Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 14
1 JOHN 3.14.
We know that we have paſſed from death unto life, becauſe we love the Brethren: he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death.
THe Apoſtle layes down this as a ſecond reaſon why they ſhould not marvell; implying, that they that know they have paſſed from death to life, need not marvell though the world hate them.
Doct. Gods people have paſſed from death to life.
Gods people are oppoſed to the world, they are tranſlated out of the world, John 5.24. They are redeemed out of the world by death, he means a contrary ſtate to life: Death and Condemnation are Synonymaes. By death is meant death for ſin, and death in ſin; the naturall eſtate in which a man lives whileſt he is in this world, which is called a ſtate of death in a fivefold reſpect.
1. All death preſuppoſeth life to go before. We do not ſay that a ſtone is dead. Death is a privation of life. A man that hath no life but what the world gives, he is dead, becauſe he had a life at leaſt in poſſibility, in the loyns of Adam, Epheſians 2.3.
2. Death in the proper notion of it, is a ſeparation of the ſoul from the body. We are ſaid to be dead, Gal. 2.20. becauſe our ſouls and bodies which are capable of life, are ſeparated from the Lord Jeſus the fountain of life, Eph. 4.17, 18, 19. & 2.12.
3. From the definition of life, which is a power to move it ſelfe in it's owne place. When we ſee a thing to move it ſelfe in it's owne place, we ſay, it is quick, and hath life. A man may do many things, yet not from an inward principle, as Judas and Jehu, Matth. 27.18, 19. 2 Kings 10.15, 16. is this life? There are ſome motions from common grace, but it is not ſpirituall life, unleſſe it aim at ſpirituall ends, and upon ſpirituall grounds. As if a man be humbled for ſin, becauſe it is diſpleaſing to God. Judas was troubled in his conſcience, not for ſinning againſt God, for then he would not have grieved God by hanging himſelfe; It was not an inward motion and voluntary; ſo Jehu, he did it to eſtabliſh his owne Kingdome, he regarded not the commandements of the Lord, 1 Kings 10.30, 31.
4. In regard of the binding over to eternall death, as a condemned man is counted a dead man, John 3. ult.
5. From the power required to make ſuch a man alive, 2 Cor. 5.17. There muſt be a new a breathing power.
The ſtate of grace is called life.
1. Becauſe we have received fellowſhip with Chriſt, he lives in us, and we in him, Gal. 2.20. John 15.1.
2. We have an inbred power in our ſelves to move upon ſpiritual grounds, and for ſpiritual ends, Rom. 8.2. Mat. 5.3, to 10. Paſſed from death to life, from the hatred of our Brethren, to the love of them. There are theſe ſteps of it from one to another.
1. A man is a poor man; and that,
1. In debt.
2. Hath nothing.
3. An hard creditor.
4. No ſurety.
2. He begins to mourn bitterly for this his eſtate.
3. He becomes meek.
4. He hungers, and thirſts, and prayes for grace, and cannot be ſatisfied without it.
5. He begins to be mercifull, he pities every ſoul that is in a ſtate of nature, and under a ſpirit of bondage.
6. He is pure in heart, abſtains from ſin, doth Gods commandements.
7. He is a peace-maker, he is at peace with God, and with his own conſcience, and now he labours to make others at peace.
8. He will now ſuffer perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake.
Ʋſe 1. This convinceth all the works of the Heathens, as dead works. Some are famous for courage, juſtice, &c. But all theſe are but dead works. Gods pure Martyrs have ſuffered not for any glory of theirs, but Gods glory.
2. It refutes a main ground of Popery, the doctrine of Free-will, which gives a man power to be converted when he will. If a dead man can riſe from death to life, then may a dead man in ſin come to the life of grace.
3. Gather hence how our eſtate ſtands. We come to Church, it may be repeat Sermons, and do many good duties. Would we know whether our life be a dead life, or no? Conſider we upon what principles we do good duties; if we do good duties becauſe they are pleaſing to God, if we have reſpect to all Gods commandements, if there be a change in our hearts, which makes us willing; this is a ſigne we are paſſed from death to life.
4. To teach us not to reſt in our naturall condition, for then thou art but a dead man, although thou haſt all morall grace, 1 Cor. 13.2, 3.
5. This may be a comfort to every ſoul that hath paſſed from death to life, God is his God, and he ſhall never come into condemnation, Math. 22.23. John 5.24.
Doct. The love of our Brethren is a known and undoubted evidence that we are paſſed from death to life.
What is it to love our Brethren?
Love is an affection, whereby we deſire communion one with another, and communication of good one to another. A man in nature prizeth his Brethren, and will do more for them then any other: So it is in grace. Acts 4. ult. & 2.42, 44. Phil 1.2. We muſt affect to be of one heart▪ Eph. 3.3, 4. There muſt be brotherly equality, if we be Brethren. You are of the ſame Father, Gal. 6.26 one Mother, one Seed, 1 Pet. 1.23. one Inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.4. We will deſire to communicate brotherly offices to the inward man, Rom. 2.11, 12. and to the outward man, if need be, Acts 2 44.
Reaſ. 1. From the naturall proneneſſe which is in our nature, to ſtrangeneſſe, envy, &c. We doe not naturally ſeek any mans good but our own, or ſo far forth as reacheth our own ends.
2 From the affection of every mans heart to liberty. Now a man delights onelyonly in ſuch company as are like himſelfe, becauſe otherwiſe he is reſtrained: If Gods people be the men of your delight and counſell, you were never ſo well as wirh them, Pſal. 115.115. & 16.3. This is a ſign we are paſſed from death to life.
3. From a mans backwardneſſe of communication of brotherly offices, Gal. 6.10.
4 From the great diſtance that is between us, and the love of our Brethren, and how many ſteps there are before we come to it, Matth. 5 3. to 9.
Ʋſe 1, Of tryall of our own eſtates, whether we are in a ſtate of death or life. It is one of the plaineſt notes in Scripture and moſt evident, Gal. 6.10. If our love run in an equall channell to all men; if we know not Gods people, we know not Chriſt, 1 John 3.1, 2. If you know them, how doe you affect them? Do you think it were good if the Town were cleanſed of them? Gen. 49.4, 5 Pſal. 101, we are not as yet born of God.
Obj. Doe not many love Gods children, and honour them, and yet are not the children of God? Gen. 27.29. Acts 5.13. That they did not joyn with them, was a ſigne that they were not born of God, Gen. 39.1, 2, 3.
2 To convince the doctrine of doubting Papiſts, who ſay a man cannot know himſelfe to be in a ſtate of grace, Eccl. 9.1, 2. No man can know it by outward things They ſay here, by knowledge is meant conjecturall knowledg, not certain knowledge.
Anſw. This is a contradiction. A man lyes, if he ſaith he knowes a thing, and is not certain of it. There is no peace of conſcience in this Religion.
3 To exhort ſuch as know not yet that they are paſſed from life to death, to labour to love the Brethren, Prov. 13.20.
4 Of conſolation to every ſoul that hath nothing in this world but this, they love the Brethren. This is ſuch a thing, as upon which thou mayeſt build a certain knowledge that thou art paſſed from death to life, and therefore thou mayſt take comfort.
He that loveth not his Brother, abideth in death.
The Apoſtle in the former words did imply the world was in death for want of love. And left any ſhould think that he did but imply it, and not directly expreſſe it he ſets it down expreſly.
Here is a deſcription of a man that loves not his Brother.
1 He is in death.
2 Abides in death.
By death is meant the ſame that was meant in the former part of the verſe; Abiding implyes not only a being in that eſtate, but continuance and reſidence in it.
Doct. The want of love to any of our Brethren, is a ſign of abidance in the state of damnation, or in an unregenerate and carnall eſtate.
And he ſaith not, he that hates, but he that loves not; and he ſaith not brethren, but brother, any or every brother, Mat. 18.6. Offend not one of theſe little ones. Chriſts little ones are ſuch as have but little grace, and great corruption.
Reaſ. From the want of love that is found in ſuch a one towards God; and that is an argument of being in a ſtate of death. If a man love God in obedience to his commandements, he ſhould love his brother by the ſame commandement. That commandement which requires me to love one Brother, requires me to love all, Jam. 2.10, 11. Breake one commandement, break all, for who gave one, gave all; whoſo neglects offices of love to one, performes none to any, nor to God. It is a note of ſincerity, that a man hates all ſin, as well as one, Pſal. 119.101, 104 For it is an argument of love, when there is no Brother or Siſter but we enlarge our affections towards them, Gal. 3.28. So much want of love, ſo much hypocriſie.
2. From the bitter or deadly root of want of love to this or that Brother. It ſprings from two occaſions,
1. Either from his infirmities in himſelfe: Or,
2. From ſpirituall injuries to our ſelves.
True, a man will ſay, ſuch Chriſtians I would away with, but they have ſuch unſavoury corruptions. The firſt root of this is the condemnation of the generation of Gods people. If a man may condemn this or that man, for this or that corruption, he may come to condemn the beſt of Gods ſervants, becauſe the beſt of Gods ſervants may be in the ſame failings for which thou hateſt ſuch a Brother, Prov. 30.12. The greateſt of Gods ſervants have ſhamefully faln, David, Peter, Lot, Noah.
The ſecond root is from the enmity againſt Gods free juſtification of ſinners. Take away this, and you take away all Chriſtian religion. If you love not a Brother, becauſe of ſome infirmities, you doe overthrow the free juſtification of Gods grace of a ſinner. For God that hath juſtified the greateſt, hath juſtified as well the leaſt, as freely and as fully; and wilt thou juſtifie ſome, and condemn others? God condemns none, Rom. 8.1.33, 34. If Chriſtians doe beleeve the free juſtification of ſinners, then let us imitate our Father which is in heaven, juſtifie whom he juſtifies.
The third bitter and deadly root. If there be the leaſt ſparke of grace in his heart, all his corruptions are his enemies, and he but a ſhrimp in grace, and hath many enemies. What good nature is this, when a man would love a man if he had no enemies? but when he hath enemies, and ſuch as are ready ever and anon to beat him down▪ he cannot love him.
The fourth, want of a member like ſpirit: for the more naked, unſeemly, or deformed any member is, the body is the more carefull of it; if it may be, it ſhall be healed; if not, it ſhall be covered, 1 Cor. 12.23, 24. If we want this, it flowes from want of a member like ſpirit.
2 Somtimes neglect of our Brother ſprings from ſome perſonall injury done to our ſelves. We cannot love them. This ſprings from this root, want of forgiveneſſe of our own ſins; for we pray for forgiveneſſe upon this ground, Mat. 6.12, 15. Our Saviour gives a reaſon of this above all, there is no ſurer argument then this. A Chriſtian may reaſon thus: If I that have but a little ſparke of grace, can forgive injuries, how ſhall not the Ocean of love much more forgive me? Mat. 18. ult. God will never have us to think, that if we cannot forgive one injury, he will forgive us a thouſand. Yet a man is not alwayes bound to expreſſe his forgiveneſſe, unleſſe a man come and ſay, it repents him; yet from his heart he muſt doe it.
Ʋſe 1. Shewes the dangerous and fearfull eſtate of a man that dares live in envy and malice againſt his brethren. A man thinks he hath cauſe, he will not receive the Sacrament, nor ſuffer them. What a poor thing is this? Thou haſt not thy ſins forgiven, thou loveſt not God, nor any Chriſtian ſoul in obedience to God. A Chriſtian dares not allow himſelfe in hatred of any Brother, but looks at it as an enemy to his ſoul.
2. It exhorts every Chriſtian to enlarge the bowels of his affection to every Brother, Pſal. 119.63. I am a companion to all them that fear thee. He doth not pick and chooſe, Pſal. 66.16. Gal. 6.10. If to all men, then eſpecially to the houſhold of faith.
3. It is a ground of thankfullneſſe to God, that hath taken care for weakeſt Chriſtians; for want of love to ſuch; God will either diſcharge a man for an hypocrite, or elſe his own corruption ſhall take him by the throat, and make him beleeve that many ſins are not forgiven, and that he ſhall hardly get pardon of ſins.