A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 3 · Sermon 30
THE BELOVED DISCIPLE. THE XXX. SERMON.
JOH. 21. 20.
The Diſciple whom Jeſus loved, which alſo leaned on his breaſt at Supper.
IF wee muſt abſtaine from all appearance of evill in our civill converſation, much more, certainly, in our religious devotion. For God is moſt jealous of his honour, which is all he hath from us for all we hold of him:Praef. Apolog. feſt. eccleſ. and the ſtreight rule of religion will in no wiſe bend to any obliquity on either ſide; either by attributing any true worſhip to a falſe, or any falſe worſhip to the true God. From both which aſperſions hee that ſeeth not the Liturgy eſtabliſhed by law in the Church of England to bee moſt cleare and free, either is ſhort-ſighted, or looketh on her through a foule paire of ſpectacles; and thereby ignorantly imagineth that duſt to bee in her ſacred Canons and Conſtitutions, which indeed is not in them, but ſticketh in his glaſſie eyes: let him but rub his ſpectacles and he ſhall ſee all faire, and without any the leaſt deformity or filth of ſuperſtition, as well in the Service appointed for the Lords day, as for the Saints feaſts. For though wee adorne our Calendar with the names of ſome eminent Saints, and make honourable mention of them in our Liturgy, as the ancient Church did of her Martyrs,aAuſtin. de civ. Dei, l. 22. c. 10. non tamen invocamus, yet wee call not upon them, wee lift not up our hands, wee bow not our knees, wee preſent not our offerings, wee direct not our prayers, wee intend not any part of religious worſhip to them, ſed uni Deo & martyrum & noſtrum, but to their God and ours, as Saint Auſtine anſwereth for the practice of the Church in his time. Which may ſerve as a buckler to beare off all thoſe poyſonous darts of calumny, which thoſe of the conciſion caſt at that part of our Church-ſervice, wherein upon the yeerly returne of the Feaſt of the bleſſed Virgin, the Archangell, Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Protomartyr, Innocents, and All-holy-ones, wee remember the Saints of God; but in no wiſe make Gods of Saints: ſanctificamus Deum, non deificamus Sanctos; wee bleſſe God for them, wee worſhip not them for God.
Although our devotion glanceth by their names, yet it pitcheth and is fixed upon the Angel of the covenant, and ſanctum ſanctorum, the holy of all holy ones, our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. On the bleſſed Virgins anniverſary wee honour him in his Mother: on Saint John Baptiſts wee honour him in his forerunner: on Saint Michaels we honour him in his Archangel (the Captaine of his celeſtiall ſquadron): on the Apoſtles wee honour him in his Ambaſſadours: on the Evangeliſts wee honour him in his Chroniclers: on Saint Stevens wee honour him in his Martyr: on S. John the Divine his day wee honour him in his beloved Diſciple, who alſo leaned on his breaſt at Supper.
1 The Diſciple.
2 The Diſciple beloved.
3 Beloved of Jeſus.
4 In Jeſus boſome.
All Chriſtians are not Diſciples, this is the Diſciple: all the Diſciples were not beloved, this is the beloved Diſciple: all that are beloved are not beloved of Jeſus, this is he whom Jeſus loved: laſtly, all whom Jeſus loved were not ſo familiar with him, or neare unto him, that they leaned on his breaſt: this was his boſome friend, and, as the text ſaith, at ſupper leaned on his breaſt. Every word is here a beame, and every beame is reflected, and every reflection is an intention of the heat of Chriſts affection to Saint John.
Diviſ.1 A Diſciple; there is the beame:
2 Ille, the, or that Diſciple; there is the reflection.
1 Beloved; there is the beame:
2 Beloved of Jeſus; there is the reflection.
1 Leaning; there is the beame:
2 Leaning on his breaſt; there is the reflection.
It is a great honour to bee a Diſciple, but a greater to bee the Diſciple: a great honour to bee beloved, a greater to bee beloved of Jeſus: a great honour to leane on ſuch a perſonage, a greater to leane on his breaſt.
Thus I might with an exact diviſion cut the bread of life: but I chooſe rather after the manner of our Saviour, to breake it, and that into three pieces onelyonly, viz. John his
1 Calling in Chriſt.
2 Favour with Chriſt.
3 Neareneſſe unto Chriſt.
1 His calling in Chriſt, The Diſciple.
2 His grace and favour with Chriſt, whom Jeſus loved.
3 His neareneſſe unto Chriſt, who alſo leaned on his breaſt.
The Diſciple. The Spouſe in the Canticles ſetting out her husband in his proper colours, ſaith,bCant. 5.10. My beloved is white and ruddy, that is, of admirable and perfect beauty: or, white in the purity of his converſation, and ruddy in the hiew of his paſſion: white in his life, and ruddy at his death; or, white in his garland ofcCyp. l. 1. ep. 6. Floribus enim nec roſae nec lilia deſunt, & pax & acies habet ſuos flores quibus milites Chriſti ob gloriam coronantur. lilies, unſpotted Virgins; ruddy in his garland of roſes, victorious Martyrs; or laſtly, as ſome flouriſh upon the letter, ruddy in all his Diſciples (ſave St. John) who ſhed their blood for his name and Goſpell, and white in the Diſciple in my text, who alone came to a faire and peaceable end; abiding (according to the words of our Saviour) till hee came unto him by an eaſie and naturall death. For this priviledge Chriſt gave him above them all, that none ſhould have power to lay violent hands on him, who lay in his Redeemers arms.dJoh. 1.17. The law was given by Moſes, but grace and truth by Jeſus Chriſt: and with grace came in John, a name that ſignifieth grace. Wee read of no John in the old Teſtament, but wee finde two in the Goſpell; the one the forerunner, the other the follower of Chriſt; the one, in alluſion to the Hebrew Etymology of his name, may bee called Gratia praeveniens, grace prevenient; the other Gratia ſubſequens, grace ſubſequent; the one may bee compared to foreign the Morning, the other to foreign, the Evening ſtarre: for Saint John Baptiſt, as the Morning ſtarre, uſhered in the Sunne our Saviour; Saint John the Evangeliſt, as the Evening ſtarre, appeared long in the skie, ſhining in the Churches of Aſia, after the Sunne of righteouſneſſe Chriſt Jeſus was ſet, at his death. This latter John is the Diſciple whoſe feaſt wee now keepe, and memory wee celebrate, and graces wee admire, and title wee are now to declare. As Chriſt ſpake of the Baptiſt,eMat. 11.9. What went yee out to ſee? a Prophet? nay I ſay unto you, and more than a Prophet; wee may ſay of this Evangeliſt: what are yee come to heare of? a Diſciple? nay I ſay unto you and more than a Diſciple; a Prophet, an Evangeliſt, an Apoſtle:fCic. in Brut. O generoſam ſtirpein, & tanquam in unam arborem plura germina, ſic in iſtam domum multorum inſitam et illuminatam virtutem. O noble ſtocke, on which many grafts of the plants of Paradiſe are ſet! In ſome parts of the skie wee ſee ſingle ſtarres, in others a conjunction or crowne of many ſtarres: the other Diſciples were like ſingle ſtarres, ſome were Prophets, ſome were Evangeliſts, ſome Doctors, ſome Apoſtles; but in Saint John, as a conſtellation, ſhine the eminent gifts and callings of many Diſciples. Saint Luke was an Evangeliſt, but no Apoſtle; Saint Peter was an Apoſtle, but no Evangeliſt; Saint Matthew was an Evangeliſt and Apoſtle, but no Prophet; Saint John was all:
1 In his Goſpell an Evangeliſt.
2 In his Epiſtle an Apoſtle.
5 In his Apocalypſe a Prophet.
And in all, according to his divine Hieroglyphicke,gRev. 4.7. The fourth beaſt was like a flying Eagle. An Eagle. Hee was an Eagle in his Apoſtolike function;hMat. 24.28. & Luk. 17.37. where the body was, there was this Eagle ſtill lying at his breaſt. In his Goſpell like an Eagle hee ſoareth higher than the other three, beginning with, and more expreſly delivering the divinity of Chriſt than any before him. Laſtly, in the Apocalypſe like an Eagle with open eye hee looketh full upon the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, and the light of the celeſtiall Jeruſalem, whereat all our eyes at this day are dazeled. Yet this divine Eagle here flyeth low, and in humility toucheth the ground, ſtiling himſelfe nothing but a Diſciple.
Obſer. 2 Wee read iniExod. 15.27. Exodus, They came to Elim, where are twelve Wels of water, and ſeventy Palme trees. In theſe twelve Springs of water SaintkHieron tract. de 42. manſionibus. Nec dubium quin de Apoſtolis ſermo ſit, de quorum fontibus derivatae aquae, totius mundi ſiccitatem rigant. Juxta has aquas 70. creverunt palmae, quas & ipſos ſecundi ordinis intelligimus praeceptores, Lucà Evangeliſtà docente duodecim fuiſſe Apoſtolos, & 70. Diſcipulos minoris gradus. Vid ſupr. Ser. 10. The Apoſtolike Biſhop. Jerome conceived that hee ſaw the face of the twelve Apoſtles, and on the branches of theſe ſeventy Palme trees, the fruit of the ſeventy Diſciples labour. In alluſion whereunto, moſt of the Ancients make the Apoſtles the Parents and patterns of all Biſhops, and the ſeventy Diſciples of Prieſts: the Biſhops they make as it were the ſprings, from whence the Presbyters, like the Palme trees, receive ſap and moiſture, whereby they grow in the Church, and bring forth fruit in the parochiall Cures where they are planted. The Biſhops they called Paſtours and Teachers primi ordinis, of the firſt order or ranke: the Presbyters or Prieſts Praeceptores ſecundi ordinis, teachers as it were in a lower fourm. To confound which rankes in the Church, and bring a Biſhop perforce foreign, downe to the lower fourm or degree of a Prieſt, is defined ſacriledge in the great Councell of Chalcedon. Yet Saint John the Apoſtle here of himſelfe deſcendeth into that lower ſtep or ſtaire, aſſuming to himſelfe the name onelyonly of a Diſciple,
1 In humility:
2 In modeſty:
3 In thankfulneſſe to his Maſter.
1 In humility to take all Chriſtians into his ranke, hëe giveth himſelfe no higher title than was due to the meaneſt follower of Chriſt. The weightier the piece of gold is, the more it preſſeth downe the ſcale; even ſo where there is more worth, you ſhall ever find more lowlineſſe: the empty and light eares pricke up, but the full bow to the earth.
2 In modeſty Saint John was the youngeſt of the Apoſtles, and in that reſpect tearmeth himſelfe rather a Diſciple, that is, a learner, than as hee was indeed, a great Maſter in the Church: though hee were foreign, yet hee was not foreign, young hee was in yeeres but not in conditions, his youth was wiſer than others age, his dawning was brighter than their noontide, his bloſſomes fairer than their fruits, his Spring exceeded their Autumne; yet like Moſes, hee ſaw not the beames of his face which all other beheld. Young men doe not ſo much uſually over-value themſelves, as here Saint John doth under-value himſelfe: the ſtile wherewith the Church hath moſt deſervedly graced him, is foreign, John the Divine, but the title which hee taketh to himſelfe is but foreign, the Scholar or Diſciple.
3 In thankfulneſſe to his Maſter he chuſeth this title before any other, thereby profeſſing that whatſoever knowledge hee had, hee ſuckt it from him on whoſe breſt he lay. About the time of our Saviours birth, aslDe vit. Pont. tit. Chriſt. narrat. Oroſius. l. 6. c. 21. Auguſtum Caeſarem eodem die mandaſſe ne quis ſe dominum deinceps vocaret, divinantem credo verum Principem orbis terrarum ac mundi totius natum eſſe. Platina writeth, Auguſtus by a Proclamation forbad that any ſhould call him Lord: whereby, though he intended no ſuch thing, yet God, who ſecretly moved him to it, may ſeeme to give all men to underſtand, that no Lord ought to be named the ſame day with his ſonne: that when he came into the world all other Lords and Kings were as much obſcured as the ſtarres are at the riſing of the Sunne. mHom. Il. 1.foreign.
In his preſence, and in compariſon of him, there is no King, Lord or Maſter. For as all Kings are but his ſubjects, all Lords his ſervants, ſo all Maſters his ſcholars: in whoſe ſchoole there is great difference betweene the ſcholars, ſome are able to conſtrue a lecture to others, but none can give a lecture, but he who is foreign, both the wiſedome and the word of God. From whence we hearenMat. 11.29. Learne of me: of whom we heare,oMar. 3.17. This is my well beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed; heare him: pCol. 2.3.In whom we heare all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge are hid: to whom wee heare St.qJohn 6.68. Peter beareth record, Thou haſt the words of eternall life: and St. Ignatius, rIgnat. epiſt. ad Philad. foreign.Chriſt is my ancient record: and Tertullian, ſTert. Nobis non opus eſt curioſitate poſt Chriſtum, nec inquiſitione poſt Evangelium, cum hoc credimus nihil amplius credere deſideramus: hoc enim prius credimus nihil ultra eſſe quod credere debeamus.There needs no curioſitie after Chriſt, nor farther enquiry after or beyond the Goſpell; when we beleeve it we deſire to beleeve no more: and St. Cyprian, tCyp. ep. l. 2. ad. Cacil.It is agreeable to the Religion we profeſſe, and our reverence to God, to keepe the truth of that which our Lord hath delivered, and according to his commands, to correct what is amiſſe; that when he ſhall come in his glory and majeſty, he may find that we hold that he admoniſhed us to keepe, and obſerve what he taught, and doe what he did: and St. Jerome, uHier. ep. 57. Nullum primum niſi Chriſtum ſequentes.We follow none as firſt but Chriſt: and Vincentius Lerinenſis (adver. hereſ.) Keepe the Depoſitum. xQuid eſt depoſitum? quod tibi creditum, non quod à te inventum: quod accepiſti, non quod excogitaſti. Cuſtodi fidei catholicae talentum: eſto ſpiritualis tabernaculi Bezaleel: pretioſas divini dogmatis gemmas exculpe fideliter, coapta, adorna ſapienter, adjice gratiam, ſplendorem, venuſtatem, intelligatur te exponente illuſtriùs quod ante obſcurius credebatur: eadem tamen quae credidiſti ita doce, ut cum dicas novè non dicas nova.What is the Depoſitum? That wherewith thou art truſted, not which thou haſt found out; that which thou haſt received, not which thou haſt invented: keepe the talent of the Catholike faith, be thou a Bezaleel of the ſpirituall Tabernacle, cut the gems of divine doctrine ſhining in his word, inſert them curiouſly in thy diſcourſe, ſet them off with a good foyle; let men underſtand that by thy expoſition clearly, which before they beleeved obſcurely; yet be ſure to teach no more than thou haſt learned of Chriſt: though thou ſpeake in a new manner, yet deliver no new matter. If we teach not that which we have learned of Chriſt, or teach any thing as needfull to ſalvation, which we have not learned of Chriſt, we hazzard, if not loſe, the name of Chriſtians; for Diſciples of Chriſt & Chriſtians are all one; no Diſciple of Chriſt no Chriſtian, & every one ſo far a Chriſtian as a Diſciple of Chriſt. What Chriſtians then are Papiſts, whoſe Creed conſiſting of foure and twenty articles, twelve of them they learned of Chriſt, the other twelve of Antichriſt, as may be ſeene in the Bull of PopeyBu la S.D.N.D. Pii Papae quarti ſuper formâ juramenti profeſſoris affix. ad Conc. Trid. p. 439. Pius affixed to the Councel of Trent? Shall we ſimply affirm that they are Chriſtians? we wrong then our ſelves and all the reformed Churches who have ſevered from them. Shall we abſolutely deny that they are Chriſtians? we wrong them who hold with us the profeſſion of the Trinity, the two Sacraments, Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, and the three Creeds, the Apoſtles, the Nicene or Conſtantinopolitane, and that of Athanaſious. Although the Roman Cardinall might juſtly be blamed, who cauſed his Painter to draw King Solomon halfe in heaven and halfe in hell: yet I ſuppoſe they could not juſtly be cenſured, who ſhould draw Popery or the Church of Rome, as ſhe is at this day, partly in heaven, and partly in hell; in heaven in reſpect of thoſe heavenly truthes which ſhe maintaineth with us againſt Atheiſts, Jewes, Turkes, and all ſorts of Infidels, and many ancient Heretiques; but in hell in reſpect of many pernicious and helliſh errours, which ſhe pertinaciouſly defendeth againſt the cleere letter of Scripture, and doctrine and practice of the Primitive Church. The bleſſed Apoſtle reſolveth a like queſtion concerning the Jewes, who received the Old Teſtament, but rejected the New in a like manner:yRom. 11.28. As concerning the Goſpell they are enemies for your ſake: but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers ſake. Wee can hardly come off this controverſie upon better tearmes than theſe, that Papiſts, as concerning the principles of the common faith, are Chriſtians; but as touching their proper errours by addition to it, detraction from it, corruption of it, they are no Chriſtians. You wil ſay this is no ſimple or direct anſwer: neither need it ſo to be, becauſe the queſtion is not ſimple. As it is ſuperfluous to give a mixt or double anſwer to a ſimple queſtion, ſo it is dangerous to give a ſimple and ſingle anſwer to a mixt queſtion, or a queſtion of a mixt ſubject. 1 For inſtance, let the queſtion be concerning Ayat the Jew, who uſed indifferently either of his hands as we uſe our right hand; Whether was he a right handed or a left handed man? 2 Or concerning a part of ſpeech, which taketh part of a noune, and part of a verbe: Whether is it a noune or a verbe? 3 Or concerning a Myrmaid, which in the upper part reſembleth a maid, in the lower a fiſh: Whether is it a fiſh or a maid? 4 Or concerning the Muſcovy Monſter, which feedeth like a ſheepe, yet groweth like a plant, and hath his root affixed to the earth: Whether is it a beaſt or a plant? 5 Or concerning an Androgyne, that hath in it both ſexes: Whether is it a man or a woman? 6 Or concerning the apple mentioned by Seneca, that hath in it a middle kinde of taſte, bitteriſh at firſt, and ſweetiſh at laſt: Whether is it a ſweet or a bitter fruit?
To the firſt we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that he was a right handed or left handed man, but as the Hiſtorian termeth him, an Ambodexter.
To the ſecond we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that it is a noune, or a verbe, but as the Grammarians call it, foreign, participium, a participle.
To the third we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that it is a maid, or a fiſh, but with the Poet a Syren; in ſome reſpect a maid, in ſome a fiſh.
Prima hominis facies, & pulchro corpore virgo
Pube tenus, poſtremâ immani corpore piſtrix.
To the fourth we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that it is a plant, or a beaſt, but with the Geographer, a Plantanimall.
To the fift we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that it is a man, or a woman, but with the naturall Philoſopher, an Hermaphrodite.
To the ſixt we muſt not anſwer ſimply, that it is a ſweeting, or a bitter apple, but with Seneca, that it is pomum ſuave-amarum, a bitter-ſweet.
So if the queſtion be of a Chriſtian by profeſſion of all or the moſt fundamentall points, who yet holdeth ſome hereticall opinion, wee muſt not anſwer ſimply, that he is a Chriſtian, or a Miſcreant, but a Miſcreant or miſ-beleeving Chriſtian. Some write of the River Jordane, that the water thereof is ſweet, and that ſtore of fiſh breed and live in it: others, that it is brackiſh, yea and venemous alſo, in ſuch ſort that no fiſh can live in it; and both write moſt truly in a reference to divers parts thereof. For all that is behether the lake Aſphaltites is moſt ſweet and wholeſome; all that is beyond it is ſalt and brackiſh, and in ſome places poyſonous: and accordingly the fiſh that ſwim not beyond the lake, or taſting the water ſalt, return ſpeedily back to the ſweet ſprings, live: but if they are carried farther with a full ſtreame into Mare mortuum, or the dead ſea, they inſtantly periſh. What then? ſhall wee deny Jordan, in which Chriſt himſelf was baptized, to be a ſweet river? or do we doubt but that the doctrine of the Church of Rome, like the river Jordan, is ſweet in the ſpring, I mean the Font of baptiſme, in which ſo many thouſands of our fathers were chriſtened? or that good Chriſtians may live the life of grace there, ſo long as they keepe within the bounds of the common Principles of Chriſtianity; or if they have taſted ſome of the brackiſh waters, the errours of popery, if yet they returne back to the ſprings of holy Scripture, may they not recover? queſtionleſſe they may: but if they paſſe over the lake Aſphaltites, and ſwimme with the full current into the midſt of the Mare mortuum of Antichriſtian errours, ſuperſtitions, and Idolatries, and are not taken up in the net of the Goſpell, before the venemous water hath ſunke into their heart and bowels, and corrupted all their blood, wee can have little, if any hope of their ſafety. Thoſe that are ſuch, and have a reſolution to continue ſuch, I leave In mari mortuo, in the ſea of death, and come to the Diſciple in the boſome of Jeſus the Fountaine of life, even that Diſciple
Object. Whom Jeſus loved. Did Jeſus love him onelyonly? did hee not love all his Apoſtles, ſave Judas, to the end? nay, doth hee not love us all with an endleſſe love?zJoh. 10.11. Surely greater love than this can no man ſhew, to lay downe his life for his friend. Is not hee the good Shepheard that gave his life for the ſheepe? did he not lay down his life for us all? did one of us coſt him more than another? ſhed he not as much and as pure life blood for one as for another? doth the Sunne of righteouſneſſe ſhine brighter upon one than another? in perfection of love can there be any remiſſion or intention? in that which is infinite are there any degrees? can any thing be ſaid to bee more or leſſe infinite? The determination of this point dependeth upon the conſideration of our bleſſed Saviour:
1 As God.
2 As Man.
3 As Mediatour.
As God his love is his nature, and his nature is himſelfe,Solut. and himſelfe is infinite, and in that which is infinite no degrees can bee diſtinguiſhed. As Mediatour hee ſeemeth to bee like the Center, from which all lines drawne to the circumference are equall; hee caſteth the like beames of affection, if not upon all, yet certainly upon all his Elect; for whom hee prayed jointly, and ſatisfied entirely, whom hee waſheth equally in the ſame Font of Baptiſme, feedeth equally with his blood, incorporateth equally in his body, and maketh equally coheires with him of his kingdome in heaven. Notwithſtanding as man hee might, and did affect one more than another, and in particular hee loved John more than the reſt of his Diſciples. Neither is it any diſparagement at all to our diſcretion or charity, to enlarge our hearts more to one than another, if the cauſe bee not a by or carnall reſpect, but a different meaſure of gifts; if thoſe bee more in our grace, in whom Gods graces ſhine brighter. Saint Paul had his Barnabas, Saint Auſtine his Alypius, Saint Jerome his Heliodorus, Saint Bernard his Gervafius, Saint Baſil his Nazianzene, Euſebius his Pamphilus, David his Jonathan, and Jeſus here in my text his beloved Diſciple. But here Saint Auſtine putteth in a curious Quere; Why did Jeſus love John beſt, ſith it ſhould ſeeme Peter loved Jeſus beſt? elſe why doth Chriſt ſay unto him,*Tract. 124. in Joh. loveſt thou mee more than theſe? Hee who more loved Jeſus is the better, but he whom Jeſus more loveth is the happier. To avoid this ſeeming jarre in Chriſts affections, S. Auſtin ſtreineth up the plaine hiſtory to a myſtery: Saint Peter, ſaith hee, was a type of the Church militant, Saint John of the triumphant: now the Church militant expreſſeth more love to Chriſt, in fighting his battailes, and ſuffering for him; but Chriſt manifeſteth more love to the Church triumphant, crowning her with celeſtiall glory: in this life, like Peter, we more ſhew our love to Chriſt; in the other Chriſt ſheweth more love to us, as he did here to Saint John. Theſe conceptions of that ſeraphicall Doctour, like a waxe light newly blowne out, yeeld a ſweet ſavour, and have much heat in them of pious affection, but little light of knowledge. For as Chriſts love to us is conſummate in heaven at the Lambes marriage, ſo is then our love moſt complete in him. And for the two Diſciples, Saint Peter and Saint John, betweene whom there was never any contention greater than this, Whether ſhould more love our Saviour; wee may ſafely reſolve, that though both exceedingly loved him, yet (if wee muſt needs enter into a compariſon betweene them) that the oddes is on Saint Johns ſide. For doubtleſſe hee whom Chriſt more loved, hee found or made him more thankefull: the ground of our Saviours love could be no other than grace, and he who hath a greater meaſure of grace, muſt needs more love the Fountaine of grace, Chriſt Jeſus. As Jeſus therefore more loved John, ſo John more loved Jeſus; hee followed him boldly to the high Prieſts hall, hee never denyed him once, as Peter did thrice; hee with his mother attended him at the croſſe, and from that day tooke the bleſſed Virgin to his owne home; and therefore though Chriſt promiſed the keyes of heaven to Peter firſt, yet hee gave Saint John a greater priviledge, to leane on his breaſt.
Which leaned on his breaſt. Of Saint Johns leaning on Chriſts breaſt foure kindes of reaſons are given:
1 A civill by Calvin.
2 A Morall by Theophylact.
3 A myſticall by Saint Auſtine.
4 A tropologicall by Guilliandus.
Though, ſaithaCalv. in Harmon. Calvin, for a ſervant to lye on his maſters breaſt may ſeeme unſeemly, yet the cuſtome of the Jewes being not to fit at table, as we do, but at their meales to lye on beds or carpets on the ground; it was no more for Saint John to lye on Chriſts breaſt, than with us to ſit next to him: unleſſe with Theophylact we conceive, that Saint John upon the mention of our Lords death, and that by treaſon, tooke on moſt grievouſly, and beginning to languiſh through griefe, was taken by Chriſt into his boſome to comfort him: or wee interpret with Saint Auſtin, and others of the Ancients, Sinum Chriſti, Sapientiae ſecretum; the boſome of Chriſt, the cabinet of celeſtiall jewels, or treaſury of wiſedome; and inferre with Saint Ambroſe from thence,bIn pſal. 118. Johannes cum caput ſuum ſuper pectus domini reclinaret, hauriebat profunda ſecreta ſapientiae. That John when hee laid his head to Chriſts breaſts, ſucked from thence the profound ſecrets of wiſedome: and withcBeda in Evang. Johan. Quia in pectore Chriſti ſunt omnes theſauri ſapientiae & ſcientiae reconditi, meritò ſuper pectus ejus recumbit quem majore caeteris ſapientiae & ſcientiae ſingularis munere donat. Beda, That Chriſt revealed to Saint John as his boſome friend, more ſecrets; and that the reaſon why his writings are more enriched with knowledge, eſpecially of things future than the reſt, is, becauſe he had free acceſſe to Chriſts breaſt, wherein all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge were hid. Moreover, asdGuil. com. in Johan. c. 21. Guilliandus obſerveth, S. John lay upon Chriſts breaſt for the ſame reaſon that Moſes appointed in the law the breaſt of all ſacrifices for the Prieſt: to teach us, that wiſedome and underſtanding, whoſe ſeat is the breaſt and heart, ought to be the ſpeciall portion of the Prieſts.
Among ſo many ingenuous reaſons of this geſture of Saint John, if wee leane to Saint Auſtines opinion, the uſe wee are to make of it is, with reverence and religious preparation to read and heare all the bookes of holy Scripture, and eſpecially Saint Johns writings, who received thoſe hidden and heavenly myſteries in Jeſus his boſome, which Jeſus*Joh. 1.18. No man hath ſeene God at any time: the onelyonly begotten Sonne which is in the boſome of the Father hath revealed him. heard in his Fathers boſome. All Scriptures are given bye2 Tim. 3.16. divine inſpiration, and are equally pillars of our faith, anchors of our hope, deeds and evidences of our ſalvation; yet as the heaven is more ſtarry in one part than another, and the ſeas deeper in one place than another, ſo it is evident that ſome paſſages of Scripture are more lightſome than others, and ſome books contain in them more profound myſteries and hidden ſecrets; and moſt of all S. Johns Goſſpell, and his Apocalypſe, wherein, by Saint Jeromes reckoning, the number of the myſteries neare anſwereth the number of the words, quot verba tot ſacramenta.
If wee like of Theophylact his reaſon, wee are from thence to learne, not to adde affliction to the afflicted, not to vexe them that are wounded at the heart; but to ſtay with flaggons, and comfort with apples thoſe that are in a ſpirituall ſwoune, and by no meanes to withhold from them that faint under the burden of their ſinnes, the comforts of the Goſpell to ſupport them; eſpecially conſidering, that hee as well killeth a man who miniſtreth not to him in due time thoſe things which may hold life in him, as hee that ſlayeth him downe right.
Laſtly, if wee ſticke with Calvin to the letter, it will diſcover unto us the errour of many among us, that contend ſo much for ſitting at the Communion, and a table geſture (as they ſpeake); whereas Chriſt at his laſt Supper neither ſate nor uſed any table at all. In eating of the Paſſeover wee readfMat. 26.20. foreign. Mark. 14.18. foreign. Luk. 22.14. foreign. foreign, that Chriſt with the twelve fell down, or lay downe after the Jewiſh manner, which was nearer to kneeling than ſitting. But what geſture preciſely hee uſed in the delivery of the holy myſteries, it is not expreſſed in Scripture: moſt probable it is that he kneeled, or at leaſt that the Apoſtles kneeled when they received the ſanctified Elements from him. For no doubt they who in the firſt ages immediatly ſucceeded the Apoſtles, received the Communion as the Apoſtles maner was; and that they kneeled, the heathen cavill againſt them, that they worſhipped bread and wine, maketh it in a maner evident. For had they ſate or ſtood in the celebration of the Sacrament, the Gentiles could have had no colour to caſt an aſperſion of bread-worſhip on them: but becauſe in receiving the ſacred elements of bread and wine, they kneeled downe, and religiouſly called upon God, the Paynims conceived that they adored the creatures of bread and wine. And they among us who cannot diſtinguiſh betweene kneeling at the Sacrament, and kneeling to the element; bread worſhip and the worſhip of Chriſt, in religiouſly and reverently participating the holy myſteries of his body and blood, are as groſſely ignorant in Chriſtian rites as the ancient heathen were. Verely did they conſider ſeriouſly who it is that under the forme of bread and wine offereth unto them his body and blood, even Chriſt himſelfe by his Spirit, and what they at the ſame time in a thankfull love offer to God, their bodies for a holy and living ſacrifice, and what then they receive, a generall pardon of all their ſinnes under the ſeale of the King of heaven; I perſwade my ſelfe their hearts would ſmite them, if they ſtrived not to receive ſo great a benefit from ſo gracious a Majeſty, as in the moſt thankfull, ſo in the moſt humble manner. But it is not the poſition of your bodies, but the diſpoſition of your mindes, which in this rare patterne of my text I would commend to your Chriſtian imitation.
The beſt keeping the Feaſt of a Saint, is to raiſe him as it were to life, by expreſſing his vertues and graces in ours: doe you deſire my brethren to be Johns, gracious in the eyes of your Redeemer? make much of thoſe things for which hee was ſo much made of; love thoſe vertues above others, which made him beloved above others; decke your ſoules with thoſe jewels, the beauty whereof enamoured the Sonne of righteouſneſſe; which are three eſpecially:
1 The Emerauld, the embleme of chaſtity.
2 The Ruby, the embleme of modeſty.
3 The Carbuncle, the embleme of love.
Chaſtity is reſembled by the Emerauld, which, asgRueus lib. de geminis, cap. de ſmaragd. Rueus writeth, hath a ſingular vertue to coole the heat of luſt; and in this ſtone was the name of Levi engraven, who revenged the wrong done to the chaſtity of his ſiſter by thehVid. infr. Shechemites.
Modeſty is reſembled by the Ruby, in whoſe colour the hue of that vertue appeareth. And who cannot ſee in the glowing fire of the Carbuncle, the ardencie of love? Saint Jerome attributeth the overflowing meaſure of Chriſts love to Saint John, to his chaſtity; Saint Chryſoſtome to his modeſty, Aquinas to his love of Chriſt.
Saint John lived and dyed a Virgin, and if wee will beleeve the Ancients, the cleereneſſe of his complexion anſwered the purity of his converſation, and beauty of body and minde met here in one. The beauty of the body is faire and brittle, like chryſtall glaſſe; but if the gift of ſpirituall chaſtity bee incident to it, like the beames of the ſunne it: is moſt lovely in the eyes of God and man. Eriphile was ſo taken with the ſparkling of an orient jewell exhibited to her, that for it ſhe ſold her loyalty to her husband, a farre more pretious jewell. Take heed, Beloved, leſt for favour of great ones, or worldly honour, or earthly treaſure, you put away that jewell, which if you once part withall you can never recover againe. There can bee nothing more hatefull to him that was borne of a pure Virgin, continued a Virgin all his life, and now in heaven is attended by Virgins (iApoc. 14.4. Theſe are they which were not defiled with women, for they are Virgins; theſe are they which follow the Lambe whitherſoever he goeth:) than to make his members the members of an harlot.
Wee have had the glympſe of the Emerauld; let us now view the Ruby, Saint Johns modeſty; who, though hee might glory truely, if any, in the ſpirit, For he had ſeene with his eyes, and heard with his eares, and handled with his hands the Word of life: hee was an eye-witneſſe of Chriſts tranſfiguration, one of the threekGal. 2.9. pillars mentioned by Saint Paul; he was a Prophet, an Evangeliſt, and an Apoſtle, and in greater grace with his Lord and Maſter than any of the reſt, yet hee will bee knowne of no more than that hee was a Diſciple, hee concealeth his very name. The modeſt opinion of our knowledge is better than knowledge, and humility in excellency excelleth excellency it ſelfe. That ſtone is moſt reſplendent which is ſet off with a darke foyle; modeſty is the darke foyle which giveth luſtre to all vertues. How many, ſaith Seneca had attained to wiſedome if they had not thought ſo, and therefore given over all ſearch after it? how many had proved men of rare and ſingular parts, if they had not knowne them too ſoone themſelves? Moſes face ſhined, but he knew not of it; the bleſſed of the Father at the day of judgement ſhall heare of their good workes, but they ſhall not acknowledge them, but anſwere ſaying,lMat. 25.38.39. Lord, when ſaw we thee hungry, or a thirſt, or a ſtranger, or naked, or ſicke, or in priſon, and miniſtred unto thee? If wee take no knowledge of our good parts, God will acknowledge them; but if like Narciſſus wee know and admire our owne beauty, this very knowledge will metamorphize us, and make us ſeeme deformed in the eyes of God and man.
Wee have viewed the Ruby, let us now caſt a glaunce on the Carbuncle, the third precious ſtone, Saint Johns love to Chriſt. The maine ſcope of his Goſpel is Chriſts love to us, and the argument of his Epiſtles our love one to another. As he is ſtiled the beloved, ſo he might well be called the loving Diſciple: as hee was one of the firſt that came to Chriſt, ſo hee was the laſt that left him; hee was never from his ſide, I had almoſt ſayd out of his boſome. Out of confidence of his loyall affection to his Lord, when neither Peter nor any of the reſt durſt, hee was bold to enquire of our Saviour,mJoh. 13 25. who is it that ſhall betray thee? Hee followeth Chriſt to the high Prieſts hall, to the judgement ſeat, and to the croſſe, where our Lord commended hisnJoh. 19.26. Woman behold thy ſonne. Ver. 27 Then ſayd hee to the Diſciple, behold thy Mother. Mother to him, and him to his Mother, and his ſoule to his Father. Love is the load-ſtone of love, that love that drew Saint Johns heart to Chriſt drew Chriſts to him. If thou deſire above all things that Chriſt ſhould love thee, love him above all things: love him with all thy heart, whoſe heart was pierced for thee: love him with all thy ſoule, whoſe ſoule was made an offering for thee: love him with all thy ſtrength, who for thee loſt not onelyonly his ſtrength but life alſo.
Yea, but you may ſay, how can wee now ſhew our love to Chriſt? he is in heaven, and our bounty cannot reach ſo high; wee have him not here to offer gold, myrrhe, or frankincenſe, as the wiſe men did; or miniſter to him of our ſubſtance, as ſome religious women did; or breake a boxe of precious oyntment, and poure it on his head, as Mary did; or feaſt him, as Simon did; or wrap his corps in fine linnen, as Joſeph did; wee have not his mother with us, to keepe, cheriſh, or comfort her, as Saint John did: yet wee have his Spouſe, his Word, his Sacraments, his Diſciples, his myſticall members; and if out of ſincere love to him wee honour his Spouſe the Church; wee frequent his houſe, the Temple; wee delight in his Word, the Scriptures; wee come reverently and devoutly to his board, the Communion Table; wee give countenance and maintenance to his Meniall ſervants, the Miniſters of the Goſpell; and relieve his afflicted members, the poore and oppreſſed among us, wee ſhall bee as Johns to him, gracious in his eyes; Diſciples, nay, which is more, beloved Diſciples; yea ſo beloved, that to our endleſſe reſt and comfort, wee ſhall lye in his boſome, not on earth, but in heaven. Which hee grant unto us, whooApoc. 1.5.6. loved us, and waſhed our ſinnes in his blood, and made us Kings to command, and Prieſts to offer our deareſt affections unto him. To whom, &c.