A34689:882
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.
What is this Knowledge, to know that we know him?
It is an Act of Understanding, by which, upon good ground, he doth discern that he doth know God, and hath fellowship with him, no man calls that Knowledge which is only a Conjecture, nay this Knowledge is more than a true faith, for they are two distinct things though they stand together, 1 John 4.16. We have known and believed, &c. so that this Knowledge is more than a true faith, for faith is a persuasion or trust a man takes upon the credit of Divine testimony, if I take it upon mans testimony, it is credulity, but when I take things on Gods authority, that is faith; but here is something more, we know and believe, and we know that we know, which is an Actus judicii, and more than opinion, or faith; Knowledge is such an acknowledgement as ariseth Ex principiis scientificis, such as proceeds from certain Principles, as I know that Fire burns from the light and heat, so then I know it by experience, all knowledge ariseth either from causes or Effects, such effects as cannot delude us, if it may, it is but conjecture, but what we know, it is upon sure grounds and experience, that is Knowledge. So then we know that we know him, this implies, that a man that knows Christ may not only think so, and have such an opinion, and believe so, but he may know he knows Christ, and that by two effects.
1 By feeling in his own heart, that having been oppressed with sin, he finds his soul comfortably pacified, if he find Christ pacifying his soul, he knows that he knows Christ, such a man whose spirit hath been oppressed with the consciousness of sin, if this mans soul be comforted and pacified, then he knows that he knows Christ, he is now acquainted with Christ, one that was never troubled with sin, knows not the worth and virtue of Christ, but a man that hath been afflicted in conscience for sin, and is now pacified, now he knows that he knows Christ, he had hold of him before, but he now plainly sees him,