knowledgeth that Jesus the *Christ is already actually COME in the flesh, *and hath appeared on earth, is born of GOD.' * 3 And every spirit of prophecy or doctrine which doth NOT acknowledge, that *Jesus the Christ is already come on earth in the flesh, is NOT born of the spirit of GOD:' and SUCH is the spirit of *ANTICHRIST, or of the enemy to Christ, which spirit ye have before *heard of, namely, that it was coming, and Now is already in the world. 4 YE are spiritually born of GOD, my dear children in Christ, and have quite overcome those *Antichrists: because greater is the power of Christ, who is spiritually in You, than the Antichrist who is in the world. 5 Those Antichrists and false Teachers are spiritually born of the evil world: for that reason they speak from the spirit of the world, and the evil world hearkeneth to them. obtaineth spiritual victory over the evil world, namely, our lively and holy Faith *in Jesus Christ. 5 Who, I ask, is he who obtaineth spiritual victory over the sins of the evil world, but he who knoweth and *believeth that Jesus is the chosen *Son of God? * own 8 And moreover there are three witnesses to this gospeltruth on earth, namely, First,] the *regenerating SPIRIT of gospel-truth, and Secondly, the purifying *WATER of gospelbaptism and repentance, and, Thirdly, the sanctifying BLOOD, or the exemplary obedience of Christ unto death upon the cross; and these three witnesses also are spiritually united in ONE *and the same witness. : * * 9 Now if we receive and acknowledge the witness of worldly MEN, surely, the witness of GOD is *greater than theirs because THIS is the witness of the Holy Spirit of GOD, which God hath, *by its blessed operations and effects assuredly witnessed, concerning the nature and doctrine of his chosen SON. 6 This Jesus, namely, Jesus the Christ, is he who is assuredly come, *and hath cleansed us both by the water *of the spiritual baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,' and hath redeemed us by the sanctifying blood of his obedience even unto death upon the cross: I say again, NOT through the outwardly purifying WATER ONLY, but rather through the WATER of inward baptism, or *spiritual regeneration; and also through his sanctifying BLOOD, or obedient death upon the cross; * leaving to us an ex-fully ample, that we should faithfully follow his steps: and moreover it is the 'Spirit of God' which now witnesseth, by its holy operation and effects, that 'the same spirit is the spirit of TRUTH.' * 7 Testifying also, That there are three sure witnesses to the truth of the gospel faith [in HEAVEN, namely, First, *GOD the heavenly FATHER; and secondly, the *WORD, or Wisdom of God, made manifest in Christ on earth; and thirdly, the *HOLY SPIRIT of God, the Comforter, the Regenerator and Sanctifier: and these three witnesses are spiritually ONE and the same witness. 10 He therefore who faithbelieveth on *Christ the chosen *Son of God,' *and doeth the will of God, as Christ did, hath the sure testimony of God within HIMSELF: and he who believeth NOT God, maketh him as a Deceiver or liar, because such a man hath not fully believed on the testimony which God himself hath fully testified, concerning his chosen Son Jesus the Christ. SON *Jesus Christ. | of God and our faith in his blasphemous sin against the Spirit of God, which is *sentenced unto eternal DEATH: for THAT wilful sin, I do not say, that any one shall presumptuously entreat for the gift of eternal life. 12 He who hath the knowledge of and faith in the chosen Son of God, hath the blessed assurance of eternal Life: and he who hath NOT this *knowledge of the chosen 'Son of God,' hath NOT the assurance of eternal Life. 13 These things I have *written to you who now believe on the name and authority of * Christ, the chosen Son of God: in order that ye may both KNOW that *ye shall have * ETERNAL LIFE, and also that ye may continue to BELIEVE always on the name and authority of Christ the chosen Son of God. * 14 And THIS is the confidence which we now have towards *Christ, namely, that if we ask in prayer for any spiritual gift for ourselves, according to HIS revealed WILL, he *hearkeneth to us. 15 And if we truly know, that he hearkeneth to us, as to whatever spiritual gift we so ask for in prayer, we know very well that we shall also HAVE the petitions which we have so petitioned for of him. 16 Thus, if any man see his own brother by nature sinning a sin which by the declared law of God is NOT sentenced unto eternal death, he *shall ask or petition for pardon for him, and Christ shall give to him the blessed hope of eternal life; even to all them who sin not sins sentenced unto eternal DEATH there is a *wilful and 17 EVERY unrighteousness is SIN but there is sin which is NOT sentenced unto eternal death. 18 We well know that every one who is spiritually born of GOD, sinneth NOT: but on the contrary he who hath been born spiritually of GOD, diligently keepeth himself, and Satan the *wicked ruler of the evil world toucheth him not. 19 We well know, I say again, that we Christians are spiritually born of GOD, and that the whole heathen world lieth under the dominion of Satan the evil spirit. * 20 And moreover we well know, that Christ the *promised and chosen Son of God' is actually come, and that he hath *given to us who believe in him understanding *to know rightly the only *TRUE *God: and that we Christians are spiritually *in the TRUE God, through faith in his chosen Son Jesus Christ: *THIS then is the knowledge of the only *TRUE GOD, and *this is the *promise of Christ, and the doctrine of ETERNAL LIFE. 21 My dear children in Christ, guard yourselves, therefore, from the worshipping of IDOLS. Amen. ever: 3 Saying to you, May grace, mercy, peace be with you, from God the heavenly Father, and also from our Lord Jesus Christ, the chosen Son of God the Father, and may these virtues abide in you, in the spirit of truth and love. 4 I * * rejoiced greatly, because I found many of thy children in Christ walking in the paths of gospel truth; even as we have received commandment from * God the Father. 5 And Now I beseech thee, O *elect Matron *and sister, NOT as though I were writing a NEW commandment, but rather as repeating that which we had received from the beginning, namely, that 'we should love one another.' * * 6 And THIS is the commandment and proof of our LOVE for God, namely, that we should walk or lead our lives according to his commandments: THIS, I say, is the commandment of God, even as ye have heard it from the *beginning, namely, that ye should *continue to WALK in the same. 7 Because many DECEIVERS are entered into the world; men who do not acknowledge Jesus the Christ as being *already come on earth in the flesh but such a *Teacher or pretended spirit of prophecy, is a deceiver, and is the * * predicted *Antichrist, or enemy to Christ. 8 Look to yourselves, Brethren, that we lose not the things which we ourselves |