Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 8
1 JOHN 2.8.
Again, a new Commandment I write unto you, that which is true in him, and alſo in you, for the darkneſſe is paſt, and the true light now ſhineth.
IN this Verſe he amplifies his Doctrin by a contrary Argument of newneſſe.
1 He deſcribes the Old Commandment by another adjunct of newneſſe.
2 He ſets down in what reſpect it is new, and in a double reſpect the Old Commandment may be called new:
1 In reſpect of Chriſt.
2 In reſpect of them.
3 He propounds the reaſon of it, becauſe Chriſt hath ſcattered Light among them, and Darkneſſe foreign, abigitur, is a driving away.
Doct. The Commandment and Doctrine of the imitation of Chriſt is a new Commandment, both in regard of Chriſt, and Believers the Members of Chriſt.
1 It is new in reſpect of Chriſt.
2 Chriſt hath expreſly commanded it: Whenever Chriſt converted any to Grace, this was his common ſpeech, Follow me, Matth. 4.19. (which if it were not a word of Converſion, yet at leaſt of new Converſion, Mat. 9.9.) and it is a general rule, Luke 9.23. where by following of Chriſt in the laſt place is meant imitating Chriſt, thus it is new in reſpect of Chriſts Commandment.
2 In reſpect of Chriſts efficacy and power working in our hearts, verſ. 9. it is wrought and ſtampt in us by a new work of Chriſt, in the ſpirits of his followers, that they do indeed ſet their hearts to follow Chriſt.
2 It is new in reſpect of us Believers.
1 In regard of the outward hearing of the ear it is new, never ſo plainly ſpoken before, Follow me, in all the Old Teſtament there is not ſuch an expreſſe letter as follow Chriſt, imitate Chriſt, walk as Chriſt hath walked.
2 In regard of that new work wrought in the hearts of Chriſtians, Epheſ. 4.24. that is, but on ſuch a frame of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, wherein you may lively reſemble the new Adam, the new man Chriſt.
Ʋſe 1 As we ought not to affect new-fangledneſſe, ſo we ought not to loathe and reject newneſſe; before St. John carefully avoided new fangledneſſe, now he commends newneſſe.
The ground of this difference is;
1 Look whatever comes from God (the Ancient of days) is always new, and never waxeth old, and as it is new, ſo it is always old, yea old enough if it come from God, Eccleſ. 1.9.
2 If it come from God, the newer it is the better it is, becauſe our old Natures, and Corruptions, and Courſes ſhould alwayes be abhorred of us, but grace, and that new man, and new wayes of holineſſe ſhould be acceptable to us.
3 If it be new, and come from God, it is a greater manifeſtation of God, we may ſee a greater light in it than ever before.
Ʋſe 2 Never look to fullfill this Commandment of imitating Chriſt, untill you become new men, for it is a new Commandment, and a new Commandment requires new obedience, and new obedience requires new ſpirits, and a new man, do not therefore think to follow Chriſt with old ſpirits; thus much of the quality; now follows the reaſon, For the darkneſſe is paſt, &c.
Doct. The ſtate of the Children of God in this Life, is as darkneſſe paſſing, and true light now ſhining.
It is an excellent deſcription of a godly mans Eſtate from his firſt Converſion forward, the word in the Original ſignifies paſſing, or a driving away foreign, it is not ſo well tranſlated, paſt, For the opening of the point conſider, there is a threefold darkneſſe, and a threefold light.
1 Darkneſſe of
1 Ignorance, Mat. 4.16.
2 Uncleanneſſe, 2 Cor. 6.16.
3 Affliction or diſcomfort, Pſal. 112.4.
2 Light of
1 Knowledge, Mat. 4.16.
2 Holineſſe, 2 Cor. 6.16. Epheſ. 5 8.
3 Comfort, Pſal. 92.11.
It may be ſpoken of all here, but chiefly of the two former, darkneſſe of ignorance and uncleanneſſe is paſſing away in a Chriſtian, and light of Knowledge and Holineſſe is ſhining forth daily more and more in his heart, Rom. 13.12. the day is at hand, i. e. not yet come, yet near at hand, and the night far ſpent, i. e. almoſt gone and ſpent, yet not ſo ſpent as wholly gone, the ſhadows of the night ſtill remain, but the day begins to dawn, 2 Pet. 1.19. the dawning of the day, is when the ſhaddows of darkneſſe are not yet clearly vaniſhed; and he doth not ſay the Sun, but the day ſtar, which riſeth …efore the Sun a good while; he there deſcribes the State of the Church till the day of reſurrection, the light of the Goſpel doth not yet clearly and fully ſhine, but is only dawning, Chriſt is in his Children, as a day Star, gives them comfortable light, but the Sun is not yet in his ſtrength, Prov. 4.18. it is not yet perfect day with us, no, not with the beſt Chriſtians under Heaven, but it grows by degrees, till it be perfect day with them, which is at the day of their diſſolution, like to the earthen Pitchers of Gideons men, Judg. 7.16.20. when they brake their Pitchers, the Lamps gloriouſly ſhone forth, and dazled their eyes, thus it is with a Chriſtian when theſe earthen Pitchers, and carkaſſes are broken, his light will ſhine forth gloriouſly, in the mean time we have light, we have lamps, but they are in Pitchers, ſhining very dimly.
Q. If we had been perfected the firſt day, and the light had ſhined gloriouſly forth at the firſt, had it not been better?
A. Yes, if God had been pleaſed ſo to have done, but God would not have it ſo, and therefore it were not better, God rather ſees it fit that we ſhould carry our light in earthen Veſſels, wherein there is partly darkneſſe, and partly light, 2 Cor. 4.7. and that for theſe reaſons.
Reaſ. 1 That God might ſhew his power in our weakneſſe, 2 Cor. 12 9, 10. we ſhould never have known Chriſts vetrue, the power of Grace, or the depth of our corruptions, if wee had been perfected the firſt day of our converſion, as God made the world by degrees, and deſcribed it ſo, becauſe he would have us diſcern his power, ſo God doth diſplay the power of his grace, by perfecting us by degrees and not all at once.
Reaſ. 2 That God might teach us to war with ſpirituall enemies, as God left Canaanites among thoſe Iſralites, that had not known, and were untaught in the wars of Canaan, to prove them, and to know, if they would hearken to Gods Commandements, Judg. 3.3. ſo God leaves his Children ſome imbred enemies ſtill in their ſoules, to humble us, and to prove us, and try if wee will cleave to him; beſides Jeſus Chriſt loves and takes delight in ruling eſpecially at home, in the midſt of his enemies (Pſal. 110.2.) in the midſt of our corruptions; in the midſt of unbelief; Faith rules in the midſt of pride; Humility rules; in the midſt of anger; Meekneſſe rules; &c. Grace gets ground in the midſt of corruptions, which is to the glory of Jeſus Chriſt.
Reaſ. 3 To prevent the multiplication of the Beaſts of the Field amongſt us, as God left Canaanites among the Iſraelites, to that end, Exod. 23.29.30. if there were not weakneſſes in us, it were impoſſible for Gods people to live in the World, 1 The World would not bear with us, you know it would not bear with Chriſt who walked as meekly as might bee, Joh. 14.30. i. e. Satan found no weakneſſe in him, no corruption in Chriſt for him to work upon; if chriſtians had a full and cleare light of grace breaking forth at once, all would cry, away with them, they are not worthy to live.
Ʋſe 1. See here a ground of the great difference between chriſtians and chriſtians, differing in Faith, differing in manners, ſome are comfortably perſwaded of their own Eſtates, but others full of fears and doubts, how comes this about? truly it is with chriſtians as it is with mornings of the day, ſome mornings are a great deale more bright than others, and ſome more dusky and dark; you will ſay, why ſhould not a ſoul come to ſome ſetled peace? true, but it will never be perfect day with us. St. John was an old chriſtian, and yet you ſee what he ſaith, the darkneſſe was but going, and the light coming, ſo that we by degrees get hold of God, and ſtrength againſt corruption; you have ſome Summer mornings more lightſome than all the dayes of the year beſides, ſo it is with ſome chriſtians in this morning of their firſt converſion, they ſee more clearly their own Eſtates by far, than others in their whole converſation, and though all have partly darkneſſe, and partly light, yet ſome get more light in one thing, ſome in another, ſuch a chriſtian it may be, though he doe not get ſuch hold of Peace, yet ſome corruptions, as Wantonneſſe, Pride, Covetouſneſſe, he ſubdues and gets greater hold of the contrary Graces; as it was with the pillar of the Cloud, Exod. 14.20. unto which the Apoſtle alludes, Heb. 12.1. juſt ſo is it with the ſpirits of Gods ſervants, ſomething there is in them that is cloudy, ſomething in them that is lightſome; old Peter, John 21.18. would not have gone to Martyrdome, and yet he would, partly willing, and partly unwilling, thus it is with the Spirit even of the beſt chriſtian, he hath ſome unwillingneſſe to ſome good duty that God calls him unto.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us ſomewhat the more to bear with one anothers infirmities and eclipſes, Jam. 3.1, 2. be not of an unruly, imperious, and cenſorious ſpirit, over piercingly, and cenſoriouſly judging others; as we have ſtreams of light, ſo ſtreams of darkneſſe, vapours, therefore bear with, and ſuccour one another, and helpe one another out of this darkneſſe, as in a Lanthorn there is a pane of light, and a pane of darkneſſe; ſo in every good quality, we have all ſome darkneſſe, Rev. 12.1. the church is compared to the Moon, which when ſhe is at the full, is fulleſt of ſpots; and yet we do not neglect the Moon becauſe ſhe hath ſpots, but make uſe of the Moon becauſe ſhe hath light: ſo neglect not any chriſtian becauſe of his ſpots, but make uſe of his light, of that good he hath, alſo be ſomething forbearing of carnal men, for ye were ſometimes darkneſſe as they are, Tit. 3.1, 2, 3.
Ʋſe 3. Let no mans life be an abſolute patrern to you to follow; but ſo far as they are light in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.1. ſee how this in the Text proves what the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, follow Chriſt, why? becauſe our perfection is but imperfect, we are but darkneſſe paſſing, if you follow us in all things, you may take us on the blind ſide, and ſo fall.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us to be driving away darkneſſe, and to be trudging out of it; as it is with a Candle, the leaſt ſnuffe in a Candle doth not onelyonly dim the light, but doth waſte the Candle; ſo it is with our ſpirits, the leaſt ſnuffe of Corruption doth waſte that oyl of Grace which is in our hearts, and dim and damp the light which is in us, therefore ſnuffe we our hearts often, take we the Thief out of the Candle, let us ſhew forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkneſſe into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. Epheſ. 5.8. Rom. 13.12. away with darkneſſe, all darkneſſe of doubtings, of unbelief, of pride, &c. this darkneſſe is paſſing away from us, we muſt not call it back again, doe not again draw the curtains of darkneſſe about us; when the Sun is riſen, and a man begins to ſleep, and draw the curtains about him again, it is a ſign he means to ſlug it out; ſo when new light ſhines in our hearts, and we draw our old corruptions about us again, it is a ſhame fot us, Gal. 3.12. 2 Pet. 3.18. helpe one another out of darkneſſe, helpe thy Wife, and children, and Servants, and Friends, and Neighbours out of it, 1 Cor. 13.9.12. we cannot practiſe better than we know, but we know but in part, therefore pray, admoniſh, exort, cleanſe thy ſelf, and cleanſe others from the miſt and ſhaddow of darkneſſe, as much at may be.
Ʋſe 5. Of comfort to a Chriſtian; 1. Againſt troubles which many undergo in regard of darkneſſe of Spirituall eſtate; it is a common thing for Chriſtians to complain of darkneſs, of pride, of unbeliefe, of dulneſſe; fear lies upon us, with what ſhould we comfort our ſelves? we think no body is ſo, yes, here is ſome comfort for thee, all are ſo in ſome meaſure, it is ſo with the beſt, they have but a mixed eſtate, one croſſing and thwarting another; the faireſt day hath dark Clouds.
2 Is our darkneſſe deeper than others? but doe you not yet find it paſſing away? doe you not finde more faith, more obedience? doe you not make more conſcience of your thoughts, words, and actions? this is a comfort, your darkneſſe is going away, it waſts apace.
3 Here is a comfort againſt death; the time will come when all darkneſſe ſhall vaniſh away, Death will be but the breaking of our earthen Pitchers, and our light ſhall breake forth. Epictetus came forth one day, and ſaw a Woman mourning for breaking her pitcher, the next day he came forth, and ſaw another weeping for her Son, and he ſaid, Yeſterday an earthen pitcher broken, and to day a mortall body dead; as if it were the ſame to have a Pitcher broken, and to dye.
Ʋſe 6. Of tryall of our eſtates; would you know whether your grace be true or no? whether doe you finde your darkneſſe paſſing away, and light ſhining? a man may walke in a condition of darkneſſe, and ſee no light, viz. of peace and comfort, Iſa. 50.10 I, but doe you not then walke in a greater light of innocency, and watchfulneſſe and obedience? When a man is in the dark, he goes ſlowly, and warily, and lifts up his feet high every ſtep, Prov. 14.16. a godly man is afraid of ſomething in the way, but a wicked man goes on boyſterouſly; and confidently, he knows his way as well as you can tell him, but he is but a foole for his labour.