Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Use 1. If God having thus written, and given us these Epistles, then first, it will be a just refutation of that Popish Doctrine, that think it impossible for a man to know that he is in an estate of grace. If John did write these Epistles for this end, that we might know we have eternal life, then sure we may know it, else John fails of his end; and for John to be disappointed were less matter, but the Holy Ghost himself, for John being the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost, the holy end he aims at not being attainable, is to put a defiance upon the Almighty, and therefore the knowledge that we have eternal life may be attained; and whereas they tell us, we may have a conjectural knowledge, but no certain knowledge, but to say we have a knowledge, and yet but conjectural, is as much as to eat up a mans words he had formerly said; for a conjectural knowledge is no knowledge at all.¹ Knowledge is the judgement or discerning a man hath of a certain thing. If a man ask you, whether he know if such a man have possession of such a place, and he say first, yes, and afterwards saith, he conjectures so; his knowledge is no knowledge, it is a false intelligence. If you ask a man, if he knows whether such a man have such a portion of such a value, and he say, he hath, he conjectures so, it is no knowledge; but if he know it, then he speaks of a certainty. And therefore if the holy Ghost say, We may know it, then surely we may have more then a conjectural knowledge, even a certain knowledge of our happy estates; and were there no more Arguments in the world to discourage a man from Popery, this were sufficient, even this very doctrine of doubting, and conjectural assurance of a mans eternal estate, which leaves a mans Conscience destitute of any peace. Consider therefore,² that the Church of Rome is an Harlot, and brings up strange children; when she doth not teach her children to know God to be their Father, it argues she is no lawful spouse of Christ; but do but hope such an one is your Father, but count it presumption to say, you know it. That Church that trains not up her Children to know God to be their Father; is a false Church;

Vse 1. If God having thus written, and given us these Epistles, then first, it will be a just refutation of that Popish Doctrine, that thinke it impossible for a man to know that he is in an estate of grace. If John did write these Epistles for this end, that we might know we have eternall life, then sure we may know it, else Iohn failes of his end; and for Iohn to be disappointed were lesse matter, but the Holy Ghost himself, for Iohn being the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost, the holy end he aymes at not being attainable, is to put a defiance upon the Almighty, and therefore the knowledge that we have eternall life may be attained; and whereas they tell us, we may have a conjecturall knowledge, but no certaine knowledge, but to say we have a knowledge, and yet but conjecturall, is as much as to eate up a mans words he had formerly said; for a conjecturall knowledge is no knowledge at all.