A.D. 67. and truly our fellowfhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift. 10-14. before the Face of the whole Jewish Nation, and of us the Apostles in particular, with the utmoft Evidences that a diftinct Knowledge, and all *See Jobni. the Demonstrations of our Senfes can give a Thing *. These we deliver to you as Articles, the Belief whereof is the fundamental Condition of your fharing with us in the happy Privileges of being the Church and Children of God the Father, through Chrift his Son; and of enjoying the future and eternal Felicity promised in his Gospel. See the Pref. § 3. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 4. My Aim therefore is, that by giving you a repeated Affurance, and full Satisfaction in these important Truths, you may, with perfect Chearfulness, and undaunted Vigour, perfevere in the Profeffion of them, against all the Malice and Infinuations of thefe Corrupt Teachers. 5 This then is the meffage which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we fay that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lye, and do not the truth : 5 & 6. Now, as to the Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion, the Main Purpose, and Sum Total of them is this, viz. That as God is a Being abfolutely Holy and Perfect in Goodnefs, the only Original of Truth and Righteoufnefs, without the leaft poffible Mixture of Moral Impurity; the abfolute Condition of Mens enjoying his Favour, or of expecting Happinefs from Him is, the Imitation of these his Moral Perfections. And confequently, for any People to profefs themselves Members of his Church, while they indulge themselves in fuch Instances of Lewdness and Immorality (as do the Falfe Teachers of thefe Times) is to act in direct Contradiction both to his Divine Nature and Revelation. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son eleanfeth us from all fin. 7. That, therefore, the Favour of God, and the Privilege of being Members of his True Church, by the full Pardon of our paft Sins, procured for us by the Death and Sufferings of his Son Jefus Chrift, runs upon this fame Condition, of endea Youring vouring, as much as in us lies, to conform our Tempers and Practice to this Divine Pattern and Example. 8 If we fay that we have no fin, we deceive our felves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and juft to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all unrighteoufnefs. 8, 9 & 10. So that, for any Chrifian to embrace that Notion of the Jewish Zealots and Hereticks, That mere External Profeffion, and barely joining one's felf to the True Religion, renders a Man Pure and Acceptable to God, whatever his Difpofitions and Practices be, and that there is really no fuch thing as Sin and Guilt in the World; at least, none amongst their Party; is to put the moft fatal Delufion upon himfelf, by giving God the Lye, and Contradicting the Nature of the Gospel-Religion; which fuppofes Men to be Sinners, and is principally defigned to bring them to the Humble Confeffion and Sincere Refor mation of every Wicked Practice; and fo to depend upon the Divine Promise for perfect Pardon and Salvation. 10 If we fay that we have not finned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. CHA P. II. The CONTENTS. The fame Argument continued to Verfe 8. The Virulent 1 & 2. MY Y Purpose then is to A. D.67. arm you against the Vicious Principles of thefe Men. + Chapi Indulge 5,6-10 A. D. 67. ye fin not. And if Indulge your felves in no Inftance of grofs and habitual Sin: And you may, then, whether Jewish or Gentile Chriftians, depend, that both your paft Tranfgreffions, and all the future Failings of your Lives, committed by Human Frailty, Ignorance, or Surprize, fhall, upon your true Repentance, be fully Pardoned, by the Interceffion of Jefus Chrift, our Great Advocate with God the Father: The Merits of whofe Sufferings, and Power of whose Interceffion, is not Confined to the Believers of the Jewish Nation (as their Zealots vainly imagine) but Extends itself to all Sincere Chriftians, of what Denomination foever. 3 And hereby we him. 5 But whofo keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him. 3, 4, 5 & 6. Look therefore upon a Careful Obedience to the Moral Commands of the Gospel, as the best and fureft Character of a true Chriftian*. To imitate the Life, and follow the Example of Chrift, was the Grand Defign of our Call to his Religion. This is truly to love God, and to be beloved of Him. To pretend to be his People, and yet live contrary to the Moral and plaineft Perfections of his Nature, is, to pretend to perfect Contradictions. 6 He that faith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 7. In *The common Reader may observe here, once for all, that thefe Phrafes, To know God, to be in Him, to love God, to be in Chrift, to abide in Him, to know the Truth, to be Born of God, or Chrift, &c. are fo many Expreffions to fignify Mens being True Chriftians. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. the 7. In thus preffing you to the A. D.67. Obfervance of this great Point, in * General, I propofe nothing New to you, nothing but what you must needs know to be the main Purpose of your Chriflianity. Nothing but what Chrift our Mafter has taught us, in his own exprefs Words, John xiv. 21, 23. XV. 10. And my Business Now is, only to remind you of, and fecure you in it, against the Suggestions of your Falfe Teachers. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darknefs is past, and the true light now fhineth. 8. Only let me remind you, that Our Duty of Love and Charity to our Fellow-Chriftians, hath fomething both in the Degree of it, and the Obligation to it, Peculiar to the Chriftian Religion. Chriftians are to love each other, not after the ordinary manner of other People, but with an Affection proportionable to That wherewith Chrift bath loved Us. See and Now there was never any Love like His: And confe- compare quently the Gospel-Religion has advanced and improved this Duty, and obliged us Chriftians to a Degree that may be called New, and by an Argument that is Proper to us. 9 He that faith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness, even un10 He til now. 9, 10 & 11. Wherefore, 'tis an Effect of the moft malicious Prejudice and ftupid Ignorance of plain Truth, for any Man to profefs himfelf a true Difciple of Christ, while Bb he * Ver. 7. No New Commandment. Which being understood to refer to the foregoing Difcourfe, makes the clearest Sense and Connexion. Or elfe thus; The Duty of Love was not New to fuch as knew it to be enjoined by Chrift himfelf; but only as Chriftianity has raised that Duty Higher than any Other Religion. Which thing (i. e. the Newness of the Commandment) is true in Him and in you. In Him, as having fet us a Peculiar Example: And in us Chriftians, as having from that Example a peculiar Obligation to it. xiii. 15-34, 35 A. D. 67. See the Pref. § 3. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occafion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that ha teth his brother, is in 12 I write unto you, little children, name's fake 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning, I write unto you, young men, becaufe ye have overcome the wicked one. tle children, because Father. he harbours Revengeful Thoughts, and Uncharitable Principles toward other Men. On the contrary, a kind Behaviour, and tender Difpofition toward all our Brethren, is one of the best Inftances of Chriftian Perfection, and fecures us from all the Scandal and Mischievous Effects of a Cenforious and Perfecuting Temper. 12, 13 & 14. The Cautions I here give you, ought to be equally regarded by all Degrees of Chriftian Profeffors. The New Converts, and Younger Chriftians are to confider themselves as newly put into a State of Salvation, the Pardon of Sin, and the Favour of God, through Jefus Chrift; and endeavour to confirm themselves in it, by the careful Practice of true Chriftian Virtue. Such as are come to more Matu I write unto you, lit-rity in their Profeffion, and are in ye have known the the Strength and Vigour of their Age, have a great Advantage, and ought to employ the utmost of that Vigour in refifting the utmost Temptations of the Devil, and perfecting their Conqueft over him, and all his wicked Inftruments. And the Aged Chriftians cannot but have fo clear 14 I have written written unto you, ye are strong, and the a Knowledge of God, and the Revelation of his Will by Jefus Christ, during the long Seafon from their firft Converfion, that it would be utterly inexcufable for them to be wanting in these Essential Duties, or be drawn from them by the falfe Teachers. one. 15 & 16. To |