Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 4 · Verse 21
1 JOHN 4.21.
And this Commandement have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother alſo,
WE come now to obſerve one poynt out of the words themſelves.
Doct. 1. The ſame commandement that requires love to God, requires love to our brethren alſo.
God requires no man to love him, but he requires him alſo to love his brethren; it's one of the great Commandements of the Law, neglect love to your brethren, and you neglect love to God likewi… and this direction Chriſt himſelfe gives, Matth. 5.23, 24. Which imply… a… God would not accept a ſervice to himſelfe without reconcilement to … Brother, ſo God will not accept any Office of love to himſelfe, if we come not in love to our brethren. God loveth a cheerful giver, that doth it in hearty love and affection, God would ſtay for his ſervice, and he would have us ſtay, till we be at peace with our brother, not but that our love to God ought to be greater, and in caſe of competition, God will be loved even with the hatred of our brother, but when there may be a ſuburdination of their loves, he requires the one as well as the other, 1 Tim. 2.8. Let us lift up pure hands, without wrath and doubting, and he means wrath to our Brethren; as when a man comes with doubtings he is not accepted, Jam. 1, 7. ſo neither is he accepted when he comes in …ath; nay, if he comes in wrath, he either wants faith, or his faith is full of doubtings, or elſe it's a falſe faith, The wrath of man accompliſheth not the righteouſneſſe of God, Jam. 1.20. a man can doe no righteous ſervice to God, if he come in wrath.
Reaſ. 1. From the near relation that lyes between God and our brethren, God looks at his people, as his children, as his Spouſe, as his Members, and therefore oft times, he will longer bear with injuries done to himſelfe, then to his members; Pharoah was an heathen Prince, but yet God paſt by that, he doth not charge him for his horrible idolatry and filthy abominations, God winked at theſe things, but when Gods people came amongſt them, and were evill intreated by them, then Moſes his meſſage is, Exod. 4.22, 23. Iſrael is my Son, even my firſt born, and if thou refuſe to let him goe, I will ſlay thy ſon, even thy firſt born; this was that which made God fall ſo heavily upon him, for oppoſing of his people: ſo though Babylon abounded with many Idolatries, yet God makes little mention of it, but he puniſheth them, for the inſolency againſt his people, Pſal. 137.8.9. Zach. 1.15. I am very ſore diſpleaſed with the Heathens that are at eaſe, for I was but a little displeaſed, and they helped forward the affliction. They are his members like us, and therefore the injury done to them, redounds to God himſelfe, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? and they are ſuch members as art as dear to him as the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. Now he will endure touching any where elſe rather then on the apple of his eye. God knows that mens goodneſſe extends not to him, ſo neither doth their hatred; if we be wicked and injurious; what harm can we doe to him? Why, God will bear much longer Idolatry, ſwearing, and other groſſe ſins, then injuries put upon his people: how long did God endure the heathen Monarchs, till they fell ſore upon the Church? the Roman ſtate flouriſhed exceedingly above ſeven hundred years; though their Capital was filled with all manner of Gods, but the times of this ignorance God regarded not, but followed them with great Victories and deſignes, and there were many worthy men among them for valour and prudence; but when the Emperours grew hot againſt the Chriſtians, and perſecuted them, God would endure them no longer, but tumbled their Monarchy into the duſt: Touch not mine anointed, and doe my Prophets no harm. Some man will endure much more injury againſt himſelfe, then againſt his children; ſo while the world treſpaſſeth againſt God himſelf, by Idolatry, Superſtition, or prophaneneſſe, he ſits ſilent as if he regarded them not: but when they wax fierce againſt the Church, then he ariſeth like a mighty Gyant, and raiſeth his forces, even ſuch plagues as the world rings of, as thoſe ten plagues of Egypt witneſſe; and all this ariſeth from his tenderneſs over them, becauſe their afflictions may doe them more harm then they can doe him, as long as the Church keeps any good termes with him, no man is more tender of his Spouſe, no father of his child, then God is of his Church.
Reaſ. 2. From the delight God takes in the ſincerity of his ſervice; 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all things be done in love, what is done in love is an hearty ſincere ſervice; and if love be wanting, a man either performes no ſervice, or elſe it's not done in truth, God that is a God of truth is moſt impatient of ſuch overly, and ha…ting performances, Pſal. 51.12. God requires truth in the inward parts, whether in dutyes of ſervice to himſelfe, or man, 1 Pet. 1.21.
Reaſ. 3. From the care God takes of the preſervation of love unfeigned to himſelfe; why, that it may be preſerved ſpotleſſe, God will ſtill keep in us a diligent care of love to our brethren; for next after hypocriſie, nothing more odious to God then Apoſtacy, and more dangerous to us, as being the way to the ſin againſt the holy ghoſt: Now ſo long as a man walks in love, and keeps a conſtant fellowſhip with the Saints, ſo long we keep a conſtant fellowſhip with God himſelfe; but let a man faile in his love to his brethren, he falls off from God, and ſo runs into grievous Apoſtacy againſt God to the ſpighting of the holy ghoſt; therefore as you would put honour on God, and maintain his Spirit in you, ſo take heed you neglect not brotherly love; if we neglect this, we are in rhe way to total Apoſtacy.
Reaſ. 4. From the delight God takes that all his ſervants ſhould wear his livery, and be known to be his Diſciples: now if God had only left us to faith in Chriſt, to calling on his Name, all this might have been and yet we never been known what we were; but becauſe God would have it known thar there is a generation of men calling upon his name, and ſerving him in truth, he would never have them come abroad without this cognizance to their brethren, and by this mark all men ſhould know ye are my Diſciples, if you love one another, Joh. 13.35. therefore if a man throws away brotherly love, he throws away the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, he is no Chriſtian, therefore offer not to ſay, thou loveſt God, or love thy brother alſo.
Ʋſe 3 To teach us that the love of our brethren, is not a conceit of perfection, or ſupererogation, but its a duty of neceſſity ſtraightly lying upon all men, that if they love God they muſt love their brethren alſo, never ſay you have a God in heaven whom you love, if you neglect love to your Brethren; we think we may love our brother as long as he loves us, but if he comes betwixt us and our profit, we fall off from him; Why, if you love them that love you, what ſingular thing doe you? Matth. 5.45. Turks and Pagans will doe ſo much; but you muſt know you are bound to love your brethren by vertue of a Commandement; if thou thinkeſt thou art bound to love God by vertue of his Commandement by vertue of the ſame Commandement thou art bound to love thy brother alſo.
Object. I, but my Brother is changed.
Anſw. It may be ſo, but yet Gods commandement is not changed, indeed we are to carry the expreſſions of our love according to divers occaſions; it's one thing to comfort, another thing to reprove, yet both acts of love; beſides, there is no Commandement of God, but the tranſgreſſion of it brings a curſe with it, Deut. 27. ult. If therefore I love not my brother I fall under a curſe, and ſo under ſeperation from Gods preſence, for that is properly a curſe, and ſo then we cannot ſo wrong our Brother, as we wrong God and our own ſouls, as ſoon as Cain hated his Brother and ſlew him, he went out from the preſence of God, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, a land of agitation; wandring prayers, and wandring performances does an hatefull ſoul put up: When David had once wronged Ʋriah, what poor work made he? He then makes nothing of the deſtruction of a worthy ſubject, that had before time been ſcrupulous of cutting an enemies skirt; whereas è contra, no man that expreſſeth hearty love to his brother, prayes for them, doth them good, but he ſhall find as he cloſeth with his brother, God will cloſe with him; as he lifts up a cheerful countenance upon his Brother, ſo will God on him, ſo that he ſhall plainly find, that in keeping this great Commandement is great reward.
Ʋſe 2. To teach us to love God ſo much the more, that hath ſuch care that no man withdraw his love from us, but he will be as ready to ſit looſ from them▪ as they ſit looſe from thee; why, what marvellous love is this, that God ſhould take it ſo ill, that any ſhould offer injury to thee; ſo that he will not endure, that the greateſt Monarch ſhould evill intreat thee? how ſhould this ſhame us, that we ſhould ſit ſo looſe from God, and ſlight him, and wrong him, that is ſo carefull that none ſhould wrong us?