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 &^' 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. 
 
 JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. 
 
 THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh. 
 
 D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. 
 
 WILLIAM n. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of BibUcal Literature and Church History, Reformed 
 Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. 
 
 ANDREW TUOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. 
 REV. THOMAS SMITH, M.A., Edinburgh. 
 
THE 
 
 FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE 
 
 ST JOHN THE APOSTLE, 
 
 UNFOLDED AND APPLIED. 
 
 BY 
 
 y 
 
 NATHANAEL HAKDY, D.D. 
 
 EDINBURGH : JAMES NICHOL. 
 LONDON : JAMES NISBET AND CO. DUBLIN : G. HERBERT. 
 
 M.DCCC.LXV. 
 
EDINBUEQH : 
 
 FEINTED BY JOHN GBEIG AND SON, 
 
 OLD PHYSIC GASDENS. 
 
'^■f.. 
 
 J^ PlilllGBTOIT '" 
 
 \ 
 
 \TnSO LOGIC A-L. 
 
 NATHANIEL HAEDY, D.D. 
 
 t,^c>or53i(jgXO''^3^~j 
 
 WHILE introducing to oiir readers the author of the following Exposition, it may not be 
 out of place to offer a few observations on a subject, respecting which we venture to 
 think that considerable misapprehension exists in the minds of many. We frequently hear 
 and read statements respecting ' the Puritans,' their excellences and their defects, which 
 seem to indicate that many regard them as a class of writers who have little or no ressm- 
 blance to any others, while they have no material differences amongst themselves; as if they 
 were members of a flock of sheep, all marked with one brand, undistinguishable by any ordi- 
 nary eye from one another, and altogether unlike the members of any other flock. Now it 
 is no doubt true that modes of speech, and even modes of thought, are to a considerable 
 extent under the influence of circumstances ; and consequently there are great features 
 which all the literature of any era has in common, and which distinguish it from that of 
 any other. Such features of course belong to the writers of the Puritan period, producing 
 some measure of mutual resemblance between themselves, and of distinction between all of 
 them and the writers of any other age, as, for example, those of the Eeformation, those of 
 the eighteenth century, or those of our own times. 
 
 But it may be questioned whether there be any period whose literature is enriched with 
 so much diversity as is that of the age with which we have to do. It was a period of intense 
 earnestness of thought, when men's minds were brought into contact with great interests, 
 and when questions of imspeakable importance were calling for individual solution. It was 
 a period of transition, when speakers and writers were not drilled into absolute uniformity ; 
 a period dissevered to a great extent from that which preceded it, when, therefore, tradi- 
 tional forms of thought and speech had less than their usual influence, and when individual 
 peculiarities were more than usually free to assert themselves. 
 
 Some of these causes, perhaps, acted still more powerfully at the Eeformation ; but 
 another circumstance gave greater variety to the writings of the Puritans than belongs even 
 to those of the Reformers. The English Reformers were substantially at one in all im- 
 portant questions ; as were also the Germans, until the Sacramentarian controversy unhap- 
 pily broke out amongst them. Hence their writings generally, and especially those of them 
 that are of much interest to us, contain comparatively little diversity of doctrinal statement. 
 The variety is doubtless great; as between Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, Bcza, Farel, Cran- 
 mer, Latimer ; but it is mainly due to the personal temperaments of the several writers, 
 and to the circumstances in which they were placed. The Puritans, on the other hand, 
 
NATHAN AEL HARDY, D.D. 
 
 differed from one another both in respect of important doctrines, and in respect of matters 
 of ecclesiastical pohty, which are still fresh in interest ; and certainly their writings are dis- 
 tnigiiished, not only by variety of manner, but also by a greater diversity of matter and 
 sentiment than is to be found in the writings of the leaders of the Reformation. 
 
 None of the causes to which we have adverted are in as powerful action now as they were 
 in the puritan period ; and consequently we venture to assert that there are greater diver- 
 sities between the different writers of that period than between those of the nineteenth 
 century, whom yet no one would think of classing together on any principle of classification 
 except that of contemporaneousness. For proof of this, we need go no further than to the 
 series of works which we are now engaged in reproducing. We venture to assert that, 
 amongst the religious writers of our own day, it would be impossible to name any that are 
 more dissimilar to each other than are the several members of the following pairs : — Thomas 
 Adams and Thomas Goodwin ; Sibbes and Charnock ; Ward and Clarkson ; Au-ay and 
 Stock ; Eng and Eaiuolds ; Bernard and Cartwright ; Torshell and Fuller. We may even 
 go so far as to state, that some of these writers are so free from the characteristics which are 
 commonly considered as distinctive of the age in which they lived, that their works would 
 not be thought out of place if by any accident they were classed among the products of 
 our orni day. A sermon of Charnock's, if delivered in one of our congregations, with only a 
 very few exj^ressions altered, would scarcely startle the hearers, or be detected by them as 
 not a modern production ; while we are confident that Torshell's Esercitation upon Malachi, 
 if it had been published as a new work, would have been welcomed by many as a fine speci- 
 men of the "modern criticism!" A somewhat similar i-emark, though not to quite the 
 same extent, is applicable to the present exposition of a portion of the First Epistle of St 
 John ; and this it is that has suggested to us, and this is our apology for introducing in this 
 place, a discussion which may be thought by some to be unconnected with the business 
 which we have in hand. 
 
 That business is not to compile a full biography of Dr Hardy, but only to give such a 
 brief account of his position and sentiments as may cast light upon the views expressed in 
 the following Commentary, and so put the reader in a position to profit fully by its perusal. 
 
 Nathanael Hardy was born in the Old Bailey, in the parish of St Martin's, London, on 
 the 14th of September 1618, and was baptized in the church of that parish. His father, 
 Anthony Hardy, was probably a citizen of good standing ; but we are not possessed of any 
 information respecting him. As our main object in this sketch is to indicate the position 
 which Hardy occupied amongst his contemporaries, it may be well to remind our readers 
 of the relation which subsisted between him and a few of the most distinguished of them in 
 respect of the time of his birth. In 1G18, then, James I. was in the fifteenth year of his 
 occupancy of the English throne, and his sou, afterwards Charles I., was in the eighteenth 
 year of his age ; Oliver Cromwell was nineteen years old ; Shakespeare had been dead two 
 years, and Milton was ten years old. Hardy was eighteen years younger than Goodwin, 
 ten years younger than Lord Clarendon, five years younger than Jeremy Taylor, and three 
 years younger than Owen and Baxter, who were born in one year. He was three years 
 older than Clarkson, nine years older than Buiiyan, iuid twelve years older than Howe and 
 Barrow. 
 
 The time when Hardy came into the world was pretty nearly coincident with the begin- 
 ning of the storm which was destined to break over England, and to sweep away the old 
 landmarks in Church and State. His life having been spent in the stirring times of James L, 
 of Charles L, of the Commonwealth, and the Restoration, there is a strong temptation lying 
 
NATHAN A£L HABDY, D.D. ^" 
 
 in the way of his biographer, inviting him to enter upon the wide field of discussion as to 
 the interesting events of the time ; but over such a temi^tation we shall not stumble. 
 
 We have found no notice of the early education of Hardy until he went to Oxford m 1632. 
 He became a commoner of Magdalene Hall, and continued there for several years ' under 
 the course of a severe discipline,' says Anthony a-Wood in his Athoue ; ' Ai'tes et Scien- 
 tias Academicas viriliter didicit,' says the same writer in his History and Antiquities. We 
 understand these expressions to mean substantially the same thing, and that their meaning 
 is, that Mr Hardy was noted as a diligent and hard-working student. And this testimony is 
 all the more valuable, because it is given by one who manifestly dislikes him, and speaks of 
 him as slightingly as he can, consistently with his gruff honesty. After ' some years' ' resi- 
 dence in Magdalene Hall, he removed to Hart Hall, and, as a student of that hall, he took his 
 degree of M.A. in 1638, having previously, in 1635, taken his bachelor's degree as a student 
 of Magdalene Hall. If we understand Wood aright, he took Deacons' orders immediately 
 on passing M.A., and in the following year, 1639, was admitted to Priests' orders. At all 
 events, he quitted Oxford at this time, and apparently at once became incumbent of St 
 Dionysius Back-Church, London. He became, says the same authority,* ' a florid and very 
 ready preacher,' conscionator insignis.f These two expressions again, taken from the two 
 works named above, appear each to intimate that he was eloquent and popular, while it is 
 sneeringly impHed that eloquence and popularity are not the highest qualifications of a 
 preacher. 
 
 At this time it is manifest that he had strong leanings towards Presbyterianism, and 
 Wood pretty plainly insinuates that this was because it was most profitable to lean towards 
 that side. Such we understand to be the meaning of the expression, 'At the turn of the 
 times he was ensnared by the fair pretences of the Presbyterian party.' Now we can see no 
 reason whatever tobelieve that this insinuation is well-founded. We shall find immediately 
 that he broke with the PreslMerians long before they ceased to be in the ascendant, and 
 that he was a very decided and outspoken Episcopalian for many years before it was adva,n- 
 tageous to be such. We are bound in all fairness, therefore, to give him credit for sincerity 
 and honesty, both in his earlier Presbj'terian and his later Episcopal sentiments. 
 
 According to the statement of Wood, the negotiations between the Royal and the Par- 
 liamentary Commissioners at Uxbridge constituted the tm-niug-poiat in Hardy's history. 
 If it be so, it was the greatest result that issued from them. These negotiations were under- 
 taken, we fear, under false pretences on both sides. Each party seems to have desired to 
 appear anxious for peace, and to have entered upon conference with the determination to 
 make no such concessions as the other party might demand, the object of each being to 
 shift to the other the blame of continuing the war. The Commissioners on either side were 
 partly lay and partly clerical, the clerical apparently having a voice only in matters relating 
 to religion and the Church. It is remarkalile that, in the discussions on this subject, the 
 Episcopalians and Presbjiierians defended their respective systems on the high ground that 
 they were jure divino, each party holding that the other system was not only not so good 
 as their own, but that it was positively evil, and contrary to the direct and positive appoint- 
 ment of God. The chief champions were Alexander Henderson on the Presbyterian, and 
 Dr Henry Hammond on the Episcopalian side. Of course. Clarendon represents all the 
 learning and all the argument to have been on the one side, and nothing but unfounded 
 
 * Athens Ozon. t Hist, et Antiq Oion. 
 
via NATHAXAEL HARDY, D.D. 
 
 assumption, rhetorical fallacy, and coarse abuse on the other. Be this as it may, we are 
 informed that the argument of Dr Hammond convinced Hardy, who happened to be present, 
 although he was not a commissioner on either side, of the erroneousness of the Presbyterian 
 system, and made him ever after a strenuous Episcopalian. On his return home, he imme- 
 diately preached a sermon of recantation, and as we shall see in the sequel, he was hence- 
 forth not only a stedfast but a high churchman. 
 
 Now, with reference to the insinuation repeatedly made by Wood, that Hardy's changes 
 of view had reference to ' the turns of the times,' and to self-interest, it ought to be remem- 
 bered that this took place in 164-1-5, a time when the parliamentary interests were still 
 gaining, certainly at least not losing, ground. Of course, different readers will have different 
 opinions as to the strength or weakness of mind indicated by a conversion so effected, but 
 we can see no reasonable ground to doubt the sincerity of it. 
 
 As an Episcopalian, then, Hardy continued to minister in St Dionysius Back-Church, but 
 Wood informs us that his congregation consisted to a greater extent of Presbyterians than 
 of Episcopalians. If this were so, it is certainly a high tribute to the personal worth and 
 ministerial qualifications of the man. It could have been nought but these that induced 
 his Presbyterian parishioners to adhere to him ; and it must have been a tie of wondrous 
 strength which attached them to him, or it would have been snapped by his defection at 
 such a time. All will admit that this was highly creditable to him, while there will be 
 different opinions as to how far they were right in allowing personal attachments or indi- 
 vidual qualifications to lead them to lend their countenance to a system of which they 
 disapproved. 
 
 This state of matters appears to have continued all through the period of the Common- 
 wealth. On the death of the king. Hardy preached a funeral sermon, and duly on the 
 anniversary of the day on which the black scafl'old was reared at Whitehall, the ' royal mar- 
 tyrdom' was commemorated and lamented in the Church of St Dionysius by a High Church 
 Episcopal clergyman, in the presence of a mixed congregation of Episcopalians and Presby- 
 terians, the latter being the majority. Kegularly he kept up a ' Loyal Lectui-e,' at which 
 collections were made for the relief of the deprived clergy ; and yet it does not appear that 
 the slightest molestation was given to him who acted in this manner. A- Wood is puzzled 
 to account for this phenomenon, and asks how it could be that he should have been so 
 faithful to his convictions, and yet should have been let alone ; and is manifestly disposed 
 to set aside the unexceptionable testimony which he adduces for the facts, on the ground 
 of the improbability of the matters attested. We have heard a great deal of the intoler- 
 ance of the dominant party, and of the summary and arbitrary proceedings of Cromwell's 
 ' Expurgators ;' but surely the single fact of Hardy's being suffered to retain his benefice, 
 and to speak his mind with perfect freedom concerning the conduct of the Parliament, 
 and openly to collect money from month to month for the relief of the sufferers in the 
 king's cause, indicates an amount of moderation which is to us wonderful — as to Anthony 
 a- Wood it was absolutely incredible. We doubt not that there were cases of hardship 
 involved in the proceedings of the Expurgators ; but the fact that, in the heart of London, 
 Mr Hardy was permitted to preach the doctrine of Episcopacy by divine right, and of the 
 sin of regicide, in the presence of a congregation consisting to a large extent of Presby- 
 terians, indicates that the severity of the Expurgators was leavened with a great and 
 admirable amount of forbearance. 
 
 When at last it was resolved to place Charles II. on the throne of his fathers, the city of 
 London resolved to send a large deputation to meet him at the Hague. This deputation 
 
NATHAN AEL HARDY, D.D. IS 
 
 consisted of fourteen of the most substantial citizens, and was accompanied by eight or 
 ten clergymen, of whom Lord Clarendon names Reynolds, Calamy, Case, and Manton. 
 Amongst these clergymen was Hardy, and he was probably the most acceptable to the king 
 of them all ; for while the Presbyterians assured him of their most devoted loyalty, they 
 strove hard to dissuade him from the use of the Book of Common Prayer and the surplice, 
 at least in his own chapel. Hardy of course did not join in such attempts, and this may have 
 been the reason why he was selected, as he appears to have been, to preach before the King 
 and Court on the 20th of May. A- Wood, who seems to be determined to admit no good of 
 Hardy, pretty plainly insinuates that he ' improved the occasion ' to advance his own inte- 
 rests. But surely the stedfastness with which he had adhered to the Eoyal and Episcopal 
 cause through the long dark night ought to free him from the imputation of worshipping 
 the rising sun only because it was rising. 
 
 In point of fact, however, as might have been expected, the rays of that sun did fall upon 
 him, to his no small delectation and profit. He was immediately appointed one of the royal 
 chaplains, and seems ever after to have been a frequent preacher in the Chapel Royal. He 
 was reinstated in the cure of St Dionysius Back-Church. He was created Doctor of 
 Di^anity by the University of Oxford, became vicar of St Martins in the Field, Westminster, 
 archdeacon of Lewes and dean of Rochester, also rector of Henley, in Oxfordshire. Thus 
 he was manifestly one of the most rising men in the church, and would probably soon 
 have been invested with the Episcopal dignity. 
 
 But the sunshine of royal favour does not appear to have induced him in any degree to 
 relax his diligence in preaching and doing the work of his pastoral office. Thus he went 
 on for ten years, and ' on or about ' the 1st of June 1670 he died, in the 52d year of his age. 
 He was buried in the chancel of St Martins in the Field, Westminster. There his widow 
 erected a monument with the following epitaph : — 
 
 Ileic, lector, quicquid mortale habuit deposuit Nathanael Hardy, S.T.D., Ecclesue Roffensis 
 Decaniis, verbi divinifidus ct strenuus administer. Primum ajmd S. Dioiiysii apud cives London- 
 enscs, delude et Diri Martini aptid IVesmonasterienses, 7Ctriusque tirhis populo cams pariter ac 
 vcrendus, talem nam prtestahant soVulum judicium, expromptu memoria, animus indefessus, assidua 
 exercitatio, viethodus facilis, scnsus accommodus, verborum copia, vox sonora; omnes ece dotes 
 quibus instructus operam suam et Deo et gregiegregie probavit, quumper annos xxxii sacram pro- 
 vinciam concionibus, C2iris, vigiliis, quibus semct exhausit, implesset, in ccelos prcemature accitus 
 {quo tot animas siio ductu prceiisse viderat, tot vidit secuturos) civicam coronam adcpttis est, anno 
 salutis MDCLXX., atatis Hi. Tu, lector, quod te vivus pro rostris edocuit frequens, quod jam 
 vcl ex cippo mortuus te admonet, oeternitatem cogita. Posuit mcercns conjux. 
 
 Anthony k-Wood states that his funeral sermon was preached by Dr Patrick, bishop of 
 Ely, from 2 Cor. v. 1. On this his editor, Dr Bliss, remarks that "Wood does not seem 
 apprised of another funeral sermon on Hardy by Dr Richard Meggot, rector of St Olave's, 
 Southwark, and chaplain in ordinary to the King." Thus Wood speaks of one funeral 
 sermon, by Patrick ; Bliss of two, by Patrick and Meggot respectively. The recent edition of 
 Bishop Patrick's works contains a sermon on 2 Cor. v. 1, preached on occasion of the funeral 
 of Thomas Grigg, 4th September 1670 ; and the editor, Mr Taylor, states that Mr Ivnight, 
 who left a MS. life of Bishop Patrick, erroneously asserts that the sermon on that text was 
 preached at the funeral of Hard}'. It would appear then, at first sight, that Wood and Bliss 
 wei-e both in error, the one in supposing that the funeral sermon, the other that a funeral 
 sermon, on Hardy, was preached by Bishop Patrick. But in the sermon preached on the 
 occasion of the funeral of Mr Grigg, we find that the preacher, after dividing his subject into 
 
NATHiLNAEL HASDY, D.D. 
 
 three heads, says, " Of the two first I have discoursed elsewhere, upon the like occasion with 
 this that hath now hrought us together." This was preached on the 4th September 1G70, 
 and Dean Hardy had been buried on the 9th of June in the same year. It seems therefore 
 impossible to doubt that this was the occasion on which the bishop had preached from the 
 same text, that consequently the editor of Wood is right, and the editor of Bishop Patrick 
 is wrong, and his edition defective in not containing this sermon, which Wood states was 
 extant in his day, an expression which we suppose to mean that it was published, espe- 
 cially as he adds, that in the sermon " You )nay sec his character at large." 
 
 It is almost amusing to see the persistency with which Wood strives to prevent his 
 readers from drawing an inference favourable to Hardy from the facts which his instinc- 
 tive honesty compels him to record. Almost the last sentence of his notice is, " At 
 length this active and forward man, who had little or no character among the true royalists, 
 especially that part of the clergy who had suffered in the times of usurpation, giving way 
 to fate in his house at Croydon, in Surrey, on 1st June 1670, was buried on the 9th in the 
 chancel of St Martin's in the Fields." Now surely the fact of his having been the dear 
 friend of Bishop Patrick is amply sufficient answer to this charge, for a charge it is, implying 
 that Hardy was a time-server, and that he secured his safety iu the " times of usurp- 
 ation " by keeping his loyalty iu the background. 
 
 The publications of Hardy were numerous, but none of them, excepting the Exposition 
 of the First Epistle of John, were fitted to be of more than local and temporary interest. This 
 exposition, which we now reprint, is only a fragment. It was intended to consist of five 
 parts, corresponding generally to the five chapters of the epistle ; but only two of them 
 were accomplished. We shall be greatly disappointed if oiar readers do not acknowledge 
 that the sermons now presented to them are of great excellence. In matter, they are purely 
 evangelical ; in spirit, they are earnest and affectionate ; in manner, they are eloquent and 
 impressive. They have been held in high repute by students for nearly two centuries ; and 
 the volumes containing them have long been eagerly sought after by book-collectors. 
 In editing them, we have not always been able to introduce into the typography an 
 accurate distinction of divisions and subdivisions, but have frequently followed the original 
 edition, in which the distinction is not observed. In respect of the language, we have done 
 our best, as usual, to reproduce the original text. If there be any deviation from it, of 
 which we are not aware, it is the effect of accident, not of design. 
 
 For the benefit of such readers as are not familiar with the language of the period, we 
 may state that they will constantly meet with expressions in which they will suppose that 
 a 7iot has been omitted. We refer to such expressions as " not good, but evil, useful, but 
 hurtful," in which the negation of the former clause is to be understood as casting its in- 
 fluence over the latter ; very much as critics explain the Latin phrase, non modo, scd ne 
 quidem, which so often occurs in Livy, when we should have expected non modo non, sed ne 
 quidnn. We refer to this small matter here, because, while the form iu question occasionally 
 occurs in all the writers of the period, we have not found it so frequently in any other of 
 them as in Hardy, and because a reader who might not be aware of what we have stated 
 as to the usus loqucndi, would probably suspect a misprint in many passages where none 
 occurs. 
 
 T. S. 
 
DEDICATION OF PART I;' 
 
 AQUrL-E, THEOLOGI 
 
 CHRISTO DISCIPULI CONJUNCTISSIMI, 
 
 FIDEI MARTYRIS INCRUENTI, 
 
 CHARITATIS PR^CONIS, 
 
 ECCLESLE INSIGNIS COLUMNS, 
 
 D. JOHA^'NIS APOSTOLT, 
 
 PERSPTCACI MYST.E, 
 
 SERVO FIDELI, 
 
 CONFESSORI INVICTO, 
 
 SPEGTATISSIMO EXEilPLO, 
 
 REVERENDO PATRI, 
 
 JOHANNI D^'o EPISCOPO ROFFENSI, 
 
 IN PRIJIAM EPISTOLAM HAS COMJIENTARIORUM PRIMITIAS 
 
 D.D. N. H. 
 
 IN PEKPETUUM GRATI ANIIII TESTIMONIUM : 
 
 Obnixe rogans rbv Toijzha, n lirisx.o'rov tw 'V'jyJ^'i, ut et illi res omne genus prosperas, et Ecclesife AnglicanaB, 
 
 serumnis et erroribus (heu!) pene obmtfe, autiquam veritatem et splendorem pristinum, 
 
 pro summa sua misericordia largiri velit. 
 
 * The Editor hopes to be excused for submitting the following translation, or imitation in English, of this inscription: — 
 
 Upon the tirst epistle 
 
 of him who was 
 
 The eagle, the Divine, 
 
 Christ's — best-beloved disciple, 
 
 The faith's — unbloody martyr, 
 
 Of charity — the preacher, 
 
 The c'nurch's — noted pillar, 
 
 ST JOHN THE APOSTLE, 
 
 This first part of his commentaries 
 
 to him who is 
 
 The clear-sighted expounder, 
 
 — faitliful servant, 
 
 — dauntless confessor, 
 
 — the most honoured example, 
 
 — reverend father, 
 
 JOHN LORD BISHOP OF PvOCHESTER, 
 
 NATHANAEL HARDY dedicates, 
 
 for a perpetual token of 
 
 gratitude : 
 
 Earnestly beseeching the Shepherd or bisliop of souls that it may please him of his great mercy both upon him to bestow 
 
 prosperity in all things ; and upon the Church of Enj,dand, well-nigh overwlielmed (alas!) with calamities 
 
 and with errors, her ancient truth and her former splendour. 
 
, DEDICATION OF PART II. 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 LADY CHRISTIAN, COUNTESS DOWAGER OF DEVONSHIRE. 
 
 MADAM, I find this holy apostle dii-ecting his 
 second epistle to an elect lady (2 John 1), 
 whereby he conferred no small honour upon her ; I am 
 bold to dedicate this second part of my weak labours 
 on his first epistle to your Ladyship, as esteeming it, 
 and that justly, a gi'eat honour to me. 
 
 St John dignifieth the person to whom he wrote 
 with the title of a lady. It seemeth he was of another 
 spirit than our levelling Quakers, who, denying a civil 
 difference of superior and inferior, refuse to give those 
 respects, both in gestures and titles, which are due to 
 some above others. And as he calleth her a lady, in 
 reference to her external quality', so an elect lady, in 
 regard of her choice internal qualifications, as being, 
 to use St Jerome's * language, concerning a prime 
 lady in Rome, Non minus sanctitate quani generc 
 nohilis, no less good than great. 
 
 An amiable sight it is when these two entwine each 
 other. Piety iu a mean one is like a mine of gold in 
 the earth ; nobility in a bad one is like a blazing 
 comet iu the air ; but piety in a noble person is like 
 a bright star in the heavens. Honour without virtue 
 is as a cloud without water ; virtue without honour is 
 as a room without hangings ; but virtue and honour is 
 as a golden apple in a silver picture, or rather as a 
 precious diamond in a golden ring. Both these were 
 conspicuous in St John's elect lady, and I may no less 
 truly say, arc met together in you. 
 
 Should I give the world a true account of those 
 intellectual, moral, and spiritual endowments which 
 God hath conferred upon your honour, I easily believe 
 (what St Jerome t saith in reference to a noble lady, 
 Si qHUCunijue viitulihiis ejus cong)u<i di.rero, aduhiri 
 putahor) I shall be censured as a flatterer. Besides 
 (to speak St Ambrose :j; his phrase in an epistle to the 
 Bamo lady), I am justly fearful, A'c verecundin tua: 
 oiierosa furcl etiam vera kiudalio, lest I oileud your 
 
 * Ilicron. Ep. ad Dcmetri. -f Id Ibid. 
 
 I Aiiibruse Kji. ad Dcmetri, 
 
 ladyship's modesty by expressing a character of your 
 worth, though never so consonant to truth. I foresee 
 also how needless any encomium will be of your merit j 
 the lives of great persons being, as cities built upon an 
 hill, generally obvious. I am withal sufficiently sen- 
 sible what an arrogance it is, ul tuis pncdicali'oiiibus 
 iiif/cuium wi'tim pur esse prasuiiiam (as the same father 
 iu the same epistle elegantly), that I should think my 
 rude pencil fit to draw the lineaments of your better 
 part ; upon all which considerations I have resolved 
 against that common custom of a panegyric. 
 
 Only, after St John's pattern, 2 John 5, I beseech 
 you (Madam) that you would abound yet more in all 
 virtue, so as the light of your good works may shine 
 more and more to the perfect day. To this end let 
 those excellent counsels which are given by him in 
 this chapter, and though I cannot say fully, yet I 
 dare say faithfully, expounded by me in this book, be 
 firmly engraven upon your noble' breast. 
 
 Account it your highest honour (with Mary) to sit 
 (as it were) at Christ's feet, not only that you may 
 hear, but keep, his commandments, and to make good 
 your Christian profession by treading in his footsteps, 
 and walking as he walked. 
 
 By employing (as you do) this world's goods for 
 pious, hospitable, and charitable uses, let it appear 
 that you have learned to love your brother, and not 
 to love this world. 
 
 Go not forth to those antichristian lying teaeher.s,. 
 who by heresy and schism are gone out of the Church 
 of England, that (according to the motto of your 
 honour's arms, Cavetido tutus) your precious soul nia}' 
 be still safe from error, by bewaring them and their 
 poisonous doctrines. 
 
 Finally, As you know, so abide in him whom vou 
 have believed, and let those truths wliich you have 
 heard from the beginning, and hitherto embraced, 
 abide in you to the end of your life. 
 
 I must not (Right Honourable) conclude this epistk' 
 
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 without fulfilling the chief end of its dedication, namely, 
 to confess my obligation and profess my gratitude to 
 your Ladyship for those kind aspects and benign in- 
 fluences which in these black and cloudy days the 
 bright beams of your goodness have vouchsafed (as to 
 many of reverend brethren, so) in particular to myself, 
 the unworthiest of them all. 
 
 I have nothing more to add but my devotions. That 
 
 the great God would accumulate upon your own person, 
 with all that are descended from and related to you, 
 the blessings of life, health, and wealth, of love, gi-ace, 
 and peace, of joy, bliss, and glory, is and shall be the 
 incessant prayer of. Madam, your honour's greatly 
 obliged and humbly devoted servant, 
 
 Nathanael Haedy. 
 
TO THE READER. 
 
 THIS epistle, which I have undertaken by divine 
 assistance to unfold, is as it were a goodly 
 fabric, consisting of five rooms, being divided into so 
 many chapters. Among those, this second is the 
 most spacious and specious, by reason of which this 
 ToUime is swelled far bigger than the former. I need 
 not tell thee how well worthy this room is of thy most 
 serious view ; thus much I dare assure thee, the more 
 often thou lookest into it, the better thou wilt like it. 
 
 At the entrance into it, is as it were the effiijies of 
 Christ, as an advocate for thy consolation, and a pat- 
 tern for thy imitation. Towards the further end is 
 the portraitui-e of antichrist, with all his cursed 
 crew, spitting fire out of their mouths against the 
 holy Jesus, denying him to be the Christ, against 
 whom the apostle giveth a seasonable caveat. 
 
 Ou the right hand hang the lovely pictures of those 
 virgin graces, knowledge, obedience, love of God, and 
 of our neighbour, and perseverance in the faith. 
 
 On the left hand are represented those misshapen 
 monsters, of malice and envy, in hating our brother; of 
 worldly love, with all her brats, the lust of the ej-es, 
 and the pride of life.' 
 
 Finally, there are in it several partitions (one for 
 fathers, another for young men, and a third for chil- 
 dren) for men, for Christians, of all ages and sorts. 
 
 These following discourses are as so many w'indows 
 to let in light to this room, whereby thou mayest the 
 better view it, and whatever is contained in it. I 
 have not made use of painted glass, which, though it 
 may adorn, obscureth, but rather that which is plain 
 and clear, as affecting, not the ostentation of m}' own 
 wit, in high language, but thy edification, by signifi- 
 cant expressions. I have used my utmost care that 
 the several windows might be well leaded by a me- 
 thodical and rational connection. Many flaws thou 
 wilt meet with (some whereof are already observed) 
 which I hope thy candid ingenuity will pardon. That 
 it may please the Father of lights to transmit, through 
 these discourses, some beams of heavenly knowledge 
 into thy soul, is, and shall be, the earnest prayer of 
 him who desireth to live no longer than he may bo 
 serviceable to God and the church in his generation. 
 
 Nath. H.\rdy. 
 
THE FIRST EPISTLE GENEEAL OF ST JOHN. 
 
 HISTORY, prophecy, and doctrine, are the three 
 channels in which run the streams of sacred 
 writ, from whence ariseth the division of its books 
 into historical, prophetical, and doctrinal. Not but 
 that all the books of Scriptm-e are doctrinal, in which 
 respect the apostle saith, 2 Tim. iii. 16, it is ' profit- 
 able for doctrine ;' but because some books are chiefly 
 concerned in narrations of things past, others iu the 
 predictions of things to come, and some are chiefly, 
 if not only, conversant about dogmatical truths and 
 practical precepts ; they are not unfitly thus distin- 
 guished. Of this latter sort are the epistolary wTit- 
 ings, and therefore in this regard the fittest to be 
 discussed among the people. The prophetical books 
 are most congruous to the schools, but the doctrinal 
 most suitable to the pulpit ; those for exercising the 
 learned, these for feeding the vulgar. Upon this 
 account I have made choice of an epistle, and in par- 
 ticulur, not without serious and mature deliberation, 
 nor yet, I hope, without the blessed Spii'it's instiga- 
 tion, of this First Epistle general of St John to be 
 the subject of my post-meridian discourses. 
 
 If any shall be inquisitive to know why, among all 
 the epistles of the holy apostles, I have pitched my 
 thoughts upon this, I shall return this threefold answer, 
 which as a threefold cord, and that, saith Solomon, 
 Eccles. iv. 12, is not easily broken, induced me to 
 this work. 
 
 One, though indeed the least, is, that I find not any 
 English expositor upon it, nor yet many among the 
 Latin, except those who have undertaken comments 
 upon all the epistles ; whereas, either in Latin or 
 Enghsh, or both, I find several excellent interpreters 
 upon each of the rest ; and truly, I shall esteem it an 
 high honour conferred upon mo by my God, if, through 
 his gracious enablement, by a (though imperfect) dilu- 
 cidation of this epistle, I may cast a mite into the 
 church's treasury. 
 
 A second and more persuading reason is, the con- 
 gruency of it to the age wherein we now live, since 
 there is the same occasion, as to general, if not parti- 
 
 cular considerations, now given to ministers of hand- 
 hng, which St John had then of writing this epistle. 
 
 To clear this, you may be pleased to know, that there 
 were two sorts of men in St John's days, to wit, anti- 
 christian heretics and carnal gospellers : those ex- 
 pressly denied the fundamentals of Christian rehgion; 
 these, whilst they had divine phrases, seraphical 
 expressions flowing from their lips, were sensual and 
 diabolical in their lives, talking of communion with 
 God, dwelhng in God, knowing the truth, and what 
 not, and yet practising envy, mahce, hatred, and all 
 uncharitableness in their actions. Against both these 
 this Boanerges (for so he with his brother James are 
 called by Christ), Mark iii. 17, thundereth, and accord- 
 ingly, as appeareth by the several chapters, his scope 
 is double in this epistle. 
 
 1. To warn the orthodox that they were not with- 
 drawn from their Christian profession by the v.iius of 
 heretics. This onr apostle himself expresseth to be one 
 special end of his writing, 1 John ii. 26, where he 
 saith, ' These things have I written unto yon con- 
 cerning them which seduce you.' Indeed, wherein 
 can the shepherd more express the care of his flock, 
 than in keeping ofl' the wolves ? a minister of his 
 charge, than in arming them against heretics? And 
 is there not as great need in this age as ever of such 
 a caution,* wherein such a multitude of deceivers 
 swarm, to the endangering of ignorant and unstable 
 Christians ? 
 
 2. To persuade in general a practice agreeable to 
 Christian profession, in reference to which he saith, 
 ' These things I write to you, that you sin not,' chap, 
 ii. 1 ; and in special the practice of that most truly 
 Christian grace, love, which therefore he calloth the 
 message from the beginning, chap. iii. 11. It is observed 
 of precious stones, that each of them hath a several 
 and peculiar excellency ; the like is taken notice of in 
 
 * Nemo non et lectu dignam et scitu necessariara lianc 
 epiatolam judicare possit ; iii^iximu liisco temporibus, qusB 
 hareses et schismata cum magno eccleaiie tletrimeDto in- 
 vexorunt. — Fer. prowm. in Epiat. Joh. 
 
HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 Bacred books ; and the splendour of tliis is, that it is 
 much conversant in describing and prescribing the 
 grace of charity.* For this reason, St Gregory ad- 
 viscth those who would bo inflamed with this heavenly 
 fii-e to read St John,! whose words are altogether, as 
 it were, coloured with love. And St Augustine, taking 
 notice of this, affirmeth that charity is the chief thing 
 commended by St John in this epistle. J And can 
 any admonition be more seasonable to this licentious 
 and malicious generation ? That prediction of our 
 Saviour, ' The love of many shall was cold,' Mat. 
 sxiv. 1, 2, was never more verified than in these days. 
 The best of us need this advice, as oleum in f!am;na, 
 oil to nourish and increase the flame, and the most as 
 ftamma ad fomitcm, a coal fetched from the altar to 
 kindle or recover this fire in us. Indeed, canting 
 language, ali'ected forms of religious speech, were 
 never more in use, hut the reality of a Christian and 
 charitable conversation was never less in fashion. 
 And if, as without doubt, that of Solomon be true, 
 ' A word spoken in due season, how good it is,' Prov. 
 XV. 23, the discussing of this epistle, which was written 
 for those ends so nearly concerning us, cannot but be 
 profitable for, and so acceptable to us. But, 
 
 Lastly, the chief argument which incited me to 
 this undertaking, is the comprehensive excellency and 
 utility of the matter contained in this epistle. St 
 Jerome, § speaking of all the catholic epistles, calls 
 them hreves pariler el longns, hreves verhis, longas sen- 
 tentiis : short, and yet long, short in phrase, but long 
 in sense. This is singularly true of this epistle, which 
 as in situation it is the middle, !| so for matter the 
 fullest of them all, at once enriched with weight 
 of matter and elegancy of words, in w^hich respect 
 Lorinus ^ is bold to say, no other epistle is more 
 divine, than this of him who is by the church called 
 the divine. 
 
 The truth is, a world of heavenly matter is con- 
 tained in this little map, which that it may the better 
 appear, give me leave in few words to delineate it be- 
 fore you. 
 
 The globe of divinity parts itself into two hemi- 
 spheres, to wit, crcdenda el agenda, the things we are 
 to know and believe, and the things we arc to do 
 and perform, both which are here described ; and 
 therefore those two words, /j.a^ruo(,v/j,'.v and dnayyik- 
 Xo/iiv, at the second verse of the first chapter, are by 
 
 * Sanctiis Judas totus est in fide oitbodoxil, Jacobus in 
 oratione et patientia, Petrus in sanctitate, et Joliannes in 
 charitato fidelibus coinniendunda. — Lap. proa-m in E/'. Cathol. 
 
 t Succondi cor nostrum in igna charilatis quxrimus? 
 Johanni.s verba pensemus cujus onine quod loquitur chari- 
 talis igno vapuratur. — Orrg. Horn. xiii. in Kzuk. 
 
 X In ipsa epistola satis dulci et satis mcmorabili ma.ximd 
 cliaritas commcmliitiir. — Aug. Expos, in hanc Epist. 
 
 % Ilieron. tCpistol. ad Paulin. 
 
 II Median) tenet in septem quasi honoratiorem catholicis 
 loeiim. — Lor. in loc. 
 
 H Ausim ipse diccrc nullani liac cpistola mngis tlicologi- 
 Cam. — Id. ibid. 
 
 Justinian considered as referring to those two heads, 
 the ' bearing witness ' to matters of faith, and the 
 ' shewing ' or ' declaring ' to matters of practice.* 
 
 Out of this epistle we may gather an abstract of 
 the things to be known, and that concerning God, 
 ourselves, and Christ. 
 
 1. Concerning God. We may hence be instructed in 
 his nature, attributes, and person : as to his nature, 
 that ' he is light, and in him no darkness ;' his attri- 
 butes, that he is faithful, just, holy, righteous, pure, 
 invisible, knowing all things, and love itself ; the per- 
 sons, that ' there are three which bear record in 
 heaven, the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost ; and 
 these three are one." 
 
 2. Concerning ourselves. We may here learn 
 what we are by natm-e, namely, ' lying in wickedness ;' 
 what we are by gi-ace, to wit, ' born of God ;' and 
 what we shall be in glory, ' like to him, seeing him 
 as he is.' 
 
 3. Concerning Christ. We have him here charac- 
 terised in his natures, offices, acts, and benefits. 
 
 (1.) In respect of his natures, he is as to his deity 
 called 'true God,' and yet more distinctly, with refer- 
 ence to his personality, the ' only begotten Son of 
 God ;' as to his humanity, he is said to be ' sent into 
 the world,' and so truly man, that he was ' seen, 
 heard, and handled ' by the apostles. 
 
 (2.) As to his offices, he is here asserted in general 
 to be the Christ, and so anointed to those offices ; and 
 in particular, as priest, to ' take away sin,' to be ' the 
 propitiation for our sins,' and ' our advocate with the 
 Father ;' as prophet, by his Spirit to ' teach us all 
 things;' and as a king, to ' destroy the works of the 
 devil.' 
 
 (3.) Most of his mediatorial acts are here specified : 
 his incaruation, where he is said to ' come in the flesh ;' 
 passion, in that he 'layeth down his lite for us;' 
 his resurrection, inasmuch as ' eternal life' is said to 
 be 'in him ;' and his ascension and intercession, be- 
 cause he is affirmed to be an ' advocate with the 
 Father,' and his coming again in the day of judgment 
 to appear as Judge of the world. 
 
 (4.) Lastly, We need not go further than this 
 epistle to meet with those benefits we obtain by him, 
 in that he ' giveth his Spirit to us,' whereby, ' we 
 dwelling in him, and he in us, have fellowship with 
 the Father and his Son Jesus Christ,' and by virtue 
 of this ' forgiveness of our sins for his name's sake ;' 
 ' adoption,' whereby we are called the ' sons of God;' 
 finally, justification by blood, sanctification by water, 
 and eternal life. 
 
 2. Nor are only doctrines of faith, hut rules of prac- 
 tice, deducible from this epistle. 
 
 (1.) Would wo know what to avoid? This hook 
 teacheth us in general to eschew all sin, both describ- 
 
 * Vidctnr apostolus duobus biscc verbis duo pra:cipua 
 Clni.stian;c rcligiouis capita indicarcvoluisse, &c. — Just. in loc. 
 Job. Epist. 1. 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 iiig what it is, a transgression of the law, and dehorting 
 us from the commission of it ; in particular, to expel 
 the love of the world, to abandon hatred, malice, and 
 envy, to keep ourselves from idols, and especially to 
 beware of the sin unto death. 
 
 (2.) Would we be instructed what we are to put in 
 practice in this epistle ? We are called upon to ' be- 
 lieve in the name of Jesus Christ,' to 'love God who 
 hath begotten us, and to love those who are begotten 
 of him ;' to have the ' hope of glory ' fixed in us, to 
 declare our repentance, by ' confessing our sins, and 
 purifying ourselves ;' to ' overcome the wicked one 
 and the world ;' to conquer the ' lusts of the flesh ;' 
 to ' walk as Christ walked,' by imitation of him, and 
 to ' abide in him ' by perseverance : to ' hear the 
 word ' preached by the ministers of Christ ; to ' ask 
 the things we want according to his will ;' to ' open 
 bowels of compassion,' and distribute our worldly 
 goods to om- needy brethren ; finally, to ' do right- 
 eousness, keep God's commandments, and do those 
 things which are pleasing in his sight.' 
 
 In. few words, there are many golden threes in 
 theology, which I find scattered up and down in this 
 opistle, and being put together, must needs much en- 
 noble it in our estimation. 
 
 The three 2^srsons in the sacred Deilij, God the 
 Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, their trinity in 
 unity, and unity in trinity. 
 
 The threefold slate of man, to wit, deformed, re- 
 formed, and transformed ; corrupt, regenerate, and 
 glorified. 
 
 The threefold cominrj of Christ, in the flesh, by his 
 Spirit, and at the day of judgment. 
 
 Those three ijrand enemies of man's salvation, the 
 flesh, world, and the devil. 
 
 The three theolofiical iiraces,^i\,ii\i, hope, and charity. 
 
 The three principal duties of reliyioti, prayer, hear- 
 ing, and alms, are plainly set before us in this parcel 
 of holy writ. 
 
 Nay, yet once more, those three things which every 
 Christian man ought to be acquainted with for his 
 soul's health, to wit, the creed, the Lord's prayer, 
 and the ten commandments, are here at least sum- 
 marily comprised. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour telleth us the whole lav is 
 reducible to these two great commandments, the love 
 of God and our neighbour, both which are here amply 
 taught us. 
 
 'The Lord's prayer is intimated, in that we must 
 ' ask according to God's will,' which cannot be unless 
 according to that pattern ; yea, in that we are called 
 ■* sons of God,' it teacheth us to cry Ouk Father, 
 and that chief jietition in it, ' Forgive us our sins,' is 
 once and again inculcated. 
 
 Finally, if you please, we may out of this epistle 
 compile a creed not much unlike that of the apostles, 
 no less justly than commonly heretofore received 
 amongst us, though now almost forgotten by us, in 
 
 these or the like words : I believe in God the 
 Father, invisible, just, holy, pure, and faithful, who 
 knoweth all things, and is no less almighty to do all 
 things, who is love itself, whereby he vouchsafed to 
 make the heaven and earth ; and in Jesus Christ his 
 only begotten Son, who came in the flesh (to wit, by 
 being conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the 
 Virgin Mary), and laid down his life for us (being 
 crucified, dead, and buried), and having life in him- 
 self (rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven, 
 where he sitteth at God's right hand), is our advocate 
 with the Father, and at that day of jiulgment shall 
 come and appear again (to wit, to judge the quick and 
 dead). I believe in the Holy Ghost, the fellowship 
 or communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and 
 eternal life. 
 
 By this time you cannot but see, beloved, what a 
 body of divinity, what a treasury of spiritual know- 
 ledge, this epistle is. Well might Ferus say,* Ipsam 
 evangelicit doctrirue summam hrevissimam complectitur, 
 the sum of evangelical doctrine is succinctly and yet 
 distinctly comprehended in it ; and now methinketh 
 every one is ready to say with that father,! Adoro 
 jdenitudinem sacnr Scripturce, I adore and admire 
 the fulness of holy Scripture, wherein every di'op is 
 as it were a rivulet, everj' rivulet a great river, and 
 river an ocean ; every branch a tree, every tree an 
 orchard, an orchard a field ; I mean every verse as 
 it were a chapter, every chapter an epistle, every epistle 
 a volume, for the abundance of precious truths con- 
 tained in them ; and yet more particularly by these 
 considerations sufficient reason cannot but appear, as 
 for my discussion, so your attention ; and thus this 
 discourse serveth to make way for the following. 
 
 But before I begin, I have one request to make to 
 you, and that from my very soul, that as I hope you 
 have not, are not, so you will not be wanting in your 
 requests to God for me ; and what you should ask for 
 me, I shall not go out of this epistle to tell you, even 
 that ' unction from the Holy One, wherci:iy we may 
 know all things ;' that ' anointing which teacheth us 
 all things, and is truth and no lie,' chap. ii. 20, 26. 
 Let this be the matter of your prayer, both for me 
 and for yourselves, that it may teach me how to ex- 
 pound and apply, you how to hear and re«eive, both 
 you and me how to understand and obey the sacred 
 saving truths which are delivered to us in this iii'st 
 general epistle of St John. 
 
 . ■ I shall not at this time enter upon the epistle itself, 
 only in a few words take notice of the title w-hich is 
 prefixed, wherein we have two things considerable ; 
 namely. 
 
 The jicnman, John; and the uritinij : which is set 
 down, for the nature of it, to be an epistle; for the 
 order, the first ; and for the extent of it, a general 
 epistle. 
 
 I. First, The epistle is asserted to be St John's. 
 * Fer. proxm. t Tcrtul. advcr. Ilermog. cap. ixii. 
 
8 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 Indeed, we do not fiiid him setting down liis name 
 in any part of the epistle. The other apostles are ex- 
 press in this particular. James, and Peter, and Jiide, 
 and Paul, in all epistles, except that to the Hebrews ; 
 but St John in this epistle is altogether silent, in the 
 other two he only giveth himself the common title of 
 an elder. When he Lath any occasion to mention him- 
 self in his Gospel, and that in things much tending to 
 his dignity, it is done in a third person by way of 
 circumlocution ; only in his Apocalypse he specitieth 
 his name, Rev. i. 4, but that without any addition of 
 honour or dignit}-. 
 
 It lets us see in general the humility of this holy 
 apostle, who thought so meanly of himself, that he 
 accounts himself not worth the naming. Indeed, on 
 the one hand (though it is often too true of many, 
 who arrogantly affect to blazon their own names and 
 titles), we are not to imagine that when the other 
 apostles prefix their names, and most of them their 
 high calling, that it is done out of vain glory ; but, 
 on the other hand, wc may justly conclude it a testi- 
 monj- of great humility in this apostle, that he sup- 
 pressdth his name, his office, by silence. Thus, whilst 
 he was high in Christ's, he became lowlj' in his own 
 eyes ; whilst he was rich in grace (his very name carry- 
 ing as it were grace,* as Benjamin's sack did money 
 in its mouth), he was poor in spirit, scarce thinking 
 himself worthy of a name. Oh let us learn by his 
 pattern not to afi'ect our own praises, nor speak high 
 things of ourselves, ever remembering that as, aitis 
 est celarc artem, it is an art to conceal our art, so to 
 neglect our own names and honour is the best way to 
 true honour and a good name. 
 
 Besides this notion of humility, it may further bo 
 conceived, and not improbably, that this concealment 
 of his name was an act of prudence, especially con- 
 sidering the time when it is most ratioualh' conjectured 
 to be written, to wit (as the learned English annota- 
 torf hath observed to my hand), not long before the 
 destruction of Jerusalem, whenas the church was 
 under a shai-p persecution (occasioned no doubt by 
 those many antichrists then arising), in which St John 
 was peculiarl}' involved, yea, of which he warneth those 
 to whom ho writeth, and therefore wisely forboareth 
 to publish his name, which might have been prejudicial 
 to him. There is no doubt a policy consistent with 
 piety, which as all Christians, so ministers may use 
 in persecuting times. It was that our Saviour at least 
 allowed his disciples to bo wise as serpents, with this 
 caution, that they were innocent as doves. Mat. x. 10; 
 and sure it is no injury to truth and innoceney, if a 
 man, a minister, in prudence withhold the publication 
 of his name to prevent his enemies' malice. 
 
 But whether these or any other were the reasons of 
 St John's silencing his name, yet it is without contro- 
 
 • 'luccitr.i idem quod pPIll nomcn compobituiii ex niiT ct 
 ]n gratia. — Pau Lex. f l-'r Uammoud. 
 
 versy that he was the penman ;* and indeed, as Dio- 
 nysius Alexandrinus hath not unfitly observed, the 
 Gospel and the Epistle are so concordant, often using 
 the same phrases, that he who penned the one must 
 be acknowledged as the writer of the other. 
 
 But I shall not need to prove what all Christians 
 grant, only it will not be amiss in a few words to give 
 you a character concerning this sacred amanuensis. 
 
 Though in one Greek copy I find only roZ ayim 
 '\i>ia\wj, ' The Epistle of St John,' yet the most read 
 thctitle 'IcijavvoLi roj a-offroXou, ' The Epistle of John the 
 Apostle,' whereb}' it appeareth, that the penman of 
 the epistle was not an ordinar}* saint, and so a mem- 
 ber of, but an officer, yea, dignified with the highest 
 office in, the Christian church ; for so we find St Paul, 
 in his enumeration, beginning with apostles as the 
 most divine order, Eph. iv. 11. And yet more than so, 
 this apostle John was not only one of the twelve, but 
 one of the three whom Christ honoured so far as to be 
 witnesses of his miracle in raising the ruler's daugh- 
 ter, Luke viii. 57, spectators of his glorious trans- 
 figuration on the mount, iMat. xvii. 12, and his 
 associates in tlie garden when he laboured under that 
 sore agony, iMat. xvi. 37, and whom St Paul mentioneth 
 as pillars of the church. Gal. ii. 9, yea, one of the 
 two whom Chiist sent to prepare the passover for him 
 and his disciples to eat, Luke xxii. 8 ; and yet to go 
 one step higher, there were some prerogatives with 
 which this apostle was invested above anj- of the rest. 
 To him it was, above all the other, Christ at his death 
 upon the cross commended the care of his mother, 
 John xix. 2(j ; him it was whom Christ admitted so 
 near as to lean on his bosom, being therefore called 
 the disciple whom Jesus loved, John siii. 23, 24, and 
 to whom even Peter beckoned that he should ask 
 Christ concerning him that should betray him, quod, 
 jiuiju-i dare jiottiit iiidjoris dih'ctiuiiis iiidiciuiit / f Christ 
 could not give a higher testimony of his affection to- 
 wards him, than by taking him into his bosom. No 
 wonder if, lying at such breasts, he did thence suck 
 spiritual wisdom, and drink the nectar of divine mys- 
 teries,!, "hereof he became at once an evangelist in 
 his Gospel, a prophet in his llevelation, an apostle in 
 his Epistles. § 
 
 And surely the consideration of the person should 
 make us so much the more in love with the epistle, 
 methinketh, as God saith to us concerning Christ, who 
 was in his bosom, iMat. iii. 17, ' This is my well-beloved 
 Son, hear him,' that Christ saith to us concerning St 
 John, who lay in his bosom, ' This is my well-beloved 
 apostle, hear him ;' though yet let me add one caution, 
 with which I shall close up this branch, that wc rest 
 
 * Aug. de doctr. Christ, lib. ii. cap. 8, Eusub. Kccles. hist, 
 lib. vii. caj). 20. f Aug. in Jtih. tr. Gl. 
 
 t Joannes cum caput suum supra pectus Jesu doniini ro- 
 clinaret, baurii'bat profunda seeruta sapicntioe.— .^miros. in 
 J's. c.wiii. oetiin, 2. 
 
 8 Joannes et apostolus et evangelista et proplieta, ic. — 
 liter, contr. Jovin., lib. i. 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 not in the -wi'iter, but look up to the inditer, remem- 
 bering that St John, and all 'holy men of God, both 
 spake and wTote as moved by the Holy Ghost,' 2 Peter 
 i. 21. They were only the amanuenses, but the Spirit 
 is the author ; they were the instrumental, but the 
 Spirit is the principal efficient ; and therefore, though 
 we ought to honour them, yet we must look beyond, 
 above them, receiving what was written by them as 
 inspired by God, and accordingl}' to yield audience, 
 credence, and obedience to it. And so much for the 
 penman. 
 
 Pass we on to the writing itself, and therein con- 
 sider we, 
 
 1. The nature of it, expressed in that denomina- 
 tion of an epistle. Indeed, in a large sense the whole 
 Bible is called by St Gregory,* Episiola oiiuiipoteiilis 
 Dei ad creaturam saam, in qua verba Dei sonant, et cor 
 Dei dicitur, God's epistle to bis creature, wherein his 
 mind is revealed ; but in a strict sense it is only used 
 of, and applied to, this and other holy writings of the 
 like nature : for an epistle, properly so called, is a 
 familiar colloquy between absent friends, whereby they 
 impart counsel and comfort to, and so after a sort be- 
 come present each with other. To this purpose the 
 father excellently, where be saitb,t The use of epistles 
 is to unite them that are separated, to make present 
 those that are absent, by which we communicate our 
 thoughts and minds to our distant friends. Thus it was 
 ■with the apostles ; they could not be always present with 
 those churches they had planted, and therefore d-rsffroX^ j 
 rice fniu/ebatiir i-mnvohri, they endeavoured to advise, 
 and strengthen, and build them up by epistles. 
 
 It lets us see the care of godly ministers over their 
 people, not only whilst present by speaking, but when 
 absent by wi-iting to them, cyehanl cexati hcereailnis et 
 persecutionibus Kjiislolanim consolatione.\ St John 
 well knew what need the Christians (being as ' sheep 
 in the midst of wolves') had of direction and consola- 
 tion, and therefore he sendeth this comfortable epistle 
 to them, desiring that though his tongue could not, 
 yet his pen might reach them. 
 
 And yet further we may here take notice of God's 
 mercy, as well as the apostle's care, who is pleased so 
 familiarly to converse with his church by way of 
 epistle. He dealt with the Jewish church as with ser- 
 vants, by way of mandate ; but with the Christian as 
 with fi'icuds, by way of epistle. § Far be it from us that 
 his familiarity should beget contempt, but rather the 
 lower he is pleased to condescend in this way of mak- 
 
 * Greg. lib. iv. ep. 40. 
 
 t Ejiistolarum ejusniodi usus est ut disjuncfi locorum in- 
 tervalhs aftectu iidlirereaimis in quibus iuter absentes imago 
 refulget prsesentiie, &c — Aiubros. lib. viii. op. 65. 
 
 J Loriu in epist. 
 
 § Pulcbra est jiiorum veterum obscrvatio, quod in novo 
 demnm Tcstameuto, in quo deus familiariterper filium suum 
 nobis locutus est, mysteria regni ccelestis per epistolas con- 
 Bcribi cceperir.t ; cum epistola nihil aliud sit quam familiare 
 cum amioo colloquium. — Gerard in epist. petr. 2. 
 
 ing known his will to us, let us so much the more 
 highly advance his goodness, and readily follow his 
 dictates. God seemeth to set it down as an aggrava- 
 tion of Israel's disobedience, that he ' used similitudes 
 by the ministry of his prophets,' Hosea xii. 10 ; it 
 will be no less of ours, that God hath used epistles by 
 the ministry of his apostles in a most friendly way, 
 advising us for our good, and yet these love -tokens are 
 slighted and contemned by us. 
 
 II. The order of this epistle is next to be briefly 
 taken notice of It is the Jirst, and it is so in a double 
 consideration, the one of time, the other of difinil;/ ; 
 it is the first, not the only epistle he wrote. First im- 
 plieth at least a second ; and here we find not only a 
 second, but a third. This holy apostle was not idle or 
 neghgent, but in several kinds, and in the same kind 
 once and again, reneweth his pains. Nor yet is there 
 only a priority in respect of order, but of honour ; the 
 iirs't, because the largest, the fullest, the sublimest of 
 all the epistles for the extent of it, not only equahzing, 
 but exceeding the other two, and that not severally, 
 but jointly, for the matter of it more divine and 
 heavenly than either of the rest. All portions of holy 
 writ are alike excellent as to the author from whom 
 they are sent, and end for which they are written ; but 
 v-et some of them may be more full and useful than 
 others. Such is this if compared with St John's other 
 epistles, and therefore called first. 
 
 III. The last thing to be discussed in the title is 
 the extent of the epistle, signified in that term catholic. 
 It is the appellation which is given to the seven epistles 
 of James, Peter, John, and Jude, an epithet affixed to 
 them (as Parens* thinketh) rather through incon- 
 siderateness than any just gi'ound ; but I think him 
 too rash in that censure. Others have sought the 
 reason of it in the number, which, being septenary, is 
 a number of perfection, intimating the universal per- 
 fection of the doctrine contained in them, in which 
 respect these epistles have been resembled to wisdom's 
 seven pillars, by which her house is supported, Prov. 
 ix. 1 ; the Lamb's seven horns, by which heretics are 
 pushed at ; the seven golden candlesticks, by which 
 the light of evangelical doctrine is set up. Rev. i. 13 ; 
 V. 6, and the seven loaves by which multitudes are 
 nourished. Mat. xv. 81 ; but this I conceive to be a 
 fancy rather than a verity. There are tw^o reasons 
 given of this appellation, which carry in them most 
 probability, especially the latter. 
 
 1. This epistle may be called general according to 
 CEcumenius his notion, because it is not directed to 
 one particular person, as those to Timothy and Titus, 
 cor yet to particular churches, as those to the Romans, 
 Corinthians, Galatians,t &c., but to the converted Jews 
 in several parts ; and in this sense denominntio a mojure 
 parte )ietita, the denomination is not from every epistle 
 
 * Par. in Jac. 
 
 t ov yko a^!)^ifffilta>s l^vEi itt « Tekti, &c. — CEciimen. in Epist. 
 Caihol. feerrar prolog, in Ep. Catli. Aug. in. Ep. 
 
10 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 (since two, at least one, of St John's epistles is mani- 
 festly directed to a particular person), but the greater 
 pai-t. As for this first epistle, St Austin indeed seemeth 
 to assert it as directed to the Farlhiaits : but if with 
 Junius we understand that as an Hebrew word, it 
 signifieth as much as the xallcrcd, banished ;* or if we 
 take it in the vulj^ar notion, wc must know that 
 Parthia was then a potent kingdom, containing under 
 it many oriental nations, through which, as Josephusf 
 testifieth, abundance of the Jews were scattered, to 
 whom it is not improbable this epistle might be 
 directed, and so this reason of catholic fitly applied 
 to it. 
 
 2. But that which (at least to me) seemeth most 
 rational is, that this title was given them upon theu' 
 general reception in the church, in which respect they 
 were called canonical as well as catholic. ■; 
 
 To clear this you must know, that at the first, be- 
 sides those epistles which carry St Paul's name in the 
 front of them, only the fii'st epistle of Peter, and this 
 of John, were universally received. Indeed, concern- 
 ing this epistle of St John, St Austin saith,]; Per 
 omnes r/eutes recilalui; orlis tcmr mitlwritiite niiiiclur. 
 It was received by the whole Christian world from the 
 beginning ; and to distinguish these from the rest, 
 they were then called catholic ; and afterwards the 
 other five being received into the canon, had this 
 name aflixed to them for the distinguishing of them 
 from those epistles of Barnabas, Ignatius, and Poly- 
 carpus, which, though ancient, were not taken into 
 the rule of our faith. Nor was this any diminution to 
 the authority of St Paul's epistles, but onlj- an intima- 
 tion that these were now added to those ;§ and whereas 
 the other epistles, being written by one man, might 
 
 * .Jun. in Bellarm. lib. ii. <le. verb. Dei. cap. 16. 
 t Joseph. Antiq. lib. xiv. cap. 12, 104. 
 X Aug. ill Ep. 
 
 § Non ut nliis quippiam ndinint scd lias illis ncljungcrent. — 
 Jun. in Jud. Epist. 
 
 very well receive a single denomination from him, and 
 be called St Paul's epistles, these, being penned by 
 several, could not be mentioned jointly without some 
 such fit and %-enerable title annexed to them.* 
 
 The useful meditations we may hence take up are, 
 that since this epistle is written generally to the Chris- 
 tians in several places, we are to remember it is as 
 well catholic in respect of several ages. Indeed, there 
 is no age of man but is herein instructed ; so he saith 
 himself, that he writes to children, young men, fathers ; 
 nor is there any age of man since it was written to 
 whom it doth not extend, and therefore no less con- 
 cerneth us than those who were then alive. f And 
 surely as the epistle is general, so om' application of 
 it must be pai-ticular, every one bringing the lessons 
 of it home to our own hearts. And yet once again, 
 since it was so generally at first received, therefore we 
 to be the more confirmed in the verity of it, and so 
 induced the more strongly to believe the assertions, 
 and carefully to obey the directions contained in it. 
 
 And thus, with what brevity I could, I have unfolded 
 the title page. Time will not now give me leave to 
 enter upon the book itself. But I hope what hath 
 been already said will prove a good preparative to my 
 ensuing discourses, both to give some light for the 
 knowledge of, and cause some heat of love towards 
 this parcel of, holy writ. And my desire to you (with 
 which I shall conclude), is, that though I cannot begin 
 to handle, you would begin to read it ; and as in itself 
 it is a familiar kind of writing, so by frequent perusing 
 make it familiar to you ; and as the penman of it lay 
 in Christ's bosom, so it may lie in your bosom, to be 
 both your comforter and counsellor till you come to 
 rest in Abraham's bosom to all eternity. Amen. 
 
 * Hoc nomcn his impositum est epistolis quod a dirersis 
 authoiilius siiu conseripla, et commune eis noinen tribucndum. 
 — Carth^is proirm in hpi^t. Coll. 
 
 t Idco vidctur dici xalioXixri quod non ccitis pcv.'ionis dcdi- 
 cctur, scd ad oninem a:tatem et scxum peiiincat. —Art. in loc. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 That tvhich wan from the hrifiniiiiirj, irJiich ivo have heard, which ire hare seen ivilh our ei/es, vhlch ire have looked 
 vpon, and our handn hare handled, of the ]Vord of life ( Jor the life was manifested, and we hare seen it, 
 and bear witness, and sliew unto ijou that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto 
 us); that which ire have seen ami heard declare we unto you, that ye aho may have fellowship icith us : and 
 truly our fellowship is with the Father, and irith his Son Jesus Christ. And these tilings write we unto you, 
 that your joy may befall. — 1 John I. 1—4. 
 
 THESE words are as an head to the body, a gate to 
 the field, a porch to the building of this epistle ; 
 an introduction which vcrj' much speaketh the writer 
 to be St John, because it is as it were antistrophe 
 eranyclii, a resounding to the proem of his Gospel.* 
 The Gospel begins with, ' In the beginning was the 
 word,' and this with 'That which was from the begin- 
 * Lnpid. in loc. 
 
 ning concerning the Word of life ;' there a little after, 
 ' The Word was made flesh, and we saw his glory,' here 
 ' The life was manifested, and we have seen it.' Vide si 
 linn atlestatiir epistoln sua eranyelio sno, saith the father 
 justh'. See how the one as it were echoeth and 
 answereth to the other, so that at the very threshold 
 we maj' read the builder of this excellent fabric. 
 And as this exordium speaketh the writer, so it 
 
Vek. ]-i.] 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 u 
 
 mauift'stcth him an orator, since it fitly agreetb to 
 those rules which oratorj' giveth to be observed in 
 preambles. There are three properties in every good 
 exordium : convenient length, lest, if excessive, the 
 oration be like the little city of Mindas, with a great 
 gate ; suitable aptness, fetched from the very bowels of 
 the matter in hand ;* and a profitable efficacy, to render 
 the auditory attentive, docible, and beuevolous. All of 
 these meet in this preface. The length, you see, con- 
 sists but of four verses, whereas the epistle spreadelb 
 itself into five chapters. In respect of its fitness, it is 
 taken from the matter itself, about which he intended 
 to write, jot staj-ing the reader in any needless circum- 
 locutions, yea (which is almost peculiar to this apostle), 
 not so much as in a salutation of those to whom he 
 writeth. Finally, it is so fully and exactly composed, 
 that it cannot but attain with rational men the ends 
 of a preface, since the importance of what he was to 
 speak of being no less than that of life, and that life 
 eternal, it could not but gain attention. The perspicuity 
 «f it, by reason of the manifestation of this life, could 
 not but render them docible ; and the end of the apostle 
 being their joy, and profit, and comfort, might well 
 command benevolence to him, who dcclareth so much 
 good will towards them.f And I hope this proem 
 being so ample, I shall need no other preface to obtain 
 the like from you,* than the rehearsing and unfolding 
 this, ' That which was," &c. 
 
 The manner of composing these verses, by reason of 
 that figure which rhetoricians call liyperbaton, the 
 transposition of words, and likewise the interposition 
 of a parenthesis, is somewhat dark and obscure. And 
 the Greek schohast undertaketh to give several reasons 
 of it, such as are to let us know that our salvation con- 
 sisteth not in words, but things ; to prevent the cast- 
 ing of pearls before swine, to avoid heathenish loquacity, 
 to express much in a little, and to exercise our diligence 
 in finding out the sense and meaning of it.§ And how 
 involved a labyrinth soever this period may seem, I 
 ■doubt not but, by the clue of the Spirit, we shall extri- 
 cate ourselves out of it. The Syriac version hath con- 
 tributed some light to this dark sentence, by placing 
 the principal verb in the front, ' We publish to you that 
 which was from the beginning,' &c. ; but the sense of 
 these verses will, I conceive, appear the plainlicst by 
 digesting them into those several propositions, by 
 which, as so many steps, we shall orderly ascend to 
 their genuine meaning. 
 
 1. The Word of eternal life, which was with the 
 Father, was manifested to us. 
 
 * E.\"ordia ex ipsis causa; viccribus sumcnda. — Cic. de 
 oral. 1. 2. 
 
 t JIunus exr rdii est compararc bonevolentiain, si causa sit 
 invidiosa et dubia ; attcntioncni, si causa videalur levis, ct 
 parvi momenti ; docilitatein, si difiicultas aut prolixitas 
 offendat — Aisled. Oral in Encyclop. 
 
 X Exordium sine exonlio, nullis prorsus ambagibus audl- 
 torem suspendoiis. — Fcr. in loc. 
 
 § Justin. Qicum. in loc. 
 
 2. This Word of life being manifested, we have heard 
 and seen with our eyes, and looked upon, and our 
 hands have handled. 
 
 3. That which we have thus seen, heard, and handled 
 concerning this Word of life, was from the beginning. 
 
 4. That which was from the beginning, and which 
 we have heard, seen, and handled, oouceming the Word 
 of life, we bear witness, shew, declare, and write to 
 yon. 
 
 5. The end of our declaring and writing those things 
 to you is, that your joy may be full, by having fellow- 
 ship with us. 
 
 6. That fellowship which we have, and we would 
 you should have, together with us, is with the Father, 
 and his Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 That I may proceed both more distinctly and suc- 
 cinctly in discussing these words, be pleased to observe 
 in them these two generals; to wit, aposloUcum pra:- 
 dicntionis stiiiliiim, et sublime evani/eUi preconium ; 
 here is, 
 
 The apostles' care of their duty in publishing the 
 gospel, and this according to the English translation 
 in four, but accorJiiig to the Greek original in three, 
 expressions, one of them being twice repeated, we 
 hear ifitiiess, we sheir, we declnre, and unto you. 
 
 The gospel's excellency which they did publish, and 
 this delineated in four character, namely, 
 
 1. The diiinihj of its object: and that no other than 
 the 'Word of life,' even that eternal life which was 
 with the Father, and was manifested to them. 
 
 2. The cerlainltj of its tradition, inasmuch as it was 
 that which they had 'heard, seen with their eyes, 
 looked upon, and their hands handled.' 
 
 3. The antiquity of its oriyination, as being ' that 
 which was from the beginning.' 
 
 4. The utility of tlw end, which is the people's com- 
 munion with the apostles, yea, with God and Christ, 
 in those words, that ' you may have fellowship with 
 us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and 
 his Son Jesus Christ ; ' and by this means the com- 
 pletion of their comfort in those words, ' that your joy 
 may be full.' 
 
 i'hesc are the several branches of this tree of life, 
 through each of which, by divine enablement, I shall 
 pass, according to the proposed method, gathering and 
 distributing those sweet and wholesome fruits which 
 grow upon them. 
 
 I. The apostle's care of publishing the gospel is the 
 first considerable, and it is that which St John doth 
 here assert in the behalf not onlj- of himself, but his 
 fellow- apostles, for it is not the singular I, but the 
 plural number we.-'- Xor is this a term of state, as 
 sometimes princes write in a magnificent style, but 
 intended to comprehend the other apostles, together 
 with himself, that they might be accounted as faithful 
 
 * riuralis nominativus primse pcrsora; non semper mag- 
 nitudiiiis, sed s.Tjpe modcsii.Tj liabet significationem,ubi nostra 
 decora cum aliis pailimur. — Orot. in loc. 
 
12 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 as he in this sacred work. The expressions by which 
 our apostle sets forth the exercise of their care, are 
 very significant, and such indeed as do superadd 
 somewhat at least by way of explication to the other. 
 Take them briefly in their order as they lie in the 
 verses. 
 
 1. The first we meet with is f/,r/.>Tuiov/j.vj, ' bear wit- 
 ness.' This was indeed the chief office to which the 
 apostles were designed by Christ, to bear witness of 
 him; and that they might be enabled to the faithful 
 discharge of it, he promised he would, and accordingly 
 did after his ascension, cause them to receive the 
 power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them, John 
 XV. 26, 27, Acts i. 8. 
 
 Not (beloved) that Christ stood in need of any 
 human testimony; he saith himself, 'I receive no wit- 
 ness from man,' John v. 34, to wit, as wanting it or 
 not having greater ; his own miraculous works which 
 were done by him did testify of him, ver. 36, 37 ; the 
 devils of hell, the angels in heaven, those out of envy, 
 these in duty, gave witness to him. Nay, his Father, 
 by a wonderful voice from heaven, attested him to be 
 his well beloved Son. It was not, then, in regard of 
 himself that he ordained the apostles to be his wit- 
 nesses, but in regard of them, and the people ; of them, 
 that he might put this high honour upon them, of be- 
 ing, as it were, Christ's jury. Look as God's making 
 use of instruments in his providential works is not ex de- 
 fectu poteslatis, but ahtnuUiutia boiiltut is, want of power, 
 but abundance of love whereby ho would advance his 
 creatures to that great dignity of being his servants, 
 BO Christ's appointing his apostles to be witnesses 
 was not because he stood in need of testimony from 
 them, but that he might confer the honour upon them 
 of giving testimony to him. And as of them, so of the 
 people, who, having men like themselves to bear testi- 
 mony to Christ, might with the [more] confidence and 
 cheerfulness receive it. In this respect, what Christ 
 said concerning those words ho uttered at the raising 
 of Lazarus, — John xi. 42, ' llecausc of the people that 
 stand by I said it;' and concerning that voice from 
 heaven, chap. xii. 80, ' It came not for me but for 
 your sakos,' — the same may be asserted concerning the 
 apostolical testimony. It was not as if Christ needed 
 it, but because we need it for our confirmation and 
 consolation. I end this with a double item. 
 
 To the ministers of the gospel, that we remember 
 this is our duty, as well as it was the apostles', to bear 
 witness to Christ. To be an eye-witness of Christ risen 
 was indeed peculiar to the apostles, and therefore, that 
 8t Paul might be an apostle, Christ was pleased to 
 manifest himself visibly to liim ; but to bear witness to 
 Christ is that which all ministers are obliged to, and 
 therefore to labour that we approve ourselves true and 
 faithful witnesses, asserting only and wholly the truth 
 of the gospel. ' It is required in a steward,' saith the 
 apostle, ' that he be found faithful,' no less in a wit- 
 ness. Ministers are both God's stewards and Christ's 
 
 witnesses ; oh, let them dischai-ge their duty with 
 fidelity. 
 
 To the people, that they receive with faith what the 
 apostles and ministers of Christ attest with truth ; that 
 as there is fiU'lilus in teste, so there may be fiiles in 
 auditore. These faithful witnesses may find believing 
 ears. What gi'cat reason there is of believing these 
 witnesses will afterwards appear ; let it sutlice us to 
 know for the present, that he who hath appointed 
 them to bear witness, expecteth we should embrace it. 
 And so much the rather ought this duty to be per- 
 formed by the people, because, as we do testari, so 
 likewise ohteshiri, pmtestari (for that sometimes is the 
 notion of this word, and is so construed here by 
 Cassian*) we so bear witness to the truth as that we 
 protest against all those who receive not our testimony. 
 We testify not only for the strengthening of faith in 
 the weak, but for the affrighting of them who are ob- 
 stinate in their infidelity, f since as wo now bear wit- 
 ness to 3'ou, so we shall one day bear witness a/jainst 
 such ; and that testimony which cannot now prevail 
 for your conversion, shall at last come in as an evi- 
 dence to your condemnation. And so much for the 
 iii'st term. 
 
 2. The next expression, a.-rayyiXf.o>j,iii, is twice're- 
 peated, vers. 2, 3, but Englished by two several words, 
 'we shew' and 'we declare,' it is that which inti- 
 mateth what Idiid of bearing witness the apostle here 
 intended. 
 
 There arc, indeed, several ways of bearing wit- 
 ness to Christ, to wit, by suffering, especially death 
 itself (for to such the name of /zu^rust; is -/.ar 
 i^o-^r,v applied), for Christ's cause, and the gospel ; by 
 leading lives answerable to the Christian profession, 
 and by openly publishing the truth of Christ ; and all 
 of these ways the apostles did bear witness to Christ, 
 the most of them sufl'ering death actually, except tbis 
 apostle, who yet was banished, and no doubt was 
 ready to have died (had he been called to it) fir the 
 name of Jesus. Nor were any of them wanting, by the 
 holiness and uprightness of their conversations, to at- 
 test and credit their doctrines; but that way of bearing 
 witness which here is meant appearcth by the subjoin- 
 ing of this phrase to be the promnlging of the evange- 
 lical truths concerning the Messiah, to which those 
 other ways arc necessary appendixes, that as we preach 
 we should live, and be ready to justify the truth of 
 what we preach, with the loss even of our lives, if 
 the providence of God and malice of men put us 
 upon it. 
 
 That, then, which wo have here to take notice of, 
 is the readiness of these apostles to shew and de- 
 clare the mysteries of salvation to the people ; in- 
 
 * Hoc sc ])rolestari dicil, simul sciliccl et exscquens offi- 
 cium fidci ct ingcicns lerrorcm incrcdulitiiti, 4:c. — Cass. d« 
 InC'irn lib. v. ca]>. vi. 
 
 ■f .Saccidotis pradicatio salvandis est corrcctio, contestatio 
 judicaiidis, &c. — Ambros. Hern), 83. 
 
Ver. 1-4.] 
 
 SERMON IT. 
 
 13 
 
 deed this was the chief part of their work, heing there- 
 fore compared to lights and ambassadors. The nature 
 of light is to discover, the business of an ambassador 
 is to impart his message ; and accordingly the work of 
 an apostle is to reveal the gospel. Indeed, for this 
 veiy end the life was manifested to them, that they 
 might manifest it to others ; Christ made known him- 
 self to them, that they might make it known to others ; 
 and it is that which is God's aim, in whatsoever know- 
 ledge he bestoweth upon any of us. He hath given 
 light to the sun, that it should be communicated to the 
 world ; water to the ocean, that it should feed the 
 rivers ; and talents to ministers. Christians, not that 
 they should hide them in a napkin, but employ them 
 for the enriching of their brethren ; and therefore if 
 we hoar a Veni ct vide, ' Come and see,' we must expect 
 to hear another voice, Abi et nana, ' Go and tell,' and 
 declare it. The truth is, this is the temper of a reli- 
 gious heart. Jeremiah saith of himself, chap. sx. 0, 
 ' I was weary with forbearing;' and David, Ps. xl. 10, 
 ' I have not hid thy righteousness, nor concealed thy 
 truth from the great congi-egalion ;' and the apostles, 
 Acts iv. 20, ' we cannot but speak.' Spiritual know- 
 ledge in the Christian soul is like new wine in the 
 vessel, which must have a vent ; or the ointment in the 
 right hand, which cannot but bewray itself, Prov. xxvii. 
 16. The zeal that is in a faithful minister, nay, in 
 every godlj' man, for the advancing of God's glory, 
 edifying others, propagating religion, burneth so 
 strongly, that it cannot but flame forth in shewing 
 what he knoweth to others. Oh, let every one of us, to 
 whom any divine illumination is imparted, fulfil God's 
 design, and testify the truth of grace in our hearts, by 
 endeavotiring to teach and instruct om- brethren. 
 
 But this is not all we are to consider in this ex- 
 pression. The Greek word is a compound of ayy's'/J.a 
 which signifieth to Irituj a mesnarje, and kto, which is 
 as much a.s from another ; so Beza glosseth upon the 
 word here.* We declare, as being sent by God to pub- 
 lish this errand ; and that which hereby is intimated 
 to us is, that these holy apostles did not run be- 
 fore they were sent, but had a mission and commission 
 to shew and declare the things of the gospel. Indeed, 
 St Paul puts the question, and by it no doubt intend- 
 eth a negation, ' How shall they preach except they 
 be sent ?' Rom. x. 15 ; and the author to the Hebrews 
 is express, ' No man taketh this honour upon him, 
 except he be called of God, as was Aaron,' Heb. v. 4. 
 These apostles were in an immediate and extraordi- 
 nary way sent by Christ himself ; the successors of the 
 apostles were separated and sent by them, and all the 
 true ministers of Christ have been, are, and shall be 
 sent by their successors until the end of the world, 
 to declare this message. I would to God this were 
 more seriously pondered on in this licentious age, 
 wherein so many presumptuously undertake to preach 
 the gospel without a call. Gregoi-y Nazianzen, speak- 
 * Ecz. in loc. 
 
 ing in his own defence, saith he came to this work, oud' 
 av'iTdyysy.roc, a.X/.a xKriSsii, not of himself, but being 
 called ; * but a great number in our days send them- 
 selves into the vine^'ard, as if our Saviour had said, 
 not the kingdom of heaven, but the preaching of the 
 the kingdom, sutl'ereth violence, and the violent take it 
 by force ; having no right at all to it. These men tread 
 in the steps, and it is God's wonderful patience they 
 come not to the dismal end, of Korah and his com- 
 plices. It is true, beloved, all Christians, as I have 
 already hinted, ought, as they are able, to declare the 
 things of God to others, teaching and exhorting one 
 another ; but it is as true that this they are to do 
 within the compass of their place and calling, as mas- 
 ters, as parents, as governors ia a private charitative 
 way; but still this declaring here understood, which is 
 in a public authoritative way, belongs only to them 
 who are sent, either immediately or mediately from 
 God. I end this, to shew and declare, that is our 
 part, who are the ministers ; to hear and attend, that 
 is yours, who are the people ; and surely as we are 
 bound to do the one, you are no less obliged to per- 
 form the other. We, after St Paul's pattern, Acts xx. 
 27, must ' not shun to declare the whole counsel of 
 God to you,' and you must not neglect to receive the 
 coimsel we declare; and so much the rather consider- 
 ing that as we do annuntiare, so we do dcnuiitiare, 
 declare the truth to you, so we denounce judgment 
 against the stifl'-necked and hard-hearted auditors; 
 yea, as we do now aimiintiare, so we must at the last 
 day renuntiarc (and all these things the word in the 
 text signifieth), return an account to our Lord and 
 Master what entertainment our message hath found 
 with those to whom we are sent, and then as truly 
 it will be woe to us, if we have not declared ; so woe 
 will be to you, if you have not regarded this message 
 which we shew and declare unto you. And so much 
 be spoken of the second particular. 
 
 3. There is yet one term more behind, ver. 4, and 
 that is, 7gapo/i£v, ' we write unto you ;' and as declar- 
 ing sheweth what kind of bearing witness the apostle 
 chiefly relateth to, so this writing what kind of de- 
 claring he especiallj- speaketh of ; for whereas there 
 are but two ways of declaring the gospel, f to wit, 
 xeniio and scriptio, word and writing, by the tongue and 
 the pen, this latter is that which the apostle prin- 
 cipally intendeth when he saith. We declai'e, we write; 
 that is, we declare by writing. 
 
 And indeed there are several advantages in writ- 
 ing above speaking, which might very well induce 
 the apostles to take this course. ' My tongue,' saith 
 David, Ps. xlv. 1, 'is the pen of a ready writer.' The 
 pen no less truly is as the tongue of a ready speaker. 
 
 1. B}' this it is we speak to many, very man}-, even 
 those that are absent and far distant from us ; in which 
 
 * Grog. Naz. orat. xxv. 
 
 + Modi prmdicandi cvangelium omni creaturffi sunt duo, 
 SiC. — Jun. animailv. in Bell. lib. ir. cap. iii. 
 
14 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 respect, writing is wittily styled an invention to deceive 
 absence ; and therefore St Paul made use of it for 
 this very end, when he saith to the Corinthians, ' Be- 
 ing absent, I write unto you ; ' whereas by the voice 
 we only speak to those who are present, and in a 
 little compass of ground distant from us ; so that, 
 be they never so many, they are but a very few in 
 comparison of those to whom we communicate our 
 thoughts by the pen. 
 
 2. Again, by this it is we speak, not only whilst 
 alive, but when we are dead, and so declare the truth, 
 not only to them who are coetaneous with us, but 
 shall in future ages succeed after us ; in which regard 
 that of the psalmist is very suitable, Ps. cii. 18, ' This 
 shall be written for the generations to come.' Words 
 pass away, and are buried in oblivion, whilst writing 
 remaineth and becometh an image of eternity. 
 
 Upon these considerations it is more than probable 
 that St John and others of the apostles did shew by 
 writing, since the Christians of those times were 
 scattered up and down by persecution, so that the 
 apostles could not reach them all in person ; nor had 
 they regard only to the present age, but to the propa- 
 gation of Christianity in succeeding, and therefore they 
 made use of this way, to declare by writing.* 
 
 That which we are from hence to take notice of is 
 double. 
 
 1. In special, the industry of the apostle is to be 
 meditated on by ministers for their imitation. These 
 men of God neglect no means wherebj' they may bear 
 witness to Christ and declare the gospel. Hence it 
 was that wherever they came they did teach both 
 publicly [and privately, and where they could not 
 come they sent by writing for the edification of the 
 church. St Jude saith of himself, ver. 3, that he 
 gave diligence, nay, ' all diligence,' and that not only 
 to speak, but ' write of the common salvation,' and 
 by this means, whereas the slothful man is dead whilst 
 he liveth, he (with the rust of the laborious penmen 
 of Holy Writ) lives though dead. This practice should 
 be ministers' pattern, who must make tbc salvation of 
 the people their business, and do all the good they can, 
 and that by all ways in promoting the knowledge of 
 Christ. If we had as many tongues or hands as 
 Argus had eyes, we should think them all little enough 
 to employ in this sacred work of the gospel. 
 
 2. In general, the benignity of God is *o be con- 
 templated by us all for our gratulation, in that ho was 
 pleased to put his apostles upon writing the mysteries 
 of salvati in. Indeed, as the Greek father's f expres- 
 sion is, ti/Of/ZTjff', it was God's singular good pleasure 
 which moved him to move these holy men to the 
 penning of his word for our learning, that we may 
 
 * Scripscnint apostoli, iit non solum lioniini1>iis qui !unc 
 crant, seil omnibus qui futuii crnul, Ipbi uon mjIuui vivi .'■ed 
 Cliaiu mortui evaugclium niinuiuiuicut. — MalUonat pra:fa: 
 in Kvnncf. 
 
 t Tlieoph. in Slatth. 
 
 have a sure guide, a clear light, an infallible rule to 
 walk by. And therefore however some among the 
 Romanists,* yea (which is more doleful), even among 
 ourselves, cast contempt upon Scripture, styling it 
 atramenUiriam theologiam, an inky divinity, a dead 
 letter, let us highly esteem it, stedfastly cleave to it, 
 and acknowledge the mercy of God in affording it. 
 
 I am not ignorant how the Romanists, f that they 
 may deny the written word to be an adequate rule of 
 faith, and infer a necessity of their unwritten tradi- 
 tions, assert that the apostles did not write by virtue 
 of any command from Christ, but only upon emergent 
 occasions. But, beloved, as to some parcels of holy 
 writ we read of an express precept, so often in the 
 Apocah'pse, no less than twelve several times. Be- 
 sides (as the learned Chamier and Junius well observe 
 against BellarmineJ), the general command of teaching 
 all nations and preaching the gospel to every creature 
 virtually requireth the use of all means, among which 
 writing is not the least, for the pubhcation of it. And 
 j'et further, whenas we read in St Paul's epistle to 
 Timothy, 2 Tim. iii. 16, that 'xaaa y^dfr}, all and 
 every parcel of Scripture, is StoirvEutrro;, of divine in- 
 spiration, we may very well conclude that the penmen 
 had an internal command putting them on, as well a3 
 an internal assistance enabling them to this holy work. 
 In this respect it is that St Augustine saith expressl_y, 
 whatsoever God would have us know concerning his 
 word and his works, he gave in charge to those sacred 
 amanuenses to write ;§ and therefore let none of us be 
 wise above what is written, but humbly and meekly 
 confine ourselves to that which his goodness and 
 wisdom hath allotted for us, to walk by the writings 
 of his prophets and apostles, beseeching him that as 
 he hath caused his truths to be written that they may 
 be read with our eyes, so he would write them in our 
 hearts, and thereby we may have a comfortable evi- 
 dence that our names are written in the book of life. 
 
 II. And thus I have given a despatch to the first 
 general part, to wit, the apostles' care of their duty. 
 Pass now on to the other general, which is the gos- 
 pel's excellency, and therein to the 
 
 Emiuency of its object, in tlie close of the first and 
 part of the second verses, in those words, ' the Word 
 of life,' the ' life that was manifested,' that ' eternal 
 life which was with the Father, and was manifested 
 to us,' all which is spoken concerning Christ. 
 
 But before I enter on the handling of these words 
 in this (which I conceive to bo the most genuine) 
 interpretation, there is another exposition, which being 
 
 * Coster. Encliirlil. 
 
 t Bcllnrni. de Vcili. Dei., lib. iv. cap. 4. 
 
 J Duodccies Joanni mandalum ut sci'ibnt in libro Apo- 
 calypseos. — Jan. animaclv. in Bel., i. lib. iv. cap. 13. 
 
 Sufliuifbat generalc nianilatum ut doccrcut, prajiiicarent, 
 eliain ut Iradercut ; iiaui ilia omnia tUint duubus modis, vcl 
 viva voce vel seriptn. — CItam. de can., lib. ix. cap. G. 
 
 § Quic(|Uid ille dc suis dictiset t'aciis nos legere voluit hoc 
 scribcndum illis tanquam suis manibus impcravit. 
 
Ver. 1-4. J 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 15 
 
 neither improbable nor unprofitable, I sball not pass 
 by ; and it will be all I can discuss at this time._ 
 
 It is of those who understand these words concern- 
 ing the gospel itself, as if that were here called the 
 word of life wherein this eternal life is manifested ; 
 though even according to this construction the en- 
 comium is of the gospel with reference to its matter, 
 ■whereabout it is conversant. This exposition is that 
 ■which is alleged by Calvin,* asserted by Grotiiis,)- and 
 assevered by Vorstius ; J nor is it dissonant to the ana- 
 logy of faith, and according to it. Here are two things 
 to be considered, namely, the appellation given to the 
 gospel, it is the word of life ; and the reason of that 
 appellation, because in it the life, eternal life, is mani- 
 fested to us. 
 
 1. The appellation here affixed to the. gospel is 
 choice and comfortable, it is the word of life ; a title 
 •which is made use of by St Paul, Philip, ii. 15, 16, 
 when he required of the Philippians that they should 
 ' shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word 
 of life ; ' and by the angel, when he commands the 
 apostles to ' speak in the ears of the people all the 
 words of this life,' Acts v. 20. Suitably hereunto it is 
 that it is called elsewhere the ' word of salvation,' 
 chap. xiii. 26, and the 'gospel of salvation,' Eph. i. 13, 
 and the ' gi'ace of God that bringeth salvation,' Titus 
 ii. 11, and the ' ingrafted word, which is able to save 
 our souls,' James i. 21 ; and yet once more, ' that 
 ■word of God's grace, which is able to build us up, 
 and to give us an inheritance among them which are 
 eanctified,' Acts xx. 32. 
 
 2. The reason of this appellation is fit and pregnant, 
 because those words, 'eternal life is manifested to us,' 
 are such a confirmation that they are withal an expli- 
 cation of tbe title in both the branches of it. For, 
 
 (1.) Would we know what this life is, whereof the 
 gospel is the word? The answer is, it is eternal life ; 
 in which respect St Peter saith to Christ, John vi. 68, 
 ' Thou hast the words of eternal life.' In these two 
 expressions is contained a short description of felicity. 
 It is a life ; for since hfe is the highest of all created 
 excellencies, it is aptly used to set forth a state of 
 happiness ; § especially if we take vivere as compre- 
 hending in it ralcre, and so denoting an hale, vit;orous 
 and prosperous life. But that which cro'wneih life 
 itself, and maketh it an happiness, is its eternity, 
 since (as the schools well) true bliss must be able to 
 give satisfaction to the appetite, which it cannot do if 
 there be any fear of losing or expiring. The truth is, 
 neither of these two can be severed in an happy con- 
 dition : were it eternal, if it were not life, there could 
 
 * Bifariam potest exponi vcl de Clirislo, vel do cvangelio. 
 — Calv. in toe. 
 
 i Vera evangelii doctrina. — Grot. ibid. 
 
 I Vidolur omnino intclligere ev.insclium. — Vurst. ibid. 
 
 § Cum beatitudo sit perfcclum brnum et sutKciens opoitct 
 quod dcsidciium hominis quiutct ct oinne iiiahim excUidat ; 
 naiiiialiicr auteni homo dcsidcrat retiticre boiium quod habct. 
 — Aquin., prim. 2, quest. 5, art. iv. 
 
 be no bliss, since it is true of the damned that they 
 shall exist eternally ; and were it life, if it were not 
 eternal, it could not be happy, since a transitory fading 
 life is rather a death than a life. And therefore that 
 the gospel may appear a means of happiness, it is said 
 to reveal to us eternal life. And 
 
 (2.) Would we know in what respect the gospel is 
 the word of this life ? The answer is, because this 
 eternal life which was with the Father is by it mani- 
 fested to us. Indeed, we must here distinguish be- 
 tween data and maiufestata, the giving and the mani- 
 festing of this life. Nor is it mine, but St Paul's own 
 distinction, 2 Tim. i. 9, 10, where he informeth us 
 that salvation, or life eternal, was ' given us in Christ 
 Jesus before the world began, but is now made mani- 
 fest by Christ, who hath brought life and immortality 
 to light through the gospel.' 
 
 The truth is, eternal life, before the time of the 
 gospel, was ' with the Father,' that is, did latere quo- 
 dammodo apud patmn, lie hid in the Father's bosom, 
 unrevealed to the world. As to the Gentiles it was 
 altogether unknown, who therefore are said to ' sit in 
 darkness and the shadow of death,' as being wholly 
 strangers to this life. And as to the Jews, it was hid 
 (as learned Davenant hath observed ""') ex parte et 
 co»tparalive. The greatest part of the Jews looked no 
 higher than an earthly Canaan, and dreamt only of 
 a temporal happiness to be accomplished by the 
 Messiah ; the discoveries of life were so dark that few 
 could spell them, and that manifestation which any 
 of them had was very obscure, in comparison of what 
 is by the gospel. It is true eternal life was so far 
 revealed in the Old Testament that the beheving Jews 
 attained to some knowledge of it, so as that they 
 looked for it, and no doubt are in their souls pos- 
 sessed of it. Upon this account St Paul tells Timothy 
 that the ' holy Scriptures ' (to wit, of Moses and the 
 prophets) ' were able to make him wise to salvation,' 
 2 Tim. iii. 15 ; and Christ bids the Jews to ' search 
 the Scriptures,' John v. 39, because they ' thought ' 
 (which yet Christ reproveth not as a bare surmise) 
 ' in them to have eternal life.' But still those dis- 
 coveries were very imperfect in comparison of that 
 knowledge which the gospel imparts ; and therefore 
 one f observcth an emphasis in the fi,'Ji,iv, to x.s. Not 
 to the patriarchs, not to the prophets, was this life, 
 to wit, so clearly manifested, as to us, the apostles of 
 Christ, J and by ns to tbe saints throughout the world; 
 in which respect St Paul, writing both to the Ephcsians, 
 chap. iii. 5, and the Colossians, chap. i. 20, styles 
 not only tbe ' calling of the Gentiles ' (which is as 
 much spoken of liy the prophets as any other evan- 
 gelical truth), but the whole doctrine of life in tbe 
 gospel, ' a mystery which hath been hid from ages 
 and generations, nor was in other ages made known 
 
 * Paveii. in Colo.'. 
 
 t Fi''« Uivot. I.^al,^ Scriptur. 
 
 j Kon pntriarcliis non propbctis, &c. — Orot. in loc. 
 
16 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. J. 
 
 to the sons of men, but is now revealed unto his holy 
 apostles, and made manifest to his saints b}- his 
 Spirit.'* 
 
 To sum it up in few words : eternal life is that 
 mystery which could not have been found out by 
 reason ; neither the thing itself, nor the way to it, 
 could by any human wit or industry have been at all 
 discovered ; and therefore it must be manifested, to 
 wit, by a divine revelation, a spiritual illumination ; 
 and only the gospel is the word wherein God hath 
 been pleased to vouchsafe the clear, distinct, and full 
 manifestation of it, for which reason it is deservedly 
 called the word of life. 
 
 To apply this briefly, what should the consideration 
 hereof teach us but, 
 
 1. Thankfully to acknowledge what a rich treasure, 
 a precious pearl, God hath vouchsafed to us in 
 bestowing the gospel on us. Life is the most precious 
 treasure in nature, eternal is the best of lives. Oh 
 then, how singular is the worth of the gospel, which 
 manifesteth this life unto us ! And surely as the 
 water of life itself, so the vessels that convey it to 
 us, should be highly esteemed by us. We may truly 
 say of all the ministers of the gospel, what that pos- 
 sessed damsel said concerning St Paul and the rest. 
 Acts xvi. 17, ' These men are the servants of the 
 most high God, which shew unto us the way of salva- 
 tion.' And what St John here saith of himself and 
 fellow-apostles, w-e may no less justly say of ourselves, 
 ' We shew to you that eternal life which was with the 
 Father.' Shall the lawyer be valued, who sheweth 
 you the way of preserving your temporal estate ? 
 Shall the physician be honoured, who showcth you the 
 way of prolonging your corporal life ? And shall not 
 the ' feet of them be beautiful who bring the glad 
 tidings of peace,' and shew the way of obtaining 
 eternal life ? But, however, if u-c must be neglected, 
 yet let the treasure we bring be gratefully esteemed 
 by you. As you love your life, as }"ou value eternity, 
 prize the gospel. 
 
 That I may the more enhance the worth of the 
 gospel, consider it not only absoluteh' and positively, 
 but oppositively and comparatively. 
 
 (1.) In opposition to the law strictly taken, which, 
 though there was a time when life might have been 
 
 * Prininri<\ Sanctis apostolis ; sccundario, nliis Sanctis. 
 Immcdiaii apostolis, mcdiatfi Dei scrvis. — Daven. in Cofoi. 
 
 obtained by it, yet now to us who are guilty of the 
 breach of it, it threateneth nothing but death. Oh 
 how sweet is the gospel to the transgressor of the 
 law. In the law there is nothing but matter of fear, 
 in the gospel of love ; in the law God is against us, 
 in the gospel he is Emmanuel, God with us. The law 
 curseth, the gospel blesscth ; the ofiice of the law is 
 to accuse and terrify, of the gospel to heal and com- 
 fort ; finally, the law is a killing letter, but the gospel 
 a quickening spirit. 
 
 (2.) In comparison with the state of the Old Tes- 
 tament, how much more obliged are we to God, who 
 live in the times of the New, in respect of the clear 
 revelation of this life unto us ! God spake with Moses 
 at the door of the tabernacle, but now he leadeth his 
 spouse into the presence chamber. The Old Testa- 
 ment Christians saw through a veil, but now the 
 curtain is drawn ; with them it was the dawning of 
 the day, with us it is full noon. Oh that we would 
 praise the Lord for his inestimable goodness to us, 
 upon whom the glorious light of the gospel shineth ! 
 
 2. To endeavour that what this word of life is in 
 itself it may bo to every one of us ; and as it is the 
 word of life by way of manifestation, so it may be 
 also by w-ay of operation, ell'ectual to bring us to that 
 life which it revealeth to us. The more to quicken 
 us in this endeavour, it w ould be seriously considered 
 by us that though the gospel be intentionally the 
 ' word of life,' yet accidentally it proveth to many the 
 ' savour of death ; ' namely, those who receive with 
 the left hand of infidelity what God ofl'ereth with the 
 right hand of grace and mercy. The same sun both 
 softeneth the wax and hardeneth the clay ; the same 
 earth is sweet in the grape and bitter in the worm- 
 wood ; the same odour is a refreshment to the dove 
 and poison to the beetle; the same herb, called rhodo- 
 daphne, is a cure to men bit with serpents, and veno- 
 mous to beasts ; and the same gospel is both to 
 believers a word of life, and to unbelievers a means of 
 condemnation, whilst they love darkness rather than 
 light, and choose death before life. Oh, therefore, let 
 it be our prayer, among whom this word of life hath 
 been so long preached, that it may come to us, as it 
 did to the Thcssalonians, 1 Thes. i. 5, ' not in word 
 only, but also in power,' so as it may become to 
 every one of us the power of God to salvation and 
 life eternal. 
 
 SEEMON III. 
 
 TJiat which was from the hcrjinning, which we have heard, which we hare sivii with our ei/cs, uhicli we hare looked 
 wpnii, and our hands hare handled, of the Word of life (for the life was manifested, and we hare seen it, 
 and hear witness, and shew unto i/ou that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested to its). — 
 1 John I. 1, 2. 
 
 A 
 
 SCRIPTURE to which I need no beginning, since 
 it begins with the Leijinning, and that such a be- 
 
 ginning as hath no beginning ; a text to which a pre- 
 face will be needless, because itself is a preface, and 
 
Ver. 1, 2. J 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 17 
 
 yet such a preface as may withal be called a book. 
 In reference to the epistle, it is a proem ; in itself it 
 is a volume well worth our most serious study and 
 perusal. The apostle's duty and the gospel's excel- 
 lency are the two sections which divide it, the fii'st of 
 which, consisting only of one leaf, though that having 
 three columns, I read over the last time. The second 
 expatiateth itself into four large leaves, the first of 
 which is written as it were on both sides, having a 
 double exposition annexed to it. The one side was 
 then despatched, and now we are to turn over the 
 other ; and, according to the most genuine sense, 
 to handle these words as spoken concerning Christ, 
 ' the Word of life, that eternal life which was with the 
 Father, and was manifest to us.' 
 
 Nor is it without strong reason (as I conceive) that 
 we should incline to this latter as the most congruous 
 interpretation ; for, 
 
 1. This phrase, the Word of life, primarily agi-eeth 
 to Christ, since, when it is attributed to the gospel, it 
 is in reference to Christ, and therefore eternal life is 
 manifested in the gospel, because Christ, by whom we 
 obtain that life, is revealed in it. 
 
 2. The things that are here asserted concerning this 
 Word of life, are such as most properly belong to the 
 person, rather than the doctrine, of Christ. The Word 
 of life is said to be manifested, and that such a mani- 
 festation as was visible, nay, so as they not only 
 heard and saw, but handled, which cannot literally be 
 referred but to a corporeal substance ; and to under- 
 stand those expressions, with Socinus, metaphorically,* 
 is here very unsuitable, because the strength of the 
 argument by which St John would confirm what he 
 delivered concerning Christ, lieth in the literal accep- 
 tion, that sensible experience they had of him, by 
 hearing, seeing, and handling. 
 
 3. Those phrases of u-ord and life are most fre- 
 quently, when used by this apostle, in all his writings 
 applied to Christ. So in the beginning of his Gospel, 
 John i. 1, when he saitb, ' In the beginning was the 
 Word, and in him was life,' it is without controversy 
 spoken of Christ ; so in the last chapter of this epistle, 
 chap. V. 7, 11, 20, the term Word, in the enumeration 
 of the Trinity, is plaicly meant of Christ, and this life 
 is said to be in him. And again, of him no doubt 
 those words are spoken, ' This is the true God and 
 eternal life.' 
 
 4. Add to all this, 
 
 That which (where there is an equal probability of 
 reason on both sides) shall ever with me preponderate 
 the scales is, that almost all expositors, as well ancient 
 as modern, go this way, and interpret this concerning 
 the person of Christ. 
 
 And now, following this construction, you may ob- 
 serve the person of Christ generally denominated and 
 
 ♦ Ut rei certam scientiam declararet, liisce metaphoris 
 videndi, et contractandi oculis ipsis et manubus usus est. — 
 Socin. in Apoc. 
 
 particularly exemplified, the former in the end of the 
 first, and the latter in the greatest part of the second 
 verse ; of each in their order. 
 
 (1.) The general denomination here given to Christ 
 is, that he is called the Word of life ; and here are 
 two substantives that singly deserve our considera- 
 tion. 
 
 [1.] Christ is called the Word, an expression not 
 altogether unknown to those heathens, Trismegistus 
 and Plato, which made Amelius swear when he read 
 the beginning of St John's Gospel, Per Jovem, barbarus 
 iste cum nostra Platone xensit verbum esse in ordine prin- 
 cipii. This barbarian (for so he was in his esteem) 
 agreeth with our Plato, asserting the word to be in 
 the order of a principle.'^' But they, being ignorant 
 both of the Trinity and of the Messiah, though they 
 had the word, could not rightly understand the thing. 
 As for the Jews, it is very likely it was known to 
 them as the name of the Messiah at that time when St 
 John wrote, because it was often used in the Chaldee 
 language, which was then common among them. It 
 were easy to multiply places in the Old Testament, 
 where, when the Hebrew reads Lord, the Chaldee 
 paraphrase rendereth it the word of the Lord. Thus 
 where the prophet saith, ' Israel is saved by the Lord,' 
 Isa. xlv. 17, the Chaldee read it, ' the word of the 
 Lord ;' and when in the Psalms it is said, Ps. ex. 1, 
 the 'Lord said to my Lord,' the Chaldee read 'to my 
 Word ' ; and these may suffice to let us see that the 
 Jews, being no strangers to this language, could not 
 but be acquainted with this term, a title which St 
 John, of all the evangelical penmen, seemeth most to 
 delight in, and therefore it is most frequent in his 
 writings ; nay, indeed only used by him in the New 
 Testament, who is therefore called Sjo'Xoyoj ; and no 
 wonder if he, who was a seraphical writer, made so 
 much use of this sublime expression.! That I may 
 fully and distinctly represent the several notions of 
 this term Word among interpreters, be pleased to look 
 upon it as capable of a double trope, to wit, a meta- 
 phor and a metonymy. 
 
 This phrase may not unfitly be looked upon as 
 mctiiphorical. Christ resembled to a word, which, 
 that I may the better explicate, take notice of that 
 known distinction of u-ord,l into Xoyo; hdidhrog and 
 Tiofoir/.ng, conceplus mentis and sermo oris, the inward 
 conceit of the mind, and outward speech of the lips, 
 to both which the Messiah is not unfitly compared. § 
 
 1. The conceit of the mind is called a word, the 
 heart having its language as well as the mouth, and 
 speech being nothing else but, as it were, the echo of 
 that voice which is in the mind. Now, to this it is 
 
 * Dr Hammond, Annot. in Luc, cap. i. 
 
 t }.oyov ii^TiKus ':rttouio^ov 71 xai uTf^^iof if^iy^aro, &C. — Cl/r. 
 Thes. Annot. 19. 
 
 J >.iyts et sermonem et lationem significat. — Zact. Institttti, 
 lib. iv. cap. ix. 
 
 2 *)' Tcu Xoyou S/ifAn Tt's IffTiM t*yotx. — JjCLS. Uom. X7. 
 
 £ 
 
].S 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 which the ancients generally lufur this title nonl when 
 spoken of Christ,* nor is it without good reason that 
 they conceive the Messiah compared to the internal 
 word, and that in a double respect. 
 
 (1.) Primarily, y.dr' 'iau, in regard of his father ; 
 for, as the internal word is that oflspring of the mind, 
 80 is Christ the Sou of God ; as the mind formeth its 
 conceit by understanding the object proposed, so the 
 Father generateth his Son by understanding his own 
 essence. As the conceit issueth from the mind without 
 any passion or trouble,! so is the Son begotten of the 
 Father ; as the generation of the word in the mind is 
 'immaterial and spiritual, without any carnal conjunc- 
 ition, so is the generation of the Sou of God ; finally, 
 as the word which is framed in remaiuoth with the 
 mind, so the Son, being begotten of, abideth in the 
 Father ;| though withal, notwithstanding those analo- 
 gies, there want not many discrepancies ; for whereas 
 the internal word is an accident to the mind, difi'ereut 
 from it in essence, and after it in lime, so as, though 
 the word could not be without the mind, the mind 
 may be without the word, Christ is the consubstan- 
 tial, co-eternal Son of the Father ; and as there was 
 no time when the Word was without the Father, so 
 neither when the Father without his Word. 
 
 I cannot let this go without taking notice how gra- 
 ciously God is pleased to condescend to us in his lan- 
 guage, § that though we cannot comprehend, we may 
 apprehend something of those divine mysteries. This 
 age hath brought forth a generation of preachers, who 
 wrap up plain notions in cloudy expressions; but they 
 are very unlike the Spirit of God, who clotheth sub- 
 lime verities in plain similitudes. What mystery in 
 all divinity more abstract than that of the generation 
 of the Son of God ! The prophet Isaiah is at his 
 quis enarrabit, ' who shall declare it;' for of this many 
 fathers|| underst;ind that question, and yet much of it 
 is manifested to us by this common metaphor of a 
 uvnl. 
 
 (2.) SecondarUij, xkt' s'^w, in regard of the crea- 
 tures ■,\ for, as the internal word is that according to 
 which a man effeototh all his actions, so is this Word 
 
 * X^ia-ro; itrri >.oyo; ov ^rirof aXX' ci/iriulrt, &C. — 2ij7iat., Ep. iii. 
 ad Magn. [Eillicr tliis quotation is incorrect, or tlie reference 
 is wronf,'. The only passage resembling it in the epistlo 
 
 referrcil to is tlie following : I. X, o; iirr/» uvmH >.oy<,( iiiias, 
 CVK ecro fftyvif T^tOjut, of xxra TKVTa. tt/npiffrnrlv tZ Tifx.'^ctVTi 
 tu/rov. — En. J 
 
 Verbum hoc res est noii sonus, &c. — Hilar., lib. ii., de 
 Trinit. 
 
 t alx Ttf a-rafi; T«f ^/ivvflVia-f Si'a Tfl ffyva^tf. — Gr. 2faz. orat. 
 ii. dc fil. vide Has. loc. pradict. 
 
 I Mens cogitantlo verbum intra se gcncrat, et sic general 
 verbum de se ut gcnitum liabeat apud se, sic verbum divinum 
 in ipso patro nianct a quo gignitur. — Fu/g. ad Morim. lib. iii. 
 cap. vii. Vide Aug de Trinit., lib. ix. cap. .t. 
 
 t § Tois xaS ii/Aoit ovefiaa-Ti to SlTay KTeKccXtTren. — Cl/r. Thes. 
 assert. 19. 
 
 II Bas. Chrysost. Aug. cum nliis. 
 il Aug. quast. Ixiii. 83. 
 
 jirincipiuin omnia peraz/cndi, the ' beginning of the 
 creation of God,' Rev. iii. 15, as he calleth himself, 
 and by this Word it is that ' all things were made,' as 
 this apostle saith iu his Gospel, John i. 1, 2. And as 
 the internal word may exist in the mind, and yet the 
 external work not presentlj' be ; but the work cannot 
 be unless the word is pre-existent in the mind ;* so 
 Christ was from eternity with God before the world 
 was made, but the world could not be made without 
 this Word. It is a consideration which should teach 
 us, when we contemplate the world's goodly fabric, to 
 reflect on Christ, the former of it ; even the creation 
 (if considered by a knowing Christian) leadeth not 
 only to God, but Christ ; nor can we think seriously 
 upon the making of the world, except we remember 
 how it was made by a Word, which Word is Christ. 
 
 2. But further, the speech of the lips is that to 
 which most properly this term word belongs,! /.o'yos 
 coming from ^.'syu, dico, to speak ; and truly there 
 wants not a fit analogy in this metaphor. It is true 
 there are many things wherein this external word is 
 unlike to Christ, as its extrinsecalness to the person, 
 its temporary continuance, and the like ; but there is 
 one thing wherein it seemeth aptly to shadow forth 
 Christ to us ; for, as a man maketh known himself to 
 others by his word, so is the Father by Christ revealed 
 unto the world. Some, observing the various accept- 
 ance of this word Xoyo;, have taken hold of the sig- 
 nification of dejinilio, and applied it to this present 
 purpose; for, as the definition doth explicate the thing 
 defined, so doth Christ make known the Father. But the 
 common signification of the word seemeth sufficiently 
 to illustrate the same truth, and so accordingly is takea 
 notice of by the fathers Irena;us and Augustine, J 
 who tell us he is therefore called the word, because 
 by him the Father is made known, and through him 
 we come to the saving knowledge of God. In this 
 respect it is that Christ is called by the author to the 
 Hebrews, chap. i. 3, ' the brightness of his Father's 
 glory, and express character of his person ;' and again, 
 bySt Paul,2Cor. iv.4,the 'imageof God,' quin Fatrein 
 utium nobis coii.iiucienduin jrrcrbct, because ho mani- 
 festeth his Father to us.§ 
 
 And j'ot more particularly, as that which a man 
 maketh known of himself bj' his word is his will, 
 intent, and purpose, so hath the Father by Christ 
 imparted to the world his eternal purpose and counsel 
 concerning man's salvation. It is observable that 
 Christ is called the ' power of God and the wisdom 
 of God,' 1 Cor. i. 21, and the ' word of God,' in 
 Scripture, Rev. xix. 13; and all fitly. He is the wis- 
 dom of God, because God's decrees and counsels 
 
 * Aug. do Trinit., lib. xv. cap. xi. 
 
 t Vide Damasc. do Ortliod. fide, lib. i. cap. vi. ; and Cyr. 
 catecli. xi. 
 
 I Filius dicitur verbum quia agnitioncm pafris fiicit. — 
 Iren., lib. iv. cap. xiv. Quia per i]isuin inuotescit pater. — 
 Aug. de fid. et si/mb. cap. iii. 
 
 'i Slat, iu Corinth. 
 
Vkr. 1, 2.] 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 19 
 
 arc, as it were, made by him; the power of God, 
 because they are made good, and accomplished by 
 him; and the word of God, because they are made 
 known and promulged by him. This is Epiphanius-'" 
 his notion of word : he is called (saith he) the word, 
 because he is the interpreter of his Father's counsels 
 and mind to men. And that we may expound Scrip- 
 ture by Scripture, methiuketh that of the author 
 to the Hebrews is a comment upon this title, when 
 bo saith, ' God in these last days hath spoken to us 
 by his Son,' Heb. i. 2, who therefore is the Word, 
 because God by him hath spoken, and that most 
 clearly to us. It is a distinction not unusual nor 
 irrational which is made between soiiuk, vox, and ver- 
 biD/i, a souiitl, a voice, a irorcl, a sound being any kind 
 of noise, a voice an articulate sound, and a word a 
 significant voice. The application of it to this pre- 
 sent business is very fit. The prophets of the Old 
 Testament, thej-were a.sa.souii(l; John Baptist, Christ's 
 immediate forerunner, was as a voice ; he is called so, 
 Mat. iii. 3, ' the voice of one crj-ing in the wilder- 
 ness ;' but it is Christ, and he only, who is the M'orJ, 
 distinctly and fully signifying to us the will of God 
 concerning our salvation. 
 
 How great is our hapjjiness (beloved) who live in 
 these last days, and how great will be our miserj- if 
 we be deaf to the word, by which in these last daj'S God 
 speaketh to us ; and therefore let that apostolical 
 counsel be acceptable, Heb. xii. 25, ' See that you 
 refuse not him that speaketh ; ' rather let us hearken 
 to him, learn of him, and seek from him divine know- 
 ledge. The truth is (bi-ethren), thus the case now 
 stands. Eternal life (to wit, the only way to it) is ' to 
 know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he 
 hath sent,' John xvii. 3 ; 'No man knoweth the 
 Son but the Father, nor the Father but the Son, and 
 he to whom the Son will reveal him,' Luke x. 22. 
 This ' only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the 
 Father, ho bath declared him,' John i. 8. Yea, he 
 counselleth us to buy of him that cj'e-salve, by which 
 only we may see ; and the voice from heaven chargeth 
 us with, ' This is mj' well-beloved Son, in whom I am 
 well pleased : hear ye him,' Mat. xvii. 5 ; and there- 
 fore, as Peter said to Christ, John vi. G8, ' Lord, to 
 whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal 
 life,' so let us say, Blessed Jesus, whither shall we 
 go ? Whom should we hear but thee ? Thou art the 
 word of life ! 
 
 2. I have done with the metaphorical ; a word of 
 the inetoniintictil construction. And so Christ is called 
 the Won!, inasmuch as he is the subject matter of 
 the word ; and this we shall find true, both in a gene- 
 ral and a special consideration. 
 
 (1.) In general, the whole w^ord, either mediately or 
 immediately, in a proxLm or remote way, points at 
 Christ. 'To him all the prophets,' as well as the 
 
 — Epiph. liar. Ixxiii. 
 
 apostles, ' give witness.' The Scriptures are as the 
 field, and Christ is the treasure hid in this field; they 
 as the ring, and Christ as the diamond of great price, 
 which giveth lustre to it. He is the centre in 
 which all the lines in holy writ do meet, and this Word 
 of life is the very soul and life of the word.* Oh, 
 let us in the reading of this sacred book break the 
 bone, that we may suck the marrow ; crack the 
 shell, that we may feed on the kernel ; open the cabi- 
 net, that we may find the pearl ; ' search the Scriptures,' 
 that we may meet with Christ in them ; since, as that 
 devout ancient said, he found no relish in Tully's 
 oratorical writings, because he could not read Jesus 
 there. So the vei'y sweetness and excellency of the 
 Bible lieth in this, that wo maj' read Jesus, as it were, 
 in every line of it. But 
 
 (2.) In special, ivovd is as much as promise, when 
 synecdochically taken, Acts i. 4 ; and thus as the 
 Spirit is sometimes called the promise, Luke xxiv. 49, 
 so Christ is called the woixl, cjiiasi eiim dicas de quo 
 locictus, vel fjuem poUicitus est dominus ; to wit, he of 
 whom God speaketh, or whom he promised should 
 come into the world. In this respect, those words of 
 St Paul fitly explicate the phrase, where he tells 
 Agrippa, Acts xxvi. 22, ' I continue witnessing no 
 other things than those which the prophets and 
 Moses did say should come.' Christ is therefore the 
 Word, because it is ' he whom they say should come;' 
 or to use Zacharias his expression, he is that ' horn 
 of salvation which God raiseth up in the house of 
 David, as he spake by the mouth of all his holy pro- 
 phets which have been since the world began,' Luke 
 i. 69, 70. Moses his gi-oat prophet, Balaam's star, 
 Isaiah's tender plant, Jeremiah's branch, Zacharias's 
 horn, Malachi his sun, are all of them mystical pro- 
 phecies and promises of the Messiah. 
 
 It lets us see at once both the goodness and faith- 
 fulness of God, his goodness, in that before he gave 
 his Son, he gave the promise of him ; he was pro- 
 misius priusqiiam tnissiis, first assured verbally, then 
 sent actually ; and his faithfulness, in that as he pro- 
 mised, so he gave him ; sicut promissns sic missus, he 
 was not more mercifull}' promised than faithfully- sent. 
 It did not seem good to his wisdom to confer this 
 jewel presently, but in the moan space, that the 
 church might have somewhat to support her, he vouch- 
 safed the promise of it. Divine promises are as sweet 
 bits to stay our stomachs before the full meal of his 
 actual performances. The promise of Christ's first 
 coming was that which comforted the Jews, and the 
 promise of his second coming is that which now re- 
 viveth the Christian church ; and since we have found 
 him making good his word in the one, we may assure 
 ourselves he will fulfil it in the other ; since as he 
 was so good as to give a word, so he will be so good 
 as his word, and give the thing, whatsoever it is, that 
 
 * Christus vclatus in vetcri, revclaUis in novo, in isto 
 praidiclus, in illo prscdicatus. — Boi/s. cone. lati. in post. 
 
20 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 he is pleased to promise ; for so it was in that singu- 
 lar eminent promise of Christ, who is therefore not 
 unfitly called the Word. And so much for that. 
 
 2. The other substantive yet remaineth, to wit, 
 life, which is in the place of an adjective, and may be 
 rendered as an epithet, the livixij Word ■* and look as 
 Christ, w'hen he is compared to bread, to a stone, it 
 is with this addition, the ' bread of life,' a ' living 
 stone,' to dill'erence him from other stones, from com- 
 mon bread : so he is here called 'the Word of life,' 
 to distinguish him from, and advance him above, other 
 words. For whereas other words, though spoken by 
 living persons, yet have no life in themselves, this 
 word is the living word personally subsisting, or else, 
 as he is called, the ' bread of life,' because he giveth 
 and communicateth life to them that feed on him ; so 
 here the ' Word of life,' because he is the author of 
 life to them that receive him. But the discussion 
 of this falleth more fitly in the next part, to which 
 therefore I pass on, namely, 
 
 II. The particular exemplification in which Christ 
 is characterised as God-man, as God, as man. As 
 God-man, he is styled the life, and the eternal life ; 
 as God, he is said to be ' the life which was with 
 the Father;' as man, he is ' the life which was mani- 
 fested.' 
 
 Of each of which, with all possible brevity and per- 
 spicuity. 
 
 Part 1. Ho is called ' the life,' that ' eternal life.' 
 If you ask in what respect this agreeth to him, the 
 answer is already hinted, but shall now be more 
 largely prosecuted. He is the life, and that eternal, 
 two ways, ownotbu; and In^yinyiui, formaliter and 
 ejficienter, in himself, and in respect of us, t as being 
 both r/r».s- and rivijicun, living and giving life. 
 
 1. Christ is the life, and that eternal life, because 
 in himself he liveth for ever, this is true of him 
 primarily as God. This being one of his choice at- 
 tributes, that ho is the living God ; and inasmuch as 
 divine attributes are bettor expressed by the abstract 
 than the concrete, he is fitly said, not only to be liv- 
 ing, but life itself; and this life is most properly said 
 to be eternal, because it is so both a parte ante and o 
 parte post, from everlasting to everlasting. Second- 
 arily, this is true of him as mediator, God-man ; 
 since, though there was a time when thus he began to 
 live, to wit, at his assumption of our nature, and like- 
 wise his life on earth did expire, to wit, at his passion, 
 yet now ' be dieth no more, death hath no more 
 dominion over him,' Horn. vi. 9, but he is ' alive for 
 evermore,' Rev. i. 18, and that 'to make intercession,' 
 Heb. ix. '25. 
 
 2. But that which I conceive most suitable to the 
 apostle's meaning, is, that Christ is said to be the life, 
 
 * Gcnitiviis loco epitlieti cii|)itiir. — Calv. in loc. 
 
 t Vern vit.i per sc siibsistins ct iiutor vit.i;. — Justin. I'cr- 
 fectissinii viia; ratioiicm linbct, ct spiritualcm, coclcstcn), 
 lEleiuuiiiquc vitam tiibuit. — Serrur. 
 
 because he is the original of life to us. In this respect 
 the abstract fitly agreeth to him, because life is in him 
 as sap in the root, water in the fountain, to convey it 
 to all that believe on him. In this sense it is that 
 Christ useth it concerning himself, as appeareth by 
 his own commentary : ' I am the life; whosoever be- 
 lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live,' 
 
 John xi. 
 
 Hence it is, that he is called bv the 
 
 apostle Paul expressly ' our life,' Col. iii. 8. Nor is he 
 only life, but eternal life; that life which, as Mediator, 
 he vouchsafeth to believers, being eternal. Indeed, all 
 creatures are beholden to him for their natural life :* 
 ' In him we live, move, and have our being ;' but the 
 life which believei's have by him is an eternal life, ac- 
 cording as he saith himself, ' I give to them eternal 
 life,' John x. 28. 
 
 This is that life which, as the learned Davenant f 
 observeth, (1.) ChrLstns proinhil, Christ promised to 
 his disciples, and in them to all Christians, where he 
 saith, Luke xii. 32, ' It is my Father's good pleasure 
 to give you the kingdom' ; (2.) proiiieruit, by his owu 
 death he purchased for all behevers, in which respect 
 eternal life is said, Rom. vi. 23, to be ' the gift of God 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord ;' (3.) praparavit, 
 being now ascended into heaven, he there maketh 
 ready for us, according as he saith himself, John siv. 
 2, ' I go to prepare a place for j'ou ;' and yet more, 
 (4.) inchoal, he begins by the work of grace in the 
 hearts of all the faithful, in which respect he that be- 
 lieveth on him is said to ' have everlasting life,' John 
 vi. 47 ; and finally, (5.) reddet, he will at the last 
 day consummate by glory. Indeed, then it is that, 
 our bodies being raised, our persons shall be glorified, 
 and this eternal life actually conferred ; and therefore 
 our blessed Saviour joineth these two together in that 
 fore-mentioned place, John xi. 25, ' I am the resur- 
 rection and the life.' Thus, as the ointment ran down 
 from Aaron's head to his beard, and thence to his 
 skirt, so that eternal life which Christ, rising from 
 the grave, personally enjoyeth, shall be commimicatcd 
 to all his members. 
 
 To sum it up; Christ, God-man, Mediator, is the 
 life, that eternal life, in respect of his threefold offices 
 of king, priest, and prophet. As prophet, he is the 
 life by way of revelation, discovering this eternal life 
 to us ; as priest, by way of impetration, procuring 
 this eternal life for us ; as king, by way of collation, 
 conferring this eternal life on us. And as the fulness 
 of water is dispensed by the sea to the earth, and the 
 fulness of light is conmuuiicated by the sun to the air, 
 and thefubiess ofcnrn was divided by Josipliamongthe 
 people ; so the fuhicss of grace and glory, of life, even 
 eternal life, is conveyed by Christ to his church, and 
 therefore verj- justly doth this character belong to him. 
 And now, what should this consideration teach 
 us, but, 
 
 * Vilani larnimr dum omnia fovct et conscrvat. — Justin. 
 t Davcn. in Coloss. 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 21 
 
 1. To bewail our sad condition whilst we are 
 wilhcint Christ ; for if Christ be the life, all that know 
 him not, or believe not in him, must needs be in a 
 state of death and damnation. 
 
 It is observable that St Paul, speaking of the 
 Ephesians whilst in the state of unregenerac}-, saith, 
 chaps, ii. 1, 2, 12, they were ' dead in sins and tres- 
 passes ;' and a little after, renders this as the reason, 
 because at that time they were ' without Christ.' 
 Indeed, as the body without the soul is corporally, so 
 the soul without Chri^t is spiritually, dead. And, 
 alas ! whilst we are in this estate, we are without all 
 hope of life, being under the sentence, not onlj' of the 
 first, but second death, and therefore John the Bap- 
 tist, John iii. 36, saith expressly, ' He that believeth 
 not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God 
 abideth on him.' Oh hea^T load, and unsupportable, 
 which, upon whomsoever it abideth, must needs crush 
 him to pieces, and sink him to the depth of hell ! Oh 
 labour we then, both in respect of ourselves and 
 others, to be sensible of our natural estate ; and if we 
 mourn over our friends' dead bodies, much more 
 should we mourn over theirs and our dead souls ! 
 
 2. To seek after this life, because it is eternal, and 
 to seek it by union with Christ, who is the life. 
 
 Indeed, this temporal life may be used, but only 
 that eternal hfe is to be soiifiht. The life that now is, 
 is a fleeting shadow, a vanishing vapour, a day, which, 
 though never so pleasant, cannot be long ; but the 
 life which is to come, is a light ever shining, a leaf 
 never fading, and such a day as shall know no evening. 
 And now, tell me which is most rational, to seek after 
 that life which is lost almost as soon as it is found, 
 or after that life which, being once found, can never 
 be lost "? to catch after that which, being got, we can- 
 not hold, or that which, being once got, we cannot 
 lose ? And therefore, that I may allude to our blessed 
 Saviour's expression, John vi. 27, ' Labour not for 
 that which perisheth, but for that hfe which endureth 
 to eternity.' 
 
 To this end, let it be our continued care to gain, to 
 assure our interest in, and union with, Christ. The 
 Shunamite went to the prophet for raising her dead 
 child; we must to Christ for the quickening our dead 
 souls. It is very observable what St Peter saith to this 
 purpose : 1 Peter ii. 4, 5, ' To whom coming, as to a 
 living stone, we also are built up as lively stones ;' so 
 that if you know how we become living stones, it is 
 bj' coming to, and being built upon, Christ as our 
 foundation. The soul cannot enliven the body till in- 
 fused into and united with it, nor can we receive life 
 from Christ but by an interest in him : ' He that 
 eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,' saith Christ 
 himself, John vi. 54, ' hath eternal life. There is 
 life, eternal life, in the flesh and blood of Christ, but 
 then we must eat and drink it, that so this spiritual 
 food may be incorporated into us, and we made one 
 with Christ. 
 
 3. Lastly, to set an high value upon Christ, and 
 give him the glory of this great mercy, even eternal 
 life. Of all the titles that do express the personal 
 excellencies of the Lord Christ, that of the Word is 
 most glorious ; and of all those that do express the 
 privileges we have by him, none so comprehensive as 
 this of eternal life. ' To you who believe," saith the 
 apostle, concerning this living stone, ' he is precious,' 
 1 Peter ii. 7 ; and well he may, since he bestoweth so 
 rare a jewel, and so invaluable a pearl, as eternal life 
 upon us. Indeed, all our good and comfort is wTapt 
 up in Christ : he is the bread to nourish us, the light 
 to guide us, the life to save us. Are, then, any begin- 
 nings of this life wrought in us ? any hopes of it 
 assured to us ? Let us look upon ourselves as vessels 
 filled by this fountain, stars enlightened by this sun, 
 carcases enlivened by this spirit, acknowledging what 
 we have and hope for to be only and wholly from 
 Christ, that as we have life from him, he may have 
 thanks from us. Now, to him who is the life, that 
 eternal life, be praise and glory in the church through- 
 out all ages. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON IV. 
 
 {For the life was manijesled, and ii-e have seen it, and bear tvitness, and sheir unto you that eternal life uhich u'as 
 liith the Father, and was manifested unto us.) — 1 JoHX I. 2. 
 
 AMONG the mystical interpretations of those four 
 living creatures mentioned in Ezekiel, i. 5, and 
 the Apocalypse, iv. 6, that of resembling by them the 
 four evangelists is the most usual among the ancients, 
 and St John is compared to the eagle by them all, 
 except Irenfens,* who likeneth him to the lion. St 
 Jerome's reason is from the eagle's wing, which 
 soareth highest of any bird ; St Gregory's, from the 
 eagle's eye, which is able to look upon the sun, and 
 ♦ Iren. Adv. Hseres. lib. iii. ccip. ii. 
 
 both very apposite ; for so doth St John in his Gospel 
 look upon the Sun of righteousness, and soar high 
 in contemplation of his divinity.* Nor is this less 
 observable in this epistle than in his Gospel, which 
 both beginneth and closeth with the deity of Christ. 
 Indeed, we have here in this beginning both the God- 
 
 * Dum in ipsa ilivinitatis substantia intendit. quasi more 
 aquilie oculos in solera fixit. — Greg, in £:ck. lib. i. liom. iv. 
 Assumptis pennis aquils et ad altiora festinans do verbo Dei 
 disputat. — Jer. in Mat. praefat. 
 
22 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 head nnd manhood of the Messiah, and the union of 
 both in one person set before us when he saith, ' That 
 which was from the beginning,' &c. 
 
 The second character here given, and which now 
 followeth to be handlcJ, is of Christ as God, in those 
 words, ' which was with the Father.' It is the same, 
 no doubt, in sense with that in the Gospel, John i. 2, 
 ' And the Word was with God ;' and to this purpose 
 Theodoret applieth that of the psalmist, Ps. xxxvi. 9, 
 ' With thee is the fountain of life.' For the better ex- 
 planation of it we must take notice of the noun, the 
 preposition, and the verb: Father, with the Father, 
 uas with the Father.* 
 
 1. By the Father we are here no doubt to under- 
 stand the first person in the sacred Trinity ; indeed, it 
 is a word that is taken in Scripture both cvniudii; and 
 iTOBTariKui;, essentially and personally. Essentially, it 
 is common to all the persons ; personally, it is only 
 true of the first. When it is used of God in respect 
 to the creatures, it is to be understood essentially, and 
 our apostle so intends it when he saith, ' Behold what 
 manner of love the Father hath shewed, that we should 
 be called the sons of God ;' but when of God in order 
 to the persons, it is to be construed personally, as here,t 
 and in the next verse it is manifestly so used. And the 
 first person is called the Father, say some, because he 
 is the original of the Trinity, as connoting the relation 
 ho hath both to the Sou and the Holy Ghost; but say 
 others more properly, the first person is the Father only 
 in relation to the second, who is his begotten after the 
 most perfect way of generation, and so he only a Father 
 in regard of him. But further, 
 
 2. The chief thing considerable is what this mcaneth, 
 that Christ the life is said to be uith the Father ; the 
 answer to which I shall lay down both negatively and 
 afiBrmatively. 
 
 (1.) Negatively, we must not strain the expression 
 too far, as noting either an inferiority or separability 
 between those two persons of the Father and the Word. 
 
 1 1.] Not a separability, as if Christ were so uilh that 
 he were iriihoul the Father, as a cloak which a man 
 boldeth in his hands is with him,:]; but yet without 
 him. In this sense, uith is opposed to in ; but that in 
 this construction it cannot be verified of Christ is plain, 
 because he is said not only to bo uith but in the I'atber, 
 John xiv. 10. 
 
 ( 2. ] Not an inferiority, as it is sometimes used, when 
 he that is said t ) be uilh doth after a sort depend upon 
 the person with whom he is, in a way of subordination 
 and subjection, in which respect the son is said to be 
 with his father, the servant with his master, and the 
 like. As for the eternal Son of God, St Paul saith ho 
 
 * Vide Theod. ibi.l. 
 
 t Qiiaiuio (livinitas intra so deacribitur, nomen ralria su- 
 initur uTorTurixu;. Quaiido autcm lit collutio diviuitatia ad 
 creaturas, nomeu I'atria sumitur cirmiit. et cuiiiiilcctitur 
 omnos persoiuis. — Gerard de Deo patre, lib. vi. 
 
 5 Vid, Fulgent, ad Monim. lib. iii. 
 
 holdeth it ' no robbery to be equal with God,' Philip, ii. 6, 
 and therefore his being u-iih cannot infer a disparity. 
 Indeed, this expression is true reciprocally: the Father 
 with and in the Son, as well as the Son in and with the 
 Father, John xiv. 11, the three persons being mutually 
 with each other, and none superior to the other. But 
 
 (2.) Affirmatively, this exposition noteth, 
 
 [1.] The secrecy of Christ's subsistence before he 
 came into the world. He was with the Father, to wit, 
 in his bosom, and so hid from the world, "^ as things 
 in the bosom are recluse from common view ; and the 
 opposition of this ' with the Father' to ' manifesting,' 
 giveth some ground for this construction. 
 
 [2.] The distinct personality of the Son from the 
 Father. With the Father; that is, subsisting wiih the 
 Father, and though not divided, yet distinguished from 
 him. Hence it is that St Ambrose maketh use of this 
 place to stop the mouth of Sabellius, who would con- 
 found the persons. The same person cannot be said 
 to be with himself, but with another person, f and there- 
 fore the life which is with the Father must be a dis- 
 tinct person from the Father. 
 
 [3. J The essential unity between the Father and the 
 Son. He that is with another, though he is distinct 
 from,+ j-et he must be near to, or else he could not be 
 said to be with him. Nor are wo to imagine this trith, 
 when spoken of the divine persons, to note a local (as 
 a man who is in the same place is said to bo with 
 another) but an essential union, whereby, though they 
 are personally distinguished, yet they are essentially 
 united; and in this respect St Ambrosc§ maketh use of 
 this phrase to confute Eudoxius aud Eunomius. This, 
 then, is the Catholic faith, the Father aud the Son are 
 alius and alius, another and another person, but not 
 aliud and aliud, another aud another thing ; and this 
 preposition %rith may serve fitly to connote both 
 these. 
 
 [■!]. Lastly, the Son's eternity may bo insinuated in 
 this preposition, inasmuch as uilh stands in opposition 
 to bej'ore and behind. As the Son could not be be/ore, 
 so neither is ho after the Father, but uith him ; and 
 therefore as the Father is eternal, so also is the Son. 
 Indeed, in liuman generation the son is aflcr, but in 
 divine the Son is uilh the Father ; nor can any mo- 
 ment bo assigned to the Father whereiu the Son was 
 not. This will yet further appear by, 
 
 * (Jui at) rcferno latuit absconditus in sinu patris. — Tirin. 
 in loc. Vurbum absccmdituni esse iiisinuat, cum subjungit 
 ei verium erat apud Veum. — Grei/. Mor. lib. v. cap xix. 
 
 t arjo; dcclnrat bypostaseoa distiuctionein — Bez. in loc. 
 
 X Subsistens apud aliani subsistentcm. — Sernir. ibid. Quod 
 erat apud dinim UdU oommixtione confunditur sed maufutis 
 verbi apud palrem snliiia porfectione distinguitur,ut Sabellius 
 annotat. — 'Imhros. de Fid. lib. i. cap. v. 
 
 5 Qui est apud alium distinguitur ab illo, quia nihil est 
 apud ec. — /'«»/, J'alat. in John. Quiid erat a)iud deum sem- 
 pitciiire divinilatis in patre et filio inscparabilis unilas edo- 
 cetur, ut ciubcsc.it Kudoxius ct Kunomius. — Ambroa. de 
 Fid. lib. i. cap. v. 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 23 
 
 3. The verb, which is set down in the preter-imper- 
 fect tense ; and that we may comprise the full of it, take 
 it in a double opposition to the present and the pre- 
 terperfect tense. 
 
 1. It is not said which is with the Father. St John 
 might have said so of him as man, ho being then 
 ascended to heaven and set down at the right hand of 
 bis Father ; but here speaking of him as God, be 
 useth the past time, ' he was,' that is, from all eternity 
 with the Father ; so that if any shall be so curious as 
 to ask where this life was before it was manifested, 
 Christ was before incarnate, the answer is, he was with 
 the Father ; by which the heresy of Elion and Cerin- 
 thus falls to the ground, who deny him any being be- 
 fore he was bcrn of his mother. Upon this account it 
 is that Tertullian saith excellently,* The Father was 
 alone before he made the world, and 3"et he was not 
 alone, because the eternal life was with him ; and in 
 this respect wisdom saith, Prov. viii. 22, 23, ' The 
 Lord ' (not created, according to the unhappy mistake 
 of the Greek, but) ' possessed me ' (according to the 
 true meaning of the Hebrew), to wit, as a father is said 
 to possess his son, and this ' in the beginning of his 
 way, before his works of old,' to wit (as it followeth 
 in the next verse) ' from everlasting.' Suitably here- 
 unto, Christ mentions a ' glory which he had with 
 the Father before the world was,' John xvii. 4, from 
 whence an ancientf strongly argneth that he was with 
 the Father from all eternity, since he could not have 
 had that glory if himself had not been. Besides, when 
 we find these two words, eternal and iva::, here put to- 
 gether, we have leason to conceive that eternity is to 
 be taken in its most proper notion, as it excludes not 
 only ending but beginning ; according to which it were 
 a contradiction in terminis to say this eternal life was 
 not with the Father from everlasting. 
 
 2. It is not said which hath been, but which was, to 
 note that his subsistence with the Father is not now 
 at an end, but this eternal life still remaineth with the 
 Father. For that Aquinas maketh the notion of this 
 word xeas, importing a thing so to have been, as that it 
 doth not cease to be ;|. and therefore, when Christ is 
 said to ' come forth from the Father,' it must not bo 
 taken in a rigid sense, and is best explained by this 
 phrase of manifesting, his making himself known to 
 the world in our nature being all that is meant by his 
 coming forth from the Father ; for the truth is, he so 
 was as that he still is, and for ever shall he with the 
 
 * .\nto omnia Deiiserat solus; ipso sibi solus, autcin, quia 
 nihil aliud extrinsecus prreter ilium, cajterum no tuni quiilem 
 solus, liabebat enim sccum, qufiin liabebat in semet ipso, 
 rationem suam. — Tertul. conir. Proz. cap. v. 
 
 t Si aiitequam mundus esset, gloriam liabuit apuil deum 
 et claritatem tenuit apuil patrem auto mundiis fuit ; nee cnim 
 liabuisset gloriam nisi ipse prius fuisset qui gloriam posset 
 tenere. — Tertul. de Trinil. 
 
 X Erat significat aliquid fuisse et non esse adhuc deter- 
 minatum, nee disinisse sed adhuc manero. — Aquin. in Joh. 
 £vang. 
 
 Father. And in this respect it is not unworthy our 
 observation, that the apostle doth not say, which was 
 with the Father, and is now separated from him, but 
 only is now manifested to us, to wit, so as that this 
 life still is with him, and that to eternit}'. 
 
 To end this, let the meditation hereof, 
 
 (1.) Comfort us, inasmuch as it assureth us that 
 Christ is very fit for the work he undertaketh, and 
 therefore will accomplish it. The great design of the 
 Messiah is to reconcile us to the Father ; and who iittei 
 to do this than he that was with the Father '? Indeed, 
 he that is here said to be with, is elsewhere said to be 'in 
 the bosom of the Father,' John i. 18 ; and who more 
 fit to make our peace than he who lieth in the Father's 
 bosom ? Upon which ground is that expression of St 
 Paul, Eph. i. 5, ' He hath made us accepted in his 
 beloved.' Christ and the Father are one by nature. 
 Let us not doubt but be hath prevailed to make us one 
 with God by grace now, and by glory hereafter. 
 
 (2.) Encourage us against that contempt and scorn 
 which is cast upon Christian religion, as if we did place 
 our trust in a mere man ;* and therefore the Jews up- 
 braid us with that curse in the prophecy of Jeremiah, 
 chap. xvii. 5, ' Cursed be the man that tiusteth in man, 
 and maketh 13esh his arm.' But he is not a mere man 
 whom we trust in, and therefore that curse doth not 
 belong to us ; for as he became man of his mother in 
 the fulness of time, so ho was God with his Father 
 before all time. 
 
 (3.) Exhort us to adore this eternal life which is with 
 the Father with the same reverence and worship we 
 give to the Father. We need not fear idolatry, whenas 
 it is expressly said, John v. 23, that ' all men should 
 honour the Son as they honour the Father.' Let, then, 
 St Ambrosef his pithy counsel take place in spite of 
 blasphemous heretics, Jungat honorificientia jialri 
 /ilium quern junxit divinitas. As the Father and the 
 Son are joined together in unity of essence, so let us 
 join them together in unity of worship, saying in 
 words not much unlike those of the elders, Rev. iv. 11, 
 ' Worthy art thou (0 Jesus) to receive glory, and 
 honour, and power, for thou art that eternal life which 
 was with the Father.' 
 
 3. The last character remaineth, which belongs to 
 Christ as man, set forth in the word manifested, which, 
 as being of singular concernment, is twice repeated, to 
 wit, both in the beginning and the end of the second 
 verse ; for the better explication whereof these three 
 things are briefly to be considered — 
 
 Wlial this manifestation imports. 
 
 Who it is that was thus manifested. 
 
 Why the thing here intended is called a manifesta- 
 tion. 
 
 1. As to the first of these queries, it is generally 
 answered, that by this manifestation we are to nnder- 
 
 * Facit htec. ad doraon-troudam fidei nostra; dignitatem. 
 — Gua'l. in Episl. 
 
 t Ambros. de Fid. lib. i. cap. v. 
 
24 
 
 HAEDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 etaml the incarnation of the Son of God ;* nor is it 
 without suflicient reason, since 
 
 (1.) This phrase is manifestly used elsewhere in 
 this sense ;t so bj- St Paul, with that explicatory addi- 
 tament, when he saith, ' God was manifested in the 
 flesh,' 2 Tim. iii. IG; nay, without any addition, when 
 Le speaks of the appearing of Jesus Christ, i. 10; and 
 which yet more confirms it, by our apostle himself in 
 this epistle, and that twice in one chapter, ' he was 
 manifested,' and 'the Son of God was manifested,' 
 1 John V. 5, 8, that is (as all agree) incaraated. But, 
 
 (2.) Besides these parallel scriptures, there is a con- 
 vincing argument in the test itself; to which end you 
 may be pleased to observe, that this parenthesis is 
 interserted by the apostle on purpose to prevent an 
 objection that might be made against, and so add a 
 confirmation to what is asserted in the precedent verse, 
 whereas St John there saith he and the rest heard, 
 saw, and handled the Word of life. It might be asked, J 
 How could this be ? this living word being spiritual 
 and immaterial. To which he implicitly answereth by 
 adding, ' And the hfe was manifested,' to wit, in the 
 flesh ;§ in which respect the and after the Hebrew 
 phrase may well be construed /oc,|| this being a strong 
 reason to prove that this Word of life might be seen by 
 them, since he was manifested to them, yea, which 
 giveth much light and addeth much strength to the 
 verity of this exposition. The apostle immediately 
 knitteth these two together, manifesting and seeing, 
 ' the life was manifested, and we have seen it ;' whereby 
 it appcareth that the manifestation spoken of is such 
 as was visible, and therefore must be corporeal, since 
 only that which is corporeal is visible. 
 
 2. That the manifestation is the incarnation is clear, 
 but it would be further inquired, Who it is that was 
 thus manifested ? the answer to which appeareth by 
 thoM' two characters, ' the Word of life,' and the ' life 
 which was with the Father.' It was not then the 
 Father himself, but the Word with the Father, the 
 second person in the sacred Trinity that was incar- 
 nated. True it is, the divine essence was incarnate ; 
 and therefore St Paul saith ' God manifested,' because 
 the w hole divine natui'e is in every person, but yet only 
 as in one of the persons ; and therefore our apostle 
 saitli, as here, the Word, so elsewhere ' the Son of God 
 was manifested.' It is true that, as all external works, 
 so ibis of the incarnation belongs to the whole Trinity,^ 
 
 * liitelligcns illam cxliibitionem i)romissi Messia: per in- 
 cariiuiionem factam. — ///'/''• "i loc. 
 
 t )'<;r incarnationem su mundo manifestavit. — Tirin. ibid. 
 
 X 'I'acitffi objcctioui occurrit, Sic.—Illt/r. in loc. 
 
 g Mniiifestata eat ipsa vita in came, &c. — Any. ibid. 
 
 II I'articula xai pro yk^ juxtii Ilebruicam plirasin accipitur. 
 — Zaiirh. ib. 
 
 H \i(lo Damasc. do Orthod. Fid. lib. iii cap. vi. Licet 
 tola 'J'rinitas in cap. iii. 8; liujus forma! nssumptiunem 
 Operala sit tamen iitqiii-, Spiritua aaiictus kciI aolua filius 
 eam «ibi junxit. — Tho. Aquin. pars, tertia, q iii. art. i. Vido 
 Loinb. sent. iii. dist. i. litt. viii. ; Aug. in Lib. do Dogm. 
 EcclcB. cap. ii. ; Alhanas. do lucarnat. Verbi. 
 
 but yet the termination of this work was only in the 
 Son, as three persons maj- make a garment and only 
 one weareth it, or three persons conclude a match, and 
 only one of them, the person, married. 
 
 If it shall be further inquired why the Word, the 
 second person, was manifested, divers reasons are 
 given in answer by the ancients. (1.) Bj' the Word 
 all things were at fii-st made ; fit it is that the new, 
 as well as the old creation, should be his work. 
 (2.) This Word is the image of the Father, and there- 
 fore most fit to restore the image of God in man. 
 (3.) The Wurd is the middle person in the Trinity, 
 and therefore most fit to be mediator between God and 
 man. (4.) He is the Word, to reveal his Father's will 
 to the world, and therefore he fittest to be manifested 
 in the flesh for this end. (5.) He only the Son, and 
 therefore most suitable for him to become the Son of 
 man, that he might make us the sons of God. (G.) In 
 a word, had either the Father or the Holy Ghost been 
 incarnate, there must have been two Sons in the Trinity, 
 which were incongruous. (7.) But when all is said, 
 that which we must acquiesce in is the good pleasure 
 of the blessed Trinity, by whose mutual consent the 
 second person, the Son of God, the Word of life was 
 made flesh, and so manifested. 
 
 3. The last query cometh now to be unfolded, why 
 the thing here intended is called a manifestation ? 
 whereby we shall see the aptitude of this phrase. And 
 to this end I shall answer it, both bj- way of rcmotion 
 and of position. 
 
 (1.) We must not by any means construe this phrase 
 in fiivour of those who deny Christ to have a real body, 
 as if Christ's coming into the world were only a phan- 
 tasm or apparition, — a manifestation in, but no real 
 assumption of, the flesh. In opposition to this heresy, 
 Athanasius saith solidly,* that as in the manifestation 
 of this Word there was no transmutation of the God- 
 head into flesh, so neither a fantastical representation, 
 but a true assumption of flesh. It is true the Holy 
 Ghost only appeared in the shape of a dove, but he 
 came not to redeem doves ; Christ came to redeem 
 man, and therefore would be trulj- man. 
 
 (2.) But if you will know the true reason of this 
 expression, it is because the Deity in our flesh hath 
 most clearly manifested itself to men.f The father's 
 phrase, Ssspaw'a, is not much unlike those Scripture 
 expressions, icrifaviia and fcne^um; ; and Gregory 
 Nazianzcn,! inquiring why Christ's nativity is called 
 by this name, giveth this pregnant reason, ifdiri ya.^ 
 Ssos avd^tu-noii hia yivvrjiricii;, because God made him- 
 self in a special manner manifest to the world by 
 coming into it. 
 
 The truth is, never did God so famili.arly reveal him- 
 self as when he took our nature. Indeed, there is a 
 manifestation of God in the works of his creation ; 
 
 • Vido Athanas. do Sahitaii Advcntu Clirist. 
 t Vide Dyonis. op. iii. ad Cajum. 
 I Naz. Orat. xxxviii. 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 25 
 
 ' the invisible things of his power and Godhead are 
 seen' iu this visible fabric, Rom. i. 20; but this is 
 onlj' of his attributes, as a picture discovereth the art, 
 but not the person, of the painter. There was indeed 
 some manifestation of God to the patriarchs of old, 
 and (as is probablj- conceived) it was the Son of God 
 •which did appear unto them;* yea, and that in an 
 humiin shape, for one of those three men that came to 
 Abraham is not ii'rationally thought to be the second 
 person in the Trinity ; but still those apparitions were 
 but at some times, and to some persons, and indeed 
 were but, as Irenjeusf calleth them, pr<r!iidia vera in- 
 cairudionii, forerunners of his incarnation, and as it 
 were the dawning of the day, wherein the Sun of 
 righteonsness did arise. Indeed, so clearly did the 
 Deity manifest itself in Christ incarnate, that when 
 Philip desireth him to shew him the Father, Christ 
 tells him, ' He that hath seen me hath seen the Father,' 
 John xiv. 9. Thus, as the candle giveth its light 
 through the lantern, and the face is seen through the 
 veil, so did the Godhead manifest itself through our 
 flesh. 
 
 But perhaps you will say. How can this be, that the 
 Deity should be manifested in flesh '? Whatsoever is 
 a medium of discovering anything must be somewhat 
 proportionable to that it discovereth. Now, flesh and 
 God are at a distance, nor is there any proportion 
 between them ; but beloved St Paul, speaking of this, 
 calls it a ' gi'eat mystery,' 2 Tim. iii. 16; and there- 
 fore, if we cannot see how it should be, let that content 
 us. Besides, it cannot be denied but that the assump- 
 tion of our flesh was in respect of the Deity, not a 
 manifestation, but an obscuration, and therefore it is 
 said of him bj' St Paul, ' be emptied himself, he 
 humbled himself,' Philip, ii. 5, 6, when he took on 
 him our nature ; but yet still in respect of us it was 
 a manifestation. 
 
 To clear this briefly, and yet fully, you must know 
 that objects of excelling brightness are best manifested 
 through allaying mediums. Thus the sun, being in it- 
 self so transcendently lightsome, cannot be looked on 
 by us as it shineth in its own lustre, but best conveyeth 
 its lij^ht to us through the clouds; and hence it is that, 
 whilst the clouds obscure, they make the sunbeams to 
 us more obvious. The same is the case in this pre- 
 sent matter: God's face in itself is so bright, that we 
 cannot see it and live, which made the Israelites desire 
 that God would no more speak to them by himself, but 
 by Moses, Exod. sx. 19; whereas in the face of Jesus 
 Christ, through the cloud as it were of our humanity, 
 God is become familiar with men, and we partake of 
 the ' light of the knowledge of the glory of God,' as 
 St Paul speaketh, 2 Cor. iv. 8. 
 
 To apply this, here is matter of, 
 
 1. Exultation, and that upon several grounds. 
 
 • Non pater in rubo, non pater in eremo, sed filius Jfoysi 
 locutus est. — Aml/r. de Ftd. lib. i. cap. v. Hilar, de Trin. 
 lib. iv. I Iren. lib. iv. cap. xxxvii. 
 
 (1.) Because it is spoken of as a thing already ac- 
 complished. It is not the Life may be, or shall he, 
 but iras, manifested. This manifestion was that which 
 the saints of the Old Testament waited for,* and re- 
 joiced in the very expectance, for so it is said by Christ 
 concerning Abraham, ' He saw my day, and rejoiced.' 
 Much more cause have we to rejoice in the real per- 
 formance. 
 
 (2.) When we look upon the impulsive cause of this 
 manifestation, which was no other than free love and 
 mercy. Bevelalio deitalis, rerelatio chaiitatis. In the 
 appearing of our Saviour Christ there was an appear- 
 ing of the gi'ace of God, iu the manifestation of this 
 eternal Life was a manifestation of immense love to 
 the sons of men. And therefore saith Athanasius.f 
 our Saviour gave a great experiment of his singular 
 aft'ection, in that, utpdvrig ILv xai doga.-o; iiifavi, being 
 in himself invisible, he was pleased to manifest himself 
 as the eternal Word to us. 
 
 (3.) And yet, lastly', considering this manifestation 
 in the effect, whereby it appeareth that as he was 
 manifested to ;«, so likewise /be us, even our redemp- 
 tion. The pagans, when any great works are done 
 beyond the common course of nature, ascribe it to the 
 apparition of some deity. The Son of God appeareth 
 to do a gi-eat work, such as not all the creatures in 
 heaven or earth could possibly have effected; this Life 
 was manifested, yea, and he was manifested, that we 
 might have hfe through him. Why art thou strange, 
 poor trembling soul, and standest afar off from him, 
 who draweth so nigh to thee ? The blessed God was 
 wiUing to manifest the riches of his love, and that all 
 terror might be prevented, he appeareth as a man. 
 God is come down, and that not in a flaming fire, 
 roaring thunder, warlike armour, but clothed with the 
 garment of flesh. Thus whilst he veileth his great- 
 ness, he unveileth his goodness, and therefore say not, 
 ' Who shall go up to heaven, to bring down this life to 
 us ? or down into the deep, to fetch it thence ? ' Rom. 
 X. 6. It is nigh us, even manifesting itself in, yea, 
 conveying itself to us by our flesh. 
 
 2. Excitation, to endeavour that as this life was 
 manifested to and for, so it may be in, us. Those 
 words in the Canticles, chap. viii. 6, ' Set me as a 
 seal upon thy heart, and a signet upon thy arm,' are 
 by the ancients understood as the words of Christ to 
 his spouse, thereby stuTing her up to pious affections 
 and religious actions, in quilnis jit/ara Dei Chrislus 
 liiceat,l by which Christ may shine forth, and it may 
 appear that this life liveth in her. That expression 
 of St Paul, ' holding forth the word of life,' Philip, 
 ii. IC, is by somc§ referred to Christ, whom we must 
 hold forth to the world by pious and exemplary con- 
 
 • Coelesti lumine perfusi Christum venturum expcctabant, 
 et videre exoptabant, quein illi futunim prsestolantur, apos- 
 toli prajsentem conspcxerunt. — Irai. lib. iv. cap. xxiv. 
 
 t Athanas. de Incarnat. 
 
 j Ambr. de Yirg. lib. i. i Zanch. 
 
26 
 
 HAKDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. L 
 
 versations, that so as he was pleased to manifest liim- 
 Belf in our nature, we may manifest him in our lives. 
 
 I end this tirst general, which is the Messiah's 
 character, who is the object of the gospel. 
 
 He is the Word, let us give ear to him. 
 
 He is the Life, let us seek it from him. 
 
 He is the eternal Life with the Father, let us adore 
 him. 
 
 He was in due time manifested, let us acknowledge 
 him. 
 
 And to this Word of life, who being from eternity 
 with the Father, was thus pleased to manifest himself, 
 let us give in heart, in word, in life, faith and aflcction, 
 praise and thanksgiving, obedience and subjection, to 
 all eternity. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON V. 
 
 That uhicli u\isj'iom the hecjiiininy, tchirh ux liare heard, Xfhicli ire liuce seen with our o/o', irhich ire hare looked 
 upon, and our hands hare handled, of the V^ord of life. — 1 John I. 1. 
 
 SUCH is the transcendent worth of Christ, the Word, 
 that no words can declare it ; of the Word of life, 
 that no tongue can set it forth to the life ; of the Life 
 manifested, that no expressions can manifest it ; and 
 yet even in these very characters, much of the excel- 
 lency of Christ is delineated before us, so that what 
 the psalmist said of Jerusalem, Ps. Ixxxvii. 3, 
 ' Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of 
 God,' I may say of Christ as ho is here represented, 
 ' Glorious things are spoken of th(!e, O thou Son of 
 God.' Nor is there less verity and dignity in these 
 sayings, that as the one cannot but attract our love, 
 EO the other may engage our faith. This holy apostle 
 and the rest had good "round for clear evidence, con- 
 vincing proof of what they uttered, for it was no more 
 than what sensible experience did assure them of : 
 ' That which wo have heard,' &c. 
 
 It is that part of the text I am now to handle, the 
 commendation of the gospel from certain tradition, as 
 being that which tlio apostles had ' heard, and had 
 seen with their eyes, and their hands had handled, of 
 the Word of life.' ' Out of the mouth of two or three 
 witnesses shall every word be established;' so runs St 
 Paul's maxim, 2 Cor. xiii. 1. Lo, here no less than 
 three witnesses, to wit, three senses, hearing, seeing, 
 handling, produced by St John, to assert the truth of 
 what he writcth. Some expositors* restrain it parti- 
 cularly to the resurrection, of which the apostles first 
 heard by Mary Magdalene, afterwards they saw him 
 themselves, and one of them handled him, putting his 
 hand into his side, John x. 27 ; yea, Christ bids them 
 all to see and liandle him, Luke xxiv. 39. Indeed, the 
 special work of the apostles was to be witnesses of the 
 resurrection, and therefore it is not improbable that 
 St John might have a singular eye to it, but yet wo 
 shall do best to take Scripture in the fullest latitude, 
 and so refer this ad lolam rerhi iiicarnali ireonomiam, 
 to the whole economy of the Word incarnate. Thus 
 
 • Anribus audiere, ocnlia virlere saliitcm, triictavC're mann 
 corpus do morte roceptum — Terlul. contr. Marc, lib., cap vii. 
 Priuii audicrunt, quia Dominus rosurrcxit, postea vero oculis 
 inspexernnt, et contractaruut pedca et inanua et liitus ejus. 
 — JJidi/m. 
 
 according to the several ways whereby Christ was 
 pleased to manifest himself to them, he was heard, 
 seen, and handled by them. He manifested himself 
 in flesh, and so was handled ; in his miracles, and so 
 was seen ; in his wonls, and so was heard. 
 
 That we may the better understand both the intent 
 and extent of these phrases, let us consider them 
 severally. 
 
 1. ' That which we have heard, of the Word of life.' 
 It is a clause which admits of several references : To 
 Mo.'-es and the prophets ; ' That which we have heard,' 
 out of their writings concerning the Messiah ;* for it 
 is mentioned of both, that they were ' read in the 
 Jewish synagogues every Sabbath-day,' whither the 
 apostles often repaired. 
 
 2. To the scribes and pharisees; that which we have 
 heard from thcirmoutbs in their expositions upon Moses 
 and the prophets. The pharisees themselves preached 
 those things concerning the Messiah that were fulfilled 
 in him, and so against their wills gave testimony to 
 him whom they rejected. 
 
 3. To John the Baptist ; that which we heard from 
 him, who was Christ's harbinger to go before him, 
 and pointed at him with an Kece : ' Behold the Lamb 
 of God.' 
 
 4. To the voice from heaven ; that which ' we heard 
 when we were with him in the holy mount,' 2 Peter i. , 
 17, 18. ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased,' the Father himself by this extraordinary way 
 testifying of him. 
 
 5. Or lastly (and as I conceive most suitably to the 
 apostle's meaning), to Christ himself; that which wo 
 heard from his own mouth, for so it secmeth to be ex- 
 pounded at the lifth verse, ' the message that we beard 
 of him ;' not from others, at second baud, but imme- 
 diately from liis own lips.f We read in the Gospel that 
 ' ho opened his mouth and spake,' Mat. v. 1 ; and as 
 generally to the multitude, so more especially to his 
 
 * axi!xea/jct* iiet tow ve/iiv xai ruv Tpoi^nruf. — djCUnietl. Huff. 
 
 t aieiiiit Hoc ill loco non signincat, ex alicirum narra- 
 tiono aliquiil nccipero. serl suia anribus nliqui'l nuitire. — liez. 
 in loc. Au'livimus niiu ab aliia seel ipsoiiu't lilio Dei. — Jus- 
 tin. iiiJ. Aug. de Srrm. Dom. in Hat. 
 
Vku. l.J 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 27 
 
 disciples, unfolding to them the mysteries of the king- 
 dom. Aperuit OS suwn qui priiis aperuit ora piophe- 
 tariim, he that opened the mouths of the prophets, 
 at last openeth his o\ni mouth ; and oracula quasi 
 auraculn, those sacred oracles, which like honey dropped 
 from his lips, were distilled into their cars, who con- 
 tinually sat at his feet to receive instruction from him. 
 Nor was it a naked hearing which the apostle here in- 
 tends, but an hearing so as to understand and belieTc; 
 for it is such an hearing as put them upon declaring, 
 which could not have been unless they had understood, 
 nor would have been except they had believed them- 
 selves. This is that which perhaps the iteration of it 
 at the third verse may insinuate, ' thej- heard, and 
 heard,' to wit, with the ear and with the heart; and 
 that is the right hearing, when there is inlcnuisjidei 
 asseti'ius as well as exlcnius amis atidilus,''' an inward 
 assent accompanying our outward attention. That 
 which Cbrist spake to his disciples, ho many times 
 spake to many others ; but as when the instrument 
 sounds a multitude henr it, yet only the musical ear 
 understands and taketh delight in it, so only the 
 apostles heard with a divine religious ear, by which 
 means it afl'ected their hearts, and inclined them to 
 declare and write that they had heard. 
 
 2. ' That which we have seen with our eyes, that 
 which we have looked upon.' The next sense, which 
 is brought in as a witness, is their sight, and it is set 
 forth with abundauce of emphasis ; to unfold which, 
 observe the extensiveness of the object, and the iuten- 
 siveness of the act. 
 
 (1.) This that, the object, is of a large extent, and 
 may be taken in reference to both his natures, to wit, 
 human and divine. 
 
 [l.J The apostles saw his humanity, beheld him a 
 man, altogether hke to themselves, sin only excepted, 
 they saw him eating, drinking, walking, and thereby 
 expressing the actions of an human body ; yea, they 
 saw him in weariness, hunger, thirst, and so subject 
 to the defects of om' frail nature. 
 
 [2.] They saw his divinity, to wit, in the efi'ects of 
 it, those powerful miracles which were wrought by 
 him. Such works may well challenge oiu" aspect. They 
 saw him cleansing the lepers, curing the sick, opening 
 the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, nay, raising 
 the dead ; and this interpreters conceive St John 
 especiallv to aim at, expounding him by himself in the 
 Gospel, John i. li, where he saith, ' We saw his glory, 
 as the glory of the onlj' begotten Sou of the Father, 
 full of grace and truth ;' yea, besides those miracles 
 which he wrought among men whilst on earth, they 
 saw his glorious transfiguration on the mount, his 
 raising himself from the grave, and his wonderful 
 ascending into heaven, when from mount Olivet ' a 
 cloud received him out of their sight.' All this, and 
 whatever else conduced to declaring either his man- 
 
 * Vide Lor. Did. ii> loc. 
 
 hood or his Godhead, may be very well comprehended 
 in the o, ' that which we have seen.' 
 
 (2.) The act is set forth with a great deal of advan- 
 tage, to express the inteusivenoss of it. For, 
 
 [1.] It is not barely ' that which we have seen,' but 
 ' that which we have seen with our eyes,' an addition 
 which may seem a <:TX£omff;j.o; (since if we do see, it 
 must be with our eyes), but is indeed an s'^riyr/Sic, 
 since, as Chrj-sostom well observeth concerning the 
 like phrase of hearing with our ears,* it is y.oivo]/ ijhg 
 atS^iiTon, the usual custom of men, when they assert 
 anything whereof they are fully assured, and that to 
 those who, by reason of the strangeness of it, may 
 seem to doubt, to say, I heard it with these ears, I 
 saw it with these eyes, and these hands handled it. 
 
 [2.] It is not once, but twice, nay, thrice expressed, 
 as if there lay a great deal of weight in the evidence of 
 this sense, as indeed there doth ; and therefore, that 
 we may be assured they did see what they declared, 
 it is not only mentioned so emphatically in the first 
 verse, we ' have seen with our eyes,' but again in the 
 second, ' the life was manifested, and we have seen it ;' 
 and yet again, ut dihicidior fieret sodenlia et certior 
 veritas,-\ that the sentence which was obscured by the 
 parenthesis might be made more plain by an epana- 
 lepsis, and withal, that the truth of what is asserted 
 might appear more certain, it is repeated at the third 
 verse, ' that which we have seen and heard.' 
 
 [3.] To express it yet more fully, here is another 
 wordt added, more significant than the former, ' which 
 we have looked upon.' It is the same with that which 
 is used in the Gospel, John i. 14, ' we saw his glory ;' 
 and there are several things which it doth superadd. 
 
 First, That they saw not only with bodily, but with 
 mental eyes. They saw cum ilijudicatioiie, considering 
 and judging what they saw, and which upon mature 
 judgment was found to be as it appeared ; for so Didy- 
 mus§ referreth seeing to the body, and looking on to 
 the mind. Indeed, this was it which diflerenced the 
 apostles from the rest of the beholders. Christ had 
 many spectators of his person and works, bnt the great 
 part only saw them with their eyes, but did not look 
 upon them with their judgments, so as to ponder and 
 consider aright of them, and therefore were not con- 
 verted by them ; whereas the holy apostles so saw, 
 that they looked on with serious and deliberate in- 
 spection. 
 
 Secondly, That what they saw was not done pri- 
 vately in a corner, but to the open view. The word 
 here used is the root of 3;a-50i', which s'gnifieth a 
 stage, or theatre ; and that you know is an open place. 
 Acts X. 14, nolhiug more public than that which is 
 * Clirvsost. in Pa. 441. Effic.ax loculio, iion cnim satis 
 fuit, dicere vidimus, scd addit oculls noslris. — Grol. ibid. 
 t Zancli. in loc. 
 
 t SiiirSmi spectare plus quam icai videre. — Zanc. 
 § Didym. in loc. Multa videnius oculis qua rcvocata ad 
 judicium aninii secus cssent. — Arel. ibid. Sollicitam et 
 sagaeem iusiiecUoncm indicat. — Justinijn. ib. 
 
28 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [CHAr. I. 
 
 acted upon a stage. Thus it is said of him after his 
 re.<uiTectioD, that ' God shewed him openly,' though 
 not so openly as hefore, when he went about in several 
 places doing good, and working miracles, in the sight 
 not only of his apostles, but the people. 
 
 Tliir'dbj, That what they saw was not a transient, 
 but a continued sight. It was not one, but many 
 miracles thoy beheld ; not once, but often that they 
 saw him ; and therefore it was not probable they 
 should be deceived. St Luke saith, Christ was ' seen 
 of his apostles after the resurrection for forty days,' 
 Acls i. 8, and before, for many years together. To this 
 purpose is Grotius* his gloss upon the text, diu mid- 
 twiKpte, we frequently, constantly, beheld the great 
 things that were done by him. 
 
 Fuiirtlih/, Lastly, that they so saw as to believe ; 
 and believing, to rejoice ; and rejoicing, to admire at 
 those things which they beheld. To this purpose is 
 that of the Greek scholiast, beholding with our eyes, 
 we wondered at that we saw ; for that the Greek word 
 is used sometimes to signify, to see a thing with ad- 
 mirationf and amazement. Indeed 3avaa7a quasi 
 ^la/j.ara, minicida, specUicii/n, miracles are such sights 
 as u:ay well raise our admiration at the beholding of 
 them. No wonder that Christ's wonders were seen 
 with wonder. Besides, 
 
 3. And our hands have handled. The last of the 
 senses, but not the least, nay, greatest in point of 
 e\'idcnce, is that of handling. Nor is it unworthy our 
 observation, how fit a gradation is here made.| The 
 apo.stle proceeding still higher and higher, he begins 
 with hearing, as being that sense which is most cap- 
 able of deception ; from thence he risoth to that of 
 seeing, which is more certain, one eye-witness being 
 of more value than ten ear-witnesses ;§ and yet be- 
 cause seeing might pretend htdihria ocxloniin, the eye 
 might be subject to delusion, he addcth another sense, 
 which as it is cnissiur, so it is cfrlior, more gross, so it 
 is more sure, asserting that what he declared with 
 Lis mouth, was that which not only his ear and eyes, 
 but his hands, gave testimony to. j That one of the 
 apostles, namely, Thomas, did handle him with his 
 hands, is expressed ; and where it is said of this 
 apostle, that he leaned in his bosom, it implieth that 
 he liandled him ; nay, inasmuch as wo find that the 
 other apostles did cat, drink, converse with him, nay, 
 that he saitli to them, ' Handle and see,' liuke xxiv. 89 : 
 it is not improbably conceived that they might all 
 handle him, so much the rather considering that it is 
 
 * Grot, in loc. 
 
 y GiafHai \fTi TC fttra ^dufiuro; xflti ^xfifi^oos h^av. — (Ecutneil. 
 
 X Ipsa {;rafliitio crcsceiitimn verl>onun valdi facit ad ceiti- 
 tuilinetn. — Illt/r. 
 
 J Plurirt est uuus ocuhitus testis, 411:1111 auriti decern. — 
 Plaul. Trucul. 
 
 II Ipso ct Buditus et visus, ct, no phantasma crcderetur, 
 tract.itus — Tert. adv. J'rax. c. 15, Vide Arislot.de an 1. 2, 
 text 'Ji. Eos pie ad robur lidei invitabat ad tactum — Sim. de 
 Cms. 1. 14. 
 
 here affirmed by St John, not only of himself, but 
 others, ' our hands have handled.' Nor doth this 
 handling only refer to his person, but his miracles, 
 the fishes and loaves which he gave them to feed so 
 many thousands with, the dead bodies which he raised 
 to lite,* whereby the reality and verity of his miracles 
 did the more clearh' appear to them. 
 
 There are only two questions would be discussed ere 
 we apply this truth. 
 
 1. How all this can be verified in reference to ' the 
 Word of life, which was with the Father' "? Can a 
 spu'itual substance be handled, an immaterial be 
 visible, an incorporeal bo heard '? And such is the Word 
 of life ; and yet thus it is here asserted, ' we have heard, 
 we have seen with our ej'es, and our hands have handled, 
 of the Word of life.' 
 
 To which the answer is easily returned, that this 
 person, the AVord of hfe, was made flesh ;t or as it is 
 in the next verse, was manifested, to wit, in human 
 nature ; and so though in himself he were invisible, 
 yet in flesh he was visible and palpable. This is that 
 which perhaps may be insinuated in the preposition 
 mil here inserted. It is not said tlic, but of, or con- 
 ceinliiij the ]]'urd of life, because it was not the veiy 
 Word itself, but that nature which the Word assumeth 
 to itself ; though withal, iuasmuch as that nature was 
 assumed into unity of person with the Word, it was 
 the Word itself they saw and handled ; and so tej; 
 Tou X6yov is only an Hebraism, and equivalent to rbv 
 Xoyov, as Tiii nnji/.arog in the Acts answereth to rh 
 ■jrviZiMa, and so the Syriac readeth it ' the word of life.' 
 
 2. What might be the reason why the apostles had 
 such sensible contii-mation of what they did declare ? 
 
 The answer to which is, because, 
 
 (1.) The holy apostles were to be the first publishers 
 of the doctrine concerning Christ come in the flesh. J 
 (2.) The doctrines they were to publish, were such as 
 were very incredible to human reason, and therefore 
 presently found great opposition. Nay, yet further, 
 (8.) these apostles were not only to be the first de- 
 cliU'ers, but, by reason of persecution, wore to be in 
 some kind or other sufl'erers for the truth of that which 
 they did declwe.§ Now, upon these considerations 
 it was most requisite these planters of Christianity 
 should bo bold and resolute in declaring and defending 
 what they declared. Kationally, much less religiousl}', 
 bold they could not be, unless strongly and undoubtedly 
 
 * Tcrtiuin seiisuiu adjicit lai'tiim nam is (hkmiiu' intcrvcnit 
 tuiii alibi tuiii ill paiiibus imiltiplicatiset lyazain. — Grot, ittid. 
 
 t Veibuni caro factum sic .sri'iiioiiciii vita; videie pussiut. 
 — Aug. in ep. Veibum Dei quod per se iiivisibilo, vident 
 Apostoli, traclant, &c. — llier. in Amos. Filius Dei in sua 
 iiatura invisibilis in nostra natuia visiliilis factus est, &c. — 
 Cypr. de bapt. Vide Zanch. Justin. Jicz. in loe. 
 
 X Neccssavium fuit ut apo.stoli co tactu, visu, crcdcrcnt, 
 quijipo qui ad posterilatem ceititudincm suib iidei erant 
 transinissuri. — I'nul. I'al. in Joli. 
 
 § Cum dis)iliceret i)isum tostimouiura, passi sunt omnia 
 qiise passi martyres, &c. — Aiii/. in ep. 
 
Ver. 1.] 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 29 
 
 confirmed in, and assured of the tnitli of those things 
 they did declare ; and this confirmation they could not 
 have hy a better way than sensible demonstration.* 
 Hence it is that the apostles give this as the reason 
 of thcii' resolvednoss, ' We cannot but speak the things 
 ■we see and hear,' Acts iv. 20 ; and St Luke, Acts. i. 3,t 
 calls those proofs which the apostle had of Christ's 
 resurrection, by seeing and conversing with him, 
 rex>j.yisia,l which our translation not unfitlj' rcndereth 
 ' infallible proofs,' by which therefore they were no 
 doubt strengthened in their faith, and animated with 
 courage. 
 
 To apply this to ourselves in several particulars. 
 1. Here is matter of confutation, and that both 
 direct and collateral. 
 
 (1.) This directly confuteth a double heresy, 
 fl.] That of the Marcionites, and Manichees§ 
 (whereof St Austin saith CerJo was the author), who 
 assert all things Christ did, were xard do^av, only in 
 appearance, denying that ho was truly man. But 
 sm'ely when we read that he was not only heard, but 
 seen and handled, we must needs acknowledge him 
 real man. An apparition may indeed deceive the sight, 
 but it cannot the feeling ; Christ was not only seen 
 but felt ; hence it is that this is his own argument to 
 his disciples, when they doubted whether he were not 
 a spirit : ' Handle me, see me, for a spirit hath not 
 flesh and bones, as you see me to have,' Luke 
 xxiv. 39. 
 
 [2.] That of the Nestorians, who assert two persons, 
 the one the Son of God, the other the son of Maiy ; 
 but were it so, St John's words could not be verified, 
 they saw and handled the Word of life, for it was only 
 the manhood they saw and handled ; and if the man 
 Christ were a distinct person from the Word of life, 
 they could not be said to handle the one when they 
 handled the other ; and therefore we do from these, 
 and such other like places, strongly assert the unity 
 of the two natures in one person, it being one and the 
 same person, who, as God, was invisible, and as man 
 visible ; as God, was from the beginning, as man, had 
 a beginning ; as God, was immaterial, and as man 
 palpable. 1 
 
 (2.) This collaterally confutes that error of the pa- 
 pists, who assert the flesh and blood of Christ to be 
 corporally present in the holy sacrament, so as that 
 the bread and wine are by a miraculous work tran- 
 substantiated into it; indeed, from this very clause, 
 a strong argument may be drawn, and that two ways. 
 [1.' To prove that Christ's flesh and blood is not 
 there corporally present, because then it must be 
 
 * Quod videt aliquis potest nuntiare alteri, &c. — Didym. ib. 
 t Vide Quintil. 1, 5,c. 9. 
 
 J Tix/iK^ia. Gr£Eci indubitata et necessaria sign a vocant. — 
 Bez. 
 
 § Aug. de litres. 
 
 II us nv tta) aiial^tres e avrl; xa.\ hctra; xa) aSiaroi^ &C. — 
 CEcuJnen. i aV«fxo; faoK«uraif i iopecros OBurcti « a^pofat ag>'i- 
 Tai. — A'dz. oral. 38. 
 
 visible. It is an undoubted maxim in philosophy, 
 oiime corporeum est quantum, quantity is inseparable 
 from corporeity ; and being so, it cannot but be visible 
 and palpable ; nay, since it impKeth a contradiction 
 for a thing to be a body, and not to be visible, because 
 it is as much as to he, and not to he, a body, it is that 
 which omnipotency itself cannot do, and therefore in 
 vain is a miracle pretended.* 
 
 [2.] To prove that the bread and wine in the holy 
 sacrament are not transubstantiated, but remain bread 
 and wine still, because it is a clear axiom, bodies are 
 such in their own nature as they present themselves 
 to the sense, when it is every way disposed and fitted 
 for the object. Now that which at the holy table ofier- 
 eth itself to the view, and taste, and touch of the most 
 rectified organ, is not flesh and blood, but bread and 
 W'ine ; and therefore, if St John's proof here be vahd, 
 that which he declared was true, because he saw and 
 handled it. We may with the same validity prove it is 
 bread and wine in the sacrament, because by seeing 
 and handling we find it to be such. 
 
 2. Here is matter of conviction, to persuade us of 
 the verity of the apostolical writings. It is true, the 
 chief reason why we are to receive their writings is be- 
 cause they were moved, and extraordinarily assisted in 
 the penning of them, by the Holy Ghost ; but 3-et 
 withal this may be a secondary reason of our assent 
 to what they testified and wrote, because it was no 
 other than that which they had heard, nay seen, nay 
 handled. We all think it just and reasonable to believe 
 a man when he speaketh not by hearsay, but personal 
 experience ; and why, then, is it not reason that we 
 should believe the apostles, who declare nothing but 
 what they heard, saw, and handled? This was so 
 rational an argument in St John's account, that, speak- 
 ing concerning Christ's being thrust through with a 
 spear, he thus argueth, John xix. 35, ' He that saw 
 it bare record, and his record is true ;' therefore true, 
 because of that which he saw ; and hence it is that 
 John the Baptist, complaining of the Jews' infidelity in 
 rejecting Christ, uscth this aggravation, John iii. 32, 
 ' \fhaX he hath seen and heard, that he tesifieth, and 
 no man receiveth his testimony ;' and in the same 
 chapter, ver. 11, Christ himself taketh up the same 
 complaint to Nicodcnius, ' Verily, verily, I say unto 
 thee. We speak that we do know, and testify that we 
 have seen, and you receive not our witness.' 
 
 To drive this nail to the head ; there are but three 
 things that can possibly be objected against this rea- 
 son, which being cleared, I conceive it will remain un- 
 answerable, and such as may convince a Jew, a pagan, 
 if they were not wilfully blind. 
 
 That they say they heard, saw, and handled, what 
 they never did, and so were no better than deceivers. 
 That they did only think they saw such things, but 
 in truth did not, and so were themselves deceived. 
 That that which they did hear, see, handle, will not 
 
 * ^av mfACLTOuov oeartr iffTi xtLi nTTOi. — Plat. In Trin, 
 
30 
 
 UARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 amount to a proof of what the.v declared, namely, that 
 Jesus was the Christ. To all which I doubt not but 
 to return a full answer. 
 
 1. As to the first, such an accusation cannot equit- 
 ably be charged on any, except they either were men 
 of loose and flagitious lives, and so not likely to make 
 any conscience of a lie ; or else that there were some 
 gi-eat advantage apparently accruing by such a lie, 
 which perhaps might have an influence, not only on a 
 loose but a civil person. Now neither of these can in 
 this case be alleged ; for, 
 
 (1.) The apostles were men of holy and exemplary 
 lives, men that did ' shine as lights in the world' by 
 their good conversation, Philip, ii. 15 ; men whom those 
 grand apostates, and enemies of Christianity, could 
 charge with nothing but simplicity; and therefore no 
 reason to suspect that they should tell such a gross lie, 
 as to say they heard, or saw, or handled what they 
 never did. 
 
 (2.) It is suflSciently manifest that they were not 
 allured to bear this testimony by any gain, either of 
 honour, or profit, or pleasure ;* nay, instead of gain, 
 there was nothing but loss ; they were hated of all 
 men, for Christ's name's sake ; they forsook father, 
 mother, friends ; they were exposed to hunger, thirst, 
 cold, nakedness, tortures, and most of them to death 
 itself. Ketiio ynitis mains est, no man will be wicked 
 for nothing, nay, invent and maintain, and stand in a 
 lie, when no benefit, but a gi-eat injury, redounds to 
 him by it; and, therefore, we may justly conceive that 
 it was nothing but the force of truth that prevailed 
 upon them, and the Spirit of God burning as a fire in 
 their bosoms, which could not be concealed. 
 
 2. As to the second, these tliree things are very con- 
 siderable. 
 
 (1.) That where the object is sensible, if there be a 
 fit organ, an apt medium, aud a convenient distance, 
 the sense is not, cannot be, deceived, nor is there 
 any demonstration more certain. Now these things, 
 of which the apostles bear witness, were things placed 
 within the compass of sense, as being concerning a 
 man, bis birth, death, and resurrection, and the like, 
 all which are sensible objects ; and they who tell us 
 they saw these things were the companions of this 
 man, always near to, conversing with, him ; nor did 
 ever any deny them to be men of perfect senses ; and, 
 therefore, there is no reason to suspect a deceit. 
 
 (2.) That it was not one or two, or a few, but many, 
 who had this sensible experience. There were twelve 
 who did continually attend upon Christ ; and, after 
 his resurrection, be was seen of above five hundred, 
 1 Cor. XV. G. Though one man's sense might be bad, 
 or fallible, yet it is not imaginable that so many were de- 
 ceived, especially considering th it all they who testify 
 to us what they saw, agree (or substance in one and the 
 same testimony, not varying from, norjaiTJng against, 
 one another. 
 
 * Yi'« Grot. (Ic vcrit. Chris'. Kclig. '. ii. 
 
 (3.) And yet, once more, it is j/Iurium sensitum expe- 
 rimeiiliiin, they had the proof of many senses, and if 
 one, yet it is not likely that all should be deceived ;* 
 if the oars, yet sure not the eye ; if the ear and eye, 
 yet not the hand ; if any, yet not all of these ; and, 
 therefore, it is xary improbable, nay, impossible, they 
 should be deceived. 
 
 3. As to the last, the contrary will pldiily appear, 
 if we consider these two things. 
 
 (1.) The proving those prophecies which were made 
 concerning the Messiah to be fulfilled in him, is an 
 evident proof that he was the Messiah ; but by their 
 senses they might and did prove these things to be 
 accomplished in him, for they saw him born and dying, 
 and rising according to the Scriptures, the greatest 
 part of those things which are foretold being within 
 the reach of sense. 
 
 (2.) The proving him to be a worker of glorious 
 miracles (such as never any before nor since did nor 
 could do, unless by his power, and in his name) 
 jwoveth him to be the Messiah, the great prophet 
 which should come into the world ; but by sense they 
 were able to prove that such and such miracles were 
 wrought by him ; and therefore it is very observable, 
 that when John scut to Christ, to know whether he 
 was he, or they must look for another, the answer 
 Christ returneth is an argument drawn from sense : 
 Luke vii. 20-22, ' Go tell John what things ye have 
 seen and heard ; how that the bhnd see, the lame 
 walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead 
 are raised, and to the poor the gospel is preached.' 
 And, therefore, all these considerations being laid 
 together, it remaineth as a clear truth, that Christian 
 religion is very reasonable ; and the sensible experience 
 which the apostles, those first planters of Christianity, 
 had concerning the things they declared aud wrote, is 
 a strong and undeniable reason why we should give 
 credence and obedience to their writings. 
 
 To draw to an end, here is, in the last place, mat- 
 ter of exhortation, and that double. 
 
 1. That before we declare things or truths to others, 
 we look that wo be fully convinced of their verity our- 
 selves. Surely if he that doth any thiug which he 
 doubtoth whether it be lawful, sinnctb, much more ho 
 that dcclareth any thiug which he doubteth whether 
 it bo true ; and especially doth this concern tho mi- 
 nisters of the gospel, who being to ' speak as the 
 oracles of God,' must speak the word of truth. 
 
 Indeed, there are two things every good minister 
 should be careful to do, in respect of the things he 
 declareth : 
 
 To work the goodness of them on his own afifec- 
 tions. 
 
 To imprint the verity of them on his own under- 
 standing. 
 
 Tho truth is, what wc take only upon hearsay, or 
 
 * Falsa utiiiue lostntio si oculorum et nurium ct manuum, 
 Bcnsus, natura lucntilur. — Terlul. de Anim. cap. 17. 
 
Ver. l.J 
 
 SEUMON VI. 
 
 31 
 
 is only a fiction of our own biiiiu, anJ nn invention of 
 our own fancy, we can never confidently maintain, or, 
 however, not solidly ; and the true reason why so 
 many recant, deny the truth thoy have declared, is 
 (at least for the most part) because they were never 
 thoroughly stablished in the faith, and sufficiently con- 
 vinced of its verity. 
 
 2. That so far as is imitable by ua, we follow these 
 holy apostles, in hearing, seeing, looking on, and hand- 
 ling the word of life. It is true, we cannot now hear 
 Christ speaking to us with his own mouth, but we may 
 hear him speaking to us by his faithful messengers. 
 ' We pray you in Christ's stead,' saith the apostle, 
 2 Cor. V. 20 ; and again, it is ' Christ that speaketh 
 in us,' chap. xii. 5. Oh, then, let him that hath 
 ears hoar, and let us all pray for that hearing ear, 
 whereby we may attend to what Christ's ministers 
 speak from, as if it were spoken by him, to wit, with 
 all humility and sincerity. Again, we cannot now see 
 him in his person, but we may see him in his ordi- 
 nances. St Paul saith, that in the gospel, Jesus 
 
 Christ is ' before our eyes, evidently sot forth, cruci- 
 fied among us,' Gal. iii. 1 ; and that in the holy sacra- 
 ment ' we shew forth the Lord's death till he come,' 
 1 Cor. xi. 16. Oh, therefore, let us in these holy 
 ordinances see, and so see, as to look upon, and re- 
 joice in him. Finally, we cannot handle him corpo- 
 rally in himself, but we may handle him sacramentally 
 in the pledges of his love, the bread and wine ; we may 
 handle him, though not literally, yet metaphorically 
 by faith, believing on him. Indeed, it is faith that 
 can do all these acts, hear and see, and look on, and 
 handle Christ ; it is the Christian's ear, and eye, and 
 hand ; let us so make use of it, by faith attending to 
 him, beholding and embracing him, till at last the time 
 come of his second manifestation, when with these 
 eyes, and no other, Job sis. 27, we shall see him 
 coming in the glory of his Father, and to the endless 
 joy of our hearts hear him pronouncing the sweet sen- 
 tence, ' Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the 
 kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the 
 world,' Mat. xxv. 34. 
 
 SEKMON VI. 
 
 Tliiit which was from thr he;/iniiiii(j.- 
 
 -1 John I. ver. 1, part first. 
 Ver. 3, part middle. 
 
 That ijc aho maij h'ire j'e'Jotrship wiili /(s. 
 
 CHRISTIAN religion hath ever met with contra- 
 diction. It is true as St Paul saith, 2 Tim. 
 iii. IG, ' Without controversy, it is a great mj-stery ;' 
 but it is as true, that because it is a great mystery, 
 therefore it hath never been without controversy, nor 
 hath the devil been wanting to blow this flame, raise 
 these commotions. At the first he strove to strangle 
 this babe in the cradle, nip this blossom in the bud, 
 and devour Christianity in its infancy, whilst he stirred 
 up the Jews and Pagans without, various false teachers 
 within the church, to oppugn true religion. For this 
 reason, no doubt, it was that this holy apostle en- 
 deavoured to confirm those to whom he wrote, in the 
 verity of Christian faith ; to which end, ho beginneth 
 this epistle with discovering both its antiquitj' and 
 certainty, in these words, ' That which was from the 
 beginning,' &c. 
 
 The antiquity of the Gospel's origination, is that part 
 I am next to handle, as it is expressed in the very 
 beginning, ' That which was from the beginning.' I 
 am not ignorant that a great part of expositors refer 
 these words to the person of Christ, as if St John's 
 meaning were thus to be constnicd, ' The Word of life 
 which was from the beginning.' A special argument 
 moving them to this interpretation, is the fit corres- 
 pondence between the Epistle and the Gospel, which 
 begins with those words, ' In the beginning was the 
 Word,' and is no doubt to be understood of Christ, 
 signifying his eternal substance. Indeed, these words. 
 
 ' was from the beginning,' do very fitly and fully re- 
 present that divine truth to us. For, 
 
 1. The verb was, being a verb substantive, is 
 peculiar to God,* and so belongs to Christ as God. 
 The being of all creatures is determined to somo 
 species, as it is an augel, or it is a man, and the like; 
 only of God we say he is, without any additament, for 
 that is the name God gave himself: Exod. iii. 14, ' I 
 AM hath sent thee ;' and Christ applieth to himself, 
 Johnviii. 58, 'Before Abraham was, I am.' Indeed, 
 the tense is very improper, since eternity admits not 
 of 2'1'ius or jjosterius, nor knoweth any succession ; but 
 yet, as St Austin observeth.f because of the mutability 
 of time, in which we subsist, we best conceive of 
 eternity by refen-ing to those distinctions of time, past, 
 present, to come, affirming of Christ as God, that ho 
 was, is, and shall be. Since there was no time wherein 
 he was not, there shall be no time wherein ho shall 
 not be, and there is no time wherein he is not ; in 
 which respect he is said to be, ' yesterday, to-day, and 
 the same for ever,' Heb. xiii. 8. 
 
 2. These words, fivm the hfijinniiui, serve yet more 
 clearly to express the eternity of his Godhead, whether 
 we understand by herjinniiKj eternity itself, or the be- 
 ginning of the creation. Some construe he/jinning hj 
 
 * Verbum iivm proprie ad Dcum pevtinct — -Bez. 
 
 t Propter niulaljilitatcni Icmporum in quihiis vcrsatur 
 noslra mortalitas, nou inendacitcr dicimus ct fuit et crit, et 
 est, &c. — Aug. in Joh. tr. xix. 
 
32 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 eternity, for though it is true cternif_y hath no begin- 
 ning, yet inasmuch as it is no less true that there was 
 nothing before eternity, this word beginning may 
 though improperly be applied to it, and so u-at from 
 the beyinniwi is was from eternity. 
 
 The most, and I conceive most rationally, under- 
 stand by beginning, reriim omuiiim initium, the begin- 
 ning of all things, that time when all creatm-es began 
 to have a being; and so this//w» is the same with the 
 Gospel's in, and both as much as before the begin- 
 ning.* In this respect it is that St Austin observcth, 
 it is not said God made him in the beginning, as it is 
 of the heaven and the earth, and the things in both ;t 
 but he was in the beginning even then when other 
 things began to exist, he had a personal subsistence 
 and therefore eternal, because whatsoever was before 
 the beginning of time must bo eternal. 
 
 And if in this sense ve coustiue these words, they 
 are prefixed no doubt on purpose to prevent a mistake 
 which might arise from the following words ; for 
 whereas they might have been apt, with some heretics, 
 to think that this Word did not begin to be till he was 
 heard, seen, and handled, he first acquaints them that 
 he was from the beginning. Indeed, then it was he 
 began to he man, but not tn lie: then he was made flesh, 
 but he was the Word before, | even from all eternity, 
 the Word of life which was from the beginning. But 
 when I observe the grammar of the text, I must crave 
 leave to recede from this exposition, for it is not S;, 
 but 0, he which was, or the word which was, but tiiat 
 which was from the beginning concerning the word of 
 life; by which it appcareth that the most proper refer- 
 ence of these words, is not to the jjerson of Christ, but 
 to the doctrine which the gospel revealetli concerning 
 him, § and this exposition no less agrees with the logic 
 than the gi-ammar of the text, since in this sense (as 
 Qicumenius, Thoophilact, and Athanasius have ob- 
 served) the words are an answer to that objection 
 which was made against Christian doctrine by its 
 enemies, as if it were a new doctrine. That therefore 
 he might take olf this aspersion, which both Jews and 
 Greeks did cast upon Christianity, he assures ns that 
 it is no novel fancy, but an ancient mystery, that which 
 was from the beginning. 
 
 And now, according to this interpretation, we are 
 further to inquire in what respect this is verified of 
 Christian religion, evangelical doctrine, that it was 
 from the beginning. 
 
 The answer to which will bo despatched in three 
 considerations, each of which cxceodcth the other. 
 
 • jlslernitns est principium sine principio. — Lap in loc. 
 Confer .Mat. xix. -1, cum ver. 8. air' i^x'-i ■"UTtirri t-j«. — 
 CEcumen. In ijrincipio sic ilictum, ac si diccrctur ante omnia. 
 — Ana. tie Triiiit. 1. vi c. 2. 
 
 t Non sicni in principio fecit Pens ccclum et terram, i(a in 
 principio fecit v.rbuin ; sed in principio crat verbum. — Aug. 
 Ep. Ixvi. 
 
 J Ctrpit esse cnro ex Virginc Maria sed non tunc ctcpit 
 esse verbum, &c. — Auy. in ep. 
 
 § Vide Atbana.". Sjnop?. ThcopU. et Qicumen. in loc- 
 
 1. That which was from the beginning, that is, 
 which was preached from the very first, that Christi- 
 anity was published to the world. That this phrase 
 
 from the lieyinniiii/ is so to be understood in some 
 places, both of the Gospel and Epistle, is not to be 
 denied ; and Yorstius is positive that it must be so 
 understood here ;* nor will I reject this sense, though 
 I shall not confine the words to it. Take it then thus 
 briefly : Soon after the gospel was preached, there 
 arose up some who broached another gospel, and filled 
 the church with damnable heresies. Now St John in 
 these words acquits his doctrine from partaking with 
 heresies, and lets them know that what he declared to 
 them was not what some heretics had lately invented, 
 and privily brought into the church, but what was 
 taught by Christ to his apostles, and by them to the 
 world from the very beginning. 
 
 2. But besides this, we may very well carry the ex- 
 pression a great deal further, and look backward as 
 far as the fall of man, which was in the beginning of 
 the world, and so ' that which was from the beginuing,' 
 that is the doctrine which, soon after the world began, 
 was preached to man ; f for indeed the promise made 
 by God to Adnm, ' the seed of the woman shall break 
 the serpent's head,' \^hat is it but an abridgment of 
 the gospel, an epitome of Christianity, a summary 
 of evangehcal truths ? Nay, this doctrine is that 
 which still along was unihris pnrfiyuratu, vaticiniis 
 pnrdictn, prefigured in the types, and foretold in the 
 prophecies; upon which ground St Paul sa'th ex- 
 pressly of the gospel of God, it is ' that which he had 
 promised afore by his prophets, in the holy Scriptures,' 
 llom. i. 2 ; and Zacharias saith, Luke i. 70, the 
 ' raising up of Christ an horn of salvation,' is that 'he 
 spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have 
 been since the world began.' The truth is, as God 
 would never have man destitute of a way to come to 
 him, so the way for fallen man to come to him hath 
 been one and the same for substance in all ages of 
 the church ; and the New Testament is nothing else 
 but the unveilhig of Moses his fiice, a breaking of the 
 Old Testament shell, a more clear discovery of what 
 was, though darkly, made known from the beginning. 
 
 8. And yet, to go one step further, beyond which 
 we cannot go, that ' which was from the beginning,' 
 that is, before the beginning of the world, to wit, in 
 the eternal purpose and counsel of God. Indeed, as 
 the permission of man's fall, which was in the begin- 
 ning of time, so the efl'ecting of man's redemption, 
 which was in the fulness of time, was foreordained by 
 God before all time; so as the gospel is nothing else 
 but as it were a copy of that writing which was in the 
 mind of God from all eternity. In this respect it is 
 that the gospel is called ' the everlasting gospel,' Rev. 
 
 * Videtur omnino dcsignari tempus illud quo primum 
 caipit cvangelium prajdicari. — Vorst. in loc. 
 
 I A condito orbc in ccclesia semper priedicata, &c. — 
 Zanc. 
 
Ver. 1, 3.] 
 
 SERMON Vr. 
 
 33 
 
 xiv. C, and Christ is said to be ' the Lamb slain from 
 the foundation of the world,' chap. siii. 8 ; and yet 
 more clearly, ' this eternal life' is said to be that ' which 
 God, which cannot lie, promised (that is, purposed) 
 before the world began,' Titus i. 2.* 
 
 From whence we may profitably infer a double con- 
 clusion : 
 
 True antiquity is a sure mark of verity. 
 
 That antiquity is true which is from the beginning. 
 
 1 . Would ministers know what doctrine they ought 
 to declare, and the people what they are to receive '? 
 This is a good rule : let it be that doctrine which hath 
 been anciently embraced and maintained by the Chris- 
 tian church ; a very seasonable item in these days, 
 wherein, to use Vincentius Lyrinensisf his expression, 
 Bene fundatti aiiliquilas scelesti iwvitatc subndtur, well 
 grounded antiquity is overturned by fanatic novelty. 
 The cry of the Egyptian priest in Plato, cited by Cle- 
 mens Alexandrinus, ' Solon, Solon, you are always 
 children, 't may fitly be taken up of the men of this 
 generation ; they are children pleased with every novel 
 toy, and ' tossed to and fro with every wind of doc- 
 trine.' Not content with the ancient apostolical go- 
 vernment, universally continued in the Christian 
 church for many hundred years, we have endeavoured 
 to erect new forms, which, Proteus-like, change into 
 several shapes, and about which the contrivers can- 
 not tell how to agi-ee. Not knowing indeed, them- 
 selves, what they would have ; not satisfied with, nay, 
 much otl'ended at, the ancient devout liturgy of our 
 English church, which the first compilers extracted as 
 a quintessence out of the several preceding liturgies, 
 both of the Greek and Latin church, we have erected 
 a new, or rather no way of worship, leaving every 
 minister to the dangerous liberty of an extemporary 
 devotion, and the people to the sad slavery of hearing 
 those vain tautologies, nay, many times horrid blas- 
 phemies, which are vented in those kind of prayers. 
 And yet once more, not willing to be regulated by those 
 ancient doctrinal truths, which the church, from and 
 with the holy Scriptures, hath delivered to us, how 
 many are there amongst us who seek another gospel, 
 vent strange opinions, the people heaping up to them- 
 selves teachers, and the teachers heaping up to them- 
 selves auditors, who have an itch after novelty, not 
 only in discipline, but doctrine. 
 
 my brethren, take we all heed lest we be infected 
 with this itch, which is the sister of superstition, 
 mother of rashness, and the daughter of inconstancy. 
 Rather let the prophet Jeremiah his words take place 
 with us : Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye 
 in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where 
 is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find 
 rest for your souls.' Let St Paul's counsel to Timothy 
 be acceptable: 2 Tim. i. 13, 14, serva depositum, ' Hold 
 
 * Vide Est. ibid. 
 
 t Vincent. Lyr. adv. haer. cap. 9, 26, 30. 
 
 J CI. Al. Strom, lib. i. in fine. 
 
 fast the form of sound words,' non a te inrentum, sed 
 tibi credilwn, which was not invented by thee, but 
 committed to thee ;* and according to St Jude's ex- 
 hortation, Jude 2, let us ' contend earnestly for the 
 faith which was once delivered to the saints.' Finally, 
 let St Jerome's practice be our pattern, Mewu pro- 
 piKttum est antiquos leqere, et a fide ecclesite catlwlica non 
 recedeir, my rosolve is to read the ancients, and not 
 recede from the faith of the catholic church. Indeed, 
 however it may now be made one of the marks of the 
 well-affected godly party to follow new ways, yet I 
 am sure Lyrinensis sets it down as a continued prac- 
 tice in the church, that the more religious any man 
 was, the more zealous he was against factious no- 
 velties. t 
 
 2. But further, as we must assert antiquity, so that 
 antiquity is ' what was from the beginning ;' for though 
 error may be old, yet still, that which is from the be- 
 ginning is truth.* Indeed, as crookedness is no other 
 but a deviation from a straight rule, so error an 
 aberration from trath ; and therefore, as a crooked 
 line supposeth a straight, so error supposeth truth. 
 And upon this ground it is that the father's§ rule is, 
 Veritate manifestd cedat cousueiiulo veritati, when truth 
 appeareth, custom must give waj', because, indeed, be 
 the custom never so ancient, truth was before it. 
 With this it is we must justly answer the Romish plea 
 of antiquity for many of their erroneous assertions, 
 that though they have been some of them of many 
 hundred years' standing, yet they were not known in 
 the pure and primitive times of the church, and there- 
 fore, as our blessed Saviour, in the point of divorce, 
 reduceth the Jews to this consideration, ' it was not 
 so from the beginning,' Mat. six. 8. True, indeed, 
 it hath been long permitted you for the hardness of 
 your hearts, but it was not so from the beginning. The 
 fu'st institution giveth no such allowance. So we, in 
 those points of controversy between us and the church 
 of Rome, reduce them to the beginning of Christian 
 religion. It is true, many of their doctrines have been 
 long published, but they were not from the beginning ; 
 they were not taught by Christ or his apostles, or 
 their successors in the first centuries of the church. 
 Whilst, therefore, the papists scofi' at our religion 
 as a novel faction, as those Athenians did at Paul's 
 doctrine, we have this in readiness to retort, and are 
 able (blessed be God) to make it good against them : 
 Ours is no other than that which was from the be- 
 ginning, and that even at Rome itself, preached and 
 professed ; nor do we difl'er from them, but only in 
 those opinions which, since the golden foundation of 
 Christianity was laid by Christ and his apostles, hath 
 
 * Vincent. Lyr. 1. d. 
 
 t Mos iste semper in ccclesia viguit, nt quo quisque foret 
 relis'Ofior, eo promptiUs novellis adinvcntionibiis contrairet. 
 — Vine. Lyr. adv. haer. cap. 9. 
 
 X Qiiod primnm, illud vcrum, quod postcrius falsum — 
 Tertul. % Aug. de hapt. parvul. 
 
3+ 
 
 HAKDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 been by Babel-bui!deis supcrstracfed, as bay and 
 Btnbble, fit only to be east into the fire. 
 
 The last branch of the gospel's commendation is 
 from tiie utility of the end. Now the end which is 
 here mentioned is double, to wit, proximus and remotus. 
 The proxime and immediate end is y.onmia, a sacred 
 /ellouship ; the remote end, which is indeed the efiect 
 of the foi-mer, is %afa, a spiritual joy. 
 
 The first of these is set down in these words, ' That 
 you also may have fellowship with us : and truly our 
 fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus 
 Christ ;' wherein this end of the gospel, and the 
 declarers of it, is propounded and e-xpouniled, that iu 
 the former and this iu the latter clause, which is en- 
 closed in a parenthesis. 
 
 1. The proposition is, 'That you also may have 
 fellowship with us ;' which, that we may handle in its 
 fullest latitude, we shall consider it both absolutely 
 as a benefit, and relatively as an end. 
 
 1. You have fellowship ivith us, is a choice benefit, 
 and such as may be construed two ways : 
 
 That you and we may have fellowship together. 
 
 That you may have the same fellowship which we have. 
 
 Zanchy expounds it of the former,* Gagneius of 
 the latter,! Marlorato taketh in both.J So shall I, the 
 one indeed following upon the other, since, being in 
 fellowship with the apostles, they became partakers 
 of the same privilege that they had, though this latter 
 is that which I conceive the most genuine sense, and 
 therefore I shall especially insist upon. 
 
 1. The benefit here understood may be the joining 
 of these converted Christians into one body with the 
 apostles, whilst they by embracing the apostles' writ- 
 ings, and acknowledging the truth of what they de- 
 clare, became members of the church whereof the 
 apostles were the planters. § And surely this is 
 no small comfort, that all believers, how different so- 
 ever in offices and degrees, how distiint soever in place 
 and habitation, have yet a spiritual fellowship with one 
 another, to wit, inasmuch as they are fellow-worship- 
 pers of the same God, Joshua xvii. 3, fellow-subjects 
 of the same Lord, Eph. iv. 5, fellow-soldiers under one 
 captain, Heb. ii. 10, 12, fellow-sbccp in the same fold, 
 John X. IP), fellow-servants under one master. Rev. 
 vi. 11, fellow-brethren of the same parents. Gal. 
 iii. 10, iv. 2G, fellow-stones in the same building, 
 1 Peter ii. 5, fellow-members in the same body, 1 Cor. 
 xii. 12, 13. And look as in corporations and societies, 
 though the particular numbers are never so remote 
 one from the other, yet inasmuch as they all belong 
 to the same society, they are said to have fellowship 
 each with other ; so is it in the Christ an church ; 
 and this relation is that which, as it carrieth in it 
 
 * Una cum illis furi ccdesin — Zanch. 
 
 t Ut pariicipts silis >\vM ct nos. — (Intm. 
 
 \ Ut Bocieliiicni cum nixistolis luil)Ciimus, ct coruntlcm bo- 
 norum participes simus. — Mai/ui: 
 
 § Communicatioiic in cadcni fide, rcligionc, ecclesia. — 
 JUenoch. 
 
 dignity, it being in Theodosius his opinion, and not 
 unjustly, a greater honour to be mcmbrum ecclesup, 
 than caput imperii, a member of the church than 
 head of an empire, so also manifold duties of mutual 
 love and amity one towards another, of earnest and 
 devout prayer one for another, of sympathy and fel- 
 low-feeling one with another, of imparting all manner 
 of talents one to another, because they are members 
 one of another. But, 
 
 2. The more genuine construction of this benefit is 
 to interpret it, the entitling of them to whom he 
 wi'ote to the same fellowship, to wit, of God and 
 Christ, as it followeth in the next words, which he, 
 with the rest of the apostles, had ; as if he should say, 
 These privileges which hitherto we enjoj'ed alone, we 
 now b}' writing the gospel communicate to you ;* we 
 are the first members of the church, but not the whole 
 body, and therefore you as well as we are capable of 
 the same benefits. And it is a tacit prevention of an 
 objection which might be made, for whereas, when the 
 apostle saitb, ' We write the things we have seen con- 
 cerning Christ,' they might say or think. What is this 
 to us ? We have not, cannot see or handle him ; it is a 
 privilege not possible for us to attain; to this these 
 words implicitly return an answer, that by the apostles 
 writing what they saw, they, to wit, believing the 
 truth of what was written, might have fellowship with 
 them. And thus it is true of all Christians, who by 
 faith have fellowship with Christ as well as the apostles, 
 though they never saw him, because [they have] the 
 same interest in bis person, bis merits, and those good 
 things which are purchased by him. Excellently to 
 this purpose St Austin on this very place :t They saw 
 and we do not, and yet we are partakers of the same 
 benefits with them, because we believe iu Christ as 
 well as they. It is very observable in this respect 
 that our blessed Saviour himself, as in one place, l\Iat. 
 xiii. IG, he tells liis disciples, ' Blessed are your eyes, 
 for you see ;' so in anijther place, John xx. 29, he 
 tells them, ' Blessed are they which have not seen, 
 and yet have believed.' We then, who are there no 
 doulit pointed at, are as well happy as the disciples ; 
 and as they, bad they not believed in Christ, would 
 have been miserable though they saw him, so wo be- 
 lieving in him are blessed, though we cannot see bim ; 
 yea, lo mtif/is head in cndindn, quo tiiinus expeiliti in 
 ridendo, the want of sight evidenceth our faith so 
 much the more amiable. J Oh let us set an high esti- 
 mate upon this grace of faith, which giveth us an 
 interest in Christ as well as the apostles. It is very 
 observable «hat the apostle Peter saith of those to 
 whom he wrote, 2 Peter i. 1, that they ' bad obtained 
 
 * Qnic nos npiislnli haclcnus sell liabuimus, en nunc per 
 eviiiitii liuni I'liani voliis nnnuntiantur ct comniunicantur, 
 ki-.— FtT. in he. 
 
 + Illi vidernnt, el ni>s nnn viilemus; et tamen socii sunnis, 
 quia fiilem ci.ninmnem tcncn.ii-. — Avp. in ep. 
 
 { \lat;naruiii vi}.'(ir esf inentmni credere qua; corporco non 
 videniur imuitu, i;c — Leo. deuscens. Serm. I. 
 
Ve.h. 1, 3.] 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 35 
 
 the like precious faith with him,' and the rest of the 
 apostles. Indeed, of all divine gifts, faith is not of 
 the least price, and their faith which saw not Christ 
 is alike precious with them that did, because it in- 
 statcth them in the same fellowship ; and tlierefure 
 how should we Christians value our faith ! But, 
 
 2. That j-ou may have fellowship, ar^ueth these 
 ■words to be set down as the end which the Hoi}' 
 Ghost aimed at in declaring and writing to them, nut 
 onlj- that they might know those things to be true, 
 but that they might reap the same benefit by them 
 which the apostles had.* Thus, as the sun shiueth, 
 that others may partake of the same light with itself, 
 and the fountain sends forth water, that others may 
 participate of it, so do these apostles write, that the 
 people might relish the same sweetness iu Christ which 
 they had tasted. 
 
 It is that which is observable in the apostles, con- 
 sidered under a double notion, as pastors, as Christians. 
 
 1. As pastors ; we see in them what is the aim of a 
 true minister of the gospel, not so much his own as 
 his people's benefit. f St John doth not say. We write 
 that we may participate with you, to wit, in your 
 temporals, but that you may participate with us in 
 our spirituals. True, this is the people's duty to the 
 pastor, according to that apostolical precept. Gal. 
 vi. 6, ' Let him that is taught communicate to him 
 that teacheth in all good things ;' but this is not that 
 the pastor aimeth at in declaring the gospel to the 
 people, but rather that he may be an iustrnment to 
 communicate those better things to them. Indeed (as 
 St Paul ohserveth, 1 Tim. vi. 5), false teachers sup- 
 pose gain to be godliness, minding nothing more than 
 their own carnal advantage ; but the true apostles 
 esteem godhness gain, and therefore chiefly aim at 
 the people's spiritual benefit. And truly tins is that 
 which (as Calvin noteth) should be a singular means 
 to gain your credence to our writing, our decl.ir.ngs. 
 Why will you not believe our report, regard our 
 message, when our end is only your good, that you 
 may partake the same benefit with us? 
 
 2. As Christians ; we may in them behold the frame 
 of a truly pious heart, to desire that others may have 
 fellowship with itself in the same spiritual enjoyments. 
 Good Christians are no niggards of their heavenly 
 dainties, they love not to eat their morsels alone, but 
 invite others to the same paitic pation ; hence that 
 wish of Moses, Num. si. 29, ' Would all the Lord's 
 people were prophets,' and of St Paul, Acts xxvi. 20, 
 that all ' were as he, except his bonds.' Upon this 
 ground it was that Philip, having found Christ, John 
 i. 45, called Nathanael ; and the woman of Samaria, 
 chap. iv. 20, having met with the Messiah, inxiteth 
 her friends to the sight and knowledge of him. And if 
 you desire the reason, it is plain ; because, 
 
 * Non (nntiim ut noritis ha:c esse vera; scil ut et vos non 
 minus quaiii nos frucium inde panicipetis — Grot. iOid. 
 t Quod aposioli picdicando qusesierint. — Fer. 
 
 1. The bringing others into the same fellowship 
 with themselves is a means of enlarging the kingdom 
 of Christ, and so of advancing the gloiyof God. Re- 
 ligion teacheth every go )d man to pray, ' Hallowed be 
 thy name, and thy kingdom come ;' and surely we 
 cannot pray this cordially, if we desire not, endeavour 
 not, that which tends to both, the winning men to the 
 faith of Christ. 
 
 2. The gaining others to their fellowship will be tha 
 means of making them for ever happy ; and therefore, 
 as in zeal for God's glory, so in charity to the souls 
 of their brethren, they cannot but desire it. This is 
 the difl'erent temper of envy and charity : envy thinketh 
 it a small matter to be happy itself, unless another may 
 bo unhappy ;* charity would not be happy alone, but 
 striveth to draw in company. This Aretius giveth as 
 the sense of these words here,f We love j'ou as our- 
 selves, and therefore wish you as well as ourselves, 
 that you may have fellowship with us. 
 
 3. The bringing in others is no diminution to them- 
 selves ; it is the manifest dift'erence between spiritual 
 and temporal riches : those diminish by imparting, but 
 not these. Godly men well know that if others have 
 more, they shall not therefore have the less ; and it 
 were strange not to wish a courtesy to another, when 
 it may be no injury to ourselves. The music is not 
 the less harmonious to thee because others hear it ; 
 nor doth the candle the less enlighten thee because 
 others see by it as well as thyself ; nor is our partici- 
 pation of heavenly things the less because others have 
 the same fellowship with us. 
 
 To end this, let the same mind be in us that was in 
 these holy apostles, and is in all good Christians. In- 
 deed, it is that which in a bad way is usually the 
 practice both of the devil and wicked men. The devil, 
 being himself fallen, never ceased till he drew Adam 
 into the same pit with him. Ungodly men would have 
 all partners in the same wickedness and wretchedness 
 with themselves ; they saj-, ' Come with us, cast in 
 thy lot among us ; let us all have one purse,' Prov. 
 i. 11, 14 ; and by these words they seek to entice and 
 inveigle inconsiderate persons. For this reason it was 
 that that epicure Heliogobalus took care for the 
 training up of his son in the same luxuriant courses 
 wherein himself lived. Now there is an oblique imi- 
 tation, even of wicked men, which is commendable. 
 As sin is boundless, so grace must be abounding : as 
 sin is infectious, so grace must be communicative. 
 Evil men decrease from bad to worse, holy men must 
 increase from good to better ; wicked men strive to 
 make others as bad or worse than themselves, gootl 
 men must endeavour to make others as holy and a* 
 happy as themselves. Thus we may learn even of tlio- 
 worst men ; but rather let Christ's apostles be our 
 tutors, his disciples our schoolmasters. Thus let bc- 
 
 * Parum est si tu sis felix nisi alter sit infclix. 
 t Vide Arct. in loc. 
 
36 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 lieving masters instruct their servants, parents teach 
 their children, friends admonish their friends, and 
 godly ministers exhort thtir hearers, as here the 
 
 apostles did declare and write to the people for this 
 very end, that they might bring them into the same 
 blessed fellowship with themselves. 
 
 SEEMON VII. 
 
 And triilij our JeUmrship is itilh the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. — 1 John I. Ver. 3, part last. 
 
 THE person of Christ is, of all others, the most ami- 
 able and excellent ; hence the psalmist saith 
 mystically of him, ' Thou art fairer than the children 
 of men,' Psa. xlv. 2, as being indeed more than a mere 
 son of man ; and the spouse in the Canticles, being 
 asked in contempt by the daughters of Jerusalem, 
 ' What is thy beloved more than another beloved ? ' 
 Cant. V. 9, 10, rcturneth that high yet deserved en- 
 comium, ' My beloved is the chiefest among ten 
 thousand.' 
 
 The doctrine of Christ is that, than which none more 
 certain and undoubted ; in which respect, the main 
 fundamental axiom of Christ's coming into the world 
 is called by St Paul, 1 Tim. i. 15, a ' faithful saying ;' 
 and the whole gospel, by St James, chap. i. 18, ' The 
 word of truth,' there being infallible verity and fidelity 
 in evangelical sayings. 
 
 The sincere professors of Christ are such as none 
 else but they can be truly happy and blessed ; hence 
 it is, that they are dignified by the apostle Peter with 
 these honourable titles, 1 Peter i. 9, of a ' chosen 
 generation, a royal priesthood, an holy "nation, and a 
 peculiar people.' 
 
 And now, beloved, if j-ou look into this short exor- 
 dium, you shall find each of these briefly and pithily 
 handled. The gospel's certainty, as being most ancient 
 and evident, is evinced in the fii'st verse ; Christ's ex- 
 cellency, as being the Word of life, that eternal life, is 
 insisted on in part of the first and the second verse ; 
 finally, the felicity of a Christian, as being one that 
 hath fellowship with God and Christ, and thereby ful- 
 ness of joy, is characterised in the third and fourtli 
 verses.* Well may this golden three invite us once and 
 again, nay, often, to look into and peruse this choice 
 preface, ' That which was from the beginning,' &c. 
 
 We are now come, according to our proposed method, 
 to the last branch of the second general, the commen- 
 dation of the gospel, from the utihty of its end ; and 
 having made entrance upon the first end, as it is pro- 
 pounded in those words, ' that you also may have 
 fellowship with us,' wc are now to handle the exposi- 
 tion of it in the following, ' and truly our fellowship is 
 with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ.' 
 
 Which words are a plain assertion, unfolding the 
 
 * In exordio Iiujua Epistolao Joannes tria hiEO nobis incul- 
 care vnlui t ; quod niliil majus aut exccllcntivis persona Cliristi, 
 iiiliilccrliusquain cvangclium nostrum, nihil dcniquebcatius 
 Cliristiauo homine. — fer. in loc. 
 
 dignity and excellency of that fellowship* which the 
 apostles and all believers with them have, inasmuch 
 as it is a fellowship with the Father and his Son. It 
 is that which our translators set down with an asse- 
 veration, truly ; conceiving this to be the emphasis of 
 the pleonasm, xa! &i, which is in the Greek. 
 
 The Greek word which is hero rendered fellowship, 
 admits both in sacred and profane writs of a double 
 construction, as signifying either commiinio or corn- 
 mnnicalio, communion and fellowship, or communica- 
 tion and partnership ; and though in some places only 
 one of those can well be admitted, yet here I conceive 
 both may very well consist ; and the apostle may be 
 probably thought to intend that intimate communion 
 which believers have with, and by virtue hereof, the 
 liberal communication they receive from, the Father, 
 and his Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 To unlock this cabinet, and shew you the rich pearl 
 contained in it, give me leave to consider it both 
 generally and particularly : in general, what maketh 
 up this ■/.o/iiojvla, fellowship here mentioned ; and in 
 particular, as this fellowship is expressed to be with 
 two of the persons in the sacred Trinity, the Father, 
 and his Son Jesus Christ. 
 
 1. The substance of the benefit will be discovered 
 in the general discussion ; and that you may the more 
 distinctly understand it, proceed with me by these 
 four steps, which are as so many degrees of this fel- 
 lowship, namely, amicable reconciliation, efi'ectual 
 regeneration, comfortable association, and complete 
 glorification. 
 
 (1.) The rise and inchoation of this fellowship is 
 reconciliation, whereby God of an enemy becomes a 
 friend, and rcceiveth us into favour. To this purpose 
 isFerus his paraphrase:? To have fellowship (saith he) 
 is to be in covenant with God, to be one of the num- 
 ber of those to whom he voucbsafeth his special love. 
 Accordingly, this phrase may be interpreted b}' that of 
 St Paul, Rom. v. 1, where ho saith, ' AVe have peace 
 with God, and he hath made us accepted.' The truth 
 is, we all by nature are not only strangers, but ene- 
 mies, Eph. i. G ; and where there is hostility, there can 
 be no society, so that we begin not to have fellowship 
 with, till we are reconciled to, God. This reconcilia- 
 tion of God to penitent believing sinners, is most ele- 
 
 * Explicat quam nobilia sit ecclcsifc societas. — Zanch. 
 t Ipsiua gratiam ct favoroni h.iberc, et aniicitia dignum 
 reputari, ct in fa;dcro esse. — Fcr. in loc. 
 
Ver. 3.] 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 37 
 
 gantlyand sweetlyshadowedforth under the father'sgra- 
 cious behaviour towards the returning prodigal, Luke xv. 
 20. No sooner doth Lis son set foot forward to come 
 home, but his father ' saw him ;' there were eyes of 
 love; ' had compassion on him ;' there were bowels of 
 love ; and ' ran to him' with feet of love, and ' fell on 
 his neck ;' there were arms of love ; and ' kissed him' 
 with lips of love ; by all which expressions, we may 
 gather what a tender dear afl'ection of amity there is 
 in God towards penitents, which is the foundation of 
 this fellowship. 
 
 (2.) The concomitant of this reconciliation is re- 
 generation, since whosoever is accepted by God hath 
 stamped upon him the image of God, and so doth after 
 a sort partake with God. 
 
 To clear this, you must know that there can be no 
 fellowship where there is not some similitude ; in 
 which respect, saith one upon my test. This fellowship 
 with God is by likeness to him ;* for this reason at 
 first it was that almighty God, intending man a crea- 
 ture to have fellowship with himself, made him after 
 his own image ; nor can we be admitted into this fel- 
 lowship unless this image be renewed in, and restored 
 to us. Now, this image of God is nothing else but the 
 communication of such qualities as resemble those, 
 which, fur this very reason, the schools call the com- 
 municable attributes of God. Such are his holiness, 
 goodness, mercy, justice, truth, and the like ; and be- 
 cause holiness is the chief, yea, after a sort compre- 
 hensive of the rest, therefore, especially in this, is the 
 image of God placed. And so this fellowship with God 
 is a participation with him in purity and sanctity, and 
 may therefore fitly be explained by St Peter's Ss/as 
 xoivavoi (pjoiui, 2 Peter i. 4, ' partaking of the divine 
 nature ;' or St Paul's //.EraXaCs/ii r?); d-yiorriro; avroij, 
 Heb. xii. 10, ' partaking of his holiness.' 
 
 (3.) The progress of this fellowship is in that sweet 
 commuuiou which believers (being thus reconciled and 
 regenerated) have with God, so that there is, though 
 not an equality (far be it from us to make such a blas- 
 phemous construction of this phrase), yet a near and 
 intimate familiarity,! in which respect God and a 
 Christian may be said to walk, to talk, to feast, nay, 
 to lodge and dwell together. Believers walk with God 
 in a holy subjection, God walketh with believers in 
 affording them gratuitous protection ; behevers speak 
 to God in devout supplications, God speaketh to be- 
 lievers in spiritual consolations ; behevers feast God 
 with their graces, God feasteth believers with his joys ; 
 finally, believers inhabit in the secret of the Most High, 
 and God rtposeth himself in the bosom of believers. 
 Hence occur those phrases of God's being with us, and 
 our walking with God ; of our having access to God, and 
 his coming down to us ; of our supping with him, and 
 his supping with us ; of our dwelling iu God, and God 
 in us, Eph. iii. 12, Rev. iii. 20, 1 John iv. 15, we 
 
 * Fit ha;c societas cum Deo per similitudinem. — Serrar. 
 t Aasociatio cum Deo. — Trin. 
 
 being (to speak it with holy reverence) as it were conviva, 
 his fellow-commoners; conviatores, fellow-travellers; 
 yea, contuhcrnales, chamber-fellows. Add to this, 
 
 (4.) The consummation of this fellowship is in the 
 other world, where there shall be a full communication 
 of the image of God to us, whereby we shall partake 
 of purity, life, and immortality, of unspotted holiness 
 and iudeficient happiness, when we shall have the clear 
 vision of God face to face, and by virtue of that, a full 
 fruition of him, so far as a created nature is capable of; 
 and all this without the least interruption, intermis- 
 sion, cessation. This fellowship is that which for the 
 present we have, though not re, in actual possession, 
 yet spc, in certain expectation ; that participation and 
 communion which we have here by grace, being an 
 earnest and pledge, assuring us of that we shall have 
 hereafter by glory. And this shall suffice to be spoken 
 in general of the nature of this fellowship. 
 
 2. The further amplification of this fellowship is in 
 that here are two persons specified ; aud though it be 
 one and the same fellowship which we have with all 
 the persons, yet inasmuch as two of them are seve- 
 rally mentioned, it may well admit of a distinct con- 
 sideration. 
 
 1. This fellowship is said to be 'with the Father.' 
 It is verj" observable to the understanding of this, that 
 the Father, being tlie first person in the Deity, is the 
 primary original and fountain of all communication to 
 the creature ; whence it is, that those acts which the 
 Deity is pleased to exercise towards the creature are, 
 though not exclusively, yet for the most part expressly 
 assigned in Scripture to the Father. Thus the Father 
 is said to come aud dwell with us, John xiv. 23. The 
 Father is he that hath ' begotten us again to u lively 
 hope,' 1 Peter i. 3 ; finally, the Father is said to 
 ' bless us with all spiritual blessings,' Eph. i. 3. No 
 wonder if this fellowship is here said to be with the 
 Father. The nearness of this fellowship which we 
 have with the Father is represented by a gradation of 
 allusions in Scripture, all which do excellently illus- 
 trate this truth." There is some kind of participation 
 that a servant hath with his master, yet greater is 
 that which one friend hath with another, yet greatest 
 is that which a son hath with his father. In all these 
 relations we stand to the Father ; we his servants, and 
 he our Lord ; nay, not only servants, but friends, and 
 therefore we read not only of Moses the servant. Num. 
 xii. 7, but Abraham the friend of God, James ii. 23 ; 
 nay, we are adopted to be sons, and therefore it is no 
 presumption to say our fellowship is with tlw, because 
 vur. Father. 
 
 2. This fellowship is said to be ' with Lis Son .Jesus 
 Christ,' which may very well admit of a double con- 
 struction : cither 
 
 Our fellowship is not only with the Father, but his 
 Son ; or 
 
 * Est societas domini cum servi^, patris cum filiis, &c. — 
 Serrar. 
 
38 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 Our fellowship with the Father is by and through 
 that fellowship which we have with the Son. 
 
 1. Our fellowship which we have with the Father 
 is also with his Sou Jesus Christ. 
 
 There is a generation of men indeed in the Romish 
 church who challenge this as their peculiar, to be e 
 focielate Je.sii, Jesuits, Jebusites ralher, such who, 
 whilst tbev pretend to Le of the society of Jesus, are 
 in truth limbs of auiicbrist ; and one day this Jesus 
 will give them little thanks for this arrogant assump- 
 •tion of his name, whilst they stand in opposition to 
 his truth. As for the real privilege of having society 
 with Christ Jesus, it is not to be appropriated to any 
 order of meji, but is justly applicable to every Chris- 
 tian. This fellowship which we have with Christ is 
 •set forth in various similitudes, such as are these, of 
 the head and the members, root and branches, foun- 
 dation and building, husband and wife ; and look 
 what parlicipatiou the members have with the head, 
 receiving saise and motion from it; the branches 
 with the root, which communicates to them sap and 
 juice; the building with the foundation, by which it 
 is sustained and upheld ; finally, the wife with the 
 husband, having an interest in his person, goods, 
 whatever he is and hath ; the same hath every Chris- 
 tian with Christ, who communicateth himself with all 
 his merits and benefits unto him. Indeed, as the 
 apostle tells us, Col. ii. IC, ' It pleased the Father 
 that in him should all fulness dwell ;' and this not for 
 himself, but us, that we, as the evangelist speaketh, 
 John i. 10, might ' of his fulness receive grace for grace.' 
 
 If .you would yet have a more distinct explanation 
 ■of this fellowship, consider it in reference to each of 
 these titles which arc here used, we having fellowship 
 with him as God's Son, as our Jesus, and as Christ. 
 
 1. We have fellowship with him as ho is (iod's Son, 
 inasmuch as wo participate of his sonsbip and inherit- 
 ance. Christ, though the only begotten, yet maketh 
 us the adopted sons of God; and therefore onr apostle 
 saith in his Gospel, John i. 12, 'To as many as receive 
 him, he giveth this power, to become the sons of God, 
 even to them that believe in his name.' In tliis re- 
 spect, Christ tells his disciples, ' I go to my Father, 
 and j-our Father.' Indeed, he saith not niir Father, 
 because Christ's filiation is of another kind than ours,* 
 but ' mine and yours ; ' not only mine, but yours. 
 ■Christ communicates to all believers by grace, that 
 which himself had by nature ; and as thus we have 
 fcllowshi)) with him in the sonship, so likewise in the 
 inheritance. As the iidieritancc is Christ's by natural 
 Tight, so he conveyeth it to us by deed of gift;t and 
 therefore the apostle saith, Rom. viii. 17, that, 'being 
 ■children, we are heirs ; heirs of God, joint heirs witii 
 Christ.' 
 
 • Noil aitpatrcm nojfrHm, alitercrgomcum, alitcrvcstrum, 
 natiird mi'uni, pratift vcstnim. — -'ivg- Hid. 
 
 t Qiik-i|iiicl lialifl Cliristiis, liabeiit illi qui cum Co sunt in 
 tociclatc, donalilio jure. — I^'aoyorg. in loc. 
 
 2. We have fellowship with him as Jeuift, inasmuch 
 as it is to believers that he becometh effectually a 
 Jesus, according to that expression of the angel (when 
 he gave this name to him), ' For he shall save his 
 people from their sins.' Indeed, we are sick of sin, 
 and Jesus is our phj-sician ; we are captives to Satan, 
 and Jesus is our redeemer ; we are at enmity with 
 God, and Jesus is our peace-maker; we are in danger, 
 and Jesus is our deliverer ; finalh', we are indebted, 
 and Jesus is our surety. Now as the patient partak- 
 eth of health by his physician, the captive of liberty 
 by his redeemer, enemies are reconciled by their 
 peace-maker, the afflicted saved by their deliverer, 
 and the debtor is acquitted by his surety, so have we 
 by this Jesus a participation of pardon, peace, liberty, 
 and salvation. 
 
 8. We have' fellowship with him as Chrht, and that 
 whether j-ou look upon the mediatorial offices he was 
 pleased to undertake, or the mediatorial acts he per- 
 formed. 
 
 (1.) Christ signifieth as much as anointed; and we 
 have an unction too. He was indeed ' anointed with 
 the oil of gladness above his fellows,' Ps. xlv. 8, but 
 yet so as that we are fellow-partakers with him of this 
 ointment ; in which respect St Jerome* well observ- 
 eth, that the very name of this unction is communi- 
 cated to us, who from Christ are called Clii-islitins. 
 Yet more distinctly, there is a threefold office to which 
 Christ was anointed, in each of which we have fellow- 
 ship with him, uamelj", prophetical, sacerdotal, and 
 regal. St Paul saith concerning Christ Jesus, that he 
 ' of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousnesss, 
 and sanctiflcation, and redemption,' 1 Cor. i. 30. As 
 he is a projihet, he is made to us wisdom, enlighten- 
 ing and intbrming our ignorance ; as priest, he is 
 made to us righteousness, absolving us from the guilt 
 of our sin, whercbj- our persons are justified and ser- 
 vices accepted ; as king, he is made to us sanctiflca- 
 tion, enabling us to mortify our lusts and to live 
 holily. Thus ho becometh a Christ ; and being a 
 Christ, he is a Jesus also, and thereby redemption to 
 us. In respect of this participation with Christ in 
 his offices, it is that we are not only in general called 
 Christians, but in particular said to be ' kings and 
 priests to God the Father,' Rev. i. 5, and that of his 
 making ; and the Christian church is called ' a royal 
 priesthood, ofl'ering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable 
 by Jesus Christ,' 1 Peter ii. 5. 
 
 (2.) This Jesus being thus anointed for the accom- 
 plishing of our salvation, and the coui])letion of his 
 offices, performed many acts. He was born, crucified, 
 dead, buried, he rose again, and ascended into heaven, 
 and in all these we have fellowship with him : with 
 his birth in our new birth and regeneration, with his 
 cross in our sullerings, with his death in the mortifi- 
 cation of our lusts, with his burial in the progress of 
 that work, with his resurrection in our newness of life, 
 • llicr. ep. 140. 
 
Ver. 3.] 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 39 
 
 and with bis ascension in our heavenly convei'sation. 
 This is that which the apostle Paul often iutimateth 
 in those phrases: we are buried with him, (ru>£ra^)I/x£i'; 
 we are planted into the likeness of bis death, T\Jij,<puroi 
 yiyiia/j-iv; our old man is crucified with him, exm- 
 ffTKUjwf))) ; and, you are risen together with Christ, 
 6ii\,riyi^i)%Ti, Rom. vi. 4-6, Col. iii. 1 ; yea, yet more 
 suitably in those expressions, the virtue of his resur- 
 rection, and the fellowship (the same word with this 
 in my text) of bis sufl'erings, djv &{jia/j-n r^s dvaaruatug 
 avTou xai rriv y.onuvlav ruiv 'raiyjiidTCtiv aurou, Philip. 
 iii. 10 : this being that which every Christian, more 
 or less, exporimcutall}' kuoweth, and wherein be hath 
 a conformity to, and so a fellowship with, Christ. 
 
 2. But this is not all that the apostle here in- 
 sinuateth. Those words, ' and with bis Son Jesns 
 Christ,' being not only a further enlargement of this 
 participation, in that it is, as with the Father, so with the 
 Son, but likewise a discovery of the means whereby 
 we come to have this fellowship with the Father, and 
 that is, by having fellowship with the, Son, according 
 to which notion we maj' fitly conceive the Father to 
 be the terminus, and the Son the medium of this 
 societas. The Father is be irith whom, and the Son 
 is he bi/ and ihrowjh whom, we have this fellowship 
 with the Father; and therefore it is elt^ewbere said, 
 he hath ' made us accepted in his Beloved,' Eph. i. 6, 
 ii. 13; and 'we have peace with God through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ,' Rom. v. 1; and God 'was in 
 Christ reconciling the world unto himself,' 1 Cor. 
 v. 19. And to name no more, they ' who were afar 
 olf are made nigh 'oy the blood of Christ,' that amity 
 and communion which we have with God being only 
 in and through a mediator, Jesus Christ. 
 
 The heathens were in part sensible of this truth, 
 who, conceiving that the supreme gods were defiled by 
 the unhallowed approaches of mortals, invented heroes 
 and half-gods, a kind of middle powers, to be as 
 mediators between those gods and them.* But this 
 doctrine of a mediator the gospel fully revealetb, and 
 this to be no other than Jesus Christ, by whom we 
 are brought to communion with God. Indeed, there 
 was a time (to wit, in innocency) when man stood not 
 in need of a mediator, but enjoyed a fellowship of per- 
 fect amity with his Creator; but now man being fallen 
 fi'om that integrit}-, and thereby having lost the favour 
 of God, there is no other way of reconciliation but by 
 Christ. So that, as Themistocles, when Admetus was 
 incensed against him, brought the king's son in his 
 arms and implored his favour, so we can by no means 
 obtain a fellowship of reconciliation with the Father 
 but by his Son Jesus Christ. In this respect it is 
 that Christ saith concerning himself, John xiv. 6, ' I 
 am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh 
 to the Father but by me.' And upon this ground he 
 is not unfitly resembled to that ladder in Jacob's 
 vision, which reached from earth to heaven. Gen. 
 
 ^ Old icci/istiuir Taffa ifjLik'ia fiiTct^u ^taZ Koi a^P^i^'reu, — I^lut- 
 
 xxviii. 12, by whom alone wo '.climb to heaven ; so 
 that if we will perceiiire ad Dcum, we must useendere 
 per homiiiem, to come to God, we must ascend by the 
 man, even the man Christ Jesus.* 
 
 There is only one thing further to be inquired for 
 the full explication of this clause, and that is, whj- the 
 apostle having mentioned two, doth not annex the 
 third person, and u'ith the Holij Ghost ? In answer 
 to which, you must know, that the third person, 
 though he be not expressly mentioned, is necessarily 
 implied, for the truth is, we can neither have fellow- 
 ship with the Father, nor with the Son, but by the 
 Holy Ghost. By the Spirit it is that God begets us 
 again unto himself, and therefore it is called the ' re- 
 newing of the Holy Ghost,' Titus iii. 5 ; by the Spirit 
 it is that we participate of God's holiness, and there- 
 fore he is called the Spirit of holiness, Rom. i. 4, 
 not only because he is so in himself, but it is be that 
 communicateth it unto us ; finally, by the Spirit it is 
 that the Father and the Son dwell in us, and have 
 communion with us; in which respect oui' apostle 
 saith, 1 John iii. 24, ' We know he abideth in us, by 
 the Spirit be hath given us ;' and therefore it is that 
 we find this elsewhere directly expressed concerning 
 the Holy Ghost, to wit, in that solemn benediction, 
 to the ' grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love 
 of God the Father,' is joined the ' communion or 
 fellowship of the Holy Ghost.' Though then he is 
 not here named, we are not therefore to imagine he is 
 excluded. Indeed it is a rule in divinity, which St 
 Ambrose hath observed to my hand,t Qui unum 
 dixerit, Triititatemsiynavit, when anyone of the persons 
 is nominated in any external operation, all the rest are 
 implied ; and therefore as when wo find only mention 
 of the ' fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ,' 2 Cor. 
 i. 8, we must take in the Father and the Spirit ; and 
 when wo read only of the ' fellowship of the Spirit,' 
 Philip, ii. 1, we must conceive it as well of the Father 
 and the Son ; so when here we find the Father and 
 the Son expressed, we must not exclude the Holy 
 Spirit. And look as our blessed Saviour, when he 
 speaketh of that knowledge which is the way to eter- 
 nal life, John xvii. 3, though be only mention the 
 Father and his Son Jesus Christ, is to be understood 
 as including the Holy Ghost, so are we here to inter- 
 pret St John, and therefore may very well add by way 
 of explication, ' our fellow.ship is with the Father and 
 his Son Jesns Christ, and with the Holy Spirit.' Nor 
 yet doth there want a reason (as JustiuiauJ hath 
 well observed) why the apostle maketh no express 
 mention of the Holy Ghost, as he doth of the Son of 
 God, namely, because, as for the communion of the 
 Holy Ghost, they to whom he wrote could not be 
 
 * Scala paradisi fracta in Adamo reparata est in Cliristo. 
 — Bonav. Factis ad offensum scaltt bcatii palrem. — Qer. in 
 Genes. 
 
 t Anibros de Sp. S. 1. i. c. iii. 
 
 X Vide Justinian, in Kp. Oath. 
 
40 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. 1. 
 
 ignorant of it, as Laving no doubt had experience 
 themselves of the effusion of his gifts upon theru, and 
 therefore it needed not to name him ; but because the 
 divinity of the Son of God vi'as oppugned by the 
 heretics of those times, therefore he thought it fit 
 with the Father to mention the Sou. Aud thus much, 
 or rather thus little, of this unconceivable, much more 
 unspeakable, benefit, the fellowship -which believers 
 have with the ever blessed and glorious Trinity. What 
 now remaiuetb, but that I briug it home by some 
 comfortable application to ourselves. There are ouly 
 three inferences which are plainly deducible from 
 hence for our practice. 
 
 1. Whatever men do cither for or against any 
 Christian, reflects on God and Christ, with whom they 
 have fellowship. Christ shall say to those at the last 
 day who relieve his members now. Mat. xxv. 40, ' In- 
 asmuch as you did it unto them, you did it unto me;' 
 and it was bis saying to Saul in the vision, when he 
 breathed forth tbreateniugs against the church. Acts 
 ix. 5, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me '? ' And 
 why this, but because of the fellowship which is be- 
 tween Christ and his members. Take then heed, 
 ye sons of Belial, how you scoffingly deride at, proudly 
 insult over, aud maliciousl}' persecute, the servants of 
 God,* and members of CLu-ist. Haman, notwith- 
 standing all his greatness, durst not but honour 
 Mordecai, Esther vi. 11, because he was 'the man 
 whom the king delighted to honour;' and dare you 
 abuse such whom God vouchsafeth to honour ? 
 Know you not that they are his jewels, Mai. iii. 17, 
 and will you deface them ? the apple of his eye, 
 Zech. ii. 8, and will you touch them ? his temple, 
 1 Cor. iii. IG, and will you seek to destroy them ? 
 Are they not (to speak it with an humble modesty) all 
 in all with God, his bosom friends, his daily associates ; 
 and dare man, ' whose breath is in his nostrils,' do 
 any injury to them ; or can he do it, and hope im- 
 punity '? Let none deceive themselves. Qui iiisui'i/it 
 iit Chiistiim Ihiinini, inmnjil in Duminum L'lirhti, he 
 that riseth up against the Lord's anointed, riseth up 
 against tho Lord, by whom he is anointed ; and he 
 that offcreth any indignity unto them that have fel- 
 lowship with tho Father aud his Son, offereth it to 
 the Father and the Son, with whom these have fel- 
 lowship, and therefore must in duo time expect tho 
 sure vengeance of the Almighty upon so great impiety. 
 
 2. Great is the dignity of believers, who have fellow- 
 ship, not with kings, tho best of men ; not with angels, 
 the best of creatures ; but with God himself, the Father, 
 and his Son Jesus Christ ; and therefore let them not 
 debase this dignity, dishonour this fellowship, by con- 
 versing too much with creature comforts. When Au- 
 gustus the Roman emperor saw Saracen ambassadors 
 sporting with dogs, he asketh them if there were no 
 women in their countries. When wicked men see 
 
 * Non tarn vos quam Christum in vobis pcrsequunlur 
 
 Sail), tie provni. lib. vii'i. c. iv. 
 
 believers swallowed up of earthly contentments, will 
 they not question whether there bo any such divine 
 fellowship as is pretended. Since, then, we have a 
 fountain of living waters, why do we dig to ourselves 
 broken cisterns ? and if we have fellowship with God, 
 let us scorn to be familiar with the world ; rnther let 
 us say with David, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee, 
 and there is none on earth I desire in comparison of 
 thee,' blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 to converse with ! 
 
 3. How amiable and desirable must this fellowship 
 needs be, which is with the Father and his Son, and 
 therefore to be earnestly endeavoured after ! For this 
 it was Christ prayed in the behalf of his church, John 
 xvii. 21 ; and not only of them, but ' all that should be- 
 lieve in his name,' ' that they all may be one, as thou, 
 Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they also may 
 be one in us.' And surely this we both may and ought 
 to pray for in our own behalf; ha '^yjin, that you may 
 have, was St John's desire for these to whom he wrote ; 
 and it ought much more to be our desire and endea- 
 vour for ourselves that we may have, and if we have 
 attained any degree already, that we may have yet 
 greater measure of this fellowship. This is the note 
 of Lapide upon the text, ' that you may have,' that is, 
 ' that you may continue to have,'-' and have more fully 
 this communion, because he writeth to believers in 
 whom this was already begun ; indeed, this participa- 
 tion being qualitative, doth, suscipere maifis ct minus, 
 admit of degrees. All have fellowship with God and 
 Christ as well as the apostles, but not in the same 
 degree. Christ tells the Jews, John x. 10, ' I come 
 that they may have life, and that they might have it 
 more abundantly.' So doth St John write to these, 
 that they might have fellowship, and have it more 
 abundantly, in the same fulness that the apostles had. 
 If then as yet thou art a stranger, now labour to 
 acquaint thyself with God and be at peace ; and if thy 
 acquaintance be begun, endeavour that it may grow to 
 an endeared intimacy ; indeed, who would not hunger 
 aud thirst after, who can be sufficiently satisfied with, 
 this fellowship ? 
 
 Fellowship in itself is a thing very delectable. The 
 wise man much enlargeth in the commendation of it 
 when he saith, Eccles. iv. 9-11, ' Two is better than 
 one,' and pronounceth a Vtt soli, ' Woe to him that is 
 alone.' Indeed, as tho Greek proverb runs, e/; anjo 
 oubeig uvrio, one man is no man ; and as Eurii)ides,f 
 one hand can make but a weak defence. In all under- 
 takings, society is helpful. Fellowship is amiable to 
 all creatures (even the dove will mourn when she hath 
 lost her mate), but especially to man, who is there- 
 fore called by the philosopher ^iov ToXirr/.ov, a crea- 
 ture born for society. Indeed, for this reason 
 
 * Ilabcatis, i'. e. habere pcrgatis et in ca profieiatis; loquitur 
 enim fidelibus qui jam habebant banc socielatem. — Lapid. 
 in loc. 
 
 ■f" M('«f yoto x^^i** etffftVKS f^^X^* — EuTlp. 
 
Vee, 4.] 
 
 SEEMON VIII. 
 
 41 
 
 bauisLment is accounted next to death, because it 
 depriveth of civil societj'. It is observable how sadly 
 this hath been bemoaned, not only by a Cain, Gen. 
 iv. 14, ' Thou hast this day driven me out from the 
 face of the earth,' but by a Job, chap. xxx. 29, ' I am 
 a companion to owls, and a brother to dragons ;' and 
 by a David, Ps. cii. 6, 7, ' I am as a pelican in the 
 wilderness, and an owl in the desert ; I am as a spar- 
 row alone upon the house-top.' 
 
 And if fellowship be so lovely to all men, how much 
 more religious fellowship to good men ! If fellowship 
 with men be delightful, how much more this fellow- 
 ship with God himself, the Father, and the Son ! 
 
 This, this, beloved, is the only good fellowship. 
 There is indeed a fellowship called by that name which 
 is the cover of many enormities, the devourer of large 
 patrimonies, the bane of many hopeful wits, and yet 
 is the darling of a great number in the world; I mean 
 the riotous fellowship of luxurious companions. But 
 alas, how unlike are the thing and the name ! how 
 catachrestieal an expression is it when drunkenness is 
 styled good fellowship ! Oh turn in hither and behold 
 that which truly deserveth this name, this fellowship 
 with God and Christ, in which there is all good of 
 honesty, utility, andof jocundity ; a fellowship in which 
 aU safety, liberty, pleasure, and contentment is to be 
 
 found ! No wonder if the psalmist saith, ' Blessed is 
 the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach 
 unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts : he shall be 
 satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy 
 holy temple,' Ps. Ixv. 4. This is that fellowship to 
 which God calleth us in his gospel, and of which by 
 faith in the gospel we participate. Indeed, as Beza* 
 well observeth upon the text. This is the very scope 
 of the gospel, to make God and us at one ; and as 
 Kaogorgeusf appositely, Faith is the key which opens 
 the door, and admits us into the presence-chamber of 
 the King of glory. Oh therefore let us cordially em- 
 brace the gospel, and daily strengthen our faith in it, 
 so as we may have, and that every day, more and 
 more of this heavenly fellowship, till at last we come 
 to heaven, where, our faith being turned into sight, we 
 shall have the greatest reason to say, in the language 
 of the apostle, ' Truly our fellowship is ' now not only 
 with saints and angels, with patriarchs, prophets, 
 apostles, martjTs, but ' with the Father and his Sou 
 Jesus Christ.' 
 
 * Scopus evangelii ut omnos una conjuncti in Christo, 
 per fidem filii Dei simus. — Bez. 
 
 t Fides clavis est et aditum prsbet ad banc communionem. 
 — NaogoTg. 
 
 SEEMON VIII. 
 
 And these thiiujs leiite ire nitlo you, that your joy may he full. — 1 John I. 4, part last. 
 
 I AM now come by divine assistance to the end of 
 the beginning, the conclusion of the exordium of 
 this epistle, namely, the last clause of the fourth verse : 
 a close full of sweetness, the subject whereof is that 
 sweet monosyllable joy, the sound of which cannot 
 but charm our ears and ravish our hearts. Indeed, 
 the thing w hich this word expresseth is the wheel upon 
 which all men's projects and motions turn, the mark 
 at which all their designs and endeavours aim. Those 
 various designs of men in getting wealth, grasping 
 honour, purchasing lands, building houses, planting 
 vinej'ards, do all meet in this one centre of joy and 
 contentment. The truth is, this is that prize for which 
 all run, and yet to which few attain, because they miss 
 the way that loadeth to it. Would you, then, beloved, 
 enjoy that joy you so earnestly desire, and partake of 
 the content you so industriouslj' strive for ? Turn in 
 hither, follow the apostle's dictates who wrote this 
 epistle, that it may be subservient to this very end ; 
 for so he telleth us himself, ' These things we write, 
 that your joy may be full.' 
 
 I find in the Greek copies a double reading of the 
 pronoun in this clause ; whilst in some it is i//ii», in 
 others r,ij,iu\i ; in those, a pronoun of the second person, 
 referring to them to whom the apostles wrote, to which 
 accords our translation, your joy ; in these, a pronoun 
 
 of the first person, respecting the apostles who did 
 write, and so may be rendered our joy. Both of these 
 constructions are both agreeable to the analogy of 
 faith, and suitable to the scope of the apostle, and 
 therefore I shall omit neither. 
 
 1. The most and the best copies read it your, and 
 therefore on this I shall chiefly insist ; but before I 
 enter upon the sense of this clause, it would not be 
 passed by that the phrase is such as our blessed Lord 
 himself was pleased to use once and again. If you 
 cast your eyes upon that large and excellent valedic- 
 tory sermon of Christ to his disciples, in the Gospel of 
 St J ohn, you shaU find this expression twice mentioned, 
 John XV. 11, ' These things I have spoken to you, that 
 my joy may remain in you, and that your joy might 
 be full;' and again, chap. xvi. 24, ' Ask and you shall 
 receive, that your joy may be full.' And now, as 
 scholars use to imitate their master's language, and 
 one friend aflecteth those forms of speech which the 
 other is frequent in, so doth this beloved disciple.* 
 In that style in which Christ spake to his disciples, 
 he speaketh to his children ; indeed, it is not only 
 observable in this, but those other phrases of licepimj 
 Christ's commandments, of loviuy one another, of abid- 
 
 * Imbibisse mihi videtur plerasque formulas Johannes 
 quibus utebatur Cliristus. — Lorin. 
 
4-2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 iitff ill Christ, and the like, which, as you find them 
 to be Christ's iu the Gospel, so here the_y are used bj- 
 St John iu the Epistle. Thus lying in his master's 
 bosom, he sucked in, as it were, the phrases which 
 dropped from his lips, and here melliiluously pourelh 
 them out. 
 
 To let go the phrase, that we may take in the sense 
 and scope of the words ; be pleased to look upon 
 them iu a double reference, either to the end of the 
 third or the beginning of the fourth verse. 
 
 1. Refer this clause to the cud of the former verse, 
 and then the choice truth here insinuated is, that by 
 fellowship with the Father and his Sou Jesus Christ, 
 believers have fulness of joy ; or if j'ou please, take it 
 thus, the joy which believers have in fellowship with 
 God and Christ is a full joy. For the better explica- 
 tion of which assertion, I shall demonstrate it to be 
 true in a double notion, to wit, (U' prtcscnli, et de/iitiiro, 
 both here and hereafter ; for of both I find expositors 
 interpreting these words. 
 
 1. The joy which beUevers have for the present in 
 this fellowship is a full joy : the truth of which will 
 the butter appear, if we consider it not only positively, 
 but oppositively ; assertively, but exclusivelj- ; it being 
 true of this joy, and no other, that it is a full joy. What- 
 ever we have iu fellowship with the creature, is a false, 
 a vain, an empty joy, a shadow ; na}', to use the Greek 
 poet's phrase, a dream of a shadow. Iteal, substantial, 
 solid, full joy, is only to be found in fellowship with 
 God iu Christ.* More particularly to illustrate this 
 truth, be pleased to know that this joy, and this alone, 
 is a full joj' in respect of its adjuncts, effects, objects. 
 
 1. There are two adjuncts pecuhar to this jo}' which 
 demonstrate its fulness, to wit, the sincerity and the 
 pernianeucj- of it. 
 
 This joy is a sincere, cordial joy. A full shower of 
 rain is that which doth not only wot the surface, but 
 sink into the ground, bedew the branches, but go down 
 to the root. That is a full joy which doth not only 
 fill the face with laughter, but the heart with comfort ;t 
 and such, yea, such alone is joy. Culeiic hiUirilates 
 uon iiiijileiit jiedKs xed/miitein leiiiilluiil, Baith. Seneca ;J 
 worldly joys smooth the countenance, but have no in- 
 fluence upou the soul ; nay, many times, to use Gua- 
 dulupensis§ his comparison, as sweet juicy plums 
 have stones with a bitter kernel within them, so to 
 give the reddition in Solomon's words, Prov. xiv. 13, 
 ' even in laughter the heart is sorrowful.' Wicked and 
 worldly men, for the most part, do but counterfeit a 
 mirth, like a commander iu a desperate battle (to bor- 
 row SenecaJ his similitude), who, lest his soldiers 
 should run away, sets a good face on it, speaks cheer- 
 fully, whilst yet his heart aches ; but Ibis joy is such, 
 
 * Si gaadcam dc rebus sa;ciili,&c. — Vide Orig. Horn. 11 in 
 A'um. 
 
 t I'lcniiin gaiulium ciijiis intcriorn sunt pacata. — Naogorg. 
 X Sen. ep. 23. g GuaUulup in Luc. 
 
 II Sen. de consol. ad poljb. c. 24. 
 
 that it doth not only with oil cause the face to shine, 
 but with wine make the heart glad, Ps. civ. 15. The 
 blessed virgin's expression is, Luke i. 14, ' My spirit 
 rejoiceth in God my Saviour;' and David saith, Ps. 
 iv. 6, ' Thou hast put gladness in my heart.' Indeed, 
 Hilaris cum pondere virtus. 
 
 The joy of religion is not a light joy, which only 
 swimmeth at the top, but weighty, and sinks down to 
 the bottom of the heart, so as it exhilarateth the in- 
 most parts. It maketh the mind like the upper region 
 of the air, without any clouds of sorrow ; or if you will, 
 hke heaven itself, where there is nothing but light of 
 joy ; in a word, this spiritual fellowship maketh the 
 heart merry, which, as the wise man saith, Prov. xv. 13, 
 is a ' continual feast.' 
 
 This joy is a peniiancnt, lasting joy. That is most 
 truly said to be full, which doth not fail ; and such 
 only is this divine jo}'. Other joys are such as, before 
 the}' come, we make great account of; but when they 
 are come, we cannot keep,* nay, we quickly grow weary 
 of, and as the flower often sheds before the leaf fade, 
 so the joy vanisheth, whilst yet the thing remaineth. 
 In this respect we may saj' of worldly joy, it is satia- 
 ting, but not satisfying ; glutting, and yet not filling ; 
 like some meats which nauseate the stomach, and do 
 not fill the bellv" ; but Christian joy is that which wo 
 can never h.ive enough of. Of this society, and the joy 
 in it, there is no satiety ; and though it be a full joy, 
 yet we are never so i'uU of it here, but we desire more, 
 whilst both the desire obtaiueth fruition, and the 
 fruition incrcaseth the desire. f Indeed, this water 
 quencheth our thirst as to anything else, all other joys 
 seeming vain, worthless to him that hath this ; but in 
 respect of itself, it is still kindling new flames of love. 
 Excellently hath St Gregnryl to this purpose observed 
 the dili'ercnce between cor[:oral and spiritual delights : 
 those, when we want them, arc coveted, when we have 
 them, are loathed ; those§ are only loathed by those 
 who want them, but still coveted by those who taste 
 them. 
 
 Besides, other joys are such as many times end in 
 sorrow. How oft have you seen tears iu men's eyes, 
 after the heartiest laughter ! Nothing more usual than 
 for the suu of carnal mirth to set in a cloud, and this 
 serpent of sensual delight hath always a sting in its 
 tail. That verse, 
 
 Va; tibi ridouti, quia mox post gaudia flebis, 
 
 they say, hath all the parts of speech in it.|| Sure I 
 am, it compriseth in it the state of all voluptuous 
 epicures, who, sowing in joy, reap in tears, and after 
 all their good cheer, are sure to meet with a sad reck- 
 
 * hictitia sa;cu1i cum mugiiu cxpcclntiono spcratur ut 
 venial, et non potest trncri cum vcnit. — -Aug. trad. 7 in Joh. 
 
 t Quae miijor voluptas quam faslidium ipsius voluptatis. — 
 TertiU. lie sjieclac. c. 2'.). 
 
 i Vide (jiogor. Horn. 36 in Evang. Et Greg. Nyss. orat. de 
 Mort. 
 
 § tiu. 'these'? — Ed. || Vide Goclcn. do Risu. 
 
Ver. 4.] 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 43 
 
 oniug. Indeed, earaal delights at first glitter like gold, 
 but at last prove beavj' as lead ; and as one saith aptly, 
 they are wine in the morning, beer at noon, but they are 
 vinegar at night ; but this joy is a remaining, abound- 
 ing joy, whereof no man had or shall have cause to 
 repent. Carnal joy, like a standing pool, quickly drieth 
 up, and leaveth nothing but the mud of discontent ; 
 whereas Christian joy is like a fountain of water, ever 
 running. That (to take up St Bernard's* metaphor), 
 is like a caudle, which gooth out in a snufi', a stink, 
 a smoke ; this, like the morning light, shineth brighter 
 and brighter unto the perfect day ; finally, that, like 
 the crackling of thorns under a pot, soon vauisheth, 
 and leaveth nothing but the ashes of sorrow behind it, 
 whereas this, like the fire under the altar, never goeth 
 out. 
 
 2. Not only the adjuncts, but the effects commend 
 this joy, it being deservedly called a full, because a 
 strong joy, able to sustain the spirit under, and bear 
 it up against aSliction. It is the apostle's epithet, 
 Heb. vi. 18, ' stroiu/ consolation ;' and it is Nehemiah's 
 assertion, Neh. viii. 10, ' the joy of the Lord is your 
 strength.' When" any wind ariscth, it bloweth out, 
 when any damp is cast forth, it puts out the candle 
 of worldly joy ; but this joy, like a [torch, burneth 
 clearest in the dark night of trouble ; and which plainly 
 bespeakcth its fulness, it is of manifold use, nay, in- 
 deed, of universal concernment in all calamities. In 
 which respect the Greek fatherf afiirmeth of him 
 that is in communion with God, he is I'Xasoj 'iv -raei, 
 merry in all conditions. Other joys at best carry in 
 them only a partial emolument, and therefore it is the 
 joy of wealth is no antidote against sickness ; nor can 
 the joy of health cure the sorrow of poverty ; but this 
 joy is Tan (pd^fj.axov, the universal medicine, the catholic 
 remedy against all sorts of miseries. It maketh a prison 
 sweet, and pain easy ; it maketh a man cheerful in 
 want, and comfortable in losses ; it turneth a wilder- 
 ness into a garden, teacheth to sing in a cage, and 
 accounts solitary exile a courtesy ; finally, it supports 
 in hfe, yea, and it comforts in death. Thus, like the 
 tree cast into the waters of Marah, it sweetens all 
 calamities to us ; and as outward afllictions are miti- 
 gated, so inward troubles ai-e removed by this joy. 
 Those wounds of conscience, which carnal mirth can 
 only skin over, this cureth ; and therefore, whereas, 
 after sensual jollity, those wounds fester the more, 
 by this joy the very rotten core is eaten out, and we 
 enjoy a spiritual sanity of mind and conscience. The 
 sum is, let conscience accuse, let the world persecute, 
 let the devil tempt, yea, let afflictions ot all sorts (like 
 the waves of the sea) successively, irny, simultancou.slv 
 beat against the ship of the soul, this joy, like a firm 
 Anchor, will be able to stay it. 
 
 3. Lastly, the fulness of this joy chiefly depends 
 on the ground and object \vhereabout it is conversant. 
 
 • Vide ricni. scim. de fallac. pr.Tisent. Vit;c. Et Bus. liom. 
 de I>oo graliis semper agendis. t Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 7. 
 
 It is an undoubted maxim, that the object of all joy is 
 ;/oo(l, and therefore such as is the good, such is the 
 joy. If the good be only so in appearance, the joy must 
 needs be false and empty; but if it be a real, full good, 
 the joy must needs be both true and full. Now, as for 
 worldh' joy, it is only in vain, empty things. Solomon 
 hath long since passed that censure upon these terrene 
 comforts, Eccles. i. 2, ' All is vanity,' and therefore 
 the joy must needs be (jaudiwn vanilatis, a vain joy ; 
 whereas this joy is fixed on God our creator, Christ 
 our redeemer,* and so is r/audiiim veritatis, a true and 
 solid joy. The one is a joy in corn and wine, as David 
 distinguisheth it ; but the other in the light of God's 
 countenance, Ps. iv. 6 ; the one in broken cisterns, 
 that hold no water, but the other in the fountain of 
 living waters. And indeed, hence it is that the fulness 
 of this joy, in those fore-meutiouod respects, arLseth ; 
 therefore duth this joy fill the heart, because it is in 
 God and Christ, who is a proportionable good to the 
 heart ; therefore is this joj- such as no man can take 
 from ns, because it is in God and Christ, of whose 
 fellowship none can debar us ; therefore is this joj' able 
 to support us under all troubles, because it is in God and 
 Christ, who is an universal and all-sufficient good. 
 Alas, other joys being only in outward perishing things, 
 and such as at best can afl'ord but some particular ad- 
 vantage, must needs be defective, only God and Christ 
 is such a good as is of a spiritual nature, everlasting 
 durance, and general extent. No wonder if this fellow- 
 ship alone content the mind, and the soul find that in 
 this which may answer all its wants, and satisfy all 
 its desires. Excellently therefore St Bernard, f What 
 needest thou seek beside him ? What can please 
 without him ? What dost thou desire, which thou 
 mayest not find in him ? He made all, he hath all, 
 he is all. Whatsoever good thou wishest, sweet thou 
 cravest, delectable thing thou searchest after, it is all 
 to be found and enjoyed in him, and that by com- 
 munion with him. Good reason hath St John to wish, 
 that his brethren to whom he wrote might have this 
 fellowship, even upon this account, that their jov might 
 be full. 
 
 2. Though this joy we have for the present be, as 
 you have heard, a full joy, in opposition to carnal and 
 worldly joy, yet in comparison of that celestial joy 
 it is but empty, and rather filling than full ; and there- 
 fore some conceive joy here to be, by a metonymy of 
 the effect for the cause, J put for blessedness, because 
 then alone it is that we shall have full and perfect 
 joy.§ And to this purpose some (as the philosopher 
 
 • Aug. scrni. S' de verbis Dom. 
 
 t Quid quitri-s exira ilium ? quid dcsidcras ])ra;tci- ilium ? 
 quill |jlacct cum illo? — /Icrn. serm, <lc miser, hum. (Juisquis 
 vcro pcrcipit quid valeat ilia cum Deo socictas hie una abuude 
 coutcntus. — Catv. in Ivc. 
 
 I I'usilo effecto pro causa significat ipsam bcatitudinem. 
 — //'.y. in he. 
 
 § I'er nonien gandii pleni significat id quod in re atque 
 pntria perficitur. — Lorin. ibid. 
 
44. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 observes), derive fiaa-xsio; from fiaXiera yai^nv, only 
 changing the x into y, as if the word blessedness did 
 signify gi-eatly to rejoice. Indeed, as David sailh, 
 Ps. xvi. 11, ' In thy presence is fulness of joj',' oui- 
 joy will never be full, till we come to enjoy the beati- 
 fical vision ; our joy here is only in hope and expec- 
 tation.* 8o St Paul, ' we rejoice in hope of the gloiy 
 of God,' Kom. v. 3 ; nor can our joy be full, till we 
 come to the fruition of what we expect. Hence it is 
 that all we have here is but a taste, then we shall 
 drink deep of the river of pleasure. Now we have 
 only the lirst fruits, hereafter our joy shall be as the 
 jo}' of harvest. Finally, now the joy of the Lord 
 enters into us, but then it is we shall ' enter into the 
 joy of the Lord,' Mat. xxv. 21, and be as it were 
 swallowed up in the boundless ocean of that joj'. The 
 truth is, according to this y.onuiia, so is the /^aga; 
 our exultation answereth oui' pai'ticipation, because 
 this fellowship cannot be perfect till we come to 
 heaven, where we shall fully enjoy sanctity and im- 
 mortality with God and Christ for ever. Therefore 
 then, and not till then, shall this be verified, our joy 
 shall be filled. 
 
 And now, to tell j-ou how full that joy shall be, I 
 want words. St Peter, speaking of our joy which we 
 have in believing, calls it ' unspeakable, and full of 
 glory,' 1 Peter i. 8. Indeed, sentiie est cordis, lUccre 
 non est oris, the heart feeleth what the tongue cannot 
 express ; but oh then, how glorious, and not onlj' un- 
 speakable, but unconceivable shall that joy be in seeing. 
 Surely, as when Christ miraculated wine, he fiUed the 
 vessels to the brim, John ii. 7, so shall he fill the 
 vessels of our souls, in that day, with the water of joy, 
 to the very brim, so as there shall not be the least 
 deficiency, but an abundance, yea, a superabuudance, 
 both over and ever flowing, to make glad the inhabitants 
 of that heavenly city to all eternity. 
 
 What then is the inference which we are to draw 
 from hence, but that we learn what joy to seek after, 
 namely, that which is full, and wherein (to that end) 
 to place it, namely, in fellowship with God and Christ? 
 
 Beloved, it is a false slander, an odious calumny, 
 which by black mouths is belched forth against Chris- 
 tianity, as if it were an enemy to all joy ; whereas it 
 doth not extirpate, but ordinate our joy, teaching us 
 to place it on the right object. You arc mistaken when 
 you think that we would rob you of your comfort, and 
 spoil your mirth. No, brethren ; our aim in endeavour- 
 ing to bring you to God and Christ, is (to use Seneca's 
 phrase upon better grounds) that you mi^ht never 
 want mirth ; f or according to St Paul's expression, 
 1 Thes. V. IG, that you may ' rejoice evermore.' Indeed, 
 this is our scope, to conlino your carnal joy, or rather 
 refine it, that it may be pure, spiritual, and heavenly. 
 Oh that you would at last be wise, and fix your joy in 
 the right centre, by elevating it to the things above ! 
 *■ Aristot. Eth. 1. 7 c. 12. 
 t Nolo tibi unquam dccsse Itctiliam.— iSV/i. ep. 23. 
 
 How should you say with that penitent father. Far be 
 it. Lord, far be it from the heart of thy servant, that 
 I should account myself happy by an}- earthly joy; 
 that is the joy, which is not given to the wicked, but 
 only to them who serve thee, whose joy thou thyself 
 art; and that is the blessed life, to rejoice of thee, in 
 thee, for thee ; that is it, and no other ;* or in words 
 not much unlike those of St Paul, Gal. vi. 14, God 
 forbid that we should rejoice in anything, save in 
 fellowship with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ. 
 2. Refer this clause to the former part of this verse, 
 and then the truth which is manifestly implied is, 
 that those things which the holy men of God did write, 
 are able to give fulness of joy. This is the doctrine 
 which I shall endeavour to illustrate, both generally 
 of all the holy writings, and particularly of the apos- 
 tolical writings. 
 
 1. There is fulness of joy to be had in the holy 
 Scriptures. This was that which David experienced, 
 and therefore affirmeth concerning himself, that the 
 words of God were sweet to his taste, and he rejoiced 
 in them, as one that found a great spoil, Ps. cxix. 
 103, 102 ; and that holy man Ambrose, upon those 
 words, f breaketh forth into these expressions, I have 
 great cause to rejoice, for I have found the spoils for 
 which I have not laboured ; I have found the penta- 
 teuch of Moses, the writings of the prophets ; 1 have 
 found Christ the wonderful counsellor ; and Paul the 
 prudent builder. For this reason, no doubt, it is, that 
 the word of God contained in the Scripture is compai'ed 
 to light, and wine, and honey, and milk, all which are 
 of a pleasing and exhilarating nature. J Indeed, the holy 
 Scriptures are a tree of life, whereof every tree is 
 healing; or, according to St Chrysostom,§ a pleasant 
 garden, wherein every flower yields a fragrant smell ; 
 or to use St Ambrose|| his comparison, a feast, in 
 which every book is a dainty dish, atl'ording both 
 sweet and wholesome nutriment. No wonder if St 
 Paul, speaking of the Scriptures, Rom. xv. 4, maketh 
 mention of the patience, and hope, and comfort of the 
 Scriptures, there being no such ground of hope and 
 patience, and therefore no such comfort to be found 
 elsewhere, as in these sacred books. 
 
 2. As this is true in general of all parcels of holy 
 writ, so more especially of the apostohcal writings. To 
 this purpose St Cyril, T mj-stically inteq)reting those 
 words of the prophet Micah, that ' every man should 
 sit under his vine, and under his fig-tree,' Micah iv. 4, 
 observeth, that wine is an emblem of joy, the fig-tree 
 of sweetness, and by both is shadowed that joy which 
 the evangelical doctrine should produce in those 
 who sit under the preaching of it. Indeed, those doc- 
 trines which reveal God and Christ, satisfaction to 
 
 * Vide Aiip. conf. lib. x. cap. 22. 
 t Vide Ambros. in 1*8. cxviii. 
 J Vide Bern, scrni. G4. § Chrj'st. hom. in Eutrop. 
 
 VAnibios. de offic. lib. i. cap. 32. 
 Vide Cyr. Al. ibid. 
 
Yer. -t.] 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 45 
 
 God by Cbrist, reconciliation to God in Christ, can 
 only give solid comfort to the soul, since God out of 
 Christ is a consuming fire, only in Christ he is a 
 reviving sun ; out of Christ he is a sin-revenging, 
 only in Christ a sin-forgiving, God. Now these doc- 
 trines are nowhere made Itnown but in holy writ, 
 and the)' are most clearly delivered in the apostolical 
 writings. What Moses, and Isaiah, and Jeremiah spake 
 obscurely, that Paul, and Peter, and John declai-e 
 plainly ; and therefore, though we find joy in those, yet 
 by these our joy is filled. It is not unworthy our 
 observation in the text, that this clause, ' these things 
 we write,' stands in the middle, between ' our fellow- 
 ship is with Ihe Father, and his Son Jesus Christ,' and 
 ' that your joy might be full,' as having indeed an 
 influence on both ; and by effecting the one, it pro- 
 duceth the other. These things which the apostles 
 write reveal God and Christ, and the way of fellow- 
 ship with them ; and b_v bringing us to this fellowship, 
 they convey unto us this fulness of joy and comfort. 
 
 To apply this in some short consectaries. 
 
 1. How injurious is the superstition of the papists, 
 and that both to the Scriptures themselves, and to the 
 people. 
 
 (1.) To the Scriptures, in that they deny to them 
 a perfect sufficiency,* containing all things necessary 
 to salvation; and that for this reason, that they might 
 advance the esteem of their unwritten traditions. 
 Indeed, such traditions as are not fictitious but real, 
 not particular but universal, and clearly appear to be 
 so, we reject not ; but withal we assert there are no 
 such traditions delivering anything necessary to salva- 
 tion, which is not to be found cither in express terms, 
 or by evident consequences in the holy Scriptures ; and 
 that I may not wander, we meet with a strong argu- 
 ment to this purpose in my text. That which is able 
 to give us full joy must not be deficient in anything 
 which conduceth to our happiness ; but the holy Scrip- 
 tures give fulness of joy, and therefore the way to 
 happiness is perfectly laid down in them. The major 
 of this syllogism is so clear, that it needs no probation ; 
 for who can or will deny, that full joy is only to be 
 had in a state of bliss ? The minor is plain from this 
 scripture, and may thus be drawn forth. That which 
 the apostles aimed at in, may doubtless be attained to 
 by, their writings ; for they being inspired of God, it 
 is no other than the end that God purposed in inspir- 
 ing which they had in writing ; and either God him- 
 self is wanting in the means which he hath designed 
 for this end, or these writings contain in them what 
 will yield fulness of joy, and to that end bring us to a 
 state of blessedness. 
 
 (2.) To the people, whom they expressly forbid to 
 read the holy Scriptures, esteeming the permission of 
 them to the vulgar eye to be the ca.sting of pearls 
 before swine, and the giving holy things to dogs.f 
 
 * Vide Bellarm. de verb. Dei, lib. iv. cap. 3. 
 
 t Laicis lectionem scriptura: pcrnittcre est sanctum dare 
 
 Hence is it that, in a seeming reverence to holy writ, 
 and withal a pretended care of the laics, that they 
 may not wrest the Scriptures to their own perdition, 
 they lay upon them a prohibition ; but the truth is, 
 as they are but false friends to the Scripture, so in 
 this they are manifest enemies to the people, bereav- 
 ing them of that comfort which they might have in the 
 reading of those divine books. Certainly the apostles 
 intended that their epistles should be read both to and 
 by them to whom they wrote them. Now these you 
 to whom St John wrote were ordinarj' Christians, 
 dispersed in several countries ; such whom, in the 
 second chapter, he calls not ou]y fcdhcrs, but young 
 men and children : and the other apostles expressly 
 direct their epistles, to 'all that are called to be saints,' 
 as well private persons in, as public officers of, the 
 church. Nay, yet further, when we consider what 
 singular benefit is to bo gained by the reading of the 
 holy Scriptures, for correction, instruction, and in 
 particular, consolation, surely it is no small injury 
 that the church of Kome by this prohibition doth to 
 her members, even as great as if the mother should 
 deny the dug to the tender infant. 
 
 2. How odious is the profaneness of those Christiana 
 who neglect the holy Scriptures, and give themselves 
 to reading other books ! How many precious hours 
 do many spend, and that not only on work days, but 
 holy days, in foohsh romances, fabulous histories, 
 lascivious poems ! And why this, but that they 
 may be cheered and delighted, whenas full joy is 
 only to be had in these holy books. Alas, the joy 
 you find in those writings is perhaps pernicious, such 
 as tickleth your lust, and promoteth contemplative 
 wickedness. At the best it is but vain, such as only 
 pleaseth the fancy and afi'ecteth the wit ; whereas 
 these holy writings (to use David's expression, Ps. 
 xis. 8) are ' right, rejoicing the heart.' Again, are 
 there not many who more set by Plutarch's morals, 
 Seneca's epistles, and such like books, than the)' do 
 by the holy Scriptures ? It is true, beloved, there 
 are excellent truths in those moral writings of 
 the heathen, but yet they are far short of these 
 sacred books. Those may comfort against outward 
 trouble, but not against inward fears ; they ma)' rejoice 
 the mind, but cannot quiet the conscience; they may 
 kindle some flashy sparkles of joy, but they cannot 
 warm the soul with a lasting fire of solid consolation. 
 And truly, brethren, if ever God give you a spiritual 
 ear to judge of things aright, you will then acknowledge 
 there are no bells like to those of Aaron's, no harp 
 like to that of David's, no trumpet like to that of 
 Isaiah's, no pipes like to those of the apostles ; and 
 you will confess with Petrus Damianus,* that those 
 writings of heathen orators, philosophers, poets, which 
 
 canibus et margaritas ante porcos projicere. — Hot. de verb. 
 Dei. 
 
 * Olim mihi TuUias dulccscebat, blandiebantnr cannina 
 poctarum, &c — fetri Dam. Ser. de Christi Natal. 
 
4C 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. 
 
 formerly were so pleasing, are now dull and harsh in 
 comparison of the comfort of the Scriptures. 
 
 S. Lastly, Let us so diligently read, stedfastlj believe, 
 and obediently conform to these writings, that our 
 joy may be full by them. It is very observable, what 
 the prophet Jeremiah saith concerning himself, ' Thy 
 words were sound, and I did eat them ; and thy word 
 was to me the joy aud rejoicing of my heart,' Jer. 
 XV. IG. The word caused in Jeremiah joy and rejoic- 
 ing, that is, a full joy ; but by what means? It was by 
 eating it. So must we get comfort in the Scriptures by 
 eating; that is, reading, meditating, and applying them 
 to ourselves. Let then that counsel which St Ambrose* 
 givuth be acceptable to us : Eat, and eat daily of this 
 heavenly manna, that thy hunger may be satisfied, 
 and thy soul nourished to eternal life. Kemember 
 the advice which St Jeromef giveth: Whatever joys 
 and pleasures others may take, let our delights be in 
 the law of the Lord. Finally, hearken to the exhorta- 
 tion of Drogo Hostiensis : | Let not the law depart 
 from thy heart; read and ponder again and again, that 
 thou mayest find the savour of this manna, and with 
 the bee, suck the sweetness of these heavenly flowers. 
 And yet more particular^, when thou art cast into 
 anv danger, labourest under any alBiction, make use of 
 these writings for thy comfort, which are, as St Ambrose§ 
 truly stylelh them, the only refuge in all temptations. 
 Excellently to this purpose is that even of a Koman 
 bishop, in his exhortation to the clergy. Doth any 
 one labour with ignorance ? These writings are a 
 hght to the feet, and a lantern to his paths. Do we 
 weep in this valley of tears ? Here we may find that 
 whichwill dryoureyes,andreviveour spirit. Dost thou 
 thirst after righteousness ? Here is a fountain of pure 
 water ? Art thou spiritually hungry ? Here is the 
 bread which came down from heaven.;] Indeed, there 
 is no condition that can befall a Christian, to which 
 these holy writings do not all'ord a suitable and pro- 
 portioned consolation. I end this, therefore, with 
 allusion to that expression of the prophet Isaiah, chap, 
 xii. 3, ' With joy shall you draw water out of the wells 
 of salvation.' These wells of salvation are evan- 
 gelical truths, so St Jerome ; spiritual sayings, so 
 Procopius. Oh lot us by the bucket of faith draw 
 the water of comfortable doctrine out of those wells, 
 to the joy and solace of our hearts. 
 
 I have now despatched the first and most genuine 
 reading of tliis pronoun ; the other (which the Greek 
 scholiastll taketh notice of) would not be altogether 
 
 ♦ Kile Scripturnrum cocleslium cibos, et cde ut permaneant 
 lilii in vitam .xicMiiam, &(,•. — Ambrog. in Ps. cxviii. 
 
 t Haljcant silii ca^tcri si vcliiit suas opes, geiuiKa bibant, 
 scrico nilcant, &c. — Jerome, Ep. 155. 
 
 J Noil cxctilat libi lex de ore cordis tni, volvc, revolve, 
 versa, revcrsa, ac tunc intclli(;cs (|nid sapiat manna, &c. — 
 Drcri. Host, de sacrum. Dom. pas/, lib. i. 
 
 i "Viilc Anibros. 1. d. I'elr. Sim. Tilct. 
 
 I Vid. IJivel. Isaj,'. p. 40G. 
 
 If CEcumen. in loc. 
 
 passed by, which is rjfiuv, a pronoun of the first per- 
 son, since not only some Greek copies, but the Syriac 
 version also, so renders it, 'that our ^oy might be full.' 
 And thus, as venerable Bede* observeth upon these 
 words, it lets us see what is the joy of a godly minis- 
 ter, namely, when the people by his declaring, preach- 
 ing, writing, are brought to fellowship with God aud 
 Christ; and the more they gain to this fellowship, the 
 more is their joy enlarged and filled up. Indeed, that 
 I ma3' borrow Seueca'sf similitudes, if it cannot but 
 delight the husbandman when he seeth his plants gi'ow, 
 bis trees flom-ish, his fruits ripen; if it must needs re- 
 joice the shepherd to behold his sheep sound, fat, and 
 fruitful ; if it glad the heart of a schoolmaster or tutor 
 to observe his scholai's thrive in learning, and increase 
 in knowledge; it must needs be a matter of abundant 
 joy to the ministers of the gospel, when they reap the 
 fruit of their labour in the conversion and confirmation 
 of their people. J This is that which this holy apostle 
 John, as here, so elsewhere expresseth to be his tem- 
 per, when writing to the elect lady, 2 John 4, he saith, 
 ' I rejoiced greatlj' that I found of thy children walk- 
 ing in the truth ;' aud when writing to the well-beloved 
 Gains, he saith, 3 John 4, ' I have no greater joy than 
 that my children walk in truth.' The same spirit lodged 
 in that blessed apostle Paul, who calls the Philippiaus, 
 chap. iv. 1, his 'joy and his crown,' and the Thessa- 
 lonians, 1 Thes. ii. 19, 20, his ' hope, his joy ; his 
 crown of rejoicing, his glory and his joy,' by which 
 phrases is intimated an exceeding joy, glorying being 
 the height of rejoicing. Nay, even emperors cannot 
 take greater joy in their crowns, than he did in those 
 of whose conversion God had made him instrumental; 
 nay, as if he knew not how enough to be thankful, he 
 breaketh forth into that pathetical question, chap. iii. 9, 
 ' What thanks can we render to God for all the joy 
 wherewith we joy for your sakes!' To this purpose 
 was that pious speech of an holy bishop§ to his Hock, 
 Liiplestis I'iscern mea, cum iiiiph'atis mandrila dirina, 
 your fulfilling God's precepts is the filling up of my 
 joy. We read in the parable, Luke xv. 9, of a woman, 
 who, having found her lost gi-oat, called her neighbours 
 and friends to rejoice with her ; that finding the lost 
 groat is an emblem of a lost sinner gained to Christ, 
 and the woman represents the minister, who cannot but 
 greatly rejoice at his being the means of converting 
 any sinner. Indeed, as we find afterward in that chap- 
 ter, ' there is joy in heaven over one sinner that re- 
 pentcth ;' the truth is, there is joy both in heaven and 
 in earth, whilst both the angels, those heavenly minis- 
 ters, and ministers, those earthly angels, rejoice at the 
 winning of souls to Christ. 
 
 * Gnuilium doctoriim lit plenum, cum multos ad sanctie- 
 ccclcsia; societatcm peiducunt. — Bed. ibid. 
 
 t Scncc. ep. 24. 
 
 i Cnm gnudore in boo omnesfrntresoporlct, turn in gaudio 
 comnmni majoi- est cpiscoiii portio. — Cpr. ep. 7. 
 
 % Euseb. VcrccU. Episcop. 
 
Ver. 5-7.] 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 47 
 
 This is the joy of godly ministers for the present, 
 and shall be yet much more at the last day, ' in the 
 presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming,' 
 ■when (as St Gregory* aptly) Peter shall appear with 
 his converted Jews, and Paul with his converted Gen- 
 tiles, and all pastors with their reduced sheep ; when 
 they, who have received any spiritual profit by us, 
 shall give in evidence for us, and be as so many pearls 
 set in our crown of glory. 
 
 Oh, then, how should we, that are the ministers of 
 Christ, double, yea, treble our diligence in feeding the 
 flock, according to Christ's threefold mandate ! John 
 xxi. 15-17 ; how should we bestir ourselves in all the 
 ■ways, by all the means we can, by preaching, writing, 
 and that in exhorting, reproving, comforting, that we 
 may bring men to this fellowship, since it will be the 
 filling of our joy ! Indeed, a lazy, careless minister is 
 not more the people's than his own enemy, since as 
 he hindereth their good, so his own comfort; for if it 
 be uncomfortable ■n'hen we sow much and reap little, 
 the success not answering our pains, it must needs be 
 much more doleful, ■n'hen conscience giveth in testi- 
 mony against us, that we have sowed but little, having 
 been careless and negligent in the discharge of our 
 duty, since ■n-hereas the other is hut only a cross, this 
 is a curse, according to that of the prophet Jeremiah, 
 slviii. 10, ' Cursed is he that doth the work of the 
 Lord negligently.' 
 
 But further. Oh that you who are the people would, 
 upon this consideration, labour to profit by what we 
 preach and write to you, that hereby you may fill our 
 joy. Many of you pretend a great deal of love and 
 respect to us ; my brethren, if 3-ou love us, do not 
 grieve us by your unprofitableness. By your presence 
 you fill our churches, by your maintenance you fill our 
 purses ; but what is this, if by j'our obedience you do 
 not fill our joy ? Many of you seem to pity us when 
 you see us exhausting our spirits, wasting our bodies, 
 ■weakening our strength, in preaching to you ; Oh then, 
 why do you not refresh our minds, revive our spirits, 
 * Greg. hom. 17 in evang. 
 
 rejoice our hearts in requiting our pains with your 
 fi-uitluluoss ? It is true, beloved, our work in itself is 
 difficult, but your hard hearts are an heavier burden 
 to us than our hard work. Truly if our hearts deceive 
 us not, to find good wrought upon you by our pains is 
 the best cordial you can give us, as that godly father 
 said to his people of Antioch,* I feel not the weight of 
 my labour, because I am revived by the gain of you 
 that are my auditors. 
 
 Let me then bespeak you, my dearly beloved parish- 
 ioners and auditors, this day, in the same language St 
 Paul bespoke his Philippians, chap. ii. 2, ' Fulfil yoa 
 my joy ' in your endeavour to profit by my ministry. 
 Why shall we, who are evangelical sowers, be forced to 
 complain that we sow our seed, if not among briers 
 and thorns, which scratch and tear (the usage that too 
 many have found in these days), yet among stones, so 
 as it yields no fruit ? Why do you force us with our 
 preaching and praying to join tears in weeping for and 
 over you, because of your barrenness ? nav, why 
 should we come in at the last day of judgment as wit- 
 nesses against j'ou, and be forced to give up our account 
 with grief ? 
 
 I end all ; if, on the one hand, you will not be won 
 to Christ by our ministry, know that as it is our sor- 
 row it will be your misery, our heaviness, your unhappi- 
 ness. If it be uncomfortable to us, it will be un- 
 profitable to you ; and if you put us upon a woe of 
 condoling, you will meet with a woe of condemning ; 
 and, on the other hand, if our ministry be efl'ectual to 
 bring you into fellowship with God and Christ, know 
 that it will not only be ours, but your joy (Cor so we 
 may put both the readings of this clause together) ; we 
 shall have some, and you will have much more cause 
 of comfort in it. For this end it is, my brethren, that 
 we shew, and declare, and write. Oh do not disappoint 
 us of our hopes, and frustrate our desires, but for this 
 cause do you hear, believe, and obey, that both your 
 and our joy may be full. 
 
 ♦ Chrjsost. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 9. 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 TJds then is the messnrfe uhkh ive hare heard of him, and declare unto yon, that God is li(jht, and in him is no 
 darkness at all. If iie say that ve have fellowship xrith him, and iralk in darkness, we lie, ami do not the 
 trnth ; but if we walk in the liyht, as he is in the liyht, we hare fellowship one witli another, and the blood 
 of Jesus Christ liis Son cleanseth us from all sin. — 1 John I. 5—7. 
 
 HAPPINESS is the centre in which all men's de- 
 sires meet, and the mark at which all their in- 
 tentions shoot. This is that which every one seeketh 
 after for himself, and which Christ's apostles and 
 ministers labour after, in regard of their people. The 
 safety of the flock is the shepherd's care, the health of 
 the patient the physician's work, and the people's sal- 
 Tation the hearty desire, prayer, and endeavour of 
 
 every faithful preacher; indeed, for this end, they are 
 set as lights, placed as stars in the firmament of the 
 church, that they may ' guide men's feet into the way 
 of peace ' and path of life. 
 
 True happiness principally, nay, wholly, consists in 
 communion and fellowship with God in Ciirist, since 
 be is that suinnuoii honuin, chief and universal good, 
 the fruition of which alone can make us happy. No 
 
iS 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 wonder if St John, with the rest of the apostles, desiring 
 to bring the people to blessedness, labour by their 
 preaching and wi-iting to make them partakers of this 
 fellowship. 
 
 But as, indeed, yjtki'xa, to. xctka,* all things of ex- 
 cellency are attended with difficulty, so is in special 
 this fellowship. The truth is, to be mistaken in it is 
 vei-y easy ; to partake of it is very difficult. The attain- 
 ment of it will undoubtedly make us happy, but withal 
 it is very hardly attained unto. Good reason then had 
 St John, having signified this fellowship as that which 
 was the end of his writing, to discuss in his writing at 
 once the marks whereby we may know, and the means 
 whereby we may attain it ; with which he therefore be- 
 gins in the words that I have now read, ' This then is 
 the message which we heard of him,' &c. 
 
 Having already passed through the preface, we are 
 now to handle the epistle itself. I shall not stay to 
 give you an exact and particular analysis, or, as it 
 were, anatomy of its body ; and that chiefly because 
 our apostle doth not tie himself to a strict and accurate 
 method, though I doubt not but, in perusing the seve- 
 ral chapters and parcels of it, we shall find a rational 
 connection and dependence of one upon the other, and 
 all upon the principal scope. It may for the present 
 suffice to know, that the design of this discourse is, to 
 instruct all men professing Christianity how they may 
 try the truth of their profession ; to erect a partition 
 wall discriminating between heretical and orthodox, 
 hypocritical and sincere Christians ; finally, to de- 
 liver us a box of evidences, by which we may clear our 
 interest in communion with God and Christ, and there- 
 by our title to eternal life. And, indeed, this is that 
 which our apostle implicitly insinuateth in the former 
 verse, since the fulness of our joy must needs arise 
 only from an apprehension of our part in this partner- 
 ship, and expressly asserteth in the last chapter, v. 14, 
 where he saith, ' These things have I wi'itten, that you 
 may have eternal life.' 
 
 As for the words which I have now read, our 
 apostle in them giveth us a breviate of what he in- 
 tends to enlarge upon in the rest of the epistle, sum- 
 marily proposing what he doth afterwards abundantly 
 exemplify. t For if you peruse the whole epistle, 
 you shall find, if not all, yet the gi'eatest part spent 
 in one of these three things : either in delineating the 
 steps of the way whereby we walk in the light, such 
 as are faith, obedience, contempt of the world, and 
 especially love to God and our brethren ; or in declar- 
 ing the choice privileges of fellowship with God and 
 Christ, namely, our justification, adoption, and glori- 
 fication ; or in describing those antichristian heretics 
 who pretend to have fellowship with Christ, and walk 
 in darkness. So that in few words, if you please, we 
 
 * rint. (Ic lili. c.luo. 
 
 t Jam inoipit rem ipsnm attingere, suiequc iloctrina: 
 matcriam profonit.— /.orm. in loc. 
 
 may call these three verses the text, and the rest of 
 the epistle a commentary upon the text. 
 
 Begin we then now with the text ; and in it, for our 
 more orderly proceeding, be pleased to take a view of 
 the porch and the hoiisc : and in the house, of the 
 foundation and the siiper.<trni-turc' ; and in the super- 
 structure, of the two rooms, directly opposite one to 
 the other, the one as it were on the left, the other on 
 the right hand. 
 
 The porch is contained in those words, ' This then 
 is the message which we have heard of him, and 
 declare to you ; ' the fonndntioii of the house in those, 
 ' God is light, and in him is no darkness at all ; ' and 
 the roonis in the house are, on the one hand, the 
 vain presumption, abominable he of those who pretend 
 to have fellowship with God, and walk in darkness ; 
 on the other, the assured fellowship with God, and 
 cleansing by Christ, of those who walk in the light. 
 Of each of these in their order, most humbly beseech- 
 ing him who is the light to irradiate our minds with 
 his heavenly beams, that we may clearly discern and 
 effectually embrace those truths which are here set 
 before us. 
 
 1. Enter we then into the porch, a clause which 
 for substance and in efl'ect we have already handled, 
 as having met with it in the beginning of the third 
 verse. And truly, were this only a repetition, it 
 would not be supervacaneous, because no endeavour 
 can be too much, as for the informing our apprehen- 
 sions aright of, so for the confii-ming our faith in, and 
 assent to, evangelical doctrines. Indeed, it is the 
 policy of the devil, and that which by many ways he 
 endeavoureth, to cause in us both a misunderstanding 
 of and hesitation about gospel truths. It was the 
 stratagem he used with our first parents, to beget in 
 them a questioning, and then a denial of the verity 
 of God's saying ; and it is still his practice to make 
 us either totally deny or causelessly doubt of divine 
 writings. No marvel if the apostle, not once, but 
 again, nay (as Lorinus* observeth), thrice inculcates 
 that what he was now to write was no other than what 
 he had heard. 
 
 But as this is a repetition, so with some addition ; 
 and it is such an iteration as admits of variation. If 
 you please to compare this with the precedent parallel 
 clause, you shall find a noun and pronoun here added. 
 Whereas before it is only that which, here it is the 
 message ichich ; and whereas there it is only that which 
 ire liave heard, here it is that irhich we have heard of 
 him. So that here are two things to be discussed de. 
 novo, which is, what it is that hearing thej' declared — 
 a messaije ; and of whom they received it — of him. 
 And yet there is one thing more not touched before, 
 because it more fitly falls in no v ; the persons who 
 did hear of him and declare to us — ice. 
 
 1. That which the apostles heard is here called a 
 message ; eo our translation renders it, as also 
 * Vide Giiult. Lorin. in loc. 
 
Vkr. 5-7.] 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 49 
 
 Beza* and the vulgar Latin version, according to whicb 
 Grotius tells us, in one manuscript, it is ayyiKia.. 
 Socinus would have us believe a mistiike in the scribe 
 of £ for a, and that it should be u.'r:ayyi\ia, the noun 
 of a-ayyiX'kotj.zv, which is the verb our apostle useth 
 here for dechtring. But the usual reading in the 
 Greek copy is l-rrayyiXia, and that in its most known 
 acceptiou signifietb a promise; nor (though I con- 
 fess I am almost alone in it) do I see any reason why 
 we should decline the word or its usual signification; 
 nay indeed (at least to me), it seemeth very congruous 
 and suitable. For, 
 
 (1.) It is the word which our apostle afterwards 
 nseth when he speaketh of the same thing, 1 John 
 ii. 25, ' That which they had had from the beginning,' 
 presently adds, ' This is the promise which he hath 
 promised,' and so we have heard. 
 
 (2.) But chiefly, it is that which very aptly agreeth 
 with the context, whether you look backward or 
 forward. 
 
 [1.] In the former verse, the apostle acquaints the 
 people that his end in writing these things was, ' that 
 their joy might be full ; ' and here he tells us what 
 those things were that would bring this fulness of joy, 
 to which purpose he calleth them not barely a mes- 
 sage, hut a promise, which is a message of glad tidings, 
 able to fill our joy. 
 
 [2.] If you look on what immediately followeth, 
 ' God is light, and in him is no darkness,' though 
 for this reason that signification of promise is rejected, 
 because those words are assertory, not promissory; 
 yet a late writerf hath observed (ingeniously, though 
 not so solidly) a congruency even in these words, 
 because light represents the communicative goodness 
 of God. Here is a tacit and virtual promise, assuring 
 ns that God is ready to cast forth the beams of bis 
 grace and mere}' on us. 
 
 (3.) But I conceive in this lieth the mistake of 
 interpreters, that they understand this message to 
 consist in the words immediately subsequent; whereas, 
 if we examine it more narrowly, we shall find the 
 substance of the message to be laid down in the 
 seventh verse, to which the term of promise fitly 
 agreeth, it being a manifest promise of fellnwship 
 with God and cleansing by Christ to them who walk 
 in the light. And this is illustrated in the sixlh vers-e 
 by a redargution of that lying promise which pre- 
 sumptuous sinners, who walk in darkness, make to 
 themselves, of haying fellowship with God. 
 
 And as for those words in the fifth verse, ' God is 
 light, and in him is no darkness,' they are apparently 
 premised as a proof of the promise and confirmation 
 of the mcssiige (for which reason I call them in the 
 division the Jotmdal ion of the building) ; and accord- 
 
 * Viile Rez. Grot. Socin. in loc. 
 
 t Non sccu<ac si ingcns nobis bonum Joannes prom Itterct, 
 de I'eo cnuniiat ipsuin onini modo lumen esse, ic. — Velasg 
 in Pliilip. i. 2. Annot. 2 mor. 
 
 ingly that Greek particle, on, being as well causal as 
 declarative, may be fitly, and is so rendered by the 
 vulgar Latin, quoniam, because; and the sense will 
 amount to this, ' Because God is light, and in him is 
 no darkness,' therefore they, and they only, who walk 
 in the light, being thereby like to him, can or shall 
 have fellowship with him, cleansing by his Son. And 
 this is the promise which [we] have heard of him. 
 
 This word, and thereby somewhat of the sense of 
 the whole, being thus cleared to us, I cannot pass it 
 over without a double note, well worthy our serious 
 consideration. 
 
 1. The nature of the gospel's message : it is a 
 promise. 
 
 2. The tenure of this promise : it is conditional. 
 1. The Syriac word here used signifietb r/ospel, the 
 
 Greek, promise. Indeed, the gospel in its chief design 
 is promissory : it is not only an historical narration 
 of something done, but of this as done for us, and so 
 a promissory declaration of God's good will towards 
 us. The protevangelium, first gospel, preached by 
 God to fallen Adam, Gen. iii. 15, is a plain promise, 
 ' The seed of the woman shall break the serpent's 
 head.' Nor is there any promise now made to man 
 but what is contained in the gospel. The law is a 
 denunciation of wrath, of a curse against us, because 
 of transgression ; only the gospel is an annunciation 
 of mercy and forgiveness : that breatheth forth only 
 a cold blast, a north wind of threatening ; this sendeth 
 forth a warm gale, a south wind of promise. 
 
 A promise it is, and that not of paying a debt, but 
 bestowing a gift. Man's promise is ofttimes an act 
 of justice, but God's of mere grace and free love ; and 
 therefore it is that his purpose, of which the gospel 
 promise is the counterpart, is joined with grace, 
 2 Tim. i. 9 ; and that special promise of the gospel, 
 forgiveness of sin, is said to be ' according to the 
 riches of his grace,' Eph. i. 7 ; yea, one appellation 
 given to the gospel is, that it is called the ' word of 
 God's grace,' Acts xx. 32, because it manifesteth his 
 free grace to sinners. And indeed, if we believe the 
 Greek critic,* this truth is wrapped up in the very 
 wurd there used, this being the dift'erence between 
 irrayyiKia. and \jrr6s-/ieig, that the latter is only a pro- 
 mise of what is due, but the former of what is free. 
 
 A promise it is, and that such as hath many pro- 
 mises in the womb of it, and those, as the apostle 
 Peter calls them, 2 Peter i. 4, ' exceeding great and 
 precious,' not of temporals but spirituals, nay, eternals. 
 Fellowship with God, remission, adoption, eternal 
 life — what not ?^are the choice and precious benefits 
 which this promise revealeth and oflereth to us. In- 
 deed, it is a treasury of divine riches, a storehouse of 
 the soul's provision, a cabinet of heavenly pearls, aU 
 things truly good and justly desirable being contained 
 in and conveyed to us by this promise. 
 
 Oh let us learn to sot an high value upon cvangcli- 
 
 * vveir^iffts xaj irityyi?.la hx^i^it, &C. — Ammon. 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 cai Joctiine. • Thou hast niiignified thy word above 
 all thy name,' saith the psalmist, Ps. cxxxviii. 2 ; 
 ' Thou hast magnified thy gospel above all thy word,' 
 may we sny, and that upon this ground, because it is 
 promissoi-y revelation. Surely if the whole word of 
 God be as milk, the promising part is as the cream of 
 that milk ; if that be as a firmament of stars, this is 
 as the sun in that finnameut ; finally, if that be as 
 a feast, this is the sweetest dish in that feast. ' De- 
 sire,' saith the apostle Peter, 1 Peter ii. 2, 3, ' the 
 sincere milk of the word (meaning the gospel) if you 
 have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Indeed, we 
 may taste the veritj' of God in all his words, the equity 
 of God in his commands, the sevei'itj- of God in his 
 threats ; but we only taste the mercy of God, how 
 gracious he is, in the evangelical promises. And 
 surely tasting, we cannot but singularly esteem and 
 fervently desire it. 
 
 2. Calvin and Grotius"'' make the sense of these 
 words, ' this is the promise,' to intend thus much. 
 The promise which we bring to you hath this condition 
 annexed to it, to wit, of walking in the light ; and 
 therefore it is expressed with an {/", an hypothetical 
 conjunction. That, then, which we have further to 
 take notice of, and would by no means be omitted, is, 
 that the promis-e of the gospel is conditional ; it is a 
 position with a supposition. Nor are the benefits in it 
 granted absolutely, but respectively. 
 
 It is a question moved by some, how the promise 
 can be free and yet conditional ; not considering the 
 diflcrence between a meritorious cuiise, for which a 
 thing ought to be, and a necessary condition, without 
 ■which it cannot be efl'ccted. Were there a proportion 
 of equality between the thing promised and required, 
 the promise could not be free ; but the evangelical 
 condition is such only as maketh us meet for, not 
 worthy of, the thing promised, and therefore hath 
 only a proportion of congruity. Mercy, then, is the 
 spring from whence the promise floweth, but duty is 
 the channel in which it runneth down to us. The 
 primary design of the law was precept, commanding 
 us to do, though there was annexed to it a promise, 
 which, upon doing what was commanded, we should 
 receive. The principal scope of the gospel is promise, 
 revealing what God is pleased to do for us, yet so as 
 that there are precepts annexed to it, which require 
 somewhat to be done by us that wc may obtain the 
 promise. 
 
 What, then, God hath joined together, lot not us 
 put asunder. The most of us, with Malchus, have but 
 one ear, to hear the promise, but not the precept of the 
 gospel. We like well to gather the rose, and suck the 
 honey of a promise, but the condition we hate as the 
 prickles and sting. We would gladly have the privi- 
 lege assured, and yet we abhor the duty required; but 
 be not deceived, if you will have the one you must do 
 the other. God will not fulfil his part unless we pcr- 
 * Vide Calv. Grot, in Ice. 
 
 form ours, and therefore it is in vain to expect an 
 accomplishment of his promise but on his own terms. 
 In fine, the gospel is a promise, let us not be so unthank- 
 ful unto God and Christ as to reject it. It is a condi- 
 tional promise, let us not be so injurious to oiu-selves 
 as to misajiply it. 
 
 2. The apostles heard this message of him. If you 
 ask, Of trlioin ! the answer is to be fetched from the 
 end of the third verse : ' the Father, and his Son Jesus 
 Christ.' It would not be passed by that the apostle, 
 speaking of two persons, nay, implicitly of all three, 
 useth the singular number, saying, not which we beard 
 of them, but him; from which, though Socinus* would 
 only gather an unity of will and aflection, yet the 
 orthodox conclude an unity of essence and nature. 
 The multitude of believers were of one heart, in the 
 primitive times, and one soul, Acts iv. 32; j-et it would 
 have been very improper to have spoken of them as 
 one man ; but inasmuch as the Father and the Son, 
 though two persons, have one and the same essence, 
 it was very proper to use the singular number : that 
 ' which we have heard of him.' 
 
 That which wo are here to take notice of is, 
 
 1. Partly that these apostles heard before they de- 
 clared. It is very observable that in the Hebrew 
 tongue the same verb in Kal (lo^) signifieth to learn, 
 and in Piel to teach, and the same noun (VDC) signi- 
 fieth both an hearing and a report ; and indeed the 
 Greeks use azoii, and the Latins auditio, in the same 
 sense, whereby is intimated to us that we must be 
 hearers ere we be speakers, learners ere we be teachers, 
 scholars before we be tutors. And I could heartily 
 wish that this consideration might bo a check to the 
 inconsiderate rashness of those giddy heads in this 
 age, who never sat at Gamahel's feet, and yet step into 
 Moses his chair; and though they have scarce learned 
 anything themselves at either school or acudomy, ad- 
 venture to teach the people in these sacred oratories. 
 
 2. Chiefly, that what they declared to the world was 
 no other than what they heard from Christ. This is 
 that which, as St John asserteth here, so St Paul else- 
 where concerning himself: 1 Cor. xi. 28, ' That which 
 I have received of the Lord, I have delivered unto 
 you ;' and in another place, chap. vii. 23, ' Not I, but 
 the Lord.' Thus it was with the apostles, and thus it 
 was with the prophets, who uttered nothing but what 
 was by God revealed to them ; and therefore you find 
 them very often bringing in Sic dicit Dotninus, ' Thus 
 saith the Lord.' 
 
 1. It is an item to ministers, that our faithfulness 
 appear in delivering, as wholly, so only, the counsel 
 of God, the mind of Christ, revealed in his word to 
 the people ; whilst Jesuits declare what they hear from 
 the pope, as accounting him infallible ; whilst enthu- 
 siasts declare what they hear from the devil, mistak- 
 ing his delusions for the Spirit's inspirations; let tho 
 ministers of Christ declare nothing but what they hear, 
 * Socin. in loc. 
 
Ver. 5-7.] 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 though not immediately, yet mediately, from Christ. 
 Oh far he it from us to pretend to he his messcngors, 
 and yet to vent our own inventions, and preach our 
 own fiincies ! What amhassador dare deliver anything 
 to a foreign prince but what the king his master giveth 
 Lim in charge ? Oh let us, who are the ambassadors 
 of Christ, declare nothing but that message with which 
 he sends us. 
 
 2. It is a document to the people, that the aposto- 
 lical writings, and our preaching according to them, 
 be received bj' you with faith and reverence, because 
 they are no other than the dictates of Christ.* Indeed, 
 whoso authority should prevail, if not Christ's ? And 
 with whom, if not the church ? It is the character of 
 Christ's sheep, th;it ' they know his voice, and follow 
 it,' John s. 1. We need not fear that he who is the 
 way will cause us fo wander, who is the truth will cause 
 us to err, who is the faithful witness will go about to 
 deceive us. So long as we speak the truth in and from 
 Christ, and lie not, do you believe and doubt not. 
 
 3. The ICC to whom Christ was pleased to impart 
 this message, and by whom he declared it to the world, 
 would be considered, and that especially in respect of 
 their mean and low condition. If you look upon St 
 John and the rest of these holy apostles with a carnal 
 eye, there was nothing in them which might render 
 them worthy of so high a prerogative. |- They were 
 poor, rude, illiterate, despised fishermen ; and who 
 were they, that Christ should employ them to be his 
 ambassadors "? Kings do not use to send beggars and 
 peasants of their errands, but Christ was pleased to 
 make use of these contemptible persons for his em- 
 bassy. In this respect it is the apostle saith, ' We 
 have this treasure in earthen vessels,' 2 Cor. iv. 7. 
 Not golden or silver, but earthen vessels, are chose by 
 Christ for the receiving and communicating of this 
 heavenly treasure of the gospel. Indeed, whether 
 you look on things or persons, still they are mean and 
 despicable, which Christ employeth in his service. As 
 the prophet fi'om God appointed the water of Jordan 
 to be the means of curing Naaman's leprosy, so hath 
 our Lord Christ instituted water, and bread, and wine, 
 common ordinary creatures, to be the pledges of his 
 love, and conduit-pipes of his grace to the church; and 
 as common things, so ordinary persons are thought 
 fittest by him to be employed in his work; indigent, 
 ignorant fishennen must be the publishers of his 
 gospel to the world. It is that which lets us see the 
 freeness, the strangeness, and the wisdom of divine 
 dispensations. 
 
 The freeness, in that, as the apostle speaketh, ' there 
 is no respect of persons with God,' Rom. ii. 11. It is 
 not external qualifications that Christ looketh at ; the 
 poor as well as tlie rich, the simple as soon as the wise, 
 
 • Ideo reverenter atque inviolabiliter debetis retinerc quod 
 mihi Dominus tradiilit, et ego vobis. — Ana. in Cor. 
 
 t Nihil in illis viilebis quod aliqua prrcrogativi dignum 
 ■ccuseas.— Guall. in loc. 
 
 the base as easily as the noble, are accepted of him ; 
 nay, many times he passeth by these, and chooseth 
 those. 
 
 The straufjeness, in that it is so contrary to the dic- 
 tates of carnal reason. Who would not have thought it 
 the most probable way of spreading the gospel, if Christ 
 had employed the scribes that were learned in the law, 
 and the rulers of the people, to have been the publishers 
 of it? But ' God's ways are not as our ways, neither are 
 his thoughts as ours,' Isa. Iv. 8. He loves to tread in 
 uncouth paths, and for the mo.st part such as are cross 
 to our reason. 
 
 The u-hclom, in that this serveth much to magnify 
 his own name. Look as the less aptitude there is in the 
 matter, so the less energy there is in the instrument, 
 so much the greater doth the skill, power, and cau- 
 sality of the efficient appear ; the less there is of men 
 in any work, the more of God is seen. To do so great 
 a work as the publishing and promoting of Christian 
 religion, by such weak instruments as the apostles 
 were, cannot but highly advance the honour of Christ ; 
 since, as St Paul speaketh, 2 Cor. iv. 8, hereby ' the 
 excellency of the power is manifested to be of God, and 
 not of man.' 
 
 2. And thus I have given you a view of the jionli ; 
 be pleased now to go into the house, and therein to 
 take a survey of the, 
 
 1. Foundation, as it is laid down in those words, 
 ' God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.' If 
 we consider these words in their utmost latitude, they 
 are both a position and a probation ; but this latter I 
 shall defer to the following words. For the more 
 full handling of this clause as a position, be pleased 
 to obseiwe something, both more general and more 
 special. 
 
 1. In general,''the words are a metaphorical descrip- 
 tion of God. For, beloved, when the apostle saith, 
 ' God is light,' we must not think that the nature of 
 God is the same with that of light. Indeed, as St 
 Austin* well observeth, the sun is light, and the moon 
 is light, and the other stars are light; but far be it 
 from us to imagine that the Creator's essence is the 
 same with the creature's, but something far more 
 choice and excellent; onh' by light as a similitude the 
 apostle would represent something of God to us. And 
 thus it is not unworthy our consideration, that, 
 
 (1.) The metaphor which St John maketh choice of 
 is drawn from a thing very ob\-ious and familiar to us. 
 Indeed, as one saith well, light is that than which no- 
 thing is more unknown, and yet nothing more known, f 
 being that which is visible to every ej-e; and in this 
 respect the fitter to illustrate God by, that by what we 
 do know we may be instructed concerning him whom 
 we do not know. It is a fit pattern for all ministers 
 to follow, whose work is not to make plain things hard 
 (as too many do), but to make hard things plain ; and 
 
 * Aug. in Ep. 
 
 t Nihil luce notius simul et ignotius. — Lor. in loc. 
 
52 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 therefore to draw tlieir similitudes from common and 
 manifest things, such as may not cast a veil over, but 
 give a lustre to, the truth they deliver. Indeed, the 
 end of these similitudes is chiefly to help the mind in 
 conceiving, and the memory in retaining, what is by 
 them represented. Now familiar comparisons are both 
 more quickly understood and easily remembered, and 
 therefore ought especially to be used. 
 
 (2.) The apostle, endeavouring to instruct us con- 
 cerning the Creator, borroweth a resemblance from the 
 creature. Indeed, as the apostle Paul speaketh, there 
 is yiuiSToi Tou ©£ov, ' something to be known of God ' by 
 the creatures, Rom. i. 20. The earth, and every pile of 
 grass thatgroweth out of it, but much more the heavens, 
 and the beams of light that iJow from it, ' declare the 
 glory of God,' Ps. xix. 1. God hath vouchsafed some- 
 what of his excellencies to the creatures, and therefore 
 in them we may, nay, ought, to read something of 
 God, and that not only in respect of his being, but 
 attributes. 
 
 Oil let us study this <livine art, learn this spiritual 
 alcbymy, to extract heaven out of earth, God out of the 
 creature, that as we behold the works of his hand, so 
 we mny in and bj-them see the excellency of the worker. 
 It is a known maxim in philosophy, Omnis cofinilio fil 
 per saisiim, All natural knowledge entereth into the 
 mind by the sense; and it is thus far true in divinity, 
 that spiritual knowledge may be helped by the sense. 
 Happy is that man who maketh the things which he 
 seeth as so many stairs, by which his contemplation 
 goeth up to God whom he doth not see. 
 
 2. In particular, this metaphorical description of 
 God is set forth aflirniatively, ' God is light,' and 
 negatively, ' in him is no darkness at all ;' and both 
 may 1 e ct)nstrued two ways, to wit, as spoken of God, 
 considered either rtj tpien or rfi in^yiia in himself, or in 
 his inlluences. 
 
 1. In himself, and that, 
 
 1. Affirmatively, God is light. And thus 
 
 (1.) This metaphor of light (though but darkly) sha- 
 dowctli forth the Trinity: the Father being as the body 
 of light, the Son as the beams, the Holy (Jhost as the 
 splendour of both. Dionysius* illustruteth it by the 
 similitude of three candles, enlightening one and the 
 same room ; Damascene f of the parhelii, when there 
 apjiear as it were three, and yet it is butone sun. Some 
 have observed a resemblance of it in the Hebrew T1X, 
 the Greek pwj, the Latin hi.r, which signify li(iht; all 
 of which are monosyllables, consisting of tbnc letters. 
 And in tlio Hebrew word they observe N to be tlio be- 
 ginning of 3N, which significth the Father; and 1 to 
 be the beginning of nil, which signifieth the Spirit ; 
 and 1 being the middle letter, may aptly represent the 
 Son, which is the middle person, especially being near 
 of kin to 3, the first letter of P, which significth the 
 Sou ; hut as I would not altogether contemn, so 
 
 * Dionys. de divin. noniin. c. ii. 
 t Dumasc. de iid. lib. i. cap. iv. 
 
 neither do I much delight in, such kind of observa- 
 tions. And besides, it is no doubt alien from the 
 apostle's scope, to intend by this metaphor a resem- 
 blance of the Trinity. 
 
 (2.) That, therefore, which is to be considered, is, 
 in what respects this metaphor of light doth re- 
 semble the nature and attributes of God. 
 
 And there are several attributes of God, which are 
 aptly delineated in the various properties of light. 
 
 (1.) The light of all bodies is the most immaterial 
 and incompounded, whereby the simplicity and spi- 
 rituality of God's nature may be insinuated, which is 
 void not only of all matter, but of all composition. 
 
 (2.) The light is the first of all the creatures which 
 we find mentioned in the beginning of Genesis. The 
 first thing that God said, on the first day of the crea- 
 tion, was, ' Let there be light,' Gen. i. 3 ; and this 
 shadowed forth the eternit}' of God's being, who is 
 both A and H, the first and the last, before all other 
 things whatsoever. 
 
 (3.) The light shineth in all parts of the world, east, 
 west, north, south, every way scattering its rays; 
 and what is this but an emblem of the ubiquity of 
 God's presence, who is in all places, tilling heaven and 
 earth ? 
 
 (4.) The light is a creature of a resplendent beauty 
 and lustre, by reason of which it is apt to dazzle the 
 eyes of the beholder ; and this sets forth God's trans- 
 cendent majesty and glory: in which respect he is said 
 to ' cover himself with light as with a gai'ment,' Ps. 
 civ. 2, and to ' dwell in the light, which no man can 
 approach unto,' 1 Tim. vi. 13. 
 
 (5.) The light is of that nature, that it cannot but 
 impart itself tor the good of others, shining upon the 
 just and unjust ; and this characteriseth the diffusive 
 goodness of Goil, whereliy it is that as he is good, so 
 he doth good, and that to all. 
 
 But there are more particularly two attributes which 
 light doth clearly discover, and which may agree to 
 the scope of tfie apostle, especially the latter. 
 
 (L) The light is of a discovering nature, so that 
 ' nothing can be hid from the heat thereof,' Ps. xix. 6 ; 
 it prieth into every corner, it pecpeth in at every cre- 
 vice, so that all tilings are made manifest by it: iu 
 which respect it miudeth us of God's omniscience, 
 whereby it is that ' all things are naked and open to 
 him,' Heb. iv. 12, even things that are most secret. 
 ' To thee,' sailh David, Ps. cxxxix. 11, ' the darkness 
 and the light are all ime,' because God seeth iu the 
 dark as pla nly as in the light. By his own light he 
 ' revealelh the deep and secret things; he knoweth 
 what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with 
 him,' saitli D.iniel, chap. ii. 22; finally, 'I try the 
 reiLis,' sailh tiod of himself, Jer. xvii. 10, our minds 
 being as apparent to him as the entrails of a beast are 
 to us when the body is ripped up. 
 
 It is a truth well worthy our meditation, that we 
 may be hereby admonished to take heed to our ways. 
 
Ver, 5-7.] 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 53 
 
 Indeed, in this respect, that which is appropriated to 
 good men is true of all men ; they walk in the light, 
 to wit, of God's omniscience ; and oh, then, how care- 
 ful should we be of our walk ! Alas ! how vainlj' do 
 hypocrites please themselves in the secrecy of their 
 actions, and perhaps persuade themselves that God 
 himself taketh no notice of their doings ; whereas 
 ' his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth 
 all his goings : there is no darkness nor shadow of 
 death, where the workers of iniquity may hide them- 
 selves,' saith Elihu concerning God, Job xxxiv. 21, 22. 
 Indeed, as St Ambrose excellently,* ' If thou canst 
 not hide thyself from the sun, which is God's minister 
 of light, how impossible will it be to hide thyself from 
 him, whose e3"es are ten thousand times brighter than 
 the sun.' 
 
 (2.) But to draw near the apostle's scope, light is a pure 
 desiccate body, a bright spotless splendour. Though 
 it shine upon filthy dunghills, it contracts no pollu- 
 tion, but still retaineth its pure lustre ; and by this 
 aptly is represented the holiness and purity of God. 
 That expression of the prophet Malachi concerning 
 Christ, chap. iv. 2, giveth much light to this truth, 
 when he calleth him a ' Sun of righteousness ;' since 
 ■what the sun is in sensibles, that is God among intel- 
 ligibles ; and what light is in the sun, that is right- 
 eousness and holiness in God.f This is that attribute 
 by which God is often called in Scripture, the holy 
 God, Isa. Ixiii. 3, and the holy One, xliii. 15 ; yea, 
 the angels double, nay, treble it, ' Holy, holy, holy.' 
 It is an attribute so essential to God, that every 
 thing, so fir as it hath relation to God, is said to be 
 holy : his name holy, his word holy, his works holy, 
 his day an holy day, his temple an holy place, his 
 ministers holy persons, and all because he is a pure 
 and holy God. 
 
 2. For the better illustrating of this perfect purity 
 and sanctity of God, it is that our apostle goeth on, 
 and to his affirmative addeth a negative, ' In him is 
 no darkness at all.* 
 
 Zanchy hath observed concerning this c'ause, J that 
 it may be referred both to the predicate and the sub- 
 ject of the former proposition, and so may be ren- 
 dered ill it, or in him. In it, to wit, the light, there 
 is no darkness, and so it is as much as if said, God is 
 a most bright light ; for look as the darkness, which 
 hath no light at all, is a thick Egyptian Cimmerian 
 darkness, so that light which hath no darkness must 
 needs be a most clear, splendid light ; but I rather 
 refer it with our translators to the subject, God, 
 (though the difference is not material), ' in him is no 
 darkness at all.' 
 
 ISefore I proceed, a stumbling-block would be re- 
 moved, that seeming contradiction of the psalmist to 
 this of St John, where he saith concerning God, ' he 
 made darkness his secret place,' Ps. xviii. 11 ; but it 
 
 * Ambros. Offic. lib. i. cap. 14. 
 
 t Vide Gr. Naz. Oral. :cl. } Vide Zanc. io loc. 
 
 is easily reconciled, since that darkness only noteth 
 the inscrutable and incomprehensible majesty of God;* 
 and it is to be understood of him in reference to us, 
 not himself. In respect of us, because we cannot 
 comprehend him, darkness is his secret place ; but 
 in regard of himself, the purity of his own nature, he 
 is light and not darkness, as the sun, though it be 
 sometimes hid from us by dark clouds, remaineth still 
 in itself most lightsome. 
 
 And now, if you would know the intent of this nega- 
 tive, it is but the more strongly to affirm the contrary. 
 This is an usual way of expression in the Hebrew, as 
 Bezaf observeth from that speech of Isaiah to Heze- 
 kiah, Isa. xxxviii. 1, ' Thou shalt die, thou shalt 
 not live ;' and of David, concerning himself, Ps. xl. 
 10, 11, ' I have preached, and have not refrained,' 
 ' I have not hid, I have declared ;' and it is a form of 
 speaking very usual with St John, as you may find in 
 the very next verse, and several other places of the 
 epistle, which it shall suffice (because it here first ap- 
 peareth) once for all to take notice of. 
 
 This appearing to be the scope ; the meaning is no 
 more but this, God is light, and in him is no dark- 
 ness ; that is, God is so pure, that not the least, the 
 smallest, spot can cleave to him ; so holy, that not any 
 sin at all can be found in him. As there is no defect 
 in his knowledge, so there is no default in his nature; 
 aud to this tend those expressions of Moses, Deut. 
 xxsii. 4, he is ' a God of truth, and without iniquity, 
 just and right is he ;' and of David, Ps. xcii. 15, ' He 
 is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him :' 
 and again, Ps. v. 4, ' Thou art not a God that hath 
 pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with 
 thee.' Indeed, the gods of the heathen were such as 
 had been impure, filthy men, and therefore, as one 
 of themselves argueth, no gods ; but the true God 
 cannot be charged with any iniquity ; J nay, as Car- 
 thusian § enlargeth it, because it may be said of the 
 angels that stand, and the saints that are glorified, 
 they have no darkness of sin at all in them ; in God 
 there is not so much as a defectibility or mutability, 
 which yet is in the creatures, if considered in them- 
 selves, because of their dependency, though the reduc- 
 ing of it into act is impossible, in regard of their 
 plenary confirmation in the state of bliss. God, then, 
 as Aquinas] excellently, is a pure, a mast pure act, 
 without the least potentiality ; and so this, in the 
 highest sense, agreeth to him, and to him only, ' he is 
 light, and in him is no darkness at all.' 
 
 2. These words are true of God, not onlj' formally, 
 but causally; in himself, but in regard of his influence, 
 and that in botb the clauses. 
 
 1. God is light, that is, according to St James's 
 
 ♦ Vide CEcumcn. in loc. Lorin. in Ps. 
 
 t Viilc 15ez. Marlor. Loiin. in loc. 
 
 J Nee ignorantia nee ncquitia in Deo. — DifJim. i, S!« 
 
 T* %ouft ^awXflV, eyx iiirt Slot. — Eurip 
 
 § Vide Cartliiis iu loc. || Aquin. io 1 Tim. vi. 17. 
 
54 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 expression, ' the Father of Hghts,' James i. 17 ; so 
 that whatever light there is in any creature, it is but a 
 ray, a beam of his excellency. That distinction of a 
 threefold kind of light is very considerable to this pur- 
 pose ; there is lux, light, — 
 
 Ilhiiiiiniilii ft non illiiminans, enlightened, and not 
 enlightening ; to wit, the air. 
 
 Illuminiitii cl illiimiiKtnti, enlightened, and enhghten- 
 ing ; such is the moon. 
 
 lUuminaiis cl non illiiininnla, enlightening, but not 
 enlightened ; and this is the sun. 
 
 It is that which may be fitly applied here : all 
 Christians are lights as the air, ministers are lights as 
 the moon, but onlj' God is light as the sun; to wit, 
 receiving no light from any other, and communicating 
 to others what light thej' have. And this exposition 
 Zanchj- conceiveth most suitable to the apostle's mean- 
 ing in this place, making the parallel to run thus :* 
 Look as the light where it ariscth, and displayeth its 
 beams, expels dnrkness, and all the eftects of it, and 
 maketh all to bo clear and lightsome, so doth God, to 
 all them who have fellowship with him, impart the 
 light of his grace, so that they can no longer walk in 
 the darkness of sin ; and though I conceive that the 
 apostle's aim is chiefl}- to describe the purity of God's 
 nature in himself, and thereby the repugnancy of 
 walking in darkness, and consonancy of walking in the 
 light, to him (both because this carrieth in it a full 
 sense, correspondent to the apostle's intention, and 
 also bec;iuse the phrases of' no darkness in him,' and 
 afterwards ' his being in the light,' do intimate that 
 these words are to be understood rather snhjcctive, 
 than effective, of what God is in himself, than what he 
 doth to us), yet withal I cannot but acknowledge this 
 construction to be both pious and ingenuous. 
 
 2. And, accordingly, the sense of the other clause, 
 ' in him is no darkness at all,' amounts to this, that 
 he is not, cannot be the cause of any darkness. 
 
 It is true, God is said in Scripture to ' create dark- 
 ness,' as well as to ' form light,' Isa. xlv. 7 ; but that 
 is the darkness of calamif}-, not of iniquity. It is true, 
 God hath an hand even in the darkness of sin, so far 
 as to limit it, how far it shall spread, and no farther ; 
 as to permit that it shall be, and sufl'er men to walk 
 in it; as judicially to withhuld the light of his gi-ace 
 from them who love darkness rather than light, whereby 
 they plunge themselves into greater darkness ; finally, 
 ao as to bring light out of tiie darkness, good out of 
 evil, and make all the darkness of sin tend accidentally 
 to illustrate the glory of his own wisdom, justice, and 
 mercy; but still, far be it from him to be any way an 
 impelling cause of any wickedness. 
 
 Indeed, these two do one nccessarilj- flow from the 
 other; there isnodarkness in, thereforenonecan be from 
 him. Xil licit ijnoil non luihvt, is a known rule in phi- 
 losophy ; no cause can communicate to another what 
 it hath not in itself; surely, then, God having no 
 * Vide Zancli. in loc. 
 
 darkness in himself, cannot be any cause of it in ns. 
 Besides, he is an hater, an avenger of darkness, and 
 it cannot consist with his justice to be a punisher of 
 it, were he himself the author. -■■ In a word, it is im- 
 possible that the same cause should du'cctly produce 
 contrary effects. ' Can the same fountain send forth 
 sweet and bitter,' fresh and salt water ? No more can 
 God, who is light, and the natural cause of light, be 
 the author of darkness. 
 
 To draw to an end in a word of application. 
 
 1. Oui- apostle here implicitly teacheth us by what 
 means we may come to know something of God ; in- 
 deed, those three ways which the schools f mention of 
 knowing God, per vlam causalitatia, eniinenli(e, et 
 remotionis, by way of eiBciency, cminency, and remo- 
 tion, are all to be found in this scripture. 
 
 We know God by way of euusalili/, when we assert 
 him the prime, supreme, universal cause of all good 
 whatsoever; we know him bj" way of eminenci/, when 
 we attribute to God whatsoever perfection or worth 
 there is in any or all the creatures, and that as being 
 in him after a more eminent manner ; finally, we 
 know God bj- way of reniolion, when we deny of him 
 whatever imperfection and defect is observable in the 
 creature. A taste of all these our apostle here giveth 
 us, since, if we understand the words loth formallj- 
 and causallj-, he proclaimeth him the cause of that 
 light and beauty and excellency that is in us ; he 
 attributeth to h'm that which is the most noble 
 among inanimate creatures, light, and he removeth 
 from him darkness, which is a defect and deformity. 
 
 2. Learn we with this holy apostle to have high and 
 holy thoughts of God, as most pure and free from all 
 pollution. Indeed, there have not wanted such sons 
 of Belial who have charged God with sin, as the 
 Luciferians, who blame God for dooming Lucifer to- 
 eternal darkness ; the Talmud, which blasphemously 
 forgelh the new moons, as appointed for an expiation 
 of a fault in the Deity, of taking away the light from 
 the moon and giving it to the sun ; and too many 
 there have been who charge their ovra sins upon God, 
 as Plautus brings in a deboist wretch pleading for 
 himself, (/// voluernnt ; and St Augustine speaketh of 
 some Jews who would say w'hen they had done any 
 crime. Dens rohiit.l Oh let all such opinions be to 
 us as they were to that father, detestable and abomi- 
 nable ; and as St Basils adviseth, though God's coun- 
 sels may many times seem strange to our reason, yet 
 let that axiom be flrmlj' rooted in our minds, to ij.r,ih 
 ■/.■/.r.h naio. TiZ ayaiiAi yaiffiai, that no evil can come 
 from the good God, no darkness from him who is 
 light. Indeed, there are two attributes of God wherein 
 
 • Dciis non est author corum (iiionim est uUor —Fulg. 
 lib. iii. ad Monim, cap. 3. Vide Damage, de ortliod. fide, 
 lit), iv. cap. 20. 
 
 t Aqiiin, ]iart i. q. 13, art. i. 
 
 X Aug, ad art, fals. inipiwit., rcsp. x l;', 14. 
 
 § Deus non est autor mali. — Jias. or it. 
 
Ver. C] 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 55 
 
 he especially delights, his mercy and his holiness. 
 Oh let us take heed how we dimiuish the one or deface 
 the other, when we speak of God after the manner of 
 men ; as we represent his power by the arm, his mercy 
 by the bowels, his justice by the hand, so his holiness 
 by the face. Oh how great an injury must he needs 
 account it, if we shall throw dirt in his face ! and 
 therefore remember the caution of St James, chap, 
 i. 13, ' Let no man saj' when he is tempted that he is 
 tempted of God, for God tempteth no m.in, neither 
 can he bo tempted.' 
 
 3. Lastl}', let us learn of whom to seek whatsoever 
 light we stand in need of: 'Every good and every perfect 
 
 gift ' (saith the fore-mentioned apostle, chap. i. 17), 
 ' cometh down from above ;' we must shine in his 
 beam, be kindled at his flame, and be lighted by his 
 torch. Like the moon, wo are dark bodies, till ' the 
 glorj' of the Lord arise upon us ; ' if we lack any light 
 of wisdom, of grace, of comfort, we must ask it of and 
 onl}- expect it from God. And therefore in a sense of 
 our own darkness let us sue to him for that spiritual 
 illumination which may guide and conduct us through 
 the wilderness of this world, till we come to the 
 heaven of heavens, where ' God,' in an especial man- 
 ner, ' is the light of it,' and ' in his light we shall se& 
 light,' even the light of his face in glory for ever. 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 If ICC say in' hare Jcllmvship itith him, and ivalL- in durknens, to,- lie, and do mil the Inith. — 1 .John L G. 
 
 IT is an undoubted truth that all parcels of holy writ 
 are alike in respect of their divine authority and 
 unerring verity. But it is as true that there is some 
 difl'ereuee between them in respect of clear perspicuity 
 and beneficial utility ; some parts of Scripture being, as 
 more plain, so more useful than others. Such, no 
 doubt, are those upon which the Ho!}- Ghost hath, as 
 it were, set a mark, and to which he hath affi.ted an 
 afterism. Thus when we meet with a Selnh in the 
 close, or a Vcrilij, rcrihj, in the beginning of anj' sen- 
 tence, and yet when we find any dignifying clause 
 placed in the front or rear of any discourse, it is no 
 doubt the Spii'it's intention to put us hereby on a more 
 serious consideration on such scripturts, as containing 
 somewhat in them of more than ordinary importance. 
 No doctrine more fundamentally necessary to be be- 
 lieved than that of salvation by Christ incarnate, and 
 therefore St Paul doth not barely assert it, but pre- 
 fixeth an encomium before it : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a 
 faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.' No 
 lesson more needful to be learned by a believer than 
 that of maintaining good works ; and therefore the 
 same apostle, calling upon believers to learn it, an- 
 nesoth a preface, Titus iii. 8, ' This is a faithful say- 
 ing, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly.' 
 And surely upon this very account wo have a deal of 
 reason to look upon this present text as nearly con- 
 cerning us, since we find the doctrines of it ushered 
 in with an exordium, ' This is the message which wc 
 have heard of him and declare to you,' &c. 
 
 3. Having already led you through the porch, and 
 given you a view of the foundation, 1 hope I shall not 
 need to go back and take a review ; pass we therefore 
 into the rooms of this faliric, which are a reproof 
 and a promise, the one in the sixth and the other in 
 the seventh verse ; that is, as it were, on the left h.md, 
 inhabited by those whom Chri.st will one day place on 
 his left hand, to wit, presumptuous hypocrites, and 
 the other oa the right hand, inhabited by those who 
 
 shall be set on Christ's right hand, namelj', sincere 
 and holy Christians. 
 
 1. The reproof is that I am now to begin with, 
 concerning which (before I fall upon particulars) it 
 will not be amiss to observe in general, that it is at 
 once both sharp and mild, discovering those two graces 
 to be sweetly conjoined in this apostle (which it is pity 
 they should in any be severed), zeal and discretion, 
 the one making him faithful, and the other gentle, in 
 framing his reprehension. 
 
 1. On the one hand, it is very considerable what 
 plainness of speech St John useth in this reproof. He 
 is not meal-mouthed, but sharp-tongucd ; in home 
 and downright language, he telleth these sinners their 
 own. It might have sufficed the apostle to say. They 
 who walk in darkness can have no fellowship with 
 God ; but see, he useth more harsh terms, giving them 
 the lie, ' who saj- they have fellowship with God, 
 and walk in darkness.' We say in our English pro- 
 verb, a lie deserveth the stab ; it is accounted by all 
 nations an high ofl'ence to tell a man he lieth, but the 
 zeal of this holy man maketh him bold and sharp in 
 his expressions. How w'ell doth fervent vchemency 
 become a minister in all his addresses to the people, 
 but especially when he reprovcth ! Some, in dealing 
 with sinners and rebuking their sins, are like men that 
 handle thorns, as if they durs-t not touch them ; they 
 ai'o loath to rub too much upon their auditors' sores, 
 and dare not pierce them to the quick ; but surely as 
 a cold and heartless petitioner bcggcth a denial, qui 
 limidi roijat, docet net/arc, so a cold and heartless re- 
 prover doth but harden and hearten the sinner in his 
 eWl ways. St Paul bids Titus not only to reprove, 
 but to do it u.'noroij.'ji;, ' sharply,' so our translators ; 
 ' cuttingly,' so the force of the original ; like good 
 chirurgeons, that lance and search the sore to the 
 bottom. Indeed, a pitiful cruelty is far bettor than a 
 cruel pity ; yea, and there is sound health in those 
 smart wounds. 
 
56 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [CUAP. I. 
 
 And indeed, if we consider with whom our apostle 
 had to do, we shall find it was not without just reason 
 that he is so bitter against them. It is the counsel of 
 St Jude concerning offenders, ver. 22, 23, ' Of some 
 have compassion, making a difference, but others save 
 with fear, pulling them out of the fire.' We must put 
 a difference in the persons whom we reprove, and 
 accordingly put a difference in our reproofs. Those 
 who offend through infirmity, and declare themselves 
 penitent, are to be rebuked with lenity, lest they be 
 swallowed np of grief and despair ; but others we must 
 save with fear, that is, by terrifying them with threats, 
 and with a loving violence plucking them out of the 
 fire of those destructive courses. Such are all obsti- 
 nate transgressors, who, offending heinously, are to be 
 checked severely, to whom (when they spurn at our 
 rebukes) we return St Austin's answer,* When you 
 amend your lives, we shall mend our language. 
 
 More especially of this kind are presumptuous 
 hypocrites, a sort of men with whom our apostle had 
 here to do, and which of all others deserve to be 
 roughly handled ; and that upon a double ground, the 
 hc'inousness of their sin, and the highness of theu- 
 self-conceit. 
 
 1. Hypocrites are the worst of sinners. We may 
 wrong a wicked man in calling him an hypocrite, but 
 we cannot injure an hypocrite in calling him a wicked 
 man. What the moralist saith of the ungrateful, inyra- 
 tum si dtxeris, omnia dixeris, is as true of the hypo- 
 critical person, he is a very sink of all filth. Hypo- 
 crites are not only the children of the devil, but as it 
 were his first-born : Malus iitii bouioii se simulat, tunc 
 est jicssimiis, a bad man is then really worst when 
 he is seemingly best. No wonder if such sinners find 
 what they so well deserve, tart and severe rebukes 
 from the mouths of God's messengers. 
 
 2. Besides, hypocrites, though the worst of men, 
 have the best conceits of themselves, and it is no easy 
 matter to take them off. They are ' pure in their own 
 eyes, though they be not washed from their filthiness,' 
 Prov. XXX. 12 ; and being miserably poor, account 
 themselves rich, and increased with goods. Rev. iii. 17. 
 They lull themselves asleep, sing a requiem to their 
 Bouls, soothing up themselves with an omnia bene, so 
 that there is need of loud cries to awaken them. In- 
 deed, penitent sinners are sharp to themselves, and 
 therefore God's ministers must use lenitives to them ; 
 but arrogant hypocrites are indulgent to themselves, 
 and therefore they must apply corrosives to them. No 
 man needs a more severe reprover than the self- 
 flatterer. 
 
 It is then a fit item for all ministers, when they 
 have to do with hypocrites, to rebuke them sharply. 
 True, indeed, though none more need reproof, yet 
 none are more unwilling to hear and bear it than they. 
 This sort of men commonly have briers hanging at 
 their cars, to scratch those who deal roughly with thorn. 
 * Kmeudate vitia, ct figo emendabo verba. — Au^. 
 
 Condemn the feigned shows, seeming professions of 
 hypocrites ; and they will presently decry you as a 
 scoffer at religion, railer against the godly party, and 
 an enemy to the saints. But we must not neglect our 
 duty, what misconsti'uction soever they are pleased to 
 put upon it. We have the pattern of Christ himself, 
 who, speaking to the scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, 
 useth upbraiding language ; whilst he compareth them 
 to wolves in sheep's clothing, to whited sepulchres, 
 yea, to serpents and vipers, denounceth sevei'e woes 
 against them. Mat. xxiii. 27, 33 ; and in his epistle 
 to Philadelphia, Rev. iii. 9, mentioning those who 
 were dissembling Jews, he accounts them worthy of 
 no better names than ' liars, and the synagogue of 
 Satan.' This was the practice of his forerunner, John 
 the Baptist, who, observing the hypocritical pharisees 
 to come to his baptism, resembleth them to the most 
 venomous creatures, and calleth them a ' generation of 
 vipers,' Mat. iii. 7 ; finally, this is the example which 
 this other John, his beloved disciple, here sets us, 
 giving hypocrites (and that no less justly than sharply) 
 the lie. 
 
 2. On the other hand, it is no less observable, that 
 St John, in directing his reproof, useth not the second, 
 but the first person, saying, not if you, but if uc ; by 
 which his intent (no doubt) is to demonstrate the im- 
 partiality of his spirit, that if he, or any other of the 
 apostles, could or should be guilty of this fault, he 
 would be no less severe to himself and them than he 
 was to these hypocrites.* By this means he plainly 
 lets them see that these words were not wTitten in 
 passion, much less out of any hatred to their persons, 
 but only to their practice ; since he is no more violent 
 against them than he would be against himself upon 
 the same occasion. Hereby the edge of his reproof was 
 much taken oft', which otherwise might have been too 
 sharp, and the potion sweetened which else might 
 have proved too bitter. It is a singular skill and 
 prudence in a reprover, so to qualify his severest cen- 
 sures, as they may appear to be free from either wrath 
 or malice. Indeed, froward and much more malicious 
 reproofs do not corriyere, but conoderc, instead of 
 healing, fret the sore; like too much wind, instead of 
 increasing, put out the flame of devotion. To take off 
 all such suspicions, and to render reproof the more 
 acceptable, it is that the messengers of God have found 
 out several ways of mitigating their reproofs. For this 
 end it was that Moses composed his tart reprehension 
 of Israel's ingratitude, in the form of a song, Deut. 
 xxxii. ; that Nathan coming to David upon an harsh 
 errand, iiegius it with a parable, 2 Sam. xii. ; finally, 
 that St Paul, rebuking the faction of the Corinthians, 
 transfers it in a figure to himself, 1 Cor. iv. G ; and 
 accordingly here St John useth the first person, ' If we 
 say,' &c. 
 
 Having thus taken a survey of this room at large, 
 come we now to the several partitions contained in it. 
 * Vide CEcumen. in loc. 
 
Ver. (3.J 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 57 
 
 And there are three things which our apostle disco - 
 •vereth iu this reprehension concerning these hypocrites. 
 The impiety of their practice, they ' walk iu dark- 
 ness.' 
 
 The eminency of their profession, they ' say they 
 have fellowship with God.' 
 
 The incongruity of their profession to their prac- 
 tice, ' they lie,' and their practice to their profession, 
 ■* they do not the truth.' 
 
 These are the three paths through which my dis- 
 course, and your attention, must walk, beseeching God 
 for the light of his Holy Spirit, that I may speak, you 
 may hear, all of us may do the truth, and so none of 
 us come under the censure of the test, for walking in 
 dai-kness, and not doing the truth. 
 
 ]. The impiety of their practice is that which is 
 described by that metaphorical phrase, of ' walking in 
 darkness ; ' for the right understanding whereof, we 
 shall take a short view of both the metaphors, to wit, 
 darkiu'ss and u-alking, there being in both an emphati- 
 cal significancy. 
 
 (1.) For the better illustrating of this term dark- 
 ness, be pleased to take notice that there is a fourfold 
 darkness, namely, natura, ignoraiit'ue, miserur, nequi- 
 t'uc, of nature, of ignorance, of misery, and of iniquity. 
 [1.] Darkness of nature (properly and hterally so 
 called) is the absence of light. When the sun taketh 
 its leave of our horizon, and all things are enveloped 
 in the sable mantle of the night, then we justlj' say it 
 is dark. Of this darkness Moses speaketh. Gen. i. 18, 
 when he sayeth, ' God made two great lights, to divide 
 the light from the darkness ; ' and this was the curse 
 Job wished upon the day wherein he was born. Job 
 iii. 4, that it might be darkness. 
 
 [2. J Darkness, when used in a borrowed sense, 
 serveth to represent in Scripture a state of iipwrance 
 in divine matters, when the mind is destitute of spi- 
 ritual knowledge, unacquainted with the mysteries of 
 salvation. What is it but, as it were, wrapped up in 
 darkness ? In this darkness the Gentiles, before the 
 coming of Christ, are said to sit, Luke i. 77 ; and, in 
 this respect, the Ephesians are said to be ' sometimes 
 darkness,' Eph. v. 8, to wit, in their unregeneracy. 
 
 [3.] Of iiiiscrij, and that of all sorts, temporal, spi- 
 ritual, and eternal. 
 
 When the psalmist speaketh of some who ' sit in 
 darkness,' Ps. cvii. 10, he presently explaineth him- 
 self of those who are ' bound ia atHiction' ; and more 
 especially, when Job speaketh of a ' land of darkness,' 
 Job X. 22 ; he manifestly intendeth the grave, and its 
 forerunner, death, the last, but not the least, nay, the 
 greatest of all temporal evils. 
 
 When the prophet Isaiah mentioneth one that 
 fearcth the Lord and obeyeth his voice ' walking in 
 darkness and seeing no light,' Isa. 1. 10, no doubt he 
 is principally to be understood of the darkness of spi- 
 ritual desertion, when God withholdeth the light of his 
 countenance from the soul. 
 
 Finally, when we frequently read in the New Tes- 
 tament of ' utter darkness,' Mat. xxii. 13, the ' mist 
 of darkness,' 2 Pet. ii. 17, ' blackness of darkness,' 
 Jude 13, what else do those phrases mean but the 
 damned's everlasting misery, in being wholly deprived 
 of the beatifieal vision. 
 
 [4.] Of iniquitij. In this respect it is that the power 
 of sin ruling in men's hearts, is called ' the power of 
 darkness,' Col. i. 12 ; and the works of sin which they 
 act in their lives, are called the ' works of darkness,' 
 Eph. V. 11, especially flagitious enormities, such as 
 ' rioting and drimkenness, chambering and wanton- 
 ness, strife and envying,' which are enumerated by the 
 apostle as the ' works of darkness,' Rom. xiii. 12, 13. 
 If you ask in which of these acceptions it is here to be 
 construed, some interpreters* answer, in two of them, 
 namely, for ignorance and iniquity ; but, doubtless 
 more suitably, the latter is to be understood, namely, 
 sin and wickedness ; and chiefly, gross notorious 
 sins, because the apostle speaketh of the conversation. 
 The darkness of ignorance is that in which men are said 
 to sit ; but that in which they walk is most congru- 
 ously construed to bo the darkness of sin. 
 
 And indeed so truly, nay, fully, doth this term of 
 darkness agree to sin, that it taketh in all the other 
 acceptions under some notion or other, each of which 
 may serve as a several reason why this appellation of 
 darkness is given to it. 
 
 1. Sin hath relation to the durkness of nature, as a 
 concomitant which it most delights in. Most sins are 
 such as fly the light, and love to be covered over with 
 night's canopy. St Paul saith of drunkards, that they 
 are ' drunk in the night,' 1 Thes. v. 5; and Solomon 
 of the young man, that ' he goeth to the harlot's house 
 in the evening, in the black and dark night,' Prov. 
 vii. 9; and Job of the adulterer, the thief, the mur- 
 derer, that they ' rebel against the light, and the 
 morning is to them even as the shadow of death,' Job 
 xxiv. 13-17. To this purpose it is that Clemens 
 Alexandrinus t observeth of the Carpocratians, that 
 they appointed their meetings iu the night. Indeed, 
 the night being a cover to wickedness, maketh men 
 secure and shameless,! in committing it ; no marvel 
 if they make choice of that time, and their works are 
 therefore deservedly called the works of darkness, be- 
 cause acted in the night. 
 
 2. Sin hath relation to the darkness of ignorance, 
 both as an efl'ect and as a cause, in which respect it is 
 called by Diouysius, obscure wickedness, A'Xa/iTJiJ 
 )tax/a.§ 
 
 (1.) No sin is committed but the judgment is first 
 infatuated, and therefore it is the wise man's question, 
 ' Do not they en-, that devise mischief ? ' Prov. xiv. 22; 
 
 * In tcncbris ambul.irc est vcrsari in ignorantia ct pccca- 
 to. — Lov. in loc. Vide CEcumen. ibid. 
 t CI. Al. Strom. 1. 3. 
 
 J Nox et amor vinumquc niliil modcrabile suadcnt.— Ouict 
 § Uionys. dc coelcst. Hicr. 
 
5S 
 
 HARBY ON I JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 Dudtlio philosopher's assertion,* Every oflender erreth. 
 There is upon the heart of every sinner, atra uuhcs, 
 cicca iio.r (to use the poet's expression), a black cloud, 
 a dark night, which canseth him to wander, and the 
 blindness of our mind is th;it which misguideth our 
 feet, in which respect sin is an effect. 
 
 (2.) The commission of sin, as it hardeneth the 
 heart, so it bliudcth the mind. What mists, and fogs, 
 and clouds are to the air, that are corrupt affections 
 and flagitious actions to the soul, darkening and ob- 
 scuring whatever light of knowledge shiueth in it. In 
 this not'on we may very well understand that of the 
 ■wisj man, Prov. iv. 9, when he saith, ' the waj' of the 
 wicked is as darkness,' the darkness of ignorance 
 increasing upon men, as they go on in sinful ways ; 
 and in this respect sin is as a cause, and because sins 
 ai'e caused by, and withal are the causes of, darkness 
 and ignorance in the miu'l, very fitly is this brand of 
 darkness set upon it. 
 
 3. Sin hath reference to the darkness of miseiy as 
 a cause, and that in its full latitude. ' Wherefore doth 
 the liviug man complain'?' (saith the church, Lam. 
 iii. 40, in respect of temporal afflictions) ' Man suf- 
 fereth for the punishment of his sin,' aU the miseries 
 of life ; 3-ea, death itself, being the bitter fruits of sin, 
 for so the apostle saith expressly, Kom. v. 12, ' death 
 entered into the world by sin.' It is the interposition 
 of sin between God and us that eclipseth his loving- 
 kindness towards us ; so saith the prophet Isaiah, chap, 
 lix. 2, ' Your iniquities have separated between you 
 and your God, and your sins have hid his face from 
 you.f Finally, it is wickedness that brings eternal 
 wretchedness, that being the doom denounced by our 
 blessed Saviour against the wicked servant : ' Cast 
 him into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth,' Mat. xxv. 30 ; so that in this re- 
 spect is sin most justly called darkness, because it 
 brings so great a darkness of sorrow and calamity 
 upon ihe sinner. And thus I have given a despatch 
 to the first of these metaphors. 
 
 2. The other, of iralkiiir/, is no less considerable, a 
 word that is very frequently used in Scripture, and that 
 to signify in general a course of life. J Indeed, what 
 is our life but a walk, and all the actions of our life as 
 BO many steps '.> And as walking in a way leadoth to 
 some place or other, so doth the course of every man's 
 life tend to some end, either of felicity or misery. To 
 this pui-poso is that metaphor of sowing, which wo so 
 oftc^n meet with iu holy writ, because sowing bringeth 
 forth some harvest or other, according to the seed that 
 is sown. And I would to God that all men might 
 hence learn so to look upon themselves as sowers, as 
 travellers, and therefore to make choice of their seed, 
 
 * Arislot. Kill. 
 
 t Noli ciulere in pcccatiiin, ct non tihi occiilet liic no] ; si 
 tu fcceii.s ciisiuii, tihi facict occiismn. — Aw/, tract. 2. in John. 
 
 X Amhulandi veibiiin Into piitct ct nccipitur pro viliu ra- 
 tionc. — Lor. in loc. 
 
 and take heed to their ways. More particularly this 
 word is used, both in respect of a good and an evil 
 course of life; and an instance of both we have iu this 
 and the next verse. There it is applied to a godly, and 
 here to a wicked, conversation. 
 
 That, then, which we are now to inquire into is, 
 what this phrase of walking imports, concerning a 
 a state of sinful living ; the answer to which will ap- 
 pear by taking notice of three properties in the motion 
 of walking, as being tiiotns vuliiiitdiiiif:, cnittinutis et 
 pror/n'ssiriis, a voluntary, constant, and a progressive 
 motion. 
 
 1. Walking is a voluutanj motion. It is one thing 
 to be drawn, and another thing to go ; the one is an 
 act of violence, the other of voluntariness. Walking 
 is a free, willing act, so willing that it is an act of 
 choice, and is never done but upon a preceding deli- 
 berate resolution ; nor is it only voluntary, but delight- 
 ful. Running is painful, but walking a pleasant mo- 
 tion, and it is a great deal of content and pleasure 
 men tako in walking.* All this representeth the 
 temper of wicked men, who not only act sin, but 
 affect it. A good man may bo sometimes drawn into 
 sin, but bad men walk in it ; yea, as Solomon's ex- 
 pression is. Pros*, ii. 13, 11, ' I'hey leave the path of 
 uprightness to walk in the way of darkness.' Hence 
 it is that (as it there followcth), ' they rejoice to do 
 evil, and the ways of sin are pleasant to them.' For 
 this reason no doubt it is, that the acting of sin is com- 
 pared to eating, Prov. iv. 17, and drinking, Job xv. 
 16, and sleeping, Eph. v. 14, as well as to walking. 
 Nor doth the hungry man take more delight in eating, 
 the thirst}' in drinking, the weary in sleeping, than 
 the wicked man doth in sinning, 
 
 2. Walking is a contiitiii'd motion, an iteration of 
 many steps one after another. This iutimateth the 
 most characterising property of a wicked man. He is 
 one who repoatcth and multiplieth sinful actions ; the 
 cup of iniquity is never from his moulh, his imagina- 
 tions are only evil, and that continually ; the special 
 bent of his heart, and the general current of his life, 
 is vile and wicked. ' I have spread out my hands all 
 the day,' saith almighty God, 'unto a rebellious people, 
 which walketh in a way that is not good,' Isa. ixv. 2. 
 The length of God's patience argueth the continuance 
 of their provocations; and to note this, it is expressed 
 by the phrase of walking. It is one thing for a man 
 to fall, and another to lie ; one thing to step, and 
 another to walk in any way. The moralist saith truly^ 
 una actio non denominat, any one evil action deno- 
 minateth a man a sinner, but not wicked. ]\Ien, good 
 men, may sometimes step into an evil way ; he only 
 is to be adjudged bad who tVequontly rcncweth his 
 sins, and makuth it his constant practice to do ini- 
 quity. 
 
 3. Walking is a proiji-cssit'e motion, wherein we set 
 
 • Ambulanili veil urn iiuUcat deflcndam delectationom. — 
 Id. ibid. 
 
Ver. 6.] 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 59- 
 
 one foot before another, and so are still going forward 
 till we come to our journey's end. And tbis is a fit 
 emblem of a wicked disposition, which still addeth 
 sin to sin, and groweth from bad to worse.* The pro- 
 phet Jeremiah, chap. ix. 3, 5, saith of the wicked, 
 they ' proceed from evil to evil ;' and again, ' they 
 weary themselves to commit iniquity ;' thej' walk so 
 long till they are weary, f and when they are weary 
 they will not give over walking. St Paul s;iith con- 
 cerning heretics, 2 Tim. iii. 13, ' they was worse and 
 worse, deceiving and being deceived;' indeed, wicked 
 men never come to their tiici.rimiim quod sic, in sinful 
 growths. Siu, like the sea, never will set bounds to 
 itself j; This diii'k walk is a descent wherein men go 
 lower and lower, never staying of themselves till they 
 come to the bottom. And as in walking a man is 
 every step further off the term from which, and nearer 
 to the term to which, he moveth, so sinners every 
 day go further and further off from God, and draw 
 nearer and nearer to the suburbs of hell. 
 
 By this time I doubt not but the moaning of this 
 clause appeareth ; and if we look upon those whom 
 our apostle may be probably supposed here prin- 
 cipally to intend, to wit, the (inostics, we shall iind 
 this fully verified concerning them. Thej' were a sort 
 of people that did constantly wallow in notorious 
 wickedness, and counted it pleasure to live in all 
 manner of impiety. Epiphanius, writing of them, 
 saith, § it loathed him to delineate what darkness of 
 wickedness they lived in, and I tremble to mention 
 what he there relateth concerning their impnre and 
 flagitious practices ; in which respect it was that (as 
 both he and St Austin|| observe) they were among 
 other names called Borboriia-, the signification of 
 that name being fullj" verified in them, who were a 
 generation of filthy, unclean persons. And as this was 
 in a very high degree to be charged upon them, so is 
 it more or less true of all wicked and ungodly persons. 
 Wickedness is their way, darkness is their walk, in 
 which they willingly give themselves up to a course of 
 sin in some kind or other. 
 
 To apply this, what other use should we make of 
 this part than that which the church exhorteth to ? 
 Let us search and try our ways, Lam. iii. 40. And 
 oh that every one of us would deal impartially with 
 ourselves, and pass a right censure upon our own 
 condition, according to this description ! It is a sad 
 truth, iaurh o'jhic hiMjy.oyiT -/.ay-oZsyog oJv, no man will 
 acknowledge himself wicked though he be so. We 
 willingly accuse ourselves to be sinners, but we would 
 excuse ourselves from being wicked. But, alas ! what 
 will it avail us not to think ourselves so, if yet in 
 truth we be so '? Oh therefore let us bring ourselves 
 
 * Ambulme, i.e. do mal'i in pejus profictTe. — Aq'iin. 
 
 t Ambulare est ullcrius tcnilere ct pcccato pcccatis cumu- 
 larc. — Senar. 
 
 t Quis pecoandi finem sibi posuit. — Horat. 
 
 § Epipli. Adv. l)Hr. i. 1, t. iii. 
 
 II Aug. dc Ilicrcs. 
 
 to the test, and faithfuUj- examine whether we do not 
 walk in darkness ! Set thyself, sinner, in the pre- 
 sence of God, and ask thy conscience this question. Is 
 there no work of darkness that I delight in ? Is there no 
 way of darkness that I constantly go on in ? Is there 
 no sinful practice that I allow myself in V Perhaps, O 
 sinner, thou dost not walk in chambering and wan- 
 tonness. Ay, but dost thou not walk in strife and 
 envying ? Is there not some deed of darkness or 
 other to which thou art addicted, with which thou 
 art enamoured, and from which thou wilt not be 
 diverted ? 
 
 And now if, upon diligent inquiry, thy conscience 
 accuse thee, and thine own heart condemn thee, oh 
 then be further (and that even from this very expres- 
 sion) convinced of thy deplorable and miserable 
 estate. Luf/ere (say etymologists) is quasi luce eijere ; 
 surely we have great reason to mourn over ourselves, 
 because we walk in darkness. One of the plagues of 
 Egypt was a thick darkness ; it is the plague of all 
 wicked men. Oh that they were sensible of it ! And 
 if you please a little further to trace the metaphor, 
 you shall find this phrase of walking in darkness to 
 denote as well the calamitj- as the iniquity of trans- 
 gressors. 
 
 There are three no less sad than common attend- 
 ants on walking in darlaiess, casus, error, terror, fall- 
 ing, wandering, trembling, all which are in a spiritual 
 sense sadly true of ungodly sinners. 
 
 1. Darkness is casus iuductira, apt to cause stum- 
 bling and falling. These two arc joined together by 
 the psalmist in his curse, ' Let their way be dark and 
 slippery.' In the dark, men stumble at every stone, 
 fall into many a pit, so that many have lost their 
 limbs, nay, lives, by walking in darkness. Thus do 
 wicked men, by walking in sin, ivound their con- 
 sciences, hazard their souls, whilst their table becom- 
 eth a snare, everything they enjoy a stumbling-block, 
 and they are continually ready to fall into the pit of 
 perdition. 
 
 2. Darkness is erroris productira, apt to make men 
 wander and lose their waj'. How many hath the night 
 enclosed within some desolate wood, exposed to cold 
 and rain upon some spacious heath, whilst, missing 
 the right path, they have not known whither to go. 
 Thus do wicked men, walking in the dark, miss their 
 way to bliss, and wander up and down in folly. In 
 this respect the psalmist saith of them, Ps. xiv. 2, 
 ' they are all gone out of the way,' and the prophet, 
 Isa. liii. 0, compareth them to stray sheep. 
 
 3. Darkness is timoria incussira, that which maketh 
 men prone to fears and terrors. In the dark, a man 
 is in continual fear of some danger or other to befall 
 him, because he cannot see his way ; naj", he is apt to 
 fall into panic fears, whilst every bush is in his fancy 
 a thief, and the least noise causeth a commotion in 
 bis breast. Thus is it with wicked men many times ; 
 ' they fear ' (according to the psalmist's expression) 
 
60 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chav. I. 
 
 ' where no fear is ;' though withal the truth is, they 
 have a!w;i3-s real cause of fear, in respect of the danger 
 that deservedly hangs over their heads. Indeed, as 
 men in the dark, sometime not seeing, fear not the 
 peril which they are very near to, so wicked men, 
 being secure, are fearless ; and not considering what 
 they deserve, fear not till they come to feel. But 
 when once their sleepj* conscience is awakened, oh 
 what horrid fears, perplexing terrors, invade them, 
 whilst the cloud of vengeance is ready every moment 
 to rain fae, hail, and brimstone upon them. 
 
 To end all, what now remaineth but that this dis- 
 course of darkness serve as a light to discover to you 
 where you are, what you do, and whither you are 
 going ; that so being enlightened to see your utter 
 darkness, you may walk no further, but vnih incessant 
 cries beseech him who is the ' Father of lights,' that 
 he would send his Spirit to pluck you out of Sodom, and 
 by his mighty working ' deliver you from the power 
 of darkness, and translate you into the kingdom of 
 his dear Son.' Amen. 
 
 SEEMON XL 
 
 If ti'e say ire Jiave fellowship in'th him, and walk in darkness, ice He, and do not the trnth. — 1 John I. 6. 
 
 rPHAT preface which I find in the beginning of one 
 A. of Salvian's books concerning God's government 
 of the world, I may here aptly make use of.* I sup- 
 pose, yea, I am confident, my discourse of this scrip- 
 ture will be unwelcome to many auditors, and that 
 because it is a smart and sharp reprehension. Men 
 naturally love to be tickled with applause, not scratched 
 with reproof We relish well the honey of commenda- 
 tion, but Imow not how to digest the wormwood of 
 increpation. But, beloved, the diet which is not so 
 toothsome may be wholesome ; that potion which is 
 very bitter to the taste may prove healthful to the 
 body ; and faithful rebukes, though they be not so 
 pleasing, yet I am sure are profitable, especially when 
 they are seasonable and suitable, such as this was to 
 those in St John's time ; and I would to God it were 
 not as truly agreeing to many, very many, in our 
 days, who will be found one day among the number 
 of those liars. ' If we say we have fellowship with 
 him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the 
 truth.' 
 
 Having already despatched the impiety of those 
 men's practice, in that they walk in darkness, that 
 which followeth next in order is the eminency of their 
 profession, implied in that supposition, ' If we say we 
 have fellowship with him,' for in this supposition there 
 is a position couched, namely, 
 
 That many who walk in darkness say they have 
 fellowship with God. 
 
 For the better explication of which, in its fullest 
 latitude, I shall briotly jiremise a double distinction, 
 and then pursue a double proposition. 
 
 The distinctions to be premised are of, 
 
 1. A double having this fellowship, to wit, in spe 
 and in re, in a confident expectation and in a real pos- 
 session. 
 
 2. A double saying we have it, namely, a saying 
 within ourselves, and a saying to others ; that is in- 
 ward in respect of our thought and opinion, this out- 
 
 =•'= Aibitror, imo ccitus sum, !tc. — Salv. de Oub. Dei, 1. viii. 
 
 ward in respect most properly of our words, and not 
 excluding gestures, and all other ways of external ex- 
 pression. 
 
 The propositions to be prosecuted are two. 
 
 1. Many say they have feUowship with God in hope, 
 who yet walk in darkness ; they promise to themselves 
 the future vision of God's face, whilst they go on in 
 the wilful breach of God's law. This is that which 
 they say in their hearts, persuading themselves that 
 their condition shall be happy, though their conversation 
 is wicked. Of such an one it is Moses speaketh, who 
 ' blesseth himself in his heart, saying, I shall have 
 peace, though I walk in the imaginations of my own 
 heart,' Deut. xxix. 19. This is that they say with 
 their hps, impudently laying as full claim to happiness 
 as the uprightest and exactest saint. 
 
 If you inquire whence this comes to pass, I answer, 
 from the false reasonings which are in the minds of 
 men, concerning 
 
 The freeness'of God's gi-ace in electing ; 
 
 The fulness of his mercy in forgiving; 
 
 The worthiness of Christ's blood in redeeming. 
 
 1. When presumptuous sinners hear that God's 
 election is without respect to any worthiness or quali- 
 fications in us, they presently fancy to themselves 
 that their names may be written in the book of life 
 as well as any other ; yea, they fondly imagine that, 
 being elected, they shall have fellowship with God, let 
 them live as they list ; and hence they are emboldened 
 to presume and boast of a future well-being, not con- 
 sidering that God's election, though it be not condi- 
 tional, yet is ordinate, to wit, to the end by the means, 
 to happiness by holiness. 
 
 2. When wicked men look upon the extent of God's 
 mercy, whereby it is that he ' desireth not the death 
 of a sinner,' that he is a ' God pardoning iniquity, 
 transgression, and sin,' not only few but many, small 
 but great, all sorts of sin, they promise to themselves 
 a facility of obtaining forgiveness, whilst yet they in- 
 dulge to their sins, not considering that God is just 
 as well as merciful, righteous as well as gracious, and 
 
Ver. 6.] 
 
 SERMON XI. 
 
 61 
 
 he is ready to pardon the penitent, so he will by no 
 meaus clear the guilty. 
 
 3. Finally, when secure sinners hear of the infinite 
 merit of Christ's blood, how satisfactory it is for the 
 sins of the whole world, and therefore much more of 
 a particular person, they are willing to persuade them- 
 selves of an interest in that blood, and thereby of re- 
 conciliation and fellowship with God, not considering 
 what our apostle saith in the very next verse, the 
 blood of Jesus Christ cleauseth from all sin ; but it is 
 only those who walk in the light. 
 
 Thus is the sweetest honey turned iuto gall by bad 
 stomachs, tl;e most wholesome antidotes become poi- 
 son to wicked men, and the precious supports of a 
 lively faith are abused to be props of presumption by 
 arrogant hypocrites; by reason whereof it is that they 
 are so impudent as to say, they hope to have fellow- 
 ship with God, though they walk in darkness. 
 
 2. Many who walk in darkness say they have actu- 
 ally this divine fellowship, and are in a state of grac. 
 As fur the grossest sort of hypocrites, who make pre- 
 tences of religion and holiness a cover of their wicked- 
 ness, they cannot say in their hearts, because their 
 consciences must needs tell them they are wicked and 
 odious in God's sight ; but they say it to the world, 
 that they may walk in the dark, and accomplish their 
 wicked designs the more secretly, speedily, and efi'ec- 
 tually. But as for others, they say it both in 
 opinion and profession, they think, and accordingly 
 boast themselves, to have communion with God, though 
 they walk in the darkness, both of sin and error. 
 
 Instances of this nature there want not many in 
 all times of the chiu-ch. The prophet Isaiah speaketh 
 of the Israelites in his time, that they did ' swear by 
 the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God 
 of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. 
 They call themselves of the holy city, and stay them- 
 selves upon the God of Israel,' Isa. xlviii. 1, 2. And 
 again, God himself, concerning the people, saith, Isa. 
 Iviii. 1, 2, that, notwithstanding their transgressions 
 and sins, in which they lived, ' they would seek him 
 daily, as a nation that did righteousness, yea, that 
 they took delight in approaching to God ;' and what 
 was this, but to say they had fellowship with him ? Of 
 this sort were the Pharisees in John the Baptist's time. 
 Mat. iii. 7, 9, though they were a ' generation of 
 vipers,' yet they would ' say within themselves, they 
 had Abraham to their father,' and so in efl'ect, that 
 God was their God. Such were those in Philadelphia, 
 Rev. iii. 9, of the ' synagogue of Satan,' and yet they 
 said 'they were Jews,' the people in covenant with 
 God. Against this generation of men it is that St 
 Paul declaimeth, where he saith, ' they have a form 
 of godliness,' by which they say we have fellowship 
 with God, and yet ' deny the power of it,' 2 Tim. iii. 
 5, to wit, by walking in darkness ; and again, they 
 profess they know God, and so have communion with 
 Mm, whilst in their works they deny him, Tit. i. 16, 
 
 by walking in darkness. Indeed, so far hath the pre- 
 sumption of some carried them, that, though they 
 were impure heretics, and at once, both in respect of 
 doctrine and manners, walked in darkness, 3'et they 
 have said, not only that thej- had fellowship with God, 
 but that they were the only people that had fellowship 
 with him. This did the Gnostics (a people, as you 
 have already heard, that lived in all manner of im- 
 purity) pretend, that they only were the people who 
 had the knowledge of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, 
 which is eternal life, and therefore gave themselves 
 that title. Such was Novatian with his followers, 
 whom St Cyprian compareth to an ape, dissembling 
 itself to be a man,* because, being an enemy against, 
 he assumed to himself the authority and verity of the 
 catholic church. Not to expatiate in this large field, 
 at this day, on the one hand, the papists ajjpropriate 
 to themselves the title of catholics, assert theirs the 
 only true church, wherein alone fellowship with God 
 is to be had, and out of which there is no salvation to 
 be obtained, and yet they walk in the darkness of 
 idolatry, superstition, and impieties ; and on the other 
 hand, the schismatics among ourselves account 
 themselves the only saints, the pure churches, those 
 that alone have communion with God in pure ordi- 
 nances, whilst their pride and arrogance, malice and 
 oppression, cruelty and bloodshed, sedition and re- 
 bellion, testify to their faces that they walk in dark- 
 ness. 
 
 To apply this. All then is not gold that glistereth, 
 nor are fair shows a sufficient argument of reality. The 
 truth is, there ai-e many sincere-hearted Christians, 
 who make conscience of their ways, and walk in the 
 hght, that have not so far attained as to say they have, 
 and hope for fellowship with God, being very jealous 
 and timorous about their spii'itual and eternal state. 
 And yet many base hypocritical wretches, who indulge 
 to themselves in known wickedness, are strongly con- 
 fident of felicity, yea, make lai'ge professions of piety. 
 Take heed, therefore, how you give credit to pretences ; 
 esteem not a pharisee the holier for the breadth of his 
 phylacteries or depth of his fi'inges ; every man is not 
 presently a scholar that weareth black, nor a gentle- 
 man that is arrayed in scarlet, nor a Christian, that 
 is so in name and profession. AVell-meaning persons 
 think all men speak as they mean, and are as they 
 seem, but the wise man tells us it is the ' simple who 
 believeth every word,' Prov. xiv. 15. Indeed, because 
 many who walk in darkness say they have fellowship 
 with God, to infer all who say they have fellowship 
 with God walk in darkness, would argue too little 
 charity. But to conclude that all who say they have 
 fellowship with God, have so indeed, argueth too 
 much credulity. It is true, if I know not a man's 
 conversation, charity bids me think well of his profes- 
 sion, and hope well of his hopes ; but withal prudence 
 adviseth me, that I be not presently drawn aside with 
 * Cypr. ep. 73. 
 
<>2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 BEOooth words and fair pretences. The snm is, 
 neither rashly censure, nor yet hastily credit, them 
 who say they have fellowship with God, lest as bj-the 
 one you may contemn the good, so by the other you 
 may believe a liar; for if they who walk in darkness 
 say it, they lie. And so I am fallen on the last and 
 main part of this Scripture. 
 
 The incongruity of these two, the hypocrite's pro- 
 fession and practice one to the other: ' they lie, and do 
 not the truth.' 
 
 Here are two characters given of these hypocrites, 
 the one affirmative, the other negative ; the one of 
 lying, the other of not doing the truth. Aquinas con- 
 ceiveth by these two a double sin charged upon them,* 
 the one of commission in speaking a lie, the other of 
 omission in not doing the truth. Ai-etiusf better 
 refers the lie to their sayings, the not doing the truth 
 to their walking; therefore their saying is a lie, because 
 their walking in darkness is a not doing the truth, and 
 so the latter is added by way both of explication and 
 confirmation to the former. 
 
 1. Begin we with the affirmative expression, and 
 therein inquire how this saying appeareth to be a he. 
 
 To which end be pleased to know, that there are 
 two things considerable in a lie, to wit, the material 
 and the formal part. The.'matter of a lie is a falsehood, 
 the form of it is an intentional asserting it to be true. 
 
 1. As to the first of these, ive lie is as much as we 
 say that which is false. Indeed, every falsehood is not 
 a lie, but in every lie there is a falsehood. It is true 
 a man may tell a lie, and yet speak truth ; but it is 
 then when he thiuketh it to be false ; and commonly 
 the matter of a lie is that which is false in the natnre 
 of the thing. 
 
 Such is the matter of this saying in the text, that a 
 man who walketh in darkness hath fellowship with 
 God. I grant a man who hath fellowship with God 
 may fall into darkness, do some particular work of 
 darkness, but he cannot walk in it. It is not to be 
 denied but that a man who doth^walk iu darkness, by 
 changing his course, may come to have fellowship with 
 God ; and a man that now hath fellowship with God 
 may be one that hath walked in darkness ; but to say 
 that he who dulh walk in darkness Juilh fellowship 
 with God, is materially a lie,* because a notorious 
 falsehood. That this may more fully appear, consider 
 this double demonstration. 
 
 (1.) That saying which is not according to, nay, di- 
 rectly against, the saying of God, must needs be a lie ; 
 for if God be the God of truth, his must needs be the 
 word of truth ; and so, whatsoever is dissonant to it, 
 false and Ijing. Xow, beloved, search if you please 
 the whole volume of sacred writ, from the beginning 
 
 * M"iitiinur, ecco peccalum comniissionis ; non facinius 
 verifatem, ecce iicccatum omissicuiis — Aquin in loe. 
 
 + Meulimur rct'criiirad profcssionom, noii fucere verilatcm 
 ad mores — A-ct. iliid. 
 
 J Kccic pricsculis tcinpuris vcibuin ponitur, — Lor. ibid. 
 
 of Genesis to the end of the Apocalj-pse, and find if 
 you can any leaf in that book, or any line in those 
 leaves, that speaketh the least word of peace, or par- 
 don, or comfort, or mercy from God to a man that 
 walketh in darkness, liveth in wickedness ; nay, in- 
 deed, God hath written a bill of divorce to every such 
 person, Xon est tihipars nequc sors, as the apostle said to 
 Simon Magus : Acts viii. 21, ' Thou hast neither part 
 nor lot in this matter' of divine fellowship, who walk- 
 est in sinful courses. ' The Lord is far from the wicked,' 
 Prov. XV. 29 ; the ' wicked is an abomination to the 
 Lord,' Prov. xvii. 15 ; ' There is no peace, saith God, 
 to the wicked,' Isa. Ivii. 21 ; ' God will wound the 
 hairy scalp of him that goeth on in his wickedness,' 
 Ps. Ixviii. 21 ; ' Depart from me, ye workers of ini- 
 quity,' Mat. vii. 23 : this is the language which the 
 Holy Ghost useth, and the doom which the Scriptures 
 passeth on such a person; and now tell me, can there 
 be a more palpable untruth, than when God sayeth 
 no peace, for men to say peace, and for them to whom 
 God saith depart, to saj' they have fellowship with him ? 
 (2.) To say that is, which not only is not, but can- 
 not be, is a lying falsehood. Who would not account 
 him a liar that should assert a thing actually existing, 
 which is not only improbable but impossible ? Now 
 for a man walking in darkness to have fellowship with 
 God, is altogether impossible, and the reason is clear 
 in the context ; read but the end of the former verse 
 with this, and the inconsistency will be manifest, be- 
 cause ' God is light, and no darkness is in him ;' there- 
 fore they who walk in darkness cannot have fellowship 
 with him. For as St Paul puts the question, intend- 
 ing by it a vehement negation : 2 Cor. vi. 14, ' What 
 fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, 
 and what communion hath light with darkness ?' We 
 see iu experience the darkness cometh not till the light 
 be gone; when the light cometh the darkness vanisheth, 
 they cannot dwell together ; and the ground of it is 
 clear in philosophy, because things of a contrary na- 
 ture do iiitiluo so lullcre, mutually take awaj' each 
 other. Indeed, contrary qualities may in remiss dc- 
 gi'ees consist in the same subject, but not in intense ; 
 and when they do, it is with them as with a pair of 
 scales : if one go up, the other goeth down ; as one 
 increasoth, the other decreaseth. Now God is not 
 only lightsome, but light, and such a light as is with- 
 out the least darkness, light in the abstract, and that 
 noteth the brightest lustre ; whereas the wicked man 
 walketh iu darkness, yea, according to St Paul's 
 phrase concerning the Ephesians, chap. v. G, he is 
 darkness in the abstract, and that noteth the utmost 
 darkness. As soon, then, may the clearest light and 
 the thickest darkness rest in the same place together, 
 as God and a wicked man have fellowship together. 
 Michael and the dragon could not agree in one heaven, 
 nor the ark and Dagon in one house, nor Esau and 
 Jacob iu one womb ; no more can God and a wicked 
 man agree. A silly old hermit was sorry that God 
 
Ver. 6.] 
 
 SERMON Xr. 
 
 63 
 
 auil the devil should bo at odds, aud would undertake 
 to make them friends ; but the devil bids him spare his 
 labour, for they were everlastingly fallen out. Indeed, 
 God and a wicked man are not so, there is a possi- 
 bility of reconciliation, but not whilst be so con- 
 tinueth. You ma}' as easily believe that fire and water, 
 peace and war, purity aud filthiness, love and hatred, 
 truth and falsehood, happiness aud misery, light and 
 darkness, can be made friends, as that God can be at 
 one with him who goeth on in his sins. 
 
 By reason of this contrariety between God and a 
 wicked man it is, that as God hateth the wicked, so 
 the wicked hateth God. Darkness doth not with more 
 celerity fly from the light, than unrighteousness from 
 God, so that it is impossible not only for this fellow- 
 ship to be, but to be so much as desired. It is true many 
 ■wicked men desire to go to heaven ; but it is because 
 they are mistaken in their imaginations about heaven. 
 They look upon it as a place of felicity, but not of 
 sanctity ; they only fancy it a place of pleasure and 
 contentment, but consider not that the pleasure is in 
 fellowship with a pure and holy God. Alas ! the 
 society of a godly man is a burden, a terror to the 
 wicked : he cannot be merry so long as he is in his 
 company. What, then, will be the fellowship of an 
 holy God ? Upon which account I may truly say, that 
 if God should let a wicked man into heaven, heaven 
 would be an hell, and that divine fellowship a torment 
 to him. 
 
 By this time I doubt not, but you see the' truth of 
 the falsehood, written as it were with a sunbeam,* 
 and what just cause St John hath to give them the lie, 
 who, walking in darkness, say they have fellowship 
 with God, there being a plain untruth in it, which is 
 the material part of a lie. 
 
 2. But, further, in a lie not only the matter, but 
 the form of it, is to be considered. This by the most 
 is made an intention to deceive, f for so the definition 
 usually ruus ; nor is it to be denied but that this is 
 coiisccutirc, an essential pi'operty of, and so annexed 
 to every lie ; yet if we speak of that which is const it u- 
 tifc, the essential form of a lie, it is the intention of 
 asserting a known fiilschood ; so that to lie in its pro- 
 per notion is for a man to aflirm or deny intentionally 
 that which he knowcth to be contrary. 
 
 K we apply this to the business in hand, it is only 
 to be charged properly on the grossest h3-pocrites, 
 who, against the inward verdict of their own con- 
 sciences, say this openly to men, that they have fel- 
 lowship with God ; yea, which maketh them perfect 
 liai-s, they say this on purpose to deceive and cheat 
 the purblind world, that they may seem to others what 
 they know they are not ; it is that which one aptly 
 calls not only dipped but double dipped hypocrisy. 
 
 And yet, inasmuch as the falsehood of this proposi- 
 
 * Vide Aug. 1. de mendac. cap. 42. 
 
 t Voluntas fallendi pertiiiel ad perfectionem mcndncii, ic. 
 — Regn. de mend. 
 
 tiou is so evident, that whosoever will make use of his 
 reason must acknowledge it, it followeth that even 
 they who may, in saying this, speak what they think, 
 are intei-pretatively liars. If a man shall wilfully shut 
 his eyes, and say the sun shincth not, would you ac- 
 count him any whit cscasable for his not seeing, or 
 rather would you not adjudge him to tell a voluntary 
 lie ? The same is the case here. All who assert 
 this, are, to use St Peter's phrase, 2 Peter iii. 5, 
 ' willingly ignorant ;' they cannot but know, and yet 
 they will not know, the falsehood of it, which, being 
 an afl'ectcd ignorance, is so far from excusing, that it 
 rather aggravateth ; and, therefore, this brand of a 
 liar most justly rests on every one who, walking in 
 darkness, saith he hath fellowship with God. 
 
 And 60 much for the affirmative expression; pass 
 we on to the negative, in these words, ' aud do not 
 the truth.' This phrase of doing the truth is very rare. 
 I find it not used in the New Testament, but only by 
 the Master and the beloved disciple. It is Christ's 
 phrase in his speech to Nicodemus, ' He that doth the 
 truth Cometh to the light,' John iii. 21 ; and here St 
 John, having learned it fi'om him, maketh use of it, we 
 ' do not the truth.' 
 
 An expression which at first view seemeth harsh 
 and incongruous, since truth more properly refers to 
 the judgment than the life, aud is the object rather of 
 contemplation than action. Hence it is, that tiutli is 
 that which we are said to kiioiv and believe, and that 
 which we are said to do is good ; and this is the most 
 usual phrase of the Scripture. 
 
 But if we look a little more narrowly into this ex- 
 pression, it will appear apt and significant ; to which 
 end we must know, that, according to the philoso- 
 phers, there is a threefold truth, metaphj'sical, logi- 
 cal, and ethical, Veritas in essendo, cogiioscendo, sirjni- 
 ficando : the first is in being the conformity of a thing 
 to the idea by which it was framed ; the second is in 
 knowing the conformity of the understanding with 
 the thing ; the third is in signifying the conformity, 
 both sermoiiis and fiicti, of our words to the things, 
 and our actions to right reason ; by which distinction 
 it manifestly appcareth that there is a practical as well 
 as a speculative truth, and so this phrase of doing the 
 truth [is] very suitable. 
 
 To open it a little more fully, be pleased to know 
 that doing the truth may be construed two ways, and 
 both here be made use of, to wit, by considering truth 
 either as the object, or the manner of this doing. 
 
 1. To do the truth, considered objectively, is to 
 conform in doing to the truth, that is, the word of God, 
 the rule and square of truth ; and so this phrase may 
 be expounded by that of Ezekiel, ' doing that which 
 is lawful and right,' Ezek. xviii. 5. To this purpose 
 is the exposition which St Cyril and Toilet give of 
 the phrase in the Gospel. To do the truth, is to do 
 according to the law of justice, rightly aud honestly,* 
 
 * Fncere veritatcm est operari secundum legem justitiw,rcc- 
 
6t 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 to make the law of God the rule of our conversation, 
 whereby we ma)' become acceptable to God. 
 
 2. To do the truth, considered modally, is to do 
 what we do heai'tily, sincerely ; and so it may be ex- 
 plained by Hezekiah's phrase, Isa. xxxviii. 2, of 
 ' walking in truth, and with a perfect heart;' for as 
 to doing good, it is not enough that we do what is 
 good, but that we do it well ; so to doing the truth, 
 it is not sufficient that we do what is right, but that 
 we do it truly, with a good and upright heart.* And 
 no wonder if our apostle here, declaiming against hj'po- 
 crites, whose devotion is but a stage-play, a mere 
 feigned representation, and whose conversation is after 
 their own lusts, not God's ways, chargeth them that 
 they do not the truth. 
 
 But if we put these two expressions together, ' we 
 lie, and do not the truth,' there may seem yet a fur- 
 ther incongruity. It would have been more suitable, 
 one would think, to have said, we lie and speak not 
 the truth, since lying refers to the tongue, and so this 
 would have been fitly annexed as a proof of the lying, 
 in that tbey speak not truth ; but if we consider upon 
 what account the apostle chargeth these hyi-ocrites 
 with lying, we shall find this phrase was fitly made 
 choice of, not doiiii/, rather than not speakiiu/ truth. 
 The reason why this saying is asserted to be a lie, 
 is because their walking was not answerable to their 
 talking, their doing to their saying; no wonder that he 
 saith they lie, and that is because they do not the truth. 
 
 To clear this more plainly, you must know that, 
 though in a strict and proper sense, a lie is the dis- 
 sonancy between the tongue and the heart, the words 
 and the thoughts, when a man speaketh one thing 
 and thinketh another, yet in a large and no less real 
 notion it is a dissonancy between the tongue and the 
 hand, the words and the works, when a man speaketh 
 one thing and doth another. To this purpose St 
 Ambrose excellently notetb.f that there is a lie as well 
 in respect of deeds as words. For a man to call him- 
 self a Christian, and not to do the work of Christ, is 
 a lie ; and thus Estius glosseth on these words, I ' We 
 do not the truth ; that is, we prove by our deeds, 
 that what we say is not true.' Indeed, they are aUke 
 bad when the life, as when the heart, giveth the tongue 
 the lie, nay, in respect of men, the former is far more 
 discernible than the liitter. When a man speaketh what 
 his heart thinketh not, I cannot presently say ho lieth, 
 because I know not what he thinketh ; but when a man 
 speaketh that which his actions confute, I can easily 
 see and boldly say that he lieth. 
 
 titudinis et honcstatis. — Tulct in John. Vide Cyr. Alex, in 
 John, Clip iii. 
 
 * Facere verilatcm iiiliil aliiid est quaiii sincere .igcre. — 
 ]'ui'st. in loc. 
 
 t Ncin solnm in fiilsis vcrljis scd in simulatis opcribus mcn- 
 dnciiun est. rhristiiinuni sc diccrc et opera Christi non facere 
 mcndiiciiini est. — Ambr. IStrni. de Ahrah. 
 
 \ Noil facinius veiilatem, ('. e. facto non prolinmus verum 
 esse quod verbo aut cogitationc loquiniur. — Kat. in loc. 
 
 That, then, which our apostle would intimate to us 
 by this phrase is, the contrariety between a hypocrite's 
 profession and his conversation. His voice is Jacob's, 
 but his hands are Esau's; like silver, he looks white, 
 but draweth black lines, audi, nemo tnelius, specta, 
 nemo pejus, loquitur ut Piso, reuit ut Galtomus. Hear 
 him talking, you would think him an angel ; see him 
 walking, you will find him a devil. Like that stage-player 
 who cried ccelum, and pointed with his finger to the 
 earth, his tongue talketh of heaven, whilst his fingers 
 are defiled with the earth ; he speaketh much of the 
 Spirit, but he walketh after the flesh ; the discourse 
 of his lips is holy, the course of his life profane. In 
 a word, his profession is angelical, his conversation 
 diabohcal ; his words are spiritual, his works carnal ; 
 he saith he hath fellowship with God, but he lieth, for 
 he doth not the truth. 
 
 To apply this. When I read this text, and consider 
 the times, I am ready to believe that the one was in a 
 special manner intended for the other, so fully is this 
 charge of lying verified in this generation. It was the 
 complaint of God by the prophet, Hosea xi. 12, 
 ' Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the 
 house of Israel with deceit ;' may he not take up the 
 same against us ? England compasseth God about 
 with lies, and London with deceit. Let om- ungodly, 
 abominable, unjust practices speak, if our fastings, 
 and prayers, and profession, be not a loud noto- 
 rious lie. 
 
 Oh that I could cry aloud this day, in the ears of 
 these liars, to awaken them out of their security! 
 ' Trust not in lying words,' was the caution of the pro- 
 phet to the Jews, Jer. vii. 4 ; it is no less needful for 
 us. Let us not content ourselves with false shows, nor 
 rest on vain hopes. It was the charge of the prophet 
 against the people concerning their king, Hosea vii. 3, 
 that they ' made him glad with lies ;' and what else 
 do hypocrites, whilst [they] make themselves glad with 
 false presumption ? Oh that this lying generation 
 would sadly consider what a kind of lie this is whereof 
 they are guilty ! The schools distinguish of three 
 kinds of lies,* according to the several ends at which 
 thej' aim : to wit, jcstinij, for mirth and pleasure ; o//j- 
 cious, for profit and advantage ; pernicious, tending to 
 injur}' and hurt. All of these are condemned ; but the 
 latter is justly accounted the most abominable, and of 
 this sort is the lie my text speaketh of, a pernicious, 
 hurtful lie. 
 
 That you may see the iujiu'y which cometh by it, 
 consider it in reference to God and his gospel, to others, 
 and to ourselves. 
 
 1. To say wo have fellowship with God, and walk 
 in darkness, is such a lie as tendeth much to the dis- 
 hiniour of God and disgrace of religion. St Paul, 
 speaking to (he hypocritical Jews, tells them, Horn, 
 ii. 24, ' The name of God is blasphemed among the 
 Gentiles through you.' The Ukemay be said to licen- 
 * Triplex mendacium, jocosum, offieiosum, perniciosum. 
 
Ver. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XIT. 
 
 65 
 
 tious Christians, the name of God is blasphemed 
 among Turks and pagans through you.* When the 
 Indians were so barbarously used by the Spaniards, 
 who called themselves Christians, they cried out, (Jiiia 
 (malinii) Veus iste, What god do these men serve ? 
 When the enemies of the reformed church hear what 
 perjury, oppression, bloodshed, they who would pretend 
 to the strictest profession ofit commit, are theynotready 
 to say, What a religion is it these men profess, that 
 can dispense with such wickedness ! It was no small 
 (though a just) disgrace to the pope, when the king of 
 Hungary, having taken a bishop prisoner in battle, 
 sent his anrour to him, and only this in writing, T7[/i; 
 nuiii lure sit vcstis filii tui, Is this your son's coat ? 
 And it is a sad (though unjust) reproach, which the 
 bad lives of Christians cause to fall on God himself, 
 whilst profane wretches are apt to say. These are your 
 saints ! and thus, by our wicked conversation, our 
 being called Christians brings a reproach to Christ 
 and Christianity. 
 
 2. Besides this (which is the highest) injury to reli- 
 gion, it is hurtful to others, when they who pretend to 
 have communion with God lead wicked lives. How 
 are strong Christians grieved, the weak staggered, and 
 they that are without kept back from embracing reli- 
 gion, yea, encouraged in their licentious actions ! Nay, 
 if these that say they have fellowship with God do 
 snch abominable things, what need we trouble our- 
 selves ; are profane wretches ready to say ; our lives 
 are little worse than theirs, why should not our condi- 
 tion be as good ? 
 
 3. This lie will prove no less pernicious to our- 
 selves. He who is the eternal truth cannot endure 
 lying lips.f ]'ideiit et rident demoiies, devils see and 
 rejoice ; God seeth, and is incensed against such dis- 
 sembling wretches. Every such hypocrite may well 
 think God bespeaketh him in the psalmist's words, 
 Ps. 1. 16, ' What hast thou to do to take my name 
 
 * Ita agimus ac Tivimus, nt hoc ipsum, quod Christian us 
 populus esse dicimur, opprobrinra Christi esse videatur. — 
 Salv. de Gub. Dei, lib. 4. 
 
 f Mendaces non fert, qui est osterna Veritas. — Oualt. in 
 loe. 
 
 into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be refonned, 
 and refusest to receive instruction ? ' and must expect 
 no other answer at that day, when they may plead 
 their outside devotion and large profession, but ' De- 
 part from me, ye workers of iniquitv, I know you not,' 
 Mat. vii. 23. 
 
 Brethren, you may for a time cozen men, but you 
 cannot deceive God ; and as St Cyprian excellently,* it 
 is a mere madness not to think and know that liars 
 will at last be found out. Diogenes, seeing a %ncious 
 young man clad in a philosopher's habit, plucked it 
 oft', as conceiving that it was defiled by him ; and God 
 will one day pluck off the hypocrite's vizor of piety, 
 that he may appear in his colours ; and in that day 
 how far more tolerable will it be for professed enemies 
 of God and religion than for such persons ! It is very 
 observable that other sinners are doomed to ' have 
 their portion with hypocrites,' Mat. xxv. 51, as if 
 hypocrites were the tenants, and the rest, as it were, 
 inmates of hell. Certain it is, the furnace of torment 
 shall be seven times hotter for a carnal gospeller, 
 loose professor, than for licentious pagans, since their 
 condemnation shall be so much the greater by how 
 much their profession hath been the holier ; and the 
 higher they have lifted themselves up to heaven in 
 their religious pretences, the lower they shall be cast 
 down to hell for their impious practices. 
 
 Let, then, everv' one that nameth the name of Christ 
 depart from iniquity. It was St Cyprian's advice to 
 those who took on them the name of confessors, 
 that they would keep up the honour of their name ; it 
 is mine, to all who take upon them the name of pro- 
 fessors. For shame, let us not so palpably give our- 
 selves the lie. Quid verba audiani, cum facta videam, 
 what avail good words when our works are bad '? 
 Tace lingua, loquere vila, either say less or do more. 
 In one word, let our actions speak what our expres- 
 sions pretend to, and our conversation be answerable 
 to our profession : so shall we be found true men, and 
 not liars ; and not only knowcrs and professors, but 
 doers of the truth, and so be blessed in our deed. 
 
 * Kst vera dementia non cogitare, non scire, quod men- 
 dacia non diu fallant. — Cy/r. ep. 56, 
 
 SEKMON XII. 
 
 But if we icallc in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one ivith another, and tlie blood of Jesus Christ 
 
 his Son cleanseth us from all sin. — 1 John I. 7. 
 
 RIGHTLY to divide the word of truth is the charge 
 St Paul gave to Timothy, and a special part of 
 every minister's office. To give evei-j- auditor his due 
 and proper portion, as a master of a feast doth to 
 every guest, is (according to some expositors) the 
 ' right dividing the word of truth,' 2 Tim. ii. 15; > for 
 which reason no doubt it is that, among other simili- 
 • Vide Est. Lap. ibid. 
 
 tudes, ministers are compared to stewards, 1 Cor. iv. 1, 
 whose work is to provide for and distribute to every 
 one in the family their convenient food. ^Vhat St 
 Paul requireth of all Christians in respect of their 
 neighbours andsuperiors, — Kom.xiii. 7, 'Render to all 
 men their due : tribute to whom tribute, custom to 
 whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom 
 honour belongeth,' — that by way of analogy is re- 
 
 E 
 
66 
 
 HAKDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. L 
 
 quired of all ministers in regard of their people, to 
 give to every one their due : reproof to whom reproof, 
 threatening to whom threatening, instruction to whom 
 instraction, and comfort to whom comfort appertain- 
 eth. A manifest example hereof we have given by 
 this holy apostle in this place, expressly reproving 
 and implicitly threatening in the former verse those 
 to whom it belongs, such as walk in darkness, and 
 here sweetlv comforting those to whom promises be- 
 long, such as walk in the light, in this verse, ' But if 
 we walk in the light,' &c. This is that room on the 
 right hand, into which we are now to enter, wherein, 
 if you please, you may take notice of three partitions. 
 Here is the Christian's 
 
 Practice, to ivalk in the lifiht ; 
 
 Pattern, as he is in tJie VKjht ; 
 
 Privilege, ire havefellou-tihip, &c. 
 
 Or if you please to reduce the three to two, here is 
 considerable, 
 
 The duty required and the mercy assured ; or 
 
 The qualification i^remised : 'walking in the light as 
 he is in the light.' 
 
 The collation promised, of 
 
 Communion with God : ' We have fellowship one 
 with another.' 
 
 Justification by Christ : ' And the blood of Jesus 
 Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' 
 
 The first of these is all I can despatch at this time, 
 wherein you may please to observe, 
 
 The path, and the guide w'hom we are to follow. 
 
 The walk, and the footsteps which we are to trace. 
 
 The matter of the duty, wherein it consists, walking 
 in the light. 
 
 The manner of the duty, how it is to be performed, 
 as he is in the light. 
 
 Let me crave your patience whilst I shall, by the 
 light of divine truth, lead you through both these. 
 
 The matter of the duty which qualifieth a Christian 
 is said to be walking in the light. 
 
 There is a phrase used by St Paul, Kom. xiii. 13, 
 of walking as in the day, which cometh somewhat 
 near this of walking in the light ; and if we should 
 construe light here literally, and prefix an kg before 
 in the li;/hl, it would excellently instruct us in the 
 nature of a truly Christian conversation. 
 
 They who walk in the light walk visibly to the 
 eyes of all beholders, walk carefully, that they may 
 not behave themselves unseemingly, nor do anything 
 which may be ofl'tiisive. 
 
 1. Thus must Christians walk ax in the lii/ht, to wit, 
 exemplarily, according to the counsel of our Saviour, 
 Mat. V. 17, ' Let your light so shine before men, that 
 they may see your good works.' It is not enough to 
 do good works in secret, but we must shew them 
 openly ; and though we must abhor to do our works 
 for this end, thni they may be seen, yet we must so do 
 them OS they may be seen. 
 
 2. Exactly ; in such sort as may become the gospel 
 
 we believe, and religion we profess. We must walk 
 ihayjjiMtoi;, that is St Paul's phrase to the Romans, 
 chap. xiii. 8 ; lioneslhj, so our translators ; dccenthj, so 
 the sense of the original ; as befits those that call them- 
 selves Christians ; dxplBuig, that is the apostle's phrase 
 to the Ephesians, chap. v. 15; circnnispcclli/, so our 
 translators ; accuraieli/, so the force of the word; that 
 ■we may be rixva. K,u.w//a, the ' sons of God without 
 rebuke,' as the same apostle's expression is to the 
 Philippians, chap. ii. 15, so that even a carping Momus 
 cannot spy a fault. 
 
 But this cannot be the right way of interpreting 
 this clause, since we find the as in the next, and 
 therefore we are to understand light metaphorically ; 
 and so our chief work is to inquire what the apostle 
 intends by this metaphor of light. 
 
 I shall not troulile you with the various acccptions 
 of the word in holy writ ; let it suffice to know. 
 
 There is a threefold light, ad qnod, per quod, in 
 quo, to Khich,hij Khicli,anA in ic/iiV/t we are to walk. 
 
 1. There is a light to which we walk, namely, the 
 light of glory and huppiness. Those two chief excel- 
 lencies, life and light, are not unfitly made choice of in 
 Scripture, to shadow forth the future estate of the 
 glorified. St Paul calls it ' the inheritance of the 
 saints in light,' Col. i. 13,* to shew how pleasant, 
 glorious, and amiable that inheritance is. This light is 
 the terminus (id queni, term of a Christian's motion, to 
 which the course of his life tendeth, and in which at 
 last it endoth. 
 
 2. There is a light hi/ vhich we walk, and this is 
 double, to wit, external and internal, of the word and 
 of the Spirit. Hlin "IIS, hw lu.r, ' the law is a light, 
 the commandment a lamp,' Prov. vi. 23, saith the 
 son, and he learnt it of his father, who saith, Ps. 
 cxix. 105, ' Thy word is a light to my feet, and a Ian- 
 thorn to my paths,' it being God's word that discover- 
 eth to us the way wherein we should walk. And yet 
 this is not enough without the other. Though, adest 
 lumen, the sun shine never so bright, yet if, desunt 
 oculi, eyes be wanting to make use of the light, it will 
 be in vain to us. There must not only be a light be- 
 fore the eyes, but a light in the eyes, if we will see to 
 go ; and therefore St Paul praved that the ' ej'cs of 
 their understanding might be enlightened,' Eph. i. 18, 
 since it is only by the direction of the word, joined 
 w^itb tlie illuniination of the Spirit, that we are enabled 
 to walk in our spiritual journey. 
 
 3. Lastly, and to our present purpose, there is a 
 light in nhich we arc to walk, and that is the light of 
 sanctity and holiness, this being the path in which 
 every Christian must tread ; and when we remember 
 that the light spoken of God in the fifth verse intends 
 his holiness, that the darkness mentioned in the for- 
 mer verse is put for wickedness, we may rationally 
 conclude that by light here we are to understand holiness. 
 
 Having found out the menning, it will not be amiss 
 * Vide Dave. ibid. 
 
Ver. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 67 
 
 to inquire a little further into the analogy of the 
 metaphor, which will the better appear if we consider 
 the ori>,'inal, and the properties of light. 
 
 1. Light is of a celestial extraction. Springs of 
 water arise out of the earth, but the fountain of light 
 is in the heavens. Those flowers of light are found in 
 no garden but the supernal firmament. So is holi- 
 ness of an heavenly parentage; as prudence, so piety is 
 that which is from above, James iii. 17. That of om- 
 Saviour, ' Except a man be born again,' John iii. 5, 
 may, according to a double signification of the word 
 ciiukv, be read, ' Except a man be born from above ;' 
 and indeed St Cyril doth so interpret it. Our (jeite- 
 ration is in some sort from below, but om- rcijenera- 
 tion is only from above ; and for this reason partly, 
 though not principally, is holiness called by the apostle 
 Peter the divine nature, because of a divine original. 
 Indeed, Christ calls it our light, when he saith to his 
 disciples, ' Let your light shine before men ;' and so it 
 is sxilijcctive, but not effccUve, our light, because in us, 
 but not f 10 III UK, and therefore it is so ours as that it is 
 primarily his from whence we receive it. 
 
 2. Light, among others, hath two special properties, 
 namely, clarity and beauty, the one following the 
 other. Light is of a clear, bright, splendent nature, 
 and by reason hereof it is of a very beautiful and 
 lovely aspect, yea, it is the great ornament of the 
 world, putting a beauty on all things else, since with- 
 out it the redness of the rose, the whiteness of the 
 lily, all natural and artificial beauty, were as good be 
 not existing, because not appearing. By these two 
 properties are represented those two parts of holiness 
 which consists in ptur/ivnenlo and in ornamcnlo, cleans- 
 ing and adorning. In holiness, there is purity, which 
 answereth the splendour ; and there is conformity, 
 which answereth to the beauty of light. Holiness is 
 expulsive of all sin, and thereby maketh the soul bright; 
 holiness restoreth God's image, and thereby maketh the 
 soul beautiful ; indeed, it is holiness that puts a beauty 
 upon all other excellencies. Our naturals, morals, our 
 intellectuals, are then ornaments, when, like the 
 diamond to the ring, holiness is superadded to them. 
 
 You see what this light is, and how fitly light doth 
 illustrate it. But yet this is not all ; for since this light 
 we are speaking of is the way, the only way, to com- 
 munion with God, remission of sins, and eternal life ; 
 and besidi'S, since there are some things which glitter 
 and yet are not this light, — such are civility, morality, 
 and pliarisaical sanctity, — so that it is not only possible, 
 but easy to mistake ; give me leave yet a hltle more 
 dislinguishingly to characterise this light to you. 
 
 To which end, since God is compared by the psalm- 
 ist to tbe sun, Ps. Ixxxiv. 12, and Christ is called by 
 the prophet Midachi a ' Sun of righteousness,' Mai. 
 iv. 2, and tliis light is of the same quality with God's, 
 nay, is a ray and beam of his, we may infer that the 
 light to which holiness is here resembled is sunlight ; 
 and so the diU'crences which are between the light of 
 
 the sun and that of the moon and the stars will aptly 
 seem to difference holiness from those other things that 
 seem to come near to it. 
 
 To instance briefly in a few particulars. 
 
 1. The light of the sun helpeth a man to see and find 
 out the filth in his house, yea, to search into the most 
 secret corners of every room, whereas the moon and 
 starlight only helpeth a man to see a little abroad in 
 the open streets and fields. This is a singular differ- 
 ence between pharisaical and real sanctity : that is curi- 
 ous to look abroad, but seeth nothing at home : so that 
 pharisee condemned the publican, and saw nothing in 
 himself worthy of blame ; but this is careful to look at 
 home, and searcheth into the secret corners, the very 
 spirit of the mind. So did good David when he 
 prayed, Ps. xix. 12, ' Cleanse thou me from secret 
 faults.' 
 
 2. The sunlight discovereth motes, and pins, and 
 atoms, things of the least and smallest quantity, where- 
 as the moon and starlight only manifests trees, and 
 houses, and such things as are of a great magnitude. 
 This is the ditlerence between sanctity and morality : 
 morality teacheth a man to avoid gross vices, notori- 
 ous ofl'ences, scandalous enormities, but it is only 
 holiness which causeth a man to make conscience of 
 the least sins* as well as the gi'eatest. 
 
 3. The sunlight representeth those things which 
 may be seen by moon and starlight, in another clearer, 
 fuller way ; hence it is we cannot give so true a judg- 
 ment of the greatness or colom- of anything by moon 
 and star as by sunlight. The parallel holds in this pre- 
 sent matter. Holiness enhghtens a man to look on 
 the same sins which morality and civility discovereth 
 with another and a clearer aspect, since whilst the 
 civil person only abhors them as enemies to his good 
 name, and the moralist as repugnant to reason, the 
 holy man loathes them as breaches of God's law and 
 ofl'ences to his majesty; for so repenting David, Ps. li. 
 4, and the retm^ning prodigal, Luke xv. 21, looked 
 upon their sins, as against and before God. 
 
 4. The sunlight, though gradually, yet powerfully, 
 expelleth darkness out of the air, so that the night be- 
 cometh day ; whereas the moon and starlight only 
 mitigateth and lesseneth it, and therefore the darkness 
 prevailing, it is night still. This is that which puts a 
 difl'erence between sanctity and civilitv- : civility re- 
 straineth sin, but holiness conqueroth it; civility less- 
 eneth the actings, yet taketh not away the power ; 
 whereas holiness, though not all at once, yet by degrees, 
 subdueth the power of corruption. 
 
 5. Finally, the sunlight is ever attended with heat, 
 driving awaj' cold as well as darkness ; whereas the 
 moon and starlight can onlj- illuminate, but not warm, 
 which appeareth in that the moon and stars shine 
 brightest when the night is coldest. This is the peculiar 
 
 * Hanc sollicituilinem non facit nisi Spiritiis sanclus, qui ncc 
 mininiam palcani intra cordis quoil possidct habitacuhuii 
 patitur residcrc Bevn, Serm. 1, de Sp. S. 
 
68 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I 
 
 efficacy of true holiness, that it doth not only irradiate 
 the understanding, but inflame the will and affections 
 with a love to God and zeal for his glory ; in which 
 respect it is that they whom Christ ' purifieth to him- 
 self a peculiar people,' are said to be ' zealous of 
 good works,' Titus ii. 14. 
 
 By this time, I hope, beloved, you are in some mea- 
 sure enlightened to understand the nature of this light 
 wherein we arc to walk. It would not be passed by 
 what this importeth, that we are required to walk in 
 this light, since the emphasis of the phrase holdeth as 
 well in regard of good as evil. 
 
 " The better to clear this, be pleased to consider icalk- 
 ing in a double opposition, to bare stepping, and to 
 standing still. 
 
 1. It is not taking a step or two in the hght, which 
 decominateth a man a walker ; it is not a few good 
 actions, but a good conversation, which speaketh a 
 man a Christian. St Paul bids Timothy, 1 Tim. iv. 7, 
 to ' exercise himself in godliness ;' and the prophet's 
 counsel, Isa. i. 17, is, 'Learn,' or, as it may be ren- 
 dered, ' accustom* yourselves to do well.' It is the 
 constant, habitual practice and exercise of holiness, 
 which may most justly be called a walking in the light. 
 Indeed, this walking is not opposed to stumbling, no, 
 nor yet to falling ; there is a great deal of difference, 
 inter mrrentis casum et vita cursum, between the course 
 of life in which a man runs, and the falls he may catch 
 in running. If not onlj' in some particular acts, but 
 onr general course, we practise holiness, though we 
 cannot but sometimes fall into sin, we shall be found 
 walking in the light. 
 
 2. It is not to begin in the way of holiness, and 
 then stand still, but we must go forward to perfection. 
 St Austin very aptly expoundsf amhulare by prqficere. 
 Walking is a proficiency in holiness ; indeed, both the 
 metaphors in the text press this dutj-. Holiness is as 
 light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day; 
 living holily is as walking, wherein we go on step by 
 step, till we come to the journey's end. J True it is 
 we do not, cannot, always walk with even pace; some- 
 times all we can do is to creep, and then again our 
 liearts are so enlarged that we can run ; but, however, 
 the good Christian will still be going, never accounting 
 himself to have attained. Indeed, so long as we are 
 in this world, our holiness is rather in lien than 'iVi 
 facto, perfecting than perfect, 2 Cor. vii. 1. When 
 we come to be coniprchensnres, we shall sit down, but 
 whilst we are viatores, we must walk on in the light. 
 
 What now remaincth, but that every one of us re- 
 flect upon himself, and ask his soul this question. Do 
 I waUv in the light? To which, by a faithful inquiry into 
 our conversation, according to the preceding charac- 
 
 * 112/7 in Kal sigtiificat et didicit et assuevit. 
 
 t Anibulare breviter dico proficcre. — Attff. .S'erm. 15, de 
 verb, apost. 
 
 5 Homo in lucc ambulat, qui in virlutum operibus proficit. 
 — Aquln. 
 
 ters, we may be able to return an answer. Only, for our 
 further quickening in this work, I shall briefly mind 
 j'ou of these following considerations : 
 
 1. There is a gi'eat deal of difference between talk- 
 ing of, and walking in, the hght. Our lips may drop as 
 the honeycomb, whilst we are ' in the gall of bitter- 
 ness and bond of iniquity,' Acts viii. 23. Many have 
 golden tongues and leaden feet. It is not Scripture dis- 
 course, but a religious course, which denominateth a 
 man a Christian. 
 
 2. It is one thing to have the light of knowledge, 
 and another thing to walk in the light of holiness. Too 
 many men, as well as children, are troubled with the 
 rickets ; their heads are big, full of speculation, but 
 their feet are unable to walk in spiritual actions. ' If 
 you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them,' 
 John xiii. 7. Having the light may help us with 
 Moses to see the land of Canaan, but it is walking in 
 the light must bring us with Joshua to enter into it. 
 Though we have mouths and speak well, eyes and see 
 well, yet if we have feet that walk not, hands that 
 work not, we are but idle (idol) Christians. 
 
 3. It is not barely not ualkin// in darkness, but icalk- 
 imj in the lii/ht, that is required of a Christian. The 
 Pharisee's religion in the Gospel consists chiefly of nega- 
 tives, Luke xviii. 11, but our righteousness must ex- 
 ceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees. 
 So saith our gi-eat Lawgiver, Mat. v. 20. Indeed, it is 
 good not to do evil, but, withal, it is evil not to do 
 good. The unprofitable as well as the prodigal is an evil 
 servant. We must not only cast away our trangressions, 
 but make us new hearts, Ezek. xviii. 31 ; cleanse from 
 filthiness, Isa. i. 18, but perfect holiness, 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; 
 cease to do evil, but learn to do well; not walk in the 
 darkness, but walli in the light. 
 
 4. It is not a mere resolution, but the real execn- j 
 tion of holiness, that eutitleth to happiness. Oh how 
 many are cast into utter darkness, who here resolved 
 to walk in the light ! In vain are those purposes which 
 have a conception but no birth, which only blossom I 
 but never bear ripe fruit. The repenting prodigal, as 
 he said, ' I will arise,' so he ' did arise and go to his 
 father,' Luke xv. 18-20. Holy David saith, Ps. cxix. 
 109, ' I have sworn,' and withal addeth, ' I will per- 
 form it.' Only this must be understood with one 
 caution, if God give time and place of performance, 
 otherwise that of St Paul concerning alms, 2 Cor. viii. 
 12, is generally true, ' if there be a willing mind it is 
 accepted ;' in which respect it is a very- uncharitable 
 opinion which excludeth all deathbed penitent resolu- 
 tions from divine acceptation. Indeed, that deathbed 
 promises of amendment are seldom real, is not to be 
 denied, yea, that when they arc real, it is very difficult, 
 if not impossible, for themselves or others certainly to 
 know it, must needs be granted, and therefore the 
 case of such persons is doubtful and dangerous ; but 
 since God's grace can speedily work a ch-tnge in the 
 will and affections, and where such a change is wrought, 
 
Ver. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 69 
 
 the resolutions must needs be cordial, and such as (if 
 life were afforded) would undoubtedly be accomplished. 
 We have reason to believe that he who always accepts 
 the deed chiefly for the will, will in such a case accept 
 the will for the deed, and therefore the condition of 
 such an one is not altogether desperate. But still, be- 
 loved, this stands in full force as to us, who have as yet 
 hfe and health continued to us. Our purposes will be 
 to no purpose, if they be not attended with practices; 
 nor is it if we u-ill, but if we do iralk in the light. And 
 thus I have acquainted you with the matter ; go we 
 ou to 
 
 The manner of the duty, in those words, ' as he is 
 in the light,' wherein we shall consider two things : 
 
 What is here asserted concerning God, ' he is in the 
 liglit;' 
 
 What is here required from us, implied in that pai'- 
 ticle ' as.' 
 
 1. God is said here to be ' in the light ;' a very im- 
 proper expression, according to a strict acceptation. 
 When it is said of God, at the fifth verse, that he is 
 light, we must look upon the phrase as only meta- 
 phorical, since he is ten thousand times brighter than 
 the sun ; but when here he is said to be in the light, 
 it is a catachrestical expression, since it is impossible 
 either that the light should be in him, who hath no 
 accident, or that he should be in light, who is infinite 
 and illimited. Nay, indeed, those two phrases, he is 
 light, and he is in the light, seem one to contradict the 
 other, since nothing can be said strictly to be in it- 
 self;* but both the phrases being allusive, they may 
 well stand together. And this latter, if construed ac- 
 cording to its true intention, will be found emphati- 
 cally significant. 
 
 If you please to difference the meaning of these two 
 phrases, j-ou may refer the one, ' God is light,' to his 
 nature, and the othei, 'he is in the light,' to his 
 works. So Grotius giveth the sense of this phrase, f 
 he is in the light ; that is, he is conversant in most 
 pure actions. According to that of the psalmist, Ps. 
 cxlv. 17, ' The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and 
 holy in all his works ;' to which agreeth that of the 
 heathen, h 3io/ n doZci if:a.u7.ov, tXjy. uai 'A'eoi, God could 
 not be God, if his actions were not exactly pure and 
 holy. 
 
 But I rather conceive the intent of thesephrases to 
 be the same, to wit, a delineation of God's pure and 
 holy nature ; and there are two things which this ex- 
 pression of his being in the light intimateth concern- 
 ing it, namely, the perfection and immutability of his 
 holiness. 
 
 1. There is a great deal of difference between these 
 two expressions, to have light in one, and for one to be 
 ill the light. The former noteth only some measure of 
 participation, but the latter a complete fruition. This 
 
 * Lu.\ non est propria in Incc. — Cartlius. 
 t In luce, i. e. vcrsatur in purissimis actionibas. — Orot. in 
 loe. 
 
 maj' be clear by an instance, taken from the water. A 
 man that drinketh down a small quantity of water may 
 be said to have water in him, but when a man is com- 
 passed, and covered over head and ears in water, he 
 is then most truly said to be in it. To parallel it with 
 an instance in Scripture: every man, even the best, by 
 reason of the remainders of sin, is said to have flesh 
 in him, but only the wicked man, who is under the 
 power of sin, is said to bo ' in the flesh,' Kom. viii. 8. 
 Thus, whereas we at best have only some light of holi- 
 ness in us, God is in the light, so that nothing of the 
 hght of holiness is a-wanting to him, but he is abso- 
 solutely, completely holy. 
 
 2. 'There is not unfitly observed by expositors* a 
 discrepancy between these two phrases of walking and 
 being in the light. Walking noteth a progressive motion, 
 being a fixed residence. We are still passing from one 
 degree to another, and according to the apostle's ex- 
 pression, 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' changed into the divine 
 image ' of holiness ' from glory to glory,' but he is (to 
 wit, eternally and unchangeably) in the light; in which 
 respect that phrase odlurlling, used by St Paul, 1 Tim. 
 vi. IG, answereth this of being used by St John. He 
 is and dwelleth in that light, as of majesty, so pm-ity, 
 to which no man can attain ; and that from everlasting 
 to everlasting. 
 
 By what hath been said, you see what is asserted 
 concerning God. We must now consider what is re- 
 quired of us in the particle as, namely, a conformity 
 to God's pattern by walking in, as he is in, the light. 
 Upon the hearing of this message, I believe many 
 are ready to put forth the question, How can this be? 
 God is so in the light, that in him is no darkness ; 
 and our lives, like the Israelites' cloud, have a dark 
 side as well as a light. God's holiness is perfect iiuJ 
 unspotted, ours is imperfect and defective ; so that if 
 this be the condition, this supposition can never be a 
 position, and not only few, but none shall be saved. 
 
 But how harsh soever this (which is hero men- 
 tioned) may seem, yet it is no more than what is 
 necessary. Indeed, when we find St John, not once, 
 but again, not onlj- in metaphorical, but plain terms, 
 calling on us to be pure and righteous as God is; yea, 
 Christ himself requiring us to be perfect, as his Father 
 is perfect. Mat. v. 48 ; and God himself, to be holy, as 
 he is holy. Lev. xx. 7 ; we have reason to look upon 
 this addition as of weighty and needful concernment. 
 And therefore to remove this objection, and clear the 
 genuine sense of this as, be pleased to observe this 
 threefold solution. 
 
 1. There is a double as, to wit, of likeness and of 
 eqiiality.f The one respects the kind, the other the 
 degree ; that the nature, this the measure of the 
 thing. Our light in which we are to walk must be like 
 to that in which God is, though the light in which 
 God is be infinitely brighter than ours. Look as it is 
 between the stream and the fountain, the branch and 
 * Vide Carthus. Serrar in loc. t *f 'i''TtiTti, S/tiiirnrn- 
 
HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 the root, the air and the sun, so is it between God 
 and a Christian. The same water is in the stream that 
 is iu the fountain, the same sap in the branch that is 
 in the root, the same light in the air that is in the 
 sun ; though the water, land the sap, and the light are 
 primarily and most plenarily in the fountain, the root, 
 the sun. Indeed, to speak exactly, we cannot call the 
 holiness of a saint the same with God's holiness, be- 
 ■cause this (as all his attributes) is his essence, which 
 is incommunicable to any creature ; besides, his holi- 
 ness is infinite, and ours finite; and infinite and finite 
 must needs tuto ^/oierc disttirc, differ gcnerically. But 
 the holiness in us is the image of that holiness in God, 
 -and, as it were, the stamp and impression of God's 
 holiness upon us ; in which regard hohness is one of 
 those attributes of God which the schools call com- 
 municable, because God is pleased to communicate 
 the likeness of it to his saints ; and therefore they are 
 ti'uly said by the author to the Hebrews, chap. xii. 10, 
 to ' partake of his holiness,' and here by the apostle 
 John, to ' walk in the light, as he is in the light.' 
 
 2. We must distinguish inter effectum el aliecliim, 
 actum et conalum, between an efl'ectual performance 
 and an alTectionate endeavour. As for the walking in 
 the light, you have already heard it must not only be 
 in affection, but action. But so to walk, as God is iu 
 the light, is that which, because we cannot fully attain 
 to, it will suffice to desii'e and endeavour after. To 
 this purpose is that gloss upon the text, he is said to 
 walk as God is in the light, who striveth to imitate 
 divine purity.* When a master sets bis scholar an 
 exact copy, and bids him write as that is written, his 
 meaning is, not that he should cut all his letters with 
 the same dexterity, and transcribe the lines with the 
 same evenness that he hath done, but that he should 
 endeavour to come as near it as may be ; the same, 
 no doubt, is the intention of the Holy Ghost in this 
 and the like scriptures, to put us upon a cordial study 
 of following God in the footsteps of his puritj' and 
 holiness. 
 
 3. Besides these no less true than apt solutions, 
 there seemeth to me yet a plainer answer in the words 
 themselves, by observing the difi'erence between these 
 two expressions of walkiiuj and beiwj in the light. It 
 is not said wo must be in the light as he i$ in the 
 light, but we must iralk as ho h, look a.s he is in the 
 light, so that there is not the least darkness of sin in 
 him. So wo must walk in the light, and not indulge 
 ourselves in any sinful work of darkness ; so that to 
 walk in the light as God is in the light, is so to walk 
 in the light, as that we do not walk in, though we be 
 not wholly free from, darkness. Ho, then, that liveth 
 not iu a course of laiown sin, that leadeth a conver- 
 sation without anj' reigning iniquity, as God is with- 
 out any sin at all, ho walketh iu the light as ho is in 
 the light ; and who will not acknowledge but this is 
 
 * Qui ad (jus similitudinem nspirat. — Marlorat. in loc. 
 
 that which every one not only may, but must attain 
 to, who expects these glorious privileges. 
 
 And now, to what should the meditation of this 
 clause serve, but to, 
 
 1. Humble us for our spiritual pride. How usual 
 is it with most of us to have overweening conceits of 
 our own worth, to think ourselves belter than indeed 
 we are, and by reason of self-sufficiencj", to make a 
 stop in our proficiency ; one special cause whereof is, 
 that we measure our holiness by a false standard, and 
 do not weigh ourselves in the balance of the sanctu- 
 ary.* We look upon the profane rabble of the world, 
 and presently judge ourselves holy enough, and be- 
 cause we wander not in their Cimmerian, Egyptian 
 darkness, conclude ourselves to walk in the light; but 
 tell me, thou that pleasest thyself as if thou wert holy 
 enough, art thou as holy as Paul, who calls to the 
 Philippians, chap. iii. 17, and in them to all Chris- 
 tians, ' be ye followers of me ' ? Nay, art thou as 
 holy as the angels, when yet th}' prayer is, that thou 
 mayest do God's will on earth as they do in heaven '? 
 Mat. vi. 10. Nay, once more, art thou as holy as 
 Christ, as God, whom here the apostle sets before 
 thee as a pattern ? Alas ! thou that lookest on thy 
 left hand (them that are worse than thyself) with 
 scorn, didst thou look on thy right hand (those 
 examples that so far excel thee), hast more reason to 
 tremble ; thou that castest thine eyus only behind 
 thee and standest still, didst thou look before thee, 
 couldst not choose but haste forward. Stars are 
 glorious things in comparison of candles ; but, alas ! 
 how is their splendour obscured when the sun ariseth. 
 Compare thy light with that of the apostles, angels, 
 God himself, and ' be not high-minded, but fear.' 
 
 2. Inflame us with a spiritual ambition. Though 
 our minds must be lowly, j'et our aims should be high, 
 only with this caution, not to be great, but good. It 
 was indeed the heinous crime of the fallen angels (as 
 is probaUyt supposed), of our first parents (as is 
 clcary manifest), that they desired to be as gods ; but 
 it was in point of knowledge, of majesty, not of holi- 
 ness. And truly we their unhappy progeny are too 
 much of the same mind ; we would walk in the light 
 of knowledge and glory, as he is in the light. But far 
 be those thoughts and desires from sincere Christians. 
 Let us make him our pattern for walking in the light, 
 which he hath appointed us to walk in, to wit, of 
 purity and holiness, and thus let us walk as fast as 
 we C:in, and aspire as high as we may, till wo come to 
 the utmost degree of conformity which our created 
 and finite nature is capable of; and whereas man, 
 desiring to walk in the light of God's knowledge, fell 
 from his estate of innocency, our endeavour to walk in 
 the light of his purity will restore us to that state of 
 integrity, which, here inchoated, shall be hereafter con- 
 summated. 
 
 * Qiiomoilo proficis, qui jam tibi sufticis? — Amhro$e. 
 
 t Vide Alex, Alena Theol. summ. part. 2. q. 98, gcu. 3, 5. 
 
Ver. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XIII, 
 
 To end all, put both these parts together, we must 
 walk in the light as he is in the light ; and this double 
 conseetary will naturally flow : — 
 
 1. True conversion maketh a manifest and wonder- 
 ful alteration. The poet,* speaking of a grafted tree, 
 saitb, 
 
 Miraturque novas frondcs et non sua poma, 
 it wondereth at those new leaves and fruits with which 
 it is adorned ; so do converts themselves, and all that 
 behold them, wonder at the change which is wrought 
 in them. Every man by his first birth is still-born, 
 ' dead in sin ; ' by his new birth he becometh ' alive to 
 God : ' as the father said of the prodigal, Luke sv. 32, 
 ' This my sou was dead and is alive.' And surely 
 what a difl'ercnce was between Lazarus lying dead in 
 the grave and Lazarus standing alive on his feet, the 
 same is between a natural and a regenerate man. 
 Every man naturally walketh iu darkness, and is a 
 slave to the prince of darkuess ; every convert walk- 
 eth in the light, as he is in the light ; so that, look 
 what alteration there is in the same air by the arising 
 of the sun, the like is in the same person by the in- 
 fusion of holiness. 
 
 2. That the work of Christianity is attended with 
 no small difficulty. Ah, Lord, how light do most 
 men make of their general calling ! How easy a 
 matter do they account it to get to heaven ! But 
 surely they are such whom the devil casts into a sad 
 sleep, and sootheth up with fond dreams. Who can 
 read that general assertion of our Saviour, Mat. 
 vii. 13, ' Strait is the gate, and naiTow is the way, 
 
 * Virff. Eolofr. 
 
 that leadeth to life ; ' yea, this more particular delinea- 
 tion of that way by the apostle, Philip, ii. 12, to be a 
 ' walking in the light as he is in the light,' and not 
 ' work out his salvation with fear and trembling ? ' 
 Brethren, if we intend to enjoy communion with God, 
 we must walk, not sit ; there is no stepping out of the 
 world's ease into God's rest ; yea, we must walk up- 
 wards, ascend to divine perfection ; there is no com- 
 ing to heaven per saltiim, but per smiisuiii. It is no 
 leaping thither in a moment. In a word, if it be no 
 easy thing to be holy, it must needs be difficult to be 
 happy. 
 
 And therefore let us, in a sense of the work's diffi- 
 culty, together with our own impotency, make our 
 addresses to the throne of grace, and that both for the 
 light wherein we are to walk, and the feet which may 
 enable us to walk in this light ; pray we that he would 
 by his preventing prace infuse the habit of holiness 
 into our hearts, and then by his assisting grace 
 strengthen us to act that holiness in our lives. 
 Finally, according to the counsel of that devout 
 ancient,* when we first set foot upon the ladder of 
 piety, considering our deficiency and God's excel- 
 lency, let us stretch forth our hands to him who is at 
 the top of the ladder, saying with the spouse. Cant, 
 i. 4, ' Draw me, and we will run after thee.' So 
 shall we at the last come to him, and be with him in 
 the light of purity and glory for ever. 
 
 * Adhuc in pede vel ascensu scalaj positus, in te deficiens, 
 et altituilinem ejus prespiciens, debes sursura manus exten- 
 dere ad Dorainum, qui est iuiiixus supremae parti scalsc, &c. 
 — Zutph, lib. 2, de Spir. Ascens. 
 
 SEEMON XIII. 
 
 Btit if let' walk in the U'jhl, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus 
 Christ his Son deanseth us from all sin. — 1 John I. 7. 
 
 THE life of man on earth is a race, and every one 
 in this woi'ld a traveller. The ways in which all 
 men walk arc fitly and fully enumerated to be two, the 
 one on the right, the other on the left hand.*- So 
 much Pythagoras his Y imports ; the one a straight 
 and narrow way, the other a wide and broad^way : 
 
 Litera Pythagorse discrimine secta bicorui, &c. 
 
 So our blessed Saviour plainly asserts, Mat. vii. 13, 14, 
 the one a Ughtsome and the other a dark path, as St 
 John here insinnatetb. Hence it is that all men who 
 either have been, are, or shall bo, are marshalled into 
 two ranks, 'sheep and goats,' ' the seed of the woman 
 and the seed of the serpent,' the ' righteous and the 
 wicked.' In Italy, after the Guelphs and the Ghibel- 
 lines, there arose two factions, which were called the 
 Albi and the Atri, the white and the black. f These 
 
 * Duoe sunt vise, una sequitatis, altera iniquitatis, &c. — 
 Ambroa, in Vs. i. f Cresol. de virtut. pars prima, c. iii. 
 
 two indeed divide the whole world, all men being 
 children of God or of the devil, such as ' walk in the 
 light ' and such as ' walk in darkness.' These two 
 ways are so directly contrary in their natures, that 
 though a man may go out of the one into the other, 
 yet it is impossible he should at once walk in both ; 
 and therefore St John sets the one in a manifest anti- 
 thesis to the other ; ' but if we walk in the light.' 
 Nor ai'o they less contrary in their ends than in their 
 natui'es ; the one leadeth to life, the other to destruc- 
 tion. So Christ expressly, the one causeth a separa- 
 tion between God and us, and therefore thej' lie who, 
 walking in darkness, say they have fellowship with 
 God ; the other leadeth to communion with God, and 
 an interest in Christ. So it is affirmed in the words 
 of the text. ' But if we walk,' itc. 
 
 Having despatched the qualification, which respects 
 our duty, pass we now on to the collation, which re- 
 prcsenteth God's mercy ; and that in respect of two 
 
72 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 excellent benefits here specified, namely, fellowship 
 with God, and cleansing by Christ : the one in those 
 words, 'We have fellowship one with another;' the 
 other in those, and ' the blood of Jesus Chi-ist his Son 
 cleanseth us from all sin.' Of each in their order. 
 
 1. The first of these benefits, namely, our fellowship 
 with God, hath been already explicated from the third 
 verse, and therefore I shall not need here to insist 
 upon it. Indeed, the phrase one irith another seemeth 
 to intimate another kind of fellowship than that before 
 handled, namely, that fellowship which those who 
 walk in the light have one with another ; but the con- 
 nection will by no means admit this interpretation, 
 this fellowship of them that walk in the hght being 
 an inference from the consideration of God's being 
 light, and therefore must be understood of the fellow- 
 ship they have with him. Suitable to this it is that 
 Grotius and Doctor Hammond, * observe the space in 
 the king's manuscript to be so httlc, that it may more 
 probably be supposed as left for duroD than aXkr,\'jiv. 
 But our Greek copies do plainly read it u'/.XrjXuv ; and 
 so it may (as L?exa and othersf observe) admit a very 
 fit exposition. In reference to God, we have fellowship 
 one with another ; that is, he with us, and we with 
 him. 
 
 Aud truly this is that which we may very well look 
 upon with admiration and astonishment, and that both 
 in the one part and in the other. AVhen we consider 
 that we have fellowship with him, it may teach us to 
 admire at the exaltation of a saint ; when we consider 
 that he hath fellowship with us, we have reason to 
 wonder at the condescension of God. How may we 
 here make use of St Paul's words, l\om. xi. 33, ' Oh 
 the height, oh the depth,' oh the height of advance- 
 ment, oh the depth of his abasement ! Would we not 
 think that beggar highly preferred, whom a king 
 should admit to fellowship with himself in his palace? 
 Would we not conclude that king did much undervalue 
 himself, who should vouchsafe to have fellowship with 
 the beggar in his cottage ? And yet thus it is between 
 God and a Christian ; hereafter we shall have com- 
 munion with him in his palace, now he hath com- 
 munion with us in our cottage. Oh our diguity, oh 
 his digiiatlon ! How high are we exalted, how low 
 doth he stoop ! The truth is, there is not a more 
 familiar fellowship between the dearest friends, than 
 there is between God and the saints ; in which respect 
 Stobieus J assorts, /j,iav iTvai xonfin rzoXmiav, that there 
 is a common negotiation and converse between God 
 and ])ure minds. Oh let them rejoice in, be thankful 
 to, and wonder at it. 
 
 Tliat which is yet further to bo taken notice of, is 
 the habitude aud relation which walking in the light, 
 and fellowship with God, bear one to the other ; for 
 the better clearing whereof, conceive it in this doable 
 
 * Vide Grot, and Dr Iliinimoud in loc. 
 
 t Viilc Bez. t'alv. Sermr. 
 
 X Stob. iu Eclog. Phys. j). 115. 
 
 notion. Walking in the hght is both medium dis/.onens, 
 and teiiti)no)iiuiii firmans, a means disposing the sub- 
 ject for, and a testimony assuring the person of, fellow- 
 ship with God. 
 
 1. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship, inas- 
 much as walking in the light doth make us fit for 
 fellowship with God. That we may rightly under- 
 stand this, it will be needful to make use of that 
 known distinction between meritnin de condiijno et de 
 conijruo, condignity, which is properly merit, and con- 
 gruity, which is only so called in a large and improper 
 sense. Our walking in the light hath no worthiness 
 to deserve so great a privilege as fellowship with God, 
 because it is no more than what is our duty ; so that 
 when we have done our best, we have done but what 
 we ought. But yet our walking in the light hath in it 
 a fitness for this fellowship, so that though it do not 
 oblige God, yet it quahfieth us for this benefit, and 
 that in two respects, inasmuch as, 
 
 1. It removeth that which otherwise would be 
 ofl'ensive to God, and cause a separation. It is very 
 observable, that when St James, chap. iv. 8, speaketh 
 of our drawing nigh to God, and God's drawing nigh 
 to us, he presently addeth, ' Cleanse your hands, ye 
 sinners ; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded,' 
 thereby intimating that the cleansing from sin fits for 
 approaching to God. Now by walking in the light, 
 darkness is expelled, the heart is purified, the hands 
 are cleansed, and so the person fitted for divine com- 
 munion. 
 
 2. It rendereth the person in some measure like 
 to, aud so fits for fellowship with, God. It is a known 
 maxim of the philosopher,* o/xo/oV*;; (fu-oTrtro; iJ-rj^^, 
 likeness causeth love, and love fellowship. Where 
 there is conformity, there must needs be congruity. 
 God cannot but take delight in his own image. What 
 is said of David is true of every holy person, he is ' a 
 man after God's own heart,' Acts xiii. 22, he wills 
 what ho wills, and nills what he nills ; and no wonder 
 if there be a friendly communion between God and 
 him. 
 
 3. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship ; that 
 is, our fellowship with God is assured to us by walking 
 in the light. And if we consider the antithesis of this 
 to the preceding verse, this construction cannot but 
 seem verj- genuine, that as for them who walk iu 
 darkness to say the}' have fellowship with God is a 
 lie, so, on the contrary,' tbey who walk in the light 
 may tnih' s.aj' they have fellowship with God, the one 
 being an evident and infallible testimony of the other. 
 To illustrate this briefly, you must know that this 
 xonuvia, fellowship, if taken for a participation of God's 
 sanctity, is the cause of our walking in the light, 
 since till we receive, by this participation, the light of 
 holiness from God, we can never walk in it. Now 
 though science, properly so called, is it priori, from 
 the cause to the effect, yet our knowledge for tho 
 
 » Aristot. Eth. 
 
Vee. 7.J 
 
 SEKJtON XIII. 
 
 73 
 
 most part, and especially in this particular, is a 
 posteriori, from the efl'ect to the cause ; and so this 
 walking in the light as an efl'ect assureth us of its 
 cause, fellowship with God. 
 
 The consideration hereof may serve for a touchstone 
 and a whetstone, and so both rectify our judgments 
 and quicken our endeavours. 
 
 1. Let it be a touchstone to try the truth of our 
 interest in this fellowship, that so we may give a right 
 estimate of our own condition. It is St Peter's 
 counsel, 2 Peter i. 8, ' Give all diligence to make 
 your calling and election sure.' This fellowship my 
 text speakeLh of, is that to which we are elected before 
 time, and called in time ; but how shall we make it 
 sure ? Beza and Grotius* both tell us, that in several 
 Greek manuscripts these words are added, iid xkawv 
 jgywv, ' by good works,' which are metaphorically a 
 walking in the light. If, then, we would not be deceived 
 in the knowledge of om- election and vocation to this 
 heavenly participation, let us measure ourselves by 
 the course of our actions and integrity of our con- 
 versation. 
 
 2. Let it be a whetstone to set an edge upon our 
 desires after walking in the light, that we may have 
 fellowship with God. Surely if we have any belief of 
 a deity, and acknowledge him to be the stimmum 
 ho)iuiii, chiefest good, we cannot but account it our 
 happiness to have the fruition of him. If, then, we 
 desire this happy communion, let it be our care to 
 lead holy conversations. 
 
 The truth is, fellowship with God is such a privilege, 
 which, as on the one hand it is impossible to deserve, 
 so on the other it is not sufficient to desire, but we 
 must be in some measure fitted for it. There is none 
 of us but would attain this fellowship, only we like not 
 the way that leadeth to it ; whereas it is in vain to ex- 
 pect the one without performing the other. As there- 
 fore we seriously desire fellowship with him, let us 
 earnest !}• strive to walk in the light, as he is in the 
 light. And so much shall suftice for the first benefit 
 here assured ; pass we on to the 
 
 2. Other, which indeed is the foundation of this; 
 namely, our cleansing by Christ : ' and the blood of 
 Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. For the 
 fuller discussion whereof I shall consider it two ways : 
 
 In itself; as it containeth a positive assertion, ' the 
 blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin.' 
 
 In its connection with the preceding part of the 
 verse ; intimated in that conjunctive particle ami. 
 
 1. The plain position of this cLiuse is, ' the blood 
 of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin ; ' insii/nis 
 hie locus (to use Calvin's f expression), an elegant 
 and excellent sentence, wherein every word hath its 
 Weight, so that we might find in it as many parts as 
 words. If you please to allude to a known and apt 
 metaphor, here is observable the physician, the 
 patients of that physician, the disease of those 
 « Vid. Bcz. Grot- ibid. t Calv. in loc. 
 
 patients, the physic for that disease, the operation of 
 that phj'sic, and the efficacy of that operation, 
 
 1. The physician is Jesus Christ the Sou of God, 
 one who, being the Son of God, must needs be able 
 and skilful. Since he is the Clirist, he wants not a call 
 to the office ; and as he is Jesus, he cannot but be 
 ready and willing to the work. Who can desire a better, 
 who would seek after another physician than him, in 
 whom skill and will, ability and authority, do meet ? 
 
 2. The patients of this physician are expressed in 
 the pronoun ks. Conceive it by way of exclusion, us, 
 not the angels ; he is pleased to have no pity on their 
 misery, nor to vouchsafe them any remedy. By way 
 of inclusion, us, apostles, as well as others. None but 
 stand in need of this physician ; and they most need 
 him, who think they have least. 
 
 3. The disease of these patients is sin, a disease 
 both hereditary as to the root of it, which together 
 with our nature we receive from our parents, and 
 likewise contracted by ourselves upon ourselves, in 
 the daily eruption of this corruption, by thoughts, 
 words, and works ; a disease that maketh the patient 
 sick, dangerously, desperately sick, even to the death, 
 yea, such as must inevitably have brought upon us, 
 not only the first, but the second death, had not this 
 physician interposed and undertaken the cure. 
 
 4. The physic which this physician administereth 
 to the patient for the cure of his disease is blood, 
 and, which is the wonder, his own blood. Indeed, the 
 case so stood, that as none but this physician, so nor 
 he but by his blood, could efl'ect this cure, and behold, 
 he is content to part with his own blood for our sakes. 
 
 5. The operation of this physic is by cleansing. 
 Indeed, such is the excellency of Christ's blood, that 
 it is both a purge and a cordial, strengthening and 
 cleansing. None like this to comfort our hearts, none 
 like this to purge out the ill-humours of our sins, 
 whereby our spiritual health is restored. 
 
 6. Lastly, The efficacy of its operation, which ap- 
 peareth by a double extent. 
 
 (1.) The one in regard of the disease. It cleanseth 
 from alt sin, that is, whatsoever can be called sin, of 
 what kind, nature, degree soever it be, since the cure 
 of no disease can be impossible to him that can do all 
 things.* 
 
 (2.) The other in respect of the permanency of this 
 physic's virtue, implied in the present tense of the 
 verb, this blood never losing its eflicacy, cleansing 
 not only when shed, but indeed both before and after, 
 so that the patriarchs and prophets before Christ, the 
 apostles who were contemporary with Christ, nay, all 
 Christians after him to the end of the world, may truly 
 take up this saying, ' The blood of Christ cleanseth us 
 from all sin.' f 
 
 * Omnipoteuti medico nullum vulnus insanabilc. — Aug, 
 in Vs. Iviii. 
 
 t "Vide Bern. serm. 1, de nat. dom. ct GG, dc parv. ct in 13 
 Cant 
 
74 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 But that I may rather break thau crumble this 
 bread of life, be pleased only to take notice of two 
 general parts in this clause, namely, 
 
 The etl'ect, or benefit itself, in those words, ' cleans- 
 eth from all sin.' 
 
 The cause and spring of this benefit in those words, 
 ' The blood of Jesus Christ his Son.' Of the first 
 briefly, of the latter more largely. 
 
 1. The benefit itself is cleansing from all sin, for 
 the understanding of which we must know, that in sin 
 there are two things considerable, to wit, macula and 
 realua, the stain whereby it defileth our natures, and 
 the guilt by which it defileth our persons. According 
 to these two, there is a double cleansing, the one of 
 sanctification, the other of justification. Nor is it my 
 distinction, but St Paul's, 1 Cor. vi. 11, where, having 
 mentioned walking as the genus, he presently dis- 
 tinguisheth it into its sprcU-x, sanctifying and justifying. 
 The one, by subduing the dominion of sin, gradually 
 abateth, and in due time shall, by an expulsion of the 
 being, wholly take away the stain of sin upon our 
 natures; the other so taketh away the guilt of sin, 
 that the person is not in God's sight and account 
 obliged to suffer the punishment due to it. If you 
 ask which of these is here understood, I answer in a 
 large sense, we may comprehend both, it being true 
 that the blood of Christ hath in itself a moral efficacy 
 to persuade, and withal hath purchased the Spirit of 
 Christ to be annexed to it, which is the efficient 
 cause of the cleansing of sanctification ; in which 
 respects our dying to sin, and redeeming us from all 
 iniquity, are set down as ends, Titus ii. 13, 1 Peter 
 ii. 21, yea, efl'ects of Chi-ist's death ; but withal, in a 
 proper sense, we are here to understand the cleansing 
 of justification, partly because the walking in the 
 light before mentioned includeth in it the purity 
 of sanctification, and partly because this cleansing 
 is here promised as a privilege to be conferred upon 
 them that walk in the light. 
 
 To this purpose, it is rationally observed that, 
 
 1. Where cleansing from sin is required as a duty 
 to bo done by us, it is to be understood necessarily 
 of cleansing by sanctification. So in that of the pro- 
 phet, Isa. i. 1(5, ' Wash you, make you clean ;' of the 
 apostle St Paul, 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Let us cleanse our- 
 Bolvcs ;' St James, chap. iv. 8, ' Cleanse your hands,' 
 and the like. 
 
 2. Where cleansing from sin is prayed for as a 
 mercy of which we stand in need, it extends to both, 
 as appears in David's penitential psalm, Ps. Ii. 2, 7, 10, 
 where he beggeth of God washing, cleansing, purging, 
 and creating in him a clean heart ; sinco though the 
 former principally refer to the cleansing of justifica- 
 tion, yet the latter manifestly relatolh to that of 
 sanctification. 
 
 8. Where cleansing is promised as a benefit to bo 
 bestowed upon us, if it is not only, yet primarily, to 
 be interpreted of cleansing by justification. Of this 
 
 nature are those evangelical promises we read of in 
 the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Jer. xxxiii. 8, 
 Ezek. xxxvi. 25 ; and thus I conceive we are to inter- 
 pret both the ninth and this present verse. Accord- 
 ing to this construction, the blessing here assured is 
 that which is elsewhere called remission and forgive- 
 ness of sins. Why it is expressed by this metaphor of 
 cleansing shall be, God willing, more fully illustrated 
 in the handling of the ninth verse. Let it suffice for 
 the present, that we have found out the genuine 
 meaning of it, and so pass we on to, 
 
 2. That which is the chief intendment of this 
 clause, the cause and spring of this benefit, the blood 
 of Jesus Christ his Son. 
 
 This phrase of cleansing is both a metaphorical 
 and a legal word, and in both it represents this blood 
 of Christ. 
 
 1. As it is a metaphorical word. What water is 
 in the corporal, that is this blood of Christ in the 
 spiritual cleansing. Blood in a natural way is not 
 cleansing, but defiling and besmearing; and yet, what 
 water doth to material, that this blood doth to the 
 immaterial cleansing. In this respect it is, that as 
 men use to wash themselves in water, so Christ is 
 said to wash us in his blood, Kev. i. 5. To this the 
 promise in Ezekiel properly alludeth, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 
 where God saith, ' I will sprinkle clean water upon 
 you ;' and for this end certainly Christ instituted 
 water as the element in the holy sacrament of bap- 
 tism, that he might thereby signify the cleansing 
 eflicacy of his blood. 
 
 2. As it is a legal word. What the blood of beasts 
 in the law did typically, that the blood of Christ doth 
 really, to wit, cleanse from sin.* The author to the 
 Hebrews observeth, chap. ix. 22, that ' almost all 
 things in the law were purified with blood,' and 'with- 
 out shedding of blood there was no remission.' Thus, 
 in the ceremonies for legal uncleanncss, there was for 
 the most part blood used ; and in their sacrifices for 
 expiation of moral uncleanncss, there was shedding of 
 blood ; to both which the apostle alludeth when he 
 speaketh of ' the blood of bulls and goats,' and ' the 
 ashes of an heifer,' the blood of bulls and goats being 
 shed in their sin-offerings, and the ashes of a slain 
 heifer used in cleansing those that touched a dead 
 body. And surely what were all these cleausinga 
 by blood, but types and figures of the cleansing by 
 Christ's blood, for which cause the apostle manifestly 
 calls these purifyings, ' patterns of the heavenly 
 things.' Indeed, as the same holy writer saith, ' It is 
 not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should 
 take away sin,' so that when expiation of sin is attri- 
 buted to them, it is only to be understood in a typical 
 and sacramental sense, as they were shadows, figures, 
 
 * Est metapliora dcitucta ab aqua, qui qucniadmodum 
 nbhumtur sonlcs corpoiLi, ita sanguine, hoc est sncrificio 
 Cliri^-ti, loUuntur peccata nostra. — LuOlert. Adv. Socin. de 
 sen\ lib. ii. cap. 17. 
 
Ver. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XIIL 
 
 75 
 
 representations of this blood whereof my text speaketli ; 
 and therefore it is, they all vanished arid were abro- 
 gated from the time of the shedding of this blood, in 
 which they had their accomplishment, and by which 
 this admirable efl'ect was really and tally performed, 
 the cleansing from all sin. 
 
 For the better understanding of this precious truth, 
 give me leave briefly to resolve these three queries : 
 
 What we are here to understand by the blood of 
 Christ. 
 
 What kind of causality this blood hath to the 
 cleansing from sin. 
 
 Whence it is that this blood hath this causality. 
 And when I have thus opened the vein of this 
 clause, I shall the better let out the blood contained 
 in it for your spiritual refreshment. 
 
 1. In answer to the first of these, you must know 
 that this blood of Christ is here to be taken both 
 metonijmiccdhj and sunecdochically. 
 
 (1.) MctonijiiiicaUij. Soeinus, making use of this 
 trope, understandeth by Christ's blood God's new 
 covenant, in which this benefit is promised ; a sense 
 which, if admitted, yet, according to a right construc- 
 tion, will nothing advance his design. It is true, he 
 makoth it a metonymy of the adjunct, as if the cove- 
 nant were called Christ's blood only because it is 
 confirmed by it ; but when St Paul telleth us in 
 general, 2 Cor. i. 20, that ' all the promises are m 
 him yea, as well as amen,' made, as made good ; 
 yea, when our blessed Saviour in particular calleth it 
 ' the blood of the new testament,' or covenant. Mat. 
 xxvi. 28, because it was ' shed,' not so much for con- 
 firming the covenant, wherein remission of sins is 
 promised us, 'for the remission,' that is, obtaining 
 the remission, ' of sins,' which is promised in that 
 covenant, it plainly appeareth, that if by blood we 
 will understand the covenant, it must be metonymy, 
 not so much of the adjunct as of the cause ; and so 
 it amounts to this much, that the remission of sin 
 which is promised in the new covenant is procured by 
 the blood of Christ, which is as much as the orthodox 
 doctrine asserts. But the right metonymy here neccs- 
 earily to be taken notice of is, by the blood to under- 
 stand the death of Christ, and this of the cause for 
 the etl'ect, because by the violent etfusion of his blood 
 his death was eS'ected. 
 
 The better to clear this, take notice that the blood 
 of Christ was shed, according to St Bernard* (who 
 supposeth they drew blood from his cheeks when they 
 smote him) seven, but rather six, several times : soon 
 after his bu-th, when at his circumcision thcj' took 
 away the foreskin of his flesh ; a little before his 
 death, in the garden, when ho was cast into that 
 bloody sweat ; in his scourging, when they ploughed 
 Lis back with whips, and made long furrows on his 
 shoulders ; upon his coronation, when they platted his 
 
 * Vide. Bern, de pass. dom. cap. 32. 
 
 head with a crown of thorns ; at his death on the 
 cross ; in the piercing of his feet and hands with 
 nails ; after his death, when his side was opened with 
 a spear, blood and water gushing forth. And truly, 
 though none of these times his blood was shed in 
 vain, yet it is the ' blood of the cross.' When, together 
 with his blood, ho poured out his life, that was the 
 ofl'ering for sin, in which respect it is expressly so 
 called by St Paul, Col. i. 20. It is indeed by some * 
 asserted, that one drop of his blood, by reason of the 
 hypostatical union, might have sufliced for the redemp- 
 tion of the world ; but that must be taken cum r/rano 
 salis, since, supposing at least God's decree, it was no 
 less blood than his life-blood, that could avail to the 
 accomplishing this expiation. 
 
 (2.) SynecdocIiicitUij. Socinianising Vorstius, mak- 
 ing use of this trope, extends the synecdoche to that 
 which he calls the whole oblation of Christ, and so 
 comprehendeth not only his antecedent obedience, 
 but his subsequent glory, to wit, of his resurrection, 
 ascension, session, and intercession. But inasmuch 
 as the author to the Hebrews expressly saith, chap, 
 i. 3, that 'when ho had purged our sins he sat down 
 at the right hand of God ;' and again, chap. ix. 12, 
 ' He entered into the holy place, having obtained 
 eternal redemption for us ;' yea, our blessed Saviour 
 himself, John sis. 30, being ready to [give] up the 
 Ghost, cried, 'It is finished;' I shall not doubt to 
 assert, but that what concerned the acquisition of this 
 great benefit was then fully performed, though the 
 resurrection, with the consequents of it, were needful 
 for the effectual application of it to us. This synec- 
 doche, therefore, is to be estended only to his passion, 
 one part put for the whole of his sufierings, and so 
 we are to construe it not only of his blood, but his 
 body ; since, as the one was shed, the other was 
 crucified, and as here, ' his blood cleanseth from sin,' 
 so in St Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 22, he is said to ' bear om- 
 sins on his body.' Yea, St Paul, Col. i. 20, 21, as- 
 cribcth our reconciliation both to his blood and to 
 his body ; nor 3'et only of his body and blood, but his 
 soul also, in which, suffering a subtraction of the 
 divine vision, he cried out upon the cross, ' My God, 
 my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?' Mat. xxvii. 46, 
 and therefore the prophet Isaiah, chap. liii. 10, fore- 
 telling his passion, mentioneth his ' soul which was 
 made an ottering for sin.' In a word, not only his 
 blood, and body, and soul, but his whole person is to 
 be included, the passion being expiatory, as you shall 
 hear more fully anon, in that it was the passion of 
 such a person, and therefore it is often said he gave 
 up himself. Gal. ii. 2G, Eph. v. 2, Titus ii. 11 ; and 
 more appositely to our present purpose is that of the 
 author to the Hebrews, chap. i. 3, ' by himself he 
 purged our sins.' 
 
 * Gutta s.inguinis raoilica, propter unionem ad verbum, pro 
 rcdemptiono totiiis luiiiiani generis satisfccissct. — Extrav. 
 cumiiiun. lib. v. tit. ix. cap. 2, Clem. 6. 
 
76 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 2. For the resolution of the second question, be 
 pleased to take notice, 
 
 1. That the cleansing of our sins is attributed in 
 Scripture to God, to Christ, to faith ; and all of them 
 have a real and several influence upon this benefit. 
 The principal efficient of this cleansing is God, to whom 
 therefore it is attributed in Ihe ninth verse. The instru- 
 ment receiving the benefit is faith, and therefore it is 
 said to be through faith. The meritorious cause, deserv- 
 ing this benefit at the hands of God for us, is Christ's 
 blood. Indeed, Socinus* asserts (with a nihil reriiis) 
 that God and Christ act in the same way of efliciency, 
 only with this difference, God is the principal and 
 Christ the organical cause, and so God Ibrgiveth by 
 Christ ; but whilst he only asserts, but doth not prove 
 it, we may as confidently deny as he affirmeth, espe- 
 cially when the Scriptures express that not per but 
 propter Cluii-liiiii, by, but for Christ we are forgiven. 
 So our translators render the sense of St Paul's 's'l' 
 Xs/ffrS, ' for Christ's sake,' Eph. iv. 32 ; and our 
 apostle in the twelfth verse of the next chapter saith, 
 our sins are forgiven, dia ro ovoij,a aorou, 'for his name s 
 Bake.' 
 
 2. More particularly, Christ's blood is the merito- 
 rious cause of cleansing us from sin, inasmuch as he 
 thereby took our sins upon himself. This is the truth 
 which the apostle Peter manifestly asserts where he 
 Baith, 1 Pet. ii. 2, i, ' He bore our sins on his own 
 body on the tree,' and presently addeth, ' by whose 
 stripes we are healed.' Healing and cleansing are 
 parallel phrases, our sins being the diseases of our 
 Bouls. Of these sicknesses we arc healed, of these sins 
 we are cleansed, by Christ bearing them on his body ; 
 which, because it was done on high, upon the tree, 
 the apostle usclb not barely iayxi but airivsyxi, which 
 signitieth .siirsiim tiilil, not only he lore, but he carried 
 up, whereby the sense is not diminished but aug- 
 mented, as having in it a fit allusion to the sacrifices 
 which were lifl up upon the altar. It is very consi- 
 derable in this respect, that the Hebrewf word i<t-"J, 
 and the Greek a/^w (like the Latin lullv), signify both 
 ferre and aiijerrc, to bear and to take away ; and both 
 
 these are used concerning Chri.st in this particular, the 
 one by the prophet Ifaiah, chap. liii. -1, where be 
 saith, ' be bore our griefs ;' the other by John Baptist, 
 John i. 29, when he saith, ' ho taketh away the sins 
 of the world ;' and most aptly, because ho taketh away 
 the sin from us by taking it upon himself. 
 To unbowel this precious truth, know, 
 1. That Christ, bleeding and dying on the cross, 
 stood in our stead and sullered in our room. To this 
 purpose are those expressions, where Christ is said to 
 sutler for us, 1 Pet. ii. 21, to die for the people, John 
 xi. 50 ; for so much the jireposition i/^fs sometimes 
 siguilietb, as when St Paul, Kom. vii. 3, wisheth to be 
 anathema, i/Ttj iibiXfSifi, for or instead of his brethren, 
 
 * Sociu. iu loc. 
 
 t Vide Sherre Itinerar. in ps. super verbum, NB'J. 
 
 and when the apostles are said, 2 Cor. v. 20, to be 
 ambassadors, i/Ttp Xg/ffroO, for, that is, in Christ's stead. 
 More clearly to this intent is that phrase of the evan- 
 gehst, Mat. xx. 28, w here Christ is said to give bis Ufe 
 a ransom for many,' the preposition being not ucrb 
 but avW, which always implieth a commutation, and 
 when it is applied to persons, signitieth the coming of 
 one into the room of another. So Archelaus is said to 
 reign in Judea, uvti ' llcuido-j roD crargo;, ' in the room 
 of his father Herod,' Mat. ii. 22. Yea, that this 
 sense is intended where spoken of Christ's sufl'erings, 
 appears by St Paul's question, 1 Cor. i. 13, ' Is Paul 
 crucified for you ?' for if it were only meant /oc ;/oi(i- 
 good, Paul might have been crucified for them, as he 
 tells the Colossians, chap. i. 2-1, ' I rejoice in my 
 sufferings for you ;' and therefore crucijied fur you, 
 must be as much as in your stead, which neither Paul 
 nor any other could be. 
 
 2. That Christ standing in our stead, death was 
 inflicted on him by God for our sins. This no doubt is 
 the genuine meaning of those scriptures where he is said 
 to be ' wounded for our transgressions, and bruised 
 for our iniquities,' Isa. liii. 5 ; and again, ' be was deli- 
 vered for our ofi'ences,' Rom. iv. 25, he ' died for our 
 sins,' 1 Cor. xv. 3. That these phrases cannot pro- 
 perly note the final cause, appeareth, in that the end 
 of his death is not our sins, hut what is directly con- 
 trary to our sins, the destruction of them. Who ever 
 said that physic was taken for death, that is, the 
 avoiding death, but for the disease, the disease being 
 that which necessitateth to physic '? Besides, to instance 
 yet nearer, when we say, a man died for theft, for 
 murder, or treason, what else do we mean, but tkat 
 those crimes were the deserving cause which brought 
 him to his end ? Thus Christ ' died for our sins,' our 
 sins bringing him to his cross, to his grave. In this 
 sense no doubt it is that the apostle saith, 2 Cor. v. 21, 
 he (that is God) 'made him to be sin for us,' to wit, 
 at least so far as to bo made a sacrifice for our sins, 
 when yet he ' knew no sin,' namely, in himself; and 
 look as the beast in the law was slain and sacrificed 
 in the room and for the sin of the person that brought 
 it, so was Christ crucified in our stead because of 
 oiu' sin. 
 
 3. That Christ, bleeding and dying for our sins, 
 sufi'ered that punishment which was due to us. It 
 was the comminatiou of God to Adam, Gen. ii. 17, 
 ' Thou shalt die the death.' Death then was the 
 punishment due to him and all his posterity for sin ; 
 and this death, which we must have undergone in our 
 own persons, is inflicted upon Christ. To this pur- 
 pose it is, that Christ is said by the apostle to be 
 ' made a curse,' Gal. iii. 13. When this, but when he 
 hung upon the tree ? for ' cursed is every one that 
 hangeth upun the tree' ; so that the curse which the 
 law pronounceth against us was laid on him. If it be 
 said that the curse and death which was due to us was 
 eternal, whereas Christ's was temporary, I answer, that 
 
Ver. 7.J 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 77 
 
 duration is but a circumstance to the thing ; and the 
 reason why on us it must have been eternal, is because 
 our punishment could no other way be infinite, which 
 j'et is required for the satisfaction of an infinite 
 offended justice, whereas the case is far different in 
 respect of Christ, as will appear presently. 
 
 4. That Chr-ist having suffered that punishment 
 which belonged to us, we must needs be thereby 
 acquitted and cleansed. To this purpose he is called 
 by the author to the Hebrews, chap. vii. 22, a surety ; 
 and look as the surety, paying his debt for whom he is 
 bound, dischargeth him from his creditor, so Christ, 
 suflering our punishment, freeth us from the obliga- 
 tion to it, which is all one with cleansing from the 
 guilt of sin. And the reason is plain, for since the 
 guilt of sin is its binding the sinner over to the punish- 
 ment, Christ taking that punishment upon himself, 
 and suffering it in our room, must needs thereby 
 cleanse us from that guilt ; so that in few words, 
 Christ's blood being 'koZr^ov, a laver, became Xur^ov, a 
 price, satisfactory for our debt, hath obtained the for- 
 giveness of it to us, and so we are cleansed. 
 
 Having in some measure, according to the Scrip- 
 tures, explained the genuine notion of this causalitj', 
 I shall not much trouble myself nor you with those 
 far-fetched and jejune inventions of the Sooinians, 
 whereby they endeavour to elude these truths ; and 
 yet I cannot pass by one evasion, because it is that 
 Socinus* annexeth to this very scripture, as if this 
 saying, the blood of Christ cleanseth from sin, were 
 no more but that his blood declareth us to be, and 
 assureth us that we are cleansed. So that what 
 the orthodox attribute to the sacrament, instituted by 
 Christ in commemoration of his blood, that these 
 heretics attribute to the blood itself ; but how incon- 
 gruous it is to expound this of a declarative cleansing, 
 appeareth in that the apostle, who could best interpret 
 his own language, in the very next verse save one, 
 unfolds it by forgiving. Besides, this construction 
 maketh cleansing from sin to antecede Christ's blood, 
 for if it did not pre-exist, there could not be any declar- 
 ing or confirming of it, whereas the Scripture, both 
 here and elsewhere, Eph. i. 4, Col. i. 24, plainly, 
 positively asserteth this cleansing to flow from, and 
 come through, the blood of Christ. The consideration 
 hereof no doubt forced Socinus to the finding out of 
 other solutions, and therefore he sometimes asserts, 
 that Christ's blood cleanseth, inasmuch as it per- 
 suadeth us to a belief and hope of eternal life, whereby 
 we are induced to holiness of life, and so our sins are 
 cleansed ;t but all which is hereby ascribed to Christ's 
 death is only a moral causality, nay rather, a mere 
 antecedency. Sure it is Christ's resurrection rather 
 than his death which engenders that faith and hope in 
 us, and it is not imaginable that the Scripture should 
 so often attribute that to the death, which chiefly 
 depends on the resurrection of Christ. Add to this 
 
 * Socin. in loc. t Vide Socin do Servatorc. 
 
 (which is very considerable), how remote (if any at 
 all) an influence it is which Christ's blood, according 
 to this sense, hath upon this cleansing, for (as Grotiua 
 hath well observed) the thread must be drawn out to 
 this length.* 
 
 Forgiveness and cleansing from sin is conferred 
 upon them that live holily. To live holily, we are 
 induced by a certain faith and hope of the reward, the 
 example of Christ raised from the dead and exalted to 
 glory ; for the holiness of his life is a way to beget this 
 faith and hope. That glorifying and rising his death 
 did necessarily antecede, and thus our cleansing from 
 sin is obtained by his blood ; but how credible it is 
 that the Scripture should so frequentlj-, so positively, 
 so expressly atti'ibute this cleansing to Christ's blood, 
 and yet the dependence of these one upon the other 
 to be at so remote a distance, and of so slender an 
 energy, let any one who hath but a competent use of 
 his reason judge. 
 
 3. I proceed therefore to the answer of the last 
 question. Nor need we go further than the text itself 
 to find that. If you would know how this blood be- 
 cometh so effectual to cleanse from sin, the answer is, 
 because it is the ' blood of Jesus Christ his Son.' 
 
 I shall not altogether pass by, nor yet insist upon, 
 that note which Estiusf hath upon the blood of his 
 Son, that in them there is a confutation of three 
 heresies at once : the Manichees, who deny the truth 
 of Christ's human nature, since, as Alexander said of 
 his wound, clamat me esse hominem, it proclaimeth mo 
 a man, we may say of his blood, for had he not been 
 man, he could not have bled, have died ; the Ebionites, 
 who deny him to be God, since, being God's natural 
 Son, he must needs be of the same essence with him- 
 self ; and the Nestorians, who make two persons, 
 which, if true, the blood of Christ the man could not 
 have been called the blood of Christ the Son of God. 
 
 That which I conceive here chiefly to be taken 
 notice of is, that our apostle contents not himself to 
 say the hlood of Jesus Christ, but he addeth his Son, 
 to intimate to us how this blood became available to 
 our cleansing, to wit, as it was the blood not merely of 
 the Son of Mary, the Son of David, the Son of man, 
 but of him who was also the Son of God. 
 
 Indeed, that it was the blood of an innocent, pure, 
 unsinning man, did much conduce to this work, since, 
 had he been himself a sinner, he could not have cleansed 
 us from our sins ; and therefore our apostle in the 
 next chapter, 1 John ii. 2, joineth these two together, 
 ' Jesus Christ the righteous,' ' the propitiation for our 
 sins ;' and the apostle Peter, 1 Peter i. 17, puts these 
 together as ' of a precious Lamb without spot and 
 blemish.' To this purpose it is St Austin I saith the 
 blood, because it was the blood of him who had no sin 
 himself, was shed for the remission of our sins ; and 
 
 * Vide Grot, de satiafact. Christi, c. i. ad finem. 
 
 t Vide Est. in loc. ' J Aug. de Trinit, 1. 3, c. 16. 
 
78 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 Leo * suitably, the pouring out of a just man's blood 
 for the unjust was cfl'ectual to our redemption. 
 
 But though this was a neccssar}' quahtioation in this 
 person who did shed his blood for this end, yet that 
 which gave the efficacy and merit to his blood was the 
 fulness of the Godhead which dwelt in him person- 
 ally. Thus Damascene,! speaking ofhis deity, addeth, 
 thence his passion became of a saving and quickening 
 virtue ; and St Cyril J expressly, his blood had not 
 been a price for the world's sin if he had been only 
 man. Indeed, Socinus § asserts that the dignity of his 
 person added nothing to the value of his sufferings, 
 because the divinity itself did not suffer ; but though 
 the Godhead did not suffer, yet God-man did suffer, 
 and he who endured the punishment uas God, though 
 he did not endure it as God. In these respects it is 
 said, 1 Cor. ii. 8, tbey ' crucified the Lord of glory;' 
 and God is said, Acts xx. 28, to purchase his church 
 ' with his blood,' and here it is called the blood of 
 Jeius Christ his Son ; and we may as well say it is 
 all one to kill a king as a beggar, a father as a stranger, 
 because the mortal wound is directed against the body, 
 not the dignity or affinity. 
 
 The sum then is this, Christ's deity being person- 
 ally united to his manhood, giveth an efficacy to his 
 Bufferings. Hence it is that, his person being infinite, 
 the worth of his blood is infinite, and so it became 
 commensurate and adequate both to the infinite de- 
 merit of the sin committed by us, and the eternity of 
 the punishment which was to have been inflicted upon 
 ns ; and by the same reason that man's sin, being a 
 finite act, yet deserveth an infinite punishment, be- 
 cause perpetrated against an infinite majesty, Christ's 
 death, though a temporary passion, cannot but be in- 
 finitely satisfactory, because it is the death of an in- 
 finite person, Christ Jesus the Son of God, blessed 
 for ever. 
 
 And now, what other use should we make of this 
 but as both a looking-glass and an antidote ? 
 
 1. In this truth, as in a looking-glass, let us see 
 these two things, the heinous nature of our sins, and 
 the unparalleled measure of Christ's love.y 
 
 1. View, O sinner, the heinous nature of thy sins, 
 from which nothing but Christ's blood can cleanse thee. 
 Sin, if looked upon in the glass of the law, cannot but 
 appear sinful ; but when beheld in the blood of Christ, it 
 must needs appear beyond measure sinful. ir Ex con- 
 sidiiiilioiie miicdii, periculi irstimo quaiititatcm, saith 
 St Bernard ** excellently ; take notice of the greatness 
 of thy disease and danger in the remedy prepared for 
 the cure of the one and prevention of tlie other. Oh 
 how great is that wound, which nothing could heal 
 but the physician's death ! The truth is, Christ's 
 
 * Leo Ep. 83. t Damasc. dc fide, 1. 3, c. 15. 
 
 X Cvr. dc rcctii fide ad Eeg. 
 
 § Socin. de scrvat. 
 
 II PcccBti imiiianitas, Christi cliaritas. — Justin, in loc. 
 
 <ll Vide Giialt. hom. in cp. 
 
 •• Bern, de nat. dom. scriu. 3. 
 
 blood in respect of sin is both aggravating and dimin- 
 ishing. Look upon sin in Christ's blood one way, and 
 it appeareth not so terrible, because this blood cleans- 
 eth from it ; look upon it another way, and it appeareth 
 abominable, because it could not be cleansed but by 
 this blood. Tell me, sinner, why dost thou make 
 nothing to defile thyself with that which cost thy 
 Saviour so dear to cleanse thee from ? How much 
 rather should thy sins wring tears from thee, since they 
 drew blood from Christ ! 
 
 2. Behold, sinner, the exceeding lovo of thy 
 Saviour, who, that he might cleanse thee when pol- 
 luted in thy blood, was pleased to shed his own 
 blood. Indeed, the pouring out of Christ's blood was 
 e.riiiiiiim charitntis ojiiis, a super-excellent work of 
 charit}'; hence it is that these two are joined together; 
 and when the Scripture speaketh of his love, it pre- 
 sently annexeth his sufferings. So St Paul : Gal. 
 ii. 20, ' AVho loved me, and gave himself for me ;' 
 so St John : Rev. i. 5, ' Who loved us, and washed 
 us from oui' sins in bis own blood.' We read, that 
 when Christ wept for Lazarus, John xi. 86, the 
 standers by said, ' See how he loved him.' Surely if 
 his tears, much more his blood, proclaimeth his affec- 
 tion towards us. Thus may we see the bowels of his 
 compassion through the wounds of bis passion. The 
 Jews were the scribes, the nails were the pens, his 
 body the white paper, and his blood the red ink; and 
 the characters were love, exceeding love, and these so 
 fairly written that he which runs may read them. I 
 shut up this with that of devout Bernard,* Behold 
 and look upon the rose of his bloody passion, how his 
 redness bespeaketh his flaming lovo, there being, as it 
 were, a contention betwixt his passion and afl'ection: 
 this, that it might be hotter; that, that it might be 
 redder. Nor had his sufferings been so red with blood 
 had not his heart been inflamed with love. Oh let us 
 beholding magnify, magnifying admire, and admiring 
 praise him for his inestimable goodness, saying with 
 the holy apostle. Rev. i. 5, ' Unto him that loved us, 
 and washed us from our sins in his blood, be honour 
 and glory for ever.' 
 
 2. Make use of this truth as a cordial to revive 
 thy drooping soul, in a time of inward affliction. It is 
 the note of Oilcumenius t upon the text : ' Is any one 
 affrighted with the light and sense of sin ? Let this 
 cleansing by the blood of Christ make him confident.' 
 And to the like purpose St Austin : ' The devil hath put 
 in a ccnral, an haudwTiting against us, but let us be 
 secure ; the blood of Christ hath blotted it out.' Me- 
 thinks I hear some wounded, broken sinner crying out 
 in despair. Woe is mo that ever I was born ; my sins 
 are for number innumerable, for measure unmcasur- 
 ablo, and I am not able to cleanse myself from any, 
 no, not the least of them. Oh what mountains of 
 grievous sins lie upon my back, that I am not able to 
 
 • Born, de pass. dom. c. 41. 
 
 t Vide iKcumen. ct August, in loc. 
 
Vee. 7.] 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 7^ 
 
 look np ! Oh what scarlet-crimson bloody sins continu- 
 alh' fly in my face, that I am not able to behold with- 
 out desperation ! Oh that I had never been, oh that 
 I might be no more ! Whither shall I fly, who carry 
 my guilt still along with me ? What shall I do to be 
 eased of this oppressing burden '? Ah, my sinful soul, 
 what will become of thee ? Vilo wretch that I am, 
 where shall I appear ? But stay, thou despairing 
 sinner ; with poor Hagar in the wilderness, thou art 
 crying, weeping, dying, whenas behold a well of 
 water is by thee, a fountain of blood is opened fof sin 
 and for uncleanness, Zech. xiii. 1. Thou dost well to 
 bewail thy own sin, but thou dost ill to forget thy 
 Saviour's blood. Thou sayest thou art a great sinner ; 
 ti-ue, else Christ needed not have shed his blood. Thou 
 sayest thou art a great sinner ; be it so, yet Christ's 
 blood ' cleanseth from all sin.' And therefore is 
 Christ's blood said to cleanse from all sin, because 
 there is no sin so great from which it cannot cleanse.* 
 What if thj' sins be clouds, thick clouds, yet the beams 
 of this Sun of righteousness can dissipate them ; what 
 though they be mountains, 3'et this red sea can swallow 
 them ; what though they be scarlet sins, yet this scarlet 
 blood can make them white as snow. View the cata- 
 logue of those sinners whom this blood hath cleansed, 
 and thou shalt find ' fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, 
 effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, 
 thieves, covetous, di'unkards, revilers, extortioners,' 
 have been washed by it ; ' for such,' saith St Paul to 
 the Corinthians, ' were some of ye, but ye are washed,' 
 1 Cor vi. 9, s. 11. Look once again, and thou shalt 
 find a blasphemer, a persecutor (for such was Paul 
 himself, 1 Tim. i. 15), nay, murderers, even those 
 who had a hand in the murder of Christ himself (for 
 such were those converts at St Peter's sermon, Acts 
 ii. 35), cleansed mercifully by this very blood which 
 they shed so cruelly. Sinners, this blood still as it 
 were nms afresh, and the efficacy of it is as full now 
 as it was atfii-st ; only remember that this blood which 
 was shed cleanseth not unless it be sprinkled. So 
 much David intimateth in that prayer : Ps. li. 7, 
 ' Purge me with hyssop,' hyssop being that by which 
 the blood of sacrifice was sprinkled, to which an- 
 swereth faith, whereby our souls are sprinkled with 
 this blood of Christ. The brazen serpent cured those 
 who were stung with the fiery serpent, but not with- 
 out their looking on it, John iii. 14. The blood of 
 Christ can cleanse us from all our sins, but not with- 
 out our applying it. Go then, sinner, in a sense 
 of thy own filthiness, to thy blessed Saviour ; say to 
 him with the leper, Mat. viii. 2, ' Lord, if thou wilt, 
 thou canst make me clean ;' with the father of the 
 child, Mark ix. 21, 'Lord, I believe, help my un- 
 belief.' llemember his gracious invitation to come, 
 Mat. si. 28, and his comfortable promise of ease, and 
 
 * Picitnr Christns emnnclaie ab omni peccato quia nulhim 
 est tani immane facinns quod Christi sanguine non potest 
 clui. — Justin, in toe. 
 
 be not faithless, but believing. Nor needst thou 
 mingle any water with this blood, popish penances, 
 pilgrimages, indulgences, or any such like inventions 
 of superstitious dotages; this blood alone can cleanse, 
 and by joining anything with it, thou dost what lieth 
 in thee to defile and debase this blood. To him then, 
 and him alone, have recourse with a lowly, yet lively 
 confidence, relying on the merits of his blood, which 
 cleanseth from all sin. 
 
 2. You have seen the position in itself, be pleased 
 now to look upon it in its reflection, on what pro- 
 ceedeth ; and thus we may consider it two ways : 
 
 Either as these words are an answer to some ob- 
 jection, which may be made against the preceding; 
 
 Or as the preceding words prevent a misapplication, 
 which may be made of these. 
 
 1. Whereas the apostle saith in the former part of 
 the verse, ' If we walk in the light, as he is in the 
 light, we have fellowship one with another,' it may 
 be objected, though we now walk in the light, yet be- 
 fore we walked in darkness, and will not that hinder 
 our communion '? Nay, besides, though we walk in the 
 light, yet we still fall into darkness, and will not that 
 make a separation between God and us ? To both these 
 we have a clear answer returned in these words. 
 
 1. As for our past sins, committed before conver- 
 sion, they shall not hinder this fellowship, ' because ' 
 (so and is sometimes taken, especially by St John*) 
 ' the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin ;' to wit, 
 as some expound it (truly, though not fully), all past 
 sin. It is the promise of almighty God, made by 
 Ezekiel, chap, xviii. 21, 22, that ' when the wicked 
 turneth from his wickedness that he hath committed, 
 all his transgressions that he hath committed, they 
 shall not be mentioned to him.' Indeed, the convert 
 himself still penitently remembers them, but God 
 mercifully forgets them ; and why? The blood of Christ 
 cleanseth from them. Whence by the way it is well ob- 
 served by Zanch}-,f that it is not our walking in the 
 light cleanseth from our former works of darkness, but 
 the blood of Christ. Our present obedience is not, 
 cannot be, any compensation to God for our former 
 disobedience, we now do no more than we ought to 
 do, and therefore it cannot satisfy for our former doing 
 what we ought not, and not doing what we ought to 
 do ; but the merit of Christ's blood both can and doth 
 expiate our former guilt. 
 
 2. As for our present sins, whether continual in- 
 firmities, or our particular gross acts, into which we 
 may fall, notwithstanding we walk in the light, from 
 these, upon our repentance, the blood of Christ cleans- 
 eth, and so our fellowship with God continueth. It is 
 true we cannot walk so exactly, but sin will cleave to 
 us. Sin, in whomsoever it is, cannot but provoke God 
 to separate from him. Av, but the blood of Christ 
 cleanseth us from our sins, wherebj" it is that we still 
 
 * Et inaximc apud Johannem causalitcr nsurpatur. — Lor. 
 in loc. t Zanc. ibid. 
 
so 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 have fellowship with God. Thus doth this sentence 
 at once both injinnitatis nostrte iios admoitere, ad- 
 monish ns of our own weakness, and adiersiis despera- 
 tionem tnuiiiir* arm us against those fears which the 
 sins we fall into by reason of that weakness may 
 prompt us to, whilst we have still a refuge to fly to, 
 a rock to lay hold upon, a plaster to make use of, 
 even this blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from 
 all sin. 
 
 2. There is yet another relative consideration of 
 these words, which would by no means be left out, as 
 being that which may serve, like the angel's flaming 
 sword, to keep ofi' impenitent sinners from coming to 
 the tree of life. 
 
 Brethren, this is a very comfortable doctrine which 
 you have heard, of Christ's blood cleansing from all 
 sin, and I doubt too many will be ready to lay hold 
 on it to whom it doth not yet belong. When, there- 
 fore, j'ou apply this comfort, take with you the con- 
 dition, ' If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, 
 the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.' And re- 
 member that this hypothetical proposition is equivalent 
 to an exceptive : unless we walk in the light, the blood 
 of Christ will not cleanse us. Hence then, impenitent, 
 presumptuous sinners, here is bread indeed, but not 
 * Calv. ibid. 
 
 for dogs ; a pearl, but not for swine. The comfort of 
 this text is precious, but not common ; and though 
 that his blood is able to cleanse all, yet it only nill 
 cleanse them that walk in the light. It is the strange 
 conceit of many, that all is so done for them, that 
 nothing needs to be done by them, whereas Christ's 
 blood so cleanseth from sin, that we must walk in the 
 light. It is the horrid presumption of some, that 
 though they live in sin, they shall be cleansed by 
 Christ's death, whereas his blood cleanseth only such 
 as walk in the light. Oh, then, let us not deceive 
 ourselves with vain hopes. Christ hath borne our sins, 
 we must not therefore think to lay what load upon him 
 we please ; he only takcth an-ay their sins who cast 
 away their sins. Christ's death is a plaster for 
 wounded sinners, but we must not presumptuously 
 wound ourselves in hope that this plaster will cure us. 
 Finally, Christ's blood is a rich treasure, to defray the 
 debts of humble sinnei-s, and to bear the expenses of 
 such to heaven ; but there is nothing allowed for wan- 
 ton prodigals, who spend freely, and sin lavishly, upon 
 the account of Clmst's merits. And therefore, to end 
 all, be sure in reading and applying to join the be- 
 ginning of the verse with the end : ' If we walk in the 
 light, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' 
 
 SEEMON XIV. 
 
 7/ »y say that ue Jiare no sin, tie deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If ue confess our sins, he is faithful 
 and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrii/hteousuess. If wc say ue have not sinned, ue 
 make liim a liar, and his tvord is not in lis. — 1 John I. 8—10. 
 
 THAT vision which Moses saw of a bush burning in 
 the fire, Exod. iii. 2, is symbolically applied to 
 instruct us in that most exquisite wisdom,* the know- 
 ledge of God and om'selvcs, not unfitly, since flaming 
 fire is a fit emblem of God's purity, and the thorny 
 bush of man's iniquity. f This sight methinkcth St 
 John presenteth us with in this chapter. If you please 
 to cast your eyes on the sixth verse, you may behold 
 the fire, a delineation of God's holiness, who is light 
 without any darkness ; here in these verses you may 
 meet with the bush, a declaration of man's sinfulness. 
 It was the praj-er of a devout ancient, Dominc noverim 
 te, noverim me, Lord, let know thee, let me know my- 
 self. This onght to be the prayer, the study of every 
 Christian, to know God's purity, that we may admire 
 him ; our own impurity, that we may abhor ourselves. 
 No wonder if St John, having acquainted us with the 
 one, here minds us of the other : ' If we say we have 
 no sin,' &c. 
 
 After the preface contained in the first verses, we 
 
 * Ignis in rubo symbolum'cst sapientin-, quae'consistit in 
 COgnitione Dei ct nostri. — Lap. in Exod. 
 t Vide Gualt. in loc. 
 
 entered into the body of the epistle, wherein we have 
 taken notice of the text and the commentary. The 
 text, wherein is comprised the main subject of the 
 whole epistle, is set down in the three preceding verses. 
 That being handled, we are now to enter upon the 
 commentary, as it is enlarged in the remaining part of 
 the epistle. There are three principal terms in the 
 text, to wit, fellowship with God through Christ, which 
 is denied to them who walk in darkness, and assured 
 to them who walk in the light. To one of these three 
 (as will appear by the handling) everything in the fol- 
 lowing part of the epistle belongs. But that which 
 our apostle begins with, and most insisteth upon, is 
 walking in the light; his chief drift being to chalk out 
 the steps of this way to divine communion, in which 
 he often collaterally dcscribeth them who walk in dark- 
 ness. The words which I have now read contain one, 
 and that which is both the first and the last, step of a 
 Christian's walking in the light, namely, an acknow- 
 ledgment of his sins, contrary to which they who walk 
 in darkness, instead of acknowledging their faults, jus- 
 tify themselves as if they had no sin. For the more 
 methodical handling of the words, be pleased to take 
 notice in them of two general parts : 
 
Ver. 8-10.] 
 
 SERMOX XIV. 
 
 81 
 
 A confutation of tlie arrogaat ; begun in the eighth, 
 ingeminated and amplified in the tenth, verse. 
 
 A consolation of the penitent; briefly, but fully, laid 
 down in the ninth verse. 
 
 Begin we with the confutation, wherein we have 
 considerable : 
 
 The truth implicitly asserted. 
 
 The error explicitly confuted. 
 
 The first of these will justly take up this hour's dis- 
 course. It is that which is, though implicitly, yet mani- 
 festly, asserted ; and since according to that geometrical 
 maxim, R^cIudi est index sui et obliqui, that which is 
 straight discovereth not only itself, but that which is 
 crooked ; so by the clear apprehension of this truth, 
 we shall the better discover the odiousness of this 
 error. 
 
 The truth plainly laid down in these two verses is, 
 that all men are sinners, and that not only before, but 
 after, conversion ; for if there be no truth, nay, God's 
 word is not in them, who say they have no sin, it must 
 needs be a true saying, and consonant to God's word, 
 that all men have sin. It is a truth which, you see, 
 consists of two parts, though the latter be principally 
 here aimed at and chiefly to be insisted upon. 
 
 1. All men before conversion are in a state of sin. 
 Thus St Paul saith expressly. Gal. iii. 22, that ' the 
 Scripture hath concluded all men under sin.' Nor can 
 ■we understand this note of universality too largely, it 
 being true not only of all sorts of men, but all men of 
 all sorls, that either have, are, or shall be. Indeed, 
 all men by corrupted nature are so far from having no 
 sin, that the}' have no good ; and therefore that com- 
 plaint of the psalmist, Ps. xiv. 1, is enlarged by the 
 apostle, Rom. iii. 12, as true of all, both Jews and 
 Gentiles, ' that they are all gone out of the way, they 
 are become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, 
 no, not one.' But the truth of this is so evident, that 
 I shall not need to expatiate upon it. 
 
 2. All men, even after conversion, continue sinners. 
 Indeed, by grace we cease to be wicked, but not to be 
 sinners. It is the note of St Hilary* upon these 
 words, Ps. cxix. 118, ' Thou hast trodden down all 
 them that err from thy statutes,' that we are not by 
 them that err to understand all sinners, but wicked 
 apostates; for if God shall tread down all sinners, he 
 must tread down all men, because there is no man 
 without sin. 
 
 That this truth is here intended and asserted by St 
 John in these words, will appear if we consider, 
 
 1. The connection of this with the precedent verse, 
 which evidently seemeth to lie thus : the apostle there 
 affirmeth that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them 
 who walk in the light from all sin. Whereas it might 
 be objected, on the one hand, that they who walk in 
 the light have no sin, and therefore need not the 
 blood of Christ to cleanse them, our apostle here 
 
 * Si cnim peccatorcs sperncrct, omncs atique sperneretj 
 quia sioe peccato nemo est. — Hilar, in i's. cxviii. 
 
 tacitly retumeth answer, letting them know thit even 
 they who walk in the light are not altogether free from 
 sin, and therefore have continual need of cleansing by 
 Christ's blood. And whereas it will be said, on the 
 other hand, if the benefits here mentioned stand upon 
 such terms of walking in the light, as he is in the light, 
 we who have darkness mixed with our light cannot 
 hope to be partakers of them. Our apostle here pre- 
 venteth it by acquainting us, that it was far from his 
 intent by this phrase to exact unspotted purity, or a 
 perfect freedom from all sin. 
 
 2. The persons in respect of whom he maketh this 
 supposition, to wit, himself and the rest of the holy 
 apostles. Indeed, I do not deny but that the aim of 
 our apostle in these words was to confute those in his 
 time who, living in wickedness, thought themselves 
 pure ; but withal it is manifest that the argument by 
 which he confuteth them is drawn a majon ad minus, 
 from the greater to the less. If we ourselves (St John 
 and the other apostles) cannot say, much less might 
 the Gnostics say that they had no sin, for doubtless 
 the apostle would never have made the supposal in 
 such persons, if it were not thus far true, that suppos- 
 ing even they should say they had no sin, they did 
 but deceive themselves. And as his meaning at the 
 6th verse, by putting the reproof in his own person, 
 is to assert that if he or any of the apostles should 
 walk in darkness, and yet say they have fellowship 
 with God, even they would be found liars, so it is his 
 intention here to affirm, that if he or any of the apostles 
 should challenge to themselves this immunity from sin, 
 they would be found self-cozeners, yea, injurers of God 
 himself. 
 
 This truth, which I am now to handle, hath met 
 with many antagonists, and therefore I shall the more 
 largely and distinctly unfold it in these ensuing pro- 
 positions. 
 
 1. This non-exemption from sin is affirmed not only 
 de praterito, but de prasenti, in respect of time past, 
 but present. Indeed, we find both tenses used by our 
 apostle in this matter, the present in the 8th, the pre- 
 terperfect in the 10th. Vorstius and Grotius in this 
 (as in too many other places), tracing the footsteps of 
 Socinus,* would expound the former by the latter, as 
 if the present tense used in the 8th verse were to be 
 understood of the time past, the tense of which is ex- 
 pressed in the 10th, and so refer both to the state of 
 Christians before their conversion to the faith ; but I 
 know no reason why we may not as well expound the 
 10th by the 8th as the 8th by the 10th. Besides, it 
 is an usual Hebraism, which kind of phrase our apostle 
 much foUoweth, to put the pretcrperfect tense for the pre • 
 sent, prtrleritiim pro priTsenti rf and therefore it is more 
 rational to expound those words, 'we have not sinned,' 
 by these, ' we have no sin,' than these by those ; and so 
 this assertion is verified concerning all Christians, not 
 
 * Soc, Vorst., Grot., in loc. 
 t Ambr. do Abr. lib. i. cap. viii. 
 F 
 
82 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 odI}- before, but after, conversion. And indeed this is 
 not mine, but StAustin's,* note upon the 8th verso. St 
 John doth not sav, if we say we had, but have no sin. 
 Indeed, there are two places in this epistle, 1 John 
 iii. 9, V. 18, which seem to contradict this construction 
 of these words: the one, where he saith, ' He that is 
 born of God cannot sin;' and the other not much un- 
 like, where he saith, ' That which is born of God 
 sinneth not.' AVhat the full sense of these scriptures 
 is, I shall (God willing) insist upon in their proper 
 places; for the present, it maj' suffice to answer either 
 with St Austin, t that he who is born of God sinneth 
 not, to wit, as he is born of God. Regenerate men 
 being therefore subject to sin, because but in part re- 
 generate, and that holy men fall into sin, is because 
 of the remainders of the old man, not so far as their 
 natures are renewed. Or else, as St John seemeth to 
 ■expound himself in the one place, that he who is born 
 of God doth not sin, that is, doth not commit sin ; 
 whichbeinga synonymous phrase with working iniquity, 
 is only true of unrcgenerate persons. And in the other 
 place, that he who is born of God sinneth not that sin 
 of which he there speaketh in particular, namely, the 
 sin unto death, notwithstanding which it still remaineth 
 as a truth, that even they who are born of God cannot 
 gay they have no sin at all. 
 
 2. This total immunity from sin is denied not only 
 of ordiuaiT, but eminent, even the holiest saints that 
 have been, are, or shall be. The ive of whom my 
 text speaketh were the apostles, who, as they were 
 dignified in office above others, so no doubt they ob- 
 tained greater measure of grace than others ; yea, he 
 that ineludcth himself in the number was St John, 
 who of all the apostles was most beloved of Christ. 
 And as St Austin | excehently, Who can say he is 
 without sin, when he that leaned in the bosom of 
 Christ saith. If we say we have no sin ? Indeed, as 
 Jehu wrote to the rulers of Israel in another case, 
 2 Kings X. 3, ' Look out even the best and mcctest of 
 your master's sons,' I may say in this. Look out even 
 the best and holiest of God's children, and sec if any 
 of them can or dare wholly acquit fhemselvos from sin. 
 The truth is, as that fore-mentioned father § saith. If we 
 shall ask all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, 
 <lc sei])sis ilum i)i hoc coryiore dcgercnt, viia voce coneor- 
 <liter ri'.ipuiiilirent, they would with one consent say of 
 themselves as living on earth in these words, ' If we say 
 we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.' To this pur- 
 pose is the observation of Bcza and Zanchius upon 
 the text. Consider who it is that here speaketh, and 
 
 • Non elicit Joannes, si peecatum non liabuerimus, sed 
 halieinus, &c. — Aug de Perfect. Juslilice. 
 
 ■(• 111 quantum a Deo uati sumus non pcccamus, &c. — 
 Avff in £p. 
 
 I Quia sine aliqno ppccato, sine aliquo vitio, cum clamet 
 qui supra pectus Domini recnbuit, &c. — Atii/. Ep. 29. ad 
 Jlicron. 
 
 § Aug. contr. Pelag. Epist. ad Bonifac. 
 
 that in his own person ; who then can be excepted 
 out of the catalogue ? It is true there is one whom 
 he calleth in the next chapter ' Jesus Christ the 
 righteous,' who is most justly to be excepted. Of 
 him it is said, Mark vii. 87, ' He did all things well.' 
 Himself maketh the challenge, John viii. 46, ' Which 
 of you can convince me of sin ?' He was no doubt 
 altogether free from the least spot or stain of corrup- 
 tion, but as for any other exception, this general rule 
 admits none. I know the papists contend very 
 earnestly that the mother might be exempted as well 
 as the Son, asserting her to be free from all kind of 
 sin. It is true St Austin * in one place, speaking of 
 the saints' sinfulness, doth except her, but not in 
 their sense, as if she were not a sinner, but for the 
 honour of Christ he would not have her mentioned as 
 a sinner, and therefore elsewhere f be is clear and 
 express, that all are sinners, except the one only me- 
 diator between God and man. Nor need we fear to 
 injure the blessed vLi-gin in joining her with the rest, 
 whenas herself, calling Christ her Saviour, Luke 
 i. 47, acknowledgeth herself to be a sinner. Indeed, 
 that her conception of Christ should be without sin 
 was needful, but that she herself should be without all 
 sin was not necessary, nor doth the Scriptures or the 
 ancient church affirm. Clement Alexandrinus is ex- 
 press, J only the Word is without fiiult ; and St Basil, § 
 the Scripture beareth witness only to one, that he 
 knew no sin ; and TertuUian || expressly, our Lord 
 commandeth his disciples to pray, ' Forgive us our 
 trespasses,' as knowing himself only without sin. I 
 shut up this with St Jerome's \ saying, ' If there be 
 any who may attain to this state of perfect purity, he 
 must be holier than any, nay, than all the apostles.' 
 
 8. This perfect freedom from sin is not denied de 
 futuro, but de pro'senti, of the future, but only the 
 present time. Om- apostle doth not say, ' If we say 
 we shall hare no sin,' nay, it is an undoubted verity, 
 there will be a time when we shall sin no more, yea, 
 when sin shall be no more. As man in his created 
 estate had a posse non peccare, a possibility of not sin- 
 ning, so in his glorified condition he shall have a non 
 posse pecenre, an impossibility of sinning ; but now, as 
 in his fallen estate ho cannot say he doth any good, 
 so in his renewed condition he cannot say he hath no 
 evil. Alexander Alcnsis ** starteth an objection of 
 Pelagius, seemingly very acute, nay, solid, that either 
 God would have las without sin, or he would not. To 
 say he would not have us without sin, were to deny 
 his nature, contradict his word, which calleth upon 
 
 * Excepts sanela virgine, de qua propter lionorcm Domini 
 nullnm prorsus, quum ilo pcccatis agitur, habere volo quaes- j 
 tioncin, &c. — Aui;. de A'al. et Grat. J 
 
 t Excopto uno mediatore Dei et liominum, &c. — Td. de 
 per/. Just. 
 
 X CI. Al. pacdag. lib. 2, c. ult. 
 
 j Has. Horn, do pa;nit. 
 
 II Tertul. de Orat. c. 7. f Hicron. adv. Pelag. 
 
 ** Ale.x. Al. pars 3. qurcst. CI, art. 5. 
 
Ver. 8-lO.J 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 83 
 
 us to sin no more. If he would have us without sin, 
 then surely we may he so, since the divine will can- 
 not he conversant ahout impossihilities. To which 
 he returneth this answer, and that very aptly to our 
 present purpose, God would have us without sin 
 quantum ad futunim statum, as to the future, but not 
 as to our present state. And if you desire a fuller 
 untying of the knot, be pleased to know that, 
 
 (1.) Volioildle prcFCi'pti, God calleth upon us to be 
 ' perfect as he is perfect,' Mat. v. 48 ; and requireth 
 us to ' lay apart all filthiness,' James i. 21. Nor is it 
 unjust for him to command that which we might once 
 have done, but now through our own default cannot, 
 and so is impossible, not per se, but per accidens, in 
 its own nature, but accidentally ; yea, in wisdom he 
 commands men not to sin, though he know they can- 
 not but sin, that in the disobedience he may punish 
 not the cannot, but the icill not,* thereby glorifying 
 his justice ; and in the obedient he may reward the 
 willing to do what they cannot, and so glorify his 
 mercy. In a word, the design of these precepts is to 
 teach us what we otir/lit, not what we can ; to set the 
 mark before us which we must shoot at, though we 
 cannot reach to it till we come to heaven. And 
 therefore, 
 
 (2.) Voluntate decreti, God's decree is that we shall 
 gradually come to perfection, and here endeavouring 
 to attain, hereafter attain what we endeavour. To 
 this purpose it is that the church, which Christ is said 
 to ' present to himself, not having spot or wrinkle,' is 
 called a 'glorious church,' Eph. v. 27 : to intimate, 
 saith Chemnitius t excellently, that then, and not till 
 then, the church shall be without spot when she is 
 glorious ; and that is, when it shall be triumphant, 
 and appear with him in glory. 
 
 4. This impeccability is not denied, as that which 
 might not have been, but as that which, supposing 
 God's counsel, cannot be. St Austin J moveth the 
 question, whether it be possible for a man assisted by 
 grace to be without sin, and resolveth it affirmatively. 
 Nor can it be gainsaid, but that, if God had so pleased, 
 he might have restored his image to man perfectly at 
 his first conversion, or he might have conferred such 
 extraordinary grace (as a peculiar privilege) upon some 
 particular men, whereby they should have been free 
 from all sin. God neither hath commanded anything 
 which was impossible in itself for man to do, nor is it 
 impossible for God to assist a man fully to perform 
 what ho commands. But what need wo dispute of 
 God's power, when we know his purpose ? Divine de- 
 cree hath placed impeccability beyond the reach of 
 any mere man in this life ; there cannot be any one 
 named that hath been, and we may surely conclude 
 there never will be any one on whom such a preroga- 
 
 * Ang. de peccat. merit, et remiss, lib. 2. Id. de perfect. 
 Justit. 
 
 t Chemnit. exnm. Concil. Trident. 
 
 X Aug. de peccator. mer. ct remiss, lib. 2. 
 
 tive shall be conferred.* From hence St Jerome 
 hath well reasoned against Pelagius,t It is in vain to 
 assert such a power, which never is reduced into act ; 
 and to say a man may do that which yet no man could 
 ever do, yea (as he doth), to say a man might be with- 
 out sin if he would, when the blessed apostle crieth 
 out, ' The good I would do, I do not ; and the evil I 
 would not do, I do,' Rom. vii. 19, is foolish and 
 absurd, yea, heretical and impious. 
 
 5. There is a gi-eat deal of diflerence between these 
 two phrases, habere peccat am, and haheri a peccato,^ to 
 have sin, and to be had by sin. To the one is re- 
 quired only the presence, to the other the dominion of 
 sin. There are many that can say, nay, all truly 
 regenerate persons may say, they are not had by and 
 under the possession of sin, but yet they cannot say 
 they have no sin remaining in them. The weakest 
 Christian is not under the reign, and the strongest is 
 not without the being of sin ; aliud est non habere pec- 
 cataiii, aliud non obedire desideriis,^ it is one thing not 
 to have sin, and another not to obey sin. He that 
 oheyeth any sin, and yet saith he is a saint, deceiveth 
 himself; and he that is a saint, should he say he had 
 no sin, would but deceive himself likewise. 
 
 6. It is not a possibility of freedom from gross, 
 scandalous, enormous sins which is hero denied, but 
 fi-om any sin whatsoever. St Gregoi-y maketh a dis- 
 tinction between crimen and peccatum, \\ that though 
 every crime is a sin, yet every sin is not a crime ; and 
 proportionably many in this life are without crime, 
 but not without sin. To the same pui-pose St Jerome 
 asserts,^ that a man may be without that which the 
 Greeks call malicious wickedness, and yet not free 
 from sinful spots. And not much unlike St Austin, 
 where he saith, It is one thing to be without sin, and 
 another to be without blame.** We may read of men 
 without crime, without blame, but of none without 
 sin. It is the apostle's counsel to the Philippians, 
 chap. ii. 1.5, that they should be ' harmless, without 
 rebuke ;' and, accordingly, it is said of Zacharias and 
 Elizabeth, Luke i. G, that they ' walked in all the 
 commandments of the Lord blameless.' And no doubt 
 there are many godly men who lead such lives that 
 the world cannot tax them, nor they themselves, with 
 any known gross wickedness, but still thev want not 
 infirmities cleaving to them. When therefore St Paul 
 
 * TO TavrtXis avafjcri^rvrtv vx'ie rrii ccv^^uvivriv fCriv i'ra^Ev a 
 eiss. — Gr. Naz. honi. jact. patr. 
 
 t Ilier. adv. Pelag. dial. lib. 1. Id. ad Chesiph. aJv 
 Pelag. 
 
 t Au^. de Nat. et Grat. lib. G, c. 2. 
 
 J Id. in Kp ad Gal. 
 
 II Hoc inter peccatum distat et crimen, quod omne crimen 
 peccatum, &c. — Greg. Mor. lib. 21 c. 9. 
 
 ^ Absque vitio, quod groece dicitur xaxia, hominem esse 
 posse, af{t/ix(Tr:Tct, i. e. sine peccato, esse neminem. — Hier . 
 ado. Pelag. dial. lib. 2. 
 
 * * Aliud est esse sine peccato, aliud ease sine querela, &c 
 — Aug de perfect. Jtut. 
 
SI 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 saith of the saints, that they are free from sin, it is an 
 inchoate, not a consummate, libert}", and a freedom 
 from great, not all sins, as St Austin appositely.* The 
 trath is, to be without sin is the holiness of heaven ; 
 to be without gross sin, the holiness of earth. 
 
 7. It is not a possibility of freedom from this or 
 that particular sin, but from all sin, that is here de- 
 nied. There are several sins which godly men may 
 Bay they have not ; nay, there is not any one particu- 
 lar great sin which a man may not, through divine 
 assistance, be able to avoid ; but to say, ' we have no 
 sin at all,' in no kind nor respect, were arrogancy in 
 the holiest person. This is the position of that great 
 schoolman,! A man mity shun any sin in particular, 
 but not sin in general ; and his instance excellently 
 illustrateth it. If there be an hundred leaks in a ship, 
 it is easy to stop any one of them, but difficult to stop 
 them all. We may be, in a great measure, and in many 
 respects, but not in all, free from sin, till the resur- 
 rection of the flesh. J 
 
 8. Lastly, these two expressions, the one of having 
 sin, the other of Iniving sinned, are not improbably re- 
 ferred by interpreters, the one to original, and the 
 other to actual, sins; and, accordingly, I shall demon- 
 strate the truth of this doctrine in respect of both. 
 
 (1.) If we say we have no sin (that is, ho original 
 sin) remaining in us, we deceive ourselves. That our 
 apostle here intends original sin, is probable, because 
 he useth the singular number, sin, not sins, as if it 
 were some special sin he pointed at ; and likewise be- 
 cause of the phrase oi htiving, which intimateth that he 
 speaketh of that sin which is, as it were, habitual and 
 innate in us.§ It is not unworthy our observation, 
 that Christ, speaking to his own disciples. Mat. 
 vii. 11, calls them evil; and St Hilary's note upon it,|| 
 is, that the reason of this appellation was in respect 
 of that common stain of natural corruption which did 
 still adhere to them. Indeed, we all, bringing sin with 
 us into the world, cannot be without it whilst we are 
 in the world. ^ It is the apostle's expression, 2 Cor. 
 iv. 10, that we must be renewed daily; and it is St 
 Austin's gloss,** that, therefore, we are but in part re- 
 newed, and so the old man is still abiding in us. 
 Indeed, according to that known elegant expression of 
 St Bernard, this sin is weakened, but not plucked 
 up ; cast down, but not cast out ; subjugated, but not 
 
 * 1(1. in Joh. tr. 41. 
 
 t Alex. Al. p. 3, quaest. G2. art. 5. 
 
 } Kx niultis partibus potest esse, fx onini non nisi in re- 
 Burrcctioiie caruis. — Ai^ff. expos, in cp. ad Gal. 
 
 § Notanter (licit i^tiv, ]iroprie I'l't;" Icqnitur do peccato ut 
 ita dicimi i«Ti«a< liabituali et p(>rpi;tii6 renutis inlirorento. — 
 Gcr. loc. com. de peccato, 
 
 II Per couditioneni communis nobis originis, &c. — Hilar, 
 ibid. 
 
 ^ Sii e cnlpa iu mundo esse non potest qui in mundum 
 cum culpa venit. — Grer). horn 39. in licang. 
 
 ** riiifccto qui do (lie in dioni nnovatur adliuc nondura 
 totus est renovatus. — Avg. de peccat. mer. el rcniisi. lib. ii. 
 cap. 7. 
 
 extirpated in the best of God's saints.* Hence the 
 doleful sigh and sorrowful complaint of the holy 
 apostle, ' wretched man that I am, who shall de- 
 liver me from this body of death ?' knowing (saith that 
 devout fatherf ) that he should not be loosed from the 
 root of bitterness, law of sin, till he was loosed from 
 his body. Nor could this sin, which separateth between 
 God and us, be separated from him, till his soul was 
 separated from his body. 
 
 It may be here objected, what is by the Romanists 
 asserted, that concupiscence in the regenerate is no 
 sin ; and so, though they have concupiscence, yet not 
 therefore sin. To insist upon this controversy would 
 be a digression ; it is enough, that whilst they only 
 account it piDiam and foniilem, a punishment of sin, 
 and, as it were, the fuel of sin, St Paul no less than 
 fourteen times calleth it by the name of sin, iu the 
 6th, 7th, and 8th chapters to the Romans. 
 
 It may, perhaps, further be objected, what is gene- 
 rallj' agreed to, that baptism becoming an instrument 
 of regeneration, washeth away original sin; and, there- 
 fore, why may not regenerate baptized persons say, 
 they have no original sin ? But the school's answer 
 to this objection is very full, that sacraments are ad- 
 ministered to the person, and therefore the person is 
 free from the guilt, whilst j'et still the nature is defiled 
 with the stain' of original sin. And whereas it may be 
 retorted, that if the sin remain, the guilt cannot be 
 abolished, guiltiness being an inseparable adjunct of 
 sin, I answer, that the renins simplex, guilt abstract- 
 ively considered, is n(5t taken away; but as retlnndans 
 in personam, concretively considered, it is taken away; 
 so that this guilt shall not be imputed to the person, 
 whilst yet there are some remainders of the sin in him, 
 so that he cannot sa}' truly he hath no sin, to wit, no 
 original corruption. 
 
 (2.) If we say we have not sinned by actual trans- 
 gressions, we deceive ourselves. That expression of the 
 prophet, Isa. xxxii. 13, ' Upon the land of my people 
 shall come up briers and thorns,' is not unfitly moral- 
 ised by St. Gregory to this purpose,* since the briars 
 and thorns of iniquity are to be found growing in the 
 land of God's people, the hearts and lives of God's 
 saints. Excellently to this purpose saith Lco,§ Who 
 is found so void of fault, that there is not in his life 
 what justice may blame and mercy pardon ? It is the 
 position of Snlomon, in his prayer, 1 Kings viii. 46, 
 upon his supposition, 'If they sin against thee, for 
 there is no man that sinneth not ;' and the assertion 
 of St James, including himself in the number, who 
 yet was called James the Just, James iii. 2, ' In many 
 things we otl'end all ;' yea, our blessed Saviour pre- 
 
 * Born, in Ps. Quis bab. Surm. 10. 
 
 t Id dc advent. Diim. Serm. G. 
 
 J Grpf;. mor lib. xvii. cap. x. 
 
 j Quis iiivonietur ita inimunis li culpil ut in ro non ha- 
 beat vel justitia quod eulpet, vel misericurdia quod remittat ? 
 — I^eo epjph. Serm. 7. 
 
Ver. 8-10.] 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 scribeth it as part of a form of prayer for his ovra dis- 
 ciples, ' Forgive us our trespasses ;' and, as St Cyprian 
 well notetli,* to check any high conceits of our sanctity, 
 he mindc'th us of our daily sins, for which we have need 
 daily to ask pardon. 
 
 Indeed, as St Gregory aptly, we must know there 
 are some faults not to be avoided bj' the most right- 
 eous persons. Such are those delicta (piotidianic incur- 
 sionh, as TertuUianf calls them, sins of quotidian 
 incursion, to which all men are subject. Yea, in re- 
 spect of these, it is St AmbroseJ his complaint, Uiiiis- 
 <juisqi«; nostrum jier sini/tiUis Iwras ipiam mtiHa tleliii- 
 quit '. in how many things do every one of us offend 
 every hour ! No wonder if St Cyprian assert, § opus 
 est nobis quotidiana sanctifuatione, we have need of 
 renewed sanctification ; that as we sin daily, so we 
 may be daily purged by repentance ; nay, that the wise 
 man makes the challenge, Prov. xx. 9, ' Who can say 
 I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin ?' 
 We can neither ascribe what purity we have to our- 
 selves, nor yet attribute perfection to our purity. 
 
 To illustrate this more distinctly, consider, 
 
 1. Even the external conversation of the best men 
 is not exactly pure. The life of a Christian is as it 
 were a book : his birth the title-page, his baptism the 
 epistle dedicatory, his years the leaves, and his ac- 
 tions the lines in those leaves ; and there are some 
 lines in the leaves of the fairest life, which, by reason 
 of their ennta, are leijenda cum venia, to be looked 
 upon with a favourable eye, since, if God should exa- 
 mine our acts with a severe eye, woe would be to the 
 most commendable life, as St Augustine excellently. || 
 
 2. Put the ease that a man were free in respect of 
 his external actions, yet who is free from internal mo- 
 tions ■? Though thy hands were perfectly clean, yet 
 thy heart is not.^ To be free from all titillations and 
 motions, is not for this life, which is a continued temp- 
 tation. That expression of our Saviour, John xiii. 10, 
 ' He that is washed need not, save to wash his feet,' 
 is fitly alluded to by St Bernard** for our present pur- 
 pose : ' He is washed, whose head, that is, his inten- 
 tions, and hands, that is, his operations, are clean ; 
 but our feet, which are lusts and affections, whilst 
 we walk upon the dust of this world, continually need 
 washing.' 
 
 3. And yet further, though one might arrive at 
 such a state of perfection, as to say with St Paul, 
 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' I know nothing by myself;' yet, as he 
 saith of himself, he ' could not thereby be justified.' 
 Indeed, it is most probable, that the apostle there 
 speaketh only in respect of the discharge of his call- 
 ing, concerning which he knew nothing by himself 
 for which he was blameworthy ; but take it in the 
 
 * Cypr. de orat. dom. t Tcrtull. do pudioit. 
 
 t Ambros. de .\polog. David. § Cypr. 1. d. 
 II Aug. Confess, lib. ix. cap. xiii. 
 H Leo de quadrages. Serm. 3. 
 ** Bern. Serm. de cccna dom. 
 
 largest extent, that he knew nothing by himself in the 
 
 present bent of his heart and course of his life, yet he, as 
 well as David, and so every saint, hath reason to pray, 
 ' Cleanse me from secret sins,' Ps. xix. 2 ; many things 
 being sins, which yet we know not to be so, and there 
 being much filth and uncleanness in our hearts, which, 
 by reason of their deceitfulness, we are not able to 
 discover and find out. 
 
 4. Finally, our holiest services are full of infirmi- 
 ties, so that, if we say we have not sinned in the best 
 duty that ever we performed, we deceive ourselves. 
 This was visibly represented, where Aaron the high 
 priest, a type of Christ, was to ' bear the iniquity of 
 their holy things,' Exod. xxviii. 38 ; and it is not im- 
 probablj' conceived as the assertion of Solomon, when 
 he saith, Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not a just man on 
 earth that doth good, and sinneth not,' that is, who 
 sinneth not in the good he doth ; yea, it is the con- 
 fession of the church, Isa. kiv. 0, ' All our right- 
 eousnesses are as filthy rags.' Upon which St Bernard,* 
 ' Our righteousness, though upright, is not pure, un- 
 less we think ourselves better than those who uttered 
 those words ;' and Gerson upon the same scripture, f 
 infers, ' Who dare, then, boast of his righteousness 
 before God ?' No, brethren, there is a worm in our 
 best fruits, dross in our purest gold, smoke in our 
 brightest fire, spots in our most beautiful and splen- 
 did performances. Cm' gi'aces are not without their 
 defects, our duties not without their defaults. Who 
 finds not his knowledge dim, his faith weak, his 
 love cold, his zeal remiss ? Who may not complain 
 of dulness, deadness, wanderingness in his devo- 
 tion ■? Who ever could say, he loved God with all his 
 heart, with all his soul, with all his might, and with 
 all his strength '? Et hoc vitio non est just ns super ler- 
 ram,t by reason of this defect no man can be per- 
 fectly just upon earth ; for though a negative imper- 
 fection (such as there was in Adam as created, if 
 compared with God) be no sin, yet a privative imper- 
 fection (such as is now in our best righteousness) 
 undoubtedly is. It is no fault for a thing not to be 
 so perfect as another is, but it is a fault for a thing 
 not to be so perfect as it ought to be ; and, therefore, 
 because no grace existing in us ariseth to that degree, 
 no duty performed by us exactly according to the man- 
 ner which God's law requireth, it must needs be a sin. 
 Where, then, it is said of any person by God himself, 
 that they are righteous, as of Noah, Job, and others, 
 it is to be conceived, saith the learned Chamer,§ as a 
 testimony given of them according to the indulgence of 
 mercy, not the rigour of justice ; and where the works 
 of godly men ai-e called good works, though they 
 are absolutely called good works, yet they are not 
 absolutely good, since, as St Gregory saith of himself,|| 
 
 * Bern. Serra. 5. de verb. Isaia;. 
 
 t Gers. do coneol. lib. iv. t Aug. ep. xxix. 
 
 § Cham, de opcniin imper. lib. xi. cap. xxii. 
 
 II Urcg. Mor. lib. viii. cap. 8. 
 
86 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 BO may every saint, My evil actions are purely evil, but 
 not so my good actions. Indeed, we must distinguish of 
 sins per se and per accideiis. The good actions of wicked 
 men are not sins in themselves, but as j^erformed bi/ 
 them. We must further distinguish between sitifid ac- 
 tions, and sin in an action. The good works of the 
 godly are not sinful works, but yet they have sin in 
 them ; so that, to sum it up, the best actions of bad 
 men are turned into sin, and the best actions of good 
 men are accompanied uilh siu ; so that none can say, 
 no, not in respect of their good duties, We have not 
 sinned. And yet I do not hereby assert, what some 
 do too rigidly, that a man sinneth in every action he 
 doth. There are some actions done by men that are 
 not human, but natural, and those cannot be said to 
 have sin in them ; besides, there may be in a renewed 
 man some sudden emanations of the will as regene- 
 rate, antecedencies to the conflicts and lustings of the 
 will as corrupt, and those may be conceived as siuless; 
 but still all deliberate actions must needs have some 
 sin cleaving to (hem. 
 
 As for those doctrines, therefore, which assert a 
 possibility of keeping the law, of an unsiuning estate 
 in this life, I say (as Jeremiah upon Hananiah's pro- 
 phecy of the speedy deliverance to the Jews, chap, 
 xxviii. G), ' Amen, the Lord do so.' Oh that we might 
 be so perfect ! Hut still I must assert with St Austin,* 
 it is a state maijis opiandiis ijudm sperandns, to be 
 desired, yea, and endeavoured, but not to be hoped for 
 in this Ufo ; and here with St John, ' If we say we 
 have no sin ; if we say we have not sinned, we deceive 
 ourselves.' 
 
 To apply this doctrine. It is worthy to be con- 
 sidered by three sorts of persons : the wicked, the 
 weak, the strong. 
 
 1. Let wicked men take heed how they abuse this 
 doctrine. It is too usual a consectary which ungodly 
 wretches draw from these premises. If the best cannot 
 say they have no sin, no wonder if we commit sin ; 
 and they think it a suflicient excuse for their flagitious 
 wickedness. Every one has his faults, would you have 
 us chaster than David '? soberer than Noah '? Have 
 not the godhest fiillcn into sin ? So that, as we 
 may say of many rich men, it were happy for them if 
 they did believe that error of Pelagius to bo true, an 
 impossibility of rich men's salvation, since it would 
 divert them from earth to heaven, whereas, because 
 they may lawfully care for the things of the earth, they 
 care for nothing else ; the like wo may say of many 
 wicked men, it were happy for them they did believe 
 Pelagius bis error in this parlicular to be true, that 
 men might be without sin. Sure, because they hear 
 no man can be without sin, they think themselves 
 safe enough, though they live in sin. But, thou 
 foolish sinner, knowest thou not that, though no man 
 can be without motes, yet good men are without 
 beams ? They have inUrmitics, but they are free 
 * Aug do perf. Just. 
 
 from enormities. Knowest thou not that though 
 no man can be altogether without sin, yet he is best 
 that hath the least ? * And every good man striveth 
 to his utmost against all sin ; and, therefore, take heed 
 how thou cheat thyself with these false reasonings. 
 
 2. Let weak saints hence comfort themselves against 
 the stirrings of their lusts, the sense of their infirmi- 
 ties, and their daily frailties, which they find accom- 
 panying them. It is too usual with tender con- 
 sciences to be too harsh to themselves ; and because 
 they find much sin, to conclude that they have no 
 grace. Indeed, it is good to bo jealous of our own 
 hearts, still to suspect our graces, our duties, lest they 
 be counterfeit ; but withal, we must take heed how 
 we censure them to be counterfeit, because they are 
 imperfect. There may be good gold where there is 
 much dross, burning tire hid under many ashes, and 
 the trath of grace may be in that heart which is sen- 
 sible of various and strong lusts ; indeed, these burrs 
 of sinful corruption, as they cleave to us, so they 
 should prick us ; our manifold imperfections and in- 
 firmities should be the matter of our grief, but not of 
 our despair. We cannot be too bitter against our sins, 
 even the least ; yet we must not be too severe against 
 ourselves, because of those lesser sins which we can- 
 not be rid of. If the holy prophets, apostles, martyrs, 
 could not, whilst on earth, say they had no sin, no 
 wonder if thou groan under the weight of many sins. 
 
 3. Let strong saints be hence admonished to be, 
 (1.) Lowly in their own eyes. That God will not 
 
 have his saints altogether free from sin in this life, is 
 not opus intpotentiir, but sapientin , from want of power, 
 but abundance of wisdom ; and one special reason 
 why the godly have sin still adhering to them, is to 
 keep them humble and poor in spirit. Indeed Pela- 
 gius scofl's at this as a great absurdity, that sin should 
 be a means to prevent sin, as if fire could put out 
 fu'e ; but St Austin answereth him fully, f that it is 
 no unusual thing for a chirurgeon to cure a grief by 
 causing grief; putting his patient to pain, that he may 
 remove his pain ; and we may answer him in his own 
 instance, that fire is the way to fetch out fire. Tho 
 truth is, it is not the remainder of sin, but the sense 
 of those remainders, which is a means to humble us, 
 and abate that spiritual pride which is too apt to 
 arise, even from our gi'aces ; and look as grace acci- 
 dentally causeth the sin of pride, so our sins accident- 
 ally cause the grace of humility. When, therefore, 
 we are at any time apt to pride ourselves in our gay 
 feathers, let us look upon our black feet ; and as with 
 one eye we behold tho good that is done by us, so 
 with the other, the evil tliat remaineth in us. 
 
 (2.) Charitable towards their brethren. ' If thy 
 brother bo overtaken in a fault, restore him with a 
 spirit of meekness,' Gal. vi. 1. Give to thy neigh- 
 bour's actions tho allowance of human frailty, and bo 
 
 * Vitiis nemo sine nascitur, oiilimus illo qui miniiiiis ur- 
 getur. — Flacc. t Aug. do nat. et grat. cap. 28. 
 
Vek. 8, 10.] 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 87 
 
 not too rigid in censuring other men's ftiults. If they 
 ofl'end iu one thing, perhaps thou art more guilty 
 in another ; if they fall to-day, thou mayest to- 
 morrow. The same corruption that hath led another 
 aside, is still in thee, and (if grace withdraw) will 
 soon pi'evail over thee ; indeed, if you practise the 
 former duty, you will soon learn this, pride and cen- 
 soriousness are ever companions, and he that is 
 lowly in his own esteem will ^be charitable towards 
 others. 
 
 (3.) Watchful over their own heai'ts. Indeed, he 
 that carrieth gunpowder about him had need beware 
 the least spai'ks of fii'e. What cause have we to take 
 heed of every temptation, who arc at best so prone to 
 be led into it ? ' Happy is the man ' (saith Solomon) 
 ' that feareth always.' No doubt he sinneth least that 
 most feareth lest he should sin. It is Job's saying of 
 himself, chap. is. 23, according to the vulgar Latin, 
 Verebar omnia opera men, ' I did fear all my works.' 
 Let the best do so, fear themselves in all their actions, 
 lest they should fall into sin. 
 
 (4.) Frequent in prayer to God. ' For this shall 
 every one that is god\j pray to thee,' saith David, Ps. 
 xxsii. 6.* For this ! What ? Because of his sins. 
 And who ? Not the wickedest, but the godly, in this 
 respect have cause to pray. And for what should he 
 pray ? Surely for renewed pardon, for increase of 
 grace, and for the perfection of gloiy. We cannot 
 say we have no sin. Oh then let us pray with David, 
 * Vide Aug. ibid. 
 
 ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant, Lord !' 
 where there is a double emphasis observable, it is 
 not ab huste, but a servo. Though God's servant, yet 
 he would not have God to enter into judgment with 
 him. And again, ne inlres, it is the very entrance into 
 judgment that he dreads and prayeth against ; not 
 only do not proceed, but do not so much as e)iler. 
 When we have done om' best, we have need to crave 
 for mercy. Agaiu, we cannot say we have no sin ; 
 let us pray for more grace,* that we may every day 
 have less sin. So doth Paul in eticct, when he confess- 
 eth himself not to have already attained, but resolveth 
 to reach forward. We must never cease to hunger and 
 thu-st after greater measures of righteousness, till we 
 are wholly and perfectly without any stain of sin ; and 
 therefore we must continually say with the apostles, 
 Luke xvii. 5, ' Lord, increase our faith,' and all other 
 graces of thy Spirit in us. Finally, since we cannot 
 now in this life say we have no sin, how should we 
 pray and sigh, and long to be possessed of that future 
 felicity ? Indeed, in this respect only it is lawful and 
 commendable to desire death, that we may be free, not 
 from pain or misery, but from sin and iniquity. Upon 
 this ground we ma_y, we ought, and the stronger we 
 are in grace, the more earnestly we should groan for 
 the day of our perfect redemption, when we shall be 
 clothed with unspotted purity, perfect felicity, and 
 that to all eternity. Amen. 
 
 * Vide Hier. adv. Pelag. Aug. de lit. et Sp. c. xxxvi. 
 
 SEEMON XV. 
 
 JJ we say we have no siit, we deceive oarselves, and there is no iniih in ns. I/we say ive have not sinned, we make 
 him a liar, and his word is not in us. — 1 John I. 8, 10. 
 
 IT is one of the sage counsels which the wise man 
 giveth, Prov. iv. 17, 'Turn not to the right hand 
 nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil ;' the genuine 
 and literal sense whereof, no doubt, is, that we must 
 keep the straight way which God hath chalked before 
 us in his word, not in the least declining on either 
 hand. But withal there are several allusions and profit- 
 able applications made of these words by the ancients. 
 Hugo* taketh the right hand as an emblem of pros- 
 perity, to which we must not turn, bj' being too much 
 lifted up, and the left hand of adversity, which we 
 must not turn to, by being too much cast down. 
 Venerable Bedef resembleth by the right hand, curio- 
 sity, to which we must not turn, by being wise above 
 what is written ; and by the left hand, folly, to which 
 we must not turn, by giving ourselves up to its dic- 
 tates. Once more to our present purpose, according 
 
 ♦ Declinare ad dexteram est prosperis efferri, ad sinistram 
 adversis dcprirai. — Iluff. 
 
 t Declinare in sinistram est stultitise so dedere, in dex- 
 tram plua sapere quam aapeie oportet. — £ed. 
 
 to St Austin.* To turn to the right hand is, by say- 
 ing we have no sin, to deceive ourselves ; to turn to 
 the left hand is to go on in sin, and yet think our- 
 selves safe, and our condition happy. Both these our 
 apostle wameth us of in this chapter ; and it is not 
 mine, but Ai-etius his observation, where he saith. 
 the king's highway lieth betwixt two extremes,! the 
 one whereof is to will a continuance in our sins, the 
 other to acquit ourselves from ha^"ing any sin. The 
 former of these, which is secura deleclalio peccati, a 
 secure delight in sin, is that which is sharply reproved 
 at the sixth verse, which calleth those liars who walk 
 in darkness, live in wickedness, and yet boast of com- 
 munion with God. The latter of these, which is superba 
 jiistiti<B presumptio, proud presumption of our own 
 righteousness, is no less severely condemned in these 
 verses, letting such know how vainly they cozen them- 
 
 * In dextram declinare est seipsum decipere dicondo ee 
 esse sine peccato, &c. — Aug. de Pcccal. mer. et remiss. 1. ii. 
 
 C. XXV. 
 
 t Via regia deducit inter duo extrema, &c. — Aret. in loc. 
 
88 
 
 HAKDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. L 
 
 selTes, and highly they injure God, ' If we say we 
 have,' &c. 
 
 Having already despatched the first branch of the 
 confutation, which is the truth implicitly asserted, pro- 
 ceed we now to the second, which is the error ex- 
 pressly refuted ; for the handling whereof be pleased 
 to observe these two things : 
 
 The opinion wherein the error consists ; and that is 
 set down in the beginning of the eighth and the tenth 
 verses, ' If we say we have no sin,' ' If we say we 
 have not sinned.' 
 
 The arguments by which it is refuted, and dis- 
 suaded ; drawn from 
 
 The folly of it, in that ' we deceive ourselves, and 
 the truth is not in us,' ver. 8 ; 
 
 The impiety of it, in that ' we make God a liar, and 
 his word is not in us,' ver. 10. 
 
 Begin we with the opinion itself, which we see is 
 not singly mentioned, but ingeminated, as if our 
 apostle would hereby insinuate that it is at once both 
 a very common and veiy dangerous disease, no loss 
 spreading than deadly, infecting in some degree or 
 other the greatest part of men, of Christians. 
 
 The manner of committing this moral error is soyiiig, 
 which refers both to the tongue and the mind. Saying 
 is not only peculiar to the lips ; every thought is inter- 
 preted by God a saying ; the heart may cry when the 
 tongue is silent, and we may say when we do not sjieak. 
 Hence it is, that though this be not our open assertion or 
 outward protestation, yet, if it be our inward thought, 
 our secret imagination, we shall be found guilty before 
 God. The truth is, this error is managed several 
 ways : some say it with their tongue, and not with 
 their heart ; they cannot but be convinced of their 
 own hypocrisy, and yet boast of exact purity ; their 
 consciences secretly nip them with the sense of guilt, 
 yet they pretend to the highest form of saintship. 
 Some say it with their heart, and not with their 
 tongue ; they are not so impudent as to profess it, 
 yet they proudly conceit it ; yea, whilst with their lips 
 they say in general they are sinners, they think them- 
 selves pure. Finally, some say it both with heart 
 and tongue. The conceit is so strongly fixed in their 
 minds, that they are not ashamed to utter it, proclaim- 
 ing themselves to be without sin. And all these <are 
 here included ; so that if we say it with either, or 
 both, we are among the number of those who are 
 here charged. 
 
 The matter of this error is a denying that wo have 
 sin, or that we have sinned, which yet is capable of a 
 double construction : 
 
 Either that we have not sinned in respect of this 
 or that particular action. Thus, when we deny the 
 fact as not done by us, like that adulteress, Prov. 
 xxx. 20, who wiped her mouth and said, I have done 
 no evil ; or, acknowledging the fact, we deny it to be 
 a fault, and that we have sinned in doing it, as Jonah, 
 who said, ' I do well to bo angry,' chap. iv. 9, we 
 
 run into this error. And surely if it be bad, non 
 tlicere reccavimus, not to say we have sinned by 
 acknowledging, it is far worse, dicere Non peccavimus, 
 to say we have not sinned by justifying our faults. 
 
 Or that we have not sinned, yea, have no sin at all 
 in our whole course ; that our ways are right, our 
 doings pure, our conversation unblameable, not only 
 before men, but God. This is that which our apostle 
 here no doubt chiefly intendeth, and therefore in this 
 sense I shall handle it. 
 
 That there are such, and that in all ages, who 
 soothe up themselves with such conceits, is no diiScult 
 matter to demonstrate. Solomon the wise observed 
 it in his time, when he said, Prov. xxx. 12, ' There ia 
 a generation of men that are pure in their own eyes, 
 and yet they are not washed from their filthiness ;' in 
 very deed they were filthy, and yet in their own eyes 
 they were pure. They did nothing but sin, and yet 
 said they had no sin. And truly, what generation of 
 men hath there been wherein this generation hath not 
 been? Yea, it is not improbably observed, that there- 
 fore he calls them a generation, because thej* have still 
 succeeded one after another, as generations do. In- 
 deed, there are two things to which hypocrites are 
 very prone, to say they have those graces which they 
 have not. So did the church of Laodicea, Rev. iii. 
 17, say she was ' rich and increased with goods, and 
 had need of nothing ;' yet she was ' poor, and blind, 
 and naked.' To say they have not that sin which they 
 have; so did the Jewish church, against whom the pro- 
 phet Jeremiah declaimeth, chap. ii. 25, 35, for saying, 
 ' I am not polluted, I have not followed Baalim ;' and 
 again, ' I am innocent, therefore the anger of the Lord 
 is turned from me.' Our blessed Saviour, speaking 
 of the pharisees, calls them the whole, when he saith. 
 Mat. ix. 12, ' the whole need not the physician, but 
 the sick:' not that they were so in reality; no, they 
 were full of bruises and sores, but in their own appre- 
 hension conceiting themselves to be free from that 
 soul-sickness and spiritual disease of sin. To the 
 same purpose it is that elsewhere he calls them the 
 'just ones, which need no repentance,' Luke xv. 7. 
 These self-justiciaries, imagining themselves to have no 
 sin, thought that they needed no repentance. Of the 
 same arrogant temper was that young man in the Gos- 
 pel, Mat. xix. 20, who said to Christ concerning the 
 commandments, ' All these have I kept from my youth ;' 
 since to keep all the commandments is as much as to 
 be without sin, there being no sin where there is no 
 breach of the law. 
 
 This opinion the Gnostics, against whom St John 
 especially levels this confutation, had concerning 
 themselves ; iis if they only were the perfect Christians, 
 and fancying that they were no more polluted by the 
 wickedest actions, than the sunbeams are by the 
 dunghill. Of this tribe was Novatus and his followers, 
 concerning whom St Cyprian saith,* that he thought 
 * Cypr. cle Novat. 
 
Vep. 8, 10.] 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 89 
 
 himself and his disciples to be gold, whenas in trath 
 they were brass, or as the father's phrase is, golden 
 calves. Not much unlike to these were the Cuthari, 
 who had that name given them from the high estima- 
 tion they had of their own purity, whilst they were 
 full of poison, and therefore are compared by Epi- 
 phanius to the basilisk,* which, though a venomous 
 creature, hath a royal name. Little better are the 
 antinomians, who account repentance a legal duty, 
 affirm that God seeth no sin in them, naj', are so 
 audacious, as to say they are as righteous as Christ. 
 And yet worse are the familistieal ranters of this age, 
 who impudentlj- assert, that whatsoever they do is no 
 sin ; and all these saj' at least in effect, they have no 
 sin ; for you must know that a thing may be said two 
 ways, formally or interpretatively, directly or in- 
 directly ; and thus, as the atheist saith there is no God, 
 not only when in plain terms he denieth a Deity, but 
 when he denieth to God those things which are the 
 essence of a Deity. In which respect, to say God is 
 not true or just, or omniscient, is to say there is no 
 God, Ps. xiv. 1. So the justiciaiy saith, he hath no 
 sin ; not only when he saith it expressly, but when he 
 saith that which amounts to as much. In which 
 regard, to say we keep the commandments, we need 
 no repentance, God beholds no sin in us, whatsoever 
 we do is no sin, is all one with saying we have no 
 sin ; and as although there are few, very few, who flatly 
 deny a Deity, yet many who do it by a circumlocution, 
 so, though there are but few who deny themselves to 
 be altogether without sin, yet (as appeareth by what 
 hath been alreadv' said) there are many who say that 
 which is virtually to deny it, and so are justly charge- 
 able with the opinion which our apostle here de- 
 claimeth against, ' If we say we have no sin.' 
 
 Having in some measure discovered wherein this 
 opinion consists, it remaineth that we now proceed to 
 manifest the erroneousness of it, that we may be dis- 
 suaded from it ; and to that end consider we the 
 arguments which our apostle here useth, of which, 
 
 1. The first is the folly of it, in that by so saying, 
 ' We deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us ; ' 
 where we have two expressions, the one principal, the 
 other collateral, annexed by way of confirmation. 
 The point our apostle layeth down is, that in saj'ing 
 we have no sin, we deceive ourselves ; and the proof 
 he arljoineth is, because there is no truth in those that 
 say so. 
 
 1. In saying we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. 
 This self-conceit is a self-deceit. It is at first view a 
 strange assertion, that a man should deceive himself. 
 If a man would deceive, it were more probable he 
 should deceive an enemy than a friend, a stranger 
 than a kinsman, one that is afjir off than near to 
 him ; nay, there is inbred in every man a love of 
 himself; yea, jno.riinus qui>(iHc sibi, every one is 
 nearest to himself; and is it to be imagined, that he 
 * Epiphan. Adv. Ilocr. toin. i. liocr. xlix. 
 
 would deceive himself ? For a man to kill another, 
 may sometimes be (at least be accounted) valour, but 
 to kill himself can be thought no other than madness ; 
 for a man to deceive another, may, by worldlings at 
 least, be esteemed craft, policy, wisdom ; but for a 
 man to deceive himself, must needs be adjudged mere 
 folly ; and yet thus it is with all wicked men, to whom, 
 by reason of corruption, it is natural to be unnatural, 
 whilbt by doing what is sin, they kill themselves, and 
 by saying they have no sin, they deceive themselves. 
 Indeed, as the prophet Jeremiah saith, chap. xvii. 9, 
 ' The heart is deceitful above all things, and desper- 
 ately wicked.' There being a 'mystery of iniquity' 
 in our corrupt minds, the heart is sometimes in 
 Scripture metaphorically described by the belly, Prov. 
 sx. 17 ; and truly there are not more twistings and 
 foldings in the guts of the belly, than there are turn- 
 ings and windings in the heart of man, by which we 
 are too, too witty to cozen ourselves. No wonder if 
 the wise man saith, Prov. xxviii. 16, ' He that trusteth 
 to his own heart is a fool ; ' and that it was the 
 prayer of St Austin, Ciistodi, liliem me de mcipso, Dcus! 
 Lord, deliver me from mj'self ! Ms/j.vi^'ro uTienni* 
 is an excellent rule, remember to distrust, especially 
 thyself ; and ever keep a narrow watch, and a jealous 
 suspicion, over the dictates of thy own heart, which is 
 so prone to deceive thee. 
 
 Among those many things whereby we are apt to 
 deceive ourselves, none more frequent than this which 
 our apostle here specifieth, whereby we are well con- 
 ceited of our own innocency. The truth is, we have 
 such an inordinate self-love, that it is no wonder we 
 fall into self-flattery. They say in optics, that if the 
 object be too near the eye, we cannot rightly discern 
 it. We are very near and dear unto ourselves, and 
 therefore it is we discern not the sins that arc in our- 
 selves: ' Every way of man,' saith Solomon, ' is right 
 in his own eyes,' Prov. xxi. 2. Indeed, therefore, it 
 is right in his own eyes, because it is his own way. 
 The eye which seeth all other things beholdeth not 
 itself. Hence it is, that whilst we spy motes in 
 others, we see not the beams in our own eyes, and so 
 deceive ourselves, in saying we have no sin. 
 
 Indeed, there want not other impostors, who are 
 ready enough to put tricks upon us. The devil, that 
 old serpent, that grand juggler, is very busy to delude 
 us, and that in this kind ; it is his great design to 
 make us believe those things not to be sin which are 
 so, and to think ourselves not to have those sins we 
 have. Besides, the world, a cunning deceiver, is very 
 wilhng to soothe us up in a good opinion of ourselves. 
 Nay, there want not false teachers, cheaters rather, 
 who persuade their followers (at least) that they are 
 the saints, the pure, the godly party ; whereas they 
 act those things which even heathens would blush at. 
 But the truth is, were it not for ourselves, none of 
 these could deceive us ; were we faithful to our own 
 * Epictet. 
 
90 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 souls, they could not betray us. We are willing to 
 be deceived, yea, to deceive ourselves in the matter of 
 our owu goodness, and that because, 
 
 2. The truth is not in us. Indeed, wherever there 
 is deceit there is falsehood ; since to be deceived is 
 to apprehend a thing otherwise than it is, or to take a 
 thing to be that which it is not. True, there must be 
 some show of truth, "■•• it must seem to be that which 
 we take it to be, or else how should we be cheated '? 
 But there is no reality nor truth of the thing, else it 
 could not be a cheat. Will you know, then, how 
 men come to say thuy have no sin? They seem 
 so in their own eyes, and thereby deceive themselves; 
 but, indeed, it is not so, there is no truth in their con- 
 ception, and so it must needs prove a deception. Look 
 as when a man deceiveth another, it is by a verbal or a 
 real lie, presenting that which is not ; so it is when a 
 man deceiveth himself, in which respect one expounds 
 this negative by the positive of lying, the truth is not 
 in us ; that is, we lie to ourselves, f in saying we have 
 no sin. 
 
 It is not unfitly here taken notice of, that our 
 apostle doth not say, There is no humility, but there is 
 CO verity in us. Indeed, one cause why we deceive 
 ourselves in saying we have no sin, is the pride of our 
 spirits. A proud man hath only one eye open, both 
 in resjject of his neighbour and himself: of his neigh- 
 bour, he hath one eye to see his spots but not his 
 beauty, his faults but not his gifts ; of himself, he 
 hath an eye to see his beauty but not his spots, his 
 gifts but not his faults, and so becometh a self- 
 deceiver. In this regard our apostle might justly 
 have said, there is no humility in those who say they 
 have no sin. Indeed, as St Austin,; occasionally 
 speaking of those words, Eccles. vii. 1(5, ' Be not 
 righteous over much,' and understanding it of a self- 
 conceited righteousness, truly asserts, it is not jiislitia 
 sajiienlis, but siiperhia prnsiiinciilis, the righteousness 
 of the wise, but the pride of a presumptuous man. 
 But that it may appear that that which causeth even 
 the holiest to accuse themselves of sin, is not only the 
 lowliness of their minds, but the truth of the thing ; 
 and that according to St Cyprian's speech, § ho that 
 thinketh himself innocent is not only proud, but 
 foolish, yea, in plain terms, a liar; therefore he saith, 
 ' There is no truth' in us. It is the question of the 
 wise man, Prov. xx. 9, ' Who can say, I have made 
 my heart clean, I am pm-e from my sin '?' and such a 
 question, to which none can return an affirmative 
 answer. Who can say it, and say it truly, and not bo 
 untrue in saying it ? since both to ascribe that purity 
 which we have to ourselves, and to ascribe that purity 
 to ourselves which wo have not, are manifest and 
 odious untruths. To this purpose it is, what Beza 
 
 * Decipimur specie recti. — Hor. 
 
 t Veritatein non esse in aliquo est aliquem meutiri. — 
 ZaucU. in loc. 
 X Aug. Seut. 3C5. § Cypr. do Opero et Elcemos. 
 
 observes,* that these words are spoken by St John, 
 not only for modesty, but truth's sake ; yea, a coun- 
 cil! li'^tli pronounced an anathema against any who 
 shall assert that this was spoken only in humility, but 
 not because so in truth. Suitable to which is St 
 Austin's note upon these words, j St John doth not 
 say, If we have no sin, we extol ourselves, and there 
 is no lowliness in us, but we deceive ourselves, and 
 there is no truth in us. Siuee thus to say is not only 
 to lift up ourselves with an high conceit of that purity 
 which we have, but to flatter ourselves with a mis- 
 conceit of that purity we have not. 
 
 To explicate this clause in its fullest latitude, know 
 there is a double truth, which may be denied to those 
 who thus say : truth of grace in their hearts, and 
 truth of knowledge in their minds. 
 
 1. There is no truth of grace in our hearts, if we 
 deceive ourselves bj- saying we have no sin. It is the 
 note of Ghislerius,§ occasionally upon these words, 
 that the sense of this clause is as much as. We defile 
 ourselves by this conceit, and it argueth a want of 
 truth and sincerity in us. St Austin acknowledgeth 
 it an heinous siu,|| that he did not account himself a 
 sinner. Nor is there a surer brand of hypocrisy than 
 this foolish arrogancy ; indeed, good men are some- 
 times apt to deceive themselves in a contrary way, by 
 denying the grace of God which is bestowed upon 
 them, saying in the bitterness of their souls, they 
 have no faith, no love, no repentance, when 5'et, both 
 in the sight of God and others, these graces appear to 
 be in them. It is a self-deceit, which must be taken 
 notice of, and avoided as an act of ingratitude ; but 
 yet it is an error of the right hand, and therefore the 
 more tolerable ; but this which my text speaketh of 
 is of another nature, and that which only wicked men 
 are subject to, who, though they live in sin, yet deny 
 sin to be in them. Sincere Christians ofitimes think 
 themselves worse, but only hypocrites think them- 
 selves better than they are, and so being just in their 
 own eyes, they become unjust. 
 
 2. But that which is the genuine sense (as hath 
 been already intimated) is that there is no truth of 
 knowledge in our minds. Truth in the mind is the 
 congruous and adequate conceit of the understanding 
 to the thing ; and therefore this conceit being not ade- 
 quate, but opposite, not congruous, but contrary, to 
 the thing, is justly charged with falsehood. 
 
 This will the better appear if we look into the rotten 
 foundations of this perverse opinion, which are no 
 other than misapprehensions, misconstructions, or 
 false reasonings. The word which St James useth for 
 deceiving ourselves, James i. 21, is very significant to 
 
 * Bez. in loc. 
 
 t Quisquia sic accipionilura putnt ut dicatur propter humi- 
 litatem, uon quia ita vero est, auatljcma sit. — itilevH. 
 Concit. 
 
 X Aug. de Nat. et Grot. c. xxxiv. 
 
 § Ghisler. in Jcrcui. || Aug. Confess. I. v. c x. 
 
Ver. 8, 10.] 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 91 
 
 this purpose, rra.oa.Xd'yi'Ctjij.ini, which is to deceive our- 
 selves by false argumentation. This is very e\-ident in 
 this self-deceit my text speaketh of, which is grounded, 
 not upon syllogisms framed by reason, but paralogisms 
 made by fancy. Thus this conceit that we have no 
 sin is in, 
 
 1. Some, from a misunderstanding of the nature of 
 divine concourse to human actions, as if because ' in 
 him men live, move, and have their being,' therefore 
 whatever they do, God doth it in them, and so they 
 can have no sin ; not distinguishing between the physi- 
 cal entity and the moral obliquitj- of the action, nor 
 considering that ho who maketh an horse to go doth 
 not therefore make him to halt in his going. 
 
 '2. Others, from a strange fancy of I know not what 
 nature within us, distinct from us, to which our sins 
 are to be attributed, and so we are acquitted. Such 
 were those y<(^st el faUciitcs sancti, deceived and de- 
 ceitful saints, of whom St Austin speaketh,* who said 
 it was not the_y that sinned, but another nature within 
 them, whereas St James saith, chap. i. 14, ' When 
 a man is tempted, he is cbawn aside of his own lusts.' 
 
 3. Many, from a misconceit of what is sin, whilst 
 they think nothing is in its own nature evil, but only 
 according to men's opinions of it ; so that what St 
 Paul saith concerning meats, Rom. siv. 14, they say 
 of actions, ' I know, and am persuaded by our Lord 
 Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to 
 him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it 
 is unclean.' This was, as Irena?us informeth us, the 
 lying doctrine of the Gnostics and Carpocratians, 
 whence they concluded that nothing they did was sin, 
 not considering that not our opinion, but God's law, 
 is the rule both of good and evil.-f 
 
 4. Too many from a misapprehension of the nature 
 of justification, as if it were an utter extinction, where- 
 as it is only a non-imputation of sin as to punishment ; 
 as if because Christ is made to us of God righteous- 
 ness, so far as to cover us from his revengeful, there- 
 fore it must be also from his omniscient eye ; as if 
 because we are made righteous bj* Christ, we must be 
 as righteous as Christ ; whereas our apostle here 
 plainly tells us, that though Christ's blood cleanseth 
 us from all sin, yet we cannot sa}' we have no sin. 
 
 5. VeiT many from a misconstruction of the true 
 meaning of the law. St Paul saith of himself, Piom. 
 vii. 9, that he was ' alive without the law,' to wit, in 
 his own opinion, before the law came to him in a right 
 representation. No doubt that which made the 
 Pharisees think themselves pure, and the young man 
 brag of his obedience, was that they knew not the 
 spiritual intent and comprehensive extent of the laws. 
 Axid truly thus it is still with many civil and moral 
 justiciaries, who think themselves careful observers of 
 the law, and are ready to answer for themselves to 
 every commandment. They think they fulfil the first, 
 in that they only acknowledge the true God ; the 
 
 * Aug. conf. I. 5, c. 10. t Iren. adv. hseres. 1. 1, c. 24. 
 
 second, in that they never bowed to an image ; the 
 third, in that they do not use to swear by God ; the 
 fourth, in that they are constant goers to church on 
 the Lord's day ; the fifth, because they honour and 
 respect their natiiral parents, give the minister good 
 words, and wish well to their king ; the sixth, because 
 they never killed auj' man ; the seventh, because they 
 are no whores nor rogues ; the eighth, because they 
 never cut a purse, or broke open a house, or robbed 
 on the highway ; the ninth, because they never gave 
 in false evidence to the judge or jury ; and the tenth, 
 because they were never sick for Naboth'a vineyard : 
 not considering that the law in every precept doth not 
 only forbid a sin, but command a duty, and that it 
 doth not only roach to the outward work, but the in- 
 ward thought ; to the act itself, but the attendants, 
 occasions, and whatsoever hath atSnity with it. 
 
 Indeed, besides these, it were easy to reckon up 
 many more mistakes which are in men's minds about 
 the corruption that cleaveth to their natures ; the ex- 
 amples of those who are abominably vile, the success 
 and prosperity God is pleased to vouchsafe them in 
 their ways, all of which will be found, if weighed in 
 the balance of the sanctuary, very light ; and therefore, 
 since this saying we have no sin is itself a misconceit, 
 and ariseth from false reasonings, well might our 
 apostle say of such, ' There is no truth in them.' 
 
 And now what improvement shall we make of all 
 that hath been said of this particular, but to dissuade 
 us from this vain, false, wicked deceiving ourselves 
 with an opinion of our own righteousness ? Alas, 
 though thou deceive thyself, thou canst not cozen God : 
 thou thinkest thyself fair as Absalom, he seeth thee 
 foul as Thersites ; whilst thou esteemest thyself ami- 
 able, thou art in his sight a leper, a lazar, full of sores. 
 The truth is, thou art never a whit the less, nay, thou 
 art the more sinful in God's, because thou art sinless 
 in thine own. Besides, it is no less than thy soul's 
 welfare that is endangered by this deceit; and how 
 great is that danger ! We account that patient des- 
 perate on whom a mortal disease is seized, and yet he 
 saith he is not sick. Is not this thy case ? Thy 
 soul is spiritually sick, and thou knowest it not. This 
 conceit is that which at once both hindoreth our re- 
 pentance and pardon, and therefore must needs be 
 exitial. He that is not sensible of his sickness will not 
 seek after a remedy, nor will he that saith he hath no 
 sin look out for a pardon. All reproofs, threatenings, 
 admonitions, have no influence upon his spirit ; he 
 feareth no punishment, but goeth on securely. And 
 indeed by this means he is without the compass of 
 pardon ; as St Augustine* and St Bernard | excellently, 
 presumption of our own dignity excludeth divine 
 mercy ; and he that denieth he hath sin doth not 
 
 •Qui negat se habere pcccatumnon hoc agitutpeccafum non 
 habeat, sed utveniam non accipiat. — Aug. de civil. Dei.\. 13. 
 
 t Excliulit misferiffi dissimulatio misericordiam, nee dig- 
 natio babet locum ubi fuerit prasumptio dignitatis. — Bern. 
 
92 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHX. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 make himself tlie less sinful, but the less capable of 
 forgiveness. Nay, let me add this, that though thou 
 mayust thus deceive thyself for a while, yet the time 
 is coming when thou shalt be undeceived, to thy shame, 
 and horror, and confusion. It is the threatening of 
 almighty God to the sinner, that thought God was like 
 him, sinful, Ps. 1. 21 ; and it belongs as well to him 
 that thinketh he is like God, sinless, ' I will set thy 
 sins in order before thee.' Who can express what 
 horror seized upon ruined Babylon, which had said, 
 ' I sit as a queen, I shall see no evil ' ? The like 
 shame shall sit upon the face of hypocrites, which say 
 they have no sin, when God shall set their sins in 
 order before them. 
 
 Oh, then, be not so injurious to 3-ourselves as to 
 harbour this self-deceit. You think it self-love, but in- 
 deed it is self-hatred, there being no worse enemj' 
 than a seeming friend, a base flatterer. And that you 
 may no longer be thus deceived, be true to your own 
 selves, and labour to have your minds enlightened, 
 your judgments rectified, that you may pass sentence 
 upon yourselves according to truth. Be much in ex- 
 amining j-ourselves, searching your hearts, trying your 
 ways, and that impartially. The truth is, we deceive 
 ourselves, because we do not see ourselves ; we do 
 not see ourselves, because we do not search ourselves; 
 and we cannot search ourselves unless we have the 
 candle of divine illumination. Praj' we therefore that 
 the eyes of our understanding may be opened, and 
 thereby the truth of saving knowledge conveyed into 
 us, that we may no longer be such fools as to deceive 
 ourselves by saying we have no sin ; and this so much 
 the rather, because it is not only an injury to oiu'selves, 
 but to God ; which leads me to the, 
 
 2. Second argument, which is the impiety of this 
 opinion, in that hereby we make God a liar, and his 
 word is not in us ; and this is represented by a double 
 character, to wit, the blasphemy and the infidelity of 
 those who sa_y thus : their blasphemy, in that they 
 make God a liar ; and infidelity, in that his word is 
 not in them. 
 
 1. We malce him a liar, a vciy vehement and urgent 
 expression. How earnest is our apostle in confuting 
 this error.* Indeed, this phrase at first reading may 
 Bcem harsh, the thing which it asserts being in a 
 proper sease impossible, ]]'e make him a liar! It 
 cannot be. ' God is not a man, that he should lie ; or 
 son of man, that he should repent,' saith Balaam, 
 Num. xxiii. 19 ; and again, it being ' impossible for 
 God to lie,' saith the author to the Hebrews, chap. 
 vi. 18. Indeed, if God should either do what is evil, 
 or speak what is false, he could not be a God. But, 
 beloved, though God cannot be a liar, we may be said 
 to make him so, not really, but intcrpretatively, when 
 wc do as much as lieth in us to make him so. Look 
 as an adulterer, ' looking upon a woman to lust after 
 her,' though she be not defiled, is said to ' commit 
 
 * Magna verhorum vohcnicntia propositum urget. — Fer. 
 
 adultery with her iu his heart,' Mat. v. 28 ; and as 
 apostates are said to ' crucify the Sou of God afresh,' 
 Heb. vi. G, — not that he who is possessed of his crown 
 can again be brought to his cross, but that such 
 sinners do what iu them lieth to bring him to it ; — so 
 self-justiciaries, though they cannot justly fasten the 
 least lie upon God, yet they do what they can to 
 make him so. Perhaps, indeed, this is not that 
 which they directly intend, but yet it is that which 
 must necessarily follow upon their saying, and there- 
 fore this brand is justly fastened upon them. 
 
 This will further appear, if we consider what God 
 hath said, both in his law and in his gospel. His law 
 accuseth all men of sin, his gospel oti'ereth pardon of 
 sin to all men ; so that law and gospel affirm (at least 
 implicitly) that all men have sin. If therefore (as they 
 say) they have no sin, God must be a liar in both. 
 Indeed, the dilcinnia is manifest, cither they must be 
 liars, or God ; their saying must be false, or God's, 
 since there is an apparent contradiction between them. 
 God saith nil men have siiiitetl, and they say we have 
 not sinned ; no marvel if our apostle charge them with 
 making God a liar. 
 
 See hence at once both the pride and the danger of 
 these Pharisaical hypocrites : their pride, in that rather 
 than accuse themselves of sin, they dare to accuse 
 God with lying ;* and lest any blot should lie upon 
 their purity, they go about to stain God's veracity. 
 Thus, as it were, inverting those words of St Paul, 
 Eom. iii. 4, ' Let God be true, and cverj' man a liar,' 
 they say. Let God be a liar, so we may be pure and 
 true ! How dishonourable, and therefore provoking, 
 this must needs be to God, we may guess by our- 
 selves. Our proverb saith, the lie deserveth a stab. 
 We cannot in words oti'er a man a gi-eater injury than 
 to give him the lie ; and can we think that God him- 
 self doth not take it as an high afl'ront from those who 
 go about thus to make him a liar ? Yes, certainly, 
 and all such proud wretches shall know it as an evil 
 thing to cast so great a dishonour upon God ; and 
 whilst they condemn God unjustly as a liar, he will 
 one day condemn them justly as liars, in deceiving 
 themselves, and having no truth in them, yea, as 
 blasphemers, in making him a har ; and as unbelievers, 
 in that, 
 
 2. llis n-ord is not in them. V^y word here some 
 understand Christ, who is called at the first verse 
 ' the Word of life ;' and so his Word is not in us, in- 
 asmuch as Christ is not in us if we thus say. This is 
 the rather observable, because many who say they 
 have no sin pretend to have Christ in them, and be 
 in Christ ; yea, that tbereforc they have no sin, be- 
 cause Christ is in them, and they in him, whom the 
 apostle, according to this construction, here plainly 
 contradicteth. And, indeed, it cannot be otherwise, 
 since wherever Christ is, there is his Spirit ; and 
 
 * Dum non vult Iiypocrita se accHsaro peccati, inavult 
 Deum accusaro mendacii. — Zanch. 
 
Ver. 8, 10.] 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 93 
 
 where the Spirit of Christ is, there is a divine light 
 discovciing to a man the darkness that is in him, nnd 
 effectuallj' convincing him of his own sinfulness. Bui 
 though this be a truth, I do not conceive it the truth 
 of this clause, and therefore with the generality of the 
 best interpreters,* I understand it iu the proper and 
 usual sense, not for Christ the Word, but for the word 
 of Christ ; not the Word which is God, but the word 
 of God. And thus it will not be amiss to consider 
 this clause both in itself and iu its reference. 
 
 1. Consider this clause in itself; and that which we 
 have to inquire is, what om- apostle meaneth by this 
 phrase. Negatives are best known by the affirmatives, 
 as privations are by habits, and therefore by knowing 
 what it is for the word of God and Christ to be in 
 ns, we shall learn what this meaneth, the word is not 
 in us. 
 
 The word is then said to be in us, when, according 
 to Chi'ist's phrase in the Gospel, John viii. 37, it doth 
 'take place in us,'* x.'^^'sco, being there, according to 
 Camerarius, as much as p^w^aii 'iyj'"! and findeth en- 
 tertainment with us ; and surely then it taketh place 
 in us, when it taketh place in our hearts,! as it did in 
 David, who said, ' Thy word have I hid in my heart.' 
 The word is then said to be in us, when, according 
 to St James his phrase, chap. i. 21, it is Xoyo; 
 E/ifuro;, ' an ingi'afted word,' and that is, whenas the 
 tree being opened, a graft is set deep into it, and so 
 becometh one with it, or rather it one with the graft. 
 So our hearts being opened, as Lydia's was. Acts xvi. 
 15, the word is deeply imprinted in it, and sweetly 
 closeth with the word. If yet more particularly you 
 ask how this is done, I answer in one word. By be- 
 lieving. When the mind giveth a clear assent, and the 
 will a full consent, to the word, then it is received by 
 and dwelleth in us. So interpreters paraphrase Xon 
 amplectimur, non intellir/imiis, non relinemus venim ejus 
 doctriitam : his word is not in us; that is, we do not 
 understand and embrace by faith the true doctrine of 
 his word. And that this is St John's meaning in this 
 place, we need no other expositor than himself in his 
 Gospel, where he bringeth in Christ, saying, John v. 
 88, 'Ye have not his word among you, for him whom 
 he hath sent you believe not,' thereby plainly inti- 
 mating, that, to have his word abiding in us, is to 
 believe in his word. Look how Christ himself is said 
 to be and to dwell in us ; so is his word. Now the 
 apostle Paul's expression, Eph. iii. 17, is full of 
 Christ's ' dwelling in our hearts by faith.' Indeed, on 
 Christ's part the Spirit, and on our part faith, maketh 
 the union between him and us ; and both these concur 
 to the inbeing of the word, when the word is received 
 as St Paul saith of the Thessaloniaus, 1 Thes. i. 5, 
 ' in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance,' to wit, 
 of faith. 
 
 • Vide Est. Zancli. Menoch. Illyr. in loc. 
 t Quid est ergo non capit in vobis f Non capit cor ves- 
 trum, &c Aug. in Joh. tr. 42. 
 
 To end this, be pleased to know that there is a 
 great deal of difference between these two, his word 
 among us, and his word in us. His word is among 
 us when published and made known to us, but it is 
 not in us unless received and believed by us ; and 
 therefore, my brethren, let us not content ourselves 
 with the former, but labour to find the latter. It is 
 very observable what St Paul saith of the Colossians, 
 chap. i. 5, ' The gospel is come unto you, and bring- 
 eth forth fruit in you,' which it could not do were it 
 not ingrafted ; and therefore the author to the Hebrews 
 saith of the Jews, chap. iv. 2, ' The word did not 
 profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in 
 them that heard it.' beloved, it maybe truly said 
 of us, the gospel is come to us, but is it in us ? 
 Doth it bring forth fruit iu us ? St Austin excellently 
 compareth the word to an hook,* which then taketh 
 the fish when it is taken into the fish; so the word, 
 when it is taken into us by faith, then taketh us, and 
 that not to our ruin, but safety. And St James, when 
 he speaketh of the word as ' able to save our souls,' 
 calls it the ' ingrafted word,' to teach us how necessary 
 it is to our spiritual and eternal profit by the word 
 that it should be iu us. The truth is, it were far better 
 never to have had the word among us, than not to 
 have it in us ; that this light had never shone iu the 
 midst of us, if it be not set up in the candlestick of 
 our hearts. And, therefore, let it be our prayer, that 
 the gospel may come to us, ' not in word only, but in 
 power ;' that the seed of the word which is sown and 
 scattered among us may be hid in us ; finally, that 
 it may please God to give unto us increase of grace, 
 that we may hear meekly his word, receive it with 
 pure afl'ection, and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. 
 
 2. But further, consider this clause in its reference; 
 and ye shall find, according to a several reference, 
 several things not unworthy our observation. 
 
 It is not amiss to compare the end of the eighth 
 and of the tenth verse together. In the one it is said 
 the truth is not in us, the other, his word is not in us; 
 and if, as doubtless we maj', we look upon these as 
 synonymous phrases, we may observe that what he 
 calleth truth in the one, he styleth God's word in the 
 other ; and so it amounts to that which our blessed 
 Saviour himself elsewhere asserts, John xvii. 17, 
 ' Thy word is truth,' in which respect it is called by 
 St Paul, Eph. i. 13, Col. i. 5, and St James, James 
 i. 18, ' the word of truth,' and that was zar" i^oy^Tjt, 
 eminently and primarily. Indeed, it may be said of 
 many words that thej- are true, but only God's word 
 is the word of truth, yea, truth itself. Consonant to 
 this it is that the psalmist calls the words of the Lord 
 pure words, and compareth them to silver ' purified in 
 the fire seven times,' Ps. xii. 6; that is, fully perfect, 
 so as there is not the least dross of error in them. 
 Indeed, when we consider whose word it is, namely, 
 
 'f Sic est sernio Dei ; esse debet fidelibus sic at pisci hamos, 
 SiC- -Aug. tr. 42 in Joh. 
 
94 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. 1. 
 
 his word, who, as he is the first being, so he is the 
 first truth, we cannot but conclude, that it must 
 needs be altogether true; and therefore, if we would 
 have an answer to Pilate's question, John six. 11, 
 IVhal is liuth ? the text giveth it, It is God's word ; 
 and if you would know when doctrines are true, this 
 word is the only sure touchstone ; and therefore the 
 prophet Isaiah calleth ' to the law and to the testi- 
 mony, if they speak not according to these, it is be- 
 cause there is no light (to wit, of truth) in them,' 
 Isa. viii. 20. 
 
 2. If we put these two clauses together, ice make him 
 a liar, and his word is not in iis, we learn how heinous 
 a sin infidelity is, in that it puts so high a dishonour 
 upon God as to make him a har. This clause, his irorcl 
 is not in us, manifestly is added as a confirmation of 
 the former ; therefore we make him a liar because his 
 word is not in us ; and his word is not in us when it is 
 not believed by us ; so that not to believe God's word, 
 and to make him a liar, are all one. Hence it is, 
 that our apostle in his Gospel saith, John iii. 83, ' He 
 that believeth sets to his seal that God is true ;' and 
 elsewhere in this epistle, 1 John v. 10, ' He that be- 
 lieveth not God, maketh him a liar, because he 
 believeth not.' Look as among men, if we tell a man 
 we believe not what he saith, we in effect tell him he 
 is a liar; so when we do not receive the truth of God's 
 word, we put as it were the he upon God. And now 
 
 tell me, how inexcusable, nay, abominable is the sin 
 of infidelity : inexcusable, because that which we are 
 required to believe is no other than truth ; and abo- 
 minable, because by not believing we make God a liar. 
 3. Lastl}', put the beginning and the end of this 
 verse together. If we say u-e have not sinned, his word 
 is not in us. Eveiy self-justiciary, as St Austin's 
 phrase is, contrarius est divina: scriptura,* is so far 
 from having God's word in him, that he is directly 
 contrary to God's word; and so to say we have no sin, 
 appeareth to be no other than an odious and damnable 
 error. If, then, we would not be infected with the 
 poison of this error, let us always have by us, nay, in 
 us, that powerful antidote of God's word ; let us be 
 careful to study that we may understand it, and by it 
 our own sinfulness ; let us often behold ourselves in 
 it, as in a glass, which knoweth not how to flatter. 
 So shall we no longer deceive ourselves and dishonour 
 God by saying we have no sin. And so much shall 
 suffice to be spoken of this confutation. Let us, 
 every one, make it our supplication, that the word 
 which hath now been heard by us with our outward 
 ears, may through God's grace be grafted inwardly in 
 our hearts, to bring forth the fruit of an holy life, and 
 withal of a lowly mind, to_his praise and glory, through 
 Jesus Christ oui- Lord ! 
 
 * Aug. de perfect, justit. cap. 32. 
 
 SEEMON XVI. 
 
 If ue confess our sins, he is faithful and just to fon/ire us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
 
 —1 John I. 9. 
 
 THERE are two sorts of persons, among others, 
 obseiwable in the church, namely, i/loriosi and 
 infirmi, presumptuous hypocrites and weak saints. 
 Those are commonly lifted up with an opinion of their 
 own righteousness, these arc usually cast down with 
 an apprehension of their own sinfulness ;'' those boast 
 themselves to be the best of saints, and these abhor 
 themselves as the worst of sinners ; finally, those 
 think themselves to have no sin, and these account 
 themselves to be nothing but sin. Hence it is, that 
 God's ministers, though they must not be double- 
 tongued, j-et must speak in difi'erent languages : to 
 the arrogant, words of terror ; to the penitent, words 
 of support ; must use both hands, with the right hand 
 lifting up them that arc cast down, and with the left 
 hand casting down them that are lifted up. Of both 
 these our apostle sets us a pattern in the three last 
 verses of this chapter, lancing the sores of proud 
 justiciaries with the knife of reproof, in the eighth and 
 tenth verses, and pouring oil of comfort into the 
 wounds of humble confessors in the tenth verso : ' If 
 wo confess our sins,' &c. ' 
 
 * Vide Aret. inloc. 
 
 Not to trouble you with multiplicity of divisions, be 
 pleased to observe in the words three generals : 
 
 I. A duty, conditionally required in those words, 
 ' If we confess our sins.' 
 
 II. A mercy annexed to that duty, in those, to 
 ' forgive us our sins,' and to ' cleanse us from all un- 
 righteousness.' 
 
 III. The certainty of that mercy, demonstrated in 
 those, ' he is faithful and just.' 
 
 These are the three boughs of this tree of life, out 
 of each of which sprout so many branches, and groweth 
 so much fruit that it will ask many hours the gather- 
 ing. At this time I shall enter upon the, 
 
 I. Duty conditionally required, for the handling 
 whereof, be pleased to consider it two ways, as it is, 
 
 1. Materia pnccepti, the matter of a commandment; 
 
 2. Conditio proinissi, the condition of a promise. 
 
 In the former, I shall unfold the nature and exer- 
 cise of this duty, wherein it consists, how it is to bo 
 managed. 
 
 In the latter, I shall discover the necessity and 
 utility of it, as being that whereof the absence excludes, 
 and the presence includes, forgiveness. 
 
 I 
 
Yer. i).] 
 
 SEKMON XVI. 
 
 95 
 
 The former will be as the dii-ective part, instructing 
 you in, and 
 
 The latter as the persuasive part, exciting you to, 
 the performance of it. 
 
 1. The despatch of the first consideration will lie in 
 answer to four questions. 
 
 (1.) What it is which we are to confess. 
 
 (2.) To whom this confession must be made. 
 
 (3.) How this confession must be performed. 
 
 (4.) Who they are that must thus confess. 
 
 Quest. 1. What it is we are to confess ; the answer 
 to which is in these two words, our sins ; and there 
 are three steps by which I shall proceed in the 
 handling of it. Sin, sins, our sins, must be confessed 
 by us. 
 
 [1.] S/h must be confessed. Divines do not unfitly 
 take notice of a threefold confession, fold, laudis, 
 peccati, of faith, of praise, of sin ; a declaration of the 
 truth we believe, mercies we receive, sins we commit. 
 The first is an act of courage, the second of gratitude, 
 the last of repentance. Concerning all of these, the 
 word in the text is used by St Paul, Rom. x. 10, in 
 reference to the confession of faith, where be joineth 
 ' believing with the heart,' and making ' confession 
 with the mouth,' together ; by the author to the 
 Hebrews, chap. siii. 15, in reference to thankfulness, 
 ■where this very word is rendered ' giving thanks ;' and 
 by St John here in respect of sin, ' If we confess 
 our sins.' 
 
 It is that indeed which both sin and the sinner very 
 much shun. Sin is so ugly that it loveth not to 
 appear, and being a work of darkness, cannot endure 
 the light ; besides, the sinner is so much in love with 
 his sin, that he is not willing to bring it forth. That 
 expression of the prophet Hosea, chap. x. 13, 'You 
 have ploughed wickedness,' is rendered by the Septua- 
 gint, r:a.Dieiu-r,BaTi, you have concealed wickedness ; 
 and not unfitly, because the end of ploughing is that 
 the seed may be cast into and bid in the ground. 
 This is the practice of wicked men, to keep close their 
 sin, to hide their talents in the napkin of idleness, 
 and their sins in the napkin of excuse. Ladeed, it is a 
 disease our first parents were sick of; no wonder if we 
 be infected, and therefore Job's expression is, chap. 
 xxxi. 38, ' If I have hid my sin as Adam.' If we are 
 not so proud as to say we have no sin, yet we are not 
 60 humble as to say we have sin ; with the pharisee, 
 we can brag what sins we are not guilty of, but we will 
 not confess the sins we are guilty of. Men love, as 
 St Austin's phrase is,* clamare merita, but tacere pec- 
 cala, to proclaim their good, but conceal their evil 
 deeds ; vain glory puts them upon the one, but shame 
 forbids them the other. Indeed, when sin is to be 
 committed, shame is absent ; and when it is to be 
 confessed, shame is present, f 
 
 * Aug. iu Ps. XXX. 
 
 t Njc tu vcrecumlia bonus ad delinqncndum expandens 
 froDtem, ad deprecaadum subducens — Tertut. dejiattit. cap. x. 
 
 Oh, take we heed of this shameful shame in hiding 
 our sins, which is at once both cursed and vain. Non 
 pudenda peccati confessio sed i^erpetratio,* it is a shame 
 to act sin, but not to acknowledge it. Shame is a good 
 bridle to keep from sin, but a bad cover to hide it. 
 St Bernard t calls it a foolish, dishonest, injurious 
 modesty. Thou art not ashamed to defile thyself, and 
 yet thou art ashamed to be made clean ; indeed, it is 
 a shame whereof thou hast reason to be ashamed, 
 since, as it doth much hurt, so it can do no good. As 
 to that which thou desirest, all excuses are but fig- 
 leaves and paper- coverings. Wicked men, as St Am- 
 brose; saith excellently, in nj/ectu luthent ahscondere, 
 non in cfoectu, desire to hide, but cannot fulfil it. God, 
 saith our apostle, is light, and therefore there is no 
 concealing or darkening anything from him. The rea- 
 son, saith Tertul!iau,§ why God commands us to 
 confess our sins, it is not that he may know them, 
 but that it may appear we know and are sensible of 
 them. Oh, then, let me say to you (to use St Gre- 
 gory's moral ji) as Christ did to Lazarus, Come forth, 
 by the confession of your sins. I beseech you (in the 
 words of an ancient^' ), by that God to whom all hearts 
 are open, all desires known, and ti'om whom nothing 
 is hid, that 3-ou do not skin over your wounded con- 
 sciences. That of the psalmist, Ps. xxxvii. 5, ' Commit 
 thy way to the Lord,' is rendered by the vulgar, Re- 
 rcJa riarn Domino, reveal thy way ; and by St Ambrose, 
 understood of revealing our sins to God. Indeed, since 
 it is impossible to cover, why should we not discover, 
 our sins ? Conceal not that which God knoweth 
 already, and would have thee to make known. It is a 
 very ill office to be the devil's secretary. Oh, break 
 thy league with Satan by revealing his secrets, thy 
 sins, to God. 
 
 [2.] As sin in general, so sins in particular must be 
 confessed. An implicit confession is almost as bad as 
 an implicit faith. It is not enough to acknowledge our 
 sins by wholesale, but by retail. True it is, a general 
 confession may be penitent. Such no doubt was the 
 publican's, Luke xviii. 18, when he said, ' God be 
 merciful to me a sinner ; ' but a penitent will not con- 
 tent himself with a general confession, and, therefore, 
 St Paul, as in one place, he calleth himself at large a 
 sinner, so in another, 1 Tim. i. 13, 15, he partica- 
 lariseth his sins of blasphemy, and persecution, and 
 injury against the saints. Thus doth a true penitent 
 sit, or rather kneel down, to draw his own picture in 
 all its black lineaments. To this purpose it is well 
 
 * Theod. de provid. lib. x. 
 
 t Bern. ep. 185. Frivole nhnis tegmen quaris, anima 
 misera, &c. Gotfrid. Tilman, in Gen. c. iii. 
 
 t Ambros. in Ps. cxviii. Serm. 21. 
 
 § Tertul. de poonit. c. vi. 
 
 II Veniat foris raortuus, i. e. culpam confiteatur poccator. 
 — Greg, in Evang. hum. 26. 
 
 11 Rogo V03 per ilium Dominum queto occulta non fallunt 
 desinite vulneratam tegcre conscientiam, &c. — Pacian, 
 parasn. ad poenit. 
 
96 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 observed* on the text, that our apostle doth not say, 
 Si confileamur iios peccatores, sed jieccata nostra, if we 
 confess ourselves sinners, but if we confess our sins, 
 whereby is intimated a particular acknowledgment of 
 those sins whereof we are guilty. 
 
 To open this more fully, I shall enlarge it in a three- 
 fold variation : we must confess our sins in respect of 
 their number, measure, merit. 
 
 First, In confession of sin, we must enumerate the 
 several sins which we have committed. As he in the 
 Comedian said, that he had invited two guests to din- 
 ner, Philocrates, and Philocrates, a single man, but a 
 double eater, so shall every man by examination find 
 himself, though a single person, to be a double, nay, a 
 treble, sinner. Confession, what is it but a setting 
 our sins in order; and that is to be done by a distinct 
 and particular enumeration. In this case, as Samuel 
 said to Jesse, 1 Sam. svi. 11, ' Are here all thy chil- 
 dren ?' so we must conceive that God saith to us. Are 
 here all thy sins ? and as good not confess any, as not 
 bring forth all. Indeed, this must be imderstood with 
 this limitation, so far as we know and can remember. 
 There are some sins which we act, and know not that 
 they are sins ; there are other sins which we have per- 
 haps so often committed, that we are not able to 
 remember them, and surely what we cannot either 
 know or remember, it is impossible to recount ; so 
 that particular confession must reach only to known 
 sins, and in those to the kinds and the actings only, 
 so far as we can call them to mind. And yet more 
 especially, if the sins wherein we have walked, or 
 which we have acted, have been scarlet crimson sins ; 
 for so we tind the Israelites particulai'ising idolatry, 
 Judges ii. 10, and David his murder, Ps. li. 13, and 
 Shechaniah, the people's unlawful mixtures in mar- 
 riage, Ezra X. 3. Briefly, though we cannot exactly 
 recount all our sins, yet we must not wilfully omit 
 any sin in our confessions, there being the same reason 
 of confessing all as any, because every sin is an offence 
 to God, and a breach of his law. 
 
 Secondhj, In confession we must aggravate our sins 
 by confessing, not only the kinds and acts (so far as 
 we remember), but the circumstances of our sins. 
 Indeed, as Pelbartus well observeth,t there are some 
 circumstances of sinful actions which are impertinent, 
 and neither lessen nor heighten our sins ; these are 
 not to be mentioned. There are other circumstances, 
 which may somewhat lessen our sins ; but those a 
 penitent will not much insist on ; only those circum- 
 stances which do heighten his sins, or by their bad- 
 ness change the kind of his sin, and render it of a 
 more heinous nature, he is careful to acknowledge. 
 When a man confesscth his sin, he bccometh a witness 
 against himself, and therefore he must, on the one 
 hand, confess nothing but the truth (for though as 
 
 * M») atfza^ruXous xaXZjUtv iavTous /iove*, ii.C. — Chrr/SOSt. Ucbr. 
 
 c. 12. liL-llarm. cie peon. 1, 8 c. 4. Zuncb. in loc. 
 t Pelbart. do confess. 
 
 Job sacrificed for his sons upon an It may he they luive 
 sinned, Job i. 5, so a man maj' charge himself before 
 God upon suspicion ; yet he is not to accuse himself 
 of what he is not guilty) ; and, on the other hand, he 
 must confess all the truth, and keep back nothing 
 which may aggravate his fault. Indeed, it is our 
 great fault in our confessions, we perhaps spit out 
 some sins, but others we hide under our tongues ; we 
 acknowledge something of our crime, but yet we would 
 make the best of it we can. If the sinner do not say, 
 Nonfeei, or Non male feci, I did not do the fact, or I 
 did not ill in doing it, yet he is too often at non nuil- 
 tiiin male, it was not very ill done. Methinks that of 
 Aaron is very observable to this purpose, who, in con- 
 fessing the idolatry of the golden calf, Exod. xxxii. 34, 
 useth a mincing expression, ' There came out this calf; 
 as if it had happened rather by chance than art, and 
 there were little or no fault in him. But the temper of 
 a true penitent is far otherwise : he looketh upon his 
 sins as the greatest enemies ; nor can a malicious 
 person so spitefully set forth the faults of his enemy, 
 as he will his own. Besides, he knoweth that extenu- 
 ating sin aggravates, and aggravating extenuateth it, 
 that as a charitable man gathereth by scattering, so a 
 penitent lesseneth his sin by acknowledging it great. 
 Hence it is that the confessions recorded in Scripture, 
 are full of exaggerating expressions (as may appear in 
 those of David, 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, and Ezra, chap. ix. 6, 
 and Daniel, chap. ix. 5), setting forth not only the 
 nature, but the greatness of their sins. 
 
 Thirdly, Finally, in confession we must acknow- 
 ledge the guilt and desert of our sins, not only what 
 we have done unjustly, but what we deserve to suffer 
 justly. Thus we must confess, as our sins, so the 
 punishment due to us by reason of those sins; how we 
 deserve to be stripped of all God's mercies, and to 
 have all the curses written in his book inflicted on us. 
 This is that the Scripture calls a judging ourselves, 
 1 Cor. xi. 81, when we do not only arraign and accuse 
 ourselves unto God by a confession of the fault, but 
 judge and condemn ourselves by a confession of the 
 punishment ; and so we find iu Daniel's acknowledg- 
 ment, not only ' we have committed iniquity, we have 
 done wickedly,' but ' to us, Lord God, belongeth 
 confusion of face, as it is this day,' Dan. ix. 5, 7, 8. 
 
 [3. J Once more, as sins, many sins, so our sins, 
 must be confessed. It is St Austin's note upon those 
 words of David, ' I acknowledge my iniquity,' non 
 intueor alios, I do not pry into other men's faults to 
 publish them, but I acknowledge my own ofl'ences. 
 
 To enlarge this in a threefold consideration; we 
 must confess. 
 
 First, Our own sins principally. Indeed, wo find 
 the people of God confessing public as well as private 
 sins ; the sins of their princes, their priests, as well as 
 their own ; not only the sins of their contemporaries, 
 but their progenitors, ' We have sinned with our 
 fathers,' Ps. cvi. 6; but still they chiefly insist upon 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 97 
 
 their own sins. When God's servants confess the 
 sins of others, it is upon one of these two reasons : 
 either because they have been theirs, or lest the_y 
 should be theirs. ! Sometimes other men's sins become 
 ours, and lit it is that, as we have been partakers 
 with them in their sins, we should be in repentance ; 
 and if they do not, yet we must confess their sins, 
 inasmuch as our hand hath been in them. Again, 
 the sins of others, when public, if not confessed and 
 bemoaned by us, become ours. It is not enough for 
 ns that we do not join with, but we must mourn for, 
 the abominations of others ; but still principally our 
 own sins must be our greatest trouble, and the matter 
 of our confession. 
 
 Sccoiiil/i/, Our sins to be our own. Many in con- 
 fessing ofttimes transfer their sins upon others. These 
 brats are so ugly, that when they are brought forth we 
 are loath to own them, but lay them at others' doors. 
 Eve chargeth her sin upon the serpent : Gen. iii. 12, 
 13, ' The serpent beguiled me ;' Adam upon Eve, nay, 
 in plain terms, upon God : ' The woman which thou 
 gavest me.' St Austin, upon those words of David, 
 confitehor adversus me iiiiqiiitates meas domino, 'I will 
 confess my sins against myself nnto the Lord,' ob- 
 seiTeth, that many confess their sins, not againut, but 
 for themselves ; not to, but against the Lord. How 
 usual is it with wicked men to accuse not only the 
 devil, but God, for the sing which they commit, laying 
 them upon fate and destiny, upon the stars and cli- 
 mate, upon their constitution and complexion, and the 
 like ! But the truth is, as Agamemnon said, o'urE Zi~; 
 oxiTi fioipa (JxiTi him;, neither Jupiter, nor the destinies, 
 nor the furies, but it is a man's self that doth him the 
 mischief; and therefore the true penitent layeth his 
 sins at his own door, and taketh shame upon himself 
 by reason of them. 
 
 Thirdhj, Those sins which are most especially our 
 own. The prophet Isaiah saith of himself and the 
 people, Isa. liii. 6, ' We have all hke sheep gone 
 astray, and turned every man to his own way,' thereby 
 intimating that, as all men go in a wTong way, so 
 every man hath his own way in which he wandereth. 
 It were easy to instance in countries, in persons, how 
 there is some sin, which is, as it were, more especially 
 beloved and practised by them. Pliny writeth of some 
 families that had privy marks on their bodies pecuUar 
 to those of that line, and every man hath, as it were, 
 a privy sin, which is most justly called his ; but, if we 
 will confess our sins aright, we must not leave out 
 that sin ; nay, our chiefest spite must be against it, 
 according to David's resolve, Ps. xxxviii. 18, ' I will 
 declare mine iniquity, and be sorry for my sin.' And 
 80 ranch shall suffice in answer to the first question, 
 which respects the object of our confession. 
 
 Quest. 2. To whom confession of sins is to be made, 
 is that which next in order calls for a solution. True 
 it is, we have no express and direct, but yet we have 
 a collateral and implicit, answer in the text ; and though 
 
 it is not said, //' i(v confess our sins to God, yet it will 
 easily appear that it is so intended. 
 Indeed, it cannot be denied but that, 
 
 1. Our sins against the second table, as they are 
 wrongs and injuries to our neighbour, ought to be 
 confessed to him. In this sense St Augustine* inter- 
 prets that of St James, ' confess your faults one to 
 another ; ' and without doubt, it is implicitly required 
 by our blessed Saviour, when, Mat. v. 23, 24, he bids 
 a man, before he ofl'er his gift, to ' go and be reconciled 
 to his brother, if he have aught against him;' to wit, by 
 (at least) making an acknowledgment of the wi'oug 
 he hath done him. 
 
 2. Our sins having been open, and so become scan- 
 dalous, ought to be acknowledged to the church 
 whereof we are members. This is that sjo/ioXo'yjjff/s, 
 which was used in the primitive times, of which Ter- 
 tuUianf and others of the ancients speak, a piece of 
 disciplme which it were heartily to be wished were 
 still in use, that notorious oti'enders might be brought 
 to a public acknowledgment of their sins. 
 
 3. Our sins, when they are not only in themselves 
 gross, but to our consciences burdensome, may, nay, 
 ought to be confessed to a faithful, pious, discreet 
 minister. The truth is, there are many excellent 
 benefits which hereby accrue to the penitent, as Zanchy 
 hath \vell observed :J such as are the helping forward 
 of his humiliation, faith, and repentance; the obtaining 
 from the minister more suitable, particular, and direct 
 counsels, more spiritual and fervent prayers both for 
 and with him ; and withal, upon the signs of his true 
 contrition accompanying that confession, the comfort- 
 able sentence of absolution ; and, therefore, though I 
 do utterly dislike the doctrine of the Romish church, 
 which asserts a particular enumeration of all oar sins 
 to the priest as necessary to remission ; yea, in her 
 last conventicle, § rather than council, pronounceth an 
 anatlieina to all who shall deny this particular sacra- 
 mental confession to the priest to be of divine right ; 
 yea, though I abhor the practice of it as used among 
 them by the priest, as a stratagem to untie the people's 
 purses, and a picklock to open the secrets of states by 
 the people, not as an hedge, but a gap to make way 
 for future commissions with more freedom after they 
 have (as they suppose) cleansed themselves by con- 
 fession ; yet I could heartily wish that the right use of 
 private confession to the priest were revived and prac- 
 tised, since I am confident that as many having secret 
 diseases perish for want of revealing them to an able 
 physician, so many sin-sick souls either wholly mis- 
 cany, or however, sadly continue and increase their 
 inward wounds, for want of making known their case 
 to some faithful minister. 
 
 But the confession which onr apostle here intends, 
 is (no doubt) only in reference to God ; for besides 
 
 * Aug. in James v. 16. t TcrtuII. de ptenit. 
 
 I Zanch. in loc. 
 
 § Concil. Trident, Seas. 14, Can. 7. 
 
98 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 that it is a confession to be made by the apostles, 
 and 60 the ministers themselves as well as the people, 
 it is clearly intimated, that this confession must be 
 made to him who is just and faithful to forgive, and 
 that is only God. Indeed, this confession is that 
 which must accompany all the rest. When we confess 
 the wrong to man, we must confess the sin to God, 
 Ps. xxxii. 4 ; when we acknowledge the scandal to the 
 church, still we must acknowledge the sin to God, 
 Luke sv. 18 ; finally, when we confess to, our con- 
 fession must not be terminated in, the minister ; and 
 though it be made before him, yet it must be directed 
 to God. The truth is, those confessions without this 
 are not available, but this may, nay, will be without 
 those, if God deny the opportunity of them. Indeed, it 
 is God who is either mediately or immediately injured, 
 it is God's law which is directly violated in all sins, 
 and therefore to him they must be confessed. Thus 
 David said, ' I wil' confess my transgi'essions unto the 
 Lord ;' and the prodigal rcsolveth to ' go to his father 
 and say. Father, I have sinned against heaven and 
 before thee ;' and St Chrysostom adviseth, yea, be- 
 Beecheth the people-'- to acknowledge their sins con- 
 tinually to God, to confess them before the judge, 
 praying, if not with their tongue, yet their hearts. f 
 And so much be spoken in answer to the second 
 query. 
 
 ' How this confession must be performed is next to 
 be resolved ; to which end be pleased to take notice of 
 the antecedent, ingredients, and consequent of a right 
 acknowledgment. 
 
 1. There cannot be aginlio if there be not cognitio 
 peccati, an acknowledging, unless there precede a 
 knowledge of sin. David puts them together : Ps. 
 li. 3, ' I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin 
 is ever before me.' If our sins be not before us, 
 how can we set them before God ? And therefore, to 
 the right exercise of this duty, there is required a 
 previous examination of our hearts, iuspcction into 
 our lives, that we may be enabled to see our sins. 
 Ho that hath not yet asked himself that question. 
 Quid feci? What have I done'? can never make the 
 confession. Sic feci, Thus and thus I have done ; and 
 in this respect I would, though not require, yet advise 
 it as a pious and prudent practice, and that which I 
 doubt not but many Christians have found benefit by, 
 to keep a constant daily catalogue, as of mercies 
 received, so of sins committed. 
 
 2. The ingredients of this confession are many, and 
 such as well deserve our observation. A right con- 
 fession of sin must be, 
 
 1. Free and voluntary, not a confession upon the 
 rack or the gallows, txlracled merely from sense of 
 pain and smart of the punishment. We read of con- 
 
 * Aja TOtJro vapOLKaXaj xa'i iioftect xac'i avTi^aXu, &C. — (Jhri/SOSt, 
 
 T. 6, hom. 5. 
 
 t 'Ko") ToZ iixaffrev oftcXoyu tu a/jta^rK/iara lu^ofiive; ii Kx't 
 ^fi rti yXuT-rr «AX« Tw /xv«/*j;. — Chryiost. ad liebr. 
 
 fessions made by Pharaoh, Exod. x. IG, and Saul^ 
 1 Sam. XV. 24, but it was when judgment either feared 
 or felt compelled them to it. Many cast out their 
 sins by confession, as mariners do their wares in a 
 storm, wishing for them again in a calm. A true 
 confession must be ingenuous, and must come like 
 water out of a spring, which floweth freely, not like 
 water out of a still, which is forced by fire. 
 
 2. Cordial and sincere confession to men is a work of 
 the voice,' but to God of the heart, and that so peculiarly 
 as ofttimes the heart alone is sufficient without the 
 voice, but never the voice without the heart. Many 
 men's confessions come from them as water runs 
 through a pipe; they leave no impression, their hearts 
 are not affected with what they confess. Oh let us 
 learn to be in good earnest with God, remembering 
 that as prayer for mercy, so confession of sin, must 
 not be only a lip labour, since then, instead of ofl'ering 
 the ' calves of our lips,' we shall but otl'er the ' hps 
 of calves.' 
 
 3. Penitent and abasing. This is that which puts 
 forth itself in a threefold affection, of shame, of grief, 
 of hatred. We must confess, 
 
 (1.) With shame. This was Ezra's temper when 
 he saith, chap. vi. G, ' my God, I am ashamed, and 
 blush to lift up my face to heaven.' To be ashamed to 
 confess is bad, but to confess with shame is good. 
 Those words of the prophet, Hos. xiv. 2, ' So will we 
 render the calves of our lips,' are by Velasquez* ex- 
 pounded of penitent confession, which, whilst it 
 brings by shame redness into the cheeks, as it were, 
 lets out the blood of the sacrificed calf by the knife of 
 repentance. 
 
 (2.) With grief. Thus the publican, Luke xviii. 13, 
 for shame, ' stands afar off, not daring to lift his eyes 
 to heaven,' and for grief ' smiteth his breast.' David 
 doth not only say, Ps. xxxviii. 18, ' I will dcclai'e,' 
 but ' I will be sorry for my sin.' The people of God, 
 1 Sam. vii. G, in the day of their confession, not only 
 say ' We have sinned,' but draw water and pour it out 
 before the Lord, in token of contrition. We should, in 
 confessing sins, have our hearts so affected, that our 
 eyes with Job may ' pour tears before God,' Job 
 xvi. 20 ; that, with David, ' rivers of tears may run 
 down our eyes,' Ps. cxix. 13G ; yea, we should wish 
 with Jeremiah, ' that our head were water, and our 
 eyes a fountain of tears,' Jer ix. 1. But, however, 
 iionue stilliibit ocuhis noster ? if we cannot pour out, 
 shall we not drop a tear ? or at least, if we cannot shed 
 a tear, let us hreathe forth a sigh for our sins. It is 
 only the heart broken with godly sorrow that sends 
 forth a true confession. 
 
 (S.) With hatred. Confession is the soul's vomit ; 
 and look as wliat the stomach vomits it loathes, j'c.t, 
 therefore, it casts it up because it loathes it, so must 
 we confess om- sins with an holy indignation against, 
 and detestation of, them. There are, beloved, too 
 * Velasqu. in Phil. cap. ii. v. 10, Amiot. 2. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 99» 
 
 many who declare their sin, but it is, to use the pro- 
 phet Isaiah's comparison, ' as Sodom,' Isaiah iii. 9, 
 with impudency ; they make a sport of acting, and they 
 make a jest of confessing their sins. These are they 
 who, according to St Paul's expression, ' glory in their 
 shame,' Phil. iii. 19 ; mention their sin, not with sorrow, 
 but joy; hatred, but delight; boasting of the wickedness 
 they act. It is a confession which is attended with 
 dedolent impenitency, but the penitent confession is 
 of a contrary nature, ever accompanied with a shame- 
 ful grief and loathing. 
 
 4. Believing and fiducial. It must be like the 
 confession, not of the malefactor to the judge, but of 
 a sick man to the physician. We read of Cain and 
 Judas confessing, but it was rather a desperate accu- 
 sation than a penitent confession ; Daniel, as he 
 acknowledged, to them belonged confusion, Dan. ix. 5, 
 60 that to God belougeth mercy. Thus must our most 
 sorrowful acknowledgment be joined with some com- 
 fortable hope of, and trust in, divine mercy. 
 
 3. The consequent of this confession must be dere- 
 liction. Were it only to confess our fault when we 
 have done it, it were an easy matter ; but if Solomon 
 may be St John's expositor, it is not only to confess 
 but forsake sin, Prov. xxviii. 13 ; and therefore interpre- 
 ters truly assert, that confession is here put synecdochi- 
 cally* for the whole works of repentance, it being not 
 enough for us to confess the sin we have committed, 
 but we must not commit again wilfully the sins we 
 confess. Indeed, it is very sad to consider how 
 generally defective men's confessions are as to this 
 particular. Many (as Fulgentius excellently) being 
 pricked in conscience, confess that they have done ill, 
 and yet put no end to their ill deeds ; they humbly 
 accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which 
 oppress them, and yet with a perverse heart rebel- 
 liously heap up those sins whereof they accuse 
 themselves. The very pardon which they beg with 
 mournful sighs, they impede with their wicked actions; 
 the}" ask help of the physician, and still minister 
 matter to the disease, thus in vain endeavouring to 
 appease him with penitent words, whom they go on 
 to provoke by an impenitent course. f Look how Saul 
 dealt with David, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17, xxvi. 1, one 
 while confessing his injustice towards him, and soon 
 after persecuting him in the wilderness; so do men 
 with God. You know the story of Pharaoh, who one 
 day saith, ' I have sinned,' and promiseth to let Israel 
 go, and the next day ' hardeneth his heart, and refuseth 
 to let them go ;' and this practice is too, too frequent. 
 Our repentance is a kind of checker work, black and 
 white, \\hite and black; we sin and then we confess, 
 we confess and then again we sin. But oh, beloved, 
 what will it avail you to vomit up your sins by con- 
 fession, if you do it only with the drunkard, to make 
 
 * I'eccatoruin confessio syneilocliice uuiversam peniten- 
 tiaiii luic loco significat. — Vorst. in loc. 
 t Fulgeut. de rem. peccat. 1. i. c. 12. 
 
 way for pouring in more drink, committing new sins ! 
 nay, with the dog, you return to your vomit and lick 
 it up again. It is excellent counsel that is given by 
 St Ambrose,* Oh take we heed that the devil have not 
 cause to triumph over our remedy as well as our 
 disease, and that our repentance bo not such as needs ■ 
 a repentance. Indeed (as Fulgentiusf appositely), 
 then is confession of sin available, when it is accom- 
 panied with a separation fi'om sin, and the practice of 
 the contrary duty ; and therefore, what our apostle 
 saith of loving, 1 John iii. 18, let me say of confessing. 
 Confess ' not in tongue or in word only, but in deed 
 and in truth ;' by endeavouring to forsake those sins 
 which we confess, not only saying 'I have done ini- 
 quity,' but cordially adding, ' I will do so no more,' 
 Job xxxiv. 32. I end this with that note of St Austin 
 upon those words of the prophet, Isa. i. 16, ' Wash 
 you, make you clean :' He only washeth and is clean, 
 who sorrowfully acknowledgeth the past, and doth not 
 again willingly admit future sins. J And so much shall 
 serve in despatch of the third question. 
 
 4. Come we now in a few words to the last, which 
 is, who they are that must thus confess ; and that is 
 intimated in the word ice. To confess sin, is that 
 which belongs not only to wicked and ungodly men, 
 but to St John and such as he was, good, na}', the 
 best of Christians ; and that in a respect of their, 
 
 (1.) Past enormities. True penitents love still to 
 rub upon their old sores. David in his psalm depre- 
 cateth the ' sins of his youth,' Ps. xxv. 7. Our old 
 sins call for new confessions, and this holy men do 
 upon several considerations. 
 
 [1.] To keep down the swelling of spiritual pride, 
 which is apt toarise in the best saints. King Agathocles, 
 by drinking in earthen vessels, to mind himself of his 
 original (which was from a potter), kept himself humble; 
 so do good Chi'istians, by remembering and acknow- 
 ledging their heinous sins before conversion. 
 
 [2.] To gain further assurance of the pardon of 
 these sins. Faith in the best is apt to faint, and fears 
 to arise in their minds, but the renewing of confession 
 and contrition supports faith and expels fear. 
 
 [3.] To strengthen themselves the more against 
 relapses into those sins. The best men want not 
 temptations to the worst sins, especially those which 
 before conversion they were accustomed to and lived 
 in, but every new confession is as it were a new obliga- 
 tion upon a man not to do it any more. 
 
 [4. J To inflame their souls with gi-eater measure of 
 love to God and Christ. The sense of sin is a great 
 endearment of mercy, and the confession of sin renew- 
 cth the sense of it. Indeed, we must not commit sin 
 abundantly, that grace may abound the more, but we 
 may and ought to confess sin abundantly, that grace 
 may abound, and be the more precious to us. For 
 
 * Ambros. de penitent, 1, i. c. 7. ct c. 11. Aug. hom. 41. 
 t Fulgent, de Kcmiss. peccat 1. ii. c 16. 
 J Aug. Serm. 06. de Teiup. hom. 41. 
 
100 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 these reasons it is that good Christians are frequent 
 in confessing their old sins ; but besides, they have 
 new matter of confession in respect of, 
 
 (2.) Their present infirnnities. Not only all that arc 
 wicked, but all that are sinners, are bound to confess 
 their sins, and (as you formerly heard) the best whilst 
 they continue here are sinners. Whilst the ship is leak- 
 ing, the water must be pumped out. As the room con- 
 tinually gathereth soil, so it must he daily swept, and 
 the stomach which is stiU breeding ill humours, must 
 have vomits administered. The line of confession 
 must be drawn out as long as the line of sinning, and 
 that is as long as the line of living. 
 
 To shut up, therefore ; we may by this see what kind 
 of saints those are, who are altogether for high rap- 
 tures of gratnlation and admiration, but think them- 
 selves past confession and humiliation ; and therefore 
 you shall observe their prayers to have little or no 
 mixture of acknowledgment of sin. To all such, I 
 shall say as the emperor did to the arch-puritan 
 Acesius, x>.!/j,a-/.a S'-c xai /j.6vo: i/; o-j^avov avd^r/Si, erect 
 thy ladder, and climb alone upon it to heaven. For 
 our parts (my brethren), let confession of sins be, as the 
 first, so the last round in that ladder to heaven, by 
 which we expect and endeavour to ascend that celes- 
 tial habitation. 
 
 SEEMON XVII. 
 
 If H-e confess our sins, he is faithful and jmt to forgive ?/s our sins, and to cleanse us from all unri^fhlcousncss. — 
 
 1 John I. 9. 
 
 THAT covenant which almighty God hath made with 
 fallen man in Christ Jesus, is not unfitly called 
 by divines a covenant of grace, free grace being the 
 impulsive cause from within moving God to make 
 that covenant. But though it be of ijmcc, yet it is 
 still a covenant ; and therefore, as in all covenants there 
 is a mutual obligation on both parties between whom 
 the covenant is made, so is it in this, wherein is sig- 
 nified, as what God will do for us, so what he will 
 have done by us. Hence it is that we find not only in 
 the law but gospel commands as well as comforts, pre- 
 cepts as promises ; yea, these promises still proposed 
 conditionally ; for so we may observe, among other 
 places in this chapter, and particularly in this verse, 
 wherein remission is annexed to confession, ' If we 
 confess our sins, he is faithful,' &c. 
 
 Having already despatched the dnty in an absolute 
 consideration, as it is the matter of a precept, we arc 
 now to handle the relative, as it is the condition of a 
 promise, the prosecution of which shall be done two 
 ways. 
 
 1. Negatively, it is not a cause, but only a condi- 
 tion of the promise, and therefore it is not said or; 
 but 'ias, because, but if, we confess our sins. Indeed, 
 if confession be a cause of remission, it must be either 
 meritorious or instrumental, but it is not, it cannot 
 be, either of these. 
 
 (1.) Confession is not, cannot be, a meritorious 
 cause of forgiveness. It is satisfaction, not confession, 
 which merits remission ; and therefore wiih men for- 
 giveness upon mere acknowledgment is an act, not of 
 equity, but of charity. In this regard the merit of re- 
 mission is Christ's, not ours; his blood, whereby he 
 hath made satisfaction, not our tears, which are only 
 the concomitant of confession. True it is, there is a 
 congruity in confession, inasmuch as it maketh us fit 
 for, but there is no condiguity to render us deserving 
 of, this mercy of forgiveness. 
 
 It may perhaps he here inquired why, since the 
 commission of sin is meritorious of punishment, the 
 confession is not of pardon ; for, if the sin be there- 
 fore of so great a desert, because against God, why 
 shall not the acknowledgment be of as great merit, be- 
 cause to God? The answer to which is justly returned, 
 partly that whereas our commissions are purely sinful, 
 our confessions are not purely penitent, since even 
 when we confess our sins we sin in confessing ; partly 
 that whereas the demerit of the fault is chiefly rcspecta 
 ohjecti, in regard of the person to whom the injury is 
 done, the amends for the fault is respectu snbjecti, 
 principally considerable in respect of the person by 
 whom it is made. And hence it is that, though the 
 sin committed by us be of infinite demerit, because 
 against an infinite justice, yet nothing done by us can 
 be of infinite merit, because we are finite persons. 
 
 (2.) Confession is not the instrumental cause of for- 
 giveness. To clear this the more, be pleased to know 
 that there is a great deal of difterence between that 
 which is merely conditional, and that which is so a 
 condition, as it is withal an instrument. That may 
 be a necessary condition, which is only required to 
 the qualification of the subject on whom the thing is 
 conferred ; but that which is not only a condition, but 
 an instrument, hath some kind of influence into the 
 production of the thing which is conferred ; and this 
 being well observed will serve excellently to clear that 
 orthodox doctrine of justification by faith alone. We 
 are justified (a chief ingredient whereof is forgiveness 
 of sins) only by faith, not by repentance, not by 
 charity, nor by any other grace or work, because 
 it is only faith which concuvrcth as an instrument to 
 this work, inasmuch as it is the hyssop sprinkling the 
 soul with the blood, the hand applying to the soul the 
 righteousness of Christ, for which we arc forgiven and 
 justified. And hence it is that the preposition o/a is 
 only used concerning faith, ' He is the propitiation for 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SKRMON XVIL 
 
 101 
 
 our sins through faith,' Rom. iii. 25, and ' we are jus- 
 tified by faith,' Gal. ii. 16 ; whereas it is never said 
 we are justified by confessing, or forgiving, or repent- 
 ing, though vet still these are conditions of justifica- 
 tion and forgiveness, inasmuch as they are necessary 
 qualifications reijuirod in the person whom God doth 
 justify, and to whom sin is forgiven. 
 
 2. Afiirmatively it is a condition, and that both 
 exclusive and inclusive. 
 
 (1.) It is an exclusive condition. This 'iai is as 
 much as h (i,ri, this s( as iiid, if otherwise not. There 
 is no forgiveness to be had without confession ; 
 though it be not that for vhicli, no, nor yet hj iihich, 
 yet it is that icilJioiil uhich no remission can be ob- 
 tained. I think it is needless to dispute what God 
 could do by his absolute power ; it is enough he can- 
 not do it by his actual, because he will not ; and 
 truly, though there is no need of any, j-et there is 
 abundant reason of this divine pleasure, since it is 
 that which his justice, his purity, and his wisdom 
 seem to call for. Justice requireth satisfaction, much 
 more confession. If God shall pardon them which do 
 not confess but conceal, and go on in sin, it would 
 open a gap to all profaneness and impiety, which 
 cannot consist with his puritj-. Finally, it cannot 
 stand with God's wisdom to bestow mercy but on 
 them that are in some measure fitted for it ; and we 
 are not, cannot be, fitted for remission till we have 
 practised confession. None are fit for mercy but they 
 who see their need of it, hunger after it, and know 
 how to value it ; whereas if God should ofl'er pardon 
 to an impenitent, he would scarce accept it ; however, 
 he would not prize it. It is confession which maketh 
 us taste the bitterness of sin, and so prepareth us for 
 a relish of the sweetness of forgiving mercy. 
 
 The exelusiveness of this condition is that which 
 Solomon expresseth, when he opposeth hiding to con- 
 fessing ; and as he assureth mercy to the one, so he 
 flatly denieth it to the other : Prov. xxviii. 13, ' He 
 that hideth his sin shall not prosper.' And to this 
 purpose it is that almighty God threateueth, Hos. 
 V. 15, ■ I will go and return to my place till they ac- 
 knowledge their ofl'ence and seek my face ;' in which 
 donee is manifestly intimated a nisi, until, that is, 
 unless they acknowledge, I will not vouchsafe my gra- 
 cious presence to them. Yea, this is that which David 
 found verified in his own experience, Ps. xxxii. 3-5, 
 where he saith, ' 'SMien I kept silence, mj- bones 
 waxed old ; day and night thy hand was heavy upon 
 me ; I acknowledged my sin, and thou forgavest.' 
 Unless the sore be opened* and the corrupt matter 
 let out, the party cannot be healed ; when the ague 
 breaketh forth at the lips, then there is hope of its 
 cessation.f If the apostume break, and come not 
 
 * Quid peccatorum confessio, nisi qusedam vulneris 
 ruptio? — Greff. Mag. 
 
 t Kebris cum foris erumpit spem affert dcsinendi. — Am- 
 broa. in I's. x.\xvii. 
 
 forth at the ears or mouth, the patient is but a dead 
 man.* Till that which oppresseth the stomach becast 
 up, there can be no ease; f and unless there be a penitent 
 laying open of our sins before God by self-accusation, 
 it is in vain to expect his absolution. Those words of 
 the wise man, Prov. xviii. 21, ' Life and death are in the 
 power of the tongue,' are not unfitly morahsed by one 
 to this purpose : If our tongues keep silence, nothing 
 but death to be expected ; if they speak in humble 
 acknowledgment, Ufe is assured. This is the course 
 of the court of heaven, directly contrary to the courts 
 on earth, as St Chrysostom and others|, have observed. 
 With men, confession is the ready way to condemna- 
 tion ; with God, there is no other way to remission. 
 He that doth not conceal his offence fi-om the judge 
 is sure to sufi'er ; he that doth endeavour to hide his 
 sin from God shall surely sufi'er. So the sentence was 
 against the speechless oti'ender, Mat. xxii. 12, ' Take 
 him, bind him hand and foot, cast him into utter dark- 
 ness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. '_ 
 (2.) It is an inclusive condition, such as wherever it 
 is found the benefit is certainly conferred. This 
 supposition may truly be turned into a position, 
 this ia\i into an a>.»ito--, verily God will forgive them 
 who confess their sins. It is not an it may be 
 God will forgive, or an wlw knoieeth but, he will 
 forgive, but a surely he will forgive. There is not 
 only a possibility or probability, but a certainty of 
 remission to confessing sinners. St Bernard§ to this 
 purpose taketh notice of a book which God keepeth 
 as it were in heaven, and saith appositely. Quod ibi 
 scriiit transyressio, delet confessio, what sin writeth in, 
 confession blotteth out of, that book. Hence it is that 
 we find God himself prescribing this. Num. v. G, 7, as 
 the ready way to forgiveness, his ministers assuring 
 pardon, Jer. iii. 12, 13, upon the performance of this; 
 so Nathan did David, 2 Sam. xii. 13, yea, sinners, ac- 
 tually obtaining pardon upon this. So did David and 
 the prodigal ; and which is observable, in both those 
 penitents God's remission seemed, as it were, to pre- 
 vent their confession, and interpose itself between the 
 purpose and the performance of it. David only said, 
 Ps. xxxii. 5, he would confess, and God forgave ; and 
 the prodigal said, Luke xv. 18, ' I will arise and go,' 
 and ' whilst yet he w:is a great way ofi", the Father runs 
 to meet him.'|| 
 
 * Quando apostema convertitur ad interiora, causa mortia ; 
 
 ad exteriora, possibile ad salutem perveniro. — Summ. Cone, 
 on. Nisi quis animi sui vitia cognovorit et oris proprii con- 
 fessione prodiderit, purgari absolviiiue nou poterit. — Orig. 
 Ti^t ao^Zt, 1. iii. c. 1. • o 
 
 t Stomachus, si vomuerit, relevatur, ka.—Orig. in Fs. 
 xxxvii. 
 
 % TertuU. de pa:nit. c. viii. Vide Velasqu. in Phi. Chry- 
 sost. de verb. Isaitc. hom. iii. ; Ut qui propria vobis non 
 tacuerit flagitia damnatur, ita nobiscum qui eadem Deo 
 fucrit confossus absolvitur.— Siifo;i. ApoU. 1. iv. ep. xiv. 
 
 § Bern, de Inter, dora. c. xxxvii. 
 
 il Velox confessio, velocior medicina. — Eucher. 
 
102 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I, 
 
 And now, if any shall say, We have set upon this ! 
 course, but not yet foiinil this comfort ; we have 
 confessed onr sins, and they are not (at least in our 
 apprehension) forgiven ; I answer. Perhaps thou hast 
 not been serious and ingenuous in thy confession; thou 
 hast confessed some sins, but not all ; or thy confes- 
 sions have not been so cordial and penitent as they 
 ought to be ; and no wonder if, failing in the right 
 performance of the condition, thou dost not find the 
 accomplishment of the promise. But if thy endeavours 
 have been sincere in confessing, thou must then distin- 
 guish between the real condonation and the sensible 
 manifestation. Thy sins may be forgiven in heaven, 
 and yet not in thy conscience. As God many times 
 heareth prayer, and yet the petitioner finds no answer, 
 so he pardoneth sin to the penitent, and yet he doth 
 not know of it ; and therefore still it remaineth as a 
 truth, remission is undoubtedly annexed to confession. 
 Tantiim valent tres sijlhib<r Vec-cx-yi, saith St Austin,* 
 of so great force are those three syllables iu the Latin, 
 three words in the English, when uttered with a con- 
 trite heart, I have siniwcl, to obtain forgiveness of our 
 sins. 
 
 To end this, therefore, and to dismiss the first 
 general of the text. 
 
 What an engagement and encouragement should 
 this be to the practice of this duty ! 
 
 1. The necessity should engage us. Might pardon 
 be had upon any other terms, this might be dispensed 
 with, but it cannot be ; there is not onl}- iiecessitcis 
 prtrcepti, a necessity by virtue of a command (though 
 truly God's bare command is a suflicieut obligation, 
 and therefore Tertullian accounts it boldness to dis- 
 pute of the good of repentance,! whenas we have a 
 precept enjoining it), but there is necessilas medii, a 
 necessity in reference to the end of forgiveness and 
 happiness, there being no other means or way wherein 
 it is to be obtained, since by concealing of, and in- 
 dulging to, onr sins, we exclude God's indulgence. 
 
 2. The utility should encourage us. Were it only 
 God's honour, which is hereby advanced, it should bo 
 a prevailing motive. Confession of sin, though it 
 publifh the ill qualities of the peccant, yet it hath this 
 good quality, that it aseriboth to God his divine attri- 
 butes : omniscience, acknowledging it were in vain to 
 hide from him that soeth already ; mercy, since it 
 were madness to make confession where we conceived 
 no compassion ; justice, which we acknowledge might 
 utterly consume us ; patience, which is the only cause 
 that vengeance did not presently follow our sins ; 
 finally, power, that there is no way to fly from him, 
 but to go to him in humble confessions. To this 
 purpose St Austin tells us, J Kst covfessin laudantis ct 
 (jcmeiitis, there is the confession of the thankful and 
 of the sorrowful ; nay, the confession of sin is a con- 
 fession of praise ; yea, Ik Denm laudamus uhi pie nos 
 
 * Aug. hom. xli. f TcrtuU. do jjicniteut. 
 
 t Aug. in Ps. zci. 
 
 accusamus, by taking shame to ourselves, we give 
 double glory to God. But if zeal for God's glory will 
 not induce us, yet love to ourselves should oblige us, 
 since, as it is God's honour, so it is our comfort. He 
 hath the glory, we have the good ; his is the praise, 
 ours is the profit, we being truly entitled to and qualified 
 for the blessing of remission. For this reason no doubt 
 it is that the devil striveth what he can, of all duties, 
 to hinder us from this of confession. Lupus appre- 
 hendit guttur ovis* the wolf catcheth at the throat of 
 the sheep; that is the devil's aim, to stop our con- 
 fessions, because he knoweth how advantageous the 
 performance of it will be unto us. Indeed, therefore, 
 he would not have us to accuse ourselves, that he 
 might accuse us ; but according to St Ambrosej his 
 counsel, pncveni accusatorem tuum, let us be wise to 
 prevent him, and the more he dissuades us from, let 
 us with the greater fervency set upon, this duty, which, 
 as it is acceptable to God, because it exalts his glory, 
 so it is profitable to us in obtaining our pardon. 
 
 Nor let us only be engaged and encouraged to the 
 duty itself, but to the right manner of performance. 
 It is that upon which, as it were, our everlasting com- 
 fort depends, and therefore how careful should we be 
 so to manage it as we may not miss of our comfort. 
 Wouldstthon, then, that God should ignoscere, cover? 
 Do thou agnosfere, discover, th}' sins. AVouldst thou 
 have no sin unpardoned ? Let no sin be uncoufessod. 
 If thou wouldst not have God impute thy sins to 
 thee, do thou charge them upon thyself. Wouldst 
 thou have God to spare thee ? Do not spare thy sing. 
 Wouldst thou speed well in the court of heaven ? Tell 
 the worst tale thou canst against thyself. Woukht 
 thou have him freely to forgive '? Do thou freely ac- 
 knowledge. Wouldst thou rejoice and glory in his 
 pardoning love ? Confess thy sins with sorrow, grief, 
 aud hatred. Wouldst thou have him put away thine 
 iniquities far from hiiu ? Do thou put thy iniquities far 
 from thee. Finally, wouldst thou have him to cast 
 thy sins for ever behind his back ? Do thou often set 
 them before thine own and his face, over remembering 
 that, if we condemn ourselves, he is read to acquit us ; 
 if wo lay our sins upon ourselves, ho is willing to lay 
 them upon Christ ; if we confess our sins, he is just 
 and faithful to forgive. And so I am fallen upon the 
 
 Mcrcj' annexed to the duty, set down in these words, 
 ' To forgive ns our sins, aud to cleanse us from all 
 unrighteousness.' 
 
 In the discussion whereof, I shall take notice of 
 three particulars, each of which are doublj' expressed : 
 ; The object, called by those two names, sin, iin- 
 righleoustiess. 
 
 The act, characterised in those two metaphors, for- 
 t/iiv and cleanse. 
 
 The extent of the act, in reference to the object, 
 intimated in the plural number, sins, and expressed 
 in the universal particle, all um-ighteousness. 
 
 * Suram. Concionat. t Ambrose in Ps. xxxv. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 103 
 
 1. The object of remission is here described by two 
 names, and both of them very significant. 
 
 (1.) The first is a,aa_fr/a, the most usual word by 
 which sin in general is called. It answereth to St2n in 
 the Hebrew, and peccatum in the Latin, and cometh 
 no doubt from the verb aij^asravnv, which is as much 
 as u.a-M'7a. roj£-j=;v, to shoot besides the mark; whence 
 Suidas* detiueth it to be ttiV roD aya^oZ aTor^jyyjav, 
 and deriveth it from a anoriTr/.ov, and fidi-nrj, as if it 
 were a/j.a^'rria. It is verj' observable to this purpose 
 what we read in the book of Judges, chap. vii. 20, 
 concerning those seven hundred chosen men of Ben- 
 jamin, who could sling stones at an hair's breadth, 
 and not miss ; where the Hebrew word for miss is 
 Kt3n, the Greek, dia/jba^Tava, whereby is intimated to 
 us what the nature of sin is, namely, a missing the 
 mark. God, beloved, bath proposed to man a mark, to 
 wit, glory and felicity, which by sin we fail of, accord- 
 ing to that expression of the apostle, Rom. xvii. 23, 
 ' All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;' 
 where the Greek word hanoo'ji alludeth to those who 
 come short in running to the goal. Both amount to 
 the same ; and let us see how sin maketh us come 
 short of the goal, and shoot beside the mark of bliss. 
 And no wonder, since, according to om' apostle's de- 
 finition, a,(ia37/a is a.'Jo;Lia, ' sin is a transgression of 
 the law ;' to which agreeth Cicero'sf definition of 
 peccatum, that it is traiisiUre lineas. As God hath 
 given man a scope to aim at, so a rule to walk by ; 
 as he hath proposed an end, so he hath appointed a 
 way ; but sin misseth of both. Hence it is that sinners 
 are said to go astraj', as sheep which wander from the 
 fold ; and sin is compared to darkness, which causeth 
 the traveller to step aside. So fitly is it here called 
 a/iaiWa, a deviating aberration from the right rule or 
 scope. 
 
 2. The second is ahr/.ia, a word which is some- 
 times used, in a strict notion, for one kind of sin, to 
 wit, injustice towards man. J In this sense it is con- 
 tradistinguished to ungodliness by St Paul, Rom. 
 i. 18, where he saith, ' The wrath of God is revealed 
 from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteous- 
 ness of men.' 
 
 But, again, sometimes it is taken in a larger notion, 
 as applicable to every sin ; for as the moralist dis- 
 tinguisheth of righteousness, it is particular and 
 universal, which universal righteousness containeth in 
 it all virtues. § So we may distinguish of um-ightoous- 
 ness, and so in a general sense it comprehendeth all 
 sins. Thus it is said of the Romans, before conver- 
 sion, they did ' yield their members as weapons of 
 unrighteousness to sin,' Rom. vi. 13. According to this 
 latitude it is to be taken in the promise, Heb. viii. 12, 
 where God saith, ' I will be merciful to their unright- 
 eousness ;' and here in the text, which assureth 
 
 * Suid. in litt. A. t Cic. paradox, c. iii. 
 
 X Vide Fulgent, de Remiss, pcccat. 1. i. c. 12. 
 
 cleansing from all unrighteousness ; and therefore, 
 though we may vnih Demosthenes distinguish between 
 these two, by the one understanding a voluntary, the 
 other an invohintary, fault;* or with Turrianus, upon 
 the test,f by sin understand lesser, and by unright- 
 eousness greater, crimes ; yet I rather conceive both of 
 equal extent. Nor is it without just reason, that all 
 sin is called by the name of injustice, whether you 
 consider it in its nature or its efl'ccts. 
 
 (1.) Look upon the nature of sin. It is aihaojla, 
 and therefore ahrMa., a missing the mark ; and he 
 that doth so, shooteth wrong ; a swerving from the right 
 rule, and therefore must be crooked. It is one of the 
 definitions we meet with in St Austin of sin, it is 
 a will of getting or keeping what justice forbids. J 
 ' The statutes of the Lord are right,' saith David, 
 Ps. xis. 8. ' The commandment is just,' saith St 
 Paul, Rom. vii. 12 ; and therefore sin, which is a 
 breach of it, must needs be unrighteousness. 
 
 (2.) Behold the effects of sin, what injuiy it doth 
 both to God and to the sinner. 
 
 [1.] Sin is unrighteousness towards God, denying 
 him his due, and robbing him of his honour. True it 
 is, God's internal essential glory is inviolable, but sin 
 depriveth him of that external glory and honour which 
 the creature b}' worship and service ought to give to 
 him ; and though it cannot actually, yet it doth inten- 
 tionally, and tberefoi'e interpretativeh', injure the divine 
 Majesty ; in which respect God complaineth, Amos 
 ii. 16, that he is 'pressed under sin as a cart under 
 sheaves' ; and it is truly said, omne peccatum est quasi 
 deicidium, sin doth as much as in it lieth commit 
 murder upon the sacred Deity. 
 
 [2.] Sin is unrighteousness towards ourselves : ' He 
 that sinneth against me,' saith Wisdom, Prov. viii. 86, 
 ' wTongeth his own soul ;' and that is the greatest 
 wrong a man can do himself, it being such a loss as 
 no gain can countervail; for ' what will it profit a man,' 
 saith our blessed Saviour, Mat. xvi. 26, ' to gain the 
 whole world and lose his own soul ?' It is not unfitly 
 observed that arn in the Greek, which signifieth loss, 
 cometh from NtOn in the Hebrew, which signifieth sin, 
 sin ever bringing loss, and doing the greatest injury to 
 him that committeth it. 
 
 And now, beloved, what other use should we make 
 of these considerations, but that we learn so to look 
 upon sin as the Scripture represents it, that we may 
 loathe and abhor it. Alas, whatsoever pleasure thou 
 maycst have in it, it is but the ' pleasure of sin ;' 
 whatever mammon thou mayest get by it, it is but the 
 ' mammon of unrighteousness ;" and, therefore, when 
 the seeming delight and profit may allure thee, let 
 the real obliquity and iniquity of it aftright thee. A 
 morally just person would not wrong a man of a penny 
 
 * oSixutIs ixuf, t^n/tajTi t/'( uxui. — Demost. <rij! frifcij. 
 t Turrian. in loc. 
 
 X Peccatum est voluntas asscquendi vel retincndi qnod jti8» 
 titia vetat. — Aug. de Duab. anitn. adv. Man. 
 
lOi 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 to get a pound, and why wilt thou wrong both God 
 and th^^self for a little present emolument and con- 
 tentment ? Let not, then, sin any longer deceive thee, 
 but remember what names are given it in God's dic- 
 tionary ; and in those names read its nature, that 
 thou mayest hate to commit that which is so irregular 
 and unjust, being therefore characterised by these two 
 titles of aiJ-aoTia. and udmia, sin and unrighteousness. 
 
 2. The act of remission, wherein the benelit con- 
 sists, is expressed in two metaphors, fmiiifiiuj and 
 cleiinsimi, and cometh next to be considered. 
 
 Indeed, some expositors refer these two phrases to 
 two several acts, and so conceive this promise to con- 
 sist of two parts, to wit, justification and sauetification. 
 Thus Beza* calleth cleausiug another benefit, distinct 
 from that of forgiving. And truly it is not to be 
 denied, but that, 
 
 1. Justification and s;iuctitication are inseparable 
 concomitants. Indeed, they are not to be confounded, 
 but withal they ought not to be severed. Distinguished 
 they must be, divided they cannot ; and, therefore, 
 they are fitly called twins in the womb of free grace. 
 To this purpose saith St Bernard, f where sin is par- 
 doned, the gift of sanctity is conferred ; and in this 
 respect St Austin saith, that remission of sin maketh 
 men good trees. f Hence it is that we find those two 
 frequently joined together by St Paul, ' you are justi- 
 fied, you are sanctified,' 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; by the pro- 
 phet Ezekiel, chap, xxxvi. 20, ' I will cleanse you 
 from all j'our inicpiities, and I will give j'ou a new 
 heart ;' and by the prophet Wicab, chap. vii. 19, ' I 
 will subdue thine iniquities, and cast them into the 
 depth of the sea.' 
 
 2. This phrase of cteaii.siiui sorveth very fitly to re- 
 present the work of sauetification, whereby the filth of 
 sin is more and more removed ; and therefore many 
 times it is set forth in Scripture by this metaphor. So 
 when David prayeth for a clean heart, Ps. li. 10, and 
 St Paul exliorts to cleanse ourselves, 2 Cor. vii. 1, wo 
 are no doubt to construe it of sanctification. 
 
 Upon these considerations, I shall not quarrel with 
 any who so interpret it here ; but I conceive it more 
 rational in this place to refer both to one, and by 
 cleansing, understand the same with forgiving, and 
 that because, 
 
 1. It is very probable that St John attributes the 
 same thing here to God, as tho principal efficient, 
 which he ascribeth at the seventh verse to Christ, as 
 the meritorious cause. Now the cleansing there 
 spoken of, as hath been already manifested, and evi- 
 dently appeareth, is that of justification. 
 
 2. It is very incongruous to make the Siinie thing 
 both the condition aud tho matter of a promise. In- 
 deed, that which is the condition of one promise may 
 be the matter of another, but the same tiling cannot 
 bo the matter and condition of the same promise. 
 
 * Bez. in loc. f liuru. iu Caut. sorm. 37. 
 
 { Aug. do verb. dom. aenii. 12. 
 
 Now the cleansing from sin, which is an act of sancti- 
 fication, consists, though not only, jet partly, in the 
 confession of sins, which is the condition of tho 
 promise. 
 
 Upon these considerations I shall handle both these 
 metaphors, as belongiug to one and the same benefit. 
 Nor is it unusual with the Holy Ghost iu Scripture to 
 repeat the same things under various notions; yea, so 
 choice is the matter here promised, that it cannot ho 
 sufficiently expressed aud assured to us. No wonder 
 that it is ingeminated, to forgive, to cleanse. 
 
 And indeed, so emphatical are both these phrases, 
 that though they are one and the same in sense, yet 
 I shall handle them severally as they lie in order. 
 
 1. The first word we meet with is fonjive, a word 
 that is of all others most frequently used. If you 
 inquire into the plain meaning of the Greek word, 
 a^iri/M, it is as much as to dismiss, or send auni/, or 
 let alone. Thus, when God forgiveth sin, he lets the 
 sinner alone, and, as it were, dismisseth his sin, re- 
 moving it (according to the psalmist's expression, Ps. 
 ciii. 12) ' as far from him as east from the west.' If 
 you observe the use of the word, you shall find it 
 applied three several ways : to the acquitting of one 
 that is accused, tho releasing of one that is im- 
 prisoned, and the discharging of one that is indebted ; 
 each of which (especially the last) servo to set forth 
 this benefit. 
 
 When Agesilaus wrote to the judge iu the behalf of 
 Nicias, he used this phrase. If he have done no wrong, 
 dpt;, acquit him ; if ho have done wrong, i.ao; ufi;, 
 acquit him for my sake ; 'zavru; o' afs;, however, 
 acquit him.* This is that which God doth in forgiv- 
 ing, acquit the sinuer from the accusations that are 
 laid against him by sin and Satan. Our blessed 
 Saviour, Luke iv. 18, quoting that place of the pro- 
 phet, maketh use of the noun of this verb, ' to preach, 
 afssiv, delireriince to the captives' ; as if afin;/.! were 
 as much as dvirju,! ; and thus doth the pitifulness of 
 divine mercy in forgiving loose tho captive sinners, 
 who are tied and bound with the chains and fetters of 
 their sins. In the parable of the lord aud his ser- 
 vant who owed him many talents, this word is used 
 to express the lord's forgiving the debt to his servant. 
 Mat. xiii. 27 ; and this is the sense in which the 
 Scripture most fre(piently uaeth the expression. And 
 therefore in tho Lord's prayer, whore forgiveness is 
 expressed by this word, one of the evangelists. Mat. 
 vi. 12, expressly joins with it of£(/.^,aara, ilebis, 'for- 
 give us our debts.' 
 
 And now, according to this notion of tho word, 
 there are two things : it represents to us what sin 
 doth, and what forgiveness doth. 
 
 1. What sin doth. It maketh a man a debtor. 
 
 Grave i-iieahiihim debitoris, saith St Ambrose. f the 
 
 ' name of debtor is very unpleasing ; yet such is every 
 
 sinner, a debtor to God's justice by reason of the 
 
 I * Plut. iiior. t Ambr. Jo Tob. cap. 7. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 10.5 
 
 breach of bis law. Indeed man, as a creature, was a 
 debtor to God's authority commanding, but withal he 
 was able to pay that debt to the full, and therefore it 
 was no burden nor misery; whereas man, as a sinner, 
 is a debtor to God's justice punishing, and this such a 
 debt as he is never able to satisfy, and therefore must 
 lie in prison for over. It is a proverb in Suidas,* a-a; 
 Tujjo; y.ai oszax/; yj.uisi;, ouco red with blushing at 
 the time of borrowing, and ten times pale for fear of 
 paying. Augustus would fain buy his pillow who 
 was so much in debt, as conceiving it was good to 
 sleep ou. How can a siimer sleep secui'ely who is 
 indebted so deeply ! 
 
 2. But that which is hero chiefly considerable, is 
 what forgiveness dolh. Indeed, it lets us see that 
 ■wherein the nature of this blessing consists. Whereas 
 sin, making us debtors to divine justice, obligeth us 
 to the suli'ering of eternal punishment, forgiveness 
 taketh off this obligation, and consequently the puu- 
 ishmeut itself ; so that, look as a forgiven debtor is 
 freed from whatsoever penalty his debt did render him 
 liable to, yea, from being so much as liable to the 
 penalty, so is the forgiven sinner from the punishment 
 itself, which is the remote term, and the obligation to 
 it, which is the proximo term of pardon. In this 
 respect it is that Auselm saith,t to forgive sin is not 
 to punish it ; and St Austin to the same purpose,]; 
 it is God's not marking iniquity so as to inflict the 
 penalty due to it ; and the schools, § to remit the sin 
 is not to impute it so as to punish it. 
 
 For the fuller opening this truth, know, 
 
 1. On the one hand, there is a great deal of diflereuee 
 between these two, to withhold the execution of, and 
 to withdraw the obligation to, the punishment. It is 
 one thing for a creditor to give day of payment, and 
 another thing to cancel the bond. Indeed, the phrase 
 used by Moses, of God's forgiving his people ' from 
 Egjpt until now,' Num. xiv. I'J, scemeth chiefly to 
 intend his sparing to punish them. But that is for- 
 giveness in a larger and improper sense ; according to 
 the genuine notion, there is a vast difference between 
 forgiving and forbearing mercy. As learned Davenant 
 upon those words. Col. iii. 18, ' forbearing and for- 
 giving one another,' hath observed, that there is far 
 more in the latter than in the former, since a man 
 may forbear revenge merely for want of ability or 
 opportunity. So is it true (though not upon the same 
 ground) in respect of God, his forgiving is far more 
 than his forbearing ; and therefore this latter he vouch- 
 Eafeth even to those who go on iii sin, bat the former 
 only to them who confess their sin ; since, whereas by 
 the one it is only he doth not as yet, by the other it 
 is that he will not at all punish. 
 
 2. On the other hand, there is a great deal of dif- 
 
 * Snid in lilt. A. 
 
 t Diinittore ppccatuin non est aliud qiiam [iion] i^uniie. — 
 Ans. CUT Deus homo. lili. i. cap. 12. 
 
 X Auy. iu Ps. xxxii. § Durand. iu Sententis. 
 
 ference betwixt afflicting for sin and punishing for sin, 
 properly so called. For though the meritorious cause 
 of both be the same, to wit, sin, yet the impulsive 
 cause from within is different : that, from an anger 
 mixed with love ; this, from mere auger, and purely 
 judicial wrath. Besides, the final cause is far different : 
 that is for emendation of the person, this is for satis- 
 faction of the law; and so, whereas that is medicinal, 
 this is exitial.* 
 
 That God doth atflict his owu people for sin, yea, 
 for sin after it is forgiven, is a case so clear that it 
 cannot upon any just reason be denied. The anti- 
 nomiaus do but discover their owu blindness, whilst 
 they deny that God seeth siu so as to correct it iu 
 justified persons. That instance of David is pregnant, 
 whom the prophet tells, 2 Sam. xii., as it were with 
 one breath, that God had forgiven his siu, and yet for 
 that siu the child must die ; that of the psalmist con- 
 cerning the Israelites, Ps. xcix. 12, is very plain, 
 ' Thou wast a God that forgavest their siu, though 
 thou tookest vengeance of their iniquities ; ' finally, 
 that of the Corinthians, 1 Cor. xi., is no less apposite, 
 who, though they were forgiven, and therefore should 
 not be condemned with the world, yet were judged 
 and chastised of the Lord for their sin of unworthy 
 receiving the holy sacrament. 
 
 But stiU, thoitgh God do afllict, yet ho doth not 
 punish for sin those whom he forgiveth, unless as all 
 afflictions may in some sort be called punishments. 
 And the reason is plain, because punishing for sin is 
 in a way of revenge and satisfaction, which are directly 
 opposite to forgiveness ; and wo may as well say that 
 a judge can at the same time pardon a malefactor and 
 execute him, as that God can punish when he for- 
 giveth. Indeed, because those eternal miseries have 
 most properly in them ratioiieni jjaiur, the nature ot 
 satisfactory punishment, therefore forgiveness chiefly 
 consists in taking ofl' the obligation to that ; accord- 
 ing to St Paul's phrase, Rom. viii. 1, 'There is no 
 condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.' But 
 yet it is no less true, that the obligation to temporal 
 as well as eternal piuiishmont is taken ofl' ; so that, 
 though the same outward miseries seize upon jiardoued 
 as well as unpardoned sinners, yet not in the same 
 way, as hath been already iutimated. And therefore, 
 though God do inflict many miseries of life, yea, death 
 itself, upon forgiven sinners, to make them feel the 
 smart of sin, watchful how they run into sin, and to 
 declare his justice against sin, yet not in the least to 
 satisfy his justice upon them for sin, that being already 
 most 'fully (as I shall hereafter shew) performed by 
 Christ. 
 
 2. You see the signiflcancy of the first word, and 
 thereby the nature of the thing ; pass we on to the 
 
 * In filios (lainniitionis vindicat iratus, iu filios ^atias 
 vindicat pronitius.— ^w^. de peccat. mer. ct remit., lib. i. 
 cap. 36. 
 
106 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 second, which, though the same, as to the thing, with 
 the former, yet wants not its peculiar emphasis. 
 
 That distinction of divines concerning reiiiisaio culpa 
 et poeiice, the remission of the fault and the punish- 
 ment, may not unfitly be made use of for a distinct 
 reference of those two expressions. The former, of 
 foryiviiif/, more properly refers to the remission of the 
 punishment, though j'et it includeth the /rt((/f ; as a 
 creditor cancelling the bond doth thereby remit the 
 debt itself. This latter, oi clenitsiiii/, chieHy refers to 
 the remission of the fault, which defileth, though it 
 include the imnishweiii, because it is of that defile- 
 ment which is contracted through the guilt of sin. 
 
 And now, as in the former, so in this expression, 
 we have two things considerable, what unrighteous- 
 ness doth, and what pardon doth. 
 
 1. What unrighteousness doth. It maketh the 
 sinner filthy and polluted in God's sight. Sins, as 
 they are dehita, debts, so they are said to be remitted 
 and blotted out ; and as they are sordes, filthy, so 
 they are said elsewhere to be covered, and here to bo 
 cleansed. Oh, then, how odious is an unpardoned 
 sinner in God's sight ! It is very observable how 
 almighty God, describing the sinful state of rebellious 
 Israel, Ezok. xvi., borroweth a metaphor from a child 
 that is not swaddled, but lieth ' polluted in its blood ; ' 
 and the psalmist, Ps. siv. 1, speaking of wicked men, 
 saith, ' They arc corrupt, and become abominable,' 
 where the former word is borrowed from a dead car- 
 case. And truly a child in its blood is not more 
 loathsome to our eyes, a carcase on the dunghill is 
 not more noisome to om* smell, than a sinful wretch 
 is in God's eyes and to his nostrils. 
 
 2. What forgiveness doth. It cleauscth the sinner. 
 An expression tbat must not be strained too much, as 
 if (according to tbc doctrine of the church of Rome) 
 the pardoning of sin were an utter extinction and 
 abolition of it, as cleansing doth wholly take away 
 filth. True it is, where sin is forgiven, the filth of sm 
 is in some measure, and shall at last be wholly, re- 
 moved ; but that is oulj' the eft'ect of glorification, not 
 of justification or sauctification. And, indeed, as if 
 our apostle would prevent any such inference from 
 this phrase, we find him subjoining, ' If we say we 
 have not sinned,' as before, when ho speaketh of 
 Christ's cleansing, he addeth, ' If we say we have no 
 sin ; ' so that sin is therefore said to be cleansed, not 
 that the filth of it doth not remain, but that it shall 
 not bo imputed to us. 
 
 If, tlien, you would have the intention of the Holy 
 Ghost in this phrase, when applied to forgivenet-s, 
 take it thus : Look as a man, when ho is cleansed 
 from filth, is as if ho had boon never defiled, so a 
 sinner, when pardoned, is, in God's account, as if he 
 had never been a sinner. Not but that God secth him 
 to be a sinner still, because the spot of corruption 
 remaineth in him, but that God will not deal with him 
 as a sinner, nor impute it to him for condemnation. 
 
 In this, and no other sense, are those expressions to 
 be construed, when God saith, the 'iniquity of Israel 
 shall be sought for and shall not be found,' Jer. I. 20; 
 and he will ' cast all their sins into the depth of the 
 sea,' Mieah vii. IG ; and, to come near the phrase of 
 my test, that he will make ' scarlet, crimson sins ' ' as 
 white as snow and woul,' Isa. i. 18 ; and that David 
 saith of himself, Ps. h. 7, when God shall have purged 
 him with hyssop, ' [ shall be whiter than snow : ' that, 
 as to the matter of guilt, it shall be all one as if 
 they had never been polluted with any such sins. 
 
 Nor is this all that this expression can'ieth in it. 
 But further, look as a man, being cleansed, is ami- 
 able and lovely in the eyes of beholders, so is a par- 
 doned sinner in God's ; he is not only freed from 
 punishment, but accepted into favour, as fully at peace 
 and amity with him as if he had never ofl'ended him. 
 Hence it is that the church joineth these two together, 
 Hosea xiv. 2, ' Take away all iniquity, and receive us 
 graciously,' or as some read it, and ' do us good.' 
 To this purpose it is the schools say of remission of 
 sins, it is not only ohlulira* mali, but collntica honi, 
 a remotion of guilt, but a collation of good. So that, 
 in sum, a pardoned sinner is cleansed ; that is, as to 
 those great intents and purposes of delivering him 
 from the wrath to come, being fully reconciled to him, 
 bestowing the sonship and inheritance upon him, he 
 is in God's account as if he were perfectly pure and 
 unspottedly innocent, nor had ever committed any 
 sin against him. 
 
 And now, what should these considerations kindle 
 in every one of us but, 
 
 1. An earnest desire and longing after this benefit. 
 my brethren, no misery like to that of sin, which 
 makcih us filthy and abominable, yea, which eugageth 
 us to a debt we can never pay ; no mercy like to that 
 of pardon, which sets us free from debt, and maketh 
 us pure in God's sight. ' wretched man tbat I 
 am ' (saith the sensible sinner), who shall discbarge 
 me from tbis debt ? If thy sins are forgiven, thy 
 debt is discharged. Oh that this sin had never been, 
 oh that I had never done it, saith the sorrowful 
 sinner. Thy sins, if cleansed, are as if they had 
 never been committed. Poor penitent ! Poor, did I 
 say ? Rich, blessed penitent ! Thou art vile and 
 filthy in thine own eyes ; ay ! but thou art pure and 
 clean in God's. Thou chargest thj- sins home upon 
 thy own account, but God will not call theo to account 
 for them ; so that, whereas Rachel mourned for her 
 children because they were not, thou maycst be com- 
 forted concerning thy sins, because they arc not. 
 With what boldness m;iy the forgiven sinner look 
 death, and hell, and Satan, in the face, not fearing 
 the arrest of tlio Serjeant, nor the horror of the prison, 
 nor the cruelty of the jailor. With what confidence 
 may a cleansed sinner come before God's face, not 
 doubting of acceptance and audience. No wonder if 
 * Qu. ' ablaliva ' 9 — Ed. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 107 
 
 the psalmist break forth into that sweet acclamation, 
 Ps. xxxii. 1, ' Blessed,' or according to the Hebrew, 
 'Oh the blessedness of the man whose iniquity is 
 forgiven, and whose sin is covered.' 
 
 And now (methinketh), every sinner, considering 
 the misery on the one hand, and felicity on the other, 
 should cry out, in words much like those of the con- 
 vert Jews, ' Men and brethren, what shall I do ' to 
 have my sins pardoned ? Tell me, I beseech you, 
 what man in chains would not be at liberty ? what 
 debtor doth not long to be discharged ? what male- 
 factor desiroth not to be acquitted ? what leper craveth 
 not to be cleansed ? what diseased person is not 
 restless till ho be healed ? And how is it that we 
 ■who, by reason of sin, are all these in a spiritual 
 sense, do not breathe and pant after the remission of 
 our sins, which healeth, acquitteth, ransometh, dis- 
 chargeth, and cleanseth ? Nor should these medita- 
 tions only kindle desires, but, 
 
 2. Quicken serious and diligent endeavours of at- 
 taining tills pardon in the way which God hath pre- 
 scribed ; and in this respect the mere}' assured layeth 
 upon us a great obligation to perform the duty required. 
 It is true, confession of sins in a right manner is a 
 dilRcult task. Ay ! but the forgiving and cleansing of 
 sin is an excellent benefit ; the sweetness of the one 
 maketh abundant amends for the bitterness of the 
 other. Surely to him that feelelh the weight and 
 burden of his sins, the yoke of repentance cannot but 
 be light ; and to him that knoweth the preciousness of 
 an healing pardon, the vomit of confession cannot be 
 displeasing. 
 
 There is yet one thing more remaining in this 
 second general, and that is, the extent of the act in 
 reference to its object, expressed by the plural number, 
 silts, and the universal particle all. 
 
 Indeed, I must prefix a limitation of this extent, and 
 it is that which St Paul hath done to my hand, Rom. 
 iii. 25. This forgiveness is ' of sins that are past,' not 
 of sins to come. ' When a wicked man turneth from 
 his wickedness ' (saith the prophet Ezekiel, chap, 
 xviii. 22), ' all the transgressions he hath committed 
 shall not be mentioned ; ' not those ho shall commit, 
 till by actual repentance he turn from them. I no- 
 where read God hath made such a jubilee as one pope 
 did, who gave a plenary indulgence, not only for sins 
 past, but beforehand, for sins to come a long time 
 after. It is true both things past and future are pre- 
 sent to God, and therefore the decree of pardon ex- 
 tends to all times, but still the execution of that 
 decree, the actual issuing out of that pardon, is done 
 lime by time. Indeed, when a sin is pardoned, it is 
 perfectly pardoned, so that it can be no more forgiven 
 than it is ; but as sin is successivelj' committed, so it is 
 successively forgiven. Doubtless our blessed Saviour 
 would not have commanded us to renew our prayers 
 for forgiveness, if God did not renew forgiveness upon 
 our penitential prayers. AVhat need we any other 
 
 argument than that which my text affordeth, ' If we 
 confess our sins, he forgiveth our sins.' What sins ? 
 Surely those that we confess, and not till they are con- 
 fessed. Now who ever antedated confession ? Indeed, 
 it were not penitency but impudency for a man to 
 confess a sin before he hath committed it, since whereas 
 true confession is accompanied with a resolve of for- 
 saking, this would be attended with a purpose of renew- 
 ing our sins. Since, then, a man is not in a capacity 
 of pardon till he have made confession, nor of con- 
 fessing a sin till ho have committed it, it plainly 
 appeareth that God doth not antedate his pardons, but 
 till sin be past, pardon is to come. 
 
 This being premised, we need not doubt to affirai, 
 when God pardons one sin, no one sin is left un- 
 pardoned. Lan/a Dei bonilas vnniam non dimidiabit, 
 the acquittance which mercy gives is not in part but in 
 full. Indeed, if God shall pardon some sins, .and not 
 others, ho would at the same time be a friend and an 
 enemy, and we should be at once both happy and 
 miserable, which are manifest contradictions. Besides, 
 God doth nothing in vain, and it were in vain to 
 cleanse from any, if not from all sins. One leak un- 
 stopped will sink the ship, one sore not healed may 
 kill the body, and one sin unpardoned may destroy 
 the soul. No wonder that the Scripture still useth a 
 word of extent : thus it is said in the parable. Mat. 
 xviii. 32, ' The Lord forgave his servant all his debt ;' 
 ' Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back,' saith 
 Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii. 17; and ' Wash me thoroughly 
 from my sins, and blot out all mine ofi'ences,' so David 
 prayetb, Ps. li. 2. 
 
 'f o enlarge this comfortable truth, be pleased to ob- 
 serve both the ways of expression here used, and 
 accordingly take it in a double variation. 
 
 1. Sins in the plural numbf.r. He doth not only 
 forgive one, but many ; nor doth he only forgive once, 
 but often. He will ' abundantly pardon,' saith the 
 prophet Isaiah, chap. Iv. 7, or .according to the 
 original, he will ' multiply to pardon.' The Piabbins 
 say, that if a man sin thrice, it is pardonable, but not 
 the fourth. God is for more ' rich in mercy.' He that 
 cast out a legion of devils, will cast out a legion of 
 sins ; he that bids us forgive our brother not only 
 seven times, but seventy times seven, I\[at. xviii. 22, 
 will certainly be as abundant in forgiving us. The 
 sea can as easily drown an whole host of men as 
 twenty soldiers ; and where God forgiveth sin, he casts 
 them into a sea. The Lord in tlie parable forgave his 
 servant not one, or ten, or an hundred, but ten thou- 
 sand talents. Were all the sins of the world the sing 
 of one man, yet they were to his mercy but a drop of 
 a bucket to the ocean. 
 
 2. All unrighteousness, of wh.at nature, degree 
 soever; 'all manner of sin and blasphemy, shall be for- 
 given,' saith our blessed Lord, Mat. xii. 81 ; .yea, that 
 the sin against the Holy Ghost is irremissible, it is 
 not for the malignity so much of the sin as the sinner, 
 
108 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 because he that once commits it, can never penitently 
 confess it. Not only pence but pounds, motes but 
 beams, mites but talents, are within the compass of 
 remission. There is a necessity of pardon to the least, 
 and there is (one excepted) a possibility of pardon for 
 the greatest sin. Christ cured ' all maimer of diseases,' 
 Mat. iv. 23, and God cleanseth all manner of sins. The 
 foulest rags may become white paper, and mercy 
 crosseth not only the black but the red lines of our 
 scarlet sins out of God's book. To this purpose it is 
 that, in the name of God proclaimed by Moses, he is 
 said to ' forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin,' where, 
 though there be neither the plural number, nor an 
 universal particle, j-et there is a threefold noun which 
 answereth both, and is not unfitly expounded, as ex- 
 tending both to original and actual, and to great as 
 well as small sins. 
 
 And now (my brethren) what abundant consolation 
 doth this alibrd us against the sense of our manifold 
 and mighty sins ! * so that we may well take up the 
 challenge of tit Paul, Ilom. viii. 33, ' Who shall lay 
 anything to our charge ? ' What singular admiration 
 should ravish us in the apprehension of this miilta ct 
 marina misciicordht, manifold and great mercy ! saj'- 
 ing with the prophet Micah, chap. vii. 18, ''Who is a 
 God like unto thee, that taketh away iniquity, and 
 passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of Lis 
 heritage ? ' What exceeding gi-atulation should flow 
 from us, if at any time God give us assurance of this 
 
 * \'ide Fer. iu loc. 
 
 general pardon, exciting ourselves with the prophet 
 David, Ps. ciii. 1-3, ' Bless the Lord, my soul : and 
 all that is within me, praise his holy name : who for- 
 giveth all thy iniquity ; and healeth all thy diseases.' 
 Only lot me close up with a needful caution : God for- 
 giveth and cleanseth all our sins, but it is if we confess 
 them ; and as we expect that his remission, so he ex- 
 pecteth that our confession, should be proportionable 
 to our commissions. Now our confession is then 
 answerable, when our sorrow, which ever attendeth con- 
 fession, is in some measure correspondent to our sius. 
 Believe it (brethren), the pardon of many, of great sins, 
 is not to be had upon the same easy terms with that 
 of infirmities, and seldom offences. As our sius are 
 more, our tears must be more ; as our transgressions 
 are gi'eater, our humiliations must be deeper. If our 
 offences have been, not gnats, but camels, our sorrow 
 must be, not a drop, but an ocean. Scarlet sins call 
 for bloody tears ; and if Peter sin heinously, he must 
 weep bitterly. If, then, thy former life hath been a 
 cord of iniquity, twisted with many threads, a writing 
 full of great blots, a course spotted with various, and 
 those grievous sius, multiply thy confessions and en- 
 large thy humiliations, double thy fastings and treble 
 thy prayers, pour out thy tears aud fetch deep sighs ; 
 in a word, iterate and aggravate thy acknowledgments, 
 though yet, as the apostle saith in another case, I say 
 in this, ' Grieve not as without hope' that, upon thy 
 sincere and suitable repentance, divine goodness will 
 forgive thee thy sins, and cleanse thee from all un- 
 righteousness. 
 
 SERMON XYIII. 
 
 IJ ue confess our sins, he is just and faithful to foiyive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all nurir/hleousness.- 
 
 i John I. 9. 
 
 THE text is a promise, and promises arc the most 
 comfortable part of Scripture. The whole word 
 of God is, according to St Peter's metaphor, 1 Peter 
 ii. 2, 'sincere milk,' and these are the cream of that 
 milk ; according to St Paul's similitude, 2 Cor. iv. 7, 
 a treasure, and these are the pearls of greatest worth 
 in that treasure ; according to David's comparison, 
 Ps. cxix. 105, a light, aud these are the brightest 
 beams of that light. In them, all our good is con- 
 tained ; by them, all our hope is sustained ; through 
 them, all our comfort is attained. 
 
 The promise of the text is one of those which the 
 apostle Peter, 2 Peter i. 4, calls ' exceeding great and 
 precious promises,' because of that which is an exceed- 
 ing great and precious blessing, the remission of our 
 sius ; that which is the sole spring of our comfort, so 
 that all waters which flow not from this spring, though 
 they may be sweet in the mouth, will prove bitter in 
 the belly ; that which is the queen of mercies, so 
 that wheresoever she goeth, a train of blessings attend 
 
 upon her : since, if sin be pardoned, we have grace 
 from, peace with, access to, joy in God ; j-ea, all 
 needful comforts both for this life aud that which is to 
 come. 
 
 But though the text contain a promise, and the 
 promise a blessing of so great a value, yet if it were 
 not as sure in the performance as it is sweet in the 
 promise, wo could not with joy draw water out of it. 
 Aud therefore ho lets us see this well of salvation is 
 digged so deep, that the water cannot fail ; this fabric 
 of comfort is founded so strong, that it cannot fall, if 
 we be not a-wanting to ourselves iu fulfilling the con- 
 dition. God's justice aud fidelity will not suffer him 
 to be a-wantiug to us iu performing the promise ; for 
 ' if we confess our sius, he is faithful aud just to for- 
 give,' Ac. 
 
 It is that part of the text I am now to handle, the 
 certainty of the mercy ; in those words, ' he is faithful 
 and just.' 
 
 To ascertain us of the effect, our apostle mindcth 
 
Vee. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVIII. 
 
 109 
 
 us of the causes ; and here are two sorts of efBcient 
 causes set before us : the principal in the word lie, and 
 the internal impulsive in those yjox&s, faithful and just. 
 And surely when we consider both (juis, who it is that 
 eonferreth this benefit, and quails, how faithful and 
 jnst he is, we may certainly conclude the accomplish- 
 ment of it. Of each therefore in their order. 
 
 The principal efficient cause of remission is he: and 
 if you ask who this he is, you must look back, and 
 you shall find it to be him with whom we have fellow- 
 ship, who is light itself, and so no other than God 
 himself. And, indeed, such is the nature of this 
 blessing, that if he did not do it, none else could ; it 
 being not only his act, but his prerogative, and so his 
 only act, to cleanse and forgive a sinner. ' I, even I, 
 am he' (saith God himself, Isa. xliii. 25) ' that blotteth 
 out thy transgressions;' by which reduplication he in- 
 tendeth an appropriation, as if he had said, I, and 
 none but I. ' Who is a God like unto thee, that 
 pavdoneth iniquity?' saith the prophet, Micah vii, 18 ; 
 by which is no doubt intended both an affirmative 
 and a negative: the one, that whosoever pardoneth 
 must be a God ; the other, that there is no God like to 
 him for pardoning, and therefore, indeed, whatever 
 else besides him is called God, is no God. In this, 
 doubtless, those pharisees, Mark ii. 7, Luke v. 21, 
 spoke truth, though with a malicious intention against 
 him who is the truth, when they said, ' Who can 
 forgive sins but God alone ?' And therefore, from that 
 very position, St Ambrose* proveth the deity of the 
 Holy Ghost, and St Cyrilf most properly, the deity of 
 the Son of God. 
 
 And indeed it must needs be only in God's power 
 to forgive, because it is only against him that the 
 offence is committed. It is no doubt a clear tnith, that 
 only he to whom the injury is done can remit the 
 doing of it. Now David saith, and most fully, Ps. 
 li. 4, ' Against thee, against thee only, I have sinned;' 
 nor is that only true, because he (being a king) was 
 accountable to none but God for what he had done, 
 but because sin properly so called is only against him 
 of whose law it is a breach, and that is God himself. 
 Thus St C^Til J argueth. It belongeth only to God to 
 loose men from their sins, for who can free from the 
 transgression of the law but the author of it ! And, 
 accordingly St Cyprian, § Let no man cheat and de- 
 lude himself, only God must shew mercy, since the 
 servant cannot gi'ant an indulgence for the fault 
 which is done against his lord. Sin is a spot in 
 God's sight, and none can hide it from him unless he 
 pleaseth to tura away his face. It is a debt in God's 
 book, and who dares to blot anything out of his book 
 but himself? If any man shall pretend to forgive an- 
 other's debt, he offereth a double injury; to the debtor, 
 bj' deceiving him with false hopes, and to the creditor 
 
 * Ambros. (In Sp. S. 1. iii. c. 9. 
 t CjT. Alex. Tliesaur. 1. ii. c. 4. 
 t Cyr. in I. de re.ct. fid. ad Regin. 
 
 § Cypr. de lapsis. 
 
 by usurping his power ; hence it is that we find those 
 exclusive propositions frequent in the ancients. St 
 Chi-ysostom * often. None can forgive sin but God 
 alone ; to forgive sin belongeth to none other ; to for- 
 give sins is possible to God alone. And Gregory the 
 Great, + Thou who only sparest, thou who alone for- 
 givest. And Optatus,j It is only God's act to cleanse 
 and make white our scarlet sins. This is a part of 
 God's name which is incommunicable, because an 
 expression of his natm-e ; he is ' the Lord, forgiving 
 iniquity, and transgression, and sin,' Exod. xxxiv. 7 ; 
 an emanation of that glorj' which, he saith, he ' will 
 not give to another,' Isa. xlviii. 11. 
 
 That which may seem to contradict this truth is 
 that power which the ministers of the gospel have in 
 the point of forgiveness, insomuch that our blessed 
 Saviour expressly saith : John xx. 23, ' Whose sins 
 you remit, they are remitted.' 
 
 To clear this scruple, be pleased to know that, 
 
 1. Whatever power the priest hath of forgiving, it 
 is then only effectual when the person is rightly quali- 
 iied. We are stewards, and must not be like the un- 
 just steward, strike out our master's debt without his 
 leave, or otherwise than according to his prescription; 
 we are ambassadors, and therefore have not power to 
 proclaim war or conclude peace between God and man, 
 according to our own discretion, but his direction, to 
 wit, upon the testification of that which we at least 
 probably conceive is unfeigned repentance ; and there- 
 fore saith Tolet § well. Quod in terra sacerelos, in cclo 
 Dens, what the priest doth on earth is ratified in 
 heaven, but clave non crrante, not when he turneth 
 the key the wrong way ; so that if the confession of the 
 penitent be not sincere, the absolution of the priest is 
 invalid. 
 
 2. But further, the power which a priest hath upon 
 penitent confession of forgiving is but ministerial, not 
 magisterial ; niinistri sunt, pro judicihus haberi iiulunt, 
 they are only ministers, not judges; so St Austin. [ It 
 is the king that grants the pardon, they arc only 
 officers that bring it. 
 
 If 3"ou desire more particularly to know how far the 
 power of a minister extends to forgiving, I answer 
 briefly, 
 
 1. They have power by virtue of their office to in- 
 tercede 'with God for sinners, and therefore the sick 
 person is to ' call for the elders of the church,' that 
 they maj' ' pray for him that his sins may be forgiven 
 him,' James v. 14, 15. 
 
 2. They have the word of reconciliation committed 
 to them, wherein the promise of pardon is revealed 
 and exhibited. By them the holy sacraments are ad- 
 ministered, which are the means of conveying pardon 
 to those that are rightly qualified. To which purpose 
 
 * Clirysost. in 2 Cor. iii. horn. C 
 
 t Greg, in Ps. pcenit. 
 
 J Optut. contr. Uonat. 1. 5- 
 
 1 Cor. XV. hora. 40. 
 
 I Tolet. in Job. 
 
 Aug. in Job. Tri. 5, 
 
110 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 it is that Ferus * saith appositely, Ministers forgive 
 sins, inasmuch as they are instrumental in those several 
 ordinances by which God remitteth sin. 
 
 3. They have authoritj' of releasing those censures 
 ■which have been passed upon sinners, for the scandal 
 given by their flagitious practices to the church. 
 
 4. Finally, they have power particularly to declare 
 that God hath forgiven their sins, in whom they ob- 
 serve the signs of repentance. As they ' pray us to be 
 reconciled to God,' so they may assure us upon our 
 contrition that God is reconciled to us. Thus Dur- 
 and t asserteth that God forgiveth by himself, releas- 
 ing us from the bond of our sins, and the priest 
 absolveth by declaring that remission to be granted. 
 And Ferus, + though a Jesuit, saith that man doth 
 not properly forgive, but only assure that God hath 
 forgiven. Look as the priest in the law was said to 
 cleanse the leper, because he did pronounce him clean 
 (saith the master of the sentences §), so do the 
 ministers of the gospel forgive, because they pro- 
 nounce to us that God forgiveth ; and in this sense our 
 church understood it, and therefore saith in the form 
 of absolution, II He hath given power and command- 
 ment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his 
 people, being penitent, the absolution and remission 
 of their sins. Thus the ministers are instrumental 
 in this work, and their power, as appeareth bj' what 
 hath been said, is partly declarative and partly- opera- 
 tive ; but still the principal efficient conferring this 
 benefit is God, and God alone. 
 
 The use therefore which we are to make of this 
 truth is, for direction and imitation. 
 
 1. Be we directed whither to address ourselves for 
 pardon in the sense of our sins. With the prodigal, let 
 US resolve to go to our Father, and, after David's 
 pattern, let us implore God's mercy. 
 
 Indeed, since God hath set ministers in his church 
 for this end, that by their help we may obtain the 
 pardon of our sins, and the comfortable assurance of 
 it, we must not neglect, much less despise, their assist- 
 ance ; and whereas what others do only in a way of 
 charity, thej' do in a way of authority, having power 
 committed to them for this end, wo must prefer their 
 help before what private Christians can atJ'ord us. In 
 which respect I dare boldlj- affirm that many people 
 ■want that comfortable sense of the pardon of theu' 
 sins, which they might attain to did they consult with 
 a faithful minister, declare their sins together with 
 their repentance to him, earnestly and humbly desir- 
 ing a declarative absolution from him. 
 
 * Fer. in Joh. 
 
 t Deu3 per se tlimittit peccatiim rclaxando debitum poena), 
 &c. Sacerdotes solvuiit diniissioiiom factntu ofl'eudendo. 
 [Qii. ' declarando ' ?— Ed.]— Z>ur. 1. 4, dist. 18. 
 
 J For. in Mat. 
 
 § In remillendia et retinondis ciilpia id juris et officii 
 liabent evangelici, quod suli lcf,'B legulea sacerdotea iucurau- 
 dis luprosis. — Lumb. dist. 18, 1. 4. 
 
 II Liturg. of the Church of liuglaud. 
 
 But yet before and above all other means, let us 
 seek God by prayer, and wrestle with him for this 
 great mercy. Our church hath taught her ministers 
 when they absolve to prefix a prayer to Chi'ist, that 
 he would absolve a poor penitent ; and as you desire 
 absolution from the minister, so you must direct your 
 prayer to God, that he would speak peace to you, so 
 much the rather because though he is pleased oft- 
 times by his ministers to give ease to burdened sinners, 
 and accordingly we are to make use of them for that 
 end, yet the conscience can find no ease from the 
 minister unless he be pleased by the inward testimony 
 of his Spirit to seal a pardon to it ; so true is that of 
 Elihu, Job sxxiv. 29, ' When he giveth quietness, 
 who then can make trouble ? and when he hideth his 
 face, who then can behold him ? ' 
 
 2. But we exhorted to imitate God in this gi'acious 
 act. He forgiveth our sins against him, let us forgive 
 the injuries others do against us. This was^St Paul's 
 counsel to the Ephesians, chap. iv. 32, and that upon 
 this very ground, 'Be you kind one to another, tender- 
 hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's 
 sake hath forgiven you,' where the as is both model 
 and causal. 
 
 As, to wit, in the same manner as, God doth forgive 
 us, we must others. Indeed, the parallel holds not 
 ever}' way, for whereas God doth not forgive sins but 
 to those that confess and bemoan them, we are bound 
 to forgive those who do not confess but persist in their 
 offering wrong to us, according to the precept of ' bless- 
 ing them that curse us,' Mat. v. 44. And this by the 
 way would be taken notice of in answer to that So- 
 cinian argument against satisfaction, from the parallel 
 of God's forgiving and man's, since by the same 
 reason that they say God should forgive without satis- 
 faction, because he requires man to do so, they may 
 as well say he should forgive without confession. It 
 is not then in every respect that this similitude agrees ; 
 but as God, when he forgiveth, is fully reconciled, for- 
 getting all that is past as if it had not been ■without 
 any desire of, nay, resolving against all future revenge, 
 iia pure et perfecle, so purely and perfectly, saith An- 
 selm,* ought we to forgive our brethren. 
 
 And as thus in the same manner, so likewise oti 
 tilts yruund. And so the as is cans:il ; because God for 
 Christ's sake forgiveth us, we for God's sake ought to 
 forgive one anotlier. We find the lord in the parable 
 wroth with his servant, to whom he had pardoned all 
 his debt, because he was so cruel not to forgive his 
 fellow- servant; and we pray in the Lord's prayer. Mat. 
 ■vi. 12, for forgiveness of our trespasses, ' as we forgive 
 others.' So necessary a connection is there betwixt 
 these two, that our forgiveness is a condition of God's, 
 and God's is to be a cause of ours. Thus God doth 
 seem as it were to put it in our power whether or no wo 
 will have our sins forgiven, by making our forgiveness 
 a condition of it ; and as at first he made us after his 
 * Ausflm. in Eph. 
 
Vee. 9.J 
 
 SERMON XVIII. 
 
 Ill 
 
 own likeness, so he still taketb care that we may be- 
 come like to him. And surely as it is God's goodness to 
 require no more from, than what he performeth to us, 
 so is it but reason we should at his command perform 
 that to others which we expect from him. And so much 
 of the first, the principal efficient he. 
 
 2. The internal impulsive causes here specified are 
 two, to wit, God's faithfulness and justice ; and these 
 I may well call the two pillars which (like Jachim and 
 Boaz, 1 Kings \\\. 15, 2 Chron. iii. 17) support our 
 faith ; compare to the two cherubims which look to- 
 ward the mercy-seat, whence pardon is vouchsafed ; 
 resemble to the olive trees, whence floweth the oil, 
 Zech. iv. 14, or to the breasts, Cant. iv. 5, which yield 
 the milk of heavenly consolation to troubled con- 
 sciences. 
 
 1 . The first here mentioned is God's fidelity, ' he 
 is faithful ;' for the opening whereof be pleased to 
 observe, 
 
 1. That God hath made many promises of forgiving 
 sins, and cleansing from iniquity, to those that acknow- 
 ledge them. To this purpose St Cyprian saith,* Christ 
 teaching us to pray for, assures us God hath made 
 promise of, forgiving our trespasses. Indeed, God hath 
 nowhere promised /)d>cTo»n' crastiimm, to-morrow to the 
 peccant, but everywhere panitenti reniam, pardon to 
 the repentant. ' If my people shall humble themselves 
 and pray, I will hear from heaven, and forgive their 
 sins ;' so we read in the Chronicles, 2 Chron. vii. 14. 
 ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous 
 man bis thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, 
 and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, 
 for he will abundantly pardon ;' so runs the promise 
 in Isaiah, chap. Iv. 7. ' If the wicked will turn from 
 all the sins that he hath committed, all his transgres- 
 sions, they shall not be mentioned to him ;' so saith 
 God by the prophet Ezekiel, chap, xviii. 21, 22. 
 Thus I might bring forth a jury of textual witnesses 
 to prove this assertion, but those already mentioned 
 may suffice instead of all. 
 
 2. linow therefore, further, that in whatsoever God 
 hath promised he is faithful, and that both in respect 
 of intention and execution. 
 
 1. Of intention ; inasmuch as his promises are the 
 declaration of his purpose, revelation of his decree, and 
 manifestation of his good will towards poor sinners. 
 God hath spoken nothing but what he meaneth ; he doth 
 not outwardly pretend to forgive, and inwardly medi- 
 tate revenge, but his words arc the true characters of 
 his thoughts. 
 
 2. Of execution ; inasmuch as his promises are not 
 yea but aweii, made, but made good. As God hath a 
 mouth to speak, so he hath a hand to fulfil whatso- 
 ever he hath spoken, 1 Kings viii. 24. That name 
 Jehovah (which is as it were a proper name) signifieth 
 not only his being ofhimsclf. buthis giving a being to all 
 his promises ; and, therefore, \\hereas God had made 
 
 * Qui orare nos docuit, &c. — C'l/pr. de oral. dom. 
 
 a promise to the patriarchs of the land of Canaan, 5-et 
 inasmuch as the accomplishment was not in their days, 
 it is said, he was not known to them by his name 
 Jehovah, Exod. vi. 3. As God saith nothing but 
 what he meaneth, so he saith nothing but what he 
 doth ; and as his heart thinketh, so his hand acteth 
 what his tongue speaketh ; he many times performeth 
 more, but never less, than he promiseth. 
 
 And now, both these being put together, that God 
 hath promised pardon, and his promise is stable, well 
 might St John say, ' he is faithful to forgive,' this 
 being that which his faithfulness in keeping promise 
 obligeth him to. It is fitly observable how the pro- 
 phet Micah, chap. vii. 18, 19, joineth these two 
 together, ' He will cast our sins into the sea, and he 
 will perform his truth to Abraham ;' as if God could 
 not perform his truth, except he cast our sins into the 
 sea. So that look as if we pray, he is faithful to hear ; 
 if we mourn, he is faithful to comfort ; so if we confess, 
 he is faithful to forgive. 
 
 Indeed, the glory of God is much concerned in his 
 being faithful to forgive, not only because of the thing 
 itself, since if it be ' the glory of a man to pass by 
 oflences,' much more is it of God ; but likewise because 
 of his word which is passed for granting a pardon, and 
 therefore cannot be recalled, retarded, impeded. For if 
 God doth promise any thing which he doth not efl'ect, 
 it must be either for want of wisdom in foreseeing what 
 might be done to prevent it, or for want of power to 
 efl'ect what he intends, or for want of stability, as if 
 his mind were changed, and his good will altered ; any 
 of which, if they could be fastened upon God, were an 
 high dishonour, and but to imagine them is blas- 
 phemy. That therefore it may appear his wisdom is 
 infallible, his power irresistible, his will unchangeable, 
 and so his name may be glorious, he must be faithful 
 in accomplishing, as all other, so this promise of for- 
 giving. 
 
 And now there are two graces which this fidelity of 
 God should teach us, namely, fidditas et fides, faith- 
 fulness and faith. 
 
 1. What obligation doth God's faithfulness lay 
 upon us to be faithful, and that both to him and one 
 another ! 
 
 (1.) To him, as he hath promised to forgive us, so 
 we have promised to give ourselves to him. As he 
 hath promised to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 
 so wo have promised to him in our baptism to cleanse 
 ourselves bj' renouncing the world, the flesh, and the 
 devil. And now, is God faithful to us, and shall we 
 be false to him ? Ho is a God keeping covenant and 
 mercy with us, and shall we be a people not sttdfast 
 in our covenant with him ? 
 
 (2.) To one another. Let us not ' speak fair,' and 
 yet have ' seven abominations in our hearts ;' but 
 since the tongue is the heart's herald, let it ever 
 declare the master's message ; yea, let not only our 
 affections but actions keep even pace with our cxprcs- 
 
112 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 sions. We must not be open-mouthed and close- 
 fisted, long-tnngned and short-handed, to make golden 
 promises and leaden perfonnanees ; like the nobleman 
 who had two chests, the one whereof he called ;)/owi(sc, 
 that was ever open ; thither he sent all his petitioners, 
 and there they only found hope ; the other he called 
 performance, that was always locked, and no key could 
 open it but neeesMty. Far be this from true Chris- 
 tians, who must be followers of God, Eph. vi. 1, and 
 that especially in a faithful discharge of their promises. 
 
 2. What encouragement doth God's faithfulness 
 give to our faith ? Sarah, 'judging him faithful that 
 had promised,' believed, and that against hope. Hob. 
 xi. 11. Since God is abundant in truth, we may well 
 be abundant in confidence. Indeed, God's fidelity 
 should draw out the actings of our faith, and the act- 
 ing of faith will as it were draw forth God's fidelity. 
 Very observable to this purpose is that expression of 
 the psalmist, Ps. xxxi. 10, ' Oh how great is thy good- 
 ness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee ; 
 which thou hast wrought before the sons of men for 
 them that tmst in thee !' In the former clause, God's 
 goodness is said to be laid up ; in the latter, to" bo 
 wrought. Goodness is laid up in the promise, wrought 
 in the performance ; and tliat goodness which is laid 
 up is wrought for them that trust in God ; and thus, as 
 God's faithfulness engageth us to believe, so our faith 
 as it were engageth God's faithfulness to perform the 
 promise. 
 
 More particularly, let this consideration strengthen 
 faith in believing the pardon of our sin upon our per- 
 formance of the condition. Ah, thou despairing sinner, 
 whoever thou art, what dost thou hereby but question, 
 nav, deny God's faithfulness ? so that what our 
 apostle saith in the next verse, of those w^ho ' say 
 they have not sinned,' the same may I say of them, 
 who say their sin is greater than can be forgiven, they 
 make God a liar. Ijittle dost thou think how, whilst 
 thou darcst not (as thou conccivest) misapply the pro- 
 mises, thou callest the truth of God in question, and 
 thereby oflcrest to him an high indignity. 
 
 But consider, thou drooping soul, what provision 
 God hath made against thy infidelity. To assure thee 
 of his fidelity, thou hast his word, nny, more than so, 
 his oafh — As I live, saith the Lord — nay more than so, 
 both in writing, and that writing hath seals annexed 
 to it, namely, the holy sacraments. How mayest thou, 
 confessing thy sins, plead with God upon all these ; 
 and as Jacob used this argument, ' Lord, thou hast 
 said thou wouldst do mo good,' Gen. xxxii. 12, so 
 mayest thou. Lord, thou liast said, thou hast sworn, 
 that thou wilt forgive the sins of them that turn to 
 thee. I have thy hand for it in the Scriptures, thy 
 seal in the sacraments, so be it to thy servant accord- 
 ing as thou hast spoken and sworn, and written and 
 sealed ! 
 
 2. That which next cometh to be considered is God's 
 justice, in those words, he. isjiisl. Not to mention all 
 
 the interpretations which expositors give of this word, 
 I shall only acquaint you with three, and insist upon 
 the last, as being (at least in my opinion) most con- 
 gruous. 
 
 1. Some interpreters make /afV/i/w? &nA just to be 
 synonymes, therefore he is faithful and just, because 
 it is just he should be faithful.* In this respect the 
 Hebrew word no^5, which signifieth truth, is by the 
 Septuagint translated dmaioajiri, that signifieth ri(jht- 
 eoiisnes/: ; nor is it without reason, because it is a right- 
 eous thing to be true. Before a man maketh a pro- 
 mise, he is free to make it or not ; but when he hath 
 made it, he is not free to keep it'or not. By promise 
 a man becometh a debtor, and for one to pay his 
 debt is no more than just.f Indeed, this is not 
 exactly true in regard of God, because we never so 
 fully perform the condition, but it is justly liable to 
 exception. Yet after a sort it is that which he accounts 
 himself engaged to in point of justice, to perform all 
 his promises ; and therefore, though it is mere mercy 
 which maketh, it is justice which fulfiUeth, the pro- 
 mise. This interpretation Socinus layeth hold on, 
 hereby to evade the doctrine of satisfaction, which 
 this word, according to its proper sense, doth clearly 
 favour. But the design of the Holy Ghost being in 
 these words to strengthen our weak faith in beheving 
 the pardon of sin, I conceive we shall do best to ex- 
 pound the words in that way which may most conduce 
 to this end ; and that is, as affording not only a single, 
 but a double prop to our faith, from a double attribute 
 in God, and therefore I waive this interpretation. 
 
 2. Others there are J who, distinguishing these two, 
 understand by justice, mercy. So Grotius here saith, 
 I intei-jjret Just to be f/ood, fientle ; and Illyricus ob- 
 serveth, that rif/hteousness is sometimes taken for be- 
 iiifinily and clemenc}-. In this respect it is that ^D^, 
 which signifieth mercy, is sometimes by the Septuagint 
 rendered &r/.aioajvr], that signifieth rif/ltteoitSDCss. Agree- 
 able hereunto, the Greek word for nbiifs is by the 
 Syrinc rendered rigliteousness. Mat. vi. 1. The merci- 
 ful man's bounty is by the psalmist, Ps. cxii. 9, 
 and St Paul, 2 Cor. vi. 10, called righteousness ; 
 yea, upon this account ' mercy and righteousness,' 
 ' gracious and righteous,' are joined together, Ps. 
 ciii. 17, cxvi. 5 ; and David promiseth, if God would 
 ' deliver him from blood-guiltiness,' he would ' sing 
 aloud of his righteousness,' Ps. li. 12. 
 
 And now, according to this interpretation, we see 
 another impulsive cause of forgiveness, namely, the 
 grace, mercy, and clemency of God. Among others, 
 there are two Greek words by which pardon is set 
 forth, that excellently confirm this truth, yjisiZpij,ai 
 and iXioviiai : the former by St Paul, Col. ii. 13, 
 which, coming from ydgi;, signifieth to forgive freely, 
 and intimateth free grace to be the spring of pardon ; 
 the latter by the author to the Hebrews, chap. viii. 12, 
 
 • Vido S|nTi1iciiii Excrcitat. 
 
 f Cartluis. Lnji. Soc. in Inc. } Grot. Illyr. in loc. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVIIl. 
 
 US 
 
 in that quotation of the prophet, ' I will be merciful 
 to their sins, and their transgressions,' which is by 
 Bhewing mercj' to the sinner in the forgiveness of his 
 sins. So that wo may hence learn to what we are to 
 ascribe the pardon of our sins, merely the good will 
 and grace and mercy of God. Indeed, we shall still 
 find all those benefits (especially spiritual) which we 
 receive, attributed to mercy : the regeneration of our 
 nature ; ' according to his mercy he hath begotten 
 us,' 2 Peter i. 3 ; the salvation of our souls : ' accord- 
 ing to his mercy he saved us,' Titus iii. 5 ; and the 
 ' remission of our sins through the tender mercy of 
 our God,' Luke i. 76. Oh let us admire the bowels 
 of love, the riches of grace, the treasures of mercy, which 
 are manifested in pardoning and cleansing our sins. 
 
 3. But though this interpretation may be received, 
 j'et since it is a good rule, in expounding Scripture, to 
 keep to the projier meaning of the words, if there be 
 not very good reason to the contrary, and there being 
 no reason why we should here recede from, I have 
 chosen rather to adhere to the literal sense of the 
 word just. 
 
 For though it be true tha!^, 
 
 1. The commission of sin deserveth punishment, 
 and therefore justice, which giveth every one their 
 due, calls for the punishing, not the remitting of sin ; 
 and 
 
 2. The confession of sin cannot (as hath been be- 
 fore asserted) deserve pardon, because it is no pro- 
 portionable compensation of the offence. 
 
 Upon which grounds it appeareth, that this justice 
 which forgiveth cannot be in respect of us ; yet it still 
 is a truth in regard of Christ, God is just to forgive ; 
 60 that as Gualter* well, he cannot but forgive, unless 
 he will be unjust to his own Son. And inasmuch as 
 our apostle, in the foregoing verse save one, expressly 
 attributes this cleansing to Christ's blood, this inter- 
 pretation of justice is doubtless most genuine and 
 congruous. 
 
 To clear briefly and perspicuously this sweet truth 
 of pardoning justice, be pleased to know that, 
 
 1. The maledictoiy sentence of death denounced 
 by the law against sinners was inflicted by God upon 
 Christ. This is that which the prophet Isaiah positively 
 asserts, chap. liii. 5, where he saith, ' The chastise- 
 ment' (that is, the punishment, called a chastisement, 
 because inflicted by a father, and only for a time) ' of 
 our peace was upon him;' and again, ver. 7, 'He 
 was oppressed, and he was aifiicted,' which, according 
 to the genuine sense of the original, is better rendered, 
 ' it was exacted,' to wit, the punishment of our sin, 
 and ' he was atflicted,' or ' he answered,' to wit, to 
 the demand of the penalty. 
 
 It may be here inquired, how it can stand with 
 
 God's justice to inflict punishment upon the guiltless? 
 
 And if this doubt be not cleared, we shall stumble at 
 
 the threshold, and the foundation of this pardoning 
 
 * Gualt. in loc. 
 
 justice will be laid in injustice ; and truly, when we 
 find God saj'ing, Ezek. sviii. 4, ' The soul which 
 sinneth shall die,' and asserting those who condemn 
 the righteous as an abomination to him, it is hard to 
 imagine how he can himself justly punish the innocent 
 for the nocent. 
 
 To remove this scruple, consider, 
 
 1. That God did inflict death on Christ is unde- 
 niable, and who may question the justice of his 
 actions, whenas things are therefore just, because he 
 wills them to be done, whose will is the supreme rule 
 of justice ! 
 
 2. There cannot be a more necessitating reason of 
 God's afflicting Christ by death than this ; so that if 
 it be not just for God to inflict it upon him on this 
 ground, it is much less upon any other. That Christ 
 should die for the confii'mation of his doctrine was 
 needless ; it was done sufficiently by miracles. To 
 make way by death to his glory was not necessary ; 
 he might have been translated, as were Enoch and 
 Elijah. To die only as an example of patience and 
 fortitude to his followers, is a far less cogent cause 
 than to die as an example of God's justice and severity 
 against sin; nor need he have died for that end, since 
 the death of any of his apostles might have been ex- 
 emplary in that kind. Finally, had he died only for the 
 declaration of God's immense love to us, and not for 
 the demonstration of his severe justice against sin, 
 whilst he had been so loving to us, he had been little 
 other than cruel to Christ. There wanted not other ways 
 to declare his tender afl'ection to mankind, but there was 
 no other way to declare his impartial justice against 
 sin ; so that, since the inflicting of death on Christ as a 
 punishment carrieth with it a more urging induce- 
 ment than any other cause assigned, and since the 
 less cause there is of inflicting death upon any, the 
 greater must needs be the injustice in the inflicter ; it 
 evidentlj' followeth that there is nothing can so much 
 clear the justice of G-od in this act, as (that which the 
 orthodox asserts to be the cause of it) his undergoing 
 the penalty due to our sins. 
 
 3. But further, Christ becoming man is joined to 
 us in nature, and undertaking in our behalf, is con- 
 joined to us by suretyship, and in seiiau furensi, a 
 judicial construction, one with ns. We see in human 
 courts the law takelh as much hold of the suretj- as 
 of the debtor ; and why, then, should it be unjust for 
 God to punish Christ engaging for our debt? Indeed, 
 upon this account the Messiah, though innocent, be- 
 came (after a sort) guilty ; not as guilt noteth a due 
 deserving of punishment in respect of sin, either per- 
 sonally inherent, or at least naturally imputed; but 
 only so far as it noteth an obligation to the punish- 
 ment in a judicial way, as being our surety ; in which 
 respect that phrase of St Paul is very apposite, 2 Cor. 
 V. 20, ' He was made sin for us.' 
 
 4. Lastly, To put all out of doubt. The under- 
 going this punishment was Christ's voluntary act, who, 
 
lU 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. I. 
 
 as he had ' power,' so he wanted not will ' to lay down 
 his Ufe.' He was not sent for this end without his 
 own consent. As God laid, so he took, our iniquities 
 upon him. The curse to which we were subject 
 (saith Theodorus*) he assumed upon himself, of his 
 own accord ; the death that was not due to him, he 
 underwent, that we might not undergo that death 
 which was due to us, saith St Gregoryf ; he made 
 himself a debtor for us, who were debtors, and there- 
 fore the creditor exacts it fi'om him, saith Ai-noldus.i 
 Now vnlenti noil fit injuria; so the moralist most 
 truly, if another will voluntarily substitute himself in 
 the room of a malefactor, though the inferior judge, 
 who is bound by the law, cannot, yet the superior 
 governor may without injustice accept of it. ^\Tien 
 therefore God saith, ' The soul that siuneth shall die,' 
 he only sets forth the ordinary course of his provi- 
 dence, which impedeth not but that Christ, being ready 
 to die in our stead who had sinned, God being the 
 supreme ruler and judge, might most justly inflict it 
 on him. 
 
 2. This punishment thus inflicted on Christ, is a 
 plenary satisfaction to God's justice. It is true, this 
 word satisfaction is not formally expressed in Scrip- 
 ture, yet there are equivalent phrases. Sach, among 
 others, is that phrase so often used oi redeem iny ; and 
 as if the Holy Ghost would prevent that Socinian 
 exposition o( (redimere pro aliquo modo liberare) rcdecm- 
 inr/, as if it were only in a large sense no more than 
 deliveiitvi, it is St Paul's express phrase, ' Ye are 
 bought with a price,' 1 Cor. vi. 20 ; and that this 
 price may appear to be of full value, it is opposed to, 
 and advanced above, con-upt gold and silver by the 
 apostle Peter, 1 Peter i. 18, 19. Nor is it any infringe- 
 ment to the merit of this price and worth of this 
 satisfaction, that the sufl'ering of Christ was not every 
 way the same that we should have undergone, since 
 it is all one whether the debt be paid in the same coin 
 or CO, so it be to the full value. Christ sufl'ered the 
 punishment of onr sins, as Calovius well obscrveth,§ 
 though not seeuiidiim identitatein oiniiimodain, yet per 
 aquiealentiam , the same in every respect, yet equiva- 
 lent to it. Indeed, what satisfaction could justice 
 demand more than infinite; and the sufl'ering of an 
 infinite person could not be less. Whence followeth, 
 
 8. In the last place, that God's justice being 
 •satisfied for our ofl'ences, it cannot but remit those 
 ■offences to us. As the creditor cannot demand that 
 of the debtor which the surety hath already paid, so 
 neither can God exact the punishment of us which 
 Christ hath suffered, and therefore it is just with him 
 to forgive and cleanse us. 
 
 The case being thus cleared, it will be altogether 
 needless to inquire whether it had been injustice in 
 
 * Tlieod. Disp. 1. XV. c. 5. 
 t Greg. mor. 1, iii. c. xiii. 
 X lAniolJ. (le Sept. verb. tr. i. 
 §„Vide C'alov. Socinianis. Prot. 
 
 God to forgive without satisfaction. St Austin's 
 determination is very solid,* there wanted not to God 
 another possible way (and if it were unjust, it were 
 impossible), but this of satisfaction was most agree- 
 able to divine wisdom. Before God did decree this 
 way, it might be free to have used it or not ; but in 
 decreeing, this seemed most convenient, and after, it 
 became necessary, so that there can be no remission 
 without it ; and however it might not have been 
 unjust with God to have forgiven without, yet we are 
 sure it is most just with him to forgive upon, satis- 
 faction. 
 
 There is only one objection which remaineth to bo 
 answered, and it is that which scemeth to carry a 
 great deal of strength in it, namely, that forgiveness 
 is a free act in God, springing from grace and mercy ; 
 and if it be of grace, how can it be of justice ? That 
 which is of grace is freely done, and might justly have 
 been otherwise ; that which is of justice, there is a 
 necessary obligation to the performance of it ; and 
 what more opposite '? Besides, that which addeth the 
 greater force to this ai'gument is, that remission and 
 satisfaction are altogether inconsistent. A man can- 
 not be said to forgive that which ho is fully paid ; 
 so that plenary satisfaction leaveth no place for 
 remission. 
 
 To remove this doubt, you must know that things 
 in their own nature opposite may, according to dif- 
 ferent respects, concur to the same work, and there- 
 fore forgiveness of sin may be an act both of mercy 
 and justice, in a several reference. In respect of us, 
 it is an act of mercy, mere mercy, and therefore we 
 are said by St Paul to be 'justified fi-eely,' Kom. 
 iii. 21, 25 ; in respect of Chrisi, it is an act of justice, 
 and therefore he is said by the same apostle in the 
 same place, to ' set forth Christ a propitiation to 
 declare his righteousness. 'f In these different con- 
 siderations it is that remission and satisfaction aro 
 consistent, inasmuch as the satisfaction was by Christ, 
 not us, and the remission is to us, not Christ. 
 
 For the further clearing of this answer, be pleased 
 to observe, that, 
 
 1. This satisfaction was neither performed nor pro- 
 cured by us. We did not, could not, do it om-selves ; 
 we did not desire, could not obtain, it at the hands of 
 Christ ; it was no other than God himself, the 
 injured person, who provided, and that no other than 
 his own Son to perform this work. If a creditor 
 should of his own good will appoint his son to pay 
 the debt, might he not be said to forgive the debtor '? 
 And would it not be interpreted an act of benignity '? 
 Though therefore God sent his Son to satisfy for our 
 sins, yet he is truly said to remit it to us ; and 
 though upon satisfaction it is an act of justice, yet it 
 was mercy which afl'orded the way and means of 
 accomplishing this satisfaction. 
 
 * Aug. lie Trinit. 1. xiii. c. x. 
 t Vide Orig. Tolet. in Kom. 
 
Ver. 9.] 
 
 SERMON XVIII. 
 
 115 
 
 2. This satisfaction, thongli tendered by Christ, 
 might not have been accepted by God. To this pui'- 
 pose it is which Grotius excellently observeth,* that 
 one man bo discharged by the punishment of another, 
 there must intervene an act of the supreme governor, 
 and that no other than an act of grace ; for the law ro- 
 qnireth that the punishment should be intlicted on the 
 person offending, and accordingly justice might exact 
 the penalty from the person himself; so that notwith- 
 standing satisfaction be made by another, yet there 
 must be a gracious act, which in respect of the law is 
 relaxation, and of the offender remission. That there- 
 fore God is pleased to accept from Christ what he 
 might in justice have required of us, is from no other 
 cause than his gracious clemency; and in this respect 
 it is that the case between God and a sinner is not 
 like that between a creditor and a debtor, but a king 
 and a malefactor, because, if the debt be paid, whether 
 by the debtor or the surety, it matters not. Nor can 
 the creditor receiving the debt, from whomsoever it 
 be, if upon the debtor's account, be said to forgive him 
 his debt ; whereas the malefactor is bound by the law 
 to suffer in his own person, aud therefore the king 
 accepting another in his stead, is truly said to pardon 
 him, as dispensing with that which his law in the 
 rigour of it did require. 
 
 To sum it up, remission and satisfaction are not 
 repugnant, when that satisfaction is accepted which 
 might have been refused, and when the person who 
 receiveth the benefit is no way contributory to the 
 performing of it. Now both these are manifest in 
 Christ's satisfaction ; for that which we do (and not 
 that neither of ourselves, but by God's gi'ace) is only 
 to the applying, not at all to the performing, of this 
 satisfaction ; and though Christ's satisfaction was so 
 full, that it could not be excepted against, as to the 
 equivalency, nay, redundancy of its value, yet God 
 might not have accepted of it in our behalf, had he 
 not so decreed of his mere goodness. By all which it 
 appeareth, that there is a sweet contemperation of 
 justice and mercy in this work ; so that we may truly 
 say in the remission of our sins, Ps. Ixsxv. 10, ' Right- 
 eousness and peace meet together, and kiss each other;' 
 whilst justice hath satisfaction in the punishment of 
 the offence, and mercy sheweth itself by appointing 
 Christ to make this satisfaction, and accepting of it 
 in the sinner's behalf, whereby he is as to himself 
 freely and graciously, as to Christ justly and right- 
 eously, remitted. 
 
 And surely this being well considered, every crevice 
 will be stopped at which despair might creep in. 
 When a sinner is sensible of sins, there is nothing 
 more affrighteth him than the meditation of God's 
 justice ; but see, Christ having made satisfaction, that 
 justice, which was before a cause of fear, becomcth a 
 support of our hope ; and when that which only could 
 discourage us is a ground of comfort, what can terrify 
 * Grot, de Satisfact. 
 
 us ? If, then, at any time upon remembrance of the 
 guilt of sin we begin to faint, considering that God is 
 just to hate and punish sin committed, let us upon 
 remembrance of Christ's satisfaction, which God hath 
 accepted in behalf of all believing and penitent sinners, 
 be established and quieted in our minds, considering 
 that God is just to forgive sin confessed. Indeed, 
 the debt being paid by Christ, God's very justice 
 (as I may say with reverence) would trouble him, if 
 he should not give in the bond, and give out an 
 acquittance. The pardon of believers' sins is as it 
 were the wages of his obedience, a legacy he bequeathed 
 at his death, yea, the end of shedding his blood, so 
 that as the wages of an hireling detained, the will of 
 one that is dead (having left wherewithal to satisfy) 
 unperformed, yea, the blood of one suffering in an- 
 other's stead, if that party should notwithstanding 
 be executed, must needs cry, and that aloud, for 
 justice, which is hereby very much violated. So 
 would Christ's death, and that even against God 
 himself, if he should not grant a pardon to them that 
 believingly and penitently confess. Go, then, thou 
 burdened sinner, to God with boldness, and in au 
 humble confidence sue out thy pardon, not only at the 
 throne of grace, but the bar of justice, in these or the 
 like expressions. Lord, thou hast punished my sins ia 
 thy Son, wilt thou punish them in mo ? Thou hast 
 accepted that suffering of thy Son as the punishment 
 of my sin, and therefore thou canst not in justice exact 
 it of me, for this were to punish twice for one offence, 
 which thy justice cannot but abhor. 
 
 To close up with a needful admonition, very fit to 
 be annexed to this ample consolation, that the dogs 
 may not eat the children's bread. As God is ' faithful 
 and just to forgive the sins ' of those that confess them, 
 and to ' cleanse them from all unrighteousness,' so he 
 is no less faithful and just to punish their sins who 
 conceal and continue therein, and condemn them for 
 all their unrighteousness. God (beloved) hath de- 
 nounced as many severe threats against the impenitent, 
 as he hath pronounced comfortable promises to the 
 penitent, and his faithfulness no less strongly binds 
 him to perform the one than the other. Christ hath 
 satisfied God's justice for the sins of penitei t confes- 
 sors, in which respect it is just with God to forgive 
 them ; but he hath not satisfied for impenitent com- 
 mitters, in which respect it is just with God to punish 
 them in their own persons for their iniquities ; and 
 therefore let the one tremble, whilst the other rejoice 
 in these divine attributes of justice and fidelity. 
 
 And thus, through God's assistance, I have finished 
 the first chapter of this first epistle, wherein you have 
 heard Christ's divinity and humanity illustrated, the 
 gospel's excellency and certainty demonstrated, hypo- 
 crisy detected, piety encouraged, arrogancy confuted, 
 and repentance comforted ; so that what St Paul saith 
 of the whole Scripture, 2 Tim. iii. IG, I may justly 
 
116 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN'. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 apply to this chapter, it is ' profitable for doctrine, for 
 reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteous- 
 ness : ' for doctrine, in the great mj'stery of the 
 gospel ; for reproof of licentious Christians, for cor- 
 rection of arrogant justiciaries, and for instruction in 
 righteousness, by teaching us to confess our sins and 
 walk in the light. 
 
 I have nothing further to add, but ouly my praj-ers 
 for you, and desire of your prayers for me : mine for 
 
 you, that this chapter, which is profitable in itself, 
 may become so to you, bj' the mingling of faith and 
 obedience with the reading, hearing, and meditating 
 on it ; yours for me, that 1 may, through God's pro- 
 vidence continuing my health, and his Spirit's assist- 
 ance enlightening m}' mind, be enabled to proceed ia 
 handling the subsequent chapters, so as may be to his 
 glory, my comfort, and j-oui" profit. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON XIX. 
 
 3Iy little children, these tlirngs write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, loe have an advocate with 
 the Fatlier, Jesus Christ the righteous : and he is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, hut 
 also for the sins of the whole world. — 1 John II. 1, 2. 
 
 WHAT a disease is in the body, that sin is in the 
 soul ; nor are mali humores, ill humours, more 
 pernicious to the one, than nudi mores, bad manners, 
 are to the other ; and indeed these are, as more, so far 
 more dangerous than those,* by how much the part 
 affected is more noble. In this respect they who are 
 appointed to watch over the people's souls are not un- 
 fitl}' called spiritual physicians; and as Luke, a physi- 
 cian of bodies, was one of the evangehsts, so all the 
 evangelists, apostles, and all ministers, are physicians 
 of souls. 
 
 Upon this account we find this holy apostle, as in 
 this whole epistle, so in these verses, performing the 
 part of a careful and skilful physician ; for whereas 
 the whole body of physic is divided into two parts, 
 namely, •yso^uXaxr/Hji and '^i^awiuriKri, the one whereof 
 is for preventing and the other for curing diseases, 
 here we have this ghostly physician prescribing to his 
 patients (whom he calls little children) in both these 
 kinds, giving them a preservative to keep them from 
 sin, and a restorative in case of falling into sin : ' My 
 little children, these things I write unto you, that you 
 sin not. And if any man sin,' &c. 
 
 These two verses might very well have been annexed 
 to the foregoing chapter, because the matter of them 
 is pertinent to, yea, depends upon, that which imme- 
 diately precedeth, as Marloratet and lllyricus| have 
 both truly observed ; for whereas in the end of the 
 former chapter the apostle insisteth upon three things, — 
 remission of sins, as being the foundation of fellowship 
 with God ; confession of sin, as being the first step of 
 walking in the light; and saying we have no sin, which, 
 being opposite to confession, is a step of walking in 
 darkness, — our apostle in these verses doth but fur- 
 ther amplify, explain, and conlirm these several parts, 
 letting us know that the confession of sin he speaketh 
 
 • M(ir!ii pprniciosiores pluresquo sunt animi quam cor- 
 poris — Cic. 3 Tmc. 
 
 t Pertiiitt capitis hujus initiiim ad Cncm supcrioris. — 
 3Iai tor. in toe. 
 
 I Vide lllyr. ibid. 
 
 of is such as puts on not sinning ; and yet we cannot 
 so not sin as to say we have no sin, and that the com- 
 fort of our remission dependeth upon Christ's advo- 
 cateship and propitiation. 
 
 In the words we have two generals considerable, 
 namely, 
 
 A caveat entered, which requireth care against sin, 
 in those words, ' My little children, these things I 
 write unto you, that you sin not ;' 
 
 A comfort annexed, which discovereth the cure of 
 sin in the following words, ' And if any man sin, we 
 have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous : and he is the propitiation for our sins ; and 
 not for our sins only, but the sins of the whole world.' 
 
 In the caveat we have observable, 
 
 A friendly compellatiou : ' My little children ;' 
 
 A faithful admonition : ' These things I write to 
 you, that you sin not.' 
 
 In the comfort we have considerable, 
 
 A disease or danger supposed : ' If any man sin ;' 
 
 A remedy or succour proposed : ' We have an 
 advocate,' &c. ; ' And he is the propitiation for our 
 sins,' &c. 
 
 At this time ouly of the first general ; and therein 
 begin we with the 
 
 Friendlij conijti'lliitifDi, ' My little children.' These 
 three words in the English are but two in the Greek, 
 and accordingly we may observe a word of 
 
 Declaration, uho they were: little children; 
 
 Appropriation, ulmxe they were : My little children. 
 
 1. He calls them little children, and that not once, 
 but often, very often in this epistle ; and here, yea, not 
 only here, but in the most places he so styleth them 
 upon a double ground. 
 
 (1.) Because, though not in a carnal, 3-et spiritual 
 way, they were little children. What the proverb 
 saith of old men is true of all good men, they are 
 twice children, by generation and regeneration ; as 
 when they first partake of the human, so when they 
 participate divine nature, they become little children. 
 
 (2.) Because, being regenerate, they were to be as 
 
Ver. 1, 2.] 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 117 
 
 children. Our blessel Saviour puts these two to- 
 gether : Mat. xviii. 3, ' Except ye be converted, and 
 become as little children,' intimating that all con- 
 verted persons become such ; and St Peter, 1 Peter 
 i. 23, ii. 2, calleth upon those who were born again 
 to be ' as new born babes.' Indeed, in little children 
 are the shadows of many graces and virtues which are 
 reallj' found in the regenerate."' Little children cry 
 after the dug,f an image of spiritual thirst after the 
 word ; are solicitous for nothing, a lesion of depend- 
 ence upon divine providence; are content with a little, 
 a document of temperance ; lie upon the ground, a 
 shadow of humility; give willingly of their meat to 
 their plnvfellows, a representation of liberality ; have 
 no iViiud nor deceit in them, an emblem of sincerity; 
 bear no malice, are soon pacified, a dictate of placa- 
 bility and charitj' ; are harmless and inofl'ensive, a 
 monitor of innocency. It were easy to multiply 
 parallels in this kind ; and truly, inasmuch as children 
 put us in mind of these duties, and thereby of avoid- 
 ing the eontraiT sins of pride, covetousness, injurious- 
 ness, guile, malice, wrath, disobedience, contempt of 
 God's word, hypocrisy, and all uncharitableness, 
 our apostle here, intending to dissuade from sin in 
 general, which includeth all these particulars, fitly 
 bespeaks them in this phrase, little children. 
 
 2. It is further observable that he calleth them wi/ 
 little cljildren, and this both in respect of a real 
 (though spiritual) relation, and also by way of a meta- 
 phorical yet apt allusion. 
 
 (1.) My lilllc chUdren, in real relation, God having 
 no doubt made him an instrument of converting many 
 of them to, and strengthening all of them in, the 
 faith. This spiritual aihnity have all true Christians 
 to their ministers. Indeed, primarily they are God's 
 children, being (as the phrase is frequent in this 
 epistle) ' born of God.' In this respect it is that St 
 James saith, ' Of his own good will begat he us ;' and 
 St Peter blcsseth the ' God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ ' for ' begetting us again.' And thus 
 indeed ministers as well as people (if believers) are 
 God's children. But still, secondarily, the people are 
 the minister's children, for whereas God is the prin- 
 cipal, they are the instrumental causes of forming 
 Christ in the hearts of their auditory ; and as the in- 
 struments of Iheir natural being do, so no less justly 
 the instruments of our spiritual being may, call us 
 their children. 
 
 To clear this a little further, you may please to 
 consider that the word of truth is the means whereby 
 wc are begotten to a spiritual, and nourished to eternal 
 life ; in which respect St Peter eompareth it both to 
 seed and to milk, 1 Peter i. 23, ii. 2, the seed by 
 which "xc are born again, and the milk by which, being 
 born, we are fed.if Now the preaching of this word is 
 
 • Amat Dons infuntiam, liumilitatis magistram, innocen- 
 fi.-c rPKuhim, &c — Leo. f Viile Hilar, in JIattli. 
 
 X Vide CI. Al. paeJag. 1. i. c. 6. 
 
 committed to the ministers of Christ, and they are 
 sent and appointed by God for this end, to publish the 
 doctrine of salvation to men. No wonder if St Paul, 
 writing to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. iv. 15, resembleth 
 himself to a father, and tells them, ' I have begotten 
 you in Christ Jesus through the gospel ;' to the Gala- 
 tians, chap. iv. 19, eompareth himself to the mother, 
 and using this phrase of the text, ' my little children,' 
 giveth this as the reason, ' of whom I travail in birth 
 again till Christ be formed in you ;' and to the Thes- 
 salouians, 1 Thes. ii. 7, likeneth himself to a ' nurse 
 that cherisheth her children.' Thus ministers are 
 fathers and mothers to those who are converted, and 
 so, as it were, begotten and brought forth; and nurses 
 to them who are confirmed, and so, as it were, edu- 
 cated and brought up by their labours. Upon this 
 ground it was that Paulinus, writing to Delphinus,* 
 bj- whom he was baptized and instituted in Christian 
 doctrine, saith to him, Tu nobis h Domino, et in Domino 
 paler factus. You are, under and in God, a father to me. 
 
 And (0 beloved) that every soul in this congrega- 
 tion might be able to say of me, Mij father ; oh that I 
 might be .able to say of you, ibj children. Why, tell 
 me why, do you enforce us to complain with the pro- 
 phet, Isa. xlix. 2, ' We labour in vain, and spend our 
 strength for nought' ? When, oh when, will you, by 
 receiving this celestial seed, make us joyful fathers and 
 mothers ? Surelj' what Abraham in another case said 
 to God, Geu. xv. 2, ' What wilt thou give me, seeing 
 I go childless ? ' that we say to you in this, what will 
 you give us ? Reverence, maintenance. Ay, but all 
 this is nothing if we go childless. Our desire is (like 
 that of the king of Sodom to Abraham, Gen. xiv. 21), 
 give us your souls, that we may give them to God ; 
 and as Isaiah prophesieth concerning the Messiah, 
 chap. liii. 11, ' He shall see of the travail of his soul, 
 and shall be satisfied ;' so this is our prayer to God, 
 and desire of you, that we may see the travail of our 
 souls in the conversion of yours; then, and not till 
 then, shall we be satisfied. Oh that you would do 
 us this honour, afl'ord us this comfort, by your spiri- 
 tual birth, and growth under our ministry, that we 
 may bo able upon this real ground to call you, as 
 here St John did those to whom he wrote, ' My little 
 children.' 
 
 But further, we may conceive our apostle using this 
 appellation by way of allusion, thereby to teach them. 
 
 Implicitly, how they ought to look upon him, to 
 wit, as -3, father ; 
 
 Explicitly, how he did look upon them, as his 
 children. 
 
 1. By calling them his children, he teaeheth them to 
 look upon him as their father, and not only in respect 
 of his age (for so old men are styled by the younger), 
 but his office (for so superiors are called by inferiors), 
 and accordingly behave themselves as children. In 
 his second and third epistles, he giveth himself the 
 * Paulin. ep. 15. 
 
lis 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 title of an elder ; being au elder he was a ruler, and 
 therefore to be owned as their father. Naaman being 
 a ruler in Syria, is called by his servants, 2 Kings 
 V. 13, ' My father.' Elijah being a prophet in Israel, 
 is called by Elisha, 2 Ivings ii. 12, ' My father.' 
 Micah said to the Levite, Judges xvii. 10, ' Thou shalt 
 be a father and a priest to me.' And surely St John, 
 being an elder, nay, more than so, an apostle, ought 
 to be accounted by them as their father. Thus, Tacite 
 iliyiiitalein suaiii 'uulkat, saith one* upon these words. 
 Here is a tacit insinuation of his dignity, and the autho- 
 rity ho had over them, whereby they might be minded 
 of their duty, and that both towards him and his 
 writings. 
 
 (1 .) Towards him, a duty of reverence. Filio semper 
 Iwnesta el sancta persona palris rideri debet, saith the 
 civil law : the person of the father ought to be vener- 
 able in the son's eye. When Alexander was asked 
 why he did so highly respect Antipater, answered, 
 because he was am Tar^li; instead of a father to him. 
 Upon this account it is that ministers may expect, and 
 the people ought to give them, a filial respect. It is 
 God's argument, Mai. i. G, to the priests that despise 
 his name : ' A son honoureth his father : if then I be 
 a father, where is mine honoiu- ? saith the Lord of 
 hosts.' It may be the priests' argument to the people 
 that despise theii- persons, If we be your fathers, where 
 is our honour '? 
 
 (2.) Towards his writings, a duty of obedience : 
 ' Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,' saith 
 Solomon, Prov. iv. 1. Indeed, whose instruction 
 should childi-en hear, if not their father's ? So that 
 cm' apostle in calling them his children, intimatcth 
 what an obligation lay upon them of conformity to 
 his writings, and following those counsels which were 
 thereby given to them. 
 
 2. But lastly, by calling them his little childi-eu, he 
 exprcsseth how he lookcth upon them, to wit, with most 
 endeared aflcctious. 
 
 (1.) He declareth his love and care of them, in that 
 he calleth them his children. He lettcth them see that 
 it was no less than a paternal and maternal love which 
 he did bear to them. Falher, saith TertuUian,! is 
 not only appeltatio poteslaiis, but pietatis, a word of 
 power, but of love ; rrav tpiXonxvov yho;, said the poet, J 
 all living creatures love their young ones. Love many 
 times doth not ascend from children to parents, but 
 it usually descends from parents to chikben. Such 
 an affection had St John to those to whom bo wrote. 
 
 (2.) And yet further, he sets forth the dearness of 
 his love, in tliat he calleth them his lillle children. It 
 was the language of his loving Master to his disciples, 
 John xiii. 33; and he learned it of him, as being full 
 of sweetness. Indeed, sometimes diminutives are 
 words of contempt and scorn, but sometimes of tender 
 respect; and no doubt this was the reason of our 
 
 * Justin, iu loc. 
 
 t Tertul. do Orat. cai). ii. } Euiii) 
 
 apostle's using this diminutive, not out of a super- 
 cilious contempt, but an affectionate esteem of them.* 
 Clemens Alexandi'inus hath obseiTed, that all little 
 things are most regarded and delighted in.f There 
 is in us a kind of sympathy with, and care of, little 
 things. It was Jacob's phrase to Esau, Gen. xxxiii. 
 13, that he must have regard to the tender children 
 and j"oung cattle in his journej'. Besides, parents, 
 though they love all, yet especially their little chil- 
 dren. J Let the other shift for themselves, but their 
 little ones they will be sure to take cai'e of. ' Can a 
 woman forget her sucking child ? ' is the question of 
 God himself, Isa. xlii. 17. The sucking little babes 
 are carried iu the arms, dandled on the knee, fed at 
 the breast ; and though the mother may love her elder 
 children as truly, yet not so tenderly. No wonder if 
 interpreters conceive this expression as a word of 
 greatest love,§ and manifesting his singular care of 
 their good.|| 
 
 Thus he who was the beloved disciple sheweth him- 
 self a loving pastor ; and as he was dearly beloved of 
 his Master, so his flock was dearly beloved of him. 
 Nor was this only the temper of St John's spirit, but 
 of the rest of the apostles, especially St Paul, who 
 therefore tells the Corinthians, 2 Cor. xii. 15, how 
 ' gladly he would spend and be spent for them;' calls 
 God to record ' how earnestly he longed after the 
 Philippians in the bowels of Jesus Christ,' Philip, i. 5. 
 Indeed, to all to whom he wrote he still expresseth his 
 entire affection. One of those titles which the holy 
 apostles use in their epistles is dyoTJiro/, which the 
 vulgar rendereth, and not unfitly, carissimi, and our 
 translation dcarh/ beloved. Nor are we to imagine this 
 a verbal compliment, but a real expression ; as they 
 called them, so thej' accounted them, their dearly 
 beloved. We read concerning Aaron, that he was to 
 ' bear the names of the children of Israul in the breast- 
 plate of judgment upon his heart,' Exod. xxviii. 29. 
 So did those holy apostles in a mystical sense ; nay, 
 St Paul saith of the Corinthians, 2 Cor. iii. 2, that 
 they were an ' epistle written in his heart.' 
 
 Let the same mind be in all ministers towards their 
 people that was in St John and the other apostles. 
 f\on minus tvs diliijo ijitos ijenui e.v cvtutijelio, ijuam si 
 suscepissem conjuijio, said St Ambrose :^ I love you no 
 less whom I have begotten by the gospel, than if I 
 had begotten you iu matrimonial conjunction. Fro 
 officio ^sacerdotis omnes Chrisliai>os Jiliorwn loco dili- 
 f/itiiiis, saith St Jerome:** we love all Christians as 
 our children. And this we do by reason of our otfice, 
 which obligeth us to it; and if all, much mora those 
 
 * Noll ox sui ipsius mafjiiilicalione, scJ cliaritatis niagui- 
 tudiiip. — Carllms. in loc. Vido Loriii. ibiii. 
 t Clem. Alex. Pa'diig lib. i. caii. v. 
 
 j Filii (lilij,'untur, at filioli feiiert' aiiiantur.— i"o^. in Joh. 
 g Sunimi anioris. — GiiaU. in loc. 
 II I'lUciitur iiulicat cliaritatum. — Justin. Hid. 
 \ Ambros. de Oflic. lib. i. cap. v. ** Hier. Ep. ix. 
 
Ver. 1, 2.] 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 119 
 
 over whom divine providence hath placed us. And 
 let our love shew itself to be a parental love, by the 
 purit_y, vehemency, and activity of it ; that as parents 
 love their little children not for then- own, but the 
 children's sake, with a great measure of afiection, not 
 sparing any cost, pains for their good, so let us love 
 our people ; not theirs, but them ; not coldly, but fer- 
 vently; not lazily, but diligentl.y; watching, fasting, 
 praying, preaching, and every way endeavouring their 
 spiritual good. 
 
 To end this first particular. It is not unworthy 
 our observation and imitation, that this holy apostle 
 being to pi'ess upon them a duty, first esprcsseth his 
 afiection ; and the better to make way for his counsels, 
 couchcth them as it were in sweet and pleasing lan- 
 guage :* Verbis noii cliiris, scd admodiim hUiiuUs utitio; 
 ul eo fticilitis persiiadeat. He useth not harsh and 
 rough, but sweet and soft, words. He well knew 
 that the sunbeams have a gi'eater influence than the 
 boisterous winds, and those whom severity hardeneth 
 meekness softencth. He well knew that if he could 
 persuade the people of his love to them, he should 
 the better gain their observance of his advice, since 
 that cannot but be well taken which appeareth to be 
 spoken in love. For this reason it is that this and 
 other such compellations, as brethren and beloved, are 
 frequently made use of by the apostle ; yea, that we find 
 them so often entreating, heseeehiiuj, persuctding, that 
 by their gentle expressions they might win upon those 
 to whom they wrote. ' My doctrine,' said Moses, 
 Deut. xxxii. 2, 'shall di'op as the rain, my speech 
 shall distil as the dew,' to wit, in a mild and gentle 
 manner. And indeed so it did; for, like a tender 
 narse, he sings to the froward child, reproving Israel's 
 ingratitude in a song. Thus you see how, as God did 
 once to Elijah, so the men of God to the people have 
 for the most part come in the still voice. And surely 
 it becometh well all God's ministers to write after these 
 copies, and to endeavour that, by afi'ectionate expres- 
 sions and alluring phrases, thej' may prevail with those 
 to whom they preach. Indeed, since we are messen- 
 gers of the word of truth, we must abhor lying flattery ; 
 but withal, since wo are ambassadors of the gospel of 
 peace, we must use persuading lenity, and bespeak the 
 people in the most loving, insinuating phrases, as here 
 we sec St John did, calling them ' my little children.' 
 And let this suffice to have been spoken of the friendly 
 compellation, which seemeth very fitly to make way 
 for the 
 
 Faithful admonition : ' These things I write to you, 
 that you sin not,' wherein there are two particulars 
 further to be taken notice of. 
 
 The matter of the admonition in these words, ' that 
 you sin not.' 
 
 The motive enforcing it, as the end of what he wrote 
 in those words, ' these things I write unto j'ou.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the matter of the admonition, 
 * Vide Est. Fer. iu loc. 
 
 which is not to sin. Tliat I may the better illustrate 
 what is the true and full meaning of these words, I 
 shall entreat you to observe these ensuing particulars, 
 and those, such as the comparing of this clause with 
 the three last verses of the former chapter manifestly 
 prompts to. 
 
 (1.) In the end of the preceding chapter our apostle 
 tells those who say they have not sinned, that they 
 make God a liar, by which it appears that this sin not 
 is to be understood de futuro, in reference to time to 
 come. As if he should say. Though you have sinned 
 heretofore, yet sin not, that is, abstain from sin here- 
 after. And thus this admonition is the same with that 
 of God by the prophet Isaiah, chap. i. 16, ' Cease to 
 do evil ;' by the prophet Ezekiel, chap, xviii. 31, 
 ' Cast away all your transgi-essions;' and of Christ to 
 the impotent man whom he had healed, John v. 14, 
 and to the woman which was charged with adultery, 
 John viii. 11, ' Sin no more.' It was one of the pro- 
 hibitions given to the Nazarites, that they should not 
 drink vinegar. Num. vi. 3; but what need of this, 
 whenas the sharpness of the liquor is enough to dis- 
 suade from drinking it ? The literal reason whereof 
 was no doubt because it came of the wine and strong 
 drink; but Rabbanus maketh a moral apphcation of 
 it apt to our present purpose, where he saith, they 
 drink vinegar who return to the olduess of their past 
 sins, of which every spiritual Nazarite must beware.* 
 It is not unfitly observed to this purpose by Mendoza, 
 concerning God's command of turning the rebels' 
 censers into broad plates, which were fastened to the 
 altar for a covering. Num. xvi. 37, that this might be 
 one reason, that those censers might no more be em- 
 ployed in that sacrilegious way. For whereas had the 
 censers remained, and not been beaten into plates, or 
 if beaten and not fastened on the altar, they might 
 have been easily again abused. Now they remained 
 as memorials of their sins, and yet no way was left 
 for misemploying them afterwards. And surely what 
 should this but teach us how solicitous and careful we 
 should be, though we have done iniquity, to do so no 
 more ; and though we have sinned, yet not to sin here- 
 after. 
 
 (2.) But further, in the ninth verse of the former 
 chapter, he adviseth confession of sin, and here he 
 addeth, ' sin not.' As if he would say. As you confess 
 your sins past, so sin not for time to come. Indeed, 
 this is both the truest and the safest, the most real 
 and the most comfortable, part of repentance : ' Wash 
 you, make you clean,' saith God by the prophet, Isa. 
 i. 15 ; he washeth and is clean, saith St Austin, t qui 
 prieterila plant/it el iteniin non adinittit, who bewaileth 
 sin committed, and doth not commit sin bewailed. 
 Our confessions, our prayers, our tears, our purposes, 
 
 * Acfctura bibunt, qui post vilopsanctitatem in 'vetustatem 
 prseteritorum vitiurum labunlur, et corruptioiio veteris ne- 
 quitiic delectantur. — Ral). 
 
 •f Aug. do Temp. Serm. CG. 
 
120 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 may be hypocritical ; it is our actual forsaking of sia 
 which evidenceth the truth of all the rest. True 
 repentance doth not onlj' decline the accusatifc case, 
 by acknowledging sin, and the vocalice, by calling upon 
 Ood for pardon, but the ablative, by putting sin away; 
 and thus, according to Origen's * phrase, as it healeth 
 those wounds that have been made, so it taketh care 
 that the soul be not wounded again. IndeeJ, this is 
 the great mistake of very many, they content them- 
 selves with a genera! confessing sin and formal asking 
 ofpardon,andstill theyadd sin unto sin; but, alas! this 
 is only Jiiigcrr, not af/ere pcenitcnliain , to pretend, not 
 practise penitence. Optima pcenitentia vita nova, the 
 repentance of the life by dying to sin, is the very life 
 of repentance. 
 
 (3.) Lastly, In the eighth verse of the former 
 chapter, our apostle saith, ' If we," in which number he 
 includes himself, and consequently the holiest men, 
 ' say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,' and yet 
 here he writeth to them not to sin ; two clauses which 
 seem irreconcileable, but may be solved up bj- a double 
 answer : 
 
 Either thus : ' sin not;' that is, endeavour that you 
 may not sin at all hereafter. Though this cannot be 
 the event, let it be your intent, the success ; let it be 
 your design in execution, let it be in intention. Sin 
 not, saith Bede ; that is, lot us take heed how we add 
 to the frailty of our flesh by our neglect, and therefore, 
 let us strive to the utmost we can, that we may be 
 free from all sin ; and to this purpose is Calvin's 
 gloss, when he saith by not sinning, he meaneth, that 
 as far as human weakness will permit, we should ab- 
 stain from all sin. f 
 
 Or thus : ' sin not ;' that is, be sure you sin not de 
 futuro, again, as you did de preterito, in the days of 
 your unrogeneracy. As if he would say, Though you 
 cannot but sin still, j-et sin not as you did before. 
 
 To enlarge this in a double reference. 
 
 [1.] Quoad i/eiius, not in the same kind. Sin not'; 
 that is, beware of those gross sins, scarlet iniquities, 
 in which before you lived. And thus, though it is 
 possible a regenerate person may commit some great 
 sin in which he formerly wallowed, yet it is not im- 
 possible for him wholly to avoid sins of that nature ; 
 nay, this is that which God expects and requireth of us, 
 that though our garment will bo spotted, yet it may 
 not be rent in pieces ; and though we cannot be without 
 failings, yet that we should be without scandalous falls. 
 
 [2. J Quoad modiini, not in the same manner as be- 
 fore you did, not with that fulness of deliberation, 
 freeness of consent, strength of resolution, frequency 
 of action, which 3-ou sinned with in times past. We 
 cannot but sin, but we must not delight in, give up, 
 accustom ourselves to the commission of sin. It was 
 
 * Pcenitentia non .solum vulnus prtcteritum sanat, eed ct 
 oltra animam non j-iiiit pcccato vulncrari. — Oriff. liom. viii. 
 in Kum. 
 
 t Vide Bed. Calv. in loc. 
 
 David's prayer, Ps. xix. 12, ' Keep back thy servant 
 from presumptuous sin,' and it is every good man's 
 practice to keep himself, by God's grace, from sin- 
 ning presumptuously. And this much shall serve to 
 be spoken of the matter. 
 
 Proceed we now to the motive enforcing this admo- 
 nition, and that is, because this was the end of his 
 writing these things. 
 
 The prosecution of this lieth in the various refer- 
 ence of the raZra, these thiiir/.t here spoken of. Indeed, 
 we may very well understand it both in a yeneral and 
 a particular reference. 
 
 1. It may have a general respect to the whole 
 epistle, and so we are to take notice of one principal 
 end why he wrote this epistle, that he might take 
 them off from their sins. And thus here is intimated 
 bothyZiiis scribentis, and finis scripluric, the end of the 
 writer, and the end of the writing : and that one and 
 the same, their not sinning. 
 
 (1.) ' I write these things, that you sin not.' That 
 was his aim and scope in his writing. Nor was it only 
 his, but that which all the men of God in all their 
 writings and preachings aimed at ; and therefore j'ou 
 still find them harping upon that string, repent, and 
 shooting their forked arrows at sin. Indeed, the false 
 prophets, as God complaineth by Jeremiah, chap, 
 xxiii. II, did ' strengthen the hands of evil-doers ;' 
 but the true prophet's endeavour was to restrain them, 
 the false prophet's, as Ezekiel's phrase is, chap. xiii. 
 18, did ' sew pillows under their arm-holes,' but the 
 true plucked them awaj', ' Go up, and prosper,' was 
 the voice of the lying prophets to Ahab, 1 Kings 
 xxii. 6. ' If thou retm-n in peace, the Lord hath not 
 spoken by me,' saith Micaiah, ver. 28. Flattering 
 ministers lull the people asleep, but faithful ones 
 awaken them out of their sins. Oh let us herein approve 
 ourselves sincere, by striking at, and labouring to beat 
 down, sin in all our discourses. 
 
 (2.) ' These things I write unto you, that you sin 
 not.' This was the end of all that he wrote.* Nor is 
 it only the end of his, but all the writings of the 
 apostles and prophets ; so that the whole Scripture is 
 given us, among others, for this end, that we might not 
 sin. If we look into holy writ, we shall find precepts, 
 reproofs, threatenings, promises, histories ; and sin not 
 is that to which they all tend. The precepts ai-e as 
 clear glasses to discover sin ; the reproofs, as faithful 
 monitors to mind us of sin ; the threats, as strong 
 cords to bind us from sin ; the promises, as gentle 
 antidotes against sin ; and the histories, as memorable 
 monuments of the sad efl'ects of sin. To this purpose 
 it is that God's word is compared to a lire, Jer. xxiii. 
 20, which purgcth away the dross ; to water, which 
 cleanseth away the fiUh, Rev. xxii. 17 ; and to a sword 
 with a double edge, Heb. iv. 12, the one whereof is to 
 cut the heart of a sinner for sin, and the other to cut 
 sin in the heart of a sinner. 
 
 * Tota doctrina hue spcctat, &c. — Zanch. in loc. 
 
Ver. 1, 2.] 
 
 SERMON XTX. 
 
 121 
 
 my brethren, as these things are written by 
 those sacred penmen, so let them be read, heard, 
 pondered, and observed by us for this end, that we 
 may not sin. These things are written in God's 
 booli that we may not, and if these things be written 
 in ovir hearts we shall not, err. The psalmist pro- 
 poseth it to young men, Ps. csix. 9, and in them to 
 all men, as an excellent help against sin : ' Wherewith 
 shall a young man cleanse his ways ? By taking heed 
 thereto, according to his word.' And presently after, 
 Ter. 11, he sets down a probatum est from his own 
 practice and experience, ' 1 have hid thy word in my 
 heart, that I might not sin against thee.' When, 
 therefore, we are to encounter with any sin, let us go 
 to the book of holy writ, and thence choose out five 
 smooth stones, a precept, a reproof, a threat, a pro- 
 mise, an history ; put we them in the scrip of our 
 hearts. Let us throw them with the sling of faith 
 against the forehead of Goliah, our lust, whatsoever 
 it be ; so shall we be enabled to overcome, for 'these 
 things are written that we sin not.' 
 
 2. Besides this general, there may be a more par- 
 ticular reference of this raijra, llu-sc thinr/s, to the 
 things which precede in the end of the former, and 
 immediately follow in this chapter. For whereas he 
 had in the foregoing verses delivered the doctrines 
 of an impossibility of being without sin, of a possi- 
 bility of pardon of sin, and that upon confession ; and 
 besides, he was presently to mention the comfortable 
 doctrines of Christ's interceding to God for us, and 
 reconciling us to God ; well knowing how apt men are, 
 and how ready they would be, to make these doctrines 
 encouragements to sin,* he thought it necessary that 
 this caveat should be put after the one and set before 
 the other, whereby the misconstruction and misappli- 
 cation of these precious truths might be prevented ; 
 and, according to this reference, here is something im- 
 phed, something expressed. 
 
 (1.) That these things which were written would 
 be perverted by some, for the encouragement of them- 
 selves and others in sin. 
 
 (2.) That these very things which would be so per- 
 verted, were written by him that they should not sin. 
 
 (1.) Our apostle no doubt foresaw how these things 
 which he wrote would be abused, and therefore thought 
 this caveat very needful, for how apt are men to 
 reason in this or the like manner : If we can never 
 come to say we have no sin, what need we care 
 though we have sin ? That which no man can avoid, 
 why should we go about to withstand ? And thus, 
 from a necessity, take to themselves a liberty of sin- 
 liing again. 
 
 Again, If God will forgive sin upon confession, 
 what need we fear the commission ! If he is read\' to 
 forgive all sin, what need we care how many and great 
 sins we run into ? We can confess as oft as we oll'end, 
 and God will forgive as oft as we confess. Once more, 
 * Vide For. Xaogor";. in loc. 
 
 if Christ will be an advocate and propitiation when 
 we have sinned, why should our sins trouble us ! 
 There is a plaster provided for our wounds, what 
 need we fear to wound ourselves ! And since Christ 
 will free us from sin, let us sin fi-eely. 
 
 Thus, as the best of actions, so of expressions, are 
 subject to misconstructions, nothing can be done so 
 exactly, nor written so exquisitely, but a wicked eye 
 will pry, and censure, and slander. A vitiated stomach 
 turneth all its meat into cholor ; a venomous spider 
 sucketh poison out of the sweetest flower ; and men of 
 corrupt minds will strengthen themselves in sin, from 
 pure and heavenly truth ; as they make the good gifts 
 of God conferred on them, so the good word of God 
 published to them, fuel for their lust. St Peter saith 
 of many 'unlearned and unstable souls,' that 'they 
 wrest the Scriptures to their own perdition,' 2 Peter 
 iii. 16, to wit, by making them patterns of error; no 
 less do profane men by making them fautors of sin. 
 And the metaphor there used is very emphatical, bor- 
 rowed from the stretching of men upon the rack ; and 
 as those who are racked are ofttimes made to confess 
 what they never did, so these cause the Scriptures as 
 it were to speak what they never meant. 
 
 Oh let us take heed of learning this hellish sophistry ; 
 beware we of putting foul glosses upon the fair text. 
 It is very ill to make a sinister construction of our 
 neighbom-'s words, but far worse to misinterpret God's 
 sayings ; and we cannot more abuse these writings, 
 than to make them speak anything which is either un- 
 true or impure. 
 
 And because it is that to which men are so prone, 
 oh let God's ministers take heed how they deliver 
 things too largely and too loosely, without their due 
 caution. It is Ferus his note,* how wary St John 
 is in delivering the sweetest doctrine ot remission 
 and reconciliation by Christ ; no less is St Paul when 
 he handleth the doctrine of justification. And so 
 ought we, in delivering those sweet gospel verities, 
 so to propose them, as that wicked men may not 
 hereby take occasion to let loose the reins to all 
 licentiousness. 
 
 (2.) But furiher to prevent this mistake, he plainly 
 asserts that these very things were written by him 
 that men might not sin. Those very doctrines which 
 wicked men abuse to countenance looseness, directly 
 tend to persuade strictness. 
 
 When the apostle saith we cannot be altogether 
 without sin, what should that teach us but to be so 
 much the more careful and watchful ! Since we daily 
 gather filth, we had need to take the more pains in 
 cleansing ourselves. If I cannot shoot fully home, 
 when I have done my best, I had need draw the 
 arrow as far as I can, that 1 may come the nearer to 
 the mark. Because my best know'ledgc is mixed with 
 some ignorance, have I not reason to study hard that 
 I may attain the more knowledge '? Seeing do what 
 * Vide Fer. in loc. 
 
]22 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 we can we shall slip, is there not cause of the mere 
 wariness that we may not fall, or at least not often ? 
 These things, ' if we say we have no sin,' ' if we say 
 we have not sinned,' are written, ' that we sin not.' 
 
 Again, when the apostle sai;h, ' If we confess our 
 sins, God is faithful and just to forgive ; for what is 
 this confession required but that we might not sin ? 
 The truth is, confession is required not so much in 
 reference to sin past, either to inform God of, or make 
 him amends for it, but chieHy in reference to sin for 
 time to come, that hereby, beii)g the more sensible of 
 the oflence, guilt, shame, and grief attending, we may 
 be both enraged and engaged against it. He that by 
 confession condemneth himself fur his sin, is thereby 
 obliged to condemn sin in himself; and the end of 
 acknowledging our sins is, as that the sinner may be 
 absolved, so that the sin may be executed. 
 
 Ouce more, when the apostle saith, God forgiveth 
 and cleansethfrom all unrighteousness, and Christ is our 
 advocate and propitiation fur our sins, these are sweet 
 yet strong arguments to dissuade from sin. Gospel- 
 truths favour the sinner, but not the sin ; they reach 
 forth an hand of succour to us, but it is to pluck us 
 out of the mire ; they are a plaster, not to skin, but 
 to heal the sores. Very apposite to this purpose is 
 that of St Paul : Titus i'i. 11, 12, ' The gi'ace of God 
 
 which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 
 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly 
 lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, 
 in this present world.' Pardoning and reconciling 
 love cannot but (1.) oblige to thankfulness; and it 
 were a very ill requital for pardoning an old to ofl'er a 
 new injury. (2.) Excite love, and love must needs 
 make us careful not again to displease. No wonder 
 if Arnobius* saith. We who believe that our sins are 
 expiated by Christ's blood, cannot but be cautelous 
 how we plunge ourselves into the guilt of sin again. 
 
 Oh let us study the purity of evangelical doctrines! 
 Let us get spmtuul enlightened understandings, that 
 we may judge aright of these truths. ' Having these 
 promises,' saith St Paul, 2 Cor.[_vii. 1, 'let us,' not 
 defile, but ' cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of 
 flesh and spu-it, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' 
 Then, and not till then, are gospel-verities rightly 
 understood and believed, when we use them not only 
 as cordials to revive our drooping spirits, but as 
 purges to expel our corrupt humours. For ' these 
 things I write to you,' saith our apostle here, ' that 
 you sui not.' 
 
 * Nos qui creiHmus sanguine filii Dei expiari peccata, 
 non possumus non solicite a peccato nobis cavere. — Arnob. 
 adv. genl. lib. vii. 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 And if (till/ man ain, xrc lutre an adcocate irith the Father, Jesus Christ the rhjhteous. — 1 John II. 1. 
 
 PRESUMPTION and despair are two destructive 
 rocks, upon either of which, if the ship of the 
 soul dash, it is split in pieces ; thej' are the two 
 dangerous precipices, upon which whosoever steps 
 saileth* headlong into hell. Finally, these are the 
 two deviating extremes from the golden mean, to 
 which he that turneth must needs perish. 
 
 Indeed, one of these is the more common, to wit, 
 that of presumption, in which respect (alluding to that 
 expression of Saul and Pavid, 1 Sam. xviii.) we may 
 say, despair hath slain its thousand, but presumption 
 its ten thousand ; yet though the poison of the one be 
 more spreading, the venom of the other is no less 
 cndangeriug ; j-ea, both where they seize are deadly. 
 Whilst presumption is an enemy to repentance, and 
 despair to faith, that deceiveth with vain hopes of 
 mercy, this tormenteth with hellish fears of justice ; 
 finally, the one hurr'i'th on the soul into sinful courses, 
 and the other keepeth the suul back from laying hold 
 on spiritual comforts. 
 
 Good reason why the Scri[ituros afl'ord us antidotes 
 against both these poisons ; and here St John, like a 
 skilful pilot, a wise guide, a faithful friend, warneth 
 those to whom he wrote of both these rocks, advising 
 them that they should neither go on presumptuously 
 * Qu. • fallcth' ?— Ed. 
 
 in their sins, nor yet moiu-n despairingly when they 
 had sinned. ' My little children, these things I write 
 unto j-ou, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we 
 have an advocate,' &c. 
 
 Having despatched the caveat, proceed we to the 
 comfort, and therein begin with the, 
 
 1. Disease or danger supposed in those words, ' And 
 if any man sin.' The right understanding of this 
 clause depends much upon the genuine sense of the 
 verb sin. To which end you may please to observe a 
 threefold signification of it in Scripture. 
 
 (1.) To sin, is as much as to live in sin, and so re- 
 spects the general course of a man's conversation. In 
 this sense I conceive that of St Paul to Timothy, 
 1 Tim. V. 20, is to be understood. ' Them that sin' 
 (that is, saith Calvin,* qui dixsoluti liritnl, who obsti- 
 nately go on in sin), ' rebuke openly ;' for those who 
 sin, though grossly at first, are to be rebuked pri- 
 vately, and upon pi'rsisting openly. It is very observ- 
 able to this purpose how the apostle usoth those two 
 phrases as synonymous, conlinuini/ in sin and sin)iinp ; 
 for so he puts the question in the beginning of the 
 sixth chapter, vcr. 1, ' What then? shall we continue 
 in sin ?' and afterwards, iu the same chapter, ver. 15, 
 ' What then ? shall wo sin ?' 
 
 * Calv. ibid. 
 
Yer. 1.] 
 
 SERMOX XX. 
 
 123 
 
 (2.) To sin, is as much as to do some gross act of 
 sin, and so respects particular falls in the course of 
 a man's life. la this sense Joseph maketh these two 
 parallel phrases, ' doing great wickedness,' and ' sin- 
 ning against God,' Gen. xxxis. 9. Thus when Job 
 saith of his sins, chap. i. 5, ' It may be they have 
 sinned ;' and where it is said of Job, chap. ii. 20, ' in 
 all this he sinned not;' and when the question is put 
 concerning the blind man, ' "Who sinned ? this man or 
 his parents ?' is to be interpreted of some gross and 
 heinous ofl'ence. 
 
 (3.) To sin, is as much as to do nni/ tliini/ dissonant 
 to thai exact ndc which the lutv of God sets before us, 
 and so refers to frailties and infirmities. In this 
 sense (no doubt) is that asserlion of the \Yise man to 
 be construed, Eceles. vii. 20, ' There is no m;in that 
 doeth good and sinneth not.' If you ask which of 
 these is here meant, I answer, 
 
 1. The former of these acceplions is by no means 
 here to be allowed. Christ is not, 'will not, be an ad- 
 vocate for them that continue in their sins. He saith 
 himself expressly, ' I pray not for the vrorld,' to wit, 
 lying in wickedness, the world of unbelievers. Impe- 
 nitent sinners have no interest in Christ's intercession, 
 and indeed it is very observable to this purpose how 
 our apostle phraseth this clause, so as that wilful sin- 
 ners might have no hold of it. For, observe (1.) it 
 is set down in conjunction with sin not, so much the 
 particle and intimateth, implying that only those who 
 make conscience of the caveat have a share in the com- 
 fort; ' and if any man sin,' to wit, who endeavoureth 
 not to sin. (2.) It is set down with an {7". He saith, 
 not ' because we cannot but sin' (though this, as you 
 shall hear presently, is his meaning), but ' if any man 
 sin,' as if he would intimate that the sinning he speak- 
 eth of is not a resolute, but a casual sinning ; ' if any 
 man sin,' that is, if it happen that any man sin, to 
 wit, besides his bent and course. (3.) It is not in 
 the future tense, ' if any man shall sin,' lest that 
 might be an encouragement to a man in future in- 
 dulging to his sins ; no, but in the second aorist, ' if 
 any man sin,' being only intended to prevent despau- 
 in men when they have sinned ; so that I must at the 
 entrance of this paradise place a flaming sword to 
 keep the tree of life, whereby presumptuous sinners 
 may not gather the fruit which groweth upon it. The 
 bread of this scripture is very nourishing, but it is not 
 common ; we must not sin as much as we please, as 
 long as we list, and think to put it on Christ's score, 
 to wallow in the mire, and expect his blood shall cleanse 
 us ; to renew our provocations, and still find him our 
 propitiation ; multiply our rebellions, and make use of 
 him as an advocate to plead for us; no, let us not de- 
 ceive om'selves, this si ijais is not so large as to take 
 in them that sin, that is, serve sin, and live in it. 
 
 2. The second of these acceptious may warrantably 
 be admitted, as at least an orthodox sense of these 
 ■words, and so the verb sin in the former clause and 
 
 this may be construed identically, or difl'erently ; either 
 thus, ' I write these things that you sin not,' to wit, 
 continue not in your sins ; ' and if any man sin,' that is, 
 having left, do fall into sin, and so the construction is 
 diverse ; or thus, ' I write these things that you sin 
 not,' that is, take heed of gross sins ; and if any man 
 sin, that is, happen to commit some gross act of sin; 
 and so the sense of the verb in both cases is the same. 
 And according to this interpretation, here is manifestly 
 implied a double possibility, the one of regenerate 
 persons falling into gross sins, and the other of obtain- 
 ing pardon for them. 
 
 (1.) According to this construction, the conditional 
 particle idv, //', importelh a possibility for them who 
 are converted to fall, and that into a gross sin. Indeed, 
 there is no sin so small which a convert doth not ab- 
 hor, and yet there is scarce any sin so great which 
 he may not commit. It is true, on the one hand it is 
 possible for him to live without, but on the other it is 
 as well possible for him to fall into even a scandalous 
 crime. Doubtless, what hath been may be ; and when 
 we find in Scripture eminent saints marked with noto- 
 rious spots, we may justly conceive them incident to 
 any as well as them. Whilst graceis defective, and temp- 
 tations are strong, it is no wonder if sometimes corrup- 
 tions get the mastery, and we not only step aside, but fall 
 foully. Very needful in this respect are those coun- 
 sels of St Paul: Gal.vi. 1. ' Brethren, if a man be over- 
 taken with a fault, ye that are spiritual, restore such 
 an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, 
 lest thou also bo tempted.' Ille hodic, ego eras, was 
 a devout saying of a good man ; he is fallen to-day, 
 and I may to-morrow ; and, therefore, if thou stand- 
 est whilst another falleth, thankfully acknowledge thy 
 Father's goodness, but do not proudly disdain thy 
 brother's weakness. Again, 1 Cor. x. 12, ' Let him 
 that thinkeih he standeth take heed lest hefaU.' He 
 is a wicked sinner who presumeth on God's mercy, 
 and he is a proud saint who presumeth on his own 
 strength. 'Whilst we are here, temptations will enter 
 upon us, and we may enter into temptation. When 
 we have acted a sin, we may fear too much, if it be 
 such a fear as ends in horror and despair ; but we 
 cannot too much fear lest we should sin. Since, as 
 the former is fiaijeUwn, a scourge of the bad, so the 
 latter is J'ra:num, a bridle to the good ; nor is there a 
 better preservative from, than the fear of, falling. 
 
 But further, it is well observed,* that this expres- 
 sion, ' if any man sin,' is elliptica oratio, an elliptic 
 speech, and there is somewhat implied which may be 
 thus supplied : Let him not despair, or cast away all 
 hope of pardon ; and so we see there is a possibility of 
 pardon for such sins. It is the erroneous opinion of 
 the Novatians, that sins committed after baptism are 
 unpardonable, and this chiefly gi-ounded upon that of 
 the author to the Hebrews, chap. vi. 3, 4, where he 
 asserts it ' impossible for them who fall away' (after 
 * Zauch. in loc. 
 
J 24 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 enlightening and partaking of the Hoi}- Ghost), ' to be 
 renewed again by repentance.' In answer to which, 
 though some interpret aOuvaTov to be no more than p^a- 
 XsTiv, expounding iDipossiblc by JiJficiiU, yet I conceive 
 we are to understand the falling away, not of a gross 
 fall into a particular sin, but a malicious apostasy 
 fi'om the Christian religion, which ' crucifieth the Son 
 of God afresh, and puts him to open shame,' as if 
 he were an impostor and seducer, not the world's 
 Redeemer; a sin which, being always joined with im- 
 penitency, rendereth renewing impossible for such 
 persons. Notwithstanding which, there remaineth a 
 possibility of pardon for particular sins, into which 
 baptized and regenerate persons fall ; in which respect 
 repentance is fitly called by Tertullian,* .lecmida ta- 
 bula post naiijrifihtm, a second plank for them who, 
 after they are bound for heaven, are shipwrecked by 
 the storm of some violent temptation ; and therefore, 
 though gross falls are to be matter of deep humilia- 
 tion, yet not of deadly desperation. 
 
 8. Lastly, the third, which is the most compre- 
 hensive acception and proper signification of the word, 
 is by some, and not improbably, conceived to be the 
 most genuine construction of it in this place. In this 
 respect the conditional particle is as much as a causal, 
 and ciliijiiis equivalent to (niinix ; if antj, that is, be- 
 cause every man sinneth. Indeed, it were to be desired 
 that this supposition might never be a position; but 
 understanding it of infirmities,! it not only m;iy but 
 will be so long as we live here. And therefore, as 
 Solomon, 1 Kings viii. 4G, having made an hypothesis, 
 ' if they sin against thee,' presently addeth a paren- 
 thesis, and that by way of an epanorthosis (' and 
 there is no man that sinneth not'), so it might here be 
 in like manner annexed : ' If anj' man sin, as who is 
 there that doth not sin ?' this being, as hath been 
 heretofore proved, incident to the best saints. In- 
 deed, time was when there was a possibility of not 
 sinning, to wit, in the state of innocency ; time shall 
 be when there shall be an impossibility of sinning, 
 namely, in the state of glory ; but iu this present 
 state of grace, there is both a possibility of sinning 
 grossly, and a necessity of sinning in some degree. 
 
 These daily infirmities, though they cannot be 
 avoided, yet must be bewailed ; the burrs of corrup- 
 tion which cleave to us must prick us. These 
 Canaanites, which we cannot expel, must be 'thorns 
 in our eyes, and pricks in our sides.' AVith David, 
 Ps. xix. 12, we must pray, ' Lord, cleanse me from 
 secret sins ;' with Paul, Rom. vii. 24, wc must com- 
 plain, ' wretched mini that I am !' but yet though 
 they be our grief, they neid not be our terror ; matter 
 of sorrow they ought to be, but not of desp^iir, ever 
 remembering that there is balm in Gilead, a remedy 
 
 * Tpitul. do rrmit. 
 
 f Si quia fr;i<;ilitate peccavcrit. — Cajet. in loe. Si de in- 
 finnitatu vita subiepserit peccatum, &c. — Aug. in loe. 
 
 appointed for these univoidable diseases. And so I 
 am fallen on the 
 
 Remedy proposed : ' We have an advocate,' &c. 
 
 Before we enter upon the particulars, something 
 would be observed in general, and indeed it is well 
 worthy our consideration, that the apostle, prescribing 
 a remedy for our sins, sends us to Christ, as him in 
 whom alone our comfort heth. K.etia nos nipit ims, saith 
 Aretius,* aptly ; he taketh us from ourselves that he 
 may fix us upon Christ. Indeed, he rcquireth, that 
 if we sin we should confess our sins, but st'.U we must 
 have recourse to Christ as an advocate for us and a 
 propitiation for our sins ; he calls upon us before to 
 walk in the light, but withal minds us of the blood of 
 Christ, as that which must cleanse us. None more for 
 repentance and holiness of life than St John, yet still he 
 would have us by faith rely on the efficacy of Christ's 
 merits. The truth is, lie that relieth on Christ 
 buildeth upon a rock, but he that restcth on his own 
 performances, buildeth upon the sand ; and as on the 
 one hand, we must not think to rest by faith on Christ 
 and neglect our duty, so on the other, we must so 
 perform our duty as still by faith to rest on Christ. 
 The truth is, our own performances are so accom- 
 panied with defects, that they cannot afford full con- 
 solation. We confess, and pray, and repent, but, 
 alas, these very duties need an advocate ; so that, as 
 Noah's dove found no rest for the sole of her foot till 
 she came to the ark, no more can we find any heart's 
 ease, soul's rest, till we come to Christ. And this be 
 spoken in the general. 
 
 More particularly, we may observe two ingredients 
 in this remedy, namely, Christ's intercession and 
 reconciliation ; the former in the end of the first, and 
 the latter in this second verse. 
 
 The first ingredient is Christ's intercession ; in those 
 words, ' we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
 Christ the righteous,' wherein there are two things 
 observable, 
 
 I. The quality, what it is ; ' we have an advoeafe.' 
 II. The ctficacy, how prevalent it is iu respect of, 
 
 1. The person with whom, ' the Father.' 
 
 2. The person who, 'Jesus Christ the righteous.' 
 I. The first thing to be discussed is the quality of 
 
 this ingredient, and to that end we must inquire 
 what this meaneth, that Christ is called an advocate. 
 
 The more clearlj- to unfold this comfortable truth, 
 I shall proceed by these stejis. 
 
 1. The Greek word TajazXjjrr.;, here used, is attri- 
 buted in Scripture both to Christ and the Spirit,! but 
 when it is attributed to the Spirit, it is rendered by 
 aimforter, when to Christ, by advocate ; and not 
 without reason, since the Spirit's work is to speak 
 comfortably to us, and Christ's to plead powerfullj' 
 for us. Indeed, whensoever this title is given to the 
 Holy Ghost, it is either in respect of the world, and 
 then it noteth his pleading for God with men by 
 * Arct. in loe. t A ret. in Inc. 
 
Ver. 1.] 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 12;j 
 
 way of conviction, John xvi. 7, 8 ; or in respect of 
 believers, and then it noteth his encouraging them in 
 all their distresses, chap. xiv. 19, and enabling them 
 by strong groans to plead with God for themselves, 
 Rom. viii. 28 ; but when it is given to Christ, it im- 
 porteth his taking our cause upon himself, and under- 
 taking to intercede with God in our behalf. 
 
 2. This will the better appear if we consider that 
 adi'vcate is verhwn foreiise, a judicial word, * so that 
 look, as in all such proceedings, there is the guilty, 
 the accuser, the court, the judge, and the advocate, 
 60 is it here : heaven is the court, man is the guilty, 
 Satan the accuser, God is the judge, and Christ the 
 advocate ; and look as the advocate appeareth in the 
 court before the judge, to plead for the guilty against 
 the accuser, so doth Christ before God in heaven, to 
 answer whatsoever the devil can object against us. 
 
 3. But further, as Christ is here called an advocate, 
 so is he elsewhere a judge. Thus St Peter saith. 
 Acts X. 42, that Christ commanded the apostles to 
 preach, and testify that it is ' he whom God hath 
 ordained to be judge of quick and dead.' Indeed, 
 both these, in respect of difl'erent times and his several 
 offices, are aptly verified of him. 
 
 (1.) Now being ascended to heaven, he is an 
 advocate ; at the last day, when he descends from 
 heaven, he shall be s. judge. How comfortable is this 
 meditation to believers, that he who is now their ad- 
 vocate is hereafter to be their judge ; and if he vouch- 
 safe to plead for them at the bar, he shall certainly 
 pass sentence for them upon the bench. 
 
 (2.) There is a twofold office which Christ under- 
 taketh, in respect of which these are truly attributed 
 to him : the one regal, and the other sacerdotal. As 
 king, he shall one day sit as a judge ; as priest, be now 
 stands as an advocate at God's hand ; f by his kingly 
 power he shall execute the one, but of his priestly 
 goodness he vouchsafeth the other. And thus, whilst 
 as a king he can and will himself confer, j-et as a 
 priest he obtaineth of the Father, remission of our sins. 
 
 4. It is not unworthy our observation, that as Christ 
 is here called by St John an advocate, so by St Paul, 
 1 Tim. ii. 5, a mediator. Vnus iitiiiis(juenomiiii$seiis>is, 
 saith Gualter ; the sense of both is one and the same, 
 but yet there is some difl'erence to be observed between 
 them. Christ is a mediator both in respect of his 
 person and his office, both because he is a middle 
 person, .and because he mediateth between God and 
 man,t whereas he is an advocate only in respect of 
 his office ; again, he is a mediator in respect of all 
 his offices, an advocate only in respect of his sacer- 
 dotal ; finally, a mediator, inasmuch as he doth both 
 deal with God for man, and with man for God; paci- 
 fying God towards man, bringing man to God; obtain- 
 
 * Morem et consuetudinem fori exjiriniit. 
 f Judex eiit Christus cum rosidtt.aclvocatus cum assurgit. — 
 Ambros. in Ps. cxviii. oct 20. Maxim, iu Pcutecost, horn. i. 
 } Isidor. lliszal. orig. lib. iii. cap 2. 
 
 ing favour with God for us, and declaring God's will 
 to us ; but an advocate only, inasmuch as he inter- 
 cedeth with God and pleadeth our cause in heaven. 
 Mediator then is, as it were, the genu^, and advocate 
 the species, it being one part of his mediatorship that 
 he is an advocate. I shall end this with Beza's dis- 
 tinction,* who observeth that Christ is called a judge 
 in respect of our adversaries, a mediator in reference 
 to God, and an advocate in regard of us, judging our 
 enemies, mediating with God, and pleading for us. 
 
 5. We may not unfitly here distinguish between a 
 patron and an advocate, between a defender and an 
 interceder; the one undertaketh to justify the flict, the 
 other only to prevent the punishment of the fault. 
 If any man sin, far be it from Christ to be a patron, 
 to defend the fault, but he is an advocate to deprecate 
 the guilt.f In the end of the verse he is called ' Jesus 
 Christ the righteous,' and therefore, non nisi jnstam 
 causam suscipil,l he cannot maintain a bad cause ; 
 but though he abhors to plead for the sin, yet he will 
 for the sinner, and though he dare not excuse the 
 commission, yet he intercedes for the remission of the 
 offence. 
 
 6. Lastly, when Christ is said as an advocate to 
 intercede, we are not to fanc}' a supplicating voice 
 and bended knees. No ; it suiteth not with the majesty 
 of Christ in heaven. But that which Christ doth as 
 an advocate, is, according to the apostolical phrase, 
 his ' appeai-ing for us ' in that celestial court, Heb. 
 ix. 24, as an advocate doth for his client in human 
 judicatories. To open this more fuUv, be pleased to 
 know that the advocateship of Chi'ist consists in a 
 fourfold presentation. 
 
 (1.) Of his person, in both natures, divine and 
 human, his and ours, as our sponsor and mediator. 
 In this respect ' be livcth in heaven,' saith the apostle, 
 Heb. vii. 21, ' to make intercession.' As he lived on 
 earth to die, so he liveth in heaven to intercede for 
 us, presenting himself as one that hath made satis- 
 faction for our ofl'ences. Hence it is, that there ia 
 not only a presentation of himself, but 
 
 (2.) Of his merits. As the high priest entered into 
 that holy of holies wiih the blood of the sacrifice, so 
 is Christ entered with his own blood; and as there 
 was once for all an oblation of it upon the cross, so 
 there is a continual presentation of it in heaven. In 
 this respect his blood is said to ' speak better things 
 than Abel's,' Heb. xii. 24, for whereas Abel's blood 
 did from the earth imprecate, Christ's in heaven de- 
 precates, vengeance. Indeed, quot lubiera, tot ora, 
 how many wounds, so many mouths to plead for 
 sinners. Thus action is the best part of this orator, who 
 intercedeth by shewing his wounds, bis pierced hands 
 and feet, his opened side, his bruised body. As a 
 
 * Bez. in loo. 
 
 t Aug. ep. 55. i Serrar. in loc. 
 
 i Non supplicum more. Calv. Etl. — Vide Naz. Oral. iv. de 
 Theol. 
 
126 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 mother entreating her son openeth her dugs and 
 breasts, so this Son, interceding with his Father, pre- 
 senteth his blood and bis wounds.* When Eschylus the 
 tragedian was accused, his brother Amyntas coming 
 into the court, opened his garments, shewed tbem 
 ctihiliim sine mnnu, an arm without an hand lost in 
 theii' service, by which he obtained his brother's dis- 
 charge. So doth Christ for us, by shewing to the 
 Father, as once bo did to Thomas, his wounds and 
 his side. In which respect Calvin saith well,t that 
 Christ's intercession is nothing else but a perpetual 
 application of his death, though yet withal we must 
 conceive, that in Christ's advocateship, there is not 
 only a presentation of his person and merits, but 
 
 (3.) Of his will and desire in our behalf. Chri.st 
 interceding by the virtue of his blood, doth not beg in 
 a precarious way, but yet he significth his will ; and 
 if you would know what his will is, I answer, it is 
 that the pardon which his blood hath merited may 
 be granted and assured to, that the spirit which his 
 death hath purchased may be given for the strength- 
 ening of, thnt the salvation which by his sufferings 
 he hath wrought may in due time be conferred on, all 
 his members. Besides all which, this advocate makes 
 a presentation, 
 
 (4.) Of our prayers and supplications which we make 
 in behalf of ourselves and others, and the prayers of the 
 church which she makcth in our behalf. Pieces sacri- 
 ficii sui adore sanclijicat, saith Calvin, he perfumes our 
 prayers with the odour of his sacrifice, and so presents 
 them to his Father. In this respect he is as it were 
 the master of requests, and the angel (in the Revela- 
 tion, chap. viii. 3) with the golden censer, and we are 
 said to have ' boldness of access through him,' Eph. 
 iii. 12 ; and bo assured bis diciples, John xvi. 23, 
 that ' whatsoever they did ask in his name, should be 
 given them.' 
 
 I end this first part. Lapide observetb, that an 
 advocate appearing in the behalf of guilty persons, 
 is to do three things : to allege what may satisfy 
 the law, and yet the guilty persons escape ; to pre- 
 sent the bumble confessions and entreaties of the 
 nocent ; and, withal, to interpose bis own desires 
 and requests to the judge in the delinquent's behalf. In 
 all those considerations Christ is our advocate, as you 
 have already beard ; he, as it were, allogeth his suffer- 
 ings as a satisfaction of the law for our sins ; he ten- 
 ders our penitent acknowledgments and prayers for 
 pardon to the Judge ; yea, be declareth it to be his 
 own no less earnest than just desire, that for his 
 sake our sins should be forgiven us. And now, that you 
 may see be is, according to Tertullian's phrase, J c.w- 
 rator, a prevailing orator, bo pleased to take a view of, 
 
 II. The eflicacy of this intercession, and that in 
 respect, 
 
 * Vide Greg. lib. vi. cp. 25 ; Ambroa. in Ps. cxviii. oct. 
 20 ; Aufr. in Pa. xxv. t Calv. in loc. 
 
 X Tertul. de Puiiicit. lib. ii. cap. 19. 
 
 1 . Of the person with whom he is an advocate, the 
 
 Father. To unfold this, know, 
 
 (1.) First, That the Father is properly the name 
 of the first person in the sacred Trinity ; and accord- 
 ingly with Carthusian,* we are so here to understand 
 it, though not excluding the other persons. Indeed, all 
 the three persons being ofl'endod when any sin is com- 
 mitted, Christ is virtually an advocate vnih them all ; 
 but yet, as ho cannot be said properly to intercede 
 with himself, and lest he might be thought inferior 
 to the Spirit if an advocate with him, therefore big 
 intercession is set forth as expressly directed to the 
 Father. And inasmuch as the other persons have the 
 same essence, and therefore will with the Father, 
 Christ, in being an advocate with him, is also with 
 them. 
 
 (2.) But further, the Father relatetb to the Son, 
 whence the Arians argue, that as the advocate is infe- 
 rior to the judge, so the Son is to the Father ; when- 
 as yet St Paul saith, Philip, ii. 6, he ' thought it no 
 robbery to be equal with God;' that is, the Father. 
 In answer to which, 
 
 [1.] It may, and that orthodoxly, be returned by 
 way of concession, that the Son is inferior to the Fa- 
 ther, with this restriction as Son, and the Father as 
 Father. Look as though the essence be the same, yet 
 the persons are really distinct one from the other ; so 
 I know no reason but that we may assert, though the 
 persons have an equahty, because an identity, of 
 essence, yet as persons they are inferior one to the 
 other. This solution St Basil maketh use of to clear 
 those words, ' My Father is gi'eater than I,' whilst 
 yet he was equal with his Father. Xor is it any in- 
 fringement to the truth, nor encouragement to the 
 Arian heresy, to assert, that whereas the Son of God, 
 as God, is equal with, yet as Son he is inferior to, 
 the Father. 
 
 [2.] But, letting this go, you may please to take 
 notice, that the Son of God is advocate with the Father 
 as mediator; and he is mediator, not as God, nor a3 
 man, but as God-man ; upon which consideration ho 
 may be truly asserted inferior to the Father. Henco 
 the Son of God his becoming man, is called an ' empty- 
 ing himself (for so St Paul's phrase signifieth), 
 whereby he that is equal with, became in our nature 
 subordinate to, and so capable of being advocate with, 
 the Father. 
 
 [3.] Lastly, The Father is a comprehensive expres- 
 sion, and may have reference both to the advocate 
 and the guilt}', and so either his Father or our Father. 
 Indeed, God is the Father of Christ, and the Father 
 all believing penitents, in a very different respect ; 
 whilst be is Christ's Father by generation, ours only 
 by regeneration ; Christ's by natural begetting, ours 
 by gracious adopting ; Christ's primarily, ours me- 
 diately, in and through him ; and therefore our Saviour 
 saith not, ' I go to our,' but to ' mine and your Father,' 
 * Carthus. in loc. 
 
Ver. 1.] 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 127 
 
 because he is otherwise Chi-ist's than ours; but yet he 
 is ours as well as Christ's. And these words, the Father, 
 may well take iu both, as having a strong influence 
 into the efficacy of the intercession.* 
 
 Witli the, that is, Christ's, Father. The advocate is 
 the Judge's Sou ; and therefore the Father is iUius 
 amantissiniHS, dearly affected towards him, and cannot 
 but grant his desire. Surely he that saith to us, Mat. 
 iii. 17, ' This is my well beloved Son, hear him,' will 
 himself hear him upon that very account. As the 
 sufficiency of Christ's death depends upon his God- 
 head, so the validitj' of his intercession upon bis Son- 
 ship. When God saith concerning Chi-ist, ' Thou art 
 my Son,' there presently followeth an ' Ask of me, and 
 I will give thee,' Ps. ii. 10. ' I aud my Father,' saith 
 Christ, ' are one ;' so that God can as well deny him- 
 self as his Son. Add to this, 
 
 M'ilh the, that is, our. Father. The guilty are the 
 Judge's children, and therefore the Father is err/a nos 
 clementissimua, most indulgent towards us, and in this 
 respect the advocate likely to speed. Great is the 
 love of parents, even towards their offending children ; 
 witness that of David to Absalom, especially when they 
 return ; witness that of the father to the prodigal. Fm 
 maxiino delicto pauhtlum suiipUcii satis est jMtri, a 
 few stripes will serve with a father for a gi'eat offence ; 
 nay, any intercession will prevad with a father to with- 
 hold his correction.! Yea, how often will a father 
 desire another to step in and intercede for his child. 
 ' I say not,' saith Christ to his disciples, John xvi. 27, 
 ' that I will pray the Father for you, the Father him- 
 self loveth you,' as if there were scarce any need of 
 this mediation ; however, no doubt but that this being 
 the pleasure of the Lord, it shall prosper in his hand, 
 and God's heart being prepared, Christ's suit must 
 needs be granted. To shut up this first consideration : 
 Jacob, the younger brother, obtained the blessing from 
 his father in the garments of Esau, the elder ; Christ, 
 the elder, obtaineth the blessing at the Father's hands 
 for his younger brethren. No wonder if the brother 
 pleading for brethren, and that with the Father, be- 
 come an efi'ectual advocate, and so much the rather, 
 considering, 
 
 2. The person, who it is, and how fitly he is quali- 
 fied to this office, being ' Jesus Christ the righteous.' 
 This word rii/hteoiis is capable of various acceptions, 
 which, accordingly, interpreters make use of. 
 
 (1.) liiffhteoiis is sometimes as much as merciful, 
 and thus ' Jesus Christ the righteous,' that is, gra- 
 cious, and therefore read}' to become an advocate for 
 us. To this purpose it is that the author to the 
 Hebrews, chap. ii. 17,1 calls him a 'merciful high 
 priest,' one who, having compassion on us and our in- 
 firmities, is willing to plead our cause before God. 
 
 (2.) Pui/htious is sometimes as much as /rti(/i/"«/,§ 
 
 • Vide AmbroB. de Virginit. ; Aug. in Johan. 
 t Terrent. adv. § Sociii. 
 
 I Mestrez. in loc 
 
 and so ' Jesus Christ the righteous' ; that is, in per- 
 forming his promise when he was on earth. He pro- 
 mised his disciples, ' I will pray the Father,' and now 
 he is iu heaven to perform it. 
 
 (3.) rdijhteous is as much as ja^t,* and so ' Jesus 
 Christ the righteous;' that is, in doing us right. If we 
 retain him for our advocate, ho will not bo withdrawn 
 from pleading our cause by any means whatever. 
 
 (1.) But, lastly, righteous is as much holi/, iiino- 
 ceiil.f So we find them joined together concerning 
 Christ, whom the apostle Peter, Acts iii. 24, calls ' the 
 holy and just one;' and so ' Jesus Christ the righteous' 
 is as much as pure and innocent ; and this both in 
 respect of himself and us. 
 
 1. In himself he is righteous, because blameless ; 
 one who is altogether free from sin. It is well 
 observed by the learned Chamier,| that the apostle 
 saith not, ' We have a righteous advocate, Jesus 
 Christ,' but ' we have an advocate, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous.' And therefore this term righteous signi- 
 fieth not so much rationem J'unrjendi officii, as ipsius 
 officii Jundamentum, the manner of performing this 
 office as a qualification rendering him fit to undertake 
 it, and so is most properlj' referred to his innocency, 
 since he could not have been an advocate if he had 
 not been in this sense righteous. In this respect it 
 is that Ferus§ saith truly, Vere necesmria conditio. 
 This is a condition necessarily requisite, since if he 
 had had any sin of his own to answer for, he could 
 not have pleaded for us. Neque enim idonciK advocatus 
 i]ui ipse sit reus, as Estius saith excellently, he can bo 
 no fit advocate for another who himself is guilty. 
 But yet this is not all, he is Jesus Christ the right- 
 eous or innocent, not only in himself, but also, 
 
 2. In respect of us, inasmuch as he maketh us 
 righteous, cleansing us from the guilt of our sins. 
 To this purpose, saith Illyricus, he is called the riyht- 
 cons, not so much in a passive as in an active sense ; 
 and Cajetan, observing the following words, ' he is the 
 propitiation,' saith, Ecce justilia Jesii Chrisli, herein is 
 the righteousness of Jesus Christ our advocate, that 
 he maketh us by his propitiation righteous, and so is 
 enabled to plead our cause. To this cfl'ect it is that 
 Lorinus observeth. He is such an advocate as satis- 
 fieth the judge not only by reason, but realit}-, inter- 
 ceding by vu-tue of a price paid. And hence it is 
 that, though he findeth both us and our cause unjust, 
 yet (which no other advocate can do) he maketh both 
 us and it righteous, so that though we by reason of 
 our sins are unworthy of pardon, yet Christ, pleading 
 his satisfaction, rendereth us worthy and our cause 
 just. And no wonder if, being thus every waj' right- 
 eous, he become an efi'ectual advocate. And thus 
 much shall suffice for the explication of this choice 
 ingredient in this divine remedy, ' Wo have an advo- 
 cate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 
 
 * ling. ibid, t Calv. % Cham, de Satisf. 1. xxiii. c. xii. 
 § Vide Fer. Eat. in loc. 
 
]2S 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 To end it in a brief application, and that by way of, 
 
 1. Consoliition. Tlie Greek word here used (as 
 Yorstius"' well observeth) may be rendered either 
 advocate or comforter, since, inasmuch as Christ is an 
 advocate, he is a comforter to all penitent sinners. 
 If you please, read over the test again, and take the 
 words asunder, and you shall find that every word 
 breatheth comfort. 
 
 IIV. It is not you, but ue. St John includeth 
 himself in the number of those sinnersf who need 
 Christ an advocate, and therefore we may be the less 
 discouraged in the sense of our infirmities. And 
 again, it is not 7, but ice ; he escludeth not others 
 from having an interest with himself in Christ the 
 advocate. And therefore ever}' penitent may apply 
 this comfort to himself, which is so much the more 
 comfortable because it is ice. 
 
 Iluce. It is not we iiifiij, but we Juice. A burdened 
 conscience cannot be satisfied with a pcrJuijis, nor will 
 it hang upon uncertainties. This comfort of Christ's 
 intercession is certain, and therefore positively as- 
 serted. Nor is it spoken of as a thing past, but pre- 
 sent, not ice hiiii, but ice Iiace ; and indeed, it is so 
 in the present tense, that wo now may as truly say we 
 have. As St John then, yea, so long as there shall 
 be penitents on earth, there will not want this advo- 
 cate in heaven. So true is that of the author to the 
 Hebrews, chap. vii. 21, 'He ever liveth to make 
 intercession ; ' that is, to be 
 
 An (idcocale. It is true we want not accusers that 
 will be ready to lay our sins to our charge, Satan 
 without, and our own consciences within, re.uly to 
 bring an indictment against us ; nor have we any 
 merit of our own to plead before God for us ; but ' we 
 have an advocate ' to stand and appear for us, and 
 that 
 
 With. Many times a cause miscarrieth in human 
 courts by reason of the advocate's absence, but of this 
 there is no fear in our advocate ; for he is at the 
 Judge's right hand, and so still ready upon all occa- 
 sions, as it were, to put in a word for us to the 
 
 Fattier. Not the Judge, but the Father, to render 
 our hope of prevailing so much the more firm ; this 
 sweet word of Fatlier\ implying not only a possibility, 
 but a facility of obtaining ; so much the rather, con- 
 sidering that it is 
 
 The Father, and so capable of a reference both to 
 Christ and us. He that is our advocate is not a ser- 
 vant, a friend, but a Son,§ and so the Judge's cbicf- 
 est favourili!. We for whom ho is an advocate are 
 not slaves, or strangers, or enemies, or only servants, ; 
 but sons, though too deficient in our obedience. And 
 
 * Perinde est sive advocatus, sive consolator. — Vorsl. in 
 
 loc. 
 
 loe. 
 
 t Maluil so in uumcro ponere peccatorum, &c. — Any. in 
 c. 
 
 X Vox tliiU'iasima^io^rM fiicilitatom iiidiciit — Fer. 
 § Vide Bellarm. de asccus. dum. couc. xxxv. 
 
 can we imagine that the suit should not speed ? 
 Nay, further, this advocate whom we have with the 
 Father is 
 
 Jesus, that signifioth a Saviour ; and he that vouch- 
 safeth to be our Saviour will not stick to be our advo- 
 cate ; yea, that he may 'save,' as the apostle's phrase 
 is, ' to the utmost,' Heb. vii. 23, he will leave no 
 way unattempted; as by his passion, so by his inter- 
 cession; by the one purchasing salvation for, by the 
 other applying it to, us. Nor need we doubt that he 
 will be thus every way a Jesus to us, when we observe 
 that he is the 
 
 Christ, a word that signifieth anointed. And indeed 
 so he was to all his offices, among the rest to that of 
 his priesthood, and so this part of it which consists in 
 intercession. Anointing carrieth in it both designation 
 to, and preparation for, an office, all that were anointed 
 being therebj- called to, and furnished with abilities 
 for, the office to which they were anointed. Our ad- 
 vocate, therefore, being Ciirist, is both a legal and skil- 
 ful advocate, called to the bar, invested with gifts, and 
 therefore knoweth how to plead. And that our joy 
 may be fuU, take in the last words. 
 
 liiilhteoiis, and therefore he will not deceive us iu 
 our trust, or fail our expectation. Though an advo- 
 cate be able and knowing, yet if he be not just, our 
 cause may miscarry ; but this advocate is so righteous 
 that he cannot be perverted ; nay, he is righteous, and 
 therefore can stand in God's sight to plead for us ; 
 whereas were he himself nocent, he must flee from 
 the face of the Judge, and being unable to answer for 
 himself, could not undertake our cause. Once more, 
 this advocate is Jesus Christ, 
 
 The ri//hteuus, because so exactly, perfectlv, without 
 the least spot. We know how far the intercession of 
 Abraham, Moses, and other righteous men have pre- 
 vailed ; yea, St James saith, chap. v. 16, ' The eti'ec- 
 tual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,' 
 and that not only for himself but others ; and surely 
 then much more must the intercession of him who is 
 the riijhteousone be etl'cctual. Yea, perhaps (as Origen* 
 observes), therefore Moses obtained so much of God 
 in Israel's behalf, that we might not be faithless, but 
 confident in our advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
 
 And now, thou drooping sinner, let me bespeak 
 thee in St Austin's | language : Thou committest thy 
 cause to an eloquent lawyer, and art safe ; how canst 
 thou miscarry, when thou hast the Word to be thy ad- 
 vocate ? Let me put this (piestion to thee : If, when 
 thou sinnest, thou hadst all the angels, saints, confes- 
 sors, martyrs, in those celestial mansions to beg thy 
 pardon, dost thou think they would not speed ? I 
 tell thee, one word out of Christ's mouth is more 
 worth than all their conjoined entreaties, When, 
 therefore, thy daily infirmities discourage thee, or 
 particular falls aflright thee, imagine with thyself that 
 thou heardst thy advocate pleading for thee in these 
 
 ♦ Orig. Horn. viii. in Num. t Aug. in loc. 
 
Ver. 1.] 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 129 
 
 or the like expressions : my loving and aft'ectionate 
 Father, look upon the face of thine Anointed ; behold 
 the hands, and feet, and side of thy crucified Christ ! 
 I had no sins of my own for which I thus sutfered ; 
 no, it was for the sins of this penitent wretch, who in 
 my name sueth for pardon ! Father, I am thj' Son, the 
 Son of thy love, thj' bosom, who plead with thee ; it 
 is for thy child, thy returning penitent child, I plead. 
 That for which I pray is no more than what I paid 
 for ; I have merited pardon for all that come to me ! 
 Oh let those merits be imputed, and that pardon granted 
 to this poor sinner! Cheer up, then, thou disconsolate 
 soul, Christ is an advocate for thee, and therefore do 
 not despair, but believe ; and believing, rejoice ; and 
 rejoicing, ti-iumph ; and triumphing, take up that bold 
 challenge of St Paul, Rom. viii. 33, 34, ' Who shall 
 lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God 
 that justifieth ; who is he that condemneth ? It is 
 Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who 
 is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh 
 intercession for us.' 
 
 2. Counsel, and that in several particulars. 
 
 1. Since we are so well provided, seek we not else- 
 where. It is not unfitly observed to this purpose, 
 that St John saith not we have advocates, in the plural 
 number, but an advocate, in the singular,* this being 
 Christ's pecuhar prerogative. Indeed, the papists 
 have coined a distinction between mediator redemp- 
 tionis and intercessionis, a mediator of redemp- 
 tion and intercession, appropriating the former to 
 Christ, attributing the latter to the Virgin Mary and 
 the rest of the glorified saints. But the advocateship 
 and the propitiation are here by our apostle joined to- 
 gether ; and accordingly our church, in the close of one 
 of the Collects, putting mediator and advocate together, 
 prefixeth an exclusive particle to both, ' through our 
 only mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord.' 
 I deny not but that the saints in heaven pray for the 
 church on earth ; but though they pray for her in 
 general, yet not for her particular members, whose sins 
 and wants they are strangers to, and therefore cannot 
 pray for. And that they pray for the church, it is ex 
 ckaritate ut fratres, noil ex officio ut mediatores, by 
 way of charity, not authority ; as friends, not as advo- 
 cates. 
 
 And whereas it is another subterfuge of the Roman- 
 ists, that, though Christ be our only mediator with the 
 Father, yet we may make use of the mother and the 
 rest to be oui- advocates to Christ ; besides that, in 
 their pra3-ers they expressly desire the saints to pray 
 to God for them, even in respect of Christ, it is Ijoth 
 vain and impious : vain, because, it being his work to 
 reconcile us to God, there is no need of any to reconcile 
 us to him ; and, though an advocate be needful to the 
 * Zacch. in loc. 
 
 judge, yet what need of an advocate to the advocate ; 
 nay, indeed, when Christ bids us come to him, to wit, 
 ourselves, what an impious contempt were it of hia 
 command to go to him by a proxy. 
 
 It may perhaps be here objected, if we may not de- 
 sire the prayers of the saints in heaven, why do we of 
 those on earth ? How is it that St Paul calleth upon 
 the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. v. 24, to pray for him ? 
 and St Cyprian, in an epistle* to the Roman confes- 
 sors, eraveth their remembrance of him in their pray- 
 ers ? And nothing more usual with Chi-istians than thus, 
 both by word and writing, to bog one another's prayers. 
 But, beloved, this we desire of one another, not as ad- 
 vocates, but only as fellow-helpers ; and hence it is, 
 that whilst as members we pray each for other, wo all 
 in our prayers acknowledge Christ to be him who 
 doth and must entreat for us all. In sum ; there 
 is a gi-eat deal of diflerenco between a Christian 
 desiring of their prayers, who know our persons, to 
 whom we may signify our wants, and a religious in- 
 vocation upon them for their prayers, who are both 
 ignorant of us and our necessities. f Let, then, the 
 apostatized Rome seek to angels and saints ; we will 
 only make mention in our prayers of the name of Jesus 
 Christ, as him on whose intercession we depend and 
 rest. 
 
 2. Since he is an advocate for us with the Father, 
 let us be advocates for him with the world ; let ua 
 plead his cause, vindicate his honoiu', speak for hia 
 gospel, intercede for his members. It is but that to 
 which gratitude obligeth, to do for him (as far as we 
 may) what he doth for us, and so return like for like. 
 Indeed, he can and will plead his own cause ; nor doth 
 he stand in need of our help, but he taketh it kindly 
 when we express our thankfulness by becoming advo- 
 cates for him. 
 
 3. That, when we sin, Christ may be our advocate, 
 let us be sure to arraign and accuse ourselves ; it is 
 St Austin's advice. J Continually censure and con- 
 demn thyself; so mayest thou come boldly in confi- 
 dence of thine advocate. Indeed, I may here fitly 
 make use of those words towards the end of the former 
 chapter, ' If we confess our sins,' he is our advocate 
 to plead for pardon. In one word, let us with peni- 
 tent hearts on all occasions go to him, and humbly 
 entreat him that he would entreat for us. He desireth 
 no more than to be desired ; prayer is the only fee 
 this advocate expects. Let us, therefore, confess, and 
 confessing pray, to the Father in his name, 3-ea, to 
 himself, that he would pray to the Father, nnd let us 
 not doubt but he will perform what we desire and 
 obtain what we expect, the forgiveness of our sins ; 
 and not only so, but in the end, that which is ' tho 
 end of our faith, the salvation of our souls.' 
 
 * Cypr ep. xvi. t Vide Aug. in loc. | Id. ibid. 
 
130 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 SERMON XXI. 
 
 And he is the jnopkiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, hut also for the sins of the u'Jiole world.- 
 
 1 John II. 2. 
 
 IT is one of those excellencies which are cotninon 
 both to law and gospel, that they require purity 
 of heart and holiness of life. ' Sin not,' is the voice 
 both of Bloses and Christ, prophets and apostles. 
 Indeed, since they were holy men who wrote, and 
 that as moved by the Holy Ghost, it was impossible 
 but that all their writings should tend to the advanc- 
 ing of holiness. 
 
 It is one of those excellencies which are peculiar to 
 the gospel, that it provideth an anchor in case of a 
 storm, a rock of succour in shipwreck, a refuge whither 
 to fly when we are in danger. Indeed, the law doom- 
 eth the transgressor to the curse, and there leaveth 
 him hopeless, helpless, remediless : Gal. iii. 10, 
 ' Accursed is every one that continueth not in all 
 things which are written in the book of the law to do 
 them.' So runs the comminatory sentence, in which 
 the sinner being involved, hath no way left (by the 
 law) of escaping, but must inevitably perish ; whence 
 it is that the legal ministration is called by the apostle, 
 2 Cor. iii. 7, the ' ministration of death.' But by the 
 gospel cometh glad tidings of pardon and propitiation 
 to disconsolate sinners ; and whilst we are sitting in 
 the darkness of despair, by reason of our sin, breaketh 
 in upon us with beams of comfort from the Sun of 
 righteousness. Thus, as it saith. Sin not, so withal, 
 if we fall into sin, it saith, Dexpair not. A careful 
 endeavour against sin it requircth ; yet when we have 
 sinned, it leaveth us not without hope, but directeth 
 us to Christ as an intercessor and reconciler. For so 
 we find St John here in those words, which may 
 therefore be truly called the epitome and sum of the 
 gospel, ' My little children, these things I write unto 
 you,' &c. We are now come to the second ingredient 
 in this remedy, to wit, the reconciliation wrought by 
 Christ, and this in the second verse, ' And he is the 
 propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but 
 for the sins of the whole world ; ' concerning which 
 choice and amiable benefit, wo have two things set 
 before us : 
 
 The nature of it, wherein it consists, in those words, 
 ' and he is the propitiation for nnr sins.' 
 
 The extent of it, how far it reacheth, in those 
 words, ' and not for ours only, but for the sins of the 
 whole vorld ; ' each of which may well take up an 
 ■whole discourse. 
 
 At this time only of the former, expressed in those 
 words, ' and he is the propitiiition for our sins.' 
 
 Before I enter upon the matter, it will be needful to 
 take a little notice of the connection of the clause, im- 
 plied in the particle and, a word which may be 
 considered cither n)erely as conjunctive, or as causal. 
 
 1. If we read it only as a conjunctive particle, it 
 lets us see that Christ, being an advocate, becometh a 
 propitiation. Indeed, the work of reconciliation, ac- 
 cording to a difierent notion, belongs both to Christ's 
 sacrifice and his intercession. The meritorious purchase 
 of our peace belongs to his sacrifice, the eflectual appli- 
 cation of it to r<^ belongs to his intercession. 'The 
 shedding of his blood upon the cross was that which 
 wrought reconciliation for all that should believe in 
 him, the presenting bis blood in heaven is that which 
 obtaincth the actual collation of this benefit upon them 
 who do believe in him. This was excellently t3"pified 
 under the law by the blood and the incense which the 
 priest made use of in the atonement. Lev. xvi., xvii., 
 the former prefiguring Christ's suflering, and the latter 
 his advocateship, by both which the propitiation is 
 made. It is that which we have reason to take notice 
 of for our comfort, that Christ is such an advocate as 
 hath not only affectum, but cffeclum, a desire to do us 
 good, but acconiplisheth it, as doth not only satayere, 
 but efftcerc, undertuke, but perform. As he intercedeth 
 for us when we sin, so he finds acceptance, and he pro- 
 pitiateth God for our sins. Oh, let it be our wisdom 
 to address ourselves to him as our advocate when we 
 have offended, and let us not doubt of being reconciled. 
 
 2. We may yet further look upon this and as a 
 causal particle, signifying, after the Hebrew use, for, 
 and so it lets us see what giveth the efficacy to Christ's 
 intercession, to wit, his propitiation. This will the 
 better appear, if we consider that, 
 
 1. This propitiation for our sins was merited by 
 Christ's blood, and therefore, Eom. iii. 25, God is 
 said to ' set him forth a propitiation through faith in 
 his blood,' and Christ, Col. i. 20, is said to ' make 
 peace through the blood of his cross.' Indeed, there 
 can be no propitiation of wrath without satisfaction of 
 justice, and there can be no satisfaction of justice with- 
 out shedding of blood,* whereby the punishment was 
 suffered, which justice required. 
 
 2. Christ maketh intercession in the virtue of his 
 blood. Our salvation is obtained, first, prt-lio, and 
 then, prece, ly laying down a price, and then pleading 
 the payment before God ; so that wliat was once 
 ofl'ered, is continually presented. 
 
 3. Christ being a proi)itiation, and so our advocate, 
 must needs speed. Whilst a man is angry, it is in 
 vain to move him for a favour, but, his anger being 
 appeased, there is hopes of success, especiallj' when 
 lie pleads who was the means to pacify him. Thus 
 stands the case between God, and Christ, and us ; 
 
 * Nititur hsec irajaxXtiJ-lj unica sacrificii vi, &c. — Jicz. in 
 
 loc. 
 
 1 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON XXI. 
 
 131 
 
 God being incensed against us, Christ taketh the 
 chastisement of our peace upon himself, whereby God's 
 wrath was pacified ; and he who wrought this reconci- 
 liation on earth it is that appeareth for us in heaven ; 
 and therefore let us not doubt of the power of this 
 advocate, who cannot but efl'ectually prevail, because 
 he was the propitiation for our sins. 
 
 Having viewed the context, let us look upon the 
 clause itself, wherein there is a double truth, the one 
 implicit, the other explicit, to wit, sin's provocation, 
 and Christ's pacification. 
 
 Our sins incense the wrath of God against us ; that 
 is implied. 
 
 Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for 
 our sins ; that is expressed. 
 
 Of the former briefly, because it is but intimated ; 
 of the latter, more largely and fully. 
 
 1. Sill's provocation is manifestly couched in this 
 clause, and accordingly taken notice of by ioterpreters,* 
 since there were no need of a propitiation for, if there 
 were no provocation by, our sins. It is the note of St 
 Chrysostom upon the phrases of reconciling and mak- 
 ing peace, t in the Colossians, that the one implieth au 
 enmity, the other a war ; and the same may be made 
 here, the propitiation supposeth wrath. And as it is 
 here intimated, so it is elsewhere asserted by St Paul 
 to the Romans, chap. i. 18, when he saith, ' the wrath 
 of God is revealed from heaven, against all unrighteous- 
 ness and ungodliness of men ;' and, consequently, 
 against men for all their unrighteousness and ungod- 
 liness. In this respect it is that be calleth all men 
 'by nature children of wrath,' Eph. ii. 3; and why 
 this ? Because they are born in sin. Indeed, God 
 made man (as Solomon's phrase is, Eecles. vii. 29) 
 upright, and so long as he stood in that integrity, 
 there was pax amiciliir, a peace of amity and friendship 
 between God and man, ' but they sought out many 
 inventions,' by which God was most justly provoked to 
 anger. Thus, at first, and ever since, sin hath proved 
 the make-bait, the kindle-coal, that incendiary be- 
 tween the Creator and his creature. 
 
 And how can it be otherwise, since there cannot 
 hut be enmity where there is contrariety ? And there is 
 nothing more contrary to God than sin ; nay, there is 
 nothing contrary to him but sin. It is opposite to him 
 in his pure nature, it robbeth and spoileih him of his 
 glory, it transgresseth and rebelleth against his law ; 
 and therefore must needs incur his displeasure. It is 
 observable in Scripture, that as members, so senses are 
 after the manner of men attributed to God, and sin is 
 represented as offensive to every one of them. It 
 grateth his ears, and therefore he complaineth of the 
 cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. xviii. 20 ; it dis- 
 relisheth his taste, in which respect it is compared to 
 
 * Innuit nos noatris peccatis Deum nobis infensum reddi- 
 disse — Zanch. 
 
 t To "i'l Tn9 i^i^v ^tixivffi zavetXXetycti^ tc Si tIi Tixtfio* 
 
 itorincTotriffui — Chrys. horn. 3 in Colos. 
 
 leaven, Gal. iv. G, and that especially for its sourness ; 
 it oppresseth his feeling, according to his own expres- 
 sion, Amos ii. 13, ' I am pressed under you, as a cart 
 is under sheaves ;' it disgusteth his smell, for which 
 cause sinners are said to be corrupt, Ps. xiv. 1, where 
 the metaphor is borrowed from a rotten carcase, which 
 stinketh in the nostrils of a man ; finally, it ofl'eudeth 
 his sight, and therefore, Hab. ii. 13, he is said to be 
 ' of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,' to wit, with- 
 out fury. 
 
 It is a meditation that should convince us of, 
 
 1. The odious nature of sin. Are any persons more 
 abominable than the contentious '? Solomon justly 
 declaimeth against him that soweth discord among 
 brethren, Prov. vi. 19. That beatitude of our Saviour, 
 Mat. V. 6, carrieth in it, according to the rule of con- 
 traries, a curse : Cursed are the peace-breakers, for 
 they shall be called the children of the devil. But 
 (0 my brethren) how accursed and hateful a thing is 
 sin, which hath broke the peace, not between man and 
 man only, but God and man, and hath sown discord 
 between, not only brother and brother, but father and 
 son. Oh that this thought might stir up in us a zea- 
 lous indignation against sin. God forbid that that 
 which is his hate should be our love, that that should 
 find favour with us which provoketh his wrath against 
 us ; nay, rather, since sin displeaseth God, let it dis- 
 please us, and let our anger wax hot against that 
 which causeth his wrath to wax hot against us. 
 
 2. The miserable estate of a sinner, because he is 
 underthe wrath of God. Ccelestis ira qiws preinit miseron 
 fiicil* divine anger is an insupportable burden. The 
 sinning angels are not able to stand under it, but fall 
 immediately fi'om heaven, Jude ver. 6 ; the great men, 
 the mighty men, cannot abide it, but ' cry to the 
 mountains. Fall on us; and to the hills. Cover us,' Rev. 
 vi. 15, 16. No wonder if the psalmist put the ques- 
 tion, ' Who may stand in thy sight, when once thoa 
 art angry ?' Ps. Ixxvi. 7. And now tell me, sinners, 
 have not we most justly incurred this sore displeasure ; 
 hath not God, both by the sin of our nature and trans- 
 gressions of our life, been provoked against us from our 
 mother's womb to this day? If one sin be sufficient 
 fuel for this fire, what a flame of wrath burneth against 
 us, whose sins have been numerous, or rather innume- 
 rous ! All which being seriously pondered, methiuk- 
 eth grief and anguish, trembling and astonishment, 
 horror and amazement, should take hold of us. David, 
 feeling some drops or sparks of this anger, saith, Ps. 
 xxxviii. 3, ' there was no rest in his bones by reason 
 of it.' Truly, if we do not feel, we have cause con- 
 tinually to be in fear, not only of drops, but floods, 
 sparks, but flakes of this vengeance. How can we be 
 secure and quiet ? And if there be any awakened 
 conscience, wounded soul, which crieth out. What 
 shall I do ? I answer, God's wrath is insupportable, 
 but not unavoidable ; it cannot be endured, but it may 
 
 * Sen. Trag. Here. 
 
132 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 be prevented ; we are not able to stand under it, we 
 may fly from it, and that by flying to him whom 
 my text speaketh of, as the propitiation. And so I am 
 fallen on the explicit verity which is here plainly and 
 directly laid down. , 
 
 2. Christ's pacification. ' He is the propitiation for 
 our sins.' It is both assertive and exclusive, carrying 
 in it both an affirmative and a negative. He is, and 
 none but he, or be only, is the propitiation. Of both 
 which in order. 
 
 1. He is the propitiation. God's "wrath towards 
 man sinning is pacified by Christ sufl'ering. The 
 Rabbins say of the Messiah, that when he cometh, he 
 shall be t-'"X 1313 a reconciling man, and the apostle's 
 assertion is express, Rom. v. 1, ' We have peace with 
 God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' It is the tes- 
 timony which the Father gave concerning Christ at 
 his baptism, Mat. iii. 17, ' This is my beloved Son, 
 in whom I am well pleased,' by which latter clause is 
 (according to Euthj'mius, Cajetan, and others*) ex- 
 pressed that favour which God in Christ beareth 
 towards ns. As he is in himself beloved, so in him 
 God is with us well pleased, according to that of St 
 Paul, Eph. i. 5, ' He hath made us accepted in the 
 beloved,' and therefore accepted because reconciled, 
 well pleased in him because his wrath is appeased by 
 him towards us. Among other resemblances by which 
 Christ is set forth in Scripture, that of a stone is one, 
 1 Pet. ii. 5, and very apt to our present purpose. 
 Since, as in respect of Satan, he is lojiis triiimphalis, 
 a stone of victory and triumph, dashing that Goliath'in 
 the forehead, so in respect of God he is hpis fiedifi- 
 <H<, a stone of league and amity, such as that between 
 Laban and Jacob, or rather lapis aiirjularis, a corner 
 stone, Ps. cxviii. 22 ; for as this uniteth the walls, 
 which were one separate from the other, together, so 
 doth he unite, and that not only Jews and Gentiles to 
 one another, but both to God. 
 
 This is that truth which the apostle Paul plainly 
 asserts, in those scriptures which speak of reconcilia- 
 tion to God. Thus he saith, 2 Cor. v. 18, ' God was in 
 Christ reconciling the world to himself; and again, 
 Eph. ii. 10, Christ is said to ' reconcile both' (to wit, 
 Jew and Gentile) ' unto God in one body by the cross ;' 
 and again. Col. i. 10, 20, ' It pleased the Father, by 
 liini, having made peace through the blood of his cross, 
 to reconcile all things to himself.' It would not bo 
 passed by what is by Socinians objected against these 
 scriptures, that they speak only of our being recon- 
 ciled to God, not of God's being reconciled to us, and 
 so prove not any pacification of divine wrath by Christ's 
 death ; whence it is that they understand this recon- 
 ciling of us to God to be no more than the turning of 
 ns from sin to God by true repentance. 
 
 But to vindicate this groat truth, and that as 
 
 • In (\\\o liominilms bona volui. — Etilhyntiua. Ilabeo in 
 eo coinii'.aceiitiam ad redimendum ct reconciliandum genus 
 L II n J a 1 1 u m . — Cajet. 
 
 asserted in those scriptures, be pleased to consider 
 
 briefly that. 
 
 Though the phrase only run in this strain, the re- 
 conciling us to God, yet it doth not therefore follow 
 that the reconciliation is only on our part, and not on 
 God's ; nay rather, the one involveth the other, since 
 if we were not sinners, there were no need of recon- 
 ciling us to God. And being sinners, there is no less 
 need of his being reconciled to us, unless we will saj', 
 that sin doth not provoke him, which is to deny him 
 to be a God. And though this reconciliation, being 
 mutual, doth no less imply God's to us than ours" to 
 him, yet it is very fitly thus expressed, because God 
 is the pan offcnsa, the party offended, and man is 
 pars off'endem, the party ofl'ending. He that offendeth 
 another is more properly said to be reconciled to him 
 whom he hath injured, than he that is ofl'ended. In 
 which respect Christ adviseth him who bringeth his 
 gift to the altar, ' If he remember his brother have 
 aught against him, to go and be reconciled to his 
 brother," Mat. v. 23, 24. And St Paul wisheth the 
 woman that departeth to be reconciled to her husband, 
 as having by departing offended him, 1 Cor. vii. 11. 
 But as the reconcililing of a woman to her husband, 
 and a trespasser to his brother, is the pacifying, the 
 one of her husband's anger, the other of his brother's 
 displeasure, justly conceived against them, so the 
 reconciling us to God is the appeasing of his wi-ath 
 towards us, which for our sins was incensed against 
 us. And that this is St Paul's meaning, appeai'eth 
 plainly in one of those fore-cited places, where the 
 manner how God in Christ reconcileth us to himself 
 is expressed to be his ' not imputing our trespasses,' 
 2 Cor. V. 19, 21 ; and Christ, in whom we are thus 
 reconciled, is said to do it by being 'made sin for us.' 
 It is not therefore our turning from sin to God, but 
 Christ becoming a sacrifice for our sins, and God's 
 not imputing our sins to us for bis sake, which is our 
 reconciliation to God ; and inasmuch as it is God who, 
 being offended, receiveth us again into favour, there- 
 fore it is ascribed to him as his act ; and because it is 
 Christ who hath by his death appeased God's anger, 
 therefore it is attriimted to him. And so the clear 
 meaning of our apostle appeareth to be the same with 
 that which here St John asserts and intends, when 
 he saith of Christ, ' He is the propitiation for our 
 sins.' 
 
 And because the Socinians (being resolved to make 
 all Scripture stoop to their reason) endeavour to per- 
 vert this text, as if it were only a delivering us from 
 the wrath to come upon impenitents, by turning us 
 from our sins, give me leave to set before you the 
 genuine sense of this word, which our apostle here 
 useth, and that both in its native signification and 
 legal allusion. 
 
 1. If wo consider this word in its native significa- 
 tion, we shall find that the verb iy.d.axofj.ai (whence 
 /XaiT/ui; in the text cometh), in all writers, both sacred 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON XXI. 
 
 133 
 
 and profane, poets, orators, historians, as the learned 
 Grotius hath observed,* siguifieth toappease, or pacify, 
 or render propitious, and is usualty construed with an 
 accusative expressing the person whose auger is paci- 
 fied. Indeed, there is one place in the Hebrews, chap. 
 ii. 17, where, being joined with a//,ajr/'a;, the plural 
 accusative, it is rendered to expiate the sins of the 
 people ; but either the use of the word there must be 
 altogether different from its sense of perpetual signifi- 
 cation, or it must signify such an expiation as tends 
 to a paciticatiou. And so it is all one whether you read 
 it here, he is the expiation, or he is the propitiation, 
 since the one depends on the other, and by expiating 
 our sius it is that he propitiateth God towards us. 
 
 2. If we consider this word in its legal allusion, 
 we shall find a double reference which may be made 
 of it. 
 
 1. To the mercy-seat, which covered the ark where 
 the law was, whence God gave answers, and from 
 which he shewed himself propitious to the people ; 
 whereof we read in the book of Exodus, chap. xxv. 21. 
 Hence the Seventy, and the author to the Hebrews, 
 chap. ix. 5, from thence call it iXaar^oiov, a propitiatory. 
 To this the apostle Paul manifestly alludcth, where the 
 very same word is used, when he saith, Rom. iii. 25, 
 ' Him hath God set forth a propitiation;' and possibly 
 St John iu this word might have the same reference. 
 Indee.l, Christ may well be called the propitiatory, or a 
 propitiation, in allusion to the mercy-seat, since there 
 is a fit analogy between them. For as it covered the 
 law, so Christ the transgressions of the law ; as thence 
 God gave answers, so by Christ his evangelical oracles 
 are revealed ; and as from thence God shewed himself 
 propitious, so is he in Christ well pleased. But in this 
 last analogy (in which respect it was called a propitia- 
 tory, and serveth to our present purpose), though 
 there is a fitness, yet not a fulness, for whereas the 
 mercy-seat is called the propitiatory, only because it 
 had vim ileclaiatiram, a declarative virtue to signify, 
 Christ is the propitiation, as having vim effectivam, an 
 operative energy to procure, divine favour. And there- 
 fore was God pleased to manifest himself benevolous 
 from the mercy-seat, because it was a type of Chi-ist, 
 in whom he is propitiated towards sinners. In vain, 
 therefore, do the Socinians confine the antitype to the 
 type, as if that Christ must be in no other sense a 
 propitiation than the mercy-seat was, since it is 
 sufficient to make a type, that there be in some things 
 a similitude, though not in all things an equality ; nor 
 is it any wonder if there be more energj- in the body 
 than in the shadow, since the shadow is but a resem- 
 blance of the body. 
 
 2. Besides this allusion, which no doubt is most 
 congruous to St Paul's phrase, there is another more 
 suitable to this of St John, and that is in reference to 
 the sacrifices of expiation and atonement. Almighty 
 God in the law appointed both the burnt-oflering for 
 
 * Vide Grot, de Satis. 
 
 sin in general, and trespass-ofl'erings for particular 
 sins, by which being offered up, he became appeased 
 towards the sinner. Now all those sacrifices did look 
 at Christ, and the atonement which was made by 
 them was not, as considered in themselves, but as 
 they did typify Christ's death, and the propitiation to 
 be wrought by it. 
 
 That those sacrifices did aU of them typify Chiiat, 
 secmeth to me an undoubted truth ; and that among 
 others for this reason, because by Christ's death they 
 were abolished, and became mortua, dead ; yea, soon 
 after mortifera, not only dead, but deadly, upon this 
 account, that to continue those sacrifices was to deny 
 Christ. 
 
 That whatsoever efficacy those sacrifices had towards 
 atonement, was only in reference to Christ, must needs 
 follow upon the former ; since, as when the antitype 
 is accomplished, the type ceaseth, so the vigour of 
 the type, whilst in being, is from its relation to the 
 antitype. In this respect it is that, under the legal 
 administrations, the people offering sacrifices were 
 minded of Christ, and believing in him. And God was 
 propitiated by those sacrifices, as they did prefigure, 
 and so as it were mind him of Christ, to be ofl'ered up 
 a real and effectual propitiation. 
 
 To close up this, it would not be passed by how 
 emphatical our apostle's expression is, in that he 
 doth not onlj- say of Christ, he is iXusrri;, but iXae/ibg, 
 a propitiutour, but the propitiation itself; that is, 
 victima, iXacrixfi, the propitiatory sacrifice. Indeed, he 
 is both the priest and the sacrifice, the propitiator and 
 the propitiation; according to which is that of Origen,* 
 God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith 
 in his blood, that by the sacrifice of his body he might 
 render God propitious to men. In one word (to 
 speak after the schools f), inasmuch as Christ by his 
 death did removere peccatum, take away the guilt of 
 sin, which causeth the enmity, and afferre sacrificium 
 Deo acceptissimiim, ofl'er up a sacrifice most grateful 
 to God, he might be truly said to be the propitiation. 
 
 There is only one objection which carrieth in it a 
 show of reason, and therefore calls for a solution. It 
 is drawn from those Scriptures in which God's love to 
 mankind is set down as the cause of sending Christ 
 into the world, John iii. IG, 1 John iv. 9 ; whereas, 
 if Christ's coming into the world to die did propitiate 
 God for our sins, this love of his towards man should 
 be the efi'ect, not the cause. And those scriptures 
 should have run thus, not, God so loved the world 
 that he sent, but, God sent his Son into the world that 
 he miijht love it ; and not in this was the love of God 
 manifested, but by this was the love of God procured, 
 to wit, the sending his only begotten Son. 
 
 To untie this knot, you may please to know that 
 these two assertions are not irreconcilable. God's 
 love to us moved him to send Christ to die; Christ's 
 
 * Orig. in Rom. 
 
 t Aijuin. Summ. pars. iii. q. xlix. art. iv. 
 
1S4. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 dying movcth him to love us. Indeed, the love of 
 God to man is in one respect the cause, and in another 
 the efiect, of Christ's death ; and that thus it appeared 
 to St John is plain, in that he puts these two together 
 in one verse, 1 John iv. 10, ' He loved us, and sent 
 his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 
 
 To clear the truth hereof briefl}', observe these 
 distinctions. 
 
 1. Man fallen is to be considered (say the schools*) 
 two ways, either (inantwn ad naturmn, or quantum nd 
 fulpam, as made by God or marred by sin. He loved 
 us as the work of his hands, and that love was the 
 cause of sending Christ. He hated us as transgressoi's 
 of his law ; and Christ by making satisfaction removeth 
 that hatred and obtaineth his favour. 
 
 2. There is a twofold love of God towards man : 
 the one of commiseration and benevolence, f whereby 
 he was reconcileable, yea, himself appointed the 
 way of reconciliation, and this love was the cause of 
 Christ's death; the other of friendship or complacency, 
 whereby he becomes actually reconciled, and so con- 
 ferreth all good upon us ; and this love is the efl'ect of 
 Christ's death. It is observable concerning the friends 
 of Job, that God said to them, ' My wrath is kindled 
 against you : therefore take seven bullocks and seven 
 rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for 
 yourselves a burnt-oflering ; and my servant Job shall 
 pray for you : for him will I accept,' Job xlii. 7, 8 ; 
 wherein it appeareth, God so far tendered them as to 
 acquaint them with his wrath, and the means of paci- 
 fying it ; but his wrath was not removed till those 
 means were used. An enemy may so far love as to 
 propose and offer conditions of peace to his adversary, 
 but till those conditions be accomplished and per- 
 formed, there is no amity between them. So is it in 
 this case, though God loved us so as to propose, nay, 
 indeed, to perfect the means of reconciliation, yet still 
 he is not actually reconciled to us; but only in and 
 by those means, the chief whereof is Christ's passion. 
 The sum of all then amounts to this : God, considered 
 without respect to Christ, was, though ira'us, yet 
 plaadiilk, actually angry, yet so as that there was a 
 possibility of appeasing it. He was not so far pro- 
 voked with men as with the angels, for \\hom he 
 would not ap])oint nor accept a ransom ; but still it is 
 only in and through Christ that he becometh placalus, 
 actually appeased towards sinners. 
 
 8. He oiih/ is the propitiation for our sins. Only 
 Moses must go up to God in the mount ; none but 
 the high priest mnst enter with the blood into the 
 holy of holies. Christ alone must mediate with God 
 for man. Indeed, there was not, could not be found 
 in heaven or earth, any one fit or able to undertake 
 
 * Aquin. pars. iii. qii. xlix. art. iv. 
 
 t AfTcctus coinmisoratiotiis sivo btnefiiciemii voluntas, 
 affectus conjiiiictionis et amicitiic. — Calov. Socin. pri'Jlig. 
 Amor bcnevolcntiie et oriiinativu.'j. Amor complacentiae ct 
 coUativus. — Arnold. 
 
 this work. This will the better appear, if we consider, 
 that whosoever would become a propitiation for our 
 sins, must both be free himself from all sin, and be 
 both capable and able to undergo the punishment of 
 our sins. 
 
 (1.) He must be free from sin, and therefore we could 
 not propitiate God for ourselves. Can it be imagined 
 a rebel should pacify the king towards himself or fel- 
 low-rebel ? Whatever we could do whilst in our sins 
 were but evaf/iiiato gladio pacem petere, seeking for 
 peace with a drawn sword in our hand against our 
 sovereign. Indeed, the good works of them that are 
 in Christ do placere, but not pacare, please, not ap- 
 pease, and that only as dyed in Christ's blood. But 
 we are in a state of sin ; nothing we do can please, 
 much less pacif)', the Almighty. The truth is (to use 
 Ferus* his similitude), all the works we do are in 
 themselves but as a ring of iron, and could not so 
 much as gain acceptance, were it not for faith, which 
 sets into them, as it were, the precious gem of Christ's 
 merits. 
 
 (2.) He must be capable and able to bear the punish- 
 ment of our sins. There can be no propitiation for, 
 without expiation of, sin. The expiation of sin is by 
 suffering the punishment ; and, the sin being com- 
 mitted against an infinite Majesty, the suffering by 
 which it is expiated must be of infinite value. In 
 these respects it is impossible that any or all the 
 angels, though holy and jnst, should propitiate God 
 for our sins, since, as angels, they were not capable 
 of the irunishment ; and though they should have 
 assumed human nature, j'et, being but finite creatures, 
 the worth of their sufferings could not be infinite ; only 
 Christ in himself being altogether pure, and therefore 
 called ' Jesus Christ the righteous,' in the end of the 
 former verse, and being both God and man, and so able 
 as God and capable as man of undergoing such a pen- 
 alty as should, by reason of the infinitcncss of his per- 
 son, be of infinite merit, is the propitiation for our sins. 
 To end this. The propitiation here spoken of may 
 be considered several ways, and accordingly it may 
 have several causes, as decreed, published, applied, 
 purchased. The decree and intention of this propi- 
 tiation is the work of the whole Trinity, though espe- 
 cially attributed to the Father. The declaring and 
 publication of it is the work of Christ's ministers, to 
 whom ' is committed the word of reconciliation.' The 
 effectual application of it to every one in particular is 
 done, principally by the Spirit, and iustrumentally by 
 faith. But still the purchase and procuration of it is 
 only by the blood of Christ ; nemo priilcr ilium, nemo 
 cum illo, there was none besides him, there was none 
 to join with him ; he alone did undertake and accom- 
 plish the work of reconciliation. 
 
 Having briefly, and, I trust, in some measure, 
 clearly, explicated the explicit truth of this clause, 
 give me leave in a few words to apply it. 
 * Fur. in loc. 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON XXI. 
 
 13.3 
 
 1. In the sense of God's wrath for our sins, whither 
 should \vc go but to Christ for reconciliation ? Far be 
 it from us to think wo can pacify God for our sins by 
 our prayers or tears or alms,--' in all which God's se- 
 vere eye of justice would find matter of provocation. 
 Far be it from us to place our hopes of God's favour 
 towards us in the merits and mediation of saints or 
 angels, who themselves are beholden to this mediator. 
 The truth is, Propter Jilii meritam mater inrcnit gra- 
 tiain, the mother's peace was made by the son's 
 blood, and therefore to him, and him alone, let us 
 have recourse as our onlj' peacemaker. 
 
 And would you know how to go to him ? I answer, 
 by faith. Acccdil qui credit, he cometh to who believeth 
 on Christ ; and as there is no propitiation but through 
 him, so there is no propitiation through him to us but 
 by laying hold on him ; in which respect the apostle 
 doth not only say, ' God hath set forth Christ a pro- 
 pitiation through his blood,' but ' through /k/Z/j in his 
 blood,' and therefore, being sensible of divine plea- 
 sure, let us embrace Christ in the arms of our faith, 
 that God for his sake may be propitious to us. 
 
 2. In the confidence of this propitiation wrought 
 for us by Christ, how infinitely should wo account 
 ourselves obliged to our blessed Jesus ? The more 
 to imprint this mediation upon us, consider — 
 
 (1.) AVhat the benefit is which Christ hath procured, 
 propitiation for our sins ; a benefit which hath many 
 blessings to attend upon it, such as are acceptation of 
 om- persons and performances, nearness of union and 
 fulness of communion with God, boldness of access to 
 the throne of grace, peace of conscience, and joy in 
 the Holy Ghost. Christ saith to every believing soul 
 that hath an interest in his propitiation, in words 
 much like those to his disciples, John xvi. 33, ' Be 
 of good cheer,' I have pacified the Father's wTath to- 
 wards thee. God saith to every such person for whom 
 he hath accepted Christ's propitiation, in words much 
 like those to Ephraim, Jer. sxxi. 20, ' It is my dear 
 son, it is my pleasant child ; though I spake against 
 thee, I do earnestly remember thee : I will surely 
 have mercy on thee ;' and, 
 
 (2.) Who are we for whom Christ vouchsafed to be- 
 come a propitiation ? Jonathan stood between Saul's 
 fur}' and David ; good reason, Saul's rage was cause- 
 less, David was innocent ; but God's anger was just, 
 and we were ofl'enders. The people mediated between 
 Saul and Jonathan when he tasted of the honey ; but 
 Jonathan had ofl'eudod ignorantly, we have been wilful, 
 presumptuous rebels. Abigail pacified David's wrath 
 against Nabal, but ho was her husband ; Esther di- 
 vcrteth Ahasuerus his rage from the Jews, but they 
 were her countrymen ; but, lo ! Christ bccomcth a 
 propitiation for our sins who were strangers, not allies, 
 
 * Scelesli in animum inducunt suvim, Jovem posse placari 
 omnibus hostiis. — Plaul. 
 
 enemies, not friends, enemies to him as well as the 
 Father, and yet for om- sins he propitiateth. 
 
 (3.) When there was no other way left of propitiation, 
 he undertaketh it. ' I looked,' saith Christ, Isa. Ixiii. 5, 
 ' and there was none to help ; I wondered that there 
 was none to uphold ; therefore mine own arm brought 
 salvation.' If all those glorious angels had with united 
 endeavours sought to reconcile God to man, it could 
 not have been accomplished. As God saith in another 
 case, Ezek. xiv. 14, 20, ' Though those three men, Noah, 
 Daniel, and Job, were in the land, they should deliver 
 but their own souls, they shall deliver neither sons nor 
 daughters,' so he seemed to say in this. Though 
 Gabriel, Michael, yea, all the myriads of angels, had 
 not only entreated, but in assumed bodies suffered, 
 they should not have propitiated my wrath towards 
 one man for the least sin ; and as Elisha said to Ahab, 
 2 Kings iii. 14, ' Were it not that I regard the pre- 
 sence of Jehoshaphat, I would not look towards thee, 
 nor see thee ;' so God saith to us. Were it not that I 
 regard the passion and intercession of my Son, I would 
 not vouchsafe the least look of grace or favour towards 
 you. 
 
 (4.) That Christ might be the propitiation for our 
 sins, he was pleased to offer himself a sacrifice. Our 
 blessed Saviour appearing to his disciples after his 
 resurrection, said, ' Peace be to you, and shewed them 
 his hands and feet,' John xs. 19, 20, as if ho would 
 say. See how dear your peace cost me. Thus the case 
 stood. We had ofl'endcd, God was provoked ; wrath 
 was ready to strike us, Christ steps in and taketh the 
 blow upon himself ; and so, by his suffering, God is 
 pacified towards us. 
 
 And now, putting all these together, that when none 
 could, Christ would, and that* undertake so great a 
 work as the reconciling offended justice ; and when no 
 other means would prevail but blood and death, Christ 
 should be williug to lay down his own life, and this 
 for our sins, who were so unworthy of the least regard : 
 oh tell me if each of these severallj', much more all 
 jointly, be not strong obligations of love and thankful- 
 ness ! How should every believing sinner, in the ap- 
 prehension hereof, break forth into these or the like 
 ejaculations : Dearest Jesus, didst thou procure thy 
 Father's love to me, and shall it not engage my love 
 to thee ! Didst thou snatch mc as a brand out of the 
 fire of God's wrath, and shall not I be inflamed with 
 affection towards thcj ! The propitiation which thou 
 hast wrought for me was undeserved, nay, undesired, 
 shall it be altogether unrequited ! It is true I cannot 
 recompense, but surely I will acknowledge it ; I will 
 love and bless and praise thee for it, saying in words 
 much like those of the angels. Worthy is the lamb that 
 was slain a sacrifice, and so a propitiation for my sins, 
 to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, 
 and honour, and glory, and blessing ! 
 * Qu. 'did'?— Ed. 
 
]36 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 SEEMON XXII. 
 
 AnJ he is the jiroiiitiation /or our sins : and no! for our ours onhj, but also for the sins of ihe uliole leorld.- 
 
 i John II. 2. 
 
 WORDS amiable as beauty to the ej-e, barmonious 
 as music to the ear, sweet as houey to the taste, 
 and joyous as wine to the heart, \^^lo can road them 
 and not be affected? bear them and not be ravished? 
 meditate on them and not be dehghted ? beheve them 
 and not be comforted ? Dilirienter obserranda cordi- 
 husque iiiscrihenda sunt h</c verba, saith Ferus* aptly. 
 These words deserve to be written, yea, engraven upon 
 the tables of our hearts, as containing in them that 
 which cannot but afford unspeakable joy to the wounded 
 conscience. The person spoken of is Jesus Christ, 
 whose very name is as a precious ointment; the thing 
 spoken of is a pacification between God and sinners, 
 than which no perfume can be sweeter. Finally, this 
 benefit is set forth as obtained by this person, not for 
 a few, but many, some, but all, and so like the light 
 diffusing itself throu;.ih the whole world ; and there- 
 fore I trust, since we are all concerned in, we shall all 
 be diligently attentive to, this precious scripture : 
 ' And he is the propitiation for our sins,' &c. 
 
 Having already unfolded the nature, we are now to 
 handle the extent of this excellent benefit, which is 
 expressed two ways : 
 
 Negatively, and not for oars only ; 
 
 Affirmatively, but also for the sins of the whole irorld. 
 
 1. A word of the former, ' not for ours only.' It is 
 that which lets us see the nature of faith. 
 
 True faith applieth, but doth not appropriate ; or 
 if you will, it doth appropriate, but it doth not impro- 
 priate to itself. A believer so maketh Christ his own, 
 as that still he is, or may be, another's as well as his ; 
 and the reason of this is, 
 
 Partly in regard of the nature of the object, which 
 is such that it is capable of being communicated to 
 many as well as few ; for as the air is a means of 
 refocillation, the sun an instrument of illumination, 
 and the sea a place of navigation for the people of 
 our country, and yet not ours ouly, those being things 
 so communicative, that every one may have a .share 
 in them ; nor is one man's or people's enjoying an 
 hindrance to another; so is Christ a propitiation 
 for the sins of St John and the rest of believers 
 then living, but not for theirs only, he being zoywv 
 ayaOi.v, a common good, and his propitiation such as 
 that the participation of it by some doth not at all im- 
 pede others from having the like interest. 
 
 And partly in respect of the temper of the subject, 
 this being the frame of a believer's spirit, that he 
 would have others partake of the same bcnelit with 
 himself. The apostle St Paul saith of faith, Gal. v. G, 
 that it ' workcth by love,' and accordingly as faith 
 * Fcr. in loc. 
 
 brings Christ home to itself, so the love by which it 
 worketh is desirous he might be imparted to others. 
 To this purpose it is observable, that that holy 
 apostle, when ho speaketh of a crown which shall be 
 given to him, 2 Tim. iv. 8, presently addeth, ' and 
 not to me only,' as here St John, ' for our sins, and 
 not for ours only.' 
 
 To wind up this. Whereas there are two objec- 
 tions amongst others made against the applying act of 
 faith, as if it were a bold presumption in regard of 
 Christ, and an uncharitable excluding of others from 
 having the same benefit, to say he is ours, and that 
 he is the propitiation for our sins, both will be found 
 no better than calumnies ; since, on the one hand, 
 faith's particular application is within the bounds, and 
 according to the tenui'e of the gospel prouiise, and 
 therefore it is no presumption ; and, on the other 
 hand, faith's applying Christ to om'selves is not 
 thereby to withhold him from any other, and there- 
 fore it is no uncharitableness ; for whilst faith saith, 
 ' He is the propitiation for our sins,' love addeth, 
 and ' not for ours only.' And so much, or rather so 
 little, of the negative ; pass we on to the, 
 
 2. Affirmative clause, ' but also for the sins of the 
 whole world.' Furores anijdiandi is a rule in the civil 
 law,* favours are to be extended to the utmost ; so 
 doth our apostle here this bcnelit of Christ's propitia- 
 tion. Aniplijicatiu est niiserieordice Dei, it is an ampli- 
 fication of God's mercy, and Christ's merit, and that 
 
 1. Implicitly, in respect of the object, since Christ 
 did not pacify God only for the original sins of our 
 natiu'es, but the actual sins of our hfe, and not only 
 for one, but for all kinds of sins. The sins of the 
 whole world are a \vorld of sins. What a numberless 
 number of sins are every day committed in the world ; 
 yea, what sin is there so vile, so heinous, which 
 comelh not within this latitude, the sins of the whole 
 world; so that this propitiation extends itself, not only 
 to one, but many, lesser, but greater sins. Not the 
 multitude, nor the magnitude of all the sins which are 
 acted in the world, can exceed the virtue of Christ's 
 propitiation, and therefore though the particle rin be 
 ellipticully cut olf in the Greek, both it and its substan- 
 tive are fitly supi)lied in our translation, ' for the sins 
 of the whole world.' But, further, this enlargement 
 is chiefly to be considered, 
 
 2. Explicitly, in regard of the subject, the persons 
 to whom this propitiation belongs ; and it is set forth 
 with the fullest advantage that may be. Indeed, there 
 are divers phrases by which this universality is re- 
 presented. Sometimes it is said, ' He gave his life a 
 
 * NaoKorj. 
 
Ver. 2.] 
 
 SERMON XXII. 
 
 137 
 
 ransom for many,' Mat. ss. 20, anil that is opposed 
 to a few. More than this, it is said that ' he died for 
 all,' 2 Cor. v. 14, and that he ' gave himself a ransom 
 for all,' 1 Tim. ii. G ; yea, the author to the Hebrews 
 saith, chap. ii. 9, ' He tasted death for every man ;' 
 not only all in general, but eirii/ man in particular. 
 In like manner the usual phrase of the Scripture, 
 when it speaketh of the subject of reconciliation and 
 salvation, is in the comprehensive word ivurld : ' God 
 so lovud the world,' John iii. 16; ' God was in Christ 
 reconciling the world, 2 Cor. v. 19 ;' and again, in 
 this epistle, 1 John iv. 14, ' Him hath God sent to 
 be the Saviour of the world ;' and yet, as if this were 
 not large enough to this extensive substantive, is hero 
 in the text annexed an universal adjective, whilst he 
 saith not only the uodd, but the irhule xi-urld. 
 
 That this is so must be granted, or else the Scrip- 
 ture must be denied, which hath so frequently and 
 plainly asserted it. The only thing to be inquired is, 
 in what sense this is to be understood, and how it is 
 verified. 1 well know there is much dispute among 
 learned and godly men about the interpretation of 
 this and such like scriptures. For ray own part, I 
 have a reverent esteem of many of them, who hold 
 the several opinions, and I could heartily wish that 
 such questions, having much to be said either waj', 
 both from Scripture and reason, might be more 
 calmly debated than they are by some ; and the 
 assertors on either hand less censorious each of other. 
 That which I shall now endeavour, is (according to 
 the measure of light I have received by prayer, read- 
 ing, meditation, and conference) positis'ely to acquaint 
 you what I conceive to be truth, and shew you how 
 far we may safely extend, and so how we may 
 genuinely expound, this clause, ' He is the propitia- 
 tion for the sins of the whole world.' 
 
 To this end, let your attention go along with me, 
 whilst I shall prosecute two or three distinctions. 
 
 Distiiuiioii 1. This assertion, Christ is the pro- 
 pitiation for the sins of the whole world, may be 
 understood either txchisireh/ or iiidi(sircli/, and in 
 both considerations it is in some respect or other true. 
 
 1. To say, Christ is the propitiation for the sins of 
 the whole world e.ri-hisiccli/, imports thus much, that 
 there is no propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 world but only by Christ ; and thus we may take the 
 whole world in its full latitude, ;/fo oiniiibiis ct siiir/idii, 
 and need not fear to assert that there never was, nor 
 will be, any man, from the first Adam to the end of 
 the world, who did, shall, or can obtain propitiation 
 for his sins except through Christ. Indeed, God (ac- 
 cording both to Moses and Paul's phrase, Deut. iv. 24, 
 Heb. xii. 29) ' is a consuming tire,' and all mankind 
 being fallen in Adam, is as stubble and straw to that 
 fire, which must needs be consumed by it, if Christ's 
 blood did not prevent that consumption by quenching 
 the fii-e of his displeasm'e. Hence it is that St Paul 
 saith expressly, 2 Cor. v. 19, ' God was in Christ re- 
 
 conciling the world to himself,' thereby intimating, 
 that, were it not for Christ, the world could not be 
 reconciled to him. To this purpose it is that the 
 apostle Peter, speaking of Christ, useth a negative 
 proposition. Acts iv. 12, ' Neither is there salvation 
 m any other,' and enforceth it with a strong confirma- 
 tion, ' for there is none other name under heaven 
 given among men whereby we must be saved ;' where 
 that expression ' under heaven' is very observable, as 
 comprising in it the whole earth which is imder 
 heaven, with all the inhabitants therein. It is the 
 promise of God to Abraham, Gen. xxii. 18, that 'in 
 his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed.' 
 That seed St Paul expounds mystically of Christ,' Gal. 
 iii. 8 ; and Lyra's gloss* is, ijula nuUiix consequitui- 
 saliilem nisi per Chiiutt beiiediclioiieiii, because none can 
 attain eternal life but through Christ's benediction ; 
 and not much unlike is Beza'sf note on this place, 
 Christ is the propitiation for the whole world, iit 
 noierimus nasqiiam esse salutem extra Christum, that 
 we may know salvation is not to be had anywhere 
 without Christ. 
 
 From hence it is that may be inferred, which else- 
 where is expressed, that since there is no propitiation 
 but by Christ, none can partake of this propitiation 
 but by faith in him ; and the strength of the inference 
 is built upon this foundation. 
 
 Whosoever have propitiation by Christ must be in 
 Christ, and therefore St Paul saith of the Ephesians, 
 chap. ii. 12, whilst heathens, they were ' without 
 Christ,' and presently addeth in the same verse, 
 ' having no hope ;' as if he would say. There is no 
 hope of salvation for them that are without Christ. 
 
 jSTone but they who believe in Christ are in him, 
 and therefore the apostle saith, chap. iii. 17, Christ 
 ' dwelleth in our hearts by faith ;' and those two 
 phrases, beiiifj in the faith, and Christ liein;/ in us, are 
 uscd^by him in one verse, 2 Cor. xiii. 5, as one 
 expository of the other. The result of both which 
 propositions is, that seeing there is no propitiation 
 without Christ, and without being in Christ none can 
 obtain that propitiation, but they who believe in him, 
 agreeable to which it is that St Paul saith, Rom. iii. 25, 
 ' God hath set him forth a propitiation through faith 
 in his blood.' 
 
 Indeed, this must be rightly understood, and to that 
 end qualified with these distinctions of seminal and 
 actual, of implicit and explicit faith, and of faith in 
 Christ as to come, and as come. Christ is no doubt 
 a propitiation for all cu'cumcised and baptized children 
 dying in their infancy, who yet cannot actually be- 
 lieve in him ; but they have after an extraordinary way 
 the Spirit of Christ conferred on them, and so tho 
 seed of faith and all other graces in them. Christ 
 was no doubt a propitiation for those before his com- 
 ing, as well as us, all of whom only believed in hmi as 
 to come, and many of whom had but only an implicit, 
 * Lyr. ib. t Bcza in loc. 
 
138 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 fCUAP. II. 
 
 not a clear and distinct, faith in the Messiah. Nor 
 will I undertake to determine what degree of know- 
 ledge is necessary to that faith in Christ, which is 
 necessary to an interest in this propitiation ; but still 
 I say, with the author to the Hebrews, chap. xi. G, 
 ' Without f lith it is impossible to please God ;' and 
 that faith is not only to bolie\ e that God is, but to 
 believe that ' he is a rewarder of them that seek 
 him,' which cannot be without some knowledge of 
 Christ. Since it is only in an evangelical sense that 
 ho is a rewarder, and as he is no rewarder of any that 
 seek him, but for Christ's sake, so none can rightly 
 believe him a rewarder, who is altogether ignorant of 
 Christ. 
 
 Indeed, when our blessed Saviour saith, John xvii. 3, 
 ' This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,' what doth he 
 but as it were defhie eternal life by the knowledge of 
 God and Jesus Christ, this knowledge being both 
 the way and the end, that wherein it consists and 
 that whereby it is obtained ? And more fully, when he 
 saith, John iii. 10, ' God so loved the world, that he 
 gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 
 in him should not perish,' what doth he but set down 
 believing in Christ as the way whereby the whole 
 world must escape perishing ? Finally, when St Paul, 
 speaking of Jew and Greek, maketh calling on the 
 name of the Lord Christ, the means of salvation, Kom. 
 X. 12-14, and annexeth believing in as necessary to 
 the calling on him, what doth ho but intimate, that 
 without believing in him there can be no salvation ? 
 
 By all which we may see how miserable the condi- 
 tion of all those is who have no interest in Christ by 
 faith. If no interest in him, no propitiation by him; 
 and if no propitiation by him, there can none be had 
 elsewhere. And therefore John the Baptist saith of 
 every unbeliever, John iii. 36, ' The wrath of God 
 abideth on him,' a burden so heavy that it must needs 
 press down to hell. And which followcth upon Ibis, 
 we may see whnt great reason we have to pity and 
 pray for all pagans and infidels, to whom Christ, and 
 propitiation by him, is not so much as revealed. In- 
 deed, that heathens who never heard of Christ shall 
 be condemned for not believing in him, I believe not; 
 the light of nature will bo enough to render them in- 
 excusable : but how they, not at all hearing, and so 
 not at all believing in him, should be saved by him, I 
 cannot see by any light of Scripture. That those among 
 them whoso lives have been eminent for moral 
 virtues might have Christ by some extraordinary way 
 made known unto them, and so be brought to faith in 
 him, I am willing to hope. However, that God's 
 wrath is not so hot against them as others, yea, that 
 it shall be ' more tolerable ' for them than many who 
 are in name Christians, T confidently assert ; but how 
 without Christ, and any knowledge of him, they should 
 obtain propitiation, and so salvation, I know not. The 
 only charity which we can and ought to exercise to- 
 
 wards them who are now alive, is to commiserate their 
 condition, and pour out our supplications, that God 
 would cause the light of the knowledge of Christ to 
 shine in upon them who at present ' sit in darkness 
 and the shadow of death.' And so much for this in- 
 terpretation. 
 
 2. The more generally received, and, indeed, most 
 genuine, exposition of these words is by way of inclu- 
 sion, according to which the sense is, that Christ is 
 a propitiation not only for some, but all, even the 
 whole world. 
 
 Dintinct. 2. To understand this aright, be pleased 
 to know, further, that this phrase, the whole ivorld, may 
 be taken either more strictly or largely, according to 
 a double consideration of this propitiation, either in 
 respect of its actual efficacy or virtual sufficiency. 
 
 1. These words, ' he is the propitiation,' may 
 be thus construed, he is actually and effectually tho 
 propitiation, yea, inasmuch as it is joined with his ad- 
 vocateship. It is very probable this is our apostle's 
 meaning, since Christ is effectually a propitiation to 
 them for whom he is an advocate ; and if so, this 
 tohuh u-orkl must be construed in the same sense in 
 which irorld is used by St Paul, Rom. xi. 12, 15, 
 where he saith, ' The fall of the Jews is the riches of 
 the world ;' that is, as it followeth in the same verse, 
 ' the riches of the Gentiles ;' and again, ' the casting 
 away of them, the reconciling of the world.' So here 
 he is the propitiation, not for our sins only (who are 
 Jews), but for the whole world, to wit, the Gentiles 
 in all parts and ages of the world who believe in him. 
 And it will appear so much the more rational by the 
 u-orld here to understand the Gentiles, if we consider 
 that the our here spoken of most probably refers to 
 the Jews ; for St John, who was a Jew, would rather 
 have said your than our, had not they to whom he 
 wrote been Jews as well as he. And this is further 
 evident by the 7th verse, where he saith that they to 
 whom he did write were such as had heard (to wit, 
 what ho wrote) from the beginning, and those were 
 the Jews, to whom Christ was first sent and preached. 
 
 According to this construction, the sense of this 
 scripture will be best explained by paralleling it with 
 those two texts in the Gospel, the one concerning 
 Caiaphas, of whom the evangelist saith, Johnxi. 51, 52, 
 ' lie prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation ; 
 and not for that nation only, but that also he should 
 gather together in one the children of God that were 
 scattered abroad.' The other Christ's own words, in 
 that excellent prayer wherein he saith, John xvii. 20, 
 ' Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also 
 which shall believe on me through their word.' Thus 
 Christ is the propitiation, not only for us who are of 
 the Jewish nation, and live in this present age, but for 
 them also of the Gentiles who now do, or hereafter to 
 tho end of the world, shall believe in him. And, 
 however, the number of them that believe, and have 
 Christ efl'ectually a propitiation to them, is still but 
 
Ver. 2. J 
 
 SEllMON XXII. 
 
 139 
 
 small comparatively, in which respect it may seem 
 strange they should be called the whole world ; yet 
 considering that whereas before Christ came the be- 
 lievers of the Old Testament were only to be found in 
 Jewry (some few, very few, proselytes of the Gentiles 
 excepted), now since Christ's death the believers of 
 the New Testament are to be found (as St Austin * 
 speaketh) among all sorts of persons, in all nations, 
 at some time or other, and so dispersed through the 
 whole world ; as they congiiiously are called in our 
 creed the catholic church, so here by St John the 
 whole world, to which purpose is that excellent speech 
 of St Ambrose,! The people of God hath its fulness, 
 and there is as it wore a particular generality, whilst 
 all men are taken out of all men, and a whole world 
 is chosen and saved out of the whole world. 
 
 This exposition of these words, as it appeareth not 
 to be irrational, so it wants not the consent of many 
 interpreters,! not only modern but ancient. The de- 
 sign of St John (saith Calvin) in these words, is no 
 other than to assert this benefit of propitiation common 
 to the whole church. Lest he should be thought, by 
 saying our, to restrain Christ's propitiation only to the 
 Jews, he addeth Ihe whole icorld ; so Beza. Besides 
 these neoterics, we find this to be St Austin's in- 
 terpretation, speaking occasionally in one of his 
 epistles § upon this text : As (saith he) the whole 
 world is said to lie in wickedness, because of the 
 tares, so Christ is said to be the propitiation for the 
 sins of the whole world, because of the wheat which 
 groweth throughout the whole world. Yea, the Greek 
 fathers render this very sense of these words ; so 
 CEcumenius upon the text itself. This he sait^h either 
 because he wrote to the Jews, that he might extend 
 this benefit to the Gentiles, or because the promise 
 was not only made to those iu that time, but all that 
 shall come after them. So St Cyril, || comparing this 
 scripture with that of Christ's in the Gospel, ' I pray 
 not for the world,' reconcileth them by affirming, that 
 where St John saith tlic whole world, he meaneth them 
 that should be called of all nations, through faith, to 
 righteousness and holiness. 
 
 That which, according to this construction, we are 
 to take notice of, is the largeness of God's grace to the 
 times of the New above that to those of the Old Tes- 
 tament. They who, since the coming of Christ, par- 
 take efl'ectually of his propitiation, arc of all sorts and 
 ages of the world ; to which purpose is that acknow- 
 ledgment which the fnur-and- twenty elders in the Reve- 
 lation make to Christ, Rev. v. 19, ' Thou wast slain, 
 and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of 
 every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.' 
 Among other resemblances, Christ is compared_by the 
 
 * Aug. in Epist. 
 
 t Populua Dei Imbet plenitudinem suam, &c. — Amir, de 
 voeat. Gent. 1. i. c. 3. 
 
 X Vide Cttlv. Bez. in loc. § Aug. ep. 48. 
 
 II Cyr. in Job. 1. xi. o. 8. 
 
 prophet Malachi to the sun, chap. iv. 2; and among 
 others for this reason,* because, like the sun, he com- 
 municates liglit, heat, life to all parts of the world ; 
 and therefore he saith of himself, ' I am the light of 
 the world ;' and again, ' I give life to the world.' It is 
 well observed, that the fii-st promise of Christ, the seed 
 of the woman, was not made to Abraham the father 
 of the Jews, but to Adam the father of the whole 
 world ; and whereas the Jews call Christ the Son of 
 Abraham, John vi. 33, and the Son of David, John 
 viii. 12, who were Jews, Christ usually calleth himself 
 the Son of man, which taketh in Gentiles as well as 
 Jews. In this respect it is well taken notice of, that 
 the place of Christ's birth was domus publici juris, not 
 a private house, but an inn, which is open for all pas- 
 sengers ; and that not in a chamber, but the stable, 
 which is the commonest place of the inn ; for though 
 every guest hath his chamber private, yet the stable 
 is common to them all ; to mind us that he who was 
 born should be a common Saviour to high and low, 
 noble and base, rich and poor. Besides, the super- 
 scription upon his cross was written, as St Cyril f and 
 Theophylact I observe, not only in Hebrew, the lan- 
 guage of the Jews, but in Greek and Latin, the lan- 
 guages of the Gentiles ; and the cross was erected not 
 within the city, but ' without the gate,' to intimate, 
 saith Leo,§ ut cru.v Chrhli non iempli esset ara, sed 
 mundi, that it was not an altar of the temple, but the 
 world. Indeed, what part of the world is it that 
 Christ's propitiation reachcth not to '? St Basil, 1| put- 
 ting the question why the world was redeemed by a 
 cross, maketh this answer, that a cross hath fom- dis- 
 tmct parts, which represent the four parts of the 
 world, to all which the eflicacy of the cross reaeheth. 
 An emblem of this truth St Cyprian ^ hath found in 
 the four letters of the Greek word ' Ada//., which is 
 given to Christ, which letters are the first of those 
 Greek words which signify the four corners of the 
 world ;** and St Austinff in Christ's garment, of which 
 St John saith, ' The soldiers made four parts, to each 
 soldier a part,' John xix. 27, which he conceived to 
 figure the church, gathered out of the four parts of the 
 world. Indeed, this was God's promise to his Christ, 
 Ps. ii. 8, ' Ask of me, and I will give thee the utmost 
 parts of the world for thy possession ;' and to his 
 church, Isa. xHii. 5, 6, ' I will bring thy seed from 
 the east, and gather thee from the west ; I will say to 
 the north. Give up ; and to the south. Keep not back.' 
 From this assertion it appeareth that the church is 
 (in itself considered) a gi-oat multitude ; and especially 
 the Christian iu comparison of the Jewish church. 
 We read of Noah, Gen. ix. 29, that he blessed his 
 two sons, Shem and Japhet, the former a type of tho 
 
 • Vide Ambros. in Pg. cxviii. § Leo de pass. Serm. 8. 
 t Cyr. in Job. 1. xii. c. 10. Ij Basil in Isa. xi. 12. 
 
 i Tlieoph. in Luke. II Cypr. de pass. 
 
 *• Tliat is, ifxrsf, Sl/n;, atxTC>.K. fim,ufi(ix. — Ed. 
 
 tt Aug. in Job. Tr. 118. 
 
140 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Jews, and the latter of the Gentiles. Now, coucerning 
 Japhet, he saith, ' God shall enlarge him, and he shall 
 dwell in the tents of Shem,' to intimate, saith St 
 Jerome,* the enlarged multitude of the Gentile be- 
 lievers ; and the same fatherf upon these words of 
 the prophet, Isa. liv. 2, ' Enlarge the place of thy 
 tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy 
 habitations ; spare not, lengthen thy cords, strengthen 
 thy stakes,' saith Hoc inlellujitur de ecdcsiarum maij- 
 ni'tiidine, this is to be understood of the greatness 
 and magnitude of the church, by reason of its spreading 
 over all the world. It is well worthy our observation, 
 that whereas the temple of Solomon had only one gate, 
 1 Chron. ix. 24, the court of the Gentiles, which 
 compassed the temple, had four, chap. xxvi. 13 : 
 yea, the city of the New Jerusalem, an emblem of the 
 Christian church, hath not four but twelve gates, 
 Eev. xxi. 13, three at every corner, and these never 
 shut, to intimate what a continual confluence there 
 should be to Christ from all parts of the earth. 
 
 And surely, beloved, hoc juvie iiovisse iiudtiiiii 
 prod&<t,% it concerneth us much to meditate on this 
 truth, whereby as the pride of the Jews is humbled, 
 so the hope of the Gentiles is erected. Indeed, since 
 it belongs to the whole world, it may well be matter 
 of great joy, and that such a joy as may put us upon 
 thankfulness for this grace of God which hath appeared 
 to all men, and bringeth salvation, Titus ii. 1-1. That 
 cloud, which was at first but the breadth of a man's 
 hand, 1 Kings xviii. 44, hath now covered the face of 
 the heavens ; that contemptible stone cut out of the 
 mountain hath filled the whole earth, Daniel ii. 35. 
 Christ is as well a light to lighten us Gentiles, as the 
 glory of his people Israel, Luke ii. 32 ; nor is he a pro- 
 pitiation for the Jews only, but for the whole world 
 of them that believe in him. 
 
 2. But further, these words, ' he is the propitiation,' 
 maybe construed in respect of the virtue and sufficiency 
 of his propitiation, according to which notion Ihe iihole 
 voild is to be taken in a more comprehensive con- 
 struction. 
 
 Distwcl. 3. To unfold which be pleased to tiike notice 
 of a double sufficiency, the one intrinsecal or natural, 
 arising from the worth and value of the thing ; the 
 other extrinsecal and positive, arising from the ordina- 
 tion and institution of God, suitable to which this 
 phrase the uhole uorU is to be more or less e.\tcnded. 
 1. Christ's propitiation is sufficient, as to its natural 
 value, for the sins of the whole world, comprising not 
 only men but angels. There is no doubt merit enough 
 in the blood of Christ to pacify God for the sins of the 
 devils as well as men ; and the reason is ]ilain, because 
 the value of Christ's passion depends primarily 
 on the dignity of the person suffering, so that the 
 person being inlinite, the value of his passion must be 
 infinite ; and since an infinite merit can have no limita- 
 tion, we may truly say, he is a propitiation sufficient 
 * IIiLT. qu. Hcbr. t Itl- iu Is. X Gualt. iu loe. 
 
 for the whole world, containing as well spiritual as 
 earthly wickednesses ; yea, not only for one, but a 
 thousand worlds ; yea, as many millions as we can 
 imagine. 
 
 Nor doth the dissimilitude of the nature which 
 Christ took, and in which he snfi'ered, to the angelical, 
 hinder but that his death might in itself be sufficient 
 for angels, if God had so pleased. For what crime of 
 any creature whatsoever can be so heinous, for the 
 expiating of which the shedding of the blood of God 
 cannot suffice '? and if Christ obtained confirmation 
 for the angels that stand (as the learned generally 
 acknowledge) that he is not a propitiation for the 
 angels that fell, is only fi'om God's pleasure, not any 
 want of dignity and sufficiency in the price which was 
 paid by him. 
 
 2. 15ut when the schools speak of Christ's dying for 
 all sufficiently, and accordingly some expositors* in- 
 terpret this expiation ' sufficient for the sins of the 
 whole world;' it is as the learned Davenant hath ex- 
 cellently observed, and solidly proved, another kind 
 of value, to wit, such as ariseth from divine ordination; 
 and thus, though we must exclude angels, and consider 
 men only as vialoies, whilst they are in the way, since 
 (as St Bernard truly) the blood of Christ which was 
 shed on earth goeth not down to hell,t yet we are by 
 tite ifliule ifoi/il to understand oiiiiiesti siiKjiilns, all and 
 every man that hath been, is, or shall be, in the world ; 
 so that we may truly assert, it was the intention of 
 God giving Christ, and Christ ofiering himself, to lay 
 down such a price as might be sufficient, and so upon 
 gospel terms applicable to all mankind, and every 
 individual man in the whole world. 
 
 To unfold this truth aright, I shall briefly present 
 two thiugs to your consideration : 
 
 1. A price may be said to be suflicient, cither 
 absolutely or conditionally. A price is then absolutely 
 suthcieut, when there is nothing more requii-ed to the 
 particiiiation of the benefit but only the pajinent of 
 thu money ; and thus we are not to conceive of God's 
 ordination, that Christ's death should become an actual 
 propitiation without any other iutervenient act on our 
 part. He died not in this sense for any, much less 
 for all. When, therefore, we say God would that 
 Christ should lay down a price sufficient, and so appli- 
 cable to every man, it is to be understood in a conditional 
 way, upon the terms of faith and repentance. 
 
 And hence it is, that though Christ dying sufterod 
 that punishment which was designed to be satisfactory 
 for the sins of every man, yet God doth justly inflict 
 the punishment upon the jiersons of all them who are 
 not by faitii partakers of Christ's death, because it was 
 intended to satisfy for them only upon condition of 
 believing. 
 
 2. Know further, that though God intends Christ's 
 
 * Ciu'tlnis, Scrra in loc. 
 
 t Sang\iis ofl'usus ?iipor tirrnni nou dc-'sccudit nd inferos. — 
 Bern, in Caul. Serm. 76. 
 
Vek. 2.] 
 
 SERMON XXII. 
 
 141 
 
 propitiation conditionally applicable, oque, as well to 
 every as any man, yet he did not e.i; <rquo, equally 
 intend it for every man. It is one thing to say, He 
 is a propitiation, not for our sins only, but for the sins 
 of the whole world, and another thing to say. He is a 
 propitiation as fully for the sins of the whole world 
 as he is for ours. It is observable in Scripture that 
 some places speak of Christ laying down his life for 
 his sheep, John x. 15, and giving himself for his 
 Church, Ephes. v. 25, and others of Christ's dying for 
 all, and tasting death for every one. In one place he 
 is called the Saviour of the body, ver. 23, and in 
 another, the Saviour of the world, John iv. 
 14. Xor will it be hard to reconcile these, if wo dis- 
 tinguish of a general and a special intention in God, 
 that the fruit of his (fiXavSourria. love to mankind, 
 this of his £i/36x;'a, good will to some particular persons. 
 By the former, he intends Christ's propitiation appli- 
 cable to all ; by the latter, he decreeth it to be actually 
 applied to some. According to this it is that St Am- 
 brose saith,* Christ suffered generally for all, and yet 
 specially for some ; and Peter Lumbard,t Christ 
 offered himself on the altar of the cross for all, as to 
 the sufficiency of the price ; for the elect only, as to 
 elRcaey, because he effects salvation only for them 
 that are predestinated. Suitably hereunto it is that 
 divines conceive a double covenant to be intimated in 
 Scripture — the one universal and conditional, the 
 other special and absolute ; the one made with all, 
 and every man, upon these terms, ' Whosoever be- 
 lieveth in Christ shall not perish,' John iii. 16 ; the 
 other made with Christ concerning a seed which he 
 should see upon making his soul an offering for sin, 
 Isa. liii. 10, to whom he promiseth not only salvation 
 by Christ upon condition of believing, but the writing 
 his law in their hearts, Heb. x. 16, whereby they are 
 enabled to perform the condition, and so infallibly 
 partake of that salvation. By all which, it appeareth 
 that notwithstanding God's special affection, and de- 
 cree of election whereby he hath purposed this pro- 
 pitiation shall be actually conferred upon some, we 
 may truly assert, God hath a general love whereby he 
 hath ordained the death of Chi-ist an universal remedy 
 applicable to every man as a propitiation for his sins, 
 if he believe and repent. And hence it is that this 
 propitiation, as it is applicable, so it is annunciable to 
 every man. Indeed, as God hath not intended it 
 should be actually appUed, so neither that it should 
 be 80 much as actually revealed to many men ; but 
 yet it is, as applicable, so annunciable, both by virtue 
 of the general covenant God hath made with all, and 
 that general mandate he hath given to his ministers 
 
 * Christus passua est pro omnibus : pro nobis tamen speci- 
 aliter pissus est — Amlros. in Luc. 
 
 t Christus se in ara cnicis obtulit pro omnibus, quantum 
 ad pretii sufEcientiam ; sed pro electis tantum quoad effica- 
 ciam, quia pradestinatis tantum salutem efficit — P. Lumb. 
 dial, tecunda. lit. h. 
 
 of preaching the gospel to all, so that if any minister 
 could go through all the parts of the world, and in 
 those parts singly, from man to man, he might not 
 only with a conjectural hope, but with a certain faith, 
 say to him, God hath so loved thee that he gave his 
 only son, that if thou believe in him, thou shalt not 
 perish ; and that this is not barely founded upon the 
 innate sufficiency of Christ's death, but the ordina- 
 tion of God, appeareth in that we cannot, may not, say 
 so to any of the fallen augels, for whom yet, as you 
 have already heard, Christ's death is intrinsecally 
 sufficient. 
 
 And now what should the meditation of this truth 
 afford us, but matter of 
 
 1. Admiration at the riches of divine love to all 
 mankind, and which rendereth it so much the more 
 wonderful that while it is conferred on the whole world 
 of men, it is denied to angels. That God should 
 cause his wi-ath to smoke against those spiritual 
 and noble creatures, the angels, and appoint a pi'O- 
 pitiation, a ransom for such crawling worms, sinful 
 dust and ashes, as men are, is it not to be admired at? 
 St Ambrose, speaking of these words * ' The whole 
 earth is full of thy mercy,' puts the question. Why is 
 it not said the heaven as well as the earth ? and re- 
 turneth this answer. Because there are indeed spiritual 
 wickednesses in high places, W non illceod commune jus 
 induli/entia Dei remissioneinque pertinent jieccatoriim ; 
 but the remission of God and propitiation of Christ 
 belongs not to them. Well may we in thi.s considera- 
 tion take up those words of the psalmLst, Psal. viii. 
 3, quoted by the author to the Hebrews upon this 
 very occasion : Heb. ii. G, ' Lord, what is man that 
 thou art so mindful of him , and the son of man that thou 
 visitest him?' 
 
 2. Consolation to all departing souls. It is an ex- 
 cellent saying of Leo, f The effusion of Christ's blood is so 
 rich and available, that if the whole multitude of captive 
 sinners would beheve in their Redeemer, not one 
 should bo detained in the tyrant's chains. Who art 
 thou then that sayest, Christ died not fur thee, and 
 will not be a propitiation for thy sins ? When the 
 door is open by God, why should it be shut by thee ? 
 When God is ready to receive thee, why shouldest thou 
 reject Christ, and cast away thyself ? View the text 
 well, and tell me if the uhole wuiid do not include thee ? 
 Surely omne totum contiiwt suas partes, omni^ species 
 suti individua, every species includeth its individuals, 
 every whole its parts. 1 1 is both Calvin's and Gualter's| 
 note upon the word world, that it is so often repeated, 
 ne aliquem a Christi merito e.rcliisuin jiiitareinns ; so 
 Gualter, that we should not think any one excepted, 
 )W (piis omnino arceri se jmtet, modo fidei rinm teneiil ; 
 80 Calvin, lest any one should think himself excluded 
 
 ♦Ambros. in Ps. cxviii. 
 
 t Effusio pro injustis sanguinis justi tam putens est, &c, 
 — Leo de pass, Serm. xii. c. 4. 
 1 Vide Gualt. Calv. in loc. 
 
Ii2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II . 
 
 if he walk in the path of believing. Believe it, never 
 any missed of propitiation for want of merit in Christ, 
 bat of faith in themselves. Why should I give my- 
 self over when my Physician doth not ? So long as I 
 am one of the whole world, and my particular sins are 
 not so great as the sins of the whole world, I will not 
 cast away all hopes of propitiation. 
 
 3. Caution, that we do not hence presume of a pro- 
 pitiation without application. St John saith, ' He is 
 the propitiation for our sins, and for the sins of the 
 whole world ;' but we cannot infer, he is the propitia- 
 tion for the sins of the whole world ; therefore he will 
 be for oui's though we live as v<e list. Alas, brethren! 
 you have already heard this propitiation ; as it is 
 universal, so it is conditional ; habet qiiidem in se vt 
 omnibus prosit, sed si non hibitur non medctur* this 
 cup of salvation hath that in it which can benefit all ; 
 but if no drinking of it, no healing by it. If thou 
 dost not believe, saith St Ambrose,! Christ did not 
 descend for thee, nor die for thee, to wit, so as effec- 
 tually to save thee ; and in another place, J more aptly 
 to our present purpose, if any one doth not believe, 
 he defraudeth himself of that benefit which is so 
 general. Indeed, by reason of this condition it falls 
 out, that though Christ be a propitiation for the sins 
 
 * Prosp. ad Vincent, object, prim. 
 t Ambros. de fide adGiat. 1. iv. c. 1. 
 X Id. in Ps. cxviii. Oct. 5. 
 
 of the whole world ; yet it is not the whole world, no 
 nor the greater, no nor an equal part of the world, 
 but a third, a fourth part, a remnant, a little flock, 
 partake of this propitiation; and therefore we have a 
 gi'eat deal of reason to fear and tremble lest we mis- 
 carry, and have no share in this propitiation, which 
 is so universal. 
 
 4. Exhortation. That since Christ is a propitiation 
 for the whole world, we labour to make sure our own 
 share in this universal good. It had been little com- 
 fort to St John that he could say Christ is the propi- 
 tiation for the sins of the whole world, if he could 
 not have said, he is the propitiation for our sins. That 
 known saying is in this case too often verified, latet 
 dolus in unirersalibus, men deceive themselves whilst 
 they rest in generalities. Content not thyself to know 
 that Christ hath died for the world, but strive to be 
 assured that thou shalt be saved by his death. It will 
 be a sad trouble at that day for thee to think, I had 
 a price in mj- hand, but I made no use of it; I might 
 have obtained propitiation by Christ, but I neglected 
 it; there was a remedy prepared, but I contemned it. 
 And, therefore, let our gi'eat care be to gain an inte- 
 rest in assurance of this propitiation to our own souls, 
 that what it is in itself, it may be to us ; and it may 
 be for our sins efliciently, what it is sufficiently not 
 for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. 
 
 SERMON XXIII. 
 
 And hereby we do laioic that iie Icjiojc him, if ue keep his commandments. He that saith I know him, and kecpeth 
 not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But iflioso keepelh his word, in him rerilij is 
 the lore of God perfected : hereby know ue thai we are in him. He that sailh he abideth in him, ought him- 
 self also to walk, as he tialked. — 1 John II. 3-6. 
 
 AMONG the many excellencies of this epistle, this 
 is one, that it is a sacred and spiritual toueh- 
 etone ; for as a touchstone discovereth metals, so doth 
 this both doctrines and persons. By a touchstone, the 
 goldsmith disccrneth what is right and what is counter- 
 feit ; and by this epistle we may know truth from error, 
 and sincerity from hypocrisy. Would we be informed 
 concerning positions, what arc orthodox, and what 
 heterodox ; concerning professors who are sound, and 
 who are rotten, we need go no further than this book. 
 If you cast your eyes on the latter end of this, and 
 the beginning of the fourth and fifth chapters, you may 
 learn what is the true Christian religion, namely, to 
 ' believe Jesus to be the Christ,' that ' Christ is come 
 in the flesh,' and that he is ' the Son of God.' If you 
 peruse every chapter throughout the epistle, j-ou shall 
 find those marks whereby you may know who are true 
 Christians. This is that which more especially is ob- 
 servable in this scripture, the chief scope whereof is 
 to describe a true and sincere Christian by his con- 
 formity to Christ in his command and example. 
 ' Hereby we know,' &c. 
 
 It is not unfitly taken notice of by the Greek scho- 
 liast,* that these words have a reference to those in 
 ver. 7 of the former chapter, ' If we walk in the light, 
 we have fellowship with one another.' And, indeed, 
 if we view these verses well, you shall find them a 
 further and fuller explication of that proposition, and 
 that both in the predicate and subject. 
 
 The predicate of that assertion, ' Wo have fellowship 
 with one another,' is here explained hj two phrases ; 
 the one in the third verse, ' We know him ;' and the 
 other in the fifth and sixth verses, ' Wo arc,' and 
 ' abide in him.' These being (as it were) the springs 
 of that fellowship, since our communion is founded iu 
 our union ; and all fellowship is between those who 
 know each other. 
 
 The subject of that assertion, ' If wo walk in the 
 light, as he is in the light,' is here characterised by 
 two eminent steps of fhis walk, namely, obedience to, 
 and imitation of, Christ, keeping his commandments, 
 and walking as he walked. By which we see that 
 verified in this part, which I have formerly told you ia 
 • QCcum in loo. 
 
Ver. 3-6.] 
 
 SERMON XXIII. 
 
 143 
 
 the chief design of the whole epistle, to wit, an ex- 
 plication of that proposition as being the message 
 which he heard, and was sent to declare to them to 
 whom he wrote. 
 
 In these four verses there are four propositions con- 
 siderable, two whereof are principal, and two collateral. 
 
 The two principal assertions set forth the characters 
 of sincere Christians. 
 
 The two collateral refer to the knowledge we have 
 of our Christianity by those characters. 
 
 The first of the principal doctrines is asserted, am- 
 plified, proved. 
 
 Asserled as a thesis in the close of the third verse, 
 'We know him, if we keep his commandments.' 
 
 Amplified by an antithesis in the fourth verse, ' He 
 that saith I know him, and keepeth not his command- 
 ments, is a liar ; and the truth is not in him.' 
 
 Proved by a strong reason in the beginning of the 
 first, ' Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the 
 love of God perfected.' 
 
 The second principal doctrine is only propounded 
 by way of position in the sixth verse, yet with a tacit 
 intimation of an opposition, and withal of a probation, 
 as will appear in the handling, ' He that saith he 
 abideth in him, ought himself so to walk as he walked.' 
 ' Besides these, there are two other propositions, 
 which I call collateral, as being appendixes to the 
 former. 
 
 The one, that a knowledge of our knowledge of, and 
 interest in, Christ is to be endeavoured. 
 
 The other, that an especial means of attaining this 
 knowledge is hereby, to wit, by keeping his command- 
 ments, and walking after his footsteps. And these 
 are couched in the beginning of the third, ' Hereby 
 we know that we know him,' and the end of the fifth 
 verse, ' Hereby we know that we are in him.' 
 
 The first assertion, as it is propounded in the end 
 of the third verse, we know, or, according to the 
 Greek, we have known him, iynixa/ici/ aCirov, if we 
 ieep his commandments, is that which will take our 
 present discourse. 
 
 It is a proposition which is true both ways, saving 
 knowledge being both the cause and the effect, the 
 root and the fruit of obedience. On the one hand, 
 keeping the commandments is a means whereby we 
 come to know him, that is to increase our knowledge'; 
 and on the other, the saving knowledge of him is a 
 means enabling us to keep his commandments. That 
 of St Paul to the Colossians, chap. i. 9, 10, is very 
 full to this puq)ose, where he prayeth for them, that 
 they might be ' filled with the knowledge of God's will 
 in all spiritual wisdom and understanding ; that they 
 might walk worthy of him and please him in all things, 
 being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in 
 the knowledge of God.' Intending thereby to teach 
 ns that we cannot ' walk worthy of the Lord ' unless 
 ■we be 'filled with the knowledge of his will'; and 
 withal, that by being ' fruitful in every good work,' we 
 
 should ' increase in the knowledge of God.' ' Exdn^oM 
 ya; Ezarssou BveTarixov, saith Theophilact* aptly; one 
 of these being, as it were, constitutive and productive 
 of the other. That as water engendereth ice, and ice 
 water, so doth knowledge beget obedience, and obe- 
 dience augment knowledge. 
 
 1. Would we then know him, let us keep his com- 
 mandments. ' By thy precepts ' (saith David, Ps. 
 cxix. 100), that is, by the observance of thy precepts, 
 ' I get understanding.' ' If any man do my will ' 
 (saith our blessed Saviour, John vii. 19), ' he shall 
 know my doctrine.' ,3oiXs/ SioXoyos yir-sSai ? ra; 
 iiroXdg ipuXaaei, saith Nazianzon,f Wouldst thou be a 
 divine ? do the commandments ; for action is (as it 
 were) the basis of contemplation. It is St Gregory's J 
 observation concerning the two disciples, who, whilst 
 Christ talked with them, knew him not, but in per- 
 forming an" act of hospitality towards him, to wit, 
 breaking bread with him, they knew him, that they 
 were enlightened not by hearing him, but by doing 
 divine precepts, Quisquis ergo viilt audita intelligere ; 
 feslinet ea qua; jam audire intuit, operc implere,^ Who- 
 soever therefore will understand, let him first make 
 haste to do what he heareth. 
 
 2. Again, would we keep his commandments, let 
 us know him. These tuo, knowledge and practice, 
 are necessary attendants the one upon the other. 
 Those two sisters, Leah and Kachel, are fit emblems 
 of contemplation and action ;|| contemplation like 
 Rachel is beautiful, action like Leah is fruitful. And 
 as those two sisters were married to Jacob, so are 
 these two graces concomitant in every Christian. Those 
 cherubims which the prophet Ezekiel speaketh of are 
 described to have hands under their wings, Ezek. i. 8. 
 The wings (saith St Gregory H) are an emblem of know- 
 ledge, whereby we fly in our thoughts to heaven, the 
 hands of practice, whereby we do good on earth ; and 
 all true Christians, like these cherubims, have hands 
 under their wings ; that is, operation attending medi- 
 tation. This that Father looketh upon as resembled 
 by those two sisters (of whom we read in the Gospel), 
 Mirlha and jVIary, whereof Una intcnia operi, altera 
 covteinptationi, the one was intent upon doing, the 
 other upon hearing. Indeed, these two are not only 
 as two sisters, but as the mother and the daughter, 
 divine knowledge both engaging and enabling to obe- 
 dience, so as it doth not only follow upon, but flow 
 from it. The true knowledge of divine thiugs is not 
 otiosa, but officios'], a loiterer, but a labourer. As 
 her principal object Christ is incarnate, so is she ; 
 having eyes of charity, bowels of mercy, hands of 
 bounty, and feet of obedience. Indeed, you may as well 
 
 <i Theoph. ibid. t Greg- Naz. Orat. 29. 
 
 X Au'liendo projcepta Dei illuminati non sunt, fucieudo 
 illustrati sunt. 
 
 S GrofT. Horn, in Evans. 23. || Id ibid. 
 
 % Quid per niiinua nisi activa vita, et quid ppr pennas nisi 
 contemplativa signatur? — Greg in Ezek. horn. 3. 
 
U-t 
 
 HARDY ON ] JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 sever the beams from the sun, heat from the fire, 
 motion from life, as practice from a right Isnowledge ; 
 to which purpose is that note of Calvin upon the text.* 
 He aJmonisheth us that Christian knowledge is not 
 idle, but active, by its efficacious virtue producing obe- 
 dience ; so that they who know him really will, nay, 
 cannot but keep his commandments. 
 
 To illustrate this truth the more clearly, I shall 
 briefly resolve these two queries, what it is to know 
 him, and what it is to keep his commandments, 
 whereby we shall learn both, why a right knowledge of 
 Christ enableth to keep the commandments, and what 
 keeping the commandments floweth from this know- 
 ledge. 
 
 1. The full exphcation of this knowledge, and its 
 influence upon keeping the commandments, will best 
 appear by considering both the object whereabout it 
 is conversant, and the acts which it puts forth. 
 
 (1.) The object of this knowledge is insinuated in 
 that pronoun him: and if you ask ivhom f the answer 
 is to be given from the first verse, where we read of 
 the Father and Jesus Christ the advocate. According 
 to this it is that our blessed Saviour maketh the ob- 
 ject of saving knowledge to be ' the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent,' Johnxvii.3. It is 
 not, tben, that knowledge we have of God by his works, 
 by his law, but by his gospel, whereof St John here 
 speaketb. So Beza upon the text. Aijiliir hie ile cor/- 
 nitione Dei in evanyclio. The apostle here speaketh 
 of evangelical knowledge, which must needs engage to 
 obedience, inasmuch as it is a knowledge of the love of 
 God and Christ towards us, and those choice benefits 
 he hath wrought for us ; and certainly, he that knoweth 
 bow much Christ hath done for his salvation, cannot 
 but be ready to do whatever Christ requireth for his 
 service. Indeed, that natural knowledge we have of 
 liim as a creator, carrieth in it an argument of obe- 
 dience. It is the acknowledgment of the elders. Rev. 
 iv. 11, ' Worthy art thou, Lord, to receive glory and 
 honour, for thou hast created all things.' It being 
 most equal that to him we should return service from 
 whom we receive our being. Yet, further, that legal 
 knowledge w'e have of him as our lawgiver and judge, 
 is an inducement to obedience, inasmuch as the 
 breach of the law cannot but provoke him to inflict 
 the curse ; but still the knowledge we have of God as 
 a father, of Christ as an advoc:ite and propitiator, is 
 both the sweetest and the strongest obligation ; nothing 
 being more rational than that our Father, our Re- 
 deemer, should be our Lord, and that we should be 
 wholly devoted to him who is so dearly affected to us ; 
 especially considering this is the very end of his de- 
 livering us out cf the hands of our enemies, that we 
 should ' serve before him without fear, in righteous- 
 ness and holiness all the days of our lives,' Luke i. 75. 
 
 (2.) The acts of this knowledge will the better ap- 
 
 • Admonet non otiosam esse T'ei notitiam, &o. — Calv. 
 in loc. 
 
 pear by observing the various acceptations of this 
 word Avioir, which may fitly be accommodated to our 
 present purpose. Among others, tbere are three con- 
 structions of this word. 
 
 [l.j To knon- is sometimes as much as to acknotc- 
 Ifdf/e. When we read of a Pharaoh risen in Egypt 
 which 'knew not Joseph,' Exod. i. 8; of God com- 
 ])laining concerning Israel, Hosea ii. 8, that ' she did 
 not know be gave her corn, and wine, and oil ;' and 
 again, of Christ's answer to many at the last day, ' I 
 know you not,' Mat. vii. 23, it is plainly manifest 
 that to know is as much as to own, acknowledge. 
 And in this sense that Latin word is used by the poet, 
 cdijnoscere for aynoscere : 
 
 . . . ' Dominuin cognoscite vestrum.'* 
 
 This acceptation is here made use of by Tirinus,t 
 and not unfitly; if we know him, that is, acknowledge 
 him as our Lord and Jesus, and own him as our prince 
 and Saviour. And thus knowing him, we cannot but 
 account ourselves obliged to keep his commandments. 
 It is ven,' observable to this pm-pose what Christ saith 
 in St John's Gospel concerning his sheep: chap. x. 4, 
 ' They know my voice, and they follow me.' True 
 believers, acknowledging Christ to be their shepherd, 
 and owning it to be his voice which they hear in the 
 Scriptures, follow him by an active conformity to his 
 precepts. It is God's own reasoning in the prophecy 
 of Malachi : chap. i. 6, ' If I be a father, where is my 
 honour ? if I be a master, where is my fear ? ' And 
 therefore Christians acknowledging him to be their 
 Father, their Master, cannot but give up themselves 
 to the honour, fear, and service of him. 
 
 f2.J TiiunKiit) is sometimes as much as msrifjuv, to 
 kiuuf, the same with to believe. It were easy to mul- 
 tiply instances of this kind, but one may suffice instead 
 of all, where God saith concerning Christ, Isa. liii. 11, 
 ' By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify 
 many,' which is no doubt to be construed, by faith 
 in him he shall justify; according to that of St Paul, 
 Rom. V. 1, ' Being justified by faith.' And believing 
 is called knoiri)!;/ upon a double account. 
 
 Fiiifl, Partly because knowledge is a necessary in- 
 gredient of faith. It is the apostle's assertion con- 
 cerning himself: 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have 
 believed;' and bis question concerning the heathen: 
 Rom. X. 14, 'How shall they believe on him whom 
 they have not heard ? ' thereby asserting it impossible. 
 And the reason is, because they cannot believe on him 
 whom they have not known. Indeed, faith, formally 
 considered, is an assent, or, if you will, consent; but, 
 fundamentally, it is knowledge. Faith is not a brutish 
 captivity, but a voluntary assent, which cannot be 
 without some measure of knowledge preceding. It is 
 true the knowledge required in faith is not roD Hioti, of 
 the cause, such as in science; but only ^-oD on, that it 
 is so, upon divine revelation. But whilst it bridleth 
 * Ovid. t Agnoscendo cum. — Tirin. 
 
Ver. 3-6.] 
 
 SERMON XXIIL 
 
 145 
 
 curiosity, it also abhorreth ignorance ; in which respect 
 St Jerome saith excellently,* Qua; sbnplicitas eat nescire 
 qiHC credas ! What a folly is it not to know what thou 
 pretendest to believe ! And Fulgentius,f Fides vera 
 quod credit non nescit, eliiiin si nun potest ridcre quod 
 sperat et credit, True faith, though it cannot see, yet 
 knoweth what it believeth. 
 
 Secoiidli/. Partly because faith carrieth in it as much 
 certainty as knowledge. It is the dili'erenee between 
 opinion and knowledge, that the one is built only upon 
 probabilities, but the other upon certainties; the one 
 argueth topically, but the other demonstratively. Now, 
 faith is not an opinionative, but a scientifical, assent; 
 for, doubtless, since faith is founded upon divine reve- 
 lation, which is infallible, there must needs be as much 
 certainty and clearness in faith as there can be in any 
 knowledge, though founded upon never so strong de- 
 monstration. Upon this account it is that faith is 
 defined by the author to the Hebrews to be an evi- 
 dence, Heb. xi. 1 ; and the evangelist's expression is, 
 John vi. 69, ' We believe, and are sure,' to intimate 
 that our believing is not a thinking, but a knowing. 
 
 According to this notion of knowledge, St Gregory 
 occasionally speaking of these words expounds them, 
 and giveth this as his reason, Nntitia qiiippe Dei ad 
 Jidem pertinet,ihecanse the knowledge of God is an 
 appendix of faith ; and in this sense, if we know him, 
 we will keep his commandments. It is observable 
 that in Scripture obeying is sometimes put for be- 
 lieving; so St Paul, Rom. x. 16, quoting that of the 
 prophet, Isa. liii. 1, 'Who hath believed?' reads it, 
 ' Who hath obeyed our report ? ' And that obedience 
 is called sometimes ' the obedience of faith,' Som. xvi. 
 26. Why this, but to teach us that true faith cannot he 
 severed from, yea, puts upon, obedience ? Works 
 without faith are not good works, in which respect 
 faith is wittily called the nest of good works, in which 
 they must be hatched. But withal faith without works 
 is as good as no faith, and therefore is affirmed by St 
 James to be a dead faith, chap. ii. 26; and good works 
 are not unfitly styled the pulse of faith, by wLich the 
 state and temper of it is discovered. Believing is 
 sometimes called in Scripture a receiving of Christ, 
 John i. 10 ; and this receiving is of whole Christ, 
 Christ not only as a priest, to propitiate for our sins, 
 but as a king, to govern us by his laws. In vain doth 
 he trust for salvation by, who yields not subjection to, 
 Christ; and therefore saith St Paul, Col. ii. 6, 'As 
 you have received the Lord Jesus' (by faith), 'so walk 
 in him' (by obedience). 
 
 [3.] To know sometimes is as much as to have a 
 personal experience : § ' Whoso knoweth the com- 
 mandment,' saith the wise man, Eccles. viii. 5, ' shall 
 
 * Hier. contra Lucifer. f Fulgent, contr. Arrjan. 
 
 t Greg. M. in Evang. horn. xxii. lib. ii. 
 
 § Sciendi sou cognoscendi aermo, in Scriptura divina prsa- 
 cipue, non semper notitiam munifestat, nisi experimcntum 
 alicuju3 rei habere, &c. — Didym. in loc. 
 
 know no evil ;' so the Hebrew ; ' feel no evil ;' so our 
 translation appositely, know being the same there with 
 feel. When St Paul saith of Christ, 1 Cor. v. 21, he 
 ' knew no sin,' he is to be understood in this sense, 
 that he did not experience any sin in himself. In this 
 acceptation Boza construeth that of St Paul, Philip, 
 iii. 10, where be professeth to 'account all things loss' 
 that he might ' know Christ;' that is, reipsa sciitire, 
 in very deed to feel a savour and relish of Christ. And 
 according to this notion, (Eeumenius understands this 
 knowledge of him in my text to be as it were a com- 
 mixionandcommunion with him. Eliphaz hathaphrase 
 very proper to this purpose : Job xxii. 22, ' Acquaint 
 thyself with him . ' Those with whom we are acquainted 
 are such of whom we have had trial and experience, 
 and thus to know Christ is to have a sweet intimacy 
 between Christ and our souls ; to know him not only 
 as revealed to us, but in us; as preached to our ears, 
 but as dwelling in our hearts. And now whosoever 
 thus knoweth him, cannot but keep his command- 
 ments. The reason whereof appeareth in the fore- 
 mentioned text, where the knowledge of Christ and 
 the virtue of Christ are joined together. As the 
 woman that touched Christ received virtue from him 
 to cure her disease, so whosoever hath au experi- 
 mental knowledge of Christ cannot but experience the 
 virtue of Christ, to wit, of his death for mortification, 
 of his rising for vivification, both which make up sanc- 
 tification, whereby we keep the commandments. And 
 further, look as they who are inwardlj' acquainted each 
 with other, are joined together in a firm league of amity, 
 whereby it is that they will and nill the same things ; 
 so is it with those who are acquainted with Christ, 
 they will what he wills, and nill what he nills, and en- 
 deavour wholly to conform themselves to his precepts. 
 To sum it up, then, if you would know what this 
 meaneth, to know him, I answer, it is to know God 
 and Christ as revealed in the gospel, and that so as 
 to own him, to beheve in him, and to have an experi- 
 mental acquaintance with him; and thus knowing him, 
 we cannot but keep his commandments. 
 
 2. You have beheld the mother, knowledge, be 
 pleased now to take a view of the daughter, obedience, 
 as it is expressed in those words, ' if we keep his com- 
 mandments,' wherein each word is emphatical, and 
 deserveth our due consideration. Here are three 
 words, commandment, his, and keep; accordingly, here 
 are three particulars, the object, the subject, the act ; 
 of each briefly. 
 
 (1.) Commandments. That is the object. Aretius 
 upon the Romans* critically observcth, that ni.ao; and 
 l\iTo>.ri difi'er as the ijenus and the species, law taking in 
 all sorts of precepts, but commands speciall}' respect 
 ing those which are affirmative. And it is that which 
 we may not unfitly here take notice of, so much the 
 rather considering what is said at the first verse of this 
 chapter. There it is that you sin not, avoid what is 
 • Aret. in Rom. vii. 12. 
 K 
 
146 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 forbidden ; here it is keep his commandments, do what 
 is required. It is not enough to avoid sin, but we 
 must do our duty. As we 'cease to do evil,' so we 
 must 'learn to do well,' Isa. i. 16; as we 'die to sin,' 
 so we must ' live to righteousness,' 1 Peter ii. 24 ; 
 finally, as we ' abhor that which is evil,' so we must 
 ' cleave to that which is good,' Rom. xii. 7. Phari- 
 saical religion lieth chiefly in negatives : ' God, I thank 
 thee I am no extortioner,' Mat. xxv. 80; but Christian 
 religion obligeth to affirmatives as well as negatives. 
 As well the idle and unprofitable servant as the 
 v\-asteful prodigal steward is condemned, Luke xvi. 3; 
 and the barren vine is in danger of being plucked up 
 as well as the wild. Indeed, he that abstaineth from 
 sinful actions is not far from the kingdom, but it is he 
 that doth well shall obtain the kingdom.* The first 
 step is not to sin, to leave ofi' those evils we have done ; 
 but the next is to do the good we have left undone, and 
 so keep his commandments. 
 
 (2.) Hix. Jesus Christ the righteous hath not only 
 published promises, but given precepts; and as he pro- 
 poseth comforts to stablish our confidence, so he im- 
 poseth duties which require our performance, in which 
 regard it is that we read elsewhere of • the law of Christ,' 
 Gal. \\. 2, and here iif bis commandments. If it be 
 further inquired what these commandments are, I 
 answer, they are no other for substance than those 
 which are contained in those ten words which are 
 usually called the moral law. And therefore we find 
 our blessed Saviour in that sermon of his upon the 
 mount, Mat. v. 6, 7, expounding the precepts, and 
 pressing the practice of the law upon his disciples 
 and the people. Thus, as the law, in respect of our 
 inability of exact observance, and the rigidity of its 
 curse upon non-observance, driveth us to Chri.st for 
 comfort in the promises, so Christ sendeth us back to 
 the law, as a rule still to guide us in the course of 
 our conversations, by a sincere endeavour to observe 
 its precepts ; and these are here called his command- 
 ments. 
 
 (3.) Kcrp. The act which every Christian is to 
 perform, and which this knowledge whereof my text 
 speaketh enableth to, is keeping. It is a word of a 
 large extent, and may have a double reference : the 
 •one to the heart, the other to the life. When Solo- 
 mon giveth it in charge to his son, Prov. iii. 1, 'Let 
 .thine heart keep my commandments,' he meaneth no 
 doubt a due pondering, and a stcdfast remembering of 
 those precejits he gave him. Thus David kept when 
 lie faith, Ps. cxix. 11, he 'hid God's word in his 
 heart;' and the metaphors both of keeping and hiding 
 refer to a treasure, it being our duty as carefully to 
 keep in mind the coniniandments of God and Christ, 
 as a covetous njammonist is to keep bis gold and 
 silver in his chest. ]5ut that which we are here to 
 understand is the keeping of Christ's commandments 
 in our life. Apposite to this purpose is that note of 
 • Vido Clirysosl. lio:n. ('e Viitut. et Vit. 
 
 St Austin upon those words of our Saviour, John xiv. 
 21, 'He that hath my commandments, and keepeth 
 them :' Qui hcibct in mcmorid et servat in vitn, qui 
 liahet in sermonibiis et servat in morihxis, qui halet 
 audiendo et servat faciendo, He that hath them in 
 mind, and keepeth them in life; he that hath them 
 at his tongue's cud, and keepeth them at his fingei's' 
 end ; he that hath them by hearing, and keepeth them 
 by doing. So that in this construction this metaphor 
 of keeping refers to a way, which he is said to keep 
 who constantly walketh in it. And so keepimj is the 
 same with oheyimj; and the import of these words, 
 ' We know him if we keep his commandments,' is, 
 where there is a true faith in Christ, there will be a 
 sincere obedience to his precepts. 
 
 And that you may see wherein the sincerity of this 
 obedience consists, which is the fruit of this knowledge, 
 be pleased to observe it briefly, and yet fully, in these 
 two particulars : 
 
 1. The sincere keeping his commandments, is a 
 keeping them because they are his. It is one thing 
 to do what Christ commands, and another to do it 
 because he commands it. Pagans that have no know- 
 ledge of, do many things which are required by Christ, 
 but they cannot do them because he rcquireth them. 
 Hypocrites, that have no saring knowledge of Christ, 
 perform many things which he prescribeth, but it is 
 only out of self-respects ; and if a man do that which 
 Christ commands, and yet know not that he com- 
 mands it, or if he knows it to be his command, and 
 do it not because it is commanded by bim, it is not 
 such an obedience as ariseth from a right knowledge 
 of him. It is very observable concerning David, that 
 when he prayeth so earnestly, Ps. cxix. 4, 5, ' Oh 
 that my ways were so directed that I might keep thy 
 statutes,' he premiseth this as the reason, ' Thou hast 
 commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently,' thereby 
 intimating that the ground of his obedience to God's 
 precepts was the stamp of divine authority enjoining 
 him. To this purpose it is that he saith in that same 
 psalm, ver. 94, 'I have sought thy precepts,' thereby 
 implying that that which he sought in bis obedience, 
 was the fulfilling of God's will. Indeed, that only and 
 properly is obedience which is done intuitu roluntnlis 
 dirinir, with a respect to and eye upon divine will. 
 As that is only a divine faith which belicvcth a truth, 
 not because of human reason but divine revelation, so 
 that only is a true obedience which conformeth to the 
 command, not because it may consist with any self- 
 ends, but because it carrieth in it an impression of 
 Christ's authority. 
 
 2. And further, this sincere keeping of the com- 
 mandment is a keeping not some, but many, nay, all ; 
 so as whatsoever appeareth to be required by him, is 
 conformed to by us. Indeed, this necessarily followeth 
 upon the former; for qnicqnid propter 1 hum jit aqua- 
 liter jit, ho that doth anything at another's prescript, 
 upon this account, that it is prescribed by him, will 
 
Ver. 3-6.] 
 
 SERMON XXIII. 
 
 U7 
 
 not neglect to do whatsoever he prescribeth, there 
 being the same reason of obeying him in all as in anj-. 
 Hence it is that as our faith, eyeing divine revelation, 
 believeth whatsoever is revealed, how cross soever it 
 may bo to our reason ; so obedience, eyeing divine 
 prescription, fulfilleth whatsoever is required, though 
 never so contrary to our afl'ections. And thus this 
 keeping the commandments is an universal obedience. 
 
 (1.) In respect of the extent, which is ad totiim prc- 
 ceptum, to every command. 
 
 [1.] As well duties of the fii-st as of the second, and 
 the second as of the first table ; piety without equity 
 is but hypocrisy, and equity without piety is but 
 morality ; both together is Christianity. A Pharisee 
 may be zealous for devotion, and yet a devourer of 
 widows" houses ; an heathen may be exact in his deal- 
 ings towards man, whilst yet he is no worshipper of 
 God ; but a true Chi-istian keepeth a good conscience 
 both towards God and man. 
 
 i'2.] As well the spiritual as the external part of 
 commands. In our keeping the commandments it is 
 not enough to approve ourselves to men, who only 
 observe our actions, but to God and Christ, who 
 searcheth the hearts, and vieweth our dispositions. 
 Hence it is that true obedience is a keeping of all the' 
 commandments, not only as to the matter, but the 
 manner and the end ; a performing those duties which 
 are requii'ed, with suitable affections and a single in- 
 tention. 
 
 (2.) In respect of the duration, which is per totam 
 vitaiii, to the end of our days. It is said of Christ that 
 he was ' obedient to the death,' Phihp. ii. 8 ; and one 
 interpretation * of that is ' to his dying day.' So 
 must they who know Chi-ist be obedient to him through- 
 out the whole course of their lives. St Austin ex- 
 plaineth the phrase of kceiiintj, not only by doliiii but 
 perscirriii'i ; f and indeed that is sometimes the notion 
 of the phrase ; so when St Paul saith, 2 Tim. iv. 5, 
 ' I have kept the faith,' he meaneth, no doubt, his 
 constancy in the profession of the faith ; and where 
 Christ saith, Rev. iii. 10, 'Because thou hast kept the 
 word of my patience,' he intends a perseverance in 
 their obedience to Christ's word , notwithstanding per- 
 secution. And thus to keep Christ's commandments, 
 as well by suffering as doing, to lose anything rather 
 than not keep them, and patiently to continue in well- 
 doing though we may suffer ill, is that obedience which 
 a right knowledge of Christ produceth. 
 
 I cannot leave this without annexing one caution, 
 that this universal obedience is not to be understood 
 in respect of an exact execution, but a cordial endea- 
 vour. Indeed the punctual observation of the com- 
 mandments is in this life impossible ; not absolutely 
 and in itself, for God doth not command such things 
 as are in themselves impossible to be done ; but re- 
 spectively and accidentally, because we are by the fall 
 disenabled, and that ability we once had is not for the 
 * Vide Beza ib, t Aug. in John xiv. 
 
 present perfectly restored. The truth is, in the best 
 there is both defectiis privaiis and ajfectits ohstans, a 
 defect of that measure of grace which should strengthen 
 to full obedience ; and besides a continual lusting of 
 the flesh against the spirit, conflict between sin and 
 grace, whereby it is that gi'ace cannot perfectly pro- 
 duce its acts. Hence it is that as we cannot keep 
 them collectively, so neither distributively ; we cannot 
 observe all ; no, nor any so perfectly in eveiy tittle as that 
 there should be no deviation. But still there may be 
 a sincere purpose of heart inclining us to observe all, 
 whereby it is that as hypocrites may be said to break 
 the commandments when they keep them, because 
 with the observance of the outward act, there is no 
 concurrence of the mind's delight, so that the good 
 they do they would not do ; so true Christians may 
 (in a quahfied sense) be said to keep the command- 
 ments when they break them, because when they fail 
 in the outward act, they have an habitual purpose in 
 their regenerate part to perform, and so the evil they 
 do they would not. Nor is this kind of obedience un- 
 fitly called universal, because it has respect to every 
 command ; nor doth it suffer a man willingly to allow 
 himself in the breach of any of the precepts. 
 
 To sum it up, there is a knowledge of God and 
 Christ which is true and perfect, and there is a know- 
 ledge which is true but imperfect ; the perfect know- 
 ledge is that which we shall have in that other life, 
 which is said to be perfect, not in respect of compre- 
 hension, since it is impossible that our finite under- 
 standings should fully comprehend an infinite object,* 
 but in regard of opprehenmin, because it shall be the 
 fullest degree of apprehensive knowledge, which human 
 nature is capable of. But the knowledge which we 
 have in this life is imperfect, according to that of the 
 apostle : 1 Cor. xiii. 0, ' We know in part ;' and ac- 
 cording to this different knowledge, so is our keeping 
 the commandments, since the efl'eut cannot exceed the 
 energy of the cause ; when therefore our knowledge 
 shall be perfect, our obedience shall be complete. But 
 in the meantime, as our knowing Chi-ist, so our kecp'ng 
 his commandments is defective, though withal it is 
 sincere, and as to the intention illimited ; the soul 
 that rightly knoweth Christ, being ready to observe, 
 and resolved to do whatsoever Christ revealcth as his 
 will, and imposeth as a command. 
 
 What now remaiueth, but that eveiy one of us en- 
 deavom- to express the truth of our knowledge of 
 Christ by our obedience '? We have all of us, my 
 brethren, heard much and often of Christ, but have 
 we yet learned to know him ? We, many of us, 
 are able to speak much of, but have wo any spiritual 
 acquaintance with, Christ '? If so, where is our obe- 
 dience to his commands ? True knowledge is such as 
 may not only be heard but seen. Sheep (saith the 
 moral philosopher) do not bring their fodder to their 
 shepherds and shew them how much they have eateu, 
 * Vide Zanch. in loc. 
 
1-iS 
 
 HAEDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 but they inwardly digest, and outwardly shew it by the 
 goodness and quantity of the fleece upon their backs. 
 If we will fhew the reality of knowledge in our hearts, 
 it must be by the fleece of holiness in our lives. In- 
 deed, how can it be otherwise, but that he who knoweth 
 Christ, the authority he bath over him, the mercy he 
 hath wrought for him, and acconlingly experienceth 
 any communion with him, and dependethfor salvation 
 on him, should account himself infinitely obliged to 
 the observance of whatsoever is enjoined by him ? 
 ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?' is the voice 
 of Saul when Christ is pleased to discover himself to 
 him, Acts ix. 5, G. ' They that know thy name,' 
 eaith the psalmist of God, Psal. ix. 9, 11, ' will put 
 
 their trust in thee.' They that know thy nature, oh, 
 blessed Jesus, will yield obedience to thee. Indeed, 
 we manj- of us so know Christ, as we are willing to 
 trust in him, but yet not to serve him ; believe his 
 promises of mercy we do, observe his commands of 
 duty we will not ; Imt in vain is that confidence which 
 is not attended with obedience ; and, therefore, let our 
 conscientious keeping the precepts give evidence of our 
 faith in, our knowledge of, Christ ; so shall we be 
 found real Christians. And if our knowledge of Christ 
 here enable us to keep his commandments, our keep- 
 ing the commandments shall bring us to the knowledge 
 of Christ hereafter, when we shall behold him face to 
 face in glorv for ever. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON XXIV. 
 
 lie lliat anilli, I kiww liiw, and keepelh not his commiiiulintiils, is a liar, and ihe truth is nut in hint. But ulioso 
 I;en2>elh his word, in him dfili/ is the lure of God pei/ected. — 1 John II. 4, and part of the 5[h. 
 
 KNOWLEDGE is very amiable in the eyes of all 
 rational men, since as the understanding is that 
 faculty which ennobleth man, so knowledge is that ex- 
 cellency which ennobleth the understanding ; of all 
 knowledge, none more precious than that of God and 
 of Christ. Other knowledge may ennoble, but this 
 spiritualizeth the mind ; other knowledge is needful 
 for us as men, but this concerneth us as Christians. 
 Indeed, to use Lactantius his expression,* this is that 
 knowledge without which he that seeth is blind, 
 heareth is deaf, speaketh is dumb ; and I add, liveth 
 is dead. So much our blessed Saviour implieth 
 when he saith, John xvii. 3, ' This is life eternal, to 
 know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom 
 thou hast sent.' 
 
 But as all shining glass is not crj-stal, nor all light- 
 some apparitions stars, so neither is all knowledge of 
 God and Christ that which entitleth to life eternal. 
 And therefore our apostle is here pleased to prevent 
 deceit, by giving ns its most genuine character, drawn 
 from its inseparable attendant, yea, necessary eflVct, 
 to wit, obedience to the commandments, the wilful 
 neglect whereof argueth the absence of this knowledge; 
 for 'he that saith I know him, and keepeth not,' See. 
 
 The first principal proposition, as it is asserted, hath 
 been already discussed. Tbiit which next followeth in 
 order is the antithesis by which it is illustrated — a 
 sentence equivalently the same with the former ; and 
 as Ferus t hath observed, that we may see it did not 
 fall from him rashly ; j-ea, withal rehementiw (jratia, as 
 Gualler| notes, that it might make the deeper im- 
 pression on us, he cxpresseth it again by its contrary. 
 
 In which words there are two things to be considered : 
 
 * Quern qui non cognoscit, licet viderit, csccus ; licet 
 audiat, sunlus ; licet loqiiatur, elinguis. — Lact. de vcro cultu, 
 1. vi. c. 9. 
 
 t Fcr. in loo. \ Gualt. ibid. 
 
 an implicit accusation, an explicit aggravation. The 
 one in these words, ' He that saith, I know him, and 
 keepeth not his conjmandments ;' the other in these, 
 ' is a liar, and the ti-uth is not in him.' According to 
 which Zanchy * layeth down two positions : the one, 
 that there were many in St John's time, yea, always 
 would be in the church, who say they know Christ 
 and keep not his commandments ; and the other that 
 all such do most impudently lie. 
 
 1. These words, ' He that saith, I know him, and 
 keepeth not his commandments,' plainly intimate that 
 there ai-e some who keep not Christ's commandments, 
 and yet say they know them. Parallel to this is that 
 of St Paul to Tilus, chap. i. 10, where he speaketh of 
 some who 'Profess they know God, and in works deny 
 him, being abominalde, disobedient, and to every good 
 work reprobate.' They whom both these apostles may 
 most probabl}- be supposed to intend, were the Gnos- 
 tics ; this phrase of knowing so fitly answering that 
 name, which out of an arrogant self-conceit the}' gave 
 to themselves, whilst they were men of flagitious lives 
 and licentious conversations, calling themselves Gnos- 
 tics, and accounting themselves the only knowing men in 
 the matters of religion. 
 
 Nor is it only true of these heretics, but is likewise 
 verified of all hypocrites, who, whilst they indulge to 
 their Insts, and live in wilful violation of the precepts, 
 pretend to great measure of illumination with divine 
 knowledge. In which respect Aretius f saith, this is 
 7-era nota simnlalorum Jiliorvm Dei, a true mark of 
 bastard children and false saints. The sins of the 
 people of Israel were so great, and their transgressions 
 heinous, that God bids his prophet to ' lift up his 
 voice like a trumpet, and cry aloud against them ;' and 
 yet tboy ' seek God daily, and delight to know his 
 way,' Isa. Iviii. 1. 2. The same people are charged 
 * Zancb. in loc. t Arct. in loc. 
 
\er. 4, 5.] 
 
 SERMON XXIV. 
 
 149 
 
 by God for transgressing his covenant, auJ trespassing 
 ngainst his laws, Hosea viii. 1, 2 ; anil j-et the prophet 
 saith of them presently after, ' They cry to the Lord my 
 God, We know thee,' as if they were familiar with, and 
 bad an especial interest in, him. Our blessed Saviour in 
 the Gospel speaketh not of a few, but many, who shall 
 at the last day take acquaintance of him, as if they 
 had long known him. Mat. vii. 2'2, 23 ; for they shall 
 say, ' Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thj' 
 name, and in thj' name cast out devils, and done 
 wonderful works '?' whom yet he calls workers of ini- 
 quity. AMienee it appeareth that wicked men may 
 not only bay it to others by profession, but within 
 themselves by their opinion ; yea, maj' not onlj' live 
 but die in this self-delusion, that they know Christ, 
 and so have an interest in him, whilst yet they work 
 iniquity. It was the observation of Calvin * in bis 
 time, that many hypocrites, men of loose lives, did 
 /((/(•( tiiido siijifihiie, pride up themselves in the title of 
 believer, and made large profession of Christianity; nor 
 is it less observable in the seeming saints of this age. 
 On the one hand their actions are manifestly contrary 
 to those commands of self-denial and humility, loyalty 
 and equity, meekness and patience, mercy and charily, 
 in giving and forgiving, which Christ hath imposed ou 
 all those that will come p.fter him ; and yet on the 
 other hand, whilst their hands are leaden, their tongues 
 ai-e gilded, they say they know God, yea, they are in- 
 timate with him : they talk much of the new birth, the 
 work of grace, having an interest in Christ, and the 
 like. 
 
 2. You sec the truth of the charge, now view the 
 heinousness of the fault. He that saith this, ' is a 
 liar, and the truth is not in him.' Indeed, both ways 
 it is an untruth, and he that sailh it deservelh to be 
 branded for a liar. To say we keep his command- 
 ments, when we do not know him, is a lie; since, if 
 the eye be blind, it is impossible the foot should make 
 straight steps. God never turueth any from the power 
 of Satan to himself, whom he doth not first turn from 
 darkness to light, Acts sxvi. 18. Knowledge is the 
 soul's rudder, according to which its course is steered, 
 the Christian traveller's.UeccKn/, pointing him the right 
 way ; nor can we give up ourselves in obedience to 
 his precepts whom we know not as our Lord, and of 
 whose command we are ignorant. And as it is true 
 on the one, so on the other hand. To say we know 
 him and not to keep his commandments is a lie, 
 nor can there be truth in those who say it. It was 
 well spoken by the philosopher, aisS aoirrs; '^lo; ifto/jLa 
 fitiHv, without virtue, God is but an empty name ; and 
 it is as true, without obedience, all knowledge of God 
 and Christ is but an empty notion, a lying vanity. 
 
 For the further illustrating of this, it will not be 
 
 amiss to take notice of a threefold lie, to wit, verbal, 
 
 doctrinal, practical; told, taught, acted. A verbal lie 
 
 is when we tell a false tale, raise an untrue report, and 
 
 * Calvin in loo. 
 
 so become lying witnesses, and our lips lying lips. 
 A doctrinal lie is when men assert that to be God's 
 word which is their own fancy, and vent their false 
 opinions under the notion of sublime verities ; to be- 
 lie\e those lies God threatens to give up those who 
 ' receive not the truth in the love of it," 2 Thes. ii. 12. 
 Finally, a practical lie is when a man's actions do not 
 correspond to his profession, in which respect he is 
 justlv called a liar whose actions are breaches of the 
 precepts, and yet his pretences are large of knowing 
 Christ, since, as Lorinus * well noteth, such an one 
 Xoii pnrstat quod scit, quod profit ettir, fjtiod dicit, quod 
 promiltit, he performeth not according to what he 
 knoweth, professeth, saith, nay, promiseth ; and so 
 there is no truth, not only of veracity but fidelity, in 
 him (as that author observeth), whilst he fultilleth not 
 that which in his baptism he promised, and by his 
 profession he is obliged to, the keeping the com- 
 mandments. 
 
 But it may be here objected that there are many 
 who do know Christ, and that not only in a weak but 
 great measure, since they are able to discourse ex- 
 cellently of the mysteries of salvation, the things of 
 God and Christ, whose lives are yet dissonant to the 
 rule of Christianity ; and if so, surely when such say 
 they know Christ, they do not lie, though they do not 
 keep his commandments. 
 
 The answer to which objection will be easily made 
 by distinguishing of a double knowledge of Christ, to 
 wit, iu forma and formalis, literal and spiritual, no- 
 tional and practical, speculative and active. Look as 
 there is in a man caro et spiritus, flesh and spirit, a 
 body and a soul ; in a tree cortex et succux, the rind or 
 bark, and the sap or juice ; so is there in Christian 
 knowledge. He whose knowledge is only literal hath 
 but the flesh, the body, the bark, the rind of know- 
 ledge ; only he whose knowledge is spiritual hath the 
 spirit, the soul, the sap, the juice of knowledge. 
 
 These two knowledges, though they agree in the 
 object, whereabout they are conversant, yet are they 
 very much difl'erent. 
 
 (1.) In their efficient. For whereas a speculative 
 knowledge of Christ may be in a great measure ac- 
 quired by industry in reading, and is at most but a 
 fruit of common illumination, the active knowledge 
 is only obtained by prayer, and is a fruit of special 
 sanctification. 
 
 (2.) In their subject. For whereas that is only 
 seated in the understanding, this hath an impression 
 upon the will, and is sapida scienlia, a knowledge with 
 a savour and relish of the sweetness of Christ ; that 
 only floateth in the brain, but this sinketh down into 
 the heart; that spins fine cobwebs in the head, this 
 maketh the heart beat with a true pulse towards 
 heaven. 
 
 (3.) Finally, in their effect ; that pufl'eth up with 
 self-conceit, this abaseth a man in his own apprehen- 
 * Lor. in loc. 
 
150 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 sion ; that only sits upon the lip, but this is to be felt 
 at the fingers' end ; that indeed may be, nay, many 
 times is, alone, but this is ever attended with obedience. 
 Now of this knowledge it is that St John here speaketb, 
 and ' he that saith he thus knoweth Christ, not keep- 
 ing his commandments, is a liar.' 
 
 The truth is, whereas this knowledge is licet vera, 
 iamen iviperfecta, though true, yet defective, that is 
 nee vera nee perfccta, not perfect nor yet true, accord- 
 ing to a theological notion. It is only //.os^usi; rijg 
 yvumu;, as the apostle's expression is : Kom. ii. 20, 
 ' A form of knowledge, not the power ;' a shadow, not 
 the substance ; and is not the true, because not the good 
 knowledge of God.* Since, as the psalmist saith, ' A 
 good understanding have they that do his command- 
 ments.' Indeed, as works without knowledge are no 
 good works, so knowledge without works is no good 
 knowledge, Ps. cxis. 66, cxi. 10. f He that saith he 
 believeth in Christ and liveth not accordingly, believe 
 him not ; he sheweth his hypocrisy, not his faith, who 
 maketh show of faith without obedience. And as it is 
 Tain glory to boast of our keeping the commandments, 
 BO it is in vain to boast of knowledge without keeping 
 the commandments. In which respect that of St 
 Gregorj- + is very apposite, when there is time and 
 place and ability of doing good, Tnntum qiiis operattir, 
 quantum Deum noverit ; tanlum se nosse Deum indicat, 
 quantiiw pro Deo bona opcrcitur. Look how much 
 knowledge, so much doing ; and so much as a man 
 doth, for so much he knoweth of God, and no more. 
 
 This will yet the more full}- appear if we observe 
 the Scripture language, which, as it were, defineth 
 that knowledge of God by obedience, and denieth it to 
 them who (though they be not ignorant) arc dis- 
 obedient. 
 
 That expression which the prophet Jeremiah bringeth 
 in God speaking to Shallum concerning his father, Jer. 
 xxii. 16, is very observable to this purpose : ' He 
 judged the poor and needy : was not this to know me? 
 Baith the Lord.' And why is righteous judgment a 
 knowing the Lord, but because it was a fuliilling of his 
 command ! Tpon this account it is that these words 
 of the same prophet, ' They shall not teach one an- 
 other, saying, know the Lord,' are read by the Chaldee, 
 saying, ' fear the Lord,' which the wise man joineth 
 with keeping his commandments. And those of the 
 prophet Hosea, chap. iv. 2, ' There is no knowledge 
 of God in the land,' are rendered by the Chaldee, 
 ' There is none that walketh in the fear of the Lord.' 
 Hence it is that the sons of Eli, though priests, are 
 said to be ' sons of P.clial, which know not the Lord 
 God,' 1 Sam.Jii. 12, where the one phrase is expounded 
 by the other, because sons of Belial that would not 
 stoop to the yoke of obedience, therefore branded as 
 guilty of ignorance. Yet more clearly God saith by 
 
 * Vide Jrenocli. in loc. f Vide Znncli in Inc. 
 
 t Oreg. iu Ezck. horn, xxii, lib. ii. 
 
 his prophet Jeremiah, chap. ii. 8, ' They that handle 
 the law know me not.' And this is annexed as the 
 reason, because they transgi-ess his law ; a strange ex- 
 pression. Handling the law, supposeth knowing it 
 and yet not keeping ; they are said not to know even 
 the law which they handle. And in the same pro- 
 phecy, chap. iv. 22, God complaining of his people of 
 Israel saith, ' My people arc foolish, they have not 
 known me ; they have no understanding ;' and why 
 thus, but because ' to do good they have no knowledge.' 
 Some know that they may know, this is curiosity ; 
 some know that they may be known, this is vain 
 glory ; but some know that they may do, this is piety. 
 And because the Jews had not the knowledge to do 
 good, they are said to have no knowledge ; by all 
 which it appearcth an undeniable truth, that for them 
 who break this commandment, to say they know God 
 and Christ is an odious lie. 
 
 To wind up this, David acknowledgeth, ' I said in 
 mine haste, all men are liars ;' but St John was not 
 guilty of any such rashness in saying all hypocrites 
 are liars ;* and therefore Credamus et ccdanius rcritati, 
 nosqiie ftiteamur esse mendrices. In a sense of our 
 hypocrisy let us assent to this verity, acknowledging 
 ourselves to be liars ; nor let us any longer believe a 
 lie,f and so cheat ourselves into hell. Do not think a 
 few barren notions, dry sapless opinions, aii'y frothy 
 speculations to be a saving knowledge. Let not (saith 
 St Austin) thy foolish heart deceive thee by imagining 
 thyself to know God, whilst thy faith is a dead faith 
 without works. Who would freight his ship with 
 such drossy ore, or stay for that gale which cannot 
 waft him to heaven ? Ka}-, knowcst thou not (0 man) 
 that all such knowledge will only serve to make thy 
 viitliniiis to hell, and aggravate, as thj- sin, so thy tor- 
 ment, in that day when all naked empty knowledge 
 shall vanish away ? ' Where will be the scribes ? 
 where the disputers ? where the wise?' Shalt thou 
 not then have cause to cry out with the poet, Cur 
 aliijuid vidi? or with Job, (Juare tnisero Iii.r data est ? 
 Woe is me that ever I knew anything of God or Christ. 
 Oh that I had been bora a Pagan, an idiot, and never 
 so much as heard the sound of the gospel ! for then 
 would my condemnation have been less. In a word, 
 what shame will at that day sit upon thy face, when 
 thou slialt be found before God, angels, and men, a 
 liar ; and he whom thou saycst thou knowest shall 
 say to thee, I know thee not ? 
 
 Be wise therefore in time, and learn what it is to 
 know Christ'; take heed there be not a worm of dis- 
 obedience in the tree of thy knowledge. Let it not 
 suflico tlice to have a groat, but labour for a ' good 
 understanding.' Ever remember that knowledge is as 
 the means, and obedience as the end ; and therefore 
 all knowledge is vain which doth not tend to, and end 
 
 * Lor. in loc. 
 
 t Nequaquara mens fallat et 8e existimct Dcnm cognos- 
 core, &c. — Aw]. de fide et opcr. c. xii. 
 
Ver. 4, 5.] 
 
 SERMON XXIV. 
 
 151 
 
 in, obedience. And so much for the antithesis, by 
 which the thesis is illustrated. Proceed we to the 
 
 Last particular in this first proposition, namelj', the 
 ai'gument by which it is proved, laid down in these 
 words, ' AVhoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the 
 love of God perfected.' Calvin,* indeed, conceivcth 
 these words to be annexed as a description of obedi- 
 ence, so that if we would know what it is to keep the 
 commandments, the answer is, It is to have the love 
 of God perfected in us ; to this purpose is it that 
 Moses saith, Deut. xiv. 12, ' What doth the Lord thy 
 God require of thee but to love him ? ' And Christ 
 Bummeth np all the commandments in those two pre- 
 cepts, of love towards God and our neighbour. Mat. 
 xxii. 38, 39. Yea, St Paul saith expressly. That • lovo 
 is the fulfilling of the law,' not only effeciivi, because 
 it enableth us to keep it ; but reductive, because the 
 whole law is reducible to that of love.f 
 
 But though this construction be true, yet I con- 
 ceive it is not so genuine and congruous to the apostle's 
 scope. And therefore I rather look upon these words 
 as a confii'mation of the preceding clause, he that 
 knoweth God will keep his commandments, because 
 he that knoweth him loveth him, and he that loveth 
 him cannot but keep his commandments. The 
 strength of this argument will the better appear if we 
 put it into a syllogism, which we may take briefly thus. 
 The love of God is perfected in all, and only those, 
 who keep his word ; 
 
 In whomsoever there is a right knowledge of God, 
 the love of God is perfected ; therefore 
 
 Whosoever knoweth God aright will keep his word. 
 And now, according to this interpretation, here are 
 two positions to be insisted on. The one whereof is 
 the minor, the other the major in the syllogism ; the 
 one tacitly intimated, and the other positively es- 
 presseJ. 
 
 1. That which is here implied is, that where there 
 is a knowledge there is also the love of God and Christ. 
 The love of God may admit of a double reference, 
 either Charitas qua amat or qua ainatur, actively, the 
 love whereby God doth love ; or passively, the love 
 wherebv he is beloved. Illyricus understandeth the 
 former,* and no doubt it is a truth that God's love is 
 fixed on him who keepeth his word. ' He that hath 
 my commandments, and keepeth them,' saith Christ, 
 ' my Father will love him,' John xiv. 21. Yea, whereas 
 God vouchsafeth a general love to all men, he hath a 
 more special favour to obedient persons. But if we thus 
 understand the love of God in this place, the phrase of 
 perfected will sound very harsh ; since there is nothing 
 in God, but it is absolutely and infinitely perfect ; and 
 therefore I reject it. 
 
 More generally and probably expositors here un- 
 derstand that love which we have to God ; and so it 
 is an undoubted truth, they who know him cannot but 
 
 * Calv. in loc. t "ly- m I'"^- 
 
 t ^'ide Vos3, Felag. Hiator. S. a. 
 
 love him. The truth is, therefore, divine knowledge is 
 efl'ective, because it is afl'ective ; it commands our 
 actions, because it commands our ati'ections ; and if 
 we know him we keep his commandments, because, 
 if we know him, we love him. It is a rule among the 
 Hebrews, that verba notitite connotaul affectus, the 
 phrase of knowing noteth such an act of the under- 
 standing as carrieth the afl'ections along with it. And 
 indeed, it is impossible but the ati'ections should be 
 carried on toward the object when it is rightly known. 
 It is a saying of St Austin,* Qui vull habere notitiam 
 Dei, aniet, He that will know God must love him, since 
 love causeth acquaintance ; and it is as true. Qui vuU 
 habere ainorem Dei, noscat, He that will love God let 
 him know him. The necessary connection between 
 these two appeareth upon a double gi"ound. 
 
 (1.) The one in respect of God's nature, which is 
 good, and goodness itself. The proper object of love 
 is good, and it is impossible, Ut qiiis bonum coi/uilum 
 noH amaret, that good known should not be beloved. f 
 Be a thing never so good, if the goodness of it be not 
 known to us, it cannot be loved by us ; and if om' 
 understandings are fully and clearly convinced of its 
 goodness, it cannot but draw our love towards it. Now 
 God is good, the chief good, a full, universal, original, 
 good. There is no goodness in any creature which is 
 not /ioH( him, and alter a more eminfnt way iu him ; 
 and therefore he that knoweth him, apprehending him 
 infinitely good, cannot but be enamoured with him. 
 Indeed, he that rightly knoweth God, knoweth him to 
 be justice itself, and therefore cannot but fear him ; 
 truth itself, and therefore cannot but trast him ; good- 
 ness itself, and therefore cannot but love him. 
 
 (2.) The other in respect of the Spirit's efficacy and 
 operation. Idem spiritus qui illuminut, insjiirat con- 
 formem affectum, the same Spirit is both a Spirit of 
 knowledge and love ; like the fire, which giveth both 
 light and heat ; and wheresoever the Spirit worketh 
 savingly, there is not only an illumination of the mind 
 but a sanctification throughout, whereby the will is 
 inclined to the love, as well as the judgment enlight- 
 ened with the knowledge of God. Content not thyself, 
 then, with a sapless, heartless knowledge. Though 
 Christ as God knoweth all persons and things, yet he 
 knoweth not them whom he loveth not ; an 1 therefore 
 he saith himself to the workers of iniquity, ' I know 
 you not,' Mat. vii. 23 ; and though a man (as St Paul 
 specified in his own person), 1 Cor. xiii. 2, ' have all 
 knowledge, j-et if he have not charitj', it is nothing,' to 
 wit, in God's account ; and though it may be profitable 
 to others, yet it can neither be acceptable to God nor 
 beneficial to himself. 
 
 2. But further, that which is here expressed, and 
 therefore chiefly to be insisted on, is, that ' whoso 
 keepeth his word, in him verily is the lovo of God 
 perfected.' 
 
 The subject of this clause, ' whoso keepeth his word,' 
 * Aug. Man. cap. xi. t Fer. in loc. 
 
152 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 is the same for substance with that in the third verse, 
 ' If we keep his commandments,' and therefore need 
 not be again handled; only the different term of word 
 wonld not be passed by. The word Xoyos hath espe- 
 cially a double signification, both of which may be 
 here made use of, to wit, ratio and senno, reason and 
 speech. According to the former acceptation, Christ's 
 commandments are so called, because in them is set 
 before us ratio rive?idi, the way to order our conver- 
 sion aright. And there is nothing in them but what 
 is recl(r rationi consoiuim, most agreeable to right rea- 
 son. According to this notion, it is that 'K'/yr/.h yaka 
 in St Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 2, is rendered by the vulgar 
 Latin, Lac rationale, and that for this reason, quia 
 rationem tradit credendi el recti viveudi because the 
 word sets down a just rule, but* of a right behef, and 
 a good life ; and this, by the way, may be a strong 
 obligation to the keeping of what Christ requireth, be- 
 cause he requireth nothing but what is just and rea- 
 sonable. According to the latter construction, Christ's 
 commandments are so called, because they were first 
 uttered by himself f virA voce with his own lips, in 
 those sermons which he preached to the people, that 
 especially upon the mount ; and it is that which doth 
 both advance the dignity of the commandment, and 
 engage our duty in keeping them. When a king shall 
 not send his herald to proclaim his pleasure, but de- 
 clare his will himself, and give his commands with 
 his own mouth to the people, ought this not to be re- 
 ceived with the greater reverence, and performed with 
 a more ready obedience ? These commandments, they 
 were first God's words, for so runs the preface of the 
 moral law : Exod. xx. 1, ' God spake these words and 
 said ;' they were afterwards Christ's words, for so 
 begins the sermon on the mount, Mat. v. 2, ' He 
 opened his mouth and spake ;' so that whereas all the 
 Scripture is Christ's word, because dictated by his 
 Spirit, the commandments are his word, because im- 
 mediately spokin by him. And in that it is not 
 y.6yo\j; but '/.iiyiii, icords but word ; perhaps our apostle 
 might have respect to a particular command given by 
 Christ, namely the law of love, ; of which he chiefly 
 trcateth in this epistle. 
 
 To let this go, pass we on to the predicate of the 
 clause, as being that which hero is eminently con- 
 siderable. In him who keepeth his word, ' verily the 
 love of God is perfected.' 
 
 It is that which is true both ways, and so may very 
 well admit of an inversion. 
 
 1. On the one hand, in him who loveth God, the 
 keeping of his word is verily perfected. It is the ex- 
 cellency and perfection of obedience when it springs 
 from love. There is a threefold obedience, to wit, 
 neccKKitutis, ntjiiditalix, cliariliillf. Of comptdsion, 
 when a man obeyeth riti further than ho is forced ; 
 
 *Qvi. 'li.ith'?— Ed. t Lot. ibi^l. 
 
 J Ideo frrl.iim, quia rcspicit Ipgem dilectionis. — Aug, 
 Serm. xxah. i/r Trin. 
 
 that is the slave's, whom nothing but fear induceth to 
 the performance of his master's command. Out of 
 crpectation, when a man obeyeth for the hope of re- 
 ward ; that is the servant's, who serveth his master for 
 his wages. Out of fj//('c/(o», when a man obeyeth be- 
 cause he loveth him who commands ; that is the son's, 
 whom dear respect to their father engageth to serve 
 him ; and this last is the most ingenious and perfect 
 obedience. Indeed, it is love that enlargeth the heart 
 not only to creep but go, nor go but run, nor run but 
 fly, at God's call. It teacheth us to obey, not ix. 
 XvrfiC but ■■^v^fii, grudgingly but cheerfully; nor is 
 any obedience more free than that to which the love of 
 Christ constraincth. The truth is, Malus miles qui 
 imperatorem rieiiicns sequitKr,* he is a base soldier that 
 followeth his general with tears ; tnaliis est acjer, cum 
 quo Ihnniiius luctatur,\ that is bad ground which 
 bringeth forth nothing unless it be forced ; that obe- 
 dience is not worthy the name which is onl}' extorted 
 from us ; and such is all service where love is absent. 
 In this respect it is that St Ambrose saith,J Plus est 
 dili(/ere quam custodire, it is more to love God than 
 keep his word, since this may spring from force and 
 fear, but that only from charitj'. Indeed, this charity 
 is that which perfects all graces and duties, mudci sine 
 charitate omncs virtutes, said Lco,§ truly all even our 
 best actions are naked if not done in love. 
 
 2. And as thus it is our love that perfects our 
 obedience, so withal it is our obedience that perfects 
 our love. ' I will lift up my hands,' saith David, Ps. 
 cxix. 167, ' to thy commandments which I have loved.' 
 It is not the lifting up our eyes to the reading, no, 
 nor of our ears to the hearing, but of our hands to the 
 doing of the commandments, which argueth our love. 
 Hearing may be a means to perfect our knowledge ; 
 the ear being the bucket whereby we draw the water 
 of spiritual knowledge out of the well of God's word. 
 Hearing may be a means to perfect our faith, and 
 therefore the apostle saith, Rom. x. 17, ' Faith cometh 
 by hearing.' Both the inchoation and the perfection, 
 the rise and gi-owth of it ; but still the keeping of 
 God's word is that which perfects our love : ' Whoso 
 keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God 
 perfect.' 
 
 I3ut it may be here objected. What meaneth our 
 apostle to use this phrase of perfecting ; nay, to use 
 it in the pretcrperfect tense ? For so the word gram- 
 matically is to be rendered : ' In him the love of God 
 hath been perfected.' Can any grace which we have 
 in this life be perfect ? The measure of the ark was 
 an imperfect measure, ' two cubit and an half the 
 length, and a cubit and an half the breadth, and a 
 cubit and an half the length || of it,' Exod. xxxvii. 1. 
 Such is the measure of all our graces in this life. One 
 qualification of Christ's blessed men is, that they 
 
 * Sen. Kp, 107. § Leo. Quinquages. Scr. x. 
 
 t I'liii. lib. xviii. c.ip. v. || Qu. ' height' ? — Ed. 
 J Ambros. in I's. cxviii. Ser. xxi. 
 
Ver. 4, 5.] 
 
 SERMON XXIV. 
 
 10 3 
 
 hunger and thirst after righteousness,' Mat. v. 6, 
 always in desiring, because never in full fruition. 
 
 This, then, being true of all graces, is in particular 
 verified of love to God, which shall never be perfected 
 till we come to heaven, and therefore whilst we are 
 here is perfecting, but not perfected. 
 
 For the solution, then, of this doubt be pleased, 
 
 1. In general, to distinguish, with the fathers, of a 
 double perfection, Aiiu absoluUi, aliaqiie compelit fra- 
 gdilati iwstnc; so St Jerome;* Alia media, alia pleiios 
 iiumcfos Itabcns ; so St Ambrose,! the one absolute 
 and complete, the other limited and comparative, in 
 which sense he that attaiueth to great measures of 
 grace, yea, far above others, is said to have grace per- 
 fected lu him, to wit, such a perfection as man in this 
 life can attain unto. Or again, we may distinguish of 
 a perfection of parts, and of degrees ; the one whereof 
 refers to the sincerity, the other to the exactness of 
 grace. We call a child, which hath all the essentials 
 and integrals of a man, a perfect man, though he is 
 not grown up to the strength, and stature, and wisdom 
 of a man. It were easy to instance in mauj- scriptures 
 where perffct is put for iiprigld, and according to this 
 notion grace may bo said to be perfected in them in 
 whom it is found to be sincere. 
 
 2. In particular, concerning this grace of love, it 
 will not be amiss to distinguish with Lorinus \ of four 
 degrees of perfection. 
 
 (1.) To love God is to love him quantum ipse est 
 diliijibi/is, as much as he is worthy to be loved, and so 
 he only loveth himself. Neither in rid nor yet in 
 patria, here nor hereafter, can we attain such a degree 
 of love ; and the reason is plain, because the love which 
 is worthy of himself must be, like himself, infinite. 
 
 (2.) To love God, Quantum crcatura diiujeie potest, 
 as much as any creature can possibly love him ; and 
 this we shall have in heaven, where we shall' know, 
 and knowing love God to the utmost that a finite 
 nature is capable of. 
 
 (3.) To love God, Quantum uwrtalis potest crcatura, 
 much as a creature clothod with frailty and mortality 
 can, and this is that which all might aspire after, yea, 
 Bomo do attain to, and may be called a perfection of 
 proficieucj'. 
 
 (4.) Lastly, To love God, Qiidulum nulla alia re.i 
 diligitur, so much as no other thing besides is loved by 
 us ; to love God above all, and all in and for God. 
 This is that to which every true Christian attaineth 
 even in this life, and is called a perfection of sincerity. 
 
 In this last notion, interpreters generally and ration- 
 ally expound it here. So among others, Beda and 
 Beza, Cliarilatcm pcrfcclam riJctur apostolus earn intct- 
 lir/ere qua est rcra ct sinccra, saith the one ;§ the apostle 
 understandeth by perfect, sincere love. TeXe/oCv, hoc 
 in loco non declarat aliquid perfecte consumniare, sed 
 mcndacio et simulation inani opponitur, saith the 
 
 * Jerome adv. Pclag. } Lor. in loc. 
 
 t Ambrose de offic. lib. iii, cap. ii. § Vide Bed. in loc. 
 
 other.* Perfected doth not here signify to make a 
 thing complete, but is opposed to lying and hypocrisy. 
 In this respect, aXriSu; seemeth to be a corrective of 
 TiTiXsiurai. He doth not say, in him the love of God 
 is fully, but verily or truly perfected. 
 
 In this sense, he that keepeth God's word is said 
 to have the love of God perfected in him upon a 
 double account. 
 
 (1.) Because he that koepeth God's word doth reipsa 
 prastare, really perform love to him. Look as a tree 
 IS then said to be perfected when it hath not only 
 buds and leaves, but fruit ; so is the love of God per- 
 fected when it is not only in desire and profession, 
 but practice. Indeed, love begins at the judgment, by 
 a surpassing estimation of God as the chiefist good ; 
 from thence it acts in the will by ardent desires after, 
 and frequent delight in, the enjoyment of him ; but 
 still the real part of love, by which the integrality of 
 it is as it were consummated, is obedience in doing 
 what he requireth from us. 
 
 (2.) Because he that keepeth God's word doth 
 hereby plene manij'estare, fully declare and manifest 
 that his love to God is sincere. In this respect, the 
 Greek scholiastf renders rcrEXE/iura; by thhdi^urar, 
 and giveth this as the reason, because by our good 
 works our love appeareth to be perfect. Nor is this an 
 unusual acceptation of the phrase. When God's 
 strength is said to be ' made perfect by weakness,' 
 2 Cor. xii. 9, it no doubt intends no more but that it 
 is discovered to be perfect ; and when Abraham's 
 faith is said to be made perfect by works, James ii. 22. 
 Aquinas; giveth this as the reason, because these were 
 the operations, and so the manifestations, of his faith. 
 Thus the keeping of God's word perfects our love, 
 because it doth discover the perfection of it. By this 
 it appeareth to be true and not feigned, since though 
 feigned love may shew itself bj' words, it is only 
 sincere love that expresseth itself by works ; and were 
 not love deeply rooted in the heart, it would not bring 
 forth good fruit in the life ; nay, indeed, by this it 
 appeareth to be strong as well as true. Look as it 
 argueth nature to be strong in a man, when he can 
 perform with vivacity the operations of nature ; so it 
 mauifesteth grace to be strong, when a man doth 
 readily perform gracious actions. The fire which 
 llamelh forth, is not only kindled but is fervent ; and 
 our love manifesteth itself not only sincere, but strong, 
 when it breaketh forth in our observance of God's 
 word, throughout the course of our conversation. 
 
 And now what rcmaineth, but that every one of us 
 approve our love to God by keeping his word. Love 
 to God is that which we all pretend, and which is the 
 riddle. Even profiine wretches are ready to say, he 
 that loveth not God, is not worthy to live ; but in vain 
 is love to God professed by us in our words, whilst it 
 is not perfected in us by our deeds, ' How canst thou 
 
 * Vide Beza in loc. 
 
 t OCcumen. in loc. % Aquin. ibid. 
 
154 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Bay thou lovest me,' (said Delilah to Samson) ' since 
 thy heart is not with mo ? " It may no less truly be 
 objected, How can we say we love God, whilst our 
 hands are not lift up to his precepts ? The truth is, 
 amori cediint omiies ajfectiis, all the affections attend 
 on love ; it is full of fear, of grief, of joy, of desire. 
 He that loveth God cannot but be grieved when he 
 offends him, glad when he pleascth him, fearful to do 
 anything which may provoke, desirous and careful to 
 do whatsoever may delight him ; and no wonder if, 
 where these affections are active, there bo an endeavour 
 to avoid what he forbids, and perform what he requir- 
 
 eth. I end all, let every one of us conceive that 
 Christ saith to us in those words, which he is pleased 
 to ingeminate to his disciples : ' If you love me, keep 
 my commandments,' John xiv. 13, 15; and again, 'If 
 any man love me, he will keep my word ; ' and there- 
 fore, let us at once both testify and justify- the truth 
 of our love by the reality of our service, ever remem- 
 bering what this blessed disciple asserts in conformity 
 to his master's lesson, ' Whoso kecpeth his word, in 
 him verily' (and none but him) ' is the love of God 
 perfected.' 
 
 SERMON XXY. 
 
 llerchy knuic irc that ife an' in him. lie thai saith he ahiJeth in him, otujlit hiniwij also so to niilk, as 
 
 Christ walked. — 1 John II. 5, 6. 
 
 IT is an amiable excellency in anj- superior to 
 become a precedent of that whereof he giveth a 
 precept, and shew himself an actor in that whereof he 
 is an exacter from others. It was the praise of Cajsar 
 that his word to his soldiers was not Jte, but Veitite; 
 go, but come. Nor much unlike was that of Gideon 
 to the people : Judges vii. 17, ' Look on me, and do 
 likewise.' Indeed, by this means a governor layeth a 
 double, and so a strong, obligation upon the inferiors, 
 whilst he doth at once both enjoin by his commands, 
 and invite by his pattern. For this reason no doubt 
 it is, that the captain of our salvation, as he hath 
 prescribed us laws, so he hath given us an example, 
 not imposing that on us, to which he did not some 
 way or other expose himself. 
 
 To this purpose are those phrases which arc used 
 by him in the Gospel, of ' coming after him,' and 
 ' learning of him,' Slat. xvi. 24 ; and for this reason 
 his beloved disciple here joinoth these two together, 
 and as in the former verses, he calleth upon us to 
 keep his commandments, so here to ' walk as he 
 walked.' ' Hereby we know,' &c. 
 
 The second principal position is that which cometh 
 now to be handled, wliereiu we have two things 
 observable : — 
 
 The Christian's being and his operation : his state 
 and his work, his dignity and his duty. 
 
 The being, state, and d'gnity of a Christian is ex- 
 pressed in those phrases, ' We are in him,' and ' ho 
 abideth in him.' 
 
 The operation, work, and duty of a Christian is 
 signified in those : ' Ought himself so to walk, as he 
 walked;' both which we shall consider apart in them- 
 selves ; and then jointly, in the dependence they have 
 one upon another. 
 
 Consideration 1. In handling them severally, begin 
 we with, 
 
 1. The being of a Christian; it is that which is 
 characterised by two phrases, to wit, being in and 
 
 abiding in Christ ; both of which are the same in sub- 
 stance, and yet each of which hath its proper em- 
 phasis. 
 
 That which is intended by both is, the spiritual and 
 mystical union, which is between Christ and a Chris- 
 tian ; that which is peculiar in either is, that by being 
 in, is noted the nearness; and by abiding in, is inti- 
 mated the firmness of this union. 
 
 1. Every trao Christian is in Christ. Accidentis 
 esse est inesse, saith the philosopher, the being of an 
 accident is to be in his subject. Christiani esse est 
 inesse, saith the divine, the being of a Christian is to 
 be in Christ. Indeed, all creatures have their being 
 in God, Acts xvii. 28, and are said to consist m Christ, 
 Col. i. 17, in a general notion, because of their neces- 
 sary dependence upon him, as theii' preserver. But 
 all Christians are in Christ after a more peculiar 
 notion, because of that near and close union which 
 they have with him as their Eedeemer. The intimacy 
 of this union cannot be expressed by a fuller phrase 
 than this of being in ; it is one thing adharere, and 
 another inlncrere ; it is more to be in, than to be leith, 
 1 by, or about a thing. We do not only belong to, but 
 we are in Christ ; not that there is any confusion or 
 transfusion of the substance or person of a Christian 
 into the substance or person of Christ ; but that there 
 is a solid, substantial, and personal conjunction be- 
 tween them. Indeed, it may seem strange, how Christ 
 being in heaven, and wo on earth, we should bo in 
 him ; but it may be easil}' understood, if we consider 
 that it is not a local or corporal, but a spiritual union, 
 which no distance of place can hinder. We have an 
 emblem of this in that of marriage, the knot whereof 
 is indissoluble, though the husband be in the western, 
 and the wife in the eastern, part of the world. No 
 wonder if this spiritual contract unite heaven and 
 earth, Christ and a Christian together. The nature 
 and quality of this union, is that which the Holy 
 Ghost hath been pleased to represent in Scripture by 
 
Ver. 5, 6.J 
 
 SERMON XXV. 
 
 155 
 
 various similitudes. When St Paul speaketh of 
 ' putting on the Lord Jesns Christ,' he implieth that 
 a Christian is in Christ, as the body is in the garment, 
 which covereth and encompasseth it ; but this is the 
 most remote allusion. The same apostle useth a fitter 
 metaphor, when he comparcth Christ to the head, and 
 Christians to the members, Rom. vi. 5, Eph. i. 22 ; 
 for as the head and members are so nearly united, 
 that they make but one body ; so is it with Christ and 
 the church, in which respect the very name of Christ is 
 given to the church, in those words of the apostle : 
 1 Cor. xii. 12, ' So also is Christ.' For which cause 
 Origen saith, per unum Cliiistum, multi Christi : by 
 one Christ, many Christs are made ; and St Austin,* 
 Caput et corpus unus est Cliristus, the head and the 
 body, Christ and the church, make but one Christ. 
 Parallel to this is that comparison our Saviour himself 
 maketh use of, when he saith, ' I am the vine, you 
 are the branches,' John xv. 1, 5. Look as the branch 
 is in the vine, so as that its very being depends upon 
 its being in the vine, without which it dieth and 
 withereth ; so is a Christian in Christ. And therefore 
 he tellcth his disciples a little after, ' Without me you 
 can do nothing.' Not to multiply similitudes ; of all 
 carnal unions, that between a man and wife is nearest, 
 and by that is this union shadowed, Eph. v. 32. In 
 which respect St Paul calls marriage a mystery ; and 
 let us see that even this resemblance cometh short of 
 expressing this union ; for whereas the ' man and wife 
 are but one flesh, he that is joined to the Lord, is one 
 spirit,' 1 Cor. vi. IT.f 
 
 To end this : See hence both the excellency of faith, 
 and the felicity of a believer. 
 
 1. The excellency of faith, inasmuch as it is bj- failh 
 we come to be in Christ. Sometimes we read that 
 Christ is in us, and sometimes that we are in Christ. 
 If we would know how Christ is in us, the answer is, 
 by his Spirit, which he conferreth upon us. And 
 therefore saith our apostle, 1 John iii. 14, 'Hereby 
 we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he 
 hath given us.' 
 
 Again, if we would know how we are in Christ, the 
 answer is, by believing. So much our apostle inti- 
 mateth here ; for these two clauses, ' Hereby we know 
 that we know him,' and ' herebj- we know that we are 
 in him,' seem to be synonymous, and plainly intimate 
 that we are in him by knowing, which is believing 
 him. Indeed, both the graces of knowing and loving 
 him before mentioned, concur to our union with Christ, 
 inasmuch as the moral union of hearts is by love, and 
 the mystical of persons by faith. Oh how eflicacious 
 is this grace, which tieth the knot between a Christian 
 and Christ, and maketh them one ! 
 
 2. The fehcity of believers. A Christian, besides 
 his natural, hath another more noble being, to wit, in 
 
 • Aug. do verb. dom. Serm. Ixi. 
 
 t Dt doceret arctiorem esse communioiiem Christi uobis- 
 cum, quam viri cum uxore. — Calv. ibid. 
 
 Christ. It is that which is both ma(jnum privihyium 
 and marinum solatium. A gi-eiit privilege it is to have 
 so near a relation to Christ. As it is the honour of 
 Christ as God that he is ens independeus, hath his 
 being of himself, so it is the honour of a Christian 
 that he hath his immediate dependence on, and being 
 in, Christ ; nor is there only honour, but comfort, in it, 
 since we being in Christ have thereby a participation, 
 as of his person, so of his merits and benefits. That 
 fellowship with Christ whereof the apostle speaketh in 
 the former chapter, chap. i. ver. 3, and all the com- 
 forts attending on it, whence flow they but from this 
 spring, our union with Christ? By being in, we 
 have a title to, communion with, and so wisdom, 
 righteousness, redemption, sanctification, yea, all, 
 through him. 
 
 That grand objection against the comfortable doc- 
 trine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness — how 
 can a man be made righteous by another man's right- 
 eousness ? — is hereby answered, and the riddle of it 
 unfolded. AVe are in him, and one u-itli him, by whose 
 righteousness we are made righteous. And as the 
 husband mariying the wife endowetb her with all his 
 worldly goods, so Christ, uniting the Christian to him- 
 self, invests him with his spiritual goods. Look, as 
 all men being naturally in Adam, have the guilt of 
 sin, so all Christians spiritually in Christ have the 
 merit of his righteousness imputed to them, so much 
 the rather, because that whereas we were but virtually 
 in Adam, we arc actually in Christ. Adam was only 
 a public person, representing; Christ was not only 
 our representative, but surety, by whoso pajinent we 
 must needs be discharged ; yea, indeed, it were blas- 
 phemy to imagine there should be more demerit in 
 Adam's sin to condemn, than merit in Christ's obe- 
 dience to justify those who are in him. Hence that 
 mellitluous aphorism of St Paul: llom. viii. 1, ' There 
 is now no condemnation to them that arc in Christ 
 Jesus.' How happj- is that person who is free from 
 condemnation ; and he that is in Christ, having the 
 merit of his satisfactory righteousness, by imputation 
 communicated to him, must needs be free from the 
 guilt of his sins, and so out of all fear of condemna- 
 tion. ' He that dwelleth in the secret of the Blost 
 High, shall be quiet from fear of evil,' saith the 
 psalmist, Ps. xci. 1. He that lieth iu the bosom of 
 Christ is safe from fear of danger. Oh, who can 
 sufiiciently prize this amiable privilege, this choice 
 comfort of being in him ! And so much for that 
 phrase. 
 
 2. Every true Christian abideth in Christ. The 
 philosopher distinguishes of two sorts of accidents : the 
 one separable, the other inseparable. Those may both 
 adesse and aicsse, be present or absent, but these can- 
 not be severed from the subject wherein they are. 
 Such is the being of a Christian in Christ ; and this is 
 intimated in the phrase of (ihidiuf/. which to inherency 
 addcth permanency. In this all those fore-mentioned 
 
156 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 resemblances are discrepant. The body is in the gar- 
 ments ; aj', but tbey may be put ofl" ; the branches are 
 in the tree, and the members knit to the head, but 
 they may be cut oli' ; the man and the wife are joined 
 togellier, but the}' may be parted, whereas this union 
 is indissolvable, inseparable, and they who are truly 
 grafted into abide in Christ ; nor yet doth this truth 
 altogether want its resemblances. That phrase of 
 dwAUiKf, which this apostle elsewhere useth, Eph. iii. 
 17, is verj' signiticaut to this purpose. It is one thing 
 for a man to lodge as a guest, to sojourn as an inmate, 
 and another thing to dwell as au inhabitant ; where a 
 man dwells it is the place of his settled and fixed resi- 
 dence. The true believer dwellefh in Christ as in his 
 house, surely united to him. Suitalile hereunto is 
 that which learned Bp. Davenant* hath observed upon 
 those words. Col. ii. 12, ' Kooted and built up in 
 him,' a tree that is rooted in the ground stands fast 
 against the fiercest blasts; an house that is built upon 
 a good foundation endiireih wind and weather. Thus 
 behevers being rooted and built up in Christ are able 
 to withstand temptations, corruptions, afflictions. 
 
 How greatly doth this meditation advance the com- 
 fort of a Christian ! Indeed, in this respect man's 
 renewed estate is better than his created, and a 
 Christian in Christ happier than Adam in innocency. 
 Adam might eat of the tree of life, but we are branches 
 of him who is truly the tree of life ; Adam might and 
 did lose his right to the tree, we cannot our interest 
 in Cbi'ist ; Adam's standing was as it were by himself, 
 so that he became subject to a miserable fall, our 
 being is in Christ, by whom we are preserved from 
 SU( h falling. Oh let believers rejoice in this holy and 
 stable comfort : it was far more easy for David to jmll 
 the prey out of the bear's muuth, than it is for Satan 
 to pluck us out of Christ's arms. If we be in him we 
 are his members; and can we imagine that Christ will 
 sutler one of his members to bo rent from him '? In- 
 deed (be it spoken wilh holy reverence) Christ himself 
 would be imperfect if any of his members should be 
 defective, a thing inconsistent with the glory ard 
 honour of Christ. No wonder if, as we are in him, we 
 are said to abide in him ; and surely such a privi- 
 lege carrieth with it an engagement, and that is it 
 which next foUowcth : 
 
 II. 'The operation of a Christian ; and that is to walk 
 as Christ walked. 
 
 The phrase of walking is snch as the Holy Ghost 
 delighteth frequently to use. We have already met with 
 it in this epistle, chap. i. 7, and therc'ore shall not 
 here need to enlarge. Know in brief that we are all 
 in this world travellers, and heaven is our country ; so 
 long, then, as we are here, we must not sit down but 
 go forward. One sect among the philosophers was 
 called the Peripatetics ; such nuist all Christians be, 
 keeping as it were an holy perambulation in this walk. 
 The wortl of God is our light, the angels are our 
 * Davcu. ibid. 
 
 guards, the Spirit is our strength, and Christ is Dux 
 itiiieris, the guide to go before us ; and therefore we 
 are here called upon to ' walk as he walked.' 
 
 That which would be chiefly inquired into is wherein 
 the practice of this duty consists, and how far it ex- 
 tends. To which end know, 
 
 1. In general, that this imitation, which is required, 
 hath a limitation annexed ; we must walk as Christ 
 walked, but not in all respects. There is ria xolitaria 
 and via sucia, some paths Christ walked in alone, and 
 others we ai-e to go in after him. Look as the schools 
 distinguish of God's attributes, that some are incom- 
 municable, and others communicable ; so may we of 
 Christ's walks. Some are beaten, others untrodden 
 paths ; some are such wherein we may, nay must, 
 others such wherein we neither can nor dare to follow 
 him. 
 
 In special, we are to consider Christ's walking, ac- 
 cording to a threefold reference. Tria sunt operum 
 (jciu'ra, qua- inter humifies pricslitil Chrisfns, saith 
 Zanchy,* there are three sorts of works which Christ 
 wrought among men, to wit, as God, as God-man, as 
 man. 
 
 1. Christ as God walked in a double way, to wit, 
 imperii el miracuti. 
 
 (1.) Imperii, of authority and sovereignty, by virtue 
 of which he sent his disciples for the colt without ask- 
 ing leave of the owner ; for so God himself saith, Ps. 
 1. 10, ' Every beast of the forest is mine, and the 
 cattle upon a thousand hills ;' and therefore he may 
 command them when he pleaseth ; but this is not imi- 
 table by us, in whom it would be no other than theft. 
 Indeed, superior magistrates may give command in 
 some cases for the ablation of mens' goods without 
 their leave ; but this not in imitation of Christ's 
 practice, but by the deputation of bis power, he having 
 given that authority to his vicegerents on earth, for the 
 better administration of justice and judgment. 
 
 (2.) MiracuU, of might and omuipotency, doing 
 things which were not only besides, but above, nay, 
 against, the course of nature. These we are to admire, 
 but must not attempt to imitate ; and though they are 
 the supporters of our faith, yet no rules for our prac- 
 tice. To this purpose is that of St Austin upon this 
 place, J'oitc hoc nos monet lit ajuliulcmits in mart, some 
 may imagine that we are reijuired to walk on the sea 
 as Christ walked ; but far be this from our thoughts, 
 which, as it is impossible to perform, so it is presump- 
 tuous to attempt. Upon the same account it is that 
 that holy father in another place f thus paraphraseth 
 upon those words of Christ, ' Learn of me.' What 
 should we learn of him ? to make a world, to tread 
 upon the water, to raise the dead '? No; but to be 
 meek and lowly. It was the itch of our first parents 
 they would have been as God in knowledge, and we 
 their unhappy progeny are troubled with the same 
 distemper. We would trace the footsteps of divine 
 
 * ZaiK-li. in loc. t Aug. de Sancta Virgin, cap. xxxv. 
 
Ver. 5, 6.J 
 
 SEimON XXV. 
 
 157 
 
 power, and knowletige, and wisdom; but, nlas! all 
 such endeavours will prove vain and cursed, fruitless 
 and sinful. Indeed, we find Christ's apostles working 
 miracles, but not in imitation of Christ ; rather Christ 
 ■wrought signs and wonders bv them, for the propaga- 
 tion of his gospel; and this was oulj- a personal, and 
 that a temporary privilege. 
 
 2. Christ, as God-man, Mediator, undertook many 
 offices, in the exercise of which he was pleased to 
 walk. As a prophet, he walked up the mount, and 
 from thence gave laws and precepts to the people ; as 
 a priest, he walked to Mount Calvary, where, by suf- 
 fering death upon the cross, he merited our redemp- 
 tion. He walked from the grave to heaven, where he 
 maketh intercession as King and Head of his church; 
 he walketh in the midst of the golden candlesticks, 
 defending and governing his people, conquering his 
 enemies, giving laws, confeiring gifts. And in these 
 walks we are not directed to foUow him. It is an horrid 
 presumption in the Romanists, who make a mere man 
 head of the church, who attribute to saints and angels 
 a power of interceding in our behalf. And therefore 
 we justly assert with the apostle Paul, ' He hath given 
 him' (to wit, exclusively) 'to bo bead,' Eph. i. 22. 
 And again, ' There is one Mediator' (namely, both of 
 redemption and intercession) ' between God and man,' 
 he who is God and man, 'the man Christ Jesus,' 
 1 Tim. ii. 5. Indeed, an analogical imitation may 
 here bo allowed : as Christ is head of his church, so 
 the king is head of his kingdom, and the master head 
 of his family. As Christ walketh in the midst of his 
 church, so the king in the midst of his kingdom, and 
 the master in the midst of his house. .Christ as a 
 prophet doth give laws, so his ministers are prophets 
 to interpret his laws to the people, and all superiors 
 mast be prophets, to instruct those who are under 
 them. As Christ intercedeth in heaven for us, so we 
 must pray one for another on earth ; as Christ offered 
 a propitiatory, real sacrifice, so we must by him ofl'er 
 gratulatory, spiritual sacrifices. Finally, to perform 
 the office of a Mediator, he, dying on the cross, rose 
 again from the grave, ascended into heaven ; so we 
 must die to sin, live to righteousness, and seek the 
 things which are above. Thus we are allowed, nay, 
 obliged, indirectly and allusively, to follow Christ in 
 his walks as Mediator, but not directly. 
 
 3. Consider Christ's walks as he was man, and so 
 we shall find the actions he performed reducible to 
 three heads, ceremonial, cii-cumstantial, and moral. 
 
 (1.) Christ walked in a way of conformity to the 
 ceremonial law, and therefore he is said to be 'made 
 under the law^,' Gal. iv. 4. On the eighth day he was 
 circumcised, and therefore became obedient to the 
 whole law of Moses ; but in those walks we must not 
 trace him. Though he was pleased to fulfil the law 
 in himself, that it might have an honourable burial, 
 yet he hath abolished it as to us ; it is not, ought not, 
 to be observed, and thereby as it were revived by us. 
 
 (2.) Many things which Christ did were ciicuui- 
 stantial, in some of which it is unlawful, in others 
 possibly it may be inconvenient, and in neither of both 
 it is needful to imitate him. The duration of time in 
 W'hich Christ fasted, to wit, fortj' days and fortj- nights, 
 is such as being miraculous, we ought not to follow ; 
 we are indeed to fast as he did, but not so long, since 
 thereby we should be guilty of self-murder ; though 
 withal it was not imprudently but piously appointed 
 by the church, that so long time as Christ fasted a tola 
 wholly from food, we should a tali et a tanto, from 
 some kind of food, and from our usual measure of 
 eating. Christ's choosing such persons as publicans 
 and sinners, to eat and drink and converse familiarly 
 with, inasmuch as he came to call them to repentance, 
 and was not capable of pollution by them, is no war- 
 rant for us to be familiar with wicked men, from whom 
 the best may more easily receive evil than do good 
 to them ; though yet withal it giveth ministers leave 
 to converse with those under their charge (though 
 wicked), that if by any means they may bring them 
 to God. Those circumstances of place and time 
 which Christ observed in prayer, when, as one time we 
 read, he withdrew himself into the wilderness to pray, 
 and at another time he prayed all night, though the 
 one direct to choice of private places for private 
 prayers, and the other intimate long pi'ayer in some 
 cases not to be unlawful ; yet neither doth the one 
 oblige us to leave our houses and run into a wilderness, 
 nor the other to debar ourselves of a whole night's 
 sleep for the exercise of our devotion. That gesture 
 of sitting which Christ was pleased to use when he 
 preached to the people would be thought not unlawful, 
 yet inconvenient, for us his ministers to follow, since 
 whereas he taught magisterially, we but ministerially, 
 and so a more humble posture (except in case of 
 necessity) best befits us. Finall}', the time at which our 
 Lord administered the holy communion, namely, in 
 the night after supper, the posture in which (as it is 
 imagined) he participated it, to wit, that of lying, 
 which he used (after the common custom) at his other 
 meals, are no patterns necessarily obliging us to follow 
 them ; for as to both the time and gesture it appeareth 
 they were onlj- occasional, it being most suitable that the 
 time of first administration of that which was to come 
 in the room of, should be immediately after, the pass- 
 over, and if he did use (which yet no evangelist ex- 
 pressh' affirmeth) that gesture, the probable reason is 
 because he had used it before at the passover, and so 
 being nearly* incidental, was not intended for our 
 imitation. The truth is this, on the one hand if it at 
 all oblige, it bindeth not only to a but the table gesture 
 (since the custom of a country is no dispensation for 
 what is of religious and necessary concernment) and 
 so even they who pretend in this to imitate Christ 
 are defective. But on the other hand in reality it 
 doth no more bind ministers and people to conform 
 * Qu. ' merely ' ?— Ed. 
 
158 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 to it in that holy administration, than that gesture 
 he used in his sermons doth bind the ministers in 
 their preaching ;, and if (as by the practice of all sorts 
 it seemeth to be granted) it be more decent for the 
 minister to stand preaching though Christ sat, I see 
 no reason why it may not be moi'e decent for the min- 
 isters and people to receive kneeling, notwithstanding 
 Chi'ist did it in the usual posture of his meals ; though 
 to all this it might be added, that since the posture 
 there used was hiinii lUscHiiihi'iv, to lie down upon the 
 ground, this of kneeling cometh nearer to it than either 
 that of sitting or standing. In fine, the sum amounts 
 to thus much : Christ's ceremonial actions, being in 
 conformity to a law abolished, are not, and his cir- 
 cumstantial actions, being not commanded nor for- 
 bidden by any law, nefd not be imitated by us ; nor 
 doth this walking as he walked extend to them. 
 
 (3.) But lastly : Christ walked in a way of obedience 
 to the moral law, ' humbling himself and becoming 
 obedient even to the death,' and these footsteps of his 
 moral actions we are to tread in. For the fuller ex- 
 plication of this be pleased to know that 
 
 n.] Our Lord Christ is (to speak in Ennodius his 
 phrase) Clttnt epilomr virtutnm, an exact epitome of 
 graces, in St Bernard's language,* Carilinalinm rir- 
 tutiim cxcin}ihuii, a spotless example of the cardinal 
 virtues; or if you will in TertuUian's style, f cmnnlata 
 perjectionis mnssalix sninma, an accumulated heap of 
 spiritual perfections. Suitable hereunto it is that 
 Cresolius calls him,| a seminary of graces, temple of 
 religion, tabernacle of goodness, and habitation of 
 virtue. Indeed, there is no grace nor duty, either 
 towards God or ourselves, or others, whereof Christ 
 hath not set us a copy. Those graces of trust, fear, 
 love, and obedience which we are to exercise towards 
 God ; those virtues of loyalty to kings, subjection to 
 parents, equity and charity which are due to man ; 
 finally, those ornaments of humility, temperance, 
 patience, by which wo possess ourselves, were all 
 eminent in him, as it were easy to demonstrate would 
 the time permit, or did the text require it. What ho 
 in Lucian said concerning Solon, § rravra lusaxai rSr; 
 SoXwra 'i&ciiv, In seeing Solon you see all that is good, 
 may more truly be alKrmed of Christ, in whom are all 
 treasures of graces as well as knowledge. That of 
 the apostle concerning himself and the rest of the 
 saints, ' our conversation is in heaven,' may not un- 
 fitly be applied to this duty of the imitation of Christ ; 
 he hath his conversation in heaven, who leads it ac- 
 cording to Christ's example ; and good reason, since as 
 Athanasius excellently, || Christ whilst on earth did 
 o'J'avrjt visiffr^ipiiv, carry heaven about with him. This 
 Sun of Righteousness went through the Libra of 
 justice, Leo of fortitude, Viri/o of chastity, Taurus of 
 industry, Gemini of love to God and man. Indeed, 
 
 * Bern, in Cant. Scrm. xii. t Cres. do Virtut. 
 
 t Tprhil. in Mar. !ili. ix. cap. xviii. § Luc:'an Dialog. 
 II Atlumas. orat. contra gent. 
 
 the firmament is not more full of stars than he is of 
 graces. It is a rule in philosophy, Primtim in uno- 
 quoijue (jenere est mensura reli(juorum, that which is the 
 first in any kind is to be the measure of the rest ; and 
 Christ being the first, the grand exemplar of virtue, 
 no wonder if we are required to walk as he walked. 
 
 [2.] One singular end of Christ's coming into the 
 world was, that he might become a pattern of duty. 
 Indeed, the chief and primary end of his advent was to 
 be a Saviour, but a secondary was to be an example. 
 Upon this account it is that St Basil saith,* One end of 
 Christ's coming was, that in him &; h i'lxovi, as in a 
 picture, we might behold the lineaments of all virtues, • 
 and accordingly learn to order our conversation aright. 
 When Christ had washed his disciples' feet, he saith to 
 them, John xiii. 15, ' I have given you an example ;' 
 and truly for this cause he hved that he might give, 
 yea, according to St Peter, ii. 21, for this end 
 he died, ' that he might leave us an example that we 
 should follow his steps.' 
 
 [3. 1 To endeavour as far as we can that all those 
 graces which Christ practised may shine forth in our 
 conversations, is to walk as Christ walked, so that 
 this (IS here specified, admits both of an extent and a 
 restraint. 
 
 First. Of an extent ; as, that is in all those moral 
 steps wherein he walked. Thus TertuUian saith, f To 
 walk as Christ walked is to observe the discipline of 
 that piety and patience, justice and wisdom, which 
 llourished in Christ's life. And Prosper putting this 
 question,* What is it to walk as Christ walked? re- 
 turneth tliis answer, it is t'ontemnere omnia prospera 
 ipuc contcinpsit, iion tiinere adversa qiitc pertiilit, libenter 
 facere qiKc fecit, &c., to contemn what he contemned, 
 suffer what he sutfered, and do what he did. Indeed, 
 to imitate Christ but in some things, is only to step 
 as he stepped ; but to walk as he walked is to imitate 
 him in all, not only to be lowly but holy, just, but 
 charitable, as he was; go about doing good, but suffer- 
 ing evil as he did, is to imitate him in his active and 
 in his passive obedience ; to follow him in his life, 
 yea, in his death. For as St Austin observcth,§ 
 when Christ was fixus in cruee, fast nailed to the cross, 
 ho walked in the ways of constancy, courage, patience, 
 charity towards his enemies, which wo must practise 
 when at any time wo are called to sutter. We cannot 
 have a better expositor of the disciple than the master, 
 and Christ saith to follow him is to ' deny ourselves, 
 and take up our cross.' 
 
 Secondhj. Of a restraint; it being an as not of 
 cqualitij but qiialili/, nor doth it require any exactness 
 of performance, but only a sincerity of purpose. 
 Christ's phrase is following and coming after him, 
 which wo ma}' do though non passibiis n-qnis, we come 
 far behind him. Excellent to this purpose are those 
 
 * Bas. ascet. 
 
 t Tort, de Kesur. lib. ii. cap. xliv. 
 
 J Prosp. Sent. 
 i Aug. in Ep. 
 
Yeb. 5, 6.] 
 
 SERMON XXV. 
 
 159 
 
 expressions of an ancient,* Prodeiit imitari el si nemo 
 raleat adaijitare ; perscqiii debeiiius, et si ci>iise(}ui non 
 possimiis ; non cisdem passihus, srd eodem tramite, 
 eisdem ve'iligiis insistendum : made equal wo cannot, 
 conformable we may be to him ; to attain to his mea- 
 sure is impossible, to press hard towards it is neces- 
 sary ; to go with the same speed and evenness is not 
 expected, but to go in the same path, tread in the 
 same steps, is required. In one word, those graces 
 which did flame forth iu Christ's life, must at least 
 sparkle iu ours ; which did shine bright in his, must 
 twinkle in ours ; which were perfectly in him, must be 
 sincerely in us ; so shall we fulfil this apostolical dic- 
 tate, to walk as he walked. 
 
 I end this ; NaturaJe Iwmini alium imitari, man is 
 naturallj- a mimic, and loves to follow ; and what 
 fuller, fitter, better pattern can be made choice of than 
 this here set before us '? Oh, then, as Moses did all 
 things iu making the ' tabernacle according to the pattern 
 which God shewed him in the mount,' so let us order 
 all our actions according to the pattern Christ taught 
 in the mount, and as he taught, so did in the course 
 of his life. It is the command of God to Abraham in 
 the Old Testament, ' walk before me,' Gen. xvii. 1 ; 
 it is the voice of Christ to his disciples iu the New, 
 ' come after me,' Mat. xvi. 24 ; and both very useful. 
 We must walk before God by a continued remem- 
 brance of his eye ; we must come after Christ b}' a 
 due observance of his steps ; and so walking as having 
 God to be our spectator and Christ to be our guide, we 
 cannot wander. This is that which hath still been the 
 practice of holy men, to set Christ before them as their 
 example. This did St Paul, who adviseth others to 
 follow him as he did Christ, 1 Thes. i. G ; thus did 
 Martianus of whom Paulinus saith,t Cwlestis hominis 
 imaisincm perfedd Christ i porlavit imitatione, he bare 
 the image of the heavenly man by a perfect (that is, 
 sincere) imitation of Christ. Oh, let it be so with us in 
 everything we go about ! Let us consider with ourselves 
 what Christ did, or what we have reason to beUeve he 
 would do in the like case ; in case of injury Christ 
 would forgive ; of contention, Christ would be a peace- 
 maker ; of miseries, Christ would shew mercy ; of re- 
 proaches, persecutions, Christ would sutler patiently ; 
 let us do likewise. Christ is the sun, and then onh* 
 do the watches of our lives move right when they are 
 set by the dial of his motion ; Christ is the book of 
 life, and then only is the look of our conscience fair 
 when it is written according to that copy. 
 
 To this end learn we, according to the counsel of the 
 author to the Hebrews, chap. xii. 2, to ' look unto 
 Jesus.' We, (saith St Paul) 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' beholding 
 the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image ;' 
 and we beholding the gi'accs of Christ are transformed 
 into the imnge of them. Look as a painter (to use 
 Macarius his similitude)}; can dr.iw a man's picture to 
 the life if he sit before him and steadfastly look upon 
 * Arnulpb. Ep. xii. f Taulin. Ep. J Mac. hom. xxx. 
 
 him ; but if he turn away his face the painter can 
 do nothing ; so then doth Christ draw the lineaments 
 of his virtues upon our souls, when we diligently look 
 upon him ; indeed w ho can seriously view Christ and 
 the ways wherein he walked, and not be in love with 
 them, and desire to walk in them '? All his ways (as 
 Solomon saith of wisdom) are ' ways of pleasantness 
 and peace.' No cleanness or purity, no safety or 
 security, no peace ^r tranquility, no delight or pleasure 
 like to that which is to be found in Christ's ways. True, 
 indeed, they are narrow ways iu regaid to their difli- 
 culty to flesh and blood ; they are slabby ways in re- 
 gard of the afflictions which accompany those that live 
 godly in Christ Jesus ; but they are clean ways, with- 
 out the mire of filihiness ; for they are safe ways, fenced 
 with the hedge of divine protection ; they are pleasant 
 waj's, in which we have always the sun of God's favour 
 shining on us ; j-ea, they are blessed ways, for they 
 lead to life and glory. Who can behold them, and 
 not be allured to go in them '? 
 
 Look we therefore with a serious and spiritual eye 
 upon Christ and his ways, and that so long till, accord- 
 ing to St Paul's advice, Philip, ii. 5, ' The same mind be 
 in us that was in Cluist Jesus ;' and then having the 
 same mind we shall do the same works, so easily is 
 the life conformed where the heart is inclined. In one 
 word, if our eye be fixed and our hearts willing, the 
 foot will be ready to ' run the race that is set before 
 us.' I shut up with that of Leo,* Jmltamini quod 
 operatus est, diligite quod dikxit, love what he loved, 
 so will you do what he did ; to which wo should be so 
 much the rather induced, considering the necessity 
 which our profession layeth upon us of so doing, and 
 that will appear if you 
 
 Join both parts of the text together, which is the 
 other consideration, and cometh now to be handled. 
 ' He that saith, ought,' it is not only (as Zanchy well 
 observeth) utile but dchitum, that which ho may do, 
 or that which is lest for him to do, but that which he 
 ought to do. 
 
 This will the better appear if you consider both the 
 relations which they who arc in Christ have to him, 
 and the influence they have fi'om him. 
 
 1. The relations which they that are in Christ have 
 to him are many and near, all which oblige to walk as 
 he walked. ' He that saith he is in Christ,' saith he 
 is the frifud of Christ ; and friends go hand in hand, 
 have the same afl'cctions and inclinations. ' He that 
 saith ho is in Christ,' saith he is so in him that he is 
 under him ; Christ is his Lord, and he his servant, 
 and prohum servum pro ingenio domini conversari 
 ridemus, saith Tertullian,f We see good servants con- 
 form themselves to their master's will, and frame 
 themselves to their temper. ' He that saith he is in 
 Christ,' saith that Christ is his king, and he his sub- 
 ject, and Ecgis ad exemplum, all nun love to imitate 
 their prince ; if Nero like music, all Rome will tm-n 
 * Leo. de Resur. lib. ii. cap. iii. t Tcrt. de patient. 
 
160 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 fiddlers ; let the king be lame, and bis subjects will 
 halt for corapany ; nay, more than all this, in saying 
 we are in Christ, we say we are his seed, his oflspriug ; 
 and hominVnis hctum et yloriosum filios /fahere con- 
 similes,-' It is a joy to parents when their children are 
 like them, and the care of good children to follow 
 their parents ; so that since in all these relations 
 there is an obligation, ' He that saith he abideth in 
 Christ, ought,' &c. 
 
 2. There is a singular influence which Christ hath 
 upon all those who are in him, enabling them to walk 
 as he walked. It is true our blessed Saviour speaketh 
 of branches in him that bear not fi-uit, but there he 
 meaneth those who are in him, pa/to.aivw; not hru;, 
 only in appearance, not in reality, who in respect of 
 their Christian profession seem to be, and in others,' 
 perhaps their own opinion, are in him, not of those 
 who are in him by a real, substantial, and spiritual 
 union ■with him, since all that are so in him cannot 
 but receive grace from him to become fruitful in good 
 works. They that are in Christ are his members, and 
 as the members, whilst united to the head, have sense 
 and motion derived from it ; so is it with those who 
 abide in Christ, to whom he imparts that motion 
 whereby they are able to walk as he walked. They 
 that are in Christ are his branches, John xv. 8 ; and 
 as the living branches receive sap from the root, yea, 
 the sap that is communicated to the branches is of the 
 same nature with that in the root, and the fruit accord- 
 incr, so doth eveiy one that is in Christ partake of 
 grace from Christ ; yea, that grace which is in Christ 
 is infused into the Christian. Finally, ' He that is joined 
 to the Lord is one spirit.' If any man be in Christ he 
 hath the spirit of Christ ; and look as when the spirit 
 of Elij:ih came upon Elisha, ho was enabled to do the 
 same miracles which he did ; so in whomsoever Christ's 
 spirit dwelleth, it strengthens them to do the works of 
 Christ, and become like to him. Very observable to 
 this purpose is that phrase of ' sealing with the spirit of 
 promise,' Eph. i. 13 ; for as the seal maketh the im- 
 pression of its own stamp upon the wax, whereby it is 
 that the characters upon the seal are to bo discerned in 
 the wax, sodoth Christ's Spirit stamp his own imageupon 
 the soul; whereby it is that the graces of Christappear 
 in the life of a Christian. Hence it follows that ' who- 
 soever saith lie is in Christ, onght to walk as he 
 walked,' or else he is a liar, and saith he is what ho is 
 not ; in which respect Leo excellently, f Fahw pro/en- 
 sionis immjinei'Aimur, si riijns nomine glorimiuir, ejt(S 
 i7!Stilula non sequamur, if we conform not to his pre- 
 cepts and pattern, in whose name we gloiT, and of 
 
 * Cypr. de zelo ct livor. 
 
 t Leo Serm. y. de jc-jim. 7 m. i. nicnsia. 
 
 whose relation we boast, all our profession is in vain, 
 nay, a mere lie. 
 
 To end therefore, explora teipsuin inf<r!i.r qui bapti- 
 sfitKS es i)i Chiislum, whosoever thou art that being 
 baptized into Christ professest to put him on, and 
 calling thyself a Christian, sayest thou art in him, try 
 thyself by this mark : dost thou walk as he walked ? 
 nay, rather dost thou not walk contrary to him ? He 
 was holy, thou art profane; he was humble, thou art 
 proud ; he was meek, thou art contentious ; he was 
 charitable, thou art malicious. Thou sayest thou art 
 in Christ, and yet thou livest like a beast in sensuality, 
 nay, like a devil in hatred and envy ; but let no man 
 deceive himself with such a vain profession. Nee quis- 
 quamse ('hristiaiuimjudicet, nisi qui Christi dodrinam 
 sequitur et imiiatur exemplum* nor let any man esteem 
 himself a Christian who doth not resolve to follow 
 Christ's commands and example. Indeed, what Alex- 
 ander said to one of his name who was a coward, Aut 
 depone nomen, aut forliter puijna, either shew thyself 
 valorous, or do not call thyself Alexander, that Christ 
 saith to all loose Christians, Either live according to 
 my pattern, or renounce my name. ' Let then every 
 one that nameth the name of Christ' express the nature 
 and do the works of Christ. Pythagoras, instructing 
 women, f in a grave oration told them, that manj- of 
 the names which were given to them in their conditions, 
 both before and after marriage, were the names of god- 
 desses, and thence exhorted them to imitation of those 
 goddesses. The name (beloved) which we all have 
 taken upon us is the name of Christ, and therefore 
 let us account ourselves engaged to conform to him. 
 This is that which will both justify the truth of our 
 present profession, and make good our future expec- 
 tation. There are many, as St Bernard observeth.J 
 who would Chrialiuii roiisequi, and yet not xcqiii, bo 
 where Christ is, sit down in his throne as he is in his 
 Father's, and yet will not go where he went, and walk 
 as he walked. But, alas! it cannot be; there is no 
 coming to the same place but by the same path. 
 iS'(r/i(( scrvtilorem est participate salulem, saith Irenreus 
 elegantly, § the way to partake of salvation is to follow 
 our Saviour. And therefore he that saith he is now in 
 Christ, and hopeth hereafler to be with him, must so 
 walk as he walked. In a word, live as Christ lived, 
 holily, justly, soberly; die as Christ died, believingly, 
 charitaldy, patiently; so shall you reign as Christ 
 reigneth, gloriously, triumphantly, eternally. Amen. 
 
 * Alt',', de Vita Christiana, tr. viii. cap. xiv. 
 t .laniblic. I'ytbng. lib. i. cap. xi. 
 X licrn. iu Cunt. serm. xxi. 
 § Iren. lib. iv. cap. xxviii. 
 
Ver. 3, 5.] 
 
 SERMON XXVr. 
 
 161 
 
 Ilcrehij lie know that ue know him.- 
 
 SERMON XXVI. 
 
 -1 John II. ver. 3, pari former. 
 — Ver. 5, part latter. 
 
 lleiehij we know that we are in him. 
 
 THAT rule of divines concerning precepts — Tola lex 
 e6t copidalira, the whole law is copulative — may 
 no less trulj- be applied to graces, which, as so many 
 links iu a chain of gold, are knit one to the other. 
 The mother and root grace of all is faith (here called 
 knowledge), as being that which ingrafts us into Christ, 
 of whose fiilness (saith the evangelist, John i. 16) 'we 
 receive grace for grace.' This faith, wherever it is, is 
 attended with charity; for 'faith' (saith St Paul, Gal. 
 V. 6) ' works by love.' This love cannot reside in any 
 soul, but it will manifest itself by obedience. So much 
 our blessed Saviour expresseth : John xiv. 13, ' If any 
 man love me, he will keep my commandments.' This 
 obedience is then best performed when we are con- 
 formed to Christ in our lives ; and therefore calling 
 upon us to take his yoke, he biddeth us learn of him. 
 Mat. si. 29, 30. Finally, by this obedience to, and 
 imitation of Christ, we gain our assurance of our 
 interest in him. Whence the apostle Peter, requiring 
 us to ' give dihgence to make our calling and election 
 snre,' 2 Peter i. 10, presently addeth, ' If you do these 
 things,' that is, practise those graces whereof Christ 
 hath given us a pattern. Thus there is not only a 
 concomitancy, but an efhciencv, of graces, a connection 
 of one with, but a dependence of one upon, the other ; 
 whilst knowledge begets love, and love keepeth the 
 commandments, and keeping the commandments we 
 walk as Christ walked, and by all these we come to 
 know that we know him, and are in him. All of which 
 are succinctly and distinctly laid down in these four 
 verses : ' Hereby we know,' &c. 
 
 In these verses there are two clauses yet remaining 
 to be discussed, the one in the beginning of the third, 
 and the other in the end of the fifth; the former of 
 which refers to the keeping of the commandments, and 
 the other, though it may look backward, yet most 
 rationally is conceived to look forward, to walking as 
 Christ walked ; both for substance the same, and 
 contain in them two collateral propositions : the one 
 whereof asserts the attaining a comfortable knowledge 
 of our knowledge of and interest in Christ — ' We know 
 that we know him,' ' we know we are in him ;' and the 
 other an especial means whereby that knowledge is 
 attained, namely, hereby, that is, by keeping his com- 
 mandments; and again herein/, that is, by walking as 
 he walked. Of both which in their order. 
 
 1. St John here affirmeth of himself and other saints, 
 we know that we know him, we know that we are in 
 him. It is that indeed which, not only here, but else- 
 where, he asserts in the next chapter, ver. 14, ' We 
 know that we are translated ;' and again in the fourth 
 chapter, ver. 13, 'We know that wo dwell in him;' 
 
 and in the fifth, ver. 19, ' We know that we dwell in 
 God.' For the better opening of it, take notice of 
 these ensuing considerations. 
 
 1. There is a threefold object, whereabout this know- 
 ledge is conversant, namel}', what was before all time, 
 what shall be after all time, and what is in this pre- 
 sent time. This knowledc;e looketh backward, and 
 that as far as eternity, to the decree of election, which 
 was before the foundation of the world. In this respect 
 it is St Peter's advice, 2 Peter i. 5, ' Make your elec- 
 tion sure.' This knowledge looketh forward at the 
 future estate of felicity; upon which account St Paul, 
 in the name of himself and others, saith, 2 Cor. v. 1, 
 ' We know that we have a building in the heaven.' 
 Finally, this knowledge looketh upon our present estate 
 of vocation, justification, and sanctification, our union 
 with and faith in Christ, and of this our apostle here 
 speaketh, to which I shall therefore confine my dis- 
 course. 
 
 2. There is a double knowledge attainable by a 
 Christian, to wit, direct and reflex. The direct know- 
 ledge is terminated in Christ, who is its object ; the 
 reflex in the knowledge itself, which is the act. Both 
 these kinds of knowledge our apostle here expressly 
 speaketh of when he saith, ' We know that we know 
 him;' where the latter we know is that seientia, know- 
 ledge which immediately looks on Christ, and tha 
 former is that conscientia, knowledge which imme- 
 diately looks upon the act of knowing. Indeed, it is 
 the choice privilege of the rational soul, that it can 
 reflect upon its own acts, whereby it is that a man not 
 only understandeth and willeth, but knoweth that his 
 soul doth exercise those functions. This is that which 
 accordingly a Christian improveth in respect of his 
 spiritual actings, so that he doth not only put forth the 
 operations of his graces, but is in some measure assured 
 that he doth put them forth. For as when I look in 
 a glass I look upon myself looking in it, when I touch 
 my body I feel my feeling of it, in hke manner the soul, 
 by reflex knowledge, apprehends her own apprehen- 
 sion, judgeth of her own judgment, and believes her 
 belief. Suitable to which is that of devout Anselm,* 
 Qui fidci sensum in corde hahet, hie scit Christum 
 Jesum in se esse, a Christian having an experimental 
 sense of faith in his soul, knoweth himself to be in 
 Christ. 
 
 3. This knowledge of knowing Christ, and being in 
 him, is only in respect of ourselves, not others. ' We 
 know him,' saith the apostle ; not that ' you know 
 him,' or that you are in him, but that we; every one 
 attaineth this knowledge in respect of himself. Con- 
 * Ansehn in Coriuth. 
 
 L 
 
1G2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 gruous to this purpose is that of St Austin,* Fides est 
 in intimis nostris ; nee enim quisqiiam honiinum videt 
 in alio, sed unusquisque in senitipso, faith is inwardly 
 seated in the heart, which one man cannot discern in 
 another, but only in himself. Indeed, negatively, we 
 mav conclude eoucerniiig those whom we see wallow- 
 ing in profaneness, living in wickedness, that for the 
 present they are not in Christ, nor have any saving 
 knowledge of him. Positively, we cannot [know] con- 
 cemiiig any, though never so holy in appearance, that 
 they are in Christ, since, whereas men may give un- 
 doubted signs of their badness, they cannot of their 
 goodness. Indeed, this 'new name' is such as ' np 
 man knoweth, but he who receiveth it,' and that only 
 in himself who doth receive it. And as to know it in 
 ourselves is very difficult, so to know it in another is 
 impossible. True, we must here distinguish of a 
 double knowledge, to wit, of charity and certainty. 
 The former is only a probable opinion (improperly 
 called knowledge), and is that which we may have of 
 others being in Christ by their external conversation. 
 Thus the author to the Hebrews, chap. vi. 9, was 
 ' persuaded better things ' of them to whom he wrote ; 
 and St Peter, 1 Peter v. 12, calling Sylvanus a 'faith- 
 ful brother,' addeth, ' as I suppose.' Nor are we to 
 understand any more by St Paul's phrase concerning 
 the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. i. 4, ' knowing your election 
 of God,' since not the apostles themselves (except by 
 special revelation) could infallibly know any parti- 
 cular persons to be the chosen of God, and members 
 of Christ. 
 
 4. Lastly, this knowledge of our own interest in 
 Christ, on the one hand, is not barely conjectural, but 
 infallible; and yet, on the other hand, it is not perfect 
 and complete. 
 
 (1.) This knowledge is not, cannot be, perfect; for 
 by the same reason that one, every grace may be per- 
 fect in this life ; whereas full perfection of grace is the 
 privilege of that other life. Indeed, one of the names 
 by which this grace is called in Scripture, is crXTjjo^og/a, 
 full assurance; but that is only in a comparative no- 
 tion, since none ever had an absolutely full assurance. 
 There are indeed several degrees and measures, as of 
 others, so of tliis gi'ace; and the higher degree may 
 be said to be full in comparison of the lower, but the 
 highest is not altogether perfect. True it is some- 
 times, and in some persons, this knowledge may be 
 BO clear and firm, that there may not be any sensible 
 stirrings of infidelity. The conclusion which such an one 
 makoth of his union with Christ, may be peremptory, 
 without actual hesitation; but still there are some 
 reniaindc-rs of unbelief in the heart, whence it is that 
 tluir knowledge is not always in an equal height, but 
 hath its ebbings ns well as flowings. 
 
 (2.) But though it be not perfi'ct, so as altogether 
 to expel doubting, yet it is infallible, so as to exclude 
 deceit. It is not only we think, or we hope, but we 
 * Aug. de Trin. lib. xiii. cap. ii. 
 
 hioii:. It is true, as all olher graces, so this hath its 
 counterfeit. There is a presumption which looketh 
 like this persuasion, whence it is that a man m.ay be 
 deceived about it ; but still the knowledge itself is 
 such as duth not deceive. To this purpose are those 
 similitudes which the learned Daveuant maketh use 
 of:* a man that is drunk may think himself sober, 
 a man that is in a dream maj- imagine himself to be 
 awake, and both are cheated in their oj)inions ; yet 
 this hindereth not but that a sober man may know 
 that he is not drunk, a man that is awake may know 
 that he is not asleep, and this knowledge of theirs is 
 infallible. Thus whilst hypocrites have a deceitful 
 presumption of their union with, it hindereth not but 
 that regenerate persons may and do attain an infal- 
 lible knowledge of their knowledge of, and interest in, 
 Christ. 
 
 To apply this : what remaineth but that every one 
 of us labour to be among the number of this we, to 
 know that we do know and are in Christ. Indeed, 
 they who take upon them the profession of Christianity 
 may in this respect be fitly ranked into three sorts. 
 
 1. Some there are who are in Chiist, but Icnow it 
 not ; like children who live in their mother's belly, but 
 are not themselves sensible of it. As Jacob said of 
 Bethel, Gen. xxviii. 16, ' God was in this place, and I 
 knew it not,' so may it be said of many Christians, 
 Christ is in them, and they in him, and they are not 
 aware of it. Of whom we may pronounce in Virgil's 
 words, 
 
 fortunatos niinium, bona si sua norint, 
 Agricolas ! 
 
 How happy were they did they but laiow their happi- 
 ness, for want of which their zealous minds pass 
 unrighteous censures upon themselves, as if they were 
 miserable. 
 
 2. Others there are who pretend to know and be 
 assured of their interest in Christ, when yet they have 
 no true right or title to him. Their self-flattery fills 
 them with this vain self-conceit, and their blind igno- 
 rance causeth them to presume that they know Christ; 
 and whereas the coiidition of the former sort is in 
 their apprehension only, the estate of this sort is really 
 miserable. Indeed, as one saith excellently, they are 
 eo maijis di'sperali, quo niinKx desperantcs, their case is so 
 much the more desjjerate, because they are so far from 
 despairing, that they presume; since, by this pre- 
 sumptuous opinion of having already attained, they are 
 hindered from labouring after an interest in Christ. 
 And as the philosopher said of one who had been ill 
 taught, that his task was double, both dedocere and 
 doccrf, to unteach and then teach such an one, so 
 may we say of such persons, they must first be taken 
 off from their sandy foundaticn, and then fixed upon 
 the true rock, whereby it is that they are brought with 
 more difficulty into the state of salvation. 
 
 8. But, lastly, others there are who both truly know 
 * D.ivcn. Detenu, iv. 
 
Vek. 3, 5.] 
 
 SEUSrON XXVI. 
 
 103 
 
 Christ, aud know that they know him, are by faith 
 engrafted into Christ, and have an inward sense of that 
 faith, and so of their being engrafted in him. Among 
 this number was St John ; and not he only, but many 
 others, as well Christians as apostles. In which respect 
 he useth the plural number; and indeed, an endeavour 
 after this reflex knowledge, is that to which every 
 Christian is bound. It is St Peter's counsel, 2 Peter 
 i. 10, ' Giving all diligence to make your calling and 
 election sure.' And if you please to view the beginning 
 of his epistle, you shall find those whom he puts upon 
 this work, to be 'all that had obtained like precious faith' 
 with the apostles (to wit, for quality, though not 
 quantit}-); that is, all believers who, being chosen and 
 called, must strive for an assurance that they are so. 
 
 Among others, there are two considerations which 
 may serve as spurs to quicken our endeavours, and 
 wings to accelerate our pursuit after this knowledge, 
 namely, the possibility of attaining it, and the utility 
 of it when attained. 
 
 1. If we strive after it, we shall not labour in vain. 
 Indeed, God hath appointed to every Christian his 
 measure of spiritual stature ; yet so as that no Christian 
 who is not awanting to himself, but may attain so far 
 as to have some degree of this knowledge. Where St 
 Peter in the fore-mentioned scripture requireth all 
 believers to give all diligence to gain this assurance, 
 what doth he but imply at once both a difliculty and a 
 possibility of gaining it ? since, were it not diificult, 
 there were no need of all ; and if it be not possible, 
 it will be iu vain to use aiti/ diligence. AVhen St Paul 
 calleth upon the Corinthians, 2 Cor. xiii. 5, to ' exa- 
 mine themselves whether they be in the faith,' what 
 is his design but (as the following words, Know you not 
 that Jems Christ is in you ? intimate) that they might 
 come to know their interest in Christ ? And surely 
 it were in vain to bid us search for that which cannot 
 be found ; examine whether we be in the faith, if we 
 cannot know whether we have faith or no. 
 
 2. Possible then it is, and not only so, but profitable, 
 as conducing very much to the exercise of many duties, 
 and the participation of many comforts. 
 
 1. Christians are called upon in Scripture to cry 
 Abba, Father; to rejoice in the Lord, Philip, iii. 1; to be 
 thankful; to love the appearing, and look for the coming, 
 of Christ, Titus ii. 13. Now these are such duties as 
 are to be performed by none but them who know that 
 they know Christ, and are in him. How can we call 
 God Father unless we know him to be so ? Nor can we 
 be assured that he is our Father, except we know our- 
 selves to be in Christ, through whom alone he becometh 
 a Father. Gerson hath well observed,* that to joy there 
 must three things concur : ohjeclwii delectahile, 
 applicatio ad appctentem, et cogiiilio (t/'pticalionis, 
 a delightful object, an application of this object to him 
 who desireth it, and a knowledge of that application. 
 It is so in spiritual joy : Christ is the delectable object, 
 ♦ Gcrs. par. 2. comp. Tlicol. de delect. 
 
 our knowing him and being in him is the application 
 of this object ; and ihough thess two bo present, yet 
 if there be not a knowledge of this application, there 
 can be no rejoicing. How full of tears and despair is 
 Hagar, Gen. xxi. 16, when j-et a well was by her ! 
 How sad and pensive are those two disciples, whilst 
 j'et Christ draweth near to them, and walketh with 
 them ! Luke xxiv. 15, 17. How bitterly doth Mary 
 weep at the sepulchre, whenas he for whom she weepeth 
 is risen from the grave and standeth by her ! John xx. 
 li, 15. And why all this ? Alas ! Hagar seeth not 
 the well ; the disciples and Mary knew him not to be 
 Jesus. Thus, as it is impossible to desire that we 
 know not to be good, so to delight in that good whereof 
 we know not ourselves possessed. And as we cannot 
 be joyful in, so neither thanlijul for, those benefits, 
 whereof we have not a sensible fruition. He only that 
 can say, ' God of his abundant mercy hath begotten 
 me again,' can say, ' Blessed be the God and Father of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ,' 1 Peter i. 4. Finally, Christ's 
 coming at the last day shall be ' in flaming fire, ren- 
 dering vengeance on them that know him not ;' only 
 to them that are in him he will arise a Sun of right- 
 eousness with healing on his wings . So that whilst 
 we are uncertain of our being in Christ, we cannot 
 with comfort expect, or with desire long for, his coming. 
 2. And as this knowledge enableth us to these 
 duties, so it is that which enlargeth our comforts. 
 True it is, he is an holy man who hath grace without 
 peace, but he is the happy man who hath grace and 
 peace. The knowledge of OJir interest in Christ is not 
 necessary to the end itself, as if there were no salvation 
 without it ; but it is needful to solace us in the way to 
 the end, since there is no consolation without it. 
 What is it that heighteneth our fellowship and com- 
 munion with God, that giveth us bolduess of access 
 to the throne of grace, that causeth the soul to con- 
 verse with God as a favourite with his prince, a son 
 with his father, a bride with her bridegroom, but this 
 knowledge ? How amiable is the meditation of Christ, 
 in his person, natures, ofiices, merits, to him who, 
 knowing himself to be in Chi-ist, knoweth all these to 
 be his ! Everything of Christ is sweet to such a soul ; 
 it doth him good to view his wounds ; nay, with 
 Thomas, to put his hands in the hole of Christ's side, 
 whilst be can say, ' My Lord, and my God.' With 
 what gladness doth he receive the word of God in 
 every part of it, since the very threatenings do not 
 affright him, because he knoweth they belong not to 
 him ! This knowledge of our interest in Christ is 
 that which multiplieth the sweetness of all temporal 
 enjoyments, inasmuch as by this means we look upon 
 ourselves as having not only a civil, but a spiritual, 
 right to them, we look upon them as the fruits and 
 pledges of special love ; yea, the earnest of a better 
 inheritance. Indeed, mercy looketh like mercy, and 
 every blessing is doubly beautiful in the eye of such a 
 Christian. One being asked what was the best pros- 
 
16-1. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. TI. 
 
 pect, returned this answer, ' To see a great way in 
 bis own land.' He that knoweth he is in Christ may 
 look both on earth and heaven as his ; according to 
 that of St Paul, 1 Cor. iii. 22, ' All things are yours.' 
 
 Finally, this is that which contents us in all estates, 
 supports us under all afflictions, and armetbus against 
 the fears of death. He must needs be willing to want 
 anything else who knoweth be hath Christ, who is 
 ' all in all.' He need not, cannnot, be troubled with 
 any evils, who, knowing that be is in Christ, knoweth 
 all things shall work for his good, Kom. viii. 28 ; nor 
 can the separation which death maketh be terrible to 
 him who is assured of that union with Christ, which 
 admits of no separation, no, not by death itself, ver. 38 ; 
 yea, which death is so far from hindering, that it 
 basteneth to a fuller perfection. 
 
 To end this, therefore, let our first care be to know 
 Christ, and by knowing to get uito him ; and then let 
 our nest endeavour be to know that we do know bim 
 and are in bim. The former will give us a right to, 
 but it is the latter will give us the comfort of, all those 
 glorious privileges and benefits which Christ bath 
 purchased ; and if we would know how to attain this 
 reflexive knowledge, pass we on to the, 
 
 2. Next and last proposition, which discovereth the 
 means of attaining it, namely, hn-ebi/. By keeping the 
 commandments, we know that we know him ; and by 
 walking as Christ walked, we know that we are in bim. 
 Look as if the question be put. How we shall know 
 the true church ? the answer is. By its essential marks ; 
 60 if you ask. How shall we know that we are true Chris- 
 tians? our apostle answereth, Hereby; by the charac- 
 teristical properties. 
 
 To elucidate this assertion, observe these following 
 particulars : 
 
 1. That knowledge which we have of our being in 
 Christ, and knowing him by these characters is not 
 d priori, but d posteriori ; not by the causes, but by 
 the effects. Our obedience is not the root, but the fruit, 
 of faith ; and we are not in Christ because we walk in 
 him, but we walk in him because we are in him. To 
 this purpose is that note of Beza upon the text, Bona 
 operanos non iuaerunt Chrixtn, sed insitos consequuntur, 
 good works do not engraft us into Christ, but our 
 being engrafted into Christ, enableth us to perform good 
 works. As, therefore, the tree is known by its fruit, 
 and life is known by breathing and motion, which are 
 the cfl'ccts of it, so wc know our faith in, and union 
 with, Christ, by our obedience to, and imitation of, 
 bim. 
 
 2. That knowledge we have by these characters is 
 Bafe and sure, yea, such as cannot deceive us. For, 
 
 (1.) Inasmuch as the commands which Christ re- 
 quirelh us to keep, and the ways wherein he walked 
 which we must follow, are clearly set down in the 
 word ; if we faithfully compare our actions with the 
 rule, we may know whether wo keep the command- 
 ments, and walk as Christ walked or not. True it is, 
 
 many are cheated with alchymy instead of gold ; think 
 themselves to have those graces which Christ did 
 shew forth, whenas they are counterfeit. But this is 
 not for want of an exact rule discovering, but because 
 of a deceitful heart misapplying. So that, wore men 
 but faithful to themselves, they might be able to 
 pass a right censure in this particular. Hence it is 
 that, whilst the hypocrite deludeth himself with a par- 
 tial obedience and a counterfeit imitation, the regen- 
 erate Christian, being in some measure enlightened, 
 discovereth what is sincere and what is feigned, and 
 so judgeth righteous judgment. To this purpose is 
 that of St Austin,* Qui diliffit fratrem, marjis norh 
 dtlectionem qua dilif/it, quam fratrem. quern diiiijit. 
 He who loveth his brother, more surely knoweth the 
 love whereby he loveth him, than his brother whom 
 he loveth. And hence it is that the same father 
 saith,f Est modiis gJoriandi in cojiscieiitia id norerif 
 fidem tuam esse sinceram, ut noveris spein tuam esse 
 certain, ut noveris charitalem tuam esse sine simnlalione, 
 This is the rejoicing, yea, glorying of a Christian, 
 whilst his conscience, regulated by the word, and 
 illuminated by grace, giveth in evidence that his faith 
 is sincere, his hope firm, and his love unfeigned. 
 
 (2.) Inasmuch as this obedience to, and imitation 
 of Christ, are the necessary and particular effects of 
 our knowledge of and being in Christ, he who lindeth 
 the one may undoubtedly infer the other. 
 
 To unfold this briefly, know that the effects of a 
 lively faith are of three sorts. 
 
 [l.J Some which so flow from a true faith that 
 they are likewise the efl'ccts of other causes. Such 
 are all acts of moral virtue, and external duties of 
 religion. Hence it is that heathen, who have no 
 faith at all, have performed the former ; and hypo- 
 crites, who have no true faith, the latter. So that, 
 though from hence we may conclude negatively, he 
 that doth not these things hath no faith, yet we can- 
 not affinnativcly, because we do such things therefore 
 we are in Christ, and believe in him. 
 ■" [2.] Others, which are only the effects of a right 
 faith, but yet such as faith produceth not but when in 
 strength. Of this sort are the sense of God's love, 
 peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, magna- 
 nimity in afflictions, and desires of dissolution. From 
 these we may conclude affirmatively, but not negativelj', 
 he that can act these duties doth know Christ, but 
 every one that knoweth Christ cannot act these duties. 
 
 [3.] Finally, other cfl'ects there are which flow from 
 faith only and always, which it is as natural for faith 
 to produce as for the sun to shine, or the fire to burn. 
 Such are these my text spcaketh of, a sincere obedi- 
 ence, and a conscientious imitation of Christ. From 
 whence wo may infer both ways, and so the proposi- 
 tion w^ill be reciprocally true : Every one who keepeth 
 the commandment, knoweth Christ ; who walkctii as 
 Christ walked, is in him ; and every one who knoweth 
 
 * Aug. de Trill,, lib. xiii. caii, 2. f 'd. in Ps. cxlix. 
 
Ver. 
 
 SERMON XXVI. 
 
 165 
 
 Chfist, keepefh the commandments, is in Christ, and 
 walketh as he ■walked. 
 
 Put then both these considerations together, we may 
 know that we keep the commandments, and if we keep 
 the commandments we may assure ourselves that we 
 know Christ ; no wonder if our apostle say. Hereby we 
 know we know him. We may perceive whether we 
 walk as Christ walked or no; and if we walk as Christ 
 walked, we may be coniident we are in him. No mar- 
 vel if our apostle say. Hereby we know that we are in 
 him. The strength of this argumentation will the 
 better appear if we reduce it to a syllogism, which 
 may be thiis framed : — 
 
 ^\^losoever keepeth the commandments knoweth 
 Christ ; 
 
 Whoso walketh as Christ walked, is in him ; 
 
 But 1 keep the commandments, and walk as Christ 
 walked ; 
 
 Therefore I know Christ, and am in him. 
 
 The first of these, which is the major, we know by 
 a certainty of faith, as being expressly asserted in this 
 and other scripfures. The second, which is the minor, 
 we know by a certainty of experience, finding these 
 qualifications wrought in us ; and thus, knowing the 
 premises, we infer the conclusion, and so, by a cer- 
 tainty of faith joined with experience, we are able to 
 assert our interest in Christ. 
 
 8. This knowledge which we have hereby, doth not 
 exclude the testimony of the Spirit. It is St Paul's 
 assertion, Eom. viii. 16, that ' the Spirit beareth wit- 
 ness with our spirits, that we are the children of God.' 
 Yea, St John, in the last chapter of this epistle, ver. 7, 
 plainly ascribeth this office of bearing witness to the 
 Spirit ; and yet it is no less true, that these qualifi- 
 cations do bear the same witness ; these two witnesses 
 being the one subservient to the other, whilst the 
 Spirit is the principal, and these qualifications are the 
 Spirit's instrument in this work. ^Yhether there be 
 an immediate testimony given by the Spirit to the 
 soul of a believer, assuring him of his interest in 
 Christ, I will not now dispute. That the Spirit can 
 thus testify, is not to be questioned; and that, at some 
 times, to some eminent saints he hath been and may 
 still be pleased to vouchsafe it, will not be denied ; 
 but, doubtless, the usual way of the Spirit's witnessing 
 is by the grace of sanctification imprinted on the heart, 
 and expressed in the life. 
 
 To this testimony the Spirit concurreth, especially 
 two ways, partly by implanting his graces in us, in 
 which respect they are called ' the fruits of the Spirit,' 
 Gal. V. 22, and partly by discovering them to us; in 
 which regard St Paul saith, 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' We have 
 received the Spirit which is of God, that we might 
 know the things which are freely given us of God.' 
 The truth is, as we cannot have grace without the 
 Spirit's operation, so neither can we discern it but by 
 the Spirit's irradiation ; and, as the beauty of all 
 colours is manifested Ly the light of the sun, so is 
 
 the truth of all gi-accs in the heart by the Spirit's 
 light. 
 
 By all which, it appeareth that the Spirit is the chief 
 in this work ; so that as if you ask how we know that 
 we know Christ, and are in him ? the answer is. By 
 keeping the commandments, and walking as Christ 
 walked. So if you ask, how we are enabled to keep 
 the commandments, and walk as Christ walked, and 
 how we are to know that we do thus walk and keep 
 the commandments ? the answer is. By the Spirit. 
 
 To close up this with a double consectary. 
 
 1. That assurance of an interest in Christ which 
 many pretend to, who walk contrarj' to him and his 
 precepts in their lives, is not a Christian knowledge, 
 but a vain confidence, a carnal security, a lying delu- 
 sion, and a damned presumption. To all such, there- 
 fore, who hug sin in their bosoms, and yet suppose 
 they are folded in Christ's arms, who sail with full speed 
 to hell, and yet think to cast anchor at heaven gates ; 
 who live in rebellion against, and yet promise to them- 
 selves salvation by, Christ ; we say not, ' Kejoice with 
 trembling,' but Tremble without rejoicing; not ' Work 
 out your salvation withfear,' butFear without any hope 
 of salvation in this conditi( n. And whereas such 
 persons may perhaps plead an immediate testimony of 
 God's Spirit, assuring them that they are in Christ, 
 we are bold to tell them, it is an hissing of the old 
 serpent, not a whispering of the good Spirit ; it is the 
 voice of the devil, not of God. Ah, my brethren, we 
 sometimes pity mad persons whom we see lying in the 
 straw, clad in rags, and yet hear them boasting them- 
 selves to be kings and queens. Have we not as great, 
 naj', far more reason to pity our own madness, in 
 fancying to ourselves we are in Christ, washed by his 
 blood, and made kings and priests to God, whenas we 
 transgress his laws, and cast both his precepts and 
 pattern behind our back. Methinketh when men who 
 live in adultery, fornication, covetousuess, envy, rebel- 
 lion, or any work of the flesh, promise to themselves an 
 interest in Christ, their sins should presently look them 
 in the face and tell them that they are none of Christ's. 
 
 2. It nearly concerneth us all to search our hearts 
 and try our waj's, to inquire into the obedience and 
 conformity of our conversations, that hereby we may 
 know we are in Christ. It is an excellent saying of 
 St Bernard,* Qtuinliim cresds in ijraliam, tanliim dila- 
 taris in Jiducicim, according to the measure of our 
 obedience, so is the measure of our confidence; if, 
 therefore, we would strengthen the latter, we must by 
 due inquiry assure ourselves of the former. Ah, my 
 brethren, it is an easy matter for a man to say, I 
 know I am in Christ ; but it is no easy matter to say. 
 Hereby I know I am in him. What is it for a man to 
 brag that such and such lands and lordships are his, 
 unless he can shew his evidences '? These qualifi- 
 cations are the evidences of our title to Christ ; and 
 what will it avail to lay a claim to Christ, if we 
 
 '■'■ Eern. Serm. iii. in Cant. 
 
1G6 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. 1 1. 
 
 have not these to shew? Oh, then, what need is 
 there of a diligent search, that wa may find these 
 qualifications in us, and because in niltilo facilias el 
 jyciiculosius erratiir, there is nothing wherein we may 
 more easily, and yet more dangerously, be mistaken 
 than in this enquiry, oh, what need is there of a 
 due care, that there may be no flaw in our evidence, 
 that our qualification be of a right stamp ! 
 
 To this end, study carefully the directions of the 
 word, pray fervently for the illumination of the Spirit, 
 consult not with flesh and blood, hearken not to the 
 suggestions of Satan, but deal impartially with thy 
 own soul, as knowing of how great concernment the 
 right managing of this work is. 
 
 And now, upon serious and deliberate search, 
 1. On the one hand, canst thou not find these quali- 
 fications in thee ? Be not too hasty in passing a deter- 
 minate senfe.ico against thyself, since, though these 
 graces be necessary efi'ects, yet they are not necessary 
 signs of faith ; and therefore they may be in us, and 
 60 we truly in Christ, and yet not appear, so as we to 
 know either that they are in us, or we in Christ. 
 Perhaps thou art at that time clouded with some violent 
 passion, assaulted with some virulent temptation, under 
 spiritual desertion ; and no wonder if in such a case 
 thou be not able to see those graces which yet thou 
 hast ; since, though there be fire, yet so long as it is 
 hid in the embers it cannot flame forth, nor doth it 
 appear to be there. Besides the operating, there must 
 be (as you have heard) a discovering work of the 
 Spirit. By the former, faith bringeth these graces 
 forth as eflecfs ; by the latter, a believer maketh use 
 
 of them as signs, and these two do not always go to- 
 gether. Indeed, if thou manifestly find the contrary 
 vices reigning in thee, thou mayest and oughtest to 
 conclude thyself as yet to be without Christ ; but 
 though thou canst not clearly apprehend the in-being 
 of these graces, thou must not peremptorily conclude 
 against thy being in Christ, but ralher hanging, as it 
 were, between hope and fear, wait and pray, and search 
 for further discovery. 
 
 2. On the other band, dost thou find the truth of 
 these qualifications in thee ? Bless thy God, know 
 thy bliss, own thy privilege, and labom- after greater 
 measures of this apprehension ; since as he that only 
 hopes he keepeth the commandments, can only hope 
 that he knoweth Christ, so he that knoweth and is 
 assured he keepeth them, may know and bo assured 
 that he knoweth Christ. 
 
 I shut up all with one caution. In your endeavours 
 after the reflex, forget not the direct acts of faith. 
 Look upon Christ as he who is your righteousness to 
 justify you ; and then look upon your obedience as 
 that which may testify to you that you are justified by 
 him ; even then, when you cannot clearly discover 
 inherent qualifications, cast not away wholly your con- 
 fidence in Christ's merits ; and when you do discover 
 them, rest not in them, but only in Christ's merits, 
 ever remembering that it is the being in Christ by 
 faith which entitleth you to justification and salvation ; 
 and your keeping the commandments, and walking as 
 Christ walked, is that which manifesteth the truth of 
 your faith, by which you are in Christ, by whom you 
 are justified, and shall at last be saved. 
 
 SEEMON XXVII. 
 
 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, hut an old commandment, which you had from the beginning : 
 the old commandment is the uord ichich ye have heard from the beriinning. Again, a new commandment I 
 u-rilo unto you, wliich thing is true in him and in you; hecaiiae the darkness is past, and the true light now 
 shinelh. He that sailh he is in the light, and hatclh his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that 
 lorelh his brother abideth in tlie light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him: but he that lialeth 
 his brother is in darkness, and wnlkelh in darkness, and knoweth not u hither lie goeth, because that darkness 
 hath blinded his eyes. — 1 John II. 7-11. 
 
 IT was St Paul's sage and sacred advice to Timothy, 
 1 Tim. ii. 13, ' Hold fast the form of sound words 
 which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which 
 is in Christ Jesus :' where these words, faith and 
 love are by some, and not unfitly, referred to the man- 
 ner of holding, these being the two hands by which 
 we hold fast the truth ; but by others, and no less 
 probably, they are referred to the form of sound words 
 w-hich ho heard of him, the matter of the form, the 
 substance of those words being reducible to those two 
 heads. Suitable hereunto is that paraphrase of Theo- 
 philact,* in faith and love, TiuTian oi \6yoi /moj icai 
 <!Ti^i iridTfjii xai aya.'rri; diayo^ivoodiv, that is, My words 
 * Theojih. in loc. 
 
 and discourses are conversant about faith and love. 
 What he saith concerning St Paul's, we may concern- 
 ing St John's, words in this epistle, all of which tend 
 either to the enlightening of our faith, or inflaming of 
 our love ; the latter of which our apostle begins with 
 at these verses, ' Brethren, I write no new command- 
 ment,' &c. 
 
 Which words corsist of two general parts : 
 
 A preamble inviting, in the 7th and 8th verses ; 
 
 A doctrine instructing, in the 9th, 10th, and 11th 
 verses. 
 
 I. Our apostle, intending to spend a great part of 
 this epistle in a discourse of love, doth not unfitly 
 begin it with a preface ; especially considering that 
 
Ver. 7-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXVII. 
 
 167 
 
 the end of an exoidium is cnptiue bcuevolentlam, to 
 gain love both to the orator and his matter. 
 
 In this preamble there are two things considerable : 
 
 The kiod appellation our apostle giveth those to 
 whom he wrote, in the first word, brethren ; 
 
 The large commendation he giveth of the doctrine 
 about which he was to write, in the rest of the words. 
 
 That which first occurreth to be handled is the kind 
 appellation, iy<?f/uY». The vulgar Latin, following the 
 Syriac, read it Cliarissinn, ' dearly beloved ;' and Gro- 
 tius finds dyaTriroi, in one Greek manuscript. Indeed, 
 either is very suitable. To shew that he himself was 
 not a stranger to that love he would teach them, he 
 might fitly call them dearly beloved ; and being to treat 
 of brotherly love, he no less aptly useth the style of 
 brethren ; so that it is not much material which way we 
 read it ; but because the other phrase of dearly beloved 
 is used afterward, and the most Greek copies here 
 read aoiXfrd, I shall handle that reading which our 
 translation following renders, brethren. 
 
 It is a title that is very considerable upon several 
 accounts, especially these four. Inasmuch as it is a 
 word of verity, of humility, of charity, of dignity. 
 There was really such a relation between St John and 
 those to whom he wrote. The mentioning it by 
 the apostle argueth in him a spirit of love* and lowli- 
 ness, and much advancetli the honour of those to whom 
 he wrote. 
 
 1. It is a word of verity. Indeed, it is somewhat 
 strange how this should bo true. If you cast your 
 eyes on the first verse of this chapter, you find him 
 calling them children ; and how is it possible they 
 should at once be his brethren and his children ? If 
 they were his brethren, he and they must be children 
 of one father ; if they were his children, he must be 
 their father ; and these two cannot consist together. 
 The truth is, these relations in a natural way and a 
 proper notion are altogether incompatible between the 
 same persons ; and yet this hinders not but that, in a 
 spiritual and Scripture sense, both these arc verified 
 of St John, in reference to those to whom he wrote. 
 Know, then, that the sacred penman of this epistle 
 may be considered under a threefold latitude : as an 
 apostle, as a Christian, as a man. 
 
 (1.) Consider him as an apostle, invested by Christ 
 with authority to publish the gospel, whereby they 
 were converted to the faith ; so he was their father, 
 and might therefore call them his children. But, 
 
 (2.) Consider him as a Christian, embracing the 
 same faith with them which he preached to them ; so 
 he and they were brethren. They who have the same 
 father and mother are undoubtedly brethren. Now, 
 the apostles, as Christians, had God to their father, 
 and the catholic church to their mother, and there- 
 fore brethren to all, even ordinary Christians. In this 
 respect it is that St Peter, giving thanks to God for 
 
 * Qui de charitato praecepta traditurus erat a cliaritato 
 non alienuj. — Jiiilin. in Ej>. 
 
 this mercy of regeneration, 1 Pet. i. 3, useth a pro- 
 noun of the first person plural : ' Blessed be the God 
 and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath be- 
 gotten,' not me or you, or me and you, but ' us again 
 to a lively hope ; ' thereby intimating that he and they 
 were all the children of God, and that by the same 
 means of the new birth ; and St Paul, writing to the 
 Corinthians, 1 Cor. x. 17, maketh himself one of the 
 number when he saith, ' We being many are one body ;' 
 and again, xii. 3, ' By one Spirit we are all baptized 
 into one body,' thereby implying, that he and they 
 stand in the same relation to the church. 
 
 This relation is that which is not between every 
 minister and his people. On the one hand, some- 
 times the minister himself is not a brother, because a 
 profane, wicked person ; yea, in this respect, he may 
 be able to say, my children ! and yet not wy brethren ! 
 For since the spiritual birth dependeth upon the 
 energy of the seed, which is the word accompanied 
 with the Spirit, not at all upon the goodness of him 
 that dispenseth it, it is not impossible for an unre- 
 generate person to beget others to the faith, and so 
 the minister may be a father and not a brother. On 
 the other hand, ofttimes a great part of the people 
 remain in a state of sin and impenitency ; in which 
 regard good ministers have too oft just reason to com- 
 plain, that, when they have many auditors, they have 
 but few brethren. Indeed, whereas these two rela- 
 tions, in a carnal alliance, are inconsistent in this 
 spiritual kindred, they one make way for the other. 
 Auditors, by becoming the children, are also the 
 brethren, of their faithful pastors. Thus, when we 
 ourselves are begotten again to God, and we are instru- 
 ments to beget you again, you and we are brethren. 
 Happy the people who have such a minister, happy the 
 minister who hath such a people. Then is there the 
 sweetest harmony, when there is this spiritual affinity 
 between them. 
 
 (3.) And, lastly, consider him as a man sprouting 
 from the same root, and made of the same mould with 
 them ; so in a natural wa}', according to a large notion, 
 he and they were brethren. It was Moses his predic- 
 tion to the Jews concerning Christ : Deut. xviii. 15, 
 ' The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet 
 from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ; 
 him shall you hear.' And as Christ himself, so his 
 apostles whom he raised up to publish his gospel, and 
 their successors who are sent about this work, have 
 still been the people's brethren. Moschus rclafeth a 
 story of an abbot,* who was checked by a deacon for 
 some error in holy administrations, whilst he saw 
 angels standing by. He, supposing the angels would 
 have rebuked him if he bad done anything amiss, 
 slighted the deacon's admonition. The deacon con- 
 tinuing his reproof, the abbot addresseth himself to 
 the angels, Quare vos non di.rislis mihi! Why have 
 not you checked me ? To whom they returned this 
 * .Mosoh. de vit. patr. 1. x. c. U9. 
 
1C8 
 
 HAKDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 answer, Deits ila dUposnit iit hoiniiw.'! ab hoiiiiiiibits 
 corrigantur, God hath so ordered it that men should 
 be convicted and instructed by men, who are their 
 brethren. 
 
 We have a great deal of reason herein to take notice 
 of God's merciful condescension, in teaching us by men 
 like to ourselves. When God was pleased to speak by 
 himself, it was so terrible that the people could not 
 endure it. When God was at any time pleased to send 
 angels of his errand, it caused amazement in the minds 
 of them to whom they were sent ; but, speaking to us 
 by our brethren, men as we are, we are comforted and 
 encouraged. Doubtless it had been more congruous 
 to the majesty of God and subhmity of his message, 
 that those glorious angels should have been the dis- 
 pensers of it ; but surely it was more correspondent to 
 our weakness, and thereby to his goodness, that men 
 should be the conduits to convey this water of life to 
 us. And now, beloved, let not this goodness of God 
 be to us an occasion of contempt ; far be it, oh far be 
 it from us to regard the message the less because they 
 are men, our brethren, who bring it. He wanted not 
 other ways of making himself known to the children of 
 men, but this was most expedient for us, and therefore 
 let it be matter of gratulation to us ; and if, at any 
 time, our corrupt hearts shall prompt mpan thoughts 
 of the word, because of the meanness of the ambassa- 
 dors, let us remember that it is irrlntm patiis, though 
 in ore fratiia, the gospel of God, though spoken by 
 man ; the word of our Father, though in the mouth of 
 a brother. 
 
 2. It is a word of humility. Brotherhood is a rela- 
 tion of equality; all brethren (except the elder brother) 
 are alike ; Christ is the elder brother, so that the apos- 
 tle, in calling the Christians his brethren, maketh them, 
 as it were, equal to himself. Oh what humility lodged 
 in the hearts of those holy apostles ! No doubt, as 
 apostles, they were above the rest in place and power, 
 otrice and dignity, in which respect St John before calls 
 them children, a relation that argueth a superiority in 
 him over them; and }"et such was the lowliness of their 
 minds that they looked upon themselves as but equal; 
 and therefore this apostle here, and the rest frequently 
 in their epistles, use this term brethren ; nay, as if this 
 were not low enough, St Paul mentioneth a relation that 
 argueth an inferiority in the apostles to the people, 
 2 Cor. iv. 5, where he useth that religious compliment 
 to the Corinthians, ' ourselves, your servants for Jesus' 
 sake.' This lowliness of mind was that which, accord- 
 ing to Christ's command, they learned of him. It is 
 vci-;y" observable, that, though Christ was their Lord and 
 master, j'et ho calls them 'not servants but friends,' a 
 word of paritj' ; yea, he entitles them to this very rela- 
 tion, when he said to IVIary Magdalene, 'Go to my breth- 
 ren ;' and if Christ were pleased to call them, well 
 might they call those who were their disciples brethren. 
 
 Oh let the same mind be in all the ministers of the 
 goi.pel ! Pride is odious in any, but especially in Christ's 
 
 ambassadors. As St Paul saith, Philcm. 8, 9, 'Though 
 I might enjoin, I rather beseech,' so, though we may 
 challenge superiority and authority, yet let us rather 
 condescend to a way of equality, yea, if need be, infe- 
 riority. We must keep up the honour of our office, but 
 still express the humility of our minds ; in respect of 
 heavenly-mindedness we must be as the bills, of lowly- 
 mindedness as the valleys. Let us not think much to 
 sit. in the hinder part of the ship, so we may steer the 
 course of it to heaven. How willingly should we be- 
 speak the people as our brethren, nay, masters, so wo 
 can but gain them to be Christ's servants ! Only let 
 me add one caution : the humility of the minister must 
 not be an occa-^ion of contempt from the people ; yea, 
 give me leave to tell 3'ou, whilst we arc ready to be 
 commanded by you, j'ou ought readily to obey us, and 
 it becometh you to reverence us as fathers whilst we 
 call you brethren. 
 
 3. It is a word of amity. It is not unworthy our 
 observation, that the holy apostles are of all others 
 most frequent in this style of brethren, and that no 
 doubt for this reason, because it is a term at once 
 both free from pride and full of love. Great is the 
 love which hath been between brethren, nor can any 
 relation aflbrd higher examples than this. Brotherly 
 love hath exceeded parental. A Persian that wept 
 not for his child's did for his brother's death, saying, 
 
 1 may have more children, but not brethren I So 
 that our apostle here calling them brethren no doubt 
 intends to let them see how kindly aft'ectioned he was 
 towards them. Such is the afl'ection which the minis- 
 ters of Christ have ever had towards their people ; 
 thus did St Paul love the Corinthians when be saith, 
 
 2 Cor. vi. 11, '0 ye Corinthian*, our mouth is open 
 unto you, our heart is enlarged !' and the Thessaloni- 
 ans when he saith, 1 Thess. ii. 8, 'Being affectionately 
 desirous of j'ou, we were willing to have imparted unto 
 you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, 
 because ye were dear unto us.' Thus did St Ambrose 
 love his charge,* when he declareth how much he was 
 troubled at his absence from them, though upon just 
 occasion. It were easy to multiply instances of this 
 nature. Oh let all pastors take fire at these flames, 
 and learn by these examples; indeed, there is no rela- 
 tion in which ministers stand to their people but it 
 calls for this duty. If they look on thorn as their sheep, 
 their scholars, their children, their brethren, all engage 
 them to love. 
 
 And surely, marines anioris amor, love is the load- 
 stone of love ; if we love you, you must love us as 
 brethren. So did those converts who bespake the 
 apostles with this very title, ' Men and brethren,' Acts 
 ii. 37. Tell mo, I hesecch you, why should we bo 
 accounted as your enemies, who watch for your souls? 
 If you think scorn to honour us as fathers, yet how- 
 ever own us as brethren. 
 
 In a word, since we are brethren, let us sweetly live 
 * Ambr. Scrm. i. ile Temp. 
 
Veu. 7-]].] 
 
 SERMON XXVII. 
 
 169 
 
 and love as brethren. ' Oh how pleasant a thing it 
 is ' for ministers and people, like ' brethren, to dwell 
 together in unit}- !' Oh that both priest and people, 
 when any contentions arise between them, or when 
 their love to each other begins to fail in them, would 
 remember this relation, so should the meditation 
 hereof be both as water and fire, as water to cool the 
 heat of contention, as fijre to kindle and cherish the 
 heat of afl'ection. 
 
 4. It is a word of dignity, that he who was in the 
 highest office belonging to the Christian chiuxh should 
 call the despised Christians to whom he wrote his 
 brethren. As it is a dignation in him, so it mnst 
 needs be an exaltation to them. The greater the per- 
 sons to whom we are related, and the nearer the rela- 
 tion is, the greater is the honour. To be a servant, a 
 kinsman, but much more to be a brother of a lord, or 
 earl, but much more, of a king, is a very great dig- 
 nity. Such honour have Christians : they may claim 
 brotherhood to the goodly fellowship of the prophets, 
 the noble army of martyrs, the sacred hierarchy of the 
 apostles, yea, the head of the church, Christ himself ; 
 for so saith the author to the Hebrews concerning him, 
 Heb. ii. 11, ' He is not ashamed to call us brethren.' 
 
 Oh let us walk worthy of these high relations which 
 Christianity couferreth upon us, and so much the ra- 
 ther, because by our unanswerable behaviour to these 
 relations we shall not onh' dishonour om'selves, but 
 them to whom we are related. If one that is brother 
 to a king should make himself a companion of thieves, 
 doth it not redound to the dishonour of the king to 
 whom he is so nearly allied ? And if we, who, by 
 our Christian profession, pretend at least alliance to 
 the apostles, yea, Christ himself, shall live no better, 
 na}', worse, than Turks, pagans, infidels, how must 
 they sutler to whom we pretend so near a relation '? 
 And therefore (to imitate the apostle's exhortation), 
 ' let our conversation be such as becometh' the breth- 
 ren of those holy apostles, who were the first pub- 
 hshers of the gospel of Christ. And so much be 
 spoken of the compellation given to the persons. 
 
 Pass we on to the commendation which our apostle 
 here giveth the matter whereabout he was now to write, 
 which is drawn from three heads: 
 
 I. The authority of it, as being a precept both old 
 and new, in those words, ' I write no new but au old 
 commandment,' &c. ; and ' Again a new command- 
 ment I write to you.' 
 
 II. The conformity of it to the pattern which Christ 
 hath set, in those words, ' A thing which is true in 
 him.' 
 
 III. The congruity of it to the state of the gospel, 
 the truth of Christianity, in those words, 'And iu you, 
 because the darkness is past, and the true light now 
 shineth.' 
 
 I. The authority of that which our apostle here 
 coramendeth is that which we are to begin with, and 
 that inasmuch as it is 
 
 1. An old commandment. This is that which is 
 both propounded and proved, the former in those 
 words, ' I write not a new but an old commandment 
 to you ;' the latter in those, ' Which you heard from 
 the beginning; the old commandment is the word which 
 you heard from the beginning.' 
 
 The proposition is set down with a great deal of 
 emphasis, not only positively, but oppositively, afiirma- 
 tlvely, but negatively. The apostle doth not content 
 himself to say, I write to you an old commandment, 
 but knowing (as Calvin* well noteth) how suspected 
 novelty is and deservedly hateful, and because, as 
 Didymus observeth, the brand of novelty, both by Jews 
 and pagans, was cast on Christianity, and withal be- 
 cause many things are old which yet in truth are but 
 old innovations (as I shall hereafter discover), he doth 
 expressly vindicate his doctrine from any such asper- 
 sion, by this addition, Not a new but an old command- 
 ment. 
 
 It is somewhat debated by interpreters, what our 
 apostle intends by this old commandment. Whilst 
 some understand it generally of the whole evangelical 
 doctrine, others refer it to the preceding verse, where 
 is a special command of walking as Christ walked ; 
 others to that particular command of love, which im- 
 mediately foUoweth. This last I incline to, and so 
 much the rather because I find St John himself so ex- 
 pounding it in the 11th verse of the next chapter, 
 wherein he calls loving one another ' the message from 
 the beginning,' and at the 5th verse of the next epistle, 
 where he saith, ' Not as though I wrote a new com- 
 mandment,' and this concerning the precept of loving 
 one another. 
 
 That I may the better despatch this clause, be 
 pleased to proceed with me by these steps : 
 
 1. The doctrine which our apostle was now about 
 to propose is called a coinmamlmenl ; whence observe, 
 
 (1.) Generally, that as the law had gospel, so the 
 gospel hath law in it; and as it publisheth promises, 
 so it obligeth by precepts. It is the difference be- 
 tween promises and commands, that the one importeth 
 some good to be done for us, and the other some good 
 to be done by us ; the one informeth us what God will 
 do, and the other what we should do. Now, though 
 the principal end of the gospel be to declare the one, 
 yet so as that it teaches the other ; for this reason 
 it is, no doubt, that the gospel is sometimes called by 
 the name of law, as where wo read of the ' law of 
 faith,' Rom. iii. 27, and the ' law of Christ,' Gal. 
 vi. 2, and the ' law of liberty,' James i. 25, and the 
 ' law of the Spirit of life,' Horn. viii. 2 ; and upon the 
 same accoimt the apostle Paul calls it a canon. Gal. 
 vi. IG, or a rule to which our lives must be conformed, 
 and by which our ways are to be directed ; and St 
 Peter styleth it the 'holy commandment,' 2 Pet. ii. 21, 
 from which apostates turn, and ' the grace of God,' 
 which many interpret (by a metonymy of the object) 
 * Diilvm. Calv. in loe. 
 
170 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 to be the gospel, is said to 'teach,' Tit. ii. 11, being 
 as well a schoolmaster as a comforter. Finally, in 
 this respect it is that we rend not onl}' of ' believing 
 the gospel,' which Lu-eth hold on the promises, but 
 'obeying,' which conformeth to the precepts of Christ, 
 the non -performance of which is threatened with a 
 miserable end by St Peter, 1 Peter iv. 17, and with 
 vengeauce to be rendered in flaming fire by St Paul, 
 2 Thes. i. 8. 
 
 True it is, that whereas the law did only command, 
 the gospel enableth as well as commandeth ; nor doth it 
 only j lihere quod placet, but dare quod jiibet, prescribe 
 what we are to do, but strengthens us to do what is 
 prescribed. Yet still the evau<^elical doctrine consists 
 of commands as well as comforts. Let not, then, car- 
 nal gospellers deceive themselves by fimcying a gospel 
 altogt-ther made up of mercy, since such an one must 
 needs be hicov hay/ujon, another gospel than Christ 
 or his apostles taught, and so must needs prove 
 ■^i-jbiuayyeXio]!, a lying gospel, such as will fail those 
 that tni.'-t in it. 
 
 (2.) Particularly, that the doctrine of love is a com- 
 mandment. There is a great deal of difference betw'een 
 allowing and commanding ; that only implieth a may, 
 but this a must ; that a licel, it is lawful, this an oportet, 
 it is needful to be done. Of this latter sort is love, 
 as being that which all Christians are not only war- 
 ranted but enjoined to practise. When, therefore, at 
 any time our corrapt natures or satanical suggestions 
 put us upon anything which is contrary to love, let us 
 refell it with this consideration : It is a command 
 which I dare not violate, and (as St Paul saith in 
 another case) ' a necessity is laid upon me' for the 
 observance of it. 
 
 2. Our apostle having before called upon those to 
 whom he wrote to keep the commandments, proceeds 
 to shew them what the command was he would have 
 them especially to keep ; no doubt hereby intending to 
 prevent an objection which might otherwise bo made. 
 St John having set down keeping the commandments 
 as the only mark of knowing Christ, it might be in- 
 quired, holy apostle, what are those command- 
 ments which thou wouldst have us to keep ? for pre- 
 vention of which, he lets them know nhat was the old 
 and new commandment which they were chiefly to 
 keep, namely, love. 
 
 A practice deservedly imitable by all ministers, who 
 must not content themselves with generalities, but 
 descend to particulars. As we call upon the people to 
 do their duty, so we must inform them in the duties 
 which they arc to do. Thus the prophet Micah doth 
 not only exhort the people to obedience, but sheweth 
 them 'what the Lord required of them,' Miciih vi. 8, 
 namely, 'to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly 
 with their God.' Thus our blessed Saviour not only 
 requireth his disciples to 'come after' him, but in- 
 structs them in what it consists, Mat. xvi. 24, namely, 
 the ' denying of themselves, taking up the cross and 
 
 following' his pattern, and elsewhere inciting them to 
 learn of him, specifieth in what, to wit, meekness and 
 lowliness. The truth is, whilst we only in general 
 terms stir up men to believe and repent, and serve 
 God and do the commandments, but instruct them 
 not wherein the practice of those duties consists, they 
 will be very apt to deceive themselves, and the devil 
 will help to persuade them that they do them, whenas 
 they are far short of them. That preaching is likely 
 to be most eti'ectual which is most punctual, in describ- 
 ing as well as prescribing, as here St John doth in his 
 writing. 
 
 3. Whereas the apostle before useth the plural number, 
 the commanilmenls, here he changeth it into the singular, 
 and saith, I write a commandiuent ; and perhaps for 
 this reason, to intimate that in this one which he was 
 now to write about, all the commandments are con- 
 tained, so as in keeping this one we keep all. Indeed, 
 what else are the commandments, but love enlarged '? 
 and what is love, but the commandments contracted ? 
 St Paul writing to Timothy saith, ' The end of the 
 comm;mdment is charity,' 1 Tim. i. 5, this being the 
 final cause to which every command tends ; and the 
 practice of this, as it were, the formal cause, the im- 
 pletion and perfection of every command. To this 
 purpose is that of St Gregory, when he asserteth,* 
 Oiiine maiidatum de sold dilectiotie est, et omnia unum 
 pracepluin sunt, quia quicquid pracipitur in so'd chari- 
 tate solidaiur, all the commandments are but one, and 
 that the command of love, love being as it were the 
 one root out of which all other duties, as so many 
 branches, sprout forth. And surely we have great 
 cause to take notice of God's goodness herein, who 
 having absolute power to command what he pleasoth, 
 is pleased to command nothing but love. And as 
 Naaman's servant said in another case to him, 2 Kings 
 V. V6, ' If the prophet had commanded thee a greater 
 thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much more 
 when he saith Wash and be clean ? ' so (my brethren) 
 if God had imposed more or harder precepts upon us, 
 would we not have obeyed them ? How much more 
 when he only obligelh us to love ! 
 
 4. This commandment of love, about which our 
 apostle was to write, is commended from this, that it 
 is not a new but an old commandment ; where observe, 
 
 (1.) In general, the commandment which the apostle 
 enjoineth by writing to these Christians, is not new 
 but old. It is TertuUian's observation concerning all 
 the apostles,! AVc i/isi qnicquam ex arhitiio suo quod 
 induceient elei/erunl, how that the}' did not prescribe 
 any commandment of their own invention to the 
 church ; and surcl}' then it is a fit item, both for us 
 ministers what doctrines to deliver, and you the 
 people what commaiulmcnts to receive, such as are 
 not new but old. The newest philosophy may excel, 
 as having the advantage of new experiments, but the 
 
 • Orog. liom. in Evnng. 27. 
 t 'I'ert. de iirsescriiit. udv. lisor. 
 
Ver. 7-ll.j 
 
 SERMON XXVIT. 
 
 171 
 
 eldest divinit}- is the best. That of Solomou, Prov. 
 xvi. 31, 'An hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be 
 found in the way of righteousness,' may in this case be 
 inverted ; it is a crown of glory to the way of truth, 
 that it is always found with an hoary head ; xaiuo; and 
 xtvi; are near of sound, and they agree in sense. New 
 doctrines are vain at best, yea, too often dangerous ; 
 and therefore saith Zanchy well,* Kiliil. noruiit in reli- 
 gione adinittendum, nothing of novelty is to be admitted 
 in religion; and to the same purpose L^rinensisif 
 Vilanda est novilax, tenenda aiitiquilas, shun new paths, 
 and keep the beaten track. The Christian faith is not 
 qiiotidie ivvcnta, still to be newly invented, but semel 
 tiadita, ' once delivered' to the saints, which we must 
 eai'uestly contend for, Jude 3. Indeed, new illustrations 
 of old doctrines are attainable. Fas est iit prisca ecclextis 
 philosophuc dogmata Umeittui; poliaiitur, noii ut com- 
 mulenlur, saith the fore-mentioned author, it is lawful 
 for us to put new trimmings upon those old garments, 
 to handle the old doctrines in a new method, illustrate 
 them by new similitudes, but still the same truth for 
 substance must be retained and maintained by us. 
 
 By this which hath been said, we may see what 
 reason there is to exclaim against the madness of this 
 generation. Mirari satis nequeo (said Lyrinensis of 
 the men in his+ days ; we may no less truly of those 
 in ours), I cannot eoongh wonder at the impiety of 
 those blind minds, which, not being contented with 
 anciently received truths, are always either adding, 
 or detracting, or changing some way or other, intro- 
 ducing somewhat that is new. That which here St 
 John sets down as a commendation, is now become 
 an accusation, he preacheth nothing but what is old. 
 The voice of those in the Psalms is, Quii ostendet 
 boMim ? ' Who will shew us any good ? ' Ps. iv. 6 ; 
 the cry of this age, Quis ostendet novum? Who will 
 phew us anything that is new ? Our proud women are 
 not more for new fashions, than both men and women 
 for new fancies. But surely if that which our apostle 
 ■wrote was not new but old, they who vent not old but 
 new are false apostles. Upon this account it was that 
 Irenaeus, inveighing against heretics, § maketh this one 
 character of them, affectant per singulos dies novum 
 qiiicquam adinrenire quod nunquam qiikquam e.rcoyi- 
 tavit, they afl'ect to broach somewhat new which was 
 not beard of before ; and to the same purpose St 
 Austin II giveth a definition of a heretic: he is one 
 qui, alicnjus temporalis commodi et vance gloria causa, 
 novas opiniones lel gignit vel sequitur, who for secular 
 advantage or vain-glory's sake, doth either invent or 
 uphold some new doctrine. And to name no more, 
 Origen observeth concerning heretics,*" that they marn,- 
 themselves extraneo verl/o, to a foreign and so some 
 
 * Zancli. in loo. 
 
 t Vincent. Lyriu. adv. lioer. cap. SO. 
 
 X Ibid. cap. 26. J Iren. lib. i. cap. 18. 
 
 II Aug. opusc. de util. crcd. cap. i. 
 
 •I Orig. horn. 22. in Mnttli. 
 
 new word, altogether alien from that which is con- 
 tained in the holy Scriptures. 
 
 And, therefore, (my brethren) take ye heed of them 
 who publish, according to Tertullian's phrase concern- 
 ing Marcion,* hesternum evangelium, a gospel that is 
 of yesterday, who change their faith and doctrine with 
 the moon every month, and are as it were sceptics in 
 divinity. Eemember (I beseech you) who it is that 
 soweth the new tares among the good corn. Mat. 
 xiii. 25, even the envious man. Observe, I pray you, 
 whither those men wander, who (as Ghisteriusf his 
 phrase is), aiitiqud diinissd per noram gradiuntur viain, 
 leaving the ancient path, seek new ways. It is seldom 
 that he who is taken ofl" his old and sure basis settleth 
 anywhere, but is tossed to and fro with every wind of 
 doctrine, falling away from truth to error, from error 
 to heresy, from that to blasphemy, and at last to 
 atheism. ' Remove not then the ancient landmarks.' 
 It is Solomon's ingeminated counsel, Prov. xsii. 28, 
 xxiii. 10, no doubt to be understood literally, but j'et 
 such as is applied allusively, by the ancients to this 
 present matter, tcrniinos antiquos dicit terminos reri- 
 talis etjidei, quos statuerunt ah initio catholici doctores, 
 he calls the old doctrines embraced by the catholic 
 doctors, the ancient landmarks, saith Salazar.J Let 
 us not dare to remove them ; yea, ' if an angel from 
 heaven,' (as St Paul speaketh. Gal. i. 8,) ' shall preach 
 any other gospel, let him be accursed.' In one word, 
 let the obedience which we yield to the command- 
 ments be a new obedience ; but the commandments to 
 which we yield obedience must be, not new, but old. 
 Such was this concerning which the holy apostle here 
 writeth. 
 
 (2.) In special, yet further and lastly, take notice 
 that the commandment of love is not a new, but an 
 old commandment. Many, indeed, are the topics 
 1 whence this commandment of love might justly bo 
 I commended ; and among others this is not the least, 
 that it is grey-headed, and of ancient institution. 
 There are some things to which oldness is a disparage- 
 ment, an old garment past mending, an old house 
 past repairing, an old ship past rigging; but then 
 there are other things of which oldness is a praise, old 
 coins, manuscripts, monuments, buildings, have a face 
 of honour upon them. It is a great dignity for a man 
 to be descended of an ancient house ; no wonder if 
 this command of love be therefore honourable, because 
 it is an old commandment. 
 
 The truth of this which is here attributed to love, 
 will best appear by the proof which is annexed, and is 
 next to be handled. For the present wo will take it 
 for granted, and let the improvement of it be to render 
 this command of love the more amiable and acceptable 
 to us. 
 
 Indeed, were it a new precept, and the imposition 
 of it but of yesterday, we might have some reluc- 
 
 * Tertul. adv. Marc. 
 
 t Ghister. in Cant. ♦ Salazar. ibid. 
 
172 
 
 HARDY ON ] JOHX. 
 
 [ClIAP. II. 
 
 tancy against it, hand facile insuetum. jiii/wn suscipi- 
 mils, saith Calvin* well. Men do not easily undertake 
 a yoke to which they are not accustomed, but this 
 yoke is no other than what was of old imposed. It is 
 well observed by an historian, the laws which at first 
 were exceedingly harsh and heavy, by force of custom 
 become not only tolerable, but light and easy. Here- 
 upun one compareth customs to a king, and edicts to 
 a tyrant ; because we are subject voluntarily to the 
 one, but upon necessity to the other. To this pur- 
 pose Herodotus reporteth, that Darius having under 
 his dominion certain Grecians of Asia, who bad a 
 custom of burning their dead friends, and certain 
 
 * Calvin in loc. 
 
 Indians who used to eat them, he called the Grecians 
 and would have them to conform to the Indians ; after- 
 ward he called the Indians, and would have them to 
 conform to the Grecians, but found both very unwilling 
 to leave the usage of their country, so tenacious are 
 men of old customs.* Oh, then, my brethren, since 
 this command is such as hath always been a custom 
 among the saints, and hath upon it the stamp of anti- 
 quity, let it be embraced and practised by us with the 
 more readiness and alacrity. And so much for the 
 point itself; it remainelh, 1 now proceed to the proof; 
 ' it is from the beginning.' But the time being past, 
 commands me to end, and reserve that to the nest 
 opportunity. 
 
 * Chrysost. orat. 76. Suiil in dicti. Ih;. 
 
 SERMON XXYIII. 
 
 Brethren, I mile no neir cnmmandment unto you, hut an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning : the 
 old commandment is lite uord which ye hare heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write 
 unto yon, which thinf/ is true in him and in you, because (he darkness is jmst, and the true light now 
 shiueth.—l John II. 7, 8. 
 
 ' T71YERY scribe instructed for the kingdom of heaven' 
 Vj (saith our blessed Saviour), Mat. xiii. 52, 'is like 
 unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth 
 forth out of his treasury things new and old ;' an excel- 
 lent similitude, representing to us the properties of a 
 good preacher. The householderhath his treasm-y, where 
 provision is laid up ; the preacher, his storehouse of 
 divine knowledge. The householder doth not hoard 
 up but bring forth what he hath in his treasury for 
 the use of his family ; the preacher, being furnished 
 with abilities, cmployeth them for the church's good. 
 The things which the householder briugeth forth out 
 of his treasury are both new and old : all sorts of 
 provision, both of the present and former years' 
 growth ; the doctrines which the preacher delivereth 
 are either (according to Brugensis) the new and glorious 
 mysteries of the gospel, in old and common resem- 
 blances, or (according to St Hilary and the ancients*) 
 Nora et Vetera, in erangeliis et in lege, the legal and 
 evangelical verities. According to this is that occa- 
 sional note of St Ambrose^ upon those words of the 
 spouse. Cant. vii. 18, 'At our gates arc all manner of 
 pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for 
 thee, my beloved.' Tenro mandata omnia noviet ceteris 
 Testamenti, I keep the commandments both of the Old 
 and New Testament ; for whereas the Jewish syna- 
 gogue neither keep the New in the letter nor the Old 
 in the spirit, the Christian church obFcrvcth both, 
 and instrutteth her children in both. Suitable here- 
 unto it is that this great apostle of thcChristian church, 
 and well-instructed scribe for the kingdom of heaven, 
 brought forth in his preaching, and hero laycth up a 
 
 * Brug. Hilar, in Mat. 
 
 t Anibios. in Ts. cxviii. Oct 22 
 
 writing both old and new, chiefly pressing upon us 
 the observance of a command, both legal and evan- 
 gelical : 'Brethren, I write no new, but an old,' cJcc. 
 ' Again, a new commandment I write unto you.' 
 
 2. Having despatched the compellation brethren, 
 we have entered upon the first branch of the com- 
 mendation, drawn from its divine authority, and therein 
 the consideration of it as an old commandment, which, 
 having been already handled in the assertion, we arc 
 now to proceed to the probation, as it is implicitly 
 couched in these words, ' which we had from the 
 beginning,' and explicitly set forth in those, ' the old 
 commandment is the word which ye have heard from 
 the beginning.' 
 
 That you may see the strength of the argument, I 
 shall form it into a syllogism, thus : 
 
 That which you heard and had from the beginning 
 is the old commandment ; but 
 
 This commandment, about which I write unto you, 
 is that you heard and had fmm the beginning; 
 
 Therefore, it is not a now but an old commandment. 
 
 The conclusion is the assertion, and hath been 
 already handled ; the major and minor contain the 
 probation, and remain now to be despatched. 
 
 1. Begin we with the major, ' The old command- 
 ment is the word which was heard from the beginning.' 
 To clear this, l>o pleased to know that a thing may be 
 said to be old, cither y.ara ri, or arrXu;, in some respects 
 only, or absolutely. That which is not from the 
 beginning, and therefore is new in respect of preceding 
 times, may yet in respect of following ages bo said to 
 be old ; but only what is from the beginning is ab- 
 solutely old. Antiquity properly rcfcrroth to time, 
 so that what hath tho priority carricth it in point of 
 
Ver. 7, S.J 
 
 SERMON XXVIII. 
 
 173 
 
 antiquity, and id prius quod ahinitio (saith Tertullian)* 
 that is first which is from the beginning; pri.iicipium, 
 a beginning, being id quo nihil prius, that before 
 which nothing is, else it could not be the beginning. 
 In this sense it is we most justty say, that which is 
 true is old, for though error may be old, truth cannot 
 be new ; yea, since, as that fore-mentioned father ex- 
 cellently argueth,! falsum est comiptio veii, false- 
 hood is nothing else but an adulteration of truth, 
 truth must needs be before falsehood ; and so the terms 
 are convertible, that which is true is old, and that 
 which is old is true, for no error but is new in respect 
 of that which is from the beginning, though it be old 
 in regard of that which followeth. Upon this account 
 it is that the same father, disputing with Marcion,j: 
 put it to this issue, ' I say my gospel is true ; Marcion 
 saith his is. I say Marcion's gospel is false ; he saith 
 mine is. Quis inter tios determiiiabil nisi temporis ratio, 
 ei prascrihens authoritatem quod antiquius reperielur ; 
 let antiquity end the controversy ; that which can 
 shew largest prescription of time, and so the eldest, 
 let it be accounted truest. Indeed, Christianity stands 
 upon holy antiquity, and there is no better way of 
 discovering what is false, and reforming what is amiss, 
 than by looking back to the beginning. 
 
 Upon this ground it is that we contest both with the 
 papists on the one, and all sectaries on the other 
 hand, as being ready to justify against both, that what 
 we teach is truly old, because the word from the 
 beginning. 
 
 (1.) As the Gibeonitos cheated Joshua with theii- old 
 shoes clouted upon their feet, old garments, dry and 
 mouldy bread, so do the papists delude many poor 
 souls with pretence of the old commandment and the 
 old religion. It is the calumny they cast upon us, 
 Where was your religion before Luther ? We are 
 novelists, and but of yesterday : yea, that we daily 
 broach new doctrines. That some (who are among us 
 but not of us) do so, we cannot deny ; but still we are 
 ready to justify the doctrine of our church to be the 
 old doctrine ; nor do we desire a better medium of 
 proving it than this in the text, ' The old command- 
 ment is the word which was from the beginning.' 
 Take any or all of those opinions wherein we difJl-r, 
 and for which we separate from them, such as ai-e 
 trausubstantiation, half communion, adoration of images, 
 invocation of saints and angels, the supremacy and 
 infallibility of the pope, and the like ; and we shall find, 
 even by their own confessions, that they were not from 
 the beginning. Scotus aeknowledgcth that, till tbe 
 council of Latcran (which was almost 1200 years 
 since Christ), transubstautiation was no article of 
 faith. Cassander confesseth that for a thousand years 
 the holy sacrament was administered in both kinds. 
 It were easy to instance in the rest, but that learned 
 
 * Tert. contr. Marc lib. iv. cap. iv. t bi. iliid. 
 
 X Vide Tert. contr. Marc. lib. i. cap. siii. 
 
 prelate* hath already done it to the full ; and now let 
 any rational man judge whether we or they are to be 
 charged with novelty, whenas those things, wherein 
 they and we disagree, have no primitive antiquity to 
 establish them. 
 
 (2.) As in this particular we vie with the papists, so 
 are we ready to put the difl'erences between us and the 
 sectaries upon this trial. Do we contend for a liturgy 
 in the church ? Is it not because all churches, Greek 
 and Latin, have had their hturgies from the first 
 plantation of Christianity ? Yea, Christ himself hath 
 left a prayer upon record, to be not only a platform, 
 after which manner he would have his disciples prav, 
 but a set form which they were to say when they did 
 pray. Do we contest for our hierarchy in the church ? 
 Is it not because it was so from the beginning ? St 
 Paul gave Timothy and Titus, single persons, episcopal 
 power of ordaining, 1 Tim. v. 19, 22, and governing 
 presbyters. Those angels of the seven churches, 
 Rev. ii. iii., manifestly appear by the ecclesiastical 
 history to be bishops ; yea, no church since the 
 apostles (till Calvin's time) hath been without epis- 
 copal government. Do we oppose the office of a lay 
 ruling elder in the church ? Is it not because it was not 
 from the beginning ? We can trace no footsteps of it 
 in antiquity ; nor yet any such officer or oflice de- 
 scribed in holy writ. Finally, to name no more, do 
 we plead for the baptizing of infants ? Is it not be- 
 cause (as Origen and Austin assure us) it is a practice 
 which the church received from the apostles ?f And 
 so an apostolical tradition which the more plainly 
 appeareth, because in St Cyprian's time, though there 
 was a controversy about baptizing infants upon tbe 
 eighth day, yet the thing itself is supposed as a practice 
 then in use ; and though we do not read totidem 
 vfrhis in the Scripture that the apostle baptized infants, 
 yet it is very probable. J Whenas St Paul called the 
 children of a believing parent holy, if he do not by the 
 very phrase intend (as the learned Dr Hammond not 
 improbably conceiveth), yet that he did allow, baptism 
 to those children ; and whore we read that whole 
 families were baptized, the children might be among 
 the number. In one word, it is the glory of the 
 church of England, that her doctrines are exactly 
 consonant to universal and primitive antiquity ; nor 
 do we desire any other rule to examine them by than 
 this, which here is laid down by our apostle, ' The 
 old commandment is the word which we have heard 
 from the beginning.' 
 
 2 To let this go, that which is chiefly to be con- 
 sidered is the minor of the syllogism, that the com- 
 mandment of love was from the beginning. Now that 
 
 * See Bp. Uslier's answer to tlie Jesuits' challenge. 
 
 t Vide Euseb. Ecclcs. Hist. 
 
 t Ecclesia ab apostolis traditionera accepit parrulis dare 
 baptismum. — Oriyen. in Rom. Consuetudo matris eccIesisB 
 non spernenda nee onmino credenda nisi apostolica esset 
 traJilio. — Aug. de Gen ad til. cap xxiii. 
 
174 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [CUAP. II. 
 
 which would here be inquired into is, whence this 
 beginning taketh its date ? Indeed, here vox pro ma- 
 teria substrald varie accipi potest, this word be/iin- 
 ning maj- admit of a several reference, and I find no 
 less than four several expositions of it here ;* all of 
 which are not repugnant to, but consistent with, each 
 other, from the beginning of their conversion, of 
 Christian religion, of the Mosaical administration, and 
 of the creation. 
 
 (1.) Some interpreters render the sense of the 
 words thus : ' from the beginning,' that is, from the 
 time you became Christians, f and first give up your 
 names to Christ, and were called to the faith ; ac- 
 cording to which sense our apostle seemeth to assert, 
 that one of the first lessons of Christianity is love. 
 St Paul tpeaketh of milk for babes, and meat for 
 strong men; intimating that there are some command- 
 ments and doctrines which are only fit for grown 
 Christians ; but this commandment of love, as it is 
 meat for the strongest, so it is milk for babes, Hcb. 
 V. 14. 
 
 (2.) Others give this construction of the words, from 
 the beginning ; that is, from the beginning of the gos- 
 pel's publication, ever since the faith of Christ was 
 made known to the world. J Soon after Christian re- 
 ligion was revealed, there were many who endeavoured 
 to bring in other gospels, but this commandment which 
 St John wrote of was as old as Christianity ; and what 
 he delivered to them he received from Christ himself. 
 In that sermon of Christ, which is first mentioned by 
 the first of the evangelists, St Matthew, this precept 
 of love is expressed. Mat. v. 6, 7 ; and in the last 
 sermon that ever he preached, this lesson of love is 
 commended to them, John xiii. 14, 15. And being 
 taught by Christ himself, it must needs be from the 
 beginning of Christianity. 
 
 (8.) Many take the date of this beginning a great 
 deal higher, even as high as Moses : that which you 
 Israelites had of old in the writings of Moses deli- 
 vered to j-ou ;§ so that wo now give no other com- 
 mandment in charge to you, than that which God 
 commanded Moses and the prophets to preach. It is 
 the exposition which I most incline to ; for, since it is 
 not improbable (as hath been already suggested) that 
 those to whom this apostle wrote were, if not only, 
 yet principally, the Jews ; and the design of St John 
 by these words being to prove that what he wrote 
 was no new, but an old commandment, it is impro- 
 bable that ho would prove it by a date of not much 
 above sixty years. Nor would it (especially to the 
 Jews) have been any conviction of the antiquity of his 
 doctrine, that it was from the beginning of Christian 
 
 • Cypr ad Fid Ep. 00. A'oi-st. in loc. 
 
 t Ab e.vurdio quum (liristiani estis efTecti. — Carl/ius. 
 Cum prinium nouiina Christo dedistis. — Justin 
 
 X Ab initio evangolii. — Est. A prinio religionis in- 
 gre3su. — Calvin. 
 
 § (Kcii., Arot , Fer., Grot., Huiua., in loc. 
 
 religion ; whenas, in their opinion, Christ's religion 
 was new doctrine. Upon this ground it seemeth a 
 more rational construction to refer this beginning to 
 Moses ; and our apostle could not use a more pre- 
 vailing argument to the Jews, than by letting them 
 know that the command he gave them was as old as 
 Moses, and before enjoined by him. There is only 
 one objection to be answered, that if this ' from the 
 beginning' be taken so far off, how doth the apostle 
 say, not only which you had, but which you heard ; 
 whereas this beginning was many hundred years be- 
 fore they were. But the learned Grotius has framed 
 a fit answer to my hand,* interpreting vos by mcijores 
 vestri ; you, that is, your ancestors, according as it is 
 to be taken, where it is said. Mat. xxiii. 35, ' whom 
 you slew,' and ' did not Moses give you the law ?' 
 
 That, then, which according to this construction is 
 here asserted, is, that the commandment of love was 
 from the beginning of Moses, and required in the law 
 as well as in the gospel. This is that which in some 
 sense is gi-anted by all, even the Socinians ; but so as 
 that they assert something to be added to it by Christ ; 
 and that, upon that account, it is called in the next 
 verse, a new commandment. In what sense this epi- 
 thet of new belongs to it, shall be by and by dis- 
 covered. In the mean time, that which the orthodox 
 assert, and I shall endeavour to make good, is, that 
 the evangelical command of love was from the begin- 
 ning of the law, and so nothing new enjoined by Christ 
 which was not before by Moses. 
 
 To this end, be pleased to know that the command 
 of love may be considered either e.vtensice or iiilen- 
 sice ; extensively in regard of the object, or intensively 
 in respect of the act. In both these respects, say the 
 Socinians, Christ hath added to the law ; for whereas, 
 say they, the law requircth the Jews only to love their 
 countrymen, their friends, the gospel rcquireth us to 
 love our enemies, and so the extent of the object is 
 larger. And whereas the law required only of the 
 Jews an active love, the gospel reqnireth a passive, so 
 far as to lay down our lives for the brethren. The 
 chief ground on which they build the former is that 
 of our Saviour : Miit. v. 43, 44, ' You have heard that 
 it hath been said. Thou shall love thy neighbour, and 
 hate thine enemies ; but I say to you. Love your ene- 
 mies ;' and the foundation which they lay of the lat- 
 ter is, that the law commanded only to love their 
 neighbours as themselves. Lev. xix. 18 ; but the gos- 
 pel, to ' love one another, as Christ loved us,' John 
 xiii. 34 ; which is in effect, to love others better than 
 ourselves, by laying down our lives for them, which 
 is more than the law required. 
 
 To enervate both these arguments, and establish the 
 truth of the orthodox assertion, be pleased to know, 
 
 (1.) That ne'Kihbour, which is set down as the ob- 
 ject of love in Moses his law, includeth enemy as well 
 0,5 friend. 
 
 * Grot. ibid. 
 
Ver. 1, 8 J 
 
 SEUMON XXYIII. 
 
 175 
 
 To clear this, I shall propose a double demand. 
 
 [1.] Whether is cot neighbour to be taken in the 
 same latitude, when it is said, ' Thou shalt love thy 
 neighbour,' as when it is said, ' Thou shalt not bear 
 false witness against thy neighbour;' andagain, 'Thou 
 shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his ox, nor 
 his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.' If 
 this be denied, that will be enough to evince it, that 
 the particular commands of the second tabic are but 
 several explications of the general command, ' Thou 
 shalt love thy neighbour ;' and, therefore, it is the 
 same neighbour to whom we must express our love, 
 by not bearing false witness against him and the like. 
 And if it be granted, then certainly neirihhour must 
 include stratu/er, nay, enemy ; since the Jews were 
 not to bear false witness against their enemies, or to 
 covet unjustly what belonged to them. To this pur- 
 pose is the note of a rabbin* upon these words of 
 the psalmist : Ps. xv. 3, ' He that doth no evil to his 
 neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his 
 neighbour,' understanding it of enemies as well as 
 friends. 
 
 ['2.] When our blessed Saviour repeated this law of 
 Moses, Mat. xxii. 59, whether did not Christ under- 
 stand it in the same sense with Moses ? If he did 
 not, then he affixed another sense to Moses his words 
 than what he intended, which is not to be imagined. 
 If he dill, then either Moses meant them universally, 
 or else Christ did not ; and so Christ hath added no- 
 thing in this particular to Moses. 
 
 As for that passage in our Saviour's sermon. Mat. 
 V. 43, ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine 
 enemy,' it is doubtless to be understood (as Abulensis 
 hath well noted) only as a tradition of the scribes 
 and pharisees.f Indeed St Austin | and St Hilary § 
 seem to be of opinion, that haired wns allowed in the 
 Old Testament; yea, (Ecumenius,|] in this place, 
 harpeth upon the same string ; but (by the leave of 
 those reverend fathers) upon what ground it doth not 
 appear, since it is nowhere written in the whole body 
 of the law, ' Thou shalt hate thy enemies'; and, there- 
 fore, it is well observed, that our blessed Saviour doth 
 not say. You have heard that it hath been said hj 
 3fo,ses, or in the late ; but ' You have heard that it 
 hath been said,' to wit, by the scribes and phariseeS, 
 those corrupt interpreters of the law. 
 
 To all th:s, for the further confirmation, I may add, 
 that Solomon expressly requireth in his Proverbs, 
 chap. sxv. 21, 22 ; and St Paul from him enjoineth in 
 bis epistle, Rom. xii. 20, ' If thine encm}- be hungry, 
 give him bread to eat : and if he be thirsty, give him 
 water to drink : so shalt thou heap coals of fire on 
 his head, and the Lord will reward thee' ; that God 
 
 '* R. Kimchi. 
 
 t Quantum ad traditionem scribarura.— Tottat. in Uattk. 
 ix. 343. X Aug. lib. i. de Ser. dom. in Mont cap. 41. 
 
 i Hilar, in Mat. 
 I] CEcumeu iu loo. Spanhem pars ult. dub. 128. 
 
 in the law gave strict charge concerning the beast, 
 even of our enemy : Exod. xxiii. 4, 5, ' If thou meet 
 thine enemy's ox or bis ass going astray, thou shalt 
 surely bring it back to him.' Again, ' If thou see the 
 ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, 
 and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely 
 help him.' And, certainly, he that required them to 
 assist their enemy in rescuing his beast did not allow 
 them hatred and malice to his person. Nay, yet 
 once more in the fore-mentioned place, where Moses 
 saith, ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour,' is prefixed, 
 ' Thou shalt not avenge or bear grudge,' which refers 
 to an enemy that hath done one an injury. As for 
 that lex talionis, law of retaliation, though (as appear- 
 eth by our Saviour, Mat. v. 38) it was otherwise con- 
 strued by the pharisees, yet doubtless it was only 
 intended by God as a rule for the public magistrate 
 in his administrations of justice, and is no less in this 
 sense allowable now. And though they were to exer- 
 cise acts of hostility towards the nations about them, 
 in making no peace with the Ammonites, casting out 
 the Canaanites, and cutting ofi' the Amalekites, yet 
 this was by a special command from God, which both 
 then and now may dispense with a general precept ; 
 and withal, their being the instruments of God's ven- 
 geance upon the heathen, did not hinder, but that they 
 might be free from any private revenge, and so fulfil 
 the general precept, as well as any headsman ; who, 
 notwithstanding he is the executor of justice, may yet 
 love that person whom he doth execute. 
 
 (2.) That love which the lawrequireth may very well, 
 in some cases, be raised up to that height of sufi"er- 
 ing death. Briefly to clear which, know, that la3'ing 
 down our life, in reference to our neighbour, is only 
 required in one of these two cases : the one when the 
 public, the other when the spiritual, good of others 
 necessitateth to it. 
 
 To lay down a man's life for the public good, is so 
 far from being purely Christian, that oven heathens 
 have done it ; and therefore is no doubt included in 
 the Mosaical precept. Exodus xxxiii. 32 ; which we 
 may the rather believe, because we find himself willing 
 to be ' blotted out of the book of life,' for the preser- 
 vation of the people ; and if it be said that this is to 
 love our neighbour more than ourselves, I answer. It 
 is not, if we take neii/hhoitr distributively ; and if we 
 take it collectively, for the generality, even nature 
 teacheth us ; and surely, then, Moses his law did re- 
 quire to prefer the public before the private welfare, a 
 general before a particular good. 
 
 3. But that d_ying which is especially an act of love, 
 is when we are willing to lose our own temporal life 
 for the eternal good of others. An example of this 
 we have in the Old Testament. What else meant 
 David's wish in regard of his son Absalom, when he 
 said, 2 Sam. xviii. 33, ' Would God I had died for 
 thee ! ' desiring no doubt to prevent that eternal 
 death into which he had reason to think his son, 
 
176 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 dying in rebellion against his king, his father, was 
 now plunged by the loss of his temporary life. And 
 in truth, though this be to love our neighbour's soul 
 better than our body, yet it is not to love our neigh- 
 bour better than ourselves, and therefore exceeds not 
 the Mosaical precept. Caieris paribus, let there be 
 an equality every way, and a Christian is as much 
 bound now to prefer himself before his neighbour as 
 a Jew was, and in a way of inequality a Jew was 
 bound to damage himself for his neighbour's good as 
 well as a Christian. I am not to love my neighbour's 
 soul more than my own soul, nor his body more than 
 my body, nor his estate more than my own. Chris- 
 tian charity in this respect, as well as Jewish, begins 
 at home ; only when it is my estate, or body, and my 
 neighbour's soul, which come in competition, this 
 must be valued above those ; and this is required by 
 Moses, as well as Christ. In one word, that addi- 
 tion, as tliyself, was certainly intended, not as a limi- 
 tation or restriction, but rather as an amplification 
 and enlargement of this duty of love. That look, 
 how dear, and entire, and cordial that love is, which 
 men bear to themselves, the same they ought to have 
 towards their neighbours. And therefore I shut up 
 this with that of Cassian,* quid diutius evanr/clicis 
 atque tipostolicis jiraceptis iinmoramur, cum eliam vetzis 
 lex hire eadem pracepil : this precept of love is not 
 only apostolical, but prophetical ; evangelical, but 
 legal ; and in that respect, truly said to be from the 
 beginning. 
 
 (4.) Lastly, There is one interpretation moref 
 which looketh backward as far as Adam ; and so this 
 command of love is from the beginning, not only be- 
 cause commanded hj Moses, but imprinted in nature. 
 The law of love was written at first in the mind of 
 man ; and though it be much obliterated, yet some 
 characters still remain ; and as by ruinous widls we 
 guess how stately the buildings once were, so by these 
 remaining impressions we may easily gather what 
 goodly characters of it were once stamped upon us. 
 Thus as before Christ made it gospel, Mnsos gave it 
 as a written law; go before Moses maile it a written 
 law, God made it a branch, or rather the root of the 
 law of nature. 
 
 To wind it up therefore, toll me, I beseech you, 
 how inexcusable shall we be, if, having so manifold 
 obligations, we shall be negligent in the practice of 
 this duty. Even the Gentiles, that have only the 
 remainders of nature's law, are obhged to love, and 
 not observing it will be found justly blameable ; much 
 more the Jews, who, besides nature, had the law of 
 Moses to guide them ; but most of all we Christians, 
 who have nature, and Moses's law, and the law of 
 Christ, to direct us. ' A threefold cord,' saitli Solo- 
 mon, ' is not easily broken.' Behold, a threefold ob- 
 ligation lieth on us Christians: Christ, Moses, Adam, 
 
 * Casa. 1. viii. c. xiv. 
 
 t O'^cum., Justin., Aret. in too. 
 
 all preaching this doctriue to us ; upon which account 
 St John calls it, the ' old commandment which was 
 from the beginning.' 
 
 2. There is yet another branch of this first parti- 
 cular in the commendation remaining, which we find 
 in the beginning of the eighth verse, ' Again, a new 
 commandment I write unto you.' That our apostle 
 by this new commandment intends the same which 
 before he calls, not a new, but an old commandment, 
 is most probable, partly because the conjunction t-xX/v 
 properly siguifieth, and is here rendered again, which 
 therefore seems to look back on what precedes, and 
 intimateth that he continueth his discourse upon the 
 same subject, chiefly because this very command of 
 love is called by our blessed Saviour in the Gospel ' a 
 new commandment,' John xiii. 34. Nor is this 
 phrase used anywhere concerning any other than this 
 command ; and therefore it is most rational so to 
 understand it here, though Socinus most absurdly 
 contends, that those words, ' the darkness is past, and 
 the true light now shiueth,' are a command, and that 
 which here is called a new commandment. 
 
 This being premised, the chief work is to reconcile 
 St John to himself ; for if he speak of the same com- 
 mandment, how is it that he calls it in one verse not 
 new, and in the next a neir.' Is it not a contradiction 
 to alHrm and deny the same thing of the same sub- 
 ject ? That of St Ambrose concerning the cherubims, 
 Si stabant, quomodn movebant ? si movebant, quomodo 
 stabant ? if they did move, how did they stand? and 
 if stand, how move ? may be here alluded to. If it is 
 old, how is it new ? If new, how is it old ? But 
 surely it is not to be imagined that this holy apostle 
 should, as it were, with one breath, give himself the 
 lie. Had it been at a great distance, though an 
 human author might forget himself, yet surely this 
 divinely inspired apostle could not, and much less 
 being so near as the next verse. And therefore wo 
 must necessarily conclude, that though he speaks of 
 the same subject, yet not in the same respect. Now, 
 it is a known maxim in philosophy, that contraries 
 and contradictions may be attributed to the same 
 subject in diverse respects ; the same snow may be 
 called white as it falleth, and black in its melting ; 
 the same person may be in one part hot, and cold in 
 another. Not to multiply instances, the same com- 
 mandment may be old, and yet in some respects not 
 unfitly bo called new. 
 
 To illustrate this, give me leave briefly to set be- 
 fore you those several notions, in which this term new 
 may fit this old commandment of love. 
 
 1. Apjiellant llcbnci novum quod pia^stantiisiinum.* 
 It is usual with the Hebrews to call those things new 
 which are excellent. ' Ho hath put into my mouth' 
 (saith David) ' a new psalm,' Ps. xl. 4 ; and again, 
 Ps. xc. 1, ' Oh sing unto the Lord a new song ;' that 
 is, say interpreters, an excolleut song. In this sense 
 * Lor, in loc. 
 
Yer. 7, 8.J 
 
 SEEMON XXVI I r. 
 
 177 
 
 it is true here ; the command of love is an excellent 
 command. Our Saviom-, Mat. xxii. 38, 39, calls the 
 love of God ' the first and great commandment,' and 
 the love of our neighbour ' the second, which is like 
 to it.' St Paul, speaking of this grace of charity, and 
 comparing it with, prefers it before, faith and hope. 
 That apologue is very fit to this purpose, of a con- 
 sultation among the virtues, which should have the 
 pre-eminence : whilst one was for chastity, sister to 
 the angels; another for justice, which giveth every man 
 his due ; a third for prudence, Solomon's choice ; 
 not agreeing among themselves, they made reason 
 the umpire, who, passing by all the rest, set the 
 crown upon the head of love. But this interpretation, 
 though in itself true, is not so congruous to our 
 apostle's meaning. 
 
 2. That exposition is doubtless more suitable, 
 which expounds new in opposition to the long received 
 tradition of the pharisees concerning this command ;* 
 for whereas this command bad been corruptly taught 
 for many years by those doctors of the law, it was 
 now refined from the dross, and purely taught by 
 Christ and his apostles ; and so this commandment, 
 though old in itself, yea, older than their false glosses, 
 yet being but newly freed from them, is fitly said to 
 be new. It is well observed by Hoinsius.f that those 
 things are said to be new, which, though they were 
 long before, yet are denub restilula, newly restored to 
 their pristine purity. Look as an old house repaired 
 may be called a new house, and a rusty sword fur- 
 bished a new sword; look as an old book new bound 
 up is as it were a new book, and a defaced picture 
 refreshed with colours a new picture ; so is this com- 
 mand a new commandment. For whereas they who 
 sat in Moses his chair had perverted this doctrine, 
 Christ was pleased by himself and his apostles anew 
 to revive and restore it to its primitive integrity. In- 
 deed, it was at this time with Moses's law, as it was in 
 the beginning of our Reformation with Christian reli- 
 gion. The primitive doctrine and worship had for 
 some hundred of V'ears been buried under the ashes of 
 Romish superstition ; whereby it is that the reformed 
 religion, though far older than popery, might be 
 accounted, and was, as it were, a new religion. The 
 moral law in Christ's time, as to the both intensive 
 and extensive meaning of it, had been long hid under 
 the corrupt opinion of the Jewish doctors, and in 
 that respect the command of love, as delivered by 
 Christ, seemed no doubt to the Jews, and was as it 
 were, a new commandment. 
 
 But there are two other interpretations which seem 
 more genuine than the former. And therefore know, 
 
 3. That this commandment of love is a new com- 
 mandment, not substantially, but circumstantially ; 
 not in the essence of the doctrine, but the manner of 
 patefaction ; not in respect of the thing delivered, but 
 
 ♦ Novum quia aliter a Christo explicatum. — Arel. 
 t Utius. in loc. 
 
 the way of delivering it. It is the same command of 
 love which is now, and was in the law enjoined ; but 
 the example is difl'erent : in the law, our love to our- 
 selves ; in the gospel, Christ's love to us is made the 
 pattern of this duty.* Indeed, this variety of example 
 maketh no difl'erence at all in the matter of the pre- 
 cept. When Moses saith, ' Thou shalt love thy 
 neighbour as thyself,' he requiroth as much as when 
 Christ saith, ' Love one another as I have loved you.' 
 That of St Paul concerning the love which ought to 
 be between man and wife, fully illustrateth this truth ; 
 for whereas he useth both these examples, exhorting 
 husbands to ' love their wives, as Christ loved his 
 church,' and ' every one to love his wife as himself,' 
 Eph. V. 25, 33, yet he commands no more by the one 
 than the other, only presseth it hereby with the 
 greater energy. Nor are we to conceive any new 
 addition to the general precept of love, but onlj' a 
 fuller enforcement of the same precept from this new 
 example. Look as the Jewish and the Christian 
 Sabbaths are both days to be kept holy, but on a 
 difl'erent account, the one of the creation of the world, 
 and the other of Christ's resurrection, so the Jewish 
 and the Christian command of love are of the same 
 nature, but the one urged by the example of self-love, 
 and the other of Christ's ; and because the gospel 
 command is enforced with a new argument, and so 
 delivered in a new manner, it may therefore be 
 styled a new commandment. Nor is it unlikely that 
 St John, having before in general exhorted to ' walk, 
 as Christ walked,' here particularising in this walk of 
 love, might call it a new commandment in this respect, 
 as it is an imitation of Christ's pattern. 
 
 4. But there is yet another interpretation, which 
 wants not good authority and reason to back it, and 
 would not be passed by ; and that is, to take new not 
 in opposition to antiquity, but antiquation ; new, be- 
 cause it waxeth not old, is never out of date, but always 
 in force. There are some commands which are new, 
 and not old : such are the sacraments of the New 
 Testament; others which are old, but not new, because 
 abolished': such are the ceremonial services of the Old 
 Testament ; and there are others which are old, and 
 yet new : such are the precepts of the moral law.f St 
 Paul compareth love to a debt, when he saith, Rom. 
 xiii. 15, 'Owe nothing to any man but love;' and 
 indeed it is such a debt that is ever pa3-ing, the bond 
 being never cancelled. It is the usual crj* of this age, 
 when preachers deliver those moral doctrines, he 
 preacheth old, and common things; but (my brethren) 
 they are so old, that they are new, and must con- 
 tinually be inculcated upon the people. And there- 
 fore let us all learn so to look upon this command, 
 that taking it as new, we may the more carefully ob- 
 serve it. It is well noted by Amoldus,| Sohnt 
 
 * Illyr. ill loc, S[iaiili. 1. d. 
 
 t Orif;. in Num., I'yd., Calv., Fer. in kc. 
 
 X Arnulil. adv. Rncdiov. Cat. 
 
 IM 
 
178 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 homines leges novas sludioshis ohservnre ; paulalim 
 veib lege invcterascente de studio remitiunt, men are 
 wont to be very observant of a law whilst it is fresh 
 and new, but as it groweth old their obedience be- 
 cometh remiss; and therefore it is Maldonate's* note 
 upon the Gospel, that this newness is to be referred, 
 non tarn ad mantlalinn ipsum, quam ad studium ohe- 
 ditndi, not so much to the command itself as to our 
 endeavour of obeying it ; and since as some trees are 
 preen all the year, so this is always in force, we should 
 with all care and conscience perform it. 
 
 To draw to an end ; there is one exception of novimi 
 for rariim, new for that which is rare and unusual, 
 which I would to God might not be too true as to 
 the practice of this commandment ; it is rare and un- 
 usual, especially in this frozen age. But, however, 
 let us remember the command is new that is excellent, 
 and new that is renewed, and new that is refined, and 
 new that is persuaded by a new and urgent example. 
 And therefore let our desires and endeavours be still 
 new and vigorous in the observance of it, so much 
 the rather, considering that, as some of the ancientsf 
 gloss, it is novum quasi innovans, this new command- 
 
 * Maldonat. in Jolian. 
 
 t Aug. in loc, Bern, de cjena dom. serm. h. 
 
 ment, by our obedience to it, will transform us into 
 new creatures and new men in Christ Jesus. And 
 that we may be enabled to this obedience, what other 
 course should we take than to pray for a new spirit ? 
 for that is another reason given of this phrase,* novum 
 quia novo spiritu i))i]ih'tur, it is therefore called new, 
 because it requireth the new grace of the New Testa- 
 ment, which is given by a new spirit to fulfil it. For 
 this new gi-ace let us be daily orators, so shall we be 
 of this new commandment daily practisers. 
 
 To end all ; they say of wine, it is best when old ; 
 of honey, it is best when new ; behold, this command 
 of love is as wine, and to commend it, it is an old 
 commandment ; as honey, and to commend it, it is a 
 new commandment. Some men are plodding anti- 
 quaries, and delight in old things, old evidences, old 
 monuments, old gold, old coins, old proverbs, and 
 the like ; others curious novelists, and delight in new: 
 here is that may allure both, and therefore, which 
 way soever we are bent, our apostle hath as it were 
 fitted our humour. God grant it may ati'ect our hearts, 
 so as we may all be in love with this commandment 
 of love, which is both an old and new commandment. 
 
 * A ret. Est. in loc. 
 
 SEEMON XXIX. 
 
 Wliich thing is true in him and in you : hecuuse the dnikness is past, ami the true light lunv shineth. — 1 John II. 
 
 part of the 8th verse. 
 
 ABIONG the many observables in sacred writ, it 
 would not be passed by what frequent use the 
 jienmen make of those two arts, logic and rhetoric ; by 
 the one proving strongly, and by the other persuading 
 sweetly. It were easy to discover in these divine 
 books the several topics of argumentation, tropes and 
 figures of elocution, and forms of oratory. True it is, 
 it had been enough for the divine Majesty, whose 
 penmen these were, onlj- to assert and enjoin, without 
 cithor proving or persuading. But such is his mercy, 
 that, knowing our dulness and I perverseness, he is 
 pleased to convince us by undeniable reasons, and 
 allure us by loving insinuations. A pregnant instance 
 hereof we have iu these words, the scope whereof is 
 to make way for the command of love which our 
 apostle was abont to give them, friendly bespeaking 
 them with the title of brethren, and sweetly preparing 
 them to receive the command by various arguments, 
 which are aptly couched in this oratorical proem : 
 ' I write not a new but an old commandment ; ' and 
 ' Again, a new commandment I write to you, which is 
 true in him,' &c. 
 
 Having despatched the compellation and the first 
 branch of the commendation, wo are now to proceed 
 to the second, which is drawn from tl.'at conformity 
 this duty hath to Christ's pattern, intimated in those 
 
 words, ' which thing is true, or a thing which is true 
 in him.' I am not ignorant that some learned men * 
 refer all that followclh in this verse to those words in 
 the beginning of it, ' A new commandment I write to 
 you,' as if it were only a confirmation of that 
 part of the commendation, and so those words, 
 ' which thing is true,' are thus to be paraphrased : 
 which thing, namely, that this commandment of love 
 is a new commandment, is true, both respectu Christi 
 et nostri, in regard of Christ, who hath himself fulfilled 
 it, and so given us a new pattern of it ; and in respect 
 of us Christians, who, by reason of the true light 
 shining, have a new grace enabling us to perform it 
 ourselves. But I rather incline to take these words 
 as atibrding new topics for the commendation of love, 
 and so the laudatory character we are now to handle 
 is, that this grace which is enjoined to Christians is 
 no other than what was true in Christ. 
 
 The clause as it is set down in the Greek carrieth 
 ■with it no small difliculty. Gagneius f upon this place 
 ingenuously professoth that ho could not find out the 
 true sense and meaning of it. Some expositors render 
 sv uutH ' in itself,' as if the sense of these words were 
 only to assert the verity of the thing concerning which 
 he discourseth ; but this to mo seeuuth jejune and 
 
 * Zancli. Loiiii. in loc. t '^"B- '" ''*<^- 
 
Ver. S.] 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 179 
 
 unbeseeming the fulness of Scripture expressions. 
 Besides, if we observe the phrase of this holy apostle, 
 find that in this epistle, we shall find it very usual with 
 him to speak of Christ under those phrases of sxiii/og 
 and aurog, as we may observe in the latter end of this 
 and the beginning of the next chapter. Look, as 
 Mary Magdalene, having her thoughts so full of Christ, 
 conceived there was no need of naming him, John 
 XX. 8, only to say, ' Tell me where thou hast laid him,' 
 po St John, burning with love to Christ,* not doubting 
 but that he was well known to them to whom he 
 wrote, and therefore, supposing they would easily 
 guess of whom he WTote, thinketh it enough to say 
 only liim ; so that we may very well expound this h 
 a'jTu, as our translators read it, ' in him,' to wit, 
 Christ. 
 
 But the greatest difticulty of construing this clause 
 lieth in the first particle ii, since being of the neuter 
 gender it cannot agree with the feminine hroXn, which 
 is the substantive immediately preceding ; but it is 
 no strange or unusual thing for an adjective of the 
 neuter gender to be taken substantively, f and so qiioil, 
 which is as much as qiur res, which thing. Thus it 
 is rendered in our translation, and is not unfitly ex- 
 pounded by Grotius to be that thing, J namely, love, 
 which is the matter of the old and new commandment; 
 and indeed, though the phrase may seem somewhat 
 harsh, yet the sense is most fitly thus expressed, since 
 the commandment itself refers to us, not Christ ; but 
 the thing or matter of the commandment was true in 
 Christ himself, and so layeth a gi'eater obligation upon 
 us to perform the commandment. Nor need we stick 
 at this construction, when we find the same in the 
 former chapter, where, in the second and third verses, 
 after the feminine substantive, ^uri, is put a neuter 
 adjective o, as that fore-mentioned author observes. 
 And now, according to this interpretation, the plain 
 sense of the words appeareth to be this : A thing which 
 is true in him ; that is. This grace of love which I en- 
 join you is no other than what was verified in Christ 
 himself. So that, as before, he lets them see it is a 
 commandment both old and new, so here he ac- 
 quaints them further, it was such a commandment as 
 Lad Christ himself an example of it. Ipse euim jiriiis 
 chariuitem ostendit, saith Ferus ; for he himself did 
 practise love. Hatum ac retpsa invenitur primum 
 quidem in iUo u' cnpile, saith Beza ; in him, as being 
 the head of the church, and having received the Spirit 
 without measure, was this primarily accomplished. 
 And this interpretation I so much the rather assent 
 to, because it so aptly suiteth with what our apostle 
 bad before delivered when he calleth upon them to ex- 
 press the reality of their interest in Christ by keeping 
 his commandments, and walking as be walked ; whilst 
 he lets them see that the duty of love which he was 
 
 * Loquitur flagrans Joannes amore Christi. — Lor. ibid. 
 
 t Substantive acceptum. — ilmoch. 
 
 % Non tam j.rcccptio quam res ipsa liic de;cribitur. — Grot. 
 
 about presently, and did intend chiefly to inculcate 
 upon them, was the only way to perform both these. 
 By love they should keep the commandments, for it 
 is both the old and the new commandment; and by 
 love they should walk as Christ walked, for it is a 
 thing which was true in him. 
 
 And now, that this was true in Christ, is a truth so 
 clear that there will be no need to prove it. Indeed, 
 it is lanquam radio solis sciijiia, ■m-itten as it were 
 with a simbeam, so that he which runs may read it. 
 It is a subject I might very well dilate upon, but that 
 I shall have more full occasion to discuss both the 
 love of Christ and God to us in the following chapters. 
 That it is so cannot be denied ; yea, should we be so 
 ungrateful as to doubt it, the manger and the cross 
 would testify against us. If either conferring benefits 
 on us, or suflering injuries for us, can assure his love 
 to us, our apostle sheweth it to be true in both when 
 he saith, Kev. i. G, 'To him that loved us, and washed 
 us from our sins in his blood, and made us kings and 
 priests to God the Father.' How legible are the 
 characters of his love in his birth, life, death, resur- 
 rection, ascension, intercession ; and all those advan- 
 tages of redemption, remission, adoption, justification, 
 salvation, which by those accrue to us ; which 
 whoso knowingly considers, must needs say with St 
 Paul, Titus iii. 4, ' The love and kindness of God our 
 Saviour hath appeared ;' with St Peter, 1 Peter ii. 3, 
 ' The Lord is gracious ;' and with St Bernard,* his 
 love to us was dignitatis nescivs, dignatione dives, 
 affectu potens, sttasu efficax, full of condescension and 
 atl'ection. Indeed, that it should be so, though it 
 cannot be gainsaid, may well be admired, especially 
 when we look upon ourselves. What were we, the 
 rebellious ofl'spring of degenerate parents, slaves of 
 Satan, servants of sin, children of wrath, that Christ 
 should cast an eye towards, and place his love upon, 
 us ? The iV/ then is manifest, that he loved us ; and 
 if he ask you the iiCn, why he loved us ? there can no 
 reason on our part be given of it. And surely, since 
 his love was not deserved, no, nor so much as desired 
 by us, fit it is it should be acknowledged with admira- 
 tion, and retaliated with gratulation, and followed by 
 imitation. This last our apostle here aimeth at, in 
 which respect he fitly addeth, ' and in you ;' it being 
 most rational, that what was true in the head should 
 be true also in the members, what was true in the 
 root should be true in the branches ; that as Christ 
 loved us, so we Christians should love one another. 
 
 Before I proceed to this, which is the next part., I 
 shall, in a few words, mind you of one reading of these 
 words, in which they have reference to this second part. 
 Grotius tells us that in one manuscript it is ffj,iv; and 
 St Jerome, in his translation, f reads it nobis, ' a thing 
 which is true in him,' that is, Christ; 'and in us,' 
 that is, his apostles, who write and publish this com- 
 mandment to you. The original copy was drawn by 
 
 * Bern, in r.s. Qui halcl. t Ilicr. adv. Joviu. lib. ii. 
 
ISO 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Christ ; his disciples transcribed it iu their own prac- 
 tice, and have commended it to all Christians to write 
 after both him and them. This cup of love was begun 
 liy Christ, his apostles pledged him ; and it must go 
 round, all Christians are to drink of it. 
 
 And here I cannot but take notice of that which I 
 would to God were seriously laid to heart by all who 
 succeed the apostles in the work of the ministry, 
 namely, that as St John, in the behalf of himself and 
 the other apostles, saith, I write to you a command- 
 ment concerning a thing which is true in us, so we 
 may be able to say, that that which we enjoin the 
 people is verified in ourselves. This is (according to 
 Isidore's* phrase) rraihiueiv ^Zeav rij vsxga iirusa.ya.y'sn, 
 to join living with dead instruction, when our life as 
 well as our tongue preacheth. This is (according to 
 Primasiusf his exposition) ' rightly to divide the word 
 of truth,' 2 Tim. ii. 15, when we confirm our doctrine 
 by our practice. Finally, this is (according to Play- 
 fer's allusion) to lift up the voice like a trumpet, which 
 must be held with the hand as well as blown with the 
 mouth, when we not only report the truth by a lively 
 preaching, but support it by a preaching life. Indeed, 
 then only can ministers publish commands with autho- 
 rity, so as to gain belief ; with boldness, so as not to 
 be ashamed ; with efficacy, so as to persuade ; when 
 they join patterns to their precepts. 
 
 1. Men are very apt to question the truth of that 
 doctrine to which the preacher's practice giveth the 
 lie. I The way to imprint an instruction upon the 
 hearer's heart as well as ear, is to speak by our works 
 as well as words. It is said of our blessed Saviour, 
 Mat. vii. 29, ' He spake as one having authority ;' and 
 St Gregory's § moral is, Cum iiiiperio doccliir, quod priiis- 
 /if/ilur, qiKiin docfliir, he only preacheth with authority 
 who doth what ho tcacheth. 
 
 2. When a minister's conversation confuteth his in- 
 struction, blushing may well sit upon his checks, and 
 bis ears tingle to hear that of St Paul, Rom. ii. 21, 
 ' Thou that teachest another shall not steal, dost 
 thou steal ? ' The leper in the law was to cover his 
 lips, Lev. xiv. 45, which one morally applieth to 
 leprous ministers, who may well stop their mouths 
 for shame. 
 
 S. A speech not accompanied with action, saith 
 Isidore II truly, for the most part is lifeless and in- 
 effectual. If the heavens, that is, the preachers, are 
 as brass, only tinkling with sound of words, no marvel 
 if the eai'th, to wit, the people, are as iron, obdurate 
 to all their counsels ; since ciijiis vita dcsiiicilio; restat 
 ut ejus prcciilic) conteinnaiur*^ his preaching is usually 
 despicable whose life is contemptible. In which regard 
 St liernard** saith truly of such an one, ]'eicudum lie 
 null tain iiutiiat doctrind vcrbi, (jiiaiii sleiili vita noccat. 
 
 * laid, pelus. lib. i. ep. cccxcvi. 
 J Cass, collat. xi. cap. iv. 
 II Isid. ptl. lib. iii. cp. ceii. 
 *• Bern, iu Cant, serin. I.\xvi. 
 
 t Vido Primas. ibid. 
 § Ort'K- mor. xxiii. 7. 
 II Stcpli. Cunt. 
 
 it is to be feared his vicious life more infects than his 
 pious doctrine instructs. That preacher will both find 
 most comfort iu himself, and do most good to others, 
 who can say in the words of a devout abbot, Xun ali- 
 quem docui quicquain quod ei/o prius ipse nonj'ecerini, 
 I never taught any man any lesson which I did not 
 first learn myself; as here St John saith of this com- 
 mandment, ' it is true iu us.' And so much for this 
 second commendatory character of this grace of love, 
 its conformity to the pattern of Christ, and (as you 
 see by some readings) his apostles. I now hasten 
 to the, 
 
 3. Last, that conformity which this duty hath to 
 the state of the gospel, and the truth of Christianity, 
 in these words, 'And in j-ou, because the darkness is 
 past, and the true light now shineth.' In these words, 
 'sV iiiJM, ' in you,' is implied a substantive verb, which 
 may be put either indicatively or imperatively ; is, or 
 let it be, true in you, according to a diH'erent construc- 
 tion of the following words. Whilst some by darkness 
 and light understand the legal and evangelical ad- 
 ministration, so the imperative rendering best suiteth: 
 ' Let this love be true in you, because the darkness of 
 the law is past, and the light of the gospel shineth.' 
 And others by darkness understand the state of unre- 
 generacy, and by light the state of regeneracy. And 
 so the indicative best fits this thing which is com- 
 manded ; the duty of love is 'true in you, because 
 j'ou are brought out of the darkness of nature into the 
 light of grace.' Each of these constructions are con- 
 sonant to the analogy of faith, agree well with the 
 scope of the apostle, want not the concurrence of judi- 
 cious expositors, and therefore I shall neglect neither. 
 
 1. In handling these words according to the first 
 interpretation, we shall look upon them two ways, as 
 an assertion and as an argument. 
 
 1. As an assertion, we have considerable iu them, 
 
 A double subject: darkness and li<jht. 
 
 A double predicate : of the darkness, that it is past; 
 of the true light, that it iwiv sliineth. 
 
 1. It would in the first place be here considered, 
 that the gospel is set forth by liijht, and the law by 
 darkness. Suitable to this it is that St Paul, Rom. 
 xiii. 11 (as some expound those words, ' Tlie night is 
 far spent, the day is at hand'), compareth the one to 
 the day and the other to the night. And St Ambrose* 
 interprets these words of the psalmist, Ps. xix. 2, ' Day 
 unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth 
 knowledge,' the one of the Christian, and the other of 
 the Jew. 
 
 1. That the gospel is most fitly described by light, 
 is out of question, and the analogy may easily be de- 
 monstrated in several parables. 
 
 The fountain of light is the sun, and Christ, the Sun 
 of righteousness, is the author of the gospel, in which 
 respect it is called the ' word of Christ,' Col. iii. 1(5. 
 
 * Dies Dioi, i.e. Chrislianiis CIn'isliano ; nox nocti, i. e. 
 Judsous JiuUeo. — Ambrose llorlat. ad Viryin. 
 
Ver. 8.] 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 181 
 
 The nature of light is pure, the doctrine of the gospel 
 is holj ; it which regard it is called the ' mysteiy of 
 godliness,' 1 Tim. iii. 16, and the doctrine which is 
 according to godliness. Light, by reason of its splen- 
 dour and beauty, is very amiable, delighting, cheering, 
 and reviving the beholder. Evangelical truths are 
 pleasant and comfortable to the believer. So much 
 the word euayysXiov, signifying a good message, or 
 (according to the angel's phrase, Luke ii. 10) ' tidings 
 of gi'eat joy,' imports. Such is the subtiltj' of the light, 
 that it penetrateth the air, the window, the smallest 
 crevice ; and so great is the gospel's efficacy, that it 
 pierceth to the very soul. So much the author to the 
 Hebrews asserts when he sailh, Heb.iv.ll, ' The word 
 of God is quick and powerful, piercing even to the divid- 
 ing asunder of soul aud spirit, and of the joints and 
 marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents 
 of the heart.' Finally, the principal effect and use of 
 light is to discover and make manifest. Things that 
 are secret and hidden appear in the light, by reason of 
 its clarity and brightness. For this cause chiefly is 
 the gospel resembled to light, because it is aToxaXu-^ig 
 and h-tpa\iiiu., a revelation and a manifestation of 
 many glorious mysteries. The trinity of persons in 
 the unity of essence, the unity of the two natures in 
 one person in the incarnation of the Son of God, the 
 meeting together of mercy and justice in the redemp- 
 tion of the world, the estate of bliss and glory laid up 
 for believers in heaven, the calling of the Gentiles from 
 all parts of the earth out of the state of ignorance to 
 the Itnowledge of God and Christ, are those mysterious 
 doctrines which the gospel plainly revealeth to us. 
 "Well may it deserve to bo represented by the simili- 
 tude of light. 
 
 2. But though the metaphor of light very well agree 
 to the evangelical, yet that the other resemblance, of 
 darkness, should be understood of the legal adminis- 
 tration, seemeth somewhat harsh and strange; nor 
 indeed can it be admitled, but in a qualified sense. 
 
 To which end you must know that the law of Moses 
 may be considered cither absolutely or comparatively. 
 If we consider it absolutely in itself, it was light. 
 David ackuowlcdgeth it, his son Solomon in his Pro- 
 verbs asserteth it, and it were easy to parallel the law 
 to light as well as the gospel, iuasmuch as it is the law 
 of the Lord, an undefiled law, rejoicing the heart; yea, 
 inasmuch as whatever was necessary for the Jew to 
 know in order to salvation was delivered in it. Af'ain, 
 if we consider it comparatively with the state of the 
 Gentiles at that time, what is here ascribed to the 
 gospel belongs even to the law ; it was then the true 
 light. ' In Jewry was God known,' saith the psalm- 
 ist, ' and his name was great in Israel.' Whilst the 
 •whole world was an Egv-pt involved in the darkness of 
 idolatry, Jewn- was a Goshen, a place of light for the 
 knowledge and worship of the true God. 
 
 But still, compare the time of the law with the time 
 of the gospel, and so this term of darkness mav be 
 
 asserted of it. A light it was, but a candle light. So 
 much the phrase of a light, Ps. cxix. 105, and a lamp, 
 Prov. vi. 23, used both by the father and the son, 
 David and Solomon, intimate; and perhaps the like is 
 intended by St Peter's expression, 2 Peter i. 19, of ' a 
 light shining in a dark place.' Now, what is a candle 
 light but dark in comparison of day light ? 
 
 To clear this, be pleased to observe that this dark- 
 ness is not opposed simply to light, but to the true 
 light, and that as shining : John i. 9, rh (pihi to dXri- 
 6ivov. Now, this expression of true mav' be taken in a 
 threefold reference, as contradistinguished to that which 
 is imperfect, figurative, and false. 
 
 1. As perfect is sometimes no more than trtie, so 
 true is sometimes as much as perfect. It is the gloss 
 of Grotius upon the text,* Quod in qitdque re emiiict, 
 soh't dui a'Ari^ii'iv, that which is the most eminent in 
 any kind is said to be truh/ so. Thus the true light is 
 as much as the choice and most resplendent light ; in 
 which sense Christ himself is said in the Gospel to be, 
 aud here the evangelical administration is called, ' the 
 true light.' That this is the meaning of the epithet 
 here appeareth so much the more in that the article 
 is prefixed both before the substantive and the adjec- 
 tive, as if we should render it the light, the true, being 
 so most eminently and transcendentlj'. Indeed, the 
 law is a light, and in some sense a true light, because 
 it did not deceive nor misguide them who walked ac- 
 cording to it ; but still the gospel is the true, because 
 the most illustrious light, and so in comparison of it 
 the law is, as it were, darkness. 
 
 2. It is not an unusual signification of true and truth 
 in holy writ, nor unsuitable to this place, to take it in 
 opposition to types, figures, and ceremonies. In this 
 sense we are to understand it, where Christ is called 
 the ' true tabernacle,' that of Moses being only a type 
 of him. And when our Saviour saith, John iv. 24, 
 ' God will be worshipped in truth,' not according to 
 the typical and ceremonial worship of the law ; and yet 
 more appositely to our present purpose, when it is 
 said, John i. 17, ' The law came by Moses, but grace 
 and truth by Jesus Christ ;' the meaning whereof is 
 briefly thus, whereas the law only enjoineth, the gospel 
 enableth, and what the law taught in figures is nakedly 
 delivered in the gospel. Congruous to which is that 
 of St Austin,! Grace comes by Christ ; ('/, data iudul- 
 r/eiitid peccatorum , quod prrFceptum ernt ex Dei dniio 
 rustodireiur, that indulgence being granted to our fail- 
 ings, what is commanded may bj' God's assistance be 
 performed ; and truth, Ut ahlatd ohservnlione um- 
 brorum, quod promismim erat e.r fide prtixenia retur, that 
 by removing the obscure types, what is promised might 
 be made manifest. Upon this account the phrase of 
 gy.oria, darkness, here used, may be attributed to the 
 law, or at least that which is, by the learned Ur Ham- 
 mond, J observed to be the reading in the royal mauu- 
 
 * Grot, ill loc. * Ham in loc. 
 
 t Aug. coutr. Faust, lib. x.\ii. c. 6. 
 
182 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 script By.ia, a shadow, all the ceremonies, tj'pes, aud 
 sacritices of the law being but shadows of those things 
 which the true light of the gospel more fuUj- discover- 
 eth. This is excellently expressed by St Paul to the 
 Colossians, chap. ii. 17,* where he calleth the legal 
 ceremonies a shadow, and Christ the body ; to the 
 Hebrews when he saith, chap. x. 1, ' The law was a 
 shadow of good things to come, not the very image.' 
 In both which scriptures put together you find a body, 
 an imago, a shadow ; the body is Christ, the image the 
 gospel, the shadow the law. Now as the representa- 
 tion which a shadow maketh of the body is very dark 
 and obscure in comparison of that which the image 
 sheweth ; since the shadow represents only in com- 
 iiunii, that there is a body ; the image in parliculmi, 
 the several lineaments of the body ; so the discoveries 
 which the law maketh of Christ, and salvation by him, 
 are very impei'fect in comparison of the gospel reve- 
 lations. 
 
 3. If you like to retain the common signification of 
 true as opposite to false, you must take in the verb 
 sliiiu'lli, aud so the sense will be clear; the true light 
 shineth only in the gospel, and therefore the law is 
 called darkness. True, there was a light, a true light, 
 in the law, but it did not shine forth; it was as it were 
 hid under a bushel, and so a state of darkness in 
 comparison of the shining light in the gospel. It is 
 vcr}' observable to this purposi>, that all things were 
 wrapped up to the Jews. When they carried the 
 brazeu altar in the wilderness, they covered it with a 
 purple cloth. Num. iv. 13 ; when they carried the ark, 
 it was covered with three coverings, a veil, a badger's 
 skin, and a cloth of blue ; the table of the shewbread 
 bad three coverings; and, except the laver, everything 
 was covered in the temple ; yea, the temple itself had 
 a veil. When Moses came" from the mount, his face 
 was veiled, the priests bare the things which they 
 might not see ; and all this to signify what a conceal- 
 ment there was of divine knowledge under the law. 
 To this purpose St Gregory f allegoriseth these words 
 of the psalmist, Tenchrosa aq^Ki in nuhihus, ' Dark 
 water in the clouds ;' that is, occitltd scioitia in juv- 
 phclisj the darkness of knowledge in the law and 
 prophets. 
 
 It is true, eternal life, salvation by Christ, and those 
 other sublime truths, are to be found in the law ; but 
 as a face under a mask, as a sun in a cloud, heavenly 
 wrapped up in earthly promises, Christ involved in 
 types aud figures. There were but few that kuew any- 
 thing of these truths in comparison of the multitudes 
 now, and that they did know was but obscurely in com- 
 parison of the clearness now. Divine knowledge was 
 then as an ointment kept close in an alabaster box, 
 now the savour thereof perfumeth the whole house ; 
 then it was at best but as the dawning of the day, 
 now it is full noon ; aud those doctrines which were 
 retain in rcteii, fobied up in the old, are rovelalu in 
 
 * Vic-le Uuvtii. t Greg- "i'"'- lib. xvii o. 1 1. 
 
 novo, unfolded in the New Testament. To this 
 extends that expression used by St Paul concerning 
 Christians, 2 Cor. iv. 13, ' We all with open face 
 behold the glory of the Lord.' The Jews' faces were 
 veiled, ours are open ; they, according to the apostle's 
 phrase elsewhere, saw afar oil', and so darkly ; we, as 
 it were, near hand, and so clearly. 
 
 To sum it up, look as the true shining light of the 
 gospel in comparison of that beautiful vision, so the 
 typical instruction of the law in comparison of evan- 
 gelical teaching, is but darkness, or at best a shadow. 
 Indeed, the triumphant church is in intimis, the holy 
 of holies ; the Christian church militant in atiiis, the 
 holy place ; but the Jewish in exlimix, the outward 
 court. When God gave the law the second time, he 
 commanded the people to stand at the foot of the 
 mount, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders 
 of Israel, to worship afar oil' in the middle of the mount, 
 and Moses ascends to the top of the mount, even within 
 the clouds ; by which three one hath represented the 
 three states of the church : by those who stood at 
 bottom, the Jewish ; by them who worshipped in the 
 middle, the Christians ; aud by Moses, the glorified 
 church. In one word, to use St Ambrose his phrase. 
 Umbra in luge, imaijo in evani/elio, Veritas in cuio, the 
 truth is in heaven, the image in the gospel, but in the 
 law ouly the shadow. 
 
 2. The just fitness of those metaphors, darkness 
 and light, in reference to the law and gospel being 
 manifested, that which next is more briefly to be con- 
 sidered is that which is predicated concerning botli, 
 namely, that the one is /jasl, and the other now 
 sliinclli. Indeed, the word for patisini/ is in the present 
 tense, '^a^ayiTai, it doth pass away, for when St John 
 wrote this epistle it was only in /(V(t',passing, not past. 
 Those legal ceremonies began to die at Christ's pas- 
 sion ; then, in signification thereof, was the veil of the 
 temple not only pe)foratiim, or atlriluin, ot laceraluin, 
 worn or torn a little, but rent in twain from the top 
 to the bottom. But they were not dead and buried 
 till the destruction of the temple itself; so that, during 
 the space between Christ's passion and Jerusalem's 
 desolation, they were passing away, aud the evangeli- 
 cal administration did more and more display itself. 
 Thus, as when the house is built the scall'old is pulled 
 down, when the sun arisLth the stars disappear, when 
 the prophet himself came the staff was taken oil',* and 
 when Christ increased Jolm the Baptist decreased, so 
 when the gospel was published the legal administra- 
 tion vanished away. 
 
 Aud surely the consideration hereof shouM teach 
 us on the one hand to bewail the hardened Jews, who, 
 though ' the darkness be past, aud the true light now 
 shineth,' shut their eyes against the light, and lovo 
 to abide iu darkness. St Jerome very aptly com- 
 pareth the Jews before Christ to those that eat the 
 tlesh. Christians under the gospel to those who cat 
 * 2 Kiii-'s iv. 3J.— Ed. 
 
Ver. 8.] 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 183 
 
 the marrow, but the Jews now to the dogs that gnaw 
 the bone. Indeed, those legal observances at the 
 best were only enia, a shadow, but now they are 
 sxoTia, a darkness, exitial to those who still embrace 
 them. Oh let us pity and pray for the blinded Jews, 
 that the veil may be taken from their faces, and they 
 may behold the light which shiaeth so brightly ; nor 
 is there less cause of gratulation in respect of our- 
 selves than lamentation in regard of the Jews. It 
 was a great benefit to learning when the obscure hiero- 
 glyphics of the Egyptians were changed into letters, 
 and Plato's dark wiitings were brought down to more 
 easy conceptions by Aristotle ; but surely far greater 
 is the benefit which the church hath now, the evan- 
 gelical administration succeeding in the room of the 
 legal. Oh how litly may that expression of the 
 psalmist be taken up by us Christians, Ps. csviii. 27, 
 ' God is the Lord, which hath shewed us hght,' a clear, 
 full, glorious light ; let us be glad and rejoice in it ! 
 
 To wind up this first interpretation, by considering 
 the words (in this sense) as an argument why this 
 command of love ought to be true in us, namely, be- 
 cause we live under the Christian dispensation. In- 
 deed, hatred and malice were not tolerable in the 
 Jews, but they are abominable in us Christians. Who 
 should live in love if not we, to whom the love of 
 God and Christ is so clearly revealed ! my 
 brethren, how sad is it to think, though the shadow 
 (as some read it), the darkness (as others) be past, and 
 the true light now shiueth, yet we may too truly com- 
 plain that the shadow remaineth ! Nothing but sha- 
 dows of grace, fancies of godliness, found among us ; 
 nay, the darkness of envy and hatred, and all un- 
 charitable walking prevaileth among us. Oh be we 
 exhorted, since we have the light, to walk in it, to 
 walk worthy of it, to walk as children of it, by walking 
 in this path of love. And so much for that exposition. 
 The other interpretation renders these words assert- 
 ively, ' is true in you,' and expounds the darkness and 
 light of sin and grace ; an exposition which I inchne 
 to as most rational, it being very probable that our 
 apostle, as in the lollowiug verses he useth the same 
 metaphor, so here intends the same things ; and that 
 there his primary scope is so to describe, by darkness 
 and light, man's corrupt and regenerate estate, will 
 appear in the handling. For the better prosecution 
 of these words in this sense, be pleased to proceed 
 with me by these steps, and observe, 
 
 1. What is the state of all men before conversion, 
 namely, a state of darkness. Darkness is in our minds, 
 the darkness of ignorance and infidelity. We neither 
 do nor can know aright either God or ourselves : ' The 
 natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
 God,' is St Paul's general doctrine, 1 Cor. ii. 14, as- 
 serting our ignorance of God ; and the particular 
 charge against Laodicea, Rev. iii. 18, that she 
 ' knew not she was wretched and miser.ible, poor, 
 blind, and naked,' may justly bo extended to all man- 
 
 kind in regard of self-ignorance. Indeed, there is so 
 much light left in us as may render us inexcusable, 
 but not as can lead us to heaven ; we neither of our- 
 selves can find out nor yet discern divine truths, though 
 they are set before us. How quick-sighted soever 
 reason may be in naturals, it is dim, yea, blind in 
 spirituals. And as our blessed Saviour argueth, ' If 
 the eye be darkness, the whole body must needs be 
 dark ;' the eyes of our understanding being darkened, 
 no marvel if our will and afiections be clouded, yea, a 
 darkness of sin overrun our whole man ; so that what 
 St Paul saith to the Ephesians is true of all unre- 
 generate persons, they are not only in the concrete 
 dark, but abstract darkiie.ts itself. 
 
 2. What the state of all regenerate persons is. The 
 darkness is past, and the true light of saving know- 
 ledge and heavenly grace shineth in their hearts. Re- 
 generate Christians are called in the New Testament 
 ' new creatures ;' and indeed not unfitly, since, as it 
 was in the old, so is it in this new creation. We read 
 in the beginning of Genesis, chap. i. 2, 3, that ' dark- 
 ness was upon the face of the deep, and God said. Let 
 there be hght,' a fit emblem of the Spirit's work in a 
 sinner's conversion. Whereas darkness covereth the 
 soul before, a glorious light ariseth in, and diffuseth 
 itself through it. To this, no doubt, the apostle 
 alludeth when he saith, 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God, who com- 
 manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shincd 
 in our hearts ;' and for this reason it is that very often 
 the turning of a sinner is set forth by this metaphor. 
 So Paul's conversion of the Gentiles is called a ' turn- 
 ing them from darkness to light,' Acts xxvi. 18 ; the 
 converted Colossians are said to be ' delivered from 
 the power of darkness,' Col. i. 13; and of the Ephe- 
 sians it is said, ' You who were sometimes darkness, 
 are now light in the Lord,' Eph. v. 8 ; suitable to all 
 which is this plu'ase in my text, ' The darkness is past, 
 and the true light now shineth.' 
 
 Nor is it unworthy the observation, how fitly these 
 two clauses are joined together, since the one cannot 
 be without the other ; nay, indeed, one is the cause 
 of the other. In every convert there is not only a 
 passing away of darkness, but a shining of the true 
 light ; yea, the shining of the light is the cause 
 of the passing awaj' of the darkness ; in which respect 
 Zanchy noteth* that antjiiiictin copiilaiis pro causuli 
 posila ridetur, the copulative conjunction and is put 
 for the causal for. This will the more appear if we 
 consider what St Austin hatli observed, f namely, that 
 darkness is nothing else but the non-residency of 
 light, and therefore that which expelleth darkness 
 must needs bo the presence of light. Thus the grace 
 of the Spu'it infused into the soul is that which pre- 
 vaileth to the expulsion of sin. Look as the taking of 
 an antidote driveth out the poison, the putting of a 
 
 * Zanch. in loc. 
 
 t Qui diligeiitor considcrat quid sint tenebr^e, nil aliud 
 inveniet, quam abscntiam lucis. — iuy. de gen. ad lit. 
 
18t 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN'. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 new seal upon the was defaceth the old stamp, and 
 the return of the snn causeth the darkness to vanish ; 
 so is it the donation of the Spirit and his grace 
 which dispossesseth sin and Satan of the soul. 
 
 Hence, we may take notice what it is that maketh 
 the diflercnce between a convert and a natural man, 
 namely, the shining of the light of grace. We that 
 are converted were once involved in the same state of 
 darkness with the rest of the world, and as unable to 
 deliver ourselves from it, had not God's free grace 
 caused the light to shine upon us, which he deuieth 
 to others ; in which regard St Peter sailh, 1 Peter ii. 
 9, to the converted Christians to whom he wrote, 
 ' You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an 
 holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should shew 
 forth the praise of him who hath called you out of 
 darkness into his marvellous light.' 
 
 But yet it must withal be considered that the words 
 in this sense are better read according to the Greek, 
 ' the darkness passeth away,' than that it ' is past,' 
 since so long as we are here, though our light be true, 
 yet it is not perfect, but ' shiueth more and more to 
 the perfect day.' Now, according to the increase of 
 the light is the decrease of the darkness ; and, there- 
 fore, because it is not full noon, perfect day, whilst we 
 are here, the darkness cannot be said to be wholly 
 past, but, rather, is still passing. If, then, we are sen- 
 sible of the remainder of darkness in our hearts, let it 
 trouble, but not too much dismay us. Light and 
 darkness in remiss degi-ees may be together ; nor 
 must we expect the darkness of sin to be wholly re- 
 moved till we participate in the light of glory, 
 
 8. In whomsoever the darkness passeth, and the 
 true light shinoth, this is true of which our apostle 
 here speaketh ; this grace and duty of love will shew 
 itself in all regenerate persons. It is a clear maxim, 
 where there is the cause, there will be the elfect ; 
 such as is the root, such will be the fruit. Now, good- 
 ness, which is a companion of love, is called by the 
 apostle Paul, Eph. v. 9, ' a fruit of the Spirit,' or, as 
 some Greek copies read it, xa^rroc tiZ fciiToc, ' a fruit of 
 light ;' this light which here is said to shine, which is 
 no other than the grace of the Spirit. No wonder if, 
 where this light shinoth, there this beam and fruit of 
 it appear ; indeed, glow-worm light and star-light is 
 such as hath no heat at all to accompany it ; but sun- 
 light, which is the true liglit expelling darlmess, 
 wantcth not heat, which is the emblem of this grace 
 of love, whereby the soul is warmed, yea inflamed. 
 
 Examine wo then ourselves liy this character ; if we 
 be brought from darkness to light, this is true in us. 
 Whoso cxpericnceth this change will find some 
 measure of strengtli to perform this command. Dark- 
 ness is hateful, but light is lovely ; the darkness of 
 sin causeth hatred, but the light of gi-ace, love. If 
 t!io wild beast of envy and malice range abroad in thy 
 conversation, it is a plain argument that as yet it is 
 night vtith thee. 
 
 For a close of this particular, I have already told 
 you that, according to this sense, these words, true in 
 ijou, are to be read affirmatively ; and so they are a 
 commendation of those to whom oiu' apostle wrote, 
 and intimate that this command, which he was to im- 
 pose on them, was already true in them. And his de- 
 sign hereby, no doubt, wis to encourage them the 
 more in the practice of this duty, since, according 
 to that of the orator,* trahiiniir oiivie^ laiidis studio, 
 all men love to be commended, and praise is a spur 
 to virtue. This is that polic}' which our blessed 
 Sa\'iour himself is pleased to use in all his epistles to 
 the Asian churches, except that of Laodicea, Rev. ii. 
 iii., owning and praising those graces which he saw in 
 them. The like we may find practised by all the 
 apostles in their epistles : St Paul, writing to the 
 Corinthians, 1 Cor. xi. 2, 'Now I praise you, brethren;' 
 to the Galatians, chap. v. 2, ' You did run well ;' St 
 Peter, 2 Peter i. 19, ' Whereunto you do well that 
 you take heed.' It were easy to instance in each : 
 and surely this practice is deservedly imitable by 
 ministers towards their people, superiors towards in- 
 feriors ; yea, all men one towards another. ' Render 
 to all their dues, honour to whom honour belongeth,' 
 saith St Paul, Rom. xiii. 7. It is a breach of that jus- 
 tice which is due from man to man, not to give due 
 commendations. Indeed, flattery is abominable, and 
 therefore there must be salt, as well as honey, in our 
 praises. Commendations are then commendable when 
 they are done with fidelity, and exceed not verity ; 
 having just ground, and aiming at a right end. We 
 may, we ought, to acknowledge and declare the good 
 which we see in others, as here St John doth. 
 
 But perhaps you will say, if this were true in them 
 already, what need our apostle write this command- 
 ment to them ? Is it not in vain to bid a man do 
 that which he already doth? I answer. No; and that 
 upon a double account, 
 
 1. That which uas true must be si ill true, and so a 
 command may be given to enjoin the continuance in, 
 as well as the entrance upon, any duty. As the devil 
 diverteth some from, so he intcrrupteth others in, the 
 performance of what is good. We had need to be 
 called upon once and again, lest we faint in the race. 
 
 2. That which was true ought to be more true in 
 them. We fulfil no command so exactly, but we may 
 complain of manifold defects ; nor do we ever so well, 
 but still we may do in all bettor. The truth of love 
 and every grace is in whom the true light shinoth, and 
 on whom regeneration is conferred ; but the strength 
 of grace may still be deficient ; and, therefore, there 
 is continual need of writing and preaching this com- 
 mandment, even to those who practise it. 
 
 To end all, what remaineth but that this large and 
 
 excellent preface, \Yith which our apostle ushereth in 
 
 his discourse of love, have an ejl'ectual influence upon 
 
 our hearts and lives, to prepare us for tlio doctrine, 
 
 ♦ Cic. 
 
Vm. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 185 
 
 and excite us to the practice of it ? It is a command, 
 and that not antiquated, but still in force ; it was 
 practised b}- Christ himself and all his hcily apostles ; 
 it is most suitable to the gospel administration under 
 which we live ; yea, if we have the true light of grace 
 in U3, this cannot but be in some measure exercised 
 by us. 
 
 And, therefore, that we may obey this old and new 
 commandment which God hath given us ; that we 
 
 may follow that choice and excellent pattern which 
 Christ and his apostles have left us ; that we may 
 walk worthy of the gospel which shineth among us ; — 
 Finally, that we may declare ourselves to be indeed 
 what we profess, brought from darkness to light: let 
 us attend to, and set upon the performance of the fol- 
 lowing instruction, which should now be handled, but 
 that the time prevents, and therefore must be referred 
 to another opportunity. 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 He that saith he is in the light, and liateih his Irother, is in darkness even until noiv. He that loveth his brother 
 abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. He that hateth his brother is in dark- 
 ness, and ivalketh in darkness, and knoneih not xvhither he, goeth, because tite darkness halh blinded his 
 eyes. — 1 John II. 9-11. 
 
 w 
 
 HAT liKinidiDu and calidiim, the natural heat 
 and radical moisture, are to the body, that are 
 repentance and love to the soul ; nor are those more 
 necessary to the conservation of our temporal, than 
 these to the sustentation of our spiritual life. Indeed, 
 the principal grace is faith ; this brings, as it were, 
 the copula, that which knits Christ and the Christian 
 together in union, with whom consists our life ; but 
 the maintaining of this life is by the moisture of godly 
 contrition for our sins, and the warmth of holy afl'ec- 
 tion towards God and man. No wonder if we find, as 
 faith and repentance, so likewise love, frequently in- 
 culcated in holy writ upon all Christians. Indeed, 
 this latter is one of the principal subjects of this 
 epistle ; so that, though our apostle minds us of re- 
 pentance in confessing our sins, and faith in believing 
 on the name of Jesus Christ, yet he chiefly insists on 
 loving, and that as God, so our brother, which is the 
 design of the verses I have now read, ' He that saith 
 he is in the light,' &e. 
 
 Having despatched the preamble inciting, contained 
 in the two former verses, I am now to proceed to the 
 doctrine instructing, laid down in these three ; for 
 whereas before he had mentioned a commandment 
 concerning which he did now write to them, and withal 
 adorned it with very amiable characters, he now phvinly 
 and expressly declareth what this commandment is, 
 namely, that of loving our brother, for so interpreters* 
 well observe these verses to be an exposition of the 
 general commendation in those ; and having by his 
 large praises endeavoured to inflame them with desires 
 after the knowledge and practice of it, he goeth on to 
 inform them what it is, and wherein it consists. 
 
 Nor would it be passed by that our apostle, in 
 handling this doctrine of love, pursueth that metaphor 
 which he made use of in the former chapter, where he 
 liiyeth down the general scope of his epistle ; hereby, 
 no doubt, intending to intimate to us that this duty 
 
 * Exegesis, ot ipsius prsecepti quoJ supcrius comnicndavit, 
 c.\posilio. — Dan. 
 
 of brotherl}' love is a primary step of that walking in 
 the light which entitleth to fellowship with God ; and 
 so, on the contrary, hatred of our brother a chief step 
 of that walking in darkness which depriveth us of that 
 communion, so that we are now come to the fourth 
 step of that divine walk which St John designeth to 
 chalk out in this epistle : the first whereof is re- 
 pentance ; the second, obedience ; the third, imitation 
 of Christ ; and now the fourth, which we are from 
 these verses to discourse upon, is, the love of our 
 brethren, ' He that saith he is the light,' &c. 
 
 In these three verses we have two general parts 
 considerable, 
 
 A grace proposed, the vice opposed. 
 
 The proposition is in the 10th verse ; the opposition 
 in the 9th and 11th verses. 
 
 And inasmuch as the grace is in order of nature 
 before the vice ; and (according to that geometrical 
 maxim. Rectum est index sui ct uhliqui), the way to 
 know when we commit the sin is to understand the 
 nature of the grace ; and yet further, since the oppo- 
 sition is intended as an amplification of the proposi- 
 tion, I shall therefore, in handhng these verses, begin 
 with the middlemost, wherein is contained. 
 
 The thesis or grace proposed, ' He that loveth his 
 brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion 
 of stumbling in him.' 
 
 In the discussion whereof be pleased to observe two 
 things : the nature and the benefit of the grace ; the 
 former in the subject, the latter in the predicate of 
 the proposition. 
 
 1. The subject of the proposition, ' He that loveth 
 his brother.' So that the grace here set before us is 
 the love of our brother. St Austin, speaking of love, 
 Lath observed a fourfold object,* whereabout it is con- 
 versant. Quod supra iios, quod nos sumus, quod ju.ria 
 nos, quod infra nos ; the first above us, namely, God ; 
 the second ourselves ; the third about us ; the fourth 
 beneath us, our bodies ; and as he well ob.serveth, two 
 * Aug. tie doctr. Christ, 1. i. c. 23. 
 
186 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 of them are so natural, that there is no need of a pre- 
 cept, to wit, ourselves, and especially our bodies ; and 
 therefore the command of love is expressed in these 
 two, the love of God and of our neighbour, the latter 
 of which our apostle here calls for. 
 
 If you look backward upon the 5th verse of this 
 chapter, you find the apostle speaking of the love of 
 God, that being indeed the primary object of love ; * 
 and bore he adviseth to the love of our brother, these 
 two being not contrary, but subordinate. A little alter 
 he speaketh of two loves which are inconsistent, ' the 
 love of the Father' and ' the love of the world,' verse 
 15 ; but it is not so with the love of God and our 
 brother ; nay, indeed, the former is a cause of the 
 latter, and the latter a testimony of the former. Love 
 to our brother is efl'ected by our love to God, and our 
 love to God is perfected by love to our brother ; and 
 therefore very fitly doth our apostle here speak of the 
 latter (having before mentioned the former), because 
 he is now about to describe the word or commandment, 
 the keeping whereof perfects, that is, declareth our 
 love to God to be perfect or sincere, which is no other 
 than brotherly love. 
 
 For the better unfolding of which, I shall briefly 
 resolve these two queries : 
 
 What that love is which we owe to our brother ? 
 
 Quest. 1. Who that brother is whom we ai-e so to 
 love? 
 
 Not to discourse of love at large, be pleased to know, 
 that to love our brother, as Zanchy well defineth.f it 
 is to have our miud so inclined towards him, as that 
 ■we will, and to the utmost of our power, confer good 
 upon him. Suitable hereunto is that description of 
 the philosopher, love is /Sou/.sirt'aj ra dyw^a xa! 
 ■ii.a.Ta bi/taiiiv f3oi;\o;j,iva -jr^amiv, to will that which is 
 good to, and, as far as we are able, to do that which 
 we will for another. If, then, you ask. What is the 
 formal act of this love ? I answer, iuvoia., benevolence 
 amor ajfecticus. If What is the proper efi'ect of it ? 
 the answer is, iwiroiia, beneficenco uinur I'jfevtiviis.l 
 Nor can love be where either of these is wanting. On 
 the one hand, if there be beneficence, and not benevo- 
 lence, it is not love. When St Paul saith, 1 Cor. 
 xiii. 8, ' Though I bestow all my goods to feed the 
 poor, and have not charily, it profiteth me nothing,' 
 he intimatcth that it is possible for a man to bestow 
 his goods on the poor, and yet want love ; liberality 
 being sometimes a fruit rather of vain glory than 
 charity. On the other hand, if there be benevolence 
 and not beneficence, it is not love ; since it is only 
 relleitris, not ro/»H/«s, a wishing and woulding, not a 
 serious willing. Tnihit senim unimorum piopninii) 
 nmncm beiie/icailirim, saith Gualter; a cordial propcn- 
 cion carrieth with it a vigorous prosecution. In this 
 respect St James, chap. ii. 16, chideth those who, 
 
 * Vide NaogorR. in Ice. t Zanch. in Inc. 
 
 J Arist. Etliic. fib. ix. cop. 5. Bid in. iii. sert. di^t. 27, 
 art. 1. 
 
 ' when a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of 
 daily bread, say to them. Depart in peace, be you 
 warmed, be you filled, notwithstanding they gave them 
 not those things which were needful for the body.' 
 That is not charity which only expresseth itself in 
 words, not works ; love being an emanation of the 
 will, in a way of adhesion to its object, cannot but 
 will all good to the object loved ; and since the will is 
 the queen regent of the whole man (in which regard 
 the actions of all the other faculties are called the im- 
 perate acts of the will), commanding the execution of 
 its inclination, it must needs follow, that he who seri- 
 ously wills, cannot but really endeavour his brother's 
 good ; and therefore that velleity, which, like an empty 
 cloud, vanisheth away without efficacy, is not an act 
 of love ; in which respect some not unfitly give the 
 sense of dyarrav by ciynv ro rrdt, to move every stone, 
 and use all means for accomplishing the good we will. 
 Only that caution, acconlinr/ to our ahilitij, must be 
 here inserted ; for as St Paul saith in this very case, 
 ' If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted accord- 
 ing to that a man hath, and not according to that he 
 halh not,' 2 Cor. viii. 12. Where there is want of 
 ability, benevolence, though it cannot be profitable to 
 our brother, yet is acceptable to God, and ought to be 
 to him without beneficence. The one, then, namclj', 
 a good will, is absolutely and always necessary ; the 
 other, to wit, good works, conditionally, and with this 
 limitation, so far as they are within the sphere of our 
 activity and compass of our ability. 
 
 Besides this general definition of love, it will not be 
 amiss somewhat more particularly to iuquire into the 
 several ways of exercising it, that we may see bow 
 many Hues meet in this centre of love, which may 
 both fully and briefly be delineated b}- a double re- 
 ference. 
 
 1. To the present condition of our brother, who 
 Either hath the good already ; and then love first 
 
 blesseth God, and next cougratulateth him, rejoicing 
 him at the presence, and willing the continuance, yea, 
 increasing of it, so far as may be good and expedient 
 for him ; 
 
 Or else he wants the good, and is distressed bj' somo 
 kind of evil ; and then love beareth a part with him 
 in his sufi'erings by sympathy, wiping away his tears 
 with the sponge of her compassion, yea, not only so, 
 but endeavoureth to relieve him in, and deliver him 
 out of his atUiction ; above all, praying with earnest 
 prayer and sujjplication to God for him. 
 
 2. To the several kinds of good, which concern this 
 life, and that which is to come. Thus love, 
 
 1. Willeth and endeavoureth chiefly the spiritual 
 good of his soul. Gal. vi. 1, 1 Thess. v. 14, instruct- 
 ing his ignorance, rebuking his wickedness, exciting 
 his negligence, supporting his weakness, resolving his 
 doubtfulness, laying forth readily what gifts God hath 
 vouchsafed to her ; yet still within the compass of he.r 
 calling, for the edification of othirs. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 187 
 
 2. Next she wishetli well to, and taketh care of, his 
 temporal advantage, in bodj', name, estate ; feeding 
 the belly, clothing the back of her brother, and so 
 makii)g the one her bai'n, and the other her wardrobe, 
 and both her treasury, concealing those secret faults 
 which might, and confuting those false slanders which 
 do, impair his credit ; finally, seeking the things of 
 another, his outward welfare, gain, prosperity, as well 
 as her own, 1 Cor. xiii. 5 ; yea, when need requireth, 
 throwing the fat clung of her wealth upon the barren 
 soil of her brother's mean estate. 
 
 By this time you see both the intent and the extent 
 of the act of love, which is here required. Pass we 
 on to the object, whereabout it ought to be conver- 
 sant ; and so to a resolution of the second question, 
 Who this brotber is whom we ought thus to love ? 
 
 To this end, you may please to take notice of a 
 double fi-aternity, to wit, carnal and spiritual ; the one 
 is by the blood of man, the other by the blood of 
 Christ. 
 
 1. Carnal brotherhood, in its utmost latitude, 
 reacheth very far ; nor can we too far extend the 
 meaning of brother in the text, according to this 
 notion. For the clearing whereof observe these par- 
 ticulars. 
 
 1. Brother in the first and strict acception, is pre- 
 dicated of those who have the same immediate parents ; 
 the word adiXf'oc, coming from d, signifying 6ij,ou, and 
 diXfo;, iilenis, iutimateth as much. One that comcth 
 out of the same womb, the same loins, hath the same 
 father and mother with another, is most properly a 
 brother. 
 
 2. Brother is sometimes enlarged further to affinity; 
 and so kinsmen are in Scripture phrase called brethren. 
 The Jews say, concerning Christ, ' Is not this the 
 carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and 
 Joses, and of Juda and Simon ? and are not his 
 sisters here with us ? ' Mark vi. 3, whenas yet we 
 rationally conceive, that the blessed virgin never had 
 child besides him, and as he is called her first-born, 
 because none before him, so we read not of any she 
 had after him, and therefore he her only one. So 
 that his kindred and alhes are called his brethren and 
 sisters, according to the usual form of speech among 
 the Jews. 
 
 3. Brother is sometimes yet more largely applied to 
 all those who are of the same country. Thus, where 
 the Jews are forbid to take usury of a brother, and 
 required to set him king over them, ' whom the Lord 
 their God should choose, from among their brethren,' 
 Deut. xvii. 15, brother is manifestly taken in oppo- 
 sition to a stranger, one of another nation ; so that not 
 only cognalione but nalione, by kindred but country, 
 there cometh in a brotherhood. 
 
 4. Brother is yet capable of a far greater extension, 
 and so taketh in all men, inasmuch as there is not 
 only iJentilas niitnr/r, a speciScal identity of nature, 
 but or'ujinis, a i.umerical identity of original. He is 
 
 in strict sense a brother, who hath the same immediate 
 parents ; well may he be a brother in a large sense who 
 bath the same mediate parents. Thus, all men came 
 from the loins of one man Adam, and from the womb 
 of one woman Eve, in which respect the apostle sailh. 
 Acts xvii. 26, ' He hath made of one blood all the 
 nations of the earth.' Indeed, all angels have the 
 same intellectual nature one with another ; but they 
 did not all come from one angel, but were severally 
 and immediately created ; whereas God (though he 
 could have created millions) made but one man, and 
 ordained that out of him all the race of mankind 
 should proceed, in which regard every man is brother 
 to another. And, therefore, Tertuhian writing to the 
 heathen saith,* f nitres etiam restri suinusjnre natiirtc 
 matris tinius, we Christians and you heathen are 
 brethren in a natural way, as having the same original. 
 Thus, as circles in the water do enlarge themselves,^ 
 one greater than the other, so do the acceptions of 
 this word. If now you shall ask me in what acceptiun 
 brother is here to be taken, I answer with Augus- 
 tine, Estius, and Danasus if Hoc loco fralrem omiieni 
 homineni debeiuus accipere, in the largest, as including 
 every man. St Gregory speaketh of this duty of 
 love, + well observeth, aliud est quod sponte impendilur 
 naturii, aliud quod pruceptis divinis ex charilale 
 debelur obedientue: there is doubtless something more 
 intended by the precept than what we are prompted 
 to by uatm-e. To love our countrymen, our fiiends, 
 our brother, is that which we are naturally inclined 
 to, so that they who do not perform it are justly 
 branded as without natural afl'ection ; whence, by the 
 way, we may see what an unnatural age we live in, 
 wherein Englishmen are so cruel to one another, kins- 
 men worry each other, yea, one brother belrayeth and 
 supplanteth another. But surely the contrary to 
 those horrid acts, I mean natural afl'ection, is not all 
 that is here intended ; it is the love of all men which 
 is required of us. According to this notion, J'ruttr 
 waAproximus, brother and nelyhljour, are of equal extent, 
 and so the mandate is, p(XocrX)jff/a, the love of our 
 neighbour or brother, which is indeed fiXatS^ai-ia, 
 of every man. True it is, our love must be regular 
 and orderly; and therefore, cateris paritnis, other things 
 being ahke, we must prefer a brother before a kinsman, 
 a kinsman before a countryman, a countryman before 
 an alien. But yet so that, as far as we are able, the 
 beams of our love may scatter themselves throughout 
 the world. 
 
 And thus to love our brother is to love every man. 
 
 1. Sive bonum, sire malum, as well the bad as the 
 good. God ' causeth his sun to shine, and his rain to 
 fall, upon the unjust no less than the just,' § and wo 
 must express our love to the wicked as well as godly. 
 
 * Tert. Apol. c. xxxix. 
 
 t Aug. (ie temp scrm. 'Jl. Eilius 
 
 X Gr. mor. honi. xxvii. in Evang. 
 
 j Cartluis. in loc. 
 
 Dan. in loc. 
 
188 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IT. 
 
 2. Sive amicum, sit:e inimicwn, as well enemy as 
 friend. It is Christ's express precept, ' Love your 
 enemies,' Luke vi. 32; and (as St Austin* truly), 
 Hac est vera tt germana charitas, this is right Chris- 
 tian charity. To wish well to those that wish well to 
 us, to do good to them that do good to us, is no more 
 than what publicans do (so our blessed Saviour) ; nay, 
 than what thieves, dragons, wolves, and all sorts of 
 beasts do; so that fore-mentioned father. But to wish 
 well to them that wish us ill, and do good to them 
 that do us hurt, this is that which Christians ought to 
 practise ; yea, as Tertullian f truly, solorum Christian- 
 orum, only they can do it. ' If thy enemy hunger,' 
 saith St Paul, Eom. xii. 20, ' feed him ; if he thirst, 
 give him drink ; ' the Hebrew word in the proverb, 
 whence St Paul borroweth it, Prov. xxv. 21, 22, is 
 rendered by Vatablus, propina ei aijuam, not only 
 ' give him drink,' but ' drink to him ' as a token of 
 love, that it may appear, however he is towards thee, 
 thou art reconciled to him. Excellent to this purpose 
 is that advice of Gregory Nazianzeu, j 'ii'^oj,asv ahiXfol 
 y.ai ToT; /j.iao{jffiv >5/iaf, we must say hielhren unto 
 them that hate us, and accordingly express brotherly 
 love to them. And thus, in this construction of 
 brother, we have beheld the extension of love, how 
 far it reacheth in regard of the objects about which it 
 is conversant. 
 
 2. But besides this carnal fraternity between all 
 men, there is a spiritual brotherhood between all 
 Christians ; they have all the same father, even the 
 ' Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who begetteth them 
 again,' 1 Peter i. 3, 4 ; they have the same mother, the 
 church, ' Jerusalem from above,' which bringeth them 
 forth. Gal. iv. 26 ; they all are washed in the same 
 Javer of regeneration, baptism, Titus iii. 5 ; partake 
 of the same immortal seed, 1 Peter i. 28, and are 
 nourished by the same sincere milk of the word, chap. 
 ii. 2 ; finally, they arc all begotten to the same un- 
 defiled inheritance, heirs of the same glory ; a^sX^oi); 
 'TOUi tSi uutu "Kijyoi avayivvr)6nrai '^r^oenyo^iuo/j.iv, 
 saith Clemens Alexandrinus,§ we call them brethren 
 who are horn anew of the same word. Yea, qiunito 
 (Uijnius fratres et dicunttir, ct hahcvlnr'? siiith Tertul- 
 ban. jl How much more deservedly than other men are 
 they called and accounted brethren, who acknowledge 
 (me Father, God, have drank of one spii'it of holiness, 
 !ind are brought fmih of the same womb of ignorance, 
 into the glorious light of evangelical truth ! A brother 
 in the sense above mentioned is only so by nature, 
 but in this by grace ; that is only a brother on the 
 left hand, but this on the right hand; that of the 
 earth, earthly, but this from heaven, heavenly. In 
 this sense some expositors, and as I conceive most 
 rationally, take the word here, this name brother 
 
 * Aug. de temp serm. 61. — Id. ibid. 
 
 i firp^or. Naz. orat. 41. 
 
 S f'lem. Alix. iSlromat. lib. ii. 
 
 II 'J'crt. Ajinlog. ciqi. xxxix. 
 
 t Tcrt. ad soap. 
 
 being by the apostle, and afterwards in the primitive 
 times, in common language given to all, and only 
 those who did embrace Christian religion ; and which 
 maketh this interpretation more manifest is, that our 
 apostle in the next chapter phraseth it, ' love the 
 brethren,' chnp. iii. 10, which seemeth to indigitate a 
 certain society of men, so called. Yea, in the fifth 
 chapter at the beginning, chap. v. 1, he describeth him 
 whom here he calls brother to be one that is ' begotten 
 of God.' 
 
 According to this construction, that which is here 
 required, is called by the apostle Peter, 2 Peter i. 7, 
 Gal. vi. 10, fi>.akXfla, brotherly kindness, and is 
 distinguished as a particuLir species from its genus, 
 aya'Tt), (which is presently annexed) charily. As 
 then there is a general love which belongeth to all 
 men, so a special love which belongeth to all Chris- 
 tians ; and as we must ' do good to all men,' so 
 ' especially to the household of iaith.' Indeed, seeing 
 the Christian brother hath a double cause of love in 
 him that is God's image as a man, and God's giace 
 as a Christian, we ought to deal by him as Joseph 
 did by his brother Benjamin, whose mess was five 
 times greater than the rest of his brethren. 
 
 If any shall yet further inquire, why our apostle 
 speaking of this love to a Christian, calls him by (he 
 name of a brother ? I answer. For these three reasons, 
 because this name of brother carrieth in it an obliga- 
 tion to, a specification and modification of, that love 
 which is here required, * since we must love a 
 Christian, quia, qiialcnus, qualis, because he is a 
 brother, inasmuch as he is a brother, and with such 
 a love as is among brothers. 
 
 1. This word brother carrieth with it a strong ob- 
 ligation to love. In/ratris voce ratio, so Dauasus, it 
 is an urgent reason why wo should love a Christian, 
 because he is our brother. All relation is a ground 
 of aflection ; and hence it is a man loveth anything 
 that is his. The nearer the relation, the greater tie to 
 love, and therefore the more reason why a brother 
 should be beloved. The nearest relation is that which 
 is spiritual, f and therefore yet greater reason to love 
 a Christian, who is ours, our brother; yea, our 
 brother in Christ. When Moses saw two Israelitts, 
 countrymen, struggling together, he said to them, 
 ' Sirs, you are brethren ; why do you wrong one 
 another?' J Acts vii. 2G. When Abraham and Lot 
 (kinsmen) were likely to fall out, saith Abraham, ' Let 
 there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee ; 
 for we aie brethren,' Gen. xiii. 8. When Socrates 
 saw two brethren striving one with another, ho told 
 them they did as if the two hands, which were made 
 to help, should beat each other, so that since Chris- 
 
 * Inter fratres communis debet esse mctus, gautlimn, 
 dohr. —Tertul. 
 
 t Perfectior est fratornitas siiirilualis, qiiam carnalis, &c. 
 — Ambrof. sc>r. 9. 
 
 J Aug. sorni. 'J7, tie verb, a] est. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 1S9 
 
 tians are brethren in the highest and closest relation, 
 this should be a great engagement upon them to love. 
 2. This word brother intimateth a specification of 
 this love in regard of its object, which is then rightly 
 placed when it is upon a brother as he is a brother, 
 that is, a Christian as he is a Christian. One that is 
 a brother iu this spiritual notion may be my natural 
 brother or kinsman, and then to love him is what 
 nature dictates ; or be is my friend and benefactor, 
 and so to love him gratitude teacheth; or he is able to 
 do me either an injury or a courtesy, so that I have 
 cause to fear the one and hope the other ; and in 
 this respect to love him, self-love prompts me. Or 
 (once more) he may be a man of rare natural and 
 acquired endowments, and to love him for this inge- 
 nuity moves me ; but to love him because he is a 
 brother, in a spiritual sense, this is that which Chris- 
 tianity inciteth to, and this only is a right Christian 
 love. Indeed, thus to love him, is to love him in 
 reference to God and Christ, because he hath the 
 grace of God in him, the image of God upon him. 
 To love him as a brother in this sense is to love him 
 as a son of God, a member of Christ, and (as St 
 Jerome's phrase is,* Diligere CJiristiim hahitanlem 
 in Auijusiino) to love God, and Christ dwelling in him. 
 And now, if any shall say it is hard, nay, impossible, 
 to know any man to be such a brother, and therefore 
 how can I love him as such when I cannot know him 
 to be such ? I answer, that there is a great deal of 
 dift'erence between the judgment of certaintj' and 
 charity. Love doth not need nor require infallible, 
 but only probable signs ; and therefore whosoever 
 doth profess the true faith of Christ, and doth not by 
 a flagitious conversation give that profession the lie, 
 love taketh him to be a brother ; and to love one be- 
 cause he at least seemeth to be such a one by his 
 external profession and conversation, so as the more 
 Christian graces we discover in him, the more we are 
 afl'ected towards him, this is that which most espe- 
 cially flilleth under the precept of loving our brother. 
 
 3. Yet, once more, there is in this word brother 
 implied a modification of that love which we must 
 express towards Christians, to wit, that it must be 
 such as that which is between brethren, and that 
 more properly in two things, the instancy and the 
 constancy, the fervency and the permanency of it. 
 
 (1.) Brotherly love is fervent. It is a relation of the 
 greatest endearment, partly as it is natural, not founded 
 in choice, as it is between man and wife, and between 
 friends ; and partly as it is between equals, not like 
 that between parents and children, whose love towards 
 their parents hath more of reverence than sweetness 
 in it ; hence it is that, as no discord, so neither is any 
 love hke to that which hath been found among 
 brethren. Such ought our love to be towards Chris- 
 tians, a bright shining, an hot flaming love. That 
 exhortation of St Paul, Rom. xii. 10, is very observ- 
 * Ilkroni. Ep. 
 
 able to this purpose, ' Be you kindly afl'ected one to 
 another with brotherly love,' where the Greek word 
 (piXoaroiyoi, is rendered by Tertullian* afectuon, both 
 which note an eminent measure and degree of afl'ec- 
 tion. Such is brotherly, such ought to be Christian, 
 love, very afl'ectionate. Memorable in this respect 
 was the example of the primitive Christians, of whom 
 that fore-mentioned fatherf saith, they did love one 
 another ad sttiporem Gcitt'diuin, to the astonishment 
 of the heathen, so much that the heathen cried out 
 with admiration, Vide lit invicem se dilirjunt, See how 
 they love one another. 
 
 (2.) Brotherly love is lasting. It is natural, and 
 therefore perpetual ; it is a relation that eeaseth not 
 till death, and therefore the afl'ection may well remain. 
 A brother, if not very unuatm-al, will own bis brother 
 in rags, and love him in his lowest estate. Such must 
 Christian love be towards a brother of low as well as 
 high degree, in persecution as well as prosperity, when 
 he wants us, not we him ; nor must our love cease to 
 act towards him till he cease to be amongst us. This 
 was that no doubt which the apostle aimed at when 
 he saith, Heb. xiii. 1, 'Let brotherly love continue,' 
 thereby minding what the love of brethren is, and 
 what the love of Christians ought to be, a continuing 
 and enduring love. 
 
 And now, what other use should we make of all 
 this discourse upon the nature of this grace, but 
 hereby to examine ourselves whether our love be of 
 the right stamp, to wit, such a love as is ready to 
 every good word and work, as extendeth itself to our 
 very enemies, as is chiefly fixed upon Christians, and 
 that because they are so. And so much shall suffice 
 to be spoken of the first part, the subject of the 
 thesis. I now proceed more briefly to the 
 
 2. I'redicate.t, which are plainly two, describing 
 the benefit of this grace, the one in regard of the con- 
 dition, and the other of conversation of such a person. 
 His condition is happy, for he ' abideth in the light ;' 
 his conversation is sweet, for ' there is no occasion of 
 stumbling in him.' 
 
 1. He that loveth his brother is said to abide in 
 the light. It is not unfitly here taken notice of by 
 Zanch}',^ that as in the eighth verse our apostle argu- 
 eth, d causa ad effectiun, from the cause to the efl'ect, 
 this thing is true in you, namely, the practice of love, 
 because ' the darkness is past, and the true light now 
 shineth,' to wit, of gi'ace ; so in this verse he reasons 
 ab effecto ad caiisam, from the efl'ect to the cause, 
 he iu whom this is true that he loves his brother, is 
 brouglit out of that darkness, and abides in the light. 
 
 Light is a metaphor variously applied iu Scripture. 
 We may here take it Ihrte ways. 
 
 1. This metaphor of light is sometimes attributed 
 to Christ; so by our apostle in his Gospel, when he 
 calleth him the light, of whom John the Baptist did 
 
 * Tertul adv. Marc. 1. 5. J Z;iiicli. in li/c. 
 
 t Apolog. c. S9. 
 
190 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHX. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 liear witness ; by himself, when he saith, ' I am the 
 light of the world ;' and thus abiding in the light is 
 the same with that of abiding in him. Thus it is an 
 undoubted truth, he that loveth his brother abideth 
 in Christ ; that branch which participateth of the 
 juice and sap of the root must needs abide in it. Love 
 is the sap that was in Christ, and therefore he that 
 partaketh of love from Christ must abide in him. 
 That member which sufi'ereth with the rest of the 
 body declareth itself to be in the body. He that by 
 loving sympathiseth with his brother, manifesteth 
 himself to be a member of Christ. 
 
 2. Sometimes by this metaphor of light the gospel, 
 together with the saving knowledge of it, are repre- 
 sented. Both these we meet with in one chapter, 
 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6, whilst St Paul expressly mentioneth, 
 first, ' the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,' and 
 presently, ' the light of the knoweldge of the glory of God 
 in the face of Jesus Christ.' Indeed, in the one is the 
 light without, and the other is as the light within, 
 and he that loveth his brother abideth in this light, 
 hereby declaring that he hath indeed learned and is 
 rightly acquainted with evangelical doctrine. To this 
 purpose is Justinian's note,* Eo Inmine dlf/nnin se 
 osieiidil ijiii hoiiiiiis ducttim neqnitur, by following the 
 conduct of this light he sheweth himself in some 
 measure worthy of it, because answerable to it. 
 
 3. But lastly, this metaphor of light is used to set 
 forth grace and holiness. In this sense, no doubt, St 
 Peter is to be understood when he saith of believers 
 that they are ' called by God out of darkness into his 
 marvellous light ;'| and thus the light in which he 
 that loveth his brother is said to abide is the same 
 with that in the former chapter, chap. i. 6, where we 
 have the phrase of ' walking in the light ;' and the 
 meaning of the word is briefly this, be that loveth his 
 brother is in a slate of grace. Charily is an evident 
 demonstration of sanctity. St Paul, reckoning up the 
 fruits of the Spirit, placeth love in the front, as if 
 there were no clearer fruit of the Spirit's residence in 
 us than the exercise of this duty of I'^ve. Indeed, 
 there is a love which only argueth good nature ; such 
 is that of a kinsman, a friend ; but to love an enemy, 
 and that because it is an evangelical injunction, and 
 to love a Christian because he is a Christian, is such 
 a flower as groweth not in nature's garden, but is a 
 fruit of the Spirit, and so a testimony of grace. J 
 
 But because I shall have more full occasion of dis- 
 cussing this in the next chapter, I pass on to the 
 
 2. Next benefit which attends upon brotherly love, 
 as it is expressed in those words, ' and there is none 
 occasion of slumbliug in him.' 
 
 Not to insist on the several acceptions of the 
 Greek word axdnbaXov, as it is used by the LXX in the 
 
 * Justin, in loc. 
 
 t In splenilore f;rali<B pratiim fncicntis — Carthui. 
 X Amare nmantem, iiatm-a?, iuimicum, chnritiitia est. — 
 Aqiiin. M Cat, sup. ilatth. 5. 
 
 Old Testament, and by the sacred writers in the New,* 
 this being already done by the late learned annotator ; 
 it may suffice to know that here, according to its 
 derivation from cy.a^u, daudicn, it signifies anj' rub 
 or block cast in a man's way, which may endanger 
 halting or falling, and therefore is fitly here rendered 
 ' occasion of stumbling.' In what sense this is true, 
 that there is no occasion of stumbling in him that 
 loveth his brother, expositors somewhat vary, yet so 
 as that they are all consistent with the analogy of 
 faith and scope of the place. 
 
 1. Somef understand scandal in an active sense, 
 and thus render it, there is no occasion of stumbling 
 given by him ; he taketh care that neither by oppro- 
 brious language, injm'ious action, or vicious example, 
 he give a just ofi'ence, so as may occasion the fall and 
 ruin of his brother. St Paul, writing to the Philip- 
 pians, chap. ii. 15, exhorts them to be blameless and 
 harmless ; where the former word (according to its 
 derivation) signifies that we must not be as beasts 
 who push with their horns, and thereby do much 
 harm ; and the latter word signifies one, de quo nuUus 
 ijiieri potest, of whom none can justly complain ; and 
 they are well put together, since, as St Austin aptly, J 
 Quis de illo JKste queritur, qui neiiiiiii wale vult, he 
 that is harmless must needs be blameless ; nor can he 
 be justly complained of by, who doth no injury to, 
 another. Such is every one who loveth his brother. 
 Love nee retia tendit, nee ladere intendit, neither doth 
 nor desireth another's wrong ; it ' worketh no ill,' 
 saith the apostle, Rom. xiii. 10 ; and again in another 
 place, 1 Cor. xiii. 5, it ' thinketh not evil.' Wisdom 
 avoideth the snares which are laid by, love layeth no 
 snares for, others ; yea, so cautelous is charity, that 
 she will rather abridge herself of liberty, than do what 
 may ofl'end her weak brother ; and therefore St Paul, 
 Rom. xiv. 15, expressly saith to him, who did grieve 
 his brother with his meat, which yet was in itself 
 lawful to eat, ' now walkest thou not charitably.' In- 
 deed, this is that which flowcth from the very nature 
 of love ; for since it is, as bath been already shewed, 
 a willing of good, it must needs infer a nilling of evil 
 to my brother, it being impossible that I should at the 
 same time will and nill the same thing to the same 
 person ; and therefore since, if I will good, I must nill 
 evil, no wonder if, by him that hath a true love, 
 there be no occasion of stumbling given to his brother. 
 
 2. Others interpret scandal in a passive sense. There 
 is no scandal or occasion of stumbling given to him ; 
 not but that there will be blocks laid in the way, but he 
 passeth over them, and sofalletli not at them ; according 
 to that of Solomon, Prov. xix. 17, ' It is the glory of a 
 man to pass over a transgression.' To tbis purpose 
 is Zanchy's note upon the text,§ it is not nou eat illi 
 scandithim, but iwn est in illo scandulum, finding an 
 
 * Vide Ilierom. in Matth. xv. 
 
 + Cartli. A ret. Kst. Cualt. in loc. 
 
 i Aug de iierfect. justitia;. 5 Zanoli. in loc. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXX. 
 
 191 
 
 emphasis in tbat iv, which Grotius* conceiveth to be a 
 pleonasm. There is no oiJencef to him, but not in 
 him ; that is, though it may be given by others, yet 
 it is not taken by him. In which respect are those 
 expressions of St Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 4, ' Cbiirity suffereth 
 long, is not easily provoked, beareth all things ;' and 
 St Austin J observeth upon this place, Qui dUigitfra- 
 trem tulcrat omnia propter uniUitem, he that loveth his 
 brother, for unity's sake beareth with all things. The 
 back of love will sustain a load of wi-ongs, and when 
 it is moved with violence, it is not removed from 
 patience. It is St Peter's phrase, 1 Pet. iv. 8, and 
 he borroweth it from the wise man, Prov. x. 12, ' Love 
 covereth a multitude of sins ;' and as it covereth them 
 from others by concealment, so, which is especially 
 intended, from herself by coniiirauce and forgiveness ; 
 and thus she exerciseth in respect not of a few, but 
 many, injuries ; herein being (to use St Chrysostom's 
 comparison) Hke to fire, which burneth up not only a 
 few sticks, but a great wood. Thus, whilst faith is a 
 resolute grace, having cedo nuUi for her motto, love is 
 a yielding gi-ace, and so, passing over, is not ofl'ended 
 at those wrongs which like stumbling-blocks are thrown 
 in her way. 
 
 3. But there is another construction of these words, 
 which as it is of no less verity, so is of greater latitude ; 
 by scinidcd to understand transgressions, these being 
 those stumbling-blocks which cause us to fall and hurt, 
 yea, ruin ourselves ; and thus the sense of the clause 
 is, He who loveth his brother escapeth those heinous 
 sins into which others fall, walking in the command- 
 ments of the Lord blameless. This is that which taketh 
 in the other constructions, for inasmuch as he doth not 
 willingly give offence, therefore he avoideth those sins 
 by which his brother is offended ; and since he doth 
 not easily take offence, he avoideth those sins to which 
 others are provoked. It were easy to instance in the 
 several commandments how the love of our brother 
 prevents the breaches of them. He that loveth his 
 brother because he is a brother, much more loveth his 
 Father God ; and loving God, abhorreth those pro- 
 fanations of Lis worship, name, day, which ungodly 
 men wound themselves by. Again, he that loveth his 
 brother will reverence him if his superior, dare not 
 injure him in his wife, estate, name, or anything that 
 is his. And if you please to put these two together, 
 ahidlnij in the lii/ht and no occasion of slumhlinf/, you 
 shall find the one a manifest reason of the other. By 
 the opposition of being in darkness and walking in 
 darkness to abiding in the light, it appcareth that 
 abiding in the light implielh being and walking in the 
 light, whereby he escapeth whatever might be a stone 
 of offence or stumbling-block in his way. ' If any man' 
 (saith our blessed Saviour) ' walketh in the light, he 
 stumblcth not, because be seeth the light of this world ;' 
 and thus he that loveth his brother, having the light 
 
 ♦Grot, ibirt. f Qu. ' there is offence?'— Ed. 
 
 J Aug. iu Ep. 
 
 of saving knowledge and gi'ace to shine before him, 
 nunquam impingit, so Grotius,* never falls, but inoj- 
 fenso fjradu pcrgit, so another, goeth on inoffensively 
 in the path of eternal life. Indeed, we must take this 
 with some restriction, not as if he that loved his brother 
 did not sometimes fall into sin, but siiz ieri sxandaXov, 
 not into scandalous and injurious sins, and this, too, 
 with reference to his abiding in the light. It is possible 
 for a charitable Christian to step out of the light, and 
 then he may fall foully ; but so far as he is regenerate 
 and abideth in the hght, he is free from such sins. 
 
 4. Once more: Grotius conceivethf that the apostle 
 in these words hath some reference to the LXX. reading 
 of the 165th verse of the 119th Psalm, o-jy, iariu auTo/j 
 SKaidaXov, ' Great peace have they that love the law, 
 and nothing shall offend them ;' and so it iutimateth 
 the inward tranquillity which, as they that love the 
 law, so he that loveth his brother doth enjoy, so as 
 that, whatsoever befalls him, he is not disturbed nor 
 distracted by it. It is that, indeed, which foUoweth 
 upon all the former ; for since he neither justly giveth, 
 nor quickly taketh, offence, and keepeth himself from 
 gross sins in the course of his conversation, no wonder 
 if he enjoys a serene calm in his soul ; and though 
 wicked men may be offended at him, yea, raise storms 
 of persecution against him, yet he is at peace within. 
 Excellent to this purpose is that of St Ambrose, J 
 Cluintas pellit omnes tribuUitionea, non lit non eveniant, 
 sed lit non noceant ; quia licet e.vteriiis tribulationes in- 
 siirgiintjtamen virjtistus interiiis non tiobatiir: Charily 
 driveth away all troubles ; not that they do not come 
 upon, but that they shall not do hart to him, because 
 though tribulations arise outwardly, he is not molested 
 inwardly. That adage of the wise man, Prov. xii. 21, 
 ' No evil shall happen to the just,' the vulgar Latin 
 reads, Non coiitriduhit jiistitin qiiicquid ei acciderit, 
 whatever happen to the just shall not vex and grieve 
 him ; and to use Hugo's philosophical comparison, § 
 as an accident is present and absent without the cor- 
 ruption of the subject, so tribulation when present as 
 well as when absent, doth not perplex and disturb the 
 just. Indeed, there is nothing occasions offence to 
 such a man but sin, and therefore abiding in the light 
 he is not stumbled at affliction. If you cast a spark 
 of fire into the water, how soon is it quenched : 
 so are all fears cast into a good conscience. When 
 the sky is black with clouds, the stars, though they 
 seem to be obscured, yet retain their proper lustre ; 
 and good men, when they seem in affliction to be 
 clouded with sorrow, saith St Chrysostom,|| are not 
 sorrowful but rather rejoicing. 
 
 And now what other use should we make of all that 
 hath been said, than to press upon us that apostolical 
 exhortation, ' walk in love ' ? Indeed, what way better 
 
 * Orot. in loc. t Id. ibid. 
 
 I Ambrose in Ps. cxviii. i Hugo ibid. 
 
 il Chrysost. hom. i. in Ep. ad. Corinth and xvi. in Ep. ad. 
 Hcb. 
 
192 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 for us to walk in than this, which is so bright and 
 lightsome, so plain and clear, so pure and pleasant ? 
 It is Solomon's assertion, Prov. xv. 19, ' The way of 
 the righteous is made plain.' It is no less true of the 
 charitable ; in the way of love there is nothing to 
 ofl't'nd or molest, whilst purity is the track, and tran- 
 
 quillity our companion. You, then, that have not ex- 
 perienced this, begin ; and you that have begun, go 
 on. I think I need not bid you ; your own experience 
 cannot but encourage you in this sweet way, till you 
 come to that country whither this way leads you, where 
 the law is charity, the league unity , and the life eteruitv. 
 
 SERMON XXXI. 
 
 //(' lliat saith lie is in tlw liijht, and hatrlli his brother, is in darkness even vnlil nou\ He that loretli his hrothcr 
 abideth in the li;iht, and there is none occasion of stunibliiir) in him. He that hatelh his brother is in diirh- 
 ness, and u-alketh in darkness, and knoweth not uhither he ijoeth, because the darkness hcth blinded his eyes. — 
 
 IJohnII. 9-n. 
 
 /^ITOSITA juxta se posita mar/is illncescunt, saith 
 ^-^ the logician, things of greatest distance set near 
 in place do one illustrate the other. The sun never 
 appeareth so gloriously as when breaking through a 
 cloud. A freeman most prizeth his libertj' when he 
 seeth the prisoners' fetters and captives' chains ; and 
 Sarah becometh doubly beautiful when surrounded 
 with the swarthy Egyptians. The dolorous noise of 
 war is the best language to proclaim the sweetness of 
 peace. Health is never so acceptable as when it 
 brings letters of commendation from sickness ; and 
 virtue becometh more amiable when the contrary vice 
 is represented. For this reason, no doubt, it is that, 
 as painters draw black shadows to set oil' their pictures 
 with a greater lustre, and some (I fear proud) ladies 
 are wont to wear black patches, that their faces may 
 seem the more lovely, so do orators frequently set 
 virtues and vices together, that the evil of the one may 
 the more advance the good of the other. This way of 
 illustration is that which is very observable in the pen- 
 men of sacred writ, especially those two, whom I niav' 
 well call heaven's diirlings — Solomon, w'ho is styled 
 Jedidiah, and John the beloved disciple. The one you 
 maj' observe in his parables very often setting prudence 
 and folly, with such like contraries, one by the other; 
 and the other, in this epistle, and more properly in 
 these verses, that he might the more commend the 
 goodness of love, enlargeth his discourse in discover- 
 ing the badness of hatred : ' He that saith he is in 
 the light, and hateth his brother,' &c. 
 
 It is that part of the text I am now to handle ; the 
 antithesis, or opposition, set down in the Dth and 11th 
 verses. l^)Ut before I enter upon the severals in this 
 part, it will not be amiss, once for all, to take notice 
 of that which we shall find very usual in this epistle, 
 namely, the repetition and ingemination of the same 
 sense, yea, sometimes of the same sentence. This, 
 indeed, is the first time we have fully met with this ; 
 for though iu the first chapter, ver. 8, 10, we find the 
 subject of one proposition, ' if we say we have no sin,' 
 and the predicate of another, ' cleansing from all sin,' 
 ver. 7, 9, yet wc meet not with one entire proposition 
 twice mentioned till now, where these words, ' He that 
 
 hateth his brother is in darkness,' is both in the 9th 
 and 11th verses. Indeed, this repetition is not with- 
 out some variation. In the 9th verse, there is an en- 
 largement of this subject : it is not barely, ' He that 
 hateth his brother,' but ' He that saith he is in the 
 light, and hateth his brother;' and in the 11th verse, 
 there is an amplification of the predicate, not only 'he 
 is in darkness,' but ' he walketh in darkness,' &c. 
 Yet still, it is for substance the same thing which is 
 intended, and the same words are repeated in both the 
 verses. And, indeed, it is that which is easily ob- 
 servable, not only in this, but the rest of the sacred 
 books. That of David, the sweet singer of Israel, Ps. 
 cxxxvi., is remarkable, who tweutj'-six times warbleth 
 over the same note, ' For his mercy endureth for ever ;' 
 and of Christ, that unparalleled preacher, who (as 
 probably appeareth by eompaiing the two evangelists. 
 Mat. V. 1, Luke vi. 20) preached the same sermon 
 twice. 
 
 Nor are these repetitions vain tautologies. It is 
 not without good reason that the penmen of sacred 
 writ do sometimes take this course in respect of them- 
 selves, the matter of their writing, and those to whom 
 they wrote. 
 
 1. Those holy penmen, by these repetitions, did de- 
 clare the zeal and vehemcucy of iheir spirits iu press- 
 ing what they wrote upon the people. What was it 
 which caused Solomon's father (as himself relates it, 
 Prov. iv. 14, 15) to multiply expressions to the same 
 purpose, yea, to iterate the same expressions in de- 
 hortinghim from evil company, ' enter not,' ' go not,' 
 ' avoid,' ' pass by,' ' turn from,' ' pass away,' but his 
 sense of the danger, and desire that he might avoid 
 it. And again, what moved his mother to amplify 
 her appellations in the begiiming of her counsel to 
 him, — chap. xxxi. 2, ' What, my son, and what, the son 
 of my wond), and what, the sou of my vows,' — but her 
 atfectionate desire that he should hearken to her '? 
 Indeed, no marvel if the boiling .spirit run over in 
 words, and the zeal of the all'ection double, nay, triple, 
 the expression. Thus was it here (as Bullinger will 
 observeth)* with St John, prai ardnre sun, such was 
 * BiiUiii;/. in loo. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERjroN xxxr. 
 
 193 
 
 the vehemency of his hatred of the sin of hatred, that 
 he can never enough declaim against it, and therefore 
 not only once, but again he reproveth it. 
 
 2. Those sacred writers, by these ingeminations, in- 
 timate always that the things about which they write 
 are of more than ordinary importance, and uecessaiy 
 concernment to be known and believed in matters of 
 faith, to be avoided or performed in matters of life ; 
 yea, and sometimes that there is no less difJioulty than 
 necessity, and whilst they are things which must, and 
 ought, yet they are not easily believed, avoided, or 
 practised. Upon these grounds, no doubt, it was that 
 Solomon iterated bis doctrine of the world's vanity, 
 Eccles.i. 2; and Christ inculcateth upon Petertbe duty 
 of feeding his sheep, John xx. 21. Nor is it impro- 
 bable that St John here had both these in his eye : he 
 well knew how much the verj' being of Christianity 
 did depend upon avoiding this sin, and exercising the 
 contrary grace ; how hard it is to cast out this poison 
 of hatred, where it is once harboured ; and withal, 
 that as, the usurper being ejected, the right heir gets 
 possession, and the old form being corrupted, the 
 matter is easily susceptible of a new ; so, if he could 
 eradicate this weed of hatred, he should with a greater 
 facility plant the flower of love ; and, therefore, no 
 wonder he doth ingeminate bis discourse of the vile- 
 ness of this sin. 
 
 8. Those divine scribes thought these repetitions 
 very needful for those to whom they wrote, in regard 
 of the dulness of their minds, and weakness of their 
 memories, and hardness of their hearts. ' To write 
 the same things to you,' saith the apostle Paul to the 
 Philippians, chap. iii. 1, ' for you it is safe,' to wit, 
 lest at the tirst you should not rightly understand 
 them, or not remember them, or not be suitably 
 affected with them. ' God speaketh once and twice,' 
 saith Elihu, ' and man p?reeiveth it not ;' our 
 memories are of weak retention, and therefore need 
 renewed incitation. The heart of man is by the pro- 
 phet Ezekiel, chap, xxxvi. 26, compared to an heart 
 of stone, and it is not one blow of the hammer will 
 break it. ' The words of the wise,' saith Solomon, 
 Eccles. xii. 11, ' are as goads and nails ;' and truly we 
 are so dull that these goads must be often thrust into 
 our sides ; so obdurate, that it is not one stroke will 
 drive these nails to the head. Disciplinam pracepto- 
 rum iiiculcationihus densamus, saith Tertullian appo- 
 siteh' ; * we thicken, and so, as it were, we strengthen 
 our instructions by inculcations, which is no more than 
 what the need of the people requireth. 
 
 The consideration hereof is that which should teach 
 both the teachers and the people. 
 
 1. Let it not be grievous to us ministers to repeat, 
 and thereby inculcate, our doctrines upon the auditors. 
 If a musician shall only strike one string, it maketh 
 no music ; but it is fitting for a preacher to insist upon 
 one and the same truth. Nor must we here stand upon 
 ♦ Tert. Apolog , cap. xxxix. 
 
 our own credit, when it comes in competition with the 
 people's profit. If it were not grievous to that emi- 
 nent apostle, Paul, Philip, iii. 1, why should it be to 
 any of us ? We are not only instructors, but remem- 
 brancers. So St Peter accounted himself, where ho 
 saith, 2 Peter iii. 1, ' I stir up your pure minds by 
 way of remembrance ;' and what is the office of a re- 
 membrancer, but to repeat things formerly done or 
 spoken ? That cannot be often enough taught, which 
 can never be well enough learned.* Nor yet do I 
 hereby intend to patronise those illiterate or lazy, 
 ignorant or negligent preachers, whp use iterations for 
 want of premeditation, and therefore say the same 
 thing again, because they know not what to say next : 
 far be it from me ; only I would mind myself and 
 others how requisite it is we should sometimes, upon 
 some occasions, reinforce, by repetition, some doc- 
 trines upon our hearers. 
 
 2. Let it not be tedious to the auditors to hear the 
 same truths sometimes repeated by the minister ; we 
 must not esteem it a dishonour, nor should you 
 account it a burden. It is that indeed to which 
 hearers are very prone. Aid novum, mit nihil, some 
 new thing, or nothing, is the cry of many ; if we come 
 with a scitute, something that they knew not before, 
 they listen ; but if with a memeiilnlc, something for- 
 merly delivered, they think their patience abused. Aa 
 they say of drinking wine, the first is for necessity, 
 the second for pleasure, the third for sleep ; so do 
 auditors, with a little inversion, account of a sermon: 
 the tirst time theyhear it with delight, not the second 
 except of necessity, and if they meet with it the third 
 time they fall asleep. How sad is it that, if we hear 
 an excellent lesson on an instrument, we call for it 
 once and again, nay, 
 
 ' Decics repetita placebunt.' 
 
 We are not easily weary of it, and yet we care not to 
 hear the songs of Zion rehearsed. Who ever com- 
 plained of the renewed rising of the same sun, or 
 loathed his daily bread? Why, then, are we so quickly 
 cloyed in spirituals ? But especially repetitions most 
 vex us, when they are of reprehensions, such as this is 
 in my text. We love not to have our sores too often 
 rubbed upon ; but tell me, are you not willing that 
 the physician should repeat his purging course, 
 though the potion be bitter, for the health of your 
 body '? And why so loath that we should repeat our 
 reproofs for the health of your souls ? Divine and ex- 
 cellent to this purpose is that ratiocination of Seneca in 
 hisadvicetoLucilius, To them that say Qiiousqueea Jem ? 
 How long shall we hear the same admonitions? answer, 
 Quousque eadem peccahitis? How long will you commit 
 the same faults ? Remedia ante ridlis quam vitia 
 desinere / Will yon leave off the remedy before the 
 disease is cured ? Ego vero ch mayis dicam, et quia 
 
 * Nunquam nimis dicitur, quod nunqiinm satis discitur. 
 
 N 
 
194. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 reciisatis perseverabo ,* naj', I will so nmcli the rather 
 reiterate, and because you are troubled at it, I will 
 persevere in it. The truth is, whether you will hear, 
 or whether you will forbear, whether it please or dis- 
 please, we must warn you of the same sins, admonish 
 of the same duties, bespeak you with the same coun- 
 sels again and again. But it will be better for you, 
 if you are not only content, but willing to hear the 
 same instructions frequently urged. Let it be true of 
 vain pleasures, 
 
 ' Commendat rarior usus.' 
 
 that the loss they are used, the more they are com- 
 mended. Far be such thoughts from us in reference to 
 the sacred oracles. Those Gentiles, when they had 
 heard Paul, Acts xiii. 42, besought him to preach ra 
 aura IniLara, the same words the next Sabbath day. 
 Thus should you, if any doctrine have had a kindly 
 influence upon your spirits, entreat the reiteration of 
 it. Who knoweth what a second birth may bring forth? 
 And if at anj' time you hear the minister beating upon 
 the same anvil, pressing the same doctrine, or rebuk- 
 ing the same sin, reflect upon thyself, and say. Surely 
 I have not yet sufficiently learned this lesson, I have 
 not enough repented of this sin, and therefore I will 
 give new attention, though it be an old instruction. 
 
 And thus much I have thought fit to discourse of 
 this subject by way of apology, not for St John, 
 whose divinely inspired writings need none, but for 
 myself, if, in the handling of this epistle, I should 
 sometimes have occasion to discuss the same things, 
 and perhaps use the same expressions. 
 
 More particularly in this ingeminated opposition, 
 be pleased to observe, 
 
 The sin specified, in these words, ' He that hateth 
 Lis brother.' 
 
 The state of the sinner described in the rest of the 
 words : and that 
 
 Tiiuif/iiifin/, wherein he supposeth himself to be, 
 ' Ho saith he is in the light.' 
 
 Eeal, in which indeed he is ; set forth in several 
 characters, in the end of the 9th, and the greatest 
 part of the 11th. ' He is in darkness even until now;' 
 and again, ' He is darkness, and walkoth in darkness, 
 and knoweth not whither be goeth, because that dark- 
 ness hath blinded his eyes.' 
 
 1. The first of these is the hinge upon which the 
 antithesis turncth, and therefore I shall bo the more 
 large in unfolding it. To which end I shall discuss 
 it two ways, by way of restriction and by way of en- 
 largement ; and accordingly discover exclusively what 
 hatred is not within the compass of this sin, and then 
 extensively how far this hatred reacheth, which is here 
 declaimed against. 
 
 The exclusive restriction of this hatred will appear 
 in these ensuing propositions. 
 
 1. There is a positive and there is a comparative, 
 ' Sen. e]'. Ixxxix. 
 
 there is an absolute and there is a relative, hatred. 
 It is very observable, that Jacob's loving Kachel more 
 than Leah is called in the very next verse hating 
 Leah, Gen. xxix. 30, 31. That which we less love 
 than another, we are said to hate in comparison of 
 that love we bear to the other ; and thus it is not a 
 sin but a duty to hate our brother, to wit, in com- 
 parison of Christ. It is our Saviour's own assertion, 
 Luke xiv. 26, ' If any man come to me, and hate not 
 his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and 
 brethren, and sisters, yea, his own life also, he cannot 
 be my disciple :' an expression seemingly very harsh, 
 but easily understood. If compared with the other 
 evangelist, St Matthew, chap. x. 37, where he brings 
 in Christ, saith, ' He that loveth father or mother 
 more than me, is not worthy- of me, and he that lov- 
 eth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.' 
 We ought then to hate our nearest relations, that i^i, 
 not love them more, nay, which is the meaning of the 
 phrase, love them less than Christ. Hence it is, that 
 when Christ's glory and truth comcth in competition 
 with the dearest of our relations, we must neglect 
 children, cast ofl' parents, reject the wife of our bosom, 
 rather than deny Christ; yea, we must be averse to 
 them if they go about to direct us from Christ. Thus 
 that devout Paula, as St Jerome* saith, Xewiebat se 
 matrem, id Christi proharet ancillam, that she might 
 approve herself Christ's handmaid, forgot that she 
 was a mother. And that same father elsewhere as- 
 sertetb it,f Pietat is genus est impium esse pro domino, 
 it is a part of piety to be in some sense impious, and, 
 out of love towards God, to hate our brother, and 
 therefore this is not here to be understood. 
 
 2. It is one thing to hate our brother, and another 
 thing to hate the sins of our brother ; it is solidly 
 determined liy Aquinas, + love is due to my brother 
 fecuHilum id (juod a Deo hahet, in respect of that 
 which is communicated to him liy God, whetlier 
 nature, or grace, or both ; but it is not due to him 
 secundum id quod hahti a scipso ct diaholo, according 
 to that which he hath from himself and the devil, to 
 wit, sin and wickedness ; and therefore it is lawful to 
 hate my brother's sin, but not his nature, much less 
 his grace. Laudahile odium odisse vilia, saith Origen,§ 
 to hate evil is a commendable hatred, and thatwhere- 
 ever wo find it, not only in the bad but the good, the 
 enormities of tho one, hut the infirmities in the other ; 
 not only in strangers and enemies, but kindred and 
 friends, spying beams, nay, motes, in these as well as 
 those, and abhorring them ; we must hate this ser- 
 pent wherever wo find it, though in a garden, nay, 
 though in our own habitations. Indeed, as Aqninas 
 excellently. Hoc ipsum, quod infratrc odimus culpani 
 et defectum, periinet adfratris amorem, this hatred of 
 the vice is an eft'cct of love to the person ; so much is 
 intimated when it is said, Lev. xix. 17, ' Thou shalt 
 
 * Hier. Ep. xxvii. c. 3. t Hier. Ep. i. ad Hctrod. 
 
 ; Aquiu. 2i!a '2do) Quest. 34. .\rt. iii. § Orig. in Horn. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXXI. 
 
 195 
 
 not hate thy brother in thy heart, thou shalt in any- 
 wise rebuke him, and not suffer sin upon him.' By 
 shewing hatred to his sin in rebuking, we shew our 
 love to him ; and if we wish good to him, we cannot 
 but hate what we see evil in him. This hatred is so 
 tar from being sinful, that it is not only la^'ful and 
 laudable, but excellent, not a wicked but a pious, yea, 
 a perfect hatred. According to that of St Austin,* 
 Perfectio odii est in charitate cum 7iec propter vitia ho- 
 mines oderimus, nee vitia propter homines amemus, it 
 is at once the perfection of hatred and an argument 
 of love, when we neither hate the man for the sin's 
 sake, nor yet love the sin for the man's sake, but fix 
 our love on the man, and our hatred on the sin. 
 
 3. There is odium ahominationis, and odium ini- 
 micitiie, an hatred of aversation, and an hatred of 
 enmity ; by the one we fly from, by the other we pur- 
 sue after. Look as in love there is a benevolence 
 whereby we will good to, and a complacence whereby 
 we take delight in, another ; so in hatred there is a 
 strangeness whereby we avoid the society, and an 
 enmity whereby we seek the mischief, of another. 
 The former of these is not forbidden, but required and 
 practised. Godly David saith of himself, Ps. xxvi. 5, 
 
 1 hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not 
 sit with the wicked ;' and that of his practice was justi- 
 fiable and imitable, since we must not only fly from 
 the sin, but the sinner; yea, that we may shun the one, 
 we must avoid the other. Timon was called /i/ff- 
 dvi^oj-o;, a man-hater, because he kept not company 
 with any man save AIcibiades,f and we should all of 
 us be haters of wicked men, shunning all needless 
 converse and much more familiar ac(piaintauce with 
 them. It is St Paul's counsel to the Ephesians, chap. 
 V. 11, ' Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works' 
 (he meaneth workers J) ' of darkness ;' yea, it is the 
 strict charge he layeth upon the Thessalonians, 
 
 2 Thes. iii. 6, ' Now we command you, brethren, in the 
 name of our Lord Jesus Chriyt, that you withdraw 
 yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.' 
 We ought as much to hate familiarity with the 
 wicked, as to tread upon burning coals, or go into an 
 infected house ; and therefore this kind of hatred is 
 not here intended. 
 
 4. Once more, all hatred of§ enmity, in respect of 
 others, is not to be condemned, if they be enemies, 
 not so much to us, as to the church, yea, God him- 
 self ; and this not out of ignorance but malice, and so 
 implacable. We may, we ought, to be enemies to them. 
 Holy David hath set us a pattern hereof. When speak- 
 ing to God he saith, Ps. cxxxis. 21 , 'Do not 1 hate 
 them, Lord, that hate thee ? and am not I giieved ! 
 with them that rise up against thee ? 1 hate them , 
 with perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies.' I 
 Hence, no doubt, are those imprecations and curses 
 which we meet with in the Psalms, Ps. lix. 12, 18, 
 
 * Aug. in Ps. cxxxix. } Ojitribiis, f e. operatoribus. 
 t Cic.de i\micit, J Qu 'or'V — En. 
 
 Ixviii. 1, 2, wherein we find that holy man wishing, 
 not only disappointment to the hopes, infatuation to 
 the counsels, but destruction to the persons of Zion's 
 adversaries. And surely thus far we may and ought 
 to imitate him, as in general to praj' against, and wish 
 the ruin of all the church's irreconcilable adversaries ; 
 though as to particulars we must take heed of going 
 too far in this way, it being difficult if not impossible 
 for us determinately to assert concerning any one that 
 he is an implacable enemy of God and religion ; and yet 
 when we see one who with Julian hath professed himself 
 to be a Christian brother, and so far apostatising as 
 openly to prosecute Christianity with utmost fury, 
 nothwithstanding manifold convictions ; or who still, 
 pretending to be a brother, oppugneth (with no less 
 virulency though more subtilty) the Christian religion 
 in its orthodox profession, swallowiug up her revenues, 
 forbidding her public services, stopping the mouths of 
 her preachers, sufl'ering blasphemies and heresies to 
 obscure her, plucking up the pillars which should 
 uphold her, and persecuting all that embrace her; 
 and all this against clear convictions, which be either 
 hath, or might have, did he not shut his eyes ; together 
 with frequent and multiplied admonitions. Since we 
 can have very little or no hopes of such a man's conver- 
 sion, we may and ought to desire of God (if he will not 
 please to convert him) to confound not only his devices 
 but his person, and to cut him off' from the land of the 
 living ; only we must take heed to the frame and 
 temper of our spirit, that this our hatred of, and wish- 
 ing ill to him, purely proceed from a love to God's 
 church, and a zeal for his glory, not out of any per- 
 sonal or private respect to our own revenge. 
 
 2. Having thus despatched the fii'st way I proposed 
 to tread in, namely, the restriction and exclusion, I 
 shall now step into the other path, and let you see the 
 extent and enlargement of this sin in these following 
 assertions. 
 
 1. There are two sins, namely, envy and malice, 
 which are as it were the ingredients of this hatred. 
 St Paul seemeth to intimate so much, when he first 
 mentioneth malice and envy as the upecies, and then 
 hatred as the genus: Titus iii. 3, ' Living in malice and 
 envy, hateful, and hating one another.' And indeed, 
 since hatred (being opposed to love) is both a nilling 
 good and willing evil to our brother, it must needs 
 include in it both these, for, 
 
 1. Envy is (as Aquinas from Damascene well defineth 
 it) tristitia de al tents bonis, a sorrow for the good o 
 another. To this pm-pose Gregory Nyssen, putting 
 the question. What is the cause of this disease ? an- 
 swereth iv am/j,la. '(fii abO.fcv, our brother's prosperity. 
 For which reason Plutarch* compareth it to a blear 
 eye, which is ofl'endud with the light; and the envious 
 man is fitly resembled to an archer, who hath still 
 some white paper or cloth for his mark at which be 
 shooteth. Now, whence doth this sorrow arise, but 
 * Plut. iiior. 
 
196 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 from the act of hatred which consists in niUing ; since 
 because I nill the good to my brother which he hath, 
 therefore I am troubled that he hath it. And hence it 
 is that the EgA'ptians, envying the Israelites' multitude 
 in Egyjjt, is called their hating them, when it is said, 
 Ps. cv. 25, ' He turned their heart to hate his people.' 
 Indeed, envy is an affection made up of grief and 
 hatred ; grief for the thing, and hatred of the person ; 
 and the hatred of the one is the cause of grief at the other. 
 
 Mahce is (as Justinian well expresseth it) improha 
 adversus pro.rimuin copitatio, a wicked thought against 
 our neighbour ; or if you will have it in fewer yet 
 fuller words, it is nocendi dcsiderium, a desire to hurt 
 and injure our brother in any kind ; and this is the 
 proper act of hatred, which as it doth connote a nilling 
 good, so it doth principally note a willing evil. This 
 is observable in Esau, of whom the test saith, Gen. 
 xxvii. 41, 'he hated Jacob;' and, if you will know 
 bow that appeareth, the end of the verse tells you, ' I 
 will slay my brother Jacob.' In this regard, the fish 
 among the Egyptians is made an hieroglyphic of 
 hatred,* because of all creatures it is most greedy to 
 devour, and hatred fills the mind with injtu'ious and 
 devouring desires. 
 
 2. Though the special object of our love be our 
 brother by the second Adam, yet the prohibition of 
 hatred extends to our brother by the first Adam. We 
 must not think that if we be kind to those of the 
 Christian religion, we may exercise hostility towards 
 Turks and Pagans. It is true, the Jews were enemies 
 to the nations round about them, yea, did pursue them 
 to an utter extirpation, but they had an express war- 
 rant from heaven for it ; and therefore their practice 
 is no pattern, till we can shew the like warrant. We 
 cannot without breach at once, both of equity and 
 charity, under any pretences whatsoever, invade the 
 possessions or destroy the persons of the most bar- 
 barous savages. But yet still in this as in other sins, 
 the quality of the object addeth to the quantity of the 
 offence ; and though it be a sin to hate any man, it is 
 a greater sin to hate a Christian, and the more of 
 Christianity there is in him, the more malignity there 
 is in our hatred, since the better the object, the worse 
 the act. And yet further, though it be an heinous 
 Bin to hate a Christian upon any account, yet to hate 
 him because he is a Christian, or because he is a more 
 exact and conscientious Christian than ourselves, is the 
 highest degree of this hatred, and that which liordors 
 upon the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. 
 
 8. This hatred of our brother, which is here for- 
 bidden, is not only of him whilst he is our friend, but 
 when he becometh our enemy. Indeed, it is an high 
 aggi-avation of our hatred, when it is of one that loveth 
 us, but it is no excusation when of one that hateth us. 
 To hate a friend is inhuman, to hate an enemy is un- 
 christian. Not only to retaliate good for ovil,f but evil 
 
 * Pior. Hinrop. lib. xxxi. cap. 7. 
 t Qn. ' evil for good '? — Kd. 
 
 for evil, is against St Paul's precept ; and as well he 
 that is second, as he that is first, in hating his brother 
 is guilty. How consonant soever it may seem to cor- 
 rupt reason, yet it is dissonant to true religion, for a 
 man to pay another in his own coin, and return cursing 
 for cursing. Nor is it enough for us not to oft'er an in- 
 jury, but we must not so much as return it, not only vclle 
 ladere, a will to hurt, but viiidicarc, to revenge an hurt, 
 yea, not only to will and endeavour a greater, but an 
 equal, nay, a less wrong to my brother than he hath 
 done to me, is to hate him. 
 
 4. It is not only hurting but hating our brother 
 which is prohibited. Indeed, on the one hand, a man 
 may hurt him whom he doth not hate, through mere 
 casualty, and then it is no sin ; or through carelessness, 
 and then it is not so great a sin. Again, on the other 
 hand, a man may hate his brother, and yet through 
 want either of ability or opportunity not hurt him ; nor 
 is his sin therefore the less. Look as a rich man may 
 relieve his brother, and yet not love him ; and a poor 
 man may love his brother, and yet not relievo liim ; 
 so a charitable man may hurt his brother, and yet not 
 hate him ; and a mahcious man may be said to hate 
 his brother when he doth not hurt him. The outward 
 execution is not a sin against charity, unless there be 
 an inward intention, and the inward intention is a sin, 
 though there be no outward execution. True it is, 
 the further a sin proceeds, from thought to desire, 
 desire to endeavour, endeavour to action, it is so much 
 the worse ; but still the very desire of injuring (though 
 it be not accomplished) is a sin, and here called hating 
 our brother. 
 
 5. Yet, lastly, whatever falleth short of the duty of 
 loving, Cometh within the compass of hating our brother. 
 It is amoral axiom, Oinnh reccssus d viitute est vilium, 
 whatever recedeth from virtue is a vice. It is true, 
 in this particular every departure from love is a degree 
 of hatred. The afi'ections of love and hatred are like 
 the qualities of heat and cold ; and look as the ceasing 
 of heat is by an accession of cold, so where there is a 
 defect of love there is the infection of hatred. Hence 
 it is that an unjust or unadvised anger with our 
 brother is a degree of hating him ; indeed, not all 
 anger (for there is an angerof love as well as hatred), but 
 when it is an anger, not of just reprehension, but vain 
 contention, not with modoration, but excess, it is at 
 least a disposition to hatred. Hence it is, that not 
 only willing evil, but not willing good, to our brother, 
 is an hating him. Look as, in point of equity, not 
 dealing faithfully is cozening, so, in point of charity, 
 not loving is hating. It is a vain fancy, yea, a lying 
 deceit, with which some men please themselves in re- 
 spect of an enemy : I do not hate him, and yet I do not 
 love him ; I will not do him any harm, but I will not 
 do him any good. The one is as well a sin as the other ; 
 and when our apostle here opposcth hating to loving, 
 he scemeth to intimate that if we do not love we hate 
 our brother. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERMON XXXI. 
 
 197 
 
 And now, beloved, what great reason have all of us 
 to reflect upon ourselves first, and next on the men 
 among whom we live, sadly observing and bewailing 
 the general prevalencj* of this sin of hatred amongst us. 
 
 To this end consider a few particulars : 
 
 1. Are there none who hate those most who are the 
 best, to whom not oiil}- their brother but his religious 
 conversation is hateful, therefore reviling, deriding, yea, 
 persecuting him, because he maketh conscience of his 
 ways ? Such are those sons of Belial (men at once 
 both profane and uncharitable), who, because they hate 
 godliness, hate the professors and practisers of it. 
 Whoever will [not]_swear,[and whore, and quaff, run to 
 the same excess of riot with themselves, is in their 
 account an hateful precisian ; whosoever fi'equenteth 
 God's house, observeth religious duties in his own 
 house, taking all opportunities (according to his place 
 and power) of instructing the ignorant, rebuking the 
 obstinate, exhorting the negligent, is with them an 
 abominable puritan. 
 
 True it is, there are many, too many, nor were they 
 ever more than in this age, whose dissimulation and 
 hypocrisy are manifest, who are very strict in the 
 duties, and zealous against the sins, which respect the 
 first table, and yet notoriously irregular in matters of 
 the second table. These are they whose practices 
 are bewailed and abhorred by all good Christians ; and 
 through the sides of these religion is wounded by pro- 
 fane atheists. Indeed, some ungodly wretches are apt 
 to pretend, when by occasion of such pharisees they 
 inveigh against the strict profession of Christianity, 
 that it is not religion but dissimulation, piety but hypo- 
 crisy, which they oppugn ; but I shall only desire them 
 to consider whether they be not thus invective against 
 all that are zealous, as if they were hypocrites, though 
 they knew nothing by them ; whether it be not the 
 very exercises of religion, their reading, praying, hear- 
 ing, and the like, which they detest, since else why do 
 they not imitate those good duties themselves, as well 
 as abhor the hypocrisy which they laj' upon those who 
 perform them ; and yet once more, whether to hear 
 of or know any gross sin by one who is careful of these 
 duties be not an object rather of their joy than sorrow, 
 as being glad when they can pick an hole in the coat 
 of a professor ? And surely if their consciences accuse 
 them as guilty in answer to these queries, whatever 
 they may account themselves, they will be found haters, 
 yea, the worst sort of haters, because of the best sort 
 of brothers. 
 
 2. Are there none who are so ungrateful as to repay 
 courtesy with injury, love with hatred ; who, instead of 
 loving those that hate them, hate those that love them ? 
 Thus Jehoram sought to slay Elisha, who had been 
 friendly to him ; Saul intended ruin to David, who had 
 been faithful to him ; and the Jews crucified Christ, 
 who came to save them. It is St Austin's complaint,"^ 
 Alas, no wonder if we cannot persuade you to love 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
 your enemies, when you hate your brethren ! Certainly 
 they are far from Christian love who are guilty of such 
 unnatural hatred. 
 
 3. Again, how many are there whose hatred (as 
 Solomon espresselh it) is ' covered with deceit,' who 
 have sharp teeth with soft gums, who (like the panther 
 which with sweet breath allureth other creatures to 
 him, and then devoureth them)* ' speak fair, whilst 
 seven abominations are in their heart ;' and surely as 
 divinity reckoneth the first sort, so morality these 
 among the worst sort of haters, since afalse friend is more 
 pernicious than an open enemy, ande-r magno appodtu 
 sic nuttiit modiim IfMjiionIi, it is the gi-eatness of hatred 
 which puts him upon this pretence of love. 
 
 4. Yet again, are there not some whose hatred is so 
 deadly to their brother that they will be content to do 
 themselves a loss, so they may do him a great injury ? 
 That apologue of Cupid us and Jnvidus, the covetous 
 and the envious man, is very observable to this pur- 
 pose. Jupiter promised that whatsoever the one 
 asked, the other should have double ; whereupon they 
 much strove one with the other who should ask first. 
 The covetous man refused, because he was desirous 
 of the double portion ; and the envious man was 
 no less unwiOing, as repining that the other should 
 have more than himself. At length the envious man 
 resolveth to be the first in asking ; but what did he 
 ask ? That Jupiter would put out one of his eyes, 
 because he then knew the other must lose both ! Such 
 malicious men there are, and that among Christians, who 
 care not to deprive themselves, if they may disappoint 
 their brother. This is that hatred which is fetched 
 from hell. Witness Dives, who desireth not that he 
 might come to Lazarus, but that Lazarus might coma 
 to him, Luke xvi., as if he had rather Lazarus should 
 be miserable with him, than he happy with Lazarus. 
 
 But if there be (as I hope there are) many who can 
 acquit themselves from these effects of hatred at the 
 height, yet I fear we may observe those symptoms in 
 the most which discover them to be somewhat sick of 
 this disease. When the eye is evil because God is 
 good, doth it not discover that besides the black which 
 nature hath put in the eye as the seat of its perfection, 
 there is another black which envy hath put into it as 
 a seat of corruption ? What doth the smoke of de- 
 traction, slander, calumny, cursing, railing, scofiing, 
 backbiting, which comcth forth at the lips of many 
 men, but argue a fire of malice burning in their hearts '? 
 Whence cometh betraying, quarrehng, fighting, plun- 
 dering, yea, killing one another, but from this lust of 
 hatred in men's minds ? Indeed, who can consider 
 the hateful practices which are continually acted among 
 us, and not acknowledge the great predominancy of this 
 sin ? ' Drop down, ye heavens, and let the slues pour 
 down righteousness,' saith tlio prophet, Isa. xlv. 8. 
 Drop down, ye heavens, and let the skies pour down 
 charity and love, may wo say ; for it hath left the 
 ♦ JEI. lib. V. csp. xl. 
 
lOS 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 earth ; yea, instead thereof the smoke of hatred as- 
 cending out of the bottomless pit hath filled it. What 
 calling or profession of men is free from this vice ? I 
 would to God the black coat were not besmeared 
 with it. What state and condition of men is not guilty 
 of it '? Oppressors plainlj' tread in the footsteps of 
 hatred, and I would to God sulierers did not harbour 
 the lust of revenge. 
 
 How needful, then, is a dehortation to dissuade you 
 from this sin ; and, indeed this very name hivilier, if 
 it be (as you have already beard) an argument of love, 
 may well boa dissuasive from hatred. If he be a brother 
 
 in the highest notion, he is Christ's brother as well as 
 thine ; and wilt thou hate him whom Christ loveth ? 
 If ill the lowest degree, he is flesh of thy flesh, and 
 wilt thou ' hide thine eyes' (in contempt and hati'ed) 
 ' from thine own flesh '?' St Paul saith, ' No man 
 ever yet hated his own flesh ;' and wilt thou be so 
 unreasonable ? But if this consideration be too weak, 
 go on and view the description which foUoweth of the 
 state of such a sinner ; and that is the next general, 
 which, God wilUng, the next time shall be set before 
 your eyes, that if possilile this sin of hatred may be 
 eradicated out of your hearts. 
 
 SEKMON XXXII. 
 
 He that sailh he is in the Ki/ht, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his lirother 
 abideth in the li'/ht, and there is none occasion of stunMing in him. He that hateth his brother is in dark- 
 ness, and ivalketh in darkness, and knoweth not ichither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. — 
 1 John II. 9-11. 
 
 AMONG the manifold excellencies of God's law, this 
 is not the least, that it is, according to St Paul's 
 phrase, Eom. vii., a spiritual law, and that not only 
 eft'ective, because dictated by God's Spirit, but objective, 
 because extending to man's spirit. Indeed, it is one 
 of the difl'erenees between human and divine precepts, 
 that those only reach the outward, these the inward man ; 
 those only order the conversation, these our cogitations ; 
 finally, those take hold of words and works, these of 
 thoughts and desires. 
 
 This is evident in matters of religion towards God. 
 Man requireth the external observance, but God inter- 
 nal devotion. Man forbiddeth profane oaths, but God 
 bLisphemous imaginations ; nor is it less true in re- 
 gard of our duty towards man. Human commands 
 inhibit the gross acts of uncleanness, but divine, lust- 
 ful afl'ections ; and to instance in no more, whereas 
 only actual injuries of our brother come within the 
 compass of man's cognisance, God prohibits the very 
 hatred, and enjoineth the contrary afl'ection of love to 
 him, as here we see in the words, ' Ho that saith he 
 is in the light, and hateth his brother,' <tc. 
 
 Having discussed the first general part of the oppo- 
 sition, namely, the sin briefly specified, ' He that 
 hateth his brother,' we are now to go on to the other, 
 which is tlie state of the sinner, as it is largely de- 
 scribed in the 9lh and lllh verses. 
 
 1. That which first occurreth in this description is 
 the sinner's own imagination, what he faneieth himself 
 to be. He saith he is in the light. What is meant by 
 this phrase of ' being in the light' needs not again to 
 be insisted on. It is as much as to say he is in 
 Christ, he savingly know-eth Christ, or he is in a state 
 of grace ; this is that which he that hateth his brother 
 may say. Indeed, this cannot be in truth, for St John 
 saith of him, ' he is in darkness,' and to bo at once 
 in the light and in the darkness is impossible ; but 
 
 yet he may say so, though it be not so, and that two 
 ways, namely, in opinion and profession. 
 
 (1 .) He that hateth his brother may think himself to 
 be in the light, and so say it in his heart, for, 
 
 [1.] He may be acquainted in a great measure with 
 the mysteries of Chi'istian religion, and much conver- 
 sant in divine speculations, and for this reason imagine 
 himself in the light. The Pharisees, though a genera- 
 tion of vipers for their venomous nature, say it of 
 themselves, ' we see ; ' and no doubt as to the letter 
 of Moses his law did see and know much. So may 
 hypocritical malicious Christians be versed in the 
 theory of Christianity. 
 
 [2.] He may be frequent in religious performances, 
 and upon this account lancy himself to bo in the light. 
 Those Israelites whose ' hands were full of blood,' Isa. 
 i. 15, and therefore their hearts full of mahce, made 
 many pr.iyers, and oll'ered multitudes of sacrifices. 
 Those Gnostics in the primitive times are charac- 
 terised by St Paul to be afiXayaOoi, ' despisers of those 
 that do good,' 2 Tim. iii. 3, and so void of Christian 
 love, naj', aaro^yoi, ' without natural afl'ection,' to 
 wit, towards their fleshly relations ; to bo dvrj/j,=ioi, 
 fierce and cruel in their attempts, yea, &ia.i3cjXai, very 
 devils for the malice of their tongues ; and notwith- 
 standing they were such as had a form of godliness, 
 in regard of external observances, and so no doubt 
 thought themselves in the light. 
 
 [3. J He may mistake his hatred of his brother for 
 zeal, his furious persecution for a .just prosecution ; 
 and no wonder, if he think in this respect his very 
 hatred to be an argument of his being in the light. 
 When those wicked Jews hate and pursue Christ even 
 to the death, they plead blasphemy as the cause, and 
 so justify the fact. When Saul ' breathed forth 
 threatenings,' and ' made that havoc of the church,' 
 ho saith of himself, that it was in his opinion an act 
 
Ver. 9-11. J 
 
 SERMON XXXII. 
 
 199 
 
 of zeal : ' concerning zeal, persecuting the church,' 
 Phil. iii. 2. Our blessed Saviour acquainted his 
 disciples, John xiii. 2, ' that whosoever did kill them 
 should think he did God good service ; ' aud when men 
 do insanire cum ralione, nay, ivlyiioiie, rage against 
 their brother, not only out of rational but religious prin- 
 ciples (to wit, in their apprehensions), no wonder if 
 their rage grow very high, and notwithstanding their 
 opinions of themselves be very good. 
 
 (2.) And surely this being his opinion, no marvel if 
 it be his profession wherein he glorieth, whereof he 
 boasteth, saying it to others, that he is in the light. 
 Indeed, some there are who say this in profession 
 contrary to their own opinion ; their consciences tell 
 them they are in the darkness of wickedness, and yet 
 they say they are in the light of grace ; and why this, 
 but that, hating their brother, they may with the more 
 certainty and secrecy accomplish their malicious de- 
 signs against him ? 
 
 But though (I hope) the number of these is very 
 small, yet many, very many, there are who, whilst 
 themselves are black with hatred, glitter in shows of 
 holiness, and make great brags of their sanctity ; ficia 
 sdiiclilas oculos oiinnHin perstriniilt, interim nefjlecla 
 jaci't charilas, sailh Calvin upon this text, their fancied 
 piety is glorious in the eyes of all, whilst charity lieth 
 neglected. We shall do no wrong cither to the papists 
 on the one hand, or anabaptists on the other, if we 
 assert them to be haters of their brethren ; the bloody 
 practices of both do loudly cry it in the ears of God 
 and man ; and yet many of these think, all of them 
 boast, themselves to be in the light of sanctity, and 
 that they are the churches of Christ. 
 
 You have heard what this hater of his brother saith ; 
 be pleased now to hear what he is, as his state is 
 really and faithfully delineated by our apostle in three 
 characters. And yet, before I enter upon the parti- 
 culars, it will not be amiss to take notice in general, 
 how contrary the apostle's description is to this hypo- 
 crite's opinion. He 'saith he is in the light.' Theapostle 
 saith, ' he is in and walketh in darkness ;' whereby it 
 appeareth that his opinion is very false, because con- 
 trary' to the judgment of truth. And hence the Greek 
 scholiast* here supplieth -^ivkTai, and St Cyprianf 
 wmtiltii; he that saith he is in the light, and hateth 
 his brother, lieth ; whence it is easy to observe, 
 
 That the estate of a man may be desperately bad, 
 when yet in his own opinion it is excellently good. 
 A man may account himself silver, whilst God rejects 
 him as dross ; he may in his own opinion be a mem- 
 ber of Christ, and yet in Christ's esteem a child of 
 the devil ; and whilst he drcameth that he is in the 
 book of life, he may be in God's account a reprobate. 
 Weak Christians, erring on the right hand, condemn 
 themselves as if they were in the darkness of unre- 
 gencracy, when yet God seeth the light of his gi-ace 
 shining in them. Presumptuous hypocrites, on the 
 * QCcnmcn. in loc. t Cypr. adv. Juil. 
 
 other, applaud themselves as if they were in the light 
 of grace, when yet God seeth them in the darkness of 
 unregeueracj'. 
 
 The pharisee justitieth himself and condemneth the 
 publican, Christ justilieth the publican and condemn- 
 eth the pharisee. Men may be good in the estima- 
 tion of other, yea, and that of good men, whilst in 
 truth they are bad. So the angel of the church 
 of Sardis had ' a name that he lived, and was dead, 
 Rev. iii. 2, 15. Men may be saints in their own 
 apprehensions, and yet devils in God's sight. So the 
 angel of the church of Laodieea said, he was ' rich 
 and increased with goods, and had need of nothing, 
 whenas he was wretched, and miserable, and poor, 
 and blind, and naked.' Take we heed how we give 
 credit, either to the fair applauses of men, or the 
 smooth dictates of our own hearts, which, being deceit- 
 ful, soothe us up as if we were in the light, when yet 
 we are and walk in darkness. 
 
 This being premised, come we to a particular view 
 of the several characters given to him that hateth a 
 brother, by which three things arc represented to us : 
 
 His wicked disposition : ' he is in darkness even till 
 now ;' and again, ' he is in darkness.' 
 
 His vicious conversation, aud ' walketh in dark- 
 ness.' 
 
 His miserable condition, and ' knoweth not whither 
 he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. 
 
 1. That which first occurreth is his wicked disposi- 
 tion, wherein we have two things considerable. The 
 quahty, 'he is in darkness,' and the duration, 'even 
 until now.' 
 
 1. The quality of his disposition is described by 
 that ingeminated expression, ' He is in darkness :' 
 for the fuller handling of which, take notice first of 
 the emphasis, and then of the meaning of the phrase. 
 
 (1.) The emphasis of the phrase is double : 
 
 [l.J It is observable that our apostle doth not con- 
 tent himself to say, ' he is not in the light,' but, as 
 Zanchy well ohserveth, exagycralionis gratia, useth 
 an exaggerated expression, ' he is in darkness.' Indeed, 
 the one doth necessarily infer the other, he that is not 
 in the light must needs be in darkness, since the re- 
 motion of the light is the position of darkness, and as 
 the one goeth the other cometh ; but yet this latter is 
 more full, and the apostle, that he might let us see 
 how grossly such a man is deceived, let us know that 
 he is so far from being in the light, that he is in dark- 
 ness, and therefore he is as much mistaken as if a 
 man in a dark night should say it were noonday. 
 
 1 2. J It would yet further be considered, that it is not 
 only said of such a man, ' darkness is in him,' but ' ho 
 is in darkness.' Even he that loveth his brother is not 
 so in the light but that there is a mixture of darkness ; 
 but he that hateth his brother is in darkness,* and so 
 without any light. A man is then said to be in the 
 water when he is covered over with, and so as it 
 * Bcza in Rom. viii. 8. 
 
200 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap II. 
 
 were under the power of it. So that the phrase of 
 being in darkness is as much as being under the 
 power and dotniuion of darkness, according to that 
 phrase of St Paul, Col. i. 11, where he saith, ' Who 
 hath delivered us from the power of darkness.' 
 
 (2.) And now the meaning of the phrase, if we con- 
 eider what is already asserted to be intended by light, 
 appeareth in plain terms to be this, he that hateth his 
 brother is in a state of sin, under the dominion of 
 iniquity, a slave of Satan, or in one word, an unre- 
 generate man. 
 
 To this purpose it is that St Paul, speaking of him- 
 self and the rest of the Christians before their con- 
 version, Titus iii. 2, reckoneth up this as one of the 
 black marks of that estate, ' hateful and hating one 
 another ;' and among those many brands by which he 
 characteriseth the wicked Gentiles, Kom. i. 29, this 
 is one, that they were ' full of all maliciousness,' 
 which afterwards he calls ' malignity,' the malicious 
 man being the true malignant, and so deservedly ac- 
 counted a wicked man. 
 
 Indeed, this is such a sin, as rendereth him in whom 
 it reigneth, not only less than a Christian, but worse 
 than a man. What St Basil saith concerning anger,* 
 is doubtless much more true of hatred, aToiri^oi ';ra;TiXig 
 Tov aHhuTov, it maketh a man to degenerate into a 
 wild beast ; and therefore such sinners are compared 
 in Scripture to tigers, dragons, lions, wolves, and such 
 like ravenous creatures ; nay, indeed, as Mark the 
 hermit f observeth, they are, ruv 3?;o/iu» a-y^iurs^oi xai 
 Tuv dXoyuv a}.(,y(uTi^oi, more brutish than brutes, and 
 unreasonable than those unreasonable creatures ; for 
 whereas wolves devour sheep, but not wolves, yea, 
 for the most part, beasts of the same kind, in their 
 way, converse lovingly together, he that hateth his 
 brother hateth one of the same kind and nature with 
 himself. Nay, to carry it one step lower, it denomi- 
 nateth them not only beasts but devils, yea, which is 
 strange, worse than devils ; and tliat upon this very 
 account, since, as Alexander Alensis hath observed, | 
 though a devil hateth a man, yet not a devil. Satan 
 is not divided against Satan, whereas man hateth man. 
 Well might our apostle say of such a person, ho is in 
 darkness. 
 
 This is that which would be so much the rather 
 considered, because so many judge of themselves and 
 others by a partial rule, if they themselves be free, or 
 they observe others to be free, from those sensual sins 
 of drunkenness, uncleanness, vain swearing, and the 
 like, they presently infer that such persons are in a 
 good condition, whilst yet in the mean time pride, 
 lying, covetousncss, malice, and all nncharilablcncss, 
 have dominion over them, whereas, in truth, these are 
 no less works of darkness than those ; and therefore 
 St Paul, Kom. xiii. 18, reckoneth ' strife and envy,' 
 as well as ' chambering and wantonness, rioting and 
 
 * Bas. de ira, hom. x. % Al. AI. de Invid, 
 
 t Marc. Eitra in 13. P. 
 
 drunkenness,' among the number. He that startleth 
 at an oath, and yet belcheth forth lies, that abhorreth 
 a Delilah, and yet maketh gold his darling ; he that 
 will not be drunk with liquor, and yet is drunk with 
 hatred, is nevertheless a wicked, unregenerate person. 
 The sum is, swearing, intemperate, unclean Christians, 
 are swine ; and lying, covetous, malicious Christians, 
 are dogs. Far be it from me to justify the fonner, 
 nor will I the latter ; those are evil, and these are not 
 good, for ' he that hateth his brother is in darkness.' 
 
 2. The duration of this disposition is that which com- 
 eth next to be inquired into, in these words, even 
 until Hcnu, that is, sictit semper fuit sic est adhiic, so 
 Zanchy,* as he was, so he is still ; he remaineth in 
 darkness, etiam sub Christianismo, so Aretius,f not- 
 withstanding he liveth in the sunshine of Christianity. 
 
 And there is a threefold reason may be given for 
 which our apostle might annex this clause : 
 
 (1.) By way of prevention, to take oil' that plea 
 which some would be apt to make against his accusa- 
 tion. Dost thou sa}% holy apostle, that we are in 
 darkness ? We have heard thyself and others preaching 
 Jesus Christ, we believe in his name, embrace his 
 doctrine, and is it possible we should be in darkness ? 
 Yes, saith our apostle, ' he that hateth his brother is 
 in darkness until now;' not only while he was an 
 heathen, but now he pretends to be a Christian, he 
 is still in darkness. ' Though I have all knowledge 
 and faith, yet if I have not charity,' saith St Paul, 
 1 Cor. xiii. 2, ' I am nothing,' to wit, in esse grati(r,X 
 I have no being in Christ, I am nobody in God's 
 esteem. Thus is it possible for a man to be in the 
 light, and j-et to be in darkness, to enjoy the light of 
 the gospel, and yet remain in the darkness of sin. 
 Oh then, boast not of, nor rest in, external privileges; 
 think not to say. We have the ordinances of Christ, we 
 profess the name of Christ ; we may for all this be as 
 destitute of true Christianity as the very pagan. 
 
 (2.) By way of aggravation, to render such an one 
 so much the more inexcusable. He is in darkness 
 until now ; that is, though he have enjoyed the means 
 of being in the light, yet he remaineth in darkness. 
 Indeed, though these two be not inconsistent, j'et they 
 are very incongruous. That a man in the night-time 
 should be in darkness is no wonder, but to be in the 
 dark when the sun is risen and shineth forth, is strange 
 and sad ; yea, and certainly it were far better never to 
 have the light, than, having it, to abide in darkness. 
 Upon this account it is that our blessed Saviour do- 
 nounccth so severe a woe against Capernaum, Mat. x. 
 15, and assureth her it should be ' more tolerable for 
 the land of Sodom in the day of judgment ' than for 
 her. In very deed, a Christian hating his brother is 
 far more vile and abominable than an injurious 
 heathen ; and by how much his profession is the bet- 
 ter, by so much his sin is the worse, and his state the 
 more wicked. 
 
 • Zancli. in loo. t Aret. ibid. } Aquin. ibid. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SEKMON XXXII. 
 
 201 
 
 (3.) By way of dehortation from any longer con- 
 tinuance in this sinful state. ' He is in darkness till 
 BOW,' and surely it is long enough, nay, too long, to 
 have been so till now. Sti/U'm nunc stipiat, saith 
 Danaeus ;* let him at length learn to be wise, and no 
 longer continue in this estate ; so that our apostle 
 here saith implicitly what St Paul saith expressly, 
 Rom. xiii. 11, ' And that, knowing the time, it is high 
 time to awake out of sleep.' Now that the gospel is 
 published, Christ is preached; it is high time to come 
 out of this darkness. And as St Peter bespeaketh 
 those to whom he wrote, 1 Peter iv. 3, ' For the 
 time past of our life it may suffice to have wi-ought the 
 will of the Gentiles,' so St John seemeth to say to 
 these malicious Christians, For the time past, whilst 
 yet you were in heathenism, it may suffice you to have 
 been in darkness ; will you continue in it still ? It is 
 enough, nay, too mnch, that though the evangelical 
 light hath shone upon you, you have been in darkness 
 till now ; let it be so no longer, break oil' your sins by 
 righteousness, your hatred by charity, your malice by 
 love, else your state is as bad still as ever it was ; 
 nay, far worse than it was in those times, when you 
 heard not of Christ at all. So much for the first 
 character ; pass we on from his sinful disposition to 
 
 11. His vicious conversation, in those words, and 
 walbeth in darkness. The full latitude of this clause 
 will appear in a twofold parallel. 
 
 1. Walking in darkness is a going on in the dark, 
 and so intimatetb a persisting in evil. This is the pro- 
 perty of a malicious man, to be obstinate in his wicked- 
 ness. Anger is ofttimes sudden and short, but hati-ed 
 is settled and confirmed ; a passion, saith St Basil, f 
 lar^iiav Cm {j'^rijhiyoij.ivo;, such as will not admit of a 
 cure. Hence it is, that he who is possessed with this 
 sin is seldom reclaimed from it, especially being one 
 who maketh profession of Christianity, and saith he is 
 in the light ; for, as Solomon saith, ' there is more 
 hope of a fool, than of him that is wise in his own 
 conceit ;' so there is, doubtless, more hopes of him 
 that is an open profane sinner, hating his br-othcr, than 
 of him that saith he is in the light, and yet hateth 
 him : for whereas the one may probably be brought to 
 acknowledge that he walketh in darkness, and so be 
 persuaded to return out of it, the other, supposing 
 himself always in the light, is deaf to all admonitions, 
 and so walketh on in darkness. St Austin, pursuing 
 this metaphor in reference to all sorts of sinners, saith 
 elegantly, J Cum peccant, tcnehra sunt ; cum insupcr 
 non conjitentur peccala, sedea defendunt, lenehiant tcne- 
 biHS su^s ; when men sin, they are in the dark ; but 
 when they will not confess, but defend their sins, they 
 darken their darkness. Thus is it with this sort of 
 sinners, every one that hateth his brother is in dark- 
 ness, but he that, hating his brother, saith he is in the 
 light, and so, instead of condemning, justifieth himself, 
 • Dan. in loc. X Aug. in Ps. xiii. 8. 
 
 t Bas. de ira. 
 
 both is and walketh on (to wit, obstinately) in dark- 
 ness. 
 
 2. Men who walk in darkness, wander and stumble 
 and fall almost every step they take ; so do malicious 
 men stumble and fall into manifold sins, and wander 
 into several by-paths of iniquity. That this is hero 
 intended appeareth by the opposition, for, as where it 
 is said in the preceding verse of him that loveth his 
 brother, ' there is none occasion of stumbling in him,' 
 it implieth not only that he abideth, but he walketh 
 in the light ; so here, when it is said of the man who 
 hates his brother, that he walketh in darkness, it im- 
 plieth he frequently stumbleth at everything. Solo- 
 mon, Prov. iv. 19, saith of wicked men in general, 
 ' their way is as darkness,' not only dark in tho con- 
 crete, but darkness in the abstract ; nor only that they 
 walk in the dark, but their very way is darkness. It 
 is true of him that hateth his brother in particular, 
 every step he taketh is darkness, some sin or other. 
 It is not unworthy our observation, that a troop of sins 
 attend upon hatred in St Paul's enumeration. Gal. v. 
 22, ' variance, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, and 
 heresies,' all the cursed brats of this mother. To this 
 purpose it is that Cyprian saith of this sin,* it is a 
 seed of mischief, seminary of vice, and the matter of 
 much evil ; it swelleth with pride, embittereth with 
 rage, prevaricateth by perfidiousness, burneth with 
 anger, and foameth through impatience. Hence 
 avarice and ambition, whereby we desire to equal, or 
 rather exceed, him whom we hate, in wealth and power. 
 Hence it is that the fear of God is contemned, the 
 commands of Christ are neglected, truth is adulterated, 
 unity divided, heresies and schisms fomented, yea, all 
 manner of wickedness committed ; yea, to carry it a 
 little further, hence it is not only that he falleth into 
 many sins, but stumbleth in his Isest actions, and those 
 religious services which sometimes ho performeth find 
 no acceptance. It is observed in the Levitical law, 
 that, among other fowls, the hawk, which is the de- 
 light of princes, fed with cost, and kept with care, is 
 forbidden in sacrifice. Lev. xi. 16 ; and why, but 
 because it is of a rapacious vindictive nature. Al- 
 mighty God tells the Israehtes he will not hear their 
 praj-ers ; yea, his soul hated their assemblies ; and 
 why, but because their hands wore full of blood, Isa. 
 i. 15. Christ adnseth him who ' brings a gift to the 
 altar, to go first and be reconciled to his brother, whom 
 ho hath ofl'ended,' Mat. v. 23, doubtless, thereby to 
 teach us that in this sense the gifts of those who live 
 in enmity are ^usa a^i^sa, such as God will not ac- 
 cept. 
 
 By all this, it appeareth how sinful the life of such 
 a person is, all his actions being no better than works, 
 and his ways paths, of darkness ; and oh that the sin- 
 fulness of this sin might so much the more exasperate 
 us against it. Tho name of this devil may well be 
 Legion : let ns then bo careful to cast him out. 
 * Cypr. de zelo ct livore. 
 
202 
 
 HARDY 0\ 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Indeed, the saying of Yalens is, in some respect, true 
 concerning anger, Alienus ab ird, alicniis d, juslitid, he 
 that knoweth not how to be angry will not care to be 
 just ; but in regard of hatred, it is far othei-wise, and 
 ■we may say, (Jiii non alioiiis ab odio, alienus a juslilid, 
 he that is a friend to hatred must needs be a stranger 
 to justice. Oh, let us conceive a pious hatred against 
 this impious and iiijuridus hatred, which whosoever 
 exerciseth towards his brother must needs walk in 
 darkness. 
 
 III. The last character of this sinner yet remaineth, 
 to wit, his miserable condition, which is 
 
 Propounded in those words, ' And knoweth not 
 whither he goeth ;' 
 
 Proved in those, ' Because the darkness hath 
 blinded his eyes.' 
 
 1. The misery of him that hateth his brother is 
 asserted, though briefly, yet fully, in those words, 
 ' He knoweth not whither he gcieth.' It is a clause 
 ■which sets forth the sad condition of this sinner, both 
 directly and collaterally. 
 
 (1.) Directly. This is verified of every wicked 
 man, and in particular of him that hateth his brother ; 
 he knoweth not whither he goeth, and, indeed, it 
 necessarily followeth upon the former, since he that 
 walketh in darkness cannot know whither he goeth. 
 This is true, as Zanchy hath well observed* in a double 
 reference, ad riain, and ad ter)iiinu)n, to the way and 
 the term of his walk ; he knoweth not where nor 
 vhilher, neither the badness of the path, nor the sad- 
 ness of the end. The former Solomon affirmeth of all 
 wicked men, when he saith, Prov. iv. 19, ' Their way 
 is as darkness, and they know not at what they 
 stumble ;' the latter of the man who is invited by an 
 harlot, chap. ix. 18, ' He knoweth not that the dead 
 are there, and her guests are in the depth of hell.' 
 
 But it may be objected, that the person of whom 
 the apostle here speaketh is one who is in profession 
 a Christian, for he saith ho is in the light, and no 
 doubt is so far in the light, as that he cannot but see 
 and know that hatred of the brethren is a deadly sin, 
 and that whilst he continueth in it he goeth down to 
 hell. How then is it said of him that he knoweth not 
 whither he goeth ? 
 
 To answer this briefly. It is one thing to Jnioir, 
 that is, to apjnelwnd ; and another to l<no\i-, that is, 
 to consider a thing. Indeed, it is impossible but that 
 such an one should know ; and yet, as God saith of 
 Israel in another case, Isa. i. 3, ' Israel doth not 
 know, my people doth not consider,' so may it be 
 said of this person, ho doth not know, that is, he 
 doth not consider whither ho goeth. To this purpose 
 is Carthusian's note, Qiiaiiltini ilniiiiiiilidinni iiicrelur 
 von pensat, He doth not laj' to heart what damnation 
 he deservethjf what a danger he incurreth. 
 
 * Zancli. in loc. 
 
 t Non atteiuiit tristcm e.xiluni. — lUi/r. in loc. Corlhus. 
 ibid. 
 
 His judgment dictateth to him in thesi, in general, 
 that hatred is a sin, and leadeth to hell ; but when it 
 is to pass sentence in hi/pothesi, in particular, it 
 either denieth the action which is done against his 
 brother to proceed from hatred ; or that though it be a 
 sin, yet it shall not prove deadly to him, because he is in 
 Christ already, or because he intends to repent of it 
 before he dieth ; or else his judgment not at all taking 
 notice of the obliquity of the work and misery of the 
 wages, dictateth what the will is about to do, as ex- 
 pedient for the present satisfiiction of that which it 
 intendeth. Suitable hereunto is that note of Estius 
 upon my text,'* that no sin is committed but through 
 a previous error of the practical judgment about that 
 particular object which the will chooseth. Therefore 
 doth the malicious, yea, every wicked man, commit 
 and persist in his sin, because he doth not weigh his 
 actions in the balance of right reason, nor duly ponder 
 either what he doth or whither he tendeth. 
 
 I cannot let this go without this useful inference : 
 Sinners, consider seriously what you do, and think 
 sadly whither you go, whilst j'ou go on in your sins. 
 llesjiice Jinem, Look to the end, is a lesson which 
 whosoever learnelh not will in the end prove a fool. 
 No better way to deal by this serpent, sin, than (as 
 God commanded Moses in another case) to take it by 
 the tail. The verbf beginning of repentance is at St 
 Peter's question, 1 Pet. iv. 11, ri to teXoj, ' What is 
 the end ' of a wicked course ? 
 
 (2.) But further, this phrase, not hwuinrj n-hither 
 he ijoeth, sets forth the miserable estate of this sinner 
 collaterally, and by way of allusion. For, 
 
 [1.] He that knoweth not whither he goeth is in an 
 unquiet, restless state, full of fears and cares, and his 
 mind is never at quiet. A fit emblem of a wicked 
 man, whose name in Hebrew, Pti'l, signitieth one that 
 is unquiet, and whom the prophet compareth to the 
 troubled sea, Isa. Ivii. 20. And especially is this 
 true of the malicious hater, who always carrieth about 
 him that which tortureth him. Indeed, what is envy 
 and hatred to the soul, but (to use St Basil's compari- 
 son!) ^s t'lc fretting rust to the iron, and the con- 
 suming moth to the garment ? Nay (to borrow 
 Socrates his resemblance§), what is it but as a saw 
 continually cutting ? or (to allude to that of our 
 Saviour) a worm still gnawing ? In one word, to 
 speak in the poet's language, 
 
 Ut Etna spi])sura, 
 Sic sc, non alios, invidus igne coquit ; {{ 
 
 like to the mountain of Etna, the envious man hath 
 a Arc always buniing within his breast, and so is 
 never at ease. T^pon this account it is that Gregory 
 Nazianzen saith of this sin, that it is both abiKurarot 
 and hnaioTaTov, most unjust to him that is hated, and 
 
 * Est. in loc. § Socrat in Diog. Laert. 
 
 t Q,u. 'very'? — Ed. || Ovid. Metara. 
 
 t liiis. lioia 12. 
 
Ver. 9-11.] 
 
 SERSrON XXXII. 
 
 203 
 
 most just to him that hateth, in that disquietment 
 with which it perplexeth him. 
 
 [2.] He that kuoweth not whither he goeth is usually 
 deceived in his opinion ; when he thinketh he is 
 walking eastward, he walketh westward, and whilst he 
 imagineth himself going forward he is going backward. 
 Thus he that saith he is in the light, and hateth his 
 brother, is deceived ; for whereas he s-upposeth him- 
 self in the way to heaven, he is posting on to hell. 
 And truly in this respect he is so much the more 
 miserable, because he bringeth himself into a fool's 
 paradise, and dreameth that he shall be happy. 
 
 [3. J Lastly, he that knowcth not whither he goeth 
 cannot see to avoid, and so ofttimes suddenly fallelh 
 into bogs, pits, waters, by which he is destroyed and 
 perisheth. Such is the case of wicked, especially 
 malicious men: they bring upon themselves swift and 
 sudden destruction ; and, which is very considerable, 
 whilst they plot the ruin of others, they accelerate 
 their own, and the very mischief which thej- design 
 for their brethren falls upon their own heads. And 
 now, putting all this together, tell me if he whose 
 troubles are so distracting, hopes deceiving, and 
 dangers destroj-ing, be not a miserable man. 
 
 2. The proposition is despatched. He knoweth not 
 whither he goeth. The proof followeth, 'Because the 
 darkness hath blinded his eyes.' And now our 
 apostle carrieth on the allegory' to the utmost, there- 
 fore he that is in darkness, and walketh in it, cannot 
 know whither he goeth, because he cannot see his 
 way ; and therefore he cannot see his way, because 
 bj- reason of the darkness his eyes are blinded. For 
 the better opening of this clause, I shall very briefly 
 consider these particulars. 
 
 The part affected, his eyes. The disease, blinded. 
 The cause, darkness. 
 
 (1.) His ej-es, that is the part affected ; by which, no 
 doubt, is to be understood the understanding. The 
 eye, in its proper notion, is a part of the body ; but 
 metaphorically the soul hath its eyes as well as the 
 body. It is Olympiodorus his note,* the members 
 of the outward man are equivocally attributed to the 
 inward. As the excellencies of the greater world are 
 after an higher manner in the less, so the parts of 
 the body are after a more noble way in the soul. 
 What the feet are in the one, the affections are in the 
 other ; what the stomach is in that, the memory is in 
 this ; what the heart is in the one, the will is in the 
 other. Finally, what the eye is in that, the under- 
 standing is in this. We need no better expositor than 
 St Paul, who unfolds the meaning of this metaphor 
 when he saith, Eph. i. 18, ' The eyes of the under- 
 standing.' 
 
 If you inquire after the analogies, they are both 
 apt and obvious, which I shall only mention. 
 
 [l.J The eye is situate in the upper part of the 
 body, the head, and in the upper part of the head ; so 
 * Olymiiioil. in Eccles. 
 
 is the understanding a faculty of the superior soul, 
 the rational, and the superior faculty in the rational 
 soul. 
 
 [2.] The eye is the chiefest of the senses, and the 
 understanding is the choicest among the faculties, 
 without which the will would be but a brutish appetite. 
 
 [3.] The use of the eye is to see things visible ; 
 of (JaX/io?, say the Greek etymologists, is quasi wto; 
 tfaXa/io;, the chamber of vision. The understanding 
 is that whereby we know and apprehend things intel- 
 ligible ; it is, as it were, the soul's window, whereby 
 it receiveth the light of knowledge. 
 
 [4. J Finally, the office of the eye is to guide the 
 motion of the body, to direct our hands in working, 
 and our feet in walking. Such is the office of the 
 understanding, to order the will and affections in their 
 inclinations and aversations, to teach us what to choose 
 and what to refuse, what to love and what to hate. 
 You see how fitly the understanding of the mind is 
 compared to the eyes of the body. 
 
 (2.) The disease of this part here specified is blind- 
 ness, the worst evil that can befall the eye, as render- 
 ing it altogether useless, and the state of the person 
 dangerous. A dim eye may do some service, by pre- 
 venting many falls ; but a blind eye esposeth to con- 
 tinual hazards. Well saith our blessed Saviour, Mat. 
 vi. 23, ' If the light ' (meaning the eye) ' that is in 
 thee be darkness, how great is that darkness ! ' Yet 
 this is the state of every wicked, malicious man 
 especially ; his eyes are blinded, his understanding 
 darkened, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. 
 Indeed, his left eye is quick-sighted, but his right eye 
 is stark blind ; he is ' wise to do evil,' but ' to do 
 good he hath no knowledge,' Jer. iv. 22. 
 
 Quantum mortalia pectora ciECEe 
 Noctis habent ? 
 
 saith the poet,* How dark a night of ignorance over- 
 shadoweth the minds of mortals ? It is not seldom 
 that this name of fool is given in Scripture to an evil 
 man ; and not without cause, since he is altogether 
 destitute of right reason. The prodigal, repenting, is 
 said to ' come to himself; ' whereby is intimated, that 
 whilst wandering he was besides himself. Thus is 
 the sinner a fool, a mad man, a blind man, ignorant 
 of the things which concern his everlasting peace. 
 
 And surely if blindness of the bodily eye be sad, 
 this of the spiritual is far more doleful. Our bodily 
 eye is common to us with beasts ; our intellectual, 
 that whereby we partake with angels ; and by how 
 much the eye of the mind is better than that of the 
 body, by so much the blindness of this is worse. The 
 body's eye may be better spared than the soul's ; yea, 
 the want of corporal sight may be a means of spiritual 
 good, but the want of spiritual sight can be no way 
 helpful, but altogether hurtful ; yea, which is somtsch 
 the more sad, whereas the bodily blind feclcth and ac- 
 * Ovid. 
 
20^ 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 knowledgeth his want of light, the spiritually blind man 
 thinketh that none hath clearer eyes than himself. 
 Thus Christ saith of the Laodicean angel, Rev. iii. 17, 
 He knew not that he was blind. And this sinner in 
 the text saith he is in the light, siicnn iijnorans ir/iwr- 
 anliam, not knowing his waut of knowledge. Oh learn 
 we to be sensible of, and afl'ected with, the misery of 
 this condition, to have our eyes blinded. 
 
 (3.) But lastly, the cause of this pernicious disease 
 would be searched into, which we shall find to arise 
 principally from ourselves. It is true, St Paul saith, 
 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' The God of this world ' (who is the 
 prince of darkness) ' blinds men's eyes ;' but chiefly 
 it is the darkness of wickedness within us that bringeth 
 this evil upon us. Wickedness (saith the wise man *) 
 doth alter the understanding, and the bewitching of 
 naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest. To 
 which agreeth that of St Chrysostom,t Sin doth so 
 blind the senses of the sinners, that, seeiug not the 
 ways of falsehood, they thrust themselves headlong 
 therein. The truth is, as the serpent first wrought 
 upon the woman, and by her upon the man, so wicked- 
 ness first worketh upon the affections, and by that 
 upon the understanding. Nor is it any wonder that 
 when those are perverted, this is blinded. Who can 
 see anything in a troubled muddy water ? No more 
 can the understanding discern aright when the atlec- 
 tions are stirred and mudded. What mists and fogs 
 are to the air, darkening it, corrupt unruly passions 
 are to the mind, blinding it. It were easy to instance 
 in the several sorts of those which the schools call 
 deadly sins, how, raising a commotion in the aflections, 
 they obnubilate the judgment. Olcot, upon this ac- 
 count, compareth the luxurious man to blind Samson, 
 the gluttonous man to him that was born blind, the 
 slothful man to blind Tobias, the covetous to the blind 
 beggars, the angry to blind Lameeh, the envious to bliud 
 Eli, and the proud man to Seneca's blind servant, who 
 would not believe that she was blind, but the house 
 dark. Certain it is, all of those seating themselves 
 
 * Wisd. iv. 11. t Clirysost. in Mat. vii. horn. 19. 
 
 in some one or other of our passions, do not only reign 
 in our mortal bodies, but domineer in our immortal 
 souls, misleading its most noble faculty the judgment. 
 Oh what a slave is the mind of a covetous, luxurious, 
 malicious man to his affections ; it must think, and plot, 
 and dictate, and judge according as they please. Well 
 might our apostle say of him that hateth his brother, 
 the darkness blindeth his eyes. 
 
 Nor would it be passed by, how the bad eflect of 
 this spiritual darkness exceeds that of natural in this 
 respect ; for whereas the eye of a man may be as good, 
 as strong, as clear in the dark as in the light, only the 
 darkness hinders the exercise of the sight, the mali- 
 cious man by reason of his darkness hath the verj* sight 
 of his understanding vitiated. Indeed, whereas in 
 naturals the sight is not blinded, but the medium is 
 darkened ; in spirituals the medium, which is God's 
 word, is not at all dai-kened, but the organ is blinded, 
 whilst the depravation of the passion is the deprava- 
 tion of the understanding. As therefore we desire to 
 have our minds savingly enlightened, endeavour we to 
 have our lusts truly mortified ; if we would have our 
 judgments even and upright, let us not sufl'er them to 
 be biassed by any passion. 
 
 To end all, what should this description of a 
 wicked, malicious sinner's misei-y, but serve as a dis- 
 suasive from this iniquity ! Let no violence be 
 found in our bands, nor hatred in our hearts, espe- 
 cially considering that we say we are in the light, o'iix 
 ij/'s a«.(io'5;(.v, saith one of the ancients, it is unbeseem- 
 ing those who sing the songs of Zion to bark in rage ; 
 who are God's servants, to be slaves to envious lusts. 
 I cannot expostulate better than in the words of St 
 CVprian,* Si homo lucis ease capisli , quid in :eli tene- 
 bras ruis, If thou art a child of light, cast off, as all, 
 so especially this work of darkness, walk no longer in 
 this way of darkness, in which if thou persist, what- 
 ever thy deceitful heart may prompt thee, it will in- 
 evitably lead thee to utter darkness, from which, good 
 Lord, deliver us. Amen. 
 
 * Cypr. de zelo et livore. 
 
 SEEMON XXXIII. 
 
 / urile wUo you, little ehihiren, because yoxtr sins ore fnir/ivfii you for liis name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, 
 because ye have Imonn him that is from the bcr/inninr/. J urite unto you, youny men, because you have over- 
 come the niched one. I urile unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have icritten 
 unto yon, fathers, because yon have knoirn him that is from the beginning. I have written imto you, young 
 men, became ye are strong, and the word of God abidelh in you, and ye have oveicome the wicked one. — 
 1 John II. 12-14. 
 
 AMONG the many similitudes by which the office 
 of a minister is represented in Scripture, those 
 two, of a watchman and a shepherd, arc very observable. 
 Indeed, both of tluin arc mctnpbors, by which God 
 himself is pleased to describe his prophets : the one, 
 when he saith to Ezckiel, chap, xxxiii. 7, ' Son of 
 
 man, I have set thee a watchman to the bouse of 
 Israel ;' the other, in that gracious promise to his 
 people, Jer. xxiii. 4, 'I will set up shepherds over 
 them, which shall feed them.' The duty of a watch- 
 man is first to take, and then give, notice of the 
 enemy's approach ; and it is no small part of our 
 
Ver. 12-U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXni. 
 
 205 
 
 ministorial employment to warn the people of those 
 clangers with which their spiritual enemies endeavour 
 to surprise them. The work of a shepherd is to pro- 
 vide green pastures, still waters for the flock, and to 
 take care not only for the grouTi sheep, but the tender 
 lambs ; and it is the chief task of a spiritual pastor to 
 feed his people with knowledge and understanding, 
 having regard to all persons, conditions, and ages. 
 How fitly both these agree to this holy apostle St John, 
 is easy to obscn-e in this epistle ; like a vigilant watch- 
 man, he warneth them in the latter part of this, and 
 the beginning of the fourth chapter, of those imps of 
 Satan, antichristian heretics, which did infest and in- 
 fect the church. Like a careful shepherd, he giveth 
 them wholsoine instructions for the stabhshing of their 
 faith, regulating their life, in the greater part of the 
 epistle ; and here, in these verses which I have read, 
 he manifesteth the care he had not only of the elder, 
 but younger Chiistians, ' I write to you little chil- 
 di'en,' &c. 
 
 In these three verses we have an answer to three 
 questions. Quid ? Quibiis ? Qnare ? 
 
 What St John did '? To which the answer is re- 
 turned in the word v-rite. 
 
 To u-hom he wrote ? The answer to which is given 
 in the several titles. 
 
 Why he wrote to all and each of these ? The 
 answer whereunto is in those various clauses which 
 have a because prefixed. 
 
 So that, if you please, here are three general parts 
 in this portion of holy writ to be discussed. 
 
 The yvfso/is characterised: ' little children,'' fathers,' 
 ' young men,' ' little children.' 
 
 The act performed, ' I write,' ' 1 have written.' 
 
 The reasons atmexed, ' Because your sins are for- 
 given you for his name's sake,' ' because you have 
 known him that is from the beginning,' &c. 
 
 According to this proposed method, I am to begin 
 at the middle of the verses, with the several compel- 
 lations by which our apostle bespeaketh those to 
 whom he wrote. These I find in the usual Greek 
 copies to be four, tezw'k, rraTsm^, viavlexoi, TaiSia, but 
 in our translation three, ' little children,' ' fathers,' 
 ' young men.' St Austin upon this place* seemeth 
 to insinuate that these titles are given by St John 
 generally to all Christians to whom he wrote, Filii 
 sunt, patres sunt, juvenes sunt: in filiis nntivitas, in 
 piitribusantiquitas,injurenihnsfo)tiludo,n.]\hc\ieTeTsaTe 
 children in respect of their new birth, fathers in regard 
 of their knowledge of the Ancient of days, and young 
 men in respect of their spiritual strength. To this 
 agreeth that of Justinian,! who saith that therefore our 
 apostle describeth all Christians by these names, be- 
 cause he requireth the qualities of Uttle children, 
 fathers, and young men, in all Christians ; but this 
 
 * Aug. in Ep. 
 
 t Has omnes proprietatea in omnium fidelium mentibus 
 inesse maximd desiderabat, &c. — Justin, in loc. 
 
 interpretation, though pious, seemeth not so congruous, 
 it being improbable he should severally inculcate his 
 writing, together with the several reasons of his writing 
 to them, had he intended only Christians in general 
 by all these compellations. 
 
 The generaUty of interpreters most probably con- 
 ceive these titles to have several references, but yet 
 with some difierence, which ariseth from a double con- 
 sideration of the first title, rexvi'a, ' little children,' in 
 the twelfth verse. 
 
 1. Some conceive it to be of a pai-ticular concern- 
 ment, and so to note a distinct sort of persons from 
 fathers and young men. That which favours this in- 
 terpretation is, 1. That hereby every one of the mem- 
 bers of that division which our apostle maketh will be 
 repeated. 2. That one Greek manuscript reads it 
 rraihia, in the twelfth verse, and so it is the same with 
 the word in the thirteenth. 3. That in the Syriac 
 and some Greek copies the variation of the verb from 
 the present tense to the first aorist, begins at the 
 iteration of little children in the end of the thirteenth, 
 and is in these the beginning of the fourteenth verse. 
 And to justify the order of enumeration, which seem- 
 eth to be irregular in beginning with little children, 
 Grotius saith, -= that the apostle first sets down the 
 extremes of little children and fathers, and then the 
 middle, young men. 
 
 2. Others conceive the fu'st, little children, in the 
 twelfth verse to be a title by which the apostle be- 
 speaketh all Christians, and then, in the thirteenth 
 verse, he severally addresseth himself to fathers, 
 young men, little children ; and in the fourteenth 
 verse (not without special reason, as shall appear in 
 its due place), he repeateth his address to fathers 
 and young men. This last interpretation, however 
 Socinus is pleased to call it monstrous, seemeth to 
 me, especially according to our received Greek copies 
 (from which I see no cause to recede) the most genu- 
 ine. My reasons briefly are these. 
 
 1. The original word for little children in the 
 twelfth is diflferent from that in the thirteenth, where- 
 as, had the apostle intended the same thing, he would 
 probably have used the same word in both places. 
 
 2. The original word in the twelfth verse is the 
 same with that in the first verse, where it is plainly 
 spoken of all sorts of Christians. 
 
 .3. Whereas the reasons specified in the thirteenth 
 verse are commendations, and those suitable to the 
 several ages mentioned, as is obvious at the first view 
 to any reader, the reason in the twelfth verse is a 
 consolation, and such as equally belong to all Chris- 
 tians. 
 
 4. Lastly, according to this interpretation, the 
 order of setting down the several ages is regular, be- 
 ginning with fiithers, and proceeding with young men, 
 and descending to little children. 
 
 For these reasons I shall adhere to the latter inter- 
 • Grot. ibid. 
 
206 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOnX. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 pretation, and accordingly here are two things ob- 
 servable : 
 
 A general denomination, little children ; 
 
 A particular enumeration, /(((/(scs, young men, Utile 
 ch ihlren . 
 
 1. The general denomination is Tsxwa, by which 
 (as DaDEeus well observeth*) omnes atates coi/iptectilur, 
 the Christians of ;ill ages are intended. It is a term 
 which I have alread_y had occasion to handle, and 
 therefore shall now pass over with the more brevity. 
 
 Though it is true in a real notion, yet it is more 
 probable that our apostle useth it in a metaphorical 
 construction, and his design in it is double, namely, 
 that this appellation might be both a testimony of his 
 afl'ection towards them, and a monitor to them of their 
 duty, and in both these considerations there was a great 
 deal of reason why our apostle should use this title of 
 ' little children.' 
 
 1. He calls them little children, to testify that 
 fatherly affection which he did bear to them, and 
 this, no doubt, that hereby he might gain a filial affec- 
 tion from them towards him, and an all'cctionate regard 
 to his doctrine. It is no small piece of policy in an 
 orator to make way for his instruction by giving evi- 
 dence of his afl'ection, what appcareth to be spoken, is 
 commonly taken, in love. No wonder then if St John, 
 ad majorem henevolentiam inducendamfiliolos iqjpellat, 
 as Justinian appositely, f for the gaining of their good 
 will to him, declareth good will towards them by call- 
 ing them little children. 
 
 And truly, so much the more cause had our apostle 
 to endeavour this, in respect both of what he had and 
 was to deliver. 
 
 He was now about to dissuade them from loving the 
 world, a lesson to which they might probably be very 
 averse, it being so hard for us, while we are in the 
 world, not to be entangled with the love of it ; nay, 
 perhaps they might think he was an enemy to them 
 in requiring them to be enemies to the world, it being 
 strange he should will them to contemn that whereof 
 they had continual use. Now, by calling them chil- 
 dren, and thereby insinuating that he spake to them 
 as a father, they might justly persuade themselves 
 that he advised them to nothing but what was fur their 
 good. Our blessed Saviour, Mat. vii. 9, 11, strongly 
 argueth fi-om the love of a father : ' If his son ask 
 bread, will he give him a stone ? or, if he ask a fish, 
 will he give him a serpent T a question intending a 
 negation. Doubtless he will not ; nay, rather, if he 
 ask him stones or a serpent, he will give him bread or 
 fish. Fathers do not use to give, nor yet to advise 
 their children what is hurtful, but useful for them ; 
 and therefore, by calling them little children, he would 
 let them know that how prejudicial soever this counsel 
 of not loving the world might seem to them, it was 
 
 * Dan. in loc. Pee part 
 t Justinian in loc. 
 
 , p. 327. 
 
 given by him as a Father, and that which he knew 
 would be beneficial to them. 
 
 Again : He had but now sharply reproved those 
 among them who did hate their brethren ; and lest they 
 should account him guilty of the sin he reproved, as 
 if his reprehension of them proceeded from hatred, he 
 presently manifesteth his love by this sweet appella- 
 tion, ' little children.' There is never more need of 
 insinuating into auditors an opinion of our candid 
 afl'ection towards them, than when we use bitter invec- 
 tives against iheir sins, men being very apt to miscon- 
 strue our hatred of their sins, as if it were mahce 
 against their persons. And truly, what expression 
 could more represent afl'ection than this of children ? 
 Solomon saith, Prov. xxvii. 6, ' The wounds of a friend 
 are better than the kisses of an enemy ;' and good rea- 
 son, since there is more love in the one's wounds than 
 the other's kiss ; and if the wounds of a friend, much 
 more the reproofs of a father, are from love. If it be a 
 rod, the child must kiss it, because it is rirr/a paliix, 
 the rod of a father ; and siu-ely then, though it be a 
 sharp rebuke, the child must embrace it, because it is 
 i-erhinn patris, the word of a father. Amor, saith the 
 old man in the poet, ext nplimtim salsiunentnm, love is 
 that sauce which givcth a relish to things that are 
 otherwise most distasteful and loathsome. Brotherly 
 love, saith St Austin,* and it is no less true of fatherly, 
 Sive approbet me, sire iniprobet me, dUiijil me, whether 
 it approve or reprove me, it still loveth me; and where 
 love is the sweet spring, though the waters be the waters 
 of Marah, I may cheerfully drink them. That, there- 
 fore, our apostle might render his severe reprehension 
 the more acceptable, he would have them know it was 
 from that sincere and tender respect he bare to them ; 
 and that he might convince them of this cordial respect, 
 he bospake them as a father with this afl'ectionate title, 
 little children. 
 
 2. He styleth them little children to mind them of 
 that duty which concerneth all Christians, in becoming 
 as little children, and according to his Master's precept, 
 Mat. xvii. 3, whose language he much delights to follow, 
 
 Indeed, it is that which is not to run parallel in 
 all respects, and therefore, saith Jausenius,f the imi- 
 tation of little children is either good or bad, accord- 
 ing to the things wherein we resemble them. St Paul 
 in one place, ] Cor. xvi. 13, bids us ai&il'Onk, ' shew 
 ourselves men, not women by cowardice, no, nor yet 
 children by inconstancy ; nay, he expressly forbids, 
 chap. xiv. 20, 'Be not children in understanding;' and 
 again, Eph. iv. 14, ' Be no more children, tossed to 
 and fro, and carried about with every wind of doc- 
 trine.' Wo must then be unlike and like to little chil- 
 dren. 
 
 We must not think like little children, for they only 
 mind what is present, whereas wisdom toacheth to look 
 afar ofl' and think of hereafter; and yet we must think 
 
 ■* Anp;. Confess, lib. ic. e. iv. 
 t Jims. HariMou. 
 
Ver. 12-U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXIII. 
 
 207 
 
 as little children, for their thoughts are not carking and 
 distrustful about what they should eat or drink, or 
 wherewith they should be clothed. "We must not de- 
 sire as'jittle children do, for they ofttimes desire things 
 that may prove hurtful and destructive to them ; and 
 yet we must desire as httle children, for their desires 
 are earnest and important* after the dug. We must 
 not understand as little children, for they are but weak 
 and defective in knowledge ; and yet we must under- 
 stand as little chikb-en, for they are docile and facile 
 to learn. We must not speak as httle children, for 
 they speak rashly ; and yet we must speak as little 
 children, for they speak truly. We must not, like 
 them, speak all we think ; and yet, like them, we 
 must speak nothing but what we think. 
 
 In few words, would we know wherein especially we 
 ought to be as little children, look backward and for- 
 ward to the sins here forbidden, and we shall tind 
 little children iit monitors of avoiding both ; and per- 
 haps, therefore, our apostle makcth choice of this 
 appellation as very suitable to these instructions. 
 
 1. Little children are innocent and harmless, free 
 from hatred and malice ; they do not plot nor act 
 mischief to others, they seek not revenge upon others ; 
 and this is that wherein chiefly we must resemble little 
 children. To this purpose St Jerome, f Christ doth 
 not require of his apostles that they should be little 
 children in years, but innocency ; and Theodoret, on 
 that in the Psalms,! ' Out of the mouths of babes and 
 sucklings thou hast ordained strength,' asking the 
 question. Who are those babes and sucklings ? answer- 
 eth. Qui lactdiiliiim ]>ueroruin innoceiitium iiiiltati sunt, 
 they who imitate the innocency of sucking children. 
 What need we a better expositor than St Paul, who 
 admonisheth the Corinthians, 1 Cor. xiv. 20, ' In 
 malice be you children' '? And in this respect (as 
 TertuUian's phrase§ is) he would have the oldest men 
 repuerascere, grow young again, and so in an excellent 
 sense be twice children. St-mel senex bis jnier. In- 
 deed, as Clemens Alexandrinns observes, [1 concerning 
 the prohibition of distrustful care, so may I concern- 
 ing this of hatred and revenge : he that endeavours 
 to fulfil it, iari y.a! rrati ©si rs y.ai rZi xmij^ui, is a child 
 both in men's and God's account ; the world thinketh 
 him a child, yea, a fool, to put up injuries, and God 
 esteemeth him as a child, yea, such a child of whom 
 is the kingdom of God. 
 
 2. Little children are not covetous, nor ambitious, 
 nor luxurious ; they aifect not variety of delicacies, 
 they are not greedy of gain, nor pufl'ed up with titles. 
 Si verherantur, non a/fjciuntiir odio, nee si laudantur, 
 arrogantid,^ if con-ected, they hate not; if commended, 
 they swell not. Thus ought Christians to deny worldly 
 
 * Qu. 'importunate'? — Ed. 
 
 t Non prajcipit apostolis ut aetatem habeant parvulorum 
 setl inuocentiam. — Ilier. in Matlh. 
 
 3Theo<l. in Ps.il || CI. Al. psedago^. 1. i. c 5. 
 
 § Tertul. adv. Valcnt 21. ^ Aveud. in Mat. 
 
 lusts, and to conquer all inordinate desires. Holy 
 David, comparing himself to a child, saith, Ps. cxxxi. 
 2, ' My soul was even as a weaned child,' which is no 
 more gi'eedy of the dug ; so ought every good man to 
 have his heart weaned from all the honours, and 
 pleasures, and profits of this transitory world. 
 
 And surely well were it if even parents would in 
 this regard goto school to their little children, and by 
 their behaviour learn their own duty. The truth is, 
 to a wise and understanding Christian, every creature 
 is a preacher, and every day a Sabbath. With the 
 bee, he sucketh honey out of every flower ; above, the 
 stars ; beneath, the fruits ; abroad, the beasts ; at 
 home, the little children are his instructors, of whom 
 he learneth these excellent lessons, to contemn the 
 world, and to abhor malice ; which, that our apostle 
 might the more strongly inculcate upon those to whom 
 he wrote, he calls them little children. And so much 
 be spoken of the general denomination in the 12th 
 verse ; pass we on to the 
 
 Particular enumeration, as it is set down in the 13th 
 verse, fathers, young men, little children. I find among 
 expositors a double reference of these expressions ; by 
 some to several degrees of grace, by others to several 
 ages of life. According to the former construction, 
 the words are to be interpreted metaphorically ; ac- 
 cording to the latter, literally. 
 
 (Ecumenius, upon the place,* asserts that our apostle 
 intends by these titles to express the dift'erent sorts of 
 Christians who were to receive his epistle, o/a rtjg y.ara 
 TTiv irZ/j.aTr/.ri'j awjii'T/w ■Trooayoyi^i xai toozot^;, whose 
 difl'erent progress in Christianity he sets down with 
 allusion to the increase of natural life. Origea is ex- 
 press both in a negative and positive way,t Non cor- 
 porules atates, sed aniina: perfeclionem differentemponit. 
 By this phrase the apostle designeth to difl'erenca 
 Christians, not according to the ages of their bodies, 
 but the growth of their souls in grace ; and in another 
 place J he saith, this is so evident a truth, that he 
 thinketh none ever doubted it. Though I am so far 
 from excluding (with this allegorical father 5) the literal 
 construction, that I conceive it is most congruous, j'et 
 I shall not altogether waive the metaphorical sense. 
 And thus there is a threefold degree of grace, which 
 is shadowed by these three ages of life. 
 
 1. Incipients. They who are novices in Christi- 
 anity, incipients in grace, are represented by little 
 children, and if we look into the metaphor we shall 
 find the parallel fit and full. 
 
 (1.) Little children are weak in body, they cannot 
 go with strength, run with swiftness, act with vigour, 
 but what they do, they do it weakly ; so is it with 
 beginners in religion, they complain of deaduess, dul- 
 ness, weakness, in performing hoi}' duties. Instead of 
 ranning, it is as much as they can do to go the way of 
 
 * CEcnmen. in loc. 
 
 t Orig. in numer. Iiom. 9. 
 
 ; Horn. i. in Cant. 
 § Lap. in lue. 
 
20S 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 God's commandments ; and in going, they often stop, 
 nay, fall, though not through wilfulness, yet weak- 
 ness. 
 
 (2.) Little children are low of stature, so are be- 
 ginners in Christianity, dwarfs in piety. To have our 
 conversation in heaven, is a lesson long in learning. 
 We cannot presently nor easily ' mount up with the 
 wings of an engle.' Even they who loathe sin know not 
 how to part with the world, and it is by many steps 
 that they ascend to an heavenly life. 
 
 (3.) Little children are fed with milk, their stomachs 
 being not fit to digest more solid food ; thus beginners 
 in religion are to be instructed in the rudiments of 
 Christianity, as being uncapable of higher mysteries. 
 Christ's disciples, before the descension of the Holy 
 Ghost, were but incipients, and therefore our Saviour 
 tells them, John xvi. 12, ' I have many things to say 
 to you, but you cannot bear them yet.' St Paul speak- 
 ing of those Christians among the Corinthians, who 
 were babes in Christ, saith, 1 Cor. iii. 2, ' I have fed 
 you with milk, and not with meat ; for hitherto you 
 were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able.' 
 Those little children in the text had some divine 
 knowledge, but it was very dim and imperfect, and as 
 yet they had but sucked in the first principles of 
 Christianity. 
 
 (4.) Little children are fickle and inconstant. Now 
 this liketh them, and by and by it distasteth them ; 
 whatever you put into their hands, thej' quickly let it 
 fall, taking no fast hold of it. Thus are weak Christians 
 carried to and fro with every wind of doctrine : now 
 this opinion pleaseth them, and anon it displeaseth 
 them ; and though the verities of Christian religion are 
 inculcated upon them, they hold them not fast, but 
 suffer themselves easily to be spoiled of them. 
 
 (.').) Finally, little children are full of fears, easily 
 affrighted with any thing ; so are spiritual babes, their 
 faith being little, doubts arise, fears prevail. Weak 
 sinners are presumptuous, weak Christians are timo- 
 rous ; and as the devil lulls those asleep in security, 
 so he dismays them with anxiety. 
 
 2. Proficients. Those who have made some pro- 
 gress in Christianity are compared to young men. For, 
 
 (1.) As young men have good stomachs, whereby 
 they both earnestly desire and easily digest solid 
 meats, so it is with gi-owing Christians : they receive 
 the manna of the ordinances with attention, retain it 
 by meditation, and so turn it into good nutriment by 
 practice, they are able to chew and feed upon evange- 
 lical verities, to digest them in their understandings 
 and memories ; in which respect our apostle saith, 
 The word of God abideth in them. 
 
 (2.) Young men arc active and vigorous, having 
 strong bodies and nimble joints, whereby they fulfil 
 their employments without weariness. Thus are spiri- 
 tual proficients ready to every good word and work. 
 Divine commands are not grievous, Christ's yoke is 
 easy to them, and they do the will of God with ala- 
 
 crity, for which reason our apostle saith of them they 
 ' are strong.' 
 
 (3.) Young men are fit, by reason of their strength, 
 for military employments, and upon all occasions are 
 called forth to service ; so are strong Christians fit to 
 I encounter with temptations, afflictions, persecutions, 
 and through divine assistance to conquer them, upon 
 j which account it is said of these young men, they had 
 ' overcome the wicked one.' 
 
 (4.) Young men have their blood boiling in their 
 veins, their natural heat is sprightly in them ; so is it 
 with proficients in grace, the supernatural and spiri- 
 tual heat of zeal is lively in their hearts, whereby it 
 is that they boil as it were in love to God, and rage 
 against sin. 
 
 (5.) Finally, Young men are healthful and lusty, 
 and though they fall into a disease their bodies 
 are able to wrestle with it, and nature gets the 
 better ; so have spiritual proficients an healthful 
 frame of soul, whereby it is that they seldom fall into 
 great diseases, I mean gross sins ; and if at any time 
 thej" do fall, grace struggleth with, and prevaileth 
 against, corruption. 
 
 3. Perfecti. They who are comparatively not only 
 in respect of bad, but good, perfect Christians, hav- 
 ing attained large measures of grace, are resembled to 
 fathers. 
 
 (1.) Aged fathers know much by their own experi- 
 ence ; so do perfect Christians : they are experienced 
 in the subtilties of Satan, and deceits of their own 
 hearts, the workings of grace and stirrings of corrup- 
 tions, the assistances of God's Spirit, and manifesta- 
 tions of his love. 
 
 (2.) Aged fathers know things that are done many 
 years ago, and perfect Christians (according to our 
 apostle's phrase) ' have known him that is from the 
 beginning ;' converse with the Father of eternity, and 
 so hr as God hath unbosomed himself in bis word, 
 are acquainted with the thoughts he had from ever- 
 lasting. 
 
 (3.) Lastly, aged fathers are usually fathers of 
 many children ; so are perfect Christians: they make 
 it a great part of their business to admonish the neg- 
 ligent, support the feeble, reclaim the wandering, com- 
 fort the drooping, and by all means to convert and 
 comfort their brethren. 
 
 To sum it up, IJahcnt omncs rirlutcs suas coitcep- 
 tioiies, luitiritales, iiicKniibula, atalis incroiienla, saith 
 an ancient.* The virtues have their conception, birth, 
 and growth, and that from [one] degree to another. 
 The seed of grace which fdls upon good gi-ound, 
 bringeth forth in some an hundred, in some sixty, and 
 in some but thirty fold. All the Israelites did not 
 gather the like quantity of manna, some an omer, 
 and some an ephah, some much, some little. It is no 
 less true of the spiritual Israelites in gathering grace. 
 Among the ungodlyf on Jacob's ladder, some were 
 * Orig. in Niun. t Q"- ' nngeh ' ?— En. 
 
Ver. 12-1 4..] 
 
 SERMON XXXIII. 
 
 209 
 
 above at the top, and others below at the foot, j-et all 
 upon the ladder. The like difference there is among 
 Christians in their spiritual ascents. As in the heavens 
 there are stars of several magnitudes, in schools there 
 are scholars of several forms, in houses there are 
 vessels of several bigness, so in the church there are 
 Christians of several degrees, for there are fathers, 
 and young men, and little children. The time was 
 when thou who art a father wast a young man, 
 nay, a little child ; and the time may be, when they 
 that are now little children may come to be j'oung 
 men, nay, fathers. He that hath most grace began 
 with a little, and those weak striplings may prove 
 strong giants in grace. If thou hast much, and others 
 but little, thankfully acknowledge thy Father's mercy, 
 but do not proudly scorn thy brother's infirmity. 
 
 Again, let not those who are as yet but little chil- 
 dren be discouraged at, nor yet content with, those 
 small measures of grace they have attained. 
 
 Let them not on the one hand be too much de- 
 jected. He that bids Peter feed his sheep, bids him 
 withal to feed his lambs ; yea, he who is himself the 
 great Shepherd, taketh care of the little lambs as well 
 as the grown sheep. AVhen Nicodemus came to 
 Christ with some few sparks of desire after him, our 
 compassionate Redeemer, non delebal si'd ulehat* did 
 not extinguish but cherish them. Besides, the cove- 
 nant of grace is made with, and the promises of mercy 
 are made to, faith, not only in strength but truth. A 
 little child is as truly a man as a young man, as an 
 old man ; and a weak Christian is as truly a Christian 
 as the most perfect saint. Conclude not too harshly 
 against thyself from the premises of weak grace : qui 
 non potest volaie ut aquila, volet tit passer, if we cannot 
 mount with the eagle, soar with the lark, let us fly 
 with the sparrow ; though we cannot with St Paul set 
 our feet in the third heaven, yet let us lift up our 
 hands and eyes thither. In a word, let us neither 
 measure our goodness by another's want of it, nor our 
 want of goodness by another's abundance, as if we 
 had no grace, because but httle, and not so great a 
 measure as others. 
 
 Nor yet, on the other hand, let little children or 
 young men be contented with what they have attained. 
 The stature which a Christian is to strive after, is the 
 ' stature of the fulness of Christ ;' and, therefore, we 
 must never come to our jiui.viinuin quod sic, our full 
 pitch. There is an holy and amiable ambition in 
 Christianity. Oh how good would a good heart be ! 
 it looketh not only upon its sins but graces with 
 grief and mourning, as that it hath been so had, so 
 that it is yet no better. Peto ut accipiam, et cum 
 accepero ruisns pcto, I ask to receive grace, and when 
 I have received, I ask again. Ncc iUe deficit in dando, 
 nee ei/o satinr in accijiiendo, he is not weary of giving, 
 nor am I satisfied with receiving ; so St Jerome. Is 
 then the foundation of piety laid ? liear up the build- 
 • Aug. 
 
 ing every day higher than other, till it reacheth to 
 heaven. Is the light of grace risen in thy soul ? Let 
 it shine more and more to the perfect day. Finally, 
 art thou a little child, grow up to be a young man, yea, 
 never cease till thou comest to be a father in Chi'ist.* 
 And so much for the allegorical interpretation. 
 
 It is a received rule in interpreting Scripture, that 
 the literal sense is to be adhered to, as most genuine, 
 unless necessity enforce to recede from it. For this 
 cause I conceive it most congruous to embrace the 
 plain and proper meaning of the words, as they note 
 the ages of men's life, though withal the other notion 
 is here collaterally to be taken in. Those of these 
 several ages, to whom St John writeth, were converted 
 to Christianity, and proportionably, no doubt, as the 
 little children were but weak, so as they grew up to be 
 young men and fathers, they grew in grace. 
 
 For the better clearing of this construction, you 
 must know that childhood, youth, and old age arc the 
 usual distinctions of man's age. I know some make, 
 as it were, seven stages of the life of man : infancy, 
 childhood, youth, manhood, middle age, old age, de- 
 crepit age ; others reduce the seven to four : childhood, 
 youth, manhood, old age, f the first whereof is 
 reckoned to fifteen, the second to twenty-five, the 
 third to thirty-seven, and the fourth to the end of life ; 
 and these four ages they resemble by the four ele- 
 ments in the world, the four seasons in the year, the 
 four humours of the body, and the like. And one upon 
 my text finding four words in these verses, rsy.via., 
 Tai&ia, vsavmxoi and irari^ii, fits them to those four 
 ages. David seemeth to comprise them in two, ' I 
 have been young, and now am old,' Ps. xxxvii. 25. 
 St Paul to Titus mentions only aged and young men, 
 Titus ii. 3i. But the most received distinction of 
 man's age is threefold, as Buza well observeth ; | cor- 
 respondent to which was that song of the Laceda;- 
 monian choir, placed in three orders, whereof the first, 
 who were the little children, sang. Quod estis erimus, 
 that which you young and old men are, we shall be ; 
 the second, who were the old men, sang. Quod estis 
 fuimus, that which you young men and little children 
 are, we once were ; and the third, which were the 
 young men, sang, Surmis quod alter i fuerunt, et alteri 
 futuri sunt, we are what you old men have been, and 
 you little children are to be. 
 
 According to this tripartite division of man's age, 
 our apostle reckoneth up fathers, young men, and 
 little children. 
 
 1. He beginneth with fathers, by which he meanoth 
 old men ; for though the name father is properly vox 
 nalur(C,§ a word betokening a natural father, — in which 
 respect whosoever hath a child is a father, — there are 
 besides patres reliyione, fathers in respect of religion. 
 So Elisha called Elijah fatlier, who was a prophet ; 
 and it is usual to call bishops, nay, ordinary priests 
 
 • Hier ad Ctesiph. adv. pelag. X Beza in loc 
 
 t Aret. in loc. I Justin, iu loo. 
 
 
 
:2I0 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 and ministers fathers, p'ltres dignitate, fathers in re- 
 gard of honour and dignity. Upon this account 
 Naaman's servant called him (being a great man)/aiAer. 
 Senators in Rome were styled ixiirea, fathers ; and 
 kings are called palres palritr, the fathers of the 
 •country over which they rule. Finally, jjatres aiate, 
 fathers in respect of age ; and so all who are stricken 
 in years, are wont to be nailed fathers. In this sense 
 it is manifestly here used by St John, and that honoris 
 ■ergo, by way of reverence, whilst he thinkuth it not 
 tit in plain terms to call them old men, but in testifi- 
 cation of his respect to them,/a//(e;'«. Nor would it be 
 p:issed by what this expression teacheth us, namely, 
 
 That reverence is due from young to old men, as 
 from children to their fathers. What the apostle saith 
 of marriage, Heb. xiii. 8, is no less true of old age, ' it 
 is honourable among all men.' In Scripture heraldry, 
 the ' ancient and the honourable ' are put together, 
 Isa. ix. 15 ; yea, the command is express, ' Thou 
 shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the 
 face of the old man,' Lev. xix. 32. It is not unfitly 
 observed, that in the Greek language, yn^ag, old age, 
 and yi^ac, an honorary reward, differ nothing as to 
 sound, and only in a letter as to writing, to intimate 
 that honour is due to old age."''' It was one of Chiton's 
 golden precepts, /jjga; r//iav, to reverence old age. 
 And Phocylides, his phrase is — 
 
 pai-ents and old men are to have equal reverence. To 
 this purpose it is that Aulus Gellius relateth con- 
 cerning the ancient Romans,! ^^^^ ^^^y did not more 
 honour wealth, or birth, than age, and the younger did 
 reverence the elder ad Ueuiii props, et parinlimi 
 vicem, as if they were their parents, nay, gods ; and 
 this (saith he) they learned of the Lacedaemonians, 
 who by Lycurgus his laws were enjoined great rever- 
 ence to aged persons. .Accordingly it is that both 
 Ovid ;|: and Juvenal § tell us, what great honour was 
 of old given to the hoary head, and how heinous a 
 crime it was accounted, as deserving little less than 
 death, if a young man did not rise up before the 
 ■ancient. 
 
 How justly will the heathens of those ages rise up 
 in judgment against the Christians of this ; wherein 
 ■old ago is become contemptible, and youth malapert. 
 What more usual than for green heads to contradict and 
 ■vilify gray hairs ! That brand which is set upon the 
 nation God was resolved to send against rebellious 
 Israel, Deut. xxviii. 30, is verified in too many, tliey 
 ' respect not the person of the old.' Oh remember, 
 antiquity is the image of eternity ! God is called ' the 
 
 • Ciipnata sunt yt^xt, et v5{i»s, Woj, ct iSs;. — EmUith. 
 
 t Aul. Gell. lib. ii. cap. xv. 
 
 \ Magna fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani. 
 
 —Ovid Fast. 1. v. 
 § Crodoliant tunc granilo nofos ft morfe piancUim, 
 Si veteri juvcnis nou assurrexerit, &c. 
 
 — Juvenal. Sat. xiii. 
 
 Ancient of days,' Dan. vii. 9, and though it is idolatry 
 in the Romanists to picture God as an old man, yet 
 we need not doubt to afliim that an old man is, as it 
 were, the picture of the eternal God ; and therefore, as 
 in despising every man, so espociallj' an aged man, 
 we despise God's im.age. 
 
 Learn we then how to account of old men, namelj-, 
 as fathers, and accordingly to give them all due re- 
 gard in words, gestures, and actions. It is a good 
 saying of Clemens Alexandi-inus,* when a man by 
 age draweth near his end, roao-jru n/xiuri^og a-^o; 
 dXriOiiav, he is so much the more highly to be honoured. 
 And Antiochus f assureth us, that to respect the 
 ancient is ^rai/u iua^ierov ru Sew xa< aw)^To/s, very 
 acceptable in the sight both of God and man. It is 
 very considerable how St Paul adviseth Timothy, 
 though an elder in respect of ottice, yet being young 
 in years, that he should ' entreat the elder ' (to wit, in 
 age) ' as fathers,' 1 Tim. v. 1. And no less observ- 
 able is this of St John, who, to manifest his respect 
 to old age, when he meaneth old men, useth this 
 honourable term of fathers. 
 
 2. By fathers, then, he meaneth them who were 
 about fifty years old, or more, in their declining age, 
 and had lived to see many days. From them he de- 
 scendeth to young men ; and though the word here 
 used (as Pollux aflirmcthj) be especially meant of 
 those who are in their foiu-th septenary, from one to 
 eight and twenty, yet here the extent of it is (as 
 Estius§ well observeth) a great deal larger, and com- 
 prehends all, ijid e.reiiitt c.r ejihchis, who are past fifteen, 
 till they come to the age of fifty. From young men, 
 he Cometh yet lower, to little children ; and though 
 the diminutive word take in all little children (whilst 
 yet they cannot go nor speak) from their very birth, 
 yet hero doubtless it must bear date from the time in 
 which a child begins first to be capable of ration.al 
 knowledge (it being not probable that St John did 
 write to them who v.ere in no capacity of reading or 
 understanding what he wrote), and beginning at those 
 years, it oompriseth all who are in their nonage, and 
 are not come to the years of one and twenty. 
 
 That, then, which our apostle here intimateth is, 
 that there were of all these ages among the Christians. 
 We read in the parable of the vineyard. Mat. xx. 
 8, 5, G, that some labourers were hired to work at the 
 third, some at the sixth, and others about the ninth 
 and eleventh hour. Thus doth Christ call some little 
 children with whom it is but the third, some young 
 men with whom it is the sixth hour, some fathers with 
 whom it is the ninth, nay, eleventh hour of the day. 
 God in the law, saith Damianus, ] made choice of 
 bullocks and lambs to be ofl'ered in sacrifice to him, 
 thereby intimating the diversity of those whom he 
 brings home to himself: Alii grandeva senecliitc inciluri, 
 
 • Clem. Alox. pfcdaR. lib. ii. cap. iii. 
 
 t Antioch. linni. cix. g Est. in loc. 
 
 i Vide Casaub. excrcitut. U I'ct. Dam. 1. vi. ep. 17. 
 
Ver. 12-1-t.] 
 
 SERMON XXXIV. 
 
 211 
 
 (ilii Jiivcnilis iiicrcmciili v'-gore robusli, some being of 
 ripe, and others of green years. Look as in an or- 
 cliard, there arc tender plants, middlings, and old trees, 
 so are there in God's chm'ch persons of all ages. It 
 is otherwise in this respect (as well as others) in the 
 spiritual than in the temporal warfare. In other wars, 
 as priests are exempted by their- calhng, women by 
 their sex, sick and impotent persons by their indis- 
 position of body, so old men and children by their 
 years ; but not so in this, to which children, so soon 
 as they begin to understand, are engaged, and old men 
 so long as they live. The Hebrew proverb saith of 
 Golgotha, that there are in it skulls of all sizes ; and 
 as in the churchyard there ai'e dead bodies, so in the 
 church there are living Christians of all years ; as the 
 devil hath his slaves among old men, young men, little 
 children, — for the prophet saith of the idolatrous 
 heathen, Jer. vii. 17, 18, that the ' fathers kindled 
 the fire, and the women kneaded the dough, and the 
 children gathered sticks to make cakes for the queen 
 of heaven' — so God hath his servants, and Christ his 
 members, for St Paul speaketh of faith dwelling in the 
 grandmother Lois, the mother Eunice, and Timothy 
 the child, 2 Tim. i. 5. Among old men and women, 
 we read of Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and EUza- 
 beth, Paul the aged, and Mnason the old disciple ; 
 among young men, we read of Josiah the young king, 
 2 Chron. xxxiv., and Phinehas the young priest, and 
 Daniel the young prophet ; among little children, 
 of Samuel ministering before the Lord from a child, 
 1 Sam. ii., and Timothy instructed in the Scriptures 
 from a child, 2 Tim. iii. 15, and the children crying 
 Hosanna to Christ, when he came riding to Jerusalem, 
 Mat. xxi. IG, 17. Sometimes God is pleased to instil 
 grace into the hearts of little ones ; sometimes he 
 giveth a stop to young men in their evil course ; some- 
 times he maketh old men the monuments not only of 
 his patience in sparing them so long, but of his good- 
 ness in bringing them to repentance at last ; or else 
 
 confers upon towardly little children, and virtuous 
 young men, the reward of length of days in this life, 
 whereliy they come to be old. 
 
 To draw to an end. I trust, beloved, it may be said 
 of some, of many, of all these ages, in this citv', parish, 
 congregation, that they are among the number of those 
 who are (at the 12th verso) called ' little children,' 
 begotten again, and renewed by the Holy Ghost. Sure 
 I am, it concerueth us all, of all ages, to be of that 
 number. 
 
 It is high time for you that are fathers (if you have 
 not already) now to bring forth fruit to God ; nor let 
 the old man say, in the eunuch's language, ' I am a 
 dry tree,' there is no hopes of my fruitfulness. Young 
 devils may prove old saints. He that maketh dry 
 bones to live can make the dry trees to flourish. 
 Kather double your prayers and endeavours to bring 
 forth much fruit in a little time ; and if you have been 
 already ' planted in the house of the Lord,' be care- 
 ful still to ' bring forth fruit in old age.' 
 
 It is full time for you that are young men to study 
 the divine art of Christianity, though whilst you were 
 childi-en you did, and spake, and understood as chil- 
 dren ; yet now you are become men, put away childish 
 things, mind what concerneth God's glory and your 
 own salvation. 
 
 Nor let little children say with those Jews, It is not 
 time to rear the building of religion. The work is 
 long, and the time at longest but short ; you had need 
 begin betimes. The journey is great, and the time 
 but a day to go it in ; there is reason you should set 
 forth early. In one word, let fathers be exemplary in 
 piety, let young men be forward in grace, let little 
 children make haste to be good ; so shall there be 
 still in the church of Christ militant, fathers, young 
 men, little children, till the last day come, when there 
 shall be neither old men nor little children, but all 
 shall be young men, of full stature and perfect age, to 
 all eternity, in the church triumphant. 
 
 SEEMON XXXIV. 
 
 1 iiTile uiitn rjou, Utile chihiren, hecauae your sitis are forfjiven yon for his name's sake. I write nnto you, fathers, 
 because ye hare known him that is from the beyinniny. I write unto you, young men, because ye hare orer- 
 comc the wicked one. 1 write unto you, little children, because ye hare known the Father. 1 hare written 
 unto you, fathers, because you hare known him that is from the beyinniny. I have written unto you, youny 
 7nen, because i/e are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye hare orercomc the wicked one. — 
 1 John U. 12-U. 
 
 THERE are three things which commend the ex- 
 cellency and worth of any writing or doctrine : 
 purity of matter, antiquity of original, and generality 
 of use. Indeed, those doctrines which patronise any 
 sin are to be wholly rejected, which broach any novelty 
 are justly to be suspected, and those which are only 
 of some particular concernment are not generally to be 
 
 regarded. But when the things delivered are pure, 
 the authority of them unquestionable, and their utility 
 universal, they cannot but challenge our attention and 
 reception. Such is the evangelical doctrine ; such 
 are the apostolical writings ; such, in particular, is 
 this epistle. To this purpose it is that in this very 
 chapter St John asserts all these concerning hia doc- 
 
212 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 trines : their unspotted purity, verse 1st, where he 
 saitb, ' These things 1 write to you, that you sin not;' 
 their unquestionable antiquity, verse 7th, where he 
 saith, ' I write not a new commandnient to j^ou, but 
 an old : the old commandment is the word which yon 
 heard I'rom the beginning ;' finally, their general ex- 
 tent, in these verses, as reaching to all of all age.s, ' I 
 write to you, little children,' &c. 
 
 2. Having handled the iirst part of this scripture, 
 namely, the persons specified, pass we on to the 
 second, which is the act performed hy St John towards 
 these persons; and that is, ivritimi, as it is often ex- 
 pressed in the several verses. That I may give you a 
 full account of this part, I shall consider the act here 
 mentioned, 
 
 1. Absolutely, and therein take notice both of the 
 act itself, and the iteration of it. 
 
 2. Relatively. In reference to the agent, xrlia ; the 
 subject, to xihoin ; and the object about uliicli he writes. 
 
 1. In the absolute consideration we are to, 
 1. Begin with the act expressed, in the word irrile. 
 St John had spoken before, yea, no doubt, by preach- 
 ing the gospel to them, had been the means of their 
 conversion (whom therefore he calls, in the first verse, 
 ' my little children '), and now to his former speaking 
 he addeth writing. Thus Calvin * conceiveth that the 
 prophets did write a summary or abridgment of thos 
 messages they delivered, which wtre for some time 
 affixed to the gates of the temple for the people to 
 read, and afterward taken down and laid in the trea- 
 sury. And it is expressly asserted concerning God 
 himself, that after he had given the law, speaking the 
 ten words with his own lips, he wrote tbcm with his 
 own fingers in two tallies of stone. 
 >■ (Jiiesl. If you shall inquire a reason why God would 
 have his woid not only spoken, but written, and his 
 apostles not only Naphtalis, to ' give goodly words,' 
 but /ebulons, to ' handle the pen ;' and not only ora- 
 tors, but secretaries ? 
 
 Ann. I answer, Upon a threefold ground, drawn 
 from themselves, their people, and the truth they had 
 delivered. 
 
 1. In regard of themselves, inasmuch as writing 
 was a supply of their absence. The mother cannot be 
 alwa\ s present with the babe to suckle it with the dug, 
 and therefore she provideth a sucking bottle to refresh 
 it in her absence. Thus the apostles, because they 
 could not bo in many places at once, and consequently 
 not always present with their scattered flock, vouch- 
 safed to write to them, that their writings might be 
 instead of vocal instructions. 
 
 2. lu regard of the people, since these writings 
 were an excellent means both of strengthening their 
 memories and confirming their faith. 
 
 (1.) The writing did bring to the people's remem- 
 brance what the apostles had formerly taught them. 
 This, St Peter asserteth as the end of his writing, 
 ♦ Calvin prsefat. in Is. 
 
 2 Pet. iii. 1, to ' stir up the pure minds of the people 
 by way of remembrance,' it being a great prop to 
 memory, when those truths which have been sounded 
 in the ear are afterwards presented to the eye, whilst 
 what was lost to the one is restored to the other, and 
 so truth secured to the memory. 
 
 (2.) These writings were no small confirmation of the 
 people in the faith. By speaking, the apostles did, 
 as it were, lay the foundation, and by writing they 
 reared the fabric ; by "preaching, they planted, and by 
 writing watered ; finally, by speaking, they converted 
 heathens to, and by writing they corroborated the 
 Christians in, the faith. 
 
 3. Once more. In regard of the truths themselves, 
 that they might hereby be perpetuated to posterity. 
 To this purpose Pi,ivet asserteth the writings of God's 
 word as not only profitable, but necessary, lahili memo- 
 riir. et posteroruin siicces,^ioni, as to help the weakness 
 of memory, so to transmit revelations to after ages. 
 .Elian reporteth of certain frogs which, taking a kind 
 of reed into their mouths,'"' save themselves from the 
 water serpents that would devour them. Thus, the 
 holy apostles, by taking a pen into their hands, have 
 preserved those precious truths w'hich the devil endea- 
 voureth to swallow up. By which it appears, that 
 the sacred writings, though they were directed to them 
 who then lived, yet they are intended for us. St Paul 
 saith, Pioni. xv. 4, of the writings of the Old Testa- 
 ment, that ' the things which were ■written aforetime 
 were written for our learning.' The like may we say 
 of the writings both of the New and Old Testament, 
 they are for our use and instruction. 
 
 And surely this yja^w calls for a Xsyu. Reading is 
 the end of writing ; and, since the apostles took the 
 pains to write, it is but just we should bestow the time 
 to read. It was a sad complaint of God himself 
 against Israel, ' I have written to them the gi'cat things 
 of my law, and they have accounted them as a strange 
 thing,' Hos. viii. 12. Oh that the like accusation 
 might not be charged by Christ upon us, I have writ- 
 ten to them the great things of my gospel, but they 
 have counted them as a strange thing, and are strangers 
 to them ! How sad is it to think, that whereas David's 
 blessed man ' meditateth on God's law day and night,' 
 Ps. i. 2, with many of us, days and nights, nay, 
 weeks and months, pass away without reading and 
 meditating on the sacred writings. Oh let us wipe off 
 the dust of contempt from the cover of our Bibles, 
 and recall them from the land of forgetfulness, whither 
 our neglect hath banished them. 
 
 2. It would yet further be taken notice of, that here 
 is not only a y^dfu, 1 urile, in the thirteenth, but an 
 ty^a-^a, 1 have xeritleii, in the fourteenth verse, the 
 sense whereof is fitly rendered by Estiusf to be scripsi, 
 itcrumjuc scrilm, I have written, and again I write. 
 Our apostle doth not only add precept to precept, but 
 line to line, concerning the same precept ; and, though. 
 • ililian. Ilistor. Animal. t 1-st. in loc. 
 
Ver. 12-1 4. J 
 
 SEUMON XXXIV. 
 
 be bad written just before, yet be writeth again. Nor 
 are we to imagine it was tbrougb want of matter, 
 but aiiundance of zeal, tbat our apostle striketb a 
 second time upon tbe same string. That workman 
 who would fasten tbe nail in tbe wall, must drive it 
 home to tbe bead bj' repeated blows. Manj' times, 
 as second thoughts are better, so second admonitions 
 are stronger, and have a more prevailing influence. 
 Some, indeed, awake at tbe first call, but the most 
 have need of a second, naj', a third. Calvin too rashly 
 judgeth these repetitions in tbe fourteenth verse to 
 ho superfluous ;* vet, I would to God they were ; but 
 St John knew it otherwise, and we cannot but observe 
 it iu our own experience, there is a great necessity, 
 and therefore just reason, that we should write and 
 speak the same lesson once and again. And surely, if 
 it concernetb us to write, it bebovcth you to read the 
 same writings again and again ; tbe one must not be 
 grievous to us, nor the other tedious for you. Some 
 things need to be read once and again, tbat we may 
 understand them ; or, if reading once, we understand, 
 , lot us read again tbat we may remember ; and, if we 
 understand and remember, let us read again, that we 
 may find our affections enlivened. 
 
 2. Having viewed the absolute, pass we on to tbe 
 relative consideration of this act, and that in reference, 
 1 . To the agent. That which here this holy apostle 
 taketh to himself, is only the writing, not the inditing. 
 He was the scribe, but the Spirit of God dictated ; or, 
 if you will, he was the pen, but the Spirit the band 
 tbat guided it. It is St Peter's general assertion, 
 2 Pet. i. 21, ' Tbe holy men of God spake as being 
 moved hy tbe Holy Ghost.' And St Paul is no less 
 express when he saith, 2 Tim. iii. 16, ' All Scrip- 
 ture is 'iio-viuaro;, of divine inspiration.' The tjew, 
 iii.ynriiig, is God's part, and tbe ygaf w, icritinfi, was 
 tbe apostles'. Indeed, we find two expressions which 
 seem directly opposite one to the other, wbenas, in 
 the tenth verse of tbe seventh chapter of the epistle 
 to the Corinthians, the apostle saith, ' 1 command you; 
 not 1, but the Lord;' aud in the twelfth verse, ' speak 
 I, not tbe Lord.' But it will be easily solved, if we 
 consider that St Paul refers to tbe doctrine which tbe 
 Lord Christ delivered himself concerning divorces ; 
 wherein, though there is a general prohibition (except 
 in case of fornication. Mat. v. 31, 32), yet there is 
 nothing in particular concerning the case of ditt'erence 
 in religion, when the one is a Christian and tbe other 
 a pag.m ;t and therefore, whereas in tbe general man- 
 date St Paul saith, ' not I, but tbe Lord,' in the 
 particular counsel be saith, ' 1, not the Lord ;' tbat is, 
 the Lord Christ hath not said anything expressly as 
 to this present case. But still, what St Paul said in 
 it, was by the dictate of God's Spirit ; and, therefore, 
 in the end of that chapter, he closetb with this, ' I 
 
 • Calv. in loe. 
 
 t Nou Dominus sc. express^ sive totidem verbis, sivc suo 
 ipsius ore. — Slat. Hid. 
 
 think also ' (which is i/j.faTixri iiiiuaii, an empbatical 
 diminution, expressing more than an opinion, a confi- 
 dent knowledge) ' that I have tbe Spirit of God.' 
 
 And surely this consideration is tbat which should 
 oblige us to read apostolical writings with reverence, 
 looking beyond the penman to God who inspired them. 
 Far he it from any of us to think of these writings, 
 what Julian said of certain papers,* which were sent him 
 in vindication of tbe Christian religion, aiiyvjii, 'tyvwf, 
 zarey»Mi/, 1 have read, I understand, I despise them ; 
 no, rather let us admix-e and adore them. The truth 
 is in the very writings themselves ; there is tbat verity, 
 purity, and elegancy, which may render them accept- 
 able ; but when, besides, we ponder their authority, 
 they call not only for acceptance but reverence. 
 
 Nor is it enough thus to read, but we must labour 
 for a transcript of what we read, that what is written 
 in tbe book may be written in our hearts ; and truly, 
 not only the rrvioi, but the ypa.(pu, in this sense belongs 
 to God's Spirit. Tbe apostle may %vrite. to them, but 
 it is the Spirit must write in them. God appropriateth 
 it to himself as his own act, ' I will put my law in 
 their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.' In 
 reading, therefore, the sacred books, let us implore 
 that Spirit which dictated to the penman, to imprint 
 upon our hearts, that so wo may be transformed into 
 the image of those truths we read, aud have within us 
 a copy of tbe writing without us. 
 
 2. To tbe subject, fathers, young men, cbildi-en ; 
 and here, 
 
 1. It would be observed that our apostle, in writing, 
 contents not himself with generalities, but directs bis 
 discourse particularh-. Like a good archer, he doth not 
 shoot at random, but level the arrow of bis admoni- 
 tion at the several marks ; or like the master of a 
 feast, doth not only set whole dishes, but carveth to 
 bis several guests. Indeed, as Calvin well noteth,t 
 generalis seriiio minus afficit, what is spoken generally 
 to all is too often looked upon as if it belonged to 
 none. We are all very apt to put oil' rebukes and 
 counsels, as if they did not concern us ; and our ques- 
 tion, like that of Peter's, is, John xxi.21, 'What shall 
 this man do ?' not like that of the jailor, Acts xvi. 30, 
 ' What shall I do '?' and therefore it is a pious pru- 
 dence in tbe minister to bring home bis discourse by 
 particular application to the various conditions of bis 
 auditors. 'Thus St Paul, in bis epistle, laid down 
 instructions for men, for women, for the aged, and 
 the young ; for parents, for children, for masters, for 
 servants ; and here St John writeth not only to all 
 Christians, vcr. 12, but particularly to fathers, young 
 men, children, ver. 13, 14. 
 
 2. Observe, St John in his writing excuselh not 
 old men, nor yet excludeth little children. 
 
 1. On the one hand, St John, writing to old men, 
 intimateth that none are too old to learn divine doc- 
 trines ; and therefore they must not think scorn that 
 * Bas. Epist 207. t Calv. in loc. 
 
2H 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II, 
 
 ILe ministers of God should instruct them. Elegant 
 is that of Seneca,* Tamdiu audiendum et discendum 
 cut quamdin nescias, quamdiu virus, we must hear so 
 long as we are iguoraut, and learn so long as we live. 
 More appositely St Austiuf , Ad discenditm et audien- 
 diun nulla i/lus seiuw rideii potest, no age exempts 
 from instruction. Since, though it is more proper for 
 old men to teach than learn, yet it is better for them 
 to learn than to be ignorant. Indeed, St Paul juslly 
 blameth those who were ' ever learning, and never 
 came to the knowledge of the truth ;' hut yet those 
 who arc come to the knowledge of the truth must be 
 ever learning, even to their dying day. It is no other 
 than a base pride of spirit which eauseth men to ac- 
 count themselves either too wise or too old to be 
 taught in the ways of God. It were a strange reason- 
 ing if an old man, being constrained to take a tedious 
 journey, and not knowing the way, should say thus 
 within himself, I know not where 1 am, but I will not 
 ask the way, because I am old ; and is not their folly 
 great who reason thus about the way to heaven ? In- 
 deed, when we address ourselves to the ancient, we 
 must manage our counsels with respect, not impe- 
 riouslj' commanding or malapcrtly reproving, but 
 humbly entreating, and meekly admonishing them ; 
 yet still neither must they think much to be minded 
 of, nor must we neglect to acquaint them with their 
 duty, for thus St John, as he gives them the reverend 
 title of fathers, so he writeth to them for their in- 
 struction. 
 
 2. On the other hand, St John, writing to little 
 children, iutimateth, that care ought to ho taken for 
 the institution of little children. 
 
 Indeed, little children are most fit to be taught, 
 ciliiis ((Hsuescit oiiiiie quod tc)ie>iiiii,l we tame a lion 
 when it is young, heal a wound whilst it is green, 
 break an horse whilst it is a colt, teach a dog whilst 
 it is a whelp, bow a tree whilst it is a twig, and men, 
 as well as other creatures, are most easily instructed 
 whilst young. 
 
 2. Besides, what we learn whili^t little children, as 
 it is most easily received, so most lirmlj- retained, 
 altius pracepla descendunt qiiw teneris iinprhmmtur 
 otalihnx, § those precepts which are cast into the 
 minds of little ones take deepest root. That of the 
 poet is well known, || vessels keep the liquor longest 
 with which they are first seasoned ; and Solomon 
 assureth us, Prov. xxii. G, ' Train a child in the way 
 he should go, and ho will not depart from it when ho 
 is old.' 
 
 3. Add to this, that if children be not instructed 
 in good, they will learn evil things. Man's mind is 
 like the ground, into which, if good seed he not cast, 
 evil weeds will spring up; or like a restless mill which 
 cannot stand still, so that, if it be not taken up with 
 
 * Sen. Eji. 77. % Pclag. ad Dcnictr. 
 
 t Aii{,'. Ep. iui Hior. § Quint, hisfitutio, lit), i. cap. 1. 
 
 II Quo semcl cat iiiibula reccna. — Iloial. A'/'. '1. 
 
 virtues, it wiU employ itself in vicious practices. In- 
 deed, as the heathen saith truly,* omnes pneoccupati 
 suiiius, we are all forestalled, and our minds are natu- 
 rally inclined to what is evil; the more need to endea- 
 vour the plucking it up before it fiisten too much in, 
 and take too much hold upon us. Upon all these con- 
 siderations, no wonder if St John take little chil- 
 dren, as well as young men, into his tuition, by writing 
 to them. 
 
 And surel}' this is that which should mind parents 
 to take heed of delays in providing for the ingenious 
 and pious education of their children, encourage school- 
 masters to the discharge of their calling, which, 
 though conversant about little children, is of great 
 use and benefit. Finally, advertise ministers to take 
 care for catechising the little children, as well as in- 
 structing young men and fathers. Our blessed Saviour 
 had so groat a respect for little children, that he 
 blamed those who would have kept them from him, 
 embraced them in his arms, and blessed them, Mark 
 X. 16. David, though a king, disdaineth not to be a 
 teacher of children, Ps. sxiv. 10; many of the ancient 
 fathers, Clemens, Origen, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gre- 
 gory Nyssen, were catechists, whose office is to in- 
 struct little children ; yea, here this holy apostle 
 leaveth not out in his writings little children. And so 
 much for the second. 
 
 The last reference of this act is to the object where- 
 about this writing is conversant. It is that which is 
 not expressed in the text, and therefore is supplied by 
 expositors, yet not without some difl'erence. 
 
 I find among interpreters a threefold construction 
 of this y^afui, I write, as to the matter of it. 
 
 1. Somef enlarge it, as extending to the whole 
 epistle, and so these verses are a digression from the 
 preceding matter ; and they may well be called the 
 epistle dedicatory, wherein St John givcth an account 
 to whom his epistle is written, all Christians in ge- 
 neral, and in particular to fathers, young men, and 
 children. 
 
 2. Others ; refer these verses to the duty of bro- 
 therly love before mentioned ; and having commended 
 the worth, he here shewelh the fitness of it to all ages 
 of men. I write rjjv svroXriv raurijv, this command- 
 ment of love, to you fathers, young men, children ; 
 according to which construction these verses look 
 backward, and are a close of the preceding discourse. 
 That which sirongtheus this reference is, that it ma- 
 nifestly appeareth a great part of this epistle insisteth 
 upon the duty of love ; and, therefore, no wonder if 
 our apostle, when first ho spcakcth of it, both prc- 
 fixcth a proemium, declaring its antiquity, and affix- 
 oth a peroration, discovering its congruity to all sorts 
 of Christians. 
 
 3. Finally, others § refer these verses to that prohibi- 
 tion of worldly love, which followeth in the 15th, 16th, 
 
 * Sen. Ep. li. t Beza, Zanc, Justin., in loc. 
 
 f Calv. in loo ? Est in loc. Dr Ilamin. parnph. 
 
Ver. 12-14.] 
 
 SERMON XXXIV. 
 
 215 
 
 and 17th verses; and so it looketh forward, and is as 
 it were an exordium, to make way for that inhibition 
 which he linew would be so unwelcome to the most, 
 though it concerned them all. 
 
 And now, though, by what is already said, I con- 
 ceive the middlemost of these most rational, yet since 
 none of them are either improbable or unprofitable, 
 I shall handle each. 
 
 1. If we extend this in-itin{i to the whole epistle, 
 that which would bo observed is the community of the 
 holy Scriptures. This epistle was written by St 
 John, not only to strong but weak Christians, to old 
 but young men, nay, little children ; and if it was 
 written, certainly it was intended that it should be 
 read to them publicly, and by them privately for their 
 edification. Nor is this less true of the other writings 
 of this apostle, of the writings of the other apostles, 
 and of the prophets ; and therefore Vorstius* layoth it 
 down as as a general doctrine from this text, Sacra 
 Sc)-i})t!ira omnihii.i Jide/ihiis ciiJKSciiiiqiie (Ftatis aul coii- 
 dltioni.f (dummodo capaces doctriiur) est destinata, the 
 holy Scripture is written for all ages and conditions 
 of Christians who are capable of instruction. 
 
 It is very observable to this purpose what care St 
 Paul took for the public reading of his epistle to the 
 Colossiaiis, and not only to them, but the Laodiceans, 
 Col. iv. IG ; what a solemn charge and adjuration by 
 the Lord ho gives, that his first epistle to the Thessa- 
 lonians be read to all the holy brethren. This practice 
 of public reading was used by the Jewish church, who 
 had iloses and the prophets road in their synagogues 
 on the Sabbath day, and accordingly it was followed 
 by the Christian church in the primitive times. Jus- 
 tin Martyr assureth us,f that in the public assembly 
 on the Lord's day, ra a.'^oiMr^ij.o'iiJiJ.ara rav aiiixsroku)) 
 y.a'i ra, e\iyyia.ij,ij!,ara ruii ■rospjirjv avayivuey.'srai, some 
 of the apostolical and prophetical writings were 
 read to the people; and TertuUianJ saith, Convenimus 
 ad lilerantm diviuarum commcmoratiouem, one end of 
 our meetings is the commemoration of the holy Scrip- 
 tures. Rhenanus, quoting this passage in his anno- 
 tatiiins upon another book of that father's, § breatheth 
 forth that pious wish, Ulinam redeat ad nos ista con- 
 sxietuiln, oh that this custom were in use among us. 
 That note of St Jerome, :| upon those words of the 
 psalmist, Ps. Ixxxvii. 0, ' The Lord shall count when 
 he writes up the people,' as translated by him, would 
 not be passed by, Doiiiiiuis 'narrabit in scriplura po- 
 fidoriwi, the Lord shall declare in the writings of the 
 people : so he renders it ; that is, in scripturis sanc- 
 tii, in the holy Scriptures ; so he glosses it, and pre- 
 sently adds. Qua- Scrijitnra popidis oninihiis Iri/ilur, hoc 
 est III omnes inttdlii/ant, the Scripture is read unto all 
 the people, to the end all may understand it. 
 
 * Vorst. in loc. f Just Mint. Aiiolog. 2. 
 
 t TiTtull. .Apol. 
 
 § B. Ulicnau. Amiot. in I. de corona militis. 
 
 11 Hier, in I's. 
 
 Nor are the sacred writings only to be read to, but 
 i// the people, of what age and condition soever. It 
 is very observable to this purpose how the psalmist 
 inviteth every man (and, as St Basil* notes upon the 
 place, he doth not exclude the women), to ' meditate 
 day and night (which supposeth reading) ' on the law 
 of God ' by a promise of blessedness. Nay, St John, 
 in the beginning of that obscure book of the Revela- 
 tion, asserts. Rev. i. 2, 'Blessed is he that readeth 
 and heareth the words of this prophecy,' as if by that 
 assurance of bliss he would invite every man to the 
 reading of it. Indeel, there want not express pre- 
 cepts in this kind ; it is our Saviour's cominaud con- 
 cerning the old Testament, John v. 39, ' Search the 
 Scriptui'es ; ' and, saith St Cyrd,f ro/i louoa/wv d/i/Mi; 
 rrgoeifwvrissv o y^iiTTo;. Christ gives this charge to the 
 people of the Jews. Nor is this assertion without 
 plain proof; for those to whom Christ speaks these 
 words were they who sent to John, and thej' who sent 
 the priests and Levites to John were the common 
 people of the Jews. J Nor are we to imagine this as 
 a peculiar indulgence to the Jews at that time because 
 of their incredulity, unless a preceding prohibition can 
 appear, denying the search of the Scriptures to them, 
 which, since it is not to be found, we truly affirm it 
 to be a general mandate. And Origenj inferrelh 
 thence an ati'ectionate desire concerning Christians : 
 Vtinam oinnesfacei emits iltud ijiiod scriptiim est, srnt- 
 t imiiii sciijitiiras, I would to God we would all follow 
 that command. Search the Scriptures. St Paul, 
 speaking of the New Testament, which is most pecu- 
 liarly the word of Christ, adviseth the Colossiaus, 
 chap. iii. 16, and in them all sorts of Christians, 'Let 
 it dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; and St Jerome 
 notes on that place. In hoc ostenditur verbtim Christl 
 non sufficienter sed abundanter etiam laicos habere 
 deberc. Hereby is asserted that the laity ought to 
 have the word of Christ in them not only sufficiently, 
 but abundantly. And St Chrysostom's exhortation 
 upon those words is very general, || axoiffars ■s-avre; oi. 
 /S/cjr/xof xa/' -/.raadi fSrZXia, hear, all 3'ou that are em- 
 ployed in the things of this life, get Bibles, at least 
 the New Testament. Nor are we to think that the- 
 father's zeal transported him so far as to press that 
 as a duty which yet was not consonant to reason, or 
 to put the people upon doing what the church forbade 
 them. 
 
 Both these, to wit, the reading of the Scriptures to 
 and bij all sorts and ages of Christians, being clear, it 
 will be needless to insist upon the necessity of trans- 
 lating them into the languages of several countries, 
 since otherwise the reading of them to the unlearned 
 would be in vain, and by them impossible. Indeed, 
 when the church w.is confined to the nation of the 
 Jews (in whose language the Old Testament was 
 
 * Bus. in Ps. i. t Cyr. Alex, in Job. 
 
 J Viile Csesar. Arelat. Episc. liom. xx. in Bibli. pat. t. 2. 
 
 § Orig. liom xxii. in Ua. 1| Clirysost. horn. ix. in Col. 
 
210 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 written), there was no need of translating it ; but 
 since the christian Church spread over all the world, 
 there have been various translations of particular 
 p.arcels, yea, the whole Bible, into several languages, 
 that those writings which belong to, may be in some 
 measure understood by, all. 
 
 Indeed, when we seriously weigh those several 
 metaphors to which the word is compared, especially 
 those of a light, and food, and a sword, we may easily 
 discern of how necessary use it is for all Christians. 
 David calls it a ' lantern to his feet, and a light to his 
 paths,' Ps. cxix. 107. And surely, then, there is no 
 traveller to that celestial Canaan but hath need of this 
 light to direct him in his journey, and discover to him 
 bis way. What food is to the body, that is the word 
 to the soul ; yea, it is such as aflbrds both meat for 
 men and milk for babes, according to St Paul's dis- 
 tinction. Est in itlis (saith St Austin* of these writ- 
 ings) qitod perfecttts coiiicdat, est etiam quod parrulus 
 siii/(il, there is in them what the perfect Christian may 
 eat, and what the weakling may suck. No wonder if 
 that divine poetf saith of the holy Scripture, 
 
 Nullis animis, nullis non congruit annis, 
 
 it befits all minds and years. Finally, St Paul, 
 reckoning up the pieces of our spiritual armour, call- 
 eth the word of God the ' sword of the Spirit.' And 
 of all weapons, none more common than the sword. 
 No warrior, from the general to the meanest officer, 
 nay, common soldier, goeth without his sword ; and 
 since all of all ages are engaged to the Christian war- 
 fare, there is groat reason why this spiritual sword 
 should be aft'orded to them. 
 
 By what hath been said, the practice of the church 
 of Rome in withholding the free use of the Scriptures 
 from the common people appeareth very unjust and 
 impious. Look, as it is tyranny in the common- 
 wealth (to use Chamier'sJ comparison) which causeth 
 jealous rulers to deprive the people of their armour, 
 80 is it superstition in the church which denieth ordi- 
 nary Christians the reading of the word, which is 
 their best piece of armour. Indeed, what do they by 
 this means but render the Bible useless, whilst it is a 
 fountain sealed, or a treasui-y locked up, whence no 
 benefit can be expected ? 
 
 The only plausible argument which the papists 
 urge in defence of this practice is that abuse which 
 ignorant and profane persons are apt to make of the 
 Scriptures, for the patronising both of errors and 
 vices, whereby it is that they wrest them to their own 
 perdition. 
 
 That thus it too often falls out is not to be denied, 
 but that therefore the free use of the Scriptures is to 
 be interdicted, cannot be granted. When St Peter tells 
 us, 2 Peter iii. 11, that 'unlearned and unstable souls 
 did wrest many things in St Paul's epistles, and other 
 
 * Au^. ep. 3, ail Volusiun. J Cliam. do Canone disptit. 
 t PriKlent. 
 
 scriptures, to their own perdition,' he plainly inti- 
 mateth that there was then given a liberty to the un- 
 learned of reading the Scriptures, else how could they 
 have wrested them ? Nor doth he from the wresting 
 infer a prohibition of reading, but only an advice to 
 those to whom he writes, that they were not ' led away 
 with the error of the wicked.' 
 
 To clear this further, you may please to know that, 
 
 1. This perverting is only an accidental consequent, 
 not a necessary or natural efl'ect of reading the Scrip- 
 tures. St Paul saith expressly, 2 Tim. iii. 15, ' The 
 whole Scripture^^is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 
 for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. 
 For these ends it is intended by God, to these it tends 
 in its own nature ; and if any contrary use be made of 
 these books, it is an event, hut not an eft'ect, and they 
 only an occasion, but no cause. 
 
 2. That the accidental evil of what is in itself good, 
 and by its proper efficacy produceth a good, greater, 
 or as great, as the evil, is no just ground for the 
 denegation of the good. True it is, evil must not be 
 done that good may come of it ; but it is as true, 
 that good must not be loft undone though evil come 
 of it. The practice of that king was no way com- 
 mendable, who cut down all the vines in his country, 
 because some men were drunk with the wine. It 
 would be a mad edict which should furbid men their 
 meat and drink, because many surfeit through excess. 
 Hezekiah's destroying the brazen serpent because 
 some men idolized it, had not been justified if there 
 had been the like benefit by, and use of it in his as in 
 Moses his time. It is an excellent rule of Tertullian,* 
 Mulltim differt inter causam et culpam, stalum et 
 excessum ; non institutio bonce rei, sed exorhitatio, re- 
 prohanda est. To give you the sense of it in short 
 English : The evil abuse of a good thing is no suffi- 
 cient cause for the total disuse, especially where the 
 use countervaileth the abuse. That so it is in this 
 present case is evident ; the good which men gene- 
 rally reap by reading the Scriptures being far greater 
 than the evil which some men occasionally draw from 
 it. If, then, this sword, which is put into the hand 
 of any Christian for his defence against his spiritual 
 adversaries, be by some mad men turned upon tluir 
 own and others' breasts, the guilt must lie upon the 
 wicked abuser of this sacred weapon, nor must the 
 rest of Christ's soldiers be debarred of it. 
 
 Indeed, this liberty which I have now pleaded for 
 must be both given and taken with a restriction, by 
 putting a difference between the reading and interpret- 
 ing of scriptures. Every one may read the Bible, and 
 eveiy one must labour to understand what they read; 
 but every one may not, ought not, to undertake the 
 expounding of it. None may be wise above what is 
 written, nor must weak novices think themselves so 
 wise as to interpret what is written. Little children 
 and young men must ask the fathers, private Chris- 
 * Tertul. ailv. Marc. lib. i. 
 
Ver. 12-U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXIV. 
 
 217 
 
 tians mnst inquire of the pastors and doctors of the 
 church, whom God hath appointed in a pecuHar 
 manner for that end. Just, therefore, is that com- 
 plaint which St Jerome made of his times * (and I 
 would to God it did not fit this present age), whereas 
 in secular matters every man foUoweth his particular 
 occupation, 
 
 Tractanl fabrilia fabri, 
 as the poet's f expression is; the smith meddleth 
 with his anvil, the carpenter with his rule, the shoe- 
 maker with his last. <S'o?n Scripturarum ais est quam 
 sihi omnes vendicant, the profound art of opening 
 Scripture is that which all sorts presume to assume 
 to themselves. Every prattling gossip, and doating 
 fool, and malapert boy, will be meddling with the 
 Scriptures, and instead of dividing, mangle it ; ex- 
 pounding, wrest it, taking upon them to teach, whilst 
 yet they have more need to learn. Politicians say 
 that anarchy is worse than tyranny ; and it were 
 better to live where nothing than where all things ai'e 
 lawful ; and truly in the church, it is hard to deter- 
 mine which is worse, the papistical tyranny of for- 
 bidding all to read, or the anabaptistical anarchy of 
 allowing all to expound the Scriptures. 
 
 To close up this, how great is our happiness (did 
 or would we know) who live in the bosom of such a 
 church, which, as she denieth an unjust, so she in- 
 dulgeth to us our just liberty. And how great is both 
 our unhappiuess and wickedness, whilst some boldly 
 intrench upon the one, and more carelessly neglect 
 the other. Let it then be the practice of all, both old 
 and young, to read these holy writings.^ Think it 
 not enough to hear them read in the church, but in 
 domihus vestrts aul vos legite aut alios legenfes requi- 
 rite,^ at home, either read them yourselves, or cause 
 them to be read to you. Let not any excuse them- 
 selves, saying, Non sinn monachus, I am no monk ; 
 seculars are bound to this duty. Non novi Uleras, I 
 am not book-learned ; the greater thine and thy 
 parents' negligence ; and, however, thou mayest 
 obtain to have them read to thee. And when in read- 
 ing or hearing these sacred books you meet with ditii- 
 ciihies, npair to the priest, whose lips preserve 
 knowledge ; knock once and again by prayer for the 
 spirit of illumination ; and in this case make use of 
 Solomon's counsel, Prov. ii. 5, lean not to thy own 
 understanding. 
 
 These things are WTitten to you, fathers. Be not 
 you strangers to them. Exercise yourselves in these 
 books; make them, with David, your delight and your 
 counsellor. They are written unto you, young men ; 
 follow the psalmist's counsel, and by taking heed to 
 this word, learn to cleanse your ways. They are 
 written to you, little children ; do you begin to 
 ftcciiiaiut yourselves with them. It is recorded for the 
 praise of Timothy, 2 Tim. iii. 15, that from a child, 
 
 * Hieron. Ep. ad Paulin. | Aug. serm. v. de Temp, 
 
 t Herat. J Damasc. de Orthod. Fide. 1. iv. c. 18. 
 
 ronTiSTiv sx T^wrjjc r,Xix.iac, from his first }'ears-' wherein 
 be was capable of learning and instiuolion, ' he knew 
 the holy Scriptures.' It is observed that the 119th 
 Psalm is disposed according to the letters of the 
 Hebrew alphabet, perhaps to intimate that children, 
 when they begin to learn their alphabet, should learn 
 that Psalm. The Jews (as a learned popish bishopf 
 hath noied), JiHos suos quinquemies ad sacra Bihha 
 adaptalant, began to acquaint their children at five 
 j-ears of age with the Bible ; and, pudeat Christianas, 
 what a shame is it for Christians not to begin as 
 early as the Jews. It was the charge Ignatius gave to 
 the parents, J that they should bring up their children 
 in the nurture of the Lord; and to that end, dioasxiiv 
 iavrhii rd liea ytait-iiara, that they should teach them 
 the holy Scriptures. What if children cannot for the 
 present understand ? yet they can remember what 
 they read in the Scriptures, and the reading of them 
 maketh such impressions upon their minds, which are 
 of singular use to them afterwards. Nor is it any 
 profanation of those holy writings for children to take 
 them into their mouths, though they cannot read 
 them with that knowledge, and, consequently, devo- 
 tion, as is required in, and expected from, young men 
 and fathers. It is very unlikolj- that those children 
 knew the meaning of Hosanna, whom yet Christ for- 
 bade not to utter it. It is both piety and prudence 
 to deal with little children according to their capa- 
 city. Let them first be accustomed to read, and then 
 to remember ; and by this means, in due time they 
 will be brought to understand and afl'ect those holy 
 writings. 
 
 Though, withal, prudence adviseth that in reading 
 there be a gradual order observed, beginning with 
 such parcels of holy writ as are most necessary and 
 easy to be known : the Lord's prayer, the couimnnd- 
 ments, the sermon of Christ upon the mount, many 
 of the psalms of David, Proverbs of Solomon, and 
 such like portions of Scripture, would first be taught 
 to children, and young men would be advised to be 
 conversant in, not attempting to look into the more 
 dark and mysterious parts of Scripture till they have 
 attained, hy being catechised, by hearing sermons, 
 and other godly helps, some good measure of divine 
 knowledge ; and then in reading what they cannot 
 understand, with humility to admire, and modesty 
 to inquire into the sense and meaning of such 
 scriptures. 
 
 2. But further, if we refer this yiapw, I write, to 
 that command of love which is prescribed in the pre- 
 ceding verses, that which is here intimated is, that 
 love is such a command as belongs to all sorts of 
 Christians and ages of men. 
 
 1. It belongs to all sorts of Christians. Little chil- 
 dren, weak Christians, are obliged to love. Patience 
 under the cross, joyfulnessin tribulation, spiritualuess 
 
 * Chrysost. ibid. } Ignat. Ep. ad Philad. 
 
 t Espencseus in Tim. 
 
2i.S 
 
 HARDY OX ] JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 in duty, r.nd such like qualifications, are not attained 
 till we come to be j'oung men, nay, fathers ; but 
 brotherly love is to be practised by, and is expected 
 of, them who are but little cbiWren in Christianity. 
 Indeed, this is one of the first graces which discovers 
 itself in a saint; and even then when a weak Christian 
 cannot say, / heliere in Chrht, yet he can sav, / love 
 my brolhti: Xor is this duty to be laid aside when 
 we come to be young men, yea, fathers ; strong, yea, 
 perfect Christians ; since as we abound in other graces, 
 60 especially we must abound in this ; and the per- 
 fecting of a Christian consists much in the perfecting 
 of his love. Indeed, when many other graces shall 
 cease, love shall remain, the great employment of 
 glorified saints being to praise God, and love one 
 another. 
 
 2. It belongs to all ages of men. None but ought to 
 practise, and have need to be admonished of it. The 
 poison of anger anl hatred is apt to creep into us 
 betimes ; little children are prone to fall out and 
 quarrel and fight one with another ; and young men 
 being in beat of blood very often boil over with rage, 
 yea, old men are apt to be peevish and froward, so 
 that every age stands in need of this bridle of love to 
 restrain tlieir passion. One of the first lessons a little 
 child is capable of learning is love, and old men, when 
 they can do nothing else, yet may love. It is that 
 grace which is never out of season ; it is that grace 
 which will fit all sexes, ail sizes, all ages, and is never 
 out of fashion. 
 
 8. Lastly, if we take this y^atpa, I write, as a pre- 
 face to the following dehortation, it implieth the general 
 concernment of avoiding worldly love. 
 
 1. It conccrneth all sorts of Christians. Tlic first 
 part of that duty which the grace of God teacbeth is, to 
 ' deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts.' Self-denial, 
 which includcth a renouncing of the world, is the first 
 
 step in the ladder of Christianity which Christ hath 
 erected ; and yet withal, it is that which even young 
 men, and fathers, grown perfect Christians, have need 
 to be minded of. It is veiy hard to walk upon snares, 
 and not be entangled. Nor have the best Christians 
 their conversations so in heaven, but they are apt to 
 he enamoured with earth ; and whilst they find strength 
 to deny ungodliness, they still find cause to complain 
 of worldly lusts. No wonder if St John write to all 
 sorts, ' Love not the world.' 
 
 2. It concernclh all ages. Love of the world is 
 that which begins betimes to take hold of our hearts. 
 Little children no sooner begin to know anything, but 
 thej- are taken with these present, visible, sensual 
 objects. Young men, that are as it were entering upon 
 the world, have much to do in it ; and no marvel if 
 they be too much taken with it; nay, which is both 
 strange and usnal, old men, though they are going 
 out of the world, do yet cling in their affections about 
 the world. Herein their minds resemble their bodies, 
 which, the oldi-r they grow, still they bow down more 
 towards the earth. One wittily compareth them to 
 the rivers, which, the nearer they come to the sea, 
 which is their end, the broader they are, and the more 
 water the}' suck. Oh how greedy are manj- old men 
 of this world, as if they were to run a new race of 
 fourscore years longer, when they are ready to drop 
 into the grave ! Quo iniiins via- restat, en jiliis vialici 
 qiiinioit, the less way they have to go, the more pro- 
 vision they crave for their journey. Good reason, 
 then, had our apostle, writing about this sin, to ad- 
 monish all ages to beware of it. And thus I have 
 given a dispatch to the second general part of this 
 Scripture, the act performed. The last and greatest 
 part j'et remaineth to be discussed in the following 
 discourses. 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 / lirile mild ijoii, lililr rliililien, liecituar your sins an' fiiryicen yrm fur lit's name's sake. — 1 John II. 12. 
 
 IT was the peculiar prerogative of the disci])les, that 
 they were fellows of Christ's college. It is the 
 common privilege of all Christians, that they are stu- 
 dents in Ciirisl's church. The studios* wherein they 
 are chiefly to be conversant are two, namely, of faith 
 and repentance; how to obtain pardon of sin past, 
 how to attain strength against sin for the future. 
 These studies are each of them very choice and excel- 
 lent, and withal of that nature that they cannot be 
 severed. In vain doth ho study for pardon who striveth 
 not against sin, and yet it is not future obedience will 
 satisfy for former guilt. As therefore wo must be 
 solicitous for gi-acc, that sin may be prevented, so we 
 
 * Vi.le Zanch. Miscell. lili. ii. .!c ^lll(l. Clirist. 
 
 must be studious for mercy, that gnilt may be absolved. 
 To help us in both these studies, namely, to quicken 
 our repentance, and to strengthen our faith, is the 
 great design of our apostolical tutor in this epistle. 
 In reference to the former, he saith in the first verse, 
 ' These things I write to you that you sin not ;' and in 
 regard of the hitter, he saith in tlio twelfth verse, ' I 
 write to you, little children, because your sins are for- 
 given.' 
 
 The reasons of our apostle's writing to all Christians 
 in general, and each age in particular, are now to bo 
 handled. 
 
 1. That with which I am to begin is the reason of 
 his writing to the little children, tlie Christians in 
 general, as it is expressed in the dose of the twelfth 
 
Ver. U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 219^ 
 
 verse, ' because your sius are forgiven you for his 
 name's salie.' 
 
 For the further discussion whereof, I shall consider 
 it t«o ways : 
 
 As a consolatory assertion, 'your sins are forgiven 
 you for his name's sake.' 
 
 As an hortatory reason, inducing them to observe 
 what he wrote to them, in the word because. 
 
 Coiisid. 1. These words, 'your sins are forgiven you 
 for his name's sake,' contain in them an excellent 
 comfort, a singular blessing, concerning which we are 
 to take notice of its 
 
 Quality, sins are J'uiyiren. 
 
 Propriety, your sins. 
 
 Efficiency, /or his name's sake. 
 
 Of each in order, with all perspicuous brevity, begin- 
 ning with, 
 
 1. The quality of the blessing here assured, forgive- 
 ness of sins. It is a subject which I have already had 
 occasion to discourse of in the former chapter ; but 
 considering boih the sweetness and the largeness of it, I 
 could not here pass it by. Remission of sins is so 
 sweet a comfort, that like a pleasant tune it afl'ects the 
 more by the itai-ation ; and yet withal, it is a doctrine 
 of such ample extent, that notwithstanding what hath 
 been already said, there is somewhat still remaining to 
 be said ; yea, when I have said all I can, I must con- 
 fess myself unable fully to explicate the nature of it. 
 That I may give you a further account concerning 
 this excellent benefit, you must know that sin is to be 
 considered three ways : in itself, in reference to God, 
 and to the sinner. 
 
 1. There are two things observable to our present 
 pui-pose in sin absolutely considered, to wit, its essence 
 and its property, the one whereof is constitutive, and 
 the other consecutive, if it be allowable to make use 
 of those phrases when we speak of a privation. 
 
 That wherein sin doth primarily consist, is the breach 
 of the law's prescription ; that which doth inseparably 
 attend upon it, is its desert of the law's curse. Now, 
 neither of these are properly the object of forgiveness ; 
 and the reason is plain, because it is impossible, ci- 
 naturarei, and such as implieth a contradiction, that 
 a sin should not be a breach of the law, or being a 
 breach, should not deserve the curse. Indeed, it is 
 with the forgiven person in some respects, and as to 
 some accounts, quasi, as if his sin were no sin, as if 
 the law had never been violated, nor the penalty de- 
 served. The lireach shall not be imputed to, so as that 
 the penalty shall be inflicted on him, but the forgiven 
 sin is in itself as truly a sin, and as deserving of punish- 
 ment, after as before. It is one thing to acquit a 
 malefactor as not guilty, and another thing to absolve 
 him from the punishment due to him for his guilt. 
 When God forgiveth a sinner, ho cannot (be it spoken 
 with an holy reverence) peccatum non peccatum facere, 
 make a sin to be no sin ; and therefore those phrases 
 which express forgiveness to be a taking away iniquity. 
 
 so as though sin be sought for it cannot be found ; yea, 
 a making crimson, scarlet sins to be white as snow 
 and wool, are not to be pressed too rigidly, but con- 
 strued with a tanquam. Sin forgiven is rtv if it had 
 never been, and were utterly extinct. 
 
 2. In sin considered with reference to God, there 
 are two things further to be observed, namely, the 
 aversation from, and the ofl'ence to, God, which are 
 its concomitants. 
 
 1. By sin we run away and wander far from God. 
 Some of the schoolmen define it to be an aversion from 
 the Creator to the creature, and the remedy of this is 
 not remission but conversion. Indeed, none have their 
 sins forgiven but they who turn from their sin to God ; 
 yet the turning a sinner from his sin, and the pardoning 
 to a sinner his sin, are distinct acts. 
 
 2. By sin we offend and displease God. Indeed, 
 sin being against him cannot but displease him ; and 
 being a breach of his law, must needs incur his wrath, 
 insomuch that he is both ofl'ended with the sin, and 
 the sinner for his sin. Now in forgiveness. 
 
 On the one hand, the ofl'ence against the sin is not 
 removed. Not God's toleration, no, nor yet his abso- 
 lution, is any approbation. God's pure nature cannot 
 but hate sin, and that in those to whom he forgiveth 
 it. Far be it from us to imagine that whilst God 
 punisheth the sins of the wicked, he is well pleased 
 with the sins of believers. Sin, in whomsoever it is, 
 cannot but ofl'end God's holiness. 
 
 But yet, on the other hand, the displeasure against 
 the sinner is taken away, and every forgiven sinner is 
 in a state of reconcihation. To this purpose it is that 
 we find those two are joined together, xaraXafftrwv, and 
 A"5 >v'7<^&7''"o;, 2 Cor. V. 19, ' God was in Christ recon- 
 ciling the world to himself, not imputing their tres- 
 passes ;' lyjiilTunn rifj.ag, and h/Ci/MV Tf,v af-6iv, Eph. i. 
 6, 7, 'he hath graciously accepted' us, and we ' have 
 forgiveness of sins ;' so that, sin being forgiven, the 
 sinner is reconciled to God. 
 
 And yet this must be understood with a distinction 
 of God's anger into judicial and paternal. When God 
 forgiveth sin, he is no longer angry as a judge ; but still 
 he hath a fatherly anger, whereby it is that he ofttimes 
 corrects those whom be forgiveth. True it is, those 
 corrections which God inflicts on forgiven sinners are 
 called judgments, but not because they are laid upon 
 them by him as a judge (as a late writer inconsiderately 
 glosseth), but because they are moderated with judg- 
 ment ; in which notion judgment is opposed to judicial 
 anger, as appeareth by the prophet's prayer, ' 
 Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in anger.' 
 To this purpose it is very observable that St Paul 
 saith, 1 Cor. xi. 32, ' When we are juf'ged, we are chas- 
 tened of the Lord ;' not when we are chastened we are 
 judged ; where the 'raiiiuf ij.ii}a plainly noteth the chas- 
 tisement of a child by his father. So that the apostle's 
 manifest assertion is, whatsoever judgment befalls be- 
 lievers for their sins, they are only the chastisements 
 
220 
 
 UARDY OX I JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 of a Father, ami so far distant from, and preventive 
 of, the punishment of condemiiiitiou which he iuHicts 
 upon the world as a judge ; and therefore we need not 
 doubt that when the siu is forgiven, God's judicial 
 anijer is appeased. 
 
 3. Lastl_v, in sin considered with reference to the 
 sinner, there are three things further observable : the 
 spot defihng, the guilt obliging, and the punishment 
 attending. 
 
 1. The spot or blot of sin is either in respect of the 
 person, who is thereby deprived of tnat state of iuno- 
 cency and purity wherein before he was, or in regard 
 of the nature, which is bereaved of that excellency and 
 beauty which before it had. The former of these can 
 never be tak<!n away, it being impossible to affirm of 
 one who hath sinned that he is an innocent person, 
 for that were to say he is one who never sinned. Even 
 of those who are glorified saints in heaven, it must be 
 acknowledged that, they were sinners upon earth ; so 
 that in this respect Adam, before his fall, had that 
 innocency which cannot be attributed to those who are 
 invested with glory. The latter of these is that which 
 is removed, not by remission, but renovation; justifi- 
 cation, butsanctiticatiou ; and therefore till sanctification 
 be complete, is not perfectly taken away. 
 
 2. The guilt obliging is that whereby the sinner is 
 actually bound to undergo the punishment due to 
 him by the law, and passed on him by the julge 
 fur the breach of it. This is that which is called 
 by the schools the e.xtrinsecal guilt of sin, to distin- 
 guish it from the intrinsecal, which is included in the 
 deordination of the act, and which (as is already 
 affirmed) is inseparable from the sin ; and if you would 
 know wherein the nature of forgiveness immediately 
 and primarily consists, it is in the taking of this obli- 
 gation, and discharging the sinner from it. Hence it 
 is that the pardoned sinner is said not to be ' under 
 the law,' that is, not under the curse ; the sentence of 
 condemnation belongs not to him. According to this 
 notion, all Scripture phrases are to bo construed, by 
 which forgiveness is expressed, (rod, when he for- 
 giveth sin, is said to cover them, to remember them 
 no more, to cast them behind bis back, throw them 
 into the depth of the sea, blot them out as a cloud, 
 hide his face, turn away his face from them ; by all 
 which expressions we are not to thiidi that (iod doth 
 not know, see, take notice of, or that seeing he is not 
 displeased with such sins, and believers for them ; but 
 that he will not so take notice of them as to enter into 
 judgment with the persons for them, so that the for- 
 given sinner is free from obligation of the punishment, 
 as truly, as surely, as fully, as perfectly free as if he 
 had never conmiitted the sin, but were altogether 
 innocent. In which regard we may say with the poet,* 
 QiiCDi jienilet pcratse penr cut iiiiiorriis, ho that is penitent 
 and so pardoned, is in a manner innocent, to wit, in 
 
 * Sen. Tr.i,g. 
 
 respect of his exemption from any obligation to the 
 curse of the law, otherwise due to him for his sin. 
 
 3. And then, which foUoweth upon the former, there 
 is the punishment itself. 
 
 To open which briefly, know, 
 
 1. That punishment is a natural consequent of sin, 
 axo'Muhi rr,: ddmia.; r, !-;/iwj/a, vengeance dogs the 
 sinner at the heels. The Hebrews by one word express 
 both, they are so near akin : ' If thou dost ill' (saith 
 Uod to Cain), Gen. iv. 7, ' sin' (that is, the punish- 
 ment of sin) ' lieth at the door,' ready to seize upon 
 thee. 
 
 2. That punishment, which is the attendant on sin, 
 extensively reaches to all the miseries which men 
 endure, but espec'ally to the torments of the other 
 world, as appeareth by the sentence denounced against 
 the intruding guest. Mat. xxii. 12, 18, and the unchari- 
 table servant, ver. 30, which chiefly respect the state 
 of the damned, and contain in them allegorical de- 
 scriptions of hell. 
 
 3. Finally, this punishment is not only for a time 
 withheld, but wholly taken away when sin is forgiven. 
 A reprieve only suspends and defers, but a pardon 
 takes off and provenis the execution. That which is 
 most principally the punishment, to wit, of the damned, 
 shiill never be inflicted, and whatsoever miseries and 
 afllictions may befall a pardoned sinner, though they 
 are materially, yet they are not formally punishments,* 
 because not for satisfaction of ofl'ended justice. 
 
 And thus, with what brevity this weighty point would 
 admit, I have discovered to you the nature of this 
 mercy ; and surely by what hath been said we may 
 easily see how precious a blessing it is, as being emi- 
 nently the queen of mercies, the ocean of blessings, 
 the quintessence of comforts, and virtually all blessings 
 whatsoever we can stand in need of or long after. 
 Till sin be forgiven, no good can be expected, and 
 therefore they are put together : Hosea xiv. 3, ' Take 
 away all iniquity, and do us good.' Either God with- 
 holds mercy, or else the mercy proveth a curse to the 
 unpardoned sinner. Sin being forgiven, there is no 
 evil which we need to fear: not God's wrath, not the 
 law's curse, not Satan's malice, not hell's torments. 
 When the angel said of Jesus, Mat. i. 21, ' He shall 
 save his people from their sins,' he implieth salvation 
 from all evils which are the proper elfocts of sin, since, 
 according to that known maxim, Suhlala ciiiatd toUitur 
 eff'ectus, the cause being removed, the effects cannot 
 but cease. And as there is no evil which we need 
 fear, so neither is there any good which we may not 
 hope. Zanchy ohserveth upon the text, that by a 
 synecdoche forgiveness of sins is here put for all bless- 
 ings. Sure I am, all good goeth along with pardoning 
 mercy ; it is not so in men's pardons. The forgiven 
 malefactor is not therefore r(KX'ived into favour, or 
 advanced to honour ; but grace and glory, yea, all 
 blessings, attend those whom God forgiveth. Indeed, 
 * See this eularKod in Sorm. xvii. 
 
Ver. 12.] 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 221 
 
 it is only sin which stops Iho current of mercy. No 
 ■wonder, then, if, sin being remoTetl, mercy flows in 
 apace. Reconciliation to, acceptation with, God, both 
 of our persons and services ; freedom of access to the 
 throne of grace, and a merciful audience of our prayers ; 
 supplies of all needful comforts, and a turning of all 
 afflictions to our good ; iiually, the sonship now and 
 the inheritance hereafter, do all belong to him whose 
 sins are forgiven. Excellently Fulgentius* to our 
 present purpose, A'on de re ^arvd disserimus, nee file 
 aliquid quceritnus, cum de remissione peccatorum tlis- 
 pulamus, it is not a light matter, an unworthy subject, 
 we discourse of, when we speak of remission of sins. 
 By tliis we are freed from eternal punishment, that we 
 may enjoy eternal bliss ; by this that weight of sin 
 which either by nature or life hath been contracted is 
 removed, and Christ giveth case to the weary and 
 laden ; by this the ungodly is freely justified, his faith 
 being accounted to him for righteousness; finalty, by 
 remission of sins men are gx'aciously differenced from 
 those who shall be eternally tnrmented with, and by, 
 the devil, and joined to those who shall eternally reign 
 with Christ. Oh, then (according to Ferusf his pious 
 counsel), Hoc ipsum pro muximo dono et gratia repe- 
 timus, let us esteem this the highest favour, and the 
 greatest gift whereof we can be partakers, and witlial 
 labour we to be among that number to whom this 
 privilege belongs. And so I am fallen on the 
 
 2. Propriety of the persons, in the word ijoiir. For- 
 giveness of sins, as you have already heard, is a great, but 
 withal it is a special, blessing. There are some bene- 
 fits which are common to elect and reprobate, good 
 and bad. Such is that whereby God doth spare sinners, 
 and withholds the execution of punishment from them : 
 for so St Paul speaketh of goodness and forbearance to 
 those who despise it, Rom. ii. 5. But, then, there are 
 peculiar benefits, which are the poriion only of the 
 good so conferred on, as that they are coniiued tn the 
 regenerate, among which is this of forgiveness, and 
 therefore it is said here, i/our sins. 
 
 Forgiveness of sins may be considered three ways : 
 
 1. In the decree and purpose of it, which was before 
 the beginning of the world, from all eternity. 
 
 2. In the plenary completion and open publication 
 of it, which shall not be till the end of the world, 
 when time shall be no more. 
 
 3. In the particular application of it to several per- 
 sons, which is time by time in this present world, 
 and is not vouchsafed to any till they are regenerated. 
 
 To unfold this more fully, take this your both <•.(■- 
 clusire and iiicliisivc, by way of restriction and enlarge- 
 ment : !/oi(rs, that is, none but yours ; i/oiir.t, that is, 
 all your sins are forgiven. 
 
 1. Yours, and none but your sins, are forgiven. 
 
 This bread of hfe is for sons, not slaves ; this kiss of 
 
 love is for favourites, not rebels ; this sunbeam of 
 
 mercy for the children of the day, not the night. 
 
 * Fulgent de Kemiss. peccat. lib. i. cap. iv. t Fer. in loc. 
 
 Indeed, we must distinguish between the collation and 
 the oblation, the conferring and the ofi'ering of this 
 benefit. Forgiveness of sins is ottered to all, upon the 
 condition of believing and repenting, but bestowed only 
 upon them who actually believe and repent; and there- 
 fore, in the publication of this mercy, ministers must 
 write a bill of divorce to all wicked sinners, that so 
 (according to God's command, Jer. xxv. 10) they may 
 ' separate the precious from the vile,' and in the ap- 
 plication of it every one must take heed lest he too 
 rashly, hastily, and presumptuously lay hold upon it. 
 ' Blessed is that mnn (saith the psalmist, Ps. xxxii. 1) 
 ' whoso sins are forgiven ;' ay, but miserable is that 
 man who thinketh his sins forgiven when they are not; 
 yea, he is so much the more miserable, because he 
 thinketh himself happy. We need to be very cautelous 
 how we pass the sentence of absolution, ami you have 
 no less reason to be careful how you apply the pro- 
 mises of pardon, lest a vain presumption of mercy be- 
 tray you to endless misery. 
 
 2. Yours, and all your sins, are forgiven you, 
 whether fathers, or young men, or little children; 
 that is, 
 
 1. In a litei'al sense, little children, having received 
 baptismal regeneration, are cleansed from tlicir original 
 sin. Young men turning to God, have the follies of 
 their childhood pardoned ; yea, to fathers repenting, 
 the sins of their former ages shall not be mentioned. 
 
 2. In a spiritual notion, not only strong but weak 
 Christians are capable of this benefit. ' I will remem- 
 ber their iniquities no more ' is a branch of the new 
 covenant, Heb. viii. 12, and truth of grace entitleth us 
 to the covenant. Indeed, we must distinguish be- 
 tween the collation and the manifestation of this mercy. 
 Christians, whilst they are but novices, are weak in 
 faith, nor can they clearly apprehend that their sins 
 are forgiven ; but still, the benefit no less truly 
 belongs to them than to grown saints. 
 
 As, then, before I dissuaded the wicked from pre- 
 sumption, so now I must warn the weak of despair. 
 Those are too apt to lay hold upon, and these are too 
 ready to refuse pardon ; nor is it more hard to drive 
 these from, than to draw those to eat of, this tree of 
 life. But tell me, O drooping soul, why dost thou 
 frowardly put that comfort far from thee which truly 
 belongs to thee ? Though thou art a stripling, yet 
 thou art a child. Whj' shouldst thou distrust thy 
 Father's clemency ? True, thy weakness exposeth 
 thee to oftener failings, but doth not debar thee from 
 merciful indulgence, which, as it is confined only, so 
 it is extended, to all the children of God. 
 
 3. The efficiency of the benefit cometh last to be 
 considered, as it is expressed in those words, ' for his 
 name's sake ;' for the better explication of which I 
 shall briefly discuss it both negatively and attirmatively. 
 
 1. Not for your own sakes. Sin is not forgiven 
 without our desiring ; God will have us ask, and seek, 
 and knock for it. It is one of the petitions our Sa- 
 
.2-2-2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 viour teachctb us to use in Lis prayer, ' Forgive us our 
 trespasses ;' but still, it is without our deserving, there 
 being uothing that is, or can be, done by us in order 
 to forgiveness, which is in the least degree meritorious 
 of it. Do we confess, bemoan, and forsake our sins ? 
 These are no compensations of the wrong we have 
 offered by them to the divine Majesty ; our sins de- 
 serve punishment, but our sorrow cannot satisfy for 
 the oflence; nay, could we for the future perform exact 
 unsinning obedience, it is no more than what we are 
 bound to observe, and therefore no satisfaction for the 
 former breaches of the law. It is not, then, anything 
 in us which induceth God, by way of merit, to confer 
 a pardon on us when he forgiveth sin. 
 
 2. For his name's sake: where the a\jro^J may have 
 a double reference, either to God or Christ ; nor is it 
 much material to whom we refer it. Indeed, inso- 
 much as Christ is the proxim antecedent, and 
 withal it is usual with om- apostle to speak of Christ 
 in the third person, by one or other of these pronouns, 
 it is most probably referred to Christ ; but yet I shall 
 take in both considerations, as being neither improb- 
 able nor unprofitable. 
 
 1. For his, that is, God's name's sake. It is that 
 which almighty God himself asserts in this very par- 
 ticular by the prophet Isaiah, chap, xliii. 2-5, ' I, even 
 I, am he that blotteth out your iniquities for my 
 name's sake ;' and, accordingly, it is that argument 
 by which David pleadcth with God for remission, Ps. 
 XXV. 11, ' For thy name's sake, pardon my iniquities.' 
 And, according to this reference, name may bo taken 
 in a double construction. 
 
 (1.) It is a very usual notion, by name to understand 
 honour and glory. When God saith to David, ' I 
 have made thee a name like the name of men that are 
 in the earth ;' when the church saith to God, ' Thou 
 didst get thee a name as it is this day ;' it is manifest 
 that by natiic glory is intended. Suitable to this it is 
 tliat famous men are called by the Hebrews, Dt^'^ 'i^'JX, 
 Gen. vi. 4, and by the Latins, viii nnmiiiitm, men of 
 name, in which souse the poet adorneth it with these 
 epithets, 
 
 ' Jlagnum et memorabile nomen,' 
 
 of great and memorable. Thus, when God forgiveth 
 sin, bo doth it for his name's sake, that is, for his own 
 honour and glory. Indeed, God's own gloiy is the 
 ullimate end of all his actions. As he is the first, so is 
 he the last, the eflicient, and the final cause ; nor is 
 any thing done hy Jiim which is not for him. The 
 end of our actions must be his glory, because both 
 our being and working is from him ; but the end of his 
 work is his own glory, because his being and acting is 
 of and from himself. 
 
 Among all divine works, there is none which more 
 settcth forth his glory than this of remission. Sin, by 
 committing it, brings God a great deal of dishonour, 
 and yet, by forgiving it, God raiseth to himself a 
 great deal of honour. ' It is the gloiy of a man,' and 
 
 much more of God, ' to pass by au offence ;' as acts 
 of power, so acts of grace, are exceeding honourable. 
 The attributes of God's grace, mercy, goodness, 
 clemency, shine forth in nothing so much as in par- 
 doning sins. St Paul speaketh of riches of goodness 
 which attend God's forbearance ; how much greater 
 riches must there needs be in forgiveness ? Nay, in- 
 deed, God hath so ordered the way of pardon, that 
 not only the glory of his mercj-, but justice, yea, of 
 his wisdom iu the wonderful contemporation of both 
 these, is very illustrious. Nomen qiia^i notiimen, quia 
 notificat, the name is that which niaketh one known; 
 and by remission of sins, God maketh known his choice 
 and glorious attributes ; and for this end it is that he 
 vouchsafeth it. 
 
 It is a consideration that may be our consolation. 
 Since God forgiveth sins for his name's sake, he will 
 be ready to forgive many sins, as well as few, great as 
 small ; indeed, the more and greater our sins are, the 
 greater is the forgiveness, and, consequently, the 
 greater is God's glory : and therefore David, upon 
 this consideration of God's name and glory, maketh 
 the greatness of his iniquity a motive of forgiveness, 
 Ps. XXV. 11. Indeed, to run into gross sins, that God 
 may glorify himself by forgiving them, is an odious 
 presumption, but to hope that those gross sins we 
 have run into may, and will, be forgiven by God to us, 
 being truly penitent, for his name's sake, is a well- 
 grounded expectation, and such as may support our 
 spirits against the strongest temptations to despair. 
 
 2. By God's )iame in Scripture is sometimes under- 
 stood lus word. '\^Tien David saith, Ps. cxix. 55, 182, 
 ' I have remembered thy name, Lord, iu the night;' 
 and again, ' Look upon me, and be merciful uuto me, 
 as thou usest to do unto them that love thy name ;' 
 no doubt we are most cougi-uously to understand by 
 it God's word, of which he discourseth throughout the 
 psalm. And, indeed, so primarily doth this title of name 
 agree to the word, that the psalmist saith to God, Ps. 
 cxxxviii. 2, ' Thou hast magnified thy word above all 
 thy name,' and in this acceptation the sense is, that 
 God forgiveth sins for his word's sake. He hath been 
 pleased to oblige himself by promise, which he cannot 
 falsify, to pardon the sins of his children, in which 
 respect, our apostle saith in the former chapter, 
 1 John i. 9, ' He is faithful to forgive ; and indeed, 
 both these acceptious of name are involved, ouo 
 with the other ; since God forgiveth sins for his 
 word's sake, because his glory is concerned in making 
 good his word. 
 
 2. For his, that is, Christ's name's sake ; and thus 
 there is again a double construction of the word name, 
 to wit, for person and for power. 
 
 j 1. Name is sometimes taken for the person. Thus, 
 where it is said, 'The number of the Christians was an 
 hundi'ed and twenty names,' Acts i. 15; and again, 
 
 I ' Thou hast a few names in Sardis,' Rev. ii. 3, it is 
 manifestly meant of persons. Suitable to this is that 
 
Ver. 12.J 
 
 SERMON XXXV. 
 
 23 
 
 of the poet, Nomina mwjna, fof great persons ; and 
 often in Livy, Komen Latiiinm, Ilomanuiii, for a 
 Latin, a Roman. And thus, frequently in Scripture, 
 the name of the Lord and Christ is as much as God 
 and Christ. Calling upon the Lord, is sometimes ex- 
 pressed by ' calling on the name of the Lord ;' and 
 blessed be the Lord, by ' blessed be the name of the 
 Lord,' Joel ii. 32, Job i. 2L When St Peter saith, 
 Acts iv. 12, ' There is no name under heaven but tho 
 name of Christ,' he explaiueth it in tho preceding 
 clause of the person, ' neither is there salvation in any 
 other ;' and when Christ, Mark ix. 37, speaketh of 
 ' forsaking houses, land for his name's sake,' of being 
 ' hated of all men for his name's sake,' of ' receiving 
 his little ones for his name's sake,' it is as much as 
 for his sake. Li this sense we may take it here, and 
 it lets us see in and through whom remission is vouch- 
 safed; namely, in and through Christ. Commission of 
 sin came in by the first Adam, and remission by the 
 second. So St Paul expressly, Eph. i. 11, 'In whom 
 we have redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins ;' 
 and again, chap. iv. 82, ' God for Christ's sake hath 
 forgiven you.' 
 
 2. Xante is very frequently taken for power and 
 strength. ' In thy name ' (that is, by thy power) ' we 
 will tread down our enemies,' saith the church, Ps. 
 xliv. 5. ' I come against thee in the name ' (that is, 
 in the might) ' of the Lord of hosts,' so David to 
 Goliath, 1 Sam. xvii. 45. ' In the name ' (that is, in 
 the strength) ' of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and 
 walk,' saith the apostle to the cripple. Acts iii. 6. 
 Finally, ' In my name ' (that is, in my might, saith 
 Christ) ' they shall cast out devils,' Mat. xvi. 17. In 
 this sense it may well be rendered here, and so the 
 meaning is, that through the virtue and power of 
 Christ this benefit of remission is obtained : so Car- 
 thusian * glosseth, virtute et merito Christi, by the 
 virtue and merit of Christ. Indeed, there is a double 
 power in Christ procuring forgiveness : tho one of 
 merit, and that is in his passion, which satisfied God's 
 justice for our sins ; tho other of entreaty, and that is 
 in his intercession, which pleadeth with God for 
 sinners. By the one, remission is purchased for, and 
 by the other, it is applied to, us. For his name's 
 sake, for the merit of that blood which he shed, by 
 the efiicacy of that intercession which he ever maketh, 
 our sins are forgiven, both which I have already had 
 occasion to discuss. 
 
 To wind it up, therefore, 
 
 1. In a sorrowful sense of our manifold sins, learn 
 we, 
 
 1. To call CD, to ask in the name of Christ for this 
 mercy, of forgiveness. It was the assurance our 
 Saviour gave his disciples, and in them us, that 
 ' whatsoever they did ask the Father in his name 
 should be given to them.' Whenever, then, we put 
 up any prayer to God, and especially this petition for 
 * Cartlius. iu loc. 
 
 remission, let us be sure to present it in Christ's 
 name. It was in Esau's name that Jacob got the 
 blessing, so must we this blessing of pardon in Christ's 
 name. 
 
 To trust iu this name of Christ, as that which will 
 undoubtedly procure our pardon. ' The name of the 
 Lord,' saith Solomon, Prov. xviii. 10, 'is a strong 
 tower; the righteous run unto it (to wit, for protection), 
 and are safe.' The name of Christ, may I say, is a 
 strong tower, and the sinners, penitent sinners, run to 
 it (to wit, for remission) and are glad. ' Through his 
 name,' saith the apostle Peter concerning Christ, 
 Acts s. 43, ' whosoever believeth in him shall receive 
 remission of sins.' All other props are bruised reeds, 
 onlj- the name of Christ is a strong buckler to them 
 who trust on it. Indeed, whatever confidence is 
 placed on God himself, his merciful and gracious 
 nature, for remission of sins, if it be not with refer- 
 ence to Christ's name and merit, it will prove but a 
 vain hope, since there is no mercy to be expected 
 from God, but only through Christ ; and surely, much 
 more vain will all that confidence prove, which is 
 built upon the rotten foundation of our own righteous- 
 ness, which is so far from being available to procure 
 the forgiveness of our sins, that itself hath those sins 
 accompanying it which need to be forgiven. 
 
 2. In a comfortable sense of the remission of our 
 sins, learn we to give unto Christ the glory due to his 
 name. Per cujus nomeii, saith the father* upon the 
 text, Through whose name are your sins forgiven ? 
 Through the name of Austin or Donatus '? Ko. Who 
 is Augustine ? or who is Donatus '? Nor yet through the 
 name of Paul or Peter, but only the name of Christ ; 
 and therefore, not to us, not to us, blessed Jesus, 
 not to our prayers or tears, not to om- confessions or 
 good works, but to thy name and merit, be the glory 
 of this gi-ace whereby our sins are forgiven. 
 
 Cunsid. 2. Having given you this account of the 
 first consideration of the words, to wit, as thej' are a 
 consolatory assertion, it remaincth that I now pro- 
 ceed in a few words to the other, which is. 
 
 As they are an hortatory reason ; for so much the 
 causal particle implieth, ' I write to yon, because your 
 sins are forgiven you for his name's sake ;" and here 
 we shall take in the threefold reference of the act. 
 
 1. I write this whole epistle, the chief scope whereof 
 is to persuade holiness of life, because for Christ's 
 sake your sins are forgiven. God's mercy in remitting 
 sin should not make us the more licentious in com- 
 mitting sin ; because our old score is wiped off, far 
 be it from us to encourage ourselves to run upon a 
 new one ; no, rather, since God for Christ's sake is 
 so gracious as to wash away our former sins, we 
 should be the more watchful lest wo defile ourselves 
 again. What servant will not in reason think him- 
 self obliged to serve his master so much tho more 
 faithfully, when he hath passed over his former negli- 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
2-2i 
 
 HARDY 0\ 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 gence, riot, and dishonesty ? And is not the case the 
 same between God and us '? It is true, with ill-minded 
 and perverse natures, the t'orgiviu'^ of past injuries is 
 an invitation to another, but that which clemency leads 
 to, and works upon an ingenuous spirit, is a care not 
 to oflend any more. 
 
 2. I write to dissuade you from the love of the 
 world, because your sins are forgiven you for his 
 name's sake ; Pudcal quod factum infectum reddere, 
 so Beza. Why should you ungratefully undo what 
 God hath mercifully done ? Those sins are remitted 
 to you which, whilst you loved the world, were admitted 
 by you. Oh take heed that you do not forfeit your 
 pardon by running into the same sins aijjain ; Vos 
 amale diinissorcm hiiqnitatum vcs'.rarnni, so St Austin, 
 you are bound to love him who hath forgiven you your 
 sins. So our Saviour saith of Mary Magdalene, Luke 
 vii. -17, ' Much was forgiven her, for' (which is no doubt 
 there as much as therefore) ' she loved much.' And 
 Quomodo poterimus amare Deum si amain as miindaiii ? 
 How can we love God if we love the world ? Can 
 the world do that for us which Christ hath done ? It 
 draweth you into many sins, but it cannot obtain the 
 pardon of one sin. Oh, then, shall we not adhere to 
 Christ, for whose sake our sins are forgiven, and forego 
 the world ? 
 
 3. Lastly, and principally, I writs to you this com- 
 mandment of loving your brother, because your sins 
 are forgiven for his name's sake. Indeed, it is that 
 which this argument presseth in three several ways. 
 
 (1.) In a way of imitation, the brethren are God's 
 darlings. He loveth all men so far as to forbear them, 
 but he lovetli them so as to forgive them; and surely 
 fit it is that where God forgiveth we should, and whom 
 he loveth we should. Besides, God loveth us so as 
 to forgive us, and forgiving, to give all blessings to us, 
 and shall not we be merciful, and kind, and loving to 
 one another after his pattern ? 
 
 (2.) In a way of gratnlation, thus Naogorgeus urgeth 
 it.* So great a beuetit as forgiveness, /uei7e/)frsi((((/('( 
 
 • Naogorg. in loc. 
 
 ut ei henefaciamns, strongly persuadeth that we should 
 return somewhat to him who, and for whose sake, we 
 are forgiven. Non Chrislo qtiidem sed iiicmhris, this 
 we cannot to him in himself, but in his members ; 
 qiiibiis illejiissit, to whom he hath commanded us to 
 shew our affections. Indeed, the good Christian can- 
 not but thus reason with himself: If God hath, at my 
 request, forgiven me pounds and given me talents, shall 
 not I, at his command, forgive my brother pence, and 
 give him mites ? That love he hath shewed to me is 
 infinitely surpassing that love which he expected I should 
 shew to my brother. So that it is impossible for him 
 who is truly affected with his Father's goodness not 
 to be inflamed with brotherly kindness. As therefore 
 the cold stone or iron being warmed by the fire casts 
 forth and reflects that heat which it hath received 
 upon that which is adjacent to it, so doth the sincere 
 Christian reflect the heat of God's love which is shed 
 abroad in his heart, and sheds it abroad in love to his 
 brethren. 
 
 (3.) In a way of impotration. The comfort of this 
 benefit of forgiveness lieth in the knowledge of it. 
 Indeed, whosoever hath his sins forgiven is really, but 
 he only who is assured they are forgiven is sensibly, 
 blessed. A well-grounded assurance cannot be ob- 
 tained but by finding those graces wrought in us which 
 accompany remission, amongst which this of brotherly 
 love is not the least. If I can justly say that I love 
 my brother for his name's sake, then, and not till then, 
 I can comfortably say. My sins are forgiven for his 
 name's sake. When therefore we find these passions 
 of hatred, envy, malice, and uncharitableness to boil 
 in our hearts against others for those injuries which 
 either they have, or at least we conceive they have, 
 ofl'ered to us, what better antidote can we use than a 
 serious meditation of God's free and full, undeserved 
 and immeasurable, love towards us, notwithstanding 
 our manifold sins against him '? Which that we may 
 duly imitate, for which that wo may be truly thankful, 
 and of which that we may be comfortably assured, it 
 coi'.cerneth us ; and accordingly St John writeth to us 
 to love the brethren. 
 
 SERMON XXXVI. 
 
 / write iinio i/oii, falliers, lircaiise i/c have kiioun liitn lluH is fruiii the hei/iitiiiiiir. I urite unln ijini, youth] men, 
 because ije have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, hecunne ye have hnowu the Father. 
 I have tvrillen unto yon, fathers, because yon have laiuuii him that is from the beyiiitiiny. I liare written unto 
 you, younij men, because ye ave slroni/, and the word of tlol ahidelh in i/<iu, and y-' have overcome the wicked 
 one.—\ John II. 13, 14. 
 
 PHILOSOPHY not unfitly distinguishoth of a three- 
 fold natural life : vegetative, sensitive, rational. 
 The first discovereth itself by growth and augmenta- 
 tion, the second by motion and sensation, the third 
 by discourse and ratiocination. The first is only in 
 plants, the first and second in beasts, all three in man. 
 
 Nor would it be passed by how man doth as it wore 
 gradually put forth these several lives: living in the 
 womb the life of growth, so soon as ho cometh into 
 the world the life of sense, and after the expiration of 
 some years beginning to live the life of reason. 
 
 Ami aa thus there are three lives, so there are three 
 
Ver. 13, U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXVI. 
 
 225 
 
 ages of man's life, which are to be reckoned from that 
 time he begins to act as a man, ami make use of his 
 reason, namelj', childhood, 3'outh, old age. Our life 
 is a day, whereof childhood is the morning, youth the 
 noon, and old age the evening, after which succeedeth 
 the night of death. Our life is a journey, which con- 
 sisteth of three stages : childhood, wherein we go up 
 hill ; youth, in which we run forward ; and old age, 
 in which we run down hill to the grave. Finally, 
 our childhood is as a budding spring, our youth as a 
 flourishing summer, our old age as a withering autumn, 
 after which followeth the winter of death. With all 
 these our apostle hath here to do ; and as every one 
 of them is capable of instruction, he directeth his 
 writing to them, not only jointly, but severally, in the 
 words now read : ' I write to you, fathers, because j'e 
 have known,' &c. 
 
 The particular reasons why our apostle wrote to 
 every one of these ages, do yet remain to be discussed; 
 and before I enter upon them in particular, there are 
 two things I will brieflj- premise. 
 
 1. That two of them are repeated, namely, that 
 which respects fathers and young men, whereas that 
 to little children is only once mentioned ; and if we 
 well view it, we shall find there might be good cause 
 for the iteration of them, and so no need to blame 
 the scribe, as if the fourteenth verse were heedlessly 
 added. 
 
 Besides that one, namely, that which coneerneth 
 young men, is not a naked repetition, but withal an am- 
 plification ; there is a double reason maj' be assigned 
 why he wi'iteth to fathers and young men twice, and 
 but once to children. 
 
 (1.) Because his discourse was principally intended 
 for fathers [and] young men. Look as in our preach- 
 ings, though sometimes occasionally we instruct little 
 children, yet we must frequently direct our discourse 
 to those who are drawn up to years of discretion ; so 
 no doubt our apostle designed this epistle for, and 
 therefore directeth his writing to, the young and old 
 Christians. 
 
 (2.) Because the things about which our apostle 
 writeth are such which young men and fathers have 
 more need to be minded of than little children. There 
 is not so great danger of little children's being infected 
 with the world, because the}' know not what belongs 
 to it; whereas young men, having so much employ- 
 ments in, are apt to be entangled with, the world; 
 and old men, having been so long acquainted with, 
 cannot easily wean their aflfcctions from, it.*' Little 
 children are not so sensible of injuries, and therefore 
 not so apt to be enraged with hatred as young men and 
 fathers are. No marvel if he write again and again 
 inculcating the argument, by which he would persuade 
 them to love their brother, and dissuade them from the 
 love of the world. 
 
 2. That all of them are laudatory characters, com- 
 
 * Zancb. in loc. 
 
 mending that good which he observed in them : the 
 fathers for their knowledge of Christ, the young men 
 for their victory and spiritual strength, and the little 
 children for their knowledge of the Father ; a fit pat- 
 tern for all ministers, for all superiors, yea, for all, to 
 follow. Indeed, to flatter bad men in their sins is 
 abominable. God pronouncetb a curse against such 
 prophets who ' daub with untempered mortar,' and by 
 their smooth language strengthen the hands of evil- 
 doers ; but to commend good men for their graces is 
 commendable, and hath not only the pattern of the 
 apostle, but of Christ and God himself, to warrant it. 
 
 The truth is, praise is a due debt to virtue, and 
 therefore it is an act of justice. It is not unfitly ob- 
 served, that our apostle joineth these two together, 
 Philip, iv. 7, ' If there be any virtue, if there lie any 
 praise,' to intimate that praise ought to attend on 
 virtue. Nor is it only a debt, but a spur, and there- 
 fore an act of prudence. When a good man is com- 
 mended, others are encouraged, and si iion amore 
 virtutis, at d'dectione laudis accendiintur* many have 
 been allured with the love of praise, whom the love of 
 virtue could not persuade. However, the person him- 
 self being commended is thereby animated ; nor is it 
 unlawful for men to be moved in a subordinate way 
 with a desire of praise, and much respect. St Ber- 
 nard, upon those words in the Proverbs, ' Hast thoU 
 found honey ? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee,' 
 saithjf jiotesl in hoc loco non inconijrue mellis nomine 
 favor luiinanff laudis intellirii, in this place by honey 
 may be understood not unfitly the favour of human 
 praise ; meritoque non ah omni sed ab immoderato 
 edtdio prohihemur, nor are we prohibited all, but only 
 an immoderate desire of glory. No wonder, then, if 
 the ministers of Christ, whom he hath appointed 
 fishers of men, among others make use of this bait of 
 praise, that commendation may make way for their 
 commands, and a luell done may encourage their audi- 
 tors to do better. This no doubt was the design of 
 St John, that by this artifice of praise his instructions 
 might have the stronger influence upon them to whom 
 he writeth. 
 
 Come we now to the several reasons by which he 
 bespeaketh the several ages. 
 
 1. The first respects the aged fathers to whom he 
 wrote, because they ' knew him who was from the be- 
 ginning,' as it is expressed in the thirteenth and 
 fourteenth verses. 
 
 In handling of this character, I shall consider the 
 goodness and the fitness of it : the goodness of it in 
 itself, by inquiring what it meaneth ; and the fitness 
 of it, both to the subjects to whom, and the objects 
 about which, our apostle wrote. 
 
 1. Consider we this character in itself, and we 
 shall find it not only good but excellent. Indeed, in 
 this one there are two characters, to wit, of Christ 
 and the Christian, which offer themselves to onr view: 
 
 » Gr. Mag, Mor. f Bern. Serm. 47. ex parv. 
 
2-2. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 of Christ, that he is ' from the beginning ; ' of the 
 Christian, that he ' knoweth him who is from the 
 beginning.' Of each in order. 
 
 1. Our apostle here affirmeth concerning Christ, 
 that be is from the beginning. Indeed, Illyricus re- 
 fers this to God,*' who is said to be ' from everlasting 
 to everlasting,' and to 'inhabit eternity;' and is 
 called b_v Clemens Alexandrinus,f dibioc ysjewv and tuv 
 ovruv Tjsff/SJrarcv, the most ancient of all things, be- 
 cause before all things, yea, the Creator. And suit- 
 ably Plato, putting the question. What is the most 
 ancient thing ? answeretb, God. But I conceive it is 
 most suitable to the apostle's scope to understand it, 
 with Calvin, Aretius, and the most, naj', best inter- 
 preters, + of Christ. And thus (as Zanchy well ob- 
 serveth) this may be asserted of him in a double re- 
 spect, quoad virtidem salvificam, and quoad personam, 
 in respect of virtual efficacy and personal subsistence. 
 
 1. Christ is from the beginning, to wit, ordained 
 and purposed to be the mediator of his church ; in 
 which sense he is called. Rev. xiii. 8, ' the Lamb 
 slain from the foundation of the world.' Whence it is 
 that though he died in the fulness of time, yet the 
 vii'tue of his death, as it extendeth forward to the end, 
 60 backward to the beginning of the world. 
 
 2. But principally, Christ is said to be from the 
 beginning, inasmuch as his subsistence is from eter- 
 nity ; to wit, in respect, not of his human, but divine 
 nature. Thus St Austin appositely, § 7iov'ds Christus 
 in came, sed antiquum in diviniiate, Christ as to 
 his manhood is new, but as to his Godhead ancient ; 
 and fficumenius || expressly, rig di aw a^yjig, h /u,rj o 
 ^ijDj, Xc'yoj, who is it that is fi-om the beginning but 
 God the Word ? John i. 1. In this respect justly is 
 the Messiah called by the prophet Isaiah, the ever- 
 lasting Father, Isa. ix. G ; and tlie prophet Micah 
 saith of him who was to be born in Bethlehem, that 
 ' his goings forth had been of old from everlasting,' 
 Micah v. 3. Upon this account the author to the 
 Hebrew's asserts him to be ' yesterday, to-day, and 
 the same for ever,' Heb. xiii. 8. AVhero, saith 
 Anselm,^ by yesterday is denoted the time past, 
 and the vast space of eternity preceding ; by to-day, 
 the time present ; and by for ever, that which is to 
 come. Finally, unto this that metaphorical character 
 which our apostle givelh of Christ, Rev. i. 12, is 
 plainly to be referred, where he sa th, ' his head (that 
 is, his divinity, so Pererius**') ' and his hairs were 
 ■white like wool, as white as snow,' to which, ff in re- 
 gard of its nnti(]nity ; for so Paniel, calling God the 
 Ancient of days, presently addtth, ' the hair of his 
 Lead was like pure wool,' Dan. vii. 9, namely, for 
 whiteness, which is the badge of old age. Not to 
 enlarge upon this point, because it is only collateral 
 
 * lllyr. in loc. 
 
 t CI. Al. Picd. lib. ii. cnp iii. 
 } Ciilv., A rut., ZiOicli. iu luc. 
 § Aug. iu luc. 
 
 II Qiciinien ill. 
 % Aiisehii ibid. 
 *» Perer. ibid. 
 1 1 Qu. ' lo wit ' ?— Ed. 
 
 in the text, I shall in a few words discuss these two 
 propositions, which are plainly intimated in this clause, 
 and clearly expressed in Scripture : 
 
 1. That Jesus Christ had a being before he was 
 born of the Virgin Mary. Indeed, he then began to 
 be man, but he did not then begin to be, when his 
 mother conceived and brought him forth into the 
 world. It was our blessed Saviour's positive asser- 
 tion concerning himself, ' Before Abraham was I am,' 
 John viii. 58 ; and if he had a being before Abraham, 
 certainly he did not begin to be when he was made 
 man. That this was the meaning of our Saviour, is 
 clear, in that it is returned by him as an answer to 
 the Jews' objection, which is manifestly drawn from 
 the short date of his personal existence, ' Thou art 
 not _yet iifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham'?' 
 To which Christ's words cannot be a full answer, if 
 they intend not that he had a personal being before 
 Abraham, and so no wonder if Abraham were known to 
 him ; and that the Jews so understood him is evident, 
 in that they ' took up stones to cast at him,' as con- 
 ceiving him a blasphemer in so saying ; upon which 
 account the father saith excellently,* Ecce Judcei in- 
 iellexeruiit quod non iittelUgunt Ariani, behold, the 
 Jews understood that which the Arians will not, but 
 fondly and impiously endeavour to obscure. Very 
 considerable upon this account is that of St Paul, 
 Philip, ii. 6, 7, where he saith that ' being' (or ac- 
 cording to the force of the l-a^yjti-j), ' subsisting in the 
 form of God, he took upon him the form of a servant;' 
 whence it plainly followcth, that before he took upon 
 him the form of a servant, he had a subsistence. It 
 is not unworthy our observation to this purpose, that 
 Christ, when he was incarnate, is said to ' come down 
 from heaven,' and to ' come forth from the Father ;' 
 whereby is manifestly implied, that before his incar- 
 nation, he was in heaven, and in the bosom of his 
 Father. Thus, when we read, ' The Word was made 
 flesh,' John i. 14, and ' God sent his Son into the 
 world,' Gal. iv. 4, it is evident that he was the Word 
 and the Sun before, else how could he be capable of 
 assuming flesh, and being sent into the world. It is 
 a clear maxim, nothing can be predicated of nothing ; 
 so that if be w\re not at all, till he was made flesh 
 and sent, it could not be predicated of him that he 
 was made flesh, or that he was sent by the Father. 
 
 2. But further, that being which Jesus Christ had 
 before his incarnation was, a.'z aDyr,g, from the be- 
 ginning, which we cannot better expound than by 
 that iv aayri, ' in the beginning,' which we meet with 
 in the Gospel ; and so the sense is, that when the 
 world began to be, Christ was, and so consequently 
 from eternity, because before all time. 
 
 Express to tliis purpose is that prayer of our 
 
 Saviour, John xvii. 5, ' Father, glorify thou nie with 
 
 thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee 
 
 before the world was ; ' the genuine plain doctrine 
 
 * Aug. in Joh Tract. 48. 
 
Ver. 13, 14.] 
 
 SERilOX XXXVI. 
 
 227 
 
 whereof is, that Christ had a glory (and therefore a 
 co-esistence) with his Father before the world was. 
 I am not ignorant how that Samosatenian and So- 
 cinian heretics interpret this onlj- of God's eternal 
 purpose to glorify his Son, after he had finished his 
 work upon earth. And truly it is worth our noting, 
 how absurdly these pretended masters of reason con- 
 strue, as others, so this scriptore ; whilst they would 
 haye us to believe, that when Christ positively saith, 
 he had this glory with his Father before the world 
 was, he only meaneth by it, that his Father decreed 
 before the world was he should have this glorj- ; and 
 so that which is averred of actual possession must 
 only signify an intentional preparation, when yet it 
 had been as easy for Christ to have said (if he had 
 meant no more) the glory which thou hast prepared 
 for me before the world was; yea, whenas both Christ 
 and his apostles, where they ivould express the decree 
 of glory, still use the phrases of prepared, and laid up, 
 and such like. Mat. xxv. Si. 
 
 No less doth it tend to the confirmation of this 
 truth, that the evangelist saith concerning Christ, 
 ' All things are made by him, and without him was not 
 anything made that was made;' and therefore St Paul, 
 having asserted that ' all things were created by him 
 and for him,' Col. i. 5, presently addeth, ' and he is 
 before all things.' Indeed, as Tertullian strongly 
 argueth,* non potuit carere substantia, quod tanttis 
 subslantins fecit, he that gave being to all things 
 could not himself want a being; anil if all creatures 
 receive their essence and existence from him, he must 
 needs be before them. It would not be passed by to 
 what a shift the forenamed heretics are put to, for 
 evading the force of these texts, whilst they would 
 expound the making and creating all things to be the 
 making of new men, and the creating of a Chris- 
 tian church ; for besides that the apostle manifestly 
 speaketh not only of persons (to whom the new 
 creation belongs), but things, yea, all things whatso- 
 ever ; and therefore the evangelist joineth a negative 
 to the affirmative, 'without him nothing;' and St 
 Paul maketh a distribution of the all into ' thiugs visible 
 and invisible, in heaven and earth,' whereby it ap- 
 peareth the first creation is intended ; it would yet 
 further be considered, that the evangelist and apostle 
 speak of this making and creation as a thing already 
 past, yta, as the context in the Gospel sheweth, done 
 in the beginning, which compared with Moses his Jn 
 the leginninij God created the heaven and the earth, 
 appeareth to be the beginning of the world ; whereas 
 the new creation was tben, nay, is still, but in fieri, 
 not in J'aclo, nor shall be finished till the end of the 
 world. 
 
 To end this, let the meditation hereof confirm us 
 in the faith of our Saviour's deity, which must neces- 
 sarily fullow upon the preceding doctrine ; fur if 
 Christ is so from, as that he was before the beginning 
 * Tertul. in Prax. 
 
 of the world, and so is eternal, he can be no other 
 than the true Jehovah, the most high God : eternity 
 being one of those incommunicable attributes of the 
 Deity, which cannot in its proper and adequate notion 
 be predicated of anything besides or below the God- 
 head. And so much shall suffice to be spoken of the 
 character which is here given of Christ. Pass we on 
 to the, 
 
 2. Character by which the aged Christians to whom 
 our apostle writeth are described ; and that is, that 
 they ' know him which was from the beginning.' 
 What it is to know Christ, I had occasion heretofore 
 to discuss, and therefore shall not insist upon it ; 
 only be pleased in brief to take notice, 
 
 That there is a threefold knowledge of him who is 
 from the beginning, comprehensive, intuitive, and ap- 
 prehensive. 
 
 1. The comprehensive knowledge is that which is 
 peculiar to himself ; he who is from the beginning, can 
 only know himself from the beginning. Indeed, it is 
 impossible for any finite creature to comprehend the 
 infinite eternity of Christ ; himself, as man, could not 
 comprehensively know himself as God. 
 
 2. The intuitive knowledge of Christ in his person, 
 natures, offices, is reserved for glory, when we shall 
 see him as he is, so far as created nature is capable of. 
 
 3. That which then is here meant is an apprehen- 
 sive knowledge, whereby it is we are enlightened to 
 discern the excellency of Christ, together with the need 
 we stand in of, and benefit we receive by, him. That 
 expression which we find used by St IPaul, Eph. iii. 
 19, ' To know the love of Christ, which passeth know- 
 ledge,' is seemingly contradictor}-, but easily recon- 
 ciled by this distinction ; as Christ, so his love 
 ' passeth knowledge,' because the infiniteness of it is 
 incomprehensible ; and yet we both may, and ought 
 to know, that is, in some measure to apprehend, the 
 love of Christ to us. 
 
 Now, this apprehensive knowledge is either mida or 
 conjaiicta,* naked, only situate in the understanding, 
 when we know what Christ is, and what he hath done, 
 or else such as is conjoined with faith, love, obedience; 
 so to know him as to trust him, to prize him, to em- 
 brace liim, and to obey him. 
 
 This is that knowledge which, as it is here the com- 
 mendation, so ought to be the endeavour, of every 
 Christian. Indeed, knowledge, considered absolutely, 
 is a rare and precious endowment, and that which a 
 rational nature cannot but set an high value upon, and 
 indu.striously seek after. Of all the trees of the gar- 
 den, none more desirable than that of knowledge ; 
 such is its magical sweetness, that we cannot but fall 
 in love with it. What made the queen of Sheba come 
 from far to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but that she 
 might gain knowledge ? Indeed, what light is to the 
 eye, th.-it is knowledge to the mind, not only delight- 
 ful, but necessary ; for as the eye cannot see without 
 » Eit. iu loc. 
 
2i8 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 light, BO neither can the mind judge and discern of 
 things without knowledge. 
 
 Knowledge at large is very amiable, but especially 
 in reference to this object, in comparison of which all 
 other knowledge is nothing worth. I may here very 
 well allude to that of the wise man, Prov. xsxi. 29, 
 ' Manj- (laughters have done virtuously, but thou sur- 
 moiintest them all.' There are several kinds of know- 
 ledge, and all of them delectable, but this transcendeth 
 them all ; no logic like to the knowledge of him who 
 is Xo'yof , the divine reason. The science of the stars 
 is pleasing, but far short of the knowledge of this 
 ' Star of Jacob,' the ' Sun of righteousness ;' the skill 
 of lapidaries is choice, but the knowledge of this 
 ' pearl of groat price ' is far above it. Finallj"-, to 
 know antiquities is very desirable, but much more to 
 ' know him that is from the beginning.' 
 
 Let, then, no knowledge content us without this, 
 and let us seek after this, though we want other know- 
 ledge. Indeed, it is the excellency of this knowledge, 
 that whereas, e.r quoi-is lir/no non fit MercuriKS, every 
 man is not fit to make a scholar, nor are some brains 
 capable of all arts and sciences, this knowledge is that 
 to which every man may, and ought, to attain in some 
 measure ; and therefore wisdom inviteth the simple to 
 turn into her school. Indeed (which is, though a 
 riddle, }'et truth), it is ofttimes seen that mean, vulgar, 
 ignorant persons are better versed in the experimental 
 saving knowledge of Christ than great rabbis and 
 learned doctors. 
 
 Let, then, none despair, but all endeavour after this 
 knowledge ; and whilst some are for the earthy know- 
 ledge of secular affairs, others for the watery know- 
 ledge of human arts, and others content themselves 
 with an airy speculation of divine things, let us labour 
 for a fiery knowledge of Christ, which may not only 
 enlighten our minds, but warm our ati'ections, so as to 
 make him who is from the beginning the end of all 
 our desires, endeavours, the whole and sole object of 
 our trust, and love, and service. 
 
 2. By this time you have seen somewhat of the 
 goodness of this character. Proceed we now to con- 
 sider the fitness of it, and that in a double reference, 
 to the subjects, and the objects of our apostle's writing. 
 
 L To the persons to whom he writeth, namely, 
 fathers, old men. It is that which I shall here once 
 for all take notice of, that the characters here specified 
 are such as belong to Christians of all ages ;* fathers, 
 as well as .young men, must be strong, and overcome 
 the wicked one ; young men, as well as fathers, must 
 know him that is from the beginning ; fathers and 
 young men, as well as little children, must know the 
 Father : but yet, withal, there is a peculiar aptitude 
 in each of the characters to the several ages he mcn- 
 tioneth. This is eminently observable in this which 
 is here given to the fathers ; for 
 
 1. Sniihuif compedl iiotitiii,f the act of knowing 
 * CalT. in loc. f Est. iu loc. 
 
 here specified is such as in a special manner belongs 
 to old men : ' With the ancient is wisdom, and in 
 length of days understanding,' so Filiphaz, Job xii. 
 12, in which respect the ancient and the prudent are 
 joined together, Isa. iii. 2. Turn deniqiic animus scie)ilia 
 floret, cum corpus tcmporis Jongiiiquitate marcessit, saith 
 Damascene in his parallels,* old men have ofttimes 
 flourishing minds in withering bodies ; and, to use the 
 philosopher's phrase, t the eye of their soul is qnick- 
 sightod, when their corporal eyes are dull. For this 
 reason it is that, as Quintilian observeth, militem eli- 
 //imus juiYiwm, impcratorcm sciiciti, a soldier should be 
 young, but a general old ; and that city is said to bo 
 happy where there are cousili(( senum and Imsla 
 juvenum, old counsellors and young warriors. Know- 
 ledge, though not always, yet for the most part, goeth 
 on three legs, and seeth with four eyes : and it was a 
 true saying of a learned divine, J a few gi'ay hairs will 
 do more work than many young locks ; and surely, 
 then, St John could not give a fitter commendation of 
 these fathers than that they were endued, non vuljari 
 prudenthj, with divine knowledge. 
 
 2. rrircipuuin est tttate provect'wri onliquiora iioxse, 
 old men are versed in the knowledge of ancient things, 
 and therefore it is they love to discourse of things done 
 long ago, and beyond the cognisance of those who are 
 younger than themselves. This, then, must needs 
 highly commend these fathers, that their knowledge 
 looked as far as the beginning, namely, to ' him who 
 is from the beginning,' or, if with some you will refer 
 the ax' a.^-)(rii, from the bei/iunin/i, to the act that their 
 knowledge of him was not as yesterday, but from the 
 beginning of their life they had been trained up in the 
 knowledge of Chi'ist. 
 
 And now, I would to God there were no cause of 
 tui-uing this commendation into condemnation. ' I said 
 days should speak, and multitudes of years teach wis- 
 dom,' said Elihu of Job's friends, Job xxxiii. 7. In- 
 deed, so it should be, but how seldom is it so ; whilst 
 many who have multitudes of years, instead of speaking 
 and teaching, have need to hear and learn divine wisdom; 
 diaf:i(ii Tou vrjirku xaS' rfkniav ovdsv 6 h rdi; (poiei 
 vniria^av ; he that is a child of understanding little dif- 
 fereth from a child in years, saith Basil the great : § 
 and, alas, how many fathers are in that sense children! 
 Turpis cl ridicula res est sene.r elementaris, || how 
 ridiculous a sight is an old man going to school ! and 
 yet how many old men have need to learn the A B 
 C of Christianity. How fitly may I apply to such that 
 rebuke of the author to the Hebrews, chap. v. 10, 
 ' For the time they have had, they might have been 
 teachers, and yet they need to be taught the rudiments 
 of religion.' It was the complaint of St Bernard con- 
 cerning many old men in his time,*' I wish it were not 
 too suitable to ours, Ca/int ccuum, cor carum, facies 
 
 * Dnmasc. parallel, 1. '.. c. 38. 
 t Socrat. in Syinp. Pint. 
 I Mr Ciataker. 
 
 § Bas. M. horn. xxiv. 
 II Fen. Jo Tranquil. 1. i. c. 3. 
 H Bern, iu loc. 
 
Ver. 13, 14.] 
 
 SERMON XXXVI. 
 
 229 
 
 riu/osa, Itiiifua 7uigosa ; notwithstanding their gray 
 heads, and wrinkled faces, they have frothy tongues, 
 and empty hearts. Oh, how many are thei'e who do 
 seitfsceie, and yet both se et Christum iiescirc, are ig- 
 noramuses, knowing neither Christ nor themselves ; 
 perhaps, indeed, thej- have attained some dexterous 
 Itnowledge in the things of this life, they are well 
 skilled to get and keep their gold, heap up wealth ; 
 but, alas, they have not yet learned what treasures of 
 grace and wisdom are in Christ. For one man that 
 liveth to be old, how many die young ! and for one 
 old man that knoweth Christ savingly, how many are 
 altogether unacquaiuted with him ! Indeed, if you 
 question their faith, you shall find them very strong 
 in confidence of being saved by Christ ; and yet, if 
 you examine their knowledge, you shall find them 
 ignorant of that Christ by whom they believe to be 
 saved. Solomon saith, Eccles. iv. 13, ' A poor wise 
 child is better than an old and foolish king :' will not 
 many knowing children rise up in judgment one day 
 against ignorant fathers, whilst a child of ten years 
 old shall give a better account of Christian religion 
 than some old men of sixty ? I know not whether I 
 shall chide or weep, declaim against the folly, or be- 
 wail the misery of such old men, when I consider the 
 dismal threatening uttered by St Paul, 2 Thes. i. 8, 
 that ' God will come in flaming tire, rendering ven- 
 geance to them that know him not ;' and which will 
 certainly render the account of these old men the 
 greater, and vengeance hotter, who live within the pale 
 of the church, in that they have not only had time, but 
 means and opportunity of gaining this heavenh" know- 
 ledge, but they neglect them. 
 
 Oh then, you fathers, receive a word of admonition ; 
 though whilst you were young men you were careless 
 of divine things, yet now surely it is time to look after 
 them. It is one of St Cyprian's horrid abuses,* si 
 sine relir/ioiic senex esse inreniatiir, for an old man to 
 be irreligious, and a stranger to heavenly things. You 
 are almost at the end of your days ; oh labour to know 
 him which is from the beginning. Your natural life, 
 through God's goodness, is prolonged ; ay, but it 
 must at length be ended. Let nothing content you 
 without the ' knowledge of the true God and his Son 
 Jesus Christ,' which is eternal life, John xvii. 3. 
 Why should you be as bad apprentices, that, having 
 served seven years, are still to learn their trades ; hear 
 BO much, and so long, and yet know so little of Christ? 
 Assure yourselves, the only comforts of old age are 
 conscifiitia bene jieracttr vitir, et sciciilia Christi expert- 
 vtentdlis, the conscience of a well-led life, when you 
 are able to reckon not only days and years, but good 
 works done in those days, and filling up those years, 
 and chiefly the experimental knowledge of Christ, 
 whereby, as good old Simeon, you embrace him in 
 your arms. This will be both your comfort and your 
 honour, ' an hoary head being a crown when it is 
 * Cypr. abus. grad. 
 
 found in a way of righteousness ' and knowledge. As, 
 then, God is pleased to add to your days, do you add 
 to your knowledge ; and though old age cause your 
 strength of body to cease, yet strive that [your] souls 
 may more and more increase in this and all other 
 graces of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 2. There is yet another fitness which would be con- 
 sidered in this character, and that is in reference to 
 the matter about which he writeth, especially the pre- 
 cedent and subsequent doctrines ; that thereby we 
 ma^' see what influence the right knowledge of Christ 
 hath upon those excellent duties of contempt of the 
 world, and love of the brethren. 
 
 1. Because j'ou have known him which is from the 
 beginning, love not the world. It is that which may 
 very well be urged upon a double account, by an argu- 
 ment drawn, 
 
 1. Ab iiidecoro. It is a very unbeseeming thing for 
 you, who have known him that is from the beginning, 
 and been so long scholars in Christ's school, to love 
 the world. That they who know no better should 
 soar no higher, it is no wonder ; and therefore if 
 heathens, pagans, infidels, should be earthly-minded, 
 it is no more than what is to be expected ; but for 
 them who know Christ, and knowing him, cannot but 
 know what an excellency there is in him, and what a 
 vanitj- there is in the world, to doat upon it, is very 
 incongruous. A Bristol stone is very glorious in his 
 eyes who never saw a diamond, but he would be de- 
 servedly accounted stupid who should prefer a Bristol 
 stone before a diamond. All Christians, especially 
 aged ones, cannot but experimentally know Christ's 
 fulness and the world's emptiness ; and, therefore, it 
 must needs be a very irrational afl'ection in them to 
 love the world. 
 
 2. A contrario. The knowledge of him that is from 
 the beginning, and the love of these things that have 
 both beginning and ending, are contrary to, and so 
 inconsistent one with another; and the reason is plain, 
 because (as hath been already intimated) the true 
 knowledge of Christ is inseparably attended with love 
 to him, £X ToD iisiv yanrai ro soav, loving is caused by 
 seeing, where the object is amiable ; Christ is alto- 
 gether lovely, so that it is impossible to see him and 
 not to love him. The orator saith of virtue, that it is 
 so desirable, that if men could with bodily eyes behold 
 it, they would be ravished with it. Siu-e I am, he that 
 with spiritual eyes beholds Christ, cannot but be ena- 
 moured with him. Now the world must needs be vile 
 to him to whom Christ is precious ; if the knowledge 
 of Christ attract us to him, it cannot but wean us from 
 the world ; so that whosoever professeth to know 
 Christ, and Inveth the world, he giveth his profession 
 the lie, and plainly discovereth his knowledge to be 
 such, which, though it have light, hath no heat, and 
 is none of that knowledge which Christianity calls for. 
 
 2. Because you have known him which is from 
 the beginning, love the brethren ; and this likewise is 
 
5:50 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOH>f. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 that which maj' be strongly pressed by a double en- 
 forcement. 
 
 1. Ab uhjccto. The knowledge of him who is from 
 the beginning earrieth with it a knowledge of that 
 love which he had from the beginning toward us, and 
 did manifest in the fulness of time to us, and no such 
 obligation to love; as love, of our love to the brethren, 
 as Christ's love to us. It is very observable how St 
 Piiul, Epb. V. 2, persuading to walk in this path of 
 brothcily love, doth not only direct but incite to it by 
 Christ's example, ' But walk in love, as Christ hath 
 loved us.' Indeed, he that knoweth the love of Christ, 
 cannot but be in some measure sensible how free and 
 how full it is ; and surely that love which is both sine 
 merito and sine modo (to use St Bernard's phrase), 
 both undeserved and unmeasurable, may well engage 
 to a retm-n of love, in whatsoever way he who hath 
 so loved us should expect and direct it. 
 
 2. Ahcfcctn. Inasmuch as brotherly love is, though 
 not an immediate, yet a genuine effect of the know- 
 ledge of Christ, the account whereof take briefly thus : 
 Our brethren (to wit) by gi'ace are Christ's brethren ; 
 and if we love Christ, we cannot but love his rela- 
 
 tions. All Christian brethren have the image of Christ 
 stamped upon them, and if we love Christ we cannot 
 but love his image ; where, then, there is a true and 
 sincere afl'ection to Christ, there cannot but be a love 
 of the brethrtn ; and where there is a saving know- 
 ledge of Christ, there (as hath been already mani- 
 fested) cannot but be a sincere love to him. 
 
 That, therefore, it may appear our knowledge of 
 Christ is not merely notional, but experimental, such 
 a knowledge of him as is accompanied with a sense of 
 his love to us, not barely speculative, but practical ; 
 such a knowledge of him as is attended with our love 
 to him, let us shew it by love to our brethren. 
 
 To close up this discourse, it is an excellent advice 
 of St Jerome, discile earn scientiam in tcriis, cnjus cog- 
 nitio pcrseverat in ccelis, seek alter that knowledge on 
 earth which will persevere in heaven. Let us now begin, 
 and not only begin, but according to St Peter's coun- 
 sel, ' grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who is from the beginning,' which shall be consum- 
 mated in the end, when we shall enjoy that beati- 
 fical vision which shall need no increase, and know 
 no end. 
 
 , . SEEMON XXXVIL 
 
 / a-rilc unto you, fathers, because ye hare knoiin him that is fruvi the beginning. I write unto gov, young men, 
 l.ii-ause ye have overcome the wicked one. I uiite unto you, little children, because ye have knoun the Faiher. 
 I have wiitlen unto you, falheis, because you hare kuuun him that is Jrom the beginning. I hare written 
 unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the icord «J God ahideth in ynu, and ye hare overcome the 
 wicked one. — 1 John II. 13, 14. 
 
 AMONG others, there are two special qualifications 
 of a good minister : the one, that he be faithful ; 
 and the other, that ho be prudtnt. His faithfulness 
 consists in delivering those things that are true, and 
 his prudence in making choice of such things as are 
 fit. The fitness of a minister's discourse lieih chiefly 
 in a double reference : to the season and the per- 
 sons. All both words and works receive a great deal 
 of beauty from their opportunity. It was not without 
 reason that he said, (hnnium rerum est primuin, the 
 chief in all actions is the fit time ; and Solomon, con- 
 cerning ' a word spoken in due season,' mentioueih 
 the goodness of it with a question, as if it were beyond 
 any positive expression, 'How good is it?' Prov. xv.23. 
 Nor is there less regard to be bad to the condition of 
 the auditors than the fitness of the season ; since 
 hereby a discourse becometh not only seasonable but 
 suitable. Physicians, though (unless necessity en- 
 force) they have a regard to the season, yet especiall}' 
 and always they have respect to the difl'ercnt consti- 
 tution of the patients in administering their potions ; 
 and no less doth it befit us, who are spiritual physi- 
 cians, to accommodate our doctrines to the condition 
 and disposition of those to whom we preach. Excel- 
 
 lent to this purpose is that of an ancient,* I'm quali- 
 tute audicutium. Jormari debet scrmo doctorum, ul per 
 singula siugtdis congruat et d conimuni adijicationis 
 arte miiKiuain recedat. The preacher's sermon ought 
 to correspond to the auditors' condition, so as may 
 best tend to edification. Look, as in music, all the 
 strings of the instrument, though they are touched 
 with the same hand, yet not with a like stroke ; so ia 
 preaching, all sorts of persons are to be dealt with, 
 but not in the same way. Aliter adinouendi sunt viri, 
 aliter fteminie ; aliter inopes, aliter locuptetes ; aliter 
 jurene/l^ aliter senes, as he excellently goeth on, one 
 admonition is fit for men, another for women ; one for 
 the rich, another for the poor; one for the young, an- 
 other for the old. This discreet application of our 
 instructions is that whereof the holy apostles set U3 
 a pattern ; and among the rest St John, especially in 
 these verses, wherein we may observe him bespeaking 
 several ages, and that in several addresses suitable to 
 those ages, ' I write to you, fathers,' itc. 
 
 2. The reason by which our apostle inculcaleth his 
 writing upon the fathers being already handled, that 
 which we are next in order to insist upon, is that by 
 * Kab. Maur. do Instit. lib. iii. cap 37. 
 
Ver. 13, U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXVII. 
 
 231 
 
 which he presseth his writing upon the young men ; 
 as it is mentioned in the thirteenth, and again, both 
 repeated and amplified, in the fourteenth verse. 
 
 To put them both together as expressed in these 
 words, ' You are strong, and have overcome the wicked 
 one, and the word of God abideth in j'ou.' You may 
 please to consider them two ways, ahsulutehj, as a com- 
 mendation, and rclalicehj, as an iuvitation. 
 
 I. Consider the words as a commendation ; and so, 
 that I may malce use of the metaphor in the text, be 
 pleased to observe these four particulars : 
 
 The enemy, the conquest, the aids, and the com- 
 batants. 
 
 The enemy is characterised by the term ' the wicked 
 one.' 
 
 The conquest is ingeminated in that phrase, ' have 
 overcome.' 
 
 The aids are specified in these words, ' strong,' and 
 ' the word of God abideth.' 
 
 The combatants ai'e included in the you, who are 
 just before expressed to be ' young men.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the enemy, who is called ' the 
 wicked one.' There ai'e three gi'and adversaries of 
 our salvation, and all of them have this epithet given 
 to them. The world is called by St Paul an evil 
 world. Gal. i. i ; and the ilesb, which is the corrup- 
 tion of our nature, is called the evil treasures of the 
 heai't, Mat. xii. 38 ; and the devil frequently the evil 
 one, the wicked one. In this respect Zanchy con- 
 ceiveth by the wicked one here to be understood synec- 
 dochically, all our spiritual enemies ;* but I rather in- 
 cline to that exposition, which interpreteth the wicked 
 one here mentioned to be the devil. He it is who not 
 only here, but twice more in this epistle, is so called 
 by our apostle ; and no doubt he learned it from his 
 Master, who giveth him thisytitle in the parable of the 
 tares; yea, St Chrysostom, and others of the fathers,! 
 are of opinion, that the evil from which our Saviour 
 teacheth us to pray that God would deliver ns, is the 
 devil ; and accordingly TcrtuUian J renders several 
 places of Scripture which mention the devil by uudus, 
 maliynnm, incdiynus, nequain, evil, wicked, malignant. 
 
 It is a name which no doubt is given to the devil, 
 anldmaslici, by way of eminency ; Toi/jjiis, saith Illy- 
 ricus,§ is more than xaxo;, and noteth one who is 
 €xercitatissimus in omni mali.'ice (,enere, exercised in 
 all kinds of wickedness ; 5 'ttovt/j^oc is more than crcjjjsJ;, 
 and nototh one who is iusigniter improbus, infamouslj', 
 notoriously wicked. As though holiness be a quality 
 commuuicable to the creature, yet God and Christ are 
 emphatically called in Scripture ' the holy One,' be- 
 cause, according to Hannah's saying, ' there is none 
 
 * Zanch. in loc. 
 
 t !ri»>!j8v 5' Xtraula rlt imPoJ^n xaktT. — Chrytost. in Oral, 
 dom. 
 
 ; Terlul. de pat. cip. iv., ife cullu Jam. cap. v., de fuga in 
 I'trsec. cap. viii. 
 
 § Ulyr. ill l(]c. 
 
 80 holy as the Lord ;' so though there be many evil 
 and wicked persons in the world, yet the devil is the 
 wicked one, because there is none so evil as the devil ; 
 and therefore St Chrj'sostom* giveth this reason of the 
 appellation. Christ calleth him the wicked one, iia 
 TTiv i/'3-£s£c>.);» rr,; x.a/.!ag, because of that hyperbolical 
 wickedness whereof he is guiitj'. 
 
 For the better explanation of this, I shall briefly 
 resolve these two queries. 
 
 How he came to be so '? 
 
 Wherein he appeareth to be so ? 
 
 It would be a little inquired into, how the person 
 here spoken of came to deserve this title ; the answer 
 to which I shall return, 
 
 1. Negatively. He was not so by creation. The 
 devil, if you look upon him in his first original, was 
 God's creature, and therefore good ; yea, in the highest 
 fonn of creatures, an angel, and therefore excellent. 
 Indeed, the angels are creatures whom God placeth 
 near to himself; thej' stand about his royal throne, 
 from whom he keepeth nothing but the regal diadem ; 
 and their nature most fully resembleth the divine, who 
 is goodness itself. Upon this account St Austin asserts, f 
 and truly, ipsius diaholi natura, in quantum iialura 
 est, nan est mala, the nature of the devd is still in itself 
 good, yea, very good, because angelical. The Mani- 
 chees and Priscilliauists very confidently affirm that the 
 devil was created by an evil God, and so evil from the 
 beginning ; but when our blessed Saviour saith nan 
 stetit, it manifestly implieth a fuit in veritate, he did 
 not stand, that he was in the truth, a state of goodness 
 and integrity. To this purpose Tostatus well ob- 
 servetbj that the devil is called the wicked one, not as 
 if he were simpliciter et absolute malus, absolutely evil. 
 God, indeed, is called the holy one, because he is so 
 essentially : not so the devil, the wicked one ; and 
 therefore, 
 
 2. Affirmatively. It is not by creation but defection, 
 and apostasy from that state wherein he was created. 
 That the devil has become so evil, he may thank himself 
 for it. God made him an angel of light, but he hath 
 made himself an angel of darkness. It is true, God 
 made him mutably good, inasmuch as he made his 
 will free to choose or refuse ; but this fi-ecdom was 
 only the occasion ; it was his own abuse of that liberty 
 was the cause of his wickedness. Indeed, to be by 
 nature unchangeably good is an incommunicab'e pro- 
 perty of the Deity ; and the reason is plain, because 
 it is only the will of God, which is the adequate rulo 
 of goodness ; so that there is nothing good but what ho 
 wills, and whatever he wills is good. No wonder, 
 then, if the creature whose goodness consists in a con- 
 formitj' to the will of God be capable of a deflection 
 from the rule ; but still, inasmuch as by creation it is 
 invested with a power of willing a conformity to tho 
 
 * Clirysost. ibid. 
 
 t Aug. de civit. Dei, lili. 
 
 i Toslat. in Mat. 
 
 . chap. ; 
 
232 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 rule, and walking according to it, tliis actual defection 
 is not to bo ascribed to God but itself, which, abusing 
 its iuuate liberty, chose to swerve from the diviue law, 
 and so became abominably wicked. And now, by how 
 much the more excellent a creature the devil was at 
 lirst, bj- so much the more vile and evil he is become. 
 It is a known saying, Corniptio ojitiiiii pesslina, the best 
 wine maketh the sourest vinegar ; quaiilo rjiadus altior, 
 taidv lams (jrandior, the higher the place, the greater 
 the fiill ; and therefore the devil being by creation the 
 best, must needs by transgi-essiou be the worst, and 
 60 deserve the name of ii wov?;5oj, the wicked one. 
 
 It v\ould further be inquired, wherein it appeareth 
 that the devil is so wicked ? The discovery whereof 
 is manifest in these five particulars. 
 
 1. He is the wicked one, because he is the first in 
 wickedness, and the ringleader of rebellion against 
 God, rhi -oirii',v, i.e. perdiliim illtim el scelcstiim malo- 
 rum i;He///o)(v», so Justinian,* the wicked one, that is, 
 the desperate inventor of all evil. Observable to this 
 purpose is it, that our blessed Saviour calls him, John 
 viii. 44, ' the father of lies.' He that is the first 
 inventor of anything, is, in the Hebrew phrase, styled 
 the father of it. Jubal, who invented music, is called 
 the ' father of all such as handle the harp and the 
 organ ;' so is the devil the father of lies, because he 
 made the first lie. Indeed, if you survey the pedigree, 
 not only of that, but all sin, you will find him to be the 
 father of it. Our first parents were great sinners, but 
 yet tboy sinned by persuasion. Eve by the serpent, 
 Adam bj- Eve's solicitation ; but the devil had no 
 tempter. The angels are said to ' leave their own habi- 
 tation, not keeping their first state,' (to wit) voluntarily 
 of their own accord, apostatising from that state wherein 
 God had created them, and so rebelling against the 
 divine Majesty. Now look, as it is a great honour to 
 any one to have been the inventor of anything that is 
 excellent, the first in finding out any rare secret, so it 
 is a great aggi-avation of the devil's wickedness, that 
 he was ' first in transgression.' 
 
 2. He is the wicked one, because he is obstinately 
 and immutably wicked ; so Tostatus,f Qida in malo 
 Jiriiialiis ; and Brugensis,' Ciijiis vohiiitus iiiniiiitiihilis 
 a malo ad ivinnn, as he was the inventor of, so he is a 
 persistcr in, wickedness. By creation ho was, and (as 
 hath been already shewed) must be mutable from good 
 to evil. By corruption he is become immutable from 
 evil to good, God justly denying him that grace which 
 should change his will. Indeed, we read in St James 
 his epistle, that the devils tremble, to wit, in respect 
 of the punishment to which they know themselves 
 reserved ; but wo read not of their repenting, no, not 
 60 much as relenting in respect of the sin they have 
 committed, tliough they cannot but know and be fully 
 convinced what they have done, and how repugnant it 
 is to God's law, and consequentl}' to right reason. 
 
 3. He is the wicked one, because he is matiliir sliidio- 
 * Justin, in loc. f Toslat. iu Mat. | Brug. iu Mat. 
 
 iissimus, soIllyricn8,*most industriously wicked : Tovriohs 
 is derived from -okIj. What pains and labour doth the 
 devil take in wickedness ! Among other titles by which 
 sin is called, this is one, that it is ' the work of the 
 devil,' sin being indeed the devil's work, which he doth 
 most unweariedly pursue. Devil in our English lan- 
 guage is quasi, do evil ; indeed, for this many thousand 
 years it hath been his continual employuient, never 
 resting day nor night to perpetrate and promote wicked- 
 ness. The most notorious wicked man is sometimes 
 at rest, and alloweth himself at least a sleeping time, 
 but the devil is always active in sin ; and as he is 
 never well employed, so he is never idle. Christ ' went 
 about doing good,' and he compasseth the earth doing 
 evil : in one word, he is sin's sworn servant, drudge, 
 slave. It is true, sometimes this wicked one trans- 
 formeth himself into an angel of light, maketh a show 
 of holiness ; but it is as true that then he is then most 
 wicked. Nor is the devil more a devil at any time than 
 when he is wrapped up in Samuel's mantle, hypocrisy 
 being a duplicated iniquity. 
 
 4. Heis thewicked one, because fo»(i/Hrn!((te ejjicerc, 
 so Tostatus.f He is a tempter to wickedness, ii cruv/jooj 
 because o I'ti^u^ufj, he is not content to be bad himself, 
 but he draweth others to it. Being himself fallen into 
 misery, ho envied man's felicity, and therefore seduced 
 him to impiety. As he was the first sinner, so he was 
 the cause of sin. He tempts all persons, at all times, 
 in all places ; and for no other end but either to hinder 
 them from good, as he did Paul, who tells the Thcssa- 
 lonians, 1 Thes. ii. 18, he would have ' come once and 
 again, but Satan hindered him;' or else to allure them to 
 evil, as he stirred up David to number the people, and 
 put it into Judas his heart to betray Christ. Indeed, 
 the devil is called in Scripture both a tempter and an 
 accuser, this being his Kiethod, first to draw men to, 
 and then to accuse men for, sin. It was the brand 
 set upon Jeroboam, as denominating him a very bad 
 man, that he ' made Israel to sin.' How abominably 
 wicked, then, is the devil, who maketh persons, nations, 
 yea, the whole world, to sin ! 
 
 5. And yet lastly, that we may take the height, or 
 rather fathom the depth, of his wickedness, he is the 
 wicked one, inasmuch as he vigorously pursueth and 
 constantly perscvoreth in wickedness, because it is 
 wickedness ; not out of any pretended benefit which may 
 accrue to himself, but because it is dishonourable to 
 God and injurious to man. Indeed, pleasure and profit 
 and honour are the arguments by which he pcrsuadeth, 
 and the baits by which he catchctb, the sinner ; but 
 none of these are any motives in regard of himself. 
 Merely the antipathy he beareth to God, and hatred he 
 hath of goodness, putteth him upon endeavours to 
 promote sin in the world ; therefore he delights in evil 
 because God abhorreth it; therefore it is his joy, because 
 it is God's dishonour; finally, therefore it pleaseth his 
 will, because it defaceth God's image. To live in any sin, 
 
 * lllyr in be. f Tostat. in Mat. 
 
Ver. 13, 14.] 
 
 SERMON XXXVII. 
 
 233 
 
 though because of a seeming advantage, is odious ; 
 but to be wicked because it is wickedness, is abominable. 
 No man ever came to such a state of wickedness, but 
 he committed the sin against the Holy Ghost. How 
 desperately wicked, then, must the devil needs be, who 
 sinneth not only Ihuiii/Ji, but hecuKsc, he knoweth it to 
 be sin ! 
 
 To wind up this, then. We all pretend to hate the 
 devil. Oh, then, why do we love sin ? It is an argu- 
 ment which God himself useth to persuade to hohuess, 
 because it is his attribute, ' Be you holy, for I am holy.' 
 Surely it should be a prevalent dissuasion from wicked- 
 ness, because it is the devil's property. As we abhor 
 to be like the devil, let us abhor to be wicked. Indeed, 
 we all defy Sa.ta.n as he is the pursuivantof divine justice, 
 but yet I fear we deify him as he is the god of this world, 
 and the head of the carnal state. Oh remember, if we do 
 his lusts, we own him as our father, whilst yet we 
 pretend to abhor him as an enemy. As therefore we 
 would not be the devil's children, let us cast away our sins. 
 
 And especially take we heed of those degrees of 
 wickedness which denominate him the wicked one. 
 Far be it from us to make wickedness our trade, our 
 business, by customary committing it, as those do who 
 are called ' workers of iniquity;' to make it not only 
 the work of our hand, but our brain, by inventing it, 
 as the}' were whom the apostle characteriseth to be 
 'inventors of evil things,' Rom. i. 30, yea, not only of 
 our heads, but our hearts, by delighting in i*, as they 
 of whom Solomon speaketb, that ' rejoice to do evil," 
 Prov. ii. li ; and which is yet worse, to take the devil's 
 otRco out of his hand by tempting others to sin, as 
 Elymas, who stirred up Sergius Paulus against the 
 truth, whom therefore St Paul called the ' child of the 
 devil, and an enemy of all righteousness,' Acts xiii. 10. 
 
 In one word, let us be so far from imitating the 
 devil as that we learn not to hearken to him, but ra- 
 ther, when he tempts, to answer him in Christ's lan- 
 guage, ' Get thee behind me, Satan.' Be sure, if the 
 devil persuade thee to anything, it is either in itself 
 wickedness, or for a wicked end. \\"hatever show of 
 amity he may profess, or promises of good he may 
 make, yet believe him not ; he is thine enemy, and it 
 is, thongh an apparent good, yet a real evil to which 
 he solicits thee ; for he is the wicked one. 
 
 2. Having given you a view of the enemy, that 
 which nest cometh to be considered is the conquest 
 which all true Christians have over this enemy : ' You 
 have overcome the wicked one.' To give you the full 
 extent of this word, consider it two ways. 
 
 1. As opposed to making peace. It is not you have 
 •made a league with, but you have overcome the wicked 
 one, since there is no way to deal with the devil but 
 by victory. Indeed, in temporal wars the case is ditie- 
 rent ; ]>elliiiii i/eriliir, lit pa.r acqiiirahir, a good peace 
 is the end of every just war ; yea, and a peace, where 
 it may bo obtained, is rather to be chosen than victory, 
 that the effusion of blood may be prevented ; but in 
 
 this spiritual war with Satan nothing less than a con- 
 quest must suffice. The truth is, every Christian sol- 
 dier must either be victor or rictus, a conqueror over, 
 or else conquered by, the wicked one. The devil will 
 not make peace with us upon any terms but that he 
 may be lord over us ; all his fair promises are upon 
 that condition he made with Christ, ' If thou wilt fall 
 down and worship me ;' so that if we make a league 
 with, we are overcome by the devil. 
 
 2. As more than fighting. Indeed, conquest sup- 
 poseth a battle, and victory is preceded with a fight. 
 If it be not so always in temporal wars, by reason of 
 the cowardice of the enemy, yet it is in spiritual, since 
 the devil is too much a lion to be overcome without a 
 combat. Quid aliud quoiidii in imindo, quam pugna 
 adversus diaholum geritur/ saith St Cyprian ;* we 
 must continually make account to be engaged in a war 
 with Satan, so that what is threatened to Asa may be 
 justly said to new-born Christians, ' From henceforth 
 thou shalt have war ' with the prince of darkness. And 
 indeed this is that which maketh for the honour of 
 Christian soldiers ; for, as Maximus Tyrius saith of 
 Hercules, if you take from him rd S>j«;'a xai tou; 
 d-jvaera;, the savage beasts and cruel tyrants «ih whom 
 he grappled, you deprive him of the reputation of his 
 valour. So the graces of a Christian would not be .so 
 illustrious were it not for the devil's temptations. 
 Christians, then, are fighters, and more than fighters, 
 for withal they are conquerors ; nay, if you will believe 
 St Paul, Rom. viii. 37, they are ' conquerors, and more 
 than conquerors.' 
 
 Indeed, it may seem somewhat strange that our 
 apostle should speak of this victory as of a thing 
 already accomplished, whenas (they of whom he 
 speaketb being young men) the war was, as it were, 
 but begun. It is (and justly) accounted a presump- 
 tion in other wars to sing a triumph before the vic- 
 tory, and promise a victory before the fight, like Lucul- 
 lus, who, in the beginning of his tight against Tygranes 
 and Mithridates, cried out, Vici'ints! and Ciesar, whose 
 usual boast was Vciii, ridi, rici, I came, I saw, I over- 
 came ! But in this war our apostle doubts not to 
 affirm of those young soldiers they had overcome, and 
 that liot without good reason ; for, 
 
 1. They are said to overcome the devil whilst they 
 are yet in the fight, because they are sure to overcome. 
 It is not unusual in Scripture to express that as accom- 
 plished which shall surelv be fulfilled. f Thus the 
 prophets often spake of Christ's sufferings, which a 
 long time after were to be undergone, in the present 
 and preterperfect tense ; for this reason might St John 
 thus express this victory. Ind.'el, it is not so in other 
 battles. Aleti belli iiiccitit, the success of war is 
 dubious ; ofttimes the less number, weaker side, and 
 worst cause, gets the day. In this respect it is justly 
 
 * Cyjir. de Mort. 
 
 t Non tam ad spiritualem pugnain incitaf quam certam 
 illis victoriam poUicetur. — Fer. in loc. 
 
2.34. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Cbap. ir. 
 
 said, ' Let not hm that puts on his armour boast as 
 he that puttcth it off ;' they that have gone into the 
 field big with hope Lave returned home with shame. 
 But in this war it is no more but tight, and the con- 
 quest is certain. St James's position is express, 
 ' Eesist the devil, and he will fly from you,' chap, 
 iv. 8. If we staud to it, he runs away ; Satan cannot 
 conquer us without our own consent.* It was his 
 word to Christ, ' Cast thyself down :' he could not 
 cast him dow'u. We may give ourselves into his 
 hands, otherwise he cannot captivate us. Indeed, 
 Christ hath wrought the victory for us ; so the first 
 promise telleth of him that he should break the ser- 
 pent's head, that is, his power and policy ; so the 
 evangelical history records how he overcame in the 
 wilderness Satan's impetuous assaults, Mat. iv. 2, 
 lit oppressHin alijiie conlriluin tradat dhci]iiilis concul- 
 candiiin, as St Jerome excellently,! tl^'^t he might 
 deliver him bruised and subdued, to be trampled on 
 by his disciples. Finally, so St Paul asserts of him. 
 Col. ii. 19, ' Ho spoiled prineip'alities and powers ;' 
 and again, lleb. ii. IG, ' Through death he destroyed 
 him tliat had the power of death, to wit, the devil.' 
 No wonder, then, if all Christians, being engrali'cd into 
 Christ, ' overcome by the blood of the Lamb.' It is 
 safe fighting with a disarmed man and captivated 
 enemy ; well may we be sure of the day who wrestle 
 with a conquered adversary. J 
 
 2. They are said to overcome, because they have 
 begun the conquest. Look how believers are said to 
 have eternal life, bt cause the spiritual life in them is 
 the beginning of eternal; so they are said to over- 
 come, because they begin that conquest which shall 
 never end. Indeed, the church triumphant is on the 
 other side the sun, nor shall a eomphte victory be ob- 
 tained till this mortality put on immortality. The 
 Israelites' march out of Kg\ pt was an emblem of our 
 taking the field against Satan. And when had thej" 
 prevailed? Not till they lodged their colours in Canaan. 
 Only glorified saints are above the devil's reach, but 
 withal we must di&tingui.-h between Satan's command- 
 ing and assaulting power. Every converted Christian 
 is delivered from the one, but not from the other. 
 Satan is not so conquered but that he still layeth 
 siege, yet he is so conquered as that he is turned out 
 of the castle. The devil still rageth, and more than 
 before, but his dominion is taken away ; so that, not- 
 withstanding renewed assaults and particular foils, 
 ho hath no fi.Ked rule in the heart. j As, therefore, 
 St Paul, who bids the Colossians ' mortify their 
 earthly members,' asserting of them just belbrc, ' you 
 
 * Infirmus hnstig qui lion potest viiicoro ni.si volentem. — 
 Jcr. ad Ueviel. Diabolus suadere et soUicitnre jiotest, cogere 
 omnino uon potest ; noii ciiira cogciulo sed suaclcndo noect, 
 ncc extorquet a nobis consensum sud petit. — Auy, lib. vii. 
 liom. xii. 
 
 t Jer. ep. viji nd Doiiietr. J Vide Clirysob scr. ii. 
 
 § Aliud est intra regnare, aliud est extra oii]iugiiurc. — 
 .i^t/y. i« Jv/m, tract, xii. 
 
 are dead,' Col. iii. 3, meaneth, according to Dave- 
 nant's gloss,* iiwrlijicme cajdstis, you have begun to die. 
 So St John intends by this, you have overcome ; that 
 is, you have begun to overcome, yet so as that we 
 must not be weary, but still prepare for more assaults, 
 and so persevere fighting to the end. 
 
 3. They are said to overcome, as iiiclioalice so in- 
 ter/iietatiia. In God's account and estimation, our 
 striving against the devil is a conquest over him. 
 Look, as Abraham is said to ofl'er his son Isaac, when 
 yet a ram was sacrificed, because his will to oti'er him 
 was esteemed by God as if he had done it, so a Chris- 
 tian endeavour to overcome the devil (though we 
 cannot fully master him, nay, are sometimes mastered 
 by him) is accepted as if it were a victory. When the 
 child taketh the bow in his hand, putteth the arrow 
 into the bow, and draweth as far as it can, the f.ither 
 accounts it as if the child had hit the mark ; so doth 
 our gracious God look on the struggling of his servants 
 with Satauical temptations, and our continuing to com- 
 bat is, in his merciful acceptation, a gaining the con- 
 quest. 
 
 To end this. "WTiat an encouragement should the 
 consideration hereof be to us in our Christian warfare ! 
 What though the victory be difficult, not to be obtained 
 without sweat and blood ! Yet it is possible, nay, cer- 
 tain ; if the dilfieulty discourage, let the certainty en- 
 courage. Indeed, there be m:rny inducements to this 
 combat : the authority of our call, having a commis- 
 sion from the King of kings ; the justness of our cause, 
 as being against him who is both ours and God's enemy; 
 above all, tbe assurance of success, as being such a 
 fight as shall unquestionably end in conquest. 
 
 The truth is, on the one baud, if we yield to him ho 
 is an imperious tyrant ; and, on the other hand, if 
 we resist him, he is a timorous coward. The historian 
 said of Alexander, that he was bsivoc ij.a.yJuj.'-Mz, and 
 li,i!,i y.^urriaai, a formidable warrior and a gentle 
 conqueror, but the devil is a cruel conqueror and a 
 faint warrior. This lion, to use St Bernard's expres- 
 sion,! nujirc j)olesl, fcrirc )ion puti-st, may roar, but 
 cannot tear ; riKjiat quaiitma vult, tantmn non J'ltijial 
 avis Cliristi, let him roar as much as he will, only let 
 not Christ's sheep run away. Fight, therefore (accord- 
 ing to St Paul's counsel), this good fight, which is good, 
 as in the cause, so in the event ; jnit/iiate lU i-iiiciilii, 
 viiicile tit coioncmuii (according to St Austin's exhor- 
 tation, fight that you may conquer, and, conquering, 
 bo crowned,! which, that you may be enabled to do, 
 furnish your.selves with choice and excellent weapons. 
 And so I am fillen on the 
 
 3. Next con.siderable, the /i(7//s whereby this victory 
 is attained, in those words, 'you are strong,' and 
 ' the word of God abideth in you.' This wicked ono 
 iu the text, with whom we are to encounter, is such an 
 adversary as wants neither power nor policy, strong h 
 
 * Davun. ibid. 
 
 t Bern, in F's. — Qui habit, aoT.x\\\. J Aug. in loc. 
 
Ver. 13, 14..] 
 
 SERMON XXXVII. 
 
 235 
 
 nor skill, to set upon us. In regard of the one be is 
 compared to a lion, of the other to a serpent ; and 
 truh', in both these respects it may seem strange that 
 we should overcome him ; but these words return an 
 answer to such an objection, letting us see that true 
 Christians have that strength whereby they can grapple 
 with the devil's power, and, by the word dwelling in 
 them, they have that wisdom which can discover and 
 defeat the devil's subtleties. The participation, then, 
 of a divine strength, and the inhabitation of God's 
 word, are the two singular helps by which the wicked 
 one is overcome. 
 
 1. Begin we (and at this time end) with the first of 
 these, as it is briefly couched in these words, ' you 
 are strong.' 
 
 For the unfolding whereof I shall briefly despatch 
 two things, namely, the necessity and nature of this 
 strength. 
 
 1. You are strong, and gi'eat need there is you 
 should be so ; nothing more necessary for a soldier 
 than bodily, for a Christian than spiritual, strength, 
 and that especially on a threefold account. 
 
 1. Soldiers are put upon long and tedious marches, 
 which they cannot perform without strength. It is 
 no wonder if the weak sickly soldier throw down his 
 arms, or lie down in the waj', as being not able to 
 march forward. What else is a Christian's life but a 
 journey, a march, wherein he is to continue to the 
 last ■? but, alas ! how should he do this without 
 strength '? Among the many caveats given us in 
 Scripture, none more frequent than those against 
 weariness and fainting in our minds. Gal. vi. 9, of 
 backsliding and drawing back from Christianitj', Heb. 
 sii. 3, thereby intimating how hard a work it is to 
 perform, and how apt we are to fail and faint ; and 
 therefore in this respect we have need of strength. 
 
 2. Soldiers are exposed to the scorching heat, 
 and the night's cold, to hunger, and thirst, and 
 watching, in a word, to much hardship; and this they 
 cannot endure without strength. St Paul asserts 
 it concerning all who ' live godly in Christ Jesus,' 
 2 Tim. iii, 12, that they must ' suffer persecution;' 
 and elsewhere, Rom. viii. 37, he reckons up a cata- 
 logue of evils very incident to Christians, ' tribulation, 
 distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword;' 
 and if we cannot do good, much less can we sufl'er 
 evil, without this strength. It is the sirong back that 
 can bear an heavy burden, a strong ship which can 
 abide blustering storms, the strong Christian who 
 must take up his cross and undergo afflictions. 
 
 8. Lastly, and most suitable to our present pur- 
 pose, soldiers are to encounter with their enemies, 
 receive and give assaults ; and manj- times the enemy 
 with whom they are to w restle is very potent, so that, 
 without a considerable strength, there is no expecta- 
 tion of a victorv'. Upon this account Christians 
 stand in greater need of strength, since he with whom 
 they fight is, as St John styleth him, the great red 
 
 dragon, Itev. xii. 10, yea, in St Paul's language, the 
 god of this world, Eph. ii. 2. Indeed, when we con- 
 sider that this wicked one is for his natm-e a spirit, 
 an angel, a Sreature which excels in strength, Ps. 
 ciii. 20, hath for number a legion of devils at his com- 
 mand, and if he please to beleaguer ('Ue simple person, 
 wants not power, if God let him loose, to make use of 
 all creatures as the engines of his temptation, we 
 cannot but acknowledge his strength is great, and 
 therefore there is no overcoming him without a greater 
 and surpassing strength. 
 
 2. Cut that which would chiefly be considered is, 
 wherein this strength of a Christian lietb, by which le 
 overcometh the wicked one '? In answer to this, 
 know that it consists in three things : 
 
 1. In a due preparation. The strength of a soldier 
 lieth much in his weapons ; so doth the Christian's. 
 When our blessed Saviour would let us see the devil's 
 might, he calls him the strong-armed man, therefore 
 strong, because armed : and w'hen St Paul exhorts the 
 Ephesians, chap. vi. 10, to be strong, he presently 
 adviseth them ' to put on their armour.' Indeed, 
 what hopes of conquest without our weapons over an 
 armed adversary ! "What the several pieces of our 
 armour are, we shall find there reckoned up ; but 
 among them all, that which St Paul bringeth in with 
 an iTi '^affi, above all, and which St Peter singleth out, 
 is our faith, ' Whom resist stedfast in the faith.' In- 
 deed, as the father * excellently, Increduli iiment 
 diuholam quasi leo7iem, in fide fortes despiciu7>t quasi 
 vermicultnn, whilst unbelievers fear the devil as a lion, 
 the faithful contemn him as a worm. 
 
 2. In a lu'm resolution. Strength of body, of arms, 
 will Httle prevail where there is not strength of mind 
 and a magnanimous spirit. ' Say to them that are of 
 a fearful heart, Be strong,' Isa. xxxv. i, that is, be 
 courageous ; and accordingly they are put together, 
 Joshua i. 7, 'Be strong and very courageous.' To which 
 agreeth that of the apostle Paul in his military pre- 
 cepts, 1 Cor. xvi. 13, ' Quit j-ourselves like men, be 
 strong.' It is not all the wiles and assaults of the 
 devil can beat off a fixed Christian. He saith with 
 Christ, ' Get thee behind me, Satan ;' or in words 
 much like those of David, Ps. cxix. 115, ' De- 
 part from me, thou unclean spirit, fur I will keep the 
 commandments of my God.' In one word, he that 
 goeth out with rcsoUition, and marcheth on with 
 courage, holdeth out with constancy, and cometh off 
 with conquest. 
 
 3. Lastly, In the Spirit's assistance. It is very ob- 
 servable that the apostle, when he would have us be 
 strong, presently addeth, ' in the Lord, and in the 
 power of his might,' thereby teaching us where, and 
 in whom, our strength lieth. Indeed, the preparation 
 we make for the battle is from the Lord, and therefore 
 our armour is called ' the armour of God,' not only 
 in respect of institution, it being that armour which 
 
 * Bern. 
 
236 
 
 HAEDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 he appoints us, bnt constitution, because it is that 
 armour which he giveth us. Besides this, that reso- 
 lution that is in us, is put into us ; it is God must 
 strengthen our hearts, and when both these are 
 wrought, there is still required the Spirit's concurring 
 assistance to enable us in the resistance. He that 
 worketh in us to will, must also work in us to do ; and 
 he that helpeth us to put on, must teach us to use 
 our armour. Look as sometimes when the army 
 which cometh against a city or country is numerous, 
 there is a necessity of procuring foreign supplies ; so 
 is it always with a Christian in his combat with 
 Sa'.an, there is a necessity of calling in heavenly aid. 
 
 To end this, then. Whensoever, O Christian, thou 
 art assaulted by this wicked one, what shouldst thou 
 do but labour to strengthen thyself pgainst him ! But 
 be sure thou presume not upon thine own strength. 
 Remember Peter's denial, and trust not to thine own 
 abiHty ; he is the best soldier in the spiritual war- 
 fare that fighteth upon his knees, seeking to God for 
 grace. Bewail, then, thy own weakness, depend on 
 divine strength, implore the Spirit's enablement, and 
 doubt not but he that begins will finish his good 
 work ; and as he calls thee to the fight by his command, 
 and assists thee in it by his Spirit, so he will crowu 
 thee with success and victorv after it. 
 
 SEKMON XXXVIII. 
 
 / nrite unto >inu, falherg, because ye hare known him that is from the liei/inninf/. I mite unto you, ymiiig men, 
 because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have linowu the Father. 
 I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known him titat is from the beginniny. I have written 
 unto you, youny men, because ye are strony, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the 
 wicked one. — 1 John II. 13, 14. 
 
 T 
 
 HIS is now the sixth time that I have read this 
 scripture in your ears. Not that I like the humour 
 of dwelling upon one test, when the sacred book 
 afJbrds so much variety, but because I have met with 
 so much variety in this one text. Indeed, in these 
 verses, our apostle seemeth, as it were, to erect a 
 school, wherein are three forms : the first of experi- 
 enced fathers, the second of vigorous young men, and 
 the third of hopeful little children. And no wonder 
 if it ask some time to examine these forms, ''and 
 instruct them in their several lessons. Or if you 
 please, you may behold him building three tabernacles, 
 or rather, raising a fabric of three stories, the upper- 
 most whereof is of old men, the middlemost of young 
 men, and the lowest of little children ; in each of 
 which there are several rooms, and some of them very 
 spacious. No wonder if it require many hours to 
 walk through and take a view of them and their in- 
 habitants. Finally, I may call this Scripture a book 
 consisting of three large and fair leaves, for the in- 
 struction of old, young, and little ones; well may it be 
 often read and perused. ' I write to you, fiithcrs,' &c. 
 
 The reason why our apostle writeth to young men 
 is that which we are yet in handling, in which, con- 
 sidered as a commendation, we have observed four 
 particulars. And that which is next iu order to be 
 discussed is the 
 
 2. Second branch of the third particular, as it is 
 expressed in those words, and ' the word of God abideth 
 in you.' It Ls a clause wdiich must be looked upon 
 two ways : in itself, and in its connection. 
 
 1. Look upon the words absolutely, and so they 
 set before us the character of a true Christian : he is 
 one in whom the word of God abideth. And that you 
 
 may see what this meaneth, take a short view of each 
 word. 
 
 1. The ivord is set down indefinitely. It is intended 
 universally for the whole doctrine of the gospel, which 
 consists of precepts, promises, and threatenings. It 
 is the prophet Isaiah's invitation to the embracing of 
 the evangelical doctrine: Isa. Iv. 1, ' Come to the 
 waters, buy wine and milk.' And methinketh, in 
 these three metaphors are fitly shadowed the three 
 parts of the word : the precepts are as water cleansing, 
 the promises as milk nourishing, and the threatening 
 as wine searching, all of which we must buy, and 
 having bought, lay up, or rather drink in. Indeed, 
 hypocrites only suck in the milk, lay hold on the pro- 
 mises, refusing to drink the wine and waters, but 
 the true Christian saith of every part of the word 
 with Hezekiah, ' Good is the word of the Lord,' and 
 accordingly hath regard to it. 
 
 2. Of God. Therefore the word finds entertainment 
 with a godly man, because it is God's word, it being 
 divine authority which awefh the good heart, so that 
 it dares not neglect, much less reject ; and hence it is, 
 that both whatsoever appeareth to be God's word, and 
 only that which so appeareth, finds acceptance. 
 
 8. Abideth. Nor yet is it a slight entertainment 
 which is given to God's word. It not only lodgeth for 
 a time, but takcth up its constant abode. As it is re- 
 ceived, so it is retained, according to that gloss of 
 Eslius ;* Jiilem evanyelii constanter rctinetis, then tho 
 word of God abideth iu, when the faith of the gospel 
 is constantly retained and maintained by us. 
 
 4. In you, that is, within you, not only in the eyes 
 by reading, ears by hearing, understanding by know- 
 * Est. iu loc. 
 
Vem. 13, U.] 
 
 SERMON XXXVIII. 
 
 237 
 
 ing, but in the heart ; the judgment by esteeming, the 
 luimorj- by remembering, the will by consenting, the 
 iili'ectioDs by loving, delighting, and the conscience by 
 subjecting to it. 
 
 I cannot better illustrate this character than by 
 taking a short view of those several metaphors by 
 which it is expressed, of hiding, eatiiiy, graffimj, keep- 
 iiiii, ilweUiiuj. 
 
 David saitb to God, Ps. cxix. 11, 'I have hid thy 
 word in my heai-t ; ' where the Hebrew word signifieth 
 to hide as a treasure. Conceive then, the word as the 
 treasure, the heart as the chest ; this as the cabinet, 
 and that as the jewel. Nor doth the covetous man 
 more carefully lock up his treasure or jewel, than 
 David did, and every good man doth, God's word. 
 
 Jeremiah saith to God, chap. xv. 16, ' Thj- words 
 were found, and I did eat them.' Conceive then 
 God's word as the soul's food, which must be eaten ; 
 that is, not only tasted by the mouth, which is hearing, 
 but taken down into the stomach and concocted, which 
 is meditation. 
 
 Our blessed Saviour, describing the good ground, 
 and distinguishing it from the rest, sets it forth by 
 this character : Luke viii. 15, ' Hearing the word of 
 God with a good and honest heart, and kecpiiui it.' 
 The word being as the seed, which must not only be 
 cast upon, but covered in the ground, and that is, 
 when it is not only heard with the ear, but kept by 
 the good heai-t. 
 
 SI; James calls the word 6,u,f i/roi Xiiyov, ' an enijrajfid 
 word,' James i. 21, intimating, that as the graff is 
 set into, whereby it bccometh incorporated with the 
 tree, so ought the word to be received into our souls. 
 
 Finally, St Paul exhorts the Colossians, chap. iii. IG, 
 ' Let the word of Christ divell in you,' thereby teach- 
 ing us that the word must not only stand at the door 
 of our ears, but enter into the chamber of our hearts, 
 and that not as a guest, to tarry for a night, but as an 
 inhabitant, to dwell with us for ever; and then it is that 
 the word not only is, but abideth in us. 
 
 And now, what should be the care of every one, but 
 that this word may take possession of, and abide in 
 our souls '? God's mercy hath hitherto continued the 
 sound of it in our churches. Oh let us labour to find 
 the power of it in our hearts ! since it will little bene- 
 fit, nay, much prejudice us, to have had it aiiton// us, 
 if withal it abide not in us. 
 
 If we would know whether as yet the word have 
 thus far prevailed, it will best be discovered by re- 
 flecting on the fore-mentioued metaphors. If the 
 word abide in us as a treasure, it will enrich us with 
 heavenly gi'ace ; if as food, it will strengthen us to 
 the performance of spiritual duties ; if as seed, it 
 will make us fruitful in good works ; if as a graft, 
 it will transform us into Christ's own likeness ; if as 
 an inhabitant, it will cast out sin and Satan, and 
 powerfully rule in our hearts. Oh let us endeavour to 
 tind this effectual operation of the word upon the 
 
 hearts ; and that it may be so, take notice that there 
 are four things necessarily requisite : 
 
 1. Apertio, the opening not only auris, of the ear 
 (concerning which David speaketh, Ps. xl. G, and 
 which is a necessary antecedent), but cordis, of the 
 heart, whereof the apostle speaketh concerning Lj-dia, 
 Acts xvi. 14. There can be no graffing without open- 
 ing the tree, nor can the word enter till the heart be 
 opened ; to which end there must be cont'iiio, a break- 
 ing of the heart. As the earth is opened by ploughing 
 and breaking it into clods, so is the heart lij- contri- 
 tion, which is a spiritual ploughing. The door of the 
 soul is so fast baiTed, that there can be no opening 
 without breaking open. ' To him will I look,' saith 
 God, ' that is of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at 
 my word,' Isa. Ixvi. 2 ; whereby is intimated, that 
 God's word is most carefully received by the contrite 
 spirit. Indeed, a broken vessel lets the liquor go, 
 but a broken heart is the best preserver of God's 
 word. 
 
 2. rwfjatio. Besides the opening of the heart by 
 contrition, there must be a cleansing it by reforma- 
 tion. Whilst the stomach is full of ill humours, it 
 either cannot receive, or else will presently cast up 
 the best food. God's word cannot endure a filthy 
 heart, nor will a filthy heart endure God's word. No 
 wonder if St James exhorts to ' lay apart all filthiness 
 and superfluity of naughtiness, that we may receive 
 with meekness the engraffed word,' James i. 21. 
 
 3. Prepaiatio. Nor yet is this all ; but the heart 
 being opened and cleansed, must be fiu"nished and 
 fitted for the entertainment of this heavenly guest. 
 Indeed, what provision the Shunamite made for the 
 prophet, we must in a spiritual sense make for the 
 word, a chamber, a table, a stool, a candlestick, and 
 a bed : a chamber, and that a large one, our whole 
 soul ; a table, and that not of stone, an heart of flesh; 
 a stool, and that a low one, an humble spirit ; a 
 candlestick, and that a bright one, an enlightened 
 mind ; finally, a bed, and that a soft one, even a 
 tender conscience. So will this word vouchsafe to 
 enter in and dwell with us. 
 
 4. Caulcla. And yet once more, there must be a 
 diligent care that this word, after it is received, be not 
 lost. If we would have this word abide with us, we 
 must, according to St Paul's phrase to Titus, avn- 
 yjcSai, hold it fast, to wit, against all opposition, 
 whereby our enemy seeketh to despoil us of it, and 
 according to that apostolical caveat,' ' Take earnest 
 heed to the things wbich we have heard,' /ijjT(.T£ Taca- 
 ^^uij,'j,iv, lest (as leaking vessels) at anj' time we let 
 them slip, and so, instead of staying with us, like a 
 flowing river they pass away from us. 
 
 2. Having thus given you a positive aspect of this 
 clause, be pleased to view it in reflection upon the 
 victory here asserted, which lets us see that, 
 
 hy the abiding of the word of God in us, we over- 
 come the wicked one. Among the several pieces of 
 
2>H 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II.. 
 
 our spiritual armour, -which St Pnul reckoneth up, 
 ' the sword of the Spirit ' is not the least, ' which is 
 the word of God,' because like a sword it cuts and 
 woundeth the devil to the heart ; aud as the sword 
 doth no execution unless taken into and managed by 
 the hand, so neither doth the word unless received 
 into the heart. That encounter of David with Goliath 
 is a fit emblem of the Christian's combat with Satan ; 
 and as he took five stones out of the brook, by one of 
 which, thrown out of a sling, he dashed Goliath in the 
 forehead, so must we have in readiness those five 
 stones of promises, precepts, prohibitions, threaten- 
 ings, and examples, and throw them upon all occasions, 
 in the sling of faith, against the wicked one. Indeed, 
 which way soever the devil sets upon us, God's word 
 in the heart is of singular use and service. If^as a 
 lion, by violent assaults, it is a chain to fetter him ; 
 if as a serpent, by fraudulent wiles, it is a chann to 
 disappoint him. Whatsoever Satan tempts to, the 
 word armcth us against it, since it is some sin or 
 other to which he prompts us, and there is no sin 
 against which it afibrds not powerful antidotes. 
 
 This the devil well knoweth, and therefore one of 
 his principal designs is to hinder us from hearing and 
 receiving this word. No sooner had God given a word 
 to Adam, Gen. ii. 19, but Satan striveth to subvert 
 his faith in the threat, and thereby divert him from 
 obedience to the command. No sooner were the tables 
 of the law written, but the devil endeavoureth to have 
 them broken ; * for so some conceive that the devil's 
 aim in tempting the Israelites to idolatry was, that 
 thereby Mosos might be enraged, and the tables 
 broken. Those fowls of the air, in the parable of the 
 Bower, what are they but the devils of hell, whose 
 work it is to pick the seed of the word which is sown 
 among us, that it may not abide with us ; aud all this 
 because he knoweth it is our best, both ofl'ensive and 
 defensive, weapon. 
 
 It is true, sometimes the devil striveth to turn this 
 Bword into a shield ; alleging (as he did to Christ) 
 Scripture for the justifjang of his tempt itions ; but 
 how falsely and perversely, is obvious in thiit particular 
 instance. But still the Scripture verities are un- 
 doubtedly contrary to his diabolical lies, discovering 
 the subtilty and weakening the energy of his assaults. 
 
 IIow careful then, should every one of us be, both 
 to get and keep God's word, whereby we may be en- 
 abled to resist the devil's temptations, because ho 
 continually watcheth to devour us. Let us every day 
 gird this sword upon our thighs, that he may never 
 find us unprepared. Believe it. Christians, (rod's 
 word is the richest treasury to supply our wants, and 
 the strongest armoury to oppose our enemies. This 
 weapon was that which the captain of our salvation 
 made choice of ; for so you find him in the wilderness 
 retelling Satan's renewed solicitations with a Sciijilxm 
 
 • Viilv Rivet, in Exod. 
 
 est;* and surely it is fit that we, who arc the common 
 soldiers, should make use of the same defence, since 
 Christ purposelj' so dealt with the devil, that he might 
 thereby give us an example. Indeed, as the doves (to 
 use St Gregory's f comparison), seeing the shadow of 
 the ilj'ing hawks in the water, by casting themselves 
 upon it, escape their fury, so holy men, beholding 
 in God's word Satanical subtilties, and addicting them- 
 selves to those sacred counsels, avoid his snares. 
 And as those that live in royal towers and armouries 
 (to borrow St Chrj'sostom's :{ metaphor), are secure 
 from thieves and robberies, so where these spiritual 
 books dwell, diaboUcal power is weakened, and poison 
 expelled. 'The truth is, no arrow is so sharp as those 
 which are fetched out of the Lord's quiver. Those darts 
 which are taken out of God's armoury pierce deepest ; 
 and it is the sword of the Spirit which cuts best. And 
 therefore, however the devil change his weapons, yet 
 yet let us keep ours, making use of this upon all 
 occasions, against all temptations. And so much 
 shall suffice for the third considerable, namely, the 
 helps in the battle. 
 
 4. The last, but not the least, nay, chief observable 
 is yet behind, namely, the combatants, in the you, to 
 wit, young men, whom ho highly commends, in that 
 they were strong, by the word of God abiding in them, 
 to overcome the wicked one. And here is something 
 both implied and expressed. 
 
 1. That which is implied is, that the wicked one is 
 especially an enemj' to young men. None are in greater 
 danger than they, to be drawn to wickedness by this 
 wicked one. 
 
 1. He well knoweth that young men are most capa- 
 ble of doing either God or him service ;§ then they are 
 in the prime of their days, the faculties of their souls 
 most vigorous, the members of their bodies most 
 active, and so fit for employment. No wonder if he 
 chieflj' strive to divert them from God's, and draw 
 them to his service. 
 
 2. Besides, he subtilely obsorveth, that that age of 
 all others is most prone to corrupt all'ectlons and 
 actions. When David saith, Ps. cxix. 9, ' Where- 
 withal shall a young man cleanse his ways ?' whenas 
 yet the question and answer belongeth to every man, 
 "what doth he imply, but that young men are very 
 prone to defile their ways ?|| 'WTien St Paul exhort* 
 Timothy, 1 Tim. v. 23 (who j-et was very weakly in 
 body), to ' fly youthful lusts,' what doth he but inti- 
 mate that lusts are especially incident to youth ? It is 
 St Ambrose his note upon those words of Job, chap, 
 xiii. 2U,f' ' Thou makest me to possess the sins of my 
 
 • Ideo Jesus omnea toiitationcs solis sacris Scriiituris vicit, 
 ut doceret no3 sic pugnure et vinccre.— Ca;W. 
 
 t Gr. M. ill Catit. % Chrysost. hom in .\Iatth. 
 
 j Nulli setati ita insidiatur diabolua, ac adolescontijB. — 
 FcT in loc, Beza ibid. 
 
 II Cereus in vitia flei'ti, monitorilius nspor. — Uorat. 
 
 ^ Ambr. de inter. Job lib. i. cap. 7. 
 
Ver. 13, U] 
 
 SERMO\ XXXVIII. 
 
 239 
 
 youth,' Fulchre id atatis arrijrit ad qucrelam, qua, 
 magis ad ritiuiii luhiica esse coiistiei-it. Very fitly doth 
 he complain of that age, as being most apt to fall into 
 sin. In this respect, youth is called by St Austin,* 
 fios (Ttatis, pcricuhim mentis, as the flower of the age, 
 so the danger of the mind, the mind being then in 
 danger (as St Jeromef observeth), now of dashing on 
 the Charybdis of luxuiy, and then of being plunged 
 into on the Scylla of lust ; yea, innumerable are the 
 Tices which do cleave fast to this age. 
 
 St Austin, comparing childhood, and youth, and old 
 age together, well inferreth to this purpose: if childish 
 and old aj;e be not free from temptations, of which the 
 one is but entering into, and the other is going out of, 
 this life, that but now was not, and this ere long will 
 not be, quid sentiendum est de flagrantid juvenilis 
 atatis, what may we think of young age ! No marvel if 
 it be shaken with the winds and waves of various 
 assaults.! Indeed, those lusts which children are not 
 come to, and old age is past, young men are prone to 
 be carried away with. Not much unlike is that obser- 
 vation of St Ambrose, hahet puerilia innocentiam, 
 seiiectus jnudextiam, etc., childhood hath innocence, 
 old age prudence, only youth is rash in counsels, weak 
 against temptation, and fervent in evil. Thus as the 
 boiling pot sendeth up most scnm, so in flaming 5-outh 
 are the strongest inclinations to passion, uncleanness, 
 intemperance. Aristotle observeth of youth, that it is 
 eager in desire, bold in enterprises, changeable in 
 mind, prone to anger, confident in hope, and presump- 
 tuous of its own knowledge ; qualities which very much 
 dispose them to evil. Besides, men in youth begin to 
 embrace human society, mutual converses, and alas, 
 how easily are they entangled with evil company ; and 
 no wonder if the devil, having so great advantages 
 against, doth with the greatest violence set upon, 
 young men. 
 
 It is a meditation which should teach young men to 
 be so much the more watchful, careful, fearful, lest 
 the}' be caught in the devil's snares. Indeed, there 
 is no time wherein we can be secure, but we have 
 most reason to fear in youth, because we are then 
 most in danger. This old serpent loveth to entwine 
 himself about young men ; this arch-enemy of man 
 thinketh no triumphs like to those wherein he leads 
 youth captive ; and therefore, of all ages, let young 
 men walk in an holy fear of, and vigilant preparation 
 against, diabolical assaults. 
 
 2. That which is expressed is, that these young 
 men to whom our apostle wrote had prevailed against 
 the devil, through the strength of God's word and 
 grace. 
 
 There are three excellencies which especially belong 
 to young men, and whereof they much glory, to wit, 
 strength of body, firmness of memoiy, victory in war; 
 and all these our apostle here attributeth to these 
 
 * Aug. de Temp. Serm. 246. J Aug. 1. d. 
 
 t Hier. ep. i. 
 
 young men in a spiritual and consequently most ex- 
 cellent sense. 
 
 1. Adolescentes delectat el ornat fortilndo corporis, 
 sa'th Ferus upon the text,* bodily strength is an orna- 
 ment of, and delight to, youth. The name for young 
 men here used refers to it, as Justinian observeth ; 
 and it is Solomon's assertion, Prov. xx. 29, ' The 
 glory of young men is their strength.' Lo, here St 
 John commends these j'oung men, in that they were 
 strong, and that not so much outwai'dly as inwardly, 
 in body as mind, in might as grace. 
 
 2. It is a great honour to young men that thoy have, 
 as quick wits, so good memories, whereas children and 
 old men are forgetful. It was the excellency of these 
 young men, that their memories were well employed, 
 to wit, about divine oracles ; they had the word of 
 God abiding in them. 
 
 3. The young is the warlike age. Yoath gloriatur in 
 ririhus, gaudet in luctilnis, glorieth in strength and 
 boasteth in combats. Such was the Bomana jneentus, 
 the Roman j'outh, a people given to war, and delighted 
 in victories. Behold, these young men are happily en- 
 gaged in an encounter with the worst of enemies, over 
 whom they obtain the conquest. And surely, whilst 
 valorous attempts and exploits in civil wars deserve 
 due praises, spiritual victories challenge it much more. 
 Honourable are those young men who are famous for 
 the natural endowments of strength and memory, for 
 the warlike achievements of victories and triumphs ; 
 but happy, yea, thrice happy, are those young men 
 who excel in those heavenly ornaments of strength 
 and grace, retaining God's word and victory over the 
 wicked one. 
 
 And now, ad ros niihi sermo, jnrene-i (to use St 
 Austin's t expression), young men, let me address 
 my discourse to you. You are strong in body ; ay, 
 but are you not weak in grace ? You have marrow in 
 your bones, blood in your veins ; ay, but have you 
 God's word abiding in your hearts ? You are perhaps 
 valorous and victorious in wars with men, but are you 
 not cowards in resisting Satan ? Instead of being 
 victors over, are you not slaves to, hira ? You delight 
 in victories, but are they not such as procLiim you his 
 captives : the assaulting of beauties, to overcome their 
 chastities; the conquering of one another in cups and 
 oaths.or such like impieties'? There is no temptation with 
 which the devil doth more frequently beset young men 
 than that of procrastination. I'he devil's voice is, i/iol 
 TO rraooi, S3=i to /j.iXK',v, so Gregory Nazianzen ; J s.ao/ 
 efi/j.tsoi, d'j^iov Tu ^iHi, so Basil the Great. § That Vox 
 corvina, as St Austin calleth it,|| the crow's note, Cras, 
 eras, give me to-day, let God have to-morrow ; give 
 me the time present, let God be served hereafter. And, 
 
 * Fer. Justin, in loc 
 
 t Aui; (le Tump. Serm. 246. 
 
 J ^az. Oiat. 40. 
 
 § li.n.s. M, In ens qui diffcrunt poenit. 
 
 y Aug. Serm. 71, ad fratri;8 in ercmo. 
 
2 to 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 alas! Low are the greatest part of j-outh miserably over- 
 come by teinpiatiou, whilst (as Clemens Alexandrinus* 
 sadly complaineth) whereas in other matters we are 
 hasty, yea, too oft precipitant, in business of serving 
 God, we are very deliberate, long before we resolve, 
 and when we resolve before we put it in execution. 
 
 Oh that all young men would receive this seasonable 
 word of exhortation. Begin betimes to acquaint your- 
 selves with God's word, and engage in the war with 
 this wicked one. To this end ponder a while on these 
 ensuing considerations. 
 
 1. Possibly, nay, probably, you may not live to be 
 old. Old age is that which none can assure himself of, 
 and comparatively few do partake of it. If the first 
 death overcome us before we overcome the devil, we 
 must needs be hurt of the second death ; and if we 
 overcome not whilst we are young, death may prevent 
 our being old, and so cnt us oft' while we are in the 
 devil's jaws. Oh who would run so desperate an 
 hazard, considering to how many diseases, casualties, 
 the young are subject ! 
 
 2. If you do live to be old, yet consider, 
 
 1. The eonqutst over this wicked one will be the 
 more difficult by how much the longer it is delayed. 
 The proverb saith, A j'oung saint, an old devil ; but I 
 am sure it is hard for a young devil to become an old 
 saint. ])ost thou think it will be so easy to east out 
 this strong man, when he hath had so much time to 
 fortify himself ? Wilt not thou every day become 
 weaker and the enemy stronger, and must not then 
 the victory be harder ? It was much (saith St Chry- 
 sostom t ) that Jonah, after three days' imprisonment, 
 escaped out of the whale's belly ; but it is much more 
 to see au habituated sinner extricate himself out of the 
 devil's snare. Sin and Satan are not like tenants at 
 will, to be gone at a quarter's warning ; the best wis- 
 dom is to crush the cockatrice in the egg. Oh take 
 heed of accustoming thyself to the devil's yoke, since 
 then it will not be a facile work to throw it off! 
 Nay, further, 
 
 2. God may hereafter deny that grace to thee which 
 now thou denicst to thyself; and then it will not be 
 only difficult, but impossible to overcome him. It is 
 a sad doom which God uttereth concerning Kphraim, 
 ' He is joined to idols, lot him alone.' What if God 
 say so of thee. He is addicted to the devil's service, 
 let him alone ! It is but just when men give them- 
 selves over voluntarily, God should give tliem over 
 judicially, to Satan's power, and then there is no pos- 
 sibility of escaping out of his hands. Methinks it is 
 very observable, that only ho who first stepped into 
 the pool, after the moving of the waters by the angel, 
 was cured. Post ent occnsio calva, time must be taken 
 by the forelock. Oh then make haste to list thyself 
 a soldier under Christ's command, lest, if now thou 
 
 * CI. Al. hort. ad gentes. 
 t Chrysoat. ad pop. Antiocli. 
 
 mayest, thou wilt not ; when perhaps thou wouldst, 
 thou shnlt not.* 
 
 S. If through divine gi-ace thou shalt hereafter pre- 
 vail against this wicked one, yet oh what grief and 
 anguish of heart will it be then to thee, that thou wast 
 so long bewitched with the devil's temptations ! How 
 bitterl}' doth David deprecate almighty God ! ' Re- 
 member not against me the sins of my youth,' Ps. 
 XXV. 7. No doubt, out of the deep sense he had of, 
 and sorrow for, them. Qmc fueruiU inania juvenlutis 
 i/aiitlid, hire sunt acerha senectutis rirarnmina ,f the 
 vanities of youth will be the vexation of old age, and 
 if the one be a comedy, all upon pleasure, the other 
 will prove a tragedy of sorrow. 
 
 4. Finally, the only fit and most acceptable time 
 for this spiritual conflict and conquest is the time of 
 youth. ' It is good for a man that he bear the yoke 
 in his youth ' (saith the church). Lam. iii. 27. In- 
 deed, then he is most able to bear it. This yoke, as 
 St Hilary excellently, J non e.rpecttd friijescfiiti^ srnec- 
 tutls annos, ncc emorliuim jam <rtati'm pro vitionoii 
 cotisKctiidiiie, is not for the weak shoulders of old 
 men, who are so much the weaker because sin through 
 custom is become stronger ; yea, as St Ambrose § 
 truly. Quid polext habere Ifiudis ? what thanks is it if, 
 when our body is enervated through pleasures, and 
 the cold frost of old age hath seized on it, we should 
 then offer it to God as a sacrifice ? It is St Basil's 
 note, II that wher^eas s/'f rh riXog is an inscription pro- 
 fixed before many psalms, it is omitted before the 
 fifteenth, which is a breviary of moral precepts, 
 the practice whereof must not be deferred till the end 
 of our lives. Indeed, Mune, as one wittily observeth, 
 is the devil's verb, who tempts us to eoniiinie still in 
 his service ; but God's verb,^ who expects the j?if))vi- 
 iiif/ of our youth to be devoted to him. ^\Tiat the fat 
 was in the sacrifice, that is the strength of youth in 
 God's ser\-ice, veiy acceptable to him, oh let it bo 
 ofl'ered by us. 
 
 The truth is, a young Christian soldier is both most 
 terrible in the devil's and amiable in God's eyes. 
 ' The fig-tree puttoth forth her green figs, and the 
 vines with the tender gi-apcs give a good smell ;' they 
 are Christ's words to his church, Cant. ii. 14. In- 
 deed, no smell so sweet in his nostrils as that which 
 comes from the tender grapes ; and withal (as St Ber- 
 nard"* observeth) Hie odor serj^entes fui/at, venomous 
 creatures cannot endure the scent ; but so soon as the 
 vines put forth, they remove. Quod volo attendant 
 novilii nostri: a comfort to young saints who partake 
 of that spirit whose first fruits the devils abhor. In 
 one word, as it is God's honour and the devil's terror, 
 so it will be our comfort. 
 
 * Fostinnro debc-t unusquisque ad Peuin, nc, si dum potest 
 nohicrit, omnino cum voluerit non possit. — Aug. 
 
 t Anibros. || Baa. M. dc inscrip. 
 
 j Hilar, in Ps c:?viii. lit. Beth, j Qu. ' adverb' ?— En. 
 § Anibros. ilnd. •* Bern. Serm. Ix. in Cant. 
 
Ver. 13, 14.] 
 
 SERMOX XXXVUI. 
 
 241 
 
 Assure thyself, young man, it will be no grief of 
 heart to thee in thy old age, that thou didst begin in 
 youth to engage thyself in this sacred war against the 
 wicked one. Temporis preteriti bene impensi suavts 
 est memoria. Oh how sweet is the remembrance of 
 j'outh well spent ! What a joyful harvest doth the 
 old man reap from the seed time of a religious youth, 
 and with what abundant contentment doth ho gather 
 those ripe fruits of virtue which budded forth in his 
 youthful days ! Oh, then, be wise, you young men, 
 and instructed, you that are of tender years; for God's 
 sake, nay, for your own sake, for his glory, and for 
 your own comfort and safety, give no place to the 
 devil, resist him speedily, resolutely, so shall you over- 
 come him gloriously. 
 
 II. And now, if you be such young men as my text 
 describeth, the instructions here given cannot but be 
 welcome to you. No wonder that our apostle, by these 
 qualifications, as by so many arguments, inciteth to 
 the practice both of the precedent precept and the sub- 
 sequent prohibition. 
 
 1. Love not the world, because you are strong, and 
 the word of God abideth in you, and you have over- 
 come the wicked one. 
 
 He that is given up to the world is wicked, and he 
 that is entangled with it is weak. A strong saint is so 
 far from loving, that he contemneth it, having his con- 
 versation in heaven, Philip, iii. 2. They that by wait- 
 ing on the Lord renew their strength, mount up with 
 wings as eagles, Isa. si. 31, and so are free from 
 death's snares. Worldlj' love will not sufler the word 
 of God to abide in us. This diverts us from bearing 
 and reading the word, as the farm and the oxen kept 
 them in the gospel from coming to the feast ; or, if 
 not so, it keepeth us from loving and conforming to it, 
 as the thorns in the parable did choke the good seed. 
 Herod's lust of voluptuousness, Judas his lustofcovet- 
 ousness, would not let the word take place in their 
 hearts, though it entered into their ears ; indeed, it is 
 impossible that the heart which is clogged with the 
 weight of worldly love, should be lift up to God's 
 commandments. 
 
 2. Again, if we will overcome the devil, we must 
 not love the world, there being no stronger engine by 
 which the devil gets, and keeps, possession of our 
 hearts. When he would allure us to any sin, what 
 are his enchantments but the pleasures of the world ? 
 When he would afl'right us from any duty, what are 
 his weapons but the reproaches and persecutions of 
 the world '? So that, in order to this victory, nothing 
 is more needful than the alienating of our affections 
 from the world. 
 
 3. Love the brethren, because you are strong, and 
 the love of God abideth in you, and you have overcome 
 the wicked one. 
 
 Where there is strength of grace, there cannot but 
 be fervent love, as to God, so to the brethren. It is 
 for weak and sickly persons to be froward ; none are 
 
 more prone to contention and faction than those that 
 are weak in grace and knowledge ; strong Christians 
 are ever studious of amity and unity. Indeed, this is 
 the way to increase our spiritual strength ; and there- 
 fore, when St Paul adviseth to be strong, he presently 
 addeth, ' Let all things be done in love,' 1 Cor. xvi. 
 13, 14 ; and charity is called by him the bond of per- 
 fection. Col. iii. 14. 
 
 Again, if the word of God abide in us, we cannot 
 but love one another. Charity is one of the principal 
 fruits which this seed produceth, a lesson which this 
 schoolmaster teacheth. Excellent to this purpose is 
 that saying of Lactantius, Da mild liom'mem itacundum 
 et lino verho Dei reddam jylacidum, ut ovem. This 
 word turns leopards into kids, lions into lambs, and 
 sweetly cements hearts together in one. 
 
 Once more, if we overcome the wicked one, we can- 
 not but love our brethren. The devil is that envious 
 one who soweth the tares of dissension. Though he 
 preserveth unity in his own kingdom, yet he 
 endeavoureth to create and frame discord among men ; 
 so that, as we cannot more gratify the devil than by 
 malice, so neither can we better overcome him than by 
 charity. The truth is, every envious and malicious 
 person is the devil's slave, but the charitable Christian 
 IS his conqueror. 
 
 4. Having thus run through the reasons which our 
 apostle allegeth why he wrote to fathers and young 
 men, it now remaineth that we give a brief despatch 
 to the last, which is, the reason why he wrote to 
 little children, as it is expressed in the close of the 
 thirteenth verse in those words, ' Because you have 
 known the Father.' 
 
 In the handling whereof I shall briefly consider 
 three things : 
 
 The quality specified ; to know the Father. 
 
 The energy intimated ; knowing the Father, is that 
 which engageth not to love the world, but to love the 
 brethren. 
 
 The congruity to the persons mentioned, ' Little 
 children, you have known the Father.' 
 
 1. Having had occasion already, once and again, to 
 insist upon this grace of divine knowledge, it will not 
 be needful to enlarge ; only know in brief that, 
 
 (1.) It is no other than an evangelical knowledge of 
 God which our apostle here intends. To knosv the 
 Father is to know God to be the Father of Christ, and 
 in and through him, a merciful Father to all true 
 Christians. It is one thing to know God as a creator, 
 or as a lawgiver, and another to know him as a 
 Father. So only the gospel revealeth him, and accord- 
 ingly we come to know him. 
 
 (2.) It is less than an operative knowledge, so to 
 know the Father as to depend on him for fatherly 
 protection from all dangers, and provision of all neces- 
 saries ; as to give him filial love, fear, service, sub- 
 jection to all his fatherly commands, and submission 
 to all his fatherly chastisements. ' They that know 
 
 Q 
 
242 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 thy name,' (saith the psalmist, Ps. is. 10) ' will trust 
 in thee,' and not only trust, but serve and honour 
 thee. 
 
 (3.) It is not a gradual, but initial knowledge. It is 
 not unworthy our observation, that the knowledge of 
 God and Christ is a qualification attributed both to 
 the fathers and the children. Indeed, God is both the 
 A and the n, the first aud the last ; and therefore he 
 must bo known by us in our first and last age : but 
 yet these two knowledges difl'er in degi-ees. Old 
 Christians have a deep draught, whereas little children 
 have but a taste of this heavenly nectar ; and there- 
 fore the expression is varied. Fathers are said to 
 ' know him that is from the beginning,' as being well 
 versed in the mysteries of Christian religion, whereas 
 little children are only said to ' know the Father,' as 
 ha\-ing but some general apprehensions of God recon- 
 ciled in Christ. 
 
 2. This knowledge of the Father, among many 
 others, cannot but produce these two choice effects, 
 to wit, contempt of the world, and the love of the 
 brethren. On the one hand, as the twinkhng stars 
 are obscured by the light of the glorious sun, and 
 therefore they disappear in the day-time, so the beams 
 of this heavenly knowledge darken all creature excel- 
 lencies in our apprehension, and consequently our 
 estimation of, and afiection towards, them must needs 
 be diminished ; on the other hand, this fountain of 
 celestial knowledge cannot lut send forth streams of 
 love, and that, as chiefly towards the Father, so 
 secondarily to all who are the children of this Father, 
 and so our brethren. 
 
 3. This qualification of knowing the Father is very 
 congruously attributed to the children. Infantihm et 
 jiueris nihil mcKjis necessoriiiiii quam ut patrem hahcant 
 et cof/noscatit, saith Fcrus well ;* nothing is more need- 
 ful for infants and children than that they should have 
 and know the Father. The weakness of little children 
 needs the conduct and government of another ; they 
 cannot consult for their own safety and benefit, and 
 therefore their parents undertake it for them. By 
 this means it is that the child first taketh notice of 
 Lis father and mother ; according to that of the poet, 
 
 Ineipc, parvc pucr, ri&u cognoscere matrem : 
 
 and hence those pretty monosyllables by which father 
 and mother are expressed, are first taught and learnt 
 by their children so soon as they can speak. And 
 surely, as it becometh little ones, so soon as they are 
 capable, to know and own their parents, so is it an 
 amiable excellency in them to attain some knowledge 
 of God as their Father. Nothing more natural to 
 children (when once reason begins to act in them) 
 than to desire knowledge ; no knowledge to which a 
 child sooner taketh, than that of the fatlicr. But oh, 
 how joyful and haj)p3' a thing is it when, through in- 
 struction, the}' begin to apprehend him who is the 
 * Fer., Gualt., Dan., Lor., in loc. 
 
 father of us all ; and this is the commendation of these 
 children, that they know the Father. 
 
 To wind up this, 
 
 1. It is that which should be, in the first place, an 
 item to parents, that they be careful to train up their 
 children in the knowledge of the Father. parents, 
 you arc industrious to provide wealth and riches for 
 j-our children, but why are you not more solicitous to 
 obtain grace and knowledge for them ? You take a 
 great deal of care to enrich their bodies, but why so 
 little for the adorning of their souls ? What is this, 
 but (to use Plutarch's * comparison) as if one should 
 be very curious about the shoe, and neglect the foot, 
 or exact in trimming the glove, whilst the hand is 
 foul. Perhaps you endeavour that your children may 
 attain some kind of knowledge, to wit, in the tongues, 
 or arts and sciences, in a trade and calling ; and 
 herein you do well, learning being a far better portion 
 than riches, without which the wealthiest heir is but 
 an ass laden with gold. But, O parents, why stay you 
 here ? there is one thing more needful than either of the 
 other, and that is, the knowledge of the Father. What 
 difference is there between a pagan and a Christian 
 parent, if your onl}- care be to acquaint children with 
 secular aflairs, or educate them in philosophical studies ? 
 Oh let it not suffice that your children are instructed 
 in human, whilst they are ignorant of di\ine, learning. 
 
 Tell me, I beseech you, is it not a sad thing, and 
 yet I would to God it were not too common, that little 
 chikben, through your neghgent education, should 
 swear so soon as they can speak, and learn to blas- 
 pheme that God whom yet they have not been taught 
 to know. Such parents (saith St Chrysostom f) are 
 worse than homicides, nay, than parricides ; for these 
 take away only the bodily hfe of their parents, but 
 those do what in them lieth to cast the souls and 
 bodies of their children into hell ; and whilst, by 
 generation, they were the instruments of their temporal 
 life, through neglect of good education, they become 
 at least the occasion of their eternal death. It is a 
 doleful story which is reported by Gregory the Great 
 to this purpose,! of a child of five years old, which, 
 being carelessly, or rather wickedly, brought up, was 
 given to blaspheming God's holy name ; and being, a 
 little after, smitten with death, the poor child crieth 
 to the father. Help, help, the Moors are come to take 
 me away, and so blaspheming God, it died, no doubt 
 to the horror and perplexity of the wicked father. It 
 is a sad thing when children, in their old age, shall 
 have cause to complain that their parents had no caro 
 to bring them up in learning ; but is it not far more 
 sad, that children in hell shall cr}' out against their 
 parents, because they had no regard to iustruct them 
 in the knowledge of God ? 
 
 Let, then, all parents be admonished of this neces- 
 
 * 1 lut. •Tipi Tatit/v ttyuynt, 
 
 t Clirysost. HI), iii. iu laud, vita) Itrinast. 
 J Gr. M. dial. lib. iv. cap. xviii. 
 
Ye?.. 13, U,] 
 
 SEKirON XXXVIII. 
 
 243 
 
 sary dnt}- which they owe to their chilJren. Children 
 are sometimes called jnijnora, pledges ; so they are of 
 God's love to us in bestowing them on us, so they 
 ought to bo of our love to God in consecrating them 
 to him. They are compared to arrows, Ps. csxvii. 4, 
 as they are at first directed, so afterwards they fly. 
 Oh let it bo your endeavour that they may be directed 
 upwards towards heaven by divine knowledge. It 
 much conduced to Alexander's prowess and victory in 
 his wars, that his fiither Philip caused him to be brought 
 up (as it were from his cradle) in military discipline. 
 Oh let it be the prudent piety of all parents to teach 
 their children betimes tho knowledge of the Christian 
 warfare, and to that end to begin with the knowledge 
 of the Father. 
 
 2. But, secondly, let me turn my counsel from the 
 parents to the children, whom I cannot better bespeak 
 than in David's words, Ps. sxxiv. 11, ' Come, ye 
 children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you the 
 knowledge and fear of the Lord.' You know your 
 earthly parents ; ay, but labour to know your heavenly. 
 You know ' the fathers of your flesh ; ay, but strive to 
 know ' the Father of yom- spirits.' You are expert, it 
 may be, in Homer's* Odes, Virgil's Eclogues, Cicero's 
 Orations ; oh, but strive to get understanding in 
 David's Psalms, Solomon's Proverbs, and the other 
 plain books of holy writ. Manna was to be gathered 
 in the morning. The orient pearl is generated of the 
 morning dew ; aurora inusis arnica, the morning is a 
 friend to the muses. Oh ' remember thy Creator,' 
 know him in the morning of thy childhood. When 
 God had created the heavens and the earth, the first 
 thing he did was to adorn the world with light, and 
 separate it from the darkness. Happy is that child 
 on whom the light of saving knowledge begins to dawn 
 early. God in the law required the first-born, and 
 the first fruits, so ho doth still our first days to be 
 offered to him. They are wisdom's own words, Prov. 
 viii. 15, 'They that seek me early shall find me.' 
 Where a rabbin observeth a J is added to tho verb 
 more than usual, which in numbering goeth for fifty. 
 With this note that early seeking hath not only twenty, 
 or thii'ty, but fifty, nay, indeed an hundi'cd fold recom- 
 pence attending on it. He that is long before he 
 seekcth God, I will not say he shall not at all, but it 
 may be long ere he find him. Oh begin early, whilst 
 yet you are children, to seek the knowledge of God. 
 
 The better to induce you hereunto, consider, my 
 good children, 
 
 1. You were in your very infancy, almost as soon 
 as bom, dedicated to the Father, being baptized in 
 the name of the blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost ; and will you not, now that you begin 
 to have the use of your understanding, endeavour to 
 know the Father ? You are already his sworn servants 
 and soldiers, will you be ignorant of him to whom you 
 are sworn ? 
 
 * Qu. ' Horace's ' ?— En. 
 
 3. If you do not now begin to know the Father, 
 you will be less docible hereafter. Alas ! how hard is 
 it to instil knowledge into old years. Can it be 
 imagined that that tree which doth not bud nor 
 blossom in the spring, should bring forth fruit in 
 autumn, or should flourish in winter ? Now, in your 
 childhood, your wits are fi-esh, your apprehension 
 quick. Oh employ them in studying and gaining the 
 divine knowledge, so much the rather, because hereby 
 you shall put to shame those ignorant old ones, who 
 have lived long, and yet with the Ninevites know not 
 the right hand from the left. 
 
 3. Your parents may prove unnatural and forsake 
 you; however, they are mortal, and when death comes 
 must leave you ; but your Father in heaven livoth for 
 ever, and if you know and serve him, he will love 
 you, and take care for you, he will never leave you 
 nor forsake you. The hen is not more tender of her 
 chickens, nor the shepherd of his lambs, than this 
 universal Father (as Clemens Alexandrinus calls him*), 
 is of his little ones, towardly and hopeful children. 
 You may guess at God's love by Christ's respect, who 
 commanded little children to be brought unto him, 
 and blamed those that kept them from him. It was 
 David's comfort, Ps. xxvii. 10, ' When my father and 
 mother forsook me, then God took me up.' It may 
 be yours, my little children ; if you endeavour to know 
 and love the Father, when your parents either cannot 
 or will not help you, he both can and will provide 
 for you. 
 
 Once more, your dear Eedeemer and blessed Saviour 
 Jesus Christ began himself betimes, and was so well 
 skilled at twelve years old, that he disputed with the 
 doctors in the temple ; hereby giving you an example, 
 which though it cannot be expected you should 
 equalise, 5-et it is required you should follow. We 
 find in the Gospel little children going before Christ, 
 and following after him, with hosannas ; and it is the 
 praise of Jeroboam's child, 1 Kings xiv. 13, that there 
 was found in him some good thing toward the Lord 
 God of Israel. little children, write after these 
 copies, so much the rather, because with Jeroboam's 
 child you may die early ; and what a comfort will it 
 be to yourselves and parents, if then there shall be 
 found in you some knowledge, and love, and fear of 
 your Father which is in heaven ! 
 
 To end all, what remaineth but that all of all ages, 
 fathers, young men, little children, make use of this 
 scripture, as a looking-glass, whereby they may see 
 what they are, at least what they should be, that they 
 may be all, according to the gracious promise, Isa. 
 liv. 13, ' taught of God,' from the greatest to the 
 least, eldest to the youngest ? And, then, the 
 psalmist's exhortation will be readily embraced, Ps. 
 cxlviii. 12, ' Young men and maids, old men and 
 children, let them praise the name of the Lord from 
 this time forth for evermore.' Amen. 
 * CI. Al. Pa;dag. lib. i. cap. v. 
 
2i4 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 SEEMON XXXIX. 
 
 Love not the world, neither the thinr/fi that arc in the world. If any wan love the world, the love of the Father is 
 not in him. For all that is in the world, the last of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, ix not 
 of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doth the 
 will of God abidethfor ever. — 1 John II. 15-17. 
 
 T HF, subject of this scripture is one of tlie chiefest 
 and most needful lessons in all practical divinity, 
 since it is retnorens prohibens, a document of remov- 
 ing that which is one of the greatest hindrances in 
 the exercises of Christianity. Indeed, what the 
 stumbling-block is to the traveller in the way, the 
 weight to the runner in his race ; or, to use St 
 Austin's comparison, lime-twigs are to the bird in its 
 flight ;* that is the love of the world to a Christian 
 in his course, either wholly diverting him from, or 
 greatly entangling him in, or forcibly turning him out 
 of it. This is one of the fetters which keepeth so 
 many from entering into the path of piety ; this is 
 one of those suckers which hinder others from growth 
 in holiness ; finally, this is that which, like a con- 
 trary wind to the ship, beateth back many from their 
 former profession. The truth is (as Calvin well ob- 
 serveth on this placet), till the heart be purged from 
 this corruption, the ear will be deaf to divine instruc- 
 tions. Hercules could never conquer Antreus, donee 
 d terra matrecuin levasset , iiW he had lifted him up 
 above his mother earth ; no more can the Spirit of 
 grace subdue us to the obedience of the gospel, till he 
 hath lifted up our hearts from earthly love. Heavenly 
 truths glide off from carnal minds, as water from a 
 spherical body. No wonder, then, if the apostle 
 Paul, exciting the Hebrews to ' run the race which is 
 Bet before them,' Heb. xii. 1, adviseth them to 'lay 
 aside every weight,' to wit, of worldly care. And 
 here the apostle John, intending chiefly in this whole 
 epistle to advance a Christian conversation, en- 
 deavours in these words to take men oft" from worldly 
 affections : ' Love not the world, nor the things of the 
 world,' &c. 
 
 The discourse of these words moveth upon two 
 principal wheels, namely, 
 
 A ccmimand peremptorily inhibiting, which is 
 
 Propounded in the beginning of the fifteenth verse, 
 ' Love not the world, nor the things of the world.' 
 
 Expotuided in the sixteenth verse, ' All that is in 
 the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 
 and the pride of life.' 
 
 An argument strongly enforcing, which is drawn 
 from two considerations : 
 
 The one in regard of worldly love, its direct con- 
 trariety to that which is divine, as it is 
 
 * Kst quod ad ]irofecluni amattir, et est qiunl ad impodi- 
 mentum ntiiatur. Quod amos in terra imiietlinienluin vicua 
 est pennarum spiritualium, &c. — Aug. de Uiveriis, Serm. 
 114. t Calv. in loc. 
 
 Asserted in the end of the fifteenth verse, ' If any 
 man love the world, the love of the Father is not in 
 him ;' 
 
 Proved in the end of the sixteenth verse, ' For it is 
 not of the Father, but of the world.' 
 
 The other in regard of the world itself, its fleeting 
 instability, which is 
 
 Affirmed in the beginning of the seventeenth ver.-^e, 
 ' And the world passed away, and the lusts thereof.' 
 
 Amplified from its contrary, the permanent felicity 
 of the religious, in the end of the verse, ' But he that 
 doth the will of God abideth for ever.' 
 
 So that though the grand wheels of this period are 
 but two, yet we find many lesser wheels, yea, rotani in 
 rold, every wheel having another withiu it. 
 
 The first main wheel is the prohibition, and in that 
 is another wheel, the exposition. The second wheel is 
 the argnmeiit, and in that two wheels, the double 
 motive, each of which hath a wheel within it ; whilst 
 the first motive is backed with a probation, and the 
 second with an illustration. May that blessed Spirit 
 of grace vouchsafe to drive the chariot of ray discourse, 
 which shall run in order upon these wheels, and then 
 I doubt not but we shall attain that which is (I trust) 
 the goal of my preaching and your hearing, namely, 
 our reformation and salvation. 
 
 The prohibition is that which I am to begin with ; 
 and that, 
 
 1. As propounded in these words, ' Love not the 
 world, nor the things that are in the world.' 
 
 This is in order the sixth step of that walking in the 
 light, which (I have heretofore told you) is the chief 
 design of tliis epistle to delineate : the first, whereof 
 is a sorrowful confession of sin past, chap. i. 9 ; the 
 second, a cordial for.^aking it for the time to come, 
 chap. i. 3 ; the tliird, an obediential keeping the com- 
 niaudnient, ver. ; the fourth, a sedulous imitation of 
 Christ, Ver. 10 ; the fifth, a Christian love of the 
 brethren ; and now, the sixth is an alienation of our 
 head * from the world : ' Love not the world,' &c. 
 
 What the intent of this prohibition is will best 
 appear by inipi ring what is the proper notion of the 
 word world in this place. Not to trouble myself and 
 you with giving an acc<iunt of its several acceptions in 
 sacred writ, be pleased to know to our present pur- 
 pose, that (to use St Austin's similitude f) as an 
 house is taken sometimes for the walls and rooms 
 whiih constitute the hcjuse, and sometinu^s for the 
 family whicli iu!ialiiteth the house, so by the world is 
 • Qu. ' heart "^—Kd. f Aug. iu Joliau. 
 
Ver. 15-1 7. J 
 
 SERMON XXXIX. 
 
 215 
 
 meant sometimes the tbings, and sometimes the per- 
 sons, of the world ; and both these constructions ex- 
 positors make use of here. 
 
 Some * by the u-orhl understand the men of the 
 world, and so conceive that which followeth ' the things 
 of the world' to be distinct from ' the world,' and that 
 this act of love is here forbidden about a double object. 
 
 Otliersf by the world understand the things of the 
 world, and accordingly conceive the latter to be an ex- 
 plication of the former. That whereas when he said, 
 ' Love not the world,' it might have been inquired, 
 What, blessed apostle, is this world which we must 
 not love '.' To prevent this objection, he presently 
 addeth, ' nor the things of the world.' 
 
 1. The former of these interpretations is neither 
 improbable or unprofitable, and therefore I shall not 
 wholly pass it by : ' Love not the world,' that is, love 
 not the men of the world. For the right understand- 
 ing of which prohibition observe these three things. 
 
 (1.) Though icurld be here taken for the men in it, 
 yet this must be construed not yniK^c,, but tibixui:, 
 generally for all men, but with restriction to wkked 
 and ungodly men. For in this sense it is frequently 
 used by this writer, as it were easy to instance in 
 several places of his Gospel, John i. 10, xv. 18, and 
 in some of this epistle, especially in the fir.-^t verse of 
 the next chapter, wherein I shall (God willing) enlarge 
 upon this appellation, as given to the wicked. For 
 the present it may suffice to know, that if we here in- 
 terpret tbe uorld of persons, it must be confined only 
 to the unregenerate and ungodly of the world. 
 
 (2.) This world of the wicked men, which we are not 
 to love, is not to be understood of the men, but their 
 wickedness. When the devil is said to be the 
 ' prince of this world,' by our Saviour, John xii. 20 ; 
 and tbe ' god of this world,' 2 Cor. iv. 4, by St Paul, 
 it is no doubt intended, as only of the wicked of the 
 world, so in regard of their wickedness ; and in the 
 same restraint it must be here taken, when we are en- 
 joined not to love them. J Look as when the apostle 
 Paul forbids us to be ' confonned to the world,' Rom. 
 xii. 2, his meaning is that we should not conform to 
 their sinful manners, vicious practices. So when the 
 apostle John forbids us to love the world, if we refer 
 it to men, it is to be nnderstood as intending to for- 
 l)id a love to their sins, not to their nature. The 
 Irnth is, as men they are the works of God's hand, and 
 so to be loved on his score ; they are our own flesh, and 
 so to be loved upon our own account ; only as wicked 
 the}' are the devil's children, and so not to be loved, 
 but hated. Very observable to this purpose is that 
 expression of St Paul to the Ephesians, chap. v. 11, 
 ' Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of 
 darkness,' he meaneth, have no fellowship with the 
 workers ; but yet he very aptly saith the works, since 
 
 • Zanch. in loc. t Didym. ibid. 
 
 I Si naturam spectes, diligeudi : si vitia non item. — 
 Justin. 
 
 it is in reference to their works that we ought to 
 avoid fellowship with the workers. 
 
 (3.) Once more, we must distinguish a double love, 
 to wit, amor henevolcnticc , et compldcenliie, a love of 
 benevolence wherebj' we wish well to, and a love of 
 complacency whereby we take delight in, another. The 
 love of benevolence is commanded, and that in regard 
 of wicked men, toward whom we must exercise com- 
 passion, for whom we must make supplication, desir- 
 ing and endeavouring their eternal welfare. But the 
 love of complacency is forbidden, since we ought to 
 avoid, nay, abhor all familiar society with the un- 
 godlj' ; and so this lore not may very fitly be expounded 
 by that have no fellowship ; not that all kind of com- 
 merce and communion with the wicked is prohibited, 
 but that this commerce must be a matter of necessity, 
 not of choice. We cannot but live among them, but 
 we must not delight in them ; we may upon just 
 occasion have society, but we must not love the com- 
 pany of the wicked. This is that precept whereof 
 holy David hath set us a pattern, when he saith, Ps. 
 xvi. 2, ' All my delight is in the saints, and the ex- 
 cellent of the earth ;' again, Ps. csix. 63, ' I am 
 a companion of all them that fear thee ;' and again, 
 ver. 115, ' Depart fi'om me, you evil doers : for 1 will 
 keep the commandments of my God.' Upon which the 
 gloss well, Abif/it taiiqiuim niuscas inolestas, he driveth 
 them awaj' as so many troublesome flies. Thus must 
 we keep at a distance from wicked men, and shun all 
 familiar intimacy with them. 
 
 And surely would we seriously consider the great 
 danger of love to, and familiarity with, the wicked, not 
 only in regard of suspicion that we are as they, which 
 brings a scandal upon our names, but of infection and 
 destruction, since we can hardly escape without 
 being involved in their iniquities and calamities ; it 
 could not but be a strong inducement to the observa- 
 tion of this apostolical canon, ' Love not the world,' 
 that is, the wicked men of the world. 
 
 But not to insist on this exposition, proceed we 
 to the other, which to me seemeth more genuine, and 
 that because both the distribution of this world's love 
 into several sorts of lusts, and likewise the arguments 
 by which it is dissuaded, especially that of the world's 
 passing away with its lusts, are most congruous to 
 this latter construction, ' Love not the world, that is, 
 not the things of this world.' 
 
 In the unfolding whereof I shall plainly proceed by 
 these five steps : 
 
 1. When we are forbidden to love the world, and 
 the things of it, it is to be restrained to this sublunary 
 and terrestial world. Miindi nomine intellige quicquid 
 ad jiresentem ritam special, so Calvin aptlv',* by the 
 things of the world we are to understand those things 
 which belong to this present life. We cannot have a 
 better expositor of St John than St Paul, and then 
 the ra fv TtZ xoV/iw will be the same with the to, evi 
 * Calv. in loc. 
 
24G 
 
 HAllDT OK 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 r^s 7?s, elsewhere, Col. iii. 2, ' The things of the 
 ■world,' that is, ' the things which are upon the earth,' 
 those things which appertain to our animal and sen- 
 sible life, in opposition to heavenlj- and spiritual 
 things ; and if you jilease to distinguish the ivorhl, and 
 the th iiu/s of it, you may, with one upon the place, by 
 the world understand this life, or our abode in this 
 world ; and by the things of it all those contentments 
 which this life can afford to us. 
 
 2. It is not unfitly taken notice of by Ferus,* that 
 the apostle doth not say, K.rite mundo, but NuUte 
 dUi(jere mimdiim, leave the world, but do not love it. 
 Excellent to this purpose is that of St Gregory,! Sic 
 teneamus ea giiic sunt hiijusmudi, rU tamcn per ea non 
 taicamur, we must so possess the things of this 
 world, that we he not possessed by them. Indeed, 
 for the leaving of the world, and the things of it, we 
 must have a just and special call, or else it becomes 
 sinful ; we must not go out of this world at our own 
 pleasure, but wait God's leisure, saying with good old 
 Simeon, ' Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in 
 peace.' Sapiens non debet ftigere vita, sed e.viie, said 
 Seneca, A wise man must not break prison doors, only 
 be willing to go forth when they are set open. We 
 cannot stay longer in, and we must not go sooner out 
 of, this world, than God pleaseth. We must not need- 
 lessly divest ourselves of those comforts which God 
 affords us in this life ; since it were both unthankful- 
 ness to the giver, whom we haselj- undervalue by 
 casting away his gifts, and an injury to ourselves the 
 receivers, who hereby should be tlisenabled from being 
 so serviceable as we might in our generation. That 
 forsaking of ' house, brethren, sisters, father, mother, 
 wife, children, lands,' to which Christ promiseth ' an 
 hundred Ibid and eternal life,' Mat. xix. 29, is when 
 it is ' for his name's sake,' so that either we must 
 deny his name or lose life, and leave these secular en- 
 joyments, otherwise the general prohibition is not 
 possess not, but love not. 
 
 3. It is very aptly observed by St Austin, J that the 
 apostle doth not say, Koliie nti mnndo, but Nidite 
 dlliycre mundum, Do not use the world, but do not 
 love it. He that, not loving the world, uscth it, useth 
 it as not abusing it, inasmuch as he useth it not for 
 itself, but in order to that which he lovclh, as the 
 father excellently eulargeth. So long as we live in, 
 we cannot but have use of, the world, and the things 
 in it ;§ we stand in need of them, we cannot subsist 
 without them, aud consequently not only may, but 
 must, make use of them. IJut as Bcda well glosseth,]] 
 Vlamur niunilo ad nccessilateni et non. ad rohint(ite>n,*i\ 
 use the world for the supplying your necessities, but 
 not for satisfying your lust. With Gideon's three 
 
 • Fer. in loc. t Gr. M. licjiu. xxxvi. in Evang. 
 
 X Aug. lib. V. eoiilra. Julian. 
 
 § Cuiicta teniiiorulia U8U non affcctu possidcnmus. — Gr. 
 JU' in Ezeh. Ijom. xx, lib ii. 
 
 11 Bcdu iu loc. f Qu. ' voluiitatcm ' ?— Ed. 
 
 hundred soldiers, Judges vii. 5, G, we may lap the 
 waters of this world with our tongues, hut we must 
 not with the rest bow down our bodies to di'ink of 
 them. One hath wittily obseiwed of the three ages of 
 man, that children creep on all four, being unable to 
 stand of themselves, young men go on two legs, and 
 old men on three, being necessitated to use their staff ; 
 it may be here applied, wicked men are wholly carried 
 downwards to this world. The saints in heaven trample 
 upon the world, the godly whilst in this world use it 
 only as a staff for their necessary support. Excellent 
 to this purpose is that of St Austin concerning these 
 temporal things,* Ilis tanquam tahuld in finctihus bene 
 utendo carebimus, we must look upon them as so many 
 planks in the waves, which we neither rest upon as 
 firm, nor yet cast away as needless, but use as helps 
 to carry us to the shore. 
 
 4. It is observed by Suidas,f that the Greek word 
 dya-Trai (which is the word in the text), hath two signifi- 
 cations, the one whereof is general, and the same with 
 fi7.'.iv, noting only an ordinary affection; the other 
 special, amounting to as much as, agxs/^a; rm /.al 
 fj.r,ii> TXiov i'r;^)ir£;», to be SO pleased with any object, 
 that we desire nothing else. According to this, that 
 note of St Austin upon the text is very apposite : No7i 
 te pioliibet dens aniare ista, sed non dUiijcrc ad beati- 
 tudinem, it is not every kind of love which is here 
 prohibited, but so to love them as to make them our 
 chiefest good. 
 
 For the further explicating of which, be pleased to 
 know that, 
 
 1. Love, as an ancient hath well defined it, is delec- 
 tatio cordis ad aliqnitl, per desideriam currens, per 
 (/(tndiun) acquiesccns, J the enlargement of the heart 
 towards an3' object, so as to run to it by desire, aud 
 rest iu it by delight. So that, indeed, love is a 
 compounded mixed affection, made up of desire in 
 craving, and joy in having the object we love. And 
 accordingly, some critics observe, of the verb aya-av, 
 hero used, that it is as much as ayav 'roOiiaOai, or uyav 
 rrausiv, to be very earnest after and pleased with that 
 which is beloved. 
 
 2. It is not unlawful to look upon the world, and 
 the things in it, as objects of our love, both in regard 
 of desire and delig'.it. When our lilessed Saviour 
 commands us to pray. Mat. vi. 12, ' Give us this day 
 our daily bread,' by which synecdochically all temporal 
 conveniences are intended, he doth hereby ])lainly 
 intimate, that wo may desire them, prayer being an 
 expression of desire. When Solomon saith, Eccles. 
 ii. 2-i (and that not in the person of an epicure), 
 ' There is nothing better for a man, than that he 
 should eat and drink, and that he should make his 
 soul enjoy good in his labour,' what doth ho but in- 
 sinuate, that to delight ourselves in earthly things is 
 allowable. Indeed, whatever is good may justly be 
 
 * Aug. mus lib. vi. cap. 14. t Suid. in diet, ayxrit. 
 X Lib. de substantia dilocfiouis, in Aug. T. iv. 
 
Vee. 15-17.] 
 
 SERMON XXXIX. 
 
 247 
 
 the object of love, and consequently, when absent, of 
 desire, when present, of dehght ; so that inasmuch as 
 there is a goodness, and that originallj' implanted by 
 God, in those things which are the works of his hands, 
 they cannot but rationally attract our love. 
 
 3. But then, lastly, there is a gi-eat deal of differ- 
 ence between ordinata charitas, and inonUnata cupi- 
 diuis, an ordinate charity, and an inordinate love, and 
 though that is commendable, this is to be condemned. 
 So that the true meaning of this prohibition will best 
 appear in two propositions. 
 
 (1.) Love not the world, nor the things of the world, 
 that is, when you want them, desire not inordinately 
 after them. Desire them we may, but not, 
 
 [l.J In an unjust way, so to covet these things as 
 to seek them joer fasque nefasque, by indirect and 
 unlawful means. That we choose rather to break the 
 rules of the word, than to want the things of the world, 
 is sinful and abominable. The streams of our atl'ec- 
 tion may move towards the world ; but then it must 
 be in the right channel, in God's way, only in the use 
 of those means which he alloweth us. 
 
 [2.] With an undue measure. So to long for any- 
 thing in this world, as that we will not be content 
 without it ; like Kachel, that cried, Gen. xxs. 1, 
 ' Give me children or I die,' nor yet content with it; 
 like the horse-leech that still crieth, ' Give, give,' Prov. 
 sxx. IG, is immoderate, and consequently inordinate. 
 The stream of our affections, after this world, must 
 not rise too high so as to overflow the banks. 
 
 [3.] To an unfitting end ; when we crave the things 
 of this world upon base and sordid accounts, asking 
 (as St James saith, chap. iv. 3), ' to consume them 
 upon our lusts,' our love is eshorbitant ; the stream 
 of our afl'ection toward the world must not turn aside 
 into by-creeks, but run into the main ocean of God's 
 glory. 
 
 (2.) Love not the world, nor the things of it; that is, 
 when you have them, delight not inordinately in them. 
 Delight in them we may, but not sine Deo, without 
 God ; so as if we enjoy them, it matters not for God's 
 presence, supra Deuin, above God, so as to give the 
 pith, the marrow, the cream of our afl'ectious to them, 
 only propter Deiim, in and for God. Delight in them 
 wc may, but as the cisterns, not the fountains of our 
 good, as they may be means, not as the chief end 
 wherein our bliss consists. In one word, all the 
 things of this world, as they are benefits conferred by 
 God on us, and as they may be helps leading us to 
 God, may be loved by us ; but not under any other 
 notion, for then it is irregular, and cometh within the 
 compass of this prohibition. 
 
 5. Lastl_y, this of St John, 'Love not the world, 
 nor the things of the world,' may very well be ex- 
 pounded by that of St Paul, Gal. vi. li, ' The world 
 is crucified to me, and I to the world;' and if so, 
 then there is more intended than expressed. This 
 negative will include an afiirmative, love not ; that is. 
 
 contemn, disdaiu, scorn, hate the world, and the 
 things of it, when they would alienate thy heart from 
 God. Indeed, then is the world crucified to a Chris- 
 tian, when it is to his heart what a crucified dead 
 carcase is to his eyes, to wit, odious and loathsome. 
 Then is a Christian crucified to the world, when he is 
 as unwilling to move according to the solicitations of 
 the world, as a crucified man is unable to stir hand or 
 foot ; and he that is thus afl'ected, is so far from being 
 in love with the world, or addicted to, that he is 
 estranged from, yea, enraged against it. And thus I 
 have given you a short, and yet a just, account of the 
 design and latitude of this prohibition. To wind it up 
 ia a brief application. 
 
 You see the sin forbidden ; now view your practice. 
 I would to God that all, even the best of us, had not 
 just reason to charge the guilt of this sin upon our- 
 selves. Worldly love is an epidemical disease, and 
 such as good men sometimes fall sick of ; even they 
 who would not enjoy this world with the loss of a 
 better, are yet unwilling to enjoy the other world with 
 the loss of this. Gladly they would have the honey 
 and milk of Canaan, and yet loath they are to part 
 with the onions and garlic of Egypt. Indeed, some 
 there are who rail upon this world as a place of 
 trouble and disquietment, but yet still they love ; like 
 the buyer who saith, ' It is naught, it is naught ; but 
 when he is gone, he boasteth,' Prov. sx. 14, to wit, 
 how good a pennyworth he hath got. If you ask any 
 man whom he loveth best ? his answer will be, God ; 
 and yet if many, nay, most men would put the ques- 
 tion seriously to themselves, the answer must be, the 
 world ; yea, he that hath made the best progress in 
 learning this lesson, will find upon due search, that 
 he loveth the world too much. 
 
 The better to help you in this inquiry, be pleased 
 to observe these ensuing particulars. 
 
 1. Would you know your delectation? Take notice 
 of your meditation. David affirmeth of the blessed 
 man, Ps. i. 2, ' His delight is in the law of the Lord;' 
 and he confirmeth it by this medium, ' and in his law 
 doth he meditate day and night.' It is his assertion 
 concerning himself, Ps. cxix. 97, ' Oh how I love thy 
 law;' and the proof foUoweth, 'It is my meditation 
 all the day.' The truth is, Ubi amor, ibi oculus, where 
 there is fervency of love, there is frequencj' of thoughts. 
 Oh then, consider what is it your thoughts most run 
 upon, what are your morning and evening meditations. 
 Do not the things of this world lie down in the even- 
 ing, and rise up with you in the morning ; nay, walk 
 with you all the day, whilst your minds arc still busied 
 either about getting, or keeping, or increasing them? 
 and if so, can you acquit yourselves from this inordi- 
 nate love. 
 
 2. Would you discern your affection, view your 
 election. Our love, saith St Austin,* is never so fully 
 tried as when two objects arc proposed, whereof the 
 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
24.8 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. TI. 
 
 one mnst be embraced and the other refused, the one 
 taken and the other left. Whilst two men walk to- 
 gether, you cannot tell whom the dog foUoweth ; but 
 when the time of parting cometh, then the dog mani- 
 festeth who is his master. Put the case, Christian, 
 to thyself, what if the absence of God's lore, and the 
 enjoying of the world's comforts, come in competition, 
 which wouldst thou cleave to '? Certainly elhiere and 
 dUifjere. go together, that which is thy choice is thy 
 love. Oh how manj' with Demaa forsake the faith, 
 that they may embrace this present world ! 2 Tim. 
 iv. 10. 
 
 8. Would you find out the mistress's haunt ? Trace 
 her handmaids. Fear and grief are the two attendants 
 upon love. The poet saith, 
 
 Bes est solicit! plena timorie amor. 
 
 Doloris will stand in the verse too, and is as true of 
 the things. Love is full both of fears and tears, afraid 
 lest it should lose, and troubled when it hath lost, its 
 beloved object. How solicitous was David for Absa- 
 lom's safety, and how perplexed at the news of bis 
 rain ! And whence this but from his endeared affec- 
 tion towards him ? When Christ wept for Lazarus, 
 the Jews presently cried out, ' See how he loved 
 him ! ' John xi. 3G. And when we see men so fearful 
 of death, which taketh them out of this world, and of 
 all those evils which spoil them of these present con- 
 tentments ; yea, when we behold them so exceeding 
 sorrowful and heavj' under outward crosses and losses, 
 may we not justly say concerning them, See how they 
 loved this world and the things of it ! 
 
 4. Would you know the frame of your hearts ? Ob- 
 serve the language of your lips. ULi amor, Hi lingua, 
 as well as ociiliis- not only the eye, but the tongue, 
 are guided by the heart: ' Out of the abundance of the 
 heart' (saith our blessed Saviour) 'the mouth speak- 
 eth.' And may it not be said to many as the maid 
 did to Peter, Mat. xxvi. 73, ' Thy speech betrayeth 
 thee,' whilst their communication is earthlyand sensual, 
 chiefly, nay, only, about inferior objects ? Siu-elj' the 
 things we are most frequent in talking of we fake most 
 delight in. How great lovers must they be of the world 
 whose discourse tends to nothing else; yea, even upon 
 holy days, when they rest from servile works, yet thej' 
 will not cease from secular words ! Indeed, the world- 
 ling's breath savourcth of earth ; you may trace his 
 tongue from the market to the exchange, thence to the 
 quay or wharf, thence to the custom-house, and thence 
 to the warehouse, but seldom to the church. And doth 
 it not plainly argue the vessel of the heart is full of 
 the liquor of worldly love, when it runs so constantly 
 over in worldly language ? 
 
 5. The fervour of our contention clearly manifests 
 the intention of our love. It is St James his question 
 and answer, chap. iv. 1, 'Whence come wars and 
 fightii)j,'s among you ? come they not hence, even 
 from the lusts that war in your members ?' And St 
 
 Austin*' is positive : Qui de nunnlo cniiteiidil, perspicue 
 osteiidit, quod ilium diligit, men do not use to contend 
 about what they care not for ; whilst your emulations, 
 strifes, quarrels are so great and fierce one with an- 
 other about worldly matters, it strongly argueth they 
 have possession of your hearts. She for whom the 
 gallant adventures his life in the field, is very probably 
 concluded to be his mistress. Surely the world com- 
 mands thy heart when it engageth thee in litigious 
 quarrels. 
 
 6. Lastly, You may very rationally judge of your 
 aflfections by your actions, your love by your care, 
 your delight by your service. When we read that 
 Jacob served an hard apprenticeship to Labau, and 
 that no less than fourteen years for the gaining of 
 Kachel, we may certainly infer that he loved her 
 greatly. Men would never lay out their time and 
 strength so incessantly in the world's drudgery, were 
 she not mistress of their afl'ections; yea, which doth 
 the more fully proclaim their love, their labour is a 
 pleasure. They are never in their element but when 
 like the fish they are swimming in these waters, or like 
 the mole they are digging in the earth. 
 
 By all these considerations we may be able to dis- 
 cern whether our love be not inordinate towards this 
 world and the things thereof; and therefore such as 
 we ought to be deeply sensible of, affected with, and 
 bumble for. 
 
 And now what remaineth but that to this word of 
 conviction I annex a word of dehortation, that we all 
 endeavour to wean our hearts from the love of this 
 world ? Oh hearken, and again I say hearken, to 
 this spiritual and heavenly voice (as it is called by 
 St Cyprian t), ' Love not the world, nor the things of 
 the world.' Indeed, as Seneca saith of sorrow, I may 
 say of love, I do not require that you should not love 
 it at all ; but I earnestly entreat, take heed that you 
 love it not too much. The truth is, our afl'ections, in 
 regard of worldly matters, are very prone to excess. 
 In heavenly things it is impossible to exceed, in earthly 
 things it is difficult not to exceed. Our grief quickly 
 dcgenerateth into anguish, our fear into trembling, 
 our desire into impatience, our delight into jollity, and 
 our love into dotage. Oh therefore be wise to watch 
 the outgoings of your hearts after worldly objects, and 
 remember that as it is of the two best when brotherly 
 kindness erreth on the right hand by loving too much, 
 so when worldly love offends on the left hand by loving 
 too little. 
 
 (Ecumenius upon the text| conceiveth that tumto. 
 tJi 's-ai&ioig \iyii, the apostle writeth these things as to 
 children, who are most apt to be taken up with sen- 
 sual objects; but doubtless, as one well glosseth,§ 
 Opiime omnibus coiigniil, there are none of any ago 
 but stand in need of it. Beware that you be not en- 
 gaged and fettered with worldly love. We read con- 
 
 * Aug. in loc. X (Ecumen. in loc. 
 
 t Cypr. do diecipl. et habitu. i Justiu. ibid. 
 
ViiR. 15, 16. J 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 
 2 to 
 
 ceming the living creatures mentioned by the prophet 
 Ezekiel, chap. i. 7, that the soles of their feet were 
 like the soles of a calfs foot.' The Chaldeo para- 
 phrase readeth it 'like round feet.' The feet are an 
 emblem of our affection ; and it is observed of spherical 
 bodies, that if you set them upon the ground, they 
 only touch it in one point. So should our affections 
 touch this world ; not too much cleaving to or leaning 
 on it. Dioscorides maketh mention of an herb which 
 he calleth the Indian leaf, and observeth that it 
 groweth in moorish, fenny places : Aqiui- sine ulld 
 rat/ice innaluiis, swimming in the water without taking 
 any root in the bottom. Let this herb be our emblem. 
 Whilst we live in, let us not love, the world ; and 
 though we make use of it to swim in for a time, let 
 not our hearts take root by an inordinate love. 
 
 The main dissuasives from this sin we shall meet 
 with in the text; only consider for the present, tbat 
 this worldly love is unreasonable, injurious, ungrateful, 
 and unchristian. 
 
 1. It is unreasonable. There are two eminent laws 
 of love which are directly broken by tbis practice : the 
 one is siinili (laudere, the other is dUir/eiitem diUgere, 
 like loveth like, and love requireth love. But, alas ! 
 when we love the world, we love that which is unlike; 
 there being no proportion between our noble souls and 
 this world's good. Indeed, our souls were made after 
 the divine image and similitude, and therefore not 
 made for the love of this inferior world. Besides, 
 when we love the world, we love that which, as it 
 doth not give, so neither can it repaj', love. At the 
 best it is only capable of seiTing, not of loving, us ; 
 and why should we so pervert the nature of love as to 
 love the world ? But further, 
 
 2. It is injurious to ourselves, as well as incon- 
 gruous to love, since by loving the world it becometh 
 our enemy. It seems strange, yet it is a truth, the 
 world is only a foe to them that love her. If we use 
 
 her, she is an obsequious servant ; but if we love her, 
 she is a mahcious enemy. It is observed of the 
 shadow, seqiientem Juyil, fwjientem sequitur, if you 
 follow it, it flieth from you ; if you fly from it, it fol- 
 loweth after you. It is proportionably true of the 
 world, if you contemn it, it will fear you ; if you lovo 
 it, it will domineer over you; and that known proverb 
 of fire and water, may justly be applied to the thmgs 
 of the world, they are good servants, but bad masters. 
 Add to this, 
 
 3. It is ungrateful to God, as well as injurious to 
 ourselves. All these things of the world are the 
 largesses of God's bounty, the streams of his goodness; 
 and is it not an odious ingratitude to doat upon the 
 gift, and neglect the donor ? Very apposite to this 
 pui-pose is St Austin's similitude,* If an husband, 
 being in a far country, should send a ring to his 
 spouse out of his ardent affection to her, would he 
 not, might he not, justly take it ill at her hands, if 
 she should forget her husband, and fall in love with 
 the token ? Thus do we when we cast God behind 
 our backs, and set our eyes upon this world. 
 
 Finally, it is unchristian, there being nothing more 
 unbeseeiiiing a Christian profession, than a worldly 
 conversation. Being Christians, we profess the faith 
 and hope of a better world ; we entitle ourselves the 
 children of God, and shall we live and love as the 
 children of this world ? It is our Saviour's argument 
 to his disciples. Mat. vi. 33, ' After these things do 
 the Gentiles seek,' and because they do, we should 
 not, at leastwise not as they do it, with such immo- 
 derate affection. And, therefore, whilst mammonists 
 like ravens feed on garbage ; like the lapwing, make 
 their nest in ordure ; or like beetles, never sing but in 
 a bed of dung ; let us have higher thoughts, nobler 
 desires, purer joys, learning of this holy apostle, not 
 to love the world, nor the things of the world. 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
 SEEMON XL. 
 
 Loie not the iiorld, neither the things that are in the teorld. 1/ any man love the icorld, the love oj the Father is 
 not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of thejlcsh, the lust of the etjes, and the pride of life, is 
 not of the Father, hut is of the world. — 1 John II. 15, IG. 
 
 rj^HE passions of the soul in their own nature are 
 _L neither, in their exercise are either, morally 
 good or bad. Look as a painter's colours, according 
 to the several pictures which they draw, represent a 
 chaste matron and a wanton strumpet ; or as the winds, 
 according to the several corners whence they blow, 
 serve to drive the ship forward and backward; so the 
 affections, according to the object whereabout they are 
 conversant, become either helps or hindrances, virtues 
 or vices ; yea, what the astrologers say of the planet 
 Merciu-y in the horoscope of man's nativity, if it be 
 
 in conjunction with a fortunate planet it is the better, 
 if with an ominous the worse, is more truly affirmed 
 of the passions : when they are joined to good objects, 
 they advance virtue ; and when to bad, they increase 
 vice. 
 
 No wonder, then, if the holy Scripture take so 
 much care about regulating our affections. Indeed, 
 the Stoics would banish and extirpate them, and there- 
 fore say to them as Abimelcch to Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 16, 
 ' Go from us, for thou art much mightier than we ;' 
 but the Christian rel gion would only confine, or rather 
 
2.30 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 refine, them by defining their proper objects. There 
 is no need of draining up these waters, only of divert- 
 ing them into thou- right channel, of plucking them 
 up, only planting them in a good soil. Wo must not 
 use them as Joshua was to deal with the Amalekites, 
 Exod. svii. 11, wholly cut them ofi"; hut as he did 
 by the Gibeonites, Josh. is. 23, make them ' hewers 
 of wood, and drawers of water for the house of God.' 
 Indeed, as one wittily, man fallen is the anagram of 
 man created, his affections (like letters) misplaced, so 
 that there is no need of blotting them out, only placing 
 them in their right order. 
 
 Upon th:s account it was that we find in sacred 
 writ both precepts and prohibitions, commands and 
 caveats, exhortations and dehortations, in reference to 
 the same atl'cctions, sometimes in the same verso ; so 
 Christ to the disciples. Fear not, but fear; to the 
 women at the cross. Weep not, but weep. Oft- 
 times in the same chapter, as in this concerning the 
 affection of love, if you cast youi' eyes in the foregoing 
 verses, you shall find those two objects which we are 
 to love : God, ver. 5, and our brother, ver. 9 ; and 
 here in this verse that single, though comprehensive 
 object which we must not love, ' Love not the world, 
 nor the things that are in the world,' &c. 
 
 Having despatched the general proposition in the 
 beginning of the fifteenth verse, we are now, according 
 to the proposed method, to descend to the particular 
 exposition, as it is set down in the former part of the 
 sixteenth, ' All that is in the world, the lust of the 
 flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.' 
 
 This clause, which I call the exposition, you see is 
 a distribution, intended no doubt for a fuither and 
 fuller explication of that prohibition ; but wljuther of 
 the object or the act, is somewhat questionable, since 
 on the one hand the word world refers to the object, 
 and on the other the word InJ refers to the act. In- 
 terpruturs conceive that lust is taken metouymioally 
 for the object lusted after, and so account it a distri- 
 bution of the object, but withal it is of the object 
 in reference to the act. And when I observe that 
 this all is positively denied to be of the Father, I 
 think it more rational to construe this ■s-av by Tciaa 
 iTiSu/jLia, all to be every lust that is in the world, and 
 so take it as a distribution of the act, discovering the 
 several channels in which worldly lo\c runneth. 
 
 It is inquired by the schoolmenj whether this dis- 
 tribution do completely enumerate the causes of all 
 sin, and it is affirmatively resolved. Calvin, upon the 
 text, conceiveth it not much material whether it bo 
 exact or no. No doubt these are the principal, and 
 all sins may some way or other be reduced to one of 
 these. 
 
 If you please, take a short view of the several refer- 
 ences of these lusts, whereby they are differenced one 
 from another. 
 
 * Concupiscentia pro re concupiscibili. — Zanch. in he. 
 I CI Alens cum iiliis. 
 
 Serrai'ius upon the text* hath thus ranked them : 
 that good which is immoderately desired, is such as is 
 really received into us, about which is conversant the 
 lust of the flesh ; or which is only transmitted by 
 species to the sight, and so the object of the ' lust of 
 the ej'es ;' or which is neither received by itself, or 
 by species into us, but is altogether without us, and 
 to this tends the pride of life. 
 
 Alexander Hales, f out of St Austin, goeth another, 
 and in some respects a contrary, way, asserting exor- 
 bitant lust to be either about bonum iiiferiits, some 
 inferior sensual good, which is the lust of the flesh ; 
 or exleriiis, some external, visible good, which is the 
 lust of the eyes ; or iiiterius, some inward, opinionated 
 good, which is the pride of life. 
 
 Aquinas distinguishethj: the inordinate appetite of 
 man to be after good, either as considered absolutely, 
 or as it is attended with difficulty. The former is the 
 inordination of that which is called the concupiscible 
 appetite ; and this is either in respect of those things 
 that please the bod}-, which is coiiciijiiscentia natiiralis, 
 the natural desire, but in the excess, the lust of the 
 flesh, or of those things which by sight delight the 
 imagination, which is concuiiiscentia uniinalis, an animal 
 desire, and in the excess, the lust of the eyes. The 
 latter is the irregularity of the irascible appetite, and 
 is the pride of life. 
 
 Some not unfitly allude to that distinction of sins 
 into carnal, spiritual, and of a mixed nature. Those 
 sins which take sensible delight in sensible objects are 
 purely carnal, and these belong to the lusts of the flesh ; 
 those which take mental delight in mental objects are 
 purely spiritual sins, and belong to the pride of life ; 
 those which take an inward debght in outward objects 
 are of a mixed nature, and belong to the lust of the eyes. 
 
 The most plain and usual reference of them is of 
 the lust of the flesh to sensual pleasures, of the lust of 
 the eyes to riches, and of the pride of life to honours ; 
 and so the voluptuous, covetous, and ambitious, are 
 the sinners guilty of these lusts. ThisGrotius§ looketh 
 upon as the genuine meaning, and so much the rather, 
 because he conceiveth this sentence to be borrowed 
 from the ancient Hebrews, whence Pythagoras received 
 it, and fi-om him Clyuias, who meutioncth these three 
 as the cause of that injustice among men, fiKribrma,, 
 •B-AEoi/Ej/a, fiXodo^ia, correspondent to which is that 
 of Philo on the decalogue, asserting it is the fountain 
 of all wars among men to be ic;t'u,a/a rj j/»»!,u,arw», ij 
 ^''Ji;, riridotri;, the evil lust cither of wealth, or honour, 
 or pleasure. But what the large extent, and withal the 
 principal intent, of these scverals are, will best appear 
 in the distinct handling of thoin. 
 
 The number, you see, is threefold ; and before I go 
 further, I shall a while descant upon them jointly. 
 
 If you cast your eyes upon the fifteenth verse of 
 the third chapter of St James, you shall find a tripartite 
 
 * Sei-rar. in loc. t Aqniu. ta. 2ip. 9, 8, art. 5. 
 
 J Al. AI. pt. 2a. 9, 159. § Vide Grot, in loo. 
 
Ver 15, 16.] 
 
 SEKMON XL. 
 
 251 
 
 division of worldly wisdom into earthlj, sensual, and 
 devilish, to which methinketh very fitly corresponds 
 this division of worldly love, the lust of the flesh being 
 sensual, the lust of the eyes earthly, and the pride of 
 ■ life devilish.* 
 
 We read in the foregoing verses of three ages of men 
 to whom our apostle v\-rote, mimely, children, young 
 men, and fathers ; and each of these lusts is especially 
 incident to each of these ages. Men in the beginning 
 of their days are most prone to the lusts of the flesh, 
 in the progi'ess of their age to the pride of life, and in 
 their old age, to the covetous lust of the eyes. 
 
 In the close of the foui'teenth verse of this chapter, 
 St John speaketh of ' overcoming the wicked one,' that 
 is, the devil ; and if you would know what are the 
 chief temptations with which he doth assault, and 
 which if we repel we overcome him, they are here pre- 
 sented to us. The fruit with which he tempted our 
 first parents in the garden, Gen. iii. 6, was ' good for 
 food :' that was a lust of the flesh ; ' pleasant to the 
 sight,' and so came in the lust of the eyes ; ' and to be 
 desired to make one wise,' and that was the pride of 
 life. After four thousand years' experience, the devil 
 could not find out better weapons, and therefore with 
 these he sets upon the second Adam in the wilderness, 
 tempting him to the lust of the flesh, when he would 
 have him turn the stones into bread to satisfy his 
 hunger ; to the lust of the eyes, saith St Austin,! when 
 he bid him cast himself down out of curiosity ; say 
 others, and more probably (with the leave of that 
 reverend father), when he shewed him all the kingloms 
 and glory of the world ; and to the pride of life when 
 he persuaded him to east himself down, which was no 
 doubt for that end, to lift him up with arrogant pre- 
 sumption. 
 
 With these temptations it is that he]doth still assault 
 the children of men, so that I may not unfitly compare 
 them to Solomon's threefold cord, by which he draws 
 men to iuiquity ; to the flesh-hook with three teeth, 
 by which the priest's servant robbed the Lord's sacrifice ; 
 to Hippomene's three golden apples, by which he endea- 
 vom-ed to hinder Atalanta'srace ; to Joab's three darts, 
 by which he wounded Absalom to the heart ; to the 
 Chaldeans' thi-ee troops, ;]; (with St Bernard) by which 
 they plundered Job of his goods ; or to St John's three 
 nnclean spirits. Rev. xvi. 13, crawling upon and de- 
 filing us. 
 
 It is Christ's call to his spouse, Cant. iv. 8, * Come 
 with me from Lebanon, look from the top of Amana, 
 fi-om the top of Shcnir and Hormon, from the lions' 
 dens, from the mountains of the leopards.' Ghislerius 
 understaudeth by these three mountains § these three 
 lusts : the pride of life, by the mountain of Lebanon, 
 which is exceeding high, and upon which grow the tall 
 cedars ; by the top of Amana, from whence thej' might 
 
 * Gerard de consummat. sa;cul. 
 f Aug. do vira relig. cap. xxxv. 
 J Bcru. 8a pascli Serin, i. § Gliisler. ibid. 
 
 see a great way, the lust of the eyes ; by the top of 
 Hermon, a fruitful hill, the lust of the flesh ; and 
 these are the mountains on which wicked men range 
 like leopards, and the dens of those lions, the devils. 
 These are those lusts which oppose the three grand 
 desigus of our life, our own salvation, others' good, 
 and God's glory. Whilst the lust of the flesh warreth 
 against our soul, the lust of the eyes maketh us un- 
 charitable to others, and the pride of life robs God of 
 his glory. Correspondent to these three great sins, 
 it seems not improbable that God hath appointed those 
 three sore judgments : * the famine, as a punishment of 
 the lust of the flesh ; the plague (which causeth 
 blotches and sores), of the lust of the eyes; and the 
 sword (which bringeth nations low), of the pride of life. 
 As armour against these three darts, the papists 
 superstitiously use a threefold anointing in baptism, 
 to wit, of the loins, the breast, and the head ; but 
 (which is far better) the grace of God teachethto 'live 
 soberly,' in opposition to the lust of the flesh ; 'justly,' 
 in oppositioii to the lust of the eyes ; ' and godly ' 
 (which is a walking humbly with God), in opposition to 
 the pride of life. And which is best of all, our blessed 
 Saviour prescribes three duties (which by the schools 
 are made the three parts of satisfaction) : fasting, as a 
 remedy for the lust of the flesh ; alms, as an eye-salve 
 for the lust for the eyes ; and prayer, as an antidote 
 against the pride of life. 
 
 To draw yet nearer. These three are ' all that is 
 in the world ;' they are the world's cursed trinity ; 
 according to that of the poet, 
 
 Ambitiosus honos, opes, et fccda voluptas ; 
 Haec tiia pro trino numine mundus liabet, 
 which wicked men adore and worship as deities ; 
 in which regard Lapide opposeth them to the three 
 persons in the blessed Trinity : f the Just of the eyes 
 to the Father, who is liberal in communicating his 
 essence to the Son and the Spirit ; the lust of the flesh 
 to the Sod, whose generation is spiritual and eternal ; 
 the pride of life to the Holy Ghost, who is the Spirit 
 of humility. That golden calf, which, being made, 
 was set up and worshipped by the Israelites in the 
 wilderness, isnotunfitly made use of to represent these: 
 the calf, which is a wanton creature, an emblem of the 
 lust of the flesh ; the gold of the calf, referring to the ■ 
 lust of the eyes ; and the exalting it, to the pride of 
 life. Oh, how do the most of men fall down before 
 this golden calf which the world erecteth. 
 
 If you please, you may conceive the world as making 
 a feast to entertain her lovers ; and here are the three 
 courses which she provideth for them : the first for 
 food, the lust of the flesh; the second for sight, 
 the lust of the eyes ; the third for state, the pride 
 of life ; or as entertaining them with a musical concert, 
 which is made up of three parts : the bass, the lust 
 of the flesh ; the tenor, the lust of the eyes ; and the 
 treble, the pride of Ufe. 
 
 * Al. Al. Ps. 4ta. t Lap. in loc. 
 
25 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [C.IAP. II. 
 
 Once more, you may very well call these three lusts 
 the elements of the sensual worki, the lust of the flesh 
 being as the fire in regard of its burning violence ; the 
 lust of the eyes as the earth, because about things 
 which the earth aflbrds ; and the pride of life as the 
 air or wind, which puff's or swells men up. 
 
 Xot to enlarge further, the world is here represented 
 to us as an hydra with three heads, or like Cerberus, 
 that three-headed dog, which the poets feign to be the 
 porter of hell. Worldly love is here set forth as a tree 
 spreading itself into three main boughs, whence sprout 
 forth the bitter fruit of all sins ; or as a mother bringing 
 forth three monstrous daughters, with which most of 
 the sons of men fall in love witli. 
 
 At this time I shall only give you a view of, 
 1. The eldest daughter, which is the lust of the 
 flesh ; for the better understanding whereof I shall 
 discourse of it first in general, then in particular. 
 1. In general, be pleased to take notice, 
 (1.) That this wordy? s/t is used several ways in Scrip- 
 ture, as Cassian hath observed. I shall not mention 
 all its exceptions, only know that it is taken in seiisu 
 Optimo, pe^mimo, medio ;* in a good sense, for a tender 
 frame and soft disposition of the soul, whereby it is 
 capable of receiving the impression of grace, and ready 
 to yield obedience to God's commands. In this notion 
 it is the matter of the promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ' I will 
 give you an heart of flesh.' 
 
 In a very bad sense, for the native and inbred cor- 
 ruption which overspreads soul and body, whereby we 
 become averse to all good and prone to whatsoever is 
 evil ; and of this St Paul speaketh when he sailh, 
 Eom. vii. 23, 'In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no 
 good.' 
 
 In a middle sense, for the inferior part of man, his 
 body, which chiefly consists of flesh and blood ; and 
 thus we read, 2 Cor. vii. 1, of ' cleansing ourselves 
 from all tilthiness of flesh and spirit,' that is, of body 
 and soul, and in this sense Calvin not unfitly here 
 taketh it. 
 
 (2.) That the lust of the flesh is used in Scripture 
 two ways, sometimes very largely, as comprehending 
 in it all vicious lusts whatsoever, in which notion flesh 
 is to be understood of original corruption, and is as 
 the fountain of lust ; and, inasmuch as there is no 
 evil to which our natural pravity doth not incline us, 
 the lust of the flesh in this sense is as it were the 
 r/enii.s, whereof the several evil desires which arise in 
 our hearts are the species ; and in this notion is that 
 of St Paul, Gal. v. 8, to be construed, ' Walk in the 
 Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.' 
 And indeed for the most part, where we read of the 
 lust of the flesh, ii is to bo construed in this large ac- 
 coption. 
 
 But in this place, Jlesh being put for the body, and 
 the lust of tlie Jtesh being a contradistinct member to 
 the other two, it is doubtless to be restrained, and (as 
 * Cass, collat. iv. c- x. 
 
 Estius well observeth*) signifieth dcsidcrium conim 
 qiur pertinent ad carncm, a desire of those things which 
 belong to the flesh ; so that flesh here is rather to be 
 construed objective than effective, not as the principle 
 from whence this lust flows, but the object whereabout 
 it is conversant ; and thus all sinful desires after bodily 
 pleasures, especially those which the two senses of 
 tasting and touching are taken np with, are they 
 which our apostle designeth to comprise under this 
 head, the lust of the flesh. 
 
 (3.) That there is a double lusting after the flesh, and 
 those things which are grateful to it, namely, natural 
 and sensual. There is au appetite which ariseth 
 merely from nature's indigence, f and this, though 
 vehement (as in hunger and thirst), is not sinful. 
 Nature teacheth every living creature earnestly to de- 
 sire the conservation of the individuum by nourish- 
 ment, and of the species by propagation, and therefore 
 this kind of desire had been in mm, even in the state 
 of iunocency. But then there is an appetite which 
 sensual indulgence exciteth ; and this being always 
 immoderate beyond its due bounds, is prohibited. 
 Indeed, neither religion nor reason do abridge us of all 
 bodily pleasure, but thoy forbid us to serve pleasure 
 so as (according to Seneca'sJ phrase) to be perplexed 
 in the absence, or strangled with the abundance of it. 
 In one word, the desires which proceed from the want, 
 the delight which tends only to refresh the flesh, is 
 allowable, but all desires and delights which proceed 
 from and savour of wantonness are culpable, and com- 
 prised under this head, the lusts of the flesh. § 
 
 2. More particularly it will be needful, for the fur- 
 ther discussing of this useful tru h, to set before you 
 the several kinds of this fleshly lust ; for though she 
 be a daughter, yet withal she is a mother of many 
 brats. And it is such an arm of this tree of worldly 
 love, as hath many branches sprouting forth of it, such 
 as are incoutinency, iutemperancy, and idleness. 
 
 (1.) Thefirst and worst of these lusts is incoutinency ; 
 that which is called by St Paul, 1 Thes. iv. 5, ' the 
 lust of concupiscence,' and by St Peter, 2 Peter ii. 
 10, 18, ' the lust of uncleanness ; ' yea, the same 
 apostle, speaking of false teachers, that they ' allure 
 through the lust of the flesh,' and presently adding, 
 ' through much wantonness,' plainly intimates wan- 
 touess to be a lust of the flesh ; and inasmuch as he 
 useth the plural number, ho insinuates that there are 
 several wanton and unclean lusts of the flesh. 
 
 For method's sake, bo pleased to know, that this lust 
 of the flesh, is conversant either about a wrong or a 
 right object. 
 
 [ 1.] The chief excursion of this carnal lust is after 
 
 * Est. in loc. 
 
 t Cum iiiitura poscit supplcmcnta <\i\x desunt, non vocatur 
 libido sed fames aut sitis, &c — Vide Aug. Conlr. Julian, 
 lib. iv. cap. xiv. 
 
 t Sen. 1. lie Vita Beata, c. xv. 
 
 j Ambros. de Oflic. lib. ii. cap. xxi. 
 
Ver. 15, IC] 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 
 253 
 
 ■wroi)» objects, concerning all which I shall in general 
 premise, 
 
 That not only that wicked disposition of mind, 
 which by St Paul is called -Triiog, whereby men burn 
 ■with impetuous desires after libidinous acts, resolving 
 to lay hold of every opportunity of satisfying their 
 lusts ; nor yet only all those contemplative delights, 
 whereby men please themselves with inward fancies 
 and imaginations of that wickedness, which either for 
 fear or shame they dare not outwardly commit, but 
 also all kinds of desire, though not plenarily consented 
 to by the will, nor fully resolved upon for the per- 
 formance ; yea, all those first motions which arise 
 from the vitiated appetite, though not at all con- 
 sented to, are within the compass of that which is 
 called by St Paul, £'ui6u,'j,ia xaKri, 'inordinate aftec- 
 tion,' and here by St John, i-iiluij,ia rrig ffagxo;, 'the 
 lust of the flesh.' 
 
 In particular, the object of this desire is irregular 
 two ways. 
 
 1. When the object is such as doth privare ordincm 
 natiira, transgress the order of nature,* and this either 
 
 Simply and absolute^, and is most properly 
 called unnatural uncleanness, whether it be with our- 
 selves, the sin of Onan, that secret pollution, which, 
 (though hid from man), is open to God's eye; or with 
 the same sex, men or women, ' dis;honouring their 
 bodies between themselves' (the sin of Sodom, Gen. 
 xviii. 9, and those Gentiles concerning whom St Paul 
 writeth), both which are unnatural, because contrary 
 to nature's end, to wit, generation ; or which is yet 
 more unnatural, because it tends only to a monstrous 
 generation, that which is between rational and merely 
 sensitive creatures, the bestial sin of buggery, things 
 that are as horrenda factu, so piiJenda dictii, abomin- 
 able to be done, yea, shameful to be named. 
 
 Or as limited and restrained after the multiplication 
 of human nature. Of this sort are all incestuous lusts 
 after those near relations, whether by affinity or con- 
 sanguinity, such as are between brethren and sisters, 
 uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, parents and 
 children or grandchildren, whether natural or civil, 
 all which are manilestly forbidden by the divine law, 
 and repugnant to nature's dictates. Nor are they the 
 less filthy, but rather the more odious, when they are 
 covered with the veil of matrimony ; to which purpose 
 St Ambrose,! dissuading the marriage of a brother with 
 his sister's daughter, though by another mother, thus 
 reasoneth : Interdictum est luUurce jure, interdklmn eat 
 lege qua est in cordilus siurtulurum , interdictum est inimu- 
 tabili prttscriptione pietatis el necessitudinis, it is forbid- 
 den by nature's law, by the law within every man's 
 heart, by the inviolable prescription of piety, and that 
 regard which is due to propinquity. Nor will either 
 the necessarj- examples of the first men, when brotliers 
 and sisters were enforced to marry for the propagation 
 
 * Al. Al. pt. 2a. 9, 14, meinbr. 4. 
 t Auibroa. lib. viii. ejj. Gti. 
 
 of mankind, or the example of the Jews, in brothers 
 marrying their brother's wife, to raise up seed by virtue 
 of a special law, or those heroical examples (as Luther 
 calleth them) of any of the patriarchs in any of these 
 kinds* (which, being dissonant from the law, are not 
 to be imitated by others), be found sufficient warrants 
 or excuses for them who shall give way to any in- 
 cestuous conjunctions. 
 
 2. When the object is such as doth prirare ordinem 
 rirltitis, transgress the order of the virtue of chastity. 
 Such are all lusts after any person whom we may not 
 justly call our own. And thus, 
 
 1. If it be after any more than one, though in a 
 matrimonial way, which is polygamy, it is unlawful, as 
 being against the primitive institution by God, of one 
 woman for one man (which the prophet Malachi saith, 
 chap. ii. 15, was because he ' sought a godly seed'), 
 and therefore not justifiable in the patriarchs, much 
 less excusable in us by their pattern. 
 
 2. If it be without matrimony, any lust after any 
 persons, whether one or more, married or unmarried, 
 is a lust of the fiesh. And in the pursuit of any one 
 of these, 
 
 1. When the one party is altogether dissenting, it 
 is a rape, wherein only the agent is the guilty sinner, 
 and the patient is an innocent suti'erer. 
 
 2. When either both or one of the parties is married, 
 it is adultery in that party. A lust so much the more 
 vile, because it is a wilful shipwreck abroad, when 
 there is an harbour and safe remedy provided at home. 
 
 3. When one of the persons is single, it is in that 
 person fornication, and when both, it is that which is 
 called simple fornication. 
 
 Indeed, it is questioned by some whether this latter 
 be a lust of the flesh or no ; and the most plausible 
 argument which they allege is, that in the decree of 
 that apostolical council, Acts xv. 20, fornication is 
 reckoned with ' things strangled and blood,' which 
 are in themselves of an indifi'erent nature. But how 
 invalid this consequence is will easily appear, if we 
 consider that, as Aquinas hath well observed,! the 
 reason of joining these together is not as if there were 
 no more moral guilt in fornication than the rest, but 
 because the rest would be offensive to the Jews as 
 Well as fornication, and so equally cause a rent in the 
 Christian church, which consisted of converted Jews 
 and Gentiles. The truth is, though both persons are 
 single, it is a breach of chastity, and consequently a 
 lust of the flesh ; nay, yet more, though the persons 
 are not only resolved upon marriage, but contracted 
 each to other, yet the desire of carnal copulation is a 
 fleshly lust ; for contract is but jus ad rem, it is 
 matrimony giveth jus in re, contract binds to mar- 
 riage, but alloweth not to touch before. Contract is 
 like articles agreed upon, but marriage puts to the 
 seal ; so that it is as the taking of possession of a 
 
 * Lutli. in Gen. c. xxix. 
 
 f Aquin. 2a. 2w. ix. 154, art. 3. 
 
254, 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 man's own without due course of law, and therefore 
 unwarrantable. 
 
 [2.] You have seen the principal outgoings of this 
 lust, but withal you must know that the object may 
 be right, and our desire in this kind a lust of the flesh, 
 when it is (though between persons lawfully married) 
 either intempestive or intemperate, in a season pro- 
 hibited, in a measure not moderated, or a manner not 
 ordained, or for an end not warranted. Upon this 
 account it is that St Jerome saith,* quoting the 
 speech of a Pythagorean philosopher. Adulter est in 
 suam uxorem amalor ardentior] an excessive lover of, 
 is an adulterer with, his wife ; and St Austin quotethf 
 it as a saying of St Ambrose, Uxoris adultericm esse 
 qui, in usu conjugaU, vcrecimdice, temperantice ct hones- 
 tatis nullam rationem habeat, that he is an adulterer 
 who useth the man-iage delights without regard to 
 modesty, decency, and temperance. I confess these 
 are harsh expressions, since a man can no more be an 
 adulterer with his own wife than a thief with his ovra 
 goods ; and adultery, according to the notion of the 
 Latin word, is, nd allerius thorum accessus, the coming 
 to another's, not his own, bed. But yet it is thus far 
 true, that it is a breach of the seventh commandment, 
 which is expressed by that phrase, ' Thou shall not 
 commit adultery ;' for though conjwjium imrum, mar- 
 riage be an undefiled estate, yet conjuges hnpuri, the 
 married persons may bo unclean, and so guilty of the 
 lust of the flesh. 
 
 (2.) The second sort'of fleshly lust is intemperance, 
 which is the excess of the appetite in reference to meat 
 and drink ; and is called by St Paul, Rom. siii. 13, 
 ' gluttony and drunkenness.' Very fitly is this annexed 
 to the former, since the satiating of intemperate, is the 
 exciting of incontinent, lusts. According to that of the 
 Israelites, ' They did eat and drink, and rose up to 
 play.' Irrigata corporis nostri terra spumis Uhidiniim 
 ijenninahit,\ the soil of our body being too much 
 watered, sends forth the weeds of luxury ; Venter bene 
 paslus cite despumcil in libidiiicin,l the full-fed belly 
 boileth over with the fume of uncleanness. Isidore 
 Pelusiota being asked by Thalassius the monk, why 
 St Paul, Hob. xii. 15, seemeth to call Esau fornicator, 
 when no such thing is mentioned in the Old Testament, 
 answereth that he is branded for a glutton ; and thence 
 we may easily infer he was a fornicator. Indeed, 
 fasting spittle is the best cure of this itch, according 
 to that known sayiog. Sine Cerere el Ilaccho friijet 
 Venus, if you will know where lady Venus liveth, 
 it is at the sign of the ivy bush. Gula vestibidum 
 luxurid-, intemperance is her gallery through which 
 she walketh to her bed of sensual pleasure. 
 
 And now, as the former rcspocteth the pleasure of 
 the touch, so this of the taste ; and because the inor- 
 dination of this lust is in most things of the same 
 
 * Ilier. 1. i. contra Jovinian. 
 t Auf,' lib. ii. conira .Tuliau. 
 { Aug. Sorm Ivi. do Temp. 
 
 { llior. in Ezck. xvi. 
 
 nature, both in regard of eating and drinking, I shall 
 handle these two sins of gluttony and druukennesa 
 together. 
 
 Among all these secular things none are more neces- 
 sary for man's preservation than meat and drink, 
 since without them we are not able to subsist a few 
 days ; hence it is that nothing is more natural* than 
 a desire of those comforts, nature inclining everything 
 to desire its own preservation. 
 
 But the truth is, we are very prone to unlawful 
 desires about lawful objects ; nor do we more frequently 
 or heinously ofl'end than in these things which are 
 30 needful for the body. Not that the food, but our 
 appetite is in fault ; not the natural appetite, for a 
 little satisfieth that, but our sensual desire, which is 
 very prone to exceed. 
 
 St Gregory,t enumerating several ways whereby the 
 lust of intemperance puts itself forth, enlargeth them 
 to five ; Isidore Hispalensis| reduceth them to four. 
 I conceive we may very rationally contract them into 
 three heads, namely, the quality and quantity of that 
 which is eaten and drunk, and the time of eating and 
 drinking. 
 
 Om- desire after meats and drinks is, then, a fleshly 
 lust, 
 
 1. In respect of quality, when, not contented with 
 common wholesome food, we long for strange delicacies, 
 and must be fed with dainties. Thus the Israelites are fed 
 with heavenlybread by a miraculous providence, and yet 
 theyfall a-lusting after quails, which God gave them, but 
 in wrath. Indeed, it sometimes so falleth out that the 
 choice of meat and drink ariseth fi-om the weakness 
 of the stomach, as in sickly persons ; that the earnest 
 desire of strange food is that which nature prompts to, 
 as in women with child ; that the use of various and 
 costly both meats and drinks is convenient for that 
 state and place wherein God hath set men, as at the 
 table of kings, nobles, and gi-cat ones, all which are 
 allowable ; but when it is merely the wantonness of 
 our appetite which callcth for delicacies, spreading its 
 net (as Clemens Alexandrinus§ his phrase is) over the 
 whole world, causing sea and land to be ransacked for 
 its provision, yea, engaging art continually to invent 
 new drinks, new dishes for its delight, this is justly to 
 be condemned as a lust of the flesh. And which is 
 3'et a further degree of this lust, when it is after a 
 frequent use of such moats and drinks as serve to be 
 incentives of sin, provocations of uncleanness, especially 
 in young men, whose blood is boiling ; and most espe- 
 cially, when it is for that very end that thereby they 
 may be the more fit for wanton sports, it is very 
 abominable. 
 
 2. In regard to the quantity. When our lust is not 
 satisfied with a competent measure of meat^ and drinks, 
 but puts us upon feeding to fulness, and drinking to 
 
 * IsiJ. pelus. lib. i. ep. 320. f Gr. M. sup. Gen. xxv. 
 
 t Isiil. Ilispal. do coiiflictu. virt. et vit. 
 § CI. Al. pa;dag. lib. ii. cap. i. 
 
Ver. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 
 iO-3 
 
 excess, so as we may be said rather to swallow than 
 drink, devour than eat. Indeed, there is an extreme 
 desire after meat which is called by physicians the 
 dog-hke appetite, and after drink, which is called the 
 dropsy ; and these arise a mnlis hiimoribus, irova. bad 
 humours in the body, and arc diseases, not sins, unless 
 ■when (as too often) they proceed originally d malis 
 moribtis, from intemperate manners. And when not 
 the distemper of the body, but the disorder of the 
 mind, engageth men to an immoderate use of these 
 creatures, it is a fleshly lust. 
 
 For the understanding whereof it will be needful to 
 inquire, wherein the inordinate use of meats and drinks 
 do consist. In answer whereunto j-ou must know in 
 general that the proportion which temperance requireth 
 is not rei but persona, in respect of the things, but the 
 persons, since, according to the constitution of men's 
 bodies, that which is too much for one may be too 
 little for another. But more particularly, eating and 
 drinking is excessive in any ; whenas, 
 
 1. It oppresseth nature. To eat and drink more 
 than the stomach can well digest, and that not through 
 any accidental distemper of the stomach, or venomous 
 quality or antipathy in the food, but only the great 
 quantity, so as either it is thrown up again, or with a 
 gi'eat deal of trouble concocted, is undoubtedly ex- 
 cessive, since whereas the proper end of eating and 
 drinking is to repair, this tends to the impairing of 
 nature. 
 
 2. It disturbeth reason. To eat, or rather to drink 
 (for this more especially conccrneth drunkenness) so 
 much as wholly divesteth us of the use of reason, as 
 in men that are dead drunk, or subjecteth reason to 
 any passion cither of anger and rage, or mirth and 
 jollity, or lust and venery, as in men that are mad 
 di'unk, is unquestionably excessive. The worst degi'ee 
 of drunkenness is to intoxicate, and the next to that 
 to inflame ; since whereas the principal end of eating 
 and di-inking is to render us the more fit for God's 
 service, by this means we are more unfit both for the 
 duties of the general and particular calling. 
 
 Nor must I here forget to add, that they who are 
 ' mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle 
 strong drink,' though thej- do not manifestly either 
 overcharge their stomachs or overturn their brains, 
 are in God's account drunkards, and have therefore a 
 woe denounced against them ; but yet this is only 
 true where either it is an acquired strength h\ frequent 
 compotations, or being natural it is made use of cus- 
 tomarily to the devouring of great quantities, and, 
 which is worst of all, to the triumphing over weak brains. 
 
 In sum, stent icrjcr ad medicinam, sic ad sumcnda.i 
 dapes debet uuufqttisquc accedere, non in Hits volni'lalcin 
 appelens, sed necessitati sticcnrrens, is the rule of the 
 father.* Every one must look upon his food as his 
 physic, seeking in meat and drink, not what may please 
 the appetite, but supply necessity. After the example 
 * Angust. 
 
 of that temperate person mentioned by Socrates,* let 
 us use our meat and drink, ova oT; hyp a\X' tZg -rrass^yuj, 
 not as a set business, but only a trivial matter not 
 worth the expending much time upon. Nor yet would 
 I hereby forbid all use of these comforts beyond what 
 nature requireth for its necessary sustenance, as being 
 a rigidity which neither religion nor reason exact. It 
 is very probable at that marriage feast where Christ 
 was present, John ii. 1, as variety was provided, so 
 they did eat plentifully ; and it is more probable that 
 they had well drunk before Christ miraculated wine in 
 the vessels ; nor is it to be imagined that Christ would 
 have wrought that miracle (though it were for the 
 glory of his power) had it been unlawful for the guests 
 to driuk it, when as yet necessity of nature did not, 
 could not, require it. To eat and to drink, therefore, 
 at some particularly festival times, not only for the 
 support but refreshing of nature, for necessity, but 
 hilaritj-, is allowable ; yet with a great deal of cu-cum- 
 spection, especially in drinking, lest hilarity exceed 
 the bounds of sobriety, and become a slippery step to 
 ebriety ; and when our desire after these creatures 
 carrieth further than moderate refreshment, so as 
 either for the meat's and drink's or company's sake 
 to indulge the over free^use of them, it is a sensual, 
 sinful lust of the flesh. 
 
 3. In respect of the time ; and it is a lust of the 
 flesh, when om- desii-e after meats and drinks is such 
 as that, 1, we will at no time forbear the total use of 
 them (though yet the strength of nature will bear it), 
 no, not for religious ends ; 2, we indulge to ourselves 
 a liberal use of them, at such time when the church's 
 distress calls for fasting, weeping, and mourning ; 
 3, finally, we expend too great a part of our time on 
 them (with the rich glutton), Luke xvi. 19, ' faring 
 deliciously every day,' feasting too often with those 
 princes, Eccles. x. 6, ' eating in the morning,' begin- 
 ning too soon, and with those Israelites, Isa. v. 18, 
 ' rising up early that we may follow strong driuk, and 
 continuing tiU midnight,' staying too long. It is very 
 observable, that not only onnf/.uylai, ' excess of wine,' 
 but ■/.(Jjij.rji, and ct/Vw, ' banquetings and drinkings,' 
 are reckoned among the lusts in which the Gentiles 
 walked, 1 Pet. iv. 8, though we do not oat till we are 
 so pursy that we cannot go, or drink till we are so 
 giddy that we cannot stand ; yet if we delight so much 
 in, and have such a desire after, that it causeth us to 
 spend too much time in comessations and compota- 
 tions, it is a lust of the flesh. Solomon blameth them 
 who ' tarry long at the wine,' Prov. xxiii. 30, when 
 men dine all day, and sup all night ; eat and drink 
 away a third part, nay, the better half of the time. 
 These men, according to the ^•ulgar translation of tho 
 wise man's fore-mentioned expression, Sitident calicibtts 
 epotandis, make theur cups their books and drink their 
 business, meditate nothing but their trenchers, and 
 lock up their souls in the kitchen and the cellars : ac- 
 * Socrat. Hist. lib. iv. cap. xviii. 
 
2oG 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. 1 1. 
 
 cording to St Gregory Nyssen's phrase,* they have 
 XoLi/j-ht avri >.o-/ia/j,o\J, their reason in their throat ; or, 
 to use Tertullian's phrase, f Aijape in cacabis ferret, 
 files in cidiiiis calet, spes in ferculis jacet ; their love 
 "boileth in their cauldrons, their faith is warm in their 
 kitchens, and their hope lieth in their dishes. Like 
 the serpent (to allude with St Ambrose J), they creep 
 upon their bellies, yea, with that fish whereof Clemens 
 Alexandriiius speaketh, they have their heart in their 
 belly ; as if, like Bonosus, they were born not to live, 
 but to drink ; or, Hke the Megarcnses, they did not 
 eat to live, but live to eat. 
 
 (3.) Besides these, which are the principal branches 
 of this arm, ebullitions of this lust of the flesh, there 
 is yet a third, which must not be passed over in 
 silence ; and that is, idleness, a lust which renders men 
 liable to temptations of the former kind. Incontinence 
 and intemperance are no strangers to an idle bosom. 
 The poet gives this as the reason why ^Egistus was 
 an adulterer. 
 
 In pi'omptu causa est ; desiJiosus erat, 
 
 because he was slothful. Standing water putrefieth, so 
 doth the lazy person ; he that loves to do nothing will 
 soon do worse than nothing. 
 
 Now this lust of idleness expresseth itself two 
 ■ways : by an inordinate desire of sleep, of play. Of 
 each a word. 
 
 [l.J It is a true saying of St Austin, § God hath given 
 to man sleep. Quo repaivntur membra corporis ut pos- 
 sint ric/ilanlein animain siistinere, by which the strength 
 both of body and mind may be repaired. Indeed, 
 sleep loveth man's nature, cheering, refreshing, corro- 
 borating it, but yet man must not love sleep too 
 affectionately, Prov. xx. 13. It is the cry of the slug- 
 gard in the Proverbs, ' Yet a little sleep, a little slum- 
 ber, a little folding of the bauds to sleep,' which the 
 Syriac rcadeth, ponit mannm super pectut:, he puts his 
 hand upon his breast, shewing how dear and pleasing 
 his sleep is unto him. 
 
 If more particularly you would know what love of 
 sleep is immoderate, I answer, 
 
 1. When we are so greedy of, that we will not 
 sometimes interrupt it for acts of devotion, after the 
 example of David, who rose at midnight to give thanks 
 to God, and of Christ, who sometimes prayed all 
 night ; nay, we suffer sleep to interrupt us whilst ex- 
 ercised about religious duties, like Eutychus, upon 
 whom an heavy sleep fell whilst Paul was preaching, 
 and an heavy band of God whilst he was sleeping: a 
 sad warning for all church-sleepers, to all whom me- 
 thinketh Christ saitli, as he did to Peter, ' Could you 
 not watch with me one hour ?' 
 
 2. When we give such way to sleep on our couch 
 
 * Greft. Nyssen. in Eccl. Hora. v. 
 ■(■ TcrtiiU. arlv. Payclii. c. ult. 
 X Amliriis. 1. (le jiiirad. cap. xv. 
 § Aug in Pa. Ixii. 
 
 by day, or our bed by night, that it is rather sepul- 
 tnra snjfocati, than requies liissi, a suflbcating than a 
 refreshing of the spirit, a duUing than a quickening of 
 the body. It is St Ambrose his assertion of the blessed 
 Virgin Mary, Xon priiis donnire ciipiditas qiiam necessi- 
 tasfuit, she was rather enforced than willing to sleep. 
 Indeed, vigilancy teacheth not to sleep sooner nor 
 longer than need requireth ; and it is Chrysologus* 
 his advice, Induhjendum somno ut corpus reparet, non 
 resolvat ; ut i-ires rerocet, non enervet, sleep must be 
 indulged to so far as may repair nature, and recall, 
 not weaken, strength, or else it is a lust of the flesh. 
 [2.] As to sports and pleasures, it is not to be gainsaid 
 but that there is a convenient use of them. aSuraron 
 IJ.i\i omiyfii -Tioiiit, saith Aristotle truly, f it is impos- 
 sible that the bow should be always bent ; and there- 
 fore Pindar fitly calls play, dpiarov tovuiv 'laroh, the 
 best curer of our labours ; but yet excessively to love 
 it is a lust of the flesh ; in which respect saith the 
 Greek father excellently,J ou aoXua djw avieiv aXXoi 
 xoXd^oi rj;* u/j,£T^Iav, I do not forbid relaxation, but I 
 condemn want of moderation. Now our lust after 
 sport is inordinate, 
 
 1. For the matter or object of it, whenas we love 
 to sport with things unlawful, which are impious, or 
 cruel, or dishonest, or of bad report among judicious 
 and sober Christians. Ludus )io.rius in culjid, they are 
 fools (saith the wise man, and justly) who make sport 
 of sin, and they are unwise who prefer their sport 
 before their credit. 
 
 2. For the manner, whenas men pursue their play 
 with too much earnestness and unrestrained enlarge- 
 ment, as if it were to be rsXos, the end of their desire. 
 It is a good advice of St Ambrose, § Cavennius ne dum 
 reJaxare animum i-olunius, solvauius oinnem harnioniain, 
 we had need take care lest by letting the strings down 
 too loose we spoil the harmony ; we may take recrea- 
 tion as sauce, but not be as greedy of it as if it were 
 our meat. It is excellent to make our business a play, 
 but infamous to make play our business. 
 
 3. For the time, when men are so eager, that, ac- 
 cording to Seneca's phrase, oritur vita per liiduin, they 
 play away their lives, squandering days ^nd nights, 
 months and years, in play ; and take so much time, 
 that they rob God of bis due, neglect their calling, 
 play when they should pray, and sport when they 
 should work. Cicero saith divinely, || we must not 
 indulge to our sports, ]irius<]u<nn (irarihus seriisque 
 rebus satisfeceriinus, till we have discharged more 
 serious and weighty affairs. In which respect Aris- 
 totle adviseth, r.ai^!^ (puXdrriiv, to make choice of fit 
 opportunities for recreation. 
 
 And thus, with what perspicuous brevity these 
 various and serious subjects would aflord, I have un- 
 
 * Chrysol. Serm. xxiv. 
 
 t Arist. Etli. lib. x. cup. vi. Pind. 
 
 t Gr. Naziau. orat. 6. 
 
 § Ambros. Offic. || Cio. Offic. 
 
Ver. 15, IG.] 
 
 SERMON XL. 
 
 257 
 
 folded the latitude of this evil, which is here called 
 the lust of the flesh. 
 
 To wind up this discourse in few words. 
 
 How great a predominancy this lust of the flesh 
 hath in the world, the gluttonies, drunkenness, and 
 nnclean practices of the most do sadly proclaim. Se- 
 neca complained that the men of his time were inter 
 rinuin ct oleum occupati, altogether taken up with wine 
 and oil. I would to God such were only to be found 
 among pagans, but, alas ! these swarm in the Chris- 
 tian world, nay, which is yet more sad, in the reformed 
 protestant church of England. Oh that papists and 
 sectaries had not too just cause to say, A great part 
 of the English protestanfs are unclean, adulterous, 
 gluttonous epicures, quaiSng drunkards, riotous game- 
 sters, so that whilst they profess the purest faith 
 they lead the most debauched lives. For these 
 bastard sons doth their mother the church mourn, 
 and sutler at this day ; and yet, iis if all her suti'er- 
 ings were not worth their pity, the}' still renew and 
 multiply these sins, to the dishonour of her profession, 
 and the prolongation of her miseries. 
 
 Indeed, according to that known proverb, venter non 
 habet aiires, the belly hath not ears; voluptuous per- 
 sons are deaf to divine instructions ; and as St Jerome, 
 truly speaking of these sins, eh deponere est dljficiliiis 
 quo eis uti c^t clulcius, they are therefore very difficult 
 to leave, because so sweet to enjoy ; so that as 
 Solomon observeth of the adulterer in particular, Prov. 
 ii. 19, it is too true of all those sorts of sinners, they are 
 hardly, and therefore rarely, reclaimed; but yet I will 
 not wholly despair even of their conversion. How- 
 ever, for others' prevention I shall propose these fol- 
 lowing considerations : the lust of the flesh is defiling, 
 destroying, and consequently not only to be abandoned, 
 but abhorred. 
 
 1. It is defiling. True it is, as our Saviour saith, 
 'that which goeth in at the mouth' (the object of 
 these lusts) ' doth not defile a man,' but it is as true, 
 that which ' cometh from the heart' (the lust after 
 these objects) ' doth defile.' Indeed, all sin is of a 
 polluting nature, but especially these ; and therefore 
 one of these lusts in a peculiar manner is called im- 
 purity and uncleanness. The gross acts of these sins 
 defile the body, and the very lust after them defileth 
 the soul. 
 
 2. It is debasing. Indeed, nothing is more natural 
 than a desire after these objects, but yet nothing is 
 more unnatural than the inordinate lust after them ; 
 and what a shame is it that the grace of God should 
 not teach us to deny these lusts, which the light of 
 nature teacheth heathens. It is observed that of all 
 living creatures, man hath the narrowest womb, and 
 the straitest throat, as if nature would thereby 
 teach us to be the most abstemious. The truth is, 
 the lust of the flesh is not onh' unchristian, because 
 contrary to the precept and practice of our Lord and 
 Master, but inhuman, because opposite to the dic- 
 
 tates of reason ; so that we may truly affirm, men, by 
 the fulfilling of this lust, become like the beast that 
 perisheth, whilst gluttony transformeth them into 
 tigers, drunkenness into swine, uncleanness into goats, 
 sloth into dormouses, and laziness into asses ; nay, 
 shall I add, they are worse than the beasts, for 
 whereas these creatures cannot be made to eat or 
 drink more than their natural appetite requiroth, and 
 observe their usual times of conjunction, voluptuous 
 men regard neither season nor measure in the satiat- 
 ing of their lusts. Add to all this, 
 
 3. It is destroying. And here I might enlarge in 
 several respects, this lust] of the flesh being that 
 which destro_yeth the credit, the state, the body, yea 
 (without sincere repentance), the soul of him that in- 
 dulgeth to it. Solomon saith of the adulterer, Prov. 
 vi. 33, and it is as true of the glutton and drunkard, 
 ' A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach 
 shall not be wiped away.' Sensual lusts, whilst they 
 please the flesh, blot the name, and though the exe- 
 cution of them content the sinner's taste and touch, 
 they make him to stink in the nostrils of (lod and 
 man. Again, the wise man, warning the young man 
 not to lust after the whorish woman in his heart, saith 
 ver. 25, 26, that ' by means of an whorish woman a 
 man is brought to a piece of bread;' and elsewhere, chap, 
 xxiii. 21, in one verse he tells us, that ' the drunkard 
 and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness 
 shall cloth a man with rags.' The full cup makes 
 an empty purse, and the fat dish a lean bag, a soft 
 bed a thin shop, and the costly mistress a threadbare 
 servant. Yet again, Solomon saith of the adulteress, 
 she ' hunts for the precious life ;' it is no less true of 
 banqueting, driukings, revellings, and such like. It 
 is not]seldom seen that men, by satisfying these carnal 
 lusts, endanger their lives, ruin their healths, and 
 hasten their ends. Finally, the wise man saith of 
 the unclean sinner, that he ' dcstroyeth his own soul,' 
 and it is verified of the rest. The glutton's table is a 
 snare as well to his soul as his body ; the drunkard's 
 cup spoileth him of grace as well as wit; the gamester 
 staketh his soul as well as his state; and'the sluggard, 
 by consulting his body's temporal ease, hazardeth his 
 soul's eternal rest. 
 
 And now, my brethren, if npon all these accounts 
 you are at last willing to bid farewell to this lust of 
 the flesh, remember what is hinted in the beginning 
 of this discourse, namely, that it is a fire, and there- 
 fore you will do well to take the same c< urse in sub- 
 duing this lust which men do in putting out a fire. 
 
 More particularly, take notice of these four direc- 
 tions : 
 
 1. Extinguish it whilst but a spark, lest when a 
 flame it become too powerful. Resist the very begin- 
 ning, since if you give the least way to, j'ou will be 
 entangled by, it. ]'erecunda peccati iiiitia, sensual 
 desires at tirst are modest, but if consented to, and 
 delighted in, arc more and more craving, yea, at last 
 
258 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 commandirig. Indeed, scnsim sine sensu, by little 
 and little insensibly this lust gets ground of us, 
 therefore let ns be watchful betimes to espy and pre- 
 vent it. 
 
 2. Subtract the fuel which feeds and increaseth it. 
 St Peter's counsel is, 1 Peter ii. 10, ' Abstain from 
 fleshly lusts,' which is best done by taking away that 
 ■which foments them. What St Paul saith of the legal 
 ceremonies, ' Touch not, taste not, handle not,' that 
 I may fitly apply to sensual lusts. Take heed of the 
 occasions inducing to them ; eradenda sunt prava 
 cii]'idiiiis ah'mrnta, if you would not have lust to 
 fatten, do not feed it. Not to launch out into those 
 many particulars which might be reckoned up in this 
 kind, beware especially of evil company. It is Solo- 
 mon's advice, Prov. sxiii. 20, ' Be not amongst wine- 
 bibbers, amongst riotous eaters of flesh.' The way 
 not to be of them, is not to be one mnoiu/ them. Men 
 seldom imagine, till they find it b}' woful experience, 
 ■what an infectious breath there 'js in evil society, to 
 corrupt their minds and manners. 
 
 3. Pour out water, even the water of penitent tears, 
 for thy former impurities. ' The heads of di-agons 
 
 are broken in the waters;' dracontim cnpita vitia capi- 
 talia, the heads of dragons are capital sins, among 
 which incontinency and intemperance are the chief. 
 And look, as the gieater the flame, the more water 
 must be poured on, it is not drops, but buckets, nay, 
 floods of water must quench the raging furnace. So, 
 according to the greatness of thy sins, proportion the 
 multitude of thy tears ; and if thou hast been a no- 
 torious offender in this kind, thou must be a dolorous 
 mourner. 
 
 4. Lastly, strive to blow out this fire of lust by the 
 breath of thy prayers ; solicit the throne of grace for 
 chastity, sobriety, vigilancy, temperance, those virtues 
 which are directly opposite to this lust ; yea, beseech 
 the Spirit of God that he would breathe into thy soul, 
 and thereby extinguish the flame of thy lust. Indeed, 
 the breath of the evil spirit maketh this fire the hotter, 
 but a blast of the good Spirit will put it out, at least 
 much slack it; and therefore, laying hold on the gracious 
 promise of giving his Spirit to them that ask, give not 
 over praying till thou hast obtained the Spirit of 
 grace, whereby thou mayest mortify this lust of the 
 flesh. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON XLI. 
 
 Lore not the ivorld, neither the tliinr/s that are in the vorld. If einij man love the xrorld, the lore of the Father is 
 not in liiin. For alt tliat is in the vorld, the lust of the Jle^h, the lust oj the eyes, and the pride of life, is not 
 oj the Father, but is of the world.— \ John II. 15, 16. 
 
 THAT god of this world, prince of darkness, and 
 arch-enemy of mankind, the devil, as he wants 
 not virulency, so he is full of subtilty. Indeed, it is 
 his most usual practice to take sinners in the snares 
 of temptations, nets of circumvention, and ambushes 
 of destruction. No wonder if St Paul minds the Corin- 
 thians of his nrfj-ara as well as oyji^iifiara , devices as 
 ■well as strongholds. 
 
 Among all his cunning stratagems, none more 
 politic and prevalent than thopc by which he taketh 
 advantage from ourselves against ourselves. To this 
 purpose it is that he observeth the age of our lives, 
 quality of our outward condition, the complexion and 
 constitution of our bodies, the abilities and endow- 
 ments of our minds, dispositions and inclinations of 
 our hearts, and accordingly iits his temptations, 
 ■whereby too often he overcomelh us. The last of 
 these, and not the least, St Basil taketh notice of 
 ■where he saith,* rci? fi/icn^ai smDuiJ.lag xai' fi/j-iuv j3e?.?i 
 Toiov/Mim; xicraiyji, he useth our own lusts and defircs 
 as weapons to fight against us. And no wonder if the 
 wind of his tenip'ations blow us on amain, when it 
 joineth with the tide of our own desires. Good reason 
 had St John, having cncounigcd young men, and in 
 them all Christians, to battle with, and a victory over 
 the wicked one, to warn them of those lusts which, if 
 * Baa. M. bum. xxiii. 
 
 not mortified, would be prejudicial unto them, and 
 serviceable unto him : ' the lust of the flesh, the lust 
 of the eyes, and the pride of life.' 
 
 We are now in order to proceed to a second daughter 
 of worldly love, namely, 'the lust of the eyes;' but 
 what St John meaneth by this expression, admits 
 among expositors of several constructions. 
 
 Illyricus ccnceivcth* that our apostle intendetb 
 potissiiiium libidinosos a<^pcctiis, chiefly lustful looks, 
 uiickan aspects, ■n-anton glances. This was that 
 with which St Peter charged the false teachers, 
 2 Peter ii. 14, that thoy had 'eyes full of adultery;' 
 and of which our Saviour aftiimeth, Mat. v. 28, that 
 to ' look on a woman, so as to lust after her, is a 
 committing adulterj' with her in the heart.' But 
 since this more properly is referred to the foro-men- 
 tioned lust of the fiesli, and withal it is too narrow a 
 restriction of the apostle's meaning, I shall pass 
 it by. 
 
 There are two intei-pretations, the one whereof is 
 St Aust n"s and Veneralile Bede's,t the other most 
 generally received liy ancient and modern authors, 
 both of which being prol able, I shall reject neither. 
 
 Indeed, I think we shall do best, with Aquinas, J. to 
 
 * Illyr in Inc. 
 
 t IScda in loc. Ang. in loc. et lib. x Confi^ss. et dc Tti'lig. 
 cap. XXXV. J Aquin. 2a. 2te. 8, 153. 
 
Vek. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 259 
 
 look upon them as two members of one exposition. 
 And so, if j'ou would know what this lust of the eyes 
 is, the answer is, cnriositas and aipidilas — a desire of 
 knowing and of having — curiosity and covetousness, 
 the latter of which I shall insist upon, because it is 
 that which I incline to as most genuine. 
 
 1. By this lust of the eyes, we may very well under- 
 stand curiosity, or an inordinate desire of knowledge; 
 and whereas there is a double knowledge, to wit, 
 intellectual and sensitive, both which may be in- 
 ordinately desired, this lust of the eyes may very well 
 include both, inasmuch as the mind hath its eyes as 
 ■well as the body; and so this lust is both of the mental 
 eyes after intellectual, and of the corporeal after sen- 
 sitive knowledge. 
 
 ( 1 . ) There is a lust of the eyes after intellectual know- 
 ledge: not but that knowledge is suitable to, and con- 
 sequently desirable by, the mind of man; nor yet is 
 every earnest desire after knowledge to be charged 
 with curiosity; indeed, it is such as cannot be had 
 without, and therefore must be sought for with, dili- 
 gence; but if you would know when it is a lust of the 
 eyes, I answer, the inordination of this desire is dis- 
 covered several ways. 
 
 [1.] When it is a desu'e after knowledge for a bad 
 end. St Bernard observed in his time,* and it is 
 still true. Sunt qui scire roluut, tantum ut sciaut, some 
 desire to know that they may know ; and such a desire 
 is irregular, because it maketh knowledge an end, 
 whenas it is designed to be a means of a further and 
 better end. Aquinas observethf that there are two 
 accidental effects of knowledge which are very evil, 
 namely, to puff us up with pride, and make us expert 
 in wickedness. And when those accidental effects of 
 knowledge are the intentional ends of ovir desire, it is 
 a lust of the eyes. The truth is, knowledge is desir- 
 able chiefly in order to practice, and that of good; 
 and therefore to desire it only as fuel for our self- 
 conceit, or which is far worse, as an help to wicked 
 devices, that we maybe wise to do evil, it is deservedly 
 censured as exorbitant. 
 
 [2.] When it is a desire after knowledge by magical 
 arts and diabolical helps. It is far better to be igno- 
 rant than to go to school to the devil. That know- 
 ledge we gain by him is far fetched, because from hell; 
 and dear bought, because with the hazard of our souls. 
 [3.] When, by desires and endeavours after Iheknow- 
 ledge of the things that are less needful, we are hin- 
 dered from the knowledge of what is more needful ; thus 
 when men prefer human before divine, and, in divine, 
 speculative before practical knowledge, it is justly 
 blameable. They who are diligent searchers into 
 nature's secrets, undervaluing the mysteries of reli- 
 gion ; they who content themselves with the know- 
 ledge of creatures, but are not by that led to know the 
 Creator; they who are desirous rather to break their 
 teeth against the bones of ditficulty, than feed their 
 * Bern, in Cant. aerm. xxxvi. f Aquin. 2a. 2ae. 9, 167. 
 
 souls with necessary truths; who are inquisitive after 
 the manner of the creature's groaning, but little 
 desirous of experiencing those groans of the Spirit in 
 their own hearts which cannot be uttered; who are 
 more solicitous where the soul of Lazarus was whilst 
 his body lay in the grave, than where their own souls 
 shall be when their bodies must dwell in the dust; 
 when and where the last judgment shall bo, than how 
 they shall appear in that day with boldness ; are most 
 deservedly charged with curiosity. Indeed, as eagles 
 when they rest, and lions when they walk, pull 
 in the one his talons, the other his claws, to keep 
 them sharp against such time as they meet with a 
 prey; so it would be our wisdom to reserve our wits 
 and studies for things of most weight, and not busy 
 them in matters of less concernment. 
 
 [4.] Lastly, when we desire to know what is without 
 our sphere, and above our reach. For illiterate 
 mechanics to busy themselves in expounding the dark 
 places of Scripture, in fathoming the depth of theo- 
 logical controversies ; for the most learned doctors to 
 be wise above what is wi-itten, to endeavour to make 
 windows in God's closet, and unclasp his secret books, 
 and so seek after the knowledge of what God hath 
 concealed, it is no other than a lust of curiosity. 
 And therefore St Austin's counsel* is very prudent, 
 Gompescenila est humana temerilas; id quod non est non 
 quicrat, ne quod est lion inveniat, we must bridle our 
 temerity, and check our curiosity, lest, whilst we pur- 
 sue what is not revealed, we find not that which is. 
 Take we heed of soaring too high, lest we be scorched; 
 and wading too deep, lest we be drowned. There are 
 some things we may nescire sine crimine, not know 
 without blame, which we cannot scire sine discrimine, 
 know without danger ; and in respect of these, a 
 learned ignorance is to be preferred before an ignorant 
 learning. 
 
 (2.) There is a lust of the eyes after sensitive know- 
 ledge, and thus we may extend it to all the senses, 
 curiosity studying to please them all in their several 
 ways ; and so the eyes being the most noble sense, the 
 lust of the eyes may sj-necdochically comprehend the 
 rest. We read concerning the sinners in Zion, Amos 
 vi. 4-G, that they did ' lie upon beds (or bedsteads) 
 of ivory,' by which their eyes were delighted ; ' stretch 
 themselves upon their couches,' for the pleasing of 
 their touch ; ' eat the lambs out of the flocks, and the 
 calves out of the midst of the stall, and drink wine 
 in bowls,' to the satiating of their taste ; ' chant to 
 the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instru- 
 ments of music,' for the ravishing of their ears ; and 
 ' anoint themselves with the chief ointment,' that their 
 smell might have its sweet savour: so curious are sen- 
 sual men in givmg content to all their senses. But see- 
 ing, according to this notion, the lust of the eyes will in 
 some sort comprehend the lust of the flesh, I conceive 
 it will be better confined to that particular sense, and so 
 * Aug. contra Manich. lib. vi. cap. i. 
 
260 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 denoteth a curiosity of seeing. In reference to this 
 notion it is that this lust of the eyes is phrased niifla- 
 citax spcctaciilorion, the vanity of seeing shows, the 
 aflfection of delectable sights. This seemeth to have 
 been the curiosity of Eve, in looking on the forbidden 
 fruit; of Lot's wife, in looking back on flaming Sodom; 
 and of Dinah, in going forth to see the daughters in 
 the land, Gen. xxxiv. 1. Not that all desire of seeing 
 rare and pleasant objects, whether of nature or art, is 
 unlawful ; but when our desire, and consequently our 
 delight, is too passionate, even to admiration, and that 
 joined with forgetfulness of the great artificer, when it 
 is not carried ad aliijuid utile, iiiiii ad aliquid iioriiim (as 
 the schools determine it), to such sights as may occa- 
 sion good, yea, rather incite to evil in any kind, it is 
 no other than a lust of the eyes. Upon which account 
 Seneca said truly,* Nothing provcth more prejudicial 
 to good manners, than vain and foolish sights, by 
 which vices steal into the mind. 
 
 As an appendix to this, is that curiosity of trying 
 (to see, being as much sometimes as to make trial), 
 whereby men will needlessly put themselves or others 
 upon such experiments, as maj- probably prove pre- 
 judicial in any kind, which is no less than a tempting 
 of God. To this the devil tempted our Saviour, when 
 he bade him cast himself down from the pinnacle, 
 which is referred by St Austin, as hath been already 
 observed, to this head, the lust of the eyes. 
 
 2. But the other branch of the interpretation seem- 
 eth to me most probable, and therefore upon that I 
 shall insist, which by the lust of the eyes under- 
 standeth covetousness; that is, the inordinate desii-e 
 of gold, silver, goods, lands, houses, and all possessions, 
 which denominate men rich in this world. 
 
 And now, for the better discovery of this, it will be 
 needful to resolve two queries : 
 
 Why this lust is called the lust of the eyes ? 
 
 When our desires of these things becometh the lust 
 of the eyes ? 
 
 (1.) It may not be unfitly inquired, why our apostle 
 calloth covetousness the lust of the eyes ? To which 
 a double answer may be returned, because the eyes 
 are both the inlets and the outlets of this lust : by the 
 eyes as a door this lust gets into, and by the eyes as 
 a window it looketh out of, the sotd. That expression 
 of Solomon, Eccles. ii. 10, ' AVhatsoever mine eyes 
 desired, I kept not from them,' may at first sight seem 
 strange, the heart being the seat of desire ; and yet it 
 will appear very rational, if wo consider that the eye 
 is the instrument of desire, by which it is first excited 
 and then cherished. 
 
 fl.] This lust enters in at the eyes. It is that, in- 
 deed, which is true of other desires as well as this. 
 The ej'e is (he soul's burning-glass, in which the 
 beams of visible objects, being as it were contracted, 
 the tire of lust in several kinds is kindled in the soul ; 
 in which respect the eyes are well called by Seneca, f 
 * Sld. Ep. 71. t Sen. de rcmcd. fortuit. 
 
 irritamenta malorum ducesqiie scelerum, the ringleaders 
 of evil and incentives to wickedness. When the wise 
 man, Prov. xxiii. 31, forbids to ' look upon the wine 
 when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup,' 
 he thereby intimateth, saith Cassiodorus,* that not 
 only diilcedo, but pulchritiido, its sweetness to the 
 taste, but pleasantness to the eye, is apt to allure to 
 excess, ex visu nascitur amor. This Job was aware of 
 in regard of the lust of uncleanness, and therefore he 
 saith, Job xxxi. 1, ' I made a covenant with my eyes, 
 that I might not look upon a maid.' And yet more 
 particularly the eyes are usual and prevalent means 
 of stirring up covetous lusts. When Solomon, speak- 
 ing of riches, puts the question, Prov. xxiii. 5, not why 
 wilt thou set thine heart, but thine eyes ? when yet 
 he meaneth the heart, what doth he but imply that by 
 our eyes our hearts become enamoured with them ? 
 You know the story of Achan, who, seeing the wedges 
 of gold, and the Babylonish garments, was bewitched 
 with, and laid hold upon them. Indeed, there is a 
 strange attractive force both in gold and silver, being 
 looked upon, to gain desire ; for which reason perhaps 
 it is that the Hebrews derive the noun ^IDO which sig- 
 nifieth silver, from the verb ^D3 which signifieth to 
 desire. 
 
 [2.] This lust goeth out at the eyes. Covetous men 
 very much please themselves in beholding their riches. 
 And, indeed, this is in a sort peculiar to this lust, for 
 though the objects of the lust of the flesh be visible 
 and delightful to the e3'e, yet the other senses of taste 
 and touch are chiefly pleased, and the lust after them 
 rests not till those senses be pleased as well as the 
 eye ; whereas riches are so the objects of the eye, 
 that the other senses have no carnal pleasure by them ; 
 yea, the greatest satisfaction a covetous man giveth 
 his lust, is looking upon them. Hence it is that he 
 so often, when alone, openeth his chest that he may 
 look upon his white and yellow earth ; like that Roman 
 emperor who had his several hours in the day of tolling 
 over his money, and carrying it from one chest to 
 another; or like the covetous old man in Plautus, who 
 could never endure to have his pot of gold out of sight. 
 For this cause it is that he loves to walk in his garden, 
 ride through his lands, that he may take a view of 
 his possessions. So good reason had our apostle to 
 phrase it the lust of the eyes. 
 
 Indeed, there is an objection here started by a 
 schoolman,! to wit, how the covetousness of a blind 
 man can bo said to be the lust of the eyes. 
 
 To which the answer is easily given, by reassuming 
 that fore-mentioned distinction of the corporeal and 
 intellectual eyes, since, as he well observeth, licet color 
 non possit pnrenire ad visum, tauten cof/iiitio hiijiis vim 
 potest pcrvcnirc ad ociihim mentis iiiterioris, though the 
 colour of the gold and silver cannot come to his out- 
 ward eye, yet the knowledge of these visible objects 
 
 ♦ Cassiod. lib. xii. var. 3. 
 t Al. Al. Ps. 2a. ix. 144. 
 
Ver. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 261 
 
 may come to his inward eye, and so he feeds his lust 
 by the contemplation of his wealth. 
 
 Having cleared the passage by giving an account of 
 the first, we may now more easily proceed to a discus- 
 sion of the second and principal question, which will 
 give further Ught to the reason of the appellation, 
 and so to the resolution of the former ; and if you 
 would know when our lust after wealth is a lust of the 
 eyes, and so irregular, be pleased to know, 
 
 That this lust must be considered in a double refer- 
 ence, to wit, respeclu acquirendi and relineiuli, in re- 
 gard of getting and keeping wealth, craving and saving 
 it. Indeed, as the grave is said to have both a mouth 
 and an hand in Scripture, so hath this lust of the eyes 
 a mouth to receive, and an band to retain ; and accord- 
 ingly it is made up of two ingi-edients, rapacity and 
 tenacity. 
 
 1. Kapacity, which is the lust of getting riches, 
 offends either respeclu olijecti or mensurir, in regard of 
 the matter or the measure.* 
 
 (1.) The desire of getting is the lust of the eyes, when 
 it is conversant about either aliena or superfiua, those 
 things which dul}' belong to another, or those things 
 ■which are supei^fluous and needless for ourselves. 
 
 [1.] To lust after other men's estates is undoubtedly 
 sinful, and not improperly called a lust of the eyes, 
 since (as Zanchyf observeth) such persons, quicquid 
 bonorum mnndi vident, cupiunt et sibi usurpare student, 
 like longing women, they lust after whatsoever they 
 gee, and though it belongs to another, strive to make 
 it their own. Thus Ahab seeth Naboth's vineyard, 
 1 Kings sxi. 1, and presently is sick for it ; nor can 
 anything cure his distemper but Naboth's disposses- 
 sion. This is that which is expressly forbidden in the 
 last commandment, and that in a most extensive 
 phrase, Exod. xx. 17, ' Thou shalt not covet anything 
 that is thy neighbour's.' 
 
 Indeed, there are some things of this world that are 
 common, as the air and water, wherein all men par- 
 take without prejudice one to another ; but there are 
 some things proper, as lauds, moneys, goods, in which 
 every legal possessor hath a peculiar interest, and to 
 which he hath a just right ; and when we look upon 
 others' enjoyments, not only -mih. an evil, that is, an 
 envious eye, repining that they are theirs, but with an 
 evil, that is, a covetous eye, wishing they were ours, 
 that is a lust of the eyes. The rabbins have an ex- 
 cellent saying to this purpose :J He that saith, Mine 
 is thine, and thine is mine, is an idiot ; he that saith. 
 Mine is mine, and thine is thine, is moderate ; he 
 that saith. Mine is thine, and thine is thine, is chari- 
 table ; but he that saith, Thine is mine, and mine is 
 mine, is wicked ; ay, though it be only saying it in 
 his heart, to wish it were so. Not, beloved, that all 
 desire of what is at present another's is a covetous 
 lust, but whenas I desire that from another which is 
 
 * Aqiiin. 2a. 28b. ix. 118, art. 1. 
 X Paulus Fagius seutent. Heb. 
 
 t Zanch. in loc. 
 
 as expedient for him as it can be for me, or which he 
 taketh delight in, and so is unwilling to part with, or 
 which, if it were my own case, 1 should be loath to 
 forego to him, or any other that should desire it of me 
 in the like kind, it becometh a sinful desire of the eyes. 
 [2. j Not only to lust after what is another's, but after 
 what is superfluous, is the lust of the eyes, and fitly 
 so called, inasmuch as what is more than for our just 
 use is only for our eyes. Covetousness is not simply 
 a desire of having more, and therefore more must be 
 added to its deiinition ; it is plus velle quaiii sat est, a 
 desire of having more than is enough, not for our de- 
 sire, but conveniency. Observable to this purpose is 
 that prayer of Agur, Prov. xxx. 8, ' Give me neither 
 poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient 
 for me :' where the right object of a lawful desire is 
 food convenient ; and consequently a desire of riches, 
 that is, a greater measure of wealth than is convenient, 
 is sinful. If God's providence cast superabi n iant 
 riches upon us in the exercise of our callings, we are 
 gratefully to accept them, but we may not desire and 
 seek after them ; suitable to which is that gloss of 
 Estius* upon these words of St Paul, 1 Tim. vi. 10, 
 ' They that will be rich ;' it is not they who are rich, 
 but they who uill he. Cupiditates accused, nonfacul- 
 tates, saith St Austin,! riches are gifts in wisdom's 
 left hand ; not the having, but the craving them, is 
 blameworthy. Congruous hereunto is that of Reyne- 
 rns : there are some who have them, but love them 
 not ; and others who neither have nor love them. 
 Both these, especially the former, are to be com- 
 mended. Again, there are some who have and love 
 them, and others who want and love them, and both 
 these are to be condemned ; not the one for the hav- 
 ing, or the other for the wanting, but both for the 
 loving them. 
 
 The only question which is here necessary to be 
 resolved is. What are those superfluous riches which 
 we ought not to desire ? 
 
 The answer to which will be best returned by the 
 resolving of another question, namely. What is to be 
 accounted necessary and convenient ? the measure of 
 which is taken from a double reference, to wit, to our- 
 selves and others. 
 
 In regard of ourselves, there is a threefold necessity. 
 
 1. Naturce. What is requisite to procure food, 
 raiment, and habitation, without which we cannot 
 subsist. 
 
 2. Fersoiur. What is needful to provision for 
 those who belong to us, wife, children, and servants, 
 who are to be accounted, as it were, a part of our- 
 selves. 
 
 3. Status et conditlonis. What is competent to, and 
 convenient for, the place to which God hath called us, 
 and station wherein he hath set us ? 
 
 In regard of others, there is a double necessity, to 
 wit, 
 
 * Est. ibid. t Aug. Horn. iii. 
 
262 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 1. Publica. What is needful to render us subser- 
 vient to the maintenance of the magistracy and 
 ministry of church and commonwealth. 
 f 2. Piicata. What may enable us in some measure 
 to reheve the indigence of those poor persons amongst 
 whom we Uve. 
 
 And now, to desire more than what may fit us for 
 a convenient discharge of these several obligations, is 
 an unlawful lust, inasmuch as it carrieth us after a 
 wrong object. 
 
 (2.) The lust of getting is a sinful lust of the eyes, 
 whenas it is excessive in measure, which we may well 
 call the greedy eye, according to the derivation of 
 avariis fi'om ave and auruiit ; and this excess appeareth 
 especially in three things : whenas it is, 
 
 [1.] Resolute, or rather absolute, that we rcUl 
 have these things (as it were) whether God will or no. 
 This seemeth to be the emphasis of that fore-mentioned 
 phrase, ' They that will be rich,' that will be so by 
 any means ; all is fish that cometh to their net, i 
 though it be a snake instead of a lamprey ; they will 
 attempt any exploits, be they never so unlawful, rather 
 than not obtain their desire. 
 
 [2.] Hasty. Impatient of delay, that we will not 
 wait God's pleasure, or stay his leisure. The poets 
 feign, that when Plutus, which is riches, was sent 
 from Jupiter, he limpeth away, goeth slowly ; but 
 when from Pluto (which we may moralise to be the 
 devil), he runneth. No wonder if Solomon saith, 
 Prov. xviii. 10, 'He that maketh haste to be rich 
 shall not be innocent ; he that hasteth to be rich 
 hath an evil ej'e.' Indeed, evil men usualij'for haste 
 leave the king's highway, and leap over hedge and 
 ditch, take indirect courses, and ofttimes the more 
 haste, the worst speed. 
 
 [3.] Discontented. So that, if our desires succeed 
 not, we are frowarJ and peevish like Jonah, or heavy 
 and melancholy like Ahab ; grieved, nay, mad, that 
 we cannot have our will ; especially when, being crossed 
 in our designs, we shoot the arrows of our rage 
 against heaven, and repine at God himself. And thus 
 I have given you an account of the first branch of this 
 lust of the eyes. 
 
 2. This sinful lust discovcreth itself no less by tena- 
 city than rapacity ; to understand which aright know, 
 (1.) That all desire of keeping is not culpable. We 
 may, nay, ought to be careful of provision, not only 
 for our present but future uses. It is the ant's wis- 
 dom which Solomon would have us imitate, in sum- 
 mer to lay up for winter ; more especially if God bless 
 us with posterity, wc arc bound to endeavour the 
 keeping in store a proportionable eompetcncj', that 
 they may have wherewilh to subsist when we are gone. 
 For to this, no doubt, that of the apostle extends, 
 ' He that provideth not for his family ' (to wit, as he 
 is able) ' is worse than an infidel.' If, therefore, you 
 would know what desire of keeping is tenacity, I 
 answer, 
 
 [1.] When we are impatient at the loss of riches. 
 Alexander, desiring to know whether Apelles was in 
 love with Campaspe, caused a boy to come in whilst 
 thej' were discoursing, and cry out, Apelles, your shop 
 is on fire ; at the hearing of which he presently cried 
 out. If the picture of Campaspe be burnt, I am un- 
 done, by which he knew he was in love with her. So 
 are we with riches, if, upon the loss of them, we think 
 ourselves undone, and are so fur from learning, with 
 Job, to bless God, as that, according to his wife's 
 counsel, we curse him in our hearts, because he taketh 
 these things away from us. 
 
 [2.] When we think our treasm-e is neverfull enough, 
 laying up abundance, that we may leave our children 
 a vast estate, which too often proves a lure for birds 
 of prey, betraying them to the fawning of flatterers, 
 embracing of harlots, society of the riotous, so that 
 what was niggardly kept by the one is as prodigally 
 spent by the other ; and much more when, having no 
 posterity, a man layeth up wealth only that it may be 
 said he died rich. This is he of whom the wise man 
 speaketh, Eccles. iv. 8, 'There is one alone, and there 
 is not a second, yea, he hath neither child nor brother, 
 yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye 
 satisfied with riches, neither saith he. For whom do I 
 labour and bereave my soul of good '? ' 
 
 [8.] Chiefly when we are loath to part with our 
 estates upon fitting occasions. It is the psalmist's 
 caution, ' If riches increase, set not your hearts upon 
 them ;' and this we do when we are not willing to ex- 
 pend them for good uses, and are so solicitous for the 
 future that we lay out nothing for the present, caring 
 for wealth as our own, earnestly, using it as another's, 
 sparingly. Indeed, whereas the wise Grecians call 
 riches y^sr,ij.ara, from y^^aoiiai, to use, covetous men 
 look upon them as ■/.Triij.aTa, from xrdo/j.ai, to possess. 
 
 1. Some there are who, out of great estates, will 
 not part with anything for necessary uses ; such are 
 they who will not ;iliurd themselves conveniences,* 
 I'arvo rivunl, sordissviie veatiuiitur, \hcj fare hard and 
 go meanl3', and so are in debt to back and belly ; the 
 covetous man, corpus exieniial ut lucnim crteiulat, 
 keeps his body empty, that his purse may be full, and 
 so, to use the Greek poet's comparison, he leads a 
 mule's life, or, if you will, an ass's life, who, being 
 laden with gold, feeds on hay. Little hotter are they 
 who grudge to maintain their relations in such a way 
 as is convenient both for their comfort and their own 
 honour, denying to their wives fitting supplies, suflfer- 
 ing their children to go in rags, feeding their servants 
 with mouldy crusts, more fit to bo thrown to dogs than 
 set before men. 
 
 2. Others there are who will not expend their es- 
 tates in just uses, who, though they have money in 
 their chests, yet will not pay C^sar his tribute, nor 
 the minister his tithes, the creditor his debts, nor 
 
 * Bellarm cont. 
 
Ver. 15, It).] 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 263 
 
 make restitution to those whom they have injured, till 
 they are enforced. 
 
 3. Finally, very many there are, who, though they 
 are willing to expend for necessary and just, yet will 
 part with nothing, or at least nothing proportionable, 
 for pious and charitable uses. Like the ground whence 
 their gold and silver is digged, they are barren of good 
 works : out of their thousands they hardly part with 
 hundreds, no, nor scores of pounds, for the relief of 
 their indigent brethren. Laban and Nabal are one 
 the anagram of the other, both covetous churls, the 
 one whereof would not part with his sheep to Jacob, 
 though it was in point of honesty according to his own 
 agreement ; and the other would not give his bread 
 and wine to David and his men when in great distress. 
 And this was the avarice of the rich man in the Gospel, 
 who, though he laid out his estate for his own deli- 
 cious food, yet would not allow poor Lazarus his 
 crumbs. These men, if they exchange their money for 
 oil to make their own countenance cheerful, yet they 
 will not for wine, to make glad the hearts of the afflicted. 
 
 All of these are justl}' to be chai-ged with tenacity. 
 For whereas the two chief ends of riches (as Aristotle 
 observeth*) are hartaiti %al doaic, discharging of costs, 
 and conferring of gifts, these do not employ them for 
 either, at least not for both ; and, indeed, as the former, 
 so this is very fitly called the lust of the eyes, that 
 the lust of a greedy, and this of a needj- eye, which 
 thiuketh not abundance a sufficiency, and therefore, 
 though it have much, will part with nothing ; by 
 which me.ans it is that such men, sulos ociilos pnscunt, 
 instead of feeding their own and others' bellies, only 
 feed their own eyes, and have no other use of all their 
 wealth but to behold it. So that, as Asterius hath well 
 observed, t whereas no man goeth to sea for itself, 
 but to fetch or traffic ; no man tills the ground for 
 itself, but to reap a gainful harvest; a covetous man 
 gets wealth for itseU', not to expend but keep, do good 
 with, but look upon ; so that, according to the poet's 
 phrase, J 
 
 Pictis tanquam gaudero tabellis, 
 
 he maketh little other use of his coin than men do of 
 their pictures, which only serve to please the eye. In 
 reference to which we ma}' applj- that of Solomon, 
 Eccles. V. 11, ' ^Miat good is there to the owner thereof, 
 saving the beholding of them with their eyes ?' 
 
 And DOW, beloved, I could wish that my discourse 
 of this subject were impertinent, and of no concern- 
 ment to any here present ; but as when our Saviour 
 bade him that was without sLu among the people cast 
 the first stone at the woman taken in the act of adul- 
 tery, they went out one by one, John viii. 7, 9, so 
 that Christ and the woman were left alone, being, as 
 the text tells us, ' convicted in their own consciences,' 
 to wit, that they were all sinners ; so, I doubt, were 
 
 • Aristot. Eth. lib. iv. cap. i. J Herat. Sat. 1. ii, 
 
 t Aster, horn, de Avaritia. 
 
 this congregation pnt to the test, they would go out 
 one by one, as forced upon due search to confess them- 
 selves guilty of this lust. The truth is, as many wear 
 God's livery who yet are none of his servants, so there 
 are many servants of this lust who yet will not wear 
 its livery. All will acknowledge covetousness to be a 
 sin, but not themselves to be covetous ; and whenas 
 the lusts of the flesh carry then- names in their fore- 
 head, avarice weareth the badge of good husbandry, 
 the complexion of frugality, whereby it is that men 
 excuse themselves from the guilt of it. But whilst, 
 if every man were his own judge, no man would be 
 nocent, I fear the great Judge will scarce find any 
 man innocent. Oh who almost is not bitten with this 
 mad dog ? Some are given over to, and most are given 
 to, this lust. One would think rich men should not 
 be troubled with it ; and yet you may as soon put out 
 fire with fuel, as covetousness with riches. One would 
 scarce imagine old men should be infected with it ; 
 and yet (an ancient* observeth), dum membra friges- 
 cunt, cupiditas calescit, caro senescit, affectus juvenescit, 
 finis vitcD rix imponit fiiiem avaritia, the desire after 
 gain is young and hot, whilst the man groweth old and 
 cold, nor doth this lust extinguish before life. If we 
 look into the Scripture, we shall not find any good man 
 taxed with avarice : Noah was drunk, Lot incestuous, 
 and Peter treacherous, but not (as Judas) out of 
 covetousness ; whereas, in this age, none more greedy 
 than they who call themselves the godly. The truth 
 is, though the ' power of godliness ' be opposite to, 
 yet ' the form of godliness ' will easily consist with, it. 
 No wonder if it too often lurk under holy garments 
 and religious shows. Indeed, this disease is become 
 epidemical; both poor and rich, young and old, pro- 
 fane and hypocrites, are sick of it. 
 
 For your further conviction, give me leave to put a 
 few queries to you concerning this particular : 1. Per- 
 haps you do not use unlawful means to be rich ; but 
 are you not discontented because riches do not flow in 
 upon you ? You covet not what is unjust ; but do 
 you not crave what is superfluous ? You do not 
 avide rapere aliena, greedily snatch at what belongs to 
 others ; but do you not cupide servarc vestra, too nig- 
 gardly lock up w^hat is your own ? Many think they 
 cannot be to blame for saving their own ; but men sin 
 as well in not giving what they should, as in getting 
 what they should not : and there is little difference in 
 making wine of another man's grapes, and being drunk 
 with our own. 2. Perhaps you are not as bad as 
 Vespasian, who, exacting tribute of the people for 
 urine, said, bonus odor lucri ex re qualibet, gain is 
 sweet out of anything ; yet is not the gain of wealth 
 more sweet to you than that of grace, and your desires 
 far greater, tcw' y^ilisov, than Xs/ffrov, after gain than 
 after Christ ? 3. You are not such holdfasts as to 
 abridge yourselves of conveniences ; but do you not 
 forget the necessities of others ? You say you are 
 * Aster. 1. d. 
 
264 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 only good husbands, but whilst you pretend to be good 
 husbands, are you not bad Christians, neglecting God's 
 service to follow the world, scraping all j'ou can for 
 yom' relations, and imparting little or nothing to Christ's 
 members '? Were these questions duly pondered, I 
 fear few would be able to acquit themselves from this 
 lust, and whilst there is no Christian but condemneth 
 covetousness, covetousness will condemn many, nay, 
 most Christians. 
 
 Suffer, then, I beseech you, a word of dehortation : 
 ne cor tiitim terrcf, viims iiifodias, lury not j-ourselves 
 alive in earthly desires. This world is as the highway, 
 and it sounds but ill for one to be buried in the high- 
 way : whip this mammon out of the temple of your 
 hearts, and let not the lust of the eyes have dominion 
 over your souls. Indeed, there is none, not the best 
 of us, but bj' what you have already heard, stands in 
 need of this counsel, especially when riches flow in 
 upon us. Oh how hard is it to enjoy tbis world's goods, 
 and not doat upon them ! Happy is the man who (to 
 use] Gregory Nyssen's comparison*') is like the sea, 
 which, notwithstanding the greatest flowing in of 
 riches, keepeth its bounds which God hath set it, 
 keeping his affection in a due moderation in the midst 
 of earthly abundance. 
 
 To induce you hereunto, consider, 
 
 1. The lust of getting is insatiable. There is no such 
 word as cnour/h in the worldling's dictionary. As it is 
 the sin of the covetous, so it is his punishment, that 
 his desire cannot be replenished. It is Solomon's 
 assertion, Eccles. v. 10, ' He that loveth silver shall 
 not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth abun- 
 dance with increase ;' suitable to which is that in 
 Ecclesiasticus,t a covetous man's eye is not satisfied 
 with his portion ; and that of the poet, 
 
 Crcscit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crcscit. 
 
 A covetous man (to use Antiochus his comparison}) 
 is like the sea, into which many rivers pour them- 
 selves, yet it is still receiving. To those three things, 
 Prov. x.xxi. 15, IG, which 'are never satisfied, and 
 four that say it is not enough, the grave, the barren 
 womb, the dry earth, and the fire,' wo may well add 
 as a fifth, the covetous heart. It is strange, and yet 
 true of such an one, his medicine is his malady ; that 
 which should quench doth increase his flame, what- 
 ever he gets is but like the putting of water into a 
 vessel with holes, the punishment of Danaus his 
 daughter; and though his desire be to get wealth, yet 
 the wealth he gets doth but augment his desire. 
 
 2. The lust of keeping is unprofitable ; it swells 
 the principal to no purpose, and lesseus the use to all 
 purposes. The covetous man pretends to hoard up 
 much for fear of want ; and yet, after all his pains and 
 purchase, he suffers that really which before he feared 
 vainly, and by not using what he gets, he maketh that 
 
 * Greg. Nyss. liom. i. in Eccl. J Antioch liom, viii. 
 t Kcdus. xiv. ID. 
 
 to be actually present and necessary, which before was 
 but future, contingent, and possible. Hence it is 
 that, according to that known saying, ileest avaro tarn 
 quod hahet (plain quod non hahet* a mammonist wants 
 as well what he hath as what he hath not ; as he 
 wants who hath meat and doth not eat it, as well as 
 he who hath no meat to eat. He is one, quern iiheitas 
 ati'iileiii, abiindaniia inopcin, inhumcmuin cojiia, diviliie 
 fecere viendicxim, whom plenty maketh needy, abun- 
 dance indigent, fortune unfortimate, riches a beggar, 
 and for fear of being miserable hereafter, he maketh 
 himself miserable for the present ; so justly is he 
 called in our English language, a »i(S('r. Such a man 
 is like one who hath a treasure delivered him, locked 
 up and sealed with the royal seal, which he dareth not 
 touch ; or like those sisters which had an ej-e in their 
 box, and yet in the mean time saw nothing ; or like 
 Tantalus, he hath water running, apples growing by 
 him, and yet driiiketh not of the one, or feedeth of 
 the other. Socinus hath, in this, well observed that 
 this phrase, the Insl of the eyes, serveth to shew the 
 follj- and miserj' of the covetous, who take a great 
 deal of pains in heaping up riches, and have no benefit, 
 but only the seeing of them. In this respect the}' are 
 as so many wards, who have titles to great possessions, 
 but not the actual enjoyment of them ; or as the 
 patriarchs' sacks, that had in them both corn and coin, 
 but of no further use than to be worn out in keeping 
 them. 
 
 3. This lust, both of getting and keeping, is, 
 (1.) Enslaving. The proverb saith. All things obey 
 money, and, too often, they who possess it. What 
 drudges are covetous men to their wealth ! They 
 have riches, saith Seneca excellently,! sicul fehiein 
 habere diciiiiur, cum ilta iios Iiaheat, as a man is said to 
 have a fever ; that is, his fever hath him. Whereas 
 they should (to use St Jerome's | phrase) dislribitere iit 
 doiiiini, distribute their wealth as masters of it, they 
 do ciistodiie iit serei, keep it up as its servants. For 
 which reason gold and silver to such men are said by 
 St Cyprian § to be jireciosa suppUcia, glorious fetters ; 
 and by Diogenes to be /3jd;^o; p^jiiffsoj, golden halters ; 
 and most aptly by Prosper, || _/(•(■(■(•«»» jiiijuin, an iron 
 yoke, which will the better appear if you consider 
 further, that this lust is, 
 
 (2.) Tormenting. The covetous muckworm is dis- 
 tracted with cares, disquieted with fears, perplexed 
 with continual thoughts, how he should keep what he 
 hath got, what he shall do when he is old, how he 
 may add to his heaps ! This lust of the eyes will not 
 suffer his ejxs to sleep, nor his eyelids to close. Pauper 
 eral (saith Austin ^) et secure dori/iiebat, somiiii.i/anlis 
 accedelial, When he was pom- he slept securely, his 
 sleep came upon him easily ; but now he can take no 
 
 * Cliryst. Ser. 104. 
 
 t Sen. Ep. 11 a. 
 
 II I'ro.sp. do vilii cimfcnipl. lib. 
 
 ^ Aug. Serm. 110, de Tomp. 
 
 X Ilieron. Ep. 
 § Cypr. Ep. 2. 
 , cap. xi. 
 
Veb. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLI. 
 
 265 
 
 rest day nor night, it bereaves his mouth of food, his 
 body of ornaments, ye^, his eyes of sleep, and his 
 heart of joys ; so that in the midst of his silver chests 
 and golden bags he is as at a funeral feast, where, though 
 there be abundance of cheer, there is no mirth. Ay, 
 and which is yet saddest of all, iill those, as Isidore 
 Pelusiota well observeth,* are but the beginnings of 
 future torments. In which respect the covetous man 
 is in a far worse condition than the voluptuous ; for 
 whereas the voluptuous man hath an heaven of plea- 
 sure now, though an hell of torment hereafter, the 
 covetous man hath a double hell : an hell of vexing 
 care, galling fear, in this world ; an hell of unspeakable 
 horror and anguish in the other. Add to all which, 
 that this lust is, 
 
 (3.) Infatuating. It was a miracle that our Saviour 
 wrought upon the blind man, to restore his sight by 
 clay ; sure I am, white and yellow clay, instead of 
 opening, blind most men's eyes. The Latins say that 
 avidns is a iimi viiiendo, and covetous llidas, who 
 fondly desired that whatsoever he touched might be 
 gold, is so called in the Greek quasi, ij^n^h ilboiv, from 
 seeing nothing. If S;imson's eyes had not been bored 
 out by the Philistines, he would never have been their 
 miller, nor would men grind in the mill of this world, 
 exhaust their strength, their time in scraping a little 
 pelf, were not their minds blinded with the love of 
 money. In one word, this lust is not only foolish, but, 
 (4.) Cursed, as being directly opposite to all those 
 virtues which our Saviour hath reckoned up as givinu 
 a title to blesseduess. Mat. v. 3-11. The mammon- 
 ist's hunger and thirst is not after righteousness, but 
 gold. Instead of a pure heart, he hath a foul, dirty 
 soul ; he is a mourner, but it is only when his trading 
 doth not thrive and riches increase. He careth 
 not for poverty of spirit, but fulness in his purse, all 
 his mercy is to pity and spare his gold ; he is so far 
 from being a peacemaker that he will go to law for a 
 penny, and he resolveth to sutler no persecution but 
 what is from his own fretting and raging lust. In- 
 deed, the one of these qualifieations is true, but it is 
 only in part. Men revile him, and speak evil of him, 
 but it is not falsely but justly, for Christ's sake, but 
 his money's sake, and therefore his reproaches are so 
 far from rendering him blessed that they make him 
 the more cursed ; and however this wretched caititl', 
 like him in the poet, applaud himself while the people 
 point and hiss at him, yet the time will come when 
 God shall upbraid him with his folly, laugh at his 
 calamity ; and then, though too late, he shall bewail, 
 and abhor, and condemn himself. 
 
 What now remainoth but that, since the denying 
 this worldly lust appeareth so reasonable, we resolve 
 upon it, and for our better execution of this resolution 
 remember these lessons : 
 
 1. Get a contented mind. The author to the 
 Hebrews, chap. xiii. 5, hath aptly joined them to- 
 * Isid. Pelu3. lib. ii. Ep. 233. 
 
 gether, ' Let your conversation be without covetous' 
 ness, and be conteut with such things as you have,- 
 requiring no doubt the latter in order to the former. 
 What are all of us in this world but as so many 
 strangers and pilgrims ; why should we care for more 
 than money to defray our charges ? We are under 
 the providence of a gracious Father, why should we 
 not be content with what he seeth convenient for us '? 
 Certaiuh' that shoe is not best which is the greatest, 
 but which is fittest for the foot ; nor that garment 
 which is longest or most gorgeous, but that which sets 
 closest to the body.* Let our portion content us, and 
 then the lust of the ej-es will not domineer over us. 
 
 2. Labour for a charitable heart. Make not the 
 mammon of unrighteousness your friend by loving it, 
 but make you friends of the mammon of unrighteous- 
 ness by giving it. One desire will thrust out another, 
 the good lust of giving and distributing will expel the 
 bad lust of getting and keeping. St Austin's counsel 
 concerning riches is excellent, Si absint, ne per mala 
 opera qaarantur in terra ; si adsiiit, per bona opera 
 serventur in ca'lo : if they be wanting, seek them not 
 in earth by evil works ; if they be present, lay them 
 up in heaven by good works. If you will needs be 
 laying up of riches, let it be in the safest place, in 
 heaven. Mat. vii. 1-i (as our Saviour directeth us), and 
 that is, by laying them out for the poor's relief. If 
 you must needs see }-our riches, let it be upon the 
 backs of the naked, and the tables of the hungry ; this 
 is the only commendable lust of the eyes. 
 
 3. Judge righteous judgment concerning those 
 things with which you are so enamoured, to which end 
 shut the ej'e of your sense, and open the eye of your 
 reason. Tully writeth of a people, who, when they 
 went to the held, were wont pugnare clausis oculis, 
 to tight with their eyes shut. It might be cowardice 
 in them, it would be wisdom in us, to shut our eyes, 
 not to look too much on those objects, lest they en- 
 snare us. When the devil thought to tempt Christ to 
 the utmost, he ' shewed him all the kingdoms and 
 glory of the world.' It is ill looking on the world, 
 especially when it putteth on its holiday apparel. No 
 wonder if David, when he destreth that his ' heart may 
 not be inclined to covetousness,' prays also, ' Turn 
 away mine eyes from beholding vanity.' Or if you will 
 look upon these things, let it be with the eye of reason, 
 or rather faith, to see the vanity and vexation of them. 
 Look not upon their pompous outside, but their rotten 
 inside, and then you will find them like hangings, 
 which on the one side have pictiu-es of kings and 
 queens curiously wrought, but on the other side rags 
 and patches. 
 
 4. Finally, lift up your eyes to heaven, by a due 
 meditation of things above. Anatomists observe that 
 there is a muscle in man's eye, more than in any other 
 creature's, by which he is able to look up. Man in the 
 
 • Forlunam velut tunicam proba magis concenciam ijuam 
 longam. — Apul. 
 
2GG 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Greek language is called avd^ini-og, Taja rli a^tu uS^in ; 
 and Plato saith,* avS^ui-o; is, as it were, o avaiouv 
 ii'ra.'Tro;, one that lifts up his countenance ; to which 
 agreeth that of the poet, 
 
 Os homimi sublime dedit. 
 
 Oh let our bodily constitution mind us of an heavenly 
 disposition. Ten-am ilcsjdcil ijiii calicm (upicit, he will 
 have earth under his foot who hath heaven in his eyes. 
 * Flat, in Crat. 
 
 In one word, as Moses, Heb. xi. 26, so let us, a^ra- 
 ^X'iTiiv zig, look off from this land we possess to the 
 promised land ; that, having respect to that recompence 
 of reward, we may disrespect the treasures of Egypt ; 
 and taking daily walks upon mount Zion, all these 
 things, silver, gold, houses, lands, goods, riches, may 
 be little and vile in our eyes. So shall we be de- 
 livered from this second venomous corruption, the 
 lust of the eyes. 
 
 SEEMON XLII. 
 
 Love not the world, neither the thinys that are in tlie world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is 
 not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and tlie pride of life, is 
 not of the Father, but is of the icorld. — 1 John 11. 15, 16. 
 
 AMONG those many excellent rules which belong to 
 the divine art of preaching, this is not of least 
 concernment, that ministers should not content them- 
 selves with generalities, either in dissuading evil or per- 
 suading good. Virtues and vices are then rightly 
 hanilleJ, when our sermons are not like shadows, which 
 represent obscurely and confusedly, but as glasses, or 
 rather pictures, setting them forth in their distinct 
 lineaments. It is a known maxim in logic, l-alet dolus 
 i)i unircrscdihus, there is a great deal of ambiguity, and 
 consequently deceit, in universal propositions. And 
 though exhortations at large to serve God, mortify the 
 flesh, and contemn the world, are in themselves true 
 and good, yet if not more particularly discussed, the 
 auditors will be too apt to deceive themselves, by ima- 
 gining they have leai-nt those lesson", to which, per- 
 haps, they are mere strangers. For this cause it was 
 that St Paul, exhorting the Colossians to ' mortify 
 their earthly members,' Col. iii. 5, 6, proccetls to a 
 punctual enumeration of those members ; and not only 
 those of the grossest and worst sort, but those which 
 seem, at least in man's eye, of less guilt ; and to in- 
 stance no further, for this very reason, no doubt, it 
 was that our apostle contents not himself in generals 
 to dehort worldly love, but anuexeth a special disco- 
 vei-y of the several lusts by which it reigneth in the 
 hearts and lives of the wicked : ' Love not the world, 
 for all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of 
 the cj'es,' &c. 
 
 The third and last of these lusts is that which now 
 cometh to be handled ; for the unfolding whereof I 
 shall discuss the '//(/(/ noiniiiis and the c/uid rci, the 
 reason of the phrase and the nature of the thing. 
 
 1. In reference to the phrase here used, a/.a^oyila 
 roO /3/'ou, ' the pride' or ostentation ' of life,' there arc 
 three queries to be resolved : 
 
 (I.) Why doth not the apostle continue the same 
 phrase of iTnOujj.ia, it being a sinful lust which is re- 
 proved in this as well as in the former ? To which I 
 conceive may rationally be answered, that it would 
 
 have been too narrow an expression, since the seat of 
 pride extends itself further than the desire, whereas 
 the lust of the tlesh lodgeth in the sensitive. Pride is 
 in the rational part ; and whereas the lust of the eyes 
 residelh in the aflective, pride (as will appear in hand- 
 hng) is as well in the intellectual as in the aflective 
 faculty. 
 
 (2.) Why doth not the apostle rather make choice 
 of 'jTi^rifavia, a word that signitieth the inward as well 
 as the outward pride, than d}.a^o«iia, which (as we 
 shall afterwards find) most properlj' points at the out- 
 ward?* To which may be returned, that it is not as 
 if the inward piide were excluded, which is indeed 
 chiefly intended, but probably because this sin is of 
 such a nature as it usually loveth to shew itself ; nor 
 is it satisfied unless others take notice of it. Men are 
 for the most part ashamed of the lust of the flesh, and 
 therefore either they restrain, or, as much as they can, 
 conceal, the actings of it ; and the lust of the eyes 
 loveth to lurk in corners ; but pride knoweth not how 
 to forbear the discovery of itself to others. She de- 
 lights not to stay at homo, but walketh abroad to be 
 seen of others ; even then when she counterfeits humi- 
 lity, it is usually so gross that it appeareth to bo coun- 
 terfeit. 
 
 (3.) Once more, it may be inquired why it is called, 
 not barely pride, but the pride of life ; in answer to 
 which interpreters do somewhat vary. 
 
 The note of Salmerou is too much strained, who 
 would have it called the pride of lite, because pride 
 commands even life itself, and maketh men will- 
 ing rather to lose their life than their greatness. 
 Sure, what St Paul saith of his religious glorying, the 
 proud man saith of his vain-glorying, ' It were better 
 for me to die than that my glorying should bo void.' 
 
 Alexander Hales his fancyf is, that since per se 
 viverc, to live of one's self, is proper to an intellectual 
 creature, and only an intellectual creature is capable 
 
 * Al. Al.l.a. 
 
 t Ibid. 
 
Ver. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLII. 
 
 267 
 
 of pride, therefore it is called the pride of life ; but 
 this is too far fetched. 
 
 Possibly there roight be the same reason of the tou 
 /3/ou as of the aXa^otiia, therefore the pride of life, 
 because this sin, though it have its ri-e from the heart, 
 yet it appearoth in the life. 
 
 Some* conceive it is called the pride of life, because 
 semper vicit rif/elque, it is a sin that is always hvely 
 and vigorous, from first to last, from the cradle to the 
 -crutch. There are some sins that are pecuhar to 
 several ages, but this first saluteth and last leaveth 
 us. Our Saviour set a little child in the midst of his 
 disciples to teach them humility ; sure it was a very 
 little one, for even children are apt to be proud, and 
 as we grow in years pride gets head, nay, it then 
 flourisheth when the body withereth. 
 
 But, lastly and chiefly, therefore the pride of life, 
 gitia qua sunt in presenti vild bona de quilnis homo 
 superbit, they are commonly the things of this life, 
 which ai-e the fuel of pride. To this agreeth the Syriac 
 version, 'the pride of this life,' and that animadver- 
 sion of Vorstius, who observes that j3io;, signifying 
 both life and iveallh, which is of greatest concernment 
 to this life. It may bo rendered either way, since, as 
 they are the things of this life, so wealth is that espe- 
 cially in which men are most apt to pride themselves. 
 Indeed, there is a spiritual as well as a carnal pride, 
 and this is a secret venom, subtle evil (as the fatherf 
 calls it), being as a moth in our graces and the rust of 
 our virtues. In this respect it is truly said, that as 
 repentance is the best fruit of the worst root sin, so 
 pride is the worst fruitof the best root grace ; but 
 usually birth, beauty, strength, wit, learning, lands, 
 honours, and such like, become the incentives of our 
 pride. Thus Herod was proud of his eloquence, 
 Ahithophel of his policy, Goliath of his might, Nebu- 
 chadnezzar of his palace, Sennacherib of his victories, 
 and Haman of his honour. That the things of the 
 other hfe, the graces of the Spirit, occasion pride, it 
 is altogether accidental, since in their own nature they 
 prompt to humility ; and therefore, as boughs which are 
 most laden with fruit hang down their heads, and ves- 
 sels that are fullest make the least noife, so they that 
 are richest in grace are poorest in spirit ; indeed, it is 
 rather the show than the truth, the appearance than 
 the reality, of grace, which lifts men up. They are 
 the things of this present life, which as in their own 
 nature they are apt, so through the compliance of our 
 nature they frequently do, engender pride, and thus 
 not one or few but many. All the things of this 
 life are such as men pride themselves in. The lust of 
 the llesh is hmited by its end, which is to content 
 the flesh ; the lust of the e_yes, by its instrument, which 
 is the eye ; but pride of life is of an universal and 
 illimited influence. This whole life, with all the things 
 in it, is but sphere enough for pride to move in ; the 
 other lusts have their particular objects : the lust of 
 * Kiber. t Bern, in Ps. Qui halit. 
 
 the flesh sensual pleasures, the lust of the eyes worldly 
 riches, but pride of life, though it principally look at 
 honours, yet it runs through the objects of the other 
 lusts, men being apt to glory in their furnished tables, 
 in their replenished coflers, yea, in every good thing 
 they enjoy. So great need is there of the prophet Jere- 
 miah's caution, chap. ix. 23, ' Let not the wise man 
 glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his 
 strength, nor the rich man glory in his wealth.' And 
 thus I have'givcn a despatch of the quid nominis, the 
 reason of the phrase, which was the first thing pro- 
 posed. 
 
 2. Proceed we now to that which is the principal, 
 the quid rei, the consideration of the thing, and inquire 
 what this sin of pride is in its utmost latitude ; for so 
 we are here to look upon it, being set down as one of 
 the three capital lusts which infect the race of man- 
 kind. 
 
 For the resolution of which I must make use of that 
 distinction which Peraldus hath framed to my hand,* 
 and hath been already intimated. Pride is either 
 internal or external ; that is (properly) the pride of the 
 heart, this the pride of life ; that is both in the under- 
 standing and the afl'ection, and this (especially) in the 
 words of the mouth and apparel of the body; all of 
 which are within the compass of that which is here 
 called the pride of life. 
 
 (1.) Begin we with internal pride, and that, 
 [1.] As situated in the understanding, and so it is 
 nothing else but a false opinion, and sui'passing esti- 
 mation of a man's own excellencies. This is observ- 
 able in the etymology of h'Triirifatia, which is from 
 ii--h and (pdm,'j.'/.i, when a man appeareth to himself 
 (and would to others) above what really he is ; and of 
 dXa^ir/iia (the word in my text), which is from a, 
 ejiitalicum, and Aa^o,aa;, sumo, when a man doth as- 
 sume to himself what belongs not to him. In this 
 respect pride may well be called an unnatural tumour, 
 puffing a man up as if he had eaten a spider. Indeed, 
 what wind is to the bladder, leaven to the doiagh, and 
 poison to the body, that is pride to the mind, swelling 
 it up with high conceits of its own worth, in the appre- 
 hension of what it either hath or doth, enjoyeth or 
 performeth. 
 
 More particularly, this overweening opinion is, as 
 the schools from St Gregoryt well observe, either, 
 
 1. Ex parte rei, in regard of the things themselves, 
 whenas we think ourselves to have that excellency 
 which indeed we have not, to wit, either not at all, or 
 else not in that measure which we fancy. 
 
 (1.) Some are so proud that they attribute to them- 
 selves what is no way theirs, like the fly in the fable, 
 which, sitting on the axle-tree of the coach wheel, 
 cried out. What a dust do I raise ! This was the 
 Laodicean temper, which said. Rev. iii. 17, she was 
 ' rich, and increased with goods, and had need of 
 
 * Perald tie Virtut. et. vit. 
 
 t Greg. Mor xxiii. Aquin. la. Ise. ix. 20, art. iv. 
 
2G8 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 nothing, whenas she was miserable and wretched, 
 poor, blind, and naked.' What is this but as if 
 a blackamoor should fancy herself a beauty, and * 
 pigmy imagine himself to be a giant. 
 
 (2.) Others, yea, very many, look upon themselves 
 in multiplyiug and magnifying glasses, whereby it is 
 that their pence seem pounds, mites talents, and 
 according to the proverb, geese swans. This was 
 the Pharisee's pride, who thought himself holier, and 
 Eabsbakeh's, who accounted himself mightier, than 
 indeed he was. 
 
 The truth is, an error in the defect is pardonable, 
 to think more meanly ; but in the excess abominable, 
 to think more highly of our endo'svments or enjo3'ments, 
 than they deserve in themselves. For what is it but 
 as if a novice should pretend himself to be a doctor ; 
 nay, as if a peasant dream that he is a monarch. 
 
 2. Ex parte chum-, in regard of the causal influence 
 upon whatsoever excellences is iu, or belonging to, us: 
 and this is when men account themselves either as 
 the principal efficient, or as the meritorious causes, of 
 any good. 
 
 (1.) Some are so proud as to ' sacrifice to their own 
 nets,' and look upon themselves as the originals of 
 their own welfare. God complaineth of the Israelites, 
 Hos. ii. 8, ' She did not know that I gave her corn, 
 and wine, and oil,' reproving her ingratitude ; but the 
 proud man goeth further, and owneth himself as the 
 author of his enjoyments and achievements. ' Is not 
 this great Babel which I have built?' saith Nebuch- 
 adnezzar. 
 
 Dextra mihi Deus et telum, 
 
 said Mezentias, my own right hand got me the victory. 
 
 (2.) More are so proud as though they acknowledge 
 their good things to be of God's communicating, yet 
 60 as that they are of their own deserving. These 
 think God rather beholding to them than they to him, 
 and look upon all blessings, not as the gifts of bounty, 
 but rewards of service. Like to that proud friar who 
 said, Da l>oiiii)ie ijiiitd tiebcs, Lord, pay what thou 
 owest me, even when he desired admission into those 
 heavenly mansions. 
 
 Besides this pride of the mind, there is yet fur- 
 ther considerable, a pride in the passions of hope, love, 
 and desire. 
 
 1. Pride, as in the passion of hope, is that which 
 we call presumption. Indeed, presumption of God's 
 mercy is a fruit of infidelity, because we do not rightly 
 conceive of God's attributes, nor firmly believe his 
 threateniugs ; but a presumption of our own ability 
 is a branch of arrogancy and pride. It is no wonder 
 if self-conceit be accompanied with self-confidence, 
 and he that assumeth too much do presume too much 
 upon himself. Hence it is that men think, with those 
 Babel-builders, they can rear a fabric as high as 
 heaven ; or, with Antiochus, that they can sail on the 
 earth, and walk on the water; do things which are 
 
 impossible, far bej'ond the reach of their power, as if 
 a fish should attempt to fly, or a beast to speak. 
 
 2. Pride, as in the passion of love, is a fond dotage 
 upon our own excellences ; and this, by St Austin,* 
 is set down as the definition of that which most pro- 
 perly is called pride, amor propiiu- excel/ en tier, the 
 immoderate love of a man's own qualifications ; Nar- 
 cissus-like, to be enamoured with our own shadow, 
 and admire our own beauty. Indeed, to be well- 
 pleased with our own condition, whatever it is, is an 
 act of humble contentation, and very commendable; 
 but to be carried with an aflbctionate admiration of 
 our own endowments, as if none were like them, is an 
 act of proud afl'ection, and justly blameable. 
 
 3. Pride, as in the passion of desire, is nothing else, 
 in general, but an inordinate and perverse appetite 
 after excelling and going beyond others. Indeed, in 
 some kind, this desire cannot be perverse, though it 
 be vehement : namely, 
 
 (1.) When it is in spirituals. A desire to go beyond 
 others in virtue, to excel them in graces, is praise- 
 worthy ; we must strive to be as holy and religious, 
 as just and charitable, as sober and temperate, as the 
 best ; and it is a commendable emulation to vie one 
 with another in these practices. 
 
 (2.) When it is in mentals. In matters of knowledge 
 (so it be not like Adam's desire to be as God), we may 
 desire and endeavour to outstrip others ; to be as subtle 
 as the acutest sophister, as intelligent as the pro- 
 foundest doctor, as eloquent as the politest orator, is 
 a lawful endeavour. But, in temporals and externals, 
 a desire of surpassing others in any kind is very 
 prone to be inordinate, and, when it is so, deserveth 
 no better a name than this of pride. 
 
 In particular, there are two principal branches of 
 this pride in desire, when it is of dignity above, and 
 authority over others, or of praise and glory from 
 others : the former of which is called ambition (and 
 so St Cyprian reads the word heref). and the latter 
 vainglory. Of each a word, 
 
 [l.j I'he pride of ambition is an exorbitant desire of 
 power and greatness. Indeed, we may accipere, receive 
 that dignity which is cast upon us, but we must not 
 arripere, snatch at, and be greedy of, preferment ; it is 
 not to be denied but that there is a lawful desire of 
 power and place. St Paul saith, 2 Tim. iii. 1, ' He 
 that desireth the office of a bishop, dcsireth a worthy 
 work ;' and, no doubt, it is a worthy desire, if rightly 
 qualified. But it is then the pride of life, 
 
 1. Whenas it is only /Jivrcx.'ic, but not prod esse, that 
 we may be great, but not that we may do good ; only of 
 the dignitj', and not of the duty which attends it. Or, 
 
 2. When men of low deserts have high desires of 
 grasping that sceptre, which they are not fit or worthy 
 to manage ; soaringhigh, when yetthey want wings. Or, 
 
 3. When no place will content us but the highest ; 
 
 * Aug. do Civit. Dei. lib. xiv. cap. xxxii. 
 t Ambitio sacculi.— Cy/jr. 
 
Ver. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLII. 
 
 269 
 
 so that we will not eudiu-e either superior or equal ; 
 as Alexander, who told Darius the heaven had but one 
 sun, and the earth must have but one Alexander. 
 This being the temper of a proud man, when he is got 
 up to the top to pull up the ladder, that none may 
 come after him, but that he may rule alone, and have 
 all in his own hands. 
 
 4. Or, which is yet worst of all, when this desire 
 puts men upon evil ways, and unlawful means of 
 attaining, making that of the poet their principle, 
 x-ioltiii(liti>t est jus rerjnl gniti/i, right may be dispensed 
 with, where it is to gain a kingdom. 
 ^'i2.i The other branch of this pride is the desire of 
 vain glory, from which the apostle dehorts the Gala- 
 tians, chap. v. 26. Indeed, it is one thing to desire 
 glory, and another to desire rain glory. Great men 
 may lawfully expect that honom' and respect from 
 others, which is due to the place and station in which 
 God hath set them. Every man may desire praise 
 and commendation from others, for those good actions 
 that arri done by him. St Paul plainly alloweth it, 
 ■when he assureth eternal life to them who, ' by well- 
 doing, seek for honour and glory.' But if you will 
 know when it is a desire of vain glory, and so pride of 
 life, I answer with the casuists, '^■- that the sinfulness 
 of this desire is considerable three ways : 
 
 1. E.r parte ejus qui, in regard of him who desireth 
 it, whenas, 
 
 (1.) He maketh it his principal aim, terminating in 
 himself. It is one thing to do good works, so as they 
 may be seen, another to do them t/ial they may be seen ; 
 it is one thing to do them that they may be seen for 
 our own glory, it is another to do them that they may 
 be seen for God's glory ; finally, it is one thing to 
 make our own honour a subordinate encouragement to, 
 and another to set it up as the ultimate end of, our 
 good actions. The former is allowable, but the latter 
 abominable. 
 
 (2.) His desire after it is accompanied with a peevish 
 anger at those who give him not the praise and honour 
 he expects, like Haman, who was mad because he 
 could not have Mordecai's knee ; and Ahithophel, 
 who is so discontented as to hang himself, because 
 his wisdom was unden-alued in the not following his 
 counsel. Indeed, the proud man, contrary to St Paul's 
 rule of giving, is altogether for taking honour ; and 
 which is very absurd, though he will not give honour 
 to others, yet he taketh it very ill if others give it not 
 to him. 
 
 2. Ex parte ejus de quo, in regard of that for which 
 he desireth glory. Thus, 
 
 (1.) When men, according to St Paul's expression, 
 Philip, iii. 19, ' glory in their shame,' expect to be 
 applauded for their evil deeds, and gather the grapes of 
 praise upon the thorns of vices. 
 
 (2.) Or when they desire more commendation than 
 their actions (though good) deserve, thinking that 
 * Laym. Theol. Wor. lib. iii. art 3. 
 
 others should value them as they do themselves ; as 
 if not the merit of our works, but the estimation we 
 have of them, were to be the rule of others' judgment. 
 
 3. Ex parte ejus a quo, in regard of him from whom 
 we desire praise. And thus, 
 
 (1.) When according to the character which is given 
 of the hypocritical Jew, Rom. ii. 80, our ' praise is 
 not of God, but of men,' we regard more to approve 
 ourselves to the world than to God ; whereas our aim 
 should be to find approbation, first in the court of 
 God, then of conscience, then of men. 
 
 (2.) AVhen among men, we desire praise, not of the 
 learned, but the ignorant, who are not competent 
 judges ; not of the good, but of the bad, whose praise 
 indeed is a dispraise, and by speaking well of us, dis- 
 parage us. 
 
 And thus I have given you an account of the first 
 kind of pride, which I proposed to handle, namely, 
 internal. By which it appeareth that her chariot is 
 drawn with four horses, self-estimation, arrogant pre- 
 sumption, haughty ambition, and vain glor\'. 
 
 Pass we on to the other sort, which is called ex- 
 ternal pride. Not to enlarge in all those ways where- 
 by pride doth manifest itself, I shall only insist on 
 two, which are most usual, and to which indeed the 
 word in the text prompts us, namely, in language 
 and apparel. 
 
 1. Pride having her imperial throne in the will, 
 commands the whole man, especially the tongue, to 
 vent her swelling words. One of the characters which 
 St Paul giveth of the men of the last times is, that 
 they shall be boasters, 2 Tim. iii. 3 : where the word 
 is from the same root with this in the text ; suitable to 
 which it is that the Greeks tell us he is properly 
 aXa^^m, who useth stately language, and a vain pomp 
 of splendid words, in proclaiming his own worth and 
 abihties. 
 
 Now this is either in praising or promising. 
 
 1. To praise ourselves for what we either have or 
 do, except when it is in way of a just and needful 
 apology, is no other than the language of pride : and 
 therefore it was good counsel of Solomon, Prov. 
 xxvii. 2, ' Let another man's mouth praise thee, and 
 not thine own.' In the law every open vessel which 
 had no covering found upon it was unclean ; an emblem 
 of the proud persom, qui per studium ostentat'wnis 
 patens, nuUn relamine tacituniitatis operitur, who hath 
 an open mouth to vent and vaunt his own virtues, 
 though hereby he doth not, nay, undoth, what he is 
 doing, discommending himself by his self-commenda- 
 tion. Those words of holy Job, chap. xxxi. 7. ' If 
 my mouth hath kissed my hand,' are not unfitly 
 moraUsed to this purpose.* Our mouth kissoth our 
 hand when (like hens which cackle when they lay) our 
 tongue blazons our own actions. Indeed, sometimes 
 pride puts men upon dispraising and undervaluing 
 themselves ; but even then they put praise to usury, 
 * Mauus symbolum opcratiouia. — I'ined. 
 
270 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 it being for this end, that they may receive it from 
 others with advantage. 
 
 (2.) It is no less evidently a badge of pride when 
 men are golden- tongued and leaden-handed ; make 
 large promises of things which they are no way able 
 to perform ; learning herein of their father the devil, 
 who, shewing Christ the kingdoms and glory of the 
 world, told him, ' All these will I give thee,' when yet 
 none of them were in his power to give. To this (as 
 Ulpian tells ns) the significatioD of the Greek word 
 here used extends. Indeed, such kind of promises 
 argue men, at the worst, deceitful impostors ; at the 
 best, vainglorious boasters. 
 
 2. Besides this pride of language, there is another 
 which is far more frequent, to wit, the pride of ap- 
 parel. Indeed, it is strange that any should make 
 apparel the fuel of their pride. We all know that 
 garments are but things about us, not inhering in, 
 but adhering to, us. So that to be proud of that is as 
 if an horse should be proud of his trappings, nay more, 
 we are beholden for them to other creatures : sheep 
 for the wool, worms for our silk, and the like. So 
 that to be proud of them is as if a man should be 
 proud of another's parts, nay, which is yet worse, they 
 were occasioned by sin. In which respect the 
 Hebrews derive the noun 1J3, which signifieth a gar- 
 ment, from the verb 123, which signifieth to deal per- 
 fidiously ; so to be proud of them is as if a thief 
 should be proud, because he is burnt in the hand. 
 What more absurd than to boast of what is extrane- 
 ous, nay, borrowed ; nay, to glory in that which is a 
 monitor of our shame ? And j-et, what more usual 
 than this kind of pride ? Which would therefore so 
 much the rather be reproved, because it is so com- 
 monly practised. Nor shall I swerve from my text to 
 meet with this sort of proud persons, since the pea- 
 cock's pride, which is in her gaudy feather, according 
 to that of the poet, 
 
 Laudataa ostentat avis Junonia pennas, 
 
 is an emblem of this pride in apparel. And the 
 Greek epithet, 'ita.Mi dXa^wv, which they give the pea- 
 cock on this account, is neai' akin to the word in my 
 text. 
 
 For the better understanding of this sort of pride, 
 ■whereby we may pass a just censure upon ourselves 
 (for I would have none too forward in judging others 
 upon this or any other account), be pleased to take 
 notice of these particulars : 
 
 1. It is not to bo denied but that apparel in itself 
 is of an inditVcrcnt nature, either as to moral goodness 
 or badness, whether it be of this or that matter, form, 
 or colour. Tiiough garments came in by sin, yet they 
 are not in themselves sinful. 
 
 2. It is very laudalilo for some persons to wear 
 costly apparel. God bath stored the wardrobe of 
 nature nut oniv with induments, but ornaments, which 
 may no doubt be accordingly made uso of. When 
 
 St Peter, 1 Peter iii. 3, adviseth women that their 
 ' adorning should not be the outward adorning of 
 plaiting the hair, of wearing of gold, or putting on of 
 apparel,' it is not to be understood as an absolute, 
 but a comparative prohibition. Othenvise, no doubt, 
 it is necessary to put an apparel, and lawful for some 
 women to wear gold, and use outward adorning. 
 
 3. It is not unlawful in some sort to conform to the 
 fashion of the place wherein we live. When St Paul 
 would not have us ' conform to the world,' he meaneth 
 in things sinful, not indifferent. The truth is, there is 
 a possibility of pride in not following the fashion, to 
 wit, when it is through affectation of singularity ; and 
 there may be a following the fashion without pride, to 
 wit, when it is only to avoid being singular ; yea, in one 
 case it may be necessarj', namely, where there is an 
 intervening injunction of a superior (as king, husband, 
 parent, or the like) in reference to any fashion which 
 is otherwise indiff'erent. 
 
 4. But still there is nothing more true than that 
 there is a great deal of pride in apparel, and that both 
 in the costliness and fashionableness of it. 
 
 1. In the costliness. If you ask what is worth most 
 and cost least ? I answer, humility ; if what is worth 
 least and cost most ? I answer, pride. The proud 
 man expends too much upon his clothing, that whereas 
 our Saviour saith, ' the body is more worth than 
 raiment,' it may be said of him, his raiment is more 
 worth than his bod}', hko the bird of paradise, whose 
 feathers are of more value than the carcase. More 
 particularly, this costliness of our apparel is a sign of 
 pride, whenas it is 
 
 (1.) Above the measure of our estate. When they 
 that are not able to buy cloth will wear silk ; nay, 
 they will starve their bodies to adorn their backs, and 
 rather than this shall want supei-fluities, the other 
 shall want necessaries. 
 
 (2.) Above the quality of our state. ' Soft clothing 
 is for them that are in king's houses.' It is not for 
 peasants to wear robes, nor them that sit on the 
 dunghill to be clothed in scarlet. In which respect 
 St Jerome looked upon it as a thing worthy of laugh- 
 ter, or rathei sorrow, the handmaids went finer than 
 their mistresses."'' 
 
 2. In the fashionableness. And thus to be curious 
 and speedy in following, much more to be ringleaders 
 and inventors of, fashions, yea, to conform to any 
 which are beyond the bounds of modesty and decency, 
 is at best a badge of pride. And here I cannot but 
 condemn all such fashions as are the attire of hnrlots, 
 or garbs of ruffians, as tend to make us appear of 
 another sex, or complexion, colour, shape ; then in- 
 deed wo are to bo at least indecent, if not immodest, 
 and so sad signs, that if not wantonness, yet pride 
 dwclleth within. 
 
 I have at length drawn before you those several 
 
 * Digna res risu, imo pUuictii, domiiia ancilla proccJit 
 ornatior. — i/i'w. E;^. ad Demetr. 
 
Ver. 15, 16.] 
 
 SERMON XLII. 
 
 271 
 
 lines which meet in this centre. And now 1 would to 
 God there were not just cause of a gener.il humiliation 
 for this sin of pride, it being that passion which in- 
 fects almost all of all sorts. The question of Solo- 
 mon, 'Who can saj- I have made my heart clean? I 
 am pure from sin,' may be truly put by every one 
 to himself concerning this sin ; he that saith he is 
 pure from it is probably most guilty of it. That in 
 the Psalms, of ' sitting in the seat of the scorners,' is 
 read by the vulgar Latin, 'in the chair of pestilence;' 
 upon which St Austin ingenuously observeth* to our 
 present purpose, the seat of the proud scorners may 
 well be called the chair of pestilence, because that 
 disease is infections, and commonly proveth epidemi- 
 cal. Ita jWe nemo est, qui careat amove dominandi, et 
 htiinanam non nppetat gloriam, there is scarce any 
 man who is not in some kind or other desirous of pre- 
 eminency and glory. 
 
 There want not some wicked men who are proud of 
 their vices, please themselves in, and would have 
 others applaud them for their black spots ; and even 
 good men are too often proud of their virtues. In 
 ■which respect Prosper observeth, f that they who have 
 overcome other lusts, are yet foiled with this, whilst 
 after their best deeds they are apt, in se potiiis quam, 
 in Domino yloriari, to glory not in the Lord, but in 
 themselves. The scholar is proud of his leirning, 
 which, like wine, fumeth into his head; and the fool 
 is ofttimes proud and self-conceited, notwithstanding 
 his ignorance. Pride (especially that of apparel) hath 
 been heretofore the sin of women, thus the prophet 
 taxeth the haughtv daughters of Sion, Isa. iii. ; but in 
 our days, it is no less the crime of men ; the male 
 being as much, if not more, fantastic than the female. 
 Finally, not only masters and mistresses, but, as the 
 poet complained, 
 
 Maxima quseque domus servis est plena superbis, 
 
 even servants, who are in a low condition, yet have 
 high minds. 
 
 We have all too great reason in this particular to 
 cry guilty. Oh let us accuse, abhor, and condemn 
 ourselves for this sin, and at last learn to be meek 
 EDd lowly within, in our thoughts and desires ; with- 
 out, in our language and deportment. The more 
 eflfectually to dissuade from this lust, consider we how 
 boundless, devilish, and deadly a sin it is. 
 
 1. What hath been already observed of avarice is 
 no less triie of pride, it is never satisfied. Whence 
 those so often renewed fashions in our garments, but 
 because pride will not be long contented with one? 
 What is the reason men never think they are valued 
 by others according to their worth, nor advanced 
 according to their deserts, but because pride is aspir- 
 ing? No stair plcaseth the ambitious man whilst 
 there is an higher. He is no sooner hid in his bed 
 of honour bnt he dreams of greater preferment. How 
 * Aug. in Ps. i. t Prosp. Ep. 
 
 obvious is this in all kinds of advancement, ecclesi- 
 astical, civil, military. Take an instance in one for 
 all. The officer must be a captain, the captain a 
 colonel, the colonel a general, and then he must have 
 an higher title, to which end he leapeth fi'om martial 
 to civil honour, nor will anything less serve him at 
 last than a crown; nay, then, not content to rule at 
 home, he will stretch his power as far as the Indies. 
 Yea, he would be honoured and adored as a god ; and 
 still he is discontent because he is not omnipotent, 
 and cannot do all his will, which is, were it iu his 
 power, to depose the supreme Monarch of heaven and 
 earth. Thus the proud mind knoweth no limits. 
 And what wise man would give way to that which, 
 being boundless, must needs be restless, and create 
 continual cares, fears, and troubles to the mind?* In 
 which regard it is called by St Bernard aptlyf, amhien- 
 tium crux, the cross and torment of those who pur- 
 sue it. 
 
 2. Besides, which may render this lust so much the 
 more hateful to us is, that it is the sin wherein of all 
 others the devil is most delighted. Indeed, the proud 
 man, like a mountain between the sun and the valley, 
 wnhram facit diabolo, maketh a shadow wherein the 
 devil loveth to repose himself ; and no wonder, since 
 it is most properly his lust. In which respect St 
 Bernard saith of the proud pharisee, who said of him- 
 self, ' I am not as other men,' therefore as the devils. 
 And to the same purpose St Gregory, * He that will 
 not be like, but above other men, becomes like the 
 apostate angels. 
 
 3. Lastly, where pride is in the saddle, shame and 
 ignorance is in the crupper. Proud men, like chafif, 
 fly aloft, till at the length the wind of God's wrath 
 scatter them. Pride cast the first of creatures (angels) 
 out of heaven ; the first of men (Adam) out of para- 
 dise ; and the first Israelitish king (Saul) out of his 
 throne. § They say of the raven, that she carrieth the 
 nut on high, and then by letting it fall, breaketh it ; 
 so doth the world, cripeudo dejiccre, destroy the proud 
 man by advancing him. He ascends by little and 
 litlle, but cometh down with a vengeance ; and the 
 higher he elimheth over others' heads, the sooner he 
 breakelh his own neck. It is the temper of pride, it 
 loveth to go before, and so it shall ; but as Solomon 
 truly prognostics, Prov. xvi. 18, ' Pride goeth be- 
 fore destinction, and an haughty mind before a fall.* 
 Witness ami itious Haman, arrogant Nebuchadnezzar, 
 vaunting Goliath, vain-glorious Herod, blaspheming 
 Rabshakeh, gorgeous Dives, and painted Jezebel. 
 Humble thyself, therefore, man, lest God humble 
 thee in thy highest estates ; keep thy heart lowly, 
 
 * Innocent dc cnntemptu mundi. lili. ii. cap xxix. 
 
 t Bern ad. Kugen. lib. ii. 
 
 j Apnstiita> ano-elo similis efiScitur, qui similia hominibus 
 nolit cs.sn — Greg. M. 
 
 § Adam dum rapere voluit divinitatem, ami<it feh'cita- 
 tem. — Ibid. 
 
HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 ever remembering that humility is both thj' honour, 
 and the security of that honour. 
 
 To this end be persuaded to look upon yourselve?, 
 
 1. As men. Quid siqierhis, terra et cinis ? ^Vhy 
 shouldst thou, who art earth at first and ashes at last, 
 be proud ? It was well spoken by him to king 
 Philip, after a great victory, that if he did measure 
 bis shadow, he should find it no longer than it was 
 before, and it was well done of that king to appoint 
 that one should often sound in his cars, Remember 
 you are a man. 
 
 2. As Christians, and so obliged to conform to 
 Christ, who in particular calls upon us to learn of 
 him, because he is meek and lowly. Why art thou 
 so gaudy in apparel, when thy Saviour was content 
 with a plain coat ? Why shouldst thou ex.alt thyself, 
 whenas thy Redeemer bumbled himself? Finally, 
 why shouldst thou aspire to be a lord, when Christ 
 took upon him the form of a servant ? 
 
 And because, notwithstanding all these considera- 
 tions, we are still apt to be ensnared, let us, according 
 to that excellent counsel of our Saviour, ' watch and 
 pray,' ever suspect thy deceitful heart, and take heed 
 of everything thou either hast or dost, lest it puff thee 
 up. Plato, being mounted upon an horse, and judg- 
 ing himself a little touched with pride upon it, 
 presently lighted oft' and would ride no further. St 
 Jerome tells us of Hilarion,'^' that having done many 
 excellent cures, for which the people flocked after 
 him, be wept, lest by this means he should grow 
 proud, and so lose bis reward. Oh, let us watch our 
 hearts in all our enjoyments, in all our achievements, 
 earnestly imploring the renewed assistance of grace 
 against all temptations to this pride of life. 
 
 Having given you this particular account of these 
 several lusts, I shall now look ujion them together, 
 and wind up all with a threefold observation. 
 
 1. This all ill the u-orlil, which our apostle here 
 mentioneth, concerneth only the flesh, and the ej'es, 
 and this present life. Whence Ferns hath ingeniously 
 taken notice, This world hath nothing which can 
 satisfy the soul.t Bleats and drinks can no more 
 feed the soul than painted dishes can the stomach. 
 Nun nirpii'i iiiirii, non cor aiiro, the body may as soon 
 be filled with air as the mind with gold ; you may as 
 soon find an armful in a shadow, as a bcartful in 
 honour. 
 
 2. Not only the outward works, but the inward 
 lusts, are prohibited. Many there are who refrain 
 from the action, and yet retain the afi'ection. Some 
 external motives impede the doing, whilst yet they 
 bum with desire. ]5ut, alas, how vain and insufficient 
 is this reformation ! To what purpose are the 
 branches cut off whilst the root remainetli ? or, if the 
 fountain be defiled, how can the streams be pure ? It 
 
 * Hifrom. ill vita Ililarion. 
 
 + Mimihis niliil haliet, qnod animcc ncconimoilnre possit. 
 — Per in loc. 
 
 is God's call to Jerusalem, ' Wash thine heart from 
 wickedness ;' and St James would not only have sin- 
 ners to ' cleanse their hands,' to wit, from exterual 
 works, but the ' double-minded ' to ' purify their 
 hearts,' to wit, from internal lusts. In one word, had 
 we only to do with men, it might suffice to have a 
 care of our words and works, but since we have to do 
 with God, there must be a regard of thoughts and 
 desires. 
 
 3. Lastly, it is not the lust of the flesh, or the lust 
 of the eye, but ami, to intimate to us, that any one of 
 these denominate a man a lover of the world ; and 
 therefore it is not enough that we are free from one, 
 but we must be without any of these lusts, to wit, 
 reigning and ruling over us. I have read a story of 
 an holy man, to whom an angel came with this mes- 
 sage,-' Veni, et oatendani tihi opera homlniim, come 
 and I will shew thee the works of the sons of men. 
 To this end he leads him first to a field, nhere he 
 shewed him a man gathering sticks, making a bundle, 
 and taking it on his shoulder to carry it ; but finding 
 it too weighty, he layeth it down and gathereth more, 
 but then be could not so much as stir it. Then he 
 leads him to a river, where he shewed him a man 
 taking up water, and pouring it into a leaking vessel, 
 which let it out as fiist almost as it was put in. Then 
 he led him to a temple, where he finds two men carry- 
 ing a piece of wood cross, whereby neither could get in 
 to the temple, whereas if one would have permitted the 
 other to have gone before, both might have entered 
 in. In these three sights we have a representation of 
 these three lusts, the springs of those works : the first 
 of the voluptuous, who continually gather sticks of the 
 tree of pleasure, and are so bewitched that they leave 
 not gathering, till the burden of them become at last 
 intolerable ; the second of the covetous, whose 
 insatiable desire is like a vessel full of holes, which 
 j'et he is still endeavouring to fill ; the third of the 
 proud, who, whilst they will not sufi'er another to go 
 before them, hinder each other from entering into that 
 celestial temple. 
 
 Some there are who prostitute themselves (so far as 
 they are consistent one with the other) to all these 
 lusts. It is observed of the swan, that he hath a 
 threefold habitation : the water, the earth, the .air ; a 
 fit emblem of many sinnei-s, who swim in the water of 
 sensual pleasure, walk upon the earth by the feet of 
 covetous affections, luid fly in the air with the wings 
 of pride. 
 
 Others there are who are only addicted to one of 
 these lusts, whil.st they are free from, nay, haters of, 
 the other. Thus the voluptuous epicure hatcth to be 
 covetous, the covetous mammonist abhorreth to be 
 voluptuous, and some proud men hate both. ' We 
 all,' saith the prophet, ' like sheep have gone astray, 
 aud turned every one to his own way.' Though all 
 naturally go in a bad way, yet not in the same : some 
 * liibl. I'atr. Apothegm. 
 
Ver. 15.] 
 
 SERMON XLIII. 
 
 273 
 
 in the path of pride and others of curiosity, others of 
 avarice and others of sensuahty ; but, if the enemy 
 enter in at any one of these gates, he gets the castle. 
 He that goeth in any of these paths is in the broad 
 way,* and he that is caught by any of these nets is 
 the devil's slave. It will little avail the sensual man 
 to say, I am not proud or covetous ; or the proud 
 man to say, I am not covetous or sensual ; nor the 
 covetous man to say, I am not sensual or proud. 
 That threatening against Israel, 1 Kings xix. 17, 
 ' Him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay, 
 and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha 
 slay,' may be here fitly alluded to, and is too often 
 verified. Him that escapeth the lust of the flesh, the 
 lust of the ej'es slayeth ; and him that escnpeth the 
 lust of the ej-es, the pride of life slayeth. It is oft- 
 times in this case according to that of the prophet 
 Amos, chap. v. 19, ' As if a man did flee from a lion, 
 and a bear met him ; or went into the house, and 
 leaneJ his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.' 
 Many a man that abhorreth the lust of the flesh is 
 ensnared by the lust of the ej-es ; and some, as St 
 * Chrysost. horn. v. in Matth. 
 
 Ambrose observeth, Qitos nulla potuit viiicere luxuria, 
 nulla avaritia, xuhniere, ainbilio facit criminoacs, whom 
 neither luxury nor avarice could overcome, pride hath 
 surprised and subdued, and therefore let our absti- 
 nence be universid, or else it cannot be efi"ectual. Thus 
 did Moses, Heb. xi. 24-2(3, when he ' chose rather to 
 sufl'er affliction with the people of God than to enjoy 
 the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season ; 
 when he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater 
 riches than all the treasures of Egypt ; when, being 
 come to years, he relused to be called the son of 
 Pharaoh's daughter.' Thus did Christ, when, to 
 satisfy his hunger, he would not command stones to 
 be bread ; when he would not fall down and worship 
 the devil, to gain all the kingdoms of the world ; when 
 he would not vain-gloriously cast himself down from 
 the pinnacle, to shew himself the Son of God, Mat. 
 iv. 3, 10. Thus must every Christian do in some 
 measure. Then, and not till then, are we good 
 scholars in the school of grace, when wo have learnt 
 to ' deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts,' namely, 
 ' the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the 
 pride of life.' 
 
 SEEMON XLIII. 
 
 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man lore the icorld, the love of the Father 
 
 is not in hiw. — 1 John II. 15. 
 
 WHAT was the saying of those Jews upon the 
 hearing of Christ's discourse, John vi. 60, I 
 doubt, is the thought of many Christians upon the 
 reading of this Scripture : ' This is an hard saying ; 
 who can hear it ?' Promises of mercy tickle, but pre- 
 cepts of duty (such especially as are contrary to our 
 lusts) grate the ear ; the very hearing is irksome, but 
 the practising much more. This is an hard saying ; 
 who can hear it ? It is harder doing ; who can per- 
 form it ? True, the work is excellent, but withal 
 diflicult ; it is a matter of moment, but not acted in a 
 moment. To divert our corrupt natures from worldly 
 love, is no less than to turn a stream, and that will 
 ask no little time and pains. No wonder then if our 
 apostle contents not himself with the bare mention of 
 this duty, but withal annexeth strong inducements to 
 the performance of it ; that hearing not only what we 
 are to do, but what great reason there is why we 
 should do it, we might with the stronger resolution 
 set about it. ' Love not the world. For if any man 
 love the world,' &c. 
 
 It is that part of the text I am now come to, 
 namely, the argumentation which our apostle adjoin- 
 eth to his dehortation ; which consists of two parts, 
 or rather presents us with two arguments. 
 
 1. The first whereof is drawn from worldly love, 
 its contrariety to that which is divine ; and this is 
 both asserted in the end of the fifteenth, and proved 
 
 in the end of the sixteenth, so that in this part there 
 are two things ofi'er themselves to our discussion : 
 
 An eminent point ; 
 
 An evident proof ; or, if yon will, here is a double 
 confirmation : 
 
 The one principal, which is the reason of the dehor- 
 tation, in these words : ' If any man love the world, the 
 love of the Father is not in him.' 
 
 The other colkteral, which is a reason of the reason, 
 and is expressed in those words, ' is not of the Father, 
 but of the world.' 
 
 At this time of the first, the principal confirmation, 
 ' If any man love the world, the love of the Father is 
 not in him ;' which words are so a proof, that they are 
 withal a point well worthy my discussion and your 
 attention. They are an universal negative proposition, 
 wherein we are to take notice of the subject and the 
 predicate, of whom, and nliat it is, that is here denied. 
 
 1. The subject of this proposition is every lover of 
 the world. It is that I shall not need to insist upon, as 
 having been already handled at large in the prohibition; 
 only give me leave to mind you in a few words, that, 
 
 (1.) On the one band this is to be restrained to the 
 immojerate lovers ot the world, who, wanting, exces- 
 sively desire after, or having, unmeasurably delight in 
 it. Indeed, it c innot be denied but that the very 
 having of this world is dangerous ; and therefore our 
 Saviour asserts it is diflicult for rich men to enter into 
 
 S 
 
27 1 
 
 IIAEDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 Leaven ; and St Paul saith, ' Not many mighty are 
 called.' A large portion of worldly things, is like a 
 long garment, which reaching to the foot retards men 
 in their walking, nay, sometimes makes them stumhle. 
 Eut still, only the loving, not the having, of this world, 
 no, nor yet the love of the world which is suhordinate, 
 but only that which is co-ordinate, and so inordinate, 
 is inconsistent with the love of tlie Father. It is an 
 excellent spying of St Bernard,* Sic vult amari Dens, 
 lit cunctcc res simiil omentur viiin ipso ; et sic vult amari, 
 lit nihil jiratcr ipsiim aiiielur, God will be so loved, that 
 all things else may be loved with him ; and yet so 
 loved, that nothing be loved besides him ; that is (as 
 he fully explaincth it), he will have every creature to 
 be loved, as from him ; and it is himself he will have 
 to be loved in every creature, and only such a love of 
 the world as is in and for God consists with the love 
 of God. 
 
 (2.) On the other hand, this is to be enlarged to all 
 those several lusts which grow out of this root of 
 worldly love ; to wit, gluttony, cbriety, luxury, ra- 
 pacity, tenacity, and curiosity, self-conceitedness, 
 ambition, and vain-glory, all of which, wherever they 
 are entertained, whether jointly or singly, will not 
 suffer divine love to have any room in the heart. So 
 that these words, ' If any man love the world,' may 
 be thus paraphrased, and are accordingly to be under- 
 stood : If any man inordinately lust alter, and take 
 delight in the pleasures, riches, or honours which this 
 world affords. Or if you will, more particularly, if 
 any man live in gluttony and drunkenness, chamber- 
 ing and wantonness, sloth and idleness, rapine and 
 covetousuess, pride and ambition. 
 
 2. But that which is here especially to be unfolded, 
 is the predicate, which is denied concerning all worldly 
 lovers ; to wit, the love of the Father. 
 
 The better to make way for the handling of this, be 
 pleased to know, that the love of the Father may be 
 construed either actively or passively : actively, the 
 Father is the snlijc^ct of this love, and him the object; 
 passively, the Father is the object, and him the sub- 
 ject ; and so here is a double negative in this one. 
 
 1. The worldly lover hath no interest in the Father's 
 love. He may be in the warm sunshine, but it is with- 
 out God's blessing ; or rather, he may have the moon- 
 light of outward comforts, but he wants the warm 
 sunshine of God's fivuur. St Paul, 1 Tim. v. 6, 
 saith of the widow that liveth in pleasure, that ' she is 
 dead whiLst she liveth ;' so are all voluptuous epicures, 
 as so many dead, nay, loathsome carcases in God's 
 account. Tlic psalmist mtntioning the covetous, Ps. 
 X. 3, fasteneth this Imind upon him, ' whom the Lord 
 jibhorreth.' He tliat sils in the heavens spurncth at 
 them who creep uiion tlie earth. Finally, St James, 
 chap. iv. G, speaking of the proud, asserts, tiiat ' God 
 resisteth hini ' (avT-irdaasra;, a military phrase) ; he 
 eetteth himself, as it were, in battle array, bidding 
 * Btru. iu ccena dorn. serm. viii. 
 
 open defiance, and proclaiming war against the proud. 
 In a word, he that will be the world's darling, loseth 
 a friend of God. 
 
 A sad truth, and such as may justly strike terror 
 and horror into the heart of every worldling. Indeed, 
 however men soothe up themselves in their present 
 prosperity, not regarding God's favour, whilst they 
 enjoy the world's treasure, yet the day is coming, 
 when they shall know and acknowledge bow infinitely 
 miserable their condition is, for want of a smile from 
 heaven ; yea, when they would purchase a beam of 
 God's love (were it possible) with a total and final 
 abdication of all secular contentments. Alas, poor 
 wretches, notwithstanding all the comfort thev have 
 for present, it is but night with them ; and when the 
 time comes that the moon and stars shall hide their 
 heads, lose their light (methinks they should tremble 
 to consider), in what a black niglit, of worse than 
 Egyptian darkness, they shall be for ever involved, 
 and that because the sun will deny his golden beams, 
 God wdl eternally withhold his favour from them ! 
 
 2. But though this be a very useful meditation, 
 yet I cimceive it is not here intended, since it is not 
 said, the love of the Father is [not] on, but in him. 
 And so the negation here asserted is, that the worldly 
 lover hath no love of the Father in him. 
 
 Before I proceed further in the discussion of this 
 point, it will be needful to take notice of the fitness of 
 the phrase which our apostle useth, when be saith, 
 ' the love of the Father.' 
 
 That by the Father is meant God, I suppose is 
 obvious to every eye ; * nor would it be passed by that 
 God is emphatically called the Father. Look as 
 though there are other lives, yet the life to come is 
 sometimes xar' £^o;^»?> called life ; so though there are 
 other fathers, yet here God is still the Father, as he 
 to whom this primarily belongs. Other fathers are 
 but the instruments, he is the principal eflicieut of our 
 being. They are the fathers of our flesh, he is the 
 Father of our spirits; they are but (arthly, he is our 
 heavenly Father ; finally, they provide for us only 
 for a time, he taketh care for our eternal welfare, and 
 therefore eminently the Father. 
 
 Again, it would not be passed by that our apostlo 
 saith, not i/oiir, hut llw Father ; since, though he is a 
 Father, yet not to them who love the world. Indeed, 
 they are ofitimes so presumptuous as to call him 
 Father, but they are none of his children. These 
 lusts, wherever they rule, are not the spots of God's 
 children. 
 
 But that which would be here especially obseiTcd 
 is, tliat our apcistle, speaking of the love of God, calls 
 it the lo\e of the Father ; nor is it without good rea- 
 son, and that upun a double account. 
 
 1. To inform us under what notion chiifly Goil is- 
 the object of love. True indeed, in himself he is good, 
 nay, goodness, which is love's object; but yet this- 
 * Patria, J. «. coelestia patris. — Dan. 
 
Ver. 15.] 
 
 SERMON XLIII. 
 
 '-ii 
 
 goodness is known to us by its communication, and it 
 is good as known which causeth love ; so that we love 
 God chitflj- under those merciful relations in which he 
 stands to us. Nor is there any relation of greater 
 goodness towards man than that of a father. He is 
 our king, our master, our judge ; but under these 
 Motions he is especially to be feared ; as he is our 
 Father, principally he is to be loved. 
 
 2. To insinuate how greatly we are obliged to love 
 God rather than the woild. The world, at the best, 
 is but a sirvant ; at the worst, our enemy. As our 
 servant, it is to be used, not loved ; at least, not with 
 a choice love ; as our cnem}', it is to be, not loved, 
 but hated, and trampled on. Now, God is our Father, 
 and there is a natural ail'cction due from children to 
 their parents. Whom should we love, if not our father? 
 So that to love the world before God is as if one should 
 prefer his servant, nay, his enemy, before his friend, 
 his Lord, his Father ; than which what can be more 
 monstrous ? And when I find the apostle here dis- 
 suading from worldly love, upon the account of its in- 
 consistenc}' with the love of God, I am apt to believe 
 that he purposely pbraseth it ' the love of the Falher,' 
 to render tlic love of the world, which is so repui;nant 
 to the love of God, so much the more odious to us. 
 
 But to let go the phrase. The design of this pro- 
 position is manifest. There is no positive love of 
 God in him in whom there is a superlative love of the 
 world. He that loveth the world chitfly doth not love 
 God truly ; he that is a lover of pleasure, or wealth, 
 or honour, more than God, is not at all a lover of 
 God. Indeed, a worldling may be in show a saint, 
 and (as far as words will go) a ii-iend of God ; so may 
 an harlot seem kind to her husband, but as she who 
 giveth her heart to another beareth no real love to her 
 husband, so he who loveth the world hath no sincere 
 aftVctiou to God. Upon which account St James, 
 chap. iv. 4, calleth worldly sinners adidterers and 
 adulteresses ; so that to speak after our apostle's 
 phrase elsewhere, ' He that saith be loveth the Father, 
 and yet loveth the world, is a liar, and there is no 
 truth in him.' 
 
 It is that, indeed, which holds true both ways ; as 
 it is with a pair of scales, the one gotth up, the other 
 goeth down, so it is with these two loves. 
 
 1. On the one hand, the negation holds firm, the 
 proposition being inverted, if any man love the 
 Father, the love of the world is not in him. Moses' 
 rod swallowed up the magicians' ; so doth the love of 
 God ail other loves. It is observed of the sunbeams, 
 that if ihey shine bright and hot upon the fire, they 
 put it out; so do heavenly afi'ectious extinguish 
 earthly : 
 
 Fostquam Amarillis iios fenuit, Galatea rcliquit ; 
 
 When divine love enters in, carnal goeth out. The 
 command of love to God is of a large extent : ' Thou 
 sLalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with 
 
 all thy soul, and with all thy might ;' and if the love 
 of God take up the whole, there is not so much as a 
 corner left for worldly love. St Bernard, commenting 
 upon that precept,* thus expounds it, and that aptly 
 to our present purpose : thou shalt love God with all 
 thy heart, soul, might, that is, dulciter, pnidciiler, 
 fortiter, sweetly, wisely, strongly ; and where this love 
 is predominant (as that father hath excellently ob- 
 served), there is no room for worldly lusts. He that 
 loveth God sweelhj with all his heart, tasteth no sweet- 
 ness in carnal things, which is the lust of the flesh ; 
 he that loveth God irisehj with all his soul, is not 
 curious or covetous of temporal things, which is the 
 lust of the eyes ; be that loveth God stroiKjhj, so as to 
 endure all things for him, regards not honoui-s, which 
 is the pride of life. 
 
 Nor is it less true in the direct than in the inverted 
 notion. If any man love the world, the love of the 
 Father is not in him. Indeed, one who hath been a 
 lover of the world may be won to be a lover of God ; 
 yea, he who loveth the world in the second, may love 
 God in the first place. But, as St Gregory hath 
 pithily and aptly expressed it,f Utraque simid et aqua- 
 liter amari non possunt, both cannot together be 
 equally loved. When the inferior sensitive powers of 
 the soul are vehemently afl'ected, the superior rational 
 faculties are hindered in their operations ; so is 
 spiritual love by carnal. The trees which spread in 
 breadth grow not in height ; those who extend their 
 love to the things below, ascend not in love to the 
 things above. Pharaoh's lean kine did eat up the fat; 
 so doth the pining love of the world devour the love of 
 God, which is the fat and marrow of the soul. It is 
 very observable that St Paul, describing the wicked 
 conversation of false teachers, Philip, iii. 19, 20, 
 brands them with these three lusts : ' whose belly is 
 their god,' the lust of the flesh ; ' who glory in their 
 shame,' or, as some rend it, whose glory is their shame, 
 the pride of life ; ' who mind earthly things,' the lust 
 of the eyes ; to all which he opposeth that one charac- 
 ter of himself, and the rest of the teachers, ' but oar 
 conversation is in heaven,' thereby intimating that 
 they who give themselves to worldly lusts, are 
 strangers to anhcavenlj-conversation, and consequently 
 to divine afl'ection, by which especially we chmb to, 
 and converse with, God in heaven. 
 
 To give you j'et more fully the sense of this propo- 
 sition, if you compare it with parallel Scriptures, yon 
 shall find it will admit of a double enlargement, to wit, 
 in regard of the predicate and the copula; the thing 
 denied, and the manner of denying it. 
 
 1. The love of the Father is not in him, nay, the 
 hatred of the Fatlier is in him. So St James his as- 
 sertion runs : James iv. 4, ' I^ow you not that the 
 fiiendsliip of the w orld is enmity with God ;' and that 
 
 * Divinua amor ubi vcnerit ; omnes captivat affectu3. — 
 Bern Serm xiii. in Catil. 
 
 t Greg. Mor. lib. xviii. cap. y. 
 
276 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 he might hring the charge home to their consciences, 
 he repeats it, with the change of the abstract into the 
 concrete, ' 'Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of 
 the world, is an enemy of God.' It is true, (as hath 
 been already intimated) he may be a seeming friend, 
 but he is a real enemy, and so much the worse enemy, 
 because a seeming friend. 
 
 I know if this question were put to many lovers of 
 the world, Do you hate God ? they would say in Ha- 
 zael's language, 'Am I a dead* dog, that I should do 
 this thing ?' I say my prayers, frequent the church, 
 and think you I hate, nay, do I not love, God ? But, 
 vain man, do not deceive thyself ; whosoever is 
 the world's friend, is at least virtually God's enemy, 
 and so far from loving, that he doth in eflect hate 
 him ; and all his services are no better than a mock- 
 ing (as much as in him lieth) of the sacred Deity. 
 
 2. The love of Ihe Father in not, nay, not only is 
 not, but cannot be in him. Our blessed Saviour is 
 express concerning obedience : Mat. vi. 24, ' You 
 cannot serve God and Mammon ;' and it is no less 
 true of love, you cannot love God and the world, much 
 less the world and God. The impossibility of the 
 consistency of these two will appear if you consider, 
 
 (1.) The nature of love. It is an engi-osser, appro- 
 priating the heart to the object ; love saith to its be- 
 loved, I am thine, to wit, wholly, solely, and there- 
 fore it cannot be another's. When the stream runs 
 into one channel, then it runs violently ; vehement 
 affection admits not of division. It is as possible for 
 a direct line to terminate in two points, or for one 
 member to serve two bodies, as for love intensively at 
 once to mind two objects. 
 
 (2.) Thecontrarietyof the objects, God and the world; 
 in the very next verse, they are set one in opposition 
 to the other. The Father is above, the world is 
 below ; so that, to use a comparison of an ancient, f 
 the same eyes may as well at the same time behold 
 heaven and earth, as the same affection be carried 
 towards God and the world. God is light, and the 
 world is darkness. Fieri non potest (saith Damascene) ; J 
 it cannot be that divine and worldly love should co- 
 habit, no more than that light and darkness should 
 reside together. Two contrai-y forms may as soon at 
 once inform one and the same matter, and two con- 
 trary intense qualities meet together in the same sub- 
 ject, as the love of the world and the love of the Father 
 dwell in the same heart. If I love another man's 
 enemy, and that as he is his enemy, I must needs be 
 an enemy to him. The worldling loveth the world, 
 not as in subordination to, but competition with ; and 
 therefore he can be no other than an enemy to God. 
 So true is this of our apostle, ' If any man love the 
 world, the love of the Father is not in him.' 
 
 That it may yet more plainly appear that there 
 
 * Qu. omit ' dead '? — Kd. 
 
 t 12. Abusionuni gradus in Cypr. 
 
 } Damaec. par. lib. i. c. 30. 
 
 neither is nor can be any true love of God in the 
 worldling, take notice of these ensuing particulars. 
 
 1. Can there be any love of the Father in him who 
 hath no love to his name, especially his word, which 
 God ' hath magnified above all his name' ? And yet 
 this is evident in worldly lovers ; their lusts, like 
 thorns, choke the good seed of the word, that it can 
 take no root in their hearts ; their proud necks will 
 not stoop to put on this sacred yoke ; the voluptuous 
 man's ear is deaf to this heavenly charm ; and when 
 the spiritual tishers would catch the covetous, he 
 slippeth (with the eel) into the mud of the world, and 
 so renders all their pains useless. 
 
 2. Can there be any love of the Father in him who 
 doth not cleave to him with full purpose of heart, and 
 will renounce his religion, rather than suffer perse- 
 cution ? ' If any man draw back, my soul (saith 
 God) shall have no pleasure in him ;' and it is as 
 true, his soul hath no pleasure in God. Now, the 
 love of the world causeth men to grow lukewarm, nay, 
 at last quite cold. St Paul observeth it, 2 Tim. iv. 
 10, as the ground of Demas his apostasy, ' He bath 
 forsaken me' (and with him Christ), 'having embraced' 
 (to wit, with the arms of love) ' this present world.' 
 What made Judas so frozen, so filse-hearted to so 
 gracious a master, but the love of money ? Had not 
 Moses, instead of loving, despised the pleasures and 
 honours of Pharaoh's court, he had left the people of 
 God. Danger and nakedness, want and penury, re- 
 proach and infamy, will quickly affright that man from 
 his Christian profession, in whom ' the lust of the 
 flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life' reign. 
 
 3. He that hath any true love of the Father will 
 call the Lord's day a delight, loves to converse with 
 God by prayer and other holy ordinances ; but the 
 worldly lover either wholly casts off holy duties, holy 
 days, holy things, or else he takes no joy in the per- 
 formance of them ; no time being worse spent, in his 
 esteem, than that which is in God's courts. Worldly 
 men in heavenly duties are like a fish upon the shore ; 
 they faint and gasp, and are never well till they return 
 to the muddy waters. ' When will the S.abbath be 
 gone, that wc may sell and get gain ?' saith the cove- 
 tous ; that we may take our pleasure, saith the volup- 
 tuous ; that we may pursue our politic designs, saith 
 the ambitious. Nay, it is not seldom seen that every 
 one of these will not stick to fulfil their own lusts, 
 even when they should be employed in God's service. 
 
 4. It is impossible that the love of the Father should 
 consist with sacrilege. No man ever looked upon a 
 thief as his friend. To live in any sin, much more in 
 such a sin as reflects upon God, must needs be repug- 
 nant to the love of him. Now, worldly love puts men 
 upon the commission of this great wickedness. Every 
 proud man is a sai'rilegious thief, robbing God of his 
 glor}', which he will not give to another ; and it is not 
 seldom seen that covetous and voluptuous men rob 
 God of his revenues. Belshazzar prostitutes the ves- 
 
Ver. 15.] 
 
 SERMON XLTII. 
 
 277 
 
 sels of the temple to the lust of the flesh by quaffing 
 in them. Achan, througli the lust of the eyes, alien- 
 ateth the devoted gold aud garment ; wicked worldlings 
 will not stick to be not onlj' sellers and buyers in, but 
 of the temple, ' taking the houses of God into their 
 possession.' 
 
 5. Finally, he that setteth up anything in the room 
 of God cannot have a sincere afl'ectidn towards him. 
 The cursed idolater, as much as in him lietb, de- 
 throneth the divine majesty, which surely cannot con- 
 sist with amity. And yet it is an undoubted truth, 
 every worldling is an idolater, to wit, in a spiritual 
 sense, bowing down, though not with his knee to an 
 idol, yet with his heart to the world.* St Paul, 
 speaking of epicures, who are given over to the lust of 
 the flesh, giveth them this brand, ' whose belly is 
 their god ;' and consequently their kitchen is their 
 temple, table thtir altar, and cook their priest. The 
 same apostle, mentioning covetousness, presentlj' 
 addeth, ' which is idolatry.' Indeed, with a covetous 
 mau, sculpture is his scripture; bills and bonds are 
 his Bible, the exchange his temple, and gold his god. 
 As he saith to it. Thou art ray love, so likewise thou 
 art my hope, my trust ; the proper acts of natural 
 worship which are due only to the Deity. He dealeth 
 with it (as the two giants sometimes did with Mars), 
 first he locks it fast, and then worships it. Finally, 
 the proud man worshippeth (though not images, j-et) 
 his own imaginations, and sets up himself in God's 
 room, admiring and adoring his own (though but some- 
 time fancied) excellencies ; nay, which is yet worse, 
 he so sets himself above, that he sets himself against, 
 God ; for so the prophet, accusing Moab of pride and 
 haughtiness, Jer. xlviii. 26, 29, 42, proveth it by this 
 medium, ' Thou hast magnified thyself against God.' 
 In this respect it is inquired and resolved by the 
 schools, f that pride is the greatest of sins ; for whereas 
 in other lusts there is directly a conversion to the 
 creature, in this there is a direct aversion from the 
 Creator. By all which it appeareth, how injurious 
 these lusts are to the Father, and therefore incom- 
 patible with the love of the Father. 
 
 To what hath been already said concerning the ex- 
 press and positive truth of this clause, I must not 
 forget to add, that there is another implicit and con- 
 sequential truth wTapped up in it, namely, that if any 
 miin love the world, the love of the brethren is not in 
 him. Indeed, the sense of these words, ' the love of 
 the Father,' may be rendered, the love which the 
 Father requiretb, and so it extends to brolherlj- love. 
 Besides, the connection seemeth to intimate, that 
 loving the world is forbidden as an enemy to brotherly 
 love, which is discussed a little before. Fmall}', Oinne 
 tiiojiis coittiiict in se ininiis, the less is involved in the 
 greater ; so that, as Estius well notes, | since the love 
 of the Father (which is the greater), the love of the 
 
 * Vide C)pr. de martyr. 
 
 t Aquin. 2a. 2<e. I. d. % Est. in loc. I 
 
 brethren (which is the less) is also to be denied of 
 him who loves the world. St Paul, speaking of charity, 
 saith, ' she seeks not her own,' whereas the worldhng 
 is altogether for himself, and therefore hath no affec- 
 tion to others ; though, to speak truth, as he is nemini 
 honua, good to no man, so he is sibi nequam, worse to 
 himself. 
 
 To enlarge upon this a little, consider the worldly 
 lover in reference to his superiors, inferiors, equals, 
 and you shall find he hath no love to any. 
 
 1. He is so far from loving that he envieth those 
 that are above him, in place, in wealth, in power.* 
 To use the phrase of the text, the love of the Father is 
 not in him ; not of the political father, against whom 
 he will not stick to rebel when opportunity is ofl'ered. 
 The proud man grudgeth subjection, the covetous 
 mau tribute, and the epicure obedience to his laws. 
 Not of the ecclesiastical father, whom worldly lusts 
 prompt him to undervalue ; yea, if he reprove him, to 
 spurn against ; nay, ofttimes, not of the natural father ; 
 whilst they who are tainted with these lusts, like Esau, 
 wish the daj's of mourning for their father were at 
 hand; nay, some, like Absalom, consult their fathers' 
 ruin, that they might enjoy their honours and estates. 
 
 2. As for those who are under him, he is very apt 
 to trample them under his feet ; and if they be in want, 
 very backward to reach forth an hand of succour to 
 them. The voluptuous laj^eth out so much upon his 
 pleasures ; the ambitious wants so much for the main- 
 taining of his honours ; and the covetous layeth up 
 so much for the satisfying of his eyes, that they have 
 little or nothing to spare for the needy ; nay, thattoo 
 often they oppress and grind the faces of the poor. 
 
 3. Instead of loving his equal, he is apt to contend 
 and quarrel with them. ' Whence come wars and fight- 
 ing among you ?' saith St James, chap. iv. 1 ; and 
 answering his question, he addeth, 'Come they not 
 hence, even of the lusts that war in your members ?' 
 Umnia peij'ecte in pace coiisistereiit, si liomineiii imper- 
 andi cupiditas non lenercl, said Valerius truly. f It ia 
 the desire of being above others that hindereth us from 
 living in peace with others ; and speaking of covetous- 
 ness, he asserts, Hinc pulhdare odioriim cciusas, el ami- 
 citiarum fcedera dissipari, it to be the breaker of amity 
 and begetter of enmity amongst men. Nor is it less 
 true of sensual lusts, which very often blow the fire of 
 discord into a flame. 
 
 In one word, what wrong will not men do to their 
 neighbours, in their relations, names, estates, by fraud 
 and treachery, by violence and cruelty, in words and 
 works, for the base love of wealth, or honour, or 
 pleasure, all which are directly repugnant to brotherly 
 love? 
 
 To close up with some useful inferences from the 
 consideration of what halh been handled, learn we, 
 
 1. How desperate and dangerous a sin is worldly 
 
 * Sixt. pap. I. de divitlis. 
 t Valer. horn. 20. de Avarit. 
 
■278 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 love. Oneupon this clause hath well observed,* Lents 
 
 vriiliu, sell plena acitteu, it is seeminglj' a gentle speech, 
 but carrieth a sting with it. For in saying there is no 
 love of the Father, and con.sequently not of his brother, 
 in liim that loveth the world, he saith in eflect, he is 
 one that breakcth all the commandments ; for if love 
 bo the fulfilling of the law, to wit, love to God of the 
 first, and love to our neighbour of the second, he that 
 neither loveth God nor men must needs break both. 
 It is very observable that David, praying God to ' in- 
 •cline his heart to his testimonies,' presently addeth, 
 :and not to covetousness ;' thereby implying that if he 
 '.were inclined to covetousness, he could not love or 
 ieip God's testimonies. Moses brake the tables in 
 pieces out of a zealous anger at the golden calf ; and 
 the worldling will break the laws written on those 
 t;ibles for the gold upon the calf. The love of money, 
 ay, and of honour and pleasure, is the rot of all good- 
 ness, and the root of all wickedness, the moth of 
 sanctity, the rust of virtue, the breeder and the feeder 
 of vice. Ungodliness and worldly lusts are coupled 
 together by St Paul, 1 Tim. vi. 10, Titus ii. 11. 
 ' Abstain from fleshly lusts,' and ' having our conversa- 
 tion honest,' are joined together by St Peter, 1 Peter 
 ii. 11. There is neither honesty nor piety to be 
 found where worldly love reigntth.f 
 
 2. How great is the folly of hypocrites, who think 
 to join what here St John hath opposed, the love of 
 the world and the love of the Father together. Many 
 tha-e are (saith Isidore Hispalensis truly) who will fly 
 to heaven by a divine conversation, but yet they are 
 \oidh. to leave earthly contentments : Provocat eos amor 
 Chiisli, sed revocat amor sccuH, the love of Christ puts 
 them a little forward, but the love of the world pulls 
 them backward ; and so (as Erasmus is painted by 
 the Romans) they hang between heaven and earth. 
 There is a city in Germany, which, belonging to two 
 governments, was called Miudin, whiuh is (according 
 to the signification of it in the German language) mine 
 and thine. J; Thus the hypocrite saith to God, Thou 
 art mine, and to the world, I am thine ; in which re- 
 Bpect he is called a double-minded man, and is said to 
 have an heart and an hc:irt, like the Samaritans who 
 fe.ired the Lord and served idols ; the Israehtes, who 
 halted between God and B;ial, 1 Kings xvii. 32, sviii. 
 11 ; those in the prn|ihet Zephauiah, who did ' swear 
 by the Lord and Malchom,' Zeph. i. 5, and those 
 lukewarm Laodiceans, who were neither hot nor cold. 
 iJul, alas, how vainly do such men deceive themselves ! 
 Indeed, the false mother of the child would have it 
 jmrted between them, but the true mother would have 
 all or none. The world is content to have a corner 
 in thy heart, but God will have thy whole heart. The 
 ark and Dagon cannot stand togc^ther in one temple, 
 and therefore when the ark is brought in, Dagon falls 
 down : no more can God and the world in one soul ; 
 
 * Lor. in loc. 
 
 ■f Bcru in Vs. Qui habit. 
 
 I Munst. Cosmog. 
 
 and therefore, if we will set up God in the throne, the 
 world must be cast down, nay, out.* The spouse in 
 the Canticles is said to wound Christ with one eye, 
 Quia alterum iwii habehat, because she had no other. 
 Christ calls upon us in the gospel to cut oft' one foot, 
 one hand, and to pluck out one eye. The heart in all 
 languages is a monosyllable, iinum u)ii, the one heart 
 must be dedicated to the one God. In the meat- 
 ofl'ering God required all the frankincense, and in the 
 sacrifices all the fat ; to teach us that the intention of 
 our mind and afl'ection of our heart must be wholly 
 carried towards God. Among the Pj-thagoreans the 
 dual number was infamous. Sure I am, the double- 
 minded man is odious to God ; so odions that he 
 threateneth Oi'^oto/jHiv to ' cut him asunder,' a punish- 
 ment very suitable to his fault ; like that which the 
 king of the Albines inflicted on the king of the 
 Romans, when he caused him to be tied to two horses, 
 who, by drawing contrary ways, tore his body in two 
 pieces. 
 
 3. Lastly, how just and necessary it is to cast the 
 love of the world out of the heart, in order to the 
 entertaining of the love of the Father. Indeed, as St 
 Gregory and Leo have both well observed,! the reason- 
 able soul cannot be altogether without delight and void 
 of love. Aut injjmis tlelectaliir, aut sumDiix, so the 
 one ; Aut Dei amator est, aut mundi, so the o'her. 
 Our delight must either ascend or descend, our love 
 must either be set upon God or the world. How im- 
 possible it is for these two to dwell together, you have 
 already heard ; so that either we must ' hate the one and 
 love the other, or hold to the one and despise the other,' 
 as our Saviour tells us. And now, as Elijah said to the 
 Israelites, ' If the Lord be God, follow him ; but if 
 Baal be God, follow him' : so let me beseech you, if 
 the Lord be God, love him ; if the world, love it. If 
 the world have as much excellency in it as God hath, 
 if the world have as much right to you as God hath, 
 if the world can do as much for you as God can and 
 will, then love it. But, alas, whatever good is in the 
 world, is but a ray of that sun, a drop of that fountain, 
 derived from, and infinitely inferior to, the goodness 
 of God; in which respect St Austin excellently, | 
 I'ulcher est muncliis, .'•ed pulchriora quo /actus est iiiuii- 
 dus, the world is beautiful ; surely, then, he that made 
 it so is far more beautiful. Besides, the world was 
 made for us, and therefore only to be used, whereas 
 God is our Creator, Master, Father, and therefore to 
 be feared, and honoured, and loved. Methinketh the 
 Father saith to us concerning the world, as Saul to 
 his servants concerning David, 1 Sam. xxii. 7, 'Will the 
 son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vine- 
 yards ?' Will or can the world do that for you which 
 
 * Si vis esse tcmpliim veritatis, fuge idolum falsitatia, &o. 
 — Auff. Serm. 14, infesto sand. 
 
 •j- (iri'g. Mor. lib. xviii. cap. viii. Leo, Scrm. Ii. septimi 
 mcnsis. 
 
 \ Aug ill loc. 
 
Ver. 16, 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 I will do, give you grace and glory, felicity and immor- 
 tality ? Nay, let me add a word more, the world 
 would infect and infest us instead of doing us good, 
 bring us into temptations and snares ; and tell me, 
 then, whether the Father be not to be preferred in our 
 ■estimation and afl'ection before the world ? In fine, 
 that God should have our love we cannot but acknow- 
 ledge most reasonable ; and therefore what remaineth 
 but that everj' one of us take up firm resolutions of 
 rejecting the world. Love both we cannot; one we 
 will ; God we ought ; and to that end we must leave 
 the world, that we may cleave to God. 
 
 No doubt the world is and will be a very earnest and 
 importunate suitor to us for our love, and too often she 
 so far prevaileth that we consent ; but remember, I be- 
 seech you, our Father forbids the banns, and shall wo 
 match against our Father's consent? Nay, let me tell 
 jou, if we marry the world, the Father will disclaim and 
 disown us as none of his children; and therefore, if we 
 
 call on the Father, let us renounce the world. Believe 
 it, an ill match is better broken than carried on ; and 
 so much the rather, because whatever promise we make 
 to the world, it is a breach of the first vow we made to 
 God in our baptism, and therefore to be disannulled, as 
 inconsistent with our former obligation. 
 
 To end all, I cannot better press this than in St 
 Austin's language, who calls these words verba extir- 
 pnnlia, words of extirpation. If you find a weed, you 
 grub it up that you may sow good corn ; so must we 
 pluck up worldly that we plant heavenly loves. Vas 
 es (saith that father*') si plenum, effunde quod hahes, 
 etf'unde amorem S'rciili, lit implearis amorc Dei. Thy 
 soul is a vessel; if it be full (as indeed whose is not?), 
 empty it, pour out the love of the world, that thou 
 mayest be filled with the love of God, which otherwise 
 is impossible. For ' if any man love the world, the 
 love of the Father is not in him.' 
 * Aug. 1. d. 
 
 SEEMON XLIV. 
 
 For all lliat i's in the xcorld, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but 
 is of the world. And the world passeth awaij, and the lust thereof: but he that doth the wdl of God a'lidetli 
 for ever.—l John II. 10, 17. 
 
 ANAItED command from God is a sufficient ground 
 of obedience from man. No doubt St Paul so 
 accounted it, and therefore, exhorting the Thessalo- 
 nians to abstain from fornication, useth this as a 
 strong inducement, ' for this is the will of God.' The 
 truth is, obedience is most ingenious when least dis- 
 •crcet, it being very reasonable that we should obey 
 God without asking a reason of his precept. It was 
 the praise of Caesar's soldiers, quod imperium poliiis 
 quiiin consilium sequebantur, that they executed their 
 general's injunctions without inquiring into his con- 
 sultations. It is the character of a good Christian to 
 believe because God asserteth, and obej' because he 
 requireth, 1 Thess. iv. 3. 
 
 But see the condescension of our merciful God, who 
 is pleased not only to command by his authority, but 
 te .ch by his grace. So St Paul saith. Tit. ii. 10,' ' The 
 giace of God teacheth us to deny worldly lusts,' not 
 only to require, but to eutreat ; so St Peter, 1 Peter 
 ii. 11, ' Deai-ly beloved, I beseech you, abstain from 
 fleshly lusts' ; finally, not only to prescribe but per- 
 suade, and therefore, as he enjoineth a du'y, so he 
 adjoinoth a motive, and that drawn from the necessity, 
 equity, and utility of observing the command, whether 
 it be to avoid or do. 
 
 This is evident in the prohibition here given by St 
 ■John concerning worldly love, which he contents not 
 himself barely to propound, but strongly presseth as 
 necessary, because else we cannot love the Father, 
 and as just, because this world is of a short continu- 
 
 ance : ' For all that is in the world,' &c. ; ' and the 
 world passeth away,' &c. 
 
 In handling the argumentation, we have despatched 
 the main of the first reason, to wit, the principal con- 
 firmation which is drawn fi-om the incompossibihty of 
 the love of the Father with the love of the world ; and 
 now, because this may seem a very strange assertion, 
 our apostle doth not only assert but prove it in the 
 close of the 16th verse, which I am in order to dis- 
 cuss, and it is that which I call 
 
 The collateral confirmation, as it is set down in 
 those words, 'is not of the Father, but is of the world ;' 
 for the fuller handling whereof I shall consider it both 
 absolutely and relatively. 
 
 1. If we look upon this clause absolutely, we shall 
 find the design of it to discover the principle and ori- 
 ginal of the all that is in tlie loorld, and that both nega- 
 tively and affirmatively. 
 
 (1.) Negatively. "The all in the wirld is not of the 
 Father. Indeed, if we understand this all of those 
 things which are the objects of our lusts, this nega- 
 tion must have a limitation. 
 
 [1.] Pleasures, riches, honours, must be considered 
 either in themselves and their own nature, or as they 
 allure through their external beauty to inordinate lust, 
 in which latter respect thoj- are not of God, since they 
 were never made by him for that end, to be, as it were, 
 the bawds of lust. 
 
 ;'2.] Either as lawfully or unlawfully acquired. In 
 the latter notion they are not of the Father, except 
 
2S0 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 that it is by liis permission they are enjoyed, which is 
 no less true of all wickedness that is acted ; in the for- 
 mer they are blessings of God, yet of his left not his 
 right hand; and so are dona Dei, the gifts of God, but 
 not Paliis, of the Father. There are some things 
 which God giveth as a Father in special love only to 
 his children ; such are grace and glory. There are 
 other things which he giveth as a God, out of common 
 bounty, to enemies as well as children ; and such are 
 food and raiment, wealth and preferment, in which 
 respect (at best) in a strict sense they are not of the 
 Father. 
 
 But I rather conceive that this negative is to be 
 understood of the lusts after these things, to which 
 agreeth that of St Austin,* We know that the apostle 
 did not mean this world, the heavens and the earth, 
 with the things in them, when he saith. All that is in 
 the world is not of the Father. Indeed, the poison is 
 not in the flower, but in the spider which suckelh it; 
 nor are the things themselves, but the lusts after them, 
 evil, and consequently not of the Father; nor yet is all 
 lust after those things to be denied to be of the Father. 
 There is implanted in every living creature an appetite 
 after those things which are suitable to its nature. 
 Now, the r)ature of man being partly angelical and 
 partly bestial, spiritual in its upper and sensual in its 
 lower faculties, there could not but be in man as 
 created indinalio ad sensihiha, an inclination to sen- 
 sible objects. But withal, this lust was such as was 
 neither in itself evil, nor did of itself incline to evil. 
 
 I know I am hero fallen upon a controversy, whilst 
 it is atSrmed b}' the liomanistsf with others, tbat man 
 in piiriii naturatibus, in his pure naturals, had ex neces- 
 sorid mateiice condltiunc, from the condition of his 
 matter, such a concupiscence which rendered him 
 prone to evil, and did need supeinaturali quodani 
 fruno, a golden bridle of supernatural grace to re- 
 strain it ; it being here urged upon them that this 
 concupiscence being natural, is of God, and if it need 
 a bridle, it is apt to be irregular and exorbitant, which 
 exorbitancy must needs reflect on God himself, who 
 made man of such a temper. Their only evasion is, 
 that it is from the condition of the maltir, )>rirli'r in- 
 tcntionem divinam, besides the intention of the Maker, 
 by which means, whilst they endeavour to vindicate 
 God's purity, they calumniate his wisdom, it being no 
 other than the voice of folly to say, non piitaicini, I 
 did not think of or intend such an event. 
 
 I cannot, therefore, but look upon it as most safe 
 to assert with the orthodox, tbat man's )iatural concu- 
 piscence was not apt to bo irregular, ncc Jiaiium nee 
 calcar desiderahalur. There was no such tarditj' in 
 the sensitive part as should need a spur, nor yet any 
 such impetuousness as should require a bridle. 
 
 For the clearing whereof know, that the sensitive 
 appetite of man being born sub rei/no, under the 
 
 • Aiip. ndv. Jul. lib. iv. cnp. xiii. 
 
 ■J- Vido Eellarm. do Amiss. Orutia:, lib. v. cap. xiv. 
 
 dominion, was to be governed scei'tm rotionis, by the 
 command of reason ; so that whereas it is natural in 
 a brute to be carried towards sensual objects juxta 
 inipeltim, in a way of violence, it is natural to man to 
 bend towards themji/.r(« iinperiiini, according to the 
 dictate of reason. Upon this account, even by the 
 philosopher,* sensuality in man is asserted to be xarjj- 
 y.ooi X6yo\j -/.di rriiidsyr/.o;, reason's servant ; and accord- 
 ingly Damascene is express,! to Aoyih (p-je=i -/.araayji 
 7(j\i aXiyo-j, the rational part doth naturally rule the ir- 
 rational ; so that though in man there be a necessary 
 desire of things sensible, yet it is (as AquinasJ well) 
 secundum modum el ordincm rationis, in that measure 
 and order which reason prescribeth, the sensitive 
 powers being not factious or rebelUous, but steadily 
 subject to the higher powers, that is, the inteOectuals. 
 
 The proneness, therefore, of the sensitive appetite 
 to extravagancy is not natural, but contra-natural ; not 
 from the creation, but by transgression. And of those 
 lusts which the vitiated concupiscence in fallen man 
 doth send forth, is it here affirmed, that the}' are not 
 of the Father. 
 
 Indeed, that any sinful lust should be of the Father, 
 is inconsistent with the, 1. Purity of his nature, which 
 cannot endure, must less etfect§ the least sin. 2. 
 Verity of his word, which prohibiteth and threateueth 
 all sin ; and either those threats are not the declara- 
 tions of his real intention (which is blasphemy to 
 imagine), or he cannot be the author of any wicked 
 inclinations. 3. Equity of his punishments, it being 
 (as Fulgentius excellently |I) most unjust for God not 
 to clear the guilty if he made them so. And, there- 
 fore, for the preventing objections, and further evidenc- 
 ing of this truth, be pleased to know, 
 
 1. It is one thing to make use of men's lusts, and 
 another to stir up those lusts in men. It pleased 
 God to accomplish his own ends by Pharaoh's proud 
 lust in punishing Israel, and JuJas his covetous lust 
 in betraying Christ, hut he was no way the cause of 
 these lusts. Thus whilst the holiness of the Father 
 abhorreth evil, the wisdom of the Father draweth good 
 out of it. 
 
 2. It is one thing extra elieere quod intus Initial, to 
 draw forth that lust which is in the heart by proposing 
 objects, and another, ])racis suijgeslionibus soluitare, 
 to iustil evil lusts into the heart by seducing sugges- 
 tions. It cannot be denied, but that God's providence 
 is pleased (according to that expression in the prcqibet 
 Jeremiah) to lay stumbhng-blocks before men, that is, 
 such objects as prove stumbling-blocks ; yea, that 
 God doth purposely present such things, to try, but not 
 to seduce them. Nor is God therefore any more 
 
 * Aristof. Ktli. lib. i. cap. xiii. 
 ■f Hanuisc. de oitliiul. fide. lib. ii. cap. xii, 
 t Aquin. part Sin. 9, 15, art. 3. 
 § Qu. 'nrtict'?— Kd. 
 
 II Justitia ca non est si puniendum rcum non invcnisse 
 Bed fecisse dcus dicatur. — Fulgen. 
 
Ver. 16, 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 281 
 
 guilty of these lusts which those objects kindle, than 
 a master is of his servant's theft, when be layeth a 
 bag of money in his way, to make trial of his honesty. 
 That expression in the psalmist concerning God in 
 reference to the Egj-ptians (I confess), is very harsh ; 
 where it is said, Ps. cv. 25, ' He turned their heart 
 to hate his people, and to deal subtilly with his ser- 
 vants.' But if you observe the story, and look upon 
 the preceding verse, you shall find it was only by in- 
 creasing his people, and making them stronger than 
 their enemies, ver. 24, God doth good to the Israel- 
 ites ; and this becometh accidentally an occasion of 
 envy in the Egyptians : iu which respect onl}' it is true, 
 ' He turned their hearts to hate them.' 
 
 3. It is one thing for God to give leave to men 
 whereby they have opportunity of, and another to 
 incite them to the fuliilling of their lusts. When we 
 read concerning David, 2 Sam. xsiv. 1, that 'the 
 anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he 
 moved David to number the people,' either (com- 
 paring it with the parallel place in the Chronicles, 
 1 Chron. ssi. 1) we must expound that he to be Satan, 
 or else we must construe that he moved to be no more 
 but he permitted Satan to move David to that proud 
 lust. Thus, when it is said by David of Shimei, 
 ' The Lord hath bid him curse me,' jussit is no more 
 but concessit, he hath bid, that is, he hath given him 
 leave ; and that expression, ' Go and be a lying spmt 
 in the mouth of all the prophets,' is not to be under- 
 stood as a commission, but a permission; as granting 
 a warrant, but only giving him leave to seduce the 
 prophets, and by them Ahab. And though the not 
 restraining sin when it is in man's power, involve him 
 in the guilt, because he is bound to hinder all sin to 
 his utmost, yet this can no way be charged upon God, 
 who is no way obliged to bridle men's lusts, and yet 
 withal never suffereth them to break forth, but when 
 he hath designed to make them serviceable for some 
 glorious ends. 
 
 4. Once more, it is one thing to give up men to 
 their own lusts, and another to infuse lust into them. 
 The former is a judicial act, which God doth only by 
 withdrawing or withholding from impenitent sinners 
 that grace which they have abused or refused. Thus, 
 when those Israelites would not hearken to God's 
 voice, and would have none of him, Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12, 
 ' he gave them up to their own heart's lusts, and they 
 walked in their own counsels.' And when those 
 heathens, ' knowing God, glorified him not as God, 
 neither were thankful, God gave them up to unclean- 
 ness through the lusts of their own hearts,' Rom. i. 
 21, 24, 2G, it being most just with God to let loose 
 the reins to those sinners who will not be bridled, 
 whereby their lusts hurry them to destruction. But 
 still notwithstanding his objective proposals and wise 
 disposals, permissive concession and penal tradition, 
 these lusts are not of the Father ; he is not an instiller or 
 inciter of, nor an inducer, or rather seducer to them. 
 
 I end this with that caution of St James, ' Let no 
 man say when he is tempted, ho is tempted of God,' 
 James i. 13. It is useless to cast the blame of our 
 lusts upon others, but blasphemous to cast it upon 
 God. It is a great sin to arrogate the good we do to 
 ourselves, but a far greater to attribute the evil we do to 
 God. Indeed, it is such a sin (according to St Basil's* 
 observation) as borders upon atheism ; all the differ- 
 ence between them consists in this : the atheist 
 saith, God is not, and the blasphemer saith, God is 
 not good ; which latter Plutarch asserts to be worse 
 than the former. Making the case his own, 1 had 
 rather (saith hef) one should say there never was such 
 a man as Plutarch, than that he was a bad man ; and I 
 account it worse to affirm that God is the author of 
 vice, than lo deny that there is a God. Oh, then, 
 take we heed how we tread in the steps of our great 
 grandfather Adam, who, to excuse himself, translateth 
 tbe crime, though _not explxitly, ^-et implicitly, upon 
 God, when he saith, ' The woman which thou gavest 
 me, gave to me, and I did eat.' We cannot do a 
 greater dishonour to God than to spit, nay, cast dirt 
 upon the face of his purity, by charging him with the 
 least iniquity. And now, if you please to know whence 
 these lusts have their original, pass we on to the other 
 clause, wherein it is expressed, 
 
 2. Atfirmatrvely, ' But is of the world.' The con- 
 ceptions of interpreters are somewhat various about 
 this clause, yet all such as are most true, and seem to 
 discover the spring of these lusts. 
 
 1. OJ llie itorlil ; that is, saith Justinian, J ex pravd 
 ilia ciffectione et vitio humiiniiii natidcc iiidilo oh priini 
 parentis lapsum, fi'om tbe corrupt and vicious inclina- 
 tion which is in man's nature, through Adam's fall. 
 All these evil lusts are the ebullitions of our natural 
 corruption, which renders us both backward to what- 
 soever is good, and forward to all evil ; according to 
 that of St James, 'Every man when he is tempted, is 
 drawn aside, and enticed of his own lust,' James i. 13. 
 Were it not for this, all external temptations would 
 (as balls thrown against a stone wall) make no impres- 
 sion, or as sparks cast into the sea, be presenth- extin- 
 guished ; it is our inbred vitiosity which makcth us 
 like tinder, ready to catch fire at every spark. But 
 though this interpretation best agree with the thing, 
 yet it is somewhat alien from the phrase, there 
 being no parallel place in which by icoilU is understood 
 original contagion. 
 
 2. Of the uoild : that is, saith QJcumenius, § of the 
 god of this world ; not of tbe Father of believers, 
 but the father of the wicked, that is, the devil. These 
 lusts are they, tJt S diaiSoXo; crossi; r= y.ai piroxoxo;, 
 whereof Satan is the sower and the planter. He it 
 was who, under the shape of a serpent, enticed our first 
 parents. No wonder if he seduce us to these lusts. 
 Indeed, the pride of life only is his lust suhjeciiie, since 
 
 * Bas. M. horn, quod Deus non est autor mali. 
 
 t Plut. Mor. f Justin, iu loc. i CEcumeu. ia loc. 
 
282 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 he, being a spirit, is not capable of the other two ; 
 
 but all these lusts are his effective, because he is a 
 snggester of, and enticer to them ; his temptations are 
 the bellows which blow the fire of original lust to a 
 flame. But this interpretation is also incongruous to 
 the phrase, and therefore I pass it by. 
 
 3. Be pleased, then, to remember what I have al- 
 ready told you, that ifoild may be either understood 
 of persons or things ; and accordingly both construc- 
 tions may here not unfitly be used. 
 
 (1.) Of the uorld; that is, saith St Austin,* Ai ho- 
 minlbns muiidi dileetoribus, of those men who are the 
 world's darlings ; and thus these lusts are said to be 
 of the world, as a pattern or exemplary cause, inas- 
 much as to walk in them is, according to the apostle's 
 phrase, to ' walk according to the course of the world.' 
 The truth is, we are very apt to learn of, and conform 
 to, the corrupt lusts and practices of the world. We 
 do not, with the Pelagians (far be it from us), say, 
 that sin came in only by imitation ; but yet withal it 
 is an undeniable truth, that imitation is a cause of 
 much sin ; that corrupt nature which is w'ithiu us 
 rendering us prone to follow others in their evil ways. 
 This is that which those dehortations, both of St Paul 
 and St Peter, plainly intimate. ' This I say and tes- 
 tify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other 
 Gentiles walk ;' so St Paul, Eph. iv.l7. ' For the 
 time past of our lives may it suffice us to have wrought 
 the will of the Gentiles;' so St Peter, 1 Peter iv. 7. 
 Both imply, that we are very ready to walk in the 
 way, do the will, of the wicked among whom we live. 
 
 (2.) But that interpretation which I look upon as 
 most genuine is, by the wuiid to understand the things 
 of the world ; and therefore these lusts are said to be 
 of the world, because, by reason of our inbred corrup- 
 tion, these worldly things become occasions and in- 
 citers of lust. To this purpose it is that St Paul 
 calls these lusts ' worldly lusts,' Titus ii. 10, not only 
 because they are conversant about the world, but be- 
 cause the world is in some sense a cause, that is, 
 an external moving cause of them. The father of 
 these lusts is the devil, their mother the flesh ; the 
 World is a midwife to bring forth, and a nurse to bring 
 up these monstrous brats. No wonder if, upon this 
 account, it is reckoned as one of the three grand ene- 
 mies of man's salvation. 
 
 Learn we, then, that excellent admmition of St 
 James, to ' keep ourselves unspotted of the world,' 
 James i. 27. The truth is, mnndns iiifiiundits, the 
 world is unclean and filthy, and if we take not heed, 
 it will defile and besmear us ; if we be not very care- 
 ful where we tread, we shall soon step into a dirty 
 puddle ; if wo be not very wary where wo walk, we 
 shall quickly be caught in a snare. Oh how hard is 
 it to look upon these things, and not hnig after them ; 
 to use them and not love ihoni ; to have them in our 
 eye or hand, and 3'et keep them out of our heart ! 
 * Au''. in loc. 
 
 Oh, therefore, ' watch and be sober,' so often as you 
 are engaged about worldly things ; keep a godly jea- 
 lousy over your hearts, lest they go out too much 
 after them ; for the world is very insinuating, and too 
 often creepeth into our hearts, the presence-chamber 
 of the King of glory, in which respects these lusts 
 are most truly said to be of the world. And so much 
 for the two branches of this clause absolutely con- 
 sidered. 
 
 2. Pass we on now to a relative view, and thus it 
 may have a double reference. 
 
 1. Some conceive it as au argument why we should 
 not love the world, and the things of it ; and truly, 
 whether we understand the subject of this proposition, 
 ' All that is in the world is not of the Father, but is 
 of the world,' of the things themselves, or the lust 
 after them, it will hold good. 
 
 1. Love not the things of the world, because these 
 things are not of the Father, but of the world. Qualia 
 sKiil Jure, saith Zanchy aptly,* how low poor things 
 are these, how unworthy of a Christian's love ! These 
 are from an earthly extraction, an inferior principle. 
 ' Set your afl'octions' (saith St Paul) ' on the things 
 that are above, and not on the things that are upon 
 the earth,' Col. iii. 2. If you will love, let it be those 
 things above that are of the Father, of a noble divine 
 original, not these earthly things which are of the 
 world. 
 
 2. Love not the things of the world, because those 
 lusts which are conversant about those things ' are 
 not of the Father, but of the world,' the strength of 
 which argument will better appear if we consider who 
 they are, namely, believers, such as are not of the 
 world, but of the Father, to whom this dehortation is 
 given, it being very unreasonable that they who are 
 not of the world, but of the Father, should harbour 
 those lusts which are not of the Father, but of the 
 world. t When, therefore, Christian, any desires 
 arise in thine heart, put these two questions to them. 
 Whither tend they '? and, especially. Whence are 
 they ? If they be of the Father, and so consequently 
 tending upwards, embrace them; but if of the \j-orld, 
 and so necessarily bending downwards, refuse them. 
 
 But though I do not reject these interpretations, 
 yet I rather adhere to that exposition which lookcth 
 upon this clause as a reason of the reason preceding, 
 why the love of the world and the love of the Father 
 are inconsistent ; and the strength of the argument 
 may be drawn out two ways. 
 
 1. These worldly lusts are not of the Father, and 
 therefore not to the Father. Things move in a circle; 
 where they begin, there they end. Rivers come from, 
 and return to, the sea. These lusts being not of 
 the Father, cannot be loward him, nay, indeed, are 
 ai/iuiiM him, and therefore cannot consist with the love 
 of him. The love of the Father carrieth the heart to- 
 
 * Ziincb. in loc. 
 
 t Dan in loc. 
 
Vkk. 16, 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 283 
 
 ■wards him ; these lusts heing not of the Father, turn 
 awaj' the heart from him, how can thej' agree together ? 
 
 2. Where there is a love of the Father, only that 
 which is of the Father will find acceptance ; yea, 
 whatever is not of the Father, the soul that loveth 
 him cannot choose but abhor. He that loveth God 
 truly hath a sympathy and antipathy correspondent 
 to his ; what God loveth he loveth, what God hateth 
 he hateth ; and, therefore, since these lusts are so far 
 from being of the Father, that they are of the world, — 
 yea, the Father, instead of an author or abettor of 
 them, is an abhorrer and an opposer of them, — no won- 
 der if there be no sincere love of the Father where 
 the love of the world is predominant. 
 
 And this shall suffice to have been spoken of the 
 first branch of the argumentation dra'mi from the love 
 of the world, its repugnancy to the love of God. It 
 now remaiueth that we proceed to 
 
 The other branch, which is taken from the world 
 itself, its short continuance, as it is set down in the 
 seventeenth verse, ' For the world passeth away, and 
 the lusts thereof: but he that doth the will of God 
 endureth for ever ;' where there are two general parts 
 occur to our observation, to wit, 
 
 A thesis or proposition, ' For the world passeth 
 away, and the lusts thereof;' 
 
 An antithesis, or opposition, added by way of am- 
 plitieation, ' but he that doth the will of God endureth 
 for ever.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the proposition, into which if you 
 please to look narrowly, you shall find these three 
 assertions : 
 
 1. The world passeth away ; 
 
 2. The lust after the world passeth away ; 
 
 3. The worldly lover passeth away. 
 Of each in order. 
 
 1. Tlie uorhl passeth away. In several passages of 
 Scripture we find a division of worlds, into that which 
 now is, and that which is to come. As for that which 
 is to come, the author to the Hebrews plainly inti- 
 mateth, that it is ' a continuing city,' where he saith, 
 ' We have no continuing city, but we seek one to 
 come. ' Of this present world, therefore, is this asser- 
 tion to be understood. 
 
 And thus, if we take this world, fuar/.Z:, in its 
 largest and most comprehensive notion, lor the whole 
 fiiliric of the visible heavens and the earth, it is true, 
 the world passeth away ; yea, as Grotius noteth upon 
 the test,* Kd leije /actus, ut aliquando prreat, it was 
 created corruptible, and is as sure to perish as that it 
 once began to flourish. This is affirmed by the 
 psalmist: Ps. cii. 25, 26, ' Of old thou hast laid the 
 foundations of the earth ; and the heavens are the 
 work of thy hands. They shall perish ; yea, all of 
 them .shall wax old like a garment ; as a vesture shalt 
 thou change them, and they shall be changed.' By 
 our Saviour himself: Mat. xxiv. 35, 'Heaven and 
 * Grot, in loc. 
 
 earth shall pass away ;' and by St Peter, 2 Pet. iii. 
 7, 10, both the things and the means of accomplishing 
 it are indicated. ' The heaven and the earth that now 
 is, are reserved to fire ;' and yet more fully, ' The 
 day of the Lord shall come as a thief : in which the 
 heavens shall pass away with a gi-eat noise, the ele- 
 ments shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and 
 the works that are therein shall be burnt up.' This 
 witch (for so she is indeed to the greatest part of men) 
 shall be burned up with all her baggage. This world 
 (to use Isidore Pelusiotas's comparison*), fisSiuii, 
 reeleth to and fro like a drunken man, till at last it 
 fall down. So true is that of St Cyprian,! Ht^c 
 sententin nntiido data, ut omuia orta cccidnnt, this doom 
 is inevitably passed upon the world, that as it had a 
 beginning, so it shall have an end. 
 
 I am not ignorant that there is some contrariety 
 among divines about the nature of this pas^^ing away, 
 whether it shall be substantial or accidental. 
 
 Some, J expounding this of St John, the irorhl, by 
 that of St Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 31, ' the fashion of this 
 iforld passeth away,' affirm the passing away to be 
 only accidental ; and to this purpose St Gregory is 
 express, § Utraque hac (speaking of the heavens and 
 the earth) per earn qnam nunc habeut imariinem trans- 
 euiit ; sed tainen per csientiam sine fine sulisistunt : Both 
 theye pass away as to their present shape, but in their 
 essence they shall endure for ever. 
 
 Others conceive, that since at the last day the 
 wicked shall be banished into everlasting flames, and 
 the godly received into the kingdom prepared for them, 
 this present world will be useless, as an house 
 wherein there is no inhabitant; it shall be pulled 
 down, and the very materials of it annihilated. 
 
 But after all debates upon this question, it will be 
 a presumption to determine it, because the Scripture 
 is silent. I could wish, as this, so many other dis- 
 putes of the like nature were cither wholly silenced, 
 or more calmly discussed. Why should we contend 
 one with another about the manner, so long as we be- 
 lieve the thing ? 
 
 But that to which 1 rather incline, is to understand 
 the world, r,i)ixSii, in a moral notion, for those things 
 of the world which are the objects and allurements of 
 these lusts, it being most rational to take the world 
 in the motive, in the same sense in which it is under- 
 stood in the dehortation ; so that the plain scope of 
 our apostle in this clause, is to assert that all these 
 things of the world, with which the cliiKlreu of men 
 are so apt to be in love, are of a fading, transitory 
 nature. 
 
 Indeed, the Greek word here used, cajaysra;, ad- 
 mits of several acceptions, each of which may very well 
 be admitted in this place. 
 
 1. If we look to the di-rivation of the word (from rra^i 
 and ayw), it is most properly rendered transrersum 
 
 * Isid. Pelus. lib. ii. ep. vi. 2G. J Ambrose. 
 
 t Cypr. ep. ad Demetr. i Gr. M. Job lib. xvii cap. v. 
 
284. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 agit, the world carrieth its lovers headlong, contrary 
 to the dictates of God's word and right reason. We 
 are all travellers, the world is an horse, which, whilst 
 a man rideth with the bridle of moderation, it serveth 
 to carry him on his journey ; but when, through too 
 much love, he layeth as it were the reins upon its 
 neck, it carrieth him into cross ways, over hedge and 
 diti-h, till at last it throweth, yea, overthroweth him. 
 We are all sailors ; this world is as the sea, and our 
 afl'ections as the winds, which being set upon the 
 world, like a coutrar}- blast, drive the ship of the soul 
 upon rocks and sands, till it split and sink into ruin. 
 Suitable to which is that of St Austin, Aina sieculum, 
 et (tbsorhebit te, aiiiatores suos norit vorare, noil porlaie, 
 Love the world and it will drown thee, it knoweth how 
 to swallow, not to bear its lovers. 
 
 2. The Greek word among profane authors* is used 
 to signify as much as to deceive or seduce by fair 2»'o- 
 jnises ; and in this sense it is true of the world, which 
 by its specious shews and subtle insinuations, deceiveth 
 the fond lover. The world pretends to be a kind 
 nurse to her children, but if you draw her two dugs, 
 instead of milk, you shall find nothing but the water 
 of vanity in the one, and the wind of vexation in the 
 other. No wonder if St Jerome compare it to Nebu- 
 chadnezzar's golden image, into which whosoever 
 looketh, will find only an empty hollowness ; and St 
 Gregory, to a rotten nut, which, how fair soever it 
 seemeth, if you open it with the knife of truth, you 
 shall find it only full of worms. One being invited to 
 a covetous man's house, who had a stately gate and 
 an empty hull, wondered that there should be so much 
 without and so little within ; a fit emblem of these 
 worldly things which promise much, and perform 
 little. Very fitly, saith Seneca (alluding to the stage), 
 ODiniinn pcisuiuilo cst/dliciuis, all the comforts of these 
 worldly enjoyments is only personated, not real. They 
 seem to be what they are not, and to do what they 
 cannot. In one word, the world is the greatest bank- 
 rupt, and at best duth but compound with its lovers, 
 not satisfying the half of what it promisoth. 
 
 3. But the most usual signification of the word, espe- 
 cially in sacred writ, is to ]i(iss airaij ; that it is so 
 to be taken here, appeareth in that it is opposed to 
 (diidiii/) in the next clause ; and therefore in this no- 
 tion I shall now handle it. 
 
 1. It is that which is true of these things, con- 
 sidered absolutely in themselves ; they are of a fading 
 nature : according to that of St Paul, 2 Cor. iv. IG, 
 ' The thinjjs thiit are seen are temporal.' Indeed, as 
 Gregory Nyssenf well obsurveth, -^av /j,aTuiov avj- 
 •jTuixTov, that which is of slender substance must needs 
 be of short durance ; in vain is perpetuity expected from 
 vanity; and this«//, according to Solomon's assertion, 
 Eccles. i. 2, is ' vanity,' yea, ' vanity of vanities,' where 
 the Hebrew word signitieth a breath, yea, the breath 
 of an infant, which is scarcely perceivable. It is very 
 * Tliucyd. t Oreg. Nyss. ibid. 
 
 considerable to this purpose, that the wise man saith 
 of riches, ' they are not;' and our Saviour implicitly 
 asserteth as much of honour, where he saith to the 
 sons of Zebedee, ' Hitherto you have asked me no- 
 thing,' when yet they had petitioned, the one to sit at 
 his right hand, and the other at his left hand. Upon 
 which St Austin's"''" note is, Solum hontirn spiriluule 
 estimari debet ciliquid, only that which is spiritual is 
 real ; as for riches, honour, and all worldly things, 
 they are nothing, because of no intrinsecal worth, nor 
 lasting continuance. Heraclitus compareth them, 
 •Tora,uoD ^6>;, to the running water, which is still pass- 
 ing, so that we cannot go twice into one and the same 
 water; St Gregory, to those treasures of snow men- 
 tioned in Job sxxviii. 20, which, after a great deal of 
 pains in gathering together, melt away. This world 
 is not queixetiwi, a thicket of oaks, which stand long, 
 but nnindiiu'lum, a place of willows, which soon bend. 
 The garden of Eden (which ma}' well be called the 
 diamond of the world's ring) was situated by the land 
 of Nod, which signifieth unstable, thereby intimating 
 the tottering condition of all worldly excellencies. f It 
 is storied of Edward the First, that, after all his 
 famous victories, he died on the borders of Scotland, 
 at a place called Furbis Sands ; where note, saith the 
 historian, upon how sandy a fovmdation all worldly 
 greatness is built. No wonder if that which hath a 
 weak and infirm foundation do not long continue. 
 
 2. Besides, whilst these things in themselves con- 
 tinue, they pass away from their possessors, and 
 change their masters. Nothing more usual than for 
 worldly things to pass like wild fowl, from one man's 
 field, or like the river, from one man's bank, to an- 
 other. The apostle Paul, 1 Tim. vi. 18, calls them 
 ' uncertain riches ' (it is no less true of honours and 
 pleasures), because we have no certain tenure of 
 them. The utmost we can enjoy them, is durante 
 vita, during life. When the worldly lover's breath 
 cxpireth, these things to which he hath cleaved will 
 leave him ; but, alas ! we are not sure to enjoy them 
 so long. The marriage between the world and its 
 lover is not like that between husband and wife, ' to 
 have and to hold till death part ;' no, nor 3-et is the 
 possession of them certain, (piaindiu quis bene se pes- 
 serit, so long as a man uselh them well ; they p;iss 
 away from good as well as had, so that the term of 
 our tenure is only durante benephtcito, so long as 
 God pleaseth. And if you look tipon the dispensa- 
 tions of divine providence, what frequent changes may 
 you observe it to ring in the steeple of this world, soon 
 turning plenty into scarcity, wealth into want, glory 
 into ignominy, and honour into contempt ! 
 
 8. Thus do those things pass away, and that (as 
 Zanchj'', well observeth upon the words) inslur rapi- 
 dissimi jhtniiiiis, like a swift running river, or as St 
 Austin allegoriseth that in the Psalms, § ' ho shall 
 
 * Aug. tract, in Job. 102. % Zancb. in loc. 
 
 t Cypr. do laudo Martyr. § Aug. in Ts. ex. 
 
Veb. 1G, 17] 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 285 
 
 drink of the brook in the way,' a violent and im- 
 petuous torrent. We read concerning the tempter, 
 Luke iv. 5, that he ' shewed Christ all the kingdoms 
 and glory of the world in a moment.' Upon which 
 St Ambrose excellently,* Non tarn con.ipeclus celcritas 
 indicatur, quaiii cadttca fragditas potestath exprimilur, 
 not so much the suddenness of the sight, as the 
 trans'toriness of the things themselves is thereby 
 intimateJ, worldly power and honour passing away in 
 a moment. The wise man saith of riches, they ' take 
 them wings' (not feet only), and flee away, to wit, 
 speedily, suddenly, before we are aware. Worldly 
 wealth (as St Gregory excellently), diflicUe Jiabetnr, 
 cilo aniitlitur, is hardly got, and easily lost, like the 
 cobweb, far longer in the spinning than it is in the 
 sweeping down. The Spanish proverb saith of sick- 
 ness, it Cometh on horseback, and goeth away on foot, 
 but wealth cometh on foot, and goeth away on horse- 
 back ; ereepeth along like a snail, but flieth from us 
 like an eagle. That similitude of the psalmist con- 
 cerning the grass, Ps. xc. 3, ' Which in the morning 
 groweth up and flourisheth, but in the evening is cut 
 down and withereth,' is a fit emblem of all worldly 
 enjoyments ; and the vulgar Latin's reading, which is 
 with a double transeat, intimateth that is passing from 
 morning to evening ; and in that the condition of 
 these things is so much the more represented, which 
 are continually in motion from first to last ; and as 
 St Austin escellently,f Quo mar/is celeriler crescunt id 
 sint, er'i maiih festiiiant ut non siitt, the longer they 
 are enjoyed, the nearer they are to decaying. In one 
 word, what St Gregory^ observeth of secular glory is 
 true of all the rest. JDum nitet cadit ; dam exlollitiii; 
 reppiitino inierruptajlne terminatur, whilst it glittereth 
 and shineth gloriously, on a sudden it vanishethaway ; 
 like ears of corn, which, the higher they grow, the 
 sooner they hang down their heads. Indeed (to use 
 Gregory Nazianzen's comparison), what is this world, 
 but a show, a scene, a representation, which having 
 pleased our eyes for a few minutes, is presently re- 
 moved ; agreeing with that parallel place of St Paul, 
 ' The fashion of this world passeth away.' And thus 
 I have given you a short view of the world's passing, 
 which is the first branch of the position. 
 
 2. The next followeth, which is, that the lust of 
 or after the world, and the things of it, passeth away. 
 Indeed, those who understand the world in the former 
 clause largely, for the whole visible fabric, expound 
 this lust metonymically, for the things of the world 
 lusted after ; and so the sense is, that as the whole 
 world in general, so in particular the most desirable 
 and amiable things in the world pass away ; not only 
 the_^</(/, but iho flouer of the field withereth. But I 
 know no reason to recede from the plain meaning of 
 the word, and therefore I shall so discuss it. The lust, 
 the desire after, and delight in worldly things passeth 
 
 * Ambrose ibid. { Greg. IL lib. xvi. 
 
 t Aug. Confeas. lib. iv. cap. i. 
 
 away. This is that which is true in a double con- 
 sideration, to wit, whilst we live, and when we die. 
 
 L Whilst men live, their lusts pass away in a 
 double sense, 
 
 (1.) They pass away ; that is, they are abortive, as 
 having no strength to bring forth. It is the dift'erence 
 between heavenly and earthly, spiritual and carnal 
 desires, those shall certainly be satisfied, but these 
 are frequently disappointed ; these for the most part 
 end in a shameful sadness, those in a gladsome suc- 
 cess. God many times is pleased to blast the hopes, 
 cross the desires, and evacuate the hopes and endea- 
 vours of wicked men in their sinful ways, according 
 to that threat in the Psalms, Ps. cxii. 6, ' The desire 
 of the wicked shall perish.' Hence it is that their 
 desires create a great deal of sorrow and perplexity to 
 them ; and who would give way to such lusts, which 
 prove BO often successless, and being disappointed, 
 end in grief and impatiency ? 
 
 (2.) They'pass away ; that is, being fulfilled, they 
 are soon glutted. In this sense, worldly men, like 
 children, are soon weary when they have what they 
 desire. It is an excellent saying of St Austin,* 
 Latitia secuU cum mnr/ud expectutione speratur, ut 
 venial ; praterit, cum venerit ; men are big with hopes 
 of a great deal of content and joy in the accomplish- 
 ment of their desires, and, alas ! delight is no sooner 
 come but it is gone ; and to the same purpose 
 Seneca saith of worldly pleasures, f Fluit el transit, et 
 pane anlequam reniat aufertur, it is of a fluid, tran- 
 sient nature, and is taken away almost as soon as 
 enjoyed. The truth is, many times whilst the things 
 themselves stay with us, our lust to, love of, and 
 delight in them ceaseth. In which respect the world 
 may fitly be compared to the grass, and our lust to 
 the flower of the grass; for as the flower fadeth away 
 before the grass, so our lust passeth away whilst yet 
 the worldly object continueth ; yea, ofttimes our long- 
 ing is turned into loathing, and our love into hatred ; 
 witness the story of Amnon and Tamar. That obser- 
 vation of St Gregory is very apt to this purpose, con- 
 cerning the difference between corporal and spiritual 
 delights: these cum. non hahcntur, in fnstidio ; ci/w 
 habentur, in desiderio, whilst we want them they are 
 loathed, when we have them they are loved; but those 
 cum non hahenlur, in desiderio ; cum hahcniur, in 
 fastidio, whilst we want them are desired, when wo 
 have them they are loathed. Hence it is, that as 
 weak stomachs must have choice of diet, so worldly 
 desires call for change of objects. Why did Solomon 
 study such variety of pleasures, but because they 
 soon satiate, and the wanton appetite is still calling 
 for a new object ? Nothing more easy than to sur- 
 feit of earthly enjoyments, and for those things which 
 being absent, were our earnest desire, by their con- 
 tinued presence, to become an heavy burden. Oh 
 
 * Aug. in .loh.. Tract. 7. 
 
 t Sen. Consol. ad i'olyb. cap. zxTii. 
 
286 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 let us learn to abhor these lusts, which wiU of them- 
 selves at last end in abhorring. 
 
 2. Once more, whatever (enjoyment we may have 
 of, or contentments in, these lusts whilst we live, they 
 shall all cease when we die. When death cometh, 
 the covetous man shall grasp no more wealth, the 
 ambitions shall gape no more after honour, nor the 
 luxurious neigh after his Delilah. As there is no 
 'wisdom nor counsel,' so there is no desire or delight 
 ' in the grave whither we are going.' These lusts will 
 leave when thou dicst, how much better is it for thee 
 to leave them whilst thou livest. 
 
 3. There remaineth yet one branch more of the 
 position, and that is, though not expressed, yet im- 
 plied, concerning the worldly lover himself. For in 
 the other clause, the person who doth God's will is 
 said to abide for ever ; and so, by way of analogy, 
 this passing away must be understood, not only of 
 the things and the lust, but the person who lusts after 
 these things. 
 
 Indeed, we are all in this world as in a ship, not 
 only the ship itself moves, but the passengers are 
 carried away in it ; yea, which is the riddle, the pas- 
 sengers go faster than the ship, since even whilst the 
 world continues the inhabitants pass away. Paulinus 
 desired St Austin to write somewhat de statu humanm 
 vilrr,'^- of the slati: of human life ; he presently cor- 
 rects him, telling him he should have said, de cunu 
 humance. vike, of the course of human life, our life 
 being a swift race to the goal of death. And well 
 were it if we would still join, in our meditations, our 
 own and the world's passing away together. If these 
 things do not leave us, yet we must leave them ; and, 
 as Esau said, ' I die, and what good will my birth- 
 right do me ? ' So lot us often think, I must be gone, 
 and what good will my honours, riches, pleasures do 
 me ? It is the question and answer of St James, 
 ' What is your life '? it is even a vapour, which ap- 
 pearcth for a little while, and then vanisheth away,' 
 James iv. 14. Some expositors observe an emphasis 
 in the yinir ; you that arc so much in love with this 
 life and the things of it, how brittle, frail, and transi- 
 tory are thoy and it ! 
 
 '' Nor yet is this all that is here implied, since not 
 only that which is common to worldlings with other 
 men is here asserted, to wit, the passing away by 
 death, but such a passing away as is peculiar to him, 
 in opposition to the happy estate of them that love 
 God ; and then tlie mcuning is this, he passeth away, 
 not only by a first but a second death, he loseth this 
 life so as never to enjoy another ; he so passeth away 
 as to perish, not by annihilation, but by condemna- 
 tion ; he passeth from the world's joys to hell's tor- 
 ments. Oh the dismal change which a worldling 
 maketh when he dietli ; all his good things are taken 
 from him, and horror, anxiety, despair, and everlast- 
 ing misery seize upon him. So true is that of an 
 * Aug. Ep. ad Paulin. 
 
 ancient, Amor mundi non solum jjeritorius sed peremp- 
 torius, worldly love is not only vain, but deadly, 
 killing not only the body but soul of the sinner to all 
 eternity. 
 
 To bring this home in a brief application, 
 1. Oh that every one of us would be convinced of 
 the world's instability. Indeed, in this (as well as in 
 many others) the world is a juggler, that though it 
 be so inconstant yet it promiseth continuance. Fully 
 to this purpose St Gregory,* The vain joys of this 
 present life. Quasi maitcndo blamliuntur, sed amatnres 
 suos cilu transeuitdo decipiunt ; flatter us as if they 
 would stay with us, and on a sudden by passing away 
 they cheat us. Look as the sun, moon, and stars (to 
 borrow that similitude of Philo the Jewt), though 
 they move with a most swift and rapid motion, seem 
 to the vulgar eye to stand still, at least move slowly ; 
 so do these sublunary things in a worldling's eye. 
 That rich man in the Gospel, Luke xii. 19, 20, who 
 said to himself, ' Soul, thou hast much goods laid up- 
 for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be 
 merry,' is called a fool for so saying. A fool he was 
 in many respects : in that he thought his soul could 
 take any content in his barns ; in that he expected to 
 find ease in the things of this world, which are as 
 thorns ; in that he supposed those things were only 
 given him to eat, drink, and be merry with ; but the 
 worst fool of all, in that he imagined he should enjoy 
 these goods for many years. Such fools were those 
 drunkards who say, Isa. Ixv. 12, ' We will fill our- 
 selves with strong drink ; and to-morrow shall be as 
 to-day, and much more abundant ; ' and those mam- 
 monists of whom the psalmist saith, Ps. xliv. 11, 
 ' Their inward thought is that their houses shall con- 
 tinue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all gone- 
 rations.' But oh when will we believe that which we 
 so often see and hear, and acknowledge what daily 
 experience confirmcth, that this world's goods are (as 
 they are called) moveables, yea, all these worldly things 
 mutable and inconstant. Alas, my brethren, the time 
 will come when (too late) we shall see their vanity 
 and instability, Mlia et Jiuida esse copiioscit amisxa 
 (saith St Gregory!) ijutt dum tideraiit marj)ui et man- 
 sura vtdehiinlur. When we are stripped of all, the 
 vain fugacity of these things, which whilst wo injuy 
 are so glorious and permanent in our e_ycs, will ap- 
 pear. But oh how much better will it be for us, 
 whilst yet they are present with us, to look upon 
 them as parting from us. 
 
 To this end pray we for a spiritually enlightened mind. 
 It is the saying of Jamblicus, If a man could behold this 
 world in the light of divine knowledge, he will find it 
 to be a vanishing shadow ; and Plato etymologising f^o- 
 Mfidii, which siguifieth irisdom, saith it is pogaj xa/go5 
 oeli, a due apprehension of the fluid motion of these 
 
 * Greg. M. lib i. Bern. cap. xii. 
 t Pliilo, lib. de coufus. Hug. 
 i Gr. M. lib. viii. cap. xx. 
 
Ver. 16, 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLIV. 
 
 28r 
 
 terrene contentments. Oh let us implore this wisdom 
 from above. That blind man in the Gospel whose 
 ej'es Christ opened, saw at first men walking like 
 trees, an argument of the weakness of his natural 
 sight, but in a mystical sense (saith Chrysologus*) it 
 ai'gueth the strength of spiritual sight to see all the 
 things of this world, not as pilhirs but as trees, and 
 those not standing, but walking, in a continual motion. 
 It is very observable with what a diflerent aspect our 
 blessed Saviour looked upon the stones of the temple 
 from the stauders by, Luke xxi. 5 ; they beheld them 
 as ' goodly stones,' but Christ saw ' one stone not left 
 upon another.' Thus whilst these worldly objects 
 appear amiable to a carnal ej-e, the spiritual Christian 
 beholds them as those which in a little time will 
 perish and come to nought. 
 
 2. Being throughly persuaded of this truth, it will 
 (I trust) make way for that which is the main design 
 of our apostle, namely, to dissuade us from the love 
 of the world, because it passeth away. It was a 
 notable speech of Laconius in Plutarch, f when he was 
 told of a ship richly laden that was come into the 
 port, I am not (saith he) much moved with that pros- 
 perity which hangeth upon ropes. Oh then, why are 
 we so much taken with this world, whii-h is so uncer- 
 tain '? (Jiiid strepis ok miinde iiiuiiunde, saith St 
 Austin, J Oh thou filthy world, what a noise dost thou 
 make ; how would men doat upon thee if thou wert 
 lasting, who love thee so well though thou art fading. 
 Alas, beloved, vou may as well stop the running 
 stream with your hand, blow back the wind with your 
 breath, or cause the sun to stnnd still, as hinder the 
 passing away of these worldly things ; and why will 
 you hold that fast in aflection, which you cannot long 
 in possession ? Swallows (they say) will not build 
 their nests in an house which is ready to fall. Which 
 of you, if the carpenter should tell you your house 
 •would drop down within few days, would not presently 
 remove frum it ? Oh lot us leave this world before it 
 leave us, and possess it as though we possessed it not, 
 because ere long we shall be dispossessed of it. We 
 sometimes laugh at children that are pleased with 
 paper castles, which may be filliped down in a mnmcnt; 
 have we not more reason to weep over ourselves, who 
 ' hold fast deceit,' and set our hearts on those things 
 •which are so easily and suddenly snatched away from 
 ns. What is pleasure, wealth, honour, but as the 
 sand ? So Gregory Nyssen§ aptly ; and you know 
 •when children have been running up and down in the 
 sand, so soou as they are gone no footsteps rema n of 
 all their toil. The truth is, how wise soever worldly 
 lovers may account themselves, they are notorious 
 fools, even upon this account, that they lean upon a 
 broken reed, feed upon the wind, and grasp at a 
 shadow. Let therefore the couusel of devout Anselni|j 
 
 •* Chrysol. serin. 176. § Greg. Nyss. horn, in Eccl. 
 
 t Plat. Apollieg. II Ans. in Rom. 
 
 } Aug. tierm. xxix. de verbis dom. 
 
 be acceptable to us, Nolile constanter mundum dilu/ere, 
 qiiando ipse qiiem djiigilis iion ]>olesl constare. In- 
 casstim cor quasi maneiUer Jiiiilis dwii J'v(jit ijisc quern 
 diliyitis, Why should we so constantly love this world, 
 whenas this world which we love is so inconstant ? Let 
 not our foolish heart think to fix itself on that which, 
 is still ready to fly away. 
 
 Tell me, I beseech you, would any of you weary 
 yourselves in scraping up wealth, in compassing 
 honour, pursuing pleasure, did you certainly know 
 that, before to-morrow, either you should die, or those 
 enjoyments should be taken away from you ? Can 
 any of you secure yourselves that it shall not be so ? 
 Yea, is there anything more possible than that these 
 things mny presently, or more certain than that they 
 shall ere long, pass away ? And thei-efore, since the 
 world passeth away from us, let us, according to Leo's 
 counsel,* resolutely pass by the world, so as it may be 
 only vidlifuui iliucris, nan itlerchia uiaiisioiiis, a sub- 
 servient handmaid, not a domineering mistress. 
 
 And now that this argument, which our apostle 
 here useth, may have the stronger influence upon us, 
 to dissuade from worldly love, let me entreat you 
 seriously to ponder upon these four particulars. 
 
 1. What a dispriipiirtion there is, and that upon 
 this very account, between this world and our souls. 
 It is a rule in marriage, that there should be a tit 
 proportion, as in other things, so in years, between 
 the persons ; how unfit then is it for thy soul to be 
 married to tliis world, whenas the world is transitory', 
 and thy soul is immoital. Canst thou be so sott sh as 
 to think tliat God did breathe that immaterial spirit of 
 thine into thee, to have only the happiness of a muck- 
 worm, which breedeth and feedeth in dung, or at best 
 of an Indian emmet, which glittereth in golden dust 
 about it ! Dost thou imagine what that soul of thine 
 which is ghied to this world, will do when this world 
 shall be taken from it ! Surely, as Philip said to his 
 son. Par tilii rei/ntiui. quare, seek a kingdom suitable 
 to thy greatness ; so let me say to thee. Seek an ob- 
 ject proportionable to thy soul, and that cannot be the 
 world, lor it passeth away. 
 
 2. This world, as in itself it is transitory, so it 
 passeth away soonest from th>m who set their hearts 
 upon it. I have read of certain flitting islands, which 
 seem continually to move in the sea, and if j"Ou sail 
 towards iheni, the nenrcr you ap[iroach to them, the 
 further they remove from you : a fit emblem of these 
 woridh' things, which many times are farthest from 
 them who seek most after them. In this respect^ 
 what is observable of the shadow, si'qui'n!em fur/it, 
 fiiriieulfin scquitur, may be applied to the world ; it 
 ol'ten follo«eth hm that flieth from it, and flicth 
 from him who followeth it. Very apt to this purpose 
 is that similitude of witer, which the faster you think 
 to gras[i it in your hands, slideth away the sooner 
 from you. Thus are covetous, ambiiious, and volup- 
 
 * Leo, serm. v. de jejuu. 7mi. nieusis. 
 
288 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 tuous men frequently deceived in their expectation of 
 enjoying this world, which they so dearly love. In- 
 deed, it is the usual dispensation of divine providence, 
 to take away from men those comforts which he seeth 
 to steil away their hearts from him. It is high time 
 for the mistress to turn the maid out of doors, when 
 she findeth her husband's afi'ections taken off from 
 her, and set upon the maid. What more just than that 
 God should pluck away those delights from us which 
 alienate our hearts from him ; so that, in one word, the 
 way to enjoy a comfort is to be willing to lose it, and 
 the way to lose it is immoderately to love it. 
 
 3. This world passeth away from its lovers when 
 they have most need of it. Solomon saith of riches, 
 and it is true of honours and pleasures, they ' profit 
 not in the day of wrath,' and then it is we shall be in 
 greatest wantof comfort and support. When Absalom 
 is caught in the thick boughs of a great oak, and is 
 taken up between the heaven and the earth, the mule 
 that -was under him went away, 2 Sam. xviii. 9. 
 Absalom's mule is a fit emblem of this world, which 
 then leaveth us when we are in the greatest straits.* 
 That similitude which Job applieth to his deceitful 
 brethren, Job vi. 19, 20, may no less aptly be used 
 in reference to these worldly things, ' as the streams 
 of brooks they pass away ;' for as these vanish away 
 in the heat, so that the thirsty traveller which cometh 
 thither for relief is confounded because he hoped, so 
 do those fail us in the day of distress, and shame 
 sits upon the faces of those who loved and trusted in 
 them. 
 
 4. Lastly, the world passeth away with its lust, but 
 the sting remaineth ; the pleasure vanisheth, but the 
 toi-ment abideth. All these delights, like the candle, 
 burn for a time, but when they go out, they leave a 
 stink behind them ; and oh how miserable is the 
 worldling's condition, who, when these things take 
 
 * Urogo Host, in serra. de ilom. pass. 
 
 their leave of him, hath nothing left but a despairing 
 remembrance of, and sorrowful regret at his folly, in 
 being bewitched with, and spending so much time upon, 
 these perishing contentments.* Who would drink 
 of such waters, which though sweet as honey in the 
 mouth, are bitter as gall and wormwood in the belly ? 
 When therefore you find these worldly objects alluring 
 your hearts, look upon them not as renicnles sel ahe- 
 unies, coming but going, iiourishing but withering, 
 and then I am confident your hearts will be weaned 
 from them. Oh remember at the best they are but 
 fading flowers, at the worst they are pricking thorns, 
 they arc chafl', in the hand light, in the eye troubling; 
 never any grasped them with affection, but found woe 
 and vexation. 
 
 What therefore now remaineth but that, upon all 
 these urging considerations, we every one at last re- 
 solve to bid this world farewell. Say then (0 my 
 soul), Hence, you vanishing pleasures, I will no longer 
 repose myself under your shadows. Adieu, you 
 flying riches, I will no longer seek for covert under 
 your wings. Farewell, fading honours, I will no 
 longer gaze upon your beauty ; begone, all you gilded 
 follies, your seeming splendour shall no more deceive 
 me ; it is now high time for me to look after my soul, 
 and I am sure you cannot make that happy. If I do 
 not now leave you, I know ere long you will leave me ; 
 and if I make not provision beforehand, what will 
 then become of me ? Henceforth I shall use you as 
 servants, but never more love you as friends. Why 
 should I forsake my own mercies, to observe lying 
 vanities ! 
 
 £■■ And thus I have despatched the proposition of the 
 world's passing away, and ha<^tening to nn end. I 
 should proceed to the opposition, but the hour is 
 passed away, and bids me end my discourse for this 
 time. 
 
 * Bern, ile fallacia prsesentis vitse. 
 
 SERMON XLV. 
 
 And (he uoiid jta-tsctli aivriij, and ihc lust thereof : hut 
 
 1 John II. 
 
 he lliiit iliith the 
 17. 
 
 IV ill eif God abideth for crer. — 
 
 IT is a known maxim in morality, mhintasiwn fertur 
 nixi ill boiiiiw, the will is not carried towards any 
 object, but under the notion of good ; yet it is as 
 true, that the good which the will enibraceth, is many 
 times not rcnim but o/>iiaieiis, good in the reality of 
 the thing, but only in the opinion of the person, to 
 whose misguided judgment it appeareth of another 
 nature than indeed it is. This is that which is evident 
 in pleasures, riches, honours, about which ' the lust 
 of the flfsh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life ' 
 are conversant. By their lovers they arc esteemed, not 
 only good, but the only good thing, in the fruition of 
 which they place their happiness ; and yet, alas, how 
 
 miserably do their fond imaginations delude them, 
 since those things (at best) are but in the lowest rank 
 of good ; yea, they rather have a show, a shadow, a 
 semblance, than any reality, solidity, or substance 
 of good in them. This it is whereof our apostle en- 
 dcavoureth to convince the worldling in this verse, 
 and that by an undeniable argument, namely, the 
 short and fading continuance of all these things; 
 whoso ' goodness ' (to borrow the prophet Hosea's 
 similitudes, Hos. vi. 8), ' is like the morning cloud, 
 and like the early dew it vanisheth away ;' for ' the 
 world passeth away, and the lust thereof : but he that 
 doth the will of God,' &c. 
 
Ver. 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLV. 
 
 289 
 
 Having despatched the position in which the main 
 force of tlie argument consists, that which now re- 
 maiueth to be discussed is the opposition annexed by 
 ■way of amplification, ' But he that doth the will of 
 God, abidelh for ever.' 
 
 For the better handling of which clause, I shall 
 consider it first in itself, and then in its connection 
 with that which precedeth. 
 
 1. Tliat which tliis clause presents us with, con- 
 sidered by itsidf, is the permanent felicity of an 
 obedi'-'ut Christian, and in it are two particulars con- 
 siderable : 
 
 The q'lalifieation or duty required implicitly in these 
 words, ' He tlial doth the will of God.' 
 
 The remunenition or mercy assured in these, ' en- 
 duielh fill- ever.' 
 
 1. That which first occurreth to our discussion is 
 the qualification, for the handling whereof two things 
 would be opened : 
 
 What will of God is intended ? 
 
 What doing of his will is required ? 
 i (1.) In answer to the fir>t, be pleased to know, 
 
 fl.l That will may be taken two ways ; either for 
 the ficnlly and act of willing, or for the object or 
 thing which is willed. When St Paul saith, ' God 
 hath predestinated us according to the good pleasure 
 of his will,' it is plainly meant of the faculty and act 
 of willing, which in God is the same with his essence. 
 But in iiU I hose places where the Scripture speaketh 
 of doing God's will, it must be referred to the object 
 of his will, and meaneth a doing of the thing which 
 God wiUeth to be done. 
 
 [2.j In respect of the things which God willeth to 
 be done, know further, that his will is secret or re- 
 vealed. God's secret will is his eternal counsel and 
 purpose, either of permitting or efl'ecting, either im- 
 mediately or mediately, whatsoever is done in the world. 
 This is that which is called by the schools voliinuis 
 effica.x, that will of God which is always dune, accord- 
 ing as he saith himself, Isa. siv. 10, ' My counsel 
 shill stand, I will do all my pleasure.' Indeed, in 
 thi-i notion these two are convertilde : whatever God 
 wills is done, and whatsoever is done God wills. If 
 it be evil, he wills to sutler it ; if it be good, he wills, 
 either by himself or his creatures, to efl'ect it. And 
 the reason is plain, because if anything could be done 
 Deo noleiite, agiunst God's will, it must be either be- 
 cause he did not know of the doing it, and then he 
 were not omniscient, or because he did know, and 
 could not hinder the doing of it, and then he were not 
 omnipotent ; to deny either of which, is to deny h:m 
 to be a God. According to this construction, the 
 truth is, even wicked men do God's will. Whilst 
 their design is to fulfil their own mischievous lusts, 
 they accomplish God's righteous pleasure ; whilst tbey 
 intend to oppose the will of God which they knnw, 
 they eflfect his hidden counsel. But since (as God 
 saith of the king of Assyria, he ' meaneth not so') it 
 
 is against their will that they do God's, yea, their in- 
 tention is to cross his, even when they do it ; such a 
 doing his will is no virtue, and therefore not the secret, 
 but the revealed, will of God is here intended. 
 
 [3.] Be pleased further to take notice, that the 
 things which God revealeth to ho his will are of two 
 sorts : either such as are to be done de nobis, upon 
 us, or a nobis, by us. 
 
 1. God's revealed will concerning the things to he 
 done upon us is either pro or contra, for or a/jainst us, 
 and is manifest either by the predictions of his word, 
 whether promissory or minatory, or by the execution 
 of his works, whether in mercies or judgments ; and 
 this will of God calls for the practice of several graces, 
 according to its various dispensation, both in regard 
 of good and evil. 
 
 (1.) The revelation of God's will/or us is consider- 
 able, either as it is in the promise or the performance. 
 As it is in the promise, it is that we are to hope and 
 pray for, to trust in, and rest upon. Thus David, 
 Ps. cxix. 67, ' I have hoped in thy word ;' and again, 
 ' Deal bountifully with thy servant, according to thy 
 word,' that is, thy promise, which is a revelation of 
 God's gracious will. As it is in the performance, it 
 is that we are to praise him for, and walk worthy of; 
 nothing being more equal than that, when it pleaseth 
 God to do us good, we should give him thanks, ascrib- 
 ing what we enjoy, not to the worthiness of our work, 
 but the goodness of his will ; according to that an- 
 gelical hymn, Luke ii. 10, when the pleasure of the 
 Lord was accomplished in the incarnation of Christ, 
 ' Glory to God on high, good will towards men.' 
 
 (2.) The revelation of God's will ayainst us is like- 
 wise to be considered, either as it is in the threaten- 
 ing, or in the inflicting ; as threatened, it is that we 
 are to fear ; when inflicted, it is that we are to bear. 
 Before we know it to be his determinate pleasure, we 
 may pray against it ; so soon as it appeareth to be 
 his pleasure, we must submit to it. Thus did Eh, 
 1 Sam. iii. 18, when upon that doleful message, ite- 
 rated by Samuel in his ears, he saith, ' It is the Lord; 
 let him do what seemeth good in his sight.' Thus 
 did Job, when, being spoiled of all, he saith, ' The 
 Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away ; blessed be 
 the name of the Lord.' Yia, thus did that divine 
 philosopher, Epictetus, when he said, ' I hare sub- 
 mitted my will to God's ; if he will have me burn with 
 a fever, or labour with any misery, I am willing.' 
 Indeed, the name of that deacon to whom St Austin 
 wrote, Quod-vuH-Detis, ought to be the temper of every 
 Chr stian, what God will, that we may be able to say, 
 in his severest dealings with us, what Harpalus said 
 when he was invited to a feast by Astyages, whereof 
 one dish was the head of his son baked ; and the king 
 usked him how he liked it ? ' What pleaseth the 
 king pleaseth me.' But this is the will of God which 
 we are to sutler with patience and cheerfulness. And 
 therefore, 
 
290 
 
 HAEDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 2. It remaineth that the will of God here intended 
 is his revealed will of those things which are to be 
 done by us ; that will in regard of which wc are not 
 to be passive, but active ; to which we owe not 
 patience, but obedience ; a voluntary submission, but 
 re.idy subjection.* This is that will of God which is 
 called voluntas iiiiperans, or prcccept'ivn, God's pre- 
 scribing or commanding will, because it is revealed in 
 bis commands ; and these both aflSrmative and nega- 
 tive, enjoining what is good, that we may practise it, 
 and inhibiting what is evil, that we may avoid it ; so 
 that, if you will explain one word by another, that 
 iwhich in this and such like scriptures is called the 
 will of God, is the same with that which is called the 
 law of the Lord. And so much in answer to the first 
 question. 
 
 (2.) That which cometh next in order to be in- 
 quired is, What doing of God's will is required ? In 
 answer to which, take notice, 
 
 1. That it is not o yh'jia-/.u</, but o 'jtoiuv, he that 
 knoweth, but he that doth the will of God. Indeed, 
 we cannot do God's will (at least not as God's will) 
 till we know it ; in which respect that apostolical 
 counsel is very necessary, ' Be not unwise, but under- 
 standing what the will of the Lord is ;' and to this 
 end we must, according to our Saviour's advice, search 
 the Scriptures, which are the records of his will ; and 
 fur this reason, no doubt, David so often prayeth, 
 ' Teach me thy statutes, shew me thy ways, make me 
 to understand the way of i\ty precepts,' Ps. xxv. 12, 
 xsvii. 11. But still the end of our knowing must be 
 doing, and therefore God bids Moses teach the Israel- 
 ites his commands that they might do them, Deut. 
 vi. 1 ; and our Saviour tells bis disciples, ' If you 
 know these things, happy are you if you do them.' 
 It is St James his caution, 'Be not hearers, but doers 
 of the word, deceiving your own souls.' Sitting Mary 
 and stirring Martha are emblems of contemplation 
 and action, and as they dwell in one house, so must 
 these in one heart ; beautiful Rachel and fruitful Leah 
 are emblems of knowledge and obedience, and as Jacob 
 was married to both, so must the Christian, only with 
 this difl'erence, whereas Jacob was first married to 
 Leah, and then to Itachcl, the Christian must first be 
 
 ■ married to knowledge, and then to obedience. In one 
 ■word, doing cannot be without knowing, and knowing 
 tvm^t not be without doing. 
 
 2. But farther, it is not every kind of doing God's 
 will which is the qualification required. Our Saviour 
 hath taught us to pray that God's will ' may be done 
 on earth as it is in heaven ;' the most genuine sense 
 whereof no doubt is, that men may do God's will as 
 it is done by the angels ; and he that partaketh with 
 them in felicity must imitate them in the duly. 
 
 i\Iore particularly, there are two properties of doing 
 God's will, to wit, integrity and alacrity. 
 
 * Est. iu ]yc. 
 
 (1.) The will of God must be done fully, not in re- 
 spect of exact performance (that is'only for angels, not 
 for saints, till they are glorified), but of sincere endea- 
 vour. To fulfil every iota of divine precept is im- 
 possible ; to have respect to every precept is needful 
 for every man who will be happy. The truth is, he 
 that doth God's will with exception, doth not God's 
 will, but his own ; hence it is that when God's will 
 crosseth his, he crosseth God's will ; and who can 
 esteem him a good servant who will do his master's 
 injunctions no further than it agreeth with his inclina- 
 tion. To do God's will aright is to do it as his will ; 
 and d qiiatenus ad otnnc valet consequentia, saith the 
 logician, he that performeth any duty under this notion, 
 that it is the will of God, will for the same reason 
 account himself obliged to the performance of every- 
 thing which he knoweth to be God's will. 
 
 (2.) God's will must be done cheerfully. To bring 
 God's will to ours is abominable ; to bring our will to 
 God's, praiseworthy ; and thus we do when our will 
 freely consents to, nay, maketh choice of, God's will 
 for its rule. Thus did David, who saith of himself, 
 Ps. xl. 6, ' Lo, I come to do thy will ;' and again, 
 ' I delight to do thy will, God.' Thus our blessed 
 Saviour saith, John iv. 3i,it was his 'meat and drink to 
 do his Father's will.' Never went the hungry or 
 thirsty man with a better will to his meat and drink 
 than Christ did to do his Father's pleasure. And truly 
 when all is done, it is the will God looketh at in doing 
 bis will ; when the will is present, the deed will follow, 
 if there be opportunity and ability, else it is a wishing, 
 not a willing ; and if the deed be performed without 
 the free and full consent of the will, it will nothing 
 avail ; j-ea, whereas sometimes and in some cases the 
 will is accepted and rewarded without the deed, the 
 deed is never without the will, so that not only to 
 avoid but abhor whatever God forbids, not only to act 
 but afi'ect whatever God enjoineth, is to do the will of 
 God. 
 
 And now, before I go further, here is a double con- 
 sideration otlcreth itself to induce the doing God's 
 will, namely, cnjus and qualix, whose and what will it 
 is. The former is expressed, the latter is easily inferred 
 from the former. 
 
 1. It is the will of God, to whom we owe whatever 
 we are or can do ; and shall we not do his will ? Ho 
 is our Blaster, our Father, our King. Solomon saith, 
 ' ^^^lerc the word of a king is, there is power ;' much 
 more where the word of a God is. He is the supremo 
 JInjesty, having absolute sovereignty, and therefore 
 his will is most justly a law. Shall wc refuse to do 
 it ? God himself rcasoneth, ' If I ho a Father, where 
 is my honour ? if I be a Master, where is my fear ?' 
 Nature tcacheth children to do their father's will. Pater 
 est , et si iiater non esset, said he in the comedy, It is my 
 father, otherwise I would not yield ; and the very 
 notion of a servant is to be at the will and command 
 of his lord. In which respect service is defined by 
 
Ver. 17. J 
 
 SEKMON XLV, 
 
 291 
 
 Cicero,* to be obedieiitia aitiini arhiliio carcntis suo, the 
 obedience of a mind destitute (as it were) of its own 
 free will. If, therefore, wo will approve ourselves 
 faithful servants, obedient children, lo3'al subjects, let 
 us do his will ; so much the rather considering that, 
 
 2. Being it is his will, it cannot but be most just 
 and equal. It is impossible God should will us to do 
 anything which is not most agreeable to right reason, 
 since he doth not wiU anything because it is right, but 
 it is right because he wills it. St Paul's epithets of 
 the will of God are ffood, perfect, acceptable, Rom. xii. 
 2 ; indeed, since whatever God wills us to do, is not 
 only good but perfect, well may it be acceptable. The 
 prophet Micah puts these two together, Micah vi. 8, 
 'He hath shewed thee, man, what is good, and 
 what the Lord thy God requireth of thee ;' thereby 
 iutimating that God requireth nothing of us but what 
 is good, and therefore most fitting to be obeyed. 
 
 I!y what you have already heard, it plainly appeareth 
 that the doing God's will is very reasonable ; but 
 if this will not prevail, behold, here is a further in- 
 ducement in the text. The doing God's will is not 
 only reasonable but profitable ; and I trust if the beauty 
 of this virgin obedience cannot attract you, yet her 
 dowry will invite you, which is no less than eternal 
 happiness. And so I am fallen on the 
 
 2. Remuneration, as it is set forth in these words, 
 ntiideth for ever, an assertion which at first seemeth 
 false, at least defective. 
 
 (1.) It seemeth false, since obedient saints dieas well 
 as disobedient sinners. Indeed, the good angels doing 
 God's will endure for ever, but good men, notwith- 
 standing their obedience, are liable to a dissolution. 
 It is God's decree that his servants as well as his 
 enemies should ' walk through the shadow of death,' 
 and their doing his will of command cannot exempt 
 them from fulfilling his wiU of decree. It was the 
 prophet Isaiah's complaint in his time, Isa. hii. 1, 
 ' the righteous perisheth ;' nay, whilst the wicked 
 continue the righteous are taken away. ' Your fathers, 
 where are they ? the prophets, do they live for ever ?' 
 is the prophet Zechariah's question, Zech. i. 5, in- 
 tending a negation. The prophets, though such as 
 both did and declared God's will, yet lived not for 
 ever. Abraham was a pattern of obedience and con- 
 formity to God's will, and yet be escaped not the axe 
 of death. 
 
 But to all this the answer is easily returned, and 
 that two ways : 
 
 |1.] He abideth for ever, not in this, but the other 
 world. This world passeth away (as he saith just 
 before), and good as well as bad are only passengers 
 through this world, but in the oth.-r world they shall 
 have a durable habitation. In which respect death is 
 no impediment, but rather an help to put them in 
 possession of that eternity ; and therefore saith the 
 apostle, 2 Cor. v. 1 , 'If this earthly house of our taber- 
 * Cic. parad. 
 
 nacle be dissolved, we have a building made without 
 hands, eternal in the heavens.' Consonant hereunto 
 it is that Christ saith of the_believer, ' He hath eternal 
 life, and I will raise him up at the last day,' to wit, 
 to the actual fruition of that life in another, which he 
 had only by faith and hope in this world. 
 
 [2.] Or we may thus expound it, ' he abideth for 
 ever,' to wit, in his soul.* AVhen our Saviour saith, 
 Mat. xxii. 81, 'God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, 
 aud Jacob,' and presently addeth, ' God is not the 
 God of the dead, but of the living,' he seemeth to in- 
 timate that those patriarchs do now live, to wit, in 
 their souls ; and we read expressly. Rev. vi. 9, that 
 St John 'saw the souls of them that were slain under 
 the altar,' that is (as some gloss), with Christ, who is 
 the Christian's altar, so that it is true both ways, he 
 abideth in his soul for ever without any interruption, 
 aud though he must go out of this world, he abideth 
 for ever in his person in the world to come. 
 
 (2.) But itmayyet further be objected, that this isa 
 defective assertion, for what is there in this of reward 
 to continue for ever ? Ai-e not the souls of the wicked 
 immortal as well as of the godly ? Shall not the bodies 
 of the bad bo raised as well as of the good ? Will not 
 the state of the disobedient in the other world be 
 eternal, as well as of the obedient ? And how, then, is 
 this annexed as a promise to the doer of God's will, 
 that he abideth for ever ? 
 
 But to this it is justly answered, that more is in- 
 tended than is expressed. It is not a mere continuance 
 of being, but an eternity of well-beiug.f ' You have 
 need of patience' (saith the author to the Hebrews), 
 ' that after you have done the will of God you may 
 receive the promise,' Heb. x. 36. And will you know 
 what the promise is ? Our apostle tells you in this 
 chapter, verse 25, it is eternal life ; so that we must 
 expound this by that, it is not only abiding, but living 
 for ever, which is here assure!. Indeed, though the 
 wicked shall continue for ever, yet when the Scripture 
 speaketh of their future state, it is called a perishing 
 for ever. If you would know where are the /loiat 
 ToXXai, the many mansions or abiding places, John 
 xiv. 2, Christ tells his disciples it is iu his Father's 
 house, that is, in heaven, in God's presence ; so that 
 to abide eternally in the beatified vision, in the place 
 and state of happiness, is that which is here intended 
 by our apostle. 
 
 If any shall ask a reason how it cometh to pass 
 tliat, by doing God's will, we obtain an e'ernity of 
 bliss ? 
 
 I answer, Both in regard of God and his will or 
 word. 
 
 1. St Cyprian, quoting this text, J addoth by way 
 of explication, Quoniodo Dens mauel in (ilenium, he 
 abideth for ever as God abideth for ever. And that 
 
 * Agitur de vita anima; — Dan. 
 
 t Af^itur de fajlici ot };li>rios;i mansiono. — Doju Est. 
 
 X Cypr. do Discipl. et hub. 
 
292 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 this is implied will appear by the connection, for as 
 there it is expressed that ' the work! passeth away,' so 
 here it is implied that ' God abideth for ever,' the 
 comparison being made both between God and the 
 world, and the lovers of God, and the lovers of the 
 world. So, then, God is A and fi, the beginning and 
 the end; he inhabiteth eternity, and with him is no 
 variableness or shadow of changing. And though 
 eternity in its most comprehensive notion be peculiar 
 to a deity, and incommunicable to any creature, yet 
 eternity a parte post is that which God bath made 
 rational creatures capable of; and as be aliideth for 
 ever, so will he grant to them that do his will to abide 
 with him for ever. 
 
 2. I)ana3us, commenting upon this clause, thus 
 parapbraseth, Sicut voluntas Dei est atenta, itaguifacit 
 voluiilaleiii Dei, as God's will is eternal, so he that 
 doth it Uiust needs be eternal. St Peter having illus- 
 trated the frailty of man by the resemblance of the 
 grass and the flower, 1 Peter i. 24, 25, presently 
 addeth, but ' the word of the Lord ' (which is his re- 
 vealed will) ' endurelh forever.' Now, God's will and 
 word is said to endure for ever, not only because it is 
 of eternal verily in itself, but because it niaketh them 
 capable of eternity who obey it. And the apostle, in 
 the same place, a little before, affirmeth of believers 
 that they are ' born again, not of corruptiljle seed, but 
 of iiicoiriiptible, by the word of God which liveth and 
 abideth for ever,' to wit, not only subjective in it- 
 self, but effective, making them who are born again of 
 it eternal ; and if you would know how we are born 
 again, our Saviour tells us when he saith, Luke viii. 
 21, ' He that doth the will of God is my mother, my 
 brother,' to wit, by this new birth. For this reason 
 it is that Christ calls his word the 'meat that endureth 
 to everlasting life,' John vi. 28, because, being eaten 
 by faith, and digested by obedience, it nouiisbetb the 
 soul to eternity. No wonder that our apostle here 
 assertetb, ' lie that doth the will of God abideth 
 for ever.' 
 
 And now, brethren, if this consideration cannot 
 induce us to the doing God's will, what will ? If any 
 man should come and pretend to tell us bow we 
 might aliide for ever in this world, we would readily 
 receive, and speedily follow, bis advice. But, alas, 
 the most learned and experienced physician, though 
 ho may prescribe rules, de servanda valelialmc, of 
 preserving health for a time, cannot give any de 
 iuendo d iiiorte, for the escaping of death ; whereas 
 we set before you the way to an eternal 
 durance, in a far better world, and are forced to 
 complain with the prophet Isaiah, chap. liii. 1, 'Who 
 Lath believed our report ?' Is there any of us 
 BO brutish, as not to desire participation of a bless- 
 ed eternity? Surely, as Paul said to Agiijipa, 
 ' Bclievest thou the prophets ? I know tboii be- 
 lievest,' I may say in this, ' Desinst thou to bo 
 happy ? I know thou deaircst it ;' and if so, see here, 
 
 by doing God's will, thou sbalt have thy own ; if 
 thou endeavour to fulfil his commands, he will satisfy 
 thy desires. Doing God's precepts for a time on 
 earth will obtain the enjoying God's face for ever in 
 heaven. What then was Mary's commendation, 
 let it be our imitation : ' She chose that good part 
 which shall not be taken from her,' Luke x. 42 ; that 
 is, saith Grotius, ( 'ujus fructiis pvipettib mansurus, 
 whose benefit should remain for ever. And will you 
 know what that good part was'? It appeareth, by the 
 context, to be sitting at Clirist's feet, for this end, no 
 doubt, that she may first learn, and then do God's 
 will. Learn we to do likewise ; let our first care be 
 to know, and our next to do, what God hath required, 
 that so we may now comfortably hope, and at last 
 happily enjoy what he hath promised, an eternal man- 
 sion. And so much shall sutfice to have been spoken 
 of the clause considered in itself. 
 
 2. That which next presents itself to our medita- 
 tion, and would by no means be left out, is the relative 
 connection of this with what precedeth. And here 
 both parts of this clause would be looked upon ; and 
 it is not unworthy our inquiry, how, aud upon what 
 account, they are brought in. 
 
 1. It may, at first viuw, seem somewhat strange 
 that this qual filiation of doingGod's will should be here 
 inserted, as seeming to have little or no affinity with 
 what precedeth. Had the apostle said, but he that 
 loveth the Father, or had he said, but he that denieth 
 these worldly lusts, it would have been very congruous ; 
 but how this cometh in, he that doth tlie uiU of God, 
 is not so obvious. Yet, if you please to look into it 
 a little more narrowly, you shall find it very suitable 
 to the apostle's scope, and far more emphatical than 
 if he hud used either of the above-mentioned phrases ; 
 for, 
 
 (1.) In saying, not he that loveth the Father, but he 
 that (loth llie will of God, the apostle sets down that 
 which is the most real cliaracter of a true lover of the 
 Father. There is nothing wherein men more deceive 
 themselves than 'n this |jrace of loving God ; there is 
 scarce any man but layetb claim to it, and is ready to 
 say, I love Goil with all my heart, so that, if St John 
 had 01 ly sai I, lie that loveth (iod aliideth for ever, every 
 man woull have flatiered himself with the hopes of 
 this eternity. But in saving, he that doth the uilt of 
 God, he hereby puts our love to God upon the trial, 
 and that by such a character, as (if we impartially exa- 
 mine ourselves by it) I am afraid the love of most 
 Ihiistians towards God will be found base and coun- 
 ter I'l it. 
 
 [1.] True love is not only affective, butartive; ayai-jj, 
 say some, is from uyav Trijuh. As fire is the most active 
 element, so love is tlie most working grace. Amor, si 
 itoii operalur, iioii est, sai^h St Gregory, If love act not, 
 it is no love ; so that what St James saith of faith may 
 as truly bi' a|'p'ii d to love, ' Shew me thy faith, thy 
 love, b}' thy works." 
 
Ver. 17.] 
 
 SERMON XLV. 
 
 293 
 
 \2.] Again, true love conformeth itself in will, affec- 
 tion, action, to the object loved. How fearful are we 
 to offend, careful are we to please, whom we love ! If 
 a man's beloved bid him come, he cometh ; go, he 
 runneth ; do this or that, he doth it. In which re- 
 spect Isidore saith truly, Qui Dei pnccepta conlemnit, 
 Deiim lion dUirjit, neque enim ref/em diligiiiius si otlio 
 ejus leges habemus, he that contenineth God's precepts 
 doth not love him, no more than he doth his king who 
 hateth his laws. The voice of love is, ' I am my be- 
 loved's,' wholly at his command, and that not only in 
 a compliment, but reality. ' What wilt thou have me 
 to do ?' is love's question ; be it never so difficult, 
 love accounts it easy, and the very labour is beloved. 
 Would we, then, know whether we love God ? Here 
 is the trial : What do we ? where is our obedience to 
 his laws ? our conformity to his will ? Is it possible 
 we should love him, and yet offend, grieve, dishonour 
 him, and cast his commands behind our backs ! ' If 
 you love me,' saith our blessed Saviour, ' keep my 
 commandments ;' and again, ' You are my friends, if 
 you do whatsoever I command you.' ' I love my mas- 
 ter, and I will not go free,' saith the servant in the 
 law. Oh let us approve the sincerity of our love by the 
 reality of our obedience. For which cause, no doubt, 
 it was that our apostle saith, not he that loi-elh God, 
 but he that doth the will of God. 
 
 (2.) In saying, he that doth the irill of God, our 
 apostle saith as much as, he that denieth the lust of 
 the ei/i's, the Inst of thejicsh, and the pride of life, and 
 somewhat more ; so that as in the former considera- 
 tion it appeareth to be a discriminating, so in this 
 we shall find it a comprehensive character. For, 
 
 [1.] Sui repndinm, Chyistiani jinrlndium, the first 
 step in doing God's will is denying our own, and 
 these lusts are the ebullitions of our own corrupt wills. 
 To do God's will, is to obey his prohibitions, and 
 these lusts are the principal objects of those prohibi- 
 tions ; so that the renouncing worldly lusts is plainly 
 implied in this of doing God's will. 
 
 [2.] To do God's will is of a larger extent, inasmuch 
 as it superaddeth the practice of the graces contrary 
 to these lusts. Sobriety and chastity, justice and 
 charity, modesty and humility, are but several branches 
 of God's will ; and these are manifestly opposite to 
 the ' lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the 
 pride of life ;' and therefore in saying, he that doth 
 God's trill, he saith, he that is temperate, and merci- 
 ful, and humble ; and calls not only for a forsaking 
 evil lusts, but a performance of the contrar}- graces. 
 So that hereby our apostle teacheth us, that to attain 
 eternal felicity, it is not enough to be free from these 
 lusts, but we must exercise ourselves to virtue ; to 
 cleanse ourselves from filthincss, but we must perfect 
 holiness ; and the reason is plain, since we cannot be 
 happy but by doing God's will. God's will is ex- 
 pressed, not only by the prohibitions of evil, but pre- 
 scriptions of good ; and therefore we cannot do God's 
 
 will unless we act what is commanded, as well as shun 
 what is forbidden. So that, whether you take this 
 qualification as in opposition to those lusts mentioned 
 in the sixteenth verse, or as an explanation of the 
 love of the Father, mentioned in the fifteenth verse, it 
 appeareth to be very fitly made choice of. 
 
 2. But that in which the connection chiefly lietb, 
 and which will more easily appear, is the remunera- 
 tion, that endurinij for ever, which is promised to him 
 that doth God's will. And, doubtless, there was a 
 double reason why our apostle, having spoken of the 
 world's transitoriness, addeth by way of amplification, 
 this clause of eternal felicity : the one in regard of 
 the world, that it may appear so much the more tran- 
 sitory ; the other in regard of the worldly lover, that 
 his folly, in setting his heart upon the world, may 
 appear so much the more foolish, yea, abominable. 
 And of each a word. 
 
 (1.) The world, considered absolutely, is transitory ; 
 but if compared with eternity, it is momentary. Surely 
 as St Paul, 2 Cor. iv. 17, speaking of the ' afflictions 
 of this present time,' in comparison with that ' ex- 
 ceeding eternal weight of glory,' affirmeth them to be 
 ' light,' and but ' for a moment,' so may we, upon 
 the same ground, of all the enjoyments of this life. 
 As all the splendour of this world, in respect of that 
 felicity, is but as the light of a glow-worm to the sun, 
 so the longest continuance of this world, in regard of 
 that eternity, is but as the drop of the bucket to the 
 ocean. Suppose the time of the world's continuance 
 to last a million of years, yet that million is but a 
 moment to eternity. Indeed, a million of years is far 
 less in comparison of eternity, than an hour is in com- 
 parison of a million of years ; and the reason is plain, 
 because eternity infinitely exceeds a million, whereas 
 a million doth but finitely exceed an hour. You may 
 easily count how much longer a million is than an 
 hour, but you can never reckon how much eternity is 
 longer than a million ; so that our apostle could not 
 have found out a fitter way of illustrating this truth 
 than this. 
 
 There are many things which he might have com- 
 pared the world to ; we meet with them often in 
 Scripture, and indeed they are very significant ; but 
 this that he eompareth the present world with that 
 to come, serveth far more clearly to represent it. In- 
 deed, as a dwarf placed by a giant seemeth exceeding 
 little, or as a mite weighed in the balance with a 
 talent is exceeding light, so these worldly, when set 
 by heavenly things, appear exceeding base, vile, and 
 transitory. 
 
 Oh, then, let it be our frequent practice to meditate 
 on the things above, deliberately to ponder their ex- 
 cellency, eternity, that so the things below may seem 
 so much the more perishing and contemptible in our 
 eyes. The first thing God made in this circular world 
 was the heaven?!, and the last was man. In a circle, 
 the beginning and the end meet and close together; so 
 
2U 
 
 H.UIDT OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [CUAP. II. 
 
 should man and heaven ; and as to him that stands on 
 an high hill, giants seem dwarfs, so to the man whose 
 conversation is in heaven, the greatest things of earth 
 cannot but appear small. It is observed of Abraham, 
 that addressing himself in prayer to God, he calleth 
 himself ' dust and ashes,' no doubt in consideration of 
 the divine glory and majesty. And to him who duly 
 considereth that incorruptible inheritance, immarces- 
 sible crown, and nevor-fadinf; paradise, all the riches, 
 honours, and pleasures of this world, must needs seem 
 of a short, very short continuance, such indeed as is 
 not worth the naming. 
 
 (2.) And as the world's sagacity, so the worldling's 
 folly, becometh hereby the more manifest. To build 
 upon the sands is foolish, but to prefer the sands before 
 the rock, is j-et far more foolish ; to settle upon that 
 which is flitting, argueth want of wisdom, but to do 
 it with the contempt of that which is lasting, argueth 
 most desperate folly. Yet thus doth the worldling : an 
 happy eternity is offered to him, upon the terms of 
 doing God's will, and yet, to fulfil his own lusts, he 
 maketh choice of this temporal prosperity. Like that 
 wretched duke, who would not change Paris for 
 paradise, he bad rather have a short life, and, as he 
 calleth it, a sweet one on enrth, than an happy and 
 everlasting life in heaven. In one word, to use Gre- 
 gory Nazianzen's * comparison, he fixeth upon that 
 which is transient, and passeth by that which is 
 permanent ; and can there be a greater madness ? 
 Indeed, it discovereth him void, not only of grace, 
 but reason : that whereas the apostle saith a little 
 before, ' If any man love the world, the love of the 
 Father is not in him,' we may add. If any man love 
 the world, the reason of a man is not in him. And 
 more truly may every such man take up that concern- 
 ing himself which Agur said, ' I am brutish, and have 
 not the understanding of a man.' AiiguMum e4 cor, 
 saith Gillebertus,! that heart is too narrow which con- 
 fineth itself within the bounds of temporal pleasures ; 
 but that is too narrow an expression, it is an argument 
 not only of a narrow heart, but a frantic brain, to 
 doat on toys, and neglect pearls. 
 
 Oh then, learn we at last to be wise, and set a right 
 value upon things. Seneca saith excellently, ; it is a 
 matter of no small concernment, /iirtiifw nhus imjio- 
 nere, to put a just estimate upon things ; and one, nay, 
 the chief rule by which the worth of things is to be 
 measured, is their durance. Id honum cura, saith the 
 same author \\\i\n\y , ijuad rctiialiilc jlt meliuit: covet 
 that good, which, the older it is, the better it is. Who 
 would not prefer golden and silver before earthen and 
 glass vessels ; and that, as for others, so this reason, 
 that these arc soon broken in pieces, but those are 
 Uttle the worse for using. Oh that this reason might 
 sway with us to take off our affections from earth and 
 place them in heaven ! 
 
 * Gr. Na7. Ornt. yliii. % Sen. Ep. 
 
 t Gillebert. scrni. 29 in Cant. 
 
 Whenas Lysimachus, being very thirsty, had parted 
 with his kingdom for a httle water, he crieth out, Ob 
 quam brcvem roliiptalem .' siimmam aiiiiii felicitatem ! 
 how great a treasure have I lost for a short pleasure ! 
 Could you but lay your ears to hell, you might hear 
 the like despairing moans from those damned spirits. 
 What an eternity of bliss have we lost for a momen- 
 tary contentment ! Fools, madmen that we were, to 
 pursue those delights which arc now ended in tor- 
 ments, and neglect those joys which we might now 
 have possessed for ever ! But oh, how much better were 
 it for us now to be convinced of, and reclaimed from, 
 this brutish simplicity ! Excellent to this purpose is 
 that of St Bernard,* Ne casuri ffloriam iintndi quasi 
 stantem a-ipicialis, et vere stanUm atiiittn'h, &c. 
 you mortals, do not look upon the glory of the world 
 as abiding, and in the mean time lose that which 
 abideth for ever. Let not your present prosperity so 
 far bewitch you as not to regard that future felicity, 
 nor yet to take notice of that endless misery which is 
 the end of it. 
 
 That brutes, which are led only by souse, should 
 mind nothing but what is before them, is no wonder ; 
 but God forbid that men, whose reasonable souls arc 
 capable of seeing afar oft', should only regard what is 
 present. That pagans, who know little or nothing of 
 the future eternity, should busy their thoughts, de- 
 sires, and endeavours about these perishing comforts, 
 is no wonder ; but, as Leo well,! ad atcnui pra-dectus 
 pcrilura iion occupent, far be it from us Christians to 
 regard these objects, who are not only acquainted 
 with, but ordained to, eternal bliss. When Alex- 
 ander heard of, and was resolved for, the riches of 
 India, he divided Macedonia among his captains; and 
 shall not we who hear of, and hope for, a glorious 
 mansion, contemn these worldly cottages ? When 
 Serapion read in the Bible of the joys of heaven, he 
 left his eaiilily possessions, saying, Uic lihcr me 
 spoliarit, this book hath spoiled me. In that, his zeal 
 was too rash ; but the assurance we have of those 
 eternal joys should engage us (though not wholly to 
 relinquish, yet) not to love these temporal content- 
 ments. Quis alius nobler finis, saith St Austin, quam 
 pcrvenire ad regnian aijus non esljinisf What is our 
 ultimate end, but to come to that kingdom whereof 
 there is no end ? And shall we so live in this world, 
 which shall have an end, as if the world were to be our 
 chief end ? Far be it from us. So often, therefore, 
 as the vanities of earth affect us, let our meditations 
 fly upwards to the glorios of heaven ; and according 
 to the father's counsel, | let us begin to be there now 
 in our thoughts and desires, where we hope to be at 
 last in our persons. 
 
 To draw to an end. In this scripture, our apostle 
 soemcth to put us to our choice, setting before us 
 vanity and verity, instability and permanency ; nay, 
 
 * Bovn. Ep. 64. t Leo Serm. de Rcsur. 
 
 I Incipe esse ubi futurus es.^ — lOid. 
 
Ver. 18, 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 295 
 
 in effect, perishing misery, and abiding felicity. And 
 now, to use St Austin's inteiTogation,* Quid vis? what 
 wilt thou ? Whether wilt thou love the temporals, 
 and pass away with time, or not love this world, and 
 live for ever with God ? The truth is, as that same 
 father elegantly. Talis est qiiisqiie, qualis est dilectio, 
 every man is such as his love is : if he loveth earth, 
 earthly ; if heaven, heavenly ; if the perishing world, 
 thou shalt perish ; if the eternal God, thou shalt live 
 eternally. Love is an uniting, mingling atiection ; 
 and according to that with which it is mingled it is 
 either pure or impure. So that, look, as silver, if 
 minyled with lead, is debased, if with gold, advanced, 
 BO thy soul, if by love mingled with the world, must 
 perish, but if united to God, for ever happy. Oh, 
 therefore, let it be the serious purpose of every one of 
 us from henceforih to leave the world and cleave to 
 God, to abhor the lust of the one and do the will of 
 the other, that so in the end of this life we may have 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
 the inchoation, and in the end of the world the con- 
 summation, of that happiness, which, though it have a 
 beginning, shall know no ending. 
 
 And thus I have at length (through divine assist- 
 ance) finished this golden period, worthy to be en- 
 graven upon the tables of epicures, the chests of 
 mammonists, and the palaces of great ones. And 
 though I have done with handling, yet I trust you 
 will not with reading, remembering, and pondering it; 
 yea, I would to God that every morning, before you go 
 about your worldly affairs, you would resolve this- 
 scripture in your mind, with a prayer to God to im- 
 print it on your hearts : ' Love not the world, neither 
 the things that are in the world ; if any man love the 
 world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all 
 that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of 
 the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, 
 but is of the world. And the world passeth away, 
 and the lusts thereof, but he that doth the will of God. 
 abideth for ever.' 
 
 SEEMON XLVI. 
 
 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there mnnij anti- 
 christs ; vlwrehy tee know that it is the last time. They went out from ns, but they were not of lis : far if tiny 
 had been (f us, they would no doubt liare continued witlt us; hut they went out, that they miijhl be made 
 manifest that they were not all of us. — 1 John II. 18, 19. 
 
 THIS present world is not without just cause 
 branded as one of the greatest enemies of our 
 salvation, and that especially upon a double account, 
 inasmuch as the things of this world, by alluring our 
 wills, lead us into vice; and the men of this world, by 
 perverting our judgments, draw us into errors. Both 
 of these are so dangerous, that it is hard to determine 
 which is the worst. St Paul's epithets of lusts, 1 Tim. 
 vi. 7, ure foolish and hurtful ; St Peter's character of 
 heresy, 2 Peter ii. 1, is damnable; these as well as 
 those drowning men in perdition and destruction. No 
 wonder if this holy apostle caution those to whom he 
 ■wrote of both these rocks ; and as in the foregoing 
 verses he warneth them of being defiled w ith the mud 
 of worldly lusts, so in these he taktth care that they 
 might not be infected with the venom of antichristian 
 doctrine : ' Little children, it is the last time,' &c. 
 
 The subsequent part of this chapter, from the 
 eighteenth verse to the nine-and-twentieth, hath a 
 special reference to, and dependence on, the exhorta- 
 tion which is mentioned in verse the four-and-twenti- 
 eth, iterated verse the eight-and-twentieth, and is in 
 order the seventh step of that lightsome walk which 
 our apostle's chief design is to delineate in this epistle, 
 namely, a ste^lfast perseverance in the doctrine and 
 faith of Christ. In order to this it is that here are 
 three things discussed. 
 
 1. Periculum. The great danger they were in of 
 being withdrawn from the truth, by. reason of the 
 
 man}- antichrists which (this being the last hour) were 
 now among them, who taught abominable lies, deny- 
 ing both God and Christ ; and this is handled in the 
 eighteenth, nineteenth, and again in the two and 
 three-and-twcntieth, and again in the six-and-twentietb 
 verse. 
 
 2. Au.rilium. The chief help which God had afforded 
 them against this danger, that sacred unction which 
 did inform them fully of the truth, and thereby was 
 able to preserve them from error ; and this is in the 
 twentieth and one-and-tw.ntieth, and again inculcated 
 in the seven-and-twentieth verse. 
 
 3. Motivum. The strong inducements to persuade 
 their constancy in the faith, that hereby their fellow- 
 ship with God and Christ might be continued, the 
 promise of eternal life obtained, and their confidence 
 at the coming of Christ strengthened; and this is> 
 enlarged in the four, five, and eight-and-twentieth 
 verses. 
 
 In these two verses which I have now read, the- 
 scope of our apostle is double, namely, 
 
 To disiover a danger, that they might not be en- 
 snared by; 
 
 To prevent a scandal, that they might not be 
 offended at those false teachers which were among 
 them ; the former in the eighteenth, and the latter in 
 the nineteenth verse. 
 
 In handling the eighteenth verse, which is the dis- 
 covery of the danger, that we may proceed according 
 
296 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 to the order of the words, be pleased to observe these 
 three parts : 
 
 An appelhtion, I.itlle children. 
 
 An affirmation, /( is the last time. 
 
 A confirmation, in the rest of the verse. And as you 
 have heard, &e. 
 
 A word of the first, the appellation, or title here 
 used. Little children. It is sometimes used as a word 
 of imperfection, whether in regard of age, denoting 
 such as are not come to maturity of j'ears, or in re- 
 gard of grace, such as are weak in faith, and in this 
 sense Beza here construelh it.* Indeed, this cavent 
 is very needful for such, who, being children, are apt 
 to be ' tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine,' 
 but yet not only for such ; and when I find the apostle 
 commending (and that, doubtless, without flattery) 
 those to whom he writeth for their knowledge of the 
 truth, ver. 21, I cannot imagine that he intends the 
 word children in this notion. Rather with Danaius, f 
 as I conceive, omnes ciijusctinqiie (Tttitis hie monel, he 
 speaketh to all of all ages in Christianity, not only to 
 children, but young men and fathers ; and so the rraid/a 
 here is of the same notion with Tixvia in the beginning 
 of the chapter. Suitable whereunto it is that the 
 Syriac useth the same word in both places ; and, as 
 Grotius well observeth.J it is hlanda appellatio, a word 
 of ati'ection, b}' which our apostle would let us see 
 that parents are not more desirous of their little chil- 
 dren's safety, and studious of their welfare, than he 
 was of theirs, and that tender love and parental care 
 which he had over them induced him to warn them 
 of those antichrists which would infest and infect them. 
 But having once and again handled this title in this 
 notion, I shall insist no longer upon it, but pass on 
 to the 
 
 2. Affirmation, as it followeth in the text, ' It is the 
 last time.' 
 
 The only question here to be resolved is in reference 
 to what our apostle asserts, the time in which he lived 
 to be the last. 
 
 (1.) The general opinion of divines refer it to the 
 world ; and so this clause seemeth to be a proof of 
 what is asserted in the former verse, § ' The world 
 passeth away,' for even now is ' the last time ' of 
 the world's duration, beyond which it shall not con- 
 tinue. 
 
 In this sense the whole space of time, from Christ's 
 first to his last coming, is the last time. Those are 
 the last days concerning which Joel prophesieth, that 
 in them God would ' pour out his Spirit on all flesh,' 
 Joel ii. 28 ; for in the ver}' beginning of the evangeli- 
 cal times the apostle telleth us. Acts ii. 17, that pro- 
 phecy was fulfilled. These are the last dnys in which 
 the author to the Hebrews saith, Heb. i. 1, 2, that 
 ' God, who spake to the fathers by bis prophets, hath 
 spoken to us by his Son,' who, coming in our flesh, 
 
 * Beza. in loc. % Grot. ibid. 
 
 t Dan. in loc. j Probat quod dixit.— iqp. 
 
 revealed his Father's will to the world ; and in this 
 notion the assertion is true, that even in St John's 
 days it was the last time of the world. This being 
 taken for the meaning of the clause, it would rationally 
 be inquired upon what account this space of time 
 (which hath already continued so long, and when it 
 shall expire is unknown) may be called the last. 
 
 Qilcumenius giveth a double answer,* but neither 
 satisfactory. 
 
 [1.] He saith, it is called the last because the worst, 
 as lees and dregs are in the bottom of the liquor ; but, 
 though possibly the last time may be the worst, yet 
 is it not therefore the last because the worst, or the 
 worst because the last. 
 
 [2.] He addeth, that if we divide time into the first, 
 the middle, and the last, whatsoever time is after the 
 middle is the last, and accordingly all the time before 
 Christ may be called the first, and since his coming, 
 the last. But though we read that God sent his Son 
 into the world ' in the fulness of time,' yet not that 
 it was in the middle of time ; and whether the world 
 shall not last longer after, than the time of its con- 
 tinuance before, the Messiah's incarnation, is a ques- 
 tion which, though some have rashly undertaken, yet 
 I am sure none can justly resolve. As for that 
 opinion, that as the world wns six days in making, so 
 it shall be only six thousand years in lasting, it is but 
 a rabbinical conceit, and a groundless dream. Nor 
 doth St Peter's assertion, 2 Peter iii. 10, that ' a 
 thousand years is with the Lord as one day,' at all 
 favour this opinion, since it seemeth rather to be 
 uttered on a contrary design, namely, to let us know 
 that how many thousand years soever the world shall 
 last, yet God is not therefore slack, since with him 
 they are but as so many days. 
 
 That, indeed, which seemeth the most rational ac- 
 count of this phrase in this notion is, that it is the 
 last time, because it is the last period of time ; and the 
 Messiah being come, there are now no more changes 
 or alterations of the external administrations in reli- 
 gion to be expected. The life of man, the little world, 
 is a fit emblem of the duration of this great world, and 
 look as there are three ages of man's life, youth, man- 
 hood, and old age, so the world hath three periods, 
 from Adam to Moses, from Moses to Christ, from 
 Christ's first to his last coming ; and as old age 
 (though it many times be as long as cither, nay, it 
 may be as both) is called the last ago, because death 
 is that which next succeeds after it, so this period of 
 the evangelical time, how long soever it may be, is the 
 last time, becau.se that which closeth it is the day of 
 judgment. In which respect St Austin saith truly, f 
 Ipsa nnvissima hora diutnrna est, srd lumen )ioviss{ma 
 hora, the last time is long, but yet it is the last time. 
 Look as the time of Job's continuance upon earth after 
 his restitntion to a prosperous estate, which was an 
 hundred and forty years, and so a large part of bis 
 • (Ecumen. in loc. t Aug. in loc. 
 
Ver. 18, 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 297 
 
 life, is yet called ' the latter end of Job,' Job xlii. 
 12-16, so may this of the evangelical administration, 
 though of a long durance, be styled the latter end of 
 the world. 
 
 And upon this account it may serve to discover the 
 folly of that generation of seekers, which, among the 
 numerous brood of heresies, hath sprouted forth 
 amongst us. In vain do they expect a new church, 
 new ordinances, new administrations, whenas this is 
 the last time. St Paul plainly tells us that the Chris- 
 tian church, by administering the holy sacrament, 
 must ' shew forth the Lord's death till he come,' that 
 is, to judge the quick and the dead ; and surely, by 
 wa}- of analogy, it holds true of all the evangelical in- 
 stitutions. There is nothing to be expected but the 
 ' glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, in the end of the world.' 
 
 (2.) But though this interpretation may be true, it is 
 very harsh, especially considering that the word which 
 we translate time signifieth that which is one of the 
 shortest durations of time, an hour ; and it may be 
 very well looked upon as incongruous, that so large a 
 space of time should be called an hour. I know ex- 
 positors* endeavour to solve this by telling us that 
 it is but an hour, cowpamlione futuri sccculi (so Car- 
 thu-'-ian), in comparison of the duration of the other 
 world ; and to the same purpose Calvin, Si regiii Dei 
 mternitas, &c. ; if we revolve in our minds the eternity 
 of God's kingdom, the longest continuance will seem 
 but a moment. But though this be in itself an unde- 
 niable verity, yet it is not any more a reason why the 
 time from Christ's first to his last advent should be 
 called an hour, than why the whole time of the world, 
 from the first to the last man, should be so called. 
 Upon this consideration, perhaps, it was that Cajetan 
 conceiveth St John's meaning might be, that the time 
 wherein he lived was like to the last hour ; and as it 
 should be at the end of the world, so it was then. 
 But this construction is too forced ; nor is it rational to 
 imagine that when St John saith 'it is,' and again, 
 ' by this we know it is the last hour,' he meaneth only 
 a resemblance. 
 
 If, then, there be something else to which this last 
 hour may, upon a more just account, be referred, 
 doubtless that must needs be the most genuine inter- 
 pretation, and this we shall find to be, not the world, 
 but the Jewish church and state, whose end was then 
 at hand. I confess Socinus is the first in whom I 
 meet with this construction ; t but I shall not refuse 
 to pick up a pearl though I find it in a dunghill, and 
 as I shall never receive, so neither will I reject, any 
 exposition because of the person that bringeth it. 
 Besides him, that learned Mr Mede, occasionally + 
 Bpeaking of these words, conceiveth it to be the last 
 hour of Daniel's seventy weeks, and so, consequently, 
 of the Jews' commonwealth. Suitable whereunto is 
 
 • Carthus. et Calv. in loc. t Socin. in loc. 
 
 i Me<le's Apostasy of latter Times. 
 
 the annotation both of H. Grotius and Dr Hammond, 
 to whom, for their excellent illustrations of many scrip- 
 tures, this age is, and future will be, much beholding. 
 The only objection that can lie against this interpre- 
 tation is, that this epistle was written after the destruc- 
 tion of Jerusalem; but this can only be said, not 
 proved. True, St John outlived that desolation, but 
 this epistle might be written before it, yea, this text 
 renders it very probable ; and accordingly Mr Mede 
 conceiveth it might be written in the last of Daniel's 
 weeks, about which time Jesu Ananiah began that 
 woful cry,* Woe to Jerusalem, woe to the temple. 
 
 Taking the clause in this construction, the emphasis 
 of this word hour will prompt two things to our medi- 
 tation, that the time of the Jews' ruin was a set time, 
 and a short time. 
 
 1. An hour is a measured part of time, consisting 
 of a set number of minutes, whereby is intimated that 
 the time of Jerusalem's ruin was fixed, and her years 
 numbered. It is that which would be considered in a 
 double reference, to wit, as the Jews were a nation, 
 and a church. 
 
 (1.) Consider them as a nation and people, and we 
 may see in them this truth exemplified : that to all 
 nations there is an appointed time how long they shall 
 continue. He that sets bounds to the sea. Job 
 xxxviii. 11, ' Hitherto shalt thou pass, and no further,' 
 sets periods to all the kingdoms of the earth, /Thus 
 long they shall flourish, and no longer. The signifi- 
 cation of that word Mene, which the hand wrote upon 
 the wall concerning Belshazzar, Dan. v. 36, ' God 
 hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it,' carrieth 
 in it a general truth concerning all monarchies, king- 
 doms, states. The number of the years for their conti- 
 nuation, and the term of time for their expiration, is 
 determined by God. What is become of the Assyrian, 
 Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires, whose glorious 
 splendour, in a certain space of time, vanished away ? 
 Indeed, according to the poet'sf expression. 
 
 Memento permagna ruunt, summisque negatum 
 Stare (liu, 
 
 though some nations floarish longer than others, yet 
 all have their autumn as well as fpring, winter as well 
 as summer; and when the time registered in heaven 
 is accomplished on earth, the most potent politic king- 
 doms moulder away in a moment. 
 
 (2.) Consider them as a church, and God's people, 
 it lets us see that, as kingdoms, so churches have 
 their periods. Indeed, the universal church shall not 
 fail ; God will have, if not in one place, yet in another, 
 an orb wherein the light of his truth shall shine 
 (though not always with the same clearness) to the 
 day of judgment. But still particular churches have 
 their doleful eclipses, yea, their dismal settings, by 
 the removing of the sun of the gospel irom them. 
 Those seven churches of Asia are deplorable inslances 
 * Joseph. Jud. Bell. 1. 7. t Claud. 
 
29S 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 of this doctrine, who, though once golden candlesticks, 
 holding forth the word of life, are now enveloped in 
 Mahometan darkness. 
 
 Oh see, my brethren, what sin will do to nations, 
 to churches ; for though it is God who determineth, 
 yet it is sin which deserveth their ruin. That which 
 moveth God to remove the candlestick from a church, 
 is their contempt of the light ; that which provoketh 
 God to pat a period to a kingdom's prosperity, is their 
 heightened iniquity ; and, therefore, when we behold 
 (as we of this land at this day sadly do) a flourishing 
 church withered, a goodly kingdom overturned, oh let 
 us so ai'kncjwleilge God's hand, as to blame our own 
 demerits, since it is upon foresight of a people's trans- 
 gression that God prehxeth a time for their destniction. 
 
 2. An hour is a short space of time ; there are 
 many parts of time longer, — days, weeks, months, 
 years, jubilees, ages, — but there is only one shorter, to 
 ■wit, minutes ; nay, the shortest time by which men 
 commonly reckon is the hour, with its several parts ; 
 so that, where our apostle saith it was the last hour, 
 he intends that it was but an hour, that is, a very 
 short time, and Jerusalem should be destroyed. Look 
 as when the duration of an affliction is set forth by an 
 hour, it noteth the brevity of its continuance : so when 
 the coming of an affliction is measured by an hour, it 
 noteth the celerity of its approach. In the former 
 sense, we read elsewhere of an ' hour of temptation,' 
 Kev. iii. 10 ; and here, in the latter, that it is ' the 
 last hour.' 
 
 Indeed, if we look upon the Jews at this very time, 
 we shall tind thej* were very secure, not dreaming of 
 so near and great a destruction. The characters 
 which St James givcth of the rich Jews are, James 
 V. 3, 5, that ' they heaped treasui-e together, they lived 
 in pleasure, were wanton, and nourished their hearts 
 as in a day of slaughter ;' they indulged to their covet- 
 ous and voluptuous lusts, putting the ev:l day far 
 from them ; and yet those were the last da}s, as that 
 apostle calls Ihem, nay, the last hour in our apostle's 
 language. In this respect it is that our Saviour, 
 speaking of this destiuetion. Mat. xxiv. 87, foretelleth 
 it should be then ' as it w\as in the days of Noah, 
 when they ate and drank, married and gave in mar- 
 riage, till the day that Noah entered into the ark,' as 
 being overwhelmed with a general security when ready 
 to be overwhelmed with the flood. 
 
 Thus may judgment be at hand when men think it 
 far off, and the judge stand at the door when the thief 
 imagines he is nuiuy miles distant. ' When they shall 
 say. Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes 
 upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and 
 they cannot escape,' is the sad threatening which St 
 Paul utters against presumptuous sinners, 1 Thes. 
 V. 8. Wicked men are never more srcurc! than when 
 destruction is nearest, and destruction is never nearer 
 than when they are most secure. Indeed, when men 
 through infidelity contemn, it is high time for God to 
 
 execute his threatenings, that by hastening his wrath 
 he may justify his truth. It is but reason that they 
 who will not believe should feel, and what they would 
 not learn by the word they should find in their own 
 sad experience. Take we heed, therefore, how we 
 look at the wrong end of the perspective, which makes 
 the object seem at a gi-eatcr distance than it is. Alas ! 
 how soon may the brightest sky be overcast ! Vo- 
 luptuous epicures (saith Job), chap. xxi. 13, ' spend 
 their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down 
 to the grave.' When judgment cometh, it cannot be 
 avoided, and too often it surpriseth men before it is 
 expected. Whilst the wicked Jews were encompassed 
 with plenty, and promised themselves tranquillity, St 
 John foretells their misery, and that as approaching, 
 ' It is the last hour.' 
 
 To close up this clause with a moral application : 
 ^[olU't hoc veibo apostolus, ut omncm horam rcluti iiovis- 
 siinain rejndennis, saith Ferus piously;* our apostle 
 doth here admonish every particular man, that he 
 should still think every hour to be his last. Indeed, 
 the time of every man's life is fixed in God's eternal 
 counsel ; it is Job's divinity, and that not only in 
 regard of himself, but man indefinitely, or rather uni- 
 versally considered : ' Is there not an appointed time 
 to man upon earth ?' Job vii. 1 ; and again, xiv. 5, 
 ' his days are determined, the number of his months 
 are with thee ; thou hast appointed his bounds that 
 he cannot pass.' Nor is it any long time which is 
 allotted, and therefore the swiftness of man's life is 
 elegantly set forth by several metaphors, both in the 
 book of Job, and other places of Scripture. Indeed, 
 if the longest life be considered in reference to the 
 eternity of that other life, it is but a day, nay, an hour, 
 a minute. That it cannot be long, we are sure, and 
 yet when it will expire we are not sure ; and because 
 we know not how soon, we should make account of it 
 continually ; and though we cannot say of every hour 
 This is or sliall bi\ yet to say. This nun/ he, my last 
 hour ; and if you mark it, this is prompted to little 
 children, who (as Grotius well observeth) are ajit to 
 think they have time enough before them.f and yet 
 even with them it may bo the last hour, since, though 
 the old H(».v/, the young may die. No wonder if he 
 speak to children (saith St Austin J), Ut fextinent crcs- 
 cere, that they may make haste to grow in grace. That 
 word in the Chaldee which signitieth an hour, is de- 
 rived from a verb which signifieth to have regard to ; 
 so ought every man to observe the hours of his life, 
 how they pass, there being none which might not be 
 his last. And truly this consideration would have a 
 great influence upon the precedent dehortation of not 
 loving the world, as CEcumenius observeth. § A 
 dying man is not at all taken with the choicest dainties, 
 richest treasures, highest dignities ; no more would wo, 
 if wo did still look upon ourselves as dying. He will 
 
 • For. in loc. % Aug. in loc. 
 
 t Grot, in loc. § (Kcumen. iu loc. 
 
Ver. is, 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 299 
 
 Dot trifle away his hours in pursuing worldly vanities, 
 who considereth how quickly they pass away, and how 
 soon they may be at an end. In one word, happy is 
 that man who so thinketh of his last hour, as that he 
 doth that every hour which he would be found doing 
 in his last, at least who doth nothing in any which 
 he durst not be found doing in his last hour. And so 
 much for the second general part, the affirmation, ' It 
 is the last hour.' I now hasten (lest I should exceed 
 the hoiu-) to the 
 
 3. Last part of the text, the confirmation, as it 
 followeth in the rest of the verse : ' And as j'ou have 
 heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are 
 many antichrists, whereby we kuow that it is the last 
 time.' 
 
 Before I enter upon the severals of this general, it 
 will be needful to spend a little time in clearing the 
 sense of o airr^oiaro;, ' the antichrist' here spoken of. 
 The generality of interpreters, ol serving the article 
 prefixed before the noun, conceive that the apostle 
 intends by this o duri^iisro; the same with St Paul's 
 a.vTix!i/j.ito;, him who is transcendcntl^' antichrist ; 
 and should I trace this exposition, I must faU upon 
 another inquiiy, in the solution of which divines are 
 of various opinions, namely. Who is this, the (iiiticlnist ? 
 
 The ancients* generally conceive that antichrist 
 shall come towards the end of the world, whom Christ 
 shall destroy by the brightness of his coming. 
 
 Some late writersf imagine that the antichrist came 
 soon after the plantation of Christianity in the world, 
 and fix it, some on Simon Magus, others on Barcho- 
 cebas, others on Claudius and Nero, emperors. 
 
 A great part of the reformed J assert the succession 
 of popes from the time that the bishop of Rome 
 usurped the title of universal, to be the antichrist, 
 ■which began about six huudrfd years after Christ, and, 
 according to that prophetical account of one thousand 
 two hundred and forty days, they suppose the con- 
 tinuance to be so many years. 
 
 Did I conceive that our apostle designeth this o avTi- 
 "Xjl'iisroi to signify an antichrist, which is so above all 
 other heretics and enemies of Christ whatsoever, yet 
 positively to determine who he is, I should not under- 
 take ; only thus much I look upon as rational, that 
 according to the definition which our apostle himself 
 giveth of antichrist a little after, he who most directly, 
 expressly, vehemently 'denieth Jesus to be the Christ,' 
 and accordingly 'denieth both the Father and the Sou,' 
 he is the antichrist. 
 
 But that I may speak my thoughts freely, I can by 
 no means be induced to believe that o auriy^^inro--, the 
 antichrist, is here to be taken singularly and deter- 
 minately, but indefinitely and collectively ; for the 
 clearing whereof, observe, 
 
 (1.) That it is very usual for a word of the singular 
 number to denote a multitude, yea, not only without, 
 
 • Ircn. Greg JI. Ilierom. f Grot. Dr. Ham. 
 
 X Cal. Juu. Polan, &c. 
 
 but with the article. Take one instance among many, 
 that of St Paul, where he saith, 2 Tim. iii. 16, ' The 
 Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profit- 
 able,' Ac, 'that ToZ &ioZ a'Jiu-o;, ?/i(' man of God may 
 be perfect,' whereby is not understood some one that 
 was so eminently, but indefinitely (in;/, or rather uni- 
 versally frcry man of God ; and it seemeth our trans- 
 lators understood this o d'/nyjlero; no otherwise, since 
 both here and in other places they render it not the, 
 but an, as also o -^iverrji, a liar ; suitable to which it 
 is that d.ivo-0/j.ivoc is presently explained by o-a;, he, 
 that is, whosoever denieth, ver. 21, 28. 
 
 (2.) That our apostle in the very next clause en- 
 largeth this singular o avny^oitiTo;, the antichrist, by that 
 plural 'ToXXoi avTiyj^iGTiii , many antichrists, as in the 
 next epistle, at the seventh verse, he contracts the 
 plural, rroTJ-o! crXanj;', many deceivers, into the singular, 
 'zXair,; y.ai o auriyiiaro;, a deceiver a>id an anticlirisK 
 
 I well know that t/ie antichrist and );((/)(;/ anticlirists 
 are by most interpreters severally referred, but wdthal 
 in so doing they force the sense ; whereas, if both be 
 referred to the same, the construction is plain, for by 
 this means the y.ai vZv yiyomsiv, ' even now there are,' 
 answereth fitly to the hu^m; fixcuears, as you have 
 heard, the latter clause testifying the impletion of the 
 prediction alleged in the former. Nay, more, the h 
 to'jtm yrjuie-Mfiiv that followeth, ' by which we know- 
 it is the last hour,' can have no solid strength in it, 
 if the former be not thus interpreted, since unless that 
 which our aposlle allegeth as foretold, that antichrist 
 should come, to wit (before the last hour), were then 
 accordingly accomplished, and so attested, when he 
 saith, ' even now there are many antichrists,' it could 
 have been no symptom by which they could conclude 
 that it was then the last hour. That which serves 
 further to justify this construction is, that our apostle, 
 as here he asser.eth the fulfilling of the prediction by 
 the plnral, ' there are many antichrists,' so in this 
 epistle elsewhere, chap. iv. 3, he affirmeth in the sin- 
 gular, toZto isri -ciZ dvriy^igrou, ' This is that spirit of 
 antichrist which 3'ou have heard shall come, and is 
 DOW already in the world.' I shall only add, that this 
 f,y.oJaa7B ' which you have heard' is, if not only, yet 
 without doubt principally, to be referred to that of our 
 Saviour in the Gospel, Mat. xxiv., wherein we find 
 nothing concerning the great antichrist, but only those 
 antichrists which either were to precede, or else im- 
 mediately to follow, the destruction of Jerusalem. 
 
 No doubt, then, the plain design of this part of the 
 verse is this : our apostle having before affirmed that 
 it was the last hour of Jerusalem's reign, he confirms 
 it by this strong medium, that which our blessed Lord 
 foretold as an immediate forerunner of that destruc- 
 tion (to wit, the coming of antichrist), was now already 
 fulfilled in the many antichrists which were among 
 them. 
 
 According to this construction, there are three 
 things observable iu this part of the text : 
 
300 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 A prediction, whereof they are minded, ' j'ou have 
 heard that antichrist should come.' 
 
 An impletion of that prediction assured,' even now 
 there are man}' Antichrists.' 
 
 The significanc}- of that impletion expressed, ' where- 
 by we know that it is the last hour.' 
 
 1. Our apostle minds those to whom he writeth, of 
 our Saviour's prediction, that antichrist should come, 
 whereby the great care of this chief shepherd of the 
 sheep appeareth in forewarning them of those wolves 
 which would devour them. It was that which Christ 
 was pleased to do upon a double account : 
 
 ~ 1. The one in regard of his apostles, who were to 
 be the leaders of his church, that they might be so 
 much the more vigilant in observing the rise of 
 seducers, and diligent in confirming the people in the 
 orthodox faith. For this reason no doubt it was that 
 St Paul, Acts XX. 30, gathered the elders of the Ephesian 
 church together, and minded them of those perverse 
 teachers which would ere long infest the church ; and 
 accordingly the inference he draweth thence is, oi'o 
 jyTt'/MiiTi, ' therefore watch.' 
 
 2. The other in reg:ird of the whole church, and 
 every member, that they might not be too much 
 troubled when false teachers shall arise. Tela ■prcevisa 
 minus jeriunt, darts foreseen are less terrible and 
 hurtful. All evils are then most grievous when unex- 
 pected ; that danger whereof we are forewarned may 
 either be more patiently sustained, or prudently 
 avoided. For this reason Christ foretells his disciples 
 of those persecutions which would befall them in par- 
 ticular, that they might not think strange at the fiery 
 trial ; for this cause he foretold them of those seducers 
 which would endeavour to pervert Christians from the 
 faith, that they might be less offended at them, and 
 the more carefully take heed of them. Thus, after 
 Christ's example, let all who are spiritual watchmen 
 be vigilant in giving notice to the church militant of 
 the approach of her enemies, that being forewarned, 
 she may be forearmed to encounter with them. 
 
 2. What was thus foretold by Christ is accordingly 
 come to pass : ' even now there are many antichrists.' 
 
 I!ofore I go further, it will not bo amiss to stay a 
 while in this general meditation, to wit, the verity of 
 divine predictions. As yon have heard, it is now come 
 to pass ; it is that which is, and shall be, true of 
 whatever hath been foretold by God, by Christ, and 
 his prophets. ' Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or 
 one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all 
 be fulfilled;' so saith our blessed Saviour, Mat. v. 18 ; 
 where the stability of the law's prediction is com- 
 pared with, and exalted above, the stability of the 
 heaven and earth; for the heaven and earth, though 
 lasting in their duration, shall pass away at last, but 
 whatever is threatened or promised in the law shall 
 infallibly receive its suitable accomplishment. Among 
 those many glorious attributes, whereby Uod hath 
 made known himself to the sons of men, that of his 
 
 truth and fidelity is not the least, which then shineth 
 forth in its brightness, when he fulfilled what he hath 
 said, since as the prediction giveth testimony to his 
 prescience, so the impletion to his faithfulness. 
 
 Oh, then, with what fear and reverence should we 
 receive his threats ! With what hope and confidence 
 should we embrace his promises ! With what faith 
 and credence should we adhere to all his predictions ! 
 You have heard, 2 Thes. i. 8, that ' God will come in 
 flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know him 
 not ;' 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, that ' neither fornicators, nor 
 idolaters, nor adulterers, nor efi'eminate, nor abusers 
 of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, 
 nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall 
 inherit the kingdom of God ; that at the last day 
 Christ will say to all the workers of iniquity, ' Depart 
 from me, ye cursed.' Oh believe, and tremble, for 
 the time will come that all impenitent sinners shall 
 say. As we have heard, so we find ; we sadly feel the 
 execution of that vengeance which we proudly con- 
 temned and denounced. Again, you have heard that 
 sweet voice. Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all you 
 that travail and are hea^^y laden, and I will give you 
 rest' ; that evangelical charter, John iii. 16, ' God so 
 loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 
 that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but 
 have everlasting life ;' that comfortable promise, 
 Heb. ix. 28, ' Unto them that look for him, he shall 
 appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' 
 Oh be not faithless, but believing, for the day will 
 come when all believing penitents shall say, ' As we 
 have heard, so we have seen,' Ps. xlviii. 8. Indeed, 
 it were easy to multiply the instances of this truth, 
 how not only the substance, but the circumstances of 
 Scripture predictions have been exactly accomplished, 
 as well in regard of the time as the thing ; but what 
 need we go further than the text, wherein we have the 
 punctual impletion of our Saviour's prophecy, con- 
 cerning the rise of antichrists before Jerusalem's fall, 
 asserted ? ' Even now there are many antichrists.' 
 
 More particularly, in this assertion, we are to take 
 notice of the qualitj' and the quantity, the temper 
 and the number, of those seducers which were in St 
 John's time. 
 
 1 . For quality, they are described to be antichrists: 
 a word which, according to a double acception of the 
 preposition avr'i, may admit of a double construction, 
 the one restrictive, the other extensive. 
 
 (1.) The preposition uvr'i, sometimes signifieth as 
 much as in the stead or place of ; thus, airijSairO.sui, 
 is one that falsely calleth himself a king ; and atri- 
 er^aTnyhc, is one that sets himself up in the general's 
 room. In this notion, avny^^iaroi, is one that pretends 
 himself to bo Christ, and is the same with -^ivho- 
 y^^ieroi, a false Christ. That such should be, our 
 Saviour hath told them, Mat. xxiv. 5, where he saith, 
 ' Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ.' 
 Tliat such were (is Theudas, whom Fadus discomfited. 
 
Ver. is, 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVI. 
 
 r,oi 
 
 and that Eg3-ptian mentioned in the Acts, chap. 
 xxi. 31, with many others), Josephus* testiiieth in 
 several places, and to these our apostle here might 
 have an e_ye. It lets us see how prone men are to 
 arrogate to themselves that which they are not, whom 
 the apostle taxeth under the name of boasters, 2 Tim. 
 iii. 3 ; yea, to what an height of impudence such men 
 sometimes grow, as to assume to themselves what is 
 God's and Christ's peculiar. But if it be odious for 
 one who is of a base extraction to usurp dominion, 
 and being bom a beggar to make himself a king, it is 
 no less than blasphemj- for base mortals to take upon 
 them tbe u;ime and authority of the Messiah. 
 
 (2.) The preposition air!, most properly signifieth 
 as much as di/ainst ; so airiknii is an opposition, or 
 one axiom set against another ; a.vTi>iii,u,cvog, is one 
 who sets himself against another ; and amy^i^rai, 
 is one who withstandeth and oppugneth Christ. This 
 sort was also foretold by Christ, Mat. xxiv. 11, where 
 he saith, ' Many false prophets shall arise ;' and that 
 our apostle chiefly intends these, appeareth by the 
 definition he giveth of these antichrists, that they 
 were such who 'denied Jesus to be the Christ,' which 
 many did who j-et did not assert themselves to be 
 Christs. And to that apostolical definition I shall 
 refer the larger prosecution of this subject. Pass we 
 on therefore from the quahty, 
 
 2. To the quantity, in that it is not said, as you 
 have heard that antichrist shall come, even so now /le 
 ii come, but that there are manxj antichrists. Indeed, 
 our Saviour, speaking of both sorts, useth this very 
 epithet, ' many false Christs, and false prophets.' 
 There were several primipili or anleaitinaiii of these 
 black regiments, as Epiphanius and St Cyril have 
 recounted them,f Simon Magus, Cerinthus, Menander, 
 Carpocrates, with many others, and each of these had 
 many followers ; for Christ likewise foretold that they 
 should ' deceive many,' and St Peter, that ' many 
 shall follow their pernicious ways.' Indeed, heresy 
 is of a sjireading nature; so much St Paid intimateth, 
 1 Tim. ii. 17, when he saith of heretical teachers, 
 ' their word will eat as doth a canker,' or gangrene, 
 which stops not till it have infected and destroyed the 
 whole body : a thing, saith Estius, so well known by 
 sad experience, that it need not many words to attest 
 it. I There is but one truth, but there are many 
 errors ; there is but one Christ, but there are many 
 antichrists. False teachers are compared bj- St John 
 to locusts. Rev. ix. 3, a sort of creatures of which 
 Solomon observeth, that thej* go forth by bands, 
 Prov. XXX. 27 ; j'ea, the Hebrew word ^3^X, which 
 signifieth a locust, is derived from ^3^, that signifieth 
 to wuUiiihj, intimating the great multitudes of locusts; 
 in which respect they are a fit emblem of false pro- 
 phets. Our blessed Saviour, speaking of such, im- 
 plicitly resembleth them to thorns and thistles. Mat. 
 
 * Joseph. Antiq. bb. xx. cap ii. Bell Jud. lib. ii. cap. xii. 
 t Epipiiun. User. Cjr. Caterh. vi. J Ksti. ibid. 
 
 vii. 15, IG ; and the similitude holds in this, that as 
 thorns and thistles grow everywhere in groat numbers, 
 so do these abound in every place. Of old there were 
 four hundred lying prophets which deceived Ahab, 
 1 Kings xviii. 19, xxii. G, to one Micaiah that told 
 him truth ; four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, 
 to one Elijah ; in the primitive times there were a 
 multitude of Arian bishops to one Athanasius, and 
 thus still, numeriis pejor major, the antichristian party 
 is the greatest. 
 
 Take we heed then how we do oe^i'Ciiv Tr\ti Iv.y.Xrjaiav 
 EX To3 TAJiSoLS, according to Gregory Nazianzen's 
 phrase, define the church of Christ by multitude. 
 Certainly if number may carry the cause, antichrist's 
 synagogue will far outvie the Christian churches; and 
 therefore it is St Jerome's saying to a Pelagian heretic,* 
 ^lultituJo sociorum nequaquam te catholimm scd 
 hcreticum esse monstrahit, the multitude of thy fellows 
 doth not prove you a catholic, but rather an heretic. 
 That way in which the most walk, is for the most 
 j)art to be suspected as a false path, for ' wide is the 
 gate, and broad is the way,' saith our blessed Saviour, 
 Mat. vii. 10, ' which leadelh to destruction, and many 
 there be that go in thereat.' Indeed, when the num- 
 ber of the orthoJox increaseth and prevaileth, it 
 should be our joy, but if the number of the heterodox 
 be greater, it need not be our wonder; only let our 
 care be, that as, according to Moses his precept, we 
 ' do not follow a multitude to do what is evil,' so 
 neither to believe what is ftdse. And so much for the 
 second particular. 
 
 3. Lastly, by the coming of these antichrists, ac- 
 cording as tbey had heard, they might know it was 
 the last hour, and that Jerusalem's destruction was 
 then at hand. To illustrate this briefly, know that 
 there are three sorts of S'gns. Some are memnralive, 
 to mind us of what was long ago accomplished ; for 
 which end ' God hath set his bow in the clouds.' Some 
 are cU-moiistraliit', to discover something that is newly 
 existf nt ; such was that of a child lying in a manger to 
 the shepherds, in riference to the Messiah's birth. 
 Finall}', some are proipioslic, to forettll something which 
 is to come to pass. Now of this sort some are only 
 probable, as a red evening of a fair day ; others are 
 certain, as Jonah's coming out alter he had lain three 
 days and three nights in the whale's belly, of Christ's 
 resurrection ; by those we only think and imagine, by 
 these we know and are sure, that the thing shall be 
 tft'ected. Again, some are remote and at a great dis- 
 tance ; such was that which God gave Abrabam, Gen. 
 XV. 0, of delivering his seed above four hundred years 
 after out of Eg3pt. Some are nearer hand, and im- 
 niediattdy prece<ling that whereof they are figns, as 
 that to Hezekiah of his recovery, Isa. xxxviii. 7 ; by 
 those we see it t.hall be, but not vet ; by these that it 
 shall be ere long. Of this latter sort was the coming 
 of these antichrists in reference to Jerusalem's ruin, 
 * HJer. lib. iii. adv. Pelag. 
 
502 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 for since Christ had foretold it as that which should a 
 little precede that gi-eat desolation, it (being now come 
 to pass) became not a probable, but a certain, not a 
 remote, but an immediate, sign, by which they did not 
 only rationally conjecture, but infallibl}' know ; and 
 that not only that there would be such an hour, but 
 th;it then it was Jerusalem's last hour. 
 
 To wind it up ; it is no email mercy of God to a 
 people, that whenas he intends to bring a ruin on them, 
 beforehand he giveth them warning. Among his many 
 ways of warning this is one, that he foretells, and ac- 
 cordingly sends such signs which are forerunners of 
 their desolation ; his design in which is, partly in re- 
 gard of the wicked, that if possible their sleepy con- 
 sciences may be awakened to see, and by repentance 
 to prevent that approaching ruin. And oh how happy 
 might Jerusalem have been had they made use of these 
 signs, partly in regard of the good, that they being 
 hereby admonished might be the better fitted to under- 
 go the temporal calamity, or (if God open a way) pro- 
 vide for their own safety, as the story tells us many of 
 the godly Jews did,* by flying to Pella before the city 
 was sacked b}' the Romans. 
 
 And now (my brethren) though we have cot, nor 
 must expect, particular predictions, or signs given us 
 of destructive judgments, yet a wise observer and com- 
 parer of God's word and works together may be able 
 to discern what is likely to come upon the place where- 
 in he liveth. It is Solomon's general assertion, Prov. 
 xxii. 3, 'The prudent man foreseeth tho evil;' this 
 being that which every spiritually wise man may attain 
 to in some measure, and accordingly ought to endea- 
 vour after. Now the best means of obtaining this 
 
 * Joseph. Ai-tiii. 
 
 I 
 
 foresight is to observe what have been the signs and 
 forerunners of God's judgments on other nations, 
 especially those in holy writ, as in particular concern- 
 ing Jerusalem ; and if we find the like to befall in our 
 days, we may thence, if not undoubtedly, yet ration- 
 ally, conclude our own destruction to be at hand. 
 Among others, there were two very observable signs 
 of Jerusalem's destruction : the one, great ' wars and 
 rumours of wars;' the other, multitudes of false Christs 
 and false prophets. And as we have for many years 
 felt the one, so who doth not see the other ? We 
 need not go to Rome to find out antichrist, we have 
 swarms of antichrists among ourselves ; so that this 
 age, and land, and city of ours is become a sink of 
 filthy and loathsome heresies, yea, which is the worst 
 kind of antichristianism, Pseudochristianism is the 
 brand of our times, whilst all these antichrists pre- 
 tend themselves to be the only Christians, yea, some 
 of them assert themselves to be Christitied and deified; 
 nay, one of them * is so sacrilegiously impudent as to 
 style himself the Christ. What Christian heart bleeds 
 not to hear of these heresies, blasphemies ; and 
 th;it, as chiefly because of the dishonour done to 
 Christ, so secondarily of that sad presage which they 
 give of the mournful downfall of this ouce flourishing 
 church, kingdom, and city. But I would not be a 
 prophet of misery to my native country, yea, I should 
 be glad to prove a false prophet ; and therefore, in- 
 stead of a doleful prediction, I shall close up with an 
 earnest supplication, that all these antichrists may be 
 either reclaimed or suppressed, that the orthodox 
 faith may be maintained, the church restored, our wars 
 ended, our sins reformed, and so our ruin prevented. 
 Amen ! 
 
 * Jiimi'S Naj'Ier. 
 
 SERMON XLVIl. 
 
 Tlieij u-ciit (lilt fttiin IIS, hill ihcij were not of us : for if the;/ hud been of us, tliiij iroidil no doubt hare continued 
 uith lis: bill thiij icenl out, ihul thcij niii/hl be niaile inciiiifest tJiat they u-ere not nil of us. — 1 JoilN' II. 19. 
 
 n^HE gospel had no sooner ascended tho horizon of 
 J, the Gentiles, and dispelled that universal shade 
 wherein they had been bmighteil, but the pi'iuce of 
 the air raised the clouds, or rather fogs and mists, of 
 heresy, to obscure the lustre thereof. No sooner had 
 those apostolical merchants erected factories in several 
 parts of the world, fur the advancement of Christian 
 religion, but the devil had his emissaries in all places 
 to interrupt the trade of truth. This our apostle well 
 knew, and therefore armeth tliose to whom he wrote 
 both against the peril and the scandal of autichristian 
 teachers. When tho market is full of adulterous 
 wares, counterfeit coins, specious falsehoods, there is 
 great danger of being deceived, and therefore it con- 
 cerneth us to be so much the more careful what wares 
 
 and commodities we take, what doctrines we receive 
 as true. When the brats of ugly errors are laid at 
 the door of the Christian church, Satan's design is to 
 bring her in disgrace, and men arc too apt to fancy 
 her the mother of such monsters ; groat reason there 
 is to take heed we be not offended, yea, through our 
 incogitaut precipitancy, stumble and fail at this block. 
 The prevention of the former of these, namely, the 
 danger, is the design of our apostle in the precedent 
 verse, and now in this verse he goeth on to remove 
 the scandal, letting tho Christians know, that ' they 
 went out from, but they were not of them; 'for if 
 thoy had been,' &c. 
 
 In the words these two particulars are plainly con- 
 siderable : 
 
Ver. 19.J 
 
 SERMON XLVII. 
 
 303 
 
 The occasion and the remotion of the scandal. 
 
 The occasion of offence, set down in these words, 
 ' They went out from us.' 
 
 The remotion of this, as being no just cause, in the 
 rest of the words, ' But they were not of us,' &c. 
 
 Begin we with that which first occurreth, to wit, the 
 occasion of the offence, ' They went out from us ;' in 
 which words there is something implied, and some- 
 thing expressed. 
 
 1. That which these words imph-, as Calvin, 
 Danieus, with others, observe, is, that those anti- 
 christian impostors had been in the bosom of the 
 church, and embraced the Christian profession. Thus 
 we read of Simon Magus, Acts viii. 6, one of the chief 
 ringleaders, that he ' believed and was baptized ' ; and 
 Nicolaus was one of those seven deacons upon whom 
 the apostle laid hands ; and Epiphanius affirmeth 
 Cerinthus * to have been very conversant with the 
 apostles and elders at Jerusalem ; and St Paul tells 
 the pastors of Ephesus, Acts xx. 30, that ' men speak- 
 ing perverse things should arise of their own selves ;' 
 60 tliat in this case that often falls out, ' a man's 
 enemies are those of his own household.' The church's 
 seeming members prove her worst enemies. ' As a 
 lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters,' 
 Baith Christ of his spouse, Cant. ii. 2 ; where it is ob- 
 served by St Austin, f that it is not said among 
 strangers, — that were no great wonder, — but among her 
 daughters, even they who profess the church to be 
 their mother, prove thorns to vex hei', not only they 
 who ai'e without (to wit, the pale of the church), as 
 having never received the Christian faith, such as were 
 Jews and Pagans, but many who are within, become 
 false brethren. Not only the wild boar out of the 
 forest endeavours to lay waste God's vineyard, but 
 there are foxes within to pluck oti' and spoil its gi-apes ; 
 nay, as St Austin well observes,; innltir Juris ores, 
 ntulti intus hipi, many without are sheep, such as be- 
 long to, and are at last brought into, the fold; whiles 
 many within are wolves, though in sheep's clothing, 
 whose aim is to deceive and destroy. Even in Jeru- 
 salem, that is, the church (saith Origen§), are many 
 Jebusites ; in God's field there want not tares sown 
 by the envious man. The visible church is as a net, 
 wherein are bad as well as good fish ; a garden, w^here- 
 in are weeds as well as flowers ; as Rebekah's womb, 
 in which are two sorts of people struggling, to wit (as 
 St Austin moraliseth it ]|), spiritual and carnal. In 
 one word, to use St Paul's comparison, 2 Tim. ii. 17, 20, 
 in this house of the church there are as ' golden and 
 silver,' so ' earthen and wooden vessels,' of which sort 
 were H^meneus and Philetus. 
 
 To end this, therefore, it is a consideration which in- 
 
 • Epiph. User, xxviii. 
 
 t Non dictum est in medio alienarum sed in medio (ilia- 
 rum — Aug in Ps. xxxix. 
 
 J Aug in Joh. ser xlv. § Orig. in Josh, horn ii. 
 
 II Aug. qua;st. super Gen Isxiii. et Ser. de Temp. Ixxviii. 
 
 deed "may be matter of sorrow, that there should be 
 such chaff among the wheat, such Canaanites among 
 the people of Israel, such vipers in the bowels of the 
 church ; but yet it is no more than what hath been in 
 all ages. God in wisdom pei-mits it, the devil in 
 malice contriveth it, that antichristiau teachers should 
 grow up among the Christians. Non mirandiiia quod 
 c.vsur/jaHt, sed vigihindnm ne noceaiil, is St Austin's ex- 
 cellent advice ; wonder not that they do arise, beware 
 that they do not hurt ; and though they are mingled 
 with us, let us take heed we be not partakers with, 
 and so infected by, them. 
 
 2. But that which is here expressed, and would 
 chiefly be considered, is, that these antichristian 
 teachers ' went out from ' the apostles ; fur the unfold- 
 ing whereof I shall discuss these two things : 
 
 What this going out imports. 
 
 Whence it comes to pass. 
 
 1. The first question to be resolved is. What this 
 going out imports ? To which end observe, 
 
 (1.) It is one thing to go out by virtue of a commis- 
 sion, and another thing to go out in a way of deser- 
 tion. We read of the king. Mat. xxii. 9, that he ' sent 
 his servants,' and bid them go out into the high ways,' 
 to wit, to invite guests to the wedding. Thus did the 
 apostles go forth from Christ, as being sent by him to 
 preach the gospel. But in this sense it cannot be 
 here understood, as if these antichrists went forth com- 
 missioned from the apostles, because that to these 
 words, ' they went out from us,' are opposed those, 
 ' they would have continued with us.' Now continu- 
 ing with the apostles, if taken in opposition to (joing 
 out from them with commission, had been a crime, 
 and would have deserved that check. Why stand you 
 idle ? Whereas nothing clearer than that this con- 
 tinuing with them is here intended, as that which was 
 their duty to have done, and consequently the going 
 out can bear no other sense than their forsaking the 
 apostles. 
 
 (2.) Itisone thingto he cast out, xadi »Xioi\ierio go out ; 
 the former is a punishment or censure of the church, 
 consisting of various degrees, according to the quality 
 of offences, some being cast out e crctu piirticijianliion, 
 of the number of the communicants ; others not only 
 so, but c' cutii procuinbentiuni, from pra3-ers, as well as 
 sacraments ; others c catu audicntiuni, nay, fidelium, 
 not suffered so much as to hear the word, or to con- 
 verse with the faithful. These censures [though none 
 more deserve them than those my text speaks of) may 
 for some gross misdemeanours be inflicted on those 
 who yet are true members of the church. Indeed, 
 this judicial casting out is that which is done by the 
 governors of the church, not only as an act of justice, 
 but mercy, with charitable and compassionate inten- 
 tions, that the casting out may prove the casting down 
 of the delinquent ; and that casting down may tend to 
 the raising up, and receiving in again of the penitent. 
 But this going out is the act of wicked apostates, a 
 
301. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 sin of a very deep dye, and heinous nature ; nor can 
 they who thus cast themselves out ever call themselves 
 in, yea, Ihey are seldom, if ever, called in again. 
 
 (3.) This sin of apostasy in going out from the church 
 is committed two ways,* viz. by heresy and schism, a 
 going out from the Jn'ttli. and fiom the felloivsliip of 
 the church. Indeed, heresy and schism, like abortive 
 twins, in many particulars are coincident ; and, like 
 Jacob and Esaii, one holds fast by the other's heels. 
 Heresies in point of faith do easily produce a separa- 
 tion in the use of ordinances and forms of worship. 
 So the Arian heresy brought in a diHerent doxology ; 
 and schism, in point of communion, frequently Ln- 
 duceth into heretical doctrines, tit rede ab ecclesid 
 discessisxe v'ulcantur, as St Jerome excellently, that the 
 schismatic may thereby the better maintain his un- 
 lawful separation ; and by both these ways did the 
 antichrist go out. 
 
 [1.] They went out, that is, they apostatised from the 
 faith which was once delivered, and had been by them 
 professed. That expression of the apostle. Acts xiv. 
 27, ' the door of faith,' intimateth that faith is the 
 door of the church ; so that, by embracing, we enter 
 in ; by deserting the faith, we go out of the church. 
 Thus St Paul says of Hymeneus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 
 ii. 19, 20, that ' concerning the faith they made ship- 
 wreck ;' that is, as mariners in a storm cast their 
 wares overboard, so did they cast away the orthodox 
 doctrine of Christianity. Such were those whom the 
 apostle Peter, 2 Peter ii. ] , chargeth for ' bringing in 
 damnable heresies,' destructive to the fundamentals of 
 religion and the salvation of the people, against whom, 
 therefore, the apostle Jude, ver. 3, exhorteth sincere 
 Christians to contend earnestly. 
 
 [2. J They went out, that is, they departed from the 
 fellowship of the apostles,! with whom they had held 
 comnjunion before. Having endeavoured to deprave 
 the church's truth by heresy, they disturb the peace by 
 schism, rending themselves from that body of which 
 they professed themselves members. Such were those 
 some whose manner, St Paul tells us, Heb. x. 15, 
 was to ' forsake the assembly;' and this is one of those 
 brands which St Jude, ver. 19, marketh the false 
 teachers with, that they did ' separate themselves,' 
 not willing to be confined within the limits and bounds 
 of the ehurih's communion. 
 
 (4.) Once more, this phrase, ' they went out from 
 us,' is a fjiiiuci:, more being intended than is ex- 
 pressed; not only that they went out from, but that 
 being gone out, they did set themselves against the 
 church ; and therefore he calls them in the former verse, 
 aniichrisis, which is far more than nposliilrs. Their 
 Beparation was not onlj' negatively a non-communion, 
 but positively a direct opposition ; gathering to them- 
 selves parlies, erecting, as it were, a church against a 
 church, an altar against an altar, thej- did not only 
 
 * Pelluntiircxcommnnicati, ecliianiDtici disccdunt, htero- 
 tici exeuut. — Lor. t Jerom. ad Tit. cup. iii. 
 
 forsake their colours, but did fight under the ene- 
 mies' banner, and charge desperately in their forlorn. 
 In one word, not only & fuUiiu) from the doctrine and 
 communion, but a ris'uKj agoinst both, through an in- 
 ternal malicious detestation, is that which is the extent 
 of the accusation which our apostle intends by these 
 words, ' They went out from us.' 
 
 2. The next question which would be resolved is. 
 How this came to pass that these schismatical heretics 
 went out from the church ? Nor need we go further 
 for an answer than the foregoing verses, where the 
 apostle first dehorts in general from the love of the 
 world, and particularly from the lust of the flesh, the 
 lust of the eyes, and the pride of life ; all of which we 
 shall find to have a great influence upon antichristian 
 apostates. 
 
 (1.) They went out from the church, because they 
 loved the world. It was St Paul's charge agiinst 
 Demas, 2 Tim. iv. 10, ' He hath forsaken us, hiving 
 loved this present world.' That heart which is tena- 
 cious of the world, will easily let go his hold of truth. 
 Our apostle saith a little before, ' If any man love the 
 world, the love of the Father is not in him :' it is as 
 true, the love of his mother (the church) is not iu him. 
 Indeed, in the primitive times, it so fell out that, by 
 reason of persecution, they could not cleave to the 
 church, unless they were willing to leave the world ; 
 and no wonder if the love of the world caused many 
 of them to leave the church. 
 
 (2.) But, more particularly, 
 
 [l.J The lust of the flesh was a special cause of 
 their apostasy ; the church's bounds were too narrow, 
 her laws too strict for those licentious antichrists. 
 Indeed, it is frequently observable, that the great 
 rabbis against the church are extraordinarj' chaplains 
 to the trencher. St Paul, describing those false teach- 
 ers, saith, Kom. xvi. 18, they were such as did ' serve 
 their own bellies ;' nay more, Phihp. iii. 17, ' whose 
 god is their belly." St Peter, 2 Peter ii. 10, 13, 14, 
 18, characteriseth them to be such as did ' count it a 
 pleasure to riot in the day-time, having C3'es full of 
 adulter^', that cannot cease from sin ;' such as did 
 ' allure through the lust of the flesh,' through much 
 wantonness. In a word, he comparcth them to dogs 
 and swine, and calls them, ' the servants of corrup- 
 tion.' Finally, St Jude, ver. 19, ntiirmeth of those 
 separatists, that they were ' sensual;' so great affinity 
 hath epicurism with antichristianism, and sensuality 
 with heresy. 
 
 [2.] The lust of the eyes (and that in both notions) 
 is no less an incentive of this sinful departure. For, 
 
 1. Curiosity hath ever been a nurse of error. Pru- 
 ri/jo scie)t(li scatiifs ccctesi(/-, the itch of knowing more 
 than we should, proveth too often an heretical scab. 
 When men are not content with truths revealed, no 
 wonder if they wander into bj'paths, and lose them- 
 selves in a maze of folly. Metior est/idelis iijnoiaittia 
 guam temcraria scientia, was a good saying of the maa- 
 
Ver. 19. J 
 
 SERMON XLVII. 
 
 305 
 
 ter of the sentences ;* a modest ignorance is better 
 than a presumptuous knowledge. As we must not be 
 too credulous in receiving what is delivered, so neither 
 curious in prying into what is concealed ; it is not 
 seldom seen, that as Thales, gazing on the stars, fell 
 into a pit, so men that meddle with divine secrets, fall 
 into the pit of error. 
 
 [2.] But that which hath ever proved the most 
 usual source of apostasy is avarice. Observe the 
 apostolical character of the antichristian teachers, 
 and you shall still find this to be one. ' They 
 are destitute of the truth' (saith St Paul to Timothy, 
 1 Tim. vi. 8) ; ' supposing that gain is godliness.' 
 And again, chap. v. ver. 10, ' The love of money is 
 the root of all evil ; which, while some have coveted 
 after, they have erred from the faith.' ' They teach 
 things which they ought not' (saith the same apostle 
 to Titus, chap. i. 11), ' for filthy lucre's sake.' ' Through 
 covetousness, they with feigned words make merchan- 
 dise of you' (saith the apostle Peter, 2 Peter ii. 8) ; 
 and again, ver. 14, 15, ' An heart they have exercised 
 with covetous practices, which have forsook the 
 right way, and are gone astray, following the way of 
 Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of 
 unrighteousness.' Thus Ignatius,! St John's contem- 
 porary, complained of some, that they were ou yjiana- 
 vhi aXXd y^oiaTS/MTrosoi, rather merchants of Christ than 
 Christians indeed, carrying about the name of Christ 
 fraudulently, handling the word of Christ deceitfully, 
 mingling with smooth words poisonous errors. Thus 
 St Cy-prian J accused that apostatising heretic Nova- 
 tus, of whom he saith, that he was amritia: inexplcbili 
 rapacitatc fnrihundua, not only covetous but ravenous, 
 and insatiably greedy of gain. And Isidorus § ob- 
 serving, that the Novatians styled themselves the 
 pure, saith, Mnndanos sc potiiis qtiain miindos vocarent, 
 they should have called themselves, not puritans, but 
 mamijwnisls. And however the antichristian apos- 
 tates of our age have other pretences, to wit, of purity 
 and godhness, yet whoso diveth into the bottom of 
 their departure from the chiu'ch, shall find it to be 
 the enriching themselves, especially with the sacrile- 
 gious spoils of her lands and revenues. It is a notable 
 saying of Sallust concerning avarice, [] that it subverts 
 fidelity and honesty, it teacheth men to neglect God, 
 and make sale of everything ; and what he found true 
 in the commonwealth we may in the church, that 
 the love of gain causeth men to renounce the faith, 
 and they stick not to sell their religion, their' con- 
 sciences, their souls for money. 
 
 (3.) Add to the two former, that which must by no 
 means in this case be left out, as having a gi-eat hand 
 in it, namely, the pride of life,^ and that double. 
 
 * P. Lomb. lib. i. Dist. 41. J Cvpr. nd Novat. 
 
 t Ignat. Ep. ad Trail. § iJi. Orig. G, 8. 
 
 II Avaritia fidem et probitatem subvertit, ac Deum negli- 
 gerc et omnia venalia habere docuit. — Sul. de conj. Catil. 
 ^ Slater omnium hsercticorum suporbia. — Aug. Epi. 1C5. 
 
 [1.] An aiTogant self-conceit too often causeth men 
 to depart fi-om the church. One sort of the heretics 
 in the apostles' time were the Gnostics, who were so 
 called from their vain afl'ectation and opinion of their 
 own knowledge. No wonder if St Paul's advice, Rom. 
 xii. 3, is 'not to think of our own selves more highly than 
 we ought.' It is the observation of the reverend and 
 learned Hooker,"^' that the chief cause of those heresies 
 which infected the eastern church was the restless 
 wits of the Grecians, evermore proud of their own 
 curious and subtle inventions, which, having once 
 contrived, they knew how plausibly to vent ; and 
 Eusebius informeth us of that fore-mentioned heretic 
 Novatus,f that he was a man blown up with pride 
 and self-conceit ; and Vincentius Lyrinensis of Nesto- 
 rius,J that such was his scclerata presumptio, daring 
 boldness, as to boast himself the first and only man. 
 Thus do heretics and schismatics go out from, be- 
 cause they account themselves above, others, above 
 fathers, councils, antiquity, authority, church. Scrip- 
 tures, all, according to that proud speech of Abail- 
 ardus,§ Omnes alii sic, cyo autcm no)i, sic, all others 
 think thus, but I think not so. 
 
 [2.] An haughty desire of honour and greatness, 
 which, because they cannot obtain in the church, 
 they seek after by going out of it. That aiyj,yos 
 ai^idictig (as Eusebius calls him]|), ringleader of heresy, 
 Simon Magus, would be r/g iJ^'syag, some great one, 
 Acts viii. 10, and therefore broached those hellish 
 doctrines. Diotrephes ' loved the pre-eminence,' and 
 that opens his mouth in prating against St John, 
 3 John 10. It were easy to instance in Donatus, 
 Arius, and others, who, aspiring after dignities, and 
 being discontented, the one that Cecilian, bishop of 
 Carthage, the other that Alexander, bishop of Alex- 
 andria, were preferred into those seats which they 
 aimed at, did thereupon desert the cathohc church. 
 Look, as through ambition it was that the devil him- 
 self ' stood not in the truth,' so he still carricth his 
 instruments to this pinnacle, whence he throweth 
 them down into errors. 
 
 And thus I have given you a brief portraiture both 
 of the crime and its causes of which these antichrists 
 are accused : ' they went out fi'om us.' 
 
 This heinous charge is that which the papists at 
 this day draw up against us, because we have deserted 
 them, condemning us as heretics, schismatics, apos- 
 tates, and such as have forsaken the communion of 
 the Christian, catholic, and apostolic church. But 
 how causeless and unjust this accusation is, hath been 
 both of old and latter days so abundantly discovered 
 by many learned pens, as that I shall not need to 
 enlarge ; only give me leave in a few words to let you 
 see how vast a dilfercnce there is between our going 
 
 * Hook. Eccles. pol. v. cap. ix. 
 f Euseb. Histor. lib. ii. cap. xiii. 
 X Vincent. Lyr. c. 42. 
 
 i Bern. Ep. 100. 
 II Euseb. 1. d. 
 
 u 
 
306 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 out from them, and the going out of these heretics 
 from the apostles. 
 
 1. These antichrists, in going out from the apostles 
 and their followers, went out from the whole Christian 
 church that had been planted by them in several parts ; 
 whereas we, in going out from the Koman, go out 
 only from a particular church. I well know the 
 papists proudly arrogate to themselves the title of 
 Cathohc, but without the least show of reason; nay, 
 it is with as great absurdity, as if a man should say a 
 part, nay a less part, is the whole ; the number of 
 Christians being far greater which reuouncetb, than 
 that which embraceth the popish doctrine. 
 
 2. These antichrists, in going out from the apostles, 
 went out from those ecclesiastical governors to whom 
 they owed subjection ; but we owe no obedience to 
 the bishop of Rome, and therefore have justly cast off 
 his j'oke. 
 
 Indeed, he most presumptuously assnmeth to him- 
 self the title of universal bishop, and makefh himself 
 the vicar of Christ, upon the account that he is the 
 successor of St Peter. But as it is no way to be 
 evinced from Scripture that St Peter had any more 
 power communicated to him than what the other 
 apostles had, so neither can any reason be given why 
 this power (if granted to St Peter) should be derived 
 to his successor at Rome rather than atAntioch; nay, 
 ■why it should not have devolved from him to the 
 apostle St John, who outlived him, and so to his suc- 
 cessors. That this universal power, therefore, be- 
 longs not to him of right is manifest, and it is no 
 less clear that, de facto, it was never exercised by any 
 Roman bishop for more than six hundred years after 
 Christ, Boniface the Third being the first who obtained 
 of that wicked emperor Phocas* the title of universal 
 bishop. 
 
 And whereas the pope claimcth a peculiar right to 
 our obedience upon the score of having planted Chris- 
 tianity amongst us, and having had a concession of it 
 from some kings : to the fonucr it is answered, that 
 this island was converted to the faith of Christ long 
 before Augustine's preaching to the Saxons, either by 
 Joseph of Arimathca or Simon Zelotes, as our annals 
 tell us ; and secondly, that though Augustine, whom 
 the pope sent over, had been the means of our con- 
 version, yet that is no argument for our subjection to 
 the pope ; for by the same reason, all the nations 
 converted by St Paul and his ministry arc in all ages 
 obliged to be subject to that chair where St Paul sat 
 at the time of his sending out, or going himself, to 
 convert them ; which, as it hath no truth in itself, so 
 would it be very prejudicial to St Peter's pastorship. 
 To the latter it is returned, that either this power of 
 that concession was so originally vested in our kings, 
 that they might lawfully grant it to whom they pleased, 
 and then, as one king conceded it, another may recall 
 it ; or else if it were not, then was tho grant invalid, 
 * Masson. in vit. Bonif. 
 
 and being but a robbery in the giver, can devolve no 
 right to the receiver. By all which it appeareth that 
 we have made no schism in withholding obedience 
 from the pope. 
 
 3. Chiefly ; these antichrists, in going out from the 
 apostolical, went out from a pure church, in which 
 there neither wanted sound doctrine nor good disci- 
 pline ; but we, in going out from the papists, go out 
 from a church degenerated, and polluted with dam- 
 nable heresies. To clear this, know, 
 
 (1.) That when any church or number of Chris- 
 tians are grown so corrupt a body, and so far infected 
 that we cannot communicate with it without manifest 
 sin, we not only viaij, but oiiriJU to go out from them. 
 Indeed, it is necessary both by vu'tue of that precept 
 which calls upon God's people to come out from 
 Babjlon, and likewise as a means of preservation 
 from that contagion we otherwise must needs receive ; 
 so that it is as needful to separate from such a church 
 in order to the soul's safety, as it is for a man to go 
 out of an infected house, or abstain from a leper's 
 company, in order to his bodily health. 
 
 (2.) That the church of Rome, at that time when 
 we went out from her, was, and still continucth, a very 
 corrupt church. Many of her doctrines directlj- con- 
 trary to the Scriptures, not heard of in the primitive 
 church, yet imposed as articles of faith ; her worship 
 superstitious, ridiculous, incongruous to right reason, 
 apostolical practice, yea, divine precept, and yet 
 pressed as necessary to be performed ; b}' which 
 means it is that they put upon us the sad dilemma of 
 going from their communion, or going against tho 
 clear light of divine truth shining from God's word 
 upon our consciences ; in which respect we justly say, 
 thci/, not tic, have made the separation, and so the 
 schism lieth at their door. 
 
 To shut it up ; what St Austin said to the Donatists, 
 wo say to the Romanists, Tolhiliir paries erroris, 
 siiriul sunitis, let the partition wall of imposing unrea- 
 sonable opinions and practices upon us be taken awaj', 
 and we are ready to unite with them. We divide not 
 from them as they are a part of, but so far as they are 
 divided from, the catholic church. Wo have done our 
 part in reforming ourselves, and it is their fault that 
 upon this followeth a breach of communion with them 
 who will not reform. They, not wo, arc gone out 
 from tho ancient primitive and apostolical church, in 
 which respect they are justly termed antiehristian ; 
 nor do wo any further go out from them than in those 
 things wherein they are gone forth from the apostles. 
 When Jeroboam, with others of tho children of Israel, 
 revolted from their lawful king and Ciod's instituted 
 worship, some of the priests, Levitcs, and others, left 
 their habitation, and went to Judah, that they might 
 seiTc God and their king. Surely not those who went, 
 but those who stajed, were the rebels and the schis- 
 matics. Thus are the Romanists guilty for leaving 
 tho footsteps of the apostles, not we for leaving theirs 
 
Ver. 19.] 
 
 SEEMON XLVIT. 
 
 307 
 
 to follow the apostles. Finally, we still hold com- 
 munion with them in votis, earnestly desiring that 
 those just causes they have given of our non-com- 
 munion with them, by their pope's usurpation of 
 supremacy and infallibihtj', by their superstitious 
 innovations both in matters of doctrine and practice, 
 may be removed ; and to this end, that a general 
 council might be lawfully called, and freely act, to 
 whose determination we are willing to submit, and 
 therefore can acquit ourselves from schism in the 
 sight of God and man. 
 
 But whilst the papists unjustly revile the church of 
 England, I am sure s/ie hath had cause of weeping 
 over the multitudes of those who in this apostatising 
 age have gone out from her. How justly may she 
 take up a complaint in God's own language, Isa. i. 2, 
 ' Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth ! I have 
 nourished and brought up children, and they have 
 rebelled against me.' They that have been baptised 
 in her font, educated by her pastors, and sucked what 
 knowledge and grace they have (if yet they may be 
 said to have any) from her breasts, have now for- 
 saken her, yea, are risen up against her, viper-like 
 eating out her bowels. Oh what sad breaches have 
 been made in the doctrine and discipline of the church 
 by those wild beasts (Socinians, Familists, Anabaptists, 
 Quakers, and such like), who being made to go out of 
 the field, have trampled down the hedge, endeavour- 
 ing to lay all waste! 
 
 And now, I would to God that all sectaries would 
 at length sadly consider these two things, how cause- 
 less, yea, how cursed, this their departure fi'om the 
 church of England is. 
 
 1. How causeless their going out is were easy to 
 make appear by an induction of the several particu- 
 lars which are alleged as pretences, such as are infant 
 baptism ; episcopal ordination and jurisdiction ; ad- 
 ministration of the Lord's supper to all baptized per- 
 sons of age, not convicted of any scandalous offences 
 (which they call mixed communion) ; as also those 
 harmless, yea, useful, because significant, ceremonies 
 which our church retained : all which (though by them 
 declaimed against as popish) will be found, upon due 
 inquiry, some of them apostolical, all of them an- 
 cient institutions and practices of the catholic Chris- 
 tian church ; though yet, should we grant some of 
 them to be pollutions and spots in our church, it 
 would only infer a lawful desire and endeavour of 
 reformation, not warrant a sehismatical separation, 
 since no corruptions in any church can give allowance 
 of going out of it, unless they be such as strike at the 
 very foundation of Christian doctrine and worship. It 
 may perhaps be here pleaded, that as we forsook the 
 communion of the Roman church, because we appre- 
 hended it guilty of such erroneous doctrines and prac- 
 tices, with which we could not communicate without 
 sin, so do the sectaries upon the same apprehension 
 of the like in our church, forsake ours ; and therefore. 
 
 if their separation from us be causeless, ours from the 
 papists may seem to be as unjust. 
 
 But to this we return, that neither have wo given 
 them the like cause, as the church of Piome gave us, 
 nor have they the like rational conviction as we had. 
 We impose nothing to be believed in doctrine as ne- 
 cessary to salvation which we do not demonstrate to 
 have been the doctrine of Christ and his apostles and 
 the catholic church, and so ought to be beheved ; we 
 require nothing to be done in matter of practice which 
 is not of ancient usage in the Christian church, and 
 in its own nature is at least indifferent, and so may 
 be done without sin ; and therefore it is not a just 
 conviction, but at best a deceiving persuasion, at worst 
 a wilful resolution, which causeth their separation, and 
 so it is in truth causeless. 
 
 2. Add to this that other consideration, namely, 
 how cursed it is, which is evident in several respects. 
 
 (1.) Of Christ and his Spirit, who is hereby grieved. 
 It is very observable, that they who are said in this 
 verse to go out from the apostles are called in tho 
 verse before antichrists. Whilst wo go from Christ's 
 church we go against Christ, and by rending from his 
 body we grieve his Spirit ; and therefore St Ambrose 
 calls schism a sin against the Holy Ghost. 
 
 (2.) Of the church, which is hereby weakened. The 
 taking of any stones out of the building lesseneth the 
 strength of the whole fabric. If one soldier break his 
 rank, the whole company is disordered bj- it. Thus 
 do they who go out of the church ruin the church 
 itself, interrupting her unity, which is at once her 
 strength and beauty. Upon this account it is well 
 observed, that whereas other sins are contra sinr/ulos, 
 against particular persons, this of schism is contra 
 unirersos, against a generality, so that, as much as 
 community is above a person, so much is schism 
 above other sins ; yea, as much as a sacred is better 
 than a civil command, so much this sin is worse than 
 that of sedition. 
 
 (3.) Of others, inasmuch as by this means, 
 
 [1.] Those that are malicious enemies against the 
 church have their mouths opened to calumniate her, 
 and all that are strangers without the church arc hin- 
 dered from coming into her. Clemens Alexandrinus 
 repeateth the saying of one to this purpose,* who 
 cried out, You Christians have so many sects, let my 
 soul bo with the philosophers. 
 
 [2.] Those who are within the church, inasmuch as 
 some (to wit, the weak) are staggered, and ready to 
 question which is the true church, nay, whether there 
 bo any church at all ; and others (to wit, the strong,) 
 are sadded, whilst ' for these divisions of Reuben are 
 gi-eat searcbings of heart.' 
 
 (4.) Lastly, of themselves, who by their backsliding 
 
 separation hasten upon themselves perdition. A branch 
 
 plucked from the root must needs wither, a member 
 
 cut off from the body dies, and those that leave the 
 
 * CI. Al. PjcJas. 
 
.•508 
 
 HARDY UX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 church perish. Nos tentat Diabulus ut hipiis orem a 
 grcgi', saith St Cyprian,* as the wolf tempts the sheep 
 from the fold, so doth the devil men from the church ; 
 and why this, but that he may worrj- and devour them? 
 Discedenles ah ecdesia (saith Irenasusf ) defoiite Sjiiritus 
 saiicti non potcnit, they that leave the garden of the 
 church cannot drink of the fountain of the Spirit. 
 What became of those who were out of the ark when 
 the flood came ? They must needs perish in the 
 waters. No less miserable is their condition who go 
 out of the church. 
 
 Yea, which renders their condition so much the 
 more desperate is, that they who once go out of the 
 church do seldom return to it. That of the poet, 
 Qiiis pcccandi sibi fiiiem posuit, is as true errandi, 
 both sin and errors are boundless ; in this respect 
 among others, the wandering, as of sinners, so here- 
 tics, is like that of a lost sheep, which strayeth from 
 pasture to pasture, but never of itself goeth back to 
 the fold. The path of error is a going down hill, in 
 which men go, nay, run, from error to error, till at 
 last they fall into the pit of destruction. 
 
 And now (my brethren) think, I beseech you, that 
 
 the church of England bespeaketh you this day in 
 
 those words of our Saviour upon a like occasion, John 
 
 vi. 67, 68, ' Will you also go away ?' Nor can we 
 
 * Cypr. de Uni. Eccles. t Ir»n. adv. Hier. 
 
 return a better answer than that which St Peter, in 
 behalf of himself and the rest, gave to Christ, ' Whither 
 shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal hfe.' In 
 this church is the orthodox dispensation of the go.spel, 
 the faithful administration of the sacraments, and the 
 primitive apostolical discipline established, and there- 
 fore whither shall we go ? Here it is that Christ 
 feedeth his flock in green pastures, by still waters ; 
 why should we be as they that turn aside '? Oh let us 
 pity the seduced multitude, who have left churches for 
 conventicles, judicious preaching for ignorant prating, 
 their learned pastors for illiterate mechanics, and their 
 true baptism in the font for a vain dipping iu a pond ; 
 yea, let us not only weep over but pray for them (as 
 our mother the church hath taught us in her excel- 
 lently composed Litany), that God would bring into 
 the way of truth all such as have erred and are de- 
 ceived. However, if they will not return to us, let 
 us take heed we go not forth to them ; rather let us 
 bless God, that hath caused our lot to fall within the 
 bosom of so pure a church, and let us earnestly be- 
 seech him to strengthen us by his grace, that we may 
 contmue in her communion to the end. So may we 
 confidently and comfortably take up those words of 
 the author to the Hebrews, chap. x. 39, ' But we are 
 not of them who draw back vmto perdition, but of 
 them that beheve, to the saving of the soul.' 
 
 SEEMON XLYIII. 
 
 They Kent out from us, but they were not nf us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued uith 
 us : but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. — 1 John II. 19. 
 
 THAT general assertion of God himself by the pro- 
 phet Isaiah, chap. Iv. 8, ' My ways are not as 
 your ways, neither are my thoughts as your thoughts,' 
 is not unfitly exemplified in the state of the militant 
 church. Our thoughts arc, that the church of God, 
 even on earth, should be without spot or wrinkle, 
 without fear of danger ; that God's house should 
 neither be infected with the contagion of ciTor nor 
 infested with the breach of schism; that Christ's flock 
 should be securely free from wolves, or, though the 
 sheep bo among wolves, j'et that there should be no 
 goats among the sheep. But see how far distant 
 God's thoughts are from ours, who so ordcreth it, 
 that the church's splendour here below shall not be 
 like that of the sun, but the moon, borrowed and im- 
 perfect ; that her condition should bo like that of a 
 ship tossed with the waves of persecution, yea, some- 
 times like the earth, rent asunder with the wind of 
 division. And surcl}', to use St Paul's expression, 
 1 Cor. i. 25, ' The foolishness of God is wiser than 
 the wisdom of man,' and therefore let us give him 
 leave to know what is fitter for his church than we. 
 Far be it from us to repine at his purposes because 
 
 they agree not with our projects ; rather let us sub- 
 scribe to the prudence of his determinations, as in 
 governing the world, so in ordering his church, whilst 
 for excellent and admirable ends he permitteth here- 
 tical and schismatical apostates to obscure her doc- 
 trine and disturb her peace : a pregnant instance 
 whereof we find in the primitive church, even whilst 
 St John lived, by reason of those many antichrists 
 which did arise, concerning whom he saith here, 
 'They went out from us, but they were not of us,' &c. 
 Having despatched the concession which intimateth 
 what was the occasion of the scandal, ' they went out 
 from us," pass we on to the correction, which ro- 
 moveth that occasion, by discovering it to bo no just 
 cause, and that two ways. 
 
 1. By a negation, in respect of the persons who 
 went out, that indeed they never were members of 
 the church; which is 
 
 Asserted in those words, ' but they wore not of us;' 
 Proved in those, ' for if they had been of us, they 
 would have continued with us.' 
 
 2. By an affirmation, which declareth that the going 
 out of those antichrists was permitted by God for a 
 
Ver. 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVIII. 
 
 309 
 
 very good end, to wit, that they might appear to be 
 but hypocrites : ' but they went out, that it might be 
 manifest they were not all of us.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the negation. And before.I enter 
 upon the particulars, I cannot but take notice of that 
 injurious interpretation which Socinus puts upon this 
 clause,* on piu-pose to evade that argument which is 
 drawn hence for the doctrine of perseverance, and 
 amounts to this sense, that whereas these antichrists, 
 though gone out of the church, might pretend that 
 they were still of the same faith with the apostles, St 
 John lets them know, that though they had been, yet 
 now (to wit, a little before, or about the time of their 
 going out from them), they were not of them, of which 
 their leaving communion with them was a sufficient 
 argument. 
 
 In opposition to which interpretation, I shall offer 
 these three things. 
 
 (1.) It doth not appear, nor is it probable, that these 
 antichrists, when gone out from the apostles, did still 
 pretend to the orthodox faith ; and therefore no need 
 for the apostle to make any provision against it. Nay, 
 it is plainly intimated by the following discourse, that 
 these antichrists being gone forth, did set themselves 
 expressly, directly, against the orthodox, denying that 
 Jesus, whom they did profess, to be the Christ ; and 
 therefore the design of this clause is most rationally 
 conceived to be the prevention of that scandal which 
 their horrid apostasy might give to weak Christians ; 
 nor could anything more effectually prevent or remove 
 it, than to [let them know that these antichristian 
 apostates were never true stars in the fii-mament of 
 the church, but only blazing comets, as their falling 
 away did evidently demonstrate. 
 
 (2.) That the words, ' they were not of us,' import 
 an absolute denial ; so that to put a limitation is to 
 put a sense upon them ; and if that which this inter- 
 pretation offereth were the apostle's meaning, it had 
 been more proper for him to have said, because they 
 ceased to be of us, than to say, ' they were not of us.' 
 Xor will that slender grammar-prop of the preter-im- 
 perfect tense support this gloss, nothing being more 
 usual, than even by that tense to take in the whole 
 time past. And look as when a man speaking of any 
 place, saith, 1 iras not there, he is understood to moan, 
 not that he was not there just before, or that when he 
 left the place he was not there, but that he was not 
 there at all ; so when our apostle saith, ' they were 
 not of us,' his meaning doubtless is not, they were 
 not of us at the time when they left us, but they wore 
 not at all of us. 
 
 (3.) That if this which he pretends were the apostle's 
 meaning, the addition of a reason to confirm it were 
 supervacaneous, it being as needless to prove that 
 these antichrists were not, about the time when they 
 deserted the apostles, of the same spirit and failh 
 with them, as to prove, that they who run from their 
 * Sociu- in loc. 
 
 colours were not, just as they run away, of the same 
 mind and for the same cause with those who valiantly 
 fight. 
 
 Having thus blown away that light and empty ex- 
 position, come we now to handle the clause, as it is 
 both , generally and rationallj' interpreted. To this 
 end consider we the negation. 
 
 (1.) As asserted in those words, ' But they were not 
 of us.' 
 
 For the right understanding of which clause, it will 
 not be amiss to make use of that distinction of Zanchy 
 between these two phrases,* esse in, et de ecclesia, to 
 be in the church, and to be of it, the former being of 
 a far larger extent than the latter, since, though all 
 that are of the church are in it, yet all that are in 
 the church are not of it. All that take upon them the 
 profession of the true Christian faith, and communicate 
 with the visible society of the faithful in evangehcal ad- 
 ministrations, are justly said to be in the church ; only 
 thej', who being before all times graciously elected, 
 are in due time effectually called, and so united to 
 Christ by a lively faith, to their fellow- Christians by a 
 cordial love, are truly said to be of the church. This 
 will the better appear by taking notice of another 
 phrase, which we meet with in this very epistle, 
 namely, to be ' of the world,' aliud est esse in muiido, 
 aliud esse de mundo.\ There is a vast difference be- 
 tween these two, to be in the world and of it. All who 
 live, and move, and have their being in the world, 
 are said to be in it ; only those who deUght in, and 
 set their hearts on the world, are said to be of it. 
 Look, then, how good Christians are said to be in 
 the world, and yet not of it, so wicked antichrists 
 may be said to be in the church, but not of it, no, not 
 even whilst they continue in it ; for that no doubt is 
 our apostle's design, to acquaint us that, even before 
 they went out, whilst yet they were among, they were 
 not of them, according as St Austin excellently 
 glossethjj quando videbantur in nobis, non erant ex 
 nobis, when they seemed to be, they were not of us. 
 
 Look, as on the one hand it may be said of many 
 who are not among us, they are yet of us, because 
 their names are written in the book of life ; in which 
 sense Paul was of the church, whilst a persecutor 
 against it, because ' a chosen vessdl, separated (as he 
 saith himself. Gal. i. 15) from his mother's womb ;' 
 so, on the other hand, it may be said of many who 
 are among us, they are not of us, qnia non erant in 
 Christo electi ante mnndi constilutionem, saith St 
 Austin, § because they are not eternally elected, not 
 effectually converted. 
 
 Indeed, to use Spalatensis his phrase, || they may 
 be said to be de ecclesia prirsmnptive, scd non realiter, 
 non veraciler, of the church in their own and others' 
 opinion, but they are not so really. So long as they 
 
 * Zniich. in loc. t Aug. 1. do Cor. et grat. 
 
 t Serrar. in loc. j Aug. 1 de bono persevor. cap. viii. 
 
 II Spalat. lib. vii. cip. x. 
 
310 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 outwardly profess the true faith, without open scandal, 
 charity presumeth them to be of the church, but 
 verity denieth them to be so. 
 
 The learned Davenant well argueth,* nothing is 
 that truly and formally, which it is said to be with 
 the addition of a term of diminution, as a dead man 
 is not a man, but a carcase. Now, wicked men, 
 whilst yet in the bosom of the church, they are but 
 dead members, branches in Christ, not bearing fruit, 
 according to our Saviour's expression, John xv. 2. 
 They are not partes, but pedes ; not membra, but mail 
 humores, so St Austin ;f not parts, but pests of the 
 church, not members of, but ill-humours in the body. 
 Very apt to this purpose is that similitude which the 
 same father borrosveth from an house, in which there 
 are rubbish and cobweb, J but they are none of the 
 materials which constitute the fabric of it. In one 
 word, what St Austin saith concerning Judas, § TJinis 
 erat numero non merito, specie nonrirtute,co:niiii.rtioiie 
 corporaU non vinculo spiriluaU, he was one of the 
 apostles in number, not merit, by corporal conversa- 
 tion, not spiritual conjunction, that may no less 
 justly be asserted of all hypocrites, of whom Bellar- 
 miue himself saith in St Austin's language, || Ad eccle- 
 siam pertinent numero non merito, they fill up the 
 number of visible jirofessors, but want the reality of 
 true believers. Thus as the Eomaus said of that 
 traitor to the city, Iste non est nosier, non est liomanus, 
 sed Firmis, he is none of ours, ho is not a Koman, but 
 a Carthaginian ; or as Homer of the cowardly Grecians, 
 ' Ayaiabii olin it ^ Kyaim, Grecians, you are not 
 Grecians ; so here the apostle, of degenerate Chris- 
 tians, they were no Christians, they were not of 
 us, as being destitute of a true and genuine faith. 
 And now, what should the consideration hereof teach 
 us, but, 
 
 [l.J Not to content ourselves that wo are received 
 into the church by baptism, and partake of its ex- 
 ternal privileges. Midti qui non ex nobis recipiunt 
 sacramentum, &c., saith St Austin upon the place, 
 many that are not of us do yet communicate with us. 
 St Paul saith of a Jew, Rom. ii. 28, ' He is not a Jew 
 that is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which 
 is outward in the ilesh.' The like may I say of a 
 Christian, ho is not a Christian that is one outwardly, 
 nor is that baptism which is outward in the body. 
 Frustra miscetur catui sanctorum in templo inanu facto 
 qui submotus est d consortio Dei el ab unirerso corpore 
 mi/stico Christi, saith St Cyprian excellently;^ in vain 
 is ho joined to the society of visible professors, who 
 is disjoined from Christ's mystical body, aud hath 
 not communion with God. 
 
 [2.] Not to bo much offended when we see some 
 
 • Daven. Deter. t Aug. in loc. 
 
 X Aug. de Bapt. Contra. Donat. lib. vii. cap. x. 
 
 § Aug. tr. 21 in Johan. 
 
 II BoUarm do Gem. col. lib. i. cai-i. ii. 
 
 "if t'ypr. do Duplici Martyr. 
 
 within the church going out of it. Indeed, it should 
 be our grief, but not our scandal. Mourn we ought 
 for their sin in going out fi-om the church, but still so 
 as to comfort om-selves with this meditation, they 
 never were true members of the church. Avolent 
 quantum volent palc(B leres, eh purior massa frumcnti 
 in hordeum domini reponetur, %o TeriuWiaxi;"' let the 
 light chaff fly away whither it will, the good corn will 
 be laid up so much the purer in God's barn. Quando 
 evomuntur mali humores, relevatur corpus, so St Austin ;t 
 when ill humours are vomited up, the stomach ia 
 eased, and the body relieved. The departure of 
 wicked men from the church is like the flying away of 
 the chaff, and the casting out of bad humours ; and 
 though it be a woful decision to them, it is a good 
 riddance to the church ; nor doth she lose any from 
 her, but those who wei'c never of her. The truth of 
 which will more evidently appear, if we take a view of 
 (2.) The argument annexed, whereby this negation 
 is proved, in tliose words, ' For if they had been of us, 
 they would no doubt have continued with us.' The 
 strength of the proof is obvious to every capacity, 
 that there will be no need to insist upon it ; for if 
 they who are of the church do continue in it, it must 
 necessarily follow that they who do not continue, but 
 go out of the church, we're never of it. That there- 
 fore which we are a little to inquire into is the truth 
 of the point, that they who are of the church do un- 
 doubtedly continue in it. It is a doctrine I shall 
 have frequent occasion to discuss in my progress 
 through this epistle, and therefore I shall so handle 
 it as to reserve something to be said hereafter. For 
 the present I shall propose and resolve these two 
 queries. 
 
 How far, or in what sense, this is verified ? 
 Upon what ground the truth of it is founded ? 
 1. To unfold the meaning of the position, know, 
 (1.) That continuini] with us is hero to be construed 
 in opposition, not to all going out, but^that which is 
 malicious and impenitent, for such was the apostasy of 
 those antichrists. They who are of the church m.ay 
 bo for a time seduced from the church, from her truth 
 to error, from her unity to schism, but, 
 
 [!."] They go not out totally; though from a parti- 
 cular, yet not from the catholic church ; though from 
 some truths which are as superstructures, yet not 
 from those which arc at least fundamentally and 
 absolutely necessary to salvation; and though perhaps 
 sometimes they may doubt of them, yet not so as to 
 deny them ; or if sometimes out of fear and infirmity 
 deny, yet not wilfully and resolvedly to oppose them. 
 Those instances of Peter aud Judas do very well 
 illustrate the dili'orenco in this particular between the 
 departure which is incident to a true Christian aud an 
 hypocrite. Peter, indeed, sadly apostatised, when 
 be not only forsook but denied his Master, but it was 
 against the bent of his heart, which was to profess 
 * Tcrtul. de prescript, cap. iii. t Aug. in loc. 
 
Ver. 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVIII. 
 
 311 
 
 Christ, though all others forsook him, as nppeareth 
 by his own expression. In which regard TertuUian 
 saith o{ him, jidei robur/uit coiicusstitii, non exciissum, 
 fides mota, non aniota, the strength of his faith was 
 moved and shaken, but not the truth of it removed 
 and thrown down ; and St Gregory,* that his faith, 
 that herb of gi-ace, was not withered, but rather 
 ti-odden down with the foot of fear ; and to the same 
 purpose the Greek father, f though the wind of 
 Satan's assault had blown down the leaves, the root 
 was alive; whereas Judas betrayed his Master, out of 
 a deliberate and wilful resolution, as appcareth by 
 the contract he made about it beforehand. Thus 
 whilst hypocrites wilfully make shipwreck of the faith, 
 true behevers are against their wills, through the 
 violence of temptation, dashed upon a rock. 
 
 [2.j They go not out finally, so as never to return to 
 the truth and unity of the church. Tel raro cadunt, vd 
 Dei ieneficio resurrjunt, saith Danaeus,J they seldom 
 fall into gross errors, and when they do, they rise 
 again bj* repentance. Though these sheep may some- 
 times wander out of the fold, the shepherd brings 
 them back again. Very suitable to this purpose is 
 that allusion of St Cyprian to the dove and the crow,§ 
 both of which went forth from the ark, but the dove 
 returned, whereas the crow never did. The ark is 
 a fit emblem of the church, the dove of a seduced 
 catholic, and the crow of an obstinate heretic ; and 
 whereas the heretic, having left the church, goeth still 
 downward to the gates of destruction, the catholic, 
 though he may go out, returneth with prayers and 
 tears. In this respect that observation of Cicero, 
 concerning the Corinthian brass, i that it doth not 
 gather rust so soon as other, and is more easily 
 scoured than other, is fitly applicable to the true 
 members of the church, who are not presently with- 
 drawn, and speedily recalled. 
 
 (2.) That continuing with us which is here asserted 
 is to be understood, not in reference to their own 
 strength, but divine power. They that are of the 
 church, if left to themselves, would soon leave her. 
 Temptations from the world and the devil are so fre- 
 quent and violent, grace in the best so weak and 
 defective, that were it not for that manutenentia Dei, 
 God's upholding mercy, it were impossible they should 
 not be drawn aside. Surely if the angels and Adam 
 (who yet had no inherent corruption to bias them) soon 
 left that state of integrity in which God created them, 
 the best Christians (having the remainder of sin) must 
 needs be more apt to turn aside from God ; but saith 
 the apostle Peter, 1 Peter i. 5, ' We are kept by the 
 power of God through faith unto salvation. That 
 efl'ectual grace, saith Anstin,T[ quafacit itt accedamus, 
 
 * Greg. tlom. 15 in Ezek. 
 
 ■f" Ka.1 T5 ^vWbc i^^i^t ro ^vtvfiec toZ xiioti^ovTo;, »! p'2^a ^w. — 
 Theoph. in Luc. 
 J Oan. in loc. § Cypr. adv. Novat. Ocn. viii. 7, 8. 
 
 II Cic. Tuscul. i. \ Aug. de bono ptrsover. cap. xii. 
 
 facit ne disced((iiuis, which causcth us to draw near, 
 keepeth us from drawing back ; so that, as in regard 
 of our own weakness, it is impossible w'O should con- 
 tinue of ourselves, so in regard of divine power it is 
 impossible but we should continue. By all which the 
 meaning of our apostle in these words appeareth to be 
 bi'iefly this,thatthey who are true members of the church 
 are undoubtedly so far preserved by God's power, that 
 either they shall not go out, or if they do, they shall 
 return, and so continue to the end. 
 
 This is that truth which is shadowed forth in the 
 psalmist, Ps. i. 3, by the resemblance of ' a tree planted 
 by the river of waters, which bringeth forth fruit in 
 its season, whose leaf shall not fade ;' in the Gospel, 
 Mat. vii. 25, by the similitude of ' an house built upon 
 the rock, which falls not though the winds blow, 
 storms rage, and the waves beat against it.' We read 
 concerning the temple of Solomon, that it was made of 
 the wood of Lebanon, which (they say) never corrupts ; 
 upon which St Gregory thus moraliseth,* secundum 
 prcFScientia; sua gratiam, sanctam ecclesiam de in ater- 
 num pennansuris Sanctis constiluit, the materials of the 
 spiritual temple are persevering saints ; according to 
 which is the promise of Christ to every true believer 
 under the title of a conqueror, Pvov. iii. 9, ' Him that 
 overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my 
 God, and he shall go no more out.' 
 
 2. Having unfolded the genuine sense of this posi- 
 tion, it now remaineth that we inquire into the grounds 
 upon which the truth of it is established, which we 
 shall find to be four; two in regard of God, and two 
 in regard of Christ. 
 
 (1.) In regard of God, the certain continuance of the 
 true members of the church depends upon the love of 
 his election, and the fidelity of his covenant. 
 
 [l.J It is impossible that any of those whom God 
 hath from all eternity chosen to salvation should perish. 
 Now, out of the church there is no salvation, and 
 therefore it is impossible that they who are of the 
 number of the faithful and chosen of God should utterly 
 go out of the church. This is that which our Saviour 
 himself, speaking of those false Christs and false pro- 
 phets which should arise and shew great signs and 
 wonders, intimateth as that which secureth true be- 
 lievers from being seduced by them, because they are 
 elected ; for when he saith, ' Insomuch that if it were 
 possible, thej' should deceive the veiy elect,' he mani- 
 festly implieth that since they are elected, it is im- 
 possible that they should be deceived, to wit, so as 
 utterly to renounce the Christian faith. Indeed, look 
 as the passing of that bitter cup of the passion Mat. 
 sxvi. 29, was impossible, not simply in itself, but in 
 respect of God's decree, so the seduction of the elect 
 to a total and final apostasy is, though very possible 
 in respect of the devil's power and policy, of the 
 elect's infirmities and corruptions, yet it is impossible in 
 regard of God's decree to glorify them, and in order 
 * Greg. M. in 1. i. Reg. 
 
312 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II 
 
 to that to presen-e them. To this purpose is that of 
 St Paul, who, having mentioned the woful apostasy 
 of Hvmenens and Philetus, 2 Tim. ii. 18, 19, presently 
 addeth for the comfort of sincere believers, ' Never- 
 theless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having 
 this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his,' whereby 
 foundation is not improbably understood that decree 
 of election which is unchangeable ; and they who are 
 his, that is, in a particular manner, as being known by 
 him, are known to him, to wit, by a special knowledge, 
 so as to take care of them, that they shall not make 
 such a shipwreck of their faith as to sink into perdition. 
 
 2. The covenant which God hath made with the 
 elect in Christ doth not onl}- promise a reward to 
 them which continue, but the grace of continuance ; 
 and not only the grace whereby they may continue, if 
 they will, but that gi-ace whereby they shall at once 
 be both able and wilhng to continue. What can be 
 clearer to this purpose than that of God by the prophet 
 Jeremiah, chap, xxxii. 40, to the elect Jews, and in 
 them to all his chosen, ' I will make an everlasting 
 covenant with them, that I will not turn away from 
 them to do them good ; but I will put my fear into their 
 hearts, that they shall not depart from me.' Indeed, 
 these last words, they shall not, are not directly accord- 
 ing to the Hebrew, yet they express the sense, which 
 can amount to no less than a certainty of the event ; 
 for since the grace of fear promised is a sufficient 
 means of not departing, and the promise of putting 
 his fear into them for that end argueth that it was 
 his intention they should not depart, this event could not 
 but infallibly be produced, inasmuch as divine intention, 
 seconded with sufficient means to produce the effect, 
 cannot possibly miscarry. 
 
 (2.) In regard of Christ, the certain continuance of 
 all the true members of the church depends upon the 
 energy of his death, and the efficacy of bis intercession. 
 
 [l.J Though the design of Christ's death was in some 
 respect general, namely, to purchase a possibility of 
 salvation for all upon the conditions of faith and re- 
 pentance, yet I doubt not to as.'^crt, that besides this 
 there was a particular design of his death, which was 
 to purchase a certainty of salvation by faith and re- 
 pentance for some, to wit, the elect, this being the 
 most rational way of reconciling those scriptures which 
 do enlarge Christ's death to the whole world, with 
 those that restrain it to his church. 
 
 Indeed, if there be not some who shall be actually 
 saved bj' Christ's death, his death will be in vain. If 
 there be not some for whom Christ hath purchased 
 more than a possibihty of salvation upon condition, it 
 is possible none should bo actually saved by it, especially 
 if (as those who deny this peculiar intention affirm) the 
 performing of the condition depends so on the liberty 
 of our will, that notwithstanding the influence of grace 
 a man may choose or refuse to do it; for thou it is as 
 possible that every man may not believe as that he 
 may, and consequently it is possible no man may bo 
 
 saved by Christ's death, and so Christ's death in vain, 
 as to that which was its primai-y end, and consequently 
 his intention frustrated. It remaineth, then, that as 
 Christ intended his death to be sufficient for all, so 
 that it might be efficient to some, in order to which it 
 was necessary that for those persons he should purchase 
 grace, yea, not only grace, but perseverance in grace 
 till they come to glory. 
 
 [2.] Among those many things for which Christ inter- 
 cedeth with the Father in behalf of his members, this 
 is not the least, that they may be ' preserved to bis 
 heavenly kingdom,' and to that end that the Holy 
 Spirit may be conferred on them. That prayer of 
 Christ on earth, Johnsvii. 11, 15, 20, 24, is generally 
 acknowledged as the sum of what he intercedeth for 
 in heaven; and if you peruse it, you shall find him 
 praying, not only for the apostles, but ' all that shall 
 believe through their word,' that the Father would 
 'keep them, through hisj own name,' 'from the evil' 
 (to wit, of this world), so as they may be ' with him 
 where he is ' (to wit, in heaven), ' and behold his glory.' 
 That promise which Christ made to his disciples on earth 
 Johnxiv. 16, he made good in heaven, ' I will pray to 
 the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, 
 that he may abide with you for ever.' Nor is this 
 prayer made only for the apostles, but for the whole 
 church, and every particular" member, on whom, by 
 virtue of Christ's intercession, the Spirit is in some 
 measure bestowed ; and that for this end, to be an ex- 
 horter, a comforter, an instructor, an upholder of them 
 in the way till they come to the desired end. So that 
 now, put all together, since all sincere members of the 
 church are such whom God hath freely ' predestinated 
 to salvation by sanctification,' and with whom he hath 
 made a gracious covenant in Christ to give them grace 
 and glory, since they are a purchased people, for whom 
 Christ hath ' given himself to redeem them from all 
 iniquity,' to bring them to felicitj' and glory ; to which 
 end, as he once shed his blood, so still he maketh in- 
 tercession for them, and communicateth his Spirit to 
 them ; well might the apostle assert that ' if they had 
 been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.' 
 
 To apply this. 
 
 1. Do we see any who, having made (though never 
 so glorious) profession of the truth, degenerate into 
 blasphemous heresies and impieties, and utterly fall 
 away, we need not fear to conclude that they never 
 were what they seemed to be. If the seed which is 
 cast into the ground do not fructify, wo may safely 
 infer it is not the good ground ; if the house fall 
 through the violence of the storms, we may truly deny 
 that it was ever Iniiltupon the rock ; if when the wind 
 of persecution cometh, any professors vanish bj' an 
 utter apostasy, we may justly assert that they were 
 not wheat but chaff. It was our blessed Saviour's 
 plain assertion, John viii. 81, ' If you continue in my 
 word, then are you my disciples indeed ;' whereby is 
 implied that total and final apostasy is an argument of 
 
Ver. 19.] 
 
 SERMON XLVIII. 
 
 313 
 
 hypocrisy,* and therefore, whereas it is saiJ, ' many 
 of his disciples went away from him,' John vi. 54, St 
 Austin saith, DiscipuU appdlaiilur, et tamen non erant 
 vere discipuli ; quia non maiiscrunt in vt'rbo ejus, iecun- 
 dum id quod ait, si maiiseritis in rerho meo, vere discipuli 
 mei est is, though they were called disciples, they were 
 not so indeed, hecause they did not continue in Christ's 
 word, according to that in the Gospel, ' If you con- 
 tinue in my word, you are my disciples indeed ;' in 
 reference to which it is that he saith a little after. 
 Tunc vero sunt quod appellantur, si manserint in eo 
 propter quod sic appellantur, then, and then only, are 
 they that which they are called, Christ's disciples, if 
 they abide in that for which they are so caUed. 
 
 2. Let all true members of the church rejoice in 
 this comfortable doctrine. That phrase of St Paul, 
 ' The grace of God wherein we stand,' Rom. v. 2, is 
 taken notice of by St Chrysostom,f as very emphati- 
 cal, y.a/.OJ; eV-£v 'iii-ri/ia//,$v, f ydo roD ©EoS /^«g'5 oDz 
 l^£( TsXoc oii/c ends Tssa; ; very aptly it is said, we 
 stand, for the gi-ace of God knoweth no limits, hath 
 no end ; and whereas earthly dignities are quickly lost, 
 because the favour of princes is changeable, yea, how- 
 ever, though none else, death will put a man out of 
 the highest office ; by the gi-ace and favour of God we 
 stand so fast, that nothing can wholly divest us of this 
 glorious privilege, to be a member of the church. 
 Herein it is that our estate by conversion is far better 
 than Adam's by creation ; he, indeed, was in a state 
 of perfect purity, but withal in a state of mutability, 
 and though placed in paradise, yet so as that he might, 
 nay, did forfeit it, to the utter ejection of himself and 
 his posterity. We being through regeneration grafted 
 into Christ, attain bj' his grace, though not exact 
 innocency, yet a kind of immutability, and are so 
 planted in the garden of the chm'ch, that we cannot 
 be plucked up. 
 
 This consideration is that which should enlarge our 
 spiritual joy, but yet not diminish our prudential fear; 
 and therefore we should do well (according to the 
 psalmist's advice, Ps. ii. 9) to ' rejoice with trem- 
 bling.' It is not to be denied but that this doctrine, 
 being abused, may become to some an occasion of 
 security, but withal it is only so to them whom it 
 concerneth not, the false, not the true, members of 
 the church ; and it is only so because misunderstood, 
 not in its own nature. Indeed, were this the doctrine, 
 that they who are of the church shall continue in it, 
 though they live never so loosely, and go on in their sin 
 impenitently, it would be not only an occasion, but a 
 cause of presumptuous security ; but the intent of 
 
 * Tcntatio probat quia non sunt ex nobis, quando illis 
 tentatio venerit, velut occasione venti volant foras quia grana 
 non erant. — Aug. in loc. Xemo aistimet bonus de ecclesia 
 posse disccdere ; triticum non rapit ventus, uec arborera 
 solida radico fundatam procella subvertit. Inanes paleas tcm- 
 pestafe jactantur, invalids! arbores turbinis incursione ever- 
 tunfur ; ex nobis exierunt sed non fuerunt ex nobis, &c. — 
 C;/pr. t. desimplic, I'roeUit. t Chrjsost. ibid. 
 
 this doctrine is only to assure those who are of the 
 church, that through the Spirit of Christ, by the use 
 of those means God afl'ordeth, and exercise of those 
 duties he requireth, they shall be so far preserved, as 
 that either they shall not at all go out of, or if through 
 the enemies' subtlety, and their own infirmity, and 
 inanimadvertency, they are seduced, they shall at 
 length return by Weeping-cross into the bosom of the 
 church. And what place is here left for sloth and negli- 
 gence, for presumption and security ? 
 
 1. The truth is, it is no easy matter, on good 
 ground, to assure ourselves that we are of the church. 
 Many not only in others', but their own opinion, are of 
 the church, and yet are not in reality; and if we be 
 not indeed of the church, we cannot continue. la 
 this respect that counsel of St Paul, 2 Cor. xiii. 5, is 
 very needful, ' Examine, prove yourselves, whether 
 you be in the faith,' use all diligence and faithfulness 
 in searching out j'our spiritual estate. 
 
 2. If we be of the church, we are not so secured, 
 but that we may fall scandalously, and for a time go 
 out from her communion. Sad experience maketh it 
 good at this daj' in many who have wretchedly for- 
 saken the truth, and the church, for whose return we 
 pray, and of which we are not altogether without 
 hope, since we trust some of them are gone astray, 
 not through wilfulness and contempt, but ignorance 
 and weakness ; and therefore not only ' he that think- 
 eth he standeth,' but he that doth stand, had need to 
 ' take heed lost he fall.' 
 
 3. Finally, there is no assurance of continuance to 
 the true members of the church, but in the use of 
 means. We are kept by God's power to salvation, 
 but it is ' through faith,' and so Ukewise through fear 
 and watchfulness, and humility, and obedience, and 
 prayer, and attending on the word and sacraments ; 
 and therefore, they who are real Christians will not 
 dare to neglect their dut3-, in a fond presumption of 
 God's upholding mercy. 
 
 The sum of all is, our first work must be to make 
 it sure on good gi'ounds, that we ai-e indeed members 
 of the church. Being in some measure assured of that, 
 our next care must be to apply ourselves to a con- 
 scientious use of all the ways and helps which may 
 preserve us in it ; and then, though still we must be 
 diffident in regard of ourselves, as being conscious of 
 our own impotency, yet, in regard of God, we may, 
 we ought to be confident, that he ' who hath begun 
 his good work in us, will perfect it to the day of 
 Jesus,' Philip, i. 3, and having effectually called us into 
 bis church militant, that he will mercifully conduct us 
 to his church triumphant. 
 
 2. Having despatched the negative, it now remaineth 
 that we proceed to the other way of removing the 
 scandal taken at the apostasy of these antichrists, to 
 ■wit, the affirmative, which assigneth the end for which 
 God permitted it : ' But they went out from us, thit 
 it might be manifested that they were not all of us.' 
 
31 4. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chav. II. 
 
 These words, ' tbej- went out from us,' are not ex- 
 pressed in the original, but are necessarily implied, 
 and therefore fitly snpphed by the translator. 
 
 These words, ' they were not all of us,' seem [to 
 intimate, that sovie of these antichrists who went out 
 were of us; but the true sense of that clause will be 
 easily understood, if either, according to the Hebrew 
 manner of spealdng, we read non onniis, indhis, they 
 were not all, that U, none of us ; suitable to which is 
 that of St Paul to the Komans, chap. iii. 20, fetched 
 from David's Psalms, ' All flesh shall not be justified,' 
 that is, no flesh ; or if after they we add, who icere 
 amoiiq us, for so it amounts to this, that all who are 
 joined to the society are not of the number of the 
 faithful, and that they who were not so might be dis- 
 covered, was the reason why God suflered them to go 
 out. Congi-uous to this is St Austin's gloss upon 
 this text, Inttis cum sint, non ex nobis sunt, non tamen 
 manifesti, sed exeundo manifcslanlur, whilst they were 
 among us they were not of us, but they were not mani- 
 fested till they went out ; so that, by their going out, 
 they did not so much fall away from what they were, 
 as make known what they were not, and that they 
 were far otherwise than what they seemed to be. 
 
 Indeed, there is a double manifestation which God 
 aimeth at in permitting the apostasy of hypocrites. 
 
 1. The one of the sincere-hearted, that their inte- 
 grity and constancy may the better appear. This St 
 Paul asserts, where he saith, 1 Cor. xi. 19, ' there 
 must be heresies, that they which are approved may 
 be made manifest.' That question of our Saviour to 
 Peter and the rest, ' Will you also go away ? ' seemeth 
 to intimate, that then, when so many went from him, 
 was a time of discovering what metal they were made 
 of, and then their true-heartedness to their master had 
 an opportunity to shew itself. Had it not been for 
 those heretical and schismatical apostates of old, those 
 ancient fathers, both of the Greek and Latin church, 
 had not been such illustrious stars in the firmament 
 of the church ; were it not for those of our latter days, 
 and here among us, our church would not have had 
 so much to glory of her Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, 
 Jewel, Whitakcr, Whitgift, and the rest, who were so 
 famous, in their generation, for their magnanimity in 
 maintaining the truth against apostatical opposcrs. 
 
 2. The other of the false-hearted, who, by going 
 out, shew themselves in their colom-s. This is that 
 which divine providence bringeth about for a double 
 end. 
 
 (1.) For the shame of themselves, )// quod ocndtavc- 
 runt ini/enium iiud/irent, so Lorinus,* that their evil 
 disposition, which before lay hid, may be laid open to 
 their disgrace. Whilst these men are in the church as 
 gilded posts, painted sepulchres, whited walls, they 
 seem beautiful ; but when they go out, the gilt, and 
 ♦ Lor. in loc. 
 
 paint, and white, are, as it were, washed off, whereby 
 their shameful rottenness appeareth, and according to 
 St Paul's phrase, 2 Tim. iii. 9, ' their folly is made 
 manifest to all men.' This is that which must fully 
 be accomplished at the last day, when the separation 
 between the sheep and the goats, the orthodox and the 
 heretic, godly and wicked, shall be most perspicuous, 
 and shame shall cover the faces of all apostates ; * but 
 sometimes it is that which divine providence ordereth 
 to fall out in this world, and that as for their gi-eater 
 ignominy, so, 
 
 (2.) For the safety of others, ut a jidelihus ritari 
 possint, so Estius ; ne nlios corrumpanl, so Dauams ;t 
 that, being discovered, they may be avoided, and their 
 infection prevented. Whilst the wolf is covered with a 
 sheep's skin, he is not so easily discerned, but when the 
 skin is plucked over his ears, the true sheep can far 
 better beware him. 
 
 To wind up this, leam we hence, 
 
 1. To adore, admire, and extol the wisdom, mercy, 
 and justice of our God, in discovering hypocrites by 
 their apostasy. It is that we have so much the more 
 reason to take notice of, because we see it so much 
 fulfilled in om- days. The times we live in have been 
 times of trial. God hath, as it were 'oy a fan, winnowed 
 us, whereby the chafl" is discovered, as by a wind 
 shaken us, so that the rotten boughs and fruit fall oft'. 
 How many who, whilst the church had the reins of 
 goveiTiment in her hands, embraced her doctrine, reve- 
 renced her clergy, conformed to her discipline, have 
 now made manifest, that though among, they were not 
 of us ! Their factious schismatical spirits, which fear 
 then bridled, having now had an opportunity, shew 
 themselves openly. Oh let us bless that divine pro- 
 vidence which hath suflered it thus to be, as in justice 
 to them for theii- detection, so in mercy to the church 
 for her purgation. 
 
 2. To beware how we please ourselves with hypo- 
 critical shows. Kcinodiu inr/enium ahscondit, we cannot 
 long conceal our temper. Though the ape be dressed 
 up in a man's habit, it will upon any opportunity dis- 
 cover its apish nature. Cito (id nalunnn Jicta irdicrunt, 
 what is feigned is forced, and cannot be lasting; be- 
 sides, it is the just judgment of God on all hypocrites, 
 sooner or later to discover them. They may for a time 
 cozen men, but God cannot be deceived. Whilst yet 
 they remain in the church, they are known to him, as 
 Judas was to Christ ; and though ho wink at them for 
 a time, yet in due time he will pluck off their mask, 
 and so order it, that they shall be made manifest. 
 For so it fell out here with these antichrists, who (saith 
 the apostle) ' went away from us, that it might be 
 manifest they were not of us.' 
 
 * Sc'iiariitio persju'ciiu in die jiulicii futura est. — Aug. 
 t Ihui. in loc. Est. in loc. 
 
Ver. 20, 21.] 
 
 SKRMON XLIX. 
 
 315 
 
 SEEMON XLIX. 
 
 But ye have an unctvm frojn the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto yon because ye know 
 not the trulh, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. — 1 John II. 20, 21. 
 
 IT is not unfitly observed, that in those colder and 
 frosty countries of the East, there are plenty of 
 beasts which aflbrd furs to keep men's bodies warm ; 
 that in the beginning of the spring, when serpents 
 peep out of their holes, the ash puts forth, which is a 
 present remedy against their sting and teeth. No 
 less-, yea, far more, considerable is the care of God 
 in reference to his church, who, as he permits heresies 
 and schisms to disturb her, so he hath provided helps 
 to preserve her. For this end he Lath appointed her 
 his written word as a sure canon, a safe guide, and an 
 unerring rule ; for this cause he ' hath given some 
 apostles, and some prophets, and some evangehsts, 
 and some pastors and teachers," to build her up in the 
 orthodox faith ; finally, to this end, above all, he 
 hath given her his Holy Spirit, whose illuminating and 
 sanctifying grace is suificient for her, of which it is 
 our apostle here mindeth the Christians. 
 
 ' But you have an unction from the Holy One,' &c. 
 
 In these two verses, we have two generals : 
 
 A remedy prescribed, or rather described, against 
 the antichristian poison : ' But you have an unction 
 from the Holy One, and know all things.' 
 
 An apology annexed, whereby an objection is pre- 
 vented which otherwise might have been made : ' I 
 have not written unto you, because ye know not the 
 truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of 
 the truth.' 
 
 Begin wo with the remedy, as it is set down in the 
 twentieth verse, concerning which we may take notice 
 of four particulars. 
 
 The quality, what it is : au nnction. 
 
 The community, whose it is : yon have an unction. 
 
 The originality, whence it is : fiom the Holy One. 
 
 The efficacy, what it doth : and you knon all thinys. 
 
 If j'ou please to reduce the four to three, take 
 notice of. 
 
 The nature of the antidote, it is an unction. 
 
 The author of it, who is called the Holy One. 
 
 The worth of it, by it we know all things. 
 
 Once more, reduce the three to two, and then here 
 is observable, 
 
 Doni collatio, a gift conferred, ' You have an unc- 
 tion from the Holy One.' 
 
 Bcncficii illatio, a benefit inferred, and ' you know 
 all things.' 
 
 In the handling of the former of these, we shall 
 consider these three things : 
 
 The matter, or thing given, an miction. 
 
 The recipients, to whom it is given, you have. 
 
 The donor, by whom it is given, the Holy One. 
 
 1. The thing given as an antidote or remedy* against 
 
 the poison of antichristian doctrine is an unction, a 
 metaphorical and allusive expression. Anointing most 
 properly is with oil, or else with ointments, in which 
 usually oil is the chief ingredient ; but, metaphorically, 
 anointing is with the Spirit, which is as oil and oint- 
 ment. Thus we find the prophet saying, concerning 
 himself literally, and Christ mystically, Isa. Ixi. 1, 
 ' The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the 
 Lord hath anointed me,' to wit, with his Spirit ; more 
 plainly the apostle Peter, Acts x. 48, ' God anointed 
 Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost ;' and St Paul 
 sufficiently intimateth it, 2 Cor. i. 21, 22, when he 
 saith concerning Christians, ' God hath anointed, and 
 sealed us, and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our 
 hearts,' the Spirit being, as the earnest, so the seal and 
 the ointment : and accordingly the generality of ex- 
 positors do here interpret the Spii-it of God, with his 
 gifts and graces, to be this unction. St Austin, among 
 many others, is express:* nnctio spirituaiis ipse 
 Spiritus sanclus, the Spirit of God is the spiritual unc- 
 tion. And accordingly this is one of the titles which 
 are given to the Holy Ghost in that divine hymn, 
 
 ' The fountain and tlie lively spring of joy celestial, 
 The fire so bright, the love so clear, and unction spiritual.' 
 
 That the fragrancy of this metaphor may the better 
 appear, give me leave to break the box, and let you 
 see how fitly it is applicable to the blessed Spirit. 
 To this end it will not be amiss to consider the pro- 
 perties and the uses of oil and ointment. 
 
 1. There are three eminent properties of oil, which 
 fully agree to the Holy Ghost, purity, permanency, 
 and excellency. 
 
 (1.) Oil is of such a nature as that it will hardly 
 mingle with other liquors, and whatsoever liquor you 
 mix it with, it still is uppermost. In this a fit em- 
 blem of the Spirit, especially in respect of its sancti- 
 fying grace, which will not mix itself with any sin, 
 and, wherever it is, keepeth corruption under. In- 
 deed, wine and water will easily incorporate, but oil 
 will not. Natural and acquired habits may consist 
 with the predominancy of some lust, and therefore it 
 is that acutcness of wit, strength of memory, depth of 
 judgment, readiness of elocution, skill in arts and 
 sciences, and such like excellencies, are to be found in 
 wicked men, but those spiritual infused habits of grace 
 will not admit the dominion of any sin, so that though 
 sin still remain, yet it doth not, cannot rule in the re- 
 generate. 
 
 (2.) Oil is of a lasting durance ; it is not as the 
 water, evaporated by the scorching heat, or congealed 
 * Aug. in loc. 
 
316 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 by the freezing cold, whereby is shadowed the perpe- 
 tuity of the Spirit's renewing grace, notwithstanding 
 the heat of persecution, and the cold of temptation. 
 The hypocrite's fruit witherethwhen thesun scorcheth; 
 like the standing pool, he is dry in the heat of sum- 
 mer, his courage faileth, grace decayeth ; whereas the 
 true Christian retaineth his integi-ity in the worst ad- 
 versity. AVhcn the northern wind of diabolical temp- 
 tation bloweth upon an hypocrite, his zeal cooleth, 
 his grace freezeth ; whereas sanctifj'ing grace in the 
 heart of the regenerate keepeth its virtue. 
 
 (3.) Oil is of great worth ; it is reckoned up as one 
 of those choice blessings which God conferred upon 
 Israel : Ezek. xvi. 19, ' I gave her corn, and wine, 
 and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold.' It was 
 one of the precious things in Hezekiah's treasury 
 which he shewed to the king of Babylon's messenger : 
 Isa. xsxix. 2, ' The silver, the gold, the spices, and 
 the precious ointment,' where it is observable that, 
 besides it is numbered among the precious things, it 
 hath also the epithet oi precioKs in particular annexed 
 to it, as also by Solomon, where he saith, ' A good 
 name is better than precious ointment.' But surely, 
 as there the wise man prefers a good name, so much 
 more is the Spirit and his grace to be preferred before 
 it ; T/pLiov dXriiZg to Tuhfia rh ayiov, saith the Greek 
 father.* In very deed, the Holy Spirit is a precious 
 thing. This oil is invaluable, this jewel is incom- 
 parable, and if the soul which dwelleth in our bodies 
 be more worth than the whole world, this Spirit which 
 dwelleth in our souls must needs be of an infinite and 
 transcendent value. 
 
 2. Besides these properties, there is a double use of oil, 
 to wit, for eating and anointing ; and the operation 
 of oil in both these uses aptly sets forth the Spirit's 
 efficacy. 
 
 1. Oil, being eaten, ia sweet to the palate, and 
 therefore manna, for its pleasant taste, is compared to 
 it, Ezek. xvi. 13 ; wholesome and nourishing to the 
 body, and therefore joined with fine flour and honey, 
 Kum. xi. 8. It was by meal and oil that the widow 
 was preserved alive in famine, 1 Kings xvii. 12. Be- 
 sides, it holpeth digestion of other meats, and there- 
 fore it is eaten with raw herbs and such like cool 
 things; nay more than so, though a man have swallowed 
 poison, being taken into the stomach, it will expel it, 
 and preserve the body from death. All which are true 
 of the Spirit's graces, by which we are enabled to 
 digest the word of God, not only its promises, but 
 threatenings ; the poison of sin is expelled out of the 
 heart, so far as it shall not hurt us ; our spiritual taste 
 delighted, yea, our soul is nourished to eternal life. 
 
 2. But I must remember the word in my text is 
 unction, and therefore it is most suitable to consider 
 oil as it is of use in anointing, and thus the parallel 
 will hold in several respects, some whereof are more 
 
 * f'vi- calccli. xvi. 
 
 general and others more special, both very significant 
 to our present purpose. 
 
 1. The more general uses of anointing with oil are 
 these six. 
 
 (1.) Anointing wounds with oil healeth them ; upon 
 which account the Samaritan poured in, as wine for 
 cleansing, so oil for healing, the wounded man, Luke 
 s. 25. Nothing more frequently used by apothecaries 
 and chirurgeons than oils and ointments. This is the 
 Spirit's efficacy, who is therefore called the Comforter, 
 viz. against all those disquietments which unsettle the 
 mind and wound the conscience. The prophet Isaiah, 
 speaking of the person of Christ, saith, Isa. Ixi. 3, 
 ' The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, to heal the 
 broken-hearted ;' indeed, in regard of the wicked he 
 is a reprover, to wound ; but in regai-d of the weak, he 
 is a comforter, to heal. 
 
 (2.) Anointing tumours with oil softeneth them. To 
 this the prophet alludeth, Isa. i. 6, where, speaking of 
 the diseases of Israel's commonwealth, he saith, 
 ' They have not been mollified with ointment.' This 
 is the Spirit's operation, to soften the obdurate and 
 proud sinner ; and therefore when almighty God pro- 
 miscth to ' take away the stony heart, and give an 
 heart of flesh,' he presently addeth, ' I will put my 
 Spirit within you, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. 
 
 (3.) Anointing the joints with oil suppleth them, 
 whereby they are nimble and active ; for which cause 
 it is that runners and wrestlers were used to anoint 
 themselves beforehand. Thus doth the Spirit by his 
 graces strengthen us with all might to run the way of 
 God's commandments, and to wrestle with our corrup- 
 tions. It is the prayer of David, Ps. li. 9, 'Establish 
 me with thy free Spirit,' whom he calls by that epithet, 
 no doubt for this reason, because it is the Spirit's 
 work to set us free from the fetters of sin. Upon the 
 same account he is called by the prophet, Isa. xi. 2, 
 the Spirit of strength, and by the apostle, Rom. viii. 
 2, the Spirit of life, inasmuch as he strengthens us in 
 our Christian race, and quickens us to spiritual per- 
 formances. Unctio f^pirilnal is (iratia iidjurat infiriniiali'in 
 nnstrtim, saith the Latin father,* the ointment of the 
 Spirit's grace hclpcth the weakness of our flesh ; and 
 the Greek fathcrt aptly, we are enabled not only to 
 do, but to sutfer, rri iuvd/Mi tou Ti'i-j/iaro: dyiov, by the 
 etficacy of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 (4.) Anointing the face with oil puts as it wcreagloss 
 and bcautyonit. Of this the psalmist taketh notice, Ps. 
 civ. 15, where he saith, ' oil to cause the face to shine.' 
 Naomi bids Ruth, before she went to Boaz, to anoint 
 herself, Ruth iii. 8 ; and those virgins which were 
 prepared for the Persian king, did use use oil of myrrh, 
 Esth. ii. 12, which hath an abstersive virtue, getting 
 wrinkles out of the skin, and beautifying the face. So 
 doth the Spirit by his graces put a beauty upon tlie 
 soul, whereby it becometh amiable in God's eyes. 
 ' Thou art fair' (saith Christ of his spouse, Cant. i. 1 5), 
 » Bern. t Cyr. cat. 16. 
 
Ver. :^0, 21.] 
 
 SEEMON XLIX. 
 
 317 
 
 which, as it is true chiefly in regard of his imputed, so 
 secoudarily ill regard of the Spirit's imparted, righteous- 
 ness. All the wrinkles of sin, spots of the soul, are in 
 part, and shall be fully done away by this ointment, 
 which can turn Ethiopians into Nazarites. 
 
 (5.) Anointing the body, especially the head, with 
 oil, is a great refreshment, inasmuch as it maketh way 
 for the emission of noxious vapours, and the free pas- 
 sage of the spirits. There are three qualities of oil, 
 heror, nitor, odor, a smoothness to the touch, bright- 
 ness to the sight, fragrancj' to the smell ; and so grati- 
 fiying the senses, it must needs cause delight to those 
 who are anointed wilh it. Upon this account, no 
 doubt, it was used in feasts and banquets. So much 
 David intimatcth, Ps. xxiii. 5, when ho joineth anoint- 
 ing his head with preparing his table ; and our Saviour, 
 Mat. vi. 17, when he joineth washing the face and 
 anointing the head. To this Solomon alludeth when, 
 persuadingto a cheerful life, he saith, Eccles. ix. 8, 'Let 
 thy head want no ointment ;' and the prophet Amos, 
 chap, vi. 0, when describing the jollity of thoseepicures, 
 he saith, ' They anoint themselves with the chief oint- 
 ments ;' to which agreeth that of Wisdom,* Come, let 
 us fill ourselves with 'wine and ointment. How iitly 
 doth this represent the Spirit's unction, which alone 
 rejoice and exhilarate the soul ! For this reason it is, 
 that the Holy Ghost is called the ' oil of gladness,' Ps. 
 xlv. 7, and joy is called the 'joy of the Holy Ghost,' 
 Kom. xiv. 17, and is reckoned up as one of the fruits 
 of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22. That joy which doth not 
 proceed from him is a worldly madness, not true joy ; 
 the heart cannot be really merry, till it is anointed 
 with the grace and comfort of the Spirit. 
 
 (6.) Lastly, and most suitably to the text in hand, 
 anointing the e)-es cleareth them. So much is intimated 
 in the counsel of Christ to the Laodicean church : 
 Rev. iii. 17, ' Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that 
 thou mayest see.' So doth this spiritual unction en- 
 able the mind to discern spiritual objects ; and whereas 
 other ointments may help the dim sight, this opens 
 the blind eyes. This is that which is illustrated by 
 the penetrating virtue of oil when applied to any part 
 of the body, which is by opening the pores. What 
 other is the Spirit's illumination but a sacred pene- 
 tration, by "opening the understanding ? To this pur- 
 pose is that allusion concerning oil, that it feedeth the 
 lamp, and so maintaineth the light, which otherwise 
 would go out ; for which reason oil was prepared for 
 the light of the sanctuary, Exod. xxv. 6. Thus doth 
 the blessed Spirit first cause (which oil cannot do), and 
 then preserve a divine light in the soul, to guide its 
 feet into the way of peace. We fuid in the ancient hiero- 
 gh'phics the olive to have been an emblem of wisdom : 
 true wisdom is from above, and drops down from that 
 olive tree, the sacred Spirit. In one word, as the 
 dove bringing an olive branch to Xoah assured him 
 that the waters were abated, so the Spirit, bringing an 
 * Wisd. ii. 7. 
 
 olive branch of peace to the soul, enableth it to know 
 that the waters of God's wi-ath are abated, than which 
 no knowledge more desirable. 
 
 2. The more special use of anointing with oil is for 
 the consecration or setting persons apart for some 
 eminent office ; more particularly, there were three 
 olBces to which men were with oil anointed, to wit, 
 that of a king, a priest, and a prophet. We read in 
 the ceremonial law, Exod. xxis. 7, of an oil which, by 
 God's direction, was first to be made, and then poured 
 on Aaron and his sons the priests ; it was the command 
 of God to Samuel that be should take an horn of oil, 
 and anoint David king, 1 Sam. xv. 1. The like cere- 
 mony we find used in Solomon's inauguration. God 
 bid Elijah to anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat to be 
 prophet in his room, 1 Kings xix. 16. To this practice 
 Calvin conceiveth* that the apostle alludeth in this 
 place. Indeed, by this unction it is that we are con- 
 secrated kings to captivate our lusts, moderate our 
 passions, and order our conversations ; priests, to keep 
 ourselves unspotted of the world, to sacrifice our bestial 
 lusts, and to offerup prayers and praises to God; finally, 
 (and most congruously to our apostle's scope) prophets, 
 to understand in some measure the spiritual mysteries 
 of salvation. 
 
 What now remaineth for the closing of this particu- 
 lar, but that we look upon this word unction as a word 
 of security, of humility, of dignity, of hilarity, of feli- 
 city, and of duty. 
 
 It is a word, 
 
 1. Of secwitij. Indeed, that is the design of our 
 apostle, to point out to us what is our best safeguard 
 against the blows, refuge from the storm, and antidote 
 against the poison, especially of heretics and heresies. 
 So much the adversative particle hut intimateth, that 
 this unction is opposed as a preservative against heresy. 
 That promise of God to his people, concerning the 
 Assyrian, Isa. x. 17, ' His burden shall be taken from 
 thy shoulder, and his j'oke from ofl" thy neck, because 
 of the anointing,' is no less true of this unction, by 
 which our necks are freed from the yoke of destroying 
 errors. Warriors of old, that they might make their 
 armour glister, and render themselves formidable to 
 their enemies, used to anoint it with oil. To this the 
 prophet alludeth where he saith, Isa. xsi. 5, ' Arise, 
 ye princes, and anoint the shield.' Lo, here an 
 anointing, which is our shield, whereby we become 
 terrible to Satan and his instruments, so that in vain 
 do antichi'ists set themselves against those who are 
 guarded with this unction. 
 
 2. Of humilitij. Letting us see what we are in and 
 of ourselves, how hard our hearts, dead our affections, 
 blind our understandings; how destitute of grace and 
 peace, and joy, yea, all heavenly good ; else what 
 need were there of this unction to soften, enlighten, 
 and enliven us ? The truth is, as the box hath no 
 fragrancy in itself but what it receiveth from the oint- 
 
 * Calvin in loc. 
 
31S 
 
 HARDY ON ] JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 ment that is in it, no more have we any excellency 
 but what we receive from the Spirit. Abraham's 
 faith, Solomon's wisdom, Job's patience, David's zeal, 
 Noah's obedience, were all but as so many drops of 
 this oil ; and therefore let us leam to be vile in our 
 own eyes, taking; nothing to ourselves but ignorance, 
 and folly, and wickedness. 
 
 8. Of (lit/iiiiij. Glorious things are spoken of be- 
 lievers by the apostle Peter : 1 Peter ii. 9, where he 
 saith, they are ' a chosen generation, a royal priest- 
 hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ;' and these 
 privileges they partake of by virtue of this unction. 
 Greater honour there cannot be than those of royalty 
 and priesthood. Kings are honourable, and priests 
 are venerable ; kings are the greatest of men, priests 
 are men of God. Such honour have all they to whom 
 this sacred unction is given. "Wicked men have low 
 thoughts of believers ; it is because they perceive not 
 this uuction : but it matters not to be despicable in 
 the world's, whilst wo are honourable in God's, eyes. 
 
 4. Of hilarity. Indeed, this oil is called by the 
 psalmist, ' the oil of gladness,' inasmuch as it fills the 
 heart with spiritual joy. There is, as Bellarmine well 
 observeth,* an oil of sadness, which is used at funerals, 
 and there is is an oil of gladness, which is used at festivals, 
 and to this is the Spirit compared. None are more 
 cheerful in all conditions than the anointed ones ; 
 this oil so mitigateth the asperity of afHiction that 
 those who have it are ' exceeding joyful in all their 
 tribulations.' In which respect St Jerome saith ex- 
 cellently, Multi rident cnicem iioslram, sed non vidciit 
 undionem nostram, many see our affliction, but not our 
 unction ; our troubles, but not our comforts ; our tribu- 
 lation, but not our consolation, which far exceeds them. 
 
 5. 01 felicilij. Indeed, as the anointing of David 
 by Samuel assured him of the possession of the crown 
 and kingdom in due time, so doth this unction ascer- 
 tain all believers of the kingdom which was prepared 
 for them from the beginning of the world. To this 
 purpose it is that the Spirit, which here is called the 
 unction, is elsewhere by St Paul styled ' the earnest 
 of our inheritance, Eph. i. 13 ;' and as receiving the 
 earnest entitlcth to the inheritance, so doth the receiv- 
 ing of the Spirit. Thus, by what we have, we con- 
 clude what we shall have, and the participation of the 
 unction giveth a firm expectance of the coronation. 
 
 6. Of diiti/, which lielh in two things : 
 
 (1.) Making use of this unction for those choice and 
 excellent ends to which it is designed. It is not tho 
 ointment in the box, but applied to tho part, which be- 
 cometh cftoctual. What will tho most precious unguent 
 avail him that hath it, but doth not use it ? Oh, there- 
 fore, Christians, bo wise to improve this unction to 
 the best advantage. AVhcn, then, at any time, we 
 feel our consciences wounded, our spirits dejected, 
 have recourse to this unction for benefit and comfort; 
 if (as oh, how oft !) thon pcrceivest in thyself an 
 * Bel. cone. xxxi. 
 
 hardness and darkness, rendering thee unprofitable 
 under the means of grace, and unfit for holy services, 
 make use of this unction to soften and quicken thee. 
 
 (2.) Walking worthy of, and answerably to, this 
 unction. It is an undoubted truth, where much is 
 received, much is expected ; the greater helps are 
 afi'orded, the gi'eater performances are required. God 
 lookoth for more from them to whom he hath given 
 his written word, than from those who have only tho 
 light of nature ; and he looketh for yet far more from 
 them to whom he giveth an internal unction, than 
 those who have only an external revelation ; and 
 therefore, as St Paul exhorts the Thessalonians, 1 
 Thes. iv. 1, to ' walk worthy of their high and heavenly 
 calling,' so let me exhort Christians to walk worthy 
 of this high and heavenly unction. And so much for 
 the matter of the gift ; pass we on to 
 
 2. The recipients of this gift, in the pronoun i/oii ; 
 not only we apostles, but you Christians ; and so this 
 appeareth to be a privilege belonging to all that aro 
 efl'ectnaliy called to Christianity. It is St Paul's uni- 
 versal negative, Kom. viii. 9, ' If any man have not 
 the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,' in which is in- 
 cluded that universal affirmative, all that are Christ's 
 have his Spirit. 
 
 To open this briefly, you must distinguish, 
 
 1. Between the miraculous and the gracious unction. 
 Some expositors conceive our apostle here refers to 
 that unction of tho apostles in the day of Pentecost, 
 with extraordinary gifts, whereby the truth of evan- 
 gelical doctrine was confii-med. But had this been his 
 meaning, ho should rather have said wc have an unc- 
 tion ; for though the scent and perfume of that unction 
 filled tho whole church, and so it was for the benefit 
 of all Christians, establishing them in the faith, yet 
 the oil itself was poured upon the apostles ; and there- 
 fore that sense of that phrase seemeth much strained, 
 ' you have an unction,' that is, ' we have an uuction 
 for j'our good.' It is true that in the primitive times 
 the miraculous unction was not only conferred upon 
 the apostles, but upon many Christians ; but yet, 
 since our apostle aflirmeth it indefinitely of those to 
 whom he wrote, I rather conceive that here he intends 
 that unction of illuminating and sanctifying grace which 
 every Christian is partaker of, and by which he is en- 
 abled to know and believe to salvation ; for though 
 every believer is not anointed with tho Holy Ghost 
 and power, yet he is anointed with tho Holy Ghost 
 and grace. 
 
 2. Between tho possession and the manifestation 
 of this unction. It is one thing to have it, and an- 
 other to know we have it ; there may be a presence 
 of tho Spirit, and yet not a sense of that presence ; 
 a man may havo a treasure in his field, and not know 
 it ; all Christians havo this unction from their first 
 conversion, though perhaps they are not presently 
 apprehensive of its virtue and operation. 
 
 3. Between the droppings and tho pourings out of 
 
Ver. 20, 21.] 
 
 SERMON XLIX. 
 
 319 
 
 this nnction. It is one thing to have the Spirit, and 
 another to he filled itith the Spirit. This unction is 
 variously distrihuted ; to some in a greater, to others 
 in a lesser, but to all Christians in some measure. 
 It is not for eveiy Christian, hke St Stephen, to be 
 ' filled with the Holy Ghost,' Acts yi. 8 ; and yet 
 there is no Christian of whom it can be said, as St 
 Jude of those false teachers, ' not having the Spirit,' 
 Jude 19. 
 
 To wind it up ; if we pretend to Christianity, where 
 is our unction ? Where are the virtues and efficacies 
 of our unction ? The Holy Ghost, who is here called 
 an unction, is elsewhere compared to a seal ; and as 
 men use to set their seals on their own wares, so doth 
 God his Spirit upon'them that are his. Oh let this 
 be the chief of our desii-es and endeavours, that God 
 would make us his sealed, his anointed ones : and 
 whilst others count it their happiness when they can 
 say, AVe have lands, and houses, and riches, we have 
 swords, and sceptres, and robes ; we have dainties and 
 music, and all sort of delights; let us esteem it our 
 bliss, and make it the height of our ambition to say, 
 we have an unction. And so much for that. 
 
 3. The last particular remaining to be discussed in 
 this general, is the donor of this gift, namely, ' the 
 Holy One ; ' by which some understand the thii'd 
 person in the sacred Trinity, to whom this character 
 so fitly agreeth, that he is usually set forth by this 
 title, the Holy Ghost. But -the Scripture phrase is 
 not anointing _/>o»(, but icitli the Holy Ghost, by which 
 is intimated that the Holy Ghost is the unguent itself ; 
 and therefore it is more rational to understand by llw 
 Hohj One, Christ," from whom it is we have the 
 unction of his Spirit. So that in the handling of this 
 part, I shall first give you an account how fitly and 
 fully it agreeth to Christ ; and then reflect upon the 
 unction, how justly it is affirmed to be from Christ. 
 
 1. It would not be passed by that the apostle, 
 mentioning Christ, describeth him by holiness. It is 
 the title by which he characteriseth himself in the 
 beginning of his epistle to the church of Philadelphia, 
 Kev. iii. 7, 'These things saith he that is holy.' 
 And that he spake no more than truth of himself, you 
 may hear the same from the mouth of his and our 
 grand adversary the devil, ' I know thee who thon 
 art, the Holy One of God,' Mark i. 24. Our apostle 
 here sets it down very emphatically, the Holj' One, 
 that is, singularly, eminently, perfectly holy ; or in 
 Daniel's phrase, chap. ix. 24, the holy of holies, which 
 our translators fitly render by the superlative degree, 
 ' the most holy ' one. Look as a little before the 
 devil is called ' the wicked one,' because he is ex- 
 tremely wicked, so Christ is called ' the holy one,' 
 as being transcendcntly holy. 
 
 It is that which is true of Christ in reference to 
 both his natures, as God and as man. 
 
 1. Holiness is the inseparaljle property of a deity; 
 * iyUu interprotor de Cliristo. — Dan. Grot. 
 
 it is, as it were, the excellency and perfection of the 
 Godhead, and crown of all the attributes. Now Christ 
 is God's own Son, to whom he communicateth him- 
 self, and so this holiness. The angels in Isaiah, 
 chap. vi. 3, and the beasts in the Kevelations, chap, 
 iv. 5, giving glory to God, three times iterate, ' Holy, 
 holy, holy,' with reference, as some* conceive, to all 
 the three persons. Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy 
 Spirit. And thus Christ, as God, is holy in his 
 nature, in his decrees, in his word and works ; and 
 eternally holy in all he is and willetb, he saith and 
 doth ; according to that of the psalmist. Ps. cxh. 17, 
 ' He is holy in all his works.' 
 
 2. As man, he is the holy one ; and that both in 
 respect of his conception and conversation. 
 
 (1.) Ilis conception was holy, because of the Holy 
 Ghost, who overshadowed the virgin, purifj'ing that 
 part of her substance of which Christ was born, 
 whereby he was free from all that corruption which is 
 by Adam propagated to his posterity. To this pro- 
 bably refers that phrase, Acts iv. 23, ' the holy child 
 Jesus ; ' and certainly that of the angel to the virgin, 
 Luke i. 35, ' The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, 
 and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; 
 therefore the holy thing which shall be born of thee 
 shall be called the Son of God.' True it is, Christ 
 took upon him the reality of frail flesh, but only the 
 likeness of sinful flesh ; and though he assumed our 
 natural, yet not our vicious defects. 
 
 (2.) His conversation was holy. Indeed, how could 
 any impure stream flow from so pure a spring ? His 
 nature being holy, his life could not be unholy ; and 
 there being an exact integrity in the one, there must 
 needs be a spotless innocency in the other. On the 
 one hand, he was to be a pattern of holiness, after 
 whose copy all Christians are to write; good reason it 
 should be exact, without the least blot ; on the other 
 hand, he was to be a sacrifice for sin, which he could 
 not have been if he bad not been without sin, and 
 therefore it behoved him to ' fulfil all righteousness ' 
 by a full conformity to that exact rule of God's law. 
 
 Nor is he only holy, but the Holy One, in respect 
 of both his natures. 
 
 1. In regard of his divine nature, inasmuch as he 
 is essentiallj', infinitely, originally, and immutably 
 holy. Esseiilialh/, because his holiness is not an 
 accident to him, but his very essence ; infinitely, 
 because his holiness is not only without imperfection 
 but limitation ; orirjinalhi, because his holiness is 
 from himself, and he is the cause of all holiness in 
 the creature ; immutahhj, because it is altogether im- 
 possible he should cease to be holy, for then he must 
 cease to be God. Well might Hannah say, 1 Sam. 
 ii. 6, ' None holy as the Lord.' And indeed this 
 phrase is most properly verified of him in this regard ; 
 for as Aristotle, though be call other things good, yet 
 when he speaketh of the chief good, he calleth it by 
 * Vide Damasc. de Ortbod. fide. lib. iii. cap. x. 
 
320 
 
 HARDY ON I JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 way of eminency to uyafov, the good ; so though the 
 creature may be said to be holy, yet o ciyioi, the Iwly 
 one, most properly belongs to God ; though yet, 
 
 Secondarily, and in a comparative sense, not only 
 ■with all other men but angels, Christ, in respect of 
 his human nature, is the holy one, and that upon a 
 a double account. % 
 
 The one, because the holiness of bis human nature 
 far surpasseth that which is in any other creature, 
 and that inasmuch as it was presently to be united 
 with the Godhead. And if some measure of holiness 
 be required in all that approach God, how unmeasur- 
 able and perfect must be that holiness of Christ's 
 human nature, which is united with God, and in whom 
 the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily ? 
 
 The other, because whereas all other creatures have 
 holiness only for themselves, and cannot convey it to 
 others ; in which respect St Austin saith* of holy 
 parents, they beget their children, Non e priiicipiis 
 norilalis, sed e rcliquiis vetiistalis, not from the prin- 
 ciples of the new man, but the remainders of the old 
 man, and so cannot communicate their holiness to 
 their children. Christ is a Sun of righteousness, im- 
 parting holiness to his church ; a root of holiness (as 
 the first Adam was of wickedness), giving the sap of 
 grace to all his branches ; in which regard St Paul 
 saith expressly, he is ' made to us of God sancti- 
 fication.' 
 
 Oh then let us learn to magnify Christ in and for 
 his holiness. That phrase in Moses his hymn, ' Who 
 is like to thee, Lord, glorious in holiness ? ' what 
 doth it intimate but that hohness calls for glory and 
 praise ? Worthy, then, is he who is the holy one to 
 be honoured and adored by us. That expression of 
 the psalmist, ' holy and reverend is bis name,' plainly 
 teacbeth us that sanctity calls for reverence. Oh let 
 us reverence the person and hallow the name of 
 Christ, because he is the holy one. What the 
 Romanists do parasitically to the pope, Christ's pre- 
 tended vicar, calling him superlatively, 3Iust Hohj 
 Father, and abstractively. His Iloliiiess, that we need 
 not fear to do religiously to Christ himself. 
 
 And since we call ourselves Christians, oh let us 
 account ourselves engaged to the study and exercise 
 of holiness. It is St Peter's reasoning, 1 Pet. i. 15, 
 ' Since he which hath called you is holy.' Nor is the 
 argiiment less valid, be by whose name j-ou are called 
 is holy, ' Be j-ou holy in all manner of conversation, 
 because it is written, I'e you holy, for I am holy.' 
 How unsuitable are unholy members to an unholy 
 head ! and therefore how abominable must profane 
 Cbristians bo to this holy Jesus ! Certainly the Holy 
 One is ' of purer eyes than to behold iniquity ' (to 
 wit, without fury) in any, and nuich less in his own 
 followers ; and as Moses saith. Lev. x. 3, ' God will 
 bo sanctified in those who draw nigh to him,' so let 
 me tell you, Christ will be sanctified by those who 
 * Aug. adv. Pelag. 
 
 profess his name ; and therefore either disclaim 
 Christianity or embrace sanctity, that you may he in 
 some measure like him who is here styled the Holy 
 One. 
 
 2. Having given you this view of the title by which 
 Christ is called, be pleased now to look upon this 
 person so called, as he is atfirmcd to be the donor of 
 the unction ; for so the text runs, ' You have an 
 unction from the Holy One,' that is, from Christ. 
 
 It is that which is true of Christ in a double 
 causality. 
 
 1. Meritorious, inasmuch as he was at the cost to 
 purchase this unction, and that at no less a rate than 
 his own blood. The apostle Paul, speaking of Christ, 
 saith not only that ' in him we have redemption 
 through his blood,' Eph. i. 9, 10, but a little after, 
 ' in whom you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of 
 promise,' the donation of the Spirit being one of those 
 precious benefits which Christ's death hath procured 
 for us. 
 
 2. Efficient, inasmuch as having on the cross pur- 
 chased this unction for us, he rose from the grave, 
 and went up into heaven, for this cause among others, 
 that he might actually confer it on us. It is said 
 there was in Rome at the day of Christ's birth a 
 fountain of oil which sprang forth. Sure I am this 
 unction of the Spirit is given to Christ, not only for 
 himself but his church ; and as the ointment trickled 
 down from Aaron's head to the very skirts of his gar- 
 ment, Ps. exxxiii. 3, so the oil of the Spirit is difl'used 
 from Christ to all his members. Those two olive 
 branches mentioned by the prophet Zechariah, chap, 
 iv. 12, ai'e by some expounded of Christ his two 
 natures ; and of them it is said, they empty the golden 
 oil out of themselves, to note that communicative 
 influence from Christ to the Christian, whereby ho 
 partiiketh of this unction. ' It pleased the Father ' 
 (saith the apostle. Col. i. 17) ' that in him should all 
 fulness dwell ; ' not only jilenitudo iiJuiiidantitr, but 
 irdutidanliir ; vtisis, hni /on lis ; an abundant fulness, 
 as in a vessel filled up to the brim; but a redundant 
 fulness, as in a fountain, ' whose streams make glad 
 the city of God.' Thus, as it is said in the Psalms, 
 Ixviii. 20, ' he received gifts,' so in the epistle, Eph. 
 iv. 10, ' he gave gifts ; ' intimating that he received 
 gifts not only for himself but his church ; that as ho 
 received from his Father the Spirit without measure, 
 so we might receive from him the Spirit by measure. 
 No wonder if the Spirit be called in Scripture, ' the 
 Spirit of Christ,' 2 Cor. iii. 17, and ' the Spirit of 
 Christ Jesus,' Philip, i. 10, and ' the Spirit of the 
 Lord,' Rom. viii. 9. 
 
 If any shall ask why the apostle did rot say, you 
 have an unction from him, or from Christ, but from 
 the Holy One ; the answer may probably be returned, 
 that it is to intimate the nature of this unction, which 
 is an holy ointment, and for that end it is chiefly 
 given by Christ, namely, for the renewing and sane- 
 
Ver. 20.] 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 321 
 
 tifying of our natures ; that as the ointment which 
 God appointed to be made by Moses did sanctify the 
 things and persons which were anointed with it, 
 Esod. XXX. 26, 29, so doth this unction confer holi- 
 ness on those to whom it is given ; upon which account 
 it is called ' the Spirit of holiness ; ' and thus it is 
 universally given to all believers, for the preserving 
 them both from sin and error. 
 
 To end this point, and so this discourse. You who 
 are Christians only in name, and want this unotion ; 
 you who are Christians indeed, and would have this 
 
 unction more abundantly ; learn whither to repair for 
 it. It is our Saviour's advice to the Laodicean 
 church, and in her to all Christians, ' I counsel thee 
 to buy of me.' This choice commodity is nowhere 
 else to be had ; and though it cost him dear, yet ha 
 sells it us cheap ; our buying is only begging, our 
 paying praying. And therefore acknosvledging, as all 
 our comfort to be in him, so grace to be from him, let 
 us continuall}' depend on him, earnestly seek to him, 
 that as he hath shed his blood for us, so he would 
 shed his Spirit on us. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON L. 
 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. — 1 John II. 20. 
 
 THE Christian religion, as it imposeth difficult pre- 
 cepts, so it proposeth precious promises ; and 
 though it put the professors of it upon frequent dan- 
 gers, yet it withal assureth them of glorious privileges. 
 Among those many promises and privileges, none of 
 more special concernment than this of the holy unction, 
 the Spirit's donation, by which we are enabled to all duty, 
 and confirmed against all perils. There are two things 
 especially by which the Christian church and her mem- 
 bers are endangered, namely, violent persecutions and 
 virulent heresies ; these corrupt our minds, those per- 
 plex our hearts ; these cheat us of, those affright us 
 out of, truth ; but this spiritual unction is both our 
 consolation and illumination, the latter of which it is 
 that our apostle acquaints us with in the text, ' But 
 you have, &c. 
 
 The second part of this verse is that which I am 
 now to handle, namely, hetifjicii illatio, the benefit 
 conferred on all true Christians, by virtue of this 
 unction, as it is set down in those words, ' And you 
 know all things.' For the fuller discussion whereof 
 be pleased to consider it both absolutely and rela- 
 tively, inclusively and exclusively. By the one we 
 shall see the nature of the benefit, wherein it consists, 
 how fur it reacheth ; and by the other, its original, 
 whence it flowetb, and on what it dependeth, namely, 
 the holy unction. 
 
 1. Begin we with the absolute consideration of the 
 benefit, and inquire what is involved in this, 'Yon 
 know all things.' There is some little diflerence in 
 the reading of one word in this clause, which would 
 not be omitted. The S3-riac reads it as if it were 
 rrairdi, you know all men, and so the benefit here 
 intended is that which is called by St Paul, 1 Cor. 
 xii. 10, ' discerning of spirits ;' To-jTinn saith Theo- 
 philact,* ri iiostai rl; o rrvsu/xdrixoi xcci rig o /j-r, r/; o 
 '!r^'i(priTrii xal rl; o a'^aviuv, that is, to knoA- who is 
 spiritual and who is not, who is a prophet and who is 
 a deceiver. Nor is this reading here unsuitable, be- 
 cause the apostle just before speaketh of antichrists, 
 * Vide Theoph. ibid. 
 
 between whom and the orthodox St John might look 
 upon the Christians to whom he wrote as able to 
 judge. Now, this gift in the primitive times was 
 double ; the one more special, only conferred by the 
 Spirit's extraordinai-y unction upon some eminent per- 
 sons, whereliy they were able to dive into the very 
 hearts of men, and could positively conclude them 
 (as the apostle Peter did Simon Magus, Acts. viii. 23), 
 to be ' in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity,' 
 notwithstanding their fair professions and specious 
 pretences ; the other more general, and to which all 
 Christians, by virtue of this unction, were enabled, 
 namely, to know all men by their fruits, according to 
 that rule our Saviour giveth concerning false teachers, 
 Mat. vii. 16, who, being ravenous wolves, came in 
 sheep's clothing, ' by their fruits (that is, by their 
 works and conversation), or rather by their fruits 
 (that is, by their doctrines and positions) ' you shall 
 know them ;' a gift which, if every Christian might 
 not in some measure attain to, that counsel of trying 
 the spirits, which our apostle giveth in this very 
 epistle, would be in vain. 
 
 But the Greek lection is our best rule, which is 
 iraiT-a, and accordingly our English version is most 
 genuine, 'you know all things ;' for the fuller opening 
 of which, take notice of the extent of the object, all 
 things, and the intent of the act, you know. 
 
 1. Begin we with the extent of the object; and this 
 is set down in a word of the utmost latitude, ' all 
 things ;' but yet a limitation must be annexed to this 
 latitude, and this universal particle restrained. It is 
 the observation of a learned divine,* that God admits 
 into his own names and attributes that addition of 
 universality, omne, as though he would especially be 
 known by that. Thus he is said to be omnipresent, 
 omnisufficient, omnipotent, and omniscient ; and in- 
 deed as an ubiquitary existence, illimited fulness, 
 infinite power, so an universal knowledge is reci- 
 procal with the Deity, and therefore incommunicablo 
 to any creature, so that though there be not expressed, 
 ♦ Dr Donne. 
 
 X 
 
322 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 yet it must be supplied, a qualifying word. They are 
 qiiirdarn omnia, some certain all things, which Chris- 
 tians do know by virtue of this unction. 
 
 More particularly, there is a threefold limitation of 
 this all things. 
 
 1. All divine things. We are not to imagine that 
 this unction malceth all Christians acquainted with the 
 secrets of nature, my.steries of trades, axioms of arts, 
 idioms of languages ; for then every Christian should 
 be an orator, philosopher, artificer, expert in all man- 
 ner of knowledge. ludeed, if the Spirit pleased, he 
 could inspire such a knowledge into the minds of 
 believers ; and we find particular instances of those to 
 whom ho hath extraordinarily given knowledge in 
 human things, when it hath been in subserviency to 
 Bome divine ends. So Bezaleel is said to be ' filled 
 with the Spirit,' and skilled to do the work of the 
 sancluary, Exod. xxxi. 3. Thus the illiterate fisher- 
 men were furnished with the gift of tongues, to speak 
 to the people in their several languages the mysteries 
 of the gospel ; but yet this is not the Spirit's ordinary 
 way, who leaveth human knowledge to the acquisition 
 of human industry, and consequently it is only the 
 knowledge of divine things which is here meant. 
 
 2. All divine things revealed. That speech of Moses, 
 Deut. xxix. 29, 'Secret things belong to God, revealed 
 things to us and to our children,' plainly intimateth 
 that there are some things which God in wisdom 
 kecpeth hid from the sons of men ; and as he in Plu- 
 tarch answered the man which asked him why his 
 basket was covered, because he should not look into 
 it, so hath God therefore concealed those things that 
 we should not pry into them. It was the fault of our 
 first parents, that they desired to know more than God 
 Would have them ; as we do not, so we must not de- 
 sire, to know hidden mysteries. Indeed, the psalmist's 
 expression is, Ps. xxv. 13, ' The secret of the Lord is 
 with them that fear him;' but what that secret is ap- 
 peareth in the very next verse, ' he will shew him his 
 covenant,' which is revealed in his word, and is only 
 secret because hid from them that perish. True it is, 
 where this unction is extraordinarily conferred upon 
 prophets and apostles, they have been so inspired as 
 to discern, and accordingly to utter strange things, 
 such as were to come to pass many ages after ; but 
 still the ordinary influence of this unction enableth 
 only to know those things which God hath revealed 
 in his word. 
 
 8. All divine things revealed that are necessary to 
 be known; omnia nccessaria coijnoscoidix antichristix, ct 
 cavcndis itlorum iiisidiis, so Beza and Grotius,* all 
 things necessary for discovering these antithrists and 
 avoiding their snares; omnia qna: ad solnttni jicrtiiieiit, 
 60 Bernard and Ferus,f all things which are neces- 
 sary to salvation. We are not to imagine that this 
 unction enlightcneth every Christian to understand 
 
 * Bcza in loc. ; nrot. in loc. 
 
 t Fer. in loc. ; Ccrn. scr. ii. de Pentecost. 
 
 the whole Scripture so far as to interpret its dark 
 sentences, enigmatical phrases, abstruse prophecies; 
 but so far as is needful in order to preserve us from 
 damnable heresies and the attain ing of eternal salvation, 
 this unction enableth to apprehend the will of God re- 
 vealed in his word. 
 
 With these limitations we may very well enlarge 
 all things to God, Christ, ourselves, sin, Satan, the 
 law, the gospel, grace, and glory. Christians know 
 God, his unity and trinity, his mercy and faithful- 
 ness, power and wisdom, justice and goodness ; they 
 know Christ, his person, his nature, his offices, hia 
 benefits, and that love of his which passeth know- 
 ledge ; they know tlwinsilrcs, how wretched and miser- 
 able, poor, blind, and naked; they know the sinfulness 
 oi sill, the devices ol Satan, the deceitfiilness of their 
 o\m hearts ; they know what it is God requiretk of 
 them, and what he hath promised to them ; they know 
 the things that are freely given them of God, and the 
 things that are mercifully jnejuircd for them ; in a 
 word, whatever things pertain to life and godliness, 
 to glory and happiness, are in some measure made 
 known to them. And thus you have a short account 
 of the large extent of this object. Pass we on to the, 
 
 2. Intent of the act, you know. Now, that know- 
 ledge which this unction efl'ects in the minds of be- 
 lievers hath these three properties : it is, 
 
 (1.) Certain and establishing. It is not a conjectural 
 opinion, but a confident persuasion, which Christians 
 have of divine truths. Non leri ginidmn et peifnnc- 
 loriii, sed solidd cognitione rernm inihiiti estis, so Gro- 
 tius glosseth.* It is not a slight and perfunctory, 
 but a solid and evident knowledge, so that neither 
 the subtleties of autichristian teachers, nor the vio- 
 lences of autichristian persecutors, can withdraw such 
 an one from the truth ho hath embraced. ' We 
 believe and are sure' (saith St Peter, in the name of 
 himself and the rest of the disciples, John vi. 09), 
 ' that thou art that Christ, the Sou of the living God.* 
 Indeed, there are different degrees of this certainty, 
 according to the different dispensation of this unction; 
 but every one who is taught of God and anointed 
 with the Holy Ghost hath some mcnsm'e of certainty 
 as to fundamental verities. When perhaps his head is 
 too weak to grapple with some kind of heretical 
 arguments, yet his heart is strongly resolved to hold 
 fast the evangelical doctrines ; and though he cannot 
 dispute, yet he will believe; and though they bo things 
 not seen by sense or reason, yet his faith, "being built 
 on a divine testimony, niaketh them clear and evident, 
 Heb. xi. 1, so as he dares venture his soul on them. 
 
 (2.) Savoury and relishing. He that hath this unc- 
 tion, so knoweth, as to taste a sweetness and excel- 
 lency in divine things, insomuch that, with St Paul, 
 he accounts all other things as dung and loss in com- 
 parison of the excellency of this knowledge. There 
 is a great deal of difference between that knowledge a 
 * Grot in loc. 
 
Ver. 20.] 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 323 
 
 man hatli of countries by a map, and that wliich he 
 attainctb to by travels. It is cue thing for a man to 
 hear a discourse of the beauty of colours, or the sweet- 
 ness of honey, and another for a man to see the one 
 and taste the other. ' Oh taste and see' (saith the 
 psalmist, Ps. xsxiv. G) ' that the Lord is good ;' so 
 doth every Chi'istian. His knowledge in divine things 
 is like the eye to colours, and the taste to meats : he 
 so saeth, as to be enamoured with the beauty ; he so 
 tastcth, as to be well pleased with the sweetness of 
 them. The needle which is touched with the load- 
 stone, doth not more naturally move towards the pole, 
 than a soul touched with the blessed Spirit moveth 
 towards heavenly objects. In one word, this know- 
 ledge, like the light, not of the moon, but sun, is ever 
 attended with heat, and so doth not only enlighten 
 the mind, but enliven and inflame the afiections. 
 
 (3.) Operative and transforming. ' We all' (saith 
 the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 18), ' with open face beholding 
 as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into 
 the same image.' In other sciences, a man may be 
 exact at the theory, and unskilful in the practice ; but 
 in divinity, that only is the right knowledge which 
 mouldeth a man into the frame of what he knoweth. 
 We read of Jacob, Gen. xxx. 37-39, that upon the 
 agreement between him and Laban, ' he took rods of 
 gi'een poplar, and the hazel, and chesnut-tree, and 
 peeled white strakes in them, and made the white ap- 
 pear that was in the rods, and set them before the 
 flocks, in the gutter, in the watering-troughs, when 
 the flocks came to drink, and conceiving before the 
 rods, they brought forth ring-straked, speckled, and 
 spotted.' The like eflicacy hath a true sight and 
 apprehension of evangelical truths upon every Christian, 
 enabling him to turn words into works, and shew forth 
 a conformity to them in his life. He knoweth God 
 and Christ, so as to trust in, and become like to, them; 
 the precepts, so as to observe and obey them ; sin and 
 heresies, so as to abandon and abhor them ; for which 
 cause, perhaps, it is that the gospel is called a doctrine 
 according to godliness, not only because it teacheth 
 godliness, but being rightly known, it enableth men to 
 live godly. Eunapius, in the Life of Porphyrj-, speaking 
 of his master Longinus, saith that he was (ii$'KioiSri-/.n 
 rii iji,-^\i-i^(j; y.ai m^i'raTo~v liovahov, a living library, 
 a walking stud3' ; so is the anointed Christian, 
 having digested the fense of Scripture into vital blood, 
 and commenting upon scriptural doctrine by a prac- 
 tical conversation. 
 
 To shut up this first consideration in a double me- 
 ditation. 
 
 1. How glorious a privilege is it to be a Christian, 
 and partake of the unction. What is more valued by a 
 rational creature than knowledge '? And by virtue of 
 this unction we attain the knowledge of all things, — 
 I mean those all things which are the only things, — 
 and without which he that hath the tongue of men 
 and angels, and hath the exactest insight iuto arts 
 
 and sciences, may yet be said to know nothing, no- 
 thing of that which he ought chiefly to know, and 
 which every true Christian in some measure attaineth 
 to. How clear and quick-sighted is a spiritual en- 
 lightened eye ! It seeth not only things that are 
 near, but afar ofi'; present, but future; things below, 
 but above ; looking even within the veil, into the holy 
 of holies. The Christian knoweth those things which 
 others are mere strangers to ; he knoweth those things 
 he did before, after another and a better manner. 
 That blasphemous expression of the familists, that a 
 Christian is deified, may in some sense receive a fair 
 construction, whilst every Christian hath a kind of 
 omnipotoncy and omniscieucy. The former is by St 
 Paul asserted of himself, Philip, iv. 13, ' I can do 
 all things,' to wit, ' through Christ that strengtheneth 
 me ;' and the other is here aflirmed by St John of the 
 Christians, ' You know all things,' to wit, having re- 
 ceived the unction. 
 
 2. How great will the capacity of our knowledge 
 be when we come to heaven ! What a surpassing 
 brightness shall then encompass our souls, when we 
 shall see all truth in him who is truth itself ! That 
 phrase of St Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 9, ' we know in part,' 
 seemeth directly opposite to this of St John, ' you 
 know all things;' but yet they are easily reconciled, 
 by observing St Paul's scope in that place, which is 
 to compare our knowledge for the present with that 
 which we shall have hereafter. In reference to which 
 the largest measure of knowledge we attain here is 
 but a narrow scantling ; the knowledge we have here 
 is an integral knowledge, extending itself to all things 
 necessary, as a child is an integral man, having all the 
 faculties and members of a man ; and, therefore, truly 
 saith our apostle, ' you know all things.' But yet 
 withal it is a gradual knowledge, rising by degrees, as 
 a child groweth stronger and taller, and is so imper- 
 fect, that, in comparison of that knowledge we hope 
 for, justly said St Paul, ' we know in part.' Indeed, 
 our present knowledge is but scintilla fiituiv lucis, a 
 spark to that flame, a drop to that flood, a beam to 
 that splendour we shall then enjoy ; so that, though 
 in itself it be an extensive, yet in this respect it is a 
 defective, knowledge which we now attain. Then, and 
 not till then, it is that we shall Imow all things which 
 a rational creature is capable of; we shall swim in a 
 vast ocean of divine knowledge ; we shall be sur- 
 rounded with such a glorious light, whereby we shall 
 exactly, perfectly know whatever may conduce to make 
 us happy. Oh, how few are the all tliinos we see 
 now, in respect of the all thintjs we shall behold 
 then ! How many things are now hid from us, which 
 shall then be discovered to us ! And surely that 
 little taste we have now of divine knowledge, cannot 
 but make us long for that state wherein we shall have 
 our full draught. 
 
 Having despatched the absolute, pass we on to 
 the relative consideration of this benefit, as it is an 
 
324 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 effect of that unction mentioned in the former clause ; 
 and that such an efi'cct, as can flow from no other 
 cause, so that the affirmation iutendeth a negation ; 
 and when it is said, ' you have an unction, and linow 
 all things,' it implieth, that without this unction j-ou 
 cannot know any thing, to wit, of those things, and 
 with that knowledge which is here intended, and hath 
 already been unfolded. 
 
 Indeed, as to corporeal sight, there are among 
 others two things especially required, to wit, an eye 
 within, and a light without ; and, therefore, if either 
 adest lumen, et dcsunt ociili, light be present, but the 
 ■visive faculty absent, or adsunt ocuti, et deest lumen, 
 the visive faculty be present, but the light absent, 
 there can be no sight ; so is there required to spi- 
 ritual knowledge an external revelation, and an internal 
 illumination, the one whereof sets the object before 
 us, and the other elevateth the understanding within 
 us, and both of those are from this unction. 
 
 1. By the extraordinary unction of the Holy Ghost, 
 the apostles were inspired to reveal, both by their 
 tongues and pens, evangelical doctrine ; and had there 
 not been this revelation of it, we could never have 
 known it. It is not once, but often, that the gospel 
 is called a mystery ; yea, saith St Paul, without con- 
 troversy it is a great mystery. Now, a mystery, as 
 St Chrysostom well observeth,* is aTo'oijirov y.ai Odu- 
 fiaSTov -/.ai ayvoov/j-ivov, something unutterable, admir- 
 able, and inconceivable, so that it could never have 
 been found out by us, had il not been made known 
 to us fi-om above. As for human and natural things, 
 reason is conversant about them ; and yet, even in 
 these, it is many times nonplussed, as being not able to 
 fathom tlie depth of them ; but as to divine things, rea- 
 son is not only dim, but blind. Indued, there are xonai 
 inoiai, some common principles of divinity and mo- 
 rality, religion and honesty, still remaining in our 
 nature ; but evangelical verities are such as reason 
 could never have prompted to us ; so that what our 
 Saviour said to Peter, concerning the particular article 
 of his being the Son of the living God, Mat. xvi. 17, 
 ' flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee,' may be 
 asserted of all the doctrines of the gospel, tliey are such 
 as natural reason could never have revealed to us. 
 True it is, reason, that ' candle of the Lord,' as Solo- 
 mon calls it, Prov. xx. 17, atfords so much light even 
 to pagans, as will render them inexcusable, since their 
 Bot walking according to reasun's dictates shall bo 
 their condemnation ; but it is Christ, ' the Sun of 
 righteousness,' as Malachi calls him, Mai. iv. 2, who 
 giveth us that light, by following of which we may 
 attain salvation; for 'no man knoweth the Father' 
 (whom to know is eternal life) ' but the Sun, and him 
 to whom the Son revealeth him,' Mat. xi. 27. But 
 this is that truth which is agreed to on all bands, even 
 Pelagians and Socinians acknowledging the necessity 
 
 * Cbrysost. in 16 Cor. Horn. vii. 
 
 of divine revelation, in order to the acquisition of 
 happiness. 
 
 2. Be pleased, therefore, to know further, that by 
 the ordinary unction of the Spirit, which is conferred on 
 every Christian in some degree or other, there is a 
 spiritual illumination of the mind, whereby natiu'al 
 reason is elevated to a right apprehension of evange- 
 lical doctrines ; and this is no less needful than the 
 former ; to which purpose is that gloss of Calvin upon 
 the text, iYo/( ncumine proprii seiisus recti siipiunt ho- 
 mines, sed illuminalione Spiiitus, it is not by the 
 sharpness of our own understanding, but by the en- 
 lightening of the Spirit, that we savour divine things. 
 
 To this truth St Paul giveth a most clear and full 
 evidence, where he saith in express words, 1 Cor. 
 ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the things 
 of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto 
 him ; neither can he know them, because they are 
 spiritually discerned ;' where the chief question to be 
 resolved in order to the genuine interpretation of the 
 words is, ulio is the -^uy^r/.oi aii^u-og, natural man, 
 concerning whom this is said, that he receiveth not, 
 and cannot know, the things of the Spirit of God ? 
 
 Some affirm the natural man to be the weak be- 
 liever; but how weakly, will appear, if we observe the 
 opposition of -^vyj/.o;, which is not to TiKnog, one 
 who is perfcct, but Ttiv/iarixo;, every one who is spi- 
 ritual, which, though it be more eminently- true of the 
 strong, yet it is verified of every true Christian, ho is 
 one who hath not received the spirit of the world, but 
 the Spirit which is of God, and so is among the num- 
 ber of the ice mentioned in the twelfth verse of that 
 chapter. And which fully cleareth it, that the -^uy^i- 
 xii; here cannot be the weak Christian, is, that the 
 things of the Spirit are said to be foolishness to him, 
 which cannot be affirmed of any true Christian, though 
 never so weak, who hath learned to adore and admire 
 those divine mysteries which he cannot apprehend. 
 Suitable hereunto it is, that the apostle, in the eigh- 
 teenth verse of the former chapter, 1 Cor. i. 18, saith, 
 ' Tne preaching of the cross is foolishness,' roT; utoX- 
 Xu/iivcii, ' to them that perish ;' whereas the weakest 
 Christian is among the number of the (!ut,o/j,ivoi in the 
 liitter clause of that verse, ' them who are saved,' to 
 whom, therefore, it is impossible that the things of 
 the Spirit should be foolishness. 
 
 Others there are who by ■^uy(^ix.hg understand the 
 man who is altogether destitute of the helps of in- 
 genuous education and divine revelation, whereas our 
 apostle phiinly tells us in the former chapter that they 
 were tlie ' wise disputi rs of the world,' to whom evan- 
 gelical doctrine (when revealed) did seem no other than 
 folly ; and tliercfore when Paul preached at Athens, a 
 place of literatuic and knowledge, arts and sciences, 
 the cry of those sophies is, ' What will this babbler 
 say ?' Acts xvii. 18. 
 
 Once again, some there are who interpret this %)/u- 
 X,i'<-)>i to be one who is given to sensual lusts, and so 
 
Ver. 20.] 
 
 SERMON L. 
 
 325 
 
 hatli bis reason clouded by carnal affections ; but it 
 should then have been ea^xixoi, not -^vyixhi, between 
 which Suidas and Isidore Peleusiota* {from whom 
 probably the other borrowed it) make this distinction, 
 that the carnal man is one who serveth the flesh, and 
 suffereth himself to be guided by his corrupt affections ; 
 and the natural or animal man, one who builds upon 
 human reason, thinking by his ratiocinations, disputa- 
 tions, and syllogisms to find out what is just and pro- 
 fitable, not craving or admitting the influence of the 
 Spirit. 
 
 The -^u^ixhi then here mentioned is every man 
 who (though otherwise well furnished with intellec- 
 tuals and morals, having all those improvements of 
 reason which all kind of philosophy can afford him) is 
 yet altogether destitute of the enlightening and renew- 
 ing grace of the Holy Spirit. Nor is this my distinc- 
 tion, but St Jude's, who, in the characters he givethof 
 those false teachers, puts these two together, -^v^ixli, 
 'xvsZfj.a ij,ri 'i^civn;, explaining the former by the latter, 
 and letting us see that all such who ' have not the Spirit ' 
 are mere ' natural men.' 
 
 Of this natural man St Paul plainly and positively 
 assertcth, he ' receiveth not the things of the Spirit 
 of God.' Indeed, there are ra roZ 0£oD, some things 
 of God, which a natural man may know ; but ra rou 
 wtc'u.u.ari)5 roi/ 0!ov, the things of the Spirit of God, to 
 wit, the truths which are purely evangelical, he re- 
 ceiveth not ; nor is it said wx ivolaxii, but oil b'sy^irai. 
 He doth not find them ou.t, but when they are found 
 out and revealed to him, he doth not receive them ; 
 nor is it only a reception of them into his will, but 
 understanding, which is intended ; for it followeth, 
 ' he cannot know them.' Nor is it only said he dolh 
 not, but he cannot, it being impossible for him, merely 
 by the help of natural reason, to attain the knowledge 
 of them, and this because 'they are spiritually dis- 
 cerned;' that is, the Spirit of God, which revealeth 
 them, must also enable to discern them. Indeed, 
 Sociuus would explain the biyjrai by iu>i<!xii, he re- 
 ceiveth not, that is, he findeth not out the things of 
 the Spirit of God. But this notion of the word find- 
 eth no parallel in the New Testament, nay, is against 
 the nature of the thing ; for receirin;/ supposeth some- 
 thing oflered, which, when it is applied to doctrines, 
 the offering is the revealing them. Nor is it less in- 
 congruity to interpret this of St Paul, he ' receiveth 
 not,' that is, he ' findeth not out,' than if one should 
 expound that of St James, chap. i. 21, 'receive the 
 engrafted word,' that is, ' find it out,' which will so 
 much the more appear if you observe the reason an- 
 nexed, why the natur.ll man receiveth them not, to 
 wit, because ' they are foolishness to him.' And if 
 these things were to be found out, how could the 
 natural man apprehend them to be foolishness ? I 
 have been so much the longer in the explication of 
 
 * Suiilos in voce ^ux^'s. Isid. Pelus. lib. iv. ep. 127. 
 
 this scripture, because it is an explication of the text 
 and the truth in hand. 
 
 For the prevention of those objections which may 
 be made against, and the further confirmation of this 
 position, be pleased to know that, 
 
 1. The reasonable creature is the subject of evan- 
 gelical doctrine. This Spirit doth not bestow his oil 
 upon trees and plants, beasts or birds ; nor dolh he 
 raise up of stones and blocks children to Abraham. 
 All divine knowledge is grafted upon the stock of 
 natural reason. 
 
 2. By that native light of reason within us we may 
 attain the knowledge of many things delivered in the 
 gospel, those I mean which are common to the holy 
 Scripture with other writings. How many things, 
 historical, moral, speculative, practical, are there in 
 the sacred books which we meet with in heathen 
 authors ! Our gracious God would not so overwhelm 
 human infirmity in the patefaction of evangelical mys- 
 teries, that there should be nothing for reason to fix 
 upon ; and yet withal he would not have all things so 
 suitable to reason, that there should be no need of 
 faith. 
 
 3. The literal sense of the Scripture words may 
 through industry be attained to by the help of reason. 
 Skill in the tongues, though it was for a time imme- 
 diately and extraordinary conferred upon illiterate 
 persons by the Holy Ghost, yet is such a gift as may 
 be attained to by common helps; and the same industry 
 which renders a man expert in giving the grammatical 
 sense of other authors, may no doubt enable him to 
 do the like in reading the books of the sacred penmen. 
 Nay, more, the Spirit of God in Scripture doth not 
 afi'ect that obscurity of language which some other 
 writers do, and so the sense of it may more easily be 
 gathered. 
 
 4. The Spirit of God enlightening us to understand 
 those truths which are purely evangelical, maketh use 
 of reason. This av^oc r^c -^u^ns, flower of the soul, 
 is not blasted, but rather the more opened, by the 
 blowing of the blessed Spirit. When a man cometh 
 to be initiated into the school of Christianity, he is 
 not commanded to throw away his reason, only to 
 subjugate it. Indeed, every Christian must deny his 
 reason, but that is as he must deny his affections ; as 
 it is not the extirpating, but the moderating, of his 
 affections, so it is not the casting away, but the cap- 
 tivating, of his reason to the obedience of faith, which 
 Christian religion requireth. In one word, whilst the 
 Spirit's grace is acknowledged to be jirincipiiim, the 
 principal efficient cause, I shall not deny reason to be 
 inslrwiientnm, an instrumental cause, whereby we come 
 to the knowledge of divine things. 
 
 5. And therefore, lastly, this still remaineth as a sure 
 maxim, that natural religion, by what help soever im- 
 proved, is altogether insufiicicnt, without the Spirit's 
 grace, to the savoury apprehension of those super- 
 natural and purely evangelical verities which are 
 
326 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 revealed in the holy Scriptures. It ig not unfitly 
 observed, that as nature bath its secrets, and arts 
 their crafts, so all religions have their mysteries, 
 which are not known but to them who are brought up 
 iu them. It were easy to instance in the Persians, 
 Indians, Syrians, Grecians, Egyptians, Romans, who 
 had their mysterious rites, which the devil taught 
 them ; and accordingly were taken up in imitation of 
 the true religion, which both in the Jewish and Chris- 
 tian church never wanted its mysteries, such as none 
 can comprehend, neither can any apprehend, but those 
 who are taught by the blessed Spirit. 
 
 This is expressly asserted by Christ himself when 
 he saith to his disciples. Mat. xiii. 11, ' It is given to 
 you to know the mysteries of the kingdom.' Vobis 
 datum, lion vohiscum nation, this knowledge is not born 
 with you, but f/i'ven to you. If, then, innate reason were 
 sufficient, what need it be given ? Nor is it only by 
 outward revelation, for so it was to those scribes and 
 pharisces, the wise and prudent, from whom yet those 
 things are said to be hid, to wit, because their eyes 
 were not spiritually enlightened to discern them. If 
 you would know what it is that was given to those 
 disciples, lot one of them, the beloved disciple, inform 
 you, and that in this very epistle, where he saith, ' The 
 Son of God is come, and hath given us an understand- 
 ing to know him that is true,' 1 John v. 10. So that 
 not only the revelation of that we are to know, but the 
 didvoia, understanding itself, whereby we know, was 
 given by Christ ; and this as a peculiar grace conferred 
 on some, whilst it is denied to others. 
 
 To this purpose tend those metaphors of ' opening 
 the eyes,' Acts xxvi. 18, and opening the heart, chap, 
 xvi. 14 ; plainly intimating that, in the work of con- 
 version, there is not only an outward, but an inward, 
 work. Nor are evangelical truths only revealed by 
 the word, but the rational faculties are rectified by the 
 Spirit. What more pregnant instance of this truth 
 than Nicodemus, to whom the evangelical doctrine of 
 regeneration was preached by Christ himself, John 
 iii. 5, and yet by whom it was not understood for 
 want of the Spirit's illumination ? No wonder if 
 God's promise to his people runs, Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I 
 will give them an heart to know me;' without which, 
 though he had shewed his word and statutes to them, 
 they would still have continued ignorant, as to any 
 spiritual and saving knowledge. 
 
 It is a known axiom in philosophy, that there must 
 be a due proportion between the faculty and the ob- 
 ject; and therefore as sense cannot apprehend the 
 things of reason, so neither can reason the things of 
 the Spirit, there being no proportion between natural 
 
 reason and spiritual verities. Indeed, reason in itself 
 is a thing spiritual, as spiritual is opposite to material, 
 but not as it is opposed to natural ; and it must be 
 a spu'itual, that is, a supernatural, quality infused by 
 the Spirit, which can enable us to apprehend super- 
 natural objects. Suitable hereunto is that distinction 
 in the schools of a threefold light — of nature, of grace, 
 of glory — one whereof is far short of the other. And 
 as the light of grace is not proportionable to those 
 beatifical objects of glory, so neither is the light of 
 nature to the spiritual objects of grace ; and therefore 
 most justly is this affirmative, ' you have an unction, 
 and know all things,' construed as including the nega- 
 tive, if you had not this unction, you could not know 
 anything. 
 
 To conclude, then, let the consideration hereof learn 
 us a double lesson, to wit, of humility and prayer. 
 
 1. Let it abase us in our own estimation, notwith- 
 standing our choicest natural or acquired abilities. 
 'Vain man' (saith Eliphaz, Job xi. 11) 'would be 
 wise, though he be born like a wild ass's colt.' Men 
 would be masters, not only of natural, but divine, 
 knowledge; but they become vain in their imagina- 
 tions. In reason, as corrupted, there is a direct 
 enmity against the gospel's simplicity ; yea, the hue 
 of reason at the best is too short to fathom the depth 
 of evangelical mysteries ; and therefore ' if any one 
 would be wise, let him' (according to St Paul's counsel, 
 1 Cor. iii. 18) ' become a fool, that he may bo wise.' 
 He only is in a tit capacity for divine knowledge, who 
 humbly acknowledgeth his own inability of himself to 
 attain it. 
 
 2. As we desire to know all things needful to sal- 
 vation, pray we for the Spirit's illumination. It is 
 strange, and yet true, to consider how simple idiots 
 are able more divinely to discourse of gospel verities 
 than some learned clerks. And whence this but from 
 this special unction of the renewing Spirit ? And 
 when we hear wicked Christians sometimes fluently 
 uttering divine knowledge, whence is it but from the 
 common unction of the illuniinaling Spirit ? There 
 is no unfolding Samson's riddle unless we plough with 
 Samson's heifer, no understanding the things of the 
 Spirit but by the grace of the Spirit, and therefore I 
 shall end my discourse with the beginning of that ex- 
 cellent hymn, 
 
 Holy Gliost! into our wits send down tliy heavenly 
 
 light, 
 Kindle our hnarts with foivcnt love to serve God day 
 
 and night ! 
 
 Amen. 
 
Ver. 21.] 
 
 SEBMON LI. 
 
 WSJ 
 
 SERMON LI. 
 
 I have not irritlen unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye Jinow it, and that no lie is of the truth. 
 
 —1 John II. 21. 
 
 THIS Terse may well be called a religious compli- 
 ment, inserted by the apostle, no doubt, for 
 this end, that he might the better gain upon those to 
 whom he wrote. * That piece of oratory which 
 teacheth capture benevolentiam , to seek the good will 
 of auditors, is of good use in divinit}'.! They are too 
 morose and rigid who account all civil language in a 
 pulpit, daubing with untempered mortar. St Paul, 
 doubtless, did not court Agrippa with a falsehood 
 when he saith. Acts xxvi. 27, ' Bolievest thou the 
 prophets ? I know thou believest them ;' nor did he 
 gild rotten posts when he saith to those Hebrews, 
 Heb. vi. 9, ' I am persuaded better things of you, 
 though I thus speak.' Far be it from St John, who 
 declaimeth against liars, at the same time to be guilty 
 of flattery, which is no better than lying. To soothe 
 up our hearers in their wickedness is abominable, but 
 to smooth them with oily language and silken words, 
 that they may be more phable to what is good, is al- 
 lowable, whilst herein we trace the footsteps of the 
 penmen of holy writ, particularly St John, and that 
 in this verse, which is as it were an insinuating paren- 
 thesis, ' I have not written unto you, because ye know 
 not the truth,' &e. 
 
 In which words there are three generals observable : 
 I. A delineation of the gospel by a double character. 
 
 1. Principal and du'ect, in that it is called the 
 truth. 
 
 2. Collateral and consequential, when it is said, no 
 lie is of the truth. 
 
 II. A commendation of the Christians to^whom the 
 apostle wrote, by removing ignorance fi-om them, at- 
 tributing knowledge to them, in those words, ' not be- 
 cause you know not the truth, but because ye know 
 it,' &c. 
 
 III. An anticipation of an objection which might be 
 made against his writing to them who were thus know- 
 ing, in those words, ' 1 have not written unto you,' &c. 
 
 I. Begin we with the delineation, and therein, 
 
 1. The principal character, which, though comprised 
 in that one word trutli, carrieth in it a great deal of 
 ■weight. 
 
 Not to trouble you with the philosophical distinc- 
 tions of truth, be pleased to know to our present pur- 
 pose, 
 
 (1.) As there is a double word, so there is a double 
 truth, to wit, personal and doctrinal. Our blessed 
 Saviour saith of himself, ' I am the truth,' John xiv. 
 6 ; and some interpreters conceive that by truth here 
 
 * Valent hsec ad conciliandam benevolentiam magnopere. 
 — Zor. in toe. 
 
 t V'iJe Culv. in loc. 
 
 the apostle meaneth Christ. When our Saviour 
 prayeth for his disciples, John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify 
 them through thy truth,' he presently addeth, ' thy 
 word is truth ;' and accordingly others expound truth 
 here to be the evangelical doctrine. To this latter in- 
 terpretation I rather adhere, because it is most pro- 
 bable that St John understands the same by truth in 
 this verse, which he intends by all thinr/s in the for- 
 mer, and those are all things revealed in the gospel. 
 
 (2.) Truth may be construed in a double opposition, 
 either to that which is typical, or that which is false. 
 
 [1.] Sometimes the truth is opposed to types and 
 ceremonies. Thus, when we are required, Jolm iv. 
 16, to ' worship the Father in spirit and in truth ;' as 
 the former is opposed to hypocritical, so the latter 
 most rationally to ceremonial worship. And when it 
 is said, John i. 17, ' The law came by Moses, but 
 grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,' we may pro- 
 bably conceive the sense to be, that whereas Moses 
 only delivered precepts to be done, Christ giveth by 
 his Spirit grace to do them ; and whereas the cere- 
 monial law consisted only of types and shadows, the 
 truth, that is, the impletion of all those, is now per- 
 formed by Christ. Accordingly, the gospel is the 
 truth, because it revealeth the body of those shadows, 
 the mysterj- of those figures, the substance of those 
 types ; and to this Zanchj* conceiveth the apostle Paul 
 might have respect, when he calls it, ' the word of 
 truth,' Eph. i. 12. 
 
 [2.] Sometimes the truth is opposed to falsehood 
 and lies,* for that is the most genuine significance of 
 the word, and withal the most rational interpretation 
 of it in this place, where we find a lie expressly set 
 in opposition to it. Upon this account, no doubt, it 
 is that the gospel is so frequently styled the ' word of 
 truth,' Col. i. 4, and the ' way of truth,' 2 Tim. ii. 
 15, and 'the truth,' 2 Peter ii. 2. To this purpose 
 is that metaphorical phi'ase of St Peter, 1 Peter i. 23, 
 where he calls it ' the sincere milk of the word,' to 
 wit, without any base mixture of falsehood. Indeed, 
 there are some doctrines of the gospel which are not 
 x'erisimilia, probable to our reason, but still all of them 
 are rerissima, of most certain verity. 
 
 For the clearer manifestation whereof (which was 
 never more needful than in this sceptical, yea, atheis- 
 tical age), and that in opposition to all other doctrines 
 whatsoever, be pleased to consider the matter, the 
 witness, the miracles, and the success of the evangeli- 
 cal doctrine. 
 
 1. The matter of the gospel proclaimeth it to be 
 the truth, inasmuch as it layeth down enrer principles, 
 * Zancli. ibid. 
 
328 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [CUAP. II. 
 
 purer precepts, and higher promises than any other 
 doctrine whatsoever. This is that doctrine which 
 maketh full provision for onr comfort, hy teaching us 
 how God and man may he brought together, how jus- 
 tice and mercy may meet each other, by proposing to 
 us such a reward, which, for its excellency and per- 
 petuity, is every way adequate to a rational desire. 
 This is that doctrine which giveth full direction for 
 our obedience, by enjoining such duties as are most 
 just and pure, and so most consonant to right reason. 
 
 2. The testimony given to the historical part of 
 this doctrine, especially that of Christ's resurrection, 
 (which, if acknowledged true, there will be no reason 
 to deny the truth of anything revealed in the gospel) 
 is so valid that there need not, could not, be a clearer 
 evidence.* For however they were persons le.nuioris 
 fortiintc, of a mean estate, yet they were iitculpatic 
 fanuc, of unblemished credit. Nor was it only one or 
 two, but a great number of men and women who testi- 
 fied the truth of it, and this not upon hearsay, but as 
 that which they had seen with their eyes, and their 
 hands had handled ; nor (which would not be left out) 
 was there any hope of profit or preferment, which 
 might induce them to attest a falsehood. 
 
 3. The miracles which accompanied those oracles 
 were such as abundantly confirm their truth ; for, 
 though it is true, the publishers of lying doctrines 
 have, by the devil's help, wrought wonders, yet either 
 they were (as St Paul calls them) ' lying wonders,' 
 mere delusions, making things appear which are not, 
 by corrupting sometimes the fancy, sometimes the 
 sense, sometimes the air, and sometimes the object ; 
 or, if they were true wonders, yet they were not 
 miracles properly so called, because not above the 
 power of nature ; only the devil, either by his agility 
 removing of, or bringing on objects upon the stage in 
 a moment (as it was probably in the magician's imi- 
 tation of Moses, when he turned rods into serpents), 
 or by his sagacity discovering the secrets of nature, 
 ofttimes eflects such things as to us, being unknown, 
 are wonderful, though indeed they are but natural. 
 But the wonders which were wrought by the preachers 
 of the gospel plainly appear to be such as either no 
 created power can at all eflfect, as raising the dead, 
 curing the blind, lame, and deaf, which were so out 
 of a natural defect in the organ, and are reckoned 
 among those total privations which, in course of 
 nature, admit of no return to the habit, or which, if a 
 natural virtue can effect, yet not in that way and time, 
 as the healing of the sick by a touch, by a word, at a 
 distance, in an instant, and therefore were no other 
 than divine miracles. So that, unless we will sup- 
 pose that the true God would coiiiiim a lie by signs 
 and wonders, we must needs acknowledge the truth of 
 the gospel. 
 
 •1. Lastly, the wonderful success which this doctrine 
 hath had in the world may very rationally evince its 
 * Seo more of tliis, Scruiou V. 
 
 truth. It is a known saying, Veritas maf/na et yircrva- 
 lebit, the power of truth is unconquerable, and though 
 sometimes it may be suppressed, yet it cannot be ex- 
 tinguished. Indeed, it is not true reciprocally that 
 though truth will prevail at last, yet every doctrine 
 which prevaileth for a time is truth. If this pica were 
 sufficient, nakedly considered, the Mahometan doctrine 
 would challenge this title of truth, as having gained 
 upon the greatest part of the habitable world for many 
 hundred years. It is not, therefore, simply the 
 strength, but the strangeness of the gospel's prevalency, 
 which argues its verity. That the Mahometan doc- 
 trine should be generally embraced is no wonder, 
 partly because it is a doctrine congruous to man's cor- 
 rupt inclination : it was at first propagated, and is 
 still maintained, by force of arms. But that the evan- 
 gelical doctrine, which teacheth lessons contrary to 
 flesh and blood, liberality to a covetous, humility to a 
 proud, piety to a profane, and righteousness to a cruel, 
 world, which was so much opposed and persecuted by 
 the wise and great men, the princes of this world, 
 should be published bj' twelve illiterate, unarmed men, 
 who had not spears, but only staves in their hands, 
 not swords, but scrips by their sides, and were as a 
 few sheep among a multitude of ravenous wolves, and 
 yet the publishing should be so efl'ectual as to gain a 
 multitude of disciples in all parts, and those such as 
 did, many of them, lose their liberties, states, and 
 lives in defence of it, is so strange a success as may 
 very well be a strong argument to testify the truth of 
 the gospel. By ail which it appeareth what good rea- 
 son St John had to call the gospel ihe tniili, in oppo- 
 sition to falsehood. 
 
 But yet this is not all which this title prompts us 
 to ; for in that the apostle doth not say ' the true doc- 
 trine' in the concrete, but 'the truth ' in the abstract, 
 so that whereas there are many other truths which 
 every art and science teacheth, he seemeth to appro- 
 priate it to the evangelical doctrine, as if that only de- 
 served the name of truth, is very emphatical ; and no 
 doubt his intention herebj' is to let us see that the 
 gospel is eminently and transcendent!}' true. Indeed, 
 Veritas consistit in indirisibili, one thing cannot be 
 /;'»c(than another, but yet one truth may be of greater 
 eminency than another. Such is the doctrine of the 
 gospel, whose excellency will appear if you consider 
 that it is a divine, an universal, and an efl'ectual 
 truth. 
 
 Well may the gospel be called the truth, inasmuch 
 as it is, 
 
 1. The divine truth, which was dictated to those 
 who published it by the Spirit of God. I grant, as 
 St Ambrose saitb, onniis Veritas d S/iiritu nanctn, all, 
 even human truth, is from the divine Spirit ; in 
 which respect truth is called by the Greek poet* the 
 daughter of God, but still it is only scriptural truth 
 which is of immediate inspiration. All truth calls 
 * ^uyccTni Alci. — Pind. Olymp. 
 
Vkr. 21.] 
 
 SERMON LI. 
 
 329 
 
 God Father, but this is his Reuben, his first-born, 
 ' These things saith he that is true ;' and again, 
 ' These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true 
 Witness,' so run the prefaces of the two epistles to 
 Philadelphia and Laodicea, Kev. iii. 14, 17 ; and ac- 
 cordingly St Peter, 2 Peter i. 21, ' They spake as 
 moved by the Holy Ghost.' Indeed, if you please to 
 review three of the fore-mentioned arguments, to wit, 
 the matter, the miracles, and success of this doctrine, 
 you shall find them proving as well the divinity as the 
 verity of the gospel. 
 
 2. An universal truth, such as'containeth in it all 
 truth needful to be known in order to salvation. In- 
 deed, there are many natural truths which are below 
 the majesty and beside the scope of the gospel, and 
 therefore are not contained in it ; but all saving truths, 
 either /o/7«((Z(Ve)' or reductive, in express words or plain 
 necessary consequences, are revealed by the gospel. 
 Hence it is that this doctrine is as it were a rule or 
 standard by which all doctrines must be tried, so that 
 ' if an angel preach any other gospel, he is accursed,' 
 Gal. i. 8 ; for which reason, no doubt, it is called a 
 canon by St Paul, where he saith. Gal. vi. 16, ' As 
 many as walk according to this rule (or canon), peace 
 be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.' 
 , 3. Lastly, An effectual truth, the truth which of all 
 others hath the most powerful operation. Indeed, as 
 it was inspired by, so the preaching of it is still ac- 
 companied with, the Holy Spirit, whereby it hath a far 
 greater eflieacy than any other truth whatsoever ; for 
 whereas other truths have only an influence upon the 
 understanding, this, together with the understanding, 
 hath an influence upon the will and afiections. Other 
 truths may make us wise, but this will make us both 
 wise and better. ' Glorious things are spoken of thee,' 
 thou celestial truth : John viii. 32, ' The truth 
 shall make you free' ; John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them 
 through thy truth,' they are Christ's own words ; 
 James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us by the word 
 of truth ' ; so St Peter. All truth is God's daughter, 
 but this is as it were his spouse, by which he begets 
 sons and daughters to himself. In one word, it is 
 this truth, and this alone, which doth so enlighten the 
 mind as to incline the will, regulate the passions, com- 
 fort the conscience, renew our nature, and sanctify our 
 whole man. No wonder if our apostle call it abstrac- 
 tively truth, and emphatically the truth. 
 
 Having given you this account of the principal, it 
 will be easy to infer the collateral character of the 
 gospel, where it is said, ' No lie is of the truth.' In 
 the Greek it seemeth to be a particular proposition, 
 ' Every lie is not of the truth ;' but it is equivalent to 
 an universal, and therefore is fitly rendered, ' No lie is 
 of the truth.' To open the sense briefly. 
 
 1. There is a threefold He, verbal, practical, doctrinal. 
 Verbal is an untrue narration, when we either affirm 
 what is false, or deny what is true ; practical is an 
 unsuitable conversation, when we unsay with our lives 
 
 what we say with our lips ; doctrinal is an erroneous 
 position concerning matters of faith or practice ; and 
 though it be true of all sort of Kes, yet no doubt it is 
 the doctrinal lie which is here chiefly intended. 
 
 2. Whereas it is possible upon false hypotheses to 
 infer true conclusions (whence it is usual in astronomy, 
 by supposing things that are not, to demonstrate the 
 truth of things that arc), it is impossible from true 
 positions to infer a false conclusion. Indeed, too often 
 wicked heretics fasten their hes upon the evangelical 
 truth, and for this reason probably St John inserteth 
 this clause (which at first may seem supervacaneous) 
 that whereas the antichristian teachers might pretend 
 to boast of the truth, our apostle assureth those to 
 whom he wrote that the truth did not, could not, father 
 any such lies. The truth is, when heretics endeavour 
 to prove their doctrines by Scripture, they deal by it 
 as Caligula did by the image of Jupiter Olympiacus, 
 when he took from it its own head, which was of gold, 
 and put upon it one of brass ; they spoil truth of its 
 genuine sense to put upon it a corrupt gloss, it being 
 as possible for cold to come from heat, or darkness 
 from light, as any lie from the truth. 
 
 3. Nor yet is this all that this clause imports. Minus 
 (licit, plus i-olens intelliiji, saith Estius,* our apostle 
 intends more than he speaketh ; for whereas he saith, 
 ' No lie is of the truth,' he meaneth every lie is against 
 the truth. Indeed, some lies have a semblance of 
 truth, and are so bold as to claim kindred to it ; but 
 notwithstanding their seeming consonancy, there is a 
 real repugnancy, and they are so far from being of, 
 that they are contrary to, the truth. 
 
 To close up this first general. Since the gospel is 
 the truth, and consequently no lie is of it, learn we to 
 embrace it with those two arms of faith and love. 
 
 1. Let us stedfastly believe it. The heathen had 
 an high opinion of their sybils, as appeareth by that 
 of the poet,f 
 
 Credits me folium vobis recitare sybilla ; 
 
 and shall not we yield a firm credence to the gospel ? 
 St Paul saith of the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. i. 5, 
 that ' the gospel came not to them only in word, but 
 in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assur- 
 ance,' intimating that they had not only a conjectural 
 opinion, but a full persuasion of the truth of the gospel. 
 Let the same confidence be in us. It is the truth, and 
 therefore wo may infallibly venture our souls upon it ; 
 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, before the least 
 jot of it shall be found false and lying.' 
 
 2. Let us affectionately love it, so as not only to 
 yield obedience to, but contend in the defence of it, 
 whensoever we are called to it. The heathen in their 
 sacrifices to Apollo cried out, y'/.v/.-u: r, dhrjiiia, truth 
 is sweet. Let us say with David of this truth, ' Oh how 
 sweet it is to my taste : it is sweeter than the honey 
 and the honeycomb.' ]'eritus Christianorum incom- 
 
 *• Est. in loc. t Juvenal. 
 
330 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II, 
 
 paribiliter pulchrior Helena Grtrcoriim, saith St Austin, 
 the Christian's truth is incomparably fairer than the 
 Helen of Grace ; and if the Grecians so hotly strove 
 for the one, how zealously should we contend for the 
 other. We may venture our souls on it, and we must 
 be willing to venture our states and bodies for it ; and 
 as he said, though upon another account. Amicus 
 Plato, Amicus [Aristoteles, sed maijia arnica Veritas, 
 Plato and Aristotle are my friends, but truth much 
 more, so let us in this, My hberty, my life, is dear to 
 me, but the truth of the gospel is far dearer. And 
 that we may thus believe and love, let us be careful to 
 know it, for which it is that our apostle praiseth those 
 Christians. And so I am fallen on the 
 
 II. Commendation, ' not becauscyeknownotthe truth, 
 but_because ye know it ;' whence it will not be amiss to 
 obsen-e, 
 
 1. In general, that this holy apostle is not awanting 
 in just praises of those to whom he writeth. Very 
 often in this epistle he calls them ' little children,' and 
 in this he dcaloth with them as with little children, 
 who are best won upon by encouraging commendations. 
 It was one of St Jerome's counsels to Lteta* about the 
 bringing up of her daughter, Ijaudibus e.rcitanduin est 
 inijeniuiii, that she should excite her by praises. 
 
 When the schoolmaster, by commending his scholar 
 for doing well, lots him see th.at he hath a good opinion 
 of him, it is a notable spur to put him upon preserving 
 and increasing that good opinion by doing better. 
 What the blowing of the hoi^n is to the hounds in their 
 chase, and the sounding of the trumpet to the horse 
 in the battle, that is praise to men in their prosecution 
 of virtue, and opposition against vice. And therefore, 
 let all ministers learn to take notice of, and encourage 
 the forwarduess of their people, and let them be no less 
 careful to extol their virtues than to reprove their vices. 
 When the people do what is commendable, it is butjust we 
 should commend what they do ; and if they tind matter, let 
 not us want words in giving men their deserved praises, 
 according to the pattern which here St John sets us. 
 
 2. In special, take a view of the commendation here 
 given, which is first by way of remotion, acquitting 
 them from ignorance. They w-ere not like St Paul's 
 filthy women, which were ' ever learning, and never 
 able to come to the knowledge of the truth,' 2 Tim. iii. 
 7, nor like those Hebrews who, ' whereas for the time 
 they ouglit to have been teachers, they had need that 
 one teach them again which be the first principles of 
 the oracles of God,' Heb. v. 12 ; they were not such 
 as did not know the truth. And then, by way of attri- 
 bution, asserting that they were such who did know the 
 truth, yea, that they had a distinct knowledge of it, 
 whereby they were able to distinguish betw^een truth 
 and falsehood, for that >ji>u kuow is very fitly by inter- 
 preters supplied in the last clause, ' you know that no 
 lie is of the truth.' Our blessed Saviour, speaking of 
 his sheep, John x. 3, 4, saith, they ' know his voice,' 
 
 * Hicr. Ep. ad La;t. 
 
 and that so as to distinguish it from the ' voice of 
 
 strangers ;' for so it followeth, ' and a stranger will they 
 not follow.' Thus doth St John here commend these 
 Christians, not only for a true, but a clear, knowledge, 
 whereby they were able to judge aright, and discern 
 between things that diHer. Indeed, according to that 
 known m.axim, rectum est index sui et ohliqui, that which 
 is true discovers not only itself, but that which is false, 
 and therefore he that kuoweth the truth knows that no 
 lie is of it. 
 
 That it may the better appear how high a commen- 
 dation this is, it will be needful to discuss a little, on 
 the one hand, the evil of ignorance ; and on the other, 
 the good of knowledge. 
 
 1. Not to know the truth is a sin sadly to be be- 
 moaned, and such as contracts not only guilt but shame 
 upon the person. Indeed, this is not true of all kinds 
 of ignorance. 
 
 There is an ignorance which is commendable, not 
 to know what God hath kept secret, because he would 
 not have us know. It is no shame for a man not to know 
 that which is not in his possibility, and such are all 
 those things which G od hath not been pleased to reveal. 
 
 There is an ignorance \Yhich is excusable, to wit, 1, 
 when it is of such truths which are without our sphere, 
 and therefore have no need to know them ; 2, when 
 it is of such truths as are polemical, problematical, 
 which, partly by reason of the difficulty of the matter, 
 and partly by reason of the imbecility of our under- 
 standing, we cannot attain to a full knowledge of; 3, 
 when, though it be of the evangelical truth, yet it is 
 either through a defect of revelation, which is the only 
 means whereby we can know it, as in pagans, who 
 never heard of the gospel, and therefore shall not be 
 condemned for not knowing and believing it, or through 
 a natural incapacity, as in infants, and fools, and mad- 
 men, who, being not able to make use of their reason, 
 cannot attain to this knowledge. 
 
 But not to know in some measure the necessary truths 
 of the gospel, notwithstanding the opportunities and 
 means of knowledge afforded to us, is an ignorance 
 deservedlj' blameable. Indeed, it is inylii/ciitia iwn 
 i)ii]>oteutia, iucuria iion iucajiacitas, not an impotent 
 incapacity, but a reckless neghgence ; it is not an in- 
 vincible, but a vincible, not a negative, but a privative, 
 not an involuntary, but a wilful ignorance, not of one 
 who would but cannot, but one who may but wiU 
 not, know the truth. And now to be thus ignorant 
 is our sin, our shame, our ruin. What a traveller is 
 without his feet, a workman without his hands, a 
 painter without his eyes, that is a Christian without 
 knowledge, unable to do the will of God. What danger 
 a ship is in that wants a rudder, ballast, anchors, 
 cables, sails, the like is he in who wants knowledge. 
 How easily is ho tossed up and down with every wind 
 of doctrine ! how unable we are to steer a right course 
 toward heaven! how quickly ho is overturned into a gulf 
 of errors and vices ! No wonder if God complain by 
 
Ver. 21.] 
 
 SKRMON LI. 
 
 331 
 
 the propliet Hosea, chap. iv. 6, ' My people are de- 
 stroyed for lack of knowledge.' Our proverb saith, 
 The blind man swalloweth many a fly, and catoheth 
 many a fall. It is no less true of an ignorant Chris- 
 tian ; he swalloweth many an error, and falls into many 
 a sin. This jawbone of an ass, I mean ignorance, 
 hath slain its thousands, laying heaps upon heaps ; 
 in a word, almighty God is so far provoked with 
 afl'ected ignorance that he threateneth by his prophet, 
 Isa. xxvii. 11, ' It is a people of no understanding, 
 therefore he that made them will not have mercy on 
 them, and he that formed them will shew them no 
 favour;' and by his apostle, 2 Thes. i. 8, that ' the 
 Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming 
 fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God.' 
 
 2. To know the truth, and that no lie is of it, is a 
 virtue highly to be commended. Indeed, there is an 
 excellency in all kind of knowledge ; it is a pearl 
 despised of none but fools, knowledge having no 
 enemy but the ignorant. Alexander was wont to say, 
 he had rather excel in knowledge than be great in 
 power.* Indeed, what the eye is in the body, that 
 is knowledge in the mind ; that the choicest member 
 of the one, this the noblest ornament of the other ; 
 but surely this knowledge whereof my text speaks is 
 far more excellent than all other knowledge whatsoever, 
 for whereas by knowledge it is that a man difl'treth 
 from a beast, by this knowledge it is that a Christian 
 differeth from other men. Nidlus omnino cihus miavior 
 quam cnynitio veriiatis, saith Lactantius, no sweeter 
 food to the mind than the knowledge of truth, and 
 especially of this truth. What the foundation is to 
 the buildmg, the root to the tree, that is this know- 
 ledge to the soul, the beginning of all grace and 
 goodness ; what the sun is to the world, that is this 
 knowledge to the mind, to enlighten, enliven, and 
 rejoice it. If that philosopher, when he had gained a 
 new notion in astronomy, was so ravished, that he 
 cried out, suj^jza, £uc>;/ta, I have found it, I have 
 found it, how much greater joy bath the Chris- 
 tian, knowing supernatural truths! In a word, this 
 knowledge is not only that which leads to grace 
 and joy, but glory. St Paul hath put them to- 
 gether, ^vhen he saith, 1 Tim. ii. 4, ' God would have 
 all men come to the knowledge of the truth, that they 
 maybe saved.' No wonder if St John accounted those 
 Christians praiseworthy for this, that they did know 
 the truth. 
 
 And now, I would to God that we could say the 
 same of all our hearers ; but I fear, in regard of too 
 many, we may, instead of commending, condemn, of 
 praising complain, that they arc not such as do know 
 the truth, but do not know it. Our language may 
 not be this of St John's, but that of St Paul, 1 Cor. 
 XV. 3-1, ' Some have not the knowledge of God ; I 
 speak this to your shame.' Indeed, a shame it is 
 
 * Plut. Apophth. Lactant. Instit. lib. i. cap. i. 
 
 that any among us should be ignorant ; for, to allude 
 to the apostle's phrase, Rom. xi. 18, ' Have they not 
 heard ? yea, the sound has gone throughout all the 
 land.' All means of knowledge, preaching, catechis- 
 ing, WTiting, are plentifully aflbrded. God may sny 
 to us, as he did to his people of old, Jer. ii. 31, 
 ' Have I been a wilderness to the house of Israel, a 
 land of darkness ? ' And yet how many remain desti- 
 tute of saving knowledge! It might have been said of 
 this land for these many years, in regard of the gospel, 
 what is said of Rhodes in legard of the sun. Semper in 
 sole sita est lihodos, it is always in the sunshine. The 
 light of truth hath shone gloriously among us ; and 
 yet how many owls fly up and down in this bright 
 firmament ! how many beetles in this Goshen land 
 of light ! Lactantius observtth, that there was never 
 less wisdom in Greece than in the time of the seven 
 wise men; and they say of the Indians, among w^hom 
 all the gold is, that none are more meanly clad than 
 they. Oh that even in this land, which hath equal- 
 ised, if not excelled, all other parts of the Christian 
 world for perspicuous instruction, there were not to 
 be found many grossly ignorant. The truth is, 
 
 1. Some, though they be strangely ignorant, are 
 highly conceited of (than which no greater enemy to) 
 their knowledge. The opinion of having attained 
 knowledge, as it is an argument that a man hath not 
 attained, and therefore, saith St Paul, 1 Cor. viii. 2, 
 ' He that thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth 
 nothing as he ought to know ; ' so it keepeth a man 
 from endeavouring to attain, and therefore saith 
 Solomon, Prov. xxvi. 12, ' Seest thou a man wise in 
 his own conceit ; there is more hope of a fool than of 
 him.' 
 
 2. Some who are sensible of their ignorance, are 
 yet ashamed to discover it, and therefore they seek it 
 not at the priest's lips. Hence it is that whilst you 
 frequently consult with the lawyer, to know the cer- 
 tainty of j'our evidences ; and with the physician, to 
 bo informed in the state of your bod}' ; yet you sel- 
 dom or never repair to the minister, to inquire of, and 
 be informed by him in the things that concern your 
 soul. 
 
 8. Too many look upon divine knowledge as a 
 thing to which only the divine is obliged, they need 
 not trouble themselves about it. If the merchant can 
 but know how to keep his accounts, how to import 
 and export his wares ; if the tradesman can but skill 
 how to buy and sell, and get gain ; if the husband- 
 man can but learn bow to manure his ground, it 
 matters not for the mystery of godliness, and know- 
 ledge of the truth. 
 
 4. Nay, I would to God there were not some, who 
 do not only neglect, but reject this knowledge, saying, 
 with those profane atheists, to God, Wo ' desire not 
 the knowledge of thy ways,' Job xxi. 14 ; and that 
 they may continue in their ignorance, they either con- 
 tent themselves without any, or with some blind guide^ 
 
332 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 who, instead of teaching others, had need himself to 
 be a catechumen. 
 
 Sufler, I beseech you, the word of exhortation, to 
 answer the means with some measure of knowledge. 
 Philip rejoiced that Alexander was born in the days 
 of Aristotle. Let us bless God that we are born in 
 the times of light ; and since God is not awanting to 
 us, let not us be awanting to ourselves. Wait at the 
 posts of wisdom's house, sit at the feet of your 
 teachers, and inquire what you know not from their 
 mouths ; diligently peruse the holy Scriptures, the 
 rich cabinet in which tbis jewel, the knowledge of the 
 truth, is to be found ; purge your hearts of arrogant 
 self-conceit, taste the sweetness of divine truths, 
 obediently pract se what you know; so shall you more 
 and more know what to practise ; above all, accord- 
 ing to Solomon's advice, Prov. ii. 3, ' Cry after know- 
 ledge, and lift up your voice for understanding.' 
 What St Paul prays for the Ephesians, Eph. i. 18, 
 beg of God for thyself, that ' the eyes of thy under- 
 standing may be enlightened.' And when thou hast 
 attained the knowledge of the truth, be not proud, 
 but humble, still acknowledging thy need of further 
 helps, by the tongues and pens of God's ministers, as 
 St John here intimateth, in that he saith, ' I have 
 written unto you, because j-ou know,' which leads 
 to the 
 
 III. Anticipation of an objection, which might arise 
 in their minds from that which is asserted in the pre- 
 ceding verse : If we have an unction by which we 
 know all things, to what end, might they say, or at 
 least think, is your writing? \Vhich objection he 
 prevents by adding, ' I have not written to you be- 
 cause you do not know the truth, but because yon 
 know it.' 
 
 Some expositors conceive these wordsto be an apology 
 for his writing so little. Alimjui lanjiore vohiscum 
 ti^us essem sernioiie* so Grotius, If you had not known 
 the truth, I would have written more largely to you ; 
 but rerhum sapienti sat eat, a word is enough to the 
 wise ; and doubtless, it is a piece of prudence in a 
 minister, to make a distinction between auditories : 
 when tlioy speak to the simple and ignorant, to use 
 more plain, large, and loose expressions ; but when 
 to intelligent Christians, more concise, pithy, and 
 exact. 
 
 The generality of interpreters conceive this an 
 apology for his writing at all, which might seem su- 
 pervacaneous to those who, by virtue of a divine 
 unction, knew so much alreadj", wherein our apostle 
 lets them know, that notwithstanding the knowledge 
 they bud attained, it was still needful to write to them, 
 and that because they had attained this knowledge. 
 In particular, there might bo a threefold reason of St 
 John's writing to those knowing Christians. 
 
 1. In mcvioriam rerociire, to bring that truth to 
 their memory which bad been already imprinted ia 
 * Urot in loc. 
 
 their understanding.* Upon this account, as St John 
 here, so elsewhere, the other apostles expressly apolo- 
 gise for themselves. ' I will therefore put you in re- 
 membrance, though you once knew this ;' so St Jude, 
 ver. 5. ' I will not be negligent to put you always in 
 remembrance of these things, though ye know them, 
 and bo established in the present truth ;' so St Peter, 
 2 Peter i. 12. 'And I myself also am persuaded 
 of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, 
 filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one 
 another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the 
 more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in 
 mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God;' 
 so St Paul, Rom. xv. 14, 15. The truth is, we are 
 very apt to forget what we know. ' Ye have for- 
 gotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you aa 
 unto children,' saith the apostle, Heb. xii. 5. Our 
 memories are like sieves, that let go the flour and 
 retain the bran; we remember what is to be forgotten, 
 and forget what is to be remembered. Need there is 
 we should be minded. 
 
 2. Scieiitiam augere, to increase our knowledge. 
 The truth is, the gi-eatest part of the things we know, 
 is the least part of what we do not know. No 
 truths are so well, but they may be better known. 
 Every command is exceeding broad, and every article 
 very deep, nor can any say. There is nothing con- 
 tained in either which I do not fully know. Disce 
 doceudus cuihtic, was good counsel, be still willing to 
 learn. Luther confessed himself catechismi discipiihim, 
 a scholar to the catechism. The most knowing 
 Christian hath need to be instructed even in the 
 things he knoweth. 
 
 3. //( veritcite coiijirmare, to confirm us in the truth 
 we know. Kotitiam vohis concedo, sed de constantid 
 vestrd sdllicitiis sum, so Aretiusf glosseth, I grant you 
 ai'e knowing Christians, but I am solicitous for j"Our 
 constancy in the faith. We are but too prone to 
 waver in our profession, and too weak holdfasts in 
 spiritual truths ; etiam cuneiitibus addenda sunt cal- 
 carid, though we run well, we need spurring to make 
 us hold out, or else wo should grow dull and weary. 
 So that in all these respects there appears sufHcient 
 reason why our apostle wrote even to them that knew 
 the truth. 
 
 I end all. Take heed how any of you vilify the 
 ministry of the word, cither preached or written. 
 They are words loo often in many men's mouths, I 
 know as much as the preacher can tell me. Dost 
 thou so ? I rejoice in it, but still the preacher may 
 remember thee of, and confirm thee in, what thou 
 knowest ; and perhaps thou mayest learn from him 
 to know it better. Believe it, there is use of evange- 
 lical preaching, and apostolical writing, not only to 
 inform the simple, and instruct the ignorant, but to 
 mind the forgetful, strengthen the weak, and supply 
 defects either of knowledge or affection, or both, in 
 
 * lUyr. in loc, Cartlius. in loc. f Arct. ia loe. 
 
Ver. 22, 23.] 
 
 SERMON Lll. 
 
 333 
 
 the most knowing Christian, which made our apostle 
 thus bespeak the Christians in his time, ' I have not 
 
 written unto you because you know not the truth, but 
 because you know it.' 
 
 SEEMON LII. 
 
 Who is a liar, but he that denielh that Jesus is the Christ ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. 
 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father : but he that acknowled/jelh the Son hath the Father 
 aUo.~l John II. 22, 23. 
 
 T TTF, knowledge of the disease is the better part of 
 the cure ; and therefore the physician's skill is 
 more seen in discovering the malady than in prescrib- 
 ing the remedy. The greatest danger of a ship at 
 sea is by reason of unseen shelves, unknown rocks, and 
 therefore the pilot's chiefest care is, by his own and 
 others' experience, to learn upon what coast they lie. 
 Finally, an enemy discovered is half vanquished ; and 
 therefore it is the saying of Chabrias in Plutarch,* 
 He is the best general who is most acquainted with 
 the designs and motions of his enemj'. Upon this 
 consideration no doubt it is that our apostle, having 
 before in general admonished those to whom he writ- 
 eth of these antichristian enemies, doth here more 
 particularly discover their heresies to us, whereby 
 they might at once be more easily discerned and 
 avoided. ' Who is a liar but he that denieth that 
 Jesus is the Christ ? ' 
 
 In these two verses we have two generals : 
 
 A description of the heretics in St John's days, in 
 the two-and-twentieth verse, ' Who is a liar,' &c. 
 
 An amplitication of that description as to the latter 
 part of it, in the three-and-twentieth verse, ' Whoso- 
 ever denieth the Son,' &c. 
 
 1. In the description we shall consider a 
 
 (1.) Double appellation with which he brandeth 
 them, in those words, ' Who is a liar?' and ' he is 
 antichrist.' 
 
 (2.) Double accusation which he chargeth upon 
 them, of denying that Jesus is the Christ, and deny- 
 ing the Father and the Son. 
 
 (1.) Begin we with the appellations, which are two, 
 liar and oiiticJuist. 
 
 [1.] The latter of these is that which hath been 
 discussed already from the eighteenth verse, and there- 
 fore shall now be only touched. 
 
 That the o avTiy^i'ioro; doth not here design that per- 
 son or party, to which this title is by divines particu- 
 larlj" attributed, will sutficiently appear by what is 
 already said in the fore-mentioned verse ; and accord- 
 ingly Calvin f is express: The apostle speakcth not 
 here of that man of sin who shall sit in the temple of 
 God. So that it is most rationally conceived as a 
 title given to those many heretical teachers which 
 were apostatised from the church even in the apostle's 
 days. 
 
 There are Chriatiani sine ChrUto, Christians with- 
 * Plut. Apophth. ■(■ Calv. in loc. 
 
 out Christ ; such are all they who, professing hia 
 name, have no real interest in him. But here are 
 Christiani contra Christum, Christians against Christ; 
 so far degenerated from their Christian profession as 
 to set themselves in direct opposition to Christ. That 
 the Jews and heathens should be antichrists is no 
 wonder ; but that such who had been baptised into 
 Christ, yea, bad preached Christ, should apostatise to 
 a renouncing of him, renders them so much the more 
 antichristian ; and perhaps for this reason the apostle 
 prefixeth the emphatical article, for whereas the Jews 
 and heathens were antichrists, because not knowing, 
 they never owned, but opposed him; these were such 
 as knowing bad professed him, but either through fear 
 of men, or love of the world, or, which is worst of all, 
 desperate malice, not only deserted, but rejected him. 
 
 [2.] The former of the titles is not onlj' asserted, 
 but, as Gualter well observeth,* by way of interroga- 
 tion amplified, it is not, 'he is a liar who denieth,' but 
 'who is a liar but he that denieth ?' which is as much 
 as to say. If he be not a liar, none is, according to 
 that expression which we sometimes use, (as Estius 
 well observeth f ) by way of aggravation, What is 
 wickedness if this be not? So that our apostle hereby 
 affirmeth of these antichristian teachers, that they 
 were egregious, notorious liars ; for so Beda glosseth.J 
 In hiijus coiiipnratione meiidacii, calera aut parva 
 ridentur, aut nulla, in comparison of this lie, others 
 are small, or none at all. 
 
 There are two things which denominate a man an 
 odious liar : the one, when that which is aiErmed or 
 denied is evidently contrary to truth ; and the other, 
 ] when the thing so asserted is injurious and pernicious 
 to them that believe it. And truly both these may 
 justly be charged on the liars in the text ; for they 
 denied that which was in itself manifest, j'ea, which 
 they themselves had been convinced of; and that 
 which they denied tended to no less than the utter 
 subversion of the Christian faith, and the destruction 
 of those who adhered to it. And therefore no wonder 
 if St John, by way of question, accuse the heretics in 
 his time, of lying : ' Who is a liar ? ' &c. 
 
 That which I shall triefly observe from both these 
 titles is the zeal of this holy apostle in reproving these 
 heretics. Liars are e.recrahile liominum r/ciius, a most 
 execrable sort of men, hated and abhorred of all. Nor 
 is a liar more odious among all men than an anti- 
 
 * Gualt. in loc, f ^^'- ^^ loc, % Beda, ibid. 
 
334 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 Christ is among all Christians ; so that oiu- apostle 
 could not well have branded them vfith names more 
 odious than these. The truth is, two sorts of sinners 
 are severely to be rebuked, hypocrites and heretics. 
 An example of the former we have from Christ him- 
 self, who, reprehending the In-pocritical Pharisees, 
 calls them fools and vipers ; and of the latter in St 
 John, who, gainsaying the heretical teachers of his 
 time, calls them antichrists and liars. 
 
 Indeed, in one of those titles, is a latent reason of 
 his bitterness against them, namely, because they 
 were against Christ. Had they been only his anta- 
 gonists, no doubt he would have been mild and gentle, 
 but his Master's honour was concerned in the quarrel, 
 no wonder if he be so zealous. Moses, the meekest 
 man upon earth in his own concernments, is so en- 
 raged against the Israelites for their idolatry, that he 
 breaketh the tables of the law. The historian observ- 
 eth of Cfesar's soldiers, that they pursued their 
 general's engagements with vigour, whilst they were 
 cool and temperate in their own concernments ; and 
 surely, though towards our own adversaries we must 
 shew meekness, yet when they are not only ours, but 
 Christ's enemies, it becomes us to testify our love to 
 Christ by our indignation against them. It was an 
 excellent saying of Guevara, in an epistle to the 
 emperor Charles the Fifth, Chri^liaiuis nulla re mmjis 
 dir/nosci potest, ijiiam si Deo /actus ccntiimeUas et hlas- 
 phemias sceerissime nlci^catiir, siias ohiiriscatiir, there 
 is no better character of a right Christian than to for- 
 get the injuries done to himself, but to be angi-y at 
 the blasphemies against God and Christ. 
 
 And which serveth so much the more to justify our 
 apostle's severity in reproving those false teachers is, 
 that they were not obliquely, but directly, opposers of 
 Christ ; "they were such who did not only endeavour to 
 lop off the branches of Christianity, but to pluck it up 
 by the roots ; to deface the building of religion, but 
 to destroy the foundation. As there is a difference in 
 sins, so in errors; all diseases arc not alike malignant, 
 nor all errors equally pestiferous ; every heterodox 
 opinion is not a sufficient warrant to brand a man with 
 these appellations of liar and antichrist ; but when 
 they were so heretical as to deny Jesus to be the 
 Christ, no marvel if this holy apostle, not out of a 
 rash bitterness, but a well-grounded zeal, use these 
 harsh invectives. It is a frame of spirit which we 
 find in other servants of God as well as St John. 
 The apostle Paul liaving to do with Elymas, spares 
 him not, but calls him a child of the devil, an enemy 
 of all righteousness, Acts xiii. 10. And writing to 
 the Pliilippians concerning heretical teachers, calleth 
 them the ' concision,' and compareth them to dogs, 
 Philip, iii. 2. No less satirical was that of Poly- 
 carpus to Marcion, Annosco te priiiirKji'iiilum iliuliuli, 
 I know thee to bo the devil's first-born. Let the 
 same spirit bo in ns in oppugning the authors nnd 
 abettors of damnable heresies. The visible descend- 
 
 ing of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles was in fiery 
 tongues ; such tempers had they, yea, all their suc- 
 cessors, the bishops and pastors of the church, ought 
 to have tongues set on fire from heaven, which may 
 flame forih in vehement increpations, as of notorious 
 sinners, so of venomous heretics. 
 
 2. From the appellations proceed we to the accusa- 
 tions. 
 
 The first whereof we find to be denying that Jesus 
 is the Christ ; in which words there is, 
 
 A truth implicitly asserted by the apostle, Jesus is 
 the Christ. 
 
 A hi-resy explicitly charged on the false teachers, 
 namely, the denial of this truth, he that denieth that 
 Jesus is the Christ. 
 
 1. When our apostle saith, ' TVho is a liar but he 
 that denieth?" what doth he but tacitly a ftirm this 
 to be a truth, that Jesus is the Christ ? And because 
 it is a fundamental truth, upon which the whole 
 fabric of Christian religion standeth, give me leave a 
 while to insist upon it, not as questioning, but for 
 the further strengthening your assent to it ; so much 
 the rather, because of the multitude of Jews, which 
 are at this time crept in among us, whom, though I 
 have little hope to convince, yet I would strive to 
 prevent in those secret endeavours (which probably 
 they use) to seduce Christians from the faith of 
 Christ. 
 
 That there was such a man as Jesus of Nazareth, 
 born and living among the Jews, is an history so 
 authentical, that there will be no need of spending 
 time about the proof of it. It is acknowledged by the 
 Jews themselves, witness Josephus in his Jewish 
 Antiquities,* where he maketh an honourable mention 
 of him, in those words. At that time was Jesus, a wise 
 man (if it be lawful to call him man), &c. It is con- 
 fessed by pagans : Suetonius, in the life of Claudius, f 
 speaketh of him by the name of Chrestus; Tacitus, and 
 Pliny the 3-ounger, acknowledged him by the name 
 Chrislus. I And surely that which not only his follow- 
 ers but his enemies confess, may well be taken for 
 granted. 
 
 The only difficulty is to make it appear, that this 
 Jesus that then lived is the Christ: that is, the person 
 whom l^Iosos and the prophets foretold to be the 
 Messiah. To this end, the only thing to be done is 
 an inquiry into the predictions concerning the Messiah, 
 which, if they be found verified in this Jesus, and no 
 other person can be assigned in whom they are veri- 
 fied, it will be clearly manifest that Jesus is the Christ. 
 This waj- of arguing I so much the rather make choice 
 of, because it is that which Christ himself directs us, 
 when he bids the Jews to search the Scriptures, John 
 V. 89, that is, the Old Testament (which then was 
 the only written word), upon this account, ' fur they 
 
 *" Jofjei^li. Antiqu. lib, xviii. cap. xiv. 
 
 t Suetoii. lib. V. riin. Juu. lib. x. ep 97. 
 
 J Tacit, lib. xv. 
 
Ver. 22, 23.] 
 
 SERMON LI I. 
 
 335 
 
 are they that testify of me;' thereby putting the con- 
 troversy to this issue, that if he were not the person 
 ■of whom the Scriptm-e did testify as the Messiah, let 
 him be accounted an impostor and deceiver. Accord- 
 ingly it is that his apostles, in their discourses con- 
 cerning him, still have recourse to the prophetical 
 writings. Thus, St Paul saith of himself, Rom. i. 12, 
 that he was ' separated unto the gospel of God, which 
 he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy 
 Scriptures.' And concerning his doctrine. Acts 
 xxvi. 22, that he ' said no other things than those 
 which the prophets and Moses did say should come.' 
 For this reason it was, no doubt, that St Peter wills 
 those to whom he writeth, 2 Peter i. 19, that they 
 should ' take heed to the sure word of prophecy, as to 
 a light that shineth in a dark place.' 
 
 In this comparing of the prophecies concerning the 
 Messiah, with the history of Jesus, I shall not 
 mention all, nor yet largely insist on those I shall 
 mention, so as to vindicate them from all cavils ; 
 since then, this one discourse would swell to a volume ; 
 and besides, it hath been abundantly done by the 
 learned already ; only I shall run over the principal, 
 and that in such a way as (I hope) will strengthen the 
 Christian, if not convince the gainsayer. 
 
 The prophecies of the Messiah which we meet with 
 in the Old Testament, are such as concern his birth, 
 doctrine, miracles, otfices, suti'erings, and exaltation, 
 all which will, upon due search, be found true in 
 Jesus. 
 
 1. Concerning the Messiah's hhth, there are four 
 sorts of predictions, referring to the time, the place, 
 the tribe, the manner. 
 
 (1.) The first prophecy we meet with concerning 
 the time of the Messiah's coming into the world, is 
 that of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 10, where he saith, ' The 
 sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver 
 from between his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto 
 bim shall the gathering of the people be.' That by 
 iShiloh is mcnut the Messiah, may appear, in that it 
 is so rendered by the threefold Targum of Onkelos, 
 Jonathan, and Jerusalem ; and withal, the periphrasis 
 annexed (to him shall be the gathering of the people) 
 can agree to none but him. Now that which Jacob 
 asserteth concerning the Messiah is, that there should 
 not be a total extirpation of all civil power in the tribe 
 of Judah, before the Messiah came ; and thence it 
 necessarily followeth that the extirpation of the civil 
 power is a sure note of the Messiah's being come. 
 
 (2.) Another prophecy concerning the Messiah's 
 advent we meet with in Daniel, and it is uttered by 
 an angel : ' Seventy weeks are determined upon thy 
 people and upon th}' holy city, to finish the trans- 
 gression, and to malse an end of sins, and to make 
 reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting 
 righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, 
 and to anoint the most holy. Know therefore and 
 understand, that from the going forth of the com- 
 
 mandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the 
 Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and three- 
 score and two weeks : shall the street be built aga.in, 
 aud the wall, even in troublesome times. And after 
 threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut ofi", 
 but not for himself: and the people of the prince that 
 shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary ; 
 and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto 
 the end of the war desolations are determined,' Dan. 
 ix. 24-2G. Where the angel plainly affirmeth, among 
 many other things, that the Messiah should come, and 
 be cut ofl', before the destruction of the city and the 
 sanctuary ; whence it is naturally inferred that the 
 actual overthrow of the city and sanctuary is an un- 
 doubted sign of the Messiah's being come. Parallel 
 to this are those two prophecies, the one in Haggai, 
 and the other in Malachi. 
 
 (3.) The prophet Haggai, chap. ii. 6, 7, 9, brings in 
 God himself, thus saying, ' Yet once, it is a little 
 while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, 
 and the sea, and the dry land ; aud I will shake all 
 nations, aud the desire of all nations shall come : and 
 I will fill this house with glory ; yea, the glory of this 
 latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith 
 the Lord of hosts.' That this is a prediction of the 
 Messiah, will appear among others, by this one irre- 
 fragable argument. The latter house, which is here 
 spoken of, was far short of the former; aud in par- 
 ticular there were five things awauting in it : the U rim 
 and Thummim, the ark of the covenant, the Shekinah, 
 the fire from heaven, and the spirit of prophecy. Now 
 there cannot anything be rationally aiSrmed, as that 
 which, notwithstanding those defects, should render 
 this latter house more glorious than the former, but 
 only the Messiah's presence. 
 
 (4.) Finally, the prophet Malachi, chap. iii. 1, in 
 the name of God, saith, ' Behold, I will send my 
 messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me : 
 and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to 
 his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom 
 you delight in : behold, he shall come.' Where those 
 words, Ihe Lord, vhom i/e seek, are no other than a 
 periphrasis of the Messiah, whom the Jews expected, 
 whom this last of the prophets foretells, not only to 
 come, but to come suddenly, and that with a double 
 behold, to intimate both the certainty and propinquity 
 of his coming. By both these predictions it is clearly 
 manifest, that the time of the Messiah's coming was 
 to be whilst this latter temple was standing, and 
 therefore the destruction of the temple is an undeniable 
 note of the Messiah's being come. 
 
 By what hath been said from these prophecies, one 
 would think the Jew might be convinced of his folly 
 in still looking for a Messiah, whenas it is so many 
 hundred years since the Jewish government, together 
 with the city and temple of Jerusalem, was destroyed. 
 And that the Jesus whom we profess to be the Christ, 
 was born before this utter dissipation, is an history so 
 
S3G 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 clear, that I suppose none will question it. Indeed, 
 many learned Christians have taken great pains, and to 
 good purpose, exactly paralleling the time of the coming 
 of Jesus with the prophecies of Christ, and espe- 
 cially with that which is the most punctual prophecy ; 
 to wit, Daniel's ; referring the going forth of the com- 
 mandment, not to that which was given by Cyrus, but 
 by Artaxerses Longimanus, in the twentieth year of 
 his reign. Yea, some among the Jews (as Rabbi 
 Nehemiah, who lived fifty years before Jesus) did 
 affirm, that the Messiah should come at that time 
 when Jesus was bom. Nay, Porphyry, that bitter 
 enemy of Christians, saw the history of Jesus so 
 clearly corresponding to the prophecy in Daniel, that 
 his last refuge is, to deny those prophecies to be 
 Daniel's. But not troubling myself or you with 
 chronological computations, it is enough for our pre- 
 sent purpose, if it be granted (which I see not how it 
 can be denied) that Jesus was born whilst yet the 
 temple and city of Jerusalem was standing, and about 
 the time of the utter departure of the civil govern- 
 men from Judah. Besides the sacred history of the 
 Gospel, the testimony of Josephus the Jew, and the 
 letter sent by Pilate, a Roman, to Tiberius (to which 
 both Tertullian* and Justin Martyr appeal) do suf- 
 ficiently evince that there was such a person at that 
 time born and living in Judea, and at last crucified by 
 the Jews. 
 
 2. As to the place where the Messiah was to be born, 
 the prophet Micah is express, chap. v. 2, where he 
 sailh, ' But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou 
 be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of 
 thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in 
 Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from 
 everlasting ;' from which scripture it is that the 
 Pharisees gave their answer upon Herod's inquiry con- 
 cerning the place of his birth ; in which respect the 
 prophet and evangelist are filly reconciled, while one 
 calleth it tlic least, and the other saith it is not the least, 
 to wit, because of the greatness of the person born in 
 it. Now that Jesus was bom in Bethlehem, we have 
 no meaner testimony than that of an angel, in his 
 message to the shepherds : Luke ii. 11, 'To you is 
 born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is 
 Christ the Lord.' Nor would it be passed by, the 
 strangeness of that providence which brought it about 
 that he should bo born there ; for whereas Joseph and 
 Mary dwelt in Nazareth (twenty miles distant from 
 Bethlehem, and it was far besides their thoughts to go 
 to Bethlehem), it so falleth out that in a peaceable 
 time the present emperor imposoth an universal tax 
 upon the Jews among others, by which means every 
 one is to go up to the city of their tribe, and so those 
 of the house of David to Bethlehem, the city of David ; 
 and this fell out to be the very time when ' the days 
 of Mary were accomplished that she should be do- 
 
 * Terlul. Ajiolog. cap. xxi. 
 
 livered ;' and this was done that the prophecy should 
 be fulfilled. 
 
 3. The tribe of which the Messiah should come was 
 that of Judah, and more particularly the house of 
 David. This is intimated by Jacob, Gen. xlix. 10, 
 when he foretelleth the coming of the Messiah under 
 the name of Shiloh, which some interpret bis son, to 
 wit, Judah; and inasmuch as this prediction is in- 
 serted in the benediction of Judah, which can be for 
 no other reason but that the Messiah was to come of 
 him. More plain and particular is that prophecy of 
 Isaiah, chap. ii. 1, ' There shall come forth a rod out 
 of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of 
 his root ;' where the Chaldee paraphrase expressly 
 testifieth by that rod to be designed the Messiah, who 
 should spring forth of David, who was a stem of 
 Jesse. Yet more punctually doth this appear in that 
 promise made to David, Ps. cxxxii. 11, by God, 'Of 
 the fruit of thy loins will I set upon this throne ;' and 
 again, 2 Sam. vii. 12, ' I will set up thy seed after 
 thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will 
 establish his kingdom for ever ;' the former of which 
 is expressly applied to the Messiah by St Peter, Acts 
 ii. 30. In reference to this it is that we read of the 
 ' sure mercies of David,' Isa. Iv. 8 ; yea, by Jeremiah 
 and Hosea, this name of David is applied to the Mes- 
 siah : Jer. xxx. 9, ' They shall serve, or seek, the 
 Lord their God, and David their king,' Hos. iii. 5, 
 which cannot be meant literally of David, who fell 
 asleep long before, and therefore is mystically ex- 
 pounded of the Messiah, who is called David, because 
 he was to come from his family. This truth was so 
 known among the Jews, that when Jesus asked the 
 Pharisees, Mat. xxii. 42, 'What think you of Christ? 
 whose Son is he? they say to him, the Son of David.' 
 
 Now ' that our Lord sprang out of the tribe of 
 Judah,' is affirmed by the author to the Hebrews to 
 bo ' evident,' Heb. i. 14 ; and he is said by St Paul 
 expressly, 2 Tim. ii. 3, to be ' of the seed of 
 David.' Remarkable to this purpose are his own 
 words, where he saith. Rev. xxii. 16, ' I am the root 
 and the oflspring of David,' to wit, according to his 
 two natures ; in respect of his Godhead the root, and 
 his manhood the vffxprinij of David, by which that 
 riddle is unfolded, of his being both the Lord and the 
 Son of David. As for his legal father, Joseph, it is 
 plain by St Matthew that he was of Judah's tribe ; 
 and Jesus being born of Blary after her espousals to 
 Joseph, is upon that account to be reckoned of the 
 tribe of Judah. For if when the brother did raife 
 the seed to his brother by marrying his widow, the 
 firstborn was to succeed in the name of the dead 
 brother, and consequently reckoned as his son, Dent. 
 XXV. 8, well might Mary's son, whom she miraculously 
 conceived by the Holy Ghost overshadowing, be re- 
 puted Joseph's, to whom she was espoused ; and it 
 being the custom of the Jews to derive the genealogy 
 from the fathers, iu which respect it was a proverb 
 
Ver. 22, 23.] 
 
 SEllMON LII. 
 
 337 
 
 among them, the mother's family is no fomilj', Jesus 
 is justly asserted to be of his father's tribe, though he 
 was not his natural but onlj- his legal father, though 
 withal there is nothing rationally to contradict, that 
 Mary was of the house of David, of the tribe of Judah. 
 It is true Ehzabeth, who was of the house of Aaron, 
 Luke i. 26, the tribe of Levi, is called her cousin, 
 but inasmuch as it was lawful for the tribe of Levi, 
 having no possessions of their own, to marry into any 
 tribe, it may be probably conceived that either some 
 of the virgin Mary's ancestors married a wife of Levi's 
 tribe, or some of Elizabeth's ancestors did marry a 
 wife of Judah's tribe ; and so cither way there might 
 be an affinity between the virgin Mary and Elizabeth. 
 Besides this, that there is no convincing reason against 
 it, there are good arguments inferring it; for since- 
 upon that p.irticular occasion of Zelophehad's daughters. 
 Num. xsxvi., there was a law enacted of everj' daugh- 
 ter marrying in her own tribe which had an inheritance, 
 and if (as Casaubon argueth*) the blessed virgin were, 
 though in a mean condition, yet heir to an estate, it 
 is very probable that she was of Joseph's own tribe, 
 since he hath the testimony of a just man, and there- 
 fore one who would not violate so manifest a law. 
 Add to this, that those words in St Luke, chap. i. 27, 
 ' of the house of David,' may as well be referred to 
 the virgin espoused to Joseph as to Joseph, and then 
 it becometh a positive assertion that Mary was of the 
 house of David. And yet once more, if (as Span- 
 hemius strongly urgethf ) St Luke's genealogy giveth 
 us the lineage of Mary, it is without all doubt that 
 both by father and mother's side Jesus was of the 
 tribe of Judah. 
 
 4. The predictions concerning the Messiah assert 
 that he should be born of a virrjin. The prophet 
 Isaiah is express, chap. vii. 14, ' Behold, a virgin 
 shall conceive, and bear a son ; ' and though the 
 Hebrew word may signify any young woman, yet that 
 there it should be rendered viri/in even this considera- 
 tion will evince, because it is ushered in with a heliold 
 of admiration, and it is intended as a sign for con- 
 firmation of Ahaz, whereas it were no wonder, and 
 therefore not fit to be a sign, that a young woman 
 should conceive and bear a son. Being, then, a pro- 
 phecy of a son to be brought forth by a virgin, it is 
 no other, doubtless, than the Messiah whose birth is 
 there intended ; and the very name hiunanucl by 
 which he is to be called, intimateth as much, it being 
 a name too high for any person except the Messiah. 
 WTiat in this prophecy Isaiah spake plainlj', in the 
 fifty-third chapter he utters allusively, where, speaking 
 of the Messiah (for that that chapter is to be understood 
 of him is so evident that he who runs may read it), 
 he saith, ' He shall grow up as a tender plant in a 
 di-y ground,' that is (say some not improbably), of a 
 virgin without the help of man. Now, that Jesus 
 was bom of Mary whilst yet a virgin the evangelical 
 • Canaab. exercit. f Spanheim. dub. Evang. 
 
 history plainl}' affirmeth ; nor need it seem impossible 
 either to Jew or pagan. 
 
 As for the Jew, why may he not believe that the 
 same divine power which caused old Sarah to conceive 
 and bring forth when she was ' as good as dead,' 
 which made Aaron's rod to bud, blossom, and bring 
 forth almonds, yea, which formed the first man Adam 
 without the help of woman, could enable a virgin to 
 conceive and bring forth without the help of man ? 
 
 As for the pagans, they affirm that Venus was en- 
 gendered of the froth of the sea, animated by the 
 warmth of the sun ; that Pallas came from Jove's 
 brain, and Bacchus from his thigh ; that some of their 
 heroes were begotten by their gods upon mortal crea- 
 tures — Hercules on Alcmena, by Jupiter ; Pan on 
 Penelope, by Mercury ; Eomulus on Rhea, a virgin, 
 by Mars. And why is it not credible that Jesus 
 should be born of the virgin Mary by the overshadow- 
 ing of the Holy Ghost ? And thus I have given you 
 a brief account of the parallel between the prophecy of 
 Messiah and the history of Jesus, as to his birth. 
 
 2. The prophet Isaiah, speaking concerning the 
 Messiah, tells us, Isa. si. 2, that ' the Spirit of the 
 Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and 
 understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, and 
 the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.' 
 That this Spirit did rest on Jesus appeareth, both by 
 the oracles he spnke, and the works, especially by the 
 miracles, he wrought. It was the testimony the 
 people gave of him, that ' never man spake like him,' 
 John vii. 46, by which it appeareth that the Spirit of 
 wisdom and knowledge did rest on him. Never did 
 any so clearly reveal the will of God to the people as 
 he. The glorious promises were never so unveiled as 
 by him, and by him the precepts of the law were 
 most exactly interpreted. That the Spirit of might 
 did rest on him eminently, appeared in his wondrous 
 miracles, which were not done in a corner, but openly 
 before the people, who cried out, ' We never saw it 
 on this fashion,' Mark iii. 12. That miraculous 
 works were expected by the Jews from the Messiah 
 when he should come, appeareth by the question, 
 John vii. 31, 'When Christ cometh, will he do more 
 miracles than those which this man hath done ? ' 
 And accordingly when John sent to Jesus, ' Art thou 
 he that should come, or do we look for another ? ' he 
 returncth this answer, Mat. xi. 3-5, ' Go and shew 
 John again those things which j'ou do hear and see ; 
 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers 
 are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised 
 up;' all which could not have been done by him if he 
 had not been anointed with the Holy Ghost and with 
 power. 
 
 3. Concerning the Messiah, we find a threefold 
 office to which he was anointed, to wit, of king, priest, 
 end prophet. Moses foretells him to be a prophet, 
 where he saith, Deut. xviii. 15, ' A prophet shall the 
 
 I Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren.' 
 
338 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 David mentionetli Lira umler the ofBces of a king, 
 Ps. ii. G, and a priest, Ps. ex. 4, ' Yet have I set my 
 king upon my holy hill of Sion,' and 'Thou art a 
 priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec' This 
 was that which was peculiar to the Messiah ; for though 
 David was a king and a prophet, Samuel was a pro- 
 phet and a priest, and Melchisedec was a king and a 
 priest, yet only the Blcssiah was a king, priest, and 
 prophet. Accordingly it is that we find Jesus, as a 
 prophet, teaching the mysteries of the kingdom ; as a 
 priest, praying, yea, dying for the people ; and 
 acknowledged by the Magi to be king of the Jews. 
 
 Once more, it is foretold in the Psalms and the 
 prophets, concerning the Messiah, that he should be 
 a man of sorrows, despised, and rejected of men ; 
 yea, that he should be cut off from the land of the 
 living, that he should be taken from prison and judg- 
 ment, Isa. hii. 3, 10 ; that having drunk of the brook 
 in the way he should lift up his head, Ps. ex. ; that 
 he should not see corruption, Ps. svi, and sit at the 
 right hand of God. And now that all those things 
 which were written concerning the Son of man were 
 accomplished, the evangelical histories do abundantly 
 testify.* It were easy to trace out an exact parallel, 
 not only as to substance but circumstances, concern- 
 ing the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. As for 
 that pretence of the Jews opposing our Saviour's 
 resurrection, that his disciples stole him away, it is 
 so frivolous and absurd that no rational man can 
 believe it ; j-ea, that dilemma of St Austin abundantly 
 confuteth it : If the soldiers were not asleep when the 
 disciples stole his body, whv did they permit them to 
 do it ? If they were asleep, how could they affirm it 
 to be done ? 
 
 By all these consiilerations put together, it cannot 
 but appear an undeniable truth that Jesus is the 
 Christ ; and however it may be alleged, that some 
 prophecies which concern the glory and power of the 
 Messiah's kingdom seem not yet to be accomplished, 
 the answer is justly returned, that it is not an outward 
 and visible, but an invisible and spiritual glory and 
 power which is in those prophecies intended, and that 
 is continually fulfilled in the prenching of the gospel ; 
 and withal they may very rationally be extended to his 
 second coming, when he shall appear in glory to judge 
 the world, and when ' every knee shall bow to him, 
 and every tongue sliall confess ' (what now perhaps it 
 denieth) ' that Jesns is the Lord,' the Christ, ' to the 
 glory of God the Father.' And so I have given a 
 dispatcli to the truth implicitly asserted, pass we on 
 more briefly to the, 
 
 2. Heresy explicitly charged on the false teachers, 
 namely, ' denying that Jesus is the Christ.' If we 
 render the wonls exactly, according to the Greek text, 
 it is, ho that denieth that Jcsua is not the Christ; but 
 yet the tiol is justly left out in our translation, be- 
 cause, according to our v ,ay of speaking, ' he that 
 * Vide Ejjiscop. p. 190. 
 
 denieth that Jesns is not the Christ,' is ' he who 
 affirmeth Jesus is the Christ,' which is the truth ; 
 whereas in the Greek language, geminu neijatio for- 
 tiiis nrgat, a double negation denieth more vehemently. 
 Parallel to this is that speech of our Saviour to Peter, 
 Luke xxii. 34, ' The cock shall not crow this day be- 
 fore that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest 
 me ;' where in each clause the Greek useth two 
 negatives for the greater emphasis. We cannot better 
 express the force of the Greek phrase in our English 
 language, than by supplying a word after denieth, 
 namely, thus : ' who is a liar, but he that denieth, 
 sai/infi that Jesus is not the Christ ?' And surely, if 
 the affirmative be the truth, as hath been already 
 proved, he must needs be a liar who asserteth the 
 negative. 
 
 That this, then, is a lying heresy, appeareth by the 
 preceding discourse ; that which only remaineth to- 
 be inquired is Ihe truth of the charge, that these false 
 teachers did deny Jesus to be the Christ. Indeed, as 
 Justinian well,* hoc maximc fucuhant JwUi'i, this was 
 that which the Jews did most expressly deny. But 
 yet withal there were Judaising false teachers among 
 the Christians : such was Simon Magus, Menander, 
 Ebion, and Cerinthus, with others, upon whom this 
 was justly charged. Simon Magus taught that it was 
 he who appeared among the Jews as the Son, in 
 Samaria as the Father, and to the rest of the nations 
 as the Holy Ghost ; Menander, that he was sent from 
 the invisible powers as a saviour for the redemption 
 of men ; an<l so affirmed themselves to be the Christ, 
 and in that denied Jesus to be the Christ. Valentinus, 
 Ebion, and Cerinthus, affirmed Jesus to be a mere 
 man, begotten by Joseph, conceived and horn of Mary 
 after the ordinary way, and that Christ was another 
 person who descended on him in the shape of a dove 
 when he vias thirty years of age ; and that it was not 
 Christ, but Jesus, who died upon the cross, and was 
 buried, and rose again ;t and what did these but in 
 eflect deny Jesus to be the Christ ? And now, if any 
 shall sny. This concerneth not us, for we do heartily 
 acknowledge, and openly profess, that Jesus is the 
 Christ; I shall desire such to consider that there is a 
 direct and a collateral, a dogmatical and a practical, 
 denying J. sus to be the Christ. 
 
 1. He who, acknowledging Jesus to be the Christ, 
 doth yet detract from any of his offices to which ho 
 was anointed, virlmilly and collaterally denieth him 
 to be the Christ. Upon this account, both Socinians 
 and papists are justly charged by the orthodox as 
 antichristian liars. 
 
 The Socinians, indeed, acknowledge Christ's regal, 
 propheticiil, and sacerdotal offices, but yet they con- 
 found the reual and the sacerdotal ; they detract from 
 the regal, taking the rise of it from his resurrection, 
 
 * Justin, ill loc. 
 
 t Euscl). hist. lib. iii. cap. xxi. Iron. lib. i. cap. xx., 
 xxi. Idem, lib. i. cap xxv et lib. iii. cap. xvii. 
 
Ver. 22, 23.] 
 
 SERMON LIU. 
 
 339 
 
 whenas the angel saith of him as soon as born, he is 
 ' Christ the Lord ;' and chiefly from his sacerdotal, 
 whilst they acknowledge his intercession, but deny his 
 Bacritice, and assert his death to be only a consecra- 
 tion of him to his priesthood, which, say they, he only 
 exerciseth in heaven. 
 
 The papisls likewise do ascribe those three oiEces 
 to him, and yet they detract from every one of them : 
 fri'm his prophetical, by denying the written word to 
 be a sufficient and perfect rule of faith and manners ; 
 from his sacerdotieal, in both the parts of it, bj' their 
 superstitious sacrifice of the mass, and praying to 
 saints iind angels to be their intercessors ; finally, 
 from the regal, by setting up the pope as head of the 
 church, and giving him that power of snpremacj- and 
 infallibility which he never derived from Christ. 
 
 2. But to bring it yet a little nearer to ourselves, 
 he who professedly assents to this truth, that Jesus 
 is the Christ, and yet is not guided by him as a pro- 
 phet, governed by him as a king, and rests not on 
 him as his priest, practically denieth him to be the 
 Christ. Very apposite to this purpose is that of St 
 Austin,* Quiescat jmiilulum lingua, interrorja vitam ; 
 
 * AuH 
 
 1 loc. 
 
 quisqids faclis negat Chri-^tum, anlicliristus est ; let thy 
 life speak rather than thy tongue ; whosoever denieth 
 Christ in his works is an antichrist. 1 Tim. v. 8, ' If 
 any provide not for his house,' saith St Paul, ' he 
 hath denied the faith,' that is, done an act inconsistent 
 with the Christian faith whereof he maketh profession, 
 which is in efl'ect to deny the faith. Thus, he whose 
 life dishonours Christ, who giveth not up himself to 
 the rule and government of Christ, who sayeth in his 
 actions, ' I will not have this man to reign over me,' 
 in truth denieth Christ, and is no better than an anti- 
 christ ; and oh, how many antichristian Christians, 
 then, are there ! 
 
 In one word, whatever profession we make of 
 Christ, and our faith in him ; whilst by our envy and 
 malice, pride and covetousness, rapine and oppression, 
 intemperance and profaneness, we walk directly con- 
 trary to the law and life, the command and example, 
 of our holy, humble, peaceable, and charitable Jesus, 
 we do that in our actions which the false teachers 
 did in their doctrines, deny Jesus to be the Christ. 
 And thus much shall sufiice for the despatch of the 
 first branch of the accusation ; the time being expired, 
 I shall put ofl' the further prosecution of the charge 
 I against these antichrists till another sessions. 
 
 SERMON LIII. 
 
 Who is a linr, hut he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ ? He is aittichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 
 IVhuKoerer denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the &>n hath the 
 Father aho.—l John II. 22, 23. 
 
 OUR blessed Saviour, calling those two sons of I 
 Zebedee, James and John, to be his disciples, 
 g;ive them the surname of Boanerges, Mark iii. 17, 
 which signifieth a ' son of thunder.' Mutatio nominis 
 doni alicxijus spiritualis signifcationem hahet, where 
 names are changed, some spiritual gift is conferred.* 
 It was so, no doubt, upon those apostles to whom 
 Christ gave eminent abilities of asserting truth, con- 
 futing errors, reproving sin, persuading repentance, 
 in f uch a way as might, like thunder, awaken the dull 
 and drowsy world. That St James was such a 
 thunderer, appeareth by his sufferings, it being very 
 probable that his powerful preaching of the gospel 
 was the occasion of Herod's malicious persecution, 
 and that the liberty of his tongue cost him his life. 
 That St John was one who did not only lighten in 
 his conversation, but thunder in his doctrines, ap- 
 pLareth by his writings, and more particularly this 
 epii-tle, wherein he crieth aloud, and lifteth up his 
 ■voice hke thunder, against both the hypocrites and 
 heretics of his time ; against those in the former 
 chapter, these in this, and more especially in these 
 •verses, ' Who is a liar,' Ice. 
 
 The latter branch of the accusation against the 
 * Brig. ibid. 
 
 antichrists in St John's days, is that which now com- 
 eth to be discussed, as it is propounded in the end of 
 the two-and-twentieth, and proved in the three-and- 
 twenticth verse. 
 
 1. Begin we with the charge itself, 'He is anti- 
 christ, that denieth the Father and the Son.' These 
 words are looked upon by expositors in a double 
 notion, either as a distinct accusation, or as an aggra- 
 vation of the former charge. 
 
 (1.) Serrarius upon this clause* S9.\\h., Altera haretis 
 est neganlium palrem et filium. In these words 
 another sort of heretics are charged, who denied the 
 Father and the Son, inasmuch as they feigned another 
 father ; so did Basilides and Satumius, as Epiphanins 
 and IrenaBus inform us.f Such, also, were those 
 heretics, who confounded the Father and the Son, as 
 if they were one and the same person, to whom Ter- 
 tullian \ applieth this clause, where he saith, Negant 
 jiatrem dum euiidem et Jilium dicunt, et negant filium 
 dum (undem patrem credunt, dando illis qua: nan sunt, 
 auferendo qua- sunt ; they deny the Father, in asserting 
 him to be the Son ; they deny the Son, in affirming 
 
 * Serrar. in loc. 
 
 t Fpiphan. adv. Har s. lib. i. Iren. lib. iii. cap. xt. 
 
 i Tcrtul, adv. rr.i.\. cap. iixi. 
 
340 
 
 HAKDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 him to be the Father ; ascribing to both what they 
 are not, and taking from them what they are. To 
 this may be referred those fabulous things which were 
 broached in those heretical schools of Simon and 
 others, concerning God introducing a mulitude of 
 rulers, under the names of Barbel, Ahrakan, Karlakan, 
 &c., by whom the world was governed, which was in- 
 deed to deny the Father. 
 
 (2.) But that which soemeth to me most rational, 
 is to look upon this clnuse as an aggi-avation of the 
 former charge,* letting us see what followeth upon 
 denying Jesus to be the Christ, namely, a denial of 
 the Father and the Son, and consequently how per- 
 nicious this antichristian doctrine is. For whereas 
 It'fiKS I'ideri potenit, it may seem a small thing to deny 
 Jesus (who appeared in the form of a servant) to be 
 the Christ, addit quid fjravius, he addeth that which 
 might justly startle them, that how little account 
 soever they made of it, it was no other than to deny 
 the Father and the Son, and so in efl'ect the denying 
 this man to be the Christ is to deny God himself. 
 To open this distinctly in its full latitude, we shall 
 find a threefold charge in this one. 
 
 1. He that denieth Jesus to be the Christ, dcnieth 
 the Son of God. I begin with the Son, though the 
 Father be the first person, because he is most directly 
 denied. This will be the more easily understood, if 
 we consider what our apostle taketh here for granted, 
 that Christ is no other than the Son of God. How, 
 and in what respect he is the Son of God, I shall have 
 more full occasion to discuss at the ninth verse of the 
 fourth chapter ; it shall suflice here to take notice that 
 the Messiah was looked upon as having the near rela- 
 tion to God of a Son. St Peter, in that excellent con- 
 fession of his faith, Mat. xvi. 16, puts these two 
 together, ' Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living 
 God.' Nay, the very devils who came out of them 
 that were possessed, acknowledging him to be the 
 Christ, do withal declare him to be the Son : Luke 
 iv. -11, ' Thou art Christ, the Son of God ;' and that 
 this was a received opinion among the Jews appcareth 
 by that question which the high priest put to him, 
 Mark xiv. CI, ' Art thou the Christ, the Son of the 
 blessed ? ' Yea, as Grotius well observeth, appnret 
 hoc cognomen rulgo iTessia: dcilnni, it appeareth to have 
 been a name of the Messiah, well known among the 
 vulgar, by that of the very seamen. Mat. xiv. 83, who 
 beholding the miracle wrought by him on the winds, 
 cried out, ' Of a truth thou art the Son of God,' that 
 is, the Messiah. Suitable to this it is that the 
 ancient Hebrews did mystically interpret those words 
 in the Psalms, ' Thou art my Son ; this day have I 
 begotten thee,' of the Messiah, by which it is evident 
 that to deny him who is the Christ, is no other than 
 to deny God's Son. 
 
 2. He doth not only deny the Son, but the Father; 
 for, 
 
 * Eorum crimen amplificat. — Marlor. 
 
 (1.) The relation between the Father and the Son 
 is very near ; no wonder if the injury done to the Son 
 reflect upon the Father. If it is thus among men, much 
 more in the Deity, where the Son is consubslantial 
 and coeternal with the Father. Being the Son, he is 
 ' the brightness of his Father's glory, and express 
 image of his person.' So St Paul characteriseth him, 
 Heb. i. 2, for which reason it is that ' all men should 
 honour the Son as they honour the Father,' John 
 V. 23. So our Saviour himself expressly asserteth, 
 and thence inferreth, ' He that honoureth not the 
 Son, honoureth not the Father.' 
 
 (2.) The Father it is who sends his Son into the 
 world ; and to deny him who is sent, what is it but to 
 denj' him who sendeth ? To deny (saith Grotius*) 
 is sometimes as much as authoritalcm aliciii dctrahere, 
 to detract from one's authority, and to deny the person 
 sent is in effect to deny the authority of the sender. 
 In this respect it is that, in the scripture now quoted, 
 those words are added, ' that sent him ;' and to 
 this purpose that of our Saviour elsewhere is very 
 apposite : Luke x. 16, ' He that despiseth you de- 
 spiseth me ' (to wit, because they were sent by him) : 
 ' and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent 
 me,' to wit, the Father, by whom Christ was sent. 
 
 (3.) The Father having sent his Son, was pleased 
 to give testimony to him. They are Christ's own 
 words, John v. 37, ' The Father himself, which sent 
 me, hath borne witness of me ;' accordingly, if you look 
 into St Matthew's Gospel, chap. iii. 17, you will find 
 that, at his baptism, a voice was heard from heaven, 
 saying, ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased;' andagain, at,his transfiguration on the mount, 
 chap. xvii. 5, behold, a voice from the clouds, which 
 said, ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased ; hear ye him ;' to which last St Peter alludeth 
 where he saith of Christ, 2 Peter i. 17, ' He received 
 from God the Father honour and glory, when there 
 came forth a voice to him from the excellent glory.' 
 So that God having given this testimony (than which 
 what can be more full or immediate) of the Messiah, 
 that he was his Son, whosoever denieth the Christ 
 the Son of God, giveth the Father the lie, according 
 as our apostle more fully expresscfh in the close of 
 this epistle : 1 John v. 10, ' Ho that believeth not 
 God hath made him a liar ; because he beheveth not 
 the record that God gave of his Son.' 
 
 3. Lastly, though it be not expressed, yet it would 
 bo supplied, he denieth not only the Father and the 
 Son, but the Holy Ghost. For as in the first chapter, 
 where our ' fellowship ' is said to bo ' with the Father 
 and his Son,' the Holy Ghost is included ; so here 
 doubtless the third person is implied, who is no less 
 denied than the other two by them who deny Jesus 
 to bo the Christ. The Greek word ^^iaro; cometh from 
 the verb which significth to anoint ; now to this 
 anointing all the three persons did concur : there ia 
 * Grot, in loo. 
 
Ver. 22, 23.] 
 
 SERMON LIII. 
 
 341 
 
 persona unpens, wicta, and iinctio, tho Father anoint- 
 ing, the Son anointed, and the Holj- Ghost the oint- 
 ment, and therefore he that denieth the Christ denieth 
 all three persons. It was by no other than the Holy 
 Ghost that Jesus Christ did all his glorious miracles, 
 his mighty works ; in which respect the phariseos, 
 denying Jesus to be the Christ, became guilty of the 
 sin against the Holy Ghost ; and thus this heresy is no 
 less than a denial of the blessed Trinity. 
 
 To shut up this clause ; learn we hence, when we 
 receive any doctrine, to consider what consequences 
 do naturally flow from them. I have so much charity 
 as to think that many of the Jews, and some of the 
 followers of those antichrists, did not think that by 
 denying Jesus to be the Christ, they were guilty of 
 such a blasphemy against the Deity as to deny the 
 Father and the Son ; but 3-et so it was, as appeareth 
 by what hath been already said. I have the same 
 opinion of many seduced persons in this age, who are 
 not so considerate to weigh the evil inferences which 
 are justly deducible from such premises which they 
 embrace as truth. 
 
 Indeed, we must distinguish between natural and 
 forced deductions. Some, like spiders, suck poison out 
 of flowers ; hke bad stomachs, turn the best nutriment 
 into ill humours, perverting the soundest doctrines by 
 fallacious paralogisms. If we are made sinners by 
 one man's disobedience, then, say some, God is unjust 
 in charging Adam's posterity with his guilt. If justi- 
 fication be by faith alone, then, say others, what need 
 of good -works ? If Christ be the propitiation for the 
 sins of the world, then, say others, we need not fear 
 though we add sin to sin ; and thus the most precious 
 doctrines of the gospel are abused to patronise horrid 
 conclusions ; but how irrational they are, easily ap- 
 peareth to any who shall judiciously examine them. 
 Nor doth this hinder but that many specious doctrines 
 have a sting in their tail ; and how amiable soever they 
 seem in their direct aspects, yet they will be found 
 very detestable in their reflection. The antinomian, 
 in denying that God seeth any sin in justified persons, 
 or is at all displeased with them when they sin, 
 denieth that he is omniscient, not knowing all things, 
 and that he is a pure and holy God, hating sin wher- 
 ever he finds it. The Socinian, in denying that 
 Christ did expiate sin, and satisfy justice, denieth the 
 merit of his death, the dignity of his person, and justi- 
 fication by faith in bis blood. Many instances of this 
 kind might be brought in several erroneous positions, 
 both of these and other heretics. The truth is, ac- 
 cording to that known saying, into dato absunlo inille 
 seqiitmlur, one absurdity being granted, a thousand 
 follow, and such as, were they apprehended, would 
 doubtless be abhorred, though not by those who 
 broach, yet by many of them who entertain such 
 positions ; and therefore let it be our wisdom to ex- 
 amine whither this or that doctrine tends, to what it 
 leads, and what must necessarily follow upon it, for 
 
 so doth St John here ; in which respect he chargeth 
 them who deny that Jesus is the Christ, with denj-ing 
 the Father and the Son. 
 
 2. The proof of this latter part of the charge is that 
 which now foUoweth in the next verse, ' Whosoever 
 denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father : but 
 he that acknowlcdgeth the Son hath the Father also.' 
 I call this a proof, and not without reason ; since the 
 argument is strong, he that hath not the Father 
 denieth him, he that denieth the Son hath not the 
 Father, and therefore he denieth the Father and tho 
 Son. 
 
 The verse consists of two clauses, the latter whereof 
 is not in our ordinarj* Greek copies, and therefore is 
 left out by Calvin, and is conceived by Dauieus to have 
 crept out of the gloss into the text. But Beza assnreth 
 us that he saw it in two Greek manuscripts ;* it is 
 also in the Syriac and vulgar Latin, and inserted 
 (though in another character) by our translators. If 
 we peruse the waitings of this apostle, we shall find 
 no way of illustration more frequent than that which 
 is by contraries, whilst sometime the affirmative is 
 amplified by the negative, and then again the negative 
 bj'the affirmative ; in which respect it is not improbable 
 that this affinnative might here be annexed by the 
 apostle. But since I shall have a more fit occasion 
 of handling the duty of confessing Christ, when (by 
 God's grace) I shall come to the second and thirteenth 
 verses of the fourth chapter, and withal (there being 
 the same reason of contraries) the unfolding of the one 
 is virtually an explication of the other, I shall not 
 enlarge in a distinct handling of these clauses. 
 
 That which would here be principally inquired into 
 is the notion of this phrase, tov -rruTsia iyjiv, to have 
 the Father, of which interpreters give a threefold con- 
 struction. 
 
 1. That phrase in the first commandment, Exod. 
 XX. 3, of having none but Jehovah to be our God, may 
 give some light to this; for as theve hahciidi verbtiiii 
 pro credere, intelUyerc, usitrpatur, the word havinr) is 
 as much as hnoii-iiuj and helieriii;/, so here. And then 
 the design of our apostle in these words is to let us 
 know that all Jews and others who deny the Messiah, 
 however they pretend to believe in, and give worship 
 to, and have the knowledge of, the true God, in 
 truth they are ignorant of him, and so neither believe 
 nor wofship him aright, because they do not know, 
 believe, and worship him as the Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Indeed, this is to be understood (as to 
 the explicit notion) with a limitation in reference to 
 Christ already come. As for the Jews before Christ 
 (though the godly among them had some glimpse of 
 this, for otherwise they could not have believed in the 
 Messiah which was to come), yet it was not expressly 
 required of them to invocate God as the Father of 
 Christ; but God having now sent his Son into, and 
 by him revealed himself unto, the world, he can no 
 * ViJo Calv., Dan., Beza in loc. 
 
342 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHK. 
 
 [ClIAP. II. 
 
 other ways be rightly adored and invocated but as his 
 Father. To this purpose it is that Christ is called Ly 
 the apostle ' the image of the invisible God,' Col.i. 15, 
 which though it be true of him as he is the Son of 
 God, in respect of his eternal generation, by which 
 the divine essence being communicated to him, he is 
 the image of God, that is (personally taken), God the 
 Father, yet in that the apostle saith not only ' the 
 image of God,' but of the invisible God, there seemeth 
 to be a tacit antithesis, and so it is to be understood 
 of the Son of God made man, who by his incarnation 
 is become a visible image of the invisible God. For 
 this reason it is he saith himself elsewhere, John 
 xiv. 7, ' If ye knew me, you would know the Father 
 also.' And indeed, as we cannot comfortably see the 
 sun with a direct aspect, but in its reflection, so neither 
 can we rightly know the Father but in Christ, who is 
 his visible image. Suitable hereunto it is that our 
 Saviour expressly saith, Mat. xi. 27, ' No man knoweth 
 the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the 
 Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son 
 will reveal him.' And among other constructions of 
 those words, John xiv. 1, ' You believe in God, believe 
 also in me,' this is one,* that if they did not believe 
 in him, they could not believe in God. So that from 
 hence we may infer that not only the barbarous pagans, 
 who worship the sun, the fire, or any other creatures 
 of God's making, or stones and images of their own 
 making, but the Mahometans, and the Jews, who 
 worship the great Creator, inasmuch as those only 
 worship him as revealing himself (in their fanatic 
 opinion) by Mahomet, and these worship him only as 
 he was pleased to reveal himself of old by Moses, but 
 not as now he hath manifested himself in his Son 
 Jesus ; nay, both of them denying his Son Jesus, are 
 therefore most justly looked upon, not only as false 
 worshippers of a true God, but in some sense as wor- 
 shippers of a false god, because they have not, that is, 
 they know not, neither do they believe and worship 
 the Father of Christ, to wit, not formally, though 
 materially, adoring him kIw is, but not as lie is, the 
 Father. 
 
 2. That phrase of St Paul, 1 Cor. ii. IG, w/Dv j/PfffroD 
 £j;^o//£>, ' we have the mind of Christ,' may serve as a 
 paraphrase upon this. To havi! llie Fal/wr is to have 
 the mind of the Father, which is elsewhere called his 
 good, acceptable, and perfect will. This will or good 
 pleasure of the Father is the redemption of the world, 
 which he sent his Son both to accomplish and reveal. 
 In this respect St Basil upon these words,t ' He that 
 hath seen me hath seen the Father,' thus glosseth : 
 cu rhv ^aoaxTijca oi^j Tr,v //.o^ipfiv aX'ha. rh ayaOh roD 
 dikrjxuroi ; not the figure or form of the Father's 
 essence, which is most simple and uucompouudcd, 
 but the goodness of bis will ; and therefore be who 
 dcnicth the Son cannot have, but is either altogether 
 ignorant of, or apostatised from, the doctrine of the 
 • Muse. ibid. t liuail aJ Ampliilocli. cap. viii. 
 
 Father. Of which latter the apostle especially speak- 
 ing, the notion of iyjn is taken as if it were Tiar'-yrnt 
 (for so it is many times used), to hold. And accord- 
 ingly Grotius glosseth, Non tenet qu<c sit foluntas 
 patris, he doth not hold fast the good will of the 
 Father which is published in the evangelical doctrine. 
 And no wonder, for he that hath not, holJeth not, the 
 foundation, cannot have the superstructure. Now, this 
 thesis, that Jesus is the Christ, is the very foundation 
 of that gospel truth which the Father hath by Christ 
 imparted to us ; and consequently the denial of this 
 cannot consist with having the Father, that is, with 
 holding the will and mind of the Father declared in 
 the gospel. 
 
 3. Lastly, that gloss of St Cyprian* would by no 
 means be left out, Non hahet patiein be)ievoluni, he 
 hath not the Father benevolous and propitious to 
 him ; and so we may construe this phrase by that in 
 the first chapter, of having fellowship with the Father. 
 And whereas it is said in the former verse, he dcnieth 
 the Father, this carrieth more in it, namely, that the 
 Father denieth him. Indeed, all that love the Father 
 hath to us, and fellowship we have with the Father, 
 is tlirough his Son. Whence it followetb, that every 
 one who hath nut the Son, but much more he who 
 denieth the Son, hath not the Father; yea, the Father 
 is highly displeased and enraged against him. AVhen 
 Theodosius would not be enti'catcd by Auipbilochius 
 to suppress the Arian heretics, who denied Christ to 
 be the eternal Son of God, that godly bishop (saith 
 Theodorett), /zvij/iijs u^iav ijfu^s jLt^yjivri^, found out 
 a memorable stratagem to convince Lim of his fault; 
 for going into the palace when Theodosius and his son 
 Arcadius were together, be saluteth the emperor wilh 
 his wonted reverence, but giveth no honour to the son. 
 The emperor, supposing it was a forgetful neglect, puts 
 him in mind of it; to whom his answer was, it was 
 enough that he had done obedience to him. At which 
 the emperor, being greatlj' ofl'cnded, the good bishop 
 thus bespoke him : 0^2.5 w jSaffiAiu oVw; ou (ps^sii rrlv 
 Tin '::ai&og a.7-iij,iav. You see, king, bow ill you take it, 
 that your son should be dishonoured ; how angry you 
 are with me for not giving him reverence ! mffrEuffov 
 6ri ovv y.ai rov riuv oXav ©ion roTi rot iiiov dvrov ran //.ovo- 
 ytvri l3>.a(!fr,>j,oiJiTag ^iiXuTTBuOai, Believe, therefore, 
 that the grc at Lord of the universe cannot but abhor 
 those who blaspheme his only begotten Son. Of this 
 number were these antichrists, concerning whom St 
 John plainly assertetb, that denying the Son, they 
 have not the Father ; no true luiosvledgo of him, nor 
 of his doctrine, nor can they expect his love and favour 
 towards them. 
 
 What now remalneth, but that we take heed lest we 
 be found among the number of them who deny the 
 Son ? Nor is this caution unscasonalile, for, 
 
 1. There want not among us such (the Socinians, 
 
 • Cypr. Exhort. a<I Martyr. 
 
 t Tlieud. Eccle. Hist. lib. v, cap. 16. 
 
Vek. 22, 23.] 
 
 SERMON LIII. 
 
 3t3 
 
 I mean) who affirm, with those heretics of old, Christ 
 to be only man ; and those, however they pretend 
 to acknowledge, yet consequentially deny him to be 
 the Son of God ; for, saith the author to the Hebrews, 
 chap. i. 6, ' Unto which of the angels said he at any 
 time, ' Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten 
 thee ? ' and if not to the angels, surely not to a mere 
 man, who is lower than the angels. It would not be 
 passed by, that a little after, in that very epistle, Heb. 
 ii. 6-9, Jesus, whom the apostle had proved to be far 
 higher than the angels, and that in this very parti- 
 cular of being God's Son, is said to be ' little lower 
 than the- angels.' And that this is to be understood 
 in respect of his manhood appeareth by the scripture 
 just before quoted, 'AVhat is man, that thou art mind- 
 ful of him; thou hast made him a little lower than 
 the angels ; ' the literal sense whereof is, to assert 
 the human nature inferior to the angelical. Surely, 
 then, in respect of that nature wherein he is below, 
 he cannot be far above, the angels ; and therefore to 
 assert him a mere man (though never so highly 
 honoured) is to deny him to be the Son of God in 
 the apostle's sense ; that is, so as by reason of that 
 Sonship to be higher than the angels. For to allude 
 to St Paul's expression, 1 Cor. viii. 5, G, ' Though 
 they are called gods, whelher in heaven or earth (as 
 there be gods many, and lords many), but there is 
 but one God the Father,' so, though there be that 
 are called the sons of God, whether angels or men, 
 yet there is but one who is the begotten Son of God, 
 which is so high a dignity that he must be more than 
 man or angel who is capable of it, and consequently 
 to assert him a mere man is to deny him to be God's 
 Son. 
 
 2. Besides, we may bo orthodox in our judgment 
 concerning the Son of God, and forward in our con- 
 fession of him, and yet interpretatively deny him, and 
 that especially two ways. 
 
 (1.) When we detract from the all-sufficiency of his 
 merits. Upon what is it that the infinite virtue of 
 our Saviour's death did chiefly depend but this, that 
 he is the Son of God ? So that ho that doth not rely 
 on the virtue of his death, denieth him to be God's 
 Son ; and yet how apt are many to oflend in this 
 kind, by either a total despairing of salvation through 
 Christ, or a partial joining of other saviours with him ; 
 and to say that either Christ's blood cannot at all, or 
 that it cannot alone (to wit, as a meritorious cause) 
 expiate sin, is to say it is insufficient, and conse- 
 quently it is not the blood of the Son of God, which 
 may justly be interpreted a denial of the Son of God. 
 
 (2.) When we refuse to hear and obey the word of 
 God, who ' at sundry times and in divers manners 
 spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, 
 and hath in those last days spoken to us by his Son,' 
 Heb. i. 1, 2. Of this Son the voice said twice, 
 ' Hear him ; ' and not to hearken to him when he 
 Bpeaketh to us, is in effect to deny him. Who is it 
 
 but the Son that wooeth us in the ministry of the 
 gospel, to accept of mercy, pardon, and salvation, 
 upon the terms of faith, repentance, and obedience ; 
 and if we say Ko in our hearts, is not this to deny 
 him ? ' How often ' (saith Christ to Jerusalem, Mat. 
 xsiii. 87) ' would I have gathered thy children to- 
 gether, as an hen doth her chickens under her wings, 
 but you would not ! ' May he not take up the same 
 complaint of us ? ' See that ye refuse not him that 
 speaketh' (saith the author to the Hebrews, chap, 
 xii. 24), ' for if they escaped not who refused him 
 that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape 
 if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven; ' 
 where the two words of refusimj and turniiifj au-tnj ai'e 
 very emphatical : the one signifying to pray against a 
 thing, for so ofttimes we refuse with a God foihiil, 
 and so it notcth a refusal with indignation ; the other 
 importing an alienation of the heart from a thing, 
 since we turn away from what we cannot endure, and 
 so intimateth a rejection with detestation. And have 
 not we need of this caution ? Since though (being 
 the Son of God) he came and spake from heaven, yet 
 we reject his sayings ; and is not this to deny him ? 
 
 3. Add to this, that CJiristum deseritqui Chrislianxtm 
 se non asserit, he that doth not profess himself a 
 Christian denieth Christ. Not only those who wil- 
 fully, professedly, maliciously, and so at once both 
 inwardly and outwardly deny the Christ, the Son of 
 God ; but those who, whilst inwardly they believe in 
 him, do yet refuse (if called to it) openly to own him, 
 either through fear or shame, or both, are virtually 
 deniers of him. It is very observable that what is 
 here called a ' denying of the Son,' is elsewhere phrased 
 a ' not honouring the Sou.' John v. 23; that whereas 
 in St Matthew it is, ' AVhosocver shall deny me,' 
 Mat. X. 33, in St Mark it is, ' AVhosoever shall be 
 ashamed of me,' Mark viii. 38 ; that in St Paul's 
 Epistle to Timothy, denying Christ is opposed to 
 suffering for him, 2 Tim. ii. 12 ; finally, that here 
 is no medium in the text between denying and ac- 
 knowledging the Son. By all which it appeareth that 
 though we do not wretchedly oppose and gainsay the 
 Son of God, yet if we do not honour him, and that as 
 we honour the Father, with the same adoration both 
 of soul and body ; if we are not ready upon all occa- 
 sions to acknowledge him ; if, because of reproach, 
 we are ashamed to own him ; nay, if we refuse (being 
 called) to suffer, though it be death itself, for his 
 name, we are no other than deniers of him. 
 
 And now, beloved, though at present there be 
 neither disgrace nor danger in acknowledging the 
 Messiah the Son of God ; nay, indeed, qiorsiuosn res 
 est nomen Christi, it is both gainful and honourable to 
 be a Christian, and therefore it is little thanks to own 
 Christ ; v-et what think you if we had lived in the 
 pagan persecution, or if God should (which his mercy 
 avert) let loose the Turk to invade Christendom, or 
 suffer the Sociniau heresy to overspread the world, as 
 
3ii 
 
 HABDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 once tbc Arian did, bavo we readj- hearts, willing 
 minds to contend for the faith ? Nay, rather, would 
 we not wretchedly renounce, at least cowardly con- 
 ceal, our Christian profession ? Certainly, my brethren, 
 they who now deny obedience to his call, will then 
 deny the profession of his name ; they that will not 
 hear the Son speaking to them in bis word, will never 
 bear reproaches and persecutions for his sake. Upon 
 all these considerations, it is an useful admonition to 
 us that we do not deny but acknowledge the Son. It 
 is the psalmist's advice even to kings, Ps. ii. 10, well 
 may we follow it, ' Kiss the Son lest he be angry ; ' 
 kiss him with a kiss of affection, of subjection ; be 
 ready to testify your faith in him, reverence of him, 
 lovd to him, upon all occasions. 
 
 The more to enforce this upon us, take notice, 
 
 1. Who it is, the Son, and that iu a double notion. 
 
 (1.) Being the Son, he ' thinketh it no robbery to 
 be equal with God,' Philip, iii. 5, inasmuch as, ac- 
 cording to the Athanasiau creed, he is God of God, 
 light of light, very God of very God. Being the Son, 
 he is heir of all things, Lord of heaven and earth ; 
 and shall we in any kind, or fur any cause, deny him? 
 This is that which St Jude brings in as an aggrava- 
 tion of the sin of these very antichrists, whom he 
 calls ' certain men crept in unawares, they denied the 
 onl}- Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,' Jude 4 ; 
 where, though some take the words disjunctively, apply- 
 ing the first clause to the Father, and the second to 
 tlie Son, yet since there is no article in the Greek 
 between 3=ov and xi^iov, God and Lord, to divide them; 
 yea, the word dicmrrj;, in that parallel place of St 
 Peter, is evidently used of Christ, and withal the 
 heresies of those times more directi}' struck at Christ 
 than at God the Father ; it is not improbable that 
 St .Jude intended here only to set forth Christ in bis 
 natures and prerogatives, whom he calls ' the only 
 Lord God ' (as elsewhere the Father is styled ' the 
 only true God '), not in exclusion of the other persons, 
 but of all false deities. And now, when we set before 
 us the divinity, majcstj', sovereignty, and authority of 
 Christ, the only Lord God, how must the sin of deny- 
 ing him appear beyond measure sinful ! 
 
 (2.) This glorious and etennlSonof God was pleased 
 to undertake and accomplish the woi-k of our redemp- 
 tion, and it would be no other than a monstrous ingra- 
 titude to deny him. Upon this account, St Peter, 
 speaking of these very antichrists under the name of 
 false teachers, 2 Pet. ii. 2, aggravateth their denial of 
 Christ, in that it was of ' the Lord that bought them.' 
 Tliere cannot be a more execrable villauy, than for a 
 slave to disown his lord that hath ransomed him. 
 AVho would not cry shame on that son who should 
 deny his own father ? And may I not saj- of the Son 
 of God, in Moses his language, to every one of us, 
 Deut. xxxii. C, ' Is not he thy Father that hath bought 
 theo ? ' What is there thou canst be in danger of by 
 acknowledging him, which he did not actually undergo 
 
 to redeem thee ? Is it loss of estate ? he was poor ; 
 of credit? he was reviled ; of liberty? he was bound ; 
 of life ? he was crucilied ; and shall any of these dis- 
 hearten us from honouring, or induce us to deny him ? 
 When therefore any temptations shall assault us (as 
 once they did Peter) to deny him, let us remember 
 what he is in himself, and what he hath done for us ; 
 let us consider his greatness, and be afraid; his good- 
 ness, and be ashamed ; for fear, or shame, or any 
 cause whatsoever to deny him. 
 
 2. That I may drive the nail to the head, let us 
 often set before our eyes that dismal commluation so 
 often denounced in the Gospel by the Son of God him- 
 self against those who shall deny him, Mat. x. 33, 
 ' Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also 
 deny before my Father which is in heaven ; ' and 
 again inculcated by St Paul, 2 Tim. ii. 13, 'If we 
 deny him, he will deny us : ' a threat than which none 
 more just, and yet witharnone more terrible. Just it 
 is, in that it is the retaliation of like for like. What 
 more rational than that despiscrs should be despised, 
 forsakers should be forsaken, and deniers should be 
 denied ? And how teriible it is will soon appear, if 
 you consider that the Son of God will then deny us, 
 when he shall appear in his glory, that he will deny 
 us not only before men, but angels, nay, his Father ; 
 that if he pronounce upon us an / know you not 
 (which is to deny us), we are the cursed of the Father ; 
 he will not acknowledge them for his adopted children, 
 who durst not here own his begotten Son, and whom 
 his Son will not then own for brethren ; yea, which 
 consummateth the misery of such apostates, they 
 must ' have their portion with hypocrites,' having 
 denied Christ ; and being denied bv' him, they must 
 depart from him into that fire which is prepared for 
 the devil and his angels, there being no reason that 
 they should be near to Christ hereafter, who follow 
 him afar oil', nay, run away from him here. 
 
 AVith these meditations, let us arm ourselves against 
 this heinous sin ; and that we may be the better 
 strengthened, 
 
 1. Labour we to be thoroughly estabhshed upon 
 good grounds iu this fundamental doctrine, that Jesus 
 is the Christ, the Sou of God. He that embraccth 
 Christian religion upon the account only of the public 
 law, or private education, will in time of trial renege 
 it. Let, therefore, our assent to this doctrine rest 
 upon these sure pillars, primarily the authority of 
 Scriptures, and secondarily the catholic church, and 
 then wo shall not easily deny it. Nor let us content 
 ourselves with a conjectural opinion, but strive for a 
 firm and settled persuasion. A stake in the ground 
 may be quickly plucked up, but a tree rooted in the 
 ground abideth unmoveable. Ho that doubtelh may 
 soon be brought to deny, but a well grounded per- 
 suasion will not quickly be moved, much less re- 
 moved. 
 
 2. Learn we, according to our Saviour's precept, 
 
Ver. 2-1, 25.] 
 
 SERMON LIV. 
 
 345 
 
 Mat. xvi. 2i, to ' deny ourselves,' since ofttimes self 
 and Christ come in competition, so that one must be 
 denied ; and if we have not in some measure taken out 
 this excellent lesson of self-denial, we shall soon deny 
 him. No wonder if an ancient saith ingenuously, 
 Christiani prciludium, siii repudium, the first step in 
 the ladder of Christianity is self-denial. 
 
 3. Nor must we forget that advice of St Paul, Titus 
 ii. 14, to ' deny worldly lusts,' for if we take not our 
 hearts off from the world, the world will take them off 
 from Christ. It is very observable that our Saviour had 
 no sooner threatened this sin of denying him, but he 
 presently forbids loving father or mother, son or 
 daughter, more than him. Mat. x. 33, 37, intimating 
 how prone the inordinate love of worldly things is, to 
 alienate us from him. 
 
 4. Finally, strive for a real union to Christ by a 
 lively fiuth. He who is but a visible Christian may 
 cease to be so much as visible ; but the spiritual union 
 will not endure a dissolution, much less an abnegation. 
 Maintain and increase familiar communion with him, 
 that thou mayest more and more taste the sweetness 
 that is in him, and then no allurement or aflrightment 
 shall cause thee to deny him. 
 
 I end all ; as we desire not to be found deniers of 
 tho Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as we desire to 
 have the Father propitious towards us, and Christ to 
 own us before the Father at tho last day, let us dread 
 to deny, let us be ready to acknowledge, with our 
 hearts, lips, lives, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, 
 to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be 
 ascribed honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen. 
 
 SEEMON LIV. 
 
 Let that therefore ahide in you which ye have heard from the beginniny. If that u-hi(.h ye have heard from the 
 beijiiiniwj shall remain in you, ye shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise 
 that he hath promised to us, even eternal life. — 1 John II. 24, 25. 
 
 ZEAL, sincerity, and perseverance are not so much 
 particular graces, as each of them necessary ingre- 
 dients to every gi'aee ; zeal being the fervour, sin- 
 cerity the truth, and perseverance the duration of all 
 graces. Of these three, the last is not the least need- 
 ful, since constancy is the best evidence of sincerity ; 
 nor will fervour avail without permanency. No wonder 
 if it be called by Bonaventure,* conditio auiie.va cuili- 
 het viriuti, au inseparable condition of every virtue, 
 and by Aquinas, f donum quo catera servantnr dona, 
 that gift which preserveth all the rest. Without 
 perseverance, our love will prove not a star, but a 
 comet ; our devotion not a flame, but a flash ; our 
 repentance not a river, but a pond ; our hope not a 
 Btafl', but a reed ; and our faith not a substance, but 
 a shadow. And since this grace of faith last men- 
 tioned is indeed tho first, the root, the mother grace, 
 constancy is not more needful in anj- than this. The 
 truth is, there is no grace more oppugned bj' the 
 devil than our faith ; he well knoweth, that if he can 
 undermine the foundation, he shall soon overthrow 
 the building; for which reason, having obtained leave 
 to sifi St Peter, our Saviour prayeth for him, that his 
 ' faith may not fail.' Upon this account it is, that 
 more or less in all ages, the devil hath raised up false 
 teachers in the church, whose endeavour it is to with- 
 draw the people from the ancient catholic and apos- 
 tolic faith ; and for this cause no doubt it is, that one 
 of the chief designs of the holy apostles in all their 
 epistles, is to estabhsh- Christians in the faith. A 
 pregnant instance whereof we have in this epistle, 
 particulai'ly in these verses, whose scope is, by most 
 
 * Bonavent. in sent. 3 (list. 24. 
 t Aquin. la. 2a;. quoest. 20, ar. 2. 
 
 obliging arguments, to persuade a stedfast adherence 
 to the truth which they had embraced : ' Lot that 
 therefore which you have heard from the beginning,' 
 &c. 
 
 Which words do plainly part themselves into two 
 generals, a mandate aud a motive, a command and a 
 comfort, an exhortation and an incitation. 
 
 The exhortation enjoineth a needful duty : ' Let 
 that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from 
 the beginning.' 
 
 The incitation adjoineth a powerful motive, drawn 
 from the present comfort and future bliss of persever- 
 ing saints : ' If that which you have heard from the 
 beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue 
 in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the pro- 
 mise which ho hath promised, eternal life.' 
 
 Begin we with the duty, which we shall find to be 
 in order the seventh step of that lightsome walk, the 
 delineating whereof I have once and again told you is 
 the principal design of this epistle. 
 
 Tho first word we meet with in the Greek, i/,a£/i, 
 seemeth here to be superfluous, as also in the begin- 
 ning of the seven-and-twen!ieth verse ; but whether 
 we look upon it as transposed, or put absolutely, it 
 will bear a good construction. By way of transposi- 
 tion, v/jLiT; oh is as much as o olv li,u,iT;. Thus our 
 translators here read it : ' Let that, therefore, which 
 you have heard,' and also in the other verse, ' The 
 anointing which you have received.' Absolutely 
 taken, both here and there, it is an ellipsis, and the 
 sense is as much as, as for you therefore; as if he should 
 have said. However others foil away, yet let that which 
 you have heard abide in you. These antichrists (with 
 their followers) forsake, but do you continue in the 
 
SiG 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 apostolical doctrine ; nay, therefore, because they are 
 fallen, do you staud the more iii'mly. In this sense, 
 the apostle's counsel is much like Joshua's resolution: 
 Josh. xxiv. 15, 'But as for me and my hou«:e, we will 
 serve the Lord.' Indeed, it is the glory of a Chris- 
 tian, like hsh, to keep fresh in salt waters ; to profess 
 Christ's name where Satan's throne is, Rev. ii. 13, 
 and, like stars in a dark night, to shine in the midst 
 of a crooked and perverse generation. The truth is, 
 to be antichristian among antichrists is usual, to be a 
 Christian among Christians is laudable, to be anti- 
 christian among Christians is abominable, but to be a 
 Christian among antichrists is admirable ; no such 
 trial of constancy as in times of apostasy. Virtue is 
 never more amiable in God's eyes than when she is 
 out of fashion in the world. It is said of Koah, Gen. 
 vi. 7, that he ' found grace in the eyes of the Lord ;' 
 and the nest verse tells the reason, ' He was perfect 
 and upright in his generation.' Grace, though only 
 in the heart, finds grace in God's eyes, but especially 
 in the life, and more especially when (like Noah) it is 
 in a degenerating generation. Had Peter done as he 
 said (Mat. xxvi. 33, ' Though all men should be of- 
 fended, yet will not I '), he might well have challenged 
 the privilege of being Christ's beloved disciple. Oh 
 let us fix in our minds this holy purpose of cleaving 
 to Christ and his truth, though others leave it; yea, 
 let their defection by a kind of antiperistasis corrobo- 
 rate our resolution of continuing in the doctrine we 
 have received. 
 
 More particularly in the exhortation, we shall take 
 notice of the object which it concerneth, aud the duty 
 which it requireth. The object proposed is, that 
 which they had heard from the beginning ; the duty 
 required is, that it abide in them. 
 
 1. The matter spoken of is, ' that which they bad 
 heard from the beginning.' By biyiiiiiiiii/ in this place 
 is to be understood, the beginning of the preaching of 
 the gospel to them ; ex quo institui aepiatis, so Beza 
 glosseth,* since you began to be instructed in Christi- 
 anity ; for it is not said, let that abide in you which 
 was from the beginning ; then the date might have been 
 taken from the beginning of the world, since so soon 
 as Adam fell, the gospel was preached, but that which 
 you have heard from the beginning ; and though at the 
 seventh verse the phrase of an old commandment gave 
 just occasion to refer that from the hri/iiuiinr/ to a 
 further distance, and so of interpreting there you by 
 your ancestors, yet here, there being no such reason 
 inducing, we are not to recede from the most plain 
 meaning of the letter, especially when wo consider 
 that the exhortation, ' Let that abide in you,' most 
 rationally refers to what they thomsolvos had heard ; 
 and therefore in this place, those words from the bc- 
 tjinnimj, refer to the time of their first reception of the 
 faith. 
 
 If you ask what it was that they heard from the bc- 
 * Beza. in loc. 
 
 ginning, the answer is returned, either particularly, 
 Primarium dogma dc Christi diritiitale, so Justinian,* 
 the fundamental verity of Christ's divinity ; or gene- 
 rally, the whole evangelical doctrine of salvation by 
 Christ, which had been preached to them by the 
 apostles. 
 
 If you ask why it is thus phrased, not let that 
 which the gospel revealeth, but that ' which you have 
 heard from the beginning ;' I answer upon a double 
 account. To let us see, 
 
 1. What is the true doctrine, namely, that which 
 was delivered from the beginning, for though it is pos- 
 sible for falsehood to be ancient, yet truth is always 
 first. The envious man may sow his tares in the field 
 where the good seed was sown, and possibly the tares 
 may grow so fast as to hide the wheat, but still the 
 good seed was first sown. Prime antiquitj* is a sure 
 note of verily. The primitive times and truths were 
 of all other the pm-est, like the clear water at the spring- 
 head. But of this I have spoken heretofore. 
 
 2. By what means they received the evangelical 
 doctrine, namely, by hearing. 
 
 Among those several senses with which God hath 
 invested man, I know not any more needful than 
 that of hearing, in what capacity soever you consider 
 him, especially as he is ^wov Xoy/xov, •^oy.hiy.ov, ifiio)i, 
 by nature a reasonable, by converse a sociable, and 
 may be by grace a new, a divine creature. 
 
 (1.) Reason is the perfection of man, and hearing 
 is the improvement of reason. Aurh, say some, quasi 
 Iiaiiris, ah haurieudo, the ear being the sense by which 
 we suck in knowledge ; in which respect the sou 
 of Syrach saith, f ' God hath given man ears, 
 and an heart to understand.' Ivnowledge is as 
 the liquor, the soul the vessel, and as the tongue is 
 the tap to let it out, so the ear is the tunnel to let it 
 in. Whence it is that learners are called auditores, 
 hearers. Upon this account perhaps it is, that where- 
 as other parts have their shuts, sometimes to close 
 them up, the eyes lids like curtains, to draw over those 
 crystalline windows, and the tongue encompassed 
 with an ivory wall of teeth, only the nostrils and the 
 ears be always open : those for breathing, these for 
 hearing, that man, which is ever learning, might be 
 ever hearing. 
 
 (2.) Society is the delight of man, and hearing is 
 the sense of society. Aurihus alir)iossrrmoiii's adi)iilli- 
 mus ct ineiile recoiidiiinin, saith a rabbin ;| by hearing 
 we have converse each with another, we enjoy the 
 comfort one of another's advice, discourse, conference. 
 A deaf man is as a dead man to others, and liveth 
 only to himself, as being unfit either for company, or 
 traffic, or magistracy ; and therefore the ancients, 
 though they painted their judges without eyes, because 
 they should not respect persons, and without hands, 
 because they should take no bribes, yet not without 
 ears, na}', with both ears, because they were to hear 
 
 * Justin, ibid. t Ecclua. xvii. 5. J L. Gersh. 
 
Ver 2i 2.5.] 
 
 SERMON LIV. 
 
 3i7 
 
 both parties ; so needful is the sense for all civil tran- 
 sactions. 
 
 (3.) But, lastly, hearing is not onlj' sensus disci' 
 pUiitc et societiitis, but ji'Jei et reliyionk, the sense of 
 discipline and converse, but of faith and religion ; in 
 which respect St Paul is express, Rom. x. 17, 'Faith 
 Cometh by hearing.' Aiiiium sensus idea dalus est, 
 saith Lactantius,* ut iloclriiiain Dei percipere possimus, 
 for this cause chiefly is our hearing given us, that we 
 may receive divine truths. Suitable to which is that 
 of TertuUian.f ]'era onuimeiita auriwn Dei voces, 
 God's words are the best jewels we can hang at our 
 ears. Indeed, such is our present state that we re- 
 ceive the greatest spiritual advantages by hearing ; 
 oculiis or/janum patriic, atulilKS via, when we come to 
 our country we shall use our eyes, but whilst we are 
 in the way our chiefest use is of the ear. ' Faith,' 
 saith the apostle, ' is the evidence of things not seen,' 
 and we are most properly said to beheve what we do 
 not see ; but still we believe what we hear, and by 
 hearing we come to believe. At St Paul's conversion 
 there was a light seen, and a voice heard. Acts ix. i ; 
 the light astonished, but the voice converted him. 
 And in this respect we may call the ear the inroad and 
 thoroughfare of grace, the soul's custom-house for her 
 spiritual traffic in divine wisdom, the matrix or womb 
 of our new birth, the pail into which is put the milk 
 of the word, the still or limbeck of the dew of heaven, 
 the window to let in the light of the gospel, the chan- 
 nel of the water of life, the pipe for the conveyance of 
 faith ; in a word, the orifice or mouth of the soul, by 
 which it receiveth spiritual food ; for by this means it 
 was these Christians did partake of the gospel : ' That 
 which you have heard.' 
 
 But yet this is not all that is intended in this 
 phrase ; for inasmuch as by hearing we are brought 
 to believing, therefore hearing is used to connote be- 
 lieving. Thus Timothy heard ' the form of sound 
 words ' from the apostle Paul, 2 Tim. i. 12, that is, 
 60 as to embrace it, and therefore he exhorts him to 
 hold it fast. In this sense no doubt it is here to bo 
 understood, for in that our apostle would have it to 
 abide, it intimateth they had heard so as to receive it, 
 80 that we are here implicitly taught we must so hear 
 with our ears as to believe with our hearts evangelical 
 doctrines. This is the character which our Saviour 
 giveth of the good ground, that it ' heareth the word 
 with a good and honest heart,' Luke viii. 5, which is, 
 when the heart doth firmly assent and consent to 
 that which is heard. It is the counsel of Solomon, 
 Eccles. V. 1 , ' Keep thy foot when thou goest to the 
 house of Go'1, and be ready to hear.' The latter 
 words in the Hebrew are, and near to hear, which, be- 
 ing joined with the former clause, seem to intimate 
 that the foot should be near to hear ; and indeed he 
 only heareth aright who heareth with his foot and his 
 heart, as well as his ear : he heareth with his foot who 
 
 * Lactaut. Ub. vi cap. xxi, t Tertul. Scorp. cap. iii. 
 
 SO heareth as to obey; and he heareth with his heart 
 who so heareth as to believe. I shut up this with that 
 usual close of the epistles to the churches of Asia, 
 ' He that hath an eai- to hear, let him hear.' Though 
 all men have ears, yet all have not ears to hear. 
 There are too many idol-hearers, of whom it may be 
 said, as the psalmist saith of idols, Ps. cxv. 6, ' Ears 
 have they, but they hear not.' AnJientes videlicet cor- 
 poris sensu, noil atiditait cordis assensn, as St Austin ele- 
 gantly,* hearing with the sense of the body, they hear 
 not with the assent of the mind. Oh let us beg of 
 God that which Solomon telleth us, Prov. xx. 12, is only 
 in his power to give, the hearing ear. Indeed, 
 whether we understand it in a corporal or a spiritual no- 
 tion, it is God's gift ; he rightly disposeth the organ, 
 and it is he who fitly qualifieth the mind, the former 
 whereof maketh it an hearing ear in a natural, and the 
 latter nn hearing ear in a supernatural, sense. Our 
 ears, in reference to the word of God and Christ, are 
 stopped, Zech. vii. 11, not with wax or wool, or 
 frankincense, but earth. Let us beseech God to open 
 them, Isa. 1. 5, they are dull and heavy ; let us pray 
 him to awaken them, that we may be diligent and at- 
 tentive hearers ; and having, by the door of our hear- 
 ing, admitted the gospel into the closet of our souls, 
 that which will be most needful to press upon us, is the, 
 2. Duty here required. ' Let that which you have 
 heard abide in you.' A duty which may be capable of 
 a double notion, either as enjoining a careful remem- 
 brance of, or a resolute adherence to, that which they 
 had heard from the beginning. 
 
 (1.) Let that which you have heard abide in you 
 by a faithful recordation. To this St JuJe exhorts, 
 'But, beloved, remember the words which were spoken 
 before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,' 
 Jude 17. Our memories must be storehouses, and 
 treasuries of precious truths and holy instructions, 
 and, like books in a library, must be chained to them. 
 With this agi-eeth that advice of our Saviour to the 
 angel of the church of Sardis : Rev. iii. 3, ' Remem- 
 ber, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and 
 hold fast.' By hearing we receive, and by remember- 
 ing we retain and hold fiist, evangelical doctrines. 
 
 Nor is this exhortation needless, when we consider 
 the badness of our memories in divine matters. ' We 
 ought to give ' (saith the author to the Hebrews, chap, 
 ii. 1) ' the more earnest heed to the things which we 
 have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip,' 
 tacitly resembling our crazy memories to leaking ves- 
 sels, out of which the water of life soon slips, if they 
 be not stopped. Perhaps, like sieves, whilst they 
 are in the water they are full, but no sooner arc they 
 taken forth but all runs out presently. We can re- 
 member somewhat whilst we are hearing, but soon 
 after we are gone out of God's house, what wo heard 
 is gone out of our minds. In this sense, therefore, it 
 is needful counsel, ' Let that abide,' &c. 
 
 * Aug. do bono persever. lib. ii. cap. xiv. 
 
348 
 
 HARDY OX 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 (2.) But that which I conceive is the dutj- here per- 
 suaded, is, ' Let that abide in you which you have 
 heard from the beginning,' by a constant adhesion to 
 the end. Ad Jhlfi constantiam hortatur, is Calvin's 
 gloss,* it is an exhortation to constancy in the faith. 
 We may very well expound it by that of St Paul to the 
 Colossians, chap. i. 2, 3,t ' If you continue in the 
 faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away 
 from the hope of the gospel which you have heard;' 
 where the two words grounded and settled are meta- 
 phors, borrowed, the one from building, the other 
 from a chair ; so that as buildings, which are upon 
 rocky and firm foundations, are not quickly thrown 
 down, or as men that are fixed in their chair are not 
 easily moved out of their place, no more must we 
 Christians be withdrawn from our assent to, and love 
 of, those truths we have heard. This is that which 
 is expressed by those phrases of ' standing fast in the 
 faith,' 1 Cor. xvi. 11, like a soldier which keepeth his 
 ground; of ' keeping the faith,' 2 Tim. iv. 7, as a com- 
 mander keepeth a castle; and of 'holding fast,' by 
 which three Greek words are translated, and all of 
 them very emphatical. ' Hold fast that which thou 
 hast,' saith Christ to the angel of the church of Phila- 
 delphia, Piev. iii. 11 ; where the Greek verb is -/.oaTia, 
 from zjaro;, that signifieth slreiH/lh, and intimateth 
 holding fast with a strong hand, by force or might, 
 as we do one that would get away from us. ' Hold 
 fast that which is good,' is St Paul's advice to the 
 Thessalonians, 1 Thes. v. 21 ; where the word is -/.a- 
 r\yja, which notcth a firm holding with both hands, 
 and is used of them that are violently held in prison. 
 ' Holding fast the faithful word,' is St Paul's word 
 to Titus, chap. i. 9, where the Greek verb is, aniyji- 
 //.ai, by which the Seventy render the Hebrew verb 
 "I'n, and which, according to its derivation, signifieth 
 to hold fast against opposers. Thus must we, by 
 divine strength, so hold that which we have heard, as 
 resolving not to let it go, whatever befall us. 
 
 Nor is it without cause that our apostle adviseth to 
 this stedfast retaining of the evangelical doctrine, if 
 we consider what danger they were, and more or less 
 Christians in all ages are, [in], of being deprived of it. 
 That which we have in possession may bo taken from 
 us three ways, rajito, fnrto, dolo, by manifest theft, 
 by subtle fraud, and by violent force. By all these 
 means do our spiritual enemies endeavour to bereave 
 us of that which wc have hoard. 
 
 (1.) Very often the lusts of the flesh, and the de- 
 lights of the world, steal away that which we have 
 heard out of our hearts, as the fowls of the air plucked 
 up the seed which fell by the highway-side, I\Iark 
 xiii. 4. Oh how many are so bewitched with carnal 
 pleasures, that they let go spiritual truths ! like the 
 dog, who lost the llesh in his mouth, by catching at 
 the shadow of it in the water. 
 
 (2.) Not seldom false teachers, by their fair pre- 
 * Calv. ill loc. -f Vide llavuii. ib. 
 
 fences of divine revelations, sublime notions, gospel- 
 light, endeavour to cheat us of that we have heard from 
 the beginning. St Paul's phrase is very apposite to this 
 purpose, Eph. iv. 14,* where he speaketh of xu.Ss/a 
 ruv M^u-oiv, ' the sleight of men,' tacitly comparing 
 them to false gamesters, who have devices by cogging 
 a die, to deceive the unskilful. Nothing more usual 
 than for heretics, by subtle insinuations, to beguile 
 the unleai-ned and unstable of those precious truths 
 which they had before received. 
 
 (3.) Sometimes the devil stirreth up wicked perse- 
 cutors, who set upon us with open violence, to make 
 us let go our hold of the gospel ; and as Lactantius 
 well, Hicc verd est coiistaiitia, ut niillus tenor d, Deo 
 possil avertere, then doth that we have heard abide in us, 
 when no terrors can divert us from it. That is a truly 
 heroical spirit which will not be dared out of his reli- 
 gion, which determineth to let go estate, hberty, nay, 
 life itself, rather than that which it hath heard and 
 embraced. It was a brave resolve of the Spartan, fi rr,]i 
 rj £t; rfiQ, either to bring back his buckler, or to be 
 brought back upon it. Such should be a Christian's 
 resolution in point of religion, either to defend it, or 
 die for it. We know not what storms and tempests may 
 arise ; needful it is we should be unmoved, like the 
 rocks, in the midst of opposition. 
 
 But oh what cause is there of bemoaning the un- 
 settledness of many in matters of religion ! Pliny 
 reports of a swimming isliind, which never appeareth 
 in the same place one whole day together ; and Carys- 
 tius, of a flower that changeth colours three times in 
 one day. How fit emblems are these of the profes- 
 sors of this age, who are ever and anon changing their 
 religion, like the ship without an anchor, that is 
 tossed to and fro in the sea, or like the chaff that is 
 carried up and down with every blast ! Let any one 
 start up and broach some new doctrine under the mask 
 of a glorious truth, and how do the giddy multitude run 
 after him, forsaking those orthodox doctrines in which 
 they were heretofore instructed ! ' What went _you 
 out for to see ? a reed shaken with the wind ?' Too 
 many such reeds may be seen everywhere in these 
 apostatising daj's ; men as of barren lives, so of fickle 
 minds, unprofitable in their conversations, and un- 
 stable in their judgments. And especially if anything 
 of self-interest, as to profit, or honour, or pleasure, 
 come in competition, oh how easily are they removed 
 from their former profession ! No wonder it', when 
 danger approacheth, and looketh them in the face, 
 their trembling hands let go their hold, and they forego 
 the truth. In few words, some ai'e so foolish as to 
 bo cheated ; more are so careless as to bo robbed ; 
 the most are so cowardly as to be frighted, out of the 
 truth which they have heard and professed. 
 
 Receive, then, a word of admonition, to retain and 
 maintain the ancient catholic and apostolic faith. 
 
 Indeed, it is that which, by way of analogy, may be 
 * Vide Erasm. ibid. 
 
Vee. 24, 25.] 
 
 SERMON LIV. 
 
 319 
 
 pressed upon the miuisters of the gospel, Let that abide 
 in them which they have taught from the beginning. 
 In the law, the shoulder of the beast that was sacri- 
 ficed was the priest's, and that is, 'Ifix^oi orj/j-eTov, an 
 emblem of strength. The iirst priest's name, Aaron, 
 eignifieth a mountain of sliemjth ; and the altar was 
 called Ariel, the lion of the Lord, by all which is inti- 
 mated how valiant they should be for the truth who 
 serve at the altar, and are the priests of the most 
 high God. It is set down by the apostle as one of 
 the characters of a bishop, 'Titus i. 9, ' holding fast 
 the faithful word.' For this the nngel of the church of 
 Philadelphia is highly commended and comforted : 
 Eev. iii. 10, ' Because thou hast kept the word of my 
 patience ;' and it is the apostle's charge to Timothy, 
 
 1 Tim. vi. 20, ' That good thing which is committed 
 to thee, keep.' Indeed, the evangelical doctrine is a 
 sacred depositum, which Christ hath left with the 
 bishops and pastors of the church : ' To us' (saith 
 the apostle) ' is committed the word of reconcilia- 
 tion.' Oh, let us not be so unfaithful as to betray 
 our trust. 
 
 But yet it is not only the ministers, but all Chris- 
 tians, who are concerned in this duty ; as that must 
 abide with the preachers which they have taught, 
 
 2 Cor. V. 19, so that must abide with the people which 
 they have heard from the beginning. This was that 
 which St Paul and Barnabas persuaded the Jews and 
 religious professors which followed them, namely, to 
 ' continue in the grace of God,' Acts xiii. 43. For this 
 end they returned to Lystra, and Iconium, and An- 
 tioch, chap. xiv. 22, ' to confirm the souls of the dis- 
 ciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith.' It is 
 sage counsel of the wise man, Prov. xsiii. 23, ' Buy 
 the truth, but sell it not ;' buy it at any rate, but sell 
 it at none. Truth, as it is the minister's trust, so it 
 is the inheritance of aU Christians. Say we, there- 
 fore, with Naboth, ' God forbid I should sell the in- 
 heritance of my father.' Beloved, now is the time of 
 trial, whether we will die like soldiers, or run away 
 like cowards; whether we will quit ourselves like men, 
 or be tossed to and fi"o like children. God, angels, 
 men, arc spectators to see how we will acquit our- 
 selves, and whether we will adhere to the truth we 
 have embraced. And truly, when we consider how 
 tenacious heretics are of their novel errors, it may put 
 blushing into our faces, who are so apt to be with- 
 drawn from primitive truths ; besides, what will it 
 avail us to have heard, and that so as to believe, if that 
 which we have heard do not abide ? ' If you con- 
 tinue in my word' (saith our blessed Saviour, John 
 viii. 31), ' then are you my disciples indeed.' As 
 virtue, so truth, saith to us, Either never choose me, 
 or never leave me, Fides non accepla sed ctistodita rivi- 
 ficat,* it is not the receiving, but the keeping of the 
 faith, which entitleth to life. Indeed, as the pilot 
 keeping the ship is kept by the ship, so by the gospel's 
 
 * Cypr. lib i. Ep. 5. 
 
 abiding in us, it is that we are preserved to life eter- 
 nal. In one word, that which you have heard is the 
 'faith which was once delivered to the saints,' Jude 
 4 ; once for all, unalterably, unchangeably ; as it 
 hath been delivered to, let it be preserved by you. 
 We cannot always remain with you ; but oh, let that 
 which you have heard from us remain with you, and 
 as you have heard it from the beginning, so let it 
 abide with you to the end. 
 
 That this counsel may be the better followed, ob- 
 serve these short directions. 
 
 1. Strive for a well-grounded knowledge. He that 
 embraceth the truth he kuoweth not why, will leave 
 it he knoweth not how. The ship that is not well 
 ballasted may soon be overturned ; silly women are 
 easily captivated by crafty teachers. Let that which 
 hath been heard by you be assented to upon good 
 grounds, and then it will abide with you. 
 
 2. Keep the mind lowly. Ignorance is a sponge to 
 suck in, and pride is a bawd to vent, error. Js'^one 
 more likely to fall than he that proudly leans to his 
 own understanding ; nor are any hearers more fool- 
 ishly fickle than they that think themselves wiser than 
 their teachers. 
 
 3. Love the truth affectionately. ' Hold fast' (saith 
 St Paul to Timothy) ' that which thou hast heard of 
 me in faith and love.' These are the two hands by 
 which we both receive and retain what we hear. Love 
 is the best key to open the heart for receiving God's 
 word, and the strongest lock to keep it in when we 
 have received it. The reason why they of whom St 
 Paul speaketh were carried away with delusions, is, 
 because they ' received not the truth in the love of it,' 
 2 Thess. ii. 8. Love saith to truth, as Kuth did to 
 Naomi, ' Where thou goest I will go ; nothing shall 
 part thee and me but death.' 
 
 4. Practise what you have heard. That meat which 
 turneth into good nourishment stayeth with us : he 
 that digesteth the word by obedience retaineth it by 
 perseverance. St Paul saith of them who ' put away 
 a good conscience,' that they ' made shipwreck of their 
 faith,' 1 Tim. i. 21. A good conscience is as the 
 bark, and faith as the commodity ; if the bark mis- 
 carry, the commodity cannot be safe. 
 
 5. ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of hia 
 might.' Neqiie cnim qua hahemus ah eo, serrare aut 
 tencre possumus sine eo, saith St Bernard :* truly what 
 we receive from him we cannot keep without him ; as 
 the hearing ear, so the holding hand is his gift. 
 
 6. Finallj', fix your eyes on the advantage of Chris- 
 tian constancy, both here and hereafter, as it is set forth 
 in the text, which leads me to the 
 
 Motive by which the duty is enforced, and that, 
 
 1. In respect of the present comfort which attendeth 
 
 upon them, iu whom what they have heard abideth, 
 
 as it is expressed iu this verse, ' If that which you 
 
 have heard from the beginning shall remain in yon, 
 
 « Beru. Serm. iii. qui halii. 
 
350 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 TOii also shall continue in the Son and in the Father ; 
 in which clause are considerable, the condition required, 
 and the benefit assured. 
 
 1. The condition required is the same -with the duty 
 prescribed in the foregoing clause, and therefore will 
 not need any further explication, only the different 
 manner of proposal would not be passed by, that it 
 may appear the repetition is not needless. 
 
 That which is before expressed as the matter of a 
 precept is here repeated as the condition of a promise, 
 whereby is intimated to us a double necessity of this, 
 as indeed of all other duties, namely, according to that 
 known distinction in the schools, jircBcepti et medii, of 
 the precept and the means. 
 
 (1.) The necessity of the precept is that whereby 
 every creature is obliged to obey the command of its 
 Creator. We have an usual proverb, Must is for the 
 king, much more for the King of kings. It is said by 
 the historian* of Cajsar's soldiers, Imperium pothis 
 quam consilium scquebuiitiir, receiving a precept they 
 needed not persuasion ; not iihi/, but uhat, is the 
 question which every inferior ought to make in re- 
 ference to the supreme Power; and upon this account 
 the duty of perseverance in the faith, though there 
 were no benefit accruing to us, is necessary, because 
 required by him. 
 
 (2.) But lo, yet anothernecossityof the means, which 
 is in order to ihe obtaining of an end, that which is 
 called a conditional necessity, and is true of all such 
 means, without which it is impossible the end should 
 be accomplished. If a man will go to an island, he 
 must pass over the water ; if he will preserve his life, 
 be must eat and diiuk ; if we will continue in the 
 Father and the Son, that which we have heard must 
 abide in us. Thus is almighty God pleased to enforce 
 that upon us for our own sakes, which we ought to do 
 for his sake, herein condescending to our infirmity, 
 which stands in need of manifold obligations to our duly. 
 
 2. From the condition proceed we to the benefit, 
 and therein take notice of these two things, its propor- 
 tionality, liow suitable, its excellency, how precious. 
 
 (1.) How suitable is the benefit to the condition ! 
 Here is continuance recompensed with continuance: 
 the remaining of the word in us, that is the duty ; re- 
 maining in the Father and the Son, that is the mernj. 
 It is that which is not only here but elsewhere, and 
 that very often, to be observed. Indeed, that which is 
 called a geometrical proportion, not only of quality but 
 equality, is cnly to be found in thrcatenings, between 
 the sin and the punishment (since the largesses of 
 mercy are far beyond our performance) ; and this not 
 in all threatenings neither, only in those which de- 
 nounce eternal vengeance, lint the arithmetical pro- 
 portion, which is of quality by way of analog}', is that 
 which we find, as in thrcatenings, so in promises, be- 
 tween the service and the reward, and this expressed 
 two ways. ^ 
 
 * Tacit. 
 
 [1.] Sometimes one contrary is promised as the re- 
 compence of another. To the mourners is assured 
 comfort, to the hungry fulness. Mat. v. 3, 4, G, to the 
 humble exaltation, James iv. 10, to the poor a kingdom, 
 and to them that sow in tears ajovful harvest, Ps.cxxvi. 
 5 ; in all which how great a cocgruity there is, is 
 obvious at the first view. 
 
 [2.] Sometimes like is promised as the reward of like. 
 Thus we read of honour to them that honour God, 
 1 Sam. ii. 30, and love to them that love him, John 
 xiv. 23, of giving to them that give, forgiving to them 
 that forgive. Mat. vi. 14, Luke vi. 88, and mercy to 
 them that are merciful. Mat. v. 7, of eternal life to 
 them thatcontinue in well-doing, Rom. ii. C, and here of 
 eternal life, and continuing in the F.ither and the Son, 
 to them that continue in what they have heard. 
 
 (2.) How precious is the benefit considered in itself I 
 You shall continue in the Son and in the Father, that 
 is, saith the Greek father,* y.oisuvoi durou taeii, and so 
 the same in substance with that in the former chapter, 
 ' Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus 
 Christ,' only the manner of expression is somewhat 
 more emphatical ; whilst the preposition eV, in, noteth 
 the propinquity, and the verb /j-intT: the permanency 
 of this fellowship. 
 
 That question, why the Holy Ghost is not ment'oued, 
 is thus resolved by Estius,f Quia deeo non erat ohurta 
 quastio, because as yet there was no controversy raised, 
 and so no need of mentioning him. 
 
 If it be asked why the Son is put before the Father, 
 the answer is well returned. Because the apostle had 
 just before inveighed against those who, though they 
 pretended to acknowledge the Father, yet deny the 
 Son. Though withal there may besides be a double 
 reason assigned : the one to insinuate that the Sou 
 is not less than the Father, but that thej- are equal in 
 essence and dignity. Upon this account most probable 
 it is that the apostolical benediction bcginneth with 
 'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' and then followeth 
 ' the love of God the Father. The other, because, as 
 Beda well glosseth. No man cometh to, or continueth 
 in, the Father but by the Son, who saith of himself, 
 ' I am the way, the truth, and the hfe.' 
 
 To draw it up, lo, here, Exiuiia laus doctniKT, an 
 high commendation of evangelical doctrine, that it 
 leads up to Christ, and by him to the Father. The 
 water risetli as high as the spring from whence it 
 flowelh. No wonder if the gospel, which cometh from 
 God through Christ, lead us buck again through Christ 
 to God ; and as by hearing and believing this doctrine 
 we are united to, so by adhering to, and persevering 
 in it, we continue in, the Son and the Father. Suit- 
 able to this is that promise of our blessed Saviour, John 
 xiv. 23, ' If any man love me he will keep my word, 
 and my Father will love him, and we will come to him 
 and make our abode with him.' If we not only re- 
 
 * CEcumen. iu loc. 
 
 t Eat. ibid. 
 
Vee. 25.] 
 
 SERMON LV. 
 
 851 
 
 ceive but keep Christ's word, he and the Father will 
 not only come but continue with us. 
 
 They who never heard nor received the gospel are 
 without God and without Christ ; so St Paul saith of 
 the Ephesians, chap. ii. 8, whilst they were in their 
 heathenish condition. 
 
 They who, having heard the gospel and forsake it, 
 are far from God and Christ. ' God himself saith, ' If 
 an}' man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure 
 in him ;' but if that which we have heard abide with 
 us, we shall continue in the favour and afl'ectiou of, 
 in union and communion with, Christ and the Father. 
 
 And now, beloved, if the psalmist said, Ps. Ixxxiv. 4, 
 ' Blessed are they that dwell in thy house,' much more 
 may I, Blessed are they that continue in the Sou and 
 in the Father. If St Peter said of being on mount 
 Tabor with Christ at his transfigiiration, ' It is good 
 fur us to be here,' much more may we say. It is good 
 for us to be with the Son and the Father. If he that 
 was asked where his treasure was answered,* o'^rou K-J^ig 
 a p/Xoj, where Cyrus was, his friend, well may the 
 
 * Xenopli. Cyr. 
 
 Christian, otou xu^iog o ip/Xoj, place his wealth in the 
 friendi-hip of, and fellowship with, the Son and the 
 Father. 
 
 Let me then bespeak you in those words of St Jude, 
 ver. 18, 'Keep yourselves in the love of God,' which, 
 though it be chiefly understood in the active sense, 
 keep in you a love to God, yet withal it may admit a 
 passive interpretation, keep yourselves in God's love. 
 Nor is there any better way than by keeping God's 
 word in ourselves. If Christ's word dwell in us, he 
 himself will dwell with us. The ark was a blessing 
 to Obed-edom's house ; so is the gospel to the place 
 where it is preached, much more to them who so hear 
 as to receive, and so receive as to retain it. ' Let 
 that therefore abide in you which you have heard, 
 that you may continue in the Son and the Father; 
 so much the rather when we consider what followeth 
 in the next verse, an assurance that this coniinuance 
 shall know no end, but, being begun on earth, it shall 
 be perpetuated in heaven to all eternity. For this is 
 th; promise which he hath promised us, eternal life, 
 wh ch, God willing, in our nest discourse shall be un- 
 folded. 
 
 SERMON LV. 
 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. — 1 John II. 25. 
 
 AS there is in bad men an averseness from, so there 
 is in the best a backwardness to, their duty. 
 The one, through wickedness, have an antipathy, the 
 other, through weakness, an inability to what is good. 
 Corruption is so prevalent in those that they will not 
 receive, and so remanent in these that they h-ive 
 much ado to retain, either truth in their minds or 
 grace in their hearts. For this reason no doubt it is 
 that almighty God is pleased by his sacred penmen, 
 not only to impose services, but propose rewards, and 
 to enforce his commands by arguments. 
 
 Among those many arguments by which our duty 
 is persuaded, none more effectual than those which 
 concern ourselves, there being in us all such a prin- 
 ciple of Self-love as puts us upon seeking our own 
 advantage ; and of all those advantages which allure 
 to the doing our duty, none equal to that recompence 
 of reward, that eternal life which is laid up for, pro- 
 mised to, and shall be conferred upon us. 
 
 How fitly hath our apostle here coupled together a 
 difficult duty and an excellent motive. Perseverance, 
 ■whether in well-believing or well-doing, is no easy 
 task ; the hands of our faith and ol)edience, like those 
 of Moses, Exod. xvii. 11, are apt to grow heavy, and 
 have need of the stone of a promise to be put under 
 them, that they may be steady to the going down of 
 the sun of our lives. And a sweeter, fuller promise 
 there is not in the whole book of God than that which 
 
 we are here put in mind of: and 'this is the promise 
 which he hath promised us, even eternal life.' 
 
 In which words we have four particulars worthy our 
 observation : 
 
 An excellent benefit, eternal life. 
 
 A sure conveyance, lialli promised. 
 
 An eminent author, he. 
 
 The peculiar persons, us. All which, when I have 
 severally unfolded, I shall jointly apply, and that 
 especially with reference to that which our apostle 
 here intends, the duty of perseverance. 
 
 1. The excellency of the benefit, though it be last 
 in the verse, would first be considered, as it is deli- 
 neated in those words, eternal life. 
 
 If we here examine the grammar of the Greek text, 
 we shall find it incongrnous, the accusative rrjv ^ur,ii 
 put for the nominative n Zar\ ; but that which is called 
 in rheioric avn-T-uCig, the putting of one case for 
 another, is not unusual, and withal it is very frequent 
 to put ibe antecedent in the case of the relative, as 
 appearetb by those two instances among many others, 
 the one Virgil's, Urhem qnam statuo vestni est, and the 
 other Terence's, Popitio ut placerent quas fecissent 
 fab'jias, so here r^v i-riyyiiXirci t'^v ^ufiv. 
 
 The emphasis of the article prefixed before both 
 the substantive and the adjective, Tf,ii X,u>r,^ rr,f d/'jiviov, 
 would ni<t be passed by, since, as one well,"" magnum 
 * Beza in loc. 
 
3V2 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 pondus addit urationi, it addeth a gi'cat deal of weight 
 to tbe expression, intimating that it is not an ordinary 
 kind of life, but that which is most transcendent, 
 whereof the apostle speaketh, and, withal, that the 
 eternity is that which addeth much to its excellency. 
 
 That which is especially to be inquired into is, 
 A\'hat is the benefit which is represented under these 
 characters, and why it is so represented ? 
 
 1. That happy and glorious estate which shall 
 hereafter be enjoyed is without all doubt that which 
 is here and elsewhere intended by this phrase ' eternal 
 life.' 
 
 It may perhaps be here objected, that eternal life, 
 in a strict and proper notion, may be affirmed of the 
 miserable condition of the wicked, as well as the 
 blessed state of the godly ; for the resurrection shall 
 be general, and the term of that resurrection shall be 
 an union of soul and body, and that union shall be 
 inseparable, which denominateth it eternal. In which 
 respect St Austin saith expressly of the damned,* In 
 eternum cruciari iwn poteriiit nisi vixoinl in eternuin, 
 they could not be for ever tormented if they did not 
 live eternally. 
 
 But to this it is well answered, that this word ll/c is 
 not always taken ;j)'o nitdd cxislcntia, a bare existing in, 
 but /(clici conditione, an happy condition of life, non 
 magnum est diu vivere, ant semper vivere; sed rnuynmn est 
 hcale vivere, saith St Austin. f It is no great matter 
 to live long, or always, but to live happily. That 
 loj-al prayer, ' Let the king live ' (in every language) 
 imports a prosperous estate. When the psalmist 
 saith, Ps. xxxiv. 12, 'Wlio is the man that would see 
 life?' he explaineth himself presently after by ' good 
 days.' ]'ivere among tbe Latins is sometimes as much 
 as vfdere, to lire is as much as to ie well : and upon 
 this account it is that as, on the one hand, the Scrip- 
 ture calls tbe state of the damned an eternal death, 
 because their life is only a continuance in miserj', so 
 on the other, the state of the blessed an eternal life, 
 because it is a perpetual abode in felicity. 
 
 2. Having found out what is the benefit intended, 
 I shall now go on to enlarge in the description of it. 
 Indeed, eternal life is a subject so sweet and pleasant, 
 that you cannot want patience to bear of it, though 
 withal it is so sublime and transcendent, that I want 
 a tongue to speak of it. Acqniri poleal, ej-primi non 
 palest, it is our comfort we may attain it, but our 
 defect that we cannot conceive, much less express it. 
 When we come to the fruition of this life, wo shall 
 not say with those in the psahu, Ps. xlviii. 8, ' As we 
 have heard, so we have seen,' but with the queen of 
 Sheba, 2 Chron. ix. 0, ' The one half was not told us ; ' 
 all that can be said of that joyful eternity being but 
 as stilla mnri, a drop to the ocean, or sciiililla iijni, a 
 spark to the flame. But though a perfect discovery 
 of this bliss be impossible at such a distance as earth 
 
 , * Aust. (le civit. Dei lib. xix. rnp. xi. 
 t.lbid. Jo verb. Dom. Scrm. Ixiv. 
 
 is from heaven, yet in the Scripture lineaments we 
 may behold it, and that so much of it (if we seriously 
 view it) as that we cannot choose but be enamoured 
 of it ; nor shall I go further than my text, wherein 
 we find a desciiption consisting of two words. 
 
 A word of quality and prelation, life. 
 
 A word of quantity and duration, eternal. 
 
 Because men love to live, promissa est illis vita, saith 
 St Austin, life is promised to them; and because they 
 most fear death, promissa eit illis aternn, eternal life 
 is promised. What doest thou love ? To live ; this 
 thou shalt have. What doest thou fear ? To die ; 
 this thou shalt not sutler. It is life eternal ; of each 
 a word. 
 
 1. That future estate is described by life ; and if 
 you please to examine it, you shall find two things 
 shadowtd forth by it, namely, wherein that bliss con- 
 sists, and how far it surpasseth all other enjoyments. 
 
 (1.) Inasmuch as it is called life it intimateth wherein 
 that happiness consists, to wit, in the beatifical vision. 
 To clear which, you must know that 
 
 [1.] Natural life is the union of the soul with the 
 body, and, accordingly, supernatural life is tbe union 
 of the soul with God.* And look, as the bod}' being 
 united to the soul liveth, because the soul is the prin- 
 ciple of life, so the soul united to God must needs 
 live much more, because God is the living God, the 
 fountain and original of life. 
 
 [2.] This union of the soul with God is double, and 
 accordingly, with St Austin, we distinguish of a double 
 supernatural life: Unajide, altera specie, una in tem- 
 jwre jieref/rinaltonis, altera in eternitate mansionis, there 
 is a mediate union we have with God in this pilgi'im- 
 age by faith, and there is an immediate union we have 
 with him in that mansion by sight ; that is tbe Hfe of 
 grace, this the life of glory. When St Paul saith, 
 2. Cor. V. 7, 'We walk by faith, and not by sight,' he 
 expresscth the former, and withal intimateth tbe latter 
 life, when wo shall walk by sight and not by faith.' 
 Tbus, whereas God himself told Moses, Exod. xxxi. 8, 
 ' No man can see me and live,' it may in this respect 
 be inverted, No man can live without seeing God ; 
 since by seeing it is the saints have an union with and 
 fruition of God, and so live. To which those words 
 of tbe psalmist are fitly ajiplicable, Ps. xvi. 11, 'Thou 
 wilt shew me the path of life ; in thy presence is ful- 
 ness of joy.' 
 
 (2.) In that it is called life, it inferreth its surpassing 
 worth and value. To illustrate this, it would be con- 
 sidered that life is the most precious treasure and 
 choicest pearl in the cabinet of nature. Though a 
 lion be a far more noble brute than a dog, yet such is 
 the excellency of life, that ' a living dog is better than 
 a dead lion,' Ecclcs. ix. 4 ; though the sun be so glori- 
 ous and splendent a treasure, yet musca- anima pra- 
 stantior sole, the little fly, in respect of its life, is more 
 e.tcelleut than the sun. And as life is in itself, so is 
 * Aug. de verb. Dom. Sorm. Ixiv. 
 
Ver. 25.] 
 
 SERMON LV. 
 
 353 
 
 it in man's estimation, among all outward blessings, of 
 greatest worth. ' Skin for skin,' Job ii. 4, or, as it 
 may be better rendered, ' skin after skin, one thing 
 after another, and all a man hath ' (till he be 
 stripped to his skin) ' will a man give for his life.' 
 Saith the father of lies truly, a man will part with his 
 honours, his wealth, suffer bondage and pain, to save 
 his life. The woman in the Gospel, Mark v. 26, 
 ' spent all she had upon physicians,' and why, but to 
 preserve her life ? Had Haman's design been only to 
 make the Jews slaves, Esther vii. 4, Esther would 
 have been silent; but when their lives were concerned, 
 she resol>-eth to petition the king. This was the 
 singular boon which the king requested of God, Ps. 
 xxi. 4, ' He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it 
 him.' In a word, who is the man that would see 
 life, saith David, Ps. sxxiv. 10, and who is the man 
 that would not see life ? Scarce any man (if not be- 
 sides himself) but would choose to live, though it were 
 in poverty, exile, trouble, and misery, rather than not 
 to live at all. By all this the preciousness of life 
 appeareth ; and in that respect, how fit an emblem of 
 the state of bliss, which is infinitely beyond all earthly 
 comforts, yea,' in comparison of which this life (which 
 
 1 have told you is of so great a price) is yet vile and 
 base ; and therefore it is that this life is sometimes 
 called life, without any additament. So by our blessed 
 Saviour's answering the young man's question, Mat. 
 six. 16, 17, ' What shall I do that I may inherit 
 eternal life ? saith, ' If thou wilt enter into life,' as if 
 there were no life besides that, or at least as if this 
 life were not worthy to be called so in comparison of 
 that. 
 
 It is well observed by an ancient,* that cum varia 
 et multa seculi sint bona, iUorum iisus et jiarticipalio 
 rariis twminibus exprimitur : so great is the variety of 
 the good things of happiness, that it is expressed by 
 several names, and those, you will find, allusive to 
 what things are most amiable and desirable on earth. 
 Thus it is called a rest for the people of God, Heb. 
 iv. 9, the joy of the Lord, Mat. xx. 21, the glorious 
 liberty of the sons of God, Rom. viii. 21. It is 
 styled paradise, a crown, a kingdom, Luke xii. 32, 
 'an inheritance,' 1 Peter i. 4, ' a weight of glory,' 
 
 2 Cor. iv. 17 ; but of all expressions, none so fre- 
 quent as this, that it is called ' life ; ' yea, as if this 
 were the weightiest and choicest thing by which the 
 worth and value of that bliss could be set forth. WTien 
 it is compared to other things, still life is annexed : 
 if to water, it is ' the water of life ; ' to a tree, ' the 
 tree of life ; ' to light, ' the light of life ; ' to a crown, 
 ' a crown of life,' 1 Peter v. 4, Rev. ii. 7, 10 ; finally, 
 if to an inheritance, it is of the ' gi-ace of life.' The 
 sum is this, so manifold are the comforts of that 
 state, that all similitudes are too narrow to express it, 
 and therefore the Scripture useth not one, but m.any; 
 and among all these things to which it is compared, 
 
 * Andr. C»sar. 
 
 life is to be preferred far before them ; and therefore 
 not once, but often, I think I may say more often, it 
 is called by this name, life, than by any other. 
 
 2. As the state of bliss is called life, so this life is 
 said to be eternal. For the opening whereof I shall 
 briefly discuss three things : 
 
 In what sense this life is eternal. 
 
 Why it must be eternal. 
 
 Why so often called eternal life. 
 
 In answer to the first, j'ou must know that there is 
 a double eternal life. 
 
 The one, that which is so both a parte ante and d 
 parte post, having neither beginning of days nor end 
 of time ; and in this notion it is the incommunicable 
 property of the Deity, who livelh ' from everlasting to 
 everlasting ;' and as himself is the beginning and end 
 of all things, so he hath neither beginning nor end. 
 
 The other, that which is so a parte post, but not a 
 parte ante, hath a beginning but no ending ; and this 
 is that life which is communicable to the holy angels 
 and glorified saints. The greatness of this life is un- 
 measurable, the worth of it inestimable, the joys of it 
 innumerable ; so the duration of it is interminable. 
 ]'il(e illius cursus erit sine termino, ustis sine fastidio, 
 rcfectio sine ciho, adjatnrium sine defedu, saith the 
 father elegantly, that life shall be maintained with- 
 out any aliment, sustained without any defect, retained 
 without any loathing, and once obtained, shall know 
 no ending. 
 
 2. That this life must be in this sense eternal, there 
 needs no other medium to prove than that it is a state 
 of bliss, which could not be were it not eternal. This 
 will easily appear by a double argumentation, the one 
 of St Austin, the other of Aquinas. 
 
 1. St Austin thus argues,* If that life should end, 
 it must be either with or against, or neither with nor 
 against, the will of him that enjoyeth it. That he 
 should lose it with his will is not imaginable, because 
 he had it not against his will, yea, it is impossible that 
 life should be happy which he that enjoyeth desireth 
 to be rid of; nor can he lose it against his will, since 
 that life is not to be accounted happy, which, though 
 it be in a man's will, yet it is not in his power to 
 keep. Nor yet is it to be imagined that a glorified 
 person should be indifferent whether he have it 
 or no, since if good be that which all desire, the 
 chief good, which is blessedness, must be desired with 
 vehemency of affection, and therefore he that is once 
 is for ever possessed of this life. 
 
 2. Aquinas thus reasoneth,f Beatitudo debet quictum 
 reddere appetitum, that only is a blessed state which 
 quieteth the appetite and satiateth the desire, which 
 no state can do, though never so glorious, if it be not 
 eternal. It is not the mere fruition of the most splen- 
 did condition, which contents the mind, without an 
 assurance of its continuance, since the very thought 
 
 * August. Je Civitato Dei, lib. xiv. cap. xxv. 
 t Aquin. la. Ste. Qusst. v. Art. iv. 
 
354 
 
 HARDT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 and fear of future losing would much take ofl' the joy 
 and bliss of present enjopng. No wonder if happi- 
 ness be defined by Boetius to be* i)iten)nnal>iUs vita 
 tola simul et perfecta j/ossessio, a total, simultaneous, 
 perfect, and interminable possession of life. 
 
 3. It is not unworthy our observation, that by 
 whatsoever resemblance that future state of happiness 
 is illustrated, eternal and everlastiiif/ is still annexed as 
 the adjunct. Thus we read of an ' house eternal in 
 the heavens,' 2 Cor. v. 1 ; an ' everlasting kingdom,' 
 2 Peter i. 11 ; an ' eternal glory,' 2 Tim. "ii. 10 ; and 
 ' everlasting joy,' Isa. xxxv. 10; an 'eternal inherit- 
 ance,' Hob. is. 15 ; and ' everlasting salvation,' Isa. 
 T. 17 ; and very frequently eternal and everlasting 
 life, Titus i. 2, Gal. vi. 8 ; nor is it without good 
 reason that this epithet is made so much use of, and 
 that especially on a double account. 
 
 (1.) Propter eminentiam, to advance the excellency 
 of this life. St Austin, enlarging in the praises of this 
 life, heapeth up a multitude of excellencies. The life, 
 saith he,t which God hath prepared for them that love 
 him is, vita ritalis, heata, secura, tranqiidla, pulchra, 
 tnicnda, casta, saiicta, a lively, happy, secure, peace- 
 able, amiable, pure, chaste, and holy life ; but still 
 that which crowneth all is its eternity ; and therefore 
 the father goeth on, iijiiara mortis, iicscia tristitia;, it 
 is a joy which cannot be interrupted with any sorrow, 
 and a life which is altogether ignorant of death ; it is 
 sine lahe, sine dolore, sine anxietiile, sine perturhatione, 
 corrupt ione, et wiitatione, without spot or wrinkle, 
 without sorrow or vexation, without change or corrup- 
 tion. Look as in respect of divine attributes, eternity 
 is that which runs through and puts a lustre upon 
 them all, so that it were little to say of God, he is 
 holy, wise, just, good, nay, that he is omnipotent, 
 omniscient, omnipresent, unless we could say he is 
 eternally all these ; so is it in respect of the excel- 
 lencies of that other life, they could afl'ord little com- 
 fort were they not eternal. 
 
 (2.) Propter differentiom, io Ai^oTcnce it from, and 
 Bet it in opposition against, this present life. This life, 
 how sweet soever, is but short ; that life is not only 
 Bweet, but lasting, yea, everlasting. This life, as to 
 many acts of it, is suspended by sleep, and at last 
 wholly taken away by death ; that lil'e knoweth no 
 cessation nor interruption, but shall be one continued 
 act. Here, orimnr, morimnr, we no sooner begin to 
 live, but we hasten to death ; our life is lil;e an hour- 
 glass, which is no sooner turned up but it begins to 
 run out, or liiic a lease, which is no sooner taken but 
 it begins to expire. The longer our time past hath 
 been on earth, tliat to come is to much the shorter ; 
 and the more we grow in life, the nearer wc are to 
 death. But there the sun riseth and never setteth, 
 continually shining in its full splendour ; that estate 
 is not a lease for years, but an inheritance for ever. 
 This life is a fading flower, a flitting shadow, a vanish- 
 • Buet. do conaol. j- Aug. mcJitat. lib. cap. ixii. 
 
 ing vapour ; but that is a flourishing laurel, an endur- 
 ing substance, a fixed star. Finally, this lil'e is so 
 short that it may be measured by months, by days, 
 by hours ; but that is so long as it cannot be measured 
 by years, nor jubilees, nor ages ; since, when those 
 happy saints have lived so many millions of ages as 
 there are piles of grass on the earth, drops of water 
 in the ocean, sands upon the sea-shore, or stars in the 
 fiiTuament, their life shall be as new to begin, and as- 
 long to continue, as at the first moment when they 
 entered into the possession of it. And thus I have 
 given you an account of the excellency of the benefit ; 
 pass we on to the 
 
 Certainty of the conveyance, in those words, ' This 
 is the promise promised.' The explication of this 
 branch will be despatched in two queries. 
 
 What this meaneth, that eternal life is said to be 
 promised ! 
 
 Why it is SO emphatically called the promise ? 
 1. Inquire we a little into the import of this word 
 promised ; and this will the better appear by consider- 
 ing it in a fourfold opposition, to wit, twofold in re- 
 ference to him by whom, and twofold in respect of us 
 to whom, it is promised. 
 
 (1.) In regard of him by whom it is promised, we 
 may very well consider it as opposed to a bare inten- 
 tion, and a mere declaration. 
 
 [1.] 'Eteraal life is promised, not on]j purposed. I 
 confess, in one scripture promised is no more than 
 purposed, to wit, where St Paul to Titus saith of eter- 
 nal life, Titus i. 2, it was ' promised before the world 
 began ;' but according to the common notion and 
 usual acception, promised is more than purposed. 
 A purpose is only the thought of the heart, a promise 
 is the fruit of the lips ; a purpose is secret and hid- 
 den, a promise is open and manifest ; finally, a pur- 
 pose is only an intention of the mind, but a promise 
 is the revelation of the intention. This eternal life 
 was from all eternity purposed, and, being purposed, 
 could not but be accomplished, for the decrees of God 
 must stand. But had it not been promised as well as 
 purposed, we might at last have enjoyed it, but iu the 
 mean time could not have known it ; it would have 
 been as a treasure hid, a fountain sealed, a spring 
 shut up. God's purpose, then, is ihe emanation, and 
 his promise is the signification, of his will, whereby 
 it becomes manifest unto us. Nor yet is this all, but, 
 [2.] Promised is more than declared. It is one 
 thing to reveal, and an<ither to promise ; that only 
 maketh know^n, but this maketh sure ; that giveth 
 notice of, but tliis an interest in. When, therefore, 
 eternal life is said to be promised, it doih not only 
 mean that it is intended, but that it is manifested, yea, 
 not only that it is manifested, but that it is assured. 
 God hath not only set before the sons of men this 
 eternal life as a thing in itself real and excellent, no, 
 nor yet only as ihat which may possibl}-, yea, probably, 
 bo attained, but he hath promised, that is, he hath in 
 
Ver. 25 ] 
 
 SERMON LV. 
 
 355 
 
 his word giveu an undoubted assurance, that he will 
 bestow it ; and this is the meaning of ' hath pro- 
 mised.' 
 
 Nor yet is it a simple, naked promise, but such as 
 is attended with an oath ; so the author to the He- 
 brews expressly, Heb. vi. 17, 18, ' God, willing more 
 abundantly to shew unto us, the heirs of promise, the 
 immutability of his counsel, confirms it by an oath : 
 that we might have strong consolation, who have fled 
 for refuge to the hope set before us ;' which hope is 
 no other than the thing hoped for, eternal life ; yea, 
 more than this, both the word and oath are upon 
 record in holy writ, and all this hath a seal annexed 
 to it, both the privy seal of the Spirit, and the broad 
 seal of the holy sacraments, for our further confirma- 
 tion. If, then, you will have the import of these 
 ■words, ' he hath promised,' in reference to God, it is, 
 that he hath not only resolved, but spoken it ; not 
 only spoken of such a life, but said he will give it us; 
 yea, not only spoken, but sworn, and this not only 
 with his lips, but it is as it were under hand and seal. 
 (2.) In respect of us to whom it is promised, we 
 may look upon it in a double opposition : to actual 
 possession, and due desert. 
 
 [1.] Eternal life is jiromised, yet not possessed; the 
 promise is past, it is the preterperfect tense, hatli, the 
 possession to come. St Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 8, useth the 
 future tense, ' shall give.' It is not uiifiily observed, 
 that it is the wisdom of divine dispensation, first to 
 make a promise, and afterwards to give the thing, 
 partly in regard of himself, ut in lis quw iion liaheiniis 
 lari/itorem, habeamiis dehilorem, saith St Austin ex- 
 cellently, that where he is not a donor he may become 
 a debtor, and may glorify not only bis goodness in 
 giving the thing, but his faithfulness in making good 
 bis word ; partly in regard of us, that he may give us 
 occasion of exercising our faith, hope, and patience, 
 since on the one hand, if it were presently given, 
 there were no use for hope to expect, and patience to 
 wait ; and on the other hand, if it were not promised, 
 there were no ground for faith to believe. 
 
 [2.] Eternal life is promised to, not de-erved by, us. 
 I confess these two are not necessarily opposed, there 
 is a promise which is an act of justice, as when a 
 debtor promiseth the payment of his debts, or a 
 master promiseth the labourer his hire, the servant 
 bis wages ; bnt withal there is a promise, which is an 
 act of grace and mercy, as when a king promi>eth a 
 malefictor a pardon, or a friend promiNcth another a 
 courtesy. And of this latter sort are all (iod's pro- 
 mises to us, especially this of eternal life, which is 
 infinitely beyond whatever we can, or whatsoever he 
 requircth we should do, or sufler. ' I reckon,' saith 
 St Paul, and I hope he is not out in his reckoning, 
 'that the sufferings' (surely, then, the doings) ' of tliis 
 present lile are not worthy the glory whicli shall be 
 revealed.' Devout Anselm said truly, 6i homo mille 
 annis servirel Deo fervenliisiine, nan mereielur ex con- 
 
 digno dimidinm diei esse in reano cceJorwn, if a man 
 could serve God most fervently a thousand years to- 
 gether, it would not deserve one half day's, much less 
 an eternal, fruition of that life. Indeed, the promise 
 being past, it is just with God to perform it, in which 
 respect, St Paul expects this crown from God as a 
 'righteous judge,' 2 Tim. iv. 8; but withal, since 
 mere mercy moved him to promise, and what we do 
 as the condition is no way equivalent to the reward, 
 it is a gift of mere grace ; and therefore om- Saviour 
 teacheth his disciples to expect it from God as a 
 merciful Father : Luke xii. 33, ' It is your Father's 
 good pleasure to give you the kingdom ;' and the 
 same St Paul expressly calls it a gift, Rom. vi. 23, 
 ' Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord.' And so much in answer to the first 
 question. 
 
 2. If it shall in the next place be inquired why 
 eternal life is called the promise, the answer is given 
 by St Peter, 2 Peter i. 4, where, speaking of the pro- 
 mises of eternal life, he calls them ' exceeding great 
 and precious.' 
 
 (1.) The promise, because an exceeding precious 
 promise. All other promises whatsoever being put in 
 the one scale, and this in the other, this will infinitely 
 preponderate them. Look what the paper and pack- 
 thread are in respect of the commodity for which we 
 bargain, that are all the promises of this life in re- 
 spect of those which concern that to come, circum- 
 stantials, and of no value. Not only so, but, 
 
 (2.) The promise, because an exceeding great pro- 
 mise, it is as it were the centre in which all other 
 promises meet ; it is such a promise as without which 
 all the other would afford little comfort. What a figure 
 is to the cyphers, that is this promise to the rest, 
 without which they signify nothing ; it is the funda- 
 mental promise, upon which all the rest are bottomed. 
 Because God hath promised eternal life, therefore he 
 will not stick at anything else, yea, whatsoever pro- 
 mises he hath made are in order to this ; therefore 
 he promiseth earthly things, that they may help us to 
 heavenly. Nor are temporals any further within the 
 promise than they are subservient to eternal, therefore 
 he promiseth his Spirit, and the graces of his Spirit, 
 that liy them we may be fitted for glory ; therefore he 
 promised to send his only begotten Son, that we 
 might through him obtain eternal life ; and since it is 
 as it were the Alplia, the first, the chief of all pro- 
 mises, yea, the Omer/a, the end to which they lead, it 
 may well be called the promise. And so you see the 
 second particular unfolded, which is the certain con- 
 veyance. 
 
 3. The eminency of the author by whom this pro- 
 mise is made cometh next to be considered, in the 
 relative he. 
 
 If you cast your eyes on the preceding verse yon 
 will find the antecedent to this relative, namely, ' the 
 Father and the Son.' Our Saviour tells the disciples 
 
356 
 
 HARDY ON ] JOHN. 
 
 [CaAP. II. 
 
 it was ' the Father's good plcasnre to give them the 
 kingdom ;' and it is his good pleasure in the mean 
 time to give them the promise of it. But because the 
 Father promiseth it bj- the Son, therefore interpreters 
 look upon the Son as the antecedent, so much the 
 rather, because throughout this epistle, when the 
 apostle nseth this pronoun he, he meaneth Christ. 
 
 Indeed, a caution must be here inserted, that if we 
 understand this he to be the Son, we do not so con- 
 strue it as if eternal life were not promised before 
 Christ came. As the Father ' hath spoken to us in 
 these last days by his Son,' so he spake to them that 
 were before, at divers times, and divers manners, and 
 that concerning eternal life. I well know that the 
 Socinians positively assert the first promise of eternal 
 life to be made by Christ, and it is not to be denied, 
 but that some of the fathers seem to incline to this 
 opinion: St Jerome, where he saith,* the kingdom of 
 heaven was not promised in the Old Testament ; 
 Theophylact, who maketh this distinction between the 
 law and the gospel, f that to the law only temporal 
 promises are annexed, but in the gospel eternal pro- 
 mises are revealed ; but how improbable this opinion 
 is, will appear by several considerations. The author 
 to the Hebrews, chap. xi. IG, saith of the patriarchs, 
 Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, that they desired a 
 better country, that is, an heavenly ; and could they 
 have desired it if they had not known it, and could 
 they have known it if God had not revealed it ? In 
 the same chapter, ver. 9, it is said of Abraham in par- 
 ticular, that he ' looked for a city which hath founda- 
 tion, whose builder and maker is God.' Is not that 
 city the Jerusalem which is above, and could he with 
 any confidence have looked for it, if God had not pro- 
 mised it ? That ' recompenco of reward,' ver. 26, 
 which Moses had an eye to when he forsook the 
 honours and pleasures of Pharaoh's court, to ' suffer 
 affliction with the people of God,' was certainly more 
 than temporal, for otherwise how could it have justly 
 preponderated the contentments he might have had, 
 or recompensed the sufl'erings he made choice of? Nor 
 could he have had respect to it, if it had not been set 
 before him. Not to enlarge, when our blessed Saviour, 
 Luke xix. 20, refers the young man to the law of 
 Moses, for answer to the question, ' What shall I do 
 to inherit eternal life?' and when, John v. 89, he 
 exhorts the Jews to 'search the Scriptures, for in them 
 you think to have eternal life ;' doth he not plainly 
 intimate, that in the law of Moses, and scriptures of 
 the prophets, eternal life is made known, together 
 with the way that leads to it ? In one word, the re- 
 Burroction of the dead, the term whereof is eternal 
 life, is expressly called by the apostle Paul, Acts 
 xxvi. 6, the ' promise of God made unto the fathers.' 
 
 This, then, is the promise which ho hath promised ; 
 not that it was not at all promised before, but not so 
 fully, so clearly. Eternal life was promised in the 
 • Hicr. lib. i. adv. Pelag. f Theoi'h. in Luke i. 
 
 Old Testament, rather typically than literally, in 
 general phrases than in express terms, and hence it 
 is that they were but a few comparatively who under- 
 stood anything by those promises concerning it, 
 whereas now, according to St Paul's expression, 
 2 Tim. i. 10, Christ ' hath brought light and immor- 
 tality to light through the gospel,' which plainly mak- 
 eth it manifest to us. In which respect the promises 
 of the gospel are called by the author to the Hebrews, 
 chap. viii. 6, ' better promises ; ' not as to the things 
 promised, which are the same for substance, but as to 
 the easiness of the condition, and chiefly the clearness 
 of the revelation. 
 
 It will not now be amiss to consider a while who 
 this he is, by whom this promise is so punctually 
 promised ; nor need we any further character of him 
 than what is given before in this very chapter. 
 
 It is he that is righteous, and therefore cannot de- 
 ceive. It is he that is the holy one, and therefore 
 cannot lie ; so that since it is he that hath promised, it 
 must be performed. It is he who is an ' advocate with 
 the Father,' to plead for our admission into heaven ; 
 who is ' the propitiation for our sins,' to wit, by his 
 blood, which is also the purchase of this life. It is 
 he who is the Christ, anointed to the office of a pro- 
 phet, that he might reveal to, of a priest, that he 
 might obtain for, and of a king, that he might confer 
 on us, this eternal life. Finally, it is he who is tho 
 Son ; and being the Son, is the heir; and being the 
 heir, hath a title to this life, not only to enjoy it 
 himself, but to impart it to us. By all which it ap- 
 peareth, that whereas men oftentimes promise those 
 things which they have no power or right to give, yea, 
 sometimes they promise what they never intend to 
 give, and hence it is that their promises are vain, lying, 
 and deceitful ; he that hath promised hath power 
 and will to give it, he saith nothing but what he really 
 intends, and will certainly fulfil. And now, if you 
 would know to whom this promise belongs, go on to a 
 view of the next and last particular, which is the, 
 
 4. Propriety of the persons, in the pronoun us. It 
 is that which m.ay be looked upon, both in a way of 
 enlargement and of restriction. 
 
 (1.) In a way of enlargement, i(.s, not nie only. Tho 
 promise was not peculiarly to the apostles, but to all 
 true Christians ; upon this account St Paul elsewhere, 
 2 Tim. iv. 8, speaking of this benefit, under the name 
 of a ' crown of righteousness,' saith, it is that which 
 ' the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day ; 
 and not me only, but all them that love his appearing.' 
 In other races, though never so many run, yet only 
 one obtains the prize, bnt this prize is given to all 
 Christian runners. That which entitled St John to 
 this life, was not his now office of an apostle, but bis 
 new birth as a Christian. So much the apostle Peter 
 implieth when ho saith, ' Blessed bo the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten 
 us to a lively hope, to an inheritance ;' and the mean- 
 
Vek. 25.J 
 
 SEESION LV. 
 
 357 
 
 est Christian is begotten of God as well as anj' of the 
 apostles. It is not gi-ace in strength, but truth, which 
 is the conditiou of glory ; and thyrefore this us taketh 
 in all those sorts of Christians before mentioned, not 
 only fathers but young men, nay, little children. 
 
 (2.) In a way of restriction, us; not all, but iis, who 
 are thus and thus qualified ; and if you please you may 
 take in all those who are before expressed in this 
 chapter: us, who keep his commandments, ver. 3, for 
 the promise and the precept are knit together, nor 
 can any partake of the one, who do not keep the 
 other ; us, who walk as Christ walked, ver. 6, for we 
 cannot espect to attain the end which he hath pro- 
 mised, if we do not walk in the way which he bath 
 walked in, and which leads to the end ; us, who love 
 our brother, ver. 11 ; this being the old and the new 
 commandment, must be obeyed if we will enter into 
 hfe ; us, who love not the world, nor the things of the 
 world, ver. 15, for he is unworthy of the life in that 
 world to come who doateth with the love of this ; us, 
 who acknowledge the Son, since only he that hath the 
 Son hath life, ver. 22 ; finally and principally, us, in 
 whom that abideth which we have heard from the 
 beginning, ver. 24. 
 
 Indeed, if you mark it, you shall still find the pro- 
 mises of eternal life made to perseverance : ' to them 
 who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for 
 glory, honour, and immortality, eternal life.' So 
 St Paul to the Eomans : chap. ii. 7, ' I have fought 
 the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept 
 the faith : henceforth is laid up for me a crown of 
 righteousness ;' so the same apostle concerning him- 
 self, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8; not to multiply instances, in 
 those seven epistles to the seven angels of the churches 
 of Asia, we find eternal life promised under several 
 metaphors, but still the condition prefixed is, ' to him 
 that overcometh,' not to him that fighteth, but who 
 continueth fighting till he overcome ; so true is that of 
 St Bernard, whereas all the virtues run in the race, 
 it is perseverance alone which carrioth away the re- 
 ward. And thus I have given you an account of all the 
 parts of the text. 
 
 I close up all in one word of application, and that, 
 
 1. In general, is there an eternal life promised? 
 Wh\- then do we not believe it ? and if we do believe 
 it, why do we not prize it ? and if we prize it, why do 
 wc not seek after it ? Were it possible that men should 
 be so much in love with this life, did they believe 
 there were another '? or could they doat so much on a 
 frail fading life, did they believe there were one that 
 is eternal ? If we view the practices of the sons and 
 daughters of men, we may sadly observe that this life 
 is ever providing for, as if it should never end, and 
 that life is never prepared for, as if it should never 
 begin, whereas this life shall soon end, but that never. 
 AYe see, saith St Austin,* the lovers of this present 
 * Aug. de verb. dom. serm. 64. 
 
 life using their utmost care and cost to preserve it, 
 and all they can do is only ut dijf'eraiil, non aujerant 
 mortem, to delay that death which they cannot prevent. 
 If men are solicitous, id cdiquanlulwn plus vicalur, that 
 they may live a little longer, quomodo wjendum est, ut 
 semper vivatur, how studious should they be that they 
 may live for ever ! 
 
 Oh that we would at length be effectually convinced 
 of the certain and infallible verity of this promise in 
 itself, and then there would be little need to persuade 
 our endeavours, to make sure our own interest in it. 
 Cleombrotus, reading of this future immortality, though 
 but darkly delineated in Plato's writings, by casting 
 himself into the sea, dispossessed himself of this life 
 that he might be the sooner posssessed of that. Far 
 be his practice from our imitation; we are taught to 
 wait God's leisure for the accomplishment of this 
 promise, but surely the due consideration of an eternal 
 life will teach us to make a preparation for that the 
 main business of this life, ever remembering that this 
 moment is given us by God to be the only opportunity 
 of gaining that eternity. 
 
 In special, lUtmoria promissa mercedis perseverantem 
 te facial in opere, since eternal life is promised by him 
 to us, let that which we have heard from him abide 
 in us. True perseverance in the faith is very difficult, 
 and sometimes proveth dangerous ; but it is as true, 
 eternal life is very excellent and advantageous. 17- 
 deaimis quid prumidi, saith St Austin,* let us seriously 
 view what it is he hath promised. Not gold nor silver, 
 houses, jlands, or any earthly possessions ; and yet 
 what will not men endure for the gaining of these ? 
 Shall not eternal life have a stronger infiucnce upon 
 us '? Oh consider, on the one hand, what is it thou 
 canst probably gain by forsaking the truth : perhaps 
 favour with great ones, large revenues, stately palaces, 
 honourable titles. But tell me in good earnest, can 
 these countervail the loss of eternal life '? Undoubtedly 
 they cannot. On the other hand, what is it thou 
 canst possibly lose by retaining the truth ? Perhaps 
 thy estate, thy liberty, thy life. Ay, but what thinkest 
 thou ? Will not eternal life make amends for all these 
 losses ? Certiiiuly it will. As therefore the runners of 
 old were wont to engrave the reward upon the palms 
 of their hands, that when thej' began to faint the 
 sight of that might revive them, so let us encourage 
 om'sclves to a patient abiding in the doctrine which we 
 have heard, notwithstanding all opposition, by a 
 serious remembrance of the promised remuneration, 
 eternal life ; and so much the rather, because it is pro- 
 mised upon this condition, and is no otherwise to be 
 expected. To end therefore, hast thou begun well by 
 embracing the faith ? Lose not the reward for want of 
 adhering, but hold it fast to the end, that thou may- 
 est receive in the end this life which shall be with- 
 out end. 
 
 * Aug. in loc. et in cvang. Juli. tract, xxiii. 
 
358 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 SEEMON LVI. 
 
 Tlu>e things have I tvritlen unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anoinliwi ichich you have received 
 from him ahideth in you ; and ye need not that any man leach you : but as the same anoinliny teacheth you 
 of all thinys, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath tuuyht you, ye shall abide in him. And 7iow, 
 little children, abide in liiin ; that, ivhen he shall ajypear, ye may have confidence, and not be ashamed before 
 him (it his cominy. — 1 JoHX II. 2G-28. 
 
 IF you compare tliese three with the eight foregoing 
 verses, you shall find them to be a summary re- 
 petition of what is there more largely delivered. There 
 are three hinges upon which the precedent discourse 
 turneth, namely, the peril of antichristian doctrine, 
 the benefit of the Spirit's unction, the duty of perse- 
 verance in the Christian faith ; and these three are 
 inculcated in these verses. Indeed, where the danger 
 is veiy gi'eat, the admonition cannot be too frequent. 
 When the benefit is of singular advantage, it would be 
 often considered, and a duty which must be per- 
 formed cannot be too much pressed. No wonder if 
 St John proposed them in this gemination to our 
 second thoughts. And yet it is not a naked repeti- 
 tion neither, but such as hath a variation and ampli- 
 fication in every particular. The duty is reinforced 
 at the eight-and-twentieth verse, but in another phrase, 
 of ' abiding in Christ,' and with a new motive, drawn 
 from the second coming of Christ. The benefit is 
 reiterated, and much amplified, in the seven-and- 
 twentieth verse, as to its excellency and energy. 
 Finally, the danger is repeated, but with another 
 description of those by whom they were in danger ; 
 whilst as before he had called them antichrists for 
 their enmity against Christ, so here, for their malig- 
 nity against Christians, he calleth them seducers : 
 ' These things have I written to j-ou concerning them 
 that seduce you,' &c. 
 
 By what you have already heard, you see the scope 
 of those verses, which (according to their number) 
 divide themselves into three generals. 
 
 A caution, ' These things have I written,' &.C. 
 
 A comfort, ' But the anointing which you have re- 
 ceived,' &c. 
 
 A counsel, ' And now, Uttle children, abide in him,' 
 &c. 
 
 1. Begin, and at this time end wc with the caution, 
 which is given in the six-and-twentieth verse, ' These 
 things have I written unto you concerning them that 
 Beduco j'ou.' 
 
 As it is in the world, so is it also in the church. 
 In the world, all good and useful things have their 
 contraries : there arc fruitful showers, and there are 
 harmful storms ; there arc refreshing dews, and in- 
 fecting vapours ; there are wholesome herbs, and 
 there are noisome drugs ; there are tame living crea- 
 tures, and there are wild beasts. Thus, in the church, 
 there are sound and there are rotten professors, true 
 and false prophets, faithful and deceitful apostles ; and 
 
 if you look upon this verse, you may find a brand set 
 upon the one, and a character given of the other, 
 whilst the two parts of the text are, 
 
 The mischievous design of the antichrists, which 
 was to seduce, ' them that seduce you ; ' and the 
 pious care of St John, which was to give warning, 
 ' These things have I written to you concerning 
 them.' 
 
 1. In handling the former of these, I shall take 
 notice of these three things : 
 
 The ivlio ? them ; ivhom ■ you ; uhat ? seduce. 
 
 1. If you inquire who these seducers were, we shall 
 find two things not unworthy our observation. 
 
 1. That their names are not mentioned. It may 
 perhaps be asked, since the apostle doth not name 
 them, how should they know them? and if they could 
 not know them, how should they avoid them? But 
 to this it is easily answered, that 
 
 He had sufficiently described them before by their 
 antichristian doctrine, so that of whomsoever they 
 heard such positions, they might conclude them to be 
 the persons ; and since in this respect there was no 
 necessity of mentioning, it is justly looked upon as an 
 act of prudence, his concealing their names. Indeed, 
 we find this apostle in one of his epistles, 3 John 5, 
 expressly naming Diotrcphcs, and St Paul naming 
 Hymoneus, and Alexander, Ph3'gellus,andHermogenes, 
 in his epistle to Timothy, 1 Tim. i. 20, ii. 1, 15. 
 There may be sometimes urgent reason of mentioning 
 names, but for the most part both these apostles aro 
 silent in this particular; and those other apostles, St 
 Peter and St Jude, though they aro large and sharp 
 in their invectives against those heretics, yet they 
 name not any. The reason of this is not unfitly 
 given by Lorinus upon the text,* to wit, nc niayis 
 irritarentur, to avoid all exasperation ; and it is a good 
 note ho infers upon it, abslinendnm ijuoail fieri potest 
 a cujiixquum puhlica niitd, as much as may be, we 
 must abstain from throwing dirt in the fiices of par- 
 ticular persons, though they be flagitious in life, or 
 erroneous in doctrine. Very apposite to this purpose 
 is that gloss of Theophylact.f on these words of St 
 Paul, ' many walk of whom I have told you often,' 
 &c., my. iivou-asrl to^tcu; Xiyii ha /j-t, '"XjiJ^ dXXa bibudiv 
 auToTi avayviutai, toZtouc d'jc yuo frim 'xo')Xay,n tXiyov 
 v/j-Tv, he intimatcth who they wore, in saying, I have 
 told you often, but he doth not nominate, lest he 
 should provoke them. In that parabolical narration 
 * Lorin. in loc. t Tlicojih. iu I'liil 
 
Ver. 26-28.] 
 
 SERMON LVI. 
 
 359 
 
 of Dives and Lazarus, the ricli man's name is not 
 mentioned; the reason whereof is generally conceived 
 to be, that our Saviour thought him not worthy the 
 naming ; npon which account Ignatius would not in- 
 sert,* 7a. hsj!La7a artiara, the faithless names of certain 
 heretics in his writings. But that note of Middouate 
 maj- very well be allowed, and it is very suitable to 
 the present matter, it was the prudent moderation of 
 our Saviour, iit paiiperem quern laudaret nominaret, 
 divitem quern rituperahai non nominaret, to mention 
 the beggar's name whom he did commend, but to 
 conceal the rich man's whom he did condemn. That 
 rule which is given, though not so well observed by 
 the epigrammatist,! is fit to be followed by all preachers 
 and writers, 
 
 Parcere personis, dicere de vitiis, 
 
 to reprove sins and spare persons, to confute errors 
 and conceal names. That character of the philo- 
 sopher, inseclatur vitia, non homines, he inveighed 
 against vices, not men, well befits a preacher. When 
 we praise and commend the good, it should be with 
 reflection on persons, and that by name, for their 
 greater encouragement ; but when we reprove or con- 
 demn the evil, it should be (unless for some weighty 
 reasons) without naming persons, to avoid provoca- 
 tion, whilst those who on such an occasion are named, 
 are apt to suppose it as an argument of ill will, and 
 so, instead of being bettered by the reproof, to be 
 embittered against the reprover. 
 
 2. Their otfice (to which probably some of them 
 were called, and which no doubt all of them pre- 
 tended) was to teach and instruct the people. Thus 
 in all ages there have not wanted seducers among the 
 teachers of the church. God complained by his 
 prophet Isaiah, chap. iii. 12, ix. 16, ' The leaders of 
 this people caused them to err ;' so by Jeremiah, 
 chap, xxiii. 13, ' I have seen folly in the prophets of 
 Samaria, they have prophesied in Baal, and caused 
 my people Israel to err.' Upon this account the 
 pharisees are called by our Saviour, ' blind guides," 
 Mat. xxiii. 16, and those seducers, by St Paul, ' false 
 apostles,' and both by St Peter and St John, folse 
 prophets, 2 Peter ii. 1, 1 John iv. 1. And truly, 
 though this be too common, it is very sad. What 
 more incongruous than blindness in a guide, injustice 
 in a judge, ignorance in a scholar, and heresy in a 
 teacher ! Those sheep must needs wander, which 
 either are without a shepherd, or whose shepherd 
 misleads them. Oh what need is there of earnest 
 praver, that God would give us ' pastors after his own 
 heart,' which may feed us with wisdom and under- 
 standing ! And so much for the uho. 
 
 2. That which next cometh to be considered, is 
 the iihom ? you, that is, saith Grotius,J Juddos, ex 
 quorum gente vos esti\'!, many of the Jews whose 
 
 • Iguat. ad Smyrn. ep. x. J Grot, in loc. 
 
 t Mart. Epigr. 
 
 countrymen you are, who were seduced by them; but 
 more rationally say others, you, that is, you who 
 have received the unction, and abide in the faith, to 
 whom I have written this epistle. But if those were the 
 you, how is it that these false teachers are challenged 
 with seducing them, since they were not seduced, but 
 coutinued stedfast in the faith ? The solution of this 
 objection is presently made, by distinguishing between 
 the intent and event, the endeavour and the effect. 
 These false teachers did seduce them in design, who 
 yet were not actually seduced by them ; and because 
 they did endeavour to do it, therefore they are charged 
 as if they had done it. 
 
 It is a note not unworthy our obseiTatiou before we 
 go any further, that whatsoever evil is inchoated by a 
 resolved endeavour, and only impeded by divine pre- 
 vention, is as if it had been consummated by a com- 
 plete execution. True it is, the sin is the grosser and 
 the guilt the greater when a wicked attempt is accom- 
 plished, but still the very intent, much more the attempt, 
 denominateth a man guilty. 
 
 He that soliciteth a woman's chastity, though he 
 never commit the outward act, is an adulterer ; he that 
 contriveth and striveth to take away a man's life, 
 though he do not kill him, is a murderer ; and he that 
 preacheth false doctrine to the people, with an intent to 
 deceive them, is a seducer, though his heai-ers are not 
 infected by him. We see in man's law he that breaketh 
 open a man's house, though his stealing be prevented, 
 is looked upon as a thief. He that plotteth a treason 
 against his sovereign, though he do not execute it, is 
 adjudged as a traitor ; and surely it must much more 
 hold true in God's law, which is therefore more strict, 
 because more large in its extent than man's. 
 
 Nor is it without just reason that thus it should be, 
 since he that endeavoureth would accomplish were he 
 not hindered ; and that the act is not correspondent to 
 the design, is not for want of will, but power. It was 
 no thanks to Balak or Balaam that the people of Israel 
 were not cursed, nor to Saul that David was not de- 
 stroyed, nor to Haman that the Jews were not cut off. 
 Now that wherein the sinfulness of sin consists is in 
 the voluntariness of it ; and therefore, as where the act 
 is done against the will it is excusable, so where the 
 will is bent, though the act be not done, it is culpable. 
 Who would not be enraged at him who, knowing him- 
 self to have a plague-sore running about him, should 
 run into every house and thi-ust himself into every 
 company, and censure him as worthy of punishment, 
 though, perhaps, through God's mercy, none were in- 
 fected by him '? Oh let us repent, not only of our 
 evil deeds, but our wicked attempts, and accuse our- 
 selves as well for what we would have done as what we 
 have done. 
 
 And withal, it is that which holds true on the other 
 hand, and would be taken notice of for the comfort of 
 the good. Mens boni studii ac pii voti etiamsi effectum 
 non inienerit, hahet tamen prcemium voluntatis, saitli 
 
360 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II 
 
 Salvian excellently,* in all honestand pious endeavours, 
 though the work be not eflected, the 'n'ill shall be re- 
 T\-arded. When the child takcth the bow into his hand, 
 puts the arrow into the bow, draweth it as far as he 
 can, the father accepteth it, as if he had drawn it to 
 the head and hit the mark. It is said of Abraham by 
 St James, chap. ii. 21, that he offered Isaac his son 
 upon the altar, when yet not Isaac but the ram was 
 offered ; and good reason, since on Abraham's part 
 there was nothing w^anting. According to God's com- 
 mand. Gen. xxii. 3, 6, 9, he rose up early in the 
 morning, saddled his ass, took Isaac his son with him, 
 clave the wood, went to the place, built an altar, pre- 
 pared the fire, laid the wood on the altar, Isaac on the 
 wood, took the knife to slay him, and, had not an angel 
 from God prevented him, he had actually slain him. 
 Where God denieth ability or opportunity, he always 
 accepts the will for the deed. 
 
 It is that which may more particularly be taken 
 notice of for the comfort of the ministers of the gospel, 
 who, sincerely endeavouring the conversion of sinners, 
 though they prove not successful, shall be looked upon 
 by God as if they were. A pilot (saith Quintilian)t 
 cannot be denied his lawful plea, though the ship mis- 
 carry, whilst he holdeth the helm aright and saileth 
 by the compass ; nor shall he who carefully stecreth 
 the course of his ministry by the compass of God's 
 word be found guilty, though the ship whereof he is 
 pilot sink into perdition. That promise in the book 
 of Daniel, chap. xii. 8. ' They that be wise shall shine 
 as the brightness of the firmament, and tbey that turn 
 many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever,' 
 is probably to bo understood, in the first clause, of all 
 the godly, who are most truly wise, and in the second, 
 of the prophets of God, who are said to turn many to 
 righteousness (even when perhaps they do not turn 
 any), in respect of their cordial desires and earnest 
 labours, as hero false prophets and teachers are charged 
 to seduce them, whom yet they did not seduce, because 
 of their design and endeavour. 
 
 3. The last and chief thing considerable in this part 
 of the text is the iih/it / the act, in that word mlurc. 
 Indeed, venerable BodeJ by those seducers understands 
 all those who by fair or foul means draw men to any 
 evil, and thereby hinder them from partaking the 
 promise of eternal life mentioned in the former verse; 
 but I rather with the stream of interpreters expound 
 these siilucers to be the heretical antichrists spoken of 
 before, though in the 'handling 1 shall reflect on all 
 that seduce to any evil. 
 
 The Greek word hero used most properly belongs to 
 travellers when they wander out of the way. From thence 
 it is applied in the first place to erring, which is a 
 wandering from the way of truth ; so in that of St 
 James, chap. i. IG, ' Do not err, my beloved brethren ;' 
 and in the next to seducers, which is a causing others 
 • Salv. (le Oul.LT. J Bed. iu loc. I 
 
 t Quiutil, &o., cliim. lib. iii. I 
 
 to err, so here and many other places. Indeed, Aretius 
 on the text* taketh in both, roD; ■aXavmrai, Id est qui 
 errant, et alios in errorem Iraltunt, them that seduce, 
 that is, them who err themselves, and draw others into 
 it. That which would here be observed is the evil 
 temper of heretics, who, having espoused an error, are 
 very solicitous to beget children by causing others to 
 err. For this cause they are compared by St Jude to 
 wandering stars, by which we are not to understand the 
 planets in the heaven (whichare so calledbecause byrea- 
 son of their various motions thej'seem in the e3^e of the 
 vulgar to wander), but the fiery meteors iu the air, 
 which are called stars, for that resemblance they have 
 to stars in outward appearance, which being hurried 
 up and down by the wind themselves, do ofttimes mis- 
 guide the unwary traveller into bogs and fens. Thus, 
 having before borrowed a metaphor from the air, re- 
 sembling these false teachers to ' clouds without rain,' 
 Jude 18, for their vain-glorious boasting ; from the 
 earth, comparing them to withered trees, for their 
 barren conversations ; from the water, resembling them 
 to the raging waves of the sea, for their furious cruelty ; 
 so, taking in all the elements, he borroweth a metaphor 
 from the lire, comparing them to wandering stars or 
 meteors, because of their mischievous misleading ; for 
 as these, especially the icjnes fatui (as they are called) 
 foolish fires, being carried up and down by the wind, 
 have themselves an uncertain motion, and misguide 
 the traveller into a wrong path ; so did those heretics, 
 having themselves forsaken the way, entice others to 
 follow them : in which respect St Paul suith of these 
 seducers, 2 Tim. iii. 14, that they ' wax worse and 
 worse, deceiving and being deceived.' 
 
 Nor is this less observable in other sorts of sinners. 
 Jeroboam having set up calves at Dan and Bethel, en- 
 gageth the people to worship them. Absalom, having 
 a rebellious design against his king and father, David, 
 attempts to steal awaj- the hearts of the people from 
 him. The harlot, resolving to prostitute herself, goeth 
 forth to inveigle the next young man she meets to her 
 wanton embraces, Prov. iii. 15, and those bloody mis- 
 creants call upon others, saying, ' Come let us lie in 
 wait for blood,' Prov. i. 11. " 
 
 Thus there is in wicked men a kind of itching desire 
 to make others as bad as themselves ; and perhaps 
 this is the meaning of the phrase in the prophet, Isa. 
 i. 19, ' They draw iniquity,' to wit, by drawing others 
 to iniquity. Indeed, herein they follow the suggestion 
 of that prince of darkness ; for as it was Christ's charge 
 to Peter, ' Being converted, strengthen thy brethren,' 
 so it is the devil's to his agents. Being perverted, 
 pervert thy brethren ; nay, hereby it is, they do not 
 only oliey the command, but imitate that pattern of 
 their father the devil, who, not standing in the truth, 
 with too hajipy, or rather unhap])y, a success, endea- 
 voured man's fall, that as ho with his evil angels wero 
 thrown out of heaven, so Adam with his posterity 
 ♦ Aret. in loc. 
 
Ver. 26-28.] 
 
 SERMON LVI. 
 
 361 
 
 might be cast out of an earthk, and kept out of an 
 heavenly, paradise, 
 
 And now I would to God all heretics would consider 
 how great an evil this is, to be a seducer. It is bad 
 to be an actor of evil ourselves, but far worse to be 
 an euticer. It is bad to be seduced by, but much 
 worse to be a seducer of, others. We seldom find 
 Jeroboam the son of Nebat mentioned but with this 
 mark, ' that made Israel to sin,' no doubt for his 
 greater infamy. When Elj'mas endeavoureth to turn 
 awaj' the deputy from the faith. Acts xiii. 10, St Paul 
 is enraged with an holy zeal, and in hira giveth every 
 seducer his due brand, ' Thou full of all subtilty aud 
 mischief, child of the devil, and enemy of all right- 
 eousness.' We are not able to answer for our own 
 sins, we had not need contract upon us the guilt of 
 others ; we cannot pay our own scores, there is no 
 reason for us to make others' debts ours. God knowcth 
 we have sins enough, as so many sons, of our own, 
 whj' should we adopt others ? Yet so doth the seducer 
 (whilst without timely repentance), he must give an 
 account for all those souls which he hath either in 
 design or effect seduced, cither to error of doctrine or 
 evil of manners ; and sm'oly if ' they who turn many 
 to righteousness shall shine as the sun in heaven,' they 
 who turn many from it to error aud wickedness shall 
 burn as coals in hell. But I feai- seducing heretics, 
 whilst they have open mouths and nimble tongues to 
 the perverting of others, have their ears heavy, nay, 
 closed, lest the}' should be converted themselves ; and 
 therefore, though I shall uot cease to pray for, I shall 
 forbear any longer to speak to, them. 
 
 The improvement that should be made of this doc- 
 trine by the godly and orthodox, is, 
 
 (1.) That we take heed of going amongst, or con- 
 versing with, heretics, lest we be seduced by them. 
 Indeed, it were gi'ound enough of abstaining their 
 society, lest we should be thought such, but much 
 more, lest we should prove such. This holy apostle 
 would not stay in the bath with that arch-heretic 
 Cerinthus, out of a just indignation against him. We 
 should not frequent the company of such, out of a 
 wise circumspection in reference to ourselves. The 
 orthodox hearers of Athanasius forsook the church, 
 when Lucius, the Arian bishop, came to preach. Both 
 the private society, and more public meetings, of here- 
 tics should be avoided b}- us ; it is ill coming within 
 the breath of such rotten persons. There is not more 
 danger of being burned by coming too near the fire, 
 of being defiled by touching pitch or du-t, and of being 
 infected by coming near one that is sick of the plague, 
 than of being seduced by hearkening to, and having 
 familiarity with, heretics. 
 
 It is that, indeed, which may be extended, and I 
 would to God were observed as a general rule in re- 
 gard of all wicked company. ' Come out from among 
 her, my people' (saith God, concerning Babylon, Kev. 
 six. 4), ' lest thou be partaker of her sins.' ' Depart 
 
 from me, you evil doers' (saith David, Ps. cxix. 115), 
 ' for I will keep the commandments of my God.' 
 Wicked men will strive to make us like themselves ; 
 nor have we any promise of assistance against their 
 enticements, if wo needlessly associate with them. 
 The psalmist saith, Ps. i. 1, ' Blessed is the mau that 
 walketh not after the counsel of the ungodly, nor 
 staudeth in the way of sinners.' Indeed, he that 
 would not walk in the wicked's counsel, must not 
 stand in his way, lest, if the wicked find him in his 
 way, he entice him to go along with him. 
 
 (2.) That they obliquely imitate these seducers, in 
 striving to make others as sound in the faith and con- 
 scientious in their lives as themselves. Whj- should (and 
 how often is it so) the devil's instruments be more for- 
 ward than Christ's servants, his messengers more active 
 than Christ's ministers ? Did Heliogabalus take care 
 to make his son like himself, luxurious ? and shall not 
 religious parents endeavour that their children may 
 serve the Lord '? Did the pharisees ' compass sea 
 and land to make a proselyte' '? and shall not Christ's 
 apostles do as much to make Christians ? Are the 
 wolves ranging up and down to worry ? and shall not 
 the shepherds be watchful to preserve the sheep ? 
 Are heretics industrious to seduce from, and shall not 
 the orthodox be solicitous to reduce to, the truth ? 
 God forbid. Oh let the heavenly stars as readily give 
 forth their light to guide the people into the way of 
 truth and peace, as those fiery meteors are to lead 
 them into the bogs and ditches of sin and errors. 
 ' Them that seduce you.' 
 
 But this is not all that our apostle intends by this 
 expression. The word here rendered ncJuce, is else- 
 where in this epistle, 1 John i. 8, yea, generally 
 through the New Testament, translated deceive ; and 
 accordingly planus, which is derived from it, is used 
 by the Latin poet* to signifj- an impostor. Now deci- 
 piiHur specie recti, we are deceived by specious pre- 
 tences ; and accordingly such a kind of seducing, 
 which is, by making us believe we are in the right 
 when we are in the wrong way, is that which is here 
 meant. 
 
 It lets us see what is the cunning of heretical se- 
 ducers. St Paul saith of them, Rom. xvi. 8, that ' by 
 good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts 
 of the simple ;' like the hyena, which, when she in- 
 tends to devour, feigneth a man's voice. St Austin ob- 
 scrveth,f that the devil, seeing his temples forsaken, 
 altars demolished, and oracles silenced, by Christ's 
 coming into the world, to make a new supply of his 
 kingdom, stirred up certain heretics (of whom Christ 
 himself foretold, and whom, no doubt, our apostle 
 here meaneth. Mat. xxiv. 4), qui sub locahulo C'l'iis- 
 tiinio, doctrina: resisterent Chrisliuntc, who under the 
 name of Christian doctrine should oppose Christianity, 
 like pirates, who hang out their colours, whom they 
 meant to surprise. ludeeJ, it hath ever been the 
 * Horat. t Aug. de Civit. lib. i. 
 
562 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 practice of false teachers, to lead into error by a pre- 
 text of trath, like those (to use Irenasus his compa- 
 rison*), who gave lime mixed with water, instead of 
 milk, deceiving by the similitude of the colour, herein, 
 as St Paul observeth, learning of their master the 
 devil, who, though the prince of darkness, ofttimes 
 ' transformeth himself into an angel of light,' 2 Cor. 
 xi. 14. The truth is, as the fore-mentioned fatherf 
 observeth, ij •s-XaiJj xad' aurrjv /j.h oux im&sixfoTai, 
 error loveth not to appear naked, as, being foul and 
 ugly, no wonder if she cover herself with borrowed 
 robes, that she may be the more amiable. 
 
 It will not, I suppose, be a digression from the 
 test, nor loss of time, to inquire into the zu/Ss/av and 
 /MtSodhav TTJg TXai^s (to use St Paul's language, Eph. 
 iv. 14), sleights and methods of error, whereby these 
 seducers lie in wait to deceive; and these we shall find 
 to be of many sorts. Heretics, Proteus-like, make 
 use of several shapes, under which thej- delude many. 
 In particular, we may observe them seducing by the 
 mixture of some truths, the promise of much liberty, 
 the plea of long tradition, and the show of glorious 
 miracles, under the veil of an outside religion, the 
 varnish of human reason, the colour of divine revela- 
 tion, the gloss of sacred Scripture, and the name of 
 the true church. 
 
 1. A mixture of truth with error is an' usual trick 
 of these impostors, herein doing like those who put 
 off lead or brass in coins with the mingling of silver, 
 or who convey poison in milk, or some such wholesome 
 food. This St Gregory took notice of, J when he 
 saith of heretics, misccnt recta perrersis, ut osteiuh'ndo 
 bona audilores ad se pertrahant, el exhihcndo mala la- 
 teiiti peste cornimpant, they join right doctrines with 
 perverse, that by an open publication of the one they 
 may secretly instil the other. Even these antichrists 
 did acknowledge some truth, preaching a Christ that 
 came from heaven, but withal denying Jesus to be 
 the Christ. 
 
 2. A promise of liberty is another cheat of these 
 jugglers, as well knowing how suitable liberty is to 
 man's corrupt nature. Heretics, how rigid soever 
 they may be upon design in their personal practice, 
 yet arc commonly libertines in their doctrine, indulg- 
 ing to their followers a lawless licentiousness. This 
 St Peter and St Jude observed in these antichrists, 
 of whom the one saith, 2 Peter ii. 19, they did ' pro- 
 mise to the people liberty,' and the other, Jude 4, 
 that they did ' turn the grace of God into lascivious- 
 ness.' 
 
 3. The plea of tradition is much used by heretics ; 
 all nations and per^ons, both Jews and Gentiles, 
 being very tenacious of those things which they have 
 received from their ancestors. By traditions it was 
 that the pbarisees in Christ's time endeavoured to 
 ' make the law of God of none ofl'cct ;' and with tradi- 
 
 * Inn. ad llwr. lib. iii. cap. xix. 
 
 t Id. Praefat. lib. i. ^ Circg. Mor. lib. v. cap. xii. 
 
 tions it was that the heretics, in the apostles' time, 
 did spoil the people of the truth ; for so much St 
 Paul intimateth, when he giveth that caveat, Col. ii. 8, 
 ' Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit, 
 after the traditions of men.' Not that all sorts of 
 traditions are to be slighted ; yea, the traditions which 
 have been delivered and received in the universal church 
 from age to age, are to be regarded by us )u:vl to the 
 written word, but not in opposition against, or in com- 
 petiiioii with it. Such vain superstitious traditions 
 were those which the apostle condemned, and which 
 the heretics made use of. 
 
 4. A show of miracles is that which is sometimes 
 made by these deceivers. Look, as of old, when Moses 
 and Aaron wrought miracles, Jannes and Jambres, 
 the Egyptian sorcerers, imitated them ; so in the be- 
 ginning of Christianit}', as God confirmed it by real 
 miracles, so the devil opposed it with lying wonders. 
 This was our Saviour's prediction concerning these 
 antichristian seducers, whereof my text speaketh, 
 ' There shall come false Christs and false prophets, 
 and shall shew signs and wonders,' so St Mark, 
 chap. xiii. 44 ; so St Matthew, chap. xxiv. 4, to 
 seduce and deceive, ' if it were possible, the very 
 elect.' And thus the coming of the man of sin is said 
 by St Paul, 2 Thes. ii. 9, to be ' after the working of 
 Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders,' 
 where that epithet of li/iii;/ would not be passed by, those 
 wonderswhich the devilworketh byheretics being lying, 
 not only because they accompany doctrines of lies, but 
 likewise because they arc for the most part delusions, 
 not realities. Nor are the greatest of those wonders 
 above the power of natui'e ; and, therefore, though 
 they are matter of wonder to us, who ofttimes cannot 
 understand how they are wrought, yet they are not so 
 in themselves. But surely there is no device more 
 subtle and prevailing than this, men being very apt to 
 believe that their words are oracles w^hose works are 
 miracles ; and, indeed, were they so really, it were a 
 sufficient ground of belief; but as they are, to wit, 
 only so in appearance, thej* have too great an influence 
 upon the vulgar. 
 
 5. A veil of religion is many times put on by these 
 cheaters: their garb, their look, their language, speak 
 nothing but holiness, whilst their doctrines breathe 
 nothing but heresy. As too many of the orthodox dis- 
 honour their teaching well by living ill, so do many 
 heretics credit their ill-teaching by well-living. It is 
 one of St Paul's characters of seducers, 2 Tim. iii. 5, 
 ' having a show of godliness ;' and Gregoi-y Nazian- 
 zcn saith of the Macedonians,* that their life was 
 admirable, whilst their doctrine was abominable. 
 Thus, as harlots paint then- faces, and perfume their 
 beds, to allure, heretics feign godliness, and profess 
 religion to seduce. 
 
 6. A varnish of reason is drawn over false opinions 
 by these seducers, because that is very taking with a 
 
 ♦ Gr. Naz, orat. 44. 
 
Vee. 26-28.] 
 
 SERMON LVL 
 
 363 
 
 rational creature. This St Paul intimateth in that 
 lore-mentioned caution : Col. ii. 8, ' Beware lest any 
 man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit.' 
 Accordingly, TertuUian observcth,* that the ancient 
 heresies concerning the ^Eones were fetched from 
 Plato's iih'M, the equality of the first matter with God 
 from Zeno, the death of the soul from Epicm-us, and 
 the denial of the resurrection of the body, de una 
 ■omnium philosophorum scliold, from the schools of all 
 the philosophers. Upon this account it is that the 
 father t elsewhere asserts philosophers to be the pa- 
 triarchs of heretics, and that all heresies are founded 
 upon, and supported by, the rules and dictates of phi- 
 losophy : not that philosophy and natural reason is to 
 be rejected b^' the orthodox, as of no use ; nay, in- 
 deed, it is an help to divinity, when in its right place; 
 but our divinity must not be regulated by philosophy, 
 and our religion bounded by reason. The orthodox 
 use her as an handmaid to wait, but the heterodox 
 make her a mistress to seduce. 
 
 7. The colour of a revelation is ofttimes used to set 
 off lying doctrine. When St Paul saith. Gal. i. 8, 
 ' If an angel from heaven preach any other gospel, let 
 him be accursed,' he intimateth that some might pre- 
 tend to bring another gospel from heaven ; and indeed 
 such there were who broached fictitious gospels as if 
 they had been divinely inspired. Simon Magus pre- 
 tended himself to be the Holy Ghost, so did Montanus, 
 and vented the dreams of his whores, Priscilln, Maxi- 
 mills, and Quintilla, for prophecies. Indeed, divine 
 revelation is the proper ground of faith. No wonder 
 if heretics, that they may gain credit, and so seduce 
 the people, lay claim to it. 
 
 8. The gloss of Scripture is very ofttimes put upon 
 false opinions, by the assertors of them, to delude the 
 people. In this, as St Jerome \\ell observeth,J they 
 trace the devil's footsteps, who quoted Scripture, 
 thereby fondly imagining he might delude Christ him- 
 self. Thus, the Judaising false teachers in the 
 apostle's time made use of the Old Testament Scrip- 
 ture, quoting Moses and the prophets ; and Irenrcus 
 observeth § of the heretics of those times, that they 
 dealt by the sacred writings as a graver doth by the 
 goodly image of a king, which, by altering the form, 
 he turueth into the likeness of a dog or wolf, and then 
 affirmeth it, inai toZ jSaffiXiuc iixova ttiv za^.jjt, to be 
 the lovely image of the king; they take the words of 
 Scripture, and put upon them their own sense, and 
 then say it is Scripture. It is so, indeed, materially, 
 but not formally, as the metal is the king's, but the 
 stamp is a wolf; so the words are Scripture, but the 
 sense the heretic's. 
 
 9. To all these I may add, the name of a church is 
 DO small bait whereby heretics allure and catch the 
 simple in their snares. Our Saviour, Mat. xxiv. C, 
 
 * Tcrt. prescript, adv. ha^r. lib. c. vi. 
 
 t Lib. contra Ileimo. 
 
 I Apolog. Hier. contra Lucif. § Iren. lib. i. c. i. 
 
 tells us what their sayings should be, ' Lo, Here is 
 Christ, and There is Christ,' in this conventicle, and 
 that meeting, by which they withdraw many from the 
 apostohcal assemblies. In this respect, St Jude's 
 character of them, ver. 19, is, that they did ' separate 
 themselves,' to wit, from the apostles, and (which 
 must needs follow) they no doubt assumed to them- 
 selves the title of the true church of Christ ; and thus 
 did the Novatians in St Cj-prian's time, and the Do- 
 natists in St Augustine's time, fighting against the 
 church under the name of the church. 
 
 By all this, we see how antichristian heretics abuse 
 the best things to the worst designs: truth, liberty, 
 tradition, miracles, holiness, reason, revelation, scrip- 
 ture, the church, are all of them of singular concern- 
 ment and advantage to the orthodox Christian catholic 
 religion ; but yet even these are falsely pretended by 
 heretics, and by the feigned semblance of these it is 
 that they endeavour (and ofttimes with too much suc- 
 cess) to seduce their auditors from the faith. 
 
 These seducers have been more or less in all ages, 
 but, I think I may safely say, never more than in this ; 
 and, if you mark it, you shall find the old cheats still 
 practised. The papists, on the one hand, pretend to 
 the church, traditions, miracles, and a formal sanctity ; 
 the Sociuians boast much of reason ; the Antinomians, 
 of liberty ; the Anabaptists, Quakers, and such like, 
 of enthusiasms, a light within, breathings, impulses, 
 and discoveries of the Spirit. All sects have some 
 mixtures of truth, and would father their errors upon 
 the Scriptures. 
 
 And now being encompassed, as it were, with such 
 subtle sophisters, crafty seducers, what need is there 
 of a prudent vigilancy, lest we be ensnared by them, 
 according to that excellent advice of St Peter, 2 Pet. 
 iii. 17, ' Beware lest ye also, being led away with the 
 error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.' 
 ' Behold,' saith our blessed Saviour to his disciples, 
 Mat. X. 12, ' I send you forth as sheep among wolves; 
 be ye wise as serpents, and innocent as doves : ' wise 
 as serpents to defend themselves, innocent as doves in 
 not offending others, or (as Prosper, to our present 
 purpose) innocent as doves in not circumventing any, 
 and wise as serpents in not suffering themselves to be 
 circumvented ; and surely this serpentine wisdom is 
 that which concerneth all Christians in some measure 
 to attain ; so much the rather, because these wolves, 
 as our Saviour elsewhere speakcth, come in sheep's 
 clothing ; for this reason, saith Optatus,* nt prins ovis 
 mordcntem hipum senliat quam praseiitiat renk'ntem, 
 that they may seize upon the sheep before it can per- 
 ceive them coming. He that walketh among snares 
 had need be cautelous ; and no less reason have we to 
 be circumspect, who are in the same danger which 
 those Christians were in, of them that would seduce 
 them. And so much shall suflice to have been spoken 
 of the first general, namely, the mischievous design 
 * Optat. contra Farm. lib. ii. 
 
364 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 of the false teachers. I go on to a more brief despatch 
 of the other, which is, 
 
 The pious care of true apostles, ' These things have 
 I written to j'ou concerning them.' For the full dis- 
 cussion whereof, I shall look upon the writing here 
 mentioned in a double reference, namely, as it was a 
 result of the Spirit's dictate, and as it w^as an argu- 
 ment of St John's care. 
 
 1. As a result of the Spirit's dictates, for St John 
 and the other ' holy men of God spake and wrote as 
 moved by the Holy Ghost;' and so we are here to take 
 notice, that the divinely inspired writings ai'e of excel- 
 lent use against seducers. Indeed, as a straight line 
 discovers what is crooked, and the clear light dispels 
 darkness, so the word of God serveth to discover who 
 are seducers, and to dissipate their cloudy errors. 
 ' You err ' (saith our blessed Saviour to the Saddu- 
 cees. Mat. xxii. 29), 'not knowing the Scriptures;' 
 tacitly teaching us that the Scriptures, well known, and 
 rightly understood, are a guard against error. ' The 
 whole Scripture,' saith St Paul, 2 Tim. ii. 15, ' is of 
 divine inspiration, and is profitable, as for reproof of 
 sin, so for the correction of error.' 
 
 Let it therefore be om- business, especially in such 
 erroneous times as these, to study the Scriptures, and 
 not only to bo well versed in the letter, but acquainted 
 with the meaning of them, that, as our Saviour refelled 
 the tempter, so we may be able to refute seducers with 
 a scriptum est. No darts pierce so deep as those which 
 are taken out of the Lord's armoury ; no arrows hit 
 the mark like those which are drawn out of God's 
 quiver ; nor is any sword so sharp as that of the 
 Spirit ; and therefore, as David hid God's word in his 
 heart, Ps. cxix. 9, that be might not fall into sin, so 
 let us, that we may not run into error. 
 
 2. But that which would be chiefly taken notice of 
 is, that his writing these things concerning seducers 
 ■was an argument of his care that the people might not 
 be deceived by them. It is that which we lind to 
 have been not only the care of this, but the other 
 holy apostles. The greatest part of St Jude's epistle, 
 and of St Peter's second epistle, is concerning these 
 seducers ; frequent caveats we meet with in St Paul's 
 epistle to the same purpose. Witness his (iKi-inri to 
 the Colossians, Col. ii. 8, ' Beware lest any man spoil 
 you ; ' nay, his threefold jSXiTiTi to the Philippians, 
 Philip, iii. 2, 'Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, 
 beware of the concision ; ' and, to name no more, his 
 ira^uxuAu to the Ilomans, Rom. xvi. 17, beseeching 
 that they would mark and avoid such. It were easy 
 to lot j'ou see how the fathers of the church have in 
 this particular traced tlio footsteps of the apostles. 
 Ignatius bespeaketh the Christians of Antioch* in words 
 much like those of St Paul to the Philippians, /SXetete 
 70UC xivaj, itc. : beware of dogs, serpents, dragons, 
 asps, basilisks, scorpions. St Cyprian, in his cpistlef 
 to all the people, is very urgent with his Om ros/ratics, 
 
 ' Jgiiat. ad. Autioc. Kp. i. 2. t Cypr. Ep. 40. 
 
 and again with his Admoneo pariter et consulo, advising, 
 admonishing, entreating that they would not believe 
 the smooth words of false teachers, lest they did mis- 
 take darkness for hght, night for day, and poison for 
 a remedy. Iremtus, in his preface to his first book 
 against heresy, saith this was the reason of his writ- 
 ing those books, that the wolves might not devour the 
 sheep of Christ through his default ; for the same 
 cause were those things written by Epiphanius, Atha- 
 nasius, St Augustine, and many others which are ex- 
 tant, concerning heresies. 
 
 Nor was it without a great deal of reason that those 
 holy men were, and in particular here St John was, 
 so careful to write concerning seducers, and that both 
 respectit populi, in regard of the people, for the pre- 
 servation of their safety, and respectit siii, in regard of 
 himself, for the discharging of his own duty. 
 
 1. In respect of the people, St John well knew, 
 
 (1.) That all men are naturally prone to error, 
 their understanding (as well as will) being corrupted; 
 yea, that the best being but men, may, through want 
 of judgment and partiality of ail'ection, be led aside. 
 The bad through wickedness, and the good through 
 weakness, sometimes like sheep have gone asti-ay. 
 
 (2.) That the errors to which these antichrists did 
 endeavour to seduce them were in things fundamental; 
 for so it appeareth by the charge he layeth against 
 them, which is, that they ' denied the Father and the 
 Son,' that they denied Jesus to be the Christ, a doc- 
 trine upon which the whole Christian religion is 
 founded. St Jerome, upon that of our Saviour,* 'Be 
 wise as serpents,' observeth, Seipcntis asluiia ponitur 
 in e.ceinplum, quia toto corpore occultat caput, ut itliid 
 in quo vita est proteffat, the serpent is therefore 
 mentioned as an example of wisdom, because it is 
 careful to hide the head, wherein its life lieth, with 
 the whole body. Christ is the head of the church, 
 and the errors of these seducers did strike at the 
 head ; no wonder if the apostle wrote concerning 
 them. 
 
 (3.) That to be seduced, especially in such errors, 
 is dangerous and destructive. It was the prophet 
 Isaiah's sad complaint, chap. ix. 16, ' The leaders of 
 this people cause them to err ; and they that are led 
 of them arc destroyed.' And St Peter's epithet which 
 he givcth to these heresies, 2 Peter ii. 1, is no less 
 than damnable, or (according to the Greek phrase) 
 heresies of perdition. To this purpose tends that 
 phrase of St Paul, Col. ii. 8, when he calleth seducers 
 sjioilers, where the Greek word alludeth to thieves and 
 robbers, or to soldiers and plunderers, who take the 
 cattle of their enemy, and carry it away as a prey ; f 
 for such are false teachers, the devil's agents, to lead 
 captive poor souls, that they may be the devil's prey. 
 It is not unworthy our observation, that the apostle, 
 having in the verse before mentioned the promise of 
 eternal life, ho presently addeth this caveat concerning 
 
 * Jerome iu Mat. t Zaucb. ibid. ; Daveu. ibij. 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVII. 
 
 365 
 
 these seducers, intimating that the flatteries of those 
 seducers, if hearkened to, would deprive them of the 
 promise of eternal life, so that it was no less than 
 their everlasting welfare which was endangered. Good 
 reason had the apostle, upon all these considerations, 
 to write concerning these seducers to the Christians 
 in respect of their safety. 
 
 2. Besides this, there was an obligation in regard 
 of himself, that he might perform his duty. So Lorinus 
 glosseth upon the text,* V'ulehir fidem suain. liberare, ac 
 suo se functum munere protestari, by this writing he 
 dischargeth that office to which he was called, and 
 that trust which was reposed in him by his Lord and 
 Master. Indeed, if the minister of Christ warn the 
 people of seducers, though they^niscarry, yet he shall 
 be acquitted ; but d pastore twij/ittir quicquid per in- 
 ertiam non custoditur, saith St Cyprian truly, f if the 
 sheep wander through the neghgence of the shepherd, 
 it will be exacted of him, according to that of God 
 himself: Ezek. iii. 17-19, 'I have made thee a watch- 
 man unto the house of Israel : and therefore hear the 
 word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 
 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die ; 
 and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn 
 the wicked from his wickedness, to save his life ; the 
 same wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his 
 blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn 
 the wicked, and if he turn not from his wickedness, 
 nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity ; 
 but thou hast delivered thy soul.' 
 
 To close up this with a threefold inference. 
 
 1. See hence what is the reason why Diotrephes 
 prated against this apostle (as himself tells us, 
 3 John 10) with malicious words, and why it is that 
 seducers (with their followers) rail at the ministers of 
 the gospel, namely, because they preach and write 
 concerning them. For this cause it is that in all 
 ages they have been, and still are, so solicitous to 
 stop the mouths and pens, to take away the livings 
 and lives of the orthodox, as well knowing, that else 
 
 * Lor. in loc. 
 
 t Cypr. de pastor, cur. 
 
 they cannot have the opportunity of sowing their 
 tares, at leastwise not with so good success. It was 
 no slight policy of Philip to offer the Athenians peace 
 upon condition of delivering up their orators to him, 
 whom Demosthenes answered with an apologue very 
 suitable to this present matter. The wolves were 
 willing to make an agreement with the sheep, pro- 
 vided they would deliver up their dogs. The truth 
 is, seducing wolves are most afraid of, and angry at, 
 the ministers of the gospel, whom that great Shep- 
 herd of our souls hath appointed to watch his flock. 
 
 2. Learn hence, how unlike those ministers are to 
 this apostle, who are dumb dogs in the midst of 
 ravening wolves, and thereby suffer the sheep of 
 Christ to be worried. What a shame is it that the 
 heterodox should be bold, and the orthodox cold ; the 
 seducers clamorous in conventicles, and the catholics 
 silent in churches ! Oh let all the ministers of the 
 gospel learn their duty, especially in such times as 
 these, which is not only ores arjfjregare, to gather to- 
 gether the sheep, but Inpos ahigere, to drive away the 
 wolves ! We must not only be as Mercuriuses to the 
 traveller, which point out the right way, but as sea- 
 marks to the mariner, which warn him of shelves, 
 sands, and rocks. We are called in Scripture both 
 guides and watchmen, to teach us, that as we ought 
 to lead the people in the truth, so to give them notice 
 of heretics. Nor can we be faithful and wise servants, 
 unless we as well admonish the people of their danger, 
 as instruct them in their duty. 
 
 3. Finally, let not the care of those ministers, who, 
 after St John's pattern, preach and write concerning 
 seducers, be disregarded by, but let their caveats be 
 acceptable to, the people. He will easily open his 
 ears to seducers who shuts them against true teachers. 
 ' Obey them, therefore, that have the rule over you, 
 and watch for your soul,' Heb. xiii. 17. Be guided 
 by their advice, so shall you not be led aside of 
 heretics by their devices. But above all, seek after 
 and pray for that unction which will arm you against 
 error, whereof our apostle treats in the next verse, 
 and shall (God wilhng) be discussed the next time. 
 
 SEEMON LVII. 
 
 But the anointing which you have received of him ahideth in ynu ; and ye need not that any man teach you : but as 
 the same anointing teachelh you nf all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye 
 shall abide in him. — 1 John II. 27. 
 
 THE virulency of persecution, and the subtilty of 
 seduction, are the devil's two great engines, by 
 which he hath still endeavoured to batter down the 
 church of Christ. Sometimes he is a raging spirit in 
 the hands of cruel tyrants to destroy, and sometimes 
 a lying spirit in the mouths of false teachers to de- 
 ceive, the orthodox professors of the Christian religion. 
 By the latter of these it is that he hath done more 
 
 mischief than the former : for whereas in the one he 
 acteth openly, as an enemy, in the other he worketh 
 closely, as a seeming friend ; and whereas the blood 
 of martyrs (though against the will of their persecu- 
 tors) hath been a means to propagate and increase, the 
 poison of heretics hath too often prevailed to the in- 
 fection and damage of the church. No wonder, then, if 
 one of the designs of this holy apostle in this epistlo 
 
366 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IF. 
 
 be to write to the Christians concerning seducers, and 
 to mind them of the great goodness of God in pro- 
 viding an antidote against this poison, in those words, 
 ' But the anointing which you have received of him 
 ahideth in you,' &c. 
 
 Having in the former discourse handled the caution, 
 that which next occurreth to our discussion is the 
 comfort, which is not only mentioned, but enlarged 
 upon, in these words, ' But the anointing,' &c. 
 
 The right understanding of this whole verse depends 
 upon the genuine notion of rj y^^ia/j-a, the anointing, 
 once and again here spoken of. In order to which it 
 ■will be needful to inquire, to what this anointing 
 alludeth ? what it doth import ? and wherein the 
 analogy holdeth ? 
 
 The Jesuits, in their comments, would have us be- 
 lieve that St John alludeth to the anointing which is 
 used in their church at the sacrament of baptism, be- 
 fore, in the breast and between the shoulders, and 
 after, on the top of the head. But though I cannot 
 deny that the use of anointing in baptism is very an- 
 cient, as finding it mentioned not only by St Augus- 
 tine, but St Cyprian and TertuUian,* yet sure I am 
 it is nowhere spoken of in the New Testament, as 
 either instituted by Christ, or preached by the apostles ; 
 in which respect it cannot rationallj' be conceived that 
 St John alludeth to it. Indeed, we find in St James 
 an anointing of the sick with oil to be then practised, 
 though (by the way) that of a far difl'erent nature from 
 the popish extreme miction ; for whereas the papists 
 anoint the sick in order to their better passage out, 
 the anointing then used was in order to their recovery, 
 and longer continuance in this world. But as there 
 is no reason to imagine that St John had any ej-e to 
 St James his unction, so much less can he be sup- 
 posed to allude to an unction which was not at all 
 used in his time. If, therefore, you would know from 
 what this phrase is borrowed, the answer is, that very 
 probably the apostle had an eye to that unction which 
 ■was in use under the law, the ingredient and composi- 
 tion whereof you have set down at large by Moses, 
 Exod. XXX. 15, and so much the rather, because, as 
 that is called the holy oil, so this anointing is said be- 
 fore to be from the Holy One. 
 
 2. The Socinians, inquiring into the meaning of 
 this metaphor, understand by it the evangelical doc- 
 trine, construing rh ;/g;V/xa, the annintinr/, in this, by 
 rixoueari, ' that which you have heard,' at the four- 
 and-twentieth verse, and conceiving it to be called the 
 unction, because that by that wonderful effusion of the 
 Holy Ghost, the apostles were enabled to publish it, 
 for which reason they suppose it is elsewhere called 
 ' the Spirit,' and ' the ministration of the Spirit,' 
 2 Cor. iii. 0-8. With this interpretation some of our 
 late orthodox writers accord, though upon a far dif- 
 ferent reason. For whereas the Socinians, falsely 
 
 * Cypr. Ep. 70. Tcrtul. do ReB. carni ). Aug. de Triuit. 
 lib. zv. cap. xxiv. 
 
 denying any need of the Spirit's illumination to be 
 conferred upon every Christian, but only of that re- 
 velation which was at first vouchsafed to the apostles, 
 and by them to the world, endeavour to evade the 
 argument which is brought against them, from this 
 Scripture, by this exposition; the orthodox justly deny- 
 ing any new revelation, or extraordinary inspiration 
 now to bo expected, answer the argument which en- 
 thusiasts bring from this scripture, by this interpre- 
 tation. For my own part, I am very unwilling (with- 
 out great cause), to recede from the generally received 
 exposition of any Scripture. And as to this particu- 
 lar text, 
 
 1. I find the anointing by the far greatest part both 
 of ancient and modern, protestant and popish com- 
 mentators, ■* to be expounded the Holy Spirit ; suitable 
 to which it is, that the latter anointinrj is read Spirit 
 in the Ethiopic version, ' his Spirit teacheth you of all 
 things.' 
 
 2. There are several considerations which render 
 the common exposition most rational, in as much as 
 
 (1.) Usually where the Scripture speaketh of anoint- 
 ing, it is meant of the Spirit, as appeareth in the 
 former discourse upon the twentieth verse. f 
 
 (2.) It is not here said, 'the anointing which ire 
 (to wit, apostles) have received of him,' for then it 
 might most probably have referred to the visible de- 
 scension of the Holy Ghost upon them ; nor yet is it 
 said, ' the anointing which ijan have received of us,' 
 for then it might justly have been construed as the 
 same with 6 riXo'jgaTi, ' that which you have heard,* 
 this evangelical doctrine which was delivered by the 
 inspired apostles ; but inasmuch as it is ' the anoint- 
 ing which you have received of him,' it is most ration- 
 ally construed of that spiritual illumination which 
 every Christian receiveth in some measure from Christ. 
 
 (3.) Add to this, that our apostle in this verse 
 manifestly intends to mind the Christians what a sin- 
 gular help Christ had provided for them against sedu- 
 cers, whereby they might be enabled to ' continue in 
 that which they had heard,' and therefore it cannot 
 rationally be looked upon as one and the same with 
 that which they had heard, but rather the enlightening 
 grace of bis Spirit is to be understood, than which 
 there cannot be a stronger antidote against error. 
 
 Finally, as by this exposition this scripture be- 
 conieth a shaq) sword against the Socinians, so (as 
 shall appear in the handling) it will not hereby become 
 a buckler for the Anabaptists, and therefore I shall 
 acquiesce, and adhere to it as most genuine. 
 
 3. As to the last inquiry, how fitly the Spirit of God 
 is compared to, and resembled by, oil, and anointing, 
 the answer hath been already returned in the discourse 
 upon the former clause of the twentieth verse, whither 
 I refer the reader ; nor shall I add anything further, 
 
 * Aug. in loo. Greg. Mor. 5, 19. Cal., Illyr., Lap., Lor., 
 in loc. 
 t Soo the 49tb Lect. 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVir. 
 
 367 
 
 but only, that as the holy ointment was made of seve- 
 ral spices mixed with oil, and whatsoever things or 
 persons were anointed therewith, were legally sancti- 
 fied by it ; so we are here to understand by this 
 anointing, not the illumination of the Spirit, which is 
 ofttimes found alone, and is vouchsafed to the unre- 
 generate, but that which is, as it were, made up of 
 the several graces of the Spirit, whereby not only the 
 mind is enlightened, but the whole man is sanctified. 
 Having given you this account of the anointing, 
 which is, as it were, the hinge upon which the whole 
 verse turueth, it now remaineth that I go on to con- 
 Bider what is here affirmed concerning this unction ; 
 and because I have already traced the metaphor of 
 oil, and our apostle is pleased to insist upon another 
 similitude of teaching, I shall follow that, and ac- 
 cordingly you may conceive the Spu'it of God, who is 
 the anointing, to be likewise here represented as a 
 schoolmaster, whose excellency is set forth by four 
 characters, namely, his residency, sufficiency, fidelity, 
 and efficiency. His, 
 
 1. Eesideiicy, permanent, in those words, ' the an- 
 ointing which you have received of him abideth in 
 you.' 
 
 2. Stiificieucy, abundant, in those words, ' and you 
 need not that any man teach you : but as the same 
 anointing teacheth you of all things.' 
 
 3. Fidt'liiij, eminent, in those words, ' and is truth, 
 and is no lie.' 
 
 4. Efficiency, evident, in those words, 'and as it hath 
 taught you, you shall abide in him.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the residency of this schoolmaster, 
 as it is set forth in the beginning of the verse, ' The 
 anointing which you have received of him abideth in 
 you ;' and here we have something supposed and 
 something proposed ; that which is supposed is his 
 presence, ' the anointing which you have received of 
 him ;' that which is proposed is his residence, 
 ' abideth in you.' 
 
 (1.) That which is here supposed concerning this 
 tinction, cometh first to be considered, and shall be 
 despatched in three propositions. 
 
 [1.] That this anointing is not in us of ourselves, but 
 received by us from another. It is St Paul's question, 
 1 Cor. iv. 7, and though it be occasioned by a dis- 
 course of those extraordinary gifts, yet it holds true 
 in reference to all, ' What hast thou that thou hast 
 not received ? ' The sins which we commit are our 
 own, but the grace to subdue them is received ; though 
 we are sometimes seduced into error, yet we are apt 
 to fall into them ourselves, but the unction which 
 arnieth us against those enors is received. 
 
 It is a meditation which should keep the best 
 Christians lowly in their own eyes. Hast, thou this 
 anointing whilst others want it, or hast thou it in a 
 greater measure than others ? Be not proud, but 
 humble, for though it be in thee subjectively, yet it is 
 not from thee efl'ectively, and therefore no just cause 
 
 of self-esaltation. It is St Paul's inference upon the 
 fore-mentioned question, ' If thou doest receive it, why 
 doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? '' 
 Where the manner of proposal by way of question in- 
 timateth (as Musculus well glosseth *) the impudence 
 of this arrogance. Hidicuhim plane at de tdienis bonis 
 snperbire, it is a ridiculous thing, with jEsop's crow, 
 to be proud of borrowed feathers. In one word, as to 
 boast ourselves of what we have not is abominable, so 
 it is little less odious to boast of what we have, as if 
 it were our own, whenas it is only received. 
 
 [2.] That this anointing is received of him, that is, 
 Christ. It was at first received by Christ himself, to 
 wit, as man in his human nature, but he received it 
 not so much for himself as us ; Voluit accipere, ut 
 posset tribueie, he would as man receive, that as media- 
 tor he might convey it to us. Indeed, ' it hath 
 pleased the Father' (saith St Paul, Col. ii. 9), ' that 
 in him should all fulness dwell,' to wit, as water in 
 the fountain, light in the sun, wine in the grape, and 
 oil in the olive ; and accordingly saith St John, John 
 i. 16, ' Of his fulness we all receive, and that grace 
 for grace.' What the head is to the body, that is 
 Christ to the church ; and as the members receive 
 sense and motion from the head, so doth the church 
 this unction from Christ. Learn hence, 
 
 1. How greatly we are beholding to Christ, of whom 
 it is that we receive whatsoever measure we have of 
 this spiritual unction ; the truth is, whatsoever 
 spiritual benefit we receive, it is only in and through 
 Christ. The remission of sins and adoption of sons, 
 the justification of our persons and sanctificalion of 
 our natures, the domition of his Spirit and acceptation 
 of our services, the redemption of our bodies and sal- 
 vation of our souls, are all received through Christ. 
 So justly doth St Paul say, ' He hath blessed us with 
 all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 
 Jesus.' 
 
 2. What need we have to be ingrafted into Christ, 
 since, as we can receive nothing but of him, so neither 
 can we unless we first receive him. ' To as many as re- 
 ceived him' (saith the evangelist, John i. 11), 'to them 
 he gave power to become the sons of God,' and to as 
 many as receive him it is that he giveth his Spirit. No 
 wonder that St Paul, praying for the Ephesians, that 
 they might be ' strengthened with the Spirit of Christ,' 
 prayeth also that ' he might dwell in their hearts by 
 faith,' Eph. iii. 16, 17, since it is by our faith in 
 Christ that we receive him, and consequently his 
 Spirit, which is this anointing. 
 
 [3.] Lastly, this receiving of the unction from him is 
 by way of gift. Indeed, n ceiving in its largest extent 
 is the correlative both oi dtbitum and donum, a debt 
 and a gift, what is duly paid and what is freely given, 
 both are said to be received. But when it is used in 
 reference to God and Christ, it cannot relate but only 
 to a gift, since whatever we receive of him, and much 
 * Muse, in loo. 
 
368 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 more the anointing of the Spirit, is given of his mere 
 mercy. Indeed, in respect of himself, it may be called 
 a debt, he having pleased by his promise to make 
 himself a debtor, and accordingly it is that the Spirit 
 is called the ' Spirit of promise,' Eph. i. 13, because 
 promised both by the Father and the Son ; for so we 
 find the expression varipd, John xvi. 25, ' The Com- 
 forter whom my Father will send,' and ' I will give 
 you.' But still, in respect of us, it is a free gift, it 
 was love moved him at first to promise this unction 
 to, and since to confer it on, us ; in which respect it 
 is called ' the gift of the Holy Ghost,' Acts ii. 38. 
 True it is this anointing was received by Christ from 
 his Father, as purchased by his precious blood, but it 
 is received by us from Christ, as bestowed by his free 
 grace. 
 
 It is a consideration which should so much the 
 more oblige us to thankfulness for this unction, it 
 being but reason, that when we receive we should ac- 
 knowleilge the donor, and that what is received freely 
 should be acknowledged the more gratefully. ' We 
 have received the Spirit of God ' (saith the apostle, 
 1 Cor. ii. 12), ' that we may know the things which 
 are freely given us of God,' among which the Spirit 
 himself is not the least ; and whoso knoweth them to 
 be freely given cannot but be greatly thankful. Holy 
 Jesus, we could do nothing that is good, nor avoid 
 what is evil, did we not receive this unction from 
 thee ; nor do we receive this unction as a reward of 
 our merit, but a fruit of thy bounty. We are un- 
 worthy to receive the anointing from thee, but thou 
 art worthy to receive from us glory, and honour, and 
 praise, now and for ever. 
 
 (2.) That which is next in order to be discussed, and 
 is more directly expressed, is the residency of this 
 schoolmaster, the abiding of thie unction. Things 
 that are laid in oil arc most lasting ; this sacred 
 anointing is permanent. It is that which is true in 
 respect of the church in general, and each Christian 
 in particular. 
 
 [1.] This anointing abidelh in the church. That 
 Holy Spirit who is here set f(u-th under the notion of 
 a teacher, is by our Saviour described as a comforter, 
 John xiv. 10, concerning whom he tells his disciples 
 that ' he shall abide with them for ever,' which pro- 
 mise was made to them as the then representatives of, 
 and so in them to the whole church. Accordingly it 
 is that the Spirit hath been resident in all ages with 
 the Christian church, to teach and comfort, and per- 
 form all other offices whereof she stands in need. 
 Christ's presence with his disciples was temporary ; 
 in which respect St John's word is, John i. 12, s/rnri- 
 vciidi, ' he dwelt among us.' So our translation reads 
 it ; but as in a tabernacle, so much the force of the 
 Greek carrieth in it, he only sojourned for a time with 
 his disciples, but his Spirit, /m'svii, abides with his 
 church from one generation to another, ou ya^ 'innv 
 rriocxai^h; auToiJ rraeovaia iZi i/J-rj, so Theophj'lact glos- 
 
 seth ; * for his presence is not as Christ's was, only 
 for a season. True it is, Christ is said, Rev. i. 18, 
 to be ' in the midst of the golden candlesticks,' but 
 that is by his Spirit. In respect of his corporal 
 presence, he saith in one place, Mat. xxvi. 11, 'the 
 poor you have always with you, but me you have not 
 always.' In regard of his spiritual presence it is that 
 he saith in another place, Mat. xxviii. 20, ' Lo, I am 
 with you always, even to the end of the world.' 
 
 [2. J As this anointing which we receive fi-om Christ 
 abideth in the church, so doth it in all the chosen and 
 faithful members of the church. It is said of the 
 apostles, that when this unction visibly and gloriously 
 descended on them, ' there appeared cloven tongues, 
 as it were of fire, and sat upon each of them,' Acts 
 ii. 8. Sitting is a fixed posture, and noteth perma- 
 nency ; it doth so in some, though not the same, 
 measure and manner upon every true believer. At 
 the eighth verse of the next chapter (where I shall, 
 God willing, enlarge upon this subject), it is resembled 
 to seed, and that such is not only cast into, but re- 
 maineth in, the ground. By our blessed Saviour it 
 is compared to water, and that river water, which is 
 continually running, and therefore said to be living, 
 John vii. 37 ; and again it is said to be a well of water 
 springing up in the heart of a believer to everlasting 
 life. Finally, by John the Baptist it is hkened to 
 fire, Mat. iii. 11, and such a fire it is which, like that 
 under the altar, never goeth out. 
 
 The consideration hereof may serve, 
 
 1. To rectify our judgments in the true estimate of, 
 and accordingly to quicken our endeavours in the ar- 
 dent pursuit after, this unction. Ah, Lord, how 
 eager are men in scraping the things of this world, 
 which, when with difficulty obtained by us, are easily 
 snatched from us ! how much rather should we seek 
 after this anointing, which, being received, abideth in 
 us ! ' Labour not ' (saith our blessed Saviour, John 
 vi. 27) ' for the meat that perisheth, but labour for the 
 meat that endureth to everlasting life,' thereby plainly 
 intimating that perpetnify is that which much advan- 
 ccth excellency. Everything being so much the more 
 amiable, by how much it is the more durable, no wise 
 man but would prefer lasting brass before fading gold, 
 a constant table, though of a few dishes, before the 
 largest feast, which should only last for a few days. 
 And surely then, when we consider how much this 
 and all other spiritual blessings transcend corporal, 
 both in their nature and durance, we cannot but judge 
 them worthy our highest esteem, and choicest en- 
 deavour. 'A good name' (saith the wise man, Eccles, 
 vii. 1) ' is better than precious ointment ;' but this 
 precious ointment is better than a good name, and 
 mnch more than wealth and pleasure, or whatever it 
 is that this world can atibrd. This is one of those 
 gifts to which St James givrth those epithets of f)ood 
 and perfect. Every gift is good, though but temporal; 
 * Thcoph. in John. 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVII. 
 
 369 
 
 but spiritual gifts, being of a never fading durance, 
 are both good and perfect. Great reason have we to 
 beg these above all others. Oh let us not cease in 
 asking, seeking, knocking, for this unction, which, be- 
 ing given to us (like Mary's good part, Luke x. 32), 
 ' shall never be taken from us.' 
 
 2. To comfort those who have received this unction, 
 when they consider its perpetual duration. Habel 
 oleum Deus, habet ct mundus, saith Hugo,* God hath 
 bis oil, and the world too ; oleum inundl in vasis defi- 
 cit, oleo Dei vasa deficiunt, the world's oil faileth in 
 the vessels, but the vessels fail for God's oil ; the one, 
 nuiiqur.m siijficit, will never satisfy, the other, nun- 
 quiim deficit, will never waste. Whatever worldly 
 comforts we receive, our fear of losing allayeth the 
 sweetness of enjoying ; but it is not so with the grace 
 of the Spirit, which, being received, abideth with us ; 
 though, withal, a caution must be annexed, that we 
 use our endeavour to preserve and maintain this oil in 
 the lamp of our souls. This schoolmaster is willing 
 to reside with us, but then we must remember St 
 Paul's caveat, ' Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, 
 whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption,' 
 Eph. iv. 30 ; for if we gi'ieve him, he will, at least for 
 a time, withdraw himself from us. This fire is of a 
 lasting nature, being once throughly kindled. But 
 then we must observe that other injunction of the 
 apostle, 1 Thes. v. 17, ' Quench not the Spirit ;' for 
 though it be not wholly put out, it may be much 
 quenched by our negligence. This anointing is aliid- 
 ing ; but then we must take notice of our Saviour's 
 assertion : Mat. xxv. 39, ' To him that hath shall be 
 given, but from him that hath not shall be taken away 
 that which he hath.' We must make use of and im- 
 prove this holy oil, concerning which that riddle is a 
 truth, the more we spend the more it increaselh. 
 The oil in the widow's vessel ceased not, so long as 
 she poured it out. This holy oil is best preserved by 
 using it to the glory of God, our own and others' ad- 
 vantage. And thus much shall suifice for the first 
 character of the residency of this schoolmaster ; pro- 
 ceed we to tlie next, which is, 
 
 2. The sufficiencj- of his instruction, as it is set 
 forth 
 
 Affirmatively, in those words, ' The same anointing 
 teacheth you of all things.' 
 
 Negatively, in those, ' And you need not that any 
 man teach you.' 
 
 1. Begin we with the affirmative part, and therein 
 consider 
 
 The latitude of the object, all thinrjs, and 
 
 The quality of the act, tcachetk. 
 
 1. The object is expressed in the same latitude at 
 the twentie'h verse, where hath been largely discussed 
 how, and with what restrictions, it is to be interpreted. 
 It was the promise of our Saviour to his disciples, 
 that his Spirit 'should guide them into all truth,' John 
 * Hug. Card. 
 
 xvi. 13. Nor was this confined to thorn, but is here 
 assured to all Christians, that ' the anointing should 
 teach them all things ;' all things, that is, all truth, 
 truth being the proper object of the understanding, 
 which is that faculty whereby we are capable of teach- 
 ing. Nor yet must this be extended as far as the 
 Spirit is able to teach and lead, but only as far as was 
 requisite for them, and is for us, to know and under- 
 stand. Thus the Spirit led them into all truth, where- 
 by they were able to propagate Christian religion in 
 the world ; and he teacheth every Christian all truth 
 which is needful in order to the prevention of funda- 
 mental errors, and the salvation of his precious soul. 
 It would not be passed by, that our apostle's phrase is 
 at once both extensive and restrictive ; it is not biida- 
 -/iii ffav7a, but te^; Trairwi', he teacheth all thinys, but 
 of or concerning all things, that is, something of all 
 things. These all things are not taught simultane- 
 ously, but successively ; fully, but gradually. The 
 disciples themselves were taught by degrees, and did 
 not know all things at first ; nay, indeed, not exactly 
 at the last. It is but a partial knowledge the best 
 have of these all things ; but yet all those things 
 which conduce to the strengthening us against error, 
 and the guiding us in the way of truth, are in some, 
 though not the same measure, taught by this unction. 
 
 2. The chief thing here to be discussed is the 
 quality of the act ; what kind of teaching it is that is 
 here attributed to the Spirit, whereof all Christians 
 participate. 
 
 For the better understanding hereof, take notice of 
 a double distinction. 
 
 1. The teaching of this unction is either extraor- 
 dinary or ordinary, that peculiar to some, this com- 
 mon to all Christians. In reference to the extraor- 
 dinary teaching it is that St Gregory saith excellently, 
 Ungit Spiriliis isle sanctus Cilhamdnm, et psahnistam 
 
 factt, iinyit pastorem, et prophetam j'acit, ungit piscalo- 
 rem, ct priedicatorem facit, ungit persecutorem, et doc- 
 tiirem gentium facit, ungit puhlicanum, et facit evangel- 
 ixlam : the anointing of this Holy Spirit makoth an 
 harper (so was David) a psalmist ; a shepherd (so 
 was Amos) a prophet ; a fisherman (so was St Peter) 
 a fisher of men by preaching ; a publican (so was St 
 Matthew) an evangelist ; finally, a persecutor (so was 
 St Paul) a teacher of the (Jentiles. But it is the 
 ordinary, not that peculiar and extraordinary, way of 
 te.iching, which is here intended. 
 
 2. The ordinary teaching of the Spirit is either 
 extemal or internal, and both these are no doubt in- 
 cluded. 
 
 (1.) The outward teaching of the Spirit is by the 
 ministry of the word, and preaching of the gospel, 
 which is contained in the holy Scriptures. Look as 
 the holy writings were at first inspired by the Holy 
 Ghost, so by them he still teacheth his church. Ac- 
 cordingly it is that all saving truths were dictated by 
 the Spirit to the penmen, and are fuUv, faithfully de- 
 
 Aa 
 
370 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 lineatecl in sacred writ. It is a ' foiTa of sound 
 words ' every way complete, explicating (as Gregory 
 the Great Baith) all the divine mysteries of religion, 
 and delivering all precepts for moral practice. Quilius 
 qiddem duabus partihus omnis nostra salutis etfelicita- 
 iis ratio contiiietur, in which two consists the whole 
 doctrine of attaining true happiness ; and therefore in 
 this respect this of the apostle is verified, the anoint- 
 ing teachcth us of all things, to wit, in the external 
 ministration of the word. 
 
 (2.) Besides this outward, there is an inward teach- 
 ing, which the Spirit vouchsafeth to thq church, and 
 every true member of it, and is here principally aimed 
 at. This is that teaching which, being the secret 
 work of God's Spirit, is not so visibly discernible. 
 The more things are abstracted from sense, the more 
 mysterious they arc. No wonder if it be difficult to 
 apprehend what this teaching is, which, according to 
 St Gregory, is alloculio i)iliiiuc inspirationis, an in- 
 ward inspiration, or spiritual allocution. It is a 
 question much controverted in the schools, how the 
 angels, being spiritual substances, impart their concep- 
 tions to one another ; and surely it is much more hard 
 to know how the Spirit imparts his divine learning to 
 the soul ; even they who are thus taught are sure of 
 the ijTi, that so it is, but are not able to unfold the 
 irui, hoir it is so. 
 
 And yet, that we may in some measure apprehend 
 what we cannot fully conceive, I shall in a few words 
 acquaint j'ou with that notion of this teaching which 
 the Scripture is pleased to give us. And accordingly, 
 if you ask what this inward teaching is whereof the 
 apostle speaketh, I shall return the answer in the 
 words of the prophet Jeremiah, chap. sxsi. 83, or 
 rather God by the prophet : It is the ' putting his law 
 in our inward parts, and writing it in our hearts.' 
 Indeed, as we say in general, the Scripture is the best 
 interpreter of itself, so in this particular, the prophet 
 is the best commentator on the apostle ; and there- 
 fore, that we may more clearly understand the one, 
 it will be needful more particularly to comment on 
 the other, and let you sec what this putting this law 
 in our inward parts, and writing it in our hearts, 
 meaneth, by which we shall the bettor perceive what 
 this teaching is ; in reference to which I shall lay 
 down a double conclusion. 
 
 1. That which the Spirit teachcth inwardly is the 
 same with that he teachcth outwardly, and therefore 
 that which he is said to write in the heart of man is 
 no other than that law which is written in the book 
 of God. As the mind of the Spirit in one parcel 
 agreeth with the mind of the Spirit in another parcel 
 of holy writ, so the impressions of the Spirit on the 
 soul answer to the dictates of the Spirit in the Scrip- 
 tures. It is very observable that Christ tells his dis- 
 ciples, John xiv. 26, the Spirit should ' bring all things 
 to their remembrance,' as if the chief end of the mira- 
 culous dcscension of the Uoly Ghost npon them were 
 
 not to teach them any new doctrine, but to bring to 
 remembrance what Christ had before taught them. 
 Surely, then, the inward teaching of this unction, whereof 
 all christians participate, doth not reveal any new mys- 
 teries, which are not already delivered in the word. 
 Among other resemblances, the Spirit's working upon 
 the soul is said to be a sealing, and among other rea- 
 sons for this, because as the seal maketh no stamp 
 upon the wax but what is answerable to that which is 
 upon the seal, so whatsoever the Spirit teachcth the 
 heart is answerable to what it teacheth in the word. 
 
 2. The inward teaching or writing of the Spirit is 
 the imprinting of Scripture truths upon the soul. Con- 
 ceive, then, the soul as the papfr, the truths revealed 
 in God's word as the letters, the Spirit of God as the 
 scribe, and the oil of his grace as the ink, by which 
 there is an impression made of the letters upon the 
 paper, truths upon the soul. For the more particular 
 opening hereof know, 
 
 1. That this teaching is not a naked motion, but a 
 real impression ; not a superficial wetting, but a deep 
 soaking. Many there are to whom the Spirit vouch- 
 safeth some taste, yet never drink a full draught, who 
 have some gliding aspects, but no direct beams of the 
 Sun of righteousness shining on them. It is one thing 
 to hear the voice of the Spirit speaking, another to 
 find the pen of the Spirit writing. That teaching 
 which is here meant is such as confirmeth against 
 error, and therefore doth not glide ofi' like water, but 
 abide like oil, slightly move, but strongly work upon 
 the soul. 
 
 2. That this impression of the Spirit's teaching is 
 upon the whole soul, more especially the two chief 
 faculties of the soul, the imderstandiug and the will. 
 So much seemeth to be intimated by that double cha- 
 racter of the subject (the ' inward parts' and ' the heart') 
 which we find in the prophet. As of old the law was 
 literally written by God's finger in two tables of stone, 
 so it is spiritually written by God's Spirit in two tables 
 of flesh, the mind and the heart. This anointing 
 then teacheth, 
 
 1. lUuminando iiitellectitm, by enlightening the un- 
 derstanding, to see and discover those things which 
 are revealed in the word. The first work of the Spirit 
 in conversion answcreth that first word and work of 
 God in the creation, Gen. i. 8, ' Let there be light.' 
 By this light it is that the darkness of ignorance is 
 expelled, and the eyes of the mind are opened to ap- 
 prehend divine writings in their own lustre and beauty. 
 It is observed of paper, that being oiled it is thereby 
 made bright, and so fitter to receive the beams of the 
 sun, and convey the light into the room ; so is it 
 with our minds, which, being anointed with this oil, 
 are thereby fitted to receive that heavenly light of 
 evangelical doctrine ; and whereas the oil which is 
 put to the lamp feeds it when it is kindled, but cannot 
 give light to it, such is the excellencj- of this unction, 
 that it giveth the light of saving knowledge to them 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVIII. 
 
 371 
 
 who are altogether destitute of it. Nor is this all, but 
 further, 
 
 2. I/iclinando voluntatem, by inclining the will to 
 embrace the goodness, and taste the sweetness, of those 
 truths which are understood. This oil doth not only 
 cherish the light of the lamp, but softens the hardness 
 of the tumor, remove the darkness of the understanding, 
 but mollify the perverseness of the will. As for the 
 manner of the Spirit's operation upon the will, it is 
 not to be disputed ; manj' controversies which trouble 
 the church would easily be reconciled were the modus 
 laid aside. I suppose none will deny but he who made 
 the will knoweth how to persuade it without co -action 
 and incline it without compulsion, and therefore we 
 need not fear to affirm that the anointing teacheth by 
 inclining the will. The truth is, were it not that this 
 teaching had an influence upon the will as well as the 
 understanding, it could not guard against error and 
 preserve from apostasy, nothing being more usual than 
 for those who are taught outwardly, and not inwardly, 
 to reject those truths whereof they have been fully 
 convinced, for want of a kindly influence upon the will, 
 by which they should constantly adhere. 
 
 To sum up this point, and therewith this discourse. 
 See the excellency of the Spirit's teaching beyond all 
 others. Other schoolmasters set only truths before us, 
 
 but cannot put them into us ; they present them to 
 our eyes or ears, but cannot write them upon our 
 hearts ; only this schoolmaster can and doth, not only 
 by his word speak to our ears, but by his grace to onr 
 souls. Oh, therefore, let us implore this sacred 
 unction, thathe would vouchsafe to become our teacher; 
 let us beg of him that he would first give ns flexible 
 spirits and docible minds, whereby we may be wUling 
 to be taught, which is to ' take away the heart of stone, 
 and give an heart of flesh;' and then that he would 
 make us to know and embrace divine truths, which is 
 to ' write his law in oui- hearts.' And withal, take wa 
 heed how we grieve this schoolmaster by a careless 
 neglect of his instructions. If at anytime he be pleased 
 to put any good motions into our minds, let us cherish 
 them, and let us beseech him that to those motions 
 he would add his powerful impressions. And if we be 
 thus taught of him, we are well taught; so well that we 
 need no other teacher ; which leads me to the other 
 branch of the sufficiency of his instruction, in the 
 negative expression, ' You need not that any man teach 
 you.' But the time being expired, denicth any further 
 progress at present, and therefore the discussion of 
 that, with the other parts of the verse, must be referred 
 to the next opportunity. 
 
 SEEMON LVIII. 
 
 But the anointinr) whicJi you have received of /im; abideth in you ; and ye need not that any man tench you : hut as 
 the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye 
 shall abide in him. — 1 John II. 27. 
 
 THIS whole world may not unfitly be resembled to 
 a book, whereof the cover is the heavens, whose 
 gilded embossments are the glittering stars, letters are 
 the elements, words are the several creatures com- 
 pounded of those elements, sentences are the motions 
 and actions of those creatures, and periods are its 
 various ages. This is the book which almighty God 
 hath given all mankind to read ; and there is in every 
 man a natm-al reason which serveth as a candle, whereby 
 we discern the characters engraven on it, and as a 
 schoolmaster, whereby we are instructed in the lessons 
 to be learned from it. But besides this school of the 
 world, in which the Creator hath appointed to train up 
 all men, there is another school of the church, which 
 our Redeemer hath designed for the education of Chris- 
 tians ; in which respect one of the names by which 
 they are frequently called is i/,tSnrai, the disciples or 
 scholars of Christ. The book wherein they are to 
 learn is no other than the holy Scriptures of the Old 
 and (more especially) of the New Testament. The 
 ushers or inferior teachers are the ministers, whose 
 lips are therefore said to preserve knowledge, and at 
 whose mouth we must seek the law. And if you would 
 know who is the head master in this school, let St 
 
 John give you the answer in the words of the text ; 
 it is no other than the Holy Spirit of God, here called 
 the anointing : ' But the anointing which you have re- 
 ceived of him,' &c. 
 
 The sufficiency of this unction in teaching Christiana 
 is that part of the text I am now in handling ; and 
 having discussed the affirmative assertion, in that it is 
 said to teach all things, I am now in order to proceed 
 to the 
 
 Negative amplification, which is expressed in those 
 words, ' and you need not that any man teach you.' 
 
 The apostle Peter, speaking of the unlearned and 
 unstable, telleth us that they did wrest, as many things 
 in St Paul's epistles, so likewise in other scriptures, 
 to their own perdition, 2 Pet. iii. 6. Where the Greek 
 word dTsi^'KoZer/, as Gerard well observes,* is a meta- 
 phor borrowed from those who put men upon the rack, 
 whereby they ofttimes force them to speak things 
 against their knowledge and conscience; for so do 
 heretics impose upon the Scripture a sense contrary to 
 what the Spirit of God intended. 
 
 An instance hereof we have in this text, particularly 
 in this clause, which (together with those parallel 
 * Gerard ibid. 
 
372 
 
 HAEDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 words of the prophet Jeremiah, chap xxxi. 84, quoted 
 by the apostle Paul, Heb. -viii. 11, 'They shall not 
 teach every man his neighbour, and every man his 
 brother, saying. Know the Lord,') is wrested by the 
 quakers and such like sectaiies among us, as it was 
 by the enthusiasts heretofore, to the undervaluing of 
 the ministry, as needless in the church, yea, of the 
 holy Scriptures themselves ; whilst pretending to a 
 light within them, which is communicated by this 
 unction, they think they need no light without them, 
 no, not that which shineth from the sacred writings. 
 For the proof whereof they thus argue from this text. 
 
 All who are taught by the unction, need not that 
 any man should teach them, and consequently not the 
 holy men of God ; 
 
 But all Christians are taught by the unction which 
 they receive from Christ ; therefore, &c. 
 
 That this eyllogism, how rational soever it may 
 Beem, is but a paralogism, and particularly, that 
 sophism which is called by logicians, FulUicia a dicto 
 seciiiidiiiii quid, ad dictum sintplicitcr, a fallacy arguing 
 from that which is spoken only as to some respect, as 
 if it were to be construed in its utmost latitude, will 
 plainly appear in the following discourse. And that I 
 may at once both repel this argument and unfold the 
 clause, I shall first demonstrate that those words, 
 ' You need not that any man teach you,' cannot with 
 any show of reason, nor yet without apparent contra- 
 diction, be intended by St John as an absolute nega- 
 tion ; and then I shall acquaint you with those con- 
 Btructions which are probable, and which of them I 
 conceive most natural. 
 
 I. In pursuance of the negative part of the explica- 
 tion, I shall premise something by way of prevention, 
 and then propose somewhat by way of confutation. 
 
 1. By way of prevention, tnke nolice of these par- 
 ticulars, which cannot but be granted. 
 
 (1.) Without doubt there will be a time when God's 
 anointed ones shall not need the teaching of any man, 
 and that is in the other life, when glorified saints shall 
 behold, in the vision of God's face, all things which 
 may conduce to their happiness. It is a true rule in 
 divinity, Pmmunioiics 7>ori fa'ilcris iiichoaiiliir in hoc 
 vita, implcniur in futurd* ev.-ingelical promises have 
 some implction in this life, but tlieir completion in the 
 other. Accordingly it is that those words, ' they shall 
 teach no more every man his neighbour, and every 
 man his brother, saying. Know tlie Lord, for they 
 shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' 
 are by some of the fathers f understood of that know- 
 ledge which we shall have in the countr}' ; and though 
 I look not upon this as the genuine scope of those 
 words, yet doubtless then, and then only, it is that 
 those words shall most exactly be fulfilled. To tlic 
 two states of this, and that other life, no doubt St 
 Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 11, roforrcth under the resemblance 
 
 * Cnmer. Myrotli. 
 
 t Aug. I. de Sp. et lit. c. 14. Anselm. in Heb. 
 
 of a child, speaking, doing, and understanding as a 
 child, and of a man's putting away childish things, 
 intending not difl'erent degrees of grace, but the dif- 
 ference between grace here and glory hereafter. We 
 are not such grown men whilst on earth, that we 
 should look upon the external means of grace as childish 
 things to be put away ; it is the sole privilege of 
 heaven (where we shall know as we are known), that 
 there all helps of human instruction shall be super- 
 vacaneous. Indeed, as Aquinas excellently argueth,* 
 it is a sign of peifect knowledge when one needeth not 
 to be taught, because learning is the way to the attain- 
 ment of knowledge, Et ideo cessat doclriiia, acqnisitd 
 perfecte scienlid ; and therefore in that perfect state of 
 knowledge, no wonder if all teaching cease. 
 
 (2.) In respect of our present state in this life, know 
 further, that 
 
 [1.] On the one hand, it is an undoubted truth, 
 that notwithstanding we are taught by men, there is 
 great need of the teaching of this unction ; so great, 
 that without it all other teaching is in vain. Every 
 instructor saith to his auditors, in words much like 
 those of the king to the woman, 2 Kings vi. 27, 
 ' How can 1 help, except God help ? ' how can I teach, 
 except the Sjiirit teach? St Gregory upon those 
 words of our Saviour, f concerning the Spu-it, ' He 
 shall lead you into all truth,' John xiv. 26, enlargeth 
 very excellently to this purpose : Unless that divine 
 Spirit be pre-ent to the heart of the hearer, the word 
 of the teacher is to no purpose ; let therefore no man 
 attribute it to the man who teacheth that he under- 
 standeth what he saitli, because }iisi intiis sit qtiidoceat, 
 dnctoris lii>ff)ia exleriiis in vacuum lahorat : except 
 there be a teacher within, the preacher's tongue 
 laboureth outwardly in vain. Behold (saith that 
 father), you all alike hear the same voice of him that 
 speaketh, and yet you do not alike perceive the sense 
 of what is spoken ; cum en/o vox dispar non sit, cur in 
 coniibiis restris dispnr est vocis iiiteltigentiri ? seeing 
 therefore the same voice sounds in all your ears, why 
 is there not the same reception into all your hearts, 
 were it not thtit there is a master within, who is pleased 
 peculiarly to teach some the understanding of what is 
 generally spoken to all ? Whereupon he quoteth this 
 very text wiih this gloss, per ivcein non inslruiliir, 
 quando mens per Spiritnm nnn unijitur: when the 
 mind is not ano nted liy the Spirit, it is not instructed 
 by t^ie voice. To the same purpose, and no less full, 
 is that discourse of Si AuslinJ upon this place : Behold, 
 my brethren, a great mystery; the sound of our 
 words bcatelh the ear ; the master is within. Do not 
 think that any man learneth anything from any man ; 
 wo may admonish by the noise of our voice, but in 
 vain, if the Spirit teach not inwardly. You all now 
 bear my sermon, and yet, alas, how many go away 
 untaught! Quantum ad me pertinet, omnibus hcutus 
 
 * Ariuin I'iir 12 q. lOG, art. 1. J Aug. in loo. 
 t Gr. M. iu Evan. torn. 30. 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVITI. 
 
 373 
 
 turn, sed qitibiis unctio ilia intiis non loquitur, quos 
 Spiritus sanctus inlus non docel, iiidocti redeuiit : so 
 far as concemeth me, I have done my part in preach- 
 inf; to all ; but to whom the unction doth not speak, 
 whom the Spirit doth not teach, they go home un- 
 taught. The instructions and admonitions of men are 
 cxtrinsecal helps. Cathedram in ciclo Iiahet qui docet 
 cor, his chair is in heaven who teacheth the heart ; 
 therefore he himself saith in the Gospel, Mat. xxiii. 10, 
 ' Call no man your master on earth ; one is your master, 
 Christ.' And a little after, The words which we speak 
 outwardly are to you as the husbandman to the tree, 
 who planteth, and watereth, and pruneth it ; but doth 
 he form the fruit, or cover the tree with leaves ? Who 
 doth that ? Hear that husbandman St Paul, 1 Cor. 
 ill. 6, and see what we are, and hear who is the internal 
 Master : ' I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the 
 increase ; neither is he that planteth anything, nor he 
 that watereth anything ; but he that giveth the increase 
 is God,' that is, his uuction teacheth you of all things. 
 Thus, as the prophet's staif could not revive the child, 
 but the prophet must come himself, so man's teaching 
 cannot instruct, but this unction must teach us ; and 
 therefore, whensoever we come to hear the word, let 
 us withal pray for the Spirit, that the ministration of 
 the one may be accompanied with the operation of the 
 other ; that of Ferus being most true,* Docet Spiritus 
 sanctus, sed per verbum ; docent apostoli, sed per co- 
 operationem iSpiritus saudi : the Spirit teacheth, but 
 by the word, and the apostles taught not but by the 
 co-working of the blessed Spirit. 
 
 [2.] On the other hand, it cannot be denied but that 
 as man's teaching is nothing without this unction, so 
 this unction can, nay, hath taught without the help of 
 man. There is no question but that he who at tirst 
 created man after his own image, could have repaired 
 the decays of that image in man without the ministry 
 of man. Human teaching is not a necessary, but 
 arbitrary, instrument of the Spirit, not without which 
 he cannot, but ordintirily he i((7/ not teach us. This 
 unction needs not the teaching of any man to join with 
 it. Those tirst planters of the gospel were immediately 
 taught by this unction ; and had it so pleased God, all 
 Christians might still have been taught by an inward 
 inspiration, without any outward instruction. Look 
 as in governing the world, God vouchsafed to make use 
 of second causes, but not out of any necessity, as if he 
 could not govern without them ; so in teaching the 
 church, the Spirit of God maketh use of men as his 
 ministers, but not as if he could not teach without 
 them. 
 
 2. These things being premised, that which I shall, 
 by way of confutation, assert and prove, is that this 
 unction doth not, will not, ordinarily teach Christians, 
 80 as that whilst they are in this world they shall not 
 need the help of man's teaching. Though man's 
 teaching is ineffectual without the presence of the 
 * Fur. in loc. 
 
 unction, yet the unction doth not exclude the presence 
 of man's teaching. 
 
 For the clearing whereof, in few words, you must 
 know, 
 
 I. In general. 
 
 1. That our Lord Christ hath instituted a certain 
 order of men in the church, whose office it is to teach 
 and instruct men in the faith. This is plainly implied 
 in that commission given by Christ to his apostles, of 
 discipling all nations, by baptizing and teaching them, 
 to which is annexed a promise of being with them 
 alway, even to the end of the world. Mat. xxviii. 19, 20 ; 
 both which considered together inform us that that 
 commission was not to expire with the apostles, but 
 that they should have successors in those sacred offices 
 to the end of the world, with whom Christ would be 
 present by his Spirit. Congruous hereunto it is, that 
 St Paul expressly saith, Rom. x. 16, ' Faith cometh 
 by hearing of the word of God,' and that from a 
 preacher who is sent for that end. But most apposite 
 and clear is that of the same apostle to the Ephesians, 
 where he saith, chap. iv. 11, Christ ' gave some 
 apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, 
 and some pastors and teachers,' which surely he would 
 not have given had there been no need of them. Very 
 observable to this purpose it is, that at the conversion 
 of Cornelius, Acts x. 5, 6, in the vision which he had, 
 he was directed to ' send for Peter,' that he might ' tell 
 him what he ought to do ; ' and whereas the Spirit 
 might himself have opened Isaiah's prophecy to the 
 eunuch, he giveth Philip command to go and interpret 
 it. Acts viii. 19, and preach Jesus to him. Yea, 
 though Christ himself converted Saul by an immediate 
 appearing, yet he sent Ananias to the finishing of the 
 work. Acts ix. 10 ; and surely if to extraordinary, 
 much more to ordinary conversion, the teaching of 
 man, of those men whom Christ hath for that end 
 appointed in his church, is necessary. 
 
 2. That the pastors and doctors of the church are 
 not only designed for initiating, but the perfecting of 
 the saints ; — they are St Paul's own words in the fore- 
 mentioned place. For this cause it is that they are 
 resembled, not only to fathers who beget, and mothers 
 who bring forth, but nurses who bring up the children ; 
 not only to planters, but to waterers, till the tree 
 come to its full growth. And they are as so many 
 builders, not only to lay the foundation, but to rear up 
 the fabric of grace and knowledge in the hearts of 
 Christians. Surely then, ' till we come to the mea- 
 sure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,' which 
 shall not be till we come to heaven, we have need that 
 man should teach us. 
 
 II. In particular, as to this scripture, it cannot be 
 St John's intention by these words, how express soever 
 they may seem, to exclude man's teaching. Excellently 
 St Austin to this purpose,* If this be true, you need 
 not that any man teach you ; why do we teach you ? 
 * Aug. iu loo. 
 
374 
 
 HARBT ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 If that anointiDg teach you all things, we labour as it 
 were without cause. Why do we not leave you to that 
 unction, that it may teach you ? But now I put the 
 question to myself. El illi ipsi aposlolo facio ; I may 
 put it to the apostle himself. Let the holy apostle 
 vouchsafe to hear a little one inquiring of him. They 
 to whom thou writcst had this unction, thou hast said 
 it : The unction which you have received teacheth you 
 of all things. Ut quid talem epislolam fecisti? quid 
 illos tu doccbas ? quid instruebas .' quid adificabas / 
 why hast thou wi'itten this epistle to them ? why dost 
 thou instruct and edify them ? Indeed, it cannot be 
 imagined that St John should teach them by writing 
 to them, if ho did intend by these words to assert all 
 man's teaching useless. 
 
 And, therefore, Caveamus tak-s tentationcs superblssi- 
 mas, take we heed of spiritual pride in fancying to 
 ourselves such a measm-e of the Spirit's unction, that 
 we need not the minister's instruction.* Our blessed 
 Lord himself, who had the Spirit above measure, was 
 very lowly, and bids us to leam this virtue of him. 
 Surely, then, the greater measure we have of this 
 unction, we should be so much the less conceited of 
 ourselves. The good Spirit doth aj/laie, breathe 
 grace into us, but it is the evil spirit which doth in- 
 flare, puff men up with the wind of pride. It is the 
 poison of the serpent swells us, not the oil of the 
 Spirit of God ; and truly, there cannot be an higher 
 degree of pride than to undervalue the means of in- 
 struction. He who is thus arrogant argueth himself 
 greatly ignorant of the delusions of Satan, and the de- 
 ceitfulness of his own heart. It is very observable 
 how St Paul joineth those two caveats together, 1 
 Thes. v. 20, 21, ' Quench not the Spirit, despise not 
 prophesying,' the latter being the ready way to the 
 former. If thou hast received this unction, it is, as 
 that apostle tells the Galatians, chap. iii. 2, ' by the 
 hearing of faith ;' and by the same means it abideth 
 with, and is increased in that it was first conveyed to 
 us. The plain truth is, he that is above ordinances 
 is below gi-ace. Nor can there be a worse fool than 
 he who thinketh himself so wise as not to need the 
 minister's teaching. Nor would it bo passed by, that 
 those very sectaries who deny the ministry and Scrip- 
 tures, do yet teach one another, all the rest attending, 
 whilst any one of them who pretends to a revelation 
 speaketh; and therefore I shall not need to spend 
 time in confuting them, who by their own practice 
 confute themselves. 
 
 2. Having in some measure cleared the quid non, 
 what is not, cuiuiot he the meaning of this clause, it 
 now remaineth that I endeavour to unfold the quid est, 
 what is the genuine sense of it ; and since, by what 
 hath been already said, it appoareth that it must be 
 interpreted xara tI, with limitation, that which is to 
 be inquiix'd and resolved is, in what respects this is 
 
 * Dan. in loc. 
 
 true, that he who is taught by the unction need not to 
 be taught by an}- man. 
 
 For the unfolding whereof there is a double way 
 proposed, both of which are very rational and satis- 
 factory. 
 
 1. The particle of denying. Not is not to be taken 
 absolutely, but comparatively; not that they did not 
 need any man to teach them at all, but they did not 
 need it so much as others. 
 
 For the further clearing of this, it would be observed 
 that in several scriptures this particle not is a note, 
 not of irrespective, but comparative, negation. When 
 God saith by his prophet, Hosea vi. 6, ' I will have 
 mercy and not sacrifice,' he camiot mean that he would 
 not have sacrifice at all, for then it was a part of his 
 worship, but yet then he would not have it in com- 
 parison of mercy. When St Paul saith, 1 Cor. i. 17, 
 ' I am sent not to baptize, but to preach,' he cannot 
 mean a denial, for he was sent to baptize ; his com- 
 mission was the same with the rest of the apostles, 
 which was to baptize all nations, but he was rather 
 sent to preach than baptize. That of our blessed 
 Saviour, John vi. 27, ' Labour not for the meat that 
 perisheth,' if taken negatively, will contradict St Paul, 2 
 Thes. iii. 10, where he saith ' He that will not work, let 
 him not eat,' and therefore, no doubt,only meaneth that 
 we should chiefly labour- for the meat that endureth to 
 eternal life. And 3-et once more, that saying of his 
 in another place, John vii. IG, ' My doctrine is not 
 mine, but his that sent me,' should we take it as a 
 direct denial, would be contradictory to itself, mj' doc- 
 trine, and yet not mine ; and therefore is to be con- 
 strued, it is not mine so much as his whose I am, and 
 whose my doctrine is, his that sent me. Agreeable 
 hereunto it is that we expound this of St John, oi3 
 X^'-i"'' "-X^^t 'you have no need,' that is, not so much 
 need that any man teach you. 
 
 According to this interpretation, it would further be 
 inquired, in comparison of whom this negation is to 
 be understood ? To which a double answer may be re- 
 turned. 
 
 (1.) In comparison of the Jews before the coming 
 of Christ, it is true of all Christians, they need not so 
 much as those Jews did, that any man should teach 
 them. This is that which I look upon as the most 
 genuine construction of Jeremiah's prophecy concern- 
 ing the church of the New Testament, for though the 
 precepts are express in several epistles, of teaching 
 and admonishing one another, Col. iii. 12, of ex- 
 horting one another, Heb. iii. 14, and of provoking 
 one another to love and to good works, chap. x. 21, 
 yet the Christians need not teach one another as the 
 Jews of old needed. For whereas the worship of God 
 under the law was so ceremonial and obscure that 
 children needed to ask their parents, and every man 
 his neighbour, what was the meaning of this or that 
 rite, that so ho might know the Lord, the precepts of 
 the gospel ai-e so plain and rational that every one 
 
Ver. 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVIII. 
 
 375 
 
 may understand them ; and whereas this unction was 
 then but sparingly given, both in regard of latitude as 
 to the subject and fulness as to the degree (some few 
 extraordinary persons excepted), it is now so univer- 
 sally poured out, and that iu so far a greater measure, 
 that in respect of them the Christians now need not 
 that any man teach them. 
 
 A consideration which should lay upon us Christians 
 so much the greater obligation of gi'atitude. Time 
 was when the Jews could say, ' He hath not dealt so 
 with any nation as he hath done with us, neither have 
 the heathen the knowledge of his law,' Ps. cxlvii. 20; 
 but now we may say, he did not deal so with the 
 Jews as he bath with us, neither had they either such 
 clear prescripts for God's worship, or such a plentiful 
 efl'usion of his Spirit. And oh that we would so 
 thankfullj' consider this, as withal to remember that 
 ' to whom much is given, of them much shall be re- 
 quired.' 
 
 (2.) More congruously to this present scripture, 
 these Christians to whom St John wrote did not need 
 that any man should teach them, in comparison of 
 those who either were but newly initiated into, or had 
 been seduced from, the doctrine of Christianity. To 
 this purpose is that gloss of Beza's,* Has res non tan- 
 quam ir/iiolas proponit, sed tanqiiam cognilas inculcat. 
 The ignorant must be taught what they knew not be- 
 fore, and the seduced must be taught to return from 
 whence they have apostatised ; but these Christians, 
 being neither ignorant nor seduced, had no need to 
 bo so taught, though still, as to their confirmation and 
 growth iu grace, and the knowledge of Christ, they 
 needed instruction. We may verj' well construe this 
 ou %;£'«!' s^fs in opposition to that TaXiv y^^iiu)/ 
 'ix,-Ti of St Paul, Heb. v. 12. As he, chiding the 
 Hebrews, saith, ' When for the time you ought to be 
 teachers, you have need that one teach you again 
 which be the first principles of the oracles of God ;' 
 BO our apostle, commending these Christians, saith, 
 ' You need not that any man teach you.' So that, as 
 Cameron well glosseth, it is hypeiholica locutio, an 
 hyperbolical expression, in way of commendation, and 
 so the design of it the same with that compliment he 
 useth a little before, ver. 21, 'I have not written to 
 you because you know not the truth, but because j'ou 
 know it.' Very observable to this purpose is that of 
 the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. iv. 9, 
 10, where he saith, touching brotherly love, ' You 
 have no need that I write unto you, for you yourselves 
 are taught of God to love one another ;' yet in the 
 very next verse there followeth, ' We beseech you, 
 brethren, to increase more and more.' By which it 
 plainly appearoth ho did not intend that there was no 
 need at all to write to them, but that they did not need 
 it so much as others, having in a good measure 
 learned that lesson already. Suitable to this is that 
 of the same apostle to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. ix. 1, 
 * Beza. in loc. 
 
 where he saith, ' As touching the ministering to the 
 saints, it is superiluous for me to write to you,' where- 
 as in that very chapter he useth many arguments to 
 encourage them to that very duty, and therefore can- 
 not be supposed to mean that it was altogether super- 
 fluous. And surely as the design of St Paul in 
 bespeaking the Thessalonians and the Corinthians after 
 this manner was to stir them up to a ready perfor- 
 mance of those duties, by taking notice of and com- 
 mending them for what they had done in that kind 
 already, so no doubt the scope of our apostle was to 
 animate them against antichristian seducers, by prais- 
 ing them for their proficiency in the orthodox faith. 
 
 That which we may learn from hence is, that pro- 
 vided it be not out of flattery and for base ends, we 
 may upon just occasion not only commend, but en- 
 large, and, as it were, hyperbolise in the commenda- 
 tions of them that are good. Indeed, to flourish with 
 rhetorical exaggerations in laying open the faults of 
 others (except of such crimes as are very open and 
 heinous) is uncharitable; but to expatiate (though it be 
 with bj-perboles) in the praises of others for their vir- 
 tues, is very allowable, as being that which this holy 
 apostle giveth us a pattern of in this high encomium, 
 ' You need not that any man teach you.' 
 
 2. There is yet another way of giving the sense of 
 this clause, which to me seemeth most genuine, and 
 that is, by construing those words, ' you need not that 
 any man teach you,' with the following, ' but as the 
 same anointing teaoheth you of all things,' which, be- 
 ing put together, do only deny any need that any man 
 should teach them any other doctrine than what this 
 anointing had taught them. All things, to wit, neces- 
 sary to salvation, this unction had taught them, and 
 therefore no need of any man to teach them anything 
 besides these all things. To this purpose* is that 
 gloss of Heiusius, who conceiveth that the conjunction 
 but is to be here taken in the same notion in which it 
 is used by the Chaldec and Syriac. Those words, 
 ' there is no God besides me,' are read by the Chaldee, 
 ' there is no God but I.' Thus in this place, aXX' ws 
 is as much as ei /j,ri ug, ' you need not that any man 
 teach you, but as,' that is, ' except those things which 
 the same anointing teacheth you.' With this sense 
 that gloss agreeth in etlect which I find among some 
 expositors, who refer the man here mentioned to the 
 seducers before spoken of. There is no need of any 
 new masters, that any of those seducers concerning 
 whom the apostle had discoursed should teach them 
 anj' new doctrine. Very apposite to this purpose is 
 that excellent saying of Tertullian,t Nubis curiositate 
 opus non est post Jesum Christum, nee inquisitione post 
 evanijelium ; nil desideramus ultra credere, hoc eniin 
 prius creUimus, nil esse quod ultra credere debemus, 
 Christ being now revealed in his gospel, it is curiosity 
 to make further inquiry ; we desire not to believe any- 
 
 * Ilcins., Lorin., Sorra;., Aret., in loc. 
 t Tertul. de pracscript adv. h^r. 8. 
 
376 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. IL 
 
 thing more, for this we first believe, that there is 
 nothing more to be believed. There is need, indeed, 
 that the orthodox teachers should inculcate upon the 
 people what this unction teacheth, but as for any doc- 
 trine besides, there is no need of, nor regard to be 
 had to it, or him that bringeth it. It is very probable 
 that those seducers did teach their new doctrines as 
 things necessary to be known and believed, in reference 
 to whom our apostle assureth them that whatever those 
 heretics might pretend, they were already sufficiently 
 instructed in all things needful for them to know. 
 According to this notion, this very Scripture, which is 
 made use of by enthusiasts as a buckler to defend, 
 proveth a sword to cut asunder their opinion ; for 
 what other must their pretended revelations be but 
 vain and foolish, if there be no need of anything to 
 he taught us by any man but what this unction 
 teacheth (to wit, as it hath been already explained) 
 outwardly by the word, and inwardly by grace ? The 
 truth is, we need not that any man, no, nor yet any 
 angel, should teach us ; and if any angel from heaven 
 should come and teach any other doctrine than what 
 this unction hath already taught the holy apostles, 
 and by them us, let him be accursed. Gal. i. 8. Nor 
 is this more than what St Paul hath given us warrant 
 for. And let this suffice to have been spoken of the 
 sufficiency of this schoolmaster. Pass we on to the 
 
 3. Next character, which is his fidelity, as it is set 
 down in those words, ' and is truth, and is no lie.' 
 The first, which is the affirmative expression according 
 to the Greek, is to be read in the concrete, and is true ; 
 and the latter, which is the negative, in the abstract, 
 and is no lie. Om- translators, finding the latter to be 
 the abstract, read the former so too, though it maj' 
 seem more rational to read the latter as if it were a 
 concrete, finding the former to be so. But as to the 
 rendering it, it is not much material, whilst the sense 
 is the same ; which is, that this anointing is true, 
 without the mixture of any falsehood in his teaching. 
 The more fully to express this, it is that our apostle 
 speaketh the same thing twice, first by affirming, and 
 then by denying the contrary ; that look, as when in 
 the former chapter he would set forth God's purity to 
 the full, as being free from the least pollution, he 
 eaith, ' He is light, and in him is no darkness,' 1 John 
 i. 5, so here, that he might express the veracity of 
 the Spirit's dictates, as being without the least error, 
 he saith, ' it is truth, and is no lie.' The devil's 
 answers, which he gave those who consulted him, were 
 80 dubious that they could not toll which way to con- 
 strue them, and so were deluded by them. But the 
 Spirit's dictates arc certain and infallible. The devil 
 is a lying spirit, the father of lies, and his suggestions 
 are lies, and no truth, but the Spirit of God is a Spirit 
 of tnith ; so our Saviour calls him once and again, 
 yea, he is truth, and no lie. True it is, heretics, the 
 devil's instruments, do sometimes speak truth,* but it 
 * Iren. prsefat. adv. hasr. 
 
 is in order to the advancing of some lie ; yea, it ia 
 usually mixed with lies. But the Spirit's penmen 
 dehver truth, and nothing but the truth, so that we 
 may venture our souls upon their writings. Indeed, 
 it is not so with us, who expound and preach upon 
 their writings, since we have not so full a measure of 
 this unction as they had. In which respect St Je- 
 rome saith,* Atitei habere apostolos,aUler reliquostiacta- 
 tores, iltos, semper vera dicere, islos, ut Jiomines in 
 quibusdam aberrare, that there is a great deal of differ- 
 ence between the apostles and other preachers : those 
 always write truth, but these err in many things ; but 
 withal, it is then when they are not led by the Spirit, 
 who being wisdom cannot be deceived, and being truth 
 cannot deceive. Keep we therefore close to the dic- 
 tates of this unction, and that as they ai-e set down 
 in the word. Since thej- are truth, and no lie, let us 
 believe and not doubt, trust and not waver ; lest, if 
 we receive not the truth in the love of it, God give us 
 over to believe a lie, it being just that they who will 
 not be taught b}- this unction, which is truth, and no 
 lie, should be fooled by delusions, which are lies, and 
 no truth. 
 
 4. There is only one clause of the verse to be de- 
 spatched, in those words, ' and even as it hath taught 
 you, j'ou shall abide in him ;' where the verb abide, 
 according to the difl'erent Greek copies, is in the future 
 tense of the indicative, and so rendered ' you shall 
 abide,' and in the imperative mood, and rendered 
 ' abide in him ;' and accordingly it may be looked upon 
 either as a promise or a precept. According to the 
 former, it lets us see the efliciency of the schoolmaster; 
 and according to the latter, the duty of the scholar. 
 But because I find this given as a precept in the vei-y 
 next verse, I shall here only consider it as a promise, 
 and so a further commendation of this unction. 
 
 Those words, you shall abide, are conceived by 
 some to be only verba sperantis, words of one that 
 hopeth well concerning them ; but I rather take them 
 to lie a promise, assuring them of the virtue of this 
 unction, which being received by, and abiding in them, 
 would enable them to abide as it hath taught them. 
 The pronoun auru, in the end of the verse, may be 
 construed in a double reference, either to the y^oiaii.a,, 
 or to y^aifiTOi, to the thing, or the person, and so may 
 he read, ' you shall abide in it,' that is, in the unction, 
 or 'you shiill abide in him,' that is, in Christ, from 
 whom you received the unction. Indeed, in the next 
 verse it is manifestlj' belonging to the person, the uxiTut 
 being no doubt the same with the a-jrlc, ho that shall 
 appear ; but here it ma}' very rationally be referred to 
 both, and accordingly I shall speak a word of each. 
 
 1. 'Even as it hath taught you, you shall abide in 
 him.' That which tliis unction chiefly teacheth, is to 
 abide in Christ. Suitably the Arabic readeth it, as it 
 hath taught you to abide in him ; and in this sense it 
 lets us see the excellency of the schoolmaster above 
 * Hieron. ad Theo. 
 
Ver 27.] 
 
 SERMON LVIII. 
 
 377 
 
 all others. They may teach what to do, but cannot en- 
 able to do what they teach ; but this unction, as it 
 hath taught you, so you shall do, it hath taught you 
 to abide, and you shall abide in him. This voice saith 
 behind us, ' This is the way, walk in it,' and it withal 
 giveth us feet to walk in that way. Look, as when 
 our blessed Saviour said to Lazarus, ' Come forth,' 
 there was a power accompanying that voice which 
 enabled him to come forth ; so when this unction, as 
 it were, saith to us, ' abide in him,' there is grace 
 communicated strengthening us to abide in him. Very 
 congruous to this purpose is that discourse of St 
 Austin against Pelagius and Celestius,* Sic docet 
 Di'us eos qui secundum propositum vocati sunt, siniul 
 donans quid agant scire, et quod sciunt arjere : God so 
 teacheth those who are called according to his pur- 
 pose, that they both know what to do, and do what 
 they know. Whence St Paul thus speaketh to the 
 Thessalonians, 1 Thes. iv. 9, 10, ' You are taught of 
 God to love one another ;' and that he might prove 
 they were taught of God, he presently addeth, ' for 
 indeed you do it towards all the brethren :' tanquam 
 hoc sit certissimum signum quod d Deo didiceritis, si id 
 quod didiceritis feceritis, as if this were the most sure 
 sign of being taught of God, to do what they were 
 taught. After this manner were all the called accord- 
 ing to purpose, as it is written in the prophets, taught 
 of God; but he that knowelh what he ought to do, and 
 doeth it not, hath not yet learned of God according to 
 grace, but to the law ; not according to the spirit, but 
 the letter ; and a Httle after he addeth. Of this manner 
 of teaching our Lord saith, John vi. 4, 5, ' Whosoever 
 hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh to me.' 
 He therefore that doth not come to him, it is not truly 
 said be hath heard and learned ; for if, as he who is 
 the truth saith, every one who hath learned cometh, 
 he that cometh not hath not learned. So that, as he 
 presently addeth, not only the power but the will is 
 assisted by this teaching ; for if it had been only an 
 ability were conferred, our Lord would have said, 
 every one that hath heard, and hath learned of the 
 Father, can or may come to me ; but it is, he cometh. 
 Vhi jam et ])Ossibilitatis prnfectus, et vohintatis affeclus, 
 et atlionis effectus est, by which is intimated a collation 
 of power, an affection of the will, and the effect of the 
 action. Hitherto the words of St Austin, whose ex- 
 pressions both here and a little before in this discourse 
 (as also St Gregory's), I have the more largely re- 
 hearsed, that the doctrine of the necessity and efficacy 
 of the Spirit's grace may appear to be no new doctrine ; 
 nor shall I need to add much more in this particular. 
 
 * Aug. lib. i. de giat. Cbristi contr. Pelag. cap. 13, 14. 
 
 Indeed, that prayer of the spouse would not be omit- 
 ted : Cant. i. 9, ' Draw me, and we will run after thee;' 
 whereby is intimated, that when the Spirit of Christ 
 draweth, though it be not a forcible, yet it is an 
 effectual operation.. It is not such a drawing as maketh 
 us go whether we will or no ; but as maketh us of 
 unwilling, willing, not only to go, but ' run the way 
 of God's commandments.' Agreeable to which it is 
 here not only said you may, but you ' shall abide in 
 him.' 
 
 2. Nor would the other reading be left out, ' even 
 as it hath taught you, you shall abide in it ;' that is, 
 in the doctrine which this unction hath taught you ; 
 whereby is intimated that the grace of this unction is 
 not only illuminating but corroborating ; and as it 
 teacheth us, so it strengtheneth us to continue in what 
 it teacheth. As oiled paper doth not only let in the 
 light of the sun, but beat back the violence of the 
 wind, so doth this unction not only enlighten its 
 scholars, whereby they understand the truth, but also 
 enable them to withstand the opposition of errors. 
 This confirming energy of the Spirit, St Paul hath 
 elegantly set forth by several metaphors, 2 Cor. ii. 
 21, 22, where he saith, 'He which establisheth us 
 with j'ou in Christ, and anointeth us, is God ; who 
 hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the 
 Spirit in our hearts,' manifestly comparing the Spirit 
 to an earnest, to a seal, to an ointment; and as the 
 earnest assureth the bargain, the seal confirmeth the 
 grant, and the ointment strengtheneth the part, so 
 doth the Spirit stablish the heart in a firm expectation 
 of divine promises, assurance of divine love, and a 
 stedfast adherence to divine truth. 
 
 And now, putting all together, what great cause of 
 gratulation and ground of consolation doth this verse 
 afford usj We are infinitely beholding to our blessed 
 Jesus, in that he shed his blood for us ; and we are 
 no less engaged to him for giving his Spirit to us, 
 since as by the one he purchased salvation for us, so 
 by the other it is he preserveth us to salvation. Had 
 not this unction revealed the things we are to know in 
 order to salvation, wo must have continued ignorant; 
 but blessed be God, this unction teacheth us of all 
 things. Though we be instructed in the things of our 
 peace, yet we are verj' apt to be withdrawn from them, 
 espeeiallj' by the cunning of seducers ; but blessed be 
 God, this unction abideth with us, and enableth us to 
 abide. Oh let us herein rejoice, that the wisdom of 
 our Saviour hath so fully provided for our safety ; and 
 let it be our daily prayer, that this holy unction would 
 still vouchsafe to remain with us, so as we may be in- 
 structed, confirmed, and preserved by it to everlasting 
 life. Amen. 
 
378 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 SERMON LIX. 
 
 And iioif, little children, abide in him ; that, when he shall appear, ue may hare confidence, and not he ashamed 
 
 before him at his coming. — 1 John II. 28. 
 
 MANY are the diseases to which the inward as well 
 as the outward man is subject. The fever of 
 luxury, the surfeit of gluttony, meagrim of drunken- 
 ness, lethargy of sloth, and ague of idleness (all which 
 are involved in the lust of the flesh) ; the itch of curio- 
 sity, and the dropsy of covetousness (which are the 
 lusts of the eyes) ; the tumour of arrogancy, and the 
 tympany of ambition (which are the pride of life), are 
 not more common than dangerous sicknesses. No 
 wonder if our apostle, being a spiritual physician, 
 cautioneth us, and prescribeth in this chapter an ex- 
 cellent antidote against them, of not loving the world 
 and the things of the world. But besides these, the 
 consumption of envy, the frenzy of malice, the giddi- 
 ness of inconstancy, and falling sickness of apostasy, 
 are no less deadly, and far more spreading. For this 
 cause it is that our apostle, throughout this whole 
 epistle, very much iusisteth upon brotherly love, the 
 only cure of malice and envy ; and in the latter part 
 of this chapter earnestly persuadeth a firm adherence 
 to the Christian faith, the proper remedy of incon- 
 stancy and apostasy, the close of which discoui-se is 
 in the words of the text, ' And now, little children, 
 abide in him,' &c. 
 
 In which verse there are three things offer them- 
 selves to our observation, the manner, the matter, 
 the motive : the manner sweet, the matter serious, the 
 motive strong ; the manner rhetorical, the matter theo- 
 logical, the motive logical; the manner rchemeni, the 
 matter important, the motive urgent. Finally, 
 
 The manner in the compcUation, 'little children;' 
 
 The matter in the exhortation, ' And now, abide in 
 him ;' 
 
 The motive in the incitation, ' that when he shall 
 appear we may have confidence, and not be ashamed 
 before him at his coming.' Of each of which with 
 brevity and perspicuity. 
 
 1. Begin we with the compellation, which, having 
 had occasion once and again to handle, shall be quickly 
 passed over, only I cannot but with Ferus* take notice 
 of the excellent artifice of our apostle, who calleth them 
 to whom be wrote, ' little children,' ut oslensione affectus 
 sui fortius morcal, that by discovering the dearness of 
 bis love towards them they might be the more easily 
 persuaded by him. St Paul, writing to the Komans 
 concerning false teachers, saitb, Rom. xvi. 17, they 
 did ' deceive the simple by fair and smooth words.' 
 Surely the ministers of Christ should be no less arti- 
 ficial in persuading than they are in deceiving, and to 
 that end use smooth and fair words. Methinkcth those 
 words of our Saviour to his disciples, when so many 
 * For. in loc. 
 
 forsook him, John vi. 67, carry in them a great deal 
 of passion, ' Will you also go away ?' and no doubt 
 they made a suitable impression on them. Witness 
 Peter's answer, ' Lord, whither shall we go ?' What 
 afl'ectionate strains are those of St Paul and St Peter ! 
 ' I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God,' so 
 St Paul, Rom. xii. 1 ; 'Dearly beloved, I beseech you,' 
 so St Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 10 ; and if we well weigh it, we 
 shall find as much, nay more, in this of St John, 'And 
 now, little children.' The Hebrew N3, which answers 
 to the I'Di' in the Greek, is not only an adverb of time, 
 but a particle of beseeching ; and this title, little chil- 
 dren, seemeth to intimate that our apostle beseecheth 
 them 2)er earn paternam benevolentiam , by the love of 
 a father, yea, by the bowels of a mother. You that 
 are parents know with what tender aflections }"ou speak 
 to your children, when you dissuade them from evil or 
 persuade them to good :* the same spirit was iu this 
 holy apostle, il/ica et soHicita de suorum salute cura, 
 it was a strange solicitous care and desu-e which he had 
 of their salvation, which put him upon this earnest 
 way of exhorting them to perseverance. Oh that aU 
 the ministers of the word would learn to follow this 
 pattern ! I told you in the last lecture, it is only God 
 that can speak to the heart inwardly and efl'ectually, 
 but certainly that minister shall soonest convoy as it 
 were his words into the heart, who speakcth with his 
 heart, yea, rather speaketh his heart, whose expres- 
 sions manifest his atlection, as to the things concern- 
 ing which, so to the persons to whom he speaketh. 
 And this shall suffice for a brief account of the com- 
 pellation. 
 
 2. Proceed we to the exhortation, in those words, 
 ' And now abide in him.' 
 
 Before I discuss the natui-e of the duty, it will not 
 be amiss to observe, that what is assured in the end of 
 the former verse, ' you shall abide in him,' is prescribed 
 in the beginning of this, ' abide in him.' Abiding in 
 Christ is the matter of both, a promise and a precept ; 
 it is that which wo shall find verified in other duties 
 as well as this. ' I will put my fear in their hearts,' 
 so runs the promise, Jer. xxxii. 40 ; ' Fear the Lord,' 
 so frequently the pi'ccept, Ps. xxxiv. 9, Prov. iii. 5 ; 
 ' A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I 
 put within you,' so God promiseth, Ezek. xxxvi. 2G ; 
 ' Make you a new heart and a new spirit,' so he com- 
 mandeth, Ezek. xviii. 31 ; ' The Lord thy God will 
 circumcise thine heart to love him,' is the promise, 
 Deut. XXX. G; and in the same chapter, ver. 10, 'I 
 command thee this day to love the Lord thy God.' 
 Indeed, there may seem some kind of incongruity in 
 * Eat., Aret. iu loo. 
 
Ver. 28.] 
 
 SERJION LIX. 
 
 379 
 
 this at the first view, for what need is there of com- 
 manding us to do what God promiseth he will enable 
 us to do ? But in truth there is a sweet harmony 
 between precepts and promises of this nature, whilst 
 these serve to strengthen our confidence, and those to 
 quicken our diligence. When, on the one hand, we 
 are exhorted to abide in Christ, we maj' be ready to 
 say. But how shall I be able to perform this duty ? 
 My enemies are so strong, and grace so weak, that I 
 fear I shall let go my hold ; and, as David once said, 
 ' I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul,' so the 
 weak though willing Christian is apt to say, I shall 
 one day fall by the power and policy of the devil, and 
 notwithstanding all my resolutions and endeavours, I 
 fear my deceitful heart will be withdrawn from Christ. 
 But lo, for our comfort and encouragement, here is a 
 promise, that by the virtue of this unction we shall abide. 
 On the other hand, when we meet with these and such 
 like promises of perseverance, we maj' be ready to flatter 
 ourselves, as if we cannot miscarry, and, once being 
 in Christ, we shall abide, though we be never so care- 
 less and secure ; and therefore, to prevent this supine 
 laziness, here is a precept annexed to the promise, 
 which minds us that something is to be performed on 
 our part as well as God's. This unction enableth to 
 abide in Christ, but withal we are required to make 
 use of the grace which this unction giveth for that 
 end ; and as the promise assm'eth us of the one, so 
 the precept puts us on the other. It is a known say- 
 ing of St Austin, He that made us without ourselves 
 will not save us without ourselves; we can do nothing 
 without him, he h(7/ not do it without us. The unc- 
 tion teacheth, and that so as to give strength to fulfil, 
 yet still our part is to put forth that strength for that 
 end for which it was given us ; and though it is the 
 grace of this unction which doth not only prevent us 
 by giving ability, but excite us to, and assist us in, 
 actuating that ability, yet it is incumbent on us, by 
 the help of preventing, exciting, and assisting grace, 
 to exert those acts of faith, and courage, and con- 
 stancy whereby we abide in him. 
 
 This being premised, come we now to consider the 
 duty to which we are exhorted ; and here we find some- 
 thing substantial and circumstantial : that in the verb 
 abide, this in the adverb now. 
 
 1. The substance of the duty is in the word ahiile, 
 a word which, as Lapide well observeth,* our apostle 
 very much delighted to use. No less than seven times 
 we meet with it in this chapter. Nor is it any wonder, 
 since it was his Master's word, and that in his last 
 dying farewell sermon. If you cast your eyes on the 
 loth chapter of St John's Gospel, you shall find this 
 phrase of abiding in him used by our Saviour five 
 several times in four verses, chap. xv. 4-7 ; aiid, as 
 hath been already observed, this holy apostle loved to 
 tread in his Master's steps, yea, to speak in his Mas- 
 ter's language. He that exhorts to walk as ho walked 
 * Verbo manendi gaudet apostolus. — Xap. m loc. 
 
 will not only do so, but talk also as he talked. No 
 doubt, as he was his Lord's darling, so he had a dear 
 afl'ection to him ; and those whom we love we would 
 resemble, not only in greater but lesser matters, in 
 garb and gesture, in discourse and language. And as 
 for this reason he maketh so frequent use of the 
 phrase, so likewise he so often inculcateth the duty, 
 because it was his Master's counsel to him and the 
 rest of the disciples. He well knew he could not give 
 better counsel to the people than Christ had given to 
 him. He followed it himself, and found it good advice ; 
 no wonder if he commanded it to others. Abide in him. 
 For the unfolding of this duty, know, 
 
 1. There is a threefold abiding which is required 
 of every Christian ; in the church of Christ, in the doc- 
 trine of Christ, and in Christ himself. All of these 
 we meet with in this chapter : the first in the 19th 
 verse, /is/isv/j/tE/ffaj fihil' jj/iii', ' they had continued with 
 ns,' to wit, the apostles of Christ, who were then the 
 rulers and representatives of ihe church ; the second, 
 in the four-and-twentieth verse, h hjut /j.iyika, ' Let that 
 which you have heard from the beginning abide in you,' 
 to wit, the evangelical doctrine ; and the last in this 
 verse, tj.inTi h uutu, ' abide in him.' By all of these, 
 no doubt one and the same grace of perseverance is 
 meant, yet not without some diflerence, one rising 
 higher than the other. The lowest step is abiding in 
 the church, which is opposed to a schismatical separa- 
 tion ; higher than that is abiding in the doctrine, which 
 is opposed to heretical defection ; the highest is abid- 
 ing in Christ himself, which is opposed to an hypocri- 
 tical profession. A man may abide in the church, and 
 yet fall from truth to error; he may abide both in the 
 church and in the doctrine of Christ, so far as to out- 
 ward profession, and yet not be really united to, and 
 abide in, Christ himself. But, on the other hand, he 
 who spiritually abideth in Christ cannot but abide in 
 his doctrine and church. ' If you abide in me, and 
 my words abide in you,' saith our blessed Saviour, 
 John XV. 6, where the latter is joined with the former. 
 Christ's words cannot but abide in them who abide in 
 him, nor will he who hath a real union with Christ 
 make a wilful separation from his church, since the 
 members which adhere to the head cannot forsake the 
 body. No wonder if our apostle add this to the two 
 former, as that which will both engage and enable us 
 to them ; and accordingly, that we may continue with 
 the orthodox Christians, and that which we have heard 
 from the beginning may remain in us, let us abide in him. 
 
 2. In regard of this union and communion which 
 we have with Christ, there is a threefold phrase, 
 which we meet with very frequently in the New Testa- 
 ment : coming to him, being in him, and abiding in 
 him. Comiiiij to him is St Peter's phrase, 1 Peter 
 ii. 0, ' to whom coming as to a hving stone ; ' being 
 in him, St Paul's, 2 Cor. v. 21, ' if any man be in 
 Christ ; ' ahitinuj in him, St John's, both here and 
 before in this chapter, 1 John ii. G. And here wo 
 
380 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 may observe a gradation ; coming to him is the be- 
 ginning, being in him the progress, and abiding in 
 him the pei-fection, of Christianity. We must come to 
 him, or we cannot be in him ; we must be in him, 
 else we cannot abide in him; it is not enough to come 
 to, but we must be in ; nor to be in, but we must 
 abide in him. To come to Christ is renouncing our- 
 selves, to embrace Christ as our Lord and Saviour ; 
 to be in him is to trust in him, whom we embrace, 
 for salvation ; and to abide in him is to persevere in 
 this adhesion to the end. 
 
 3. If yet you desire a more plain account of the 
 true meaning and full latitude of this phrase of abid- 
 ing in Christ, I answer, It is whenas having received 
 Christ Jesus our Lord, and that both as our Lord and 
 Jesus, we do not, will not, suffer ourselves, either by 
 the allurements or afi'rightments of the world, solicita- 
 tions of the flesh and temptations of the devil, to be 
 withdrawn from the profession of his name, observ- 
 ance of his precepts, recumbency on his merits, imi- 
 tation of his graces, and communion with his person. 
 
 2. Having given you this account of the /j^ivin i» 
 auroj, 'abide in him,' it will not be amiss to cast an 
 eye upon the xal vCn, ' and now.' Though it may be 
 looked upon only as formula cunchuletHii, a winding 
 up of the discourse, as if he had said in Solomon's 
 language, Eccles. xii. 13, ' This is the conclusion of 
 the whole matter,' yet since the particle vZv is properly 
 an adverb of time, we shall so consider it, and find a 
 great deal of emphasis in it, inasmuch as this now 
 seemeth to have a double aspect : — 
 
 1 . Upon the antichrists which then abounded ; in 
 which respect there was so much the more need at 
 that time to take heed they were not withdrawn 
 from Christ, and therefore saitb the apostle, ' Now 
 abide in jiim.' 'Here is the faith and patience of the 
 saints,' saith St John of persecuting times. Rev. 
 xiii. 10. Here is the faith and constancy of the saints, 
 may we say of heretical times ; tlien to abide in when 
 many go from Christ, cannot but be very acceptable 
 to him. For this ho commended the angel of the 
 church of Peigamos : Rev. ii. 19, ' I know thy works, 
 and where thou dwcllcst, where Satan's scat is ; and 
 thou boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my 
 faith.' It is a small matter to be faithful to Christ in 
 those days and places where Christianity tlourisheth, 
 but the trial of our faithfulness is when we are in the 
 midst of apostates and seducers. He is the loyal 
 subject who is true to his prince in rebellious times, 
 and ho is the sound Christian who abideth in Christ 
 in antichristian times. Where heresy and tyranny 
 prevail, there is Satan's seat, or rather throne ; and 
 to adhere to Christ as our king where Satan hath his 
 throne is constancy indeed. Surely what is said of 
 Pergamos maj' too truly bo aftirmed of England at 
 this day ; it is the place where the devil playeth Bex, 
 misleading by heretical seducers multitudes into 
 damnable errors ; and now (beloved) to abide in 
 
 Christ, and cleave to the truth, will be both his and 
 our honour. 
 
 2. Upon the Christians who bad already embraced, 
 and hitherto adhered to him, whom therefore the 
 apostle bespeaketh, ' now abide in him ;' that is, still 
 continue faithful and hold out to the end. He bad 
 told them before it is the last hour, and he would not 
 have them fail at last. That coat which Joseph had 
 from his father is called bj- St Gregory* talaris tunica, 
 a coat down to his heels ; such must the coat of per- 
 severance be, not to the knees or legs only, but to the 
 very heels. He that begins a race, nay, that runs 
 three parts of the way, will yet lose the prize if he 
 give over before he come to the goal. As St James 
 saith of patience, James i. 2, so say I of perseverance, 
 ' Let it have its perfect work.' O my brethren, I 
 fear it may be said to too many amongst us, in the 
 language of St Paul to the Galatians, chap. iii. 10, 
 ' Have j'ou suffered so many things in vain, if it be 
 yet in vain ? ' Have you so long, maugre all opposi- 
 tion, adhered to the truth, and will you now by a 
 cowardly faintness lose the glory and reward of all 
 j-our former services ? Know j'ou not that the grace 
 of the theatre is the last scene ? and it is the evening 
 that crowneth the day. Cast not away, therefore, 
 your confidence, but as you have hitherto, so now 
 abide in him. And which would not be passed by, it 
 was not long that this time of trial should last, it was 
 but fpr an hour ; and since they had been faithful so 
 long, he would have them hold out a little longer. 
 ' Could you not watch with me one hour?' said Christ 
 to his disciples. Shall we not abide in Christ one 
 hour ? I have served my Jesus (said Polycarpus) 
 these many yeai-s, shall I now desert him ? It is but 
 for a while, a very httle while, as hero in St John's 
 phrase ; a moment in St Paul's ; and therefore ' now 
 abide in him.' To bring this part of the text to a 
 period, — 
 
 1 . That we may be enabled constantly to abide in 
 Christ, there is need especially of two graces, namely, 
 a strong faith in, and an ardent love to, Christ. He 
 that is fully assured that Christ, and Christ alone, is 
 the root of all graces, the fountain of all happiness, 
 the foundation of all good, and that, as St Peter ex- 
 presseth. Acts iv. 13, ' there is no salvation in any 
 other,' will certainly abide in Christ, whatever befall 
 him. Ho that hath an endeared affection to Christ, 
 whose soul clcaveth to him, as the soul of Jonathan 
 did to David, will not leave him, nor suffer himself, 
 either by fair or foul means, to be withdrawn from 
 him. Where there is a voluntary separation between 
 man and wife, we may safely conclude there is want 
 of affection to each other in both or either, since 
 love, being a desire of union, cannot admit of a dis- 
 junction ; and therefore let our prayer and endeavour 
 bt;, that our faith may be strengthened, our love in- 
 flamed, and thereby our perseverance lengthened. 
 • Greg, in Gr. 
 
Ver. 28.] 
 
 SERMON LIX. 
 
 381 
 
 2. Of how great concernment it is that we should 
 abide in Christ, himself hath told us in that fore- 
 mentioned place of the Gospel, where he fully sets be- 
 fore us the advantage on the one hand and the damage 
 on the other. If we will abide in him, he will abide 
 ■with us ; if we abide in him, we shall abide in his love ; 
 if we abide in him, we shall be enabled to bring forth 
 the fruit of good works to his Father's glory, and con- 
 sequently our own felicity ; but if we do not abide in 
 him we shall be barren and unfruitful, cast out and 
 withered, and our end at last will be to be burned, John 
 XV. 2, 3. 
 
 But what need I go further than the text, wherein 
 we meet with a very strong and pressing motive, which 
 is the last part, and cometh now to be handled, as it is laid 
 down in those words, ' that when he shall appear,' &c. 
 
 In which there is something 
 
 Supjiosed, namely, the coming and appearance of 
 Christ, ' when he shall appear,' and again, ' at his 
 coming.' 
 
 Implied, namely, our appearance at that day, in that 
 it is said, ' before him.' 
 
 Expressed, namely, the confident appearing before 
 Christ of those who abide in him, ' that we may 
 have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his 
 coming.' 
 
 1. That which is here supposed by our apostle is, 
 that there is another coming of Christ, when he shall 
 appear. That the he here spoken of is Christ, is so 
 evident that it needs no discussion ; and that you may 
 know of what coming and appearance St John speakelh, 
 take notice of a threefold coming of Christ : 
 
 Virtual, spiritual, personal ; of his power, of his Spirit, 
 of his person. 
 
 1. Whensoever our blessed Lord is pleased to make 
 known his power in the deliverance of his church, and 
 vengeance on his enemies, he is then said to come and 
 appear ; and of this coming we find mention both in 
 the Gospels and Epistles : many places there are which 
 may, and some which must be so understood. Thus 
 when Christ saith, Mat. xvi. 28, ' There are some 
 here standing which shall not taste of death till they 
 see the Son of man coming in his kingdom ; ' and 
 again, concerning the beloved disciple, John xxi. 22, 
 ' If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to 
 thee ? ' it cannot be rationally construed of any other 
 than his coming to destroy the Jews that crucified him, 
 and deliver the Christians that worshipped him. 
 
 2. Whensoever our blessed Jesus is pleased, by his 
 Holy Spirit, to manifest himself to the soul of a 
 believer, enlightening the mind, comforting the con- 
 science, enlarging the affections, he is then said to 
 come and appear. So runs the promise in the Gospel, 
 John xvi. 23, ' If a man love me, he will keep my 
 words, and my Father will love him, and we will come 
 in to him, and make our abode with him ; ' in the 
 epistle to the angel of the Laodicean church, Rev. iii. 
 20, ' Behold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any 
 
 man open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with 
 him, and he with me.' 
 
 3. Besides both these, there is a personal coming of 
 Christ; and this is double, for so we read, Heb. ix. 28, 
 ' He shall appear the second time.' Indeed, the Jews 
 fancy two Messiahs, one of the tribe of Ephraim, the 
 other of the tribe of Judah ; one the son of Joseph, 
 the other of David. We nowhere read of any Messiah 
 of any other tribe than tbat of Judah. But that which 
 was the occasion of their error is a certain truth, 
 namely, that there is a double coming of the Messiah. 
 One of the titles of the Messiah is o hyJ/j,nog, he that 
 is to come, and it is that which, as it did from the 
 beginning, so it will till the end of the world, belong 
 to him ; for though the first coming be long since past, 
 in respect of which this very apostle saith in the next 
 chapter, 1 John iii. 5, ' the Son of God was mani- 
 fested ; ' yet there is a coming to come, in reference to 
 which he saith a little bsfore in that chapter, ' he shall 
 appear.' And indeed, though the late learned anno- 
 tator refer the appearing in my text to that virtual 
 coming of his when Jerusalem was overthrown, yet 
 since there is no reason necessitating to restrain it to 
 that, and so soon after (namely, in the second verse of 
 the next chapter), this appearing is mentioned again, 
 where it must be understood of that second and last 
 coming, I conceive it most congruous, with the gene- 
 rality of interpreters, so to understand it here. 
 
 This is that coming of Christ which was prophesied 
 long ago. ' Enoch, the seventh from Adam,' men- 
 tioned this advent, saying, ' The Lord cometh with 
 thousands of his angels,' Jude 4 ; and Daniel, chap. 
 vii. 18, 14, where he speaketh of 'the Son of man's 
 coming with the clouds of heaven.' Of this coming 
 the New Testament maketh frequent mention. It is 
 foretold by Christ himself, John xiv. 3, ' I go, and 
 prepare a place for you ; I will come again.' By the 
 angels, Acts i. 11, ' This same Jesus which is taken 
 up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner 
 as you have seen him gone into heaven.' By the 
 apostles, ' The Lord himself shall descend from hea- 
 ven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 
 with the trumpet of God ; ' so St Paul, 1 Thess. iv. 6. 
 ' Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord,' 
 so St James, chap. i. 7 ; which, if immediately it 
 respect the virtual, yet is to be extended to this per- 
 sonal, coming. Finally, ' There shall come in the last 
 days scoffers, saving, Where is the promise of his 
 coming ? ' so St JPeter, 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4. That he shall 
 come again is an article of our creed, founded upon 
 many pregnant testimonies of holy writ. To determine 
 the time of his coming is without the compass of our 
 knowledge, because not within the sphere of Scripture 
 revelation. We have lived to see those men found 
 liars who have audaciously presumed to set the time. 
 Let us desire to know no more than God bath revealed, 
 and that is, that it shall be the last day. At this 
 coming, whensoever it is, he shall appear, to wit, in 
 
382 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 splendour and glory ; so it is called by St Paul, Tit. ii. 
 13, iff/pctK/a rng hd^m, 'the glorioas appearing of the 
 great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.' And herein 
 lieth the diflerence between the first and second coming 
 of Christ. Primus culvenlm ejus occuUus, secundus ma)ii- 
 festus, saith an ancient ;* his first coming was hidden, 
 his second shall be manifest ; qiium conspicuus fucltis 
 erit. So Beza readeth my text, when he shall appear 
 conspicuously ; his first coming was in the form of a 
 servant, his second shall be in the splendour of a king ; 
 at his first coming he was meek as a lamb, at his second 
 he shall be terrible as a lion ; at bis first coming ho 
 ■was accompanied with mean men, at his second he shall 
 be attended with mighty angels ; at his first coming he 
 rode upon an ass, in his second he shall ride upon the 
 clouds ; finally, his first coming was in meanness and 
 ignominy, his second shall be with might and majesty. 
 
 This coming, I trust, beloved, wo all believe ; and 
 let us all be exhorted more and more to confirm our 
 faith in it. Indeed, a sure belief of this second ad- 
 vent is of urgent necessity, in order to an holy life ; 
 since nothing maketh the servant more diligent in his 
 business, than a certain expectation of his Lord's re- 
 turn. Hence it is, that one character of a true Chris- 
 tian in the New Testament is, to look for Christ's 
 appearing, Heb. ix. 27, which implieth a stedfast confi- 
 dence that he will appear, Philip, iii. 21. It is not iav, 
 but arav, si, but cuw, if he shall appear, as if it were 
 a thing dubious, or only probable, he may come, or 
 he may not come ; but u-hen he shall .appear, as a thing 
 certain and indubitable, and taken for granted by our 
 apostle, that they to whom he wrote were fully con- 
 vinced of. And so shall I now charitably judge of you, 
 and proceed to the 
 
 2. Next particular which is implied, and that is our 
 appearance, in those words, ' before him.' The first 
 coming was to save sinners upon the terms of faith 
 and repentance ; his second shall be both to save 
 and destroy : to destroy the incredulous and impeni- 
 tent, to save the believing and penitent sinners. In 
 order to this it is, that whereas his first coming was 
 to bo judged, and so condemned and crucified, his 
 second coming shall be to judge, both by absolving 
 and condemning. That he may perform this office of 
 a judge, there must be a general citation, and conse- 
 quently appearance of all men before him. When he 
 shall descend fi-om heaven, all shall ascend out of their 
 graves. ' We shall all stand' (so saith St Paul to the 
 Eomans, chap. xiv. 10) ; ' wo must all appear' (so is 
 his phrase to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. v. 10), ' before 
 the judgment-seat of Christ. ' Nor is this universality 
 only in respect of all sorts of men, but of all persons, 
 QuicqtiiJ hnmlnum univcrsis secuUn Mo orhc proijcni- 
 turn, as Leo hath fully expressed it,t whatsoever man 
 hath been, is, or shall be born in any ago, or part, 
 time, or place of this world, ho must necessarily como 
 before this judge at that day. Indeed, some shall have 
 * Juan. Carnot, Ep. Serm. t Leo. Serm. 
 
 boldness, and some shall be ashamed, but all shall 
 appear before him. He telleth us himself. Mat. 
 XXV. 32, that ' all nations shall be gathered before 
 him,' both sheep and goats, good and bad. The wicked, 
 indeed, ' shall not stand in the judgment,' Ps. i. 5 ; 
 that is, they shall foil in their cause, but they shall 
 stand in then- persons ; desire they will to be hid, 
 though with the fall of heavy mountains upon them, 
 but hid they shall not, cannot be. Every one shall 
 then appear, and that in his own colours : the hypo- 
 crite shall appear, not as he seemed to be, but as he 
 is ; his vizard shall bo plucked off, and his paint 
 melted away, and he shall bo stripped of his sheep's 
 clothing. According to what really we have been and 
 done, so shall we in that day appear, and so shall we 
 be judged, for he ' shall reward every man according 
 to his works.' 
 
 Oh, then (my brethren), since these things shall bo, 
 both that Christ will appear, and then we must ap- 
 pear, ' how holy ought we to be in all manner of con- 
 versation !' It will be a sad day with us, if at once 
 it shall be latere itnpossihih', and apparere ititolerabile, 
 impossible to be concealed, and yet intolerable to ap- 
 pear ; if, as we shall not be able to hide, so neither to 
 hold up our heads ; in a word, if as we shall have no 
 opportunity of running away, so we shall have no 
 courage to stand. Oh, then, let it be our wisdom be- 
 forehand, to make account of, and make preparation 
 for, that appearance ! And if you would know how 
 it shall bo with you then, often examine how it is 
 with you now. Erect a court of judicature in thine 
 own soul, summon thyself before thyself ; if thon 
 beest not able to answer thy conscience, thou wilt be 
 less able to appear before this judge, according as this 
 apostle tells us in the next chapter : 1 John iii. 19, 
 ' If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our 
 heart, and knoweth all things.' Oh, then, keep a 
 good conscience, and lead a good life. Order thy steps 
 according to God's word, and gain by faith an inte- 
 rest in Christ's merits. Having begun, continue in 
 the faith and obedience to the death ; and being*in 
 Christ, abide in him to the end ; so shalt thou appear 
 with joy, and not with sorrow, with boldness, and 
 not with shame, before him. And so I am| fallen 
 upon the 
 
 8. Last particular, which is expressed, namely, the 
 confident appearing before Christ of those who abide 
 in him, ' that wo may have confidence, and not be 
 ashamed before him at his coming ;' wherein wo shall 
 more particularly take notice of the excellency of the 
 benefit, in those words, ' have confidence, and not be 
 ashamed,' and the extent of the persons to whom this 
 benefit redounds, in the pronoim He. 
 
 1. The benefit which cometh by abiding in Christ, 
 is set down, according to our apostle's usual way of 
 speaking, both aflirmativcly and negatively. Nor was 
 it without a special reason, namely, that ho might at 
 once set before us both the advantage of perseverance, 
 
Vee. 28.] 
 
 SERMON LIX. 
 
 383 
 
 and the danger of apostasy, inasmuch as here are 
 two plain assertions : the one, that they who abide in 
 Christ shall have confidence ; the other, that they 
 who abide not in him shall be ashamed before him at 
 his coming. 
 
 (1.) On the one hand, the persevering Christian 
 shall have rraiitiala-j h rri 'ra^ousla, confidence before 
 Christ at his coming. I shall not here trouble you 
 with the various significations of this word rrai'^rieia, 
 especially since it is so fully done to my hand by the 
 late critical annotator.* Here it is not unfitly ren- 
 dered confidence, or boldness. It is by our Saviour 
 expressed in those two phrases of ' lifting up the head,' 
 and ' standing before the Son of man,' Luke sxi. 
 28, 36. Shame causeth a man to hang down his 
 head, but confidence lifts it up ; fear maketh a man 
 run away, but boldness encourageth him to stand. 
 This confident boldness shall they then have, who now 
 abide in him. 
 
 It may perhaps be here demanded. How can any, 
 yea, the best Christian, have confidence before Christ 
 at his coming ? St Basil, weighing the severity of 
 that day, saith,f that even Abraham, the father of the 
 faithful, should then tremble ; and, indeed, consider- 
 ing the exact inspection of the Judge, and the mani- 
 fold infirmities of the strongest Christians, it may very 
 well be wondered how any of the sons of men should 
 be able to appear then with boldness. But, beloved, 
 notwithstanding this, there are three things which 
 shall make the persevering Christian confident at that 
 day, namely, 
 
 [l.J The testimony which his own conscience shall 
 give him of his sincerity. In die judicii, qualem iinus- 
 quisque hahet conscientiam , talem judiccm hahebit, saith 
 St Bernard truly. \ One of the books which shall at 
 that day be opened, and according to which we shall 
 be judged, is that of conscience ; and, as our apostle 
 saith in the next chapter, 1 John iii. 21, ' If our 
 heart condemn us not, then have we confidence to- 
 wards God.' There is no surer argument of sincerity 
 than constancy ; these two are joined together, Ps. 
 Ixxviii. 37, ' Their heart was not right with him, 
 neither were thej- stedfast in covenant.' Their unsted- 
 fastness argued their unsoundness. Surely, then, 
 the conscience of a persevering Christian cannot 
 but bear witness to him of his uprightness. With 
 what confidence doth the church go to God, when she 
 is bold to appeal to him in her affliction, and say, 
 Ps. xliv. 17, 18, ' All this is come upon us, yet we 
 have not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely 
 in thy covenant : our heart is not turned back, neither 
 have our steps declined from thy way.' Thus can the 
 faithful Christian plead for himself. Blessed Jesus, 
 though the world hath flattered and afi'righted me, the 
 devil tempted and solicited me, yet have I not for- 
 
 * Dr Hum. Annotat. on the Seventli Chapter of St John. 
 
 t Bas. Hexam. bom. li. 
 
 J Bern, de modo bene viv. Serm. Lsxi. 
 
 gotten or forsaken thee. I have had many failings in 
 my course, nor can I acquit myself from infinnities ; 
 but through thy grace my heart hath not been turned 
 back, nor have my steps declined from thy ways. 
 This is our rejoicing (saith St Paul, 2 Cor. i. 12) ; 
 yea, this shall lae our rejoicing, at that day, ' the tes- 
 timony of a good conscience.' But yet, let me tell 
 you, this is the weakest prop of a Christian's confi- 
 dence ; and therefore, 
 
 [2.] That which, in the next place, will embolden 
 him, is, the right he hath to the promise, even that 
 promise which is mentioned a little before of eternal 
 life, fidelis est qui promisit, nun te /(diet, tantum tu 
 noli dejicere, sed exjtecia promifsnorem.* Ho is faithful 
 that hath promised, and cannot, and will not deceive 
 thee ; do not thou faint, and he will not fail thee. 
 Good reason, then, hath be who in some measure ful- 
 filleth the condition by abiding iu Christ now, with 
 confidence to expect the jiromise then. Though it is 
 far from him to say in the language of that proud 
 friar, Va Domine quod er/o menii, Lord, give me what 
 I have deserved, yet he will say with an humble bold- 
 ness. Da r>mni}ie quod tu piomisisti, Lord, give me 
 what thou hast promised, having confidence, not in 
 the merit of his own works, but the fidelity of Christ's 
 word. 
 
 [3.] Add to this, in the last place, the interest which 
 he hath in the Judge. He that is to come to judge 
 the world is the head of his church, and consequently 
 all who abide in him are his members. He that then 
 shall appear as the judge, now appeareth in heaven as 
 an advocate for all believers. Finally, he that shall 
 be the judge is a friend, a brother, an husband ; they 
 that abide in him are the children of God, and so he 
 and they brethren ; are beloved of him, and so he is 
 their friend ; married to him, and so he is their hus- 
 band. Well may they with confidence appear before 
 him. Being thus married to, and abiding in, Christ, 
 their sins are washed away in his blood, their per- 
 sons are invested with his merits. And thus through 
 him it is, that, aliiding in him, they have confidence 
 before him. 
 
 (2.) On the other hand, they who do not abide in him 
 shall be ashamed before him at his coming. I find 
 among expositors a threefold gloss upon this, aiir^vv^'M- 
 li.iv u'TT auroD, ' ashamed before him.' 
 
 [1.] Erasmus conceiveth the sense may be,t ut 
 ilium non piideat nostri, that he may not be ashamed 
 of us. This is that which himself threateneth, bj' way 
 of retaliation to all them who are ashamed of him 
 and his words (and consequently do not abide in him), 
 that when he shall come in the glory of his Father, 
 he will be ashamed of them, Lulie ix. 26. Tlioy who 
 now will not own Christ, at that time would gladly be 
 owned by him ; but he shall dismiss them to their 
 place with a Xescio vos, ' I know jou not.' But 
 
 * Aug in loc. 
 
 t Eras, in loc. 
 
3S4. 
 
 HARDY ON 1 JOHN. 
 
 [Chap. II. 
 
 though this be trae in itself, yet the phrase of the 
 text will not well bear it. 
 
 [2.] The Syriac and vulgar Latin read it,* as if the 
 preposition were i/co, and so the sense is, >ie nos aterncc 
 injamia damnet, that we may not be doomed to eternal 
 infamy, with that lie malfdicti, ' Go, ye cursed.' All 
 impenitent sinners, and especially apostates, shall in 
 that day, by Christ, be put to, and clothed with, 
 shame. Thus what they seek to avoid, falls upon 
 them, and th;it in a worse kind; apostates deny.Christ 
 to prevent shame, and because of their apostasy they 
 suffer perpetual shame. 
 
 [3. J The most genuine notion of the phrase is ren- 
 dered by Grotius,! Ne piidcat nos ab illo conspici, that 
 we may not be ashamed to be seen by him. The 
 wicked, especially apostates, shall be ashamed at that 
 day before the godly, whom here they despised. So 
 the author of the book of Wisdom* brings them in, 
 saying within themselves, This was he whom we had 
 sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach; wo 
 fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be 
 without honour ; how is he numbered among the chil- 
 dren of God, and his lot is among the saints ! But 
 which is far worse, they shall be ashamed before Christ 
 whom here they deserted, and not be able to look him 
 in the face. Thus shall all that forsake Christ be 
 ashamed before him, in respect of their, 
 
 1. Odious nakedness. Time was when bodily 
 nakedness was our honour, but now it is so shameful 
 that we need garments to cover us ; and surely if the 
 nakedness of the body be shameful, that of the soul is 
 far worse. How can the apostate choose then but be 
 ashamed before Christ, whilst by casting him off he 
 hath thrown away that white raiment which should 
 cover him, and his shameful nakedness must needs 
 appear. 
 
 2. Gross hypocrisy.' The cheating impostor, when 
 discovered and brought before the judge, is ashamed ; 
 the apostate proclaimeth to all the world that his pro- 
 fession was but a cheat, his devotion a lie, and must 
 he not needs be ashamed when he shall appear before 
 Christ ? 
 
 3. Vile unfaithfulness. Ho that hath broke his 
 word is ashamed to look him in the face to whom he 
 made the promise ; the servant that hath not dis- 
 charged his trust is ashamed to come before his 
 master ; with what face can that woman look upon 
 her husband, which hath been unfaithful to his bed ? 
 Apostates arc spiritual adulterers, forsaking Christ for 
 other lovers ; false servants, not keeping that good 
 thing which is committed to them ; j-ea, perfidious in 
 their promises, renouncing their baptismnl vow. Sure 
 they cannot but be ashamed before Christ. 
 
 4. Great unthankfulness. He that having received 
 kindness returneth injur}', may well blush to look his 
 benefactor in the face. Nun rejerve gratias de bene- 
 
 * Syr. VuIr. Lat. Btza, ibid. J Wisd. v. 8, 4, 5. 
 
 t Grot, in loc. 
 
 Jicio, turpe est, saith Seneca,* it is a filthy, and 
 consequently shameful, thing, not to render thanks 
 for benefits conferred, much more to repay them wiih 
 injuries. No wonder then if the apostate be ashamed 
 before Christ, whom he hath most ungratefully for- 
 saken, renouncing allegiance to this King of glory ; 
 not only notwithstanding his own oath, but many and 
 great favours conferred by this King upon him. 
 
 5. Manifest folly. All acts of inconsiderate folly 
 are grounds of shame. That language of the fool, 
 Non putaiam, I did not think, may well be uttered 
 with blushing. What blushing shall then sit upon 
 the faces of apostates at that day, when they shall too 
 late see how they were cheated by the sophistries of 
 the devil, enchantments of the world, and fallacies of 
 their own corrupt hearts, so as to forsake the fountain 
 of living waters for a broken cistern, and to choose 
 death rather than life ! 
 
 Oh that all backsliding apostates would think they 
 heard this judge upbraiding them at that day with this 
 or the like language : What didst thou mean, thou 
 naked, hypocritical, perfidious, ungrateful, foolish 
 sinner, to go from me ? Did not I ofler myself, my 
 merits, my righteousness to clothe thee ? But thou 
 hast cast away my righteousness, wouldst have none 
 of me, and now thou art shamefully naked. Didst 
 thou not for a time make a large profession of my 
 name and truth? but without any just reason thou 
 hast relinquished it, whereby it appeareth thou w^ert 
 no other than a whited sepulchre. Didst thou not by 
 thy sureties promise at thy baptism, and afterwards 
 at my table engage thyself to my service ? But none 
 of those oaths have been cords strong enough to hold 
 thee. Could I do more for thee than that I did, in 
 laying down my life for thee; and is this thy requital, 
 to deny me, and by that denial to crucify me afresh ? 
 Dost thou not see what thou hast done, bj- leaving me 
 to embrace this present world, made a cursed e.Kchange 
 of gold for dross, pearls for pebbles ; thy pleasures are 
 vanished, thy hopes disappointed, and thyself sliame- 
 fuUy deceived. And now, oh that we would all lay to 
 heart. Qua: tunc erit fidei gloria, qua: pcxna jierjidia; cum 
 judicii dies venerit, to use St Cyprian's language,! 
 what shall be the glory of the faithful, and the igno- 
 miny of the perfidious ; the honour of constancy, and 
 the reproach of apostasy in that day I What a dark, 
 gloomy, dreadful day it shall be to them that forsake 
 Christ! what a bright, splendid, joyful day it shall be 
 to them that abide in him ! and which is better, judge 
 }'ou. It is before Christ himself, and that as sitting 
 on his throne of glory, we must then appear ; and 
 what a sad thing will it be to have shame and confu- 
 sion then sit upon thy face ! If therefore thou wouldst 
 stand then, do not run away now ; if you would then 
 lift up your heads, do not now turn your backs ; now 
 'abide in him, that you may have confidence, and not 
 bo ashamed before him at his coming.' 
 
 * Sen. 1. do Benof. f Cypr. ad Demetr. 
 
 ^/ 
 
Vee. 28.] 
 
 SERMON LIX. 
 
 385 
 
 2. There is only one thing remaineth to be de- 
 spatched, and that is, the extent of the persons, in 
 that the verb is in the Jirst person plural, 'i^a/jnv, ' we 
 may have,' I and you, whereby the apostle intimateth 
 that his confidence or shame at Christ's coming did 
 much depend upon their abiding, or not abiding, in 
 him. 
 
 On the one hand, the people's constancy shall then 
 be the pastor's glory ; in which respect St Paul calleth 
 the Philippians his 'joy and his crown,' chap. iv. 1 ; 
 and he saith of the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. ii. 19, 20, 
 ' For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing ? 
 Ai-e not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ at his coming ? For ye are our glory and our 
 joy.' They were not only his joy, but his glory ; not 
 only Lis gloiy, but bis crown of glorying (for so the 
 Greek is best rendered), of whom he should glory at 
 the last day as his crown. Labor discipuli, in opcre 
 bono, coronam <lat maijisiro, judice Chrisio, saith St 
 Ambrose, the scholar's labour shall be the master's 
 honour in the judgment of Christ. 
 
 On the other hand, the people's apostasy shall then 
 be the minister's ignominy. ' A fooHsh son,' saith 
 the wise man, Prov. xis. 13, 'is a calamity' — aiayAivri, 
 so the Septuagint reads it, a disgrace — ' to his father.' 
 So are a foolish, giddy people to their spiritual father. 
 Indeed, if the minister discharge his duty, he shall not 
 have any cause of shame as to himself, as if he had 
 been negligent or unfaithful ; but he shall be ashamed 
 of the people, and as it were unwilling to own them. 
 The barren tree reproacheth the gardener, the ignorant 
 scholar disgraceth his teacher ; and though the right- 
 eous Judge will not lay the people's apostasy to the 
 charge of the faithful minister, yet thereby his glorying 
 is made void. 
 
 And therefore, my dearly beloved, if you have any 
 reverence to the Judge before whom you must appear, 
 if you have any respect to your minister, who would 
 gladly then have cause to boast of you, and if you have 
 any regard to your own comfort, honour, happiness in 
 that day when you shall appear before Christ, I exhort, 
 entreat, beseech you, that you would adhere constantly 
 to, and abide firmly in, him whom you have believed, 
 to the end of your days. 
 
 And thus, through divine assistance, I am come to 
 the end of this excellent period. There is indeed 
 another verse in this chapter ; but as Beza well 
 glosseth,* it is transitio ad sequentem e.rJiorlaliojie.m, 
 a passage to the following exhortation, and begins 
 that discourse which is prosecuted in several verses of 
 the next chapter ; and therefore, with Cajetan,t I 
 shall look upon it rather as the first verse of that 
 than the last of this. Nothing therefore now remain- 
 eth but that, as I trust you have hitherto, so to beg of 
 you that you would still renew your prayers to God 
 for me, that (if it be his will, and may be for his glory 
 and the church's good) I may make further progress, 
 and in due time finish this work of expounding this 
 epistle. And may both you and I so walk in those 
 stops of this way, namely, confessing and forsaking 
 our sins, keeping Chiist's commandments, and imita- 
 tion of his pattern ; love of our brother, contempt of 
 the world, and perseverance in the faith of Christ, 
 that when he shall appear we may have confidence, 
 and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Amen, 
 amen. 
 
 * Beza in loc. 
 
 t Cajet. in loc. 
 
 Bb 
 
AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE CHIEFEST THINGS HANDLED 
 
 IN THE BOOK. 
 
 Abuse, the, of a thing is no just reason of a total disuse, 216. 
 
 Abiding in Christ, see perseverance. 
 
 Adultery a lust of the flesh, 25-S. 
 
 Advocate, how affirmed of Christ, how of the Holy Ghost, 
 124 ; how Christ's Advocateship differs from his mediator- 
 ship, 125; he the only advocate, 120; wherein it con- 
 sists, lb. ; with whom he is an advocate, 12G ; what giveth 
 efficacy to it, ib., 130 ; he is no patron of sin, though ad- 
 vocate for sinners, 125 ; he is no advocate for them that 
 continue in sin, 123 ; we must he advocates for Christ, 12Q. 
 
 Affi-ctions, the, are in themselves indiflferenf, 253. 
 
 Afflictions compared to darkness, 57 ; Christians rejoice In 
 them, 43 ; the word of God comforts in them, 46 ; for sin, 
 inflicted even on forgiven persons, 105. 
 
 Age, the, of man threefold, 21 9. 
 
 All things, in what sense believers know, 322. 
 
 Ambition, spiritual, commendable, 70 ; a great sin, 268. 
 
 Angels, Christ's death in some sense sufficient to redeem 
 the fallen angels, 140 ; yet not applicable to them, 141. 
 
 Anger, God's, how terrible. 131 ; sin the cause of it, ib. ; 
 God's anger against forgiven sinners is not judicial, but 
 paternal, 220. 
 
 Another's, to desire what is, how lawful, and unlawful, 261. 
 
 Anointing, see Unction. 
 
 Antichrists foretold by Christ, 300 ; two sorts of them, ib. ; 
 many of them in the apostles' time, 301 ; who is so most 
 properly, 299. 
 
 Antiquity, a note of verity, 33 ; what kind of antiquity is 
 so, it. ,• is that which is from the beginning, 170, 17;?. 
 
 Apostasy, its causes, 304 ; how far incident to the tiue mem- 
 bers of the church, 310 ; if total, an argument of hypo- 
 crisy, 312 ; by it men are discovered to be hypocrites, 313 ; 
 it is either from the failli or communion of the church, 
 804 ; we should not be much dismayed although we be- 
 hold men apostatising, 110; apostates shall be ashamed 
 at Christ's coming, 384. 
 
 Apostles, the meanness of their outward condition, 51 ; their 
 integrity and unblameablcness. 30 ; Christ's witness, 12 ; 
 their continual converse with him, 2? ; why needful, 28. 
 
 Apparel in itself indifferent, 27 ; when too costly, too fash- 
 ionable, sinful, ib. ; a base thing to be proud of, ib. 
 
 Appearing of Christ, see Coming ; when he shall appear, wo 
 must all appear before him, 382. 
 
 Arrogancy puffeth men up with self-conceit, 268 ; a cause of 
 heresy, 305. 
 
 Assurance a reflex knowledge, 161 ; is only in respect of 
 ourselves, ib. ; it is not merely conjectural, nor yet per- 
 fect, 162; many have it not who yet arc in Christ, i'^ ; it 
 is attainable, and being atiained, exceeding comfortable, 
 163 ; by what means, 164. 
 
 Blaspheht worse than athoieni, 281.. 
 
 Blood of Christ, how taken in Scripture, 75 ; how often 
 shed, ib. ; how it cleauacth from sin, 76. 
 
 Boasting of ourselves an efi'ect of pride, 269. 
 
 Brother, in what sense all men, and more especially all 
 
 Christians, are brethren, 187 ; more particularly ministers 
 
 and people, 167. 
 Brotherly love, see Love. 
 
 Chii.dken, regenerate persons must be as such, 116; they 
 must reverence their parents, 118 ; how great care ought 
 to be taken for their inst<-uction,214, 242 ; ought to know 
 their heavenly Father, and why, 243 ; in what respect we 
 must be like them, and in what not, 206. 
 Christ, why called the Word, 17 ; the subject of the whole 
 Scripture, 19 ; how the life, tlio eternal life, 20 ; his 
 eternal subsistence from the beginning, 22, 31 ; truly man, 
 29; God and man in one person, ib ; 212, how he was visible, 
 27; his excellent preaching, 26 ; his unspeakable dignity, 
 ib, ; his fitness for the work of our redemption, 23 : pro- 
 mised before sent, 19; our miserable condition without 
 him, 20, 138 ; in what respects said to be righteous, 139 ; 
 the only refuge of a wounded conscience, 124 ; the parallel 
 between him and the mercy-seat, 133 ; his great love to 
 sinners, 78 ; no fellow.ship with God but through him, 39 ; 
 no salvation but througli him, 137 : a perfect pattern of 
 grace, 158; in what sense the image of God, 342; how 
 from the beginning, 226 ; the holy one, 319 ; his great 
 love to us, 179. 
 Christiana, their dignity, 48 ; their charity in desiring others 
 may partake with tliem, 35, 136; what is done (o them 
 reflects on Christ, 40 ; Christ to be manifested in their 
 lives, 25; how said to be in Christ, 154 ; and to abide in 
 him, 165, 379 ; the felicity of their being and abiding in 
 him, 155 ; they are in vain so called who are not like to 
 Christ, ICO; they are of difl'erent degrees, 'J07 ; they have 
 an unction, 318 ; their slate far better than that of the 
 Jews, 374. 
 Church, many in it who are not of it, 309 ; many in it who 
 depart from it, 3o3 ; the degrees of casting out of it, i6. ; 
 particular churches have their periods, 297 ; multitude no 
 note of a true one, 301 ; the Christian in itself a great 
 multitude, 140. 
 Civility, how (lifTerenced from sanctity, 67. 
 Cleansing from sin twofold. 14 ; the causes of it, 76. 
 Commandments of God. joined with promises, 50 ; how con- 
 versant about things impossible, 83 ; many think they 
 keep them all, 91. 
 Commands given by Christ, as well as promises, 146 ; they 
 must be obeyed, because they are his, ib. ; in what sense 
 impossible to bo obeyed, 147; why they are called his 
 word, 152. 
 Coming of Christ threefold, 381 : his personal double, ib. ; 
 one end of his first is to bo an example, 158; the differ- 
 ence between his first and second coming, 382. 
 Company, evil, to be avoided, 245, 258, 36C ; especially that 
 of heretics, 361. 
 
ALPHABETICAL TABLE. 
 
 387 
 
 Commanion with God and Christ.'and the saints, aee Fellow- 
 ship. 
 
 Conceit, self, see Arrogance. 
 
 Concupiscence, see Lust. 
 
 Confession threefold, 95 ; of sin necessary to remission, and 
 how, 1 00 ; it brings glory to God, 1 02 ; benefit to us, 1 1 ; 
 the devil an enemy to it, 102 ; it must be particular, 95 ; 
 chiefly of our own sins, 96 ; to whom to be made, 97 ; its 
 antecedent, ingredients, consequent, 98 ; to be performed 
 by the holiest, 82 ; of Christ when called to it, necessary, 
 and why, 343. 
 
 Contidence, whence that arisetli which persevering believers 
 shall have at the last day, 383. 
 
 Constancy, see Perseverance. 
 
 Contempt of the world required of Christians, 247. 
 
 Contentation with our condition a choice virtue, 265. 
 
 Conversion maketh an alteration, 71 ; others' must be desired 
 by us, 35. 
 
 Conversation of Christians ought to be exemplary, 66. 
 
 Covenant of grace double, one general, the other special, 
 141. 
 
 Covetousness, why called a lust of the eyes, in what it con- 
 sists, 262 ; an universal disease, 263 ; insatiable, 264 ; en- 
 slaving, ib. ; opposed to all the beatitudes, 265 ; hreaketh 
 all the commandments, 277 ; a cause of heresies, ^05. 
 
 Creatures, all of them may be cur teachers, 205. 
 
 Curiosity of knowing, of seeing, condemned, 259, &c. ; one 
 cause of heresy, 304. 
 
 Darkness fourfold, 56. 
 
 Death ; of Christ in our stead, for oursins, our discharge, 76 ; 
 what gave the merit to it, 78 ; no benefit by it to wicked 
 men, 80 ; puts an end to all worldly lusts, 286 ; befalleth 
 the righteous as well as the wicked, 291 ; ought to be 
 daily meditated on. and that by the youngest, 298. 
 
 Deceive, man apt to deceive himself, 89 ; the more need to 
 beware of it, 91 ; there are many deceivers, 89. 
 
 Delights, the difference between spiritual and carnal, 235 ; 
 they end in misery, 288. 
 
 Denial, of Christ, how many ways, 339 ; it is a denial of the 
 whole Trinity. 340 ; how denied as the Son of God, 343. 
 
 Desire after the things of this world when inordinate, 240. 
 
 Despair, antidotes against it, Christ's blood, 79 ; his ad- 
 vocateship, 128; his propitiation, 135; especially the 
 universality of it, 141 ; despair and presumption are two 
 dangerous rocks. 122. 
 
 Devil, the, is subtle as well as malicious, 258 ; his aim is 
 to hinder us from the word. 237 ; he taketh advantage 
 against us from ourselves, 258 ; he stirreth up evil lusts 
 in men, 281 ; he is the wicked one, how he came to be 
 BO, and in what respects he is so, 231, &c. ; we ought to 
 fight with him, 234 ; our best weapon against him is faith, 
 235. 
 
 Doctrines must be examined in their consequences, 341. 
 
 Drunkenness a lust of the flesh, wherein the sin consists, 
 254. 
 
 Envy, see Hatred. 
 
 Epicures please all their senses, 259. 
 
 Epistle, the first, of John a touchstone, 142. 
 
 Epistles, their use, 0. 
 
 Eternity puts a value upon things, 294, 368 ; this world so 
 
 much the more transitory when conipaied with it, 293 ; 
 
 Christians of all others obliged to seek after it, 294. 
 Eternal life twofold, 352 ; why that life must be so, 363 ; it 
 
 is the choice excellency of that life, 354 ; it is the promise, 
 
 855 ; made by Christ most clearly, 350 ; to them that jier- 
 
 Bevere, 357. 
 Examination of otrso^es ia that in which we ought to bo 
 
 very serious, 165. 
 
 Examples, we are apt to fallow bad ones, 282. 
 Excelling, when the desire of it is sinful, 268. 
 Excuse, men apt to make, for their sins, 96 ; by transferring 
 
 the fault on others, 97 ; the sins of the godly no excuse 
 
 for the wicked, 86. 
 Exordiums, the properties of them, 11. 
 
 Faith, why called knowledge, 144 ; it uniteth us to Christ, 
 155 ; it produceth three sorts of efl'ects, 164 ; in exercis- 
 ing its reflex act, we must not neglect its direct, 166 ; of 
 great use in resisting the devil, 235 ; opposed b^ the devil, 
 345 ; it Cometh by hearing, 347. 
 
 Falling away, see Apostasy. 
 
 Falls ; saints may fall grossly, 123 ; fear of falling a pre- 
 servative, ib. 
 
 Father, when applied to God, how taken, 21 ; how God is 
 our Father, and how Christ's, 12C ; fathers' love to their 
 children, 118, 127 ; God cannot be now rightly worshipped 
 but as the Father of Christ, 341 ; in denying the Son the 
 Father is denied, 339 ; several sorts of fathers, 208 ; per- 
 fect Christians compared to fathers, ib. 
 
 Faith, the Christian's spiritual sense, 31 ; the means of 
 fellowship with God, 34 ; it applieth, but doth not appro- 
 priate Christ, 17 ; no salvation but by faith in Christ, 
 137 ; greatly oppugned by the devil, 48; it is neither un- 
 mannerly nor uncharitable, 386; the only instrument of 
 pardon, 100. 
 
 Faithfulness, God's, in performing his promises. Ill ; ground 
 of faith, 112 ; m.an's required in imitation of God's, ib. 
 
 Fellowship between saints, 34 ; with God and Christ, where- 
 in it consists, 37 ; we may have it as well as the apostles, 
 84 ; how with tlie Father, 37 ; how with Christ, 38 ; 
 earnestly to be desired, 42 ; the difficulty of attaining it, 
 72 ; impossible to men continuing in their sins, 62. 
 
 Flesh, a threefold acception of it, 252 ; several lusts of the 
 flesh, ib. 
 
 Forgiveness of sin, the nature of it, 105 ; why called cleans- 
 ing, 100 : God's prerogative, 109 ; God's faithfulness 
 obligeth him to it, 112 ; it is just with God to forgive sin, 
 and how. 113 ; mercy the impulsive cause in respect of 
 us, 112 : it is only of sin past, 107 ; its universal extent, 
 ih. ; how consistent with aiHictions for sin, 105 ; how 
 different from forbearing, ib. ; earnestly to be lon(;ed 
 after, 106; man's required in imitation of God's. 110; 
 of sin taketh off the obligation to punishment, 220 ; may 
 be considered three ways, 221 ; a special mercy, ib. ; a 
 great honour to God, 222 ; he is engaged to it by pro- 
 raise, ib. ; it is for Christ's sake, ib. ; an obligation to re. 
 pentance and love, 223. 
 
 Fornication a sinful lust of the fle.=h, 253. 
 
 Forsaking sin to be joined with confession, 99 ; the truest 
 part of repentance, 119 ; how far it is required, 120. 
 
 Gentiles, as well as Jews, capable of the merit of Christ's 
 death, 139. 
 
 Gluttony a sinful lust of the flesh, 254. 
 
 Gnostics, their impurity, 62 • their pretences of purity, 88, 
 
 God, all good in him, 43 ; why compared to light, 52 ; how 
 manifesting himself in the incarnation, 24 ; no author of 
 sin. 64 ; from the beginning. 220. 
 
 Gospel, why called the word of life, 1.^ ; its excellency above 
 the law, it;, 49, 130; accidentally the savour of death, 16 ; 
 chiefly promissory, 49 ; a doctrine of joy. 44 ; its antiquity, 
 32 ; its doctrines, made by wicked men encouragements 
 to sin, 121 ; whereas they are arguments against sin, ib ; 
 though a refuge when we have sinned, 1 30 ; hath law in it, 
 169; the tnie light, and why. 327; the truth. 327; of divine 
 original. 328 ; leadeth us to Christ, and by him to God, 350. 
 
 Grace,the diiTerence between sincereand counterfeit grace, 67, 
 tee Holiness ; if true, cannot consist with the dominion of 
 
388 
 
 ALPHABETICAL TABLE. 
 
 any sin, 315 ; it is of great worth, 316; to be preserved 
 and employed by us, 318, 320,369; we must concur with 
 it, 379 ; it is not always discerned by them who have it, 
 1G6 ; may be known whether true or counterfeit, 164 ; all 
 graces arc connex, 161 ; we must not be proud of it, 272 ; 
 a little must not content us, nor yet discourage us, 209; 
 we must grow in it, 212. 
 
 Happiness of that other life cannot be expressed, 352. 
 
 Hatred of our brother an heinous sin, wherein it consists, 
 194 ; he that is guilty of it may yet think his estate good, 
 198 ; but he is really very bad, ib. 
 
 Hearing, the sense of knowledge, faith, 346 ; it must be with 
 our heart and foot, as well as ear, 347, 
 
 Heathen, their condition to be pitied, 138. 
 
 Heresy, the cause of it, 304 ; those which are fundamental 
 are to be most opposed, 334. 
 
 Heretics, being erroneous themselves, seduce others, 360 ; 
 they are cunning to seduce, 361 ; very tenacious of their 
 errors, 349 ; they are liars and antichrists, 333. 
 
 Hide our sins from God, we cannot, 95. 
 
 Holiness, God's, why compared to light, 53 ; all holiness 
 from him, 54, 69 ; man's holiness, why resembled by 
 light, and by what light, 67 ; how it fits for fellowship 
 with God, 72. 
 
 Humility maketh men low-conceited of themselves, 90 ; the 
 remainders of sin in us should make us humble, 86 ; we 
 are obliged to it, both as men .and Christians, 272. 
 
 Hypocrites the worst of sinners, 56 ; sharply to be reproved, 
 ib. ; they are best conceited of themselves, ib. ; they say 
 they have no sin, 88 ; they pretend to fellowship with 
 God, 61 ; the most miserable men, 65 ; the contrariety of 
 their conversation to their profession, 64; pretend to 
 great measures of illumination, 148. 
 
 Idleness, a sinful lust of the flesh, 256. 
 
 Ignorance compared to darkness, 57 ; affected, damnable, 63 ; 
 several kinds of it, 330; the causes of it, 331 ; most odi- 
 ous in old men, 228. 
 
 Illumination of the mind, no less needful than the outward 
 revelation, 324. 
 
 Image of God, what it is, 37. 
 
 Imitation of God required, 70 ; of Christ hath a limitation, 
 150; how far extended, 158; it cannot he exact, ib ; 
 ought to be endeavoured, 160 ; our relation to, and union 
 with Christ, obligeth to it, ib. 
 
 Imputation of Christ's righteousness to us, how it cometh 
 to pass, 155. 
 
 Incarnation, why called a manifestation, 23 ; why tlie 
 second person incarnate, 24. 
 
 Incest, a sinful lust of tlie flesh, 253. 
 
 Inconstancy in religion bemoaned, 348. 
 
 Infidelity, it maketh God a liar, 94. 
 
 Infirmities, to be altogether without them the privilege of 
 heaven, 82, 124; they acconijiany our best duties, 85; 
 they hinder not fellowship with God, 79; they ought 
 to be bewailed, 124; but yet must not too much dis- 
 courage us, 87 
 
 Interpretation of Scripture not to be attempted byevery man, 
 216. 
 
 Jesuits, their arrogancy in assuming that title to them- 
 selves, 38. 
 
 Jesu?, that such a person there was, 834; that he is the 
 Christ, ib. 
 
 John, his humility, 7 ; prudence, 8 ; innocency, ib. ; his 
 first epistle, the scope of it, 5, 48 ; the comprehensive- 
 ness of it, 6 ; why called catholic, 9. 
 
 Joy, it is that which all men seek after, 41 ; Christianity 
 doth not abolish it, 44 ; the difl'erence between worldly 
 
 and spiritual joy, 42, 43 ; spiritual joy is fixed on God, 
 
 and Christ, 42, 43 ; it supports in all afBictions, ib. ; 
 
 three things concur to it, 161. 
 Judge, how Christ both judge and advocate, 125; we must 
 
 not judge according to outward shows, 61 ; our own 
 
 frailties should make us judge charitably of others, 86, 
 
 123. 
 Judgments, God giveth warning of them before he sends 
 
 them, 302. 
 Justice of God appeareth both in forgiving penitents and 
 
 punishing of the impenitent, 115. 
 Justification and sanctification inseparable, 104. 
 Justiciaries, their self-conceit, 88 ; the causes of it, 90. 
 
 Kingdoms have their periods, 266. 
 
 Knowledge not available without practice, 68 ; it must be 
 communicated to others, 13 ; of God, how to bo attained, 
 54 ; of sin, an antecedent to confession, 98 ; very amiable, 
 148, 331 ; especially that of Christ, 148, 228 ; what it 
 imports to know Christ, 144 ; twofold, 227, 149 ; how 
 differenced, 150 ; if only speculative, it is not right, and 
 will but aggravate our condemnation, ib. ; it must be 
 joined with obedience, 142, 290 ; if right, it is the mother 
 of obedience, 143; puts us on love to Christ, 149,230; 
 in what sense Christians know all things, and with what 
 knowledge, 322 ; the means of attaining it, 332 ; we still 
 need instruction, ib. 
 
 Last times, those from the first to the second coming of 
 Christ, 296; we must look upon every day as our last, 
 298. 
 
 Law, in comparison of the gospel, darkness, 81. 
 
 Life eternal to be sought after, 6 ; how great the joy of it, 
 44 ; in what respects through Christ, 20. 
 
 Life, why that future bliss so called, 352 ; that far excels 
 this, 354 ; this transitory, 286 ; too much doated on, 354 ; 
 threefold, 225. 
 
 Lie, wicked men fasten on God, 92 ; hypocrisy a real lie, 64 ; 
 two things concur to a lie, 62 ; three sorts of lies, 64 ; 
 threefold, 140, 329 ; liars the vilest of men, 333. 
 
 Light, threefold, 66. 
 
 Love, the nature of it in general, 246. 
 
 Love ; of God to man twofold, 131, 134 ; the efi'ect of a right 
 knowledge, ib. ; it renders our obedience acceptable, 52 ; 
 what perfection of it is attainable, 153 ; he is to be loved 
 chiefly as a father, 275 ; it cannot consist with, but casts 
 out the love of the world, ib. 
 
 Love of our brother, the old commandment, 170; nothing 
 added to it l)y Christ, 175; in what sense a new com- 
 mandment, 170 ; it prevents many sins and scandals, 190; 
 he that loveth is in the light, 189 ; wherein brotherly love 
 consists, 182. 
 
 Love of the world, see World. 
 
 Lust, threefold, 250; that which was in us by creation was 
 not prone to irregularity, 280 ; forbidden, as well as the 
 outward act, 272 ; after worldly things many times dis- 
 appointed, and if fulfilled, soon glutted, 285. 
 
 Malice, see Hatred. 
 
 Marriage may bo unlawfully used, 254 
 
 Mean things made choice of to he Christ's instrnments, and 
 
 why, 51. 
 Mediatorship only belonging to Christ, 89 ; how diflferent 
 
 from his advocateship, 125. 
 Memory apt to forget divine things, 382 ; we must not only 
 
 hoar, hut remember, 347. 
 Men, ranked into two sorts, 71. 
 Metaphors must bo familiar, 51. 
 Ministers, must be sent, 13; they must bo assured of the 
 
 truth of what they deliver, 30 ; what they declare to 
 
ALPHABETICAL TABLE. 
 
 389 
 
 others must be received from Christ, 50 ; they must give 
 every one their due, 52 ; their language must be plain, 
 18 ; their aim is to beat down sin, 120 ; they must use 
 mildness in their instructions, 119 ; fathers to the people, 
 and how, 117 ; their great love to the people, 118; their 
 care of, and joy in the people's welfare, 46, 47 ; they must 
 seek the people's benefit, 35 ; to be honoured, and rever- 
 enced, and obeyed, 16, 118: how far confession to be 
 made to them, 97 ; what their power in forgiving, 109 ; 
 how they and the people brethren, 167 ; must have a 
 fatherly affection to the people, 206 ; they are watchmen 
 and shepherds, 204 ; must be faithful and prudent, 230 ; 
 must preach particularly, 213, 266 ; seasonably, suitably 
 to their auditors' conditions, capacities, 230 ; make a dis- 
 tinction between hearers, 332 ; warn the people of se- 
 ducers, 333, 364 ; commend what is good in their people, 
 184 ; must win upon them by expressing love, 378 ; their 
 endeavour shall be accepted, 360 ; no need of them in 
 heaven, 372 ; they are instituted by Christ to continue in 
 the church to the end of the world, 373 ; their teaching 
 cannot avail without the Spirit, 352 ; they must be con- 
 stant in the faith, 349 ; their people's constancy their 
 honour at the last day, 385 ; they must live their ser- 
 mons, 180. 
 
 Miracles, by true ones the gospel was confirmed, 328 ; the 
 show of them made a prop of heresy, 362. 
 
 Morality, how different from sanctity, 67. 
 
 Multitude no note of a true church, 301. 
 
 Name, it is prudence sometimes to conceal it, 8 ; its several 
 acceptions, 222 ; when changed in Scripture, some spiri- 
 tual gift conferred, 339 ; the names of those whom we 
 reprove not to be mentioned, 225, 358. 
 
 Necessity twofold, 350. 
 
 Neutrality and lukewarmness condemned, 278. 
 
 Novelty a badge of error, affecting it dangerous, 170, 173. 
 
 Obedience, the properties of it represented by walking, 68 ; 
 cannot be without knowledge, 149 ; the way to increase 
 knowledge, 143 ; it is according to our knowledge, 147 ; 
 negatives not sufBcient, 146, 293 ; must be universal, 
 147, 290 : cheerful, ib. ; by it we know our interest in 
 Christ, 154 ; it cannot be exact, 147 ; a bare command 
 should be enough to oblige to it, 279 ; it is the best trial 
 of our love to God, 293; and perfects it, 152. 
 
 Old men, why called fathers, 209 ; to bo reverenced, 210; 
 they had need to be good, 211 ; not too old to learn, 213 ; 
 ignorance in them inexcusable, 228 ; they must labour to 
 know Christ, ib. 
 
 Omnisciency, God's attribute, 52. 
 
 Original sin remaining in the best, 52. 
 
 Overcome, in what sense wo are said to overcome the devil 
 now, 233 ; we are not complete victors in this life, 234 ; 
 how it is to be done, ib. 
 
 Papists, we dare vie with them in the point of antiquity, 83. 
 
 Pardon of sin, see Forgiveness. 
 
 Perfection twofold, 153 ; perfect Christians compared to 
 fathers, 208. 
 
 Perseverance in adhering to Christ, the church, the truth 
 received, 347, 379 ; it must be to the end, 380 ; most 
 commendable in apostatisins; times, 346 ; it is not by our- 
 selves, but God's sustentation, 311 ; the doctrine of it, 
 upon what grounds built, ib. ; no true cause of security, 
 313 ; an attendant of true grace, 345. 
 
 Play, how unlawful, 256. 
 
 Polygamy a lust of the fiesh, 253. 
 
 Praise due to virtue, 134, 225, 330. 
 
 Preacher, »ee Minister. 
 
 Precepts, ue Commandments. 
 
 Predictions, the verity of those which are divine, 300 ; espe- 
 cially concerning Christ, 335. 
 
 Presumption, the grounds of it, 60 ; the difference between 
 presumptuous sinners and weak saints, 94 ; Christ's uni- 
 versal propitiation no just cause of it, 142 ; of an interest 
 in Christ, 165 ; of our own abilities, 268. 
 
 Pride, spiritual, what should abase it, 41 ; loveth to shew 
 itself, 266 ; why called pride of life, 267 ; its several kinds, 
 ib. ; a general sin, 271 ; maketh a man like the devil, ib. ; 
 it is attended with shame, ib. 
 
 Privileges, the enjoyment of them should not content us, 
 310. 
 
 Profession without practice a lie, 03, 64 ; the loose conver- 
 sation of professors, how great a dishonour to God, reli- 
 gion, and injury to themselves, 65. 
 
 Promises, their worth, 50; benefit, 19, 108; free, and yet 
 conditional, 50 ; divine, are sometimes matter of precept, 
 378 ; suitable to our necessities, 350 ; most faithful, 356 ; 
 the promise is eternal life, 355 ; first promised and then 
 given, 356 ; to them that persevere, 357 ; promised before 
 Christ, but not so clearly as by him, 356 ; human oft- 
 times larger than their performances, 270, 355. 
 
 Propitiation, see reconciliation ; Christ is the propitiation, 
 130, 132 ; the several causes of it, 134. 
 
 Protestants unjustly charged by the papists as schismatics, 
 305. 
 
 Punishment of the guiltless, how consistent with God's 
 justice, 113; of the godly, how consistent with forgive- 
 ness, 105. 
 
 Purposes, without performances, unavailable, 68. 
 
 Quakers, how irrationally they decry the ministry, and blas- 
 phemously they wrest Scripture, 374. 
 
 Reason, of what use in divine things, 325 ; insufficient 
 without a higher light, 326 ; pretended to by heretics, 362. 
 
 Reconciliation is of God to man, as well as man to God, 132 ; 
 merited only by Christ, 134 ; attributed both to his sacrifice 
 and intercession, 130 ; God being our Father, very willing 
 to it, 127. 
 
 Redemption, in what sense universal, 140. 
 
 Regeneration compared to light, 183. 
 
 Religion, Christian, continually proposed, 31. 
 
 Remission of sin, see Forgiveness. 
 
 Repentance abstaineth from all sort of lusts, 272 ; the delay 
 of it dangerous, 240. 
 
 Repetition of one and the same thing frequently used in 
 holy writ, and why, 192. 
 
 Reproof must be plain, 55 ; gentle, 56 ; with respect to the 
 difference of sinners, ib. ; how profitable, 10; ought to be 
 with expression of love, 206 ; and yet sharp against noto- 
 rious sinners, 334 ; but yet without naming the persons, 
 225, 358. 
 
 Resolution necessary in a Christian to bis combat with the 
 devil, 235. 
 
 Resurrection of Christ, how proved, 38. 
 
 Riches, when got and kept sinfully, 262. 
 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, no corporeal presence in 
 it, 29 ; what gesture was used by Christ is not certain, if 
 it were, we are not bound to follow it, 157. 
 
 Sacrifices all looked at Christ, 133. 
 
 Saints may fall grossly, 123 ; their security, dignity, and 
 felicity by reason of the anointing, 815. 
 
 Schism, the causes of it, 304 ; a great sin, 807 ; unjustly 
 charged upon the protestants by the papists, 305 ; justly 
 by us upon the sectaries, 307. 
 
 Salvation only by Christ, 137. 
 
 Satisfaction made by Christ to God's justice, 114 ; how con- 
 sistent with remission, t6. 
 
 Co 
 
390 
 
 ALPHABETICAL TABLE. 
 
 Scriptures, their fulness, suflBciency, 7, 116 ; they consist of 
 three parts, 5 ; the certainty of apostolical writings, 30 : 
 God's mercy in giving them to us, 9, 14 ; some parts 
 more useful than others, 55 ; fulness of joy afforded by 
 them, 64 ; to be read by the vulgar, 45 ; why God would 
 have his word written, 212 ; man the penman, God's 
 Spirit the author, 213; tn be read by and to all, 215; 
 with reverence, 213 ; quoted and wrested by the devil, 
 238; by heretics, 331, 374; a special weapon against 
 seducers, 3C4. 
 
 Sectaries justly accused as schismatics, 307. 
 
 Security greatest when judgment is nearest, 298. 
 
 Seducers, they often prove such who should be teachers, 859 ; 
 the several ways of seducing, 362. 
 
 Senses, the validity of a testimony from them, 15. 
 
 Sights, wanton forbidden, 258 ; as also such as curiosity 
 prompts to, 260. 
 
 Signs, three sorts of them, 301. 
 
 Shame, when of confessing sin, bad, 95. 
 
 Sin, to sin, how taken in Scripture, 345 ; it is a wandering, 
 103 ; why called unrighteousness, i6. ; it maketh a man a 
 debtor, 104; it rendereth us tilthy in God's sight, 106; 
 the soul's sickness, 116 ; compared to darkuess, 57; the 
 great guilt of it, 78 ; the only makebait, 131 ; God can- 
 not be the author of it, 54, 280 ; all men by nature 
 sinners, 82 ; the holiest not without it here, i6. ; from 
 gross sins they may be free, 83 ; the sins of the godly no 
 excuse for the wicked, 85 ; Christ a propitiation for the 
 greatest sins, 136; men are apt to transfer it on God, 281 ; 
 it maketh us like the devil, 233 ; it ruineth churches and 
 kingdoms, 297 ; how many ways to be considered, 219. 
 
 Sleep, when a lust of the flesh, 256. 
 
 Son, how distinct from and one with the Father, 22 ; to be 
 worshipped as the Father, 24 ; how inferior to the Father, 
 126. 
 
 Son of God, Christ was in such a way as proveth him higher 
 than men, nay, angels, yea, the high God, 342 ; he that 
 denieth Christ denieth God's Son, 340 ; how much God 
 is offended with it, 342. 
 
 Soul, no proportion between it and the world, 287 ; hath its 
 diseases as well as the body. 378. 
 
 Spirit of God compared to oil, and why, 315, &c. ; given by 
 Christ, 320, 367 ; the author of Scripture, 213 ; is not 
 only illuminating but confirming, 377 ; his grace needful 
 to overcome the devil, 236 ; his teaching extraordinary 
 and ordinary, internal and external, 369 ; his inward 
 teaching agrceth with that in the word, 370 ; it is faith- 
 ful, 376 ; effectual, i6. ; how ho concurreth to assurance, 
 165. 
 
 Strength, spiritual needful to our fight with the devil, 235 ; 
 wherein it consists, i6. ; strong Christiana compared to 
 young men, 208. 
 
 Superfluity, what measure of riches is so, 261. 
 
 Superiors ouglit to be exemplary, 154. 
 
 TEAcniNG, see Spirit, Ministers. 
 Tempting God a great sin, 260. 
 
 Testament, the difference between the New and the Old, 16, 
 18 ; our happiness, who live in the times of the New, 11). 
 Trinity illustrated by the metaphor of light, 62. 
 
 Truth, threefold, 63 ; to do the truth what, ib.j of the gos- 
 pel proved, 328. 
 Types fulfilled in Christ, 827. 
 
 Unction of the sick in the primitive times for another end 
 than that of the papists, 366; in baptism, ancient, but not 
 apostolical, it. ; spiritual is not of ourselves, 367 ; abideth 
 in the church and every true member, 368. 
 
 Union with Christ intimate and indissoluble, 155 ; expressed 
 by three phrases, 379. 
 
 Unregeneracy a state of darkness, 183 ; of walking in dark- 
 ness, 201. 
 
 Vain-glokt a branch of pride, 269 
 Victory, see Overcome. 
 
 ■Walking, what it imports, 58. 
 
 Watchful, we ought to be, because prone to sin, 87. 
 
 Weak Christians, in what respects compared to little chil- 
 dren, 207. 
 
 Wicked men delight in sin, 58 ; make it their course, ib ; 
 grow worse and worse, 59 ; their miserable estate, ib. ; 
 they cannot have communion with God, 68. 
 
 Will, both in good and evil is looked upon though there be 
 no deed, 234, 290 ; of God's decree done by wicked men 
 against their will, 289 ; of his command ought to be done 
 by us willingly, 290. 
 
 Wisdom, divine, teacheth the vanity of the world, 287. 
 
 Witness how many ways we bear to Christ, 12. 
 
 Word of God, a great mercy that it is written, 9, 14 : the 
 rule of truth, 93 ; as it is among us, so it must be in ns, 
 ib. ; a preservative against sin, and accordingly to be 
 made use of, 121 ; consists of three parts, 236 ; it must 
 abide in us, and how we may know whether it do, 237 ; 
 overcometh the devil, ib. 
 
 World, taken two ways, 215 ; a book, 371 ; itpasseth away, 
 283 ; an impostor, 284 ; it seemeth permanent in our eye, 
 286; a dangerous enemy, 295. 
 
 Worldly things, the having them dangerous, 274; occasions 
 of lust, 282 ; to be used, not loved, 246 ; they pass away 
 in themselves from their owners, and that suddenly, 284; 
 they leave us when most need, 288 ; how of God, how 
 not, 279. 
 
 Worldly love, wherein it consists, 246 ; how discovered, 247; 
 an epidemical disease, i6. ,• unsuitable to a Christian, 282; 
 cannot consist with the love of God, 275 ; hardly subdued, 
 273 ; hindereth the efficacy of the word, 276 ; a cause of 
 apostasy, profaneness, 277, 
 
 Words nothing without works, 68. 
 
 World, made by Christ, 18; how Christ a propitiation for 
 the whole world, 140. 
 
 Writing, the advantage of it, 13. 
 
 Writings, what commendeth them, 212; why God would 
 have his word written, ib. 
 
 Tears, there are members of the church of all years, 211. 
 Toung men, the devil a great enemy to them, 238 ; prone 
 
 to many lusts, 239 ; put off the serving of God, 240 
 
 persuaded to resist the devil, ib. 
 
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