Exposition of the Festival Epistles and Gospels, Explication of epistles and gospels 1 · Part 9
The Epistle
1. IOHN 1.1.
That which was from the beginning, which we hauehave heard, which we hauehave seene with our eyes, &c.
SAint Iohn euer like himselfe, hAquin. in loc.that his Gospell and generall Epistle might be sutable, iAugust. tract. 1. in hanc epist.confirming each other in the maine scope: makes (in the beginning was the word) the beginning of words vntounto both: omitting here an ordinarie salutation, that hee might at the very first entrance treate of kVide Lorin. cap. 5. prolog in 1. epist. Ioan.more necessary points of saluation: and yet this exordium à re ipsa, preamble raised from the matter it selfe, is agreeable to the rules of arte, lAretius. Zenchius in loc.wherewith he makes his readers attentiue, docile, beneuolous: attentiue, for that he writes not of a trifle, but of Christ Iesus, the word of life who cleanseth vsus from all sinne: docile, for that the subject of his doctrine is mMarlor. in loc.neither new, nor vncertaine: not new, for we shew vntounto you that which was from the beginning; not vncertaine, for we preach vntounto you that which we hauehave heard, which we hauehave seene with our eyes, which wee hauehave looked vponupon, and our hands hauehave handled. Beneuolus, for that hee penned this Epistle for their good, namely, that they might hauehave fellowship with the Saints, and that their ioy might be full. I nPet. Aureolus apud Lorin. vbi …up. cap. 6.finde the whole tract diuided into three parts, answerable to the three chiefe christian vertues, Faith, Hope, Charitie: but for as much as our Apostle writes of these oPiscator.promiseuously without distinction and order, I rather amit of Aquines plaine partition.
Into a
Commendation of the Gospell, Chap. 1.
Exhortation …o the fruitfull and faithfull obseruing of the same, Chap. 2.3.
Disswasion from the contrarie Doctrine, Chap. 4.5.
In the present text there be two descriptions:
One of Christ, in respect of his
Natures,
As God, that which was from the beginning.
As man, which we hauehave heard and seene, &c.
Office, being our light and life, cleansing vsus from all sinne.
Another of a Christian, hauing fellowship with God, his Saints, and his Sonne, in whom are Two remarkeable properties:
1. A studiousnesse to doe good, Ergo, not a carnall Epicure: For if we say we hauehave fellowship with God who is light, and walke in darknesse, we lie, and doe not the truth.
2. A sorrowfulnesse when hee doth ill, Ergo, not a spirituall Puritane: For if we say w… hauehave no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus.
I hauehave spoken enough of the first description in my notes vponupon the Gospell on Christmas day: the pith of it is, that Christ Iesus eternally God, in the fulnesse of time made man, is our only mediator and aduocate with God the Father; insomuch as our fellowship with God in this world, and fulnesse of ioy in the next, is attained by fai…h alone first apprehending, and after applying his merits. Here then our Apostle commends the doctrine of the Gospell in three respects especially.
First, in regard of the subiect, as being most ancient and excellent, euen that which was in the beginning God… owne sonne, the word of life, yea that eternall life which was with the father afore all worlds.
Secondly, in regard of the certainty, that which wee hauehave heard, which we hauehave seen with our eyes, which we hauehave looked vponupon, and our hands hauehave handled: declare wee vntounto you. For Christ who was in the beginning that eternall word with the Father, in these pH…b. 1.2.last daies appeared vntounto vsus. And as S. q1 Tim. 3.16.Paul expounds S. Iohn, he was manifested in the fl…sh: Or as S. Iohn in his rCap. 1. ver. 14.Gospell expounds himselfe, hee became flesh, and dwelt among vsus. And sAretius.so wee hauehave seene and heard him tAquin.immediatly speaking in the world, as well as mediately, speaking in his word. For he spake to the Fathers by the mouth of all his Prophets euer since the beginning: but in our daies he hath spoken with his owne mouth vntounto vsus: our eares hauehave heard him in his Sermons, our eyes hauehave seene him in acting of his miracles, our hands hauehave touched his pretious body both afore his death, and after his resurrection; and so that which wee so uErasmus.many waies assuredly know to be true, declare we vntounto you. For albeit the word of life being very God of very God, is neither visible nor palpable: yet in respect of the xMarlorat. Piscator.personall vnion of the two natures in him, it may be safely said againe and againe that which we hauehave seen and heard. And we saw the glory of it as the glory of the onelyonly begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth. Iohn 1.14. And in this sense the word of life, yea the Lord of life is said yAct. 3 15. 1 Cor. 1.8.elsewhere to be killed and crucified.
Thirdly, in regard of the profit, because Christ is the word of life, not onelyonly formaliter, in respect of himselfe: but in respect of vsus effectiue, being authour of our naturall life, for in him we liue, and mooue, and hauehave our being. A…t. 17.28. Of our spirituall life, Thus I liue, yet not I now, … Christ liueth in mee saith Paul, Galath. 2.20. Of our eternall life, for he is the way, the truth, and the life, Iohn 14.6. The resurrection and the life, Iohn 11.25. yea that eternall life, … it is in our present text. So that if we… will embrace the Gospell, and receiue these glad tidings of peace, we shall hauehave fellowship with the blessed Apostles, and in conclusion it will bring vsus vntounto fulnes of ioy. zCaietan. ZanchiusThe which is not in this life, for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes. Hee was a blessed man who said, O a…m. 7.24.wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death? Our reioycing is in part, as our b1 Cor. 13.5.knowing is in part, and our prophecying in part. Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy▪ shaken together and pressed downe ▪ but hereafter in his kingdome of glory, when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes, and all cares from our heart: then onelyonly our ioy shall be full, and (as cLuk. 6.38.Christ speakes elsewhere) running ouer. Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine, to shun new, dubious, vnprofitable quirkes of learning; and to deliuer vntounto Gods people that which was from the beginning, a true Gospell and a certaine, procuring an happy communion with God, and a fulnesse of ioy.
God is light] Almighty God is compared vntounto light in many respects. As first for that dHeb. 4.13. Prou. 15.3.all things are naked and open vntounto his eyes as to the light. Secondly, as wee cannot see things earthly without ligh…: so wee cannot 1 Cor 2.14.discerne things heauenly, vnlesse the father of fIam 1.17.lights illuminate our minde, and giuegive vsus an g1 King. 3.9.vnderstanding heart. Thirdly, for that as the light of the sunne dasseth our eyes if they gaze too much vponupon it: euen so the Diuine Maiestie h1 Tim. 6 16.dwelling in the light which no man can approach vntounto, confoundeth all such as curiously pry too much into it, according to that of iPro…. 25.17.Salomon in the vulgar latine, qu… serutator est maiestatis epprimetur à gloria. But God is called kCaluin. Aretius. Zanchius.here light ▪ as expelling …ll darknesse of sin & ignorance, being in himselfe pure, sincere, lPsal. 145.17.righteous in al his waies, & holy in al his works Our Apostle then argueth against hypocrites and tale-gospellers often and openly boasting of their Communion with God, à natura Dei, from the properties of God after this sort. God is light, Ergo, none can hauehave fellowship with him except they walke in the light. If we say we hauehave communion with him, and walke in darknesse, we lie, and doe not the truth Our wilfull ignorance and sinnes vnrepented are called in mRom. 13.12 Ephes. 5.11.holy Scripture darknesse, as hauing their beginning from Satan the Prince of darknesse, and their end in hell, which is the pit of darknesse: and therefore though hypocrites out-mouth (as it were) true Christians in bragging of their familiaritie with God and his Sonne; yet the truth is, as long as they walke in darknes, it is impossible they should be children of God; for in him is no darknesse, nor so much as a shadow, Iam. 1.17. n2 Cor. 6.14.What communion hath light with darknesse? or what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse? God is oDeut. 32.4.without wickednesse himselfe, and hateth all manner of wickednesse in other, according to that of the Prophet in the fifth Psalme: thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse, neither shall any euill dwell with thee. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight, for thou hat…st all them that worke vanitie. Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing: the Lord will abhorre both the bloudthirstie and deceitfull man. I conclude this point in the words of our p1. epist. cap. 3. vers. 7.Apostle: Little children, let no man deceiue you: he that doth righteousnesse, is righteous. It is not sufficient to say that hee is righteous: for if wee say we hauehave fellowship with God, and walke in darknesse, we lie, and doe not the truth, qLorin.that is, we lie to our selues, and doe not the truth vntounto other, because they be misled through our example, mentimur commissione, ve…itatem nor facimus omissione.
If we walke in the light.] An rZanchius.argument from the effect to the cause: for our studiousnesse to walke in the light, and to doe good in our callings, is not the cause of our fellowship with God, and of the remission of our sinne by the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne; but an effect or consequent. It is a signe that we are the sonnes of God, if wee bee sEphes. 5.1.followers of God as deare children, if wee will embrace the Gospell, and receiue these glad ridings of peace, we shall hauehave fellowship with the blessed Apostles, and in conclusion it will bring vsus vntounto fulnes of ioy. zCai…an. ZanctiusThe which is not in this life, for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes. Hee was a blessed man who said, O aR…m. 7.…4.wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death? Our reioycing is in part, as our b1. Cor. 13.9.knowing is in part, and our prophecying in part. Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy, shaken together and pressed downe: but thereafter in his kingdome of glory, when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes, and all cares from our heart: then onelyonly our ioy shall be full, and (as cLuk. 6.38.Christ speakes elsewhere) running ouer. Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine, to shun new, dubious, vnprofitable quirke; of learning; and to deliuer vntounto Gods people that which was from the beginning, a true Gospell and a certaine, procuring an happy communion with God, and a fulnesse of ioy.
God is light] Almighty God is compared vntounto light in many respects. As first for that dHeb. 4.13. Prou. 15.3.all things are naked and open vntounto his eyes to the light. Secondly, as wee cannot see things earthly without light: so wee cannot e1. Cor 2.14.discerne things heauenly, vnlesse the father of fIam 1.17.lights illuminate our minde, and giuegive vsus an g1. King. 3.9.vnderstanding heart. Thirdly, for that as the light of the sunne dasleth our eyes if they gaze too much vponupon it: euen so the Diuine Maiestie h1. Tim. 6.16.dwelling in the light which no man can approach vntounto, confoundeth all such as curiously pry too much into it, according to that of i1 Prom 25.27.Salomon in the vulgar latine, qus serutator est maiestatis epprsmetur à gloria. But God is called kCaluin. Aretivis. Zandius.here light, as expelling all darknesse of sin & ignorance, being in himselfe pure, since…e, l1 Psalm. 45.17.righteous in al his waies. & holy in al his works Our Apostle then argueth against hypocrites and tale gospellers often and openly boasting of their Communion with God, à natura Des, from the properties of God after this sort. God is light, Ergo, none can hauehave fellowship with him except they walke in the light. If we say we hauehave communion with him, and walke in darknesse, we lie, and doe not the truth Our wilfull ignorance and sinnes vnrepented are called in mRom. 13.12. Ephis. 5.11.holy Scripture darknesse, as hauing their beginning from Satan the Prince of darknesse, and their end in hell, which is the pit of darknesse: and therefore though hypocrites out-mouth (as it were) true Christians in bragging of their familiaritie with God and his Sonne; yet the truth is, as long as they walke in darknes, it is impossible they should be children of God; for in him is no darknesse, nor so much as a shadow, Iam. 1.17. n2. Cor. 6.14.What communion hath light with darknesse▪ or what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse? God is oDeut. 32.4.without wickednesse himselfe, and hateth all manner of wickednesse in other, according to that of the Prophet in the fifth Psalme: Thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse, neither shall any euill dwell with thee. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight. for thou hatest all them that worke vanitie. Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing: the Lord will abhorre both the bloudthirstie and deceitfull man. I conclude this point in the words of our p1. epist. cap. 3. vers. 7.Apostle: Little children, let no man deceiue you: he that doth righteousnesse, is righteous. It is not sufficient to say that hee is righteous: for if wee say we hauehave fellowship with God, and walke in darkenesse, we lie, and doe not the truth, qLorin.that is, we lie to our selues, and doe not the truth vntounto other, because they be missed through our example, mentimur commissione, ver itatem non facimus omissione.
If we walke in the light.] An rZanchius.argument from the effect to the cause: for our studiousnesse to walke in the light, and to doe good in our caliings, is not the cause of our fellowship with God, and of the remission of our sinne by the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne; but an effect or consequent. It is a signe that we are the sonnes of God, if wee bee sEphes. 5.1.followers of God as deare children, if wee walke in the light euen as he is light. It is a seale to my soule that the bloud of Christ hath purged mee from all sinne, if I doe but tMatt…. 5.6.hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, if I feele but an vnsained desire to put off the workes of darknesse, and to put on Gods armour of light. I know that I shall sinne still as long as I carrie this flesh about me; for if we say we hauehave no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus: but I am sure so long as I walke in the light, that I shall not commit any sinne which is impardonable: so long as I hauehave communion with God, I cannot commit the sinne against the holy Ghost; as long as I am in Christ, his bloud el… … me from all sinne: from uBu…ing. …. Latin.all sinne, originall and actuall, à culp. 1 & pun. 1, from the fault, and from the paine due to the same From all sinne, xBi…not only committed before baptisme, but also from all sinne committed of frailtie, since baptisme. For as Cardinall y…Ca…etan notes, impiu… est d…m… learn. … Deo per are veniam: and therefore z….Po…ish satisfactions either by workes done, or paines suffered in this life, or in purgatorie after this life, to purgemen of their sinnes, hauehave no firme ground in Gods holy word, they be works of supererogation, or if you will, happily workes of superarrogation. It is not said here, the blood of Christ hath cleansed in time past, or w… cleanse in time to come: but in the present, it cleanseth. a… Ma…at.Hereby signifying that it daily purgeth all the sinnes of all such as truly beleeue, who walke in the light, and hauehave felowship with God.
If we say we hauehave no sinne.] Some say, let vsus bRom. 61.continue still in sinne, that grace may abound, seeing the bloud of Christ cleanseth vsus from all sinne, let vsus walke in darknesse. cEphes. 4.19.working all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse. Other on the contrary side say, we hauehave no sinne, whose puritane pride S. Iohn opposeth heere, shewing plainly that the d… 38. & … …ate. 59.Ca…hari both iniurie God, and deceiue themselues, in a…firming that they he without any sinne: they wrong God, because (so much as in them is) they make God a lier. and his truth a lie; for his word expresly concludeth all vnderunder sinne, Rom. 3.9. Galath. 3.22. reporting that all men hauehave gone astray like lost sheepe, Esay 53.6. And that there is none that doth good, no not one, Psal. 14.2. eIam. 3.2.In many things all offend, and who can say mine heart is cleane, Prou. 20.9. It is true that our Apostle saith in the third chapter of this Epistle, vers. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God, sinneth not: that is, the regenerate man as hee is regenerate, sinnes not obstinately with a plenarie consent, he suffers not sinne to fRom 6.12. & 7.19.raigne in him, as it is in our text, he walkes not in darknesse: gZanchius.yet he may stumble, yea sometime fall through infirmitie while he walketh in the light; and therefore such as auow that they hauehave no sin, giuegive the lie to God, and the truth is not in them: hHugo. Aquin. Gloss. interlin.that is, God who is iIohn 14.6.truth is not in them: and the reason hereof is euident, because God resisteth the proud, Iam. 4.6. and so neither God, nor his word is in them, as Aquine pithily, neither Christ his eternall word, nor the Scripture his created word dwelleth in them.
Againe, Puritans who say wee hauehave no sinne, deceiue themselues; according to that of kGalath. 6.3.Paul, If any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat, when he is nothing, he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination; or they deceiue themselues, because Christ lMatt. 11.28.easeth onelyonly such as feele their heauie load, and groane vnderunder the burthen of their sins; and therefore the true Christian, as our Apostle teacheth here, first makes a confession, and then he seekes for an absolution.
In confession obserue these circumstances:
1. Who, we.
2. What, sinnes, and our sinnes.
3. To whom, to God, If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithfull, &c.
4. How, acknowledge and say.
In absolution:
1. Of whom an absolution is to bee got, of God for his Christs sake, whose bloud cleanseth vsus from all sinne.
2. Why? because God is faithfull and iust so forgiue vsus our sinnes.
3. What? a plenarie, not a partiall absolution, a pardon for all vnrighteousnesse.
4. When? in this present life, while wee walke in the light.
Our selues must acknowledge for our selues, and not another: we must indeed confesse mIam. 5.16.one to another, but not one for another: wee must also confesse nA…n.sinnes, and not vertues, as the proud Pharisie, Luk. 18. I fast twice in their …, I pay tithes of all that e…r I possesse: and our owne sinnes, not our neighbours offences, as the same Pharisie, who did accuse the Publican, and in comparison of his faults excuse himselfe. This confession is to be made to God, as being the searcher of our hearts, vnderstanding all our secret sinne so well, yea better then our selues. O Lord, oPsal. 19.12.who can tell how of… he offendeth? O cleanse me from my secret faules: and to God, as being very willing, and mostable to purge vsus from all vnrighteousnesse. It is true, that we must acknowledge our faults one to another, as hauing trespassed one another; and in some cases it is expedient also that wee resort to deuour, learned, discreet pastors for the releefe of our distressed conscience: yet by pLib. 1. de panis. cap. 13. § hav. m…d…. & lib. 3. ….4. § ga … li… quent. ad fi…. capBellamines leaue, this our text is not a pregnant Scripture for popish auricular confession vsed in the Church of Rome. For the Ministers of the word may both openly pronounce absolution vntounto true penitents, and in secret also when occasion is offered iustly. Though annuall and auricular confession of eueryevery singular and single sin were thrust out of the Church, as it was for twelue hundred yeeres after Christ, See Gospell 3. Sund. after Epiphanie.
Wee must acknowledge, q…that is, say with our mouth, and acknowledge in our heart, that wee hauehave sinned in Adam, and doe sinne for the present, and may sinne hereafter as long as we liue. For faith rConfess. lib. 5. cap. 10.Augustine, Iderat peccatum insanabilius, quo me peccatorem esse non arbitrabar, it is our dutie to feele sinne, to feare sinne, to flie sinne so farre as wee can, in one word, soundly and seriously to repent vsus of all vnrighteousnesse. sAugustine, de vera & falsa paenitent. cap. 13.Non fit satis quod doleamus, sed ex side doleamus, & non semper doluisse doleamus, & de dolore gaudeamus: Wee must hartily griue for our offences, and grieue for that we grieue no more, and ioy for that we grieue so much.
After such a confession a penitent ought to seeke for an absolution of God, as being faithfull and iust to forgiue vsus our sinnes. Happily some will obiect, God (if wee consider him as iust) is more ready to punish then to pardon, for the tRom. 6.23.wages of sinne is death, and the Church hath taught vsus eueryevery day to pray with the Psalmist, uPsal. 143.2.enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight. For answere to this obiection, I find the word iust, expounded diuersly. xEm. Sa.Somesay God is iust, as being able to iustifie sinners. yCaietan.Other thinke that God is called iust in forgiuing our sinne, because Christ hath paid a iust and sufficient price for the sinnes of the whole, world. zLorin.Other construe iust, here to bee nothing else but a comely thing, or a propertie besitting the goodnesse of God; according to that of aIn pros…log. cap. 9. vbi suauiss. me hac de re multa.Anselme, Iustum est ō Deus, vt parcas malis. And so bAritius.some read, God is faithfull and facile, ready to forgiue. But I follow cCaluin. B…za Zanchius.their Glosse, who thinke that faithfull and iust in this place signifie the same. God is faithfull in his promise, iust in his word to forgiue. Now God saith in his word, d… 1.18.though their sins were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow: though they be red like scarlet, they shall be as wooll. eMat 9.13.I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance: Wherefore come to me all yee that labour, and are laden, and I will ease you: yea that which is more then his word (if any thing can be greater) his oath is, fEzech. 33.11.As I liue saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. Now God euer dealeth with his seruants according to his word, and hauing bound his word with an oath it is due debt, and then it is gLorin.iustice to pay debts: he is faithfull, and therefore can no more deny his promise then himselfe, who saith, at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart. I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance. Wherefore let vsus hHeb. 4.16.boldly come to the throne of grace, let vsus iMat. 5.25.agree with our aduersary quickly while wee are in the way, while wee walke in the light, while it is called kHeb. 3.13.to day, for after this life there is no purgatorie for sinne in another. And let vsus aske not onelyonly some parcell of a pardon, but an absolute absolution, and a plenarie discharge from all vnrighteousnesse.
Larga Dei piet as veniam non dimidiabit. aut …, ant totum (se lachrymante) dabit.