Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 John 3:9

9 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.

To be born of God, is (in the Words of a very learned Annotator, Dr. Hammond) to have received some special Influence from God, and by the help and power of that, to be raised to a pious Life. Agreeably, [non-Latin text not transcribed], he that hath been of God, is literally he that hath had such a blessed Change wrought in him, by the operation of God's Spirit in his Heart, as to be translated from the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of his own dear Son; transformed in the Spirit of his Mind, i. e. sincerely changed from all Evil to all Good; from an Obedience to the Flesh, &c. to an Obedience to God. Only it is here to be noted, that the Phrase is not so to be taken, as to denote only the Act of this Change; the first Impression of this Vertue on the Patient, the single transient Act of Regeneration, or Reformation; and that, as in the Praeter-Tense, now past, but rather a continued Course, a permanent State: So as a regenerate Man, and a Child of God are all one, and signifies him that lives a pious and godly Life, and continues to do so, &c. To the same purpose this Author also speaks, Note on Iohn 1.13. and in his Paraphrase on that Verse: Those which live according to the Will of God, and neither the natural, nor carnal, nor bare moral Principle. This Change introducing the consequent Course, divers Texts of Scripture explain; Iohn 3.3, 5, 6. 2 Cor. 5.17. Eph. 2.10. & 4.24. Iam. 1.18. &c.

Now of one thus born of God, 'tis said, he doth not commit Sin, as v. 8. and for the reason here alledged.

The Principles of enlivened holy Truth, as 1 Pet. 1.23. Iam. 1.18.

Which is not to be understood simply, as if he could not sin at all, which were to contradict what he had said before, chap. 1.8. and supposed, chap. 2.1. But he cannot commit Sin, as v. 8. And 'tis plain the Apostle intends by these two Expressions the same thing. He cannot sin, i. e. do an Act of known, gross Sin, deliberately, easily, remorselesly, maliciously, as Cain, v. 12. out of an hatred of Goodness: Or, do not such Acts customarily, or not so unto Death, (as chap. 5.16.) but that through the Advantage of inlaid Principles, or the remaining Seed, by dependance upon the Grace, Spirit, and Covenant of God in Christ, he may timously recover. Because he is born of God, i. e. in as much as it belongs to his Temper and Inclination, in respect of the holy new Nature receiv'd in Regeneration, to abhor from the grosser Acts, much more from a Course of Sin, (Gen. 39.9. Acts 4.20. 2 Cor. 13.8. Gal. 5.17.) And to his State, as he is a Child of God, to have that Interest in the Grace of Christ, that he may implore, trust, obtain, and improve it, to his being kept from such destructive sinning. And it being evident by his deep and thorow Change, that he is born of God, and chosen to be an Heir of eternal Life, (as his Children are Heirs) he may and ought (not in a way of presumptuous Negligence, but of Vigilance and humble Dependance) certainly to expect being so kept. Nor is it strange so much should be affirm'd, upon so unspeakably better Gro[illegible: 1 letter]nds, of the Christian State, when such Boasts are to be read concerning some among the Pagans, that one might as soon divert the Sun from its Course, as turn such a one from the Course of Righteousness. Tho we may also suppose this Form of Speech, might be intended by the Apostle to be understood by the more superficial Professors of Christianity, (who might be generally apt enough to look upon themselves as born of God, and his Children) as parenetical, and more enforcingly hortatory, in pursuance of his former Scope, to keep them off from the licentious Courses of their Seducers; q. d. It cannot be, that you who avow your selves born of God, should do like them. So we usually say, that cannot but be, or cannot be, which we apprehend more highly and clearly reasonable should be, or not be. Non potes avelli, &c. Such Rhetorick the Apostle uses with Agrippa, I know thou believest, as if it were impossible he should not.

Marginal references: Chap. 5.18.