Father accepteth it as if he had drawn it to the head and hâ— the mark It is said of Abraham by St. James that he offered his Son Isaac upon the Altar when yet not Isaac but the Ram was offered and good reason since on Abrahams part there was nothing wanting according to Gods command he rose up early in the morning sadled his Asse took Isaac his Son with him clave the wood went to the place built an Altar prepared the fire laid the wood on the Altar Isaac on the wood took the knife to slay him and had not an Angel from God prevented him he had actually slain him Where God denieth ability or oppâ—rtunity he alwayes accepts the will for the deed It is that which may more particularly bee taken notice of for the comfort of the Ministers of the Gospel who sincerely indeavouring the conversion of Sinners though they prove not successeful shall be looked upon by God as if they were A Pilot saith Quintilian cannot be denied his lawful plea though the ship miscarry whilest he holdeth the helm aright and sayleth by the Compass nor shall hee who carefully steereth the course of his Ministry by the compass of Gods Word bee found guilty though the ship whereof he is Pilot sink into perdition that promise in the Book of Daâ—iâ—l They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmaâ—â—nt and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever is probably to be understood in the first clause of all the godly who are most truly wise and in the second of the Prophets of God who are said to turn many to righteousnesse even when perhaps they doe not turn any in respect of their cordial desires and earnest labours as here false Prophets and Teachers are charged to seduce them whom yet they did not seduce because of their design and indeavour 3 The last and chief thing considerable in this part of the text is the what the act in that word seduce indeed venerable Bede by these Seducers understands all those who by fair or foul means draw men to any evil and thereby hinder them from partaking the promise of eternal life mentioned in the former verse but I rather with the stream of Interpreters expound these Seducers to bee the Heretical Antichrists spoken of before though in the handling I shall reflect on all that seduce to any evil The Greek word here used most properly belongs to Travellers when they wander out of the way from thence it is applied in the first place to erring which is a wandring from the way of truth so in that of St. James Doe not erre my beloved brethren and in the next to seducers which is a causing others to erre so here and many other places indeed Aretius on the text taketh in both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est qui errant alios in errorem trahunt them that seduce that is them who erre themselves and draw others into it That which would here bee observed is the evil temper of Hereticks who having espoused an error are very solicitous to be get children by causing others to erre for this cause they are compared by St. Jude to wandring starres by which we are not to understand the Planets in the Heaven which are so called because by reason of their various motions they seem in the eye of the vulgar to wander but the fiery Meteors in the air which are called Starres for that resemblance they have to Starres in outward appearance which being hurried up and down by the wind themselves doe oft-times misguide the unwary Traveller into Boggs and Fens thus having before borrowed a Metaphor from the Air resembling these false Teachers to Clouds without rain for their vain-glorious boasting from the Earth comparing them to withered Trees for their barren conversations from the Water resembling them to the raging waves of the Sea for their furious cruelty so taking in all the Elements he borroweth a Metaphor from the Fire comparing them to wandring starres or meteors because of their mischievous mis-leading for as these especially the Ignes fatui as they are called foolish Fires being carried up and down by the Wind have themselves an uncertain motion and mis-guide the Traveller into a wrong path so did those Hereticks having themselves forsaken the right way entice others to follow them in which respect St. Paul saith of these Seducers that they wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Nor is this lesse observable in other sorts of sinners Jeroboam having set up Calves at Dan and Bethel ingageth the people to worship them Absolom having a rebellious design against his King and Father David attempts to steal away the hearts of the People from him The Harlot resolving to prostitute herself goeth forth to inveagle the next young man shee meets to her wanton imbraces and those bloody miscreants call upon others saying Come let us lye in wait for blood Thus there is in wicked men a kinde of itching desire to make others as bad as themselves and perhaps this is the meaning of the phrase in the Prophet They draw iniquity to wit by drawing others to iniquity Indeed here in they follow the suggestion of that Prince of darkness for as it was Christs charge to Peter Being converted strengthen thy brethren so it is the Devils to his Agents Being perverted pervert thy Bâ—ethren nay hereby it is they do not only obey the Command but imitate that pattern of their Father the Devil who not standing in the truth with too happy or rather unhappy a successe endeavoured mans fall that as hee with his evil Angels were thrown out of Heaven so Adam with his Posterity might bee cast out of an earthly and kept out of â—n heavenly Paradise And now I would to God all Hercticks would consider how great an evill this is to bee a seducer It is bad to bee an actor of evil our selves but far worse to be an inticer It is bad to bee seduced by but much worse to bee a seducer of others wee seldome finde Jeroboam the Son of Nebat mentioned but with this mark That made Israel to sin no doubt for his greater infamy When Elimas indeavoureth to turn away the Deputy from the Faith St. Paul is inraged with an holy zeal and in him giveth every Seducer his due brand Thou full of all subtilty and mischief childe of the devil and enemy of â—ll righteousnesse Wee are not able to answer for our own sins wee had not need contract upon us the guilt of others wee cannot pay our own scores there is no reason for us to make others debts ours God knoweth we have sinnes enough as so many Sons of our own why should we adopt others yet so doth the Seducer whilest without timely repentance hee must give an account for all those souls which hee hath either in design or effect seduced
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
of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us Thus did St Ambrose love his charge when he declareth how much he was troubled at his absence from them though upon just occasion It were easie to multiply instances of this nature Oh let all Pastors take fire at these flames and learn by these examples indeed there is no relation in which Ministers stand to their people but it cals for this duty if they look on them as their Sheep their Schollars their Children their Brethren all ingage them to Love And surely Magnes amoris amor Love is the Loadstone of Love if we love you you must love us as Brethren so did those converts who bespake the Apostles with this very title Men and Brethren Tell me I beseech you why should we be accounted as your enemies who watch for your souls If you think scorne to honour us as Fathers yet however own us as Brethren In a word Since we are Brethren let us sweetly live and love as Brethren Oh how pleasant a thing it is for Ministers and People like Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Oh that both Priest and People when any contentions arise between them or when their love to each other begins to faile in them would remember this relation so should the meditation hereof be both as water and fire as water to coole the heat of contention as fire to kindle and cherish the heat of affection 4. It is a word of dignity That he who was in the highest office belonging to the Christian Church should call the despised Christians to whom he wrote his Brethren as it is a dignation in him so it must needs be an exaltation to them The greater the Persons to whom we are related and the nearer the relation is the greater is the honour To be a Servant a Kinsman but much more to be a Brother of a Lord or Earl but much more of a King is a very great Dignity such honour have Christians they may claim Brotherhood to the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the Noble army of Martyrs the sacred Hierarchy of the Apostles yea the head of the Church Christ himself for so saith the Author to the Hebrews concerning him He is not ashamed to call us Brethren Oh let us walk worthy of these high relations which Christianity confereth upon us and so much the rather because by our unanswerable behaviour to these relations we shall not only dishonour our selves but them to whom we are related If one that is Brother to a King should make himself a companion of Thieves doth it not redown to the dishonour of the King to whom he is so nearly allyed And if we who by our Christian profession pretend at least alliance to the Apostles yea Christ himself shall live no better nay worse then Turks Pagans Infidels how must they suffer to whom we pretend so near a relation And therefore to imitate the Apostles exhortation Let our Conversation be such as becometh the Brethren of those holy Apostles who were the first Publishers of the Gospell of Christ And so much be spoken of the Compellation given to the Persons Pass we on to the commendation which our Apostle here giveth the matter whereabout he was now to write which is drawn from three heads The Authority of it as being a Precept both old and new in those words I write no new but an old Commandment c. and Again a new Commandment I write to you The Conformity of it to the Pattern which Christ hath set in those words A thing which is true in him The Congruity of it to the state of the Gospell the truth of Christianity in those words And in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth The Authority of that which our Apostle here commendeth is that which we are to begin with And that inasmuch as it is 1. An old Commandment This is that which is both propounded and proved the former in those words I write not a new but an old Commandment to you the latter in those Which you heard from the beginning the old Commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning 1. The proposition is set down with a great deale of Emphasis not only Positively but Oppositively Affirmatively but Negatively The Apostle doth not content himself to say I write to you an old Commandment but knowing as Calvin well noteth how suspected novelty is and deservedly hatefull and because as Didymus observeth the brand of novelty both by Jews and Pagans was cast on Christianity and withall because many things are old which yet in truth are but old Innovations as I shall hereafter discover he doth expresly vindicate his Doctrine from any such aspersion by this addition not a new but an old Commandment It is somewhat debated by Interpreters what our Apostle intends by this old Commandment whilst Some understand it generally of the whole Evangelicall Doctrine Others referre it to the preceding Verse where is a speciall command of walking as Christ walked Others to that particular command of Love which immediately followeth This last I incline to and so much the rather because I find St John himself so expounding it in the Eleventh Verse of the next Chapter wherein he cals loving one another the message from the beginning and at the Fifth Verse of the next Epistle where he saith Not as though I wrote a new Commandment and this concerning the precept of loving one another That I may the better dispatch this clause be pleased to proceed with me by these steps â— The Doctrine which our Apostle was now about to propose is called a Commandment whence observe 1. Generally That as the Law had Gospell so the Gospell hath Law in it and as it publisheth promises so it obligeth by Precepts It is the difference between promises and commands that the one importeth some good to be done for us and the other some good to be done by us the one informeth us what God will do and the other what we should do Now though the principall end of the Gospell be to declare the one yet so as that it teacheth the other For this reason it is no doubt that the Gospell is sometimes called by the name of Law as where we read of the Law of Faith and the Law of Christ and the Law of Liberty and the Law of the Spirit of Life and upon the same account the Apostle Paul cals it a Canon or a rule to which our lives must be conformed and by which our waies are to be directed and St Peter stileth it the holy Commandment from which Apostates turn and the grace of God which many interpret by a Metonymy of the Object to be the Gospell is said to teach being as well a Schoolmaster as a Comforter Finally In this respect it is that we read not only of believing the Gospell which layeth hold
1. Whither is not Neigbour to be taken in the same latitude when it is said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour and again Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours If this be denied that will be enough to evince it that the particular commands of the second Table are but severall Explications of the generall command Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and therefore it is the same Neighbour to whom we must express our Love by not bearing false witness against him and the like and if it be granted then certainly Neighbour must include Stranger nay Enemy Since the Jews were not to bear false witness against their Enimies or to covet unjustly what belonged to them To this purpose is the note of a Rabbin upon these words of the Psalmist He that doth no evill to his Neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his Neighbour understanding it of enemies as well as friends 2. When our blessed Saviour repeateth this Law of Moses whither did not Christ understand it in the same sense with Moses If he did noâ— then he affixed another sense to Moses his words then what he intended which is not to be imagined if he did then either Moses meant them universally or else Christ did not and so Christ hath added nothing in this particular to Moses As for that passage in our Saviours Sermon Thou shalt love thy neighhour and hate thine enemy it is doubtless to be understood as Abulensis hath well noted only as a Tradition of the Scribes and Pharisees Indeed St Austin and St Hilary seem to be of opinion that hatred was allowed in the Old Testament Yea Oecumenius in this place harpeth upon the same string but by the leave of those Reverend Fathers upon what ground it doth not appear since it is no where written in the whole Body of the Law Thou shalt hate thy Enemies and therefore it is well observed that our blessed Saviour doth not say You have heard that it hath been said by Moses or in the Law but You have heard that it hath been said to wit by the Scribes and Pharisees those corrupt Interpreters of the Law To all this for the further Confirmation I may add That Solomon expresly requireth in his Proverbs and St Paul from him enjoyneth in his Epistle If thine Enomy â—e hungry give him Bread to Eat And if he be thirsty give him water to drink so shalt thou heap coals of fire on his head and the Lord will reward thee That God in the Law gave strict charge concerning the beast even of our Enemy If thou meet thine Enemies Oxe or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him Again If thou see the Ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help him And certainly he that required them to assist their Enemy in rescuing his beast did not allow them hatred and malice to his Person Nay yet once more in the forementioned place where Moses saith Thou shalt love thy Neighbour is prefixed Thou shalt not avenge nor bear grudge which refers to an Enemie that hath done one an injury As for that lex talionis Law of retaliation though as appeareth by our Saviour it was otherwise construed by the Pharisees yet doubtless it was only intended by God as a rule for the publique Magistrate in his Administrations of justice and is no less in this sense allowable now And though they were to exercise acts of Hostility towards the Nations about them in making no peace with the Ammonites casting out the Cananites and cutting off the Amalekites yet this was by a speciall command from God which both then and now may dispence with a generall Precept and withall their being the Instruments of Gods vengance upon the Heathen did not hinder but that they might be free from any private revenge and so fulfill the generall Precept as well as any Headsman who notwithstanding he is the Executor of Justice may yet love that Person whom he doth execute 2. That Love which the Law requireth may very well in some cases be raised up to that heighth of suffering death Briefly to clear which know That laying down our life in reference to our neighbour is only required in one of these two cases the one when the publique the other when the spirtuall good of others necessitateth to it To lay down a mans life for the publique good is so far from being purely Christian that even Heathens have done it and therefore is no doubt included in the Mosaicall Precept which we may the rather believe because we find himself willing to be blotted out of the Book of Life for the preservation of the People and if it be said that this is to love our Neighbour more then our selves I answer It is not if we take Neighbour Distributively and if we take it Collectively for the Generality even nature teacheth us and surely then Moses his Law did require to prefer the puhlique before the private Wellfare a Generall before a Particular good 3. But that dying which is especially an act of Love is when we are willing to lose our own temporall life for the eternall good of others An example of this we have in the Old Testament What else meant Davids wish in regard of his Son Absalom when he said Would God I had died for thee Desiring no doubt to prevent that eternall death into which he had reason to think his Son dying in Rebellion against his King his Father was now plunged by the loss of his temporary life And in truth though this be to love our Neighbours Souls better then our Body yet it is not to love our Neighbour better then our selves and therefore exceeds not the Mosaicall Precept Caeâ—eris paribus let there be an equality every way and a Christian is as much bound now to prefer himself before his Neighbour as a Jew was and in way of inequality a Jew was bound to dammage himself for his Neghbours good as well as a Christian I am not to love my Neighbours Soul more then my own Soul nor his Body more then my Body nor his Estate more then my own Christian charity in this respect as well as Jewish begins at home only when it is my Estate or Body and my Neighbours Soul which come in Competicion this must be valued above those and this is required by Moses as well as Christ In one word That addition as thy self was certainly intended not as a Limitation or Restriction but rather as an Amplification and Inlargment of this duty of love that look how dear and entire and cordiall that love is which men bear to themselves the same they ought to have towards their Neighbours And therefore I shut up this
them is not to be one among them men seldome imagine till they finde it by woefull experience what an infectious breath there is in evill society to corrupt their mindes and manners 3. Poure out water even the water of the penitent tears for thy former impurities The heads of Dragons are broken in the waters Draconum capita vitia capitalia the heads of Dragons are capitall sins among which incontinency and intemperance are the chief and look as the greater the flamâ— the more water must be poured on it is not drops but buckets nay flouds of water must quench the raging fornace So according to the greatness of thy sins proportion the multitude of thy tears and if thou hast been a notorious offender in this kinde thou must be a dolorous mourner 4. Lastly Strive to blow out this fire of lust by the breath of thy Prayers solicit the throne of grace for chastity sobriety vigilancy temperance those virtues which are directly opposite to this lust yea beseech the Spirit of God that he would breath into thy soul and thereby extinguish the flame of thy lust Indeed the breath of the evill spirit maketh this fire the hotter but a blast of the good spirit will put it out at least much slacke it and therefore laying hold on the gracious promise of giving his spirit to them that aske give not over Praying till thou hast obtained the spirit of grace whereby thou maist mortifie this lust of the flesh Amen THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 15 16. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world THat God of this world Prince of darkness and arch enemy of mankinde the Devill as he wants not virulency so he is full of subtilty Indeed it is his most usuall practice to take sinners in the snares of temptations nets of circumvention and ambushes of destruction No wonder if St Paul mindes the Corinthians of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devices as well as strong holdes Among all his cunning stratagems none more politique and prevalent then those by which he taketh advantage from our selves against our selves To this purpose it is that he observeth the age of our lives quality of our outward condition the complexion and constitution of our bodies the abilities and endowments of our mindes dispositions and inclinations of our hearts and accordingly fits his temptations whereby too often he overcometh us The last of these and not the least St Basill taketh notice of where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he useth our own lusts and desires as weapons to fight against us And no wonder if the winde of his temptations blow us on amain when it joyneth with the tide of our own desires Good reason had St John having encouraged young men and in them all Christians to battle with and a victory over the wicked one to warne them of those lusts which if not mortified would be prejudiciall unto them and serviceable unto him The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life We are now in order to proceed to a second Daughter of worldly love namely the lust of the eyes but what St John meaneth by this expression admits among Expositors of severall constructions Illyricus conceiveth that our Apostle intendeth Potissimum libidinosos aspectus chiefly lust full lookes uncleane aspects wanton glances This was that with which St Peter charged the false teachers that they had eyes full of adultery and of which our Saviour affirmeth that to looke on a woman so as to lust after her is a committing adultery with her in the heart But since this more properly is referd to the forementioned lust of the flesh and withall is too narrow a restriction of the Apostles meaning I shall pass it by There are two interpretations the one whereof is St Austins and venerable Bedes the other most generally received by ancient and modern Authors both of which being probable I shall reject neither Indeed I think we shall do best with Aquinas to look upon them as two members of one exposition and so if you would know what this lust of the eyes is the Answer is curiositas and cupiditas a desire of knowing and of having curiosity and covetousness the latter of which I shall insist upon because it is that which I incline to as most genuine 1. By this lust of the eyes We may very well understand curiosity or an inordinate desire of knowledge and whereas there is a double knowledg to wit intellectuall and sensitive both which may be inordinately desired this lust of the eyes may very well include both inasmuch as the minde hath its eyes as well as the body and so this lust is both of the mentall eyes after intellectuall and of the corporeall after sensitive knowledg 1. There is a lust of the eyes after intellectuall knowledge not but that knowledg is sutable to and consequently desâ—rable by the minde of man nor yet is every earnest desire after knowledg to be charged with curiosity Indeed it is such as cannot be had without and therefore must be â—ought for with diligence but if you would know when it is a lust of the eyes I answer the inordination of this desire is discovered severall waies 1. When it is a desire after knowledg for a bad end St Bernard observed in his time and it is still true Sunt qui scire volunt tantum ut sciant Some desire to know that they may know and such a desire is irregular because it maketh knowledg and end whenas it is designed to be a meanes of a furrher and better end Aquinas observeth that there are two accidentall effects of knowledge which are very evill namely to puff us up with pride and make us expert in wicked-ness and when those accidentall effects of knowledg are the intentionall ends of our desire it is a lust of the eyes the truth is knowledge is desirable chiefly in order to practice and that of good and therefore to desire it only as fuell for our self conceit or which is far worse as an help to wicked devices that we may be wise to do evill it is deservedly censured as exorbitant 2. When it is a desire after knowledg by magicall Arts and diabolicall Helps It is far better to be ignorant then to go to Schoole to the Devill That knowledg we gain by him is far fetcht because from Hell and deare bought because with the hazard of our souls 3. When by desires and endeavours after the knowledge of the things that are less needfull we are hindred from the knowledg of what is more needfull thus when men preferre
the eyes are usuall and prevalent meanes of stirring up covetous lusts When Solomon speaking of riches puts the question not Why wilt thou set thine heart but thine eyes when yet he meaneth the heart what doth he but imply that by our eyes our hearts become enamoured with them You know the story of Achan who seeing the wedges of gold and the Babilonish garment was bewitched with and laid hold upon them Indeed there is a strange attractive force both in gold and silver being looked upon to gaine desire for which reason perhaps it is that the Hebrews derive the Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth silver from the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to desire 2. This lust goetâ— out at the eyes Covetous men very much please themselves in beholding their riches and indeed this is in a sort peculiar to this lust For though the Objects of the lust of the flesh be visible and delightfull to the eye yet the other senses of taste and touch are chiefly pleased and the lust after them rests not till those senses be pleased as well as the eye whereas riches are so the Objects of the eye that the other senses have no carnall pleasure by them yea the greatest satisfaction a covetous man giveth his lust is looking upon them hence it is that he so often when alone openeth his Chest that he may look upon his white and yellow earth like that Roman Emperour who had his severall houres in the day of telling over his money and carrying it from one Chest to another or like the covetous old Man in Plautus who could never indure to have his pot of Gold out of sight for this cause it is that he loves to walke in his Garden ride through his Lands that he may take a view of his possessions so good reason had our Apostle to phrase it the lust of the eyes Indeed there is an Objection here started by a Schoolman to wit how the covetousness of a blinde man can be said to be the lust of the eyes To which the answer is easily given by reassuming that forementioned distinction of the corporeall and intellectuall eyes since as he well observeth Licet color non possit pervenire ad visum tamen cognitio hujus visi potest pervenire ad oculum mentis interioris Though the colour of the gold and silver cannot come to his outward eye yet the knowledg of thâ—se visible Objects may come to his inward eye and so he feeds his lust by the contemplation of his wealth Having cleared the passage by giving an account of the first we may now more easily proceed to a discussion of the second and principall Question which will give further light to the reason of the appellation and so to the resolution of the former and if you would know when our lust after wealth is a lust of the eyes and so irregular be pleased to know That this lust must be considered in a double reference to wit respectu acquirendi and retinendi in regard of getting and keeping wealth craving and saving it Indeed as the Grave is said to have both a mouth and an hand in Scripture so hath this lust of the eyes a mouth to receive and an hand to retaine and accordingly it is made up of two ingredients Rapacity and Tenacity 1. Rapacity Which is the lust of getting riches offends either respectu Objecti or mensurae in regard of the matter or the measure 1. The desire of getting is the lust of rhe eyes when it is conversant about either aliena or superflua those things which duly belong to another or those things which are superfluous and needless for our selves 1. To lust after other mens estates is undoubtedly sinfull and not improperly called a lust of the eyes since as Zanchy observeth such persons Quicquid bonorum mundi vident cupiunt sibi usurpare student like longing women they lust after whatsoever they see and though it belongs to another strive to make it their own Thus Ahab seeth Naboths vineyard and presently is sick for it nor can any thing cure his distemper but Naboths dispossession this is that which is expresly forbidden in the last Commandement and that in a most extensive phrase Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy Neighbours Indeed there are some things of this world that are as common as the ayre and water wherein all men partake without prejudice one to another but there are some things proper as Lands Monies Goods in which every legall possessour hath a peculiar interest and to which he hath a just right and when we look upon others enjoyments not only with an evill that is an envious eye repining that they are theirs but with an evill that is a covetous eye wishing they were ours that is a lust of the eyes The Rabbins have an excellent saying to this purpose He that saith mine is thine and thine is mine is an idiot He that saith mine is mine and thine is thine is moderate He that saith mine is thine and thine is thine is charitable but He that saith thine is mine and mine is mine is wicked I though it be only saying it in his heart to wish it were so Not Beloved that all desire of what is at present anothers is a covetuous lust but when as I desire that from another which is as expedient for him as it can be for me or which he taketh delight in and so is unwilling to part with or which if it were my own case I should be loath to forgo to him or any other that should desire it of me in the like kinde it becometh a sinfull desire of the eyes 2. Not only to lust after what is anothers but after what is superfluous is the lust of the eyes and fitly so called inasmuch as what is more then for our just use is only for our eyes covetousness is not simply a desire of having more and therefore more must be added to its definition it is plus velle quam sat est a desire of having more then is enough not for our desire but conveniency observable to this purpose is that Prayer of Agur Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me where the right Object of a lawfull desire is food convenient and consequently a desire of riches that is a greater measure of wealth then is convenient is sinfull if Gods providence cast super abundant riches upon us in the exercise of our callings we are gratefully to accept them but we may not desire and seek after them Sutable to which is that gloss of Estius upon these words of St Paul They that will be rich it is not they who are rich but they who will be Cupiditates accusat non facultates saith St Austin Riches are gifts in wisdomes left hand not the having but the craving them is blame worthy Congruous
word had we only to do with men it might suffice to have a care of our words and workes but since we have to do with God there must be a regard of thoughts and desires 3. Lastly It is not the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eyes but and to intimate to us that any one of these denominate a man a lover of the world and therefore it is not enough that we are free from one but we must be without any of these lusts to wit raigning and ruling over us I have read a story of an holy man to whom an Angell came with this message Veni ostendam tibi operva hominum Come and I will shew thee the workes of the sonnes of men To this end he leads him first to a field where he shewed him a man gathering sticks making a bundle and taking it on his shoulder to carry it but finding it too weighty he layeth it down and gathereth more but then he could not so much as stirre it Then he leads him to a river where he shewed him a man taking up water and pouring it into a leaking vessell which let it out as fast almost as it was put in Then he led him to a Temple where he findes two men carrying a piece of wood cross whereby neither could get into the Temple whereas if one would have permitted the other to have gone before both might have entered in In these three sights we have a representation of these three lusts the springs of those workes The first of the voluptuous who continually gather sticks of the Tree of pleasure and are so bewitched that they leave not gathering till the burden of them become at last intolerable The second of the covetous whose insatiable desire is like a vessell full of holes which yet he is still endeavouring to fill The third of the proud who whilest they will not suffer another to go before them hinder each other from entring into that caelestiall Temple Some there are who prostitute themselves so farre as they are consistent one with the other to all these lusts It is observed of the Swanne that he hath a threefold habitation the Water the Earth the Aire a fit Embleme of many sinners who swim in the water of sensuall pleasure walke upon the earth by the feet of covetous affections and flye in the aire with the wings of pride Others there are who are only addicted to one of these lusts whilst they are free from nay haters of the other Thus the voluptuous Epicure hateth to be covetous the covetous Mammonist abhorreth to be voluptuous and some proud men hate both we all saith the Prophet Like sheep have gone astray and turned every one to his own way Though all naturally go in a bad way yet not in the same some in the path of pride and others of curiosity others of avarice and others of sensuality But if the Enemy enter in at any one of these gates he gets the Castle â—e that goeth in any of these paths is in the broad way and he that is caught by any of these nets is the Devils Slave It will little availe the sensuall man to say I am not proud or covetous or the proud man to say I am not covetous or sensuall nor the covetous man to say I am not sensuall or proud That threatning against Israel Him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay may be here fitly alluded to and is too often verified Him that escapeth the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes slayeth and him that escapeth the lust of the eyes the pride of life slayeth It is ofttimes in this case according to that of the Prophet Amos As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Many a man that abhorreth the lust of the flesh is ensnared by the lust of the eyes and some as St Ambrose observeth Quos nulla potuit vincere luxuria nulla avaritia subruere ambitio facit criminosos whom neither luxury nor avarice could overcome pride hath surprized and subdued and therefore let our abstinence be universall or else it cannot be effectuall Thus did Moses when he chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season when he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Aegypt when being come to years he refused to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter Thus did Christ when to satisfie his hunger he would not command stones to be bread when he would not fall down and worship the Devill to gain all the Kingdomes of the world when he would not vain gloriously cast himselfe down from the Pinacle to shew himself the Sonne of God Thus must every Christian do in some measure then and not till then are we good Schollars in the Schoole of grace when we have learnt to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts namely the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN CHAP. 2. VERS 15. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him WHat was the saying of those Jews upon the hearing of Christs discourse I doubt is the thought of many Christians upon the reading of this Scripture This is an hard saying who can heare it Promises of mercy tickle but precepts of duty such especially as are contrary to our lusts grate the ears the very hearing is irksome but the practising much more This is an hard saying who can hear it It is harder doing who can performe it True the worke is excellent but withall difficult it is a matter of moment but not acted in a moment To divert our corrupt natures from worldly love is no less then to turne a streame and that will aske no little time and paines No wonder then if our Apostle contents not himself with the bare mention of this duty but withall annexeth strong inducements to the performance of it that hearing not only what we are to do but what great reason there is why we should do it we might with the stronger resolution set about it Love not the world for if any man love the world c. It is that part of the Text I am now come to namely the Argumentation which our Apostle adjoyneth to his Dehortation which consists of two parts or rather presents us with two Arguments 1. The first whereof is drawn from worldly love its contrariety to that which is divine and this is both asserted in the end of the fifteenth and proved in the end of the sixteenth so that in this part there are two things offer
must wee Christians bee withdrawn from our assent to and love of those truths wee have heard This is that which is expressed by those phrases of standing fast in the Faith like a Souldier which keepeth his ground of keeping the faith as a Commander keepeth a Castle and of holding fast by which three Greek words are translated and all of them very emphatieal hold fast that which thou hast saith Christ to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia where the Greek Verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth strength and intimateth holding fast with a strong hand by force or might as wee do one that would get away from us Hold fast that which is good is St. Pauls advice to the Thessalonians where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth a firm holding with both hands and is used of them that are violently held in Prison Holding fast the faithful word is St. Pauls word to Titus where the Greek Verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Seventy render the Hebrew Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which according to its derivation signifieth to hold fast against opposers thus must wee by divine streugth so hold that which wee have heard as resolving not to let it go whatever befall us Nor is it without cause that our Apostle adviseth to this stedfast retaining of the Evangelical Doctrin if wee consider what danger they were and more or lessc Christians in all ages are of being deprived of it That which wee have in possession may bee taken from us three waies rapto furto dolo by manifest Theft by subtle fraud and by violent force by all these means do our spiritual enemies endeavour to bereave us of that which wee have heard 1 Very often the lusts of the flesh and the delights of the World steal away that which we have heard out of our hearts as the fowles of the Air plucked up the seed which fell by the High-way side Oh how many are so bewitched with carnal pleasures that they let go spiritual truths like the Dog who lost the flesh in his mouth by catching at the shadow of it in the water 2 Not seldome false Teachers by their fair pretences of divine Revelations sublime notions Gospel light endeavour to cheat us of that wee have heard from the beginning S. Pauls phrase is very apposite to this purpose where hee speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sleight of men tacitly comparing them to false gamesters who have devices by cogging a dye to deceive the unskilful nothing more usual than for Hereticks by subtle insinuations to be guile the unlearned and unstable of those pretious truths which they had before received 3 Sometimes the Devil stirreth up wicked Persecutors who set upon us with open violence to make us let go our hold of the Gospel and as Lactantius well Haec vera est constantâ—a â—t nullus terror à Deo possit avertere then doth that wee have heard abide in us when no terrors can divert us from it that is a truely Heroical spirit which will not bee dared out of his Religion which determineth to let go estate liberty nay life it self rather than that which it hath heard and embraced it was a brave resolve of the Spartan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either to bring back his buckler or to be brought back upon it such should bee a Christians resolution in point of Religion either to defend it or dye for it we know not what storms and Tempests may arise needful it is wee should be unmoved like the rocks in the midst of opposition But oh what cause is there of bemoaning the unsettledness of many in matters of Religion Pliny reports of a swimming Island which never appeareth in the same place one whole day together and Carystius of a flower that changeth colour three times in one day how fit emblemes are these of the Professors of this age who are ever and anon changing their Religion like the ship without an Anchor that is tossed to and fro in the Sea or like the chaff that is carried up and down with every blast let any one start up and broach some new doctrin under the mask of a glorious truth and how do the giddy multitude run after him forsaking those Orthodox Doctrines in which they were heretofore instructed What went you out for to see a Reed shaken with the wind too many such reeds may be seen every where in these Apostatizing days men as of barren lives so of fickle mindes unprofitable in their conversations and unstable in their judgements And especially if any thing of self-interest as to Profit or Honour or Pleasure come in competition Oh how easily are they removed from their former Profession no wonder if when danger approacheth and looketh them in the face their trembling hands let go their hold and they forgoe the truth In few words some are so foolish as to bee cheated more are so careless as to bee robbed the most are so cowardly as to bee frighted out of the truth which they have heard and professed Receive then a word of admonition to retain and maintain the ancient Catholick and Apostolick faith Indeed it is that which by way of Analogy may be pressed upon the Ministers of the Gospel Let that abide in them which they have taught from the beginning In the Law the shoulder of the Beast that was Sacrificed was the Priests and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an embleme of strength The first Priests name Aaron signifieth a mountain of strength and the Altar was called Ariel The Lyon of the Lord by all which is intimated how valiant they should bee for the Truth who serve at the Altar and are the Priests of the most High God It is set down by the Apostle as one of the Characters of a Bishop holding fast the faithful Word for this the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia is highly commended and comforted Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience and it is the Apostles charge to Timothy that good thing which is committed to thee keep Indeed the Evangelical Doctrine is a sacred depositum which Christ hath left with the Bishops and Pastours of the Church To us saith the Apostle is committed the Word of Reconciliation Oh let us not bee so unfaithful as to betray our trust But yet it is not onely the Ministers but all Christians who are concerned in this duty as that must abide with the Preachers which they have taught so that must abide with the People they which have heard from the beginning This was that which St. Paul and Barnabas perswaded the Jews and Religious Professors which followed them namely to continue in the grace of God for this end they returned to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch to confirm the soules of the Disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith It is sage Counsel of
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