Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 26
1 JOHN 2.26.
Theſe things have I written unto you, concerning them that deceieve you.
TO help young Children to beware of Antichriſt, the Apoſtle had given them ſome inſtructions, and ſome means; now in this Verſe to the end he rehearſeth the two ſpecial means he had preſcribed.
1 Was his Writings, verſ. 26.
2 Their Unction, verſ. 27. therefore verſ. 28. he exhorts them to abide in Chriſt.
Firſt, In verſ. 26. we have ſet out,
1 Saint Johns writing to theſe Babes, and the Argument of it.
2 A deſcripition of falſe Teachers, Seducers.
3 A deſcription of their Act, and Work.
1 Their Sin is a ſeduction and deceiving of men.
2 The vigour of it.
3 He paſſeth them by, calling them Seducers, without naming their perſons.
Doct. There is good uſe to be made of the Scripture againſt falſe Teachers, even of thoſe that want not the unction of the Spirit.
Theſe things I have written unto you; you that have received the Spirituall Unction; otherwiſe Saint Johns writing had been in vain, and their reading, if there had not been uſe of them; 2 Cor. 11.13. he informes the Corinthians of falſe Teachers, Gal. 5.12. Phil. 3.2. Col. 2.8. all theſe ſhew that the Spirit thought it meet to inſtruct even Chriſtiaas againſt falſe Teachers.
Obj. If this annoynting teach all things, what need the Scripture be written? is it not to give light to the Sun?
A. No, there is a double uſe of the Scriptures.
1 For the confirmation of the witneſſe of our own Conſcience; a Chriſtian mans heart witneſſeth againſt falſe Doctrin, but when the Holy Ghoſt not only witneſſeth in our hearts, but in his Word too, In the mouth of two or three Witneſſes every truth is eſtabliſhed, 2 Cor. 13.1.
2 There is uſe of them to help our own ſpirits; what though my ſpirit riſe up againſt ſuch falſe Teachers, yet I might be deceived, therefore that I might diſcern the truth of my own ſpirit, I muſt try it by the Word; a good man may know what ſpirit he is of, Luke 9. 55. in ſome things; therefore that we may diſcern the truth of our own ſpirits, we muſt try them by the Word; the Word, and the Spirit of God in Conſcience, are like to Tallies, they anſwer one another in every line.
Ʋſe 1 May teach us to diſcover the corruption of their ſpirits, who ſay, after they have once received the ſpirit of regeneration (which is indeed but common illumination) they need not the Scriptures, therefore they neglect reading of them, as Enthuſiaſts, and Annabaptiſts, that will neither read, nor pray, but when the Spirit moves them; and to this purpoſe they abuſe a notable place, 2 Pet. 1.16. they ſay, we do well to attend to the Scripture till the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in our hearts, but afterwards there is no further uſe thereof: but (untill) is not alwayes a word of reſtraint, but ye do well to do it before, and to do it after, as when it is ſaid, Michol had no Childe till the day of her death, it implies not that then ſhe had any, but that ſhe never had any, ſo that it is a vain collection to reaſon after this manner, 1 Tim. 4. Give diligence to reading and exhortation till I come: would he have him leave off when he came? No, but he would rather have him alwayes continue ſo doing ſo that place rather exhorts them to attend to the Scripture, after the day dawn in their hearts, rather than reſtrains from it.
2 The Scripture there oppoſeth not the Law and the Goſpel, but he would have them now attend eſpecially to the Goſpel.
3 This word untill, is not limitted to the attending to the Prophets, but to the words day dawn, meaning their hearts are a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in their hearts, therefore ſuch men as theſe, are not of Saints Johns ſpirit, who exhorts thoſe to whom he wrote to attend to his Writings, as an help againſt falſe Teachers.
Ʋſe 2. It may exhort us in theſe ſeducing days, to be diligent and frequent in reading the Scriptures, becauſe they are written to help us againſt Seducers; if a Friend ſhould write to us beware of ſuch Cheaters, we would give heed to what he wrote, and obſerve his Counſells; why we have letters ſent from farre, even from heaven, to warn us of Seducers, and our friend ſets down their Notes, and Marks, and means to avoyd them; therefore let us be peruſing them, and obſerve what they direct us to.
Doct. 2 The Children of God are to look at falſe Teachers as Deceivers, 2 Joh. 7. 2 Cor. 11.13. Rom. 16.17, 18.
Q. What is meant by Deceivers, why calls he them ſo?
A. A Deceiver is ſuch a one who upon pretence of that which is good, and true, puts us off with that which is counterfeit and naught.
So theſe falſe Teachers deceit is in their Doctrin, and in their perſons.
In their Perſons, 2 Cor. 11.13.
In their Doctrin, they make us beleeve it is the Doctrin of Chriſt in, but in truth it is empty, windy doctrin, Epheſ. 4.14.
Ʋſe 1 May ſerve to ſtir us up ſo much the more to hate and deteſt them, and to a more ſerious watchfulneſs againſt them; a man hates a Deceiver worſe than a Robber, a man had rather loſe his Purſe by violence, than be cunningly cheated of it, the reaſon is, becauſe a man that takes your Purſe only wrongs you of your Mony, but the other deprives you of your Money, and alſo befools you, and makes a mock at it; ſo theſe Deceivers do not only deprive us of the truth, but through cunning deluſions they over-reach us, and laugh us to ſcorn, 2 Pet. 2.14.
Let us therefore try all things, and hold faſt that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5.21. If we heard that there were counterfeit Money abroad, and cunning Fellows that would undermine us, we would look narrowly to our ſelves; why there are cunning Deceivers abroad, which will not only deceive you of your Purſes and Goods, but of your Faith, and the Goſpel, and Salvation, therefore how circumſpect and careful ought we to be? it is a wonderful ſluggiſhneſs of ſpirit, when we know there are ſo many falſe Teachers now in the Land, and yet it is a wonder to ſee how raw we are in the Scriptures, how unapt to anſwer any thing out of the Scripture if we were put to it; therefore do not only receive the truth from the credit of Miniſters, or our own ſpirits, but warranted from the Word, that we may be ready to render a Reaſon of the hope that is in us.
Doct. 3. Sometimes in reproving and confuting of falſe Teachers, it is ſeaſonable to conceal their names.
Saint John doth not ſay, Theſe things I write unto you concerning Corinthus, or Ebion, but he paſſeth by their names, and ſaith, Theſe things I write unto you concerning Deceivers, 2 Cor. 11.13. 2 Cor. 15.12. Gal. 1.7. Phil. 3.2. Jude 4. he doth not there deſcribe them, he names none, yet ſometimes we read he names them, 1 Tim. 1.19. 2 Tim. 2.18. 2 Tim. 4.14, 15.
It is ſeaſonable to conceal their names.
1 When there may be any hope of their converſion; we ſhould not too much exaſperate them, becauſe the contention is not ſo much againſt their perſons, as againſt their Doctrin and practice.
2 When it were good, that both they and their Doctrin ſhould utterly periſh, and be forgot, Gal. 5.12.
It is ſeaſonable to expreſſe their names,
1 When they are excommunicate, Hymeneus and Philetus.
2 That others may beware of them, 2 Tim. 4.14, 15.
Ʋſe To teach us to forbear perſonall invectives in our writings: a wound in a mans good name, is a wound in the apple of his eye; a man that hath his eye hurt, he ſees you not, ſo if you ſtrike a man on his good name, it is hard if ever he hear any thing after from you.
He writes to them, about them that ſeduce them, yet they did not ſeduce them, but only did endeavour it.
Doct. 4. The deſire and indeavour to deceive, is deceit.
Such as have a deſire and purpoſe to deceive, are indeed deceivers, though they actually ſeduce not, 2 Joh. 7. Rom. 16.17, 18. 2 Cor. 11.13. as he that looks after a woman to luſt after her, commits Adultry. Matth. 5.28. becauſe in his heart he deſires it; ſo becauſe a man hath a long look in his heart to deceive, he is a Deceiver; you read of ſome that trod under foot the bloud of Chriſt, Heb. 10.29. now that is impoſſible, for Chriſt is in Heaven, yet if a man do what in him lies, it is as if he did it.
Reaſ. From Gods acceptance of the will for the deed, whether in good or evil, 2 Cor. 8.12. therefore it was provided in the Law, if any man did bear falſe witneſſe againſt his neighbour, it ſhould be death, becauſe he would have taken away his Neighbours life; ſo if there be a will in a man to deceive, it is as if he did deceive. And as the poor Woman, Luke 21.4. is ſaid to caſt more into the Treaſury than they all, becauſe ſhe had a will to do it, and put forth her ſelf to her utmoſt ability: ſo if a man put forth himſelfe in what he can to deceive, though he never reach it, yet he is a Deceiver: for though it be impoſſible the Elect ſhould be ſeduced, Matth. 24.24. yet it is his deſire and endeavour to do it, for God hath communicated to men more will and deſire many times then power to accompliſh it; therefore if there be will to it, the hinderance is not on mans part, but on Gods.
Ʋſe 1. Muſt teach men to make as much conſcience of their wills and deſires, as of their acts; men are apt to excuſe themſelves in reſpect of the will, if the act be not done; but didſt thou deſire it, and go about it? if thou hadſt a mind to it then it is done, becauſe God ſees that which was in thine heart as done, there was the deſire of thy ſoul, and the endeavour of thy hand, but that it came not to paſſe is from Gods hand.
Ʋſe 2. This may be a ſingular comfort to Gods ſervants that cannot do what good they would; they have a minde to profit by the Word, to read, and pray as they ought; but they cannot; I ſay, if there be a willing minde, that the deſire of thy ſoul is towards God, if thy c…re and endeavour be to do it, it is certainly done, though thou canſt not reach it, Gen. 22.12. Abraham did ſpare his Son, why true, but that was becauſe God held his hand; but becauſe he went three dayes journey, and came to the place God had appointed, and built an Alter, and bound him, and would have ſlaine him (though upon Gods calling from Heaven to him he ſpared him) ye God accounts it as if he did it; ſo, had a man many corruptions in his heartt that were as his Iſaac, darling luſts, if thou uſe all means to mortifie and crucifie them, though thou canſt not get the Victory over them as thou deſireſt, yet God accounts it as if they were Mortified; if God will have it reſt there, and ſay it is enough, it is an acceptable ſacrifice to God; when David had a minde to build a Temple to God, and prepared abundantly for it, though God forbad him, yet ſaith he, it was well it was in thine heart, and I will therefore build thee an houſe, 2 Sam. 7. he accepted the will for the need; ſo if thou ſet thy heart to build Gods Houſe, to be doing good to the Church▪ and reforme the Town where you live, if in authority, though you fall ſhort of it, if your ſouls deſire it in good earneſt, God accepts of it as done; ſo for your Families, if you inſtruct them, and ſtrive to build them up, you ſay it is in vain, no truly, God will be your reward. So it may be a ſtay to Miniſters, that deſire by all means to convert ſome, and yet finde no fruit of their labours, yet thou ſhalt have thy reward with thy God: for if falſe Prophets, that go about to ſeduce, though they ſeduce not, yet God accounts them ſeducers; ſo God accepts of thy good will and endeavour, as much as if thou hadſt effected it.
Obj. Then we may eaſily flatter our ſelves, and ſay, I deſire that my ſoul, and all mine might do well?
A. If a man have a willing minde to a thing, it will much comfort him if he do it, and grieve him if he cannot performe it; thou ſayeſt, thou wouldſt have thy ſelfe, and all thine do well, is it thy greateſt grief that thou canſt not effect this, and would it be thy greateſt comfort if thou couldſt? then God accepts thy deſire: but if a man have only ſome lazie deſires, if it go well, well and good; if not, he is not much troubled, there was no right deſire.