St. John ſpeaks of her children, as if they were all of them ſons, and ſays nothing of daughters. For, though he uſes both ver. 1. and ver. 4. the neuter τεϰνα, which when uſed by itſelf may include daughters as well as ſons, yet, ſince he adds in the former inſtance ȣ῾ς εγω αγαπω, and in the latter inſtance ϖεϱιπατȣντας εν αληθειᾳ, the maſculine relative and participle reſtrict the ſenſe to ſons aloneʰ.

ʰ St. John here uſes, what is called conſtructio ad ſenſum.