5. The same invaluable privilege of the sons of God, is as strongly asserted by St. _John_; particularly, with regard to the former branch of it, namely, power over outward sin. After he had been crying out, as one astonished at the depth of the riches of the goodness of God, [7]_Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of_ God! _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_: he soon adds, _Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God_. But some men will say, “True; whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin _habitually_.” _Habitually!_ Whence is that? I read it not. It is not written in the book. God plainly saith, _He doth not commit sin_. And thou addest, _habitually_! Who art thou that _mendest_ the oracles of God? That _addest to the words of this book_? Beware I beseech thee, lest God _add to thee, all the plagues that are written therein_! Especially when the comment thou addest is such, as quite swallows up the text: so that by this ♦μεθοδεία πλάνης, this artful method of deceiving, the precious promise is utterly lost: by this κυβεία ανθρώπων, this tricking and shuffling of men, the word of God is made of none effect. O beware thou that thus takest from the words of this book, that taking away the whole meaning and spirit from them, leavest only what may indeed be termed a dead letter, lest God take away thy part out of the book of life! 6. Suffer we the apostle to interpret his own words, by the whole tenor of his discourse. In the fifth verse of this chapter he had said, _Ye know that he_ (Christ) _was manifested, to take away our sins; and in him is no sin_. What is the inference he draws from this? [8]_Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him._ To his inforcement of this important doctrine, he promises an highly necessary caution: [9]_Little children, let no man deceive you_, (for many will endeavour so to do; to persuade you that you may be unrighteous, that you may commit sin, and yet be children of God.) _He that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning._ Then follows, _Whosoever is born of_ God, _doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of_ God. _In this_, adds the apostle, _the children of_ God _are manifest, and the children of the devil_. By this plain mark (the committing or not committing sin) are they distinguished from each other. To the same effect are those words in his fifth chapter, [10]_We know that whosoever is born of_ God, _sinneth not; but he that is begotten of_ God _keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not_.