in our estimation The three persons in the sacred Deity God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost their Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity The three-fold state of man to wit deformed reformed and transformed corrupt regenerate and glorified The three-fold coming of Christ in the flesh by his Spirit and at the day of judgement Those three grand enemies of mans salvation the flesh world and the devil The three Theological graces Faith Hope and Charity The three principal duties of Religion Prayer Hearing and Almes are plainly set before us in this parcel of Holy Writ Nay yet once more Those three things which every Christian man ought to be acquainted with for his souls health to wit the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments are here at least summarily comprized Our blessed Saviour telleth us the whole Law is reducible to these two great Commandments the love of God and our neighbour both which are here amply taught us The Lords Prayer is intimated in that we must aske according to Gods will which cannot be unlesse according to that patterne yea in that we are called sonnes of God it teacheth us to cry Our Father and that chief Petition in it Forgive us our sins is once and again inculcated Finally if you please we may out of this Epistle compile a Creed not much unlike that of the Apostles no lesse justly then commonly heretofore received amongst us though now almost forgotten by us in these or the like words I believe in God the Father invisible just holy pure and faithful who knoweth all things and is no lesse Almighty to do all things who is love it self whereby he vouchsafed to make the heaven and earth And in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son who came in the flesh to wit by being conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and laid down his life for us being crucified dead and buried and having life in himselfe rose from the dead and ascended to heaven where he sitteth at Gods right hand is our Advocate with the Father and at that day of judgment shall come and appear again to wit to judge the quick and dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the fellowship or communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins and eternal life By this time you cannot but see beloved what a body of divinity what a treasury of spiritual knowledge this Epistle is well might Fâ—rus say Ipsam Evangelicae Doctrinae summam brevissimam complectitur the summe of Evangelical Doctrine is succinctly and yet distinctly comprehended in it and now me thinketh every one is ready to say with that Father Adoro plenitudinem sacrae Scriptura I adore and admire the fulnesse of Holy Scripture wherein every drop is as it were a rivulet every rivulet a great river and river an Ocean every branch a tree every tree an orchard an orchard a field I mean every Verse as it were a Chapter every Chapter an Epistle every Epistle a Volumne for the abundance of precious truths contained in them and yet more particularly by these considerations sufficient reason cannot but appear as for my discussion so your attention and thus this discourse serveth to make way for the following But before I begin I have one request to make to you and that from my very soule that as I hope you have not are not so you will not be wanting in your requests to God for me and what you should aske for me I shall not go out of this Epistle to tell you even that unction from the Holy One whereby we may know all things that anoynting which teacheth us all things and is truth and no lie Let this be the matter of your prayer both for me for your selves that it may teach me how to expound apply you how to hear receive both you me how to understand and obey the sacred saving truths which are delivered to us in this First General Epistle of St JOHN I shall not at this time enter upon the Epistle it self only in a few words take notice of the Title which is prefixed wherein we have two things considerable Namely The pâ—nman John and the writing which is set down for the nature of it to be an Epistle for the order the first and for the extent of it a general Epistle First The Epistle is asserted to be St. JOHNS Indeed we do not finde him setting down his Name in any part of the Epistle the other Apostles are express in this particular Iames and Peter and Iude and Paul in all Epistles except that to the Hebrewes but Saint IOHN in this Epistle is altogether silent in the other two he only giveth himself the common title of an Elder when he hath any occasion to mention himself in his Gospel and that in things much tending to his dignity it is done in a third person by way of circumlocution only in his Apocalypse he specifieth his Name but that without any addition of honour or dignity It lets us see in general the humility of this holy Apostle who thought so meanly of himself that he accounts himself not worth the naming Indeed on the one hand though it s often too true of many who arrogantly affect to blazon their own names and titles we are not to imagine that when the other Apostles prefixe their namâ—s and most of them their high calling that it is done out of vain glory But on the other hand we may justly conclude it a testimony of great humility in this Apostle that he suppresseth his Name his Office by silence Thus whilest he was high in Christs he became lowly in his own eyes whilest he was rich in grace his veâ—y Name carrying as it were grace as Benjamines sack did money in its mouâ—h he was poor in spirit scarce thinking himself worthy of a name Oh let us learn by his pattern not to affect our own praises nor speak high things of our selves ever remembring that as artis est celare artem it is an art to conceal our art so to neglect our own names and honour is the best way to true honour and a good name Besides this notion of humility it may further be conceived and not improbably that this concealment of his Name was an act of prudence especially considering the time when it is most rationally conjectured to be written to wit as the learned English Annotatour hath observed to my hand not long before the destruction of Ierusalem when as the Church was under a sharp persecution occasioned no doubt by those many Antichrists then arising in which S. IOHN was peculiarly involved yea of which he warneth those to whom he writeth and therefore wisely forbeareth to publish his Name which might have been prejudicial to him There is no doubt a policy consistent with piety which as all Christians so Ministers may use in persecuting times It was that our Saviour at least allowed his
the body without the soul is corporally so the soul without Christ is spiritually dead and alas whilest we are in this estate we are without all hope of life being under the sentence not onely of the first but second death and therefore Iohn the Baptist saith expressely he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him oh heavy load and unsupportable weight which upon whomsoever it abideth must needs crush him to peices and sink him to the depth of Hell Oh labour we then both in respect of our selves and others to be sensible of our natural estate and if we mourn over our friends dead bodies much more should we mourn over theirs and our dead soules 2. To seek after this life because it is eternal and to seek it by union with Christ who is the life Indeed this temporal life may be used but onely that eternal life is to be sought the life that now is is a fleeting shadow a vanishing vapour a day which though never so pleasant cannot be long but the life which is to come is a light ever shining a leaf never fading and such a day as shall know no evening and now tell me which is most rational to seek after that life which is lost almost as soon as it is found or after that life which being once found can never be lost to catch after that which being got we cannot hold or that which being once got we cannot lose and therefore that I may allude to our blessed Saviours expression labour not for that which perisheth but for that life which endureth to eternity To this end let it be our continued care to gain to assure our interest in and union with Christ the Shunamite went to the Prophet for raising her dead childe we must to Christ for the quickning our dead souls it is very observable what St. Peter saith to this purpose To whom coming as to a living stone we also are built up as lively stones so that if you know how we become living stones it is by coming to and being built upon Christ as our foundation the soul cannot enliven the body till infused into and united with it nor can we receive life from Christ but by an interest in him he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith Christ himself hath eternal life there is life eternal life in the flesh and blood of Christ but then we must eat and drink it that so this spiritual food may be incorporated into us and we made one with Christ. 3. Lastly to set an high value upon Christ and give him the glory of this great mercy even eternal life of all the Titles that do express the personall excellencies of the Lord Christ that of the word is most glorious and of all those that do express the priviledges we have by him none so comprehensive as this of eternal life To you who believe saith the Apostle concerning this living stone he is pretious and well he may since he bestoweth so rare a Iewel and so invaluable a pearle as eternal life upon us indeed all our good and comfort is wrapt up in Christ he is the bread to nourish us the light to guide us the life to save us are then any beginnings of this life wrought in us any hopes of it assured to us let us look upon our selves as vessels filled by this fountain stars enlightned by this Sun carcases enlivened by this spirit acknowledging what we have and hope for to be onely and wholly from Christ that as we have life from him he may have thanks from us Now to him who is the life that eternal life be praise and glory in the Church throughout all ages Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 2. 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the father and was manifested unto us AMong the mystical interpretations of those four living creatures mentioned in Ezekiel and the Apocalyps that of resembling by them the four Evangelists is the most usual among the Antients and St. Iohn is compared to the Eagle by them all except Iraeneus who likeneth him to the Lion St. Hieroms reason is from the Eagles wing which soareth highest of any bird St. Gregories from the Eagles eye which is able to look upon the Sun and both very apposite for so doth St. Iohn in his Gospel look upon the Sun of righteousnes and so are high in contemplation of his Divinity nor is this lesse observable in this Epistle than in his Gospel which both beginneth and closeth with the Deity of Christ Indeed we have here in this beginning both the God-head and Man-hood of the Messiah and the union of both in one person set before us when he saith That which was from the beginning c. The second Character here given and which now followeth to be handled is of Christ as God in those words which was with the Father It is the same no doubt in sense with that in the Gospel and the word was with God and to this purpose Theodoret applyeth that of the Psalmist With thee is the fountain of Life For the better explanation of it we must take notice of the Noun the Praeposition and the Veâ—â— â—ather with the Father was with the Father 1. By the Father we are here no doubt to understand the first person in the sacred Trinity Indeed it is a word that is taken in Scripture both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially and personally essentially it is common to all the persons personally it is onely true of the first when it is used of God in respect to the Creatures it is to be understood essentially and our Apostle so intends it when he saith Behold what manner of love the Father hath showed that we should be called the Sons of God But when of God in order to the persons it is to be construâ—â— personally as here and in the next verse it is manifestly so used And the first person is called the Father say some because he is the original of the Trinity as connoting the relation he hath both to the Son and the Holy Ghost but â—hy others more properly the first person iâ— the Father onely in relation to the second who is his begotten after the most perfect way of Generation and so he only a Father in regard of him But further 2. The chief thing considerable is what this meaneth that Christ the life is said to be with the Father The answer to which I shall lay down both negatively and affirmatively 1. Negatively we must not strain the expression too far as noting either an inferiority or separability between those two persons of the Father and the Word 1. Not a separability as if Christ were so with that he were without the
they are sent and end for which they are written but yet some of them may be moreful and useful then others such is this if compared with St. JOHNS other Epistles and therefore called first III. The last thing to be discussed in the Title is the Extent of the Epistle signified in that terme Catholick It is the appellation which is given to the seaven Epistles of James Peter Iohn and Iude an Epithet affixed to them as Pareus thinketh rather through inconsideratenesse then any just ground but I think him too rash in that censure Others have sought the reason of it in the number which being septenary is a number of perfection intimating the universal perfection of the Doctrine contained in them in which respect these Epistles have been resembled to wisdomes seven pillars by which her house is supported The Lambs seaven hornes by which Hereticks are pushed at the seven Golden Candlesticks by which the light of Evangelical Doctrine is set up and the seven loaves by which multitudes are nourished but this I conceave to be a fancy rather then a verity There are two reasons given of this Appellation which carrie in them most probability especially the latter 1. This Epistle may be called General according to Oecumenius his notion because it is not directed to one particular person as those to Timothy and Titus nor yet to particular Churches as those to the Romans Corinthians Galatians c. but to the converted Iewes in several parts and in this sence denominatio à majori parte petita the denomination is not from every Epistle since two at least one of St. Iohns Epistles is manifestly directed to a particular person but the greater part as for this first Epistle St. Austin indeed seemeth to assert it as directed to the Parthians but if with Iunius we understand that as an Hebrew word it signifieth as much as the scattered banished or if we take it in the vulgar notion we must know that Parthia was then a potent Kingdome containing under it many oriental Nations through which as Iosephus testifieth abundance of the Iewes were scattered to whom it is not improbable this Epistle might be directed and so this reason of Catholick fitly applied to it 2. But that which at least to me seemeth most rational is that this Title was given them upon their general reception in the Church in which respect they were called Canonical as well as Catholick To clear this you must know that at the first besides those Epistles which carry St. Pauls name in the front of them only the first Epistle of Peter and this of Iohn were universally received Indeed concerning this Epistle of St. Iohn St. Austin saith Per omnes gentes recitatur orbis terrae authoritate retinetur It was received by the whole Christian world from the beginning and to distinguish these from the rest they were then called Catholick and afterwards the other sive being received into the Canon had this name affixed to them for the distinguishing of them from those Epistles of Barnabas Ignatius and Policarpus which though ancient were not taken into the rule of our faith nor was this any diminution to the authority of St. Pauls Epistles but only an intimation that these were now added to those and whereas the other Epistles being written by one man might very well receive a single denomination from him and be called St. Pauls Epistles These being penned by several could not be mentioned joyntly without some such fit and venerable Title annexed to them The useful meditations we may hence take up are that since this Epistle is written generally to the Christians in several places we are to remember it is as well Catholick in respect of several ages Indeed there is no age of man but is herein instructed so he saith himself that he writes to children young men fathers nor is there any age of man since it was written to whom it doth not extend and therefore no lesse concerneth us then those who were then alive And surely as the epistle is generall so our application of it must be particular Every one bringing the lessons of it home to our owne hearts and yet once againe since it was so generally at first receaved therefore we to be the more confirmed in the verity of it and so induced the more strongly to beleeve the assertions and carefully to obey the directions contained in it And thus with what brevity I could I have unfolded the Title page time will not now give me leave to enter upon the Booke it selfe But I hope what hath been already said will prove a good preparative to my ensuing discourses both to give some light for the knowledge of and cause some heat of love towards this parcell of holy writ And my desire to you with which I shall conclude is that though I cannot begin to handle you would begin to read it and as in it selfe it is a familiar kinde of writing so by frequent perusing make it familiar to you and as the penman of it lay in Christs bosome so it may lie in your bosome to be both your comforter councellour till you come to rest in Abrahams bosome to all eternity Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN I. CHAP. ver 1 2 3 4. 1. That which we from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4. And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full THese words are as an head to the body a gate to the field a porch to the building of this epistle An introduction which very much speaketh the writer to be St. John because it is as it were antistrophe evangelii a resounding to the proaeme of his Gospel The gospel begins with In the beginning was the word and this with that which was from the beginning concerning the word of life there a little after The word was made flesh and we saw his glory here the life was manifested and we have seen it vide si non attestatur Epistola sua Evangelio suo saith the Father justly See how the one as it were ecchoeth and answereth to the other so that at the very threshold we may read the builder of this excellent fabrick And as this exordium speaketh the writer so it manifesteth him an Oratour since it fitly agreeth to those rules which Oratory giveth to be observed in praeambles There are three properties in every good exordium convenient length lest if excessive the Oration
be like the little City of Mindas with a great gate suitable aptness fetched from the very bowels of the matter in hand and a profitable efficacy to render the auditory attentive docible and benevolous all of these meet in this preface The length you see consists but of 4. verses whereas the Epistle spreadeth it self into 5. Chapters in respect of its fitness it is taken from the matter it self about which he intended to write not staying the Reader in any needless circumlocutions yea which is almost peculiar to this Apostle not so much as in a salutation of those to whom he writeth Finally it is so fully and exactly composed that it cannot but attain with rational men the ends of a preface since the importance of what he was to speak of being no less than that of life that life eternal it could not but gain attention the perspicuity of it by reason of the manifestation of this life could not but render them docible and the end of the Apostle being their joy and profit and comfort might well command benevolence to him who declareth so much good will towards them And I hope this proaeme being so ample I shall need no other Preface to obtain the like from you than the rehearsing and unfolding this That which was c. The manner of composing these verses by reason of that figure which Rhetoritians call hyperbaton the transposition of words and likewise the interposition of a parenthesis is somewhat dark and obscure And the Greek Scholiast undertaketh to give several reasons of it such as are to let us know that our salvation consisteth not in words but things to prevent the casting of pearles before swine to avoid Heathenish loquacity to express much in a little and to exercise our diligence in finding out the sence and meaning of it And how involved a Labyrinth soever this period may seem I doubt not but by the clue of the spirit we shall extricate our selves out of it The Syriack version hath contributed some light to this dark sentence by placing the principal verb in the front we publish to you that which was from the beginning c. but the sence of these verses will I conceive appear the plainliest by digesting them into those several propositions by which as so many steps we shall orderly ascend to their genuine meaning 1. The word of eternal life which was with the Father was manifested to us 2. This word of life being manifested we have heard and seen with our eyes and looked upon and our hands have handled 3. That which we have thus seen heard and handled concerning this word of life was from the beginning 4. That which was from the beginning and which we have heard seen and handled concerning the word of life we bear witness shew declare and write to you 5. The end of our declaring and writing these things to you is that your joy may be full by having fellowship with us 6. That fellowship which we have and we would you should have together with us is with the Father and his Son Iesus Christ. That I may proceed both more distinctly and succinctly in discussing these words be pleased to observe in them these two Generals to wit Apostolicum praedicationis studium sublime Evangelii preconium here is The Apostles care of their duty in publishing the Gospel and this according to the English Translation in four but according to the Greek original in three expressions one of them being twice repeated we bear witness we shew we declare and unto you The Gospels excellency which they did publish and this delineated in four characters namely 1. The dignity of its object and that no other than the word of life even that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to them 2. The certainty of its tradition in as much as it was that which they had heard seen with their eyes looked upon and their hands handled 3. The Antiquity of its origination as being that which was from the beginning 4. The utility of the end which is the peoples communion with the Apostles yea with God and Christ in those words that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and by this means the completion of their comfort in those words that your joy may be full These are the several branches of this tree of life through each of which by Divine enablement I shall pass according to the proposed method gathering and distributing those sweet and wholsome fruits which grow upon them The Apostles care of publishing the Gospel is the first considerable and it is that which St. Iohn doth here assert in the behalf not onely of himself but his fellow Apostles for it is not the singular I but the plurall number We nor is this a term of State as sometimes Princes write in a magnificent stile but intended to comprehend the other Apostles together with himself that they might be accounted as faithful as he in this sacred work The expressions by which our Apostle sets forth the exercise of their care are very significant and such indeed as do superadde somewhat at least by way of explication to the other Take them briefly in their order as they lie in the verses 1. The first we meet with is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bear witness This was indeed the chief office to which the Apostles were designed by Christ to bear witness of him and that they might be inabled to the faithful discharge of it he promised he would and accordingly did after his ascension cause them to receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them Not Beloved that Christ stood in need of any human testimony he saith himself I receive no witness from man to wit as wanting it or not having greater his own miraculous works which were done by him did testifie of him the Devils of Hell the Angels in heaven those out of envy these in duty gave witness to him Nay his Father by a wonderful voice from Heaven attested him to be his well-beloved Son it was not then in regard of himself that he ordained the Apostles to be his witnesses but in regard of them and the people of them that he might put this high honour upon them of being as it were Christs Iury. Look as Gods making use of instruments in his providential works is not ex defectu potestatis but abundantia bonitatis want of power but abundance of love whereby he would advance his creatures to that great dignity of being his Servants So Christs appointing his Apostles to be witnesses was not because he stood in need of testimony from them but that he might confer the honour upon them of giving testimony to him and as of them so of the people who having men like themselves to bear testimony to Christ might with the confidence cheerfulnes received it in
men but is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and made manifest to his Saints by his Spirit To sum it up in few words Eternal life is that mysterie which could not have been found out by reason neither the thing it self nor the way to it could by any humane wit or industry have been at all discovered and therefore it must be manifested to wit by a divine Revelation a spiritual illumination and onely the Gospel is the word wherein God hath been pleased to vouchsafe the clear distinct and full manifestation of it for which reason it is deservedly called the word of life To apply this briefly what should the consideration hereof teach us But 1. Thankfully to acknowledge what a rich treasure a pretious pearle God hath vouchsafed to us in bestowing the Gospel on us life is the most pretious treasure in nature eternal is the best of lifes Oh then how singular is the worth of the Gospel which manifesteth this life unto us and surely as the water of life it self so the vessels that convey it to us should be highly esteemed by us we may truly say of all the Ministers of the Gospel what that possessed Damosel said concerning St. Paul and the rest These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation and what St. Iohn here saith of himself and fellow Apostles we may no less justly say of our selves we shew to you that eternal life which was with the father Shall the Lawyer be valued who sheweth you that way of preserving your temporal estate shall the Physitian be honoured who sheweth you the way of prolonging your corporal life and shall not the feet of them be beautiful who bring the glad tidings of peace and shew the way of obtaining eternal life But however if we must be neglected yet let the treasure we bring be gratefully esteemed by you as you love your life as you value eternity prize the Gospel That I may the more enhaunce the worth of the Gospel consider it not onely absolutely and positively but oppositively and comparatively 1. In opposition to the Law strictly taken which though there was a time when life might have been obtained by it yet now to us who are guilty of the breach of it it threatneth nothing buâ— death Oh how sweet is the Gospel to the transgressor of the Law in the Law there is nothing but matter of fear in the Gospel of love in the Law God is against us in the Gospel he is Emanuâ—l God with us The Law curseth the Gospel blesseth the office of the Law is to accuse and terrifie of the Gospel to heal and comfort finally the Law is a killing Letter but the Gospel a quickning Spirit 2. In comparison with the state of the Old Testament How much more obliged are we to God who live in the times of the New in respect of the clear Revelation of this life unto us God spake with Moses at the door of the Tabernacle but now he leadeth his Spouse into the presence Chamber The Old Testament Christians saw through a veil but now the Curtain is drawn with them it was the dawning of the day with us it is full noon oh that we would praise the Lord for his inestimable goodness to us upon whom the glorious light of the Gospel shineth 2. To endeavour that what this word of life is in it self it may be to every one of us and as it is the word of life by way of manifestation so it may be also by way of operation effectuall to bring us to that life which it revealeth to us the more to quicken us in this endeavour it would be seriously considered by us that though the Gospel be intentionally the word of life yet accidentally it proveth to many the savour of death namely those who receive with the left hand of infidelity what God offereth with the right hand of grace and mercy the same Sun both softneth the wax and hardneth the clay the same earth is sweet in the grape and bitter in the wormwood the same odour is a refreshment to the Dove and poyson to the Beetle the same herb called Rhododaphne is a cure to men bit with serpents and venemous to beasts and the same Gospel is both to believers a word of life and to unbelievers a means of condemnation whilest they love darkness rather than light and choose death before life Oh therefore let it be our prayer among whom this word of life hath been so long preached that it may come to us as it did to the Thessalonians not in word onely but also in power so as it may become to every one of us the power of God to salvation and life eternal THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 1 2. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 2. For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the father and was manifested to us A Scripture to which I need no beginning since it begins with the beginning and that such a beginning as hath no beginning a Text to which a Preface will be needless because it self is a Preface and yet such a Preface as may withall be called a book In reference to the Epistle it is a proaeme in it self it is a volume well worth our most serious study and perusall The Apostles duty and the Gospels excellency are the two Sections which divide it the first of which consisting onely of one leaf though that having three columes I read over the last time The second expatiateth it self into four large leaves the first of which is written as it were on both sides having a double exposition annexed to it the one side was then dispatched now we are to turn over the other and according to the most genuine sense to handle these words as spoken concerning Christ the word of life that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifest to us Nor is it without strong reason as I conceive that we should incline to this latter as the most congruous interpretation For 1. This phrase the word of life primarily agreeth to Christ since when it is attributed to the Gopsel it is in reference to Christ and therefore eternal life is manifested in the Gospel because Christ by whom we obtain that life is revealed in it 2. The things that are here asserted concerning this word of life are such as most properly belong to the person rather than the doctrine of Christ the word of life is said to be manifested and that such a manifestation as was visible nay so as they not only heard saw but handled which cannot litterally be referred but to a corporeal substance and to understand those
he gave him sicut promissus sic missus he was not more mercifully promised than faithfully sent It did not seem good to his wisdome to confer this jewel presently but in the mean space that the Church might have somewhat to support her he vouchsafed the promise of it divine promises are as sweet bits to stay our stomachs before the full meal of his actual performances the promise of Christs first coming was that which comforted the Iewes and the promise of his second coming is that which now reviveth the Christian Church and since we have found him making good his word in the one we may assure our selves he will fulfill it in the other since as he was so good as to give a word so he will be so good as his word and give the thing whatsoever it is that he is pleased to promise for so it was in that singular eminent promise of Christ who is therefore not unfitly called the word and so much for that 2. The other substantive yet remaineth to wit life which is in the place of an adjective and may be rendred as an Epithete the living word and look as Christ when he is compared to bread to a stone it is with this addition the bread of life a living stone to difference him from other stones from common bread so he is here called the word of life to distinguish him from and advance him above other words for whereas other words though spoken by living persons yet have no life in themselves this word is the living word personally subsisting or else as he is called the bread of life because he giveth and communicateth life to them that feed on him so here the word of life because he is the author of life to them that receive him but the discussion of this falleth more fitly in in the next part to which therefore I pass on namely The particular exemplification in which Christ is characterized as God-man as God as man as God-man he is stiled the life and the eternal life as God he is said to be the life which was with the Father as man he is the life which was manifested Of each of which with all possible brevity and perspicuity He is called the life that eternal life If you ask in what respect this agreeth to him the answer is already hinted but shall now be more largely prosecuted He is the life and that eternal two wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formaliter and efficienter in himself in respect of us as being both vivus and vivificus living giving life 1. Christ is the life and that eternal life because in himself he liveth for ever this is true of him primarily as God this being one of his choice attributes that he is the living God inasmuch as divine attributes are better expressed by the abstract than the concrete he is fitly said not onely to be living but life it self and this life is most properly said to be eternal because it is so both a parte ante a parte post from everlasting to everlasting Secondarily this is true of him as Mediator God-man since though there was a time when thus he began to live to wit at his assumption of our nature and likewise his life on earth did expire to wit at his passion yet now he dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him but he is alive for evermore and that to make intercession 2. But that which I conceive most suitable to the Apostles meaning is that Christ is said to be the life because he is the original of life to us in this respect the abstract fitly agreeth to him because life is in him as sap in the root water in the fountain to convey it to all that believe on him in this sense it is that Christ useth it concerning himself as appeareth by his own Commentary I am the life whosoever believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live hence it is that he is called by the Apostle Paul expressely our life nor is he onely life but eternal life that life which as Mediator he vouchsafeth to believers being eternal indeed all creatures are beholding to him for their natural life in him we live move and have our being but the life which believers have by him is an eternal life according as he saith himself I give to them eternal life This is that life which as the learned Davenant observeth 1 Christus promisit Christ promised to his disciples and in them to all Christians where he saith it is my Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome 2 promeruit by his own death he purchased for all believers in which respect eternal life is said to be the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord 3 praeparavit being now ascended into heaven he there maketh ready for us according as he saith himself I go to prepare a place for you and yet more 4 inchoat he begins by the work of grace in the hearts of all the faithful in which respect he that believeth on him is said to have everlasting life and finally 5 reddet he will at the last day consummate by glory Indeed then it is that our bodies being raised our persons shall be glorified and this eternall life actually conferred therfore our blessed Saviour joyneth these two together in that forementioned place I am the resurrection and the life thus as the oyntment ran down from Aarons head to his beard and thence to his skirt so that eternal life which Christ rising from the grave personally enjoyeth shall be communicated to all his members To sum it up Christ God-man Mediator is the life that eternal life in respect of his threefold offices of King Priest and Prophet as Prophet he is the life by way of Revelation discovering this eternal life to us as Priest by way of impetration procuring this eternal life for us as King by way of collation conferring this eternal life on us and as the fulness of water is dispensed by the Sea to the Earth and the fulness of light is communicated by the Sun to the Air and the fulness of Corn was divided by Ioseph among the people so the fulness of grace and glory of life even eternal life is conveyed by Christ to his Church and therefore very justly doth this character belong to him And now what should this consideration teach us But 1. To bewail our sad condition whilest we are without Christ for if Christ be the life all that know him not or believe not in him must needs be in a state of death and damnation It is observable that St. Paul speaking of the Ephesians whilest in the state of unregeneracy saith they were dead in sins and trespasses and a little after renders this as the reason because at that time they were without Christ indeed as
distinguish of three kind of lyes according to the several ends at which they aim to wit jeasting for mirth and pleasure officious for profit and advantage pernitious tending to injurie and hurt all of these are condemned but the latter is justly accounted the most abominable and of this sort is this lye my text speaketh of a pernitious hurtfull lye That you may see the injury which commeth by it consider it in reference to God and his Gospell to others and to our selves 1. To say we have fellowship with God and wâ—lk in darknesse is such a lye as tendeth much to the dishonour of God and disgrace of Religion St. Paul speaking to the hypocritical Iews tells them the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you the like may be said to licentious Christians the name of God is blasphemed among Turks and Pagans through you when the Indians were so barbarously used by the Spaniards who called themselves Christians they cryed out quis malum Deus iste what God doth these men serve when the enemies of the reformed Church hear what perjury oppression bloodshed they who would pretend to the strictest profession of it commit are they not ready to say what a Religion is it these men profess that can dispence with such wickedness It was no small though a just disgrace to the Pope when the King of Hungary having taken a Bishop prisoner in battel sent his armour to him and onely this in writing Vide num haec sit vestis filii tui Is this your Sons coat And it is a sad though unjust reproach which the bad lives of Christians cause to fall on God himself whilest profane wretches are apt to say These are your Saints and thus by our wicked conversation our being called Christians brings a reproach to Christ and Christianity 2. Besides this which is the highest injury to Religion it is hurtfull to others when they who pretend to have communion with God lead wicked lives how are strong Christians grieved the weak staggared and they that are without kept back from embracing Religion yea encouraged in their licentious actions nay if these that say they have fellowship with God do such abhominable things what need we trouble our selves are profane wretches ready to say our lives are little worse than theirs why should not our condition be as good 3. This lye will prove no less pernitious to our selves he who is the eternall truth cannot endure lying lips vident rident demones Devils see and rejoyce God seeth and is incensed against such dissembling wretches every such hypocrite may well think God bespeaketh him in the Psalmists words What hast thou to do to take my name into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and refusest to receive instruction and must expect no other answer at that day when they may plead their outside devotion and large profession but depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Brethren you may for a time cozen men but you cannot deceive God and as St. Cyprian excellently it is a meer madness not to think and know that lyars will at last be found out Diogenes seeing a vitious young man clad in a Phylosophers habit plucked it off as conceiving that it was defiled by him and God will one day pluck off the hypocrites vizor of piety that he may appear in his colours and in that day how far more tollerable will it be for professed enemies of God and religion than for such persons It is very observable that other sinners are doomed to have their portion with hypocrites as if hypocrites were the tenants and the rest as it were inmates of hell certain it is the fornace of torment shall be seven times hotter for a carnall Gospeller loose professor then for licentious Pagans since their condemnation shall be so much the greater by how much their profession hath been the holier and the higher they have lifted themselves up to heaven in their religious pretences the lower they shall be cast down to hell for their impious practices Let then every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity it was St. Cyprians advice to those who took on them the name of Confessors that they would keep up the honour of their name it is mine to all who take upon them the name of Professors For shame let us not so palpably give our selves the lye quid verba audiam cum facta videam what avail good words when our works are bad tace linguâ loquere vitâ either say less or do more In one word let our actions speak what our expressions pretend to and our conversation be answerable to our profession so shall we be found true men and not lyars and not onely knowers and professors but doers of the truth and so be blessed in our deed THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin RIghtly to divide the word of truth is the charge St. Paul gave to Timothy and a special part of every Ministers office To give every Auditor his due and proper portion as a Master of a feast doth to every guest is according to some expositors the right dividing the word of truth for which reason no doubt it is that among other similitudes Ministers are compared to Stewards whose work is to provide for and distribute to every one in the family their convenient food What St. Paul requireth of all Christians in respect of their neighbours and Superious Render to all men their due Tribute to whome Tribute custome to whome custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour belongeth That by way of analogy is required of all Ministers in regard of their people to give to every one their due reproof to whom reproof threatning to whom threatning instruction to whom instruction and comfort to whom comfort appertaineth A manifest example hereof we have given by this holy Apostle in this place expressely reproving and implicitly threatning in the former verse those to whom it belongs such as walk in darkness and here sweetly comforting those to whom promises belong such as walk in the light in this verse But if we walk in the light c. This is that room on the right hand into which we are now to enter wherein if you please you may take notice of three Partitions here is the Christians Practise to walk in the light Pattern as he is in the light Priviledge we have fellowship c. Or if you please to reduce the three to two here is considerable The duty required and the mercy assured Or The qualification premised walking in the light as he is in the light The Collation promised of Communion with God we have fellowship one with another Iustification by Christ
word world God so loved the world God was in Chhist reconciling the world and again in this Epistle Him hath God sent to be the Saviour of the world and yet as if this were not large enough to this extensive substantive is here in the text annexed an universall adjective whilest he saith not onely the world but the whole world That this is so must be granted or else the Scripture must be denied which hath so frequently and plainly asserted it The onely thing to be inquired is in what sence this is to be understood and how it is verified I well know there is much dispute among learned and Godly men about the interpretation of this and such like Scriptures For my own part I have a reverend esteem of many of them who hold the severall opinions and I could heartily wish that such questions having much to be said either way both from Scripture and reason might be more calmely debated then they are by some and the assâ—rtâ—rs on either hand lesse censorious each of other That which I shall now indeavour is according to the measure â—f light I have received by prayer reading meditation and conference positively to acquaint you what I conceive to be truth and show you how far we may safely extend and so how we may genuinely expound this clause He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world To this end Let your attention go along with me whilest I shall prsoecute two or three distinctions 1. This assertion Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world may be understood either exclusively or inclusively and in both considerations it is in some respect or other true 1. To say Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world exclusively imports thus much That there is no propitiation for the sins of the whole world but onely by Christ and thus we may take the whole world in its full latitude pro omnihus singulis and need not feare to assert that there never was nor will be any man from the first Adam to the end of the world who did shall or can obtain propitiation for his sins except through Christ. Indeed God according both to Moses and Pauls phrase is a consuming fire and all mankind being fallen in Adam is as stubble and straw to that fire which must needs be consumed by it if Christs blood did not prevent that consumption by quenching the fire of his displeasure Hence it is that S. Paul saith expressely God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe thereby intimating That were it not for Christ the world could not be reconciled to him To this purpose it is that the Apostle Peter speaking of Christ useth a negative proposition neither is there salvation in any other and inforceth it with a strong confirmation for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved where that expression under Heaven is very observable as comprizing in it the whole earth which is under Heaven with all the inhabitants therein It is the promise of God to Abraham That in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed that seed St. Paul expounds mistically of Christ and Lyra's glosse is quia nullus consequitur salutem nisi per Christi benedictionen because none can attain eternal life but through Christs benediction and not much unlike is Bezas note on this place Christ is the propitiation for the whole world ut noverimus nusquam esse salutem extra Christum that we may know salvation is not to be had any where without Christ. From hence it is that may be inferred which elsewhere is expressed that since there is no propitiation but by Christ none can pertake of this propitiation but by faith in him and the strength of the inference is built upon this foundation Whosoever have propitiation by Christ must bee in Christ and therefore St. Paul saith of the Ephesians whilest Heathens they were without Christ and presently addeth in the same verse having no hope as if he would say There is no hope of Salvation for them that are without Christ. None but they who beleeve in Chirist are in Him and therefore the Apostle saith Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and those two phrases being in the faith and Christ being in us are used by him in one verse as one expository of the other The result of both which propositions is that seeing there is no propitiation without Christ and without being in Christ none can obtain that propitiation but they who beleeve in Him agreeable to which it is that St. Paul saith God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith in his bloud Indeed this must be rightly understood and to that end qualified with these distinctions of seminall and actuall of implicite and explicite faith and of faith in Christ as to come and as come Christ is no doubt a propitiation for all circumcised and baptised children dying in their infancy who yet cannot actually beleeve in him but they have after an extraordinary way the spirit of Chrâ—st conferred on them and so the seed of faith and all other graces in them Christ was no doubt a propitiation for those before his coming as well as us all of whom only beleeved in him as to come and many of whom had but only an implicite not a clear and distinct faith in the Messiah nor will I undertake to determine what degree of knowledge is necessary to that Faith in Christ which is necessary to an interest in this propitiation but still I say with the Authour to the Hebrewes without faith it is impossible to please God and that faith is not only to beleeve that God is but to beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that seek him which cannot be without some knowledge of Christ since it is onely in an Evangelical sense that he is a rewarder and as he is no rewarder of any that seek him but for Christs sake so none can rightly beleeve him a rewarder who is altogether ignorant of Christ. Indeed when our blessed Saviour saith This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ Christ whom thou hast sent what doth he but as it were define eternal life by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ this knowledge being both the way and the end that wherein it consists and that whereby it is obtained and more fully when he saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish what doth he but set down beleeving in Christ as the way whereby the whole world must escape perishing Finally when St. Paul speaking of Iew and Greek maketh calling on the name of the Lord Christ the means of salvation and annexeth beleeving in as necessary to the calling on him what doth he
be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm but he is not a meer man whom we trust in and therefore that curse doth not belong to us for as he became man of his mother in the fulness of time so he was God with his Father before all time 3. Exhort us to adore this eternal life which is with the Father with the same reverence and worship we give to the Father we need not fear idolatry when as it is expressely said that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father let then St. Ambrose his pithy counsel take place in spight of blasphemous Hereticks Iungat honorificientia patri filium quem junxit divinitas as the Father and the Son are joyned together in unity of essence so let us joyn them together in unity of worship saying in words not much unlike those of the Elders worthy art thou oh Iesus to receive glory and honour and power for thou art that eternal life which was with the Father 3. The last character remaineth which belongs to Christ as man set forth in the word manifested which as being of singular concernment is twice repeated to wit both in the beginning and the end of the second verse for the better explication whereof these three things are briefly to be considered What this manifestation imports Who it is that was thus manifested Why the thing here intended is called a manifestation 1. As to the first of these quaeries it is generally answered that by this manifestation we are to understand the incarnation of the Son of God nor is it without sufficient reason since 1. This phrase is manifestly used elsewhere in this sense so by St. Paul with that explicatory additament when he saith God was manifested in the flesh nay without any addition when he speakes of the appearing of Iesus Christ and which yet more confirms it by our Apostle himself in this Epistle and that twice in one Chapter he was manifested and the Son of God was manifested that is as all agree incarnated But 2. Besides these parallel Scriptures there is a convincing Argument in the Text it self to which end you may be pleâ—sed to observe that this parenthesis is interserted by the Apostle on purpose to prevent an objection that might be made against and so add a confirmation to what is asserted in the precedent verse whereas St. Iohn there saith he and the rest heard saw and handled the word of life it might be asked How could this be this living word being spiritual and immaterial to which he implicitly answereth by adding and the life was manifested to wit in the flesh in which respect the and after the Hebrew phrase may well be construed for this being a strong reason to prove that this word of life might be seen by them since he was manifested to them yea which giveth much light and addeth much strength to the verity of this Exposition the Apostle immediately knitteth these two together manifesting and seeing the life was manifested and we have seen it whereby it appeareth that the manifestation spoken of is such as was visible and therefore must be corporeal since onely that which is corporeal is visible 2. That the manifestation is the incarnation is clear but it would be further inquired who it is that was thus manifested the answer to which appeareth by those two Characters the word of life and the life which was with the Father it was not then the Father himself but the word with the Father the second person in the sacred Trinity that was incarnated True it is the divine essence was incarnate and therefore St. Paul saith God manifested because the whole divine nature is in every person but yet onely as in one of the persons and therefore our Apostle saith as here the word so elsewhere the Son of God was manifested It is true that as all external works so this of the incarnation belongs to the whole Trinity but yet the termination of this work was onely in the Son as three persons may make a garment and onely one weareth it or three persons conclude a match and onely one of them the Person married If it shall be further inquired why the word the second person was manifested divers reasons are given in answer by the Antients 1 By the word all things were at first made fit it is that the new as well as the old creation should be his work 2 This word is the image of the Father and therefore most fit to restore the image of God in man 3 The third is the middle person in the Trinity and therefore most fit to be Mediator between God and man 4 He is the word to reveal his Fathers will to the world and therefore he fittest to be manifested in the flesh for this end 5 He onely the Son and therefore most suitable for him to become the Son of man that he might make us the Sonnes of God 6 In a word had either the Father or the Holy Ghost been incarnate there must have been two sonnes in the Trinity which were incongruous 7 But when all is said that which we must acquiesce in is the good pleasure of the blessed Trinity by whose mutual consent the second person the Son of God the word of life was made flesh and so manifested 3. The last quaere cometh now to be unfolded Why the thing here intended is called a manifestation whereby we shall see the aptitude of this phrase and to this end I shall answer it both by way of remotion and of position 1. We must not by any means construe this phrase in favour of those who deny Christ to have a reall body as if Christs coming into the world were onely a phantasme or apparition a manifestation in but no real assumption of the flesh In opposition to this heresie Athanasius saith solidly That as in the manifestation of this word there was no transmutation of the God-head into flesh so neither a phantastical representation but a true assumption of flesh It is true the Holy Ghost onely appeared in the shape of a Dove but he came not to redeem doves Christ came to redeem man and therefore would be truly man 2. But if you will know the true reason of this expression it is because the Deity in our flesh hath most clearly manifested it self to men The Fathers phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not much unlike those Scripture expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gregory Nazianzen enquiring why Christs Nativity is called by this name giveth this pregnant reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God made himself in a special manner manifest to the world by coming into it The truth is never did God so familiarly reveal himself as when he took our nature Indeed there is a manifestation of God in the works of his Creation
the invisible things of his power and God-head are seen in this visible fabrick but this is onely of his attributes as a picture discovereth the art but not the Person of the Painter There was indeed some manifestation of God to the Patriarchs of old and as is probably conceived it was the Son of God which did appear unto them yea and that in an humane shape for one of those three men that came to Abraham is not irrationally thought to be the second person in the Trinity but still those apparitions were but at sometimes and to some few persons and indeed were but as Irenaeus calleth them praeludia verae incarnationis forerunners of his incarnation and as it were the dawning of the day wherein the Sun of righteousness did arise Indeed so clearly did the Deity manifest it self in Christ incarnate that when Philip desireth him to shew him the Father Christ tells him he that hath seen me haâ—h seen the Father Thus as the candle giveth its light through the lanthorn and the face is seen through the vail so did the God-head manifest it self through our flesh But perhaps you will say how can this be that the Deity should be manifested in flesh whatsoever is a medium of discovering any thing must be somewhat proportionable to that it discovereth Now Flesh and God are at a distance nor is there any proportion between them but beloved St. Paul speaking of this calls it a great mysterie and therefore if we cannot see how it should be let that content us Besides it cannot be denyed but that the assumption of our flesh was in respect of the Deity not a manifestation but an obscuration and therefore it is said of him by St. Paul he emptyed himself he humbled himself when he took on him our nature but yet still in respect of us it was a manifestation To clear this briefly and yet fully you must know That objects of excelling brightness are best manifested through allaying mediums thus the Sun being in it self so transcendently lightsome cannot be looked on by us as it shineth in its own lustre but best conveyeth its light to us through the clouds and hence it is that whilest the clouds obscure they make the sun beams to us more obvious the same is the case in this present matter Gods face in it self is so bright that we cannot see it and live which made the Israelâ—tes desire that God would no more speak to them by himself but by Moses whereas in the face of Iesus Christ through the cloud as it were of our humanity God is become familiar with men and we partake of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God as St. Paul speaketh 1. To apply this here is matter of 1. Exultation and that upon several grounds 1. Because it is spoken of as a thing already accomplished it is not the life may be or shall be but was manifested this manifestation was that which the Saints of the Old Testament waited for and rejoyced in the very expectance for so it is said by Christ concerning Abraham He saw my day and rejoyced much more cause have we to rejoyce in the reall performance 2. When we look upon the impulsive cause of this manifestation which was no other than free love and mercy Revelatio deitatis revelatio charitatis in the appearing of our Saviour Christ there was an appearing of the Grace of God in the manifestation of this eternal life was a manifestation of immense love to the sonnes of men and therefore saith Athanasius our Saviour gave a great experiment of his singular affection in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in himself invisible he was pleased to manifest himself as the eternal word to us 3. And yet lastly considering this manifestation in the effect whereby it appeareth that as he was manifested to us so likewise for us even our Redemption The Pagans when any great works are done beyond the common course of nature ascribe it to the apparition of some deity the Son of God appeareth to do a great work such as not all the creatures in heaven or earth could possibly have effected this life was manifested yea and he was manifested that we might have life through him Why art thou strange poor trembling soul and standest afar off from him who draweth so nigh to thee the blessed God was willing to manifest the riches of his love and that all terror might be prevented he appeareth as a man God is come down and that not in a flaming fire roaring thunder warlike armour but cloathed with the garment of flesh thus whilest he vaileth his greatness he unvaileth his goodness and therfore say not Who shall go up to heaven to bring down this life to us or down into the deep to fetch it thence it is nigh us even manifesting it self in yea conveying it self to us by our flesh 2. Excitation to endeavour that as this life was manifested to and for so it may be in us Those words in the Canticles Set me as a seal upon thy heart and a signet upon thy arm are by the Antients understood as the words of Christ to his Spouse thereby stirring her up to pious affections and religious actions in quibus figura Dei Christus luceat by which Christ may shine forth and it may appear that this life liveth in her That expression of St. Paul holding forth the word of life is by some referred to Christ whom we must hold forth to the world by pious exemplary conversations that so as he was pleased to manifest himself in our nature we may manifest him in our lives I end this first generall which is the Messiahs character who is the object of the Gospel He is the â—ord let us give â—are to him He is the life let us seek it from him He is the eternal life with the Father let us adore him He was in due time manifested let us acknowledge him And to this word of life who being from eternity with the Father was thus pleased to manifest himself let us give in heart in word in life faith and affection praise and thanksgiving obedience and subjection to all eternity Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life SUch is the transcendent worth of Christ the word that no words can declare it of the word of life that no tongue can set it forth to the life of the life manifested that no expressions can manifest it and yet even in these very characters much of the excellency of Christ is delineated before us so that what the Psalmist said of Ierusalem Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou City of God I may say of Christ as he is here
represented Glorious things are spoken of thee oh thou Son of God nor is there less verity than dignity in these sayings that as the one cannot but attract our love so the other may engage our faith this holy Apostle and the rest had good ground for clear evidence convincing proof of what they uttered for it was no more than what sensible experience did assure them of That which we have heard c. It is that part of the Text I am now to handle the commendation of the Gospel from certain tradition as being that which the Apostles had heard and had seen with their eyes and their hands had handled of the word of life Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established so runs St. Pauls maxime loe here no less than three witnesses to wit three sences hearing seeing handling produced by St. Iohn to assert the truth of what he writeth some Expositors restrain it particularly to the resurrection of which the Apostles first heard by Mary Magdalen afterwards they saw him themselves and one of them handled him putting his hand into his side yea Christ bids them all to see and handle him indeed the special work of the Apostles was to be witnesses of the resurrection and therefore it is not improbable that St. Iohn might have a singular eye to it but yet we shall do best to take Scripture in the fullest latitude and so refer this ad totam verbi incarnati oeconomiam to the whole oeconomy of the word incarnate thus according to the several wayes whereby Christ was pleased to manifest himself to them he was heard seen and handled by them he manifested himself in flesh and so was handled in his miracles and so was seen in his words and so was heard That we may the better understand both the intent and extent of these phrases let us consider them severally 1. That which we have heard of the word of life it is a clause which admits of several references To Moses and the Prophets that which we have heard out of their writings concerning the Messiah for it is mentioned of both that they were read in the Iewish synagogues every Sabbath-day whither the Apostles often repaired 2. To the Scribes and Pharisees that which we have heard from their mouths in their expositions upon Moses and the Prophets the Pharisees themselves preached those things concerning the Messiah that were fulfilled in him and so against their wills gave testimony to him whom they rejected 3. To Iohn the Baptist that which we heard from him who was Christs harbenger to go before him and pointed at him with an ecce Behold the Lamb of God 4. To the voyce from heaven that which we heard when we were with him in the holy mount This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased the Father himself by this extraordinary way testifying of him 5. Or lastly and as I conceive most suitably to the Apostles meaning to Christ himself that which we heard from his own mouth for so it seemeth to be expounded at the fifth verse the message that we heard of him not from others at second hand but immediately from his own lips we read in the Gospel that he opened his mouth and spake and as generally to the multitude so more especially to his disciples unfolding to them the mysteries of the Kingdom aperuit os suum qui prius aperuit or a prophetarum he that opened the mouthes of the Prophets at last openeth his own mouth and oracula quasi auracula those sacred oracles which like hony drop'd from his lips were distilled into their eares who continually sate at his feet to receive instruction from him nor was it a naked hearing which the Apostle here intends but an hearing so as to understand and believe for it is such an hearing as put them upon declaring which could not have been unless they had understood nor would have been except they had believed themselves this is that which perhaps the iteration of it at the third verse may insinuate they heard and heard to wit with the ear and with the heart and that is the right hearing when there is internus fidei assensus as well as externus auris auditus an inward assent accompanying our outward attention that which Christ spake to his disciples he many times spake to many others but as when the instrument sounds a multitude hear it yet only the musical eare understands and taketh delight in it so onely the Apostles heard with a divine religious ear by which means it affected their hearts and inclined them to declare and write that they had heard 2. That which we have seen with our eyes that which we have looked upon The next sense which is brought in as a witness is their sight and it is set forth with abundance of emphasis to unfold which observe the extensiveness of the object and intensiveness of the act 1. This that the object is of a large extent and may be taken in reference to both his natures to wit humane and divine 1. The Apostles saw his humanity beheld him a man altogether like to themselves sin onely excepted they saw him eating drinking walking and thereby expressing the actions of an humane body yea they saw him in weariness hunger thirst and so subject to the defects of our frail nature 2. They saw his divinity to wit in the effects of it those powerful miracles which were wrought by him such works may well challenge our aspect They saw him cleansing the Lepers curing the sick opening the eyes of the blind the eares of the deaf nay raising the dead and this Interpreters conceive St. Iohn especially to aime at expounding him by himself in the Gospel where he saith we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth yea besides those miracles which he wrought among men whilest on earth they saw his glorious transfiguration on the mount his raising himself from the grave and his wonderful ascending into heaven when from mount Olivet a cloud received him out of their sight all this and what ever else conduced to declaring either his manhood or his God-head may be very well comprehended in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we have seen 2. The act is set forth with a great deal of advantage to express the intensiveness of it For 1. It is not barely that which we have seen but that which we have seen with our eyes an addition which may seem a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since if we do see it must be with our eyes but is indeed an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since as Chrysostome well observeth concerning the like phrase of hearing with our eares it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usuall custome of men when they assert any thing whereof they are fully assured and that to those who
by reason of the strangeness of it may seem to doubt to say I heard it with these eares I saw it with these eyes and these hands handled it 2. It is not once but twice nay thrice expressed as if there lay a great deal of weight in the evidence of this sence as indeed there doth and therefore that we may be assured they did see what they declared it is not onely mentioned so emphatically in the first verse we have seen with our eyes but again in the second the life was manifested and we have seen it and yet again ut dilucidior fieret sententia cerâ—ior veritas that the sentence which was obscured by the parenthesis might be made more plain by an Epanalepsis and withall that the truth of what is asserted might appear more certain it is repeated at the third verse that which we have seen and heard 3. To express it yet more fully here is another word added more significant than the former which we have looked upon it is the same with that which is used in the Gospel we saw his glory and there are severall things which it doth superadde 1. That they saw not onely with bodily but with mental eyes they saw cuâ—m dijudicatione considering and judging what they saw and which upon mature judgement was found to be as it appeared for so Didimus referreth seeing to the body and looking on to the mind Indeed this was it which differenced the Apostles from the rest of the beholders Christ had many spectators of his person and works but the great part onely saw them with their eyes but did not look upon them with their Judgements so as to ponder and consider aright of them and therefore were not converted by them whereas the holy Apostles so saw that they looked on with serious and deliberate inspection 2. That what they saw was not done privately in a corner but to the open view the word here used is the root of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a stage or theater and that you know is an open place nothing more publick than that which is acted upon a stage Thus it is said of him after his resurrection that God shewed him openly though not so openly as before when he went about in several places doing good and working miracles in the sight not onely of his Apostles but the people 3. That what they saw was not a transient but a continued sight it was not one but many miracles they beheld not once but often that they saw him and therefore it was not probable they should be deceived St. Luke saith Christ was seen of his Apostles after the resurrection for 40. dayes and before for many years together to this purpose is Grotius his gloss upon the Text diu multumque we frequently constantly beheld the great things that were done by him 4. Lastly that they so saw as to believe and believing to rejoyce and rejoycing to admire at those things which they beheld To this purpose is that of the Greek Scholiast beholding with our eyes we wondred at that we saw for that the Greek word is used somtimes to signifie to see a thing with admiration and amazement indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miracula spectacula miracles are such sights as may well raise our admiration at the beholding of them No wanden that Christs wonders were seen with wonder Besides 3. And our hands have handled The last of the senses but not the least nay greatest in point of evidence is that of handling Nor is it unworthy our observation how fit a gradation is here made the Apostle proceeding still higher and higher he begins with hearing as being that sense which is most capable of deception from thence he riseth to that of seeing which is more certain one eye-witness being of more value than ten ear-witnesses and yet because seeing might pretend ludibria oculorum the eye might be subject to delusion he addeth another sense which as it is crassior so it is certior more gross so it is most sure asserting that what he declared with his mouth was that which not onely his eare and eyes but his hands gave testimony to That one of the Apostles namely Thomas did handle him with his hands is expressed and where it is said of this Apostle that he leaned in his bosome it implyeth that he handled him nay in as much as we find that the other Apostles did eate drink converse with him nay that he saith to them handle and see it is not improbably conceived that they might all handle him so much the rather considering that it is here affirmed by St. Iohn not onely of himself but others our hands have handled nor doth this handling onely refer to his person but his miracles the fishes and loaves which he gave them to feed so many thousands with the dead bodies which he raised to life whereby the reality and verity of his miracles did the more clearly appear to them There are onely two questions would be discussed ere we apply this truth 1. How all this can be verified in reference to the word of life which was with the Father Can a spiritual substance be handled an immateriall be visible an incorporeal be heard and such is the word of life and yet thus it is here asserted we have heard we have seen with our eyes and our hands have handled of the word of life To which the answer is easily returned that this person the word of life was made flesh or as it is in the next verse was manifested to wit in humane nature and so though in himself he were invisible yet in flesh he was visible and palpable This is that which perhaps may be insinuated in the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here inserted it is not said the but of or concerning the word of life because it was not the very word it self but that nature which the word assumeth to it self though withall in as much as that nature was assumed into unity of person with the word it was the word it self they saw and handled and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely an Hebraism and equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Acts answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Syriack readeth it the word of life 2. What might be the reason why the Apostles had such sensible confirmation of what they did declare The answer to which is because 1. The holy Apostles were to be the first publishers of the doctrine concerning Christ come in the flesh 2 the doctrins they were to publish were such as were very incredible to human reason therfore presently found great opposition nay yet further 3 these Apostles were not onely to be the first declarers but by reason of persecution were to be in some kind or other sufferers for the truth of
that which they did declare now upon these considerations it was most requisite these planters of Christianity should be bold and resolute in declaring and defending what they declared Rationally much less religiously bold they could not be unless strongly and undoubtedly confirmed in and assured of the truth of those things they did declare this confirmation they could not have by a better way than sensible demonstration Hence it is that the Apostles give this as the reason of their resolvedness we cannot but speak the things we see and hear and St. Luke calls those proofs which the Apostles had of Christs resurrection by seeing and coversing with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our translation not unfitly rendereth infallible proofs by which therefore they were no doubt strengthened in their faith and animated with courage To apply this to our selves in severall particulars 1. Here is matter of confutation and that both direct and collaterall 1. This directly confuteth a double heresie 1. That of the Marcionites and Manichees whereof St. Austin saith Cerdo was the author who assert all things Christ did were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only in appearance denying that he was truly man But surely when we read that he was not onely heard but seen and handled we must needs acknowledge him reall man an apparition may indeed deceive the sight but it cannot the feeling Christ was not onely seen but felt hence it is that this is his own argument to his disciples when they doubted whether he were not a spirit handle me see me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to have 2. That of the Nestorians who assert two persons the one the Son of God the other the Son of Mary but were it so St. Iohns words could not be verified they saw and handled the word of life for it was onely the man-hood they saw and handled and if the man Christ were a distinct person from the word of life they could not be said to handle the one when they handled the other and therefore we do from these and such other like places strongly assert a unity of the two natures in one person it being one and the same person who as God was invisible and as man visible as God was from the beginning as man had a beginning as God was immateriall and as man palpable 2. This collaterally confutes that error of the Papists who assert the flesh and blood of Christ to be corporally present in the holy Sacrament so as that the bread and wine are by a miraculous work transubstantiated into it indeed from this very clause a strong argument may be drawn and that two wayes 1. To prove that Christs flesh and blood is not there corporally present because then it must be visible it is an undoubted maxime in Philosophy omne corporeum est quantum quantity is inseparable from corporiety and being so it cannot but be visible and palpable nay since it implyeth a contradiction for a thing to be a body and not to be visible because it is as much as to be and not to be a body it is that which Omnipotency it self cannot do and therefore in vain is a miracle pretended 2. To prove that the bread and wine in the holy Sacrament are not transubstantiated but remain bread wine still because it is a clear axiome bodies are such in their own nature as they present themselves to the sence when it is every way disposed and fitted for the object now that which at the holy table offereth it self to the view and taste and touch of the most rectifyed organ is not flesh and bloud but bread and wine and therefore if St. Iohns proof here be valid that which he declared was true because he saw and handled it we may with the same validity prove it is bread and wine in the sacrament because by seeing and handling we find it to be such 2. Here is matter of Conviction to perswade us of the verity of the Apostolical writings It is true the chief reason why we are to receive their writings is because they were moved and extraordinarily assisted in the penning of them by the holy Ghost but yet withall this may be a secondary reason of our assent to what they testifyed and wrote because it was no other than that which they had heard nay seen nay handled we all think it just and reasonable to believe a man when he speaketh not by hear-say but personal experience and why then is it not reason that we should believe the Apostles who declare nothing but what they heard saw and handled This was so rational an argument in St. Iohns account that speaking concerning Christs being thrust through with a spear he thus argueth He that saw it bare record and his record is true therefore true because of that which he saw and hence it is that Iohn the Baptist complaining of the Iews infidelity in rejecting Christ useth this aggravation what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his Testimony and in the same Chapter Christ himself taketh up the same complaint to Nicodemus verily verily I say unto thee we speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen and you receive not our witness To drive this nail to the head there are but three things that can possibly be objected against this reason which being cleared I conceive it will remain unanswerable and such as may convince a Iew a Pagan if they were not wilfully blind That they say they heard saw and handled what they never did and so were no better than deceivers That they did onely think they saw such things but in truth did not and so were themselves deceived That that which they did hear see handle will not amount to a proof of what they declared namely that Iesus was the Christ. To all which I doubt not but to return a full answer 1. As to the first such an accusation cannot aequitably be charged on any except they either were men of loose and flagitious lives and so not likely to make any conscience of a lye or else that there were some great advantage apparently accruing by such a lye which perhaps might have an influence not onely on a loose but a civil person now neither of these can in this case be alledged For 1. The Apostles were men of holy and exemplary lives men that did shine as lights in the world by their good conversation men whom those grand Apostates and enemies of Christianity could charge with nothing but simplicity and therefore no reason to suspect that they should tell such a gross lye as to say they heard or saw or handled what they never did 2. It is sufficiently manifest that they were not allured to bear this Testimony by any gain either of honour or profit or pleasure nay in stead of gain there was nothing but loss they were
another thing to walk in the light of holinesse too many men as well as children are troubled with the rickets their heads are big full of speculation but their feet are unnable to walk in spiritual actions If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them having the light may help us with Moses to see the land of Canaan but it is walking in the light must bring us with Joshuah to enter into it though we have mouthes and speak well eyes and see well yet if we have feet that walk not hands that work not we are but idle idoll Christians 3. It is not barely not walking in darkness but walking in the light that is required of a Christian. The Pharisees religion in the Gospel consists chiefly of Negatives but our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees so saith our great Lawgiver indeed it is good not to do evill but withall it is evill not to do good the unprofitable as well as the prodigal is an evill servant we must not only cast away our transgressions but make us new hearts cleanse from filthiness but perfect holiness cease to do evill but learn to do well not walk in the darkness but walk in the light 4. It is not a meer resolution but the reall execution of holiness that intituleth to happiness Oh how many are cast into utter darkness who here resolved to walk in the light in vain are those purposes which have a conception but no birth which only blossome but never bear ripe fruit The repenting prodigal as he said I will arise so he did arise and go to his Father holy David saith I have sworne and withall addeth I will perform it only this must be understood with one caution if God give time and place of performance otherwise that of St. Paul concerning almes is generally true if there be a willing mind it is accepted in which respect it is a very uncharitable opinion which excludeth all death-bed penitent resolutions from divine acceptation Indeed that death-bed promises of amendment are seldom reall is not to be denied yea that when they are reall it is very difficult if not impossible for themselves or others certainly to know it must needs be granted and therefore the case of such persons is doubtfull and dangerous but since Gods grace can speedily work a change in the will and affections and where such a change is wrought the resolutions must needs be cordiall and such as if life were afforded would undoubtedly be accomplished we have reason to beleeve that he who alwayes accepts the deed chiefly for the will will in such a case accept the will for the deed and therefore the condition of such an one is not altogether desperate But still beloved this stands in full force as to us who have as yet life and health continued to us our purposes will be to no purpose if they be not attended with practices nor is it if we will but if we do walk in the light And thus I have acquainted you with the matter go we on to The manner of the duty in those words as he is in the light wherein we shall consider two things What is here asserted concerning God he is in the light What is here required from us implyed in that particle as 1. God is said here to be in the light a very improper expression according to a strict acception When it is said of God at the fifth verse that he is light we must look upon the phrase as onely metaphorical since he is ten thousand times brighter then the Sun but when here he is said to be in the light it is a catacrestical expression since it is impossible either that the light should be in him who hath no accident or that he should be in light who is infinite and illimited nay indeed those two phrases he is light and he is in the light seem one to contradict the other since nothing can be said strictly to be in it self but both the phrases being allusive they may well stand together and this latter if construed according to its true intention will be found emphatically significant If you please to difference the meaning of these two phrases you may referre the one God is light to his nature and the other he is in the light to his works so Grotius giveth the sence of this phrase he is in the light that is he is conversant in most pure actions according to that of the Psalmist The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works to which agreeth that of the heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God could not be God if his actions were not exactly pure and holy But I rather conceave the intent of these phrases to be the same to wit a delineation of Gods pure and holy nature and there are two things which this expression of his being in the light intimateth concerning it namely the perfection and immutability of his holiness 1. There is a great deale of difference between these two expressions to have light in one and for one to be in the light the former noteth only some measure of participation but the latter a compleate fruition this may be cleare by an instance taken from the water a man that drinketh downe a small quantity of water may be said to have water in him but when a man is compassed and covered over head eares in water he is then most truly said to be in it To paralell it with an instance in scripture every man even the best by reason of the remainders of sin is said to have flesh in him but only the wicked man who is under the power of sin is said to be in the flesh Thus whereas wee at best have only some light of holinesse in us God is in the lâ—ght so that nothing of the light of holiness is a wanting to him but he is absolutely compleately holy 2. There is not unfitly observed by expositours a discrepancy betweene these two phrases of walking and being in the light walkâ—ng noteth a progressive motion being a fixed residence wee are still passing from one degree to another and according to the Apostles expression changed into the divine image of holiness from glory to glory but he is to wit eternally and unchangeably in the light in which respect that phrase of dwelling used by St. Paul answereth this of being used by St. John He is and dwelleth in that light as of majesty so purity to which no man can attaine and that from everlasting to everlasting By what hath been said you see what is asserted concerning God we must now consider what is required of us in the particle as namely a conformity to Gods patterne by walking in as he is in the light Upon the hearing of this message I beleeve many are ready to put forth the question how can this be
preist as necessary to remission yea in her last conventicle rather then councill pronounceth an anathema to all who shall deny this particular sacramentall confession ro the preist to be of divine right yea though I abhorre the practice of it as used among them by the priest as a stratagem to vntie the peoples purses and a pick lock to open the secrets of states by the peoplâ— not as an hedge but a gap to make way for future commissions with more freedome after they have as they suppose cleansed themselves by confession Yet I could heartily wâ—sh that the right use of private confession to the priest were revived and practâ—ced since I am confident that as many having secret dâ—seases pâ—rish for want of revealâ—ng them to an able Phâ—sitian so may sin sick soules either wholly miscarry or however sadâ—y continue and increase their inward wounds for want of making known their case to some faithfull minâ—ster But the confessâ—on which our Apostle here intends is no doubt onely in reference to God for besides that it is a confession to be made by the Apostles and so the mâ—nisters themselves as well as the people it is clearly intimated that this confession must be made to him who is just and faithfull to forgive and that is onely God indeed this confession is that which must accompany all the rest when wee confesse the wrong to man wee must confesse the sin to God when we acknowledge the scandall to the Church still we must acknowledge the sin to God finally when we confesse too our confession must not be â—ermâ—nated in the Mâ—nister and though it bee made before him yet it must be directed to God The truth is those confessions without this are not avaylable but this may nay will be without those if God deny the opportunity of them indeed it is God who is â—ither mediately or immediately injured it is Gods law which is dâ—rectly violated in all sinnes and therefore to him they must be confâ—ssâ—d Thus David said I will confâ—sse my transgressâ—ons unto the Lord and the prodâ—gall resolveth to goe to his Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and St. Chrisostomâ— advâ—seth yea beseecheth the pâ—ople to acknowledge theâ—r sinnes continually to God to confesse them before the judge praying if not wâ—th their tongue yet their hearts and so much bee spoken in answer to the second quaere How this confession must be performed is next to bee resolved to which end be pleased to take notice of the Antecedent Ingredients and consequent of a right acknowledgement 1. There cannot bee agnitio if there be not cognitio peccati an acknowledging unless there precede a knowledge of sin David puts them together I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me â—f our sinnes bee not before us how can we set them before God and therefore to the right exercise of this duty thâ—re is required a praevious examination of our hearts inspection into our lives that we may be enabled to see our sinnes hee that hath not yet asked himselfe that question quid feci what have I done can never make the confession sic feci thus thus I have done in this respect I would though not require yet advise it as a pious and prudent practice and that which I doubt not but many Christians have found benefit by to keepe a constant daily Catalogue as of mercies received so of sinnes committed 2. The Ingredients of this confession are many and such as well deserve our observation A right confession of sin must be 1. Free and voluntary not a confession upon the rack or the gallowes extracted meerely from sence of paine and smart of the punishment wee read of confessions made by Pharaoh and Saul but it was when Judgement either feared or felt compelled them to iâ— Many cast out their sinnes by confession as Marâ—ners doe their warâ—s in a storm wishing for them again in a calme a true confession must be ingenious and must come like water out of a spring which floweth freely not like water out of a stâ—ll which is forced by fire 2. Cordiall and sincere confession to men is a worke of the voyce but to God of the heaâ—t and that so peculiarly as oftimes the heart alone is sufficient without the voycâ— but never the voyce without the heart many mens confessions come from them as water runs through a pipe they leave no impression their hearts are not affected with what they confesse O let us learne to be in good earnest with God remembring that as prayer for mercy so confession of sin must not be onely a lip labour since then instead of offering the calves of our lips wee shall but offer the lips of calves 3. Penitent and abasing This is that which puts forth it selfe in a Three fold affection of shame of griefe of hatred wee must confesse 1. With shame This was Ezrahs temper when he saith oh my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to heaven to bee ashamed to confesse is bad but to confesse with shame is good those words of the Prophet so wil we render the the calves of our lips are by velasques expounded of penitent confession which whilest it brings by shame redness into the cheâ—ks as it were le ts out the bloud of the sacrificed calfe by the knife of repentance 2. With griefe Thus the publican for shame stands a farre off not daring to lift his eyes to heaven for grief smiteth his hreast David doth not onely say I will declare but I will be sorry for my sin the people of God in the day of their confession not onely say wee have sinned but draw water and poure it out before the Lord in token of contrition wee should in confessing sins have our hearts so affected that our eyes with Job may poure teares before God that with David rivers of teares may run down our eyes yea wee should wish with Ieremy that our head were water and our eyes a fountaine of teares But however nonne stillabit oculus noster if we cannot poure out shall wee not drop a tear or at least if we cannot shed a tear let us breath forth a sigh for our sins it is onely the heart broken with godly sorrow that sends forth a true confession 3 With hatred confession is the soules vomit and looke as what the stomack vomits it loaths yea therefore it casts it up because it loaths it so must wee confess our sins with an holy indignation against and detestation of them There are beloved too many who declare their sin but it is to use the prophet Isaiahs comparison as Sodom with impudency they made a sport of acting and they make a â—east of confessing their sins these are they who according to St. Pauls expression glory in theâ—r shame mention their sin not with sorrow but joy hatred but delight
but intimate that without beleeving in him there can be no salvation By all which we may see how miserable the condition of all those is who have no interest in Christ by faith if no interest in him no propitiation by him if no propitiation by him there can none be had elsewhere therefore Iohn the Baptist sath of every unbeleever The wrath of God abideth on him a burden so heavie that it must needs press down to hel And which followeth upon this we may see what great reason we have to pitty and pray for all Pagans and Infidels to whom Christ and propitiation by him is not so much as revealed Indeed that heathens who never heard of Christ shall be condemned for not beleeving in him I beleeve not the light of nature will be enough to render them inexcusable but how they not at all hearing and so not at all beleeving in him should be saved by him I cannot see by any light of Scripture that those among them whose lives have been eminent for morall vertues might have Christ by some extraordinary way made known unto them and so be brought to faith in him I am willing to hope however that Gods wrath is not so hot against them as others yea that it shall be more tolerable for them then many who are in name Christians I confidently assert but how without Christ and any knowledge of him they should obtain propitiation and so salvatâ—on I know not the onely charity which we can and ought to exercise towards them who are now alive is to commiserate theâ—r condition and poure out our supplications that God would cause the light of the knowledge of Christ to shâ—ne in upon them who at present sit in darknesse and the shadow of death and so much for this interpretation 2. The more generally received and indeed most genuine exposition of these words is by way of inclusion according to which the sense is that Christ is a propitiation not only for some but all even the whole world 2. To understand this aright be pleased to know further that this phrase the whole world may be taken either more strictly or largely according to a double consideration of this propitiation either in respect of its actual efficacy or virtual sufficiency 1. These words he is the propitiation may be thus construed he is actually and effectually the propitiation yea inasmuch as it is joyned with his advocateship it is very probable this is our Apostles meaning since Christ is effectually a propitiation to them for whom he is an advocate and if so this whole world must be construed in the same sense in which world is used by S. Paul where he saith the fall of the Iewes is the riches of the world that is as it followeth in the same verse the riches of the Gentiles and again the casting away of them the reconciling of the world so here he is the propitiation not for our sins only who are Iewes but for the whole world to wit the Gentiles in all parts and ages of the world who beleeve in him and it will appear so much the more rationall by the world here to understand the Gentiles if we consider that the our here spoken of most probably refers to the Iewes for St. Iohn who was a Iew would rather have said your then our had not they to whom he wrote bin Iews as well as he this is further evident by the 7th ver where he saith that they to whom he did write were such as had heard â—o wit what he wrote from the beginning and those were the Iews to whom Christ was first sent and preached According to this construction the sense of this Scripture will be best explained by parallelling it with those two texts in the Gospel the one concerning Cataphas of whom the Evangelist saith he prophesied that Iesus should dye for that nation and not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad the other Christs own words in that excellent prayer wherein he saith neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word Thus Christ is the propitiation not only for us who are of the Iewish nation and live in this present age but for them also of the Gentiles who now do or hereafter to the end of the world shall beleeve in him And however the number of them that beleeve and have Christ effectually a propitiation to them is still but small comparatively in which respect it may seem strange they should be called the whole world yet considering that whereas before Christ came the beleevers of the Old Testament were only to be found in Iury some few very few Proseyltes of the Gentiles excepted now since Christs death the beleevers of the New Testament are to be found as St. Austin speaketh among all sorts of persons in all nations at some time or other and so dispersed through the whole world as they congruously are called in our Creed the Catholick Church so here by S. Iohn the whole world to which purpose is that excellent speech of St. Ambrose The people of God hath its fulness and there is as it were a particular generality whilest all men are taken out of all men and a whole world is chosen and saved out of the whole world This exposition of these words as it appeareth not to be irrational so it wants not the consent of many Interpreters not only modern but ancient The design of St. Iohn saith Calvin in these words is no other then to assert this benefit of propitiation common to the whole Church Least he should be thought by saying our to restrain Christs propitiation only to the Jewes he addeth the whole world so Beza Besides these Neotericks we find this to be St. Austins interpretation speaking occasionally in one of his Epistles upon this Text As saith he the whole world is said to lye in wickednesse because of the tares so Christ is said to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world because of the wheat which groweth throughout the whole world Yea the Greek Fathers render this very sense of these words so Oecumenius upon the Text it self This he saith either because he wrote to the Jewes that he might extend this benefit to the Gentiles or because the promise was not only made to those in that time but all that shall come after them So St. Cyril comparing this Scripture with that of Christs in the Gospel I pray not for the world reconcileth them by affirming that where St. John saith the whole world he meaneâ—h them that should be called of all nations through faith to righteousnesse and holinesse That which according to this construction we are to take notice of is the largenesse of Gods grace to the times of the New above that to
THE First general EPISTLE OF St. JOHN The APOSTLE Unfolded and Applied The First PART In two and twenty Lectures on the First Chapter and two Verses of the Second Delivered in St. Dyonis Back-Church AN. DOM. 1654. By NATH HARDY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Parish Orig. hom 2. in divers O Beate Iohannes non immeritò vocaris Iohannes id est cui donatum est cui enim Theologorum donatum est quod tibi donatum est abdita videlicet summi boni penetrare mysteria ea quae tibi revelata declarata sunt humanis mentibus ac sensibus intimare London Printed by E. Tyler for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham and are to be sold at the Black Bear in Pauls Church yard 1656. AQuilae Theologi Christo Discipuli conjunctissimi Fidei Martyris meruenti Charitatis praeconis Ecclesiae insignis Columnae D. Johannis Apostoli Perspicaci Mystae Servo Fideli Confessori invicto Spectatissimo Exemplo Reverendo Patri Johanni D no Episcopo Roffensi In primam Epistolam has Commentatiorum primitias D.D.N.H. In perpetuum grati animi Testimonium Obnixè rogans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut illi res omne genus prosperas Ecclesiae Anglicanae aerumnis erroribus heu penè obrutae antiquam veritatem splendorem pristinum pro summa sua misericordiâ largiri velit THE Epistle to the Reader THE Mahumetans say that the first thing God created was a pen Sure I am the best thing which ever was conveyed to us by a pen is the Bible nor can the one be better exercised then about the other I have often wished that every one of St. Pauls Epistles yea every Book of holy Writ might have a Davenant to draw forth its lineaments nor do I know any work that would be of more general and singular use then a practical Commentary upon the whole Bible Vpon a small yet choice piece of this sacred Volume I have made an essay wherein if any thing be well done let it be ascribed to divine assistance and whatsoever is amisse to my ignorance The chief design of this work is explication of the Text yet I have still annexed a brief application of the doctrine that I might not only enlighten thy mind but enliven thy affections In the prosecution of this design I am sometimes engaged in controversies which are calmely debated and according to my measure of knowledge hope truely stated if thou hast a Starre-light yet contemne not my Candle The prefixing of the prayer is that to which I am necessitated for my own vindication having met with my name affixed in print to a broken prayer made up of some scraps which a scribling pen hath taken from my mouth and phrases which anothers fancy hath added What mistakes misplacings omissions or additions of words thou mayest observe in perusing these discourses pardon and correct those especially which are taken notice of to thy hand If these labours find any acceptance with the pious orthodox and judicious I shall be encouraged to a progresse and the remaining parts may in due time see the light Thy candid censure of and devout prayer for is earnestly desired by him who is Thine in the common Saviour NATH HARDY The Prayer commonly used before Sermon ETernall Jehovah in whose presence the glorious Angels vaile their faces as being not able to behold thy brightness How shall we who are men and not Angels wormes and no men yea dust and ashes rather then wormes dare to appear before the Oh Lord we acknowledge there is an infinite distance between thee and us by our Creation as far as is between the high Heavens and the low Earth Thou art Infinite and we finite Thou art immutable we changable Thou art the Potter and we the Clay Thou our Maker and we all the worke of thy hands But far oh far greater is that distance which we our selves have made between thee and us by our corruption even as far as is between the highest Heavens and the lowest hell Thou art Purity add we Filthinesse Thou â—rt Majesty and we Misery Thou a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity without fury and we such in whome dwelleth nothing but sin and iniquity We were at first Oh God concluded in sin and in iniquity did our Mother bring us forth and ever since we have conceived nothing but sin and that iniquity hath been a fruitfull Mother of all uncleanesse we are by nature deprived of all good and depraved with all evil throughout the whole course of our life we have neglected much good and committed more evill Which of thy righteous lawes Oh God have not we often violated by impiety against thee and iniquity against man in our thoughts and affections in our words and actions Before we knew thee we knew how to offend thee and ever since thou hast set up a light of knowledge in our minds we have not ceased to act the workes of darknesse in our lives Thy patience hath spared us and our wickednesse hath provoked thee thou hast forborne to punish and we have therefore gone on to Râ—â—ell The raine of thy Word hath not fructified our barren lives The beames of thy love hath not melted our frozen hearts The thunder of thy wrath have not awakened our sleepy consciences but we still continue to adde sin unto sin and thereby treasure up wrath against the day of wrath We confesse O God our just deservings of thy fury yet are we bold to implore thy free bestowings of mercy We have abundantly sinned but thou canst abundantly pardon with us there have been numerous Rebellions but with thy Son Christ Jesus is plenteous redemption According to the freenesse of thy mercy and the fulnesse of his merits the greatnesse of thy compassions and the meritoriousnesse of his passion have mercy upon us be reconciled to us that all our sins may be blotted out of the booke of thy remembrance Do thou Oh God forget our sins but let us remember them doe thou cast them behind thy back but let us set them before our faces open our eyes that we may see open our hearts that we may consider how glorious a Name we have dishonoured how gracious a Father we have provoked how deare a Jesus we have crucified how Holy a Spirit we have grieved how just a law we have transgressed how great salvation we have despised what long suffering patience we have abused what precious opportunities of grace we have mis-spended what Hainous sinnes we have committed that by all these considerations we may be melted into tears of godly sorrow for our sins that so mourning we may loath loathing we may leave leaving we may strive against and striving against we may obtain power and victory over them Be it enough O God for it is enough nay too too much that we have played away so great a part of the candle of our lives in the pleasures of sin oh
give us grace for that little inch of our candle which is yet to burn so to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven To this end we pray thee enlighten our blind minds incline our crooked wills soften our hard hearts compose our distempered passions mortify our earthly members sanctify our whole man Spirit Soul and Body and preserve us blamelesse to the coming of our Lord Jesus Implant oh God and increase all the graces of thy holy Spirit in us confirm our faith stablish our hope strengthen our patience enlarge our love enflame our zeale quicken our obedience put thy fear into our hearts that we may never depart from thee and do thou never leave nor forsake us but be our God our Guard our Guide even to the death and after death receive us to thy self in that glory which is everlasting Not to us oh Lord not to us alone but to thy holy Catholick Church be thou propitious she is the Vine which thine own right hand hath planted let her be for ever preserved and suffer not Good God suffer not either the wild Boar out of the Forrest to pluck up her root or the many pestilent Foxes that are within her to pluck off her grapes Plant thy Gospel where yet it is not restore it where it is lost continue and enlarge it where it is especially in these Realmes Remit our crying sins Remove thy heavy judgements Restore our wonted blessings Settle all things once again amongst us upon their right and ancient Foundations that Glory may dwell in our Land Let the cry of the Fatherlesse and the Widow ascend into the eares of the Lord God of Hosts that he may give them beauty for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse Blesse all sorts and degrees of men among us Let the Gold of our Nobility excell in Grace as they do in Honour purify the Silver of our Gentry from the drosse of vice Engrave upon the brasse of our Commonalty the fear of thy holy Name and preserve thine earthen vessels in whom is laid up and by whom is dispensed thy heavenly Treasure the Pastors and Ministers of thy Church Comfort all the sonnes and daughters of sorrow poure oyle into wounded consciences succour tempted souls settle distracted minds heale diseased bodies releeve impoverished families release imprisoned persons those especially who suffer for the Testimony of a good conscience Oh thou that hast a Salve for every sore a Cure for every crosse a Remedy for every malady apply thy self suitably to all the necessities of thy children And now in Blessing Blesse that Word of all thy Grace which goeth forth throughout all Congregations lawfully and duly assembled in thy fear this day this in particular Oh thou that standest at the door and knockest be pleased to open Open the Preachers lips that his mouth may shew forth thy praise and declare thy message with power and plainnesse open the peoples ears that they may hear thy Word with reverence and diligence open all our hearts that with faith and love we may receive with care and conscience we may obey thy sacred truth so as it may become the power of thee our God to the illumination of our judgements the renovation of our natures the reformation of our lives and the salvation of our soules through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Redeemer for whom we bless thee To whom with thy self and blessed Spirit of Grace we give all praise and glory and in whose most absolute Form of Prayer we further call upon thee saying Our Father which in Heaven c. THE FIRST Epistle General OF St. IOHN HISTORY PROPHECY and DOCTRINE are the three Channels in which run the Streames of Sacred Writ from whence ariseth the division of its BOOKES into Historical Prophetical and Doctrinal Not but that all the Bookes of Scripture are Doctrinal in which respect the Apostle saith it is profitable for Doctrine but because some Books are chiefly concerned in narrations of things past others in the predictions of things to come and some are chiefly if not only conversant about Dogmatical Truths and Practical Precepts they are not unfitly thus distinguished Of this latter sort are the Epistolary Writings and therefore in this regard the fittest to be discussed among the people The Prophetical Books are most congruous to the Schooles but the Doctrinal most suitable to the Pulpit those for exercising the Learned these for feeding the Vulgar Upon this account I have made choice of an Epistle and in particular not without serious and mature deliberation nor yet I hope without the blessed Spirits instigation of this First Epistle General of S. JOHN to be the subject of my Postmeridian discourses If any shall be inquisitive to know why among all the Epistles of the Holy Apostles I have pitched my thoughts upon this I shall returne this threefold answer which as a threefold cord and that saith Solomon is not easily broken enduced me to this Work One though indeed the least is that I finde not any English Expositor upon it nor yet many among the Latine except those who have undertaken Comments upon all the Epistles whereas either in Latine or English or both I finde several excellent Interpreters upon each of the rest and truly I shall esteem it an high honour conferred upon me by my God if through his gracious enablement by a though imperfect dilucidation of this Epistle I may cast a Mite into the Churches-Treasury A second and more perswading reason is the congruency of it to the age wherein we now live since there is the same occasion as to general if not particular considerations now given to Ministers of handling which St. John had then of writing this Epistle To clear this you may be pleased to know that there were two sorts of men in St. Johns dayes to wit Antichristian-Hereticks and Carnal-Gospellers those expressely denied the fundamentalls of Christian Religion these whilest they had Divine phrases seraphical expressions flowing from their lips were sensual and diabolical in their lives talking of Communion with God dwelling in God knowing the truth and what not and yet practising envy malice hatred and all uncharitablenesse in their actions against both these this Boanerges for so he with his brother James are called by Christ thundereth and accordingly as appeareth by the several Chapters his Scope is double in this Epistle 1. To warne the Orthodox that they were not withdrawn from their Christian profession by the wiles of Hereticks this our Apostle himself expresseth to be one special end of his writing where he saith These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you Indeed wherein can the shepherd more expresse the care of his flock then in keeping off the wolves a Minister of his charge then in arming them against Hereticks And is there not as great
God is so in the light that in him is no darkness and our lives like the Israelites cloud have a darke side as well as a light Gods holinesse is perfect and unspotted ours is imperfect and defective so that if this be the condition this supposition can never be a position and not only few but none shall be saved But how harsh so ever this which is here mentioned may seeme yet it is no more then what is necessary indeed when we finde St. John not once but againe not only in Metaphoricall but plaine terms calling on us to be pure and righteous as God is yea Christ himselfe requiring us to be perfect as his Father is perfect and God himselfe to be holy as he is holy we have reason to looke upon this addition as of waighty needfull concernment and therefore to remove this objection and cleare the genuine sence of this as be pleased to observe this threefold solution 1. There is a double as to wit of likeness and of a quality the one respects the kinde the other the degree that the nature this the measure of the thing our light in which we are to walke must be like to that in which God is though the light in which God is be infinitely brighter then ours looke as it is between the streame and the fountaine the branch and the root the aire and the sun so it is between God and a Christian the same water is in the streame that is in the fountaine the same sap in the branch that is in the roote the same light in the aire that is in the sun though the water and the sap and the light are primarily most plenarily in the fountaine the root the sun indeed to speak Exactly we cannot call the holiness of a Saint the same with Gods holinesse because this as all his attributes is his essence which is in communicable to any creature besides his holinesse is infinite and ours finite and infinite and finite must needs toto genere distare differ generically but the holinesse in us is the image of that holiness in God and as it were the stampe and impression of Gods holiness upon us in which regard holiness is one of those attributes of God which the schooles call communicable because God is pleased to communicate the likeness of it to his Saints and therefore they are truly said by the author to the Hebrews to partake of his holinesse and here by the Apostle John to walke in the light as he is in the light 2. We must distinguish inter effectum affectum actum conatum between an effectuall performance and an affectionate endeavour as for the walking in the light you have already heard it must not be only in affection but action But so to walke as God is in the light is that which because we cannot fully attaine to it will suffice to desire and endeavour after To this purpose is that glosse upon the text he is said to walke as God is in the light who striveth to imitate divine purity When a Master sets his schollar an exact coppy and bids him write as that is written his meanâ—ng is not that he should cut all his letters with the same dexterity and transcribe the lines with the same evenness that he hath done but that he should endeavour to come as neere it as may be the same no doubt is the intention of the Holy Ghost in this and the like scriptures to put us upon a cordiall study of following God in the footsteps of his purity and holiness 3. Besides these no lesse true then apt solutions there seemeth to me yet a plainer answer in the words themselves by observing the difference between these two expressions of walking and being in the light it is not said we must be in the light as he is in the light but we must walke as he is looke as he is in the light so that there is not the least darkness of sin in him so we must walk in the light and not indulge our selves in any sinful work of darkness so that to walk in the light as God is in the light is so to walk in the light as that we do not walk in though we be not wholly free from darkness he then that liveth not in a course of known sin that leadeth a conversation without any raigning iniquity as God is without any sin at all he walketh in the light as he is in the light and who will not acknowledge but this is that which every one not only may but must attain to who expects these glorious priviledges And now to what should the meditation of this clause serve but to 1. Humble us for our spiritual pride How usual is it with most of us to have overweening conceits of our own worth to think our selves better then indeed we are and by reason of self-sufficiency to make a stop in our proficiency one special cause whereof is that we measure our holiness by a false standard and do not weigh our selves in the ballance of the sanctuary we look upon the prophane rabble of the world and presently judge our selves holy enough and because we wander not in their Cimmerian AEgyptian darkness conclude our selves to walk in the light but tell me thou that pleasest thy self as if thou wert holy enough art thou as holy as Paul who calls to the Philippians and in them to all Christians be ye followers of me nay art thou as holy as the Angels when yet thy prayer is that thou mayest do Gods will on earth as they do in heaven nay once more art thou as holy as Christ as God whom here the Apostle sets before thee as a pattern Alas thou that lookest on thy left hand them that are worse then thy self with scorn didst thou look on thy right hand those examples that so farre excell thee hast more reason to tremble thou that castest thine eyes onely behind thee and standest still didst thou look before thee couldest not choose but haste forward starres are glorious things in comparison of candles but alas how is their splendor obscured when the Sun ariseth compare thy light with that of the Apostles Angels God himself and be not high minded but fear 2. Enflame us with a spiritual ambition though our minds must be lowly yet our aimes should be high only with this caution not to be great but good It was indeed the haynous crime of the fallen Angels as is probably supposed of our first parents as is clearly manifest that they desired to be as Gods but it was in point of knowledge of Majesty not of holiness and truly we their unhappy progeny are too much of the same mind we would walk in the light of knowledg and glory as he is in the light but far be those thoughts and desires from sincere Christians let us make him our pattern for walking in the light