[1.] Intimacy, or the near and close conjunction between Christ and a believer by faith.
[2.] Constanc}', or an adherence to him, and dependence upon him on our part ; for the union is not like to break on Christ's side; it is we that are pressed to abide in him, and that first because some are in Christ only by visible profession, and Christ will not cast them off if they do not fall off. Secondly, Because the elect must consider the danger of apostasy : ' Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.'
2. The predicate, ' Sinneth not ; ' that is, according to the sense of our apostle, liveth not in a course of known sin, for otherwise there is no man that sinneth not, 1 Kings viii. 46 ; and again, Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not' Therefore the meaning of the apostle is, that for the main he endeavoureth after purity and holiness, and alloweth himself in no sin.
%1 Proposition. There the order is inverted ; for the predicate in the former proposition is the subject here : ' Whosoever sinneth,' that is, in the sense aforesaid, whosoever doth so give himself over to sin as not to endeavour purity and holiness, either deliberately and designedly doeth evil, or doth negligently oppose evil, leaveth the boat to the stream.
Then the predicate, ' Hath not seen him, nor known him ; ' that is, was never acquainted with Christ.
But yet, because the expressions are emphatical, I shall sift them a little more narrowly.
1. These expressions are used because all that are Christ's are bound to know him, and to be acquainted with him: John x. 11, 'I know my sheep, and am known of mine.' The knowledge is mutual ; as he knoweth us, and taketh care of us, so we know him, and take care of his precepts.
2. That where sight and knowledge are efi'ectual, it is a mighty check to sin : 3 John 11, ' He that doeth good is of God ; but he that doeth evil liath not seen God.' Seeing and knowing are put for a lively faith : John xvii. 3, 'And this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ; ' John vi. 40, 'He that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life.' So that the meaning is, he hath not a true and lively faith.
3. The expressions are fitly used to disprove the Gnostics, a sort of knowing people, who falsely did pretend a higher knowledge of Christ without newness of life ; yea, though they wallowed in all manner of filthiness; therefore called Borborites; and one of their dogmas or opinions was, that a jewel in the dirt is a jewel still. Therefore their knowledge or science, falsely so called, is often disproved^ in the writings of this apostle : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that saith, I know him, and
24 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. X.
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.'
4. The case in hand or under debate was about seeing Christ and being like him ; but none shall see liim hereafter but those that now in some sort see him and know him ; for faith is the introduction to the beatifical vision. If we do not see him now, and know liim now, we shall neither see him nor know him hereafter ; but he that liveth an evil and sinful life hath not seen him, neither known him ; and there- fore such cannot expect to see him as he is, and be like him.
5. There is plainly in the words a negative gradation, where the greatest is denied first, as is frequent in scripture ; as Ps. cxxi. 4, ' Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep ; ' and Heb. xiii. 5, ' I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' A man may leave the company of another whom he doth not forsake. So here, he hath neither seen Christ nor known him. Sight implieth clearness and certainty ; and so the meaning is, that he is so far from seeing Christ, that he hath not known him. The points observable are two —
First, That whosoever is ingrafted into Christ by a true and lively faith, and hath union and communion with him, ought not nor cannot allow himself in any known sin.
Secondly, That no sight and knowledge of Christ is saving and effectual but what checketh sin and prevents living in a course of sin.
For the first point, that whosoever is ingrafted into Christ by a true and lively faith, and hath union and communion with him, ought not nor cannot allow himself in any known sin.
Here I shall examine — (1.) What is union and communion with Christ ; (2.) This is to be considered as begun and as continued ; (3.) Why this union with Christ is inconsistent with a sinful life.
I. For the first, certainly there is a near and close union between Christ and christians. To be in a thing is more than to be with it, by it, or about it, or to belong to it. Now we do not only belong to Christ, but are in him, John xvii. 26, and 2 Cor, v. 17, ' Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature.' What this union is, is a mystery, and hard to explain. When the apostle had told us that ' we are members of his body,' he addeth, Eph. v. 32, ' But this is a great mystery : but I speak concerning Christ and his church,' The near conjunction between Christ and his people is one of the secrets in religion not slightly to be passed over, nor yet very curiously to be pryed into. The conjunc- tion is real, but the way of it is spiritual and heavenly. Many things in religion are known by their effects rather than their nature. The thing is plain, but the manner hidden ; and it is our business to seek after the blessed effects of it rather than accurately to study the natui-e of it. Yet it is profitable to see how it is brought about. Take it thus, confederation maketh way for union, union for fruition, and fruition for communion, and communion for familiarity between Christ and us or God and us by Christ.