Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 4
1 JOHN 2.4.
He that ſaith I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him.
IT is St. Johns uſual courſe to propound the Truth Affirmatively, and Negatively. Verſ. 3. Affirmatively, Verſ. 4. Negatively, Verſ. 5. he amplifies the keeping of Chriſts Commandment, by a double benefit.
1 In him that doth ſo, is the Love of God perfect.
2 Hereby we know that we are in him,
From whence Verſe 6. he paſſes this concluſion of conforming our lives, to the life of Chriſt.
Verſe 4 He that ſaith he knows him, &c.
To ſay, is either, in Heart, in Word, or in outward Carriage.
He that ſaith I know him, he ſpeaks not of an active underſtanding of him, but of an affectionate hearty knowledge.
Knowledge is either ſpeculative or operative; infuſed or acquired; Hiſtorical, or Experimental, all come to one; but this Knowledge here meant is acquaintance; ſo then, he that ſaith he hath acquaintance with God, and keeps not his Commandments, that is, as his Way, his Treaſure, his Ornaments, his Eye, his Life.
1 He is a Lyer, that is, he not only ſpeaks falſe, but he knows he ſpeaks falſly, for that is the difference between an untruth and a lye.
2 There is no truth in him, not one true grace, not one true act of Repentance, Faith, &c.
Doct. Opinion, or profeſſion of the Knowledge of Chriſt, without keeping of his Commandments, is an undoubted ſigne that he is a lyar, and the beſt Grace on him is counterfeit, he hath no true Grace in him.
To ſay in the heart, is opinion; to ſay in the tongue or carriage, is profeſſion; and if he do thus, he is a lyar, the truth is not in him, Tit. 1.15, 16. they profeſſe they know God, but in their works they deny him; ſsch a one is abominable, diſobedient, and to every good work reprobate, that is, he goes about it untowardly, is unskilful in it, hath no ſincerity, and his work is rejected of God, as reprobate counterfeit ſilver.
Q How is ſuch a man a lyar and no truth in him? A man may be a lyar ſometimes, and yet have ſome truth in him, but this man hath no truth in him, but 1 He ſpeaks falſly, 2 Againſt Conſcience, 3 No truth is in him.
A. 1 He ſpeaks falſly, which appeareth from the Efficacy of all true knowledge of Chriſt, which brings forth obedience; if a man knows Chriſt, he loves him, and affects him, and obeyes him, Mat. 7.22, 23. all ſaving Knowledge ſtirs us up to obedience to God, to righteouſneſſe to man, if a man be a Son of Beliac, ſuch a man knows not God, thoſe that obey him not never knew him, 1 Chron. 29.9. Know thou the God of thy Father and ſerve him, they that never ſerved God never knew him, Joh. 14.21. if any man love me, he will keep my Commandments; and further, no man knows God but he hath known the depth and danger of ſin, he hath known his enſtrangement and abſence from God, if a man know not himſelf, he knows not God.
2 After that he hath known ſin, he comes to know Chriſt and his mediation, ſuch a man is ſenſible of his former miſery, and knows the excellencie of Chriſt, he hath been ſo bitten with ſin that he looks at it as the moſt hainous fight, and the keeping of Gods Commandments he looks at it as the ſweeteſt thing in the World, 2 Cor. 6.14. Gods Commandments are not grievous to him, ſuch Knowledge ſprings from experience of our former miſery, therefore they that never come to this never knew Chriſt.
2 Why is ſuch a man a lyar that ſaith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments?
1 From the conviction of the Teſtimony of that light which ſhines in his heart, Joh. 16 9. there is a Spirit of conviction, in all thoſe that live in the Church, for others do not contend that they know Chriſt, but thoſe that thus profeſſe, are convinced of their ſins, of their unbelief, and diſobedience, and of the wickedneſſe of their hearts and lives.
Obj. Are there not many that live carnally and wickedly, and yet are not convinced of their ſins?
It is true there are ſuch, but then living in ſuch a courſe, they do not treſpaſs againſt their Conſciences, they think they keep the Law, and ſo think well of themſelves, and they are at peace and ſecure.
He that walks thus civilly and conformably, yet ſuch a mans Conſcience is at uncertainty about his Eſtate, he is convinced that he wants ſomething, but he cannot tell what it is, till he be throughly convinced by Gods Spirit, thus it was, Mark 10.19. Matth. 19.18, 19, 20. the young man told Chriſt all theſe have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet? his Conſcience guided him to feel that he wanted ſomething, though he had kept the Law in the outward letter, yet he ſaw he wanted ſomething, and his Conſcience was not at reſt, ſo that ſuch a man as ſaith he knows Chriſt, and keeps not his Commandments ſpeaks againſt the conviction of his Conſcience, and therefore is a lyar; I ſpeak not of ſuch Chriſtians who want Peace becauſe they do not keep Gods Commandments, but of ſuch who when they have Peace think they keep his Commandments.
3 Why is there no truth of grace in ſuch a man as ſaith thus?
Reaſ. From the neceſſary conjunction of all graces with obedience, no true grace of God but is either the cauſe of obedience, it breeds it, or elſe is a companion of obedience, or elſe an effect of obedience, it ſprang from obedience; Faith worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. and love is the fullfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. 1 Tim. 1.5. and ſo hope, 1 Joh. 3.3. patience is joyned with obedience, and meekneſſe ſprings from obedience; and from the ſpiritual experience of a mans weakneſſe and experience of Chriſts power, in him ſprings humility; ſo that all graces either ſpring from obedience, or ſerve to it, or accompany it; ſo that even theſe very graces that are more in the underſtanding and ſpeculation, they either ſpring from obedience, or help to obedience; the Knowledge of a Chriſtian is not unfruitful, 2 Pet. 1.8. which ſhews that a Chriſtians Knowledge brings forth fruits of obedience; no gift a Chriſtian hath but he conſiders what good he may do with it, and if he ſee it not ſerviceable he regards it not; ſo that if every grace do breed, or nurſe, or accompany obedience, then whoſoever profeſſes he knows God and doth not keep his Commandments, there is no truth in ſuch a man, no true grace.
Ʋſe 1 For tryal of the truth of our profeſſion, would you know the truth of your Grace, of your Repentance; of your Faith, of your Humility? You ſhall know it by your fruitfullneſſe; what uſe do you make of your Graces? would you know whether your Repentance bee ſound? or your Love, &c. ſound? would you know this? Why conſider, do they make you obedient and carefull to keep Gods Commandments? as your Way, your Treaſure, your Ornaments, your Eye, your Life; if any grace bee fruitfull, make you conſcionable in the keeping of Gods Commandments, that is a witneſſe of the truth of that Grace: a painted Tree, bee it never ſo fair, yet it bears no fruit, but a living Tree brings forth fruit, you have cauſe to ſuſpect your Grace, if it make you not fruitfull and carefull to pleaſe God; if Grace make you obedient, it is ſincere, but if a man hath never ſo many Gifts and Graces; if they lead him not to obedience, truly they are but counterfeit, and there is no true Grace in him, Iſa. 47.10. if they cauſed them to rebell, there is no truth in them, if any Grace leave you more corrupt, or leſſe fruitfull, there is no truth in you.
Ʋſe 2 It exhorts us to a conſcionable diligent keeping of Gods Commandments, hereby we ſhall keep our profeſſion true, our Conſciences void of offence, and ſhall have an evidence that we know Chriſt; if a man ſay he knows God and yet keep not his Commandments, his profeſſion is not true, but he that both ſaith ſo, and doth ſo, his profeſſion is ſincere.
2 It will keep your Conſciences in Peace; when your Conſcience checks you not, but bears you witneſſe that you deſire to do Gods will in truth, this brings great Peace.
3 It keeps your Grace ſound, the more fruitfull, and the more obedient; the more doth Grace increaſe; a Chriſtian that lets his Grace lye at reſt, it grows ruſty, and hee may doubt of the truth of his Grace; if any mettal lye up and ruſt, we may ſuſpect whether it be right or no; but if it be kept with continual uſe, we ſuſpect it not; take a Chriſtian that doth not exerciſe himſelf in Grace, he grows ſo ruſty, that he ſuſpects the truth of his Grace, but put thy grace to employment, let it be in continual uſe, and thou ſhalt eaſily ſee it is good metal and currant; the employment of Graces proves the truth of them, therefore as we deſire to keep our profeſſion true, or our conſcience clean, or our graces ſound, keep in a daily courſe of obedience, always be doing good, and that from Gods Commandment.
Ʋſe 3 Of Conſolation to all ſuch as take a good courſe, and labour to keep Gods Commandments, who may ſometimes ſuſpect all their grace is counterfeit, and there is no ſincerity in them; why if there be no ſincerity in you, you do not keep Gods Commandments as your way, but you cannot ſay, but you would gladly finde your hearts keeping them as your way, and you endeavour it, and it is the grief of your ſouls when you go out of the way; do you keep them as your treaſure, and ornament, and apple of your eye, and life? Why then there is truth of grace in you, truth of ſincerity, though not of Perfection; you muſt not look to keep them without ſin, but if you deſire to keep them as the moſt precious thing, as your treaſure, your ornament, your life, the apple of your eye, though a man may ſometimes have a moat fall into his eye; but in this caſe do not ſay, your Graces are counterfeit, for if they were counterfeit you would not keep Gods Commandments, Pſalm 36.1. Wickedneſſe ſaith to the wicked, there is no fear of God before his eyes; how doth that appear to David? verſ. 4. he ſets himſelf in no good way, he is in a bad way, and goes on therein, and ſuch a one, it is plain, he hath no fear of God before his eyes, by their fruits he knows them; if you ſet your ſelves in no good way, your profeſſion cannot be true, but if the way you take be good, and if not thou doſt not take it up; why if it be thus, your profeſſion is true, and your grace ſound; it is a queſtion whether Solomon fell finally, or his graces were true or no; you may know his repentance was true, becauſe he found his luſt to women as bitter as death, Eccleſ. 7.6, 7. well then, if an Adulterous, or Idolatrous Wife were as bitter as death to him, then it is an evident ſign, if he looked at his tranſgreſſion as death, he looked at the Commandment as life, and therefore his repentance was ſincere; ſo then if a man finde his ſin as as bitter as death, it is a ſign his repentance is true. But yet we muſt here diſtinguiſh between the horror of ſin, and ſin it ſelf, the horror of ſin may be as bitter to us as death, but not the ſin it ſelf, as Judas, the horror of ſin was ſo bitter to him that for it he hanged himſelf; but had Judas been troubled with the ſin of his conſcience, as he was with the horror of his conſcience, he would not have gone about to help one ſin by another; had he hated ſin for it ſelf, he would have hated Murther as ſin. So would you know whether it be horror of ſin, or ſin that troubles you? If it be horror, you will ſeek to drive it away by ſin, as ſome do by merry company and merry Books, this is a plain ſigne that ſin troubles them not, for then they would not ſeek to help one ſin by another: but if a man look at the breach of the Law as the loſſe of his way, it troubles him as much as the loſing of his Treaſure, it is as a moat in his eye, he had as lieve part with his life, if it bee thus with thee thou mayeſt have comfort, thy profeſſion is true, thy conſcience clear, thy profeſſion ſound and ſincere.