First Epistle of John Applied Part 2, Sermon 3
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN.SERM. 3.
CHAP. I. Ver. 1, 2.
1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life.
2. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the father, and was manifested to us.)
A Scripture to which I need no beginning, since it begins with the beginning, and that such a beginning as hath no beginning; a Text to which a Preface will be needless, because it self is a Preface, and yet such a Preface, as may withall be called a book. In reference to the Epistle, it is a proaeme, in it self it is a volume well worth our most serious study and perusall. The Apostles duty, and the Gospels excellency, are the two Sections which divide it, the first of which consisting onelyonly of one leaf, though that having three columes I read over the last time. The second expatiateth it self into four large leaves, the first of which is written as it were on both sides, having a double exposition annexed to it, the one side was then dispatched, & now we are to turn over the other, and according to the most genuine sense to handle these words as spoken concerning Christ, the word of life, that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifest to us.
Nor is it without strong reason (as I conceive) that we should incline to this latter, as the most congruous interpretation. For
1. This phrase the word of life primarily agreeth to Christ since when it is attributed to the Gopsel it is in reference to Christ, and therefore eternal life is manifested in the Gospel, because Christ by whom we obtain that life, is revealed in it.
2. The things that are here asserted concerning this word of life, are such as most properly belong to the person, Vt rei certam scientiam declararet hiscae metaphoris videndi, & contractandi oculis ipsis & manubus usus est Socin. in Apoc. Non animadvertunt hoc a Ioanne socili. ut teste &c. Est. ibid.rather than the doctrine of Christ; the word of life is said to be manifested, and that such a manifestation as was visible; nay, so as they not only heard & saw, but handled, which cannot litterally be referred but to a corporeal substance; and to understand those expressions with Socinas metaphorically, is here very unsuitable, because the strength of the argument, by which St. Iohn would confirm what he delivered concerning Christ, lyeth in the litteral acception, that sensible experience they had of him, by hearing, seeing, and handling.
3. Those phrases of Word and Life, are most frequently, when used by this Apostle in all his writings applied to Christ;Ioh. 1.….5.7.11.20. so in the beginning of his Gospel, when he saith, in the beginning was the word, and in him was life, it is without controversie spoken of Christ; so in the last Chapter of this Epistle, the term Word, in the enumeration of the Trinity, is plainly meant of Christ, and this Life is said to be …n him: and again, of him no doubt those words are spoken, This is the true God, and eternal life.
4. Adde to all this,
That which (where there is an equal probability of reason on both sides) shall ever with me praeponderate the scales, is that almost all Expositors, as well antient as modern go this way▪ and interpret this concering the person of Christ.
And now following this construction, you may observe the person of Christ generally denominated, and particularly exempl…, … the former in the end of the first, and the latter in the greatest part of the second verse, of each in their order.
1. The General denomination here given to Christ is, that he is called the Word of Life; and here are two substantives, that singly deserve our consideration.
1. Christ is called the Word. An expression not altogether unknown to those Heathens, Trismagistus and Plato, which made Amelius swear when he read the beginning of St. Iohns Gospel, Dr. Hammond. Annot. in Luc. c. 1.per Iovem barbarus iste cum nostro Platone sensit verbum esse in ordine principii. This Barbarian (for so he was in his esteem) agreeth with our Plato, asserting the word to be in the order of a principle. But they being ignorant both of the Trinity, and of the Messiah, though they had the word, could not rightly understand the thing; as for the Iews, it is very likely it was known to them as the name of the Messiah, at that time when St. Iohn wrote, because it was often used in the Chaldee language, which was then common among them. It were easie to multiply places in the Old Testament, where when the Hebrew reads Lord, the Chaldee paraphrase rendreth it the Word of the Lord; thus where the Prophet saith, Israel is saved by the Lord, Isa. 45.17. Ps. 110▪1▪the Chaldee read it, the word of the Lord; and when in the Psalms it is said, the Lord said to my Lord, the Chaldee read to my word; and these may suffice to let us see that the Iews being no strangers to this language, could not but be acquainted with this term. A Title which St. Iohn, of all the Evangelical penmen seemeth most to delight in, and therefore it is most frequent in his writings;foreign &c Cyr. Thes An…t. 19. nay, indeed onelyonly used by him in the New Testament, who is therefore called foreign; and no wonder if he who was a seraphical writer, made so much use of this sublime expression. That I may fully and distinctly represent the severall notions of this terme Word among interpreters, be pleased to look upon it as capable of a double trope, to wit, a metaphor, and a metonymi….
foreign & sermonem & rationem significaet. lact. Instituti l. 4. c. 9.1. This phrase may not unfitly be looked upon as metaphoricall. Christ resembled to a word, which that I may the better explicate, take notice of that known distinction of Word, into foreign and foreign, conceptus mentis, & sermo oris, the inward conceit of the mind, and outward speech of the lips, to both which, the Messiah is not unfitly compared.foreign. Bas. hom. 15.
1. The conceit of the mind is called a word, the heart having its language as well as the mouth, and speech being nothing else but as it were the eccho of that voice which is in the mind; now to this it is which the antients generally refer this title Word, foreign &c. Ignat ep. 3▪ ad magn. verbum h…eres est non …nus &c. Hila…. l. 2 de T…init foreign. … 2. de … vide Bas loc. praedict.when spoken of Christ ▪ nor is it without good reason, that they conceive the Messiah compared to the internal Word, and that in a double respect.
1. Primarily, foreign, in regard of his Father, for as the internal word is that off-spring of the mind, so is Christ the Son of God, as the mind formeth its conceit, by understanding the object proposed, so the Father generateth his Son, by understand…ng his own essence; as the conceit issueth from the mind, without any passion or trouble; so is the Son begotten of the Father; as the generation of the word, in the mind is immaterial and spiritual, without any carnal conjunction, so is the generation of the Son of God; finally, as the word which is framed in, remaineth with the mind, so the Son being begotten of,Mens cogit ando verbum intra se generat & sic generat verbum de se …t genitum habeat apud se sic verbum divinum in ipso patre manet a quo gignitur. Fulg. ad M…rim l. 3. c▪ 7. Vide Aug. de Trinit. l 9 c. 10 abideth in the Father, though withall notwithstanding those analogies, there want not many discrepancyes; for wheras the internal word is an accident to the mind, different from it in essence, and after it in time, so as though the word could not be without the mind, the mind may be without the word; Christ is the consubstantial, coeternal Son of the Father, and as there was no time when the word was without the Father, so neither when the Father without his word.
I cannot let this go without taking notice how gratiously God is pleased to condescend to us in his language, that though we cannot comprehend, we may apprehend something of those divine mysteries: This age hath brought forth a Generation of Preachers, who wrap up plain notions in cloudy expressions,foreign ▪ Cyr. Thes. assert. 19. Bas. Chrysost. Aug. cum aliis. but they are very unlike the Spirit of God, who cloatheth sublime verities in plain similitudes; what mysterie in all Divinity more abstruct than that of the generation of the Son of God? the Prophet Isaiah is at his quis enarrabit, who shall declare it; for of this many Father… understand that question, and yet much of it is manifested to us, by this common metaphor of a word.
2. Secondarily, foreign in regard of the creatures, A…g. quaest▪ 63.83. Apoc. 3 15. Ioh. 1.1, 2. Aug. de Trn. l. 15. c. 11.for as the internal word is that according to which a man effecteth all his actions, so is this word, principium omnia peragendi, the beginning of the creation of God, as he calleth himself, and by this word it is that all things were made, as this Apostle saith in his Gospe: And as the internal word may exist in the mind, and yet the external work not presently be; but the work cannot be unless the word pr…e-exist in the mind: So Christ was from eternity with God, before the world was made, but the world could not be made without this word. It is a consideration which should teach us, when we contemplate the worlds goodly fabrick, to reflect on Christ the former of it, even the Creation (if considered by a knowing Christian) leadeth not onelyonly to God but Christ, nor can we think seriously upon the making of the world, except we remember how it was made by a word, which word is Christ.
2. But further, the speech of the lips is that to which most properly this term word belongs,Vide damasc. de orthod. fide▪ l. 1. c. 6. & Cyr. Catech. 11 foreign coming from foreign dico to speak, and truly there wants not a fit analogy in this metaphor; it is true, there are many things wherein this external word is unlike to Christ, as its extrinsicalness to the person, its temporary continuance, and the like; but there is one thing wherein it seemeth aptly to shadow forth Christ to us, for as a man maketh known himself to others by his word, so is the Father by Christ revealed unto the world; some observing the various acceptance of this word foreign, have taken hold of the signification of definitio, Filius dicitur verbum quia agnitionem patris facit Iren. l. 4. c. 14. Quia per ipsum innotescit pater Aug. de fid▪ & symb. c. 3. Heb. 1.3. 2 Cor. 4.4. Slat▪ in Corinth.and applied it to this present purpose▪ for as the definition doth explicate the thing defined, so doth Christ make known the Father, but the common signification of the word, seemeth sufficiently to illustrate the same truth, and so accordingly is taken notice of by the Fathers, Irenaeus and Augustine, who tell us, he is therefore called the Word, because by him the Father is made known, and through him we come to the saving knowledge of God, in this respect it is that Christ is called by the Author to the Hebrews, the brightness of his Fathers glory, and express character of his person; and again, by St. Paul, the image of God, quia patrem suum nobis conspiciendum praebet, because he manifesteth his Father to us.
And yet more particularly, as that which a man maketh known of himself by his word, is his will, intent and purpose, so hath the Father by Christ imparted to the world his eternal purpose and counsel concerning mans salvation. It is observable, that Christ is called the power of God, and the wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.…4. Apoc. 19.13.and the word of God in Scripture, and all fitly: he is the wisdom of God, because Gods decrees and counsels, are, as it were, made by him; the power of God, because they are made good, and accomplished by him, and the word of God, because they are made known and promulged by him:foreign Epiph … 7… this is Epiphanius his notion of word: he is called (saith he) the word, because he is the interpreter of his Fathers counsels and minde to men, and that we may expound Scripture by Scripture, me thinketh that of the Author to the Hebrews is a Comment upon this title, when he saith, God in these last dayes hath spoken to us by his Son, who therefore is the word, because God by him hath spoken, and that most clearly to us. It is a distinction not unusual, nor irrational, which is made between sonus, vox, H…b. 1.….and verbum, a sound, a voice, a word, a sound, being any kinde of noise, a voice, an arti…ulate sound, and a word, a significant voice; The application of it, to this present business, is very fit; the Prophets of the Old Testament, they were as a sound, Iohn Baptist, Christs immediate forerunner,Mat. 3.3. was as a voice: he is called so, the voice of one crying in the wilderness; but it is Christ, and he onelyonly who is the word, distinctly and fully signifying to us the will of God concerning our salvation.
How great is our happiness (beloved) who live in these last dayes, and how great will be our misery if we be deaf to the word, by which in these last dayes God speaketh to us, and therefore let that Apostolical counsel be acceptable. See that you refuse not him that speaketh, rather let us hearken to him, learn of him,Heb. 12.25. and seek from him divine knowledge. The truth is (brethren) thus the case now stands. Eternal life (to wit, the only way to it) is to know the onelyonly true God, and Iesus Christ, whom he hath sent; no man knoweth the Son, Ioh. 17.3. Luc. 10.24.but the Father, nor the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. This onelyonly begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, Ioh. 1.8. Mat. 17.5.he hath declared him. Yea, he counselleth us to buy of him that eye salve, by which onelyonly we may see; and the voice from heaven chargeth us with; This is my welbeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him; and therefore as Peter said to Christ, Lord to whom shall we go, Ioh. 6.68.thou hast the words of eternal life? So let us say, Blessed Iesus whither shall we go, whom should we hear but thee, thou art the word of life?
2. I have done with the metaphoricall, a word of the metonymical construction, and so Christ is called the Word, in as much as he is the subject matter of the word, and this we shall finde true, both in a general and a speciall consideration.
1. In general, The whole word either mediately or immediately in a proxim or remote way points at Christ; to him all the Prophets as well as the Apostles give witness; the Scriptures are as the field, and Christ is the treasure hid in this field; they as the ring, and Christ as the diamond of great price, which giveth the lustre to it; he is the center in which all the lines in holy writ do meet;Christus velatus in veteri, revelatus in novo, in isto praedictus, in illo praedicatus. B…ys. conc. lati. in post. and this word of life is the very soul and life of the word: oh let us in the reading of this sacred book break the bone, that we may suck the marrow, crack the shell, that we may feed on the kernel, open the Cabinet, that we may finde the pearle, search the Scriptures, that we may meet with Christ in them; since as that devout Antient said, he found no relish in Tullies Oratorical writings, because he could not read Iesus there. So the very sweetnes and excellency of the Bible lyeth in this, that we may read Iesus, as it were in every line of it. But
2. In special, word is as much as promise, when Synecdochically taken;Act. 1.4 Luk. 24.49. and thus, as the spirit is sometimes called the promise, so Christ is called the word, quasi eum dicas de quo loc…tus, vel quem pollicitus est dominus; to wit, he of whom God speaketh, or whom he promised should come into the world; in this respect, those words of St. Paul, fitly explicate the phrase, where he tells Agrippa, I continue witnessing no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come: Christ is therefore the word, Act 26.2….because it is he whom they say should come, or to use Zachary his expression, he is that horn of salvation which God raiseth up in the house of David, as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets which have been since the world began;Luk. 1▪ 6…, 70. Moses his great Prophet, Balaams star, Esaiahs tender plant, Jeremies branch, Zacharies horn, Malachie his Sun, are all of them mystical Prophecies and promises of the Messiah.
It lets us see at once, both the goodness and faithfulness of God, his goodness in that before he gave his Son, he gave the promise of him; he was promissus priusquam missus, first assured verbally, then sent actually; and his faithfulness, in that as he promised, so he gave him; sicut promissus sic missus, he was not more mercifully promised, than faithfully sent. It did not seem good to his wisdome to confer this jewel presently, but in the mean space that the Church might have somewhat to support her, he vouchsafed the promise of it: divine promises are as sweet bits to stay our stomachs before the full meal of his actual performances; the promise of Christs first coming was that which comforted the Iewes, and the promise of his second coming is that which now reviveth the Christian Church: and since we have found him making good his word in the one, we may assure our selves he will fulfill it in the other; since as he was so good as to give a word, so he will be so good as his word, and give the thing whatsoever it is that he is pleased to promise; for so it was in that singular eminent promise of Christ, who is therefore not unfitly called the word; and so much for that.
2. The other substantive yet remaineth, to wit, life, which is in the place of an adjective, and may be rendred as an Epithete, the living word, and look as Christ, when he is compared to bread, Genitivus loco Epitheti capitur. Calv. in loc.to a stone, it is with this addition, the bread of life, a living stone, to difference him from other stones, from common bread; so he is here called the word of life, to distinguish him from, and advance him above other words; for whereas other words though spoken by living persons, yet have no life in themselves; this word is the living word personally subsisting, or else, as he is called the bread of life, because he giveth and communicateth life to them that feed on him; so here the word of life, because he is the author of life to them that receive him: but the discussion of this falleth more fitly in in the next part, to which therefore I pass on; namely.
Gen. 2.The particular exemplification in which Christ is characterized as God-man, as God, as man; as God-man he is stiled the life, and the eternal life; as God, he is said to be the life which was with the Father ▪ as man, he is the life which was manifested.
Of each of which with all possible brevity and perspicuity.
Part. 1.He is called the life, that eternal life. If you ask in what respect this agreeth to him, the answer is already hinted, but shall now be more largely prosecuted; He is the life, Vera vita per se subsistens & autor vitae. Iustin. Persectissimè vitae rationem habet & spiritualem coelestē aeternā que vitā tribuit. Serrar. ibid.and that eternal, two wayes, foreign and foreign formaliter and efficienter in himself, & in respect of us, as being both vivus and vivificus, living & giving life.
1. Christ is the life, and that eternal life, because in himself he liveth for ever; this is true of him, primarily as God: this being one of his choice attributes, that he is the living God, & inasmuch as divine attributes are better expressed by the abstract, than the concrete, he is fitly said, not onelyonly to be living, but life it self, and this life is most properly said to be eternal, because it is so, both a parte ante & a parte post, from everlasting to everlasting; Secondarily, this is true of him, as Mediator, God-man; since, though there was a time when thus he began to live, to wit, at his assumption of our nature,Rom. 6.9. Rev. 1.18. Heb. 9.25. and likewise his life on earth did expire, to wit, at his passion, yet now he dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him, but he is alive for evermore, and that to make intercession.
2. But that which I conceive most suitable to the Apostles meaning, is that Christ is said to be the life, because he is the original of life to us, in this respect the abstract fitly agreeth to him, because life is in him as sap in the root, water in the fountain, to convey it to all that believe on him; in this sense it is that Christ useth it concerning himself (as appeareth by his own Commentary) I am the life, whosoever believeth in me, Ioh. 11.25. Col. 3.3.though he were dead, yet shall he live: hence it is that he is called by the Apostle Paul expressely our life, nor is he onelyonly life, but eternal life, Vitam largitur dum omnia fovet & conservat. Iustin. Ioh. 10.28.that life which as Mediator he vouchsafeth to believers being eternal; indeed all creatures are beholding to him for their natural life, in him we live, move, and have our being; but the life which believers have by him, is an eternal life, according as he saith himself, I give to them eternal life.Ioh. 10.28.
This is that life which (as the learned Davenant observeth) 1 Christus promisit, Christ promised to his disciples,Daven. in Coloss. Luc. 12.32. and in them to all Christians, where he saith, it is my Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome, 2 promeruit, by his own death he purchased for all believers, in which respect eternal life is said to be the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord:Rom. 6.23. 3 praeparavit being now ascended into heaven, he there maketh ready for us, according as he saith himself, I go to prepare a place for you; and yet more, 4 inchoat, Ioh. 14.2.he begins by the work of grace in the hearts of all the faithful, in which respect he that believeth on him, is said to have everlasting life: and finally, 5 reddet, Ioh. 6.47.he will at the last day consummate by glory. Indeed, then it is that our bodies being raised, our persons shall be glorified, and this eternall life actually conferred, & therfore our blessed Saviour joyneth these two together, in that forementioned place, I am the resurrection and the life:Ioh. 11.25. thus as the oyntment ran down from Aarons head to his beard, and thence to his skirt; so that eternal life which Christ rising from the grave personally enjoyeth, shall be communicated to all his members.
To sum it up, Christ, God-man, Mediator, is the life, that eternal life, in respect of his threefold offices, of King, Priest, and Prophet: as Prophet, he is the life by way of Revelation, discovering this eternal life to us; as Priest, by way of impetration, procuring this eternal life for us; as King, by way of collation, conferring this eternal life on us: and as the fulness of water is dispensed by the Sea to the Earth, and the fulness of light is communicated by the Sun to the Air, and the fulness of Corn was divided by Ioseph among the people; so the fulness of grace and glory of life, even eternal life is conveyed by Christ to his Church, and therefore very justly doth this character belong to him.
And now what should this consideration teach us, But
1. To bewail our sad condition whilest we are without Christ: for if Christ be the life all that know him not, or believe not in him, must needs be in a state of death and damnation.
It is observable, that St. Paul, speaking of the Ephesians whilest in the state of unregeneracy,Eph. 2.1, 2.12. saith, they were dead in sins and trespasses; and a little after, renders this as the reason, because at that time they were without Christ; indeed as the body without the soul is corporally, so the soul without Christ is spiritually dead; and alas, whilest we are in this estate, we are without all hope of life, being under the sentence, not onelyonly of the first, but second death, and therefore Iohn the Baptist saith expressely,Ioh. 3.36. he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him; oh heavy load, and unsupportable weight, which upon whomsoever it abideth, must needs crush him to peices, and sink him to the depth of Hell: Oh labour we then both in respect of our selves and others, to be sensible of our natural estate, and if we mourn over our friends dead bodies, much more should we mourn over theirs, and our dead soules.
2. To seek after this life, because it is eternal, and to seek it by union with Christ, who is the life.
Indeed this temporal life may be used, but onelyonly that eternal life is to be sought, the life that now is, is a fleeting shadow, a vanishing vapour, a day, which though never so pleasant, cannot be long; but the life which is to come, is a light ever shining, a leaf never fading, and such a day as shall know no evening: and now tell me which is most rational, to seek after that life which is lost, almost as soon as it is found, or after that life which being once found, can never be lost? to catch after that which being got, we cannot hold, or that which being once got, we cannot lose? and therefore that I may allude to our blessed Saviours expression; labour not for that which perisheth, but for that life which endureth to eternity.Ioh. 6.27.
To this end, let it be our continued care to gain, to assure our interest in, and union with Christ; the Shunamite went to the Prophet for raising her dead childe: we must to Christ for the quickning our dead souls; it is very observable what St. Peter saith to this purpose: 1 Pet. 2.4, 5.To whom coming as to a living stone, we also are built up as lively stones: so that if you know how we become living stones, it is by coming to, and being built upon Christ as our foundation; the soul cannot enliven the body, till infused into, and united with it, nor can we receive life from Christ, but by an interest in him: he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood (saith Christ himself) hath eternal life; there is life, eternal life in the flesh and blood of Christ, Ioh▪ 6.54.but then we must eat and drink it, that so this spiritual food may be incorporated into us, and we made one with Christ.
3. Lastly, to set an high value upon Christ, and give him the glory of this great mercy, even eternal life; of all the Titles that do express the personall excellencies of the Lord Christ, that of the word is most glorious; and of all those that do express the priviledges we have by him, none so comprehensive as this of eternal life, To you who believe (saith the Apostle) concerning this living stone,1 Pet. 2.7. he is pretious; and well he may, since he bestoweth so rare a Iewel, and so invaluable a pearle as eternal life upon us; indeed all our good and comfort is wrapt up in Christ; he is the bread to nourish us, the light to guide us, the life to save us; are then any beginnings of this life wrought in us? any hopes of it assured to us? let us look upon our selves as vessels filled by this fountain, stars enlightned by this Sun, carcases enlivened by this spirit, acknowledging what we have, and hope for to be onelyonly and wholly from Christ, that as we have life from him, he may have thanks from us: Now to him who is the life, that eternal life, be praise and glory in the Church throughout all ages, Amen.