z Left he ſhould be thought only ſollicitous to preſerve the right Notions among them, of the Chriſtian - Dofrine, as if that alone would ſufice them for their Salvation and Blefledneſs ( which was the Concvit of the Gnoftichs, touching their own Notions, that the enertaining of them, would ſave Men, whatſoever Men they' were, or -howſoever they hy'd ) he ſubjoyns this ſerious Monition, if ye mw, &c. intiqating, that wiatſoever they had of the Knowledge of God, would avail them nothing, 1 whereas he 3s righteous, they were not transform'd by it into his- likeneſs, and enabled thereby to do Righteouſneſt, which alone would evidence their Divine Birth, ſince God hith no Children deſtitute of his Image, or who reſemble him
nct. (3-H A P4101 The Love of God to Believers in their Adrptiom, this their Glory not now fully underſtood, this a motive to Purity, 1 3. Sm u a tranſ- greſſin of the Law, and Chri# came to take it away, and hereby the Children of God and of Satan are diſtinguiſhed, 4 Io. Our chief duty, Love to one another, contrary herein to Cain, his Sin, and the cauſe of it, the World will hate us, 11 ——13. Lovess a true evi- dence of a Divine Life ; he that loveth not his Brother, is dead, and a Merderer before God, 14, 15. The Love of Chri8t to us muſt be ini- tated by 1s, mt with Words only, but in Deed and in Truth, 15—18. Then are we of the Truth, and may have Confidence towards God, tht cur Prayers ſhall be heard 5y Him, x G=——=22. This # the ſumm & Chrilt's Commandments to Believe in Him, and Love one another, by rich we have Communion with him, and are aſſured thereof by his Spirit, 23; 24-
Ehold, what manner of t love the Father hath be- ſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called a the {ons of God : therefore the world knoweth þ us not,
ghom
f So lite mention having been made of that greaf Thing in the Cloſe of the foregoing Chapter, being born of God ;, the Holy Apo- ſtle is here in a Tranſport, in the contemplation of the gJorious con- ſ-quent Priviledge, to be called hu Sons ;, and of that admirable Love, from whence the whole hath proceeded, mzmww, or how
Or, they cculd inſtru& themſelves, tare,
H N
ol | Rom. 4. 17, He confers not the Nzme without the Thing ; the new, even a Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. in Regeneration ; the re@ Advanta- zes and Dignity of the Relation by Adoption; and all of meer ( and the greateſt ) Kindneſs and Good-will, Tt. 3. 5,5, 7. Hence he intimates, it ought not to be counted grievous, that the World knoweth 75 nt, 1.6. doth not own or acknowledge us for its own, 1s not kind tous, yea, hates and perfecutes us. b Knowing, often ( after the Hebrew Phraſe ) ſignitying AffeCtion, 1 Cor. 8.3. 2 Tim. 2. 19. and accordingly, nt knowing, Diſaffe&ion, and the conſequent Effet, Matth. 7. 23. Nor ſhould it-be thought ſtrange, becauſe 7t hnew not hm. The Father, and the whole Family are to 1t an 7nviſum Ge- ng, hated alike. |
' doth not yet appear c what we ſhgll be: but we know, that when he thall appear d, we || {hall be like him 2; for we ſhall ſee him as he is f.
c Ouggpreſent State he affirms to be unqueſtionably that of Sons ;
our Father, we muſt for a while undergo. But for our future State,
doth not appear, *tis yet an unrevealed Thing, Rom. 8. 18. A Vail 1s
in the general know oft ( ſocertain are the Apprehentions of Faith ) that when he ſhall appear, or diſplay, his own Glory 1n the appearance
27. 1 Tim. 6, 14, 15,16. e As it befits Children to be unto their Father, 3. e. His Image ſhall then be perfetted in us, which was de- faced to greatly in the Apoſtacy, is reſtored imperte&ly in Repene- ration, Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3.10. muſt be daily improved 1n progr-iſive San&fcation : So that as God was above ſaid- to be Lizht, Chrifti- ans are to ſhine as Lights, as the Sons "of God without rebuke, repreſent- ing and gloritying their Father, Matth. 5. 16. Phil. 2. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 9. But is then to be advanced in us to a far higher pitch than ever, in reſpe@ both of Holineſs and Blefledneſs. f 7. e. So far as the limited Capacity of our Natures can admit; and are therefore by that Likeneſs to be qualifiet for ſuch Viſion : which eternal, efficaci- ous Viſion doth alſo continue that Likeneſs, the cauſal Particle, for, admitting both thoſe References, Pſal. 17. 1 5.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him, purt-
fheth himſelf, g even as he is pure.
Z i.e. Not only is obliged hereto, but by the efficacious Influence of this Hope, if it be of the ſame kind { that /ively Hope, unto which Chriſtians are ſaid to be begotten, x Pet. 1. 3.) 1s daily more and more transform'd, through a continual Intention of Mind to- wards the Holy Ghoſt, upon whom that Hope is ſet ( for it is ſaid to be Hop? in him, or rather upon him, iz" ewny ) into the Image of the Divine Purity : Knowing alſo( which muſt be a potent Inducement to very earneſt Endeavour this way ) that our future Conformity to God in Glory and Blefſedneſs hereafter, depends upon our preſent vigorous and effetual Purſuit of Conformity to him in Holineſs woes Matth, 5.8. Heb. 12.14. And it 1s enforced by what fol- OWS.
4 Whoſoever committeth fin, tranſgreſſeth alſo the law ; * for fin is the tranſgreſhon of the law þ.
h Which 1s added, to fiznifie nothing can be more unreaſonable, than the Expe Mon of partaking with Ged in the Glory and Bleſ- ſedneſs of the future State, if we now allow our ſelves in a Courſe of
Sin; and 1s again further enforced from the Deſign of our Redeem- er
him #.
h By ſinning he meaneth the ſame thing as afterwards by commit- ting Sin; ſee verſe 8, 9. Seeing and knowing intend inward Uni- on, Acquaintance, and Converſe ; ſuch as Abode in him implies. See
Join 5. 37. 3 John 11.
reous /.