Exposition of John, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION Of the GOSPEL OF Jeſus Chriſt ACCORDING TO JOHN.
BY GEO. HUTCHESON MINISTER of the GOSPEL at EDENBURGH.
LONDON, Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange. 1657.
CHRISTIAN READER,
THe love and care of God for his Church and people, is very much ſeen, not only in raiſing up variety of Miniſters from time to time for their benefit, but alſo in the variety of gifts, which he giveth to thoſe whom he raiſeth up. To one is given by the Spirit, the word of wiſdom; 1 Cor. 12.8, 9, 10.to another the word of knowledge, by the ſame Spirit; to another faith, by the ſame Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing by the ſame Spirit; to another the works of Miracles; to another Propheſie; to another diſcerning of ſpirits; to another divers kindes of tongues; To another Interpretation of tongues, &c. And all theſe diverſities of gifts are given by the Spirit to every man, 1 Cor. 12.7foreign, to profit withal. The Greek word is (as ſome think) a Metaphor taken from Bees, Mr. Trapp.who bring all the honey they can get to the common Hive. We are neither borne, nor borne again for our ſelves. If we be not fit to ſerve the body (as the ſame Authour ſaith) neither are we fit to be of the body. He is not a Saint that ſeeketh not communion of Saints. Pudeat illos qui ita in ſtudiis ſe abdiderunt, ut ad vitam communem nullum fructum ferre poſſint, Paulúm ſepultae diſtatinertiae caelata, virtus. Hor.ſaith Cicero. They may wel be aſhamed that employ not their Talents for a publick good.
To our Reverend Brother (the Authour of the enſuing book) God hath given an excellent and a peculiar gift, whereby he is enabled in a very ſhort, and yet ſubſtantial way, to give the ſence and meaning of a Text, and to gather ſuitable, proper, and profitable Obſervations out of it for the help of weak Chriſtians. This gift he hath already manifeſted in his Expoſition of the Leſser Prophets, which hath been received and entertained by the Church of God, with much approbation and ſpiritual edification. This hath encouraged him to make a new attempt in the ſame kind, and to publiſh a brief Expoſition of the whole Goſpel of Saint John. This Apoſtle and Evangeliſt was one whom Chriſt loved eximiè & ſingulariter. He was the delights of Ieſus Chriſt, his Benjamin, his Iedidiah; therefore he is called, The diſciple whom Chriſt loved. And as Chriſt loved him above others, ſo he loved Chriſt more then others did,Joh. 19.26 for he ſtood by the Croſse when all the other diſciples left him, and fled away for fear. This bleſſed Divine (as he is called) wrote the Goſpel after the other three Evangeliſts,Rev. 1. in the Inſcription, foreign. In Chriſtiani nominis ſolatium poſt ſe reliquit tanquam pretioſiſſimum theſaurum & foreign omnibus mundi gazis non aeſtimandum. and left it to the Church as a moſt precious treaſure to be preferred (as Luther ſaith) above thouſands of gold and ſilver. Upon this Goſpel you have the accurate, elaborate and profitable paines of this religious and learned Author. The Lord bleſſe them, and grant they may finde acceptance with his people, and may cauſe many thankſgivings to God for the benefit reap't by reading of them. So prayeth
Thy Servant in the work of the Miniſtry, EDM. CALAMY.
To the Right Honourable and Noble Ladies, The Lady Margaret Leſly, late Counteſſe of Buccleuch, now Counteſſe of Weems Lady Elcho, &c. AND The Lady Mary Scot, Counteſſe of Buccleuch, Lady Scot of Whitcheſter, &c. her hopeful Daughter. Grace, mercy, and peace, through Jeſus Chriſt, be multiplied.
Right Honourable,
IT hath been of old fore-propheſied that in the perillous latter times there ſhould be many murmurers and complainers (Jude v. 16.) who are ſeldome, if at all, ſatisfied with their lot, and with the diſpenſations of God toward them; And that becauſe (as is there added) they walk after their own luſts, and ſo cannot but quarrel what doth croſſe them in that woful courſe, and complaine of their beſt and moſt uſeful enjoyments, if they finde not that ſatisfaction which they luſt after, in them: And we, in our times, have but too many ſad experiences of diſtempers of this kinde; evidencing the corrupt frame of our hearts, and our great diſtance from God occaſioning theſe diſtempers. But right diſcerners will judge otherwiſe of the Lords dealing. They will ſubmit unto, and acknowledge mercy in what is profitable; though it be not pleaſant, but grievous. They will read and acknowledge mercy in what they feele and ſuffer, when they conſider how much more they deſerve: and, They will admire the mercies which are remembred and continued with them in the midſt of wrath. Humility as it is a ſafe grace; and layeth a man low, beneath the violent blaſts which ſhake the lofty Cedars; So it is free of that unthankfulneſſe wherewith pride is attended and plagued, 2 Tim. 3.2. And in particular, True grace and humility will teach men to covet earneſtly after the beſt things, and to prize them, and bleſſe themſelves in the enjoyment thereof, though otherwiſe their condition be ſad and grievous. And indeed, if men under affliction, ought to enquire after, and eſteeme of God becauſe he hath endowed them with reaſonable ſouls, and teacheth them more then the beaſts of the earth, and maketh them wiſer then the fowles of heaven, Job 35.9, 10, 11. How much more ought they to prize the more ſpecial mercies of God continued with them? And eſpecially, that in the holy Scriptures he afords unto them the means of knowing themſelves, and an offer of Chriſt, with all the conſolations flowing from him, and an intereſt in him, and directions how to apply and improve the ſame in all caſes? Though this be the great and choice mercy aforded to the world, Pſal. 147.19, 20. and to be eſteemed of above thouſands of gold and ſilver, Pſal. 119.72. as being able to make us wiſe unto ſalvation, and containing matter of ſongs in the houſe of our pilgrimage; Yet it is not the ſimple enjoyment of this mercy, nor any pretence of an eſtimation thereof, that can prove a people bleſſed, unleſſe in practice they labour to emprove the mercy, and do make uſe thereof as a glaſſe wherein to behold and know themſelves what they are, and be invited thereby to embrace and cloſe with Chriſt revealed therein, upon his own termes, and do ſtudy dayly to teſtifie their ſubjection to God ſpeaking in his Word, by ſetting it before them as the rule of their converſation, and to rejoyce in the conſolations thereof over all their ſorrows, bleſſing the Lord daily for the continuance thereof with them, though he ſtrip them of other things. And here, there is but too juſt cauſe of regrate, that though our day be ſhort, our journey long, and our way clear; Yet the generality of the viſible Church and profeſſors, are either idle, or out of their way, and in their greateſt throng, are but labouring in the very ſire for vanity. If we look upon the moſt part of thoſe, we will finde that, being ignorant of their true good, or not giving credit to what is revealed in the Word concerning it, they do ſpend their ſtrength in ſeeking after any good, yea, or any ſhew of it, that hereby they may deceive and full themſelves aſleep, and take the beſt courſe they can to skin over theſe wounds, grievances and diſcontents, which do attend miſerable and fallen man, the perfect cure whereof is onelyonly to be found in Jeſus Chriſt; And that, by ſeeking more then is to be expected in and from the creature, they do not onelyonly miſſe of their aime, but deprive themſelves of that good they might finde in the right uſe of the good creatures of God, all the dayes of their life. But it may further be regrated, that the abuſe of this mercy is more univerſal then that onelyonly ſuch ſhould be charged with it; Sad experience doth teſtifie how truly the Apoſtle did give warning, that in the laſt dayes, vileſt abominations ſhould mask themſelves under a forme of godlineſſe, denying the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and ſince the profeſſion of Religion hath been in any reputation among us, how frequently do we find men make uſe of a pretence of piety to render their vileſt errors plauſible; Yea, to carry on their ſelfiſh and carnal deſignes? Whence it is come to paſſe, that innocent and lovely holineſſe ſuffers for their ſake, and the Name of God is blaſphemed, and holineſſe ſo generally ſtumbled at, through them. Beſide, If we look upon thoſe who fear God indeed, How ſadly may it be lamented that they are idle, and turned off from their great work, to needleſſe diverſions and diſtractions? And among thoſe who are moſt buſie, How few are to be found who follow a right method in their walking? Many do covet more after what is adorning, then after what is ſaving; Some do earneſtly deſire after ſatisfaction to their ſenſe in the wayes of God, without acquainting themſelves with the ſolid way of living by faith: Some do habituate themſelves to a trade of diſcouragements; under which, after they have wreſtled awhile with anxieties and bitterneſſe; they fall faſter aſleep in ſecurity, then if they had a Delilah in their boſome. And generally, That Summary deſcription of a Goſpel way held out by the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.3. is but the practice of very few. Men do not worſhip God in the Spirit, becauſe they learn not to rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus; and this they ſtudy not becauſe they are not put from all confidence in the fleſh, or, in any thing beſide Chriſt. And if they would begin at having no confidence in the fleſh, and look upon their being emptied of all things as a …all not onelyonly to cloſe with, but, to rejoyce in Chriſt and his imputed righteouſneſſe; they would finde vertue flowing from him daily, to enable them to worſhip God in a lively and ſpiritual way, and to order their converſation as becometh the Goſpel.
As theſe conſiderations ſerve exceedingly to commend the patience and long-ſuffering of God, who hath not removed his Candleſtick from us, notwithſtanding our not walking in the light, and our abuſe of corrections, which have been ſent to chaſten us, for not entertaining the offer of ſalvation, and to quicken us in our Chriſtian courſe: And as they ought to excite all, in their ſtations, to mourn before the Lord, and to ſtand in the gap to make up the breach; and Miniſters in particular, to be inſtant in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, if ſo be there may yet be a returning to him who ſmiteth, and we may become an afflicted and poor people truſting in the name of the Lord, and he may delight in us, and call us Hephzi-bah, and our Land Beulah: So it alſo hath prevailed with me to contribute my mite in this publick way (beſide my ordinary weak travels in my charge) and to make offer of this Expoſition on that rich Treaſure of the Goſpel written by John. A ſubject (though handled by me briefly, and in much weakneſſe) full of the ſubſtance and marrow of Religion, tending (as John himſelf giveth an account of his ſcope in it, Chap 20. 31,) to point out Chriſt the true remedy for ſinne, in his perſon, and offices, and to direct us how to attaine ſalvation through faith in him. Which being to come to publick view, I have made bold to preſent it to the world under your Honourable Names, and to joyne you together in this Dedication, whom God hath conjoyned in the ſtrict bond of nature; which is daily confirmed by that mutual reſpect, tenderneſſe and affection, which You bear one toward the other.
It is not much my way, and I know Your Honours do not expect it, that I ſhould ſtuffe this Application with large commendations of You, or with acknowledgments of your reſpects to my ſelf, and Your kindneſſes towards others of my Relations. My great ſcope in it is; As to encourage You in the good way wherein both Your Honours are engaged in Your ſeveral meaſures: So to excite and engage You yet more to emprove Your eminency (as You are or may be capable of this ſervice) for the advancement of Chriſts intereſts in this back-ſliding and degenerate time. Not that Chriſt needeth any ſuch help, who by weak things can confound the mighty, and by things that are not, bring to naught things that are. But that it is Your own true honour and intereſt, not to be among thoſe Nobles of Tekoa, who put not their necks to the work of the Lord; but to ſubject Your ſelves unto him, and lay out Your ſelves, in Your ſtations, for promoving his Kingdome, and the advancement of piety and the work of the Goſpel. As for your Honour, my Lady Weems, all the lovers of Chriſt in Scotland do with thankfulneſſe remember their obligations to Your late Father, The Right Honourable Earle of Rothes, of precious memory, whom the Lord raiſed up to be a prime Inſtrument in the late Reformation, and who ſpent himſelf, till his laſt breath, in that publick ſervice. And thoſe who know Your Ladiſhip beſt, will bear witneſſe that you have endeavoured, in your Sphere, to trace his ſteps, not onelyonly in Your private and ſecret practice, but in your open countenancing and encouraging of godlineſſe, and honeſt Miniſters of the Goſpel, at all occaſions: Wherein I truſt You ſhall be helped to perſevere and abound unto the end. Your Honour hath received many favours from the Lord, particularly; that he hath made you a joyful Mother of children, who are (the Lord continuing their life, for which I pray) to ſucceed in ſeveral Honourable families of the Land, beſide thoſe of them who are, or may be placed in other families, by marriage: Which, I doubt not, You look upon as a ſtrong obligation to lay forth Your ſelf that they may prove friends to truth and piety in their ſtation and generation. In ſubſerviency whereunto, I have preſented this piece to your Ladiſhip, as containing a brief hint at many of theſe precious truths which are neceſſary to ſalvation, and uſeful to be inculcate upon theſe who minde the way to heaven. And for Your Honour, My Lady Beuccleuch, Albeit, by reaſon of your young and tender years, many of theſe truths here preſented may tranſcend your capacity for preſent; yet as your grave, prudent, and ſweet diſpoſition and behaviour, your oppoſition to profanity, and reſpect to the Sabbath-day, and your careful obſervance of ſuch duties of Religion as your tender age is capable of, do much refreſh thoſe who are concerned in you, and converſe with you; (as being things not uſual in ſo tender an age; eſpecially in one who wants not ſufficient baits of worldly advantages and contentments to divert you) and do give good ground of hope, that if the Lord continue you, ye ſhall prove an ornament to your dignity and ſtation: So it hath engaged me to prefix your name alſo to this piece, as an incitement to you to proceed in that good courſe; and that your Ladiſhip may have an help ready at hand, from whence, as ye grow up, ye may drink in that ſound doctrine which is according to godlineſſe.
Now that the Lord himſelf may bleſſe you both, in all your relations and concernments, may continue you long togther, may make you a bleſſing to each other, and may bleſſe this and the like means unto you, for your furtherance in faith and godlineſſe, till ye come to your eternal reſt, is the hearty prayer of
Your Honours obliged ſervant in the Goſpel, GEORGE HƲTCHESON.