Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 5 · Verse 11
1 JOHN 5.11.
And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, &c.
VErſ. 7, 8. having declared the three witneſſes in heaven, and three on earth, that bear witneſſe of the divinity of Chriſt, verſ 9.10. he exhorts us to receive their teſtimony in theſe 10, & 11. verſ. he tels us what this divine record is, which he preſſeth us to believe, and this record is threefold.
1 Of an heavenly gift, eternal life.
2 That this life is given us by Chriſt.
3 That this life is given only to believers.
Doct. Eternal life is the gift of God.
Here two things are to be opened, 1 That the life given us by God in Chriſt is eternal life.
2 That this eternal life is the gift of God.
1 It's eternal life, 1 John 3.16. Eternal, ab ante, becauſe it was given us before the foundation of the world, it's more ancient then the world, or mans fall, and this was not only purpoſed in Gods Councel, but this was manifeſtly promiſed before the world began, Tit. 1.2. And The Trinity then concluded that the Lord Chriſt ſhould be made head of all.
2 That all that did believe on him ſhould have eternal life, therefore it's ſaid, He choſe us in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, Epheſ. 1.4. and therefore God chooſing us as members of Chriſt, he promiſed to Chriſt, that he would give them all eternal life, 2 Tim. 1.9. There was not only a purpoſe of God, but a declaration of the ſame to Chriſt, of this gift our Saviour ſpeaks, John 17:6. Revel. 13.8. and this gift is more ancient then our actual vocation, for a man is ſaid to be given to Chriſt, when he gives up his heart and ſervice to him, but this is given in fulneſſe of time; but we were given to Chriſt, before we were called to the fellowſhip of his Spirit, and adoption of ſons, John 6.39.
2 It's called eternal life, becauſe the fountain and principles of this life are eternal; the Word of God was revealed from eternity, and of this Word were we begotten, 1 Pet. 1.23. And as in ſeed there is ſomething more material, ſomething more ſpiritual; ſo in the Word there is both the matter of the word and there is the Spirit of the Word, John 3.5. Now we are born of the Spirit, and this Spirit in us is a fountain of living water, ſpringing up to everlaſting life, John 4.14.
3 The continuance of this life is to everlaſting, He that believes on Chriſt, ſhall never dye, but have everlaſting life, John 3.36. John 5.24. and this eternal life is a record which God hath given us of his Son, becauſe the gift was given to Chriſt, and througſt him, as by our Head, is the life conveyed to all the members.
2 This life is a gift of God, Rom. ….23. All the life we have is Gods gift: There is a fourfold life, and all given us by God.
Firſt, The life as juſtification is a free gift, Rom. 5.15. we lay all dead in ſin, now the pardon of all theſe is the very life of our ſouls, Col. 2.13.
Secondly, There is a life of holineſſe whereby we live to God, are for his …nds, and walk by this rule, and this life is the free gift of God, Epheſ. 2.4, ….
Thirdly, There is a life of conſolation, which is called a mans life, 1 Theſ. 3.7, 8. We live, if you ſtand faſt, he means a life of comfort, and this life is given by free grace; 2 Cor. 1.4, 5. When God ſo comforts a poor ſoul, he is to be looked at as the Father of mercies, and God of all conſolation.
Fourthly, There is a life of glory, which God hath given us by Chriſt, Rom. 6.23.
Reaſ. 1. A minori, If our naturall life be Gods gift, how much more this ſpirituall and eternall life, Job 10.12. Thou haſt granted me life and favour, and he ſpeaks of naturall life, that is, thou in thy favour haſt granted me life, and preſerveſt it: Now if that be a gift of God, as it is, for it was neither Father nor Mother that could give us life, how much more is eternall life the gift of God. It was Mephiboſheths ſpeech to David, 2 Sam. 19.28. What was all my Fathers houſe, but dead men before my Lord the King? ſo take us without Gods gift, we were but all dead men before him. Now if this naturall life be a gift of God, and that of his favour too; how much more is this ſpirituall and eternall life a free gift from God?
2. All our life muſt needs be Gods free gift, by removing all that might concur to the making up of our merit of this life.
Four things muſt concur to merit, which are all wanting in this gift.
1. If you would merit, you muſt prevent the other in giving but who hath given to God firſt? Rom. 11.35. and if we give God but his own, how then doe we merit? 1 Chron. 29.13, 14, 15.
2. In the nature of merit is required, that what we give we ſhould give …eely, not of due debt, nor due recompence, Luke 17.9, 10. If we doe but ou… duties, what doe we merit? When we have done what we can, we have done but our duty, and how then doe we merit?
3. What merits at Gods hands, ſhould be perfect and par…, without ſpot, elſe it deſerves nothing: Now our beſt righteouſneſſe is defiled, Iſa. 46.6. Exod. 28.38. Our beſt offerings, if God did not accept of them in Chriſts holineſſe, he might juſtly reject them.
4. In all merit it is requiſite that there ſhould be ſomething proportionable betwixt the work and the reward, now what proportion is there between naturall life and ſpirituall, and betwixt our life of grace, and the life of glory? Our ſufferings, which are the higheſt part of our obedience, they are not worthy to be compared to the eternall weight of glory; indeed they work for … a plentifull recompence of reward, 2 Cor. 4.17. But this is through the free gift of God.
Ʋſe 1. For reproof of Popiſh merit, if eternall life be the free gift of God, then the life of grace is not given us of merit, ex congru…, not this life of glory ex condigno; if it be gift, then ſure we pay no anſwerable price for it; there is no purchaſe on our part, but a gift on Gods part. I would know whither this naturall life was given us of merit; who d…re ſay, …e hath merited to be a man, rather then a Beaſt, of a Serpent, or a Toad, and how then can we ſay our eternall life is of merit? Doth not every Chriſtian freely confeſſe at his firſt converſion, that if God ſhould utterly caſt him off, and never ſhew him mercy, juſt and righteous ſhould his proceedings be? And how dare any appear that dare claime grace and glory of merit? In the continuance of his faithfull obedience, who dare claim the leaſt mercy ex condigno, how much leſſe eternall life? Whereas è contra, Gods ſervants doe not think God beholding to them for their ſervice, but they never think themſelves more engaged and beholding to God, then when he inables them to moſt ſervice, they ſay with David, Who are we that we ſhould be able to offer thus willingly, 1 Chron. 29.14. they know every jo… of mercy is free grace, every ſin pardoned is free grace. No Malefactor on earth, but if the King ſend him a pardon, he acknowledgeth it to be of the Kings free grace and Royall compaſſion▪ but yet the Synagogue of Rome will not acknowledge Gods pardon to be of free grace; but Gods people acknowledge they are … but as dead dogs before God; and were at not for the free grace of God, they had never ſeen life.
Ʋſe 2. Of exhortation to all the ſons of men, that never look after Chriſt, why as ever you deſire to ſee me, and that life for ever, look up to God for it to derive it from him, it is his free gift, Every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts, Prov. 19.6. Shall we reſpect Princes ſo, that have but earthly honours and profits to giuegive, that we think it our happineſſe to doe them any ſervice, and ſhall we neglect God that hath ſuch great gifts to give, even eternall life, and a Kingdome of glory; it is God that gives us theſe naturall lives, and that gives us power to get wealth, Deut. 8.18. nay its he that gives life of comfort, and the life of juſtification, and holineſſe, and alſo the life of glory, and ſhall we neglect this great gift, and more reſpect the poor comforts of the world then him, in whoſe hands is our breath and life? Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, he means for his naturall life, and ſhall eternall life lie by like a refuſe thing that no man looks after.
Ʋſe 3. Of tryall whether God hath given us this life or no, and this we may diſcern for the eternity of the gift, conſider whether there be any eternall life ſhed abroad in thy heart or not, haſt thou found any pardon of ſins? that whereas thou ſaweſt thy ſoul as a dead dog for want of this life, now God hath juſtified thee from thy ſins; Why, the life of juſtification is eternall life, if he hath once pardoned thy ſins he will remember them no more, Jer. 31.33.
Secondly, Haſt thou found a ſpirit of life in thee to obey and ſerve the Lord, Rom. 8.2. Why this is eternall life, that will never decay, John 17.3. hath God ſhed abroad the comfort of his Spirit, and the joy of the holy Ghoſt into thy heart, which is better then life, Pſal. 63.3. this is eternall life, which though it may be ſometimes overwhelmed, yet it ſhall ſpring up again, as trees after winter; if thou finde none of theſe works in thee then thou haſt no life.
Ʋſe 4. Of conſolation to all thoſe that have received this life, if we have found the life of juſtification in the pardon of our ſins, the life of holineſſe in our Chriſtian obedience; if we have found the lively comforts of Gods Spirit: Why, know this is a life that will never decay, this is the record of God himſelf, that the life which he hath given us is eternall life, it was given us before we were born, and will he take it away when we are born? that which he gave us before there was a world, he will not take away when the world ſhall be no more? it comes from everlaſting principles, 3rd therefore it cannot decay; if therefore we finde this life in us, we may be aſſured, that God hath given us this life, will preſerve it to eternity; if it be eternall, how can it decay? Therefore let us walk worthy of this eternall life, and pray with David, Conſider me Lord, if there be any way of wickedneſſe in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting, Pſal. 139. ult. Sinfull luſts are dead luſts, and what hath eternall life to doe with dead luſts, keep your hands off from a ſinfull carnall life, but lay faſt hold on eternall life, 1 Tim. 6.12. get ſure poſſeſſion of it, and let neither Satan not the world wreſt it out of your hands.