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other Teacher. And is it not then most evident, that the Holy Spirit does alwaies teach the Saints by immediate Revelation? No furely; for I fhall foon make it appear, that these words of the Apoftle are nothing to the purpofe of our Adverfaries, by giving a brief and true Explication of them.

Every body knows, that (as has been already faid) in the beginnings of the Gospel it pleased God to beflow, not only upon the Apostles, but alfo upon thofe Churches which the Apostles planted, the Extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft; that is, diverfe of the New Converts, as well as those who preached the Gospel to them, were infpired, and enabled to Work Miracles in Confirmation of the Doctrines they believ'd. This is what St. John here calls the (a) Unction, or anointing of the Holy Ghoft; and by this anointing the Primitive Chriftians proved, that Jesus was the Chrift. But the Devil raifed up many falfe Teachers who denyed, that Jesus was the Chrift; and endevored by them to feduce Men from the Truth. Of thefe falfe Teachers the Apoftle is fpeaking, and warning those he wrote to, to beware of them.

v. 18. Little Children, faies he, it is the last time. And as ye have heard, that Antichrift fhall come (or jather (b) cometh) to oppofe or deny Christ: fo even now are there many Antichrifts; whereby we know that it is the last time.

v. 19. 'Tis true, they who are Antichrifts, went out from us who believe Jefus to be the Chrift; but they were falfe Brethren, and not of us. if they had been of us, they would, no doubt have

For

(a) See Dr. Hammond's Annot. upon Acts 10. e. pag. 368. Lond. 1689. (b) "Eexslas.

continued with us, and affifted in the Propagation of that Doctrin which we preach. But they went out from us, that they might be made manifeft, that they were not all of us.

v. 20. But, tho' there are many Oppofers and Denyers of Chrift, yet you cannot but know what truths you ought ftill firmly to believe. For ye to whom I write, have in your feveral Churches an Unction (or rather (c) the Unition) from the Holy One. Ye are bleffed with Infpired Guides, who teach you the Truth fincerely, and therefore ye all know all things belonging to Salvation; and particularly, by the conftant teaching of thofe Infpired Guides ye know, that Jesus is the Chrift.

v. 21. Now I have not written unto you, because Je know not the Truth; for I am abundantly convinced, that your Infpired Guides perpetually inculcate it. But I have written, because ye know it, and that no lie is of the Truth.

v. 22. And confequently ye know, that the Doctrine of thefe falfe Teachers, who are amongst you, is alie. For fince what your Infpired Guides do teach you, is Truth; and fince they teach that Jefus is Chrift; is it not plain, that thofe falfe Teachers are liars? For who is a liar, but be that denyeth that Jefus is the Chrift, as thefe falfe Teachers do? And certainly he is most juftly eftcemed and named an Antichrift, who first denieth the Father, or refufes to believe the teftimony of the Father, who has born witness of the Son by enabling him to work Miracles, and raifing him from the Dead; and then denieth the Son alfoy whofe Meffiahfhip has been fo fully attefted.

(c) πρίσμα.

v. 23. For, let thefe Antichrifts pretend what they will, whosoever denieth the Son, the fame hath not the Father.

v. 24. Let that Doctrine abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. For if that Doctrine, which ye have heard from the beginning Shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

v. 25. And ye have great Encouragement fo to do. For to thofe who continue in the Son and in the Father, does God's promife belong. And this is the promise that he hath promised us who continue in the Son and in the Father, even Eternal Life.

v. 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that feduce you.

v. 27. But my writing these things unto you was the lefs neceffary, because the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in (or rather (b) among) you; and ye are furnished with Infpired Guides, who preach these things unto you. And therefore ye need not that any other Man, befides thofe Infpired Guides, fhould Teach you; but, as the fame anointing of the Holy Ghoft teacheth you of all things neceffary, by the Ministry of Guides who are anointed therewith: and as the fame anointing is Truth, and is no lie; and even as it has taught you, ye shall abide in Him.

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From what hath been faid it appears, that the anointing here mentioned is by no means common to all Chriftians, but a peculiar favor of God, who was pleafed in the Primitive times to beftow immediate infpiration and other Extraordinary Gifts

(6) ἐν ὑμῖν.

of

of the Holy Ghoft upon the Church. Nor are we to imagin or expect, that God does or will vouchsafe to us in thefe latter daies, in which those Extraordinary Gifts are ceafed, that anointing which was poured forth upon fo many of the first Chriftians. Wherefore, unless our Adverfaries can fhew,that the fame anointing which the Apostle here fpeaks of, does ftill continue in the Church; and that what was once enjoyed by fome particular Christians, must now of neceffity belong to every true Chriftian whatfoever; I fay, unless they can prove these two things, 'tis abfurd and unreafonable for them to conclude from thefe words, that all Chriftians are, and must be immediately Oled and taught by the Spirit of God.

16. Another Argument is built upon the fame Apoftles' faying, He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself, 1 John 5. 10. that is, fay our Adverfaries, he that believes on Christ, has it immediately revealed to him by the Spirit which dwells in him, that Jefus is the Son of God. But "I fhalf prove, that thefe words of St. John muft be understood in a fenfe very different from that which our Adverfaries faften upon them.

To this end I obferve, that the word meas which is here rendred witness, denotes either the Object or the Act of the perfon that bears witnefs. I. It denotes the Object, that is, the thing which is attefted or born witnefs of. Thus, weśc an is dangus, this witnefs is true, Tit. 1. 13. that is, the thing attefted or born witnefs of concerning the Cretians by a Prophet of their own (viz. that they were alwaies liars, evil beafts, flowbellies) is true. 2. It denotes the Act, that is, the Atteftation of bearing witnefs concerning a thing. Thus our Savior faies, I have greater wit

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nefs than that of John, John 5.36. that is, I have a greater Atteftation concerning me, than that of John.

Now 'tis granted on all hands, that the witness fpoken of in this controverted Text, which he that believes on the Son of God has in himself, is the Witness of God concerning his Son. But then the question is, in what fenfe it is the Witness of God; that is, whether it be that thing which is attefted or born witnefs of by God concerning his Son, or God's Atteftation or bearing witnefs concerning him. For my part, I fhall not contend for either interpretation; because neither of them can advantage the Caufe of our Adverfaries.

For if the witness in this place fignifies the thing attefted or born witnefs of by God concerning his Son; then the witnefs is this truth, viz. that Jefus is the Son of God. Becaufe 'tis plain from the Apoftles foregoing difcourfe, that this truth is the thing attefted or born witness of by God concerning his Son. And if the witness be this truth, viz. that Jefus is the Son of God; then he that has the witnefs in himself, has in himself this truth, viz. that Jefus is the Son of God. And confequently, he that believes on the Son of God, has in himself this truth, viz. that Jefus is the Son of God.

But will it follow from thence, that he received this truth by immediate Revelation? No furely; for the Apofile faies nothing like it. He tells us indeed, that the Believer has this truth in himself: but he does not tell us, after what manner he received it. 'Tis true, if God pleases, he may receive it by immediate Revelation: but it cannot be faid that God has made it impoffible for him to receive it otherwife than by immediate Revelation. And if it be poffible for him to receive

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