A34689:4809
A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…
A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first Epistle general of John by ... John Cotton ...A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...
London: printed by M.S. for Thomas Parkhurst, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Use 1. This may be a just refutation of the Popish Doctrine, that saith we cannot know that we have eternal life, but if that be true, then St. Johns end in writing these Epistles is disappointed, and not only St. John, but the holy Ghost himself is deceived: Whereas they tell us we cannot have a certain, but conjectural knowledge only, there is a contradiction; for if a man saith he knows such a thing, it implies he is certain of it, or else he speaks safely: and were it for nothing else, this doctrine of doubtings were a sufficient discouragement against their Religion; that Church, that trains up her self and children to be ignorant of their Father, is not the true Spouse of Christ, but an Harlot; a sign the Church of Rome hath mixed her self with so many false gods, that she knows not of whom her children are begot.
Ʋse 1. This may be a just refutation of the Popish Doctrine, that saith we cannot know that we have eternal life, but if that be true, then St. Johns end in writing these Epistles is disappointed, and not onely St. John, but the holy Ghost himself is deceived: Whereas they tell us we cannot have a certain, but conjectural knowledge only, there is a contradiction; for if a man saith he knows such a thing, it implyes he is certain of it, or else he speaks safely: and were it for nothing else, this doctrine of doubtings were a sufficient discouragement against their Religion; that Church, that trains up her selfe and children to be ignorant of their Father, is not the true Spouse of Christ, but an Harlot; a sign the Church of Rome hath mixt her selfe with so many false gods, that she knows not of whom her children are begot.
Use 2. It condemns their excluding the vulgar sort from reading the Scriptures, for if by them we may come to know Christ, and that we have eternal life, then take away them, and you take away a principal means of salvation.
Ʋse 2. It condemns their excluding the vulgar sort from reading the Scriptures, for if by them we may come to know Christ, and that we have eternal life, then take away them, and you take away a principal means of salvation.