Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 20
1 JOHN 2.20.
But ye have an Ʋnction from the holy one▪ and know all things.
THe Apoſtle having inſtructed little Children that Antichriſt would come, and deſcribed him, verſ. 18, 19. in this verſe and the next, he propounds ſome means to help them.
1 An Unction within themſelves, whereby they know all their ſeducements and ſnares, verſ. 20, 21.
2 The ſecond means is, from the corrupt and falſe doctrin of theſe Teachers▪ who is Antichriſt but he that denies the Son? whoſe doctrin perverted that unction which they had received, verſ. 22, 23.
In the firſt means obſerve,
1 A benefit received, an Unction.
2 The Author, from Chriſt.
3 The vertue of it, whereby you know all things, you know the truth, and that no lye is of the truth.
To begin with the firſt, the benefit, Ye have an Ʋnction.
Doct. There is not the leaſt of the Children of God, but they are partakers of an Oyntment of Chriſt, you little Children have it, Verſ. 27.
There were three ſorts of Functions in the Old Teſtament, into which they were inſtituted by Oyntment, Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets; Kings, 1 Sam. 13.10, 11. ſo Prieſts, Exod. 29.7. ſo Prophets, 1 King. 19.16. now Chriſt being ordained to be King, Prieſt, and Prophet, therefore he is called the Anoynted, foreign Joh. 12.15. Luke 1.32, 33. Heb. 6.20. Heb. 7.24. Acts 3.22, 23. all other Unctions were but types of him, therefore he is ſaid to be annoynted with the oyl of gladneſſe above his fellows, Pſal. 45.7. he was not only gladded himſelfe, but all the ends of the earth were made glad by him therefore he is called foreign; now becauſe he was not a type, but the perſon typified, he was not anyonted with material oyl, but with the Spirit of God which is the true Unction, Acts 10.38. Luke 4.18. Dan. 9.24. hence called Meſſiah, in Hebrew, the ſame with foreign in Greek; from this Oyntment of Chriſt, we are annoynted by the ſame Unction, as Pſal. 133. ſo that ſpirit which was poured on his head, deſcended to his loweſt members, 2 Corinth. 1.21, 22. yea to the skirts of his garments, ſo then we are annoynted by the Spirit.
Now fitly are we laid to be annoynted by the Spirit, as it were by Oyl, in a Four fold reſpect.
1 As Oyl hath been uſed for healing Wounds, Luke. 10.34. ſo when the Spirits of men are wounded by the ſence of ſin, God poures in ſuch an Oyl of his Spirit, that he heals and binds them up.
2 Oyl hath a ſuppleing, ſoftning, and lithni…g power; ſo Gods Spirit makes us nimble, and agile to every good work; in the Eaſt Countries they uſed to annoynt Wreſtlers, and Runners, to make them more nimble and quick; ſuch uſe is the Spirit of, to make us quick, and ready to run the wayes of Gods Commandements, Ezek. 36.27. and fight and wreſtle againſt our Spiritual enemies, Sin, Sathan, and the World.
3. Oyl cheareth the hearts and countenances of men, ſo the Spirit is an oyl of gladneſſe, Iſa. 61.3. ſo that they are annoynted therewith, are no more afraid of Hell, or Sathan, but walk on cheerfully before God; ſo the graces of Gods Spirit, Wiſdom makes the face to ſhine, Eccleſ. 8.1. takes away Pride, rough looks, wanton looks, and ſo ſmoothes and makes the countenance amiable; ſuch a ſoul is annoynted with the oyl of gladneſſe.
4. There was an uſe of Oyl, to conſecrate all Veſſels, no Conſecration but Oyl was a part of it, Exod. 33.23. whether to conſecrate Veſſels or Officers; this uſe of oyl is in the Spirit of God; from him it is that Gods Children are no longer for themſelves, or the world, but conſecrated to God, and dedicated to him, as Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets, Act. 2.17. Rev. 1.6. ſo that that Oyntment which was poured on Chriſt above meaſure, deſcends to every Member of his Church, healing their Wounds, ſoftning and ſuppleing their ſouls, chearing their hearts and countenances, and conſecrating them to bee Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets to God, and therefore as Chriſt was called foreign ſo every Member of Chriſt is called foreign, Acts 11.26. that is, one annoynted, ſo that every childe of God hath in ſome meaſure a Kingly, Prieſtly, and Propheticall Office, 1 Samuell 8.28. Kings were choſen to bee Judges, and to fight the Lords Battels; why ſo in ſome meaſure every Chriſtian hath a power to judge, 1 Cor. 2.15. and fight the Lords Battels; ſuch an Unction he hath, that whatſoever caſe he is cald to, he hath a ſpirit of judging and diſcerning what is good, what bad, ſo that he ſtands not at any mans judgement; if it be of matters concerning Salvation, God hath given him a regal ſpirit; ſo Secondly, he is able to fight the Lords Battels, not againſt fleſh and bloud, for they are but typicall and ſhadowy battels, but we fight againſt Principalities and Powers, Epheſ. 6.12. to 18. and ſo their wars are farre above Princes, Rev. 12.1. theſe are great Battels with Sathan, and the World, and our own corruptions, 1 Pet. 2.11. ſo we ſhould all fight the good fight, 2 Tim. 4.8.
2 As a Prieſt, he performs the Prieſtly Office, which ſtood partly in praying, partly in teaching, partly in ſacrifycing; ſo God hath given to every Chriſtian a Spirit of Prayer, an Teaching. Rom. 8.15. Jer. 31, 32, 33. ſo alſo they offer up to God a ſacrifice of a broken heart, Pſal. 51.17. a ſacrifice of praiſe, a ſacrifice of righteouſneſs, Pſal. 4.5, 6. Rom. 12.1, 2. nay, ſometimes the Lord gives them to ſacrifice whole Towns and Cities unto God, as Paul, and Peter, offered three thouſand together, he takes them from ſin, and brings them to God, ſo that they bring in heaps upon heaps to God, ſo that they are not poor Kings and Prieſts, but truly if Chriſtians knew their worth, they would not be ſo diſcouraged and caſt down in reſpect of the World.
3 For Prophets, it was their office to Preach and Pray, but this was principall, they had a ſpeciall revelation of Gods ſecrets, and this is verified of poor Chriſtians he reveals his ſecrets to them, Pſal. 25.14. Matth. 13.11. ſo tha… many a poor Chriſtian is able to diſcern more than his Miniſter, Apollos wa… an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scripture, yet he found Aquilla and Priſcilla, Tent-makers, they were able to inſtruct him more perfectly, Matth▪ 11.25, 26, 27. the great myſteries of Election, Vocation, Juſtification▪ which are hid from the world, God reveals theſe to poor Fiſher-men, and to Babes; and as it was a ſpirit of prophecy to interpret obſcure myſteries, ſo God many times helps poor Chriſtians to ſee more clearly into Scripture than many great Scholars, Rev. 3.18. they have received an Unction from the holy one, that is Chriſt, he is often called foreign, Luke 1.95. Pſal. 16.10. Dan. 9.24. he is the Holy one, the Holy head of the Church, and from him it is that we receive this Unction.
Holineſſe is that whereby we give God his own due, Holineſſe is the fulfilling of the firſt Table, righteouſneſſe of the Second; now Chriſt is called the Holy one, becauſe he was ſet apart, not only from all unclean but common uſes, and dedicated to the Lord.
Two things make a thing holy, a ſetting apart from unclean and common uſes, and dedicating to Spiritual and Holy uſes, ſo the Sabbath and the Sacraments are ſaid to be Holy: now Chriſt was properly called, the Holy one, for no Ordinance ſo ſeparate from community, as Chriſt, nor ſo wholly dedicate to God as Chriſt was, therefore we ſee how theſe little Babes ſhould help themſelves againſt Antichriſt; as there is an Antichriſt, ſo there is a Chriſt, as they have a ſpirit of ſeducing, ſo he is an Unction, a Box of Oyntment which is able to confirm you, and help you againſt all theſe.
Ʋſe 1 Of trial to every Chriſtian, whether he be a true Chriſtian or no, for he is a Jew that that is one outwardly, Rom. 2.27.28. we would think our ſelves deeply wronged if any ſhould deny us to be Chriſtians; why what is a Chriſtian? one that is annoynted to be King, Prieſt, and Prophet; doſt not thou know the things that belong to thy peace, or heavenly knowledge? Doſt thou finde that thou canſt not warre againſt thy Spirituall enemies? Doſt thou finde that thou canſt not pray, or inſtruct others? and as for judging, thou ſayeſt, God forbid that I ſhould meddle with other mens matters, the ſecrets of God are not with thee; why, if it be thus with thee, thou maiſt pretend Chriſtianity, but thou haſt none in thee; but on the contrary, if thou knoweſt how to diſcern things that differ, if thou knoweſt how to fight the Lords Battels, if thou knoweſt how to pray, and inſtruct others, and bring in others; if thou beeſt able to diſcern the myſteries of God, to ſubdue Sathan, the World, and thine own heart; if it be thus with thee, thou art a Chriſtian, and thou haſt that Unction that will never forſake thee: if thou haſt received no more then thou haſt by thy Book, or thy education, thou wanteſt theſe infuſed gifts; there is never a Chriſtian but he now knows better what Sin is, and what Grace is, then he did before; he is now able to ſee what he never ſaw before, he knows the Wrath of Chriſt, and the excellency of Gods favour; why if thy graces come from this inward annoynting thou art a Chriſtian, ſuch a one whoſe praiſe is of God, and not of man.
Ʋſe 2 Would you know where the Church is, every company ſaith, It is in me, the Papiſts ſay, it is in me, and the Separiſts, it is in me; the Proteſtants ſay, it is in neither of you, but in me; why where you have a Company endued with this holy Oyntment, why there the Church is, and he that departs from it, is of Antichriſt; ſo then, the queſtion is, Where is this Spirituall Unction? alas, it is an hard thing for blinde natural men to know, but yet as the Ambaſſador of Perſia ſaid, Quot Senatores, tot reges, ſo where you ſee a company of Chriſtians, Quot Chriſtiani, tot reges, ſo many Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets, Pſal. 45.16. the children of the New Teſtament ſhall be anſwerable to the Fathers of the Old, and ſhall be endued with ſuitable graces; they are Princes in what part of the World ſoever they are, Princes judging of things in difference; indued with a Princely ſpirit to overcome the World, and Sathan, and their own Corruptions; they have a Prieſtly Office, to pray and inſtruct to ſacrifice themſelves, and their Families to God, &c. therefore if you find ſuch a company, verily there is the Church of God; and let not the Separatiſts ſay, you have prophane perſons among you: We ſay, though they be amongſt us, yet they are not of us; and therefore that hinders us not from being the Church: therefore whither ſhould we go to ſeek the Church, but where this Unction is?
Ʋſe 3 For all you that have received this Unction, it is not for Kings and Princes to be digging in the earth, it is not for Prieſts and Prophets to be ignorant, and blinde, and dumbe. 1 Cor. 6.1. to 7. Paul is confident that the meaneſt Chriſtian is a Judge. What a ſhame is it, for a Chriſtian at every temptation to be carried Captive? What a ſhame is it, for Kings to ſoyl and beſmut themſelves, for Saul to caſt away his ſhield was a vile diſhonour; ſo for Chriſtians to be ſoyled, and carried away with every temptation, for you to caſt away your ſhield, as if you had not been annoynted is a great diſhonour. It becomes Chriſtians to fight like Princes, and to be victorious, and to judge like Kings; ſo walk as Prieſts of the high God, know how to pray, how to inſtruct your Families, how to offer all your wayes to God, all your Families, you are not to be only holy day Prieſts, but daily Prieſts.
Ʋſe 4 It may teach every Chriſtian that ſtands in need of healing or ſuppleing your ſtiff ſpirits, you need balme and oyle for healing the wounds of your ſouls, and ſuppleing, and ſoftning your ſtiff ſpirits, why here is an unction that will heal thy wounds, and ſoften thy heart; intreat God that he would ſhed abroad his ſpirit into thy heart, that he would heale thy ſpirit, ſoften thy heart, and chear thy ſoule; look up to the holy one, he is able to powre floods of conſolation on thee, and eſtabliſh thy ſoul in peace; do wee find our ſpirits hard, and ſtiff, and bound, our ſpirits very ſtraight, and ſtand in need of a great deal of alacrity? why yet this ſpirituall unction will ſo inlarge thee, and ſupple thee, that thou ſhalt find thy ſelfe helped and quickned, that thou mayeſt do things not weakly, but with power and life; ſo if we find corruptions ſo ſtrong, that we know not how to overmaſter them, there is an unction from this holy one, able to ſtrengthen us againſt them, intreat God therefore to power it down upon thy ſoul; ſo doe you want power and life in Gods ordinances? why in any need look up to him.
Ʋſe 5 Here is a ground of much conſolation that God is pleaſed to beſtow ſuch a mercy, ſuch a bleſſing as this upon us, how are we bound to Chriſt, that is pleaſed to annoynt us with the ſame oyntment wherewith himſelfe was anoynted? it is a ground of much conſolation; Chriſtians are often called to great imployments, which if they look on themſelves, they ſee themſelves altogether unfit for, ſuch as Moſes ſaid, ſend by whom thou wilt ſend, but is not this unction able to make us Kings and Prieſts? we know where to find ſupply, and if God call us to more imployments, that is our comfort, that we have an unction which is able to fit us for every work, and imployment God ſhall call us to.
Ʋſe 6 Of exhortation to every Chriſtian, not to reſt contented in an empty name of Chriſtianity, …ll you get this ſpirituall unction; reſt not in any known ſtrength, but what you receive by this ſpirit, otherwiſe you ſhall find much want of help, Matth. 25.1. to 10. the wife Virgins had their oyle continually ready and prepared, whenſoever Chriſt came; but the fooliſh Virgins, ſome oyle they had, ſome common gifts and graces, but they were ſpent, and it was too late to ſeek for oyle when the Bridegroome came, ſo do not only hear the Word, but labour to find ſome oyle dropt into your ſouls, that ſo in ſtormes, you may find the life and comfort of the ſpirit.