Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 17 – Verse 18, 19
1 JOHN 3.17,
But whoſo hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his Brother hath need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of pitty and compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Doct.
THere dwells no love of God in ſuch a mans heart, as having this worlds goods, ſtretcheth not out his hand to help the neceſſity of his Brother.
What is it to have the worlds good? In the Originall it is foreign, the life of this world, this worlds living, whereof to live, whereof to maintain his life.
Bowels of compaſſion. Becauſe compaſſion is an affection of griefe and love ſtirred up in us, by the ſight and ſence of one anothers miſery, as if we ſuffered with them; our compaſſion is ſtirred up as well as theirs, Heb. 13 3.
To ſhut up bowels, is to withdraw the affections, and the ſtirring of the entrails. A man many times hath little means to help, but if he have not bowels to worke for him, how dwells the love of God in ſuch a man? This is a peremptory queſtion, utterly denying all.
Reaſ. 1 From the nature of love. Such is love that God dwells in it, 1 Joh. 4.26. There is no affection wherein God reveales himſelfe more then in love, 1 Cor. 13.4. Love is bountifull, ready to be doing good, ſuccouring others in their need.
2 Conſider the nature of Brethren,
1 They are more worthy then our eſtate, one of their ſouls coſt more then all our eſtates, yea more then all the world. How dwels the love of God in us, if we love the world more then our Brother?
2 Look at our Brother as a member of Chriſt, hungry, thirſty, naked harbourleſſe. We could not but love Chriſt whereſoever we did ſee him, Mat. 25.40. and they are members of our own body, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26.
Ʋſe 1. Of inſtruction, and rules to order our lives aright, or any work of mercy.
1 Who ſhall relieve his Brother?
Anſw. He that hath this worlds goods, that can live, he muſt open his heart and hand. This therefore will reach not onelyonly to mens ſuperfluities, but if we can but live, if we have but what we labour and ſweat for, Epheſ. 4.28. We muſt not only labour for our ſelves, but give to him that hath need, 2 Cor. 8.3, 4, 5. Luke 21.34. & 8.3. Joh. 13.28, 29, & 12.6.
2. To whom muſt we be helpfull?
Anſw. He muſt, 1 Be a Brother, 2 Have need, 3 Every Brother. Gal. 6.10.
Beggars that are unable to labour, and would gladly labour, they muſt be relieved, Luke 16.20, 21. or ſuch as though they doe labour, yet cannot get a living, 2 Theſſ. 3.10.
2 A brother that hath need, Eph. 8.18. 1 Tim. 5.4, 5, Such are poor indeed, as have neither hands, friends, nor maintenance. A man is ſaid to be in need, not onelyonly when he is utterly caſt downe, but when he is falling.
3 Every Brother, one as well as another, Eccl. 10.2. Job 31.19.
4 Conſider the matter out of which we muſt give▪ out of this worlds good, Eccl. 10.1. When we have unjuſtly gotten, we muſt reſtore, Prov. 5.16, 17
5 The time when we muſt give; when we ſee our Brother hath need, that we may ſee it our s;elves beſtowed. It is a vanity to leave almes after our death, to be beſtowed by others, 1 Sam. 20.15. 2 Sam. 16.4, 19. If we give almes while we are alive, we ſhall have the benefit of them, the loynes of the poor ſhall bleſſe us; and though they have no heart to pray for us, yet the warmth of their loyns will bleſſe us. When we are dead, their prayers will do us no good, Luke 16.8, 9.
6 Give alms with compaſſion, give from within as well as from without, Iſa. 58.10. 2 Cor. 9.7. Give heartily, let your bowels work.
7 Give almes out of love to God, fetch your love deep, even from the love of God, who hath given thee a hand to give and him to receive.
Ʋſe 2. To reprove thoſe that are cloſe-handed, and cloſe-hearted. Though a man ſhould doe ſomething for company ſake, and out of vain glory, yet if he give not out of love and compaſſion, how dwells the love of God in ſuch a man?
3 Comfort to poor men that are in need. God ſo far takes their parts, as that he thinks there is no love to God in him that loves not, and helps not his Brother; not that people ſhould be idle, and ſturdy; worke a ſlack, and beg with a ſturdy hand.
1 JOHN 3.18, 19.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and ſhall aſſure our hearts before him.
THe Apoſtle exhorting to brotherly love, uſeth divers arguments. The third argument is taken from the ſecurity of ſuch mens conſciences that love in truth. But a man ſay, I may be decieved. To this St. John anſwers, If our own hearts condemne us not, God will leſſe condemne us.
Doct. That the love of chriſtians one to another, ought not to be verball, or in world onelyonly, but in deed, and in truth. Not in tongue, but in the truth of inward affection and deed, and performance, Pſal. 16 2, 3.
He confines not his love to them, but that all is an univerſality of the Subject, no part in him but expreſſeth love to them. He loves them in his words, thoughts, carriages, in his whole man, Pſal. 122. two laſt verſes, 2 Sam. 1.26. His heart was dearly affected to David, paſſing the love of women, in affection, action, 1 Sam. 18.3. He loved him as his owne ſoul.
Reaſ 1 From the unprofitableneſſe of lip love, it will neither doe thee good nor thy Brother, It is an empty love. Let us not love with an empty love, Jam. 2.15, 16. This will doe our brother no good, to pitty his nakedneſſe will doe him no good, nor us either, becauſe as is our love to our Brother, ſuch is Gods love to us. No man can aſſure himſelfe of his hearty receiving Gods reall love, unleſſe he loves his brethren really and heartily,
2. From the unſuitableneſſe of this verball love to Gods love towards Chriſtians, Luke 1.78. Iſa. 55.3. It is an hearty love, reall, John 13.10. He loves his enemies, Rom. 3.8. & 8.32.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove all ſuch love as falls ſhort of reality. Some fall ſhort of Lip-love, cannot afford their Brother a good word, or a good work, when they know a word in ſeaſon might be of ſuch uſe, for the maintaining of the innocency or honour of a man, not a bloſſome of love grows upon the tongue.
2. Such as give good words, but their hands are withered, and that ariſeth from withered affections, Prov. 23.7.8. He ſaith, Eat and drinke, but his heart is not with thee. 2 Pet. 1.27. He ſhews every man wants ability to love his Brother, if his heart be clogged with any baſe luſt, of envy, coveteouſneſſe, wantonneſſe, &c. If there be any Kitchin luſt, it will not endure this heavenly fire.
Doct The ſincerity of our love to our Brethren, is the ſecurity of our conſciences and eſtates before God.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove the Popiſh doctrine, That it is impoſſible to have a certainty of ſalvation. The Apoſtle ſaith here, We aſſure our hearts before God.
2. Of exhortation unto brotherly love in ſincerity, and to grow up in it. A man may give all that he hath, and yet not know love. Get your hearts purified from all luſts. The Word of God will purifie you, Pſal. 119.9. You ſhall finde a freſh ſpring of love bubling up and ſtreaming forth, and though your Brethren cannot recompence it to you, yet you ſhall have peace.
3. See here a means to ſeal confidence and beliefe of hearts. Cleanſe your hearts from ſin, that hinders brotherly love.
4. Of comfort to thoſe that love the Brethren heartily; you may be aſſured of your good eſtates,