Ch. 3. God's Love, and God's I. J cute the Church, near three hundred years And thisExpofxion leaveth all the Chrifliau World fince, to this day, littlemore ufe ofthe abundance of Motives and Comforts of the NewTeftament, than ofthe fulfill'd Prophe- cies of the Old. Do not Chtift's and the Apo- Rles Words nearly concern us ? Or thould the Church be mov'd to couttancy, patience, and comfort chiefly,fixteen hundred Years after,be- caufe a million ofJean were kill'd then? 29. If ye know that he is righte- ous, know that every one that doth tighteoufnefs, isborn of him. 2. And as ye believe that Chrift is juft,and and a lover of Righteoufitefs, Co all that fincere- ly live a righteous life towards God and man,, are newborn, by his lantifying Spirit, to his Iinage, and Dag Cutely be receivd and own'd by him. C H .A P. III. I. BEhold, what manner of love the Father bath bellowed upon us, that we Mould be called the Eons of God; therefore theworld knoweth us not, becaufe it knew him not. t. Let us therefore, inflecd of forfaking Chris, admire the wondrous Love of God to us, that bath, in Chrift, adopted us to be his Sons. Indeed our Dignity is unknown to the unbelieving World, for they knew not Chrift to be the. Son of God, and how then lhouid they know us? 2. Beloved, now are we the Ions of God, and' it doth not yet appear what we fhaIl be : but we know, that when he (hail appear, we (hall be like him, for we (hall fee him as he is. 2. And it is no wonder ifour condition be unknown to the unbelieving World; for tho' we are already the Sons of God, and have Right by "' omife to future Glory, our future Glory is yet unfeen and what we. fhall be, doth not appear to the World, or to our own fight : but we knowby Faith,that when Chrift appeareth, we that are his Members hhall, in our feveral meafures, be made like our glorified Head, in the perfedion both ofSoul and Body, and placeand Rateof Bleffednefs: for he bath promifed that we shall be with him, and there- fore Shall fee him as he it, and therefore be Made capable offuch a fight and gloriousCom- munion. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifteth himfelf, even as he is pure. ohn: . Children defcrib'd, Ch. 3. And knowing that withoutHolinefs none can fee God, and thet it is the Pure in Heart that have the Promife ofteeing him, therefore all that have a true effeftual Hope-of teeing him, will make it their chiefcare to purifie them- (elves, that Loch likenàfs to, Chrift may render them capableoffuch a bleffed fight. 4. Whofoever eommitteth fin, tranf -. greffeth alto the law : for fin is Mhe tranfgreffion of the law. 5. And ye know that he was manifefted to take away our fins, and in him is no fin. 4, 5. For to fin is to tranfgrefs and break God's Law, for that is the definition of Sin. And ye know that Chrift carne in the Flesh, to be a Sacrifice for Sin, and to take it away and deftroy it, and never fimi d himfelf s and all this, that he might vindicate God's Law and tlolinefs. 6. Whofoever abideth in him fin. neth not : whofoever finneth; hath not feenhim, neither known him. S. So far as anyman is in him, and istaught and rurd by him, fo far is he freed from all Sin; and all his true Members are deliver'd from the predominant love andpra&ice of all known Sin, and are willing to know all, that they may avoid it. And he that would not know it, and whenhe doth know it, Both not hate it more than love it, and fofar forfaite it, as to conquer the Dominion of ir, and live in fincere and willing holy Obedience in the courte of his fife, may boaft falfly that he is a Chri- Rian, but indeedhath no trueLaying knowledg of Chrift. 7. Little children, let no man de- ceive.you : he that doth righteouf-. nefis righteous, even as he isrigh- teous. 7. Benot fo childish as tobedeceiv'd by the vainwords of any that pretend to be'righteous before God, on any account whatföever, while they live lia Unrighteoufnefs and predominant Sin, as ifGod would juSifie the Wicked for their Opinions or Prefumptions. It is he that. being call'd, juftified and fandtified by theMe- ritsand Spirit of Chrift, cloth live in a fincere Obedience to him, and labours to be like him in holinefs and love to God and man, whom God will call a righteous man, and (aye him as fuch when he isJudge. 8. He that committeth fin is ofthe devil the devil finneth from the ing. For this purpofe the Son ofGod was manifefled, that he might deftroy the works of the devil. 8. So far as any Man finneth, fo far he is of the Devil, and likehim : And he is the Servant of
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