Of the love of God to us. How we may distinguish the children of God and those of the devil. Of loving one another and of purity of conscience.
It is not for the sonnes of God, to sinne mortally, but for the sonnes of the Diuel, vvherby they are knovven one from an other, & not by onely faith. 11 True faith is, that vve also loue our brethren, giuing both our life and substance for them. 19 Such vnfeined loue may haue great confidence before God. 23 because the keeping of his cōmaundements doth much please him, vvhich consist in faith and charitie.
1Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.Osservate, qual carità ha dato il Padre a noi, che siamo chiamati, e siamo figliuoli di Dio. Per questo il mondo non conosce noi: perché non conosce lui.See vvhat maner of charitie the Father hath giuē vs, that vve should be named and be the sonnes of God. For this cause the world doth not knovv vs, because it hath not knovven him.Videte qualem caritatem dedit nobis Pater, ut filii Dei nominemur et simus. Propter hoc mundus non novit nos: quia non novit eum. 2Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.Carissimi, noi siamo adesso figliuoli di Dio: ma non ancora si è manifestato quel, che saremo. Sappiamo, che quand'egli apparirà, sarem simili a lui: perché lo vedremo, qual, egli è.My deerest, novv vve are the sonnes of God: & it hath not yet appeared vvhat we shal be. Vve know that whē he shal appeare, we shal be like to him: because vve shal see him as he is.Carissimi, nunc filii Dei sumus: et nondum apparuit quid erimus. Scimus quoniam cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus: quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est. 3And every one that hath this hope in him sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.E Chiunque ha questa speranza, in lui, si santifica, come egli pure è santo.And euery one that hath this hope in him, sanctifieth him self, as he also is holy.Et omnis qui habet hanc spem in eo, sanctificat se, sicut et ille sanctus est. 4Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity. And sin is iniquity.Chiunque fa peccato, commetter iniquità: e il peccato è iniquità.Euery one that committeth sinne, committeth also iniquitie: and • sinne is iniquitie.Omnis qui facit peccatum, et iniquitatem facit: et peccatum est iniquitas. 5And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.E sapete com'egli è apparito per togliere i nostri peccati: e in lui peccato non è.And you knovv that he appeared to take away our sinnes: and sinne in him there is none.Et scitis quia ille apparuit ut peccata nostra tolleret: et peccatum in eo non est. 6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him.Chiunque sta in lui, non pecca, e chiunque pecca, non lo ha veduto, e non lo ha conosciuto.Euery one that abideth in him, • sinneth not: and euery one that sinneth, hath not seen him, nor knovven him.Omnis qui in eo manet, non peccat: et omnis qui peccat, non vidit eum, nec cognovit eum.
7Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.Figliuolini, nissuno vi seduca. Chi pratica la giustizia, è giusto: come, anche quegli è giusto.Litle children, let no mā seduce you. • He that doeth iustice, is iust: euen as he also is iust.Filioli, nemo vos seducat. Qui facit justitiam, justus est, sicut et ille justus est. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil.Chi fa peccato, egli è dal diavolo: dappoiché il diavolo dal bel principio pecca. A questo fine è apparito il Figliuolo di Dio, per distruggere le opere del diavolo.He that committeth sinne, is of the deuil: because the deuil • sinneth from the beginning. For this, appeared the Sonne of God, that he might dissolue the vvorkes of the deuil.Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est: quoniam ab initio diabolus peccat. In hoc apparuit Filius Dei, ut dissolvat opera diaboli. 9Whosoever is born of God committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.Chiunque è nato di Dio, non fa peccato: conciossiaché tiene in se la semenza di lui, e non può peccare, perché è nato di Dio.Euery one that is borne of God, committeth not sinne: because his seede abideth in him, and he can not sinne because he is borne of God.Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit: quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet, et non potest peccare, quoniam ex Deo natus est. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother.In questo si distinguono i figliuoli di Dio, e i figliuoli del diavolo. Chiunque non pratica la giustizia, non è da Dio, e chi non ama il suo fratello.In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the deuil. Euery one that is not iust, is not of God, and he that loueth not his brother.In hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei, et filii diaboli. Omnis qui non est justus, non est ex Deo, et qui non diligit fratrem suum: 11For this is the declaration which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another.Imperocché questo è l'annunzio, che udiste da principio, che vi amiate l'un l'altro.because this is the annuntiation, vvhich you haue heard from the beginning, That you loue one an other.quoniam hæc est annuntiatio, quam audistis ab initio, ut diligatis alterutrum. 12Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother’s just.Non come Caino, che era dal maligno, e ammazzò il suo fratello. E perché lo ammazzò? Perché le opere di lui eran cattive: e quelle del suo fratello giuste.Not as Cain, vvho vvas of the vvicked, and killed his brother. And for vvhat cause killed he him? Because his vvorkes vvere vvicked: but his brothers, iust.Non sicut Cain, qui ex maligno erat, et occidit fratrem suum. Et propter quid occidit eum ? Quoniam opera ejus maligna erant: fratris autem ejus, justa.
13Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.Non vi stupite, fratelli, se il mondo vi odia.Maruel not brethren, if the vvorld hate you.Nolite mirari, fratres, si odit vos mundus. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.Noi sappiamo, che siamo stati traportati dalla morte alla vita, perché amiamo i fratelli. Chi non ama, è nella morte:Vve knovv that vve are translated from death to life, because vve loue the brethren. He that loueth not, abideth in death.Nos scimus quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres. Qui non diligit, manet in morte: 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself.Chiunque odia il proprio fratello, è omicida. E voi sapete, che qualunque omicida non ha abitante in se stesso la vita eterna.Vvhosoeuer hateth his brother: is a murderer. And you knovv that no murderer hath life euerlasting abiding in him self.omnis qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Et scitis quoniam omnis homicida non habet vitam æternam in semetipso manentem. 16In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.Da questo abbiam conosciuto la carità di Dio, perché egli ha posto la sua vita per noi: e noi pur dobbiamo porre la vita pe' fratelli.In this vve haue knovven the charitie of God, because he hath yelded his life for vs: and vve ought to yeld our liues for the brethren.In hoc cognovimus caritatem Dei, quoniam ille animam suam pro nobis posuit: et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere. 17He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?Chi avrà de' beni di questo mondo, e vedrà il suo fratello in necessità, e chiuderà le sue viscere alla compassione di lui: come mai è costui la carità di Dio?He that shal haue the substance of the vvorld, and shal see his brother haue neede, and shal shut his bovvels from him: hovv doth the charitie of God abide in him?Qui habuerit substantiam hujus mundi, et viderit fratrem suum necessitatem habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo: quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo ? 18My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.Figliuolini miei, non amiamo in parole, e colla lingua, ma coll'opera, e la verità:My litle children, let vs not loue in word, nor in tongue, but in deede and truth.Filioli mei, non diligamus verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate: 19In this we know that we are of the truth and in his sight shall persuade our hearts.E da questo conosciamo di essere dalla verità: e rassicureremo i nostri cuori dinanzi a lui.in this vve knovv that vve are of the truth: and in his sight vve shal persuade our hartes.in hoc cognoscimus quoniam ex veritate sumus: et in conspectu ejus suadebimus corda nostra.
20For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things.Imperocché se il cuor nostro ci condanna: Iddio è maggiore del nostro cuore, e conosce tutte le cose.For if our hart do reprehend vs: God is greater then our hart, and knovveth al thinges.Quoniam si reprehenderit nos cor nostrum: major est Deus corde nostro, et novit omnia. 21Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God.Carissimi, se il nostro cuore non ci condanna, abbiam fiducia dinanzi a Dio.My deerest, if our hart do not reprehend vs, vve haue confidence tovvard God.Carissimi, si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum: 22And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.E qualunque cosa domanderemo, la riceveremo da lui: perché osserviamo i suoi comandamenti, e facciam quelle cose, che a lui piacciono.and vvhatsoeuer vve shal aske, • vve shal receiue of him: because vve keepe his commaundementes, and doe those thinges vvhich are pleasing before him.et quidquid petierimus, accipiemus ab eo: quoniam mandata ejus custodimus, et ea, quæ sunt placita coram eo, facimus. 23And this is his commandment: That we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.E questo è il suo comandamento: che crediamo nel nome del Figliuolo suo Gesù Cristo: e ci amiamo l'un l'altro, come egli ci comandò.And this is his commaundement, that vve beleeue in the name of his sonne IESVS Christ: and loue one an other, as he hath giuen cōmaundement vnto vs.Et hoc est mandatum ejus: ut credamus in nomine Filii ejus Jesu Christi: et diligamus alterutrum, sicut dedit mandatum nobis. 24And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us.E chi osserva i suoi comandamenti sta in lui, ed egli in esso: e dallo Spirito, che egli a noi diede, sappiamo, che egli sta in noi.And he that keepeth his commaundementes, abideth in him, and he in him. And in this vve knovv that he abideth in vs, by the Spirit vvhich he hath giuen vs.Et qui servat mandata ejus, in illo manet, et ipse in eo: et in hoc scimus quoniam manet in nobis, de Spiritu quem dedit nobis.
3:1
Witham
Behold what manner of charity (or of love) the Father hath bestowed upon us. St. John had said in the last verse of the foregoing chapter that every one who doth justice, is born of him; that is is the son of God by adoption. But the world knoweth us not, nor esteems and values us as such: and no wonder, because they have not known, nor acknowledged, nor reverenced God as they ought. We indeed are the sons of God; we believe it, because God has assured us of it; but it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, (ver. 2) to what glory or happiness we shall thereby be exalted hereafter, for neither the eye hath seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 9:2.) We only know this, that his elect shall be like to him, because they shall see him as he is, when they shall enjoy him in heaven. (Witham)
3:4
Witham
Committeth also iniquity.[Ver. 4. Et peccatum est iniquitas, kai e amartia estin e anomia, transgressio.] By the Greek text, iniquity is here taken for a transgression or prevarication of the law, which makes the sense clearer. (Witham)
Challoner
Iniquity; (anomia) transgression of the law. (Challoner)
3:6
Witham
Whosoever abideth in him, complying with his law, sinneth not; and whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, nor known him; that is, with such a knowledge as is joined with love. (Witham)
Challoner
Sinneth not; viz. mortally. See 1 John 1:8. (Challoner)
3:8
Witham
The devil sinneth from the beginning: not that he was created in sin, but sined soon after he was created. (Witham)
3:9
Challoner
Doth not commit sin. That is, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of grace, and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state by the abuse of his free-will, as appears from Romans 11:20, 21, 22.; 1 Corinthians 9:27.; 1 Corinthians 10:12.; Philippians 2:12.; Apocalypse 3:11. (Challoner)
Witham
He cannot sin, because he is born of God. The meaning of this can be no more, than that he cannot sin as long as the seed of grace remaineth in him, and as long as he is the adoptive son of God. But it is evident he may fall from this happy condition, and from the grace of God, otherwise St. John would not so often in this epistle have exhorted them not to sin. (Witham)
3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life; that is from the death of sin to the life of grace: we know it by a moral certainty, when we experience in our heart a love of our neighbour.
Witham
He that loveth not God and his neighbour, abideth in death. He that hateth his brother with a mortal hatred, or to a considerable degree, is a murderer. (Witham)
3:16
Witham
The charity of God,[Ver. 16. Charitatem Dei, tou Theou: scarce in any manuscripts nor read by St. Augustine in his commentary on this verse.] because he hath laid down his life for us. Jesus Christ, therefore, who laid down his life for us, was God. It is true at present the words of God are wanting in most Greek manuscripts: yet the Protestant translation has them. (Witham)
3:19
And in his sight we shall persuade our hearts. That is, if we love God and our neighbour in deed, as he said before, we may rest satisfied in conscience that we follow the ways of truth, and may have a well-grounded confidence in God.
Witham
But if our hearts reprehend us, for not complying with this duty and precept of charity, God is still greater than our heart; that is he sees and knows the interior dispositions of our heart, even better than we know ourselves, and therefore we have more reason to fear him, especially when even our heart and conscience reprehend us. (Witham)
3:24
Witham
We know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. These words may be either referred to the body of the Church in general or to the apostles, or to every one in particular. It is certain that God gave his Spirit to his Church and to the apostles, by the coming of the Holy Ghost in a visible manner, and by the miraculous gifts bestowed upon the apostles; but every one in particular has only a moral certainty that he has the Spirit of God, and his sanctifying grace in his soul. (Witham)
3:4
Iniquity.... transgression of the law.
3:6
Sinneth not.... viz., mortally. See chap. 1.8.
3:9
Committeth not sin.... That is, as long as he keepeth in himself this seed of grace, and this divine generation, by which he is born of God. But then he may fall from this happy state, by the abuse of his free will, as appears from Rom. 11.20-22; Cor. 9.27; and 10.12; Phil. 2.12; Apoc. 3.11.
3:1
Not by nature, as Christ is: but by grace and adoption.
3:2
Hovv we shal see God, & be like vnto him in the next life, see S. Augustine ep. 111. 112. & li. 12. de ciuit. Dei c. 29.
3:3
This teacheth vs that mā sanctifieth him self by his free wil working together with Gods grace. S. Augustine vpon this place.
3:4
4. Sinne is iniquitie.] Iniquitie is not taken here for vvickednes, as it is commonly vsed both in Latin and in our language, as is plaine by the Greeke vvord 〈Greek〉, signifying nothing els but a svvaruing or declining from the straight line of the lavv of God or nature. So that the Apostle meaneth, Concupiscence remaining after Baptisme is no sinne, vvithout consent. that euery sinne is an obliquitie or defect from the rule of the lavv: but not contrarie, that euery such svvaruing from the lavv, should be properly a sinne, as the Heretikes do vntruely gather, to proue that concupiscence remaining after Baptisme is a very sinne, though vve neuer giue our consent vnto it. And though in the 5 chapter folovving vers. 17. the Apostle turne the speache, affirming euery iniquitie to be a sinne, yet there the Greeke vvord is not the same as before, 〈Greek〉, but 〈Greek〉 by vvhich it is plaine that there he meaneth by iniquitie, mans actual and proper transgression vvhich must needes be a sinne. See S. Augustine cont. Iulian. li. 5 c. 3. S. Ambr. li. d• Apologia Dauid c. 13.
Concordance Es. 53, 4.
3:5
Concordance 1 Pet. 2, 24.
3:6
6. Sinneth not.] Iouinian & Pelagius falsely;(as Heretikes vse to doe) argued vpon these vvordes, and those that folovv vers. Heretical exposition of Scriptures. 9: the one, that the baptized could sinne no more: the other, that no man being or remaining iust could sinne. But among many good senses giuen of this place, this seemeth most agreable, that the Apostle should say, that mortal sinne doth not consist together vvith the grace of God, & therfore can not be committed by a man continuing the sonne of God. and so is the like speache in the 9 verse folovving to be taken. No man in grace sinneth mortally. See S. Hierom li. 2 cont. louinianum c. 1.
3:7
7. He that doeth iustice.] He doth inculcate this often, that mans true iustice or righteousnes consisteth in doing or vvorking iustice, and that so he is iust, and biddeth them not to be seduced by Heretikes, True iustice. in this point.
Concordance Io. 8, 44
3:8
8. Sinneth from the beginning.] The Diuel vvas created holy and in grace, and not in sinne: but he fel of his ovvne free vvil from God. Therfore these vvordes, from the beginning, may be interpreted thus, from the beginning of sinne, and so the Apostle vvil say, The Diuel committed the first sinne. Hovv the Diuel sinned from the beginning. Augustine li. 11 de eiu. Dei c. 15 expoundeth it. The most simple meaning seemeth to be, that he sinned from the beginning of the vvorld, not taking the beginning precisely for the first instant or moment of the creation, but straight vpon the beginning, as it must needes also be taken in S. Iohns Gospel c. 8. 44.
3:10
In the liturgy The Epistle for S. Polycarpus, Ian. 26.
3:11
Concordance Io. 13. 15
Concordance Gen. 4, 8
3:13
In the liturgy The Epistle vpon the 2 Sū day after Pentecost.
3:15
Concordance Io. 15, 13
3:16
Concordance I•. 2, 15.
3:17
Euery man is bound to giue almes according to his abilitie, when he seeth his brother in great necessitie.
3:22
22. VVe shal receiue, because.] Not ony faith. Let the Protestants be ashamed to say, that vve obtaine al of God by onely faith, the Apostle here attributing it to the keeping of Gods commaundements. Note here also that Gods commaundements are not impossible to be kept, but vvere then, and are novv obserued of good men.
Concordance Mat. 21.
Concordance Io. 14.
Concordance 1 Io. 5.
3:23
Concordance Io. 17, 3. 13, 34.
Lest any mā should thinke by the wordes next before, onely faith in Christ to be commaunded or to please God, he addeth to saith the cōmaundemēt of charitie or loue of our neighbour.
Concordance Io. 14, 23.
3:1
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Chap. iii. 1 . “For the world knoweth us not, as it knew Him not.” He means by the world those who live a worldly life in pleasures.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 2
“But,” say they, “God is ‘good,’ and ‘most good,’ and ‘pitiful-hearted,’ and ‘a pitier,’ and ‘abundant in pitiful-heartedness,’ which He holds ‘dearer than all sacrifice,’ ‘not thinking the sinner’s death of so much worth as his repentance’, ‘a Saviour of all men, most of all of believers.’ And so it will be becoming for ‘the sons of God’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 4.3
… And its resurrection is delayed until the end; when also our justification itself shall be perfected ineffably. For then we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Faith and the Creed 9
… whence also, when He is called the Gift of God, they will have it that sufficient indication is of fered of the love of God and the Holy Spirit being identical. For we are not reconciled unto Him except through that love in virtue of which we are also called sons:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.22
… When, therefore, the Scripture says, “Love is of God,” or still more pointedly, “God is love;” when the Apostle John so very emphatically exclaims, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and be, the sons of God!”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 40
It is no wonder that light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. In John’s Epistle the Light declares, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.4
4. Hear. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath given us, that we should be called sons of God, and be
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.2
… but the inheritance wherein we are fellow-heirs of Christ, is not lessened by multitude of possessors, nor is it made narrower by the number of fellow-heirs: but is as great for many as it is for few, as great for individuals as for all. “See,” saith the Apostle, “what love God hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and be, the sons of God.”
3:2
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
… “And it hath not yet appeared what we shall be;” that is, to what kind of glory we shall attain. “For if He shall be manifested,”—that is, if we are made perfect,—“we shall be like Him,” as reposing and justified, pure in virtue, “so that we may see Him” (His countenance) “as He is,” by comprehension.
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 23
… He also adds: “For ye are dead”—to your sins, he means, not to yourselves—“and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Now that life is not yet apprehended which is hidden. In like manner John says: “And it doth not yet ap pear what we shall be: we know, however, that when He shall be manifest, we shall be like Him.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.6.1
… Now, that such is the case, the Apostle John points out more clearly and unmistakeably, when he makes this declaration: “Little children, we do not yet know what we shall be; but if a revelation be made to us from the Saviour, ye will say, without any doubt, we shall be like Him.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.29
… And, lastly, because “it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like God, and shall see Him as He is.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Symbols 'Of the Essence' And 'Coessential.' 1
… Therefore, in speaking of Like according to essence, we mean like by participation; (for Likeness is a quality, which may attach to essence), and this would be proper to creatures for they, by partaking, are made like to God. For ‘when He shall appear,’ says Scripture, ‘we shall be like Him’ (
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.8
72. Otherwise, if our adversaries will understand this passage as referred to the Father, then the rest of the record does not agree with it. For the Father did not appear to Abraham, nor did Abraham wash the feet of God the Father, but the feet of Him in Whom is the image of the man that shall be.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 51.7
… And let no one be deceived by that passage in the epistle of John, which some readers fail to understand, where he says: “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 1.40
… but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. A new commandment have I written unto you, which thing is true both in Christ and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.” And again,
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 3.6
… “That ye may be blameless and harmless, as children of God, without blemish”; for He did not say ye are, but may be. He is contemplating the future, not stating a case pertaining to the present; so that here is toil and effort, in that other world the rewards of labour and of virtue. Lastly, John writes:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.13
… What a light of beauty will that be when “we shall see Him as He is,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.15
… but Thy Word remaineth for ever, which now appeareth unto us in the dark image of the clouds, and through the glass of the heavens, not as it is; because we also, although we be the well-beloved of Thy Son, yet it hath not yet appeared what we shall be.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.18
… For they are necessary to such as he Thy most prudent servant could not speak unto as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal —even he who speaketh wisdom among those that are perfect. But the natural man, as a babe in Christ,—and a drinker of milk,—until he be strengthened for solid meat, and his eye be enabled to look upon the Sun,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 64.1
1. We do not disdain to look upon bodies which are defective in beauty, especially seeing that our souls themselves are not yet so beautiful as we hope that they shall be when He who is of ineffable beauty shall have appeared, in whom, though now we see Him not, we believe; for then “we shall be like Him,” when “we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 92.3
… and if He was invisible to the minds of the saints, it would not be said, “We shall see Him as He is:” for consider the whole context there in that Epistle of John: “Beloved,” he says, “now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.5
… for “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God;” and “we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 148.11
… At the same time, since the testimonies which we are next to quote cannot be false,—”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” and, “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 22.29
… but not yet do we thus see. Wherefore the apostle uses the words cited a little ago, “Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.” This vision is reserved as the reward of our faith; and of it the Apostle John also says, “When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.8
17. For this contemplation is held forth to us as the end of all actions, and the everlasting fullness of joy. For “we are the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 1.13
… which the Apostle Paul speaks of, as “face to face;” and of which the Apostle John says, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.17
… apostle says—(for it is said in the Psalms, of this life, “Verily every man living is altogether vanity;” and again, “For in Thy sight shall no man living be justified;” and in this life also, according to John, “It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know,” he says, “that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 12.14
… For this is what the Apostle Paul means by “face to face.” This is also what John says, “Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 14.18
24. But the Apostle John says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.8
… Although these words, “from glory to glory,” may be understood also in other ways;—from the glory of faith to the glory of sight, from the glory whereby we are sons of God to the glory whereby we shall be like Him, because “we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.16
26. Wherefore, since we have found now in this enigma so great an unlikeness to God and the Word of God, wherein yet there was found before some likeness, this, too, must be admitted, that even when we shall be like Him, when “we shall see Him as He is”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.27
… The object of contemplation is the image of God, by which we are renewed through faith to sight. Rational action ought therefore to be subject to the control of contemplation, which is exercised through faith while we are absent from the Lord, as it will be hereafter through sight, when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 32.18
… It is thus clear what the apostle thought on this subject. This perfection will not come to the saints till the accomplishment of what John speaks of: "Now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when it shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.10
… whilst that other shall be perfected which makes us the children of God, and renews us by His Spirit. Accordingly the same John says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 37
… Accordingly John again says: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter 41
… “When that, however, which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away,” then, what appeared to the flesh in assumed flesh shall display Itself as It is in Itself to all who love It; then, there shall be eternal life for us to know the one very God; then shall we be like Him,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 8
… But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Full righteousness, therefore, will only then be reached, when fulness of health is attained; and this fulness of health shall be when there is fulness of love, for “love is the fulfilling of the law;” and then shall come fulness of love, when “we shall see Him even as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 39
… whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.’ And yet again: ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope towards Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.’”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 55
… “Forgive us our debts;” or whether this gift shall be consummated at the time when “we shall be like Him, when we shall see Him as He is,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.19
… but we know, that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.2
… as it is written elsewhere, “And in singleness of heart seek Him.” For that is a pure heart which is a single heart: and just as this light cannot be seen, except with pure eyes; so neither is God seen, unless that is pure by which He can be seen.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 3.25
… Thus has He gone before us to something from which He withdraws not, although He comes to us, and which does not involve His leaving us, although He has preceded us thither. That will be a revelation which may be spoken of as a true Galilee, when we shall be like Him; there shall we see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 67.15
… he says, “Dearly beloved, we are the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.5
… For so saith the Apostle, “As long as we are in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight.” We shall some day come to sight, which is thus promised us by John in his Epistle; “Dearly beloved, we are the sons of God, and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.13
13. When is He to manifest Himself to them that love Him? After the resurrection of the body, when “the ungodly shall be taken away that he see not the Glory of God.” For then “when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 34.9
… We shall see face to face. The apostle says, “Now I know in part, now through a glass darkly; but then, face to face.” And the Apostle John says in his epistle, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it has not yet appeared what we shall be: we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him even as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 35.9
… John himself says, and this I cited yesterday: “Beloved, we are the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be: we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him even as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 40.9
… but it is not yet apparent what we shall be.” We are so already, and something we shall be. What more shall we be than we are? Listen: “It is not yet apparent what we shall be: [but] we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.” How? “For we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.12
… But the time when this shall yet be our experience, that same Saint John the Evangelist tells us in his Epistle: “Dearly beloved, [now] are we the sons of God; and it hath not yet become manifest what we shall be: because we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 75.4
… although what we know even now by faith, we shall know then by actual vision. For as long as we are in the body, as it now is, to wit, corruptible, and encumbering to the soul, we live at a distance from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. Then accordingly it will be by sight, for we shall see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 77.3
… And what is it He leaveth with us, when ascending from us, save His own presence, which He never withdraweth? For He Himself is our peace who hath made both one. It is He, therefore, that becomes our peace, both when we believe that He is, and when we see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 101.5
… and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 102.3
… “At that day ye shall ask in my name.” For in that future world, when we have reached the kingdom where we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 111.2
… For we cannot doubt that the true believer is with Christ by faith; because in reference to this He saith, “He that is not with me is against me.” But when He said to God the Father, “I will that they also whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am,” He spake exclusively of that sight wherein we shall see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 124.6
… Just as in his own epistle the same apostle declares, “It has not yet appeared what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 10.6
6. See, brethren, how many things we pass, in which is not the end. These we use as by the way; we take as it were our refreshment at the halting places on our journey, and pass on. Where then is the end? “Beloved, we are sons of God, and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 37.2.7
… For the things that shall be manifest to us, shall not be equally manifest to us as they are now to Him, who is incapable of change. Yet even of us ourselves what is said? “Beloved, now are we the sons of God: and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 44.4
… “When Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” It is against that time then that vision “face to face” is reserved for you, of which John also speaks: “Beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.2
… “But we know,” he saith, “that when He shall have appeared, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.16
16. Let us therefore love God, brethren, purely and chastely. There is not a chaste heart, if God for reward it worshippeth. How so? Reward of the worship of God shall not we have? We shall have evidently, but it is God Himself whom we worship. Himself for us a reward shall be, because “we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.40
40. Lastly, lest of anything else the clouds be understood, he hath in continuation added, “Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel” ( ver. 35 ). For at that time even most truly and most fully there shall be fulfilled the name Israel itself, which is one “seeing God:” for we shall see Him as He is.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 84.8
… And if the word which we now dispense to you keeps your weak flesh standing so long, what will be the effect of that joy? how will it change us? “For we shall be like Him, since we shall see Him as He is.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 85.6
… standing, he clingeth fast; clinging fast, he abideth; abiding, he enjoyeth, and rejoiceth in the Lord his God. He who made him shall be unto him a delight: and his delight no one spoileth, no one interrupteth, no one taketh away.…Therefore, what saith John in his Epistle? “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 87.8
… our last home shall be the home of joy alone. Toil and groans shall perish: prayers pass away, hymns of praise succeed. There shall be the dwelling of the happy; no longer shall there be the groans of those that long, but the gladness of those who enjoy. For He will be present for whom we sigh: we shall be like Him, as we shall see Him as He is:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 88.13
… Then the Lord will not repel our prayers, as there will no longer be anything to be sought for, but everything that has been rightly asked, will be obtained: nor will He turn His face away from us, since we shall see Him as He is:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 110.8
… For Thou hast said elsewhere also, “But the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth His works.” “With Thee is the beginning:” nor was the Father ever separated from Thee. But when the Beginning shall appear to be with Thee, then shall it be manifest unto all who are made like Thee; since they shall see Thee as Thou art;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 123.5
… he passed through it: thus thou also wilt pass by. If therefore thou hast a mere passing stay in thy house, it is an inn for passing guests, not an habitation for permanent abode. Yet since we hope for those things which are to come, and sigh for future happiness, and since it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, although we are already “sons of God;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 140.16
… Nought more shall they seek, for nought better have they; no more shall they abandon Thee, nor be abandoned by Thee. For after His Resurrection, what was said of the Lord? “Thou shalt fill me with joy with Thy Countenance.” Without His Countenance He would not give us joy. For this do we cleanse our countenance, that we may rejoice in His Countenance.
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 95
… And how great the blessedness of seeing God , what mind can conceive, what tongue declare? And yet this shall ensue when man’s nature is transformed, so that no longer “in a mirror,” nor “in a riddle,” but “face to face ” it sees the very Godhead “as He is
3:3
Tertullian † AD 220 On Monogamy 3
… But John, too, when advising us that “we ought so to walk as the Lord withal did,” of course admonished us to walk as well in accordance with sanctity of the flesh (as in accordance with His example in other respects). Accordingly he says more manifestly: “And every (man) who hath this hope in Him maketh himself chaste, just as Himself withal is chaste.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 19
… and accordingly, “he who is being born of God doeth not sin, because the seed of God abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he hath been born of God. Herein are manifest the sons of God and the sons of the devil.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.13
… for Him is he jealous, not for himself; because in the voice of Thy “waterspouts,” not in his own voice, doth he call on that other deep, for whom being jealous he feareth, lest that, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in our Bridegroom, Thine only Son.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.7
… had he not been righteous, his prayer would not have been heard by God.” The instance I am about to allege is of one, of whose iniquity and impiety none can doubt. The devil himself: he asked for Job, and received. Have ye not here also heard concerning the devil, that “he that committeth sin is of the devil”?
3:4
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 15.11
21. When, therefore, this image shall have been renewed to perfection by this transformation, then we shall be like God, because we shall see Him, not through a glass, but “as He is;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 31
… and let us not listen to the Stoics who maintain all to be equal: but to say that some sins are unjust, some just, what else is it than to say that there be some unjust, some just iniquities? When the Apostle John saith, “Every man who doeth sin, doeth also iniquity and sin is iniquity.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.8
8. “Every one that doeth sin, doeth also iniquity.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 59.1.11
11. “Have not pity upon all men that work iniquity.” Here evidently He is terrifying. Whom would He not terrify? What man falling back upon his own conscience would not tremble? Which even if to itself it is conscious of godliness, strange if it be not in some sort conscious of iniquity. For whosoever doeth sin, also doeth iniquity.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 79.12
… But “merciful be Thou to our sins, for Thy Name’s sake.” Thus then Thou dost deliver us, that is, dost rescue us from evil things, while Thou dost both aid us to do justice, and art merciful to our sins, without which in this life we are not. For “in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” But sin is iniquity.
3:5
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.26
… in nature, remains as He is, not harmed by these affections, but rather obliterating and destroying them, men, their passions as if changed and abolished in the Impassible, henceforth become themselves also impassible and free from them for ever, as John taught, saying, ‘And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Two Homilies on Eutropius 2.6
… and to express its productiveness it calls her barren who has borne seven: in fact it employs countless names to represent its nobleness. For as the master of the Church has many names: being called the Father, and the way, and the life, and the light, and the arm, and the propitiation, and the foundation, and the door, and the sinless one,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 42
… for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 39
… ‘Whosoever is born of God sinneth not; because his being born of God preserveth him, and the evil one toucheth him not.’ And again in another passage, when speaking of the Saviour, he says: ‘Since He was manifested to take away sins, whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.8
… let no man say, I am a sinful man, but not a doer of iniquity. For, “Every one that doeth sin, doeth also iniquity. Sin is iniquity.” Well then, what are we to do concerning sins and iniquities? Hear what He saith: “And ye know that He was manifested to take away sin; and sin in Him is not.”
3:6
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 39
… While the remains of this infirmity abide in our inward man, however much they may be daily lessened in those who are advancing, “we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, if we say that we have no sin.” Now, however true it is that “whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, nor known Him,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.8
… Hear what He saith: “And ye know that He was manifested to take away sin; and sin in Him is not.” He, in Whom sin is not, the same is come to take away sin. For were there sin in Him, it must be taken away from Him, not He take it away Himself. “Whosoever abideth in Him, sinneth not.”
3:7
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 14
… For the beginning is faith, and the end is love. Now these two, being inseparably connected together, are of God, while all other things which are requisite for a holy life follow after them. No man [truly] making a profession of faith sinneth;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.9
9. “Little children, let no man seduce you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous.”
3:8
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 8 . “He that doeth unrighteousness is of the devil,” that is, of the devil as his father, following and choosing the same things. “The devil sinneth from the beginning,” he says. From the beginning from which he began to sin, incorrigibly persevering in sinning.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.20
… ‘I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me, should not abide in darkness .’ And again he says; ‘To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth .’ And John has written: ‘For this was manifested the Son of God, that He might destroy the works of the devil
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.21
… and whatever evil sprung from the motions of the flesh, to be cut away, and with these death also was abolished, the companion of sin, as the Lord Himself says , ‘The prince of this world cometh, and findeth nothing in Me;’ and ‘For this end was He manifested,’ as John has written, ‘that He might destroy the works of the devil
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 2.4
4. The devil then is the first author of sin, and the father of the wicked: and this is the Lord’s saying, not mine, that the devil sinneth from the beginning
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.1
… Truly a marvellous thing, a father charges his daughter not to remember her father. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do.” So it was said to the Jews. And in another place, “He that committeth sin is of the devil.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 11.13
… For the dominion of the Almighty cannot be eluded; and he who will not piously submit himself to things as they are, proudly feigns, and mocks himself with a state of things that does not exist; so that what the blessed Apostle John says thus becomes intelligible: “The devil sinneth from the beginning,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 11.15
As for what John says about the devil, “The devil sinneth from the beginning”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.9
… But if the apostle had wished to assert that sin entered into the world, not by natural descent, but by imitation, he would have mentioned as the first offender, not Adam indeed, but the devil, of whom it is written,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.42
… and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” It seems, then, that it is not only the kingdom of heaven, but life also, which infants are not to have, if they have not the Son, whom they can only have by His baptism. So again he says: “For this cause the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.56
… them to remit, who testifies that He shed His blood “for the remission of sins;” He must have good reason for seeking them out, who “came,” as He says, “to seek and to save that which was lost;” the Son of man must find in them something to destroy, who came for the express purpose, as the Apostle John says, “that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 4.10
10. “He that doeth sin, is of the devil, because the devil sinneth from the beginning.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 27
… strangers receive adoption and outsiders enter upon an inheritance. The ungodly begin to be righteous, the miserly benevolent, the incontinent chaste, the earthly heavenly. And whence comes this change, save by the right hand of the Most High? For the Son of God came to “destroy the works of the devil
3:9
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 9 . He says, “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for His seed remaineth in him;” that is, His word in him who is born again through faith.
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.1
1. The second proposition of Jovinianus is that the baptized cannot be tempted by the devil. And to escape the imputation of folly in saying this, he adds: “But if any are tempted, it only shows that they were baptized with water, not with the Spirit, as we read was the case with Simon Magus.” Hence it is that John says,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.22
… The seed, then, and the name of the saints shall remain in that blessedness,—the seed, to wit, of which John says, “And his seed remaineth in him;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Against Lying 40
… when he lies as a man he sins as a man, and will be held by that sentence in which it is said, “All men are liars;” and, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” But when nothing false cometh forth of his mouth, according to that grace will it so be, of which is said: “He that is born of God, sinneth not.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Correction of the Donatists 9
… but in so far as we drag along with us the traces of our mortal nature as derived from Adam, so far we cannot be free from sin. For there is truth both in the statement that "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin,"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.9
And hence in the passage, “Whosoever is born of God doth not sin, and he cannot sin, for His seed remaineth in him,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.10
… Hence it comes to pass that “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.12
The statement, therefore, “He that is born of God sinneth not,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Nature and Grace 15
… a likeness, indeed, which it would not have borne if it had not been in every other respect the same as sinful flesh. How, however, we are to understand this: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; neither can he sin, for his seed remaineth in him;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 39
… “The same St. John in this very epistle says, ‘This, however, brethren, I say, that ye sin not. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin.’
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.22
That love, however, which is a virtue, comes to us from God, not from ourselves, according to the testimony of Scripture, which says: “Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God: for God is love.” It is on the principle of this love that one can best understand the passage, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.4
… for the children of God also sin, since if they say they have no sins they deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them. But they sin in virtue of that condition by which they are still children of this world; but by that grace wherewith they are the children of God they certainly sin not, because every one that is born of God sinneth not.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 4.31
… For, expounding Isaiah the Prophet in reference to what is written, “I have begotten and brought up children, and they have despised me,” he undertook to dispute concerning the generations which are of God, and in that argument he quoted the testimony of John when he says, “He that is born of God sinneth not.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 93.2
… “For,” saith he, “to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on Him.” Whoso then believeth on the Son of God, in so far as he adhereth to Him, and becometh himself also by adoption a son and heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ, in so far he sinneth not. Whence John saith, “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.1
1. Hear intently, I do beseech you, because it is no small matter that we have to cope withal: and I doubt not, because ye were intent upon it yesterday, that ye have with even greater intentness of purpose come together to-day. For it is no slight question, how he saith in this Epistle, “Whosoever is born of God, sinneth not,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.2
… “To this end was the Son of God manifested, that He should undo the works of the devil.” Consequently, to undo (or loose) sins, He that hath no sin. And then follows: “Every one that is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God:”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.7
… See that this circuit of words hath this end, hath this issue. “Whosoever is born of God, sinneth not, because His seed remaineth in him.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 11.9
… “Every one that is born of God doeth not sin, for His seed is in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God;” and again: “We know that every one who is born of God sinneth not, but his birth of God preserves him, and the wicked one toucheth him not?”
3:10
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 10 . “Thus we know the children of God, as likewise the children of the devil,” who choose things like the devil; for so also they are said to be of the wicked one.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 19
… Herein are manifest the sons of God and the sons of the devil.” Where in? except it be (thus): the former by not sinning, from the time that they were born from God; the latter by sinning, because they are from the devil, just as if they never were born from God? But if he says, “He who is not righteous is not of God,”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 A discourse by the most blessed Hippolytus, bishop and martyr, on the end of the world, and on Antichrist, and on the second coming of our lord Jesus Christ 10
… “Know this first, children, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.” After him, John the theologian, and the beloved of Christ, in harmony with him, cries, “The children of the devil are manifest;
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.4
… “In this appear the children of God and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, and he who loveth not his brother. For he who hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 7.13
For we shall not tolerate those who give a wrong meaning to that saying, Hereby know we the children of God, and the children of the devil
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 35
… for this is the message which we have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.7
… the word of God: whence the apostle saith, “I have begotten you through the Gospel. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” Let him tell us this, let us see in what we cannot sin. “In this are manifested the children of God and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.8
8. “Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
3:12
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 15.7
… In which of these particulars Cain displeased God, it is difficult to determine. But the Apostle John, speaking of these brothers, says, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.51
… Thus in this world, in these evil days, not only from the time of the bodily presence of Christ and His apostles, but even from that of Abel, whom first his wicked brother slew because he was righteous,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.8
… whoso acts against this commandment, is in that accursed sin, into which those fall who are not born of God. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 49.2.9
… The Holy Spirit hath willed to show that righteousness is not evil when men murmur against her: but these men have their father from the beginning, even to the generation of their fathers. Two men Adam begat, and in one was unrighteousness, in one was righteousness: unrighteousness in Cain, righteousness in Abel.
3:13
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.9
9. “Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate us.”
3:14
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.10
10. “If the world hate us: we know”—What do we know?—“that we have passed from death unto life”—How do we know? “Because we love the brethren.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 71
… Since, therefore, by our forty days’ observance we have wished to bring about this effect, that we should feel something of the Cross at the time of the Lord’s Passion, we must strive to be found partakers also of Christ’s Resurrection, and “pass from death unto life
3:15
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 15 . “Every one who hateth his brother is a murderer.” For in him through unbelief Christ dies. Rightly, therefore, he continues, “And ye know that no murderer and unbeliever hath eternal life abiding in him.” For the living Christ
Tertullian † AD 220 On Idolatry 2
… when He defines adultery to consist even in concupiscence, “if one shall have cast an eye lustfully on,” and stirred his soul with immodest commotion; when He judges murder to consist even in a word of curse or of reproach, and in every impulse of anger, and in the neglect of charity toward a brother just as John teaches,
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Lord's Prayer 24
… but the quarrelsome and disunited, and he who has not peace with his brethren, in accordance with what the blessed apostle and the Holy Scripture testifies, even if he have been slain for the name of Christ, shall not be able to escape the crime of fraternal dissension, because, as it is written, “He who hateth his brother is a murderer,”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Jealousy and Envy 11
… why do you return to the devil, whom you had renounced? why do you stand like Cain? For that he who is jealous of his brother, and has him in hatred, is bound by the guilt of homicide, the Apostle John declares in his epistle, saying, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath life abiding in him.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 13
The apostle and evangelist John rightly says, in his first epistle, that “whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 211.14
14. Quarrels should be unknown among you, or at least, if they arise, they should as quickly as possible be ended, lest anger grow into hatred, and convert “a mote into a beam,” and make the soul chargeable with murder. For the saying of Scripture: “He that hateth his brother is a murderer,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 19.23
23. Thus, as regards murder, which was understood to mean merely the destruction of the body, by which a man is deprived of life, the Lord explained that every unjust disposition to injure our brother is a kind of murder. So John also says, "He that hateth his brother is a murderer."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 5.19
… Assuredly the Apostle John says most plainly, "He that hateth his brother is in darkness even until now;" and again, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer;"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 6.8
12. To this I answer, that all who even within the Church profess that they know God, but deny Him in their deeds, such as are the covetous and envious, and those who, because they hate their brethren, are pronounced to be murderers, not on my testimony, but on that of the holy Apostle John,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 6.23
… Therefore we give our judgment that persons baptized by murderers, or murderers themselves who have been baptized without being converted, should, when they have corrected themselves, be baptized. Yet this is not true. For "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer;"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.20
… The result of which is, that whosoever has separated himself from the unity of the wheat on account of the offenses chargeable against the tares, or against the chaff, is unable to defend himself from the charge of murder which is involved in the mere offense of dissension and schism, as the Scripture says, "Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.87
… But inasmuch as you cannot kill the whole world, you are involved in the same guilt by your mere hatred, according to the words of John, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 8.8
… Because thou didst suffer the sun to rise and go down so often upon thy wrath, and madest it inveterate, because thou contractedst evil suspicions, and wateredst the mote, and by watering hast nourished it, and by nourishing it, hast made it a beam. Tremble then at least when it is said, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 32.2
… and the keeping an insidious purpose shut up in the heart. Great, lastly, the difference between these words of Scripture; “Mine eye is disordered because of anger.” Whereas of the other it is said, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 5
… this malignant pest it was which cast him down; and certain preachers of Christ were possessed by it, whom, nevertheless, the apostle permitted to preach. Wherefore? Because they preached Christ. But he who envies, hates; and he who hates, what is said concerning him? Listen to the Apostle John: “He who hateth his brother is a murderer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.10
… but they wait for the summer. Well then, “we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death.” Lest ye should think it a light matter, brethren, to hate, or, not to love, hear what follows: “Every one that hateth his brother, is a murderer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 9.11
… And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.” Marvellous fine talk it was, that thou didst say, “I love God,” and hatest thy brother! O murderer, how lovest thou God? Hast thou not heard above in this very epistle, “He that hateth his brother is a murderer”?
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 8.20
… And, therefore to avoid the commission of murder, anger and hatred are cut off, without which the crime of murder cannot possibly be committed. For “whosoever is angry with his brother, is in danger of the judgment;” and “whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer;”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 120
… There was no measure of wickedness that he did not reach: it was not enough for him that, sparing neither living nor dead, and forswearing truth and allying himself with falsehood, he imbrued his hands, that had been already long polluted, in the blood of a guiltless, catholic priest . And since it is written: “he that hateth his brother is a murderer
3:16
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
… that is, for the apostles. If then He laid down His life for the apostles, he means His apostles themselves: us if he said, We, I say, the apostles, for whom He laid down His life, “ought to lay down our lives for the brethren;” for the salvation of their neighbours was the glory of the apostles.
Tertullian † AD 220 Scorpiace 12
… because glory and the Spirit of God rest upon you: if only none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters; yet (if any man suffer) as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.” John, in fact, exhorts us to lay down our lives even for our brethren,
Tertullian † AD 220 De Fuga in Persecutione 9
… He points out weapons, too, which persons who intend to run away would not require. And among these he notes the shield too, that ye may be able to quench the darts of the devil, when doubtless ye resist him, and sustain his assaults in their utmost force. Accordingly John also teaches that we must lay down our lives for the brethren;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 228.3
… they are obviously those who, although they might have freed themselves from such evils by flight, have chosen to remain rather than abandon others to whom they are necessary. By such conduct especially is proved the love commended by the Apostle John in the words: “Christ laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 4
… And furthermore, this is with the intent that, inasmuch as charity is “the end of the commandment,” and “the fulfilling of the law,” we also may love one another and lay down our life for the brethren, even as He laid down His life for us.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 54
… not bold face, not wandering eyes, not unbridled tongue, not petulant laugh, not scurrilous jest, not unbecoming mien, not swelling or loose gait; already ye render not evil for evil, nor curse for curse; already, lastly, ye fulfill that measure of love, that ye lay down your lives for your brethren.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.54
… nor could the Lord say, “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends;” which John in his epistle expresses in these terms: “As He laid down His life for us, so ought we to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 47.2
… But from the same source we can show what others also have done, for the apostle John himself, who preached the very gospel you have been hearing, has said in his epistle, “Just as Christ laid down His life for us, so ought we also to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 47.11
… and let us inquire how any such man lays down his life. Can no ordinary man do so? Thou mayest say to me: No man has power to lay down his life [soul], and to take it again. But were not a man able to lay down his life, the Apostle John would not say, “As Christ laid down his life for us, even so ought we also to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 84
… loved you;” and appended to these words what you have just been hearing, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends;” there follows from this as a consequence, what this same Evangelist John says in his epistle, “That as Christ laid down His life for us, even so we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.11
… but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake He,” saith the evangelist, “signifying by what death he should glorify God;” so that to whom He had said, Feed my sheep,” the same He might teach to lay down his life for His sheep.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.1
… Above he had said up to what point charity is perfected: what the Lord saith in the Gospel, “Greater love than this hath no man, that one lay down his life for his friends,” this same had the apostle also said: “As He laid down His life for us, we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 52.5
… if thou shalt have seen one naked, thou coverest him: lastly, the Martyrs themselves also imitating the Lord, blood for the Church shedding, hearing that voice, “As Christ laid down His life for us, so also ought we also to lay down for the brethren,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 88.1
… …The Passion of our Lord is here prophesied. Now the Apostle Peter saith, “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps;” this is the meaning of “to respond.” The Apostle John also saith, “As Christ laid down His life for us, so ought we also to lay down our lives for the brethren;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 103.2
… John, laid down their lives for the brethren, which is the perfection of love,
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 9.34
… “To do Thy will: O My God, I am willing.” For even if we read of the Father: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,”
3:17
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Works and Alms 16
… And this also John lays down in his epistle, that the love of God is not in them whom we see unwilling to labour for the poor. “Whoso,” says he, “hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.2
… “The administration of this service has not only supplied that which is lacking to the saints, but has abounded by much giving of thanks unto God.” Of this same matter in the Epistle of John: “Whoso hath this world’s substance, and seeth his brother desiring, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.12
… nourish it, that it be not choked. But thou wilt say to me, And by what am I to know it? For to what it is perfected, we have heard; whence it begins, let us hear. He goes on to say: “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have hunger, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how can the love of God dwell in him?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.1
… therefore, we have asked concerning the commencement of charity, where it begins, and there have straightway found: “But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of the Father in him?”
3:18
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.1
1. If ye remember, brethren, yesterday we closed our sermon at this sentence,
3:19
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.3
3. This it is then that he enforces here. “In this we know that we are of the truth, when in deed and in truth” we love, “not only in words and in tongue: and assure our heart before Him.”
3:20
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 20 . He says, “For God is greater than our heart;” that is, the virtue of God [is greater] than conscience, which will follow the soul. Wherefore he continues, and says, “and knoweth all things.”
Tertullian † AD 220 A Treatise on the Soul 15
… when God Himself anticipates in His people the thoughts of their heart, “Why think ye evil in your hearts?” when David prays “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” and Paul declares, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness,” and John says, “By his own heart is each man condemned;”
3:21
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 21 . “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, it will have confidence before God.”
Sulpicius Severus † AD 420 The Doubtful Letters of Sulpitius Severus 2.11
… and again, “God loveth holy hearts, and all the undefiled are acceptable to him”; and elsewhere, “Blessed are those of a pure heart; for they shall see God.” I think that this last statement is made regarding those whom conscience accuses of the guilt of no sin; concerning whom I think that John also spoke in his Epistle when he said, “If our heart
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 34
… ‘Riches are good unto him that hath no sin on his conscience;’ and again in the same book, ‘Leave off from sin, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from wickedness.’ So in the Epistle of John, ‘If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God; and whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him.’”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Concerning Man’s Perfection in Righteousness 36
… This indeed is the sound and suitable meaning, without any vain and empty boasting, of that which St. John said: “If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.4
4. “Beloved, if our heart think not ill of us, we have confidence towards God:”
3:23
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 35
… for this is the message which we have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” Then he says again, “This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.9
9. And what are those commandments? “This,” saith he, “is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.”
3:24
Clement of Alexandria † AD 215 The Stromata, or Miscellanies fragments-of-clemens-alexandri
Ver. 24 . “And hereby we know that He dwelleth in us by His Spirit, which He hath given us;” that is, by superintendence and foresight of future events.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.11
… For because of our relationship to His Body we too have become God’s temple, and in consequence are made God’s sons, so that even in us the Lord is now worshipped, and beholders report, as the Apostle says, that God is in them of a truth
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 5
… For instance, the Lord says, “I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” Similarly we have frequently observed “of whom” used of the Spirit. “He that soweth to the spirit,” it is said, “shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.” John too writes, “Hereby we know that he abideth in us by ( ἐκ ) the spirit which he hath given us.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 1.8
98. For how can it be credible that the Spirit should be divided by any parcelling out? John says of God: “Hereby know we that He abides in us by the Spirit which He hath given us.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.28
… For He is the Spirit of the adoption of sons, “in whom we cry Abba, Father;” that we may be able to say to Him, “Forgive us our debts.” And, “Hereby we know” as the Apostle John says, “that Christ dwelleth in us, by His Spirit which He hath given us.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 6.9
… ye see that whoso doeth aught against this commandment, doeth the sin from which “every one that is born of God” is free. “As He gave us commandment:” that we love one another. “And he that keepeth His commandment”
3:1
CHAPTER 3 Ver. 1. Behold what great love the Father hath bestowed on us (unworthy, enemies and sinners as we are), that we should be called, and be the sons of God. Love, actively, His wondrous love to us, and passively, as communicated and infused into us. "How much He loved us," says Vatablus, "in giving us that love whereby we are called the sons of God. For our created love flows out of His uncreated love, as a ray from the sun," &c. For those whom God loves with His uncreated love, He makes to love Him in return with that created love which He infuses. For love is friendship or mutual affection between God and a righteous man. And just as we His creatures owe Him, as our Creator, all honour, worship, and service, so do we as His servants owe Him, as our Lord, fear, reverence, and obedience, and as the Father of all do we owe Him our highest love, our whole, heart, our whole will and affections. S. John had before stated that he that doeth righteousness is born of God. He here teaches the excellence of that Divine sonship, its fruit and its reward, in order to excite the faithful to those works of righteousness, which show that they are His thankful and worthy children, and to lead them to preserve this their sonship, till it attain the reward of eternal life. Each of S. John's words has great weight, and inspires fresh inducements to love. By the Father we understand the whole Trinity, but especially the Person of the Father, because it is the Father's work to beget children like to His Only Begotten Son, and because our calling, our election, our predestination are the proper work of the Father, and the effect of all these is our justification and adoption as sons. As S. Augustine says (de Nat. grat. cap. ult.), "Inchoate love is inchoate righteousness, advanced love is advanced righteousness, perfect love is perfect righteousness." And S. Dion (Eccl. Hier. 1. 2) says, "The first motion of the mind to heavenly things, and its aiming after God, is love. And the first step of holy love towards fulfilling the commands of God, is an unspeakable operation, because we have it from above. For if this heavenly state has a divine origin and birth, he who hath not received it will neither know nor do those things which are taught by God." And hence S. Cyril (Is. xliv. and Tesaur. xii. 3) calls love the stamp of the Divine Essence, the sanctification, refashioning, the beauty and splendour of the soul.
That we should be called the sons of God (by adoption, as Christ is by nature) and be such. Many are named that which they are not. But we are so named, in order that we may be such. For as S. Augustine says (in loc.), "If any are called sons and are not, what doth the name profit, where the thing is not? How many are called physicians, who know not how to heal, or watchers, who sleep all the night through? And in like manner many are called Christians, and are not found to be really such, because they are not that which they are called, in life, in faith, in hope, in charity." But what are the words here? " That ye should be called and should be the sons of God." As S. Paul says, Gal. iv. 6. Let the innovators note this who say that we are called righteous only by Christ's imputed righteousness, that the words ' and be such ' are wanting in many MSS. But then the meaning is included in the words 'are called.' For those who are called anything by God are made to be that which they are called. As a king by calling any one by a title, confers that title upon him, much more does God do so, by infusing real gifts of grace in those whom He calls His sons, thus making them worthy of the name, which a king cannot do. For as God in begetting His Son communicated to Him His very nature and divinity, so does He by regenerating us make us partakers of His Godhead, as S. Peter says and the Psalmist also (Psa 82:6). As God is holy in His essence, so does the righteous man who is born of God partake of His sanctity, and all His other attributes, being Almighty, unchangeable, heavenly, impeccable, full of goodness. He is omniscient, as being taught of God; imperturbable, as living above the world; liberal, and envying no man, but promoting every one's interest, as though it were his own. He glows with charity, rendering his enemies good for evil, and thus making them his friends. He is upright, patient, constant, even-minded, prudent, bold, sincere. See Jas 1:18; Hos 1:10. Hence it follows that we are by justification the sons of God in a threefold respect (1.) In the past by our spiritual generation. See 2Pe 1:4; Joh 1:12; and above, 1Jo 4:4 and 1Jn 4:6, and 1Jn 5:18. (2.) By His fatherly care over us. (See Psa 55:23; above Psa 5:18; Luk 12:7.) "Why fearest thou," says S. Augustine, "since thou art in the bosom of God, who is both thy father and thy mother?" (3.) He is our Father, by the heavenly inheritance which He will give us, making us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. See Ps. xvi. 6. The Gentiles used falsely to boast of their descent from the gods. But the Christian's boast is a true one. And the truer it is, the more should it stimulate us to godlike deeds. As S. Cyprian says (de Spetaculis): "No one will admire the works of men, who knows that he is the son of God. He, who can admire anything after God, casts himself down from his high estate. When the flesh solicits thee, say, 'I am a son of God, I am born to greater things than to be the slave of appetite;' when the world tempts, reply, 'I am a son of God, and destined for heavenly treasures, and it is beneath me to seek for a morsel of white or red earth.' And when Satan offers me honour and pomps, I say, 'Get thee behind me, for as being a son and heir of God, and born for a heavenly kingdom, I trample all worldly honours under my feet.' Devote then the rest of thy life (it may be short indeed) to such noble, arduous, and divine works as Christ and the Saints have performed. Art thou called to a state of perfection, to devote thy life to the salvation of souls? art thou called to heathen lands, to the cross and martyrdom? surrender thyself to the call, as becomes the son of so great a father." Alvarez (as De Ponte relates in his life) used to apply this stimulus to himself. "Do not fall away from the lofty purposes of God's children."
Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knoweth Him not. It knows Him not practically, because worldly men do not love or worship Him. "They know not that we are citizens of heaven (says S. Chrysostom), and associates of the Cherubim. But they shall know in the day of judgment." (See Wisdom 5:3 seq.)
3:2
Ver. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. Not in nature but in quality, in happiness, in eternal glory. The world which knows us not now, because it beholds not our inward beauty will then know us as like Christ, perfectly holy, just, pure, loving God. And as God enjoys the vision of Himself, so will our mind behold Him as He is, will be blessed in the sight, and our sonship and adoption be thus perfected, when we attain as the sons of God our glorious and happy inheritance. Observe. We are in three ways like God. 1. As having a rational and intelligent nature. 2. By grace, as S. Bernard says, "consisting in virtues, and the soul strives by the greatness of its virtues to imitate the greatness of the supreme God, and by its constant perseverance in good to imitate His unchangeableness and eternity." 3. The highest and most perfect resemblance to God will be by the beatific glory in heaven, when, as S. Bernard says, "man becomes one spirit with God, not merely by unity of will, but more expressly by not being able to will anything beside, through union with His power." This third resemblance then consists in the Vision of the Triune God. As S. John says, "We shall see Him as He is." Accordingly, Œcumenius places this resemblance in the love and glory of adoption. See Psa 16:11, Psa 47:9, Psa 26:4, Psa 35:10; 1Co 13:12. The Schoolmen thence teach that the Blessed see the very Essence of God, Its three Persons and all Its attributes. For they behold Him in a vision, and draw Him as it were into themselves, and thus derive every good. Accordingly [Pseudo]-S. Augustine says (de cognit veræ vitæ ad fin.), "This vision and this glory is called the kingdom of heaven because it is only the heavens, that is the just, who enjoy this vision, for theirs is the highest and chiefest Good in whom they have the fulness of joy from the fulness of all goods." Again, in seeing God they form his image in their minds, which thus represents Him to them. As S. Augustine says (Euchind. cap. iii.), "When the mind is imbued with the beginning of faith which worketh by love, it strives by holy living to reach that sight wherein is that ineffable beauty, which holy souls know, and in the full vision of which is supreme happiness." And again, they will be like Him, as partaking of His everlasting blessedness. See S. Gregory, Hom. ii. in Ezek. Then follows on this another resemblance, viz., in will, in the perfect love of God beheld and possessed. As S. Fulgentius says, "We shall be like Him, in imitating His righteousness." And this love will make a man love God with all his heart and soul, so as to have no wish or desire to love anything else than God. As S. Augustine says (Confessions), "When I cleave to Thee with my whole heart, I shall have no pain or labour. My life will be full of Thee, but now, when I am not full of Thee, I am a burden to myself." Moreover, this love will last for ever, and will ever enkindle the blessed to praise God. (See S. Augustine, Serm. cxviii. de Divers. cap. 5.) "When we are like to Him, never shall we fall away, or turn aside. Let us be sure then, the praise of God will never cloy. If thou failest in love, thou wilt cease to praise, but if thy love be never-ending, never be afraid of being unable to praise Him, whom thou wilt ever be able to love." And from this glorious vision there will follow all the endowments of the glorified soul and body of Christ, for there will be entire peace, concord, and harmony in all our powers of action. Our bodies will be impassible, bright, subtle. See 1Co 15:42. Just as the sun shining through a cloud makes mock suns one or more, so will it be with the Godhead as it shines through the bodies and souls of the blessed. And what a happy and glorious sight will this be! See Col 3:3; 1Co 15:45; Phi 3:21; 2Co 3:18; Rom 6:5, Rom 8:29.
For we shall see Him as He is. God in His own essence, as the Schoolmen teach. Again, we shall see Christ as man, clothed as man with a glorious Body (see Bellarmine, de Beat. Sanct. i. 3; Gregory, de Valent., &c.) And this too, not in a glass and in a figure, but face to face. For in this life we do not see God as He is, but as He became clothed with flesh for our sakes. (See S. Augustine (in loc.); Origen, Hom. vi. in Gen., and S. Gregory, Hom. ii. in Ezek.) Ver. 3. And every one that hath this hope in Him, purifieth himself even as He is pure. The Apostle next shows us the way to attain this likeness to Christ. We must put our whole trust in Him. To be like Him in glory, we must strive to be like Him in holiness, in suffering, and in passion. For no one will be like Christ in heaven, who is unlike Him on earth. For it is His to give us grace to lead us to accomplish so arduous a work. "The mercy of God is the ground for hoping" to strive after sanctity. It is not enough to place our hope in God unless we put our hand to the work, and labour together with Him. See Rom. viii. 17; Heb. xii. 14; Matt. v. 8. [Pseudo]-Augustine admirably says (de cognit veræ vitæ, in fin.): "To this highest good the righteous are drawn by one link after another. First faith, then hope, then love, perfected in action, action led on by its intention to the highest good, this again issues in perseverance, which will bring us even to God Himself, the fountain of all good." Purifieth himself, sanctifieth himself, for sanctity "is freedom from every kind of pollution, the most uncontaminated and most perfect purity." (Dionysius, de div. nom. cap. xii.) The true sanctity of men consists in purification from sins, and rooting out of vices, as S. Paul says, 2Ti 2:21. Moreover, this cleansing from vices is effected by the implanting and exercise of the contrary virtues, as the rooting out of pride by humility, &c. Sanctity then includes all the virtues with which the soul is sanctified and devoted to God. For that is the meaning of 'sanctus.' Some then explain the word in this sense. Just as Priests and 'Religious' dedicate themselves. And indeed all the faithful in a more imperfect way who are by baptism consecrated to God. See 1Pe 2:9. And Christ said (Joh 17:19), " I sanctify Myself (I offer myself as a holy victim), that the also may be sanctified in the truth." S. Gregory Nazianzen says, "What is sanctity? To hold converse with God." And S. Bernard (de Consid. v. 14) says, "Holy affection, which is of two kinds, the fear of God, and holy love, makes a man holy. For a soul which is completely affected by these motives, embraces Him with both its arms, and says, I hold Him and will not let Him go." And he says also (Serm. xxv. inter parvos), "There are three things which make a man holy, simple living, holy deeds, a pious intention," &c. (this is pursued at great length).
3:3
As He is holy. See Lev 26. and Lev 27:28. St. John enforces great sanctity, like the sanctity of God Himself, and continued and daily progress therein, that we may be more and more like Him. See Mat 5:48. If thou wishest to be holy, set before thee the pattern of sanctity, the life and passion of the Lord. As St. Ambrose says (de Isaac), "Let every one strip off the filthy wrappings of His soul, and prove it, when cleansed from its filth, as gold in the fire. But the beauty of a soul, when thus cleansed, consists in a truer knowledge of heavenly things, and the sight of that supreme Good from which all things depend, being Itself from nothing." And S. Gregory Nazianzen, "Let us restore to His image its beauty, let us recognise our dignity, follow our pattern, learn the power of the mystery, and for what purpose Christ died. Let us be as Christ, since He became as one of us. Let us be gods for His sake, as He became man for ours." And speaking of God he says, "He holds nothing so precious as purity or cleansing." (Orat. vi.) Ver 4. Whosoever committeth sin, also doeth iniquity, for sin is iniquity. "For whosoever sins," says Bede, "acts contrary to the equity of the Divine Law." The faithful ought to sanctify themselves in order to be like Christ, and on the contrary sin is α̉νομία, a breaking of the Divine Law, and makes us utterly unlike God, and hateful to Him. He means "deadly sin." S. Augustine (contr. Faust. xxii. 7) says, that "sin is anything we say, do, or desire, against the Divine Law." And S. Ambrose (de.Parad. cap. 8), "Sin is disobedience to the Divine commands." In like manner iniquity is a departure from the equity which the law prescribes, and injustice is contrary to justice, and α̉νομία is what is contrary to law. Sin and iniquity mean, in S. John, the same thing, though in popular speech iniquity has a worse meaning than sin. See S. Gregory, Mor. xi. 21. S. Ambrose (Apol. Dav. cap. 13) says the exact contrary, regarding sin as the worse of the two. But every sin, even against human or ecclesiastical law, is contrary to God, as being contrary to His eternal law, which is the source of all law. As S. Thomas says (1. 2, quæst. 91), "Law is the highest reason existing in the Divine mind, according to which He directs the actions of all creatures to their own proper ends. For as there is in God the reason for His creating things, so also is the law by which they are to be governed. And as the one is the conception in the Divine mind, which decided how they were to be made, so is the other that eternal law, by which every creature should discharge its own functions, together with the will which obliges them, or at least impresses on them an inclination, to follow it. Ver. 5. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins. That is Christ. "And He takes away our sins," says Bede, "by forgiving the sins which have been done, by keeping us from doing, and by leading us to that life where they cannot be committed." The word αίζνιν and the Syriac nasa, both of them signify to bear, and take away. Both meanings are suitable here. See Isa 53:4-6, and Isa 53:11; Joh 1:9; 1Pe 2:24; Rom 3:25. Morally. Here learn what a grave evil sin is, for Christ to come down from heaven, to suffer and be crucified in order to take it away. And to teach us that we should endure every kind of suffering to take away sin and to convert sinners. "No room," says Œcumenius, "is left for sin, for since Christ came to destroy it, being Himself entirely free from sin, you who have been born again, and confirmed in the faith, have no right to sin." Each one of the faithful should then make it his work to crush sin in himself and others, just as they would destroy serpents' eggs or young wolves.
3:5
And in Him is no sin. For He was all-powerful to destroy sin, being in His own nature sinless by reason of the hypostatical union. For by this union the Divine Person of the Word so guided His manhood in all its actions, that it could not sin even in the slightest degree, for otherwise the sin and offence would have affected the Person of the Word, which is an impossible thing, for its actions would have been the actions of that very Person who was bound to keep from sinning that nature which It had assumed. Lastly, "the will of Christ was so deified, as undoubtedly not to oppose the will of God," as S. Gregory Nazianzen says (Orat. xxxvi.) And S. Cyril (de recta fide) says, "That the Word had as thoroughly imbued the soul of Christ with His own holiness, as a fleece takes in the colour in which it has been dipped." S. John here quotes Isa. liii 9. See also Heb. vii. 26. S. Augustine here says, "Because there was no sin in Him, He came to take away sin. For had there been sin in Him, it would have had to be taken from Him, and He would not have taken it away."
3:6
Whosoever abideth in Him, sinneth not. As long as He abides in Christ. For grace and sin are as contrary to each other, as heat and cold, black and white, and because the grace of Christ strengthens a man to overcome all sin. "And he," says Œcumenius, "abides in Christ who constantly exercises his powers, and never ceases from exercising them."
Whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him neither knoweth Him. "Hath not seen Him in His manhood: not known Him in His Godhead by faith," says the Gloss. But this is too subtle a distinction. The two words mean the same thing. For he who sins knows not Christ, because he considers not His boundless love, our Redemption by Him, and the reward promised to the righteous, and the punishments prepared for sinners. For did he carefully consider them, he would assuredly not sin. Whence S. Basil says (Reg. lxxx. in fin.), "What is the characteristic of a Christian? To set God always before him." Again, he who sins knows not Christ, with that savour of knowledge and affection which is conjoined with love and charity. He knows not that loves not Christ, does not strive to please, or be acceptable to Him. For did he truly love Christ, he would, under any temptation, say with Paul, "Who shall separate us," &c., Rom 8:35; or with the Bride, Son 8:7, "Many waters shall not quench love," &c. S. John everywhere in this epistle speaks of 'knowing' in the sense of loving or esteeming. Bede says, "Every one that sinneth hath not seen Him or known Him, for had he tasted and seen how sweet the Lord is, he would not by sin have cut himself off from seeing His glory," &c. And Didymus, "Every one who sins is estranged from Christ: has no part in Him, or knowledge of Him," &c. Ver. 7. Little children, let no man deceive you. Neither Simon nor the Gnostics, who teach that a man is justified by faith only, and that good works are not required in order to his justification, and that if a man retains faith he can love as he pleases. S. Peter, James, and John, all of them opposed this heresy. He that doeth righteousness is righteous. Not merely some works of righteousness, but perfect and entire righteousness. For no one can completely fulfil the law of God, unless by grace and love, which the righteous alone has. See Jas 2:10. (2.) S. John here contrasts the children of God, and the children of the devil. See above ii. 29. He here speaks of righteousness, in a general sense, as the aggregate of all virtues. (3.) He who doeth righteousness is righteous, because his acts, which flow from a habit of righteousness, prove him to be righteous; and they also gain for him an increase of righteousness. And also because he should ever exercise himself in works of righteousness, if he wishes to preserve it. The Apostle speaks not of the infusion, but of the exercise of righteousness, says Thomas Anglicus. Morally. S. John teaches us that the righteous man should ever be advancing in righteousness, like the Bride in Son 6:10, and Pro 4:15. S. Augustine says, "That the whole life of a good Christian is a holy longing." See Phi 3:14; Eze 1:12, of the four living creatures; S. Gregory, Hom. iii.; S. Bernard, Ep. ccliv.; S. Basil, Hexaem. Hom. xi.; and S. Jerome, ad Celantium.
3:7
Even as He is righteous. See Psa 15:10, Psa 111:7, Psa 145:13. The word 'as' does not signify equality, but resemblance. No creature can equal the righteousness and holiness of the Creator, but he can imitate it. Just "as a mirror represents the image of a man, not the man himself," says Bede. Hear S. Augustine. "He is pure from eternity, we from faith. We are righteous, even as He is righteous. But He is so in His perpetual unchangeableness, we are righteous by believing in Him we see not, in order that we may see Him hereafter. But not even when our righteousness is perfected, and when we become equal to the angels, shall we become equal to Him. How far then is our righteousness from His now, when even then it will not be equal to His?"
3:8
Ver. 8. He who committeth sin is of the devil, because he follows his practices and suggestions. To be of the devil is to imitate the devil. For, as S. Augustine says, "The devil made no man, begat no man, but whoever imitates the devil, is born of him, by imitating him, and not actually by being born of him." He then who sinneth is of the devil as his follower and imitator, and not, as the Manichees dreamed, as being descended from him. There is a similar phrase, Ezek. xvi. 3, respecting wicked Jews.
For the devil sinneth from the beginning, not from the first moment of his creation, but shortly after it. And this was the beginning of sin. As S. Augustine says (in loc.) and S. Cyril (Catech. ii.), the devil is the beginning of sin, and the father of the wicked. To which Didymus adds, "He infuses the first suggestions of sin, and lastly he perseveres in his sin," as the Ps. [lxxiv. ult.] says, "The price of them that hate Thee ever rises up." S. John alludes to his own Gospel, Joh 8:44; on which Isidorus (De Summo. Bono, i. 3) remarks, "He abode not in the truth, because he fell as soon as he was made. He was created in the truth, but by not standing therein he fell from the truth." To which Bede adds, "He never ceased to sin, unrestrained either by his enormous sufferings, nor by the dread of sufferings to come. And he, therefore, who neglects to keep himself from sin is rightly said to be from him." He explains further that his sin was pride, and rebellion against God.
For this Purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. To loose, that is, for sins are the cords which the devil twines, to entangle and ensnare the sinner. See Pro 5:22; Isa 5:10. And Christ gave His Apostles power to burst those bonds asunder. It is clear from this that Christ would not have been incarnate if Adam had not sinned, though some of the Schoolmen think otherwise. But both Scripture and the Fathers give no other reason for His Incarnation than our redemption from sin. See Nicene Creed. And the Church sings at the blessing of the Paschal candle (using the words of S. Gregory), O most necessary sin of Adam, which was blotted out by the death of Christ. O blessed sin which required so great a Redeemer. So S. Ambrose, S. Augustine, S. Leo, and others. Ver. 9. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Hence Jovinian, Luther, and Calvin taught that a man could not fall away, but was sure of his salvation. But S. John says, " My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." Consequently they could sin, faithful though they were. And it is contrary to daily experience, for we find daily the faithful becoming heretics and falling into sin. And the Council of Trent (vi. 23) rules otherwise. What then is S. John's meaning that he who is born of God cannot sin, that is mortally and gravely? 1. We must take the word collectively and then it will mean, So long as he preserves the seed of grace, he cannot sin. So Œcumenius, Thomas Anglicus, Cajetan, and S. Hierom, lib. 11 extra Jovin. And accordingly theologians say that he who has effectual grace cannot sin, because effectual grace in its very conception includes its result. For that grace is called 'effectual' which (as is foreseen) will produce its effect, which is to lead our free will to co-operate in a good work. But, speaking abstractedly, he who has effectual grace can resist it, and commit sin. (See Conc. Trid. sess. vi. can. 4.) 2. He who is born of God cannot (in a formal sense) commit sin, that is as far as relates to his heavenly new birth. For if this be allowed to act, and is not withstood by our free will, it is fully able to keep out all sin. (See S. Augustine, de grat. Christi, cap. xxi.) Thus Adam is said in his state of innocence to have been immortal, because he could not die, as long as he remained therein. But as he could fall, so also could he die. Thus we say that this medicine, e.g., is so powerful that any one who takes it could not die of the plague. But a man refuses to take the medicine and then dies; so can he who has the grace of God refuse to use it, and thus fall into sin. S. John here distinguishes between the supernatural action of Divine grace, and the exercise of moral virtues, the first of these preventing every sin, while the others do not. But the habit of temperance is not lost by one act of intempe ance, even as temperance is not acquired by a single act of temperance. Again, the grace of Christ is distinguished from the grace given to Adam, which gave the power but not the will, whereas the grace of Christ gives both the will and the power. See S. Augustine (de corrupt. et gratia), "It is so provided (to meet the weakness of the human will), that Divine grace never fails, is never overpowered by any difficulty, so as ever to resolutely will that which is good, and obstinately refuse to abandon it." And it is thus that he explains the words of S. John, "Every one that is born of God sinneth not." 3. He cannot sin. He sins with difficulty. He has no wish to sin, says Œcumenius. Others explain the words, He has power not to sin, this power being given him by God. 4. Rightfully and properly he cannot sin, though he may in fact sin against all that is right and proper. 5. Gagneius says, "He cannot sin, i.e., by unbelief, which S. John calls a sin unto death." 6. Some take these words as referring to those who are predestinated and absolutely elected to eternal life. But this must be understood, not of antecedent, but consequent impossibility, which consists with our liberty of will, as including and presupposing it. The first and second of these explanations seem to be the best. Anagogically. S. Augustine (de peccat. et merit. ii. 7) says that the righteous man cannot sin, by reason of his hope of eternal life. In like manner he says (de nupt, et concup. i. 23, and de Spirit. et lit. cap. ult.), "We cannot observe perfectly in this life the two commandments, 'Thou shalt not covet,' and 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,' &c. But we are exhorted to attain to that place where we shall perfectly fulfil them. It is impossible not to feel concupiscence in this world, but we are directed not to yield to it. And the same with the other commandment, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.' See Rom. vii. 7." Morally. S. John here teaches us an easy and certain way of avoiding sin, namely, by carefully attending to those holy inspirations which God suggests, and thus shut out from our minds all the evil suggestions of the devil. For he who sins must needs give way to evil thoughts, for we cannot desire or wish anything unless the mind suggests it to us as a good to be desired. And accordingly the Blessed cannot sin, because they behold God as their chief and boundless good, and are swallowed up in Him as the very abyss of all good. S. Francis Xavier used for this very reason to occupy himself in good thoughts, in ruminating on some holy sentence of Scripture, or the doings or virtues of some saint. For the mind in this way drives out all other thoughts which lead to sin. And so with regard to our will. For he who fixes his mind on holy affections and desires cannot give his mind to evil lusts, and consequently cannot sin. He says with Joseph, "How can I do this wickedness and sin against God?" See Gen 39:9. As S. Leo says (Serm. viii de Epiphany), "He who wishes to learn whether God dwells within him, should honestly examine the secrets of his heart, and carefully ascertain with what humility he resists pride, with what good will he strive against envy, how he is not charmed with flattering tongues, and how pleased he is at another's happiness. Whether he does not render evil for evil, and would rather pass over injuries than mar in himself the image of Him who sends His rain upon the just and unjust, and makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good. And not to enter on a more minute enquiry, let him see whether he find within him such love of God and his neighbour, as to wish to render even to his enemies that which he desires to be rendered to himself."
3:9
For His seed remaineth in him. Œcumenius by the 'seed' understands Christ. See Gal 3:29. (2.) S. Augustine and others understand by it the word of God. See Luk 8:11; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23. (3.) Lyra, Hugo, Cajetan, and Thomas Anglicus most fitly understand by it the grace of God. For, 1. All other virtues spring from it. 2. Because it is the seed of glory. (See D. Thorn. par. i. quæst. 62, art. 3.) 3. Because as a seed must die in order to bear fruit, so does grace suffer death and martyrdom, from whence all good, both public and private, proceeds. See Joh 12:24. Ver. 10. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. The two tests are, the doing righteousness, and loving his brother. Righteousness and charity are of God, unrighteousness and hatred are of the devil. Righteousness is here taken in its widest sense, as including all virtues. But St. John here states that among all kinds of righteousness none shows more that we are the sons of God, than charity and the love of our neighbour, as the contrary vices show us to be the children of the devil. And hence S. John, the beloved disciple, breathes forth love only. Hear S. Augustine (in loc.): "Love alone distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil. Let all sign themselves with the sign of the cross, let all answer Amen, let all sing Alleluia, let all be baptized, let all go to church, let all build churches. Yet the sons of God are distinguished from the children of the devil only by charity. They who have charity are born of God, they who have it not are not born of God. Have what thou wilt; if this alone thou have not, it profiteth thee nothing. If thou hast not anything else, have this: thou hast fulfilled the law." But by charity God is loved for His own sake, and our neighbour for the sake of God. Whence charity is "the fulfilling of the law." Rom 13:10. And S. Augustine (de Nat. et. Grat. cap. xlii.). "Charity is the most true, complete, and perfect righteousness." S. Clement Alex. calls it "The highest duty of a Christian man." S. Cyprian (de Bono Patient.) terms it "The foundation of peace, the firm bond of unity, surpassing even the deeds of martyrdom." S.Basil, "The root of the commandments." S. Gregory Nazianzen (Epist. xx.), "The head of all our teaching." S. Jerome (Epist. ad Theophylact), "The parent of all virtues." S. Ephraim (de Humil.), "The support of all virtues." S. Augustine, "The stronghold of all virtues." (Serm. liii. de temp.). Prosper (de Vita Contempl. iii. 13), "The most powerful of all our affections, the sum of good works, the protector of virtue, the end of heavenly precepts, the death of sins, the life of virtues." "Firmness in every virtue" (S. Cyril). "The mother and guardian of all good" (S. Gregory). "The mother of men and angels, bringing peace, not only to all things in earth, but even in heaven" (S. Bernard, Epist. ii.). Lastly, S. Basil says, "Where charity fails, hatred comes in its room. But if God (as S. John says) is love, the devil must undoubtedly be hatred. And as he who has love has God, so he who has hatred, fosters a devil within him."
3:11
Ver. 11. For this is the message, ever to be announced by us the Apostles of Christ. It is the message of good tidings, which Christ brought from heaven. He might have exacted from us many hard and painful sufferings. But He is satisfied if we love each other. And what is more joyous, pleasant, and easy than this? For as God ordered us to love our brethren, He orders our brethren to love us in return love in this way eliciting and demanding love. See John xv. 12. On which S. Augustine remarks that charity is here distinguished from mere human love. We should love men, not merely as men, but as we love ourselves as the children of the Most Highest. Ver. 12. Not as Cain. For he loved himself only, and hated his brother because he saw that his offering was acceptable to God. As God says to Cain (according to LXX), "Hast thou not sinned, if thou offerest rightly, but dividest not rightly?" "For Cain did this," says S. Augustine (de Civ. xv. 7), "giving to God something which was His, but gratifying himself. Which," says he, "all who do not follow the will of God, but their own will, and in their perversity of heart make Him an offering with which they think He can be bought off, and this too even to gratify their depraved desires." And accordingly Eusebius (de Præp. xi. 4) says that he was appositely called Cain from the Hebrew word kana to envy. See S. Gregory, Mor. x. 6; S. Chrysostom, in Matt. 18., where he speaks of nine degrees of love; and S. Augustine (de Doct. Christ, i. 22), who says, "The rule of love is laid down by God. And in saying 'the whole heart,' &c., He left no portion of our life unemployed, and left no room for the enjoyment of ought beside. So that whatever else comes into our minds as an object of love, it should be swept away into the full current of our complete love for Him. He then who loves his neighbours aright, should at the same time love God with all his heart and mind. And thus loving his neighbour as himself, he should refer all his love of himself and his neighbour to that love of God, who suffers not a single drop to be withdrawn from Him, so as to diminish our love for Him."
3:12
Who was of that wicked one. Cain was not of God, but of the devil, by imitating him, and listening to his suggestions. For when the devil could not injure God Himself, he sought to injure man who was His image; the malignity of Cain, and of the devil also, consists in hatred and envy. Such too is the life of tyrants, who like fishes prey upon those who are weaker than themselves. A fish was a type of envy. (See S. Clement, Strom. lib, v.)
And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil. Because he took little account of God, and offered Him the poorer victims, reserving the better ones for himself, and, moreover, envied Abel, who by the more excellent offerings he made was the more acceptable to God. From this envy sprang hatred and ultimately murder. S. Cyprian dwells on this at great length in his treatise " de zelo et livore."
But his brother's righteous. Innocent, righteous, and holy. For he esteemed God above himself, and therefore presented the best offerings he could. There were three special grounds for praising him, his virgin life, his priesthood, and his martyrdom. (As the writer of the Quastiones ad Orosun says); and S. Cyprian (de Bono Patiant.) calls him the Protomartyr. So also Rupert in Isa. lix.; S. Jerome iv. 42.; S. Augustine (contr. Faust, xii. 9 and 10), and others. S. Augustine commences his "City of God" from Abel, and the city of the devil from Cain. See Book xv. 8. Ver. 13. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hall you. This is an inference from the previous antithesis of the children of God, and the children of the devil. Our Lord alludes to the hatred of wicked men against Christ in S. John xv. 18. Everything is opposed to and hates its contrary, as black is opposed to white, cold to heat, sweetness to bitterness, &c. The world hates the faithful 1st Because their ways of going on are so different. See Wisdom 2:15. And S. Leo (Serm. ix. de Quadrig.), "Wickedness never is at peace with righteousness. Drunkenness ever hates temperance, &c.; and so obstinate is this opposition, that when there is peace without there is war within, so that it never ceases to disquiet the hearts of the righteous; and it is true that they who wish to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, and that our whole life is a temptation." And he gives as another reason the craft and malice of the devil, who when he cannot overpower our virtue would undermine our faith. 2d. There is further the envy which worldlings feel when they see that the righteous are not ensnared by their evil desires, but are stedfastly going on towards heaven, while they themselves are sinking down and down to hell. 3d. They hate the righteous, because they withdraw themselves from their company. See Mat 15:18; Wisdom 2:16. 4th. Because their conduct is a tacit reproof to the worldly. See Wisdom 2:12; and Joh 15:8. 5th. Worldlings are full of self-love, but Saints are full of the love of God, for which reason they hate them. S. James (Jam 4:4) agrees with S. John, and so does S. Paul, Gal 1:10. Tertullian and others read here, "Be not afraid," for some not only marvelled, but were afraid of the hatred they would incur in becoming Christians. S. John therefore exhorts them not to be surprised or afraid, for those whom the world hates God loves. "It would be a greater wonder," says Didymus, "if wicked men did love those who were godly." We must not therefore in the least regard the hatred of such persons, but rather persevere in holiness and love of God, and make it our endeavour to make them our friends when they hear that we surpass them in charity. As S. Peter says, 1Pe 4:12. And Sencea (de Prov. cap. i.) says, "God brings not up a good man in delicate ways; He makes trial of him, He hardens him, and thus prepares him for Himself, while the man himself considers all misfortunes as means of training, and as teaching him how much his patience can bear." And S. Basil (adm. ad filii spirit) says that "Patience is the highest virtue of the mind, enabling us most speedily to attain the height of perfection." S. Augustine gives the reason, that God, through the hatred of the world, may draw us on to love Himself. "Oh the unhappiness of mankind! The world is bitter, and yet is loved. But how much more would it be loved, if it were sweet! How gladly wouldest thou gather its flowers, since thou withdrawest not this hand even from its thorns." Ver. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life. Not because we believe that we are predestinated, but as a moral certainty, by the testimony of a good conscience, by the innocency of our life, and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. S. John says this for their consolation and to keep them from dreading the hatred of the world. Be comforted by the thought, that by faith ye have been translated from the death of sin to a state of grace in this world, and in the world to come to glory, which will raise us above all hatred. And the clear proof of this is that we love the brethren. For this love is an undoubted sign and effect of sanctifying grace, and of the Holy Spirit Himself, from whom, as from an uncreated source, all love proceeds. S. Basil truly says, "When can a man be fully persuaded that God has remitted his sins? When he finds that his feelings are like his who said, 'I have hated and abominated iniquity' (Psa 119:163)." He gives here three signs of indwelling grace and righteousness. (1.) Hatred of sin; (2.) mortifying the flesh, and all evil desires; and (3.) zeal for the salvation of others, like S. Paul (2 Cor. xi. 29). And S. Gregory (Dial. i. 1), "The mind which is filled with the Divine Spirit, furnishes its own proofs, viz., virtuous actions and humility. And if those perfectly co-exist in the same mind, it is clear that they witness to the presence of the Holy Spirit." And S. Leo (Serm. de Epiph. viii.) gives these three signs of grace and sanctity, humility, forgiveness of injuries, and doing as we would be done by. And "let every one who is such, doubt not that God rules and dwells within him."
3:14
He who loveth not (when he ought, or he who hates) abideth in death, with the stain of habitual sin, which abides after the act of sin is over; and from this he cannot escape, except by the grace of Christ, says Thomas Anglicus. But how the soul though immortal can yet die through sin, S. Augustine explains (de Civ. iii. 1), "The death of the soul takes place when God forsakes it, just as, the body dies when the soul leaves it. It is then the entire death of a man, when the soul which has been forsaken of God, leaves the body, for in this case it does not itself live by God, nor does the body live through it." And in like manner S. Cyril Alex. says, "Death, properly speaking, is not that which separates body and soul, but that which separates the soul from God. God is life, and he who is cut off from Him, perishes." Nay more, this death of the soul is absolutely termed death in our deeper teaching, for that death of the body which we dread so much is but a shadow and image of that true death, and not to be compared with it. See S. Gregory (Mor. iv. 17). And S. Augustine (de Civ. vi. cap. ult.), "If the soul lives in everlasting punishment, it should rather be called everlasting death, and not life." And S. Basil (Hom. v. on the Martyr Julitta) says, "Sin is the death of the soul, which would else be immortal. It deserves to be lamented with inconsolable grief," &c. And S. Jerome, on Isa. xiv. (Lib. vi.), terms a sinner "the devil's carcase, for no one can doubt that sin is a most fœtid thing, when the sinner himself says, 'My wounds stink and are corrupt.'" Ver. 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. As he said before, "He that loveth not abideth in death." S. John counts 'not loving' and 'hating' as the same thing, by miosis, when little is said, but more is meant, and also because want of love is counted as constructive hatred. Moreover, he who hates his brother is in will and desire a murderer. See S. Jerome (Epist. xxxvi. ad Castorin.) and S. Mat 5:28, and hatred moreover disposes to murder, as desire disposes to adultery. Mystically. He who hates his brother murders his own soul. As S. Ambrose says, "He who hates murders himself in the first place, slaying himself with his own sword." And S. Gregory (Hom. x. 11) says the same thing more at length. Again, " he who hates his brother, ofttimes destroys his soul, by provoking him to anger and contention." [Pseudo]-Alexander says, "He who calumniates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer hath any part in the kingdom of God." For, as Dionysius says, there are three kinds of murder, Bodily, Detraction, and Hatred.
3:15
Hath not eternal life abiding in Him. Hath not grace abiding in him, nor doth he abide in that grace whereby eternal life is obtained. It is a metonymy, say Cajetan and others. Or else he will not have eternal life; he cannot have it, the present being taken for the future tense. Which comes to this, He who hateth, hath no hope of eternal life, but abideth in the death of sin. As S. Augustine says (Præf. in Ps. xxxi.), "As an evil conscience is full of despair, so is a good conscience full of hope; as Cain said, 'From Thy face shall I be hid, and shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth,'" &c.; as S. Jerome says, "Whosoever finds me out, from the trembling of my body and the agitation of my mind, will know that I deserve to die." Just as Orestes for the murder of his mother was continually harassed by the Furies. Ver. 16. Hereby we know the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. S. John here goes back to the law and living pattern of perfect charity, even Christ, who by laying down His life for us, taught us in like manner to lay down our lives for the brethren. For in Him there shone forth that boundless love which far exceeds the love of all parents and kinsfolk. For He, the Infinite God, laid down His life for us unworthy and ungrateful sinners, with great suffering and shame to Himself, and thus tacitly gave us a pattern for us to imitate, by laying down our lives for the brethren. But yet we must not risk our own salvation in order to save the souls of others, though we are bound to risk our life for their salvation, which is of more value than our own earthly life, which we must undoubtedly sacrifice for the eternal good of others, as S. Paul did and the other martyrs. But you will ask, are we bound to risk our own lives for the sake of the lives of others? In ordinary cases, No, but in extraordinary cases, Yes. As when bound by oath or promise, or in defence of our country. But a friend is not bound to risk his own life for that of his friend, since that would be to love his neighbour even more than himself, which, S. Augustine says (de Mend. cap. 10), goes beyond the rule laid down. But yet to do so would be laudable, for a man would risk his life for the sake of honour, and for the virtue of friendship. And this is a spiritual good, higher than life itself. So S. Augustine teaches (de Amic. cap. 10); and S. Jerome on Micah vii. says, "When a man was asked, What is a friend? he replied, 'A second self.' And accordingly two Pythagoreans gave themselves up to the tyrant as mutual pledges for each other." (See S. Ambrose, Off. lib. iii.; Fr. Victoria, Relect. de Homicid.; Soto, de Just. i. 6; and S. Thomas, 2. 2, q. 26, art. 4, ad 2). And Valentia adds this case, "Ought a man to suffer himself to be killed rather than kill his assailant?" And he rules that he ought rather to be killed himself, than kill another who would die in the very act of sin. We should also risk our life to preserve another's chastity. As the soldier who saved Theodora by changing clothes with her in prison, and who in the end suffered with her. And Paulinus, who became a slave in the place of a widow's son (slavery being a kind of civil death), and who was highly praised for his act by S. Augustine and other fathers. Instances are also given from heathen authors of those who gave up their lives for their friends, which is the highest proof of love. See Joh 15:13. Ver. 17. But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? He deduces this as a consequence from the former verse. It is an argument from the less to the greater. If the love of Christ obliges us to lay down our lives for the brethren (which is most difficult), much more does it oblige us to give alms to the needy, which is most easy. And again, our laying down our lives for the brethren is a case which seldom happens, the duty of relieving the needy frequently occurs. So Œcumenius and S. Augustine. Many doctors argue from this passage that the precept of alms-giving is binding not only in extreme but even in grave cases of necessity, so that a rich man is obliged to give up, not only superfluities, but even things necessary for his station, if he can avert in this way a grave loss to his neighbour. (See Gregory, de Valent. Tom. iii. Disput. iii.; and Bellarmine, de bonis Oper. lib. iii. See Eccles. iv. 1, S. Ambrose, de Off. iii 31; S. Gregory Nazianzen, de cura pauper; and S. Chrysostom, de Eleemos.)
3:17
And shutteth up his bowels from him. The bowels being the seat of compassion and pity. See Lam 2:11; Col 3:12. They are the symbols of paternal as well as of maternal love. See Phm 1:7, and Je. Iviii. 7. This teaches that alms should be given with much kindness and affection. As S. Gregory says (Moral xx. 16), "Let the hard and merciless hear the thundering words of the wise man." Pro 21:13 Salvian, lib. iv., exhorts the faithful to put on these bowels of mercy, when teaching that Christ, in the persons of the poor, is a mendicant and in need of everything, and that they are cruel who squander their goods on their relations who are in no need, and suffer Christ in the person of the poor to be in want.... He shows that they have no faith, and that they do not believe in Christ, who promised abundant rewards to His almoners.... And next he shows that they greatly sin, not only because they do not relieve the poor, but also bestow those goods which they have laboriously acquired, on those who misapply them for purposes of display, gluttony, and luxury. "If thou wishest to have eternal life" (he continues), "and to see good days, leave thy substance to the saints that are in want, to the lame, the blind, the sick; let thy means be sustenance to the wretched, thy wealth the life of the poor, and may the refreshment thou givest them be thy own reward, that their refreshment may thus refresh thee." He concludes by severely inveighing against them, and more especially against ecclesiastics, who are particularly bound to relieve the poor, and not to enrich their kinsfolk out of the funds of the Church, which Prosper calls the patrimony of the poor. See S. Bernard (Epist. xxiv.), who says that a bishop must not indulge in luxuries, but merely live on the funds of the Church: everything more which thou takest out of them is robbery and sacrilege. See, too, S. Basil on Luke xii. 18. The Stoics thought, on the contrary, that pity was no virtue, but rather the mark of a weak mind. See Seneca (de Clem. ii. 5) and Plautus, as quoted by Lactantius, xi. 11, who condemns any giving of alms as being a waste, and an injury to the recipient. Valerius (Max. iv. 8), on the other hand, records with approval the bountifulness of a certain Silicus. Ver. 18. My little children, let us not 1ove in word, and in tongue, but in deed and in truth. He condemns here all false charity, which exhibits itself in words only, as S. James (Jam 2:15) does also. S. Gregory (Moral. xxi. 14) says that our charity must ever be exhibited in reverent words, &c., and in ministering bountifully. And S. Bernard (in Son 2:4) explaining the words, "He ordered charity in me" (see. Vulg.) says, "He requires not the craft of the lying tongue, nor the taste of affected wisdom. Let us love in deed and in truth, being moved to good deeds by the impulse of living charity rather than by any affected love. Give me a man who loves God with all his heart, himself and his neighbours, and everything else relating to God with well-ordered love, and I boldly pronounce him to be a wise man, to whose taste all things seem to be just as they really are, and who can in truth safely say, Because He hath ordered love in me. But who is he?" But observe here, that if any one cannot succour in deed and act (as, e g., being too poor), yet he can do so in words and kind feelings. And again, he who gives relief should not give it grudgingly, or with words of reproof, but cheerfully and kindly. See Rom 12:8; Ecc 18:15. S. Gregory (Hom. iii. in Evang.) says well, "Let not any one credit himself with anything which his mind suggests, unless his acts bear witness to it. For in loving God, our tongue, our thoughts, and our life are all required. Love towards Him is never idle. It worketh great things if it really exist, but if it refuses to do so, it is not love." And S. Chrysostom (Hom. liii. et lxviii. ad pop.) says, "The more thou givest to God, the more does He love thee, and to those He loves more, He gives more grace; when He sees any one to whom He owes nothing, He flies from him, and avoids him; but when He sees any one to whom He owes something, He runs up to him at once. Thou shouldest therefore do everything to make God thy debtor." And then he explains how this can be done, viz., by showing mercy to the poor. "Give largely, that thou mayest be rich, scatter abroad, that thou mayest gather in, imitate a sower. Sow in blessings, that thou mayest reap in blessings." And S. Leo (Serm. vi. de Jejun. x. Mensis) says, "Persevere, O Christian, in thy bounty, give that which thou wilt receive back again, sow what thou wilt reap, scatter that which thou wilt gather up. Fear not the cost, be not anxious or doubtful about the result. Thy substance, when well laid out, is increased, and to wish for rightful profit for thy piety, is to traffic for the gain of an eternal reward. He who rewardeth thee wishes thee to be munificent, and He who gives that thou hast, orders thee to give it away, saying, 'Give, and it shall be given,' and so on." S. Chrysostom accordingly said rightly, "that almsgiving was of all things the most gainful." Ver. 19. Hereby we know that we are of the truth, that we have true love, that we are the sons of truth, of true and genuine charity. Secondly, we are of God, who is the chief and highest truth, and true charity. See John xiv. 6, xviii. 37. And accordingly S. Augustine rightly concludes (de Moribus Eccl. cap. xxxiii.), "Let our meals, our words, our dress, our appearance be blended with charity, and be united and joined together in one charity; to violate this is counted as sinning against God... if only this be wanting, everything else is vain and empty; where it exists is perfect fulness." And shall assure our hearts before Him. (1.) Hugo, Lyranus, and Dionysius explain, We shall induce our hearts to please God daily more and more. (2.) Ferus explains it, We shall gain confidence to ask anything of God. (3.) We shall have our hearts at peace, for we shall persuade them that we are striving after true charity, when we love, not in word, but in deed and in truth. (4.) The sense most clearly is this, We, shall approve our hearts to God in manifesting the fruits of love. We can lie to men by pretending love in our hearts, but we cannot lie to God, who sees the heart. They then who love their neighbour in deed and in truth fear not the eye and judgment of God, but would boldly appear in His sight, lay their hearts before Him, and show that they were resting on real charity. So Œcumenius; and see Gal. i. 10, "Do I wish to persuade men or God?" That is, I strive to prove my cause to God. So S. Chrysostom. S. Augustine reads in this passage, "I wish to make myself approved to God, and not to men." As S. Augustine (contra Secundi, num. i. 1) says, "Think as you please about Augustine, provided only my conscience accuses me not in the sight of God." Morally. S. John here teaches us to examine all our deeds by the rule of God's judgment. For frequently we are deceived into thinking that we are acting purely from the love of God, when in fact we are acting from the impure motive of self-love. Before beginning anything conform thyself to this rule, act as in the sight of God, who sees, and will call thee to account. Do it as though it were thy very last act. And in any doubt, adopt that course which thou wouldest wish thou hadst adopted when thou comest to die. So did the Psalmist (Psa 16:8); Elisha (2Ki 3:14); and S. Paul (2Co 1:12). And S. Francis Xavier, "Wherever I am, I would remember that I am on the stage of the world." And Campion, when about to suffer martyrdom, said, " e are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men" (1 Cor iv. 9). Let us imitate these, and thus "shall we persuade our hearts in His sight." Ver. 20. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. If we cannot conceal our hypocrisy from our own hearts, much less can we conceal it from God, who is greater and deeper even than our own heart, who is more intimately acquainted with it, and is nearer to it than we are ourselves. If thy conscience condemns thee, how much more will God, who rules over and judges thy conscience? "If we cannot hide anything from our conscience," says Œcumenius, "how can we hide it from God who is ever present?" "Thou hidest thy conscience from man," says S. Augustine, "hide it from God if thou canst. Let thy conscience bear thee witness, for it is of God. And if it is of God, do not boast of it before men, because the praises of men exalt thee not, nor do their reproofs bring thee down. Let Him see thee who crowneth thee: let Him, by whose judgment thou wilt be crowned." Diadochus says (de perf. Spirit. cap. c.), "The judgment of God is far above that of our conscience." See 1 Cor. iv. 1 and Ps. lxiii. (Vulg. 7). "Man will go down to his deep heart, and God will be exalted," that is, man will think many evils in the depth of his heart, but God will be deeper than it. But Lyra, Aquila, and Theodotion read iorem, will shoot at it. See A. V. Thomas Anglicus merely applies the passage thus, If the sin of the heart is great, greater is God's compassion in forgiving. And God too is greater than our heart, because He alone satisfies the desires of our heart, and even overflows and surpasses them. Ver. 21. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God, viz., that we shall obtain from Him all that we ask. See Psa 119:6. The contrary is the case with the wicked. See Pro 28:9, as S. Gregory says (Mor. x. 15, or 17), "He who remembers that he still refuses to listen to the command of God, doubts whether he will obtain what he wishes for. And our heart blames us when we pray, when it calls to mind that he opposes the will of Him whom he is addressing. 'As oil makes the light to shine, so do good deeds give confidence to the soul.'" Ver. 22.—And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him. Whatever, that is, that is good, and tends to the glory of God (see John v. 14). Because we keep His commandment, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. For it is only a fitting thing that if man do the will of God, He on His side should do the will of man. (See Ps. cxiv. 19.) He alludes to Christ’s promise (John xv. 7). For deeds ought to be supported by prayer, and prayer by deeds. As S. Gregory says (Epist. ix 45), “Prayer is void, when our deeds are wicked, for they outweigh the force of our prayers.” See Lam. iii. 41. On which Rabanus remarks, “He lifts up his heart with his hands who supports his prayers with his deeds. For whosoever prays and makes believe to work, lifts up his heart, and not his hands; while he who works, and prays not, lifts up his hands, and not his heart,” &c. The Laconians had a proverb, that we must first put our hand to the work, and then pray to fortune. S. John here teaches that our prayer is strengthened by confidence, and that confidence springs from obedience. See Isa. i. 15; Matt. ii. 2; Prov. xxviii. 9; Ps. 1. 16, xli. 13, xxxiv. 16, xxxiii. 20, xxxvii. 4, x. 67. He hears not only our prayers, but our thoughts and desires. S. Dominic said that he never asked anything from God which he did not obtain. So also S. Thomas Aquinas, S. Scholastica, S. Catherine of Siena, and others.
3:22
And do thou things that are pleasing in His sight. That is to say His commands, and also evangelical counsels (of perfection). For he who strives perfectly to please God, includes not merely His commands and precepts, but also His smallest hints and counsels. And this, as it is a hard matter, so is it most pleasing to God. And hence S. Bernard (Serm. i. de dedic. Eccl.) calls a monk a standing miracle. All our holiness then consists in our ever studying and endeavouring to please God. For this is an act of most pure and constant love. Observe that love is of two kinds, desire and friendship. The first is that with which we study to please God, that we may obtain from Him the reward of eternal glory. But this is rather an act of hope than of love. (See Ps. cxix. 112; see Vulgate, propter retributionem.) But the love of friendship is that which makes us strive to please Him merely out of love, and by doing those things in which He takes delight and pleasure. Our Lord had this love from the very moment of His conception, and all His earthly life through. See John viii. 29; Ps. xl. 9; Rom. xii. 2; Col. i. 9. And accordingly wise men teach that it is an excellent practice to think every day, What does God wish me to do at this very moment? Just as the servants of a king watch his every movement, and fly rather than go to do his bidding. Much more should we obey God in all things, for He is the Supreme Majesty, justice, and holiness, the highest wisdom, goodness, and power, the Supreme Lord, Lawgiver, judge, and Punisher of all men. And moreover, He who created us, preserves, redeems, and sanctifies us, and pours down on us, every instant, innumerable blessings. See S. Gregory (Mor. vi. i2). And the Abbot Ammon (apud. S. Ephr. in paræn.) says, “Desire to fulfil the will of God at all times, as being indeed the kingdom of heaven, and the crown of a perfect life, and as believing with all thy heart, that it far surpasses all human wisdom.” The Abbot John (see Cassian, de Instit. renunc. v. 28) said that “he had never done his own will.” And Aloysius Gonzaga said that he had no scruple even about his excessive austerity, because he had done nothing except by the will of God, of which his superior was the interpreter. This is what God praises, Is. lxii. 4, “My delight is in her” (Heph-zibah), and S. Bernard, Serm. xxxviii. in Cant. Ver. 23.—And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ. That is, in the Person thus named. See Phil. ii. 9. And (2) that we should love one another. On these two commandments all the rest depend. For to believe in Christ includes loving, worshipping, and obeying Him, believing Him also to be the Son of God, and thus believing in God the Father also. And the command to love our neighbour presupposes the love of God. See Matt. xxii. 40. S. Augustine (Confess. x. 29) says, “He loves Thee, O God, but little, who loves anything together with Thee, which He loves not for Thy sake. O thou love that ever burnest, and art never extinguished! O my love, my God, enkindle me. Thou commandest continence: give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.”
3:23
As He gave us a commandment. This signifies that Christ specially and frequently enjoined the duty of mutual love on His apostles, and required them to inculcate it on the faithful. Ver. 24.—And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. The word ‘abideth’ signifies indwelling, intimate union and intercourse. God then dwells in the person who obeys Him. 1. By virtue of the command. For the law and the maker of the law abide in those who are under it, just as the doctrine of the teacher abides in him who takes it in, and he who is subject to the law, abides therein by discipline and obedience. 2. By love, for he who keeps the commands of God loves Him, and is loved by Him, just as he who loves abides in the object he loves, for the soul abides more in the object it loves, than in him whom it animates, and God abides in a soul, both as loving it, and as loved by it. For “he who cleaveth to the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Cor. vi. 17; and S. Bernard, Serm. xxxi. in Cant. 3. He who loves and obeys God abides in Him as being under His protection, and God abides in him by the protection He gives. Ps. xci. 1, and Zech. ii. 8. “He who toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye,” naming the dearest and the tenderest part of the body; see also Gen. xv. 1, Ps. xxxi. 3. Whence Bede says, “Let God be thy house, and be thou the house of God. Abide in God, and let God abide in thee. God abideth in thee, to keep thee; thou abidest in God, lest thou shouldest fall. Observe His commandments, hold fast charity, tear not thyself from His faith, that thus thou mayest glory in His presence, now by faith, and hereafter by sight. And He will abide in thee for ever, as the Psalmist says (Ps. v. 12).” And S. Chrysostom, on Rom. viii. 14, says, “To obtain the inheritance of children, it is not sufficient to be once imbued with the Spirit, unless we are ever led by His guidance, for He is the steersman and the guide of our soul, leading us into battle against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (4.) God abides in him who loves Him, as locally placed in Him. For a holy soul is the throne, the temple, and abode of God. See 1 Cor. iii. 17; Is. lxvi. 1 and 2, &c. (5.) And lastly, God abides in a righteous man substantially, because He communicates His essence and substance to him, making him partaker of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4.
3:24
And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us. See Rom. v. 5, also below, iv. i6. So S. Augustine, Bede, Œcumenius, and others. S. Augustine says, “This connection clearly shows that brotherly love, which we see so authoritatively preached, is not merely from God, but is God Himself. When therefore we love our brother with the highest love (dilectione), we love our brother for the sake of God.”
We know. Not by special and divine faith, not even with absolute certainty, but with moral and conjectural certainty, from outward signs and tokens; and the more a man experiences them, the more certain is he that he is in a state of grace, and the more he grows in virtue the more certain does he become. And therefore Andreas, Vega teaches that holy men can have such certainty as to exclude all doubt. But this is the lot of very few and of pre-eminent saints; and yet even those, if they look at their own infirmity, might perchance be afraid of being deceived in this matter, though in fact they may have no fear. As S. Jerome says (on Micah vi.), “We ought at no time to be secure, but always to look forward to the day of judgment.” And S. Gregory (Epist. lib. vi. 22), “Thou shouldest not feel secure, but till the very end of thy life shouldest ever suspect thyself, and fear committing sin.” And S. Bernard (Serm. iii. de Adv.), “I know neither my own, or my neighbour’s conscience (though I ought to watch over them). Both are an inscrutable abyss, both are dark as night.” (See Conc. Trid. sess. vi. cap. 16.) The confidence and certainty of holy men should ever be blended with fear, as St, Paul says, Phil. i. 11. For God wishes that this fear should be a bridle to keep us low, and also a spur to stimulate our virtue.
3:1
1. Videte, qualem caritatem dedit nobis Pater, ut filii Dei nominemur et simus. Hoc postremum: et simus, multi Graeci codices non habent. Veruntamen alii non pauci, quos annotavit Robertus Stephanus, habent, legentes: xal la|jLSV, et sumus; nisi quis suspicetur, hoc assumptum ex 2. versu: Nunc filii Dei sumus, lo^sv. Quamquam et Oecumenius hic se legisse significat, hoc glossemate: Videte enim, quod dederit nobis, ut filii sui essemus et vocaremur. Legit et Augustinus, et exposuit, dicens: Nam qui vocantur, et non sunt, quid pro^ dest illis nomen? Nec Sjras paraphrastes praetermisit. Sic enim habet: Et videte, quam magna est caritas Patris erga nos, qui filios vocavit nos, etiam fecit nos. Porro commendat Apostolus his verbis magnum illud Dei beneficium, de quo dixerat proxime: Ex ipso natus est; ut intelligatur, quale^^et quantum sit. Nam ex Deo natum esse, est, esse filium Dei. Dico: Quale et quantum. Nam Graeca dictio iwOTaTiTjv utrolibet modo verti potest: qualem et quantam caritatem. Estque sensus: Etiam atque etiam cogitate, quantam caritatem nobis exhibuerit. quantoque beneficio nos affecerit Pater coelestis, ut filii ipsius, id est filii Dei, nominemur; non inani titulo. sed cum ipsa re conjuncto, id est, ut filii Dei simus. Igitur Dei caritas significatur, qua nos ipse diligit. Cujus tamen caritatis in nobis effectus est ea caritas, qua nos ipum dib*gimus; sine qua certe ipsius filii non essemus. Videtur autem Apostohis respicere ad vaticinium Hos. 1.: Di~ cetur eis: Filii Dei viventis. Hocest: Enint filii Dei viventis, ut eo, tamquam insigni nomine appellari pos.««ini. Sic enim passim in Scripturis prophetarum accipitur vocari nomine hoc aut illo, ut Jes. 1.: Vocaberis civifas justi, urbs fidelis, et cap. 7.: Vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. Similiter angelus ad Virginem Luc. 1.: Et vocabitur Altissimi Fi- Uus; qui uti'jue propriissime et perfectissime Dei Filius est Illud ergo: Et simus, veritatem ac rationem declarat nominationis. Unde etiam mox subjungit: Nunc filii Dei sumus. Ut autem hujus beneficii magnitudo percipiatur, primo cogitandum, quanta res sit, esse naturalem filium Dei. Sed hoc cum nec nobis, nec angelis, nec ulli prorsus creaturae communicari possit, proximum, quod praestan potuit, illud fuit, ut per gratiam nos adoptaret, faceretque filios suos adoptivos, ac regni sui haeredes. Tales autem facit, dum nos regenerat, maocima et pretiosa nobis promissa largiens, per quae, secundum participationem, efficiamur divinae consortes naturae, 2 Pet. 1. Jam si ita filii Dei nominamur ac reputamur, ut et simus Dei filii: consequens etiam eet, nos ita nominari et reputari justos, ut et revera justi simus, ae non solum imputative, quod volunt sectarii.
Propter hoc mundus non novit nos, quia non novit Eum. In Graecis nonnullis legitur secunda persona: non novit vos. At primam personam legunt plerique codices Graeci, ut etiam Augustinus et Syrus interpres; et contextus ipse eam requirit. Continet autem haec pars tacitam consolationem fideliam; ac si diceret: Non mirum, si mundo non simus filii Dei, sed contra contemptibiles atque exosi; nam ideo mundus non novit nos, nec diligit, quia Deum, cujas filii sumus, nec novit, nec diligit. Non debet autem molestum nobis esse, si non diligamur ab iis, qui nec Deum diligunt. Ita Dominug ad discipulos suos, Joan. 14.: Si mundus vos odit, scitotCj quia me priorem vobis odio habuit. Et iterum: Haec omnia facient vobis propter nomen meum, quia nesciunt Eum, qui misit me. Mundus accipitar, ut in praecedentibus, pro multitudine eorum, qui a Christo sunt alieni.
3:2
2. Carissimi, nunc filii Dei sumus. Spectat hoc quoque cura sequentibus ad consolationem et exhortationem fidelium, ne succumbant in adversis. Quamvis, inquit, mundo despecti et viles habiti, tamen etiam nunc, in hoc saeculo, atque inter pressuras et opprobria, revera filii Dei sumus, utique per gratiam adoptionis.
Et nondum apparuit, quid erimus. Graece fuit: o ti Ia6|ui£^a, quod erimus, vel, uti clarius vertit Erasmus: id quod futuri sumus. Caeterum: quod erimus, legitur apud Augustinum in enarrat. Psalm. 37. Sic etiam verterunt interpres Clementis et Hieronymus in epist. Epiphanii ad Joannem Hierosolymitanum, a se e Graeco translata. Diversum est autem, quod Didymus legit: Nondum apparuit, quod simus, id est, nos esse filios Dei: juod tamen sensum habet haudquaquam alienum. At vero nostrae lectionis, quae sola hodie exstat, tam in Graecis, quam in Latinis codicibus, hic sensus est: Nunc quidem, inquit, filii Dei sumus; sed qUid futuri simus, id est quam gloriosi, quamque beati, quam animo et corpore consummati, id nondum apparuitj ne nobis quidem, qui nunc per fidem ambulamuSj et non per speciem, 2 Cor. 5. Apparebit autem tempore futurae retributionis, non nobis solum, verum et toti mundo, quando de nobis dicturi sunt impii, quod praedictum legitur Sap. 5.: Hi sunt, quos habuimus aliquando in derisum. Nos insensati vitam illorum existimabamus insaniam, et finem illorum sine honore. Ecce, quomodo computati sunt inter filios Dei. Praesenti loco simile est illud Col. 3.: Vita vestra est abscondita cum Christo in Deo. Cum autem Christus apparuerit vita vestra, tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria. Atque hoc est, quod sequitur:
Scimus, quoniam, cum apparuerit, similes Ei erimus; quoniam videbimits Eum, sicuti est. Graece: Scimus autem, quod, si apparuerit. Et hoc modo vertit interpres Clementis, et legit Tertullianus libro de resurrect. carnis, cap. 23. Verum particula si non ^ubitantis est, sed supponentis id, quod sine dubitatione verum est; ut alibi saepe, velut Malach. 1.: Si pater ego sum, ubi est honor meus? et si Dominus ego sum, ubi est timor meus? Quocirca Sjrus quoque vertit: cum apparuerit. Quaeritur autem, quo referendum sit verbum apparuerit, num ad illud proximum: quod erimus, ut sermo suppleatur hoc pacto: Nondum apparuit, quod erimus. Scimus autem, quod, cum apparuerit id, quod erimus, similes Ei erimus; an vero ad Deum, quia dixerat: Nunc filii Dei sumus; an denique ad Christum venturum ad judicium. Quod tertium maxime probabile est. Nam et de primo ejus adventu postea dicit, vers. 5.: Et scitis, quia Ille apparuit, ut peccata nostra tolleret. Et sub finem capitis superioris de secundo ejus adventu dixit: TJt, cum apparuerit, habeamus fiduciam, et non confundamur ab eo in adventu ejus. Magis autem Christo, quam Deo, solet in Scripturis attribui adventus ad judicium, etapparitio seu manifestatio in judicio, propter formam humanam, in qua veniet et apparebit omnibus conspicuus et gloriosus. Itaque sensus est: Quando Christus apparebit in gloria, tunc etiam apparebit id, quod nos erimus, qui in eum credidimus. Consonat huicintellectui locus paulo ante citatus Col. 3.: Cum Christus apparuerit, tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria. Sed et interpretes ad Christum referunt; Syrus, dum ita vertit: Scimus autem, cum ipse revelatus fuerit; Hieronymus in Epistola Epiphanii supradicta: Novimus autem, quia, cum iJle revelatus fuerit; item Tertullianus loco prius citato, Beda, Carthusianus et alii in oommentariis. Adde, quod nec satis commode potest referri ad illud: quod erimus. Nam apparere, quod erimus, non est causa, cur similes Christo simus; sed apparitio et adventus Christi causa erit nostrae glorificationis, quam exspectamus. Hinc aptissime dicitur: Cum [Christus apparuerit, similes Ei erimus, id est, conformabimur seu configurabimur illi in gloria; quemadmodum loquitur Paulus Col. 3. et Phil. 3. Erit autem sermo plenior hoc pacto: Cum apparuerit Christus, tunc etiam apparebit, quod nos erimus, nempe quod ei similes atque conformes erimus. Sed quomodo similes? Haud dubium, quin et corpore, et anima. Nam et secundum animam beati erimus, et secundum corpus gloriosi, juxta similitudinem Christi, capitis nostri. Verum de corpore videtur sensus esse germanior. Nam Paulus hanc similitudinem declarat vocabulo gloriae attributae corpori, ut 1 Cor. 15., de corpore loquens: Seminatur in ignobilitate, surget in gloria, et paulo post: Qualis coelestis, tales et coelesfes; et Phil. 3.: Salvatorem, inquit, exspectamus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, qui reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis fseu gloriae) suae. Quam reformationem, Rom. 8. de gloria, quae revelabitur in nobis, disserens, redemptionem vocat corporis nostri. Nec dirersus est sensus ejus, quod adferebatur ex Epistola ad Col., licet illic corporis expressa mentio non fiat. Quare et hunc locum Joannis convenit interprefcari de ea similitudine, qua secundum corpora similes erimus Christo; ut, sicut ille corpore gloriosus ab omnibus conspicietur, ita et cum eo omnes electi. Nam animae gloria, consistens in beata Dei visione, non poterit ab omnibus conspici. Atque isto modo glossa interlinealis hanc similitudinem exponit: Similes Eij id est, secundum corpus immortales et impassibiles, sicut ipse Filius. Idem sensus est apud Tertullianum lib. de resurrect. carnis, cap. 23. Jam in eo, quod sequitur: Quoniam videbimus Eum, sicuti est, illud quoniam, Graece oti, dubitari potest, utrum causale sit, probans id, quod proxime praecessit; an vero positum pro quod, ut in priori membro; quasi dicat Apostolus: Scimus, quod, cum apparuerit, erimus Ei similes, et quod videbimus Eum, sicuti est. Ut, quomodo prior pars refertur ad gloriam corporis, ita haec posterior ad beatitudinem animae. Sed obetat, quod nulla sit interposita conjunctio. Quare veri&imilius est, causaliter accipi, quemadmodum et acceperunt alii interpretes, sua versione distinguentes inter prius et posterius oxi, quod, quoniam. Simile est, quod infra dicit versu 14.: Nos scimus, quoniam (id est, quod) translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratres. Ubi manifestum est, posteriorem partem continere causam prioris. Sic igitur et hoc loco significat, ideo nos Christo similes futuros, quia videbimus Eum, sicuti est. Sed haec causalitas explicanda est. Quidam visionem hanc interpretantur, qua Christum oculis corporeis conspecturi sumus, qualis nunc est in coelo secundum corpus, id est, immortalem et inaestimabili gloria decorumj ut haec pars respondeat priori: similes Ei erimus, quam de similitudine secundum corpus exposuimus. Sed hoc modo non videtur explicari causalitas hic indicata. Nam ex eo, quod corporaliter eum videbimus in gloria, non sequitur hic e£Pectus, esse nos ei similes in gloria corporis; siquidem in humanitate glorificata videbitur ad tempus etiam a reprobis. Nisi quis dicat, intelligi debere visionem laetam, familiarem et perpetuam, quae solis continget electis; ut non tam causa, quam certissima consequentia significetur: Videbimus eum corporaliter, sicuti est; ergo secundum corporasimiles ei erimus. Quam expositionem ut probabilem recipit Lorinus, suos adducens auctores. Alii tamen, et complures, particulam Ei vel ad Deum, vel melius ad Christum referentes, visionem Ejus interpretantur, qua mentis oculis divinam ejus essentiam non in aliqua creata similitudine, sed clare et immediate, ut in se ipsa est, contemplabimur. Hoc enim est, Deum videre, sicuti est, et, ut Paulus loquitur, facie ad faciem, 1 Cor. 13. Constat autem apud Theologos, ex Augustini sententia, scribentis ad Dioscorum epist. 56., ex animae gloria, quae consistit in visione Dei beatifica, redundare gloriam, id est, immortalitatem reliquasque dotes gloriosas in corpus subjectum; ut proinde, videre Deum (aut Christum), sicuti est in divina natura, recte adferatur ut causa, cur in gloria corporis similes ei futuri simus. Veruntamen quia nemo perfecte videt Christum, sicuti est, nisi qui videt utrumque, quod est, id est utramque ejus naturam (Christus enim, ut Christus, et Deus et homo est): idcirco fortasse verior, saltem plenior, hujus partis erit intelligentia de visione Christi secundum utramque naturam, quae perfecta est ejus visio. Juxta quem sensum manet consequens ex hoc loco, quod ex eo communiter statuunt doctores, tam veteres, quam recentiores, Deum a beatis videri per essentiam. Quamquam et consequens erit, si suppleas ad hunc modum: Quia videbimus eum cum Patre, sicuti est. Nam et Patris mentio praecessit. Estque sensus iste consentaneus cum eo, quod scribit Apostolus Apocal. ultimo: Et videbunt faciem ejus, scilicet Dei et agni, quia conjunctim utriusque mentio praecesserat. Nam et in eo, quod ibi continuo sequitur: Et nomen ejus in frontibus eorum, utriusque nomen intelligitur; ut ostendi potest ex initio capitis 14. ejusdem libri, ubi illa centum quadraginta quatuor millia redemptorum dicuntur habere nomen ejus, scilicet agni, et nomen Patris ejus scriptum in frontibus suis. Et certe Christus utrumque promisit in Evangelio; visionem Dei, cum ait Matthaei 5.: Beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt; et visionem sui Joan. 14.: Qui diligit me, manifestabo ei me ipsum. Porro non sequitur ex hoc loco, ut neque ex eo, quem adduximus ex Apocalypsi, sanctorum animas non visuras Deum, sicuti est, ante Christi adventum et apparitionem, id est, ante diem extremi judicii; quemadmodum male colligunt ex ejusmodi Scripturis sectarii. Loquitur enim utrobique Joannes non de animabus separatis, quas alibi testatur interim regnare cum Christo mille annis, Apoc. 20.; sed de nobis, id est, hominibus in adventu Christi resuscitandis ad vitam. Neque enim Deum videre poterimus prius, quam vivamus.
3:3
3. Et omnis, qui habet hanc spem in Eo, sanctificat se, sicut et Ille sanctus est. Sanctificat se etc, Graece et Syriace: Purificat se ipsum, sicut Ille purus est. Et ita legit Tertullianus de monpgamia, cap. 3., et de pudicitia, cap. 19., necnon Hieronymus lib. 1. contra Jovin. Sed et Augustinus in comment. legit: castificat semet ipsum, sicut et Ipse castus est, Noster interpres pro ayvcCs^ et ayvog, quod hodie est in omnibus Graecis, legisse videtur dytaCst et aytoc:. Quamquam res eadem fere significatur. Nam sanctitas in Scripturis intelligi plerumque solet puritas ab inquinamentis, tam corporis, quam animi. Docet Apostolus hac sententia, quid agere debeat, qui ad illam similitudinem aspirat, de qua dixit: Similes Ei erimus. Et sensus est: Igitur, quicumque spem hujus rei habet in Christo, quod, cum apparuerit, similis ei in gloria futurus sit, et visurus eum, sicuti est, prius in hac vita purificare se debet atque emundare ab orani sorde peccati, ac digna conversatione reddere se ei similem, id est sanctum, sicut ille per omnia sanctus est, et, ut dicitur Heb. 7., innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus. Ut enim in futuro saeculo similitudinem assequamur gloriae ejus, debemus ad illam in hac vita nos praeparare, puritatem et innocentiam vitae ejus imitando. Consequens est ex hoc loco, veram esse in nobis sanctitatem, sicut est in Christo; tametsi in nobis gradu longe inferiore et imperfectiore. Consequens etiam (quod advertit Augustinus), hominem sanctificare se ipsum, ae proinde libera sua voluntate cooperari gratiae Dei ipsum sanctificantis et justificantis; quae tamen ipsa voluntatis humanae cooperatio sit effectus gratiae Dei. Quod utrumque notandum adversus horum temporum haereticos. Illud etiam observa, non dicere Joannem: Sicut ille sanctificat se, tamquam indigens ulteriori sanctificatione; sed: sicut ille sanctus est. Non enim Chrigtus justificatur aut sanctificatur adhuc, quod Apoc. ultimo nobis praecipitur; sed semper aeque et perfectissime sanctus est, ex quo conceptus fuit in utero virginis, cui dictum est ab Angelo: Quud nascetur ex te sanctum, vocabitur Filius Dei, Luc. 1. Nec obstat, quod ipse dicit Joan. 17.: Pro eis ego sanctifico me ipsum, id est, pro electis; nam sanctificare se ipsum, eo loco est, offerre se ipsum in sacrificium, vel ad ejusmodi oblationem sese parare et accingere.
3:4
4. Omnis, qui facit peccatum, et ini^ quitatem facit; et peccatum est iniqui^ tas. Et, priore loco significat: etiam, posteriore capitur pro: quia, more Hebraeo; sicut Gen. 14.: Ei erat sacerdos Dei excehi, quod Hieronymus vertit: Erat enim sacerdos Dei altissimi; et Jes. 64.: Tu iratus es, et peccavimus, id est, quia peccavimus. Ita hoc loco: Quia peccatum est iniquitas. Hac enim indefinita propositione, sensum universalem habente, probat universalem, quam sumpserat. Estque consequentia evidens: Omne peccatum est iniquitas; ergo, quicumque facit peccatum, facit iniquitatem. Dependet autem probationis intellectus ex significatione duarum vocum: peccatum et iniquitas. Sunt, qui peccatum et iniquitatem ita distinguant, ut peccatum pro incredulitate et impietate cordis accipiatur, ini~ quitas pro fructibu^, ut loquuntur, impietatis; cujusmodi sunt peccata, quae committuntur adversus proximum, velut inhumanitas, inclementia, caedes, invadere res ah'enas. Ut sit sensus: Qui impius et contemptor Dei est, idem et in proximos injuriosus erit, eo quod ex impietate, qua Deus ignoratur aut contemnitur, omnis in homines iniquitas oriatur. Verum ista expositio longe petita est et parum fundata, nec facit ad contextum praesentis loci. Sanctus Ambrosius in apologia David, cap. 13., tractans hunc locum, censet, latius patere nomen iniquitatis, quam peccati; ut omne peccatum sit iniquitas, non contra. Concupiscentiam enim, cum qua nascimur, et quae post baptismum in nobis remanet, estque radix, ut ait, et seminarium peccatorum, malos fructus ferens, iniquitatem esse dicit; quae tamen, ul habet fides Catholica, post baptismum proprie peccatum non est. Td quod rursus apud eundem legitur in libro de Isaac et anima, cap. 8., quem ejus locum citat et explicat Augustinus lib. 2. contra Julianum, cap. 5. Augustinus quoque ejusdem operis lib. 5. cap. 3. et lib. 6. cap. 8. pronuntiare non dubitat, concupiscentiam in renatis esse iniquitatem, quam tamen ubique peccatum esse negat. Hanc Ambrosii et Angbstini doctrinam, qua docent, concupiscentiam etiam renatorum merito vocari iniqTiitatem, late et bene declarat in ejus loci commentario Joannes Hesselius, ad quem lectorem remitto. Sed tamen non videtur iliad discrimen peccati et iniquitatis, a B. Ambrosio traditum, huic ApostoH loco satis quadrare, ubi ad exaggerationem peccati dicitur, quod sit iniquitas; praesertim cum, eodem Apostolo auctore infra cap. 5., etiam e diverso omnis iniquitas peccatum sit, quod Ambrosius negat; licet illo loco diversum in Graeco vocabulum esse, non ignoremus. Huc accedit, quod iniquitas in Scripturis non nisi de peccato dici solet, quemadmodum et injustitia, quantum ad ipsas voces attinet. Itaque S. Gregorius lib. 11. Moralium, cap. 23., existimat, ex mente Joannis Apostoli inter iniquitatem atque peccatum nihil distare; ipso tamen usu loquendi, inquit, plus iniquitas, quam peccatum sonat; et omnis homo libere se peccatorem fatetur; iniquum vero dicere, nonnumquam erubescit. Haec ille. Sentit autem, nihil distare quoad rem ipsam, eo quod omne peccatum sit iniquitas, et contra; distare tamen aliquid quoad significationem. Quod ut intelligatur, sciendum, iniquitatem Graece a Joanne vocari avo|xtav, id est, legis transgressionem seu recessum a lege. Dicit ergo B. Joannes, omne peccatum esse iniquitatem, ut ostendat, nullum peccatum tamjuam leve contemnendum esse, propterea quod in omni peccato sit legis divinae quaedam violatio. Cum enim ad vitae puritatem et sanctimoniam hortaretur fideles, revocat nunc eos a peccatis sanctitati contrariis, ut maxime sunt impudicitiae et immunditiae peccata, quae, quod legibus humanis (excepta adulterii injuria) puniri non solerent, leviora putabantur, ac liberius committebantnr, ab iis praesertim, qui imbuti erant mysteriis Simonianorum ac Nicolaitarum. Etenim hoc genus peccatorum specialiter opponi sanctitati, docet illa Pauli ad Thessalonicenaes exhortatio, 1 Epist. 4.: Haec est voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra, ut abstineatis vos a fornicatione etc. Sensus igitur perspicuus est hujusmodi: Ac ne quis sibi blandiatur in peccatis quibusdam, quasi levibus, eo quod non videantur esse contra leges, declaro vobis et affirmo, omne peccatum esse iniquitatem, id est, legis divinae transgressionem, et omnem eum, qui peccatum committit, iniquitatem committere legemque divinam transgredi; ideoque frustra eum, qui in peccatis haeret, sibi promittere similitudinem gloriae cum capite Christo. Loquitur autem praecipue de peccato mortali, quamquam et venialia sunt iniquitates quaedam, et legi divinae alicui repugnant, et ab ingressu regni coelestis ac similitudine Christi participanda remorantur, donec expurgata fuerint.
3:5
5. Et scitis, quia Ille apparuit, ut peccata nostra tolleret. Aliud argumentum, quo fideles a peccatis revocet, sumptum a fine incarnationis et oeconomiae Christi. Scitis, inquit, fide instructi, quod ille, scilicet Filius Dei, in assumpta carne visibilis nobis apparuit, ut pec' cata nostra toUeret, sive, ut Augustinus legit, auferret. Non ergo manendum est nobis in peccatis, aut ad peccata redeundum. Est enim hoc fini, propter quem ille ad nos venit'; contrarium. Unde de eo Paulus ad Tit. 1.: Qui dedit semet ipsum pro nobis, ut nos redimeret ab omni iniquitate, et mundaret sibi populum acceptabilem, sectatorem bonorum operum. Porro notandum est, Graecum verbum afpsiv atque etiam Syriacum nesau ambiguum esse, quemadmodum et Latinum tollere. Nam interdum significat: accipere, ferre, portare-, interdum: auferre, removere, delere; tametsi vox Graeca magis significat portare, sive ad portandum accipere; quomodo quis dicitur onus tollere, quod accipit portandum. Et hoc modo saepe de Christo Scriptura loquitur, dicens, eum portasse vel tulisse nostra peccata; ut Jes. 53.: Yere languores nostros ipse tulit, et dolores nostros ipse portavit. Ac rursum: Iniquitates eorum ipse porfabi*. Item: Et ipse peccata multorum tulit Unde et ibidem dicitur, quod posuit Dominus in eo iniquitatem omnium nostrum. Et notum est illud praecursoris, Christum monstrantis: Ecce, agnus Dei, qui tollit peccatum mundi, Graece; 6 afpcDV, tollens. Ita sensus Apostoli est, Christum apparuisse, ut peccata nostra, tamquam grave pondus, quo premebamur usque ad tartara, in se susciperet, eaque pro nobis portaret, id est, pendens in cruce poenas pro illis debitas exsolveret. Sic enim et Petrus loquitur 1 Epist. 2.: Qui peccata nostra ipse pertuUt in corpore suo super lignum. Convenit tamen et altera significatio, velut ex priore consequens; Christus enim, portando peccata nostra, abstulit ea ac delevit. Et quidem priori modo Christus, ut agnus et ut homo, peccata nostra tulit; utpote secundum eam naturam, in qua pati potuit; altero autem modo ea tulit, et ut Deus, per potentiam, et ut homo, per patientiam, qua nobis meruit abolitionem peccatorum.
Et peccatum in Eo non est. Oecumenius et alii quidam causaliter hoc exponunt: Quia peccatum in Eo nullum est, ac si dicat Apostolus, ideo Christum idoneum fuisse, qui peccata nostra tolleret, quia nullum ipse peccatum habuit. Poterit tamen simplicius exponihocmodo: Christum tulisse peccata nostra, non sua, cum in ipso nullum esset peccatum, quod tolleret. Hoc autem ampliate est intelligendum, ut nec sit, nec umquam fuerit, imo nec esse posset uUum peccatum in Christo; tum quia de Spiritu sancto conceptus, peccatum contrahere non potuit; tum praecipue propter unionem hypostaticam in persona Filii Dei, in quam impossibile est cadere peccatum; quemadmodum recte docent Theologi in 3. dist. 12.
3:6
6. Omnis, qui in Eo manet, non peccat. Ex hac Scriptura aliisque similibus docuerunt Jovinianus et Pelagius, justos vivere sine peccatis. Quae doctrina cum suis auctoribus ab Ecclesia damnata est, et manifeste refellitur ipsius Joannis auctoritate, qui supra cap. 1. dixit: Si dixerimus: Quia peccatiun non habemus; nos ipsos seducimus etc. Videndum igitur, quomodo, quod hic dicit, omnem eum, qui in Christo manet, non peccare, debeat intelligi, ut illi doctrinae Catholicae non sit contrarium. Augustinus lib. 4. contra duas epist. Pel. cap. 11. refert ex Ambrosii commentario super Jesaiam quaedam verba, quibus ille locum hunc exponit de futuro saeculo, quando perfecta erit electorum mansio in Christo, ct conjunctio cum Christo, ut amplius nec peccent, nec peccare possint. Verum non hic loquitur Joannes de futuro saeculo. sed de praesenti, docens, quid agere debeamus, ut non peccemus. Sic enim et initio capitis secundi dixit: Haec scribo vobis, ut non peccetis. Quod utique ad praesens saeculum pertinet. Sed et hic post pauca subjungit: In hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei, et filii diaboli; nempe in eo, quod isti peccant, illi non peccant. Quod adfert ut notam discriminis inter hos et illos, etiam in hac vita. Est igitur alius sensus ipsius Augustini, quem tradit lib. 2. de baptis. parvul. cap. cap. 7., libro de perfect. justitiae, sub finem, et in epist. 95., justos et in Christo manentes non peccare ex ea parte, qua sunt in Christo renati ac renovati; licet ea parte, qua sunt adhuc vetusti, et filii hujus saeculi, saepenumero peccent. Sic et Bernardus intellexit libro de natura et dignitate divini amoris, cap. 6. Atqui nec iste sensus videtur accommodus huic loco. Distinguit enim Joannes, ut dictum est, inter filios diaboli et filios Dei, per peccare et 7^on peccare; quod intelligi non potest de quibuscumque peccatis, sed tantum de gravioribus, quae mortalia vocamus. Igitur Augustinus in commentario praesentis loci, tract. 5., interpretatur, Joannem loqui de eo peccato, quod est non diligere fratrem, id est, quo violatur fraterna caritas. Sic enim ipse Joannes exponere videtur illud peccatum, infra ver.s. 10. dicens: Et qui non diligit fratrem. Veruntamen sub illo fraterni odii peccato, ut plenus sit hujus loci sensus, etiam caeteva mortalia comprehendi debent, quae generaliter idem Apostolus vocat opera diaboli, vers. 8. Nam et e contrario opera bona justitiam in genere vocat, dicens: Qui facit justitiam, justus est. Et hoc generali sensu locum praesentem accepit Hieronymus lib. 2. contra Jovinianum, cap. 1., et lib. 1. contra Pelag. cap. 3. Enndemque sensum inter alios tradit ac bene declarat Hesselius, observandum monens, apud Joannem Apostolum, peccare sive facere peccatum, idem esse, quod apud Paulum, ambulare secundum carnem, esse sub peccato, servum esse peccati. Id autem est, peccare mortaliter, actu vel aflPectu. Sic ergo Joannes omnem eum, qui manet in Christo, dicit non peccare, ecilicet dum manet in Christo, quomodo Paulus dicit, nos mortuos esse peccato et liberatos a peccato, Rom. 6.; item nullam esse participationem justitiae cum iniquitate, 2 Cor. 6. Nam et Petrus ita loquitur 2 Epist. 1.: Haec enim facientes, non peccabitis aliquando. Porro manere in Christo, est, ei inhaerere, tamquam mombrum suo capiti, sic ut vitales ab eo influxus accipiat. Nec verbum /Jisvctv, manere, perseverantiam Joanni denotat, sed quietem aliquam; quomodo quis dicitur manere in domo, ubi sedem habet. Unde nec convenit sensus illorum, qui sic exponunt: Qui manet in Eo perseveranter usque in finem, numquam deinceps mortaliter peccat. Nam neqr.e per hoc distinguuntur filii Dei et filii diaboli; multi enim sunt filii Dei, id est justi, qui in justitia non perseverant.
Et omnis, quipeccat, nonviditEum, nec cognovit Eum. Rem declarat ex opposito. Nec tamen dicit: JSon manet in Eo, sed: Non vidit Eum etc, visionem et notitiam, ut alibi, intelligens affectivam seu dilectivam, quam nemo habet, nisi qui manet in eo. Nam, ut annotat Cajetanus, non sumus in Christo per esse siihstantiale, sed secundum mentem, qua cognoscitur et videtur -, eo nimirum cognitionis et visionis modo, quem dixi. Nec sentit Joannes, eum, qui peccat, numquam vere credidisse; sed sensus est, eum, qui peccat, tunc, quando peccat, ab affectiva Dei notitia alienum esse. Ponunt enim praeterita pro praesentibus, vel Hebraeo more, vel, ut vult Cajetanus, ad significandum causalitatem notitiae et visionis respectu actus peccandi vel non peccandi. Sciendum tamen, pro verbo: cognovit, in Graeco esse: syvoxsv. Quae vox, annotante Erasmo, significat actum inhaerentem; quasi dicas: cognitum habere. Unde potius vertendum putat: neque novitj quod praesentis temporis significationem habet. Visionem et cognitionem interpretes fere pro synonymis accipiunt; tametsi Cajetanus visionem interpretatur notitiam evidentem, qua scilicet ea, quae fidei sunt, evidenter cognoscuntur sub ratione credibiliSj \\i loquitur. At verisimilius est, posterius verbum esse expositionem prioris; non vidit, id est, non cognovit; ne putaretur sermo restrictus ad visionem claram et evidentem.
3:7
7. Filioliy nemo vos seducat. Paterna admonitio est ad fideles, ne se sinant in errorem abduci a seductoribus, qui, docentes, opera ad salutem non esse necessaria, sed fidem solam, carni et omni vitiorum generi laxabant habenas, quam Joannes Apoc. 2. vocat doctrinam Ba~ laam, et doctrinam Nicolaitarum, et quam adscribit in mysterio mulieri Jezabel. Nec minus valet eadem haec admonitio adversus haereticos hodiernos, simili ratione popuhim seducentes, cum negant, per bona opera quemquam justum esse coram Deo; sed justificari nos imputative sola romissione (quam ipsam male exponunt) peccatorum; utique directe contra id, quod sequitur hoc loco:
Qui facit justitiam, justus est. Convenit hoc cum eo, quod dixit capite praecedenti: Qui facit justitiam, ex Ipso natus est. Unde intelligitur, Joanni eundem esse justum et ex Deo (vel ex Christo) natum, id est, adoptione Dei filium. Est ct similis locus Ezech. 18.: Vir si fecerit judicium et justitiam etc, et in praeceptis meis ambulaverit, et judicia mea custodierit: hic justus est. Justitiam ergo Joannes intelligit non habitualem, sed opera bona, quae vocantur opera justitiae; quemadmodum et Augustinus declarat in enarrat. Psalm. 118. conc. 16. Ex quo consequens est, in operatione virtutum consistere justitiam Christianam, non autem in sola peccatorum remissione; nec solum significari, quod opera justitiae sint signa quaedam exteriora, quae arguant, hominem esse justum coram Deo; sed esse ejusmodi, quae rationem habeant causae formalis, qua quis justus sit. Ut enim formaliter ab ambulatione quis dicitur ambulans, ita ab actibus justitiae, quos exercet, quis dicitur justus in actu, et consequenter a justitia habituali justus in habitu. Quemadmodum et e diverso mala opera formaliter hominem constituunt peccantem, et macula ex eis contracta peccatorem. Sed recurrit dubitatio, quam movimus ad finem capitis superioris, et solvendam huc usque distulimus. Quomodo verum sit, omnem eum, qui facit justitiam, justum esse? cum multi, tam Catechumeni, quam post lapsum poenitentes, opera justitiae exerceant, necdum justi, quia nondum justificati. Quae justificatio non contingit ordinarie, nisi dum actu suscipitur sacramentum ad hoc institutum; adeo ut dicat Augustinus tract. 13. super Joannem: Quod, quantumcumque catechumenus proficiat, adhuc sarcinam iniquitatis suae portat; non illi dimittitur, nisi cum venerit ad baptismum. Primum responderi potest, omnem ejusmodi hominem justum dici, quantum est ex parte operum justitiae, quae facit. Sunt enim ea legi divinae conformia, propter quod et a Joanne justitia vocantur; ut sit argumentum a conjugatis: Facit justitiam; ergo justus est. Quali ratione etiam Cornelius Centurio, nondum Christo incorporatus, Act. 10. vocatur religiosus ac timens Deum, cujus orationes et eleemosynae ascenderant in memoriam in conspectu Dei; idemque a domesticis suis, ad Petrum missis, non utique falso, justus ac timens Deum appellatus. Veruntamen, qui talis est, absolute justus dici non potest, eo quod ipsi desit ad justitiae complementum re missio peccatorum praecedentium, quorum ratione adhuc Dei inimicus eet, et irae ejus obnoxius. Non est autem absolute et simpliciter justus ac rectus, cui Deus est iratus sic, ut reum adhuc gehennae teneat. Alia responsio est, si dicamus, ejusmodi hominem justum esse, sed justitia actuali, quae consistit, ut ante dictum est, in bonis operibus; a quibus, hac consideratione, etiam formaliter justus est. Rursus alia responsio, quod dicatur justus a justitia inchoata et aliquo usque provecta. Nam initium justificationis est a fide et proposito novae vitae 5 progressus in exercitio bonorum operum; complementum in susceptione gratiae gratificantis. Multum autem profecit peccator, quando ad secundum in hoc genere gradum pervenit, etiamsi a tertio, ob causam, difteratur. Sed et hoc dici potest, Joannis sententiam sic intelligendam: Omnis, qui facit justitiam, a peccato liber, justus est et ex Deo natus. Nondum est autem liber a peccato, qui reatu ejus adhuc tenetur. Hesselii responsio est, Joannem scribere fidelibus jam per baptismum renatis, quos affirmat esse justos et filios Dei, si recte vivant; sin minus, regenerationis gratiam non habere, etiamsi percepcrint ejus sacramontum. Sicut et lUe justus est. Ita dictum fuit in fine capitis praecedentis: Si scitisj quoniam justus est etc. Utrumque vero de Christo dici, circumstantiae docent. Haec pars addita confirmat, quod diximus, ex hoc loco destrui justitiam haereticorum imputativam, quam constituunt in Bola peccatorum remissione. Christus enim, qui perfectissime justus est, quique factus est nobis a Deo justitia et sanctificatio et redemptio, 1 Cor. 1., sola mentis rectitudine justus est, non etiam peccatorum remissione, quae nulla habere potuit; sicut et angeli sancti eo tantum modo justi sunt. Verum quia nos homines in peccatis nati sumus, et in multis offendimus omnes, Jacob. 3., ut semper nobis necesse sit dicere Deo: Dimitte nobis debita nostra: idcirco non in sola rectitudine mentis, ct virtutum operatione consistit nostra justitia, sed etiam in remissione peccatorum, ut, iis condonatis, jam vere justi simus (etsi gradu longe inferiori), sicut et Ille justus est. Nam similitudo, non aequalitas significatur.
3:8
8. Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est. Antithesim statuit inter Christum et diabolum, et inter eos, qui justitiam faciunt, et qui peccatum; quae antithesis sic explicatur: Christus hominibus auctor est exercendae justitiae, diabolus auctor peccati; ut proinde alii Christum principem habeant, alii diabolum. Porro Christus justitiae nobis auctor est, tum quia a Deo Patre justitiam nobis sua passione promeruit, tum quia justitiae nobis exempla simul et praecepta tradidit; diabolus vero peccati auctor est hominibus, quoniam et primus peccavit, et primus homini peccatum suggessit ac persuasit, et ad omnia peccatorum genera miseros homines incitare et impellere numquam desistit. Igitur ex diabolo est omnis, qui facit peccatum, tamquam ex eo, qui peccati sit auctor et parens. Unde Dominus ad Judaeos Joan. 8.: Vos, inquit, facitis opera patris vestri, et iterum: Yos ex patre diabolo estis, et desideria patris vestri vultis perficere. Quocirca, qui peccatum faciunt, ex diabolo sunt, non solum imitatione (nam paucorum est, imitari velle diabolum in eo, quod peccant), sed quatenus peccant, et eo ipso, quo peccant, suggestionibus illius et tentationibus consentiendo. Id enim significat ratio, dictis Domini verbis indicata: Et desideria patris vestri vultis perficere. Si quis objiciat, multos multa committere peccata non ex suggestione daemonum, sed, ut B. Jacobus loquitur capito primo, a propria concupiscentia tentatos, abstractos et illectos, qui proinde, juxta sensum datum, dici non possint esse ex diabolo: respondeo, recte dici, diabolum omnis peccati in humano genere auctorem esse suggerendo atque suadendo; non quidem semper immediate; sed quia, quicumque peccat, 6x ea saltem concupiscentia ad peccandum inducitur, quae, diabolo per suasionem auctore, invocta est et diflfusa in totum genus humanum. Quoniam ah initio diabolus peccat. Non sentit Apostolus, ab initio suae creationis diabolum peccasse, quomodo locum hunc quidam male intellexerunt; quae sententia merito est ab Ecclesia rejecta atque damnata, tamquam Scripturis adversa, quae docent, diabolum per superbiam cecidisse e statu rectitudinis ac felicitatis, in quo creatus fuerat; quemadmodum ostendimus in secundum sentent. distinct. 3. Sed sensus Apostoli est: Ab initio, id est, sub ipsius mundi initiumj statim a mundi creatione, diabolum peccasse, cum prius nuUum esset in mundo peccatum. Quo etiam sensu Dominus de eo dicit Joan. 8.: lUe erat homicida ab initio. Nam et alibi illud: ab initio, sic accipitur; ut Mat^h. 19. et Marc. 10.: Ab initio creaturae masculum etfoeminam fecit eos Deus. Jam, ut valeat probatio, quam facit Apostolus, intelligendum est, ita ab initio diabolum peccasse, ut ab eo, vehit principio quodam, peccatum ad alios transiret. Nam, ut ille primus peccavit, ita caeteris omnibus, quicumque peccaverunt, tam angelis, quam hominibus, auctor peccandi fuit. Hinc ergo sequitur, omnes eos, qui faciunt peccatum, ex diabolo esse, sensu nimirum prius explicato. Notandum quoque est, Apostolum non dicere: peccavit ab initio, sed: peccat, quia, ut ait Beda, ex quo diabolus peccare coepit, numquam peccare desinit. Et quidem semper continuo peccat diabohjs, tum uno actu peccati, nempe superbiae, qua primum peccavit; tum plurimis atque innumeris aliis peccatis, tentando. Uuii. Eslii iouiiu. Tom. Ul. nocendoque hominibus. Nam ab hujusmodi numquam feriatur aut cessat, quia, sicut non dormitabit, neque dormiet, qui custodit Israel, Psalm. 120., ita numquam dormitat, neque dormit, qui impugnat Israel. Sunt autem peccata ejus omnia mortalia propter circumstantiam finis; quemadmodum docet S. Thomas 1. 2. q. 89. art. 4. in corpore et ad 3. In hoC apparuit Filius Dei, ut dissolvat opera diaboli. In hoc, Graece: £ig TOUTO, ad hoc, in eum finem. Dissolvat, Auaig, solvat, seu potius solveret, Repetit enim Apostolus aliis verbis id, quod supra vers. 5.: Ille apparuit, ut peccata nostra tolleret. Unde et manifestum est, per opera diaboli significari peccata. Quae quidem opera diaboli vocantur, quia diabolus eorum omnium auctor est ea ratione, quam superius attulimus. Patet etiam, haec duo: tollere peccata, et dissolvere opera diaboli, eadem esse, saltem concomitanter. Itaque sensus est: Dei Filium propterea in nostrae carnis substantia apparuisse, id est, incarnatum esse, ut per suam passionem solveret ac destrueret peccata, quae diabolus in genus humanum invexit. Itaque solvisse ea dicitur, quia pretium dedit redemptionis, quo solverentur et abolerentur peccata, propter quae eramus sub diaboli potestate captivi. Qui legunt: solvat aut dissolvat, referunt hoc verbum ad effectus passionis, quos omni tempore Filius Dei in hominibus operatur; videlicet convertendo peccatores et salutarem poenitentiam iis inspirando; deinde peccata seu peccatorum maculas ex animis delendo, poenasque simul pro iis debitas remittendo; denique peccatorum reliquias omnes penitus auferendo. Solvit autem opera diaboli Filius Dei non in omnibus hominibus, sed in electis, Nam in reprobis ea peccata, cum quibus hinc discedunt, numquam solvuntur. Hanc solvendi potestatem Christus ex parte quadam communicavit Ecclesiae praelatis, quibus dixit: Quaecumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in coelo, Matth. 18., et: 4t> Quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis, Joan. 20. Quaeres, an mors hoc loco dicenda sit opus diaboli. Non apparet. Nam, ut ostendimus, eadem Joanni sunt, opera diaboli et peccata^ mors autem peccatum non est, sed poena peccati, Deum habens auctorem. Nec enim in Christo locum habere potuit opus diaboli, ipso testante: Venit princeps hujus mundij et in me non habet quidquam, Joan. 14.; et tamen mortuus est Cbristns. Destruitur autem mors per Christum, non quod ipsa sit opus diaboli, sed quod ex opere diaboli, justo Dei judicio, subsecuta. Nam per peccatum mors, Rom. 5, Patet insuper (ut et hoc obiter addamus), ea signa, quibus ad nocendum hominibus utuntur malefici, non esse Joanni opera diaboli; t&mqaam ea Christi exemplo dissolvere ac destruere debeamus, ut argumentantur quidam. Non enim ea signa peccata sunt, sed Dei creaturae, ex pacto diabolico positae vel adhibitae ad nocendum. Et quidem ea solvere licet ac destruere iu nefarii pacti detestationem; sed non eo fine, ut, illis amotis aut destructis, a nocendo cesset diabolus; id enim esset miscere se pacto diaboli, quemadmodum latius ostendi super 4. sent. dist. 34.
3:9
9. Omnis, qui natus est ex Deo, pec~ catum non facit. Adducit hanc senlentiam Apostolus ad discrimen statuendum inter filios Dei et filios diaboli; quemadmodum et illam superiorem huic similem: OmniSj qui in Eo m.anetj non peccato ideoque eimiliter est exponenda, nimirum hoc sensu: Nemo natus ex Deo, id est, per regenerationem et gratiam adoptionis factus Dei filius, dum talis est, facit seu committit peccatum grande, qucd mortale vocamus. Nam de hujusmodi peccato Joannem agere, jam supra dictum ac declaratum est. Repetit eandem sententiam" infra cap. 5. v. 18. Quem locum, ut et hunc praesentem, sunt, qui intelligant de certo quodam genere peccati, quod in Spiritum sanctum committitur; id est, de impugnatione manifestatae veritatis. iidem natos ex Deo interpretantur praedestinatos, quos existimant, ex sententia Joannis, ita a Deo conservari, ut in ejusmodi peccatum numquam labantur. Sed haec interpretatio fundamentum non habet, ut nec ipsa opinio; quemadmodum ostendemus ad illud cap. 5.: Est pecca' tum ad mortem. Rectius S. Bernardus lib. de gratia et lib. arb., citans hoc Joannis testimonium; Hoc, inquit, dictum est de praedestinatis ad vitam; non quod omnino non peccent, sed quod peccatum ipsis non imputetur, quia vel punitur condigna poenitentia, vel in caritate absconditur. Item serm. 1. iu Septuagesima: Non peccat, inquit, id est, non permanet in peccato, quia conservat eum, ut perire non possit, ea, quae falli non potest, generatio coelestis. (Respicit enim Bernardus ad rationem cap. 5. subjunctam: Sed generatio Dei conservat tum); vel non peccat, id est, tantundem est, ac si non peccet, eo quod non imputetur illi peccatum. Haec ille. Quem tamen non esse germanum sensum istius sententiae, a Joanne toties iteratae, sed eum, quem primo dixi, satis liquet ex antedictis v. 6. Quod et confirmatur ex ratione, quam hoc loco subjungit:
Quoniam semen Ipsius in eo manet. Hoc semen Dei varie exponitur. Quidam esse dicunt Spiritum sanctum nos regenerantem; nonnulli Filium Dei; alii gratiam Spiritus sancti; alii caritatem Dei, si tamen haec a gratia Spiritus sancti diversa est; rursus alii verbum Dei, fide non otiosa susceptum. Quae omnia etsi probabiliter dicantur, ac fere eodem recidant, tamen ex mente B. Joannis esse videtur, ut per semen Dei intelligatur nativitas spiritualis, qua ex Deo renati sumus et facti filii Dei. Sic enim Joannes se ipsum exponere videtur cap. 5., ubi, cum similiter, ut hoc loco, dixisset: Omnis, qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat, pro ratione subjecit haec verba: Sed generatio Dei conservat eum; tamquam illa generatio Dei, conservans hominem ex Deo natum, sit hoc semen Dei manens in homine, qui ex Deo natus est. Sensus igitur est, eum, qui natus est ex Deo, propterea non peccare, quia nativitatem illam seu filiationem Dei in se habet manentem, cum qua peccatum non consistit. Dicitur autem manere in illo nativitas illa divina, non quod in eo permaneat usque in finem (non enim hic de perseverantia sermo est); sed, ut expositum est supra v. 6., quia permanenter inest atque inhaeret, velut quiescens, residens et inhabitans. Quod non fit sine qualitate aliqua permanente, ut hinc recte statuatur gratia permanenter inhaerens animae, quam vocamus gratiam habitualem.
Et non potest peccare, quoniam ex Deo natus est. Hujus quoque partis variae sunt expositiones, prout verbum potest varie solet accipi. Quidam: non potest, exponunt; non debet; ac si dicat Apostolus: Non licet ei peccare, videlicet ob acceptam a Deo tantam gratiam, qua filius Dei factus sit. Hic sensus est apud Augustinum lib. de natura et gratia^ cap. 14., et apud Orosium in Apologia. Alius sensus: Non potest, id est, non vult, habituali scilicet volantate. Quomodo exponit Oecumenius. Item alius: Non potest peccare, quatenus*ex Deo natus est; sed hoc modo nec venialiter potest peccare. Porro Calvinus et alii nostrae aetatis haeretici sic intelligunt: Non potest ita peccare, quin semper in eo maneat illud semen, quo regeneratus est; quod incorruptibile esse dicunt et exstingui non posse, sed perpetuam vim ac vigorem retinere; licet interdum ad tempus supprimi contingat, ut vim suam non exserat, instar carbonis vivi cineribus undique contecti. Sed hic sensus olim in Joviniano damnatus est, et apertissimis Scripturis repugnat, quae docent, a gratia Dei posse hominem excidere, et in damnabilia peccata incidere. Item, perseverantiam fidei et caritatis esse specialia Dei dona, non omnibus fidelibus et justis communia. Quo pertinent innumerabiles exhortationes ad perseverandum in fide et sancta conversatione. Vetus autem ac germanior hujus loci intellectus est, quem tradit Hieronjmus lib. 2. contra Jovin.: Non potest peccare, quamdiu manet filius; sensu videlicet composito, ut ajunt Logici, quem declarat addita ratio: quoniam ex Deo natus est. Nam et eadem ratio praecessit: quoniam semen Ipsius in eo manet. Breviter ergo tale est, quod Apostolus dicit: Stare simul haec duo non possunt, peccare et esse filium Dei. Similes sunt locutiones, illa Pauli: Qui in carne sunt, Deo placere non possunt, Rom. 8.; illa Christi: Non potestis Deo servire et mammonae, Matth. 6.
3:10
10. In hoc manifesti sunt filii Dei et filii diaboli. Id est: Hoc signo dignoscuntur in hoc saeculo inter se filii Dei et filii diaboli, quod isti peccant, illi non peccant. Refertur enim illud: in hoc, iv TOUTO)^ ad praecedentia, ubi dixit: Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est; et: Qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit. Unde patet, illas sententias de peccato mortifero debere intelligi. Non enim venialia peccata, sed mortalia, discernunt filios diaboli a filiis Dei. Liquet etiam, filios Dei intelligi secundum praesentem justitiam, non secundum aeternam praedestinationem. Nam et filii diaboli intelliguntur secundum praesentem injustitiam. Porro sicut discrimen inter filios Dei et diaboli hic assignatur per peccare et non peccare, id est, per malum affirmatum et negatum: ita recte statuitur per diligere et non diligere, id est, per bonum affirmatum et negatum. Quod discrimen indicat infra vers. 14. et capite sequenti vers. 7. et 8. Unde est illud praeclare dictum ab Augustino, tractante hunc locum: Dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei et filios diaboli. Signent se omnes signo crucis Christi; respondeant smnes: Amen! Cantent omnes: Alleluja; baptizentur omnes; intrent Ec" clesias; non discernuntur filii Dei a filiis diaboli, nisi caritate. Qui habent caritatem, nati sunt ex Deo; qui non habent, non sunt nati ex Deo. Quidquid vis, habe; hoc solum non habeas; nihil tibi prodest. Alia si non habeas, hoc habe, et implesti legem. Qui enim diligit alterum, legem implevit, et: Plenitudo legis caritas. Haec Augustinus, quae fere eadem ex illo Beda retulit in suum commentarium. Ex hac autem Apostoli doctrina non est consequens, in hoc saeculo manifestum nobis esse, qui sunt filii Dei, qui filii diaboli; qui justi, et qui injusti. Sentit enim Joannee, ea, quae dicta sunt, peccare et non peccare, diligere et non diligere f certissimas esse notas et signa hujus discriminis; non tamen semper nobis evidentia; sed quantum signa cognoscere possumus, tantum etiam judicare nos posse de hominibus per illa discernendis.
Omnis, qui non est justus, non est ex Deo. Graeca et Syriaca sic habent: Omnis non faciens justitiam etc. Sed idem est sensus. Jam enim supra dictum est, quod, qui facit justitiam, justus est. Et nostra lectio omnium est Latinorum, etiam antiquissimorum, Tertulliani libro de pudicitia, cap. 19., et Cypriani lib. 3. ad Quirinum, testimonio tertio. Spectat haec pars ad declarationem supradicti discriminis: Quisquis, inquit, non est justus, et justitiam non facit, id est, opera justitiae non exercet, non est ex Deo natus, proinde nec inter filios Dei numerandus. Ex quo relinquit intelligendum, quod sit ex diabolo, id est, filius diaboli. Simul innuit, non eos solos a semine Dei alienos esse, et ad diaboli semen pertinere, qui gravia peccata committunt; verum etiam qui bona, quae facere deberent, omittunt (quod est non facere justitiam); atque hos etiam generali sententia, qua dixerat: Qui facit peccatum, ex diabolo est, comprehendi. Sunt enim peccata grandia atque mortifera non solum commissionis, sed e^ omissionis.
Et qui non diligit fratrem suum. Supple ex eo, quod praecedit: non est ex Deo. Addit autem Apostolus: Et qui non diligit fratrem suum, non tamquam aliquid diversum a priore, illo sciJicet: qui non facit justitiam; sed magis docendi et explicandi causa, ne quis sibi placeat, tamquam justitiam faciens, qui fratrem non diligit. Nam justitia Christiana principaliter in dilectione consistit, primum Dei, deinde proximi. Cur autem proximum potius nominet, quam Deum, ipse causam reddit capite sequenti, versu penultimo, ibidem a nobis explicandam. Fratrem quidam interpretantur Christianum, eo quod Christiani initio se mutuo fratres appellarent. Verum illa tam stricta fratris acceptio non convenit huic loco. Respicit enim Joannes procul dubio tum ad Dei praeceptum in lege: Diliges amicum seu proximum tuum sicut te ipsum, Lev. 19.; tum ad mandatum Christi, quod capite praecedenti vers. 8. vocavit novum mandatum, quodque exstat in Evangelio Matth. 5. et Joan. 13. et 15. Constat autem, his mandatis, secundum veram intelligentiam, praecipi dilectionem non eorum tantum, qui nobiscum ejusdem sunt religionis, sed et aliorum omnium, etiam infidelium et inimicorum, quos omnes proximi nomen comprehendit. Igitur fratrem intellige proximum, id est, quemlibet hominem. Sunt enim omnes homines inter se fratres propter communem parentem Deum, ad quem etiam ista, quae nobis omnibus praecipitur, fratris dilectio referenda est. Vide supra ad cap. 2. vers. 9. et infra ad initium cap. 5.
3:11
11. Quoniam haec est annuntiatio, quam audistis ab initio, ut diligatis alterutrum. Diligatis, Graece: ayaTcdi- ]i£v, diligamus; quemadmodum et Augustinus legit, et nonnulli codices Latini; tametsi id sensum non mutat. Annuntiationem vero dixit pro re annuntiata. Hoc vobis, inquit, annuntiatum, traditum est, cum primum facti estis Christiani; sic instituti estis ab initio, ut omnes nos invicem diligamus; adeo quidem, ut siae eo filii Dei, Christique discipuli esse non possimus. Haec enim est tessera discipulorum ejus, ipso testante Joan. 13.: In hoc cognoscent omnes, quia discipuli mei estis, si dilectinnem habueritis ad invicem. Hinc ergo sequitur, eum, qui fratiein non diligit, ex Deo non esse.
3:12
12. Non sicut Cain, qui ex maligno erat. Graeci legunt absque relativo: Non sicut Cain ex malo erat. Utrovis modo legatur, supplemento opus est ad constructionem. Juxta Graecam lectionem ita suppleri et construi textus poterit: Ut diligatis aJterutrum, et non oderitis fratres, ne sitis ex diabolo, sicut Cain, odio fratrem prosequens, ex malo erat. Juxta Latinam brevius et commodius hoc modo: Ut diligatis alterutrum, non agentes, sicut Cain, qui ex malo erat. Nam sic agere, id est, fratrem odisse et occidere, quod ille fecit, non est diligere fratrem, sed dilectioni fraternae e diametro contrarium. Adfert Apostolus exemplum Cain, qui et primus, et insignis fuit osor ac persecutor fratris, et inter homines quodammodo caput atque archetypus malorum, a quo civitas diaboli ceperit initium. Malignus seu malus, Graece: 6 uovrjpoc;, per antonomasiam diabolus intelligitur, velut capite praecedenti vers. 13. et 14., et alibi frequenter. Hinc alii, vim articuli volentes exprimere, vertunt: ex illo malo, id est, ex diabolo, qui in malitia tenet principatum. Fuit autem Cain ex diabolo, ut patre, sicut declaratum est supra; ac proinde diaboli filius, et filius quidem, non qualiscumque, sed primogenitus.
Et occidit fratrem suum. Et eodem, inquit, maligno, id est diabolo, instigante, ut qui erat homicida ab initio, Joan. 8, occidit fratrem suum Abel. Hic nimirum primus fuit fluctus odii fraterni. Historia nota est ex Gen. 4.
Et propter quid occidit eum? Graeca sonant: Et cujus gratia occidit eum? seu plenius: Et cujus rei gratia? Sic enim verterunt Erasmus et alii, quasi quaeratur causa finalis. Verum responsio, quam Joannes suae reddidit interrogationi, declarat, non finalem causam occisionis requisitam faisse, sed causam invidiae et odii, quo motus fuit ad occidendum •, ut proinde rectius verterit interpres noster, et eum secutus Hentenius: propter quid? ac si quaereret Apostolus: Quid movit, quid impulit eum, ut occideret fratrem? Responsio:
Quoniam opera ejus maligna erant, fratris autem ejus justa. Occidit eum, inquit, invidia motus, qua invidebat ei gloriam, quam ex bonis operibus habebat, persequens in eo, quod bonus erat. Cum enim ambo sacrificium Deo offerrent, respexit Dominus ad Abel, et ad mu^ nem ejus, ait Scriptura; ad Cain autem, et ad munera illius non respexit. En gloria, quam ex bonis operibus habuit Abel, Deo videlicet sacrificium ejus, et justitiam, et opera approbante signo aliquo manifesto. Quod quale fuerit, indicat versio Theodotionis ab Hieronymo relata in traditionibus super Genesim. Ea sic habet: Et inflammavit Dominus super Abel et super sacrificium ejus; super Cain autem, et super sacrificium ejus non inflammavit. Quae nimirum inflammatio videtur ea fuisse, qua sacrificium Abel incensum et inflammatum fuit igne coelitus immisso; quemadmodum et alias factum legitur in sacrificiis Deo placitis, ut Lev. 9., 2 Par. 8. et 3 Reg. 18. Cain igitur, cujus sacrificium non inflammavit ignis coelestis, igne succensus est invidiae et odii adversus fratrem; quibus duabus facibus agitatus, eum interfecit. Quod exemplum optime convenit instituto B. Joannis, ut qui agat de ea fratris dilectione, qua diligitur, ut bene vivat et Deo inhaereat; itemque de eo odio, quod patitur, quia bene vivit et Deo carus est. Quod odium proprie diabolicum est, ac proprie diaboli filios facit. Nam ex hujusmodi odio diabolus hominem ab initio persecutus dejecit, ac duplici morte, cum toto genere, occidit. Tale fuit odium Judaeorum adversus Christum, quorum vox est apud Sapientem cap. 2.: Circumveniamus justum, quoniam contrarius est operibus nostris, et improperat nobis peccata legis. Imo generalis est sententia B. Augustini in enarrat. Psalm. 1 28.: Omnis malus ideo persequitur bonum, quia non illi consentit bonus ad malum.
3:13
13. Nolite mirari, fratres, si odit vos mundus. Graece et Syriace: fratres mei. Subjicit hoc Apostolus ad consolationem fidelium, ut ne mirentur, tamquam de re nova, quod multis sint exosi; cum res sit valde vetus, bonos odium et persecutionem sustinere a malis. Quemadmodum exemplo Cain demonstratum est. Levius autem ferendum est malum, quod nec novum est, nec insolitum, et quod habeas cum omnibus bonis commune. Omnes enim, qui pie volunt vivere in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur, 2 Tim. 3. Mundum vocat multitudinem hominum, quorum plurimi mali sunt.
3:14
14. Nos scimus y quoniam translati sumus de morte ad vitam. Pertinet hoc ad consolationis amplificationem; nc si dicat: Quamvis impii nos odio persequantur, etiam ad mortem usque, tamen illud in mediis malis consolari nos debet ac recreare, quod sciamus, translatos nos esse de morte ad vitam. Cum autem multiplex sit mors et vita, tam animae, quam corporis, uti dih'genter Hesselius in commentario declarat: illa mors hic intelligitur, qua dicitur anima mortua, vel homo mortuus morte peccati; quomodo dixit Paulus de vidua, 1 Tim. 5.: Quae in deliciis est, vivens mortua est; et illa vita, qua vivere dicitur vel anima, vel homo vita justitiae; ut mortis nomine peccatum, et vitae nomine justitiam accipiamus, sitque sensus: Nos scire, quod translati sumus de morte peccati ad vitam justitiae. Quamquam et sic intelligi potest, quod translati sumus e statu mortis aeterni ad statura aeternae vitae; nempe quod ad meritum attinet. Cum enim essemus per peccatum obnoxii gehennae, facti sumue per jjstitiam regni coelestis haeredes. Ut proinde tnors intelligatur totius hominis aetema perditio, vita autem aeterna felicitas. Caeterum non illud sentit Apostolus, unumquemque fidelem certo scire, quod sit translatus de morte ad vitam, et pruinde in statu gratiae constitutus; quomodo locum hunc et similes prave sectarii interpretantur pro sua fide speciali; sed sermo generalis est, in persona fidelium scriptus, et ita exponendus: Nos Christiani certa fide novimus, omnes honos fideles, quorum e numero nos esse, singuli confidimus, translatos esse de morte ad vitam. Dicit autem: translati sumus, scilicet a Deo, ut non nostris viribus aut meritis, sed Dei gratiae totum salutis nostrae beneficium noverimus attribuendum. Sic et Paulus Col. 1.: Eripuit nos, inquit, de potestate tenebrarum, et transtulit in regnum Filii di- Jectionis suae.
Quoniam diligimus fratres. Non hic significatur meritum, aut omnino causa dictae translationis, quasi prius sit, diligere fratres, posterius autem et effectus illius, transferri de morte ad vitam, id est justificari. Neque enim opera bona praecedunt justificandum, sed sequuntur justificatum, ut concinne B. Auguetiuus dicit lib. de fide et operibus, cap. 14. Nam per justificationem creamur in bonis operibus, quae praeparavit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus, Eph. 2. Sed causalitas haec referenda est ad cognitionem. Nam ex dilectione fraterna velut effectu et signo cognoscimus, nos de morte ad vitam translatos esse; et quantum de illa certi sumus, tantum et de isto. Redeat uyiusquisque, inquit hoc loco Augustinus, ad cor suum; si ibi invenerit caritatem fraternam, securus sit, quia transiit a morte ad vitam. Veruntamen, etsi dilectio Dei et proximi justificationem nostram totam, cujus initium est a fide, nec raereator, nec praecedat, sed sub ea comprehendatur tamquam pars ejus; impetrat tamen remissionis gratiam, juxta verbum Domini Luc. 7.: Remittuntur ei peccata multa, quoniam dilexit multum. Sed et augendae justificationis est causa, ut, quijustus est, opera caritatis exercendo justificetur adhuc, Apoc. ultimo.
Qui non diligit, manet in morte. Addit suo more merabmm oppositum. In Graeco et Syriaco casus exprimitur verbi transitivi: Qui non diligit fratrem, manet in morte, qui facile ex praecedentibus suppletur. Mortem intellige, utsupra, vel peccati, vel damnationis aeternae, quantum ad meritum et reatum attinet. Igitur, qui non diligit fratrem, id est, officia dilectionis, quum opus est, ei non impendit, manet m morte jam dicta, quia ab ea ad vitam non transfertur; remanens videlicet iu eo, aut certe recidens in illud, in quo natus est, in peccatum, et statum damnationis. Estque certissimum hujus signum, non diligere fratrem. Quidam non diligere fratrem exponunt: odisse fratrem, tam hoc loco, quam supra vers. 10. Sed nulla necessitas est hujus expositionis, imonec utilitas. Constat enim, non solum odiendo et persequendo, sed et non diligendo, et caritatis officia non exhibendo, multos peccare mortaliter, quibus utile est, ut sciant, se manere in morte, nisi resipiscant. Abunde id docent verba Christi judicis ad reprobos: Discedite a me, maledicti. Esurivi enim, et non dedistis mihi m,anducare etc., Matth. 25. Sed et sanctus Joannes infra negat, caritatem in eo manere, qui a fratre necessitatem patiente viscera sua clauserit, vers'. 17.
3:15
15. Omnis, qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Obiter* attexit praecedenti sententiae aliquid, vehiti incremento quodam orationis, quod faciat adversus odium fratrum; quasi dicat: Si manet in morte, qui non diligit; quo loco creditis esse eum, qui fratrem non tantum non diligit, sed etiam odit? Vobis affirmo, illum coram Deo esse homicidam. Sed quomodo vera cit haec Apostoli sententia tam generaliter enuntiata, dubitatur; praesertim cum superiori capite de eo, qui odit fratrem, non plus dixerit, semel 'et iterum, quam quod in tenebris sit, et in tenebris ambulet; quod commune est omni peccanti mortaliter. Nec vero sufficit hunc locum sic exponere: Quisquis fratrem suum odit, homicida est suiipsius, quia fratrem odiendo, suam ipsius animam occidit, secundum illud Sap. 16.: Homo occidit per malitiam animam suam. Plus enim Joannem dicere velle, manifestum est. Nam respicit ad Cain interfectorem fratris, et cum illo comparat omnem eum, qui fratrem suum odit. Igitur homicidam intelligit eum, qui alterius sit interfector. Unde nec satis est huic sententiae, si ideo dicatur homicida fratris, quia, dum fratrem ex odio persequitur, provocat eum ad iram et discordiam, et sic, quantum in ipso est, occidit eum in anima, ut explicat glossa ordinaria. Non enim hujusmodi fratris occisioni respondet exemplum Cain et aliorum, qui propter justitiam fratres oderunt, occiderunt, et martjres fecerunt. Rectius igitur duobus modis intelligi potest, omnem eum, qui fratrem odit, homicidam esse: Vel quia omne fraternum odium saltem dispositio quaedam est ad homicidium, alia remotior, alia propinquior, sicut imperfectum dispositio est ad perfectum; qua ratione omnis iniquus motus ad nocendum fratri in homicidii genere deputatur; quemadmodum et omnis motus libidinoeus ad genus moochiae pertinet. Vel quia completum odium fratris, etiamsi lateat in animo, nec in opus erumpat, homicidium animo et voluntate constituit, et homicidii reatum inducit. Quod enim perfecte quis odit, optat, non esse. Etenim antiqua sententia est, ait Hieronymus Epistola 62.: Quem odit quis, periisse cupit. Et ita praesentem locum intellexisse vidotur B. Thomas 2. sec. quaest. 34. art. 4., disputans, utrum odium proximi sit gravissimum peccatorum, quae in proximum committuntur. Cum ergo, qui fratrem odit, hac odii perfectione cupiat eum sublatum e medio, profecto occidit eum in corde suo; ut simile sit hoc dictum Apostoli cum eo, quod dicit Dominus Matth. 5.: Omnis, qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam moechatus est eam in corde suo. Nam et illud, quod in oodem sermone dicit Dominus: Omnis, qui irascitur fratri suo, reus erit judicio, non improbabiliter a quibusdam exponitur de judicio condemnationis, cui obnoxius est, qui iram completam et in odium, quale hic intelligitur, conversam gerit in animo. Nam ut illa dicta aunt a Domino contra Scribas et Pharisaeos, qui reum homicidii lege vetiti neminem cen- Bebant, nisi qui homicidium ipso opere perpetrasset: ita et hoc a Joanne dictum advereus illius temporis haereticos quosdam, ejusdem Pharisaicae doctrinae sectatores. Qua de re consule Augustinum lib. 19. contra Faustum, cap. 23. Breviter itaque reddi potest hic sensub: Quicumque fratrem suum odit, optans aut volens ei mortem, homicida est. Hac enim ratione etiam diabolus homicida fuit, antequam suasione sua propelleret hominem in mortem; et Cain homicida, quando iratus fuit, ut habetur Gen. 4., nondum mittens manum in fratrem. Prior expositio propterea minus placet, quia comprehendit etiam motus odii fraterni veniales, utpote disponentes ad odium mortale. Constat autem ex praecedentibus, Joannem loqui de odio, quod mortem adferat. Posterior vero expositio adjuvatur etiam illo, quod docent Theologi, actum exteriorem peccati nihil malitiae moralis addere interiori, caeteris paribus.
Et scitis, guoniam omnis homicida non habet vitam aeternam in semet ipso manentem. Hoc scire eos dicit, quia sic instituti erant, et sic tenebant. Vita aeterna potest intelligi vel caritas ei justitia, per quam certissime tenditur ae pervenitur ad vitam aeternam, imo quae salutis ac vitae aeternae initium est, consummationem. habitura in futuro saeculo; vel ipsa beata futuri saeculi vita, quam in se manentem habere dicitur omnis jufltus, quia constitutus est in statu illius adipiscendae ex merito praesentis justitiae. Quae quidem justitia in ipso manere dicitur eodem sensu. quo superius dixit, semen Dei in eo manere, qui ex Deo natus est; qu'a nirairnm in eo residet, ceu permanens aliquid, instar habitus. Continet haec pars propositionem syllogismi, quo probet Apostohis suum institutum, ut praecedens assumptionem. Nullus, inquit, homicida habet in se vitam aeternam; omnis, qui odit fiatrem, homicida est; ergo nemo fratrem odiens habet in se vitam, sed manet in morte, majore etiam ratione, quam qui fratrem, quum diligere re ipsa deberet, non diligit re et effectu.
3:16
16. In hoc cognovimus caritatem Dei, quoniam ille animam suam pro nobis posuit. Hortaturus fideles ad caritatis erga fratres officia, Christi Domini proponit exemplum, qui summam erga nos caritatem ostendit, animam suam ponens pro nobis. Quo suo exemplo ipse Dominus discipulos hortatus est, dicens: Hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, Joan. 15. 6enitivus Dei in Graecis codicibus non habetur, uno excepto, qui sit instar multorum, Complutensi. Syrus quoque interpres non expressit. Sed nec Augustinus in textu posuit, quem declarat; licetBeda aliique Latini legant, et ex eo probent Christi divinitatem. Argumento est, a Joanne scriptum non fuisse, quod loco pronominis ille non sit in Graeco autoc, sed IxsTvot;, quod ad remotius referri solet; ut videatur Joannes ad illud respicere, quod dixerat v. 8.: In hoc apparuit Filius Dei, etc. Haec efficiunt, quo minus hic locus sit evidens et promptus ad demonstrandam Christi divinitatem, nt sunt alia multa Scripturae loca. Neque necesse est, incerta aut obscura ad victoriam urgere testimonia, ubi certa et aperta minime desunt. Potestautem secundnmGraecamlectionera intelligi caritas absolute,' hoc sensu: Per hoc nobis declaratur debitum caritatis erga fratres, quod Christus animam suam pro nobis posuit. Hoc enim suum exemplum voluit nos imitari. Vel caritas Christi designate potest accipi, ut sensus sit: Hoc argumento nos Christiani cognoscimus Christi caritatem erga nos, quod ipse pro nobis aeterna morte liberandis animam suam posuit. Dicitur autem animam &uam posuisse, Hebraea phrasi, quia voluntarie mortuus est, animae sustinens a corpore separationem. Quo etiam sensu martyres dicuntur animas suas posuisse, videlicet id facientes, quod hic sequitur: Et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere. Tametsi Christus animam suam posuit quodam insuper peculiari modo, quem indicare voluit, quando dixit ad Judaeos: Nemo tollit eam a me; sed ego pono eam a me ipso, et: Potestatem habeo ponendi eam, et iterum sumendi eam, Joan. 10.: scilicet iis verbis significans, se potestatem habere moriendi, et animam suam deponendi, id est, a corpore separandi, quando et quomodo vellet; quemadmodum et resumendi; quam potestatem alii martyres nulli habuerunt. Cujus rei declarationem ampliorem vide apud Augustinum lib. 4. de Trinitate, cap. 13.
Et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere. Sic et nos, inquit, exemplo Christi Domini ac magistri nostri, qui dixit: Exemplum dedi vobis, ut, quemadmo^ dum ego feci vobis, ita et vos faciatiSj Joan. 13., debemus pro salute fratrum animas ponere, id est, voluntarie mortem subire. Nam et ordo caritatis id postulat, ut plus animam proximi, quam ccrpus nostrum diligamus, et honorem Dei (qui in animarum salute etiam consistit) aliis omnibus bonis anteponaraus. Postulat autem interdum honor et gloria Dei, ut pro temporali vita proximorum conservanda nostram ipsorum vitam exponamus periculo, quoties scilicet ea res ulterius ordinatur ad eorundem vel aliorum salutem aeternam. Ita legimus, Alexandriae presbyteros, diaconos et alios fideles quam plurimos, cum pestis saevissima grassaretur, morbo laborantibus sponte ministrasse, mortemque libenter oppetivisse. Quos, velut martyres, religiosa piorum fides venerari consuevit, ut habet Romanum Martyrologium pridie Kal. Martii. Historiam refert Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 16. et 17. ex Dionysio Alexandrino. Nec dissimile eet, quod narrat Gregorius lib. 3. dialogi, cap. 37., quendam presbyterum, Sanctulum nomine, sese obtrnncandura obtulisse pro diacono, qui a Longobardis erat occidendus. Quod ejus factum magnifice laudat, affirmans, eum praestitisse, quod hoc loco praecipit Apostolus, id est, animam pro fratre posuisse. Porro tenentur ex officio ad ponendum animas pro fratribus, ubi res postulat, omnes animarum pastores. Quibus omnibus in Petro, primo pastore. dictum est: Sequere me, Joan. 21., id est, animam tuam pone pro ovibus meis, sicut et ego pro eis animam meam posui. Caeteri vero fideles, licet non ex officio ad hoc teneantur, debent tamen eam habere caritatem, qua parati sint ad mortem pro fratribus obeundam, ubi salus illorum et honor Dei ita requireret. Et quia generalis est Apostoli sententia, dictans, quid omnes debeamus, idcirco sic intelligenda est, quomodo et alia praecepta affirmativa; nempe debere nos in animi praeparatione, si res exigat, pro fratribus animas ponere. Non igitur ab omnibus Christianis tanta perfectio caritatis exigitur, quanta a pastoribus, qal ex officio ad eximinra illum caritatis actum tenentur loco et tempore exercendum; habere tamen omnes eam perfectionem debent in desiderio et studio assequendi. Quocirca non hinc sequitur, omnes debere esse perfectos; sequitur tamen, omnes ad perfectionem tendere et conari debere. Nec verum est, quod scribit Thomas Anglicus, ad hoc praeceptum solos perfectos teneri. Quid enim, si pastor imperfectus sit, ut multi sunt; annon tenebitur? Melius diceret, ad hanc perfectionem omnes etiam imperfectos teneri in casu; sicut dictum est. Vide, quae scribunt his consentanea B. Augustinus et Joannes Hesselius ad hunc locum.
3:17
17. Qui habuerit substantiam hujus mundi, et viderit, fratrem suum necesse habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo; quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo? Particulam: hujus, meliores codices non addunt, ut nec Grraeca, quae sic habent: Qui vero habuerit victum mundi, et viderit fratrem suum opus habentem, efc.; tametsi recte vertunt interpretes; substantiam, quod Graece est: xov Piov. Nam ea voce praeter alia tum victus significari solet, tum generaliter omnia, quae ad victum et vitae praesentis usum pertinent, ut sunt alimenta, vestes, pecuniae, possessiones. Quod totum substantiae seu facultatum nomine comprehenditur. Viscera claudere a fratre, est commiserationis affectum et effectum ei noUe exhibere. Nam viscera pro affectu interiore, praesertim amoris et misericordiae, metaphora est in Scripturis utriusque testamenti frequens. Itaque sensus est: Qui habet facultates mundanas, ex quibus etiam aliorum indigentiae queat subvenire, et novit fratrem suum seu proximum egentem, nec tamen opem misericordiae ei impendat, inopiam ejus sublevando; quomodo fieri potest, ut caritas Dei, communis omnium parentis, propter quem frater diligendus est, in animo ejas resideat ac domicilium habeat? ac si dicat Apostolus, id fieri non posse. Descendit aatem ab opere caritatis excellentissimo, de quo dicit Dominus Joan. 15.: Majorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis, id est fratribus, ad opus multo inferius, quod est, de bonis exterioribus aliquid indigenti fratri impertire •, ut saltem habeat caritatem inchoatam, qui nondum habet perfectam. Cui dicit Augustinus: Si nondum es idoneus mori pro fratre, jam idoneus esto dare de tuis facultatibus fratri. Nam, ut ait Gregorius hom. 14. super Evangelia, qui non dat pro ovibus substantiam suam, quando pro his daturus est animam suam? Nominat Apostolus caritatem Dei potius, quam proximi, ne quis existimet, salva caritate et amicitia Dei, negligere se posse caritatem ac beneficentiam in fratres. Hinc ait capite sequenti: Qui non diligit fratrem suum, quem videt, Deum, quem non videt, quomodo po~ test diligere? Ethoc, inquit, mandatum habemus a Deo, ut, qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum. Porro notanda est in verbis Apostoli duplex ratio adducens obligationem ad tribuendam eleemosynam pauperibus. Prior est substantia mundi, ex qua fit facultas tribuendi; altera necessitas fratris. Quae quanto major est, tanto major exsistit ad tribuendum obligatio. Proinde necessitas fratris extrema omnes obligat habentes, quod dare possint, etiam pauperes. Necessitas autem illius extremae proxima obligat etiam eos, qui tantum mediocriter habent. Arcta ipsius necessitas eos obligat, quibus bene prospectum est, etiamsi superfluum quoad statum non habeant. Vulgaris seu communis, ut vocant, necessitas obligat omnes superfluum habentes, quorum, quanto majores sunt divitiae, tanto major hac parte est obligatio. Jam quod quaeri solet, quando neglectus eleemosynae sit peccatum mortale, non potest in particulari per singula definiri; sed id relinquitur, ut bene scribit Hesselius, spirituali prudentiae determinandum. IUud constat, Apostoli sententiam praecipue divites constringeie, id est, superfluum habentes. Frivolum est autem ac sophisticum, quod eam nonnulli interpretantur de extrema fratrum necessitate; quasi Joannes instruat hoc loco fideles tantum de eo casu, qui rarissime eveniat; et non potius agat de necessitate illa fratrum, quae frequens est ac paene quotidiana. Lege, quae de hoc argumento disputant Theologi in 4. distinct. 15., et quae S. Thomas ejusque commentatores in 2. sec. quaest. 32. artic. 5. et 6. et alibi.
3:18
18. Filioli mei, non diligamus verbo, neque lingua, sed opere et veritate. Exhortatio necessaria propter eos, qui dilectionem fraternam verbo obtendentes, opere non praestant; quales introducit B. Jacobus in Epistola sua cap. 2. dicentes: Ite in pace, calefacimini et saturamini. Non solum (inquit Joannes) verbo et lingua diligamus fratres, ut faciunt, qui blande et speciose loquuntur, interim nihil dantes, unde juventur egeni; sed dilectionem opere et effectu monstremus. Igitur diligere verbo et lingua, sicut hic accipitur, revera non est diligere et proinde Deo non placet. Est autem sermo hic ad eos, quibus est facultas opere et veritate diligendi. Quidam distingaunt diligere verbo, et diligere lingua, ac rursus diligere operej et diligere veritate, dicentes, eum verbo diligere, qui dilectionem simulat, nihil tribuens; eum vero diligere lingua, qui tribuit quidem, sed ad proprium commodum respiciens. Magis apparet, Joannem usum vocabulis ejusdem aut vicinae significationis, quo rem diligentius inculcaret; quemadmodum et Dominus apud Osee Prophetam fecit in sententia non plane dissimili cap. 6.: Misericordiam volui, et non sacrificium; et scientiam,Dei plus, quam holocausta.
3:19
19. In hoc cognoscimus, quoniam ex veritate sumus, et in conspectu Ejus suadebimus corda nostra. In conspectu EjuSy Graece: spiTipoo^sv auxou, coram Eo. Dixit autem noster interpres: corda nostra, pro: cordibus nostris, Graecum casum secutus, quemadmodum et legitur Jud. 12.: Suade Hebraeam illam; quum alibi dativum reddat, ut Gal. 1.: Modo hominibus suadeo, an Deo? et 2 Cor. 5.: Hominibus suademus. Porro notandum est, Joannem uti hac phrasi: in hoc cognoscere, per totam fere Epistolam pro eo, quod est, hoc illove a^gumento sive signo cognoscere. Et ita qui^em, ut demonstratio referatur interdum ad id, quod praecessit, interdumad id, quod sequitur; uti poterit observare, qui volet. Hic vero non ita liquet, utro debeat referri. Ad partem subsequentem refert Augustinus hoc sensu: Per hoc, quod in conspectu Dei, id est, in conscientia nostra, quam solus Deus videt, persuademus cordibus nostris, id est nobis ipsis, ex sola nos fratris dilectione ei succurrere, cognoscimus, nos esse ex veritate. Congruit huic sensui illud Apostoli Pauli 2 Cor. 1.: Gloria nostra haec est, testimonium conscientiae nostrae, quod in simplicitate et sinceritate Dei, et non in sapientia carnali, sed in gratia Dei conversati sumus in hoc mundo, et Gal. 6.: Opus suum probet unusquisque; et sic in semet ipso tantum gloriam hahehit, et non in altero. Verum obstat huic constructioni sermo copulans: et in conspectu Ejus etc, cum dicendum esset: quia seu quoniam in conspectu Ejus suadebimus etc.; quemadmodum supra loquitur vers. 14.: Nos scimus, quod translati sumus de morte ad vitam, quoniam diligimus fratras. Itaque probabilius est, demonstrationem, ut docet Oecumenius, ad praecedentia referendam, et hunc esse sensum: Ex hoc, quod non solum verbo et lingua, sed opere et veritate fratres diligimus, sincere videlicet atque ex animo illis benefacientes, cognoscimus, nos esse ex veritate; et proinde, si id faciamus, conscientiam nostram coram Deo tranquillam atque pacatam reddemus, quod eum vere diligamus, certa concepta fiducia, quod damnationem in judicio Dei simus evasuri; ut inferius hoc et sequenti capite explicatur. Esse ex veritate, quidam expoliunt: esse ex Deo, vel ex Christo, qui est veritas; ut sensus sit, eum, qui diligit opere et veritate, cognoscere, quod sit ex Deo natus, Deique filius, a quo vera felicitas exspectanda sit. Ita Christus ad Pilatum, Joan. 18.: Omnis, qui est ex veritate, audit vocem meam,. ipro eo, quod Judaeis dixerat, cap. 8.: Qui ex Deo est, verba Dei audit. Secundum alios, esse ex veritate, est: veritatem amare et sectari, quod fit, ubi liber est animus a tenebris pravarum cupiditatum. Id de se cognoscit, qui opere et veritate fratrem diligit. Potest etiam per veritatem intelligi veracitas Dei in promissis, quomodo dicit Paulus, Christum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis, propter veritatem Dei, ad confirmandas promissiones patrum, Rom. 15. Juxta quam interpretationem ex veritate sunt, qui quemadmodum in eadem Epistola cap. 9. Paulus loquitur, plii sunt promissionis, id est, ipsi Abrahae promissi, quando ei dictum est: In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes, Gen. 22., qui quidem, eodem Apostolo exponente, sunt electi sive praedestinati ad vitam aeternam. De quibus locum Joan. 18. intellexit Augustinus. Hoc modo sensus est: Eo argumento cognoecere nos, quod simus e numero electorum, quia fratres opere et veritate diligimus. Illud postremo notandum, in eo, quod dicit: cognoscimuSj ac rursum: m conspectu Dei suadebimus corda nostray non significHri cognitionem et persuasionem certam et infallibilem, sive electionis nostrae, sive praesentis justitiae et amicitiae cum Deo, quam ex hoc loco et aliis similibus statuere conantur horum temporum sectarii; sed notitiam probabilem,necmajoris certitudinis, quam quanta scimus, nos opere et veritate fratres diligere. Qua responsione pariter excluditur opinio Catharini, qui, quamvis fateatur, ejusmodi certitudinem non esse fidei, tamen infallibilem esse contendit.
3:20
20. Quoniam si reprehenderit nos cor nostrum, major est Deus corde nostrOj et novit omnia. Declaratio est ex contrario, qua terret dilectionis fraternae simulatores, allegato Dei judicio, omnia cognoscentis. Graeca sic habent: Quoniam, si condemnet sive reprehendat nos cor, quod major est Deus etc. Qui sermo imperfectus est, et suppletur hoc modo: Nam si reprehendat nos cor nostrum j scimus (ant scire debemus), quod major est Deus corde nostro, et nolit omnia. Noster interpres particulam OTi, quod, velut supervacuam omisit. Nam interdum juxta Hebraicam idioma redundat. Contextum sic explicamus: Ut igitur cognoscamus, nos esse in veritate, et tranquillam reddamus coram Deo conscientiamnostram, dih'garaus fratres opere et veritate. Nam alioqui certe, si cor nostrum seu conscientia nostra nos condemnet, tamquam verbo et lingua, non opere et veritate diligentes, id est, tamquam simulatos dilectores, hypocrisis illa non latet conscientiam nostram, quamvis pusillam, et pauca scientem, sed ab ea redarguitur; quanto magis a Deo, qui incomparabiliter major est corde nostro, adeoque omnia novit! Dicitur Deus major corde nostro quoad cognitionem, qua non tnntum complectitur, quidquid est in corde et angusta conscientia nostra, verum etiam alia omnia abscondita, cum sit ubique praesens et omnia penetrans.
3:21
21. Carissimi, si cor nostrum non reprehenderit nos, fiduciam habemus ad Deum. Facit haec pars ad explicationem ejus, quod dixit: In conspectu Ejus suadebimus corda nostra. Et sensus est: Si non condemnat nos propria conscientia, sed dictat nobis, quod fratres vera et sincera dilectione prosequamur, opere eam exhibentes, ubi opus est: fiduciam habemus erga Deum, id est, spem magnam merito concipimus, quod suo judicio nos non condemnabit. Hanc enim fiduciam evadendae damnationis exprimit capite sequenti, dicens: Jjt fiduciam habeomus in die judicii. Quam utique fiduciam parit bona conscientia. Quamquam alii fiduciam intelligunt accedendi ad Deum, et aliquid ab eo petendi et impetrandi; de quo in verbis sequentibus. NonnuUi generalius exponunt sententiam hoc modo: Si cor nostrum nulla iu re nos reprehendat aut condemnet, fiduciam habemus etc. Sed observanda Apostoli consuetudo, qua sic unam aliquam justitiae partem solet extollere, snbintelligens interim conditionem hanc: Si aliunde non sit defectus. Quale est illud cap. 5.: Omnis, qui credit, quoniam Jesu^ est Christus, ex Deo natus est. Aut certe, quia sincera et Christiana fratris dilectio non est sine dilectione Dei, propterea, qui videt in corde suo illam fratris dilectionem, videt et dilectionem Dei, et consequenter a corde suo non reprehenditur. Sed quid de iis, quos cor suum non reprehendit, etiam gravissimis peccatis involutos? quales idololatrae, Saraceni, Judaei, el alii diversarum religionum atque sectarum homines, certo persuasum habentes quisqae, suae sectae doctrinam esse veram. Quales item multi Sanctorum persecutores, arbitrantes, obsequium se praestare Deo, Joan. 16., inter quos Paulus, prius blasphemus, persecutor et contumeliosus; sed misericordiam Dei consecutuSy quia ignorans fecerat in in~ credulitate, 1 Tim. 1. Quales et alii non pauci, qui vitiis suis et voluptatibus mancipati, tandem eo stuporis devenerunt, ut non sentiant, se poccare. Neque enim tales, etsi a corde suo non reprehensi, veram habent fiduciam ad Deum; neque de iis verum est, quod hoc loco sequitur: Et quidquid petierimus, accipiemus ah Eo, quoniam mandata Ejus custodimu8 etc. Responderi potest, admodum esse difficile, ac fortasse numquam contingere, quemquam ita esse peccatis immersum, ut non rodat ac mordeat interdum ejus animum vermis conscientiae, dictantis, ipsum male agere; vermis, inquam, ille in reprobis numquam moriturus, Marc. 9. Certe Paulus ipse, quamvis zelo legis divinae persequeretur Ecclesiam Dei, Gal. 2. et Phil. 3., et in eo putaret, se bene agere, interim tamen in aliis desideriis atque peccatis morte dignis versabatur, quae ab ipso enumerantur Ephes. 2. et Tit. 3.; quorum male conscium sibi fuisse, ut et alios perversos legis zelatores, non est dubium. De quo genere erant, quibus adulteram mulierem adducentibus dixit Dominus: Qui sine peccato est vestrum, primus i?i illam lapidem mittat, Joan. 8. r' Alia responsio est, eaque textui congruentior, Joannem non universe loqui de quibusvis hominibus, sed de Christianis Christiana doctrina imbutis, et Deum, quem noverunt, ejusquo judicia timentibus; quos si cor suum non reprehendit tamquam hypocritas, et dilectionem fraternam simulantes, sed contra dictat eis 8ua conscientia, quod fratres sincere et Christiane diligant: fiduciam habent ad Deum, prout superius explicatum est. Notandum quippe, Joannem non dicere: certi sumus, sed: fiduciam habemus; quoniam, etsi cor nostrum non reprehendat nos, potest tumen in eo latere, quod Deus reprehendat, qui major est corde nostro. Quocirca fiducia haec tanta debet intelligi, quanta respondet testimonio bonae conscientiae. Ut enim hoc conscientiae testimonium in nobis non est infallibiliter certum, Apostolo Paulo dicente: Nihil mihi conscius sum; sed non in hoc justificatus sum, 1 Cor. 4., ita nec infallibiliter certa est haec fiducia, quod judicium Dci simus evasuri. Unde dicebat idem Apostolus: Castigo corpus meum, ne forte, cum aliis praedicaverim, ipse reprobus efficiar, 1 Cor. 9.
3:22
22. Et quidquid petierimus, accipiemus ah Eo. Graece et Syriace: accipimus ah eo, verbo praesentis temporis, scilicet ejusdem cum praecedenti verbo: habemus, ad significandam certitudinem promissionis. Si, inquit, cor nostrum nos non reprehendat, non solum habemus apud Deum fiduciam evadendae damnationis in die judicii; verum etiam impetrandi et accipiendi ab eo, quidquid ab eo petierimus. Nam particula: ah Eo, utrolibet, imo pariter ad utramque referri potest. Huic loco simile est illud Psalmistae: Iniquitatem si aspexi in corde meo, non exaudiet Dominus. Propterea (nempe quia non aspexi in corde meo iniquitatem) exaudivit Deus, et attendit voci deprecationis meae, Psalm. 65. Ratio est hujus fiduciae, quia diligentibus fratres et mandata Dei servantibus facta est illa promissio, tot locis Evangelii conscripta: Petite, et accipietis. Omni petenti dabitur. Si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, dabit vobis. Quam tamen promissionem sic intellige: Si petatur, quod petendum est, et quomodo petendum, et quantum res tanta peti debet, idque perseveranter. An praeterea sit necessaria conditio, si pro se ipso quis petat, videbimus infra ad illud cap. 5.: Quodcumque petierimus secundum voluntatem Ejus, audit nos. Rationem fiduciae, quam dixi, declarant verba sequentia:
Quoniam mandata Ejus custodimus. Ea mandata sunt haec duo praecipue, mandatum dilectionis fraternae, et consequenter mandatum dilectionis Dei (nam qui fratrem diligit, ut oportet, id est, propter Deum, utique Deum diligit), et mandatum credendi in Christum. His enim praeceptis caritatis, quae colliguntur ex praecedentibus, iit proximo a capite adjungit mandatum fidei, qua creditur iu Christum. Apertissime vero destruit hic locus haereticorum dogma, dicentium, Dei prae-' cepta homini justificato ad observandum esse impossibilia. Quod quidem totidem verbis a Sycodo Tridentina con demnatum est sess. 6. cap. 11. doctrinae et can. 18. Et quae sunt placita coram Eo, facimus. Nempe diligendo fratres. Quam sit placitum coram Deo et Christo ejus, fratres diligere, et salutem eorum procurare, docet illa vox Christi Domini ad Pfttrum, tertio repetita: Diligis me? Pasce oves meas, Joan. 21. Nam et hoc mandatum habemus a DeOf ut, qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum, infra cap. 4. Evertitur hac parte et alterum dogma sectariorum, priori affine, omnia justorum opera esse peccata; nisi dicant, quod absque blasphemia dici non potest, peccata esse Deo placita.
3:23
23. Et hoc est mandatum Ejus: Ut credamus in nomine Filii ejus, Jesu Christi. In nomine, Graece: toj ovd/xaTi^ nomini; nisi forte effluxit particula: iv, quae alibi praeponitur, juxta phrasim Hebraicam. Siquidem et Syrus interpres vertit: in nomine. Credere in nomine Christi, est, credere in Christum. Sic enim passim loquitur Scriptura, nomen ponens pro re; ut cum jubemur sanctificare, magnificare, timere nomen Dei, id est, Deum ipsum. Porro credere in Christum, est, firma fide recipere ea, quae de Christo divinitus revelata sunt; quale est in primis, eum esse Filium Dei, vere incarnatum et hominem factum propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem. Exprimit Apostohis specialiter hoc fidei mandatum, quia fides in Christum Salvatorem fundamentum est nostrae salutis.
Et diligamus alterutrum, sicut dedit mandatum nobis. Repetit mandatum dilectionis fraternae, de quo agit in superioribus, ut intelligamus, praeter fidei praeceptum et caritatis praecepta ad salutem esse nobis observatu necessaria. Quod rursuB notandum adversus sectariorum dogma, dicentium, nihil praeceptum esse in Evangelio praeter fidem; caetera esse indifferentia, neque praecepta, neque prohibita, sed libera. Quem errorem anathemate damnavit Tridentina Synodus sess. 6. can. 19. Addit autem Joannes: sicut dedit mandatum nobis, vel, secundum quosdam, ut explicet modum dilectionis fraternae, videlicet a Christo nobis praeceptum, dicente: Mandatum do vobis, ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, Joan. 13. et 15.; id autem est diligere ad salutem et vitam aetemam; vel, quod puto probabilius, per repetitionem hoc addit, qua bene nobis inculcatum vult, Dei praeceptum esse, ut diligamus invicem.
3:24
24. Et qui servat mandata Ejus, in Illo manet, et Ipse in eo. Interpres variavit, quod in Graeco scriptum est ejusdem vocabuli repetitione: iv auTto jisvei^ xal auTog Iv auzM, in Ipso manet, et Ipse in ipso. Sensus tamen est: In Deo manet, et Deus in ipso, quod exprimitur cap. seq. vers. 16. Hoc autem sennone mutuae immansionis significatur intima societas et amicitia, quae est inter Deum et homines Deum diligentes; de qua societate supra cap. 1. Nam mandata Ejus intellige: Dei, quemadmodum et in versu praecedenti: Et hoc estmandatum Ejus, haud dubie Dei. Nam sequitur: Vt credamus in nomine Filii Ejus. Quod annoto, propter nonnullos, qui hoc loco: mandata Ejus, exponunt Christi; licet eodem res redeat, quia Christus estDeus. Hic vero pluraliter dicit: mandata, quia proxime duo mandata nominaverat, alterum fidei in Christum, alterum dilectionis fraternae. Significatur ergo praeclara merces iis proposita, qui servant mandata Dei; videlicet intima et conjunctissima cum Deo amicitia.
Et in hoc scimus, quoniam manet in nobis de Spiritu, quem nobis dedit. Quae praepoFitio melius hic quadrat. Potest autem bifariam hic locus intelligi; vel ut haec dicantur ex persona fidelium ingenere;vel specialiter ut ex persona Apostolorum. Priori modo sensus est: Et quidem Deum manere in nobis et consequenter nos in Deo, cognoscimus hoc signo, nimirum ex Spiritu quem nobis dedit, quo donati, mandata ejus servamus, ac nominatim mandatum dilectionis. Si enim (inquit Augustinus hunc locum tractans) inveneris, te habere caritatem, habes Spiritum Dei, et inhabitans a tota Trinitate. Quantum igitur novit quisque, se habere caritatem, et proinde Spiritum Dei, tantum novit, Deum in se manere. Utrumque vero singuli fideles non norunt certa et infallibili scientia, sed probabili notitia; sicut in superioribus dictum est. Novit autem infallibiliter utrumque coetus ipse fidelium, id est, Ecclesia Christi; certa videlicet de testimonio Spiritus intra se. Quo sensu Paulus ait: Quod ipse Spiritus testimonium reddit spiritui nostro, quod simus filii Dei, Rom. 8. Alter sensus est: Deum in nobis Apostolis manere, tamquam veracibus magistris, scimus et comprobamus ex Spiritu, quem dedit nobis, hoc est, ex variis Spiritus sancti charismatis in nos collatis a Deo; ut erant dona Prophetiae, linguarum, sanationum et aliorum hujusmodi, quae Paulus recenset 1 Cor. 12., et quorum abundantiam acceperant Apostoli in die Pentecostes. Solent enim illi doctrinam a se traditam confirmare signorum ac miraculorum operatione, ut patet ex Act. Apost. Atque eo argumento Paulus tam suam, quam aliorum Apostolorum doctrinam veram probat Rom. 15., 1 Cor. 2. et Hebr. 2. Utique Christi exemplo, qui passim in Evangelio per miracula fidem adstruit suae doctrinae. Tradunt utrumque sensum Gaignaeus et Hesselius. Et prior quidem sensus connexionem habet cum praecedentibus; sed posterior consentaneus est iis, quae seqauntur, de probandis spiritibus, si ex Deo sint. Nam quia venturi erant pseudoprophetae, qui et ipsi ad confirmandos suos errores signa quaedam edituri erant, qualis jam venerat Simon magus, Act. 8., hinc commonet Apostolus fideles sequentibus deinceps verbis, docens, qua certissima ratione spiritus erroris a Spiritu veritatis discerni queat. Potest autem hic posterior sensus extendi ad Ecclesiam Apostolicam; ac si dicat: Deum in nobis, id est, in Ecclesia nobis Apostolis adhaerente, nostramque sequente doctrinam, manere, ex eo cognoscimus, ipsaque cognoscit Ecclesia, quod in ea Spiritus sanctus manifeste suam ostendat praesentiam per multiplicem charismatum operationem, et gloriam miraculorum. Confer cap. 4. v. 13.
3:1
… St. John, alluding to the result of this regeneration which makes us children of God, will say: "See what great love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God and indeed are" (καὶ ἐσμέν: I Io. 3:1). That we are called children of God is not a mere title or a legal fiction, it is due to our real state (cf. P. De Ambroggi, in S. Garofalo, La Sacra Bibbia, XIV, 1, Turin 1947, p. …
Extremely clear is 1 Jn. 3:1-2: "Beloved, even now we are children of God, and it has not yet been manifested what we shall be. We know that when it is manifested, we shall be like him (to God), because we shall …
… etc.), and he who is a "son of peace" (Lk. 10:6) resembles him and belongs to him. The elect will be, in the age to come, "sons of God" (Lk. 20:36); already now they enjoy divine sonship because the ἀγάπη of God is in their hearts (Rom. 5:2b, 5; 8:14; I Jn. 3:1; 4:8, 16), and after the teaching of Jesus, εἰρήνη without ἀγάπη cannot be conceived.
… divine participation, which is linked to the idea of adoptive filiation (v. ADOPTION, SUPERNATURAL) by virtue of a regeneration of man reborn from God; an idea not unknown to St. Peter (1 Pt. 1:3 and 23), frequent in the other two Apostles (Jn. 1:12-13; 1 Jn. 3:1; Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 4:4 ff.; Eph. 1:5 ff.). …
… (Io. 3), nourishes with the Eucharistic bread (Io. 6), preserves with his immanence in us and ours in him as branches in the vine (Io. 15). St. John too, like St. Paul, insists on filial adoption, which makes the faithful so many born of God (Io. 1; I Io. 3, 1), on the profound unity between Christ and those who believe in him (Io. 17). A supernatural, divine life, therefore, which implies a certain participation in the very nature of God, …
… they are demanded by the intimate relationship that the Annunciation (v.) has with the Protoevangelium (Gen. 3). With them in fact Mary is proclaimed the "new Eve," true "mother of the living" whom the Evangelist will call "children of God" (Jn. 1:12; 1 Jn. 3:1), the only one among women who did not merit and did not transmit the condemnation, but the blessing, because through her God has loosed the ancient curse and has blessed the wretched …
… Scripture (Mt. 11:25-27; 1 Cor. 2:7-16; 1 Jn. 3:1-2) suggests as truths intrinsically superior to our intelligence the Trinitarian mystery and our future participation in the divine life. …
Religions, Comparative Study of
in his happiness (Jn. 1, 12-13; I Jn. 3, 1; Rom. 8, 15-17; II Pt. 1, 4), but also the supreme fittingness or moral necessity of an intervention of this kind, "so that the notions (religious ones) that are not of themselves …
… In I Jn. 3:1 he writes finally: "See what love the Father has shown us, that we should be called and truly be sons of God."
… the blessed in heaven (Mt. 18, 10 and 22, 30). St. Paul exalts, as a participation of the divine knowledge itself, the beatific vision, which surpasses every cognition of God possible during the earthly life, even faith (I Cor. 13, 8-12). And St. John (I Io. 3, 1-2) declares to be a gift of the Father the adoptive filiation and even more the beatific vision, which is the supreme term of the assimilation with God operated in us by divine Grace, …
… raised to a law of grace in the evangelical economy (Eph. 1:3-14), whose absolute beginning lies in God's charity toward man: the first gift, in which God communicates to man not only created being, but further the divine Being in supernatural Grace (I Io. 3:1). Charity toward God will therefore be fundamentally a return of the love shown in Grace (ibid. 4:19). Thanksgiving will give its name to Christian worship (the Eucharist), its value …
3:2
… συμμετρουμένην, Eranistes, 1: PG 83, 49). He was followed by various Eastern authors, who formed a doctrinal current parallel and opposed to the orthodox one: Basil of Seleucia: PG 85, 454; Anastasius Sinaita, Ὁδηγός, c. 7: PG 89, 132; Oecumenius, In I Io. 3, 2: PG 119, 648; followed by Theophylact and especially by Gregory Palamas (v.),
… supreme happiness promised to "the upright" and "innocent" (Ps. 11:7; 17:15; cf. 15:11), who are the "pure of heart." This "vision of God" characterizes the Kingdom founded by Jesus (Jn. 14:6-11; 19-23) and will culminate in eternal glory (I Cor. 13:12; I Jn. 3:2; Apoc. 22:4).
… object of Christian hope is the treasures of the incorruptible inheritance, the supreme beatitude in the eternal possession of God. Consequently Christian hope extends to all the means necessary for each person to attain that same beatitude (Rom. 5:2; 1 John 3:2). Even earthly goods can fall within the orbit of its ray, but only to the extent and in the manner in which God ordains them for our salvation. …
… 7:29-31; I Pet. 4:7; I John 2:15-18) of men and of events (B. Allo [v. bibl.], pp. 180-83). And Christians are united from now on, living with Christ, to his p. which will also be the p. of his faithful (Col. 5:4; Heb. 9:28; I Pet. 5:4; I John 2:28; 3:2). The "nearness of the Lord" is a cause of fear, like the irruption of a thief (I Thess. 5:2-4; II Pet. 3:10; Rev. 1:3; 16:15), of austerity (Rom. 13:11 ff.; I Cor. 7:29-32; II Cor. …
Religions, Comparative Study of
… According to Catholic theologians, neither Grace in the broad sense of the word (simple increase of light or energy) nor supernatural Grace properly so called (gratuitous participation in the divine life: I Jn. 3:2; II Pt. 1:4) modify the normal play of the faculties. …
3:3
The revelation of the mysteries has its explanation not in itself, but in the end that God wishes to obtain by it: it is an anticipation of the clear vision of the divine reality, which he holds prepared as a reward for those who "sanctify themselves as he is holy" (1 Jn. 3:3). It is an act of friendship (Jn. 15:15) by which God, unveiling to man the intimacy of himself, draws him to a life of spiritual communion with him, a preparation and condition of …
3:4
John, Apostle, Evangelist, Saint
… Other terms and phrases occur commonly: ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν (I Jn. 1:6 = Jn. 8:44); οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐν τινι (I Jn. 1:8; 2:4 = Jn. 8:44); ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι (I Jn. 2:21 = Jn. 18:37); ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου εἶναι (I Jn. 3:8 = Jn. 8:44); ἐκ θεοῦ εἶναι (I Jn. 3:4, 1 = Jn. 7:17; 8:47); ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἶναι (I Jn. 4:5 = Jn. 3:23); ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλεῖν (I Jn. 4:5 = Jn. 3:31); τῆς γῆς, ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατεῖν (I Jn. 2:11 = Jn. 8:12; 12:35). …
… expressions: ἀμαρτία or ἀμάρτημα, that is, the act by which man turns away from the attainment of his end (Rom. 5:12; 7:7; 8:3); παράβασις or ἀνομία or παρενημία, that is, transgression of the law, which man is bound to observe (2 Pt. 2:16; Rom. 4:15; 1 Jn. 3:4); παράπταμα, that is, the state of one who has fallen from his dignity or moral perfection (Mk. 11:25-26).
3:5
Holiness of Christ and of Mary
… Jesus firmly asserted that he is without sin (Jn. 8:46; 14:30); an assertion expressed abstractly in II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; I Jn. 3:5 and I Pt. 2:22. He is the one in whom all others are, and are called, holy (I Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:1).
3:8
The Son of God, by contrast, has come to undo the work of the devil (1 John 3:8), and the Apostles in turn are invested by the Master with the power to "cast out demons" (Luke 10:17-19). Jesus engages the final struggle on the day of the Passion (John 12:31 ff.; …
… Meanwhile he tempts men and deceives them to prevent their union with God; he frustrates God's ways for the salvation of men (Mt. 13:19, 30). Hence the opposition between "the children of the d." and "the children of God" (Jn. 8:44, 47 [Judas is a d.: 6:71]; 1 Jn. 3:8, 10), the former performing the "works of the d." (Acts 13:10) which are summed up in imposture or seduction (Jn. 8:44; 1 Tim. 4:2; Rev. 12:9; 20:9; cf. Acts 5:3-4), by which truth and …
John, Apostle, Evangelist, Saint
… (I Jn. 3:16; Jn. 10:11, 17 f., 15:13). Other terms and phrases occur commonly: ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν (I Jn. 1:6 = Jn. 8:44); οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐν τινι (I Jn. 1:8; 2:4 = Jn. 8:44); ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι (I Jn. 2:21 = Jn. 18:37); ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου εἶναι (I Jn. 3:8 = Jn. 8:44); ἐκ θεοῦ εἶναι (I Jn. 3:4, 1 = Jn. 7:17; 8:47); ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἶναι (I Jn. 4:5 = Jn. 3:23); ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλεῖν (I Jn. 4:5 = Jn. 3:31); τῆς γῆς, ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἐν τῷ σκότει …
The entire Apocalypse (v.), finally, describes the grandiose p. of Jesus, to which the Fourth Gospel often alludes (Jn. 13:31-33; 14:18-23; 16:16-30; I Jn. 3:8); it will be preceded by, and in its first phases accompanied by, a long stubborn struggle between good and evil. …
… evangelization (I Thess. 2:18). The kingdom of S. stands against the Kingdom of God (Mt. 12:26; Mc. 3:24). But S. and his demons recognize the power of Jesus, the Messiah sent by God to destroy the works of S. and his own (Mc. 1:24, 34; 3:11-15, 23-27; 6:7; I Io. 3:8; cf. Act. 16:16-18), to free his disciples from the world of S. and introduce them into the Kingdom of God (Io. 15:19; 17:12, 14). Salvation consists in being liberated from the dominion …
3:9
… With an even stronger term, St. John in his I Letter calls Christians "born of God," having within themselves a seed of him (σπέρμα αὐτοῦ: I Io. 3:9; cf. ibid., 2:29; 3:13; 4:7 and P. De Ambroggi, op. cit., p. 227).
… by those who not only de facto transgress the commandments, but reject them ex principio, claiming to attain union with God without the mediation of the historical Christ and without observance of the commandment of charity; for such a sin the word of 1 John 3:9 holds ("omnis qui natus est ex Deo, peccatum non facit... et non potest peccare," cf. ibid. 5:18); it presupposes a disposition with which impenitence is connaturally united, hence …
3:12
… He strives to conquer you, but it is you who must dominate him." However, as the Apostle comments (1 John 3:12), C., moved "by the Evil One, killed (ἔσφαξεν 'slaughtered') his brother" after having invited him into the open country, and he answered God arrogantly, when He asked him for an account …
The Fathers call it Leptogenesis (Didymus of Alexandria, Enarrat. in epist. I Io. 3, 12), because the content of the Book follows Gen. 1-13; 24; L. dei G. (St. Epiphanius, Haer., XXXIX, 6), from the material that is divided, with chronological exactness, into jubilee …
3:13
… With an even stronger term, St. John in his I Letter calls Christians "born of God," having within themselves a seed of him (σπέρμα αὐτοῦ: I Io. 3:9; cf. ibid., 2:29; 3:13; 4:7 and P. De Ambroggi, op. cit., p. 227).
… virtue, religion, goodness of life) are all those who estrange themselves from the world in order to attain the life and light of God; the world, not recognizing them as its own, hates them, as it hates Christ (Mt. 10:16-22; 24:9; Jn. 15:18-25; 16:2; I Jn. 3:13). The two following verses, which take up this b. again, applying it in the second person, then the entire Sermon on the Mount, all the doctrine and history of the Gospel, the experience …
3:16
John, Apostle, Evangelist, Saint
Especially to be noted are certain terms proper exclusively to the Gospel of John and the letters: ἁμαρτίαν ἔχειν, ἀνθρωποκτόνος, γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν ἐκ θεοῦ, εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, περιπατεῖν ἐν σκοτίᾳ (νυκτί), παράκλητος, ἁμαρτία, τεκνίον (and Gal. 4:19), τιθέναι ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ (I Jn. 3:16; Jn. 10:11, 17 f., 15:13). Other terms and phrases occur commonly: ποιεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν (I Jn. 1:6 = Jn. 8:44); οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐν τινι (I Jn. 1:8; 2:4 = Jn. 8:44); ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας …
3:17
In line with the Gospel is the apostolic preaching (cf., for example, I Tim. 6:17-19; Jas. 2:13; I Jn. 3:17) and all the preaching of the Fathers and the pontiffs. …
3:19
… Ex., n. 75). By the presence of God the devout soul understands the gaze of the Divinity, attentive and intelligent (Ps. 5:2-3), helpful and merciful (ibid. 9:14), purifying and life-giving (I Jn. 3:19-20), the affection with which God enfolds within himself his beloved creature, "embracing her in his love" (Is. 66:12-13; St. Ignatius, Spir. …
… our mortal flesh (II Cor. 4:10-11). It is opposed to the natural life as light to darkness (Eph. 5:8-9), as a living stone to a dead stone (I Pt. 2:4-5); it is a life blossomed from the word of truth (Jas. 1:16-18), which is identified with the truth (I Jn. 3:19). All this entails in the soul a new entitative form, a radical habit, that is, sanctifying Grace (v.) which pervades the very being of the soul, giving it newness of life. …
3:23
… Jerusalem under the presidency of Peter, had as its object the primacy of the obligation of faith over all other obligations (Acts 15:7 ff.; cf. 10:34-43). St. John also declares it expressly: "This is the law that God imposes on us: to believe in his Son" (1 Jn 3:23); faith is the victory over the world (ibid., 5:4 ff.). …
3:24
… express God's dwelling as actually present in the soul, there are others that rather indicate either its coming to be (the Holy Spirit sent to us: ibid. 14:26; Gal. 4:6; given to us: Io. 7:39; 14:16; Act. 5:32; 8:18; Rom. 5:5; I Thess. 4:8; I Io. 3:24; 4:13; received as a gift: Act. 2:38; I Cor. 2:12), or our transformation, soul and body, into a temple of God (ibid. 3:16 ff.; 6:19; II Cor. 6:16).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.