Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 1
1 JOHN Chap. III. Verſ. 1.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God; therefore ehe world knoweth us not, becauſe it knew him not.
THE Apoſtle having delivered this as a truth, that they that work righteouſneſſe are born of God, and knowing how apt we are to paſſe over ſuch a mercy without ſerious and humble acknowledgement, he ſtirs them up to conſider of this mercy
The Apoſtle removes a double objection.
Obj. 1. We meet with none that acknowledge us the Sons of God.
Anſw. To this John anſwers: Not every one ackonwledgeth this, but they that work righteouſneſſe; not the world, becauſe they know not Chriſt.
Again, from ſome doubts Gods Children make within themſelves; partly for corruption, partly for affliction.
Obj. 2, What with corruptions and afflictions, we have much adoe to be perſwaded that we are the Sons of God.
Anſw. To this the Apoſtle anſwers: now we are the Sons of God. Take us in our ſtrongeſt corruptions and afflictions, we are Gods Sons; but it doth not appear what we ſhall be; when he appeareth, we ſhall be like him, free from corruption and affliction, expreſſed by the reaſon, we ſhall ſee him.
Then he informs them of their duty, He that hath this hope, &c.
1. The manner of Gods love to us, we are called his children.
2. The exhortation to behold and look at this love.
3. The removall of an objection.
Note. It is a great and wonderfull love of God, that we are accounted and called the Sons of: Behold, what manner of love! ſuch a love as cannot be ſaid how much, Matth. 8.27. Luke 1.29. Epheſ. 2.4, 5. where ſpeaking of quickening us to our new birth, he ſaith it is a rich mercy, great love, Tit. 3.4, 5. 1 Pet. 1.3. abundant mercy.
Reaſ. From our wonderfull unworthineſſe of ſuch a favour. We have a fourfold unworthineſſe.
1. Prodigall riotous waſte of originall righteouſneſſe, Luke 3. ult. Adam was the Son of God by Creation, but he ſold it for an apple; more profane then Eſau, becauſe he ſold it for neceſſity and hunger, Adam not ſo; now for God to give us a new ſtock, to ſet us upon our legs again, argues wonderful love and mercy. Luke 15.21. The Prodigall his father had beſtowed a portion upon him, he ſpent it rioutouſly, now he freely and rightly acknowledgeth, I am unworthy, &c. Might not every Son of Adam ſay as much.
2. Our eſtrangement from God, and enmity againſt God, before we be called the Sons of God, Col. 1.21. If a man ſhould adopt a child, would he adopt a ſtranger or an enemy?
3. There is no child of God, but time was when he was as an enemy to God, ſo an Harlot: ſuppoſe a King ſhould marry his firſt born to an Harlot that were his enemy, and preſſe him to take her; would not this ſeem ſtrange? We were Harlots, running a whoring after our pleaſures and profit; What a depth of love is it for God to offer us his Chriſt, his onelyonly Son in marriage to us; what manner of love is this?
4. There is nothing that God could expect from us, but what is naught; many a man will match his daughter with one that hath not ſo much means, but he is an underſtanding man, able to manage his eſtate▪ A man will ſay, Had I ſuch a man in hand, I could ſet him in ſuch a courſe, that he ſhould thrive and do well; but how much ſhame and diſhonour have we been to God? 2 Sam. 12.12, 13. Noah's drunkenneſſe, Lot's inceſt, Abrahams diſſimulation which an heathen King could check him for: What a diſcredit hath God by us?
Reaſ. 2. From the little need God hath of us. Men uſe not to adopt, unleſſe they have none of their owne. God had a naturall Son, Chriſt; and the Angels are his Sons by Creation, Chriſt was Gods Son, in whom he had pleaſure. Men if they have children of their own, and adopt others, it is becauſe they are unthrifty.
Reaſ. 3. From the great difficulty ere we could be the Sons of God, Chriſt came from heaven, and muſt be humbled even to the death, Gal. 4.4, 5. God denyes his naturall Son, abaſeth him.
Reaſ. 4. The excellent benefits we are called to hereby.
1. We call God Father, 1 Sam. 18.23. Is it a light matter for the God of Heaven and earth to be called your Father, ſince you are but men?
2. Chriſt is your Brother, Heb. 2.11, 12.
3. You partake with him in the Spirit, the Comforter, John 14.16, 17. Rom. 8.14.26, 27. Ezek. 36.27. Whereas before you had but rough hewn ſpirits, God ſheds his owne Spirit abroad in us, makes us partakers of the divine nature, that we ſhould have high thoughts of a Kingdome, eternall life.
4. Proviſion for a Son here, proviſion for an Heir hereafter: God provides ſpiritual and temporall means, Deut. 8. God nurtures us, waſheth us Ethiopians, and hath given us an inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. If a man ſhould ſit down as David did, 2 Sam. 7.18. and conſider what God hath done for ſuch mean men, &c.
Ʋſe 1. To refute all good opinion that men have of themſelves, they know not that God hath no need of us, they know not what Chriſt paid for us, they know not what a great mercy it is to have God our Father, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. They never knew what manner of love it is.
2. To reprove a great unworthineſſe of Gods Children, and a ſhamefull diſhonour they put upon him, when they are aſhamed to call him Father. This is the caſe of many of Gods ſervants, when they come in bad company. they cover themſelves with a veil of carnality. What do we loſe by calling God Father, doth not God rather loſe by calling us children? This Peter's ſin coſt him many a bitter tear, Matth. 26.75.
3. This ſhould teach all the children of God to love God with all heir ſtrength and might. We can never abound too much in love, 1 John 4.19.
Here we may learn how much we are bound to love our Brethren, let us inlarge the bowels of our affections, and think we can never ſufficiently love them. If the King favour any man, every man will be looking at him, and ingratiating themſelves with him.
5. This teacheth worldly men how much they wrong themſelves, to deprive themſelves of this manner of love, when they content themſelves with other things.
Note. God would have every childe of his to behold his love in calling us his children. Behold implyes preſence, evidence, eminency. Ther's ſome thing in the object, and in the act.
1. For the object.
1. What we behold is preſent, we cannot behold what is abſent.
2. It is evident and ſenſible; none can behold a ſpirit, or the wind.
3. It is a thing of weight; excellent and eminent, John 1.29. Pſal. 133.1.
2. In the act, beholding implyes;
1. A looking with the eye.
2. To conſider a thing.
3. To fix our eyes upon it.
Reaſ. 1. For his own glory. There is nothing wherein God doth more ſhew his glory, Rom. 9.23. Eph. 2.4, 5.
2. That we might the better ſupport our ſpirits againſt the diſcouragements we meet with, from the world, which knows us not.
3. That ſo we may be perſwaded to love God, and ſtrengthned to doing and ſuffering, 2 Cor. 5.14.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove mens ſquint-lookings, they do not look at Gods love, but into themſelves, Lam. 1.12. and their owne corruptions and afflictions; it is a wonder Gods children ſhould pore only upon corruptions, and not conſider what love it is for God to diſcover them to a man, and pardon them; ſo when Gods children look at great matters in the world; if they looke a ſquint at gain, do you look that your ſins are ſubdued, Luke 10.19, 20.
2. It reproves a Popiſh opinion that looks at our adoption and ſpirituall eſtate as doubtfull and uncertain, Eccl. 9.2. Why then are we bidden to behold it? Can a man behold that which cannot be ſeen? If a man be bidden to behold, the thing is preſent and viſible.
3. To lift up the hearts of all Gods people, to faſten their meditations much upon the love of God. We read ſuch ſpeeches, as, who works righteouſneſſe is born of God, but we are ready to paſſe over ſuch things, therefore St. John ſaith, Stand ſtill, and behold, look at it as a preſent benefit, and reſt not till you ſee it preſent and evident; look narrowly at this; when you doe find it, ſtand and behold what God hath done for you, wonder to behold it, ſo ſhall you honour God wonderfully. What though you meet with a world of corruptions, temptations, diſcouragements; this above all; God will not ſuffer thoſe he loves to want ſpport.
Againſt this point of Gods wonderfull love, that it is evident, ſenſible, and preſent, an objection may ariſe.
Obj. The world knows no ſuch matter?
Anſ. The Apoſtle confeſſeth it, and renders a reaſon, The world knows not you, becauſe it knows not him.
Note. The world knows not the children of God, John 16.2. Did they know them to be children, they would not kill them. It is not good ſervice to a Father to have his children killed, 2 Cor. 4.8. 1 King. 18.17. A ſigne he did not know him, for he was the chariots and horſemen of Iſrael, their ſtrength, ſtay, and protection under God.
Q. What is ment by world?
Anſw. Not the whole body of the Creation, nor only reaſonable men, but that part of the world that is deſtitute of Gods Spirit.
1. Theſe are called the world, becauſe born of the world, as in the world, John 8.23. 1 John 4.5. born of corrupt nature, defiled whith the world.
2. They have their portion in this world, as a man is ſaid to be of ſuch a place where his means lyeth, Pſal. 17.14.
3. The world is the object of all their thoughts and affections.
4. They are the greateſt part of the world, 1 John 5.19.
5. The world is called by the name of wicked men, it borrows its name from them, 2 Pet. 2.5.
Q. What is meant by this, that they know not Gods children?
Anſw. 1. Knowledge is taken for diſcerning, and many times they do not diſcern who be the children of God, as appears by the former reaſons.
2. They do not ocknowldge them. As if a friend of old acquaintance ſhould paſſe by, and give no teſtimony of acknowledgement; we ſay, ſuch a one would not know me.
3. They are ready to do ill offices to them, John 16.2.
Reaſ. Is taken from the ſecond Doctrine, becauſe they know not Chriſt, they know not you, 1 Cor. 2.8. Acts 3.17. John 16.2, 3. & 15.21. In reaſon, if a man know not the face or head of a man, he knows not the hand or any other part, no part ſo eaſily diſcerned as the head: Chriſt is the head of his members, if they knew not him the head, they know not us the members. John had told us before, that if we know Chriſt to be righteous, then we know that they that work righteouſneſſe are born of him; the world is ignorant of Chriſts righteouſneſſe.
1. They look at God as righteous, yet as mercifull, and to ſave men out of Chriſt, therefore they think God requires not ſo much as is found in the lives of Gods people, but think it ſuperſtitious.
2. The world doth look at God as righteous, yet a reſpecter of perſons: As, take a righteous judge, yet if that men put forth themſelves, and many of them, they will ſway him. So men think that learned men and wiſe, God muſt needs accept, and they cannot go wrong, John 7.48.
3. It is the conceit of men, that God bleſſeth the good with proſperity and the wicked have want and adverſity: So did Job's friends.
4. They meaſure Gods righteouſneſſe to reach no farther then the ſecond Table.
5. It any be ſo enlightned, that they know God requires ſervice to himſelfe, they content themſelues with performance of duties, without engaging of their hearts and lives, Pſal. 51.6.
6. Some that are of the beſt diſcerning, they finde ſome deſires after the Word, ſome affections in prayer and faſting, Rom. 10.3.4. They performe duties, not onelyonly to men but God, and they doe God ſervice zealouſly, where is the defect? They being ignorant of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, go about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe; they know God requires righteouſneſſe with zeal, and yet they know not the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, they think that the doing of good duties, and that zelouſly, will ſerve them at the day of judgement; they never knew what need they had of Chriſt to cover their imperfections, and to help them to perform good duties; hence thoſe did perſecute Paul, who knew the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt better then they, Acts 21. &c.
Obj. But doth it not fall out oftentimes that evill men know good men? Herod knew John.
Anſw. Sometimes a hypocrite may diſcern a righteous man, but then they are more then meer worldly men, 1 Cor. 12.1, 2, 3. There muſt be ſome works of the Holy Ghoſt.
2. There is a defect in all ſuch mens knowledge, they cannot diſcern them of weak grace, and many corruptions, but eminent men they may. Herod reverenced John, and deſpiſed Chriſt.
Ʋſe 1. Of refutation of two Popiſh opinions.
1. They ſay that the Church of God is a viſible Church alwayes to the world. If we ſay that the Church is not viſible to the world, we ſay no more then St. Iohn ſpeaks.
2. They ſay none can know himſelf to be born of God. St. John makes it the property of a worldling not to know the children of God, much more not to know himſelf to be a child of God, Gal. 6.10. If a man could not know one from another, how ſhould he make this difference? Gods owne ſervants many times have but little diſcerning, as an old man naturally hath a very bad diſcerning▪ can hardly ſee his friends, unleſſe he be nigh them, and look upon them. Many times a man is able to give a fuller teſtimony of another, then of himſelf.
Ʋſe 1. It reproves all the uncertain walks of Gods ſervants, or ſuch as profeſſe themſelves ſo to be. You ſhall have them many times to walk ſo unevenly between God and their own ſouls, between themſelves and men; either you are worldly, or your brethren, elſe they would know you to be the children of God, or of the world, 1 Theſ. 1.4.
Ʋſe 3. It is a ground of tryall of a mans eſtate. If thou knoweſt not that they which fear God are born of him, thou art yet of the world, and doſt not know Chriſt, if thou love them not, nor affect them, nor lend an helping hand unto them.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us, that Gods children are hidden and unknown to the world. A man that is wealthy and carries things meanly, we ſay ſuch a man is an hidden man, he is worth thouſands. Gods people are worth millions, but they are hidden men, the world knows them not. If a pearl fall into the dirt, you cannot diſcern it but waſh away the dirt, and you ſhall ſee it ſparkle.
Ʋſe 5. It ſhould teach Gods children to moderate the affections of carnall excellency and acceptance in the world. It is a leven of hypocriſie and pride that infects many times the hearts of Gods people, they would be ſomewhat. The world knows you not. Be willing to go as unknown men in the world, John 5.44. A Prince that comes among his ſubjects diſguiſed, he cares not though they juſtle him, and take place of him, and ſpeak hardly of him; a Prince would ſmile within himſelf, he knows how they would reſpect him, if they knew him. Shal the hand or foot take it ill, that it is not known, when as the head was not known?
Ʋſe 6. It ſhould work in Gods children an inclination to forgive wrongs and injuries; if they knew you better, they would uſe you better, Luke 23.34. Acts 3.17.
Obj. They ſpeak moſt unjuſtly and undeſervedly.
Anſw. Pity their malice, and envy them not.
Ʋſe 7. It may teach the world not to flatter themſelves in doing ill to Gods ſervants; you think it is out of wiſdome, it is indeed out of ignorance, and becauſe they know not Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe.