Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Ver. 1. _But try the spirits_] As lapidaries do their stones, as goldsmiths do their metals. A Bristol stone may look as well as an Indian diamond; and many thing... [ Continue Reading ]
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: Ver. 2. _Hereby know ye the spirit_] Bring it to this test. Gold may be rubbed or melted, it remains orient; so doth truth. Whereas error, as glass (bright, but brittle), cannot endure t... [ Continue Reading ]
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that _spirit_ of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ver. 3. _Is not of God_] And yet he is not called an Atheist, or an Antitheist, but... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Ver. 4. _And have overcome_] viz. In your Head, Christ, and by the help of his Holy Spirit, your sweet inhabitant, whereby ye are more than conquerors, because sure to overcom... [ Continue Reading ]
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. Ver. 5. _They are of the world_] _i.e._ The seducers; fit lettuce for such lips; _Dignum patella operculum. Vos infernates estis._ "Ye are from beneath, I am from above," saith Christ, John 8:23 . _ Therefore spe... [ Continue Reading ]
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Ver. 6. _Heareth us_] Christ's sheep are rational; they can discern his voice from that of a stranger, and will hear it not with that gristle only that g... [ Continue Reading ]
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Ver. 7. _Beloved, let us love one another_] This beloved disciple breathes nothing but love; as if he had been born with love in his mouth, as they say.... [ Continue Reading ]
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Ver. 8. _Knoweth not God_] If moral virtue could be seen with mortal eyes, saith Plato, it would draw all hearts unto it. If God were well known, he could not but be best beloved, and all that are his, for his sake. _ For God is love_] Not forma... [ Continue Reading ]
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Ver. 9. _In this was manifested_] The very naked bowels of his tenderest compassions are herein laid open unto us, as in an anatomy. God so loved his Son tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son _to be_ the propitiation for our sins. Ver. 10. _Not that we loved, &c._] _Deus prior nos amavit, tantus, tantum, et gratis, tantillos et tales._ God, though so great, loved us first and freely, though such and so worthle... [ Continue Reading ]
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Ver. 11. _If God so loved us_] His one example easily answereth all our objections, taketh off all our excuses; as that our brother is our inferior, our adversary, of whom we have better deserved, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Ver. 12. _No man hath seen God_] If we read that any hath seen him, we must understand it, that indeed they did see _Mercavah, velo harocheb, _ the chariot in which God rode, but not the r... [ Continue Reading ]
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. Ver. 13. _He hath given us of his Spirit_] That is, of the fruits of his Spirit, his holy motions and graces. For through the two golden pipes the two olive branches empty out of themselves the golden oils of... [ Continue Reading ]
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son _to be_ the Saviour of the world. Ver. 14. _And we have seen_] _sc._ By special privilege (that which natural eye never saw, 1Jn 4:12), the backparts of Jehovah, his wisdom, justice, mercy, &c.; we can see no more and live, we need see no... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Ver. 15. _Whosoever shall confess_] _See Trapp on "_ 1Co 12:3 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Ver. 16. _And we have known and believed_] That is, we know by believing. _See Trapp on "_ Joh 6:69 _"_ God is love] Pellican tells of some in his time that used... [ Continue Reading ]
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. Ver. 17. _In the day of judgment_] Those that bear his image shall hear his _euge; _ well done, he will own them and honour them, and their faith that worketh by love, "shal... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Ver. 18. _There is no fear in love_] But complacence and acquiescence in the person beloved. _ Perfect love casteth out fear_] _Timorem scilicet servilem illum, non... [ Continue Reading ]
We love him, because he first loved us. Ver. 19. _Because he first loved us_] _See Trapp on "_ 1Jn 4:10 _"_ Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ first said unto her, Mary. Our love is but the reflex of his. And as the reflected beams of the sun are weaker than the direct, so are our affections weak... [ Continue Reading ]
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? Ver. 20. _If a man say, I love God_] If he did so, he would hardly say so in a vaunting way howsoever. "Charity vaunteth not itself; is no... [ Continue Reading ]
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. Ver. 21. _And this commandment we have from him_] Lo, here a singular evidence of God's great love to us, that he commandeth us also the love of our neighbour as well as of himself: _quasi non tam de se amando fuer... [ Continue Reading ]