position between the origin and motive of children of God and children of the evil one—are thrown in to heighten and em- phasize the position and privilege of God’s children. They are to be left in no doubt as to their relation to God. They are thrown for decisive testimony upon the supreme fact of love. If God the Father is love, and they are His children, they must share His nature; and they prove that they do by loving Him and His children. Hence, John elsewhere says (iv. 7 sq.), “ Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and every one that loveth hath been born of God (or begotten) and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knew not God, for God islove. . . . If welove one another, God abideth in us, and His love is perfected in us. In this we perceive that we abide in Him and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit. ; We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that abideth in love, abideth in God, and God in him.”
And again, in this chapter, “ We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.”
This testimony of love all tends to the assurance of the heart. All comes to a head in this 19th verse. ‘“ Herein,”—in the fact and consciousness of love,—‘ herein, perceive we that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatsoever our heart condemn us.” In striking parallelism with this is the fourth chapter of this Epistle just alluded to, espe- cially the way in which, as in this chapter, the evidence of love makes for assurance. Look at the verses from the 7th to the 16th—the burden of which is, as we have seen, that love is the evidence of our dwelling in God; and then note how this evidence runs into assurance in the 17th and 18th verses. “ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness (compare ‘shall assure our heart’) in the day of judgment (compare ‘before Him’), because as He is so are we in this world (like Christ). There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment.”
Now there was a very good and obvious reason for emphasiz- ing this thought of assurance. John knew the misgivings of the Christian heart; and he knew, moreover, how they would