First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 29
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN.
CHAP. 2. VERS. 21.
I have not written unto you, becauſe yee know not the truth, but becauſe yee know it, and that no lye is of the truth.
THis Verſe may well bee called a Religious Valent …ac ad conciliandam benevlentiam magnopere. L…r. in loc.Complement, inſerted by the Apoſtle, no doubt for this end, that hee might the better gain upon thoſe to whom he wrote. That piece of Oratory which teacheth captare benevelentiam, to ſeek the good will of Auditors, is of good uſe in Divinity. They are too mor…ſe Vide Calv. in lo….and rigid, who account all Civil Language in a Pulpit, da…bing with untempered mortar. St. Paul doubtleſſe did not court Agrippa with a falſhood, when hee ſaith, Beleeveſt thou the Prophets? I know thou beleeveſt Act. 26. 27.them; nor did hee gild rotten poſts, when hee ſaith to thoſe Hebrews, I am perſwaded better things of you, though Heb. 6. 9.I thus speak: far bee it from St. John who declaimeth againſt hars, at the ſame time to bee guilty of flattery, which is no better than lying; To ſooth up our hearers in their wickedneſs, is abominable, but to ſmooth them with oyly Language, and ſilken words, that they may bee more pliable to what is good, is allowable, whileſt herein wee trace the footſteps of the penmen of holy writ, particularly S. John, and that in this verſe, which is as it were an inſinuating parentheſis, I have not written unto you, becauſe yee know not the truth, &c.
In which words there are three General Obſervable.
I A Delineation of the Gospel, by a double character.
1 Principal and …rect, …n that it is called the truth.
2 Coll…eral and Co…ſeque…ial, when it is ſaid, no lye is of the Truth,
II A Commendation of the Chriſtians to whom the Apoſtle wrote, by removing ignorance from them, attributing knowledge to them, in thoſe words, not becauſe you know not the Truth, but becauſe ye know it, &c.
III An Anticipation of an objection which might be made againſt his writing to them who were thus knowing, in thoſe words, I have not written unto you, &c.
Begin we with the Delineation, and therein,
1 The Principal Character, which though comprizedGen 1. in that one word Truth, carrieth in it a great deal of weight.
Not to trouble you with the Philoſophical diſtinctions of Truth, be pleaſed to know to our preſent purpoſe,
1 As there is a double word, ſo there is a double truth, to wit, perſonal and doctrinal; our bleſſed Saviour ſaith of himſelf, I am the truth, and ſome Interpreters conceive that by truth here, the Apoſtle meaneth Chriſt; whenJoh. 14. 6 our Saviour prayeth for his Diſciples, ſanctify them through thy truth, hee preſently addeth, Thy Word is truth, and accordingly others expound Truth here to bee the17. 17. Evangelical Doctrin. To this latter interpretation I rather adhere, becauſe it is moſt probable that St. John underſtands the ſame by truth in this verſe, which he intends by all things in the former, and thoſe are all things revealed in the Gospel.
2 Truth may bee conſtrued in a double oppoſition, either to that which is Typical, or that which is falſe.
1 Sometimes the truth is oppoſed to Types and Ceremonies; thus when wee are required to worſhip the Father Joh 4. 16in Spirit, and in Truth; as the former is oppoſed to hypocritical, ſo the latter moſt rationally to ceremonial worſhip; and when it is ſaid, The Law came by Moſes, but grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, wee may probably 1. 17.conceive the ſenſe to bee, that whereas Moſes onelyonly delivered precepts to bee done, Chriſt giveth by his Spirit grace to do them; and whereas the Ceremonial Law conſiſted onelyonly of Types and Shadows, the Truth, that is, the impletion of all thoſe, is now performed by Chriſt; Accordingly the Gospel is the truth, becauſe it revealeth the body of thoſe ſhadows, the myſtery of thoſe figures, the ſubſtance of thoſe Types, and to this Zanchy conceiveth, the Apoſtle Paul might have respect, when hee calls it, The word of truth.Eph. 1. 12. Zanch. ibid.
2 Sometimes the truth is oppoſed to falſhood and lies, for that is the moſt genuine ſignification of the Word, and withall the moſt rational interpretation of it in this place, where wee finde a lye expreſſely ſet in oppoſition to it;Col. 1. 4. 2 …im. 2. 15 2 pet. 2. 2 1 pet. 1. 23 upon this account no doubt it is, that the Goſpel is ſo frequently ſtiled the word of truth, and the way of truth, and the truth. To this purpoſe is that metaphorical …hraſe of S. Peter, where he calls it, the ſincere milk of the Word, to wit, without any baſe mixture of falſhood Indeed, there are ſome doctrins of the Gospel, which are nor veriſimilia, probable to our reaſon, but ſtill all of them are veriſſima, of moſt certain verity.
For the clearer manifeſtation whereof (which was never more needful, than in this Sceptical, yea, Atheiſtical age) and that in oppoſition to all other doctrins whatſoever, bee pleaſed to conſider the matter, the witneſſes, the Miracles, and the ſucceſs of the Evangelical doctrin.
1 The matter of the Goſpel proclaimeth it to be the truth, inaſmuch as it layeth down ſurer principles, purer precepts, and higher Promiſes than any other doctrin whatſoever. This is that Doctrin which maketh full proviſion for our comfort, by teaching us how God and man may bee brought together, how juſtice and mercy may meet each other, by propoſing to us ſuch a reward, which for its excellency and perpetuity is every way adaequate to a rational deſire. This is that doctrin which giveth full direction for our obedience, by injoyning ſuch duties as are moſt just and pure, and ſo moſt conſonant to right reaſon.
2 The Teſtimony given to the Hiſtorical part of this Doctrin, eſpecially that of Chriſts reſurrection (which if acknowledged true, there will bee no reaſon to deny the truth of any thing revealed in the Goſpel) is ſo valid, See more of this part 1. pag. 71.that there need not, could not bee a clearer evidence. For however they were perſons tenuioris fortunae, of a mean eſtate, yet they were inc…lpatae famae, of unblemiſhed credit; nor was it onelyonly one or two, but a great number of men and women, who teſtifyed the truth of it, and this not upon hear-ſay, but as that which they had ſeen with their eies, and their hands had handled, nor (which would not bee left out) was there any hope of profit or preferment which might induce them to atteſt a falſhood.
4. The Miracles which accompanied thoſe Oracles were ſuch as abundantly confirm their Truth, for though it is true; the publiſhers of lying doctrines have by the Devils help wrought wonders, yet either they were (as St. Paul calls them, lying wonders) meer deluſions, making things appear which are not, by corrupting ſometimes the fancy, ſometimes the ſenſe, ſometimes the air, and ſometimes the object; or if they were true wonders, yet they were not Miracles properly ſo called, becauſe, not above the power of nature, onelyonly the Devil, either by his agility removing of, or bringing on objects upon the ſtage in a moment (as it was probably in the Magicians imitation of Moſes, when hee turned Rods into Serpents) or by his ſagacity, diſcovering the ſecrets of nature, oft times effects ſuch things as to us being unknown, are wonderful, though indeed they are but natural. But the wonders which were wrought by the preachers of the Gospel plainly appear to bee ſuch, as either no created power can at all effect, as raiſing the dead, curing the blind, lame, and deaf, which were ſo out of a natural defect in the Organ, and are reckoned among thoſe total privations, which in courſe of nature, admit of no return to the habit, or which if a natural virtue can effect, yet not in that way and time, as the healing of the ſick by a touch, by a word, at a diſtance, in an inſtant, and therefore were no other than divine Miracles. So that, unleſs were will ſuppoſe that the true God would confirm a lye, by ſigns and wonders, wee muſt needs acknowledge the Truth of the Goſpel.
4. Laſtly, The wonderful ſucceſs which this Doctrine hath had in the world, may very rationally evince its Truth. It is a known ſaying, veritas magna & praevalebit, the power of Truth is unconquerable, and though ſometimes it may bee ſuppreſſed, yet it cannot bee extinguiſhed: Indeed it is not true reciprocally, that though Truth will preval at laſt, yet every Doctrine which prevaileth for a time, is Truth; If this plea were ſufficient, nakedly conſidered, the Mahumetan Doctrine would challenge this Title of Truth, as having gained upon the greateſt part of the habitable world for many hundred years; It is not therefore ſimply the ſtrength, but the ſtrangeneſs of the Goſpels prevalency, which argues its verity. That the Mahumetan Doctrine ſhould bee generally embraced, is no wonder, partly becauſe it is a Doctrine congruous to mans corrupt inclination; it was at firſt propagated, and is ſtill maintained by force of arms: But that the Evangelical Doctrine which teacheth Leſſons contrary to fleſh and blood, liberality to a covetous, humility to a proud, piety to a prophane, and righteouſneſs to a cruel world, which was ſo much oppoſed and perſecuted by the wiſe and great men, the Princes of this world, ſhould bee publiſhed by twelve illiterate, unarmed men, who had not spears, but onelyonly ſtaves in their hands, not ſwords, but ſcrips by their ſides, and were as a few Sheep among a multitude of ravenous Wolves, and yet the publiſhing ſhould bee ſo effectual, as to gain a multitude of Diſciples in all parts, and thoſe ſuch as did many of them loſe their liberties, ſtates, and lives in defence of it, is ſo ſtrange a ſucceſs, as may very well bee a ſtrong Argument to teſtifie the Truth of the Goſpel; by all which it appeareth what good reaſon St. John had to call the Goſpel, the Truth, in oppoſition to falſehood.
But yet this is not all which this type prompts us to, for in that the Apostle doth not ſay, the true Doctrine, in the concrete, but the Truth, in the abstract, ſo that whereas there are many other Truths which every Art and Science teacheth, hee ſeemeth to appropriate it to the Evangelical Doctrine, as if that onelyonly deſerved the name of Truth, is very Emphatical, and no doubt his intention hereby is to let us ſee that the Goſpel is eminently and tranſcendently true: Indeed veritas conſiſtit in indiviſibili, one thing cannot bee truer than another, but yet one Truth may bee of greater eminency than another; Such is the Doctrin of the Gospel, whoſe excellency will appear, if you conſider that it is a Divine, an Univerſal, and an effectual truth.
Well may the Gospel bee called the truth, in as much as it is,
1 The Divine truth, which was dictated to thoſe who publiſhed it by the Spirit of God; I grant as St. Ambroſe ſaith, omnis veritas à ſpiritu ſancto, all, even humane truth, is from the Divine Spirit; in which reſpect, Truth is called by the Greek Poet, the daughter foreign Pind. Olymp.of God, but ſtill it is onelyonly Scriptural truth, which is of immediate inſpiration; all truth calls God Father, but this is his Reuben, his firſt-born, Theſe things ſaith Rev. 3. 14. 17hee that is true; and again, Theſe things ſaith the Amen, the faithful, and true witneſſe; ſo run the Prefaces of the two Epiſtles to Philadelphiae, and Laodicea, and accordingly St. Peter, They spake as moved by the 2 Pet. 1. laſt.Holy Ghoſt. Indeed, if you pleaſe to review three of the fore-mentioned Arguments, to wit, the matter, the miracles, and ſucceſſe of this Doctrin, you ſhall find them proving as well the Divinity, as the verity of the Gospel.
2 An Univerſal truth, ſuch as containeth in it all truth needful to bee known in order to ſalvation: Indeed, there are many natural truths which are below the Majeſty, and beſide the Scope of the Gospel, and therefore are not contained in it, but all ſaving truths either formaliter or reductivè, in expreſſe words, or plain neceſſary conſequences, are revealed by the Gospel; hence it is that this Doctrin is as it were a rule or standard, by which all Doctrines muſt bee tryed, ſo that, If an Angel Preach any other Gospel he is ac…urſed; for which reaſon no doubt, it is called a Canon by St. Paul, whereGal. 1. 8. 6. 16. hee ſaith, As many as walk according to this rule (or Canon) peace bee upon them, and upon the Iſrael of God.
3 Laſtly, An effectual truth, the truth which of all others hath the moſt powerful operation; indeed as it was firſt inspired by, ſo the Preaching of it is ſtill accompanied with the Holy Spirit, whereby it hath a far greater efficacy, than any other truth whatſoever; for whereas other truths have onelyonly an influence upon the understanding, this, together with the underſtanding, hath an influence upon the Will and Affections; other truths may make us wiſe, but this will make us both wiſe and better; Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, oh thou coeleſtial truth▪ The truth ſhall make you free, ſanctify them Joh. 8. 32. 17. 17.through thy truth, they are Chriſts own words, … his own good will begat hee us by the word of truth, So St.James 1. 18 Peter; all truth is Gods daughter, but this is as it were his Spouſe, by which hee begets Sons and Daughters to himſelf. In one Word, it is this truth, and this alone, which doth ſo inlighten the minde, as to incline the will, regulate the paſſions, comfort the conſcience, renew our nature, and ſanctify our whole man; No wonder, if our Apoſtle call it abstractively Truth, and emphatically, the Truth.
Having given you this Account of the Principal, it will bee eaſy to infer the Collateral Character of the Gospel, where it is ſaid, No lye is of the truth: In the Greek it ſeemeth to bee a particular propoſition, Every lye is not of the truth, but it is equivalent to an univerſal, and therefore is fitly rendred, no lye is of the truth. To open the ſenſe briefly.
There is a threefold Lye, verbal, practical, Doctrinal; verbal is, an untrue narration, when wee either affirm what is falſe, or deny what is true; Practical is, an unſuitable converſation, when wee unſay with our lives, what wee ſay with our lips; Doctrinal is, an erroneous poſition concerning matters of faith or practice, and though it bee true of all ſort of lies, yet no doubt it is the doctrinal lye which is here chiefly intended.
2 Whereas it is poſſible upon falſe hypotheſes to inferr true concluſions (whence it is uſual in Aſtronomy, by ſuppoſing things that are not, to demonstrate the truth of things that are) it is impoſſible from true poſitions to infer a falſe concluſion. Indeed, too often wicked Hereticks faſten their lyes upon the Evangelical truth, and for this reaſon probably St. John inſerted this clauſe (which at firſt may ſeem ſupervacaneous) that whereas the Antichriſtian▪ Teachers might pretend to boaſt of the Truth, our Apostle aſſureth thoſe to whom hee wrote, that the truth did not, could not father any ſuch lyes. The truth is, when Hereticks indeavour to prove their Doctrines by Scripture, they deal by it as Caligula did by the Image of Jupiter Olympiacus, when hee took from it its own head, which was of Gold, and put upon it one of Braſs, they ſpoil Truth of its genuine ſenſe, to put upon it a corrupt gloſſe; it being as poſſible for cold to come from heat, or darkneſſe from light, as any lye from the Truth.
3 Nor yet is this all that this clauſe imports, minus dicit, plus volens intelligi, ſaith Estius, our Apoſtle intends Eſt. in loc.more than hee speaketh, for whereas he ſaith, No lye is of the truth, hee meaneth, every lye is againſt the truth. Indeed, ſome Lies have a ſemblance of Truth, and are ſo bold as to claim kindred to it; but notwithſtanding their ſeeming conſonancy, there is a real repugnancy, and they are ſo far from being of, that they are contrary to the truth.
To cloſe up this firſt general; ſince the Gospel is the truth, and conſequently no Lye is of it, learn wee to embrace it with thoſe two Armes of faith and love.
1 Let us ſtedfastly beleeve it; The Heathen had an high opinion of their Sybils, as appeareth by that of the Poet, Credite me folium vobis recitare Sybillae, andJuvenal. ſhall not wee yield a firm credence to the Gospel? St. Paul ſaith of the Theſſalonians, that the Goſpel came not to them onelyonly in Word, but in Power, and in the Holy 1 Theſſ. 1. 5Ghoſt, and in much aſſurrnce, intimating, that they had not onelyonly a conjectural opinion, but a full perſwaſion of the truth of the Gospel; let the ſame confidenee be in us. It is the truth, and therefore wee may infallibly venture our ſouls upon it, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, before the leaſt jot of it ſhall be found falſe and lying.
2 Let us affectionately love it, ſo as not onelyonly to yield obedience to, but contend in the defence of it, whenſoever wee are called to it. The Heathen in their ſacrifices to Apollo, cryed out, foreign, truth is ſweet. Let us ſay with David of this Truth, Oh how ſweet is it to my taſte? it is ſweeter than the honey and the honey combe; Veritas Chriſtianorum incomparabiliter pulchrior Angeſt.Helenâ Graecorum, ſaith St. Austin, The Chriſtians truth is incomparably: fairer than the Hellen of Greece and if the Grecians ſo hotly ſtrove for the one, how zealouſly ſhould wee contend for the other? wee may venture our ſouls on it, and we muſt be willing to venture ou… ſtates and bodies for it, and as he ſaid, though upon another account, Amicus Plato, Amicus Ariſtoteles, ſed magis amica veritas; Plato and Ariſtotle are my friends, but truth much more: ſo let us in this, my Liberty, my Life, is dear to mee, but the truth of the Gospel is far dearer; And that wee may thus beleeve and love, let us bee careful to know it, for which it is that our Apoſtle praiſeth theſe Chriſtians, and ſo I am fallen on the Commendation, Not becauſe you know not the truth, but becauſe yee know it, whence it will not bee amiſs to obſerveGen. Second.
1 In General, that this holy Apoſtle is not awanting in juſt praiſes of thoſe to whom hee writeth; very often in this Epiſtle hee calls them, Little Children, and in this hee dealeth with them as with Little Children, who are beſt won upon by incouraging commendations. It was one of St. Jeromes counſels to Laeta, about the bringing up of her daughter, Laudibus excitandum est Hier. Ep ad L….ingenium, that ſhee ſhould excite her by praiſes.
When the School-maſter by commending his Scholar for doing well, lets him ſee, that hee hath a good opinion of him; it is a notable spur to put him upon preſerving and increaſing that good opinion, by doing better; what the blowing of the horn is to the hounds in their chaſe, and the ſounding of the Trumpet to the Horſe in the battel, that is praiſe to men in their proſecution of vertue, and oppoſition againſt vice. And therefore let all Miniſters learn to take notice of, and incourage the forwardneſſe of their people, and let them be no leſſe careful to extoll their virtues, than to reprove their vices; when the people do what is commendable, it is but juſt wee ſhould commend what they do; and if they finde matter, let not us want words, in giving them their deſerved praiſes, according to the pattern which here St. John ſets us.
2 In special, take a view of the commendation here given, which is firſt by way of remotion, acquitting them from ignorance; they were not like St. Pauls ſilly women, which were ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, not like thoſe Hebrews, 2 Tim. 3. 7who, whereas for the time they ought to have Heb. 5. 12.been Teachers, they had need that one teach them again, which bee the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, they were not ſuch as did not know the truth. And then by way of attribution, aſſerting that they were ſuch who did know the truth; yea, that they had a diſtinct knowledge of it, whereby they were able to diſtinguiſh ▪ between truth and falſhood, for that you know is very fitly by interpreters ſupplyed in the laſt clauſe, you know that no Lye is of the truth. Our bleſſed Saviour ſpeaking of his ſheep, ſaith, they know his voice, and that ſo, as to distinguiſh it from the voice of strangers, for ſo it followeth, and a ſtranger will they not follow; thusJoh. 10. 3, 4. doth S. John here commend theſe Chriſtians, not only for a true, but a clear knowledge, whereby they were able to judge aright, and diſcern between things that differ: Indeed, according to that known maxim, rectum eſt index ſui et obliqui, that which is true, diſcovers not only it ſelf, but that which is falſe, and therefore he that knoweth the truth, knows that no lye is of it.
That it may the better appear, how high a commendation this is, it will bee needful to diſcuſſe a little on the one hand, the evil of ignorance; and on the other, the good of knowledge.
1 Not to know the truth is a ſin ſadly to bee bemoaned, and ſuch as contracts not onelyonly guilt, but ſhame upon the perſon. Indeed this is not true of all kinde of Ignorance.
There is an Ignorance which is commendable, not to know what God hath kept ſecret, becauſe hee would not have us know; its no ſhame for a man not to know that which is not in his poſſibility, and ſuch are all thoſe things which God hath not been pleaſed to reveal.
There is an Ignorance which is excuſable, to wit, 1 when it is of ſuch truths, which are without our sphere, and therefore have no need to know them; 2 when it is of ſuch truths as are polemical, problematical; which partly by reaſon of the difficulty of the matter, and partly by reaſon of the imbecillity of our underſtanding, wee cannot attain to a full knowledge of; 3 when though it be of the Evangelical Truth, yet it is either through a defect of Revelation, which is the onelyonly means whereby wee can know it; as in Pagans, who never heard of the Goſpel, and therefore ſhall not bee condemned for not knowing and beleeving it; or through a natural incapacity, as in infants, and fools, and mad-men, who being not able to make uſe of their reaſon, cannot attain to this knowledge.
But not to know in ſome meaſure the neceſſary truths of the Gospel, notwithſtanding the opportunities and means of knowledge afforded to us, is an ignorance deſervedly blameable. Indeed, it is negligentia non impotentia, incuria non incapacitas, not an impotent incapacity, but a retchleſſe negligence, it is not an invincible, but a vincible, not a negative, but a Privative, not an involuntary, but a wilfull ignorance, not of one who would, but cannot, but of one who may, but will not know the truth. And now to bee thus ignorant, is our ſin, our ſhame, our ruine; what a travellor is without his feet, a workman without his hands, a Painter without his eies, that is a Chriſtian without knowledge, unable to do the will of God: What danger a ſhip is in that wants a Rudder, Ballaſſe, Anchors, Cables, Sails, the like is hee in who wants knowledge. How eaſily is hee toſſed up and down with every winde of Doctrin? how unable is hee to ſtear a right courſe towards heaven? how quickly is hee overturned into a gulf of errors, and vices? no wonder if God complain by the Prophet Hoſeah, My Hoſ. 4. 6.people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Our proverb ſaith, The blinde man ſwalloweth many a flye, and catcheth many a fall; it is no leſſe true of an Ignorant Chriſtian, hee ſwalloweth many an errour, and falls into many a ſin; this jaw bone of an Aſſe, I mean Ignorance, hath ſlain its thouſands, laying heaps upon heaps: In a word, Almighty God is ſo far provoked with affected ignorance, that hee threatneth by his Prophet, It is a people of no underſtanding, Iſa. 27. 11.therefore hee that made them will not have mercy on them, and hee that formed them, will ſhew them no favour, and by his Apoſtle, that the Lord Jeſus ſhall beerevealed 2 Theſſ. 1. 8.from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God.
2 To know the Truth, and that no Lye is of it, is a virtue highly to bee commended. Indeed, there is an excellency in all kinde of knowledge; it is a pearl despiſed of none but fools, Knowledge having no enemy but the Ignorant. Alexander was wont to ſay, hee had rather excell in knowledge, than bee great in Power. Indeed, whatPlut. Apophth. Lactant. Inſtit. l. 1. c. 1. the eie is in the body, that is knowledge in the minde, that the choyceſt member of the one, this the nobleſt ornament of the other; but ſurely this knowledge whereof my Text ſpeaks, is far more excellent than all other knowledge whatſoever, for wheras by knowledge it is that a man differeth from a beaſt, by this knowledge it is that a Chriſtian differeth from other men, nullus omnino cibus ſuavior quam cognitio veritatis, ſaith Lactantius, no ſweeter food to the minde, than the knowledge of truth, and eſpecially of this truth. What the foundation is to the building, the root to the tree, that is this knowledge to the Soul, the beginning of all grace and goodneſſe; what the Sun is to the world, that is this knowledge to the minde, to inlighten, inliven, and rejoyce it; if that Philoſopher when hee had gained a new notion in Aſtronomy, was ſo raviſhed, that he cryed out, foreign, I have found it, I have found it; how much greater joy hath the Chriſtian, knowing ſupernatural truths? In a word, this knowledge is not onelyonly that which leads to grace and joy, but glory. S. Paul hath put them together, when he ſaith, God would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth, that they may bee ſaved; no wonder, if St. John account1 Tim. 2… 4 thoſe Chriſtians praiſe-worthy, for this, that they did know the truth.
And now I would to God, that wee could ſay the ſame of all our hearers; but I fear, in regard of too many, wee may inſtead of commending, condemn, of praiſing complain, that they are not ſuch as do know the truth, but do not know it; Our Language may not be this of S. Johns, but that of S. Paul, Some have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your ſhame: indeed, a ſhame it is that any1 Cor. 15. 34 among us ſhould bee ignorant, for to allude to the Apoſtles phraſe, Have they not heard? yea, the ſound is gone throughout all the Land, All means of knowledge, Rom. 11. 18Preaching, Catechiſing, writing, are plentifully afforded; God may ſay to us, as he did to his People of Old, Have I been a Wilderneſſe to the houſe of Iſrael, a land of darkneſſe? and yet how many remain deſtitute of ſaving Jer. 24. 31knowledge? It might have been ſaid of this Land for theſe many years, in regard of the Gospel, what is ſaid of Rhodes in regard of the Sun, Semper in ſole ſita est Rhodos, it is alwaies in the Sun-ſhine; The light of truth hath ſhone gloriouſly among us; And yet how many Owls fly up and down in this bright-firmament? how manyLactant. Beetles in this Goſhen Land of Light? Lactantius obſerveth, that there was never leſſe Wiſdome in Greece, than in the time of the ſeven wiſe men; and they ſay of the Indians, among whom all the Gold is, that none are more meanly clad than they: Oh that even in this Land, which hath equallized, if not excelled all other parts of the Christian world for perſpicuous inſtruction, there were not to bee found many groſly ignorant. The truth is,
1 Some, though they bee ſtrangely ignorant, are highly conceited of (than which no greater enemy to) their knowledge. The opinion of having attained knowledge, as it is an argument that a man hath not attained, and therefore ſaith St. Paul, He that thinketh hee knoweth any 1 Cor. 8. 2thing, knoweth nothing as hee ought to know; ſo it keepeth a man from endeavouring to attain, and therefore ſaith Solomon, Seest thou a man wiſe in his own conceit, there is Prov. 26. 12more hope of a fool than of him.
2 Some who are ſenſible of their ignorance, are yet aſhamed to diſcover it, and therefore they ſeek it not at the Prieſts lips; hence it is, that whileſt you frequently conſult with the Lawyer, to know the certainty of your evidences; and with the Phyſician, to be informed in the ſtate of your body, yet you ſeldome or never repair to the Miniſter, to inquire of, and be informed by him in the things that concern your ſouls.
3 Too many look upon divine knowledge as a thing to which onelyonly the Divine is obliged, they need not trouble themſelves about it. If the Merchant can but know how to keep his accounts, how to import and export his wares; if the Tradeſ-man can but skill how to buy and ſell, and get gain; If the Husbandman can but learn how to mannure his ground, it matters not for the myſtery of godlineſs, and knowledge of the truth.
4 Nay, I would to God there were not ſome, who do not only neglect but reject this knowledge, ſaying, with thoſe Prophane Atheiſts, to God, wee deſire not the knowledge of Job 21. 14thy waiss, and that they may continue in their ignorance, they either content themſelves without any, or with ſome blinde guide, who inſtead of teaching others, had need himſelf to be a catechumeniſt.
Suffer, I beſeech you, the Word of Exhortation, to anſwer the means with ſome meaſure of knowledge. Philip rejoyced that Alexander was born in the daies of Ariſtotle: Let us bleſſe God, that wee are born in the times of light, and ſince God is not awanting to us, let not us bee awanting to our ſelves; wait at the Poſts of Wiſdomes houſe, ſit at the feet of your Teachers, and inquire what you know not, from their mouths; diligently peruſe the holy Scriptures, the rich cabinet in which this jewel, the knowledge of the truth, is to be found, purge your hearts of arrogant ſelf-conceit, taſte the ſweetneſſe of divine truths, obediently practiſe what you know, ſo ſhall you more and more know what to practiſe; above all, according to Solomons advice, Cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for underſtanding; Prov. 23.what St. Paul praies for the Epheſians, beg of God for thy ſelf, that the eies of thy underſtanding may be Eph. 1. 18.inlightened. And when thou haſt attained the knowledge of the truth, bee not proud, but humble, ſtill acknowledging thy need of further helps, by the tongues and pens of Gods miniſters, as St. John here intimateth, in that hee ſaith, I have written unto you, becauſe you know, which leads to the Anticipation of an objection, which might ariſe inGen. Third. their mindes from that which is aſſerted in the preceding verſe, If wee have an Unction, by which wee know all things, to what end, might they ſay, or at leaſt think, is your writing? which objection hee prevents, by adding, I have not written to you becauſe you do not know the truth, but becauſe you know it.
Some Expoſitors conceive theſe words to bee an Apology for his writing ſo little, alioqui largiore Grot. in loc.vobiſcum uſus ſum ſermone, ſo Grotius, If you had not known the truth, I would have written more largely to you, but verbum ſapienti ſat eſt, a word is enough to the wiſe; and doubtleſſe, it is a peece of prudence in a Miniſter, to make a diſtinction between Auditories, when they ſpeak to the ſimple and ignorant, to uſe more plain, large, and looſe expreſſions, but when to intelligent Chriſtians, more conciſe, pithy, and exact.
The Generality of Interpreters conceive this an Apology for his writing at all, which might ſeem ſupervacaneous to thoſe, who by vertue of a Divine Unction knew ſo much already, wherein our Apostle lets them know, that notwithſtanding the knowledge they had attained, it was ſtill needful to write to them, and that becauſe they had attained this knowledge. In particular, there might bee a threefold reaſon of St. Johns writing to thoſe knowing Chriſtians.
1 In memoriam revocare, to bring that truth to their memory which had been already imprinted in theirIllyr. in loc. Carthuſ. in loc. underſtanding, upon this account, as St. John here, ſo elſewhere, the other Apoſtles expreſly Apologize for themſelves, I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this; So St. Jude. I will not bee negligent Jude verſ. 5.to put you alwaies in remembrance of theſe things, though yee know them, and bee eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth, So St. Peter. And I my ſelf alſo am perſwaded of you 2 Pet. 1. 12.my brethren, that yee alſo are full of goodneſſe, filled with all knowledge, able alſo to admoniſh one another, nevertheleſſe brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in ſome Rom. 15. 14, 15ſort, as putting you in minde, becauſe of the grace that is given to mee of God, ſo St. Paul. The truth is, wee are very apt to forget what wee know, yee have forgotten the exhortation which ſpeaketh unto you as unto Heb. 12. 5Children, ſaith the Apoſtle; our memories are like ſives that let go the flower, and retain the branne, wee remember what is to bee forgotten, and forget what is to bee remembred, need there is wee ſhould bee minded.
2 Scientiam a…gere, to increaſe our knowledge; the truth is, the greatest part of the things wee know, is the least part of what wee do not know; No Truths are ſo well, but they may bee better known; Every command is exceeding broad, and every Article very deep, no… can any ſay, There is nothing contained in either, which I do not fully know; diſce docendus adhuc, was good counſell, bee ſtill willing to learn: Luther confeſt himſelf Catechiſmi Diſcipulum, a Scholar to the Catechiſme; The moſt knowing Christian hath need to bee instructed even in the things he knoweth.
3 In veritate confirmare; to confirm us in the truth we know, notitiam vobis concedo, ſed de conſtantiâ veſtr â ſollicitus ſum, ſo Aretius gloſſeth, I grant you are knowing Chriſtians, Aret. in loc.but I am ſollicitous for your constancy in the faith; wee are but too prone to waver in our profeſſion, and too weak hold-faſts in ſpiritual truths, Etiam currentibus addenda ſunt calearia, though wee run well, wee need ſp…rring to make us …old out, or elſe wee ſhould grow dull and weary; ſo that in all theſe reſpects there appears ſufficient reaſon why our Apoſtle wrote even to them that knew the truth.
I end all. Take heed how any of you vilify the Miniſtry of the word either Preached or Written. They are words too often in many mens mouths, I know as much as the Preacher can tell mee; doest thou ſo? I rejoyce in it, but ſtill the Preacher may remember thee of, and confirm thee in what thou knoweſt; and perhaps thou mayeſt learn from him to know it better; beleeve it, there is uſe of Evangelical Preaching, and Apoſtolical Writing, not only to inform the ſimple, and inſtruct the Ignorant, but to minde the forgetful, ſtrengthen the Weak, and ſupply defects either of knowledge or affection, or both, in the moſt knowing Chriſtian, which made our Apostle thus be-speak the Chriſtians in his time, I have not written unto you becauſe you know not the truth, but becauſe you know it.