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truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us.

24 The spirit of our actions is the surest indication, whether or no the Son of God abideth in us.

and he in him. And hereby

CHAPTER IV.

APRIL 28, AUGUST 27, Dec. 24.

TUESDAY IN WHITSUN-WEEK, evening, to ver. 14.

2

BELOVED, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world. Hereby 2 Try the teachers and their doe-
know ye the Spirit of God: trines by the rule here laid down.
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that
spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come;
and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little
children, and have overcome them because greater is he that
is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world:
therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
"We are of God he that
knoweth God heareth us; he
that is not of God heareth
not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;
and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In
this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him.
10 Herein 10 Gratitude combines with duty to
is love, not that we loved lead us to love the Lord our God.
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propi-
tiation for our sins. 11 Be-
11 Let us love one another, for
Christ's sake.

loved, if God so loved us,

6 The word of God enableth us to discern the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

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we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

13 As we know our bodies to have life by the powers of life we exercise, so we know our souls to have life, when our minds and wills move as his Spirit would direct and rule them.

17 O what a blessed hope it is-that if we love God and our Christ, we may look without fear even to that awful day, when He will judge the world in righteousness.

Ver. 14. And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

21 The angels' song at the birth of Christ blended its strains of "glory to God" with "peace on earth, good will towards men." Wonder not then, that brotherly love and a christian hope can never be divided.

CHAPTER V.

APRIL 29, AUGUST 28, DEC. 28. TRINITY SUNDAY, even.

1 WHOSOEVER believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that

:

3

1 What a heavenly and stirring motive to love our fellowcreatures!All are children of a heavenly father.

loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that

3 God commands only what is for our good-he forbids only what would be our ruin. commandments are not grievous.

* Our trust must be in God to fight for us. Presumption in our own strength is destruction to our virtue.

overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son

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This is he that

of God? came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not

At his baptism, Jesus Christ sanctified water to the mystical washing away of sin. On the cross he sealed the covenant by his blood.

9 Alas! for them, who reject the doctrines of the Gospel, because they do not choose to live according to its laws. (See I John ii. 3.)

12 Ask your own heart-"Have I the Son of God" as my Saviour and my God?

life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17 All unrighteousness is sin

14 God may in wisdom delay his answer to our prayers; but if we have confidence in Him, that He hath heard them; we may well believe that He will answer them in the time and manner most expedient for us.

16

and

there is a sin not unto death.

We know that whosoever is

16 Our Lord has told us that the sin against the Holy Ghost-in vilifying his miraculous gifts and operationsis unpardonable. (See Matt. xii. 32.)

17 Though all unrighteousness, being sinful, deserves punishment, yet Jesus has himself assured us that all other sin shall, upon repentance, be pardoned.

born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God

keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in

20

wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even is the true God, and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

20 The word of God, and His Holy Spirit, combine to give us an understanding, whereby we may discern the truth, and find the way to heaven. Error now is wilful.

in his Son Jesus Christ.

This

21 Set not your heart upon any worldly object, lest you be spiritually, an idolater. If we love anything more than our God, we sin.

Che second Epistle of John.

APRIL 30, AUGUST 29, 2 & 3 John. DEC. 29.

THE elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth

7 False teachers soon sprung up. Hence, all the counsel and encouragement which the apostles could give, were necessary to keep the

believers firm in their faith.

8 How gracious is our God! He permits us to look for sure though undeserved recompense of reward, if we be patient in well doing.

9 Happy they, who are thus united with their Father and their God; How

spiritually, here on earth.
blissful, how glorious, shall be

in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

their union hereafter in Heaven. What a change for the patient child of sorrow!

The third Epistle of John.

DEC. 30.

THE elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than 4 Such is the feeling of every minto hear that my children walk ister towards the souls committed in truth. Beloved, thou doest to his care-because the path of truth and love is the path to heaven. faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. I wrote unto the church; but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 1 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write

11 This is a plain, intelligible rule, by which every man may judge himself-whether or no he be of God.

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