Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 23
1 JOHN 3.23.
And this is his commandement, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and love one another, as he gave us commandement.
IN this Verſe he ſhews you what this commandement is, in keeping of which we obtain the grant of our prayers, This is his commandement that we believe in the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and that we love one another.
Doct. That in ſtead of loving God with all our hearts, the great and firſt commandement now is, that we believe in the Name of the Lord Jeſus.
When the holy Ghoſt would rank all the commandements under two heads, he reduces them to theſe two.
Firſt, That in ſtead of loving God with all our hearts, we muſt believe in Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, In ſtead of loving our neighbour as our ſelves, that we love our Brethren, as Chriſt commands. When Chriſt was demanded what was the firſt and great commandement, he anſwered, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and the ſecond is like unto this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, Mat. 22.36, to 39. But the Apoſtle John he ſums up the commandements in theſe two. He ſaith not here, theſe are the commandements, but this is the commandement: As if he ſhould have ſaid, there is no more commanded of God. 2 Tim. 1.13. Keep a pattern of wholſome words, which is the ſum of them? Faith and love in Chriſt Jeſus.
Q. What is meant by the Name of Jeſus Chriſt?
Anſ. Here is not meant the letters or ſyllables of the Name of Jeſus. There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be ſaved, but by the Name of Jeſus, Acts 4.12. It were ſuperſtition to believe there were virtue in the letters or ſyllables of the name Jeſus. He means, there is no perſon under heaven, whereby we can be ſaved, but onelyonly by him who is named the Lord Jeſus. As it is, Gen. 13.4. Abraham called on the name of the Lord, that is, upon the Lord, Phil. 2.10. The Apoſtle ſaith, At the name of Jeſus every knee ſhall bow. So Iſa. 45.24. there you may ſee what is meant by the Name Jeſus, and what is to bow to the Name Jeſus. Rom. 14.11. To bow to, or worſhip the Name Jeſus, is to worſhip the Perſon of Jeſus. He doth therefore add Name to the Lord Jeſus, becauſe we do believe in Chriſt by thoſe attributes given to him, it is by Chriſt we are ſaved. Now if we did not conſider him, as a Prieſt, a Prophet, and a King, he could not have ſaved us, theſe offices of Chriſt are the name of Chriſt.
Q. What is meant by believing in his Name?
A. There are three acts of Faith in believing in the Name of the Lord Jeſus.
1. To be perſwaded of his goodneſſe and promiſes. Doubting is oppoſed to faith, Rom. 4.20. Doubting and perſwaſion are acts of the minde.
2. Faith is an act of a mans will, whereby he truſts on the name of the Lord Jeſus. Not to beleeve in God, is not to truſt on God for his ſalvation, Pſal. 78.22. Credere in Chriſtum, 1 Pet. 2.6. is as it were to rowle our ſelves upon Chriſt. There are two things in Gods promiſes:
1. Truth.
2. Goodneſſe.
Ʋnderſtanding believes the truth, will accepts and cloſes with the goodneſſe. Theſe be acts about a promiſe.
3. There is a true faith, but yet weak, which doth not reach to thoſe, and yet reach to believeing in his Name, and hath ſalvation by his Name; which is, when a man can abide by the Lord, and will not away till he bleſſe him, like Jacob, Gen 32.26. This is the ſame with drawing neer to God, Pſal. 73.28. A man draws neer to God, when he is willing to forake all his luſts, and can find no ſatisfaction in earthly things, but onelyonly in the Lord.
Reaſ. 1. It is a work of greater honour to God to believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, then to love God, when we know him to be our friend. When a Chriſtian doth firſt begin to believe in Chriſt, he doth not take God as a friend, but as an enemy; now, to cleave to God when he is an enemy, is more then to love God when he is a friend unto us. For a ſoul to throw it ſelf on God when he is terrible, and ſeems as an angry God; now, not to let him go till he ſhews us mercy, is a famous thing. The faith of a weak Chriſtian becomes more famous then the love of a ſtrong Chriſtian. The one hath had the experience of Gods love, the other never felt the warmth of Gods Spirit in the heart.
2. This doth magnifie the grace of God, becauſe ſuch a ſoul as believes in Chriſt, doth rely on Chriſt for every bleſſing; he doth not truſt on the beſt graces he hath received, he doth not truſt on his own faith, but he truſts on Chriſt for the favour of God, and he believes that for his ſake every promiſe ſhall be fulfilled. This great commandment gives God & Chriſt all the honour.
3. Becauſe by faith we reſt on God for all the good we ſtand in need of, Rom. 4.16.
4. From the wickedneſſe of our nature, and impoſſibility to love God, before we truſt God, and before we be perſwaded that our ſins are forgiven. The end of the commandement is love. Whence comes this love? From faith unfained, 1 Tim. 1.5. John 14.1. Chriſts diſciples were much troubled, becauſe he was to leave the world, but he labours to comfort them, ſaying, Believe in God, believe alſo in me. but verſe 6. No man muſt think to believe in God, before they believe in Chriſt.
Ʋſe 1. This reproves a ſinfull error of the Doctors of the Church of Rome ▪ who ſay that Faith may be ſevered from Love. A man may believe in God and yet not love him. Which is contrary to this great commandment. We, do no ſooner believe in God, but we love him.
2. To exhort every ſoul, as they would deſire to do any thing pleaſing to God, to make this their greateſt duty, to believe in the Lord Jeſus. Faith and Love are correlatives. Let no man flatter himſelf in this, That he is born of good parents, that he lives in the boſome of the Church, and that he enjoyes Gods ordinances, but truſt thou on the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Pſal. 9.10. Now, we cannot truſt on God before we know him.
3. It teacheth this: That this believing on the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, is a divine thing. For Chriſt Jeſus is no creature, but equall with the Father, John 14.1.
4. Of comfort to every ſoul that believes in the Name of the Lord Jeſus. He fulfils this great commandement. Is not this a great comfort to a man, when he knows there is little that he can either do or ſuffer, but yet this he is perſwaded of, that he abides in Chriſt Jeſus, and truſts in God.
Doct. 2. The ſecond great commandement is that we love one another.
When the ſcribe asked Chriſt, What was the greateſt commandement of the Law? Mat. 22.36. Chriſt anſwers him, And the ſecond is like to it: Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. John ſaith here, to love one another.
Reaſ. 1. From the large extent of it. The is no duty or office of love which we perform to man, but is comprehended in this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. Love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. Love not your neighbour, and you break all the commandements of God.
2. Becauſe whatſoever we do perform without love is unprofitable. As without faith no duty profits, Heb. 4.2. So, without love we cannot profit our Brethren, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. Neither can we profit our ſelves. The Apoſtle exhorts that all be done in love, 1 Cor. 16.14. Love edifieth. Ib. 8.1.
3. Love makes all other duties honourable to our Brethren. They are beſt entertained of thoſe for whom we do any office of love▪ By love we ſhould ſerve one another, Gal: 5: 13: Love makes a Nurſe very painfull about her childe, you ſhall not have ſo much ſervice from any ſervant you keep as that ſervice a Nurſe performs; ſhe doth it freely and readily, love will make us ſerviceable without meaſure.
Ʋſe 1 Let us all be ſtirred up to have great reſpect to this great cammandement; If it be a worke of love, it is that which God requires. By love we perform all the commandement of God at once. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Whatſoever a man doth without love, it neither profits himſelf nor his brother. Whatſoever duty you performe to any Brother, if you do it not out of love, you will ſoon be weary of it, that is the trueſt hearted duty that is performed in love: avoyd we therefore ſuch occaſions as hinder us from loving one another, which is ſometimes ſtrangeneſſe, ſometimes enmity, ſometimes becauſe of the wickedneſſe of others, ſometimes ſelf-love.
For the firſt, avoyd ſtrangeneſſe one towards another, God loved us when we were ſtrangers to him, Col. 2.1. So ought we. Conſider alſo we may be ſtrangers. It's an ill quality in a dog to fly on ſtrangers. It is a Nabal-like nature to neglect any office of love to a ſtranger, 1 Sam. 25.
2. We muſt love thoſe that are our enemies, Rom. 5.10. Thus did Chriſt, whileſt we were enemies he dyed for us. Will a man hate ſuch a member as is painfull to him? No, he will rather labour to heal it. Shall we not be compaſſionate to thoſe members that make us ſick, or diſquiet us?
3. We muſt in no wiſe hate thoſe that do evill in Gods ſight or ours, but rather pity them, 2 Theſ. 3.14, 15.
4. The fourth enemy of love to our Brother is ſelf-love; We muſt love our ſelves, but we muſt not determinate our love in our ſelves: When men cannot love others but for themſelves, ſuch men may have a forme of godlyneſſe but deny the power of it, 2 Tim. 3, 1, 2, 3, to 5. The greater any cammandement is the more ready we are to break it. But (as we deſire our prayers ſhould proſper in heaven) ſo let us love one another, and let us do all that we do in love, This will do both our ſelves and others good.
2. Love we our Brethren in obedience to Gods commandement; this muſt be the rule of our love. There are many cankers in love, which this love in obedience to Gods commandment heals.
1. All carnall love ſprings from our nature, and ſo we love no farther then ſerves our owne ends, but love in obedience to Gods cammandement is ſpirituall.
2. If our love be not from a commandement it is faithleſſe; now, whatſoever is not of faith is ſin. Therefore our love muſt be in obedience to Gods commandement.
3. There is an immoderate love, which is not out of conſcience to God.
4. There is a licentious love, which is lawleſſe, but our love muſt be ruled by the commandement of God. We muſt love where, and becauſe God hath commanded us.
5 There is an inconſtant love. When men will love fervently for a time, be ready to put me in their boſome, but after a while their love grows cold. Theſe love according to their minde, Gal. 4.14. to 17. This is not according to the rule.
3 Let us love the Lord our God ſo much the more, becauſe he is carefull to lay this commandement on us, though a ſtranger, an enemy, a wicked man, God cannot endure the rank breath of hatred.
As he hath commanded us.
This is the rule of our love. How is thar? We ought to love our Brethren, as Chriſt hath loved us, Joh. 13.34. & 16.12.
Doct. The rule of our love one to another, is not now as we love our ſelves, but as Chriſt hath loved us.
Indeed, the rule in the Law was, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbor as thy ſelf, Lev. 19 18. But now a new commandement, ſo called, becauſe it is given by a new rule (As he hath given commandement.)
1 Chriſt denyed his own caſe and pleaſure, that he might ſave us from pain.
2 He denyed himſelf in his owne profit. He laid downe his owne ſoule, 2 Cor. 8.9. He laid down both earthly and heavenly profits, that we through him might be rich.
3 He denyed his own honour. He being in the form of God, yet made himſelf of no reputation, to ſave us from reproach.
4 As if all this had been too little, he denyed his own life, and laid it downe for us, John 3.16.
Reaſ. What is the reaſon of this difference, that our love to our neighbour muſt be ſo great above the love to our ſelves.
1 Becauſe there was no cauſe of denying our ſelves in innocency, but now man is fallen, he cannot raiſe up another, but he muſt ſtoop. If two men go together, if they go both upright, they may go hand in hand: but if one be faln, and not able to riſe, the other if he will raiſe him, muſt ſtoop down, and toyl to get him up. God hath raiſed up ſome ſooner then others, therefore we muſt take up our faln Brethren.
2 God requires love in a more exact manner and meaſure, becauſe he hath now given an higher and more exact pattern. We have the pattern of Chriſt, that forgave us ten thouſand talents, therefore we ought to forgive our Brethren an hundred pence, Mat. 18.
Ʋſe 1. This ſhould ſtir up all Chriſtians to walk now in an higher frame of love then formerly they were wont in times paſt. We walked then in a lower way, to love our Brother as our ſelves. But we muſt now ſay, I will do ſo for my Brother, as I may not prejudice my ſelf, my eſtate, credit, or life. But now, we that are ſtrong ought to bear the infirmities of the weaker, Rom. 15.1, 2. Now we muſt have the ſame minde in us which was in Chriſt Jeſus, Heb. 2.4. to 16. 2 Cor. 11.7, 8. Paul abaſed himſelf that they might be exalted, and denyed himſelf of many comforts, that he might help them. As Chriſt laid down his life for us, ſo muſt we for our Brethren in ſundry caſes, 1 John 3.16.
For more particular direction.
1 A man ought to deny his own expediences for his Brothers neceſſity, Neh. 5.18.
2 He ought to deny himſelf in outward things, to ſupply his Brethren in ſpiritual things. Thus Paul.
3 If a man be of a private condition, and his Brother of publique uſe to the Church, he ought to deny himſelf to maintain and ſuccour him, as they ſaid to David, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us. Rom. 16.4, 5. Aquila and Priſcilla.
2 This ſhould teach you that are of higher eſtate, to help your poor neighbours that are fallen into ſtraights, not through prodigality or ryot, but through Gods hand, or charge of children. You muſt not ſay, I muſt look to my ſelf, and to my children, that they be maintained. This was the old rule, now we muſt deny our ſelves and our own experiences, and be continually doing good in obedience to this commandement. It was a royal ſpeech of David, 2 Sam. 24. Shall I offer a ſacrifice of that that coſt me nothing? Heb. 13 15, 16. When God bleſſeth thee with many a pound, wilt thou offer a ſacrifice to God that coſt a penny, or a thing that coſt thee nothing? It's for you to bleſſe God that hath enriched you with ſuch abundance, and ſay with David, What ſhall I render to the Lord for all theſe goods? Your goods reach not to God, but to the Saints that are on the earth; and if you begin to ſtraighten your hands and hearts, you will finde God ſtraightning himſelfe to you. What a bleſſed thing were it, to be laying aſide ſomething for good uſes? Our Saviour that lived in ſo mean a condition, yet had care to provide for the poor, John 13.28.
Doct. There is not a more effectual means to the obtaining our petitions, then by growing up in practice of theſe two commandements, in believing on the Name of Chriſt, and love to our Brethren.
Mark 11.22. to 26. There you have both joyned together; Jam. 1.8 Let a man pray in faith, and waver not. When a Chriſtian is toſſed with doubtings and diſtractions, he ſhall rather drown his prayers, then bring them to the boſome of Chriſt Jeſus. Job's friends were godly men; but becauſe they dealt not in love with Job, God profeſſeth he would not hear them. Want of love to our Brethren, it damps our prayers before God. So that though our perſons be accepted, yet our prayers ſhall not.
Why is faith ſo neceſſary?
1. Faith makes our perſons acceptable to God. God heares the young ravens and lyons when they call upon him, he rather hears their miſery, then their prayer, but faith makes the perſon acceptable. Thus, By faith Abel, &c. Heb. 11.
2. Faith purifies the heart, Acts 15.9. If I regard wickedneſſe in my heart, God will not hear my prayers, Pſal. 66.18.
3 Faith furniſheth the heart with graces, that make our prayers amiable. There are four graces requiſite in prayer, and all are wrought by faith.
1 Reverence to God. A man without faith conſiders not before whoſe preſence he ſtands, he conſiders not that God is near to hear his petitions, but faith is the evidence of things not ſeen, it makes us come before God with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 11.27.
2 Faith breeds in us humility, whereby we come before God with a ſenſe of our unworthineſſe, and of the leaſt of Gods mercies, and an unableneſſe to ask any thing according to his will.
3 Faith works fervency and earneſtneſſe of ſpirit, that we will give God no reſt, 2 Sam. 15.16. Effectual fervent prayer is called a prayer of faith, For,
1 Faith puts life into every duty, Gal. 3.
2 Faith layes hold of the promiſes of God in Chriſt, and we urge and preſſe God upon his word.
3 Faith makes us very ſenſible of our wants, and therefore we cry very hard for help.
4 Faith works in us an holy canfidence, that what we ask, God will undoubtedly grant; and it's meant of faith in the Name of the Lord Jeſus.
There are three things in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, which Faith layes hold on.
1 Faith lays hold on the offices of his mediation. There had been no hope of acceptance, unleſſe there had been a Mediator to reconcile God and us, 1 John 2.1, 2. Heb. 4.14, 15, 16. Though we ſhould finde many weakneſſes in our ſelves, yet with confidence may we draw neer to God, ſeeing we have ſuch an High Prieſt which is touched with our infirmities; he is that great Maſter of requeſts, that is in ſuch favour with God, that he never preſents up a prayer to God, but he returns ſuch an anſwer, that we need not go away with ſad hearts, John 16.…3, 24.
2 Faith lookes at Chriſt as him in whom all the promiſes are yea and amen, 2 Cor. 5.20.
3 Faith layes hold on all the attributes of God, ſet on work by Chriſt for our good: So that if we look for wiſdome, grace or power, they are all ſet on work for the good of his Church. The name of the Lord is a ſtrong tower, that is, the attributes of God, the righteous flye to it.. How? By faith.
Q. How is the love of our Brethren ſuch an effectual means for the obtaining of our prayers?
Anſ. 1. Love enlargeth us to forgive injuries done unto us, and that moves God to forgive us our treſpaſſes. To forgive us a work of love.
2 Love is ready to give, Acts 10.4. God was ready to give ear to the prayer of Cornelius, becauſe he was ready to give alms.
3 There be to whom we can give little, but yet there is a good opinion and eſteem to be had of them. Now this is a fruit of love to eſteem well of our Brethren, and to judge charitably, and this prevails with God to have a good conceit of our prayers. If we be eſtranged and alienated from our Brother in ill conceits, we ſhall finde God to be eſtranged to us. This was the fault of Job's friends, they had an hard conceit of him, which was for want of love, and this provoked God againſt them. Mat. 5.23, 24. God will accept of no prayer as long as he ſees in us a harſh conceit of our Brother.
Ʋſe 1. To exhort us in the Lord, when we go about any ſuch duty as prayer is, to preſent it up unto God, in the ſpirit of faith and love. They are ſuch ſpecial graces, as without them no prayer can be accepted. Let us but labour to grow up in theſe two, faith towards God, and love to our Brethren, and then whatſoever we ask being darted up by theſe two, ſhall find acceptance with God.
Ʋſe 2. Of conſolation to every ſoul that comes in any meaſure with faith and love before God, we ſhall not put up any petition, but we ſhall finde God ready to anſwer it.