They have entire fellowship, because they do not only dwell one with another, but one in another, as members in the body, as branches in the root; Whosoever shall confess Jesus, &c. So that this is one mark of true Christianity, in that it seals up a mans soul to everlasting fellowship with God; There are many marks of Christianity, but none so general, so that where this confession is, there is true fellowship with God, this is certain and true, Mat. 16 16, 17. Whom say men that I the Son of man am? &c. But saith Christ, Who say ye that I am? Peter answered and said, we confess thee to be the Son of the ever-living God; what saith Christ to him? Blessed art thou Simon; if he were blessed, then his soul was wrapped up into the fellowship of the souls of just men made perfect, and so into fellowship with God. The same acceptance did Christ give to the Thief upon the Cross, when his Disciples left him, when the Soldiers spitefully entreated him, and all despised him, one of the thieves railed on him; saith the other, Fearest thou not God? sith we are in the same condemnation, Luk. 23.42.3. Remember me, saith he, when thou comest into thy kingdom. He acknowledgeth here that Christ was the Son of God, because he saith, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, knowing that power and glory was his: what saith Christ to this confession of his? That he should confess him in the midst of so many reproaches and disgraces, that one Thief should confess more then all the rest; Christ saith to him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, his soul was taken up into heaven, and ⟨p. 313⟩so he was a blessed man, and had fellowship with God, 1 John 5.5. He that overcometh, believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, so chap. 2. & 3. of the Revel. if any man overcome the world it is only he that confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, 1 Cor. 12.3. No man can truly say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost; such is the work of the holy Ghost, that God dwells in him, and he in God.
They have entire fellowship, because they doe not onely dwell one with another, but one in another, as members in the body, as branches in the root; Whosoever shall confesse Jesus, &c. So that this is one mark of true Christianity, in that it seals up a mans soul to everlasting fellowship with God; There are many marks of Christianity, but none so general, so that where this confession is, there is true fellowship with God, this is certain and true, Mat. 16 16, 17. Whom say men that I the Son of man am? &c. But saith Christ, Who say ye that I am? Peter answered and said, we confesse thee to be the Son of the ever-living God; what saith Christ to him? Blessed art thou Simon; if he were blessed, then his soule was wrapt up into the fellowship of the soules of just men made perfect, and so into fellowship with God. The same acceptance did Christ give to the Thiefe upon the Crosse, when his Disciples left him, when the Souldiers spightfully intreated him, and all despised him, one of the thieves railed on him; saith the other, Fearest thou not God? sith we are in the same condemnation, Luk. 23.42.3. Remember me, saith he, when thou comest into thy kingdom. He acknowledgeth here that Christ was the Son of God, because he saith, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome, knowing that power and glory was his: what saith Christ to this confession of his? That he should confesse him in the midst of so many reproaches and disgraces, that one Thiefe should confesse more then all the rest; Christ saith to him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice, his soule was taken up into heaven, and ⟨p. 313⟩so he was a blessed man, and had fellowship with God, 1 John 5.5. He that overcometh, believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, so chap. 2. & 3. of the Revel. if any man overcome the world it is only he that confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, 1 Cor. 12.3. No man can truly say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost; such is the work of the holy Ghost, that God dwels in him, and he in God.
