Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 4 · Verse 16
1 JOHN 4.16.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us, &c.
THeſe words contain a third argument to prove a propoſition laid down, verſ. 12. That they that love one another, God dwels in them, and the argument is taken from the knowledge and faith, that ſuch have of the love that God hath towards them, and it ſtands thus; they that have known and believed the love that God hath to them, ſuch dwell in God, and God in them; but they that love one another, do know and believe the love that God hath to them. Ergo—
Doct. That loving Chriſtians doe diſcern the love that God hath to them, as well by knowledge as by faith.
We have known and believe the love that God hath to us, this love is wrapt up in the boſome of the Father, and no man can diſcern either love or hatred by any outward thing; but yet this love is manifeſted by faith and knowledge; faith and knowledge are both acts of the judgement, for both are Scientia axiomatis certi, the knowledge of a certain truth, for it is not divine Faith, unleſſe it be of ſuch a truth, Cui ſubeſſe falſum non poteſt.
Queſt. How thou doth faith and knowledge differ?
Anſw. Faith is the judgement of a certain truth, but certain by divine teſtimony, whether of the Spirit or of the Word; the apprehenſion we have of a truth by the authority of a divine teſtimony is faith; but knowledge is the judgement of a truth certain, not only by a divine teſtimony, but either by ſenſe or experience, or evident reaſon; experience is but an obſervation of divers Sciences, and ſo moſt of the rules of practicall Art are knowne by experience, or by evident reaſon; ſuch are Mathematical rules gathered by certain principles of evident reaſon; ſuch therefore as love one another, have a certain perſwaſion of Gods love to them, by ſome divine …
…
3 A loving … love of God to him by evid… reaſon, by artificial argu… … judgement of Gods love to him.
Firſt, From … in a Chriſtians heart, when he is once be… … exhorts them to be loving and ge… to a… … …metimes fooliſh diſobedient and … one another, Iames … do you think the Scripture ſpeaks in vain, the … in us luſteth after envy, the frame of our natural temper luſteth after envy emulation, as the ſparks flye upward; … therefore we find this temper ſubdued, that we can think well, and ſpeak well, and doe good mee… to our brethren; way, this is an evident argument, that God hath ſhewed love to us, or, … the could never have ſo freely loved others.
2. From the knowledge … may have of … in Chriſt becauſe they ſee us expreſſin… … Iohn 13. … this ſhall all men know that ye are the Diſciples if … men forward and ready … …elpfulneſſe to their … …ill ſay, ſurely he is … that company; i… therefo… … to be Chriſt …, may not … it our ſelves? …ay not … diſcern love to … all … world knows it?
Ʋſe 1. Of refuta… of …e Popiſh …, that faith is rather defined by … the evidence of things not ſeen; but we … and … well ſtand together, … we … know a … we can believe; when Steven ſaw Chriſt … at the right …, what did he not then believe it? For that place, Heb … not a definition of faith, but a deſcription of … of the … that it makes things evident; that we …; as by faith …, though we … his feeling … not his faith, but helpeth it, John 20.27, 28.
2. Bellarmine and moſt of the … ſay, that … i… ſpectalis miſericor…, is not … but praeſumpti… certainly their errour is preſumptuous, for doth not the Apoſtle plainy ſay We … the love that God hath to as?
Ʋſe 2. This may be a ſtrong …, to be abundant in love, and tender heartedneſſe one to another, little doth a man know how he diſturbs the … of … own conſcience, that diſturbs another mans peace true it is … wrong his brother in evill … hard ſpeeches, in doing evill … and he goes … other times, and thinks all is right as … that the Lord is departed from him; ſo that there is as … difference betwixt himſelf now, and himſelf at other times, as betwixt a man found and a man fainting away with ſome evill diſeaſe: or betwixt a Vine of September and December, formerly full of ſap and … now dead and …; Why, what's the matter the heart is ſo ſtraight and heavy? Why our bowels have been ſhut up towards our brethren, and therefore God ſhuts up his favour and helpfulneſſe from us therefore we hear much and profit little, receive the Sacrament often, and little good done; as you deſire therefore to keep Gods love freſh, and ſpringing up in you, ſo let love to your brethren grow up and ſpring in you. Many a ſoule is in feare and doubts of Gods love to him, Why what muſt he doe? Why, ſtir up your love to God and your brethren and God will manifeſt his love to you, …. 2.13. Mercy rejoyceth against judgement; If a man have an heart pitying the miſeries of others, whether in their bodies, or in their ſouls, at the day of judgement, when others tremble and quake, merciful men ſhall rejoyce, Matth. 5.7.