III. What is herein proper to fathers, or how can this be a ground of distinction between them and others, since all christians are indis- pensably bound to know Christ ? John xvii. 3, ' And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' And babes are said to ' know the Father.'
Answer first, to the first particle.
1. Whatever is said of either age, fathers, young men, or babes, doth certainly belong to all ; as to overcome the wicked one, so to know him that was from the beginning. To know the Father is common to all the ranks, only most eminently in one more than in the other. As all sorts of ages have reason, only wisdom is eminent in the aged, strength in the young, affection to parents in the babes.
2. There is some peculiar fitness in these characters, and in the several ages mentioned ; as —
[1.] Plenitude of knowledge belongeth to the ancient : Job xii. 12, ' With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.' Old men have had a great opportunity to gather wisdom ; and where should we go for wisdom but to them ? Wisdom and knowledge are among the fathers.
[2.] Old men are versed in the knowledge of ancient things, and love to discourse of things done long ago. So the apostle commendeth his fathers, or old men, for that they have known the Ancient of days, or the eternal Son of God, which maketh them more happy than all that knowledge which they have gotten by many years or long experience in the world.
VER. 13, 14.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN II. 12-14. 407
[3.] Their knowledge is different from the knowledge of others, as begetting —
(1.) A more rooted affection. Young christians have greater qualms and sick fits of love, but these are ' rooted and grounded in love ; ' Eph. iii. 18, 19, ' That they may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.' At first our affection to God and heavenly things may more quickly and fervently put forth itself, as the early blossoms in the spring, which are soon withered. The strongest qualms and fits of affection are upon our first aquaintance, and while religion is a novel thing, and our love wholly showeth itself in sensitive expressions. The tide and current of our love may run strong while it is not dispersed into the several channels of obedience. They have at first strange transports of soul, but afterward it cometh to be rooted into a solid affection and fixed bent of heart toward God, and is that disposition of soul which is called godliness, and is distin- guished from holiness : 2 Peter iii. 11, ' What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ? ' An addictedness and devotedness to God as our chief happiness and last end.
(2.) Their knowledge begets experience. Knowledge is put for the experimental feeling of the work of grace upon our hearts : Phil. iii. 10 : ' That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death ; ' Phil. i. 9, ' And I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment,' or in all sense. Now this kind of knowledge is in the fathers ; more in old christians than in others ; God and they are of long aquaintance: Job xxii. 21, 'Acquaint thy- self with him, and be at peace ; thereby good shall come unto thee.' They have had long trial and experience of him in removing their doubts, answering their prayers, and fulfilling his promises, and sv> experimentally know him more than others.
The other part of the objection I shall discuss when I come to the last branch ; only the object is diversified, though the act be the same. Old men in the gospel find the Ancient of days ; and children find a father, and know him more distinctly : 2 Peter i. 5, ' Add to faith vir- tue, and to virtue knowledge.'
SERMON IV.
I write unto you fathers, &c. — 1 John ii. 13, 14.
Use 1. To teach us who are fathers, or in the highest rank of Christianity.
1. They are such as are more delightfully employed in the exercises of godliness. I ascribe this to fathers, partly because they are acquainted with the pleasures of obedience : 1 John v. 3, ' For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are
408 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN II. 12-14. [SeR. IV.
not grievous.' And they have tasted that the Lord is gracious, 1 Peter ii. 3 ; and optima demonstratio a sensibus — the surest proof is taken from sense : they ' know the grace of God in truth,' Col. i. 6. And partly because by long custom they have inured themselves thereto, so that it is become another nature to them. They are alive unto God ; and what a man doth with naturalness, he doth it frequently, con- stantly, and easily. We see in all other things this giveth readiness and promptness. Man is naturally averse from God, and custom addeth a stiffness to this bent : Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good that are ac- customed to do evil.' By custom and continuance men are habituated in evil, that it becometh a second nature to them. Now when men are settled in a good course, there is somewhat answerable. They are in their element when they are speaking of God and heavenly things ; they do a thing kindly when they are acting for God. The carnal nature will return, and violent temptations will much unsettle us ; but surely it is an advantage to have walked in a godly course for some long space of time, to be an old disciple. The apostle speaketh of Timothy that he did naturally care for their estate, Phil. ii. 20.