336

A General Introduction, &c.

whereas, several others, (and in particular Dr. Mill) are of opinion its date should be assigned to the year 91, or 92.-It was probably written before the apocalypse, as I shall have occasion to observe hereafter, in sect. iv. note.

In the stile of this apostle there is a remarkable peculiarity; and especially in this epistle. His sentences, considered separately, are exceeding clear and intelligible; but when we search for their connection, we frequently meet with greater difficulties than we do even in the epistles of St. Paul. The principal signature and characteristic of his manner, is an artless and amiable simplicity, and a singular modesty and candour, in conjunction with a wonderful sublimity of sentiment. His conceptions are apparently delivered to us in the order in which they arose to his own mind, and are not the product of artificial reasoning, or laboured investigation.

His leading design is, " To demonstrate the vanity of faith separate from morality, to sooth and refine the warm and overzealous tempers of the Christians to whom he writes, into that amiable charity and love for which he himself was so eminent and illustrious, and to guard and arm them against the snares and efforts of antichrist, the grand apostate and the seducer of the Christian church; and of all who were endued with his spirit.

In pursuance of which pious and benevolent intention, he first testifies the Divine purity and holiness, and the grace and mercy which is exhibited in Jesus Christ, to all who lament and confess their sins with sincere desires of reformation and amendment; (chap. i. 1. to the end.) And then he urges the propitiation and intercession of Christ, as arguments to that obedience, that brotherly love, and that victory over the world, which are the genuine fruits of Divine love, chap. ii. 1-17.) And that they might not be perverted from their course of fidelity and holy obedience, he forewarns them of the many antichrists who were springing up in the world; directing them to the best preservatives against their seducing and ensnaring doctrines. (ver. 1828.) With the same intention of awakening a generous ambition in their breasts, to attain the Divine resemblance, he discourses of those exalted privileges, to which Christians, as the children of God, are entitled, and urges the necessity of holiness, both in heart and life, to prove that we are in that blessed number, (ver. 29-iii. 10.) In this view, namely, as the grand characteristic of the children of God, he further enforces brotherly love, (ver. 11, to the end.) Cautioning them more particularly against being deceived by seducing spirits, and directing them in what manner they might distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error; (chap. iv. 1—12;) Drawing to a conclusion, with declaring his general design to be the confirmation of their faith; reminding them of the ground they had to hope their prayers should be heard for themselves and others, who had not sinned unpardonably; and at the close, adding a reflection on the happy difference, which their knowing God in Jesus Christ bad made between them and an ignorant and ungodly world, ver. 13, to the end.

A PARA

A

PARAPHRASE AND NOTES

ON

THE FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE

OF

St. JOHN.

SECT. I.

The Apostle John opens the pious and charitable design which he had in writing this epistle, and lays the foundation of what he has further to say, in bearing his testimony to the holiness of God, and to the mercy which he exhibits in Jesus Christ to all who are truly sensible of their sins, and confess them with sincere desires of reformation and amendment. 1 John I. 1, to the end.

1 JOHN I. 1.

THAT which was

1 JOHN I. 1.

from the beginning, MY Christian brethren, I am now going to address you on a very important subject;

which we have heard,

SECT.

i.

I. 1.

which we have seen to speak of that which was from the beginning of 1 John
with our eyes, which the gospel-declaration, and indeed from the be-
we have looked upon,
and ginning of the world, and previous to its exist-

ence; of that which we have heard most credibly
attested by authentic witnesses, and that which
we have not taken merely on their credit, but
have seen with our own eyes; we are going to
treat of that which we have attentively looked
upon and viewed so near and so long, that it
is

a That which we have attentively looked serves, (in his Sacr. Class. Vol. II. p. 152,) upon cada.] Mr. Blackwall ob- that it is by no means synonymous with

the

338

St. John asserts, that they declared what they had seen :

i.

1 John

life.

2 (For the life was

we

have seen it, and hear

the Father, and was

SECT. is impossible we should mistake in it; and which, and our hands have in allusion to the condescension of our blessed handled of the word of Redeemer in submitting himself to be examined I. 1. by our touch and feeling, I may venture to say, that even our hands have handled of the word 2 of eternal life. And well may it be stiled the word of life; for even Jesus, who himself is the manifested, and living word, and eternal life, was graciously witness, and shew unmanifested, in human flesh for the redemption to you that eternal of sinful men; and we saw [it] in its full evi- life, which was with dence, and we chearfully bear our renewed tes- manifested unto us ;) timony, and declare unto you that eternal life, which from the foundation of the world was with the Father, most intimately conversant with him, and united to him; but in due time, by assuming the human nature into an union with the Divine, was manifested to us with all the genuine characters of the promised Messiah. 3 And in consequence of this, what we have seen and intimately conversed with, and have not only heard of, but have ourselves heard speaking that ye also may have to us, we declare unto you; that ye also may fellowship with us; and have communion with us in that dignity and fe- truly our fellowship is licity to which we are, by Divine grace, exalt- with his Son Jesus ed and truly it is a glorious privilege well wor- Christ. thy your most ready acceptance and earnest pursuit; for our communion is with God the Father, and with his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, as we are happy in an intimate and inAnd these things write we unto you, that 4 separable union with each. And these things we write to you, that the Divine life may be so your joy may be full. improved in your souls, and your meetness for the heavenly inheritance may be so apparent, and so advanced, that your joy may, as far as possible, be fulfilled, and по circumstance, which this mortal state will admit, may be wanting to complete it.

5

3 That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you,

with the Father, and

4 And these things

5 This then is the message which we

And this is the great declaration which we have heard from him, upon which our faith most have heard of him, and cheerfully centers, and which we again declare declare unto you, that unto you, that God is perfect light, consum- God is light, and in

the former clause, but hath a more em-
phatical signification, namely, that of be-
holding attentively, with a kind of delight
and admiration.

b Our hands have handled] This proba-
bly refers to Thomas's having insisted upon
handling Christ's body, in proof of his re-
surrection, which being permitted, was a
confirmation of this important fact to all

mate

him

after-ages. Dr. Berriman supposes these words were particularly levelled against the Menandrians, who denied the real existence of the flesh of Christ, and asserted that it was only a visible appearance: they were therefore called doxla, and palaci αφαι

See his Hist. of the Trin. p. 77. c God is light.] This expresses his most clear and perfect knowledge, for light dis

all.

For the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

him, and walk in dark

not the truth:

i.

339

him is no darkness at mate knowledge and holiness; and in him there ECT. is no darkness at all, not the least mixture of ig6 If we say that we norance, or of sin. And if we pretend to say, 1 John have fellowship with that we have communion with him, and walk in 1. 6. ness, we lie, and do darkness, that is, go on in the practice of sin, which is as contrary to his holy nature, as darkness is to that of light, whatever professions we may make of our acquaintance with Christianity, and of being zealous for its interest, we lie, and do not the truth, but act in direct oppositiBut if we walk in on to it. But if, on the other hand, we walk 7 the light as he is in the in the light of holiness, as he himself is ever in light, we have fellow- the light of it, and surrounded with it as his and the blood of Jesus brightest glory, we have then communion with Christ his Son cleans- him, and with one another in him; and though

ship one with another,

eth us from all sin.

we are indeed conscious to ourselves of many
past offences, for which so holy a God might
for ever banish us from his presence, and of
many remaining imperfections, which might
discourage our approaches to him, we have this
grand consolation, that the blood of Jesus Christ
his Son, cleanses us from all our sins, be they
ever so numerous, or ever so heinous. And 8
indeed it is a consolation which we absolutely
need; for if we say, that we have no sin, it is too
evident that we grossly deceive ourselves, and the
truth is not in us; we must be destitute of eve-
ry good principle, if we are utterly insensible.
of our own guilt and imperfection. But if we 9
confess our sins to God, with a becoming low-
liness and contrition of spirit, he is not only mer-
ciful and gracious, but faithful and just, to for-
give us our sins, in consideration of his engage-
ments to our great Surety, and to us by him, and
effectually to cleanse us from all unrighteous-
ness, by his atoning blood, and the influence
of that sanctifying spirit which it has purchased
for us.

This is our ground of confidence, and our 10
refuge as sinners; and let us often renew our
applications to it: for as on this foundation we
are indeed secure, so on the other hand, if we
are so rash and presumptuous, to say, that we
have

340

Reflections on the regard due to St. John's message, &c.

SECT. have not sinned, we not only lie ourselves, which make him a liar, and i. in every instance must be displeasing to the God his word is not in us.

of truth; but we, in effect, make him a liar, 1.1. who in the constitution of the gospel which he

hath sent to all, goes on a supposition, that every
soul to whom it is addressed, is under guilt and
condemnation. And consequently, if we assert
and maintain our own personal innocence, we
shall shew, that his word is not in us, that this
humbling message of his grace has never been
cordially received by us, nor hath produced its
genuine effects on our hearts.

Ver.

IMPROVEMENT.

How seriously should we attend to the word of life, when ad1 dressed to us by those who were so intimately acquainted with it, and with him who brought it and revealed it to the world! In like manner may all concerned in dispensing it, be able to say that it is what they have heard, and as it were, seen and handled; yea, tasted and let in all its sweetness and energy. Jesus Christ is in2 deed that life which was with the Father, and is now manifested unto us may we ever regard him as such, and have communion with John, and the other sacred writers, in their communion with the 3 Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Surely they, who by experience know the delight and benefit of that communion, will desire that others may be partakers of it with themselves. Their own, joy, instead of being diminished, will be rather rendered more 4 complete and intense, by being in this manner imparted to others. 5 Nothing can be of more importance than to form right and worthy conceptions of God; and that we may do so, let us reflect on him, as the purest and even unmingled light, without any the least shade of darkness; as truth in perfection, without any mixture of falsehood or evil. And let us be particularly concerned, that as we desire to have fellowship with him, we allow not ourselves to walk in darkness of any kind, but put off all its works, that we may put on the whole armour of light, and walk 6, 7in the light, as he is of the light. Let every action of our lives, every thought of our hearts, be brought to the light of the gospel, and tried and proved according to it. And as it would be very vain and criminal in us, to deny our having any sin, as it would be self-deceit to imagine it, and self-confusion to affirm it, let us,

e We make him a liar.] This text plainly implies, that Christianity does in effect assert, that we are all in a degenerale state,

with

and consequently is a clear proof of the corruption of human nature.

a An