First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 11

First Epistle of John Applied Part 1 · Lecture 11

p. 199THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S^t JOHN.

CHAP. 2. 12, 13, 14. VERS.

I write unto you little Children, becauſe your ſins are forgiven you for his name ſake.

I write unto you Fathers, becauſe ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you young Men, becauſe ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little Children, becauſe ye have known the Father.

I have written unto you Fathers, becauſe you have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you young Men, becauſe ye are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

AMong the many fimilitudes by which the office of a Miniſter is repreſented in Scripture, thoſe two of a watchman, and a Shepheard are very obſervable. Indeed both of them are metaphors, by which God himſelf is pleaſed to deſcribe his Prophets, the one, p. 200when he ſaith to Ezekiel, Son of Man, I have ſet thee a watchman to the houſe of Iſrael; the other in that graciousEzek. 33. 7.Ezek 33:7 promiſe to his people, I will ſet up ſhepheards over them which ſhall feed them. The duty of a watchman Jer. 23. 4.Jer 23:4is firſt to take, and then give notice of the enemies approach; and it is no ſmall part of our miniſteriall imployment, to warne the people of thoſe dangers, with which their spirituall enemies endeavour to ſurprize them. The work of a Shepheard is to provide green paſtures, ſtill waters for the flock, and to take care, not only for the grown ſheep, but the tender Lambes; and it is the chief task of a spirituall Paſtor to feed his people with knowledge and underſtanding, having regard to all perſons, conditions, and ages. How fitly both theſe agree to this holy Apoſtle S^t John, is eaſiy to obſerve in this Epiſtle: like a vigilant Watchman he warneth them in the latter part of this, and the beginning of the fourth Chapter, of thoſe imps of Satan, Antichriſtian Hereticks, which did infeſt, and infect the Church; like a carefull Shepheard, he giveth them wholeſome inſtructions for the ſtabliſhing of their Faith, regulateing their life, in the greater part of the Epiſtle; and here in theſe Verſes which I have read, he manifeſteth the care he had, not only of the elder, but younger Chriſtians, I write to you little Children, &c.

In theſe three Verſes we have an anſwer to three Queſtions, Quid? Quibus? Quare?

What S John did? To which the anſwer is returned in the word write.

To whom he wrote? The anſwer to which is given in the ſeverall titles.

Why he wrote to all, and each of theſe? The anſwer whereunto is in thoſe various clauſes; which have a becauſe prefixed.

So that if you pleaſe, here are three generall parts p. 201in this portion of holy writ to be diſcuſſed,

The Perſons characterized, little Children, Fathers, young Men, little Children.

The act performed, I write, I have written.

The reaſons annexed, Becauſe your ſins are forgiven you for his name ſake, becauſe you have known him that is from the beginning, &c.

According to this propoſed Method, I am to begin Gen. 1.Gen 1at the middle of the Verſes, with the ſeverall compellations by which our Apoſtle beſpeaketh thoſe to whom he wrote. Theſe I finde in the uſuall Greeke copies to be foure, foreign, but in ou… tranſlation three, little Children, Fathers, young Men. S^t Auſtin upon this place, ſeemeth to inſinuate, that theſe titles are given by S^t John generallyAug. in Ep. to all Chriſtians to whom he wrote, Filij ſunt, Patres ſunt, Juvenes ſunt: in Filijs nativitas, inpatribus antiquitas, in juvenibus fortitudo: all Believers are Children in reſpect of their new birth, Fathers in regard of their knowledge of the ancient of daies, and young Men in reſpect of their ſpirituall ſtrength. To this agreeth that of Juſtinian, who ſaith, that thereforeHas omnes propri t…tes in omnium fidelium ment b…s in…ſ… ma…im… deſid… r…bat, &c. Juſtin. in loc. ou… Apoſtle deſcribeth all Chriſtians by theſe names, becauſe he requireth the qualities of little Children, Fathers, and young Men in all Chriſtians: but this interpretation though pious, ſeemeth not ſo congruous, it being improbable he ſhould ſeverally inculcate his writing together with the ſeverall reaſons of his writing to them, had he intended only Chriſtians in generall by all theſe compellations.

The generality of Interpreters moſt probably conceive theſe titles to have ſeverall references, but yet with ſome difference, which ariſeth from a double conſideration of the firſt title, foreign, little Children in the twelfth Verſe.

1. Some conceive it to be of a particular concernment, p. 202and ſo to note a diſtinct ſort of perſons from Fathers and young Men. That which favours this interpretation is. 1. That hereby every one of the Members of that diviſion which our Apoſtle maketh will be repeated. 2. That one Greek Manuſcript reads it foreign, in the twelfth Verſe, and ſo it is the ſame with the word in the thirteenth. 3. That in the Syriack and ſome Greek Copies the variation of the Verb, from the Preſent Tenſe to the firſt Aoriſt begins at the iteration of little Children in the end of the thirteenth, and is in theſe the beginning of the fourteenth Verſe. And to juſtifie the order of enumeration which ſeemeth to be irregular in beginning with little Children, Grotius ſaith; ThatGrot. ibid. the Apoſtle firſt ſets down the extreams of little Children, and Fathers, and then the middle, young Men.

2. Others conceive the firſt, little Children in the twelfth Verſe to be a title by which the Apoſtle beſpeaketh all Chriſtians, and then in the thirteenth Verſe he ſeverally addreſſeth himſelf to Fathers, young Men, little Children; and in the fourteenth Verſe (not without speciall reaſon, as ſhall appear in its due place) he repeateth his addreſs to Fathers, and young Juſtin. Vori.Men: this laſt interpretation however Soeinus is pleaſed to call it monſtrous, ſeemeth to me eſpecially according to our received Greek Copies (from which I ſee no cauſe to recede) the moſt genuine reaſons briefly are theſe,

1. The originall word for little Children in the twelfth, is different from that in the thirteenth; whereas had the Apoſtle intended the ſame thing, he would probably have uſed the ſame word in both places.

2. The originall word in the twelfth Verſe is the ſame with that in the firſt Verſe, where it is plainly ſpoken of all ſorts of Chriſtians.

3. Whereas the reaſons ſpecified in the thirteenth p. 203Verſe are commendations, and thoſe ſutable to the ſeverall ages mentioned, as is obvious at the firſt view to any Reader; the reaſon in the twelfth Verſe is a conſolation, and ſuch as equally belongs to all Chriſtians.

4. Laſtly, According to this interpretation the order of ſetting down the ſeverall ages is regular, begining with Fathers, and proceeding with young men, and deſcending to little Children.

For theſe reaſons I ſhall adhere to the latter interpretation, and accordingly here are two things obſervable,

A generall Denomination, Little Children,

A particular Enumeration, Fathers, young Men, little Children.

1. The generall Denomination is, foreign, by which (as Danaeus well obſerveth) Omnes aetates compl…ctitur, Dan. in loc. See part. 1. p. 327.the Chriſtians of all ages are intended, It is a term which I have already had occaſion to handle, and therefore ſhall now paſs over with the more brevity.

Though it is true in a reall notion, yet it is more probable that our Apoſtle uſeth it in a Metaphoricall conſtruction, and his deſign in it is double; Namely, that this Appellation might be both a teſtimony of his affection towards them, and a monitor to them of their duty; and in both theſe conſiderations there was a great deale of reaſon why our Apoſtle ſhould uſe this title of little Children.

1. He calls them little Children to teſtifie that Fatherly affection which he did bear to them; and this no doubt that hereby he might gain a filiall affection from them towards him, and an affectionate regard to his Doctrine. It is no ſmall piece of policy in an Orator to make way for his inſtruction, by giving evidence of his affection, what appeareth to be ſpoken, is commonly taken in love: no wonder then if S^t John, p. 204Ad majorem benevalentiam indu…endam filiolos appellat, as Juſtiuian appoſitely, for the gaining of their good will Juſtinian. in loc.to him, declareth good will towards them, by calling them little Children.

And truly ſo much the more cauſe had our Apoſtle to endeavour this in reſpect both of what he had and was to deliver.

He was now about to diſſwade them from loving the world, a leſſon to which they might probably be very averſe, it being ſo hard for us, while we are in the world, not to be intangled with the love of it; nay, perhaps they might think he was an enemy to them, in requiring them to be enemies to the world, it being ſtrange he ſhould will them to contemn that whereof they had continuall uſe. Now by calling them Children, and thereby inſinuating, that he spake to them as a Father, they might juſtly perſwade themſelves that he adviſed them to nothing but what was for their good. Our bleſſed Saviour ſtrongly argueth from the Love of a Father, If his Son ask bread will he give him a Matth. 7. 9, 11.Matt 7:9Matt 7:11ſtone? or if he ask a fiſh will he give him a Serpent? A queſtion intending a negation, doubtleſs he will not, nay, rather if he ask him ſtones or a ſerpent, he will give him bread or …ſh. Fathers do not uſe to give, nor yet to adviſe their Children what is hurtfull, but uſefull for them; and therefore by calling them little Children, he would let them know, that how prejudiciall ſoever this counſell of not loving the world, might ſeem to them, it was given by him as a Father, and that which he knew would be beneficiall to them.

Again, He had but now ſharply reproved thoſe among them who did hate their Brethren; and leaſt they ſhould account him guilty of the ſin he reproved, as if his reprehenſion of them, proceeded from hatred, he preſently manifeſteth his love, by this ſweet appellation, p. 205little Children. There is never more need of inſinuating into Auditors, an opinion of our candid affection towards them; then when we uſe bitter invectives againſt their ſins: men being very apt to miſconſtrue our hatred of their ſins, as if it were malice againſt their perſons: and truly what expreſſion could more repreſent affection then this of Children? Solomon ſaith,Prov. 27. 6.Prov 27:6 The wounds of a Friend are better then the kiſſes of an enemy; and good reaſon ſince there is more love in the ones wounds, then the others kiſs; and if the wounds of a Friend, much more the reproofs of a Father are from love; if it be a rod, the Childe muſt kiſs it, becauſe it is virga Patris, the rod of a Father; and ſurely then, though it be a ſharp rebuke, the Childe muſt embrace it, becauſe it is verbum Patris, the word of a Father: amor, ſaith the old man in the Poet, eſt optimum ſalſamentum, love is that ſauce which giveth a reliſh to things that are otherwiſe moſt diſtaſtefull and loathſome. Brotherly love ſaith S^t Auſtin, and it is no leſs trueAug. conſeſſ. l. 10. c. 4. of Fatherly, Sive approbet me, ſive improbet me, diligit me; whether it approve, or reprove me, it ſtill loveth me; and where love is the ſweet ſpring, though the waters be the waters of Marah, I may chearfully drinke them. That therefore our Apoſtle might render his ſevere reprehenſion the more acceptable, he would have them know it was from that ſincere and tender reſpect he bare to them; and that he might convince them of this cordiall reſpect, he beſpake them as a Father with this affectionate title little Children.

2. He ſtileth them little Children to minde them ofMatth. 18. 3.Matt 18:3 that duty which concerneth all Chriſtians in becoming as little Children, and according to his maſters Precept, whoſe language he much delights to follow.

Indeed it is that which is not to run parallel in all reſpects: and therefore ſaith Janſenius, the imitation Janſ. Harmon.of little Children is either good or bad, according to p. 206the things wherein we reſemble them, S^t Paul in one place bids us foreign, ſhew our ſelves men not women 2 Cor. 13. 9. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Eph. 4. 14.2 Cor 13:91 Cor 14:20Eph 4:14by cowardize, no nor yet Children by inconſtancy; nay, he expreſly forbids, Be not Children in underſtanding, and again, Be no more Children toſsed to and fro, and carried about with every winde of Doctrine, we muſt then be unlike and like to little Children.

We muſt not think like little Children, for they only minde what is preſent, whereas wiſdome teacheth to look afar off, and think of hereafter; and yet we muſt think as little Children, for their thoughts are not carking and diſtruſtfull about what they ſhould eat or drink, or wherewith they ſhould be cloathed; we muſt not deſire as little Children do, for they ofttimes deſire things that may prove hurtfull and deſtructive to them; and yet we muſt deſire as little Children, for their deſires are earneſt, and important after the dug: we muſt not underſtand as little Children, for they are but weak and defective in knowledg: and yet we muſt underſtand as little Children, for they are docile and facile to learn; we muſt not speak as little Children, for they ſpeak raſhly; and yet we muſt ſpeak as little Children, for they ſpeak truly: we muſt not like them ſpeak all we think, and yet like them, we muſt ſpeak nothing but what we think.

In few words, would we know wherein eſpecially we ought to be as little Children, look backward and forward to the ſins here forbidden, and we ſhall finde little Children fit monitors of avoiding both; and perhaps therefore our Apoſtle maketh choice of this appellation, as very ſutable to theſe inſtructions.

1. Little Children are innocent and harmeleſs, freeNon praecipit Apoſtolis ut aetatem habeant parvulorum ſed innocentiam. Hier. in Matth from hatred and malice, they do not plot nor act miſchief to others, they ſeek not revenge upon others; and this is that wherein chiefly we muſt reſemble little Children. To this purpoſe S^t Jerome, Chriſt doth not p. 207require of his Apoſtles that they ſhould be little Children in years but innocency: and Theodoret on that inTheod. in Pſal. the Pſalms, Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou haſt ordained ſtrength; asking the queſtion, Who are thoſe Babes and Sucklings? anſwereth, Qui lactentium puerorum innocentiam imitati ſunt, they who imitate the innocency of Sucking Children; what need we a better Expoſitor then S^t Paul, who admoniſheth the1 Cor. 14. 20.1 Cor 14:20 Corinthians, In malice be you Children? And in thisTertul. adv. Valent. 21. Semel ſenex bis puer. Cl. Al. poedagog. l. 1. c. 5. reſpect (as Tertullians phraſe is) he would have the oldeſt men repueraſcere, grow young again, and ſo in an excellent ſenſe be twice Children. Indeed as Clemens Alexandrinus obſerves, concerning the prohibition of diſtruſtfull care, ſo may I concerning this of hatred and revenge, he that indeavours to fulfill it, foreign, is a Childe both in Mens and Gods account; the World thinketh him a Childe, yea a fool, to put up injuries, and God eſteemeth him as a Childe, yea, ſuch a Childe of whom is the Kingdome of God.

2. Little Children are not covetous, nor ambitious, nor luxurious, they affect not variety of delicacies, they are not greedy of gain, nor puffed up with titles, Si verberantur non afficiuntur odio, nec ſi laudantur Avend. in Mat.arrogantiâ; if corrected they hate not, if commended they ſwell not; thus ought Chriſtians to deny worldly luſts, and to conquer all inordinate deſires. Holy David comparing himſelf to a Childe ſaith, My ſoul Pſal. 131. 2.Ps 131:2was even as a weaned Child, which is no more greedy of the dug, ſo ought every good man to have his heart weaned from all the honours, and pleaſures, and profits of this tranſitory world.

And ſurely well were it if even Parents would in this regard go to Schoole to their little Children, and by their behaviour learn their own duty; the truth is to a wiſe and underſtanding Chriſtian every Creature is a Preacher, p. 201and every day a Sabboath; with the Bee he ſucketh honey out of every flower, above, the Starrs; beneath, the fruits, abroad the beaſts, at home the little Children are his inſtructors of whom he learneth theſe excellent leſſons to contemn the world, and to abborre malice: which that our Apoſtle might the more ſtrongly inculcate upon thoſe to whom he wrote, he cals them little Children: and ſo much be ſpoken of the generall denomination in the twelfth Verſe: paſſe we on to the

Particular Enumeration, As it is ſet down in the thirteenth Verſe, Fathers, young Men, little Children: I find among Expoſitors a double reference of theſe expreſſions by ſome to ſeverall degrees of grace, by others to ſeverall ages of life; according to the former conſtruction, the words are to be interpreted Metaphorically; according to the latter, literally.

Oecumenus upon the place aſſerts that our Apoſtle intends by theſe titles to expreſs the different ſorts of Chriſtians, who were to receive his Epiſtle, foreign,Oecumen in loc. whoſe different progreſs in Chriſtianity, he ſets down with alluſion to the increaſe of naturall life: Origen is expreſs bothOrig. in numer. hom. 9. in a Negative and Poſitive way, Non corporales aetates, ſed animae perfectionem differentia ponit, by this phraſe the Apoſtle deſigneth to difference Chriſtians, notH…m. 1. in Cant. according to the ages of their bodies, but the growth of their ſouls in grace; and in another place he ſaith, this is ſo evident a truth that he thinketh none ever doubted it. Though I am ſo far from excluding (with this allegoricall Father) the literall conſtruction, that I conceive it is moſt congruous; yet I ſhall not altogether wave the Metaphoricall ſenſe. And thusLap. in l…c. there is a threefold degree of grace, which is ſhadowed by theſe three-ages of life.

p. 2091. Incipie…tes, They who are …vices in Chriſtianity, incipients in grace, are repreſented by little Children, and if we look into the Metaphor we ſhall find the parallel fit and full.

1. Little Children are weak in body, they cannot go with ſtrength, rnu with ſwiftneſs, act with vigour, but what they do, they do it weakely; ſo is it with beginners in Religion, they complaine of deadneſs, dulneſs, weakneſs, in performing holy duties; inſtead of running it is as much as they can do, to go the way of Gods Commandments▪ and in going, they often ſlip, nay fall, though not through willfullneſs, yet weakneſs.

2. Little Children are low of ſtature; ſo are beginners in Chriſtianity, dwarfs in piety. To have our converſation in Heaven, is a leſſon long in learning, we cannot preſently nor eaſily mount up with the wings of an Eagle; even they who loath ſin, know not how to part with the world; and it is by many ſteps that they aſcend to an Heavenly life.

3. Little Children are fed with milk, their ſtomacks being not fit to digeſt more ſolid food; thus beginners in Religion are to be inſtructed in the rudiments of Chriſtianity, as being uncapable of higher myſteries. Chriſts Diſciples before the deſcenſ…on of the holy Ghoſt, were but incipients, and therefore out Saviour tels them, I have many things to ſay to you, but you cannot bear them yet, St Paul ſpeaking of thoſe Chriſtians among theJohn 16. 12.John 16:12 Corinthians, who were Babes in Chriſt, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able. Thoſe little Children in the Text had ſome divine knowledg, but it was very dimme and imperfect; and as yet they had but ſuckt in the firſt principles of Chriſtianity.

4. Little Children are fickle, and inconſtant; now this liketh them, and by and by it diſtaſteth them,1 Cor. 3. 2.1 Cor 3:2 p. 210whatever you put into their hands they quickly let it fall, takeing no faſthold of it; thus are weake Chriſtians carried to and fro with every winde of Doctrine; now this opinion pleaſeth them, and anon it displeaſeth them: and though the verities of Chriſtian religion are inculcated upon them, they hold them not faſt, but ſuffer themſelves eaſily to be spoyled of them

5. Finally, Little Children are full of fears eaſily affrighted with any thing, ſo are spirituall Babes, their faith being little, doubts ariſe, fears prevaile. Wicked ſinners are preſumpteous, weak Chriſtians are timorous; and as the Devill luls thoſe aſleep in ſecurity, ſo he diſmaies theſe with anxiety.

2. Proficients, Thoſe who have made ſome progreſs in Chriſtianity are compared to young Men: For

1. As youngmen have good ſtomacks whereby they both earneſtly deſire, and eaſily digeſt ſolid meats; ſo it is with growing Chriſtians; they receive the manna of the ordinances with attention, retaine it by meditation, and ſo turn it into good nutriment by practiſe, they are able to chew and feed upon evangelicall verities, to digeſt them in their underſtandings and memories: in which reſpect our Apoſtle ſaith, The word of God abideth in them.

2. Young men are active and vigorous, having ſtrong bodies and nimble joynts, whereby they fulfill their imployments without wearineſs; thus are ſpirituall proficients ready to every good word and work: divine commands are not grievous, Chriſts yoake is eaſie to them, and they do the will of God with alacrity, for which reaſon our Apoſtle ſaith of them they are ſtrong.

3. Young men are fit, by reaſon of their ſtrength for military employments, and upon all occaſions are called forth to ſervice; ſo are ſtrong Chriſtians fit p. 204to encounter with temptations, afflictions, perſecutions, and through divine aſſiſtance to conquer them, upon which account it is ſaid of theſe young men, they had overcome the wicked one.

4. Young men have their blood boyling in their veins, their naturall heat is sprightly in them; ſo is it with proficients in grace, the ſupernaturall and ſpirituall heat of zeal is lively in their hearts, whereby it is that they boyle as it were in love to God, and rage againſt ſin.

5. Finally, Young men are healthfull and luſty, and though they fall into a diſeaſe their bodies are able to wreſtle with it, and nature gets the better; ſo have ſpirituall proficients an healthfull frame of ſoul, whereby it is that they ſeldome fall into great diſeaſes, I mean groſs ſins; and if at any time they do fall, grace ſtruggleth with, and prevaileth againſt corruption.

…. Perfecti, They who are comparatively not only in reſpect of bad, but good, perfect Chriſtians, having attained large meaſures of grace, are reſembled to Fathers.

1. Aged Fathers know much by their own experience; ſo do perfect Chriſtians, they are experienced in the ſubtilties of Satan, and d…ceits▪ of their own hearts, the workings of grace and ſtirrings of corruptions, the aſſiſtances of Gods Spirit, and manifeſtations of his Love.

2. Aged Fathers know things that are done many years ago, and perfect Chriſtians (according to our Apoſtles phraſe) have known him that is from the beginning; converſe with the Father of eternity, and ſo far as God hath unboſomed himſelf in his word, are acquainted with the thoughts he had from everlaſting.

3. Laſtly, Aged Fathers are uſually Fathers of many Children; ſo are perfect Chriſtians, they make it a great part of their bui…neſs to admoniſh the negligent, p. 205ſupport the feeble, reclaime the wandring, comfort the drooping, and by all meanes to convert, and confirme their Brethren.

To ſumme it up, Habent omnes virtutes ſuas conceptiones, nativitates, incunabvla, aetatis incrementa, ſaith anOrig. in Num. Ancient. The virtues have their Conception, Birth, and Growth, and that from one degree to another: the ſeed of grace which fals upon good ground, bringeth forth in ſome an hundred, in ſome ſixty, and in ſome but thirty fold; all the Iſraelites did not gather the like quantity of Manna, ſome an Omer, and ſome an Epha, ſome much, ſome little; it is no leſs true of the spirituall Iſraelites in gathering grace. Among the ungodly on Jacobs ladder, ſome were above at the top, and others below at the foot yet all upon the ladder; the like difference there is among Chriſtians in their spirituall aſcents; as in the Heavens there are ſtars of ſeverall magnitudes, in Schooles there are Schollars of ſeverall ſo mes; in Houſes there are veſſels of ſeverall bigneſs; ſo in the Church there are Chriſtians of ſeverall degrees, for there are Fathers, and young Men, and little Children. Let not then thoſe who are Fathers grown up in Chriſtianity, diſdaine the young Men, who are growing, nor either Fathers or young Men contemn the little Children. The time was when thou who art a Father waſt a young Man, nay a little Childe; and the time may be, when they that are now little Children, may come to be young Men, nay, Fathers: he that hath m…ſt grace, began with a little, and thoſe we…k ſtriplings may prove ſtrong Gyants in grace: if thou haſt much, and others but little, thankfully acknowledg thy Fathers mercy, but do not proudly ſcorne thy Brothers infirmity.

Again, Let not thoſe who are as yet but little Children be diſcouraged at, nor yet content with thoſe ſmall meaſures of grace they have attained.

p. 213Let them not on the one hand be too much dejected: he that bids Peter feed his ſheep, bids him withall to feed his Lambes; yea, he who is himſelf the great Shepheard, taketh care of the little Lambes, as well as the grown ſheep; when Nicodemus came to Chriſt with ſome few ſparks of deſire after him, our compaſſionate Redeemer non delebat ſed alebat, did not extinguiſh Aug.but cheriſh them. Beſides the covenant of grace is made with, and the promiſes of mercy are made to faith, not only in ſtrength but truth. A little Childe is as truly a man, as a young man, as an old man; and a weake Chriſtian is as truly a Chriſtian as the moſt perfect Saint; conclude not too harſhly againſt thy ſelf from the praemiſes of weak gracè, Qui non poteſt volare ut aquila, vole… ut paſſer, if we cannot mount with the Eagle, ſoare with the Larke, let us flye with the Sparrow; though we cannot with S^t Paul ſet our feet in the third Heaven, yet let us lift up our hands and eyes thither. In a word, let us neither meaſure our goodneſs by anothers want of it, nor our want of goodneſs by anothers abundance, as if we had no grace becauſe but little, and not ſo great a meaſure as others.

Nor yet on the other hand, let little Children or young Men be contented with what they have attained. The ſtature which a Chriſtian is to ſtrive after, is the stature of the fulneſs of Chriſt; and therefore we muſt never come to our maximum quod ſ…c, our full pitch. There is an holy and amiable ambition in Chriſtianity; oh how good would a good heart be! it looketh not only upon its ſins, but graces with grief, and mourning; as that it hath been ſo bad, ſo that it is yet no better, Peto ut ac…ipiam & cum acceper… rurſus peto, I aske to receive grace, and when I have received I aske again, Nec ille deficit in dando▪ nec ego ſatior in accipiendo, he is not weary of giving, nor am I ſatisfied with receiving. So S^t Jerome. Is then the foundation of piety layed, p. 214reare up the building every day higher then other, till it reacheth to Heaven. Is the light of grace riſen inHier. ad Cteſiph. adv pelag. in thy ſoul? Let it ſhine more and more to the perfect day. Finally, art thou a little Childe, grow up to be a young Man, yea, never ceaſe till thou comſt to be a Father in Chriſt. And ſo much for the Allegoricall Interpretation.

It is a received rule in interpreting Scripture, thatInterp. 2. the litterall ſence is to be adhered to, as moſt genuine, unleſs neceſſity inforce to recede from it. For this cauſe I conceive it moſt congruous to embrace the plaine and proper meaning of the words, as they note the ages of mens life, though withall the other notion is here collaterally to be taken in; thoſe of theſe ſeverall ages to whom St John writeth were converted to Chriſtianity, and proportionably no doubt as the little Children were but weak, ſo as they grew up to be young Men, and Fathers, they gr…w in grace.

For the better clearing of this conſtruction, you muſt know that Childhood, Youth, and old Age are the uſuall diſtinctions of mans age. I know ſome make as it were ſeaven ſtages of the life of man, Infancy, Childhood, Youth, Manhood, mid…le Age, old Age, decrepit Age: Aret. in loc.others reduce the ſeaven to foure, Childhood, Youth, Pſal. 37. 25.Ps 37:25Manhood, old Age; the …rſt whereof is reckoned to …fteen, the ſecond to twenty five, the thir… to thirty ſeaven, Tit. 2. 34.Titus 2:34and the fourth to the end of life: and theſe foure ages they reſemble by the foure Elements in the world, the foure ſeaſons in the year, the foure h…mours of the body and the like; and one upon my Text finding foure words in theſe Verſes, foreign and foreign, fits them to thoſe foure ages. David ſeemeth to comprizeBeza in loc. them in two, I have been young, and now am old, St Paul to Titus mentions only Aged, and young Men. But the moſt received diſtinction of mans age is threefold, as Beza well obſerveth: correſpondent to which p. 208was that ſong of the Lacedemonian quire, placed in three orders, whereof the firſt who were the little Children ſang, Quod eſtis erimus; that which you young and old Men are we ſhall be, the ſecond who were the old Men ſung, Quod eſtis fuimus, that which you young Men and little Children are we once were, and the third which were the young Men ſung, Sumus quod alteri fuerunt & alteri futuri ſunt, we are what you old Men have been, and you little Children are to be.

According to this tripartite▪ diviſion of mans Age▪ our Apoſtle reckoneth up Fathers, young Men, and little Children.

1. He beginneth with Fathers, by which he meaneth old Men, for though the name Father is properly vox naturae, a word betokening a naturall Father, inJuſtin. in loc. which reſpect whoſoever hath a Childe is a Father; there are beſides Patres religione, Fathers in reſpect of Religion, ſo Eliſha called Elijah Father: who was a Prophet…: and it is uſuall to call Biſhops, nay, ordinary Prieſts, and Miniſters Fathers, Patres dignitate, Fathers in regard of honour and dignity: upon this account Naamans▪ ſervant call him (being a great man) Father. Senatours in Rome were ſtiled Patres Fathers, and Kings are called Patres Patriae, the Fathers of the Country, over which they rule. Finally, Patres aetate, Fathers in reſpect of age, and ſo all who are ſtricken in Years, are wont to be called Fathers: in this ſenſe it is manifeſtly here uſed by S^t John, and that honoris ergo by way of reverence, whilſt he thinketh it not fit in plain terms to call them old men, but in teſtification of his reſpect to them Fathers; nor would it be paſſed by what this expreſſion teacheth us: Namely,

That reverence is due from Young to old Men, as from Children to their Fathers: what the Apoſtle ſaith of marriage, is no leſs true of old Age it is honourable among p. 209Heb. 13. 3.Heb 13:3all men: in Scripture-Heraldry the ancient and the honourable are put together; yea the command is expreſſe, Thou ſha…t riſe up before the hoary head, and honour the Iſa. 9. 15. Lev. 19. 32. Cognata ſunt foreign, & foreign, & foreign, & foreign. Euſtath. Phoc. Aul. Gell. l. 2. c. 15.Isa 9:15Lev 19:32face of the old man. It is not unfitly obſerved that in the Greek language, foreign, old age, and foreign, an honorary reward, differ nothing as to ſound, and only in a letter as to writing, to intimate that honour is due to old age. It was one of Chilons golden precepts, foreign, to reverence old age. And Phocylides his phraſe is, —foreign parents and old men are to have equall reverence. To this purpoſe it is that Aulus Gellius relateth concerningMagna fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani. Ovid Faſt. l. 5. Credebant tunc grande nefa▪ & morte pi an dum. Si veteri Juvenis non aſſurrexerit, &c. Juvenal. Sat. 13. the ancient Romans, that they did not more honour wealth or birth, then age, and the younger did reverence the elder, ad deum prope, & parentum vicem, as if they were their parents, nay Gods; and this (ſaith he) they learn't of the Lacedemonians, who by Ly…urgus his Laws were enjoyned great reverence to aged perſons. Accordingly it is that both Ovid and Juvenal tell us, what great honour was of old given to the hoary head, and how hainous a crime it was accounted, as deſerveing little leſs then death, if a young man did not riſe up before the ancient.

How juſtly will the Heathens of thoſe ages, riſe up in judgement againſt the Chriſtians of this, wherein old age is become contemptible, and youth malapert: what more uſuall then for green heads to contradict and vilifie gray hairs? That brand which is ſet upon the nation, God was reſolved to ſend againſt rebellious Deut. 28. 30.Deut 28:30Iſrael, is verified in too many, they reſpect not the perſon of the old. Oh remember, Antiquity is the image of eternity! God is called the ancient of dayes, and though it is idolatry in the Romaniſts to picture God asDan. 7. 9.Dan 7:9 an old man, yet we need not doubt to affirm that an old man is as it were the picture of the eternall God; and therefore as in despiſing every man, ſo eſpecially an aged man, we deſpiſe Gods image.

p. 210Learn we then how to account of old men, namely, as Fathers, and accordingly to give them all due regard in words, geſtures, and actions. It is a good ſaying of Clemens Alexandrinus, when a man by age draweth near his end, foreign, heClem. Alex. paedag. l. 2. c 3. Antioch. hom …09. is ſo much the more highly to be honoured; and Antiochus aſſureth us, that to respect the ancient, is foreign, very acceptable in the …ight both of God and man. It is very conſiderable how1 Tim. 5. 1.1 Tim 5:1 S^t Paul adviſeth Timothy though an elder in reſpect of office, yet being young in years, that he ſhould entreat the elder (to wit in age) as Fathers. And no leſs obſervable is this of S^t John, who to manifeſt his reſpect to old age, when he meaneth old men, uſeth this honourable term of Fathers.

2. By Fathers then he meaneth them who were about fifty years old, or more, in their declining age, and had lived to ſee many dayes, from them he deſcendeth to young men; and though the word here uſed (as P…llux affirmeth) be eſpecially meant of thoſe who areVide▪ Caſaub exercitat. in their fourth ſeptenary, from one to eight and twenty; yet here the extent of it is (as Eſtius well obſerveth) aEſt. in loc. great deal larger, and comprehends all, qui exeunt ex …phebis, who are paſt fifteen, till they come to the age of fifty. From young men, he cometh yet lower, to little children; and though the diminutive word take in all litle children, (whileſt yet they cannot go nor ſp…a… ) from their very birth, yet here doubtleſs it muſt bear date from the time in which a child begins firſt to be capable of rational knowledge (it being not probable that S^t John did write to them who were in no capacity of reading or underſtanding what he wrote) and beginning at thoſe years, it comprizeth all who are in their nonage, and are not come to the years of one and twenty.

That then which our Apoſtle here intimateth is, that p. 211there were of all theſe ages among the Chriſtians. We read in the parable of the Vineyard that ſome labourers were hired to work at the third, ſome at the ſixth, andMat. 20. 3. 5. 6.Matt 20:3Matt 20:5Matt 20:6 others about the ninth and eleaventh hour: Thus doth Chriſt call ſome little children with whom it is but the third, ſome young men with whom it is the ſixth hour, ſome Fathers with whom it is the ninth, nay eleaventh hour of the day. God in the Law, ſaith Damianus, madePet. Dam. l. 6. ep. 17. choice of Bullocks and Lambs to be offered in ſacrifice to him, thereby intimating the diverſity of thoſe whom he brings home to himſelf: Alij grandaevâ ſenectute maturi, alij juvenilis incrementi vigore robuſti; ſome being of ripe, and others of green years. Look as in an Orchard there are tender plants, midlings, and old trees, ſo are there in Gods Church perſons of all ages. It is otherwiſe in this respect (as well as others) in the spiritual, then in the temporal warfare; in other warres as Prieſts are exempted by their calling, women by their ſex, ſick and impotent perſons by their indispoſition of body, ſo old men and children by their years; but not ſo in this, to which children ſo ſoon as they begin to underſtand are engaged, and old men ſo long as they live. The Hebrew Proverb ſaith of Golgotha, that there are in it skuls of all ſizes; and as in the Churchyard there are dead bodies, ſo in the Church there are living Chriſtians of all years; as the Devil hath his ſlaves among old men, young men, little children, for theJe…. 7. 17, 18. Prophet ſaith of the idolatrous Heathen, that the Fathers kindled the fire, and the women kneaded the dough, and the children gathered ſticks to make cakes for the Queen of heaven; ſo God hath his ſervants, and Chriſt his2 Tim. 1. 5.2 Tim 1:5 members, for S^t Paul ſpeaketh of faith dwelling in the Grandmother Lois, the Mother Eunice, and Timothy the Child. Among old men and women, we read of Abraham and Sarah, Zachary and Elizabeth, Paul the aged, and Mnaſon the old Diſciple. p. 212Among young men, we read of Joſiah the young King, and Phineas the young Prieſt, and Daniel the young Prophet. Among little children, of Samuel 2 Chron. 34. 1 Sam. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Mal. 21. 16, 17.2 Chr 341 Sam 22 Tim 3:15miniſtring before the Lord from a child, and Timothy inſtructed in the Scriptures from a child, and the children crying Hoſanna to Chriſt, when he came riding to Jeruſalem. Sometimes God is pleaſed to inſtill grace into the hearts of little ones; ſometimes he giveth a ſtop to young men in their evil courſe; ſometimes he maketh old men the monuments not only of his patience in sparing them ſo long, but of his goodneſs in bringing them to repentance at laſt; or elſe conferres upon towardly little children and vertuous young men, the reward of length of dayes in this life, whereby they come to be old.

To draw to an end, I truſt Beloved it may be ſaid of ſome, of many, of all theſe Ages, in this City, Pariſh, Congregation, that they are among the number of thoſe, who are (at the 12^th Verſe) called little children, begotten again, and renewed by the Holy Ghoſt; ſure I am, it concerneth us all of all ages, to be of that number.

It is high time for you that are Fathers (if you have not already) now to bring forth fruit to God; nor let the old man ſay in the Eunuchs language, I am a dry tree, there is no hopes of my fruitfulneſs; young Devils may prove old Saints: he that maketh dry bones to live, can make the dry trees to flouriſh: rather double your prayers and endeavours to bring forth much fruit in a little time; and if you have been already planted in the houſe of the Lord, be carefull ſtill to bring forth fruit in old age.

It is full time for you that are young men to ſtudy the divine art of Chriſtianity, though whileſt p. 213you were Children, you did, and ſpake, and underſtood as Children; yet now you are become men, put away Childiſh things, minde what concerneth Gods glory, and your own ſalvation.

Nor let little Children ſay with thoſe Jews, it is not time to rear the building of Religion. The work is long, and the time at longeſt but ſhort; you had need begin betimes, the journey is great, and the time but a day to goe it in, there is reaſon you ſhould ſet forth early. In one word, let Fathers be exemplary in piety, let young Men be forward in grace; let little Children make haſte, to be good, ſo ſhall there be ſtill in the Church of Chriſt Militant, Fathers, young Men, little Children, till the laſt day come when there ſhall be neither old Men, nor little Children, but all ſhall be young Men, of full ſtature and perfect age to all eternity in the Church Triumphant.