1 John 2

You shall have a kingdom, and be as rich as heaven can make you. He who has the promise of an estate, after the expiring of a few years, though at present he has nothing to help himself, yet comforts himself with this, that shortly he shall have an estate come into his hands (1…

6. What great need there is to be settled, because indeed there are so many things to unsettle us, and make us fall away gradually from the truth. Seducers are abroad whose work is to draw away people from the principles of religion (1 John 2:26). These things have I written con…

Clemens Alexandrinus writes of a fish that has its heart in its belly; an emblem of Epicureans, their heart is in their belly; they mind nothing but indulging the sensual appetite; they do sacrificare lari, their belly is their god, and to this they pour drink-offerings: thus me…

Thus when Satan accuses the saints, or the justice of God lays anything to their charge, Christ shows his own wounds, and by virtue of his bloody sufferings, he answers all the demands and challenges of the law, and counter-works Satan's accusations. 3. Christ by his intercessio…

Knam kodsheca, The people of your holiness. The called of God are anointed with the consecrating oil of the Spirit (1 John 2:20). You have an anointing from the holy One.

Epiphanius says, That the looseness of some Christians in his time, made many of the heathen shun the company of the Christians, and would not be drawn to hear their sermons. So by our exact Bible-conversation we glorify God; though the main work of religion lies in the heart, y…

The new creature is God's temple, adorned with all the graces, which he will not suffer to be demolished. Riches take wings, kings' crowns tumble in the dust: in fact, some of the graces may cease; faith and hope shall be no more, but the new creature abides for ever (1 John 2:2…

Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of Sanctification. The saints of old had it (1 John 2:3): We know that we know him. 2 Timothy 1:12: I know whom I have believed; here was Sensus Fidei, the reflex act of faith; a…

God has both asserted it and promised it. 1. God has asserted it (1 John 3:9): His Seed remains in him (1 John 2:27): The anointing you have received of him abides in you. 2. As God has asserted it, so he has promised it: The Truth of God, the most brilliant Pearl of his Crown,…

This must needs cut the sinews of a Christian's endeavor, and be as the boring a hole in the vessel, to make all the wine of his joy run out. Were the Arminian doctrine true, how could the Apostle say, The seed of God remains in him (1 John 3:9), and the anointing of God abides…

God often gives the purse to the wicked, but the Spirit only to such as he intends to make his heirs. 1. Have we had the consecration of the Spirit? If we have not had the sealing work of the Spirit, have we had the healing work (1 John 2:20). You have an unction from the Holy O…

In heaven are fresh delights, sweetness without surfeit. And that which is the crown and zenith of heaven's happiness is, it is eternal (1 John 2:25). Were there but the least suspicion that this glory must cease, it would much eclipse, indeed embitter it; but it is eternal.

What are the promises for, but to encourage holiness? What is the sending of the Spirit into the world for, but to anoint us with the holy unction (1 John 2:20)? What are all afflictions for, but to make us partakers of God's holiness (Hebrews 12:10)?

God is wise, and he thinks this way fittest to make his mind known to us by writing; and such as will not be convinced by the Word shall be judged by the Word. The belief of the Scripture is of high importance: it is the belief of Scripture that will enable us to resist temptati…

He who is truly sanctified cannot fall from that state. Indeed seeming holiness may be lost; colors may wash off; Sanctification may suffer an eclipse (Revelation 2:4): You have left your first love; but true Sanctification is a blossom of eternity (1 John 2:27): The anointing w…

Where there is sanctity in the soul, there Holiness to the Lord is engraved upon our life; we are adorned with patience, humility, good works, and shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15). We carry Christ's picture in our conversations (1 John 2:6). O let us labor for thi…

(5.) The sinner under wrath has none to speak a good word for him. An elect person when he sins has one to intercede for him (1 John 2:1): We have an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Christ will say, It is one of my friends, one whom I have shed my blood for; Father, pardon…

The essence of the Spirit is in heaven, and everywhere, but the influence of it is in the hearts of believers. This is that blessed Spirit who gives us the holy unction (1 John 2:20). Though Christ merits grace for us, it is the Holy Ghost works it in us.

Do we emulate and imitate the angels in sanctity? Do we labor to copy out Christ's life in ours (1 John 2:6)? It was a custom among the Macedonians on Alexander's birthday to wear his picture about their necks set with pearl and diamond: do we carry Christ's picture about us? an…

If a man were to climb up a steep rock, and had weights tied to his legs, it would hinder him from his ascent: Too many golden weights will hinder us from climbing that steep rock which leads to heaven; (Exodus 14:3) They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them i…

(3.) God has given you grace. Grace is the rich embroidery and workmanship of the Holy Ghost; it is the sacred unction (1 John 2:27). The graces are a chain of pearl to adorn, and beds of spices which make us a sweet odor to God; grace is a distinguishing blessing.

And thus by this Covenant, the righteousness of Christ came to be, not only equivalent in virtue and worth, but the very actual price of the ransom of sinners (1 Timothy 2:6). Who gave himself a ransom: and Christ not only virtually but actually, properly, and according to Coven…

Qu. 9. How do we in our observation, profess our subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ and his Gospel? Answ. In that being all of them 1. Appointed by him as the head law-giver, King of his Church. And 2. Made by him the ensigns and tokens of his Kingdom, and subjects, in their du…

Q. What is the teaching of the holy Spirit? A. It is that inward work of the holy Ghost upon the soul, whereby the outward teaching is made efficacious and powerful for opening the understanding and humbling the heart to embrace the truth and will of God (John 16:13; John 14:26;…

To this end you may further consider that in men's hearts — though they be stony toward God — there are yet some sparks of fire which may be struck out by the word, by education, by the enlightening of conscience, and by working upon self-love in men. The sparks of this fire are…

Groan, sigh, sob, chatter as Hezekiah did (Isaiah 38:14), bewail yourself for your own unworthiness, and desire Christ to speak your requests for you and God to hear him for you. Christ is an advocate with the Father, and pleads no bad case, nor was ever cast in any suit he plea…

The assumption is in the ninth and tenth verse; the conclusion in the eleventh. Moreover, those which are the members of Christ's body, shall grow up to a perfect man (Ephesians 4:12, 13 and 1 John 2:29); but all those which have a true faith, are members of Christ's body, there…

First, that God would be a Father to all those that did obey his voice, and come out from among the Jews, Heathens, and Gentiles, and separate from their false ways, and superstitious worship, and touch not the unclean thing, and he will receive you; and you shall be his sons an…

And the light of a renewed Conscience, is a created gift of spiritual knowledge in the conscience. 1 John 2. [illegible]. Hereby we know that we know him, that we keep his Commandments. 1 John 3:14. We know we have passed from death to life, because we love the Brethren.

Knowing the Son of man shortly will come to judge the world: and then they which be ashamed of him, and his words, in this sinful and adulterous generation, of them will the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels (Mark 8:38). Fou…

Verse 16. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. But yet this I confess to you, that I am less than the least of all the Messengers of Christ; for I am not worthy to be called a Messenger, or Minister; for I persec…

Yes, and after a further enquiry, to understand aright the things that are controverted among us; by the good providence of the Almighty, I found two Texts of holy Scripture, setting forth two sorts of men, Diametrally opposing one another, as light does darkness, truth does fal…

Fifthly, Heresy: even from all them that deny that Jesus is the Christ; they are Antichrist that deny the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father (1 John 2:22, 23). Sixthly, That the Lord may be one: namely, even the Lord Jesus the Christ, whom Go…

3. The third thing wherein this [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] or perfection does consist, is spiritual light and knowledge, with respect to the mysteries of the wisdom and grace of God. God had designed for the Church a measure of spiritual light and knowledge which was not attainab…

For there is verily a disanulling of the commandment going before; [in non-Latin alphabet], that is, [in non-Latin alphabet]. The adjective in the neuter gender put for a substantive, which is emphatical; as on the contrary it is so, when the substantive is put for the adjective…

That they be so, is their only real concern in this world, and that alone which their minds are principally exercised about. And what greater security can they have hereof, than the interest and glory which this their High Priest has in Heaven (1 John 2:1, 2)?

[illegible], which we translate merciful, is propitious, gracious through a propitiation. But the Lord Christ is the only [illegible], or propitiation under the New Testament (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2). And he died, [illegible], to propitiate God for sin; to render him propitious…

The partition wall is broken down, and the gates of the new Jerusalem are set open to all comers upon the Gospel invitation. This is frequently taken notice of in the Scripture; see Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; John 11:51, 52; John 12:32; Acts 11:18; Acts 17:30; Galatians 5:6; Eph…

It is as it were the appearance of an Advocate, a law-appearance in the behalf of others. So is it declared (1 John 2:1, 2). He will at the end of all present his whole Church to God, with the whole work of his love and grace accomplished towards them.

But this Cipporeth is rendered by our Apostle [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] a propitiatory, a mercy-seat; as it is also by the LXX sometimes, and sometimes by [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] an imposed covering. But whereas in allusion hereunto, the Lord Christ is said to be [⟨in non-Lati…

But in an ordinary way, it will be very difficult in such a time as this wherein seducers abound, false doctrines are divulged, and speciously obtruded, wherein there are so many wolves abroad in sheep's clothing, and so great an opposition is on all hands made to the truth of t…

There are and ever were different degrees of persons in the Church, as to the saving knowledge of God. Hence is that distribution of them into Fathers, Young men and Children (1 John 2:13, 14). All have not one measure, all arrive not to the same stature; but yet as to the ends…

2. With affiance in his mediation. And therein faith has respect to two things, (1.) the sacrifice he has offered, the atonement and reconciliation he has made for us, whereon our whole liberty of access to God does depend (Chap. 10:19, 20, 21, 22); (2.) to his intercession wher…

But there is no shedding of blood in the appearance of Christ in Heaven; nor, according to these men, any such thing appertaining to his nature. (2) These things are distinguished in the Scripture from their different natures and effects (1 John 2:1, 2). (3) His Sacrifice or the…

Crucified, to sin, and to the world. If persons love the world, and the things of it, as (1 John 2:15), Christ does not live in them: in this case the word is plain, let persons look to themselves as well as they can. Also see Galatians 6:14.

But we must own it still, as a fault in us, a fault worthy of death, whenever we miss of doing any thing, that is demanded as a duty, in the Old Covenant: there is a sin, in every transgression of the law; a sin to be confessed, bewailed, abhorred. Yea, and our Lord Jesus Christ…

Now Christ offered up himself (Hebrews 7:27). His design therein was to take away our sin (1 John 3:5): and hence he is the propitiation for our sin (1 John 2:2). Christ suffered for us, in our room, and stead: and for our sin (1 Peter 2:21, 24) — that also suffered for us — his…

The Synod having said, that persons once in Covenant are not broken off from it, according to Scripture, save for notorious sins, and incorrigibleness therein, which is not the case of these parents. The Reverend Author answers, that if they break off themselves, by breaking the…

But the Preface adds: And we humbly conceive that thus much is held forth by these Scriptures (Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 2:19; Jude 19). That the sin of those who forsake church-assemblies, separate themselves from them, wander into ways of heresy and apostacy, is grievous (and cons…

This is life eternal to know you the only God, and whom you have sent Jesus Christ (John 14:17). The world cannot receive the spirit of truth because it has neither seen him nor known him (1 John 2:23). Whoever denies the Son has not the Father.