before If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him it is as true the love of his Mother the Church is not in him Indeed in the Primitive times it so fell out that by reason of Persecution they could not cleave to the Church unless they were willing to leave the world and no wonder if the love of the world caused many of them to leave the Church 2 But more particularly 1 The lust of the flesh was a special cause of their Apostacy the Churches bounds were too narrow her Lawes too strict for those licentious Antichrists Indeed it is frequently observable that the great Rabbies against the Church are extraordinary Chaplaines to the Trencher St. Paul describing those false Teachers saith they were such as did serve their owne bellies nay more whose God is their belly St. Peter characterizeth them to bee such as did count it a pleasure to ryot in the day time having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin such as did allure through the lust of the flesh through much wantonnesse in a word hee compareth them to Doggs and Swine and calls them the Servants of corruption Finally St. Jude affirmeth of those Separatists that they were sensual so great affinity hath Epicurisme with Antichristianisme and Sensuality with Heresie 2 The lust of the eyes and that in both notions is no less an incentive of this sinful departure For 1 Curiosity hath ever been a nurse of error Prurigo sciendi scabies ecclesiae the itch of knowing more than wee should proveth too often an Heretical scab when men are not content with truths revealed no wonder if they wander into by-paths and lose themselves in a maze of folly Melior est fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria scientia was a good saying of the Master of the Sentences a modest ignorance is better than a presumptuous knowledge as we must not be too credulous in receiving what is delivered so neither curious in prying into what is concealed it is not seldome seen that as Thales gazing on the Starres fell into a pit so men that meddle with Divine secrets fall into the pit of errour 2 But that which hath ever proved the most usual source of Apostacy is Avarice observe the Apostolical character of the Antichristian Teachers and you shall still finde this to be one they are destitute of the truth saith St. Paul to Timothy supposing that gain is godlinesse and again the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith They teach things which they ought not saith the same Apostle to Titus for filthy Lucres sake Through covetousnesse they with feigned words make Merchandize of you saith the Apostle Peter and again an heart they have exercised with covetous practices which have forsâ—â—k the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Beor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse Thus Ignatius St. Johns contemporary complained of some that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather Merchants of Christ than Christians indeed carrying about the name of Christ fraudulently handling the Word of Christ deceitfully mingling with smooth words poysonous errours Thus St. Cyprian accused that Apostatizing Heretick Novatus of whom he saith that hee was avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus not only covetous but ravenous and insatiably greedy of gain And Isidorus observing that the Novatians stiled themselves the pure saith Mundams se potius quam mundos vocarent they should have called themselves not Puritans but Mammonists And however the Antichristian Apostates of our age have other pretences to wit of purity and godlinesse yet who so diveth into the bottome of their departure from the Church shall finde it to be the enriching themselves especially with the Sacrilegious spoyls of her Lands and Revenues It is a notable saying of Salust concerning avarice that it subverts fidelity and honesty it teacheth men to neglect God and make sale of every thing and what he found true in the Common-wealth we may in the Church that the love of gain causeth men to renounce the faith and they stick not to sell their Religion their Consciences their Souls for money 3 Adde to the two former that which must by no means in this case be left out as having a great hand in it namely The pride of life and that double 1 An arrogant self-conceit too often causeth men to depart from the Church one sort of the Hereticks in the Apostles time were the Gnosticks who were so called from their vain affectation and opinion of their owne knowledge no wonder if St. Pauls advise is not to think of our ownselves more highly than wee ought It is the observation of the Reverend and Learned Hooker that the chief cause of those Heresies which infected the Easterne Church was the restlesse wits of the Graecians ever more proud of their owne curious and subtile inventions which having once contrived they knew how plausibly to vent and Eusebius informeth us of that fore-mentioned Heretick Novatus that he was a man blown up with pride and self-conceit and Vincentius Lyrinensis of Nestorius that such was his scelerata presumptio daring boldnesse as to boast himself the first and only man Thus doe Hereticks and Schismaticks go out from because they account themselves above others above Fathers Councils Antiquitie Authority Church Scriptures all according to that proud speech of Abailardus Omnes alii sic ego autem non sic All others think thus but I think not so 2 An haughty desire of Honour and greatnesse which because they cannot obtain in the Church they seek after by going out of it That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius calls him ring-leader of Heresy Simon Magus would bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one and therefore broached those hellish doctrines Diotrephes loved the preheminence and that opens his mouth in prating against S. John It were easy to instance in Donatus Arrius and others who aspiring after dignities and being discontented the one that Cecilian Bishop of Carthage the other that Alexander Bishop of Alexandria were preferred into those seats which they aimed at did thereupon desert the Catholick Church look as through ambition it was that the Devil himself stood not in the truth so hee still carrieth his instruments to this pinacle whence hee throweth them down into errours And thus I have given you a brief portraicture both of the crime and its causes of which these Antichrists are accused They went out from us This heinous charge is that which the Papists at this day draw up against us because wee have deserted them condemning us as Hereticks Schismaticks Apostates and such as have forsaken the communion of the Christian Catholick and Apostolick Church But how causless and unjust thâ—s accusation is hath been both of old and
of darkness yea it is the strict charge he layeth upon the Thessalonians Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly we ought as much to hate familiarity with the wicked as to dread upon burning coals or go into an infected house and therefore this kind of hatred is not here intended 4. Once more All hatred of enmity in respect of others is not to be condemned if they be enimies not so much to us as to the Church yea God himself and this not out of ignorance but malice and so implacable we may we ought to be enemies to them Holy David hath set us a pattern hereof when speaking to God he saith Do not I hate them oh Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with them that rise up against thee I bate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Hence no doubt are those imprecations and curses which we meet with in the Psalmes wherein we finde that holy man wishing not only disapointment to the hopes inâ—atuation to the counsels but destruction to the persons of Zions adversaries And surely thus far we may and ought to imitate him as in generall to pray against and wish the ruine of all the Churches irreconciliable adversaries though as to particulars we must take heed of going too far in this way it being difficult if not impossible for us determinately to assert concerning any one that he is an implacable enemie of God and Religion and yet when we see one who with Julian hath professed himself to be a Christian Brother and so far Apostatizing as openly to prosecute Christianity with utmost fury notwithstanding manifold convictions or who still pretending to be a Brother oppugneth with no less virulency though more subtilty the Christian Religion in its Orthodox profession swallowing up her revenues forbidding her publique services stopping the mouths of her Preachers suffering blasphemies and heresies to obscure her plucking up the pillars which should uphold her and persecuting all that embrace her and all this against clear convictions which he either hath or might have did he not shut his eyes together with frequent and multiplyed admonitions since we can have very little or no hopes of such a mans conversion we may and ought to desire of God if he will not please to convert him to confound not only his devices but his person and to cut him off from the land of the living only we must take heed to the frame and temper of our spirit that this our hatred of and wishing ill to him purely proceed from a love to Gods Church and a zeal for his glory not out of any personall or private respect to our own revenge 2. Having thus dispatched the first way â— proposed to tread in Namely the restriction and exclusion I shall now step into the other path and let you see the extent and enlargement of this sin in these following assertions 1. There are two sins namely envy and malice which are as it were the ingredients of this hatred St Paul seemeth to intimate so much when he first mentioneth malice and envy as the species and then hatred as the genus living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another And indeed since hatred being opposed to love is both a nilling good and willing evill to our Brother it must needs include in it both these For 1. Envy is as Aquinas from Damascen well defineth it Tristitia de alienis bonis a sorrow for the good of another To this purpose Gregory Nyssen putting the question what is the cause of this disease answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Brothers prosperity for which reason Plutarch compareth it to a bleare eye which is offended with the light and the envious man is fitly resembled to an Archer who hath still some white paper or cloth for his marke at which he shooteth now whence doth this sorrow arise but from the act of hatred which consists in nilling since because I nill the good to my Brother which he hath therefore I am troubled that he hath it and hence it is that the Aegyptians envying the Israelites multitude in Aegypt is called their hating them when it is said He turned their heart to hate his people Indeed envy is an affection made up of griefe and hatred griefe for the thing and hatred of the person and the hatred of the one is the cause of griefe at the other Malice is as Justinian well expresseth it Improba adversus proximum cogitatio a wicked thought against our Neighbour or if you will have it in fewer yet fuller words it is nocendi desiderium a desire to hurt and injure our Brother in any kinde and this is the proper act of hatred which as it doth connote a nilling good so it doth principally note a willing evill This is observable in Esau of whom the Text saith he hated Jacob and if you will know how that appeareth the end of the Verse tels you I will stay my Brother Jacob. In this regard the Fish among the Aegyptians is made an Hieroglyphicke of hatred because of all Creatures it is most greedy to devoure and hatred fils the minde with injurious and devouring desires 2. Though the speciall Object of our love be our Brother by the second Adam yet the prohibition of hatred extends to our Brother by the first Adam we must not think that if we be kind to those of the Christian Religion we may exercise hostility towards Turks and Pagans It is true the Jews were enemies to the Nations round about them yea did puâ—sue them to an utter extirpation but they had an express warrant from Heaven for it and therefore their practice is no pattern till we can shew the like warrant we cannot without breach at once both of equity and charity under any pretences whatsoever invade the possessions or destroy the persons of the most barbarous Savages But yet still in this as in other sins the quality of the Object addeth to the quantity of the offence and though it be a sin to hate any man it is a greater sin to hate a Christian and the more of Christianity there is in him the more malignity there is in our hatred since the better the Object the worse the act and yet further though it be an haynous sin to hate a Christian upon any account yet to hate him because he is a Christian or because he is a more exact and conscientious Christian then our selves is the highest degree of this hatred and that which borders upon the unpardonable sâ—n against the holy Ghost 3. This hatred of our Brother which is here forbidden is not only of him whilst he is our friend but when he becometh our neâ— Indeed it is an high aggravation of our hatred when it is of oâ—â— that loveth us but it is no
things of God which a natural man may know but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of the Spirit of God to wit the truths which are purely Evangelical hee receiveth not nor is it said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not finde them out but when they are found out and revealed to him hee doth not receive them nor is it only a reception of them into his will but understanding which is intended for it followeth hee cannot know them nor is it onely said hee doth not but hee cannot it being impossible for him meerly by the help of natural reason to attain the knowledge of them and this because they are spiritually discerned that is the Spirit of God which revealeth them must also inable to discern them Indeed Socinus would explain the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out the things of the Spirit of God but this notion of the word findeth no parallel in the New Testament nay is against the nature of the thing for receiving supposeth some thing offered which when it is applied to Doctrins the offering is the revealing them nor is it lesse incongruity to interpret this of St. Paul hee receiveth not that is hee findeth not out than if one should expound that of S. James receive the ingrafted word that is finde it out which will so much the more appear if you observe the reason annexed why the natural man receiveth them not to wit because they are foolishnesse to him and if these things were to bee found out how could the natural man apprehend them to bee foolishnesse I have been so much the longer in the Explication of this Scripture because it is an explication of the Text and the truth in hand For the prevention of those Objections which may bee made against and the further confirmation of this position be pleased to know that 1 The Reasonable Creature is the subject of Evangelical Doctrin this Spirit doth not bestow his Oile upon Trees and Plants Beasts or Birds nor doth hee raise up of stones and blooks children to Abraham all Divine knowledge is grafted upon the stock of Natural Reason 2 By that Native light of reason within us wee may attain the knowledge of many things delivered in the Gospel those I mean which are common to the Holy Scripture with other writings How many things Historical Moral Speculative Practical are there in the sacred books which wee meet with in Heathen Authors Our gracious God would not so over-whelm humane infirmity in the patefaction of Evangelical mysteries that there should bee nothing for reason to fix upon and yet withall hee would not have all things so suitable to reason that there should be no need of faith 3 The litteral sense of the Scripture words may through industry bee attained to by the help of Reason Skill in the Tongues though it was for a time immediately and extraordinary conferred upon illiterate persons by the Holy Ghost yet is such a gift as may bee attained to by common helps and the same industry which renders a man expert in giving the Grammatical sense of other Authors may no doubt inable him to do the like in reading the books of the sacred Pen-men nay more the Spirit of God in Scripture doth not affect that obscurity of Language which some other writers do and so the sense of it may more easily bee gathered 4 The Spirit of God inlightening us to understand those truths which are purely Evangelical maketh use of Reason this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flower of the soul is not blasted but rather the more opened by the blowing of the blessed Spirit when a man commeth to bee initiated into the School of Christianity hee is not commanded to throw away his Reason onely to subjugate it Indeed every Christian must deny his Reason but that is as hee must deny his affections as it is not the extirpating but the moderating of his affections so it is not the casting away but the captivating of his Reason to the obedience of faith which Christian Religion requireth In one word whilest the Spirits grace is acknowledged to bee principium the principal efficient cause I shall not deny Reason to bee instrumentum an instrumental cause whereby wee come to the knowledge of Divine things 5 And therefore lastly this still remaineth as a sure maxim That Natural Reason by what helps soever improved is altogether insufficient without the Spirits grace to the savoury apprehension of those supernatural and purely Evangelical verities which are revealed in the Holy Scriptures It is not unfitly observed that as nature hath its Secrets and Arts their crafts so all Religions have their mysteries which are not known but to them who are brought up in them It were easy to instance in the Persians Indians Syrians Grecians Egyptians Romans who had their mysterious rites which the Devil taught them and accordingly were taken up in imitation of the true Religion which both in the Jewish and Christian Church never wanted its mysteries such as none can comprehend neither can any apprehend but those who are taught by the blessed Spirit This is expresly asserted by Christ himself when hee saith to his Disciples It is given to you to know the mysterys of the Kingdome vobis datum non vobiscum natum this knowledge is not born with you but given to you if then innate reason were sufficient what need it bee given nor is it onely by outward revelation for so it was to those Scribes and Pharisees the wise and prudent from whom yet those things are said to bee hid to wit because their eies were not spiritually inlightened to discern them if you would know what it is that was given to these Disciples let one of them the beloved Disciple inform you and that in this very Epistle where hee saith The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true so that not onely the Revelation of that we are to know but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding it self whereby wee know was given by Christ and this as a peculiar grace conferred on some whilest it s denied to others To this purpose tend those metaphors of opening the eies and opening the heart plainly intimating that in the work of Conversion there is not onely an outward but an inward work nor are Evangelical truths onely revealed by the Word but the rational faculties are rectified by the Spirit what more pregnant instance of this truth than Nicodemus to whom the Evangelical Doctrin of Regeneration was preached by Christ himself and yet by whom it was not understood for want of the Spirits illumination no wonder if Gods Promise to his people runs I will give them an heart to know mee without which though hee had showed his Word and Statutes to them they would still have continued ignorant as to any
because it is careful to hide the Head wherein its Life lyeth with the whole body Christ is the Head of the Church and the Errours of these Seducers did strike at the Head no wonder if the Apostle wrote concerning them 3 That to bee seduced especially in such errours is dangerous and destructive It was the Prophet Isaiahs sad complaint The Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are lead of them are destroyed and St. Peters Epithite which hee giveth to these Hâ—resies is noâ—lesse than damnable or according to the Greek phrase heresies of perdition To this purpose tends that phrase of St. Paul when hee calleth Seducerâ— Spoilers where the Greek word alludeth to Theeves and Robbers or to Souldiers and Plunderers who take the Cattel of their enemy and carry it away as a Prey for such are false Teachers the Devils Agents to lead Captive poor souls that they may bee the Devils prey It is not unworthy our observation that the Apostle having in the verse before mentioned the Promise of eternal life hee presently addeth this caveat concerning these Seducers intimating that the flatteries of these Seducers if hearkened to would deprive them of the Promise of Eternal Life so that it was no lesse than their everlasting welfare which was endangered Good reason had the Apostle upon all these considerations to write concerning these Seducers to the Christians in respect of their safety 2 Besides this there was an Obligation in regard of himself that hee might perform his duty So Lorinus glosseth upon the Text Videtur fidem suam liberare ac suo se functum munere protestari by this writing hee dischargeth that Office to which hee was called and that trust which was reposed in him by his Lord and Master Indeed if the Minister of Christ warn the people of Seducers though they miscarry yet he shall be acquitted but à pastore exigitur quicquid per inertiam non custoditur saith St. Cyprian truely if the sheep wander through the negligence of the Shepheard it will bee exacted of him according to that of God himselfe I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel and therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from mee when I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wickednesse to save his life the same wicked man shall dye in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand yet if thou warn the wicked and if hee turn not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way he shall dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul To close up this with a threefold inference 1 See hence what is the reason why Diotrephes prated against this Apostle as himself tells us with malicious words and why it is that Seducers with their followers rail at the Ministers of the Gospel namely because they Preach and Write concerning them For this cause it is that in all Ages they have been and still are so solicitous to stop the mouths and pens to take away the livings and lives of the Orthodox as well knowing that else they cannot have the opportunity of sowing their tares at leastwise not with so good successe It was no sleight Policy of Philip to offer the Athenians peace upon condition of delivering up their Orators to him whom Demosthenes answered with an Apologue very suitable to this present matter The Wolves were willing to make an agreement with the sheep provided they would deliver up their Dogs The truth is Seducing Wolves are most afraid of and angry at the Ministers of the Gospel whom that great Shepheard of our souls hath appointed to watch his flock 2 Learn hence how unlike those Ministers are to this Apostle who are dumb dogs in the midst of ravening Wolves and thereby suffer the sheep of Christ to bee worried what a shame is it that the Heterodox should bee bold and the Orthodox cold the Seducers clamorous in conventicles and the Catholicks silent in Churches Oh let all the Ministers of the Gospel learn their duty especially in such times as these which is not only oves aggregare to gather together the sheep but Lupos abigere to drive away the Wolves wee must not onely bee as Mercuriuses to the Traveller which point out the right way but as Sea-Marks to the Mariner which warn him of Shelves Sands and Rocks we are called in scripture both guides and watchmen to teach us that as we ought to lead the people in the truth so to give them notice of Hereticks nor can wee bee faâ—thful and wise servants unlesse wee as well admonish the people of their danger as instruct them in their duty 3 Finally Let not the care of those Ministers who after St. Johns pattern Preach and Write concerning Seducers bee dis-regarded by but let their Caveats bee acceptable to the people Hee will easily open his ears to Seducers who shuts them against true Teachers Obey them therefore that have the rule over you and watch for your souls bee guided by their advice so shall you not be led aside of Hereticks by their devices But above all seek after and pray for that Unction which will arm you against errour whereof our Apostle treats in the next verse and shall God willing bee discussed the next time THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 27. But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him THe virulency of persecution and the subtilty of seduction are the Devils two great Engines by which hee hath still endeavoured to batter down the Church of Christ sometimes hee is a raging spirit in the hands of cruel Tyrants to destroy and sometimes a lying spirit in the mouths of false Teachers to deceive the Orthodox Professors of the Christian Religion By the latter of these it is that hee hath done more mischief than the former for whereas in the one hee acteth openly as an enemy in the other hee worketh closely as a seeming friend and whereas the blood of Martyrs though against the will of their persecutours hath been a means to propagate and increase the poyson of Hereticks hath too often prevailed to the infection and damage of the Church no wonder then if one of the designs of this Holy Apostle in this Epistle bee to write to the Christians concerning Seducers and to minde them of the great goodness of God in providing an Antidote against this poyson in those words But the Annointing which you have received of him abideth in you c. Having in the former discourse handled the Caution that which next occurreth to our discussion is the Comfort which is not onely
so much the force of the Greek carrieth in it hee onely sojourned for a time with his Disciples but his Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abides with his Church from one Generation to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theophilact glosseth for his presence is not as Christs was onely for a season True it is Christ is said to be in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks but that is by his Spirit In respect of his corporal presence hee saith in one place The Poor you have alwaies with you but mee you have not alwaies in regard of his Spiritual presence it is that hee saith in another place Loe I am with you alwaies even to the end of the world 2 As this Annointing which wee receive from Christ abideth in the Church so doth it in all the chosen and faithful members of the Church It is said of the Apostles that when this unction visibly and gloriously descended on them there appeared cloven tongues as it were on fire and sate upon each of them Sitting is a fixed posture and noteth permanency it doth so in some though not the same measure and manner upon every true Beleever At the eighth verse of the next chapter where I shall God willing inlarge upon this subject it is resembled to seed and that such as is not onely cast into but remaineth in the ground by our blessed Saviour it is compared to water and that river water which is continually running and therefore said to bee living and again it is said to bee a well of water springing up in the heart of a beleever to everlasting life Finally by John the Baptist it is likened to fire and such a fire it is which like that under the Altar never goeth out The consideration hereof may serve 1 To rectifye our judgements in the true estimate of and accordingly to quicken our indeavours in the ardent pursuite after this unction Ah Lord how eager are men in scraping the things of this World which when with difficulty obtained by us are easily snatched from us how much rather should wee seek after this annointing which being received abideth in us Labour not saith our blessed Saviour for the meat that perisheth but labour for the meat that indureth to everlasting life thereby plainly intimating that perpetuity is that which much advanceth excellency every thing being so much the more amiable by how much it is the more durable no wise man but would prefer lasting brass before fading gold a constant table though of a few dishes before the largest feast which should only last for a few daies and surely then when wee consider how much this and all other spiritual blessings transcend corporal both in their nature and durance we cannot but judge them worthy our highest esteem and choicest indeavour A good name saith the wise man is better than pretious ointment but this pretious ointment is better than a good name and much more than wealth and pleasure or whatever it is that this world can afford This is one of those gifts to which St. James giveth those Epithites of good and perfect Every gift is good though but temporall but spiritual gifts being of a never â—ading durance are both good and perfect great reason have wee to beg these above all others Oh let us not cease in asking seeking knocking for this unction which being given to us like Maries good part shall never be taken from us 2 To comfort those who have received this unction when they consider its perpetual duration Habet Oleum Deus habet et Mundus saith Hugo God hath his Oil and the World too Oleum mundi in vasis deficit Oleo dei vasa deficiunt The Worlds Oil faileth in the vessels but the vessels fail for Gods Oil the one nunquam sufficit will never satisfy the other nunquam deficit will never waste whatever worldly comforts wee receive our fear of losing allaieth the sweetnesse of enjoying but it is not so with the grace of the Spirit which being received abideth with us Though withall a Caution must bee annexed that wee use our indeavour to preserve and maintain this Oil in the lamp of our souls This Schoolmaster is willing to reside with us but then wee must remember St. Pauls caveat Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption for if we grieve him he will at least for a time withdraw himself from us This fire is of a lasting nature being once throughly kindled but then wee must observe that other injunction of the Apostle Quench not the Spirit for though it bee not wholly put out it may bee much quenched by our Negligence This Annointing is abiding but then wee must take notice of our Saviours assertion To him that hath shall bee given but from him that hath not shall bee taken away that which hee hath Wee must make use of and improve this holy Oil concerning which that riddle is a truth the more wee spend the more it increaseth the Oil in the widows vessel ceased not so long as shee poured it out this holy Oil is best preserved by using it to the Glory of God our own and others advantage and thus much shall suffice for the first character of the residency of this Schoolmaster proceed wee to the next which is 2 The sufficiency of his instruction as it is set forth Affirmatively in those words The same annointing teacheth you of all things Negatively in those And you need not that any man teach you 1 Begin wee with the assirmative part and therein consider The latitude of the Object all things and The Quality of the Act Teacheth 1 The Object is expressed in the same latitude at the twentieth verse where hath been largely discussed how and with what restrictions it is to bee interpreted It was the promise of our Saviour to his Disciples that his Spirit should guide them into all truth nor was this confined to them but is here assured to all Christians that the annointing should teach them all things all things that is all truth truth being the proper object of the understanding which is that faculty whereby wee are capable of teaching nor yet must this bee extended as far as the Spirit is able to teach and lead but onely as far as was requisite for them and is for us to know and understand thus the Spirit led them into all truth whereby they were able to propagate Christian Religion in the World and hee teacheth every Christian all truth which is needful in order to the prevention of fundamental errours and the salvation of his precious soul It would not bee passed by that our Apostles phrase is at once both extensive and restrictive it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee teacheth all things but of or concerning all things that is something of all things These all
things are not taught simultaneously but successively fully but gradually the Disciples themselves were taught by degrees and did not know all things at first nay indeed not exactly at the last it is but a partial knowledge the best have of these all things but yet all those things which conduce to the strengthening us against error and the guiding us in the way of truth are in some though not the same measure taught by this Unction 2 The chief thing here to be discussed is the quality of the act what kind of teaching it is that is here attributed to the Spirit whereof all Christians participate For the better understanding hereof take notice of a double distinction 1 The teaching of this unction is either extraordinary or ordinary that peculiar to some this common to all Christians in reference to the extraordinary teaching it is that St. Gregory saith excellently Ungit Spiritus iste sanctus Citharaedum Psalmistam facit ungit pastorem Prophetam facit ungit Piscatorem praedicatorem facit ungit persecutorem doctorem gentium facit ungit publicanum facit Evangelistam the annoynting of this holy Spirit maketh an Harper so was David a Psalmist a Shepherd so was Amos a Prophet a Fisher-man so was St. Peter a Fisher of men by preaching a Publican so was St. Matthew an Evangelist finally a Persecutor so was St. Paul a Teacher of the Gentiles But it is the ordinary not that peculiar and extraordinary way of teaching which is here intended 2 The ordinary teaching of the Spirit is either external or internal and both these are no doubt included 1 The outward teaching of the Spirit is by the Ministry of the Word and preaching of the Gospel which is contained in the holy Scriptures look as the holy Writings were at first inspired by the Holy Ghost so by them he still teacheth his Church Accordingly it is that all saving truths were dictated by the Spirit to the Pen-men and are fully faithfully delineated in sacred Writ It is a form of sound words every way compleat explicating as Gregory the great saith all the Divine mysteries of Religion and delivering all precepts for Moral practice Quibus quidem duabus partibus omnis nostrae salutis faelicitatis ratio continetur in which two consists the whole doctrine of attaining true happinesse and therefore in this respect this of the Apostle is verified The annoynting teacheth us of all things to wit in the external ministration of the Word 2 Besides this outward there is an inward teaching which the Spirit vouchsafeth to the Church and every true member of it and is here principally aymed at This is that teaching which being the secret work of Gods Spirit is not so visibly discernable the more things are abstracted from sense the more mysterious they are no wonder if it be difficult to apprehend what this teaching is which according to St. Gregory is Allocutio intimae inspirationis an inward inspiration or Spiritual allocution It is a Question much controverted in the Schools how the Angels being Spiritual substances impart their conceptions to one another and surely it is much more hard to know how the Spirit imparts his Divine learning to the soul even they who are thus taught are sure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so it is but are not able to unfold the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so And yet that wee may in some measure apprehend what we cannot fully conceive I shall in a few words acquaint you with that notion of this teaching which the Scripture is pleased to give us and accordingly if you ask what this inward teaching is whereof the Apostle speaketh I shall return the answer in the words of the Prophet Jeremy or rather God by the Prophet It is the putting his Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts Indeed as we say in general the Scripture is the best interpreter of it self so in this particular the Prophet is the best Commentator on the Apostle and therefore that wee may more clearly understand the one it will bee needful more particularly to comment on the other and let you see what this putting this Law in our inward parts and writing it in our hearts meaneth by which wee shall the better perceive what this teaching is in reference to which I shall lay down a double conclusion 1 That which the Spirit teacheth inwardly is the same with that hee teacheth outwardly and therefore that which he is said to write in the heart of man is no other than that Law which is written in the Book of God As the minde of the Spirit in one parcel agreeth with the minde of the Spirit in another parcel of Holy Writ so the impressions of the Spirit on the soul answer to the dictates of the Spirit in the Scriptures It is very observable that Christ tells his Disciples the Spirit should bring all things to their remembrance as if the chief end of the miraculous descension of the Holy Ghost upon them were not to teach them any new doctrine but to bring to remembrance what Christ had before taught them surely then the inward teaching of this Vnction whereof all Christians participate doth not reveal any new mysteries which are not already delivered in the Word Among other resemblances the Spirits working upon the Soul is said to be a sealing and among other reasons for this because as the seal maketh no stamp upon the wax but what is answerable to that which is upon the seal so whatsoever the Spirit teacheth the heart is answerable to what it teacheth in the Word 2 The inward teaching or writing of the Spirit is the imprinting of Scripture-truths upon the soul Conceive then the soul as the paper the truths revealed in Gods Word as the Letters the Spirit of God as the Scribe and the ayl of his grace as the Inke by which there is an impression made of the letters upon the paper truths upon the soul For the more particular opening hereof know 1 That this teaching is not a naked motion but a real impression not a superficial wetting but a deep soaking Many there are to whom the Spirit vouchsafeth some taste yet never drink a full draught who have some gliding aspects but no direct beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining on them it is one thing to hear the voyce of the Spirit speaking another to find the Pen of the Spirit writing that teaching which is here meant is such as confirmeth against error and therefore doth not glide off like water but abide like oyl slightly move but strongly work upon the soul 2 That this impression of the Spirits teaching is upon the whole soul more especially the two chief faculties of the soul the Understanding and the Will so much seemeth to be intimated by that double character of the subject the inward parts and the heart which wee finde in the Prophet as of
and St. Jude observed in these Antichrists of whom the one saith they did promise to the people liberty and the other that they did turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousnesse 3 The Plea of Tradition is much used by Hereticks all Nations and Persons both Jews and Gentiles being very tenacious of those things which they have received from their Ancestors By traditions it was that the Pharisees in Christs time indeavoured to make the Law of God of none effect and with traditions it was that the Hereticks in the Apostles time did spoil the people of the Truth for so much St. Paul intimateth when hee giveth that Caveat Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit after the traditions of men Not that all sorts of Traditions are to bee sleighted yea the Traditions which have been delivered and received in the Universal Church from age to age are to bee regarded by us next to the written word but not in opposition against or in competition with it such vain superstitious traditions were those which the Apostle condemned and which the Hereticks made use of 4 A show of Miracles is that which is sometimes made by these Deceivers Look as of Old when Moses and Aaron wrought Miracles Jannes and Jambres the Aegyptian Sorcerers imitated them So in the beginning of Christianity as God confirmed it by real Miracles so the Devil opposed it with Lying wonders This was our Saviours prediction concerning these Antichristian Seducers wherof my Text speaketh There shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew signes and wonders so St. Mark Great signes and wonders so St. Matthew to seduce and deceive if it were possible the very Elect and thus the comming of the man of sin is said by St. Paul to bee after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders where that Epithite of Lying would not bee passed by those wonders which the Devil worketh by Hereticks being lying not onely because they accompany doctrins of Lies but likewise because they are for the most part delusions not realities nor are the greatest of those wonders above the power of nature and therefore though they are matter of wonder to us who oft times cannot understand how they are wrought yet they are not so in themselves But surely there is no device more subtle and prevailing than this men being very apt to beleeve that their words are Oracles whose works are Miracles and indeed were they so really it were a sufficient ground of beleef but as they are to wit onely so in appearance they have too great an influence upon the vulgar 5 A veil of Religion is many times put on by these Cheaters their garb their look their Language speak nothing but holinesse whilest their doctrins breath nothing but Heresy As too many of the Orthodox dishonour their teaching well by living ill so do many Hereticks credit their ill-teaching by well-living It is one of St. Pauls characters of Seducers Having a shew of godlinesse and Gregory Nazianzen saith of the Macedonians that their life was admirable whilest their Doctrin was abominable Thus as Harlots paint their faces and perfume their beds to allure Hereticks feign godliness and profess Religion to seduce 6 A vernish of Reason is drawn over false opinions by these Seducers because that is very taking with a rational creature This St. Paul intimateth in that fore-mentioned Caution Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit Accordingly Tertullian observeth that the Ancient Heresies concerning the Aeâ—nes were fetched from Plato's Ideaes the equality of the first matter with God from Zeno the death of the Soul from Epicurus and the denial of the Resurrection of the Body de unâ omnium Philosophorum Scholâ from the Schools of all the Philosophers Upon this account it is that the Father elsewhere asserts Philosophers to bee the Patriarks of Hereticks and that all Heresies are founded upon and supported by the rules and dictates of Philosophy not that Philosophy and natural Reason is to bee rejected by the Orthodox as of no use nay indeed it is an help to Divinity when in its right place but our Divinity must not bee regulated by Philosophy and our Religion bounded by reason The Orthodox use her as an handmaid to wait but the Heterodox make her a Mistress to seduce 7 The colour of a Revelation is oft times used to set off lying Doctrin When St. Paul saith If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel let him bee accursed hee intimateth that some might pretend to bring another Gospel from heaven and indeed such there were who broached fictitious Gospels as if they had been divinely inspired Simon Magus pretended himself to bee the Holy Ghost so did Montanus and vented the Dreams of his Whores Priscilla Maximilla and Quintilla for prephecies Indeed Divine Revelation is the proper ground of Faith No wonder if Hereticks that they may gain credit and so seduce the people lay claim to it 8 The Glosse of Scripture is very oft times put upon false opinions by the assertours of them to delude the people In this as St. Hierome well observeth they trace the Devils footsteps who quoted Scripture thereby fondly imagining hee might delude Christ himself Thus the Judaizing false Teachers in the Apostles time made use of the Old Testament Scripture quoting Moses and the Prophets and Irenaeus observeth of the Hereticks of those times that they dealt by the Sacred Writings as a Graver doth by the goodly image of a King which by altering the form hee turneth into the likenesse of a dog or wolf and then affirmeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the lovely image of the King they take the words of Scripture and put upon them their own sense and then say it is Scripture it is so indeed materially but not formally as the metal is the Kings but the stamp is a Wolf so the words are Scripture but the sense the Hereticks 9 To all these I may add the name of a Church is no small bait whereby Hereticks allure and catch the simple in their snares our Saviour tells us what their sayings should bee Lee here is Christ and there is Christ in this conventicle and that meeting by which they withdraw many from the Apostolical assemblies In this respect St. Judes Character of them is that they did separate themselves to wit from the Apostles and which must needs follow they no doubt assumed to themselves the title to the true Church of Christ and thus did the Novatians in St. Cyprians time and the Donatists in St. Augustines time fighting against the Church under the name of the Church By all this wee see how Antichristian hereticks abuse the best things to the worst designs Truth Liberty Tradition Miracles Holinesse Reason Revelation Scripture the Church are all of them of singular concernment and advantage to the Orthodox Christian
Catholick Religion but yet even these are falsely pretended by hereticks and by the feigned semblance of these it is that they indeavour and oft times with too much success to seduce their auditors from the faith These Seducers have been more or lesse in all ages but I think I may safely say never more than in this and if you mark it you shall finde the Old cheats still practised The Papists on the one hand pretend to the Church Traditions Miracles and a formal sanctity The Socinians boast much of Reason The Antinomians of Liberty The Anabaptists Quakers and such like of Enthusiasms a light within breathings impulses and discoveries of the Spirit All Sects have some mixtures of truth and would father their Errours upon the Scriptures And now being encompassed as it were with such subtle Sophisters crafty Seducers what need is there of a prudent vigilancy lest wee bee insnared by them according to that excellent advice of St. Peter Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse Behold saith our blessed Saviour to his Disciples I send you forth as sheep among wolves bee yee wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves wise as Serpents to defend themselves innocent as Doves in not offending others or as Prosper to our present purpose innocent as Doves in not circumventing any and wise as Serpents in not suffering themselves to bee circumvented and surely this Serpentine wisdome is that which concerneth all Christians in some measure to attain so much the rather because these wolves as our Saviour elsewhere speaketh come in sheeps cloathing for this reason saith Optatus Ut prius ovis mordentem lupum sentiat quam praesentiat venientem that they may seize upon the sheep before it can perceive them comming Hee that walketh among snares had need bee cautelous and no less reason have we to bee circumspect who are in the same danger which those Christians were in of them that would seduce then and so much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first General namely the mischievous design of the false Teachers I go on to a more brief dispatch of the other which is The Pious care of true Apostles These things have I written to you concerning them For the full discussion whereof I shall look upon the writing here mentioned in a double reference namely as it was a result of the Spirits dictate and as it was an argument of St. Johns care 1 As a result of the Spirits dictates for St. John and the other holy men of God spake and wrote as moved by the Holy Ghost and so wee are here to take notice that the Divinely inspired writings are of excellent use against Seducers Indeed as a straight line discovers what is crooked and the clear light dispells darknesse so the word of God serveth to discover who are Seducers and to dissipate their clondy errours you erre saith our blessed Saviour to the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures tacitly teaching us that the Scriptures well known and rightly understood are a guard against errour The whole Scripture saith St. Paul is of divine inspiration and is profitable as for reproof of sin so for the correction of errour Let it therefore bee our business especially in such erroneous times as these to study the Scriptures and not onely to bee well versed in the letter but acquainted with the meaning of them that as our Saviour refelled the tempter so wee may bee able to refute seducers with a scriptum est No darts pierce so deep as those which are taken out of the Lords armory no arrows hit the mark like those which are drawn out of Gods quiver nor is any sword so sharp as that of the Spirit and therfore as David hid Gods word in his heart that hee might not fall into sin so let us that we may not run into errour 2 But that which would bee chiefly taken notice of is that his writing these things concerning Seducers was an argument of his care that the people might not bee deceived by them It is that which wee finde to have been not only the care of this but the other holy Apostles the greatest part of St. Judes Epistle and of St. Peters second Epistle is concerning these Seducers frequent caveats wee meet with in St. Pauls Epistles to the same purpose witnesse his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Colâ—ssians Beware lest any man spoil you nay his threefold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Philippians beware of Dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision and to name no more his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Romans beseeching that they would mark and avoid such It were easy to let you see how the Fathers of the Church have in this particular traced the footst eps of the Apostles Ignatius bespeaketh the Christians of Antioch in words much like those of St. Paul to the Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Beware of Dogs Serpents Dragons Aspes Bazilisks Scorpions St. Cyprian in his Epistle to all the people is very urgent with his â—râ— vos fratres and again with his admoneâ— pariter et consulo advising admonishing intreating that they would not beleeve the smooth words of false Teachers lest they did mistake darknesse for light night for day and poyson for a remedy Irenaeus in his Preface to his first book against Heresys saith this was the reason of his writing those books that the wolves might not devour the sheep of Christ through his default for the same cause were those things written by Epiphanius Athanasius St. Augustin and many others which are extant concerning heresies Nor was it without a great deal of Reason that those holy men were and in particular here St. John was so careful to write concerning Seducers and that both respectu populi in regard of the people for the preservation of their safety and respectu sui in regard of himself for the discharging of his own duty 1 In respect of the people St. John well knew 1 That all men are naturally prone to errour their understanding as well as will being corrupted yea that the best being but men may through want of judgement and partiality of affection bee led aside The bad through wickedness and the good through weaknesse sometimes like sheep have gone astray 2 That the errours to which these Antichrists did indeavour to seduce them were in things fundamental for so it appeareth by the charge hee laietâ— against them which is that they denyed the Father and the Son that they denyed Jesus to bee the Christ a doctrine upon which the whole Christian Religion is founded St. Hierom upon that oâ— our Saviour Bee wise as Serpents observeth Serpentis astutia ponitur in exemplum quia toto corpore occulâ—at capuâ— ut illud in quo vita est protegat the Serpent is therefore mentioned as an Example of Wisdome