Since this, therefore, must be a figurative expression, we may suppose that the same language applied to the earth is figurative also. Both the prophet Isaiah and our Saviour, make use of language highly figurative in describing the same event, and though not the very same with this of Peter, it approaches very near to it. Isaiah says, (Chap. xxxiv. 4,)" All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all their hosts shall fall down." And our Saviour says, (Matt. xxiv. 29,) "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." The idea of a total dissolution of the present system is common to them all, though their language (in all, highly figurative) be not exactly the same.

14. Whatever there, may be of figure in the language of the apostle, the inference which he draws from the plain truth is in the highest degree important. If the great event is to take place, the distance of the time, or the uncertainty with respect to the time, should have no weight with us. We should, in the language of our Saviour, [Matt. xxiv. 33,] consider it as near, even at the door. He gave many earnest admonitions to this purpose.

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15.* Instead of taking advantage of a delay of judgment, we ought to acknowledge the kindness of God in it, since it is giving us a longer space for repentance. To this purpose are several passages in the epistles of Paul, as Rom. ii. 4: Despisest thou the riches of his goodness-and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" We have here a valuable testimony to the authenticity and excellence of Paul's epistles, and from this it appears that they were generally known and read by Christians in that early period.

16. The word all implies that a considerable number of them, if not all that we now have, were then extant.† Treating of this subject.

This approbation of Peter extends to all the epistles of Paul that were written before this of his own, which were probably all he wrote. What these things were that were hard to be understood, in the writings of Paul, does not appear; but it is sufficiently evident that, in the opinion of Peter, they were many; and it is very possible they might

Our beloved brother. "Added, probably, by the copyists, to give an apostolical sanction to this epistle." Grotius in Bowyer.

+ See Lardner, VI. p. 671.

↑ Wakefield. (P.) See" a paraphrase" of vers. 3—16, Mede, pp. 609-617.

be perverted to a bad purpose, as indeed any writings may, even the acknowledged Scriptures themselves, as Peter here observes. Peter does not say that Paul treats of this particular subject in all his epistles, but that in all his epistles, in some of which he treats of it, there are things hard to be understood, and which had been thus perverted.

We see that Peter classes the writings of Paul in some sense or other with the Scriptures, all of which were written by prophets, and contain important truths. But for this purpose it was not necessary that they should be written by a direct inspiration, the Divine Being superintending every word that dropped from their pen. The occasion did not require this; and there are several passages, especially in the writings of Paul, in which he expressly says, that he wrote from himself, without any superior direction.†

I. JOHN.

EVERY thing written by the apostle John was late in his life, and he lived to a great age, chiefly at Ephesus, after the Jewish war. His gospel, if not his epistle, was written at the importunity of Christians, who, as he was the last of the apostles, were desirous of having some written memorial of what he had taught them: and that this was the case, is probable from the style and contexture of his writings, in which there is the greatest simplicity imaginable, and no trace of any thing belonging to the art of composition. What he wrote was solely from the heart, and without any attention to method.

There never was any doubt with respect to the genuineness of any thing ascribed to this apostle, except the Revelation, the style of which was thought to be considerably different from that of his other writings, though not more so than the difference of the subjects made necessary.

The principal object of all the writings of John was to oppose the opinions of the Gnostics, and especially the Docete, who maintained that Jesus was only a man in appearance, that he had no real flesh or blood, and, conse

Unlearned. "The word rather signifies persons of a disingenuous, indocible spirit; accordingly they are said to rack and torture the Scriptures. • Ferunt ad lectionem, malum animum et præjudicare sumpta.' (Grotius.)" Cardale (Pref. Ess.), p. 54, Note. See Doddridge; Theol. Repos. II. pp. 462-464.

+ Ver. 18. After Jesus Christ, “three MSS. and the Syriac version add the words, and of God the Father." Belsham's Inquiry, p. 369.

quently, that he never felt any pain. He also inculcates, in the most affectionate manner, the Christian duty of brotherly love, and exhorts to the practice of virtue in general. This first epistle is supposed to have been written about A. D. 80.†

СНАР. І. 1, 2. Having principally in view to oppose the opinions of the Gnostics, who held that Christ was only man in appearance, the apostle begins with declaring, in the most express manner possible, from the evidence of his senses, seeing, hearing, and even handling, that this opinion. was false. By life and eternal life, it is evident that John means the person of Jesus, who taught that doctrine, because he speaks of seeing and handling this life. The term life was one of the favourite phrases of the Gnostics, and probably applied by them to Christ.§

3. The object of the apostle's writing was to withdraw his fellow-christians from all fellowship with the Gnostics, who then held separate assemblies, and to unite them more closely to those who were called the Catholic Church; assuring them that God the Father, and Jesus Christ, were with them, and not with the Gnostics.

5-7. The Gnostics were from the beginning charged with licentious practices, and every thing sinful is figuratively termed darkness, and virtue and goodness light, in the Scriptures. Thus Solomon says, [Prov. iv. 18, 19,] "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day;" but "the way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble."

In saying that the blood of Christ cleanseth from sin, the apostle alludes to the Jewish sacrifices, in which blood was used to make atonement. His meaning is, that the true Christian is free, or endeavours to free himself from all sin, which was not the case with the Gnostics.

9.¶ Here we see that the forgiveness of sin depends on

* See N. T. 1729, II. pp. 918, 919.

+ See Lardner, VI. pp. 583-593; Doddridge's Introd. VI. p. 320; Michaelis's Introd. Lect. (Sect. cl.), pp. 324-327.

↑ See Blackwall (S. C.), II. p. 152; Doddridge; Belsham's Inquiry, (on vers. 1, 2, 5,) p. 28.

Irenæus observes, that the Gnostics maintained the Logos and Zoë (life) were two different persons. St. John asserts, that they are the same, and no other than Jesus Christ." N. T. 1729.

|| On vers. 1-3, see Lindsey (Second Address, p. 302) in Impr. Vers.

¶ "Il faut traduire que Dieu est clément et miséricordieux, et non pas qu'il est juste; car c'est sa miséricorde et non pas sa justice qui pardonne les pêches." Le Cene, p. 723. "We must translate God is merciful, and not he is just; for it

something to be done by ourselves, viz. repentence and reformation.

10. According to the Scriptures, as well as universal experience, all men are sinners, and therefore have need of repentance and pardon.

II. In this part of the epistle the apostle addresses his disciples according to their different ages, or their standing in the Christian church, exhorting them in the most affectionate manner to universal virtue, and especially to brotherly love.

1. This language of the apostle well suited his great age. The term advocatet corresponds to patron with the Romans, under whose protection the client had put himself; so that he was expected to take his part in general, to speak to his character in a court of justice, and, if necessary, to plead for him.t

7, 8. The old commandment is probably the doctrine of universal virtue, on which he had dwelt, and the new commandment was the principle of that peculiar brotherly love which, from the stress that Jesus laid upon it, may be called his own commandment, and the evidence of our relation to him. By this," he said, [John xiii. 35,] "shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

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9-11. By light we are to understand the clear knowledge of the gospel, and by darkness such evil principles and habits as may be said to darken the mind and prevent our seeing things in their true light, and acting accordingly.

There is much apparent tautology in this part of the epistle. Dr. Doddridge conjectures that if it was all written by the apostle, part of it was only a change of the expression from intending to cancel that which corresponds with it. He would, therefore, leave out the greatest part of the thirteenth verse.§

14. Here the apostle distinguishes his disciples into

is his mercy, and not his justice, that pardons sins." Essay, 1727, p. 193. See Rom. iii. 15; Taylor's Key; Harwood, N. T. Gr.

"We make him mistaken; in shedding the blood of Christ for a needless purpose. The term liar is harsh, and conveys an improper sense.' Wakefield.

"The very same that is, in other places, rendered the Comforter, and is by our Lord applied to the Holy Ghost." The Author, Theol. Repos. I. p. 251. On vers. 1, 2, see Garnham in Theol. Repos. V. pp. 279, 280.

↑ See Dr. S. Harris in Doddridge.

All except because ye have known the Father. See his Note.

။ Wall (Crit. Notes) leaves out this verse, as being a comment on the former." Bowyer.

three classes, children, young men, and old men, and addresses to each what peculiarly suits them.

The language of this apostle is peculiarly figurative, and withal very abrupt, so that there is much difficulty in ascertaining the precise ideas that passed in his mind. I shall, however, attempt it in the following

PARAPHRASE.

My dear young converts, the design of my addressing you in this manner is to prevent your falling into sin; but as this cannot be wholly avoided, I would observe that the gospel provides a remedy for sin. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost, and especially to call sinners to repentance, which is the only sure way to forgiveness. By this interposition he acts the part of an advocate, bringing us to God, and restoring you to his favour; so that he may in his death be compared to the sacrifices under the law, after offering which the offender might again approach the Divine presence; and he acts this part not only with respect to us, but the whole world, which, sinful as it is, he desires to reconcile to God; and by this we know that we are thus reconciled to God, and admitted to friendship with him, if we keep his commandments. He who pretends to be in friendship with God, and does not keep his commandments, deceives himself, or others. But whosoever keeps his commandments discovers a true love of God, and ensures his love of him. By this we have communion or friendship with him. But he who says he is a Christian, or in the language of our Saviour, united to him, ought to follow his example.

This doctrine of universal obedience, as a test of love to God, is not new: it is contained in the law of Moses; but I shall proceed to a precept which, from the peculiar stress that Jesus laid upon it, may be said to be new, and yet its importance may be depended upon for uniting us to Christ, and suitable to the most perfect dispensation of the gospel; compared to the superior light of which all that preceded it may be called darkness. This is an ardent love of the brethren. This is so essential to the gospel, that if any person pretend to a knowledge of it, and hateth his brother, he may be said to walk in darkness, not able to see his way before him.

My young converts, you know that at your baptism you