which we have loohed upon, i. e. i320 u4tn, 1. &. ſtudiouſly, and of ſet purpoſe bent our (elves to contemplate, Unto all which 1t 15 moreover added, which our hands have handled, &\m4enozwv, which though [te- rally, not otherwiſe applicable than #9 the pzrſon of our Lord incar- nate, vet is a moſt emphatical Metaphor, elegantly repreſenting their moſt certain Knowledze and lively Senfe of his excellent Dodtrine ; as the Expreſſion is uſual of a palpable Truth, to fignifie a moſt evi- dent one. So is that implied to be a Truth that may be felt, that this World hath a mighty and bountiful Suſtai,ccand Lord, Ads 17, 27. "{1.a.phTer.
2 (For the life was manifeſted , and we have ſeen it, and hear witneſs, and ſhew unto you that eternal life, * which was with the father, and was maniteſted
uUNTro us. } — : 4 He interrupts the ſtream of his Diſcourſe by this ſeaſonable Pa-
rentheſis, while he therein gives an account how { the Word of
Life { the Life ] that eternal Lite ] ( already noted to be here all on and chiefly to mean the Son of God) which being with the Father
muſt be to 5 inviſible, came to be ſo ſenſibly known to mortal Men on Earth; which he doth by telling us he was manifefied, and that was ſufficiently done, both who he was, and what he deſigned, in his par-
taking with us of Fleſh and Blood, and being found in faſhion as a Man, whereby he ſubje&ed himſelf to the Notice of our Senſes ; and was hereupon ſaid to have been manifeſted in the Fleſh, chap. 3. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 15. The glory of his Divinity alſo ſhining forth moſt con- ſpicuouily in his Godlike Converſation, and wonderful works tarough this Vail, and confirming the Truth of his Heavenly Dodrine, which more diſtin&ly declared both that it was the Son of God, who was come down into this wretched World of ours, and what the bind deſign was, of his diſcent hither. So that what here the Apoſtle fays more briefly, that he was manifeſted, well admits the larger account which he gives of 'it in his Goſpel, chap. 1.14. And the Ward was made Fleſh, and dwelt amnng us ( and we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father ) full of Grace and Truth, Whereupon ( as he adds ) he bears witneſ?, and ſhews forth what he had ſeen ſo manifeſted, as it belonged to his Apoſtolical Office to
do. | 3 That which we have ſeen and heard, declare we
unto you, that ye alſo may have fellowſhip with us e, and truly our fellowſhip 7s with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt f. .
e He now proceeds with what he intended, not only profeſſing to teftiie mojt certainly known things ( which he further with great earneſtneſs inculcates ) but declaring alſo the end of this Teſtimony, viz. Not meerly that they to whom he writes might know them too, ( as if the being a Chriſtian, did only ſtand in having ſome peculiar Ntions from other Men, and that they were only to know for knowings ſake ) but that they*might have fellowſhip, 2. e. partake and communicate with them ( viz. the Apoſtles, and the whole community of living Chriſtians ) in all the vital Influences, holy Pratice, the Dignities, Pleaſures, and Conſolations belonging to the Chriſtian State 3 whereupon he adds, and truly, *&c. f q- 4. Nor are the advantages of that State, in their hind and nature, Terrene, Senſual, Secular, but Divine and Heavenly, ſuch as are imparted to us by the Father and his Son Feſws Chr1$, or, wherein we are truly ſaid to participate, and have a Communion with them. That Bleſſed Spirit, who is the immediate Author to us' of all gracious Commu- nication ( whence this is alſo ſtiled the Communion of the Holy GhoF, 2 Cor. 13, 14. ) being in reality, the Spicit of the Father and the SON. E
Yol, IT.
. 4+ And theſe things write we unto you *, that your Joy may be full g.
g Not infipid, ſpiritleſs, empty, as carnal Foy is, apt through the deficiency of its cauſe to admit of intermingling Qualms ; . but lively and vigorous, 2 Fobn 12. well-grounded, Foln 15. 24. Such an 2 fneBar jo” _ _ _ grow up into the perfet plenitude
5 * This then is the meſſage þ which we have heard + Jobs iN oh. 1.9.
? and 8. 12.
of him, and declare unto you that + God is light 7 and in him is no darkneſs ar all.
h It being the profeſſed Scope and Defign of his Writing, Men to a final participation and communion with God in his own Blefledneſs, he reckons nothinz more neceſſary to it, than to ſettle in their Minds 2 right notion of God, Which, that it might be the more regarded, he introduces with a ſolemn Preface ; This then is the Meſſage, 8c. (though the word alſo ſignifies Promiſe, it here more fitly bears this tendring ) to notifie, 1, That this which follows was not an 7magination of hs own concerning God, but his true repreſenta- tin of himſelf. 2. That it was given him in Charge to be delivered and communicated to others ; a Meflage a Man neither hath of him- ſelf, nor is to reſerve to himſelf, we have heard it of him, and declar? it to you, as ( conſonantly hereto ) he ſpeaks. 'Tis the Divine Plea- ſure it ſhould be publiſhed to the World, and that all Men fhouls know that as fom him, i. e. that he is not a Being of meer Power, as ſome, or of meer Mercy, as others are apt to fancy of him, either whereof were a very maimed, and moſt difapreeable Notion of the Deity ; Power without Goodneſs were apt to run into Fury ; Goodnef without Wiſdom and Righteouſneſs would as naturally turn to a Supine Indifferency, and negle& of diſtinguiſhing judicially between Good and Bad ; things neither ſutable to the Grwernor of the 19-14, nor poſſible to the abſolute perfe Being. In God, all true PerfeQtions and Excellencies muſt be underſtood eminently to concur; and of them more could not haye been comprehended under one Word ( efpecia!- ly that belong to him conſidered relatively to his Creatures, of which PerfeCtions it concerns us to have more diſtin, formed, poſitive conceptions in all our Applications to him ) than are here ſ»me w..v repreſented or reſembled by Light, viz. That he is a Reing of moſt lively penetrative Vigour, abſolute Simplicity, Immutzbility, Know- ledge, Witdom, Sincerity, Righteouſneſs, Serenity, Benionity, Toy and Felicity, and eſpeciallv,of moſt brizht and glorious Holineſs and Purity; and in whom js no darkheſs at al , nothing contrary or repu; -
| nant hereto,
þ
6 * It we fay that we have fellowſhip with him, = "_ in darkneſs &, we lic, and do not the rr L
R.Tight and Darkeſt are frequently 7 7