; y put for Hlineſs and Hiched- neſs, lube 16. 8. Rom. 13. 12. Eph. 5.8. 1 Theſ. 5,5, The ſum then 15, That if any pretend to Friendſhip with God, or to have re- —_ ly and ons influences from him, and do yet lead wick-
they are Liars, even guilty of a praFical Lie. doins fvh makes t Ir Profeſſion falſe and inſincere. d hg _ 7 Bit if we walk / in the light »», as he is in the light, have fellowthip one with another zz; and the "oy - Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all in 0,
Which is a continued and progreſſive motion, i. e. do
| erſetere and 7mprove in Holineſs, i
m Being transformed into the Holy Image
and Likeneſs of God, and ſhewing themſelves the Children of Light as he is Light, and the Father of Lights. n Have fellowſhip w ith him, were»; ( as one Copy reads.) However, we muſt comprehend God, and this the Contexture of Diſcourſe ſheivs, .
- 0 KzTweite, leit ur Purity and Holineſs ſhould be thought to have deſerved ſuch a riviledge, 'tis cautiouſly added, and the Blood, &c. is that which one explateth, or makes atonement for our Sins, { The proper otton of cleanſing here) Our former ſinfulneſs and preſent impertet lines, render it impoſſible God ſhould admit us to Communion Wh him for our own ſakes, or without ſuch an intervening Sacrifice;
tare uſually ſignifying Expiations, And if we farther extend tih Notion of cleanſing, ſo as to comprehend internal ſubjeFive pu- ration, ( which alſo the Word may admit ) the farther mean- ingis, that even that purifying Influence, whereby we are qua- lifid for preſent holy walking with God, and for final Blefſednefs in \m, we owe to the Merit and Procurement of the Redeemer's
our Ives, and the truth 7 is not in us /. Þ purſuance of which Scope, he fitly adds,
1. e. Cher profeſs it as a Principle, or think in our Minds, or not bear ihur Hearts a penitential remorſeful Senſe correſpondent to
ra&tice, Fob 21. 14. Jer. 22. 21.) q viz. That we are ſo 1nnocq Creatures as not to nezd ſuch an expiatory Sacrifice as that abovggentioned, and ſuch purifying influence thereupon, but that we ty be admitted to Communion with God upon our 0:7 Account, 4{ for our Worthineſs ſake, without being beholden to the Blood 0Chriff; we deceive our ſelves, delude our own Sou!s. r 7.e, The tem and Frame of Goſpel-Dofrine (as 2 7oh. 1. 2. 4.) { Cannot be \ly entertained, lies not evenly and agreeably with its ſelf in our Mds, or hath no place with effe&t in us, as 7:n 8,
righteouſneſy,
# But on theyntrary, if we apply our ſelves to him ſutably to the Condition of \nners, confeſſing our ſelves ſuch, with that ſelf- abafing Senſe of A which may diſpoſe vs to accept and apply his offered Remedy, (pon which it is implied we will doit. ) « Hes faithful, ſo true this Promiſe, and'j88, Fidelity being a part of
Juſtice ; or there 1s fk; him that Equity and Righteouſneſs, ( which s 1] {ometines
Chap. 1.
* 2 John 12.
and 5. 5.
to draw and 12.2 $.
Py -
F Cit. 2. =
If we ſay p that we have'no fin g, we deceive * 1 King, | 8. 46.
if we ſhould /ay } 2 Chron.s.
Prov. 2 *Þ 9, Eccia7.20%
the co ry Apprehenfion ; ſuch as is implied in confeſſing, verſe g. (tor ſag uſually ſignifies the habitual bent and d:ſpoſition of the James 342-
7: | = if weonfeſs our fins z, he is faittifut and juſt z *prf.q2.5. to forgive Uour fins z, and to cleanſe us from all un- Prov. 28.
I2.,
© CERSRG
-
Ee =
Er
a.
7 [> ——_” — aan our; AE. _—Y
Chap. II.
os
ſmetimes fignifie Goodnefs, *or Clemency, 1 Sam, 12.7. Pſal. 112: 5. and which, more ſtrialy taken, permit him not to exa& from us the Satisfa&tion which he hath accepted in the Atonement made by his Son, in his own way __ and upon his own terms to be reckned unto us )thathe will not fail to forgive xs our ſins. w Which may either be added as a further Exprefſion of the ſame thing ; or may, moreover, ſignifie his vouchſafing that purifying influence of the Spirit of Chriſt ( obtained alſo by his Blood ) which ſhall both purge away, and prevent the. Defilements that would render us unca- pable of his own holy Communion. : 10 If we ſay we have not ſinned x, we make him a
Hary, and his word isnpt inus 2. : .
x See verſe 8, 9. y Which they make him that believe not his Word, chap. 5. 10. expreſly charging all Men with Sin, Rom. 3. 19, 23. 2 And conſequently bis Word, or Truth, as verſe 8. which we contradi&, is not in #5. The Sum is, That we are not to be receiv- ed into God's holy Society and Communion under the Notion of a/- ways innocent, and unoffending Perſons, but-as pardoned and purified Sinners. |
CHAP. IL
Forgiveneſs of ſin, no encouragement thereto; but a Comfort to Sinners : If we know Chriſt, we muſt keep his Commandments, and follow his Example, 1 8. And Love our Neighbour, 9 I2, This applied to Fathers, Young Men, and Children : that they love not the World, and that which 4s therein; and to take heed of Antichriſts , from both whichthe anointing of the Holy Ghoſt, which they had receiv- ed, would keep them, 13=mp—2I. Antichriſt deſcribed; to be a- woided in hope of eternal Life, 22 26, The Amonting of the Holy Ghoft, and its Power *: We muſt abide in Chriſt, that we may land toldly at his Appearance; and exerciſe Righteouſneſs to ſhew that we are regenerated, 27 —29. %
that yefin nor. * And if any man fin, * we have
OY M' little children a,theſe things write I unto you, &
34. n.2.%. an Advocate þ with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righ- Heb. 7. 25. teOUS C. |
& 5. 24s
* ving made Atonement for them before
* and attains its end in Obedience,
* walk, even as he walked 7.