Annotations upon all the New Testament philologicall and theologicall wherein the emphasis and elegancie of the Greeke is observed, some imperfections in our translation are discovered, divers Jewish rites and customes tending to illustrate the text are mentioned, many antilogies and seeming contradictions reconciled, severall darke and obscure places opened, sundry passages vindicated from the false glosses of papists and hereticks / by Edward Leigh ...

CHAP. III.

Vers. 2. BVt we know, that when he shall appeare, we shall be like him] Not alone, we know that he is ours, but we know that he will hold and keep us in that estate till he cause us to inherit eternall glory with him our Head.

Vers. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe, even as he is pure] That is, he which hath hope to raigne with Christ in heaven, useth the meanes where∣by he may purifie and keep himselfe from sin,* 1.1 that he may be in some measure pure as Christ is pure.

Vers. 4. For sin] That is, every sin. Is a transgression of the Law] An anomie, ir∣regularity or lawlesnesse;* 1.2 there is but one word in the Greeke, yet it hath the force of two; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 consists of the privative particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Law; this is a pre∣cious definition (saith Beza) consisting but of one word, Peccatum est dictum, factum, con∣cupitum contra aeternam legem. August. contra Faustum. l. 22. c. 27.

Any want of conformity to the Law though in the habituall frame of a mans Spi∣rit, or any practice swerving from it in thought, word, and deed, is a transgression of the Law.

Vers. 6. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not] This is not to be understood of parti∣cular sins, but of a course in a known sin. See 1 John 1.8.

Vers. 8. He that committeth sin] That is, he whose Trade and course is in a way of sinning; two things shew that one commits sin, 1. If he love sin, Majus est peccatum di∣ligere quam facere. Aug. 2. If one lye in any sin unrepented of, Job 20.12, 13. Is of the De∣vill] That is, resembleth him as a Child doth his Father, and is ruled by his Spirit.

* 1.3 For the devill sinneth] He not only saith he hath sinned, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he sinneth, or is sinning. From the beginning] See John 8.44. Diabolus statim a creatione mundi fuit apostata. Calvin.

That he might destroy the works of the Devill] Greek unravell, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The word in Scripture is ascribed to the casting down of a house, Joh. 2.19. to the breaking of a ship, Acts 27.41. to the loosing of any out of chaines, Acts 22.30. Christ is opposed to Satan, he not only is free from sin himselfe, but came to destroy sin.

Vers. 9. Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin] That is, give himselfe over to a voluntary serving of sin. The originall is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cannot sin as a worke of iniquity, he cannot follow his sin as a workman follow his Trade. Compare ver. 8. with John 8.34.

The reason is given, for his seed] The seed of God, the seed of grace, and rege∣neration, 1 Pet. 1.23. Perkins, Hildersam. That is, either the Spirit of God, whose vertue is a principall efficient, or the word whereby as an Instrument we are regenerate, and begotten to God. Dr. Taylor, Episc. Dav. de justitia actuali. Vide Piscat. & Vorsti∣um in loc.

Remaineth in him, and he cannot sin] (He cannot so fall as Apostates) because he is borne of God. Hilders. on Psal. 51. That is, saith Arminius, so long as the seed of God

remaineth in him, but it may depart, but the Apostle gives this as a reason, why the Saints cannot fall away, because the Seed of God abideth in them,* 1.4 being regenerate it ever abideth in them, and therefore they cannot fall away.

Vers. 10. Manifested] That is, evidently seen and known.

Vers. 14. Because we l••ve the brethren] Here love is no cause of the change, but a signe and consequent thereof.* 1.5

Our love is not the cause of justification, (or our translating from death to life) but a manifest signe and evidence whereby it is known that we are already justified, for so he saith, speaking in the time past, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.6 that we are already passed or translated from death to life. And to the like effect our Saviour speaketh, Luk. 7.47. as if he had said, hereby it appeareth, that many sins are forgiven her because she lo∣ved much.

Vers. 17. Who so hath this worlds good] Greek, the life of this world, there is a mans ability. And seeth his brother hath need] Here is his brothers necessity. The rule of love is my brothers necessity, and my own ability.

And shutteth up] In Greeke, locks as with a Key.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Perkins and others.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 utrin∣que appositus articulus de∣clarat veram esse definitio∣nem hanc in qua verè definitum & definitio re∣ciprocantur. Beza in loc.
• * 1.3

  Non dicit Pec∣cavit, sed Pec∣cat Nam in eo assiduè perseve∣rat, sicut & ip∣sius filii. Beza. Rutherf. Triall and triumph of Faith. That is, sinneth not totally and finally. Hee sinneth not 1. Studiously, he purposeth not sin. 2. Willingly, viz. with his whole will and full consent. 3. Not affectionately, he loves not sin. 4. Not deadly, Or not unto death. Dr. Tailor. Vide Calvinum. He doth not sin as the wicked man doth, of whom he had spoken vers. 8. with the full sway of his soule. Hildersam on Psal. 51. Bellarmine saith, this is the hardest place in all the Scripture urged for perseverance.
• * 1.4

  Quia verbum Dei, quod qua∣si semen est quo divina na∣tura in nobis gignitur, in ipso vegetum existir. Verbum evangelij semen dicitur passim. Mar. 4.14. Mat. 13.19. 1 Pet. 1.23. Hoc verbo regignimur, Jacobi 1.18. Grotius. Seminis nomine significatur Spiritus Sanctus ab effectu, quod ejus vi & efficacia regeneremur spiritualiter, quemadmodum ex carne & semine generamur. Rainold. de lib. Apoc. Vide Bezam.
• * 1.5

  Perkins.
• * 1.6

  Dr. Down. of Justificat. l. 6. cap. 12.