ing of our Lord salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you, 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, Tor of lest being led aside by the ear 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eter nity. Amen. CHAP. 3.-1. 1 Tim. 4, 1; 2 Tim. 3, 1; Jude 18.-2. Ezec. 12, 27.-3. 1 Thess. 5, 2: Apoc. 3, 3 and 16, 15.-4. Isai. 65, 17 and 66, 22; Apoc. 21, 1.-5. Rom. 2, 4. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE. [THE SAME VEIN of divine love and charity towards our neighbour, which runneth throughout the Gospel written by the beloved disciple and evangelist St. John, is found also in his Epistles. He confirmeth the two principal mysteries of our faith: the mystery of the Trinity, and the mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ the Son of God. The sublimity and excellence of the evangelical doctrine he declareth: And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, loveth also his brother, (chap, 4, 21.) and again: For this is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy, (chap. 5, 3.) He sheweth how to distinguish the children of God from those of the devil: marketh out those who should be called Antichrists: describeth the turpitude and gravity of sin. Finally, he sheweth how the sinner may hope for pardon. It was written, according to Baronius's account, sixty-six years after our Lord's Ascension.] have heard, we declare unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship may be with the Father, and with his Son JESUS CHRIST. 4 And these things we write to you, that you may rejoice, and your joy may be full. 5 And this is the declaration which we have heard from him, and declare unto you:1 That God is light, and in him there is no darkness. 2 For the fe was manifested, and 6 If we say that we have fellowwe have seen, and do bear witness, ship with him, and walk in darkand declare unto you the life eter-ness, we lie, and do not the truth. nal which was with the Father, and hath appeared to us: 3 That which we have seen and 7 But if we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and 2 the of JESUS CHRIST, his Son | the darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth. eth us from all sin. we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins: he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. 10 If we say that we have not sinned: we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. CHAP. 1.-1. John 8, 12.-2. Heb. 9, 14; 1 Pet. 1, 19; Apoc. 1, 5.-3. 3 Kings 8, 46; 2 Par. 6, 36; Prov. 20, 9; Eccle. 7, 21. CHAPTER II. Christ is our advocate: we must keep his commandments, and love one another. We must not love the world, nor give ear to new teachers; but abide by the spirit of God in the Church. M 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in dark ness even until now. 10 He2 that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is no scandal in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkmess, and knoweth not whither he goeth: because the darkness hath blinded his eyes. 12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him, who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. 14 I write unto you, babes, because you have known the Father. write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Y little children, these things II write to you that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the just: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He who saith that he knoweth him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But he that keepeth his word, in him in very deed the charity of God is perfected: and by this we know that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk, even as he walked. 7 Dearly beloved, I write not a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning: The old commaudment is the word which you have heard. 8 Again a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true both in him and in you: because CHAP. 2, 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 unetion of the Holy Ghost, promised 15 Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him: 16 For all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life: which is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof. But he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever. 18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh: even now there are become many Antichrists; 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 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. from the Holy one, and know all things. 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. upon us, that we should 2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet apde-peared 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. 22 Who is a liar, but he who nieth 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.. 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. 24 As for you, let that which you have heard from the beginning, abide in you: If that abide in you, 5 And you know that he appearwhich you have heard from the be-ed to take away our sins: and in ginning, you also shall abide in the him there is no sin. Son and in the Father. 6 Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you.. He that doth justice, is just: even as he is just. 8 He2 that committeth sin, is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God, committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just, 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 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 appeareth from Rom. 11, 20, 21, 22: 1 Cor. 9, 27: 10, 12; Philip. 2, 12; Apoc. 3, 11. from death to life, because we love the brethren. 5 He that loveth not, abideth in death: 15 Whosoever hateth his brother, 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 shut 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 of the truth: and in his sight shall persuade our hearts. 20 For if our heart reprehend us: God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God: 22 And 8 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 10 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. 3.-1. Isai. 53, 9; 1 Pet. 2, 22.-2. John 8, 44.-3. John 13, 34 and 15, 12.-4. Gen. 4, 8.-5. Lev. 19, 17; 1 John 2, 11.6. John 15, 13.-7. Luke 3, 11; James 2, 15.-8. Matt. 21, 22.-9. John 6, 29 and 17, 3.-10. John 13, 34 and 15, 12. CHAPTER IV. What spirits are of God, and what not. We must love one another, because God hath loved us. D' 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. fore of the world they speak, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us: he that is not of God, heareth us not: by this we know the spirit of 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 2 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 No3 man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God 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. 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 he 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. 16 And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him. 17 In this is the charity of God perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment: because as he is, we also are in this world. 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, be cause 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 be love God whom he seeth not? 21 And this commandment we have from God, that he, who loveth God, love also his brother. CHAP. 4.-1. John 8, 47.-2. Jonn 3, 16. -3. John 1, 18; 1 Tim. 6, 16.-4. Jolin 13, 34 and 15, 12; Ephes. 5, 2. CHAPTER V. Of them that are born of God, and of true charity. Faith overcometh the world. Three that bear witness to Christ. Of faith in his name, and of sin that is, and is not to death. HOSOEVER believeth that W JESUS is the Christ, is born of God. And every one that loveth him who begot, loveth him also who is born of him. Ver. 18. Feur is not in charity, &c. Perfect charity, or love, banisheth human fear, that is, the fear of men; as also all perplexing fear, which maketh men mistrust or despair of God's mercy; and that kind of servile fear, which maketh them fear the punishment of sin more than the offence of God. But it no ways excludeth the wholesome fear of God's judgments, so often rec 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. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that JESUS is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water 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. 9 If we receive the testimony of 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 Son, hath not life. 13 These things I write to you: that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence ommended in holy writ: nor that fear and trembling, with which we are told to work out our salvation. Philip. 2. 12. CHAP, 5, ver. 1. Is born af Gol. 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 obedi ence to God's law. |