Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 5 · Verse 3
1 JOHN 5.3.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandements, and his commandements are not grievous.
VErſe 2. he had given a double mark of our love to our Brethren, which was, if we love God, and keep his commandement. Now becauſe a Chriſtian might be inquiſitive and doubtfull, How ſhall I know that I love God and keep his commandements? why, v. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandements, and they are not grievous.
Doct. The keeping of Gods commandements, and the eaſineſſe of that yoke, is an undoubted ſigne of our unfained love to God; that is, If we be willing to bear the yoke of Chriſt, and account it eaſie, that evidently argues that the love of God in our hearts is ſincere.
This Chriſt teacheth his Diſciples, John 15.14. Then are ye my friends, if ye doe whatſoever I command you. Now friendſhip argues integrity of love. Now betwixt friends there paſſeth a mutuall covenant, a mutuall communication of good one to another, and of ſecrets; ſo there is a certain community of all things, all things are common among friends: So, he that keeps Gods commandements, looks at Gods law, ſo as he makes it of his counſell and delight, and is ruled by it. And again, God communicates his attributes to him, which is ſomething more then a parent doth to his childe, though he love him well, yet he will not communicate to him whatſoever is his, nor alwayes make him of his counſell, nor yet ſhew familiarity towards him; but God looks at Chriſtians as his friends, communicates his counſells to them, grows in acquaintance with them.
Obj. Its not for friends to be at command, but ſervants. Its a point of ſervice, and not of friendſhip.
Anſw. To doe it as a duty of neceſſity, is a ſervants condition; but to do a thing for loves ſake to his friend, this is an act of friendſhip. Further, a man is not ſaid to keep the Commandements, when himſelf onelyonly ſtrives to keep them, but when he draws others to the ſame conſcionable obedience. Friends have all things common, and they doe not love that any that belong to them, ſhould be enemies to their friends: So God looks at it as a part of Abrahams friendſhip, that he would command his children and ſervants after him, that they ſhould keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18.17, 19. Hence in Scripture its a ſpirituall ſtyle give to Abraham, Abraham the friend of God, James 2.23. Iſa. 41.8. Now, what eminent ſervice did he above others? There were others as zealous as he, but this he had eminent in him, I know he will teach his children and houſhold to keep my wayes. Look at Moſes, David, Eli, Jehoſaphat, all godly men, yet they were all failing in this, in inſtructing and bringing on their children and ſervants to the fear of God; but this was Abrahams friendſhip, that he was not onelyonly carefull himſelfe, but he ſought to bring on his whole family to Gods worſhip. We ſee his care about Iſaac, that God would eſtabliſh his covenant with him, Gen. 17.18. And about Iſhamael, that he might live in thy ſight; and he brought on his whole family to be circumciſed, though a painfull thing, Gen. 17. ult. This was a fruit of true love. So David. profeſſeth in his own perſon and Chriſts, Pſal. 40.8. O Lord I delight in thy Law. Pſ 19.9, 10. Thy commandements are more precious then gold, yea then fine gold: thy precepts are ſweeter then honey and the honey-comb. A ſigne they were not grievous to him. Love makes us delight in the thing beloved.
What is the reaſon that this is ſuch an undoubted argument of our love to God?
Reaſ. 1. From the ſtrictneſſe and purity of Gods law, and the croſneſſe of it to our nature. The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down every high thought, 1 Cor. 10.4. Here two contraries meet together; the prerogative of God he will have our thoughts brought into ſubjection; and the liberty of the Creature, We will not have our thoughts and tongues bound, Pſal. 12.4. We are free born, we are ſervants to none. Now theſe being ſo croſſe one to another, for a man now not onelyonly to doe Gods commandements, but to doe them willingly, and out of love; why, this is ſuch a yoke, that were it not for the mighty power of Gods love prevailing in our hearts, which conſtrains us to doe it moſt willingly, which nature is moſt unwilling unto, it would never be wrought. Hence Gods people are ſaid to be a willing people, Pſal. 110. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of liberty, 2 Cor. 3.17. Its evident Gods Spirit is there where we doe Gods commandements with freedome and willingneſſe.
2. From the experience ſuch have had of the burthen of ſin, to whom Gods commandements ſeem eaſie: For this is certain, the more welcome ſin, the more unwelcome Gods commandements; the more we delight in ſin, the leſſe we delight in Gods commandements; but when once ſin is weariſome to a ſoul, to them Chriſts yoke is eaſie, and his burthen light, Mat. 11.28, 29.
3. From the unſufficiency of any eſtate but an eſtate of love, to reach to the obedience of Gods commandements, much leſſe to the eaſineſſe thereof. A man by nature is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8.7, 8. And though by common gifts we may be brought to doe much, as Jehu and Herod did, yet unleſſe there be ſoundneſſe of love within, you ſhall never prevail with Jehu to caſt out the golden calves, or with Herod to put away Herodias. It muſt be the love of God within that muſt bring us to keep his commandements, or at leaſt to doe them willingly and heartily.
Ʋſe 1. A ground of tryall of our eſtates, whether we love God or no. If we would be aſſured of this, as we all had need to be, conſider of this, Doſt thou keep Gods commandments as thy way, thy jewels, the apple of thy eye, thy life? And, doſt thou deſire to bring all thy children and family to the like conſcionable obedience, that all thy family may be Gods friends? This is an argument of thy unfained love to God. And if withall this ſeem eaſie to thee, & thou delight in it, and thinkeſt it thy happines, that every thought in thee may be ſubject to Chriſt; this is a ſufficient teſtimony of the ſincerity of thy love. But, è contra, if we ſhake off Gods yoke, and we will have our thoughts and tongues at liberty, if it be a grief to us to ſee any of our friends conſcionable of Gods worſhip or of religion; why, thou art none of Gods friend. For if thou wert, thou wouldſt deſire that both thy ſelfe and all thy friends were Chriſts friends. If a man loved his Maſter, and liked his ſervice well, and deſired to ſtay with him, he would have his ear bored, that ſo all his Maſters commandements might ſink the better into him; why, this muſt needs argue great love to his Maſter. This David alludes to, Pſal. 40.6. Mine ears haſt thou bored, or as it is in the Originall, digged. He digged through all obſtructions, and made him willing to liſten to Gods will; a loving Servant becomes a friend: So, if we might have liberty to get looſe from God, yet if we had rather abide in his ſervice, let us give our ears to God to be bored, and give up not onelyonly our ſelves but our whole family to be Gods bond-ſervants.
Ʋſe 2. To teach all ſuch as love God, to take heed that they be not drawn to break any of Gods commandements, for love to others. This is plain. If love to man makes us break any of Gods commandements, then we love him better then God.
Ʋſe 3. Of encouragement to naturall men to give up their hearts to Gods commandements and not to think them burdenſome and intolerable. For if thou hadſt but the love of God in thy heart, Gods commandements would be ſweeter then the honey, or the honey-combe. They are deceived much that look at Gods commandements as heavy and burdenſome: No, his commandements are not grievous; and if his commandements be pleaſant, what are his promiſes and rewards?
Ʋſe 4. For them that would have Gods commandements ſeem eaſie to them, and not burthenſome; why, grow up in the love of God, meditate on his goodneſſe, and promiſes, and mercies, and ſo thou ſhalt grow up to love him; and the more love, the more willing and obedient. A man never loſeth his firſt works, but he loſeth his firſt love. Let him renew his firſt love, and he ſhall renew his firſt works, Rev. 2.4, 5.