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Doct. 2. The end of dispensing any promise or convincement of our sinful estate, is not to give liberty to sin, but to prevent sin in us.

For here the Apostle answers an Objection which might arise, If the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin, then we may be bold to sin, it is but running to Christ's blood and we shall be cleansed from our sins; but he saith; I write these things that ye sin not, therefore it implies that neither Law nor Gospel should encourage us to sin, but restrain us.

The Law, that shows us the impossibility of not sinning, but doth not teach us how to sin, Rom. 3.20. it shows us sin, and to show sin, is not to learn us how to sin, but how to avoid it.

2 It shows us not only the nature of sin, but also convinceth us of sin, and the danger of it, Rom. 7.14. Gal. 3.10.

And for the Gospel, that teacheth that the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sins.

1 It shows a remedy against sin, the blood of Christ, and the means, If we confess our sins, &c. but it shows withal that if we shall hereupon willingly commit sin, we do most ingratefully, and profanely tread underfoot the blood of Christ, Heb. 10.29. we account it prodigality to despise precious things, how much more desperate is it to despise the most precious blood of Christ.

2 The Gospel teacheth us so to use the blood of Christ, as that we may mortify sin, and not only get it pardoned, but cleansed, for the use of the Gospel is to mortify sin, therefore it leads us not to the commission of sin.

3 The Gospel begets those graces that cleanse us from sin;

First, It begets faith, which purifies the heart, Act. 15.9.

Secondly, It begets hope, and that also purifies, 1 Joh. 3.3. he that hath this hope purifies himself, as he is pure.

Thirdly, It begets love, and that love constrains us to good, and restrains us from evil, 2 Cor. 5.14. so that both Law and Gospel dehort us from sin.

Use 1. Of direction to Ministers what course to take.

Two points of Wisdom are hence to be learned.

First, If any misconstruction may arise from your Doctrine, wisely to prevent it, St. John saw there would arise an encouragement to sin, from one Doctrine he had delivered, and a discouragement from fighting against sin from another, therefore he tells them, These things I write, that ye sin not, but if any man sin, &c.

Secondly, Another direction is, to frame yourselves to dispence Milk to Babes; Saint John was a Son of Thunder, and a Pillar among the Apostles, Gal. 2.9. yet he writing to little Babes, tells them thus, My little Children; these things I write unto you, that you sin not; it seems a weak line for such a man, but he tempers his Doctrine according to their strength; we should be ready to think it poor homely stuff to say thus, who could not have said as much?

Use 2. Of reproof to the Papists, who lock up St. Johns writings from the people, they may not be suffered to read them; why if he write them for this end that they might not sin, then they give the reins to sin that deny leave and liberty to read them.

Use 3. To teach us the poisonful corruption of our natures, that out of the purest soundest Doctrine gathers poison, Saint John fore-saw that from his Doctrine they would be ready to gather false conclusions. So Rom. 5.20. when St. Paul had delivered the free Doctrine of Justification, see what use they make of it, he had taught that as sin abounded, so did grace much more abound, now he saw that they would be ready to gather false conclusions from this, therefore he prevents it, Chap. 6.1. shall we then sin that Grace may abound? God forbid; therefore it must make us out of love with ourselves; the commonest meats are most nourishing and good, other rare meats commonly breed distempers, but some stomach will corrupt any meat, so the plainest points of Religion, are the soundest and best, but such is the corruption of our nature, that it is ready to gather poison out of them.

Use 4. To teach us when we have made a good use of the Apostles writings, viz. when they divert us from sin if you be restained and kept back from any sin by them, you make good use of them, St. John wrote this Epistle that they might not sin, labor therefore by reading thereof, to be made more cautelous against sin.

1. If we can, to do no sin.

2. If we do, to disallow it, and hate it, and so it will be as no sin to us.

We come now to the third point, viz. the consolation, If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, &c. as if he had said, how can it be that we should not sin? he had taught the contrary, and told them he wrote those things, that they might not sin, but yet for all that, notwithstanding their best care and endeavor, it could not be but they would sin; but here is the comfort, if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, &c. he doth not say any man hath an Advocate with the Father, but I, and you, and such as we are, we have an Advocate with the Father; now what is an Advocate? sometimes it is applied to the Holy Ghost, sometimes to the Son; to the Holy Ghost, John 14.16. he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , both because he is a Comforter, and because he is an Advocate, how? not in pleading our case before the Father, but by pleading in our hearts, in giving us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 8.26. as in Law, he may be said to be our Advocate that draws our petitions for us; the Holy Ghost doth not plead for us in heaven, but he draws our petitions for us, so that they are accepted in heaven, Rom. 8.27. he doth speak good things from God to us, and good things from us to God, 1 Cor. 2.3. he tells us of our peace with God, and our comfort, and helps us to plead with God.

But properly it is the office of the Son, to be Advocate; an Advocate in Court, is a more special pleader in the behalf of another, whose person and cause is there to be judged of, and so Christ is our Advocate in special manner with the Father.

Doct. Every sinner hath Enemies, that before the Father in heaven plead against him.

If any man sin, &c. there were no use of an Advocate to plead for us, if we had none to accuse us, and plead against us; we no sooner sin, but we have accusations put up in heaven against us, and so our Advocate puts in for us; what be these adversaries?

1 Our own sins, they plead against us, and accuse us day and night, some sins do in a special manner plead against us, and those are crying sins, Gen. 4.10. the murder of Abel was a crying sin, Gen. 18.20. the sins of Sodom cried, and Ezek. 16.49. there are four things of Sodom mentioned, which cried to heaven for Vengeance, Pride, Idleness, Intemperance, Unmercifulnesse to the poor; so sometimes detaining the laborers wages, James 5.4. so also oppression, Exod. 22.22.27. these are special crying sins, because they will give God no rest, till he hath revenged them in this World, they will not stay till the last judgment, but call for present judgment; but all sins do speak in the Lord's ear, and call for vengeance against us.

2 Another Adversary that accuseth us, is the righteous Law of God, which we have broken, that the word may not be in vain, Joh. 5.45.

3 The third Enemy is Satan, that accuseth us night and day, Rev. 12.10. so he did, Job Chap. 1.9, 10, 11. he accused him of hypocrisy, because he had no real reason to accuse him, therefore he surmiseth one.

4 Our own conscience accuseth us, and that is as a thousand witnesses, Rom. 2.15.

Use 1 To take heed how we make bold with any sin, you may put upon them a pretence of pleasure, or profit, or credit, but there is no sin we commit, but pleads against us, yea and stirs up the Law and Satan, and our own consciences to plead against us too.

2 It teacheth us the miserable Estate of a poor sinner that goes on in sin, and never takes any care to get Christ to be an Advocate for him, he may hope that Christ pleads for him in Heaven, but this is a vain hope, so long as he goes on in sin, but he may be sure that sin, and Satan, and the Law, and his conscience accuseth him, and he having none to plead for him, what a woeful case is he in?

3 It may stir us up to get an Advocate that may plead for us against our accusers.

Doct. Every Child of God hath the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven to plead his cause for him.

If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, he doth not say every man that sins hath an Advocate, but we have an Advocate, that is, I and you, and such as we are; the children of God, Rom. 8.34. he makes intercession for us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 interpellat pro nobis, he interrupts the accusation, and strikes in for us, Heb. 7.25. because he hath not only died for us, and risen for us, but he follows the buisinesse to the utmost, till it be accomplished.

How doth he make intercession for us?

1 He doth not fall down at his Fathers feet▪ but he acts the part of an Advocate by his presence, at the Throne of Grace, so that his presence cuts off many accusations, it being known he is our friend, and stands for us, they dare not be so bold, Heb. 9, 24.

2 He not only pleads for us by his presence, but he intercedes for us by the merit of his blood, and that pleads more powerfully for us, than either sin, or the Law, or Satan, or our own consciences can plead against us, Heb. 12.24. His blood speaks better things then the blood of Abel; that cried for condemnation, this for absolution.

3 He pleads for us, in giving us leave to use his name for our help, and his Spirit to plead for ourselves, he sends his Spirit to draw our petitions for us, and help us in his name ro plead for ourselves, he is our chief Advocate, he sends the Spirit, Joh. 16.23, 24. and he promises, Zach. 12.10. so that though the Spirit be an Advocate, yet he is sent by Christ, Joh. 14.16, 17.

4 He plays the Advocate in our behalf, by expressing his good will towards us, to his Father, he declares his will to be, that we may be cleared from all doubts and be where he is, to behold his glory, this he did upon earth, Joh. 17.24. and this very same doth he express for us in Heaven, and the reason of it is from Rom. 8.34. where his mediation is made a distinct work from his death, and resurrection, and ascension, and sitting at his Fathers right hand; besides all these, he makes requests for us in his own person, pleading to God for us for good things, as Moses did oft for the people, Exod. 32.31, 32. and as it was with Moses, so it is said it should be with Christ, Deut. 18.18. as Moses being a Mediator, put in a word of Peace for the people, so doth Christ.

But doth he thus intercede for every sinner? no, he doth not say every man hath an Advocate, but we have, he did not intercede for all when he was upon the Earth, I pray not for the World, Joh. 17.9.20. for if Christ should have prayed for all men, God would have heard him for all men, and then his death had been effectual for all men, for he saith thou hearest me always, Joh. 11.42. Christ is not an Advocate for all, but only for the Children of God.

Use 1 Of direction to a Christian that doth sin, what course to take for his peace and pardon, to look up to Heaven for an Advocate that may stand to plead for him, when sin, and when Satan and the Law, and conscience plead against him; many a poor soul hath his conscience pleading horror against him, that he is proud and unclean, and Hypocritical, &c. why, look up to Heaven now for an Advocate to plead for rhee; first, get into the estate of the children of God, My little Children, if we sin, we have an Advocate; it is not any man, but we that are as little children, lay down all pride, and emulation, and labor to frame ourselves to holy obedience, If we sin, we have an Advocate, &c. therefore labor to become little children, begotten to God by the Ministers of his Word, 2 Cor. 8.5. give up yourselves to God, and to his Ministers, to be taught of them according to his Will, and if we be such, we have an Advocate.

Use 2. Of consolation to all whose consciences strike and gall them, and they are disquieted with the bitterness of their sins, when sin accuseth, and the Law accuseth, and Satan and conscience accuseth, what should comfort a poor soul in this case? why, consider we have an Advocate with the Father, so that though the Law, and conscience tell us we have been disobedient, yet Christ our Advocate hath fulfilled all obedience, though we sin, and our sins plead against us, yet Christ pleads for us, his blood cries for us, and speaks better things than the blood of Abel, and he sends his Spirit to help us to put up our petitions, and he himself puts in for us, and performs our prayers for us, Rev. 8.3. by the Angel there is chiefly meant Christ, he sweetens them, takes all the corruption out of them, so that they are a sweet smelling savor to God; let us accuse ourselves to the lowest acknowledgment of our own unworthiness, and then let us with comfort look up to our Advocate that pleads for us.

How shall I know that he prays and pleads for me?

1 If you be little children to God, give up yourselves to him, and to his Ministers, to be obedient to his Ordinances.

2 If he send his Spirit into your hearts, and that helps you to draw your Petitions, it is a sign that he himself is about the work, by our sins we damp his Spirit, but if God renew his Spirit in us, it is a sign that Christ hath our cause in hand.

1 JOHN 2.2:

And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole World.

IN these words we have Christ described by his function external, 1. Advocate, 2. Propitiation for our sin; and secondly by his inward qualification, righteous; Jesus Christ the righteous.

We have done with his office of Advocation, we come now to the second, He is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only, but the sins of the whole World.

Doct. Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the sins not only of believing Jews, but likewise of believing Christians all the World over.

He is the Reconciliation as some translations render it, but that expresseth not the full meaning, we must know therefore that Propitiation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 includes Three things.

1 That he should expiate our sins, that is, make satisfaction for our Sins, a man may be a means of Reconciliation without satisfaction, but he cannot be Propitiation without offering satisfaction for the wrong done; now Christ did make satisfaction for our sins, Heb. 2.17. and to make satisfaction, he did offer a satisfactory sacrifice for our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. he bearing the sin and punishment due thereunto, it is as much as if we had done it.

2 To be a Propitiation it is required, that he make peace and reconciliation, for though a man sometimes recompense and satisfy a wrong, yet the Party wronged will not be at peace with him, and reconciled to him, but Christ hath taken upon him to reconcile God to us, so as that his wrath is turned from us, and favor restored to us, Col. 1.21. now this reconciling implies Three things.

1 That sometimes we were friends with God.

2 That we fell out with God.

3 Being fallen out, we are reconciled again, and made at peace with him; Now this is procured by Christ, whereas we were once friends with God in Paradise and fell from him and his favor, Christ hath come and made up that breach, and reconciled us again.

Thirdly, When Christ is said to be a Propitiation for our sins, it implies, that he hath procured the manifestation of God's favor to us, for suppose a Friend make satisfaction for another, and reconcilement with another with whom he is fallen out, yet if he know it not, his heart is as loose as ever, but Christ hath not only procured us God's favor, but he tells us, his Father is reconciled with us, and at peace with us, Job. 33.23. and 26. there is the effect of Christ's propitiation, that we shall see God's face with joy, we shall pray to him with comfort, Joh. 14.21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, &c. which shows, that he will bring rhem together, and there shall be a mutual expression of love to one another, and ref •• shment in one another, God shall take comfort in us, and we in him, Rev. 3.20. for that Christ goes further in this case than any man can.

Absalom had offended his Father, in slaying his brother Ammon, well, he flies away from his Fathers Court, Joab procures a Reconcilement, but yet he could not satisfy for the blood he had shed; he procured indeed so much that he was sent for home by the King but yet saith the King, Let him return to his own house, he shall not see my face, 2 Sam. 14.24. Joab could not satisfy for his blood, and the King would not see his face, so there wanted satisfaction and manifestation of the Kings favor; well, afterwards manifestation was procured, but yet there wanted Propitiation, because satisfaction could not be made; but Christ hath not only procured favor, but satisfaction, and hath declared his favor towards us. Now further, Christ hath done this, not only for the believing Jews, but all Christians all the World over, for to whom doth he speak here? why to little Children, and what were they? why they were Jews, as appears, verse. 7. who from the first giving of the Law were commanded to love one another; now besides these weak Jews, the Apostle saith, He is our propitiation, including the Ministers of the Gospel, and not only so, but for the sins of the whole World. Now the World is diversely taken in Scripture;

1 World is sometimes put for the frame of Nature, as Act. 17.24.

2 It is sometimes taken for the pleasure and profits of the World, as 1 Joh. 2.16.

3 It is sometimes put for the wicked of the World, Joh. 15.19.

4 It is sometimes taken for the Gentiles in opposition to the Jews, Rom. 11.12.

5 It is sometimes taken for the Believers of the World, 2 Cor. 5.19. though it may have further extent, but here it is taken in opposition to Christian Jews, he is not only a propitiation for the Jews, but also for the believing Gentiles.

But further, Christ is not only a Propitiation for his children, but for the whole World, that is, the whole body of the Creation, for as by Adams fall the whole World was cursed, Christ by his death renewed the blessing to the World again. the whole body of the Creation, Rom. 8.20. therefore it is said, the whole body of the Creation waits for the liberty which the Sons of God have. A type of this we have in Noah, Gen. 8.20, 21. Noah being a Type of Christ, and making atonement for the World by Sacrifice, God smelt a sweet favor, and doth promise that he would no more curse the earth for man's sake, and that which was done by Type in him, is perfectly procured by Christ, all the creatures are encouraged to rejoice in his Redemption, because they are Redeemed in him, Isa. 44.23. All the creatures are become the servants of Christ, subject to the dominion of Christ, he hath bought them all, Rom. 14.9. Christ is now Lord of all, he hath bought not only us, but our Ground, and Cattle, and Houses, and our Children, and he hath so purchased it, that the world shall be a blessing to the Church, the Tumults, and Agitations, and Disorders, shall be for the good of his people.

Quest. Whether hath Christ made any propitiation for the wicked? for Reprobates? how else for all the World?

Ans. You must distinguish between such and the rest of the World, in this they all agree, that Christ is Lord over all, wicked and good, he hath bought all, 2 Pet. 2.5. so that they are vassals to be ruled by Christ's Dominion, he hath bought them for the Churches service to do them good.

2 I say that Christ hath laid down a sufficient price for all, and thus much he hath procured God's patience to forbear them, and his bounty to lead them to Repentance, Rom. 2.45. yea he hath procured for them, not only gifts fitting them for Magistracy and Ministry, and the common Gifts and Graces of his Spirit, but many sanctifying Gifts, see Heb. 10.29.

Quest. Is Chri •• then a propitiation for them?

Ans. To make • propitiation is required, not only that such a satisfaction and reconciliation be propounded, but that they lay hold on it, as the sacrifices in the old Law, who are they that had an atonement made by the sacrifice they offered? only those that laid their hands on the head of the sacrifice, Lev. 1.4. so then this is nothing for the propitiation of the Wicked, they do not lay hold on the head of Christ, they do not take hold on him as an Advocate and propitiation; therefore they are left inexcusable. This point is likewise handled by Paul, Rom. 3.25. 2 Cor. 5.19. the whole world was out with God, he purchased something for all.

Use 2. It shows that it is a wicked opinion of the Papists that say, the bread in the Sacrament is a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the World, as they wrong Christ in his Advocation, so also in his propitiation, Heb. 10.10. if there had been need of another propitiation, his had been insufficient, but they ascribe this to the sacramental bread, to purgatory, and they say afflictions are satisfactions for our sins, and their own voluntary devotions are satisfactory, as whippings, and pilgrimages, and fastings, why if Christ be the propitiation, there needs no more but him.

So also they wrong him, in adding other Advocates, as Angels, and Saints, especially the Virgin Mary.

Object. You will say you allow one friend to pray for another here on Earth, and to entreat God for him, and may not Saints in heaven pray for us, as well as Saints on Earth?

Ans. 1. We have both commands and examples for the one, Jam. 5. and Paul often desires the prayers of the church, but we have none for the other.

2 We desire none but such as know our cases to pray for us, but it is uncertain whether the Angels, or Saints in Heaven knows us or our wants; it is cartain they know not our thoughts.

3 And when we desire other men here on Earth to pray for us, we do not make them Advocates as they do Angels and Saints.

1 We do not desire them to pray in their own merits and name, as they do the Angels and Saints in Heaven.

2 They pray to the Virgin Mary for graces, miserere peecati, &c. and command thy Son to grant such and such things, so they ask spiritual gifts of the Saints, which is peculiar to God.

3 They do herein ascribe to them certain proper works, make them Patrons of several Countries, and part among them several offices, they pray to one for healing of one disease, and to another for another.

Use 2 If Christ be our reconciliation, then it shows us what we are without Christ, enemies to God, and such enemies, then if all the Angels and Saints in heaven should put in for us, they could not make propitiation for us, it is only Christ's Prerogative, Col. 1.21. Rom. 5.20. Ephes. 2.3. we are enemies and strangers to God, and all our imaginations of our hearts wholly evil continually, we are ready to delude ourselves, I hope I am not so far out with God, I am not an enemy, but we are all so by nature.

Use 3. It should teach us, when we do find and feel that we are sinners, to consider of Christ's Reconciliation, and Propitiation.

Q. I do believe that Christ hath made an Atonement for sinners, and reconciled all Believers, but how shall I know that I am of that number or no?

Ans. 1. Hath Christ ever brought you to see God's face with comfort? if you have at any time beheld God's face with joy and comfort, know that this could not be, unless Christ had been a Propitiation for you.

Obj. I, but that comfort is all gone again?

Ans. No man that is brought into the Kings presence stands always before him, but there is a time for the King to sequester himself from him, so there is no Christian that stands always in the presence of God's face, it is enough if thou hast been brought to kiss God's hand, and taste of his favor.

Obj. But I have never felt any comfort or joy in Prayer, and other Ordinances?

Ans. 1. I would ask you, Are you fallen out with your sins? if you be, you love God, and are beloved of him, Psal. 97.10.

2 Do you find that you love God much, for you have been a great sinner, and yet God hath had mercy on you, if so, it is a sign much is forgiven you.

3 Do you find your hearts compassionate over other men's sins? it is a sign yours are forgiven, Matth. 17.23. to. 33. Eph. 4. ult.

Use 4. If we find that we are enemies to God, and our peace is not made with him, it is our wisdom to pacify God, do as Adonijah did when he had offended King Solomon, he ran and took hold of the horns of the Altar, 1 King. 1.15. so we should run and lay hold on Christ, as he that had any benefit by a Sacrifice, was to lay his hands on his head, so, would you have any benefit by Christ? lay hold on him, confess your sins over him, entreat him to make your peace with God.

Q. But how shall I know whether I lay hold on Christ?

A. 1. No man lays hold on Christ, but he takes him for better, for worse, he takes him to be a Ruler, as well as a Savior, you must give up yourselves to be guided by his will, as well as to receive any benefit by him.

2 If you find your hearts wholly resting on Christ, and none but him, if this be the frame of your heart, that there is none in Heaven or Earth that you desire in comparison of him, Psal. 73.25. then you have laid hold upon him.

Use 5. For Christians that have their sins pardoned, and are in Christ, though it be thus with you, yet you are not to think that you have no need of Christ, for were you as St. John, and the Apostles Pillars, yet you have need of an Advocate, and Propitiation still, for in many things you sin daily, and fall out with God, so that if God should fall out with us as often as we with him, we should never have peace, therefore still go to Christ, entreat him to be your Atonement from day today, Christ is not only a Peace-maker, but a Peace-keeper; we daily offend God, or others, or ourselves, and therefore stand daily in need of Christ's mediation.

We have much need of Christ's Spirit to help us in our prayers.

Use 6. Of consolation to every Christian soul, to consider in the midst of our sins, that we have Christ for our propitiation, to keep our peace with God, there is not a day passeth over our heads wherein we fall not out with God, and if Christ should not put in, what would become of us? but here is the comfort, Christ is our propitiation, and therefore it is certain and sure that he is more able to keep our peace than we are to break it; and besides, he hath taken it upon him, he hath made it his Office to be an Atonement between God and us; and here is also further comfort, that he hath not only been a means of reconciliation, but he hath manifested it unto us, he hath brought us to see God's face with comfort.

But this is not all, but here is matter of further comfort, in that he being made a propitiation for the whole world, the whole World shall be at peace with us, there is a reconciliation betwixt me and all the Creatures, I have comfort from every blessing, from Christ's Propitiation, Job 5.19. and 23. so that whatsoever a Christian meets with, whether good deeds or bad, persecution, &c. why this is his comfort, that the whole world shall be for his good, though I meet with crosses and afflictions it shall be for my good, from this ground, that Christ is a propitiation for the whole world.

Use 7. Seeing God hath made so large an Atonement for all, let us draw one another to take heed of sin, to run to Christ, make use of Christ's Atonement, and take he • d of sin; this use old Eli made, 1 Sam. 2.25. If one man sin against another, t •• Judge shall judge it, but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall plead for him? If you fall out with God, and walk in sin, who shall make your peace with him; that is a work no friend you have can do, no means you can procure can make up that breach, none but Christ, and you must not presume upon Christ's mediation, he will not be a baud to any ones sin that is a sign of Reprobation to turn God's grace into wantonness, Jude 4. and take heed we do not offend Christ; it is notable counsel God gives to Moses to deliver to the people, Exod. 23.20, 21.22. Behold I send an Angel before thee (that is, Christ, the Angel of the Covenant) beware of him, provoke him not, he will not spare your misdeeds, for my name is in him; if you do willingly sin against him he will not pardon you, therefore encourage all the friends you have to make use of Christ's Reconciliation, he is a propitiation for little children, verse. 1. for young men, for old men, in the following verses, for all that are willing to lay hold on him, this use Paul makes, 2 Cor. 5.19, 20, 21. this is the chief point of the Gospel, that God hath made Christ a propitiation for sin, therefore we beseech you to make use of it, take not Christ's blood in vain, beware to offend his grace and mercy, and labor to bring on all to Christ, since the propitiation is so general, seeing there is such a Fountain set open, let us draw at it for ourselves, and for our children, let us teach our children that Christ is made a propitiation for their sins.

We have heard Christ described from his external Offices.

1 He is an Advocate.

2 A Propitiation.

We come now to his internal virtue, or qualification; Jesus Christ the righteous.

Doct. Jesus Christ is the righteous Lord, or, Jesus Christ, either in his Office of an Advocate, or Reconciler, is Jesus Christ the righteous.

The Scripture much testifies this, Heb. 4.15. 1 Pet. 3.8. 1 Pet. 2.22. and Pilate that condemned him gave him this testimony, I am innocent from the blood of this just man, Mat. 27.24. yea from his birth he had this testimony, that holy thing, Luke 1.33. in opposition to all others, who are sinners from the very Wombe, he was holy in his Birth, in his Life, in his Death, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He knew no sin; that is, he had experience of none, but the Father made him sinful by imputation, that we might be just by imputation.

It was meet that he should be righteous without sin; 1. That he might be our Reconciler. 2 That he might be our Advocate, if he had had any sin, he could have been neither of these.

1 For the first, had he been sinful himself, he could not have made atonement for sin, it was required that all the Sacrifices should be without blemish, Lev. 3. and 10 else it had not been accepted, as the Lord tells them, Mal. 1.8. all things defiled with sin are abominable to God, Heb. 7.25, 26. unless some atonement be made, now had he been sinful, he had stood in need of Sacrifice for himself, and could not have been an attonnment for our sins, 2 Cor. 5. ult. he that knew no sin, was imputed a sinner for us, that we might be imputed righteous for his sake.

2 It was meet that he should be righteous, that he might be our Advocate, God hears not sinners, Joh. 9.31. the blind man was not so blind, but he could say so much, but God hears Christ always, and we should have such an Advocate, as should continually prevail with God, look at all the parts of his advocation for us, and it is meet that he should be righteous.

1 He appears for us in the sight of God; and had he been a sinner, his person would have been odious in God's sight.

2 He Advocates by pleading the merits of his own death, now how could it have been meritorious, had he died as a malefactor.

3 He gives us his name and his Spirit to use in our Prayers, now to use his name had been of no effect, if he had been a sinner.

4 He prays for us, makes known his will to his Father concerning us, but this would do no good, had he been a sinner.

3 It is meet he should be righteous, that he might be our justifier, our justification is by his obedience, his righteousness is imputed to us, now his righteousness could not have been imputed to us, had it been imperfect, 1 Cor. 2.3.

Use 1 It is a ground of much consolation to such as lay hold on Christ, and have him for their Advocate and Reconciler, for he is one that is just and righteous, and therefore fit to prevail for us, what hinders the joy of a Christian?

Object. 1 I much doubt the pardon of my sins, if I could be sure of that, I should be joyful.

Ans. You have such a Reconciles as is Just and Righteous, and therefore will procure pardon for you.

Object. 2 But I am still unjust and unrighteous.

Ans. But your Reconciler is Just and Righteous, and it is not required that the reconciled should be righteous, but he that reconciles us, it is meet that he be righteous.

Object. 3 I cannot pray, my prayers are heartless and faithless, &c.

Ans. Well, but we have an advocate that is holy and just, and that prays and intercedes for us, and we shall find the benefit of his Righteousness, though we fall daily into much unrighteousness, yet Jesus Christ our Mediator is righteous.

Use 2 To teach us to be Righteous, as he is Righteous, God would have us conformable to the image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. and that consists in Holiness and Righteousness, God would have us so to walk, that our Sir-name may be Justus, Righteous towards God, to give him his due, Righteous to others, to give them their due, and Righteous to ourselves.

To be called Christians, and yet not to be righteous, is to be called Christians, and yet to be no Christians. Why are we called Christians, but because we are anointed with the Unction of Christ? If a man profess himself to be a Christian, and is not Righteous, he is not a Christian, for he hath not the Spirit of Christ, and therefore is none of Christ's; not but that we may fail, but it is required that the stream and bent of our hearts and ways be to walk Righteously; we aim at Righteousness, though sometimes we miss the mark.

Use 3 May quiet us, if we fear evil in well doing, why? Because Christ was most Righteous, yet he suffered much unrighteous dealing in a Righteous cause, we think we have much wrong, if for righteous dealing we meet with unrighteous dealing, if in innocence we meet with crosses and Fire and Faggot, we cry out, O tempora, O mores, but it was the case of Christ, and therefore we must not think it strange to suffer ill for well-doing, not only to be reviled, but to loose our goods and our lives, if we should meet with them, it is no more than Christ suffered, it was the ground of Atheists in old time, if they did see Bona maelis, & maela bonis evenire, why is there a God that doth govern the earth? But we must consider God is patient as well as just, and therefore many times forbears punishment.

1 JOHN 2.3.

And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

THe Apostle St. John having shown in the former Verses that Christ is our Advocate, and Propitiation, here might his little Children reason, But how shall I know that Christ is my Advocate, and Reconciler? though he be both, yet how shall it appear that it is so to me? Why, hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

Saint John here speaks of such a knowledge as we call acquaintance, and familiarity; and fellowship, I know you not, Matth. 7.23. that is, I have no acquaintance and fellowship with you, hereby we know we have fellowship with Christ, if we keep his Commandments, you may know whether you have fellowship with Christ or no by this. This third Verse therefore shows our fellowship with Christ in his mediation.

Doct. 1. A man that knows Christ, may, and ought to come to know that he doth know him, or hath fellowship and communion with him.

Doct. 2. Such as do keep his Commandments may ceme to know that they do know Christ, that they have true fellowship with him.

1 For the First, a man that knows Christ, may, and ought to come to know that he knows him, or hath fellowship and communion with him; hereby we know that we know him, here is actio reflexa, the Senses they do not reflect themselves, the eye sees other men's faces, not its own, but by reflection in a Glass, but in our Spiritual knowledge we may more sensibly discern our Spiritual estate, than our faces in a Glass, for we see not that, but in another Me • lium, but a man knows his knowledge of Spiritual things directly, he not only knows, but knows that he knows what is meant by these.

To know Christ, is not only to know his Nature, and Person, and Offices, that he is God man, and that he is our Advocate, and Reconciler, and Propitiation, the Devil knows thus much; so that a Spiritual knowledge is not superficial, but such a knowledge as is opprative, not dead, but lively, not naked, but such a knowledge as is joined with acquaintance, such a knowledge as works us to obedience, Psal. 9.10. Isa. 53.11. and that works us to Mortification, Gal. 6.14. such a knowledge as makes all the World dead to us; As a man that hath set his affections on a woman, it deads his affections to all others, 1 Sam. 2.12. the Sons of Eli knew not the Lord; and Exod. 5.2. Who is the Lord, saith Pharaoh, I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go; they knew not the Lord, that is, they had not this lively operative knowledge joined with obedience, so then true knowledge is operative, begets trust, and confidence, and joy in God, Jer. 10.23. and is likewise joined with obedience, 1 Chron. 28.9. so then we see it is such a knowledge as makes us trust in him, fear him, honor him, serve him, cleave to him, and yield obedience unto him; and no wonder, for verba sensus accipienda sunt cum effectu & affectu; I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress my people Israel, Exod. 3.9. I have seen, that is, not only looked on it, but have compassion, and intend to deliver them; so, Remember thy Creator, &c. that is, bend thy affections to him, and honor him, so to know Christ is to affect him, to honor him, to cleave to him, to obey him, to acquaint ourselves with him, for by knowledge is here meant acquaintance, and familiarity.

What is this Knowledge, to know that we know him?

It is an Act of Understanding, by which, upon good ground, he doth discern that he doth know God, and hath fellowship with him, no man calls that Knowledge which is only a Conjecture, nay this Knowledge is more than a true faith, for they are two distinct things though they stand together, 1 John 4.16. We have known and believed, &c. so that this Knowledge is more than a true faith, for faith is a persuasion or trust a man takes upon the credit of Divine testimony, if I take it upon man's testimony, it is credulity, but when I take things on God's authority, that is faith; but here is something more, we know and believe, and we know that we know, which is an Actus judicii, and more than opinion, or faith; Knowledge is such an acknowledgement as ariseth Ex principiis scientificis, such as proceeds from certain Principles, as I know that Fire burns from the light and heat, so then I know it by experience, all knowledge ariseth either from causes or Effects, such effects as cannot delude us, if it may, it is but conjecture, but what we know, it is upon sure grounds and experience, that is Knowledge. So then we know that we know him, this implies, that a man that knows Christ may not only think so, and have such an opinion, and believe so, but he may know he knows Christ, and that by two effects.

1 By feeling in his own heart, that having been oppressed with sin, he finds his soul comfortably pacified, if he find Christ pacifying his soul, he knows that he knows Christ, such a man whose spirit hath been oppressed with the consciousness of sin, if this man's soul be comforted and pacified, then he knows that he knows Christ, he is now acquainted with Christ, one that was never troubled with sin, knows not the worth and virtue of Christ, but a man that hath been afflicted in conscience for sin, and is now pacified, now he knows that he knows Christ, he had hold of him before, but he now plainly sees him, Job 42.5. I have heard of thee, by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eyes see thee, as if all his knowledge before, had been but as the hearing of him; but now he comfortably finds Christ's presence, he now sees his worth and excellency, Cant. 5.10. a man knows that this is Christ, because he knows that nothing in Heaven or Earth could pacify him but Christ.

2 He knows that he knows Christ, not only by the pacifying of his conscience, but by the purifying of his conscience, Act. 15.9. purifying it from the lusts of sin, whereas before we were covetous; we are now heavenly minded; whereas before vain, now serious in serio, and look at Trifles as Trifles; before unclean, now holy and chaste; before intemperate, now temperate; before disordered, now our hearts are cast into another mould and frame, both the inward man is purified, and the outward, the words and actions are purified; thus we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments, so that they that know Christ, may say, I know that I know him.

Use 1. To refute that Popish Doctrine that teacheth, that none can be certain of his Salvation, nay they say it is Heretical presumption, and many worldly men think it is impossible, and others think it is needless to be attained, but such may be convinced from this Doctrine, and what saith the Apostle Peter, Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. how shall we make it sure, if we know that we know it? 1. Cor. 2.12. God gives us his Spirit, that we may see the grace he hath given us, Joh. 3. ult. St. John speaks it here of little Children, that they may know it, so that this Knowledge is both possible, necessary, and may be certain.

They say, we may have a conjectural Knowledge, but no certainty of faith; it is a speech which implies a contradiction, if it be conjectural it is no Knowledge, that which I only conjecture, I know not; we do not know that we only conjecture, if I ask you if you know such a one? If you say you think you know him, you do not know him; so that when they say, we cannot have knowledge of faith, we do not say they may only believe it, but they may have certainty of feeling, Faith may admit much doubting, but Knowledge excludes much doubting.

Use 2 To consider whether we can say thus, we know that we know him; do you know that you have acquaintance and fellowship with Christ? do you believe it? How do you believe it, on what ground?

1 Have you found Christ purifying your Consciences by his blood? If you have found that, then you know that you know him, Phil. 4.7.

2 Do you find your Consciences purified? Do you find your Corruptions mortified? Do your Lusts grow abominable? Do you find your hearts cleansed from wrath and impatience? &c. certainly then you know that you know Christ, for none else could have pacified and and purified your hearts? If it be so that you dare not sin, you seek peace and ensue it, then you may know that you have Christ, but if these signs be wanting, especially purifying, then you know him not.

Use 3 To exhort us never to rest till you know that you have acquaintance with Christ, if a man had all the knowledge in the World, what comfort would it afford him, if he knew not that he had fellowship with Christ, never count you know anything if you know not Christ, Si Christum discis, satis est, &c. and yet rest not there till you know that you know him; Beasts see, and hear, but they know not that they do so, because they are irrational, and want the faculty of reflection, and in sprituals a carnal heart is blind; but it is for a Christian to know Christ, and not only so, but to know that he knows him, we must not rest either in men's good persuasions, that they hope and are persuaded well of us, or that they speak well of us, but we must never rest till we know that Christ dwells in us, and we in him, which we may know by his pacifying and purifying of our consciences.

Use 4 Of Consolation to such as do sin, and fall daily, and find their own emptiness, their knowledge is but small, their experience little, their outward comforts shallow, yet this is a man's comfort, that he knows Christ, and not only so, but knows that he knows Christ; God never gives us a blessing but he is willing that we should know it, if he set up a light in our minds he would have us discern that light, and walk in the light thereof; therefore let us thankfully acknowledge it, and comfort ourselves therein.

We come now to the Evidence whereby we come to know that we know Christ, hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments; for the understanding of this, we must know that there is a perfect keeping the Commandments without sin, and that St. John disclaimed before, Cap. 1. Vers. 8.10.

2 There is another keeping the Commandments, that is, not perfect without sin, yet perfect without dissimulation or hypocrisy, and that is here meant.

Doct. Sincere obedience, or keeping the Commandments of Christ, is a scientifical argument, and sign of our undoubted and known fellowship with Christ.

Q. What is it to keep his Commandments?

A. The keeping of his Commandments is usually in Scripture expressed by divers comparisons.

1 Sometimes it is expressed by keeping his Commandments, as a man would keep his way, turning neither to the right hand, nor to the left, Josh. 1.7. and then we must look at the Commandments as our way, as a Traveler doth not go out of his way, if he doth, it is besides his intention.

2 Sometimes it is expressed by keeping Jewels, we should keep them as our Treasure, set our hearts on them, Prov. 6.20, 21. bind them about thy heart. Which implies, they are to be looked at as our greatest treasure, and worn about our neck, he would have us look at them as our Ornaments; many men would be rich, but they would not always have it known, but a Christian is not only to look at Christ's Commandments as his Treasure, but as his ornaments and credit; a man is then said to keep the Commandments; when he looks at them as his Treasure and Ornaments, he fears not to show himself, and let it appear that he keeps Christ's Commandments, he is not ashamed to wear them about him openly.

3 It is compared to the keeping of the apple of a man's eye, Prov. 7.1, 2. keep them as the apple of thine eye; a man keeps the apple of his eye very tenderly, every moat is ready to trouble him, therefore he would not have the least moat come into his eye; so, that is true keeping of God's Commandments when the least offense or scruple against God's Commandments is b • tter and noisome to him, as moats to the apple of his eye, he cares not what the World thinks of it, if it be against the the Law of God it is noisome unto him.

4 It is expressed by keeping the Commandments as a man would keep his Soul, Prov. 19.16. as if it come to this pinch, either keep the Commandments or lose your life; a Christian will lose his life, and keep the Commandments, nay of the two, he would rather lose his Soul, Luke 14.26. a man must be willing to sit loose from his life for Christ; now if we thus keep his Commandments, it is an evident sign that we know that we know him.

Obj. But such a keeping is very strict, and hardly to be attained, who can do this? in many things we offend all, and who is it that goes not astray?

Ans. A Christian may keep the Commandments as his way, when he intends to go on, and if he be out it is besides his intention, he may keep them as his treasure, though sometimes upon some temptation he may part with something thereof, yet after he knows it he mourns for it, and it is the grief of his heart; and though a Christian may sometimes be ashamed of his Profession, yet afterwards he is ashamed of his Fact, as Peter, and though a Christian may sometimes offend the Commandment, yet he is never well till he hath got out this moat; sometimes a man may rather choose his life as Peter, but afterwards he grieves, and weeps bitterly, and would rather part with his life than the Commandment; and if it be thus with thee, it is a sign thy keeping is sincere.

Quest. How is such obedience a certain sign of our acquaintance with Christ?

Ans. 1 This sincere keeping of the Commandments our Savior looks at it, as an act of friendship in him, Joh. 15.14. then are ye my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you, as we take it for a point of special friendship when a man is ready at our command, and willing to do what we would have him; nay, Joh. 15.10. our Savior takes it not only as love, but as abiding constant love, and if it spring from our love to Christ, it must needs spring from Christ's love to us, for we could not have loved him except he loved us first, 1 Joh. 4.19. 1 Joh. 5.3. no man keeps anything that is grievous, a man may have fire about his house, or a moat in his eye, but he keeps it not, it is grievous; a man may be out of the way, but it is grievous, but when he keeps the Commandments as his way, his treasure, his eye, his life, this is not grievous to him; every Office, be it never so bad, it seems easy, because he loves Christ dearly; as Jacob's seven years service for Rachel seemed but a little space, because he loved her, Gen. 29.20. if there be such mutual love, it is a certain sign of acquaintance.

2 This keeping of his Commandments is a sign of our abiding in Christ, and so of our acquaintance with him, Joh. 15.1. Hos. 14.8. upon me is thy fruit found, otherwise we are barren, it is Christ that puts forth any fruit in us, Ezek. 36.27. how comes it to pass; a man keeps God's Laws and Judgments, but because he hath his Spirit within him; he keeps us, and then we keep his Commandments?

Use 1 To refute that Popish Error, that a man may keep the Commandments perfectly without sin.

2 That though he can thus keep them, yet he cannot be sure of his Salvation. But this is contradictory, hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments; so that it is either certain they keep not his Commandments, or if they do, they may be certain of their fellowship with Christ, and so of Salvation by him.

2 It refutes them in this, in that they say we are wont to discourage men from good works; we say indeed, none can be justified by the works of the Law, but we do not discourage them from good works; for we say thus, if men keep God's Commandments, which is to perform good works, hereby we say we may come to know that we know Christ; we say more, not only a perfect keeping, but a sincere keeping of them, though imperfectly, with respect and care, though this doth not justify us, yet we say, it doth justify the truth of our Estate, and that is no small matter; we challenge them for discouraging of men from good works, for they will not grant that hereby we know that we know him, but still leave a man in doubt, but we grant much comfort from good works, for though they do not justify us, yet hereby we know that we are justified.

Use 2 To confute the Arians, this shows a certain ground of the divinity of Christ, because by keeping his Commandments we may come to know him; now this would not hold, if he had not the same authority to command with God himself, I am. 4.12. there is but one Law-giver: therefore if Christ be our Law-giver, he is one God with the Father, his Commandments are of like benefit and use with the Fathers Commandments.

Use 3 Shows the cause why many men do not know that they know Christ, none can know Christ but such as keep his Commandments.

1 Therefore such cannot know Christ that do not know his Commandments, for if they do not know them, how can they keep them? God's ways are too hard to be found in the night, in Ignorance or Darkness.

2 Though a man do know them, yet if he divide them, some he will keep; and some he will not keep: if he do thus, he cannot come to know that he knows Christ, because he doth not keep his Commandments: there are some Commandments he doth not keep, if you take liberty to break the Sabbath, and will not keep it, though you know it is God's Commandment, it is impossible you should come to a saving Knowledge of your Estate in Christ: if you be content to live in the least known sin, if you do not as gladly root out any sin as you would pull a moat out of your eye, you cannot know Christ, or come to know that you know him.

3 There are others that know Christ, and yet do not know that they know him why? because thy do not keep his Commandments as their way, do not look at them as their Treasure, as their Ornaments, do not keep them as the Apple of their Eye, but swallow many moats, this doth very much hinder their souls: many would do much for Religion, but would not have it come to life, then no wonder if we see not our Estates, if moats be in our Eyes, we cannot see as otherwise we might, so if sin lie on our souls, no wonder if we be so blinded, that we cannot see our Estate in Christ, nor know that we know him.

Use 4 It shows a ready way to peace of conscience, would we have our consciences pacified? Why, labor to know that we know Christ, and that will pacify the conscience when we come to know that we are acquainted with Christ, this being peace of conscience: but how shall we know that? Why, keep the Commandments of Christ, as our Way, as our Treasure, as the Apple of our Eye, as our Life, then we may know that we know him, that we have Fellowship with him, and then our consciences will be at quiet both in life and death, if we keep the Commandments as our way, and if we be out of the way it troubles us: if we keep it as our Treasure, and if we loose any it grieves us, when we grieve for the loss of it, as for the loss of our Ornaments; if we cannot suffer any sin to be in our souls, but it afflicts us, then our consciences will be at peace; if we keep the Commandments carelessly, we keep the peace of our consciences loosely, as we keep the Commandments, so we keep the comforts of our souls; it may be we walk in God's ways, but not so closely and charily as we should, this hinders our own peace; it was a speech of Jonah when he was now in a good temper and dissembled not, Jonah 2.8. they that follow lying vanities, forsake their own mercies; they that follow lying vanities, any comfort of the World, if there be any way, any Treasure, any Ornament, any life that we prize above the Commandments of God, these are lying vanities, deluding things, and then we forsake our own mercies, that is, the portion of mercy which God hath appointed us, and he spake it by woeful experience, he clave to his credit, a lying vanity, and thought he would prevent his discredit, but God found him out, and he found it by experience that they that stick to any pleasure more than God they forsake their own mercies, he might have had mercy if he had been obedient, but now he saw no hope of mercy, in this world at least; therefore it may teach us to take heed of trusting to any deluding vanity.

Use 5. Of consolation to constant keepers of God's Commandments, sometimes a man may keep them, and yet be in fear and doubts of his Estate, why, go on in that way still, keep them as your Way, your Tresaure, and Apple of your Eye, your life, that is the way to comfort: be it known unto you if you do thus that you do know Christ, for did you not love God, you would never go on in a constant course of keeping his Commandments, and you could not love him except he loved you first, and you could not keep his Commandments but by his Spirit dwelling in you, and that argues acquaintance with him, Psal. 19 11. in keeping of them there is great reward, greater than any gold or silver; a man may keep that and yet want a quiet Conscience; but a man that keeps God's Commandments shall not want peace of Conscience, Psal, 119.72. thousands of gold and silver will not keep a man's heart warm and comfortable, but the keeping of God's Commandments will; and be it that you be about your calling, no business of your calling will hinder your peace, no Commandment of God hinders your Peace; indeed if you go about things without warrant from a Commandment, be it in the World, in your callings; if you look at your profit and pleasure &c. and not at God's Commandment to set you a work, you lose your Peace, and you will want your Peace in that days conversation, but if you go about things in virtue of a Commandment, never fear, your calling will never hinder your Peace; keep the Commandment and keep your Peace: we hinder our Peace often, because we go about businesses without an eye to the Commandment, and so it is not acceptable to God, he finds no savor of rest in it, and therefore no wonder if we lose our Peace; but if any work, though never so mean, be done in obedience to God's Commandments, we shall keep and maintain our Peace.

1 JOHN 2.4.

He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

IT is St. Johns usual course to propound the Truth Affirmatively, and Negatively. Vers. 3. Affirmatively, Vers. 4. Negatively, Vers. 5. he amplifies the keeping of Christ's Commandment, by a double benefit.

1 In him that doth so, is the Love of God perfect.

2 Hereby we know that we are in him,

From whence Verse 6. he passes this conclusion of conforming our lives, to the life of Christ.

Verse 4 He that saith he knows him, &c.

To say, is either, in Heart, in Word, or in outward Carriage.

He that saith I know him, he speaks not of an active understanding of him, but of an affectionate hearty knowledge.

Knowledge is either speculative or operative; infused or acquired; Historical, or Experimental, all come to one; but this Knowledge here meant is acquaintance; so then, he that saith he hath acquaintance with God, and keeps not his Commandments, that is, as his Way, his Treasure, his Ornaments, his Eye, his Life.

1 He is a Liar, that is, he not only speaks false, but he knows he speaks falsely, for that is the difference between an untruth and a lie.

2 There is no truth in him, not one true grace, not one true act of Repentance, Faith, &c.

Doct. Opinion, or profession of the Knowledge of Christ, without keeping of his Commandments, is an undoubted sign that he is a liar, and the best Grace on him is counterfeit, he hath no true Grace in him.

To say in the heart, is opinion; to say in the tongue or carriage, is profession; and if he do thus, he is a liar, the truth is not in him, Tit. 1.15, 16. they profess they know God, but in their works they deny him; ssch a one is abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, that is, he goes about it untowardly, is unskillful in it, hath no sincerity, and his work is rejected of God, as reprobate counterfeit silver.

Q How is such a man a liar and no truth in him? A man may be a liar sometimes, and yet have some truth in him, but this man hath no truth in him, but 1 He speaks falsely, 2 Against Conscience, 3 No truth is in him.

A. 1 He speaks falsely, which appeareth from the Efficacy of all true knowledge of Christ, which brings forth obedience; if a man knows Christ, he loves him, and affects him, and obeys him, Mat. 7.22, 23. all saving Knowledge stirs us up to obedience to God, to righteousness to man, if a man be a Son of Beliac, such a man knows not God, those that obey him not never knew him, 1 Chron. 29.9. Know thou the God of thy Father and serve him, they that never served God never knew him, Joh. 14.21. if any man love me, he will keep my Commandments; and further, no man knows God but he hath known the depth and danger of sin, he hath known his enstrangement and absence from God, if a man know not himself, he knows not God.

2 After that he hath known sin, he comes to know Christ and his mediation, such a man is sensible of his former misery, and knows the excellency of Christ, he hath been so bitten with sin that he looks at it as the most heinous fight, and the keeping of God's Commandments he looks at it as the sweetest thing in the World, 2 Cor. 6.14. God's Commandments are not grievous to him, such Knowledge springs from experience of our former misery, therefore they that never come to this never knew Christ.

2 Why is such a man a liar that saith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments?

1 From the conviction of the Testimony of that light which shines in his heart, Joh. 16 9. there is a Spirit of conviction, in all those that live in the Church, for others do not contend that they know Christ, but those that thus profess, are convinced of their sins, of their unbelief, and disobedience, and of the wickedness of their hearts and lives.

Obj. Are there not many that live carnally and wickedly, and yet are not convinced of their sins?

It is true there are such, but then living in such a course, they do not trespass against their Consciences, they think they keep the Law, and so think well of themselves, and they are at peace and secure.

He that walks thus civilly and conformably, yet such a man's Conscience is at uncertainty about his Estate, he is convinced that he wants something, but he cannot tell what it is, till he be thoroughly convinced by God's Spirit, thus it was, Mark 10.19. Matth. 19.18, 19, 20. the young man told Christ all these have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet? his Conscience guided him to feel that he wanted something, though he had kept the Law in the outward letter, yet he saw he wanted something, and his Conscience was not at rest, so that such a man as saith he knows Christ, and keeps not his Commandments speaks against the conviction of his Conscience, and therefore is a liar; I speak not of such Christians who want Peace because they do not keep God's Commandments, but of such who when they have Peace think they keep his Commandments.

3 Why is there no truth of grace in such a man as saith thus?

Reas. From the necessary conjunction of all graces with obedience, no true grace of God but is either the cause of obedience, it breeds it, or else is a companion of obedience, or else an effect of obedience, it sprang from obedience; Faith worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. and love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. 1 Tim. 1.5. and so hope, 1 Joh. 3.3. patience is joined with obedience, and meekness springs from obedience; and from the spiritual experience of a man's weakness and experience of Christ's power, in him springs humility; so that all graces either spring from obedience, or serve to it, or accompany it; so that even these very graces that are more in the understanding and speculation, they either spring from obedience, or help to obedience; the Knowledge of a Christian is not unfruitful, 2 Pet. 1.8. which shows that a Christians Knowledge brings forth fruits of obedience; no gift a Christian hath but he considers what good he may do with it, and if he see it not serviceable he regards it not; so that if every grace do breed, or nurse, or accompany obedience, then whosoever professes he knows God and doth not keep his Commandments, there is no truth in such a man, no true grace.

Use 1 For trial of the truth of our profession, would you know the truth of your Grace, of your Repentance; of your Faith, of your Humility? You shall know it by your fruitfulness; what use do you make of your Graces? would you know whether your Repentance be sound? or your Love, &c. sound? would you know this? Why consider, do they make you obedient and careful to keep God's Commandments? as your Way, your Treasure, your Ornaments, your Eye, your Life; if any grace be fruitful, make you conscionable in the keeping of God's Commandments, that is a witness of the truth of that Grace: a painted Tree, be it never so fair, yet it bears no fruit, but a living Tree brings forth fruit, you have cause to suspect your Grace, if it make you not fruitful and careful to please God; if Grace make you obedient, it is sincere, but if a man hath never so many Gifts and Graces; if they lead him not to obedience, truly they are but counterfeit, and there is no true Grace in him, Isa. 47.10. if they caused them to rebel, there is no truth in them, if any Grace leave you more corrupt, or less fruitful, there is no truth in you.

Use 2 It exhorts us to a conscionable diligent keeping of God's Commandments, hereby we shall keep our profession true, our Consciences void of offense, and shall have an evidence that we know Christ; if a man say he knows God and yet keep not his Commandments, his profession is not true, but he that both saith so, and doth so, his profession is sincere.

2 It will keep your Consciences in Peace; when your Conscience checks you not, but bears you witness that you desire to do God's will in truth, this brings great Peace.

3 It keeps your Grace sound, the more fruitful, and the more obedient; the more doth Grace increase; a Christian that lets his Grace lie at rest, it grows rusty, and he may doubt of the truth of his Grace; if any metal lie up and rust, we may suspect whether it be right or no; but if it be kept with continual use, we suspect it not; take a Christian that doth not exercise himself in Grace, he grows so rusty, that he suspects the truth of his Grace, but put thy grace to employment, let it be in continual use, and thou shalt easily see it is good metal and currant; the employment of Graces proves the truth of them, therefore as we desire to keep our profession true, or our conscience clean, or our graces sound, keep in a daily course of obedience, always be doing good, and that from God's Commandment.

Use 3 Of Consolation to all such as take a good course, and labor to keep God's Commandments, who may sometimes suspect all their grace is counterfeit, and there is no sincerity in them; why if there be no sincerity in you, you do not keep God's Commandments as your way, but you cannot say, but you would gladly find your hearts keeping them as your way, and you endeavor it, and it is the grief of your souls when you go out of the way; do you keep them as your treasure, and ornament, and apple of your eye, and life? Why then there is truth of grace in you, truth of sincerity, though not of Perfection; you must not look to keep them without sin, but if you desire to keep them as the most precious thing, as your treasure, your ornament, your life, the apple of your eye, though a man may sometimes have a moat fall into his eye; but in this case do not say, your Graces are counterfeit, for if they were counterfeit you would not keep God's Commandments, Psalm 36.1. Wickedness saith to the wicked, there is no fear of God before his eyes; how doth that appear to David? verse. 4. he sets himself in no good way, he is in a bad way, and goes on therein, and such a one, it is plain, he hath no fear of God before his eyes, by their fruits he knows them; if you set yourselves in no good way, your profession cannot be true, but if the way you take be good, and if not thou dost not take it up; why if it be thus, your profession is true, and your grace sound; it is a question whether Solomon fell finally, or his graces were true or no; you may know his repentance was true, because he found his lust to women as bitter as death, Eccles. 7.6, 7. well then, if an Adulterous, or Idolatrous Wife were as bitter as death to him, then it is an evident sign, if he looked at his transgression as death, he looked at the Commandment as life, and therefore his repentance was sincere; so then if a man find his sin as as bitter as death, it is a sign his repentance is true. But yet we must here distinguish between the horror of sin, and sin itself, the horror of sin may be as bitter to us as death, but not the sin itself, as Judas, the horror of sin was so bitter to him that for it he hanged himself; but had Judas been troubled with the sin of his conscience, as he was with the horror of his conscience, he would not have gone about to help one sin by another; had he hated sin for itself, he would have hated Murder as sin. So would you know whether it be horror of sin, or sin that troubles you? If it be horror, you will seek to drive it away by sin, as some do by merry company and merry Books, this is a plain sign that sin troubles them not, for then they would not seek to help one sin by another: but if a man look at the breach of the Law as the loss of his way, it troubles him as much as the losing of his Treasure, it is as a moat in his eye, he had as lieve part with his life, if it be thus with thee thou mayest have comfort, thy profession is true, thy conscience clear, thy profession sound and sincere.

1 JOHN 2.5, 6.

But he that keepeth his Word, in him is the love of God perfect indeed, &c.

THe words do declare a double comfort that betides all those that keep the Commandments of Christ Jesus.

1 The perfection of God's love in such, In him is the love of God perfect.

2 The knowledge of their fellowship or abode in Christ, Hereby we know that we are in him. So, that he that keeps his Commandments, if he look within him, his love is perfect: if he look without him, he is in Christ: yea and more, he knows it too: whence he concludes, verse. 16. that he that saith he is in Christ, ought so to walk as Christ hath walked.

To keep his Word, or his Commandments (as I told you) is a borrowed speech from many things which we keep with great care; as our way, our treasure, our ornaments, the apple of our eye, our life. What is such a man's benefit? Why,

1 The love of God is perfected in him.

2 He knows he is in Christ.

The love here spoken of, is not the love whereby God loves him, but the love whereby he loves God, and that is perfected in him.

Doct. The keeping of God's Commandments is undoubtedly, and truly the perfection of our love to God.

Q. What is here meant by perfection?

A. 1. There is a double perfection one complete without all want or imperfection, and that is denied to any man in this World, Philp. 3.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, not exempt from all weaknesses, our knowledge is imperfect, and our love is imperfect, there is a continual reluctance, Gal. 3.17.

2 There is a perfection without falsehood, hypocrisy, dissimulation, or guile, and such a perfection is found in all true Believers that keep God's Commandments, the love of God is perfected in them; that is, without hypocrisy, dissimulation, or guile. Gen. 6.9. Noah was a perfect man, and Asa 1 King. 15 his heart was perfect; that is, sincere, though he had many and great failings; 1 King. 20 3. Remember, saith Hezekiah, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart. This phrase is usual in Scripture, to call that perfect which is sincere and true.

Reas. 1. Sincerity of obedience is called perfection, because whatsoever is wanting is covered in the blood of Christ, and if a man's sin be covered, it is as if he had no sin, Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is the man whose wickedness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile; when there is so much uprightness in a man's heart that he walks without any guile, to him the Lord imputes no sin.

Q. Is there any in whose heart there is no guile?

A. There is none that they tolerate or justify, none that they nourish or maintain, if they have any they strive against it, are not well till they be rid of it, no guile but what their judgments disallow, and their wills consent not to, blessed are such to whom no sin is imputed, in whose spirit there is no guile.

2 Such are said to be perfect, because they strive after perfection, and if they have a willing mind the Lord accepts of it, according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. See how Christ approved the two Mites of the poor Widow, because she had an heart to give all her estate, Christ saith, She gave more than they all; so if a man gives all his heart to God, and if he had more he would give more, why, God accounts it as perfect.

3 God accounts of any sincere truth of grace as perfect, because in time it will be so, and he looks at things to come as present, he that hath begun a good work will also perfect it, Phil. 1.6. 1 Thes. 5.23, 24.

Q. But how comes it to pass, that such a keeping of the Commandments argues love to be perfect?

A. A thing is said to be perfect three ways,

1 When there is Perfectio partium, a perfection of all parts, none wanting, Gen. 2.1.

2 A man is called perfect, that is ready, and skillful, and nimble at any business.

3 A thing is said to be perfect that will hold, that is constant, as we call them perfect colors that will hold their hue in every weather, now such a true perfection of love to God is in all keepers of God's Commandments.

1 There is a perfection of all the parts of love in all such men, there is none of the parts wanting; and the parts of love are,

1 An affection unto fellowship with Christ.

2 An affection to be doing good to him.

What we love completely, First, We desire communion with it.

Secondly, We desire communication of good thereunto; if we have it we rejoice in it, if we want it we earnestly desire it; how doth a man know his love to his friend, but by desire of communion with him, and communication of good to him, now such a man as keeps Christ's Commandments thus loves Christ.

1 He is broken off from the love of all other things, and he hath an unfeigned affection to have fellowship with him, and to get that, he keeps his Commandments, and so dwells in him, and he in him, Joh. 14.21, 22.

2 For communication of good to him, our works cannot profit God, yet if we be willing to do God any service, to be at his command at any time, then the love of God is perfect in us, when we desire fellowship with him, and desire to do him the best service we can.

2 Again in perfection there is a readiness to a work; so such a man as keeps God's Commandments, his love is ready, he is forward to every good duty, because it is a Commandment of God. He is a willing person, Psal. 110.3. 2 Cor. 8.12. you need not stand urging him, he is willing to do God's Will, His tongue is the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 46.1.

3 There is perfect love in him, because it is constant and durable, and will not change, such a man's love is the same in health and sickness, in the Church and at home, in prosperity and adversity, and if it be any way disturbed at any time, yet it will return again to its former constant course.

Q. But how may I know, wherein doth it appear, that if I keep God's Commandment, my love is perfect?

A. 1. From the contrariety of our tempers naturally to any Commandment, so thnt if you see any one willing and ready to be at God's command, you may say, certainly the love of God hath overcome him, the Commandments of God do cross his will, cross his affections, cross h • s profit and pleasure, so that if you see any one give himself up to keep God's Commandments and cross himself, it is an undoubted sign that there is the love of God in him, which constrains him to do what Nature would not do.

2 You may know such a man's love to be perfect that keeps his Commandments, because whatsoever weak beginnings of love you find in such as keep God's Commandments, that man's love grows perfecter every day, such a man still grows in fruitfulness, he grows ready to every good work, Joh. 15.2. so that the love of God is perfected in him by obedience; As a fruitful Tree, the more it sticks his root downward into the ground, the faster it grows, so a Christian, the more he sticks his root on Christ, the faster it grows. And so the Husbandman will have more care of a fruitful Tree to prune it, he hath no such care of a sower barren Tree, but if a Tree be fruitful, he cuts off all superfluous Boughs that hinder the increase of such a Tree, so a man that is fruitful in God's Commandments, he doth not only stick his root, his faith and hope deeper in Christ, but the Lord himself is willing to cut down all those noisome Lusts that suck away the sap of grace; if God see a man set himself fully to follow God, and keep his Commandments, the Lord will cut off all cumberances, all corruptions, all things that hinder the growth of grace.

Use 1. For trial of our love to God, whether it be perfect or no, whether sincere or counterfeit; how dost thou find thy heart affected to God's Commandments? Dost thou look at them as thy way? it grieves thee to be out, dost thou look at them as thy treasure, as most profitable to thee? Dost thou look at them as thy ornaments, as most honorable to thee? Dost thou look at them as the apple of thine eye, as thy life, most near, and dear, and precious to thee? If thou dost, thou hast that love in thee that is perfect without guile, perfect in every part of love, and in regard of readiness and constancy; but if a man looks at God's Commandments as a by-path, as if he were out of the way; if he looks at them as unprofitable, and dishonorable, if he can break them without any scruple, if he would rather part with them all than his life, verily the love of God is not perfect in such.

Use 2. For direction to all such as desire perfection of love to Christ; do any desire to love the Lord Jesus in perfection, not only of truth, but parts, and degrees, if he could? Why this is the way, keep his Commandments, take heed of breaking any one of them. What is the reason we deceive ourselves in our love to Christ? We think it is love to Christ, if we keep a solemn Feast to him at this time of the year in memory of his Nativity, but is there no better Argument, nor furtherance of thy love to Christ than this? Take heed of it, if Christ hath commanded us to deck our bodies and houses, if Christ hath commanded us to feast and be liberal, you will find that a great help to further your love to Christ, and an evidence thereof; but if you go on in any course without a Commandment, if you keep such Feasts, which end in all excess and riot, and gaming and playing, they begin it may be, pretty well, but we fall from Religion to civility, from civility to intemperance, and wantonness, &c. and what is the reason? Because we have the custom of our Fathers for it, not the Commandment of Christ; the Apostle doth not say, he that keeps customs his love is perfect, but he that keeps Christ's Commandments, therefore if you would get your love to Christ perfected, it must not be by keeping of old customs, but by keeping his Commandments: what is the reason why the most are so ready to keep such Feasts, is it because it is Christ's Commandment? if it were, the more you would find your love perfected, you would be more forward to good, your spirits grow from one grace to another, but because men look at customs, they begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh. Take a Christian at the beginning of the Sabbath, he finds his heart unlifty to holy Duty, but before it be ended, he is so enlarged, that he is sorry it is done? Why, because he obeys a command, but if we do anything out of custom, it grows from better to worse, so that Christ hath not more dishonor the rest of the twelve Months than he hath these twelve days; but would you have your love perfected, then frame your lives and courses according to God's Commandments, and then the more you practice the more you may, you shall find your grace growing, and your love perfected to every good work; be doing God's will, and the Lord will be with you, blessed is that soul whom the Lord shall find doing his Commandments; be doing, and your doing shall multiply your strength and growth in grace.

Use 3 Of Consolation to all such as apply themselves to be doing of God's Commandments; doth a man find himself ordering his ways according to a Commandment? if you find it delightful to you, that you would still walk in it, you look at it as your way, your treasure, your ornament, &c. why this is your comfort, the love of God is perfect in you, and will grow more perfect, so perfect that God covers all your infirmities, so perfect, that it grows up high to perfection, even to all the parts thereof, so perfect, that God sees you willing and ready to be doing his will; so perfect, that you resolve to hold on and be constant, and if God see you thus molded to a Commandment, and not to customs; God will uphold you, and help you, and strengthen you, till he make you perfect, which is no small comfort to a soul.

1 JOH. 2.5, 6.

Hereby we know that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him, ought even so to walk as he hath walked.

IN Verse 5. you have an obedient Christian set out.

1 By his practice, he keeps Christ's Commandments.

2 By his privilege, which is double.

1 His love is perfected.

2 He knows that he is in Christ.

3 Verse 6. here is a duty enjoined to all men that would profess Fellowship with Christ, namely, imitation of Christ; they ought to walk, as he hath walked.

From the former part of the 5 Verse, we have observed,

Doct. The observation of Christ's Commandments, is the perfection of our love to Christ.

Those next words show the right honoring of Christ and yourselves together; so as we may honor God, and he honor us; that is by Knowledge of our Fellowship with Christ, and by our duty so to walk, as he hath walked.

Hereby we know that we are in him.

By what? By the love in us? No, by keeping his Commandments, we know that we have Fellowship with him, though both be coincident; so then here is a promise, not only of their b • ing in Christ, but their knowing that they are in Christ,

Doct. Sincere obedience to the Word of Christ, is both a certain and evident sign of our blessed Estate in Christ.

Hereby, that is by keeping his Commandments, we know that we are in Christ.

Quest. 1 What is it to be in Christ?

Ans. We are said to be in Christ, in Scripture-phrase by three degrees.

1 They are said to be in Christ, that do submit themselves to the ordinances of God, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, use prayer and other good duties, and live unblameably before his people, 1 Cor. 7.39. where he gives liberty to any Christian woman that makes profession of Religion, if her Husband be dead, to marry with whom she will, but in the Lord, and 1 Tim. 5.11. he forbids Timothy to receive younger widows; because when they begin to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; this is not here meant, though it be a part of it.

2 There is a further being in Christ by a participation of some Graces, though not sanctifying Graces; yet such as may fit them for many Christian Offices, as may fit for Magistry, as Jehu, Ministry, as Judas, Joh. 15.2. Every branch that beareth not fruit in me, he taketh away; as who should say there may be a branch in Christ, and yet bring forth no fruit, but no man can be thus in Christ, but he must suck some sap and juice from Christ; but this is not here meant of common Graces, as Jehues zeal, Felix his trembling, Herod's joy, &c.

3 Men are said to be in Christ, when they participate of such Graces as accompany salvation; such as make them true Members of Christ, as Faith, and Humility, and Hope, and Patience; and of such St. John here speaks, by such fruits we know that we are in Christ.

And thus we are said to be in Christ, partly from all eternity, in the purpose of God, Ephes. 1.4. not actually, but virtually, non actuali inexistentia, sed virtuali continentia, God looked at us as Members, in time to be in Christ, and notwithstanding this decree, yet these may not live in obedience to any Commandment, have as yet no Fellowship with Christ.

2 There is another being in Christ, which is actual, namely, of such, who being called out of the estate of Nature, bring forth the fruits of new obedience, Rom. 16.7. who were in Christ before me, not elected before him, but called before him, he was a Persecutor when they were Professors; thus we are said to be in Christ, when by faith we lay hold on him, John 1.12.

Q. 2. What is it to know we are in Christ?

A. It is more than opinion, or thinking so, for we are never said in any speech to know that which we only think to be so, no man knows this to be gold or silver, if he but think it to be so. No man grounds his knowledge upon conjecture, and indeed opinion flows from contingency, it may be so, or otherwise, but Knowledge is on sure grounds; what then, is it Faith? No, they go together, yet they differ much, there is as much difference between them as between hearing and seeing, Faith comes by hearing, when we assent to anything upon Divine testimony, as if God hath given us some word, we believe it, but if we see a thing by sense, or by experience, or by some certain Arguments of God's dealing with us, that we do not now only believe it from God's Word, but we plainly see it by experience in our hearts from some love of God, from some obedience and humility, &c. if we have found our consciences pacified after much horror: Again, we find that our hearts have been proud and unclean, but now down falls pride and uncleanness, and we begin to conform ourselves to God's will, now we know that Christ is in us, or else we could not have turned ourselves to any good thing.

Q. 3. What is the reason that such obedience is a certain sign and evidence of our good estate in Christ, that we know that we are in Christ?

Reas. 1. From the wonderful insufficiency of our natures to keep any Commandment of God without this, 2 Cor. 3.5. Matth. 12.34, 35. Rom. 3.12. we of ourselves are altogether fruitless in the works of righteousness, till Christ's love dwell in us, Ezek. 36.25. to 27. How come men to keep God's Law but from the Spirit of God which dwells in them? Look on men in the state of Nature, and their fairest fruits are but the Vines of Sodom, and Grapes of Gomorrah, Deut. 32.32, 33. they seem as fair as any, but their clusters are bitter, and so the best fruits of all Natural men are bitter, our very Honey is like Gall, and Wormwood, and our best actions full of corruption and bitter, so that if a man find his Grapes savoury, his words, thoughts, and actions gracious and sweet, so that now he is fruitful in obedience, it is an evident sign we are in Christ, else we could not be enabled to anything which is good.

2 Were it not for the love of Christ that constraineth us, we should never be willing to deny ourselves; Do you see a man willing to submit himself to Christ, to his Ordinances, it could not be but by the love of Christ, that constrains us to deny ourselves.

Use 1 Of refutation of that Popish Error, that think it impossible that any should know his estate in Christ, or that he shall be saved; it is one of their Canons. Why doth the Apostle speak to little Children Babes in Christ thus, they may know that they are in Christ, and that by keeping his Commandments in sincerity, if it were impossible to be known? for them therefore to conclude an impossibility for a man to know that he is in Christ, is against the Doctrine of the Apostles, and against Christ,; if (I say) any man preach another Gospel than this that St. John delivered, let him be accursed Gal. 6.7.

Aquinas concludes, that we cannot know we are in the state of grace, certainly, but upon conjecture, which implies a contradiction, for opinion is contingentium, scientia necessariorum & certorum, yet he makes some Objections against himself.

Obj. Is it not said, Gen. 22.12. Now I know that thou fearest me, &c. that is, as he expounds it, Cognovi, i. e. Cognoscere te feci, I have made thee to know that thou fearest me, therefore saith he, he might know that he was in the state of Grace, because he was willing to deny his dearest Son for Christ. He answers, it may be it was special Revelation, but it was not special Revelation, to resolve to kill his Son at God's command, he knew his own heart well enough.

Obj. 2. 1 Cor. 2.12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that are given us of God; so then saith he, if we may know things that are given us by the Spirit of God, then it is more than conjecture, it is a certain Knowledge. His answer to this is, it is spoken of a state of Glory but it is manifest to be meant of a state in this life; for he speaks of Princes that persecuted the truth, and that they knew not these things, but we know it by the Spirit of God.

Obj. 3. If men may discern they are in darkness, when they are in darkness; much more may we know we are in light, when we are in light, of the two, it is the easier: now he that is in the state of darkness, knows it, Ephes. 5.13. Gal. 5.19. the works of the flesh are manifest.

4 He saith those things which are in a man essentially, he knows they are in him: now Graces are essential in a regenerate man, that is, the essence of them is there, therefore he may know that Repentance and Faith, &c. is there: if they be there, what is in a man, is known to be in him: if he have a judgment, he knows he hath it: if he hath a will, he knows he wills: so if a man hath Graces in him, he may know that he hath them, as a Woman with child, doth know that she is with child, Gal. 4.1. and takes it not upon others report, but upon her own sure Knowledge: so if Christ be conceived in us, the stirring motions of God's Graces be in us, we may know it, thus Aquinas confutes himself.

Use 2 Refutation of an unjust complaint they do make against us, they say that we discourage men from good works, this complaint is unjust, for though we do not say they justify us, yet thereby we know that we are justified, and that is no small encouragement; my good works do not justify me, but yet they justify my justification, nay further, we say to them that they discourage men from good works, who say, when a man hath done what he can, and fulfilled the whole law, yet he cannot certainly know that he is in Christ; and so what profit will it be for a man to take pains, and do much, and suffer much, and yet knows not whether God loves him or not? but we on the contrary say, if a man walk in a constant course of obedience to God's Commandments, he may thereby know that he is in Christ, and this must needs be an encouragement to good works.

Use 3 For trial, 1 Whether we keep God's Commandments.

2 Whether we be in Christ or no.

1 Wouldest thou know whether thou keepest God's Commandments as thou shouldest? dost thou keep them as thy Way, as thy Treasure? &c. if thou dost, I declare to thee, thou art in Christ, and thou either dost, or shalt know Christ. And if thou wouldest know whether thou be in Christ, why, thou mayest know it, if thou keep God's Commandments.

Use 4 Of Consolation, to every such soul as keeps God's Commandments; there is a double benefit to such.

1 Thou art in Christ, 2 Thou knowest thou art in Christ, and this is fullness of joy; for if thou be in Christ, thou hast no condemnation belonging to thee, Rom 8.1. and thou mayest also know it; how ill then do they deal with their own souls, who know they are in Christ, and yet every discouragement puts them off from comfort? it is a shame that Christians that have such a privilege as to be in Christ, and know it, should be so discouraged; therefore those that would keep a continual festival unto Christ, let them get into Christ, and learn to know that they are in Christ, and this may be a comfort unto them against all discouragements.

Doct. It is the duty of all such as profess Fellowship with Christ, to walk as Christ walked; or the profession of Fellowship with Christ, ought to be joined with imitation of Christ.

Q. What is it to walk as Christ walked?

A. Christ hath walked in some ways as God, in some ways, as Meadiator, God and man, and in some ways, as man.

1 Then he wrought some works as God, he fasted forty days and forty nights, he fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, he walked on the water, &c. God never calls us to imitate him in these works, but he calls, learn of me for I am meek and lowly.

Q. 2. Doth he call us to walk in those ways which he walked in as Mediator?

A. He doth not call us to walk in the same kind, but in resemblance to them, as he died for us and rose again, so in resemblance he calls us to die unto sin, and to rise again to the life of Grace, so to die to the World as he died to nature, and to rise to newness of life as he arose from the dead, Rom. 6.16.

2 As he was a King, Priest, and Prophet unto God, so he would have us Kings to over-rule our temptations, to rule over our families, to rule over our Tongues, to rule over our Hearts; he hath called us likewise to be Priests, to offer up sacrifices of prayer and praise, and alms, and to offer up our bodies and souls, an acceptable sacrifice unto him, Hos. 14.3. Heb. 13.16, 17. Rom. 12.1, 2. and to be as Prophets to teach our Children, and Servants, and Families, and instruct them, Act. 2.17.

3 Some works he wrought as man, and so he was either a Minister of Circumcision, or as a Servant of God, a good man; and in these we are to imitate him, 1 As a Minister, so Ministers should follow him.

1 In undertaking his Calling from him, as he did his from God, he saw God's call, he was sent by his Father, so we should see his call, otherwise to undertake it without a call from him, is the way to bring a curse upon ourselves.

2 In his Calling he performed his Ministry with all Faithfulness, he did bring in the stray, heal the sick, instruct the Ignorant, &c. Ezek. 34.16. and his inward care was, that they might have life, and have it more abundantly, Joh. 10.10, 11. so should Ministers dispence the word of life, strive to beget the life of Grace in the hearts of their people, to help the weak, comfort the distressed, inform the Ignorant, &c.

2 As a private Christian, a good man, we must imitate him in his doing and suffering.

1 For the matter of his doing, it was always God's command, Joh. 14. ult.

2 The manner of his doing, 1 It was in obedience to God's command, Joh. 5.30.

2 He did it with cheerfulness, it was his meat and drink to do God's will.

3 The end of his work was God's Glory, Joh. 17.4.

1 So for his suffcrings, 1 They were all in Innocency, 1 Pet. 2.21.

2 With much patience, 2 Pet. 2.23.

3 He suffered with much profit, he learned obedience by his temptations and sufferings, Heb. 5.8. he profited by his Agony, by his despising, by his buffetings, by his crucifying, and in these things we should labor to imitate and follow him.

Q. Why should we be like him?

A. 1 From God's predestination, Rom. 8.29. he hath decreed that we should be like him.

2 From the near Fellowship we have with him; it is meet the Members should be conformable to the Head, the Branch to the Root.

Use 1 An evident conviction of that Popish Doctrine of the merit of works, and satisfaction, and super-errogation; if so be when we have done all that we can, and walked as Christ walked, as perfectly as he did if we could, then we had done no more than our duty, God hath no cause to thank us, and we deserve nothing, Luke 7.9.16. Now what is our duty? We ought to walk as he hath walked; now a Servant looks not for thanks for his days work, so we have not merited thanks for the works me have done; and if when we have done what we can, we have done but what we ought to do, then we cannot do more than we ought, and so are far from superarrogation; and for satisfaction, if our best works be our debts, then we cannot satisfy for our sins by our duties; suppose a man owed another a great debt, and besides owed him all service for some great benefit, for redeeming him from Captivity, &c. the doing of his service would not satisfy his debt, because he owed him that besides; so we were all Captives unto Satan, and God through Christ delivered us, and for that we owe to God all we have, and if we were in debt besides by our sins, all our service will not satisfy for our sins, for we owe that besides, now one debt will not pay another.

Use 2 Of direction and exhortation to all that desire to walk answerable to that knowledge they have, do you desire to be in Christ and know you are in Christ? Why, conform yourselves to walk as Christ walked, if thou dost so, thou mayest keep a good Christmas all thy life, thou shalt keep Christ's honor all thy life in remembrance, if thou walk as Christ walked; therefore Christ died; that we might die unto sin, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. whatever corruption is in you, let it die in you, mortify pride, and anger, and uncleanness, and covetousness, &c. learn to die to these, and live to God; make it your chiefest pleasure to do God's will, rise from all deadness, and sluggishness of Spirit; have you been unable to rule over your Spirits? Now put on the Spirit of Kings, over-rule your passions and corruptions, rule your Families, be as Priests to offer up sacrifices of prayer and praise, and alms; to offer up body and soul to God's service, every work do it in obedience to God's Commandment, do it with cheerfulness and meekness, do it to God's glory, and if you be called to suffer, suffer Innocently, not for any sinful carriage, not for murder or theft, &c. but for Righteousness sake, and then suffer patiently and meekly, and whatever you suffer, be sure that you profit by it, by temptation, by crosses, by persecution, &c. learn obedience, and so you shall walk as Christ hath walked; be stirred up to walk in imitation of Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. set this pattern before you, to imitate him both now, and all the year; look upon Christ, aim at him. work as he did, suffer as he did: and so for Ministers, walk faithfully, help the weak, bring back the stray, comfort the distressed, walk as Christ hath walked.

1 JOHN 1.7.

Brethren, I write not a new Commandment unto you, but an old Commandment, which you have had from the beginning, the old Commandment is the Word which ye have heard from the beginning.

FRom the 6th Verse, the Apostle had taught, It is the duty of all Christians to walk as Christ hath walked, now this Commandment the Apostle amplifies, verse 7.8.

1 By denying the newness of it, it is no new Commandment to press upon all that will be saved; it is no new Commandment.

2 He admits it may be called new in some respects, verse 8.

In the seventh Verse we have these parts, 1 A loving compellation, Brethren.

2 A denial of the newness of this Commandment, I write no • 〈◊〉 you a new Commandment.

3 The antiquity of it.

4 A declaration how it shall appear not to be new; all the Doctrine which you have heard from the beginning is no other but this, that all must walk as Christ hath walked.

Doct. The Ministers of Christ are to acknowledge, even their little Children as their Brethren.

Compare this Verse with the first, there he calls them, little Children, and here Brethren; so Paul doth express himself thus, Rom. 15.14. 1 Cor. 2.1. 2 Cor. 3.1.

Reas. Because he and they do partake in all things wherein Natural Brethren partake.

1 They have the same God and Father that begets them, Ephes. 4.6. Jam. 1.17, 18.

2 They have one Mother, the Church, Gal. 4.26. and he speaks of Jerusalem on earth, though he calls it Jerusalem which is from above, because it is above an earthly condition, and John himself was a little Child to some, as they were to him, Gal. 4.19. And so sometimes private Christians they do labor and travel in begetting children to God; it is a wonder to see many times, how some are put to pangs to beget their friends to God, sometimes by Prayer, by exhortation, by reproof, by all means, they use much pains, therefore the Church is called, The Mother of us all, because some in the Church beget us.

3 They all partake in one Immortal Seed, by which they are begotten unto God, 1 Pet. 1.23. this immortal Seed, for the Material part, it is the Word, for the Spiritual part, it is the Spirit of God, Joh. 3.5. so it is not so much the Letter of the Word, as the Spirit of God, whereby all are begot to God.

4 They are all begotten to the same eternal inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.3. and so they are all, both Ministers and People called Brethren.

Use 1. To teach Ministers so to look at their Spiritual Fatherhood, as not to forget their Spiritual Brotherhood, ver. 1. he calls them little children, not that Ministers should show dominion over them, as Lord's over them, 2 Cor. 1. ult. 1 Pet. 5.2, 3, 4. so then their Fatherhood must not make them Lord's, but the name of Brotherhood must bind them to communion, they have indeed a kind of power, but not to subdue their Spirits to them, not to believe as they do, or walk as they do, only so far as they are like unto Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. otherwise Christians are not to be led by them.

Use 2 This must teach both Ministers and People to maintain brotherly love and affection, if you be Brethren, Let brotherly love continue, Heb. 13.1. 1 Pet. 2.17. therefore what kind of desire and comfort there is in brotherly Communion, what mutual joy when they meet, the same should be in Christian Ministers and People.

Now the fruits of Brotherly love are chiefly three;

1 Unity, that they should keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Col. 3.14. Ephes. 4.3.

2 Equality, (not to take away different respects) but to make ourselves equal to others in affection, to conceive that though we have more gifts, yet they may have less corruption, they may not have so much grace, but they may make better use of it, Phil. 3.13. we should always conceive of others as equal, or better than ourselves.

3 Spiritual Communion, that is, mutual dispensing of help one to another, of Exhortation, Admonition, Consolation, and Reproof, Levite. 19.17. 1 Thes. 5.14. and for temporal things we should be helpful one to another, take up quarrels, 1 Cor. 6.5, 6. pardon one another's failings, be helpful to the poor brethren, Rom. 15.15. we must not neglect, or despise one another, or carry ourselves as strangers one to another, is this brotherly love, to carry ourselves strangely towards them, or not care for their communion or company, never to help them? this is not brotherly love. And indeed the Sacrament invites us to brotherly love, for we are molded as it were up into one Loaf, and drink of the same Cup, 1 Cor. 10.17. therefore if there be any strangeness, or quarrelling, or contempt between us, it is to sin against this Ordinance; if God be the God of peace, then Satan is the author of discord; how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in unity? Psal. 133.1, 2, 3. he compares it to the most precious Ointment that was poured on the head, and ran down upon Aaron's beard, and the skirts of his garments; and so what grace is poured on the eminentest Christian, must run down to the lowest, and as the Mountains let the drops of Dew which fall upon them to fall down upon the Valleys, so where God hath mounted any blessing, where God hath bestowed eminent Gifts, everyone should so use his Gifts, as the lower Valleys may be the more fruitful, they the more helpful.

Use 3. It reproves Ministers that dishearten, and make sad those that God would not have made sad, many times Ministers are most bitter against their best Hearers, Ezek. 13.22. nor let people make sad the hearts of their Ministers, brethren should not thus carry themselves, but rather comfort one another.

It also reproves the aptness of many to affect natural carnal men, their only delight is in them, and they only hate the Seed of the Woman, that is contrary to St. Johns precept.

I write no new Commandment, &c.

Doct. The Ministers of Christ are carefully to avoid all suspicion of novelty in all the Doctrines they teach, whether of faith or manners.

Thus St. John, he seeing that it might seem a new Commandment, to walk as Christ hath walked, he tells them; It is no new Commandment that I write unto you, Jer. 6.16. Job 8.8, 9, 10. and Moses sharply reproved the Israelites for serving new gods, Deut. 32.17. Act. 26.22. he continued witnessing no other truth but what Moses and the Prophets had delivered before him.

Obj. Is it not said, Mat. 13.52. is it not the part of a good Scribe to bring forth things both new and old?

Ans. True, he is to bring forth new things; but,

1. Such as may be new to the people, not new to the Word, such as they never heard of, yet not new to the Word, for it is their duty to bring their sheep to new fresh green Pastures, Psal. 23.2. but it must not be new in itself, but anciently delivered by the Prophets and Apostles.

2 A Minister that delivers an old Doctrine, and known to the people, yet he must bring it in in a new manner, that it may affect them the more, being dressed after a new manner; the appetite desires new dishes more, as for our Savior, he taught no new Doctrine, but he spake it in such a manner, in such Parables, that it seemed strange to them.

3 He should have so much respect to newness, as to bring out all old Doctrine with a new vigor of Spirit, not with the old Spirit, but with a new affection and vigor, that so the people may be more affected therewith, he must deliver the same matter with a new Spirt, he must drink a new draught of the Wine of the Sanctuary, but a Minister must not teach anything that is new to the Scripture.

Reas. From the perfection of the Scripture, Psal. 19.7. God's perfection is more seen in this than in any other works, the World is perfect in its kind, verse. 6. but verse. 7. How perfect is the Law of God? Now, as it were a Frantique thing to go about to create new Creatures, so to come with Nova dogmata, and new Opinions; it is as if a man should come with new Creatures, there is not any new Creature in the World, so let a man survey all Doctrines, he shall find them to be the same which were from the Creation.

Use 1. To mortify a new-fangled trick of Ministers and People, when the Minister fits their itching ears with New-fangled Doctrine, and the people affect new Doctrine, this is against the Apostles practice here, 2 Tim. 4.2, 3. Act. 17.19, 20, 21. they thought Paul came in with new matters, and they were affected with news, but though this Doctrine was new to them, yet it was not new to the Word.

Use 2. To reprove the Popish-Religion, it is new, some are Franciscans, and some Dominicans; these are new, we never read of them in the Scripture, neither do we read of Jesuits, or Monks, or Abbots, they never had any footsteps in Scripture; some of them confess that in their matters of difference from us, they have no ground in Scripture for purgatory, or prayer for the dead; but what saith St. John, I write unto you no new Commandment.

Use 3 To Assemblies and Synods to take heed what they impose on the Church, no new traditions must be thrust on us, if it be not from God, let it be abandoned.

But that which you have had from the beginning.

Doct. True Antiquity in all Doctrines of the Apostles or Ministers, is that which fetches its original from the beginning.

1 That which hath had its original from old times, is not always safe, as we see, Mat. 5.27. & 35. and yet this doth not make it true Antiquity, because it was not from the beginning, Joh. 8.44. the Devil had his lying from the beginning, but it was not from the first beginning, for he was not created a liar, but he made himself so.

But the true Antiquity is twofold.

1 From the first Institution or Creation of a thing, Mat. 19.8. and that is a good Antiquity, that is fetched from the first Institution.

2 That which fetcheth its beginning from God, though it were of later times, for he is Alpha and Omega, Rev. 1.8. the beginning and end of all things.

Rea. 1 From the nature of all evil, which is an aberration from the first good Estate, if any corruption be in marriage, as polygamy, or adultery; from the beginning it was not so, if the Devil be a liar, from the beginning he was not so.

2 From the nature of Truth and good things that come from God, they have the nature of God stamped on them, and as he is the ancient of days, so is that good; as Baptism and the Lord's Supper, though they were not in the World before Christ's coming in the flesh, yet being from God, they have true Antiquity, they are derived from the ancient of days.

Use 1 It discovers the vanity of the Popish allegation of Antiquity, they will bring you a thousand years alas, many errors concerning circumcision, and the denial of the Resurrection, have been of six thousand years standing, yet that is nothing; it was not from the beginning; that is true Doctrine which was from the beginning, or else from God immediately, all other Antiquity is but vain; therefore when the Papists pretend Antiquity, truly if it be not as ancient as the Ancient of days, if it come not from him, it is not true Antiquity; they will tell you that these Feasts that we celebrate in memory of Christ's Nativity have great Antiquity, some four hundred years after Christ's time, but it is but as yesterday, if it come not from Christ or the Apostles, for he hath revealed his whole mind in Christ, Heb. 1, 2. so that what comes not from Christ is vain; Ignatius saith, my Antiquity is Christ.

Use 2 To show the ungrounded confidence of Scholars in the Fathers, if it come from the Fathers, it sinks deeply, truly if it have no higher rise than the Fathers, it is too young a device, no other writings besides the Scripture can plead true Antiquity; what ever it be, if it come not from Christ, or the first Institution, it is too late, because it is not the same we have had from the beginning, and indeed there is just cause to suspect them.

1 Many of them had no skill in the original, and therefore must see by other men's eyes, by translations, for few knew the meaning of the Scripture in the original, none knew the Hebrew, but Jerome and Origen.

2 Most of them were converted from heathenism, and so brought in many errors, as purgatory, and festivals, &c. which the Papists take from them.

3 They lived in such times, wherein many said they had their Doctrine from the Apostles mouth, as one said, Antichrist should be a Jew, and live at Jerusalem, and saith he, was Johns Disciple, a gross error, and from him came Peters supremacy.

4 They lived in those days when Popery came in, when the bottomless Pit was opened, and Frogs arose; but later Writers lived when these were dispelled, therefore take heed of them, not but that many spake very well, yet there is a great difference.

5 Observe generally, God did not give them the Spirit of Interpretation, but weakly, and if they wanted such a spirit, how could they open the Scriptures? whereas later Writers had a clearer discerning, therefore it will be of more use to read wholesome later Writers.

Use 3 To teach Christians what kind of life and manners to take up; you will say you love not new-fanglednesse, why then, Vive moribus antiquis, utere verbis presentibus; live ancient lives; your obedience must be swayed by an old rule, walk in the old way, walk not in ways of Superstition, of Covetousness, of vanity, of uncleanness, every sin is a novelty, though it be never so old a custom.

This Old Commandment is the Word that they had from the beginning.

Doct. The Commandment to walk after Christ's example is the old Doctrine that was taught to the Church in all Ages from the beginning of the World.

He tells them, this was no new Doctrine, but such as they had from the beginning, for in the time of innocence Adam was made after the Image of God, and Christ is the Image of God, Col. 1.15. After he fell, the first Sermon that he had was, That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head, Gen. 3.15. and this Promise was renewed to Abraham, Gen. 22.18.

In after times, when the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, he sent the Angel of the Covenant to go before them, Exod. 23.20, 21. Deut. 18.18. from the beginning it was thus dispensed, to walk after the Lord, and whatever Pattern they had from God, it was from Christ, the second Person in the Trinity; so Joh. 1.18. Levite. 19.17. and he charged them to be holy as he was, that is the same with this of St. John here, to walk as Christ hath walked, Heb. 13.8. the same before and under the Law, today in the time of the Gospel, and the same forever, 1 Corinth. 10.1. to 5. Acts 15.10, 11. they held to be saved by faith, and by faith lived all the Saints of old, Hebr. 11. Hebr. 12.1, 2, 3.

Use 1 To justify the antiquity of Christian Religion, there is nothing in Christian Religion but we have it either from Commandment, or Promise, or Pattern of Christ, the death of Christ that was shadowed in the Sacrifices in the Old Law, and promised in Paradise, and when Christ would convince them, he doth it from hence, Luke 24.26, 27. all our forefathers believed, and died in the same Religion that we do.

Use 2 If the imitation of Christ be of so great antiquity, then it convinces them that blame Christian Religion of new-fanglednesse▪ why there is no Christian that walks as Christ did, but he walks as Abel, and Noah, and Abraham did, therefore it is not a novelty, but from the Ancient of days, even from the beginning.

Use 3 It may encourage every Christian to walk as Christ did, when they consider all the Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles since the world began, have gone before them in the same steps, and in the same faith; if we cannot show an higher ground, and longer antiquity for our Doctrine, than the Papists for any Popish tradition, we will renounce it, but we take up no other Religion but that which came from the Ancient of days, and was from the first institution. The care that any Christian takes to prepare himself for the receiving of the Sacrament hath been of old, the Apostle reproved the want thereof in his time, 1 Cor. 11. and they set the Lamb aside three days before the Passover, to prepare themselves, Exod. 12.3.14. so that this kind of preparation hath been of old, 2 Chron. 35.5. therefore let everyone of us examine our failings, humble ourselves, entreat for pa • don and cleansing, for strength of grace to walk as Christ walked.

1 JOHN 2.8.

Again, a new Commandment I write unto you, that which is true in him, and also in you, for the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

IN this Verse he amplifies his Doctrine by a contrary Argument of newness.

1 He describes the Old Commandment by another adjunct of newness.

2 He sets down in what respect it is new, and in a double respect the Old Commandment may be called new:

1 In respect of Christ.
2 In respect of them.
3 He propounds the reason of it, because Christ hath scattered Light among them, and Darkness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , abigitur, is a driving away.

Doct. The Commandment and Doctrine of the imitation of Christ is a new Commandment, both in regard of Christ, and Believers the Members of Christ.

1 It is new in respect of Christ.

2 Christ hath expressly commanded it: Whenever Christ converted any to Grace, this was his common speech, Follow me, Matth. 4.19. (which if it were not a word of Conversion, yet at least of new Conversion, Mat. 9.9.) and it is a general rule, Luke 9.23. where by following of Christ in the last place is meant imitating Christ, thus it is new in respect of Christ's Commandment.

2 In respect of Christ's efficacy and power working in our hearts, verse. 9. it is wrought and stamped in us by a new work of Christ, in the spirits of his followers, that they do indeed set their hearts to follow Christ.

2 It is new in respect of us Believers.

1 In regard of the outward hearing of the ear it is new, never so plainly spoken before, Follow me, in all the Old Testament there is not such an express letter as follow Christ, imitate Christ, walk as Christ hath walked.

2 In regard of that new work wrought in the hearts of Christians, Ephes. 4.24. that is, but on such a frame of holiness and righteousness, wherein you may lively resemble the new Adam, the new man Christ.

Use 1 As we ought not to affect new-fanglednesse, so we ought not to loathe and reject newness; before St. John carefully avoided new fanglednesse, now he commends newness.

The ground of this difference is;

1 Look whatever comes from God (the Ancient of days) is always new, and never waxeth old, and as it is new, so it is always old, yea old enough if it come from God, Eccles. 1.9.

2 If it come from God, the newer it is the better it is, because our old Natures, and Corruptions, and Courses should always be abhorred of us, but grace, and that new man, and new ways of holiness should be acceptable to us.

3 If it be new, and come from God, it is a greater manifestation of God, we may see a greater light in it than ever before.

Use 2 Never look to fulfill this Commandment of imitating Christ, until you become new men, for it is a new Commandment, and a new Commandment requires new obedience, and new obedience requires new spirits, and a new man, do not therefore think to follow Christ with old spirits; thus much of the quality; now follows the reason, For the darkness is past, &c.

Doct. The state of the Children of God in this Life, is as darkness passing, and true light now shining.

It is an excellent description of a godly man's Estate from his first Conversion forward, the word in the Original signifies passing, or a driving away 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is not so well translated, past, For the opening of the point consider, there is a threefold darkness, and a threefold light.

1 Darkness of

1 Ignorance, Mat. 4.16.
2 Uncleanness, 2 Cor. 6.16.
3 Affliction or discomfort, Psal. 112.4.

2 Light of

1 Knowledge, Mat. 4.16.
2 Holiness, 2 Cor. 6.16. Ephes. 5 8.
3 Comfort, Psal. 92.11.

It may be spoken of all here, but chiefly of the two former, darkness of ignorance and uncleanness is passing away in a Christian, and light of Knowledge and Holiness is shining forth daily more and more in his heart, Rom. 13.12. the day is at hand, i. e. not yet come, yet near at hand, and the night far spent, i. e. almost gone and spent, yet not so spent as wholly gone, the shadows of the night still remain, but the day begins to dawn, 2 Pet. 1.19. the dawning of the day, is when the shadows of darkness are not yet clearly vanished; and he doth not say the Sun, but the day star, which riseth • efore the Sun a good while; he there describes the State of the Church till the day of resurrection, the light of the Gospel doth not yet clearly and fully shine, but is only dawning, Christ is in his Children, as a day Star, gives them comfortable light, but the Sun is not yet in his strength, Prov. 4.18. it is not yet perfect day with us, no, not with the best Christians under Heaven, but it grows by degrees, till it be perfect day with them, which is at the day of their dissolution, like to the earthen Pitchers of Gideon's men, Judge. 7.16.20. when they brake their Pitchers, the Lamps gloriously shone forth, and dazzled their eyes, thus it is with a Christian when these earthen Pitchers, and carcasses are broken, his light will shine forth gloriously, in the mean time we have light, we have lamps, but they are in Pitchers, shining very dimly.

Q. If we had been perfected the first day, and the light had shined gloriously forth at the first, had it not been better?

A. Yes, if God had been pleased so to have done, but God would not have it so, and therefore it were not better, God rather sees it fit that we should carry our light in earthen Vessels, wherein there is partly darkness, and partly light, 2 Cor. 4.7. and that for these reasons.

Reas. 1 That God might show his power in our weakness, 2 Cor. 12 9, 10. we should never have known Christ's vetrue, the power of Grace, or the depth of our corruptions, if we had been perfected the first day of our conversion, as God made the world by degrees, and described it so, because he would have us discern his power, so God doth display the power of his grace, by perfecting us by degrees and not all at once.

Reas. 2 That God might teach us to war with spiritual enemies, as God left Canaanites among those Israelites, that had not known, and were untaught in the wars of Canaan, to prove them, and to know, if they would hearken to God's Commandments, Judge. 3.3. so God leaves his Children some imbred enemies still in their souls, to humble us, and to prove us, and try if we will cleave to him; besides Jesus Christ loves and takes delight in ruling especially at home, in the midst of his enemies ( Psal. 110.2.) in the midst of our corruptions; in the midst of unbelief; Faith rules in the midst of pride; Humility rules; in the midst of anger; Meekness rules; &c. Grace gets ground in the midst of corruptions, which is to the glory of Jesus Christ.

Reas. 3 To prevent the multiplication of the Beasts of the Field amongst us, as God left Canaanites among the Israelites, to that end, Exod. 23.29.30. if there were not weaknesses in us, it were impossible for God's people to live in the World, 1 The World would not bear with us, you know it would not bear with Christ who walked as meekly as might be, Joh. 14.30. i. e. Satan found no weakness in him, no corruption in Christ for him to work upon; if Christians had a full and clear light of grace breaking forth at once, all would cry, away with them, they are not worthy to live.

Use 1. See here a ground of the great difference between Christians and Christians, differing in Faith, differing in manners, some are comfortably persuaded of their own Estates, but others full of fears and doubts, how comes this about? truly it is with Christians as it is with mornings of the day, some mornings are a great deal more bright than others, and some more dusky and dark; you will say, why should not a soul come to some settled peace? true, but it will never be perfect day with us. St. John was an old Christian, and yet you see what he saith, the darkness was but going, and the light coming, so that we by degrees get hold of God, and strength against corruption; you have some Summer mornings more lightsome than all the days of the year besides, so it is with some Christians in this morning of their first conversion, they see more clearly their own Estates by far, than others in their whole conversation, and though all have partly darkness, and partly light, yet some get more light in one thing, some in another, such a Christian it may be, though he do not get such hold of Peace, yet some corruptions, as Wantonness, Pride, Covetousness, he subdues and gets greater hold of the contrary Graces; as it was with the pillar of the Cloud, Exod. 14.20. unto which the Apostle alludes, Heb. 12.1. just so is it with the spirits of God's servants, something there is in them that is cloudy, something in them that is lightsome; old Peter, John 21.18. would not have gone to Martyrdom, and yet he would, partly willing, and partly unwilling, thus it is with the Spirit even of the best Christian, he hath some unwillingness to some good duty that God calls him unto.

Use 2. To teach us somewhat the more to bear with one another's infirmities and eclipses, Jam. 3.1, 2. be not of an unruly, imperious, and censorious spirit, over piercingly, and censoriously judging others; as we have streams of light, so streams of darkness, vapors, therefore bear with, and succor one another, and help one another out of this darkness, as in a Lanthorn there is a pane of light, and a pane of darkness; so in every good quality, we have all some darkness, Rev. 12.1. the church is compared to the Moon, which when she is at the full, is fullest of spots; and yet we do not neglect the Moon because she hath spots, but make use of the Moon because she hath light: so neglect not any Christian because of his spots, but make use of his light, of that good he hath, also be something forbearing of carnal men, for ye were sometimes darkness as they are, Tit. 3.1, 2, 3.

Use 3. Let no man's life be an absolute patrern to you to follow; but so far as they are light in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.1. see how this in the Text proves what the Apostle speaks of, follow Christ, why? because our perfection is but imperfect, we are but darkness passing, if you follow us in all things, you may take us on the blind side, and so fall.

Use 4. To teach us to be driving away darkness, and to be trudging out of it; as it is with a Candle, the least snuff in a Candle doth not only dim the light, but doth waste the Candle; so it is with our spirits, the least snuff of Corruption doth waste that oil of Grace which is in our hearts, and dim and damp the light which is in us, therefore snuff we our hearts often, take we the Thief out of the Candle, let us show forth the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ephes. 5.8. Rom. 13.12. away with darkness, all darkness of doubtings, of unbelief, of pride, &c. this darkness is passing away from us, we must not call it back again, do not again draw the curtains of darkness about us; when the Sun is risen, and a man begins to sleep, and draw the curtains about him again, it is a sign he means to slug it out; so when new light shines in our hearts, and we draw our old corruptions about us again, it is a shame fought us, Gal. 3.12. 2 Pet. 3.18. help one another out of darkness, help thy Wife, and children, and Servants, and Friends, and Neighbors out of it, 1 Cor. 13.9.12. we cannot practice better than we know, but we know but in part, therefore pray, admonish, exort, cleanse thyself, and cleanse others from the mist and shadow of darkness, as much at may be.

Use 5. Of comfort to a Christian; 1. Against troubles which many undergo in regard of darkness of Spiritual estate; it is a common thing for Christians to complain of darkness, of pride, of unbelief, of dullness; fear lies upon us, with what should we comfort ourselves? we think nobody is so, yes, here is some comfort for thee, all are so in some measure, it is so with the best, they have but a mixed estate, one crossing and thwarting another; the fairest day hath dark Clouds.

2 Is our darkness deeper than others? but do you not yet find it passing away? do you not find more faith, more obedience? do you not make more conscience of your thoughts, words, and actions? this is a comfort, your darkness is going away, it wastes apace.

3 Here is a comfort against death; the time will come when all darkness shall vanish away, Death will be but the breaking of our earthen Pitchers, and our light shall break forth. Epictetus came forth one day, and saw a Woman mourning for breaking her pitcher, the next day he came forth, and saw another weeping for her Son, and he said, Yesterday an earthen pitcher broken, and today a mortal body dead; as if it were the same to have a Pitcher broken, and to die.

Use 6. Of trial of our estates; would you know whether your grace be true or no? whether do you find your darkness passing away, and light shining? a man may walk in a condition of darkness, and see no light, viz. of peace and comfort, Isa. 50.10 I, but do you not then walk in a greater light of innocence, and watchfulness and obedience? When a man is in the dark, he goes slowly, and warily, and lifts up his feet high every step, Prov. 14.16. a godly man is afraid of something in the way, but a wicked man goes on boisterously; and confidently, he knows his way as well as you can tell him, but he is but a fool for his labor.

1 JOHN 2.9, 10, 11.

He that saith that he is in light and hateth his brother is in darkness until this time.

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of evil in him.

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knows not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

THe custom of this Apostle St. John, is, after he hath delivered any Doctrine to make some application of it, for the joy of God's children, for the end of his writing to them was, that their joy might be full, cap. 1.4. and so he doth here, for having in the former verse said, that in the Children of God darkness is passing, and true light now shining, here he gathers a sign whereby he may know whether our darkness be passing, and our light springing, and that is from brotherly love, in this ninth verse, and tenth, where you have a description of him that hates his Brother, and of him that loves his Brother: the first he describes by four things.

1 He is in darkness; He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is us darkness.

2 He ever was in darkness; he is in darkness even until now; that is, as yet he never was out of darkness.

3 He walketh in darkness, verse. 11.

4 He knows not whither he goes; and that is amplified from the cause of it, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Doct. He that hateth his brother, whether he profess the light or no, he is in darkness, and ever was in darkness, and knows not where he is, nor whither he goes.

By Brother is here meant chiefly a Christian Brother, as verse. 7. it is chiefly meant of Spiritual brethren, but there is a truth in it, even towards natural brethren; such as are of the same Parents, as likewise those of one Kindred, or of the same Country.

To hate here, is opposed to love, which stands in two things, desire of communion, and communication of good to him whom we love; hatred therefore desires neither of these, but consists in strangnesse and enmity; in strangeness, when they desire not communion with them, and enmity, when they are not willing to communicate good to them; although for the most part it goes further, to do ev • ll to one; yet, Levite. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother; there hatred is not to communicate good to our brother, viz. wholesome reproof; now he that thus hates these brethren, or his brother, any Brother, though not all (for if a man should hate all that were Spiritual brethren, it were manifest that he were in darkness; as it were strange for a man to hate all his natural brethren) but if there be but one brother whom he hates, he is yet in darkness, both of ignorance, and wickedness.

2 Such a one was always in darkness, He is in darkness even until now.

3 He walks in darkness, i. e. there is no action of his but is a work of darkness, a sinful action; he makes not one good prayer, or one good Sermon, &c.

4 He knows not whither he goes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , where he is, nor whither he goes, i. e. he knows not what estate he is in before God, nor whither he goes, whether to Heaven or Hell, nor what his end will be, whethet comfort or woe; now for the proof of the point you may see it, 1 Joh. 4.7, 8.

Reas. 1. Because God is love, 1 Joh. 4.16. and therefore he that is not in love is not in God; God is not only loving, but love it self, Psalm 145.9. God communicates good to every creature according to his condition.

Reas. 2. From the distempet which hatred puts both upon our judgments, and affections in every action, verse. 11. because darkness hath blinded his eyes; it blinds us that we cannot see that good which is in our brother, wherefore we should love him, and it puts false opinions and furmises upon everything we see him do.

3 Hatred makes every duty we perform to God abominable to him, and therefore such a man walks in darkness, Matthew 5.23, 24. James. 1.20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non perficit, he cannot bring a good work to an end, Gen. 4.4. Cain, because he hated his Brother, his Sacrifice would not burn, it would not enter into God's acceptation.

Use 1. To refute an opinion of the Popish Doctors; they say, men may fall away from Grace, and they prove it by the example of Saul and Judas, who they say were in the estate of grace; this will be easily decided whether they ever were in the estate of grace yea or no? for Saul, did not he hate his brother, did not he hate David? if he did, then St. John gives here his judgment, he was ever in darkness, and of Judas you may see Psal. 109.5.8. which is applied to Judas, Act. 1.20.

Use 2 From hence everyone may take a scantling of his own Estate; whether do we hate our Brother, any brother, whether spiritual or natural, or any other man? then we are in darkness.

Object. But may not a man hate those that hate God, with a perfect hatred? Psal. 139.22. David makes it a sign of a Citizen in heaven, Psal. 15.4.

Ans. If a man hates God, and malign goodness, we must consider two things, 1 Whether he doth it of ignorance, or 2 Whether he doth it of malice; if he doth it of malice, we may, and ought to hate him, Mat. 15.12, 13.14. and of these did David speak; but if they sin of Ignorance, I must not hate them with a perfect hatred, but so far as not to affect fellowship, and communion with them, but yet to communicate good to them, that I may and must do upon all occasions; I must pray for them; and admonish them; Luke. 23.34. Christ prayed for those that crucified him, so did Stephen, Act. 7.60. and it is thought by learned Divines, that prayer was a means of Souls conversion; and for admonishing such an one, read 1 Thes. 3.14, 15. but if a man sin of malice, we are neither to pray for him, nor admonish him.

Use 3. This teacheth us, that as we would have a sign of our good Estate in Christ, so to love every Brother, every Brother in Christ, every Brother in nature, or civil society, Gal. 6.10.

Object. May not good men sometimes be bitter against some Brother?

Ans. It may be so, but first, they know them not to be Brethren.

2 They do not hate them with the whole heart, but partly, as far as they are unregenerate, and they will repent of it when they know it; but howsoever, if we do not hate any brother, hereby we shall certainly know that we are in a good Estate.

Use 4 This is a ground of comfort to God's servants, God will not have one of them ill beloved, the World hates them, Joh. 15.18. and if God should suffer his servants to hate them, who should love them? nay, God would have every man love his Brethren, for as verse 9. the Apostle speaks of professors, he that saith he is in the light, &c. so verse 11. he restrains it not, but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness, whosoever he be, whether he profess the light or no? now therefore this should be out comfort, and this should make us careful to walk so as to be beloved.

Doct. He that loves his Brother, walks constantly, and inoffensively in the state of Grace.

That they walk constantly, and persevere, you may see, 1 Joh. 3.14. Joh. 13.35. Heb. 6.9, 10. that they walk inoffensively appears, in that love covers a multitude of sins, 1 Pet. 4.8.

Reas. 1 Is the contrary to the first reason of the former Doctrine, God is love, therefore such as dwell in love, dwell in God, and God in them, 1 Joh. 4.16. now if God dwell in them, and they in God, they must needs walk on constantly, and inoffensively.

Reas. 2 There is a power in love, to fit us to dispence God's ordinances willingly, and likewise willingly to have them dispensed to us, which doth exceedingly help us to walk constantly, and inoffensively, 1 Thes. 3.12, 13. love is apt to interpret all things well, 1 Cor. 13.7. and for want of this it is, that men withdraw themselves one from another, and so exort not one another, and therefore are they subject to fall away, Heb. 10.24, 25, 26. every good duty establisheth us in grace, now love is strong in good duties, and therefore it is, that he that loves his Brother, walks constantly and inoffensively, in the state of Grace.

Reas. 3 Because there is an holy light that shines about love, now in the light one may see, and avoid all stumbling blocks.

Use 1. To remove a false slander cast upon godly men, that they are the most bitter envious, and malicious men, the veryest cut-throats that are: you see that they that are in the light, are of another temper; such envious and malicious men may say that they are in the light, but if they were they would love their Brethren; therefore these you speak of, either are not so uncharitable as you say, or if they be, they are not as yet the children of light.

Use 2. This shows us a way to help forward the settledness, and inoffensivenesse of our Estate; if we be unsettled or offensive, it is for want of love, Prov. 13.20. if we keep love and communion with God's Children, we shall find Grace secretly increase to establishment, if we ever were in the light, and now find ourselves as it were in darkness, we are at a loss, we know not where we are; let us consider the first rise of it, and we shall find it was want of love, Rom. 13.10.

Use 3. Of comfort to those that love God and his Children, if we cannot discern any other Grace in ourselves, yet if we know certainly there is never a brother but we love him with all our hearts, this is an evident sign we are in the light, and that we shall walk constantly and inoffensively in the state of grace, we shall abide in the light.

1 JOHN 2.12.

I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake.

BEcause your sins are forgiven you for his sake, for whose sake? there is no name mentioned either before, or after, till we come to the sixth Verse, this Verse therefore hath reference to verse. 6. I write unto you, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake, that is, for Christ's sake, so that the Commandment of walking after Christ, to walk as he hath walked, he now amplifies by the motive to stir them up to it, and that is taken from pardon of sin, Little Children, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not Babes, as verse. 13. he calls Babes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 so that this word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is of three sorts, some Fathers, some Young-men, some Babes.

1 In the Verse we have, First, a loving compellation, Little Children.

2 An office of love, I write unto you.

3 A reason of his former exhortation, (Walk as Christ hath walked) because he hath forgiven you your sins.

Doct The Children of God, of what growth or strength soever they be in Christ, they must be as little Children, whither 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

As this benefit reacheth to all, your sins are forgiven you, so this title also.

Why as little Children?

1 You must be like them in modesty; Children are free from ambition, therefore our Savior to wean his Disciples from ambition, tells them, they must be as little Children, or else they should never inherit the Kingdom of God.

2 We must be like them in innocence, free from malice and revenge, 1 Cor. 14.9. vex a child never so, and he tell you, I will tell my Father, and will not do so without great cause, but if he do, that is all; so should it be with Christians, they should not easily complain, if they do, let this be all, make known your wrongs; we see children, though they be angry, yet they will not seek to revenge themselves.

3 Like them in simplicity, affecting simple plain meat, Milk, 1 Pet. 2.1. so a Christian should not affect varnishing, but the sincere Milk of the Word.

4 Like them in weanedness from the World, Psal. 131.1, 2. he could be content to be without his Kingdom which before he had affected; so should we be.

5 They are content with promises and hopes; tell a child of something; let but his Father say, he will buy him such a thing at London, or he hath it laid up for him, he rests well pleased; so would God have us contented with promises and hopes; when we cry to God for this and that blessing, or grace, he tells us, we shall have it when he sees fit, it is laid up for us in heaven, and in the mean time we should sit down content, Psal. 131.2.3.

Use 1. Of examination of our own estates, whether we be children of God or no, if we be, we are as little children, for outward honor, not ambitious of it, more careful how to use it, than how to get it, and if we have not honor we will not contend for it; and for innocence, we will be like 〈◊〉 children; for revenge, we will lay it down; and be without malice; till you be thus framed you cannot enter into God's Kingdom; if you be covetous, or ambitious, or malicious, if you rise up either with ambition, or malice, you shall never enter into God's Kingdom; and for simplicity, do you not affect curiosity? so for weanedness, is your heart murm • ring and repining? if you cannot get such a thing? why then truly you are not as little Children; Can you be content with promises, and hopes, and that is laid up in Heaven for us, or in Christ, our life is hid in him, Col. 3.3. if we can be thus content, it is a good sign we are God's children.

Use 2. If Saints be as little children, then take heed how you offend them. Parents will be more offended if you hurt their little children, than if you hurt their bigger, because a little hurt doth them more harm, Mat. 18.6. to 11. the Angels are ready to come from Heaven presently to help them.

I write unto you, &c. it was the greatest desire of the Apostles to be present if they could, but if absent, they helped them by writing, Gal. 4.20.

Doct. The Apostles of Christ, when they could not be present with the Children of God, they were willing to advertise them by writing of things behooveful.

So Paul writ his epistles when he was absent, and Peter, and James, and Christ himself to the seven Churches.

1 They write first to help their knowledge, to make them wise, 1 Tim. 3.15. to know their duties, 2 Tim. 3.15.

2 They wrote to them to help their memories, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13.14.

3 To establish them in knowledge received, and to confirm them.

4 To stir them up to practice those things they knew, and remembered, and were established in, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13.

5 Moses gives the reason, Deut. 17.19, 20. he would have the King to read the book of the Law, that he might learn to fear God, and keep his Commandments, &c.

6 That by this means their joy might be full; when they thus understood and remembered, and practiced, it would increase their joy, which was the end of St. Johns writing this Epistle.

Use 1. To refute the Papists, who with-hold these writings from the Common-people; to what end did they write them, if little children might not read them? Fathers, Young-men, Babes, St. John wrote to all, and would have all read them.

Use 2. To stir us up to constant reading of the Scripture daily; how often? why the greatest man in the Kingdom must read them once a day at the least, Deut. 17.19. it will help our knowledge, our memories, establish us, stir us up to practice, help us to fear God, to grow in joy, and fullness of consolation; what an help was it to the Bereans, that they read daily? it wonderfully helped their faith and comfort, therefore many of them believed, and were confirmed in Grace; what if we be in a Journey, or Sick, what then? why in this case we must mediate in the Law of God, Psal. 1.2.

I write unto you because your sins are forgiven.

Doct. All the children of God have their sins forgiven them.

Acts 10.43. Ephes. 1.7. sometimes remission of sin is called the covering of sin, Psalm 32.1, 2. if sin be forgiven it is covered, it is not imputed unto us.

Sometimes it is called the throwing of them into the bottom of the Sea, Micah 7.18, 19. God when he forgives iniquity and sin, drowns them as deep out of sight, as things in the bottom of the Sea.

Sometimes it is called a changing of them, Isa. 1.18. Come let us reason together, though your sins were as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; they are quite changed, though they were deep scarlet sins, yet they shall be made as white as snow.

Sometimes it is called, a washing away of sin, Psal. 51.8. Sprinkle me with Hyssop, it is an allusion to the Blood in the Law sprinkled with Hyssop; so when we are sprinkled with Christ's blood, our sins are washed away.

Sometimes it is called, a blotting out of sin, as a thick Cloud have I blotted out your sins, Isa. 44.22. As when the Sun appears in its brightness, the Cloud is suddenly vanished, and cleared, so our sins when they are forgiven, Isa. 43.25. Jer. 31.34. I will remember your sins no more, Jer. 50.20. when God pardons sin, he doth so utterly blot it out, and it so vanisheth, that it is no more to be found, there is no such thing extant.

Q. How comes it, that when your sins are forgiven, they are so througly purged?

Reas. Because all are washed away in Christ, our sins are imputed to him, and his righteousness is imputed to us, Isa. 53.5. 2 Cor. 5. ult. our sins are his, and his righteousness ours.

Use 1. To reprove the Popish opinion, who teach, That the sins of the godly, though they be forgiven, yet they are not utterly forgiven, but with reservation of a Temporal punishment, partly here, and partly in purgatory: but it is a false Doctrine; for if he cover them, if he wash them away, if he throw them into the bottom of the Sea, if he blot them out as a thick Cloud, if he remember them no more, they are thoroughly forgiven, without any reservation of punishment.

Use 2. It reproves their Doctrine that say, The afflictions of God's children are punishments for sin; but we must know, if sins be not accounted ours, punishments are of another nature, if sins be changed then punishments also; all the sins of God's Children are not accounted as sins, but diseases of the soul; and so all the afflictions of God's servants are not as punishments, but as medicines and purges to root out distempers, Dan. 11.35. so that now afflictions do not come out of God's justice in way of revenge, but in mercy, in way of cure.

3 It confutes purgatory; If God pardon sins so as he remembers them no more, then what need of purgatory, to punish the relics of sin in God's Children?

Use 4. It may teach all that desire to have their sins forgiven, to be of Child-like dispositions, free from ambition, and malice, and revenge, to frame themselves to humility, and innocence, and meekness, and simplicity, and contentment, and resting on promises and hopes; if it be thus with us, God will forgive us our sins; what is the reason why we doubt of Remission, but because we fail in this condition?

5 It may comfort all God's Children, they have this white stone, that is, Absolution for sin, and in that a new name written, that is, Adoption; and if we be of a meek, humble, innocent, simple frame of heart, we have this comfort.

Use 6. Of exhortation, and 1. If God hath thus freely forgiven us, let it teach us freely to forgive others, and it is an argument of our own remission, Mat. 6.11, 12.

2 It must stir us up to be careful that we offend God no more; if God when he pardons our sins remembers them no more▪ let us be careful not to offend him anymore, 1 Joh. 5.18. As a woman when her clothes are washed very white, she would be loath that they should be spotted, or mired; so after God hath made us white like snow, let us take heed of polluting our Consciences anymore; it is a good argument our consciences are pure, when we are afraid to spot them.

3 It must teach us to walk fruitfully, and be abundant in God's service, Luke. 7.47.

Lastly, It must teach us to be exceedingly thankful to God, that hath thus forgiven us, Psal. 103.

Doct. God forgives the iniquity of his Saints for his name sake, Isa. 43.25.

For his own sake he blots out our sins:

1 For his own glory, that his name may be magnified and feared, Psal. 130.4. Psal. 103.1, 2, 3.

2 For the honor of Christ, he doth it, that he may be honored through Christ, Ephes. 1.6, 7.

3 For his own sake, that is, without any desert of ours, yea sometimes without any desire of ours, Isa. 43, 22, 23, 24, 25. Thou hast not called upon me, nor offered sacrifices unto me, &c. yet I, even I am he, that for mine own names sake putteth away thine iniquities, and will remember thy sins no more.

Use 1. To teach us to be abundantly the more thankful to God, to fear him the more, to serve him the more, to honor and praise him the more, that for his own sake hath blotted out our iniquities; if we had run further into a man's debt than we were ever able to get out, and he freely forgave it, we would be loath to offend him, we would honor him, and be ready to do him the best service we could; so we should be careful, seeing God hath forgiven us so great a debt, to take heed that we run not into further Arrerages, that we dishonor not, nor offend that God who hath so freely for his own sake forgiven us.

Use 2. It must teach us all that have any comfortable experience of the forgiveness of our sins, to walk even as Christ hath walked, for even upon this ground doth St. John here press it, it should be our meat and drink to do his will, to glorify him in all our course, as it was Christ's care, Joh. 17.4. and that is the end that God aims at in forgiving our sins, that we should walk as Christ walked.

Use 3. For Consolation; If our sins be forgiven for Christ name sake, then we need not fear the continuance of them, for had he forgiven us for our own sake, we might justly have feared that he might yet afterwards through our defaults lay them again to our charge, but he hath forgiven us for Christ's sake, he doth not forgive for thy Prayers sake, but thy sins were pardoned before thou calledst on him, Isa. 65.24. God was answering before, and your prayers grew so zealous because your sins were forgiven, Isa. 43.22. and therefore God will cancel our acquittance, because he did it for his names sake, for the glory of his own grace.

1 JOHN 2.13

I write unto you Fathers, because you have known him which is from the beginning, &c.

VErse sixth, he commended this duty to all Christians, to walk even as Christ walked; which duty and Commandment, verse. 7. he amplifies by the antiquity of it, verse. 8. from the newness of it. Thirdly, instanceth in one special duty of it, that is, love of our Brethren, verse. 9, 10, 11. verse. 12. he amplifies it by a benefit or motive to walk as he hath walked; and that is from the pardon of sin generally granted to all Christians, therefore walk as Christ hath walked, because he hath forgiven you your sins; now verse. 13. these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or little children, he distinguisheth into three sorts, Fathers, Young-men, and Babes; little children is the quality of all Christians, but Babes are newly born to Christ; now all these should walk as Christ hath walked.

In the Verse we have these three parts.

1 An Enumeration, or distribution of the several ages of Christians, to whom he commends this duty.

2 A Ministerial duty of love he tenders to them, that is, he writes unto them.

3 He propounds to everyone of them a several Reason why he urges this duty upon them, I write unto you Fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning; I write unto you Young-men, because you have overcome the wicked one; I write unto you Babes, because ye have known the Father.

What is meant here by Fathers, Young-men, and Babes? some think it is meant of the several statures of Grace that Christians grow to, some are Fathers, some Young-men, some Babes, but we never read these distinct; but that an old man in Christ is a strong man in Christ, for grace doth not grow weaker but stronger, and the eld • r in Grace the more wise, the more fruitful; the more gracious; therefore I think by Fathers he means ancient Christians, yet old men too; he therefore hath respect to their natural age, and by young-men he understands men young in years, yet stronger in Grace: By Babes, such as are tender in years, and so Babes in Christ too; therefore it may well be understood of the natural difference of ages, and this interpretation may be confirmed from the reason he gives, taken from the several inclinations in Natural ages: take old age, that takes pleasure in study, and rehearsal of old things that have been long past; so, you have known the ancient of days, you have known how Christ hath been dispensed from the beginning, so that your natural desire of old things you have turned to the antiquity of Christ.

And for young-men, they have natural strength, and strive to put it forth in Fightings, or Combates: why, I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one, because you have turned your strength to fightings against Sin, Satan, and the World, and have overcome them; and for Babes, though they know little, yet they first discern their Parents, and express their joy in them; so, I write unto you Bahes, you that are very young in years and young in Christ, because you have learned to know the Father; First, in that he writes to all sorts of Christians, Fathers, Young men, and Babes, and all well seasoned with Grace, Obedience, Knowledge, &c. observe thus much.

Doct. God hath his children among all sorts of Ages of men, some of them are aged, some young, some Babes in Nature, and in Grace.

He hath his Children out of old age, Youth, and Child-hood, out of all he hath elected some to do him service: these old men, he doth not tell you when they came on, but whensoever they came they had strength of grace; so Young men, he tells you not when they came on, whether in Child-hood or no, but they had strength of grace, sure they had overcome the wicked one; and for Babes they came on in child-hood, and yet had strength of grace, and it may be some old men might in their old age come on to the knowledge of the ancient of days, so that there is strong grace found in all sorts of men, Wisdom in Old men, Spiritual vigor in young men; and he speaks of Babes, as knowing their Father in heaven, as well as their Parents on earth; God hath a company of all ages calling on him, justified, and sanctified: Amongst old men and women we read of Abraham and Sarah, an old couple stricken in years, of Isaac and Rebecca, an old couple also, and knowing the promises made of Christ, Joh. 8.56. Your Father Abraham saw my day and rejoiced; so did Sarah rejoice in the promised Seed. We have also the examples of Moses, and David, and Zacharias, and Elizabeth, that continued till they were old both in age and grace; there were some such among the Priests, as Aaron, and Hojadah 2 Chron. 24.15. some among the Soldiers, there were some old Soldiers of Christ, old Kings, old Nobles, &c. which knew him which was from the beginning.

For young men, famous is the example of Phineas, Numb. 25. in his youth he was full of zeal; such was Josiah, 2 Chron. 34.1, 2, 3. we read that at sixteen years of age he sought the Lord God of his Fathers, and at twenty years he grew so strong that he wholly carried before him the whole State, though they were then strongly corrupted, and given to Idolatry, yet being strong in the Spirit, he carried them on to Justice, and reformation strongly, he cleansed the Land from Dan to Beersheba; a notable encouragement to youth, to be vigorous in zeal and grace.

And for Children, Samuel, when he was but a child ministered to the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. so John the Baptist was filled with the holy Ghost from his Mothers womb, Luke 1.15. and of Timothy it is said, that he knew the Scripture from a child, 2 Tim. 3.15. & 2 Tim. 1.5. so that in this Family there 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 were in degrees, his grand-mother Lois, an old woman, his mother Eunice, a young woman, and Timothy almost a child, Lois teacheth Eunice, and both teach Timothy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from a very Babe he knew the Scripture.

But why will God have some of all sorts to be servants to him, old men, young men, and children?

Reas. 1. That the grace of Christ might be as largely extended to all sorts of men, as the sin of Adam was extended to all degrees and ages, Rom. 5.12. to 18. if Adam had defiled all sorts and Christ had restored but some sort of men, only young men, then Adams sin had been more powerful to destroy, than Christ's righteousness to save; it was meet therefore that as Adam defiled all Ages, all conditions, so Christ should restore all Ages, all conditions, and sanctify them: as there are of all sorts that are defiled, Jer. 7.17, 18. all Ages wholly corrupted, the Father kindles the Fire, the Women kneads the Dough, and the children gather sticks, to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven; now as there are of all sorts thus corrupted, so it is meet there should be of all sorts sanctified; why should not God have all sorts to serve him, as well as the Queen of Heaven?

Reas. 2. From the honor that is returned to God by the several ages.

1 For old men, they bring this honor to God, whether they be called in old age, or before, and hold on.

1 Herein God glorifies the truth of his promise, that length of days is in the right hand of Wisdom (by Wisdom is meant the fear of the Lord) on this ground he encourageth his Son to Wisdom, that it will be a means to lengthen his days, Prov. 3.16. therefore that God might justify this promise, he will have some old men stand up before him, it doth not make them so melancholy that they shorten their days, Religion distempers no man, godly sorrow never wasted our days, but worldly sorrow: Haman the Ezrahite, was wonderfully addicted to godly sorrow, yet he grew up to his old age, Psal. 88.8. Riches, and honor, and long life are the reward of godliness, Prov. 22.4. Wealth and credit, and length of days happen oft to them.

2 When you see old men continue in their profession to their old age, they put an honor on Religion; if young men and children only should profess Religion, you would take it as indiscretion and hotnesse of Spirit, but do you see any grave wise old man take up a Christian course? none do it but young Punies that know not what they do, this would be a great disparagement, but that God may make it known, that wisdom and discretion is to be found in the ways of grace, therefore he will have some old men walk in those ways, Prov. 16.31. that grey hairs may honor Religion, and Religion may be a crown to them; Eighty six years, said old Ignatius, have I served God, and yet never found him a hard master; so when Christians can say, so many years have I served God, and if it had been such a wearisome course they would have shaken it off, but when we see they hold out in it, it implies they find some comfort and joy therein, and if old men come on, it will be said, they now see by experience the vanity of all other courses, they see it is best dying a Christian, and spending our last days in christianity, old men would never fall into it, unless they saw there is no way so comfortable and peaceable as that is.

2 For young men, it is a great bonour to Religion if they come on, they make the power of Christ's grace manifest, that is able to overcome the heat and violence of youthful lusts, no age so violent and boisterous in corruption, so head-strong, so indiscreet and rash, so that what for unruliness, stubborness, vanity, pleasure, they are most indisposed to grace, and will not hold on: if God therefore take hold of their Spirits, and stablish their Spirits, when they by God's Grace shall be able to rule their Spirits, their lusts, to rule their hearts, this argues the strength of grace, in that, when neither wise counsel, nor Magistrate can rule them, yet the grace of Christ can rule them, rule their passions, so that they can put forth their strength against the enemy, either against their own corruptions, or abuses of others, so that when the Elders sit still, sometimes a young Phineas rises up, and shows his zeal for Christ, what an honor is this to Christ's grace? Psal. 119.9. Eccles. 11. ult. Childehood and youth are vanity, so that if God's grace can lay hold on them, and restrain them, the power of God's grace is hereby magnified, Psal. 110.2, 3. 2 Cor. 12.7. youth is only strong in weakness, if God's grace therefore shall be so strong as to subdue all these, and make them like unto Josiah, who at sixteen years of age set himself to seek God, and compelled the whole Land to do so, 2 Chron. 34.33. (he compelled them at least to outward Reformation) it is a great glory to God, when young men thus give up their young days to God

2 Another Honor they bring to God, is by their boldness and courage in a good cause; old men sometimes, though wise yet are too cautelous and backward, but young men, what is wanting in experience they have in zeal, they are forward in any service for God.

3 And for Babes and Children, if they be brought to grace, God hereby casts shame on elder men, Psal. 8.7. when they see Bahes come off with more savoury words than old men, sometimes God confounds the folly of ancient men by the wisdom and grace in Children; when Christ came riding to Jerusalem, the Children cried out, Hosanna, and praised him, the High Priests disdained it; but, Mat. 21.16, 17. Christ told them, have ye not read, that out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings thou hast perfected thy praise? This is to still the enemy and revenger; they shame you that are Elders and Priests; in regard of your backwardness. Thus we see, God will have of all sorts and ages of men stand up to do him service.

Use 1. May serve to teach all sorts of men.

1 Old men; If God hath his number among all ages and conditions of men, then God looks to have his number amongst you that are old men; say not, I have now long lived in another course, but come on to a Christian course, or if you began before, go on; I write unto you Fathers▪ because you have known him that was from the beginning; it may well beseem you to talk of the ancient Promises and Mercy of God; God looks that you should take away the reproach of Religion, that they may not say, none but young he • ds take up this course; do you this, remember that Religion is no point of indiscretion; no, an hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in a way of righteousness; would you not think it a great misery if it should befall a Mariner after all Tempests, to suffer Shipwrack in the very havens mouth? so is it with old men, when you have run on through all the difficulties of this Life, in your last days, when you should arrive at the Haven of Peace, and Hope, and eternal Happiness, if you should sink and fail, what a misery were it? Tit. 2.1, 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Paul did consider that old age was an old crazy time; their he • ds unhealthful, their stomachs unhealthful, their hearts unhealthful, how should old age get healthful hearts again? why get an healthful spirit, a sound heart, an upright spirit; what a staff would this be to weak age? to have sound faith, to be sound in love, sound in meekness and patience? what a support will it be to them, to uphold all diseases and distempers? how will they be able to bear all • the Sicknesses of this age, when their spirits are lively, and their hearts comfortable, and God's Spirit upholding them? that will be the staff and crown of old age; as therefore you desire to honor God, to support your old age, as you desire to go to the Grave with a Crown, give up yourselves to God, that so the Apostles and Elders may acknowledge you as Fathers in Christ.

Use 2. For young men, think it not too soon for you to enter on a Christian course, and if you have begun, grow up in grace; what an honor will it be, As you have been strong in outward strength, so now to be strong in Grace, strong in the Spirit? what an honor will it be to see you strong, to subdue your corruptions? what an honor will it be to see your zeal and courage, stirring up old men's discretion, so that what is wanting in them, may be supplied by you? how many strong temptations are incident to young men, from evil company, from beauty, from pleasure, &c. what an honor will it be to God's grace, to see your strength turned against sin and lust; to see you sober, and temperate, and chaste; to see you zealous and quickened in Grace? I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, Eccle. 12.1. God takes pleasure then in thy service; if you remember him then, he will be most ready to remember you in your old age.

Use 3. And for little children, if God have his number amongst Babes, then you that are Parents say not, it is too soon to learn them anything, they are too young, they cannot understand, why, cannot you learn them to know their Father? you learn them nothing, till you learn them to know you, and express joy in you, but teach them to know what an happy thing it is to have God for their father; tell them, that he is able to do more for them; and give them better things than you can do. Levite. 23.10. to 15. take no comfort in them, till they take comfort in God; train them up to know God, to know his ways, that they may be able to rejoice, and solace themselves in God and good things, that the first fruits of their age may be consecrated to God; and if you do so, you consecrate the whole lump, if the first fruits be holy, so will the whole Vintage be, if the root be holy so will the branches; consider, these Babes are flexible and easily bowed; it is far more easy to train them up to good things now, than in their youth and riper years; therefore labor now to incline them unto God and good things; take special care to train them up to know God their Father, train them up to come to the ordinances with reverence and diligence, and this will be their honor, God will make them instruments to confound elder, stronger men.

Thus we see God hath among all sorts and ages of men, some that belong unto him, whose sins are remitted, whose spirits are sanctified.

2 Now in that St. John applies himself to all their conditions and ages, observe,

Doct. That Ministers of Jesus Christ, are to apply themselves and their Doctrine to several sorts and ages of men that they have to deal with.

So St. John here carves out several portions for Fathers, for young men, and for Babes, so Paul, Tit. 2.1. to 10. so when John the Baptist had pressed a necessity of Repentance, first came the people and asked, Master, what shall we do, and then the Publicans, and Soldiers, what shall we do? and he answered them; according to their several conditions, Luk. 3.10. to 14.

Reas. From those offices God hath put Ministers in; he looks that they should be as Stewards to give everyone his own portion, Luk. 12.42. they are to be Physicians, Jer. 8.22. now they must not dispence one salve to several sores; so sometimes he calls them Shepherds, now they are to dispence themselves according to the Estate of the sheep.

Use 1. To teach Ministers, in all their studies, to provide a several portion, for the several conditions of men's souls; one thing may be fit for Fathers which will not be fit for young men and Babes; they should therefore labor to provide everyone a portion; Ministers should look at their people, not as if they were all of one mould and frame; people come to the Congregation, as men to a market, they come not to buy all things that are good, but what may be most for their use; so Ministers may set down many good things before people, but if they do not seem to belong to them, they regard them not, but in a special wise will retain that which particularly belongs to them; therefore let Ministers be exhorted, to cast such Precepts, Exhortations, Admonitions, Reproofs, before the people, as may suit with their several conditions.

Use 2 To teach all hearers, as to listen to all, so especially to listen and attend to those things, which more especially concern them, and belong unto them, old men to what belongs to them, young men to what is their portion; it is true, no Doctrine but may fit everyone present; as a young man may become an old man, and so have use of what belongs now to old men, but especially attend to those things which for the present belong unto you; and you must not think it too much, if Ministers come to particularize, it is your Crown to be particularized, you take it kindly when you are bidden to a Feast, and the master of the Feast, not only sets on the whole lump before you, but carves out a particular piece for you, so you ought to take it kindly, and as a careful part in the Minister, if he dispence a particular portion to you; yea, you ought to make known your estate unto him, or else you fall in your duty.

3 From the duty he tenders unto them, he writes unto them all, I write unto you Fathers, I write unto you young men, I write unto you Babes; from hence observe this point of Doctrine.

Doct. It is the duty of all sorts, and ages of Christians, to be conversant in reading of the Scripture.

To what end doth he write to old men, if old men do not read what he writes? and so young men and Babes, it was the charge put upon the very Kings of Israel, Deut. 17.19. that they should read the book of the Law all the days of their lives, and when they have not opportunity to read, then let them meditate on the word, Psal. 1.2.

Reas. There is great use of reading of the Scriptures.

1 It helps Knowledge much, 1 Tim. 3.15.

2 It helps to make a right use of what we hear; yea it sets such an edge on the Word heard, that though the preaching did not so thoroughly affect, yet by reading, they come to quicken Faith, Act. 17.11, 12. though the Word prepared their hearts, and made them attentive; yet till again they read, and revised, and meditated on what they had heard, their Faith was in suspense, but after they saw the agreement of his public Doctrine with the word, then many of them believed, not that God doth ordinarily beget Faith by reading, without hearing; but when we have heard, reading exceedingly quickens our spirits and Faith.

3 There is a further benefit from reading the Word, Deut. 17.19.20. a man shall find himself thereby framed to the fear of God, to humility, &c. that day a man neglects reading of the Word of God, he shall find his spirit more loose and unbridled, less conscionable, he doth not stand in awe so much.

4 It is a means to confirm us, and establish and help our memories, and stir us up to holy duties.

5 It makes the Word more ready in times of temptation, what a marvelous use our Savior made of the Word, when Satan tempted him? Ephes. 5.17. a man in temptation, will find need of many passages of Scripture.

6 Lastly, another use of reading the Scriptures is, that our joy may be full, 1 John 1.4. reading doth fill our hearts with comfort and consolation, not that reading is sufficient to salvation, no ordinance roots out another, Rom. 10.17. Faith comes by hearing, but though that especially begets faith, yet for sundry other Graces, reading is of special use, at least to quicken and stir up grace; we do not read that God ever blessed reading alone to beget Faith, for God doth not usually bless it alone, but when it is joined with hearing the Word preached; in any congregation where there is only reading of the Word, what one soul is begot to God, comes on to Faith, to God's fear, to humility, to patience, &c. not but that in such places be found good Christians, but it is, because they go abroad, otherwise it fares with reading, as with the Eunuch, that knew not what he read, Act. 8.30, 31. till Philip declared the interpretation. But yet I say, you old men read, and you young men read, and you Children read, and it is a great fault to neglect it, and put it over wholly to little Children, as a petty childish exercise; but what, doth St. John write only to Babes? no, but he writes to young men, and therefore they are to read what he writes; and to old men, and therefore they are to read what he writes, when God laid the charge upon the Kings of Israel, Deu. 17.19. he did not impose it only upon Babes, but whatsoever their employment be, whether they be in war, or sitting in the seat of Judgment, they must let no day pass without reading the Law; no person, but let him read; we shall understand the Word better, and the better remember it, we shall be more stirred up to fear God, to keep his Law, we shall be the better furnished against many temptations, which otherwise will prevail against us; In a word, seeing he wrote to them that they might learn to walk as Christ walked, hence you may comfortably expect, by reading the Word, by laying it up, by praying for a blessing, you may be helped to walk even as Christ walked.

I write unto you Fathers, because you have known him that was from the beginning. Who are these Fathers? they are such as are opposed to young men and Babes; therefore he speaks of old men, 1 Tim. 5.2, 3. why doth he call them Fathers? not that they were his Fathers to beget him to God: for before he had called them Brethren; neither is it meant of his natural Father, but he calls them so, even out of very reverence to their age.

Doct. It is the duty of all Christians, yea even of Ministers, to carry themselves to old men as their Fathers.

For this duty belongs to all Christians, as well as Ministers; God hath special care to the reverence of old age, for he would have ministers to rebuke with all authority, and yet he would not have them easily rebuke an Elder, Tit. 2, 15. much less is a private person that hath less authority and commission, to deal roundly with elder years, Levite. 19.32. he gives special Commandment to all men to rise up before the hoary head, and reverence the person of the old-man, and dread thy God; implying, that the fear of God requires this duty, as who should say, there is no fear of God in such men as do not reverence the persons of old men.

Reas. God hath stamped on old men the image of his Eternity, as on Magistrates the image of his Soveraingty, God himself is called the ancient of days, so that an old man bears a blush of the image of God; rich men carry the image of God's All-sufficiency, Magistrates of his Sovereignty, old men of his Eternity.

Use 1. To teach us to honor old men as our Fathers.

2 It proves the rudeness of some young men that look at old men as base and contemptible, he speaks of it as a sign of confusion, ( Isa. 3.5.) to those persons, when they see the hoary head pass by, rise not up, nor reverence him.

3 It may stir up all young men to reverence old age, and that by a threefold respect.

1 In rising up before them, Levite. 19.32.

2 You must show them reverence in speech, as St. John here calls them Fathers.

3 In silence, in their presence not to put forth yourselves, Job 32.6, 7. but to be silent, till at least they have spoken.

Use 4. This should teach old men, seeing God hath put such honor and respect upon them, how much the more should they think themselves bound to God? Shall he be so respective to thy honor, and wilt not thou honor the ancient of days? would you have all to rise up, and express reverence in speech and carriage to you, and ought not you then to come before God with reverence, and speak reverently of his name? would he have others be silent in your presence, much more should you subject your best gifts to God, and take heed that you put no dishonor upon yourselves, by any unseemly carriage; old Noah had no sooner committed that shameful sin of drunkenness, but his own child mocked him, Gen. 19.17. Prov. 6.11.

Doct. It is the honor of aged men, of fathers, when they know him which was from the beginning.

When they know the Father of eternity, the Antient of days, this is that which is an honor to old men, both before God and man, viz. the knowledge of Christ dispensed from the beginning, as 1 Joh. 1.1.

From the beginning is not to be understood in relation to time, but Eternity, he doth not say, That was with the beginning, but from the beginning, before the beginning, Joh. 8. Before Abraham was, I am; he was before the World; now the knowledge of Christ is the honor of aged persons.

There is a twofold knowledge of Christ.

1 A Speculative Historical Knowledge, only of the understanding, Act. 9.15.

2 There is a practical saving Knowledge of Christ, and there is a threefold difference, between that knowledge that rests in the understanding, and this practical and saving kno • ledg of Christ.

1 The knowledge that rests in the understanding, is only by hearing or reading, but the other is got by the Spirit of Christ infused into us, 1 Cor. 2.9. partly by enlightening our minds, partly by feeling the work of Grace in our hearts, Phil. 3.10. hence it is, that this experimental knowledge excels the best knowledge that is got by reading, or hearing, he knows the worth and virtue of Christ.

2 They differ in their effects, that knowledge that rests in the understanding breeds pride and carnal confidence, Isa. 47.10. and scandal and offense to the weak, 1 Cor, 8.12. but this saving knowledge breeds.

1 Prayer, Joh. 4.10.

2 Faith, Psal. 8.10. They that know thy name will trust in thee.

3 Justification, 1 Joh. 2.2.

4 Obedience.

5 Innocency towards our brethren, Isa. 11.6. to 9.

6 It works eternal life, John 17.3.

3 They differ in the adjuncts; saving knowledge is joined with an high esteem of Christ, Phil. 3.7, 8. yea a man hath liberty to rejoice in this knowledge, which he may not in any other, Jer. 9.24, 25.

There are two things in the knowledge of Christ, which old men have more than other men, Jacob expresses them both, Gen. 48.6, 7. he did now by much experience know the goodness of God, that he had provided for him at home, in Laban's house, in his journey, he had supplied him in all his wants, and delivered him out of all his dangers; a young man cannot say so much; it seems not so savoury in a young man's mouth, but when an old man comes out with a recital of God's favor, this is the honor of old age.

Use 1. Of direction to old men, to take notice of their own Estate, whether they know him that was from the beginning; hath God's Spirit brought you to pray, to humble yourselves, to obedience, to innocence, &c. if it be so, happy are you, you are truly honorable.

Use 2. Not to satisfy yourselves with any knowledge, till you know him that was from the beginning; the study of antiquity is pleasing to many, especially to old men; no knowledge like this, when you are able to speak of God's old mercies to you, that he hath fed you all your life, when you are able to tell your children of their duty to God; could you tell of all Antiquities, it is nothing, till you know him that was from the beginning.

1 JOHN 1.13. The middle Part.

I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the Wicked one.

WHy doth he call them young men, and not Brethren, as before he called old men Fathers?

Ans. Because then he had not distinguished them from others, for all Christians are brethren one to another.

1 Observe here, First, their Adversary, the wicked one.

2 Their Victory, They have overcome the wicked one. This wicked one is Satan, 1 Joh. 5.18. Mark 5.37. Mat. 13.19. Mar. 4.15. he is called Satan, he being once one of the noblest creatures, nobler than man.

Doct. The chiefest of the glorious Creatures of God, may become the chiefest wicked one.

He is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that wicked one, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and it implies.

1 That he excels in wickedness, his Understanding most blind, his will most rebellious, his affections most corrupt.

2 It implies, he is the Father of all sin, Mat. 5.37. Joh. 13.2. Joh. 8.44. he is called the Father of Liars.

3 It implies, That Satan takes pains to do evil, is industrious to do evil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , labor, he traverseth the World, goes about continually doing evil, 1 Pet. 5.8. Job 1.7. he is insigniter improbus.

But how comes it to pass, that he that was a glorious Angel is now become that wicked one? The causes of his deprivation were partly accidental and outward, partly inward; accidental, as

1 God did not elect him to stand, as he did ordain some Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. so that he was left to a possibility of falling, though not to a necessity.

2 His condition being a creature gave occasion to his fall. God being infinitely good, his will is the rule of good; now he being a creature, God's Will is his rule, and he may not attend to the rule, and then he doth evil.

3 But thirdly, There was an inward cause that led him to sin, and that was the pride of his nature, not made so, but he exalted himself, 1 Tim. 3.6. which implies; that he saw man made after the Image of God, and he was a glorious creature attending on God himself, and was puffed up with his glorious condition, and despised man, that was to live on the earth, and dress the Garden.

Use 1. May teach young Scholars, not to please themselves in any gifts of Nature though never so excellent, for even an Angel that excelled in Wisdom hath fallen away, and become that wicked one.

Use 2. It may teach them to take heed how they enter into the calling of the Ministry in their young years, especially before they be humbled, it was the cause of Satan's fall, that he was puffed up with his office; it is a wonder to see, when Scholars are admitted into the Ministry in their young times, how they despise the people, think themselves unmeet to condescend to Peasants, but they will rather exercise their Gifts in the University, and so fall into the condemnation of Satan.

3. Hence you may see part of the Image of Satan, why was he called that wicked one? because he excels in wickedness, and is the Father of sin, and takes pains to do evil; so, do you see men excel in wickedness, lead on others to sin, take pains in mischief? such a one bears the Image of Satan upon him. When Paul saw Elimas hardened in mischief, leading on others, and taking pains to keep the Deputy from the faith, he calls him, the child of the Devil, Act. 13.10.

4 Hence we learn, If the Devil have got this Name by excelling in wickedness, and drawing on others to sin, and taking pains to do mischief; then on the contrary, b • how much the more any excel in goodness, strive to draw on others to God, and take pains in it, they are the more like God their Father.

Because ye have overcome the wicked one.

All overcoming implies a fight, so that when you read of their overcoming, it implies that young men have strong wrestlings with Satan.

Doct. Satan, as he is an enemy to all mankind so especially to young men.

He doth not write to Fathers or Babes, that they have overcome the wicked one, as if it were not so proper to them, but he chiefly encourages young men, I write unto you young men, implying, it was a proper work for them. Observe all the temptations of Satan in Scripture, and where you shall read of one old man tempted by Satan, you shall read of ten young men; when did Satan set upon Eve, was it not presently after her first creation? our Savior was not above thirty years old when Satan tempted him; Peter when he was tempted was young: we shall find few falls of God's Saints, but it was in their young days, except two, Noah and Solomon, who fell in their old days; and less shall we read of Children, 2 Kings 2.22. but Satan, chiefest assaults have always been against young men.

Reas. 1. Why Satan chiefly sets upon young men, it is from the vigor of their nature and parts which God gives them, their courage, their strength, and fervency; therefore Satan strives to draw them on, and he knows, that if they get loose from him, they will do him least and do God most service, more than either old men or Children; therefore he strives chiefly to draw them on; indeed God sometimes makes use of the weakest, but Satan always makes use of the stirring, quickest spirits among men.

2. Because he hath most advantage to surprise them; no age so subject to temptation, 2 Tim. 2.22. Fly youthful lusts, yet he was not more subj • ct to lusts than others, nay, he was of a weak abstemious natu • e, 1 Tim. 5.23. yet Paul charges him to take heed of youthful lusts; if such a weak abstemious nature was subject to youthful lusts, then it implies, that no age is so subject to be led into lusts, as youth.

3. From the counsel of God, whose purpose it is then to magnify his Grace when corruption is strongest, therefore God himself, who is that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to magnify his Grace, lets loose Satan upon young men; so it was with our Savior, Mat. 4. It is the purpose of God, that where sin abounds, Grace should much more abound, Rom. 5.20. therefore it is, that young men are most strongly assaulted, that God may magnify his Grace.

But why do the temptations of young men exceed all other ages?

Why, Children are not yet come to the lusts of youth, and old men are past them, so that young men are most liable to temptations and discouragements.

Use 1. It may therefore teach young men to fear their Estates; if they have not strong temptations, it is a sign the Devil hath strong hold already, and so is in peace, but otherwise they are subject to spiritual assaults.

Three Temptations Satan commonly assaults the Sons of men with.

1. Against their effectual Callings; their repentance, he persuades them it is yet too soon to look towards repentance; and they are more liable to evil company, given more to pleasures and delights than old men, and impatient of Counsel; and if God break through this,

2. Then he puts them to question their Faith and Adoption, whether they be God's Children or no? their strong lusts make them doubt of it, and if God's Grace break through this,

3. He tempts them about their sanctification, he will fill their hearts with unclean lusts; and if a man break through these, he hath much cause to magnify God's Grace.

Use 2. To teach young men, seeing Satan's aim is chiefly at them, to strive to grow strong against him, watch warily against him, that the evil one touch you not.

And there are three especial Graces to help young men against the assaults of Satan.

1. Sobriety; watch to Sobriety, be sober and vigilant, 1 Pet. 5.8. take heed of intemperancy, and inconstancy.

2. Stand steadfast in the faith, 1 Pet. 5.9. not trusting to your own strength or courage, but rely upon God; while young men are confident of themselves, as Peter, they fall, but if you stay yourselves upon God, he will support you.

3. Treasure up the grace of Humility, that you think not highly of yourselves, which is the folly of youth; God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

And there are three Duties which I commend to young men.

1. Diligence in your Callings: the want of which overthrew David; when he was idle, Satan took advantage to tempt him to uncleanness, 2 Sam. 11.12.

2. Frequency in God's ordinances, in reading and hearing the Word, v. 14. the more you treasure up the Word, the more power and strength you have against Satan, and the more you receive the Sacrament, the more strength you get, for this is the end of receiving the Sacrament, to get strength against your lusts.

3. Be frequent in Prayer, and that will help you much, James 4.7, 8. Draw near to God, complain of the slipperiness of your nature, of your weakness to withstand Satan's assaults, and entreat God to give you strength that you may hold out.

Doct. Satan may be overcome, and is often-times overcome, and disappointed of his hold, even by young men, against whom he had most advantage.

I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.

Q. 1. What is it to overcome Satan?

A. It is a borrowed speech from the Victory of Soldiers in War, and Soldiers overcome either by killing their enemy, or spoiling, or captivating, or putting to flight their enemies, now Satan cannot be put to death, he is a Spirit, and so is not capable of death, only of the second death.

And to lead him captive, that Victory is only peculiar unto Christ, Eph. 4.8. He led captivity captive.

But for the two last, so young-men may overcome Satan, they may spoil him, and put him to flight, for spoiling, Christ hath done the worst, Col. 1.15. he hath spoiled Satan. But,

1. For putting him to flight, Young men may do this, James 4.7. which implies, that there is a possibility in young men, and a power to stand, and not to yield to his temptations; for though he hath a power to delude our Sences, and may hurry a man's body about, yet he cannot captivate our Wills, therefore stand, resist, give no place, and if you do so, he will fly from you for shame, he hath no power longer to hold out, when he sees a man stand out against him; God hath not given him liberty to pursue us unto death, but if we stand out against him, he will fly from us. So it was with our Savior, first he tempted him about his Son-ship, If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread; then he tempted him to presumption, to cast himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple; and then he tempted him with the glory of the World, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me; but because our Savior still resisted his temptations, and Satan could not prevail, he departed; if a man stand out strongly, Satan flies indeed, if a man yield never so little, he makes use of the least advantage, and will press it; but if you stand fast, and yield not, he will be gone from you, his very pride and insolency makes him scorn to trouble himself with any Creature, he disdains to be overcome by him, therefore he will depart. Thus Joseph was strongly assaulted, Gen. 39.9. but he resists and answers with much affection, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? He had long resisted and stood out against the temptations of his Mistress, and therefore she no more solicits him with that thing, but takes another course, falsely to accuse him to his Master, and so caused him to be cast into prison.

2. A Young-man may not only put him to flight, but he may also spoil Satan, that is, he may take advantage by his assaults, to grow more wary, more holy, more obedient, more fruitful, and so he spoils Satan; if a Christian enrich his spirit by the temptations he meets with, he makes a spoil of Satan; the riches of the Soldier is the spoil of the Enemy: when young men stand fast, and make a spoil of Satan, and grow more humble, and meek, and obedient, they shall so much the more overcome Satan; Job was strongly tempted by Satan to blaspheme God, but yet he stands fast, and not only so, but takes occasion to bless God, Job 1.21. so when Satan tempts him by his wife, see how he answers, Job 2.10. Michal tempts David by deriding him, when he danced before the Ark, but he grew more zealous by it, 2 Sam. 6.20, 21. so John 3.26. They would have stirred up John to emulate Christ, but that stirred him up to magnify him more than ever he did before, and give the most honorable Testimony of him.

Q. How come young men to overcome Satan?

1. By the blood of the Lamb, his power is queld by the death of Christ.

2. By the power of the Word that dwells in them, v. 14.

3. By the power of the Spirit, that is stronger in them, than he that is in the world, 1 John 4.3, 4.

Use 1. Since young men may, and do so overcome the World, it must teach young men to make this their glory, to be fighting this spiritual battle; there is no gifts they should so much please themselves in, as in this, Prov. 20.29. What a shame is it for young men to show their strength in pouring down strong drink, and spend their strength upon women? what a pitiful thing is it, for young men to strive to overcome one another in drinking and gaming? &c. nay, were they valiant in war, yet how much more honorable is it to fight the Lord's battles, to over-wrestle our lusts? when a young man shall single out that grand Captain the Devil, and foil him in war, that is truly honorable; if Satan in a special manner strive to overcome you, then strive you most against him, stand out against him, resist him, and yield not to him; and examine what spiritual battles you have had with Satan, if none, then your case is not good.

Use 2. May hearten the feeblest Christians not to be discouraged with conflicts; many a soul saith, my corruptions are so strong, and my lusts so powerful, I shall never be able to stand out against them, and overcome them, why St. John writes here to young men, whose corruptions were strong and violent, and yet he saith, You have overcome the wicked one.

Use 3. Of reproof to old men and children, if they do not overcome; children are not come to, and old men are past the dints of lusts; therefore they may be the more ashamed, if they be given to voluptuousness, and gluttony, and gaming, and lying, and company-keeping; Children and old men, their bodies are dead to such lusts.

Use 4. It exhorts all, though we cannot put Satan to death, or captivate him, yet what we may do, let us do; in every temptation, let us stand fast, and put him to flight, and labor by temptations to spoil him, let his temptations make you more humble, and fruitful, and obedient: this is the greatest honor of a Christian, thus to put Satan to flight and spoil him.

1 JOHN 2.13. The latter end.

I write unto you Babes, because you have known the Father.

WE have heard of old men, and young men, now we come to his Apostolical writing to Babes.

Doct. Little Children, even Babes, may know God as their Father.

For the proof of this,

1. I will show it by Examples, 1 Sam. 3 1. though at first he knew not, yet from that time forward he knew God, 2 Chron. 34. see it in Josiah; so Timothy, it is said that he knew the Scripture of a child, 2 Tim. 2.15. Luke 1.15. and our Savior bears testimony of little children, Suffer little children to come unto me, for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. Mark 10.14. and that they were little ones, we may see, in that he took them in his arms, as we use to do infants, and whereas the Anabaptists say, he means not of these, but of such as are of years but little children in grace, this cavil is vain, for otherwise his reason had been in vain▪ for he might have said it as well of Sheep as little Lambs, for such are God's Servants, but yet he never mentions such, but only these little ones, that is, little children.

There are Three grounds of the Regeneration of little children.

1. From the Original Sin that they are born in, for they that are capable of sin are also capable of grace, for no subject is capable of sin but it is capable of grace, and the greatest part of their sin is the privation of grace, which they are capable of, Luke 1.15. Psal. 58.3.

2. From their interest in the Covenant, they enter into a Covenant with God even from their childhood, as we may see, they brought their young Babes to enter into a Covenant with God, Deut. 29.10. to 14. and so are capab • e of grace, Joel 2.15, 16. In times of great dangers in the Land, God required little children and B • bes to humble themselves for breach of the Covenant, which implies they were in a Covenant; indeed the Ninivets made their Beasts fast, and their Children, but they were Heathen, and were not within the Covenant.

3. Children are capable of the seals of the Covenant of Grace, Gen. 17.7, 8. therefore capable of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4.11. so that we see little children may know God as their Father.

Q. How soon do children come to be capable of this grace, to know God as their Father?

1. They are capable of the habits and gifts of grace from their first Conception,