In these words we have — (1.) A friendly compellation, ' Little chil- dren.' (2.) A serious exhortation, 'I write unto you.' (3.) The reason of his writing to that end and purpose, ' Because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.' Or, if you will take notice — (1.) Of a privilege, 'Your sins are forgiven.' (2.) The persons interested 'Little children.' (3.) The exhortation to duty built thereupon, 'I write unto you.'
1. We must state the persons ; such as are ■ little children.' Some- times the word is taken in a peculiar and restrained sense for babes in grace, as ver. 13, ' I have written unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.' Only the word is different in the original ; here it is, ' little children ; ' there it is, ' young men.' This verse is spoken in common of all believers ; whether they be fathers, or young men, or babes, they are all in the sense of the text ' little children.' He speaketh to all christians in common under this title : ver. 1, ' My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not.' So ver. 18, ' Little children, it is the last time.' By this title he speaketh to all christians, of what age or growth soever. ^ The matter also concerneth all in common, and according to this inter- pretation the order of setting down the several ages is regular. Beginning with fathers, proceeding with young men, ending with infants or babes in grace. Our Lord Jesus useth the same language, John xiii. 33, ' Little children, yet a little while I am with you.'
2. The privilege, ' Pardon of sins for his name's sake ; ' that is, upon the account of Christ made known in the gospel, and appre- hended by faith ; for he is the ' advocate ' spoken of ver. 1, 2 ; and ver. 6, 'He that abideth in him, ought himself also to walk as he walked.' So that in the whole context Christ is the antecedent. _ His name's sake implieth his merit and satisfaction, as also our faith in him : Acts x. 43, ' To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.'
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3. The exhortation grounded thereon, ' I write unto you.' What to do ? ' Not to sin,' ver. 1 ; ' To keep his commandments,' ver. 3-5 ; ' To walk as he walked,' ver. 6; 'To love the brethren,' ver. 7-11 ; ' Not to love the world,' ver. 15. So that the sum of all is, we may gather that the faithful of all ages and sizes have their sins pardoned, and are thereby bound to holiness, which is here represented under several notions, some of which are more general, others concern par- ticular duties.
The points of doctrine are three —
1. That christians of all ages and ranks are and should be as little children.
2. Such who are in the gospel-sense as little children have obtained remission of sins for Christ's name's sake.
3. Those who have obtained remission of sins are bound to express their gratitude and thankfulness to God by new obedience.
The first point, being but a metaphorical description of the faithful, will be soon despatched. The term implieth —
1. Their new birth. As little children are newly entered into the world, and beginning their lives, all things are new to them, so who- soever will be saved entereth into a new state, becometh as a little child, by being renewed by the Holy Ghost, and participating of the divine nature. In this sense it is said, Mat. xviii. 3, ' Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God ; ' where by conversion they become as little children, that is, enter into a new state, and carry on a new life and trade, with which they were never acquainted before. The same is pressed in other scriptures : Horn. vi. 6, ' Knowing that our old man is crucified with him ; ' Eph. iv. 22, ' That ye put off, concerning the former con- versation, the old man ; ' ver. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' When converted, they are not the same men they were before. So 2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.' All things are become new, he hath new thoughts, new desires, new delights, new discourses, new designs, new employments. If you have your old thoughts still, your old passions, and old affections still, it is a sign you are not converted.
2. Having a new life, they look after that which will maintain and keep it up in good plight and vigour ; for all creatures that have life have something put into them which attracteth and draweth the nourishment proper to that life. The plants have an attractive power to draw from the earth that moisture which feedeth them. The beasts have an appetite; and man, who hath this faculty in common with the beasts, hath also an attractive appetite given with his life. So christians : 1 Peter ii. 2, ' As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.' They long after spiritual food, puke at that which is not their natural milk. They have a spiritual taste, which distinguisheth doctrines, as the mouth doth meat.