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whereby we know that it is the last hour.

19 They went out from us; but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us: but that they may be manifest, that they are not all of us.

20 But you have the unction from

abide in him: that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be confounded by him at his coming.

29 If you know, that he is just, know ye, that every one also, who doth justice, is born of him. CHAP. III.

Of the love of God to us.

the Holy one, and know all things: BEHOLD what manner of cha

21 I have not written to you as to them that know not the truth, but as to them that know it: and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar, but he who denieth that JESUS is the Christ? This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.

23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also.

24 As for you, let that which you have heard from the beginning, abide in you. If that abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning, you also shall abide in the Son and in the Father.

rity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.

2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

3 And every one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.

4 Whosoever committeth sin, committeth also iniquity: and sin is iniquity.

5 And you know that he appear25 And this is the promise which ed to take away our sins: and in he hath promised us, life everlast-jhim there is no sin. ing. 6 Whosoever abideth in him, 26 These things have I written to sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth you, concerning them that seduce hath not seen him, nor known him. you. 7 Little children, let no man de

27 And as for you, let the unc-ceive you. He that doth justice, is tion, which you have received from just: even as he is just. him, abide in you. And you have 8 He that committeth sin, is of no need that any man teach you: the devil: for the devil sinneth from but as his unction teacheth you the beginning. For this purpose,the of all things, and is truth, and is Son of God appeared,that he might no lie. And as it hath taught you, destroy the works of the devil. abide in him. 9 Whosoever is born of God com28 And now, little children, mitteth not sin: for his seed abi

Ver 20. Know all things. The true children of God's church, remaining in unity, under the guidance of their lawful pastors, partake of the unction of the Holy Ghost, promised to the church and her pastors; and meet here with all necessary knowledge and instruction, so as to have no need to seek it elsewhere, since it can be only found in that society of which they are members.

Ver. 4. Iniquity dvoula, transgression of the law.

Ver. 6. Sinneth not, viz. mortally. See chap. i. 8. p. 285.

Ver. 9. Committeth not sin, &c. That is, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of grace and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state, by the abuse of his free-will, as appears from Rom. xl. 20, 21, 22. 1 Cor. ix. 27. chap. x. 12. Philip ii. 12. Revel. iii. 11.

deth in him, and he cannot sin, be-God is greater than our heart, and cause he is born of God. knoweth all things.

10 In this the children of God 21 Dearly beloved, if our heart are manifest, and the children of do not reprehend us, we have conthe devil. Whosoever is not just, fidence towards God.

is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother.

11 For this is the declaration, which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother's just.

13 Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death.

22 And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son JESUS Christ: and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. CHAP. IV.

not.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother, What spirits are of God, and what is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself.

16 In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall put up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth.

19 In this we know that we are the truth and in his sight shall persuade our hearts.

20 For if our heart reprehend us,

DEA

EARLY beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit, which confesseth that JESUS Christ is come in the flesh, is of God:

3 And every spirit, that dissolveth JESUS, is not of God: and this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh, and he is now already in the world.

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the world: there

Ver. 1. Try the spirits, viz. by examining whether their teaching be agreeable to the rule of the Catholic faith, and the doctrine of the church. For as he says, v. 6. He that knoweth God heareth us (the pastors of the church.) By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Ver. 2. Every spirit which confesseth, &c. Not that the confession of this point of faith alone, is, at all times, and in all cases, sufficient: but that with relation to that time, and for that part of the Christian doctrine, which was then particularly to be confessed, taught, and maintained, against the heretics of those days: this was the most proper token, by which true teachers might be distinguished from the false.

fore of the world they speak, and abideth in God, and God in hims 17 In this is the charity of God

the

6 We are of God. He that perfected with us, that we may knoweth God, heareth us. He have confidence in the day of judgthat is not of God, heareth us not. ment: because as he is, we also By this we know the spirit of are in this world. truth, and the spirit of error.

7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another: for charity is of God. And every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.

9 By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

11 My dearest, if God hath so loved us; we also ought to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his charity is perfected in us.

13 In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us; because hel hath given us of his spirit.

14 And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that JESUS is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

18 Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity. 19 Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.

20 If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?

21 And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother. CHAP. V.

Of them that are born of God and of true charity.

WHOSE the Christ, is born

WHOSOEVER believeth that

of God. And every one that loveth him who begot, loveth him also who is born of him.

2 In this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God,and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy.

4 For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: And this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.

16 And we have known, and 5 Who is he that overcometh the have believed the charity, which world, but he that believeth that God hath to us. God is charity: JESUS is the Son of God? and he that abideth in charity, 6 This is he that came by water

Ver. 18. Fear is not in charity, &c. Perfect charity, or love, banisheth human fear, that is, the fear of men; as also all perplexing fear, which makes men mistrust or despair of of God's mercy; and that kind of servile fear, which makes them fear the punishment of sin more than the offence of God. But it no ways excludes the wholesome fear of God's judgments, so often recommended in holy writ; nor that fear and trembling, with which we are told to work out our salvation. Philip ii. 12.

Ver. 1. Is born of God. That is, is justified and become a child of God. Not that the bare belief of this one article is of itself sufficient: but so as to take along with it its proper attendants, viz. the faith of all revealed truths, love, repentance, and obedience to God's law.

and blood, JESUS Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth, that Christ is the truth.

7 And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.

8 And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three are one.

14 And this is the confidence which we have towards him: That, whatsoever we shall ask according to his will, he heareth us.

15 And we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask: we know that we have the petitions which we request of him.

16 He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask.

9 If we receive the testimony of to death. men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God which is greater, because he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the testimony of God in himself. He that believeth not the Son,maketh him a liar: because he believeth not in the testimony which God hath testified of his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God hath given to us eternal life. And this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son, hath life. He that hath not the

hath not life.

17 All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death.

18 We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not: but the generation of God preserveth him, and the wicked one toucheth him not.

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is seated in wickedness.

20 And we know that the Son of God is come: and he hath given us Son understanding, that we may know the true God, and may be in his true Son, this is the true God, and life eternal.

13 These things I write to you, that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the 21 Little children, keep yourname of the Son of God.

selves from idols. Amen.

Ver. 16. A sin unto death. Some understand this of final impenitence, or of dying in mortal sin: which is the only sin that never can be remitted. But it is probable he may also comprise under this name the sin of apostacy from the faith, and some other such heinous sins as are seldom and hardly remitted: and therefore he gives little encouragement to such as pray for these sinners, to expect to obtain what they ask. Ver. 18. Sinneth not. See the annotation on chap. iii. 6, &c.

The second EPISTLE of St. JOHN the Apostle.

Father, in truth, and charity.

He recommends walking in truth, 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and &c. peace from God the Father, and THE whom I love NHE ancient to the lady elect from Christ JESUS the Son of the in the truth, and not I only, but 4 I was exceeding glad, that I also all they that have known the found of thy children walking in truth, truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

2 For the sake of the truth, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

5 And now I beseech thee, lady, 'not as writing a new commandment

to thee, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

6 And this is charity, that we walk according to his commandments. For this is the commandment, that, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in the same: 7 For many seducers are gone out into the world, who confess not that JESUS Christ is come in the flesh: this is a seducer and an antichrist.

8 Look to yourselves, that you lose not the things which you have wrought but that you may receive a full reward.

tinueth not in the doctrine ofChrist, hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine, the same hath both the Father and the Son.

10 If any man come to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into the house, nor say to him, God speed you.

11 For he that saith unto him, God speed you, communicateth with his wicked works.

12 Having more things to write unto you, I would not by paper and ink: for 1 hope that I shall be with you, and speak face to face: that your joy may be full.

13 The children of thy sister

9 Whosoever revolteth and con-Elect salute thee.

The third EPISTLE of St. JOHN the Apostle.

He praises Gaius for his walking in

truth, and for his charity. THE ancient to the dearly belovedGaius, whom I love intruth. 2 Dearly beloved, concerning all things I make it my prayer that thou mayest proceed prosperously, and fare well, as thy soul doth prosperously.

SI was exceeding glad when the brethren came, and gave testimony to the truth in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

4 I have no greater grace than this, to hear that my children walk in truth.

5 Dearly beloved, thou dost faithfully whatever thou dost for the brethren, and that for strangers. 6 Who have given testimony to thy charity in the sight of the church whom, thou shalt do well, to bring forward on their way in a manner worthy of God.

church: but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, doth not receive us.

10 For this cause, if I come, 1 will advertise his works which he doth; with malicious words prating against us. And as if these

things were not enough for him, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that do receive them he forbiddeth, and casteth out of the church.

11 Dearly beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doth good, is of God: he that doth evil, hath not seen God.

12 To Demetrius testimony is given by all, and by the truth itself, yea and we also give testimony and thou knowest that our testimony is true.

131 had many things to write unto thee: but I would not by ink and pen write to thee.

7 Because, for his name they went out, taking nothing of the gentiles. 14 But I hope speedily to see 8 We therefore ought to receive thee, and we will speak mouth to such that we may be fellow-help-mouth. Peace be to thee. Our ers of the truth. friends salute thee. Salute the

9 I had written perhaps to the friends by name.

Ver. 4. No greater grace. That is, nothing that gives me greater joy and satisfaction

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