Fifty Sermons, Sermons · Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Preached at a Christning.
1 JOHN 5. 7, 8.
For there are three which beare record in heaven; The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one: And there are three which beare record in the Earth; The Spirit, and the water, and the bloud; and these three agree in one.
IN great and enormous offences, we find that the law, in a well governed State, expressed the punishment upon such a delinquent, in that form, in that curse, Igni & aqua interdicitor; let him have no use of fire, and water, that is, no use of any thing, necessary for the sustentation of life. Beloved, such is the miserable condition of wretched Man, as that we come all into the world under the burden of that curse; Aqua, & igni interdicim…r; we have nothing to doe, naturally, with the spirituall water of life, with the fiery beames of the holy Ghost, till he that hath wrought our restitution from this banishment, restore us to this water, by powring out his owne bloud, and to this lively fire, by laying himselfe a cold, and bloudlesse carcasse in the bowels of the Earth: till he who haptized none with wa…er, direct his Church to doe that office towards us; and he without whom, none was baptized with fire, perfect that Ministeriall worke of his Church with the effectuall seales of his grace; for this is his testimony, the witnesse of his love.
Yea, that law, in cases of such great offences, expressed it selfe in another Malediction, upon such offenders, appliable also to us, Intestabiles sunte, let them be Intestable. Now, this was a sentence, a Condemnation so pregnant, so full of so many heavy afflictions, as that he, who by the law was made intestable, was all these ways intestable: First, he was able to make no Testament of his owne, he had lost all his interest in his owne estate, and in his owne will; Secondly, he could receive no profit by any testament of any other Man, he had lost all the effects of the love, and good disposition of other Men to him; Thirdly, he was Intestable, so, as that he could not testifie, he should not be beleeved in the behalfe of another; and lastly the testimony of another could doe him no good, no Man could be admitted to speake for him. After that first, and heavy curse of Almighty God upon Man, Morte morieris, If thou eate, thou shalt die, and die twice, thou shall die a bodily, thou shalt die a spirituall death (a punishment which no sentence of any law, or law-maker could ever equall, to deterre Men from offending, by threatning to take away their lives twice, and by inflicting a spirituall death eternally upon the Soule,) after we have all incurred that malediction, Morte moriemur, we shall die both death, we cannot thinke to scape any lesse malediction of any law, and therefore we are all Intestabiles we are all intestable, in all these senses, and apprehensions, which we have touched upon.
We can make no testament of our owne; we have no good thing in us to dispose; we have no good inclination, no good disposition, in our Will; we can make no use of anothers testament; not of the double testaments of Almighty God; for in the Old testament, he gives promises of a Messias, but we bring into the world no Faith, to apprehend those promises; and in the New testament, he gives a performance, the Messias is come, but he is communicable to us, no way but by baptisme, and we cannot baptize our selves; we can profit no body else by our testimony, we are not able to endure persecution, for the testimony of Christ, to the edification of others, we are not able to doe such workes, as may shine before Men, to the glorifying of our God. Neither doth the testimony of others doe us any good; for neither the Martyrdome of so many Millions, in the primitive Church, nor the execution of so many judgments of God, in our owne times, doe restifie any thing to our Consciences; neither at the last day, when those Saints of God, whom we have accompanied in the outward worship of God here in the visible Church, shall be called to the right hand, and we detruded to the left, shall they dare to open their mouthes for us, or to testifie of us, or to say, Why Lord, these Men, when they were in the world, did as we did, appeared, and served thee in thy house, as we did, they seem'd to goe the same way that we did upon Earth, why goe they a sinister way now in heaven? We are utterly intestable; we can give nothing; we can take nothing; nothing will be beleeved from us, who are all falshood it selfe; nor can we be releeved by any thing, that any other will say for us. As long, as we are considered under the penalty of that law, this is our case; Interdicti, intestabiles, we are accursed, and so, as that we are intestable.
Now as this great malediction, Morte marieris, in volves all other punishments, (upon whom that falls, all fall) so when our Saviour Christ Jesus hath a purpose to take away that, or the most dangerous part of that, the spirituall death, when he will reverse that judgment, Aqua & igni interdicitur, to make us capable of his water, and his fire; when he will reverse the intestabiles, the inte…ability, and make us able to receive his graces by faith, and declare them by works; then, as he that will reedifie a demolished house, begins not at the top but at the bottome, so Christ Jesus, when he will make this great preparation, this great reedification of mankind, he beginnes at the lowest step, which is, that we may have use of the testimony of others, in our behalfe: and he proceeds strongly, and effectually; he produces three witnesses from heaven, so powerfull, that they will be heard, they will be beleeved; and three witnesses on earth, so neare us, so familiar so domestique as that they will not be denied, they will not be discredited; Three are three that beare Record in heaven, and three that beare record in earth.
Since then Christ Jesus makes us all our owne Iury, able to conceive, and judge upon the Evidence, and testimony of these three heavenly, and three earthly witnesses, let us draw neare, and hearken to the evidence, and consider three things; Testimonium esse. Quid sit, and Qui testes. That God descends to meanes proportionable to Man;Divisio. he affords him witnesse; and secondly, the matter of the proofe, what all these six witnesses testifie, what they establish; Thirdly, the quality, and value of the witnesses, and whether the matter be to be beleeved, for their sakes, and for their reasons. God requires nothing of us, but Testimony: for Martyrdome is but that; A Martyr is but a witnesse. God offers us nothing without testimony: for his Testament, is but a witnesse. Teste ipso, is shrewd evidence; when God says, I will speake, and I will testifie against thee; I am God,Psal. 50. 7. even thy God: when the voice of God testifies against me in mine owne conscience. It is more pregnant evidence then this, when his voice testifies against me in his word, in his Scriptures: The Lord testified against Israel, by all the Prophets and by all the Seers. 2. Reg. 17. 13.When I can never be alone, but that God speakes in me, but speakes against me; when I can never open his booke, but the first sentence mine eye is upon, is a witnesse against me, this is fearfull evidence. But in this text, we are not in that storme, for he hath made us Testabiles, that is, ready to testifie for him, to the effusion of our bloud; and Testabiles, that is, fit to take benefit by the testament, that hee hath made for us, The effusion of his bloud; which is our second branch: what is testified for us, what these witnesses establish.
First then, that which a sinner must be brought to understand, and beleeve,2. Part. Integritas Christi. by the strength of these witnesses, is Integritas Christi; not the Integrity, as it signifies the Innocency of Christ: but integrity, as it signifies Intireness, not as it is Integer vitae, but Integra vita; not as he kept an integrity in his life, but as he onelyonly, is intirely our life. That Christ was a person composed of those two Natures, divine, and humane, whereby he was a fit, and a full satisfaction for all our sinnes, and by death could be our life: for when the Apostle writ this Epistle, it seemes there had been a schisme, not about the Mysticall body of Christ, the Church, but even about the Naturall; that is to say, in the person of Christ, there had been a schisme, a separation of his two natures: for, as we see certainly before the death of this Apostle, that the Heresie of Ebion and of Cerinthus, (which denied the divine nature of Christ) was set on foot, (for against them purposely was the Gospell of Saint Iohn written) so by Epiphanius his ranking of the Heresies, as they arose, where he makes Basilides his Heresie, (which denied that Christ had any naturall body) to be the fourth herefie, and Ebions, to be the tenth, it seemes, that they denied his humanity, before they denied his Divinity. And therefore it is well collected, that this Epistle of Saint Iohn, being written long before his Gospell, was written principally, and purposely against the opposers of Christs humanity, but occasionally also, in defence of his divine nature too. Because there is Solutio Iesu, a dissolving of Jesus, a taking of Jesus in peeces, a dividing of his Natures, or of his Offices, which overthrowes all the testimonies of these six great witnesses when Christ said, Solvite templum hoc, destroy, dissolve this temple, and in three dayes I will raise it, he spoke that but of his naturall body; there was Solutio corporis, Christs body and soule were parted, but there was not Solutio Iesu; the divine nature parted not from the humane, no not in death, but adhered to, and accompanied the soule, even in hell, and accompanied the body in the grave.
And therefore, says the Apostle, Omnis spiritus qui solvit Iesum, ex deo non est; 1 Iohn 4. 3.(for so Irenaeus, and Saint Augustine, and Saint Cyrill with the Grecians, read those words) That spirit which receives not Jesus intirely, which dissolves Jesus and breakes him in peeces, that spirit is not of God. All this then is the subject of this testimony; first that Christ Jesus is come in the flesh;4. 2. (there is a Recognition of his humane nature) And then that this Jesus is the sonne of God;5. 5 (there is a subscription to his divine nature:) he that separates these, and thereby makes him not able, or not willing to satisfie for Man, he that separates his Nature, or he that separates the worke of the Redemption, and says, Christ suffered for us onelyonly as Man, and not as God, or he that separates the manner of the worke, and says that the passive obedience of Christ onelyonly redeemed us, without any respect at all, to his active obedience, onelyonly as he died, and nothing as he died innocently, or he that separates the perfection, and consummation of the worke, from his worke, and findes something to be done by Man himselfe, meritorious to salvation, or he that separates the Prince, and the Subject, Christ and his members, by nourishing Controversies in Religion, when they might be well reconciled, or he that separates himselfe from the body of the Church, and from the communion of Saints, for the fashion of the garments, for the variety of indifferent Ceremonies, all these do Solvere Iesum, they slacken, they dissolve that Jesus, whose bones God provided for, that they should not be broken, whose flesh God provided for, that it should not see Corruption, and whose garments God provided, that they should not bee divided.
There are other luxations, other dislocations, of Jesus, when we displace him for any worldly respect, and prefer preforment before him; there are other woundings of Jesus, in blasphemous oathes, and exerations; there are other maimings of Jesus, in pretending to serve him intirely, and yet retaine one particular beloved sinne still; there are other rackings, and extendings of Jesus when we delay him and his patience to our death-bed, when we stretch the string so farre, that it cracks there, that is, appoint him to come then, and he comes not; there are other dissolutions of Jesus, when men will melt him, and powre him out, and mold him up in a waser Cake, or a peece of bread; there are other annihilations of Jesus when Men will make him, and his Sacraments, to be nothing but bare signes; but all these will be avoided by us, if we be gained by the testimony of these six witnesses to hold fast that integrity, that intirensse of Jesus, which is here delivered to us by this Apostle.
In which we beleeve first I…sum, a Saviour; which implies his love, and his will to save us; and then we beleeve Christum, the anointed, that is God and man, able, and willing to doe this great worke, and that he is anointed, and sealed for that purpose; and this implies the decree, the contract, and bargaine, of acceptation by the Father, that Pactum salis, that eternall covenant which seasons all, by which, that which he meant to doe, as he was Iesus, should be done, as he was Christ. And then as the intirenesse of Jesus is expressed, in the verse before the text, we beleeve, Quod venit, that as all this might be done, if the Father and Sonne would agree, as all this must be done, because they had agreed it, so all this was done, Qu…a venit, because this Jesus is already come; and that, for the father intirenesse, for the perfection, and consummation, and declaration of all, venit per aquam & sanguinem, He came by water, and bloud.
Which words Saint Bernard understands to imply but a difference between the comming of Christ, and the comming of Moses; Bernard.who was drawen out of the water, and therefore called by that name of Moses. But before Moses came to be a leader of the people, he passed through bloud too, through the bloud of the Egyptian, whom he slew; and much more when he established all their bloudy sacrifices, so that Mases came not onelyonly by water. Neither was the first Testament ordained without bloud.Heb. 9. 18. Others understand the words onelyonly to put a difference between Iohn Baptist, and Christ: because Iohn Baptist is still said to baptize with water… Because he should be declared to Israel; therefore am I come, baptizing with water: Iohn 1. 31.but yet Iohn Baptists baptisme had not onelyonly a relation to bloud, but a demonstration of it, when still he pointed to the Lambe, Ecce Agnus, for that Lambe was sl…ine from the beginning of the world. So that Christ, which was this Lambe, came by water, and bloud, when he came, in the risuall types, and figures of Moses; and when he came in the baptisme of Iohn: for in the Law of Moses, there was so frequent use of water, as that we reckon above fifty severall Immunditi as uncleannesses, which might receive their expiation by washing, without being put to their bloudy sacrifies for them: And then there was so frequent use of bloud, that almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud,Heb. 9. 22. and without shedding of bloud, is no Remission, But this was such water, and such bloud, as could not perfect the worke, but therefore was to be renewed every day. The water that Jesus comes by, is such a water, as he that arinketh of it, shall thirst no more; nay there shall spring up in him a well of water; that is, his example shall worke to the satisfaction of others; (we doe not say to a satisfaction for others.) And then this is that bloud, that perfected the whole worke at once, By his own bloud entred he once into the holy place,Heb. 19. 12. and obtained eternall Redemption for us. So that Christ came by water, and bloud, (according to the old ablutions, and old sacrifices) when he wept, when he sweat, when he powred out bloud; pretious, incorruptible, inestimable bloud, at so many channels, as he did, all the while that he was upon the altar, sacrificing himselfe in his passion. But after the immolation of this sacrifice, after his Consummatum est; when Christ was come and gone for so much as belonged to the accomplishing of the types of the old law, then Christ came againe to us by water and bloud, in that wound, which he received upon his side, from which there flowed out miraculously true water, & true bloud. This wound Saint Augustine calls Ianuam utriusque Sacramenti, Augustine.the doore of both sacraments; where we see he acknowledges but two, and both presented in this water, and bloud and so certainely doe most of the fathers, make this wound if not the foundation, yet at least a sacrament of both the sacraments. And to this water and bloud doth the Apostle here, without doubt, aime principally; which he onelyonly of all the Evangelists hath recorded; and with so great asseveration, and assurednesse in the recording thereof, He that saw it bare record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith truth, Iohn 19. 34.that yee might beleeve it. Here then is the matter which these six witnesses must be beleeved in, here is Integritas Iesu, quae non solvenda, the intirenesse of Christ Jesus, which must not be broken, That a Saviour, which is Iesus, appointed to that office, that is Christ, figured in the law, by ablutions of water, and sacrifices of bloud, is come, and hath perfected all those figures in water, and bloud too; and then, that he remaines still with us in water, and bloud, by meanes instituted in his Church, to wash away our uncleannesses, and to purge away our iniquities, and to apply his worke unto our Soules; this is Integritas Iesu, Iesus the sonne of God in heaven, Jesus the Redeemer of man, upon earth, Jesus the head of a Church to apply that to the end, this is Integritas Iesu; all that is to be beleeved of him.
Take thus much more, that when thou comest to hearken what these witnesses shall say to this purpose, thou must finde something in their testimony, to prove him to be come not onelyonly into the world, but into thee; He is a mighty prince, and hath a great traine; millions of ministring spirits attend him, and the whole army of Martyrs follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes: Though the whole world be his Court, thy soule is his bedchamber; there thou maist contract him, there thou maist lodge, and entertaine Integrum Iesum, thy whole Saviour. And never trouble thy selfe, how another shall have him, if thou have him all; leave him, and his Church to that; make thou sure thine owne salvation. When he comes to thee, he comes by water and by bloud; If thy heart, and bowels have not yet melted in compassion of his passion for thy soule, if thine eyes have not yet melted, in tears of repentanc… and contrition, he is not yet come by water into thee; If thou have suffered nothing for sinne, nor found in thy selfe a chearfull disposition to suffer, if thou have found no wresting in thy selfe, no resistance of Concupiscences, he that comes not to set peace, but to kindle this war, is not yet come into thee, by bloud. Christ can come by land, by purchases, by Revenues, by temporall blessings, for so he did still convey himselfe to the Jewes, by the blessing of the land of promise, but here he comes by water, by his owne passion, by his sacraments, by thy tears: Christ can come in a mariage and in Musique, for so he delivers himselfe to the spouse in the Canticles; but here he comes in bloud; which comming in water, and bloud (that is, in meanes for the salvation of our soules, here in the militant Church) is the comming that he stands upon and which includes all the Christian Religion; and therefore he proves that comming to them, by these three great witnesses in heaven, and three in earth. For there are three which beare record in heaven. The Father, the word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three which bear record in the earth; The spirit, and the water, and the bloud, and these three agree in one.
By the mouth of two, or three witnesses every word shall be confirmed, 2 Part. Mat. 18. 16.says Christ out of the law. That's as much as can be required, in any Civill, or Criminall businesse; and yet Christ gives more testimony of himselfe, for here he produces not Duos testes, but Duas Classes; two rankes of witnesses; and the fullest number of each, not two, but three in heaven, and three in earth. And such witnesses upon earth, as are omni exceptione majores, without all exception. It is not the testimony of earthly men; for when Saint Paul produces them in abundance, (The Patriarch, the Iudges, the Prophets, the elders of the old times; of whom he exhibits an exact Catalogue,) yet he calls all them but Nubes testium cloudes of witnesses;Heb. 11. Heb. 12. for though they be cloudes in Saint Chrysostomes sense, (that they invest us, and enwrap us, and so defend us from all diffidence in God,) (we have their witnesse what God did for them, why should we doubt of the like?) though they be cloudes in Athanasius sense, they being in heaven, showre downe by their prayers, the dew of Gods grace upon the Church; Though they be cloudes, they are but cloudes; some darkenesse mingled in them, some controversies arising from them; but his witnesses here, are Lux inaccessibilis, that light, that no eye can attaine to, and Pater Luminum, the father of lights, from whom all these testimonies are derived. When God imployed a man, to be the witnesse of Christ, because men might doubt of his testimony, God was content to assigne him his Compurgators; Mat. 3. 3when Iohn Baptist must preach, that the kingdome of God, was at hand, God fortifies the testimony of his witnesse, then, Hic enim est, for this is he of whom that is spoken by the prophet Esay; Mar.1.2.and lest one were not enough, he multiplies them, as it is written, in the prophets. Iohn Baptist might be thought to testifie as a man, and therefore men must testifie for him; but these witnesses are of a higher nature; these of heaven are the Trinity, and those of earth, are the sacraments and seales of the Church. The prophets were full of favor with God, Abraham full of faith, Stephen full of the Holy Ghost, many full of grace, and Iohn Baptist a prophet, and more then a prophet, yet never any prophet, never any man, how much soever interessed in the favor of Almighty God was such an instrument of grace, as a sacrament or as Gods seales and institutions in his Church: and the least of these six witnesses, is of that nature, and therefore might be beleeved without more witnesses.
To speake then first of the three first,3 In Caelis. the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, it was but a poore plot of the devill, to goe about to rob us, of their testimony; for as long as we have the three last, the spirit, the water, and bloud, we have testimony enough of Christ, because God is involved in his ordinance; and though he be not tyed to the worke of the Sacrament, yet he is always present in it. Yet this plot, the devill had upon the Church: And whereas this first Epistle of Saint Iohn was never doubted to be Canonicall, (whereas both the other have been called into some question) yet in this first Epistle, the first verse of this text, was for a long time removed, or expung'd, whether by malice of Heretiques, or negligence of transcribers. The first Translation of the new testament, (which was into Syriaque) hath not this verse; That which was first called Vulgata editio, had it not, neither hath Luther it in his Germane translation: very many of the Latine Fathers have it not; and some very ancient Greeke Fathers want it, though more ancient then they, have it; for Athanasius in the Councell of Nice cites it, and makes use of it; and Cyprian, beheaded before that Councell, hath it too. But now, he that is one of the witnesses himselfe, the Holy Ghost hath assured the Church, that this verse belongs to the Scripture; and therefore it becomes us to consider thankfully, and reverently, this first ranke of witnesses, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.
The Father then hath testified De integritate Christi, of this intirenesse,Pater. that Christ should be all this and doe all this, which we have spoken of, abundantly: he begunne before Christ was borne; in giving his name,Mat… 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus: for he shall save his people from sin. Well; how shall this person be capable to doe this office of saving his people from sinne? Why, in him say God the father, (in the representation of an Angell)23. shall be fulfilled that prophecy, A virgin shall beare a Sonne, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which is by interpretation God with us: This seemes somewhat an incertaine testimony, of a Man, with an Aliàs dictus, with two names. God says he shall be called Iesus, that the prophecy may be fulfilled which says he shall be called Emanuel: but therein consists, Integritas Christi, this intirenesse; he could not be Jesus, not a Saviour, except he were Emanuel, God with us, God in our nature. Here then is Jesus, a Saviour, a Saviour that is God, and Man, but where is the Testimony De Christo; that he was anointed, and prepared for this sacrifice; that this worke of his was contracted between the Father, and him, and acceptable to him? It is twice testified by the Father; both in Christs act of humiliation, when he would be Baptized by Iohn; when he would accept an ablution, who had no uncleannesse, then God says, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased, Mat. 3. ult.he was well pleased in his person, and he was well pleased, in his act, in his office. And he testifies it againe in his first act of glory, in his transfiguration; where the Father repeates the same words with an addition,Mat. 17.5. Heare him: God is pleased in him, and would have Men pleased in him too. He testified first, onelyonly for Iosephs sak that had entertained, and lodged some scrupulous suspition against his wife, the Blessed Virgine; His second testimony at the baptisme, had a farther extent; for that was for the confirmation of Iohn Baptist, of the preacher himselfe, who was to convey his doctrine to many others; His third testimony in the transfiguration, was larger then the Baptisme; for that satisfied three, and three such as were to carry it farre, Peter, and Iames, and Iohn: All which no doubt made the same use of his testimony, as we see Peter did, who preached out of the strength of his manifestation,2 Pet. 1. 16. we followed not deceivable fables, but with our owne eyes we saw his Majesty; for he received of God the Father, honor, and glory, when there came such a voice to him, from the Excellent glory, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased. But yet the Father gave a more free, a more liberall testimony of him, then this, at his Conception, or Baptisme, or Transfiguration: when upon Christs prayer, Father glorifie thy Name, there came a voice from heaven,Iohn 19. 28. I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe. For this all the people apprehended; some imputed it to Thunder, some to an Angel; but all heard it; and all heard Christs comment upon it, That that voice came not for him, but for their sakes; so that when the Father had testified of a Iesus, a Saviour, and a Christ, a Saviour sent to that purpose, and a Sonne in whom he is pleased, and whom we must heare, when it is said of him, moreover, Gratificavit …s in Dilect…, he hath made us accepted in his beloved,Ephes. 1.6 this is his way of comming in water, and bloud, that is, in the sacraments of the Church, by which we have assurance of being accepted by him; and this is this Integritas Christi, the intirenesse of Christ, testified by our first witnesse, that bears record in heaven. The father.
The second witnesse in heaven, is ver…um, The Word: and that is a welcome message,Verbum, Esa. 9. 8. for it is Christ himselfe: It is not so when the Lord sends a word; The Lord sent a word unto Iacob, and it lighted upon Israel… there the word is a judgement, and an execution of the Judgement: for that word, that signifies, 2 word there, in the same letters exactly signifies, a pestilence, a Calamity; It is a word, and a blow; but the word here, is verbum cara, that Word which for our sakes was made our selves. The word then in this place, is the second person in the Trinity, Christ Iesus, who in this Court of heaven, where there is no corruption, no falsification, no passion, but fair and just proceeding, is admitted to be a witnesse in his owne cause; It is Iesus, that testifies for Iesus now, when he was upon earth, and said, If I should beare witnesse of my selfe, my witnesse were not true, whether we take those words to be spoken, per Co…nlventiam, by an allowance, and concession, (It is not true, that is, I am content that you should not beleeve my witnesse of my selfe to be true) (as Saint Cyrill understand them) or whether we take them, Humana mare, that Christ as a man, acknowledged truely, and as he thought, that inlegall proceeding a mans owne testimony ought not to be beleeved in his owne behalfe, (as Athan…ius and Saint Ambrose understand them) yet Christ might safely say as he did,Iohn 8. 14. Though I beare a record of my selfe, yet my record is true; why? because I know whence I come, and whither I goe. Christ could not be Singularis …stis, a single witnesse… He was alwayes more then one witnesse, because he had alwayes more then …; God and man; and therefore Christ instructing Nicodemus, speakes plurally, we speake, that … know, we testifie that we have seene, and you receive not Testimoni… n…strum, our witnesse… he does not say my witnesse, but ours, because although a singular, yet he was a plurall person too.
His testimony then was credible, but how did he testifie Integritatem, this intirenesse, all that belonged to our faith… All consists in this, that he was Iesus, capable in his nature, to be a Saviour, that he was Christus, ordained, and sent for that office, and then Quod venit, that be was come, and come, in aqus & sanguine, in water and bloud, in sacraments, which might apply him to us. That he was Iesus a person capable, his miracles testified aloud and frequently: that he was Christ, anointed, and sent for that, his reference of all his actions to his Father testified; both these were enwrapped in that, that he was the Sonne of God; and that he professed himselfe upon the earth to be so; for so it appeares plainely, that he had plainely done: We have a law, Iohn 9. 7.say the Jews to Pilate, and by our law, he ought to die, because he made himselfe the Sonne of God. And for the last part, that he came In aqua & sanguine, in water, and bloud, in such meanes, as were to continue in the Church, for our spirituall reparation, and sustentation, he testified that, in preaching so piercing Sermons, in instituting so powerfull Sacraments, in assuring us, that the love of God expressed to mankind in him, extended to all persons,Iohn 3. 16. and all times, God so loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that whoseever beleeveth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. And so the words beare record, De Integritate, of this Intirenesse, of the whole worke of our Redemption: and therefore, Christ is not onelyonly truely called a Martyr, in that sense, as Martyr signifies a witnesse, but he is truly called a Martyr, in that sense, as we use the word ordinarily; for he testified this truth, and suffered for the testimony of it: and therefore he is called Jesus Christ,Apoc. 1. 5. Martyr, a faithfull witnesse. And there is Martyrium, a Martyrdome attributed to him, where it is said, Jesus Christ under Pontius Pilate, witnessed a good confession;Tim. 6. 13. so he was a speaking, and a doing, and a suffering witnesse.
Now for the third witnesse in heaven,Spiritus sanctus. which is the holy Ghost; we may contract our selves in that; for the whole work was his; Before Ioseph and Mary came together, Mat. 1. 18.she was found with Child of the holy Ghost: which (if we take it, as Saint Basil, and divers others of the Fathers doe) that Ioseph found it, by the holy Ghost, that is, the holy Ghost informed him of it, then here the holy Ghost was a witnesse to Ioseph, of this Conception: but we rather take it (as it is most ordinarily taken) that the Angell intimated this to Ioseph, v. 20.That that which was conceived in her, was of the holy Ghost; and then the holy Ghost did so primarily testifie, this decree of God, to send a Iesus, and a Christ, for our Redemption, that himselfe was a blessed and bountifull actor in that Conception, he was conceived by him, by his overshadowing. So that the holy Ghost did not onelyonly testifie his comming, but he brought him: And then, for his comming in Aqua & sanguine, in water and bloud, that is, in Sacraments, in meanes, by which he might be able to make his comming usefull, and appliable to us, first the holy Ghost, was a pregnant witnesse of that, at his Baptisme; for the holy Ghost had told Iohn Baptist before-hand, That upon whomsoever he should descend, and tarry still, that should be he, that should baptize with the holy Ghost: Iohn 1. 31.and then according to those Markes, he did descend, and tarry still upon Christ Iesus, in his baptisme. And after this falling upon him, and tarrying upon him, (which testified his power) in all his life, expressed in his doctrine, and in his Sermons, after his death, and Resurrection, and Ascension, the holy Ghost gave a new testimony, when he fell upon the Apostles in Cloventongues, and made them spirituall channells, in which this water and bloud, the meanes of applying Christ to us, should be convey'd to all Nations; and thus also the third witnesse in heaven, testified De integritate, of this intirenesse of Iesus.
Of these three witnesses then,3. Vnum. which are of heaven, we shall need to adde no more, but that which the text addes, that is, That these three are one; that is, not onelyonly one in Consent, (they all testifie of one point, they all speake to one Intergatory; Ad integritatem Christi, to prove this intirenesse of Christ;) but they are Vnum Essentia, The Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost are all one Godhead, and so meant and intended to be in this place. And therefore as Saint Hierome complained, when some Copies were without this seventh verse, that thereby we had lost a good argument for the unity of the three Persons, because this verse said plainely that the three witnesses were all one, so I am sorry, when I see any of our later expositors deny, that in this place, there is any proofe, of such an unity, but that this Vnum sunt, (They are one) is onelyonly an unity of consent, and not of essence. It is an unthrifty prodigality (howsoever we be abundantly provided with arguments, from other places of Scriptures, to prove this Vnity in Trinity) to cast away so strong an argument, against Iew, and Turke, as is in these words, for that, and for the consubstantiality of Christ, which was the Tempest, and the Earthquake of the Primitive Church, raised by Arius; and his followers then, and (God knowes) not extinguished yet.
Thus much I adde of these three witnesses, that though they be in heaven, their testimony is upon the earth; for they need not to testifie to one another, this matter of Jesus: The Father heares of it every day, by the continuall intercession of Christ Jesus: The Sonne feeles it every day; in his new crucifying by our sinnes, and in the perfecution of his Mysticall body here: The holy Ghost hath a bitter sense of it, in our sinnes against the holy Ghost, and he hath a loving sense of it, in those abundant seas of graces, which flow continually from him upon us; They need no witnesses in heaven; but these three witnesses testifie all this, to our Consciences. And therefore the first author, that is observed to have read, and made use of this seventh verse (which was one of the first Bishops of Rome) he reads the words thus,Higinus. Tres in nobis, there are three in us, which beare witnesse in heaven; they testifie for our sakes, and to establish our assurance, De Integritate Iesu; that Jesus is come, and come with meanes, to save the world, and to save us. And therefore upon these words, Saint Bernard collects thus much more,Bernard. that there are other witnesses in heaven, which restifie this worke of our Redemption, Angels, and Saints, all the Court, all the Quire of heaven testifie it; but catera nobis occults, says he, what all they doe we know not: but (according to the best dispositions here in this world) we acquaint our selves, and we choose to keep company with the best, and so not onelyonly the poore Church s the earth, but every poore soule in the Church, may heare all these three witnesses testifying to him, Integrum Iesum suum, that all, which Christ Jesus hath done, and suffered, appertaines to him: but yet, to bring it nearer him, in visible and sensible things, There are, tres de terra, three upon earth too.
The first of these three upon earth, is the Spirit: Spiritus.which Saint Augustine understands of the spirit, the soule of Christ: for when Christ commended his spirit, into the hands of his Father, this was a testimony, that he was Verus hemo, that he had a soule; and in that he laid downe his spirit, his soule, (for no Man could take it from him) and tooke it againe, at his pleasure, in his resurrection, this was a testimony, that he was Verus Deus, true God; And so says Saint Augustine, Spiritus, The spirit, that is anima Christi, the soule of Christ, did testifie De integritate Iesu, all that belonged to Jesus, as he was God, and as he was Man. But this makes the witnesses in heaven, and the witnesses in earth all one; for the personall testimony of Christs preaching, and living, and dying, the testimony which was given by these three Persons of the Trinity, was all involv'd in the first rank of witnesses: Those three which are in heaven. Other later Men understand by the Spirit here the Spirit of every Regenerate Man; and that in the other heavenly witnesses, the spirit is Spiritus sanctus, the spirit that is holy in it selfe, the holy Ghost, and here it is Spiritus sanctificatus, that spirit of Man, which is made holy by the holy Ghost,Rom. 8. 16. according to that, The same spirit, beareth witnesse, with our spirit, that we are the children of God. But in this sense, it is too particular a witnesse, too singular, to be intended here; for that speakes but to one Man, at once; The spirit therefore here is; Spiritus oris, the word of God, the Gospell; and the preaching, and ministration thereof.2 Cor. 3. 6. Ibid. We are made Ministers of the New testament of the spirit, that giveth life: And if the ministration of death were glorious, how shall not the ministration of the spirit, be more glorious? It is not therefore the Gospell meerly, but the preaching of the Gospell, that is this spirit. Spiritus sacerdotis vehioulum Spiritus Dei; The spirit of the Minister, is not so pure, as the spirit of God, but it is the chariot, the meanes, by which God will enter into you. The Gospell is the Gospell, at home, at your house; and there you doe well to read it, and reverence it, as the Gospell: but yet it is not Spiritus, it is not this Spirit, this first witnesse upon earth, but onelyonly there, where God hath blessed it with his institution, and ordinance, that is, in the preaching thereof. The stewardship, and the dispensation of the graces of God, the directing of his threatnings against refractary, and wilfull sinners, the directing of his promises to simple, and supple, and con…rite penitents, the breaking of the bread, the applying of the Gospell according to their particular indigences, in the preaching thereof, this is the first witnesse.
The second witnesse here is The water, Aqua.and I know there are some Men which will not have this to be understood of the water of Baptisme; but onelyonly of the naturall effect of water; that as the abtutions of the old law, by water did purge us, so we have an inward testimony, that Christ doth likewise wash us cleane; so the water here, must not be so much as water; but a metaphoricall, and figurative water. These men will not allow water, in this place, to have any relation to the sacrament; and Saint Ambrose was so far from doubting that water in this place belonged to the sacrament, that he applies all these three witnesses to the Sacrament of Baptisme: Spiritus mentem renovat, All this is done in Baptisme, says he; The Spirit renewes and disposes the mind; Aqua perficit ad Lavacrum; The water is applied to cleanse the body; Sanguis Spectat ad pre…lium; and the bloud intimates the price, and ransome, which gives force, and virtue to this sacrament: And so also (says he in another place) In sanguine mors, in the bloud there is a representation of death, in the water, of our buriall, and in the spirit, of our owne life. Some will have none of these witnesses on earth to belong to baptisme, not the water; and Ambrose will have all, spirit, and water, and bloud to belong to it.
Now both Saint Ambrose, who applies all the three witnesses to Baptisme, and those later men which deny any of the witnesses to belong to baptisme, doe both depart from the generall acceptation of these words, that water here, and onelyonly that, signifies the Sacrament of baptisme. For as in the first creation, the first thing, that the spirit of God, is noted to have moved upon, was the waters, so the first creature, that is sanctified by Christs institution, to our Salvation, is this element of water. The first thing that produced any living sensible creature was the water; Primus liquor qnod viveret edidit; ne mirum sit quod in Baptismo, aquae a…nimare noverunt; water brought forth the first creatures,Tertullian. says Tertullian; That we should not wonder, that water should bring forth Christians. The first of Gods afficting miracles in Egypt, was the changing of water into bloud; Exod. 3.and the first miracle of grace, in the new Testament, was the changing of water into wine at the mariage. So that water hath still been a subject, and instrument of Gods conversation with man: So then Aqua janua ecclesiae, we cannot come into the Church, but by water, by baptisme: for though the Church have taken knowledge of other Baptismes, (Baptisma sanguinis, which is Martyrdome, and Baptisma Flaminis, which is a religious desire to be baptized when no meanes can be got) yet there is no other sacrament of Baptisme, but Baptisma Fluminis, the Baptisme of water; for the rest, Conveniunt in causando, sed non in significando, says the Schoole; that is, God doth afford a plentifull retribution to the other baptismes Flaminis and Sanguinis, but God hath not ordained them, to be outward seales, and significations of his grace, and to be witnesses of Iesus his comming upon earth, as this water is. And therefore they that provide not duly to bring their children to this water of life, (not to speake of the essentiall necessity thereof) they take from them one of the witnesses, that Iesus is come into them; and (as much as they can) they shut the Church dore against them, they leave them out of the Arke, and for want of this water, cast them into that generall water, which overflowes all the rest of the world, which are not brought within the Covenant, by this water of baptisme. For, though in the first Translation of the new Testament, into Syriaque, that be said in the sixth verse, that Jesus is come per manus aquarum, by the power of waters, many waters, and in this verse, this witnesse is delivered in the plurall, spirit and waters, (and so, waters in that signification, (which signification they have often in the Scriptures) that is, affliction, and tribulation, be good testimonies that our Lord Jesus doth visit us) though the waters of Co…trition, and repentant teares be another good testimony of that too, yet that water, which testifies the presence of Jesus so, as that it doth always infallibly bring Jesus with it, (for the Sacraments are never without Grace) whether it be accepted or no, there it is)… That water which is made equall with the preaching of the Word, (so farre as to be a fellow-witnesse with the Spirit) that is onelyonly the Sacrament of baptisme, without which (in the ordinary dispensation of God) no soule can be surer that Jesus is come to him, then if he had never heard the Word preached; he mistakes the spirit, the first witnesse; if he refuse the water the second.
The third witnesse upon earth,Sanguinis. is bloud: and that is briefly the Communion of the body, and bloud of Iesus, in the Lords Supper. But how is that bloud upon earth? I am not ashamed to confesse, that I know not how, but the bloud of Christ is a witnesse upon earth, in the Sacrament, and therefore, upon the earth it is. Now this Witnesse being made equall with the other two, with preaching, and with baptisme, it is as necessary, that he that will have an assurance… that Iesus is come into him, doe receive this Sacrament, as that he doe heare Serm…n…, and that he be baptized. An over vehement urging of this necessity, brought in an erroneous custome in the Primitive Church: That they would give the Sacrament of the body of Christ to Children, as soon as they were baptized; yea, and to dead man too. But because this Sacrament is accompanied with precepts, which can belong onelyonly to Men of understanding, (for they must doe it in Remembrance, and they must discerne the Lords body) therefore the necessity lies onelyonly upon such, as are come to those graces, and to that understanding. For they that take it, and doe not discerne it, (not know what they do) they take it dangerously. But else, for them, to whom this Sacrament belongs, if they take it not, their hearing of Sermons, and their baptisme doth them no good; for what good can they have done them, if they have not prepared themselves for it? And therefore, as the Religion of the Church holds a stubborne Recusant at the table, at the Communion bord, as farre from her, as a Recusant at the Pew, that is, a Non-communicant as ill, as a not commer, or a not hearer, so I doubt not but the wisdome of the state weighs them in the same balance; For these three agree in one, says the text: that is, first they meet in one Man, and then they testifie the same thing, that is, Integritatem Iesu, that Iesus is come to him in outward Meanes, to save his soule. If his conscience find not this testimony, all these availe him nothing. If we remaine vessells of anger, and of dishonour still, we are under the Vae v…bis Hypocritis: woe unto you Hypocrites, that make cleane onelyonly the outside of your cuppes and Platters. Mat. 25. 23.That baptize, and wash your owne, and your childrens bodies, but not their mindes with instructions. When we shall come to say Docuisti in plateis, we have heard thee preach in our streets, Luke 13. 25.we have continued our hearing of thy Word, when we say Manducavimus coram te, we have eate in thy presence, at thy table, yea Manducavimus t…, we have eaten thee thy selfe,Ibid. yet for all this outward show of these three witnesses, of Spirit, and Water, and bloud, Preaching, and Baptisme and Communion, we shall heare that fearfull disclaiming from Christ Jesus, Nescio vos, I know not whence you are. But these witnesses, he will always heare, if they testifie for us, that Jesus is come unto us; for the Gospell, and the preaching thereof, is as the deed that conveys Iesus unto us; the water, the baptisme, is as the Seale, that assures it; and the bloud, the Sacrament, is the delivery of Christ into us; and this is Integritas Iesu, the entire, and full possession of him.
To this purpose therefore, as we have found a Trinity in heaven, and a Trinity in earth, so we must make it up a Trinity of Trinities, and finde a third Trinity in our selves. God created one Trinity in us; (the observation, and the enumeration is Saint Bernards) which are those three faculties of our soule, the reason, the memory, the will; That Trinity in us, by another Trinity too, (by suggestion towards sin, by delight in sinne, by consent to sinne) is fallen into a third Trinity; The memory into a weaknesse, that that comprehends not God, it glorifies him not for benefits received; The reasen to a blindnesse, that that discernes not what is true; and the will to a perversnesse, that that wishes not what's good; But the goodnesse of God, by these three witnesses on earth regenerates, and reestablishes a new Trinity in us, faith, and hope, and charity; Thus farre that devout Man carries it; And if this new Trinity, faith, and hope, and charity, witnesse to us Integritatem Christi, all the worke of Christ, If my faith testifie to me, that Christ is sealed to my soule; and my hope, testifie, that at the Resurection, I shall have a perfect fruition in soule, and body, of that glory which he purchased for every beleever; and my charity testifies to the world, that I labour to make sure that salvation, by a good life, then there's a Trinity of Trinities, and the six are made nine witnesses: There are three in heaven that testifie that this is done for all Mankinde, Three in the Church that testifie, this may be done for me, and three in my soule, that testifie, that all this is applied to me; and then the verdict, and the Judgement must necessarily goe for me. And beloved, this Judgement will be grounded upon this intirenesse of Jesus, and therefore let me dismisse you with this note, That Integritas is in continuitate, not in contignitate; It is not the touching upon a thing, nor the comming neare to a thing, that makes it intire; a fagot, where the sticks touch, a peece of cloth, where the threds touch, is not intire; To come as neare Christ as we can conveniently, to trie how neare we can bring two Religions together, this is not to preserve Integritatem Iesu: In a word, Intirenesse excludes deficiency, and redundancy, and discontinuance; we preserve not intirenesse, if we preserve not the dignity of Christ, in his Church, and in his discipline, and that excludes the defective Separatist; we doe not preserve that entirenesse if we admit traditions, and additions of Men, in an equality to the word of God, and that excludes the redundant Papist; neither doe we preserve the entirenesse, if we admit a discontinuance, a slumbring of our Religion for a time, and that excludes the temporisers, the Statist, the Politician. And so, beloved, I recommend unto you Integritatem Iesu, Jesus, and his truth, and his whole truth, and this whole Truth, in your whole lives.