First Epistle of John Applied Part 2, Sermon 1

First Epistle of John Applied Part 2 · Sermon 1

p. 1THE FIRST Epistle General OF S^t. IOHN.SERM. 1.

HISTORY, PROPHECY, and DOCTRINE, Junil. in Bibl. pat. T. 1.are the three Channels in which run the Streames of Sacred Writ, from whence ariseth the division of its BOOKES into Historical, Prophetical, and Doctrinal: Not, but that all the Bookes of Scripture are Doctrinal, in which respect the Apostle saith, it is profitable for Doctrine; but,2 Tim. 3.16.2 Tim 3:16 because some Books are chiefly concerned in narrations of things past, others in the predictions of things to come; and some are chiefly, if not only, conversant about Dogmatical Truths, and Practical Precepts, they are not unfitly thus distinguished. Of this latter sort are the Epistolary Writings, and therefore in this regard the fittest to be discussed among the people; The Prophetical Books are most congruous to p. 2the Schooles, but the Doctrinal most suitable to the Pulpit; those for exercising the Learned, these for feeding the Vulgar. Upon this account I have made choice of an Epistle, and in particular, (not without serious and mature deliberation, nor yet (I hope) without the blessed Spirits instigation) of this First Epistle General of S. JOHN to be the subject of my Postmeridian discourses.

If any shall be inquisitive to know why among all the Epistles of the Holy Apostles I have pitched my thoughts upon this, I shall returne this threefold answer, which as a threefold cord, (and that saith Solomon is not easily broken, Eccles. 4.12.Eccl 4:12) enduced me to this Work.

1One, (though indeed the least) is that I finde not any English Expositor upon it, nor yet many among the Latine, except those who have undertaken Comments upon all the Epistles, whereas either in Latine or English, or both, I finde several excellent Interpreters upon each of the rest: and truly, I shall esteem it an high honour conferred upon me by my God, if, through his gracious enablement by a (though imperfect) dilucidation of this Epistle, I may cast a Mite into the Churches-Treasury.

2A second and more perswading reason is the congruency of it to the age wherein we now live, since there is the same occasion (as to general, if not particular considerations) now given to Ministers of handling, which St. John had then of writing this Epistle.

To clear this you may be pleased to know, that there were two sorts of men in St. Johns dayes, to wit, Antichristian-Hereticks, and Carnal-Gospellers, those expressely denied the fundamentalls of Christian Religion, these whilest they had Divine phrases, seraphical expressions flowing from their lips, were sensual and diabolical in their lives, talking of Communion with God, dwelling in God, knowing the truth, and what not? and yet practising envy, malice, hatred, and all uncharitablenesse p. 3in their actions, against both these this Boanerges (for so he with his brother James are called by Christ, Mark 3.17.Mark 3:17) thundereth, and accordingly (as appeareth by the several Chapters,) his Scope is double in this Epistle.

1. To warne the Orthodox that they were not withdrawn from their Christian profession by the wiles of Hereticks, this our Apostle himself expresseth to be one special end of his writing, where he saith,1 John 2.26.1 John 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you. Indeed wherein can the shepherd more expresse the care of his flock, then in keeping off the wolves; a Minister of his charge, then in arming them against Hereticks:Nemo non & lectu dignam & scitu necessariam hanc Epistolam judicare possit maximè hisce temporibus quae haereses & schismata cum magno Ecclesiae detrimento invexerunt. Fer. proaem. in Epist. Joh. And is there not as great need in this age as ever of such a caution, wherein such a multitude of deceivers swarme to the endangering of ignorant and unstable Christians.

2. To perswade in general a practise agreeable to Christian profession, in reference to which he saith,Cap. 2.1.3.11. These things I write to you, that you sin not, Sanctus Judas totus est in fide Orthodoxâ, Jacobus in oratione & patientia, Petrus in sanctitate, & Johannes in charitate fidelibus commendandâ. Lap. proaem. in Ep. Cathol. Succendi cor nostrum in igne charitatis quaerimus Johannis verba pensemus cujus omne quod loquitur charitatis igne vaporatur. Greg. Hom. 13. in Ezek. In ipsâ Epistolâ satis dulci & satis memorabili maximè charitas commenda…ur. Aug. Expos. in hanc Epist.and in special the practise of that most truly Christian-grace, Love, which therefore he calleth the message from the beginning. It is observed of precious stones, that each of them hath a several and peculiar excellency, the like is taken notice of in sacred Bookes, and the splendour of this is, that it is much conversant in describing and prescribing the grace of charity. For this reason St. Gregory adviseth those who would be enflamed with this heavenly sire to read St. John. whose words are altogether as it were colour'd with love. And St. Augustine taking notice of this, affirmeth that Charity is the chief thing commended by Saint John in this Epistle. And can any admonition be more p. 4seasonable to this licentious and malicious Generation? That prediction of our Saviour, The love of many shall waxe cold, Matth. 24.1, 2. id. ibid.Matt 24:1Matt 24:2was never more verified then in these dayes. The best of us need this advice, as oleum in flamma, oyle to nourish and increase the flame, and the most as flamma ad fomitem, a coal fetched from the Altar to kindle, or recover this fire in us. Indeed canting-language, affected formes of Religious-speech were never more in use, but the reality of a Christian and charitable conversation was never lesse in fashion. And if as without doubt that of Solomon be true, a word spoken in due season, Pro. 15.23.Prov 15:23how good is it, The discussing of this Epistle which was written for these ends so neerly concerning us, cannot but be profitable for, and so acceptable to us. But,

3. Lastly, the chief argument (which incited me to this undertaking) is the comprehensive excellency and utility of the matter contained in this Epistle. Hieron. Epistol. ad Paulin.St. Hierome speaking of all the Catholick Epistles, calls them breves pariter & longas, breves verbis, long as sententiis; Short, and yet long, short in phrase, but long in sence. This is singularly true of this Epistle, which as in situation it is the middle, so for matter the fullest of them all, at once enriched with weight of matter and elegancy of words,Mediam tenet in septem quasi honoratiorem catholicis locum. Lor. in loc. in which respect Lorinus is bold to say, no other Epistle is more divine then this of him who is by the Church called the Divine.

The truth is, a world of heavenly matter is contained in this little Map, which that it may the better appear,Ausim ipse dicere nullam hac Epistola magis theologicam. id. ibid. give me leave in few words to delineate it before you.

The Globe of Divinity parts it self into two hemispheres, to wit, credenda & agenda, the things we are to know and believe, and the things we are to do and performe; both which are here described, and therefore those two words foreign & foreign at the second ver. of p. 5the first Chap. are by Justinian considered as referring to those two heads,Videtur Apostolus du…bus hisce verbis dupraecipua Christianae Religio…is capita indica…e voluisse &c. …. in …. Joh. Epi…. 1. the bearing witnesse to matters of faith, and the showing, or declaring to matters of practise.

Out of this Epistle we may gather an abstract of the things to be known, and that concerning God, our selves, and Christ.

1. Concerning God we may hence be instructed in his nature, attributes and persons, as to his Nature, that he is light, and in him no darkness; his Attributes, that he is faithful, just, holy, righteous, pure, invisible, Chap. 1.5, 9.2.20, 29.3.3, & 20.4.8, 12.5.7.knowing all things, and love it self; The Persons, that there are three which bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

2. Concerning our selves we may here learn what we are by nature, namely lying in wickednesse, what we are by grace, to wit, borne of God, Chap. 5.19.3.9, & 3.and what we shall be in glory, like to him seeing him as he is.

3. Concerning Christ, we have him here characterized in his natures, offices, acts, and benefits.

1. In respect of his natures, he is as to his Deity called true God, Chap. 5.20.4 9.1.1.and yet more distinctly with reference to his personallity, the only begotten Son of God; as to his humanity, he is said to be sent into the world, and so truly man, that he was seen, heard, and handled by the Apostles.

2. As to his offices, he is here asserted in general to be the Christ, and so annointed to those offices,Chap. 5.1.3.5, 8.2.2, 27. and in particular as Priest, to take away sin, to be the propitiation for our sins, and our Advocate with the Father; as Prophet by his Spirit to teach us all things, and as a King, to destroy the works of the devil.

3. Most of his Mediatorial acts are here specified, his Incarnation, where he is said to come in the flesh, Passion, Chap. 4.3.3.16.5.11.2.2.2.28.4.17.in that he layeth down his life for us, his Resurrection, in as much as eternal life is said to be in him, and his Ascension, and Intercession, because he is affirmed to be an Advocate p. 6with the Father, and his coming again in the day of judgement to appear as Judge of the world.

4. Lastly, we need not go further then this Epistle to meet with those benefits we obtaine by him,Chap. 3.24.4.15.1.3.2.12.3.1.5.6.2.25. in that he giveth his Spirit to us, whereby we dwelling in him, and he in us, have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ; and by vertue of this forgivenesse of our sins for his Names sake adoption, whereby we are called the sons of God. Finally, Justification by blood, Sanctification by water and eternal life.

2. Nor are only doctrines of faith, but rules of practice deducible from this Epistle.

1. Would we know what to avoid, this Book teacheth us in general to eschew all sin, Chap. 3.4, 8.2.15▪ 3.12, 15.5.16, 20.both describing what it is, a transgression of the Law, and dehorting us from the commission of it, in particular to expell the love of the world, to abandon hatred, malice and envy, to keep our selves from Idols, and especially to beware of the sin unto death.

2. Would we be instructed what we are to put in practise in this Epistle? we are called upon to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ, Chap. 3.22, 23.3.17, 7.5.1, 3.14.2.1.1.9▪ 15.2.4, 16.6.28 4.6.to love God who hath begotten us, and to love those who are begotten of him, to have the hope of glory fixed in us, to declare our repentance by confessing our sins, and purifying our selves, to overcome the wicked one and the world, to conquer the lusts of the flesh, to walk as Christ walked, by imitation of him, and to abide in him by perseverance, to hear the Word preached by the Ministers of Christ, to aske the things we want according to his will, to open bowels of compassion, and distribute our worldly goods to our needy brethren, finally to do righteousnesse, keep Gods commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.

In few words, there are many golden Threes in Theology, which I finde scattered up and down in this Epistle, and being put together, must needs much ennoble it in our estimation.

p. 7The three persons in the sacred Deity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, their Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity.

The three-fold state of man, to wit, deformed, reformed, and transformed, corrupt, regenerate, and glorified.

The three-fold coming of Christ, in the flesh, by his Spirit, and at the day of judgement.

Those three grand enemies of mans salvation, the flesh, world, and the devil.

The three Theological graces, Faith, Hope and Charity.

The three principal duties of Religion, Prayer, Hearing and Almes, are plainly set before us in this parcel of Holy Writ.

Nay, yet once more, Those three things which every Christian man ought to be acquainted with for his souls health, to wit, the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, are here at least summarily comprized.

Our blessed Saviour telleth us the whole Law is reducible to these two great Commandments, the love of God, and our neighbour, both which are here amply taught us.

The Lords Prayer is intimated, in that we must aske according to Gods will, which cannot be unlesse according to that patterne; yea, in that we are called sonnes of God, it teacheth us to cry Our Father, and that chief Petition in it, Forgive us our sins is once and again inculcated.

Finally, if you please, we may out of this Epistle, compile a Creed not much unlike that of the Apostles, (no lesse justly then commonly heretofore received amongst us, though now almost forgotten by us,) in these or the like words. I believe in God the Father, invisible, just, holy, pure and faithful, who knoweth all things, (and is no lesse Almighty to do all things,) who is p. 8love it self, whereby he vouchsafed to make the heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, who came in the flesh, (to wit, by being conceived of the Holy Ghost, and borne of the Virgin Mary,) and laid down his life for us, (being crucified, dead, and buried,) and having life in himselfe, (rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven, where he sitteth at Gods right hand,) is our Advocate with the Father, and at that day of judgment shall come and appear again, (to wit, to judge the quick and dead.) I believe in the Holy Ghost, the fellowship or communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.

By this time you cannot but see (beloved,) what a body of divinity, what a treasury of spiritual knowledge this Epistle is,Fer. proaem. well might F…rus say, Ipsam Evangelicae Doctrinae summam brevissimam complectitur, the summe of Evangelical Doctrine, is succinctly and yet distinctly comprehended in it; and now me thinketh every one is ready to say with that Father,Tertul. adver. Hermog. cap. 22. Adoro plenitudinem sacrae Scriptura: I adore and admire the fulnesse of Holy Scripture, wherein every drop is as it were a rivulet, every rivulet a great river, and river an Ocean: every branch a tree, every tree an orchard, an orchard a field: I mean every Verse as it were a Chapter, every Chapter an Epistle, every Epistle a Volumne, for the abundance of precious truths contained in them; and yet more particularly by these considerations sufficient reason cannot but appear, as for my discussion so your attention, and thus this discourse serveth to make way for the following.

But before I begin, I have one request to make to you, and that from my very soule, that as (I hope) you have not, are not, so you will not be wanting in your requests to God for me, and what you should aske for me, I shall not go out of this Epistle to tell you, even that unction from the Holy One, whereby we may know all things, that anoynting which teacheth us all things, and is truth and no lie, Chap. 2.20, 26.Let this be the matter of your prayer, both for p. 9me, & for your selves, that it may teach me how to expound, & apply, you how to hear & receive, both you & me how to understand and obey the sacred saving truths which are delivered to us in this First General Epistle of St JOHN.

I shall not at this time enter upon the Epistle it self, only in a few words take notice of the Title which is prefixed, wherein we have two things considerable: Namely,

The p…nman John, and the writing which is set down: for the nature of it, to be an Epistle: for the order, the first: and for the extent of it, a general Epistle.

First, The Epistle is asserted to be St. JOHNS.

Indeed we do not finde him setting down his Name in any part of the Epistle, the other Apostles are express in this particular. Iames and Peter, and Iude, and Paul in all Epistles, except that to the Hebrewes; but Saint IOHN in this Epistle is altogether silent, in the other two he only giveth himself the common title of an Elder: when he hath any occasion to mention himself in his Gospel, and that in things much tending to his dignity, it is done in a third person by way of circumlocution, only in his Apocalypse he specifieth his Name, Rev. 1.4.Rev 1:4but that without any addition of honour or dignity.

It lets us see in general the humility of this holy Apostle, who thought so meanly of himself, that he accounts himself not worth the naming. Indeed on the one hand, (though its often too true of many, who arrogantly affect to blazon their own names and titles,) we are not to imagine that when the other Apostles prefixe their nam…s, and most of them their high calling, that it is done out of vain glory; But on the other hand,foreign idem quod foreign nomen compositum ex foreign et foreign gratia Pass. Lex. we may justly conclude it a testimony of great humility in this Apostle, that he suppresseth his Name, his Office by silence. Thus whilest he was high in Christs, he became lowly in his own eyes▪ whilest he was rich in grace (his ve…y Name carrying as it were grace, as Benjamines sack did money in its mou…h,) he was poor in spirit, scarce p. 10thinking himself worthy of a name. Oh let us learn by his pattern not to affect our own praises, nor speak high things of our selves, ever remembring, that as artis est celare artem, it is an art to conceal our art, so to neglect our own names and honour, is the best way to true honour and a good name.

Besides this notion of humility, it may further be conceived, and not improbably, that this concealment of his Name was an act of prudence, especially considering the time when it is most rationally conjectured to be written, to wit, (as the learned English Annotatour hath observed to my hand,Dr. Ham.) not long before the destruction of Ierusalem, when as the Church was under a sharp persecution, (occasioned no doubt by those many Antichrists then arising,) in which S. IOHN was peculiarly involved; yea, of which he warneth those to whom he writeth, and therefore wisely forbeareth to publish his Name, which might have been prejudicial to him. There is no doubt a policy consistent with piety; which as all Christians, so Ministers may use in persecuting times. It was that our Saviour at least allowed his Disciples, Matth. 10.16.Matt 10:16to be wise as serpents, with this caution, that they were innocent as Doves; and sure it is no injury to truth and innocency, if a man, a Minister in prudence, with-hold the publication of his name, to prevent his enemies malice.Aug. de doctr. Christ. l. 2. c. 8▪ Euseb. Eccles. hist. l 7. c. 20.

But whether these or any other were the reasons of S. IOHN's silencing his Name, yet it is without controversie, that he was the Penman; and indeed as Dionysius Alexandrinus hath not unfitly observed The Gospel and the Epistle are so concordant, often using the same phrases, that he who penned the one, must be acknowledged as the writer of the other.

But I shall not need to prove what all Christians grant, only it will not be amisse in a few words to give you a character concerning this sacred Amanuensis.

p. 11Though in one Greek Copy I finde only foreign, The Epistle of St. IOHN, yet the most read the title foreign, The Epistle of IOHN the Apostle, whereby it appeareth, that the Penman of the Epistle was not an ordinary Saint, and so a member of, but an officer, yea, dignified with the highest office in the Christian Church: for so we finde S. Paul in his enumeration, beginning with Apostles as the most divine order; and yet more then so,Eph. 4.11.Eph 4:11 this Apostle IOHN was not only one of the twelve, but one of the three whom Christ honoured so far,Luke 8.57. Math. 17.12.26.37. Gal. 2.9.Luke 8:57Matt 17:12Matt 17:26Matt 17:37Gal 2:9 as to be witnesses of his miracle in raising the Rulers daughter, Spectatours of his glorious transfiguration on the mount, and his associates in the garden when he laboured under that sore agony, and whom S. Paul mentioneth as pillars of the Church; yea, one of the two whom Christ sent to prepare the Passeover for him and his Disciples to eat:Luke 22.8. Joh. 19.26.13.23.24.Luke 22:8John 19:26John 19:13John 19:23John 19:24 And yet to go one step higher, there were some prerogatives with which this Apostle was invested above any of the rest. To him it was above all the other, Christ at his death upon the Crosse commended the care of his mother; Him it was whom Christ admitted so neer, as to lean on his bosome, Aug. in. Joh. tr. 61. Joannes cum caput suum supra pectus Jesu domini reclinaret, hauriebat profunda▪ secreta sapientiae. Ambros. in Ps. 118. octo…. 2. Joannes et Apostolus et Evangelista et propheta &c. Hier. contr. Jovin. l. 1. Math. 3.17.Ps 118Matt 3:17being therefore called the Disciple whom Iesus loved, and to whom even Peter beckoned that he should aske Christ concerning him that should betray him. quod majus dare potuit Majoris dilectionis indicium? Christ could not give a higher testimony of his affection towards him, then by taking him into his bosome; no wonder if lying at such breasts, he did thence suck spiritual wisdome, and drinke the nectar of Divine Mysteries, whereof he became at once an Evangelist in his Gospel, a Prophet in his Revelation, an Apostle in his Epistles.

And surely the consideration of the person should make us so much the more in love with the Epistle, me thinketh as God saith to us concerning Christ, who was in his bosome, This is my well beloved Son, hear him, that p. 12Christ saith to us concerning St. John, who lay in his bosome; This is my well beloved Apostle, hear him, though yet let me adde one caution, with which I shall close up this branch, that we rest not in the Writer, but look up to the enditer, remembring that St. John, and all Holy men of God, both spake and wrote as moved by the Holy Ghost; they were only the Amanuenses, but the Spirit is the Authour; they were the Instrumental, but the Spirit is the Principal efficient; and therefore though we ought to honour them, yet we must look beyond,2 Pet. 1 23.2 Pet 1:23 above them, receiving what was written by them, as inspired by God, and accordingly to yeeld audience, credence and obedience to it, and so much for the Penman.

Passe we on to the writing it self, and therein consider we,

I. The nature of it, expressed in that denomination of an Epistle: indeed in a large sense the whole Bible is called by St. Gregory, Epistola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam in qua verba Dei sonan…, Greg. l. 4. ep 40.& cor Dei dicitur; Gods Epistle to his Creature, wherein his minde is revealed; but in a strict sense it is only used of, and applied to this and other holy Writings of the like nature: For, an Epistle properly so called, is a familiar colloquie between absent friends, Epistolarum eiusmodi usus est ut disjuncti locorum intervallis affectu adhaerea… mus in quibus inter absentes imago refulget praesentiae &c Ambros. l. 8. ep. 65.whereby they impart counsel and comfort to, and so after a sort become present each with other. To this purpose the Father excellently, where he saith, The use of Epistles is to unite them that are separated, to make present those that are absent, by which we communicate our thoughts and mindes to our distant friends; thus it was with the Apostles, they could not be alwaies present with those Churches they had planted, & therefore foreign vice fungebatur foreign, they endeavoured to advise, and strengthen, and build them up by Epistles.

It lets us see the care of godly Ministers over their people, not only whilest present by speaking, but when absent by writing to them, egebant vexali haeresibus & p. 13persecutionibus Epistolarum consolatione, St. JOHN well knew what need the Christians (being as sheep in the midst of wolves) had of direction and consolation,Lorin in epist. and therefore he sendeth this comfortable Epistle to them, desiring that though his tongue could not, yet his pen might reach them.

And yet further we may here take notice of Gods mercy, Pulchra est piorum veter…m observatio, Quod in novo d…mum Testam…nto in quo deus familiariter per filium suum n…bis locu…us est mysteria regni caelestis per epist…lus cons…ribi coeperint cum epist…la nihil aliud sit quam familiare cum amico colloquium. Gerard. in epist. petr. 2. Hos. 12.10.Hos 12:10as well as the Apostles care who is pleased so familiarly to converse with his Church by way of Epistle: he dealt with the Jewish Church as with Servants by way of Mandate, but with the Christian as with Friends by way of Epistle, far be it from us that his Familiarity should beget Contempt, but rather the lower he is pleased to condescend in this way of making known his will to us, let us so much the more Highly advance his goodnesse, and readily follow his dictates. God seemeth to set it down as an Aggravation of Jsraels disobedience, that he used similitudes by the Ministry of his Prophets, it will be no lesse of ours, that God hath used Epistles by the Ministery of his Apostles in a most friendly way, advising us for our good, and yet these love-tokens are slighted and contemned by us.

II. The order of this Epistle is next to be briefly taken notice of, it is the first, and it is so in a double consideration; the one of time; the other of dignity: it is the first, not the only Epistle he wrote; first implieth at least a second; and here we finde not only a second, but a third: this holy Apostle was not idle or negligent, but in several kindes, and in the same kinde once and again reneweth his paines: nor yet is there only a priority in respect of order, but of honour: the first, because the largest, the fullest, the sublimest of all the Epistles, for the extent of it, not only equalizing, but exceeding the other two; and that not severally, but joyntly, for the matter of it more divine and heavenly then either of the rest. All portions of Holy Writ are alike excellent as p. 14to the Authour from whom they are sent, and end for which they are written; but yet some of them may be moreful and useful then others; such is this, if compared with St. JOHNS other Epistles, and therefore called first.

III. The last thing to be discussed in the Title, is the Extent of the Epistle, signified in that terme Catholick. It is the appellation which is given to the seaven Epistles of James, Par. in Jac.Peter, Iohn and Iude, an Epithet affixed to them, (as Pareus thinketh) rather through inconsideratenesse then any just ground, but I think him too rash in that censure. Others have sought the reason of it in the number which being septenary, is a number of perfection, intimating the universal perfection of the Doctrine contained in them, in which respect these Epistles have been resembled to wisdomes seven pillars, Pro 9.1. Rev. 1.13.5, 6. Math. 15.34.Prov 9:1Rev 1:13Rev 1:5Rev 1:6Matt 15:34by which her house is supported: The Lambs seaven hornes by which Hereticks are pushed at: the seven Golden Candlesticks, by which the light of Evangelical Doctrine is set up, and the seven loaves by which multitudes are nourished, but this I conceave to be a fancy rather then a verity. There are two reasons given of this Appellation, which carrie in them most probability, especially the latter.

1. This Epistle may be called General according to Oecumenius his notion,foreign &c. Oecumen. in Epist, Cathol. Serrar prolog in Ep. Cath. Aug. in Ep. because it is not directed to one particular person, as those to Timothy and Titus, nor yet to particular Churches, as those to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, &c. but to the converted Iewes in several parts, and in this sence denominatio à majori parte petita, the denomination is not from every Epistle (since two, at least one, of St. Iohns Epistles is manifestly directed to a particular person, but the greater part, as for this first Epistle, St. Austin indeed seemeth to assert it as directed to the Parthians, but if with Iunius, we understand that as an Hebrew word, it signifieth as much as p. 15the scattered, banished; or if we take it in the vulgar notion, we must know, that Parthia was then a potent Kingdome, containing under it many oriental Nations, through which, as Iosephus testifieth,Jun. in Bellarm. l. 2. de. verb. dei. c. 15. Joseph. Antiq. l. 14. c. 12.164. abundance of the Iewes were scattered, to whom it is not improbable this Epistle might be directed, and so this reason of Catholick fitly applied to it.

2. But that which (at least to me) seemeth most rational, is that this Title was given them upon their general reception in the Church, in which respect they were called Canonical as well as Catholick.

To clear this you must know, that at the first besides those Epistles which carry St. Pauls name in the front of them, only the first Epistle of Peter, and this of Iohn, were universally received;Aug. in Ep. Indeed concerning this Epistle of St. Iohn, St. Austin saith, Per omnes gentes recitatur, orbis terrae authoritate retinetur; It was received by the whole Christian world from the beginning, and to distinguish these from the rest, they were then called Catholick, and afterwards the other sive being received into the Canon, had this name affixed to them for the distinguishing of them from those Epistles of Barnabas, Ignatius, and Policarpus, which though ancient, Non ut aliis quippian adimat sed has illis adjungerent. Jun. in Jud. Epist. Hoc nomen hic impositum est epistolis quod a diversis authoribus sine conscripta et commune eis nomen tribuendum. Carthus. proaem in Epist. Call.were not taken into the rule of our faith: nor was this any diminution to the authority of St. Pauls Epistles, but only an intimation that these were now added to those, and whereas the other Epistles being written by one man, might very well receive a single denomination from him, and be called St. Pauls Epistles; These being penned by several, could not be mentioned joyntly without some such fit and venerable Title annexed to them.

The useful meditations we may hence take up are, that since this Epistle is written generally to the Christians in several places, we are to remember it is as well Catholick in respect of several ages. Indeed there is no age of man, but is herein instructed; so he saith himself, that p. 16he writes to children, young men, fathers; nor is there any age of man since it was written to whom it doth not extend; and therefore no lesse concerneth us then those who were then alive; And surely as the epistle is generall, Ideo videtur dici foreign quod non certis per…sonis dedicetur, sed ad omnem aetatem et sexum pertineat Art. in loc.so our application of it must be particular: Every one bringing the lessons of it home to our owne hearts; and yet once againe, since it was so generally at first receaved, therefore we to be the more confirmed in the verity of it, and so induced the more strongly to beleeve the assertions, and carefully to obey the directions contained in it.

And thus with what brevity I could I have unfolded the Title page; time will not now give me leave to enter upon the Booke it selfe. But I hope what hath been already said will prove a good preparative to my ensuing discourses, both to give some light for the knowledge of, and cause some heat of love towards this parcell of holy writ: And my desire to you (with which I shall conclude) is, that though I cannot begin to handle, you would begin to read it, and as in it selfe it is a familiar kinde of writing, so by frequent perusing make it familiar to you; and as the penman of it lay in Christs bosome, so it may lie in your bosome to be both your comforter & councellour till you come to rest in Abrahams bosome to all eternity Amen.