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1 JOHN 2.5, 6.But he that keepeth his Word, in him is the love of God perfect indeed, &c.
THe words do declare a double comfort that betides all those that keep the Commandments of Christ Jesus.
1 The perfection of Gods love in such, In him is the love of God perfect.
2 The knowledge of their fellowship or abode in Christ, Hereby we know that we are in him. So, that he that keeps his Commandments, if he look within him, his love is perfect: if he look without him, he is in Christ: yea
and more, he knows it too: whence he concludes, vers. 16. that he that saith he is in Christ, ought so to walk as Christ hath walked.
To keep his Word, or his Commandments (as I told you) is a borrowed speech from many things which we keep with great care; as our way, our trea∣sure, our ornaments, the apple of our eye, our life. What is such a mans be∣nefit? Why,
1 The love of God is perfected in him.
2 He knows he is in Christ.
The love here spoken of, is not the love whereby God loves him, but the love whereby he loves God, and that is perfected in him.
Q. What is here meant by perfection?
A. 1. There is a double perfection one compleat without all want or im∣perfection, and that is denied to any man in this World, Philp. 3.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, not exempt from all weaknesses, our knowledge is imperfect, and our love is imperfect, there is a continual reluctance, Gal. 3.17.
2 There is a perfection without falshood, hypocrisie, dissimulation, or guile, and such a perfection is found in all true Believers that keep Gods Com∣mandments, the love of God is perfected in them; that is, without hypocrisie, dissimulation, or guile. Gen. 6.9. Noah was a perfect man, and Asa 1 King. 15 his heart was perfect; that is, sincere, though he had many and great failings; 1 King. 20 3. Remember, saith Hezekiah, how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart. This phrase is usual in Scripture, to call that perfect which is sin∣cere and true.
Reas. 1. Sincerity of obedience is called perfection, because whatsoever is wanting is covered in the blood of Christ, and if a mans sin be covered, it is as if he had no sin, Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiven, and whose sin is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile; when there is so much uprightnesse in a mans heart that he walks without any guile, to him the Lord imputes no sin.
Q. Is there any in whose heart there is no guile?
A. There is none that they tollerate or justifie, none that they nourish or maintain, if they have any they strive against it, are not well till they be rid of it, no guile but what their judgments disallow, and their wills consent not to, blessed are such to whom no sin is imputed, in whose spirit there is no guile.
2 Such are said to be perfect, because they strive after perfection, and if they have a willing mind the Lord accepts of it, according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. See how Christ appro∣ved the two Mites of the poor Widow, because she had an heart to give all her estate, Christ saith, She gave more than they all; so if a man gives all his heart to God, and if he had more he would give more, why, God accounts it as per∣fect.
3 God accounts of any sincere truth of grace as perfect, because in time it will be so, and he looks at things to come as present, he that hath begun a good work will also perfect it, Phil. 1.6. 1 Thes. 5.23, 24.
Q. But how comes it to passe, that such a keeping of the Commandments argues love to be perfect?
A. A thing is said to be perfect three ways,
1 When there is Perfectio partium, a perfection of all parts, none wanting, Gen. 2.1.
2 A man is called perfect, that is ready, and skilful, and nimble at any bu∣sinesse.
3 A thing is said to be perfect that will hold, that is constant, as wee call
them perfect colours that will hold their hue in every weather, now such a true perfection of love to God is in all keepers of Gods Command∣ments.
1 There is a perfection of all the parts of love in all such men, there is none of the parts wanting; and the parts of love are,
1 An affection unto fellowship with Christ.
2 An affection to be doing good to him.
What we love compleatly, First, We desire communion with it.
Secondly, We desire communication of good thereunto; if we have it we rejoyce in it, if we want it we earnestly desire it; how doth a man know his love to his friend, but by desire of communion with him, and communication of good to him, now such a man as keeps Christs Commandments thus loves Christ.
1 He is broken off from the love of all other things, and he hath an unfeign∣ed affection to have fellowship with him, and to get that, he keeps his Com∣mandments, and so dwells in him, and he in him, Joh. 14.21, 22.
2 For communication of good to him, our works cannot profit God, yet if we be willing to do God any service, to be at his command at any time, then the love of God is perfect in us, when we desire fellowship with him, and desire to do him the best service we can.
2 Again in perfection there is a readinesse to a work; so such a man as keeps Gods Commandments, his love is ready, he is forward to every good duty, be∣cause it is a Commandment of God. He is a willing person, Psal. 110.3. 2 Cor. 8.12. you need not stand urging him, he is willing to do Gods Will, His tongue is the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 46.1.
3 There is perfect love in him, because it is constant and durable, and will not change, such a mans love is the same in health and sicknesse, in the Church and at home, in prosperity and adversity, and if it be any way disturbed at any time, yet it will return again to its former constant course.
Q. But how may I know, wherein doth it appear, that if I keep Gods Command∣ment, my love is perfect?
A. 1. From the contrariety of our tempers naturally to any Command∣ment, so thnt if you see any one willing and ready to be at Gods command, you may say, certainly the love of God hath overcome him, the Command∣ments of God do crosse his will, crosse his affections, crosse h••s profit and plea∣sure, so that if you see any one give himself up to keep Gods Commandments and crosse himself, it is an undoubted sign that there is the love of God in him, which constrains him to do what Nature would not do.
2 You may know such a mans love to be perfect that keeps his Command∣ments, because whatsoever weak beginnings of love you finde in such as keep Gods Commandments, that mans love grows perfecter every day, such a man still grows in fruitfulnesse, he grows ready to every good work, Joh. 15.2. so that the love of God is perfected in him by obedience; As a fruit∣full Tree, the more it sticks his root downward into the ground, the faster it grows, so a Christian, the more he sticks his root on Christ, the faster it grows. And so the Husbandman will have more care of a fruitful Tree to prune it, he hath no such care of a sower barren Tree, but if a Tree be fruitful, he cuts off all superfluous Boughs that hinder the increase of such a Tree, so a man that is fruitful in Gods Commandments, he doth not only stick his root, his faith and hope deeper in Christ, but the Lord himself is willing to cut down all those noysome Lusts that suck away the sap of grace; if God see a man set himself fully to follow God, and keep his Commandments, the Lord will cut off all cumberances, all corruptions, all things that hinder the growth of grace.
Ʋse 1. For trial of our love to God, whether it be perfect or no, whether sincere or counterfeit; how dost thou finde thy heart affected to Gods Com∣mandments? Dost thou look at them as thy way? it grieves thee to be out,
dost thou look at them as thy treasure, as most profitable to theee? Dost thou look at them as thy ornaments, as most honourable to thee? Dost thou look at them as the apple of thine eye, as thy life, most near, and dear, and precious to thee? If thou dost, thou hast that love in thee that is perfect without guile, perfect in every part of love, and in regard of readinesse and constancie; but if a man looks at Gods Commandments as a by-path, as if he were out of the way; if he looks at them as unprofitable, and dishonourable, if he can break them without any scruple, if he would rather part with them all than his life, verily the love of God is not perfect in such.
Ʋse 2. For direction to all such as desire perfection of love to Christ; do any desire to love the Lord Jesus in perfection, not only of truth, but parts, and degrees, if he could? Why this is the way, keep his Commandments, take heed of breaking any one of them. What is the reason we deceive our selves in our love to Christ? We think it is love to Christ, if we keep a solemn Feast to him at this time of the year in memory of his Nativity, but is there no better Ar∣gument, nor furtherance of thy love to Christ than this? Take heed of it, if Christ hath commanded us to deck our bodies and houses, if Christ hath com∣manded us to feast and be liberal, you will finde that a great help to further your love to Christ, and an evidence thereof; but if you go on in any course without a Commandment, if you keep such Feasts, which end in all excesse and ryot, and gaming and playing, they begin it may be, pretty well, but we fall from Religion to civility, from civility to intemperance, and wantonnesse, &c. and what is the reason? Because we have the custom of our Fathers for it, not the Commandment of Christ; the Apostle doth not say, he that keeps customs his love is perfect, but he that keeps Christs Commandments, therefore if you would get your love to Christ perfected, it must not be by keeping of old cu∣stoms, but by keeping his Commandments: what is the reason why the most are so ready to keep such Feasts, is it because it is Christs Commandment? if it were, the more you would find your love perfected, you would be more forward to good, your spirits grow from one grace to another, but because men look at customs, they begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh. Take a Christian at the be∣ginning of the Sabbath, he findes his heart unlifty to holy Dutie, but before it be ended, he is so enlarged, that he is sorry it is done? Why, because he obeys a command, but if we do any thing out of custom, it grows from better to worse, so that Christ hath not more dishonour the rest of the twelve Months than he hath these twelve days; but would you have your love perfected, then frame your lives and courses according to Gods Commandments, and then the more you practise the more you may, you shall finde your grace growing, and your love perfected to every good work; be doing Gods will, and the Lord will be with you, blessed is that soul whom the Lord shall finde doing his Command∣ments; be doing, and your doing shall multiply your strength and growth in grace.
Ʋse 3 Of Consolation to all such as apply themselves to be doing of Gods Commandments; doth a man find himself ordering his ways according to a Commandment? if you finde it delightful to you, that you would still walk in it, you look at it as your way, your treasure, your ornament, &c. why this is your comfort, the love of God is perfect in you, and will grow more perfect, so perfect that God covers all your infirmities, so perfect, that it grows up high to perfection, even to all the parts thereof, so perfect, that God sees you willing and ready to be doing his will; so perfect, that you resolve to hold on and be constant, and if God see you thus moulded to a Commandment, and not to customs; God will uphold you, and help you, and strengthen you, till he make you perfect, which is no small comfort to a soul.