346 ii. 1 John Reflections on the advocacy of Christ, &c. of life, is not of the Fa BECT. and the pride of life, some ambitious pursuits, of the eyes, and the pride in consequence of which we may make a parade ther, but is of the in the eyes of our fellow-creatures for a little world. II. 16. 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 his love 17 in the heart. Endeavour therefore, 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 of it, and whatever belongs to it which can serve to the gratification of our desires, passes away like a glaring pageant, which only amuses the eye for a few transient moments, and then disappears. But he that doeth the will of God faithfully and steadily, abideth for ever; he hath built his happiness upon a basis which nothing can remove, and accordingly finds it secure, even when he quits this momentary world, and enters on an eternal and unalterable state, 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God, abideth for ever. Ver. IMPROVEMENT. OFTEN let us be lifting up our eyes and our hearts to him who 1 is our great Advocate with the Father: too frequently do the infirmities 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 propi2 tiation for our sins, let it comfort our heart to think, how wide the efficacy of his atonement extends. O, that all the world might be engaged to apply to him under this important consideration! e The pride of life: analisa Tu BIY.] Erasmus Schmidius understands this of that vain and empty boasting of the continuance of life, and of projects to be executed in some future part of it, which St. James condemns. (James iv. 16.) Raphelius seems to have been at first of the same opinion; (see Annotat. ex Xenoph. in loc. but afterwards from the use of the word anagovna, in Polybius, (see Annot. 0, ex Polub. in loc.) he was disposed to un- He reminds them that Antichrist was coming. ii. 347 O, that all those who profess so to apply to him, might remember SECT. how necessary it is, that if they would shew they indeed know him, they should keep his commandments; this, rather than any of those Ver. passionate transports of mind, on which some are ready to lay 3, 5 so great a stress, is the perfection of love to God. May the spirit of Christ impress upon us more of our Master's 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 6 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 gradually to rise higher above that 9 love of the world, that attachment to temporal and present interests, which is inconsistent with the 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 trea sures. 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, and the pride of life, against those solid 16 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 is their removal from this empty and transitory world any objection againt it. Yea, rather, how would it be possible, 17 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 Pro vidence and grace in their favour. SECT. III. The Apostle discourses of the antichrists which then began to arise in the world, and directs Christians to the best preservatives against their seducing doctrines. 1 John II. 18-28. 1 JOHN II. 18. LITTLE children, 1 JOHN II. 18. 15 a III. it is the last time AND now, my beloved, dear to me as little scri children to the most affectionate parents 2, and as ye have heard that antichrist shall attend to my cautions against those many seduthere many antichrists; cers, with which not only the world, but even 11, whereby the church abounds. It is indeed the last time, come, even now are a Little children.] Mr. Cradock has observed, that little children are not so apt to love the world; but seem by reason of the weakness of their understanding, more likely to be seduced by artful and designjug men: and therefore he imagines, that VOL. X. the 1 John 348 iii. He wrote unto them because they knew the truth: know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they SECT. the last dispensation God will ever give to the whereby we world, is now promulgated; and it is no wonder if Satan endeavour to the utmost to adulte1 John II. 18. rate a system from which his kingdom has so much to fear. And as you have heard, that one great seducer, from his opposition to Christ called antichrist, is coming, so I must assure you, that even now there are many aspiring and interested men, who act in such opposition to the Redeemer's cause, and the whole purpose of his appearance, that though they profess his name, they may not improperly be called antichrists, by which indeed we may know that this is the last time; for when we compare this event with the predictions of our Lord, it is so far from contradicting them, that indeed it is a great ac19 Complishment and illustration of them. Once indeed they pretended to join themselves to us; but that it was only an hypocritical pretence to had been of us, they Christianity which they made, appears from would no doubt have the issue of it; they went out from among us, and continued with us: but yet they were not upon the whole of us, nor did they went out, that they might be made manitruly belong to our number, while they seemed fest, that they were not to adhere to us. For if they had ever been sin- all of us. cerely of us, so as to feel the inward power of our gospel on their hearts, they would doubtless have continued with us; upright men would never have seen any cause to leave us, and Divine grace would have preserved such from the temptations by which these artful deceivers have been ensnared. But [this hath happened] that they might be made apparent, and that we might also reap an advantage from the detection of their hypocrisy, because it would thereby appear that all who join with us in external forms, are not indeed of us d; but that even in the purest churches, there may be a mixture of tares among the wheat, which it will be prudence to 20 remember, and to guard against. And as for 20 But ye have an you, I hope and trust you will not be seduced unction from the Holy by One, in which our Saviour had foretold the rise brought in pernicious heretical notions. c Many antichrists.] Dr. Whitby explains these antichrists of unbelieving Jews opposing Christianity. I rather understand them to be apostates, who had once professed themselves Christians, and be rendered; and the meaning is, that as there are some, who only pretend to be Christians, when they are not, aud for some secular end mingle themselves with us, God has suffered these to be discovered, to awe and alarm others who may yet be concealed. e Denieth things. He therefore exhorts them to abide in it, 21 I have not writ ten unto you because ye know not the truth; it, and that no lie is of the truth. 349 iii. One, and ye know all by them; for ye have an inward anointing of the SECT. Holy One, even the spirit of purity and joy, which Christ the Holy One of God, hath pour-1 John ed forth upon us; and ye know all things relat- II. 20. ing to Christianity, in such an experimental manner, as will effectually preserve you against those snares of this vain world, which have been ruinous to those unhappy apostates I have just mentioned. And as to what I have now said, 21 I have not written to yon, because ye know not the but because ye know truth, nor have I entered so largely into the discussion of this matter, as would then have been necessary ; but on the contrary, have contented myself with these short hints, because ye know it, and I am desirous to confirm you in it, and to awaken your zeal to join with me in testifying it to others, and opposing the many false doctrines which are taught in opposition to it; for every lie is not of the truth; there is an irreconcileable inconsistence between truth and falsehood, and the more you are confirmed in the one, the more faithfully will you guard a- 22 22 Who is a liar, gainst and oppose the other. And who is a liar that Jesus is the Christ? and a seducer in the most dangerous sense that He is antichrist, that can be imagined, but he that denieth that Jesus denieth the Father and is the Christ? This is the most pernicious of but he that denieth the Son. all errors, and tends most directly to overthrow e Denieth that Jesus is the Christ.] Some are of opinion this was written against Cerinthus, who in his doctrine separated Jesus from Christ, maintaining them to be two distinct persons, and denied him to be the Son of God. See Dr. Berriman's Hist. of the Trin. p. 38. Compare Dr. most Whitby's Preface to this epistle. Mr. Bax- f He who acknowledgeth the Son, hath the 350 That they might be entitled to eternal life. SECT. iii. most effectual method to secure the continuance As for you therefore, to whom I now address 24 Let that there you, ye also shall con 1 John II. 24. myself, let what I here say be improved by way fore abide in you, of caution to yourselves; be on your guard from the beginning. which ye have heard against the numerous artifices of those who If that which ye have would ensnare and seduce you, and let that word beard from the beginwhich you have heard from me, at the beginning ning shall remain in of the gospel, abide in you so steadily, that no tinue in the Son, and man may ever wrest it from you. And if it be in the Father. indeed so, and that word which ye have heard from the beginning, thus abide in you, you also will abide in that state of blessed union, in which you are, with the Son and the Father; you will dwell under their united protection, and find a source of delight springing up in your souls from communion with them, to which there is nothing comparable in any of the enjoyments of the present world. And this will readily be acknowledged, if you only consider, with what exalted hopes ou will then be supported; for this is the promise which he hath promised to us; (which while I mention, I cannot but exceedingly rejoice in the consideration of my own interest in it,) even the possession of that invaluable .treasure, eternal life, in comparison of which, whether we consider its excellence, or its duration, all the glories of the world, and even the world itself, are lighter than vanity, and unworthy the reflection of a single moment. 26 27 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eter nal life. written unto you, concerning them that seduce you. 26 These things have These things therefore I have written unto you I concerning those who would deceive you &, and rob you of that inestimable treasure, that you may guard against them with the utmost viligance. And, I trust, this will indeed be the case, for as for you in general, I esteem you sincere in ceived of him, abideth the profession of your religion, and therefore in you, and ye need may reasonably say,that the unction of the Holy Spirit, which you have received from him, included in crotchets, are generally printed who 27 But the anointing which ye have re not ed, from the commendations given them elsewhere, that it signifies no more than an endeavour to seduce; and there are many passages, both in sacred and profane authors, in which a person is said to do a thing, which he attempts. See Mr. Blackwell's Sacr. Cluss. Vol. p. 121, h The unction which you have receited from him, &c.] The Spirit of God is g Those who would deceive you.] It is compared to an anointing, because of his in the original, they who do deceive you; precious and chearing gifts which renderbut it is plain, as has often been observed Christians more fit to encounter with |