Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 5, 6
1 JOH. 2.5, 6.
Hereby we know that we are in him. He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought even ſo to walk as he hath walked.
IN Verſe 5. you have an obedient Chriſtian ſet out.
1 By his practice, he keeps Chriſts Commandments.
2 By his priviledge, which is double.
1 His love is perfected.
2 He knows that he is in Chriſt.
3 Verſe 6. here is a duty enjoyned to all men that would profeſſe Fellowſhip with Chriſt, namely, imitation of Chriſt; they ought to walk, as he hath walked.
From the former part of the 5 Verſe, we have obſerved,
Doct. The obſervation of Chriſts Commandments, is the perfection of our love to Chriſt.
Thoſe next words ſhew the right honouring of Chriſt and your ſelves together; ſo as we may honour God, and he honour us; that is by Knowledge of our Fellowſhip with Chriſt, and by our duty ſo to walk, as hee hath walked.
Hereby we know that we are in him.
By what? By the love in us? No, by keeping his Commandments, wee know that we have Fellowſhip with him, though both be coincident; ſo then here is a promiſe, not only of their b…ing in Chriſt, but their knowing that they are in Chriſt,
Doct. Sincere obedience to the Word of Chriſt, is both a certain and evident ſign of our bleſſed Eſtate in Chriſt.
Hereby, that is by keeping his Commandments, we know that we are in Chriſt.
Queſt. 1 What is it to be in Chriſt?
Anſ. We are ſaid to be in Chriſt, in Scripture-phraſe by three degrees.
1 They are ſaid to be in Chriſt, that do ſubmit themſelves to the ordinances of God, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament, uſe prayer and other good duties, and live unblameably before his people, 1 Cor. 7.39. where he gives liberty to any Chriſtian woman that makes profeſſion of Religion, if her Huſband be dead, to marry with whom ſhe will, but in the Lord, and 1 Tim. 5.11. he forbids Timothy to receive younger widdows; becauſe when they begin to wax wanton againſt Chriſt, they will marry; this is not here meant, though it be a part of it.
2 There is a further being in Chriſt by a participation of ſome Graces, though not ſanctifying Graces; yet ſuch as may fit them for many Chriſtian Offices, as may fit for Magiſtry, as Jehu, Miniſtry, as Judas, Joh. 15.2. Every branch that beareth not fruit in me, he taketh away; as who ſhould ſay there may be a branch in Chriſt, and yet bring forth no fruit, but no man can bee thus in Chriſt, but he muſt ſuck ſome ſap and juice from Chriſt; but this is not here meant of common Graces, as Jehues zeal, Felix his trembling, Herods joy, &c.
3 Men are ſaid to be in Chriſt, when they participate of ſuch Graces as accompany ſalvation; ſuch as make them true Members of Chriſt, as Faith, and Humility, and Hope, and Patience; and of ſuch St. John here ſpeaks, by ſuch fruits we know that we are in Chriſt.
And thus we are ſaid to be in Chriſt, partly from all eternity, in the purpoſe of God, Epheſ. 1.4. not actually, but vertually, non actuali inexiſtentia, ſed virtuali continentia, God looked at us as Members, in time to be in Chriſt, and notwithſtanding this decree, yet theſe may not live in obedience to any Commandment, have as yet no Fellowſhip with Chriſt.
2 There is another being in Chriſt, which is actuall, namely, of ſuch, who being called out of the eſtate of Nature, bring forth the fruits of new obedience, Rom. 16.7. who were in Chriſt before me, not elected before him, but called before him, he was a Perſecutor when they were Profeſſors; thus we are ſaid to be in Chriſt, when by faith we lay hold on him, John 1.12.
Q. 2. What is it to know we are in Chriſt?
A. It is more than opinion, or thinking ſo, for we are never ſaid in any ſpeech to know that which we only think to be ſo, no man knows this to be gold or ſilver, if he but think it to be ſo. No man grounds his knowledge upon conjecture, and indeed opinion flows from contingencie, it may be ſo, or otherwiſe, but Knowledge is on ſure grounds; what then, is it Faith? No, they go together, yet they differ much, there is as much difference between them as between hearing and ſeeing, Faith comes by hearing, when we aſſent to any thing upon Divine teſtimony, as if God hath given us ſome word, we believe it, but if we ſee a thing by ſenſe, or by experience, or by ſome certain Arguments of Gods dealing with us, that we do not now only believe it from Gods Word, but we plainly ſee it by experience in our hearts from ſome love of God, from ſome obedience and humility, &c. if we have found our conſciences pacified after much horrour: Again, we finde that our hearts have been proud and unclean, but now down falls pride and uncleanneſſe, and we begin to conform our ſelves to Gods will, now we know that Chriſt is in us, or elſe we could not have turned our ſelves to any good thing.
Q. 3. What is the reaſon that ſuch obedience is a certain ſign and evidence of our good eſtate in Chriſt, that we know that we are in Chriſt?
Reaſ. 1. From the wonderful inſufficiency of our natures to keep any Commandment of God without this, 2 Cor. 3.5. Matth. 12.34, 35. Rom. 3.12. we of our ſelves are altogether fruitleſſe in the works of righteouſneſſe, till Chriſts love dwell in us, Ezek. 36.25. to 27. How come men to keep Gods Law but from the Spirit of God which dwels in them? Look on men in the ſtate of Nature, and their faireſt fruits are but the Vines of Sodom, and Grapes of Gomorrah, Deut. 32.32, 33. they ſeem as fair as any, but their cluſters are bitter, and ſo the beſt fruits of all Natural men are bitter, our very Honey is like Gall, and Wormwood, and our beſt actions full of corruption and bitter, ſo that if a man finde his Grapes ſavoury, his words, thoughts, and actions gracious and ſweet, ſo that now he is fruitful in obedience, it is an evident ſign we are in Chriſt, elſe we could not be enabled to any thing which is good.
2 Were it not for the love of Chriſt that conſtraineth us, we ſhould never be willing to deny our ſelves; Do you ſee a man willing to ſubmit himſelf to Chriſt, to his Ordinances, it could not be but by the love of Chriſt, that conſtrains us to deny our ſelves.
Ʋſe 1 Of refutation of that Popiſh Error, that think it impoſſible that any ſhould know his eſtate in Chriſt, or that he ſhall be ſaved; it is one of their Canons. Why doth the Apoſtle ſpeak to little Children Babes in Chriſt thus, they may know that they are in Chriſt, and that by keeping his Commandments in ſincerity, if it were impoſſible to be known? for them therefore to conclude an impoſſibility for a man to know that he is in Chriſt, is againſt the Doctrin of the Apoſtles, and againſt Chriſt,; if (I ſay) any man preach another Goſpel than this that St. John delivered, let him bee accurſed Gal. 6.7.
Aquinas concludes, that we cannot know we are in the ſtate of grace, certainly, but upon conjecture, which implies a contradiction, for opinion is contingentium, ſcientia neceſſariorum & certorum, yet he makes ſome Objections againſt himſelf.
Obj. Is it not ſaid, Gen. 22.12. Now I know that thou feareſt me, &c. that is, as he expounds it, Cognovi, i. e. Cognoſcere te feci, I have made thee to know that thou feareſt me, therefore ſaith he, he might know that he was in the ſtate of Grace, becauſe he was willing to deny his deareſt Son for Chriſt. He anſwers, it may be it was ſpecial Revelation, but it was not ſpecial Revelation, to reſolve to kill his Son at Gods command, he knew his own heart well enough.
Obj. 2. 1 Cor. 2.12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that are given us of God; ſo then ſaith he, if we may know things that are given us by the Spirit of God, then it is more than conjecture, it is a certain Knowledge. His anſwer to this is, it is ſpoken of a ſtate of Glory but it is manifeſt to be meant of a ſtate in this life; for he ſpeaks of Princes that perſecuted the truth, and that they knew not theſe things, but we know it by the Spirit of God.
Obj. 3. If men may diſcern they are in darkneſſe, when they are in darkneſſe; much more may we know we are in light, when we are in light, of the two, it is the eaſier: now he that is in the ſtate of darkneſſe, knows it, Epheſ. 5.13. Gal. 5.19. the works of the fleſh are manifeſt.
4 He ſaith thoſe things which are in a man eſſentially, he knows they are in him: now Graces are eſſential in a regenerate man, that is, the eſſence of them is there, therefore he may know that Repentance and Faith, &c. is there: if they be there, what is in a man, is known to be in him: if he have a judgment, he knows he hath it: if he hath a will, he knows he wills: ſo if a man hath Graces in him, he may know that he hath them, as a Woman with child, doth know that ſhe is with child, Gal. 4.1. and takes it not upon others report, but upon her own ſure Knowledge: ſo if Chriſt be conceived in us, the ſtirring motions of Gods Graces be in us, we may know it, thus Aquinas confutes himſelf.
Ʋſe 2 Refutation of an unjuſt complaint they do make againſt us, they ſay that we diſcourage men from good works, this complaint is unjuſt, for though we do not ſay they juſtifie us, yet thereby we know that we are juſtified, and that is no ſmall encouragement; my good works do not juſtifie me, but yet they juſtifie my juſtification, nay further, we ſay to them that they diſcourage men from good works, who ſay, when a man hath done what he can, and fullfilled the whole law, yet he cannot certainly know that he is in Chriſt; and ſo what profit will it be for a man to take pains, and do much, and ſuffer much, and yet knows not whether God loves him or not? but we on the contrary ſay, if a man walk in a conſtant courſe of obedience to Gods Commandments, he may thereby know that he is in Chriſt, and this muſt needs be an encouragement to good works.
Ʋſe 3 For tryal, 1 Whether we keep Gods Commandments.
2 Whether we be in Chriſt or no.
1 Wouldeſt thou know whether thou keepeſt Gods Commandments as thou ſhouldeſt? doſt thou keep them as thy Way, as thy Treaſure? &c. if thou doſt, I declare to thee, thou art in Chriſt, and thou either doſt, or ſhalt know Chriſt. And if thou wouldeſt know whether thou be in Chriſt, why, thou maiſt know it, if thou keep Gods Commandments.
Ʋſe 4 Of Conſolation, to every ſuch ſoul as keeps Gods Commandments; there is a double benefit to ſuch.
1 Thou art in Chriſt, 2 Thou knoweſt thou art in Chriſt, and this is fullneſſe of joy; for if thou be in Chriſt, thou haſt no condemnation belonging to thee, Rom 8.1. and thou maiſt alſo know it; how ill then do they deal with their own ſouls, who know they are in Chriſt, and yet every diſcouragement puts them off from comfort? it is a ſhame that Chriſtians that have ſuch a priviledge as to be in Chriſt, and know it, ſhould be ſo diſcouraged; therefore thoſe that would keep a continual feſtival unto Chriſt, let them get into Chriſt, and learn to know that they are in Chriſt, and this may be a comfort unto them againſt all diſcouragements.
Doct. It is the duty of all ſuch as profeſſe Fellowſhip with Chriſt, to walk as Chriſt walked; or the profeſſion of Fellowſhip with Chriſt, ought to be joyned with imitation of Chriſt.
Q. What is it to walk as Chriſt walked?
A. Chriſt hath walked in ſome wayes as God, in ſome wayes, as Meadiator, God and man, and in ſome wayes, as man.
1 Then he wrought ſome works as God, he faſted forty dayes and forty nights, he fed five thouſand with five loaves and two fiſhes, he walked on the water, &c. God never calls us to imitate him in theſe works, but he calls, learn of me for I am meek and lowly.
Q. 2. Doth he call us to walk in thoſe ways which he walked in as Mediator?
A. He doth not call us to walk in the ſame kind, but in reſemblance to them, as hee dyed for us and roſe again, ſo in reſemblance hee calls us to dye unto ſin, and to riſe again to the life of Grace, ſo to dye to the World as he dyed to nature, and to riſe to newneſſe of life as he aroſe from the dead, Rom. 6.16.
2 As he was a King, Prieſt, and Prophet unto God, ſo he would have us Kings to over-rule our temptations, to rule over our families, to rule over our Tongues, to rule over our Hearts; he hath called us likewiſe to be Prieſts, to offer up ſacrifices of prayer and praiſe, and alms, and to offer up our bodies and ſouls, an acceptable ſacrifice unto him, Hoſ. 14.3. Heb. 13.16, 17. Rom. 12.1, 2. and to be as Prophets to teach our Children, and Servants, and Families, and inſtruct them, Act. 2.17.
3 Some works he wrought as man, and ſo he was either a Miniſter of Circumciſion, or as a Servant of God, a good man; and in theſe we are to imitate him, 1 As a Miniſter, ſo Miniſters ſhould follow him.
1 In undertaking his Calling from him, as he did his from God, he ſaw Gods call, he was ſent by his Father, ſo we ſhould ſee his call, otherwiſe to undertake it without a call from him, is the way to bring a curſe upon our ſelves.
2 In his Calling he performed his Miniſtry with all Faithfulneſſe, he did bring in the ſtray, heal the ſick, inſtruct the Ignorant, &c. Ezek. 34.16. and his inward care was, that they might have life, and have it more abundantly, Joh. 10.10, 11. ſo ſhould Miniſters diſpence the word of life, ſtrive to beget the life of Grace in the hearts of their people, to help the weak, comfort the diſtreſſed, inform the Ignorant, &c.
2 As a private Chriſtian, a good man, we muſt imitate him in his doing and ſuffering.
1 For the matter of his doing, it was alwayes Gods command, Joh. 14. ult.
2 The manner of his doing, 1 It was in obedience to Gods command, Joh. 5.30.
2 He did it with chearfullneſſe, it was his meat and drink to do Gods will.
3 The end of his work was Gods Glory, Joh. 17.4.
1 So for his ſuffcrings, 1 They were all in Innocency, 1 Pet. 2.21.
2 With much patience, 2 Pet. 2.23.
3 He ſuffered with much profit, he learned obedience by his temptations and ſufferings, Heb. 5.8. he profited by his Agony, by his deſpiſing, by his buffettings, by his crucifying, and in theſe things we ſhould labour to imitate and follow him.
Q. Why ſhould we be like him?
A. 1 From Gods predeſtination, Rom. 8.29. he hath decreed that we ſhould be like him.
2 From the near Fellowſhip we have with him; it is meet the Members ſhould be conformable to the Head, the Branch to the Root.
Ʋſe 1 An evident conviction of that Popiſh Doctrin of the merit of works, and ſatisfaction, and ſuper-errogation; if ſo bee when we have done all that we can, and walked as Chriſt walked, as perfectly as hee did if wee could, then wee had done no more than our duty, God hath no cauſe to thank us, and we deſerve nothing, Luke 7.9.16. Now what is our duty? We ought to walk as he hath walked; now a Servant looks not for thanks for his dayes work, ſo we have not merited thanks for the works me have done; and if when we have done what we can, we have done but what we ought to do, then we cannot do more than we ought, and ſo are far from ſuperarrogation; and for ſatisfaction, if our beſt works be our debts, then we cannot ſatisfie for our ſins by our duties; ſuppoſe a man owed another a great debt, and beſides owed him all ſervice for ſome great benefit, for redeeming him from Captivity, &c. the doing of his ſervice would not ſatisfie his debt, becauſe he owed him that beſides; ſo we were all Captives unto Satan, and God through Chriſt delivered us, and for that we owe to God all we have, and if we were in debt beſides by our ſins, all our ſervice will not ſatisfie for our ſins, for wee owe that beſides, now one debt will not pay another.
Ʋſe 2 Of direction and exhortation to all that deſire to walk anſwerable to that knowledge they have, do you deſire to be in Chriſt and know you are in Chriſt? Why, conform your ſelves to walk as Chriſt walked, if thou doſt ſo, thou maiſt keep a good Chriſtmas all thy life, thou ſhalt keep Chriſts honour all thy life in remembrance, if thou walk as Chriſt walked; therefore Chriſt died; that we might dye unto ſin, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. whatever corruption is in you, let it die in you, mortifie pride, and anger, and uncleanneſſe, and covetouſneſſe, &c. learn to dye to theſe, and live to God; make it your chiefeſt pleaſure to do Gods will, riſe from all deadneſſe, and ſluggiſhneſſe of Spirit; have you been unable to rule over your Spirits? Now put on the Spirit of Kings, over-rule your paſſions and corruptions, rule your Families, be as Prieſts to offer up ſacrifices of prayer and praiſe, and alms; to offer up body and ſoul to Gods ſervice, every work do it in obedience to Gods Commandment, do it with chearfullneſſe and meekneſſe, do it to Gods glory, and if you be called to ſuffer, ſuffer Innocently, not for any ſinful carriage, not for murther or theft, &c. but for Righteouſneſſe ſake, and then ſuffer patiently and meekly, and whatever you ſuffer, be ſure that you profit by it, by temptation, by croſſes, by perſecution, &c. learn obedience, and ſo you ſhall walk as Chriſt hath walked; be ſtirred up to walk in imitation of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.1. ſet this pattern before you, to imitate him both now, and all the year; look upon Chriſt, aime at him. work as he did, ſuffer as he did: and ſo for Miniſters, walk faithfully, help the weak, bring back the ſtray, comfort the diſtreſſed, walk as Chriſt hath walked.