little after Tune verò sunt quod appellantur si manserint in eo propter quod â—ic appellantur then and then only are they that which they are called Christs Disciples if they abide in that for which they are so called 2 Let all true members of the Church rejoyce in this comfortable Doctrin that phrase of St. Paul The grace of God wherein wee stand is taken notice of by S. Chrysostome as very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very aptly it is said wee stand for the grace of God knoweth no limits hath no end and whereas earthly dignities are quickly lost because the favour of Princes is changeable yea however though none else death will put a man out of the highest Office by the Grace and Favour of God wee stand so fast that nothing can wholly divest us of this glorious priviledge to bee a member of the Church Herein it is that our estate by conversion is far better than Adams by creation hee indeed was in a state of perfect purity but with all in a state of mutability and though placed in Paradise yet so as that hee might nay did forfeit it to the utter ejection of himself and his Posterity wee being through regeneration grafted into Christ attain by his grace though not exact innocency yet a kinde of immutability and are so planted in the garden of the Church that wee cannot be plucked up This consideration is that which should inlarge our spiritual joy but yet not diminish our prudential fear and therefore wee should do well according to the Psalmists advice to rejoyce with trembling It is not to bee denyed but that this Doctrin being abused may become to some an occasion of security but withall it is onely so to them whom it concerneth not the false not the true members of the Church and it is onely so because mis-understood not in its own nature Indeed were this the Doctrin that they who are of the Church shall continue in it though they live never so loosely and go on in their sin impenitently it would bee not onely an occasion but a cause of presumptuous security but the intent of this Doctrin is onely to assure those who are of the Church that through the spirit of Christ by the use of those means God affordeth and exercise of those duties hee requireth they shall bee so far preserved as that either they shall not at all go out of or if through the Enemies subtilty and their own infirmitie and inanimadvertency they are seduced they shall at length return by weeping-cross into the bosome of the Church and what place is here left for sloth and negligence for presumption and security 1 The truth is it is no easy matter on good ground to assure our selves that we are of the Church many not only in others but their own opinion are of the Church and yet are not in reality and if wee bee not indeed of the Church wee cannot continue In this respect that counsel of St. Paul is very needful examine prove your selves whether you bee in the faith use all diligence and faithfulnesse in searching out your spiritual estate 2 If wee bee of the Church wee are not so secured but that wee may fall scandalously and for a time go out from her communion sad experience maketh it good at this day in many who have wretchedly forsaken the truth and the Church for whose return wee pray and of which wee are not altogether without hope since wee trust some of them are gone astray not through wilfulnesse and contempt but ignorance and weaknesse and therefore not onely hee that thinketh hee standeth but hee that doth stand had need to take heed lest hee fall 3 Finally There is no assurance of continuance to the true members of the Church but in the use of means wee are kept by Gods power to salvation but it is through faith and so likewise through fear and watchfulnesse and humility and obedience and prayer and attending on the word and Sacraments and therefore they who are real Christians will not dare to neglect their duty in a fond presumption of Gods upholding mercy The summe of all is our first work must bee to make it sure on good grounds that wee are indeed members of the Church being in some measure assured of that our next care must bee to apply our selves to a conscientious use of all the waies and helps which may preserve us in it and then though still wee must bee diffident in regard of our selves as being conscious of our own impotency yet in regard of God wee may wee ought to bee confident that hee who hath begun his good work in us will perfect it to the day of Jesus and having effectually called us into his Church militant that he will mercifully conduct us to his Church triumphant 2 Having dispatched the Negative it now remaineth that wee proceed to the other way of removing the scandal taken at the Apostacy of these Antichrists to wit the affirmative which assigneth the end for which God permitted it But they went out from us that it might be manifested that they were not all of us These words They went out from us are not expressed in the Original but are necessarily implyed and therefore fitly supplyed by the Translator These words They were not all of us seeme to intimate that some of these Antichrists who went out were of us but the true sense of that clause will bee easily understood if either according to the Hebrew manner of speaking wee read non omnis nullus they were not all that is none of us suitable to which is that of St. Paul to the Romans fetched from Davids Psalms All flesh shall not bee justified that is no flesh or if after they wee adde who were among us for so it amounts to this that all who are joyned to the society are not of the number of the faithful and that they who were not so might bee discovered was the reason why God suffered them to go out Congruous to this is St. Austins gloss upon this text intus cum sint non ex nobis sunt non tamen manifesti sed exeundo manifestantur whilst they were among us they were not of us but they were not manifested till they went out so that by their going out they did not so much fall away from what they were as make known what they were not and that they were far otherwise than what they seemed to be Indeed there is a double manifestation which God aimeth at in permitting the Apostacy of Hypocrites 1 The one of the sincere-hearted that their integrity and constancy may the better appear this S. Paul asserts where hee saith There must bee Heresies that they which are approved may bee made manifest That Question of our Saviour to Peter and the rest Will you also go away seemeth to intimate that then when so many went from him was a
consists 140 143 Love of the World see World Lust three-fold 338. that which was in us by Creation was not prone to irregularity 432. forbidden as well as the outward act 406. after worldly things many times disappointed and if fulfilled soone glutted 448 Lye threefold 23 580. Lyars the vilest of men 597 M. MAlice see Hatred Marriage may bee unlawfully used 348 Memory apt to forget Divine things 593. wee must not onely hear â—ut remember 640 Ministers how they and the people brethren 79 286. must have a futherly affection to the people 203 c. they are watch-men and shepheards 200. must be faithful and prudent 274. must preach particularly 220 220 387. seasonably suitably to their Auditors conditions capacities 275. make a distinction between hearers 593. warn the people of seducers 597 690. commend what is good in their people 134. must win upon them by expressing love 735. their endeavour shall bee accepted 677. no need of them in Heaven 716. they are instituted by Christ to continue in the Church to the end of the world 719. their teaching cannot avail without the Spirit 717. they must bee constant in the faith 644. their peoples constancy their honour at the last day 753. they must live their Sermons 120 121 Miracles by true ones the Gospel was confirmed 580. the shew of them made a prop of heresy 686 Multitude no note of a true Church 499 N. NAme its several acceptions 249. when changed in Scripture some spiritual gift conferd 615 the names of those whom wee reprove not to be mentioned 257 673 Necessity twofold 647 Neutrality and lukewarmness condemned 425 Novelty a badge of errour affecting it dangerous 91 to 94 100 101 O. OBedience cannot bee without knowledge 22. the way to increase knowledge 4 5. it is according to our knowledge 17. Negative not sufficient 11 474. must bee universal 14 15 464. cheerful 465. by it wee know our interest in Christ 71 72. it cannot be exact 16. a bare command should bee enough to oblige to it 429. it is the best tryal of our love to God 472 473. and perfects it 33 35 Old-men why called Fathers 208. to bee reverenced 209. they had need to bee good 212. not too old to learn 221. ignorance in them inexcusable 269. they must labour to know Christ 267 268 tOvercome in what sense wee are said to overcome the Devil now 285. wee are not compleat victors in this life 286. how it is to be done 283 284 P. PArdon of sin see Forgiveness Perfection twofold 33. perfect Christians compared to Fathers 204. b. Perseverance in adhering to Christ the Church the truth received 641 738. it must bee to the end 740. most commendable in Apostatizing times 635. it is not by our selves but Gods sustentation 529. the doctrine of it upon what grounds built 531 532. no true cause of security 535. an attendant of true grace 633 Play how unlawful 356 Polygamy a lust of the flesh 347 Prayse due to Virtue 134 259 578 Preacher see Minister Predictions the verity of those which are Divine 496. especially concerning Christ 603 604 Presumption of an interest in Christ 74 75. of our own abilities 394 Priviledges the enjoyment of them should not content us 526 Pride loveth to show it self 389. why called pride of life 390. its several kinds 390 to 394 a general sin 402. maketh a man like the Devil 404. it is attended with shame 405 Promises Divine are sometimes matter of precept 736. suitable to our necessities 648. most faithful 666. The promise is Eternal life 663. first promised and then given 665. to them that persevere 670. promised before Christ but not so clearly as by him 665. Humane oft-times larger than their performances 399 661 Protestants injustly charged by the Papists as Schismaticks 512 513 Q. QUakers how irrationally they decry the Ministry and blasphemously they wrest Scripture 721 722 R. REason of what use in Divine things 577 insufficient without an higher light 575. pretended to by Hereticks 686 Regeneration compared to light 131 Remission of sin see Forgiveness Repentance abstaineth from all sort of lusts 406 407. the delay of it dangerous 304 Repetition of one and the same thing frequently used in Holy Writ and why 131 to 135 Reproof ought to bee with expression of love 205. a. and yet sharp against notorious sinners 599. but yet without naming the persons 257 673 Resolution necessary in a Christian to his combat with the Devil 290 Riches when got and kept sinfully 376 to 381 S. SAcrament of the Lords Supper what gesture was used by Christ is not certain if it were wee are not bound to follow it 49 50 Saints their security dignity and felicity by reason of the Annointing 550 Schism the causes of it 508. a great sin 518. un ustly charged upon the Protestants by the Papists 512. justly by us upon the Sectaries 514 Scripture why God would have his Word written 216. man the Pen-man Gods Spirit the Author 219. to bee read by and to all 224 225. with reverence 220. quoted and wrested by the Devil 299. by Hereticks 589 722. a special weapon against seducers 689 Sectaries justly accused as Schismaticks 514 Security greatest when Judgement is neerest 490 Seducers they often prove such who should be Teachers 675. the several wayes of seducing 689. c. Sights wanton forbidden 363. as also such as curiosity prompts to 367 368 Signes three sorts of them 499 Sin God cannot bee the Author of it 433 434. men are apt to transfer it on God 436. it maketh us like the Devil 282 484. it ruineth Churches and Kingdoms 489. How many waies to bee considered 237 238 Sleep when a lust of the flesh 355 Soul no proportion between it and the world 454. hath its diseases as well as the Body 733 Son of God Christ was in such a way as proveth him higher than men nay Angels yea the high God 625 626. hee that denieth Christ denieth Gods Son 617. how much God is offended with it 624 625 Spirit of God compared to Oyl and why 514 c. given by Christ 557 701. the Author of Scripture 219. is not onely illuminating but confirming 731. his grace needful to overcome the Devil 91 his teaching extraordinary and ordinary internal and external 707 708. his inward teaching agreeeth with that in the word 709. it is faithful 727. effectual 729. how hee concurreth to assurance 73 74 Strength spiritual needful to our fight with the Devil 288. wherein it consists 290 strong Christians compared to young-men 210 211 Superfluity what measure of Riches is so 372 373 Superiours ought to bee exemplary 38 T. TEaching see Spirit Ministers Tempting God a great sin 367 Types fulfilled in Christ 579 Truth of the Gospel proved 580 581 V. VAin-glory a branch of pride 396 Victory see Overcome Unction of the sick in the primitive times for another end than that of the Papists 696. in Baptisme ancient but not Apostolical 695. Spiritual is
what the son of my Wombe and what the son of my vowes but her affectionate desire that he should hearken to her Indeed no marvel if the boyling spirit run over in words and the zeal of the affection double nay triple the expression Thus was it here as Bullinger well observeth with St John prae ardore suo such was the vehemency of his hatred of the sin of hatred that he can never enough declaim against it and therefore not only once but again he reproveth it 2. Those sacred writers by these ingeminations intimate alwayes that the things about which they write are of more then ordinary importance and necessary concernement to be known and believed in matters of faith to be avoided or performed in matters of life yea and sometimes that there is no less difficulty then necessity and whilest they are things which must and ought yet they are not easily believed avoided or practised Upon these grounds no doubt it was that Solomon iterated his doctrine of the worlds vanity and Christ inculcateth upon Peter the duty of feeding his sheep nor is it improbable that St John here had both these in his eie he well knew how much the very being of Christianity did depend upon avoiding this sin and exercising the contrary grace how hard it is to cast out this poison of hatred where it is once harboured and withall that as the usurper being ejected the right heir gets possession and the old form being corrupted the matter is easily susceptible of a new so if he could eradicate this weed of hatred he should with a greater facility plant the flower of love and therefore no wonder he doth ingeminate his discourse of the vileness of this sin 3. Those divine Scribes thought these repetitions very needfull for those to whom they wrote in regard of the dulness of their mindes and weakness of their memories and hardness of their hearts To write the same things to you saith the Apostle Paul to the Philippians for you it is safe to wit least at the first you should not rightly understand them or not remember them or not be sutably affected with them God speaketh once and twice saith Elihu and man perceiveth it not our memories are of weak retention and therefore need renewed incitation the heart of man is by the Prophet Ezekiel compared to an heart of stone and it is not one blow of the hammer will break it The words of the wise saith Solomon are as goads and nailes and truly we are so dull that these goads must be often thrust into our sides so obdurate that it is not one stroak will drive these nailes to the head Disciplinam praeceptorum inculcationibus densamus saith Tertullian appositely we thicken and so as it were we strengthen our instructions by inculcations which is no more then what the need of the people requireth The consideration hereof is that which should teach both the teachers and the people 1. Let it not be grievous to us Ministers to repeat and thereby inculcate our doctrines upon the Auditors If a Musâ—â—ian shall only strike one string it maketh no musick but it is â—itting for a Preacher to insist upon one and the same truth nor must we here stand upon our own credit when it comes in competition with the peoples profit If it were not grievous to that eminent Apostle Paul why should it be to any of us we are not only instructers but remembrancers So St Peter accounted himself where he saith I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance and what is the office of a remembrancer but to repeat things formerly done or spoken that cannot be often enough taught which can never be well enough learned Nor yet do I hereby intend to patronize those illiterate or lazy ignorant or negligent Preachers who use iterations for want of premeditation and therefore say the same thing again because they know not what to say next far be it from me only I would mind my self and others how requisite it is we should sometimes upon some occasions reinforce by repetition some doctrines upon our hearers 2. Let it not be tedious to the Auditors to hear the same truths sometimes repeated by the Ministers we must not esteem it a dishonour nor should you account it a burden It is that indeed to which hearers are very prone aut nouum aut nihil some new thing or nothing is the cry of many if we come with a scitote something that they knew not before they listen but if with a mementote something formerly delivered they think their patience abused As they say of drinking wine the first is for necessity the second for pleasure the third for sleep so do Auditors with a little inversion account of a Sermon the first time they hear it with delight not the second except of necessity and if they meet with it the third time they fall asleep How sad is it that if we hear an excellent lesson on an instrument we call for it once and again nay decies repetita placebunt We are not easily weary of it and yet we care not to hear the songs of Zion rehearsed who ever complained of the renewed rising of the same Sun or loathed his daily bread why then are we so quickly cloyed in spirituals but especially repetitions most vex us when they are of reprehensions such as this is in my Text we love not to have our sores too often rubbed upon but tell me are you not willing that the Physitian should repeat his purging course though the potion be bitter for the health of your body and why so loath that we should repeat our reproofes for the health of your souls Divine and excellent to this purpose is that ratiocination of Seneca in his advice to Lucilius To them that say quousque eadem how long shall we hear the same admonitions Answer quousque eadem peccabitis how long will you commit the same faults Remedia ante vultis quam vitia desinere will you leave off the remedy before the disease is cured Ego vero eò magis dicam et quia recusatis perseveralo nay I will so much the rather reiterate and because you are troubled at it I will persevere in it The truth is whether you will hear or whether you will forbear whether it please or displease we must warn you of the same sins admonish of the same duties bespeak you with the same counsels again and again But it will be better for you if you are not only content but willing to hear the same instructions frequently urged Let it be true of vain pleasures commendat rarior usus That the less they are used the more they are commended far be such thoughts from us in reference to the sacred Oracles Those Gentiles when they had heard Paul besought him to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same words the next Sabbath day thus
what they care not for whilest your emulations strifes quarrels are so great and fierce one with another about worldly matters it strongly argueth they have possession of your hearts she for whom the gallant adventures his life in the field is very probably concluded to be his Mistris surely the world commands thy heart when it engageth thee in litigious quarrels 6. Lastly You may very rationally judge of your affections by your actions your love by your care your delight by your service When we read that Jacob served an hard Apprentiship to Laban and that no less then fourteen years for the gaining of Rachell we may certainly infer that he loved her greatly men would never lay out their time and strength so uncessantly in the worlds drudgery were she not Mistris of their affections yea which doth the more fully proclaime their love their labour is a pleasure they are never in their element but when like the fish they are swiming in these waters or like the mole they are digging in the earth By all these considerations we may be able to discern whither our love be not inordinate towards this world and the things thereof and therefore such as we ought to be deeply sensible of affected with and humbled for And now what remaineth but that to this word of Conniction I annex a word of Dehortation that we all endeavour to wean our hearts from the love of this world Oh hearken and again I say hearken to this sprituall and Heavenly voice as it is called by St Cyprian Love not the world nor the things of the world Indeed as Seneca saith of sorrow I may say of love I do not require that you should not love it at all but I earnestly intreat take heed that you love it not too much the truth is our affections in regard of worldly matters are very prone to excess in Heavenly things it is impossible to exceed in Earthly things it is difficult not to exceed our grief quickly degenerateth into anguish our fear into trembling our desire into impatience our delight into jollity and our love into dotage Oh therefore be wise to watch the out goings of your hearts after worldly Objects and remember that as it is of the two best when brotherly kindness erreth on the right hand by louing too much so when worldly love offends on the left hand by loving too little Oecumenius upon the Text conceiveth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle writeth these things as to Children who are most apt to be taken up with ensuall Objects but doubtless as one well glâ—sseth Optimè omnibus congruit there are none of any age but stand in need of it Beware that you be not engaged and fettered with worldly love we read concerning the living Creatures mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiell that the Soles of their feet were like the soles of a Calves foot The Caldee paraphrase readeth it like round feet the feet are an emblem of our affection and it is observed of Sphaericall bodies that if you set them upon the ground they only touch it in one point so should our affections touch this world not too much cleaving to or leaning on it Dioscorides maketh mehtion of an Herh which he calleth the Indian leafe and observeth that it groweth in moorish fenny places Aquae sine ullâ radice â—nnatans swimming in the water without taking any root in the bottome Let this Herb be our emblem whilst we live in let us not love the world and though we make use of it to swim in for a time let not our hearts take root by an inordinate love The main disswasives from this sin we shall meet with in the Text only consider for the present that this worldly love is unreasonable injurious ingratefull and unchristian 1. It is unreasonable There are two eminent laws of love which are directly broken by this practice the one is simili gaudere the other is diligentem diligere like loveth like and love requireth love but alas when we love the world we love that which is unlike there being no proportion between our noble souls and this worlds good Indeed our souls were made after the divine image and similitude and therefore not made for the love of this inferiour world Besides when we love the world we love that which as it doth not give so neither can it repay love at the best it is only capable of serving not of loving us and why should we so pervert the nature of love as to love the world But further 2. It is injurious to our selves as well as incongruous to love since by loving the world it becometh our enemie it seems strange yet it is a truth the world is only a â—oe to them that love her if we use her she is an obsequious servant but if we love her she is a malicious enemy it is observed of the shadow Sequentem fugit fugientem sequitur if you follow it it flyeth from you if you flye from it it followeth after you It is proportionaby true of the world if you contemn it it will fear you if you love it it will domineer over you and that known Proverb of fire and water may justly be applied to the things of the world they are good servants but bad masters Adde to this 3. It is ingratefull to God as well as injurious to our selves all these things of the world are the largesses of Gods bounty the streames of his goodness and is it not an odious ingratitude to dote upon the gift and neglect the donor Very apposite to this purprse is St Austins similitude If an Husband being in a far Country should send a Ring to his Spouse out of his ardent affection to her would he not might he not justly take it ill at her hands if she should forget her Husband and fall in love with the token Thus do we when we cast God behind our backs and set our eyes upon this world Finally It is unchristian there being nothing more unbeseeming a Christian profession then a worldly conversation being Christians we profess the Faith and hope of a better world and shall we fall in love with this we intitle our selves the Children of God and shall we live and love as the Children of this world It is our Saviours argument to his Disciples After these things do the Gentils seek and because they do we should not at least wise not as they do it with such immoderate affection and therefore whilst Mammonists like Ravens feed on garbage like the Lapwing make their nest in order or like Beetles never sing but in a bed of dung let us have higher thoughts nobler desires purer joyes learning of this holy Apostle not to Love the world nor the things of the world THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 15 16. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the
you I hate nay do I not love God But oh vaine man do not deceive thy self whosoever is the worlds friend is at least virtually Gods enemy and so farre from loving that he doth in effect hate him and all his servioes are no better then a mocking as much as in him lieth of the sacred deity 2. The love of the Father is not nay not only is not but cannot be in him our blessed Saviour is express concerning obedience you cannot serve God and Mammon and it is no less true of love you cannot love God and the world much less the world and God The impossibility of the consistency of these two will appear if you consider 1. The nature of love It is an ingrosser appropriating the heart to the Object love saith to its beloved I am thine to wit wholly soly and therefore it cannot be anothers when the streame runs into one channell then it runs violently vehement affection admits not of division It is as possible for a direct line to terminate in two points or for one member to serve two bodies as for love intensively at once to minde two Objects 2. The contrariety of the Obiects God and the world in the very next Verse they are set one in opposition to the other The Father is above the world is below so that to use a comparison of an Ancient the same eyes may as well at the same time behold Heaven and Earth as the same affection be carried towards God and the world God is light and the world is darkness Fieri non potest saith Damascen It cannot be that divine and worldly love should cohabit no more then that light and darkness should reside together Two contrary formes may as soon at once informe one and the same matter and two contrary intense qualities meet together in the same Subject as the love of the world and the love of the Father dwell in the same heart If I love another mans enemy and that as he is his enemy I must needs be an enemy to him the worldling loveth the world not as in subordination to but competition with and therefore he can be no other then an enemy to God so true is this of our Apostle If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him That it may yet more plainly appear that there neither is nor can be any true love of God in the worldling take notice of these ensuing particulars 1. Can there be any love of the Father in him who hath no love to his name especially his word which God hath magnified above all his name and yet this is evident in worldly lovers their lusts like thorns choak the good seed of the word that it can take no root in their hearts their proud necks will not stoop to put on this sacred yoake the voluptuous mans eare is deafe to this Heavenly charme and when the spirituall fishers would catch the covetous he slippeth with the Eele into the mud of the world and so renders all their pains useless 2. Can there be any love of the Father in him who doth not cleave to him with full purpose of heart and will renounce his Religion rather then suffer persecution If any man draw back my soul saith God shall have no pleasure in him and it is as true his soul hath no pleasure in God Now the love of the world causeth men to grow lukewarme nay at last quite cold St Paul observeth it as the ground of Demas his Apostacy he hath forsaken me and with him Christ having embraced to wit with the armes of love this present world What made Judas so frozen so false hearted to so gratious a Master but the love of money had not Moses instead of loving despised the pleasures and honours of Pharaohs Court he had left the People of God Danger and nakedness want and penury reproach and infamy will quickly affright that man from his Christian Profession in whom the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life raign 3. He that hath any true love of the Father will call the Lords day a delight loves to converse with God by Prayer and other holy ordinances but the worldly lover either wholly casts off holy duties holy daies holy things or else he takes no joy in the performance of them no time being worse spent in his esteeme then that which is in Gods courts Worldly men in Heavenly duties are like a fish upon the shoare they faint and gaspe and are never well till they returne to the muddy waters When will the Sabboath be gone that we may sell and get gaine saith the covetous that we may take our pleasure saith the voluptuous that we may pursue our politique designs saith the ambitious Nay it is not seldome seen that every one of these will not stick to fulfill their own lusts even when they should be imployed in Gods service 4. It is impossible that the love of the Father should consist with sacriledge No man ever looked upon a thief as his friend to live in any sinne much more in such a sinne as reflects upon God must needs be repugnant to the love of him Now worldly love puts men upon the commission of this great wickedness Every proud man is a sacrilegious thief robbing God of his glory which he will not give to another and it is not seldome seen that covetous and voluptuous men rob God of his Revenues Belshazzer prostitutes the vessels of the Temple to the lust of the flesh by quaffing in them Achan through the lust of the eyes alienateth the devoted gold and garment wicked worldlings will not stick to be not only sellers and buyers in but of the Temple taking the houses of God into their possession 5. Finally He that setteth up any thing in the roome of God cannot have a sincere affection towards him The cursed Idolater as much as in him lieth dethroneth the divine majesty which surely cannot consist with amity And yet it is an undoubted truth every worldling is an idolater to wit in a spirituall sense bowing down though not with his knee to an Idoll yet with his heart to the world St Paul speaking of Epicures who are given over to the lust of the flesh giveth them this brand whose belly is their God and consequently their Kitchin is their Temple Table their Altar and Cooke their Priest The same Apostle mentioning covetousness presently addeth which is Idolatry Indeed with a covetous man seulpture is his Scripture Bills and Bonds are his Bible the Exchange his Temple and Gold his God as he saith to it thou art my love so likewise thou art my hope my trust The proper acts of naturall worship which are due only to the Deity He dealeth with it as the two Giants sometime did with Mars first he looks it fast and then worships it Finally The proud man worshippeth though not images yet his
brought in 1. It may at first view seem somewhat strange that this qualification of doing Gods will should be here inserted as seeming to have little or no affinity with what precedeth had the Apostle said but he that loveth the Father or had he said but he that denieth these worldly lâ—sis it would have been very congruous but how this cometh in â—e that doth the will of God is not so obvious Yet iâ— you please to looke into it a little more narrowly you shall finde it very sutable to the Apostles scope and farre more Emphaticall then if he had used either of the above mentioned Phrases For 1. In saying not He that loveth the Father but He that doth the will of God the Apostle sets down that which is the most reall Character of a true lover of the Father There is nothing wherein men more deceive themselves then in this grace of loving God there is scarce any man but layeth claime to it and is ready to say I love God with all my heart so that if St John had only said He that loveth God abideth for ever every man would have flattered himself with the hopes of this eternity But in saying he that doth the will of God he hereby puts our love of God upon the triall and that by such a Character as if we impartially examine our selves by it I am afraid the love of most Christians towards God will be found base and counterfeit 1. True love is not only affective but active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fire is the most active element so love is the most working grace Amor si non operatur non est saith St Gregory If love act not it is no love so that what St James saith of faith may as truly be applied to love shew me thy faith thy love by thy workes 2. Again True love conformeth it selfe in will affection action to the Object loved How fearfull are we to offend carefull are we to please whom we love If a mans Beloved bid him come he cometh go he runneth do this or that he doth it In which respct Isidore saith truly Qui Dei praecepta cantemnit Deum non diligit neque enim regem diligimas si odio ejus leges habemus he that contemneth Gods Precepts doth not love him no more then â—e doth his King who hateth his Laws The voice of love is I am my beloveds wholly at his command and that not only in a complement but reality What wilt thou have me to do is loves Question be it never so difficult love accounts it easie and the very labour is beloved Would we then know whether we love God Here is the triall what do we where is our obedience to his Laws our conformity to his will is it possible we should love him and yet offend grieve dishonour him and cast his commands behind our backs If you love me saith our blessed Saviour keep my Commandements and again You are my Friends if you do whatsoever I command you I love my Master and I will not go free saith the Servant in the Law Oh let us approve the sincerity of our love by the reality of our obedience For which cause no doubt it was that our Apostle saith Not he that loveth God but he that doth the will of God 2. In saying He that doth the will of God our Apostle saith as much as He that denieth the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life and somewhat more so that as in the former consideration it appeareth to be a discriminating so in this we shall finde it a comprehensive Character For 1. Sui Repudium Christiani praeludium The first step in doing Gods will is denying our own and these lusts are the ebullitions of our own corrupt wills To do Gods will is to obey his prohibitions and these lusts are the principall Objects of those prohibitions so that the renouncing worldly lusts is plainly implyed in this of doing Gods will 2. To do Gods will is of a larger extent Inasmuch as it super addeth the practice of the graces contrary to these lusts Sobriety and chastity justice and charity modesty and humility are but severall branches of Gods will and these are manifestly opposite to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and therefore in saying he that doth Gods will he saith he that is temperate and mercifull and humble and calls not only for a forsaking evill lusts but a performance of the contrary graces So that hereby our Apostle teacheth us that to attaine eternall felicity it is not enough to be free from these lusts but we must exercise our selves to virtue to cleanse our selves from filthiness but we must perfect holinesse and the reason is plaine since we cannot be happy but by doing Gods will Gods will is expressed not only by prohibitions of evill but prescriptions of good and therefore we cannot do Gods will unless we act what is commanded as well as shun what is forbidden So that whether you take this qualification as in opposition to those lusts mentioned in the sixteenth Verse or as an explanation of the love of the Father mentioned in the fifteenth Verse it appeareth to be very fitly made choice of 2. But that in which the connexion chiefly lyeth and which will more easily appeare is the remuneration that enduring for ever which is promised to him that doth Gods will And doubtless there was a double reason why our Apostle having spoken of the worlds transitâ—riness addeth by way of amplification this clause of eternall felicity The one in regard of the world that it may appeare so much the more transitâ—ry the other in regard of the worldly lover that his fâ—lly in setting his heart upon the world may appeare so much the more foolish yea abominable and of each a word 1. The world considered absolutely is transitory but if compared with eternity it is momentany Surely as St Paul speaking of the afflictions of this present time in comparison with that exceeding eternall weight of glory affirmeth them to be light and but for a moment so may we upon the same ground of all the enjoyments of this life As all the splendor of this world in respect of that felicity is but as the light of a Gloworme to the Sun so the longest continuance of this world in regard of that eternity is but as the drop of the Bucket to the Ocean Suppose the time of the worlds continuance to last a Million of yeares yet that Million is but a Moment to Eternity Indeed a Million of yeares is farre lesse in comparison of eternity then an houre is in comparison of a Million of yeares and the reason is plaine because eternity infinitely exceeds a Million whereas a Million doth but finitely exceed an houre you may easily count how much longer a Million is then an
to bee in the Church and to bee of it the former being of a far larger extent than the latter since though all that are of the Church are in it Yet all that are in the Church are not of it All that take upon them the profession of the true Christian faith and communicate with the visible Society of the faithful in Evangelical administrations are justly said to bee in the Church onely they who being before all time graciously elected are in due time effectually called and so united to Christ by a lively faith to their fellow-Christians by a cordial love are truely said to be of the Church This will the better appear by taking notice of another phrase which we meet with in this very Epistle namely to be of the world Aliud est esse in mundo aliud esse de mundo There is a vast difference between these two to be in the World and of it all who live and move and have their being in the World are said to be in in it onely those who delight in and set their hearts on the World are said to bee of it look then how good Christians are said to bee in the World and yet not of it So wicked Antichrists may bee said to bee in the Church but not of it no not even whilest they continue in it for that no doubt is our Apostles design to acquaint us that even before they went out whilest yet they were among they were not of them according as St. Austin excellently glosseth quando videbantur in nobis non erant ex nobis when they seemed to be they were not of us Look as on the one hand it may bee said of many who are not among us they are yet of us because their names are written in the book of life in which sense Paul was of the Church whilest a Persecutor against it because a chosen vessel separated as hee saith himself from his Mothers womb So on the other hand it may bee said of many who are among us they are not of us Quia non erant in Christo electi ante mundi constitutionem saith S. Austin because they are not eternally elected nor effectually converted Indeed to use Spalatensis his phrase they may be said to bee de ecclesiá praesumptivè sed non realiter non veraciter of the Church in their own and others opinion but they are not so really So long as they outwardly professe the true faith without open Scandal Charity presumeth them to be of the Church but verity denyeth them to be so The Learned Davenant well argueth Nothing is that truely and formally which it is said to be with the addition of a term of diminution as a dead man is not a man but a carkasse now wicked men whilest yer in the bosome of the Church they are but dead members branches in Christ not bearing fruit according to our Saviours expression they are not partes but pestes not membra but mali humores So S. Austin not parts but pests of the Church not members of but ill-humores in the body Very apt to this purpose is that Similitude which the same Father borroweth from an house in which there are rubbish and Cobwebs but they are none of the materials which constitute the fabrick of it In one word what St. Austine saith concerning Judas Unâ—â— erat numero non merito specie non virtute commixione corporali non vinculo Spirituali he was one of the Apostles in number not merit by corporal conversation not spiritual conjunction that may no lesse justly bee asserted of all Hypocrites of whom Bellarmine himself saith in St. Austines language Adecclesiam pertinent numero non merito they fill up the number of visible Professors but want the reality of true beleevers Thus as the Romans said of that Traytor to the City Iste non est noster non est Romanus sed Paenus hee is none of ours hee is not a Roman but a Carthaginian or as Homer of the cowardly Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh Gracians you are not Gracians so here the Apostle of degenerate Christians they were no Christians they were not of us as being destitute of a true and genuine faith And now what should the consideration hereof teach us but 1 Not to content our selves that wee are received into the Church by Baptisme and partake of its external priviledges Multi qui non ex nobis recipiunt Sacramentum c. saith St. Austin upon the place many that are not of us doe yet communicate with us St. Paul saith of a Jew He is not a Jew that is one outwardly nor is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh The like may I say of a Christian he is not a Christian that is one outwardly nor is that Baptisme which is outward in the body Frustra miscetur caetui Sanctorum in Temple manufactâ— qui submotus est à consortio Dei ab universo corpore mystico Christi saith St. Cyprian excellently in vain is he joyned to the society of visible Professors who is dis-joyned from Christs mystical body and hath not communion with God 2 Not to be much offended when we see some within the Church going out of it Indeed it should bee our grief but not our scandal mourn wee ought for their sin in going out from the Church but still so as to comfort our selves with this meditation they never were true members of the Church Avolent quantum volent paleae leves eò purior massa frumenti in herdeum domini reponetur so Tertullian let the light chaffe fly away whither it will the good corn will bee layed up so much the purer in Gods Barn Quandâ— evomuntur mali humores relevatur corpus so St. Austin when the ill humours are vomited up the stomack is eased and the body releeved The departure of wicked men from the Church is like the flying away of the chaffe and the casting out of bad humours and though it bee a woeful decession to them it is a good riddance to the Church nor doth she lose any from her but those who were never of her the truth of which will more evidently appear if you take a view of 2 The argument annexed whereby this Negation is proved in those words For if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us The strength of the proof is obvious to every capacity that there will bee no need to insist upon it for if they who are of the Church doe continue in it it must necessarily follow that they who doe not continue but goe out of the Church were never of it That therefore which we are a little to inquire into is the truth of the point That they who are of the Church doe undoubtedly continue in it It is a Doctrine I shall have frequent occasion to discusse in my progresse through this
Epistle and therefore I shall so handle it as to reserve something to bee said hereafter For the present I shall propose and resolve these two Queries How farre or in what sense this is verified Vpon what ground the truth of it is founded 1 To unfold the meaning of the Position know 1 That continuing with us is here to bee construed in opposition not to all going out but that which is malicious and impenitent for such was the apostacy of those Antichrists They who are of the Church may bee for a time seduced from the Church from her truth to errour from her unity to Schisme but 1 They goe not out totally though from a particular yet not from the Catholick Church though from some truths which are as superstructures yet not from those which are at least fundamentally and absolutely necessary to salvation and though perhaps sometimes they may doubt of them yet not so as to deny them or if sometimes out of fear and infirmity to deny yet not wilfully and resolvedly to oppose them Those instances of Peter and Judas doe very well illustrate the difference in this particular between the departure which is incident to a true Christian and an Hypocrite Peter indeed sadly Apostatized when he not only forsook but denied his Master but it was against the bent of his heart which was to professe Christ though all others forsooke him as appeareth by his owne expression in which regard Tertullian saith of him Fidei robur fuit concussum non excussum fides mota non amota the strength of his faith was moved and shaken but not the truth of it removed and thrown down and St. Gregory that his faith that herb of Grace was not withered but rather trodden down with the foot of fear and to the same purpose the Greek Father though the wind of Satans assault had blown down the leaves the root was alive whereas Judas betrayed his Master out of a deliberate and wilful resolution as appeareth by the contract hee made about it before hand thus whilst Hypocrites wilfully make shipwrack of the faith true beleevers are against their wills through the violence of temptation dashed upon a rock 2 They goe not out finally so as never to return to the truth and unity of the Church vel rarò cadunt vel dei beneficio resurgunt saith Daneus they seldome fall into grosse errors and when they do they rise again by repentance though these sheep may sometimes wander out of the fold the shepheard brings them back again Very suitable to this purpose is that allusion of S. Cyprian to the Dove and the Crow both of which went forth from the Ark but the Dove returned whereas the Crow never did The Ark is a fit embleme of the Church the Dove of a seduced Catholick and the Crow of an obstinate Heretick and whereas the Heretick having left the Church goeth still downward to the gates of destruction the Catholick though he may go out returneth with prayers and tears In this respect that observation of Cicero concerning the Corinthian brass that it doth not gather rust so soon as other and is more easily scoured than other is fitly applicable to the true members of the Church who are not presently with-drawn and speedily recalled 2 That continuing with us which is here asserted is to bee understood not in reference to their own strength but Divine power they that are of the Church if left to themselves would soon leave her Temptations from the World and the Devil are so frequent and violent grace in the best so weak and defective that were is not for that manutenentia Dei Gods upholding mercy it were impossible they should not bee drawn aside surely if the Angels and Adam who yet had no inherent cortuption to by as them soon left that state of integrity in which God created them the best Christians having the remainder of sin must needs bee more apt to turn aside from God but saith the Apostle Peter wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation that effectual grace saith Austin quae facit ut accedamus facit ne discedamus which causeth us to draw neer keepeth us from drawing back so that as in regard of our own weaknesse it is impossible wee should continue of our selves so in regard of divine power it is impossible but we should continue By all which the meaning of our Apostle in these words appeareth to bee briefly this that they who are true members of the Church are undoubtedly so far preserved by Gods power that either they shall not go out or if they do they shall return and so continue to the end This is that truth which is shadowed forth in the Psalmist by the resemblance of a tree planted by the Rivers of waters which bringeth forth fruit in its season whose leaf shall not fade in the Gospel by the similitude of an house built upon the rock which falls not though the winds blow storms rage and the waves beat against it We read concerning the Temple of Solomon that it was made of the wood of Lebanon which they say never corrupts upon which S. Gregory thus moralizeth secundum praescientiae suae gratiam sanctam ecclesiam de in aeternum permansuris sanctis constituit the materials of the spiritual Temple are persevering Saints according to which is the promise of Christ to every true beleever under the title of a Conquerour Him that overcommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and hee shall go no more out 2 Having unfolded the genuine sense of this position it now remaineth that wee inquire into the grounds upon which the truth of it is established which wee shall find to bee four Two in regard of God and two in regard of Christ 1 In regard of God the certain continuance of the true members of the Church depends upon the love of his Election and the fidelity of his Covenant 1 It is impossible that any of those whom God hath from all eternity chosen to salvation should perish now out of the Church there is no salvation and therefore it is impossible they who are of the number of the faithful and chosen of God should utterly go out of the Church this is that which our Saviour himself speaking of those false Christs and false Prophets which should arise and shew great signs and wonders intimateth as that which secureth true beleevers from being seduced by them because they are elected for when hee saith insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect hee manifestly implyeth that since they are elected it is impossible that they should bee deceived to wit so as utterly to renounce the Christian faith Indeed look as the passing of that bitter cup of the passion was impossible not simply in it self but in respect of Gods Decree so the seduction of the elect to
shall assault us as once they did Peter to deny him let us remember what he is in himself and what hee hath done for us let us consider his greatnesse and bee afraid his goodnesse and bee ashamed for fear or shame or any cause whatsoever to deny him 2 That I may drive the nayl to the head let us often set before our eyes that dismal commination so often denounced in the Gospel by the Son of God himself against those who shall deny him Whosoever shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven and again inculcated by St. Paul if we deny him he will deny us a threat then which none more just and yet withall none more terrible just it is in that it is the retaliation of like for like what more rational than that despisers should bee despised forsakers should bee forsaken and denyers should bee denyed and how terrible it is will soon appear if you consider that the Son of God will then deny us when he shall appear in his glory that he will deny us not only before men but Angels nay his Father that if he pronounce upon us an I know you not which is to deny us wee are the cursed of the Father he will not acknowledge them for his adopted children who durst not here own his begotten Son and whom his Son will not then own for brethren yea which consummateth the misery of such Apostates they must have their portion with Hypocrites having denied Christ and being denyed by him they must depart from him into that fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels there being no reason that they should bee neer to Christ hereafter who follow him a far off nay run away from him here With these meditations let us arm our selves against this heinous sin that we may be the better strengthened 1 Labour wee to be throughly established upon good grounds in this fundamental doctrin that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God He that imbraceth Christian Religion upon the account onely of the Publike Law or private education will in time of tryal renege it Let therefore our assent to this Doctrin rest upon these sure Pillars primarily the authority of Scriptures and secondarily the Catholike Church and then we shall not easily deny it nor let us content our selves with a Conjectural opinion but strive for a firm and settled perswasion a stake in the ground may bee quickly plucked up but a tree rooted in the ground abideth unmoveable he that doubteth may soon be brought to deny but a well grounded perswasion will not quickly bee moved much lesse removed 2 Learn we according to our Saviours precept to deny our selves since oft times self and Christ come in competition so that one must be denyed and if we have not in some measure taken out this excellent lesson of self denial we shall soon deny him No wonder if an Ancient saith ingenuously Christiani praludium sui repudium the first step in the ladder of Christianity is self-denial 3 Nor must we forget that advice of St. Paul to deny Worldly Lusts for if wee take not our hearts off from the World the World will take them off from Christ it is very observable that our Saviour had no sooner threatned this sin of denying him but hee presently forbids Loving Father or Mother Son or daughter more than him intimating how prone the inordinate love of worldly things is to alienate us from him 4 Finally strive for a real union to Christ by a lively faith hee who is but a visible Christian may cease to be so much as visible but the spiritual union will not endure a dissolution much lesse an abnegation maintain and increase familiar communion with him that thou maiest more and more taste the sweetnesse that is in him and then no allurement or affrightment shall cause thee to deny him I end all as we desire not to be found deniers of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as wee desire to have the Father propitious towards us and Christ to own us before the Father at the last day let us dread to deny let us be ready to acknowledge with our hearts lipes lives Jesus the Christ the Son of God to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 24. 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise that hee hath promised to us even eternal life ZEal Sincerity and Perseverance are not so much particular graces as each of them necessary ingredients to every grace Zeal being the fervor sincerity the truth and perseverance the duration of all graces of these three the last is not the least needful since constancy is the best evidence of sincerity nor will fervour avail without permanency no wonder if it be called by Bonaventure conditio annexa cuilibet virtuti an inseparable condition of every vertue and by Aquinas donum que caetera servantur dâ—nae that gift which preserveth all the rest without perseverance our Love will prove not a Star but a Comet our Devotion not a flame but a flash our Repentance not a River but a Pond our Hope not a Staff but a Reed and our Faith not a sub stance but a shadow And since this grace of Faith last mentioned is indeed the First the Root the Mother Grace constancy is not more needful in any than this The truth is there is no Grace more oppugned by the Devil than our faith hee well knoweth that if hee can undermine the foundation hee shall soon overthrow the building for which reason having obtained leave to sift S. Peter our Saviour prayeth for him that his faith may not fail Upon this account it is that more or lesse in all ages the Devil hath raised up false Teachers in the Church whose indeavour it is to with-draw the people from the Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Faith and for this cause no doubt it is that one of the chief designs of the holy Apostles in all their Epistles is to stablish Christians in the faith A pregnant instance whereof wee have in this Epistle particularly in these verses whose scope is by most obliging arguments to perswade a stedfast adherence to the truth which they had embraced Let that therefore which you have heard from the beginning c. Which words do plainly part themselves into two generals a mandate and a motive a command and a comfort an exhortation and an incitation The Exhortation enjoyneth a needful duty Let that therefore abide in you which ye heard from the beginning The Incitation adjoyneth a powerful motive drawn from the present comfort and future blisse of persevering Saints If that