My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Ver. 1. _That ye sin not_] Presuming upon an easy and speedy pardon. The worst sort of Papists will say, When we have sinned, we must confess; and... [ Continue Reading ]
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for _the sins of_ the whole world. Ver. 2. _He is the propitiation_] Heb. Copher; he coffers up, as it were, and covers our sins, Psalms 78:38. _See Trapp on "_ Rom 3:25 _"_ The Hebrew word כפר used for covering and propitiati... [ Continue Reading ]
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Ver. 3. _We know that we know him_] By a reflex act of the soul; hence the assurance of faith, the fruit of fruitfulness, 1 Corinthians 15:58 . _ That we know him_] With a knowledge not apprehensive only, but affective too. _ If... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Ver. 4. _He that saith, I know him_] Here he disputeth against Verbalists and Solifidians. SeeJames 2:14. _See Trapp on "_ Jam 2:14 _"_ Is a liar] _i.e._ A hypocrite; his spot is not the spot of G... [ Continue Reading ]
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. Ver. 5. _In him verily is the love of God perfected_] St John was a mere compound of sweetest love. As iron put into the fire, seemeth to be nothing but fire, so he (the beloved disciple) was... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Ver. 6. _To walk even as he walked_] This is the same with that Colossians 2:6, to walk in Christ; and with that,1 Peter 2:21, to follow his steps. _See Trapp on "_ 1Pe 2:21 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Ver. 7. _I write no new commandment_] The apostle studiously declineth the suspicion of novelty. We should ever set a jealou... [ Continue Reading ]
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. Ver. 8. _A new commandment_] _See Trapp on "_ Joh 13:34 _"_ "A new commandment" it is called, saith a late learned interpreter, 1. Because it was renewed b... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. Ver. 9. _And hateth, his brother_] As Paul presseth faith, and Peter hope, so John love, those three cardinal virtues,1 Corinthians 13:13. _See Trapp on "_ 1Jn 2:5 _"_ Is in darkness] Yea, in the prince of dar... [ Continue Reading ]
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. Ver. 10. _None occasion, &c._] Gr. σκανδαλον, No scandal, _i.e._ no occasion of spiritual falling, whereby a man is made any manner of way worse, and backwarder in goodness. _Quod fieri potest vel dicto... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. Ver. 11. _He that hateth, &c._] There is a passion of hatred (saith a famous divine). This is a kind of averseness and rising of the heart against a... [ Continue Reading ]
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. Ver. 12. _I write unto you, little children_] A Christian hath his degrees of growth; childhood, 1 Corinthians 3:1,2; youth or well grown age, when he is past the spoon, as here; old age, Acts 21:16 . _ Beca... [ Continue Reading ]
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him _that is_ from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. Ver. 13. _Him that is from the beginning_] The Ancient of days. Old men love... [ Continue Reading ]
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him _that is_ from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Ver. 14. _Because ye have known him_] The same again as 1 John 2:13, which to... [ Continue Reading ]
Love not the world, neither the things _that are_ in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Ver. 15. _Love not the world_] You fathers, and you young and strong men, let me caution you (before I speak again to the little children, 1Jn 2:18), to beware of worldli... [ Continue Reading ]
For all that _is_ in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Ver. 16. _The lust of the flesh, the lust of, &c._] That is, pleasure, profit, preferment; the worldling's trinity, as one saith. Compare herewith Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Ver. 17. _And the world passeth away_] As the stream of a swift river passeth by the side of a city. _Animantis cuiusque vita in fuga est, _ Life itself wears out in the wearing, as a garment; all... [ Continue Reading ]
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. Ver. 18. _Little children_] Children may easily be deceived, and made to take a sheep counter for an angel, because broader and brigh... [ Continue Reading ]
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would _no doubt_ have continued with us: but _they went out_, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. Ver. 19. _But they were not of us_] No more were our Anti-trinitarians, Arians, Anti-scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. Ver. 20. _But ye have an unction_] That oil of gladness, the Holy Ghost. In derision thereof, Domitian, the tyrant, cast St John into a caldron of boiling oil, but he by a miracle came forth unhurt. _ Ye know all things_] Not all th... [ Continue Reading ]
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Ver. 21. _Because ye know not, &c._] Because ye are utterly ignorant; for God hath no blind children, but they all know him from the least to the greatest. Howbeit, the angels know no... [ Continue Reading ]
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Ver. 22. _That denieth that Jesus_] Papists deny him as a King, in setting up the pope; as a Priest, in setting up the mass; as a Prophet, in piecing their human traditions to the Holy... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: _(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also_. Ver. 23. _The same hath not the Father_] _See Trapp on "_ Joh 5:23 _"_ Mahomet speaks very honourably of Christ, but denies his Divinity, and that he was crucified. He acknowledged t... [ Continue Reading ]
Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Ver. 24. _Let that therefore abide_] Persevere and hold fast the faith of the gospel without wavering in... [ Continue Reading ]
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, _even_ eternal life. Ver. 25. _Even eternal life_] Hold therefore the doctrine of faith sound and entire by the hand of faith, that ye may receive the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.... [ Continue Reading ]
These _things_ have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. Ver. 26. _That seduce you_] That carry you into byways, highways to hell.... [ Continue Reading ]
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Ver. 27. _But the anointing_] See1 John 2:20. It was an a... [ Continue Reading ]
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Ver. 28. _Little children, abide in him_] _q.d._ Your enemies are many and crafty; therefore keep home, keep home; this shall be no grief unto you, nor offence of... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. Ver. 29. _Is born of him_] And exactly resembles him, as a child doth his father. See 1 Peter 1:17. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 5:9 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]