and be not belieued wil hold them selues hardly dealt withall and much iniured how great is the iniurie then offered to God when he hath borne record of his sonne and we doe not giue credite to his testimonie He hath not onely promised vnto vs remission of sinnes through the bloud of his sonne but also he hath confirmed the same his promise and testimonie with an oath as we may read Heb. 6. Therefore S. Iohn sheweth That they which belieue not the testimonie which God giueth of his Sonne commit an horrible offence euen this they make God a lyer Behold againe what sweete doctrine the doctrine of the Church of Rome is for notwithstanding the testimonie of the three witnesses from heauen and the testimonie of the spâ—rite the water and the bloud yet they will haue it there should be no certaintie but a doubt Humilitie they say it is no doubt euen as much as to say it is humilitie to make God a lyer Is it humilitie to call into question and doubt the truth of his word of his oath for he saith hee that belieueth not God hath made him a lyer Is faith and doubting all one Beloued we may here learne that as by doubting and distrusting the promises and testimonie of God which he confirmeth with his oth We offer great iniurie vnto his maiesty and do highly displease him so the more stedfastly we giue credite to that which hee witnesseth the more wee honour him and doe that which is pleasing in his sight In the next wordes he teleth what witnesse God giueth of his sonne or what is the testimonie of all the three witnesses in heauen namely that God hath giueÌ„ vnto vs eternall life this life is in that his son First we see the wordes are plaine that God hath freely giuen vnto vs eternall life this S. Iohn setteth downe as part of the record which God beareth This is greatly to be obserued because it expoundeth the scriptures For how wickedly and how impudently doe the Papists cauill and peruert the truth when they so stifflie affirme that men obtaine eternall life by their own deserts If eternall life be the gift of God as God himselfe doth witnesse saith S. Iohn How doe men purchase it by their owne merites And then there is an other part of the testimonie which God beareth and that is that this life eternall which he giueth vs is in his sonne whereupon he inferreth that hee that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the son hath not life because God witnesseth that hee giueth vnto vs eternall life in Christ it followeth of necessitie that he which hath Christ hath life for how can the sonne of God and the true life be parted asunder Moreouer seing God giueth this happie life onely in his sonne he that hath not the sonne how is it possible that he should haue the life Here is the summe of the Gospell that whatsoeuer shal bring vs to life euerlasting we haue it whole in Christ God himselfe doth witnes this Saint Paul saith That Christ is of God made vnto vs wisdom righteousnes sanctificacatioÌ„ and redemption that he which glorieth should glorie in the Lord. 1. Cor. 1 Let this testimonie of God stand as of necessitie it must stand and all the whole frame of poperie coÌ„meth downe For if all be giuen vnto vs in Christ what becommeth of all those thinges by which the Papistes say men get pardon of their sinnes and purchase life euerlasting Where be all the Popes pardons what becommeth of all their running on pilgrimage to the images of Saintes to seeke life at the hands of dead blocks and stones Well let this Antichristian synagogue of Rome passe and let vs learne from this place to seeke eternal life onely in Christe seeing God doth beare recorde that eternall life is in his sonne They that haue him neede none other thing to bring them vnto life They that to obtaine eternall life will ioyne themselues or other creatures with him as giuing parte thereof do dishonor him and deny him and so must needs misse of the true blessednes And now we come to that verse which I minde to stand vpon because it sheweth the ende for which S. Iohn saith he did write these thinges Thus the wordes are These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of that sonne of God that ye may knowe that ye haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of that sonne of God We may diuide this into two partes the first that all true beleeuers may be assured of their saluation the second that they may beleeue Touching the latter of these it may be said if he wrote to them that did beleeue and so did know that they had life eternall how could he say And that ye may belieue The answere to this is easie no man doth beleeue so perfectly but that his faith may receiue increase But this I will not handle therefore let vs come againe vnto that former That ye may know that ye haue eternall life Here are fower things to be noted in this the first is that it is not vnpossible but men may come to be assured that they shall be saued the second that it is not pride nor arrogancie or a wicked presumption for a true beleeuer to assure himselfe that he shall be saued the thirde what way we are to come to this assurance of our saluation the fourth last how we are by degrees to encrease this assuraÌ„ce Let such then in the first place as hold it a thing vnpossible for any man to know he shal be saued consider how flat coÌ„tary it is which they hold vnto the word of God for if it be not possible for men to knowe that they shal be saued how could S. Iohn say These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the son of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life Ought not this to stop the mouthes of all men in this matter For when he saith we may know shall we say it is vnpossible to know We grant say some that certaine speciall men might know and haue assurance that they should be saued for it was by speciall reuelation but it doth not follow thereupon that the faithfull may come to the knowledge and assurance of their eternall life and saluation Yea euen this cauill also is fully answered and taken away by words of the holy Apostle for he writeth to the whole Churches euen vnto all that haue the true faith in Christ hee speaketh not vnto some speciall persons but indifferently vnto them all that they might know they had eternall life Also he doth not speake of any especiall reuelation but that the knowledge of their saluation is by the things which he wrote vnto them Let all men then which will not wilfully wickedly gainsay the holy Ghost stoope downe acknowledge the truth in this namely that the faithfull
of the holy spirite for when the Apostle saith the spirite himselfe witnesseth with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God doth he witnesse that we are and doth he not witnesse that we shall be so euen to the end Can a man to day bee the childe of God and to morrow not Moreouer there is no godly man which saith he is sure he shall not sinne for all men sinne dayly But the regenerate doe know that through the grace of God they shall not so sinne as to fall quite away from Christ or to haue the life of GOD whereof they are made partakers in the newe birth vtterly extinguished in them Touching this pointe S. Iohn in Chapter 3. of his Epistle verse 9. saith Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth 〈◊〉 for his seede remaineth in him and he can not sâ—â—â— because he is borne of God What can all the Papistes in the world say vnto this S. Iohn saith not that some of those which are borne of God doe stand to the end but he saith Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not Then is it certaine that he which doth know hee is borne of God and leâ— by his spirite doth also know that hee shall not fall vnto destruction And for this hee rendreth a reason namely that the seede of God remaineth in him The regenerating grace is neuer lost if the seede of God remaine still in him that is borne of God yea euen when hee doth by infirmitie as Dauid did fall into some grieuous sinnes Also he saith that such a one can not sinne this seemeth an heard saying Is there any man beyond whose power it is for to sinne Is it so heard a matter for a man to doe wickedly if he will endeuour Wee must not take it that he which is borne of God will euer endeuour for to commit sinne No the grace of God doth still so guide him that he doth endeuour to please God and though by ignorance and frailtie hee doe after goe awrie and transgresse yet can he not fall from God hee can not vtterly loose his new birth The reason which S. Iohn rendreth is because he is borne of God God is immortall the seed of God by which his children are regenerate is immorâ—â—â— as it is written 1. Pet. 1. The life of God begin in them is immortall how then can it be extinguished or how can he that is borne of God fall away vnto perdition Let all men then knowe that where there is the witnes of the spirite of the water and the bloud there is the certainty of saluation according as S. Iohn sayth These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God There are yet another sort of men I cannot tell what I should tearme them that are confuted by this place they hold that a man for the triall of his faith whether it be liuely or a dead faith is not to looke vppon the fruites thereof It is enough say they that a man doe beleeue in Iesus Christ what shoulde hee or what can hee examine further Faith is Faith Beleeue and thou shalt bee saued These men doe quite abolish and that most wickedly and profanely the testimony of the three witnesses in earth They bring in Epicurisme and all carnall liberty Let not the wise harken vnto them but looke for the testimony of the spirite of the water of the bloud within them if they will be assured that their faith is the true faith that they shal come to life eternall And nowe let vs come to the last poynt which is that the faithfull are by degrees to increase this certainty of their saluatioÌ„ To make an entrance into this matter it is good for vs to consider that the spirituall birth is compared and likened to the naturall birth for as in the naturall birth there is first brought forth a little weake babe which hath life and doth in tyme by degrees euen by little little grow vp vnto mans estate so in the spirituall birth such as be borne againe in Christ they be first as little babes they haue indeede the life of GOD in them but they be maruelous weake Reade touching this what S. Peter writeth in his first Epistle in the beginning of the second Chap. how he doth will these new borne babes to couet the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby And likewise what S. Paul saith to the Cor. 1. Epist Chap. 4. Then as in the naturall thinges as a man groweth vp in yeeres so he groweth to a riper knowledge and vnderstanding in matters of this worlde so they that grow vp in Christ come to more and more assurance that they be led by the Sprite of God and that they shall be saued Most true it is also aâ— no man can deny that in the naturall things men do grow vp from babes to mans estate by food and sustenance they grow also in knowledge vnderstanding by practise meanes The same is to be saide of the babes in Christ they cannot growe vp without the Spirituall food they cannot come to more assured knowledge of their saluatioÌ„ but by the means which God hath ordained and that is it which S. Iohn here leadeth vnto when he saith These thinges haue I written vnto you c. that ye may know that ye haue eternall life Well then seeing wee must grow vp vnto this happy assurance by meanes let vs in some fewe particulars consider howe first seeing the word of GOD is the sincere milke by which we are to be nourished and to grow vp it is our part as the same Apostle willeth to couet the same 1. Pet. 2.2 Wee doe all know this that when a childe is borne if it be aliue and in health howe much it doth couet the mothers breast and how sweete the milke is vnto it in like manner when a man is borne of God in the new and heauenly birth he hath a vehement desire and longing after Gods word it is maruellous sweete and delectable vnto him And questionles all such as care not nor labor not to know the heaueÌ„ly oracles are void of the spiritual life they be like vnto those children which are borne dead which care not for the mothers breast We must labour therefore by reading and by hearing the word preached by meditation earnest prayer to come to the true vnderstanding and right vse of the sacred word of God Marke further what S. Peter then teacheth how men shall attaine to assurance of saluation He willeth to giue all diligence to minister in our faith vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge temperance in teÌ„perance patience in patience godlines in godlines brotherly kindnes in brotherly kindnes loue for if these things be in you and abound they shall make you that yee neyther shall be idle nor
may know that they shall haue eternal life Let this stānd firme and vnremoueable vnles wee will gainesay the Apostle Come then to the second point it is deemed great arrogancy and pride by the Papistes for any man to affirme that hee is sure hee shall be saued yea the Iesuites cal it dānable false illusion and presumption I wonder how they will answere here to S. Iohn woulde he of purpose write these things to bring men to a damnable illusion and wicked arrogancy Hee saith hee wrote these things euen to this end purpose for so much his words import that they which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God may know they haue eternall life Why did not the Iesuites in their annotations say somewhat vppon these wordes Is it not translated amisse Surely they translate it euen thus These thinges write I vnto you that you may know that you haue eternall life which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God How then Is there not some figuratiue or mysticall speech in these words They cannot for shame say so Then it must needes follow that the Papists are proud arrogant yea blasphemous in accusing S. Iohn that he leadeth the faithfull into a damnable illusion Is it not some one speech or once vttered by Saint Iohn If it were but one speeche and once vttered it were enough and fully sufficient to confirme the matter being vttered by the spirite of truth but in deede Saint Iohn vseth the like speeche more then once or twise For in the third chapter of this Epistle vers 14. he saith We know we are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren And in the same Chap. ver 19. And by this we know that wee are of the truth and shall perswade our hearts before him Also Chap. 4. ver 13. By this wee know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite Then let vs proceede vnto the thirde point which is that by what way or by what meanes we may attaine to the assurance of our saluation No man needes to doubt but that S. Iohn hath shewed the onely waye and means seeing he saith These things haue I written vnto you c. that yee may know that ye haue eternall life Hee doth not then send vp men to search in the secret counsel of God to see whether their names be written in the booke of life neyther doth he will them to rely vppon some speciall reuelation but wil haue them to know that they haue eternall life by those thinges which he hath written vnto them Then are we to seeke the way and meanes in that which he hath written But heere it may be demaunded whether these words These things haue I written be to be vnderstoode of that which goeth before in this Chapter of all that he hath writen in this Epistle Indeede almost the whole matter of this Epistle tendeth to that purpose as any that shall aduisedly reade it ouer may easily perceiue but yet it is specially to be referred to that which he hath spoken before in this chap. touching the full victory that wee haue in Christ through faith and touching the six witnesses which faith is supported by Heere wee are first to note how farre they be awry which woulde haue some assurance and hope to bee saued and let go the way and meanes by which they shoulde attayne that assurance When they heare of a certainty of life why shoulde not wee be perswaded say they that God will saue vs as well as others And yet the things which S. Iohn saith he hath written that men may knowe they haue eternall life they neyther know nor care to know they hold this principle that it is God onely which doth saue men and vppon this they rest not considering by what meanes he doth saue them as if a man should say that hath grounds it is God alone that feedeth al flesh he only maketh the corne to growe I care not therefore for plowing or sowing if he will feed me I shall be fed if he will not what can I helpe it Will not all men laugh at such folly Will not euery simple man say if he will haue the Lord God to giue him corn for his sustenance he must vse the means that is he must plowe he must sowe yea reape and carry into his barnes Euen so God alone bringeth men to eternall life and giueth the knowledge and certaintie thereof but he doth it by meanes and he that will come to it must vse those meanes He must come to this that Saint Iohn saith These thinges haue I written vnto you that beleeue c. that yee may knowne yee haue eternall life Will a man knowe it or haue it and yet let passe the thinges which are written by which hee is to knowe it and to haue it Christ willeth the Iewes to search the scriptures affirming that they doe beare witnes of him Iohn 5. He that will knowe Christ the sauiour of the world in whome the father doth giue vs life eternall he must knowe him by the scriptures The true faith is grounded vpon the witnes which the three witnesses from heauen that is the father the worde and the holy ghoste doe witnes If a man doe not knowe what recorde these doe beare how can he tell what to beleeue What maner of faith then haue all they which hearken not to the voice testimonie of God which the holy Apostles Prophets haue deliuered in writing but follow their owne blind imagination These neuer consider why God hath reuealed his counsels or why he sent Prophets and Apostles yea and his owne sonne to publish the testimony let vs take heed that we be not of this company which indeede is a very great company that haue no care to harken what the three which beare record in heauen haue witnessed There is an other sort of men which also are much awrie touching the way and meanes to saluation These doe search the scriptures they reade they heare they labour for knowledge yea they holde that men may and ought to come to the assurance of their saluation and professe that they be sure thereof themselues If you demaunde of them a reason of all matters they can from the worde of God satisfie you with good reasons All this is highly to be commended whye or how are they then awrie They be awrie which separate and put asunder those thinges which God hath coupled together They stand strictlie vpon the written worde of God tell them of putting asunder the thinges which God hath coupled together and they will also denie it Yea they will constantly promise and professe that if you can shewe them any thing which they put asunder from that which God hath coupled it vnto they will be ready to amend their fault I would that were true for wee should not then haue so many carnall gospellers neither would there be so