Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 7
1 JOHN 1.7.
THe main Scope of this Epiſtle, is to comfort tender conſciences, that their joy may be full, for this end he tells them certain meſſages which he heard from Chriſt, the firſt meſſage is, verſe 5. whereupon he inferres a note of Fellowſhip with God, Negatively, verſe 6. Affirmatively, verſe 7. If we walk in the light, &c.
Doct. Such as walk in the light, the blood of Chriſt purgeth them from all their ſins.
The Verſe ſets down two Priviledges of them that walk in the light, they have not onelyonly Fellowſhip with God, but with Chriſt, and that in his mediation, and that in cleanſing them from all their ſins.
Queſt. 1. What is meant by the blood of Chriſt?
A. The blood of Chriſt, is here put, not onelyonly for that blood ſhed on the Croſſe, but for his whole death, ſet out by blood, which was the effect of his death, for blood powred out after his death, John 19.33, 34. for it is ſaid of the death of Chriſt, Rom. 5.8. And the death of Chriſt is not all, for he ſuffered many things beſide, ſo that it comprehends all his ſufferings, 1 Pet. 3.18. yet there is a further Synecdoche, ſometimes his paſſion is put for his whole obedience, Rom. 5.18, 19. Luke 22.44. for that is attributed to his obedience, that it makes us righteous, that is, free from ſin; all his Spirituall deſertions, were ſufferings of Chriſt, tending to cleanſe u… from ſin; bloud includes all his ſufferings and obedience; And indeed the very bloud of Chriſt, had it not been done in obedience and humility, it would have done no good, for the promiſe is to him that doth ſomething, Doe this and live, John 10.18. his paſſion was done in obedience, Phil. 2.7, 8.
Queſt. Why is our cleanſing from ſin aſcribed moſt to his blood, ſeeing it reached to his whole death, and paſſion, and obedience? why is his bloud moſt inſtanced in, Mat. 26.28. Rom. 3.35.5.9. Heb. 9.14. 1 Pet. 1.19. why is it moſt attributed to his bloud?
Anſ. It was meet,
1. Becauſe death was the wages of Sin, Rom. 6. ult. Gen. 3.17. therefore we muſt ſatisfie that or our Surety for us.
2. His death is moſt ſtood on, becauſe the whole Covenant ſtands in that; the Legacy is of no force, without the death of the Teſtator, Heb. 9.17.
3. Bloud is moſt mentioned, becauſe it is an evident Teſtimony of death, becauſe in bloud is life; 2 becauſe it accompliſhed all the legall types, Heb. 9.22.
Queſt. 2. Why is it called the blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son?
Anſ. Becauſe that Chriſt that ſhed his bloud, was the Son of God, and that added efficacy to it, Heb. 10.4. not the bloud of ſinfull man, Heb. 2.26, 27. it muſt be therefore the bloud of an infinite power, Acts 20.28.
Queſt. 3. How is this blovd ſaid to cleanſe?
Anſ. 1 As it Juſtifies; 2 As it Sanctifies.
1. As it Juſtifies us, by his bloud are we cleanſed, Rom. 5.9. Epheſ. 1.7. we are juſtified by it, becauſe it frees us from the guilt and puniſhment of ſin.
1 From the guilt of Sinne, guilt is that whereby we are liable to the Curſe.
2 It frees us from the puniſhment of ſin, ſo that now there is no condemnation to us, Rom. 8.1. Rom. 4. ult. 1 Pet. 2.24.
2. We are cleanſed from Sin by a ſactifying power in the death of Chriſt, that is it whereby our Conſciences being ſprinkled, we are freed from the ſtain and luſt of ſin, Heb. 10.29. and are endued with ſupernaturall grace, ſo that we are afraid to commit any ſin.
Q. What is meant by all Sin?
A. That is, from original, and actual ſins, from ſins of Omiſſion, and Commiſſion, it cleanſeth us from the ſins of our Birth, and of our Life, of Youth, and of riper years, Rom. 5.9. now we could not be juſtified, if any ſin were unpardoned, Heb. 9.14. if it be a dead work, or ſin of Omiſſion, our Conſcience is purged from it, for if the bloud of Bulls and Goats cleanſed from all ſins of the fleſh, much more the bloud of Chriſt from all ſin; no ſin but we are cleanſed from by Chriſts bloud, except the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, Heb. 10.26. becauſe, v. 29. they tread under foot the bloud of the Covenant. For the proof of this point, ſee Rom. 8.1, 2. Rom. 6.6.
Reaſ. 1. From the wonderfull efficacy of Chriſts bloud, in reſpect of the Divinity of his Perſon; the reaſon why it is ſo effectuall is, becauſe it is the bloud of the Son of God, Heb. 9.14.
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe he ſtood in our Perſons on the Croſſe, through the acceptation of God, God accepted him as a Surety for us, Heb. 7.22. Iſa. 5. ult. 1 Pet. 2.24. therefore it is as much as if we had done it in our own perſons, John 10.11. He had no need to ſhed his Blood for himſelfe, for he had never ſinned.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove the Papiſts, who teach that the Maſſe, being celebrated for the dead and living, juſtifies from ſin, but if the bloud of Chriſt cleanſe us from all ſin, there is no need of the Maſſe to cleanſe us from any ſin; and they teach that the Maſſe is an unbloudy Sacrifice; now it muſt be a bloudy Sacrifice that muſt cleanſe, Heb. 10.10. & 14. but if it be often offered, it doth not exceed the Sacrifices of the Law, Heb. 10.1. to 5.
Ʋſe 2. To refute the Popiſh Purgatory, if Chriſts bloud cleanſe us from all ſin, what need a Purgatory to expiate any ſin? This is a Blaſphemy againſt Chriſts bloud.
Q. Do not Temptation, and Affliction, and Word, and Sacraments, and Faith, and other Graces, purge us from ſin, and purifie us? It is ſaid of Afflictions, Heb. 12.11.
A. It is true, there are many means to purge us from ſin, but no efficacy in any of them, except by virtue of Chriſts Blood; therefore thoſe in Hell have no benefit, becauſe Chriſts bloud reacheth not thither, ſo that if any be bettered by Afflictions, or Word, or Sacraments, it is from the virtue of Chriſts bloud, and if Chriſts bloud be ſprinkled on Purgatory, we will not reject it.
Ʋſe 3. Of refutation of the opinion of many godly Divines, that hold we are purified from the ſinne of our Birth by the purity of Chriſts Birth; from Sinnes of Omiſſion by his active obedience, from Sinnes of Commiſſion by his paſſive obedience, but we muſt know there is thus much in the purity of his Birth, in his Obedience, in his Paſſion, that it makes us fit to be cleanſed, but yet we muſt hold the Bloud of Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin, that brings this fitneſſe to perfection. A Lamb defiled in the old Law was never accepted, though it were ſlain for a Sacrifice, and if it had been without ſpot and blemiſh, yet if it had not been ſlain it would not have been accepted neither; ſo had not Chriſt been a Lambe ſpotleſſe and undefiled, his death would not have cleanſed us from our ſins, and though he were ſpotleſſe and undefiled, yet he muſt be ſlain, or elſe we could not be cleanſed neither, the purity of Chriſts Nature doth not cleanſe us from ſin; but we muſt take all joyntly together, all his active obedience was paſſive, and all his paſſive obedience was active, Gal. 4.4, 5. that he was obedient to the Law was part of his Paſſion, and by the obedience of Chriſt to the death, we are cleanſed from all ſin.
Ʋſe 4. To refute ſome that ſay we are juſtified by faith, as it is a work in us, they ſay we are juſtified not by the works of the Law, but by faith, Rom. 11.5, 6. but if we be juſtified by faith, as it is a work in us, how doth the bloud of Chriſt cleanſe us from ſin? but it is faith as it lays hold on the bloud of Chriſt.
Ʋſe 5. For comfort to all ſuch as walk in the light, let them not be diſcomforted; you will ſay, your hearts are full of impatience, and coveteouſneſs, and uncleanneſſe, theſe are great ſins indeed, but the bloud of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin▪ there is no number nor meaſure limited.
Object. He cleanſeth not all men, how ſhall I know whether my ſinnes be cleanſed?
A. Why, do you walk in the light as God is in the light? if you do, then his Bloud cleanſeth you from all ſin; therefore if a man would have comfort, he muſt conſider whether he live in any ſin voluntarily, and walk in darkneſſe, if he doe, he hath no part in Chriſts Bloud; but if there be no ſin, but he is willing to avoyd it; no duty, but he deſires to perform it, and amend all, it is a ſigne he walks in light; if you ſee what is amiſſe and labour to mend it, then you walk in the light, and then aſſure your ſelves the bloud of Chriſt will cleanſe you from all your ſins.
Ʋſe 6. For inſtruction, if Chriſts bloud cleanſeth from all ſin, then no ſin is venial, is that ſin venial that cannot be cleanſed but by Chriſts bloud?
Ʋſe 7. To ſhew us the reaſon why the bloud of Chriſt is called precious, 1 Pet. 1.19. it is more precious than the bloud of Bulls and Goats, &c. ſo all ſilver and gold in the world cannot remit one ſin, or ſave one ſoul from Hell, Pſal. 49.6, 7, 8. Heb. 12.24.
Ʋſe 8. To teach Chriſtians notwithſtanding all former ſins, to walk boldly in a Chriſtian courſe; we are much troubled in our ſpirits by reaſon of our ſins, the multitude and greatneſſe of them; why in conſideration of this, let us be bold, Heb. 10.19. to 23. we may be bold to approach to Gods Throne, bold to enter into Heaven, let no ſin diſcourage us, for his bloud cleanſeth from all ſin.
Ʋſe 9. If his bloud cleanſe from all ſin, let us make uſe of his bloud, Zech. 13.1. it is even this Fountain of Chriſts bloud, let us therefore bath our ſelves often in this Bloud, that we may be thorowly purged from all ſin, from the ſtain and guilt of ſin.
Ʋſe 10. All Ordinances, Word, Prayer, Sacrament, Communion of Saints, all holy duties will doe no good without his bloud, therefore deſire God that every Ordinance may be ſprinkled by his bloud; as Water alone cleanſeth not without Sope, ſo it is not all the waters of Jordan that can cleanſe us from dead works without the bloud of Chriſt ſtrike in with it; let us not reſt in any Ordinance or performance, in any Prayer, or Faſt, or in all of them; if you would ſpend your bloud to cleanſe your Souls from ſin, all will be in vain, except it be mixt with Chriſts bloud, therefore pray that the Word and Sacrament, and every Ordinance may be ſprinkled with Chriſts bloud to juſtifie, and ſanctifie: the bloud of Chriſt hath procured ſentence of abſolution from God, and vertue from the Spirit of Grace, to waſh away all our ſins, therefore lay hold on it: this is to lay hold on the Horns of the Altar, therefore in all Chriſtian conſideration and duties, look chiefly and principally to him, or elſe all will be in vain.