Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 5 · Verse 6
1 JOHN 5.6. the latter part.
Becauſe the Spirit is truth.
THe Spirit which beareth witneſſe to Chriſt is amplified by the effect, witneſſe bearing, and by … junct of truth, which is the cauſe of his bearing witneſſe, he br…s witneſſe, becauſe his is a Spirit of truth.
Doct. The Spirit of God bearing witneſſe … the Scripture, and in the hearts …f Gods people, is a Spirit of …ruth John 14.16, 17.
John 16.… When the Spirit of Truth is …, he ſhall guide you into all truth.
Queſt. Why is it called a Spirit of Truth?
Anſw. Not only becauſe be in one of the Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity, and therefore his witneſſe muſt needs be truth: a man that works by a rule may go… aw…y, but the rule it ſelfe is not awry▪ the holy Ghoſt being a God of Truth, cannot … ſpeak truth; himſelfe being the line, cannot goe wrong: But he is called a Spirit of truth rather.
1. Becauſe he ſpeaks nothing but what he hears of the Father, and of the Son, John 16.13. …e Spirit … …thing from the Father, and the Son, ſpeaks nothing, but … we receives from them, what they apprehend and judge▪ the ſame … teſtifies, John 8.26. and he ſpeaks it without change and alteration.
2. Becauſe he ſpeaks a teſtimony, not of a ſhadowing or typical repreſentation, … and manifeſt truth Moſes ſ…ake by types, which obſerved the … but what the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks is evident truth, without v…d or covering, … Cor. ….17, 18.
3. From the effect of the Spirit, the Spirit not only ſpeaks, but works truth in the hearts of thoſe to whom he ſpeaks, by ſpeaking truth he works truth in the heart, ſo that they that receive the teſtimony are of the truth, John 3.19. 2 John 1.2.
Now they that receive the teſtimony of the Spirit, that Jeſus Chriſt is come by water and bloud, they are cleanſed from the world, from diſſimulation and hypocriſie, and ſo are made of the truth.
Object. How comes it to paſſe then, that ſometimes many ſpeaking by the Spirit, yet speak falſly, and yet are confident they speak truth.
Anſw. True, a man having received ſome work of the Spirit, may ſpeak falſehood, as Zedekiah, 1 Kings 22.24. and yet was confident he ſpake by the Spirit; but yet though a man ſpeaking by a ſpirit of deluſion, may think he hath ſpoken the truth; yet it hinders not, but when the Spirit of God indeed bears witneſſe, it may be diſcerned to be truth.
Ʋſe 1. If this Spirit bearing witneſſe to Chriſts coming be a Spirit of truth, then ſuch as have received the Spirit of truth, need not be afraid, that they are led by a ſpirit of deluſion, that doe believe that Jeſus Chriſt came by water and bloud, Jer. 20.10, 11. the way of the righteous man cannot deceive him.
Queſt. How ſhall I know that this spirit doth not deceive, when it witneſſeth pardon, and healing, and the like?
Anſw. 1. The Spirit bears witneſſe of it ſelfe, as well as of other things; the Sun ſhews it ſelfe, as well as makes other things viſible.
2. The Spirit beareth witneſſe of it ſelfe, from the work it frames in the hearts of Gods ſervants, the teſtimony of the Spirit doth ſo ſet on its witneſſe, doth ſo pacifie, and purifie the conſcience, that he plainly ſees, that this is the very Spirit of God, which is manifeſt by the fruits.
3. The teſtimony of the Spirit breathing in the Word, and in the hearts of Gods children doe ſo agree in every thing that its evident to be the ſame Spirit, though it be true, the Spirit is more ſtrong and evident in the Scripture; the witneſſe may be weak in our hearts, yet always in the main aim and ends they agree together.
4. By how much the more ſuitable it is to the Scripture, by ſo much the more it conforms us to the Image of Chriſt; the Spirit of Chriſts make you meek and lowly, as he was, draws us from earthly objects to a more divine frame; that Spirit which faſhions to Chriſt is of God.
Ʋſe 2. Of juſt reproof to Gods ſervants that have found the bloud of Chriſt pacifying and purifying their hearts; if in this caſe their ſouls doubt, and are ſolicitous, they refuſe the teſtimony of the Spirit; Satan, ſay they, may transform himſelfe into an Angell of light; I, but Satan cannot pacifie the conſcience, much leſſe purifie it, himſelfe being an unclean ſpirit, loves to draw on others to impurity; if therefore the ſpirit within you, draw you on to walk in truth, and to frame your heart according to the Image of Chriſt, if you finde any meaſure of peace and purity, its evident the Spirit is a Spirit of truth.
Ʋſe 3. Of comfort to all ſuch as have put their truſt in Chriſt, upon the teſtimony of Gods Spirit witneſſing to them, that Chriſt came to ſave and heal them; Why, this is ſtrong conſolation to them: that which makes out ſpirits doubtfull, is the deceitfulneſſe of our own hearts, Jer. 17.10. But yet this ſhould comfort us, that though our hearts be deceitfull, yet this Spirit of God breathing in us is a Spirit of truth: and if you would know whether you have a ſpirit of truth in you or no: Why, by this you ſhall know it, that Spirit which ſpeaks peace and purity to a mans ſoul, that Spirit is of God; Satan may doe much, but he is not able to transform himſelfe into ſuch a ſpirit; no other ſpirit can work this but the Spirit of God; a ſpirit ſpeaking peace without purity may be a deluſion; and a ſpirit ſpeaking purity without any meaſure of peace, may be a deluſion, for all the paths of Wiſdome are peace; but both peace and purity together, doe evidently manifeſt it to be the Spirit of God.
Ʋſe 4. For them that have found any meaſure of peace and purity, they ought to teach them, to be very carefull to diſcern whether this ſpirit be of God or no, if thou haſt found much peace, and withall thou walkeſt in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, this Spirit is of God, 2 Cor. 1.12. But if our peace make us careleſſe of our wayes, and more licentious, we ſhall never approve ſuch a ſpirit to be of God; where Gods Spirit breaths, the more peace, the more care of purity, and therefore let us always put them together. Herods ſpirit of joy was a ſpirit of deluſion, becauſe it was not a ſpirit of purity, Mark 6.20. Herod and David both, fell into the ſame luſts: how ſhall we know whether of them had the Spirit of God? David for a while ſeemed to do worſt, but Herod he ſo favoured his luſt, that he deſtroyed John that reproved him; David he heard the Prophet, and humbled himſelf, and renewed his repentance before God, and therefore doubtleſſe his Spirit was of God, becauſe he was ſtudious of purity; ſuch a ſoul as favours his luſt, and takes part with it, hath not Gods Spirit in him: that ſickneſſe is mortall, that refuſeth utterly all means of health; if therefore either our peace or purity be wanting, we ſhall not have this teſtimony of Gods Spirit; that ſpirit that ſpeaks both, is a Spirit of truth.