First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 3
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN.
CHAP. 2. the lat. part of the 5, and the 6. Verſe.
5.
Hereby know we that we are in him.
6.
He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelf alſo ſo to walk, as Chriſt walked.
IT is an amiable excellency in any ſuperiour, to become a precedent of that whereof he giveth a Precept, and ſhew himſelf an Acter in that whereof he is an Exacter from others. It was the praiſe of Caeſar, that his Word to his Souldiers was not Ite, but Venite; go, but come. Nor much unlike was that of Gideon to the people;Jud. 7. 17. Look on me, and do likewiſe. Indeed by this means a Governour layeth a double, and ſo a ſtrong obligation upon the Inferiours, whilſt he doth at once both enjoyne by his commands, and invite by his pattern. For this reaſon no doubt it is, that the Captain of our Salvation as he hath preſcribed us Laws, ſo he hath given us an Example; not impoſing that on us, to which he did not ſome way or other expoſe himſelf.
To this purpoſe are thoſe phraſes which are uſed byMatth. 16, 24. 16▪ 24. him in the Gospel, of coming after him, and learning of him; and for this reaſon his beloved Diſciple here enjoyneth theſe two together: and as in the former verſes, he calleth upon us to keep his Commandments, ſo here to walk as he walked. Hereby we know, &c.
The ſecond principall poſition is that, which cometh now to be handled; wherein we have two things obſervable:
The Chriſtians being and his operation; his ſtate and his work, his dignity and his duty.
The being, ſtate, and dignity of a Chriſtian is expreſſed in thoſe phraſes, We are in him, and he abideth in him.
The Operation, Work, and Duty of a Chriſtian is ſignified in thoſe; ought himſelf ſo to walk, as he walked; both which we ſhall conſider apart in themſelves; and then joyntly in the dependance they have one upon another.
Conſider, 1. In handling them ſeverally, begin we with
1. The Being of a Chriſtian, It is that which is Characterized by two phraſes, to wit, being in, and abiding in Chriſt; both of which are the ſame in ſubſtance, and yet each of which hath its proper Emphaſis.
That which is intended by both is, the spirituall and myſticall Union, which is between Chriſt, and a Chriſtian, that which is peculiar in either is, that by being in, is noted the neerneſs; and by abiding in is intimated the firmneſs of this Ʋnion.
1. Every true Chriſtian is in Chriſt, Accident is eſſe eſt ineſſe, ſaith the Philoſopher, the being of an accident is to be in his Subject. Chriſtiani eſſe eſt ineſſe, ſaith the Divine, the Being of a Christian is to be in Chriſt. Indeed all Creatures have their Being in God, and areAct. 17. 28. Col. 1. 17. ſaid to conſiſt in Chriſt, in a generall notion, becauſe of their neceſſary dependance upon him, as their Preſerver … but all Chriſtians are in Chriſt after a more peculiar notion: becauſe of that neare and cloſe Union which they have with him, as their Redeemer. The intimacy of this Union cannot be expreſſed by a fuller phraſe then this of being in; it is one thing adhaerere, and an other inhaerere: it is more to be in, then to be with, by, or about a thing. We do not only belong to, but we are in Chriſt; not that there is any confuſion or transfuſion of the ſubſtance or perſon of a Chriſtian, into the Subſtance or Perſon of Chriſt; but that there is a ſolid, ſubſtantiall, and perſonall Conjunction between them. Indeed it may ſeem ſtrange, how Chriſt being in Heaven, and we on Earth, we ſhould be in him; but it will be eaſily underſtood, if we conſider that it is not a locall or corporall, but a Spirituall Union, which no diſtance of place can hinder. We have an Embleme of this, in that of Marriage, the knot whereof is indiſſoluble though the Husband be in the Weſtern, and the Wife in the Eaſtern part of the World. No wonder if this spirituall contract unite Heaven, and Earth, Chriſt and a Chriſtian together. The nature and quality of this Union, is that which the holy Ghoſt hath been pleaſed to repreſent in Scripture by various ſimilitudes. When St Paul ſpeaketh of putting on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; he implyeth, that a Chriſtian is in Chriſt, as the Body is in the Garment, which covereth and incompaſſeth it, but this is the moſt remote alluſion, the ſame Apoſtle uſeth a fitter metaphor, when heRom. 13. 13. Epheſ. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Orig. Aug. de verb. dom. Serm. 61. compareth Chriſt to the Head, and Chriſtians to the Members; for as the Head and Members are ſo neerly united, that they make but one Body; ſo is it with Chriſt and the Church, in which reſpect the very Name of Chriſt is given to the Church, in thoſe words of the Apoſtle, ſo alſo is Christ. For which cauſe Origen ſaith, Per unum Chriſtum, multi Chriſti; by one Christ, many Chriſts are made: and St Auſtin, Caput & Corpus unus eſt Chriſtus, the head and the body, Chriſt and the Church, make but one Chriſt. Parallel to this is that compariſon our Saviour himſelf maketh uſe of, when he ſaith, I am the Vine, you are the Branches; look as the Branch is in the Vine, ſo as that its very being depends upon its being in the Vine, without which itJoh. 15. 1, 5. dyeth and withereth; ſo is a Chriſtian in Chriſt. And therefore he telleth his Diſciples a little after, without me you can do nothing. Not to multiply ſimilitudes, ofEpheſ. 5. 32. all carnall Unions, that between a Man and Wife is neareſt, and by that is this Union ſhadowed; in which reſpect St Paul cals Marriage a Myſtery: and let us ſee that even this reſemblance cometh ſhort of expreſſing this Union; for whereas the Man and Wife are but 1 Cor. 6. 17.one fleſh, He that is joyned to the Lord, is one spirit.
To end this: See hence both the excellency of Faith, and the felicity of a Believer.
1. The excellency of Faith, Inaſmuch as it is byƲt doceret ar…iorem eſſe communiorem Chriſti nobiſcum, quam viri cum …. Calv ibid. 1 Joh. 3. 14. Faith, we come to be in Chriſt: ſometimes we read that Christ is in us, and ſometimes that we are in Chriſt. If we would know how Chriſt is in us, the anſwer is by his Spirit which he conferreth upon us; and therefore ſaith our Apoſtle, Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the ſpirit which he hath given us.
Again, If we would know how we are in Chriſt, the anſwer is, by believing: ſo much our Apoſtle intimateth here; for theſe two clauſes, Hereby we know that we know him; and hereby we know that we are in him, Verſe 3.ſeem to be Synonymous, and plainly intimate that we are in him by knowing (which is believing him:) indeed both the graces of knowing and loving him before mentioned, concurre to our Union with Chriſt. Inaſmuch as the morall union of hearts is by love, and the myſticall of perſons by Faith; Oh how efficacious is this grace which tyeth the knot between a Chriſtian and Chriſt, and maketh them one.
2. The felicity of Believers, A Chriſtian beſides his naturall, hath another more noble being, to wit, in Chriſt, it is that which is both magnum privilegium, and magnum ſolatium. A great priviledg it is to have ſo near a relation to Chriſt: As it is the honour of Chriſt as God, that he is Ens independens, hath his being of himſelf. So it is the honour of a Chriſtian, that he hath his immediate dependance on, and being in Chriſt; nor is there only honour but comfort in it: Since we being in Chriſt, have thereby a participation, as of his perſon ſo of his merits and benefits. That fellowſhip with Chap. 1. ver. 3.Chriſt whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in the former Chapter, and all the comforts attending on it, whence flow they but from this ſpring? Our Union with Chriſt, by being in, we have a title to, Communion with, and ſo Wiſdome, Righteouſneſs, Redemption, Sanctification, yea all through him.
That grand Objection againſt the comfortable Doctrine of the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſs; How can a man be made righteous by another mans Righteouſneſs? is hereby anſwered, and the riddle of it unfolded; we are in him, and one with him, by whoſe Righteouſneſs we are made Righteous. And as the husband marrying the wife endoweth her with all his worldly goods, ſo Chriſt uniting the Chriſtian to himſelf, inveſts him with his ſpirituall goods. Look as… all men being naturally in Adam, have the guilt o ſin., ſo all Chriſtians ſpiritually in Chriſt have the merit of his righteouſneſs imputed to them, ſo much the rather, becauſe that whereas we were but virtually in Adam, we are actually in Chriſt. Adam was only a publick perſon, repreſenting; Chriſt was not only our repreſentative, but ſurety, by whoſe payment we muſt needs be diſcharged, yea, indeed it were Blaſphemy to imagine there ſhould be more demerit in Adams ſin to condemn, then merit in Chriſts Obedience, to juſtifie thoſe who are in him. Hence that mellifluous Aphoriſm of St Paul. There is now no con…mnation Rom. 8. 1.to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. How happy is that perſon who is free from condemnation, and he that is in Chriſt, having the merit of his ſatiſfactory Righteouſneſs, by imputation communicated to him, muſt needs be free from the guilt of his ſins, and ſo out of all feare of Condemnation. He that dwelleth in the ſecret of the moſt high, ſhall be quiet from fear of evill, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. He that lyeth in the Boſome of Chriſt, is ſafe from fear of danger. Oh who can ſufficiently prize this amiable priviledg, this choiſe comfort of being in him! And ſo much for that phraſe.
2. Every true Chriſtian abideth in Chriſt. The Philoſophers Pſalm 91. 1.diſtinguiſh of two ſorts of accidents, the one Separable, the other Inſeparable. Thoſe may both adeſſe, and abeſſe, be preſent, or abſent, but theſe cannot be ſevered from the Subject wherein they are; Such is the being of a Chriſtian in Chriſt: and this is intimated in the phraſe of abiding, which to inherency addeth permanency; in this all thoſe fore-mentioned reſemblances are diſcrepant, the body is in the garments; I but they may be put off, the branches are in the Tree, and the Members knit to the Head, but they may be cut of; The Man and the Wife are joyned together, but they may be parted, whereas this Union is indiſſolvable, inſeparable, and they who are truly grafted into abide in Chriſt; nor yet doth this truth altogether want its reſemblances. That phraſe of dwelling which this Apoſtle elſe where uſeth, is very ſignificant to this purpoſe, it is one thing for a man to lodg as a gueſt, Eph. 3. 17.to ſojourn as an inmate, and another thing to dwell as an inhabitant, where a man dwels it is the place of his ſetled and fixed reſidence. The true Believer dwelleth in Chriſt, as in his houſe, ſurely united to him. Suitable hereunto is that which learned Bp Davenant hath obſerved upon thoſe words, Roote… Col. 2. 12. Daven. ibid.and built up in him, a Tree that is rooted in the ground ſtands faſt againſt the feirceſt blaſts, an houſe that is built upon a good foundation endureth wind and weather; thus Believers being rooted and built up in Chriſt, are able to withſtand temptations, corruptions, afflictions.
How greatly doth this Meditation advance the comfort of a Chriſtian? Indeed in this reſpect mans renewed eſtate is better then his created, and a Chriſtian in Chriſt, happier then Adam in innocency: Adam might eat of the Tree of Life; but we are branches of him, who is truely the Tree of Life. Adam might and did loſe his right to the Tree, we cannot our intereſt in Chriſt. Adams ſtanding was as it were by himſelf, ſo that he became Subject to a miſerable fall, our being is in Chriſt, by whom we are preſerved from ſuch falling. Oh let Believers rejoyce in this holy and ſtable comfort, it was far more eaſie for David, to pull the prey out of the Bears mouth, then it is for Satan to pluck us out of Chriſts Arms. If we be in him we are his Members, and can we imagine that Chriſt will ſuffer one of his Members to be rent from him, indeed (be it spoken with an holy reverence) Chriſt himſelf would be imperfect if any of his Members ſhould be defective, a thing inconſiſtent with the Glory and Honour of Chriſt: no wonder if as we are in him, we are ſaid to abide in him; and ſurely ſuch a priviledg carrieth with it an engagement, and that is it which next followeth:
Pt. 2. The operation of a Chriſtian, and that is to walk as Chriſt walked.
The phraſe of walking is ſuch, as the holy Ghoſt delightethSee ch. 1. v. 7. frequently to uſe, we have already met with it in this Epiſtle; and therefore ſhall not here need to enlarge. Know in brief that we are all in this World travellers, and Heaven is our Country, ſo long then as we are here, we muſt not ſit down, but go forward. One Sect among the Philoſophers was called the Peripateticks; ſuch muſt all Chriſtians be, keeping as it were an holy preambulation in this walk. The Word of God is our light; The Angels are our guarde; The spirit is our ſtrength; and Christ is Dux itineris the guid to go before us, and therefore we are here called upon to walk as he walked.
That which would be chiefly inquired into, is wherein the practice of this duty conſiſts, and how far it extends. To which end know,
1. In generall, that this Imitation which is required hath a limitation annexed, we muſt walk as Chriſt walked, but not in all reſpects. There is via ſolitaria, and via ſocia; ſome paths Chriſt walked in alone, and others, we are to go in after him, look as the Schools diſtinguiſh of Gods attributes, that ſome are Incommunicable, and others Communicable, ſo may we of Chriſts walks. Some are beaten, others untroden paths; ſome are ſuch wherein we may, nay muſt; others ſuch wherein we neither can nor dare to follow him.
2. In speciall, We are to conſider Chriſts walking, according to a threefold reference. Tria ſunt operum Zanch. in loc.genera quae inter homines praeſtitit Chriſtus, ſaith Zanchy, there are three ſorts of works which Chriſt wrought among men; to wit, as God, as God-Man, as Man.
1. Chriſt as God walked in a double way, to wit, imperij & miraculi.
1. Imperij, of authority and ſoveraignty, by virtue of which he ſent his Diſciples for the Colt, without asking leave of the owner; for ſo God himſelf ſaith, Every beaſt of the forreſt is mine, and the Cattle upon a Pſal. 50. 10.thouſand hils; and therefore he may command them when he pleaſeth, but this is not imitable by us, in whom it would be no other then theft. Indeed ſuperiour Magiſtrates may give command in ſome caſes for the ablation of mens goods without their leave; but this not in imitation of Chriſts practice, but by the deputation of his power, he having given that authority to his Vicegerents on earth, for the better adminiſtration of Juſtice and Judgment.
2. Miraculi, of might and omnipotency, doing things which were not only beſides but above, nay, againſt the courſe of nature: Theſe we are to admire but muſt not attempt to imitate; and though they are the ſupporters of our Faith, yet no rules for our practice. To this purpoſe is that of St Auſtin upon this place, Forte Aug. in loc.hoc nos monet ut ambulemus in mari, ſome may imagine that we are required to walk on the Sea a… Chriſt walked; but far be this from our thoughts, which as it is impoſſible to performe, ſo it is preſumptuous to attempt. Upon the ſame account it is that that holy Father inAug. de ſanctâ virgin. c. 35. another place thus paraphraſeth upon thoſe words of Chriſt, Learn of me; what ſhould we learne of him, to make a World, to tread upon the Water, to raiſe the Dead? noe; but to be meek and lowly: it was the itch of our firſt Parents, they would have been as God in knowledg, and we their unhappy Progeny, are troubled with the ſame diſtemper; we would trace the footsteps of divine Power, and Knowledg, and Wiſdome, but alas all ſuch indeavours will prove vain and curſed, fruitleſs, and ſinfull. Indeed we find Chriſts Apoſtles working miracles, but not in imitation of Chriſt; rather Chriſt wrought ſigns and wonders by them, for the propagation of his Goſpell, and this was only a perſonall, and that a temporary priviledg.
2. Chriſt as God-Man, Mediator undertook many Offices, in the exerciſe of which he was pleaſed to walk; as a Prophet, he walked up the Mount, and from thence gave Laws and Precepts to the People; as a Prieſt, he walked to Mount Calvary, whereby ſuffering Death upon the Croſs he merited our Redemption. He walked from the Grave to Heaven, where he maketh Interceſſion, as King and Head of his Church; he walketh in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks, defending and governing his People, conquering his enemies, giving Laws, conferring guifts: And in theſe walks we are not directed to follow him, it is an horrid preſumption in the Romaniſts, who make a meer man head of the Church, who attribute to Saints and Angels a power of interceding in our behalf; and therefore we juſtly aſſert with the Apoſtle Paul, he hath given him (to wit, excluſively) to be head. And again, There is one Mediator (namely both of Redemption and Interceſſion,) between God and Man, he who is God and man the Man Chriſt Jeſus. Indeed an Analogicall imitation may here be allowed as Chriſt is Head of his Church, ſo the King Eph. 1. 22. 1 Tim. 2. 5.is Head of his Kingdome, the Maſter head of his Family. As Chriſt walketh in the midſt of his Church, ſo the King in the midſt of his Kingdome, and the Maſter in the midſt of his houſe: Chriſt as a Prophet doth give Laws, ſo his Miniſters are Prophets to interpret his Laws to the People, and all Superiours muſt be Prophets, to inſtruct thoſe who are under them; as Chriſt intercedeth in Heaven for us, ſo we muſt pray one for another on earth. As Chriſt offered a propitiatory reall Sacrifice, ſo we muſt by him offer gratulatory spirituall Sacrifices. Finally, to performe the Office of a Mediator he `dying on the Croſs, roſe again from the Grave, aſcended into Heaven; ſo we muſt dye to ſinne, live to righteouſneſs, and ſeek the things which are Above. Thus we are allowed, nay obliged indirectly and alluſively to follow Chriſt in his walks as Mediator but not directly.
3. Conſider, Chriſts walks as he was Man, and ſo we ſhall find the actions he performed, reducible to three heads, Ceremoniall, Circumſtantiall, and Morall.
1. Chriſt walked in a way of Conformity to the Ceremoniall Gal. 4. 4.Law, and therefore he is ſaid to be made under the Law: On the eight day he was Circumciſed, and thereby became obedient to the whole Law of Moſes, but in thoſe walks we muſt not trace him. Though he was pleaſed to fulfill the Law in himſelf, that it might have an honourable Buriall; yet he hath aboliſhed it as to us; it is not, ought not to be obſerved, and thereby as it were revived by us.
2. Many things which Chriſt did were Circumſtantiall, in ſome of which it is unlawfull, in others poſſibly, it may be inconvenient, and in neither of both it is needfull to imitate him. The Duration of time in which Chriſt faſted, to wit, forty daies, and forty nights, is ſuch as being miraculous, we ought not to follow; we are indeed to fast as he did, but not ſo long, ſince thereby we ſhould be guilty of ſelf-murder; though withall it was not imprudently but piouſly appointed by the Church, that ſo long time as Christ faſted a toto wholy from food, we ſhould a tali & a tanto, from ſome kind of food, and from our uſuall meaſure of eating. Chriſts chooſing of ſuch perſons as Publicans and Sinners, to eate and drink and converſe familiarly with, inaſmuch as he came to call them to Repentance, and was not capable of pollution by them, is no warrant for us to be familiar with wicked men, from whom the beſt may more eaſily receive evil, then do good to them; though yet withall it giveth Miniſters leave to Converſe with thoſe under their charge, (though wicked) that if by any means they may bring them to God. Thoſe circumſtances of place and time which Chriſt obſerved in Prayer, when as one time we read he withdrew himſelf into the Wilderneſs to Pray, and at another time he Prayed all night, though the one direct to choice of private places for private Prayer, and the other intimate long Prayer in ſome caſes not to be unlawfull; yet nether doth the one oblige us to leave our houſes and run into a Wilderneſs, nor the other to debarre our ſelves of a whole nights ſleep, for the exerciſe of our devotion. That geſture of ſitting which Chriſt was pleaſed to uſe when he Preached to the People, would be though not unlawfull, yet inconvenient for us his Miniſters to follow; ſince whereas he taught Magiſterially, we but Miniſterially, and ſo a more humble poſture (except in caſe of neceſſity,) beſt befits us. Finally, The time at which our Lord Adminiſtred the holy Communion, Namely, in the night after ſupper: The poſture in which (as it is imagined) he participated it: to wit, That of lying, which he uſed (after the common cuſtome) at his other meales are no patterns neceſſarily oblieging us to follow them: for as to both the time and geſture it appeareth they were only occaſionall, it being moſt ſuitable that the time of the firſt Adminiſtration of that which was to come in the Roome of, ſhould be immediately after the Paſſover, and if he did uſe (which yet no Evangelist ex…reſly affirmeth) that geſture, the probable reaſon is, becauſe he had uſed it before at the Paſover, and ſo being neerly inoidentall was not intended for our imitation. The truth is this, on the one hand if it at all oblige, it bindeth not only to a, but the table geſture (ſince the cuſtome of a countrey is no diſpenſation, for what is of religions and neceſſary concernment) and ſo even they, who pretend in this to imitate Chriſt, are defective. But on the other hand in reallity, it doth no more bind Miniſters and People to conform to it in that holy Adminiſtration, then that geſture he uſed in his Sermons doth bind the Miniſters in their Preaching; and if (as by the practice of all ſorts it ſeemeth to be granted) it be more decent for the Miniſter to ſtand Preaching though Chriſt ſate; I ſee no reaſon why it may not be more decent for the Miniſters and People to receive kneeling, notwithſtanding Chriſt did it in the uſuall poſture of his meales: though to all this it might be added, that ſince the poſture there uſed, was humi diſcumbere, to lye down upon the ground, this of kneeling cometh nearer to it, then either that of ſitting, or ſtanding. In fine the Summe amounts to thus much; Chriſts ceremoniall actions being in conformity to a law aboliſhed, are not; and his circumstantiall actions being not commanded nor forbidden by any law, need not be imitated by us: nor doth this walking as he walked extend to them.
3. But laſtly, Chriſt walked in a way of Obedience to the Morall Law, humbling himſelf, and becoming obedient even to the Death, and theſe footſteps of his Morall Actions, we are to tread in. For the fuller Explication of this be pleaſed to know, that
1. Our Lord Chriſt is (to ſpeak in Ennodius his phraſe) Clara Epitome virtutum, an exact Epitome of Ennod.graces, in St Bernards language, Cardinalium virtutum exemplum, a spotleſs example of the Cardinall virtues;Bern. in Cant. Serm. 12. Tertul. in Marc. l. 4. c. 18. Creſ…de Virtut. or if you will in Tertullians ſtile, cumulata perfectionis maſſalis ſumma, an accumulated heap of spirituall perfections. Suitable hereunto it is, that Creſolius cals him, a Seminary of graces, Temple of Religion, Tabernacle of goodneſs, and Habitation of Virtue. Indeed there is no grace nor duty, either towards God, or our ſelves, or others, whereof Chriſt hath not ſet us a coppy. Thoſe graces of truſt, feare, love and obedience, which we are to exerciſe towards God; thoſe Virtues of loyalty to Kings, Subjection to Parents, equity and Charity, which are due to man. Finally, thoſe Ornaments of Humility, Temperance, Patience, by which we poſſeſs our ſelves, were all eminent in him, as it were eaſie to demonstrate, would the time permit, or did the Text require it. What he in Lucian ſaid concerningLucian Dialig. Solon, foreign, In ſeeing Solon you ſee all that is good, may more truly be affirmed of Chriſt, in whom are all treaſures of graces, as well as knowledg. That of the Apoſtle concerning himſelf and the reſt of the Saints, our Converſation is in Heaven; may not unfitly be applied to this duty of the imitation of Chriſt: he hath his Converſation in Heaven, who leads it according to Chriſts example, and good reaſon, ſince as Athanaſius excellently, Chriſt whilſtAthanaſ. orat. contra gent. on earth did foreign, carry Heaven about with him. This Sun of Righteouſneſs went through the Libra of juſtice, Leo of fortitude, Virgo of chaſtity, Taurus of induſtry, Gemini of love to God and man. Indeed the Firmament is not more full of Starres, then he is of Graces. It is a rule in Philoſophy, Primum in unoquoque genere eſt menſura reliquorum, that which is the firſt in any kind is to be the meaſure of the reſt, and Chriſt being the firſt, the grand exemplar of virtue, no wonder if we are required to walk as he walked.
2. One ſingular end of Chriſts comming into the world was, that he might become a pattern of duty. Indeed the chief and primary end of his advent was to be a Saviour, but a Secondary was to be an example. Upon this account is it that St Baſil ſaith, one end ofBaſ. aſcet. Chriſts coming was, that in him foreign, as in a picture we might behold the lineaments of all virtues, andJoh. 13. 15. accordingly learn to order our Converſation aright. When Christ had waſhed his Diſciples feet he ſaith to them, I have given you an example: and truly for this1 Pet. 2. 21. cauſe he lived that he might give; yea, according to St Peter, for this end he dyed, that he might leave us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps.
3. To endeavour as far as we can that all thoſe graces which Chriſt practiſed may ſhine forth in our Converſations, is to walk as Chriſt walked, ſo that this (as) here ſpecified admits both of an extent, and a reſtraint.
1. Of an Extent, As, that is in all thoſe morall ſteps wherein he walked: thus Tertullian ſaith, To Tert. de Reſur. l. 2. c. 44.walk as Chriſt walked, is to obſerve the Diſcipline of that Piety, and Patience, Juſtice, and Wiſdome, which flouriſhed Proſp. Sent.in Chriſts life. And Proſper putting this Queſtion, What is it to walk as Chriſt walked? returneth this Anſwer, it is Contemnere omnia prospera quae contemp…it, non timere adverſa quae pertulit, libenter facere quae fecit, &c. To contemn what he contemned, ſuffer what he ſuffered, and do what he did. Indeed to imitate Chriſt but in ſome things, is only to ſtep as he ſtepped, but to walk as he walked is to imitate him in all; not onelyonly to be lowly, but holy, juſt, but charitable as he was; go about doing good, but ſuffering evill as he did; it is to imitate him in his active, and in his paſſive Obedience; to follow him in his Life, yea in his Death. For as St Auſtin obſerveth, when Chriſt was fixus in Aug. in Ep.cruce, faſt nailed to the Croſs, he walked in the wayes of conſtancy, courage, patience, charity towards his enemies, which we muſt practice when at any time we are called to ſuffer; we cannot have a better Expoſitour of the Diſciple then the Maſter; and Chriſt ſaith to follow him, is to deny our ſelves, and take up our Croſs.
2. Of a reſtraint, It being an (as) not of equality but quality, nor doth it require an exactneſs of performance but only a ſincerity of purpoſe. Chriſts phraſe is following, and coming after him, which we may do though non paſſibus aequis, we come far behind him: Excellent to this purpoſe are thoſe Expreſſions of an Ancient, Proderit imitari et ſi nemo valeat adaequare, Arnulph. Ep.perſequi, debemus, et ſi conſequi non poſſimus, non eiſdem paſſibus, ſed eodem tramite, eiſdem veſtigijs inſiſtendum: Made equall we cannot, conformable we may be to him; to attain to his meaſure is impoſſible, to preſs hard towards it is neceſſary, to go with the ſame speed and evenneſs is not expected, but to go in the ſame path, tread in the ſame ſteps is required: In one word, thoſe graces which did flame forth in Chriſts life, muſt at leaſt sparkle in ours, which did ſhine bright in his, muſt twinkle in ours, which were perfectly in him, muſt be ſincerely in us; ſo ſhall we fulfill this Apoſtolicall dictate, to walk as he walked.
I end this, Naturale homini alium imitari, Man is naturally a Mimicke, and loves to follow; and what fuller, fitter, better pattern can be made choyce of then this here ſet before us? Oh then as Moſes did all things in making the Tabernacle according to the pattern which God ſhewed him in the Mount, ſo let us order all our actions according to the pattern Chriſt taught in the Mount; and as he taught, ſo did in the courſe of his life. I…s the command of God to Abraham in the Old Teſtament, walk before me, it is the voice of Chriſt to his Diſciples, in the New, come after me, and both very uſefull; we muſt walk before Jer. 17. 1. Matth. 16. 24.God, by a continued remembrance of his eye, we muſt come after Chriſt, by a due obſervance of his ſteps, and ſo walking as having God to be our Spectatour, and Chriſt to be our guide we cannot wander. This is thatEpheſ. 6. 1. Paulin. Ep. 12. which hath ſtill been the practice of holy men, to ſet Chriſt before them as their example; this did St Paul who adviſeth others to follow him as he did Chriſt; thus did Martianus of whom Paulinus ſaith, Caeleſtis hominis imaginem perfectâ Chriſti portavit imitatione, he bare the Image of the Heavenly Man, by a perfect (that is, ſincere) imitation of Chriſt. Oh let it be ſo with us in every thing we go about! let us conſider with our ſelves what Chriſt did, or what we have reaſon to believe he would do in the like caſe: in caſe of injury, Chriſt would forgive; of contention, Chriſt would be a Peacemaker; of miſeries, Chriſt would ſhew mercy; of reproaches perſecutions, Chriſt would ſuffer patiently: let us do likewiſe; Chriſt is the Sun, and then only doth the Watches of our lives move right, when they are ſet by the Diall of his motion: Chriſt is the Book of life, and then only is the Book of our Conſcience faire, when it is written according to that Coppy.
To this end, learn we according to the counſell of the Author to the Hebrews, to look unto Jeſus. We (ſaithHeae. 12. 2. St Paul) beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the ſame Image; and we beholding the graces of Chriſt 2 Cor. 3. ult.are transformed into the Image of them. Look as a Painter (to uſe Macarius his ſimilitude) can draw a Mac. hom. 30.mans Picture to the life if he ſit before him, and ſtedfaſtly look upon him, but if he turn away his face, the Painter can do nothing: So then doth Chriſt draw the Lineaments of his Virt…s upon our Souls, when we diligently look upon him: Indeed who can ſeriouſly view Chriſt, and the waies wherein he walked, and not be in love with them, and deſire to walk in them? All his waies (as Solomon …aith of Wiſdome) are waies of pleaſantneſs and peace. No cleanneſs or purity, no ſafety or ſecurity, no peace or tranquility, no delight or pleaſure, like to that which is to be found in Chriſts waies. True indeed they are narrow waies in regard of their difficulty to fleſh and bloud; they are ſl…bby waies in regard of the afflictions which accompany thoſe that love godly in Chriſt Jeſus; but they are clean waies without the mine of filthineſs; for they are ſafe waies fenced with the hedg of divine Protection, they are pleaſant waies in which we have alwaies the Sun of Gods favour ſhining on us; yea they are bleſſed waies, for they lead to life and and glory; who can behold them and not be allured to go in them?
Look we therefore with a ſerious and spirituall eye upon Chriſt and his waies, and that ſo long till, according to St Pauls advice, the ſame mind be in us that was in Chriſt Jeſus; and then having the ſame mind, wePhil. 2. 5. ſhall do the ſame works; ſo eaſily is the life con…ormed, where the heart is inclined: In one word, if our eye be fixed, and our heart willing, the foot will be ready to run the race that is ſ…t before us. I ſhut up withLeo de Reſur. l. 2. c. 3. that of Leo, Imitamini quod operatus eſt, diligite quod dilexit; love what he loved, ſo will you do what he did: to which we ſhould be ſo much the rather induced, conſidering the neceſſity which our profeſſion layeth upon us of ſo doing, and that will appeare if you,
Joyn both parts of the Text together which is theConſid. 2. other Conſideration, and cometh now to be handled. He that ſaith, ought; it is not onelyonly (as Zanchy well obſerveth) utile but debitum, that which he may do, or that which is beſt for him to do, but that which he ought to do.
This will the better appear, if you conſider both the relations which they who are in Chriſt have to him, and the influence they have from him.
1. The Relations, which they that are in Chriſt have to him, are many and near, all which oblige to walk as he walked. He that ſaith he is in Chriſt, ſaith he is the friend of Chriſt, and friends go hand in hand, have the ſame affections and inclinations; he that ſaith he is in Chriſt, ſaith he is ſo in, that he is under him; Chriſt is his Lord, and he his ſervant, and probum ſervum pro ingenio domini converſari videmus, ſaith Tertullian; Tert. de patient.we ſee good ſervants conforme themſelves to their Maſters will, and frame themſelves to their temper. He that ſaith he is in Chriſt, ſaith that Chriſt is his King, and he his Subject, and Regis ad exemplum; all men love to imitate their Prince; if Nero like muſick, all Rome will turn fidlers; let the King be lame, and his Subjects will halt for company; nay more then all this, in ſaying we are in Chriſt, we ſay we are his Seed, his off-ſpring: and hominibus laetum & glorioſum filios Cypr. de zelo & livor.habere conſimiles, it is a joy to Parents when their Children are like them, and the care of good Children to follow their Parents: ſo that ſince in all theſe relations there is an Obligation, He that ſaith he abideth in Chriſt, ought.
2. There is a ſingular influence which Chriſt hath upon all thoſe who are in him, enabling them to walk as he walked. It is true our bleſſed Saviour ſpeaketh of branches in him that beare not fruit: but there he meaneth thoſe who are in him, foreign not foreign onelyonly in appearance, not in reality; who in reſpect of their Chriſtian profeſſion ſeem to be, and in others, perhaps their own opinion are in him, not of thoſe who are in him by a reall, ſubſtantiall, and spirituall Union with him; ſince all that are ſo in him, cannot but receive grace from him, to become fruitfull in good Works. They that are in Chriſt are his Members, and as the Members whilſt united to the head have ſence and motion derived from it, ſo is it with thoſe who abide in Chriſt, to whom he impartes that motion whereby they are able to walk as he walked. They that are in Chriſt are his branches, and as the living branches receiveJoh. 15. 3. ſap from the root, yea, the ſap that is communicated to the branches, is of the ſame nature with that in the root, and the fruit according; ſo doth every one that is in Chriſt partake of grace from Chriſt, yea, that grace which is in Chriſt is infuſed into the Chriſtian. Finally, He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit; if any man be in Chriſt, he hath the Spirit of Chriſt, and look as when the Spirit of Eliah came upon Eliſha; he was enabled to do the ſame miracles which he did: So in whomſoever Chriſts Spirit dwelleth, it ſtrengthens them to do the Works of Chriſt, and become like to him. Very obſervable to this purpoſe is that phraſe of ſealing with the spirit of promiſe; for as the Seal maketh the impreſſion ofEph. 1. 13. its own ſtampe upon the Wax, whereby it is that the Characters upon the Seale are to be diſcerned in the Wax; ſo doth Chriſts Spirit ſtamp his own Image upon the ſoul: whereby it is that the graces of Chriſt appear in the life of a Chriſtian. Hence it followes that whoſoever ſaith he is in Chriſt, ought to walk as he walked, or elſe he is a lyar, and ſaith he is, what he is not: In which reſpect Leo excellently, Falſae profeſſionis Leo Serm. 5. de jejun. 7mi menſis.imagine utimur ſi cujus nomine gloriamur, ejus inſtituta non ſequamur, If we conforme not to his precepts and pattern, in whoſe name we glory, and of whoſe relation we boaſt, all our profeſſion is in vain, nay a meer lye.
To end therefore, Explora teipſum infaelix qui baptiſatus es in Chriſtum, whoſoever thou art that being Baptiſed into Chriſt, profeſſeſt to put him on, and calling thy ſelf a Chriſtian, faiſt thou art in him, try thy ſelf by this mark? doſt thou walk as he walked? nay, rather doſt thou not walk contrary to him? He was holy, thou art profane; he was humble, thou art proud; he was meek, thou art contentious; he was charitable, thou art malitious: thou ſaiſt thou art in Chriſt, and yet thou liveſt like a beaſt in ſenſuality, nay, like a Devill, in hatred and envy, but let no man deceive himſelf with ſuch a vain profeſſion. Nec Aug. de vitâ Chriſtianâ tr. 8. c. 14.quiſquam ſe Chriſtianum judicet niſi qui Chriſti doctrinam ſequitur & imitatur exemplum, nor let any man eſteem himſelf a Chriſtian who doth not reſolve to follow Chriſts Commands and Example. Indeed what Alexander ſaid to one of his name who was a Coward, Aut depone nomen, aut fortiter pugna; either ſhew thy ſelf valorous, or do not call thy ſelf Alexander; that Chriſt ſaith to all looſe Chriſtians; either live according to my pattern, or renounce my name: let then every one that nameth the name of Chriſt expreſſe the nature and do the works of Chriſt. Pythagoras inſtructing the women inJamblien. Pythag. l. 1. c. 11. a grave Oration told them, that many of the Names which were given to them in their conditions both before and after Marriage, were the Names of Goddeſſes; and thence exhorted them to imitation of thoſe Goddeſſes. The Name (beloved) which we all have taken upon us is the Name of Christ, and therefore let us account our ſelves engaged to conforme to him. This, This is that which will both juſtifie the truth of our preſent profeſſion, and make good our future expectation. There are many as St Bernard obſerveth, whoBern in Cant. Serm. 21. would Chriſtum conſequi, and yet not ſequi, be where Chriſt is, ſit down in his Throne, as he is in his Fathers, and yet will not go where he went, and walk as he walked; but alas it cannot be: There is no coming to the ſame place but by the ſame path, ſequi ſervatorem Iren. l. 4. c. 28.eſt participare ſalutem, ſaith Ireneus elegantly: The way to partake of Salvation, is to follow our Saviour; and therefore he that ſaith he is now in Chriſt, and hopeth hereafter to be with him, muſt ſo walk as he walked: In a word, live as Chriſt lived, holily, juſtly, ſoberly, dye as Chriſt dyed, believingly, charitably, patiently, ſo ſhall you raign as Chriſt raigneth, gloriouſly, triumphantly, eternally.
Amen.