Sermon 12
1 John 5:13. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
We are now come to enter upon the beginning of the conclusion of this whole Epistle, wherein the Apostle rehearses the intention and scope of the whole previous Epistle; the persons and subjects to whom he writes, and the end and scope of his writing: These things have I written to you; To whom? To you that believe on the name of the Son of God. And he intends a double end:
First, That you may know that you have eternal life.
Secondly, That you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Now to encourage to this latter end that John aims at; believing on the name of the Son of God, he propounds three motives, in the 15, 16, 17 verses; among which the last of them is a promise of prevailing with God for pardon, and a prevention of falling into the great sin, and so propounds certain encouragements to the end of the Chapter.
Now at this time, we shall treat of the first part of this conclusion, which is an expression that John here makes, or a description of the persons here spoken to; to them that believe on the name of the Son of God; from the persons to whom John dedicates this Epistle, to them that believe on the name of the Son of God; observe,
Doctrine: This Epistle of John was written, or directed to believers on the name of Jesus Christ.
This is evident in the text, which may be gathered from the beginning of the Epistle in Chapter 1:4. he writes to such, who by reading this Epistle might attain to fullness of joy, and those are only believers, who are capable of that mercy and blessing; you may gather the same from the three sorts of Christians, to whom he writes in particular, verse 12. in Chapter 2. I write to you little children, because your sins are forgiven you; and these little children are divided into three sorts, verse 13. Fathers, young men, and babes, so that look at all that John writes to, they are such as make a faithful acknowledgement of God the Father, as Chapter 4:4. And look at his second Epistle, and that is to the Elect Lady; and look at his third Epistle, and that is first to the beloved Gaius; and he shows you what a notable Christian he was, he wishes no further prosperity to his body and outward estate, than his soul had attained to, his soul was in great prosperity, only his body and estate was weak, for he was the host of the whole Church of God, so that look at all John's writings, and they are all written to them that believe on the name of the Son of God. And in very deed look at all the Epistles of all the rest of the Apostles, and they are all written to believers; if you sum them all up from first to last, look at the Prothesis of every Epistle; in the first, second, and third verses of every Epistle, and they are written sometimes to saints by calling, sometimes to faithful brethren, sometimes to the Churches of Christ, natural sons, partakers of the common salvation; in a word, only to those that were faithful believers in Christ Jesus. And when our blessed Savior himself writes, he writes to the seven Churches of Asia, all of them such as sometime had been eminent, and glorious, and gracious, and among the weakest he had a few names, even in Sardis, that had not defiled their garments (Chapter 4:3). Now when a man shall consider, that all the Apostles do dedicate all their writings to believers and saints, it gives us just occasion of inquiry, Question: Why he writes to these, and to these only?
Answer: Now for answer to which, To these he writes in regard of the special benefit and help that these writings might yield to believers, both to those that then lived, and to all other believers that should succeed them to the end of the world.
And those benefits are many and diverse.
As first, Teaching, that is one benefit the Churches receive by these Epistles (2 Thessalonians 2:15). brethren stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or by our Epistle. This was one end of the Apostles writing their Epistles, to the intent they might teach the Church of God sundry things which else they had not known.
2 Another benefit the Churches received from these Epistles, was admonition, and putting them in remembrance of the things they had heard, things which they did know before, and which perhaps they had forgotten (2 Peter 1:12-13). I thought it necessary to put you in remembrance.
3 And in verse 13. there is a third benefit of them, To stir them up to do such things, which though they well knew should be done, yet they were dull, and slow of heart, and stood in need to be stirred up to them.
4 Another end of their writings was this, That sometimes they might humble and bring low the spirits of those that were puffed up, and had not repented of the sin which they had committed (2 Corinthians 7:8). I was sorry at the first that I made you sorry, but now I am not sorry, for it was a godly sorrow; so that it seems the writings of the Apostles did much prevail with the faithful people of God, and wrought in them such godly sorrow, that it was a comfort to the Apostle, that he had sometimes grieved them.
5 Another end was, that so by this means they might be strengthened in the faith, according to what you read in the words of the text, to them that did believe, he wrote that they might believe, meaning that they might be confirmed and established in believing.
6 Also, to the intent that they might fill the hearts of God's people with joy in believing (1 John 4), according to what you read was effected (Acts 15:31). So that see how much help the Church of God has had by these writings, so that they have found much comfort in them. And these writings have been the foundation of the faith of God's people, from that time to the world's end, they have ever yielded matter to the ministers of the Gospel, to preach and expound to the people, that by preaching they might bring on men to salvation, so that the Holy Ghost would not have ministers nor any other to be wise above what is written (2 Timothy 4:16-17). That when these are put into the hand of a faithful Scribe, taught to the Kingdom of God, he may be able to use this two-edged sword of the Spirit, to all those ends by which we come to be made perfect to salvation, and this is the scope of the Spirit of God in Scripture.
Reason, 1. Why they are written to such as believe, As they serve for those benefits, so also for those ends. It is taken from the little use which unbelievers will make of these writings till they come on to believing, so little, that were it not for some believers among them, whom God had respect to, none of all the Apostles would have vouchsafed to have written any one Epistle to any unbeliever of any Town or Assembly, none of them all writes to any, but to such as believe on the name of the Son of God: had there been any benefit likely to be expected from unbelieving Nations, some or other would have written to them: but from first to last, look over them all, and observe them, whether they be written to particular persons, or to particular congregations, or to churches or nations, they are all written to such as believe on the name of the Lord Jesus. For it is with the Apostles' writings, as the Apostle sometimes speaks of prophecy or miracles, miracles are for them that believe not, but prophecy for them that believe, he does not deny but prophecy is for them that believe not, but he speaks by way of opposition to miracles; miracles are rather for them that believe not; and he would have believers know, it is rather for them to attend to prophecy, than to miracles, so that this is the point: Observe it, as a just ground of the Apostles' dealing in these writings, Because of the little use that unbelievers will make of them.
Take you men that believe not, and let them read the Word of God over again and again, and yet they receive little instruction from what they read, little admonition, little stirred up to any goodness: And you shall not at all find any blessing, no saving gift of God, can be worked in the heart without faith, and because faith comes not by reading, but by hearing, therefore the Apostle writes not to them that believe not, but to such as are believers. If ever God had intended that the reading of these writings had been effectual to the begetting of faith, surely he would have followed them with mighty works, as he blessed the preaching of the Gospel, in the primitive times, with miraculous works; but you shall not read in any Scripture, that ever God so far blessed the Word read to any man, or that he ever worked a miracle to confirm the Word read, where the word has been taught: God magnified it much in the first publishers of it, till the whole world was convicted. And had God been pleased at any time to think that these writings should be effectual to convert men to grace, surely, it had been a notable means for the Apostles to have sent sundry epistles to many churches, to whom they should never personally come: But this was their care, to go all over the world, to preach here and there, all the world over, round about the world, as much as in them lay, which they needed not to have done, in case the sending of an epistle would have served the turn. Notable is that speech, and famous in this kind (Romans 10:14-17). Faith comes by hearing, etc. So that in very truth, because the Apostles did not see, of what use their writings might be to any unbelievers, because all the work that reading could reach to, could not reach to beget and work saving faith, which is the principal scope of preaching; therefore they did never address themselves to write any of their epistles, to any unbeliever, but only to such as believe on the name of the Lord Jesus.
Object. You say, But sometimes God has been pleased to bless in old time the reading of the Word to the conversion of souls; and therefore why may we not expect the like blessing upon the reading of the Gospel in these days, as well as the Law in former times? In (Deuteronomy 31:11-13). (A place much stood upon in this case) it was commanded there that the people should come up to Jerusalem, and there the Law should be read before them, verse 11. that they may hear, and learn, and fear, verse 12. and their children that knew not the Lord, may learn to fear the Lord their God: Where you see, God blessed the reading of the Law, not only for the benefit of them that knew it before, but their children also, that knew not any thing, may learn to fear the Lord. And if God did so bless the reading of the Law in former times, as a notable instrument to bring on them to believe that never knew any thing of God's word before? Surely one would expect that the Gospel, which of the two, is rather the ministration of the Spirit than of the letter, or than the Law, that it should be as mighty this way for the begetting of God's fear in men, as ever the Law was.
Answer: You shall not read that this was the benefit or blessing that God did accompany the Law with, in ordinary reading of the same; but this was a solemn reading, once in seven years, and no more often, or once in fifty years. It was a reading at the feast of Tabernacles, in the year of solemnity, as (verses 10-13), in a time of solemn release, that was once every seven years. And what was the reason that then it should have such a more than ordinary blessing? Why, this year of release was the acceptable year of the Lord, which typed out to them the year of release by the Lord Jesus Christ, for he was crucified in one of these seventh years, in the year of Jubilee. And to make it a type and shadow of what benefit we should have by reading the Word, when we should be released from our sins by faith in his blood.
In that solemn reading, God gave a more than ordinary blessing to little children — those poor ignorant things that usually come to the congregation, and hear much, but learn little. Yet even they, in the year of release, when the time comes that God would shadow out to them their release by Christ, even then little children that know not anything shall get some knowledge and fear of God by hearing of those words then read. So that it was such a reading as was upon such a solemn year of release as typed out Christ's redemption, to show you that men that are come to a year of release from all their sins by Christ shall hear and know, and though they know nothing before, now they shall never read but with some profit, and some growth in God's fear.
And another answer may be this: that when he there speaks of reading, he speaks not of bare reading. Reading is sometimes put for all that expounding and applying that did ordinarily accompany their reading at such a time, for it was at the same feast that Nehemiah speaks of (Nehemiah 8, last part). It is said (Nehemiah 8:4-8), there was a pulpit of wood, and in verse 8 it is said they did read distinctly in the Law and caused the people to understand the meaning of it. So that it was not a mere outward and bare reading of the letter, but an opening of the sense, and such a kind of applying it to the hearts of the people, that the people went away much rejoicing, because they understood the Law that was read to them, and many of them could not but joy and rejoice in it, as you see from verses 8 to the end of verse 12. And when they had so done, the people went away rejoicing, and he said to them, "Go your way home, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, etc." (verse 10). So that this you shall find to be true, that God has either never so far forth blessed the reading of the Word as to bring unbelievers to Christ, either never, or if he has, it is at some solemn extraordinary feast, once in seven or once in fifty years, which was their great Jubilee, to make known to his Church what in after times it should be, when they knew Christ.
Use: It may serve first to let us see a reason why so many writings of godly men, to so good a purpose, and by such holy men, and so effectually by many, have so little prevailed against the Papists and heretics in any kind. A man would wonder to read so many writings of so many holy men, and to see so few of the Church of God brought on to God by this means. Why, what's the reason? Surely it is no wonder — the Apostles themselves, though they should never prosper in writing to men that believed not, but to such as believed, that they might have joy in believing, they knew reading would not prevail. It is true, it may be some means of conviction, and leaving men without excuse, and their writings have not been in vain, to establish them in the truth that believed it before, and for satisfying the judgments of them that are studious in the truth, to seek out the truth of God's will. But for men that are unbelievers, and settled in the dregs thereof, never any writer in England, France, or Germany did any good. Some have come over that have pretended that this and that man's learned writings has been of much help to them, but those who have professed such conviction have been but mere counterfeits and deceivers of the state, and did it only to provide for their honor and credit here in this country. And as little has been done by the writings of godly men against the adversaries in this kind. So in very deed, if you shall look at all the good that has been done by reading in poor congregations that have had no means of preaching, the people are as ignorant as those that never heard of the name of Christ, as empty of faith, and of the knowledge of Christ, and of every grace of his, as those that never heard of them.
Objection: But you say, this is marvelous uncharitable, to say that they who have but reading fall short of faith in Christ, and of the fruits of faith that accompany salvation?
Answer. Whether is it more uncharitableness to let such as live under such means know their danger, that they might come to salvation, than to flatter them with a false opinion of their own safety, to speak peace to them, and yet they to live without God in the world; God's people are in an unsafe condition without God, while they are without a teaching Priest (2 Chronicles 15:3). A long time they had been without God, why had they not the Word of God read in their Synagogues? Do you think Jeroboam's Priests did not read the Law? Was there no mention of the Law of God among them? Had they not so much form of godliness, as to read the writings of the Law? Yes sure, their civil Law, in which their civil government stood, and by which they executed justice, was the Law of Moses, and did they not then understand the letter of the Law? Doubtless these books being their Law, they were known among the body of the people; and what did the Priests, if they did not read the books of the Law, were they only to offer sacrifice to the Calves? I doubt not the people did not do it, neither was it usual to offer any of their Oblations in their Synagogues, but at Dan and Bethel only, and therefore they were not wanting to hear the Prophets read, and yet notwithstanding all that reading, it is said Israel has a long time been without God, they had a Priest to read, but not a Priest to teach, and so were without God, and without the Law; that is, the sentence God gives of the people at that time, and think not that God was uncharitable in so speaking of them, for God expresses his love in showing the people their dangerous estate (John 15:14-15).
Question. But is it not said (Acts 15:21), Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day; and is not then the reading of him preaching?
Answer. It implies, that when he is read, he is preached; for every Sabbath day when they read the Law, they gave the sense and meaning of it; that shows what diligence the Priests did use, when they did read they gave the sense, and wisely applied it to the edification of the people; and not that reading was all the preaching they had, or that this was any preaching, that they only read the Word of God; for if they had but Moses read, and not preached, they were then without the Law, and without God in the world. And you know what God himself threatens (Amos 8:11-13), that he would send a famine of hearing the Word, never was there a famine of reading the Word, since there was any face of a Church at all; but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord, that men should go far from sea to sea, and from place to place to hear it, but should not hear it: and by that means, the young men, and the fair virgins should perish for thirst, and none to satisfy them with the Word; and those who were able to stir, would go far and near to hear the Word, and yet should not find it, and so shall perish for want of that knowledge of it, which does accompany salvation; so then, marvel not that the Holy Ghost says these things, I write to you that believe; to believers only was this written. Wonder not then if so little good be done among the Papists, or in any other Churches where there is only bare reading; make account of it, as the Lord says, My people are then destroyed for want of knowledge. Was there ever any soul so desperately ignorant think you, as to take the place of a Minister, and not have skill to read, no, but these had no knowledge to teach the people the meaning of the Law of God, whose lips should preserve knowledge, and at whose mouth the people should seek the Law (Malachi 2:7-8).
Use 3. To teach all that believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, diligently to be conversant in the writings of John, and of the Apostles; shall the Holy Ghost have a pen to write to us, and shall not we have a hand to receive these writings, and by faith to behold and believe them? Shall he take care to write us letters from Heaven, from the Lord Jesus Christ, indicted by the blessed Spirit, and written by the hands of faithful Scribes, who were carried to all truth? And shall they write them to us, to continue to the end of the world, and shall not we attend to them? These be written to every soul that believes in Christ; for if written to them that believe in Christ, then every believer may say, these writings are written to me, to you and to me, and therefore let us carefully read, and attend to them. And therefore do not neglect a letter written by such precious Scribes, and from the hand of a gracious God, that directed them to us; but if written to us, and for our instruction and learning, let us hear, and read, and obey, and look at them as the greatest blessings, and ornaments of God vouchsafed to us. Among all the means of grace, put up these writings as the Oracles of God, for our instruction (Romans 15:4). Whatever was written in former times was written for our instruction and edification, as well as for them that lived in ancient times; how much are the Church of Rome to blame, that lock up these Epistles from the common people in strange languages? And if they understand not Latin they must not read, unless with license, or in a strange tongue; heavy will the curse of God fall upon them, they may as well read a fable to them as the Scripture; yes, many times the Priests themselves understood not the Latin that they read, it was given to them as a clasped book, they were not able to expound it, but say, that ignorance in the people is the Mother of Devotion, and therefore both fall into the ditch together.
Question. Use 4. Serves to be some direction to every carnal man; you say; if these Scriptures be written but to believers, will you not allow ignorant carnal men to read this part of the Word of God?
Answer. Even they have thus much benefit by the Word, first, whatever is expounded to them from this Word, may be effectual to bring them on to salvation; but faith comes by hearing.
Secondly, these Scriptures when they are read, they are a profitable and helpful means to get knowledge, though that knowledge I believe reaches not to salvation.
Thirdly, it is a means to put people in remembrance of what they know, though it be not to salvation.
And lastly, it kindles in them some desires to know these things, that they might understand them; though that be rare, I dare not reckon the Eunuch among the ignorant and unbelievers (Acts 8:30-31). And that were a blessed use, if men shall read the Scripture, and complain for that they cannot understand them, and shall be stirred up to desire a guide, to help them to see and understand what they before understood not, and so be brought on to some knowledge, it were a blessed use of the Scriptures. And besides, they are of this use, they are of singular benefit to discover to people what sin is, and open to men what moral and common virtues be, and so are a means to preserve people in a form of godliness: whereby they know that magistrates are to be obeyed, ministers reverenced, parents honored, murder not to be committed, the Sabbath not to be profaned, God only to be worshiped; the body of these things they see are to be done, and these evils avoided; they are a means to keep people in good order, and to prepare them to a better understanding of the ministry of the Gospel, that shall at any time be blessed to them; so that some profit there is hence to them that want faith, but the principal thing the apostle aims at is this: I write to you that believe on the name of the Son of God. But further, I say to you that are not yet brought on to believe, let this be your instruction, diligently to attend to what you hear from these words, for you may say, and truly you may read every day a chapter or two, and read them over again, and again, and spend many hours about them, and in prayer too, and yet no nearer salvation than at the first; I say not, not nearer salvation, for you are stirred up to many duties, but when you see you have read much, and prayed much, and yet get little hold of the saving grace of Christ, how should this provoke all that live without means of grace, to give diligent heed to that ordinance of God, in which faith to salvation is wont to be conveyed; and that is a use that may be of notable efficacy to stir them up to hear diligently those who are destitute of the knowledge of God, let them be the more diligent to seek after more means in the ordinances of God.
Use last. It is a use to all those that do indeed believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, to be not only careful to read, but to read these Scriptures, in hope of finding those very blessings for which these Scriptures were written, and sent us: Were they written that you might be taught? Truly you make an ill use of reading, if you know no more at last than at the first, you may well say, you are unprofitable if you do not observe something from your reading, and if they were written to stir us up to be doing good, you make an ill use of reading if it bring not forth some profitable fruits; indeed if by reading these Epistles you might believe, and be humbled and comforted, and your joy might be full in reading, then truly you should not rest, till by reading you find some measure of faith strengthened in you, to a holy fear of God, in whose presence you stand, and whose word you take in hand, and find your hearts take comfort from what you do read, since they were written for your sakes that believe, and for your sakes only if you shall be negligent to read them, shall you not take this blessed ordinance of God in vain? And therefore read them, and read them diligently, and profitably, for the blessed ends for which God has written them, that you may find the blessed fruits of them.
Now we come to speak of the end for which he wrote them, that you might believe on the name of the Son of God, and to know eternal life, only now to speak of it so far as it is pertinent to this place.
Doctrine 2. Such as do believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by these Epistles of John, may know that they have everlasting life.
Reason 1. So it is in the text; Why by these Epistles? First, because John in this Epistle does set before you where eternal life is to be had, as the verse before the text, he in sundry places sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ, as the life which we are to receive from the Father; he shows where it is to be had, and where forgiveness of sin is to be had, and by whom we have propitiation (1 John 2:7).
Reason 2. Secondly, these Epistles set before us, and give us certain means whereby we may obtain eternal life, as first, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). That is one means; and secondly, he calls upon us to look to him as our Advocate, and propitiation.
Reason 3. Thirdly, he does likewise give you certain signs, by observing of which you may know, whether you have the Lord Jesus Christ or not. This for one sign: if we say, we have no sin, we make God a liar; and in the last verse, if we keep his Commandments, we know that we know him. If God give us a conscientious care to keep his Commandments, we know that we know him. And some other signs, as in (1 John 3:3), if God give us hearts to purge and cleanse ourselves from all such sins as hang about us, and if God give us hearts to love the brothers, and so on — these and many more such signs of grace he gives us in this Epistle.
Use 1. If God having thus written, and given us these Epistles, then first, it will be a just refutation of that Popish doctrine, that think it impossible for a man to know that he is in an estate of grace. If John did write these Epistles for this end, that we might know we have eternal life, then surely we may know it, else John fails of his end; and for John to be disappointed were less matter, but the Holy Ghost himself, for John being the penman of the Holy Ghost, the holy end he aims at not being attainable, is to put a defiance upon the Almighty, and therefore the knowledge that we have eternal life may be attained. And whereas they tell us, we may have a conjectural knowledge, but no certain knowledge, but to say we have a knowledge, and yet but conjectural, is as much as to eat up a man's words he had formerly said; for a conjectural knowledge is no knowledge at all. Knowledge is the judgment or discerning a man has of a certain thing. If a man ask you, whether he knows if such a man have possession of such a place, and he say first, yes, and afterwards says, he conjectures so; his knowledge is no knowledge, it is a false intelligence. If you ask a man, if he knows whether such a man have such a portion of such a value, and he say, he has, he conjectures so, it is no knowledge; but if he knows it, then he speaks of a certainty. And therefore if the Holy Ghost says, we may know it, then surely we may have more than a conjectural knowledge, even a certain knowledge of our happy estates; and were there no more arguments in the world to discourage a man from Popery, this were sufficient, even this very doctrine of doubting, and conjectural assurance of a man's eternal estate, which leaves a man's conscience destitute of any peace. Consider therefore, that the Church of Rome is a harlot, and brings up strange children; when she does not teach her children to know God to be their Father, it argues she is no lawful spouse of Christ; but do but hope such a one is your Father, but count it presumption to say, you know it. That church that trains not up her children to know God to be their Father, is a false church; and a sign that the Church of Rome has mixed herself with so many idols and abominations, that she cannot teach the children of her church, to know that they are the sons and children of God, but condemns them to the death, if they dare presume to say, that God is their Father.
Use 2. May refute that opinion of the Papists, that will not suffer the common people to hear this Scripture; take notice here how injurious they are to the faith of God's people, and to the knowledge of their chief comfort, to debar them of the knowledge and means of their salvation; take away these Scriptures, and take away the principal means of the knowledge of our salvation.
Use 3. To teach such as are in any doubtful temptation at any time about their first estate and condition, who are not able to apply with comfort assuredly their grounded knowledge, that Christ, and eternal life is theirs; it may teach them among other Scriptures, to be diligent in inquiring into this Epistle, the Holy Ghost says, it was the main scope of his writing to all those that trust upon the name of Christ, that they might know their blessedness to lie upon him, and those that did not certainly know they had found him, he writes to them to look after Christ, to long for him, and to desire after him. Do you then desire not only to believe eternal salvation belongs to you, but to know it? For to know is something more than to believe. A man may believe a thing, and upon good ground he may look for salvation there, and wait for it, and desire that he may be more assured of it, but to know that you have eternal life; and the certainty of it, that God has sealed it up to your soul and conscience, of which you need doubt no more, this is a far greater blessing than to believe in Christ, though by believing we have eternal life. And therefore if you so believe in him as to look for salvation in him, and not elsewhere, though as yet you are doubtful of your estate, yet you may learn much by reading these Scriptures, read them again, and again, and leave not reading and searching into them, till you find even from this Epistle ground of assurance.
Use 4. May serve to teach the children of God to know when you have made a good use of reading these Scriptures, you read much and often, and you think when you have done you have done God good service. A usual vanity among Christians if they have prayed in the morning, and read a piece of a chapter, they think they are better blessed all the day after for it; and we are unquiet all that day when we have not had time to read, and pray, but if that be done, we think we have quit ourselves well. But a man may read, and never consider what he has gotten by it; a man may pray, and never observe what answer God makes to his prayers all the day long, but God requires that you should get knowledge by reading, and that not of small matters, but of your possession of everlasting life. And therefore you read to purpose, when you thereby come to know that you have eternal life, and your joy is increased, and you are brought on to believe and trust in the name of Christ more and more, and unless you so read you have taken this blessed ordinance of God in vain. And therefore be diligent and conversant in reading these Epistles, and as you would search for treasure, so be diligent and laborious herein, that you may know you have eternal life.