First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 37
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN.
CHAP. 2. VERS. 28.
And now little Children abide in him, that when he ſhall appear, wee may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his comming.
MAny are the Diſeaſes to which the inward, as well as the outward man is ſubject. The Feaver of Luxury, the Surfet of Gluttony, Meagrom of Drunkenneſſe, Lethargy of Sloath, and Ague of Idleneſſe, (all which are involved in the Lust of the fleſh,) the Itch of Curioſity, and the Dropſy of Covetouſneſſe, (which are the luſts of the Eies) the Tumor of Arrogancy, and the Timpany of Ambition, (which are the Fride of Life) are not more common than dangerous ſickneſses; no wonder if our Apoſtle, being a ſpiritual Phyſician, cautioneth us, and preſcribeth in this Chapter an excellent Antidote againſt them, of not loving the World and the things of the World. But beſides theſe, the Conſumption of Envy, the Frenzy of Malice, the Giddineſſe of Inconſtancy, and Falling-ſickneſſe of Apoſtacy, are no leſſe deadly, and farre more ſpreading; for this cauſe it is that our Apoſtle throughout this whole Epiſtle, very much inſiſteth upon brotherly love, the only cure of malice and envie; and in the latter part of this Chapter, earneſtly perſwadeth a firm adherence to the Chriſtian Faith, the proper remedy of inconſtancy and Apoſtacy, the cloſe of which Diſcourſe is in the words of the text, And now little children abide in him, &c.
In which verſe there are three things offer themſelves to our obſervation, …e Manner, the Matter, the Motive; The manner …et, The matter ſer…us, The motive ſtrong. The manner Rhetorical, The matter Theological, The motive Logical. The manner vehement, The matter important, The motive urgent. Finally,
The manner in the Compellation, Little Children,
The matter in the Exhortation, And now abide in him.
The motive in the Incitation, That when hee ſhall appear, we may have confidence, and not bee aſhamed before him at his coming; of each of which with brevity and perſpicuity.
1 Begin we with the Compellation, which having had occaſion once and again to handle, ſhall bee quickly paſſed over, only I cannot but with Ferus, take notice of the excelleat Artifice of our Apoſtle, who calleth them to whom he wrote, Little Children, Ut oftenſione Fer. in loc.affect us ſui fortius moveat, thatby diſcovering the dearneſs of his love towards them, they might bee the more eaſily perſwaded by him. St. Paul writing to the Romans concerning falſe Teachers, ſaith, they did deceive the ſimple by fair and ſmooth words. Surely the Miniſters of Chriſt ſhould be no leſſe artificial in perſwading, than they are in deceiving, and to that end uſe ſmooth and fair words. Rom. 16. 17Me thinketh thoſe words of our Saviour to his Diſciples when ſo many forſook him, carry in them a great deal of paſsion, Will you alſo goe away? and no doubt they…oh. 6. 67 made a ſuitable impreſſion on them, witneſſe Peters anſwer, Lord, whither ſhall wee goe? what affectionate ſtraines are thoſe of St. Paul, and St. Peter? I beſeech you brethren by the mercies of God, ſo St. Paul; Dearly Rom. 12. 1beloved I beſeech you, ſo St. Peter; and if wee well weigh it, wee ſhall finde as much, nay more in this of St.1 Pet. 2. 10 John, And now little children; the Hebrew foreign which anſwers to the foreign in the Greek, is not only an adverb of time, but a particle of beſeeching, and this title, Little children, ſeemeth to intimate, that our Apostle beſeecheth them, Per eam Paternam benevolentiam, by the love of a Father, yea by the bowels of a Mother. You that are Parents know with what tender affections you ſpeak to your Children, when you diſſwade them fromEſt. in loc. Aret. in loc. evil, or perſwade them to good; the ſame Spirit was in this holy Apoſtle, Mira & ſollicita de ſuorum ſalute cura, it was a ſtrange ſolicitous care, and deſire, which he had, of their Salvation, which put him upon this earneſt way of exhorting them to perſeverance. Oh that all the Ministers of the Word would learn to fellow this pattern. I told you in the laſt Lecture, it is only God that can ſpeak to the heart inwardly, and effectually, but certainly that Miniſter ſhall ſooneſt convey as it were his words into the heart, who ſpeaketh with his heart, yea rather ſpeaketh his heart; whoſe expreſſions manifeſt his affection, as to the things concerning which, ſo to the perſons to whom he ſpeaketh; and this ſhall ſuffice for a brief account of the Compellation.
2 Proceed we to the Exhortation, in thoſe words, And now abide in him.
Before I diſcuſſe the nature of the duty, it will not be amiſſe to obſerve, that what is aſſured in the end of the former verſe, You ſhall abide in him, is preſcribed in the beginning of this, abide in him; Abiding in Chriſt is the matter of both, a promiſe, and a precept, it is that which wee ſhall finde verified in other duties as well as this, I will put my fear in their hearts, ſo runs the Promiſe, Fear the Lord, ſo frequently the Precept. A new heart will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, ſo God promiſeth; make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit, Ier. 32. 40. Pſal. 34. 9 Prov. 3. 5 Ezek. 36. 26. 18. 31 Deut. 30. 6. 16ſo hee commandeth. The Lord thy God will circumciſe thine heart to love him, is the promiſe, and in the ſame Chapter, I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God. Indeed, there may ſeem ſome kind of incongruity in this at the firſt view, for what need is there of commanding us to doe what God promiſeth hee will enable us to doe? but in truth there is a ſweet harmony between precepts and promiſes of this nature, whilſt theſe ſerve to ſtrengthen our confidence, and thoſe to quicken our diligence; when on the one hand we are exhorted to abide in Chriſt, wee may be ready to ſay, but How ſhall I bee able to perform this duty? my enemies are ſo ſtrong, and grace ſo weak, that I fear I ſhall let goe my hold, and as David once ſaid, I ſhall one day fall by the hands of Saul; ſo the weak, though willing Chriſtian, is apt to ſay, I ſhall one day fall by the power and policy of the Devil, and notwithſtanding all my reſolutions and endeavours, I fear my deceitful heart will bee with-drawn from Chriſt. But loe, for our comfort and encouragement, here is a promiſe, that by the vertue of this Unction wee ſhall abide. On the other hand, when we meet with theſe, and ſuch like promiſes of perſeverance, we may be ready to flatter our ſelves, as if we cannot miſcarry, and once being in Chriſt, we ſhall abide, though we be never ſo careleſſe and ſecure, and therefore to prevent this ſupine lazineſſe, here is a precept annexed to the promiſe, which minds us, that ſomething is to bee performed on our part, as well as Gods. This unction enableth to abide in Chriſt, but withall wee are required to make uſe of the grace which this unction giveth for that end; and as the Promiſe aſſureth us of the one, ſo the Precept puts us on the other. It is a known ſaying of St. Auſtin, Hee that made us without our ſelves, will not ſave us without our ſelves, wee can doe nothing without him, hee will not doe it without us. The Unction teacheth, and that ſo as to give ſtrength to fulfill, yet ſtill our part is to put forth that ſtrength for that end for which it was given us, and though it is the grace of this unction which doth not only prevent us, by giving ability, but excite us to, and aſſiſt us in actuating that ability, yet it is incumbent on us, by the help of preventing, exciting, and aſſiſting grace, to exert thoſe acts of faith, and courage, and conſtancy, whereby we abide in him.
This being premiſed, come wee now to conſider the Duty to which wee are exhorted, and here wee finde ſomething ſubſtantial, and ſomething circumſtantial; that in the verb, abide; this in the adverb, now.Verbo ma…e…di gaudet Apoſtolus. Lap. in loc.
1 The ſubſtance of the duty is in the word abide, a word which as Lapide well obſerveth, our Apoſtle very much delighted to uſe, no leſſe than ſeven times wee meet with it in this Chapter; nor is it any wonder, ſince it was his Maſters word, and that in his laſt dying farewell Jo…. 15▪ 4, 5, 6, 7.Sermon, if you caſt your eyes on the fifteenth Chapter of St. Johns Goſpel, you ſhall finde this phraſe of abiding in him, uſed by our Saviour five ſeveral times in four verſes, and as hath been already obſerved, this holy Apoſtle loved to tread in his Maſters ſteps, yea to ſpeak in his Maſters language. He that exhorts to walk as he walked, will not only doe ſo, but talk alſo as he talked. No doubt, as hee was his Lords darling, ſo hee had a dear affection to him, and thoſe whom wee love, wee would reſemble, not only in greater, but leſſer matters, in garb, and geſture, in diſcourſe and language. And as for this reaſon he maketh ſo frequent uſe of the phraſe, ſo likewiſe he ſo often inculcateth the duty, becauſe it was his Maſters counſel to him, and the reſt of the Diſciples. Hee well knew he could not give better counſel to the people than Chriſt had given to him, hee followed it himſelf, and found it good advice; no wonder if hee commanded it to others, Abide in him.
For the unfolding of this duty, know
1 There is a three-fold abiding which is required of every Chriſtian, in the Church of Chriſt, in the Doctrine of Chriſt, and in Chriſt himſelf; all of theſe we meet with in this Chapter; the firſt in the nineteenth verſe, foreign,Verſ. 19. they had continued with us, to wit, the Apoſtles of Chriſt, who were then the Rulers, and Repreſentatives of the Church. The ſecond, in the four and 24.twentieth verſe, foreign, Let that which you have heard from the beginning abide in you, to wit, the29. Evangelical Doctrine; and the laſt in this verſe, foreign, abide in him. By all of theſe, no doubt, one and the ſame grace of perſeverance is meant, yet not without ſome difference, one riſing higher than the other; the loweſt ſt…p is abiding in the Church, which is oppoſed to a Schiſmatical ſeparation; higher than that is abiding in the Doctrine, which is oppoſed to Heretical defection; the higheſt, is abiding in Chriſt himſelf, which is oppoſed to an Hypocritical profeſſion. A man may abide in the Church, and …et fall from truth to error; he may abide both in the Church, and in the Doctrin of Chriſt, ſo farre as to outward profeſsion, and yet not be really united to, and abide in Chriſt himſelf. But on the other hand, Hee who ſpiritually abideth in Chriſt, cannot but abide in his Doctrine and Church: If you abide in me, and Joh. 15. 6my words abide in you▪ ſaith our bleſſed Saviour; where the latter is joyned with the former; Christs words cannot but abide in them who abide in him; nor will he who hath a real. union with Chriſt, make a wilful ſeparation from his Church, ſince the members which adhere to the head, cannot forſake the body; no wonder if our Apoſtle adde this to the two former, as that which will both engage and enable us to them; and accordingly, that wee may continue with the Orthodox Chriſtians, and that which we have heard from the beginning may remain in us, let us abide in him.
2 In regard of this union and communion which wee have with Chriſt; there is a three-fold phraſe, which wee meet with very frequently in the New Teſtament, comming to him, being in him, and abiding in him; coming to him is St. Peters phraſe, to whom coming as to a living 1 Pet. 2. 5 2 Cor. 5. 21 1 Joh. 2. 6ſtone; Being in him, St. Pauls, If any man bee in Chriſt; Abiding in him, St. Johns, both here and before in this Chapter. And here we may obſerve a gradation, coming to him is the beginning; being in him, the progreſſe; and abiding in him the perfection of Chriſtianity; we muſt come to him, or we cannot be in him; wee muſt be in him, elſe we cannot abide in him; it is not enough to come to, but we muſt be in; nor to bee in, but wee muſt abide in him. To come to Chriſt, is renouncing our ſelves, to embrace Chriſt, as our Lord and Saviour; to be in him, is to truſt in him (whom wee embrace) for ſalvation; and to Abide in him, is to perſevere in this adhaeſion, to the end.
3 If yet you deſire a more plain account of the true meaning, and full latitude of this phraſe of abiding in Chriſt, I anſwer, it is when as having received Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, and that both as our Lord and Jeſus, we doe not, will not ſuffer our ſelves, either by the allurements, or affrightments of the world, ſolicitations of the fleſh, and temptations of the Devil, to be with-drawn from the profeſsion of his name, obſervance of his precepts, recumbency on his merits, imitation of his graces, and communion with his perſon.
2 Having given you this account of the foreign, abide in him▪ it will not bee amiſſe to caſt an eye upon the foreign, and now; though it may be looked upon only as formula concludend…, a winding up of the Diſcourſe, as if he had ſaid, in Salomons language, this is Eccle. 12 13the concluſion of the whole matter, yet ſince the particle foreign is properly an adverb of time, we ſhall ſo conſider it, and finde a great deal of emphaſis in it, in as much as this now ſeemeth to have a double aspect.
1 Upon the Antichriſts which then abounded, in which reſpect there was ſo much the more need at that time, to take heed they were not with-drawn from Chriſt, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, now abide in him. Here is the faith and patience of the Saints, ſaith St. John of perſecuting Rev. 13. 10times, Here is the faith and conſtancy of the Saints, may wee ſay of Heretical times, then to abide in, when many goe from Chriſt, cannot but be very acceptable to him; for this he commended the Angel of the Church ofRev. 2. 19 Pergamus, I know thy works, and where thou dwelleſt, where Satans ſeat is, and thou holdeſt faſt my name, and hast not denied my faith; it is a ſmall matter to be faithful to Chriſt in thoſe dayes, and places, where Chriſtianity flouriſheth, but the trial of our faithfulneſſe is, when we are in the midſt of Apoſtates and Seducers. He is the loyal Subject who is true to his Prince in Rebellious times, and hee is the ſound Chriſtian, who abideth in Chriſt in antichriſtian times; where Hereſie and Tyranny prevail, there is Satans ſeat, or rather throne, and to adhear to Chriſt as our King, where Satan hath his throne, is conſtancy indeed. Surely what is ſaid of Pergamus, may too truly bee affirmed of England at this day, it is the place where the Devil playeth Rex, miſ-leading by Heretical Seducers multitudes into damnable errours; and now (beloved) to abide in Chriſt, and cleave to the truth, will be both his and our honour.
2 Upon the Chriſtians who had already embraced, and hitherto adhered to him, whom therefore the Apoſtle beſpeaketh, now abide in him, that is, ſtill continue faithful, and hold out to the end▪ Hee had told them before it is the laſt hour, and hee would not have them fail at laſt. That Coat which Joſeph had from his Father, Greg. in Gr.is called by St. Gregory, Talaris tunica, a Coat down to his heels; ſuch muſt the coat of perſeverance bee, not to the knees or legges only, but to the very heels. Hee that begins a race, nay that runs three parts of the way, will yet loſe the prize if hee give over before hee come to the goal; as St. James ſaith of patience, ſo ſay I of perſeverance, Iam. 1. 2let it have its perfect work. Oh my brethren, I fear it may bee ſaid to too many amongſt, us in the language of St. Paul to the Galathians, Have you ſuffered Gal. 3. 10ſo many things in vain, if it bee yet in vain? Have you ſo long, maugre all oppoſition, adhered to the truth, and will you now by a cowardly faintneſſe loſe the glory and reward of all your former ſervices? Know you not, that the grace of the Theater is the laſt Scene? and it is the evening that crowneth the day; caſt not away therefore your confidence, but as you have hitherto, ſo now abide in him; and which would not be paſſed by, it was not long that this time of trial ſhould laſt, it was but for an hour; and ſince they had been faithful ſo long, he would have them hold out a little longer; Could you not watch with me one hour, ſaid Chriſt to his Diſciples? ſhall wee not abide in Chriſt one hour? I have ſerved my Jeſus (ſaid Polycarpus) theſe many years, ſhall I now deſert him? it is but for a while, a very little while, as here in St. Johns phraſe; a moment in St. Pauls, and therefore now abide in him. To bring this Part of the Text to a period.
1 That wee may bee enabled conſtantly to abide in Christ, there is need eſpecially of two graces, namely a ſtrong faith in, and an ardent love to Chriſt. Hee that is fully aſſured that Chriſt, and Chriſt alone is the root of all graces, the fountain of all happineſſe, the foundation Acts 4. 13of all good, and that as St. Peter expreſſeth, there is no ſalvation in any other, will certainly abide in Chriſt whatever befall him. Hee that hath an endeared affection to Chriſt, whoſe ſoul cleav…th to him as the ſoul of Jonathan did to David, will not leave him, nor ſuffer himſelf, either by fair or foul means, to bee withdrawn from him. Where there is a voluntary ſeparation between man and wife, wee may ſafely conclude there is want of affection to each other, in both, or either, ſince love being a deſire of union, cannot admit of a diſ-junction, and therefore let our prayer & indeavour be, that our faith may be ſtrengthened, our love inflamed, and thereby our perſeverance lengthened.
2 Of how great concernment it is that we ſhould abide in Chriſt, himſelf hath told us in that fore-mentioned place of the Goſpel, where hee fully ſets before us the advantage on the one hand, and the damage on the other▪ If we abide in him▪ he will abide in us, if we abide in him, we ſhall abide in his love, if wee abide in him, we ſhall be enabled to bring forth the fruit of good works, to his Fathers glory, andIoh. 15. 2, 3 conſequently our own foelicity. But if wee do not abide in him, wee ſhall bee barr… and unfruitful, caſt out and withered, and our end at laſt will be to be burned.
But what need I go further than the Text? wherein wee meet with a very ſtrong and preſſing motive, which is the last part, and cometh now to be handled, as it isPart 3. laid down in thoſe words, That when hee ſhall appear &c.
In which there is ſomething
Suppoſed, namely, the comming and appearance of Chriſt, when hee ſhall appear, and again at his comming.
Implyed, namely our appearance at that day, in that it is ſaid, Before him.
Expreſſed, namely, the confident appearing before Chriſt, of thoſe who abide in him, that we may have confidence and not be aſhamed before him at his comming.
1 That which is here ſuppoſed by our Apostle, is, that There is another comming of Chriſt, when hee ſhall appear. That the Hee here ſpoken of is Christ, is ſo evident, that it needs no diſcuſſion, and that you may know of what comming and appearance St. John ſpeaketh, take notice of a threefold comming of Chriſt.
Ʋirtual, Spiritual, Perſonal, of his Power, of his Spirit, of his Perſon.
1 Whenſoever our bleſſed Lord is pleaſed to make known his Power in the deliverance of his Church, and vengeance on his enemies, Hee is then ſaid to come and appear; and of this comming, wee finde mention both in the Gospels, and Epiſtles: many places there are which may, and ſome which muſt bee ſo underſtood. Thus when Chriſt ſaith, There are ſome here ſtanding Mat. 16. 28which ſhall not taſte of death, till they ſee the Son of man comming in his Kingdome; and again concerning the beloved Diſciple, If I will that hee tarry till I come, what Ioh▪ 21. 2▪is that to thee? it cannot bee rationally conſtrued of any other than his comming, to deſtroy the Jews that crucified him, and deliver the Christians that Worſhipped him.
2 Whenſoever our bleſſed Jeſus is pleaſed, by his holy Spirit to manifeſt himſelf to the ſoul of a beleever, inlightening the minde, comforting the conſcience, inlarging the affections; hee is then ſaid to come and appear: ſo runnes the Promiſe in the Goſpel, If a man love mee, hee Ioh. 16. 23will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and wee will come in to him, and make our abode with him; in the Epiſtle to the Angel of the Laodicean Church, Behold, I ſtand at the door and knock, if any man open the doo…, I will Rev. 3. 20.come in to him▪ and ſup with him, and hee with me.
3 Beſides both theſe, there is a perſonal comming of Chriſt, and this is double, for ſo wee read, hee ſhall appear Heb. 9. 28▪the ſecond time. Indeed, the Jews fancy two Meſſiahs, o…e of the Tribe of Ephraim, the other of the Tribe of Judah, one the Son of Joſeph, the other of David; wee no where read of any Meſſiah, of any other Tribe than that of Judah: But that which was the occaſion of their errour▪ is a certain truth, namely, that there is a double comming of the Meſſiah. One of the titles of the Meſſiah, is, foreign, hee that is to come, and it is that, which as it did from the beginning▪ ſo it will till the end of the world, belong to him; for though the first comming bee long ſince paſt, in reſpect of which this very Apostle ſaith in the next Chapter, The Son of God was manifeſted, yet there is a comming to come, in referenceChap. 3. …. 2. to which, hee ſaith a little before in that Chapter, hee ſhall appear. And indeed though the late learned Annotatour, refer the appearing in my Text, to that virtual comming of his, when Jeruſalem was overthrown, yet ſince there is no reaſon neceſſitating to reſtrain it to that, and ſo ſoon after, (namely, in the ſecond verſe of the next chapter) this appearing is mentioned again, where it muſt bee underſtood of that ſecond and laſt comming, I conceive it moſt congruous, with the generality of Interpreters, ſo to underſtand it here.
This is that comming of Chriſt which was Propheſied long agoe. Enoch, the ſeventh from Adam, mentioned this advent, ſaying, The Lord commeth with thouſands of Jude verſ. 4.his Angels; and Daniel, where hee ſpeaketh of the Son of mans comming with the Clouds of Heaven. Of thisDan. 7▪ 13, 14. comming the New Teſtament maketh frequent mention. It is foretold by Christ himſelf, I go, and prepare a place Joh. 14. 3for you, I will come again. By the Angels, This ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like Act. 1. 1….manner, as you have ſeen him gone into heaven. By the Apoſtles, The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, with the voice of the Arch-Angel, and with the 1 Theff. 4. 6.Trumpet of God, So St. Paul. Bee patient Brethren unto the comming of the Lord. So St. James. Which if immediately Ia…. 1. 7.it reſpect the virtual, yet is to bee extended to this perſonal comming. Finally, There ſhall come in the last daies Scoffers, ſaying where is the Promiſe of his comming, So St. Peter. That hee ſhall come again is an Article… Pet. 3. 3… 4 of our Creed, founded upon many pregnant Teſtimonies of holy Writ. To determine the time of his comming, is without the compaſs of our knowledge, becauſe not within the spheare of Scripture-Revelation; wee have lived to ſee thoſe men found Lyars, who have audaciouſly preſumed to ſet the time. Let us deſire to know no more than God hath revealed, and that is, that it ſhall bee the laſt day. At this comming, whenſoever it is, bee ſhall appear, to wit, in splendor and Glory, ſo it is called by St. Paul, foreign, The glorious Tit. 2. 13appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Christ. And herein lyeth the difference, between the firſt Juan. carnot. Ep. Serm.and ſecond comming of Christ, Primus adventus ejus occultus, ſecundus manifestus, ſaith an Ancient, his first comming was hidden, his ſecond ſhall be manifest, quum conspicuus factus erit; So Beza readeth my text, when he ſhall appear conspicuouſly; his firſt coming was in the form Beza in loc.of a Servant, his ſecond ſhall bee in the splendor of a King; at his firſt comming, hee was meek as a Lamb, at his ſecond, hee ſhall bee terrible as a Lyon; at his firſt comming, hee was accompanied with mean men, at his ſecond hee ſhall bee attended with mighty Angels; at his first comming hee rode upon an Aſſe, in his ſecond, hee ſhall ride upon the clouds. Finally, his firſt comming was in meanneſs and ignominy, his ſecond ſhall bee with might and Majesty.
This comming, I truſt beloved, wee all beleeve, and let us all be exhorted more and more to confirm our faith in it. Indeed, a ſure beleef of this ſecond advent, is of urgent neceſſity, in order to an holy life; ſince nothing maketh the Servant more diligent in his buſineſs, than a certain expectation of his Lords return: hence it is that one characterHeb. 9. 27 of a true Chriſtianin the New Teſtament, is, to look for Chriſts appearing, which implyeth a ſtedfaſt Phil. 3. 2…confidence, that hee will appear. It is not foreign, but foreign, ſi, but cum, If hee ſhall appear, as if it were a thing dubious, or onelyonly probable, hee may come, or hee may not come, but when hee ſhall appear, as a thing certain and indubitable, and taken for granted by our Apostle, that they to whom hee wrote were fully convinced of, and ſo ſhall I now charitably judge of you, and proceed to the
2 Next particular which is implied, and that is our appearance, in thoſe words, before him. The firſt comming was to ſave ſinners upon the terms of faith and repentance, his ſecond ſhall bee both to ſave and deſtroy; to deſtroy the incredulous and impenitent, to ſave the beleeving and penitent ſinners. In order to this, it is, that whereas his firſt comming was to bee judged, and ſo condemned and crucified; his ſecond comming ſhall bee to judge, both by abſolving, and condemning. That hee may perform this office of a Judge, there muſt bee a general citation, and conſequently appearance of all men before him, when hee ſhall deſcend from heaven, all ſhall aſcend out of their Graves. Wee ſhall all ſtand (ſoRom. 14. 10 ſaith St. Paul to the Romans) Wee muſt all appear (ſo is his phraſe to the Corinthians) before the judgement Seat of 2 Cor. 5. 10.Chriſt; nor is this univerſallity onelyonly in reſpect of all ſorts of men, but of all perſons, Quicquid hominum univerſis ſeculis toto orbe progenitum, as Leo hath fully expreſſedLeo Serm. it, whatſoever man hath been, is, or ſhall bee born in any age, or part, time, or place of this world, hee muſt neceſſarily come before this Judge at that day. Indeed, ſome ſhall have boldneſſe, and ſome ſhall bee aſhamed, but all ſhall appear before him. Hee telleth us himſelf, that All nations ſhall bee gathered before him, both ſheep and goats, Mat. 25. 32good and bad. The wicked indeed ſhall not ſtand in the judgement, that is, they ſhall fall in their cauſe, but theyPſal. 1. 5. ſhall ſtand in their perſons; deſire they will bee to bee hid, though with the fall of heavy mountaines upon them, but hid they ſhall not, cannot bee. Every one ſhall then appear, and that in his own colours, the Hypocrite ſhall appear, not as hee ſeemed to bee, but as hee is, his vizard ſhall bee plucked off, and his paint melt away, and hee ſhall bee ſtripped of his ſheeps cloathing. According to what really wee have been and done, ſo ſhall we in that day appear, and ſo ſhall wee bee judged, for hee ſhall reward every man according to his works.
Oh then (my Brethren) ſince theſe things ſhall bee, both that Chriſt will appear, and then wee must appear, How holy ought wee to bee in all manner of Converſation? It will bee a ſad day with us, if at once it ſhall bee latere impoſſible, and apparere intolerabile; impoſſible to bee concealed, and yet intollerable to appear; if as wee ſhall not bee able to hide, ſo neither to hold up our heads; in a word, if as wee ſhall have no opportunity of running away, ſo wee ſhall have no courage to ſtand. Oh then! let it bee our wiſdome before hand, to make account of, and preparation for that appearance. And if you would know how it ſhall bee with you then, often examine how it is with you now. Erect a Court of Judicature in thine own ſoul, ſummon thy ſelf before thy ſelf, if thou beeſt not able to anſwer thy Conſcience, thou wilt bee leſs able to appear before this Judge, according as this Apoſtle tells us in the next Chapter, If our heart condemn us, God is 1 Joh. …. 1….greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Oh then keep a good Conſcience, and lead a good life. Order thy ſteps according to Gods word, and gain by faith, an interest in Christs merits, having begun, continue in the faith, and obedience to the death; and being in Chriſt, abide in him to the end; ſo ſhalt thou appear with joy, and not with ſorrow, with boldneſs, and not with ſhame, before him; and ſo I am fallen upon the
3 Laſt particular, which is expreſſed, namely, The confident appearing before Chriſt of thoſe who abide in him, that wee may have confidence, and not bee aſhamed before him at his comming, wherein wee ſhall more particularly take notice of the excellency of the Benefit, in thoſe words, Have confidence and not bee aſhamed, and the extent of the perſons to whom this benefit redounds in the Pronoun we.
1 The Benefit which cometh by abiding in Chriſt is ſet down according to our Apoſtles uſual way of speaking, both Affirmatively and Negatively, nor was it without a ſpecial reaſon, namely, that hee might at once ſet before us both the advantage of perſeverance, and the danger of Apoſtacy, inaſmuch as here are two plain aſſertions, The one, that they who abide in Christ ſhall hav econfidence. The other, that They who abide not in him ſhall be aſhamed before him at his comming.
1 On the one hand, The Perſevering Chriſtian ſhall have foreign, Confidence before Chriſt at his comming. I ſhall not here trouble you with the various ſignifications of this word foreign, eſpecially, ſince it is ſo fully done to my hand by the late Critical Annotatour. Here it is not unfitly rendered confidence, or boldneſſe. It is by our Saviour expreſſed inDr. Ham. Annotat. on the ſeventh chapt. of St. John. Luk. 21. 28. 36 thoſe two phraſes of lifting up the head, and ſtanding before the Son of man; ſhame cauſeth a man to hang down his head, but confidence lifts it up, fear maketh a man run away, but boldneſs encourageth him to ſtand, this confident boldneſſe ſhall they then have, who now abide in him.
It may perhaps bee here demanded, How can any, yea, the beſt Chriſtian have confidence before Chriſt at his comming? St. Baſil weighing the ſeverity of that day, ſaith,Baſ. Hexam. hom. 11. That even Abraham the Father of the Faithful ſhould then tremble, and indeed conſidering the exact inſpection of the Judge, and the manifold infirmities of the ſtrongeſt Chriſtians, it may very well be wondered how any of the Sons of men ſhould be able to appear then with boldneſſe; but beloved, notwithſtanding this, there are three things which ſhall make the perſevering Chriſtian, confident at that day, namely,
1 The Teſtimony which his own Conſcience ſhall give him of his ſincerity, In die judicii, qualem unuſquiſque Bern. de modo bene viv. Serm. 71.habet conſcientiam, talem judicem habebit, ſaith St. Bernard truely. One of the Books, which ſhall at that day bee opened, and according to which wee ſhall bee judged, is that of conſcience, and as our Apoſtle ſaith in the next Chapter, If our heart condemn us not, then have wee confidence 1 Joh. 3. 21towards God. There is no ſurer Argument of ſincerity, than conſtancy, theſe two are joyned together, Their heart was not right with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt Pſal. 78. 37in Covenant; their unstedfaſtneſſe argued their unſoundneſſe; ſurely then the conſcience of a perſevering Chriſtian, cannot but bear witneſs to him of his uprightneſs; with what confidence doth the Church go to God, when ſhee is bold to appeal to him in her affliction, and ſay, all 44. 17, 18.this is come upon us, yet wee have not forgotten thee, neither have wee dealt falſely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way. Thus can the Faithful Chriſtian plead for himſelf, Bleſſed Jeſus, though the World hath flattered and affrighted mee, the Devil tempted, and ſolicited mee, yet have I not forgotten nor forſaken thee; I have had many failings in my courſe, nor can I acquit my ſelf from infirmities, but through thy grace my heart hath not been turned back, nor have my steps declined from thy waies. This is our rejoycing (ſaith St. Paul) yea, this ſhall bee our rejoycing, at that2 Cor. 1. 12 day, the Teſtimony of a good conſcience. But yet let mee tell you, this is the weakeſt prop of a Chriſtians confidence, and therefore,
2 That which in the next place will embolden him, is, The right hee hath to the Promiſe, even that Promiſe which is mentioned a little before of eternal life, Fidelis eſt qui promiſit, non te fallet, tantum tu noli deficere, ſed expecta promiſſorem. Hee is Faithful that hath promiſed,Aug. in loc. and cannot, will not deceive thee, do not thou faint, and hee will not fail thee; good reaſon then hath he who in ſome meaſure fulfilleth the condition by abiding in Christ now, with confidence to expect the Promiſe then. Though it is far from him to ſay in the Language of that proud Fryer, Da Domine quod ego merui, Lord give me what I have deſerved, yet he will ſay with an humble boldneſſe, Da Domine quod tu promiſiſti, Lord give mee what thou haſt promiſed, having confidence not in the merit of his own works, but the fidelity of Chriſts word. 3 Adde to this in the laſt place, The intereſt which he hath in the Judge; Hee that is to come to Judge the World, is the Head of his Church, and conſequently all who abide in him are his members. Hee that then ſhall appear as the Judge, now appeareth in Heaven as an Advocate for all beleevers. Finally, Hee that ſhall bee the Judge, is a Friend, a Brother, an Husband; they that abide in him, are the children of God, and ſo hee and they brethren, are beloved of him, and ſo hee is their friend, married to him, and ſo he is their Husband, well may they with confidence appear before him. Being thus married to, and abiding in Christ, their ſins are waſhed away in his bloud, their perſons are inveſted with his merits. And thus through him it is, that abiding in him they have confidence before him.
2 On the other hand, they who doe not abide in him, ſhall be aſhamed before him at his coming. I find among Expoſitors a three-fold gloſſe upon this, foreign, aſhamed before him.
1 Eraſmus conceiveth the ſenſe may bee, Ut illum Eraſ. in loc.non pudeat noſtri, that he may not be aſhamed of us. This is that which himſelf threatneth, by way of retaliation to all them who are aſhamed of him, and his words (and conſequentlyLuk. 9. …6 doe not abide in him) that when he ſhall come in the glory of his Father, hee will bee aſhamed of them. They who now will not own Chriſt, at that time would gladly bee owned by him, but hee ſhall diſmiſſe them to their place, with a N…ſcio vos, I know you not. But though this be true in it ſelf, yet the phraſe of the text will not well bear it.
2 The Syriac and vulgar Latine read it, as if the prepoſition Syr. vulg. lat. Beza, ibid.were foreign, and ſo the ſenſe is, Ne nos aeternae infamiae damnet, that we may not bee doomed to eternal infamy, with that Ite maledicti, goe yee curſed. All impenitent ſinners, and eſpecially Apoſtates, ſhall in that day, by Chriſt, bee put to, and cloathed with ſhame. Thus what they ſeek to avoyd, falls upon them, and that in a worſe kind, Apostates deny Chriſt to prevent ſhame, and becauſe of their Apoſtacy they ſuffer perpetual ſhame.
3 The moſt genuine notion of the phraſe is rendred byGrot. in loc. Grotius, Ne pudeat no… ab illo conſpici, that wee may not be aſhamed to be ſeen by him. The wicked, eſpecially Apoſtates, ſhall bee aſhamed at that day before the godly, whom here they despiſed; ſo the Author of the Book ofWiſd. 5. 3▪ 4, 5 Wiſdome brings them in, ſaying within themſelves, This was hee whom wee had ſometimes in deriſion, and a Proverb of reproach, we fools accounted his life madneſſe, and his end to be without honour, how is he numbred among the children of God, and his lot is among the Saints? But which is farre worſe, they ſhall be aſhamed before Chriſt whom here they deſerted, and not bee able to look him in the face. Thus ſhall all that for ſake Chriſt bee aſhamed before him, in reſpect of their
1 Odiou… nakedneſſe. Time was when bodily nakedneſs was our honour, but now it is ſo ſhameful, that wee need garments to cover us; and ſurely if the nakedneſſe of the body be ſhameful, that of the ſoul is farre worſe. How can the Apostate chooſe then but bee aſhamed before Chriſt, whilſt by c…ſting him off, hee hath thrown away that whiteraiment which ſhould cover him, and his ſhameful nakedneſſe muſt needs appear.
2 Groſſe Hypocriſie. The cheating Impoſtor when diſcovered, and brought before the Judge, is aſhamed; the Apoſtate proclaimeth to all the world, that his profeſſion was but a Cheat, his devotion a Lye, and muſt hee not needs be aſhamed when he ſhall appear before Chriſt?
3 Vile unfaithfulneſſe. Hee that hath broke his word, is aſhamed to look him in the face, to whom hee made the promiſe; the Servant that hath not diſcharged his truſt, is aſhamed to come before his Maſter; with what face can that woman look upon her Husband which hath been unfaithful to his bed? Apoſtates are Spiritual Adulterers, forſaking Chriſt for other Lovers; falſe Servants, not keeping that good thing which is committed to them, yea perfidious in their promiſes, renouncing their baptiſmal vow. Sure they cannot but be aſhamed before Chriſt.
4 Great unthankfulneſſe; Hee that having received kindneſſe, returneth injury, may well bluſh to look his Benefactor in the face, Non referre gratias de beneficio, turpe eſt, ſaith Seneca, It is a filthy, and conſequently ſhameful Sen. l. de benef.thing, not to render thanks for benefits conferred, much more to repay them with injuries. No wonder then if the Apoſtate be aſhamed before Chriſt, whom hee hath moſt ungratefully forſaken, renouncing allegiance to this King of glory, not only notwithſtanding his own oath, but many and great favours conferred by this King upon him.
5 Manifeſt folly; All acts of inconſiderate folly are grounds of ſhame; that language of the fool, Non putaram, I did not think, may well be uttered with bluſhing; what bluſhing ſhall then ſit upon the faces of Apoſtates, at that day, when they ſhall too late ſee how they were cheated by the Sophiſtries of the Devil, enchantments of the world, and fallacies of their own corrupt hearts, ſo as to forſake the fountain of living waters, for a broken ciſtern, and to chuſe death rather than life?
Oh that all back-ſliding Apoſtates would think they heard this Judge upbraiding them at that day, with this or the like language: What didſt thou mean, oh thou naked, hypocritical, perfidious, ingrateful, fooliſh ſinner, to goe from me? Did not I offer my ſelf, my merits, my righteouſneſſe to cloath thee? but thou haſt caſt away my righteouſneſſe, wouldeſt have none of mee, and now thou art ſhamefully naked. Didſt thou not for a time make a large profeſſion of my name, and truth? but without any juſt reaſon thou haſt relinquiſhed it, whereby it appeareth thou wert no other than a whited Sepulchre. Didſt thou not by thy Sureties promiſe at thy Baptiſm, and afterwards at my table engage thy ſelf to my ſervice? but none of thoſe oathes have been cords ſtrong enough to hold thee. Could I doe more for thee than that I did, in laying down my life for thee, and is this thy requital, to deny me, and by that denial to crucifie me afreſh? Doeſt thou not ſee what thou haſt done, by leaving me to embrace this preſent world, made a curſed exchange of gold for droſſe, pearls for pebbles; thy pleaſures are vaniſhed, thy hopes diſappointed, and thy ſelf ſhamefully deceived. And now, oh that we would all lay to heart, Quae tunc erit fidei gloria, quae poena perfidiae cum Judicii dies venerit; to uſe St. Cyprians language, what ſhall bee theCypr. ad Demetr. glory of the faithful, and the ignominy of the perfidious; the honour of constancy, and the reproach of Apostacy in that day? What a dark, gloomy, dreadful day it ſhall bee to them that forſake Chriſt; what a bright, ſplendid, joyful day it ſhall be to them that abide in him; and which is better, Judge you. It is before Chriſt himſelf, and that as ſitting on his Throne of glory, we muſt then appear; and what a ſad thing will it be, to have ſhame and confuſion then ſit upon thy face? If therefore thou wouldſt ſtand then, doe not run away now; if you would then lift up your heads, doe not now turn your backs; now abide in him, that you may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his coming.
2 There is only one thing remaineth to bee diſpatched, and that is, the extent of the Perſons, in that the verb is in the firſt perſon plural foreign wee may have, I and you, whereby the Apoſtle intimateth, that his confidence or ſhame at Chriſts coming, did much depend upon their abiding, or not abiding in him.
On the one hand, the Peoples conſtancy ſhall then bee the Paſtors glory, in which reſpect St. Paul calleth the Philippians, his joy and his crown; and hee ſaith of thePhil. 4. 1 1 Theſ. 2. 19, 20 Theſſalonians, For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoycing, are not even yee in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt at his coming? for yee are our glory, and our joy; they were not only his joy, but his glory; not onelyonly his glory, but his crown of glorying (for ſo the Greek is beſt rendered) of whom hee ſhould glory at the laſt day as his crown; Labor diſcipuli in opere bono coronam dat Magiſtro judice Ambroſe.Chriſto, ſaith St. Ambroſe, the Scholars labour ſhall bee the Maſters honour in the Judgement of Chriſt.
On the other hand, the Peoples Apoſtacy ſhall then be the Miniſters ignominy; A fooliſh Son ſaith the Wiſe man is aProv. 19. 13 calamity, foreign, ſo the Septuagint reads it, a diſgrace to his Father; ſo are a fooliſh giddy People to their Spiritual Father; indeed if the Minister diſcharge his duty, he ſhall not have any cauſe of ſhame as to himſelf, as if he had been negligent or unfaithful; but he ſhall be aſhamed of the People, and as it were unwilling to own them. The barren tree reproacheth the Gardner, the ignorant Scholar diſgraceth his Teacher, and though the righteous Judge will not lay the Peoples Apostacy to the charge of the faithful Miniſter, yet thereby his glorying is made voyd.
And therefore my dearly beloved, if you have any reverence to the Judge before whom you muſt appear, if you have any respect to your Miniſter, who would gladly then have cauſe to boast of you, and if you have any regard to your own comfort, honour, happineſſe, in that day when you ſhall appear before Chriſt, I exhort, intreat, beſeech you, that you would adhere conſtantly to, and abide firmly in him whom you have beleeved, to the end of your days.
And thus through Divine aſſiſtance, I am come to the end of this excellent period. There is indeed another verſe in this Chapter, but as Beza well gloſſeth, it is, Tranſitio Beza in loc.ad ſequentem exhortationem, a paſſage to the following exhortation, and begins that Diſcourſe which is proſecuted in ſeveral verſes of the next Chapter, and therefore with Cajetan, I ſhall look upon it, rather as the firſt verſe ofCajet. in loc. that, than the laſt of this. Nothing therefore now remainteh, but that as I truſt you have hitherto, ſo to beg of you that you would ſtill renew your prayers to God for me, that (if it be his will, and may be for his glory, and the Churches good) I may make further progreſſe, and in due time finiſh this work of expounding this Epiſtle. And may both you and I ſo walk in thoſe ſteps of this way, namely, confeſſing and forſaking our ſins, keeping Chriſts commandments, and imitation of his pattern: Love of our Brother, contempt of the World, and perſeverance in the faith of Chriſt, that when he ſhall appear, we may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his coming.
Amen, Amen.