attributes and persons as to his Nature that he is light and in him no darkness his Attributes that he is faithful just holy righteous pure invisible knowing all things and love it self The Persons that there are three which bear record in heaven the Father the Word the Holy Ghost and these three are one 2. Concerning our selves we may here learn what we are by nature namely lying in wickednesse what we are by grace to wit borne of God and what we shall be in glory like to him seeing him as he is 3. Concerning Christ we have him here characterized in his natures offices acts and benefits 1. In respect of his natures he is as to his Deity called true God and yet more distinctly with reference to his personallity the only begotten Son of God as to his humanity he is said to be sent into the world and so truly man that he was seen heard and handled by the Apostles 2. As to his offices he is here asserted in general to be the Christ and so annointed to those offices and in particular as Priest to take away sin to be the propitiation for our sins and our Advocate with the Father as Prophet by his Spirit to teach us all things and as a King to destroy the works of the devil 3. Most of his Mediatorial acts are here specified his Incarnation where he is said to come in the flesh Passion in that he layeth down his life for us his Resurrection in as much as eternal life is said to be in him and his Ascension and Intercession because he is affirmed to be an Advocate with the Father and his coming again in the day of judgement to appear as Judge of the world 4. Lastly we need not go further then this Epistle to meet with those benefits we obtaine by him in that he giveth his Spirit to us whereby we dwelling in him and he in us have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and by vertue of this forgivenesse of our sins for his Names sake adoption whereby we are called the sons of God Finally Justification by blood Sanctification by water and eternal life 2. Nor are only doctrines of faith but rules of practice deducible from this Epistle 1. Would we know what to avoid this Book teacheth us in general to eschew all sin both describing what it is a transgression of the Law and dehorting us from the commission of it in particular to expell the love of the world to abandon hatred malice and envy to keep our selves from Idols and especially to beware of the sin unto death 2. Would we be instructed what we are to put in practise in this Epistle we are called upon to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ to love God who hath begotten us and to love those who are begotten of him to have the hope of glory fixed in us to declare our repentance by confessing our sins and purifying our selves to overcome the wicked one and the world to conquer the lusts of the flesh to walk as Christ walked by imitation of him and to abide in him by perseverance to hear the Word preached by the Ministers of Christ to aske the things we want according to his will to open bowels of compassion and distribute our worldly goods to our needy brethren finally to do righteousnesse keep Gods commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight In few words there are many golden Threes in Theology which I finde scattered up and down in this Epistle and being put together must needs much ennoble it
they are sent and end for which they are written but yet some of them may be moreful and useful then others such is this if compared with St. JOHNS other Epistles and therefore called first III. The last thing to be discussed in the Title is the Extent of the Epistle signified in that terme Catholick It is the appellation which is given to the seaven Epistles of James Peter Iohn and Iude an Epithet affixed to them as Pareus thinketh rather through inconsideratenesse then any just ground but I think him too rash in that censure Others have sought the reason of it in the number which being septenary is a number of perfection intimating the universal perfection of the Doctrine contained in them in which respect these Epistles have been resembled to wisdomes seven pillars by which her house is supported The Lambs seaven hornes by which Hereticks are pushed at the seven Golden Candlesticks by which the light of Evangelical Doctrine is set up and the seven loaves by which multitudes are nourished but this I conceave to be a fancy rather then a verity There are two reasons given of this Appellation which carrie in them most probability especially the latter 1. This Epistle may be called General according to Oecumenius his notion because it is not directed to one particular person as those to Timothy and Titus nor yet to particular Churches as those to the Romans Corinthians Galatians c. but to the converted Iewes in several parts and in this sence denominatio à majori parte petita the denomination is not from every Epistle since two at least one of St. Iohns Epistles is manifestly directed to a particular person but the greater part as for this first Epistle St. Austin indeed seemeth to assert it as directed to the Parthians but if with Iunius we understand that as an Hebrew word it signifieth as much as the scattered banished or if we take it in the vulgar notion we must know that Parthia was then a potent Kingdome containing under it many oriental Nations through which as Iosephus testifieth abundance of the Iewes were scattered to whom it is not improbable this Epistle might be directed and so this reason of Catholick fitly applied to it 2. But that which at least to me seemeth most rational is that this Title was given them upon their general reception in the Church in which respect they were called Canonical as well as Catholick To clear this you must know that at the first besides those Epistles which carry St. Pauls name in the front of them only the first Epistle of Peter and this of Iohn were universally received Indeed concerning this Epistle of St. Iohn St. Austin saith Per omnes gentes recitatur orbis terrae authoritate retinetur It was received by the whole Christian world from the beginning and to distinguish these from the rest they were then called Catholick and afterwards the other sive being received into the Canon had this name affixed to them for the distinguishing of them from those Epistles of Barnabas Ignatius and Policarpus which though ancient were not taken into the rule of our faith nor was this any diminution to the authority of St. Pauls Epistles but only an intimation that these were now added to those and whereas the other Epistles being written by one man might very well receive a single denomination from him and be called St. Pauls Epistles These being penned by several could not be mentioned joyntly without some such fit and venerable Title annexed to them The useful meditations we may hence take up are that since this Epistle is written generally to the Christians in several places we are to remember it is as well Catholick in respect of several ages Indeed there is no age of man but is herein instructed so he saith himself that he writes to children young men fathers nor is there any age of man since it was written to whom it doth not extend and therefore no lesse concerneth us then those who were then alive And surely as the epistle is generall so our application of it must be particular Every one bringing the lessons of it home to our owne hearts and yet once againe since it was so generally at first receaved therefore we to be the more confirmed in the verity of it and so induced the more strongly to beleeve the assertions and carefully to obey the directions contained in it And thus with what brevity I could I have unfolded the Title page time will not now give me leave to enter upon the Booke it selfe But I hope what hath been already said will prove a good preparative to my ensuing discourses both to give some light for the knowledge of and cause some heat of love towards this parcell of holy writ And my desire to you with which I shall conclude is that though I cannot begin to handle you would begin to read it and as in it selfe it is a familiar kinde of writing so by frequent perusing make it familiar to you and as the penman of it lay in Christs bosome so it may lie in your bosome to be both your comforter councellour till you come to rest in Abrahams bosome to all eternity Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN I. CHAP. ver 1 2 3 4. 1. That which we from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4. And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full THese words are as an head to the body a gate to the field a porch to the building of this epistle An introduction which very much speaketh the writer to be St. John because it is as it were antistrophe evangelii a resounding to the proaeme of his Gospel The gospel begins with In the beginning was the word and this with that which was from the beginning concerning the word of life there a little after The word was made flesh and we saw his glory here the life was manifested and we have seen it vide si non attestatur Epistola sua Evangelio suo saith the Father justly See how the one as it were ecchoeth and answereth to the other so that at the very threshold we may read the builder of this excellent fabrick And as this exordium speaketh the writer so it manifesteth him an Oratour since it fitly agreeth to those rules which Oratory giveth to be observed in praeambles There are three properties in every good exordium convenient length lest if excessive the Oration
be like the little City of Mindas with a great gate suitable aptness fetched from the very bowels of the matter in hand and a profitable efficacy to render the auditory attentive docible and benevolous all of these meet in this preface The length you see consists but of 4. verses whereas the Epistle spreadeth it self into 5. Chapters in respect of its fitness it is taken from the matter it self about which he intended to write not staying the Reader in any needless circumlocutions yea which is almost peculiar to this Apostle not so much as in a salutation of those to whom he writeth Finally it is so fully and exactly composed that it cannot but attain with rational men the ends of a preface since the importance of what he was to speak of being no less than that of life that life eternal it could not but gain attention the perspicuity of it by reason of the manifestation of this life could not but render them docible and the end of the Apostle being their joy and profit and comfort might well command benevolence to him who declareth so much good will towards them And I hope this proaeme being so ample I shall need no other Preface to obtain the like from you than the rehearsing and unfolding this That which was c. The manner of composing these verses by reason of that figure which Rhetoritians call hyperbaton the transposition of words and likewise the interposition of a parenthesis is somewhat dark and obscure And the Greek Scholiast undertaketh to give several reasons of it such as are to let us know that our salvation consisteth not in words but things to prevent the casting of pearles before swine to avoid Heathenish loquacity to express much in a little and to exercise our diligence in finding out the sence and meaning of it And how involved a Labyrinth soever this period may seem I doubt not but by the clue of the spirit we shall extricate our selves out of it The Syriack version hath contributed some light to this dark sentence by placing the principal verb in the front we publish to you that which was from the beginning c. but the sence of these verses will I conceive appear the plainliest by digesting them into those several propositions by which as so many steps we shall orderly ascend to their genuine meaning 1. The word of eternal life which was with the Father was manifested to us 2. This word of life being manifested we have heard and seen with our eyes and looked upon and our hands have handled 3. That which we have thus seen heard and handled concerning this word of life was from the beginning 4. That which was from the beginning and which we have heard seen and handled concerning the word of life we bear witness shew declare and write to you 5. The end of our declaring and writing these things to you is that your joy may be full by having fellowship with us 6. That fellowship which we have and we would you should have together with us is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. That I may proceed both more distinctly and succinctly in discussing these words be pleased to observe in them these two Generals to wit Apostolicum praedicationis studium sublime Evangelii preconium here is The Apostles care of their duty in publishing the Gospel and this according to the English Translation in four but according to the Greek original in three expressions one of them being twice repeated we bear witness we shew we declare and unto you The Gospels excellency which they did publish and this delineated in four characters namely 1. The dignity of its object and that no other than the word of life even that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to them 2. The certainty of its tradition in as much as it was that which they had heard seen with their eyes looked upon and their hands handled 3. The Antiquity of its origination as being that which was from the beginning 4. The utility of the end which is the peoples communion with the Apostles yea with God and Christ in those words that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and by this means the completion of their comfort in those words that your joy may be full These are the several branches of this tree of life through each of which by Divine enablement I shall pass according to the proposed method gathering and distributing those sweet and wholsome fruits which grow upon them The Apostles care of publishing the Gospel is the first considerable and it is that which St. Iohn doth here assert in the behalf not onely of himself but his fellow Apostles for it is not the singular I but the plurall number We nor is this a term of State as sometimes Princes write in a magnificent stile but intended to comprehend the other Apostles together with himself that they might be accounted as faithful as he in this sacred work The expressions by which our Apostle sets forth the exercise of their care are very significant and such indeed as do superadde somewhat at least by way of explication to the other Take them briefly in their order as they lie in the verses 1. The first we meet with is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bear witness This was indeed the chief office to which the Apostles were designed by Christ to bear witness of him and that they might be inabled to the faithful discharge of it he promised he would and accordingly did after his ascension cause them to receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them Not Beloved that Christ stood in need of any human testimony he saith himself I receive no witness from man to wit as wanting it or not having greater his own miraculous works which were done by him did testifie of him the Devils of Hell the Angels in heaven those out of envy these in duty gave witness to him Nay his Father by a wonderful voice from Heaven attested him to be his well-beloved Son it was not then in regard of himself that he ordained the Apostles to be his witnesses but in regard of them and the people of them that he might put this high honour upon them of being as it were Christs Iury. Look as Gods making use of instruments in his providential works is not ex defectu potestatis but abundantia bonitatis want of power but abundance of love whereby he would advance his creatures to that great dignity of being his Servants So Christs appointing his Apostles to be witnesses was not because he stood in need of testimony from them but that he might confer the honour upon them of giving testimony to him and as of them so of the people who having men like themselves to bear testimony to Christ might with the confidence cheerfulnes received it in
expressions with Socinas metaphorically is here very unsuitable because the strength of the argument by which St. Iohn would confirm what he delivered concerning Christ lyeth in the litteral acception that sensible experience they had of him by hearing seeing and handling 3. Those phrases of Word and Life are most frequently when used by this Apostle in all his writings applied to Christ so in the beginning of his Gospel when he saith in the beginning was the word and in him was life it is without controversie spoken of Christ so in the last Chapter of this Epistle the term Word in the enumeration of the Trinity is plainly meant of Christ and this Life is said to be â—n him and again of him no doubt those words are spoken This is the true God and eternal life 4. Adde to all this That which where there is an equal probability of reason on both sides shall ever with me praeponderate the scales is that almost all Expositors as well antient as modern go this way and interpret this concering the person of Christ. And now following this construction you may observe the person of Christ generally denominated and particularly exempl◠〈◊〉 the former in the end of the first and the latter in the greatest part of the second verse of each in their order 1. The General denomination here given to Christ is that he is called the Word of Life and here are two substantives that singly deserve our consideration 1. Christ is called the Word An expression not altogether unknown to those Heathens Trismagistus and Plato which made Amelius swear when he read the beginning of St. Iohns Gospel per Iovem barbarus iste cum nostro Platone sensit verbum esse in ordine principii This Barbarian for so he was in his esteem agreeth with our Plato asserting the word to be in the order of a principle But they being ignorant both of the Trinity and of the Messiah though they had the word could not rightly understand the thing as for the Iews it is very likely it was known to them as the name of the Messiah at that time when St. Iohn wrote because it was often used in the Chaldee language which was then common among them It were easie to multiply places in the Old Testament where when the Hebrew reads Lord the Chaldee paraphrase rendreth it the Word of the Lord thus where the Prophet saith Israel is saved by the Lord the Chaldee read it the word of the Lord and when in the Psalms it is said the Lord said to my Lord the Chaldee read to my word and these may suffice to let us see that the Iews being no strangers to this language could not but be acquainted with this term A Title which St. Iohn of all the Evangelical penmen seemeth most to delight in and therefore it is most frequent in his writings nay indeed onely used by him in the New Testament who is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no wonder if he who was a seraphical writer made so much use of this sublime expression That I may fully and distinctly represent the severall notions of this terme Word among interpreters be pleased to look upon it as capable of a double trope to wit a metaphor and a metonymiâ— 1. This phrase may not unfitly be looked upon as metaphoricall Christ resembled to a word which that I may the better explicate take notice of that known distinction of Word into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceptus mentis sermo oris the inward conceit of the mind and outward speech of the lips to both which the Messiah is not unfitly compared 1. The conceit of the mind is called a word the heart having its language as well as the mouth and speech being nothing else but as it were the eccho of that voice which is in the mind now to this it is which the antients generally refer this title Word when spoken of Christ nor is it without good reason that they conceive the Messiah compared to the internal Word and that in a double respect 1. Primarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of his Father for as the internal word is that off-spring of the mind so is Christ the Son of God as the mind formeth its conceit by understanding the object proposed so the Father generateth his Son by understandâ—ng his own essence as the conceit issueth from the mind without any passion or trouble so is the Son begotten of the Father as the generation of the word in the mind is immaterial and spiritual without any carnal conjunction so is the generation of the Son of God finally as the word which is framed in remaineth with the mind so the Son being begotten of abideth in the Father though withall notwithstanding those analogies there want not many discrepancyes for wheras the internal word is an accident to the mind different from it in essence and after it in time so as though the word could not be without the mind the mind may be without the word Christ is the consubstantial coeternal Son of the Father and as there was no time when the word was without the Father so neither when the Father without his word I cannot let this go without taking notice how gratiously God is pleased to condescend to us in his language that though we cannot comprehend we may apprehend something of those divine mysteries This age hath brought forth a Generation of Preachers who wrap up plain notions in cloudy expressions but they are very unlike the Spirit of God who cloatheth sublime verities in plain similitudes what mysterie in all Divinity more abstruct than that of the generation of the Son of God the Prophet Isaiah is at his quis enarrabit who shall declare it for of this many Fatherâ— understand that question and yet much of it is manifested to us by this common metaphor of a word 2. Secondarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the creatures for as the internal word is that according to which a man effecteth all his actions so is this word principium omnia peragendi the beginning of the creation of God as he calleth himself and by this word it is that all things were made as this Apostle saith in his Gospe And as the internal word may exist in the mind and yet the external work not presently be but the work cannot be unless the word prâ—e-exist in the mind So Christ was from eternity with God before the world was made but the world could not be made without this word It is a consideration which should teach us when we contemplate the worlds goodly fabrick to reflect on Christ the former of it even the Creation if considered by a knowing Christian leadeth not onely to God but Christ nor can we think seriously upon the making of the world except we remember how it was made by a word which word
is Christ. 2. But further the speech of the lips is that to which most properly this term word belongs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dico to speak and truly there wants not a fit analogy in this metaphor it is true there are many things wherein this external word is unlike to Christ as its extrinsicalness to the person its temporary continuance and the like but there is one thing wherein it seemeth aptly to shadow forth Christ to us for as a man maketh known himself to others by his word so is the Father by Christ revealed unto the world some observing the various acceptance of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have taken hold of the signification of definitio and applied it to this present purpose for as the definition doth explicate the thing defined so doth Christ make known the Father but the common signification of the word seemeth sufficiently to illustrate the same truth and so accordingly is taken notice of by the Fathers Irenaeus and Augustine who tell us he is therefore called the Word because by him the Father is made known and through him we come to the saving knowledge of God in this respect it is that Christ is called by the Author to the Hebrews the brightness of his Fathers glory and express character of his person and again by St. Paul the image of God quia patrem suum nobis conspiciendum praebet because he manifesteth his Father to us And yet more particularly as that which a man maketh known of himself by his word is his will intent and purpose so hath the Father by Christ imparted to the world his eternal purpose and counsel concerning mans salvation It is observable that Christ is called the power of God and the wisdom of God and the word of God in Scripture and all fitly he is the wisdom of God because Gods decrees and counsels are as it were made by him the power of God because they are made good and accomplished by him and the word of God because they are made known and promulged by him this is Epiphanius his notion of word he is called saith he the word because he is the interpreter of his Fathers counsels and minde to men and that we may expound Scripture by Scripture me thinketh that of the Author to the Hebrews is a Comment upon this title when he saith God in these last dayes hath spoken to us by his Son who therefore is the word because God by him hath spoken and that most clearly to us It is a distinction not unusual nor irrational which is made between sonus vox and verbum a sound a voice a word a sound being any kinde of noise a voice an artiâ—ulate sound and a word a significant voice The application of it to this present business is very fit the Prophets of the Old Testament they were as a sound Iohn Baptist Christs immediate forerunner was as a voice he is called so the voice of one crying in the wilderness but it is Christ and he onely who is the word distinctly and fully signifying to us the will of God concerning our salvation How great is our happiness beloved who live in these last dayes and how great will be our misery if we be deaf to the word by which in these last dayes God speaketh to us and therefore let that Apostolical counsel be acceptable See that you refuse not him that speaketh rather let us hearken to him learn of him and seek from him divine knowledge The truth is brethren thus the case now stands Eternal life to wit the only way to it is to know the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent no man knoweth the Son but the Father nor the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him This onely begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Yea he counselleth us to buy of him that eye salve by which onely we may see and the voice from heaven chargeth us with This is my welbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him and therefore as Peter said to Christ Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life So let us say Blessed Iesus whither shall we go whom should we hear but thee thou art the word of life 2. I have done with the metaphoricall a word of the metonymical construction and so Christ is called the Word in as much as he is the subject matter of the word and this we shall finde true both in a general and a speciall consideration 1. In general The whole word either mediately or immediately in a proxim or remote way points at Christ to him all the Prophets as well as the Apostles give witness the Scriptures are as the field and Christ is the treasure hid in this field they as the ring and Christ as the diamond of great price which giveth the lustre to it he is the center in which all the lines in holy writ do meet and this word of life is the very soul and life of the word oh let us in the reading of this sacred book break the bone that we may suck the marrow crack the shell that we may feed on the kernel open the Cabinet that we may finde the pearle search the Scriptures that we may meet with Christ in them since as that devout Antient said he found no relish in Tullies Oratorical writings because he could not read Iesus there So the very sweetnes and excellency of the Bible lyeth in this that we may read Iesus as it were in every line of it But 2. In special word is as much as promise when Synecdochically taken and thus as the spirit is sometimes called the promise so Christ is called the word quasi eum dicas de quo locâ—tus vel quem pollicitus est dominus to wit he of whom God speaketh or whom he promised should come into the world in this respect those words of St. Paul fitly explicate the phrase where he tells Agrippa I continue witnessing no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Christ is therefore the word because it is he whom they say should come or to use Zachary his expression he is that horn of salvation which God raiseth up in the house of David as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Moses his great Prophet Balaams star Esaiahs tender plant Jeremies branch Zacharies horn Malachie his Sun are all of them mystical Prophecies and promises of the Messiah It lets us see at once both the goodness and faithfulness of God his goodness in that before he gave his Son he gave the promise of him he was promissus priusquam missus first assured verbally then sent actually and his faithfulness in that as he promised so
Father as a cloak which a man holdeth in his hands is with him but yet without him in this sense with is opposed to in but that in this construction it cannot be verified of Christ is plain because he is said not onely to be with but in the Father 2. Not an inferiority as it is sometimes used when he that is said to be with doth after a sort depend upon the person with whom he is in a way of subordination and subjection in which respect the Son is said to be with his Father the servant with his Master and the like As for the eternal Son of God St. Paul saith he holdeth it no robbery to be equal with God and therefore his being with cannot infer a disparity indeed this expression is true reciprocally the Father with and in the Son as well as the Son in and with the Father the three persons being mutually with each other and none superiour to the other But 2. Affirmatively this exposition noteth 1. The secrecy of Christs subsistence before he came into the world he was with the Father to wit in his bosome and so hid from the world as things in the bosome are recluse from common view and the opposition of this with the Father to manifesting giveth some ground for this construction 2. The distinct personality of the Son from the Father with the Father that is subsisting with the Father and though not divided yet distinguished from him hence it is that St. Ambrose maketh use of this place to stop the mouth of Sabellius who would confound the persons the same person cannot be said to be with himself but with another person and therefore the life which is with the Father must be a distinct person from the Father 3. The essential unity between the Father and the Son He that is with another though he is distinct from yet he must be neer to or else he could not be said to be with him nor are we to imagine this with when spoken of the Divine persons to note a local as a man who is in the same place is said to be with another but an essential union whereby though they are personally distinguished yet they are essentially united and in this respect St. Ambrose maketh use of this phrase to confute Eudoxius and Eunomius This then is the Catholick faith the Father and the Son are alius and alius another and another person but not aliud and aliud another and another thing and this Praeposition with may serve fitly to connote both these 4. Lastly the Sons eternity may be insinuated in this Praeposition in as much as with stands in opposition to before and behinde as the Son could not be before so neither is he after the Father but with him and therefore as the Father is eternal so also is the Son Indeed in humane generation the Son is after but in Divine the Son is with the Father nor can any moment be assigned to the Father wherein the Son was not This will yet further appear by 3. The Verb which is set down in the Praeterimperfect tense and that we may comprize the full of it take it in a double opposition to the Present and the Praeterfect-tense 1. It is not said which is with the Father St. Iohn might have said so of him as man he being then ascended to heaven and set down at the right hand of his Father but here speaking of him as God he useth the past-time he was that is from all eternity with the Father so that if any shall be so curious as to ask where this life was before it was manifested Christ was before incarnate the answer is he was with the Father by which the heresie of Elion and Cerinthus falls to the ground who deny him any being before he was born of his mother upon this account it is that Tertullian saith excellently The father was alone before he made the world and yet he was not alone because the eternal life was with him and in this respect wisdome saith the Lord not created according to the unhappy mistake of the Greek but possessed me according to the true meaning of the Hebrew to wit as a Father is said to possess his son and this in the beginning of his way before his works of old to wit as it followeth in the next verse from everlasting suitably hereunto Christ mentions a glory which he had with the Father before the world was from whence an Antient strongly argueth that he was with the Father from all eternity since he could not have had that glory if himself had not been Besides when we find these two words eternal and was here put together we have reason to conceive that eternity is to be taken in its most proper notion as it excludes not onely ending but beginning accoâ—ding to which it were a contradiction in terminis to say this eternall life was not with the Father from everlasting 2. It is not said which hath been but which was to note that his subsistence with the Father is not now at an end but this eternal life still remaineth with the Father for that Aquinas maketh the notion of this word was importing a thing so to have been as that it doth not cease to be and therefore when Christ is said to come forth from the Father it must not be taken in a rigid sense is best explain'd by this phrase of manifesting his making himself known to the world in our nature being all that is meant by his coming forth from the Father for the truth is he so was as that he still is and for ever shall be with the Father and in this respect it is not unworthy our observation that the Apostle doth not say which was with the Father and is now separated from him but onely is now manifested to us to wit so as that this life still is with him and that to eternity To end this let the meditation hereof 1. Comfort us in as much as it assureth us that Christ is very fit for the work he undertaketh and therefore will accomplish it The great designe of the Messiah is to reconcile us to the Father and who fitter to do this than he that was with the Father Indeed he that is here said to be with is elsewhere said to be in the bosome of the Father and who more fit to make our peace than he who lyeth in the Fathers bosome upon which ground is that expression of St. Paul He hath made us accepted in his beloved Christ and the Father are one by nature Let us not doubt but he hath prevailed to make us one with God by Grace now and by glory hereafter 2. Encourage us against that contempt and scorn which is cast upon Christian Religion as if we did place our trust in a meer man and therefore the Iews upbraid us with that curse in the Prophecy of Ieremy Cursed
be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm but he is not a meer man whom we trust in and therefore that curse doth not belong to us for as he became man of his mother in the fulness of time so he was God with his Father before all time 3. Exhort us to adore this eternal life which is with the Father with the same reverence and worship we give to the Father we need not fear idolatry when as it is expressely said that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father let then St. Ambrose his pithy counsel take place in spight of blasphemous Hereticks Iungat honorificientia patri filium quem junxit divinitas as the Father and the Son are joyned together in unity of essence so let us joyn them together in unity of worship saying in words not much unlike those of the Elders worthy art thou oh Iesus to receive glory and honour and power for thou art that eternal life which was with the Father 3. The last character remaineth which belongs to Christ as man set forth in the word manifested which as being of singular concernment is twice repeated to wit both in the beginning and the end of the second verse for the better explication whereof these three things are briefly to be considered What this manifestation imports Who it is that was thus manifested Why the thing here intended is called a manifestation 1. As to the first of these quaeries it is generally answered that by this manifestation we are to understand the incarnation of the Son of God nor is it without sufficient reason since 1. This phrase is manifestly used elsewhere in this sense so by St. Paul with that explicatory additament when he saith God was manifested in the flesh nay without any addition when he speakes of the appearing of Iesus Christ and which yet more confirms it by our Apostle himself in this Epistle and that twice in one Chapter he was manifested and the Son of God was manifested that is as all agree incarnated But 2. Besides these parallel Scriptures there is a convincing Argument in the Text it self to which end you may be pleâ—sed to observe that this parenthesis is interserted by the Apostle on purpose to prevent an objection that might be made against and so add a confirmation to what is asserted in the precedent verse whereas St. Iohn there saith he and the rest heard saw and handled the word of life it might be asked How could this be this living word being spiritual and immaterial to which he implicitly answereth by adding and the life was manifested to wit in the flesh in which respect the and after the Hebrew phrase may well be construed for this being a strong reason to prove that this word of life might be seen by them since he was manifested to them yea which giveth much light and addeth much strength to the verity of this Exposition the Apostle immediately knitteth these two together manifesting and seeing the life was manifested and we have seen it whereby it appeareth that the manifestation spoken of is such as was visible and therefore must be corporeal since onely that which is corporeal is visible 2. That the manifestation is the incarnation is clear but it would be further inquired who it is that was thus manifested the answer to which appeareth by those two Characters the word of life and the life which was with the Father it was not then the Father himself but the word with the Father the second person in the sacred Trinity that was incarnated True it is the divine essence was incarnate and therefore St. Paul saith God manifested because the whole divine nature is in every person but yet onely as in one of the persons and therefore our Apostle saith as here the word so elsewhere the Son of God was manifested It is true that as all external works so this of the incarnation belongs to the whole Trinity but yet the termination of this work was onely in the Son as three persons may make a garment and onely one weareth it or three persons conclude a match and onely one of them the Person married If it shall be further inquired why the word the second person was manifested divers reasons are given in answer by the Antients 1 By the word all things were at first made fit it is that the new as well as the old creation should be his work 2 This word is the image of the Father and therefore most fit to restore the image of God in man 3 The third is the middle person in the Trinity and therefore most fit to be Mediator between God and man 4 He is the word to reveal his Fathers will to the world and therefore he fittest to be manifested in the flesh for this end 5 He onely the Son and therefore most suitable for him to become the Son of man that he might make us the Sonnes of God 6 In a word had either the Father or the Holy Ghost been incarnate there must have been two sonnes in the Trinity which were incongruous 7 But when all is said that which we must acquiesce in is the good pleasure of the blessed Trinity by whose mutual consent the second person the Son of God the word of life was made flesh and so manifested 3. The last quaere cometh now to be unfolded Why the thing here intended is called a manifestation whereby we shall see the aptitude of this phrase and to this end I shall answer it both by way of remotion and of position 1. We must not by any means construe this phrase in favour of those who deny Christ to have a reall body as if Christs coming into the world were onely a phantasme or apparition a manifestation in but no real assumption of the flesh In opposition to this heresie Athanasius saith solidly That as in the manifestation of this word there was no transmutation of the God-head into flesh so neither a phantastical representation but a true assumption of flesh It is true the Holy Ghost onely appeared in the shape of a Dove but he came not to redeem doves Christ came to redeem man and therefore would be truly man 2. But if you will know the true reason of this expression it is because the Deity in our flesh hath most clearly manifested it self to men The Fathers phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not much unlike those Scripture expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gregory Nazianzen enquiring why Christs Nativity is called by this name giveth this pregnant reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God made himself in a special manner manifest to the world by coming into it The truth is never did God so familiarly reveal himself as when he took our nature Indeed there is a manifestation of God in the works of his Creation
and remotus the proxime and immediate end is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred fellowship the remote end which is indeed the effect of the former is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual joy The first of these is set down in these words That you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ wherein this end of the Gospel and the declarers of it is propounded and expounded that in the former and this in the latter clause which is inclosed in a parenthesis 1. The proposition is That you also may have fellowship with us which that we may handle in its fullest latitude we shall consider it both absolutely as a benefit and relatively as an end 1. You have fellowshâ—p with us is a choice benefit and such as may be construed two wayes That you and we may have fellowship together That you may have the same fellowship which we have Zanchy expounds it of the former Gagnetus of the latter Marlorate taketh in both so shall I the one indeed following upon the other since being in fellowship with the Apostles they became partakers of the same priviledge that they had though this latter is that which I conceive the most genuine sence and therefore I shall especially insist upon 1. The benefit here understood may be the joyning of these converted Christians into one body with the Apostles whilest they by embracing the Apostles writings and acknowledging the truth of what they declare became members of the Church whereof the Apostles were the Planters And surely this is no small comfort that all believers how different soever in offices and degrees how distant soever in place and habitation have yet a spiritual fellowship with one another to wit in as much as they are fellow worshippers of the same God fellow Subjects of the same Lord fellow souldiers under one Captain fellow sheep in the same fold fellow servants under one Master fellow brethren of the same Parents fellow stones in the same building fellow members in the same body And look as in corporations and societies though the particular members are never so remote one from the other yet in as much as they all belong to the same society they are said to have fellowship each with other So is it in the Christian Church and this relation is that which as it carryeth in it dignity it being in Theodosius his opinion and not unjustly a greater honour to be membrum Ecclesiae then Caput Imperii a member of the Church then Head of an Empire so also manifold duties of mutual love and amity one towards another of earnest and devout prayer one for another of sympathy and fellow feeling one with another of imparting all manner of talents one to another because they are members one of another But 2. The more genuine construction of this benefit is to interpret it the intituling of them to whom he wrote to the same fellowship and partaking to wit of God and Christ as it followeth in the next words which he with the rest of the Apostles had as if he should say these priviledges which hitherto we enjoyed alone we now by writing the Gospel communicate to you we are the first members of the Church but not the whole body and therefore you as well as we are capable of the same benefits And it is a tacite prevention of an objection which might be made for whereas when the Apostle saith we write the things we have seen concerning Christ they might say or think what is this to us we have not cannot see or handle him it is a priviledge not possible for us to attain to this these words implicitly return an answer that by the Apostles writing what they saw they to wit believing the truth of what was written might have fellowship with them and thus it is true of all Christians who by faith have fellowship with Christ as well as the Apostles though they never saw him because the same interest in his person his merits and those good things which are purchased by him Excellently to this purpose St. Austin on this very place they saw and we do not and yet we are partakers of the same benefits with them because we believe in Christ as well as they It is very observable in this respect that our blessed Saviour himself as in one place he tells his disciples blessed are your eyes for you see so in another place he tells them blessed are they which have not seen and yet have believed we then who are there no doubt pointed at are as well happy as the disciples and as they had they not believed in Christ would have been miserable though they saw him so we believing in him are blessed though we cannot see him yea eo magis beati in credendo quo minus expediâ—i in videndo the want of sight evidenceth our faith so much the more amiable Oh let us set an high estimate upon this grace of faith which giveth us an interest in Christ as well as the Apostles it is very observable what the Apostle Peter saith of those to whom he wrote that they had obtained the like pretious faith with him and the rest of the Apostles indeed of all divine gifts faith is not of the least price and their faith which saw not Christ is a like pretious with them that did because it instateth them in the same fellowship and therefore how should we Christians value our faith But 2. That you may have fellowship argueth these words to be set down as the end which the Holy Ghost aimed at in declaring and writing to them not onely that they might know those things to be true but that they might reap the same benefit by them which the Apostles had thus as the Sun shineth that others may partake of the same light with it self and the fountain sends forth water that others may participate of it so do these Apostles write that the people might relish the same sweetness in Christ which they had tasted It is that which is observable in the Apostles considered under a double notion as Pastors as Christians 1. As Pastors we see in them what is the aim of a true Minister of the Gospel not so much his own as his peoples benefit St. Iohn doth not say we write that we may participate with you to wit in your temporals but that you may participate with us in our spirituals true this is the peoples duty to the Pastor according to that Apostolical precept let him that is taught communicate to him that teacheth in all good things but this is not that the Pastor aimeth at in declaring the Gospel to the people but rather that he may be an instrument to communicate those better things to them Indeed as St. Paul observeth false teachers suppose gain to be godliness minding nothing more than their own carnall
advantage but the true Apostles esteem godliness gain and therefore chiefly aim at the peoples spiritual benefit and truly this is that which as Calvin noteth should be a singular means to gain your credence to our writing our declarings why will you not believe our report regard our message when our end is onely your good that you may partake the same benefit with us 2. As Christians we may in them behold the frame of a truly pious heart to desire that others may have fellowship with it self in the same spiritual enjoyments good Christians are no niggards of their heavenly dainties they love not to eat their morsels alone but invite others to the same participation hence that wish of Moses would all the Lords people were Prophets and of St. Paul that all were as he except his bonds upon this ground it was that Philip having found Christ called Nathanael and the woman of Samaria having met with the Messiah inviteth her friends to the sight and knowledge of him and if you desire the reason it is plain Because 1. The bringing others into the same fellowship with themselves is a means of inlarging the Kingdom of Christ and so of advancing the glory of God Religion teacheth every good man to pray hallowed be thy name and thy kingdome come and surely we cannot pray this cordially if we desire not endeavour not that which tends to both the winningmen to the faith of Christ. 2. The gaining others to their fellowship will be the means of making them for ever happy and therefore as in zeal for Gods glory so in charity to the soules of their brethren they cannot but desire it this is the different temper of envy and charity envy thinketh it a small matter to be happy it self unless another may be unhappy charity would not be happy alone but striveth to draw in company this Aretius giveth as the sence of these words here We love you as our selves and therefore wish you as well as our selves that you may have fellowship with us 3. The bringing in others is no diminution to themselves it is the manifest difference between spiritual and temporal riches those diminish by imparting but not these Godly men well know that if others have more they shall not therefore have the less and it were strange not to wish a courtesie to another when it may be no injury to our selves the musick is not the less harmonious to thee because others hear it nor doth the candle the less enlighten thee because others see by it as well as thy self nor is our participation of heavenly things the less because others have the same fellowship with us To end this let the same mind be in us that was in these holy Apostles and is in all good Christians Indeed it is that which in a bad way is usually the practice both of the Devil and wicked men the Devil being himself fallen never ceased till he drew Adam into the same pit with him ungodly men would have all partners in the same wickedness wretchedness with themselves they say Come with us cast in thy lot among us let us all have one purse and by these words they seek to intice and inveigle inconsiderate persons for this reason it was that that Epicure Heliogobalus took care for the training up of his Son in the same luxuriant courses wherein himself lived Now there is an oblique imitation even of wicked men which is commendable as sin is boundless so grace must be abounding as sin is infectious so grace must be communicative evill men decrease from bad to worse holy men must increase from good to better wicked men strive to make others as bad or worse than themselves good men must indeavour to make others as holy and as happy as themselves thus we may learn even of the worst of men but rather let Christs Apostles be our Tutors his Disciples our School-Master Thus let believing masters instruct their servants parents teach their children friends admonish their friends and godly Ministers exhort their hearers as here the Apostles did declare and write to the people for this very end that they might bring them into the same blessed fellowship with themselves THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 3. part last And truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. THe Person of Christ is of all others the most amiable and excellent hence the Psalmist saith mystically of him thou art fairer than the children of men as being indeed more than a meer Son of man and the Spouse in the Canticles being asked in contempt by the daughters of Ierusalem what is thy beloved more than another beloved returneth that high yet deserved encomium my beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand The doctrine of Christ is that then which none more certain and undoubted in which respect the main fundamental axiome of Christs coming into the world is called by St. Paul a faiâ—hfull saying and the whole Gosspel by St. Iames the word of truth there being infallible verity and fidelity in evangelical sayings The sincere professors of Christ are such as none else but they can be truly happy and blessed hence it is that they are dignified by the Apostle Peter with these honourable titles of a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation and a peculiar people And now beloved if you look into this short exordium you shall finde each of these briefly and pithily handled The Gospels certainty as being most ancient and evident is evinced in the first verse Christs excellency as being the word of life that eternall life is insisted on in part of the first and the second verse finally the faelicity of a Christian as being one that hath fellowship with God and Christ and thereby fulness of joy is characterized in the third and fourth verses well may this golden three invite us once and again nay often to look into and peruse this choice preface That which was from the beginning c. We are now come according to our proposed method to the last branch of the second General the commendation of the Gospel from the utility of its end and having made entrance upon the first end as it is propounded in those words that you also may have fellowship with us we are now to handle the Exposition of it in the following and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. Which words are a plain assertion unfolding the dignity and excellency of that fellowship which the Apostles and all believers with them have inasmuch as it is a fellowship with the Father and his Son it is that which our translators set down with an asseveration truly conceiving this to be the emphasis of the pleonasm which is in the Greek The Greek word which is here rendred fellowship admits both in sacred and prophane Writs of a double construction as
signifying either communio or communicatio communion and fellowship or communication and partnership and though in some places onely one of those can well be admitted yet here I conceive both may very well consist and the Apostle may be probably thought to intend that intimate communion which believers have with and by vertue hereof the liberall communication they receive from the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. To unlock this Cabinet and shew you the rich pearl contained in it give me leave to consider it both generally and particularly in generall what maketh up this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship here mentioned and in particular as this fellowship is expressed to be with two of the persons in the sacred Trinity the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. 1. The substance of the benefit will be discovered in the general dicussion and that you may the more distinctly understand it proceed with me by â—hese four steps which are as so many degrees of this fellowship namely amicable reconciliation effectuall regeneration comfortable association and compleat glorification 1. The rice and inchoation of this fellowship is reconciliation whereby God of an enemy becomes a friend and receiveth us into favour to this purpose is Ferus his paraphrase to have fellowship saith he is to be in Covenant with God to be one of the number of those to whom he vouchsafeth his special love accordingly this phrase may be interpreted by that of St. Paul where he saith we have peace with God and he hath made us accepted The truth is we all by nature are not onely strangers but enemies and where there is hostility there can be no society so that we begin not to have fellowship with till we are reconciled to God This reconciliation of God to penitent believing sinners is most elegantly and sweetly shadowed forth under the Fathers gracious behaviour towards the returning prodigal no sooner doth his Son set foot forward to come home but his Father saw him there were eyes of love had compassion on him there were bowels of love and ran to him with feet of love and fell on his neck there were armes of love and kissed him with lips of love by all which expressions we may gather what a tender dear affection of amity there is in God towards penitents which is the foundation of this fellowship 2. The concomitant of this reconciliation is regeneration since whosoever is accepted by God hath stamped upon him the image of God and so doth after a sort partake with God To clear this you must know that there can be no fellowship where there is not some similitude in which respect saith one upon my Text This fellowship with God is by likeness to him for this reason at first it was that Almighâ—â— God intending man a creature to have fellowship with â—â—mself made him after his own image nor can we be admitted into this fellowship unless this image be renewed in and restored to us now this image of God is nothing else but the communication of such qualities as resemble those which for this very reason the Schools call the communicable attributes of God such are his holiness goodness mercy justice truth and the like and because holiness is the chief yea after a sort comprehensive of the rest therefore especially in this is the image of God placed and so this fellowship with God is a participation with him in purity and sanctity and may therefore fitly be explained by St. Peters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partaking of the divine nature or St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partaking of his holiness 3. The progress of this fellowship is in that sweet communion which believers being thus reconciled and regenerated have with God so that there is though not an aequality far be it from us to make such a blasphemous construction of this phrase yet a neer and intimate familiarity in which respect God and a Christian may be said to walk to talk to feast nay to lodge and dwell together Believers walk with God in a holy Subjection God walketh with believers in affording them gratious protection Believers speak to God in devout supplications God speaketh to believers in spiritual consolations Believers feast God with their graces God feasteth Believers with his joyes Finally Believers inhabit in the secret of the most high and God reposeth himself in the bosome of believers hence occurre those phrases of Gods being with us and our walking with God of our having access to God and his coming down to us of our supping with him and his supping with us of our dwelling in God and God in us we being to speak it with holy reverence as it were convivae his fellow commoners conviatores fellow travellers yea contubernales chamber fellows Adde to this 4. The consummation of this fellowship is in the other world where there shall be a full communication of the image of God to us whereby we shall partake of purity life and immortality of unspotetd holinesse and indeficient happinesse when we shall have the clear vision of God face to face and by vertue of that a full fruition of him so farre as a created nature is capable of and all this without the least interruption intermission cessation This fellowship is that which for the present we have though not re in actual possession yet spe in certain expectation that participation and communion which we have here by grace being an earnest and pledge asring us of that we shall have hereafter by glory and this shall suffice to be spoken in generall of the nature of this fellowship 2. The further amplification of this fellowship is in that here are two persons specified and though it be one and the same fellowship which we have with all the persons yet inasmuch as two of them are severally mentioned it may well admit of a distinct consideration 1. This fellowship is said to be with the Father It is very observable to the understanding of this that the Father being the first person in the Deity is the primary original and fountain of all communication to the creature whence it is that those Acts which the Deity is pleased to exercise towards the creature are though not exclusively yet for the most part expresly assigned in Scripture to the Father thus the Father is said to come and dwell with us the Father is he that hath begotten us agaâ—n to a lively hope finally the Father is said to blesse us with all spirituall blessings No wonder if this fellowship is here said to be with the Father The neerness of this fellowship which we have with the Father is represented by a gradation of allusions in Scripture all which do excellently illustrate this truth There is some kind of participation that a servant hath with his Master yet greater is that which one friend hath with another yet greatest is that which a son hath with his Father
in all these relations we stand to the Father we his servants and he our Lord Nay not only servants but friends and therefore we read not onely of Moses the servant but Abraham the friend of God nay we are adopted to be sons and therefore it is no presumption to say our fellowship is with the because our Father 2. This fellowship is said to be with his Son Jesus Christ which may very well admit of a double construction either Our fellowship is not only with the Father but his Son or Our fellowship with the Father is by and through that fellowship which we have with the Son 1. Our fellowship which we have with the father is also with his Son Iesus Christ. There is a generation of men indeed in the Romish Church who challenge this as their peculiar to be è societate Iesu Iesuites Iebusites rather such who whilest they pretend to be of the society of Iesus are in truth limbs of Antichrist and one day this Iesus will give them little thanks for this arrogant assumption of his name whilest they stand in opposition to his truth As for the reall priviledge of having society with Christ Iesus it is not be appropiated to any order of men but is justly applicable to every Christian. This fellowship which we have with Christ is set forth in various similitudes such as are these of the head and the members root and branches foundation and building husband and wife and look what participation the members have with the head receiving sence and motion from it the branches with the root which communicate to them sap and juice the building with the foundation by which it is sustained and upheld finally the wife with the husband having an interest in his person goods what ever he is and hath the same hath every Christian with Christ who communicateth himself with all his merits and benefits unto him Indeed as the Apostle tells us It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell and this not for himself but us that we as the Evangelist speaketh might of his fulness receive grace for grace If you would yet have a more distinct explanation of this fellowship consider it in reference to each of these Titles which are here used we having fellowship with him as Gods Son as our Iesus and as Christ. 1. We have fellowship with him as he is Gods Son in as much as we participate of his Sonship and inheritance Christ though the onely begotten yet maketh us the adopted sons of God and therefore our Apostle saith in his Gospel To as many as receive him he giveth this power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name in this respect Christ tells his Disciples I go to my Father and your Father Indeed he saith not our Father because Christs filiation is of another kind than ours but mine and yours not only mine but yours Christ communicates to all believers by grace that which himself had by nature and as thus we have fellowship with him in the Sonship so likewise in the inheritance as the inheritance is Christs by natural right so he conveyeth it to us by deed of gift and therefore the Apostle Paul saith that being children we are heires heirs of God joint heirs with Christ. 2. We have fellowship with him as Iesus in as much as it is to believers that he becometh effectually a Iesus according to that expression of the Angel when he gave this name to him For he shall save his people from their sins indeed we are sick of sin and Iesus is our Physitian we are captives to Satan and Iesus is our Redeemer we are at enmity with God and Iesus is our Peace-maker we are in danger and Iesus is our deliverer Finally we are indebted and Iesus is our surety Now as the Patient partaketh of health by his Physitian the captive of liberty by his Redeemer enemies are reconciled by their Peace-maker the afflicted saved by their deliverer and the debter is acquitted by his surety so have we by this Iesus a participation of pardon peace liberty and salvation 3. We have fellowship with him as Christ and that whether you look upon the mediatorial offices he was pleased to undertake or the mediatorial acts he performed 1. Christ signifyeth as much as annointed and we have an unction too he was indeed annointed with the oyle of gladness above his fellows but yet so as that we are fellow partakers with him of this oyntment in which respect St. Hierom well observeth that the very name of this unction is communicated to us who from Christ are called Christians Yet more distinctly there is a threefold office to which Christ was annointed in each of which we have fellowship with him namely prophetical sacerdotall and regall St. Paul saith concerning Christ Iesus that he of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness and sanctification and redemption as he is a Prophet he is made to us wisdome enlightning and informing our ignorance as Priest he is made to us righteousness absolving us from the guilt of our sin whereby our persons are justified and services accepted as King he is made to us sanctification enabling us to mortifie our lusts and to live holily thus he becometh a Christ and being a Christ he is a Iesus also and thereby Redemption to us In respect of this participation with Christ in his offices it is that we are not onely in generall called Christians but in particular said to be Kings and Priests to God the Father and that of his making and the Christian Church is called a royall Priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable by Iesus Christ. 2. This Iesus being thus annointed for the accomplishing of our salvation and the completion of his offices performed many acts he was born crucified dead buried he rose again and ascended into heaven and in all these we have fellowship with him with his birth in our new birth and regeneration with his cross in our sufferings with his death in the mortification of our lusts with his buriall in the progress of that work with his resurrection in our newness of life and with his ascension in our heavenly conversation This is that which the Apostle Paul often intimateth in those phrases we are buried with him we are planted into the likeness of his death our old man is crucified with him and you are risen together with Christ yea yet more sutably in those expressions the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship the same word with this in my text of his sufferings This being that which every Christian more or less experimentally knoweth and wherein he hath a conformity to and so a fellowship with Christ. 2. But this is not all that the Apostle here insinuateth those words and with his Son Iesus Christ being not onely a further enlargement of this participation in that it
because they miss the way that leadeth to it would you then beloved enjoy that joy you so earnestly desire and partake of the content you so industriously strive for turn in hither follow the Apostles dictates who wrote this Epistle that it may be subservient to this very end for so he telleth us himself These things we write that your joy may be full I find in the Greek Copies a double reading of the pronoun in this clause whilest in some it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those a pronoun of the second person referring to them to whom the Apostles wrote to which accords our translation your joy in these a pronoun of the first person respecting the Apostles who did write and so may be rendered our joy both of these constructions are both agreeable to the analogy of Faith and sutable to the scope of the Apostle and therefore I shall omit neither 1. The most and the best Copies read it your and therefore on this I shall chiefly insist but before I enter upon the sence of this clause it would not be passed by that the phrase is such as our blessed Lord himself was pleased to use once and again If you cast your eyes upon that large and excellent valedictory Sermon of Christ to his Disciples in the Gospel of S. Iohn you shall find this expression twice mentioned These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy might be full and again ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full and now as Scholars use to imitate their Masters language and one freind affecteth those forms of speech which the other is frequent in so doth this beloved disciple in that stile in which Christ spake to his disciples He speaketh to his children indeed it is not only observable in this but those other phrases of keeping Christs Commandements of loving one another of abiding in Christ and the like which as you find them to be Christs in the Gospel so here they are used by S. Iohn in the Epistle thus lying in his Masters bosome he sucked in as it were the phrases which dropped from his lips and here mellifluously poureth them out To let go the phrase that we may take in the sence and scope of the words be pleased to look upon them in a double reference either to the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth verse 1. Refer this clause to the end of the former verse and then the choice truth here insinuated is that by fellowship with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ Beleivers have fulness of joy or if you please take it thus the joy which Beleevers have in fellowship with God and Christ is a full joy For the better explication of which assertion I shall demonstrate it to be true in a double notion to wit de praesenti de futuro both here and hereafter for of both I find Expositors interpreting these words 1. The joy which Beleevers have for the present in this fellowship is a full joy The truth of which will the better appear if we consider it not only positively but oppositively assertively but exclusively it being true of this joy and no other that it is a full joy What ever we have in fellowship with the creature is a false a vain an empty joy a shadow nay to use the Greek Poets phrase a dream of a shadow reall substantial solid full joy is onely to be found in fellowship with God in Christ more particularly to illustrate this truth be pleased to know that this joy and this alone is a full joy in respect of its adjuncts effects objects 1. There are two adjuncts peculiar to this joy which demonstrate its fulness to wit the sincerity and the permanency of it 1. This joy is a sincere cordial joy a full showre of rain is that which doth not onely wet the surface but sink into the ground be-dew the branches but go down to the root That is a full joy which doth not onely fill the face with laughter but the heart with comfort and such yea such alone is this joy Caeterae hilariâ—ates non implent pectus sed frontem remitâ—unt saith Seneca worldly joy smooth the countenance but have no influence upon the soul nay many times to use Guadulupensis his comparison as sweet juicy plumbs have stones with a bitter kernell within them so to give the reddition in Solomons words even in laughter the heart is sorrowful wicked worldly men for the most part do but counterfeit a mirth like a Commander in a desperate battel to borrow Seneca his similitude who lest his Souldiers should run away sets a good face on it speaks cheerfully whilest yet his heart akes but this joy is such that it doth not onely with oyle cause the face to shine but with wine make the heart glad the blessed Virgins expression is my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour and David saith thou hast put gladness in my heart Indeed Hilaris cum pondere virtus The Ioy of Religion is not a lâ—ght joy which onely swimmeth at the top but weighty and sinks down to the bottom of the heart so as it exhilarateth the inmost parts it maketh the minde like the upper region of the air without any clouds of sorrow or if you will like heaven it self where there is nothing but light of joy in a word this spiritual fellowship maketh the heart merry which as the Wise man saith is a continual feast 2. This joy is a permanent lasting joy that is most truly said to be full which doth not fail and such onely is this Divine joy other joyes are such as before they come we make great account of but when they are come we cannot keep nay we quickly grow weary of and as the flower often sheds before the leaf fade so the joy vanisheth whilest yet the thing remaineth in this respect we may say of worldly joy it is satiating but not satisfying glutting and yet not filling like some meats which nauseat the stomack and do not fill the belly but Christian joy is that which we can never have enough of of this society and the joy in it there is no satiety and though it be a full joy yet we are never so full of it here but we desire more whilest both the desire obtaineth fruition and the fruition increaseth the desire indeed this water quencheth our thirst as to any thing else all other joyes seeming vain worthless to him that hath this but in respect of it self it is still kindling new flames of love excellently hath St. Gregory to this purpose observed the difference between corporal and spiritual delights those when we want them are coveted when we have them are loathed those are onely loathed by those who want them but still coveted by those who taste them Besides
we shall drink deep of the river of pleasure Now we have onely the first fruits hereafter our joy shall be as the joy of harvest Finally now the joy of the Lord enters into us but then it is we shall enter into the joy of the Lord and be as it were swallowed up in the boundless ocean of that joy the truth is according to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our exultation answereth our participation because this fellowship cannot be perfect till we come to heaven where we shall fully enjoy sanctity and immortality with God and Christ for ever therefore then and not till then shall this be verified our joy shall be filled And now to tell you how full that joy shall be I want words St. Peter speaking of our joy which we have in believing calls it unspeakable and full of glory indeed sentire est cordis dicere non est oris the heart feeleth what the tongue cannot express but oh then how glorious and not onely unspeakable but unconceivable shall that joy be in seeing Surely as when Christ miraculated wine he filled the vessels to the brim so shall he fill the vessels of our souls in that day with the water of joy to the very brim so as there shall not be the least deficiency but an abundance yea a superabundance both over and everflowing to make glad the inhabitants of that heavenly City to all eternity What then is the inference which we are to draw from hence but that we learn what joy to seek after namely that which is full and wherein to that end to place it namely in fellowship with God and Christ. Beloved it is a false slander an odious calumny which by black mouths is belched forth against Christianity as if it were an enemy to all joy whereas it doth not extirpate but ordinate our joy teaching us to place it on the right object you are mistaken when you think that we would rob you of your comfort and spoile your mirth no brethren our aim in indeavouring to bring you to God and Christ is to use Seneca's phrase upon better grounds that you might never want mirth or according to St. Pauls expression that you may rejoyce evermore Indeed this is our scope to confine your carnall joy or rather refine it that it may be pure spirituall and heavenly Oh that you would at last be wise and fix your joy in the right center by elevating it to the things above how should you say with that penitent Father Far be it Lord far be it from the heart of thy servant that I should account my self happy by any earthly joy that is the joy which is not given to the wicked but onely to them who serve thee whose joy thou thy self art and that is the blessed life to rejoyce of thee in thee for thee that is it and no other or in words not much unlike those of St. Paul God forbid that we should rejoyce in any thing save in fellowship with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. 2. Refer this clause to the former part of this verse and then the truth which is manifestly implyed is that those things which the holy men of God did write are able to give fulness of joy This is the doctrine which I shall endeavour to illustrate both generally of all the holy writings and particularly of the Apostolical writings 1. There is fulness of joy to be had in the holy Scriptures this was that which David experienced and therefore affirmeth concerning himself that the words of God were sweet to his taste and he rejoyced in them as one that found a great spoyle and that holy man Ambrose upon those words breaketh forth into these expressions I have great cause to rejoyce for I have found the spoyles for which I have not laboured I have found the Pentateuch of Moses the writings of the Prophets I have found Christ the wonderfull Counseller and Paul the prudent builder for this reason no doubt it is that the word of God contained in the Scripture is compared to light and wine and honey and milk all which are of a pleasing and exhilarating nature indeed the holy Scriptures are a tree of life whereof every leaf is healing or according to St. Chrysostom a pleasant garden wherein every flower yields a fragrant smell or to use St. Ambrose his comparison a feast in which every book is a dainty dish affording both sweet and wholesome nutriment No wonder if St. Paul speaking of the Scriptures maketh mention of the patienâ—e and hope and comfort of the Scriptures there being no such ground of hope and patience and therefore no such comfort to be found elsewhere as in these sacred books 2. As this is true in general of all parcels of holy writ so more especially of the Apostolical writings to this purpose St. Cyril mystically interpreting those words of the Prophet Micah that every man should sit under his vine and under his figtree observeth that wine is an embleme of joy the figtree of sweetness and by both is shadowed that joy whâ—ch the Evangelâ—cal doctrine should produce in those who sit under the preaching of it indeed those doctrines which reveal God and Christ satisfaction to God by Christ reconciliation to God in Christ can only give solid comfort to the soule since God out of Christ is a consuming sire onely in Christ he is a reviving Sun out of Christ he is a sin-revenging onely in Christ a sin-forgiving God now these doctrines are no where made known but in holy writ and they are most clearly delivered in the Apostolical writings what Moses and Esay and Ieremy spake obscurely that Paul and Peter and Iohn declare plainly and therefore though we find joy in those yet by these our joy is filled It is not unworthy our obsetvation in the Text that this clause These things we write stands in the middle between our fellowspip is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ and that your joy might be full as having indeed an influence on both and by effecting the one it produceth the other these things which the Apostles write reveale God and Christ and the way of fellowship with them and by bringing us to this fellowship they convey unto us this fulnesse of joy and comfort To apply this in some short confectaries 1. How injurious is the superstition of the Papists and that both to the Scriptures themselves and to the people 1. To the Scriptures in that they deny to them a perfect sufficiency containing all things necessary to salvation and that for this reason that thâ—y might advance the esteem of their unwritten Traditions indeed such traditions as are not fictitious but real not particular but universal and clearly appear to be sâ— we reject not but withall we assert there are no such traditions delivering any thing necessary to
then which we have further to take notice of and would by no means be omitted is that the promise of the Gospel is conditional it is a position with a supposition nor are the benefits in it granted absolutely but respectively It is a question moved by some how the promise can be free and yet cnoditional not considering the difference between a meritorious cause for which a thing ought to be and a necessary condition without which it cannot be effected were there a proportion of equality between the thing promised and required the promise could not be free but the Evangelical condition is such only as maketh us meet for not worthy of the thing promised and therefore hath onely a proportion of congruity Mercy then is the spring from whence the promise floweth but duty is the channel in which it runneth down to us The primarie design of the Law was precept commanding us to do though there was annexed to it a promise which upon doing what was commanded we should receive The principal scope of the Gospel is promise revealing what God is pleased to do for us yet so as that there are precepts annexed to it which require somewhat to be done by us that we may obtain the promise What then God hath joyned together let not us put asunder the most of us with Malchus have but one eare to hear the promise but not the precept of the Gospel we like well to gather the rose and suck the hony of a promise but the condition we hate as the pricles and sting we would gladly have the priviledge assured and yet we abhorre the duty required but be not deceived if you will have the one you must do the other God will not fulfill his part unlesse we perform ours and therefore it is in vain to expect an accomplishment of his promise but on his own terms in fine the Gospel is a promise let us not be so unthankful unto God and Christ as to reject it it is a conditional promise let us not be so injurious to our selves as to misapply it 2. The Apostles heard this message of him if you ask of whom the answer is to be fetched from the end of the third verse the Father and his Son Jesus Christ it would not be passed by that the Apostle speaking of two persons nay implicitely of all three useth the singular number saying not which we heard of them but him from which though Socinus would only gather an unity of will affection yet the Orthodox conclude an unity of essence and nature The multitude of beleevers were of one heart in the primitive times and one soul yet it would have been very improper to have spoken of them as one man but inasmuch as the Father and the Son though two persons â—ave one and the same essence it was very proper to use the singular number that which we have heard of him That which we are here to take notice of is 1. Partly that these Apostles heard before they declared It is very observable that in the Hebrew tongue the same verb in Kal signifieth to learn and in Piel to teach and the same noun signifieth both an hearing and a report and indeed the Greeks use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latines auditio in the same sense whereby is intimated to us that we must be hearers ere we be speakers learners ere we be Teachers Scholars before we be Tutors And I could heartily wish that this consideration might be a check to the inconsiderate rashnesse of those giddy heads in this age who never sate at Gamaliels feet and yet step into Moses his chaire and though they have scarce learned any thing themselves at either School or Academy adventure to teach the people in these sacred Oratories 2. Chiefly That what they declared to the world was no other then what they heard from Christ this is that which as S. John asserteth here so S. Paul elsewhere concerning himselfe That which I have received of the Lord I have delivered unto you and in another place not I but the Lord Thus it was with the Apostles and thus it was with the Prophets who uttered nothing but what was by God revealed to them and therefore you find them very often bringing in Sic dicit Dominus Thus saith the Lord. 1. It is an Item to Ministers that our faithfulnesse appear in delivering as wholly so only the Counsell of God the mind of Christ revealed in his Word to the people whilest Jesuites declare what they hear from the Pope as accounting him infallible whilest Enthusiasts declare what they hear from the devill mistaking his delusions for the spirits inspirations let the Ministers of Christ declare nothing but what they hear though not immediately yet mediately from Christ oh far be it from us to pretend to be his messengers and yet to vent our own inventions and preach our own fancies what Ambassadour dare deliver any thing to a forraign Prince but what the King his Master giveth him in charge Oh let us who are the Ambassadours of Christ declare nothing but that message with which he sends us 2. It is a document to the people that the Apostolical writings and our preaching according to them be received by you with Faith and reverence because they are no other then the dictates of Christ indeed whose authority should prevaile if not Christs and with whom if not the Church it is the character of Christs sheep that they know his voyce and follow it we need not fear that he who is the way will cause us to wander who is the truth will cause us to erre who is the faithful witness will go about to deceive us so long as we speak the truth in and from Christ and lye not do you beleeve and doubt not 3. The Wee to whom Christ was pleased to impart this message and by whom he declared it to the world would be considered and that especially in respect of their mean and low condition if you look upon S. John and the rest of these holy Apostles with a carnal eye there was nothing in them which might render them worthy of so high a prerogative they were poor rude illiterate despised Fishermen and who were they that Christ should imploy them to be his Ambassadours Kings do not use to send beggars and pesants of their errands but Christ was pleased to make use of these contemptible persons for his Embasie In this respect it is the Apostle saith we have this treasure in earthen vessels not golden or silver but earthen vessels are chose by Christ for the receiving and communicating of this heavenly treasure of the Gospel Indeed whether you look on things or persons still they are mean and despicable which Christ imployeth in his service As the Prophet from God appointed the water of Iordan to be the means of curing Naamans leprosy so hath our Lord Christ instituted water
and bread and wine common ordinary creatures to be the pledges of his love and conduit-pipes of his grace to the Church and as common things so ordinary persons are thought fittest by him to be imployed in his work indigent ignorant fishermen must be the publishers of his Gospel to the world It is that which lets us see the freeness the strangeness and the wisdom of divine dispensations 1. The freeness in that as the Apostle speaketh there is no respect of persons with God it is not external qualifications that Christ looketh at the poor as well as the rich the simple as soon as the wise the base as easily as the noble are accepted of him nay many times he passeth by these and chooseth those 2. The strangeness in that it is so contrary to the dictates of carnal reason who would not have thought it the most probable way of spreading the Gospel if Christ had imployed the Scribes that were learned in the Law and the Rulers of the people to have been the publishers of it but Gods wayes are not as our wayes neither are his thoughts as ours he loves to tread in uncouth paths and for the most part such as are crosse to our reason 3. The wisdom in that this serveth much to magnifie his own name look as the lesse aptitude there is in the matter so the lesse energie there is in the instrument so much the greater doth the skill power and causality of the efficient appear the less there is of men in any work the more of God is seen To do so great a work as the publishing and promoting of Christian Religion by such weak instruments as the Apostles were cannot but highly advance the honour of Christ since as S. Paul speaketh hereby the excellency of the power is manifested to be of God and not of man 2. And thus I have given you a view of the porch be pleased now to go into the house and therein to take a survey of the 1. Foundation as it is laid down in those words God is light and in him is no darkness at all if we consider these words in their utmost latitude they are both a position and a probation but this latter I shall defer to the following words For the more full handling of this clause as a position be pleased to observe something both more general and more speciall 1. In generall the words are a metaphoricall description of God For beloved when the Apostle saith God is light we must not think that the nature of God is the same with that of light indeed as St. Austin well observeth the Sun is light and the Moon is light and the other Stars are light but far be it from us to imagine that the Creators essence is the same with the Creatures but something far more choice and excellent only by light as a similitude the Apostle would represent something of God to us and thus it is not unworthy our consideration That 1. The metaphor which St. Iohn maketh choice of is drawn from a thing very obvious and familiar to us Indeed as one saith well light is that then which nothing is more unknown and yet nothing more known being that which is visible to every eye and in this respect the fitter to illustrate God by that by what we do know we may be instructed concerning him whom we do not know It is a fit pattern for all Ministers to follow whose work is not to make plain things hard as too many do but to make hard things plain and therefore to draw their similitudes from common and manifest things such as may not cast a vail over but give a lustre to the truth they deliver Indeed the end of these similitudes is chiefly to help the minde in conceiving and the memory in retainning what is by them represented now familiar comparisons are both more quickly understood and easily remembred and therefore ought espeoially to be used 2. The Apostle endeavouring to instruct us concerning the Creator borroweth a resemblance from the Creature Indeed as the Apostle Paul speaketh there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something to be known of God by the Creatures the earth and every pile of grass that groweth out of it but much more the heavens and the beams of light that flow from it declare the glory of God God hath vouchsafed somewhat of his excellencies to the Creatures and therefore in them we may nay ought to read something of God and that not onely in respect of his being but attributes Oh let us study this divine Art learn this spiritual Alchimy to extract heaven out of earth God out of the Creature that as we behold the works of his hand so we may in and by them see the excellency of the worker It is a known maxime in Philosophy Omnis cognitio fit per sensum All naturall knowledge entereth into the minde by the sense and it is thus far true in Divinity that spiritual knowledge may be helped by the sense happy is that man who maketh the things which he seeth as so many stayres by which his contemplation goeth up to God whom he doth not see 2. In particular this metaphoricall description of God is set forth both affirmatively God is light and negatively in him is no darkness at all and both may be construed two wayes to wit as spoken of God considered either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself or in his influences 1. In himself And that 1. Affirmatively God is light And thus 1. This metaphor of light though but darkly shadoweth forth the Trinity the Father being as the body of light the Son as the beams the Holy Ghost as the Splendor of both Dyonisius illustrateth it by the similitude of three candles enlightning one and the same room Damascen of the parelii when there appear as it were three and yet it is but one sun some have observed a resemblance of it in the Hebrâ—w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine Lux which signifie light all of which are monosyllables consisting of three letters and in the Hebrew word they observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the spirit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the middle letter may aptly represent the Son which is the middle person especially being neer of kin to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first letter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Son but as I would not altogether contemn so neither do I much delight in such kind of observations and besides it is no doubt aliene from the Apostles scope to intend by this metaphor a resemblance of the Trinity 2. That therefore which is to be considered is in what respects this metaphor of
which he hath appointed us to walk in to wit of purity and holiness and thus let us walk as fast as we can and aspire as high as we may till we come to the utmost degree of conformity which our created and finite nature is capable of and whereas man desiring to walk in the light of Gods knowledge fell from his estate of innocency our endeavour to walk in the light of his purity will restore us to that state of integrity which here inchoated shall be hereafter consummated To end all put both these parts together we must walk in the light as he is in the light and this double consectary will naturally flow 1. True conversion maketh a manifest and wonderful alteration the Poet speaking of a grafted tree saith Miraturque novas frondes non sua poma It wondreth at those new leaves and fruits with which it is adorned so do Converts themselves and all that behold them wonder at the change which is wrought in them every man by his first birth is still-born dead in sin by his new birth he becometh alive to God as the Father said of the prodigal this my son was dead and is alive and surely what a difference was between Lazarus lying dead in the grave and Lazarus standing alive on his feet the same is between a natural and a regenerate man Every man naturally walketh in darknesse and is a slave to the Prince of darkness every Convert walketh in the light as he is in the light so that look what alteration there is in the same ayre by the arising of the Sun the like is in the same person by the infusion of holiness 2. That the works of Christianity is attended with no small difficulty Ah Lord how light do most men make of their general calling how easy a matter do they account it to get to heaven but surely they are such whom the devill casts into a sad sleep and sootheth up with fond dreams who can read that general assertion of our Saviour straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life yea this more particular delineation of that way by the Apostle to be a walkâ—ng 〈◊〉 the light as he is in the light and not work out his salvation with fear and trembling Brethren if we intend to enjoy communion with God we must walk not sit there is no stepping out of the worlds ease into Gods rest yea we must walk upwards ascend to divine perfection there is no comming to heaven pâ—r saltum but per scansum it is no leaping thither in a moment in a word if it be no easy thing to be holy it must needs be difficult to be happy And therefore let us in a sence of the works difficulty together with our own impotency make our addresses to the Throne of Grace and that both for the light wherein we are to walk and the feet which may enable us to walk in this light pray we that he would by his preventing grace infuse the habit of holiness into our hearts and then by his assisting grace strengthen us to act that holinesse in our lives Finally according to the councel of that devout ancient when we first set foot upon the ladder of piety considering our deficiency and Gods excellency let us stretch forth our hands to him who is at the top of the ladder saying with the Spouse draw me and we will run after thee so shall we at the last come to him and be with him in the light of purity and glory for ever THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin THE life of man on earth is a race and every one in this world a Traveller The wayes in which all men walk are fitly and fully enumerated to be two the one on the right the other on the left hand so much Pythagoras his Y imports the one a straight and narrow way the other a wide and broad way so our blessed Saviour plainly asserts the one a lightsom the other a dark path as S. Iohn here insinuateth Hence it is that all men who either have been are or shall be are marshald into two ranks sheep and goats the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent the righteous and the wicked In Italy after the Guelphs and the Gibellines there arose two factions which were called the Albi and the Atri the white and the black these two indeed divide the whole world all men being children of God or of the devil such as walk in the light and such as walk in darknesse These two wayes are so directly contrary in their natures that though a man may go out of the one into the other yet it is impossible he sâ—ould at once walk in both and therefore St. John sets the one in a manifest Antithesis to the other But if we walk in the light nor are they lesse contrary in their ends then in their natures the one leadeth to life the other to destruction so Christ expressely the one causeth a separation between God and us and therefore they lye who walking in darkness say they have fellowship with God the other leadeth to communion with God and an interest in Christ so it is affirmed in the words of the Text. But if we walk c. Having dispatched the qualification which respects our duty passe we now on to the Collation which representeth Gods mercy and that in respect of two excellent benefits here specified namely fellowshâ—p with God and cleansing by Christ the one in those words We have fellowshâ—p one with another the other in those and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin of each in their order 1. The first of these benefits namely our fellowship with God hath been already explicated from the third verse and therefore I shall not need here to insist upon it Indeed the phrase one with another seemeth to intimate another kind of fellowshâ—p then that before handled namely that fellowship which those who walk in the light have one with another but the connexion will by no means admit this interpretation this fellowship of them that walk in the light being an inference from the consideration of Gods being light and therefore must be understood of the fellowship they have with him Sutable to this it is that Grotius and Doctor Hammond observe the space in the Kings manuscript to be so little that it may more probably be supposed as left for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But our Greek copies do plainly read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it may as Beza and others observe admit a very fit exposition in reference to God we have fellowship one with another that
by God for this end to publish the doctrine of salvation to men no wonder if St. Paul writing to the Corinthians resembleth himself to a Father and tells them I have begotten you in Christ Iesus through the Gospel to the Galathians compareth himself to the Mother and using this phrase of the Text my little children giveth this as the reason of whom I travaile in birth again till Christ be formed in you and to the Thessalonians likeneth himself to a nurse that cherisheth her children Thus Ministers are Fathers and Mothers to those who are converted and so as it were begotten and brought forth and nurses to them who are confirmed and it were so as educated and brought up by their labours Upon this ground it was that Paulinus writing to Delphiuns by whom he was baptized and instituted in christian doctrine saith to him Tu nobis à Domâ—no in Domino Pater factus you are under and in God a Father to me And oh beloved that every soule in this congregation might be able to say of me my Father oh that I might be able to say of you my children why tell me why do you enforce us to complain with the Prophet we labour in vain and spend our strength for nought when oh when will you by receiving this caelestial seed make us joyfull Fathers and Mothers surely what Abraham in another case said to God What wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse that we say to you in this what will you give us reverence maintenance I but all this is nothing if we go childlesse our desire is like that of the King of Sodom to Abraham give us your soules that we may give them to God and as Isaiah prophesieth concerning the Messiah He shall see of the travaile of his soule and shall be satisfied so this is our prayer to God and desire of you that we may see the travaile of our soules in the conversion of yours then and not till then shall we be satisfied Oh that you would do us this honour afford us this comfort by your spiritual birth and growth under our ministery that we may be able upon this reall ground to call you as here St. John did those to whom he wrote My little children But further we may conceive our Apostle using this appellation by way of allusion thereby to teach them Implicitely how they ought to look upon him to wit as a Father Explicitely how he did look upon them as his children 1. By calling them his children he teacheth them to look upon him as their Father and not only in respect of his age for so old men are stiled by the younger but his office for so superiours are called by inferiours and accordingly behave themselves as children in his second and third Epistles he giveth himself the title of an Elder being an Elder he was a Ruler and therefore to be owned as their Father Naaman being a Ruler in Syria is called by his servant My Father Elijah being a Prophet in Israel is called by Elishah my Father Micah said to the Levite Thou shalt be a Father and a Priest to me and surely St. John being an Elder nay more then so an Apostle ought to be accounted by them as their Father Thus tacitè dignitatem suam indâ—cat saith one upon these words here is a tacite insinuation of his dignity and the authority he had over them whereby they might be minded of their duty and that both towards him and his writings 1. Towards him a duty of reverence filio semper honesta sancta persona patris videri debet saith the Civil law the person of the Father ought to be venerable in the sons eye when Alexander was asked why he did so highly respect Antipater answered because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of a Father to him upon this account it is that Ministers may expect and the people ought to give them a filial respect It is Gods argument to the Priests that despise his name a Son honoureth his Father if then I be a Father where is mine honour saith the Lord of Hosts it may be the Priests argument to the people that despise their persons If we be your Fathers where is our honour 2. Towards his writings a duty of obedience Hear ye children the instruction of a Father saith Solomon indeed whose instruction should children hear if not their Fathers so that our Apostle in calling them his children intimateth what an obligation lay upon them of conformity to his writings and following those Counsels which were thereby given to them 2. But lastly by calling them his little children he expresseth how he loâ—keth upon them to wit with most endeared affections 1. He declareth his love and care of them in that he calleth them his children He letteth them see that it was no lesse then a paternal and maternal love which he did bear to them Father saith Tertullian is not only appellatio potestatis but pietatatis a word of power but of love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said the Poeâ— All living creatures love their young ones love many times doth not ascend from children to parents but it usually descends from parents to children such an affection had S. Iohn to those to whom he wrote 2. And yet further he sets forth the dearnesse of his love in that he calleth them his little children it was the language of his loving Master to his disciples and he learned it of him as being full of sweetnesse Indeed sometimes diminutives are words of contempt and scorn but sometimes of tender respect no doubt this was the reason of our Apostles using this dâ—minutive not out of a supercilious contempt but an affectionate esteem of them Clemens Alexandrinus hath observed that all little things are most regarded and delighted in There is in us a kind of sympathy with and care of little things It was Iacobs phrase to Esau that he must have regard to the tender children and young cattel in his journey Besides parents though they love all yet especially their little children let the other shift for themselves but their little ones they will be sure to take care of can a woman forget her sucking child is the question of God himself the sucking little babes are carried in the armes dandled on the knee fed at the brest and though the mother may love her â—lder children as truly yet not so tenderly no wonder if interpreters conceive this expression as a word of greatest love and manifesting his singular care of their good Thus he who was the beloved disciple sheweth himself a loving pastor and as he was dearly beloved of his Master so his flock was dearly beloved of him nor was this only the temper of S. Iohn spirit but of the rest of the Apostles especially S. Paul who therefore tells the Corinthians how gladly he would spend and be spent
in their service by which he obtained his brothers discharge So doth Christ for us by shewing to the Father as once he did to Thomas his wounds and his side in which respect Calvin saith well that Christs intercession is nothing else but a perpetual application of his death though yet withall we must conceive that in Christs Advocateship there is not only a presentation of his person and merits but 3. Of his will and desire in our behalf Christ interceding by the vertue of his blood doth not beg in a precarious way but yet he signifieth his will and if you would know what his will is I answer it is That the pardon which his blood hath merited may be granted and assured to That the spirit which his death hath purchased may be given for the strengthening of That the salvation which by his sufferings he hath wrought may in due time be conferred on all his members besides all which this Advocate makes a presentation 4. Of our prayers and supplications which we make in behalfe of our selves and others and the prayers of the Church which she maketh in our behalf Preces sacrificii sui odore sanctificat saith Calvin he perfumes our prayers with the odour of his sacrifice and so presents them to his Father in this respect he is as it were the Master of requests and the angel in the revelation with the golden censer and we are said to have boldnesse of accesse through him and he assured his disciples that whatsoever they did aske in his name should be given them I end this first part Lapide observeth that an advocate appearing in the behalf of guilty persons is to do three things To alledge what may satisfy the law and yet the guilty person escape To present the humble confessions and intreaties of the nocent and withall to interpose his own desires and requests to the Iudge in the delinquents behalf in all these considerations Christ is our advocate as you have already heard he as it were alledgeth his sufferings as a satisfaction of the law for our sins he tenders our penitent acknowledgements and prayers for pardon to the Judge yea he declareth it to be his own no lesse earnest then just desire that for his sake our sins should be forgiven us And now that you may see he is according to Tertullians phrase exorator a prevailing oratour be pleased to take a view of 2. The efficacy of this intercession and that in respect 1. Of the person with whom he is an advocate The Father To unfold this know 1. First that the Father is properly the name of the first person in the sacred Trinity and accordingly with Carthusian we are so here to understand it though not excluding the other persons indeed all the three persons being offended when any sin is committed Christ is vertually an advocate with them all but yet because he cannot be said properly to intercede with himself and lest he might be thought inferiour to the spirit if an advocate with him therefore his intercession is set forth as expressely directed to the Father And inasmuch as the other persons have the same essence and therefore will with the Father Christ in being an advocate with him is also with them 2. But further the Father relateth to the Son whence the Arrians argue â—hat as the advocate is inferiour to the Iudge so the Son is to the Father when as yet St. Paul saith he thought it no robbery to be equall with God that is the Father In answer to which 1. It may and that orthodoxly be returned by way of concession that the Son is inferiour to the Father with this restriction as Son and the Father as Father look as though the essence be the same yet the persons are really distinct one from the other so I know no reason but that we may assert though the persons have an equality because an identity of essence yet as persons they are inferiour one to the other this solution St. Basil maketh use of to clear those words my Father is greater then I whilest yet he was equal with his Father nor is it any infringement to the truth nor incouragement of the Arrian heresy to assert that whereas the Son of God as God is equall with yet as Son he is inferiour to the Father 2. But letting this go you may please to take notice that the Son of God is advocate with the Father as mediator and he is mediator not as God nor as man but as God-man upon which consideration he may be truly asserted inferiour to the Father hence the Sonne of God his becomming man is called an emptying himself for so St. Pauls phrase signifieth whereby he that is equal with became in our nature subordinate to and so capable of being advocate with the Father 3. Lastly The Father is a comprehensive expression and may have reference both to the advocate and the guilty and so either his Father or our Father Indeed God is the Father of Christ and the Father of all beleeving penitents in a very different respect whilest he is Christs Father by Generation ours only by Regeneration Christs by natural begetting ours by gracious adopting Christs primarily ours mediately in and through him and therefore our Saviour saith not I go to our but to mine and your Father because he is otherwise Christs then ours but yet he is ours as well as Christs and these words the Father may well take in both as having a strong influence into the efficacy of the intercession 1. With The that is Christs Father the Advocate is the Iudges Son and therefore the Father is illius amantissimus dearly affected towards him and cannot but grant his desire surely he that saith to us This is my well beloved Son hear him will himself hear him upon that very account as the sufficiency of Christs death depends upon his God-head so the validity of his intercession upon his Sonship when God saith concerning Christ thou art my Son there presently followeth an Ask of me and I will give thee I and my Father saith Christ are one so that God can as well deny himself as his son adde to this 2. With The that is our Father the guilty are the Iudges children therefore the Father is erga nos clementissimus most indulgent towards us and in this respect the advocate likely to speed great is the love of parents ventowards their offending children witnesse that of David to Absolon especially when they return witnesse that of the Fâ—ther to the prodigal pro maximo delicto paululum suppliciâ— satis est patri a few stripes will serve with a Father for a great offence nay any intercession will prevaile with a Father to withhold his correction Yea how often will a Father desire another to step in and intercede for his childe I say not saith Christ to his disciples that I will pray the Father
for you the Father himself loveth you as if there were scarce any need of this mediation however no doubt but that this being the pleasure of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand and Gods heart being prepared Christs suit must needs be granted To shut up this first consideration Iacob the younger brother obtained the blessing from his Father in the garments of Esau the elder Christ the elder obtaineth â—he blessing at the Fathers hands for his younger brethren no wonder if the brother pleading for brethren and that with the Father become an effectual Advocate and so much the rather considering 2. The person who it is and how fitly he is qualified for this office being Iesus Christ the righteous This word righteous is capable of various acceptions which accordingly Interpreters make use of 1. Righteous is somâ—times as much as merciful and thus Iesus Christ the righteous that is gracious and therefore ready to become an advocate for us to this puâ—pose it is that the authour to the Hebrewes calls him a merciful High Priest one who having compassion on us and our infirmities is willing to plead our cause before God 2. Righteous is sometimes as much as faithful and so Iesus Christ the righteous that is in performing his promise when he was on earth he promised his disciples I will pray the Father and now he is in heaven to perform it 3. Righteous is as much as just and so Iesus Christ the righteous that is in doing us right if we retain him for our advocate he will not be withdrawn from pleading our cause by any means what ever 4. But lastly Righteous is as much as holy innocent so we find them joyned together concerning Christ whom the Apostle Peter calls the Holy and just one and so Jesus Christ the righteous is as much as pure and innocent And this both in respect of himselfe and us 1. In himself he is righteous because blameless one who is altogether free from sin It is well observed by the learned Chamier That the Apostle saith not we have a righteous advocate Jesus Christ but we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous And therefore this terme righteous signifieth not so much rationem fungendi officii as ipsius officii fundamentum the manner of performing this office as a qualification rendring him fit to undertake it and so is most properly referd to his innocency since he could not have been an advocate If he had not been in this sence righteous In this respect it is that Ferus saith truly verè necessaria condâ—tio this is a condition necessarily requisite since If he had had any sin of his own to answer for he could not have pleaded for us neque enim idoneus advocatus qui ipse sit reus as Estius saith excellently He can be no fit advocate for another who himselfe is guilty But yet this is not all he is Jesus Christ the righteous or innocent not onely in himselfe but also 2. In respect of us Inasmuch as he maketh us righteous cleansing us from the guilt of our sins To this purpose saith Illiricus he is called â—he righteous not so much in a passive as an active sence and Cajetan observing the following words he is the propitiation saith ecce justitia Jesu Christi herein is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ our advocate that he maketh us by his propitiation righteous so is inabled to plead our cause To this effect it is that Lorinus observeth He is such an advocate as satisfieth the judge not onely by reason but reality interceding by vertue of a price payd And hence it is that though he findeth both us and our cause unjust yet which no other advocate can doe he maketh both us and it righteous so that though we by reason of our sins are unworthy of pardon yet Christ pleading his satisfaction rendreth us worthy and our cause just And no wonder if being thus every way righteous he become an effectual advocate and thus much shall suffice for the Explication of this choyce ingredient in this divine remedy We have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous To end it in a brief application and that by way of 1. Consolation the Greek word here used as Vorstius well observeth may be rendred either advocate or comforter since inasmuch as Christ is an advocate he is a comforter to all penitent sinners If you please read over the Text againe and take the words asunder and you shall find that every word breatheth comfort 1. Wee it is not you but wee St. John includeth himselfe in the number of those sinners who need Christ an advocate and therefore we may be the lesse discouraged in the sence of our infirmities And again it is not I but wee he excludeth not others from having an interest with himselfe in Christ the advocate and therefore every penitent moy apply this comfort to himselfe which is so much the more comfortable because it is wee Have it is not we may but we have a burdened conscience cannot be satisfied with a perhaps nor will it hang upon uncertainties this comfort of Christs intercession is certain and therefore positively asserted nor is it spoken of as a thing past but present not we had but we have and indeed it is so in the present tence that we now may as truly say we have as St. John then yea so long as there shall be penitents on earth there will not want this advocate in heaven so true is that of the Author to the Hebrews he ever liveth to make intercession that is to be An advocate It is true we want not accusers that will be ready to lay our sins to our charge Satan without and our own consciences within ready to bring an endictment against us nor have we any merit of our own to plead before God for us but we have an advocate to stand and appear for us and that With. Many times a cause miscarrieth in humane courts by reason of the advocates absence but of this their is no feare in our advocate for he is at the Judges right hand and so stil ready upon all occasions as it were to put in a word for us to the Father not the Judge but the Father to render our hope of prevayling so much the more firme this sweet word of Father implying not onely a passibility but a facility of obtaining so much the rather considering that it is The Father and so capable of a reference both to Christ and us hee that is our advocate is not a servant a friend but a Son and so the Judges chiefest favorite wee for whom he is an advocate are not slaves or strangers or enemies or onely servants but Sonnes though too dificient in our obedience and can we imagine that the suite should not speed nay further this advocate whom we have with the Father is Iesus that
signifieth a Saviour and he that vouchsafeth to be our Saviour will not stick to be our advocate yea that he may save as the Apostles phrase is to the utmost he will leave no way unatempted as by his passion so by his intercession by the one purchasing salvation for by the other applying it to us nor need we doubt that he will be thus every way a Iesus to us when we observe that he is the Christ a word that signifieth anointed and indeed so he was to all his offices among the rest to that of his priesthood and so this part of it which consists in intercession Anointing carryeth in it both designation to and preparation for an office all that were anointed being thereby called to and furnished with abilities for the office to which they were anointed our advocate therefore being Christ is both a legal and skilful advocate called to the barre invested with gifts and therefore knoweth how to plead and that our joy may be full take in the last words Righteous and therefore he will not deceive us in our trust or faile our expectation though an advocate be able knowing yet if he be not just our cause may miscarry but this advocate is so righteous that he cannot be perverted nay he is righteous and therefore can stand in Gods sight to plead for us whereas were he himselfe nocent he must flee from the face of the Iudge and being unable to answer for himselfe could not undertake our cause Once more this advocate is Iesus Christ The righteous because so exactly perfectly without the least spot we know how far the intercession of Abraham Moses and other righteous men have prevayled yea St. Iames saith The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that not onely for himselfe but others surely then much more must the intercession of him who is the righteous one be effectual Yea perhaps as Origen observes Therefore Moses obtained so much of God in Israels behalfe that we might not be faithlesse but confident in our advocate Iesus Christ the righteous And now oh thou drooping sinner let me bespeak thee in S. Austins language Thou committest thy cause to an eloquent Lawyer and art safe how canst thou miscarry when thou hast the Word to be thy Advocate Let me put this question to thee if when thou sinnest thou hadst all the Angels Saints Confessors Martyrs in those celestial mansions to beg thy pardon dost thou think they would not speed I tell thee One word out of Christs mouth is more worth then all their conjoyned intreaties When therefore thy daily infirmities discourage thee or particular falls affright thee imagine with thy self that thou heardest thy Advocate pleading for thee in these or the like expressions Oh my loving and affectionate Father look upon the face of thine anointed behold the hands and feet and side of thy crucified Christ I had no sins of my own for which I thus suffered no it was for the sins of this penitent wretch who in my name sueth for pardon Father I am thy Son the Son of thy love thy bosome who pleads with thee it is for thy child thy returning penitent child I plead that for which I pray is no more then what I payed for I have merited pardon for all that come to me Oh let those merits be imputed and that pardon granted to this poor sinner Chear up then thou disconsolate soul Christ is an Advocate for thee and therefore do not despaire but beleeve and beleeving rejoyce and rejoycing triumph and triumphing take up that bold challenge of St. Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 2. Councell and that in several particulars 1. Since we are so well provided seek we not elsewhere it is not unfitly observed to this purpose that St. Iohn saith not we have advocates in the plural number but an advocate in the singular this being Christs peculiar prerogative Indeed the Papists have coyned a distinction between Mediator redemptionis and intercessionis a Mediator of redemption and intercession appropriating the former to Christ attributing the latter to the Virgin Mary and the rest of the glorified Saints but the advocateship and the propitiation are here by our Apostle joyned together and accordingly our Church in the close of one of the Collects putting mediatour and advocate together prefixeth an exclusive particle to both through our onely mediator and advocate Iesus Christ our Lord. I deny not but that the Saints in heaven pâ—ay for the Church on earth but though they pray for her in general yet not for her paeticular members whose sins and wants they are strangers to and therefore cannot pray for and that they pray for the Church it is ex charitate ut fratres non ex officâ—o ut mediatores by way of charity not authority as friends not as advocates And whereas it is another subterfuge of the Romanists that though Christ be our onely mediator with the Father yet we may make use of the Mother and the rest to be our advocates to Christ besides that in their prayers they expressely desire the Saints to pray to God for them even in respect of Christ it is both vain and impious Vain because it being his work to reconcile us to God there is no need of any to reconcile us to him and though an advocate be needful to the Iudge yet what need of an advocate to the advocate nay indeed when Christ bids us come to him to wit our selves what an impious contempt were it of his command to go to him by a proxie It may perhaps be here objected if we may not desire the prayers of the Saints in heaven why do we of those on earth how is iâ— that St. Paul calleth upon the Thessalonians to pray for him and St. Cyprian in an Epistle to the Romane Confessors craveth their remembrance of him in their prayers and nothing more usual with christians then thus both by word and writing to beg one anothers prayers but beloved this we desire of one another not as advocates but only as fellow-helpers and hence it is that whilest as members we pray each for other we all in our prayers acknowledge Christ to be him who doth and must intreat for us all In summe there is a great deal of difference between a christian-desiring of their prayers who know our persons to whom we may signifie our wants and a religious invocation upon them for their prayers who are both ignorant of us and our necessities Let then the Apostatized Rome seek to Angels and Saints we will only make mention in our prayers of the name of Iesus Christ as him on whose intercession we depend and rest 2. Since
against us Christ taketh the chastisement of our peace upon himself whereby Gods wrath was pacified and he who wrought this reconciliation on earth it is that appeareth for us in heaven and therefore let us not doubt of the power of this advocate who cannot but effectually prevaile because he was the propâ—tiation for our sins Having viewed the context let us look upon the clause it self wherein there is a double truth the one implicâ—te the other explicite to wit sins provocation and Christs pacification Our sins incense the wrath of God against us that is implied Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins that is expressed Of the former briefly because it is but intimated of the latter more largely and fully 1. Sins provocation is manifestly couched in this clause and accordingly taken notice of by Interpreters since there were no need of a propitiation for if there were no provocation by our sins it is the note of St. Chrisostome upon the phrases of reconciling and making peace in the Colossians that the one implyeth an enmity the other a war the same may be made here the propitiation supposeth wrath And as it is here intimated so it is elsewhere asserted by S. Paul to the Romans when he saith the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse of men and consequently against men for all their unrighteousnes and ungodlines in this respect it is that he calleth all men by nature children of wrath and why this because they are born in sin Indeed God made man as Solomons phrase is upright and so long as he stood in that integrity there was pax amicitiae a peace of amity and friendship between God and man but they sought out many inventions by which God was most justly provoked to anger Thus at first and ever since sin hath proved the make-bate the kâ—ndle-coale that incendiary between the Creatour and his creature And how can it be otherwise since there cannot but be enmity where there is contrariety and there is nothing more contrary to God then sin nay there is nothing contrary to him but sin it is opposite to him in his pure nature it robbeth and spoyleth him of his glory it transgesseth and rebelleth against his Law and therefore must needs incurre his displeasure It is observable in Scripture that as members so senses are after the manner of men attributed to God and sin is represented as offensive to every one of them It grateth his eares and therefore he complaineth of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah it disrelisheth his taste in which respect it is compared to leaven and that especially for its sowernesse it oppresseth his feeling according to his own expression I am pressed under you as a Cart is under sheaves it disgusteth his smell for which cause sinners are said to be corrupt where the metaphor is borrowed from a rotten carcase which stinketh in the nostrils of a man Finally it offendeth his sight and therefore he is said to be of purer eyes then to behold iniquity to wit without fury It is a meditation that should convince us of 1 The odious nature of sin Are any persons more abominable then the contentious Solomon justly declameth against him that soweth discord among brethren that beatitude of our Saviour carryeth in it according to the rule of contraries a curse Cursed are the peace breakers for they shall be called the children of the Devil But oh my breathren how accursed and hatefull a thing is sin which hath broke the peace not between man and man onely but God and man and hath sowne discord between not onely brother and brother but father and sonne Oh that this thought might stirre up in us a zealous indignation against sin God forbid that that which is his hate should be our love that that should find favour with us which provoketh his wrath against us nay rather since sin displeaseth God let it displease us and let our anger wax hot against that which causeth his wrath to wax hot against us 2 The miserable estate of a sinner because he is under the wrath of God coelestis ira quos premit miseros facit Divine anger is an unsupportable burthen the sinning Angels are not able to stand under it but fall immediately from heaven the great men the mighty men cannot abide it but cry to the mountains fall on us and to the hils couver us no wonder if the Psalmist put the question Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry And now tell me sinners have not we most justly incurred this sore displeasure hath not God both by the sin of our nature transgressions of our life been provoked against us from our mothers wombe to this day If one sin be sufficient fuel for this fire what a flame of wrath burneth against us whose sins have been numerous or rather innumerous All which being serously pondered me thinketh greif and anguish trembling and astonishment horrour and amazement should take hold of us David feeling some drops or sparks of this anger saith there was no rest in his bones by reason of it truly if we doe not feele we have cause continually to be in feare not onely of drops but flouds sparks but flakes of this vengeance how can we be secure and quiet And if there be any awakened conscience wounded soule which cryeth out what shall I do I answer Gods wrath is unsupportable but not unavoydable it cannot be indured but it may be prevented we are not able to stand under it we may flye from it And that by flying to him whom my text speaketh of as the propitiation and so I am fallen on the Explicite veâ—ity which is here plainly and directly laied downe 2. Christs pacification He is the propitiation for our sins It is both assertive and exclusive carrying it both an affirmative and a negative He is and none but He or He onely is the propitiation of both which in order 1. He is the propitiation Gods wrath towards man sinning is pacified by Christ suffering the Rabbins say of the Messiah that when he commeth he shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reconciling man and the Apostles assertion is expresse We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord it is the Testimony which the Father gave concerning Christ at his Baptism This is my beloved sonne in whome I am well pleased by which latter clause is according to Euthymius Cajetan and others expressed that favour which God in Christ beareth towards us as he is in himselfe beloved so in him God is with us well pleased According to that of St. Paul He hath made us accepted in the beloved and therefore accepted because reconciled wel-pleased in him because his wrath is appeased by him towards us Among other resemblances by which Christ is set forth in Scripture that of a
those of the Old Testament They who since the coming of Christ partake effectually of his propitiation are of all sorts and ages of the world to which purpose is that acknowledgement which the foure and twenty Elders in the Revelation make to Christ Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Among other resemblances Christ is compared by the Prophet Malachy to the Sun and among others for this reason because like the Sun he communicates light heat life to all parts of the world and therefore he saith of himself I am the light of the world and again I give life to the world It is well observed that the first promise of Christ the seed of the woman was not made to Abraham the Father of the Iewes but to Adam the Father of the whole woâ—ld and whereas the Iewes call Christ the Son of Abraham and the Son of David who were Iewes Christ usually calleth himself the Son of mâ—n which taketh in Gentiles as well as Iewes In this respect it is well taken notice of that the place of Christs birth was domus publici juris not a private house but an Inne which is open for all passengers and that not in a chamber but the stable which is the commonest place of the Inne for though every guest hath his chamber private yet the stable is common to them all to mind us that He who was borne should be a common Saviour to high and low noble and base rich and poor besides the superscription upon his Crosse was written as St. Cyril and Theophylact observe not only in Hebrew the language of the Iewes but in Greek and Latine the languages of the Gentiles and the Crosse was erected not within the city but without the gate to intimate saith Leo ut crux Christi non Templi esset Ara sed mundi that it was not an Altar of the Temple but the World Indeed what part of the world is it that Christs propitiation reacheth not to S. Basil putting the question why the world was redeemed by a Crosse maketh this answer that a Crosse hath foure distinct parts which represent the four parts of the world to all which the efficacy of the Crosse reacheth An embleme of this truth St. Cyprian hath found in the four letters of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is given to Christ which letters are the first of those Greek words which signify the four corners of the world and St. Austin in Christs garment of which St. Iohn saith the souldiers made four parts to each souldier a part which he conceiveth to figure the Church gathered out of the four parts of the world Indeed this was Gods promise to his Christ Ask of me and I will give thee the utmost parts of the world for thy possession and to his Church I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back From this assertion it appeareth that the Church is in iâ— self considered a great multitude and especially the christian in comparison of the Iewish Church We read of Noah that he blessed his two sonnes Sem and Iaphet the former a type of the Iews the latter of the Gentiles now concerning Iaphet he saith God shall enlarge him and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem to intimate saith St. Hierome the enlarged multitude of the Gentile beleevers and the same Father upon these words of the Prophet Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtaines of thy habitations spare not lengthen thy cords strengthen thy stakes saith hoc intelligitur de Ecclesiarum magnitudine this is to be understood of the greatnesse and multitude of the Church by reason of its spreading over all the world It is well worthy our observation that whereas the Temple of Solomon had onely one gate the court of the Gentiles which compassed the Temple had foure yea the City of the new Jerusalem an embleme of the Christian Church hath not foure but twelve Gates three at every corner and these never shut to intimate what a continuall confluence there should be to Christ from all parts of the Earth And surely beloved Hoc probè novisse multum prodest it concerneth us much to meditate on this truth whereby as the pride of the Jews is humbled so the hope of the Gentiles is erected Indeed since it belongs to the whole world it may well be matter of great joy and that such a joy as may put us upon thankfulnes for this grace of God which hath appeared to all men and bringeth Salvation That cloud which was at first but the breadth of a mans hand hath now covered the face of the Heavens that contemptible stone cut out of the mountain hath filled the whole earth Christ is as well a light to lighten us Gentiles as the Glory of his people Israell nor is he a propitiation for the Jews onely but for the whole world of them that beleeve in him 2. But further these words He is the propitiation may be construed in respect of the virtue and sufficiency of his propitiation according to which notion the whole world is to be taken in a more comprehensive construction To unfold which be pleased to take notice of a double sufficiency the one intrinsecal or naturall arising from the worth and value of the thing the other extrinsecall and positive arising from the ordination and institution of God suitable to which this phrase the whole world is to be more or lesse extended 1. Christs propitiation is sufficient as to its natural value for the sins of the whole world comprizing not onely men but Angels There is no doubt merit inough in the bloud of Christ to pacify God for the sins of the devils as well as men and the reason is plaine because the value of Christs passion depends primarily on the dignity of the person suffering so that the person being infinite the value of his passion must be infinite and since an infinite merit can have no limitation we may truly say He is a propitiation sufficient for the whole world containing as well spirituall as earthly wickednesses yea not onely for one but a thousand worlds yea as many millions as we can imagine Nor doth the dissimilitude of the nature which Christ took and in which he suffered to the angelicall hinder but that his death might in it self be sufficient for Angels if God had so pleased For what crime of any creature whatsoever can be so haynous for the expiating of which the shedding of the bloud of God cannot suffice and if Christ obtained confirmation for the Angels that stand as the Learned generally acknowledge that he is not a propitiation for the Angels that fâ—l is onely