Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 4
1 JOHN 3.4.
Whoſo committeth ſin, tranſgreſſeth the Law.
IN the words, and in the following to verſe 7. he uſeth four motives to ſtir up to ſelf-cleanſing.
The 1. is from the danger of committing ſin, proved from the proper definition of ſin. Sin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law.
2. From the end of Chriſts coming, and that was to take away ſin.
3. From the pattern of Chriſt, who was without ſin.
4. From the practice of ſuch, as have any fellowſhip by union with Chriſt. Whoſoever abideth in Christ ſinneth not; Set out by the contrary, He that committeth ſin, he hath neither ſeen Chriſt, nor known him.
Doct. It is and ought to be a ſufficient motive to every hopeful christian, to abſtain from ſin, becauſe it is the tranſgreſſion of the Law, Numb. 14.41. Why will ye goe up? why will ye tranſgreſſe the Law?
The Rechabites were commended becauſe they kept their fathers commandement. And he hereby convinceth the Jewes of rebellion, that the Sons of mortall men ſhould make more conſcience of obeying their dead fathers, then his people of his Laws, Dan. 9.11. Neh. 9.34▪ 35. Rom. 2.22, 23, 24. Jam. 2.9.
Reaſ. 1 From the Law-giver, he looks at every ſin as an abrogation of his ordinances, Deut. 27. ult. He that walks in his Law confirmeth it, ſets his ſeal to it. They who breake it would make it of no force. This is one act of high rebellion againſt God, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8.
2 From the wrath and diſpleaſure God pronounceth againſt every tranſgreſſor, Jer. 7.19. & 44.4.
3. God takes it as a diſhonour to the power and efficacy of his word, Jer. 5.22, 23. God looks at it as a more boyſterous and unruly paſſage in a man to break the bounds of his Law, then for the Sea to breake its bounds.
4. From the delight God takes in the keeping and keepers of his Law, 1 Sam. 15.22. He more delights in obedience, then in the cattle of an hundred hills, Prov. 23.26. My Son, give me thy heart. That is more acceptable then all the Sacrifices. Tranſgreſſion is as rebellion, and the ſin of witchcraft.
Reaſ. 2. Feom the Law it ſelf.
1 It's holy, juſt, and good, and therefore it is abominable to tranſgreſſe it. For this is a ſin againſt Holineſſc, Juſtice and Goodneſſe.
2. From the vigour and efficacy of this Law, offering life to the obedient, Pſal. 19.11. 1 Tim. 4.8. Pſal. 119.16. death to the diſobedient, Gal. 3.10. Iſa. 59.1, 2. 2 Chron. 16.11.
Ʋſe 1. To reprove ſuch as are afraid to breake mens Laws, for feare of penalty, and are ſenſible of ſuch dangers, but are not afraid to violate and breake the holy and righteous Lawes of God. This argues a moſt rebellious and revolting heart. Such are not hopefull chriſtians.
2. To teach and exhort us to make conſcience of all our wayes, and to take heed to our paths, leſt we tranſgreſſe the Law, and ſin againſt God, Prov. 28.9. If we turn away our ears from hearing Gods Law, even our prayers are abominable. The conſideration of this ſhould keep us from ſecret petty ſins. For though man ſeeth not, yet God ſeeth and will puniſh, 2 Sam. 12.11, 12. If we think to get honour, profit, or pleaſure by ſin, we deceive our ſelves. Is it not as grievous a thing to have our ſoule wounded by our darling childe, as our mortall enemy? It is all one to be ſtabbed to the heart with a pen knife and with a ſword. Every ſin wounds and rents our hearts. Abſtain we from all ſin, even the leaſt ſin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law.
3. This refutes ſuch as think the Law is not given to the regenerate. The Apoſtle here encourageth hopefull chriſtians not to tranſgreſſe the Law.
Obj. But we are not under the Law, but under grace.
Anſw. He means we are not under the covenant of works, but of Grace, Pſal. 119.105.
Obj. As Chriſts paſſive obedience freeth from the curſe, ſo his active obedience freeth from the commanding power of the Law.
Anſw. 1. Chriſt hath done this, and therefore thoſe that are in Chriſt fear not death by their diſobedience, nor look for life by their obedience; but we look at the Law as a rule of obedience, that we may walke according to God, and ſhew that we live by endeavouring to keep his commandements. Take heed of Satans ſlights, that would make the Goſpel a Superſedeas to the Law in certain things; pray not, preach not, but when the Spirit moveth. Thus you ſhall ſet up a Spirit of deluſion.
For ſin is a tranſgreſſion of the Law.
This is a perfect definition of ſin; tranſgreſſion is the genus, the Law the difference.
By Law in Scripture without addition, is meant the Law of the ten commandements, Jam. 4, 11, 12. & 2.10, 11.
Obj. 1. What if a man ſin againſt the Law of nature, is not that a ſin?
Anſw. Ir is in effect and ſubſtance the ſame, Rom. 2.15. Though the Law of nature was more dimly and darkly known, Moſes law was but a new draught of the Law of nature in innocency. Heathen Law-givers, Philoſophers, and Poets have expreſſed the effect of all the commandements ſave the tenth, Rom. 2, 14.15.
Obj. 2. Was it not a ſin to tranſgreſſe the Ceremoniall and Judiciall Law?
Anſw. To the Jewes it was. The ceremoniall Law was but an examplification of the ſecond Commandement, and the Judiciall Law doth but explain the ſecond Table. The Judiciall, in regard of the equity, is included in the morall Law, the Ceremoniall ſtood in force till Chriſt dyed.
Obj. 3 Is it not a ſin to tranſgreſſe the Goſpel? and is not unbeliefe a ſin? Joh. 16.9. Is not new obedience required in the Goſpel? Joh. 14.21. Ezek. 36.27. What ſay you to the commandements of the Goſpel, that we ſhould walke as Chriſt walked?
Anſw. The commandements of the Goſpel are all of them reduceable under the commandements of the Law, God commanding perfect conformity and obedience to his whole will, not only revealed, but to be revealed. If God command David to bring in muſick into the Temple, 2 Chron. 29.25. though Moſes ſpeake nothing of it, yet this was expreſſed, to heare and obey God in all things, Deut. 18.18. God commanded to hearken to Chriſt, Moſes improperly and hiddenly delivered the ſubſtance of the Goſpel, partly in the ceremonial Law, partly in the Sacrament of circumciſion and the paſſover. Chriſt was veyled under them, Rom. 10.5.6, 7, 8. with Deut. 30.12. The word of faith ſpoken of by Moſes, Gal. 3.24.
Tranſgreſſion is foreign, want of Law, and abſence of it, when a man ſpeaks and doth without Law, what we doe againſt it, or beſide the Law, it is foreign.
Reaſ. Taken from the end for which God gives the Law, to be the means of perfection, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Sin is called errour from the Law, Iſa. 63.17. Jam. 5.20. Prov. 21.16. He that wanders out of the way of righteouſneſſe, ſhall rejoyce among the dead.
Ʋſe 1 Of refutation of the works of Popiſh ſupererogation, which are held forth as better and more perfect then the Law, for the Law never commands ſuch things; ſuch are thoſe monkiſh vows of perpetuall virginity and voluntary poverty: if theſe be above the Law, then they are tranſgreſſors of the Law, Iſa. 1.12, 13. Will a man be wiſer then his maker, holyer then the Law-giver? Joſh. 1.7, 8. To deviſe a worſhip better then God hath appointed, is worſe then to faile in breaking Gods Law. This is meer impotency, the other is arrogancy, caſting aſperſion on Gods wiſdome.
2. They further hold ſome ſins to be veniall in themſelves, ſome mortal. If they be ſins, then they fall under the curſe, The wages of ſin is death.
3. That originall ſin in the regenerate is no ſin, but David ſaith, that he was conceived in ſin; and original ſin in whomſoever it is found, it is a tranſgreſſion of the tenth Commandement.
4. They ſay that mans Law doth binde the conſcience, and the tranſgreſſion of mans law is ſin.
We anſwer and grant, when theſe laws are grounded on Gods Laws, they binde, not otherwiſe. If the breaking of mens lawes is a ſin, then the keeping of them were a virtue, but this is hypocriſie, Iſa. 29. We muſt be ſubject for conſcience ſake.
2 Againſt thoſe that hold, that infants are without original ſin, but the Scripture ſaith, they are conceived in ſin.
3 To reprove the familiſts, who hold, that godly and regenerate men are in no wiſe ſubject to the Law, but are freed from the condemning and commanding power of it. But if they ſin, then certainly they are tranſgreſſors of the Law.
Ʋſe 2. Of inſtruction.
1. That all the ſins and good things found in the whole Bible, are to be ranked within the compaſſe of the ten Commandements.
2. That all nations are under the Law.
3. That the Law and Goſpel mutually thus agree. That the Law of Moſes is included in the Goſpel, and yet the Law and Goſpel are not confounded founded together. The Goſpel requires that in the way of thankfulneſſe we ſhould keep the Commandements of God, Ezek. 36.27.
3 This ſhould diſcourage us from all ſin, and encourage us to labour to purge our ſelves from all ſin. All ſin is the tranſgreſſion of the Law of God. Let not pleaſures, profits, or credit allure us to ſin againſt God; Shall we for our own ends ſin againſt God, and ſo tranſgreſſe his holy, good, and righteous Law, we muſt take heed how we meddle with that we have no Law for. We muſt prove all our paths by the ſtony Tables of Gods Law, Pſal. 119.105. Obedience is the fulfilling of the Law, and hath great recompence of reward.