A80611:428
Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life
Christ the fountain of life: or, Sundry choice sermons on part of the fifth chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithful minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.Christ the fountaine of life: or, Sundry choyce sermons on part of the fift chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson, 1651
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.
and a sign that the Church of Rome hath mixed her self with so ⟨p. 191⟩many Idols and abominations, that she cannot teach the children of her Church, to know that they are the sons and children of God, but condemns them to the death, if they dare presume to say, that God is their Father.
and a signe that the Church of Rome hath mixed her selfe with so ⟨p. 191⟩many Idols and abominations, that shee cannot teach the children of her Church, to know that they are the sons and children of God, but condemnes them to the death, if they dare presume to say, that God is their Father.
Use 2. May refute that opinion of the Papists, that will not suffer the common people to hear this Scripture; take notice here how injurious they are to the faith of Gods people, and to the knowledge of their chiefest comfort, to debar them of the knowledge and means of their salvation; take away these Scriptures, and take away the principal means of the knowledge of our salvation.
Vse 2. May refute that opinion of the Papists, that will not suffer the common people to heare this Scripture; take notice here how injurious they are to the faith of Gods people, and to the knowledge of their chiefest comfort, to debar them of the knowledge and meanes of their salvation; take away these Scriptures, and take away the principall meanes of the knowledge of our salvation.
Use 3. To teach such as are in any doubtful temptation at any time about their first estate and condition, who are not able to apply with comfort assuredly their grounded knowledge, that Christ, and eternal life is theirs; It may teach them among other Scriptures, to be diligent in inquiring into this Epistle, the Holy Ghost saith, it was the main scope of his writing unto all those that trust upon the name of Christ, that they might know their blessedness to lye upon him, and those that did not certainly know they had found him, he writes to them to look after Christ, to long for him, and to desire after him. Doest thou then desire not only to believe eternal salvation belongs to thee, but to know it? for to know is something more then to believe. A man may believe a thing, and upon good ground he may look for salvation there, and wait for it, and desire that he may be more assured of it, but to know that thou hast eternal life; and the certainty of it, that God hath sealed it up to thy soul and conscience, of which thou needest doubt no more, this is a far more greater blessing then to believe in Christ, though by believing we have eternal life; and therefore if thou so believe in him as to look for salvation in him, and not elsewhere, though as yet thou beest doubtful of thy estate, yet thou mayest learn much by reading these Scriptures, read them again, and again, and leave not reading and searching into them, till thou find even from this Epistle ground of assurance.