CHAP. IV.

How to try the spirits.

benefit of brotherly love. him, how dwelleth the love of come in the flesh, is not of God. God in him? And this is that spirit of anti

18 My little children, let us christ, whereof ye have heard not love in word, neither in that it should come; and even tongue, but in deed and in truth. now already is it in the world.

19 And hereby we know that 4 Ye are of God, little chilwe are of the truth, and shall dren, and have overcome them: assure our hearts before him. because greater is he that is in

20 For if our heart condemn you, than he that is in the world. us, God is greater than our 5 They are of the world : heart, and knoweth all things. therefore speak they of the 21 Beloved, if our heart con- world, and the world heareth demn us not, then have we con- them. fidence toward God.

6 We are of God. He that

22 And whatsoever we ask, knoweth God, heareth us; he we receive of him, because we that is not of God, heareth not keep his commandments, and us. Hereby know we the spirit do those things that are pleasing of truth, and the spirit of error. in his sight. 7 Beloved, let us love one

23 And this is his command-another: for love is of God; and ment; That we should believe every one that loveth is born of on the name of his son Jesus God, and knoweth God. Christ, and love one another, as 8 He that loveth not, knowhe gave us commandment. eth not God; for God is love. 24 And he that keepeth his 9 In this was manifested the commandments, dwelleth in him, love of God toward us, because and he in him. And hereby that God sent his only-begotten we know that he abideth in us, Son into the world, that we by the Spirit which he hath might live through him.

given us. w

CHAP. IV.

Against believing all teachers.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved

us, and sent his Son to be the

BELOVED, believe not propitiation for our sins.

but try the

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, spirits whether they are of God: we ought also to love one another. because many false prophets are 12 No man hath seen God at gone out into the world. any time. If we love one another,

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit God dwelleth in us, and his of God: Every spirit that con- love is perfected in us. fesseth that Jesus Christ is come 13 Hereby know we that we in the flesh, is of God: dwell in him, and he in us, be

3 And every spirit that con-cause he hath given us of his fesseth not that Jesus Christ is Spirit.

Obligation of mutual love.

1. JOHN, The witnesses of our faith.

14 And we have seen and do love the children of God, when testify, that the Father sent the we love God, and keep his comSon to be the Saviour of the mandments. world.

3 For this is the love of God,

15 Whosoever shall confess that we keep his commandthat Jesus is the Son of God, ments; and his commandments God dwelleth in him, and he in are not grievous. God.

4 For whatsoever is born of

16 And we have known and God, overcometh the world: and believed the love that God hath this is the victory that overcomto us. God is love: and he eth the world, even our faith. that dwelleth in love, dwelleth 5 Who is he that overcometh in God, and God in him. the world, but he that believeth

17 Herein is our love made that Jesus is the Son of God? perfect, that we may have bold- 6 This is he that came by ness in the day of judgment: water and blood, even Jesus because as he is, so are we in Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is

this world.

18 There is no fear in love; the Spirit that beareth witness, but perfect love casteth out fear: because the Spirit is truth. because fear hath torment. He 7 For there are three that that feareth, is not made perfect bear record in heaven, the Fain love. ther, the Word, and the Holy 19 We love him, because he Ghost: and these three are one. first loved us. 8 And there are three that 20 If a man say, I love God, bear witness in earth, the spirit, and hateth his brother, he is and the water, and the blood: a liar. For he that loveth not and these three agree in one. his brother, whom he hath seen, 9 If we receive the witness how can he love God, whom he of men, the witness of God is hath not seen? greater: for this is the witness

21 And this commandment of God which he hath testified have we from him, That he who of his Son. loveth God, love his brother also.

W

CHAP. V.

The three witnesses.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not

HOSOEVER believeth God, hath made him a liar, bethat Jesus is the Christ, cause he believeth not the reis born of God: and every one cord that God gave of his Son. that loveth him that begat, 11 And this is the record, that loveth him also that is begotten

of him.

2 By this we know that we

God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son, hath

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The Christian's confidence

CHAP. V.

in prayer to God.

life; and he that hath not the death: I do not say that he shall Son of God, hath not life.

pray for it.

13 These things have I writ17 All unrighteousness is sin : ten unto you that believe on and there is a sin not unto death. the name of the Son of God; 18 We know that whosoever that ye may know that ye have is born of God, sinneth not; but eternal life, and that ye may he that is begotten of God, believe on the name of the Son keepeth himself, and that wickof God.

ed one toucheth him not.

14 And this is the confidence 19 And we know that we are that we have in him, that if we of God, and the whole world ask any thing according to his lieth in wickedness.

will, he heareth us :

20 And we know that the Son

15 And if we know that he of God is come, and hath given hear us, whatsoever we ask, we us an understanding, that we know that we have the petitions may know him that is true; and that we desired of him. we are in him that is true, even

16 If any man see his brother in his Son Jesus Christ. This sin a sin which is not unto death, is the true God, and eternal he shall ask, and he shall give life. him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto selves from idols. Amen.

T

21 Little children, keep your

The Second Epistle of JOHN.

An elect lady, &c. exhorted. in truth, as we have received a HE elder unto the elect commandment from the Father. lady, and her children, 5 And now I beseech thee, whom I love in the truth; and lady, not as though I wrote a not I only, but also all they that new commandment unto thee, have known the truth; but that which we had from the The apostle cautioneth

II. JOHN,

against false teachers.

in the flesh. This is a deceiver, trine, receive him not into your and an antichrist. house, neither bid him God 8 Look to yourselves, that speed: we lose not those things which 11 For he that biddeth him we have wrought, but that we God speed, is partaker of his receive a full reward.

evil deeds.

9 Whosoever transgresseth, 12 Having many things to and abideth not in the doctrine write unto you, I would not of Christ, hath not God. He write with paper and ink: but I that abideth in the doctrine of trust to come unto you, and Christ, he hath both the Father speak face to face, that our joy and the Son.

may be full.

10 If there come any unto 13 The children of thy elect you, and bring not this doc-sister greet thee. Amen.

T

The Third Epistle of JOHN.

Gaius' piety commended.
HE elder unto the well-thou shalt do well:
beloved Gaius, whom I 7 Because that for his name's
sake they went forth, taking

their journey after a godly sort,

love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all nothing of the Gentiles. things that thou mayest prosper 8 We therefore ought to reand be in health, even as thy ceive such, that we might be soul prospereth. fellow-helpers to the truth.

3 For I rejoiced greatly, when 9 I wrote unto the church: the brethren came and testified but Diotrephes, who loveth to of the truth that is in thee, even have the pre-eminence among as thou walkest in the truth. them, receiveth us not.

4 I have no greater joy than 10 Wherefore, if I come, I to hear that my children walk will remember his deeds which in truth. he doeth, prating against us

5 Beloved, thou doest faith- with malicious words: and not fully whatsoever thou doest to content therewith, neither doth the brethren, and to stran- he himself receive the brethren, gers; and forbiddeth them that would,

6 Which have borne witness and casteth them out of the of thy charity before the church: church. whom if thou bring forward on! 11 Beloved, follow not that

He commendeth Demetrius, which is evil, but that which is 13 I had many things to write, good. He that doeth good is but I will not with ink and pen of God: but he that doeth evil write unto thee:

III. JOHN, and concludeth with salutation.

hath not seen God.

14 But I trust I shall shortly

12 Demetrius hath good re-see thee, and we shall speak port of all men, and of the truth face to face. Peace be to thee. itself: yea, and we also bear Our friends salute thee. Greet record; and ye know that our the friends by name. record is true.

The General Epistle of JUDE.

Of constancy in the faith.

JUDE,

destroyed them that believed

the servant of Jesus not.

Christ, and brother of James, 6 And the angels which kept to them that are sanctified by not their first estate, but left God the Father, and preserved their own habitation, he hath in Jesus Christ, and called : reserved in everlasting chains

2 Mercy unto you, and peace, under darkness unto the judgand love, be multiplied. ment of the great day.

3 Beloved, when I gave all 7 Even as Sodom and Godiligence to write unto you of morrah, and the cities about the common salvation, it was them in like manner, giving needful for me to write unto themselves over to fornication, you, and exhort you that ye and going after strange flesh, should earnestly contend for are set forth for an example, the faith which was once de- suffering the vengeance of eterlivered unto the saints.

nal fire.

4 For there are certain men 8 Likewise also these filthy crept in unawares, who were dreamers defile the flesh, despise before of old ordained to this dominion, and speak evil of condemnation, ungodly men, dignities.

turning the grace of our God 9 Yet Michael the archangel, into lasciviousness, and denying when contending with the devil, the only Lord God, and our he disputed about the body of Lord Jesus Christ. Moses, durst not bring against

5 I will therefore put you in him a railing accusation, but remembrance, though ye once said, The Lord rebuke thee. knew this, how that the Lord, 10 But these speak evil of having saved the people out of those things which they know the land of Egypt, afterward not: but what they know natu