1 John 4:1

1 JOHN CHAPTER 4 1 John 4:1 The apostle warneth to try by certain rules the spirits that pretend to come from God. 1 John 4:7 He presseth the obligation of mutual love upon Christians from the example and commandment of God. Believe not every spirit; i.e. not every one pretending to inspiration, or a revelation; spirit, whether good or bad, being put for the person acted thereby. But try the spirits; there being a judgment of discretion or discerning, common to Christians, de jure, and which they ought to endeavour for and to use upon such occasions, Acts 17:11 Philippians 1:9,10 1 Thessalonians 5:21; and the attainment and exercise whereof is, in reference to the great essentials of religion, more facile and sure: as when heretofore among the Jews, any should attempt the drawing them off from the true God, as Deuteronomy 13:1,2; and so when with Christians it should be endeavoured to tempt them away from Christ, as the false prophets or teachers did, now gone out into the world.