houre but you can never reckon how much Eternity is longer then a Million so that our Apostle could not have found out a fitter way of illustrating this truth then this There are many things which he might have compared the world to we meet with them often in Scripture and indeed they are very significant but this that he compareth the present world with that to come serveth farre more clearly to represent it Indeed as a Dwarfe placed by a Gyant seemeth exceeding little or as a Mite weighed in the Ballance with a Talent is exceeding light so these worldly when set by Heavenly things appeare exceeding base vile and transitory Oh then let it be our frequent practice to meditate on the things above deliberately to ponder their excellency eternity that so the things below may seem so much the more perishing and contemptible in our eyes The first thing God made in this circular world was the Heavens and the last was Man in a Circle the beginning and the end meet and close together so should Man and Heaven and as to him that stands on an high Hill Giants seem Dwarfes so to the Man whose conversation is in Heaven the greatest things of earth cannot but appear small It is observed of Abraham that addressing himselfe in Prayer to God he calleth himselfe Dust and Ashes no doubt in consideration of the divine glory and majesty and to him who duly considereth that incorruptible inheritance immarcessible Crown and never fading Paradice all the riches honours and pleasures of this world must needs seem of a short very short continuance such indeed as is not worth the naming 2. And as the worlds fugacity so the worldlings folly becometh hereby the more manifest To build upon the Sands is foolish but to preferre the Sands before the Rock is yet farre more foolish to settle upon that which is flitting argueth want of wisdome but to do it with the contempt of that which is lasting argueth most desperate folly yet thus doth the worldling an happy eternity is offered to him upon the termes of doing Gods will and yet to fullfill his own lusts he maketh choice of this temporall prosperity Like that wretched Duke who would not change Paris for Paradice he had rather have a short life and as he calleth it a sweet one on Earth then an happy and everlasting life in Heaven In one word to use Gregory Nazianzens comparison he fixeth upon that which is transient and passeth by that which is permanent and can there be a greater madnesse Indeed it discovereth him void not only of grace but reason that whereas the Apostle saith a little before If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him we may adde If any man love the world the reason of a man is not in him And more truly may every such man take up that concerning himselfe which Agur said I am brutish and have not the understanding of a man Angustum est cor saith Gillebertus that heart is too narrow which confineth it selfe within the bounds of temporall pleasures but that is too narrow an expression it is an Argument not only of a narrow heart but a frantick braine to dote on toyes and neglect Pearls Oh then learne we at last to be wise and set a right value upon things Seneca saith excellently it is a matter of no small concernment Pretium rebus imponere to put a just estimate upon things and one nay the chief rule by which the worth of things is to be measured is their durance Id bonum cura saith the same Author pithily quod vetustate fit melius covet that good which the older it is the better it is Who would not prefer golden and silver before earthen and glassie vessels and that as for others so this reason that these are soon broken in pieces but those are little the worse for using Oh that this reason might sway with us to take off our affections from Earth and place them in Heaven Whenas Lysimachus being very thirsty had parted with his Kingdome for a little water he cryeth out Ob quam brevem voluptatem summam amisi faelicitatem how great a treasure have I lost for a short pleasure Could you but lay your eares to Hell you might heare the like despairing moanes from those damned spirits What an eternity of bliss have we lost for a momentany contentment fools mad men that we were to pursue those delights which are now ended in torments and neglect those joyes which we might now have possessed for ever But oh how much better were it for us now to be convinced of and reclaimed from this brutish simplicity Excellent to this purpose is that of St Bernard Ne casuri gloriam mundi quasi stantem aspiciatis verè stantem amittatis c. Oh you mortals do not look upon the glory of the world as abiding and in the mean time lose that which abideth for ever Let not your present prosperity so far bewitch you as not to regard that future felicity nor yet to take notice of that endless misery which is the end of it That Bruits which are led only by sense should minde nothing but what is before them is no wonder but God forbid that men whose reasonable souls are capable of seeing a far off should only regard what is present That Pagans who know little or nothing of the future eternity should busie their thoughts desires and endeavours about these perishing comforts is no wonder but as Leo well Ad aeterna prae electos peritura non occupent far be it from us Christians to regard these Objects who are not only acquainted with but ordained to eternall bliss When Alexander heard of and was resolved for the riches of India he divided Macedonia among his Captaines and shall not we who hear of and hope for a glorious mansion contemne these worldly cottages When Serapion read in the Bible of the joyes of Heaven he left his earthly possessions saying hic liber me spoliavit this book hath spoiled me In that his zeale was too rash but the assurance we have of those eternall joyes should engage us though not wholly to relinquish yet not to love these temporall contentments Quis alius noster finis saith St Austin quam pervenire ad regnum cujus non est finis What is our ultimate end but to come to that Kingdome whereof there is no end And shall we so live in this world which shall have an end as if the world were to be our chief end farre be it from us So often therefore as the vanities of earth affect us let our meditations flye upwards to the glories of Heaven and according to the Fathers counsell Let us begin to be there now in our thoughts and desires where we hope at last to be in our Persons To draw to an end In this Scripture our Apostle seemeth to put us to our
Christ is not meerly notionall but experimentall such a knowledge of him as is accompanied with a sense of his love to us not barely speculative but practicall such a knowledge of him as is attended with our love to him let us show it by love to our Brethren To close up this discourse It is an excellent advice of St Hierome discite â—am scientiam in terris cujus cognitio perseverat in caelis seek after that knowledg on earâ—h which will persevere in Heaven let us now begin and not only begin but according to St Peters counsell Grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ who is from the begining which shall be consummated in the end when we shall enjoy that beatificall vision which shall need no increase and know no end THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. 13 14. VERS I write unto you Fathers because yâ— have known him that is from the begining I write unto you young Men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father I have written unto you Fathers because you have known him that is from the begining I have written unto you young Men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one AMong others there are two speciall qualifications of a good Minister the one that he be faithfull and the other that he be prâ—dent His faithfullnesâ— consists in delivering those things that are true and his prudence in making choice of such things as are fit The fitness of a Ministers discourse lyeth chiefly in a double reference To the season and the persons All both words and works receive â— great deale of beauty from their opportunity it was not without reason that he said Omnium rerum est primum the chief in all actions is the fit time and Solomon concerning a word spoken in due season mentioneth the goodness of it with a question as if it were beyond any positive expression How good is it Nor is there â—ess regard to be had to the condition of the Auditors then the fitness of the season since hereby a discourse becometh not only seasonable but sutable Physitians though unless necessity enforce they have a regard to the season yet especially and alwaies they have respect to the different constitution of the patients in administring their poâ—ions and no less doth it befit us who are spirituall Physitians to accommodate our Doctrines to the condition and disposition of those to whom we preach Excellent to this purpose is that of an Ancient Pro-qualitate audientium formari debet sermâ— doctorum ut per singulâ— singulis congruat à commuâ—i â—dificationis arte nunquam recedat The Preachers Sermon ought to correspond to the Auditours condition so as may best tend to edification Look as in Musick all the strings of the Instrument though they are touched with the same hand yet not with a like stroake so in Preaching all sorts of persons are to be dealt with but not in the same way Aliter admonendi sunt viri aliter faeminae aliter in opes aliter locupletes aliter juvines aliter senes as he excellently goeth on one admonition is fit for Men another for Women one for the Rich another for the Poore one for the Young another for the Old This discreet Application of our instructions is that whereof the holy Apostles set us a pattern and among the rest St John especially in these Verses wherein we may observe him bespeaking severall ages and that in severall addresses sutable to those ages I write to you Fathers c. 2. The reason by which our Apostle inculcateth his writing upon the Fathers being already handled that which we are next in order to insist upon is that by which he presseth his writing upon the young Men as it is mentioned in the thirteenth and again both repeated and amplified in the fourteenth Verse To put them both together as expressed in these words You are strong and have overcome the wicked one and the word of God abideth in you You may please to consider them two waies Absolutely as a commendation and Relatively as an incitation Consider the words as a commendation and so that I may make use of the metaphor in the Text be pleased to observe these foure particulars The Enemy The Conquest The Aids and The Combatants The Enemy is Characterized by that term the wicked one The Conquest is Ingeminated in that phrase have overcome The Aids are specified in these words strong and the word of God abideth The Combatants are included in the you who are just before expressed to be young men 1. Begin we with the Enemy who is called The wicked one There are three grand adversaries of our salvation and all of them have this Epithet given to them the world is called by St Paul an evill world and the flesh which is the corruption of our nature is called the evill treasure of the heart and the Devill frequently the evill one the wicked one in this respect Zanchy conceiveth by the wicked one here to be understood Synecdochtically all our spirituall enemies but I rather incline to that exposition which interpreteth the wicked one here mentioned to be the Devill he it is who not only here but twice more in this Epistle is so called by our Apostle and no doubt he learned it from his Master who giveth him this title in the parable of the Tares yea St Chrysostome and others of the Fathers are of opinion that the evil from which our Saviour teacheth us to pray that God would deliver us is the Devil and accordingly Tertullian renders several places of Scripture which mention the Devil by malus malignus nequam evil wicked malignant It is a name which no doubt is given to the Devil antonomasticè by way of eminency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Illyricus is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth one who is exercitatissimus in omni malitiae genere exercised in all kind of wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth one who is insigniter improbus infamously notoriously wicked As though holiness be a quality communicable to the creature yet God and Christ are emphatically called in Scripture the holy one because according to Hannahs saying there is none so holy as the Lord â—o though there be many evil and wicked persons in the world yet the Devil is the wicked one because there â—â— none so evil as the Devil and therefore St Chrysostome gâ—eth this reason of the appellation Christ calleth hiâ— the wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becaâ—e of that hyperbolical wickedness whereof he is guâ—y â—r the better explanation of this I shall briefly resolv these two Queries How he came to be so â—hereâ—n he appeareth to be so It â—ould be a little enquired into how the person
heart he hath a foule dirty soule he is a mourner but it is only when his trading doth not thrive and riches increase he careth not for poverty of spirit but fullness in his purse all his mercy is to pitty and spare his Gold he is so farre from being a Peacemaker that he will go to Law for a penny and he resolveth to suffer no persecution but what is from his own fretting and raging lust Indeed the one of these qualifications is true but it is only in part men revile him and speak evill of him but it is not falsely but justly for Christs sake but his Monies sake and therefore his reproaches are so farre from rendring him blessed that they make him the more cursed and however this wretched catiffe like him in the Poet applaude himself while the people point and hisse at him yet the time will come when God shall upbraide him with his folly laugh at his calamity and then though too late he shall bewaile and abhorre and condemne himselfe What now remaineth but that since the denying this worldly lust appeareth so reasonable we resolve upon it and for our better execution of this resolution remember these Lessons 1. Get a contented minde The Author to the Hebrews hath aptly joyned them together Let your Conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have Requiring no doubt the latter in order to the former what are all of us in this world but as so many strangers and Pilgrims why should we care for more then Money to defray our charges we are under the providence of a gracious Father why should we not be content with what he seeth convenient for us Certainely that Shooe is not best which is the greatest but which is fittest for the Foote nor that Garment which is longest or most gorgeous but that which sets closest to the Body let our portion content us and then the lust of the eyes will not domineer over us 2. Labour for a charitable Heart make not the Mammon of unrighteousness your friend by loving it but make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness by giving it one desire will thrust out another the good lust of giving and distributing will expell the bad lust of getting and keeping St Austins counsell concerning riches is excellent Si absint ne per mala opera quaerantur in terra si adsâ—nt per bona opera serventur in â—aelo If they be wanting seeke them not in earth by evill workes if they be present lay them up in Heaven by good workes if you will needs be laying up of riches let it be in the safest place in Heaven as our Saviour directeth us and that is by laying them out for the poores relief if you must needs see your riches let it be upon the backs of the naked and the tables of the hungry this is the only commendable lust of the eyes 3. Judge righteous judgement concerning those things with which you are so enamoured to which end shut the eye of your sense and open the eye of your reason Tully writeth of a people who when they went to the field were wont pugnare clausis oculis to fight with their eyes shut it might be cowardize in them it would be wisdome in us to shut our eyes not to look too much on those Objects least they ensnare us When the Devill thought to tempt Christ to the utmost he shewed him all the kingdomes and glory of the world it is ill looking on the world especially when it putteth on its Holy-day apparell No wonder if David when he desireth that his heart may not be inclined to covetousness prayes also Turn away mine eys from beholding â—anity or if you will looke upon these things let it be with the eye of reason or rather faith to see the vanity and vexation of them looke not upon ther pompous outside but their rotten inside and then you will finde them like hangings which on the one side have pictures of Kings and Queens curiously wrought but on the other side rags and patches 4. Finally Lift up your eyes to Heaven by a due meditation of things above Anatomists observe that there is a muscle in mans eye more then in any other Creatures by which he is able to looke up Man in the Greeke language is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Plato saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that lifts up his countenance to which agreeth that of the Poet Os homimi sublime dedit Oh let our bodily constitution minde us of an Heavenly disposition Terram despicit qui Coelum aspiciâ— he will have Earth under his foote who hath Heaven in his eyes In one word As Moses so let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke off from this land we possess to the promised Land that having respect to that recompense of reward we may disrespect the treasures of Aegypt and taking daily walkes upon Mount Sion all these things silver gold houses lands goods riches may be little and vile in our eyes so shall we be delivered from this second venemous corruption The lust of the eyes 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 world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world AMong those many excellent rules which belong to the divine Art of Preaching this is not of least concernment that Ministers should not content themselves with Generalities either in disswading evill or perswading good Virtues and vices are then rightly handled when our Sermons are not like shadows which represent obscurely and confusedly but as glasses or rather Pictures setting them forth in their distinct lineaments It is a known maxime in Logick Latet dolus in universalibus There is a great deale of ambiguity and consequently deceit in universall propositions And though exhortations at large to serve God mortifie the flesh and contemne the world are in themselves true and good yet if not more particularly discussed the Auditors will be too apt to deceive themselves by imagining they have learnt those lessons to which perhaps they are meer strangers For this cause it was that Sâ— Paul exhorting the Colossians to mortifie their earthly members proceeds to a punctuall enumeration of those members and not only those of the grossest and worse sort but those which seem at least in mans eye of less guilt and to instance no further for this very reason no doubt it was that our Apostle contents not himself in generals to dehort worldly love but annexeth a speciall discovery of the severall lusts by which it reigneth in the hearts and lives of the wicked Love not the world for all that
Believer He hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day to wit to the actuall fruition of that life in another which he had only by faith and hope in this vvorld 2. Or we may thus expound it he abideth for ever to wit in his soul When our Saviour saith God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Jacob and presently addeth God is not the God of the dead but of the living he seemeth to intimate that those Patriarchs do now live to wit in their souls and we read expresly that St John saw the soules of them that were slaine under the Altar that is as some gloss with Christ who is the Christians Altar so that it is true both waies He abideth in his soul for ever without any interruption and though he must go out of this world he abideth for even in his person in the world to come 2. But it may yet further be Objected that this is a defective assertion for what is there in this of reward to continue for ever Are not the souls of the wicked immortall as well as of the godly shall not the bodies of the bad be raised as well as of the good will not the state of the disobedient in the other world be eternall as well as of the obedient and how then is this annexed as a promise to the doer of Gods will that he abideth for ever But to this it is justly answered that more is intended then is expressed it is not a meer continuance of being but an eternity of well being you have need of patience saith the Author to the Hebrews that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise and will you know what the promise is our Apostle tells you in this Chapter it is eternall life so that we must expound this by that it is not only abiding but living for ever which is here assured Indeed though the wicked shall continue for ever yet when the Scripture speaketh of their future state it is called a perishing for ever if you would know where are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the many Mansiens or abiding places Christ tells his Disciples it is in his Fathers house that is in Heaven in Gods presence so that to abide eternally in the beatificall vision in the place and state of happiness is that which is here intended by our Apostle If any shall aske a reason how it cometh to pass that by doing Gods will we obtaine an eternity of bliss I answer both in regard of God and his will or word 1. St Cyprian quoting this Text addeth by way of Explication Quomodo Deus manet in aeternum He abideth for ever as God abideth for ever And that this is implyed will appear by the connexion for as there it is expressed that the world passeth away so here it is implyed that God abideth for ever the comparison being made both between God and the world and the lovers of God and the lovers of the world So then God is α and ω the beginning and the end he inhabiteth eternity and with him is no variableness or shadow of changing And though eternity in its most comprehensive notion be peculiar to a deity and incommunicable to any Creature yet eternity a parte post is that which God hath made rationall Creatures capable of and as he abideth for ever so will he grant to them that do his will to abide with him for ever 2. Danaeus commenting upon this clause thus Paraphraseth sicut voluntas Dei est aeterna ita qui facit voluntatem Dei as Gods will is eternall so he that doth it must needs be eternall St Peter having illustrated the frailty of man by the resemblance of the grass and the flower presently addeth but the word of the Lord which is his revealed will endureth for ever Now Gods will and word is said to endure for ever not only because it is of eternall verity in it selfe but because it maketh them caâ—able of eternity who obey it and the Apostle in the same place a little before affirmeth of Believers that they are borne again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever to wit not only subjectivè in it selfe but effectivè making them who are borne again of it eternall and if you would know how we are borne again our Saviour tells us when he saith He that doth the will of God is my Mother my Brother to wit by this new birth For this reason it is that Christ calls his word the Meat that endureth to everlasting life because being eaten by faith and digested by obedience it nourisheth the soul to eternity No wonder that our Apostle here asserteth He that doth the will of God abibideth for ever And now Brethren If this consideration cannot induce us to the doing Gods will what will If any man should come and pretend to tell us how we might abide for ever in this world we would readily receive and speedily follow his advice But alas the most learned and experienced Physitian though he may prescribe rules De servandâ valitudine of preserving health for a time cannot give any De tuendo à morte for the escaping of death Whereas we set before you the way to an eternall durance in a farre better world and are forced to complaine with the Prophet Isaiah Who hath believed our report Is there any of us so brutish as not to desire participation of a blessed eternity Surely as Paul said to Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets I know thou believest I may say in this Desirèst thou to be happy I know thou desirest it and if so see here by doing Gods will thou shalt have thy own if thou endeavour to fulfill his commands he will satisfie thy desires Doing Gods Precepts for a time on Earth will obtaine the enjoying Gods face for ever in Heaven What then was Maries eâ—mmendation let it be our imitation Shee chose that good part which shall not be taken from her that is saith Grotius Cujus frucâ—us perpetuò mansurus whose benefit should remaine for ever and will you know what that good part was it appeareth by the context to be sitting at Christs feet for this end no doubt that she may first learne and then do Gods will Learne we to do likewise let our first care be to know and our next to do what God hath required that so we may now comfortably hope and at last happily enjoy what he hath promised an eternall Mansion And so much shall suffice to have been spoken of the clause considered in it self 2. That which next presents it selfe to our Meditation and would by no meanes be left out is the Relative connexion of this with what precedeth And here both parts of this clause would be looked upon and it is not unworthy our inquiry how and upon what account they are
a total and final apostacy is though very possible in respect of the Devils power and policy of the elects infirmities and corruptions yet is impossible in regard of Gods decree to glorify them and in order to that to preserve them To this purpose is that of St. Paul who having mentioned the woful Apostacy of Hymeneus and Philetus presently addeth for the comfort of sincere Beleevers Nevertheless The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his where by foundation is not improbably understood that decree of election which is unchangeable and they who are his that is in a peculiar manner as being chosen by him are known to him to wit by a special knowledge so as to take care of them that they shall not make such a ship-wrack of their faith as to sink into perdition 2 The Covenant which God hath made with the elect in Christ doth not only promise a reward to them which continue but the grace of continuance and not onely the grace whereby they may continue if they will but that grace whereby they shall at once bee both able and willing to continue what can bee clearer to this purpose than that of God by the Prophet Jeremy to the Elect Jews and in them to all his chosen I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Indeed these last words they shall not are not directly according to the Hebrew yet they expresse the sense which can amount to no lesse than a certainty of the event for since the grace of fear promised is a sufficient means of not departing and the promise of putting his fear into them for that end argueth that it was his intention they should not depart this event could not but infallibly be produced in as much as Divine intention seconded with sufficient means to produce the effect cannot possibly miscarry 2 In regard of Christ the certain continuance of all the true members of the Church depends upon the energie of his death and the efficacy of his intercession 1 Though the design of Christs death was in some respect general namely to purchase a possibility of Salvation for all upon the conditions of faith and repentance yet I doubt not to assert that besides this there was a particular design of his death which was to purchase a certainty of Salvation by faith and repentance for some to wit the elect this being the most rational way of reconciling those Scriptures which doe enlarge Christs death to the whole world with those that restrain it to his Church Indeed if there be not some who shall be actually saved by Christs death his death will be in vain if there bee not some for whom Christ hath purchased more than a possibility of Salvation upon condition it is possible none should bee actually saved by it especially if as those who deny this peculiar intention affirm the performing of the condition depends so on the liberty of our will that notwithstanding the influence of grace a man may chuse or refuse to doe it for then it is as possible that every man may not beleeve as that he may and consequently it is possible no man may bee saved by Christs death and so Christs death in vain as to that which was its primary end and consequently his intention frustrated it remaineth then that as Christ intended his death to be sufficient for all so that it might bee efficient to some in order to which it was necessary that for those persons hee should purchase grace yea not only grace but perseverance in grace till they come to glory 2 Among those many things for which Christ intercedeth with the Father in behalf of his members this is not the least that they may be preserved to his heavenly Kingdom and to that end that the Holy Spirit may be conferd on them That Prayer of Christ on earth is generally acknowledged as the summe of what he intercedeth for in Heaven and if you peruse it you shall finde him praying not only for the Apostles but all that shall beleeve through their word that the Father would keep them through his owne name from the evil to wit of this world so as they may be with him where he is to wit in Heaven and behold his glory That promise which Christ made to his Disciples on earth hee made good in Heaven I will pray to the Father and hee shall give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever nor is this prayer made only for the Apostles but for the whole Church and every particular member on whom by vertue of Christs intercession the Spirit is in some measure bestowed and that for this end to bee an exhorter a comforter an instructer an upholder of them in the way till they come to the desired end so that now put all together since all sincere members of the Church are such whom God hath freely predestinated to Salvation by Sanctification and with whom he hath made a gracious Covenant in Christ to give them grace and glory since they are a purchased people for whom Christ hath given himself to redeeme them from all iniquity to bring them to felicity and glory to which end as he once shed his bloud so still hee maketh intercession for them and communicateth his Spirit to them well might the Apostle assert that if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us To apply this 1 Doe we see any who having made though never so glorious profession of the truth degenerate into blasphemous Heresies and impieties and utterly fall away we need not fear to conclude that they never were what they seemed to bee if the seed which is cast into the ground doe not fructifie we may safely inferre it is not the good ground if the house fall through the violence of the storms we may truly deny that it was ever built upon the rock if when the wind of Persecution cometh any Professors vanish by an utter Apostacy wee may justly assert they were not Wheat but Chaffe It was our blessed Saviours plain assertion If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed whereby is implyed that total and final Apostacy is an argument of Hypocrisie and therefore whereas it it said many of his Disciples went away from him St. Austine saith Discipuli appellanâ—ur tamen non erant verè discipuli quia non manserunt in verbo ejus secundum id quod ait si manseritis in verbo meo verè discipuli mei estis Though they were called Disciples they were not so indeed because they did not continue in Christs word according to that in the Gospel If you continue in my word you are my Disciples indeed in reference to which it is that he saith a
Holy Scriptures themselves whilest pretending to a light within them which is communicated by this Unction they think they need no light without them no not that which shineth from the sacred writings For the proof whereof they thus argue from this Text. All who are taught by the Unction need not that any man should teach them and consequently not the holy men of God But all Christians are taught by the Vnction which they receive from Christ Therefore c. That this Syllogism how rational soever it may seem is but a Paralogism and particularly that Sophism which is called by Logicians Fallacia à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter a fallacy arguing from that which is spoken onely as to some respect as if it were to bee construed in its utmost latitude will plainly appear in the following discourse And that I may at once both refell this argument and unfold the clause I shall first demonstrate that those words you need not that any man teach you cannot with any show of Reason nor yet without apparent contradiction bee intended by S. John as an absolute negation and then I shall acquaint you with those constructions which are probable and which of them I conceive most natural 1 In pursuance of the negative part of the Explication I shall promise something by way of prevention and then propose somewhat by way of confutation 1 By way of prevention take notice of these particulars which cannot but be granted 1 Without doubt there will bee a time when Gods annointted ones shall not need the teaching of any man and that is in the other life when Glorified Saints shall behold in the vision of Gods face all things which may conduce to their happiness It is a true rule in Divinity Promissiones novi futurâ Evangelical Promises have some impletion in this life but their completion in the other Accordingly it is that those words They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest are by some of the Fathers understood of that knowledge which wee shall have in the Countrey and though I look not upon this as the genuine scope of these words yet doubtless then then only it is that those words shall most exactly be fulfilled To the two states of this and that other Life no doubt St. Paul referreth under the resemblance of a Child speaking doing and understanding as a Child and of a mans putting away childish things intending not differrnt degrees of grace but the difference between grace here and glory hereafter We are not such grown men whilest on earth that wee should look upon the external means of grace as childish things to bee put away it is the sole priviledge of heaven where wee shall know as wee are known that there all helps of humane instruction shall bee supervacaneous Indeed as Aquinas excellently argueth It is a sign of perfect knowledge acquisitâ scientiâ and therefore in that state of perfect knowledge no wonder if all teaching cease 2 In respect of our present state in this life know further that 1 On the one hand it is an undoubted truth that notwithstanding wee are taught by men there is great need of the teaching of this unction so great that without it all other teaching is in vain Every Instructor saith to his Auditors in words much like those of the King to the woman How can I help except God help how can I teach except the Spirit teach St. Gregory upon those words of our Saviour concerning the Spirit Hee shall lead you into all truth inlargeth very excellently to this purpose Vnlesse that Divine Spirit bee present to the heart of the Hearer the Word of the Teacher is to no purpose Let therefore no man attribute it to the man who teacheth that hee understandeth what hee saith because nisi intus sit qui doceat doctoris lingua exterius in vacuum laborat Except there bee a Teacher within the Preachers Tongue laboureth outwardly in vain Behold saith that Father you all alike hear the same voice of him that speaketh and yet you do not alike perceive the sense of what is spoken cum ergo vox dispar non sit cur in cordibus vestris dispar est vocis intelligentia seeing therefore the same voice sounds in all your ears why is there not the same reception into all your hearts were it not that there is a master within who is pleased peculiarly to teach some the understanding of what is generally spoken to all Whereupon hee quoteth this very Text with this glosse per vocem non instruitur quando mens per Spiritum non ungitur When the minde is not annointed by the Spirit it is not instructed by the voice To the same pupose and no lesse full is that discourse of St. Austin upon this place Behold my brethren a great mystery the sound of our words beateth the ear the Master is within Do not think that any man learneth any thing from any man wee may admonish by the noise of our voice but in vain if the Spirit teach not inwardly you all now hear my Sermon and yet alas how many go away untaught Quantum ad me pertinet omnibus locutus sum sed quibus unctio illa intus non loquitur quos Spiritus sanctus intus non docet indocti redeunt so far as concerneth mee I have done my part in Preaching to all but to whom the unction doth not speak whom the Spirit doth not teach they go home untaught The Instructions and admonitions of men are extrinsical helps Cathedram in coelo habet qui docet cor his Chair is in heaven who teacheth the heart therefore hee himself saith in the Gospel Call no man your master on earth one is your Master Christ And a little after The words which wee speak outwardly are to you as the Husbandman to the tree who planteth and watereth and pruneth it but doth hee form the fruit or cover the Tree with leaves who doth that Hear that Husbandman St. Paul and see what wee are and hear who is the internal Master I planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase neither is hee that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth any thing but he that giveth the increase is God that is his Unction teacheth you of all things Thus as the Prophets staff could not revive the Childe but the Prophet must come himself so mans teaching cannot instruct but this Vnction must teach us and therefore whensoever wee come to hear the word let us withall pray for the Spirit that the ministration of the one may bee accompanied with the operation of the other that of Ferus being most true Docet Spiritus sanctus sed per verbum docent Apostoli sed per co-operationem Spiritus sancti The Spirit teacheth but by
THE First general EPISTLE OF St. JOHN THE APOSTLE Unfolded Applied The Second PART In Thirty and seven Lectures on the Second Chapter from the third to the last Verse Delivered in St. Dionys BACK-CHURCH By NATH HARDY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Parish LONDON Printed for Joseph Cranford and are to bee sold at his shop at the Castle and Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. To the Right Honourable Lady Christian Countesse Dowager of Devonshire Madam I Finde this Holy Apostle directing his Second Epistle to an Elect Lady whereby hee conferr'd no small Honour upon her I am bold to dedicate this Second Part of my weak Labours on his first Epistle to your Ladyship as esteeming it and that justly a great Honour to mee St. John dignifieth the Person to whom hee wrote with the Title of a Lady it seemeth hee was of another spirit than our Levelling Quakers who denying a Civil difference of Superiour and Inferiour refuse to give those Respects both in Gestures and Titles which are due to some above others And as he calleth her a Lady in reference to her external Quality so an Elect Lady in regard of her choice internal qualifications as being to use St. Hieromes Language concerning a prime Lady in Rome Non minus sanctitate quam genere Nobilis no lesse good than great An Amiable sight it is when these two entwine each other Piety in a mean one is like a Mine of Gold in the earth Nobility in a bad one is like a blazing Comet in the Aire But Piety in a Noble person is like a bright star in the Heavens Honour without Vertue is as a Cloud without water Vertue without Honour is as a Room without Hangings But Vertue and Honour is as a Golden Apple in a Silver Picture or rather as a Pretious Diamond in a Golden Ring Both these were conspicuous in St. Johns Elect Lady and I may no less truely say are met together in you Should I give the World a true account of those Intellectual Moral and Spiritual endowments which God hath conferred upon your Honour I easily beleeve what St. Hierome saith in reference to a Noble Lady Si quacunque virtutibus ejus congrua dixero adulari putabor I shall bee censured as a Flatterer Besides to speak St. Ambrose his phrase in an Epistle to the same Lady I am justly fearful Nâ— verecundiae tuae onerosa foret etiam vera laudatio lest I should offend your Ladyships Modesty by expressing a Character of your worth though never so consonant to truth I foresee also how needlesse any Enconium will bee of your Merit The Lives of great persons being as Cities built upon an Hill generally obvious I am withall sufficiently sensible what an arrogance it is ut tuis praedicationibus ingenium meum par esse praesumam as the same Father in the same Epistle elegantly that I should think my rude pensil fit to draw the Lineaments of your better part upon all which considerations I have resolved against that common custome of a Panaegyrick Onely after St. Johns pattern I beseech you Madam that you would abound yet more in all vertue so as the light of your good works may shine more and more to the perfect day To this end Let those excellent counsels which are given by him in this Chapter and though I cannot say fully yet I dare say faithfully expounded by mee in this Book bee firmly engraven upon your Noble Breast Account it your Highest Honour with Mary to sit as it wete at Christs feet not onely that you may hear but keep his Commandements and to make good your Christian profession by treading in his footsteps and walking as he walked By imploying as you do this Worlds goods for Pious Hospitable and charitable uses let it appear that you have learned to Love your Brother and not to love this world Go not forth to those Antichristian Lying Teachers who by Heresy and Schisme are gone out of the Church of England that according to the Motto of your Honours Armes Cavendo tutus your pretious soul may bee still safe from errour by bewaring them and their poysonous doctrins Finally As you know so abide in him whom you have beleeved and let those truths which you have heard from the beginning and hitherto embraced abide in you to the end of your life I must not Right Honourable conclude this Epistle without fulfilling the chief End of its Dedication namely to confesse my Obligation and professe my gratitude to your Ladyship for those kinde aspects and benigne influences which in these black and cloudy daies the bright beams of your goodness have vouchsafed as to many of my Reverend Brethren so in particular to my self the unworthiest of them all I have nothing more to adde but my Devotions That the great God would accumulate upon your own person with all that are descended from and related to you the blessings of Life Health and Wealth of Love Grace and Peace of Joy blisse and Glory is and shall bee the uncessant Prayer of Madam Your Honours greatly Obliged and Humbly devoted Servant NATHANAEL HARDY To the Reader THis Epistle which I have undertaken by divine assistance to unfold is as it were a goodly Fabrick consisting of five Rooms being divided into so many Chapters Among those this Second is the most spatious and specious by reason of which this Volume is swelled far bigger than the former I need not tell thee how well worthy this Room is of thy most serious view Thus much I dare assure thee the more often thou lookest into it the better thou wilt like it At the entrance into it is as it were the Effigies of Christ as an Advocate for thy Consolation and a pattern for thy Imitation Towards the further end is the portraiture of Antichrist with all his cursed crew spitting fire out of their mouths against the Holy Jesus denying him to bee the Christ against whom the Apostle giveth a seasonable Caveat On the right hand hang the lovely Pictures of those Virgin graces Knowledge Obedience Love of God and of our Neighbour and perseverance in the faith On the left hand are represented those mis-shapen Monsters of Malice and Envy in hating our brother of worldly love with all her Brats the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the Pride of Life Finally there are in it several partitions one for Fathers another for young men and a third for Children for Men for Christians of all ages and sorts These following discourses are as so many windows to let in light to this Room whereby thou mayest the better view it and whatever is contained in it I have not made use of painted glass which though it may adorn obscureth but rather that which is plain and clear as affecting not the ostentation of my own wit in high language but thy edification by significant expressions I have
the same distemper we would trace the footsteps of divine Power and Knowledg and Wisdome but alas all such indeavours will prove vain and cursed fruitless and sinfull Indeed we find Christs Apostles working miracles but not in imitation of Christ rather Christ wrought signs and wonders by them for the propagation of his Gospell and this was only a personall and that a temporary priviledg 2. Christ as God-Man Mediator undertook many Offices in the exercise of which he was pleased to walk as a Prophet he walked up the Mount and from thence gave Laws and Precepts to the People as a Priest he walked to Mount Calvary whereby suffering Death upon the Cross he merited our Redemption He walked from the Grave to Heaven where he maketh Intercession as King and Head of his Church he walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks defending and governing his People conquering his enemies giving Laws conferring guifts And in these walks we are not directed to follow him it is an horrid presumption in the Romanists who make a meer man head of the Church who attribute to Saints and Angels a power of interceding in our behalf and therefore we justly assert with the Apostle Paul he hath given him to wit exclusively to be head And again There is one Mediator namely both of Redemption and Intercession between God and Man he who is God and man the Man Christ Jesus Indeed an Analogicall imitation may here be allowed as Christ is Head of his Church so the King is Head of his Kingdome the Master head of his Family As Christ walketh in the midst of his Church so the King in the midst of his Kingdome and the Master in the midst of his house Christ as a Prophet doth give Laws so his Ministers are Prophets to interpret his Laws to the People and all Superiours must be Prophets to instruct those who are under them as Christ intercedeth in Heaven for us so we must pray one for another on earth As Christ offered a propitiatory reall Sacrifice so we must by him offer gratulatory spirituall Sacrifices Finally to performe the Office of a Mediator he `dying on the Cross rose again from the Grave ascended into Heaven so we must dye to sinne live to righteousness and seek the things which are Above Thus we are allowed nay obliged indirectly and allusively to follow Christ in his walks as Mediator but not directly 3. Consider Christs walks as he was Man and so we shall find the actions he performed reducible to three heads Ceremoniall Circumstantiall and Morall 1. Christ walked in a way of Conformity to the Ceremoniall Law and therefore he is said to be made under the Law On the eight day he was Circumcised and thereby became obedient to the whole Law of Moses but in those walks we must not trace him Though he was pleased to fulfill the Law in himself that it might have an honourable Buriall yet he hath abolished it as to us it is not ought not to be observed and thereby as it were revived by us 2. Many things which Christ did were Circumstantiall in some of which it is unlawfull in others possibly it may be inconvenient and in neither of both it is needfull to imitate him The Duration of time in which Christ fasted to wit forty daies and forty nights is such as being miraculous we ought not to follow we are indeed to fast as he did but not so long since thereby we should be guilty of self-murder though withall it was not imprudently but piously appointed by the Church that so long time as Christ fasted a toto wholy from food we should a tali a tanto from some kind of food and from our usuall measure of eating Christs choosing of such persons as Publicans and Sinners to eate and drink and converse familiarly with inasmuch as he came to call them to Repentance and was not capable of pollution by them is no warrant for us to be familiar with wicked men from whom the best may more easily receive evil then do good to them though yet withall it giveth Ministers leave to Converse with those under their charge though wicked that if by any means they may bring them to God Those circumstances of place and time which Christ observed in Prayer when as one time we read he withdrew himself into the Wilderness to Pray and at another time he Prayed all night though the one direct to choice of private places for private Prayer and the other intimate long Prayer in some cases not to be unlawfull yet nether doth the one oblige us to leave our houses and run into a Wilderness nor the other to debarre our selves of a whole nights sleep for the exercise of our devotion That gesture of sitting which Christ was pleased to use when he Preached to the People would be though not unlawfull yet inconvenient for us his Ministers to follow since whereas he taught Magisterially we but Ministerially and so a more humble posture except in case of necessity best befits us Finally The time at which our Lord Administred the holy Communion Namely in the night after supper The posture in which as it is imagined he participated it to wit That of lying which he used after the common custome at his other meales are no patterns necessarily oblieging us to follow them for as to both the time and gesture it appeareth they were only occasionall it being most suitable that the time of the first Administration of that which was to come in the Roome of should be immediately after the Passover and if he did use which yet no Evangelist exâ—resly affirmeth that gesture the probable reason is because he had used it before at the Pasover and so being neerly inoidentall was not intended for our imitation The truth is this on the one hand if it at all oblige it bindeth not only to a but the table gesture since the custome of a countrey is no dispensation for what is of religions and necessary concernment and so even they who pretend in this to imitate Christ are defective But on the other hand in reallity it doth no more bind Ministers and People to conform to it in that holy Administration then that gesture he used in his Sermons doth bind the Ministers in their Preaching and if as by the practice of all sorts it seemeth to be granted it be more decent for the Minister to stand Preaching though Christ sate I see no reason why it may not be more decent for the Ministers and People to receive kneeling notwithstanding Christ did it in the usuall posture of his meales though to all this it might be added that since the posture there used was humi discumbere to lye down upon the ground this of kneeling cometh nearer to it then either that of sitting or standing In fine the Summe amounts to thus much Christs ceremoniall actions being in conformity to a law abolished are not and his circumstantiall actions being
not commanded nor forbidden by any law need not be imitated by us nor doth this walking as he walked extend to them 3. But lastly Christ walked in a way of Obedience to the Morall Law humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the Death and these footsteps of his Morall Actions we are to tread in For the fuller Explication of this be pleased to know that 1. Our Lord Christ is to speak in Ennodius his phrase Clara Epitome virtutum an exact Epitome of graces in St Bernards language Cardinalium virtutum exemplum a spotless example of the Cardinall virtues or if you will in Tertullians stile cumulata perfectionis massalis summa an accumulated heap of spirituall perfections Suitable hereunto it is that Cresolius cals him a Seminary of graces Temple of Religion Tabernacle of goodness and Habitation of Virtue Indeed there is no grace nor duty either towards God or our selves or others whereof Christ hath not set us a coppy Those graces of trust feare love and obedience which we are to exercise towards God those Virtues of loyalty to Kings Subjection to Parents equity and Charity which are due to man Finally those Ornaments of Humility Temperance Patience by which we possess our selves were all eminent in him as it were easie to demonstrate would the time permit or did the Text require it What he in Lucian said concerning Solon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In seeing Solon you see all that is good may more truly be affirmed of Christ in whom are all treasures of graces as well as knowledg That of the Apostle concerning himself and the rest of the Saints our Conversation is in Heaven may not unfitly be applied to this duty of the imitation of Christ he hath his Conversation in Heaven who leads it according to Christs example and good reason since as Athanasius excellently Christ whilst on earth did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry Heaven about with him This Sun of Righteousness went through the Libra of justice Leo of fortitude Virgo of chastity Taurus of industry Gemini of love to God and man Indeed the Firmament is not more full of Starres then he is of Graces It is a rule in Philosophy Primum in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum that which is the first in any kind is to be the measure of the rest and Christ being the first the grand exemplar of virtue no wonder if we are required to walk as he walked 2. One singular end of Christs comming into the world was that he might become a pattern of duty Indeed the chief and primary end of his advent was to be a Saviour but a Secondary was to be an example Upon this account is it that St Basil saith one end of Christs coming was that in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a picture we might behold the lineaments of all virtues and accordingly learn to order our Conversation aright When Christ had washed his Disciples feet he saith to them I have given you an example and truly for this cause he lived that he might give yea according to St Peter for this end he dyed that he might leave us an example that we should follow his steps 3. To endeavour as far as we can that all those graces which Christ practised may shine forth in our Conversations is to walk as Christ walked so that this as here specified admits both of an extent and a restraint 1. Of an Extent As that is in all those morall steps wherein he walked thus Tertullian saith To walk as Christ walked is to observe the Discipline of that Piety and Patience Justice and Wisdome which flourished in Christs life And Prosper putting this Question What is it to walk as Christ walked returneth this Answer it is Contemnere omnia prospera quae contempâ—it non timere adversa quae pertulit libenter facere quae fecit c. To contemn what he contemned suffer what he suffered and do what he did Indeed to imitate Christ but in some things is only to step as he stepped but to walk as he walked is to imitate him in all not onely to be lowly but holy just but charitable as he was go about doing good but suffering evill as he did it is to imitate him in his active and in his passive Obedience to follow him in his Life yea in his Death For as St Austin observeth when Christ was fixus in cruce fast nailed to the Cross he walked in the wayes of constancy courage patience charity towards his enemies which we must practice when at any time we are called to suffer we cannot have a better Expositour of the Disciple then the Master and Christ saith to follow him is to deny our selves and take up our Cross 2. Of a restraint It being an as not of equality but quality nor doth it require an exactness of performance but only a sincerity of purpose Christs phrase is following and coming after him which we may do though non passibus aequis we come far behind him Excellent to this purpose are those Expressions of an Ancient Proderit imitari et si nemo valeat adaequare persequi debemus et si consequi non possimus non eisdem passibus sed eodem tramite eisdem vestigijs insistendum Made equall we cannot conformable we may be to him to attain to his measure is impossible to press hard towards it is necessary to go with the same speed and evenness is not expected but to go in the same path tread in the same steps is required In one word those graces which did flame forth in Christs life must at least sparkle in ours which did shine bright in his must twinkle in ours which were perfectly in him must be sincerely in us so shall we fulfill this Apostolicall dictate to walk as he walked I end this Naturale homini alium imitari Man is naturally a Mimicke and loves to follow and what fuller fitter better pattern can be made choyce of then this here set before us Oh then as Moses did all things in making the Tabernacle according to the pattern which God shewed him in the Mount so let us order all our actions according to the pattern Christ taught in the Mount and as he taught so did in the course of his life Iâ—â—s the command of God to Abraham in the Old Testament walk before me it is the voice of Christ to his Disciples in the New come after me and both very usefull we must walk before God by a continued remembrance of his eye we must come after Christ by a due observance of his steps and so walking as having God to be our Spectatour and Christ to be our guide we cannot wander This is that which hath still been the practice of holy men to set Christ before them as their example this did St Paul who adviseth others to follow him as he did Christ thus did
then teach such an one so may we say of such persons they must first be taken off from their sandy foundation and then fixed upon the true rock whereby it is that they are brought with more difficulty into the state of salvation 3. But lastly Others there are who both truly know Christ and know that they know him are by faith ingrafted into Christ and have an inward sense of that faith and so of their being ingrafted in him Among this number was St John and not he only but many others as well Christians as Apostles in which respect he useth the plural number and indeed an endeavour after this reflex knowledge is that to which every Christian is bound It is St Peters counsell giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure and if you please to view the begining of his Epistle you shall find those whom he puts upon this work to be all that had obtained like precious faith with the Apostles to wit for quality though not quantity that is all believers who being chosen and called must strive for an assurance that they are so Among others there are two Considerations which may serve as spurres to quicken our endeavours and wings to accelerate our pursuit after this knowledg namely the possibility of attaining it and the utility of it when attained 1. If we strive after it we shall not labour in vain Indeed God hath appointed to every Christian his measure of spiritual stature yet so as that no Christian who is not awanting to himself but may attain so farre as to have some degree of this knowledge where St Peter in the fore-mentioned Scripture requireth all believers to give all diligence to gain this assurance what doth he but imply at once both a difficulty and a possibility of gaining it since were it not difficult there were no need of all and if it be not possible it will be in vain to use any diligence When St Paul calleth upon the Corinthians to examine themselves whether they be in the faith what is his designe but as the following words know you not that Jesus Christ â—s in you intimate that they might come to know their interest in Christ And surely it were in vain to bid us search for that which cannot be found examine whether we be in the faith if we cannot know whether we have faith or no. 2. Possible then it is and not only so but profitable as conducing very much to the exercise of many duties and the participation of many comforts 1. Christians are called upon in Scripture to cry Abba Father to rejoyce in the Lord to be thankfull to love the appearing and look for the coming of Christ Now these are such duties as are to be performed by none but them who know that they know Christ and are in him How can we call God Father unless we know him to be so nor can we be assured that he is our Father except we know our selves to be in Christ through whom alone he becometh a Father Gerson hath well observed that to joy there must three things concurre objectum delectabile applicatio ad appetentem cognitio applicationis a delightfull object an application of this object to him who desireth it and a knowledge of that application it is so in spiritual joy Christ is the delectable object our knowing him and being in him is the application of this object and though these two be present yet if there be not a knowledge of this application there can be no rejoyceing How full of teares and despair is Hagar when yet a well was by her How sad and pensive are those two Disciples whilest yet Christ draweth near to them and walketh with them How bitterly doth Mary weep at the Sepulchre whenas he for whom she weepeth is risen from the grave and standeth by her and why all this Alas Hagar seeth not the well the Disciples and Mary knew him not to be Jesus Thus as it is impossible to desire that we know not to be good so to delight in that good whereof we know not our selves possessed And as we cannot be joyfull in so neither thankfull for those benefits whereof we have not a sensible fruition he only that can say God of his abundant mercy hath begotten me again can say Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Finally Christs coming at the last day shall be in flaming fire rendering vengeance on them that know him not only to them that are in him he will arise a Sunne of righteousness with healing in his wings so that whilest we are uncertain of our being in Christ we cannot with comfort expect or with desire long for his coming 2. And as this knowledge enableth us to these duties so it is that which enlargeth our comforts true it is he is an holy man who hath grace without peace but he is the happy man who hath grace and peace The knowledge of our interest in Christ is not necessary to the end it selfe as if there were no Salvation without it but it is needfull to Solace us in the way to the end since there is no Consolation without it What is it that heighteneth our Fellowship and Communion with God that giveth us boldness of access to the Throne of Grace that causeth the soul to converse with God as a Favourite with his Prince a Son with his Father a Bride with her Bridegroome but this knowledg How amiable is the Meditation of Christ in his Person Natures Offices Merits to him who knowing himself to be in Christ knoweth all these to be his Every thing of Christ is sweet to such a Soul it doth him good to view his Wounds nay with Thomas to put his hands in the hole of Christs side whilst he can say my Lord and my God With what gladness doth he receive the Word of God in every part of it since the very threatnings do not affright him because he knoweth they belong not to him This Knowledg of our interest in Christ is that which multiplyeth the sweetness of all temporall enjoyments inasmuch as by this means we look upon our selves as having not only a civill but a spirituall right to them we look upon them as the fruits and pledges of speciall love yea the earnest of a better inheritance Indeed mercy looketh like mercy and every blessing is doubly beautifull in the eye of such a Christian One being asked what was the best Prospect returned this Answer To see a greatway in his own land He who knoweth he is in Christ may look both on Earth and Heaven as his according to that of St Paul All things are yours Finally This is that which contents us in all estates supports us under all afflictions and armeth us against the fears of death He must needs be willing to want any thing else who knoweth he hath Christ who is All in All he need
an unregenerate person to beget others to the Faith and so the Minister may be a Father and not a Brother On the other hand ofttimes a great part of the people remain in a state of sin and imenitency in which regard good Ministers have too oft just reason to complain that when they have many Auditours they have but few Brethren Indeed whereas these two relations in a carnall alliance are inconsistent in this spirituall kindred they one make way for the other Auditours by becoming the Children are also the Brethren of their faithfull Pastors Thus when we our selves are begotten again to God and we are Instruments to beget you again you and we are Brethren Happy the People who have such a Minister happy the Minister who hath such a People then is there the sweetest Harmony when there is this spirituall Affinity between them 3. And Lastly Consider him as a man sprouting from the same root and made of the same mould with them so in a naturall way according to a large notion he and they were Brethren It was Moses his prediction to the Jews concerning Christ The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me him shall you hear and as Christ himself so his Apostles whom he raised up to publish his Gospell and their Successours who are sent about this work have still been the Peoples Brethren Moschus relateth a story of an Abbot who was checked by a Deacon for some errour in holy Administrations whilst he saw Angels standing by he supposing the Angels would have rebuked him if he had done any thing amiss slighted the Deacons admonition The Deacon continuing his reproof the Abbot addresseth himself to the Angels Quare vos non dixistis mihi Why have not you checked me to whom they returned this Answer Deus ita dispâ—suit ut Homines ab Hominibus corrigantur God hath so ordered it that Men should be convicted and instructed by Men who are their Brethren We have a great deale of reason herein to take notice of Gods mercifull condescention in teaching us by men like to our selves When God was pleased to speak by himself it was so terrible that the people could not endure it when God was at any time pleased to send Angels of his errand it caused amazement in the minds of them to whom they were sent but speaking to us by our Brethren Men as we are we are comforted and encouraged Doubtless it had been more congruous to the majesty of God and Sublimity of his message that those glorious Angels should have been the dispensers of it but surely it was more correspondent to our weakness and thereby to his goodness that men should be the Conduits to convey this water of life to us And now Beloved let not this goodness of God be to us an occasion of contempt far be it oh far be it from us to regard the message the less because they are men our Brethren who bring it he wanted not other waies of making himself known to the Children of men but this was most expedient for us and therefore let it be matter of gratulation to us and if at any time our corrupt hearts shall prompt meane thoughts of the word because of the meanness of the Ambassadours let us remember that it is verbum patris though in ore fratris the Gospell of God though spoken by man the word of our Father though in the mouth of a Brother 2. It is a word of Humility Brotherhood is a relation of equality all Brethren except the elder Brother are alike Christ is the Elder Brother so that the Apostle in calling the Christians his Brethren maketh them as it were equall to himself Oh what humility lodged in the hearts of those holy Apostles No doubt as Apostles they were above the rest in Place and Power Office and Dignity in which respect St John before calls them Children a relation that argueth a superiority in him over them and yet such was the lowliness of their minds that they looked upon themselves as but equall and therefore this Apostle here and the reâ—t frequently in their Epistles use this term Brethren nay as if this were not low enough St Paul mentioneth a relation that argueth an inferiority in the Apostles to the people where he useth that religious Complement to the Corinthians our selves your servants for Jesus sake This lowliness of mind was that which according to Christs command they learned of him It is very observable that though Christ was their Lord and Master yet he calls them not servants but friends a word of Parity yea he intitles them to this very relation when he said to Mary Magdalen go to my Brethren and if Christ was pleased to call them well might they call those who were their Disciples Brethren Oh let the same mind be in all the Ministers of the Gospell Pride is odious in any but especially in Christs Ambassadours As St Paul saith though I might enjoyne I rather beseech so though we may challenge superiority and authority yet let us rather condescend to a way of equality yea if need be inferiority We must keep up the honour of our office but still express the humility of our minds in respect of Heavenly mindedness we must be as the hills of lowly mindedness as the vallies let us not think much to sit in the hinder part of the Ship so we may steere the course of it to Heaven How willingly should we bespeak the people as our Brethren nay Masters so we can but gain them to be Christs Servants Only let me adde one Caution the humility of the Minister must not be an occasion of contempt from the People yea give me leave to tell you whilst we are ready to be commanded by you you ought readily to obey us and it becometh you to reverence us as Fathers whilst we call you Brethren 3. It is a word of Amity It is not unworthy our observation that the holy Apostles are of all others most frequent in this stile of Brethren and that no doubt for this reason because it is a term at once both free from pride and full of love Great is the love which hath been betwen Brethren nor can any relation afford higher examples then this Brotherly Love hath exceeded parentall A Persian that wept not for his Childs did for his Brothers death saying I may have more Children but not Brethren So that our Apostle here calling them Brethren no doubt intends to let them see how kindly affectioned he was towards them such is the affection which the Ministers of Christ have ever had towards their People Thus did St Paul love the Corinthians when he saith Oh ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged and the Thessalonians when he saith Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospell
to exclaime against the madness of this Generation Mirari satis nequeo said Lyrenensis of the men in his daies we may no less truly of those in ours I cannot enough wonder at the impiety of those blind minds which not being contented with anciently received truths are alwaies either adding or detracting or changing some way or other introducing somewhat that is new that which here St John sets down as a commendation is now become an accusation he preacheth nothing but what is old the voice of those in the Psalms is Quis ostendet bonum who will shew us any good the cry of this age Quis ostendet novum who will shew us any thing that is new our proud Women are not more for new fashinos then both Men and Women for new fancies But surely if that which our Apostle wrote was not new but old they who vent not old but new are false Apostles upon this account it was that Ireneus inveighing against Hereticks maketh this one Character of them Affectant per singulos dies novum quicquam ad invenire quod nunquam quâ—squam excogitavit they affect to broach somewhat new which was not heard of before and to the same purpose St Austin giveth a Definition of a Heretick He is one Qui alicujus temporalis commodi vanae gloria causâ novas opiniones vel gignit vel sequitur Who for secular advantage or vain-glories sake doth either invent or uphold some new Doctrine and to name no more Origen observeth concerning Hereticks that they Marry themselves extraneo verbo to a Forraign and so some new word altogether alyene from that which is conteined in the holy Scriptures And therefore my Brethrer take ye heed of them who publish according to Tertullians phrase concerning Marcion hesternum Evangelium a Gâ—spell that is of yesterday who change their Faith and Doctrine with the Moon every Moneth and are as it were Skepticks in Divinity Remember I beseech you who it is that soweth the new Tares among the good Corn Even the envious man observe I pray you whither those men wander who as Ghislerius his phrase is Antiquâdimissâ per novam gradiuntur viam Leaving the ancient path seek new waies it is seldome that he who is taken of his old and sure basis sâ—tleth any where but is tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine falling away from truth to eâ—ror from error to heresie from that to Blasphemy and at last to Atheism Remove nâ—â— then the ancient Land-marks it is Solomons ingeminated counsell no doubt to be understood literally but yet such as is applyed allusively by the ancients to this present matter Terminos antiquos dicit terminos veritatis fidei quos statuerunt ab initio Catholici Doctores he calls the old Doctrines embraced by the Chatholick Doctors the ancient Land-marks saith Salazar let us not dare to remove them yea if an Angel from Heaven as St Paul speaketh shall Preach any other Gospell let him be accursed In one word let the obedience which we yield to the Commandments be a new Obedience but the Commandments to which we yield Obedience must be not new but old such was this concerning which the holy Apostle here writeth 2. In Speciall Yet further and lastly take notice that the Commandment of Love is not a new but an old Commandment many indeed are the Topicks whence this Commandment of Love might justly be commended and among others this is not the least that it is gray-headed and of ancient institution There are some things to which oldness is a disparagement an old Garment past mending an old house past repairing an old ship past rigging but then there are other things of which oldness is a praise old Coynes Manuscripts Monuments Buildings have a face of honour upon them it is a great dignity for a man to be descended of an ancient house no wonder if this command of love be therefore honourable because it is an old Commandment The truth of this which is here attributed to Love will best appear by the proofe which is annexed and is next to be handled For the present we will take it for granted and let the improvement of it be to render this command of Love the more amiable and acceptable to us Indeed were it a new Precept and the imposition of it but of Yesterday we might have some reluctancy against it Haud facilè insuetum jugum suscipimus saith Calvin well men do not easily undertake a yoke to which they are not accustomed but this yoke is no other then what was of old imposed It is well observed by an Historian the Laws which at first were exceeding harsh and heavy by force of custome become not only tolerable but light and easie Hereupon one compareth customes to a King and Edicts to a Tyrant because we are subject voluntarily to the one but upon necessity to the other To this purpose Herodotus reporteth that Darius having under his dominion certain Grecians of Asia who had a custome of burning their dead friends and certain Indians who used to eat them he called the Grecians and would have them to conforme to the Indians afterward he called the Indians and would have them to conforme to the Grecians but found both very unwilling to leave the usage of their countrey so tenacious are men of old customes Oh then my Brethren since this command is such as hath alwaies been a custome among the Saints and hath upon it the stamp of antiquity let it be embraced and practiced by us with the more readiness and alacrity And so much for the Point it self It remaineth I now proceed to the proofe it is from the beginning But the time being past commands me to end and reserue that to the next opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. Vâ—RS 7 8. 7. Brethren I write no new Commandment unto you but an old Commandment which ye had from the beginning the old Commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning 8. Again a new Commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth EVery Scribe instructed for the Kingdome of Heaven saith our blessed Saviour is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasury things new and old an excellent similitude representing to us the properties of a good Preacher The Housholder hath his Treasury where provision is laid up The Preacher his storehouse of divine knowledg The Housholder doth not hoard up but bring forth what he hath in his Treasury for the use of his Family The Preacher being furnished with abilities employeth them for the Churches good The things which the Housholder bringeth â—orth out of his Treasury are both new and old all sorts of provision both of the present and former years growth The Doctrines which
it If thy enemy hunger saith St Paul feed him if he thirst give him drink the Hebrew word in the proverb whence St Paul borroweth it is rendred by Vatablus Propina ei aquam not only give him drink but drink to him as a token of love that it may appear however he is towards thee thou art reconciled to him Excellent to this purpose is that advice of Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must say brethren unto them that hate us and accordingly express brotherly love to them And thus in this construction of brother we have beheld the extension of love how farre it reacheth in regard of the objects about which it is conversant 2. But besides this carnal fraternity between all men there is a spiritual brotherhood between all Christians they have all the same Father even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who begetteth them again they have the same Mother the Church Jerusalem from above which bringeth them forth they all are washed in the same laver of regeneration baptisme partake of the fame immortal seed and are nourished by the same sincere milk of the Word Finally they are all begotten to the same undefiled inheritance heirs of the same glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens Alexandrinus we call them brethren who are born anew of the same Word yea quanto dignius fratres dicuntur habentur saith Tertullian how much more deservedly then other men are they called and accounted brethren who acknowledge one Father God have drank of one spirit of holiness and are brought forth of the same womb of ignorance into the glorious light of Evangelical truth A brother in the sense above-mentioned is only so by nature but in this by grace that 's only a brother on the left hand but this on the right hand that of the earth earthly but this from heaven heavenly In this sense some Expositors and as I conceive most rationally take the word here this name brother being by the Apostle and afterwards in the primitive times in common language given to all and only those who did embrace Christian Religion and which maketh this interpretation more manifest is that our Apostle in the next Chapter phraseth it love the brethren which seemeth to indigitate a certain society of men so called yea in the fifth Chapter at the beginning he describeth him whom here he calls brother to be one that is begotten of God According to this construction that which is here required is called by the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brotherly kindness and is distinguished as a particular species from its genus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is presently annexed charity As then there is a general love which belongeth to all men so a special love which belongeth to all Christians and as we must do good to all men so especially to the houshould of faith indeed seeing the Christian brother hath a double cause of love in him that is Gods image as a man and Gods graces as a Christian we ought to deal by him as Joseph did by his brother Benjamin whose mess was five times greater then the rest of his brethren If any shall yet further enquire why our Apostle speaking of this love to a Christian calls him by the name of a brother I answer for these three reasons because this name of brother carrieth in it an obligation to a specification and modification of that love which is here required since we must love a Christian quia quatenus qualis because he is a brother inasmuch as he is a brother and with such a love as is among brothers 1. This word Brother carryeth with it a strong Obligation to Love In fratris voce ratio so Danaeus It is an urgent reason why we should Love a Christian because he is our Brother all relation is a ground of affection and hence it is a man loveth any thing that is his the nearer the relation the greater tye to love and therefore the more reason why a Brother should be beloved the nearest relation is that which is spirituall and therefore yet greater reason to Love a Christian who is ours our Brother yea our Brother in Christ When Moses saw two Israelites Countrey men strugling together he said to them Sirs you are Brethren why do you wrong one another when Abraham and Lot kinsmen were likely to fall out saith Abraham Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee for we are Brethren when Socrates saw two Brethren striving one with another he told them they did as if the two hands which were made to help should beat each other so that since Christians are Brethren in the highest and closest relation this should be a great ingagement upon them to love 2. This word Brother intimateth a specification of this love in regard of its Object which is then rightly placed when it is upon a Brother as he is a Brother that is a Christian as he is a Christian One that is a Brother in this spirituall notion may be my naturall Brother or Kinsman and then to love him is what nature dictates or he is my Friend and Benefactor and so to love him gratitude teacheth or he is able to do me either an injury or a courtesie so that I have cause to fear the one and hope the other and in this respect to love him self love prompts me or once more he may be a man of rare naturall and acquired endowments and to love him for this ingenuity moves me but to love him because he is a Brother in a spirituall sense this is that which Christianity inciteth to and this only is a right Christian love Indeed thus to love him is to love him in reference to God and Christ because he hath the grace of God in him the Image of God upon him To love him as a Brother in this sense is to love him as a Son of God a Member of Christ and as St Hieromes phrase is Diligere Christum habitantem in Augustine to love God and Christ dwelling in him And now if any shall say it is hard nay impossible to know any man to be such a Brother and therefore how can I love him as such when I cannot know him to be such I answer that there is a great deale of difference between the judgment of certainty and charity love doth not need nor require infallible but only probable signs and therefore whosoever doth profess the true faith of Christ and doth not by a flagitious conversation give that profession the lye love taketh him to be a Brother and to love one because he atleast seemeth to be such a one by his externall Profession and Conversation so as the more Christian graces we discover in him the more we are affected towards him this is that which most especially falleth under the Precept of loving our Brother 3. Yet once
an open enemy and ex magno appetitu â—â—â— mâ—â—tat modum loquendi it is the greatness of hatred which puts him upon this pretence of love 4. Yet again are there not some whose hatred is so deadly to their brother that they will be content to do themselves a loss so they may do him a great Injury That Apologâ—e of Cupidus and Invidus the covetous and the envious man is very observable to this purpose Jupiter promised that whatsoever the one asked the other should have double whereupon they much strove one with the other who should ask first the covetous man refused because he was desirous of the double portion and the envious man was no less unwilling as repining that the other should have more then himself At length the envious man resolveth to be the first in asking but what did he ask That Jupiter would 〈…〉 of his eyes because he then knew the other must lose both Such malicious men there are and that among Christians who care not to deprive themselves if they may disappoint their brother This is that hatred which is fetcht from hell witness Dives who desireth not that he might come to Lazarus but that Lazarus might come to him as if he had rather Lazarus should be miserable with him then he happy with Lazarus But if there be as I hope there are many who can acquit themselves from these effects of hatred at the height yet I feare we may observe those Symptomes in the most which discover them to be somewhat sick of this disease When the eye is evill because God is good doth it not discover that besides the black which nature hath put in the eye as the seat of its perfection there is another black which envy hath put into it as a seat of corruption What doth the smoake of detraction stander calumnie cursing rayling scoffing back-biteing which cometh forth at the lips of many men but argue a fire of malice burning in their hearts whence cometh betraying quarrelling fighting plundering yea killing one another but from this lust of hatred in mens minds Indeed who can consider the hatefull practices which are continually acted among us and not acknowledge the great predominancy of this sin Drop down ye Heavens and let the Skies poure down righteousness saith the Prophet Drop down ye Heavens and let the Skies poure down charity and love may we say for it hath left the earth yea instead thereof the smoake of hatred ascending out of the bottomless pit hath filled it What calling or profession of men is free from this vice I would to God the black Coate were not besmeared with it What state and condition of men is not guilty of it Oppressours plainly tread in the footsteps of hatred and I would to God sufferers did not harbour the lust of revenge How needfull then is a dehortation to disswade you from this sin and indeed this very name Brother if it be as you have already heard an argument of love may well be a disswasive from hatred if he be a Brother in the highest notion he is Christs Brother as well as thine and wilt thou hate him whom Christ loveth if in the lowest degree he is flesh of thy flesh and wilt thou hide thine eyes in contempt and haired from thine own flesh St Paul saith No man ever yet hated his own flesh and wilt thou be so unreasonable But if this consideration be too weake go on and view the description which followeth of the state of such a sinner and that is the next generall which God willing the next time shall be set before your eyes that if possible this sin of hatred may be eradicated out of your hearts THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even untill now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him He that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes AMong the manifold excellencies of Gods Law this is not the least that it is according to St Pauls phrase a spirituall Law and that not only effective because dictated by Gods Spirit but Objective because extending to Mans spirit Indeed it is one of the differences between humane and divine Precepts that those only reach the outward these the inward man those only order the conversation these our cogitations Finally those take hold of words and works these of thoughts and desires This is evident in matters of Religion towards God Man requireth the externall observance but Gods internall devotion Man forbideth prophane Oaths but God blasphemous Imaginations nor is it less true in regard of our duty towards Man Humane commands inhibit the gross acts of uncleanness but Divine lustfull affections and to instance in no more whereas only actuall injuries of our Brother come within the compass of Mans cognisance God prohibits the very hatred and enjoyneth the contrary affection of love to him as here we see in the words He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother c. Having discussed the first generall part of the opposition Namely the sin briefly specified He that hateth his Brother we are now to go on to the other which is the state of the sinner as it is largely described in the 9th and 11th Verses 1. That which first occurreth in this description is the sinners own imagination what he fancyeth himself to be He saith he is in the light What is meant by this phrase of being in the light needs not again to be insisted on It is as much as to say he is in Christ he savingly knoweth Christ or he is in a state of grace This is that which he that hateth his Brother may say Indeed this cannot be in truth for St John saith of him He is in darkness and to be at once in the light and in the darkness is impossible but yet he may say so though it be not so and that two waies namely in opinion and profession 1. He that hateth his Brother may think himself to be in the light and so say it in his heart For 1. He may be acquainted in a great measure with the mysteries of Christian Religion and much conversant in divine speculations and for this reason imagine himself in the light The Pharisees though a generation of Vipers for their venemous nature say it of themselves we see and no doubt as to the letter of Moses his Law did see and know much so may Hypocriticall malicious Christians be versed in the Theory of Christianity 2. He may be frequent in Religious performances and upon this account fancy himself to be in the light Those Israelites whose hands were full of blood and therefore their hearts full of malice made many Prayers and offered multitudes
men they had overcome the wicked one 4. Young men have their blood boyling in their veins their naturall heat is sprightly in them so is it with proficients in grace the supernaturall and spirituall heat of zeal is lively in their hearts whereby it is that they boyle as it were in love to God and rage against sin 5. Finally Young men are healthfull and lusty and though they fall into a disease their bodies are able to wrestle with it and nature gets the better so have spirituall proficients an healthfull frame of soul whereby it is that they seldome fall into great diseases I mean gross sins and if at any time they do fall grace struggleth with and prevaileth against corruption â— Perfecti They who are comparatively not only in respect of bad but good perfect Christians having attained large measures of grace are resembled to Fathers 1. Aged Fathers know much by their own experience so do perfect Christians they are experienced in the subtilties of Satan and dâ—ceits of their own hearts the workings of grace and stirrings of corruptions the assistances of Gods Spirit and manifestations of his Love 2. Aged Fathers know things that are done many years ago and perfect Christians according to our Apostles phrase have known him that is from the beginning converse with the Father of eternity and so far as God hath unbosomed himself in his word are acquainted with the thoughts he had from everlasting 3. Lastly Aged Fathers are usually Fathers of many Children so are perfect Christians they make it a great part of their buiâ—â—ness to admonish the negligent support the feeble reclaime the wandring comfort the drooping and by all meanes to convert and confirme their Brethren To summe it up Habent omnes virtutes suas conceptiones nativitates incunabvla aetatis incrementa saith an Ancient The virtues have their Conception Birth and Growth and that from one degree to another the seed of grace which fals upon good ground bringeth forth in some an hundred in some sixty and in some but thirty fold all the Israelites did not gather the like quantity of Manna some an Omer and some an Epha some much some little it is no less true of the spirituall Israelites in gathering grace Among the ungodly on Jacobs ladder some were above at the top and others below at the foot yet all upon the ladder the like difference there is among Christians in their spirituall ascents as in the Heavens there are stars of severall magnitudes in Schooles there are Schollars of severall so mes in Houses there are vessels of severall bigness so in the Church there are Christians of severall degrees for there are Fathers and young Men and little Children Let not then those who are Fathers grown up in Christianity disdaine the young Men who are growing nor either Fathers or young Men contemn the little Children The time was when thou who art a Father wast a young Man nay a little Childe and the time may be when they that are now little Children may come to be young Men nay Fathers he that hath mâ—st grace began with a little and those weâ—k striplings may prove strong Gyants in grace if thou hast much and others but little thankfully acknowledg thy Fathers mercy but do not proudly scorne thy Brothers infirmity Again Let not those who are as yet but little Children be discouraged at nor yet content with those small measures of grace they have attained Let them not on the one hand be too much dejected he that bids Peter feed his sheep bids him withall to feed his Lambes yea he who is himself the great Shepheard taketh care of the little Lambes as well as the grown sheep when Nicodemus came to Christ with some few sparks of desire after him our compassionate Redeemer non delebat sed alebat did not extinguish but cherish them Besides the covenant of grace is made with and the promises of mercy are made to faith not only in strength but truth A little Childe is as truly a man as a young man as an old man and a weake Christian is as truly a Christian as the most perfect Saint conclude not too harshly against thy self from the praemises of weak gracè Qui non potest volare ut aquila voleâ— ut passer if we cannot mount with the Eagle soare with the Larke let us flye with the Sparrow though we cannot with St Paul set our feet in the third Heaven yet let us lift up our hands and eyes thither In a word let us neither measure our goodness by anothers want of it nor our want of goodness by anothers abundance as if we had no grace because but little and not so great a measure as others Nor yet on the other hand let little Children or young Men be contented with what they have attained The stature which a Christian is to strive after is the stature of the fulness of Christ and therefore we must never come to our maximum quod sâ—c our full pitch There is an holy and amiable ambition in Christianity oh how good would a good heart be it looketh not only upon its sins but graces with grief and mourning as that it hath been so bad so that it is yet no better Peto ut acâ—ipiam cum acceperâ— rursus peto I aske to receive grace and when I have received I aske again Nec ille deficit in dando nec ego satior in accipiendo he is not weary of giving nor am I satisfied with receiving So St Jerome Is then the foundation of piety layed reare up the building every day higher then other till it reacheth to Heaven Is the light of grace risen in in thy soul Let it shine more and more to the perfect day Finally art thou a little Childe grow up to be a young Man yea never cease till thou comst to be a Father in Christ And so much for the Allegoricall Interpretation It is a received rule in interpreting Scripture that the litterall sence is to be adhered to as most genuine unless necessity inforce to recede from it For this cause I conceive it most congruous to embrace the plaine and proper meaning of the words as they note the ages of mens life though withall the other notion is here collaterally to be taken in those of these severall ages to whom St John writeth were converted to Christianity and proportionably no doubt as the little Children were but weak so as they grew up to be young Men and Fathers they grâ—w in grace For the better clearing of this construction you must know that Childhood Youth and old Age are the usuall distinctions of mans age I know some make as it were seaven stages of the life of man Infancy Childhood Youth Manhood midâ—le Age old Age decrepit Age others reduce the seaven to foure Childhood Youth Manhood old Age the â—â—rst whereof is reckoned to â—â—fteen the second to twenty five the thir 〈…〉
Paul where he saith that being or according to the force of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subsisting in the forme of God he took upon him the forme of a servant whence it plainly followeth that before he took upon him the forme of a servant he had a subsistence It is not unworthy our observation to this purpose that Christ when he was incarnate is said to come down from heaven and to come forth from the Father whereby is manifestly implyed that before his incarnation he was in heaven and in the bosome of his Father Thus when we read The Word was made flesh and God sent his Sonne into the world it is evident that he was the Word and the Sonne before else how could he be capable of assuming flesh and being sent into the world It is a clear maxime nothing can be predicated of nothing so that if he were not at all till he was made flesh and sent it could not be predicated of him that he was made flesh or that he was sent by the Father 2. But further That being which Jesus Christ had before his incarnation was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the begining which we cannot better expound then by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning which we meet with in the Gospel and so the sense is that when the world began to be Christ was and so consequently from eternity because before all time Express to this purpose is that prayer of our Saviour Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was the genuine plain doctrine whereof is that Christ had a glory â—nd therefore a co-existence with his Father before the world was I am not ignorant how that Samosatenian and Socinian Hereticks interpret this only of Gods eternal purpose to glorifie his Sonne after he had finished his work upon earth And truly it is worth our noting how absurdly these pretended Masters of reason construe as others so this Scripture whilest they would have us to believe that when Christ positively saith he had this glory with his Father before the world was he only meaneth by it that his Father decreed before the world was he should have this glory and so that which is averred of actual possession must only signifie an intentional preparation when yet it had been as easie for Christ to have said if he had meant no more the glory which thou hast prepared for me before the world was yea whenas both Christ and his Apostles where they would express the decree of glory still use the phrases of prepared and layed up and such like No less doth it tend to the confirmation of this truth that the Evangelist saith concerning Christ All things are made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made and therefore St Paul having asserted that all things were created by him and for him presently addeth and he is before all things Indeed as Tertullian strongly argueth Non potuit câ—rere substantiâ quod tantas substantias feâ—it he that gave being to all things could not himself want a being and if all creatures receive their essence and existence from him he must needs be before them It would not be passed by to what a shift the forenamed Hereticks are put to for evading the force of these Texts whilest they would expound the making and creating all things to be the making of new men and the creating of a Christian Church for besides that the Apostle manifestly speaketh not only of persons to whom the new creation belongs but things yea all things whatsoever and therefore the Evangelist joyneth a negative to the affirmative without him nothing and St Paul maketh a distribution of the all into things visible and invisible in heaven and earth whereby it appeareth the first creation is intended It would yet further be considered that the Evangelist and Apostle speak of this making and creation as a thing already past yea as the context in the Gospel sheweth done in the beginning which compared with Moses his in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth appeareth to be the beginning of the world whereas the new creation was then nay is still but in fieri not in facto nor shall be finished till the end of the world To end this Let the meditation hereof confirme us in the faith of our Saviours Deity which must necessarily follow upon the preceding doctrine for if Christ is so from as that he was before the beginning of the world and so is eternall he can be no other then the true Jehovah the most high God eternity being one of those incommunicable Attributes of the Deity which cannot in its proper and adequate notion be predicated of any thing besides or below the Godhead And so much shall suffice to be spoken of the Character which is here given of Christ pass we on to the 2. Character by which the aged Christians to whom our Apostle writeth are described and that is that they know him which was from the begining What it is to know Christ I had occasion heretofore to discuss and therefore shall not insist upon it only be pleased in brief to take notice That there is a threefold knowledg of him who is from the begining Comprehensive Intuitive and Apprehensive 1. The Comprehensive knowledg is that which is peculiar to himself he who is from the begining can only know himself from the begining Indeed it is impossible for any finite Creature to comprehend the infinite eternity of Christ himself as man could not comprehensively know himself as God 2. The Intuitive knowledg of Christ in his person natures offices is reserved for Glory when we shall see him as he is so far as created nature is capable of 3. That which then is here meant is an Apprehensive knowledg whereby it is we are enlightned to discern the excellency of Christ together with the need we stand in of and benefit we receive by him That expression which we finde used by St Paul To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg is seemingly contradictory but easily reconciled by this distinction as Christ so his Love passeth knowledg because the infiniteness of it is incomprehensible and yet we both may and ought to know that is in some measure to apprehend the Love of Christ to us Now this Apprehensive knowledg is either nuda or conjuncta naked only scituate in the understanding when we know what Christ is and what he hath done or else such as is conjoyned with Faith Love Obedience So to know him as to trust him to prize him to imbrace him and to obey him This is that knowledg which as it is here the commendation so ought to be the endeavour of every Christian Indeed knowledge considered absolutely is a rare and precious endowment and that which a rationall nature cannot but set an high value upon and
commendation of these Children that they know the Father To winde up this 1. It is that which should be in the first place an item to Parents that they be carefull to traine up their Children in the knowledge of the Father Oh Parents you are industrious to provide wealth and riches for your Children but why are you not more solicitous to obtain grace and knowledge for them You take a great deale of care to enrich their bodies but why so little for the adorning of their souls what is this but to use Plutarchs comparison as if one should be very curious about the shooe and neglect the foote or exact id triming the glove whilst the hand is foule perhaps you endeavour that your Children may attaine some kinde of knowledge to wit in the tongues or arts and sciences in a trade and calling and herein you do well learning being a far better portion then riches without which the wealthiest heire is but an Ass laden with gold but oh Parents why stay you here there is one thing more needfull then either of the other and that is the knowledge of the Father what difference is there between a Pagan and a Christian Parent if your only care be to acquaint Children with secular affairs or educate them in Philosophicall studies oh let it not suffice that your Children are instructed in humane whilst they are ignorant of divine learning Tell me I beseech you is it not a sad thing and yet I would to God it were not too common that little Children through your negligent education should swear so soon as they ean speak and learn to blaspheme that God whom yet they have not been taught to know such Parents saith Sâ— Chrysostome are worse then Homicides nay then Parricides for these take away only the bodily life of their Parents but those do what in them lyeth to cast the souls and bodies of their Children into Hell and whilst by generation they were the instruments of their temporall life through neglect of good education they become at least the occasion of their eternall death It is a dolefull story which is reported by Gregory the great to this purpose of a Childe of five years old which being carelesly or rather wickedly brought up was given to blaspheming Gods holy name and being a little after smitten with death the poore Childe cryeth to the Father Help help the Moors are come to take me away and so blaspheming God it died no doubt to the horrour and perplexity of the wicked Father It is a sad thing when Children in their old age shall have cause to complaine that their Parents had no care to bring them up in learning but is it not far more sad that Children in Hell shall cry out against their Parents because they had no regard to instruct them in the knowledg of God Let then all Parents be admonished of this necessary duty which they owe to their Children Children are sometimes called pignora pledges so they are of Gods love to us in bestowing them on us so they ought to be of our love to God in consecrating them to him They are compared to Arrows as they are at first directed so afterwards they flyâ— Oh let it be your endeavour that they may be directed upwards towards Heaven by divine knowledg It much conduced to Alexanders prowess and victory in his wars that his Father Philip caused him to be brought up as it is were from his radle in Military discipline Oh let it be the prudent piety of all Parents to teach their Children betimes the knowledge of the Christian warfare and to that end to begin with the knowledg of the Father 2. But secondly Let me turn my counsell from the Parents to the Children whom I cannot better bespeake then in Davids words Come ye Children hearken unto me and I will teach you the knowledg and fear of the Lord. You know your earthly Parents I but labour to know your Heavenly you know the Fathers of your Flesh ey but strive to know the Father of your Spirits you are expert it may be in Homers Odes Virgils Eclâ—gs Cicero's Orations oh but strive to get understanding in Davids Psalms Solomons Proverbs and the other plaine Books of holy writ Manna was to be gathered in the morning the Orient pearl is generated of the morning dew Aurora musis amica the morning is a friend to the muses Oh remember thy Creator know him in the morning of thy Childehood When God had created the Heavens and the Earth the first thing he did was to adorne the world with light and seperate it from the darkness happy is that Childe on whom the light of saving knowledg begins to dawn early God in the Law required the first born and the first fruits so he doth still our first daies to be offered up to him They are Wisdomes own words They that seek me early shall finde me Where a Rabbin observeth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to the Verb more then usuall which in numbring goeth for fifty with this note that early seeking hath not only twenty or thirty but fifty nay indeed an hundred sold recompence attending on it He that is long before he seeketh God I will not say he shall not at all but it may be long ere he finde him oh begin early whilst yet you are Children to seek the knowledge of God The better to enduâ—e you hereunto consider my good Children 1. You were in your very Infancy almost as soon as born dedicated to the Father being baptized in the name of the blessed Trinity Father Son and holy Ghost and will you not now that you begin to have the use of your understanding endeavour to know the Father you are already his sworne servants and souldiers will you be ignorant of him to whom you are sworne 2. If you do not now begin to know the Father you will be less docible hereafter alas how hard is it to instill knowledg into old years Can it be imagined that that tree which doth not bud nor blossome in the spring should bring forth fruit in Autumn or should flourish in Winter Now in your Childhood your wits are fresh your apprehension quick oh imploy them in studying and gaining the divine knowledg so much the rather because hereby you shall put to shame those ignorant old ones who have lived long and yet with the Ninivites know not the right hand from the left 3. Your Parents may prove unnaturall and forsake you however they are mortall and when death comes must leave you but your Father in Heaven liveth for ever and if you know and serve him he will love you and take care for you he will never leave you nor forsake you The Hen is not more tender of her Chickens nor the Sheapheard of his Lambes then this universall Father as Clemens Alexandrinus cals him is of his little ones towardly and hopefull Children You may
haughty Daughters of Sion but in our daies it is no less the crime of men the male being as much if not more phantastick then the female Finally not only Masters and Mistresses but as the Poet complained Maxima queque domus servis est plena superbis Even servants who are in a low condition yet have high minds We have all too great reason in this particular to cry guilty Oh let us accuse abhorre and condemn our selves for this sin and at last learn to be meek and lowly within in our thoughts and desires without in our language and deportment The more effectually to disswade from this lust consider we how boundless devilish and deadly a sin it is 1. What hath been already observed of Avarice is no less true of pride it is never satisfied whence those so often renewed fashions in our garments but because pride will not be long contented with one What is the reason men never think they are valued by others according to their worth nor advanced according to their deserts but because pride is aspiring no staire pleaseth the ambitious man whilst there is an higher he is no sooner laid in his bed of honour but he dreames of greater preferment How obvious is this in all kinds of advancement Ecclesiasticall Civill Military Take an instance in one for all The Officer must be a Captaine the Captain a Collonell the Collonell a Generall and then he must have an higher Title to which end he leapeth from martiall to civill honour nor will any thing less serve him at last then a Crown nay then not content to rule at home he will stretch his power as farre as the Indies ye he would be honoured and adored as a God and still he is discontent because he is not Omnipotent and cannot do all his will which is were it in his power to depose the supreame Monarch of Heaven and Earth Thus the proud minde knoweth no limits and what wiseman would give way to that which being boundless must needs be restless and create continuall cares fears and troubles to the minde in which regard it is called by St Bernard aptly ambientium Crux the Cross and torment of those who pursue it 2. Besides which may render this lust so much the more hatefull to us is that it is the sin wherein of all others the Devill is most delighted Indeed the proud man like a mountain between the Sun and the Valley Umbram facit Diabolo maketh a shadow wherein the Devill loveth to repose himself and no wonder since it is most properly his lust in which respect St Bernard saith of the proud Pharisee who said of himself I am not as other men therefore as the Devills and to the same purpose St Gregory He that will not be like but above other men becomes like the Apostate Angels 3. Lastly Where pride is in the Saddle shame and ignorance is in the crupper proud men like chaff flye aloft till at the length the winde of Gods wrath scatter them pride cast the first of Creatures Angels out of Heaven the first of men Adam out of Paradice and the first Israelitish King Saul out of his throne They say of the Raven that she carrieth the nut on high and then by letting it fall breaketh it so doth the world Erigendo dejicere destroy the proud man by advancing him he ascends by little and little but cometh down with a vengeance and the higher he climbeth over others heads the sooner he breaketh his own neck It is the temper of pride it loveth to go before and so it shall but as Solomon truly prognosticks Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty minde before a fall Witness ambitious Haman arrogant Nebuchadnezzar vaunting Goliah vain glorious Herod blaspheming Rabshakeh gorgeous Dives and painted Jezabell Humble thy self therefore oh man least God humble thee in thy highest estate keep thy heart lowly ever remembring that humility is both thy honour and the security of that honour To this end be perswaded to looke upon your selves 1. As Men Quid superbis terra cinis Why shouldst thou who art earth at first and ashes at last be proud It was well spoken by him to King Philip after a great Victory That if he did measure his shadow he should finde it no longer then it was before and it was well done of that King to appoint that one should often sound in his eares Remember you are a Man 2. As Christians And so obliged to conforme to Christ who in particular calls upon us to learne of him because he is meeke and lowly Why art thou so gaudy in apparell when thy Saviour was content with a plaine coat Why shouldst thou exalt thy self when as thy Redeemer humbled himself Finally Why shouldst thou aspire to be a Lord when Christ took upon him the forme of a Servant And because notwithstanding all these considerations we are still apt to be ensnared let us according to that excellent counsell of our Saviour watch and pray ever suspect thy deceitfull heart and take heed of every thing thou either hast or dost least it puffe thee up Plato being mounted upon an horse and judging himself a little touched with pride upon it presently lighted off and would ride no surther St Hierome tells us of Hilarion that having done many excellent cures for which the people flocked after him he wept least by this meanes he should grow proud and so lose his reward Oh let us watch our hearts in all our enjoyments in all our atchievements earnestly imploring the renewed assistance of grace against all temptations to this pride of life Having given you this particular account of these severall lusts I shall now looke upon them together and winde up all with a three fold observation 1. This all in the world which our Apostle here mentioneth Concerneth only the flesh and the eyes and this present life Whence Ferus hath ingenuously taken notice This world hath nothing which can satisfie the soul Meats and drinks can no more feed the soul then painted dishes can the stomach Non corpus aurâ non cor aurô the body may as soon be filled with aire as the minde with gold you may as soon finde an arme full in a shadow as an heart full in honour 2. Not only the outward workes but the inward lusts are prohibited many there are who refraine from the action and yet retain the affection some externall Motives impede the doing whilst yet they burn with desire But alas how vaine and insufficient is this Reformation To what purpose are the branches cut off whilst the root remaineth or if the fountain be defiled how can the streames be pure It is Gods call to Jerusalem Wash thine heart from wickedness and St James would not only have sinners to cleanse their hands to wit from externall workes but the double minded to purifie their hearts to wit from internall lusts In one
lust thereof Antithesis or opposition added by way of Amplification but he that doth the will of God endureth for ever 1. Begin we with the proposition into which if you please to looke narrowly you shall finde these three Assertions Of each in order The world passeth away The lust after the world passeth away The worldly lover passeth away 1. The world passeth away In severall places of Scripture we finde a division of worlds into that which now is and that which is to come as for that which is to come the Author to the Hebrews plainly intimateth that it is a continuing City where he saith We have no continuing City but we seek one to come of this present world therefore is this assertion to be understood And thus if we take this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its largest and most comprehensive notion for the whole Fabrick of the visible Heavens and the Earth it is true the world passeth away yea as Grotius noteth upon the Text Eâ lege factus ut aliquando pereat it was created corruptible and is as sure to perish as that it once began to flourish This is affirmed by the Psalmist Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the worke of thy hands they shall perish yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed By our Saviour himself Heaven and Earth shall pass away and by St Peter both the things and the meanes of accomplishing it are indicated The Heaven and the earth that nâ—w is are reserved to fire and yet more fully The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up This Witch for so shee is indeed to the greatest part of men shall be burnt up with all her baggage This world to use Isidore Pelusiot as comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reeleth to and fro like a Drunken man till at last it falldown So true is that of St Cyprian Haec sentent in mâ—ndâ— data ut omnia orta occidant This doome is inevitably passed upon the world that as it had a beginning so it shall have an end I am not ignorant that there is some contrarierty among Divines about the nature of this passing away whither it shall be substantiall or accidentall Some expounding this of St John the world by that of St Paul The fashion of this world passeth away affirme the passing away to be only accidentall and to this purpose S t Gregory is express Vtraque haec speaking of the Heavens and the Earth Per eam quam nunc habent imaginem transeunt sed tamen per essentiam sine fine subsistunt Both these pass away as to their present shape but in their essence they shall endure for ever Others conceive That since at the last day the wicked shall be banished into everlasting flames and the godly received into the Kingdome prepared for them this present world will be useless as an house wherein there is no inhabitant it shall be puld down and the very materials of it annihilated But after all debates upon this Question it will be a presumption to determine it because the Scripture is silent I could wish as this so many other disputes of the like nature were either wholly silenced or more calmely discussed Why should we contend one with another about the manner so long as we all believe the thing But that to which I rather incline is to understand the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a morall notion for those things of the world which are the Objects and Allurements of these lusts it being most rationall to take the world in the motive in the same sense in which it is understood in the Dehortation so that the plaine scope of our Apostle in this clause is to assert that All these things of the world with which the Children of Men are so apt to be in love are of a fading transitory nature Indeed the Greek word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admits of severall acceptions each of which may very well be admitted in this place 1. If we look to the derivation of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is most properly rendred transversum agit the world carrieth its lovers headlong contrary to the dictates of Gods word and right reason We are all Travellers the world is an Horse which whilst a man rideth with the bridle of moderation it serveth to carry him on his journey but when through too much love he layeth as it were the reines upon its neck it carrieth him into cross waies over hedg and ditch till at last it throweth yea overthroweth him We are all Saylers this world is as the Sea and our affections as the windes which being set upon the world like a contrary blast drive the ship of the soul upon rocks and sands till it split and sinke into ruine Sutable to which is that of St Austin Ama saeculum absorbebit te amatores suos novit vorare non portare Love the world and it will drown thee it knoweth how to swallow not to beare its lovers 2. The Greeke word among prophane Authors is used sed to signifie as much as to deceive or seduce by faire promises and in this sense it is true of the world which by its specious shews and subtle insinuations deceiveth the fond lover The world pretends to be a kinde Nurse to her Children but if you draw her two Dugs instead of milke you shall finde nothing but the water of vanity in the one and the winde of vexation in the other No wonder if St Hierome compare it to Nebuchadnezzars golden Image into which whosoever looketh will finde only an empty hollowness and St Gregory to a rotten Nut which how faire soever it seemeth if you open it with the knife of truth you shall finde it only full of Wormes One being invited to a covetous mans house who had a stately gate and an empty Hall wondred that there should be so much without and so little within a fit embleme of these worldly things which promise much and performe little very fitly saith Seneca alluding to the stage Omnium personata est faelicitas all the comfort of these worldly enjoyments is only personated not reall They seem to be what they are not and to do what they cannot In one word The world is the greatest bankrupt and at best doth but compound with its lovers not satisfying the halfe of what it promiseth 3. But the most usuall signification of the word especially in sacred writ is to pass away that it is so to be taken here appeareth in that it is opposed to abiding in the next
to both so must the Christian only with this difference whereas Jacob was first married to Leah and then to Rachell the Christian must first be married to knowledg and then to obedience In one word doing cannot be without knowing and knowing must not be without doing 2. But further It is not every kinde of doing Gods will which is the qualification required our Saviour hath taught us to Pray that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven the most genuine sense whereof no doubt is that men may do Gods will as it is done by the Angels and he that partaketh with them in the felicity must imitate them in the duty More particularly there are two properties of doing Gods will to wit Integrity and Alacrity 1. The will of God must be done fully not in respect of exact performance that is only for Angels not for Saints till they are glorified but of sincere endeavour To fulfill every Tota of divine precept is impossible to have respect to every precept is needfull for every man who will be happy The truth is he that doth Gods will with exception doth not Gods will but his own hence it is that when Gods will crosseth his he crosseth Gods will and who can esteem him a good Servant who will do his Masters injunctions no further then it agreeth with his inclination To do Gods will aright is to do it as his will and à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia saith the Logician he that performeth any duty under this notion that it is the will of God will for the same reason account himself obliged to the performance of every thing vvhich he knoweth to be Gods will 2. Gods will must be done chearfully to bring Gods will to ours is abominable to bring our will to Gods praise worthy and thus vve do vvhen our will freely consents to nay maketh choice of Gods will for its rule Thus did David vvho saith of himself Lo I come to do thy will and again I delight to do thy will oh God Thus our blessed Saviour saith It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will never vvent the hungry or thirsty man with a better will to his Meate and Drinke then Christ did to do his Fathers pleasure And truly when all is done it is the will God looked at in doing his will when the will is present the deed will follow if there be opportunity and ability else it is a wishing not a willing and if the deed be performed without the free and full consent of the will it will nothing availe yea whereas sometimes and in some cases the will is accepted and rewarded without the deed the deed is never without the will so that not only to avoide but abhorre whatsoever God forbids not only to act but effect whatever God enjoyneth is to do the will of God And now before I go further here is a double consideration offereth it selfe to enduce the doing Gods will namely cujus and qualis whose and what will it is the former is expressed the latter is easily inferd from the former 1. It is the will of God to whom we owe whatever we are or can do and shall we not do his will He is our Master our Father our King Solomon saith Where the word of a King is there is power much more where the Word of a God is He is the Supreame Majesty having absolute soveraignty and therefore his will is most justly a Law shall we refuse to do it God himselfe reasoneth If I be a Father where â—â— my honour If I be a Master where is my fear Nature teacheth Children to do their Fathers will Pater est etsi paterna esset said he in the Comedy it is my Father otherwise I would not yield and the very notion of a Servant is to be at the will and command of his Lord in which respect service is defined by Cicero to be Obedienciae animi arbitria carentis suo the obedience of a minde destitute as it were of its own free will if therefore we will approve our selves faithfull Servants obedient Children loyall Subjects let us do his will So much the rather considering that 2. Being it is his will it cannot but be most just and equall It is impossible God should will us to do any thing which is not most agreeable to right reason since he doth not will any thing because it is right but it is right because he wills it St Paul's Epithets of the will of God are good perfect acceptable indeed since whatever God wills us to do is not only good but perfect well may it be acceptable The Prophet Micah puts these two together He hath shewed thee oh Man what is good and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee thereby intimating that God requireth nothing of us but what is good and therefore most fitting to be obeyed By what you have already heard it plainly appeareth that the doing Gods will is very reasonable but if this will not prevaile behold here is a further inducement in the Text. The doing Gods will is not only reasonable but profitable And I trust if the beauty of this Virgin Obedience cannot attract you yet her dowry will invite you which is no less then eternall happiness And so I am fallen on the 2. Remuneration as it is set forth in these words Abideth forever An Assertion which at first view seemeth false at least defective 1. It seemeth false since obedient Saints dye as well as disobedient sinners Indeed the good Angels doing Gods will endure for ever but good Men notwithstanding their obedience are liable to a dissolution It is Gods decree that his servants as well as his enemies should walke through the shadow of death and their doing his will of command cannot exempt them from fullfilling his will of decree It was the Prophet Isaiah's complaint in his time the Righteous perisheth nay whilst the wicked continue the Righteous are taken away your Fathers where are they the Prophets do they live for ever is the Prophet Zachariahs Question intending a Negation The Prophets though such as both did and declared Gods will yet lived not for ever Abraham was a pattern of obedience and conformity to Gods will and yet he escaped not the Axe of death But to all this the Answer is easily returned and that two waies 1. He abideth forever not in this but the other world This world passeth away as he saith just before and good as well as bad are only Passengers through this vvorld but in the other vvorld they shall have a durable habitation In which respect death is no impediment but rather an help to put them in possession of that eternity and therefore saith the Apostle If this earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building made without hands eternall in the Heavens Consonant hereunto it is that Christ saith of the
choice setting before us vanity and verity instability and premanency nay in effect perishing misery and abiding felicity And now to use St Austins Interogation Quid vis what wilt thou Whither wilt thou love the temporals and pass away with time or not love this world and live for ever with God The truth is as that same Father elegantly Talis est quisque qualis est dilectio every man is such as his love is if he loveth earth earthly if Heaven Heavenly if the perishing world thou shalt perish if the eternall God thou shalt live eternally Love is an uniting mingling affection and according to that with which it is mingled it is either pure or impure so that look as silver if mingled with lead is debased if with gold advanced so thy soul if by love mingled with the world must perish but if united to God for ever happy Oh therefore let it be the serious purpose of every one of us from henceforth to leave the world and cleave to God to abhore the lust of the one and do the will of the other that so in the end of this life we may have the inchoation and in the end of the world the consummation of that happiness which though it have a beginning shall know no ending And thus I have at length through divine assistance finished this golden period worthy to be engraven upon the Tables of Epicures the Chests of Mammonists and the Palaces of great Ones And though I have done with handling yet I trust you will not with reading remembring and pondering it yea I would to God that every Morning before you go about your worldly affairs you would revolve this Scripture in your minde with a Prayer to God to imprint it on your hearts Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 18 19. VERS Little children it is the last time and as yee have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us THis present World is not without just cause branded as one of the greatest enemies of our Salvation and that especially upon a double account in as much as the things of this World by alluring our wills lead us into vice and the men of this world by perverting our judgements draw us into errours Both of these are so dangerous that it is hard to determine which is the worst St. Pauls Epithites of lusts are foolish and hurtful St. Peters character of Here sie is damnable these as well as those drowning men in perdition and destruction no wonder if this holy Apostle caution those to whom he wrote of both these Rocks and as in the fore-going verses hee warneth them of being defiled with the mud of worldly lusts so in these he taketh care that they might not be infected with the venoâ—e of Antichristian doctrins Little children it is the last time c. The subsequent part of this Chapter from the eighteenth verse to the nine and twentieth hath a special reference to and dependance on the exhortation which is mentioned in verse the four and twentieth iterated verse the eight and twentieth and is in order the seventh step of that light some walk which our Apostles chief design is to delineate in this Epistle namely a stedfast perseverance in the Doctrin and faith of Christ in order to this it is that here are three things discussed 1 Periculum the great danger they were in of being with-drawn from the truth by reason of the many Antichrists which this being the last hour were now among them who taught abominable lyes denying both God and Christ and this is handled in the eighteenth nineteenth and again in the two and three and twentieth and again in the six and twentieth verse 2 Auxilium the chief help which God had afforded them against this danger that sacred unction which did inform them fully of the truth and thereby was able to preserve them from errour and this is in the twentieth and one and twentieth and again inculcated in the seven and twentieth verse 3 Motivum The strong inducements to perswade their constancy in the faith that hereby their fellowship with God and Christ might bee continued the promise of eternal life obtained and their confidence at the comming of Christ strengthened and this is enlarged in the four five and eight and twenty verses In these two verses which I have now read the scope of our Apostle is double namely To discover a danger that they might not be ensnared by To prevent a scandal that they might not he offended at those false teachers which were among them the former in the eighteenth and the latter in the nineteenth verse In handling the eighteenth verse which is the discovery of the danger that we may proceed according to the order of the words be pleased to observe these three parts An Appellation Little children An Affirmation It is the last time A Confirmation in the rest of the verse And as you have heard c. A word of the first the Appellation or Title here used Little children It is sometimes used as a word of imperfection whether in regard of age denoting such as are not come to maturity of years or in regard of grace such as are weak in faith and in this sence Beza here construeth it indeed this Caveat is very needful for such who being children are apt to bee tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrin but yet not only for such and when I finde the Apostle commending and that doubtlesse without flattery those to whom he writeth for their knowledge of the truth I cannot imagine that he intends the word Children in this notion Rather with Danaeus as I conceive Omnes cujuscunque atatis hic monet he speaketh to all of all ages in Christianity not only to children but young men and Fathers and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is of the same notion with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of the Chapter Suitable whereunto it is that the Syriack useth the same word in both places and as Grotius well observeth it is blanda appellatio a word of affection by which our Apostle would let us see that Parents are not more desirous of their little childrens safety and studious of their
meet with this construction but I shall not refuse to take up a Pearl though I finde it in a Dunghil and as I shall never receive so neither will I reject any exposition because of the person that bringeth it Besides him that learned Mr. Mede occasionally speaking of these words conceiveth it to bee the last hour of Daniels seventy weeks and so consequently of the Jews Common-wealth Suitable whereunto is the Annotation both of H. Grotius and Dr. Hammond to whom for their excellent illustrations of many Scriptures this age is and future will bee much beholding The only objection that can lye against this interpretation is that this Epistle was written after the destruction of Jerusalem but this can only be said not proved True St. John out-lived that desolation but this Epistle might bee written before it yea this text renders it very probable and accordingly Mr. Mede conceiveth it might be written in the last of Daniels weeks about which time Jesu Ananiah began that woful cry Woe to Jerusalem woe to the Temple Taking the clause in this construction the emphasis of this word Hour will prompt two things to our meditation That the time of the Jews ruine was a set time and a short time 1 An hour is a measured part of time consisting of a set number of minutes whereby is intimated that the time of Jerusalems ruine was fixed and her years numbred it is that which would be considered in a double reference to wit as the Jews were a Nation and a Church 1 Consider them as a Nation and People and wee may see in them this truth exemplified That to all Nations there is an appointed time how long they shall continue hee that sets bounds to the Sea hithertâ— shalt thou passe and no further sets periods to all the Kingdoms of the earth thus long they shall flourish and no longer The signification of that word Mene which the hand wrote upon the wall concerning Belshazzar God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it carrieth in it a general truth concerning all Monarchies Kingdoms States the number of the years for their continuation and the term of time for their expiration is determined by God What is become of the Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires whose glorious splendor in a certain space of time vanished away Indeed according to the Poets expression Momento permagna ruunt summisque negatum Stare diâ— Though some Nations flourish longer than others yet all have their Autumn as well as Spring Winter as well as Summer and when the time registred in Heaven is accomplished on earth the most potent Politick Kingdoms moulder away in a moment 2 Consider them as a Church and Gods people it lets us see that as Kingdoms so Churches have their periods indeed the universal Church shall not fayl God will have if not in one place yet in another an Orb wherein the light of his truth shall shine though not always with the same clearnesse to the Day of Judgement but still particular Churches have their doleful eclipses yea their dismal settings by the removing of the Sun of the Gospel from them Those seven Churches of Asia are deplorable instances of this Doctrin who though once golden candlesticks holding forth the word of life are now inveloped in Mahumetan darknesse Oh see my Brethren what sin will doe to Nations to Churches for though it is God who determineth yet it is sin which deserveth their ruine That which moveth God to remove the Candlestick from a Church is their contempt of the light That which provoketh God to put a period to a Kingdoms prosperity is their heightned iniquity and therefore when we behold as wee of this Land at this day sadly doe a flourishing Church withered a goodly Kingdom overturned oh let us so acknowledge Gods hand as to blame our own demerits since it is upon fore-sight of a peoples transgression that God prefixeth a time for their destruction 2 An hour is a short space of time there are many parts of time longer days weeks moneths years Jubilees Ages but there is only one shorter to wit minutes nay the shortest time by which men commonly reckon is the hour with its several parts so that where our Apostle saith it was the last hour he intends that it was but an hour that is a very short time and Jerusalem should be destroyed Look as when the duration of an affliction is set forth by an hour it noteth the brevity of its continuance so when the coming of an affliction is measured by an hour it noteth the celerity of its approach in the former sense we read elsewhere of an hour of temptation and here in the latter that it is the last hour Indeed if wee look upon the Jewes at this very time we shall find they were very secure not dreaming of so neer and great a destruction The Characters which St. James giveth of the rich Jewes are that they heaped treasure together they lived in pleasure were wantâ—n and nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter they indulged to their covetous and voluptuous lusts putting the evil day farr from them and yet those were the last days as that Apostle calls them nay the last hour in our Apostles language In this respect it is that our Saviour speaking of this destruction fore-telleth it should be then as it was in the days of Noah when they ate and drank married and gave in marriage till the day that Noah entered into the Ark as being over-whelmed with a general security when ready to bee over-whelmed with the floud Thus may Judgement be at hand when men think it farre off and the Judge stand at the door when the thief imagines hee is many miles distant when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they cannot escape is the sad threatning which Saint Paul utters against presumptuous sinners wicked men are never more secure than when destruction is nearest and destruction is never nearer than when they are most secure Indeed when men through infidelity contemn it is high time for God to execute his threatnings that by hastening his wrath he may justifie his truth It is but reason that they who will not beleeve should feel and what they would not learn by the Word they should finde in their own sad experience take we heed therefore how wee look at the wrong end of the Perspective which makes the object seem at a greater distance than it is Alas how soon may the brightest skie bee over-cast Voluptuous Epicures saith Job spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment they goe down to the grave When Judgement cometh it cannot be avoyded and too often it surprizeth men before it is expected Whilst the wicked Jewes were encompassed with plenty and promised themselves tranquillity St. John fore-tells their misery and that as approaching It is
Antichrists it could have been no symptome by which they could conclude that it was then the last hour That which serves further to justifie this construction is that our Apostle as here he asserteth the fulfilling of the Prediction by the plural there are many Antichrists so in this Epistle elsewhere he affirmeth in the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that spirit of Antichrist which you have heard shall come and is now already in the world I shall only adde that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you have heard is if not only yet without doubt principally to be referrd to that of our Saviour in the Gospel wherein we find nothing concerning the great Antichrist but only those Antichrists which either were to precede or else immediately to follow the destruction of Jerusalem No doubt then the plain design of this part of the verse is this our Apostle having before affirmed that it was the last hour of Jerusalems ruine hee confirms it by this strong medium that which our blessed Lord fore-told as an immediate fore-runner of that destruction to wit the coming of Antichrist was now already fulfilled in the many Antichrists which were among them According to this construction there are three things observable in this part of the text A Prediction whereof they are minded you have heard that Antichrist should come An impletion of that Prediction assured even now there are many Antichrists The significancy of that impletion expressed whereby we know that it is the last hour 1 Our Apostle mindes those to whom hee writeth of our Saviours prediction that Antichrist should come whereby the great care of this chief Shepheard of the sheep appeareth in fore-warning them of those Wolves which would devour them it was that which Christ was pleased to doe upon a double account 1 The one in regard of his Apostles who were to be the Leaders of his Church that they might bee so much the more vigilant in observing the rise of Seducers and diligent in confirming the people in the orthodox faith for this reason no doubt it was that St. Paul gathered the Elders of the Ephesian Church together and minded them of those perverse Teachers which would ere long infest the Church and accordingly the inference hee draweth thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore watch 2 The other in regard of the whole Church and every member that they might not be too much troubled when false Teachers shall arise Tela prâ—visa minus feriunt Darts fore-seen are lesse terrible and hurtful All evils are then most grievous when unexpected that danger whereof we are fore-warned may either bee more patiently sustained or prudently avoyded For this reason Christ fore-tells his Disciples of those Persecutions which would befall them in particular that they might not think strange at the fiery trial for this cause he foretold them of those Seducers which would endeavour to pervert Christians from the faith that they might be lesse offended at them and the more carefully take heed of them Thus after Christs example let all who are Spiritual Watch-men bee vigilant in giving notice to the Church Militant of the approach of her enemies that being fore-warned shee may bee fore-armed to encounter with them 2 What was thus fore-told by Christ is accordingly come to passe even now there are many Antichrists Before I goe further it will not bee amisse to stay a while in this general meditation to wit the verity of divine Predictions as you have heard it is now come to passe it is that which is and shall be true of whatever hath been fore-told by God by Christ and his Prophets Till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled so saith our blessed Saviour where the stability of the Laws prediction is compared with and exalted above the stability of the heaven and earth for the heaven and the earth though lasting in their duration shall passe away at last but whatever is threatned or promised in the Law shall infallibly receive its suitable accomplishment Among those many glorious attributes whereby God hath made known himself to the Sons of men that of his truth and fidelity is not the least which then shineth forth in its brightnesse when he fulfilleth what hee hath said since as the prediction giveth testimony to his praescience so the impletion to his faithfulnesse Oh then with what fear and reverence should wee receive his threats with what hope and confidence should we embrace his Promises with what faith and credence should we adhere to all his Praedictions you have heard that God will come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know him not That neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God That at the last day Christ will say to all the workers of iniquity Depart from me yee eursed oh â—eleeve and tremble for the time will come that all impenitent sinners shall say As we have heard so we find wee sadly feel the execution of that vengeance which wee proudly contemned when denounced Again you have heard that sweet voyce Come unto me all you that travel and are heavie laden and I will give you rest that Evangelical Charter God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life that comfortable promise unto them that look for him hee shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation Oh be not faithlesse but beleeving for the day will come when all beleeving Penitents shall say As wee have heard so we have seen Indeed it were easie to multiply instances of this truth how not only the substance but the circumstances of Scripture Predictions have been exactly accomplished as well in regard of the time as the thing but what need we goe further than the text wherein wee have the punctual impletion of our Saviours Prophecie concerning the rise of Antichrists before Jerusalems fall asserted Even now there are many Antichrists More particularly in this assertion wee are to take notice of the quality and the quantity the temper and the number of those Seducers which were in St. Johns time 1 For quality they are described to bee Antichrists a word which according to a double acception of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may admit of a double construction the one restrictive the other extensive 1 The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth as much as in the stead or place of thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that falsly calleth himself a King and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that sets himself up in the Generals room in this notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that pretends himself to bee Christ and is the same
spake as moved by the Holy Ghost Indeed if you please to review three of the fore-mentioned Arguments to wit the matter the miracles and successe of this Doctrin you shall find them proving as well the Divinity as the verity of the Gospel 2 An Universal truth such as containeth in it all truth needful to bee known in order to salvation Indeed there are many natural truths which are below the Majesty and beside the Scope of the Gospel and therefore are not contained in it but all saving truths either formaliter or reductivè in expresse words or plain necessary consequences are revealed by the Gospel hence it is that this Doctrin is as it were a rule or standard by which all Doctrines must bee tryed so that If an Angel Preach any other Gospel he is acâ—ursed for which reason no doubt it is called a Canon by St. Paul where hee saith As many as walk according to this rule or Canon peace bee upon them and upon the Israel of God 3 Lastly An effectual truth the truth which of all others hath the most powerful operation indeed as it was first inspired by so the Preaching of it is still accompanied with the Holy Spirit whereby it hath a far greater efficacy than any other truth whatsoever for whereas other truths have onely an influence upon the understanding this together with the understanding hath an influence upon the Will and Affections other truths may make us wise but this will make us both wise and better Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou coelestial truth The truth shall make you free sanctify them through thy truth they are Christs own words â—â— his own good will begat hee us by the word of truth So St. Peter all truth is Gods daughter but this is as it were his Spouse by which hee begets Sons and Daughters to himself In one Word it is this truth and this alone which doth so inlighten the minde as to incline the will regulate the passions comfort the conscience renew our nature and sanctify our whole man No wonder if our Apostle call it abstractively Truth and emphatically the Truth Having given you this Account of the Principal it will bee easy to infer the Collateral Character of the Gospel where it is said No lye is of the truth In the Greek it seemeth to bee a particular proposition Every lye is not of the truth but it is equivalent to an universal and therefore is fitly rendred no lye is of the truth To open the sense briefly There is a threefold Lye verbal practical Doctrinal verbal is an untrue narration when wee either affirm what is false or deny what is true Practical is an unsuitable conversation when wee unsay with our lives what wee say with our lips Doctrinal is an erroneous position concerning matters of faith or practice and though it bee true of all sort of lies yet no doubt it is the doctrinal lye which is here chiefly intended 2 Whereas it is possible upon false hypotheses to inferr true conclusions whence it is usual in Astronomy by supposing things that are not to demonstrate the truth of things that are it is impossible from true positions to infer a false conclusion Indeed too often wicked Hereticks fasten their lyes upon the Evangelical truth and for this reason probably St. John inserted this clause which at first may seem supervacaneous that whereas the Antichristian Teachers might pretend to boast of the Truth our Apostle assureth those to whom hee wrote that the truth did not could not father any such lyes The truth is when Hereticks indeavour to prove their Doctrines by Scripture they deal by it as Caligula did by the Image of Jupiter Olympiacus when hee took from it its own head which was of Gold and put upon it one of Brass they spoil Truth of its genuine sense to put upon it a corrupt glosse it being as possible for cold to come from heat or darknesse from light as any lye from the Truth 3 Nor yet is this all that this clause imports minus dicit plus volens intelligi saith Estius our Apostle intends more than hee speaketh for whereas he saith No lye is of the truth hee meaneth every lye is against the truth Indeed some Lies have a semblance of Truth and are so bold as to claim kindred to it but notwithstanding their seeming consonancy there is a real repugnancy and they are so far from being of that they are contrary to the truth To close up this first general since the Gospel is the truth and consequently no Lye is of it learn wee to embrace it with those two Armes of faith and love 1 Let us stedfastly beleeve it The Heathen had an high opinion of their Sybils as appeareth by that of the Poet Credite me folium vobis recitare Sybillae and shall not wee yield a firm credence to the Gospel St. Paul saith of the Thessalonians that the Gospel came not to them onely in Word but in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurrnce intimating that they had not onely a conjectural opinion but a full perswasion of the truth of the Gospel let the same confidenee be in us It is the truth and therefore wee may infallibly venture our souls upon it Heaven and Earth shall pass away before the least jot of it shall be found false and lying 2 Let us affectionately love it so as not onely to yield obedience to but contend in the defence of it whensoever wee are called to it The Heathen in their sacrifices to Apollo cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth is sweet Let us say with David of this Truth Oh how sweet is it to my taste it is sweeter than the honey and the honey combe Veritas Christianorum incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum saith St. Austin The Christians truth is incomparably fairer than the Hellen of Greece and if the Grecians so hotly strove for the one how zealously should wee contend for the other wee may venture our souls on it and we must be willing to venture ouâ— states and bodies for it and as he said though upon another account Amicus Plato Amicus Aristoteles sed magis amica veritas Plato and Aristotle are my friends but truth much more so let us in this my Liberty my Life is dear to mee but the truth of the Gospel is far dearer And that wee may thus beleeve and love let us bee careful to know it for which it is that our Apostle praiseth these Christians and so I am fallen on the Commendation Not because you know not the truth but because yee know it whence it will not bee amiss to observe 1 In General that this holy Apostle is not awanting in just praises of those to whom hee writeth very often in this Epistle hee calls them Little Children and in this hee dealeth with them as with Little Children who are best won upon by
say it is insufficient and consequently it is not the blood of the Son of God which may justly bee interpreted a denial of the Son of God 2 When we refuse to hear and obey the Word of God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets and hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son Of this Son the voyce said twice hear him and not to hearken to him when hee speaketh to us is in effect to deny him who is it but the Son that wooeth us in the Ministry of the Gospel to accept of mercy pardon and salvation upon the terms of faith repentance and obedience and if wee say no in our hearts is not this to deny him How often saith Christ to Jerusalem would I have gathered thy children together as un Hen doth her Chickens under her wings but you would not May hee not take up the same complaint of us See that you refuse not him that speaketh saith the Author to the Hebrews for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven where the two words of refusing and turning away are very emphatical the one signifying to pray against a thing for so oft-times wee refuse with a God forbid and so it noteth a refusal with indignation the other importing an alienation of the heart from a thing since we turn away from what wee cannot endure and so intimateth a rejection with detestation and have not wee need of this caution Since though being the Son of God he came and spake from Heaven yet wee reject his sayings and is not this to deny him 3 Adde to this that Christum deserit qui Christianum se non asserit hee that doth not professe himself a Christian denieth Christ not only those who wilfully professedly maliciously and so at once both inwardly and outwardly deny the Christ the Son of God but those who whilst inwardly they beleeve in him doe yet refuse if called to it openly to own him either through fear or shame or both are vertually deniers of him It is very observable that what is here called a denying of the Son is elsewhere phrased a not honouring the Son that whereas in St. Matthew it is Whosoever shall deny me in St. Mark it is Whosoever shall bee ashamed of mee that in St. Pauls Epistle to Timothy denying Christ is opposed to suffering for him Finally that here is no medium in the text between denying and acknowledging the Son By all which it appeareth that though we doe not wretchedly oppose and gain-say the Son of God yet if wee doe not honour him and that as we honour the Father with the same adoration both of soul and body if we are not ready upon all occasions to acknowledge him if because of reproach we are ashamed to own him nay if we refuse being called to suffer though it be death it self for his name we are no other than deniers of him And now beloved though at present there bee neither disgrace nor danger in acknowledging the Messiah the Son of God nay indeed quaestuosa res est nomen Christi it is both gainful and honourable to bee a Christian and therefore it is little thanks to own Christ yet what think you if wee had lived in the Pagan Persecution or if God should which his mercy avert let loose the Turk to invade Christendome or suffer the Socinian Heresie to over-spread the world as once the Arrian did have wee ready hearts willing mindes to contend for the saith nay rather would wee not wretchedly renounce at least cowardly conceal our Christian profession certainly my brethren they who now deny obedience to his call will then deny the profession of his name they that will not hear the Son speaking to them in his Word will never bear reproaches and persecutions for his sake Upon all these considerations it is an useful admonition to us that we doe not deny but acknowledge the Son It is the Psalmists advice even to Kings well may wee follow it Kisse the Son lest hee bee angry kisse him with a kisse of affection of subjection be ready to testifie your faith in him reverence of him love to him upon all occasions The more to inforce this upon us take notice 1 Who it is the Son and that in a double notion 1 Being the Son he thinketh it no robbery to be equal with God in as much as according to the Athanasian Creed he is God of God Light of Light very God of very God being the Son he is Heir of all things Lord of Heaven and Earth and shall we in any kind or for any cause deny him This is that which St. Jude brings in as an Aggravation of the sin of these very Antichrists whom hee calls certain men crept in unawares they denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ where though some take the words dis-junctively applying the first clause to the Father and the second to the Son yet since there is no Article in the Greek between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Lord to divide them yea the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that parallel place of St. Peter is evidently used of Christ and withall the Heresies of those times more directly struck at Christ than at God the Father it is not improbable that St. Jude intended here only to set forth Christ in his Natures and Prerogatives whom he calls the only Lord God as elsewhere the Father is stiled the only true God not in exclusion of the other Persons but of all false Deities And now when we set before us the Divinity Majesty Soveraignty and authority of Christ the only Lord God how must the sin of denying him appear beyond measure sinful 2 This glorious and eternal Son of God was pleased to undertake and accomplish the work of our Redemption and it would bee no other than a monstrous ingratitude to deny him upon this account St. Peter speaking of these very Antichrists under the name of false teachers aggravateth their denial of Christ in that it was of the Lord that bought them there cannot bee a more execrable villany than for a slave to disown his Lord that hath ransomed him who would not cry shame on that Son who should deny his own Father and may I not say of the Son of God in Moses his language to every one of us Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee what is there thou canst bee in danger of by acknowledging him which hee did not actually undergoe to redeem thee Is it losse of estate he was poor of credit hee was reviled of liberty he was bound of life he was Crucified and shall any of these dishearten us from honouring or enduce us to deny him when therefore any temptations
without ears nay with both ears because they were to hear both parties so needful is this sense for all civil transactions 3 But lastly Hearing is not onely sensus discipline et societatis but fidei et Religionis the sense of Discipline and Converse but of Faith and Religion in which respect St. Paul is expresse Faith commeth by hearing Aurium sensus ideo datus est saith Lactantius ut doctrinam Dei percipere possimus for this cause chiefly is our hearing given us that wee may receive Divine truths suitable to which is that of Tertallian Vera ornamenta aurium dei voces Gods Words are the best Jewels wee can hang at our ears indeed such is our present state that wee receive the greatest spiritual advantages by hearing oculus organum patriae auditus viae when wee come to our Country wee shall use our eies but whilest wee are in the way our chiefest use is of the ear faith saith the Apostle is the evidence of things not seen and wee are most properly said to beleeve what wee do not see but still wee beleeve what wee hear and by hearing wee come to beleeve at S. Pauls Conversion there was a light seen and a voice heard the light astonished but the voice converted him and in this respect wee may call the Ear the in-rode and thorough-fare of grace the souls custome-house for her spiritual traffique in Divine Wisdome the matrix or wombe of our New-birth the pale into which is put the milke of the Word the still or limbeck of the dew of heaven the window to let in the light of the Gospel the channel of the water of Life the Pipe for the conveyance of Faith in a word the Orifice or Mouth of the Soul by which it receiveth spiritual food for by this means it was these Christians did partake of the Gospel That which you have heard But yet this is not all that is intended in this phrase for in as much as by Hearing we are brought to Beleeving therefore Hearing is used to connote Beleving Thus Timothy heard the form of sound words from the Apostle Paul that is so as to embrace it and therefore he exhorts him to hold it fast in this sense no doubt it is here to bee understood for in that our Apostle would have it to abide it intimateth they had heard so as to receive it so that wee are here implicitely taught wee must so hear with our Ears as to beleeve with our hearts Evangelical Doctrins This is the Character which our Saviour giveth of the good ground that it heareth the word with a good and honest heart which is when the heart doth firmly assent and consent to that which is heard It is the Counsel of Solomon keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and bee ready to hear the latter words in the Hebrew are and near to hear which being joyned with the former clause seem to intimate that the foot should bee near to hear and indeed hee onely heareth aright who heareth with his foot and his heart as well as his ear hee heareth with his foot who so heareth as to obey and hee heareth with his heart who so heareth as to beleeve I shut up this with that usual close of the Epistles to the Churches of Asia He that hath an ear to hear let him hear though all men have ears yet all have not ears to hear there are too many Idol hearers of whom it may bee said as the Psalmist saith of Idols ears have they but they hear not audientes videlicet corporis sensu non audiunt cordis assensu as St. Austin elegantly hearing with the sense of the body they hear not with the assent of the mind Oh let us beg of God that which Solomon telleth us is onely in his power to give the hearing ear Indeed whether we understand it in a corporal or a spiritual notion it is Gods gift hee rightly disposeth the Organ and it is hee who fitly qualifieth the minde the former whereof maketh it an hearing ear in a natural and the latter an hearing ear in a supernatural sense our ears in reference to the Word of God and Christ are stopped not with wax or wool or frankincense but earth let us beseech God to open them they are dull and heavy let us pray him to awaken them that wee may bee diligent and attentive hearers and having by the door of our hearing admitted the Gospel into the closet of our souls that which will be most needful to press upon us is the 2 Duty here required Let that which you have heard abide in you A duty which may bee capable of a double notion either as injoyning a careful remembrance of or 2 resolute adherence to that which they had heard from the beginning 1 Let that which you have heard abide in you by a faithful recordation To this St. Jude exhorts But beloved remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Our memories must bee store-houses and r Teasuries of pretious Truths and holy instructions and like books in a Library must bee chained to them with this agreeth that advice of our Saviour to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast by hearing wee receive and by remembring wee retain and hold fast Evangelical Doctrins Nor is this exhortation needlesse when wee consider the badnesse of our memories in Divine matters we ought to give saith the Author to the Hebrews the more earnest heed to the things which wee have heard lest at any time we should let them slip tacitly resembling our crasy memories to leaking vessels out of which the water of life soon slips if they bee not stopped Perhaps like sieves whilestthey are in the water they are full but no sooner are they taken forth but all runs out presently we can remember somewhat whilest wee are hearing but soon after we are gone out of Gods house what wee heard is gone out of our minds in this sense therefore it is needfull counsell Let that abide c. 2 But that which I conceive is the Duty here perswaded is Let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning by a constant adhesion to the end ad fidei constantiam hortatur is Calvins glosse it is an exhortation to constancy in the faith wee may very well expound it by that of St. Paul to the Colossians If you continue in the faith grounded and settled and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you have heard where the two words grounded and settled are metaphors borrowed the one from building the other from a Chair so that as buildings which are upon rocky and firm foundations are not quickly thrown down or as men that are fixed in their Chair are not easily moved out of their place no more
is of quality by way of Analogy is that which wee finde as in Threatnings so in Promises between the Service and the Reward and this expressed two waies 1 Sometimes one contrary is promised as the recompense of another To the Mourners is assured comfort to the Hungry fulnesse to the Humble exaltation to the Poor a Kingdome and to them that sow in tears a joyful Harvest in all which how great a congruity there is is obvious at the first view 2 Sometimes Like is promised as the reward of like thus wee read of Honour to them that Honour God and Love to them that Love him of Giving to them that Give Forgiving to them that Forgive and Mercy to them that are Merciful of Eternal life to them that continue in well doing and here of eternal life and continuing in the Father and the Son to them that continue in what they have heard 2 How pretious is the benefit considered in it self you shall continue in the Son and in the Father that is saith the Greek Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the same in substance with that in the former Chapter Our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ onely the manner of expression is somewhat more â—mphatical whilest the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in noteth the Propinquity and the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the permanency of this fellowship That Question why the Holy Ghost is not mentioned is thus resolved by Estiuâ— Quia de eo non erat oborta questio because as yet there was no controversy raised and so no need of mentioning him If it bee asked why the Son is put before the Father the answer is well returned because the Apostle had just before inveighed against those who though they pretended to acknowledge the Father yet deny the Son Though withall there may besides bee a double reason assigned The one to insinuate that the Son is not lesse than the Father but that they are equal in essence and dignity upon this account most probable it is that the Apostolical benediction beginneth with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and then followeth the love of God the Father The other because as Beda well glosseth No man commeth to or continueth in the Father but by the Son who saith of himself I am the way the truth and the life To draw it up lo here Eximia laus doctrinae an high commendation of Evangelical Doctrin that it leads up to Christ and by him to the Father the water riseth as high as the spring from whence it floweth no wonder if the Gospel which commeth from God through Christ lead us back again through Christ to God and as by hearing and beleeving this Doctrin we are united to so by adhering to and persevering in it wee continue in the Son and the Father Suitable to this is that promise of our blessed Saviour If any man love mee hee will keep my Word and my Father will love him and wee will come to him and make our abode with him if wee not onely receive but keep Christs word he and the Father will not only come but continue with us They who never heard nor received the Gospel are without God and without Christ so St. Paul saith of the Ephesians whilest they were in their Heathenish condition They who having heard the Gospel and for sake it are far from God and Christ God himself saith If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him but if that which wee have heard abide with us wee shall continue in the favour and affection of in â—nion and communion with Christ and the Father And now beloved if the Psalmist said Blessed are they that dwell in thy house much more may I. Blessed are they that continue in the Son and in the Father if S. Peter said of being on Mount Tabor with Christ at his Transfiguration it is good for us to be here much more may we say It is good for us to be with the Son and the Father If hee that was asked where his treasure was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Cyrus was his friend well may the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place his wealth in the friendship of and fellowship with the Son and the Father Let me then be speak you in those words of St. Jude keep your selves in the love of God which though it be chiefly understood in the active sense keep in you a love to God yet withall it may admit a Passive Interpretation keep your selves in Gods love not is there any better way than by keeping Gods word in our selves if Christs word dwell in us he himself will dwell with us the Ark was a blessing to Obed Edoms house so is the Gospel to the place where it is Preached much more to them who so hear as to receive and so receive as to retain it Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard that you may continue in the Son and the Father so much the rather when we consider what Followeth in the next verse an assurance that this continuance shall know no end but being begun on earth it shall be perpetuated in heaven to all eternity for this is the Promise which he hath promised â—â— eternal life which God willing in our next discourse shall bee unfolded THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. 25. VERS And this is the Promise that hee hath promised us even eternal life AS there is in bad men an aversnesse from so there is in the best a backwardnesse to their duty The one through wickednesse have an Antipathy the other through weaknesse an inability to what is good corruption is so prevalent in those that they will not receive and so remanent in these that they have much ado to retain either Truth in their minds or grace in their hearts For this Reason no doubt it is that Almighty God is pleased by his sacred Pen men not onely to impose services but propose rewards and to enforce his commands by arguments Among those many Arguments by which our duty is perswaded none more effectual than those which concern our selves there being in us all such a principle of self-love as puts us upon seeking our own advantage and of all those advantages which allure to the doing our duty none equal to that recompence of reward that eternal life which is laid up for promised to and shall be conferr'd upon us How fitly hath our Apostle here coupled together a difficult duty and an excellent motive perseverance whether in well beleeving or well-doing is no easy task the hands of our Faith and obedience like those of Moses are apt to grow heavy and have need of the stone of a Promise to bee put under them that they may bee steady to the going down of the Sun of our lives and a sweeter fuller Promise there is not in the whole book
of God than that which wee are here put in minde of And This is the Promise which he hath promised us Even eternal life In which words wee have four particulars worthy our observation An excellent benefit eternal life A sure conveyance hath promised An Eminent Author Hee The peculiar persons us All which when I have severally unfolded I shall joyntly apply and that especially with reference to that which our Apostle here intends the duty of perseverance 1 The excellency of the benefit though it bee last in the verse would first be considered as it is delineated in those words eternal life If wee here examine the Grammer of the Greek Text wee shall finde it incongruous the accusative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for the Nominative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that which is called in Rhetorick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting of one case for another is not unusual and withall it is very frequent to put the Antecedent in the case of the Relative as appeareth by those two Instances among many others the one Virgils Urbem quam statuo vestra est and the other Terences Populo ut placeâ—ent quas fecissent fabulas so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emphasis of the Article prefixed before both the Substantive and the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not bee passed by since as one well magnum pondus addit orationi it addeth a great deal of weight to the expression intimating that it is not an ordinary kinde of life but that which is most transcendent whereof the Apostle speaketh and withall that the eternity is that which addeth much to its excellency That which is especially to bee inquired into is what is the benefit which is represented under these Characters and why it is so represented 1 That happy and glorious estate which shall hereafter be enjoyed is without all doubt that which is here and else where intended by this phrase eternal life It may perhaps bee here objected that eternal life in a strict and proper notion may bee affirmed of the miserable condition of the wicked as well as the blisseful state of the godly for the Resurrection shall bee general and the term of that Resurrection shall bee an union of soul and body and that union shall bee inseparable which denominateth it eternal in which respect St. Austin saith expresly of the damned In eternum cruciari non poterint nisi vixerint in eternum they could not be for ever tormented if they did not live eternally But to this it is well answered that this word life is not alwaies taken pronudâ existentiâ a bare existing in but foelici conditione an happy condition of life non magnum est din vivere aut semper vivere sed magnum est beaté vivere saith St. Austin It is no great matter to live long or alwaies but to live happily That Loyal prayer Let the King live in every Language imports a prosperous estate when the Psalmist saith Who is the man that would see life hee explaineth himself presently after by good daies vivere among the Latines is sometime as much as valere to live is as much as to be well and upon this account it is that as on the one hand the Scripture calls the state of the damned an eternal death because their life is onely a continuance in misery so on the other the state of the blessed an eternal life because it is a perpetual abode in felicity 2 Having found out what is the benefit intended I shall now go on to inlarge in the description of it Indeed eternal life is a subject so sweet and pleasant that you cannot want patience to hear of it though withall it is so sublime and transcendent that I want a tongue to speak of it acquiri potest exprimi non potest it is our comfort wee may attain it but our defect that wee cannot conceive much lesse expresse it when wee come to the fruition of this life wee shall not say with those in the Psalm as wee have heard so wee have seen but with the Queen of Sheba the one half was not told us all that can bee said of that joyful eternity being but as Stilla Mari a drop to the Ocean or scintilla igni a spark to the flame But though a perfect discovery of this blisse bee impossible at such a distance as earth is from heaven yet in the Scripture lineaments we may behold it and that so much of it if wee seriously view it as that wee cannot choose but bee enamoured with it nor shall I go further than my Text wherein wee finde a description consisting of two words A word of quality and praelation life A word of quantity and duration eternal Because men love to live promissa est illis vita saith St. Austin life is promised to them and because they most fear death promissa est illis aterna eternal life is promised What doest thou love To live this thou shalt have what doest thou fear to dye this thou shalt not suffer it is life eternal of each a word 1 That future state is described by life and if you please to examine it you shall finde two things shadowed forth by it namely Wherein that blisse consists and how far it surpasseth all other injoyments 1 Inasmuch as it is called Life it intimateth wherein that happinesse consists to wit in the Beatifical vision To clear which you must know that 1 Natâ—ral life is the union of the soul with the body and accordingly supernatural life is the union of the soul with God and look as the body being united to the soul liveth because the soul is the principle of life so the soul â—nited to God must needs live much more because God is the living God the fountain and Original of life 2 This union of the soul with God is double and accordingly with St. Austin wee distinguish of a double supernatural life â—na fide altera specie una in tempore peregrinationis altera in eternitate mansionis there is a mediate union wee have with God in this Pilgrimage by faith and there is an immediate union wee have with him in that mansion by sight that is the life of grace this the life of glory when S. Paul saith wee Walk by faith and not by sight hee expresseth the former and withall intimateth the latter life when wee shall walk by Sight and not by faith Thus whereas God himself told Moses No man can see mee and live it may in this respect bee inverted no man can live without seeing God since by seeing it is the Saints have an union with and fruition of God and so live to which those words of the Psalmist are fitly applicable Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy 2 In that it is called life it inferreth its surpassing worth and value To illustrate
and St. Jude observed in these Antichrists of whom the one saith they did promise to the people liberty and the other that they did turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousnesse 3 The Plea of Tradition is much used by Hereticks all Nations and Persons both Jews and Gentiles being very tenacious of those things which they have received from their Ancestors By traditions it was that the Pharisees in Christs time indeavoured to make the Law of God of none effect and with traditions it was that the Hereticks in the Apostles time did spoil the people of the Truth for so much St. Paul intimateth when hee giveth that Caveat Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit after the traditions of men Not that all sorts of Traditions are to bee sleighted yea the Traditions which have been delivered and received in the Universal Church from age to age are to bee regarded by us next to the written word but not in opposition against or in competition with it such vain superstitious traditions were those which the Apostle condemned and which the Hereticks made use of 4 A show of Miracles is that which is sometimes made by these Deceivers Look as of Old when Moses and Aaron wrought Miracles Jannes and Jambres the Aegyptian Sorcerers imitated them So in the beginning of Christianity as God confirmed it by real Miracles so the Devil opposed it with Lying wonders This was our Saviours prediction concerning these Antichristian Seducers wherof my Text speaketh There shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew signes and wonders so St. Mark Great signes and wonders so St. Matthew to seduce and deceive if it were possible the very Elect and thus the comming of the man of sin is said by St. Paul to bee after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders where that Epithite of Lying would not bee passed by those wonders which the Devil worketh by Hereticks being lying not onely because they accompany doctrins of Lies but likewise because they are for the most part delusions not realities nor are the greatest of those wonders above the power of nature and therefore though they are matter of wonder to us who oft times cannot understand how they are wrought yet they are not so in themselves But surely there is no device more subtle and prevailing than this men being very apt to beleeve that their words are Oracles whose works are Miracles and indeed were they so really it were a sufficient ground of beleef but as they are to wit onely so in appearance they have too great an influence upon the vulgar 5 A veil of Religion is many times put on by these Cheaters their garb their look their Language speak nothing but holinesse whilest their doctrins breath nothing but Heresy As too many of the Orthodox dishonour their teaching well by living ill so do many Hereticks credit their ill-teaching by well-living It is one of St. Pauls characters of Seducers Having a shew of godlinesse and Gregory Nazianzen saith of the Macedonians that their life was admirable whilest their Doctrin was abominable Thus as Harlots paint their faces and perfume their beds to allure Hereticks feign godliness and profess Religion to seduce 6 A vernish of Reason is drawn over false opinions by these Seducers because that is very taking with a rational creature This St. Paul intimateth in that fore-mentioned Caution Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit Accordingly Tertullian observeth that the Ancient Heresies concerning the Aeâ—nes were fetched from Plato's Ideaes the equality of the first matter with God from Zeno the death of the Soul from Epicurus and the denial of the Resurrection of the Body de unâ omnium Philosophorum Scholâ from the Schools of all the Philosophers Upon this account it is that the Father elsewhere asserts Philosophers to bee the Patriarks of Hereticks and that all Heresies are founded upon and supported by the rules and dictates of Philosophy not that Philosophy and natural Reason is to bee rejected by the Orthodox as of no use nay indeed it is an help to Divinity when in its right place but our Divinity must not bee regulated by Philosophy and our Religion bounded by reason The Orthodox use her as an handmaid to wait but the Heterodox make her a Mistress to seduce 7 The colour of a Revelation is oft times used to set off lying Doctrin When St. Paul saith If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel let him bee accursed hee intimateth that some might pretend to bring another Gospel from heaven and indeed such there were who broached fictitious Gospels as if they had been divinely inspired Simon Magus pretended himself to bee the Holy Ghost so did Montanus and vented the Dreams of his Whores Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla for prephecies Indeed Divine Revelation is the proper ground of Faith No wonder if Hereticks that they may gain credit and so seduce the people lay claim to it 8 The Glosse of Scripture is very oft times put upon false opinions by the assertours of them to delude the people In this as St. Hierome well observeth they trace the Devils footsteps who quoted Scripture thereby fondly imagining hee might delude Christ himself Thus the Judaizing false Teachers in the Apostles time made use of the Old Testament Scripture quoting Moses and the Prophets and Irenaeus observeth of the Hereticks of those times that they dealt by the Sacred Writings as a Graver doth by the goodly image of a King which by altering the form hee turneth into the likenesse of a dog or wolf and then affirmeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the lovely image of the King they take the words of Scripture and put upon them their own sense and then say it is Scripture it is so indeed materially but not formally as the metal is the Kings but the stamp is a Wolf so the words are Scripture but the sense the Hereticks 9 To all these I may add the name of a Church is no small bait whereby Hereticks allure and catch the simple in their snares our Saviour tells us what their sayings should bee Lee here is Christ and there is Christ in this conventicle and that meeting by which they withdraw many from the Apostolical assemblies In this respect St. Judes Character of them is that they did separate themselves to wit from the Apostles and which must needs follow they no doubt assumed to themselves the title to the true Church of Christ and thus did the Novatians in St. Cyprians time and the Donatists in St. Augustines time fighting against the Church under the name of the Church By all this wee see how Antichristian hereticks abuse the best things to the worst designs Truth Liberty Tradition Miracles Holinesse Reason Revelation Scripture the Church are all of them of singular concernment and advantage to the Orthodox Christian
provided it bee not out of flattery and for base ends we may upon just occasion not onely commend but inlarge and as it were Hyperbolize in the Commendations of them that are good Indeed to flourish with Rhetorical exaggerations in laying open the faults of others except of such crimes as are very open and hainous is uncharitable but to expatiate though it bee with Hyperboles in the praises of others for their vertues is very allowable as being that which this Holy Apostle giveth as a pattern of in this high Eâ—comium you need not that any man teach you 2 There is yet another way of giving the sense of this clause which to mee seemeth most genuine and that is by construing those words you need not that any man teach you with the following but as the sume Annointing teacheth you of all things which being put together doe onely deny any need that any man should teach them any other Doctrin than what this Annointing had taught them All things to wit necessary to Salvation this Unction had taught them and therefore no need of any man to teach them any thing besides these all things To this purpose is that glosse of Heinsius who conceiveth that the conjunction But is to be here taken in the same notion in which it is used by the Chaldee and Syriack Those words there is no God besides mee are read by the Chaldee There is no God but I. Thus in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you need not that any man teach you but as that is except those things which the same Annointing teacheth you With this sense that gloss agreeth in effect which I finde among some Expositors who refer the man here mentioned to the Seducers before spoken of There is no need of any new Masters that any of those seducers concerning whom the Apostle had discoursed should teach them any new Doctrin Very Apposite to this purpose is that excellent saying of Tertu Nob is curiositate opus non est post Jesum Christum nec inquisitionâ— post Evangelium nil desideramus ultra credere hoc enim prius credimus nil esse quod ultra credere debemus Christ being now revealed in his Gospel it is curiosity to make further inquiry wee desire not to beleeve any thing more for this wee first beleeve that there is nothing more to be beleeved There is need indeed that the Orthodox teachers should inculcate upon the people what this Unction teacheth but as for any Doctrin besides there is no need of nor regard to bee had to it or him that bringeth it It is very probable that those Seducers did teach their new Doctrins as things necessary to bee known and beleeved in reference to whom our Apostle assureth them that whatever those Hereticks might pretend they were already sufficiently instructed in all things needful for them to know According to this notion this very Scripture which is made use of by Euthusiasts as a buckler to defend proveth a Sword to cut asunder their opinion for what other must their pretended Revelations bee but vain and foolish if there bee no need of any thing to bee taught us by any man but what this Unction teacheth to wit as it hath been already explained outwardly by the Word and inwardly by Grace The truth is wee need not that any man no nor yet any Angel should teach us and if any Angel from Heaven should come and teach any other doctrine than what this unction hath already taught the holy Apostles and by them us let him bee accursed nor is this more than what St. Paul hath given us warrant for and let this suffice to have been spoken of the sufficiency of this Schoolmaster Passe we on to the 3 Next Character which is his Fidelity as it is set down in those words and is truth and is no lye The first which is the affirmative expression according to the Greek is to be read in the Concrete and is true and the latter which is the negative in the abstract and is no lye our Translators finding the latter to be the abstract read the former so too though it may seem more rational to read the latter as if it were a Concrete finding the former to be so But as to the rendring it it is not much material whilest the sense is the same which is that this annoynting is true without the mixture of any falshood in his teaching The more fully to expresse this it is that our Apostle speaketh the same thing twice first by affirming and then by denying the contrary that look as when in the former Chapter he would set forth Gods purity to the full as being free from the least pollution he saith He is light and in him is no darknesse so here that he might expresse the veracity of the Spirits dictates as being without the least errour he saith it is truth and is no lye The Devils answers which he gave those who consulted him were so dubious that they could not tell which way to construe them and so were deluded by them but the Spirits dictates are certain and infallible The Devil is a lying Spirit the Father of Lyes and his suggestions are lyes and no truth but the Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth so our Saviour calls him once and again yea he is truth and no lye True it is Hereticks the Devils instruments doe sometimes speak truth but it is in order to the advancing of some lye yea it is usually mixed with lyes But the Spirits Pen-men deliver truth and nothing but the truth so that wee may venture our souls upon their writings Indeed it is not so with us who expound and preach upon their writings since we have not so full a measure of this unction as they had in which respect St. Hier ome saith Aliter habere Apostolos aliter reliquot tractatores illos semper vera dicere istos ut homines in quibusdam aberrare that there is a great deal of difference between the Apostles and other Preachers those alwayes write truth but these erre in many things but withall it is then when they are not led by the Spirit who being wisdome cannot be deceived and being truth cannot deceive Keep wee therefore close to the dictates of this unction and that as they are set down in the Word Since they are truth and no lye let us beleeve and not doubt trust and not waver left if we receive not the truth in the love of it God give us over to beleeve a lye it being just that they who will not bee taught by this unction which is truth and no lye should bee fooled by delusions which are lyes and no truth 4 There is only one clause of the verse to be dispatched in those words and even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him where the verb abide according to the different Greek