Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 58 – Scripture 60
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF S. IOHN.
CAP. I.
1 That which was from the beginning, which wee have heard, which we have seene with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled.THat ever-living Sonne of God, the co-essentiall Word of the Father, which was from all eternity, whom wee Apostles had the honour and happinesse to heare with our eares, to see with our eyes, and to touch with our hands.
2 For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and beare witnesse.(For that life-giving Word of his Father was manifested in the flesh, and wee have for many yeares together, seene him, and conversed with him, and beare witnesse of him, &c.)
3 That which we have seene and heard, declare we unto you, that yee also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Sonne Jesus Christ.Even that same coeternall Sonne of God, whom we have personally seene, and heard, doe wee declare, and preach unto you; that yee, by our Gospell, may have the happinesse of being partakers with us, of these glad tidings, and meanes of salvation; wherein yee shall unspeakably benefit, and advance your selves; for ye shall therein, enter into a blessed communion with God the Father, and with his Sonne Jesus Christ.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you that God is light, and in him is no darknesse at all.This then is the message, which wee have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is of a most pure, simple, holy, perfect, and glorious nature, resembled by no creature so much, as by exquisite light; in which there is nothing but a cleare, and exact brightnesse without any the least mixture of darknesse.
As he is light, so every aberration from him,6 If wee say that wee have fellowship with him, and walke in darknesse, we lie and doe not the truth. is darknesse; if we then say that we have fellowship with this pure, and holy God, and yet walke in the darknesse of any sinne whatsoever, we belye our selves, and doe not according to that truth which we professe.
CAP. II.
MY deare children,1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sinne not. whom I have spiritually begotten in the Gospell, I have written this former passage concerning your cleare deliverance from sinne, upon the penitent confession thereof; and concerning the frequence, and inevitablenesse of sinnes; not with a purpose to incourage you in the practice of your sinnes, but, contrarily, to draw you therefrom; and to lay weight upon you, that you indevour carefully, according to the utmost power of humane frailty, to avoid all sinne, &c.
And he is the expiatory sacrifice for our sinnes;2 And he is the propitiation for our sinnes: and not for ours onelyonly, but also for the sinnes of the whole world. and not for the sinnes of us Jewes onelyonly, which were his peculiar people of old, but also for the sinnes of all beleevers, through the whole world; sufficient for the satisfaction of the universall debt of all mankinde, but effectuall to those onelyonly, who apply it by faith.
The knowledge of God is not an idle,3 And hereby we doe know that we know him, if we keepe his commandements. or fashionable matter, but is ever joyned with holy practice; hereby therefore we may be assured that wee know God aright, if we frame our selves diligently, and conscionably (according to the capacity of our weake nature) to keepe his commandements.
He that saith, or professeth, that hee abides in God,6 He that saith he abideth in him, ought himselfe also to walke, even as he walked. and hath a true spirituall interest in him, let him make his word good, by his carefull and holy imitation of Christ, in all those morall actions, and heavenly cariage, wherein he hath gone before us.
Brethren, this charge that I lay upon you,7 Brethren, I write no new commandement unto you, but an old commandement which yee had from the beginning. of loving one another, though it be now newly, and freshly urged by me, yet in regard of the first originall of it, is very ancient, even as old as the eternall of Law God it selfe, &c.
Againe it is, in some respects, a new commandement,8 Againe, a new commandement I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darknesse is past, and the true light now shineth. that I write unto you, even in the same sense that our Saviour so called it; in that it is daily renewed unto you, and vehemently reinforced upon you upon by God, even that ye should strive, and labour unto that which was really, & perfectly performed by Christ, and justly, & duely required of you, because it is not now with you, as it was wont; the darknesse of your ignorance and unbeleefe is passed, and the light of truth now shineth clearely in your eyes.
12 I write unto you little children, because your sinnes are forgiven you for his names sake.I write these things unto you, my dearly beloved, spirituall children; because God hath beene graciously pleased to forgive your sinnes, and to receive you to a full mercifull reconciliation with him, for the sake of his Sonne Christ.
13 I write unto you fathers, because yee have knowne 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 knowne the Father.I write to you more aged, & confirmed Christians, because ye have knowne that eternall Sonne of God, which was before all worlds; What is more commendable in fulnesse of age, then fulnesse of knowledge? and what is more fit to be knowne of ancient men, then he who is the Ancient of dayes? What is more affected of the young and vigorous, then strength, and valour? and behold I write unto you, young men, because you have well approved your spirituall prowesse, and manhood, in overcomming that great enemy of your soules.
15 If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.If any mans heart bee set upon the world, it is set off from God; if hee love the world, he cannot love God.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.For all those things, wherewith the hearts of worldly men are taken up, which are reduced to these three heads, carnall lusts and concupiscences, covetous desires, proud and ambitious thoughts and affectations, are such, as are utterly abhorring from God, and are the mere baites of the world.
18 Little children, it is the last time, and as yee have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time.Little children, ye are fallen upon the last age of the world; neither shall there bee any new state of things, betwixt this, and the finall judgement; and, as yee have heard that in the last times of the Church, Antichrist shall come; so know now, that accordingly many Antichrists, who are direct opposers of the Saviour of the world, the Sonne of God, are already comne; whereby it is made evident, that this is that last time, which was foretold of.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had beene 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.They went out from our communion, not so much in respect of place, as of doctrine; They were formerly amongst us, in regard of outward profession, but they were not truly, and really of us; viz. of the number of the faithfull; who onelyonly are the true and lively members of the Church of Christ; for, if they had so beene, doubtlesse they would have continued in that holy, and happy communion with the Church of God; but now, in that they have thus departed from it, they plainly shew that their profession was but formall, and counterfeit.
But as for you, my beloved;20 But ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things. yee have received from Christ, a large measure of the grace and illumination of his Spirit; whereby ye are furnished with the knowledge of all things necessary to your salvation.
And therefore I have not written unto you,21 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. as out of a conceit of your ignorance; because yee know not the truth: but rather, presupposing your knowledge of the truth, and your abilities to discerne, and disprove those errors, and lying doctrines which are opposite thereto, I write, to stirre up your care and diligence therein.
And who is so pernicious, and impious a lyar, as hee,22 Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? hee is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Sonne. who in these insuing perillous times, denies that Jesus is that true, and onelyonly Messias and Saviour, that should come into the world. He is an eminent, and notorious Antichrist, that denieth the Father, and the Sonne;
And well and necessarily are these two joyned together;23 Whosoever denieth the Sonne, the same hath not the Father. as the relations betwixt them are utterly inseparable; whosoever denieth the Sonne, (what pretences so ever he may make) yet that man, neither doth, nor can acknowledge God the Father, &c.
But the holy Ghost, whom,27 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 anoniting teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, & even as it hath taught you, yee shall abide in him. according to the gracious promise of Christ to his Church, ye have received from his gift, abideth in you; and so filleth you with all necessary, and expedient knowledge, that ye need not any further teaching from me, or any other; Even that holy Spirit, by the illumination thereof, teacheth you all those truths, that are needfull to be knowne; for as much as it is truth it selfe, and not capable of any error; as that holy Ghost, therefore, hath inlightened your mindes with the knowledge of the truth, so doe ye, and I trust yee shall evermore continue constant in the same.
If ye know that God is absolutely and infinitely just and righteous, yea, even justice it selfe;29 If yee know that he is righteous, ye know that every one which doth righteousnesse is borne of him. yee doe therewithall know, that whosoever frames himselfe to follow the example of his holinesse, and righteousnesse, doth plainly shew that he is the sonne of God by spirituall regeneration.
CAP. III.
THe world indeed takes no knowledge of this priviledge of ours, neither doth regard, or affect us;1 Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. how should it, when it doth neither know, nor love that God whose children we are?
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, & it doth not yet appeare, what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appeare, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is.Beloved, even now, we have this great honor put upon us, that we are the Sonnes of God; which is a very happy, and wonderfull prerogative; but how blessed, and glorious we shal be hereafter, we are not capable to conceive. OnelyOnly this we know, which is enough for us, that when that blessed God, and Saviour of ours shall appeare, we shall be like him in glory; for we shall then injoy the perfect, and beatificall vision of him, and shall bee therein transformed into his likenesse.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himselfe, even as he is pure.And every one that hopes assuredly for this so glorious a condition, cannot but doe his utmost indevour to prepare himselfe for that happinesse, by purging himselfe from all his sinnes, and corruptions, that he may be in imitation of that his Saviour, holy and pure;
6 Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seene him, neither knowne him.There is a perfect opposition betwixt Christ, and sin; and so farre as the Kingdome of Christ is erected in the heart of any man, so farre is hee exempted from sinne; whosoever therefore is a true member of the mysticall body of Christ, sinneth not with the whole sway of his will; neither, howsoever he may bee transported with infirmity, makes a trade of sinning; and whosoever thus sinneth, hath no interest at all in Christ, neither hath truly beleeved in him.
7 He that doth righteousnesse, is righteous, even as he is righteous.He that giveth himselfe up to God, to worke righteousnesse, and to be conscionably obedient to the will of God, in all things, that man is truly righteous in the account of God, even truly, though not in the same measure as Christ himselfe (whose righteousnesse is imputed unto him) is righteous.
8 Hee that committeth sinne, is of the devill, for the divell sinneth from the beginning.He that gives himselfe over to the commission of sin, and makes it his willing practice, that man is not of God, but of the Devill; for it is, and hath beene the trade of that wicked spirit, even from the beginning, ever since his fall, to sinne against God, and to draw others into sinne, and condemnation with him, &c.
9 Whosoever is borne of God, doth not commit sinne; for his seede remaineth in him, and hee cannot sinne, because he is borne of God.Whosoever is truly regenerate, doth not yeeld himselfe over to be a vassall of sinne; neither doth make a trade of a knowne evill; for the Spirit of God, whereby he was renewed, is still and ever in him, which cannot but restraine him from a willing abdication of himselfe to live in notoriously wicked courses.
It is a very sure, and irrefragable proofe unto us, that we are truly the children of God,14 We know that wee have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. and have already as true a right to heaven, as if we were actually possessed of it, and had already passed from death to that spirituall, and eternall life, that we doe finde in our hearts a true and unfained love to our Christian brethren, &c.
For if our owne conscience doe accuse,20 For if our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. and condemne us, much more shall God doe so; who is the Lord of the conscience; from whom none of our secret thoughts, or inclinations can be hid.
CAP. IIII.
HEreby, for the present occasion,2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. yee shall take a tryall of the spirits, whether they be of God, or no; every one who confesseth Jesus Christ to have beene God from all eternity, and in the fulnesse of time to have taken our nature upon him, and to be comne in the flesh, to accomplish the perfect worke of mans redemption, is of God, and speakes from God.
So by the contraries verse 2.
And this is the spirit of that great,3 And this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world. and notoriously powerfull enemie of Christ, whereof yee have beene oft premonished, that he should come in the later dayes; and now is this spirit of contradicton to the Sonne of God already in the world.
But as for you, my dearely beloved children in Christ,4 Ye are of God, little children, & have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. ye have overcomne the assaults of these pestilent false teachers; because that Spirit of God, which is in you, and hath taken upon him your safegard; is greater and more powerfull, then that wicked spirit, which animates, and sets them on worke to doe this mischiefe to God, and his Church.
For true Christian love,7 For love is of God, and every one that loveth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. and charity is the worke of God in the heart; and every one that doth truly love his brother, out of the true grounds of his interest in God, and obedience to him, is the child of God, truly regenerate, and hath knowne, and felt the power of Gods Spirit in him.
The abridgment of all piety, and religion,15 Whosoever shall confesse that Jesus is the Sonne of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. is shortly comprised in this rule; Whosoever shall confesse Jesus Christ to bee the true and coeternall Sonne of God, sent by his Father into the world for the perfect redemption of him, and mankinde, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Herein are we so assured of the perfect love of God to us, as that wee may have confidence,17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. and boldnesse to stand before his judgement seat, in that great day of account; for that our hearts tell us that wee desire to bee every way conformable to his will; labouring towards that holinesse and perfection which is in him.
18 There is no feare in love, but perfect love casteth out feare: because feare hath torment.And when this love of God towards us is ascertained to our hearts, it doth perfectly quiet the conscience, which otherwise is full of tumults, and feare, and unquietnesse; for where assurance of love is, there is no feare, or anxiety; since perfect love casts out feare; neither can these two stand together; for in love there is joy, and contentment, but in feare there is vexation, and torment, &c.
CAP. V.
1 Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ, is borne of God: and every one that loveth him that begate, loveth him also that is begotten of him.YE are now falne into a time, wherein there is much opposition to Christ, the Sonne of God; the greatest part of the world set themselves against him, and deny the truth of his comming, and the power of his deity; this therefore for the time may make a just distinction betwixt Christians, & the rest of the world; Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the true Messias and Saviour of the world, and receiveth his whole doctrine delivered unto men, it is a good evidence that hee is of the number of Gods children, sequestred from the world of unbeleevers, and may therefore challenge our love towards him; for every one that loveth that God and Father who hath called and regenerated his children, must needes also love those children whom hee hath thus regenerated.
3 For this is the love of God, that wee keepe his commandements, and his commandements are not grievous.Herein doe wee approve our love to God, that wee set our selves to keepe his commandements; and to us that are regenerate, his commandements are not grievous, and unpleasingly troublesome, for as much as we do cheerfully addresse our selves to the keeping of them, out of our love to that good God, who hath injoyned them.
4 For whatsoever is borne of God overcommeth the world; and this is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith.What person soever he be, that is renued by the Spirit of God, he overcommeth those temptations wherewith the world labours to withdraw him from his God; and this victory, whereby the world is overcome by us (who are Gods Children) is obtained by our faith, laying hold on Christ Jesus.
So also verse 5.
6 This is hee that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water onelyonly, but by water and blood: and it is the Spirit that beareth witnesse, because the Spirit is truth.This, even this Jesus Christ, is hee that came into the world, and instituted, and underwent, not the baptisme of water onelyonly, which John gave, and performed; but the baptisme of blood also, which hee shed for mans redemption: Both which, even water and blood issued out of his side in his death; and the effusion of which pretious blood of his, he caused to be represented in his last supper, and commanded the memoriall thereof to be continued to his Church: unto which Jesus, and the the truth of his God-head, the Spirit of God hath given full testimony, both in the hearts of his elect, and in his miraculous descent at the feast of Pentecost, and those wonderfull gifts which he hath bestowed upon men; and the witnesse of the same Spirit is infallible: the author whereof is truth it selfe, and therefore can neither deceive, nor be deceived.
Unto this maine truth concerning Christ the redeemer of the world, there are sixe all-sufficient,7 For there are three that beare witnesse in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, and these three are one. and undeniable witnesses; whereof three are in heaven, and three upon earth; Those in heaven are the three sacred persons in Trinity, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, and these three are in essence, one and the same God.
Those three that beare witnesse unto him on earth, and seale up the truth of his promises unto us,8 And there are three that beare record in earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the blood, and these three agree in one. are the water in baptisme, by which wee are cleansed from the filth of our sinnes; the blood of Christ (exhibited in the holy Eucharist) by the shedding whereof our sinnes are expiated; and the efficacy of his Spirit, which sealeth up to our hearts that testimony of water, and blood; in that it applies unto us the power of that ablution, and that expiation; and these three agree in, and make good, one and the same truth, concerning Christ the onelyonly redeemer of mankinde.
If wee are wont to give credit unto the witnesse of men, surely,9 If we receive the witnesse of men, the witnesse of God is greater. wee must needs grant that the witnesse of God is much more certaine, and unfailable; &c.
He that truly beleeveth on the Son of God, hath God dwelling in him, by faith;10 Hee that beleeveth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe. and therefore hath that divine witnesse within himselfe, &c.
If any man see his brother fall into, and continue in such a sinne, as may be capable of forgivenesse,16 If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death, hee shall aske, and he shall give him life, for them that sinne not unto death: there is a sinne unto death; I doe not say that he shall pray for it. let him earnestly sue unto God, for pardon of that offender; and God who is great, and infinite in mercy, shall graciously incline his eare to his prayers, and give remission and life to such a one. There is indeed a sinne unto death, for which there is no forgivenesse with God, because there is no capacity of repentance for it in the committer of it; I meane the sin against the holy Ghost; when a man having received the knowledge of the Gospell by the illumination of the holy Spirit, and professed the beliefe thereof, shall in a devillish malice, wilfully blaspheme, and persecute that knowne truth; I doe not give you allowance to pray for the pardon of this sinne.
17 All unrighteousnesse is sinne, and there is a sinne not unto death.Any of our injurious carriages towards God, whether in our words, deeds, or thoughts, is sin; and therefore of it selfe guilty of death; but such is the mercy of God, that he takes not advantage of our infirmities, but by his gracious pardon, so remits them, as that all our sinnes are not, in their event, deadly.
18 We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, &c.See Chap. 3. verse 9.
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. IOHN.
CAP. I.
1 The Elder unto the elect Lady, and her children, whom I love in the truth.IOhn the Apostle, knowne and acknowledged the overseer of the Churches of God, which are in Asia, to the faithfull and holy matron, elect of God to be a vessell of honour, and to her children; whom I love, in, and for the truth of the Gospell, which they doe zealously professe, &c.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring you not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.If there come any unto you, and make stubborne opposition to this doctrine, and broach the contrary errors, to seduce you, give no intertainment to such a one, neither hold any familiarity with him.
For whosoever, after knowledge of his wilfull heresie, shall maintaine familiar conversation with him,11 For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evill deeds. makes himselfe partaker of his wickednesse, both of judgement, and practise.
THE THIRD EPISTLE OF S. IOHN.
AS thy soule is in a good,2 That thou mayest prosper, and be in health, even as thy soule prospereth. and comfortable condition; so I wish that thy body, and estate may be also.
Because for the setting forth of the glory of Christ,7 Because that for his names sake, they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. and the promulgation of his Gospell, they went forth to preach the word of God among the Gentiles, and tooke no recompence from them, for their labour and charge.9 I wrote unto the Church, but Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
I wrote unto the Church for this purpose, but Diotrephes, who affects to beare a sway amongst your people, and is prejudiced against us, is not willing to give way to this just and holy motion.