walked or else he is a lyar and saith he is what he is not In which respect Leo excellently Falsae professionis imagine utimur si cujus nomine gloriamur ejus instituta non sequamur If we conforme not to his precepts and pattern in whose name we glory and of whose relation we boast all our profession is in vain nay a meer lye To end therefore Explora teipsum infaelix qui baptisatus es in Christum whosoever thou art that being Baptised into Christ professest to put him on and calling thy self a Christian faist thou art in him try thy self by this mark dost thou walk as he walked nay rather dost thou not walk contrary to him He was holy thou art profane he was humble thou art proud he was meek thou art contentious he was charitable thou art malitious thou saist thou art in Christ and yet thou livest like a beast in sensuality nay like a Devill in hatred and envy but let no man deceive himself with such a vain profession Nec quisquam se Christianum judicet nisi qui Christi doctrinam sequitur imitatur exemplum nor let any man esteem himself a Christian who doth not resolve to follow Christs Commands and Example Indeed what Alexander said to one of his name who was a Coward Aut depone nomen aut fortiter pugna either shew thy self valorous or do not call thy self Alexander that Christ saith to all loose Christians either live according to my pattern or renounce my name let then every one that nameth the name of Christ expresse the nature and do the works of Christ Pythagoras instructing the women in a grave Oration told them that many of the Names which were given to them in their conditions both before and after Marriage were the Names of Goddesses and thence exhorted them to imitation of those Goddesses The Name beloved which we all have taken upon us is the Name of Christ and therefore let us account our selves engaged to conforme to him This This is that which will both justifie the truth of our present profession and make good our future expectation There are many as St Bernard observeth who would Christum consequi and yet not sequi be where Christ is sit down in his Throne as he is in his Fathers and yet will not go where he went and walk as he walked but alas it cannot be There is no coming to the same place but by the same path sequi servatorem est participare salutem saith Ireneus elegantly The way to partake of Salvation is to follow our Saviour and therefore he that saith he is now in Christ and hopeth hereafter to be with him must so walk as he walked In a word live as Christ lived holily justly soberly dye as Christ dyed believingly charitably patiently so shall you raign as Christ raigneth gloriously triumphantly eternally Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. Verse 3. part former Hereby we know that we know him Verse 5. part latter Hereby we know that we are in him THat rule of Divines concerning Precepts Tota lex est copulativa the whole Law is copulative may no lesse truly be applied to graces which as so many links in a Chain of Gold are knit one to the other The mother and root grace of all is Faith here called Knowledg as being that which ingrafts us into Christ of whose fullness saith the Evangelist we receive grace for grace This Faith whereever it is is attended with Charity â—or Faith saith St Paul works by love This love cannot reside in any soul but it will manifest it self by Obedience So much our blessed Saviour expresseth If any man love me he will keep my Commandments This Obedience is then best performed when we are conformed to Christ in our lives and therefore calling upon us to take his yoake he biddeth us learn of him Finally by this Obedience to and imitation of Christ we gain our assurance of our interest in him whence the Apostle Peter requiring us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure presently addeth if you do these things that is practice those graces whereof Christ hath given us a pattern Thus there is not only a concomitancy but an efficiency of graces a connexion of one with but a dependance of one upon the other whilst Knowledg begets Love and Love keeping the Commandments and keeping the Commandments we walk â— Christ walked and by all these we come to know that we know him and are in him all of which are succinctly and distinctly laid down in these four Verses Hereby we know c. In these Verses there are two clauses yet remaining to be discussed the one in the beginning of the third and the other in the end of the fifth the former of which referrs to the keeping of the Commandments and the other though it may look backward yet most rationally is conceived to look forward to walking as Christ walked both for substance the same and contain in them two collaterall propositions the one whereof asserts the attaining a comfortable knowledg of our knowledg of and interest in Christ We know that we know him we know we are in him and the other an especiall means whereby that knowledg is attained Namely hereby that is by keeping his Commandments and again hereby that is by walking as he walked of both which in their order 1. St John here affirmeth of himself and other Saints We know that we know him We know that we are in him It is that indeed which not only here but elsewhere he asserts in the next Chapter We know that we are translated and again in the fourth Chapter We know that we dwell in him and in the fifth We know that we dwell in God For the better opening of it take notice of these ensuing Considerations 1. There is a threefold Object whereabout this knowledg is conversant Namely what was before all time what shall be after all time and what is in this present time This knowledg looketh backward and that as far as eternity to the decree of election which was before the foundation of the World in this respect it is St Peters advice make your election sure This knowledg looketh forward at the future estate of felicity upon which account St Paul in the name of himself and others saith We know that we have a building in the Heaven Finally This knowledg looketh upon our present estate of Vocation Justification and Sanctification our Union with and faith in Christ and of this our Apostle here speaketh to which I shall therefore confine my discourse 2. There is a double knowledg attainable by a Christian to wit direct and reflexe The direct knowledg is terminated in Christ who is its Object The reflexe in the knowledg itself which is the act both these kinds of knowledg our Apostle here expresly speaketh of when he saith we know that we
with that of Cassian Quid diutius Evangelicis atque Apostolicis praeceptis immoramur cum etiam vetus lex haec eadem praecepit This Precept of Love is not only Apostolicall but Propheticall Evangelicall but Legall and in that respect truly said to be from the beginning 4. Lastly There is one Interpretation more which looketh backward as far as Adam and so this command of Love is from the beginning not only because commanded by Mosâ—s but Imprinted in nature The Law of Love was written at first in the mind of man and though it be much obliterated yet some Characters still remain and as by ruinous walls we guess how stately the buildings once were so by these remaining Impressions we may easily gather what goodly Characters of it were once stamped upon us Thus as before Christ made it Gospell Moses gave it as a written Law so before Moses made it a written Law God made it a branch or rather the root of the Law of nature To wind it up therefore Tell me I beseech you how inexcusable shall we be if having so manifold obligations we shall be negligent in the practice of this duty Even the Gentiles that have only the remainders of natures Law are obliged to love and not observing it will be found justly blameable much more the Jews who besides nature had the Law of Moses to guide them but most of all we Christians who have nature and Moses Law and the Law of Christ to direct us A threefold cord saith Solomon is not easily broken behold a threefold obligation lyeth on us Christians Christ Moses Adam all Preaching this Doctrine to us upon which account St John cals it the old Commandment which was from the beginning 2. There is yet another branch of this first particular in the commendation remaining which we find in the beginning of the eighth verse Again a new Commandment I write unto you That our Apostle by this new Commandment intends the same which before he cals not a new but an old Commandment is most probable partly because the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth and is here rendered again which therefore seemes to look back on what precedes and intimateth that he continueth his discourse upon the same subject chiefly because this very command of love is called by our blessed Saviour in the Gospel a new Commandment nor is this phrase used any where concerning any other then this command and therefore it is most rational so to understand it here though Socinus most ab surdly contends that those words the darkness is past and the true light now shineth are a command and that which here is called a new Commandment This being premised the chief work is to reconcile St John to himself for if he speak of the same Commandment how is it that he cals it in one verse not new and in the next a new is it not a contradiction to affirm and deny the same thing of the same subject That of St Ambrose concerning the Cherubims Si stabant quomodo movebant si movebant quomodo stabant If they did move how did they stand and if stand how move may be here alluded to If it is old how is it new if new how is it old But surely it is not to be imagined that this holy Apostle should as it were with one breath give himself the lie Had it been at a great distance though an humane Author might forget himself yet surely this divinely inspired Apostle could not and much less being so near as the next verse And therefore we must necessarily conclude that though he speakes of the same subject yet not in the same respect Now it is a known maxime in Philosophy That contraryes and contradictions may be attributed to the same subject in divers respects the same snow may be called white as it falleth and black in its melting the same person may be in one part hot and cold in another Not to multiply instances the same Commandment may be old and yet in some respect not unfitly be called new To illustrate this give me leave briefly to set before you those several notions in which this term new may fit this old Commandment of love 1. Appellant Haebrei novum quod praestantissimum it is usuall with the Hebrews to call those things new which are excellent He hath put into my mouth saith David a new Psalm and again Oh sing unto the Lord a new song that is say interpreters an excellent song In this sense it is true here the command of love is an excellent command our Saviour cals the love of God the first and great Commandment and the love of our neighbour the second which is like to it St Paul speaking of this grace of charity and comparing it with preferres it before faith and hope That Apologue is very fit to this purpose of a consultation among the vertues which should have the preheminence whilest one was for chastity sister to the Angels another for justice which giveth every man his due a third for prudence Solomons choice not agreeing among themselves they made Reason the Vmpire who passing by all the rest set the Crown upon the head of Love But this interpretation though in it self true is not so congruous to our Apostles meaning 2. That exposition is doubtlesse more suteable which expounds new in opposition to the long received tradition of the Pharisees concerning this command for whereas this command had been corruptly taught for many years by those Doctors of the Law it was now refined from the drâ—sâ—e and purely taught by Christ and his Apostles and so this Commandment though old in it self yea older then their false glosses yet being but newly freed from them is fitly said to be new It is well observed by Heinsius that those things are said to be new which though they were long before yet are denuó restituta newly restored to their pristine purity Look as an old house repaired may be called a new house and a rusty sword fourbished a new sword look as an old book new bound up is as it were a new book and a defaced picture refreshed with colours a new picâ—ure so is this command a new Commandment For whereas they who sate in Moses his chair had perverted this doctrine Christ was pleased by himself and his Apostles a new to revive and restore it to its primitive integrity Indeed it was at this time with Moses law as it was in the beginning of our Reformation with Christian Religion The primitive doctrine and worship had for some hundred of yeares been buried under the ashes of Romish superstition whereby it is that the Reformed Religion though farre older then Popery might be accounted and was as it were a new Religion The Moral law in Christs time as to the both intensive and extensive meaning of it had been long hid under the corrupt opinion of the Jewish Doctors and
it If thy enemy hunger saith St Paul feed him if he thirst give him drink the Hebrew word in the proverb whence St Paul borroweth it is rendred by Vatablus Propina ei aquam not only give him drink but drink to him as a token of love that it may appear however he is towards thee thou art reconciled to him Excellent to this purpose is that advice of Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must say brethren unto them that hate us and accordingly express brotherly love to them And thus in this construction of brother we have beheld the extension of love how farre it reacheth in regard of the objects about which it is conversant 2. But besides this carnal fraternity between all men there is a spiritual brotherhood between all Christians they have all the same Father even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who begetteth them again they have the same Mother the Church Jerusalem from above which bringeth them forth they all are washed in the same laver of regeneration baptisme partake of the fame immortal seed and are nourished by the same sincere milk of the Word Finally they are all begotten to the same undefiled inheritance heirs of the same glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens Alexandrinus we call them brethren who are born anew of the same Word yea quanto dignius fratres dicuntur habentur saith Tertullian how much more deservedly then other men are they called and accounted brethren who acknowledge one Father God have drank of one spirit of holiness and are brought forth of the same womb of ignorance into the glorious light of Evangelical truth A brother in the sense above-mentioned is only so by nature but in this by grace that 's only a brother on the left hand but this on the right hand that of the earth earthly but this from heaven heavenly In this sense some Expositors and as I conceive most rationally take the word here this name brother being by the Apostle and afterwards in the primitive times in common language given to all and only those who did embrace Christian Religion and which maketh this interpretation more manifest is that our Apostle in the next Chapter phraseth it love the brethren which seemeth to indigitate a certain society of men so called yea in the fifth Chapter at the beginning he describeth him whom here he calls brother to be one that is begotten of God According to this construction that which is here required is called by the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brotherly kindness and is distinguished as a particular species from its genus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is presently annexed charity As then there is a general love which belongeth to all men so a special love which belongeth to all Christians and as we must do good to all men so especially to the houshould of faith indeed seeing the Christian brother hath a double cause of love in him that is Gods image as a man and Gods graces as a Christian we ought to deal by him as Joseph did by his brother Benjamin whose mess was five times greater then the rest of his brethren If any shall yet further enquire why our Apostle speaking of this love to a Christian calls him by the name of a brother I answer for these three reasons because this name of brother carrieth in it an obligation to a specification and modification of that love which is here required since we must love a Christian quia quatenus qualis because he is a brother inasmuch as he is a brother and with such a love as is among brothers 1. This word Brother carryeth with it a strong Obligation to Love In fratris voce ratio so Danaeus It is an urgent reason why we should Love a Christian because he is our Brother all relation is a ground of affection and hence it is a man loveth any thing that is his the nearer the relation the greater tye to love and therefore the more reason why a Brother should be beloved the nearest relation is that which is spirituall and therefore yet greater reason to Love a Christian who is ours our Brother yea our Brother in Christ When Moses saw two Israelites Countrey men strugling together he said to them Sirs you are Brethren why do you wrong one another when Abraham and Lot kinsmen were likely to fall out saith Abraham Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee for we are Brethren when Socrates saw two Brethren striving one with another he told them they did as if the two hands which were made to help should beat each other so that since Christians are Brethren in the highest and closest relation this should be a great ingagement upon them to love 2. This word Brother intimateth a specification of this love in regard of its Object which is then rightly placed when it is upon a Brother as he is a Brother that is a Christian as he is a Christian One that is a Brother in this spirituall notion may be my naturall Brother or Kinsman and then to love him is what nature dictates or he is my Friend and Benefactor and so to love him gratitude teacheth or he is able to do me either an injury or a courtesie so that I have cause to fear the one and hope the other and in this respect to love him self love prompts me or once more he may be a man of rare naturall and acquired endowments and to love him for this ingenuity moves me but to love him because he is a Brother in a spirituall sense this is that which Christianity inciteth to and this only is a right Christian love Indeed thus to love him is to love him in reference to God and Christ because he hath the grace of God in him the Image of God upon him To love him as a Brother in this sense is to love him as a Son of God a Member of Christ and as St Hieromes phrase is Diligere Christum habitantem in Augustine to love God and Christ dwelling in him And now if any shall say it is hard nay impossible to know any man to be such a Brother and therefore how can I love him as such when I cannot know him to be such I answer that there is a great deale of difference between the judgment of certainty and charity love doth not need nor require infallible but only probable signs and therefore whosoever doth profess the true faith of Christ and doth not by a flagitious conversation give that profession the lye love taketh him to be a Brother and to love one because he atleast seemeth to be such a one by his externall Profession and Conversation so as the more Christian graces we discover in him the more we are affected towards him this is that which most especially falleth under the Precept of loving our Brother 3. Yet once
Commandements are so called because they were first uttered by himself vivâ voce with his own lips in those Sermons which he preached to the people that especially upon the Mount and it is that which doth both advance the dignity of the Commandement and engage our duty in keeping them When a King shall not send his Herald to proclaime his pleasure but declare his will himself and give his Commands with his own mouth to the people ought this not to be received with the greater reverence and performed with a more ready Obedience These Commandements they were first Gods Words for so runs the Preface of the Morall Law God spake these words and said they were afterwards Christs Words for so begins the Sermon on the Mount he spened his mouth and spake so that whereas all the Scripture is Christs Word because dictated by his spirit the Commandements are his Word because immediately spoken by him And in that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words but word perhaps our Apostle might have respect to a particular command given by Christ namely the Law of love of which he chiefly treateth in this Epistle To let this goe pass we on to the predicate of the Clause as being that which here is eminently considerable In him who keepeth his word verily the love of God is perfected It is that which is true both wayes and so may very well admit of an Inversion 1. On the one hand in him who loveth God the keeping of his word is verily perfected It is the excellency and perfection of Obedience when it springs from Love There is a threefold Obedience to wit Necessitatis Cupiditatis Charitatis Of Compulsion when a man obeyeth no further then he is forced that is the Slaves whom nothing but feare enduceth to the performance of his Masters Command Out of expectation when a man obeyeth for the hope of reward that is the servants who serveth his Master for his Wages Out of affection when a man obeyeth because he loveth him who commands that is the Sons whom deare respect to his Father engageth to serve him and this last is the most ingenuous and perfect Obedience Indeed it is love that enlargeth the heart not only to creep but go nor go but run nor run but flye at Gods call It teacheth us to obey not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grudgingly but chearfully nor is any Obedience more free then that to which the Love of Christ constraineth The truth is Malus miles qui imperatorem gemens sequitur he is a base Souldier that followeth his Generall with tears Malus est ager cum quo Dominus luctatur that is bad ground which bringeth forth nothing unless it be forced that Obedience is not worthy the name which is only extorted from us and such is all service where love is absent In this respect it is that St Ambrose saith Plus est diligere quam custodire it is more to love God then keep his Word since this may spring from force and feare but that only from Charity Indeed this Charity is that which perfects all graces and duties nudae sine Charitate omnes virtutes said Leo truly all even our best actions are naked if not done in love 2. And as thus it is our love that perfects our Obedience so withall it is our Obedience that perfects our love I will lift up my hands saith David to thy Commandements which I have loved It is not the lifting up our eyes to the reading no nor of our ears to the hearing but of our hands to the doing of the Commandements which argueth our love Hearing may be a means to perfect our knowledg the Eare being the Bucket whereby we draw the water of spirituall knowledg out of the Well of Gods Word Hearing may be a means to perfect our Faith and therefore the Apostle saith Faith cometh by Hearing both the inchoation and the perfection the rise and growth of it but still the keeping of Gods Word is that which perfects our love whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the love of God perfect But it may be here objected What meaneth our Apostle to use this phrase of perfecting nay to use it in the Preterperfectence For so the word Grammatically is to be rendred in him the Love of God hath been perfected Can any grace which we have in this life be perfect The measure of the Arke was an imperfect measure two Cubit and an half was the length a Cubit and an half the breadth and a Cubit and an half the height of it Such is the measure of all our graces in this life One qualification of Christs blessed men is that they hunger and thirst after Righteousness alwaies in desiring because never in full fruition This then being true of all graces is in particular verified of love to God which shall never be perfected till we come to Heaven and therefore whilst we are here is perfecting but not perfected For the solution then of this doubt be pleased 1. In generall To distinguish with the Fathers of a double perfection Alia absoluta alia quae competit fragilituti nostrae so St Hierom Alia media alia plenos numeros habens So St Ambrose the one absolute and compleat the other limited and comparative in which sense he that attaineth to great measures of grace yea far above others is said to have grace perfected in him to wit such a perfection as man in this life can attain unto or again we may distinguish of a perfection of parts and of degrees the one whereof refers to the sincerity the other to the exactness of grace We call a child which hath all the essentials and integrals of a man a perfect man though he is not grown up to the strength and stature and wisdome of a man It were easie to instance in many Scriptures where perfect is put for upright and according to this notion grace may be said to be perfected in them in whom it is found to be sincere 2. In particular Concerning this grace of love it will not be amiss to distinguish with Lorinus of four degrees of perfection 1. To love God is to love him quantum ipse est diligibilis as much as he is worthy to be loved and so he only loveth himself neither in viâ nor yet in patria here nor hereafter can we attain such a degree of love and the reason is plain because the love which is worthy of himself must be like himself infinite 2. To love God Quantum Creatura diligere potest as much as any Creature can possibly love him and this we shall have in Heaven where we shall know and knowing love God to the utmost that a finite nature is capable of 3. To love God Quantum mortalis potest Creatura so much as a Creature cloathed with frailty and
they have one upon another Consider 1. In handling them severally begin we with 1. The Being of a Christian It is that which is Characterized by two phrases to wit being in and abiding in Christ both of which are the same in substance and yet each of which hath its proper Emphasis That which is intended by both is the spirituall and mysticall Union which is between Christ and a Christian that which is peculiar in either is that by being in is noted the neerness and by abiding in is intimated the firmness of this Vnion 1. Every true Christian is in Christ Accident is esse est inesse saith the Philosopher the being of an accident is to be in his Subject Christiani esse est inesse saith the Divine the Being of a Christian is to be in Christ Indeed all Creatures have their Being in God and are said to consist in Christ in a generall notion because of their necessary dependance upon him as their Preserver â— but all Christians are in Christ after a more peculiar notion because of that neare and close Union which they have with him as their Redeemer The intimacy of this Union cannot be expressed by a fuller phrase then this of being in it is one thing adhaerere and an other inhaerere it is more to be in then to be with by or about a thing We do not only belong to but we are in Christ not that there is any confusion or transfusion of the substance or person of a Christian into the Substance or Person of Christ but that there is a solid substantiall and personall Conjunction between them Indeed it may seem strange how Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth we should be in him but it will be easily understood if we consider that it is not a locall or corporall but a Spirituall Union which no distance of place can hinder We have an Embleme of this in that of Marriage the knot whereof is indissoluble though the Husband be in the Western and the Wife in the Eastern part of the World No wonder if this spirituall contract unite Heaven and Earth Christ and a Christian together The nature and quality of this Union is that which the holy Ghost hath been pleased to represent in Scripture by various similitudes When St Paul speaketh of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he implyeth that a Christian is in Christ as the Body is in the Garment which covereth and incompasseth it but this is the most remote allusion the same Apostle useth a fitter metaphor when he compareth Christ to the Head and Christians to the Members for as the Head and Members are so neerly united that they make but one Body so is it with Christ and the Church in which respect the very Name of Christ is given to the Church in those words of the Apostle so also is Christ. For which cause Origen saith Per unum Christum multi Christi by one Christ many Christs are made and St Austin Caput Corpus unus est Christus the head and the body Christ and the Church make but one Christ Parallel to this is that comparison our Saviour himself maketh use of when he saith I am the Vine you are the Branches look as the Branch is in the Vine so as that its very being depends upon its being in the Vine without which it dyeth and withereth so is a Christian in Christ And therefore he telleth his Disciples a little after without me you can do nothing Not to multiply similitudes of all carnall Unions that between a Man and Wife is nearest and by that is this Union shadowed in which respect St Paul cals Marriage a Mystery and let us see that even this resemblance cometh short of expressing this Union for whereas the Man and Wife are but one flesh He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit To end this See hence both the excellency of Faith and the felicity of a Believer 1. The excellency of Faith Inasmuch as it is by Faith we come to be in Christ sometimes we read that Christ is in us and sometimes that we are in Christ If we would know how Christ is in us the answer is by his Spirit which he conferreth upon us and therefore saith our Apostle Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Again If we would know how we are in Christ the answer is by believing so much our Apostle intimateth here for these two clauses Hereby we know that we know him and hereby we know that we are in him seem to be Synonymous and plainly intimate that we are in him by knowing which is believing him indeed both the graces of knowing and loving him before mentioned concurre to our Union with Christ Inasmuch as the morall union of hearts is by love and the mysticall of persons by Faith Oh how efficacious is this grace which tyeth the knot between a Christian and Christ and maketh them one 2. The felicity of Believers A Christian besides his naturall hath another more noble being to wit in Christ it is that which is both magnum privilegium and magnum solatium A great priviledg it is to have so near a relation to Christ As it is the honour of Christ as God that he is Ens independens hath his being of himself So it is the honour of a Christian that he hath his immediate dependance on and being in Christ nor is there only honour but comfort in it Since we being in Christ have thereby a participation as of his person so of his merits and benefits That fellowship with Christ whereof the Apostle speaketh in the former Chapter and all the comforts attending on it whence flow they but from this spring Our Union with Christ by being in we have a title to Communion with and so Wisdome Righteousness Redemption Sanctification yea all through him That grand Objection against the comfortable Doctrine of the imputation of Christs Righteousness How can a man be made righteous by another mans Righteousness is hereby answered and the riddle of it unfolded we are in him and one with him by whose Righteousness we are made Righteous And as the husband marrying the wife endoweth her with all his worldly goods so Christ uniting the Christian to himself invests him with his spirituall goods Look asâ— all men being naturally in Adam have the guilt o sin so all Christians spiritually in Christ have the merit of his righteousness imputed to them so much the rather because that whereas we were but virtually in Adam we are actually in Christ Adam was only a publick person representing Christ was not only our representative but surety by whose payment we must needs be discharged yea indeed it were Blasphemy to imagine there should be more demerit in Adams sin to condemn then merit in Christs Obedience to justifie those who are in him Hence that mellifluous Aphorism of St Paul
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why he loved us there can no reason on our part be given of it And surely since his love was not deserved no nor so much as desired by us fit it is it should be acknowledged with admiration and retaliated with gratulation and followed by imitation This last our Apostle here aimeth at in which respect he fitly addeth and in you it being most rationall that what was true in the Head should be true also in the Members what was true in the Root should be true in the Branches that as Christ loved us so we Christians should love one another Before I proceed to this which is the next part I shall in a few words mind you of one reading of these words in which they have reference to this second part Grotius tels us that in one Manuscript it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St Hierom in his translation reads it nobis A thing which is true in him that is Chriâ—t and in us that is his Apostles who write and publish this Commandment to you The Originall Copy was drawn by Christ his Disciples transcribed it in their own practice and have commended it to all Christians to write after both him and them This Cup of Love was begun by Christ his Apostles pledged him and it must go round all Christians are to drink of it And here I cannot but take notice of that which I would to God were seriously laid to heart by all who succeed the Apostles in the work of the Ministry Namely that as St John in the behalf of himself and the other Apostles saith I write to you a Commandment concerning a thing which is true in us so we may be able to say that that which we enjoyn the people is verified in our selves This is according to Isidores phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to joyn living with dead instruction when our life as well as our tongue preacheth this is according to Primasius his Exposition rightly to divide the word of truth when we confirme our Doctrine by our practice Finally This is according to Playfers allusion to lift up the voice like a Trumpet which must be held with the hand as well as blown with the mouth when we not only report the truth by a lively Preaching but support it by a Preaching life Indeed then only can Ministers publish commands with authority so as to gain belief with boldness so as not to be ashamed with efficacy so as to perswade when they joyn patterns to their Precepts 1. Men are very apt to question the truth of that Dectrine to which the Preachers practice giveth the lye the way to imprint an instruction upon the Hearers heart as well as ear is to speak by our works as well as words It is said of our blessed Saviour He spake as one having authority and St Gregories morall is Cum imperio docetur quod prius agitur quam docetur he only Preacheth with authority who doth what he teacheth 2. When a Ministers Conversation confuteth his instruction blushing may well sit upon his cheeks and his ears tingle to hear that of St Paul Thou that teachest another shall not steal dost thou steal The Leper in the Law was to cover his lips which one morally applyeth to Leprous Ministers who may well stop their mouths for shame 3. A speech not accompanied with action saith Isidore truely for the most part is liveless and ineffectuall if the Heavens that is the Preachers are as Brass only tinckling with sound of words no marvell if the Earth to wit the People are as Iron obdurate to all their counsels since Cujus vita despicitur restat ut ejus praecatio contemnatur his Preaching is usually despicable whose life is contemptible in which regard St Bernard saith truly of such an one Verendum ne non tam nutriat doctrinâ verbi quam sterili vitâ noceat It is to be feared his vitious life more infects then his pious Doctrine instructs That Preacher wi ll both find most comfort in himself and do most good to others who can say in the words of a devout Abbot Nâ—n aliquem docui quicquam quod ego prius ipse non fecerim I never taught any man any lesson which I did not first learn my self as here St John saith of this Commandment it is true in us And so much for this second commendatory Character of this grace of Love its conformity to the pattern of Christ and as you see by some readings his Apostles I now hasten to the 3. Last That conformity which this duty hath to the state of the Gospell and the truth of Christianity in these words And in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth In these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in you is implyed a Substantive Verb which may be put either Indicatively or Imperatively is or let it be true in you according to a different construction of the following words Whilst some by darkness and light understand the Legall and Evangelicall administration so the Imperative rendering best suiteth Let this Love be true in you because the darkness of the Law is past and the light of the Gospell shineth And others by darkness understand the state of unregeneracy and by light the state of regeneracy and so the Indicative best fits this thing which is commanded the duty of Love is true in you because you are brought out of the darkness of nature into the light of grace Each of these constructions are consonant to the Analogy of Faith agree well with the scope of the Apostle want not the concurrence of judicious Expositors and therefore I shall neglect neither 1. In handling these words according to the first interpretation we shall loook upon them two waies as an Assertion and as an Argument 1. As an Assertion we have considerable in them A double Subject darkness and light A double predicate of the darkness that it is past of the true light that it now shineth 1. It would in the first place be here considred that the Gospell is set forth by light and the Law by darkness Suitable to this it is that St Paul as some expound those words The night is far spent the day is at hand compareth the one to the day and the other to the night and St Ambrose interprets these words of the Psalmist Day unto day uttereth speech and Night unto night sheweth knowledg the one of the Christian and the other of the Jew 1. That the Gospell is most fitly described by light is out of question and the Analogy may easily be demonstrated in severall parables The Fountain of light is the Sun and Christ the Son of righteousness is the Author of the Gospell in which respect it is called the word of Christ The nature of light is pure the Doctrine of the Gospell is holy in which regard it is called the mystery
some measure of strength to performe this command darkness is hatefull but light is lovely the darkness of sin causeth hatred but the light of grace love if the wild Beast of envy and malice range abroad in thy Conversation it is a plain argument that as yet it is might with thee For a close of this particular I have already told you that according to this sense these words true in you are to be read Affirmatively and so they are a commendation of those to whom our Apostle wrote and intimate that this command which he was to impose on them was already true in them and his designe hereby no doubt was to encourage them the more in the practice of this duty Since according to that of the Oratour Trabimur omnes laudis studio all men love to be commended and praise is a spurre to Virtue This is that policy which our blessed Saviouâ— himself is pleased to use in all his Epistles to the Asian Churches except that of Laodicea owning and praising those graces which he saw in them The like we may find practised by all the Apostles in their Epistles St Paul writing to the Corinthians Now I praise you Brethren to the Galathians you did run well St Peter Whereunto you do well that you take heed It were easie to instance in each and surely this practice is deservedly imitable by Ministers towards their People Superiours towards Inferiours Yea all men one towards another Render to all their dues honour to whom honour belongeth saith St Paul It is a breach of that justice which is due from man to man not to give due commendations Indeed flattery is abominable and therefore there must be Salt as well as Honey in our praises commendations are then commendable when they are done with fidelity and exceed not verity having just ground and ayming at a right end we may we ought to acknowledge and declare the good which we see in others as here St John doth But perhaps you will say if this were true in them already what need our Apostle write this Commandment to them is it not in vain to bid a man do that which he already doth I answer No and that upon a double account 1. That which was true must be still true and so a command may be given to enjoyn the continuance in as well as the entrance upon any duty As the Devill diverteth some from so he interrupteth others in the performance of what is good we had need to be called upon once and again least we faint in the race 2. That which was true ought to be more true in them we fulfill no command so exactly but we may complain of manifold defects nor do we ever so well but still we may do in all better the truth of Love and every grace is in whom the true light shineth and on whom regeneration is confer'd but the strength of grace may still be deficient and therefore there is continuall need of writing and Preaching this Commandment even to those who practice it To end all What remaineth but that this large and excellent Preface with which our Apostle ushereth in his discourse of love have an effectuall influence upon our hearts and lives to prepare us for the Doctrine and excite us to the practice of it It is a command and that not antiquated but still in force it was practised by Christ himself and all his holy Apostles it is most suitable to the Gospell Administration under which we live yea if we have the true light of grace in us this cannot but be in some measure exercised by us And therefore that we may obey this old and new Commandment which God hath given us that we may follow that choice and excellent pattern which Christ and his Apostles have set us that we may walk worthy of the Gospell which shineth among us Finally That we may declare our selves to be indeed what we profess brought from darkness to light let us attend to and set upon the performance of the following instruction which should now be handled but that the time prevents and therefore must be referred to another opportunity THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even untill now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him He that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes WHat humidum and calidum the naturall heat and radicall moisture are to the body that are repentance and love to the soul nor are those more necessary to the conservation of our temporall then these to the sustentation of our spirituall life Indeed the principall grace is Faith this brings as it were the copula that which knits Christ and the Christian together in Union with whom consists our life but the maintaining of this life is by the moysture of godly contrition for our sins and the warmth of holy affection towards God and Man no wonder if we find as Faith and Repentance so likewise Love frequently inculcated in holy writ upon all Christians Indeed this latter is one of the principall Subjects of this Epistle so that though our Apostle minds us of Repentance in confessing our sins and Faith in believing on the Name of Jesus Christ yet he chiefly insists on loving and that as God so our Brother which is the design of the Verses I have now read He that saith he is in the light c. Having dispatched the preamble inciting contained in the two former Verses I am now to procced to the Doctrine instructing laid down in these three for whereas before he had mentioned a Commandment concerning which he did now write to them and withall adorned it with very amiable Characters he now plainly and expresly declareth what this Commandment is Namely That of loving our Brother for so Interpreters well observe these Verses to be an Exposition of the generall commendation in those and having by his large praises endeavoured to inflame them with desires after the knowledg and practice of it he goeth on to informe them what it is and wherein it consists Nor would it be passed by that our Apostle in handling this Doctrine of Love pursueth that Metaphor which he made use of in the former Chapter where he layeth down the generall scope of his Epistle hereby no doubt intending to intimate to us that this duty of Brotherly Love is a primary step of that walking in the light which intituleth to fellowship with God and so on the contrary hatred of our Brother a chief step of that walking in darkness which depriveth us of that communion so that we are now come to the fourth step of that divine walk which St John designeth to chalke out in this Epistle The first whereof is Repentance
The second Obedience The third Imitation of Christ And now the fourth which we are from these verses to discourse upon is The love of our Brethren He that saith he is in the light c. In these three Verses we have two generall parts considerable A Grace proposed The Vice opposed The proposition is in the 10. Verse The opposition in the 9 and 11. Verses And inasmuch as the grace is in order of nature before the vice and according to that Geometricall maxime Rectum est Index sui obliqui the way to know when we commit the sin is to understand the nature of the grace and yet further since the opposition is intended as an amplification of the proposition I shall therefore in handling these Verses begin with the middlemost wherein is contained The Thesis or grace proposed He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him In the discussion whereof be pleased to observe two things the nature and the benefit of the grace the former in the Subject the latter in the praedicate of the proposition 1. The Subject of the proposition He that loveth his brother So that the grace here set before us is the love of our Brother St Austin speaking of love hath observed a foure fold Object whereabout it is conversant Quod supra nos quod nos sumus quod juxta nos quod infra nos The first above us namely God The second our Selves The third about Vs The fourth beneath us our Bodies and as he well observeth two of them are so naturall that there is no need of a Precept to wit our selves and especially our bodies and therefore the command of love is expressed in these two the Love of God and of our Neighbour the latter of which our Apostle here calls for If you look backward upon the 5. Verse of this Chapter you find the Apostle speaking of the Love of God that being indeed the primary Object of Love and here he adviseth to the love of our Brother these two being not contrary but subordinate a little after he speaketh of two Loves which are inconsistent the Love of the Father and the Love of the World but it is not so with the Love of God and our Brother nay Indeed the former is a â—ause of the latter and the latter a testimony of the former Love to our Brother is effected by our love to God and our Love to God is perfected by love to our Brother and therefore very fitly doth our Apostle here speak of the latter having before mentioned the former because he is now about to describe the word or Commandment the keeping whereof perfects that is declareth our love to God to be perfect or sincere which is no other then Brotherly love For the better unfolding of which I shall briefly resolve these two queries What that Love is which we owe to our Brother Who that Brother is whom we are so to Love Not to discourse of Love at large be pleased to know That to Love our Brother as Zanchy well defineth 't is To have our mind so inclined towards him as that we will and to the utmost of our power conferr good upon him Suitable hereunto is that description of the Philosopher Love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To will that which is good to and as far as we are able to do that which we will for another If then you ask what is the formal act of this love I answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benevolence If what is the proper effect of it The answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneficence nor can love be where either of these is wanting on the one hand if there be beneficence and not benevolence it is not love When St Paul saith Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not charity it profiteth me nothing he intimateth that it is possible for a man to bestow his goods on the poor and yet want love liberality being sometimes a fruit rather of vain glory then charity On the other hand if there be benevolence and not beneficence it is not love since it is only vellâ—â—tas not voluntas a wishing and woulding not a serious willing Trahit secum animorum propensio omnem beneficentiam saith Gualter a cordial propension carrieth with it a vigorous prosecution In this respect St James chideth those who when a Brother or Sister is naked and destitute of daily bread say to them depart in peace be you warmed be you filled notwithstanding they gave them not those things which were needfull for the body that is not charity which only expresseth it self in words not works love being an emanation of the will in a way of adhaesion to its object cannot but will all good to the object loved and since the will is the Queen Regent of the whole man in which regard the actions of all the other faculties are called the imperate acts of the will commanding the execution of its inclination it must needs follow that he who seriously wills cannot but really endeavour his brothers good and therefore that velleity which like an empty cloud vanisheth away without efficacy is not an act of love in which respect some not unfitly give the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to move every â—â—one and use all meanes for accomplishing the good we will only that caution according to our ability must be here inserted for as S Paul saith in this very case If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not where there is want of ability benevolence though it cannot be profitable to our Brother yet is acceptable to God and ought to be to him without beneficence The one then namely a good will is absolutely and alwayes necessary The other to wit good works conditionally and with this limitation so farre as they are within the sphere of our activity and compass of our ability Besides this general definition of love it will not be amiss somewhat more particularly to enquire into the several wayes of exercising it that we may see how many lines meet in this centre of love which may both fully and briefly be delineated by a double reference 1. To the present condition of our brother who Either hath the good already and then love first blesseth God and next congâ—atulateth him rejoyceing him at the presence and willing the continuance yea encreasing of it so farre as may be good and expedient for him Or else he wants the good and is distressed by some kind of evil and then love beareth a part with him in his sufferings by sympathie wiping away his teares with the spunge of her compassion yea not only so but endeavoureth to relieve him in and deliver him out of his affliction above all praying with earnest prayer and supplication to God for
more there is in this word Brother implyed a modification of that love which we must express towards Christians to wit that it must be such as that which is between Brethren and that more properly in two things the instancy and the constancy the fervency and the permanency of it 1. Brotherly love is fervent it is a relation of the greatest indearment partly as its naturall not founded in choice as it is between Man and Wife and between Friends and partly as it is between Equals not like that between Parents and Children whose love towards their Parents hath more of neverence then sweetness in it hence it is that as no discord so neither is any love like to that which hath been found among Brethren such ought our love to be towards Christians a bright shining an hot flaming love That exhortation of St Paul is very observable to this purpose Be you kindly affected one to another with Brotherly Love where the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Tertullian affecâ—uosâ— both which note an eminent measure and degree of affection such is Brotherly such ought to be Christian love very affectionate Memorable in this respect was the example of the Primitive Christians of whom that forementioned Father saith they did love one another ad stuporem Gentilium to the astonishment of the Heathen so much that the Heathen cryed out with admiration Vide ut invicem se diligunt see how they love one another 2. Brotherly love is lasting it is naturall and therefore perpetuall it is a relation that ceaseth not till death and therefore the affection may well remain A Brother if not very unnaturall will own his Brother in rags and love him in his lowest estate such must Christian love be towards a Brother of low as well as high degree in persecution as well as prosperity when he wants us not we him nor must our love cease to act towards him till he cease to be amongst us This was that no doubt which the Apostle aimed at when he saith Let Brotherly love continue thereby minding what the love of Brethren is and what the love of Christians ought to be a continuing and enduring love And now what other use should we make of all this discourse upon the nature of this grace but hereby to examine our selves whether our love be of the right stampe to wit such a love as is ready to every good word and worke as extendeth it self to our very enemies as is chiefly fixed upon Christians and that because they are so and so much shall suffice to bespoken of the first part the Subject of the Thesis I now proceed more briefly to the 2. Praedicates Which are plainly two describing the benefit of this grace the one in regard of the condition and the other of conversation of such a person his condition is happy for he abideth in the light his conversation is sweet for there is no occasion of stumbling in him 1. He that loveth his Brether is said to abide in the light it is not unfitly here taken notice of by Zanchy that as in the Eighth Verse our Apostle argueth à causa ad effectum from the cause to the effect this thing is true in you namely the pracâ—ice of love because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth to wit of grace so in this Verse he reasons ab effecto ad causam from the effect to the cause He in whom this is true that he loves his Brother is brought out of that darkness and abides in the light Light is a Metaphor variously applied in Scripture we may here take it three waies 1. This Metaphor of light is sometimes attributed to Christ so by our Apostle in his Gospell when he calleth him the light of whom John the Baptist did beare witness by himself when he saith I am the light of the world and thus abiding in the light is the same with that of abiding in him Thus it is an undoubted truth He that loveth his Brother abideth in Christ that Branch which participateth of the juyce and sap of the root must needs abide in it Love is the sap that was in Christ and therefore he that partaketh of love from Christ must abide in him that Member which suffereth with the rest of the Body declareth it self to be in the Body he that by loving sympathizeth with his Brother manifesteth himself to be a Member of Christ 2. Sometimes by this Metaphor of light the Gospell together with the saving knowledge of it are represented Both these we meet with in one Chapter whilst St Paul expresly mentioneth first the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ and presently the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Indeed in the one is the light without and the other is as the light within and he that loveth his Brother adideth in this light hereby declaring that he hath indeed learned and is rightly acquainted with Evangelicall Doctrine to this purpose is Justinians note Eo lumine dignum se ostendit qui luminis ductum sequitur by following the conduct of this light he sheweth himself in some measure worthy of it because answerable to it 3. But lastly This Metaphor of light is used to set forth grace and holiness in this sense no doubt St Peter is to be understood when he saith of Believers that they are called by God out of darkness into his marvelous light and thus the light in which he that loveth his Brother is said to abide is the same with that in the former Chapter where we have the phrase of walking in the light and the meaning of the word is briefly this He that loveth his Brother is in a state of grace Charity is an evident demonstration of sanctity St Paul reckoning up the fruits of the spirit placeth love in the front as if there were no clearer fruit of the spirits residence in us then the exercise of this duty of love Indeed there is a love which only argueth good nature such is that of a Kinsman a Friend but to love an enemy and that because it is an Evangelicall injunction and to love a Christian because he is a Christian is such a Flower as groweth not in natures garden but is a fruit of the Spirit and so a Testimony of grace But because I shall have more full occasion of discussing this in the next Chapter I pass on to the 2. Next benefit which attends upon Brotherly love as it is expressed in those words and there is none occasion of stumbling in him Not to insist on the severall acceptions of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is used by the 70. in the Old Testament and by the sacred Writers in the new this being already done by the late learned Annotator It may suffice to know that here according to its derivation
from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Claudic◠it signifies any rub or block cast in a mans way which may indanger halting or falling and therefore is fitly here rendred occasion of stumbling In what sense this is true that there is no occasion of stumbling in him that loveth his Brother Expositors somewhat vary yet so as that they are all consistent with the Analogie of Faith and scope of the place 1. Some understand scandall in an active sense and thus render it there is no occasion of stumbling given by him he taketh care that neither by opprobrious language injurious action or vitious example he give a just offence so as may occasion the fall and ruine of his Brother St Paul writing to the Philippians exhorts them to be blameless and harmless where the former word according to its derivation signifies that we must not be as beasts who push with their horns and thereby do much harme and the latter word signifies one de quo nullus queri potest of whom none can justly complain and they are well put together since as St Austin aptly quis de illo just è queritur qui nemini malè vult he that is harmless must needs be blameless nor can he be justly complained of by who doth no injury to another such is every one who loveth his Brother Love nec reti◠tendit nec laedere intendit neither doth nor desireth anothers wrong it worketh no ill saith the Apostle and again in another place it thinketh not evill wisdome avoideth the snares which are laid by love layeth no snares for others yea so cautelous is charity that shee will rather abridg her self of liberty then do what may offend her weak Brother and therefore St Paul expresly saith to him who did grieve his Brother with his meat which yet was in it self lawfull to eat now walkest thou not charitably Indeed this is that which floweth from the very nature of love for since it is as hath been already shewed a willing of good it must needs infer a nilling of evill to my Brother it being impossible that I should at the same time will and nill the same thing to the same person and therefore since if I will good I must nill evill no wonder if by him that hath a true love there be no occasion of stumbling given to his Brother 2. Others interpret scandall in a Passive sense there is no scandall or occasion of stumbling given to him not but that there will be blocks laid in the way but he passeth over them and so falleth not at them according to that of Solomon It is the glory of a man to pass over a transgression To this purpose is Zanchies note upon the Text it is not Non est illi scandalum but Non est in illo scandalum finding an Emphasis in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Grotius conceiveth to be a Pleonasm there is no offence to him but not in him that is though it may be given by others yet it is not taken by him in which respect are those expressions of St Paul Charity suffereth long is not easily provokt beareth all things and St Austin observeth upon this place Qui diligit fratrem tolerat omnia propter unitatem he that loveth his Brother for unities sake beareth with all things the back of love will sustaine a load of wrongs and when it is moved with violence it is not removed from patience It is St Peters phrase and he borroweth it from the Wiseman Love covereth a multitude of sins and as it covereth them from others by concealment so which is especially intended from her self by connivence and forgivness and this she exerciseth in respect not of a few but many injuries herein being to use St Chrysostoms comparison like to fire which burneth up not only a few sticks but a great wood thus whilst faith is a resolute grace having cedo nulli for her Motto love is a yielding grace and so passing over is not offended those wrongs which like stumbling blocks are thrown in her way 3. But there is another construction of these words which as it is of no less verity so is of greater latitude by scandall to understand transgressions these being those stumbling blocks which cause us to fall and hurt yea ruine our selves and thus the sense of the clause is He who loveth his Brother escapeth those hainous sins into which others fall walking in the Commandments of the Lord blameless This is that which taketh in the other constructions for inasmuch as he doth not willingly give offence therefore he avoideth those sins by which his Brother is offended and since he doth not easily take offence he avoideth those sins to which others are provoked It were easie to instance in the severall Commandments how the love of our Brother prevents the breaches of them he that loveth his Brother because he is a Brother much more loveth his Father God and loving God abborreth those prophanations of his Worship Name Day which ungodly men wound themselves by Again he that loveth his Brother will reverence him if his superiour dare not injure him in his Wife Estate Name or any thing that is his And if you please to put these two together abiding in the light and no occasion of stumbling you shall find the one a manifest reason of the other By the opposition of being in darkness and walking in darkness to abiding in the light it appeareth that abiding in the light implyeth being and walking in the light whereby he escapeth what ever might be a stone of offence or stumbling block in his way If any man saith our blessed Saviour walketh in the light he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world and thus he that loveth his Brother having the light of saving knowledg and grace to shine before him nunquam imping it so Grotius never fals but inoffenso gradu pergit so another goeth on inoffensively in the path of eternall life Indeed we must take this with some restriction not as if he that loveth his Brother did not sometimes fall into sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not into scandalous and injurious sins and this too with reference to his abiding in the light it is possible for a charitable Christian to step-out of the light and then he may fall foulely but so far as he is regenerate and abideth in the light he is free from such sins 4. Once more Grotius conceiveth that the Apostle in these words hath some reference to the 70. reading of the 165. Verse of the 119. Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them and so it intimateth the inward tranquillity which as they that love the Law so he that loveth his Brother doth enjoy so as that what soever befals him he is not disturbed nor distracted by it it is that indeed
brought in 1. It may at first view seem somewhat strange that this qualification of doing Gods will should be here inserted as seeming to have little or no affinity with what precedeth had the Apostle said but he that loveth the Father or had he said but he that denieth these worldly lâ—sis it would have been very congruous but how this cometh in â—e that doth the will of God is not so obvious Yet iâ— you please to looke into it a little more narrowly you shall finde it very sutable to the Apostles scope and farre more Emphaticall then if he had used either of the above mentioned Phrases For 1. In saying not He that loveth the Father but He that doth the will of God the Apostle sets down that which is the most reall Character of a true lover of the Father There is nothing wherein men more deceive themselves then in this grace of loving God there is scarce any man but layeth claime to it and is ready to say I love God with all my heart so that if St John had only said He that loveth God abideth for ever every man would have flattered himself with the hopes of this eternity But in saying he that doth the will of God he hereby puts our love of God upon the triall and that by such a Character as if we impartially examine our selves by it I am afraid the love of most Christians towards God will be found base and counterfeit 1. True love is not only affective but active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fire is the most active element so love is the most working grace Amor si non operatur non est saith St Gregory If love act not it is no love so that what St James saith of faith may as truly be applied to love shew me thy faith thy love by thy workes 2. Again True love conformeth it selfe in will affection action to the Object loved How fearfull are we to offend carefull are we to please whom we love If a mans Beloved bid him come he cometh go he runneth do this or that he doth it In which respct Isidore saith truly Qui Dei praecepta cantemnit Deum non diligit neque enim regem diligimas si odio ejus leges habemus he that contemneth Gods Precepts doth not love him no more then â—e doth his King who hateth his Laws The voice of love is I am my beloveds wholly at his command and that not only in a complement but reality What wilt thou have me to do is loves Question be it never so difficult love accounts it easie and the very labour is beloved Would we then know whether we love God Here is the triall what do we where is our obedience to his Laws our conformity to his will is it possible we should love him and yet offend grieve dishonour him and cast his commands behind our backs If you love me saith our blessed Saviour keep my Commandements and again You are my Friends if you do whatsoever I command you I love my Master and I will not go free saith the Servant in the Law Oh let us approve the sincerity of our love by the reality of our obedience For which cause no doubt it was that our Apostle saith Not he that loveth God but he that doth the will of God 2. In saying He that doth the will of God our Apostle saith as much as He that denieth the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life and somewhat more so that as in the former consideration it appeareth to be a discriminating so in this we shall finde it a comprehensive Character For 1. Sui Repudium Christiani praeludium The first step in doing Gods will is denying our own and these lusts are the ebullitions of our own corrupt wills To do Gods will is to obey his prohibitions and these lusts are the principall Objects of those prohibitions so that the renouncing worldly lusts is plainly implyed in this of doing Gods will 2. To do Gods will is of a larger extent Inasmuch as it super addeth the practice of the graces contrary to these lusts Sobriety and chastity justice and charity modesty and humility are but severall branches of Gods will and these are manifestly opposite to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and therefore in saying he that doth Gods will he saith he that is temperate and mercifull and humble and calls not only for a forsaking evill lusts but a performance of the contrary graces So that hereby our Apostle teacheth us that to attaine eternall felicity it is not enough to be free from these lusts but we must exercise our selves to virtue to cleanse our selves from filthiness but we must perfect holinesse and the reason is plaine since we cannot be happy but by doing Gods will Gods will is expressed not only by prohibitions of evill but prescriptions of good and therefore we cannot do Gods will unless we act what is commanded as well as shun what is forbidden So that whether you take this qualification as in opposition to those lusts mentioned in the sixteenth Verse or as an explanation of the love of the Father mentioned in the fifteenth Verse it appeareth to be very fitly made choice of 2. But that in which the connexion chiefly lyeth and which will more easily appeare is the remuneration that enduring for ever which is promised to him that doth Gods will And doubtless there was a double reason why our Apostle having spoken of the worlds transitâ—riness addeth by way of amplification this clause of eternall felicity The one in regard of the world that it may appeare so much the more transitâ—ry the other in regard of the worldly lover that his fâ—lly in setting his heart upon the world may appeare so much the more foolish yea abominable and of each a word 1. The world considered absolutely is transitory but if compared with eternity it is momentany Surely as St Paul speaking of the afflictions of this present time in comparison with that exceeding eternall weight of glory affirmeth them to be light and but for a moment so may we upon the same ground of all the enjoyments of this life As all the splendor of this world in respect of that felicity is but as the light of a Gloworme to the Sun so the longest continuance of this world in regard of that eternity is but as the drop of the Bucket to the Ocean Suppose the time of the worlds continuance to last a Million of yeares yet that Million is but a Moment to Eternity Indeed a Million of yeares is farre lesse in comparison of eternity then an houre is in comparison of a Million of yeares and the reason is plaine because eternity infinitely exceeds a Million whereas a Million doth but finitely exceed an houre you may easily count how much longer a Million is then an
shall assault us as once they did Peter to deny him let us remember what he is in himself and what hee hath done for us let us consider his greatnesse and bee afraid his goodnesse and bee ashamed for fear or shame or any cause whatsoever to deny him 2 That I may drive the nayl to the head let us often set before our eyes that dismal commination so often denounced in the Gospel by the Son of God himself against those who shall deny him Whosoever shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven and again inculcated by St. Paul if we deny him he will deny us a threat then which none more just and yet withall none more terrible just it is in that it is the retaliation of like for like what more rational than that despisers should bee despised forsakers should bee forsaken and denyers should bee denyed and how terrible it is will soon appear if you consider that the Son of God will then deny us when he shall appear in his glory that he will deny us not only before men but Angels nay his Father that if he pronounce upon us an I know you not which is to deny us wee are the cursed of the Father he will not acknowledge them for his adopted children who durst not here own his begotten Son and whom his Son will not then own for brethren yea which consummateth the misery of such Apostates they must have their portion with Hypocrites having denied Christ and being denyed by him they must depart from him into that fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels there being no reason that they should bee neer to Christ hereafter who follow him a far off nay run away from him here With these meditations let us arm our selves against this heinous sin that we may be the better strengthened 1 Labour wee to be throughly established upon good grounds in this fundamental doctrin that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God He that imbraceth Christian Religion upon the account onely of the Publike Law or private education will in time of tryal renege it Let therefore our assent to this Doctrin rest upon these sure Pillars primarily the authority of Scriptures and secondarily the Catholike Church and then we shall not easily deny it nor let us content our selves with a Conjectural opinion but strive for a firm and settled perswasion a stake in the ground may bee quickly plucked up but a tree rooted in the ground abideth unmoveable he that doubteth may soon be brought to deny but a well grounded perswasion will not quickly bee moved much lesse removed 2 Learn we according to our Saviours precept to deny our selves since oft times self and Christ come in competition so that one must be denyed and if we have not in some measure taken out this excellent lesson of self denial we shall soon deny him No wonder if an Ancient saith ingenuously Christiani praludium sui repudium the first step in the ladder of Christianity is self-denial 3 Nor must we forget that advice of St. Paul to deny Worldly Lusts for if wee take not our hearts off from the World the World will take them off from Christ it is very observable that our Saviour had no sooner threatned this sin of denying him but hee presently forbids Loving Father or Mother Son or daughter more than him intimating how prone the inordinate love of worldly things is to alienate us from him 4 Finally strive for a real union to Christ by a lively faith hee who is but a visible Christian may cease to be so much as visible but the spiritual union will not endure a dissolution much lesse an abnegation maintain and increase familiar communion with him that thou maiest more and more taste the sweetnesse that is in him and then no allurement or affrightment shall cause thee to deny him I end all as we desire not to be found deniers of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as wee desire to have the Father propitious towards us and Christ to own us before the Father at the last day let us dread to deny let us be ready to acknowledge with our hearts lipes lives Jesus the Christ the Son of God to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 24. 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise that hee hath promised to us even eternal life ZEal Sincerity and Perseverance are not so much particular graces as each of them necessary ingredients to every grace Zeal being the fervor sincerity the truth and perseverance the duration of all graces of these three the last is not the least needful since constancy is the best evidence of sincerity nor will fervour avail without permanency no wonder if it be called by Bonaventure conditio annexa cuilibet virtuti an inseparable condition of every vertue and by Aquinas donum que caetera servantur dâ—nae that gift which preserveth all the rest without perseverance our Love will prove not a Star but a Comet our Devotion not a flame but a flash our Repentance not a River but a Pond our Hope not a Staff but a Reed and our Faith not a sub stance but a shadow And since this grace of Faith last mentioned is indeed the First the Root the Mother Grace constancy is not more needful in any than this The truth is there is no Grace more oppugned by the Devil than our faith hee well knoweth that if hee can undermine the foundation hee shall soon overthrow the building for which reason having obtained leave to sift S. Peter our Saviour prayeth for him that his faith may not fail Upon this account it is that more or lesse in all ages the Devil hath raised up false Teachers in the Church whose indeavour it is to with-draw the people from the Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Faith and for this cause no doubt it is that one of the chief designs of the holy Apostles in all their Epistles is to stablish Christians in the faith A pregnant instance whereof wee have in this Epistle particularly in these verses whose scope is by most obliging arguments to perswade a stedfast adherence to the truth which they had embraced Let that therefore which you have heard from the beginning c. Which words do plainly part themselves into two generals a mandate and a motive a command and a comfort an exhortation and an incitation The Exhortation enjoyneth a needful duty Let that therefore abide in you which ye heard from the beginning The Incitation adjoyneth a powerful motive drawn from the present comfort and future blisse of persevering Saints If that
THE First general EPISTLE OF St. JOHN THE APOSTLE Unfolded Applied The Second PART In Thirty and seven Lectures on the Second Chapter from the third to the last Verse Delivered in St. Dionys BACK-CHURCH By NATH HARDY Minister of the Gospel and Preacher to that Parish LONDON Printed for Joseph Cranford and are to bee sold at his shop at the Castle and Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard 1659. To the Right Honourable Lady Christian Countesse Dowager of Devonshire Madam I Finde this Holy Apostle directing his Second Epistle to an Elect Lady whereby hee conferr'd no small Honour upon her I am bold to dedicate this Second Part of my weak Labours on his first Epistle to your Ladyship as esteeming it and that justly a great Honour to mee St. John dignifieth the Person to whom hee wrote with the Title of a Lady it seemeth hee was of another spirit than our Levelling Quakers who denying a Civil difference of Superiour and Inferiour refuse to give those Respects both in Gestures and Titles which are due to some above others And as he calleth her a Lady in reference to her external Quality so an Elect Lady in regard of her choice internal qualifications as being to use St. Hieromes Language concerning a prime Lady in Rome Non minus sanctitate quam genere Nobilis no lesse good than great An Amiable sight it is when these two entwine each other Piety in a mean one is like a Mine of Gold in the earth Nobility in a bad one is like a blazing Comet in the Aire But Piety in a Noble person is like a bright star in the Heavens Honour without Vertue is as a Cloud without water Vertue without Honour is as a Room without Hangings But Vertue and Honour is as a Golden Apple in a Silver Picture or rather as a Pretious Diamond in a Golden Ring Both these were conspicuous in St. Johns Elect Lady and I may no less truely say are met together in you Should I give the World a true account of those Intellectual Moral and Spiritual endowments which God hath conferred upon your Honour I easily beleeve what St. Hierome saith in reference to a Noble Lady Si quacunque virtutibus ejus congrua dixero adulari putabor I shall bee censured as a Flatterer Besides to speak St. Ambrose his phrase in an Epistle to the same Lady I am justly fearful Nâ— verecundiae tuae onerosa foret etiam vera laudatio lest I should offend your Ladyships Modesty by expressing a Character of your worth though never so consonant to truth I foresee also how needlesse any Enconium will bee of your Merit The Lives of great persons being as Cities built upon an Hill generally obvious I am withall sufficiently sensible what an arrogance it is ut tuis praedicationibus ingenium meum par esse praesumam as the same Father in the same Epistle elegantly that I should think my rude pensil fit to draw the Lineaments of your better part upon all which considerations I have resolved against that common custome of a Panaegyrick Onely after St. Johns pattern I beseech you Madam that you would abound yet more in all vertue so as the light of your good works may shine more and more to the perfect day To this end Let those excellent counsels which are given by him in this Chapter and though I cannot say fully yet I dare say faithfully expounded by mee in this Book bee firmly engraven upon your Noble Breast Account it your Highest Honour with Mary to sit as it wete at Christs feet not onely that you may hear but keep his Commandements and to make good your Christian profession by treading in his footsteps and walking as he walked By imploying as you do this Worlds goods for Pious Hospitable and charitable uses let it appear that you have learned to Love your Brother and not to love this world Go not forth to those Antichristian Lying Teachers who by Heresy and Schisme are gone out of the Church of England that according to the Motto of your Honours Armes Cavendo tutus your pretious soul may bee still safe from errour by bewaring them and their poysonous doctrins Finally As you know so abide in him whom you have beleeved and let those truths which you have heard from the beginning and hitherto embraced abide in you to the end of your life I must not Right Honourable conclude this Epistle without fulfilling the chief End of its Dedication namely to confesse my Obligation and professe my gratitude to your Ladyship for those kinde aspects and benigne influences which in these black and cloudy daies the bright beams of your goodness have vouchsafed as to many of my Reverend Brethren so in particular to my self the unworthiest of them all I have nothing more to adde but my Devotions That the great God would accumulate upon your own person with all that are descended from and related to you the blessings of Life Health and Wealth of Love Grace and Peace of Joy blisse and Glory is and shall bee the uncessant Prayer of Madam Your Honours greatly Obliged and Humbly devoted Servant NATHANAEL HARDY To the Reader THis Epistle which I have undertaken by divine assistance to unfold is as it were a goodly Fabrick consisting of five Rooms being divided into so many Chapters Among those this Second is the most spatious and specious by reason of which this Volume is swelled far bigger than the former I need not tell thee how well worthy this Room is of thy most serious view Thus much I dare assure thee the more often thou lookest into it the better thou wilt like it At the entrance into it is as it were the Effigies of Christ as an Advocate for thy Consolation and a pattern for thy Imitation Towards the further end is the portraiture of Antichrist with all his cursed crew spitting fire out of their mouths against the Holy Jesus denying him to bee the Christ against whom the Apostle giveth a seasonable Caveat On the right hand hang the lovely Pictures of those Virgin graces Knowledge Obedience Love of God and of our Neighbour and perseverance in the faith On the left hand are represented those mis-shapen Monsters of Malice and Envy in hating our brother of worldly love with all her Brats the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the Pride of Life Finally there are in it several partitions one for Fathers another for young men and a third for Children for Men for Christians of all ages and sorts These following discourses are as so many windows to let in light to this Room whereby thou mayest the better view it and whatever is contained in it I have not made use of painted glass which though it may adorn obscureth but rather that which is plain and clear as affecting not the ostentation of my own wit in high language but thy edification by significant expressions I have
not commanded nor forbidden by any law need not be imitated by us nor doth this walking as he walked extend to them 3. But lastly Christ walked in a way of Obedience to the Morall Law humbling himself and becoming obedient even to the Death and these footsteps of his Morall Actions we are to tread in For the fuller Explication of this be pleased to know that 1. Our Lord Christ is to speak in Ennodius his phrase Clara Epitome virtutum an exact Epitome of graces in St Bernards language Cardinalium virtutum exemplum a spotless example of the Cardinall virtues or if you will in Tertullians stile cumulata perfectionis massalis summa an accumulated heap of spirituall perfections Suitable hereunto it is that Cresolius cals him a Seminary of graces Temple of Religion Tabernacle of goodness and Habitation of Virtue Indeed there is no grace nor duty either towards God or our selves or others whereof Christ hath not set us a coppy Those graces of trust feare love and obedience which we are to exercise towards God those Virtues of loyalty to Kings Subjection to Parents equity and Charity which are due to man Finally those Ornaments of Humility Temperance Patience by which we possess our selves were all eminent in him as it were easie to demonstrate would the time permit or did the Text require it What he in Lucian said concerning Solon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In seeing Solon you see all that is good may more truly be affirmed of Christ in whom are all treasures of graces as well as knowledg That of the Apostle concerning himself and the rest of the Saints our Conversation is in Heaven may not unfitly be applied to this duty of the imitation of Christ he hath his Conversation in Heaven who leads it according to Christs example and good reason since as Athanasius excellently Christ whilst on earth did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry Heaven about with him This Sun of Righteousness went through the Libra of justice Leo of fortitude Virgo of chastity Taurus of industry Gemini of love to God and man Indeed the Firmament is not more full of Starres then he is of Graces It is a rule in Philosophy Primum in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum that which is the first in any kind is to be the measure of the rest and Christ being the first the grand exemplar of virtue no wonder if we are required to walk as he walked 2. One singular end of Christs comming into the world was that he might become a pattern of duty Indeed the chief and primary end of his advent was to be a Saviour but a Secondary was to be an example Upon this account is it that St Basil saith one end of Christs coming was that in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in a picture we might behold the lineaments of all virtues and accordingly learn to order our Conversation aright When Christ had washed his Disciples feet he saith to them I have given you an example and truly for this cause he lived that he might give yea according to St Peter for this end he dyed that he might leave us an example that we should follow his steps 3. To endeavour as far as we can that all those graces which Christ practised may shine forth in our Conversations is to walk as Christ walked so that this as here specified admits both of an extent and a restraint 1. Of an Extent As that is in all those morall steps wherein he walked thus Tertullian saith To walk as Christ walked is to observe the Discipline of that Piety and Patience Justice and Wisdome which flourished in Christs life And Prosper putting this Question What is it to walk as Christ walked returneth this Answer it is Contemnere omnia prospera quae contempâ—it non timere adversa quae pertulit libenter facere quae fecit c. To contemn what he contemned suffer what he suffered and do what he did Indeed to imitate Christ but in some things is only to step as he stepped but to walk as he walked is to imitate him in all not onely to be lowly but holy just but charitable as he was go about doing good but suffering evill as he did it is to imitate him in his active and in his passive Obedience to follow him in his Life yea in his Death For as St Austin observeth when Christ was fixus in cruce fast nailed to the Cross he walked in the wayes of constancy courage patience charity towards his enemies which we must practice when at any time we are called to suffer we cannot have a better Expositour of the Disciple then the Master and Christ saith to follow him is to deny our selves and take up our Cross 2. Of a restraint It being an as not of equality but quality nor doth it require an exactness of performance but only a sincerity of purpose Christs phrase is following and coming after him which we may do though non passibus aequis we come far behind him Excellent to this purpose are those Expressions of an Ancient Proderit imitari et si nemo valeat adaequare persequi debemus et si consequi non possimus non eisdem passibus sed eodem tramite eisdem vestigijs insistendum Made equall we cannot conformable we may be to him to attain to his measure is impossible to press hard towards it is necessary to go with the same speed and evenness is not expected but to go in the same path tread in the same steps is required In one word those graces which did flame forth in Christs life must at least sparkle in ours which did shine bright in his must twinkle in ours which were perfectly in him must be sincerely in us so shall we fulfill this Apostolicall dictate to walk as he walked I end this Naturale homini alium imitari Man is naturally a Mimicke and loves to follow and what fuller fitter better pattern can be made choyce of then this here set before us Oh then as Moses did all things in making the Tabernacle according to the pattern which God shewed him in the Mount so let us order all our actions according to the pattern Christ taught in the Mount and as he taught so did in the course of his life Iâ—â—s the command of God to Abraham in the Old Testament walk before me it is the voice of Christ to his Disciples in the New come after me and both very usefull we must walk before God by a continued remembrance of his eye we must come after Christ by a due observance of his steps and so walking as having God to be our Spectatour and Christ to be our guide we cannot wander This is that which hath still been the practice of holy men to set Christ before them as their example this did St Paul who adviseth others to follow him as he did Christ thus did
assured he keepeth them may know and be assured that he knoweth Christ I shut up all with one Caution In your indeavours after the reflex forget not the direct acts of Faith Look upon Christ as he who is your righteousness to justifie you and then look upon your Obedience as that which may testifie to you that you are justified by him even then when you cannot clearly discover inherent qualifications cast not away wholly your confidence in Christs Merits and when you do discover them rest not in them but only in Christs Merits ever remembring that it is the being in Christ by Faith which intitleth you to justification and salvation and your keeping the Commandments and walking as Christ walked is that which manifesteth the truth of your Faith by which you are in Christ by whom you are justified and shall at last be saved THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 7 8 9 10 11. 7. Brethren I write no new Commandment unto you but an old Commandment which you had from the beginning the old Commandment is the Word which ye have heard from the beginning 8. Again a new Commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth 9. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even untill now 10. He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him 11. But he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes IT was St Pauls sage and sacred advice to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Where these words Faith and Love are by some and not unfitly referred to the manner of holding these being the two hands by which we hold fast the truth but by others and no less probably they are refered to the forme of sound words which he heard of him the matter of the form the substance of those words being reducible to those two heads suitable hereunto is that Paraphrase of Theophilact in Faith and Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is My words and discourses are conversant about Faith and Love what he saith concerning St Pauls we may concerning St Johns words in this Epistle all of which tend either to the enlightning of our Faith or inflaming of our Love the latter of which our Apostle beginneth with at these Verses Brethren I write no new Commandment c. Which words consist of two generall Parts A Preamble inviting in the 7 and 8 Verses A Doctrine instructing in the 9 10 and 11 Verses Our Apostle intending to spend a great part of this Epistle in a discourse of Love doth not unfitly begin it with a Preface especially considering that the end of an Exordium is captare benevolentiam to gain love both to the Orator and his matter In this Preamble there are two things considerable The kind Appellation our Apostle giveth those to whom he wrote in the first word Brethren The large Commendation he giveth of the Doctrine about which he was to write in the rest of the words That which first occureth to be handled is the kind Appellation Brethren The vulgar Latine following the Syriack read it Charissimi dearly Beloved and Grotius finds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one Greek Manuscript Indeed either is very suitable To shew that he himself was not a stranger to that love he would teach them he might fitly call them dearly Beloved and being to treat of Brotherly Love he no less aptly useth the stile of Brethren so that it is not much materiall which way we read it but because the other phrase of dearly Beloved is used afterward and the most Greek Copies here read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall handle that reading which our Translation following renders Brethren It is a title that is very considerable upon severall accounts especially these foure Inasmuch as it is a word of Verity of Humility of Charity of Dignity There was really such a relation between St John and those to whom he wrote The mentioning it by the Apostle argueth in him a Spirit of love and lowliness and much advanceth the honour of those to whom he wrote 1. It is a word of verity indeed it is somewhat strange how this should be true If you cast your eyes on the first verse of this Chapter you find him calling them children and how is it possible they should at once be his brethren and his children If they were his brethren he and they must be children of one Father if they were his children he must be their Father and these two cannot consist together The truth is these relations in a natural way and a proper notion are altogether incompatible between the same persons and yet this hinders not but that in a spiritual and Scripture-sence both these are verified of S t John in reference to those to whom he wrote Know then that the sacred penman of this Epistle may be considered under a three-fold latitude as an Apostle as a Christian as a Man 1. Consider him as an Apostle invested by Christ with authority to publish the Gospell whereby they were converted to the Faith so he was their Father and might therefore call them his Children But 2. Consider him as a Christian embracing the same Faith with them which he Preached to them so he and they were Bretheren They who have the same Father and Mother are undoubtedly Brethren now the Apostles as Christians had God to their Father and the Catholick Church to their Mother and therefore Brethren to all even ordinary Christians In this respect it is that St Peter giving thanks to God for this mercy of Regeneration useth a Pronoune of the first person Plurall Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten not me or you or me and you but us again to a lively Hope thereby intimating that he and they were all the Children of God and that by the same meanes of the new Birth and St Paul writing to the Corinthians maketh himself one of the number when he saith We being many are one body and again By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body thereby implying that he and they stand in the same relation to the Church This Relation is that which is not between every Minister and his People On the one hand sometimes the Minister himself is not a Brother because a prophane wicked Person yea in this respect he may be able to say my Children and yet not my Brethren for since the Spirituall Birth dependeth upon the energie of the Seed which is the Word accompanied with the Spirit not at all upon the goodness of him that dispenseth it it is not impossible for
preparing them to receive the command by various Arguments which are aptly couched in this oratoricall Proaeme I write not a new but an old Commandment And Again a new Commandment I write to you which is true in him c. Having dispatched the Compellation and the first branch of the Commendation we are now to proceed to the second which is drawn from that conformity this duty hath to Christs pattern intimated in those words Which thing is true or a thing which is true in him I am not ignorant that some learned men refer all that followeth in this Verse to those words in the beginning of it A new Commandment I write to you as if it were only a Confirmation of that part of the commendation and so those words Which thing is true are thus to be Paraphrased which thing Namely That this Commandment of Love is a new Commandment is true both respecâ—u Christi nostri in regard of Christ who hath himself fulfilled it and so given us a new pattern of it and in respect of us Christians who by reason of the true light shinining have a new grace enabling us to performe it our selves But I rather incline to take these words as affording new Topicks for the commendation of love and so the laudatory Character we are now to handle is that this grace which is enjoyned to Christians is no other then what was true in Christ The Clause as it is set down in the Greeke carrieth with it no small difficulty Gagneius upon this place ingeniously professeth that he could not find out the true sence and meaning of it Some Expositors render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it self as if the sense of these words were only to assert the verity of the thing concerning which he discourseth but this to me seemeth jeiune and unbeseeming the fullness of Scripture Expressions besides if we observe the phrase of this holy Apostle and that in this Epistle we shall find it very usuall with him to speak of Christ under those phrases of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we may observe in the latter end of this and the beginning of the next Chapter look as Mary Magdalen having her own thoughts so full of Christ conceived there was no need of nameing him only to say Tell me where thou hast laid him so St John burning with love to Christ not doubting but that he was well known to them to whom he wrot and therefore supposing they would easily guess of whom he wrote thinketh it enough to say only him so that we may very well expound this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators readit in him to wit Christ But the greatest difficultie of construing this Clause lyeth in the first particle â— since being of the neuter Gender it cannot agree with the feminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Substantive immediately preceding but it is no strange or unusuall thing for an Adjective of the neuter gender to be taken Substantively and so quod which is as much as quae res which thing Thus it is rendred in our Translation and is not unfitly expounded by Grotius to be that thing namely Love which is the matter of the old and new Commandment and indeed though the phrase may seem somewhat harsh yet the sense is most fitly thus expressed since the Commandment it self referrs to us not Christ but the thing or matter of the Commandment was true in Christ himself and so layeth a greater obligation upon us to performe the Commandment nor need we stick at this Construction when we find the same in the former Chapter where in the second and third Verses after the feminine substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put a neuter Adjective â— as that forementioned Author observes And now according to this interpretation the plain sense of the words appeareth to be this A thing which is true in him that is This grace of love which I enjoyn you is no other then what was verified in Christ himself So that as before he lets them see it is a Commandment both old and new so here he acquaints them further it was such a Commandment as had Christ himself an Example of it Ipse enim prius charitatem ostendit saith Ferus For he himself did practice Love ratum ac reipsa invenitur primum quidem in illo ut capite saith Beza In him as being the head of the Church and having received the Spirit without measure was this primarily accomplished And this interpretation I so much the rather assent to because it so aptly suiteth with what our Apostle had before delivered when he calleth upon them to express the reality of their interest in Christ by keeping his Commandments and walking as he walked whilst he lets them see that the duty of Love which he was about presently and did intend chiefly to inculcate upon them was the only way to performe both these By Love they should keep the Commandments for it is both the old and the new Commandment and by Love they should walk as Christ walked for it is a thing which was true in him And now That this was true in Christ is a truth so clear that there will be no need to prove it Indeed it is tanquam radio solis scripta written as it were with a Sun beam so that he which runs may read it It is a Subject I might very well dilate upon but that I shall have more full occasion to discuss both the Love of Christ and God to us in the following Chapters That it is so cannot be denied yea should we be so ungratefull as to deny or doubt it the Manger and the Cross would testify against us If either confering benefits on us or suffering injuries for us can assure his love to us our Apostle she weth it to be true in both when he saith To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God the Father How legible are the Characters of his love in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention Intercession and all those advantages of Redemption Remission Adoption Justification Salvation which by those accrue to us Which who so knowingly considers must needs say with St Paul The love and kindness of God our Saviour hath appeared with St Peter The Lord is gracious and with St Bernard his love to us was dignitatis nescius dignatione dives affectu potens suasu efficax full of condescention and affection Indeed that it should be so though it cannot be gainsaid may well be admired especially when we look upon our selves What were we the rebellious off-spring of degenerate Parents Slaves of Satan Servants of sin Children of wrath that Christ should cast an Eye towards and place his Love on us The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is manifest that he loved us and you if he ask the
by him are very imperfect in comparison of the Gospell Revelations 3. If you like to retain the common signification of true as opposite to false you must take in the Verb shineth and so the sense will be clear the true light shineth only in the Gospell and therefore the Law is called darkness True there was a light a true light in the Law but it did not shine forth it was as it were hid under a Bushell and so a state of darkness in comparison of the shining light in the Gospell It is very observable to this purpose that all things were covered and wrapt up to the Jews when they carryed the Brasen Altar in the wilderness they covered it with a Purple Cloth when they carryed the Ark it was covered with three coverings a Vail a Badgers skin and a Cloth of blew the Table of the Shew Bread had three coverings and except the laver every thing was covered in the Temple Yea the Temple it self had a Vaile When Moses came from the Mount his Face was vailed the Priests bare the things which they might not see and all this to signifie what a concealment there was of divine knowledg under the Law To this purpose St Gregory allegorizeth these words of the Psalmist Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus Dark water in the Clouds that is Occulta scientia in Prophetis the darkness of knowledg in the Law and Prophets It is true Eternall life Salvation by Christ and those other sublime truths are to be found in the Law but as a Face under a Mask as a Sun in a Cloud Heavenly wrapt up in Earthly promises Christ involved in Types and Figures There were but few that knew any thing of these truths in comparison of the multitudes now and that they did know was but obscurely in comparison of the clearness now Divine knowledg was then as an Oyntmennt kept close in an Alablaster Box now the savour thereof perfumeth the whole house Then it was at best but as the dawning of the Day now it is full Noon and those Doctrines which were velata inveteri folded up in the Old are revelata in novo unfolded in the New Testament To this tends that expression used by St Paul concerning Christians We all with open face behold the glory of the Lord. The Jews faces were vailed ours are open they according to the Apostles phrase elsewhere saw afar of and so darkly we as it were near hand and so clearly To summe it up Look as the true shining light of the Gospell in comparison of that beatificall Vasion so the typicall instruction of the Law in comparison of Evangelicall teaching is but darkness or at best a shadow Indeed the Triumphant Church is in intimis the holy of holies The Christian Church Militant in atrijs the holy place But the Jewish in extimis the outward Court When God gave the Law the second time he commanded the people to stand at the foot of the Mount Aaron Nadab Abihu and the Seaventy Elders of Israel to worship afar off in the middle of the Mount and Moses ascends to the top of the Mount even within the Cloud by which three one hath represented the three states of the Church By those who stood at the bottome the Jewish By them who worshipped in the middle the Christians And by Moses the glorified Church In one word to use St Ambrose his phrase Umbra in lege imago in Evangelio veritas in Cael◠the Truth is in Heaven the Image in the Gospell but in the Law only the shadow 2. The just fitness of those Metaphors darkness and light in reference to the Law and Gospell being manifested that which next is more briefly to be considered is that which is predicated concerning both Namely That the one is past and the other now shineth Indeed the word for passing is in the Present Tence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth pass away for when St John wrote this Epistle it was only in fieri passing not past those Legall Ceremonies began to dye at Christs Passio◠then in signification thereof was the Vail of the Temple not only perforatum or attritum or laceratum worn or torn a little but rent in twain from the top to the bottome but they were not dead and buried till the destruction of the Temple it self so that during the space between Christs Passion and Jerusalems desolation they were passing away and the Evangelicall Administration did more and more display it self Thus as when the house is built the Scaffold is pulled down when the Sun ariseth the Starrs disappear when the Prophet himself came the staffe was taken off and when Christ increased John the Baptist decereased so when the Gospell was published the Legall Administrations vanished away And surely the Consideration hereof should teach us on the one hand to bewaile the hardned Jews who though the darkness be past and the true light now shineth shut their eyes against the light and love to abide in darkness St Hierome very aptly compareth the Jews before Christ to those that eat the flesh Christians under the Gospell to those who eat the Marrow but the Jews now to the dogs that gnaw the bone Indeed those Legall observances at the best were only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shadow but now they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darkness exitiall to those who still embrace them Oh let us pitty and pray for the blinded Jews that the vaile may be taken from their faces and they may behold the light which shineth so brightly nor is there less cause of gratulation in respect of our selves then lamentation in regard of the Jews It was a great benefit to learning when the obscure hyeroglyphicks of the Aegyptians were changed into letters and Platoes dark writings were brought down to more easie conceptions by Aristotle but surely farre greater is the benefit which the Church hath now the Evangelical Administration suceeding in the room of the legall Oh how fitly may that expression of the Psalmist be taken up by us Christians God is the Lord which hath shewed us light a clear full glorious light let us be glad and rejoyce in it To winde up this first Interpretation by considering the words in this sense as an argument why this command of love ought to be true in us Namely Because we live under the Christian dispensation Indeed hatred and malice were not tollerable in the Jews but they are abominable in us Christians who should live in love if not we to whom the love of God and Christ is so clearly revealed Oh my brethren how sad is it to think though the shadow as some read it the darkness as others be past and the true light now shineth yet we may too truly complain that the shadow remaineth nothing but shadows of grace fancies of godliness found among us nay the darkness of envy and hatred and all uncharitable walking prevaileth among us Oh be we exhorted since we
have the light to walk in it to walk worthy of it to walk as children of it by walking in this path of love And so much for that Exposition The other interpretation renders these words assertively is true in you and expounds the darkness and light of sinne and grace an Exposition which I incline to as most rational it being very probable that our Apostle as in the following verses he useth the same metaphors so here intends the same things and that there his primary scope is to describe by darkness and light mans corrupt and regenerate estate will appear in the handling For the better prosecution of these words in this sense be pleased to proceed with me by these steps and observe 1. What is the state of all men before conversion Namely a state of darkness darkness is in our minds the darkness of ignorance and infidelity we neither do nor can know aright either God or our selves The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God is St Pauls generall Doctrine asserting our ignorance of God and the particular charge against Laodicea That she knew not she was wretched and miserable poor blind and naked may justly be extended to all mankind in regard of self-ignorance Indeed there is so much light left in us as may render us inexcusable but not as can lead us to Heaven we neither of our selves can find out nor yet discern divine truths though they are set before us how quick sighted soever reason may be in naturals it is dimme yea blind in spirituals and as our blessed Saviour argueth If the eye be darkness the whole body must needs be darke the eyes of our understanding being darkned no marvell if our will and affections be clouded yea a darkness of sin overrun our whole man so that what St Paul saith to the Ephesians is true of all unregenerate persons they are not only in the concrete darke but abstract darkness it self 2. What the state of all regenerate persons is The darkness is past and the true light of saving knowledg and heavenly grace shineth in their hearts Regenerate Christians are called in the new Testament new Creatures and indeed not unfitly since as it was in the old so is it in this new Creation We read in the beginning of Genesis That darkness was upon the face of the deep and God said let there be light A fit Embleme of the Spirits work in a sinners Conversion Whereas darkness covereth the soul before a glorious light ariseth in and diffuseth it self through it To this no doubt the Apostle alludeth when he saith God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts and for this reason it is that very often the turning of a sinner is set forth by this Metaphor so Pauls conversion of the Gentiles is called a turning them from darkness to light the converted Colossians are said to be delivered from the power of darkness and of the Ephesians it is said You who were sometimes darkness are now light in the Lord. Suitable to all which is this phrase in my Text The darkness is past and that true light now shineth Nor is it unworthy the observation how fitly these two clauses are ioyned together since the one cannot be without the other nay indeed one is the cause of the other In every convert there is not only a passing away of darkness but a shining of the true light yea the shining of the light is the cause of the passing away of the darkness in which respect Zanchy noteth that Conjunctio copulans pro causali posita videtur the Copulative Conjunction and is put for the Causall for This will the more appear if we consider what St Austin hath observed Namely That darkness is nothing else but the non residency of light and therefore that which expelleth darkness must needs be the presence of light thus the grace of the Spirit infused into the Soul is that which prevaileth to the expulsion of sin Look as the taking of an antidote driveth out the poyson the putting of a new Seal upon the Wax defaceth the old stampe and the return of the Sun causeth the darkness to vanish so is it the donation of the Spirit and his grace which dispossesseth Sin and Satan of the Soul Hence we may take notice what it is that maketh the difference between a Convert and a naturall Man namely the shining of the light of grace We that are converted were once involved in the same state of darkness with the rest of the world and as unable to deliver our selves from it had not Gods free grace caused the light to shine upon us which he denieth to others in which regard St Peter saith to the converted Christians to whom he wrote You are a chosen Generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People that you should shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light But yet it must withall be considered that the words in this sense are better read according to the Greek the darkness passeth away then that it is past since so long as we are here though our light be true yet it is not perfect but shineth more and more to the perfect day Now according to the increase of the light is the decrease of the darkness and therefore because it is not full noon perfect day whilst we are here the darkness cannot be said to be wholly past but rather is still passing if then we are sensible of the remainder of darkness in our hearts let it trouble but not too much dismay us light and darkness in remiss degrees may be together nor must we expect the darkness of sin to be wholly removed till we participate the light of Glory 3. In whomsoever the darkness passeth and the true light shineth this is true of which our Apostle here speaketh this grace and duty of love will shew it self in all regenerate persons it is a clear maxim where there is the cause there will be the effect such as is the root such will be the fruit now goodness which is a companion of love is called by the Apostle Paul A fruit of the Spirit or as some Greeke Copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruit of light this light which here is said to shine which is no other then the grace of the Spirit no wonder if where this light shineth there this beam and fruit of it appear indeed glowe worm light and star light is such as hath no beat at all to accompany it but Sun light which is the true light expelling darkness wanteth not heat which is the Embleme of this grace of love whereby the soul is warmed yea enflamed Examine we then our selves by this Character if we be brought from darkness to light this is true in us who so experienceth this change will find
should you if any doctrine have had a kindly influence upon your spirits entreat the reiteration of it who knoweth what a second birth may bring forth and if at any time you hear the Minister beating upon the same anvil pressing the same doctrine or rebuking the same sin reflect upon thy self and say surely I have not yet sufficiently learned this lesson I have not enough repented of this sin and therefore I will give new attention though it be an old instruction And thus much I have thought fit to discourse of this Subject by way of Apology not for St John whose divinely inspired writings need none but for my self if in the handling of this Epistle I should sometimes have occasion to discuss the same things and perhaps use the same expressions More particularly in this ingeminated opposition be pleased to observe The sin specified in these words He that hateth his Brother The state of the sinner described in the rest of the words and that Imaginary wherein he supposeth himself to be He saith he is in the light Reall in which indeed he is set forth in severall Characters in the end of the 9th and the greatest part of the 11th He is in darkness even untill now and again He is darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. The first of these is the hinge upon which the Antithesis turneth and therefore I shall be the more large in unfolding it To which end I shall discuss it two waies by way of Restriction and by way of enlargement and accordingly discover exclusively what hatred is not within the compass of this sin and then extensively how far this hatred reacheth which is here declamed against The exclusive restriction of this hatred will appeare in these insuing propositions 1. There is a Positive and there is a Comparative there is an Absolute and there is a Relative hatred It is very observable That Jacobs loving Rachel more then Leah is called in the very next Verse hating Leah That which we less love then another we are said to hate in comparison of that love we bear to the other and thus it is not a â—â—n but a duty to hate our Brother to wit in comparison of Christ It is our Saviours own assertion If any man câ—me to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea his own life also he cannot be my Disciple an expression seemingly very harst but easily understood if compared with the other Evangelist St Matthew where he brings in Christ saith He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me We ought then to hate our nearest relations that is not love them more nay which is the meaning of the phrase love them less then Christ Hence it is that when Christs glory and truth cometh in competition with the dearest of our relations we must neglect Children cast off Parents reject the Wife of our Bosome rather then deny Christ yea we must be averse to them if they go about to direct us from Christ Thus that devout Paula as St Hierome saith Nesciebat se matrem ut Christi probaret ancillam that shee might approve her self Christs Handmaid forgot that shee was a Mother and that same Father else where asserteth it Pietatis genus est impiumesse pro domino it is a part of piety to be in some sense impious and out of love towards God to hate our Brother and therefore this is not here to be understood 2. It is one thing to hate our Brother and another thing to hate the sins of our Brother it is solidly determined by Aquinas Love is due to my Brother Secundum id quod a Deo habet in respect of that which is communicated to him by God whither nature or grace or both but it is not due to him Secundum id quod habet a seipso diabolo according to that which he hath from himself and the Devill to wit sin and wickedness and therefore it is lawfull to hate my Brothers sin but not his nature much less his grace Laudabile odium odisse vitia faith Origen to hate evill is a commendable hatred and that where ever we finde it not only in the bad but the good the enormities of the one but the infirmities in the other not only in strangers and enemies but kindred and friends spying beames nay motes in these as well as those and abhorring them we must hate this serpent where ever we find it though in a garden nay though in our own habitations indeed as Aquinas excellently Hoc ipsum quod in fratre odimus culpam defectum pertinet ad fratris amorem this hatred of the vice is an effect of love to the person so much is intimated when it is said Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebvke him and not suffer siâ— upon him by shewing hatred to his sin in rebuking we shew our love to him and if we wish good to him we cannot but hate what we see evill in him This hatred is so farre from being sinfull that it is not only lawfull and laudable but excellent not a wicked but a pious yea a perfect hatred according to that of St Austin Perfectio odij est in Charitate cum nec propter vit a homines odeâ—imus nec vitia propter homines amemus it is at once the perfection of hatred and an argument of love when we neither hate the man for the sins sake nor yet love the sin for the mans sake but fixe our love on the man and our hatred on the sâ—nne 3. There is odium abominationis and odium inimicitiae an hatred of aversation and an hatred of enmity by the one we flye from by the other we pursue after look as in love there is a benevolence whereby we will good to and a complacence whereby we take delight in another so in hatred there is a strangness whereby we avoid the society and an enmity whereby we seek the mischief of another the former of these is not forbidden but required and practised godly David saith of himself I hated the Congregation of evill doers and will not sit with the wicked and that of his practise was justifiable and imitable since we must not only flie from the sin but the sinner yea that we may shun the one we must avoid the other Timon was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man-hater because he kept not company with any man save Alcibiades and we should all of us be hatres of wicked men shunning all needless converse and much more familiar acquaintance with them It is St Pauls counsell to the Ephesians Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull wâ—â—kes he meaneth workers
an open enemy and ex magno appetitu â—â—â— mâ—â—tat modum loquendi it is the greatness of hatred which puts him upon this pretence of love 4. Yet again are there not some whose hatred is so deadly to their brother that they will be content to do themselves a loss so they may do him a great Injury That Apologâ—e of Cupidus and Invidus the covetous and the envious man is very observable to this purpose Jupiter promised that whatsoever the one asked the other should have double whereupon they much strove one with the other who should ask first the covetous man refused because he was desirous of the double portion and the envious man was no less unwilling as repining that the other should have more then himself At length the envious man resolveth to be the first in asking but what did he ask That Jupiter would 〈…〉 of his eyes because he then knew the other must lose both Such malicious men there are and that among Christians who care not to deprive themselves if they may disappoint their brother This is that hatred which is fetcht from hell witness Dives who desireth not that he might come to Lazarus but that Lazarus might come to him as if he had rather Lazarus should be miserable with him then he happy with Lazarus But if there be as I hope there are many who can acquit themselves from these effects of hatred at the height yet I feare we may observe those Symptomes in the most which discover them to be somewhat sick of this disease When the eye is evill because God is good doth it not discover that besides the black which nature hath put in the eye as the seat of its perfection there is another black which envy hath put into it as a seat of corruption What doth the smoake of detraction stander calumnie cursing rayling scoffing back-biteing which cometh forth at the lips of many men but argue a fire of malice burning in their hearts whence cometh betraying quarrelling fighting plundering yea killing one another but from this lust of hatred in mens minds Indeed who can consider the hatefull practices which are continually acted among us and not acknowledge the great predominancy of this sin Drop down ye Heavens and let the Skies poure down righteousness saith the Prophet Drop down ye Heavens and let the Skies poure down charity and love may we say for it hath left the earth yea instead thereof the smoake of hatred ascending out of the bottomless pit hath filled it What calling or profession of men is free from this vice I would to God the black Coate were not besmeared with it What state and condition of men is not guilty of it Oppressours plainly tread in the footsteps of hatred and I would to God sufferers did not harbour the lust of revenge How needfull then is a dehortation to disswade you from this sin and indeed this very name Brother if it be as you have already heard an argument of love may well be a disswasive from hatred if he be a Brother in the highest notion he is Christs Brother as well as thine and wilt thou hate him whom Christ loveth if in the lowest degree he is flesh of thy flesh and wilt thou hide thine eyes in contempt and haired from thine own flesh St Paul saith No man ever yet hated his own flesh and wilt thou be so unreasonable But if this consideration be too weake go on and view the description which followeth of the state of such a sinner and that is the next generall which God willing the next time shall be set before your eyes that if possible this sin of hatred may be eradicated out of your hearts THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even untill now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him He that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darkness hath blinded his eyes AMong the manifold excellencies of Gods Law this is not the least that it is according to St Pauls phrase a spirituall Law and that not only effective because dictated by Gods Spirit but Objective because extending to Mans spirit Indeed it is one of the differences between humane and divine Precepts that those only reach the outward these the inward man those only order the conversation these our cogitations Finally those take hold of words and works these of thoughts and desires This is evident in matters of Religion towards God Man requireth the externall observance but Gods internall devotion Man forbideth prophane Oaths but God blasphemous Imaginations nor is it less true in regard of our duty towards Man Humane commands inhibit the gross acts of uncleanness but Divine lustfull affections and to instance in no more whereas only actuall injuries of our Brother come within the compass of Mans cognisance God prohibits the very hatred and enjoyneth the contrary affection of love to him as here we see in the words He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother c. Having discussed the first generall part of the opposition Namely the sin briefly specified He that hateth his Brother we are now to go on to the other which is the state of the sinner as it is largely described in the 9th and 11th Verses 1. That which first occurreth in this description is the sinners own imagination what he fancyeth himself to be He saith he is in the light What is meant by this phrase of being in the light needs not again to be insisted on It is as much as to say he is in Christ he savingly knoweth Christ or he is in a state of grace This is that which he that hateth his Brother may say Indeed this cannot be in truth for St John saith of him He is in darkness and to be at once in the light and in the darkness is impossible but yet he may say so though it be not so and that two waies namely in opinion and profession 1. He that hateth his Brother may think himself to be in the light and so say it in his heart For 1. He may be acquainted in a great measure with the mysteries of Christian Religion and much conversant in divine speculations and for this reason imagine himself in the light The Pharisees though a generation of Vipers for their venemous nature say it of themselves we see and no doubt as to the letter of Moses his Law did see and know much so may Hypocriticall malicious Christians be versed in the Theory of Christianity 2. He may be frequent in Religious performances and upon this account fancy himself to be in the light Those Israelites whose hands were full of blood and therefore their hearts full of malice made many Prayers and offered multitudes
of your sins by righteousness your hatred by charity your malice by love else your state is as bad still as ever it was nay far worse then it was in those times when you heard not of Christ at all So much for the first Character pass we on from his sinfull disposition to 2. His vitious Conversation in those words And walketh in darkness The full latitude of this clause will appeare in a two-fold parallel 1. Walking in darkness is a going on in the darke and so intimateth a persisting in evill This is the property of a malitious man to be obstinate in his wickedness Anger is ofttimes sodain and short but hatred is setled and confirmed a passion saith St Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as will not admit of a cure Hence it is that he who is possessed with this sin is seldome reclaimed from it especially being one who maketh profession of Christianity and saith he is in the light for as Solomon saith There is more hope of a fool then of him that is wise in his own conceit so there is doubtless more hopes of him that is an open prophane sinner hating his brother then of him that saith he is in the light and yet hateth him for whereas the one may probably be brought to acknowledge that he walketh in darkness and so be perswaded to return out of it the other supposing himself alwayes in the light is deaf to all admonitions and so walketh on in darkness St Austin pursuing this Metaphor inreference to all sorts of sinners saith elegantly Cum peccant tenebrae sunt cum insuper non confitentur peccata sed ea defendunt tenebrant tenebras suas when men sin they are in the dark but when they will not confess but defend their sins they darken their darkness Thus is it with this sort of sinners every one that hateth his brother is in darkness but he that hating his brother saith he is in the light and so instead of condemning justifieth himself both is and walketh on to wit obstinately in darkness 2. Men who walk in darkness wander and stumble and fall almost every step they take so do malicious men stumble and fall into manifold sins and wander into severall by-paths of iniquity That this is here intended appeareth by the opposition for as where it is said in the preceding verse of him that loveth his brother there is none occasion of stumbling in him it implieth not only that he abideth but he walketh in the light so here when it is said of the man who hates his brother that he walketh in darkness it implyeth he frequently stumbleth at every thing Solomon saith of wicked men in general their way is as darkness not only dark in the concrete but darkness in the abstract nor only that they walk in the dark but their very way is darkness it is true of him that hateth his brother in particular every step he taketh is darkness some sin or other It is not unworthy our observation that a troup of sins attend upon hatred in St Pauls enumeration variance emulation wrath strife sedition and heresies all the cursed brats of this mother To this purpose it is that Cyprian saith of this sin it is a seed of mischief seminary of vice and the matter of much evil it swelleth with pride imbittereth with rage prevaricateth by perfidiousness burneth with anger and foameth through impatience Hence Avarice and Ambition whereby we desire to equall or rather exceed him whom we hate in wealth and power Hence it is that the fear of God is contemned the commands of Christ are neglected truth is adulterated unity divided heresies and schismes fomented yea all manner of wickedness committed yea to carry it a little further Hence it is not only that he falleth into many sins but stumbleth in his best actions and those religious services which sometimes he performeth find no acceptance It is observed in the Levitical law that among other fowls the Hawk which is the delight of Princes fed with cost and kept with care is forbidden in sacrifice and why but because it is of a rapacious vindictive nature Almighty God tells the Israelites he will not heaâ— their prayers yea his soul hated their Assemblies and why but because their hands were full of bloud Christ adviseth him who brings a gift to the Altar to go first and be reconciled to his brother whom he hath offended doubtless thereby to teach us that in this sense the gifts of those who live in enmity are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as God will not accept By all this it appeareth how sinfull the life of such a person is all his actions being no better then works and his wayes paths of darkness and oh that the sinfulness of this sin might so much the more exasperate us against it The name of this Devill may well be Legion let us then be carefull to cast him out indeed the saying of Valens is in some respect true concerning anger Alienus ab irâ alienus à justitià he that knoweth not how to be angry will not care to be just but in regard of hatred it is far otherwise and we may say Qui non alienus ab odio alienus à justitiâ he that is a friend to hatred must needs be a stranger to justice Oh let us conceive a pious hatred against this impious and injurious hatred which whosoever exerciseth towards his Brother must needs walke in darkness 3. The last Character of this sinner yet remaineth to wit his miserable condition which is Propounded in those words And knoweth not whither he goeth Proved in those Because the darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. The misery of him that hateth his Brother is asserted though briefly yet fully in those words He knoweth not whither he goeth It is a clause which sets forth the sad condition of this sinner both directly and collaterally 1. Directly This is verified of every wicked man and in particular of him that hateth his Brother he knoweth not whither he goeth and indeed it necessarily followeth upon the former since he that walketh in darkness cannot know whither â—e goeth This is true as Zanchy hath well observed in a double reference ad viam and ad terminum to the way and the terme of his walke he knoweth not where nor whither neither the badness of the path nor the sadness of the end The former Solomon affirmeth of all wicked men when he saith Their way is as darkness and they know not at what they stumble the latter of the man who is invited by an Harlot He knoweth not that the dead are there and her guests are in the depth of Hell But it may be objected that the person of whom the Apostle here speaketh is one who is in profession a Christian for he saith he is in the light and no doubt is so far in the light as that he cannot but
age whereas in secular matters every man followeth his particular occupation Tractant fabrilia fabri as the Poets expression is The Smith meddleth with his Anvill the Carpenter with his Rule the Shoomaker with his Last Sola Scripturarum arâ— est quam sibi omne vendicant The profound art of opening Scripture is that which all sorts presume to assume to themselves Every pratling Gossip and doting Foole and malapert Boy will be medling with the Scriptures and instead of deviding mangle it expounding wrest it taking upon them to teach whilst yet they have more need to learn Politicians say that Anarchie is worse then Tyrany and it were better to live where nothing then where all things are lawfull and truly in the Church it is hard to determine which is worse the Papisticall Tyrannie of forbidding all to read or the Anabaptisticall Anarchie of allowing all to expound the Scriptures To clâ—st up this How great is our happiness did or would we know who live in the bosome of such a Church which as she denyeth an unjust so she indulgeth to us our just liberty and how great is both our unhappiness and wickedness whilst some boldly intrench upon the one and more carelesly neglect the other Let it then be the practice of all both old and young to read these holy writings thinke it not enough to hear them read in the Church but In domibus vestris aut uos legite aut alios legentes requirite at home either read them your selves or cause them to be read to you let not any excuse themselves saying Non sum monachus I am no monke seculars are bound to this duty Non novi literas I am not book-learned the greater thine and thy Parents negligence and however thou maist obtain to have them read to thee And when in reading or hearing these sacred Books you meet with difficulties repaire to the Priest whose lips preserve knowledg knock once and again by Prayer for the spirit of illumination and in this case make use of Solomons counsell leane not to thy own understanding These things are written to you Fathers be not you strangers to them exercise your selves in these Books make them with David your delight and your counsellers they are written unto you young Men follow the Psalmists counsell and by taking heed to this word learn to clense your waies They are written to you little Children do you begin to acquaint your selves with them It is recorded for the praise of Timothy that from a Childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his first years wherein he was capable of learning and instruction he knew the holy Scriptures It is observed that the 119th Psalm is disposed according to the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet perhaps to intimate that Children when they began to learn their Alphabet should learn that Psalm The Jews as a learned Popish Bishop hath noted Filios suos quinquennes ad saera Biblia adaptabant began to acquaint their Children at five years of age with the Bible and pudeat Christianos what a shame is it for Christians not to begin as early as the Jews It was the charge Ignatius gave to the Parents that they should bring up their Children in the nurture of the Lord and to that end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should teach them the holy Scriptures What if Children cannot for the present understand yet they can remember what they read in the Scriptures and the reading of them maketh such impressions upon their minds which are of singular use to them afterwards nor is it any prophanation of those holy writings for Children to take them into their mouths though they cannot read them with that knowledg and consequently devotion as is required in and expected from young Men and Fathers It is very unlikely that those Children knew the meaning of Hosanna whom yet Christ forbade not to utter it It is both piety and prudence to deal with little Children according to their capacity let them first be accustomed to read and then to remember and by this meanes in due time they will be brought to understand and affect those holy writings Though withall prudence adviseth that in reading there be a graduall order observed beginning with such parcels of holy writ as are most necessary and easie to be known The Lords Prayer The Commandments The Sermon of Christ upon the Mount many of the Psalms of David Proverbs of Solomon and such like Portions of Scripture would first be taught to Children and young Men would be advised to be conversant in not attempting to look into the more darke and mysterious parts of Scripture till they have attained by being Catechized by hearing Sermons and other godly helps some good measure of divine knowledg and then in reading what they cannot understand with humility to admire and modesty to enquire into the sense and meaning of such Scriptures 2. But further If we refer this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write to that command of Love which is prescribed in the preceding Verses that which is here intimated is that Love is such a command as belongs to all sorts of Christians and ages of Men. 1. It belongs to all sorts of Christians little Children weake Christians are obliged to Love patience under the Cross joyfullness in tribulation spiritualness in duty and such like qualifications are not attained till we come to be young men nay Fathers but Brotherly Love is to be Practised by and is expected of them who are but little Children in Christianity Indeed this is one of the first graces which discovers it self in a Saint and even then when a weak Christian cannot say I beleeve in Christ yet he can say I Love my Brother Nor is this duty to be laid aside when we come to be young Men yea Fathers strong yea perfect Christians since as we abound in other graces so especially we must abound in this and the perfecting of a Christian consists much in the perfecting of his Love Indeed when many other graces shall cease Love shall remain the great employment of glorified Saints being to praise God and Love one another 2. It belongs to all ages of Men none but ought to practice and have need to be admonished of it The poyson of anger and hatred is apt to creep into us betimes little Children are prone to fall out and quarrel and fight one with another and young Men being in heat of blood very often boyle over with rage yea old Men are apt to be peevish and froward so that every age stands in need of this bridle of Love to restrain their passion one of the first lessons a little Childe is capable of learning is Love and old Men when they can do nothing else yet may Love it is that grace which is never out of season it is that grace which will fit all Sexes all sizes all Ages and is never out of fashion 3. Lastly If we take
this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write as a Preface to the following dehortation it implyeth the generall concernment of avoiding worldly Love 1. It concerneth all sorts of Christians the first part of that duty which the grace of God teacheth is to deny all ungoâ—â—â—iness and worldly lusts Self-deniall which includeth a renouncing of the world is the first step in the ladder of Christianity which Christ hath erected and yet withall it is that which even young men and fathers grown perfect Christians have need to be minded of It is very hard to walk upon snares and not be intangled nor have the best Christians their conversations so in Heaven but they are apt to be enamoured with earth and whilst they find strength to deny ungodliness they still find cause to complain of worldly lusts no wonder if St John write to all sorts Love not the world 2. It concerneth all ages Love of the world is that which begins betimes to take hold of our hearts little Children no sooner begin to know any thing but they are taken with these present visible sensuall Objects young men that are as it were entring upon the world have much to do in it and no marvell if they be too much taken with it nay which is both strange and usuall old Men though they are going out of the world do yet cling in their affections about the world herein their minds resemble their bodies which the older they grow still they bow down more towards the earth one wittily compareth them to the Rivers which the nearer they come to the Sea which is their end the broader they are and the more water they suck oh how greedy are many old Men of this world as if they were to run a new race of fourscore years longer when they are ready to drop into the Grave Quo minus viae restat eo plus viatici quaerunt the lesse way they have to go the more provision they crave for their journey Good reason then had our Apostle writing about this sinne to admonish all ages to beware of it And thus I have given a dispatch to the second Generall part of this Scripture the Act performed The last and greatest part yet remaineth to be diseussed in the following discourses THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 12. I write unto you little Children because your sinnes are forgiven you for his Names sake IT was the peculiar prerogative of the Disciples that they were fellows of Christs Colledg It is the common priviledg of all Christians that they are Students in Christs Church The studies wherein they are chiefly to be conversant are two namely of Faith and Repentance how to obtain pardon of sin past how to attain strength against sin for the fature These studies are each of them very choice and excellent and withall of that nature that they cannot be severed in vain doth he study for pardon who striveth not against sin and yet it is not future Obedience will satisfie for former guilt As therefore we must be solicitous for grace that sin may be prevented so we must be studious for mercy that guilt may be absolved To help us in both these studies namely To quicken our Repentance and to strengthen our Faith is the great designe of our Apostolicall Tutor in this Epistle in reference to the former he saith in the first Verse These things I write to you that you sin not and in regard of the latter he saith in the twelfth Verse I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven The Reasons of our Apostles writing to all Christians in generall and each age in particular are now to be handled 1. That with which I am to begin is the Reason of his writing to the little Children the Christians in generall as it is expressed in the close of the twelfth Verse Because your sins are forgiven you for his name sake For the further discussion whereof I shall consider it two waies As a Consolatory Assertion Your sins are forgiven you for his names sake As an Hortatory Reason enducing them to observe what he wrote to them in the word because These words Your sins are forgiven you for his name sake contain in them an excellent comfort a singular blessing concerning which we are to take notice of its Quality sins are forgiven Propriety your sins Efficiency for his name sake Of each in order with all perspicuous brevity beginning with 1. The Quality of the blessing here assured forgivness of sins it is the Subject which I have already had occasion to discourse of in the former Chapter but considering both the sweetness and the largeness of it I could not here pass it by Remission of sins is so sweet a comfort that like a pleasant tune it affects the more by the iteration and yet withall it is a Doctrine of such ample extent that notwithstanding what hath been already said there is somewhat still remaining to be said yea when I have said all I can I must confess my self unable fully to explicate the nature of it That I may give you a further account concerning this excellent benefit you must know that sin is to be considered three waies in it self in reference to God and to the sinner 1. There are two things observable to our present purpose in sin absolutely considered to wit its essence and its property the one whereof is constitutive and the other consecutive if it be allowable to make use of those phrases when we speak of a privation That wherein sin doth primarily consist is the breach of the Laws prescription that which doth inseparably attend upon it is its desert of the Laws curse now neither of these are properly the Object of forgiveness and the reason is plain because it is impossible ex naturâ rei and such as implyeth a contradiction that a sin should not be a breach of the Law or being a breach should not deserve the curse Indeed it is with the forgiven person in some respects and as to some accounts quasi as if his sin were no sin as if the Law had never been violated nor the penalty deserved the breach shall not be imputed to so as that the penalty shall be inflicted on him but the forgiven sin is in it self as truly a sin and as deserving punishment after as before it is one thing to acquit a malefactor as not guilty and another thing to absolve him from the punishment due to him for his guilt when God forgiveth a sinner he cannot be it spoken with an holy reverence peccatum non peccatum facere make a sin to be no sin and therefore those phrases which express forgiveness to be a taking away iniquity so as though sin be sought for it cannot be found yea a making Crimson Scarlet sins to be white as Snow and wooll are not to be pressed too rigidly but construed with a tanquam sin forgiven is as if it
question their Faith you shall find them very strong in confidence of being saved by Christ and yet if you examine their knowledge you shall finde them ignorant of that Christ by whom they believe to be saved Solomon saith A poore wise Childe is bâ—tter then an old and foolish King will not many knowing Children rise up in judgement one day against ignorant Fathers whilest a Childe of ten years old shall give a better account of Christian Religion then some old men of sixty I know not whither I shall chide or weep declaime against the folly or bewaile the misery of such old Men when I consider the dismall threatning uttered by St Paul That God will come in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that know him not and which will certainly render the account of these old men the greater and vengeance hotter who live within the Pale of the Church in that they have not only had time but meanes and opportunity of gaining this Heavenly knowledge but they neglect them Oh then you Fathers receive a word of admonition though whilest you were young men you were careless of divine things yet now surely it is time to look after them it is one of St Cyprians twelve horrid abuses Si sine religione senex esse inveâ—iatur for an old man to be irreligious and a stranger to Heavenly things you are almost at the end oâ— your daies on labour to know him which is from the begining your naturall life through Gods goodness is prolonged I but it must at length be ended let nothing content you without the knowledge of the true God and his Sonne Jesus Christ which is eternall life Why should you be as bad Apprentices that having served seaven years are still to learne their Trade heare so much and so long and yet know so little of Christ Assure your selves the only comforts of old age are Conscientia bene peractae vitae scientia Christi experimentalis the conscience of a well lead life when you are able to reckon not only daies and years but good workes done in those daies and filling up those years and chiefly the experimentall knowledge of Christ whereby as good old Simeon you embrace him in your armes This will be both your comfort and your honour An hoary head being a crown when it is found in a way of righteousness and knowledge As then God is pleased to adde to your daies do you adde to your knowledge And though old age cause your strength of body to cease yet strive that souls may more and more increase in this and all other graces of the holy Spirit 2. There is yet another fitness which would be considered in this Character and that is in reference to the matter about which he writeth especially the praecedent and subsequent Doctrines that thereby we may see what influence the right knowledg of Christ hath upon those excellent duties of contempt of the world and Love of the Brethren 1. Because you have known him which is from the begining love not the world It is that which may very well be urged upon a double account by an argument drawn 1. Ab Indecoro It is a very unbeseeming thing for you who have known him that is from the begining and have been so long Scholars in Christs Schoole to love the world That they who know no better should soare no higher it is no wâ—nder and therefore if Heathens Pagans Infidels should be earthly minded it is no more then what is to be expected but for them who know Christ and knowing him cannot but know what an excellency there is in him and what a vanity there is in the world to dote upon it is very incongruous A Bristol stone is very glorious in his eyes who never saw a Diamond but he would deservedly be accounted stupid who should prefer a Bristol stone before a Diamond all Christians especially Aged ones cannot but experimentally know Christs fulness and the worlds emptinesg and therefore it must needs be a very irrationall affection in them to Love the world 2. A Cantrario The knowledg of him that is from the begining and the Love of these things that have both begining and ending are contrary to and so inconsistent one with another and the reason is plain because as hath been already intimated the true knowledg of Christ is inseperably attended with Love to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loving is caused by seeing where the Object is amiable Christ is altogether Lovely so that it is impossible to see him and not to Love him The Orator saith of virtue that it is so desirable that if men could with bodily eyes behold it they would be ravished with it sure I am he that with spirituall eyes beholds Christ cannot but be enamoured with him Now the world must needs be vile to him to whom Christ is precious if the knowledg of Christ attract us to him it cannot but weane us from the world so that whosoever professeth to know Christ and loveth the world he giveth his profession the lye and plainly discovereth his knowledg to be such which though it have light hath no heat and is none of that knowledg which Christianity cals for 2. Because you have known him which is from the begining loue the Brethren and this likewise is that which may be strongly pressed by a double enforcement 1. Ab Objectâ— The knowledg of him who is from the begining carryeth with it a knowledg of that Love which he had from the begining toward us and did manifest in the fulness of time to us and no such obligation to Love as Love of our Love to the Brethren as Christs Love to us It is very observable how St Paul perswading to walk in this path of brotherly love doth not only direct but incite to it by Christs example But walk in Love as Christ hath loved us Indeed he that knoweth the Love of Christ cannot but be in some measure sensible how free and how full it is and surely that Love which is both sine merito and sine modo to use St Bernards phrase both undeserved and unmeasurable may well engage to a return of Love in whatsoever way he who hath so loved us should expect and direct iâ— 2. Ab Effecto Inasmuch as Brotherly Love is though not an immediate yet a genuine effect of the knowledg of Christ the account whereof take briefly thus Our Brethren to wit by grace are Christs Brethren and if we love Christ we cannot but love his relations All Christian Brethren have the Image of Christ stamped upon them and if we love Christ we cannot but love his Image where then there is a true and sincere affection to Christ there cannot but be a love of the Brethren and where there is a saving knowledge of Christ there as hath been already manifested cannot but be a sincere love to him That therefore it may appeare our knowledge of
word as the Farme and the Oxen kept them in the Gospell from coming to the Feast or if not so it keepeth us from loving and conforming to it as the thornes in the parable did choake the good seed Herods lust of voluptuousness Judas his lust of covetousness would not let the word take place in their hearts though it entred into their ears indeed it is impossible that the heart which is clogged with the weight of worldly Love should be lift up to Gods Commandments 2. Again If we will overcome the Devill we must not Love the world there being no stronger engine by which the Devill gets and keeps possession of our hearts When he would allure us to any sin what are his enchantments but the pleasures of the world when hee would affright us from any duty what are his weapons but the reproaches and persecutions of the world so that in order to this victory nothing is more needfull then the alienating of our affections from the world 2. Love the Brethren because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the wicked one Where there is strength of grace there cannot but be fervent Love as to God so to the Brethren it is for weake and sickly persons to be froward none are more prone to contention and faction then those that are weak in grace and knowledge strong Christians are ever studiouâ— of amity and unity Indeed this is the way to increase our spirituall strength and therefore when St Paul adviseth to be strong he presently addeth Let all things be done in love and charity is called by him the bond of persection Again If the word of God abide in us we cannot but love one another Charity is one of the principall fruits which this seed produceth a lesson which this Schoole Master teacheth Excellent to this purpose is that saying of Lactantius Da mihi hominem iracundum uno verbo Dei reddam placidum ut ovem This word turns Leopards into Kids Lions into Lambes and sweetly cements hearts together in one Once more If we overcome the wicked one we cannot but love our Brethren the Devill is that envious one who soweth the Tares of dissention though he preserveth unity in his own Kingdome yet he endeavoureth to create and frame discord among men so that as we cannot more gratifie the Devill then by malice so neither can we better overcome him then by charity The truth is every envious and malicious person is the Devils slave but the charitable Christian is his conquerour 3. Having thus run through the reasons which our Apostle alledgeth why he wrote to Fathers and young Men it now remaineth that we give a brief dispatch to the last which is the reason why he wrote to little Children as it is expressed in the close of the thirteenth Verse in those words Because you have known the Father In the handling whereof I shall briefly consider three things The Quality specified to know the Father The Energy intimated knowing the Father is that which engageth not to love the world but to love the Brethren The Congruity to the persons mentioned little Children you have known the Father 1. Having had occasion already once and again to insist upon this grace of divine knowledg it will not be needfull to enlarge only know in brief that 1. It is no other then an Evangelicall knowledg of God which our Apostle here intends to know the Father is to know God to be the Father of Christ and in and through him a mercifull Father to all true Christians It is one thing to know God as a Creator or as a Law-giver and another to know him as a Father so only the Gospell revealeth him and accordingly we come to know him 2. It is less then an operative knowledg so to know the Father as to depend on him for Fatherly protection from all dangers and provision of all necessaries as to give him filiall love fear service subjection to all his Fatherly commands and submission to all his Fatherly chastisements They that know thy name saith the Psalmest will trust in thee and not only trust but serve and honour thee 3. It is not a graduall but initiall knowledg It is not unworthy our observation that the knowledg of God and Christ is a qualification attributhd both to the Father and the Children Indeed God is both the â— and the â— the first and last and therefore he must be known by us in our first and last age but yet these two knowledges differ in degrees old Christians have a deep draught whereas little Chidren have but a taste of this Heavenly nectar and therefore the expression is varied Fathers are said to know him that is from the begining as being well versed in the misteries of Christian Religion whereas little Children are only said to know the Father as having but some generall apprehensions of God reconciled in Christ 2. This knowledg of the Father among many others cannot but produce these two choice effects to wit contempt of the world and the love of the Brethren On the one hand as the twinkling stars are obscured by the light of the glorious Sun and therefore they disappear in the day time so the beames of this Heavenly knowledg darken all Creature excellencies in our apprehension and consequently our estimation of and affection towards them must needs be diminished on the other hand this fountain of celestiall knowledge cannot but send forth streams of love and that as chiefly towards the Father so secondarily to all who are the Children of this Father and so our Brethren 3. This Qualification of knowing the Father is very congruously attributed to the Children Infantibus pueris nihil magis necessarium quam ut patrem habeant cognoscant saith Ferus well nothing is more needfull for Infants and Children then that they should have and know the Father The weakness of little Children needs the conduct and government of another they cannot consult for their own safety and benefit and therefore their Parents undertake it for them By this means it is that the Childe first taketh notice of his Father and Mother according to that of the Poet Incipe parve puer risu cognsocere Matrem and hence those pretty Monosyllables by which Father and Mother are exprest are first taught and learnt by their Children so soon as they can speak And surely as it becometh little Ones so soon as they are capable to know and own their Parents so is it an amiable excellency in them to attaine some knowledge of God as their Father nothing more naturall to Children when once reason begins to act in them then to defire knowledge no knowledge to which a Childe sooner taketh then that of the Father but oh how joyfull and happy a thing is it when through instruction they begin to apprehend him who is the Father of us all and this is the
of this world at our own pleasure but waite Gods leisure saying with good old Simeon Lord lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Sapiens non debet fugerè vitâ sed exire said Seneca A wise man must not breake prison doores only be willing to go forth when they are set open We cannot stay longer in and we must not go sooner out of this world then God pleaseth We must not needlesly devest our selves of those comforts which God affoards us in this life since it were both unthankfulness to the giver whom we basely undervalue by casting away his gifts and an injury to our selves the receivers who hereby should be difinabled from being so seruiceâ—ble as we might in our generation That forsaking of House Brethren Sisters Father Mother Wife Children Lands to which Christ promiseth an hundreth fold and eternall life is when it is for his names sake So that either we must deny his name or lose life and leave these secular injoyments otherwise the generall prohibition is not possess not but love not 3. It is very aptly observed by St Austin that the Apostle doth not say Nolite uti mundo but Nolite diligere mundum do not use the world but do not love it He that not loving the world useth it useth it as not abusing it Inasmuch as he useth it not for it selfe but in order to that which he loueth as the Father excellently enlargeth So long as we live in we cannot but have use of the world and the things in it we stand in need of them we cannot subsist without them and consequently not only may but must make use of them But as â—eda well glosseth Vtamur mundo ad necessitatem non ad volnntatem Use the world for the supplying your necessities but not for satisfying your lust With Gideons three hundred Souldiers we may lap the waters of this world with our tongues but we must not with the rest bow down our bodies to drinke of them One hath wittily observed of the three ages of man that Children â—reep on all soure being unable to stand of themselves young men go on two legs and old men on three being necessitated to use their staffe it may be here applyed wicked men are wholly carryed downwars to this world the Saints in Heaven trample upon the world the godly whilst in this world use it only as a staffe for their necessary support Excellent to this purpose is that of St Austin concerning these temporall things His tanquam tabulâ in fluctibus bene utendo cavebimus We must looke upon them as so many plankes in the waves which we neither rest upon as firme nor yet cast away as needless but use as helps to carry us to the shore 4. It is observed by Suidas that the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in the Text hath two significations the one whereof is generall and the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting only an ordinary affection the other speciall amounting to as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be so pleased with any Object that we desire nothing else according to this that note of St Austin upon the Text is very apposite Non te prohibet Deus amare ista Sed non diligere ad beatitudinem It is not every kinde of love which is here prohibited but so to love them as to make them our chiefest good For the further explicating of which be pleased to know That 1. Love as an Ancient hath well defined it is Delectatio cordis ad aliquid per desiderium currens per gandium acquiescens the enlargement of the heart toward any Object so as to run to it by desire and rest in it by delight So that indeed love is a compounded mixt affection made up of desire in craving and joy in having the Object we love and accordingly some Criticks observe of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used that it is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be very earnest after and pleased with that which is beloved 2. It is not unlawfull to look upon the world and the things in it as Objects of our love both in regard of desire and delight When our blessed Saviour command us to pray Give us this day our daily bread by which Syneâ—doâ—hically all temporall conveniences are intended He doth hereby plainly intimate that we may desire them prayer being an expression of desire When Solomon saith and that not in the person of an Epicure There is nothing better for a man then that he should eate and drinke and that he should make his soul injoy good in his labour What doth he but insinuate that to delight our selves in earthly things is allowable Indeed whatever is good may justly be the Object of love and consepuently when absent of desire when present of delight so that inasmuch as there is a goodness and that originally implanted by God in those things which are the works of his hands they cannot but rationally attract our love 3. But then lastly There is a great deale of difference between ordinata Charitas and inordinata cupiditas an ordinate charity and an inordinate love and though that is commendable this is to be condemned so that the true meaning of this prohibition will best appear in two propositions 1. Love not the world nor the things of the world that is When you want them desire not inordinately after them Desire them we may but not 1. In an unjust way so to covet these things as to seek them perfasque nefasque by indirect and unlawfull meanes that we choose rather to breake the rules of the word then to want the things of the world is sinfull and abominable the streames of our affection may move towards the world but then it must be in the right channell in Gods way only in the use of those meanes which he alloweth us 2. With an undue measure so to long for any thing in this world as that we will not be content without if like Rachell that cryed Give me Children or I die nor yet content with it like the Horse Leech that still cryeth give give is immoderate and consequently inordinate the streame of our affections after this world must not rise too high so as to overflow the bankes 3. To an unfiting end when we crave the things of this world upon base and sordid accounts Asking as St James saith to consume them upon our lusts our love is exorbitant the streame of our affection toward the world must not turn aside into by creeks but run into the maine Ocean of Gods glory 2. Love not the world nor the things of it that is When you have them delight not inordinately in them Delight in them we may but not Sine Deo without God so as if we enjoy them it matters not for Gods presence Supra
command whither it be to avoid or do This is evident in the prohibition here given by St John concerning worldly love which he contents not himself barely to propound but strongly presseth as necessary because else we cannot love the Father and as just because this world is of a short continuance For all that is in the world c. And the world passeth away c. In handling the Argumentation we have dispatcht the maine of the first Reason to wit the principall confirmation which is drawn from the incompossibility of the love of the Father with the love of the world and now because this may seem a very strange assertion our Apostle doth not only assert but prove it in the close of the sixteenth Verse which I am in order to discuss And it is that which I call The Collaterall Conformation as it is set down in those words is not of the Father but is of the world for the fuller handling whereof I shall consider it both Absolutely and Relatively 1. If we look upon this clause absolutely we shall finde the design of it to discover the principle and originall of the All that is in the world and that both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Negatively The All in the world is not of the Father Indeed if we understand this All of those things which are the Objects of our lusts this Negation must have a limitation 1. Pleasures Riches Honours must be considered either in themselves and their own nature or as they allure through their externall beauty to inordinate lust in which latter respect they are not of God since they were never made by him for that end to be as it were the baâ—ds of lust 2. Either as lawfully or unlawfully acquired in the latter notion they are not of the Father except that it is by his permission they are enjoyed which is no less true of all wickedness that is acted in the former they are blessings of God yet of his left not his right hand and so are dona Dei the gifts of God but not Patris of the Father There are some things which God giveth as a Father in speciall love only to his Children such are grace and glory There are other things which he giveth as a God out of common bounty to enemies as well as Children and such are food and rayment wealth and preferment in which respect at best in a strict sense they are not of the Father But I rather conceive that this Negative is to be understood of the lusts after these things to which agreeth that of St Austin We know that the Apostle did not meane this world the Heavens and the Earth with the things in them when he saith All that is in the world is not of the Father Indeed the poyson is not in the flower but in the Spider which sucketh it nor are the things themselves but the lusts after them evill and consequently not of the Father nor yet is all lust after those things to be denied to be of the Father There is implanted in every living Creature an appetite after those things which are sutable to its nature Now the nature of man being partly Angelicall and partly Bestiall Spirituall in its upper and sensuall in its lower faculties there could not but be in man as created Inclinatio ad sensibilia an inclination to sensible Objects But withall This lust was such as was neither in it selfe evill nor did of it selfe incline to evill I know I am here fallen upon a Controverse whilst it is affirmed by the Romanists with others that man in puris naturalibus in his pure naturals had ex necessaria materiae conditione from the condition of his matter such a concupiscence which rendered him prone to evill and did need supernaturali quodam fraeno a golden Bridle of supernaturall grace to restraine it It being here urged upon them that this concupiscence being naturall is of God and if it need a bridle it is apt to be irregular and exorbitant which exorbitancie must needs reflecâ— on God himself who made man of such a temper their only evasion is that it is from the condition of the matter praeter intentionem divinam besides the intention of the Maker by which means whilst they endeavour to vindicate Gods purity they calumniate his wisdome it being no other then the voice of folly to say non putaram I did not thinke of or intend such an event I cannot therefore but look upon it as most safe to assert with the Orthodox that mans naturall concupiscence was not apt to be irregular Nec fraenum nec calcar desiderabatur There was no such tardity in the sensitive part as should need a spurre nor yet any such impetuousness as should require a Bridle For the clearing whereof know that the sensitive appetite of man being borne sub regne under the dominion was to be governed sceptrotionis by the command of reason so that whereas it is ranaturall in a bruit to be carried towards sensuall Objects juxta impetum in a way of violence it is naturall to man to bend towards them juxta imperium according to the dictate of reason Upon this account even by the Philosopher sensuality in man is asserted to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasons servant and accordingly Damascen is express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rationall part doth naturally rule the irrationall so that though in man there be a necessary desire of things sensible yet it is as Aquinas well Secundum modum ordinem rationis in that measure and order which reason prescribeth the sensitive powers being not factious or rebellious but readily subject to the higher powers that is the intellectuals The Proneness therefore of the sensitive appetite to extravagancy is not naturall but contranaturall not from the Creation but by transgression and of those lusts which the vitiated concupiscense in fallen man doth send forth is it here affirmed that they are not of the Father Indeed that any sinfull lust should be of the Father is inconsistent with the. 1. Purity of his nature which cannot endure must less effect the least in 2. Verity of his word which prohibiteth and threatneth all sin and either those threats are not the declarations of his reall intention which is Blasphemy to imagine or he cannot be the Author of any wicked inclinations 3. Equity of his punishments it being as Fulgentius excellently most unjust for God not to cleare the guilty if he made them so And therefore for the preventing Objections and further evidencing of this truth be pleased to know 1. It is one thing to make use of mens lusts and another to stirre up those lust in men It pleased God to accomplish his own ends by Pharoahs proud lust in punishing Israell and Judas his covetous lust in betraying Christ but he was no way the cause of these lusts Thus whilest the holiness of the Father abhorreth evill the wisdome
1 Upon the Antichrists which then abounded in which respect there was so much the more need at that time to take heed they were not with-drawn from Christ and therefore saith the Apostle now abide in him Here is the faith and patience of the Saints saith St. John of persecuting times Here is the faith and constancy of the Saints may wee say of Heretical times then to abide in when many goe from Christ cannot but be very acceptable to him for this he commended the Angel of the Church of Pergamus I know thy works and where thou dwellest where Satans seat is and thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith it is a small matter to be faithful to Christ in those dayes and places where Christianity flourisheth but the trial of our faithfulnesse is when we are in the midst of Apostates and Seducers He is the loyal Subject who is true to his Prince in Rebellious times and hee is the sound Christian who abideth in Christ in antichristian times where Heresie and Tyranny prevail there is Satans seat or rather throne and to adhear to Christ as our King where Satan hath his throne is constancy indeed Surely what is said of Pergamus may too truly bee affirmed of England at this day it is the place where the Devil playeth Rex mis-leading by Heretical Seducers multitudes into damnable errours and now beloved to abide in Christ and cleave to the truth will be both his and our honour 2 Upon the Christians who had already embraced and hitherto adhered to him whom therefore the Apostle bespeaketh now abide in him that is still continue faithful and hold out to the end Hee had told them before it is the last hour and hee would not have them fail at last That Coat which Joseph had from his Father is called by St. Gregory Talaris tunica a Coat down to his heels such must the coat of perseverance bee not to the knees or legges only but to the very heels Hee that begins a race nay that runs three parts of the way will yet lose the prize if hee give over before hee come to the goal as St. James saith of patience so say I of perseverance let it have its perfect work Oh my brethren I fear it may bee said to too many amongst us in the language of St. Paul to the Galathians Have you suffered so many things in vain if it bee yet in vain Have you so long maugre all opposition adhered to the truth and will you now by a cowardly faintnesse lose the glory and reward of all your former services Know you not that the grace of the Theater is the last Scene and it is the evening that crowneth the day cast not away therefore your confidence but as you have hitherto so now abide in him and which would not be passed by it was not long that this time of trial should last it was but for an hour and since they had been faithful so long he would have them hold out a little longer Could you not watch with me one hour said Christ to his Disciples shall wee not abide in Christ one hour I have served my Jesus said Polycarpus these many years shall I now desert him it is but for a while a very little while as here in St. Johns phrase a moment in St. Pauls and therefore now abide in him To bring this Part of the Text to a period 1 That wee may bee enabled constantly to abide in Christ there is need especially of two graces namely a strong faith in and an ardent love to Christ Hee that is fully assured that Christ and Christ alone is the root of all graces the fountain of all happinesse the foundation of all good and that as St. Peter expresseth there is no salvation in any other will certainly abide in Christ whatever befall him Hee that hath an endeared affection to Christ whose soul cleavâ—th to him as the soul of Jonathan did to David will not leave him nor suffer himself either by fair or foul means to bee withdrawn from him Where there is a voluntary separation between man and wife wee may safely conclude there is want of affection to each other in both or either since love being a desire of union cannot admit of a dis-junction and therefore let our prayer indeavour be that our faith may be strengthened our love inflamed and thereby our perseverance lengthened 2 Of how great concernment it is that we should abide in Christ himself hath told us in that fore-mentioned place of the Gospel where hee fully sets before us the advantage on the one hand and the damage on the other If we abide in him he will abide in us if we abide in him we shall abide in his love if wee abide in him we shall be enabled to bring forth the fruit of good works to his Fathers glory and consequently our own foelicity But if wee do not abide in him wee shall bee barrâ—â— and unfruitful cast out and withered and our end at last will be to be burned But what need I go further than the Text wherein wee meet with a very strong and pressing motive which is the last part and cometh now to be handled as it is laid down in those words That when hee shall appear c. In which there is something Supposed namely the comming and appearance of Christ when hee shall appear and again at his comming Implyed namely our appearance at that day in that it is said Before him Expressed namely the confident appearing before Christ of those who abide in him that we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his comming 1 That which is here supposed by our Apostle is that There is another comming of Christ when hee shall appear That the Hee here spoken of is Christ is so evident that it needs no discussion and that you may know of what comming and appearance St. John speaketh take notice of a threefold comming of Christ Virtual Spiritual Personal of his Power of his Spirit of his Person 1 Whensoever our blessed Lord is pleased to make known his Power in the deliverance of his Church and vengeance on his enemies Hee is then said to come and appear and of this comming wee finde mention both in the Gospels and Epistles many places there are which may and some which must bee so understood Thus when Christ saith There are some here standing which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man comming in his Kingdome and again concerning the beloved Disciple If I will that hee tarry till I come what is that to thee it cannot bee rationally construed of any other than his comming to destroy the Jews that crucified him and deliver the Christians that Worshipped him 2 Whensoever our blessed Jesus is pleased by his holy Spirit to manifest himself to the soul of a beleever inlightening the minde
then sit upon thy face If therefore thou wouldst stand then doe not run away now if you would then lift up your heads doe not now turn your backs now abide in him that you may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 2 There is only one thing remaineth to bee dispatched and that is the extent of the Persons in that the verb is in the first person plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee may have I and you whereby the Apostle intimateth that his confidence or shame at Christs coming did much depend upon their abiding or not abiding in him On the one hand the Peoples constancy shall then bee the Pastors glory in which respect St. Paul calleth the Philippians his joy and his crown and hee saith of the Thessalonians For what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoycing are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for yee are our glory and our joy they were not only his joy but his glory not onely his glory but his crown of glorying for so the Greek is best rendered of whom hee should glory at the last day as his crown Labor discipuli in opere bono coronam dat Magistro judice Christo saith St. Ambrose the Scholars labour shall bee the Masters honour in the Judgement of Christ On the other hand the Peoples Apostacy shall then be the Ministers ignominy A foolish Son saith the Wise man is a calamity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint reads it a disgrace to his Father so are a foolish giddy People to their Spiritual Father indeed if the Minister discharge his duty he shall not have any cause of shame as to himself as if he had been negligent or unfaithful but he shall be ashamed of the People and as it were unwilling to own them The barren tree reproacheth the Gardner the ignorant Scholar disgraceth his Teacher and though the righteous Judge will not lay the Peoples Apostacy to the charge of the faithful Minister yet thereby his glorying is made voyd And therefore my dearly beloved if you have any reverence to the Judge before whom you must appear if you have any respect to your Minister who would gladly then have cause to boast of you and if you have any regard to your own comfort honour happinesse in that day when you shall appear before Christ I exhort intreat beseech you that you would adhere constantly to and abide firmly in him whom you have beleeved to the end of your days And thus through Divine assistance I am come to the end of this excellent period There is indeed another verse in this Chapter but as Beza well glosseth it is Transitio ad sequentem exhortationem a passage to the following exhortation and begins that Discourse which is prosecuted in several verses of the next Chapter and therefore with Cajetan I shall look upon it rather as the first verse of that than the last of this Nothing therefore now remainteh but that as I trust you have hitherto so to beg of you that you would still renew your prayers to God for me that if it be his will and may be for his glory and the Churches good I may make further progresse and in due time finish this work of expounding this Epistle And may both you and I so walk in those steps of this way namely confessing and forsaking our sins keeping Christs commandments and imitation of his pattern Love of our Brother contempt of the World and perseverance in the faith of Christ that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Amen Amen An Alphabetical Table of the chiefest things handled in the Book A THE Abuse of a thing is no just reason of a total disusâ— Page 229 Abiding in Christ See Perseverance Adultery a lust of the flesh 347 The Affections are in themselves indifferent 325. The Age of man threefold 214 In what sense Be leevers know All things 562 Ambition a great sin 395. one cause of Heresy 509 Gods Anger against forgiven sinners is not judicial but paternal 246 To desire what is Anothers how lawful and unlawful 371 Annointing See Unction Antichrists foretold by Christ 495. two sorts of them 497. many of them in the Apostles time 499 who is so most properly 492 493 Antiquity is that which is from the beginning 91 94 99 Apostacy its causes 508. how far incident to the true members of the Church 528 529. if total an argument of hypocrisie 574. by it men are discovered to bee Hypocrites 578. it is either from the Faith or Communion of the Church 507 508. wee should not bee much dismayed although we behold men apostatizing 527. Apostates shall bee ashamed at Christs coming 751 752. Apparrel in it self indifferent 400. when too costly too fashionable sinful 401. a base thing to bee proud of 399 Appearing of Christ see Coming when hee shall appear wee must all appear before him 745 746 Arrogancy puffeth men up with self-conceit 392 393. a cause of heresie 510 Assurance a reflex knowledge 62. is onely in respect of our selves 63. it is not meerly conjectural nor yet perfect 64 65. many have it not who yet are in Christ 66 it is attainable and being attained exceeding comfortable 68 69. by what means 71 72 73 B. BOasting of our selves an effect of pride 398 Blasphemy worse than Atheism 436 Brother in what sence all men and more especially all Christians are Brethren 143 144. more particularly Ministers and People 79 80 Brotherly Love see Love C. CHildren how great care ought to bee taken for their instruction 222 223 312 313. ought to know their Heavenly Father and why 310 315. in what respects wee must bee like them and in what not 206 207 Christ a perfect pattern of grace 51. in what sence the Image of God 622. how from the beginning 261 to 264. The Holy one 554 555. his great Love to us 118 119 Christians how said to bee in Christ 40. and to abide in hâ—m 43 739. the faelicity of their being and abiding in him 42. They are in vain so called who are not like to Christ 58. they are of different degrees 205. b they have an unction 553. their state far better than that of the Jews 7â—3 Church many in it who are not of it 524 525. many in it who depart from it 504 505. the degrees of casting out of it 506. particular Churches have their periods 488. multitude no note of a true one 499 Commands given by Christ as well as promises 12. they must bee obeyed because they are his 13 14. in what sense impossible to bee obeyed 16. why they are called his word 31. Coming of Christ three fold 743. his personal double 744. one end of his first is to bee an example 52. the difference between his first and second coming 745 Company evil to bee avoided 322 360 681.