First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 34
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN.
CHAP. 2. VERS. 26, 27, 28.
Theſe things have I written unto you concerning them that ſeduce you.
But the annointing which you have received of him abideth in you, and yee need not that any man teach you, but as the ſame annointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lye, and even as it hath taught you, ye ſhall abide in him.
And now little children abide in him, that when he ſhall appear yee may have confidence, and not bee aſhamed before him at his coming.
IF you compare theſe three with the eight foregoing verſes, you ſhall finde them to bee a ſummary repetition of what it there more largely delivered. There are three hinges upon which the precedent diſcourſe turneth, namely, the peril of Antichriſtian doctrin, the benefit of the Spirits Unction, the duty of perſeverance in the Chriſtian faith, and theſe three are inculcated in theſe verſes. Indeed, where the danger is very great, the admonition cannot bee too frequent; when the benefit is of ſingular advantage, it would bee often conſidered, and a duty which muſt bee performed, cannot bee too much preſſed; no wonder, if St. John propoſe them in this gemination to our ſecond thoughts. And yet it is not a naked repetition neither, but ſuch as hath a variation and amplification in every particular. The Duty is re-inforced at the eight and twentieth verſe, but in another phraſe, of abiding in Chriſt, and with a new motive drawn from the ſecond comming of Christ. The benefit is reiterated, and much amplified in the seven and twentieth verſe, as to its excellency and energy. Finally, the danger is repeated, but with another deſcription of thoſe by whom they were in danger, whileſt as before hee had called them Antichrists for their enmity againſt Chriſt: So here, for their malignity againſt Chriſtians, hee calleth them ſeducers, Theſe things have I written to you concerning them that ſeduce you, &c.
By what you have already heard, you ſee the ſcope of thoſe verſes, which (according to their number) divide themſelves into three generals.
A Caution, Theſe things have I written, &c.
A Comfort, But the annointing which you have received, &c.
A Counſel, And now little Children abide in him, &c.
1 Begin, and at this time end wee with the Caution, Par. 1.which is given in the ſix and twentieth verſe, Theſe things have I written unto you concerning them that ſeduce you.
As it is in the World, ſo is it alſo in the Church. In the World all good and uſeful things have their contraries. There are fruitful ſhowres, and there are harmful ſtorms; there are refreſhing dews, and infecting vapours; there are wholeſome herbs, and there are noyſome drugs; There are tame living creatures, and there are wild beaſts. Thus in the Church, there are ſound, and there are rotten Profeſſors, true and falſe Prophets faithful and deceitful Apoſtles, and if you look upon this verſe, you may find a brand ſet upon the one, and a Character given of the other,-whi…e…t the two parts of the Text are,
The Miſchievous deſign of the Antichrists, which was to ſeduce, Them that ſeduce you; and the pious care of St. John, which was to give warning, Theſe things have I written to you concerning them.
1 In handling the former of theſe, I ſhall take notice of theſe three things.
The Who? them, whom? you, wha? ſeduce.
1 If you inquire who theſe ſeducers were, wee ſhall find two things not unworthy our obſervation.
1 That their names are not mentioned. It may perhaps bee asked, ſince the Apoſtle doth not name them, how ſhould they know them, and if they could not know them, how ſhould they avoid them? But to this it is eaſily anſwered, that
Hee had ſufficiently deſcribed them before by their Antichristian doctrin, ſo that of whomſoever they heard ſuch poſitions, they might conclude them to bee the Perſons, and ſince in this respect there was no neceſſity of mentioning, it is juſtly looked upon as an act of prudence, his concealing their names. Indeed, wee finde this Apoſtle Ep. … 5 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2, 1. 15in one of his Epiſtles, expreſly naming Diotrephes, and St. Paul naming Himeneus, and Alexander, Phygellus, and Hermogenes, in his Epiſtle to Timothy. There may bee ſometimes urgent reaſon of mentioning names: But for the moſt part both theſe Apoſtles are ſilent in this particular, and thoſe other Apostles, St. Peter and St. Jude, though they are large and ſharp in their invectives againſt thoſe Hereticks, yet they name not any. The reaſon of this is not unfitly given by Lorinus upon the text, toLorin. in loc. wit, ne magis irritarentur, to avoid all exasperation, and it is a good note hee inferrs upon it, Abſtineudum quoad fieri poteſt à cujuſquam publicâ not â. As much as may bee, wee muſt abſtain from throwing dirt in the faces of particular perſons, though they bee flagitious in life, or erroneous in doctrin; very appoſite to this purpoſe is that gloſs of Theophilact, on theſe words of St. Paul, many Theoph. in Phil. Ignat. ad Smyrn. Ep. 10.walk of whom I have told you often, &c. foreign, hee intimateth who they were, in ſaying, I have told you often, but he doth not nominate, leſt hee ſhould provoke them. In that parabolical narration of Dives and Lazarus, the rich mans name is not mentioned; The Reaſon whereof is generally conceived to bee, that our Saviour thought him not worthy the naming, upon which account Ignatius would not inſert, foreign, the Faithleſs names of certain Hereticks in his writings. But that note of Maldonate may very well be allowed, and is very ſuitable to the preſent matter, it was the prudent moderation of our Saviour, Ut pauperem quem laudaret nominaret, divitem quem vituperabat non nominaret, to mention the beggars name whom hee did commend, but to conceal the rich mans whom he did condemn. That rule which is given, though not ſo well obſerved by the Epigrammatiſt, is fit to bee followed by all Preachers and Writers.
Parcere perſonis dicere de vitiis.
Mart. Epigr.To reprove ſins and spare perſons, to confute errours and conceal names. That Character of the Philoſopher, inſectatur vitia, non homines, he inveighed againſt vices, not men, well befits a Preacher. When wee praiſe and commend the good, it ſhould bee with reflexion on perſons, and that by name, for their greater incouragement, but when wee reprove or condemn the evil, it ſhould bee (unleſſe for ſome weighty reaſons) without naming perſons, to avoid provocation, whileſt thoſe who on ſuch an occaſion are named, are apt to ſuppoſe it as an argument of ill will, and ſo inſtead of being bettered by the reproof, to be imbittered againſt the reprover.
2 Their office (to which probably ſome of them were called, and which no doubt all of them pretended) was to teach and inſtruct the people. Thus in all ages there have not wanted ſeducers, among the Teachers of the Church. God complained by his Prophet Iſaiah, The leaders of this Iſa. 3. 11. 9 16People cauſed them to err, ſo by Jeremiah, I have ſeen folly in the Prophets of Samaria, they have propheſied in Baal, and cauſed my people Iſrael to erre; upon this account theJer. 2…. 13 Phariſees are called by our Saviour, blinde guides, and thoſe Seducers, by St. Paul, falſe Apoſtles, and both byMat. 23. 16 2 Pet. 2. 1 1 Joh 4. 1 St. Peter and St. John, Falſe Prophets. And truely, though this bee too common, it is very ſad; what more incongruous than blindneſſe in a guide, injuſtice in a Judge, ignorance in a Scholar, and Hereſy in a Teacher? Thoſe ſheep muſt needs wander, which either are without a Shepheard, or whoſe Shepheard miſleads them. Oh what need is there of earneſt Prayer, that God would give us Paſtours after his own heart, which may feed us with wiſdome and underſtanding? and ſo much for the Who.
2 That which next commeth to bee conſidered, is, the Whom, you, that is, ſaith Grotius, Judaeos, ex quorum Grot. in loc.gente vos eſtis, many of the Jews, whoſe Country-men you are, who were ſeduced by them; but more rationally ſay others, you, that is, you, who have received the Unction, and abide in the faith, to whom I have written this Epiſtle. But if thoſe were the You, how is it that theſe falſe Teachers, are challenged with ſeducing them, ſince they were not ſeduced, but continued ſtedfaſt in the faith? The ſolution of this objection is preſently made, by diſtinguiſhing between the intent and event, the indeavour and the effect; Theſe falſe Teachers did ſeduce them in deſign, who yet were not actually ſeduced by them, and becauſe they did indeavour to do it, therefore they are charged as if they had done it.
It is a Note not unworthy our obſervation before we go any further, That whatſoever evil is inchoated by a reſolved indeavour, and onelyonly impeded by divine prevention, is a… if it had been conſummated by a compleat execution. True it is, the ſin is the groſſer▪ and the guilt the greater, when a wicked attempt is accompliſhed, but ſtill the very intent, much more the attempt, denominateth a man guilty.
Hee that ſolliciteth a womans chaſtity, though he never commit the outward act, is an Adulterer; Hee that contriveth and ſtriveth to take away a mans life, though hee do not kill him, is a murtherer; and hee that preacheth falſe Doctrin to the people, with an intent to deceive them, is a ſeducer, though his Hearers are not infected by him. We ſee in mans law, hee that breaketh open a mans houſe, though his ſtealing bee prevented, is looked upon as a Theef. Hee that plotteth a treaſon againſt his Sovereign, though hee do not execute it, is adjudged as a Traitor, and ſurely it muſt much more hold true in Gods Law, which is therefore more ſtrict, becauſe more large in its extent than mans.
Nor is it without juſt reaſon that thus it ſhould bee, ſince he that endeavoureth, would accompliſh, were he not hindred, and that the act is not correſpondent to the deſign, is not for want of will, but power; it was no thanks to Bal…c, or Balaam, that the people of Iſrael were not curſed, nor to Saul, that David was not deſtroyed, nor to Haman, that the Jewes were not cut off; now that wherein the ſinfulneſſe of ſin conſiſts is in the voluntarineſſe of it, and therefore as where the act is done againſt the will, it is excuſable, ſo where the will is bent, though the act be not done, it is culpable; who would not be enraged at him, who knowing himſelf to have a Plague-ſore running about him, ſhould run into every houſe, and thruſt himſelf into every company, and cenſure him as worthy of puniſhment, though (perhaps) through Gods mercy none were infected by him? Oh let us repent, not only of our evil deeds, but our wicked attempts, and accuſe our ſelves, as well for what we would have done, as what wee have done.
And withall it is that which holds true on the other hand, and would be taken notice of for the comfort of the good, Mens boni ſtud… ac pii voti e…iamſi effectum Salv▪ de Guber.non invenerit habet tamen praemium volunt at is, ſaith Salvian excellently, in all honeſt and pious endeavours, though the work bee not effected, the will ſhall bee rewarded; when the Childe taketh the Bow into his hand, puts the Arrow into the Bow, draweth it as farre as he can, the Father accepteth it, as if he had drawn it to the head, and h… the mark. It is ſaid of Abraham, by St. James, that he offered his Son Iſaac upon the Altar, when yet not Iſaac, but the Ram was offered, and good reaſon, Iam 2. 21ſince on Abrahams part there was nothing wanting▪ accordingGen. 22. … 6. 9 to Gods command, he roſe up early in the morning, ſadled his Aſſe, took Iſaac his Son with him, clave the wood, went to the place, built an Altar, prepared the fire, laid the wood on the Altar, Iſaac on the wood, took the knife to ſlay him, and had not an Angel from God prevented him, he had actually ſlain him. Where God denieth ability, or opp…rtunity, he alwayes accepts the will for the deed.
It is that which may more particularly bee taken notice of, for the comfort of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, who ſincerely indeavouring the converſion of Sinners, though they prove not ſucceſſeful, ſhall be looked upon by God as if they were. A Pilot (ſaith Quintilian)Quintil. declain. l. 3. cannot be denied his lawful plea, though the ſhip miſcarry, whileſt he holdeth the helm aright, and ſayleth by the Compaſs; nor ſhall hee who carefully ſteereth the courſe of his Miniſtry by the compaſs of Gods Word, bee found guilty, though the ſhip whereof he is Pilot ſink into perdition; that promiſe in the Book of Da…i…l▪ They that be wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firma…nt, and they that turn many to righteouſneſſe as the ſtars for ever Dan. 12. 3and ever, is probably to be underſtood in the firſt clauſe, of all the godly who are moſt truly wiſe; and in the ſecond, of the Prophets of God, who are ſaid to turn many to righteouſneſſe (even when perhaps they doe not turn any) in reſpect of their cordial▪ deſires, and earneſt labours, as here falſe Prophets and Teachers are charged to ſeduce them, whom yet they did not ſeduce, becauſe of their deſign and indeavour.
3 The laſt and chief thing conſiderable in this part of the text is, the what, the act, in that word ſeduce; indeedBed. in loc. venerable Bede by theſe Seducers underſtands all thoſe who by fair or foul means draw men to any evil, and thereby hinder them from partaking the promiſe of eternal life mentioned in the former verſe; but I rather with the ſtream of Interpreters, expound theſe Seducers to bee the Heretical Antichriſts ſpoken of before, though in the handling I ſhall reflect on all that ſeduce to any evil.
The Greek word here uſed, moſt properly belongs to Travellers, when they wander out of the way; from thence it is applied in the firſt place to erring, which is a wandring from the way of truth; ſo in that of St. James, Doe not erre my beloved brethren; and in the next to ſeducers, which is a cauſing others to erre; ſoJam. 1. 16 here, and many other places; indeed Aretius on the textAret. in loc. taketh in both, foreign, Id eſt qui errant, & alios in errorem trahunt, them that ſeduce, that is, them who erre themſelves, and draw others into it. That which would here bee obſerved, is the evil temper of Hereticks, who having eſpouſed an error, are very ſolicitous to be get children, by cauſing others to erre; for this cauſe they are compared by St. Jude to wandring ſtarres, by which we are not to underſtand the Planets in the Heaven (which are ſo called, becauſe by reaſon of their various motions they ſeem in the eye of the vulgar to wander) but the fiery Meteors in the air, which are called Starres, for that reſemblance they have to Starres in outward appearance, which being hurried up and down by the wind themſelves, doe oft-times miſguide the unwary Traveller into Boggs and Fens; thusIude v. 13. having before borrowed a Metaphor from the Air, reſembling theſe falſe Teachers to Clouds without rain, for their vain-glorious boaſting; from the Earth, comparing them to withered Trees, for their barren converſations; from the Water, reſembling them to the raging waves of the Sea, for their furious cruelty; ſo taking in all the Elements, he borroweth a Metaphor from the Fire, comparing them to wandring ſtarres, or meteors, becauſe of their miſchievous miſ-leading; for as theſe▪ eſpecially the Ignes fatui (as they are called) fooliſh Fires, being carried up and down by the Wind, have themſelves an uncertain motion, and miſ-guide the Traveller into a wrong path; ſo did thoſe Hereticks, having themſelves forſaken the right way, entice others to follow them; in which reſpect St. Paul ſaith of theſe Seducers, that2 Tim 3 14. they wax worſe and worſe, deceiving, and being deceived.
Nor is this leſſe obſervable in other ſorts of ſinners. Jeroboam having ſet up Calves at Dan and Bethel, ingageth the people to worſhip them. Abſolom having a rebellious deſign againſt his King, and Father, David, attempts to steal away the hearts of the People from him. TheProv. 3. 15. Harlot reſolving to proſtitute herſelf, goeth forth to inveagle the next young man ſhee meets, to her wanton imbraces, and thoſe bloody miſcreants call upon others,1. 11. ſaying, Come let us lye in wait for blood.
Thus there is in wicked men, a kinde of itching deſire to make others as bad as themſelves, and perhaps this is the meaning of the phraſe in the Prophet, They draw Iſa. 1. 19.iniquity, to wit, by drawing others to iniquity. Indeed, here in they follow the ſuggeſtion of that Prince of darkneſs, for as it was Christs charge to Peter, Being converted, strengthen thy brethren, ſo it is the Devils to his Agents, Being perverted, pervert thy B…ethren, nay, hereby it is they do not only obey the Command, but imitate that pattern of their Father the Devil, who not ſtanding in the truth, with too happy, or rather unhappy a ſucceſſe, endeavoured mans fall, that as hee with his evil Angels were thrown out of Heaven, ſo Adam with his Posterity might bee caſt out of an earthly, and kept out of …n heavenly Paradiſe.
And now I would to God all Hercticks would conſider how great an evill this is, to bee a ſeducer. It is bad to bee an actor of evil our ſelves, but far worſe to be an inticer; It is bad to bee ſeduced by, but much worſe to bee a ſeducer of others; wee ſeldome finde Jeroboam the Son of Nebat mentioned, but with this mark, That made Iſrael to ſin, no doubt for his greater infamy. When Elimas Act. …3. …indeavoureth to turn away the Deputy from the Faith, St. Paul is inraged with an holy zeal, and in him giveth every Seducer his due brand, Thou full of all ſubtilty and miſchief, childe of the devil, and enemy of …ll righteouſneſſe. Wee are not able to anſwer for our own ſins, wee had not need contract upon us the guilt of others; wee cannot pay our own ſcores, there is no reaſon for us to make others debts ours. God knoweth we have ſinnes enough (as ſo many Sons) of our own, why ſhould we adopt others? yet ſo doth the Seducer (whileſt without timely repentance) hee muſt give an account for all thoſe ſouls, which hee hath either in deſign, or effect, ſeduced▪ either to errour of Doctrin, or evil of manners; and ſurely, if they who turn many to righteouſneſs, ſhall ſhine as the Sun in Heaven, they who turn many from it, to errour and wickedneſs, ſhall burn as coals in Hell. But I fear ſeducing Hereticks, whileſt they have open mouths, and n…mble tongues to the perverting of others, have their ears heavy, nay, cloſed, leſt they ſhould bee converted themſelves, and therefore though I ſhall not ceaſe to pray for, I ſhall forbear any longer to speak to them.
The Improvement that ſhould be made of this doctrin by the godly and Orthodox, is,
1 That wee take heed of going amongſt, or converſing with Hereticks, leſt wee be ſeduced by them. Indeed, it were ground enough of abſtaining their ſociety, leſt wee ſhould bee thought ſuch, but much more leſt we ſhould prove ſuch. This Holy Apoſtle would not ſtay in the bath with that Arch-heretick Cerinthus, out of a juſt indignation againſt him; we ſhould not frequent the company of ſuch, out of a wiſe circumspection in reference to our ſelves. The Orthodox hearers of Athanaſius forſook the Church when Lucius the Arrian Biſhop came to Preach; both the private ſociety, and more publique meetings of Hereticks, ſhould bee avoided by us; it is ill coming within the breath of ſuch rotten perſons. There is not more danger of being burned by comming too neer the fire, of being defiled by touching pitch or dirt, and of being infected, by comming neer one that is ſick of the plague, than of being ſeduced by hearkning to, and having familiarity with Hereticks.
It is that indeed which may bee extended, and I would to God were obſerved as a general rule in regard of all wicked company, Come out from among her my people Rev. 19. 4.(ſaith God concerning Babylon) leſt thou bee partaker of her ſins. Depart from me you evil doers, (ſaith David)Pſal. 119. 115. for I will keep the Commandements of my God. Wicked men will ſtrive to make us like themſelves, nor have wee any promiſe of aſſiſtance againſt their inticements, if wee needleſly aſſociate with them. The Pſalmist ſaith, Bleſſed is the man that walketh not after the counſel of the Pſal. 1. 1ungodly, nor ſtandeth in the way of ſinners. Indeed, he that would not walk in the wickeds counſel, muſt not ſtand in his way, leſt if the wicked finde him in his way▪ hee entice him to go along with him.
2 That they obliquely imitate theſe ſeducers, in striving to make others, as ſound in the faith, and conſcientious in their lives, as themſelves, why ſhould (and yet how often is it ſo) the Devils inſtruments be more forward than Christs Servants, his meſſengers more active than Chriſts Miniſters? Did Heliogabalus take care to make his Son like himſelf, luxurious, and ſhall not religious Parents endeavour that their children may ſerve the Lord? did the Phariſees compaſs Sea and Land to make a Proſelite, and ſhall not Chriſts Apoſtles do as much to make Chriſtians? Are the Wolves ranging up and down to worry, and ſhall not the Shepheards bee watchful to preſerve the ſheep? Are Hereticks induſtrious to ſeduce from, and ſhall not the Orthodox be ſolicitous to reduce to the truth? God forbid. Oh let the heavenly ſtars as readily give forth their light to guide the people into the way of Truth and Peace, as thoſe fiery meteors are to lead them into the bogs and ditches of ſin and errours. Them that ſeduce you.
But this is not all that our Apostle intends by this expreſſion. The word here rendred ſeduce, is elſewhere in this Epiſtle, yea, generally through the New Teſtament, 1 Ep. 1. 8 3. 8.tranſlated deceive, and accordingly Planus which is derived from it, is uſed by the Latine Poet to ſignify anHorat. Impoſtor, now decipimur specie recti, wee are deceived by specious pretences, and accordingly ſuch a kinde of ſeducing, which is, by making us beleeve wee are in the right, when we are in the wrong way, is that which is here meant.
It lets us ſee what is the cunning of Heretical ſeducers, St. Paul ſaith of them, that by good words and fair speeches Rom. 16. 8they deceive the hearts of the ſimple; like the Hyaena, which when ſhee intends to devour, feigneth a mans voice. St. Auſtin obſerveth, that the Devil ſeeing his Temples Ang. de Civit. … i.forſaken, Altars demoliſhed, and Oracles ſilenced, by Chriſts comming into the world, to make a new ſupply of his Kingdome, ſtirred up certain Hereticks, (of whomMat. 24. 4 Chriſt himſelf foretold, and whom no doubt our Apostle here meaneth) qui ſub vocabulo Chriſtianae doctrinae reſisterent Chriſtianae, who under the name of Chriſtian doctrin ſhould oppoſe Chriſtianity, like Pyrates, who hang out their colours, whom they mean to ſurprize. Indeed, it hath ever been the practice of falſe Teachers, to lead into errour by a pretext of truth, like thoſe (to uſe Irenaeus Iren. ad. haer. l. 3. c. 19his compariſon) who give lime mixed with water, inſtead of milk, deceiving by the ſimilitude of the colour, herein as St. Paul obſerveth, learning of their Maſter 2 Cor. 11. 14the Devil, who though the Prince of Darkneſs, oft times transformeth himſelf into an Angel of Light. The truth is,Id. praefat. l. 1. as the forementioned Father obſerveth, foreign, errour loveth not to appear naked, as being foul and ugly, no wonder if ſhe cover her ſelf with borrowed robes, that ſhe may be the more amiable.
It will not I ſuppoſe bee a digreſſion from the Text, nor loſſe of time, to inquire into the foreign and foreign, (to uſe St. Pauls language) ſleights Eph. 4. 14and methods of errour, whereby theſe Seducers lye in wait to deceive, and theſe wee ſhall finde to bee of many ſorts. Hereticks (Proteus like) make uſe of ſeveral ſhapes under which they delude many. In particular we my obſerve them ſeducing by the mixtur of ſome truths, the Promiſe of much Liberty, the Plea of long Tradition, and the ſhew of glorious Miracles, under the veil of an outſide religion, the verniſh of humane reaſon, the colour of divine Revelation, the gloſſe of ſacred Scripture, & the name of the true Church.
1 A mixture of truth with errour is an uſual trick of theſe impoſtours, herein doing like thoſe who put off lead or braſs in Coines with the mingling of ſilver, or who convey poyſon in milk, or ſome ſuch wholeſome food.Greg. Mor. l. 5. c. 12. This St. Gregory took notice of when hee ſaith of Hereticks, miſcent recta perverſis, ut oſtendendo bona auditores ad ſe pertrahant, et exhibendo mala latenti peſte corrumpant, They joyn right Doctrines with perverſe, that by an open publication of the one, they may ſecretly inſtil the other; even theſe Antichriſts did acknowledge ſome truth, Preaching a Chriſt that came from heaven, but withall denying Jeſus to be the Chriſt.
2 A Promiſe of Liberty, is another cheat of theſe Jugglers, as well knowing how ſuitable liberty is to mans corrupt nature. Hereticks (how rigid ſoever they may bee upon deſign in their perſonal Practice) yet are commonly libertines in their doctrin, indulging to their followers a lawleſſe licentiouſneſſe. This St. Peter and St. Jude obſerved in theſe Antichriſts, of whom the one ſaith, they did promiſe to the people liberty, and the2 Pet. 2. 19 Jude v. 4 other, that they did turn the Grace of God into Laſciviouſneſſe.
3 The Plea of Tradition is much uſed by Hereticks, all Nations and Perſons, both Jews and Gentiles, being very tenacious of thoſe things which they have received from their Ancestors. By traditions it was, that the Phariſees in Christs time indeavoured to make the Law of God of none effect, and with traditions it was, that the Hereticks in the Apoſtles time did spoil the people of the Truth, for ſo much St. Paul intimateth, when hee giveth that Caveat, Beware leſt any man spoil you through vain deceit after the traditions of men. Not that all ſortsCol. 2. 8 of Traditions are to bee ſleighted, yea, the Traditions which have been delivered and received in the Univerſal Church from age to age, are to bee regarded by us next to the written word, but not in oppoſition againſt, or in competition with it, ſuch vain ſuperſtitious traditions were thoſe which the Apoſtle condemned, and which the Hereticks made uſe of.
4 A ſhow of Miracles, is that which is ſometimes made by theſe Deceivers. Look as of Old, when Moſes and Aaron wrought Miracles, Jannes and Jambres the Aegyptian Sorcerers, imitated them. So in the beginning of Chriſtianity, as God confirmed it by real Miracles, ſo the Devil oppoſed it with Lying wonders. This was our Saviours prediction concerning theſe Antichriſtian Seducers, wherof my Text ſpeaketh, There ſhall come falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets, and ſhall ſhew ſignes Mark. 13. 44.and wonders, ſo St. Mark; Great ſignes and wonders, ſo St. Matthew, to ſeduce and deceive if it were poſſible Matth. 24. 4the very Elect; and thus the comming of the man of ſin is ſaid by St. Paul to bee after the working of Satan, 2 Theſſ. 2. 9with all power, and ſigns, and lying wonders, where that Epithite of Lying would not bee paſſed by, thoſe wonders which the Devil worketh by Hereticks, being lying, not onelyonly becauſe they accompany doctrins of Lies, but likewiſe becauſe they are for the moſt part deluſions, not realities, nor are the greateſt of thoſe wonders, above the power of nature, and therefore though they are matter of wonder to us, who oft times cannot underſtand how they are wrought, yet they are not ſo in themſelves. But ſurely there is no device more ſubtle and prevailing than this, men being very apt to beleeve, that their words are Oracles whoſe works are Miracles; and indeed were they ſo really, it were a ſufficient ground of beleef, but as they are, to wit, onelyonly ſo in appearance, they have too great an influence upon the vulgar.
5 A veil of Religion, is many times put on by theſe Cheaters, their garb, their look, their Language, ſpeak nothing but holineſſe, whileſt their doctrins breath nothing but Hereſy. As too many of the Orthodox diſhonour their teaching well by living ill, ſo do many Hereticks credit their ill-teaching by well-living. It is one of St. Pauls characters of Seducers, Having a 2 Tim. 3. 5ſhew of godlineſſe, and Gregory Nazianzen, ſaith of the Macedonians, that their life was admirable, whileſtGr. Naz. orat. 44. their Doctrin was abominable. Thus as Harlots paint their faces, and perfume their beds, to allure. Hereticks feign godlineſs, and profeſs Religion to ſeduce.
6 A verniſh of Reaſon, is drawn over falſe opinions, by theſe Seducers, becauſe that is very taking with a rational creature. This St. Paul intimateth in that fore-mentionedCol. 2. 8. Caution, Beware, leſt any man ſpoil you through Philoſophy, and vain deceit. Accordingly Tertullian obſerveth,Tert. praeſcript. adv. h…. l. c. 6. that the Ancient Hereſies concerning the Ae… nes, were fetched from Plato's Ideaes, the equality of the firſt matter with God, from Zeno, the death of the Soul, from Epicurus, and the denial of the Reſurrection of the Body, de unâ omnium Philoſophorum Scholâ, from thel. contra Herm…. Schools of all the Philoſophers. Upon this account it is, that the Father elſewhere aſſerts Philoſophers to bee the Patriarks of Hereticks, and that all Hereſies are founded upon, and ſupported by the rules and dictates of Philoſophy, not that Philoſophy and natural Reaſon is to bee rejected by the Orthodox, as of no uſe, nay, indeed it is an help to Divinity, when in its right place, but our Divinity muſt not bee regulated by Philoſophy, and our Religion bounded by reaſon. The Orthodox uſe her as an handmaid to wait, but the Heterodox make her a Miſtreſs to ſeduce.
7 The colour of a Revelation, is oft times uſed to ſet off lying Doctrin. When St. Paul ſaith, If an Angel from Gal. 1. 8Heaven Preach any other Goſpel, let him bee accurſed, hee intimateth that ſome might pretend to bring another Gospel from heaven, and indeed ſuch there were who broached fictitious Gospels, as if they had been divinely inſpired. Simon Magus pretended himſelf to bee the Holy Ghoſt, ſo did Montanus, and vented the Dreams of his Whores, Priſcilla, Maximilla, and Quintilla, for prephecies. Indeed, Divine Revelation is the proper ground of Faith. No wonder if Hereticks, that they may gain credit, and ſo ſeduce the people, lay claim to it,
8 The Gloſſe of Scripture is very oft times put upon falſe opinions, by the aſſertours of them, to delude the people. In this, as St. Hierome well obſerveth, they traceApolog. Hier. contra Lucif. the Devils footſteps, who quoted Scripture, thereby fondly imagining hee might delude Chriſt himſelf. Thus the Judaizing falſe Teachers in the Apoſtles time, made uſe of the Old Teſtament Scripture, quoting Moſes and the Prophets; and Irenaeus obſerveth of the Hereticks ofIren▪ l. 1. c. 1 thoſe times, that they dealt by the Sacred Writings, as a Graver doth by the goodly image of a King, which by altering the form, hee turneth into the likeneſſe of a dog or wolf, and then affirmeth it, foreign, to be the lovely image of the King, they take the words of Scripture, and put upon them their own ſenſe, and then ſay it is Scripture, it is ſo indeed materially, but not formally, as the metal is the Kings, but the ſtamp is a Wolf; ſo the words are Scripture, but the ſenſe the Hereticks.
9 To all theſe I may add, the name of a Church is no ſmall bait whereby Hereticks allure and catch the ſimple in their ſnares; our Saviour tells us what their ſayings Mat. 24. 6ſhould bee, Lee here is Chriſt, and there is Chriſt, in this conventicle, and that meeting, by which they withdraw many from the Apoſtolical aſſemblies. In this reſpect St. Judes Character of them, is, that they did ſeparate themſelves, to wit, from the Apoſtles, and (whichIude v. 19. muſt needs follow) they no doubt aſſumed to themſelves the title to the true Church of Chriſt; and thus did the Novatians in St. Cyprians time, and the Donatiſts in St. Auguſtines time, fighting againſt the Church under the name of the Church.
By all this wee ſee how Antichriſtian hereticks abuſe the beſt things to the worſt deſigns, Truth, Liberty, Tradition, Miracles, Holineſſe, Reaſon, Revelation, Scripture, the Church, are all of them of ſingular concernment and advantage to the Orthodox Chriſtian Catholick Religion, but yet even theſe are falſely pretended by hereticks, and by the feigned ſemblance of theſe, it is that they indeavour (and oft times with too much ſucceſs) to ſeduce their auditors from the faith.
Theſe Seducers have been more or leſſe in all ages, but I think I may ſafely ſay never more than in this, and if you mark it, you ſhall finde the Old cheats ſtill practiſed. The Papiſts on the one hand pretend to the Church, Traditions, Miracles, and a formal ſanctity. The Socinians boaſt much of Reaſon. The Antinomians of Liberty. The Anabaptists, Quakers, and ſuch like, of Enthuſiaſms, a light within, breathings, impulſes, and diſcoveries of the Spirit. All Sects have ſome mixtures of truth, and would father their Errours upon the Scriptures.
And now being encompaſſed as it were with ſuch ſubtle Sophiſters, crafty Seducers, what need is there of a prudent vigilancy, leſt wee bee inſnared by them, according2 Fet. 3. 17 to that excellent advice of St. Peter Beware lest ye alſo being led away, with the errour of the wicked Mat. 10. 12fall from your own stedfaſtneſſe. Behold, ſaith our bleſſed Saviour to his Diſciples, I ſend you forth as ſheep among wolves, bee yee wiſe as Serpents, and innocent as Doves, wiſe as Serpents, to defend themſelves, innocent as Doves, in not offending others, or (as Proſper to our preſent purpoſe) innocent as Doves, in not circumventing any, and wiſe as Serpents, in not ſuffering themſelves to bee circumvented; and ſurely this Serpentine wiſdome is that which concerneth all Christians in ſome meaſure to attain, ſo much the rather, becauſe theſe wolves, as our Saviour elſewhere ſpeaketh, come in ſheeps cloathing, for this reaſon, ſaith Optatus, Ut prius ovis mordentem lupum ſentiat quam praeſentiat Optat. contra Par…. l. 2.venientem, that they may ſeize upon the ſheep before it can perceive them comming. Hee that walketh among ſnares, had need bee cautelous, and no leſs reaſon have we to bee circumspect, who are in the ſame danger which thoſe Chriſtians were in, of them that would ſeduce then, and ſo much ſhall ſuffice to have been ſpoken of the firſt General, namely, the miſchievous deſign of the falſe Teachers. I go on to a more brief dispatch of the other, which is,
The Pious care of true Apoſtles, Theſe things have I Gen. Second.written to you concerning them. For the full diſcuſſion whereof, I ſhall look upon the writing here mentioned in a double reference, namely, as it was a reſult of the Spirits dictate, and as it was an argument of St. Johns care.
1 As a reſult of the Spirits dictates, for St. John and the other holy men of God spake and wrote as moved by the Holy Ghost, and ſo wee are here to take notice, that the Divinely inspired writings are of excellent uſe against Seducers. Indeed, as a ſtraight line diſcovers what is crooked, and the clear light diſpells darkneſſe, ſo the word of God ſerveth to diſcover who are Seducers, and to diſſipate their clondy errours; you erre (ſaith our bleſſedMat. 22. 29 Saviour to the Sadduces,) not knowing the Scriptures; tacitly teaching us, that the Scriptures well known, and rightly underſtood, are a guard againſt errour. The whole Scripture, ſaith St. Paul, is of divine inspiration, 2 Tim. 3. 15and is profitable, as for reproof of ſin, ſo for the correction of errour.
Let it therefore bee our buſineſs, eſpecially in ſuch erroneous times as theſe, to ſtudy the Scriptures, and not onelyonly to bee well verſed in the letter, but acquainted with the meaning of them, that as our Saviour refelled the tempter, ſo wee may bee able to refute ſeducers with a ſcriptum eſt. No darts pierce ſo deep, as thoſe which are taken out of the Lords armory; no arrows hit the mark like thoſe which are drawn out of Gods quiver, nor is any ſword ſo ſharp as that of the Spirit, and therfore as David hid Gods word in his heart, that hee mightPſal. 1…9. 9 not fall into ſin, ſo let us, that we may not run into errour.
2 But that which would bee chiefly taken notice of, is, that his writing theſe things concerning Seducers, was an argument of his care, that the people might not bee deceived by them. It is that which wee finde to have been not only the care of this, but the other holy Apoſtles; the greateſt part of St. Judes Epiſtle, and of St. Peters ſecond Epiſtle is concerning theſe Seducers; frequent caveats wee meet with in St. Pauls Epiſtles, to the ſame purpoſe, witneſſe his foreign to the Col…ſſians, Beware Col. 2. 8.lest any man spoil you; nay, his threefold foreign to the Philippians, beware of Dogs, beware of evil workers, beware Phil. 3. 2of the conciſion, and to name no more, his foreign to the Romans, beſeeching that they would mark andRom. 16. 17 avoid ſuch. It were eaſy to let you ſee how the Fathers of the Church, have in this particular traced the footſt eps of the Apoſtles. Ignatius beſpeaketh the Chriſtians Ignat. ad Antioc. Ep. 1. 2.of Antioch, in words much like thoſe of St. Paul to the Philippians, foreign, &c. Beware of Dogs, Serpents, Dragons, Aspes, Bazilisks, Scorpions. St. Cyprian Cypr. Ep. 40.in his Epiſtle to all the people, is very urgent with his …r… vos fratres, and again with his admone… pariter et conſulo, adviſing, admoniſhing, intreating, that they would not beleeve the ſmooth words of falſe Teachers, leſt they did miſtake darkneſſe for light, night for day, and poyſon for a remedy. Irenaeus in his Preface to his firſt book againſtIren. praefat. l 1. adv. Haer. Hereſys, ſaith, this was the reaſon of his writing thoſe books, that the wolves might not devour the ſheep of Chriſt through his default▪ for the ſame cauſe were thoſe things written by Epiphanius, Athanaſius, St. Auguſtin, and many others, which are extant concerning hereſies.
Nor was it without a great deal of Reaſon, that thoſe holy men were, and in particular here St. John was, ſo careful to write concerning Seducers, and that both respectu populi, in regard of the people, for the preſervation of their ſafety, and reſpectu ſui, in regard of himſelf, for the diſcharging of his own duty.
1 In reſpect of the people, St. John well knew,
1 That all men are naturally prone to errour, their understanding (as well as will) being corrupted; yea, that the beſt being but men, may through want of judgement, and partiality of affection, bee led aſide. The bad through wickedneſs, and the good through weakneſſe, ſometimes like ſheep have gone aſtray.
2 That the errours to which theſe Antichriſts did indeavour to ſeduce them, were in things fundamental, for ſo it appeareth by the charge hee laiet… againſt them, which is, that they denyed the Father and the Son, that they denyed Jeſus to bee the Chriſt, a doctrine upon which the whole Chriſtian Religion is founded. St. Hierom upon that o… our Saviour, Bee Hieron. in Mat.wiſe as Serpents, obſerveth, Serpentis aſtutia ponitur in exemplum, quia toto corpore occul…at capu…, ut illud in quo vita est protegat, the Serpent is therefore mentioned, as an Example of Wiſdome, becauſe it is careful to hide the Head, wherein its Life lyeth, with the whole body; Chriſt is the Head of the Church, and the Errours of theſe Seducers did strike at the Head, no wonder if the Apoſtle wrote concerning them.
3 That to bee ſeduced, eſpecially in ſuch errours, is dangerous, and destructive. It was the Prophet Iſaiahs ſad complaint, The Leaders of this people cauſe Iſa. 9. 16them to erre, and they that are lead of them are deſtroyed; and St. Peters Epithite, which hee giveth to2 Pet. 2▪ 1 theſe H…reſies, is no…leſſe than damnable, or (according to the Greek phraſe) hereſies of perdition. To this purpoſe tends that phraſe of St. Paul, when hee calleth Seducer…, Spoilers, where the Greek word alludethCol. 2. 8 to Theeves and Robbers, or to Souldiers and Plunderers, who take the Cattel of their enemy, andZanch. ibid. Daven. ibid. carry it away as a Prey, for ſuch are falſe Teachers, the Devils Agents, to lead Captive poor ſouls, that they may bee the Devils prey. It is not unworthy our obſervation, that the Apoſtle having in the verſe before, mentioned the Promiſe of eternal life, hee preſently addeth this caveat concerning theſe Seducers, intimating, that the flatteries of theſe Seducers if hearkened to, would deprive them of the Promiſe of Eternal Life, ſo that it was no leſſe than their everlaſting welfare, which was endangered. Good reaſon had the Apoſtle upon all theſe conſiderations, to write concerning theſe Seducers, to the Chriſtians, in reſpect of their ſafety.
2 Beſides this, there was an Obligation in regard of himſelf, that hee might perform his duty. So Lorinus gloſſeth upon the Text, Videtur fidem ſuam Lor. in lo….liberare, ac ſuo ſe functum munere proteſtari, by this writing hee diſchargeth that Office to which hee was called, and that truſt which was repoſed in him by his Lord and Maſter. Indeed, if the Miniſter of Chriſt warn the people of Seducers, though they miſcarry, yet he ſhall be acquitted, but à paſtore exigitur quicquid per inertiam non cuſtoditur, ſaith St. Cyprian Cypr. de paſtor▪ cur.truely, if the ſheep wander through the negligence of the Shepheard, it will bee exacted of him, according to that of God himſelfe, I have made thee a watchman unto the houſe of Iſrael, and therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from mee, when I ſay unto the wicked, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, and Ezek. 3. 17. 18. 19.thou giveſt him not warning, nor speakeſt to warn the wicked from his wickedneſſe, to ſave his life, the ſame wicked man ſhall dye in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand, yet if thou warn the wicked, and if hee turn not from his wickedneſſe▪ nor from his wicked way, he ſhall dye in his iniquity, but thou haſt delivered thy ſoul.
To cloſe up this with a threefold inference.
1 See hence what is the reaſon why Diotrephes prated againſt this Apoſtle (as himſelf tells us) with malicious words, and why it is that Seducers (withEp. 3. 10. their followers) rail at the Miniſters of the Goſpel, namely, becauſe they Preach and Write concerning them. For this cauſe it is, that in all Ages they have been, and ſtill are, ſo ſolicitous to stop the mouths and pens, to take away the livings and lives of the Orthodox, as well knowing, that elſe they cannot have the opportunity of ſowing their tares, at leaſtwiſe, not with ſo good ſucceſſe. It was no ſleight Policy of Philip, to offer the Athenians peace upon condition of delivering up their Orators to him, whom Demoſthenes anſwered with an Apologue very ſuitable to this preſent matter, The Wolves were willing to make an agreement with the ſheep, provided they would deliver up their Dogs. The truth is, Seducing Wolves are moſt afraid of, and angry at, the Ministers of the Goſpel, whom that great Shepheard of our ſouls hath appointed to watch his flock.
2 Learn hence how unlike thoſe Miniſters are to this Apostle, who are dumb dogs in the midſt of ravening Wolves, and thereby ſuffer the ſheep of Chriſt to bee worried; what a ſhame is it, that the Heterodox ſhould bee bold, and the Orthodox cold, the Seducers clamorous in conventicles, and the Catholicks ſilent in Churches? Oh let all the Ministers of the Goſpel learn their duty, eſpecially in ſuch times as theſe, which is not only oves aggregare, to gather together the ſheep, but Lupos abigere, to drive away the Wolves; wee muſt not onelyonly bee as Mercuriuſes to the Traveller, which point out the right way, but as Sea-Marks to the Mariner, which warn him of Shelves, Sands, and Rocks; we are called in ſcripture, both guides and watchmen, to teach us, that as we ought to lead the people in the truth, ſo to give them notice of Hereticks; nor can wee bee fa…thful and wiſe ſervants, unleſſe wee as well admoniſh the people of their danger as inſtruct them in their duty.
3 Finally, Let not the care of thoſe Miniſters (who after St. Johns pattern) Preach and Write concerning Seducers, bee diſ-regarded by, but let their Caveats bee acceptable to, the people. Hee will eaſily open his ears to Seducers, who ſhuts them againſt true Teachers. Obey them (therefore) that have the rule over you, and watch for Heb. 13. 17your ſouls, bee guided by their advice, ſo ſhall you not be led aſide of Hereticks by their devices. But above all, ſeek after, and pray for that Unction, which will arm you againſt errour, whereof our Apoſtle treats in the next verſe, and ſhall (God willing) bee diſcuſſed the next time.