Part 1427

2:26. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you.

2:27. And as for you, let the unction, which you have received from him abide in you. And you have no need that any man teach you: but as his unction teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie. And as it hath taught you, abide in him.

You have no need, etc.... You want not to be taught by any of these men, who, under pretence of imparting more knowledge to you, seek to seduce you (ver. 26), since you are sufficiently taught already, and have all knowledge and grace in the church, with the unction of the Holy Ghost; which these new teachers have no share in.

2:28. And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be confounded by him at his coming.

2:29. If you know that he is just, know ye, that every one also who doth justice is born of him.

1 John Chapter 3

Of the love of God to us. How we may distinguish the children of God and those of the devil. Of loving one another and of purity of conscience.

3:1. Behold what manner of charity 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.

3:2. 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.

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

3:4. Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity. And sin is iniquity.

Iniquity.... transgression of the law.

3:5. And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.

3:6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him.

Sinneth not.... viz., mortally. See chap. 1.8.

3:7. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.

3:8. He 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.

3:9. Whosoever is born of God committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Committeth not sin.... 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. 11.20-22; Cor. 9.27; and 10.12; Phil. 2.12; Apoc. 3.11.

3:10. 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.

3:11. For this is the declaration which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another.

3:12. 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.

3:13. Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.

3:14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

3:15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself.

3:16. 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.

3:17. 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?

3:18. My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.