and he who would abide in him, ought to walk as he walked. 281 of God perfected are regardless of the Divine authority, make sECT. hereby know we that a vain and hypocritical pretence to it. we are in him. And ii. by this we know, that we are interested in the Son of God, and united to him by this influence ii. 5 He that saith, 6 6 He that saith he of our faith upon our practice. abideth in him,ought he abideth in him, and pretends a claim to his himself also so to saving benefits, ought himself so to walk, as he, whom he calls his Divine Master, walked, when he was here on earth. He ought in every thing to trace, and endeavour to imitate his example. walk, even walked. as he 7 Brethren, I but an old command ment is the word : And this is so obvious and natural a truth, 7 write no new com- that I persuade myself, brethren, ye already mandment unto you, know it; for herein I write no new commandment which ye had ment to you, but the old commandment, founded from the beginning in nature, recommended by the Mosaic law, the old command and that which ye had especially inculcated from which ye have heard the beginning of your acquaintance with the from the beginning. gospel, the great practical intent of which was, doubtless, presently made known to you by whomsoever it was preached. I may therefore well say, it is the old commandment; for it is the word which you heard from the beginning 8 Again, a new of your acquaintance with Christianity. commandment I considering its peculiar obligations, and the write unto you, new motives with which it is enforced upon us which thing is true in him, and in you: continually, I may say again, a new commandbecause the darkness ment I write to you, which expression is true is past, and the true in him, and in you, for he has laid us under light now shineth. Yet 8 He 9 new engagements to observe it, by his admirable love declared and exhibited to us; because the darkness of heathenism, and twilight of the Jewish state, is now passed away, and the true light now shineth, and in proportion to our knowledge, he may reasonably expect that our 9 He that saith he care to act suitably should be awakened. is in the light, and that saith, he is in the light, that he enjoyhateth his brother, eth, that he understands and receives the gospel, and hateth his brother, and does him any designed injury, is in the darkness even till now. And his ineffectual acquaintance with some principles of religion, which do not influence his heart to charity and beneficence, will, as to his real and final happiness, stand him in no stead. But he that loveth his brother, abideth 10 his brother, abideth in the light, he improves the advantages which in the light, and he enjoys by the Christian religion, and as he is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth 282 ii. They had known him who was from the beginning: SECT. answers its end, he will continually share the there is none occa pleasure and the security, which it gives; for sion of stumbling in there is no occasion of stumbling in him; this him. 1 John will secure him from giving any just cause of ii. 10 11 But he that offence; whereas the malevolent passions turn a thousand circumstances into temptations, which prove fatal to a man's credit and repose in this world, and his salvation in the next. 11 But on the contrary, as I said before, he who hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh hateth his brother, in darkness; and the consequence of that is, walketh in darkness, is in darkness, and that as one who walketh in the night, without and knoweth not any light to guide him, knows not whither he whither he goeth, goeth; so such an one, while he flattereth him- because that darkness hath blinded self with hopes of salvation, on account of his his eyes. knowledge and profession, is really ignorant of his own state, because darkness hath blinded his eyes; and so he is in the utmost danger of falling, before he is aware, into the bottomless pit, from whence there is no redemption. 12 12 I write unto your sins These things I say unto you, and they are of universal concern; I hope therefore you you, little children, because will all attend to them, and improve them for are forgiven you for your own advantage. I write unto you, little his name's sake. children, amongst the rest, to guard the least and weakest of you against sin: because by his name, even the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has made an atonement for them, your sins are forgiven you, and I am very solicitous that you may make all due return for so inestimable a favour, as a pardon purchased at the 13 expense of such sacred blood. [I write to you, 13 I write unto fathers, because ye have known him that is from you, fathers,because the beginning; because ye have heard of his ye have known him divine dignity and glory, who was in the be- ginning. I write ginning, who was with God, and himself God; unto you, young men, that ye may behave aright towards that Divine because ye have Saviour, who submitted to such abasement for us, though originally he was so exalted and glorious. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one, have bravely bid defiance to his allurements and terrors, in taking upon you, in so solemn a manner, the Christian profession; and I would by no means have you disgrace the victory you have already that is from the be overcome the wick And therefore should not love the world : 283 ii. ed one. I write un- gained. I write to you, little children,] be- seor. to you,little children, cause even the youngest of have known because ye have known the Father. you . 13 God, as the Father of his people, have been 1 John taught to call upon him as your Father in heaven; and I desire you may, with all filial reverence and love, approve yourselves duti ful and grateful to him under that relation. 14 I have written And, (as I have before said,) I have written 14 unto you, fathers, to you, fathers, because ye have known him who because ye have known him that is is from the beginning; so also, I have written from the beginning to you, young men, because ye are strong, you I have written unto are in the full vigour of nature; and may God you, young men, be- preserve your hearts in a right frame, and and the word of God lengthen out your lives to do him much service abideth in you, and in future and distant years. And this may the ye have overcome rather be expected, as the word of God abideth in cause ye are strong, the wicked one. 15 Love not the you, as you have been instructed in the princi- And now whatever your age, station, and 15 world, neither the circumstances may be, suffer me to address to things that are in the you one farther word of exhortation; which is this, Love not the world, nor the things [which are] in the world, in an irregular and excessive To you, little children, &e.] There is tacit exhortation to go on in that which he such an apparent tautology in these three commends them for, or congratulates verses, as cannot, that I know of, be them upon. But on the whole, comparequalled in any other part of scripture. ing the beginning of the 13th with the 14th Some have imagined, that the signification verse, where the same words are repeated, of little children here, (in the original was- I am ready to conjecture, that if they were Sia,) is different from that in the 12th written in the original, they were left out verse, (where the word is Texa,) which again, and were written more perfectly Wolfius says is used to signify Christians afterwards in the 14th; and consequently, in general; whereas waidia refers either that all that should be retained, is the last to those who were young in years, or clause of it, in connection with the 12. lately converted to Christianity. (See Your sins are forgiven, because ye have known Cura Philolog. Vol. V. p. 259.) And they the Father. Thus all tautology is avoided, have supposed the meaning of the apos- and every sentiment and expression, in tle's exhortation here is, that as one of the either of the verses, is preserved. I have first persons children become acquainted therefore enclosed in a parenthesis all that with, is their father, so they should know part, both of the text and paraphrase, God, and improve, more and more in a which may be left out without taking practical acquaintance with him and away any thing from the sense, or burden each of these congratulations contains a ing it with an unnecessary repetition. 284, 1 John For the world passeth away. love of the Father is SECT. degree; for if any one love the world with too world. If any man ii. great an attachment, and have his heart chiefly love the world, the set on its interests, or its pleasures, it may just- not in him. i. 15 ly be concluded, that the love of the Father is not in him; for there is a real inconsistence between the love of the world in this sense, and that of God which will easily appear, when we consider what we may justly understand by 16 the world; For all that is in the world, when 16 For all that is it comes to make up the largest catalogue of in the world, the good things, which it can promise to those who lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, eagerly and idolatrously pursue it, [is] to be and the pride of life, comprehended under these three well known is not of the Father, particulars, the lust of the flesh, that is, the but is of the world. pleasurable indulgence of our carnal appetites; and the lust of the eyes, that is, the acquisition of money, which if not expended for other purposes for which it is designed, only serves us to behold and count over; and the pride of life, some ambitious pursuits, in consequence of which we may make a parade in the eyes of our fellow creatures for a little while, in our way to the grave, which is to strip us of it all. Now it is evident, that [these things] considered as the food of luxury, avarice, and ambition, are not of the Father, but of the world. It plainly appears, that God, considered as the author of all good, cannot be pleased with such affections and pursuits; and it would be profane to suppose that they are produced or excited by him, or that the prevalence of them can be acknowledged by him, as consistent with 17 his love in the heart. Endeavour therefore, 17 And the world my brethren, to get more and more above such snares and entanglements as these; and so much the rather, as the world and all the luxury same opinion; (see Annot. ex Xenoph. in loc.) but afterwards from the use of the word anafovea, in Polybius, (see Annot. ex Polyb. in loc.) he was disposed to understand it in general, of the splendour and luxury, which vain persons affect in their whole manner of living. But more strict ly, the phrase, anaovaa т fix, refers to that ambitious turn of mind, which prompts men to engage in all those pur suits, which will supply materials for their vanity, and enable them to make a figure in the world. See Wolfii Cure Philolog. in loc. Reflections on the advocacy of Christ, &c. 285 passeth away, and of it, and whatever belongs to it which can sECT. the lust thereof: but serve to the gratification of our desires, passes ii. will of God, abideth away like a glaring pageant, which only amuses 1John "he that doeth the for ever. the eye for a few transient moments, and then ii. 17 disappears. But he that doeth the will of God IMPROVEMENT. OFTEN let us be lifting up our eyes and our hearts to him who verse is our great Advocate with the Father: too frequently do the in- 1 firmities of our lives demand our application to him under that character. Let us rejoice that he is Jesus Christ the righteous, that he is the Lord our righteousness. While we joy in him as the propitiation for our sins, let it comfort our heart to think, how 2 wide the efficacy of his atonement extends. O, that all the world might be engaged to apply to him under this important consideration! O, that all those who profess so to apply to him, might remember how necessary it is, that if they would shew they indeed know him, they should keep his commandments: this, rather 3,5 than any of those passionate transports of mind, on which some are ready to lay so great a stress, is the perfection of love to God. May the Spirit of Christ impress upon us more of our Master's 6 image, and teach us with greater care and exactness to order our walk and conversation by his example. Since we have an illustrious light to direct our path, let us make use of it to this purpose, lest eternal darkness come upon us. Let us learn the Divine lesson we are here taught, to love our brethren, and gradu- 9 ally to rise higher above that love of the world, that attachment to temporal and present interests, which is inconsistent with the 15 love of the Father! When we are tempted too fondly to admire, or too eagerly to pursue this gaudy pageant, let us survey the inventory here given of its boasted treasures. Let us compute the most it can even pretend to confer upon us, and impartially weigh all that can gratify the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, 16 and the pride of life, against those solid pleasures which arise from the love of God, against those infinite benefits which will finally result from it. They who do his will, abide for ever, nor 17 is their removal from this empty and transitory world any objection against it. Yea, rather, how would it be possible, or how desirable, they should abide for ever, were not a removal from such a mutable, such an unsatisfying, and in many respects afflicting world, to make a part of the plan, formed by Divine Providence and grace in their favour! |
